Oaktree Acquisition Corp. III Life Sciences S-1/A, filed Oct 18, 2024
Oaktree Acquisition Corp. III Life Sciences (OACC)
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As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on October 18, 2024.
No. 333-282508
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Amendment No. 1
to
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Oaktree Acquisition Corp. III Life Sciences
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Cayman Islands | 6770 | 98-1799512 | ||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
333 South Grand Avenue, 28th Floor
Los Angeles, California 90071
Tel.: +1 (213) 830 6300
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
Zaid Pardesi
333 South Grand Avenue, 28th Floor
Los Angeles, California 90071
Tel.: +1 (213) 830 6300
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies to:
| Christian O. Nagler, P.C. Peter S. Seligson, P.C. Mathieu Kohmann Kirkland & Ellis LLP 601 Lexington Avenue New York, New York 10022 Tel.: +1 (212) 446 4800 |
Joel L. Rubinstein White & Case LLP 1221 Avenue of the Americas New York, New York 10020 Tel.: +1 (212) 819-8200 |
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.
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 definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
| 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 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
The registrant hereby amends this Registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities act of 1933 or until this Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
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The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED OCTOBER 18, 2024
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS
$175,000,000
Oaktree Acquisition Corp. III Life Sciences
17,500,000 Units
Oaktree Acquisition Corp. III Life Sciences is a newly organized blank check company incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company and formed 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, which we refer to as our initial business combination. We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target.
This is an initial public offering of our securities. Each unit has an offering price of $10.00 and consists of one Class A ordinary share, par value $0.0001 and one-fifth of one redeemable warrant. Accordingly, unless you purchase five public units, you will not be able to receive or trade a whole warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment, terms and limitations as described herein. The warrants will become exercisable 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, and will expire five years after the completion of our initial business combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation of the company, as described in this prospectus. Subject to the terms and conditions described in this prospectus, we may redeem the warrants for cash once the warrants become exercisable. The underwriters have a 45-day option from the date of this prospectus to purchase up to 2,625,000 additional public units to cover over-allotments, if any.
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Class A ordinary shares upon the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in our 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 (net of amounts withdrawn or eligible to be withdrawn to fund our working capital requirements, subject to an annual limit of $250,000 (plus the rollover of unused amounts from prior years), and/or to pay our taxes (any withdrawals to pay for our taxes (which shall exclude the 1% U.S. federal excise tax that was implemented by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 if any is imposed on us) shall not be subject to the $250,000 annual limitation described in the foregoing)), divided by the number of then-outstanding public shares. As further described in this prospectus, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), will be restricted from redeeming its public shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the public shares sold in this offering, without our prior consent. If we do not consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or our board of directors approves an earlier liquidation, we will redeem 100% of the public shares for cash, subject to applicable law and certain conditions as described herein. We may seek shareholder approval to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to extend the date by which we must consummate our initial business combination. If we seek shareholder approval for an extension, and the related amendments are implemented by the directors, holders of our public shares will be offered an opportunity to redeem their shares.
Our sponsor, Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, LLC, has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 550,000 private placement units (or up to 602,500 private placement units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), at a price of $10.00 per unit, for an aggregate purchase price of $5,500,000 (or up to $6,025,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) in a private placement that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering. We refer to these units throughout this prospectus as the private placement units. Each private placement warrant, upon aggregation of the fractional private placement warrants contained in each private placement unit, is exercisable to purchase one whole Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment, terms and limitations as described herein. The private placement warrants are identical to the warrants sold in this offering, subject to certain limited exceptions, as described in this prospectus. None of the private placement warrants will be redeemable by us. Each private placement share included in each private placement unit will not have any redemption rights or be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account if we fail to consummate an initial business combination.
Further, our sponsor currently owns 5,031,250 of our Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share (up to 656,250 of which are subject to forfeiture), which will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination or earlier at the option of the holder on a one-for-one basis (such Class A ordinary share delivered upon conversion will not have any redemption rights or be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account if we fail to consummate an initial business combination), subject to adjustment as described herein. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, only holders of our Class B ordinary shares will be entitled to vote on the election of directors or in a vote to transfer the company by way of continuation to a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands. The founder shares held by our sponsor were purchased for $25,000, or approximately $0.005 per share, which, as further described in this prospectus, may result in material dilution to public holders when converted into Class A ordinary shares or if the anti-dilution provision of the founder shares results in the issuance of Class A ordinary shares on a greater than one-to-one basis (for more information on dilution, also see the section entitled “Dilution” in this prospectus). As further described under “Offering—Other Considerations and Conflicts of Interest—Compensation of Sponsor, Sponsor’s Affiliates and Directors and Officers,” we expect to make certain payments and reimbursements, or pay certain fees, to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates, including but not limited to the payment of $25,000 per month to our sponsor for office space, secretarial and administrative services. Our sponsor may also, but is not obligated to, enter into certain arrangements with us to finance transaction costs in connection with an initial business combination, including up to $1,500,000 of loans convertible into private placement units at a price of $10.00 per private placement
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unit at the option of the lender. As more fully discussed in the section of this prospectus entitled “Management—Conflicts of Interest,” our officers and directors currently have certain relevant fiduciary duties or contractual obligations that may take priority over their duties to us and there may be a conflict of interest in our director’s and officer’s determination as to how much time to devote to our affairs and to which entity a particular business opportunity is presented. We may also decide to acquire one or more businesses affiliated with our sponsor or our executive officers or directors, or our directors, officers, sponsor and their affiliates may sponsor or become affiliated with entities that have a similar activity than ours. Further, our officers and directors have indirect economic interests in us and/or our sponsor and a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination since our sponsor, executive officers and directors may lose their entire investment in us if an initial business combination is not completed. As a result, there may be actual or potential material conflicts of interest between our sponsor and its affiliates on the one hand, and purchasers in this offering on the other hand. For more information, also see “Summary—Other Considerations and Conflicts of Interest,” “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Sponsor and Management Team’’ and “Principal Shareholders.”
The following table illustrates the difference between the public offering price per unit and our net tangible book value per share (“NTBV”), as adjusted to give effect to this offering and assuming the redemption of our public shares included in the public units offered hereby at varying levels in the scenarios in which the over-allotment option is not exercised and exercised in full. See section entitled “Dilution” for more information.
| AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| OFFERING PRICE OF $10.00 PER UNIT |
25% OF MAXIMUM REDEMPTION |
50% OF MAXIMUM REDEMPTION |
75% OF MAXIMUM REDEMPTION |
MAXIMUM REDEMPTION |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NTBV | NTBV | DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NTBV AND OFFERING PRICE |
NTBV | DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NTBV AND OFFERING PRICE |
NTBV | DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NTBV AND OFFERING PRICE |
NTBV | DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NTBV AND OFFERING PRICE |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assuming Full Exercise of Over-Allotment Option |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $7.59 | $ | 7.00 | $ | 3.00 | $ | 6.04 | $ | 3.96 | $ | 4.18 | $ | 5.82 | $ | (1.02 | ) | $ | 11.02 | |||||||||||||||
| Assuming No Exercise of Over-Allotment Option |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $7.57 | $ | 6.99 | $ | 3.01 | $ | 6.02 | $ | 3.98 | $ | 4.15 | $ | 5.85 | $ | (1.04 | ) | $ | 11.04 | |||||||||||||||
Currently, there is no public market for our units, Class A ordinary shares or warrants. We intend to apply to have our units listed on Nasdaq Global Market, or Nasdaq, under the symbol “OACCU.” We expect that the Class A ordinary shares and warrants comprising the units will begin separate trading on Nasdaq under the symbols “OACC” and “OACCW,” respectively, on the 52nd day following the date of this prospectus (or, if such date is not a business day, the following business day) unless the representatives of the underwriters permit earlier separate trading and we have satisfied certain conditions.
We are an “emerging growth company” and “smaller reporting company” under applicable federal securities laws and will be subject to reduced public company reporting requirements. Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 52 for a discussion of information that should be considered in connection with an investment in our securities. Investors will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors in Rule 419 blank check offerings.
Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
No offer or invitation, whether directly or indirectly, may be made to the public in the Cayman Islands to subscribe for our securities.
| PER UNIT | TOTAL | |||||||
| Public offering price |
$ | 10.00 | $ | 175,000,000 | ||||
| Underwriting discounts and commissions (1) |
$ | 0.55 | $ | 9,625,000 | ||||
| Proceeds, before expenses, to us |
$ | 9.45 | $ | 165,375,000 | ||||
| (1) | Includes $0.35 per unit, or $6,125,000 in the aggregate (or $7,043,750 in the aggregate if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), payable to the underwriters for deferred underwriting commissions to be placed in a trust account located in the United States, as described herein, and released to the underwriters only upon the consummation of an initial business combination. See also “Underwriting” beginning on page 221 for a description of compensation payable to the underwriters. |
Of the proceeds we receive from this offering and the sale of the private placement units described in this prospectus, $175,000,000, or $201,250,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($10.00 per unit in either case), will be deposited into a trust account located in the United States with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee.
The underwriters are offering the units for sale on a firm commitment basis. The underwriters expect to deliver the units to the purchasers on or about , 2024.
Joint Book-Running Managers
| Jefferies | Citigroup | UBS Investment Bank |
, 2024
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We are responsible for the information contained in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information, and neither we nor the underwriters take any responsibility for any other information others may give to you. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus.
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This summary only highlights the more detailed information appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. You should read this entire prospectus carefully, including the information under “Risk Factors” and our financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus, before investing.
Unless otherwise stated in this prospectus or the context otherwise requires, references to:
| ∎ | “assets under management” or “AUM” represent assets managed by Oaktree and a proportionate amount of the AUM reported by DoubleLine Capital LP (“DoubleLine Capital”) and other minority corporate investments. Oaktree’s methodology for calculating AUM includes (i) the net asset value (NAV) of assets managed directly by Oaktree, (ii) the leverage on which management fees are charged, (iii) undrawn capital that Oaktree is entitled to call from investors in Oaktree funds pursuant to their capital commitments, (iv) for collateralized loan obligation vehicles (“CLOs”), the aggregate par value of collateral assets and principal cash, (v) for publicly-traded business development companies, gross assets (including assets acquired with leverage), net of cash, and (vi) Oaktree’s pro rata portion (20%) of the AUM reported by DoubleLine Capital and other minority corporate investments. This calculation of AUM is not based on the definitions of AUM that may be set forth in agreements governing the investment funds, vehicles or accounts managed and is not calculated pursuant to regulatory definitions; |
| ∎ | “Companies Act” are to the Companies Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands as the same may be amended from time to time; |
| ∎ | “company,” “we,” “us,” “our,” or “our company” are to Oaktree Acquisition Corp. III Life Sciences, a Cayman Islands exempted company; |
| ∎ | “Excise Tax” shall mean the 1% U.S. federal excise tax that was implemented by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; |
| ∎ | “founders” are to John Frank, Zaid Pardesi, Aman Kumar and Mathew Pendo, senior investment professionals of Oaktree; |
| ∎ | “founder shares” are to our Class B ordinary shares initially issued to our sponsor in a private placement prior to this offering and the Class A ordinary shares that will be issued upon the automatic conversion of the Class B ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination or earlier at the option of the holder on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment as described herein (for the avoidance of doubt, such Class A ordinary shares will not be “public shares” with redemption rights); |
| ∎ | “management” or “our management team” are to our executive officers and directors (including our director nominees who will become directors at the consummation of this offering); |
| ∎ | “ordinary shares” are to our Class A ordinary shares and our Class B ordinary shares; |
| ∎ | “Oaktree” are to Oaktree Capital Management, L.P., an affiliate of our sponsor, and its affiliates where applicable; |
| ∎ | “permitted withdrawals” means amounts withdrawn or eligible to be withdrawn to fund our working capital requirements, subject to an annual limit of $250,000 (plus the rollover of unused amounts from prior years), and/or to pay our taxes (any withdrawals to pay for our taxes (which shall exclude the Excise Tax if any is imposed on us) shall not be subject to the $250,000 annual limitation described in the foregoing), such withdrawals can only be made from interest and not from the principal held in the trust account; |
| ∎ | “private placement units” are to the private placement units to be issued to our sponsor in a private placement simultaneously with the closing of this offering (which private placement units are identical to the public units sold in this offering, subject to certain limited exceptions as described in this prospectus) and upon conversion of working capital loans, as further described in this prospectus; |
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| ∎ | “private placement shares” are to the Class A ordinary shares underlying the private placement units issued to our sponsor in a private placement simultaneously with the closing of this offering or upon conversion of working capital loans, as further described in this prospectus (such Class A ordinary share delivered upon conversion shall not have any redemption rights or be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account if we fail to consummate an initial business combination); |
| ∎ | “private placement warrants” are to the non-redeemable warrants underlying the private placement units issued to our sponsor in a private placement simultaneously with the closing of this offering or upon conversion of working capital loans, as further described in this prospectus; |
| ∎ | “public shareholders” are to the holders of our public shares, including our sponsor and management team to the extent our sponsor and/or members of our management team purchase public shares, provided that our sponsor’s and each member of our management team’s status as a “public shareholder” will only exist with respect to such public shares; |
| ∎ | “public shares” are to our Class A ordinary shares sold as part of the public units in this offering (whether they are purchased in this offering or thereafter in the open market); |
| ∎ | “public warrants” are to the redeemable warrants sold as part of the public units in this offering (whether they are purchased in this offering or thereafter in the open market, including warrants that may be acquired by our sponsor or its affiliates in this offering or thereafter in the open market); |
| ∎ | “sponsor” are to Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, LLC, a Cayman Islands limited liability company acting by its managing member from time to time, being Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS GP, Ltd. as of the date of this prospectus; and |
| ∎ | “warrants” are to our redeemable public warrants and non-redeemable private placement warrants, as further described in this prospectus. |
Any forfeiture or transfer of shares described in this prospectus will take effect as a surrender of shares for no consideration of such shares as a matter of Cayman Islands law. Any conversion of the Class B ordinary shares described in this prospectus will take effect as a compulsory redemption of Class B ordinary shares and an issuance of Class A ordinary shares as a matter of Cayman Islands law. Any share dividends described in this prospectus will take effect as share capitalizations as a matter of Cayman Islands law.
Unless we tell you otherwise, the information in this prospectus assumes that the underwriters will not exercise their over-allotment option.
General
We are a newly organized blank check company incorporated on June 28, 2024, as a Cayman Islands exempted company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses, which we refer to throughout this prospectus as our initial business combination. To date, our efforts have been limited to organizational activities as well as activities related to this offering. We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target. We have generated no operating revenues to date and we do not expect that we will generate operating revenues until we consummate our initial business combination.
While we may pursue an acquisition opportunity in any business, industry, sector, or geographical location, we intend to focus on industries that complement our management team’s background, and to capitalize on the ability of our management team to identify and acquire a business, focusing on the healthcare or healthcare-related industries. In particular, we intend to target North American, British or European companies in the biopharmaceutical, medical devices, diagnostics, and specialized healthcare services sectors where our management has extensive investment experience.
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Furthermore, we believe that our management team is positioned to drive ongoing value creation post-business combination, as the team has done with multiple prior investments in healthcare, healthcare-related and other sectors over time. We believe our management team is well suited to identify opportunities that have the potential to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns for our shareholders. Our sponsor is an affiliate of Oaktree, a registered investment adviser with global investment experience. Through our affiliation with Oaktree, we intend to capitalize on the ability and experience of the Oaktree platform across healthcare or healthcare-related industries. Given Oaktree’s global reach and experience, we believe our team has the required investment, operational, diligence and capital raising expertise to effect a business combination with an attractive target and to position it for long-term success in the public markets. We may pursue a transaction in which our shareholders immediately prior to the completion of our initial business combination would collectively own a minority interest in the post-business combination company.
Oaktree
Oaktree is a leading global investment management firm founded in 1995 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California, with over 1,200 employees throughout offices in 23 cities in 17 countries (including offices of affiliates of Oaktree-managed funds). As of June 30, 2024, Oaktree had approximately $193 billion in assets under management. Of such AUM, approximately $16.3 billion have been committed across its private equity strategies. Oaktree’s senior executives and investment professionals have focused on less efficient markets and alternative investments for the past 39 years. Oaktree emphasizes a value-oriented approach to deploying capital in control investing, listed equities, and other alternative investment strategies. Oaktree also has a stellar SPAC track record, specifically in the healthcare space with two prior de-SPACing acquisitions of Hims & Hers Health, Inc. (NYSE: HIMS) and Alvotech (NASDAQ: ALVO).
Oaktree’s primary firm wide goal is to achieve attractive returns while effectively managing global risk and focusing on opportunistic situations across a wide variety of asset classes and market sectors. Oaktree believes that it can achieve this goal by taking advantage of “market inefficiencies” in which financial markets and their participants fail to accurately value assets or fail to make available to companies the capital that they reasonably require. Oaktree believes that its defining characteristic is its adherence to the highest professional standards, which has yielded several important benefits. Most importantly, Oaktree believes this characteristic has allowed Oaktree to attract and retain a talented group of investment professionals, while being viewed as a partner of choice for potential investment opportunities.
We believe that the breadth of the Oaktree platform and the collective expertise of our management team will allow us to identify numerous initial acquisition targets across the healthcare or healthcare-related sectors. Oaktree’s multi- decade track record of successful investing in both public and private markets gives us differentiated access and insights into a deep network of institutional investors worldwide, as well as a diversified portfolio of lending relationships. Oaktree’s client base includes leading pension plans, insurance companies, endowments, foundations, and sovereign wealth funds. Furthermore, Oaktree expects to leverage its strong relationships with banks and other financial institutions as well as those with brokers, advisors and attorneys. This network of contacts is instrumental in obtaining access to investment opportunities, some of which are made available to Oaktree on a highly selective, and in some cases an exclusive, basis. We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target. For more information on our sponsor and its controlling persons, please see the section entitled “Principal Shareholders.”
Life Sciences Platform
Oaktree’s Life Sciences investment platform, co-led by our Director Dr. Aman Kumar has been an early mover in the life sciences private lending space, beginning its investing activity in 2013. Since that time, Oaktree has committed approximately $5 billion across 51 life sciences investments (through August 31, 2024) with no realized losses. The 11-person, life sciences-dedicated investment team has significant healthcare-specific, operational, and financial experience and varied backgrounds spanning business, healthcare equity and credit buy-side, investment banking and medicine. The life sciences industry has historically benefited from
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attractive secular growth (including through periods of macro economic downturn), and we believe this will continue, as growth in the sector is supported by technological innovation and favorable demographic trends. The industry has frequently outperformed the S&P 500 and exhibited a low correlation with broader growth.
Since 2013, Oaktree’s Life Sciences team has evaluated nearly 800 investment opportunities, of which only 71 progressed into the final round with 51 investments eventually consummating. Of these 51 investments, 69% were in companies based in the US, 16% in European companies and balance in the UK and rest of the world. Sub-sector wise, about two-thirds were in the biopharma space, with the balance across medical devices and healthcare services.
We will be able to capitalize on the team’s healthcare-specific operational and financial experience and varied backgrounds spanning finance and medicine. We believe having a deep understanding of, ability to “speak the language”, and relationships within the life sciences industry provides a significant advantage when negotiating with management teams and evaluating prospective business combination targets.
Oaktree’s global platform, which offers significant differentiation relative to competitors, provides our company with key structural and operational advantages. We expect to (i) leverage Oaktree’s research capabilities and industry expertise, including a multi-million dollar annual research budget and over 350 investment professionals, (ii) access extensive deal flow from institutional client relationships, banks and brokers, (iii) attract talented investment professionals and advisors, (iv) enjoy increased influence with company boards and management teams, (v) seek restructuring advice if necessary from investment professionals managing over $44.6 billion as of June 30, 2024, across Oaktree’s opportunities funds and distressed strategies and (vi) leverage Oaktree’s extensive infrastructure, including over 800 back-office employees. Moreover, our team is particularly well positioned within Oaktree to manage the day-to-day efforts of our company given its experience managing OAC and OACB and its deep understanding of the public markets and how to tailor transactions that best position private companies to succeed as long-term public companies. See “Risk Factors—General Risk Factors—Past experience or performance by our management team or their affiliates, including Oaktree, Oaktree Acquisition Corp. and Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II, may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in us.”
Healthcare Opportunity
While we may pursue a business combination in any industry, we intend to focus on opportunities in the healthcare or healthcare-related industries in North America, the United Kingdom and Western Europe. The healthcare sector has seen continuous innovation and rapid technological advancements over the last decade, making it one of the fastest-growing industries. This growth has been driven by ongoing research into new treatment areas and disease states as well as by favourable demographic tailwinds given rapidly aging populations in developed markets. Of course, the industry has recently been heralded as a hero in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, and investor focus in the sector has increased meaningfully as life sciences companies rushed to develop diagnostic tests, therapeutics, and vaccines in record time during the pandemic. However, the demand for innovative and disruptive treatments and technologies pre-dates this pandemic, and we believe this dynamic will continue long into the future as companies continue to improve treatments for existing conditions and develop novel treatments for previously undiagnosed or untreatable diseases. Moreover, we believe the industry’s growth will accelerate in the coming years as populations age, the global middle class expands, and medical expenditures outpace GDP growth across the developed world. Healthcare spending as a percentage of global GDP already exceeds 10% and represents roughly 18% of the US economic output. In addition to this, global annual R&D spending in the healthcare industry is forecasted to be $288 billion in 2024 according to Evaluate Ltd’s Research & Development Expenditures report. Unsurprisingly, this will be a highly capital-intensive endeavor, requiring significant spending on research and development, building out manufacturing and supply chain capacities, and commercializing new products and technologies. The industry’s already substantial financing needs should – like the global population’s median age – keep rising, which should create an ample opportunity set for increasing investment in the space.
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Experience with Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (“SPACs”)
Certain members of our management team and board of directors have previous experience in the execution of public acquisition vehicles. In January 2021, Oaktree Acquisition Corp. consummated its initial business combination with Hims, Inc. The Class A common stock of the combined company, Hims & Hers Health, Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol “HIMS.” The closing price of the ordinary shares of Hims & Hers Health, Inc. on the NYSE on October 2, 2024 was $18.95. Prior to the acquisition of Hims & Hers Health, Inc., the SPAC lead an initial sourcing of approximately 300+ opportunities, then diligence approximately 75+ prospective targets and submitted 12 letters of intent. Oaktree Acquisition Corp. consummated its business combination without an extension and within 24 months of the closing of its initial public offering, as provided by its amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. The holders of 6,193 Class A ordinary shares of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. (or approximately 0.03% of the publicly held Class A ordinary shares) elected to have their shares redeemed in connection with the business combination with Hims, Inc.
Additionally, in June 2022, Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II consummated its initial business combination with Alvotech Holdings S.A. The ordinary shares and warrants of the combined company, Alvotech (“Alvotech”), are traded on Nasdaq under the symbol “ALVO” and “ALVOW,” respectively. The closing prices of the ordinary shares and warrants of Alvotech on Nasdaq on October 2, 2024 and October 1, 2024 were $12.30 and $2.82, respectively. Prior to the acquisition of Alvotech, the SPAC lead an initial sourcing of approximately 235+ opportunities, then diligence approximately 74+ prospective targets and submitted 9 letters of intent. Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II consummated its business combination without an extension and within 24 months of the closing of its initial public offering, as provided by its amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. The holders of 24,023,495 Class A ordinary shares of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II (or approximately 96.09% of the publicly held Class A ordinary shares) elected to have their shares redeemed in connection with the business combination with Alvotech.
Across both transactions Oaktree’s SPACs have generated an equity return of approximately 40% since 2020.
We believe that there is currently a large backlog of life sciences companies with only 11 IPOs completed year-to-date and 23,000 life sciences company globally and the capital market conditions continue to improve with more IPOs completed in 2024 (year-to-date) than both 2022 and 2023. The life sciences sector is the most active with 168 transactions raising $34 billion in proceeds year-to-date.
We believe our management and board of director’s capabilities and experience managing Oaktree Acquisition Corp. and Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II will complement Oaktree Acquisition Corp. III Life Sciences and demonstrate the team’s resources required to effect a successful business combination in the current market conditions. In addition, we are well positioned to source additional funding in the capital markets, as required.
Oaktree Acquisition Corp. III Life Sciences will be a natural extension of our management’s day-to-day business and benefit from the proprietary deal flow the team sources, both internally, from other groups across the global Oaktree platform, and externally, from our management’s and board of director’s breadth of industry relationships.
Our founders and our directors and officers, Oaktree, or its affiliates expect in the future to become affiliated with other public special purpose acquisition companies that may have acquisition objectives that are similar to ours. See “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to our Sponsor and Management Team — Our officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities, including another blank check company, and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.”
The past experience or performance of the members of our management team or their affiliates, including Oaktree Acquisition Corp. and Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II and Oaktree, is not a guarantee that we will be able to identify a suitable candidate for our initial business combination or of success with respect to any business
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combination we may consummate. You should not rely on the historical record or the performance of our management team or their affiliates, including Oaktree Acquisition Corp. and Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II and Oaktree or any of their affiliates’ or managed fund’s performance as indicative of our future performance. See “Risk Factors—General Risk Factors—Past experience or performance by our management team or their affiliates, including Oaktree, Oaktree Acquisition Corp. and Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II, may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in us.”
Our Founders, Board of Directors and Management
John Frank has served as the Chairman and on our board of directors since July 2024. Mr. Frank served in a similar role on the board of directors of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. I and Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II until their business combinations with Hims, Inc. and Alvotech Holdings S.A., respectively. Mr. Frank is Vice Chairman and Director of Brookfield Oaktree Holdings, LLC (formerly Oaktree Capital Group, LLC) and Vice Chairman of Oaktree. He has been senior executive of Oaktree working closely with co-founders Howard Marks and Bruce Karsh, for twenty-three years. Since October 2017, Mr. Frank has also served as the Chairman of the board of directors of Oaktree Specialty Lending Corporation. From October 2017 to March 2021, Mr. Frank also served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Oaktree Strategic Income Corporation prior to its merger with Oaktree Specialty Lending Corporation. Mr. Frank joined Oaktree in 2001 as General Counsel and was named Oaktree’s Managing Principal in early 2006, a position which he held for about nine years. As Managing Principal, Mr. Frank was the firm’s principal executive officer and responsible for all aspects of the firm’s management. Prior to joining Oaktree, Mr. Frank was a partner of the Los Angeles law firm of Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP where he managed a number of notable merger and acquisition transactions. Prior to joining Munger Tolles in 1984, Mr. Frank served as a law clerk to the Honorable Frank M. Coffin of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Frank served as a Legislative Assistant to the Honorable Robert F. Drinan, Member of Congress. Mr. Frank holds a B.A. degree with honors in history from Wesleyan University and a J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School, where he was Managing Editor of the Michigan Law Review and a member of the Order of the Coif. He is a member of the State Bar of California and, while in private practice, was listed in Woodward & White’s Best Lawyers in America. Mr. Frank is a member of the Board of Directors of Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) and Daily Journal Corporation and a Trustee of The James Irvine Foundation and the XPRIZE Foundation. Mr. Frank was a long-time trustee of Good Samaritan Hospital, Polytechnic School and Wesleyan University (where he served as Chair of the Board from 2001 until 2004). We believe Mr. Frank’s experience and expertise make him well qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.
Aman Kumar, MD, has served on our board of directors since July 2024 and is a managing director within Oaktree’s Global Private Debt strategy. He also serves as a co-portfolio manager for the strategy’s Life Sciences Lending platform which focuses on investment opportunities across the healthcare spectrum from biotechnology and pharmaceuticals to medical devices and healthcare services. Prior to joining Oaktree in 2014, Dr. Kumar spent three years at Deutsche Bank in London working on the Global Credit team, most recently as a vice president on the European High Yield trading desk. Since June 2023, Dr. Kumar has been serving on the board of directors of Sanius Health. He has also been a board member of Si02 Material Science since September 2023. He received an M.B.A. from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and holds a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degree from King’s College London. Prior to Wharton, Dr. Kumar worked as a surgeon in the UK National Health Service (NHS). He is a member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. We believe Dr. Kumar’s significant investment experience and experience in the healthcare sector make him well qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.
Zaid Pardesi has served as our Chief Executive Officer since July 2024 and is a managing director at Oaktree Capital. Mr. Pardesi also served as the Chief Financial Officer and Head of M&A of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II from September 2020 until the closing of the business combination of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II with Alvotech (NASDAQ: ALVO) in June 2022. From July 2019 to January 2021, Mr. Pardesi served as Chief Financial Officer and Head of M&A of Oaktree Acquisition Corp., which consummated a business combination with Hims & Hers Health, Inc. (NYSE: HIMS). He has spent his career originating, acquiring and managing
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middle-market companies in the industrial, consumer, and healthcare sectors, often operating platforms as Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Pardesi joined Oaktree in 2019 from The Cranemere Group, a global holding company, where he was a senior investment professional acquiring middle-market businesses. Prior thereto, Mr. Pardesi was an investor at H.I.G. Capital and at AEA Investors in New York and London. He began his career at Bain & Company. Mr. Pardesi received an M.B.A. from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and a B.S. from Northwestern University, where he was a computer engineering and economics double major. We believe Mr. Pardesi’s significant investment experience make him well qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.
Mathew Pendo has served as our Chief Operation Officer since July 2024. Mr. Pendo currently serves as the Managing Director, Head of Corporate Development and Capital Markets for Oaktree and the President of the following Oaktree managed Business Development Companies: Oaktree Specialty Lending Corporation and Oaktree Strategic Credit Fund. Mr. Pendo joined Oaktree in 2015. Mr. Pendo previously served Chief Operating Officer of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II until its business combination with Alvotech Holdings S.A., and as Chief Operating Officer of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. until its business combination with Hims, Inc. His prior experience includes serving as the chief investment officer of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where he was honored with the Distinguished Service Award in 2013. Mr. Pendo began his career at Merrill Lynch, where he spent 18 years, starting in their investment banking division before becoming managing director of the technology industry group. Subsequently, Mr. Pendo was a managing director at Barclays Capital, first serving as co-head of U.S. Investment Banking and then co-head of Global Industrials group. He received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Princeton University, cum laude and is a former board member of Ally Financial, Keypath Education, Inc., New IPT Holdings, LLC and SuperValue Inc.
Courtney Conigliaro has served as our Chief Financial Officer since July 2024 and is a senior vice president within Oaktree’s Finance organization, serving as head of the corporate accounting organization. She joined Oaktree’s Finance organization in 2021. She has spent her career managing and overseeing finance, accounting and reporting functions within the asset management and real estate industries, in a variety of management roles. Prior to working at Oaktree, Ms. Conigliaro worked at CBRE, Inc., a global commercial real estate services and investments company, from 2018 to 2021, where she was a senior director, serving as the global segment controller for their advisory segment and overseeing financial due diligence and integrations for the company’s mergers and acquisitions, including oversight of CBRE’s SPAC finance operations. She began her career as an auditor and consultant at Ernst & Young, serving strategic clients in the real estate and financial services industries. Ms. Conigliaro received a B.S. in Accountancy from Villanova University.
Paul Meister has agreed to serve on our board of directors. Mr. Meister has been a partner in Novalis LifeSciences, a life science-focused venture firm, since 2021. Mr. Meister is the co-founder, and since 2008, Chief Executive Officer of Liberty Lane Partners, LLC, a private investment company with investment holdings in healthcare, technology and distribution-related industries. From 2014 to 2018, Mr. Meister was President of MacAndrews & Forbes Incorporated, a private company that owns or controls a diverse set of businesses. In 2018, Mr. Meister also served, on an interim basis, as Executive Vice Chairman of Revlon, Inc. a leading beauty products company (NYSE: REV). Mr. Meister served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of inVentiv Health, Inc. (now Syneos Health Inc.) (NASDAQ: SYNH), a leading provider of commercial, consulting and clinical research services to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, from 2010 to 2014. Mr. Meister was Chairman of Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (NYSE: TMO), a scientific instruments equipment and supplies company, from 2006 to 2007. Mr. Meister was previously an Executive Officer of Fisher Scientific International, Inc., a predecessor of Thermo Fisher Scientific from 1991 to 2006. Mr. Meister has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and an M.B.A. from Northwestern University. Other public company directorships include Aptiv PLC (NYSE: APTIV) since July 2019; Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE: AMRX) since August 2019; Oaktree Acquisition Corp. I (July 2019 - January 2021) (NADSAQ: OAC); Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II (NASDAQ: OACB) from September 2020 to June 2022, Quanterix Corporation (NASDAQ:
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QTRX) since 2013, and Scientific Games Corporation (NASDAQ: SGMS) from March 2012 to June 2020. Mr. Meister is Co-Chair of the University of Michigan’s Life Sciences Institute External Advisory Board and Chair of the Provost’s Advisory Committee. We believe Mr. Meister’s significant investment experience and business strategy expertise make him well qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.
Alvin Shih, M.D. has agreed to serve on our board of directors. Dr. Shih has broad experience in drug development, spanning multiple indications with a focus on rare diseases, including as the chief operating officer and founding member of Pfizer Inc.’s (NYSE: PFE) rare disease research unit from May 2010 to May 2014. Most recently, he has served as president and chief executive officer of Catamaran Bio, Inc. since February 2021. Prior to his current role, from July 2019 to December 2020 Dr. Shih served as the chief executive officer of Disarm Therapeutics, a biotechnology company that developed therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases and that was acquired by Eli Lilly in October 2020. Before that, Dr. Shih was chief executive officer of Enzyvant Therapeutics from November 2016 to February 2019, where he led the company’s cell/tissue-based therapy development for treating a rare immunological disease. Dr. Shih was also the executive vice president and head of research at Retrophin, Inc. from May 2014 to October 2016 where he worked on therapies for multiple disease indications. Dr. Shih has been serving on the board of directors of Tenza from November 2021. Since January 2024, Dr. Shih has been serving on the board of directors of Zevra Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ GS: ZVRA), and since July 2024, Dr. Shih has served on the board of directors of Imbria Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Shih previously worked in management consulting at McKinsey & Company and L.E.K. Consulting, LLC. He received his medical degree from the University of Alabama and completed his residency training at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Shih received his M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. We believe that Dr. Shih’s significant leadership experience in the biotechnology industry and his experience in rare disease qualifies him to serve as a member of our board of directors.
We believe our management team and board of directors is well positioned to take advantage of the growing set of investment opportunities focused on the healthcare industry and that our contacts and relationships will allow us to generate an attractive transaction for our shareholders.
With respect to the above, past experience or performance of our management team or Oaktree and their respective affiliates is not a guarantee of either (i) success with respect to a business combination that may be consummated or (ii) the ability to successfully identify and execute a transaction. You should not rely on the historical record of management or Oaktree and their respective affiliates as indicative of future performance. See “Risk Factors—General Risk Factors—Past experience or performance by our management team or their affiliates, including Oaktree, Oaktree Acquisition Corp. and Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II, may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in us.” For a list of our executive officers and directors and entities for which a conflict of interest may or does exist between such officers and directors, on the one hand, and us, on the other hand, please refer to “Management—Conflicts of Interest.”
Certain of our founders, officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary and contractual duties to other entities, including without limitation, investment funds, accounts, co-investment vehicles and other entities managed by Oaktree or its affiliates and certain companies in which Oaktree or such entities have invested. As a result, if any of our founders, officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he, she or it has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations (including, without limitation, any Oaktree funds or other investment vehicles), then, he, she or it may be required to honor such fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such entity. However, we do not expect these duties to present a significant conflict of interest with our search for an initial business combination. We believe this conflict of interest will be naturally mitigated, to some extent, by the differing nature of the acquisition targets Oaktree typically considers most attractive for Oaktree funds and the types of acquisitions we expect Oaktree Acquisition Corp. III Life Sciences to find most attractive. As a result of due diligence from the broader platform, we may become aware of a potential transaction that is not a fit for the traditional investing activities
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of Oaktree but that is an attractive opportunity for us. In addition to the above, our officers and directors are not required to commit any specific amount of time to our affairs, and accordingly will have conflicts of interest in allocating management time among various business activities, including identifying potential business combinations and monitoring the related due diligence.
Business Strategy
While we will not be limited to a particular industry or geographic region, given the experience of our management team and Oaktree, our acquisition and value creation strategy will be to identify, acquire and build a company in the healthcare and healthcare related industries, including biopharmaceutical, medical devices, diagnostics, and specialized healthcare services companies.
Our acquisition strategy will leverage Oaktree’s network of proprietary deal sourcing where we believe a combination of industry research, private equity sponsorship and lending relationships will provide us with a number of unique business combination opportunities. Additionally, we expect that relationships cultivated from years of transaction experience with management teams of public and private companies, investment bankers, restructuring advisers, attorneys and accountants will provide potential opportunities for our company. Our goal is to collaborate with a company that already is a fundamentally healthy company. We will seek to work with a potential acquisition candidate to access the capital markets, retain and attract top tier management talent, and execute a proprietary value-creation business plan helping the company continue to grow into the next phase of its life cycle. We intend to employ a fundamental, value-oriented acquisition framework that seeks a target with the potential for significant equity value creation coupled with strong downside protection from dependable cash flows and a durable business franchise. The management team along with our board of directors have experience in:
| ∎ | Operating companies in the public and private markets, defining corporate strategy, and identifying, mentoring and recruiting top talent; |
| ∎ | Growing companies, both organically and through strategic transactions, expanding product portfolios and broadening geographic footprints; |
| ∎ | Strategically investing in leading private and public healthcare companies to help accelerate growth and maturation; |
| ∎ | Sourcing, structuring, acquiring and selling businesses; |
| ∎ | Accessing public and private capital markets to optimize capital structure, including financing businesses and helping companies transition ownership structures; and |
| ∎ | Fostering relationships with sellers, capital providers and experienced target management teams. |
| ∎ | Building companies with resilient and flexible business models that have had success in navigating multiple periods of economic drawdowns. |
Following the completion of this offering, we will communicate with our management’s network of deal sourcing relationships to articulate the parameters for our search for a potential business combination and begin the process of pursuing and reviewing potential opportunities.
Acquisition Criteria
Consistent with our strategy, we have identified the following general criteria and guidelines which we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses. We will use these criteria and guidelines in evaluating acquisition opportunities, but we may decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet these criteria and guidelines. We intend to acquire one or more businesses that we believe:
| ∎ | Will benefit from a public currency. Access to the public equity markets could allow the target company to utilize an additional form of capital, enhancing its ability to pursue accretive acquisitions, high-return capital projects, and/or strengthen its balance sheet; |
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| ∎ | Has a healthy growing platform. We will seek to invest in companies that we believe possess attractive business models that will provide a growing platform for equity investors; |
| ∎ | Has a management team and/or a strong sponsor that desires a significant equity stake in the post-business combination company. We will seek to partner with a management team and/or seller who is well-incentivized and aligned in an effort to create shareholder value; |
| ∎ | Can be acquired at an attractive valuation for public market investors. We will seek to be a disciplined steward of capital that will invest on terms that we believe provide attractive risk-adjusted returns. We intend to focus on target companies with an approximate enterprise of $500 million - $1.5 billion; |
| ∎ | Will be resilient to economic cycles. We will focus on recession-resilient business models; |
| ∎ | Are commercial stage assets that have an attractive cash flow profile and/or unit economics. We will seek to target businesses with attractive financial attributes; and |
| ∎ | Will benefit from Oaktree’s long-term sponsorship as it looks to accelerate its growth in the public markets. We intend to acquire a company which we believe will benefit from our differentiated industry network, brand and proprietary value-creation capabilities to improve financial performance and business planning. |
These criteria are not intended to be exhaustive. We may use other criteria as well. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial business combination may be based, to the extent relevant, on these general guidelines as well as other considerations, factors and criteria that our management may deem relevant. In the event that we decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet the above criteria and guidelines, we will disclose that the target business does not meet the above criteria in our shareholder communications related to our initial business combination, which, as discussed in this prospectus, would be in the form of tender offer documents or proxy solicitation materials that we would file with the SEC.
Our Acquisition Process
In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a thorough due diligence review which will encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document reviews, inspection of facilities, as well as a review of financial, operational, legal and other information which will be made available to us. We will also utilize our operational and capital planning experience.
As described in more details below under “—Other Consideration and Conflicts of Interest” and in the section entitled “Management—Conflicts of Interest,” we are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors and conflicts of interest may arise if we select a business combination target that is affiliated with our sponsor, officer or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion that our initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view from either an independent investment banking firm or an independent accounting firm. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context. Despite our agreement to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or an independent valuation or accounting firm regarding the fairness to our company from a financial point of view of a business combination with one or more domestic or international businesses affiliated with our sponsor, executive officers or directors, potential conflicts of interest still may exist and, as a result, the terms of the business combination may not be as advantageous to our public shareholders as they would be absent any conflicts of interest. Such conflicts of interest in connection with a business combination with a business affiliated with our sponsor, executive officers or directors include conflicts related to the additional fiduciary and contractual duties that our directors and officers may have (as further described in the next paragraph) and conflicts resulting from our directors’ and officers’ indirect ownership in the founder shares and private placement units held by our sponsor and the effective price at which such securities were purchased by the sponsor and which may result in the selection of an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value and is unprofitable for public shareholders (while still profitable from our sponsor’s, directors’ and officers’ perspective)
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instead of not consummating a business combination at all or with a different business combination target (for more information, also see “— Other Consideration and Conflicts of Interest”).
Our founders, officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary and contractual duties to other entities, including without limitation, any future special purpose acquisition companies they may be involved in and investment funds, accounts, co-investment vehicles and other entities managed by affiliates of Oaktree and certain companies in which Oaktree or such entities have invested. As a result, if any of our founders, officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he, she or it has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations (including, without limitation, any future special purpose acquisition companies they may be involved in and any current or future Oaktree funds or other investment vehicles), he or she may need to honor such fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such entity. If these funds or investment entities decide to pursue any such opportunity, we may be precluded from pursuing the same. In addition, investment ideas generated within or presented to Oaktree or our founders may be suitable for both us and a current or future Oaktree fund, portfolio company or other investment entity and, subject to applicable fiduciary duties, may first be directed to such fund, portfolio company or other entity before being directed, if at all, to us. None of Oaktree, our founders or any members of our board of directors who are also employed by Oaktree or its affiliates have any obligation to present us with any opportunity for a potential business combination of which they become aware solely in their capacities as officers or executives of Oaktree. Further, members of our management team will directly or indirectly own our ordinary shares and/or private placement units (including their underlying securities) following this offering, and, accordingly, may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. The low price that our sponsor, executive officers and directors (directly or indirectly) paid for the founder shares creates an incentive whereby our officers and directors could potentially make a substantial profit even if we select an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value and is unprofitable for public shareholders.
Although affiliates of our directors and officers or entities, to which they have fiduciary obligations, including Oaktree or certain of its current or future investment funds, accounts, co-investment vehicles and other entities managed by affiliates of Oaktree, may pursue a similar target universe to us for acquisition or investment opportunities, we anticipate that the specific companies or assets that we may target (e.g. companies in the healthcare or healthcare-related industries seeking to go public) will only overlap as appropriate opportunities for such entities and persons due to their investment mandates if such potential targets also desire to enter into other debt or equity transactions with such entities and persons in connection with a going public transaction, which our potential targets may choose to effectuate via a business combination with us or without us via a business combination with a competing special purpose acquisition company or the use of a more traditional initial public offering or direct listing structure. Therefore, we do not expect the fiduciary and contractual duties of our directors, officers, their affiliates and entities, to which they have fiduciary obligations, to materially affect our ability to select an appropriate acquisition target and complete an initial business combination.
Initial Business Combination
We must complete one or more business combinations that together have an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the net assets held in the trust account (excluding the amount of deferred underwriting discounts held in trust and taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account) at the time of signing the agreement to enter into the initial business combination. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses or we are considering an initial business combination with an affiliated entity, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or an independent valuation or accounting firm with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. Our shareholders may not be provided with a copy of such opinion nor will they be able to rely on such opinion.
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While we consider it unlikely that our board will not be able to make an independent determination of the fair market value of a target business or businesses, it may be unable to do so if the board is less familiar or experienced with the target company’s business, there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of the company’s assets or prospects, including if such company is at an early stage of development, operations or growth, or if the anticipated transaction involves a complex financial analysis or other specialized skills and the board determines that outside expertise would be helpful or necessary in conducting such analysis. Since any opinion, if obtained, would merely state that the fair market value of the target business meets the 80% of net assets threshold, unless such opinion includes material information regarding the valuation of a target business or the consideration to be provided, it is not anticipated that copies of such opinion would be distributed to our shareholders. However, if required under applicable law, any proxy statement that we deliver to shareholders and file with the SEC in connection with a proposed transaction will include such opinion.
We may, at our option, pursue an acquisition opportunity jointly with one or more parties affiliated with Oaktree, including without limitation, officers and partners of Oaktree, investment funds, accounts, co-investment vehicles and other entities managed by affiliates of Oaktree and/or investors in funds, accounts, co-investment vehicles and other entities managed by affiliates of Oaktree. Any such party may co-invest with us in the target business at the time of our initial business combination, or we could raise additional proceeds to complete the acquisition by issuing to such parties a specified future issuance. The amount and other terms and conditions of any such joint acquisition or specified future issuance would be determined at the time thereof.
We anticipate structuring our initial business combination so that the post-business combination company in which our public shareholders own shares will own or acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses. We may, however, structure our initial business combination such that the post-business combination company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management team or shareholders or for other reasons, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-business combination 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, or the Investment Company Act. Even if the post-business combination company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to the business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-business combination company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our shareholders immediately prior to the completion of our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our issued and outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-business combination company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be valued for purposes of the 80% of net assets test. If the business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% of net assets test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the target businesses and we will treat the target businesses together as the initial business combination for purposes of a tender offer or for seeking shareholder approval, as applicable.
To the extent we effect our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in such company or business. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all significant risk factors.
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The time required to select and evaluate a target business and to structure and complete our initial business combination, and the costs associated with this process, are not currently ascertainable with any degree of certainty. Any costs incurred with respect to the identification and evaluation of a prospective target business with which our initial business combination is not ultimately completed will result in our incurring losses and will reduce the funds we can use to complete another business combination. Further, as the number of special purpose acquisition companies evaluating targets increases, attractive targets may become scarcer and there may be more competition for attractive targets. Because of our limited resources and such increased competition for business combination opportunities, including from other special purpose acquisition companies or other entities having a similar business objective to us, it may be more difficult for us to complete our initial business combination or negotiate attractive terms for our initial business combination. Depending on who our competitors will be when negotiating a business combination transaction, we may also be at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating an initial business combination. For more information also see “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Search for, and Consummation of, or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination—As the number of special purpose acquisition companies evaluating targets increases, attractive targets may become scarcer and there may be more competition for attractive targets. This could increase the cost of our initial business combination and could even result in our inability to find a target or to consummate an initial business combination” and “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Search for, and Consummation of, or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination—Because of our limited resources and the significant competition for business combination opportunities, it may be more difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per public share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless.”
Pursuant to a letter agreement to be entered with us, we have agreed not to enter into a definitive agreement regarding an initial business combination without the prior consent of our sponsor. Further, pursuant to such letter agreement, each of our sponsor, directors and officers has agreed to restrictions on its ability to transfer, assign, or sell founder shares, private placement units and public units (if any are purchased in connection with the offering), as summarized in the table below. For more information on non-contractual resale restrictions, also see “Securities Eligible for Future Sale — Rule 144,” “Securities Eligible for Future Sale — Restrictions on the Use of Rule 144 by Shell Companies or Former Shell Companies” and “Securities Eligible for Future Sale —Summary of resale restrictions.”
| SUBJECT |
TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS |
NATURAL PERSONS |
EXCEPTIONS TO TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS | |||
| Founder Shares | Agreement not to (a) sell, offer to sell, contract or agree to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agree to dispose of, directly or indirectly, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidation with respect to or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder | Our sponsor, directors and officers | Restrictions are not applicable to transfers (a) to our officers or directors, any affiliates or family members of any of our officers or directors, any members or partners of our sponsor or their affiliates, any affiliates of our sponsor, or any employees of such affiliates; (b) in the case of an individual, by gift to a member of one of the individual’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of the individual’s immediate family, an affiliate of such person or to a charitable organization; (c) in the case of an individual, by virtue of |
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| SUBJECT |
TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS |
NATURAL PERSONS |
EXCEPTIONS TO TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS | |||
| with respect to, any security, (b) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any security, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of such securities, in cash or otherwise, or (c) publicly announce any intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (a) or (b) (each of the foregoing, a “Transfer”), until the earlier of (A) 180 days after the completion of our initial business combination and (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property. Further, no Transfer of any Class A ordinary shares, Class B ordinary shares or any other securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, ordinary shares until 180 days after the date of this prospectus. | laws of descent and distribution upon death of the individual; (d) in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; (e) by private sales or transfers made in connection with the consummation of a business combination at prices no greater than the price at which the founder shares, private placement units, private placement warrants, private placement shares or Class A ordinary shares, as applicable, were originally purchased; (f) pro rata distributions from our sponsor to its members, partners, or shareholders pursuant to our sponsor’s operating agreement, (g) by virtue of our sponsor’s organizational documents upon liquidation or dissolution of our sponsor; (h) to the Company for no value for cancellation in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination; (i) in the event of our liquidation prior to the completion of our initial business combination; or (j) in the event of our completion of a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination; provided, however, that in the case of clauses (a) through (g) these permitted transferees must enter into a written agreement agreeing to be bound by these transfer restrictions and the other restrictions contained in the letter agreement. Any permitted transferees would be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of our sponsor and |
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| SUBJECT |
TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS |
NATURAL PERSONS |
EXCEPTIONS TO TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS | |||
| management team with respect to any founder shares and private placement units (including their underlying securities). Further, despite the 180 day Transfer restriction after the date of this prospectus that is described under the column “Transfer restrictions” to the left of this column, the underwriting agreement authorizes registration with the SEC pursuant to the Registration Rights and Shareholder Rights Agreement of the resale of the founder shares, the private placement units (including any private placement units issued upon conversion of working capital loans) and their underlying securities, the exercise of the private placement warrants and the public warrants and the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of such warrants or conversion of founder shares. | ||||||
| Private Placement Units and underlying securities | No Transfer until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination. Further, no Transfer of any Class A ordinary shares, Class B ordinary shares or any other securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, ordinary shares until 180 days after the date of this prospectus. | Our sponsor, directors and officers | Same as above. | |||
| Public Units and underlying securities (if any are purchased in connection with the offering) | No Transfer of any Class A ordinary shares, Class B ordinary shares or any other securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, ordinary shares until 180 days after the date of this prospectus. | Our sponsor, directors and officers | Same as above. | |||
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The letter agreement also provides that the sponsor and each director and officer agree to vote any founder shares, private placement shares included in private placement units and any public shares they may own in favor of a proposed initial business combination if we seek shareholder approval for such business combination and in favor of any proposals recommended by our board of directors in connection with such business combination (except with respect to any such public shares which may not be voted in favor of approving the business combination transaction in accordance with the requirements of Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act and any SEC interpretations or guidance relating thereto). Further, our sponsor, directors and officers also agree not to redeem any public shares they may hold in connection with such shareholder approval. The letter agreement may not be changed, amended, modified or waived as to any particular provision, except by a written instrument executed by (i) each director and officer signatory to the letter agreement with respect to herself or himself, as applicable, to the extent she or he are the subject of any such change, amendment, modification or waiver, (ii) us, and (iii) our sponsor. Changes, amendments, modifications or waivers to the Transfer restriction that lasts for 180 days after the date of this prospectus will require the written consent of the representatives of the underwriters of this offering. While we do not expect our board to approve any amendment to the letter agreement prior to our initial business combination, it may be possible that our board, in exercising its business judgment and subject to its fiduciary duties, chooses to approve one or more amendments to the letter agreement. Any such amendments to the letter agreement would not require approval from our shareholders and may have an adverse effect on the value of an investment in our securities. For more information, also see “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Sponsor and Management Team—Our letter agreement with our sponsor, officers and directors may be amended without shareholder approval” and “Underwriting—Contractual Transfer Restrictions in the Letter Agreement and Underwriting Agreement.”
In order to facilitate our initial business combination or for any other reason determined by our sponsor, our sponsor may, with our consent, (i) surrender or forfeit, transfer or exchange our founder shares, private placement units or any of our other securities held by it, including for no consideration in connection with a PIPE financing or otherwise, (ii) subject any such securities to earn-outs or other restrictions, and (iii) enter into any other arrangements with respect to any such securities.
We may approve an amendment or waiver of the letter agreement that would allow the sponsor to directly, or members of our sponsor to indirectly, transfer founder shares and private placement units or membership interests in our sponsor in a transaction in which the sponsor or Oaktree removes itself as our sponsor before identifying a business combination. As a result, there is a risk that Oaktree and its affiliates, our sponsor and our officers and directors may divest their ownership or economic interests in us or in our sponsor, which would likely result in our loss of certain key personnel, including John Frank, Zaid Pardesi, Aman Kumar or Mathew Pendo. There can be no assurance that any replacement sponsor or key personnel will successfully identify a business combination target for us, or, even if one is so identified, successfully complete such business combination.
Other Considerations and Conflicts of Interest
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination or subsequent transaction with a company that is affiliated with Oaktree or our sponsor, founders, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with Oaktree, our sponsor or any of our founders, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or an independent valuation or accounting firm that such initial business combination or transaction is fair to our company from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context.
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Compensation of Sponsor, Sponsor’s Affiliates and Directors and Officers
The table below summarizes (i) the number of founder shares and private placement units issued or to be issued to the sponsor simultaneously with the consummation of this offering and the price paid or to be paid by the sponsor for such securities, and (ii) the main items of compensation received or eligible to be received by the sponsor, our sponsor’s affiliates and our directors and officers:
| ENTITY/INDIVIDUAL |
AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION RECEIVED OR TO |
CONSIDERATION | ||
| Sponsor | 5,031,250 founder shares(1) (of which 656,250 are subject to forfeiture to the underwriters do not exercise their overallotment option) | $25,000 or approximately $0.005 per founder share | ||
| 550,000 private placement units (or 602,500 private placement units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) | ||||
| $25,000 per month | Office space, secretarial and administrative services | |||
| Up to $300,000 | Repayment of loans made to us to cover offering related and organizational expenses | |||
| Sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates | Up to $1,500,000 in working capital loans by our sponsor, our sponsor’s affiliates and our directors or officers. Such loans may be converted at the option of the lender into private placement units at a conversion price of $10.00 per unit(2) | Working capital loans to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an initial business combination | ||
| Reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating, negotiating and completing an initial business combination. There is no cap or ceiling on the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such persons in connection with activities on our behalf.(3) | Services in connection with identifying, investigating and completing an initial business combination | |||
| (1) | As described below under “Offering—Founder shares conversion and anti-dilution rights,” the founder shares and Class A ordinary shares issuable in connection with the conversion of the founder shares may result in material dilution to our public shareholders due to the nominal price of $0.005 per founder share at which our sponsor purchased the founder shares and/or the anti-dilution rights of our founder shares that may result in an issuance of Class A ordinary shares on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion. Our sponsor, directors and officers and their affiliates may receive additional compensation and/or may be issued additional securities in connection with an initial business combination, including securities that may result in material dilution to public shareholders. For more information also see below under “Offering—Payments to insiders” and “Offering—Additional financing.” |
| (2) | The $10.00 per private placement unit conversion price for such working capital loans may potentially be significantly less than the market price of our shares at the time the lenders elect to convert their working capital loans into private placement units. Further, the $11.50 exercise price of the private placement warrants included in the private placement units issuable upon conversion of working capital loans may be significantly less than the market price of our shares at the time such private placement warrants are exercised. Similarly, depending on the market price of our shares at the time our private placement warrants are exercised, the cashless exercise feature of our private placement warrants may also result in material dilution to our public shareholders given that the cashless exercise of the warrants will not result in any cash proceeds to us and holders |
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| of our private placement warrants would pay the private placement warrant exercise price by surrendering their warrants for a number of Class A ordinary shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of Class A ordinary shares underlying the warrants, multiplied by the excess of the “Sponsor fair market value” (as defined below) over the exercise price of the warrants by (y) the Sponsor fair market value. The “Sponsor fair market value” shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Class A ordinary shares for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of warrant exercise is sent to the warrant agent. Therefore, such private placement unit issuances may result in significant dilution to holders of our shares. For more information also see “Risk Factor—Risks Relating to our Search for, Consummation of, or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination—We may issue shares to investors in connection with our initial business combination at a price which is less than $10.00 or the prevailing market price of our shares at that time, which could dilute the interests of our existing shareholders and add costs” and “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Sponsor and Management Team—Our warrants may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A ordinary shares and make it more difficult to effectuate our initial business combination.” |
| (3) | For more information, also see “Effecting Our Initial Business Combination —Sources of Target Businesses,” “Management —Executive Officer and Director Compensation” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions.” |
Affiliates of Oaktree and members of our board of directors will directly or indirectly own founder shares and private placement units (including their underlying securities) following this offering and, accordingly, may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. Due to their economic interest in our sponsor of approximately 70%, up to 13% and up to 13% respectively, each of an affiliated fund of Oaktree, Zaid Pardesi and Aman Kumar may be considered to have a material interest in our sponsor. The low price that our sponsor, executive officers and directors (directly or indirectly) paid for the founder shares creates an incentive whereby our officers and directors could potentially make a substantial profit even if we select an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value and is unprofitable for public shareholders. If we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, the founder shares and private placement units held by our sponsor may lose most of their value, except to the extent that the founder shares or the Class A ordinary shares included in the private placement units receive liquidating distributions from assets outside the trust account, which could create an incentive for our sponsor, executive officers and directors to complete a transaction even if we select an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value and is unprofitable for public shareholders. Similarly, additional conflicts of interests may arise and incentives may be created to select an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value and is unprofitable for public shareholders instead of not consummating a business combination if (i) after the redemption of public shareholders no assets are available outside of the trust account to repay any loans extended to us by our sponsor, affiliates of our sponsor or our officers and directors and to reimburse our sponsor and others for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with identifying, investigating and completing an initial business combination or (ii) not consummating a business combination within the allotted time may require service providers to forfeit their fees. Further, each of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers or directors were to be included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination.
We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target. Oaktree is continuously made aware of potential business opportunities, one or more of which we may desire to pursue for a business combination, but we have not (nor has anyone on our behalf) contacted any prospective target business or had any substantive discussions, formal or otherwise, with respect to a business combination transaction with our company. We will not consider a business combination with any company that has already been identified to Oaktree as a suitable acquisition candidate for it, unless Oaktree, in its sole discretion, declines such potential business combination or makes available to our company a co-investment opportunity in accordance with Oaktree’s applicable policies and procedures. Additionally, we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, taken any substantive measure, directly or indirectly, to identify or locate any suitable acquisition candidate for us, nor have we engaged or retained any agent or other representative to identify or locate any such acquisition candidate.
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Oaktree may manage multiple investment vehicles and raise additional funds and/or successor funds in the future, which may be during the period in which we are seeking our initial business combination. These Oaktree investment entities may be seeking acquisition opportunities and related financing at any time. We may compete with any one or more of them on any given acquisition opportunity.
Our sponsor and our officers and directors may sponsor or form other special purpose acquisition companies similar to ours or may pursue other business or investment ventures during the period in which we are seeking an initial business combination. Any such companies, businesses or investments may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an initial business combination. However, we do not believe that any such potential conflicts would materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination.
In addition, certain of our founders, officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary and contractual duties to other entities, including without limitation, any future special purpose acquisition companies they may be involved in and investment funds, accounts, co-investment vehicles and other entities managed by affiliates of Oaktree and certain companies in which Oaktree or such entities have invested. As a result, if any of our founders, officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he, she or it has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations (including, without limitation, any future special purpose acquisition companies they may be involved in and any current or future Oaktree funds or other investment vehicles), he or she may need to honor such fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such entity. If these funds or investment entities decide to pursue any such opportunity, we may be precluded from pursuing the same. In addition, investment ideas generated within or presented to Oaktree or our founders may be suitable for both us and a current or future Oaktree fund, portfolio company or other investment entity and, subject to applicable fiduciary duties, may first be directed to such fund, portfolio company or other entity before being directed, if at all, to us. None of Oaktree, our founders or any members of our board of directors who are also employed by Oaktree or its affiliates have any obligation to present us with any opportunity for a potential business combination of which they become aware solely in their capacities as officers or executives of Oaktree. Although affiliates of our directors and officers or entities, to which they have fiduciary obligations, including Oaktree or certain of its current or future investment funds, accounts, co-investment vehicles and other entities managed by affiliates of Oaktree, may pursue a similar target universe to us for acquisition or investment opportunities, we anticipate that the specific companies or assets that we may target (e.g. companies in the healthcare or healthcare-related industries seeking to go public) will only overlap as appropriate opportunities for such entities and persons due to their investment mandates if such potential targets also desire to enter into other debt or equity transactions with such entities and persons in connection with a going public transaction, which our potential targets may choose to effectuate via a business combination with us or without us via a business combination with a competing special purpose acquisition company or the use of a more traditional initial public offering or direct listing structure. Therefore, we do not expect the fiduciary and contractual duties of our directors, officers, their affiliates and entities, to which they have fiduciary obligations, to materially affect our ability to select an appropriate acquisition target and complete an initial business combination.
To address the matters set out above, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, to the maximum extent permitted by law: (i) no individual serving as a director or an officer shall have any duty, except and to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us; and (ii) we renounce any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which may be a corporate opportunity for any director or officer or another entity, including any entities managed by Oaktree or its affiliates and any companies in which Oaktree or such entities have invested, about which any of our officers or directors acquires knowledge (we will waive any claim or cause of action we may have in respect thereof), on the one hand, and us, on the other. In addition our amended and restated articles of association will contain provisions to exculpate and indemnify, to the maximum extent permitted by law, such persons in respect of any liability, obligation or duty to the company that may arise as a consequence of such persons becoming aware of any business opportunity or failing to present such business opportunity.
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Further, our founders, officers and directors are not required to commit any specified amount of time to our affairs and, accordingly, will have conflicts of interest in allocating management time among various business activities, including identifying potential business combinations and monitoring the related due diligence. In particular, certain of our officers and directors may serve as an officer and/or director of other future special purpose acquisition companies. Moreover, our founders, officers and directors have, and will have in the future, time and attention requirements for current and future investment funds, accounts, co-investment vehicles and other entities managed by Oaktree. To the extent any conflict of interest arises between, on the one hand, us and, on the other hand, investments funds, accounts, co-investment vehicles and other entities managed by Oaktree (including, without limitation, arising as a result of certain of our founders, officers and directors being required to offer acquisition opportunities to such investment funds, accounts, co-investment vehicles and other entities), Oaktree and its affiliates will resolve such conflicts of interest in their sole discretion in accordance with their then existing fiduciary, contractual and other duties and there can be no assurance that such conflict of interest will be resolved in our favor. For more information on conflicts of interests, also see the sections entitled “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to our Sponsor and Management Team” and “Management — Conflicts of Interest.”
We have until the date that is 24 months from the closing of this offering or until such earlier liquidation date as our board of directors may approve to consummate our initial business combination. If we anticipate that we may be unable to consummate our initial business combination within such 24-month period, we may seek shareholder approval to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to extend the date by which we must consummate our initial business combination. If we seek shareholder approval for an extension, and the related amendments are implemented by the directors, holders of Class A ordinary shares will be offered an opportunity to redeem their shares at a per share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned thereon (less permitted withdrawals), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to applicable law. There is no limit on the number of extensions that we may seek; however, we do not expect to extend the time period to consummate our initial business combination beyond 36 months from the closing of this offering. If we determine not to or are unable to extend the time period to consummate our initial business combination or fail to obtain shareholder approval to extend, our sponsor may lose its entire investment in our founder shares and our private placement units. For more information, also see “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Securities—Since our sponsor, executive officers and directors may lose their entire investment in us (other than with respect to public shares they may acquire during or after this offering) if our initial business combination is not completed and no liquidating distributions from assets outside the trust account are available, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination.”
As described under “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Sponsor and Our Management Team—You will not be permitted to exercise your warrants unless we register and qualify the underlying Class A ordinary shares or certain exemptions are available,” the holders of our warrants will not be permitted to exercise their warrants unless we register and qualify the underlying Class A ordinary shares or certain exemptions are available. If the issuance of the Class A ordinary shares upon exercise of our public warrants is not registered or qualified or exempt from registration or qualification, the holders of such warrants will not be entitled to exercise their warrants and the warrants may have no value and expire worthless. In such an instance, our sponsor and its permitted transferees (which may include our directors and officers) would be able to exercise their private placement warrants (given the private placement warrants are exercisable for cash or “cashless” at the option of our sponsor and its permitted transferees) and our sponsor and its permitted transferees may sell the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of such private placement warrants while holders of our public warrants would not be able to exercise their warrants and sell the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise.
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Further, if and when the public warrants become redeemable by us, we may exercise our redemption right even if we are unable to register or qualify the underlying shares of Class A Common Stock for sale under applicable state securities laws and even if an exemption from such registration or qualification is not available. As a result, we may redeem our public warrants even if the public holders are otherwise unable to exercise their public warrants (for more information, also see “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Sponsor and Our Management Team—We may redeem your unexpired warrants prior to their exercise at a time that is disadvantageous to you, thereby making your warrants worthless.”). In addition, the ability to redeem our public warrants could create conflicts of interest as it limits the potential upside of holders of our public warrants while our non-redeemable private placement warrants remain outstanding and become more valuable as our share price increases. Our management team may also require holders to exercise their warrants on a “cashless” basis, which would reduce the number of Class A ordinary shares received by a holder upon exercise of their warrants and thereby reduce the potential equity “upside” of a public holder’s investment in us. For more information, also see “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Sponsor and Our Management Team—Our management’s ability to require holders of our public warrants to exercise such public warrants on a cashless basis will cause holders to receive fewer Class A ordinary shares upon their exercise of the public warrants than they would have received had they been able to exercise their public warrants for cash.”
Corporate Information
Our executive offices are located at 333 South Grand Avenue, 28th Floor, Los Angeles, California 90071. We maintain a corporate website at www.oaktreeacquisitioncorp.com and our telephone number is +1 (213) 830 6300. The information contained on or accessible through our corporate website or any other website that we may maintain is not part of this prospectus or the registration statements of which this prospectus forms a part.
We are a Cayman Islands exempted company. Exempted companies are Cayman Islands companies conducting business mainly outside the Cayman Islands and, as such, are exempted from complying with certain provisions of the Companies Act. As an exempted company, we have received a tax exemption undertaking from the Cayman Islands government that, in accordance with Section 6 of the Tax Concessions Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands, for a period of 30 years from the 5th July, 2024, no law which is enacted in the Cayman Islands imposing any tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations will apply to us or our operations and, in addition, that no tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations or which is in the nature of estate duty or inheritance tax will be payable (i) on or in respect of our shares, debentures or other obligations or (ii) by way of the withholding in whole or in part of a payment of dividend or other distribution of income or capital by us to our shareholders or a payment of principal or interest or other sums due under a debenture or other obligation of us.
We are 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 Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. As such, we are eligible to 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 of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the prices of our securities may be more volatile.
In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We intend to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period.
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We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.235 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our Class A ordinary shares that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the prior three-year period. References herein to “emerging growth company” have the meaning associated with it in the JOBS Act.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $250 million as of the prior June 30, and (2) our annual revenues equaled or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year or the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30.
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THE OFFERING
In deciding whether to invest in our securities, you should take into account not only the backgrounds of the members of our management team, but also the special risks we face as a blank check company and the fact that this offering is not being conducted in compliance with Rule 419 promulgated under the Securities Act. You will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors in Rule 419 blank check offerings. You should carefully consider these and the other risks set forth in the section below entitled “Risk Factors” of this prospectus.
| Securities offered |
17,500,000 units (or 20,125,000 units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), at $10.00 per unit, each unit consisting of: |
| • | one Class A ordinary share; and |
| • | one-fifth of one redeemable warrant. |
| Proposed Nasdaq symbols |
Units: “OACCU” |
| Class A ordinary shares: “OACC” |
| Warrants: “OACCW” |
| Trading commencement and separation of Class A ordinary shares and warrants |
The units are expected to begin trading on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. The Class A ordinary shares and warrants comprising the units will begin separate trading on the 52nd day following the date of this prospectus (or, if such date is not a business day, the following business day) unless Jefferies LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC, the representatives of the underwriters, inform us of their decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our having filed the Current Report on Form 8-K described below and having issued a press release announcing when such separate trading will begin. Once the Class A ordinary shares and warrants commence separate trading, holders will have the option to continue to hold units or separate their units into the component securities. Holders will need to have their brokers contact our transfer agent in order to separate the units into Class A ordinary shares and warrants. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Accordingly, unless you purchase at least five units, you will not be able to receive or trade a whole warrant. |
| Additionally, the units will automatically separate into their component parts and will not be traded after completion of our initial business combination. |
| Separate trading of the Class A ordinary shares and warrants is prohibited until we have filed a Current Report on Form 8-K |
In no event will the Class A ordinary shares and warrants be traded separately until we have filed with the SEC a Current Report on Form 8-K which includes an audited balance sheet reflecting our receipt of |
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| the gross proceeds at the closing of this offering. We will file the Current Report on Form 8-K promptly after the closing of this offering. If the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised following the initial filing of such Current Report on Form 8-K, a second or amended Current Report on Form 8-K will be filed to provide updated financial information to reflect the exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option |
Units:
| Number outstanding before this offering |
0 |
| Number of public units outstanding after this offering |
17,500,000(1) |
| Number of private placement units to be sold in a private placement simultaneously with this offering |
550,000(1) |
| Total number of units outstanding after this offering |
18,050,000(1) |
Ordinary shares:
| Number outstanding before this offering |
5,031,250(2)(3) |
| Number outstanding after this offering |
22,425,000(1)(2)(4) |
Warrants:
| Number of private placement warrants to be sold as part of private placement units in a private placement simultaneously with this offering |
110,000(1) |
| Number of warrants to be outstanding after this offering and the sale of private placement units in a private placement simultaneously with this offering |
3,610,000(1)(5) |
| (1) | Assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option. |
| (2) | Founder shares are currently classified as Class B ordinary shares, which shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination or earlier at the option of a holder on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment as described below adjacent to the caption “Founder shares conversion and anti-dilution rights” and in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. |
| (3) | Includes up to 656,250 founder shares that are subject to forfeiture if the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option in full. |
| (4) | Includes 17,500,000 public shares, 550,000 private placement units (purchased by our sponsor in a private placement simultaneously with the closing of this offering) and 4,375,000 founder shares, assuming 656,250 founder shares have been forfeited. |
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| (5) | Includes 3,500,000 public warrants and 110,000 private placement warrants included in the private placement units. |
| Exercisability |
Each whole warrant is exercisable to purchase one Class A ordinary share, subject to adjustment as described herein. Only whole warrants are exercisable. |
| We structured each unit to contain one-fifth of one redeemable warrant, with each whole warrant exercisable for one Class A ordinary share, as compared to units issued by some other similar blank check companies which contain whole warrants exercisable for one whole share, in order to reduce the dilutive effect of the warrants upon completion of our initial business combination as compared to units that each contain a whole warrant to purchase one whole share, thus making us, we believe, a more attractive business combination partner for target businesses. |
| Exercise price |
$11.50 per whole share, subject to adjustments as described herein. In addition, if (x) we issue additional Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities (as defined below) for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per ordinary share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by our board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to our sponsor or its affiliates, without taking into account any founder shares held by our sponsor or such affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance) (the “Newly Issued Price”), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of our initial business combination on the date of the consummation of our initial business combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of our Class A ordinary shares during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which we consummate our initial business combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described adjacent to “Redemption of warrants when the price per Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $18.00” will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price. |
| Exercise period |
The warrants will become exercisable 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, provided that we have an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the issuance of the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants and a current prospectus relating to them is available and such shares are registered, qualified or exempt from registration under the securities, or blue sky, laws of the state of residence of the holder (or we permit holders to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis under the circumstances specified in the warrant agreement). If and |
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| when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may exercise our redemption right even if we are unable to register or qualify the underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws. |
| We are registering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants in the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part because the warrants will become exercisable 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, which may be within one year of this offering. However, because the warrants will be exercisable until their expiration date of up to five years after the completion of our initial business combination, in order to comply with the requirements of Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act following the consummation of our initial business combination, we have agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than twenty business days after the closing of our initial business combination, we will use our commercially reasonable efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants, and we will use our commercially reasonable efforts to cause the same to become effective within 60 business days after the closing of our initial business combination, and to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement and a current prospectus relating to those Class A ordinary shares until the warrants expire or are redeemed, as specified in the warrant agreement provided that if our Class A ordinary shares are at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of a “covered security” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, we may, at our option, require holders of public warrants who exercise their warrants to do so on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act and, in the event we so elect, we will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement. If a registration statement covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the 60th day after the closing of the initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when we will have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption, but we will use our commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available. |
| The warrants will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, five years after the completion of our initial business combination or earlier upon redemption of the warrants or liquidation of the company. On the exercise of any warrant, the warrant exercise price will be paid directly to us and not placed in the trust account. |
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| Redemption of warrants when the price per Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $18.00 |
Once the warrants become exercisable, we may redeem the outstanding warrants (except as described herein with respect to the private placement warrants): |
| • | in whole and not in part; |
| • | at a price of $0.01 per warrant; |
| • | upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption, which we refer to as the “30-day redemption period”; and |
| • | if, and only if, the last reported sale price (the “closing price”) of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for adjustments to the number of shares issuable upon exercise or the exercise price of a warrant as described under the heading “Description of Securities—Warrants—Public Shareholders’ Warrants—Anti-Dilution Adjustments”) for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which we send the notice of redemption to the warrant holders. |
| We will not redeem the warrants as described above unless an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is effective and a current prospectus relating to those Class A ordinary shares is available throughout the 30-day redemption period. If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may exercise our redemption right even if we are unable to register or qualify the underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws. |
| If we call the warrants for redemption as described above, our management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise warrants to do so on a “cashless basis.” In determining whether to require all holders to exercise their warrants on a “cashless basis,” our management will consider, among other factors, our cash position, the number of warrants that are outstanding and the dilutive effect on our shareholders of issuing the maximum number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of our warrants. In such event, each holder would pay the exercise price by surrendering the warrants for that number of Class A ordinary shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of Class A ordinary shares underlying the warrants, multiplied by the “fair market value” of our Class A ordinary shares less the exercise price of the warrants by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” of our Class A ordinary shares as used in “—Redemption of warrants when the price per Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $18.00” above shall mean the average reported last sale price of our Class A ordinary shares for the 10 trading days immediately following the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants. See “Description of Securities—Warrants—Public Shareholders’ Warrants” for additional information. |
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| None of the private placement warrants underlying private placement units will be redeemable by us. |
| Founder shares |
On July 15, 2024, Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, L.P. paid $25,000 to cover for certain expenses on our behalf in exchange for the issuance of 5,031,250 founder shares, or approximately $0.005 per share. On September 9, 2024, in connection with its dissolution, Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, L.P. transferred the 5,031,250 Class B ordinary shares to Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, LLC, our sponsor, and assigned all its rights and obligation under the securities subscription agreement dated July 15, 2024 to our sponsor. |
| Prior to such initial investment in the company of $25,000, the company had no assets, tangible or intangible. The per share price of the founder shares was determined by dividing the amount so paid by the number of founder shares issued in consideration therefor. If we increase or decrease the size of this offering, we will effect a share capitalization or a share surrender or redemption or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B ordinary shares immediately prior to the consummation of this offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of our sponsor (and its permitted transferees), on an as-converted basis, at 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares (excluding the private placement shares included in the private placement units) upon the consummation of this offering. Up to 656,250 founder shares held by our sponsor are subject to forfeiture, depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised. |
| The founder shares are identical to the Class A ordinary shares included in the units being sold in this offering, except that: |
| • | only holders of the founder shares have the right to vote on the appointment of directors prior to the completion of our initial business combination (by a majority of votes cast by the holders of the founder shares); |
| • | in a vote to transfer the Company by way of continuation to a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands prior to the completion of our initial business combination (which requires a special resolution, being the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes cast by the holders of the issued shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on such matter at a general meeting of the company), only holders of our founder shares shall carry the right to vote; |
| • | the founder shares are subject to certain transfer restrictions, as described in more detail below; |
| • | our sponsor and our management team have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to (i) waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, private placement shares included in any private placement units and public shares they hold in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, |
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| private placement shares included in any private placement units and public shares in connection with the implementation by the directors of, and following a shareholder vote to approve, an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed or repurchased in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares, and (iii) waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares or private placement shares included in any private placement units they hold if we fail to consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering). If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the ordinary shares, represented in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereon, voted at a shareholder meeting are voted in favor of the business combination. In such case, our sponsor and each member of our management team have agreed to vote their founder shares, private placement shares included in any private placement units and any public shares (including public shares that are part of a public unit) purchased during or after this offering in favor of our initial business combination (except with respect to any such public shares which may not be voted in favor of approving the business combination transaction in accordance with the requirements of Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act and any SEC interpretations or guidance relating thereto). As a result, in addition to our founder shares and private placement shares included in the private placement units issued concurrently with the consummation of this offering, we would need 6,287,501, or 35.9%, of the 17,500,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming all issued and outstanding shares are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised). Assuming that only the holders of one-third of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, representing a quorum under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, vote their shares, we will not need any public shares in addition to our founder shares and the private placement shares included in the private placement units purchased by our sponsor simultaneously with this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to approve an initial business combination; |
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| • | the founder shares will automatically convert into our Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination or earlier at the option of the holder on a one-for-one basis (such Class A ordinary share delivered upon conversion will not have any redemption rights or be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account if we fail to consummate an initial business combination), subject to adjustment pursuant to certain anti-dilution rights, as described below adjacent to the caption “Founder shares conversion and anti-dilution rights” and in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association; and |
| • | the founder shares are entitled to registration rights. |
| Private placement units and underlying securities |
Our sponsor has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 550,000 private placement units (or up to 602,500 private placement units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), at a price of $10.00 per unit, for an aggregate purchase price of $5,500,000 (or up to $6,025,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) in a private placement that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering. Each private placement warrant, upon aggregation of the fractional private placement warrants contained in each private placement unit, is exercisable to purchase one whole Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment, terms and limitations as described herein. The private placement warrants will become exercisable 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, and will expire five years after the completion of our initial business combination or earlier upon liquidation, as described in this prospectus. Each private placement share included in each private placement unit will not have any redemption rights or be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account if we fail to consummate an initial business combination. |
| Our sponsor and our management team have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to (i) waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, private placement shares included in any private placement units and public shares they hold in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, private placement shares included in any private placement units and public shares in connection with the implementation by the directors of, and following a shareholder vote to approve, an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed or repurchased in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary |
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| shares, and (iii) waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares or private placement shares included in any private placement units they hold if we fail to consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering). In addition, our sponsor has agreed to vote any private placement shares included in any private placement units held by it in favor of our initial business combination. |
| The private placement warrants will be non-redeemable by us and exercisable for cash or on a “cashless basis” (see “Description of Securities—Warrants—Private Placement Warrants”). |
| Transfer restrictions on founder shares and private placement units |
Except as described herein, our sponsor and our management team have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell (i) any of their founder shares until the earliest of (A) 180 days after the completion of our initial business combination and (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property, and (ii) any of their private placement units (including any private placement shares or private placement warrants included in such private placement units) until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination. Except as described herein, our sponsor, directors and officers also agreed not to transfer any securities they hold for 180 days following the date of this prospectus. Any permitted transferees would be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of our sponsor and management team with respect to any founder shares and private placement units (including their underlying securities). For more information on the letter agreement in which the transfer restrictions are included and for more information on the limited exceptions to such transfer restrictions, also see “Proposed Business—Initial Business Combination.” |
| Cashless exercise of private placement warrants included in private placement units |
If holders of private placement warrants elect to exercise them on a cashless basis, they would pay the exercise price by surrendering their warrants for that number of Class A ordinary shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of Class A ordinary shares underlying the warrants, multiplied by the excess of the “Sponsor fair market value” (as defined below) over the exercise price of the warrants by (y) the Sponsor fair market value. The “Sponsor fair market value” shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Class A ordinary shares for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of warrant exercise is sent to the warrant agent. The reason that we |
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| have agreed that these warrants will be exercisable on a cashless basis so long as they are held by the sponsor or its permitted transferees is because it is not known at this time whether they will be affiliated with us following a business combination. If they remain affiliated with us, their ability to sell our securities in the open market will be significantly limited. We expect to have policies in place that restrict insiders from selling our securities except during specific periods. |
| Founder shares conversion and anti-dilution rights |
Subject to adjustment for share sub-divisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like, and subject to further adjustment as provided herein, the founder shares, which are designated as Class B ordinary shares, will be convertible at the option of the holder on a one-for-one basis or will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares (such Class A ordinary share delivered upon conversion will not have any redemption rights or be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account if we fail to consummate an initial business combination) concurrently with or immediately following the consummation of our initial business combination at a ratio such that the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all founder shares (including, for the avoidance of doubt for purposes of the calculation described hereafter, the Class A ordinary shares that may have been issued upon conversion of Class B ordinary shares at the option of the holder thereof prior to the consummation of our initial business combination) will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the sum of (i) the total number of ordinary shares issued and outstanding (excluding the private placement shares underlying private placement units and including any Class A ordinary share issued pursuant to the underwriters’ over-allotment option) upon the consummation of this offering, plus (ii) the sum of the total number of Class A ordinary shares issued or deemed issued or issuable upon conversion or exercise of any equity-linked securities (as defined herein) 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, deemed issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial business combination and any private placement-equivalent shares issued to our sponsor, members of our management team or any of their affiliates upon conversion of working capital loans made to the Company. Any conversion of Class B ordinary shares described herein will take effect as a compulsory redemption of Class B ordinary shares and an issuance of Class A ordinary shares as a matter of Cayman Islands law. In no event will the Class B ordinary shares convert into Class A ordinary shares at a rate of less than one-to-one. |
| The term “equity-linked securities” refers to any debt or equity securities that are convertible, exercisable or exchangeable for our Class A ordinary shares issued in connection with our initial business combination, including, but not limited to, a private placement of equity or debt. |
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| Election of directors; Voting rights |
Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors (by a majority of votes cast by the holders of the founder shares). Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on the election of directors during such time. Incumbent directors shall also have the ability to appoint additional directors or to appoint replacement directors in the event of a casual vacancy in accordance with the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Further, prior to the closing of our initial business combination, only holders of our Class B ordinary shares will be entitled to vote on transferring the Company by way of continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands (which requires a special resolution, being the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes cast by the holders of the issued shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on such matter at a general meeting of the company) (including any special resolution required to amend the constitutional documents of the Company or to adopt new constitutional documents of the company, in each case, as a result of the company approving a transfer by way of continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands) and, as a result, our sponsor will be able to approve any such proposal without the vote of any other shareholder. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a special resolution passed by holders representing at least two-thirds of our outstanding Class B ordinary shares. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on a special resolution to amend such provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles during such period. With respect to any other matter submitted to a vote of our shareholders, including any vote in connection with our initial business combination, except as required by law or the applicable rules of Nasdaq then in effect, holders of our founder shares and holders of our public shares will vote together as a single class, with each share entitling the holder to one vote. |
| Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that our board of directors will be divided into three classes with only one class of directors being elected in each year and each class (except for those directors appointed prior to our first annual meeting of shareholders) serving a three-year term. |
| Proceeds to be held in trust account |
The Nasdaq rules provide that at least 90% of the gross proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement units be deposited in a trust account. Of the proceeds we will receive from this offering and the sale of the private placement units described in this prospectus, $175,000,000, or $201,250,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($10.00 per share in either case), will be deposited into a segregated trust |
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| account located in the United States at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee and approximately $700,000 will be used to pay expenses in connection with the closing of this offering and approximately $1,300,000 will be used for working capital following this offering. The proceeds to be placed in the trust account include $6,125,000 (or $7,043,750 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) in deferred underwriting commissions. |
| Except with respect to permitted withdrawals, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, as discussed below and subject to the requirements of law and regulation, will provide that the proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement units held in the trust account will not be released from the trust account (1) to us, until the completion of our initial business combination, or (2) to our public shareholders, until the earliest of (a) the completion of our initial business combination, and then only in connection with those Class A ordinary shares that such shareholders properly elected to redeem, subject to the limitations described herein, (b) the redemption of any public shares properly tendered in connection with the implementation by the directors of, following a shareholder vote, an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed or repurchased in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares, and (c) the redemption of our public shares if we have not consummated our business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, subject to applicable law. Public shareholders who redeem their Class A ordinary shares in connection with a shareholder vote described in clause (b) in the preceding sentence shall not be entitled to funds from the trust account upon the subsequent completion of an initial business combination or liquidation if we have not consummated an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, with respect to such Class A ordinary shares so redeemed. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could become subject to the claims of our creditors, if any, which could have priority over the claims of our public shareholders. |
| Ability to extend time to complete business combination |
We have until the date that is 24 months from the closing of this offering or until such earlier liquidation date as our board of directors may approve to consummate our initial business combination. If we anticipate that we may be unable to consummate our initial business combination within such 24-month period, we may seek shareholder approval to amend our amended and restated memorandum and |
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| articles of association to extend the date by which we must consummate our initial business combination. If we seek shareholder approval for an extension, and the related amendments are implemented by the directors, holders of Class A ordinary shares will be offered an opportunity to redeem their shares at a per share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned thereon (less permitted withdrawals), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to applicable law. There is no limit on the number of extensions that we may seek; however, we do not expect to extend the time period to consummate our initial business combination beyond 36 months from the closing of this offering. If we determine not to or are unable to extend the time period to consummate our initial business combination or fail to obtain shareholder approval to extend, our sponsor may lose its entire investment in our founder shares and our private placement units. For more information, also see “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Securities—Since our sponsor, executive officers and directors may lose their entire investment in us (other than with respect to public shares they may acquire during or after this offering) if our initial business combination is not completed and no liquidating distributions from assets outside the trust account are available, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination.” |
| Anticipated expenses and funding sources |
Unless and until we complete our initial business combination, no proceeds held in the trust account will be available for our use, except for permitted withdrawals and/or to redeem our public shares in connection with an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, as described herein. The proceeds held in the trust account will be held in cash, including in demand deposit accounts at a bank, or 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 which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Assuming an interest rate of 4.5% per year, we estimate the interest earned on the trust account will be approximately $7,875,000 per year; however, we can provide no assurances regarding this amount. Unless and until we complete our initial business combination, we may pay our expenses only from: |
| • | the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement units not held in the trust account, which will be approximately $1,300,000 in working capital after the payment of approximately $700,000 in expenses relating to this offering; |
| • | permitted withdrawals; and |
| any loans or additional investments from our sponsor, affiliates of our sponsor or our officers and directors, although they are under no obligation to advance funds or invest in us, and provided any such |
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| loans will not have any claim on the proceeds held in the trust account unless such proceeds are released to us upon completion of our initial business combination. As further described herein, up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into private placement units of the post business combination entity at a price of $10.00 per unit at the option of the lender. The private placement units issued upon conversion of any such loans would be identical to the private placement units sold in a private placement concurrently with this offering. |
| Conditions to completing our initial business combination |
Nasdaq rules require that we must complete one or more business combinations that together have an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the net assets held in the trust account (excluding the amount of deferred underwriting discounts held in trust and taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account) at the time of signing the agreement to enter into the initial business combination. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses or we are considering an initial business combination with an affiliated entity, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or an independent valuation or accounting firm with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. Our shareholders may not be provided with a copy of such opinion nor will they be able to rely on such opinion. We will complete our initial business combination only if the post-business combination company in which our public shareholders own shares will own or acquire 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or is otherwise not required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. Even if the post-business combination company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to the completion of our initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-business combination company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination transaction. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-business combination company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be valued for purposes of the 80% of net assets test, provided that in the event that the business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% of net assets test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the target businesses and we will treat the target businesses together as the initial business combination for purposes of a tender offer or for seeking shareholder approval, as applicable. |
| Permitted purchases and other transactions with respect to our securities |
If we seek shareholder approval of our business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase units, |
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| public shares, warrants or equity-linked securities in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination, although they are under no obligation to do so. Additionally, at any time at or prior to the completion of our initial business combination, subject to applicable securities laws (including with respect to material nonpublic information), our sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates may enter into transactions with investors and others to provide them with incentives to acquire units, public shares, warrants or not redeem their public shares. There is no limit on the number of securities our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase in such transactions, subject to compliance with applicable law and Nasdaq rules. However, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. None of the funds held in the trust account will be used to purchase units, public shares or warrants in such transactions. Such persons will be subject to restrictions in making any such purchases when they are in possession of any material non-public information not disclosed to the seller or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act. We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to the tender offer rules under the Exchange Act or a going-private transaction subject to the going-private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will be required to comply with such rules. Any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements. |
| Additionally, in the event our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates were to purchase units, public shares or warrants from public shareholders, such purchases would be structured in compliance with the requirements of Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act including, in pertinent part, through adherence to the following: |
| • | our registration statement/proxy statement filed for our business combination transaction would disclose the possibility that our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase public shares from public shareholders outside the redemption process, along with the purpose of such purchase; |
| • | if our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates were to purchase public shares from public shareholders, they would do so at a price no higher than the price offered through our redemption process; |
| • | our registration statement/proxy statement filed for our business combination transaction would include a representation that any of our securities purchased by our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates would not be voted in favor of approving the business combination transaction; |
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| • | our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates would not possess any redemption rights with respect to our securities or, if they do acquire and possess redemption rights, they would waive such rights; and |
| • | we would disclose in a Form 8-K, before our security holder meeting to approve the business combination transaction, the following material items: (i) the amount of our securities purchased outside of the redemption offer by our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates, along with the purchase price; (ii) the purpose of the purchases by our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates; (iii) the impact, if any, of the purchases by our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates on the likelihood that the business combination transaction will be approved; (iv) the identities of our security holders who sold to our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates (if not purchased on the open market) or the nature of our security holders (e.g., 5% security holders) who sold to our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates; and (v) the number of our securities for which we have received redemption requests pursuant to our redemption offer. |
| Please see “Proposed Business—Permitted Purchases and Other Transactions with Respect to Our Securities” for a description of how such persons will determine from which shareholders to seek to acquire securities. |
| The purpose of any such transactions could be to (1) increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the business combination, (2) reduce the number of public warrants outstanding or vote such warrants on any matters submitted to the warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination or (3) satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. Any such purchases of our securities may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible. In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our Class A ordinary shares or warrants may be reduced and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, which may make it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange. Please see “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Search for, Consummation of, or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination—If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may elect to purchase public shares, which may influence a vote on a proposed business combination and reduce the public “float” of our securities.” |
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| Redemption rights for public shareholders upon completion of our initial business combination |
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Class A ordinary shares upon the completion of our initial business combination 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 us for permitted withdrawals, divided by the number of then-outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. The amount in the trust account is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per public share. The per share amount we will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions we will pay to the underwriter. The redemption rights may include the requirement that a beneficial holder must identify itself in order to validly redeem its shares. There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of our initial business combination with respect to our private placement units or any private placement shares included therein. There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of our initial business combination with respect to our warrants. Further, we will not proceed with redeeming our public shares, even if a public shareholder has properly elected to redeem its shares, if a business combination does not close. Our sponsor and each member of our management team have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares, private placement shares included in any private placement units and public shares in connection with (i) the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) the implementation by the directors of, and following a shareholder vote to approve, an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed or repurchased in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares. |
| Manner of conducting redemptions |
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination either (i) in connection with a shareholder meeting called to approve the business combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our 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 us to seek shareholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirement. Asset acquisitions and share |
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| purchases would not typically require shareholder approval, while direct mergers with our company (other than with a 90% subsidiary of ours) and any transactions where we issue more than 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares or seek to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association would typically require shareholder approval. We currently intend to conduct redemptions in connection with a shareholder vote unless shareholder approval is not required by applicable law or stock exchange rule or we choose to conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC for business or other reasons. If we hold a shareholder vote to approve our initial business combination, we will: |
| • | conduct the redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies, and not pursuant to the tender offer rules; and |
| • | file proxy materials with the SEC. |
| If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the ordinary shares, represented in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereon, voted at a shareholder meeting are voted in favor of the business combination. In such case, our sponsor and our management team have agreed to vote their founder shares, private placement shares included in any private placement units and any public shares (including public shares that are part of a public unit) purchased during or after this offering in favor of our initial business combination (except with respect to any such public shares which may not be voted in favor of approving the business combination transaction in accordance with the requirements of Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act and any SEC interpretations or guidance relating thereto). As a result, in addition to our founder shares and private placement shares included in the private placement units issued concurrently with the consummation of this offering, we would need 6,287,501, or 35.9%, of the 17,500,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming all issued and outstanding shares are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised). Assuming that only the holders of one-third of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, representing a quorum under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, vote their shares, we will not need any public shares in addition to our founder shares and the private placement shares included in the private placement units purchased by our sponsor simultaneously with this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to approve an initial business combination. Each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction or vote at all. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will require that at least five clear days’ |
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| notice will be given of any such shareholder meeting. If we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association: |
| • | conduct the redemptions pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, which regulate issuer tender offers; and |
| • | file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination which contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies. |
| Upon the public announcement of our initial business combination, if we elect to conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, we and our sponsor will terminate any plan established in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 to purchase our Class A ordinary shares in the open market, in order to comply with Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act. In the event we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, our offer to redeem will remain open for at least 20 business days, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(a) under the Exchange Act, and we will not be permitted to complete our initial business combination until the expiration of the tender offer period. In addition, the tender offer will be conditioned on public shareholders not tendering more than the number of public shares we are permitted to redeem. If public shareholders tender more shares than we have offered to purchase, we will withdraw the tender offer and not complete such initial business combination. |
| Limitation on redemption rights of shareholders holding more than 15% of the public shares sold in this offering if we hold a shareholder vote |
Notwithstanding the foregoing redemption rights, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from redeeming its public shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the public shares sold in this offering, without our prior consent. We believe the restriction described above will discourage shareholders from accumulating large blocks of shares, and subsequent attempts by such holders to use their ability to redeem their shares as a means to force us or our management to purchase their shares at a significant premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. Absent this provision, a public shareholder holding more than an aggregate of 15% of the public shares sold in this offering could threaten to exercise its |
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| redemption rights against a business combination if such holder’s shares are not purchased by us, our sponsor or our management team at a premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. By limiting our shareholders’ ability to redeem to no more than 15% of the public shares sold in this offering, we believe we will limit the ability of a small group of shareholders to unreasonably attempt to block our ability to complete our initial business combination, particularly in connection with a business combination with a target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including all shares held by those shareholders that hold more than 15% of the public shares sold in this offering) for or against our initial business combination. |
| Release of funds in trust account on closing of our initial business combination |
On the completion of our initial business combination, the funds held in the trust account will be disbursed directly by the trustee to pay amounts due to any public shareholders who properly exercise their redemption rights as described above adjacent to the caption “Redemption rights for public shareholders upon completion of our initial business combination,” to pay the underwriters their deferred underwriting commissions, to pay all or a portion of the consideration payable to the target or owners of the target of our initial business combination and to pay other expenses associated with our initial business combination. If our initial business combination is paid for using equity or debt or not all of the funds released from the trust account are used for payment of the consideration in connection with our initial business combination or used for redemptions of our Class A ordinary shares, we may apply the balance of the cash released to us from the trust account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of post-business combination businesses, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other companies or for working capital. |
| Additional financing |
We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of this offering, the sale of the private placement units, our equity, debt or a combination of these as the consideration to be paid in our initial business combination. Generally, the issuance of additional shares in a business combination: |
| • | may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in this offering, 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 to Class A ordinary shares; |
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| • | could cause a change in control if a substantial number of Class A ordinary shares are issued, which may affect, among other things, the post-business combination company’s ability to use its net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of officers and directors; |
| • | may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of the post-business combination company by diluting the share ownership or voting rights of a person seeking to obtain control of the post-business combination company; |
| • | may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our units, Class A ordinary shares and/or warrants; and |
| • | may not result in adjustment to the exercise price of our warrants. |
| We may issue shares to investors in private placement transactions (so-called PIPE transactions) in order to complete an initial business combination and provide sufficient liquidity and capital to the post-business combination entity. As of the date of this prospectus, we have no commitments to issue any shares in connection with such a transaction. The price of the shares so issued in connection with an initial business combination may be less, and potentially significantly less, than $10.00 per share or the market price for our shares at such time. Any such issuances of equity securities at a price that is less than $10.00 or the prevailing market price of our shares at that time could be structured to ensure a return on investment to the investors and could dilute the interests of our existing shareholders in a manner that would not ordinarily occur in a traditional initial public offering and could result in both a reduction in the trading price of our shares to the price at which we issue such equity securities and fluctuations in the net tangible book value per share of the combined company’s securities following the completion of our initial business combination. We may also provide price protection or other incentives, or issue convertible securities such as preferred equity or convertible debt, and the exercise or conversion price of those securities may be fixed or adjustable, and may be less, and potentially significantly less, than $10.00 per share or the market price for our shares at such time. Such issuances could also result in additional transaction costs related to our initial business combination compared to a traditional initial public offering, including the placement fees associated with the engagement of a placement agent in connection with PIPE transactions. |
| Although we have no commitments as of the date of this prospectus to issue any notes or other debt, or to otherwise incur debt following this offering, we may choose to pursue a business combination in connection with which we incur substantial debt. No issuance of debt will affect the per share amount available for redemption from the trust account. However, if we issue debt securities or otherwise incurs significant debt to banks or other lenders or the owners of a target, it could result in: |
| • | default and foreclosure on the assets of the post-business combination company if its operating revenues are insufficient to repay its debt obligations; |
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| • | acceleration of the post-business combination company’s obligations to repay such indebtedness, even if it makes all principal and interest payments when due, if it breaches certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant; |
| • | the post-business combination company’s immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt security is payable on demand; |
| • | the post-business combination company’s inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt security contains covenants restricting its ability to obtain such financing while the debt security is outstanding; |
| • | using a substantial portion of the post-business combination company’s cash flow to pay principal and interest on its debt, which will reduce the funds available for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes; |
| • | limitations on the post-business combination company’s flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in its business and in the industry in which it operates; |
| • | increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and |
| • | limitations on the post-business combination company’s ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of its strategy and other purposes and other disadvantages compared to its competitors who have less debt. |
| For more information also see “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Search for, Consummation of, or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination—We may issue additional Class A ordinary shares or preference shares to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue Class A ordinary shares upon the conversion of the founder shares at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions contained in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our shareholders and likely present other risks,” “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Search for, Consummation of, or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination—We may issue shares to investors in connection with our initial business combination at a price which is less than $10.00 or the prevailing market price of our shares at that time, which could dilute the interests of our existing shareholders and add costs,” “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Search for, Consummation of, or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination—We may issue notes or other debt, or otherwise incur substantial debt, to complete a business combination, which may adversely affect our leverage and financial condition and thus negatively impact the value of our |
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| shareholders’ investment in us,” or “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Search for, Consummation of, or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination—We may be unable to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination or to fund the operations and growth of a target business, which could compel us to restructure or abandon a particular business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per public share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account.” |
| Redemption of public shares and distribution and liquidation if no initial business combination |
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that we will have only 24 months from the closing of this offering to consummate our initial business combination. If we do not consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, 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, 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 and not previously released to us for permitted withdrawals (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of the 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 our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. |
| Our sponsor and each member of our management team have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares or private placement shares included in private placement units they hold if we fail to consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering). |
| The underwriters have agreed to waive their rights to their deferred underwriting commission held in the trust account in the event we do not consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering and, in such event, such |
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| amounts will be included with the funds held in the trust account that will be available to fund the redemption of our public shares. |
| Our sponsor, executive officers, directors and director nominees have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed or repurchased in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares; unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Class A ordinary shares upon implementation by the directors of any such amendment 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 and not previously released to us for permitted withdrawals, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described above adjacent to the caption “Limitations on redemptions.” For example and as described above adjacent to “Ability to extend time to complete business combination,” our board of directors may propose such an amendment if it determines that additional time is necessary to complete our initial business combination. There is no limit on the number of extensions that we may seek; however, we do not expect to extend the time period to consummate our initial business combination beyond 36 months from the closing of this offering. In the event we seek to extend during which we may complete our initial business combination, we will conduct a proxy solicitation and distribute proxy materials pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act seeking shareholder approval of such proposal and, in connection therewith, provide our public shareholders with the redemption rights described above following shareholder approval and upon implementation by the directors of such amendment. This redemption right shall apply in the event of the implementation of any such amendment, whether proposed by our sponsor, any executive officer, director or director nominee, or any other person. If we determine not to or are unable to extend the time period to consummate our initial business combination or fail to obtain shareholder approval to extend, our sponsor may lose its entire investment in our founder shares and our private placement units. |
| Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, if we wind up for any other reason prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, we will follow the foregoing procedures with respect to the liquidation of the trust account as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, subject to applicable Cayman Islands law. |
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| Payments to insiders |
Prior to or in connection with our initial business combination, we expect to make certain payments and reimbursements, or pay certain fees, to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates, including but not limited to the following: |
| • | repayment of up to an aggregate of $300,000 in loans made to us by our sponsor to cover offering-related and organizational expenses; |
| • | payment for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to us by our sponsor, in the amount of $25,000 per month; |
| • | reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating, negotiating and completing an initial business combination; and |
| • | repayment of loans which may be made by our sponsor, affiliates of our sponsor or our officers and directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into private placement units of the post business combination entity at a price of $10.00 per unit at the option of the lender. The private placement units issued upon conversion of any such loans would be identical to the private placement units sold in a private placement concurrently with this offering. Except for the foregoing, the terms of such loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. |
| Any such payments will be made either (i) prior to the completion of our initial business combination using proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement units held outside the trust account, funds received from permitted withdrawals or from loans made to us by our sponsor, affiliates of our sponsor or our officers and directors or (ii) in connection with or after the consummation of our initial business combination. |
| In addition, we have agreed, pursuant to the administrative services and indemnification agreement with our sponsor and Oaktree relating to the monthly payment for services outlined therein, that we will indemnify our sponsor and its affiliates, including Oaktree, from any liability arising with respect to their activities in connection with our affairs, including, but not limited to, any claims, made by us or a third party, (i) arising out of or relating to this offering or our operations or conduct of our business, (ii) in respect of any investment opportunities sourced by the sponsor and its affiliates, including Oaktree, and/or (iii) against our sponsor and/or Oaktree alleging any expressed or implied management or endorsement by our sponsor and/or Oaktree of any of our activities or any express or implied association between our sponsor and/or Oaktree, on the one hand, and us or any of our other affiliates, on the other hand, which agreement will provide that the indemnified parties cannot access the funds held in our trust account. |
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| Audit committee |
We will establish and maintain an audit committee, which will be composed entirely of independent directors. Among its responsibilities, the audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made by us to our sponsor, officers or directors, or their affiliates and monitor compliance with the other terms relating to this offering. If any noncompliance is identified, then the audit committee will be charged with the responsibility to promptly take all action necessary to rectify such noncompliance or otherwise to cause compliance with the terms of this offering. For more information, see the section entitled “Management—Committees of the Board of Directors—Audit Committee.” |
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Summary of Risk Factors
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. In making your decision whether to invest in our securities, you should take into account not only the background of our management team, but also the special risks we face as a blank check company. This offering is not being conducted in compliance with Rule 419 promulgated under the Securities Act. Accordingly, you will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors in Rule 419 blank check offerings. For additional information concerning how Rule 419 blank check offerings differ from this offering, please see “Proposed Business—Comparison of This Offering to Those of Blank Check Companies Subject to Rule 419.” The occurrence of one or more of the events or circumstances described in the section titled “Risk Factors,” alone or in combination with other events or circumstances, may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment. Such risks include, but are not limited to:
| ∎ | We are a blank check company with no operating history and no revenues, and you have no basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective. Until we complete our initial business combination, we will have no operations and will generate no operating revenues. |
| ∎ | Our public shareholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed initial business combination, and even if we hold a vote, holders of our founder shares will participate in such vote, which means we may complete our initial business combination even though a majority of our public shareholders do not support such a combination. |
| ∎ | Your only opportunity to effect your investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to the exercise of your right to redeem your shares from us for cash. |
| ∎ | If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor and members of our management team have agreed to vote in favor of such initial business combination, regardless of how our public shareholders vote. |
| ∎ | The ability of our public shareholders to redeem their shares for cash may make our financial condition unattractive to potential business combination targets, which may make it difficult for us to enter into a business combination with a target. |
| ∎ | The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares and the amount of deferred underwriting compensation may not allow us to complete the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure, and may substantially dilute your investment in us. |
| ∎ | The requirement that we consummate an initial business combination within 24 months after the closing of this offering may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating a business combination and may limit the time we have to conduct due diligence on potential business combination targets, in particular as we approach our dissolution deadline, which could undermine our ability to complete our initial business combination on terms that would produce value for our shareholders. |
| ∎ | We may not be able to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, in which case we would cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up and we would redeem our public shares and liquidate. Our warrants will expire without value to the holder if we do not complete our initial business combination within the timeframe required by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. |
| ∎ | If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates may elect to purchase shares or warrants from public shareholders, which may influence a vote on a proposed business combination and reduce the public “float” of our Class A ordinary shares or warrants. |
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| ∎ | If a shareholder fails to receive notice of our offer to redeem our public shares in connection with our initial business combination, or fails to comply with the procedures for submitting or tendering its shares, such shares may not be redeemed. |
| ∎ | Because of our limited resources and the significant competition for business combination opportunities, it may be more difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. If we do not to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only their pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account that are available for distribution to public shareholders. |
| ∎ | If the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement units not being held in the trust account are insufficient to allow us to operate for at least the next 24 months, it could limit the amount available to fund our search for a target business or businesses and complete our initial business combination, and we will depend on permitted withdrawals or loans from our sponsor or management team to fund our search and to complete our initial business combination. |
| ∎ | Past experience or performance by our management team or their affiliates, including Oaktree, Oaktree Acquisition Corp. and Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II, may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in us. |
| ∎ | You will not have any rights or interests in funds from the trust account, except under certain limited circumstances. Therefore, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares or warrants, potentially at a loss. |
| ∎ | We may amend the terms of the warrants in a manner that may be adverse to holders of public warrants with the approval by the holders of at least 50% of the then-outstanding public warrants. As a result, the exercise price of your warrants could be increased, the warrant could be converted into cash or shares (at a ratio different than initially provided), the exercise period could be shortened and the number of our Class A ordinary shares purchasable upon exercise of a warrant could be decreased, all without your approval. |
| ∎ | We may redeem your unexpired warrants prior to their exercise at a time that is disadvantageous to you, thereby making your warrants worthless. |
| ∎ | Nasdaq may delist our securities from trading on its exchange, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions. |
| ∎ | The nominal purchase price paid by our sponsor for the founder shares may result in significant dilution to the implied value of your public shares upon the consummation of our initial business combination. |
| ∎ | We may be a passive foreign investment company, which could result in adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. investors. |
| ∎ | An investment in our securities, and certain subsequent transactions with respect to our securities, may result in uncertain or adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences for an investor, including uncertainty with respect to the allocation of basis among the components of our units, the tax treatment of a cashless exercise of public warrants and the applicable holding period of our Class A ordinary shares. |
| ∎ | Because we are incorporated in the Cayman Islands, you may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through the U.S. Federal courts may be limited. |
| ∎ | Our executive officers, directors, security holders and their respective affiliates may have competitive pecuniary interests that conflict with our interests. |
| ∎ | The other risks and uncertainties discussed in “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus. |
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The following table summarizes the relevant financial data for our business and should be read with our financial statements, which are included in this prospectus. We have not had any significant operations to date, so only balance sheet data is presented.
| SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 | ||||||||
| ACTUAL | AS ADJUSTED | |||||||
| Balance Sheet Data: |
||||||||
| Working capital (deficiency) |
$ | (662,087 | ) | $ | 989,705 | |||
| Total assets |
$ | 638,992 | $ | 176,276,905 | ||||
| Total liabilities |
$ | 662,087 | $ | 6,412,200 | ||||
| Value of Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption |
$ | — | $ | 175,000,000 | ||||
| Shareholders’ deficit |
$ | (23,095 | ) | $ | (5,135,295 | ) | ||
The “as adjusted” information gives effect to the sale of the public units in this offering, the sale of the private placement units, repayment of up to an aggregate of $300,000 in loans made to us by our sponsor and the payment of the estimated expenses of this offering and assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option. The “as adjusted” total assets amount includes the $175,000,000 held in the trust account for the benefit of our public shareholders, which amount, less deferred underwriting commissions, will be available to us only upon the completion of our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering. The “as adjusted” working capital and “as adjusted” total assets include $6,125,000 being held in the trust account representing deferred underwriting commissions. The underwriters will not be entitled to any interest accrued on the deferred underwriting discounts and commissions.
If no business combination is completed within 24 months from the closing of this offering, the proceeds then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us for permitted withdrawals (less $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses) will be used to fund the redemption of our public shares. Our sponsor and each member of our management team have entered into letter agreements with us pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares or private placement shares included in private placement units held by them if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the required time period.
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An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully all of the risks described below, together with the other information contained in this prospectus, before making a decision to invest in our units. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and operating results may be materially adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.
Risks Relating to our Search for, and Consummation of, or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination
Our shareholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed initial business combination, which means we may complete our initial business combination even though a majority of our shareholders do not support such a combination.
We may not hold a shareholder vote to approve our initial business combination unless the business combination would require shareholder approval under applicable Cayman Islands law or stock exchange listing requirements or if we decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other reasons. For instance, the Nasdaq rules currently allow us to engage in a tender offer in lieu of a shareholder meeting but would still require us to obtain shareholder approval if we were seeking to issue more than 20% of our issued and outstanding shares (excluding the private placement shares included in the private placement units) to a target business as consideration in any business combination. Therefore, if we were structuring a business combination that required us to issue more than 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, we would seek shareholder approval of such business combination. However, except as required by applicable law or stock exchange rule, the decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination or will allow shareholders to sell their shares to us in a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our 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 otherwise require us to seek shareholder approval. Accordingly, we may consummate our initial business combination even if holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares do not approve of the business combination we consummate. Please see the section entitled “Proposed Business—Shareholders May Not Have the Ability to Approve Our Initial Business Combination” for additional information.
Your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to the exercise of your right to redeem your shares from us for cash.
At the time of your investment in us, you will not be provided with an opportunity to evaluate the specific merits or risks of any target businesses. Since our board of directors may complete a business combination without seeking shareholder approval, public shareholders may not have the right or opportunity to vote on the business combination, unless we seek such shareholder approval. Accordingly, your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to exercising your redemption rights within the period of time (which will be at least 20 business days) set forth in our tender offer documents mailed to our public shareholders in which we describe our initial business combination. The amount of the deferred underwriting commissions payable to the underwriters will not be adjusted for any shares that are redeemed in connection with an initial business combination. The per-share amount we will distribute to shareholders who properly exercise their redemption rights will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commission and after such redemptions and the per-share value of shares held by non-redeeming shareholders may reflect our obligation to pay the deferred underwriting commissions.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor and members of our management team have agreed to vote in favor of such initial business combination, regardless of how our public shareholders vote.
Our sponsor will own, on an as-converted basis, 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares (excluding the private placement shares included in the private placement units) immediately following the completion of this offering. Our sponsor and members of our management team also may from time to time
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purchase Class A ordinary shares prior to the completion of our initial business combination. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, if we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the ordinary shares, represented in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereon, voted at a shareholder meeting are voted in favor of the business combination. As a result, in addition to our founder shares and private placement shares included in the private placement units issued concurrently with the consummation of this offering, we would need 6,287,501, or 35.9%, of the 17,500,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming all issued and outstanding shares are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised). Assuming that only the holders of one-third of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, representing a quorum under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, vote their shares, we will not need any public shares in addition to our founder shares and the private placement shares included in the private placement units purchased by our sponsor simultaneously with this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to approve an initial business combination. Accordingly, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, the agreement by our sponsor and our management team to vote in favor of our initial business combination will increase the likelihood that we will receive the requisite shareholder approval for such initial business combination.
You will not have any rights or interests in funds from the trust account, except under certain limited circumstances. Therefore, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares or warrants, potentially at a loss.
Our public shareholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only upon the earlier to occur of: (i) our completion of an initial business combination, and then only in connection with those Class A ordinary shares that such shareholder properly elected to redeem, subject to the limitations described herein, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly tendered in connection with the implementation by the directors of, following a shareholder vote, an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed or repurchased in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares, and (iii) the redemption of our public shares if we have not consummated an initial business within 24 months from the closing of this offering, subject to applicable law and as further described herein. Public shareholders who redeem their Class A ordinary shares in connection with a shareholder vote described in clause (ii) in the preceding sentence shall not be entitled to funds from the trust account upon the subsequent completion of an initial business combination or liquidation if we have not consummated an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, with respect to such Class A ordinary shares so redeemed. In no other circumstances will a shareholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the trust account. Holders of warrants will not have any right to the proceeds held in the trust account with respect to the warrants. Accordingly, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares or warrants, potentially at a loss.
The ability of our public shareholders to redeem their shares for cash may make our financial condition unattractive to potential business combination targets, which may make it difficult for us to enter into a business combination with a target.
We may seek to enter into a business combination transaction agreement with a minimum cash requirement for (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions, such as the payment of expenses incurred in connection with the business combination. If too many public shareholders exercise their redemption rights, we would not be able to meet such closing condition and, as a result, would not be able to proceed with the business combination. Consequently, if accepting all properly submitted redemption requests would not allow us to satisfy a closing condition as described above, we would not proceed with such redemption and the related business combination and may instead search for an alternate business combination. Prospective targets will be aware of these risks and, thus, may be reluctant to enter into a business combination transaction with us.
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The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares may not allow us to complete the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure.
At the time we enter into an agreement for our initial business combination, we will not know how many shareholders may exercise their redemption rights, and therefore will need to structure the transaction based on our expectations as to the number of shares that will be submitted for redemption. If a large number of shares are submitted for redemption, we may need to restructure the transaction to reserve a greater portion of the cash in the trust account or arrange for additional third party financing. Raising additional third party financing may involve dilutive equity issuances or the incurrence of indebtedness at higher than desirable levels (for more information on additional financings, also see “—We may issue additional Class A ordinary shares or preference shares to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue Class A ordinary shares upon the conversion of the founder shares at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions contained in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our shareholders and likely present other risks,” “—We may issue shares to investors in connection with our initial business combination at a price which is less than $10.00 or the prevailing market price of our shares at that time, which could dilute the interests of our existing shareholders and add costs,” “—We may issue notes or other debt, or otherwise incur substantial debt, to complete a business combination, which may adversely affect our leverage and financial condition and thus negatively impact the value of our shareholders’ investment in us,” and “—We may be unable to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination or to fund the operations and growth of a target business, which could compel us to restructure or abandon a particular business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per public share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account.”). Furthermore, this dilution would increase to the extent that the anti-dilution provision of the Class B ordinary shares results in the issuance of Class A ordinary shares on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination. The effect of this dilution will be greater for shareholders who do not redeem. In addition, the amount of the deferred underwriting compensation payable to the underwriter will not be adjusted for any shares that are redeemed in connection with an initial business combination. We may not be able to generate sufficient value from the completion of our initial business combination in order to overcome the dilutive impact of these and other factors, and, accordingly, you may incur a net loss on your investment. Please see “—The nominal purchase price paid by our sponsor for the founder shares may significantly dilute the implied value of your public shares in the event we consummate an initial business combination, and our sponsor is likely to make a substantial profit on its investment in us in the event we consummate an initial business combination, even if the business combination causes the trading price of our Class A ordinary shares to materially decline.” The above considerations may limit our ability to complete the most desirable business combination available to us or optimize our capital structure. The amount of the deferred underwriting commissions payable to the underwriters will not be adjusted for any shares that are redeemed in connection with an initial business combination. The per-share amount we will distribute to shareholders who properly exercise their redemption rights will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commission and after such redemptions, the amount held in trust will continue to reflect our obligation to pay the entire deferred underwriting commissions.
The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares could increase the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful and that you would have to wait for liquidation in order to redeem your shares.
If our initial business combination agreement requires us to use a portion of the cash in the trust account to pay the purchase price, or requires us to have a minimum amount of cash at closing, the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful is increased. If our initial business combination is unsuccessful, you would not receive your pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account until we liquidate the trust account. If you are in need of immediate liquidity, you could attempt to sell your shares in the open
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market; however, at such time our shares may trade at a discount to the pro rata amount per share in the trust account. In either situation, you may suffer a material loss on your investment or lose the benefit of funds expected in connection with your exercise of redemption rights until we liquidate or you are able to sell your shares in the open market.
The requirement that we consummate an initial business combination within 24 months after the closing of this offering may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating a business combination and may limit the time we have in which to conduct due diligence on potential business combination targets, in particular as we approach our dissolution deadline, which could undermine our ability to complete our initial business combination on terms that would produce value for our shareholders.
Any potential target business with which we enter into negotiations concerning a business combination will be aware that we must consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering. Consequently, such target business may obtain leverage over us in negotiating a business combination, knowing that if we do not complete our initial business combination within the required time period with that particular target business, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination with any target business. This risk will increase as we get closer to the timeframe described above. In addition, we may have limited time to conduct due diligence and may enter into our initial business combination on terms that we would have rejected upon a more comprehensive investigation. The length of time it may take us to complete our diligence and negotiate a business combination may reduce the amount of time available for us to ultimately complete an initial business combination should such diligence or negotiations not lead to a consummated initial business combination.
The nominal purchase price paid by our sponsor for the founder shares may significantly dilute the implied value of your public shares in the event we consummate an initial business combination, and our sponsor is likely to make a substantial profit on its investment in us in the event we consummate an initial business combination, even if the business combination causes the trading price of our Class A ordinary shares to materially decline.
While we are offering our units at an offering price of $10.00 per unit and the amount in our trust account is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per public share included in such public units, resulting in an implied initial value of $10.00 per public share, the founder shares held by our sponsor were issued at a nominal aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.005 per share (which does not include and is not adjusted for the private placement shares included in the private placement units to be purchased by our sponsor simultaneously with the consummation of this offering). As a result, the value of your public shares may be significantly diluted in the event we consummate an initial business combination.
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For example, the following table shows the public shareholders’ and sponsor’s investment per share and how that compares to the implied value of one of our shares upon the consummation of our initial business combination if at that time we were valued at $175,000,000, which is the amount we would have for our initial business combination in the trust account assuming the underwriters’ over-allotment option is not exercised, the corresponding forfeiture of an aggregate of 656,250 founder shares held by our sponsor, no interest is earned on the funds held in the trust account, and no public shares are redeemed in connection with our initial business combination. At such valuation, each of our ordinary shares would have an implied value of approximately $7.80 per share, which is an approximately 22.0% decrease as compared to the initial implied value per public share of $10.00.
| Public shares included in public units |
17,500,000 | |||
| Founder shares |
4,375,000 | |||
| Private placement shares included in private placement units |
550,000 | |||
| Total shares |
22,425,000 | |||
| Total funds in trust available for initial business combination (1) |
$ | 175,000,000 | ||
| Implied value per share |
7.80 | |||
| Public shareholders’ investment per share |
$ | 10.00 | ||
| Sponsor’s average investment per share (2) |
$ | 1.12 |
| (1) | Does not take into account other potential impacts on our valuation at the time of the business combination, such as the trading price of our public shares, the business combination transaction costs (including payment of $6,125,000 of deferred underwriting commissions), any equity issued or cash paid to the target’s sellers or other third parties, or the target’s business itself, including its assets, liabilities, management and prospects. |
| (2) | The sponsor’s total investment in the equity of the company, inclusive of the founder shares and the sponsor’s $5,500,000 investment in the private placement units, is $5,525,000. |
While the implied value of our public shares may be diluted, the implied value of approximately $7.80 per share would represent a significant implied profit for our sponsor relative to the initial purchase price of the founder shares. Our sponsor has committed to invest an aggregate of $5,525,000 in us in connection with this offering, comprised of the $25,000 purchase price for the founder shares and the $5,500,000 purchase price for the private placement units. At $7.80 per share, the 4,375,000 founder shares would have an aggregate implied value of $34,125,000 and the 550,000 private placement units would have an implied value of $4,290,000. As a result, even if the trading price of our public units or Class A ordinary shares significantly declines, our sponsor will stand to make significant profit on its investment in us. In addition, our sponsor could potentially recoup its entire investment in us, assuming it retains after closing of our initial business combination 4,375,000 Class A ordinary shares with respect to its 4,375,000 founder shares and 550,000 private placement units, even if the trading price of our public units or Class A ordinary shares were as low as approximately $1.12 per share. As a result, our sponsor is likely to make a substantial profit on its investment in us even if we select and consummate an initial business combination that causes the trading price of our public units or Class A ordinary shares to decline, while our public shareholders who purchased their units in this offering could lose significant value in their securities. Our sponsor may therefore be economically incentivized to consummate an initial business combination with a riskier, weaker-performing or less-established target business than would be the case if our sponsor had paid the same per share price for the founder shares as our public shareholders paid for their public shares.
This dilution would increase to the extent that the anti-dilution provisions of the founder shares result in the issuance of Class A ordinary shares on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the founder shares at the time of our initial business combination and would become exacerbated to the extent that public shareholders seek redemptions from the trust for their public shares. In addition, because of the anti-dilution protection in the founder shares, any equity or equity-linked securities issued in connection with our initial business combination would be disproportionately dilutive to our Class A ordinary shares.
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Our search for a business combination, and any target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including the emergence of new variants thereof, or other infectious diseases that could result in a widespread health crisis.
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization characterized the COVID-19 outbreak as a “pandemic.” The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted, and other infectious diseases could result, in a widespread health crisis that has and will continue to adversely affect economies and financial markets worldwide, and the business of any potential target business with which we consummate a business combination may also be materially and adversely affected.
Furthermore, we may be unable to complete a business combination if continued concerns relating to COVID-19 or new variants of the COVID-19 virus restrict travel, limit the ability to have meetings with potential investors or the target company’s personnel, vendors and services providers are unavailable to negotiate and consummate a transaction in a timely manner, or if COVID-19 and new variants thereof causes a prolonged economic downturn. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses, and the inability to accurately predict the future impact of the pandemic on businesses, has also made determinations and negotiations of valuation more difficult, which could make it more difficult to consummate a business combination transaction.
The extent to which COVID-19 ultimately impacts our identification and consummation of a business combination will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information which may emerge concerning the severity and spread of COVID-19 and actions to contain the virus or treat its impact, among others. While vaccines for COVID-19 are being, and have been, developed, there is no guarantee that any such vaccine will be durable and effective consistent with current expectations and we expect it will take time before the impact of the availability and acceptance of the vaccines is observable on a significant scale. If the disruptions posed by COVID-19 or other matters of global concern continue for an extended period of time, our ability to consummate a business combination, or the operations of a target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected.
In addition, our ability to coordinate as a team or to consummate a business combination may be dependent on the ability to raise equity and debt financing, which may be impacted by COVID-19, variants thereof or other health crises and related events.
Finally, the outbreak of COVID-19, variants thereof or other infectious diseases may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in this “Risk Factors” section, such as those related to the market for our securities.
We may engage our underwriters or any of their respective affiliates to provide additional services to us after this offering, which may include acting as M&A advisors in connection with an initial business combination or as placement agents in connection with a related financing transaction. Our underwriters are entitled to receive deferred underwriting commissions that will be released from the trust account only upon a completion of an initial business combination. These financial incentives may cause our underwriters to have potential conflicts of interest in rendering any such additional services to us after this offering, including, for example, in connection with the sourcing and consummation of an initial business combination.
We may engage our underwriters or any of their affiliates to provide additional services to us after this offering, including, for example, identifying potential targets, providing M&A advisory services, acting as a placement agents in a private offering or arranging debt financing transactions. We may pay our underwriters or any of their affiliates fair and reasonable fees or other compensation that would be determined at that time in an arm’s length negotiation; provided that no agreement will be entered into with our underwriters or any of their affiliates and no fees or other compensation for such services will be paid to our underwriters or their affiliates prior to the date that is 60 days from the date of this prospectus, unless such payment would not be deemed underwriters’ compensation in connection with this offering.
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The underwriters are also entitled to receive deferred underwriting commissions that are conditioned on the completion of an initial business combination. The underwriters’ or their affiliates’ financial interests are tied to the consummation of a business combination transaction, which may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in providing any such additional services to us, including potential conflicts of interest in connection with the sourcing and consummation of an initial business combination. The underwriters are under no obligation to provide any further services to us in order to receive all or any part of the deferred underwriting commissions.
We may not be able to consummate an initial business combination within 24 months after the closing of this offering, in which case we would cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up and we would redeem our public shares and liquidate.
We may not be able to find a suitable target business and consummate an initial business combination within 24 months after the closing of this offering. An increasing number of SPACs have liquidated beginning in the second half of the 2022 due to an inability to complete an initial business combination within their allotted time periods. Our ability to complete our initial business combination may be negatively impacted by general market conditions, volatility in the capital and debt markets and the other risks described herein, including, but not limited to, the war between Russia and Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict. For example, the outbreak of COVID-19 is yet to be fully contained in the U.S. and globally and, while the extent of the impact of the outbreak on us will depend on future developments, it could limit our ability to complete our initial business combination, including as a result of increased market volatility, decreased market liquidity and third-party financing being unavailable on terms acceptable to us or at all.
If we have not consummated an initial business combination within such applicable time period, 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, 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 and not previously released for permitted withdrawals, if any (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of the 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 our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, if we wind up for any other reason prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, we will follow the foregoing procedures with respect to the liquidation of the trust account as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, subject to applicable Cayman Islands law. In either such case, our public shareholders may receive only $10.00 per public share, or less than $10.00 per public share, on the redemption of their shares, and our warrants will expire worthless. See “—If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.00 per public share” and other risk factors herein.
We may decide not to extend the term we have to consummate our initial business combination, in which case we would redeem our public shares.
We have until the date that is 24 months from the closing of this offering or until such earlier liquidation date as our board of directors may approve, to consummate our initial business combination. If we anticipate that we may be unable to consummate our initial business combination within such 24-month period, we may seek shareholder approval to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to extend the date by which we must consummate our initial business combination. If we seek shareholder approval for an extension and the related amendments are implemented by the directors, holders of Class A ordinary shares will be offered an opportunity to redeem their shares at a per share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned thereon (less permitted withdrawals), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to applicable law. However, we may decide not to seek to extend the date by which we must consummate our
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initial business combination. If we do not seek to extend the date by which we must consummate our initial business combination, and we are unable to consummate our initial business combination within the applicable time period, we will, as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares for a pro rata portion of the funds held in the trust account, subject to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law, and our warrants will expire worthless. There is no limit on the number of extensions that we may seek; however, we do not expect to extend the time period to consummate our initial business combination beyond 36 months from the closing of this offering. If we determine not to or are unable to extend the time period to consummate our initial business combination or fail to obtain shareholder approval to extend, our sponsor may lose its entire investment in our founder shares and our private placement units. For more information, also see “—Since our sponsor, executive officers and directors may lose their entire investment in us (other than with respect to public shares they may acquire during or after this offering) if our initial business combination is not completed and no liquidating distributions from assets outside the trust account are available, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination.”
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates may elect to purchase shares or warrants from public shareholders, which may influence a vote on a proposed business combination and reduce the public “float” of our Class A ordinary shares or warrants.
If we seek shareholder approval of our business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates may purchase units, public shares, equity-linked securities or warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination, although they are under no obligation to do so. Additionally, at any time at or prior to the completion of our initial business combination, subject to applicable securities laws (including with respect to material nonpublic information), our sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates may enter into transactions with investors and others to provide them with incentives to acquire units, public shares or warrants or not redeem their public shares, including such public shares included in public units. Such a purchase may include a contractual acknowledgment that such shareholder, although still the record holder of our shares is no longer the beneficial owner thereof and therefore agrees not to exercise its redemption rights. In the event that our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions from public shareholders who have already elected to exercise their redemption rights or submitted a proxy to vote against our initial business combination, such selling shareholders would be required to revoke their prior elections to redeem their shares and any proxy to vote against our initial business combination. We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to the tender offer rules under the Exchange Act or a going-private transaction subject to the going-private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will be required to comply with such rules. It is intended that, if Rule 10b-18 would apply to purchases by our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates, then such purchases will comply with Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act, to the extent it applies, which provides a safe harbor for purchases made under certain conditions, including with respect to timing, pricing and volume of purchases.
There is no limit on the number of securities our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase in such transactions, subject to compliance with applicable law and Nasdaq rules. However, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. None of the funds held in the trust account will be used to purchase units, public shares or warrants in such transactions. Such persons will be subject to restrictions in making any such purchases when they are in possession of any material non-public information not disclosed to the seller or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act. The purpose of any such purchases of shares could be to (i) increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the business combination, (ii) reduce the number of public warrants outstanding or vote such warrants on any
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matters submitted to the warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination or (iii) to satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of the business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. Any such transactions may result in the completion of our business combination that may not otherwise have been possible.
In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our securities may be reduced and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, which may make it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange.
Our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and/or their affiliates anticipate that they may identify the shareholders with whom our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may pursue privately negotiated purchases by either the shareholders contacting us directly or by our receipt of redemption requests submitted by shareholders (holding Class A ordinary shares) following our mailing of proxy materials in connection with our initial business combination. To the extent that our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates enter into a private purchase, they would identify and contact only potential selling shareholders who have expressed their election to redeem their shares for a pro rata share of the trust account or vote against our initial business combination, whether or not such shareholder has already submitted a proxy with respect to our initial business combination but only if such shares have not already been voted at the general meeting related to our initial business combination. Our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates will select which shareholders to purchase shares from based on the negotiated price and number of shares and any other factors that they may deem relevant, and will only purchase shares if such purchases comply with Regulation M under the Exchange Act and the other federal securities laws.
Any purchases by our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and/or their affiliates who are affiliated purchasers under Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act will only be made to the extent such purchases are able to be made in compliance with Rule 10b-18, which is a safe harbor from liability for manipulation under Section 9(a)(2) and Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. Rule 10b-18 has certain technical requirements that must be complied with in order for the safe harbor to be available to the purchaser. Our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and/or their affiliates will be subject to restrictions in making purchases of ordinary shares if the purchases would violate Section 9(a)(2) or Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. Any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements.
Additionally, in the event our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates were to purchase units, public shares or warrants from public shareholders, such purchases would be structured in compliance with the requirements of Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act including, in pertinent part, through adherence to the following:
| ∎ | Our registration statement/proxy statement filed for our business combination transaction would disclose the possibility that our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates may purchase public shares from public shareholders outside the redemption process, along with the purpose of such purchases; |
| ∎ | if our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates were to purchase public shares from public shareholders, they would do so at a price no higher than the price offered through our redemption process; |
| ∎ | our registration statement/proxy statement filed for our business combination transaction would include a representation that any of our securities purchased by our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates would not be voted in favor of approving the business combination transaction; |
| ∎ | our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates would not possess any redemption rights with respect to our securities or, if they do acquire and possess redemption rights, they would waive such rights; and |
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| ∎ | we would disclose in a Form 8-K, before our security holder meeting to approve the business combination transaction, the following material items: |
| ∎ | the amount of our securities purchased outside of the redemption offer by our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates, along with the purchase price; |
| ∎ | the purpose of the purchases by our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates; |
| ∎ | the impact, if any, of the purchases by our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates on the likelihood that the business combination transaction will be approved; |
| ∎ | the identities of our security holders who sold to our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates (if not purchased on the open market) or the nature of our security holders (e.g., 5% security holders) who sold to our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates; and |
| ∎ | the number of our securities for which we have received redemption requests pursuant to our redemption offer. |
Please see “Proposed Business—Permitted Purchases and Other Transactions with Respect to Our Securities” for a description of how such persons will determine from which shareholders to seek to acquire securities.
If a shareholder fails to receive notice of our offer to redeem our public shares in connection with our initial business combination, or fails to comply with the procedures for tendering its shares, such shares may not be redeemed.
We will comply with the proxy rules or tender offer rules, as applicable, when conducting redemptions in connection with our initial business combination. Despite our compliance with these rules, if a shareholder fails to receive our proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, such shareholder may not become aware of the opportunity to redeem its shares. In addition, the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will describe the various procedures that must be complied with in order to validly redeem or tender public shares. In the event that a shareholder fails to comply with these procedures, its shares may not be redeemed. See “Proposed Business—Effecting Our Initial Business Combination—Tendering Share Certificates in Connection with a Tender Offer or Redemption Rights.”
As the number of special purpose acquisition companies evaluating targets increases, attractive targets may become scarcer and there may be more competition for attractive targets. This could increase the cost of our initial business combination and could even result in our inability to find a target or to consummate an initial business combination.
In recent years, the number of special purpose acquisition companies that have been formed has increased substantially. Many potential targets for special purpose acquisition companies have already entered into an initial business combination, and there are still many special purpose acquisition companies seeking targets for their initial business combination, as well as many such companies currently in registration. As a result, at times, fewer attractive targets may be available, and it may require more time, more effort and more resources to identify a suitable target and to consummate an initial business combination. In addition, because there are more special purpose acquisition companies seeking to enter into an initial business combination with available targets, the competition for available targets with attractive fundamentals or business models may increase, which could cause target companies to demand improved financial terms. Attractive business combinations could also become scarcer for other reasons, such as economic or industry sector downturns, geopolitical tensions or increases in the cost of additional capital needed to close business combinations or operate targets post-business combination. This could increase the cost of, delay or otherwise complicate or frustrate our ability to find and consummate an initial business combination, and may result in our inability to consummate an initial business combination on terms favorable to our investors altogether.
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Because of our limited resources and the significant competition for business combination opportunities, it may be more difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per public share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless.
We expect to encounter competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including private investors (which may be individuals or investment partnerships), other blank check companies and other entities, domestic and international, competing for the types of businesses we intend to acquire. Many of these individuals and entities are well-established and have extensive experience in identifying and effecting, directly or indirectly, acquisitions of companies operating in or providing services to various industries. Many of these competitors possess greater technical, human and other resources or more local industry knowledge than we do and our financial resources will be relatively limited when contrasted with those of many of these competitors. While we believe there are numerous target businesses we could potentially acquire with the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement units, our ability to compete with respect to the acquisition of certain target businesses that are sizable will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent competitive limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of certain target businesses. Furthermore, we are obligated to offer holders of our public shares the right to redeem their shares for cash at the time of our initial business combination in conjunction with a shareholder vote or via a tender offer. Target companies will be aware that this may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination. Any of these obligations may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating a business combination. If we have not consummated our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per public share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless. See “—If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.00 per public share” and other risk factors herein.
If the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement units not being held in the trust account and funds from our permitted withdrawals are insufficient to allow us to operate for the 24 months following the closing of this offering, it could limit the amount available to fund our search for a target business or businesses and complete our initial business combination, and we will depend on permitted withdrawals and loans from our sponsor or management team to fund our search and to complete our initial business combination.
Of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement units, only approximately $1,300,000 will be available to us initially outside the trust account to fund our working capital requirements. We believe that, upon the closing of this offering, the funds available to us outside of the trust account, together with funds from permitted withdrawals and funds available from loans from our sponsor, members of our management team or any of their affiliates will be sufficient to allow us to operate for at least the 24 months following the closing of this offering; however, our estimate may not be accurate, and our sponsor, members of our management team or any of their affiliates are under no obligation to advance funds to us in such circumstances. Of the funds available to us, we expect to use a portion of the funds available to us to pay fees to consultants to assist us with our search for a target business. We could also use a portion of the funds as a down payment or to fund a “no-shop” provision (a provision in letters of intent designed to keep target businesses from “shopping” around for transactions with other companies or investors on terms more favorable to such target businesses) with respect to a particular proposed business combination, although we do not have any current intention to do so. If we entered into a letter of intent where we paid for the right to receive exclusivity from a target business and were subsequently required to forfeit such funds (whether as a result of our breach or otherwise), we might not have sufficient funds to continue searching for, or conduct due diligence with respect to, a target business.
In the event that our offering expenses exceed our estimate of $700,000, we may fund such excess with funds not to be held in the trust account. In such case, unless funded by the proceeds of loans available from our sponsor, members of our management team or any of their affiliates, the amount of funds we intend to be
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held outside the trust account would decrease by a corresponding amount. Conversely, in the event that the offering expenses are less than our estimate of $700,000, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would increase by a corresponding amount. The amount held in the trust account will not be impacted as a result of such increase or decrease. If in addition to our permitted withdrawals we are required to seek additional capital, we would need to borrow funds from our sponsor, members of our management team or any of their affiliates or other third parties to operate or may be forced to liquidate. Neither our sponsor, members of our management team nor any of their affiliates is under any obligation to advance funds to us in such circumstances. Any such advances may be repaid only from funds held outside the trust account or from funds released to us for permitted withdrawals or upon completion of our initial business combination. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into private placement units of the post business combination entity at a price of $10.00 per unit at the option of the lender. The private placement units issued upon conversion of any such loans would be identical to the private placement units sold in a private placement concurrently with this offering. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor, members of our management team or any of their affiliates as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account. If we do not complete our initial business combination within the required time period because we do not have sufficient funds available to us, we will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the trust account. Consequently, our public shareholders may only receive an estimated $10.00 per public share, or possibly less, on our redemption of our public shares. See “—If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.00 per public share” and other risk factors herein.
We may seek business combination opportunities with a high degree of complexity that require significant operational improvements, which could delay or prevent us from achieving our desired results.
We may seek business combination opportunities with large, highly complex companies that we believe would benefit from operational improvements. While we intend to implement such improvements, to the extent that our efforts are delayed or we are unable to achieve the desired improvements, the business combination may not be as successful as we anticipate.
To the extent we complete our initial business combination with a large complex business or entity with a complex operating structure, we may also be affected by numerous risks inherent in the operations of the business with which we combine, which could delay or prevent us from implementing our strategy. Although our management team will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business and its operations, we may not be able to properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors until we complete our business combination. If we are not able to achieve our desired operational improvements, or the improvements take longer to implement than anticipated, we may not achieve the gains that we anticipate. Furthermore, some of these risks and complexities may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks and complexities will adversely impact a target business. Such combination may not be as successful as a combination with a smaller, less complex organization.
Our shareholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against us to the extent of distributions received by them upon redemption of their shares.
If we are forced to enter into an insolvent liquidation, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed as an unlawful payment if it was proved that immediately following the date on which the distribution was made, we were unable to pay our debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. As a result, a liquidator could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. Furthermore, our directors may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to us or our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, thereby exposing themselves and our company to claims, by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. Claims may be brought against us for these reasons. We and our directors and officers who knowingly and willfully authorized or permitted any distribution to be paid out of our share premium account while we were unable to pay our debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business would be guilty of an offence and may be liable for a fine of $18,292.68 and imprisonment for five years in the Cayman Islands.
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We may not hold an annual meeting of shareholders until after the consummation of our initial business combination.
In accordance with Nasdaq corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual meeting until one year after the first full fiscal year that the company is in existence. As an exempted company, there is no requirement under the Companies Act for us to hold annual or shareholder meetings to elect directors. Until we hold an annual meeting of shareholders, public shareholders may not be afforded the opportunity to elect directors and to discuss company affairs with management. Our board of directors is divided into three classes with only one class of directors being elected in each year and each class (except for those directors appointed prior to our first annual meeting of shareholders) serving a three-year term.
We may seek acquisition opportunities in industries or sectors which may or may not be outside of our management’s area of expertise.
We will consider a business combination outside of our management’s area of expertise if a business combination target is presented to us and we determine that such candidate offers an attractive acquisition opportunity for our company. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in any particular business combination target, we may not adequately ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our units will not ultimately prove to be less favorable to investors in this offering than a direct investment, if an opportunity were available, in a business combination target. In the event we elect to pursue an acquisition outside of the areas of our management’s expertise, our management’s expertise may not be directly applicable to its evaluation or operation, and the information contained in this prospectus regarding the areas of our management’s expertise would not be relevant to an understanding of the business that we elect to acquire. As a result, our management may not be able to adequately ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. Accordingly, any holders who choose to retain their securities following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
Our sponsor may receive additional Class A ordinary shares if we issue shares to consummate an initial business combination.
Subject to adjustment for share sub-divisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like, and subject to further adjustment as provided herein, the founder shares, which are designated as Class B ordinary shares, will be convertible at the option of the holder on a one-for-one basis or will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares (such Class A ordinary share delivered upon conversion will not have any redemption rights or be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account if we fail to consummate an initial business combination) concurrently with or immediately following the consummation of our initial business combination at a ratio such that the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all founder shares (including, for the avoidance of doubt for purposes of the calculation described hereafter, the Class A ordinary shares that may have been issued upon conversion of Class B ordinary shares at the option of the holder thereof prior to the consummation of our initial business combination) will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the sum of (i) the total number of ordinary shares issued and outstanding (excluding the private placement shares included in the private placement units and including any Class A ordinary share issued pursuant to the underwriters’ over-allotment option upon consummation of this offering), plus (ii) the sum of 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, deemed issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial business combination and any private placement-equivalent units issued to our sponsor, members of our management team or any of their affiliates upon conversion of working capital loans made to the Company. In no event will the Class B ordinary shares convert into Class A ordinary shares at a rate of less than one to one.
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We do not have a specified maximum redemption threshold. The absence of such a redemption threshold may make it possible for us to complete our initial business combination with which a substantial majority of our shareholders do not agree.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will not provide a specified maximum redemption threshold. Our proposed initial business combination may impose a minimum cash requirement for (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions. As a result, we may be able to complete our initial business combination even though a substantial majority of our public shareholders do not agree with the transaction and have redeemed their shares or, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, have entered into privately negotiated agreements to sell their shares to our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or any of their affiliates. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all Class A ordinary shares that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the business combination or redeem any shares, all Class A ordinary shares submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof, and we instead may search for an alternate business combination.
In order to effectuate an initial business combination, blank check companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and other governing instruments. We may seek to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or governing instruments in a manner that will make it easier for us to complete our initial business combination that our shareholders may not support.
In order to effectuate a business combination, blank check companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and governing instruments. For example, blank check companies have amended the definition of business combination, increased redemption thresholds, extended the time to consummate a business combination and, with respect to their warrants, amended their warrant agreements to require the warrants to be exchanged for cash and/or other securities. Amending our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will require at least a special resolution of our shareholders as a matter of Cayman Islands law, meaning the approval of holders of at least two-thirds of our ordinary shares who attend and vote at a shareholder meeting of the company, and amending our warrant agreement will require a vote of holders of at least 50% of the public warrants and, solely with respect to any amendment to the terms of the private placement warrants or any provision of the warrant agreement with respect to the private placement warrants, 50% of the number of the then outstanding private placement warrants. In addition, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will require us to provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash if we implement, following the approval of the shareholders, an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed or repurchased in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares. To the extent any of such amendments would be deemed to fundamentally change the nature of the securities offered hereby, we would register, or seek an exemption from registration for, the affected securities. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our charter or governing instruments or extend the time to consummate an initial business combination in order to effectuate our initial business combination.
Our sponsor controls a substantial interest in us and thus may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support.
Upon the closing of this offering, our sponsor will own, on an as-converted basis, 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares (excluding the private placement shares included in the private placement units and assuming sponsor, directors or officers do not purchase any shares in this offering). Accordingly, they may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support, including amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. In
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addition, prior to the closing of our initial business combination, only holders of our Class B ordinary shares will be entitled to vote on transferring the Company by way of continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands (including any special resolution required to amend the constitutional documents of the Company or to adopt new constitutional documents of the company, in each case, as a result of the company approving a transfer by way of continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands) and, as a result, our sponsor will be able to approve any such proposal without the vote of any other shareholder. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a special resolution passed by holders representing at least two-thirds of our outstanding Class B ordinary shares. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on a special resolution to amend such provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles during such period. If our sponsor purchases any shares in this offering or if our sponsor purchases any additional Class A ordinary shares in the aftermarket or in privately negotiated transactions, this would increase its control. Neither our sponsor nors, to our knowledge, any of our officers or directors, have any current intention to purchase additional securities, other than as disclosed in this prospectus. Factors that would be considered in making such additional purchases would include consideration of the current trading price of our Class A ordinary shares. In addition, our board of directors, whose members were elected by our sponsor, is and will be divided into three classes, each of which will generally serve for a term of three years with only one class of directors being elected in each year. We may not hold an annual meeting of shareholders to elect new directors prior to the completion of our initial business combination, in which case all of the current directors will continue in office until at least the completion of the business combination. If there is an annual meeting, as a consequence of our “staggered” board of directors, only a minority of the board of directors will be considered for election and our sponsor, because of its ownership position, will control the outcome, as only holders of our Class B ordinary shares will have the right to vote on the election of directors prior to our initial business combination. Accordingly, our sponsor will continue to exert control at least until the completion of our initial business combination. In addition, we have agreed not to enter into a definitive agreement regarding an initial business combination without the prior consent of our sponsor.
After our initial business combination, it is possible that a majority of our directors and officers will live outside the United States and all of our assets will be located outside the United States; therefore investors may not be able to enforce federal securities laws or their other legal rights.
It is possible that after our initial business combination, a majority of our directors and officers will reside outside of the United States and all of our assets will be located outside of the United States. As a result, it may be difficult, or in some cases not possible, for investors in the United States to enforce their legal rights, to effect service of process upon all of our directors or officers or to enforce judgments of United States courts predicated upon civil liabilities and criminal penalties on our directors and officers under United States laws.
In particular, there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Cayman Islands or any other applicable jurisdictions would recognize and enforce judgments of U.S. courts obtained against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States or entertain original actions brought in the Cayman Islands or any other applicable jurisdiction’s courts against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States. For a more detailed discussion, see the section of this prospectus captioned “Description of Securities—Certain Differences in Corporate Law.”
Subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination, we may be required to take write-downs or write-offs, restructuring and impairment or other charges that could have a significant negative effect on our financial condition, results of operations and the price of our securities, which could cause you to lose some or all of your investment.
Even if we conduct due diligence on a target business with which we combine, this diligence may not surface all material issues with a particular target business. In addition, factors outside of the target business and outside of our control may later arise. As a result of these factors, we may be forced to later write-down or write-off assets, restructure our operations, or incur impairment or other charges that could result in our
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reporting losses. Even if our due diligence successfully identifies certain risks, unexpected risks may arise and previously known risks may materialize in a manner not consistent with our preliminary risk analysis. Even though these charges may be non-cash items and not have an immediate impact on our liquidity, the fact that we report charges of this nature could contribute to negative market perceptions about us or our securities. In addition, charges of this nature may cause us to violate net worth or other covenants to which we may be subject as a result of assuming pre-existing debt held by a target business or by virtue of our obtaining post-combination debt financing. Accordingly, any holders who choose to retain their securities following the business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.00 per public share.
Our placing of funds in the trust account may not protect those funds from third party claims against us. Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers (excluding our independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses and other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public shareholders, such parties may not execute such agreements, or even if they execute such agreements, they may not be prevented from bringing claims against the trust account, including, but not limited to, fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the trust account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account, our management will perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will only enter into an agreement with a third party that has not executed a waiver if management believes that such third party’s engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative.
Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where management is unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason. Upon redemption of our public shares, if we have not consummated an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, or upon the exercise of a redemption right in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to provide for payment of claims of creditors that were not waived that may be brought against us within the 10 years following redemption. Accordingly, the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders could be less than the $10.00 per public share initially held in the trust account, due to claims of such creditors. Pursuant to a letter agreement, our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party (excluding our independent registered public accounting firm) for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have entered into a written letter of intent, confidentially or other similar agreement or business combination agreement, reduce the amounts in the trust account to below the lesser of (i) $10.00 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 $10.00 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest that may be withdrawn for permitted withdrawals and, if we decide to liquidate, $100,000 of dissolution expenses, 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 seek access to the trust account nor will it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Moreover, in the event that an
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executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, our sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third party claims. However, we have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and we believe that our sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company. Our sponsor may not be able to satisfy those obligations. As a result, if any such claims were successfully made against the trust account, the funds available for our initial business combination and redemptions could be reduced to less than $10.00 per public share. In such event, we may not be able to complete our initial business combination, and you would receive such lesser amount per share in connection with any redemption of your public shares. None of our officers or directors will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.
Our directors may decide not to enforce the indemnification obligations of our sponsor, resulting in a reduction in the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public shareholders.
In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below the lesser of (i) $10.00 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 $10.00 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest that may be withdrawn for permitted withdrawals and, if we decide to liquidate, $100,000 of dissolution expenses, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent directors would determine whether to take legal action against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations. While we currently expect that our independent directors would take legal action on our behalf against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment and subject to their fiduciary duties may choose not to do so in any particular instance. If our independent directors choose not to enforce these indemnification obligations, the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public shareholders may be reduced below $10.00 per public share.
If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, a bankruptcy court may seek to recover such proceeds, and the members of our board of directors may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to our creditors, thereby exposing the members of our board of directors and us to claims of punitive damages.
If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy laws as either a “preferential transfer” or a “fraudulent conveyance.” As a result, a bankruptcy court could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders.
In addition, our board of directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or having acted in bad faith, thereby exposing itself and us to claims of punitive damages, by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors.
If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the claims of creditors in such proceeding may have priority over the claims of our shareholders and the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our shareholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced.
If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any bankruptcy claims deplete the trust account, the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our shareholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced.
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Holders of Class A ordinary shares will not be entitled to vote on any appointment of directors we hold prior to the completion of our initial business combination and will also not be able to vote on our continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands prior to our initial business combination.
Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on the election of directors during such time. Accordingly, you may not have any say in the management of our company prior to the consummation of an initial business combination.
Further, prior to the closing of our initial business combination, only holders of our Class B ordinary shares will be entitled to vote on transferring the Company by way of continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands (including any special resolution required to amend the constitutional documents of the Company or to adopt new constitutional documents of the company, in each case, as a result of the company approving a transfer by way of continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands) and, as a result, our sponsor will be able to approve any such proposal without the vote of any other shareholder.
The provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association governing the appointment of directors prior to our initial business combination and our continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands prior to our initial business combination may only be amended by a special resolution passed by holders representing at least two-thirds of our outstanding Class B ordinary shares. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on a special resolution to amend such provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles during such period.
Because we are neither limited to evaluating a target business in a particular industry sector nor have we selected any specific target businesses with which to pursue our initial business combination, you will be unable to ascertain the merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations.
We may pursue business combination opportunities in any sector, except that we will not, under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, be permitted to effectuate our initial business combination solely with another blank check company or similar company with nominal operations. Because we have not yet selected or approached any specific target business with respect to a business combination, there is no basis to evaluate the possible merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity, financial condition or prospects. To the extent we complete our initial business combination, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the business operations with which we combine. For example, if we combine with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of sales or earnings, we may be affected by the risks inherent in the business and operations of a financially unstable or a development stage entity. In recent years, a number of target businesses of special purpose acquisition companies have underperformed financially post-business combination. There are no assurances that the target business with which we consummate our initial business combination will perform as anticipated. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we may not properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors or that we will have adequate time to complete due diligence. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business. An investment in our units may not ultimately prove to be more favorable to investors than a direct investment, if such opportunity were available, in a business combination target. Accordingly, any holders who choose to retain their securities following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
Because we intend to seek a business combination with a target business in the healthcare industry, we expect our future operations to be subject to risks associated with this industry.
Because we intend to seek a business combination with a target business in the healthcare industry, we expect our future operations to be subject to risks associated with this industry.
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Healthcare related companies are generally subject to greater governmental regulation than most other industries at the U.S. state and federal levels, and internationally. In recent years, both local and national governmental budgets have come under pressure to reduce spending and control healthcare costs, which could both adversely affect regulatory processes and public funding available for healthcare products, services and facilities. In March 2010, comprehensive healthcare reform legislation was enacted in the United States. These laws are intended to increase health insurance coverage through individual and employer mandates, subsidies offered to lower income individuals, tax credits available to smaller employers and broadening of Medicaid eligibility.
While one intent of healthcare reform is to expand health insurance coverage to more individuals, it may also involve additional regulatory mandates and other measures designed to constrain medical costs, including coverage and reimbursement for healthcare services. Healthcare reform has had a significant impact on the healthcare sector in the United States and consequently has the ability to affect companies within the healthcare industry. The ultimate effects of federal healthcare reform or any future legislation or regulation, or healthcare initiatives, if any, on the healthcare sector, whether implemented at the federal or state level or internationally, cannot be predicted with certainty and such reform, legislation, regulation or initiatives may adversely affect the performance of a potential business combination.
Changes in governmental policies may have a material effect on the demand for or costs of certain products and services. A healthcare related company must receive government approval before introducing new drugs and medical devices or procedures. This process may delay the introduction of these products and services to the marketplace, resulting in increased development costs, delayed cost recovery and loss of competitive advantage to the extent that rival companies have developed competing products or procedures, adversely affecting the company’s revenues and profitability. Failure to obtain governmental approval of a key drug or device or other regulatory action could have a material adverse effect on the business of a target company. Additionally, expansion of facilities by healthcare related providers is subject to “determinations of need” by the appropriate government authorities. This process not only increases the time and cost involved in these expansions, but also makes expansion plans uncertain, limiting the revenue and profitability growth potential of healthcare related facilities operators.
Certain healthcare related companies depend on the exclusive rights or patents for the products they develop and distribute. Patents have a limited duration and, upon expiration, other companies may market substantially similar “generic” products that are typically sold at a lower price than the patented product, causing the original developer of the product to lose market share and/or reduce the price charged for the product, resulting in lower profits for the original developer. As a result, the expiration of patents may adversely affect the profitability of these companies. The profitability of healthcare related companies may also be affected, among other factors, by restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising or falling costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure, an increased emphasis on outpatient services, a limited product offering, industry innovation, changes in technologies and other market developments. Finally, because the products and services of healthcare related companies affect the health and well-being of many individuals, these companies are especially susceptible to product liability lawsuits.
The healthcare industry spends heavily on research and development. Research findings (e.g., regarding side effects or comparative benefits of one or more particular treatments, services or products) and technological innovation (together with patent expirations) may make any particular treatment, service or product less attractive if previously unknown or underappreciated risks are revealed, or if a more effective, less costly or less risky solution is or becomes available. Any such development could have a material adverse effect on the companies that are target businesses for investment.
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Although we have identified general criteria that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses, we may enter into our initial business combination with a target that does not meet such criteria, and as a result, the target business with which we enter into our initial business combination may not have attributes entirely consistent with our general criteria.
Although we have identified general criteria for evaluating prospective target businesses, it is possible that a target business with which we enter into our initial business combination will not have all of these positive attributes. If we complete our initial business combination with a target that does not meet some or all of these criteria, such combination may not be as successful as a combination with a business that does meet all of our general criteria. In addition, if we announce a prospective business combination with a target that does not meet our general criteria, a greater number of shareholders may exercise their redemption rights, which may make it difficult for us to meet any closing condition with a target business that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. In addition, if shareholder approval of the transaction is required by applicable law or stock exchange rule, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other reasons, it may be more difficult for us to attain shareholder approval of our initial business combination if the target business does not meet our general criteria. If we do not complete our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per public share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless.
We are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent accounting or investment banking firm, and consequently, you may have no assurance from an independent source that the price we are paying for the business is fair to our shareholders from a financial point of view.
Unless we complete our initial business combination with an affiliated entity, we are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent accounting firm or independent investment banking firm that the price we are paying is fair to our shareholders from a financial point of view. If no opinion is obtained, our shareholders will be relying on the judgment of our board of directors, who will determine fair market value based on standards generally accepted by the financial community. Such standards used will be disclosed in our proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, related to our initial business combination.
We may issue additional Class A ordinary shares or preference shares to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue Class A ordinary shares upon the conversion of the founder shares at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions contained in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our shareholders and likely present other risks.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will authorize the issuance of up to 300,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, 30,000,000 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, and 1,000,000 preference shares, par value $0.0001 per share. Immediately after this offering, there will be 281,950,000 and 25,625,000 (assuming in each case that the underwriters have not exercised their over-allotment option and 656,250 founder shares have been forfeited, as further described in this prospectus) authorized but unissued Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares, respectively, available for issuance which amount does not take into account shares reserved for issuance upon exercise of outstanding warrants or shares issuable upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares, if any. The Class B ordinary shares are automatically convertible into Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination or earlier at the option of the holder on a one-for-one basis (such Class A ordinary share delivered upon conversion will not have any redemption rights or be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account if we fail to consummate an initial business combination), subject to adjustment pursuant to certain anti-dilution rights, as described herein and in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Immediately after this offering, there will be no preference shares issued and outstanding.
We may issue a substantial number of additional Class A ordinary shares or preference shares to complete its initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of an initial business
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combination. We may also issue Class A ordinary shares in connection with the redemption of warrants as described in “Description of Securities—Warrants—Public Shareholders’ Warrants” or upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions as set forth herein. However, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide, among other things, that prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we may not issue additional shares that would entitle the holders thereof to (i) receive funds from the trust account or (ii) vote as a class with our public shares (a) on our initial business combination or on any other proposal presented to shareholders prior to or in connection with the completion of an initial business combination or (b) to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to (x) extend the time we have to consummate a business combination beyond 24 months from the closing of this offering or (y) amend the foregoing provisions. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, like all provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, may be amended with a shareholder vote. The issuance of additional ordinary or preference shares:
| ∎ | may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in this offering, 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 to Class A ordinary shares; |
| ∎ | could cause a change in control if a substantial number of Class A ordinary shares are issued, which may affect, among other things, the post-business combination company’s ability to use its net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of officers and directors; |
| ∎ | may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of the post-business combination company by diluting the share ownership or voting rights of a person seeking to obtain control of the post-business combination company; |
| ∎ | may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our units, Class A ordinary shares and/or warrants; and |
| ∎ | may not result in adjustment to the exercise price of our warrants. |
For more information on additional financing that we may raise in connection with our business combination and risks related thereto, also see “—We may issue shares to investors in connection with our initial business combination at a price which is less than $10.00 or the prevailing market price of our shares at that time, which could dilute the interests of our existing shareholders and add costs” and “—We may issue notes or other debt, or otherwise incur substantial debt, to complete a business combination, which may adversely affect our leverage and financial condition and thus negatively impact the value of our shareholders’ investment in us.”
We may issue shares to investors in connection with our initial business combination at a price which is less than $10.00 or the prevailing market price of our shares at that time, which could dilute the interests of our existing shareholders and add costs.
In connection with our initial business combination, we may issue shares to investors in private placement transactions (so-called PIPE transactions) in order to complete an initial business combination and provide sufficient liquidity and capital to the post-business combination entity. As of the date of this prospectus, we have no commitments to issue any shares in connection with such a transaction. The price of the shares so issued in connection with an initial business combination may be less, and potentially significantly less, than $10.00 per share or the market price for our shares at such time. Any such issuances of equity securities at a price that is less than $10.00 or the prevailing market price of our shares at that time could be structured to ensure a return on investment to the investors and could dilute the interests of our existing shareholders in a manner that would not ordinarily occur in a traditional initial public offering and could result in both a reduction in the trading price of our shares to the price at which we issue such equity securities and fluctuations in the net tangible book value per share of the combined company’s securities following the
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completion of our initial business combination. We may also provide price protection or other incentives, or issue convertible securities such as preferred equity or convertible debt, and the exercise or conversion price of those securities may be fixed or adjustable, and may be less, and potentially significantly less, than $10.00 per share or the market price for our shares at such time. Such issuances could also result in additional transaction costs related to our initial business combination compared to a traditional initial public offering, including the placement fees associated with the engagement of a placement agent in connection with PIPE transactions.
Resources could be wasted in researching acquisitions that are not completed, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we do not complete our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per public share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless.
We anticipate that the investigation of each specific target business and the negotiation, drafting and execution of relevant agreements, disclosure documents and other instruments will require substantial management time and attention and substantial costs for accountants, attorneys and others. If we decide not to complete a specific initial business combination, the costs incurred up to that point for the proposed transaction likely would not be recoverable. Furthermore, if we reach an agreement relating to a specific target business, we may fail to complete our initial business combination for any number of reasons including those beyond our control. Any such event will result in a loss to us of the related costs incurred which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we do not complete our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per public share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless.
Compliance obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may make it more difficult for us to effectuate a business combination, require substantial financial and management resources, and increase the time and costs of completing an acquisition.
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires that we evaluate and report on our system of internal controls beginning with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2025. Only in the event we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer and no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, will we be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. The fact that we are a blank check company makes compliance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act particularly burdensome on us as compared to other public companies because a target business with which we seek to complete our initial business combination may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of its internal controls. The development of the internal control of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such business combination.
We may have a limited ability to assess the management of a prospective target business and, as a result, may affect our initial business combination with a target business whose management may not have the skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company, which could, in turn, negatively impact the value of our shareholders’ investment in us.
When evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with a prospective target business, our ability to assess the target business’s management may be limited due to a lack of time, resources or information. Our assessment of the capabilities of the target business’s management, therefore, may prove to be incorrect and such management may lack the skills, qualifications or abilities we suspected. Should the target business’s management not possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to manage a public company, the operations and profitability of the post-combination business may be negatively impacted. Accordingly, any holders who choose to retain their securities following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they
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are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
We may issue notes or other debt, or otherwise incur substantial debt, to complete a business combination, which may adversely affect our leverage and financial condition and thus negatively impact the value of our shareholders’ investment in us.
Although we have no commitments as of the date of this prospectus to issue any notes or other debt, or to otherwise incur debt following this offering, we may choose to pursue a business combination in connection with which we incur substantial debt. No issuance of debt will affect the per share amount available for redemption from the trust account. However, if we issue debt securities or otherwise incurs significant debt to banks or other lenders or the owners of a target, it could result in:
| ∎ | default and foreclosure on the assets of the post-business combination company if its operating revenues are insufficient to repay its debt obligations; |
| ∎ | acceleration of the post-business combination company’s obligations to repay such indebtedness, even if it makes all principal and interest payments when due, if it breaches certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant; |
| ∎ | the post-business combination company’s immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt security is payable on demand; |
| ∎ | the post-business combination company’s inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt security contains covenants restricting its ability to obtain such financing while the debt security is outstanding; |
| ∎ | using a substantial portion of the post-business combination company’s cash flow to pay principal and interest on its debt, which will reduce the funds available for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes; |
| ∎ | limitations on the post-business combination company’s flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in its business and in the industry in which it operates; |
| ∎ | increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and |
| ∎ | limitations on the post-business combination company’s ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of its strategy and other purposes and other disadvantages compared to its competitors who have less debt. |
We may only be able to complete one business combination with the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement units, which will cause us to be solely dependent on a single business which may have a limited number of products or services. This lack of diversification may negatively impact our operations and profitability.
The net proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement units will provide us with up to $170,175,000 (or $195,506,250 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) that we may use to complete our initial business combination (after taking into account the $6,125,000, or $7,043,750 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full, of deferred underwriting commissions being held in the trust account and the estimated expenses of this offering).
We may effectuate our initial business combination with a single target business or multiple target businesses simultaneously or within a short period of time. However, we may not be able to effectuate our initial business combination with more than one target business because of various factors, including the existence of complex accounting issues and the requirement that we prepare and file pro forma financial statements with the SEC that present operating results and the financial condition of several target businesses as if they had been operated on a combined basis. By completing our initial business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory developments. Further, we would not be able to diversify our operations or benefit from the possible
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spreading of risks or offsetting of losses, unlike other entities which may have the resources to complete several business combinations in different industries or different areas of a single industry. Accordingly, the prospects for our success may be:
| ∎ | solely dependent upon the performance of a single business, property or asset; or |
| ∎ | dependent upon the development or market acceptance of a single or limited number of products, processes or services. |
This lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory risks, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact upon the particular industry in which we may operate subsequent to our initial business combination.
We may attempt to simultaneously complete business combinations with multiple prospective targets, which may hinder our ability to complete our initial business combination and give rise to increased costs and risks that could negatively impact our operations and profitability.
If we determine to simultaneously acquire several businesses that are owned by different sellers, we will need for each of such sellers to agree that our purchase of its business is contingent on the simultaneous closings of the other business combinations, which may make it more difficult for us, and delay our ability, to complete our initial business combination. With multiple business combinations, we could also face additional risks, including additional burdens and costs with respect to possible multiple negotiations and due diligence (if there are multiple sellers) and the additional risks associated with the subsequent assimilation of the operations and services or products of the acquired companies in a single operating business. If we do not adequately address these risks, it could negatively impact our profitability and results of operations.
We may attempt to complete our initial business combination with a private company about which little information is available, which may result in a business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.
In pursuing our acquisition strategy, we may seek to effectuate our initial business combination with a privately held company. Very little public information generally exists about private companies, and we could be required to make our decision on whether to pursue a potential initial business combination on the basis of limited information, which may result in a business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.
Because we must furnish our shareholders with target business financial statements, we may lose the ability to complete an otherwise advantageous initial business combination with some prospective target businesses.
The federal proxy rules require that a proxy statement with respect to a vote on our proposed business combination include historical and/or pro forma financial statement disclosure. We will include the same financial statement disclosure in connection with our tender offer documents, whether or not they are required under the tender offer rules. These financial statements may be required to be prepared in accordance with, or be reconciled to, accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or GAAP, or international financial reporting standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, or IFRS, depending on the circumstances and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), or PCAOB. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential target businesses we may acquire because some targets may be unable to provide such statements in time for us to disclose such statements in accordance with federal proxy rules and complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering.
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If we do not consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, our public shareholders may be forced to wait beyond such 24 months before redemption from our trust account.
If we do not consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, the proceeds then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us for permitted withdrawals (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), will be used to fund the redemption of our public shares, as further described herein. Any redemption of public shareholders from the trust account will be effected automatically by function of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association prior to any voluntary winding up. If we are required to wind up, liquidate the trust account and distribute such amount therein, pro rata, to our public shareholders, as part of any liquidation process, such winding up, liquidation and distribution must comply with the applicable provisions of the Companies Act. In that case, investors may be forced to wait beyond 24 months from the closing of this offering before the redemption proceeds of our trust account become available to them, and they receive the return of their pro rata portion of the proceeds from our trust account. We have no obligation to return funds to investors prior to the date of our redemption of our public shares or the date of liquidation of the company unless, prior thereto, we consummate our initial business combination or amend certain provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, and only then in cases where investors have sought to redeem their Class A ordinary shares. Only upon our redemption of our public shares or any liquidation of the company will public shareholders be entitled to distributions if we do not complete our initial business combination and do not amend certain provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, if we wind up for any other reason prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, we will follow the foregoing procedures with respect to the liquidation of the trust account as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, subject to applicable Cayman Islands law.
We may not be able to complete a business combination with certain potential target companies if a proposed transaction with the target company may be subject to review or approval by regulatory authorities pursuant to certain U.S. or foreign laws or regulations.
Our sponsor, Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, LLC, is a Cayman Islands limited liability company. Our sponsor currently owns 5,031,250 founder shares (of which 656,250 are subject to forfeiture if the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option) and is expected to purchase 550,000 private placement units (or 602,500 private placement units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full). Our sponsor has certain ties with non-U.S. persons and, as a result, CFIUS may deem our sponsor a “foreign person.” As such, our business combination could be subject to regulatory review, including review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”). If our business combination with a U.S. business is subject to CFIUS review, the scope of which was expanded by the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018 (“FIRRMA”), to include certain non-passive, non-controlling investments in sensitive U.S. businesses and certain acquisitions of real estate even with no underlying U.S. business, then there is an increased risk that restrictions, limitations or conditions will be imposed by CFIUS. FIRRMA, and subsequent implementing regulations that are now in force, also subjects certain categories of investments to mandatory filings. If our potential business combination with a U.S. business falls within CFIUS’s jurisdiction, we may determine that we are required to make a mandatory filing or that we will submit a voluntary notice to CFIUS, or to proceed with a business combination without notifying CFIUS and risk CFIUS intervention, before or after closing a business combination. CFIUS may decide to block or delay our business combination, impose conditions to mitigate national security concerns with respect to such business combination or order us to divest all or a portion of a U.S. business of the combined company without first obtaining CFIUS clearance, which may limit the attractiveness of or prevent us from pursuing certain initial business combination opportunities that we believe would otherwise be beneficial to us and our shareholders. As a result, the pool of potential targets with which we could complete a business combination may be limited and we may be adversely affected in terms of competing with other special purpose acquisition companies which do not have similar foreign ownership issues. A failure to notify CFIUS of a
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transaction where such notification was required or otherwise warranted based on the national security considerations presented by an investment target may expose our sponsor and/or the combined company to legal penalties, costs, and/or other adverse reputational and financial effects, thus potentially diminishing the value of the combined company. In addition, CFIUS is actively pursuing transactions that were not notified to it and may ask questions regarding, or impose restrictions or mitigation on, a business combination post-closing.
Moreover, other countries continue to strengthen their own national security investment clearance regimes (including with respect to technology, infrastructure, and data-related transactions), and a business combination that involves assets or entities outside of the U.S. may also face delays, limitations or restrictions as a result of notifications made under and/or compliance with these legal regimes. Heightened scrutiny of foreign direct investment worldwide, including changes to the implementing laws and regulations or agency practice, may constrain the universe of opportunities for a business combination.
Additionally, in August 2023, the President of the United States issued an executive order setting forth the framework for outbound investment controls regulating U.S. investment to countries and companies deemed to be averse to U.S. national security and foreign policy interests. While the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in June 2024 contemplating the imposition of notification requirements for, and the potential prohibition of, outbound investment involving semiconductors and microelectronics, quantum information technologies, and artificial intelligence by U.S. persons into certain entities with a nexus to China, the exact scope and application of the outbound investment program has yet to be determined. When restrictions on U.S. outbound investment become effective, these could limit the universe of business combinations investments available to the sponsor and/or adversely affect the governance and operations of the sponsor and/or the combined company.
Finally, more than two dozen U.S. states have enacted or are considering legislation that would prohibit, restrict or regulate foreign investment in real property in such states. The sponsor cannot exclude the possibility that some or all of these states may prohibit, restrict or regulate (including requiring disclosure) a business combination. Collectively, these laws also elevate the likelihood that the sponsor will be required or requested to disclose to U.S. federal and/or state regulators information the sponsor and/or the combined company, their structure and their beneficial ownership and control.
Moreover, the process of government review, whether by the CFIUS or otherwise, could be lengthy and we have limited time to complete our business combination. If we cannot complete a business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering because the transaction is still under review or because our business combination is ultimately prohibited by CFIUS or another U.S. government entity, we may be required to liquidate. If we liquidate, shareholders of record may only receive their pro rata portion of funds available in the trust account and our warrants will expire worthless. This will also cause you to lose the investment opportunity in a target company and the chance of realizing future gains on your investment through any price appreciation in the combined company.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we may be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, our activities may be restricted, including:
| ∎ | restrictions on the nature of our investments; and |
| ∎ | restrictions on the issuance of securities, each of which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. In addition, we may have imposed upon us burdensome requirements, including: |
| ∎ | registration as an investment company with the SEC; |
| ∎ | adoption of a specific form of corporate structure; and |
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| ∎ | reporting, record keeping, voting, proxy and disclosure requirements and other rules and regulations that we are currently not subject to. |
In order not to be regulated as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, unless we can qualify for an exclusion, we must ensure that we are engaged primarily in a business other than investing, reinvesting or trading of securities and that our activities do not include investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading “investment securities” constituting more than 40% of our assets (exclusive of U.S. government securities and cash items) on an unconsolidated basis. Our business will be to identify and complete a business combination and thereafter to operate the post-transaction business or assets for the long term. We do not intend to spend a considerable amount of time actively managing the assets in the trust account for the primary purpose of achieving investment returns. We do not plan to buy businesses or assets with a view to resale or profit from their resale. We do not plan to buy unrelated businesses or assets or to be a passive investor.
We do not believe that our anticipated principal activities will subject us to the Investment Company Act. To this end, the proceeds held in the trust account may only be held as cash, including in demand deposit accounts at a bank, or invested in U.S. “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Pursuant to the trust agreement, the trustee is not permitted to invest in other securities or assets. By restricting the investment of the proceeds to these instruments, and by having a business plan targeted at acquiring and growing businesses for the long term (rather than on buying and selling businesses in the manner of a merchant bank or private equity fund), we intend to avoid being deemed an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act. This offering is not intended for persons who are seeking a return on investments in government securities or investment securities. The trust account is intended as a holding place for funds pending the earliest to occur of: (i) the completion of our initial business combination; (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with the implementation by the directors of, following a shareholder vote, an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide for the redemption of our public shares in connection with an initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we have not consummated our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provisions relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity; or (iii) absent an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, our return of the funds held in the trust account to our public shareholders as part of our redemption of the public shares. If we do not invest the proceeds as discussed above, we may be deemed to be subject to the Investment Company Act.
Further, under the subjective test of a “investment company” pursuant to Section 3(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act, even if the funds deposited in the trust account were invested in the assets discussed above, such assets, other than cash, are “securities” for purposes of the Investment Company Act and, therefore, there is a risk that we could be deemed an investment company and subject to the Investment Company Act.
In the adopting release for the 2024 SPAC Rules (as defined below), the SEC provided guidance that a SPAC’s potential status as an “investment company” depends on a variety of factors, such as a SPAC’s duration, asset composition, business purpose and activities and “is a question of facts and circumstances” requiring individualized analysis. If we were deemed to be subject to compliance with and regulation under the Investment Company Act, we would be subject to additional regulatory burdens and expenses for which we have not allotted funds. Unless we are able to modify our activities so that we would not be deemed an investment company, we would either register as an investment company or wind down and abandon our efforts to complete an initial business combination and instead liquidate the Company. As a result, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per public share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless, would lose the investment
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opportunity in a target company with which we may decide to consummate an initial business combination and would be unable to realize the potential benefits of an initial business combination, including the possible appreciation of the combined company’s securities.
If our circumstances change over time, we will update our disclosure to reflect how such changes impact the risk that we may be considered to be operating as an unregistered investment company.
To mitigate the risk that we might be deemed to be an investment company for purposes of the Investment Company Act, we may, at any time, instruct the trustee to liquidate the securities held in the trust account and instead to hold the funds in the trust account in cash until the earlier of the consummation of our initial business combination or our liquidation. As a result, following the liquidation of securities in the trust account, the interest earned on the funds held in the trust account may be materially reduced, which would reduce the dollar amount our public shareholders would receive upon any redemption or liquidation of the Company.
We intend to initially hold the funds in the trust account as cash, including in demand deposit accounts at a bank, or in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds investing solely in U.S. government treasury obligations and meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act. U.S. government treasury obligations are considered “securities” for purposes of the Investment Company Act, while cash is not. As noted above, one of the factors the SEC identified as relevant to the determination of whether a SPAC which holds securities could potentially be deemed an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act is the SPAC’s duration. To mitigate the risk of us being deemed to be an unregistered investment company (including under the subjective test of Section 3(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act) and thus subject to regulation under the Investment Company Act, we may, at any time, instruct Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the trustee with respect to the trust account, to liquidate the U.S. government treasury obligations or money market funds held in the trust account and thereafter to hold all funds in the trust account in cash until the earlier of consummation of our initial business combination or liquidation of the company. Following such liquidation, the rate of interest we receive on the funds held in the trust account may be materially decreased. However, interest previously earned on the funds held in the trust account still may be released to us for permitted withdrawals and certain other expenses as permitted. As a result, any decision to liquidate the securities held in the trust account and thereafter to hold all funds in the trust account in cash would reduce the dollar amount our public shareholders would receive upon any redemption or liquidation of the company.
Changes to laws or regulations or in how such laws or regulations are interpreted or applied, or a failure to comply with any laws, regulations, interpretations or applications may adversely affect our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination.
We are subject to laws and regulations, and interpretations and applications of such laws and regulations, of national, regional, state and local governments and applicable non-U.S. jurisdictions. In particular, we are required to comply with certain SEC and potentially other legal and regulatory requirements, and our consummation of an initial business combination may be contingent upon our ability to comply with certain laws, regulations, interpretations and applications and any post-business combination company may be subject to additional laws, regulations, interpretations and applications. Compliance with, and monitoring of, the foregoing may be difficult, time consuming and costly. Those laws and regulations and their interpretation and application may also change from time to time, and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete an initial business combination. A failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations, as interpreted and applied, could have a material adverse effect on our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination.
On January 24, 2024, the SEC issued final rules (the “2024 SPAC Rules”), which became effective on July 1, 2024, that formally adopted some of the SEC’s proposed rules for SPACs that were released on March 30, 2022. The 2024 SPAC Rules, among other items, impose additional disclosure requirements in initial public offerings by SPACs and business combination transactions involving SPACs and private operating companies; amend the financial statement requirements applicable to business combination
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transactions involving such companies; update and expand guidance regarding the general use of projections in SEC filings, as well as when projections are disclosed in connection with proposed business combination transactions; increase the potential liability of certain participants in proposed business combination transactions; and could impact the extent to which SPACs could become subject to regulation under the Investment Company Act of 1940. The 2024 SPAC Rules may materially adversely affect our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete, and the costs associated with, our initial business combination, and results of operations.
Our search for a business combination, and any target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected by the recent and ongoing military action between Russia and Ukraine.
On February 24, 2022, Russian military forces launched a military action in Ukraine, and sustained conflict and disruption in the region is likely. Although the length, impact and outcome of the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine is highly unpredictable, this conflict could lead to significant market and other disruptions, including significant volatility in commodity prices and supply of energy resources, instability in financial markets, supply chain interruptions, political and social instability, changes in consumer or purchaser preferences as well as increase in cyberattacks and espionage. Russia’s recognition of two separatist republics in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine and subsequent military action against Ukraine have led to an unprecedented expansion of sanction programs imposed by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland, Japan and other countries against Russia, Belarus, the Crimea Region of Ukraine, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic and the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic.
The situation is rapidly evolving as a result of the conflict in Ukraine, and the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and other countries may implement additional sanctions, export controls or other measures against Russia, Belarus and other countries, regions, officials, individuals or industries in the respective territories. Such sanctions and other measures, as well as the existing and potential further responses from Russia or other countries to such sanctions, tensions and military actions, could adversely affect the global economy and financial markets and could adversely affect our ability to search for a business combination or finance such business combination, and the business, financial condition and results of operations of any target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination may be materially adversely affected.
Macro-economic turbulence and instability relating to recent and ongoing global conflicts and other drivers of uncertainty may adversely affect our business, investments and results of operations and our ability to successfully consummate a business combination.
A deterioration in economic conditions and related drivers of global uncertainty and change, such as reduced business activity, high unemployment, rising interest rates, housing prices, and energy prices (including the price of gasoline), increased consumer indebtedness, lack of available credit, the rate of inflation, and consumer perceptions of the economy, as well as other factors, such as terrorist attacks, protests, looting, and other forms of civil unrest, cyber attacks and data breaches, public health emergencies (such as the COVID-19 pandemic and other epidemics), extreme weather conditions and climate change, significant changes in the political environment, political instability, armed conflict (such as the ongoing military conflict between Ukraine and Russia and the military conflict in Israel and Gaza) and/or public policy, including increased state, local or federal taxation, could adversely affect our financial condition, the financial condition of prospective target companies for our initial business combination, or the financial condition of the combined company even if we successfully consummate a business combination, as well as our ability to locate a commercially viable target company for our business combination in the first instance.
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The provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association that relate to our pre-business combination activity (and corresponding provisions of the agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account) may be amended with the approval of a special resolution which requires the approval of the holders of at least two-thirds of our ordinary shares who attend and vote at a shareholder meeting of the company (or 65% of our ordinary shares with respect to amendments to the trust agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account), which is a lower amendment threshold than that of some other blank check companies. It may be easier for us, therefore, to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to facilitate the completion of an initial business combination that some of our shareholders may not support.
Some other blank check companies have a provision in their charter which prohibits the amendment of certain of its provisions, including those which relate to a company’s pre-business combination activity, without approval by a certain percentage of the company’s shareholders. In those companies, amendment of these provisions typically requires approval by between 90% and 100% of the company’s shareholders. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that any of its provisions related to pre-business combination activity (including the requirement to deposit proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement units into the trust account and not release such amounts except in specified circumstances, and to provide redemption rights to public shareholders as described herein) may be amended if approved by special resolution, meaning holders of at least two-thirds of our ordinary shares who attend and vote at a shareholder meeting of the company, and corresponding provisions of the trust agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account may be amended if approved by holders of at least 65% of our ordinary shares, which are represented in person or by proxy and are voted at a general meeting; provided that the provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association governing the appointment of directors prior to our initial business combination and our continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands prior to our initial business combination may only be amended by a special resolution passed by holders representing at least two-thirds of our outstanding Class B ordinary shares. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on a special resolution to amend such provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles during such period. Our sponsor, and its permitted transferees, if any, who will collectively beneficially own, on an as-converted basis, 20% of our Class A ordinary shares upon the closing of this offering (excluding the private placement shares included in the private placement units and assuming our sponsor, directors or officers do not purchase any shares in this offering), will participate in any vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and/or trust agreement and will have the discretion to vote in any manner they choose. As a result, we may be able to amend the provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association which govern our pre-business combination behavior more easily than some other blank check companies, and this may increase our ability to complete a business combination with which you do not agree. Our shareholders may pursue remedies against us for any breach of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.
Our sponsor, executive officers, directors and director nominees have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed or repurchased in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares; unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Class A ordinary shares upon implementation of any such amendment 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 and not previously released to us for permitted withdrawals, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares. Our shareholders are not parties to, or third-party beneficiaries of, this agreement and, as a result, will not have the ability to pursue remedies against our sponsor, executive officers, directors or director nominees for any breach of this agreement. As a result, in the event of a breach, our shareholders would need to pursue a shareholder derivative action, subject to applicable law.
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We may be unable to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination or to fund the operations and growth of a target business, which could compel us to restructure or abandon a particular business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per public share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account.
Although we believe that the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement units and the funds from permitted withdrawals will be sufficient to allow us to complete our initial business combination, because we have not yet selected any specific target business we cannot ascertain the capital requirements for any particular transaction. If the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement units and the funds from permitted withdrawals prove to be insufficient, either because of the size of our initial business combination, the depletion of the available net proceeds in search of a target business, the obligation to redeem for cash a significant number of shares from shareholders who elect redemption in connection with our initial business combination or the terms of negotiated transactions to purchase shares in connection with our initial business combination, we may be required to seek additional financing or to abandon the proposed business combination. Such financing may not be available on acceptable terms, if at all. The current economic environment may make difficult for companies to obtain acquisition financing. To the extent that additional financing proves to be unavailable when needed to complete our initial business combination, we would be compelled to either restructure the transaction or abandon that particular business combination and seek an alternative target business candidate. If we do not complete our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per public share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless. In addition, even if we do not need additional financing to complete our initial business combination, we may require such financing to fund the operations or growth of the target business. The failure to secure additional financing could have a material adverse effect on the continued development or growth of the target business. None of our officers, directors or shareholders is required to provide any financing to us in connection with or after our initial business combination.
Risks Relating to our Securities
The securities in which we invest the funds held in the trust account could bear a negative rate of interest, which could reduce the value of the assets held in trust such that the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders may be less than $10.00 per share.
The proceeds held in the trust account will be held in cash, including in demand deposit accounts at a bank, or 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, which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. While short-term U.S. government treasury obligations currently yield a positive rate of interest, they have briefly yielded negative interest rates in recent years. Central banks in Europe and Japan pursued interest rates below zero in recent years, and the Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve has not ruled out the possibility that it may in the future adopt similar policies in the United States. In the event that we are unable to complete our initial business combination or make certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, our public shareholders are entitled to receive their pro-rata share of the proceeds held in the trust account, plus any interest income, net of permitted withdrawals (less, in the case we are unable to complete our initial business combination, $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses). Negative interest rates could reduce the value of the assets held in trust such that the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders may be less than $10.00 per share.
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If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, and if you or a “group” of shareholders are deemed to hold in excess of 15% of our public shares sold in this offering, you will lose the ability to redeem all such shares in excess of 15% of our public shares.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the public shares sold in this offering, which we refer to as the “Excess Shares,” without our prior consent. However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. Your inability to redeem the Excess Shares will reduce your influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination and you could suffer a material loss on your investment in us if you sell Excess Shares in open market transactions. Additionally, you will not receive redemption distributions with respect to the Excess Shares if we complete our initial business combination. And as a result, you will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding such 15% and, in order to dispose of such shares, would be required to sell your shares in open market transactions, potentially at a loss.
Nasdaq may delist our securities from trading on its exchange, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions.
We intend to apply to have our units listed on Nasdaq under the symbol “OACCU.” Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, we expect that the Class A ordinary shares and warrants will be listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “OACC” and “OACCW,” respectively. Although after giving effect to this offering we expect to meet, on a pro forma basis, the minimum initial listing standards set forth in Nasdaq’s listing standards, our securities may not be, or may not continue to be, listed on Nasdaq in the future or prior to the completion of our initial business combination. In order to continue listing our securities on Nasdaq prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we must maintain certain financial, distribution and share price levels. Generally, following our initial public offering, we must maintain a minimum market value of listed securities (generally $50,000,000) and a minimum number of holders of our securities (generally 400 public holders). Additionally, our units will not be traded in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to demonstrate compliance with Nasdaq’s initial listing requirements, which are more rigorous than Nasdaq’s continued listing requirements, in order to continue to maintain the listing of our securities on Nasdaq. For instance, unless we decide to list on a different Nasdaq tier, such as the Nasdaq Capital Market which has different initial listing requirements, our share price would generally be required to be at least $4.00 per share and we would be required to have a minimum of 400 round lot holders of our securities. We may not be able to meet those initial listing requirements at that time.
If Nasdaq delists our securities from trading on its exchange and we are not able to list our securities on another national securities exchange, we expect our securities could be quoted on an over-the-counter market. If this were to occur, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:
| ∎ | a limited availability of market quotations for our securities; |
| ∎ | reduced liquidity for our securities; |
| ∎ | a determination that our Class A ordinary shares are a “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in our Class A ordinary shares to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our securities; |
| ∎ | a limited amount of news and analyst coverage; and |
| ∎ | a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future. |
The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, which is a federal statute, prevents or preempts the states from regulating the sale of certain securities, which are referred to as “covered securities.”
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Because we expect that our units and eventually our Class A ordinary shares and warrants will be listed on Nasdaq, our units, Class A ordinary shares and warrants will qualify as covered securities under the statute. Although the states are preempted from regulating the sale of covered securities, the federal statute does allow the states to investigate companies if there is a suspicion of fraud, and, if there is a finding of fraudulent activity, then the states can regulate or bar the sale of covered securities in a particular case. While we are not aware of a state having used these powers to prohibit or restrict the sale of securities issued by blank check companies, other than the State of Idaho, certain state securities regulators view blank check companies unfavorably and might use these powers, or threaten to use these powers, to hinder the sale of securities of blank check companies in their states. Further, if we were no longer listed on Nasdaq, our securities would not qualify as covered securities under the statute and we would be subject to regulation in each state in which we offer our securities.
The founder shares held by our sponsor were issued at a nominal purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.005 per founder share, and, accordingly, you will experience immediate and material dilution from the purchase of our Class A ordinary shares.
The difference between the public offering price per share (allocating all of the unit purchase price to the Class A ordinary shares and none to the warrant included in the unit) and the pro forma net tangible book value per Class A ordinary share after this offering constitutes the dilution to you and the other investors in this offering. Our sponsor acquired the founder shares at a nominal price, significantly contributing to this dilution. Upon the closing of this offering, and assuming no value is ascribed to the warrants included in the units, you and the other public shareholders will incur an immediate and material dilution of approximately 110.40% (or $11.40 per share, assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option), the difference between the pro forma net tangible book value per share of $(1.04) (assuming a maximum redemption scenario) and the initial offering price of $10.00 per unit. For more information on how dilution was calculated in the preceding sentence and the assumptions underlying the expected dilution that you will experience following this offering, please see the section entitled “Dilution” in this prospectus.
Generally, the dilution that our public shareholders will experience increases the more public shares are redeemed. The issuance of additional ordinary or preference shares may also significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in this offering, which dilution would even further 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. In addition, because of the anti-dilution protection in the founder shares, any equity or equity-linked securities issued in connection with our initial business combination would be disproportionately dilutive to our Class A ordinary shares.
Our public shareholders will experience dilution even if no public shares are redeemed in connection with an initial business combination or another redemption event, for instance in connection with the implementation by the directors of, following a shareholder vote, an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed or repurchased in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares.
However, while our public shareholders will experience dilution even if none of our public shares are redeemed, the dilution they will experience will decrease the more of our public shares remain issued and outstanding following a redemption event. For instance, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase units, public shares, warrants or equity-linked securities in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination, although they are under no obligation to do so. In the event of any such purchases of our shares prior to the completion of our initial business combination or if we enter into non-redemption agreements with certain of our shareholders, the number of Class A ordinary shares subject to redemption will be reduced by the amount of
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any such purchases or shares subject to non-redemption agreements, increasing the pro forma net tangible book value per share. See “Proposed Business—Effecting Our Initial Business Combination—Permitted Purchases and Other Transactions with Respect to Our Securities.”
The determination of the offering price of our units and the size of this offering is more arbitrary than the pricing of securities and size of an offering of an operating company in a particular industry. You may have less assurance, therefore, that the offering price of our units properly reflects the value of such units than you would have in a typical offering of an operating company.
Prior to this offering there has been no public market for any of our securities. The public offering price of the units and the terms of the warrants was negotiated between us and the underwriters. In determining the size of this offering, management held customary organizational meetings with the underwriters, both prior to our inception and thereafter, with respect to the state of capital markets, generally, and the amount the underwriters believed they reasonably could raise on our behalf. Factors considered in determining the size of this offering, prices and terms of the units, including the Class A ordinary shares and warrants underlying the units, include:
| ∎ | the history and prospects of companies whose principal business is the acquisition of other companies; |
| ∎ | prior offerings of those companies; |
| ∎ | our prospects for acquiring an operating business at attractive values; |
| ∎ | a review of debt-to-equity ratios in leveraged transactions; |
| ∎ | our capital structure; |
| ∎ | an assessment of our management and their experience in identifying operating companies; |
| ∎ | general conditions of the securities markets at the time of this offering; and |
| ∎ | other factors as were deemed relevant. |
Although these factors were considered, the determination of our offering price is more arbitrary than the pricing of securities of an operating company in a particular industry since we have no historical operations or financial results.
There is currently no market for our securities and a market for our securities may not develop, which would adversely affect the liquidity and price of our securities.
There is currently no market for our securities. Shareholders therefore have no access to information about prior market history on which to base their investment decision. Following this offering, the price of our securities may vary significantly due to one or more potential business combinations and general market or economic conditions, including as a result of geopolitical events like the conflicts in Ukraine and Russia, the Israel-Hamas conflict, economic impacts such as inflation or the COVID-19 virus and any variants thereof. Furthermore, an active trading market for our securities may never develop or, if developed, it may not be sustained. You may be unable to sell your securities unless a market can be established and sustained.
Provisions in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may inhibit a takeover of us, which could limit the price investors might be willing to pay in the future for our Class A ordinary shares and could entrench management.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will contain provisions that may discourage unsolicited takeover proposals that shareholders may consider to be in their best interests. These provisions will include a staggered board of directors, the ability of the board of directors to designate the terms of and issue new series of preference shares, and the fact that prior to the completion of our initial business combination only holders of our Class B ordinary shares, which have been issued to our sponsor, are entitled to vote on the election of directors, which may make more difficult the removal of management and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our securities.
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Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that the courts of the Cayman Islands will be the exclusive forums for certain disputes between us and our shareholders, which could limit our shareholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for complaints against us or our directors, officers or employees.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the courts of the Cayman Islands shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any claim or dispute arising out of or in connection with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or otherwise related in any way to each shareholder’s shareholding in us, including but not limited to (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of any fiduciary or other duty owed by any of our current or former director, officer or other employee to us or our shareholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Companies Act or our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, or (iv) any action asserting a claim against us governed by the internal affairs doctrine (as such concept is recognized under the laws of the United States of America) and that each shareholder irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Cayman Islands over all such claims or disputes. The forum selection provision in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will not apply to actions or suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Securities Act, Exchange Act or any claim for which the federal district courts of the United States of America are, as a matter of the laws of the United States of America, the sole and exclusive forum for determination of such a claim.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association also provide that, without prejudice to any other rights or remedies that we may have, each of our shareholders acknowledges that damages alone would not be an adequate remedy for any breach of the selection of the courts of the Cayman Islands as exclusive forum and that accordingly we shall be entitled, without proof of special damages, to the remedies of injunction, specific performance or other equitable relief for any threatened or actual breach of the selection of the courts of the Cayman Islands as exclusive forum.
This choice of forum provision may increase a shareholder’s cost and limit the shareholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and other employees. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any of our shares or other securities, whether by transfer, sale, operation of law or otherwise, shall be deemed to have notice of and have irrevocably agreed and consented to these provisions. There is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce such provisions, and the enforceability of similar choice of forum provisions in other companies’ charter documents has been challenged in legal proceedings. It is possible that a court could find this type of provisions to be inapplicable or unenforceable, and if a court were to find this provision in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving the dispute in other jurisdictions, which could have adverse effect on our business and financial performance.
Changes in the market for directors and officers liability insurance could make it more difficult and more expensive for us to negotiate and complete an initial business combination.
The market for directors and officers liability insurance for special purpose acquisition companies may change in ways adverse to us and our management team. Fewer insurance companies may offer quotes for directors and officers liability coverage, the premiums charged for such policies may increase and the terms of such policies may become less favorable.
The increased cost and decreased availability of directors and officers liability insurance could make it more difficult and more expensive for us to negotiate an initial business combination. In order to obtain directors and officers liability insurance or modify its coverage as a result of becoming a public company, the post-business combination entity might need to incur greater expense, accept less favorable terms or both. However, any failure to obtain adequate directors and officers liability insurance could have an adverse impact on the post-business combination’s ability to attract and retain qualified officers and directors.
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In addition, even after we were to complete an initial business combination, our directors and officers could still be subject to potential liability from claims arising from conduct alleged to have occurred prior to the initial business combination. As a result, in order to protect our directors and officers, the post-business combination entity may need to purchase additional insurance with respect to any such claims (“run-off insurance”). The need for run-off insurance would be an added expense for the post-business combination entity, and could interfere with or frustrate our ability to consummate an initial business combination on terms favorable to our investors.
Recent increases in inflation in the United States and elsewhere could make it more difficult for us to complete our initial business combination.
Recent increases in inflation in the United States and elsewhere may lead to increased price volatility for publicly traded securities, including ours, or other national, regional or international economic disruptions, any of which could make it more difficult for us to complete our initial business combination.
The grant of registration rights to our sponsor may make it more difficult to complete our initial business combination, and the future exercise of such rights may adversely affect the market price of our Class A ordinary shares.
Pursuant to a registration and shareholder rights agreement to be entered into concurrently with the issuance and sale of the securities in this offering, our sponsor, and its permitted transferees can demand that we register the resale of the securities they hold or may acquire, including the Class A ordinary shares into which founder shares are convertible and the securities included in private placement units (including any private placement units that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans), such as the private placement shares included in private placement units, the warrants included in such private placement units and any Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of such warrants. We will bear the cost of registering these securities. The registration and availability of such a significant number of securities for trading in the public market may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A ordinary shares. In addition, the existence of the registration rights may make our initial business combination more costly or difficult to conclude. This is because the shareholders of the target business may increase the equity stake they seek in the combined entity or ask for more cash consideration to offset the negative impact on the market price of our securities that is expected when the securities owned by our sponsor, holders of working capital loans or their permitted transferees are registered for resale.
Risks Relating to our Sponsor and Management Team
We are dependent upon our executive officers and directors and their loss, or a reduction in the amount of time they can dedicate to our initial business combination, could adversely affect our ability to operate.
Our operations are dependent upon a relatively small group of individuals and, in particular, our executive officers and directors. We believe that our success depends on the continued service of our officers and directors, at least until we have completed our initial business combination. In addition, our executive officers and directors are not required to commit any specified amount of time to our affairs and, accordingly, will have conflicts of interest in allocating their time among various business activities, including identifying potential business combinations and monitoring the related due diligence. In particular, certain of our officers and directors may serve as an officer and/or director of other blank check companies. We do not have an employment agreement with, or key-man insurance on the life of, any of our directors or executive officers. The unexpected loss of the services of one or more of our directors or executive officers could have a detrimental effect on us.
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Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination and to be successful thereafter will be dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel, some of whom may join us following our initial business combination. The loss of key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.
Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination is dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel. The role of our key personnel in the target business, however, cannot presently be ascertained. Although some of our key personnel may remain with the target business in senior management, director or advisory positions following our initial business combination, it is likely that some or all of the management of the target business will remain in place. While we intend to closely scrutinize any individuals we engage after our initial business combination, we cannot assure you that our assessment of these individuals will prove to be correct. These individuals may be unfamiliar with the requirements of operating a company regulated by the SEC, which could cause us to have to expend time and resources helping them become familiar with such requirements.
Our key personnel may negotiate employment or consulting agreements with a target business in connection with a particular business combination, and a particular business combination may be conditioned on the retention or resignation of such key personnel. These agreements may provide for them to receive compensation following our initial business combination and as a result, may cause them to have conflicts of interest in determining whether a particular business combination is the most advantageous.
Our key personnel may be able to remain with our company after the completion of our initial business combination only if they are able to negotiate employment or consulting agreements in connection with the business combination. Such negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of the business combination and could provide for such individuals to receive compensation in the form of cash payments and/or our securities for services they would render to us after the completion of the business combination. Such negotiations also could make such key personnel’s retention or resignation a condition to any such agreement. The personal and financial interests of such individuals may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business. In addition, pursuant to the registration and shareholder rights agreement to be entered into on or prior to the closing of this offering, our sponsor, upon and following consummation of an initial business combination, will be entitled to nominate three individuals for election to our board of directors, as long as the sponsor holds any securities covered by the registration and shareholder rights agreement, which is described under the section of this prospectus entitled “Description of Securities—Registration and Shareholder Rights.”
The officers and directors of an acquisition candidate may resign upon completion of our initial business combination. The loss of a business combination target’s key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.
The role of an acquisition candidate’s key personnel upon the completion of our initial business combination cannot be ascertained at this time. Although we contemplate that certain members of an acquisition candidate’s management team will remain associated with the acquisition candidate following our initial business combination, it is possible that members of the management of an acquisition candidate will not wish to remain in place.
Our executive officers and directors will allocate their time to other businesses thereby causing conflicts of interest in their determination as to how much time to devote to our affairs. This conflict of interest could have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination.
Our executive officers and directors are not required to, and will not, commit their full time to our affairs, which may result in a conflict of interest in allocating their time between our operations and our search for a business combination and their other businesses. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination. Each of our executive officers is engaged in several other business endeavors for which he may be entitled to substantial compensation, and our executive officers are not obligated to contribute any specific number of hours per week to our affairs. In particular, certain of our officers and directors may serve as an officer and/or director of other blank check company.
Our independent directors also serve as officers and board members for other entities. If our executive officers’ and directors’ other business affairs require them to devote substantial amounts of time to such
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affairs in excess of their current commitment levels, it could limit their ability to devote time to our affairs which may have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination. For a complete discussion of our executive officers’ and directors’ other business affairs, please see “Management—Officers, Directors and Director Nominees.”
Our officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities, including another blank check company, and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.
Following the completion of this offering and until we consummate our initial business combination, we intend to engage in the business of identifying and combining with one or more businesses. Each of our officers and directors presently has, and any of them in the future may have, additional fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or may be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity. Accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. These conflicts may not be resolved in our favor and a potential target business may be presented to another entity prior to its presentation to us.
In addition, our founders and our directors and officers, Oaktree, or its affiliates may in the future become affiliated with other blank check companies that may have acquisition objectives that are similar to ours. Accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. These conflicts may not be resolved in our favor and a potential target business may be presented to such other blank check companies prior to its presentation to us. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that we renounce our interest in any business combination opportunity offered to any director or officer unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the company and it is an opportunity that we are able to complete on a reasonable basis. Our sponsor and its affiliates and our directors and officers are also not prohibited from sponsoring, or otherwise becoming involved with, any other blank check companies prior to us completing our initial business combination.
For a complete discussion of our executive officers’ and directors’ business affiliations and the potential conflicts of interest that you should be aware of, please see “Management—Officers, Directors and Director Nominees,” “Management—Conflicts of Interest” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions.”
Certain of our officers and directors have or will have direct and indirect economic interests in us and/or our sponsor after the consummation of this offering and such interests may potentially conflict with those of our public shareholders as we evaluate and decide whether to recommend a potential business combination to our public shareholders.
Certain of our officers and directors may own membership interests, limited partnership interests or other equity interests in our sponsor and indirect interests in our Class B ordinary shares and private placement units which may result in interests that differ from the economic interests of the investors in this offering, which includes making a determination of whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. There may be a potential conflict of interest between our officers and directors that hold interests in our sponsor and our public shareholders that may not be resolved in favor of our public shareholders. See the section titled “Management—Conflicts of Interest” for more information.
Our executive officers, directors, security holders and their respective affiliates may have competitive pecuniary interests that conflict with our interests.
We have not adopted a policy that expressly prohibits our directors, executive officers, security holders or affiliates from having a direct or indirect pecuniary or financial interest in any investment to be acquired or disposed of by us or in any transaction to which we are a party or have an interest. In fact, we may enter into a business combination with a target business that is affiliated with our sponsor, our directors or executive officers. Nor do we have a policy that expressly prohibits any such persons from engaging for their own
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account in business activities of the types conducted by us. Accordingly, such persons or entities may have a conflict between their interests and ours.
The personal and financial interests of our directors and officers may influence their motivation in timely identifying and selecting a target business and completing a business combination. Consequently, our directors’ and officers’ discretion in identifying and selecting a suitable target business may result in a conflict of interest when determining whether the terms, conditions and timing of a particular business combination are appropriate and in our shareholders’ best interest. If this were the case, it may be a breach of their fiduciary duties to us as a matter of Cayman Islands law and we or our shareholders might have a claim against such individuals for infringing on our shareholders’ rights. See the section entitled “Description of Securities—Certain Differences in Corporate Law—Shareholders’ Suits” for further information on the ability to bring such claims. However, we might not ultimately be successful in any claim we may make against them for such reason.
We may engage in a business combination with one or more target businesses that have relationships with entities that may be affiliated with our sponsor, executive officers, directors or sponsor which may raise potential conflicts of interest.
In light of the involvement of our sponsor, executive officers and directors with other entities, we may decide to acquire one or more businesses affiliated with our sponsor, executive officers, directors or sponsor. Our directors also serve as officers and board members for other entities, including, without limitation, those described under “Management—Conflicts of Interest.” Our sponsor and our officers and directors may sponsor or form other special purpose acquisition companies similar to ours or may pursue other business or investment ventures during the period in which we are seeking an initial business combination. Such entities may compete with us for business combination opportunities. Our sponsor, officers and directors are not currently aware of any specific opportunities for us to complete our initial business combination with any entities with which they are affiliated, and there have been no substantive discussions concerning a business combination with any such entity or entities. Although we will not be specifically focusing on, or targeting, any transaction with any affiliated entities, we would pursue such a transaction if we determined that such affiliated entity met our criteria for a business combination as set forth in “Proposed Business—Effecting Our Initial Business Combination—Evaluation of a Target Business and Structuring of Our Initial Business Combination” and such transaction was approved by a majority of our independent and disinterested directors. Despite our agreement to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or an independent valuation or accounting firm regarding the fairness to our company from a financial point of view of a business combination with one or more domestic or international businesses affiliated with our sponsor, executive officers, directors or sponsor, potential conflicts of interest still may exist and, as a result, the terms of the business combination may not be as advantageous to our public shareholders as they would be absent any conflicts of interest. For more information, also see “Proposed Business—Other Considerations and Conflicts of Interest” and “Management—Conflicts of Interest.”
Our management may not be able to maintain control of a target business after our initial business combination. Upon the loss of control of a target business, new management may not possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to profitably operate such business.
We may structure our initial business combination so that the post-business combination company in which our public shareholders own shares will own less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-business combination company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target business sufficient for us not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. We will not consider any transaction that does not meet such criteria. Even if the post-business combination company owns 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to the completion of our initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-business combination company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new Class A ordinary shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a
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target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new Class A ordinary shares, our shareholders immediately prior to such transaction could own less than a majority of our outstanding Class A ordinary shares subsequent to such transaction. In addition, other minority shareholders may subsequently combine their holdings resulting in a single person or group obtaining a larger share of the company’s shares than we initially acquired. Accordingly, this may make it more likely that our management will not be able to maintain control of the target business.
Since our sponsor, executive officers and directors may lose their entire investment in us (other than with respect to public shares they may acquire during or after this offering) if our initial business combination is not completed and no liquidating distributions from assets outside the trust account are available, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination.
On July 15, 2024, Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, L.P. paid $25,000 to cover for certain expenses on our behalf in exchange for the issuance of 5,031,250 founder shares, or approximately $0.005 per share. On September 9, 2024, in connection with its dissolution, Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, L.P. transferred the 5,031,250 Class B ordinary shares to Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, LLC, our sponsor, and assigned all its rights and obligation under the securities subscription agreement dated July 15, 2024 to our sponsor. Prior to such initial investment in the company of $25,000, the company had no assets, tangible or intangible. The per share price of the founder shares was determined by dividing the amount so paid by the number of founder shares issued in consideration therefor. In addition, our sponsor has committed, pursuant to a written agreement, to purchase 550,000 private placement units (or 602,500 private placement units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), at a price of $10.00 per share ($5,500,000 in the aggregate or $6,025,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), in a private placement that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering. Holders of our founder shares and private placement shares included in private placement shares included in the private placement units have agreed to waive their right to receive distributions from our trust account in connection with a redemption of our public shares. Unless there are liquidating distributions from assets outside the trust account, the founder shares and private placement units will be worthless if we do not consummate an initial business combination within the required time period. The personal and financial interests of our executive officers and directors may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business combination, completing an initial business combination and influencing the operation of the business following the initial business combination. This risk may become more acute as the 24-month anniversary of the closing of this offering nears, which is the deadline for our consummation of an initial business combination.
We may not have sufficient funds to satisfy indemnification claims of our sponsor, Oaktree, directors and officers.
We have agreed to indemnify our sponsor, Oaktree and our officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted by law. However, our sponsor, Oaktree and our officers and directors have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the trust account and to not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever (except to the extent they are entitled to funds from the trust account due to their ownership of public shares). Accordingly, any indemnification provided will be able to be satisfied by us only if (i) we have sufficient funds outside of the trust account or (ii) we consummate an initial business combination. Our obligation to indemnify our sponsor, Oaktree and our officers and directors may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our sponsor, Oaktree and our officers or directors. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against our sponsor, Oaktree and our officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. Furthermore, a shareholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against our officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
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We may amend the terms of the warrants in a manner that may be adverse to holders of public warrants with the approval by the holders of at least 50% of the then-outstanding public warrants. As a result, the exercise price of your warrants could be increased, the exercise period could be shortened and the number of our Class A ordinary shares purchasable upon exercise of a warrant could be decreased, all without your approval.
Our warrants will be issued in registered form under a warrant agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, and us. The warrant agreement provides that the terms of the warrants may be amended without the consent of any holder for the purpose of (i) curing any ambiguity or correct any mistake, including to conform the provisions of the warrant agreement to the description of the terms of the warrants and the warrant agreement set forth in this prospectus, or defective provision, (ii) amending the provisions relating to cash dividends on ordinary shares as contemplated by and in accordance with the warrant agreement or (iii) adding or changing any provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under the warrant agreement as the parties to the warrant agreement may deem necessary or desirable and that the parties deem to not adversely affect the rights of the registered holders of the warrants, provided that the approval by the holders of at least 50% of the then-outstanding public warrants is required to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders of public warrants. Accordingly, we may amend the terms of the public warrants in a manner adverse to a holder if holders of at least 50% of the then-outstanding public warrants approve of such amendment and, solely with respect to any amendment to the terms of the private placement warrants or any provision of the warrant agreement with respect to the private placement warrants, 50% of the number of the then outstanding private placement warrants. Although our ability to amend the terms of the public warrants with the consent of at least 50% of the then-outstanding public warrants is unlimited, examples of such amendments could be amendments to, among other things, increase the exercise price of the warrants, convert the warrants into cash, shorten the exercise period or decrease the number of Class A ordinary shares purchasable upon exercise of a warrant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) any amendment to the terms of the private placement warrants shall only require our consent and the holders of a majority of the private placement warrants, (b) we may lower the exercise price of the warrants or extend the duration of the exercise period of the warrants without the consent of the registered holders of the warrants, and (c) we may in our sole discretion and at any time allow or require the exercise of the warrants on a “cashless basis” without the consent of any registered holders.
We may redeem your unexpired warrants prior to their exercise at a time that is disadvantageous to you, thereby making your warrants worthless.
We have the ability to redeem the outstanding public warrants at any time after they become exercisable and prior to their expiration, at a price of $0.01 per warrant, provided that the closing price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for adjustments to the number of shares issuable upon exercise or the exercise price of a warrant as described under the heading “Description of Securities—Warrants—Public Shareholders’ Warrants—Anti-Dilution Adjustments”) for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading-day period ending on the third trading day prior to proper notice of such redemption and provided that certain other conditions are met. If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may exercise our redemption right even if we are unable to register or qualify the underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws. As a result, we may redeem the warrants as set forth above even if the holders are otherwise unable to exercise the warrants. Redemption of the outstanding warrants could force you to (i) exercise your warrants and pay the exercise price therefor at a time when it may be disadvantageous for you to do so, (ii) sell your warrants at the then-current market price when you might otherwise wish to hold your warrants or (iii) accept the nominal redemption price which, at the time the outstanding warrants are called for redemption, we expect would be substantially less than the market value of your warrants.
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Our management’s ability to require holders of our public warrants to exercise such public warrants on a cashless basis will cause holders to receive fewer Class A ordinary shares upon their exercise of the public warrants than they would have received had they been able to exercise their public warrants for cash.
If we call our public warrants for redemption after the redemption criteria described elsewhere in this prospectus have been satisfied, our management will have the option to require any holder that wishes to exercise its public warrants to do so on a cashless basis. If our management chooses to require holders to exercise their public warrants on a cashless basis, the number of Class A ordinary shares received by a holder upon exercise will be fewer than it would have been had such holder exercised their public warrants for cash. This will have the effect of reducing the potential “upside” of the holder’s investment in us.
Our warrants may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A ordinary shares and make it more difficult to effectuate our initial business combination.
We will be issuing public warrants to purchase 3,500,000 of our Class A ordinary shares (or up to 4,025,000 Class A ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) as part of the units offered by this prospectus and, simultaneously with the closing of this offering, we will be issuing in a private placement as part of the private placement units sold concurrently with this offering an aggregate of 110,000 private placement warrants (or 120,500 private placement warrants if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), each exercisable to purchase one Class A ordinary share at $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment. In addition, if the sponsor, its affiliates or a member of our management team makes any working capital loans to us, up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into private placement units of the post business combination entity at a price of $10.00 per unit at the option of the lender. The private placement units issued upon conversion of any such loans would be identical to the private placement units sold in a private placement concurrently with this offering and each such private placement unit would include one-fifth of a private placement warrant.
To the extent we issue ordinary shares for any reason, including to effectuate a business combination, the potential for the issuance of a substantial number of additional Class A ordinary shares upon exercise of these warrants could make us a less attractive acquisition vehicle to a target business. Such warrants, when exercised, will increase the number of issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares and reduce the value of the Class A ordinary shares issued to complete the business transaction. Therefore, our warrants may make it more difficult to effectuate a business transaction or increase the cost of acquiring the target business.
Because each unit contains one-fifth of one redeemable warrant and only a whole warrant may be exercised, the units may be worth less than units of other blank check companies.
Each unit contains one-fifth of one redeemable warrant. Pursuant to the warrant agreement, no fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units, and only whole units will trade. If, upon exercise of the warrants, a holder would be entitled to receive a fractional interest in a share, we will, upon exercise, round down to the nearest whole number the number of Class A ordinary shares to be issued to the warrant holder. This is different from other offerings similar to ours whose units include one ordinary share and one whole warrant to purchase one whole share. We have established the components of the units in this way in order to reduce the dilutive effect of the warrants upon completion of a business combination since the warrants will be exercisable in the aggregate for one-fifth of the number of shares compared to units that each contain a whole warrant to purchase one whole share, thus making us, we believe, a more attractive merger partner for target businesses.
Nevertheless, this unit structure may cause our units to be worth less than if a unit included a warrant to purchase one whole share.
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A provision of our warrant agreement may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination.
Unlike most blank check companies, if (i) we issue additional Class A ordinary shares or equity- linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at a Newly Issued Price of less than $9.20 per ordinary share, (ii) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of our initial business combination on the date of the consummation of our initial business combination (net of redemptions), and (iii) the Market Value is below $9.20 per share, then the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger prices described below under “Description of Securities—Warrants—Public Shareholders’ Warrants—Redemption of warrants when the price per Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $18.00” will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price. This may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination with a target business.
The warrants may become exercisable and redeemable for a security other than the Class A ordinary shares, and you will not have any information regarding such other security at this time.
In certain situations, including if we are not the surviving entity in our initial business combination, the warrants may become exercisable for a security other than the Class A ordinary shares. As a result, if the surviving company redeems your warrants for securities pursuant to the warrant agreement, you may receive a security in a company of which you do not have information at this time. Pursuant to the warrant agreement, the surviving company will be required to use commercially reasonable efforts to register the issuance of the security underlying the warrants within twenty business days of the closing of an initial business combination.
You will not be permitted to exercise your warrants unless we register and qualify the underlying Class A ordinary shares or certain exemptions are available.
If the issuance of the Class A ordinary shares upon exercise of the warrants is not registered, qualified or exempt from registration or qualification under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, holders of warrants will not be entitled to exercise such warrants and such warrants may have no value and expire worthless. In such event, holders who acquired their warrants as part of a purchase of units will have paid the full unit purchase price solely for the Class A ordinary shares included in the units.
We are registering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants in the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part because the warrants will become exercisable 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, which may be within one year of this offering. However, because the warrants will be exercisable until their expiration date of up to five years after the completion of our initial business combination, in order to comply with the requirements of Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act following the consummation of our initial business combination, we have agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than twenty business days after the closing of our initial business combination, we will use our commercially reasonable efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1, Form S-3, Form F-1 or Form F-3, as applicable, covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants, and we will use our commercially reasonable efforts to cause the same to become effective within 60 business days after the closing of our initial business combination, and to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement and a current prospectus relating to those Class A ordinary shares until the warrants expire or are redeemed, as specified in the warrant agreement provided that if our Class A ordinary shares are at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of a “covered security” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, we may, at our option, require holders of public warrants who exercise their warrants to do so on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act and, in the event we so elect, we will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement. If a registration statement on Form S-1, Form S-3, Form F-1 or Form F-3, as applicable, covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by
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the 60th day after the closing of the initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as such a registration statement on Form S-1, Form S-3, Form F-1 or Form F-3, as applicable, is effective and during any period when we will have failed to maintain such an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption, but we will use our commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available. We cannot assure you that we will be able to do so if, for example, any facts or events arise which represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement or prospectus, the financial statements contained or incorporated by reference therein are not current or correct or the SEC issues a stop order.
If the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not registered under the Securities Act, under the terms of the warrant agreement, holders of warrants who seek to exercise their warrants will not be permitted to do so for cash and, instead, will be required to do so on a cashless basis in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption.
In no event will warrants be exercisable for cash or on a cashless basis, and we will not be obligated to issue any shares to holders seeking to exercise their warrants, unless the issuance of the shares upon such exercise is registered or qualified under the securities laws of the state of the exercising holder, or an exemption from registration or qualification is available.
In no event will we be required to net cash settle any warrant. In the event that a registration statement on Form S-1, Form S-3, Form F-1 or Form F-3, as applicable, is not effective for the exercised warrants, the purchaser of a unit containing such warrant will have paid the full purchase price for the unit solely for the Class A ordinary share underlying such unit.
Members of our management team and board of directors have significant experience as founders, board members, officers, executives or employees of other companies. Certain of those persons are now, have been, may be, or may become, involved in litigation, investigations or other proceedings, including related to those companies or otherwise. The defense or prosecution of these matters could be time-consuming and could divert our management’s attention, and may have an adverse effect on us, which may impede our ability to consummate an initial business combination.
During the course of their careers, members of our management team and board of directors have had significant experience as founders, board members, officers, executives or employees of other companies. As a result of their involvement and positions in these companies, certain of those persons are now, have been, may be or may in the future become involved in litigation, investigations or other proceedings, including relating to the business affairs of such companies, transactions entered into by such companies, or otherwise. Individual members of our management team and board of directors also may become involved in litigation, investigations or other proceedings involving claims or allegations related to or as a result of their personal conduct, either in their capacity as a corporate officer or director or otherwise, and may be personally named in such actions and potentially subject to personal liability. Any such liability may or may not be covered by insurance and/or indemnification, depending on the facts and circumstances. The defense or prosecution of these matters could be time-consuming. Any litigation, investigations or other proceedings and the potential outcomes of such actions may divert the attention and resources of our management team and board of directors away from identifying and selecting a target business or businesses for our initial business combination and may negatively affect our reputation, which may impede our ability to complete an initial business combination.
Members of our management team and affiliated companies may have been, and may in the future be, involved in civil disputes or governmental investigations unrelated to our business.
Members of our management team have been (and intend to be) involved in a wide variety of businesses. Such involvement has, and may lead to, media coverage and public awareness. As a result, members of our management team and affiliated companies may have been, and may in the future be, involved in civil disputes or governmental investigations unrelated to our business. Any claims or investigations, in which our management team and affiliated companies may become involved, may be detrimental to our reputation and could negatively affect our ability to identify and complete an initial business combination and may have an adverse effect on the price of our securities.
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Our letter agreement with our sponsor, officers and directors may be amended without shareholder approval.
Our letter agreement with our sponsor, officers and directors contains provisions relating to transfer restrictions of our founder shares and private placement units, indemnification of the trust account, waiver of redemption rights and participation in liquidating distributions from the trust account. The letter agreement may be amended without shareholder approval with our written consent as well as the written consent of the sponsor and our directors and officers to the extent they are the subject of any change, amendment, modification or waiver to the letter agreement. The written consent of Jefferies LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC, as representatives of the underwriters, will also be required for an amendment of a provision of the letter agreement that subjects the sponsor and our directors and officers to certain of the restrictions included in the underwriting agreement and pursuant to which the sponsor and our officers and directors agree that, subject to certain limited exceptions described in the letter agreement (for more information on such limited exceptions, also see “Securities Eligible for future sale—Contractual transfer restrictions”) and certain other exceptions described in the underwriting agreement, for a period of 180 days from the date of this prospectus, they will not, without the prior written consent of Jefferies LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC, as representatives of the underwriters, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, units, warrants, Class A ordinary shares or any other securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, Class A ordinary shares (for more information on the letter agreement in which the transfer restrictions are included and for more information on the limited exceptions to such transfer restrictions, also see “Proposed Business—Initial Business Combination” and “Underwriting—Contractual Transfer Restrictions in the Letter Agreement and Underwriting Agreement”). While we do not expect our board to approve any amendment to the letter agreement prior to our initial business combination, it may be possible that our board, in exercising its business judgment and subject to its fiduciary duties, chooses to approve one or more amendments to the letter agreement. Any such amendments to the letter agreement would not require approval from our shareholders and may have an adverse effect on the value of an investment in our securities.
We may approve an amendment or waiver of the letter agreement that would allow our sponsor to directly, or members of our sponsor to indirectly, transfer founder shares and private placement units or membership interests in our sponsor in a transaction in which the sponsor or Oaktree removes itself as our sponsor before identifying a business combination, which may deprive us of key personnel.
We may approve an amendment or waiver of the letter agreement that would allow the sponsor to directly, or members of our sponsor to indirectly, transfer founder shares and private placement units or membership interests in our sponsor in a transaction in which the sponsor or Oaktree removes itself as our sponsor before identifying a business combination (for more information, also see “—Our letter agreement with our sponsor, officers and directors may be amended without shareholder approval”). As a result, there is a risk that Oaktree and its affiliates, our sponsor and our officers and directors may divest their ownership or economic interests in us or in our sponsor, which would likely result in our loss of certain key personnel, including John Frank, Zaid Pardesi, Aman Kumar or Mathew Pendo. There can be no assurance that any replacement sponsor or key personnel will successfully identify a business combination target for us, or, even if one is so identified, successfully complete such business combination.
General Risk Factors
We are a newly incorporated company with no operating history and no revenues, and you have no basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective.
We are a newly incorporated company established in the Cayman Islands with no operating results, and we will not commence operations until obtaining funding through this offering. Because we lack an operating history, you have no basis upon which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective of completing our initial business combination with one or more target businesses. We have no plans, arrangements or understandings with any prospective target business concerning a business combination and may be unable to complete our business combination. If we fail to complete our business combination, we will never generate any operating revenues.
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Past experience or performance by our management team or their affiliates, including Oaktree, Oaktree Acquisition Corp. and Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II, may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in us.
Information regarding performance by, or businesses associated with, our management team or their affiliates, including Oaktree, Oaktree Acquisition Corp. and Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II, is presented for informational purposes only. Any past experience of and performance by our management team or their affiliates, including Oaktree, Oaktree Acquisition Corp. and Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II, is not a guarantee either: (1) that we will be able to successfully identify a suitable candidate for our initial business combination; or (2) of any results with respect to any business combination we may consummate. You should not rely on the historical record of our management team or their affiliates, including Oaktree, Oaktree Acquisition Corp. and Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II or any of their affiliates’ or managed fund’s performance as indicative of the future performance of an investment in us or the returns we will, or are likely to, generate going forward. An investment in us is not an investment in Oaktree.
Cyber incidents or attacks directed at us could result in information theft, data corruption, operational disruption and/or financial loss.
We depend on digital technologies, including information systems, infrastructure and cloud applications and services, including those of third parties with which we may deal. Sophisticated and deliberate attacks on, or security breaches in, our systems or infrastructure, or the systems or infrastructure of third parties or the cloud, could lead to corruption or misappropriation of our assets, proprietary information and sensitive or confidential data. As an early stage company without significant investments in data security protection, we may not be sufficiently protected against such occurrences. We may not have sufficient resources to adequately protect against, or to investigate and remediate any vulnerability to, cyber incidents. It is possible that any of these occurrences, or a combination of them, could have adverse consequences on our business and lead to financial loss.
Changes in laws or regulations, or a failure to comply with any laws and regulations, may adversely affect our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination, and results of operations.
We are subject to laws and regulations enacted by national, regional and local governments. In particular, we will be required to comply with certain SEC and other legal requirements. Compliance with, and monitoring of, applicable laws and regulations may be difficult, time consuming and costly. Those laws and regulations and their interpretation and application may also change from time to time and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, investments and results of operations. In addition, a failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations, as interpreted and applied, could have a material adverse effect on our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination, and results of operations.
We are an emerging growth company and a smaller reporting company within the meaning of the Securities Act, and if we take advantage of certain exemptions from disclosure requirements available to “emerging growth companies” or “smaller reporting companies,” this could make our securities less attractive to investors and may make it more difficult to compare our performance with other public companies.
We are an “emerging growth company” within the meaning of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act, and we 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 our 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. As a result, our shareholders may not have access to certain information they may deem important. We could be an emerging growth company for up to five years, although circumstances could cause us to lose that status earlier, including if the market value of our Class A ordinary shares held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of any June 30 before that time, in which case we would
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no longer be an emerging growth company as of the following December 31. We cannot predict whether investors will find our securities less attractive because we will rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result of our reliance on these exemptions, the trading prices of our securities may be lower than they otherwise would be, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the trading prices of our securities may be more volatile.
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 an election to opt out is irrevocable. We have 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, we, 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 our 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.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $250 million as of the prior June 30, and (2) our annual revenues equaled or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year or the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30. To the extent we take advantage of such reduced disclosure obligations, it may also make comparison of our financial statements with other public companies difficult or impossible.
Our warrant agreement will designate the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by holders of our warrants, which could limit the ability of warrant holders to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with our company.
Our warrant agreement will provide that, subject to applicable law, (i) any action, proceeding or claim against us arising out of or relating in any way to the warrant agreement, including under the Securities Act, will be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and (ii) that we irrevocably submit to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be the exclusive forum for any such action, proceeding or claim. We will waive any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, these provisions of the warrant agreement will not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal district courts of the United States of America are the sole and exclusive forum. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any of our warrants shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the forum provisions in our warrant agreement. If any action, the subject matter of which is within the scope the forum provisions of the warrant agreement, is filed in a court other than a court of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (a “foreign action”) in the name of any holder of our warrants, such holder shall be deemed to have consented to: (x) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in the State of New York in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the forum provisions (an “enforcement action”), and (y) having service of process made upon such warrant holder in any such enforcement action by service upon such warrant holder’s counsel in the foreign action as agent for such warrant holder.
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This choice-of-forum provision may limit a warrant holder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with our company, which may discourage such lawsuits. Alternatively, if a court were to find this provision of our warrant agreement inapplicable or unenforceable with respect to one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and result in a diversion of the time and resources of our management and board of directors.
Because we are incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, you may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through the U.S. federal courts may be limited.
We are an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to effect service of process within the United States upon our directors or executive officers, or enforce judgments obtained in the United States courts against our directors or officers.
Our corporate affairs and the rights of shareholders will be governed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act (as the same may be supplemented or amended from time to time) and the common law of the Cayman Islands. We will also be subject to the federal securities laws of the United States. The rights of shareholders to take action against the directors, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors to us under Cayman Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the Cayman Islands. The common law of the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands as well as from English common law, the decisions of whose courts are of persuasive authority, but are not binding on a court in the Cayman Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under Cayman Islands law are different from what they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the United States. In particular, the Cayman Islands has a different body of securities laws as compared to the United States, and certain states, such as Delaware, may have more fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law. In addition, Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to initiate a shareholders derivative action in a Federal court of the United States. For a more detailed discussion of the principal differences between the provisions of the Companies Act applicable to us and, for example, the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the United States and their shareholders, see the section of this prospectus captioned “Description of Securities—Certain Differences in Corporate Law.”
Shareholders of Cayman Islands exempted companies like the Company have no general rights under Cayman Islands law to inspect corporate records or to obtain copies of the register of members of these companies. Our directors have discretion under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to determine whether or not, and under what conditions, our corporate records may be inspected by our shareholders, but are not obliged to make them available to our shareholders. This may make it more difficult for you to obtain the information needed to establish any facts necessary for a shareholder motion or to solicit proxies from other shareholders in connection with a proxy contest.
We have been advised by our Cayman Islands legal counsel that the courts of the Cayman Islands are unlikely (i) to recognize or enforce against us judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state; and (ii) in original actions brought in the Cayman Islands, to impose liabilities against us predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state, so far as the liabilities imposed by those provisions are penal in nature. In those circumstances, although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, the courts of the Cayman Islands will recognize and enforce a foreign money judgment of a foreign court of competent jurisdiction without retrial on the merits based on the principle that a judgment of a competent foreign court imposes upon the judgment debtor an obligation to pay the sum for which judgment has been given provided certain conditions are met. For a foreign judgment to be enforced in the Cayman Islands, such judgment must be final and conclusive and for a liquidated sum, and must not be in respect of taxes or a fine or penalty, inconsistent with a Cayman Islands judgment in respect of the same matter,
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impeachable on the grounds of fraud or obtained in a manner, or be of a kind the enforcement of which is, contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands (awards of punitive or multiple damages may well be held to be contrary to public policy). A Cayman Islands Court may stay enforcement proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere.
As a result of all of the above, public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions taken by management, members of the board of directors or controlling shareholders than they would as public shareholders of a United States company.
Since only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors prior to our initial business combination, Nasdaq may consider us to be a “controlled company” within the meaning of Nasdaq’s rules and, as a result, we may qualify for exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements that would otherwise provide protection to shareholders of other companies.
After completion of this offering, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors. As a result, Nasdaq may consider us to be a “controlled company” within the meaning of Nasdaq’s corporate governance standards. Under Nasdaq corporate governance standards, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power for the election of directors is held by an individual, a group or another company is a “controlled company” and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements, including the requirements that:
| ∎ | we have a board that includes a majority of “independent directors,” as defined under Nasdaq rules; |
| ∎ | we have a compensation committee of our board that is comprised entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities; and |
| ∎ | we have independent director oversight of our director nominations. |
We do not intend to utilize these exemptions and intend to comply with the corporate governance requirements of Nasdaq, subject to applicable phase-in rules. However, if we determine in the future to utilize some or all of these exemptions, you will not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of Nasdaq’s corporate governance requirements.
We may be a passive foreign investment company, which could result in adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. investors.
If we are a passive foreign investment company (“PFIC”) for any taxable year (or portion thereof) that is included in the holding period of a U.S. Holder (as defined in the section of this prospectus captioned “Taxation—U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations—General”) of our Class A ordinary shares or warrants, the U.S. Holder may be subject to adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences and may be subject to additional reporting requirements. Our PFIC status for our current and subsequent taxable years may depend on whether we qualify for the PFIC start-up exception (see the section of this prospectus captioned “Taxation—U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations—U.S. Holders—Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules”). Depending on the particular circumstances, the application of the start-up exception may be subject to uncertainty, and there cannot be any assurance that we will qualify for the start-up exception. Accordingly, there can be no assurances with respect to our status as a PFIC for our current taxable year or any subsequent taxable year. Our actual PFIC status for any taxable year, however, will not be determinable until after the end of such taxable year. Moreover, if we determine we are a PFIC for any taxable year, upon written request, we will endeavor to provide to a U.S. Holder such information as the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) may require, including a PFIC Annual Information Statement, in order to enable the U.S. Holder to make and maintain a “qualified electing fund” election, but there can be no assurance that we will timely provide such required information, and such election would be unavailable with respect to our warrants in all cases. We urge U.S. investors to consult their tax advisors regarding the possible application of the PFIC rules. For a more detailed discussion of the tax consequences of PFIC classification to U.S. Holders, see the section of this prospectus captioned “Taxation—U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations—U.S. Holders—Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules.”
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The recent Excise Tax on stock buybacks could be imposed on redemptions of our shares if we were to become a “covered corporation” in the future.
On August 16, 2022, President Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “IR Act”), which, among other things, generally imposes a 1% U.S. federal excise tax on certain repurchases of stock by “covered corporations” (which include publicly traded domestic (i.e., U.S.) corporations and certain domestic subsidiaries of publicly traded foreign (i.e., non-U.S.) corporations) occurring on or after January 1, 2023. The Excise Tax is imposed on the repurchasing corporation itself, not its stockholders from which the stock is repurchased. The amount of the Excise Tax is generally 1% of the fair market value of the shares repurchased at the time of the repurchase. However, for purposes of calculating the Excise Tax, repurchasing corporations are permitted to net the fair market value of certain new stock issuances against the fair market value of stock repurchases during the same taxable year. In addition, certain exceptions apply to the Excise Tax. The U.S. Department of the Treasury (the “Treasury”) has authority to provide regulations and other guidance to carry out, and prevent the abuse or avoidance of, the Excise Tax. On April 9, 2024, the Treasury issued proposed Treasury regulations that provide proposed operating rules for the Excise Tax, including rules governing the computation of the Excise Tax, on which taxpayers may rely until the proposed Treasury regulations are finalized, and on June 28, 2024, the Treasury issued final Treasury regulations on the reporting and payment (but not the computation) of the Excise Tax. In the proposed Treasury regulations, the Treasury exempts from the Excise Tax any distributions by a covered corporation in the same year it completely liquidates within the meaning of either Section 331 or Section 332(a) (but not both) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), which includes distributions that occur in connection with redemptions. Under the proposed Treasury regulations, the Excise Tax may be applicable to redemptions by a covered corporation in connection with (i) a liquidation that is not a “complete liquidation” within the meaning of either Section 331 or Section 332(a) of the Code, (ii) an extension, depending on the timing of the extension relative to when the covered corporation consummates an initial business combination or liquidates and (iii) an initial business combination, depending on the structure of the initial business combination. Although the proposed Treasury regulations clarify certain aspects of the Excise Tax, the interpretation and operation of other aspects of the Excise Tax remain unclear. In addition, although taxpayers generally may rely on the proposed Treasury regulations until they are finalized, there is no assurance that the proposed Treasury regulations will be finalized in their current form, and therefore, the Excise Tax might apply to a future transaction undertaken by us (including after a business combination) in a manner that is different than described in the proposed Treasury regulations.
We are currently not a “covered corporation” for purposes of the Excise Tax. If we were to become a “covered corporation” in the future, whether in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination with a U.S. company (including if we were to redomicile as a U.S. corporation in connection therewith) or otherwise, whether and to what extent we would be subject to the Excise Tax on a redemption of our shares would depend on a number of factors, including (i) whether the redemption is treated as a repurchase of shares for purposes of the Excise Tax, (ii) the fair market value of the redemption treated as a repurchase of shares, (iii) the structure of our initial business combination, (iv) the nature and amount of any “PIPE” or other equity issuances (whether in connection with our initial business combination or otherwise) issued within the same taxable year of a redemption treated as a repurchase of shares and (v) the content of finalized regulations and other guidance from the Treasury. As noted above, the Excise Tax would be payable by the repurchasing corporation, and not by the redeeming holder, and only limited guidance on the mechanics of any required reporting and payment of the Excise Tax on which taxpayers may rely have been issued to date. The imposition of the Excise Tax on us as a result of redemptions by us could, however, reduce the cash available to the target business in connection with our initial business combination, which could cause investors in our securities who do not redeem or the other shareholders of the combined company to economically bear the impact of such Excise Tax.
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An investment in this offering may result in uncertain U.S. federal income tax consequences.
An investment in this offering may result in uncertain U.S. federal income tax consequences. For example, it is unclear whether the redemption rights with respect to our Class A ordinary shares suspend the running of a U.S. Holder’s (as defined in section titled “Taxation—U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations—General”) holding period for purposes of determining whether any gain or loss realized by such holder on the sale or exchange of Class A ordinary shares is long-term capital gain or loss and for determining whether any dividend we pay would be considered “qualified dividend income” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Furthermore, because there are no authorities that directly address instruments similar to the units we are issuing in this offering, the allocation an investor makes with respect to the purchase price of a unit between the Class A ordinary share and the one-fifth of a warrant to purchase one Class A ordinary share included in each unit could be challenged by the IRS or courts. Finally, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of a cashless exercise of warrants included in the units we are issuing in this offering is unclear under current law. See the section titled “Taxation—U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” for a summary of the U.S. federal income tax considerations of an investment in our securities. Prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisors with respect to these and other tax consequences when acquiring, owning or disposing of our securities.
Our initial business combination and our structure thereafter may not be tax-efficient to our shareholders. As a result of our business combination, our tax obligations may be more complex, burdensome and uncertain.
Although we will attempt to structure our initial business combination in a tax-efficient manner, tax structuring considerations are complex, the relevant facts and law are uncertain and may change, and we may prioritize commercial and other considerations over tax considerations. For example, in connection with our initial business combination and subject to any requisite shareholder approval, we may structure our business combination in a manner that requires shareholders to recognize gain or income for tax purposes, effect a business combination with a target company in another jurisdiction, or reincorporate in or transfer by way of continuation to a different jurisdiction (including, but not limited to, the jurisdiction in which the target company or business is located). We currently do not intend to make any cash distributions to shareholders to pay taxes in connection with our initial business combination or thereafter. Accordingly, a shareholder may need to satisfy any liability resulting from our initial business combination with cash from its own funds or by selling all or a portion of the shares received. In addition, shareholders may also be subject to additional income, withholding or other taxes with respect to their ownership of us after our initial business combination.
In addition, we may effect a business combination with a target company that has business operations outside of the United States, and possibly, business operations in multiple jurisdictions. If we effect such a business combination, we could be subject to significant income, withholding and other tax obligations in a number of jurisdictions with respect to income, operations and subsidiaries related to those jurisdictions. Due to the complexity of tax obligations and filings in other jurisdictions, we may have a heightened risk related to audits or examinations by U.S. federal, state and local and non-U.S. taxing authorities. This additional complexity and risk could have an adverse effect on our after-tax profitability and financial condition.
We may reincorporate in or transfer by way of continuation to another jurisdiction in connection with our initial business combination and such reincorporation may result in taxes imposed on shareholders and warrant holders.
We may, in connection with our initial business combination and subject to requisite shareholder approval under the Companies Act, reincorporate in or transfer by way of continuation to the jurisdiction in which the target company or business is located or in another jurisdiction. The transaction may require a shareholder or warrant holder to recognize taxable income in the jurisdiction in which the shareholder or warrant holder is a tax resident or in which its members are resident if it is a tax transparent entity. We do not intend to make any cash distributions to shareholders or warrant holders to pay such taxes. Shareholders or warrant holders may be subject to withholding taxes or other taxes with respect to their ownership of us after the reincorporation.
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Our initial business combination or reincorporation may result in taxes imposed on shareholders.
We may, subject to requisite shareholder approval under the Companies Act, effect a business combination with a target company in another jurisdiction, reincorporate in or transfer by way of continuation to the jurisdiction in which the target company or business is located, or reincorporate or transfer by way of continuation to in another jurisdiction. The transaction may require a shareholder to recognize taxable income in the jurisdiction in which the shareholder is a tax resident or in which its members are resident if it is a tax transparent entity. We do not intend to make any cash distributions to shareholders to pay taxes attributable to such income. Shareholders may be subject to withholding taxes or other taxes with respect to their ownership of us after the reincorporation.
We are subject to changing law and regulations regarding regulatory matters, corporate governance and public disclosure that have increased both our costs and the risk of non-compliance.
We are subject to rules and regulations by various governing bodies, including, for example, the SEC, which are charged with the protection of investors and the oversight of companies whose securities are publicly traded, and to new and evolving regulatory measures under applicable law. Our efforts to comply with new and changing laws and regulations have resulted in and are likely to continue to result in, increased general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management time and attention from seeking a business combination target.
Moreover, because these laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying interpretations, their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidance becomes available. This evolution may result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and additional costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to our disclosure and governance practices. If we fail to address and comply with these regulations and any subsequent changes, we may be subject to penalty and our business may be harmed.
Risks Associated with Acquiring and Operating a Business in Foreign Countries
If we pursue a target company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States for our initial business combination, we may face additional burdens in connection with investigating, agreeing to and completing such initial business combination, and if we effect such initial business combination, we would be subject to a variety of additional risks that may negatively impact our operations.
If we pursue a target a company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States for our initial business combination, we would be subject to risks associated with cross-border business combinations, including in connection with investigating, agreeing to and completing our initial business combination, conducting due diligence in a foreign jurisdiction, having such transaction approved by any local governments, regulators or agencies and changes in the purchase price based on fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.
If we effect our initial business combination with such a company, we would be subject to any special considerations or risks associated with companies operating in an international setting, including any of the following:
| ∎ | costs and difficulties inherent in managing cross-border business operations; |
| ∎ | rules and regulations regarding currency redemption; |
| ∎ | complex corporate withholding taxes on individuals; |
| ∎ | laws governing the manner in which future business combinations may be effected; |
| ∎ | exchange listing and/or delisting requirements; |
| ∎ | tariffs and trade barriers; |
| ∎ | regulations related to customs and import/export matters; |
| ∎ | local or regional economic policies and market conditions; |
| ∎ | unexpected changes in regulatory requirements; |
| ∎ | longer payment cycles; |
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| ∎ | tax issues, such as tax law changes and variations in tax laws as compared to the United States; |
| ∎ | currency fluctuations and exchange controls; |
| ∎ | rates of inflation; |
| ∎ | challenges in collecting accounts receivable; |
| ∎ | cultural and language differences; |
| ∎ | employment regulations; |
| ∎ | underdeveloped or unpredictable legal or regulatory systems; |
| ∎ | corruption; |
| ∎ | protection of intellectual property; |
| ∎ | social unrest, crime, strikes, riots and civil disturbances; |
| ∎ | regime changes and political upheaval; |
| ∎ | terrorist attacks, natural disasters, widespread health emergencies and wars; and |
| ∎ | deterioration of political relations with the United States. |
We may not be able to adequately address these additional risks. If we were unable to do so, we may be unable to complete such initial business combination, or, if we complete such combination, our operations might suffer, either of which may adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.
If we acquire a non-U.S. target, our results of operations may be negatively impacted because of the costs and difficulties inherent in managing cross-border business operations.
We may pursue a target company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States for our initial business combination. Managing a business, operations, personnel or assets in another country is challenging and costly. Any management that we may have (whether based abroad or in the U.S.) may be inexperienced in cross-border business practices and unaware of significant differences in accounting rules, legal regimes and labor practices. Even with a seasoned and experienced management team, the costs and difficulties inherent in managing cross-border business operations, personnel and assets can be significant (and much higher than in a purely domestic business) and may negatively impact our financial and operational performance.
If social unrest, acts of terrorism, regime changes, changes in laws and regulations, political upheaval or policy changes or enactments occur in a country in which we may operate after we effect our initial business combination, it may result in a negative impact on our business.
In the event we acquire a non-U.S. target, political events in another country may significantly affect our business, assets or operations. Social unrest, acts of terrorism, regime changes, changes in laws and regulations, political upheaval, and policy changes or enactments could negatively impact our business in a particular country.
If our management following our initial business combination is unfamiliar with United States securities laws, they may have to expend time and resources becoming familiar with such laws, which could lead to various regulatory issues.
Following our initial business combination, our management may resign from their positions as officers or directors of the company and the management of the target business at the time of the business combination will remain in place. Management of the target business may not be familiar with United States securities laws. If new management is unfamiliar with United States securities laws, they may have to expend time and resources becoming familiar with such laws. This could be expensive and time-consuming and could lead to various regulatory issues which may adversely affect our operations.
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After our initial business combination, substantially all of our assets may be located in a foreign country and substantially all of our revenue may be derived from our operations in any such country. Accordingly, our results of operations and prospects will be subject, to a significant extent, to the economic, political and social conditions and government policies, developments and conditions in the country in which we operate.
The economic, political and social conditions, as well as government policies, of the country in which our operations are located could affect our business. Economic growth could be uneven, both geographically and among various sectors of the economy and such growth may not be sustained in the future. If in the future such country’s economy experiences a downturn or grows at a slower rate than expected, there may be less demand for spending in certain industries. A decrease in demand for spending in certain industries could materially and adversely affect our ability to find an attractive target business with which to consummate our initial business combination and if we effect our initial business combination, the ability of that target business to become profitable.
Exchange rate fluctuations and currency policies may cause a target business’ ability to succeed in the international markets to be diminished.
In the event we acquire a non-U.S. target, all revenues and income would likely be received in a foreign currency, and the dollar equivalent of our net assets and distributions, if any, could be adversely affected by reductions in the value of the local currency. The value of the currencies in our target regions fluctuate and are affected by, among other things, changes in political and economic conditions. Any change in the relative value of such currency against our reporting currency may affect the attractiveness of any target business or, following consummation of our initial business combination, our financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, if a currency appreciates in value against the dollar prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, the cost of a target business as measured in dollars will increase, which may make it less likely that we are able to consummate such transaction.
We may reincorporate in or transfer by way of continuation to another jurisdiction in connection with our initial business combination, and the laws of such jurisdiction may govern some or all of our future material agreements and we may not be able to enforce our legal rights.
In connection with our initial business combination and subject to requisite shareholder approval under the Companies Act, we may relocate the home jurisdiction of our business from the Cayman Islands to another jurisdiction. If we determine to do this, the laws of such jurisdiction may govern some or all of our future material agreements. The system of laws and the enforcement of existing laws in such jurisdiction may not be as certain in implementation and interpretation as in the United States. The inability to enforce or obtain a remedy under any of our future agreements could result in a significant loss of business, business opportunities or capital.
Many countries have difficult and unpredictable legal systems and underdeveloped laws and regulations that are unclear and subject to corruption and inexperience, which may adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition.
In the event we acquire a non-U.S. target, our ability to seek and enforce legal protections, including with respect to intellectual property and other property rights, or to defend ourselves with regard to legal actions taken against us in a given country, may be difficult or impossible, which could adversely impact our operations, assets or financial condition.
Rules and regulations in many countries are often ambiguous or open to differing interpretation by responsible individuals and agencies at the municipal, state, regional and federal levels. The attitudes and actions of such individuals and agencies are often difficult to predict and inconsistent.
Delay with respect to the enforcement of particular rules and regulations, including those relating to customs, tax, environmental and labor, could cause serious disruption to operations abroad and negatively impact our results.
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Some of the statements contained in this prospectus may constitute “forward-looking statements” for purposes of the federal securities laws. Our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our or our management team’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions 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,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “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 in this prospectus may include, for example, statements about:
| ∎ | our ability to select an appropriate target business or businesses; |
| ∎ | our ability to complete our initial business combination; |
| ∎ | our expectations around the performance of the prospective target business or businesses; |
| ∎ | our success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, key employees or directors following our initial business combination; |
| ∎ | our officers and directors allocating their time to other businesses and potentially having conflicts of interest with our business or in approving our initial business combination; |
| ∎ | our potential ability to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination; |
| ∎ | our pool of prospective target businesses; |
| ∎ | our ability to consummate an initial business combination due to the uncertainty resulting from geopolitical events, acts of war or terrorism such as the conflicts in Ukraine and Russia or Israel, economic impacts such as inflation and rising interest rates and the COVID-19 pandemic (or the re-emergence, including of new variants, thereof); |
| ∎ | the ability of our officers and directors to generate a number of potential business combination opportunities; |
| ∎ | our ability to obtain additional financing to complete a business combination; |
| ∎ | our public securities’ potential liquidity and trading; |
| ∎ | the lack of a market for our securities; |
| ∎ | the use of proceeds or funds not held in the trust account or available to us from interest income on the trust account balance; |
| ∎ | the number of redemptions by our public shareholders in connection with a business combination; |
| ∎ | the trust account not being subject to claims of third parties; or |
| ∎ | our financial performance following this offering. |
The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those factors described under the heading “Risk Factors.” Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
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In addition, statements that contain “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this prospectus. Although we believe that this information provides a reasonable basis for these statements, this information may be limited or incomplete. Our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain, and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely on these statements.
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We are offering 17,500,000 units at an offering price of $10.00 per unit. We estimate that the net proceeds of this offering, together with the funds we will receive from the sale of the private placement units, will be used as set forth in the following table:
| WITHOUT OVER-ALLOTMENT OPTION |
OVER-ALLOTMENT OPTION EXERCISED |
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| Gross proceeds |
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| Gross proceeds from units offered to public (1) |
$ | 175,000,000 | $ | 201,250,000 | ||||
| Gross proceeds from sale of the private placement units offered in a private placement to the sponsor |
$ | 5,500,000 | $ | 6,025,000 | ||||
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| Total gross proceeds |
$ | 180,500,000 | $ | 207,275,000 | ||||
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| Estimated offering expenses (2) |
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| Underwriting commissions (2% of gross proceeds from units offered to public shareholders and excluding the portion of underwriting commissions that are deferred) (3) |
$ | 3,500,000 | $ | 4,025,000 | ||||
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| Legal fees and expenses |
450,000 | 450,000 | ||||||
| Printing and engraving expenses |
30,000 | 30,000 | ||||||
| Accounting fees and expenses |
50,000 | 50,000 | ||||||
| SEC/FINRA expenses |
75,529 | 75,529 | ||||||
| Road show |
10,000 | 10,000 | ||||||
| Nasdaq listing and filing fees |
75,000 | 75,000 | ||||||
| Miscellaneous |
9,471 | 9,471 | ||||||
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| Total estimated offering expenses (excluding underwriting commissions) |
$ | 700,000 | $ | 700,000 | ||||
| Proceeds after estimated offering expenses |
$ | 176,300,000 | $ | 202,550,000 | ||||
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| Held in trust account (3) |
$ | 175,000,000 | $ | 201,250,000 | ||||
| % of public offering size |
100 | % | 100 | % | ||||
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| Not held in trust account |
$ | 1,300,000 | $ | 1,300,000 | ||||
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The following table shows the expected use of the approximately $1,300,000 of net proceeds not held in the trust account and excludes funds from permitted withdrawals: (4)
| AMOUNT% | OF TOTAL | |||||||
| Legal, accounting, due diligence, travel, and other expenses in connection with any business combination (5) |
325,000 | 25 | % | |||||
| Legal and accounting fees related to regulatory reporting obligations |
125,000 | 10 | % | |||||
| Consulting, travel and miscellaneous expenses incurred during search for initial business combination target |
25,000 | 2 | % | |||||
| Payment for office space, administrative and support services |
600,000 | 46 | % | |||||
| Nasdaq continued listing fees |
75,000 | 6 | % | |||||
| Director & Officer liability insurance premiums (6) |
150,000 | 11 | % | |||||
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| Total |
$ | 1,300,000 | 100.0 | % | ||||
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| (1) | Includes amounts payable to public shareholders who properly redeem their shares in connection with our successful completion of our initial business combination. |
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| (2) | In addition, a portion of the offering expenses have been paid from the proceeds of loans from our sponsor under a promissory note for up to $300,000, as described in this prospectus. As of September 30, 2024, we have borrowed $109,405 under such promissory note. These loans will be repaid upon completion of this offering out of the approximately $700,000 of offering proceeds that has been allocated for the payment of offering expenses (other than underwriting commissions) and not to be held in the trust account. In the event that offering expenses are less than set forth in this table, any such amounts will be used for post-closing working capital expenses. In the event that the offering expenses are more than as set forth in this table, we may fund such excess with funds not held in the trust account. |
| (3) | The underwriters have agreed to defer underwriting commissions of 3.5% of the gross proceeds of this offering. Upon and concurrently with the completion of our initial business combination, $6,125,000, which constitutes the underwriters’ deferred commissions (or $7,043,750 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be paid to the underwriters from the funds held in the trust account. See “Underwriting.” The remaining funds, less amounts released to the trustee to pay redeeming shareholders, will be released to us and can be used to pay all or a portion of the purchase price of the business or businesses with which our initial business combination occurs or for general corporate purposes, including payment of principal or interest on indebtedness incurred in connection with our initial business combination, to fund the purchases of other companies or for working capital. The underwriters will not be entitled to any interest accrued on the deferred underwriting discounts and commissions. |
| (4) | These expenses are estimates only. Our actual expenditures for some or all of these items may differ from the estimates set forth herein. For example, we may incur greater legal and accounting expenses than our current estimates in connection with negotiating and structuring our initial business combination based upon the level of complexity of such business combination. In the event we identify a business combination target in a specific industry subject to specific regulations, we may incur additional expenses associated with legal due diligence and the engagement of special legal counsel. In addition, our staffing needs may vary and as a result, we may engage a number of consultants to assist with legal and financial due diligence. We do not anticipate any change in our intended use of proceeds, other than fluctuations among the current categories of allocated expenses, which fluctuations, to the extent they exceed current estimates for any specific category of expenses, would not be available for our expenses. The amount in the table above does not include interest available to us from the trust account. The proceeds held in the trust account will be held in cash, including in demand deposit accounts at a bank, or 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 which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Assuming an interest rate of 4.5% per year, we estimate the interest earned on the trust account will be approximately $7,875,000 per year; however, we can provide no assurances regarding this amount. |
| (5) | Includes estimated amounts that may also be used in connection with our initial business combination to fund a “no shop” provision and commitment fees for financing. |
| (6) | This amount represents the approximate amount of annualized director and officer liability insurance premiums we anticipate paying following the completion of this offering and until we complete a business combination. |
The rules of Nasdaq provide that at least 90% of the gross proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement units be deposited in a trust account. Of the $180,500,000 in proceeds we receive from this offering and the sale of the private placement units described in this prospectus, or $207,275,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full, $175,000,000 ($10.00 per unit), or $201,250,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($10.00 per unit), will be deposited into a trust account located in the United States with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee, and the $5,500,000, or up to $6,025,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full, will be used to pay expenses in connection with the closing of this offering (including the portion of the underwriting commissions payable upon closing of this offering) and for working capital following this offering. We will not be permitted to withdraw any of the principal or interest held in the trust account, except with respect to permitted withdrawals, until the earliest of (i) the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) the redemption of our public shares if we have not consummated an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, subject to applicable law, and (iii) the redemption of our public shares properly submitted in connection with the implementation by the directors of, following a shareholder vote to approve, an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed or repurchased in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares. Based on current interest rates, we expect that interest income earned on the trust account (if any) will be sufficient to pay our income taxes and to fund permitted withdrawals.
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The net proceeds held in the trust account may be used as consideration to pay the sellers of a target business with which we ultimately complete our initial business combination. If our initial business combination is paid for using equity or debt, or not all of the funds released from the trust account are used for payment of the consideration in connection with our initial business combination or used for redemptions of our Class A ordinary shares, we may apply the balance of the cash released from the trust account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of the post-business combination company, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other companies or for working capital. There is no limitation on our ability to raise funds through the issuance of equity-linked securities or through loans, advances or other indebtedness, privately or through other means, in connection with our initial business combination, including pursuant to forward purchase agreements, non-redemption or backstop arrangements we may enter into following consummation of this offering.
We believe that amounts not held in trust, funds from permitted withdrawals and funds available to us from loans from our sponsor, members of our management team or any of their affiliates will be sufficient to pay the costs and expenses to which such proceeds are allocated and that are payable prior to the closing of our initial business combination. However, if our estimate of the costs of undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating a business combination is less than the actual amount necessary to do so, we may be required to raise additional capital, the amount, availability and cost of which is currently unascertainable. If we are required to seek additional capital, we could seek such additional capital through loans or additional investments from our sponsor, members of our management team or any of their affiliates, but such persons are not under any obligation to advance funds to, or invest in, us.
We will pay our sponsor for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to members of our management team, in the amount of $25,000 per month. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees.
Under a promissory note, our sponsor has agreed to loan us up to $300,000 to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering. As of September 30, 2024, we have borrowed $109,405 under the promissory note. These loans are non-interest bearing, unsecured and are due at the earlier of December 31, 2024 or the closing of this offering. The loans will be repaid upon the closing of this offering out of the approximately $700,000 of offering proceeds that has been allocated to the payment of offering expenses.
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor, affiliates of our sponsor or our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete our initial business combination, we may repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us. Otherwise, such loans would be repaid only out of funds held outside the trust account and funds received from permitted withdrawals. In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account and funds received from permitted withdrawals to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used to repay such loaned amounts. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into private placement units of the post business combination entity at a price of $10.00 per unit at the option of the lender. The private placement units issued upon conversion of any such loans would be identical to the private placement units sold in a private placement concurrently with this offering. Except as set forth above, the terms of such loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor, members of our management team or any of their affiliates as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.
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We have not paid any cash dividends on our ordinary shares to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of our initial business combination even if we have substantial assets outside the trust account. The payment of cash dividends following the completion of our initial business combination will be within the discretion of our board of directors at such time and will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial condition at such time. There is no certainty we will be in a position to, or decide to, pay cash dividends after completing any business combination. If we increase or decrease the size of this offering, we will effect a share capitalization or other appropriate mechanism immediately prior to the consummation of this offering in such amount as to maintain the number of founder shares at 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering (excluding the private placement shares included in the private placement units). Further, if we incur any indebtedness in connection with our initial business combination, our ability to declare dividends following completion of our initial business combination may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.
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The difference between the public offering price per Class A ordinary share, assuming no value is attributed to the warrants included in the units we are offering pursuant to this prospectus or the private placement warrants, and the pro forma net tangible book value per Class A ordinary share after this offering constitutes the dilution to investors in this offering. Such calculation does not reflect any dilution associated with the sale and exercise of warrants, including the private placement warrants, which would cause the actual dilution to the public shareholders to be higher, particularly where a cashless exercise is utilized. Net tangible book value per share is determined by dividing our net tangible book value, which is our total tangible assets less total liabilities (including the value of Class A ordinary shares which may be redeemed for cash), by the number of Class A ordinary shares issued and outstanding.
The below presentation (A) assumes that (i) no ordinary shares are issued to shareholders of a potential business combination target as consideration or issuable by a post-business combination company, for instance under an equity or employee share purchase plan, (ii) no ordinary shares and convertible equity or debt securities are issued in connection with additional financing that we may seek in connection with an initial business combination, and (iii) no working capital loans are converted into private placement units, as further described in this prospectus, and (B) assumes the issuance of 17,500,000 Class A ordinary shares included in the public units sold in this offering (or 20,125,000 Class A ordinary shares included in the public units sold in this offering if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), 550,000 private placement shares included in the private placement units sold in a private placement in connection with this offering (or 602,500 private placement shares included in the private placement units sold in a private placement in connection with this offering if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) and 5,031,250 founder shares (up to 656,250 of which are assumed to be forfeited in the scenario in which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is not exercised in full).
Generally, the dilution that our public shareholders will experience increases the more public shares are redeemed. The issuance of additional ordinary or preference shares may also significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in this offering, which dilution would even further 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. In addition, because of the anti-dilution protection in the founder shares, any equity or equity-linked securities issued in connection with our initial business combination would be disproportionately dilutive to our Class A ordinary shares. For more information on risks related to dilution also see “We may issue additional Class A ordinary shares or preference shares to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue Class A ordinary shares upon the conversion of the founder shares at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions contained in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our shareholders and likely present other risks.”
Our public shareholders will experience dilution even if no public shares are redeemed in connection with an initial business combination or another redemption event, for instance in connection with the implementation by the directors of, following a shareholder vote, an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed or repurchased in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares.
However, while our public shareholders will experience dilution even if none of our public shares are redeemed, the dilution they will experience will decrease the more of our public shares remain issued and outstanding following a redemption event. For instance, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination
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and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase units, public shares, warrants or equity-linked securities in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination, although they are under no obligation to do so. In the event of any such purchases of our shares prior to the completion of our initial business combination or if we enter into non-redemption agreements with certain of our shareholders, the number of Class A ordinary shares subject to redemption will be reduced by the amount of any such purchases or shares subject to non-redemption agreements, increasing the pro forma net tangible book value per share. See “Proposed Business — Effecting Our Initial Business Combination — Permitted Purchases and Other Transactions with Respect to Our Securities.”
The following table illustrates the difference between the public offering price per unit and our NTBV per share, as adjusted to give effect to this offering and assuming the redemption of our public shares included in the public units offered hereby at varying levels in the scenarios in which the over-allotment option is not exercised and exercised in full:
| AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2024
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| OFFERING PRICE OF $10.00 PER UNIT |
25% OF MAXIMUM REDEMPTION |
50% OF MAXIMUM REDEMPTION |
75% OF MAXIMUM REDEMPTION |
MAXIMUM REDEMPTION |
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| NTBV |
NTBV | DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NTBV AND OFFERING PRICE |
NTBV | DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NTBV AND OFFERING PRICE |
NTBV | DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NTBV AND OFFERING PRICE |
NTBV | DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NTBV AND OFFERING PRICE |
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| Assuming Full Exercise of Over-Allotment Option | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $7.59 |
$ | 7.00 | $ | 3.00 | $ | 6.04 | $ | 3.96 | $ | 4.18 | $ | 5.82 | $ | (1.02 | ) | $ | 11.02 | |||||||||||||||
| Assuming No Exercise of Over-Allotment Option | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $7.57 |
$ | 6.99 | $ | 3.01 | $ | 6.02 | $ | 3.98 | $ | 4.15 | $ | 5.85 | $ | (1.04 | ) | $ | 11.04 | |||||||||||||||
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For each of the redemption scenarios above, the NTBV was calculated as follows:
| NO REDEMPTIONS | 25% OF MAXIMUM REDEMPTIONS |
50% OF MAXIMUM REDEMPTIONS |
75% OF MAXIMUM REDEMPTIONS |
MAXIMUM REDEMPTIONS |
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| WITHOUT OVER- ALLOTMENT |
WITH OVER- ALLOTMENT |
WITHOUT OVER- ALLOTMENT |
WITH OVER- ALLOTMENT |
WITHOUT OVER- ALLOTMENT |
WITH OVER- ALLOTMENT |
WITHOUT OVER- ALLOTMENT |
WITH OVER- ALLOTMENT |
WITHOUT OVER- ALLOTMENT |
WITH OVER- ALLOTMENT |
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| Public offering price |
$ | 10.00 | $ | 10.00 | $ | 10.00 | $ | 10.00 | $ | 10.00 | $ | 10.00 | $ | 10.00 | $ | 10.00 | $ | 10.00 | $ | 10.00 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Net tangible book deficit before this offering |
(0.13 | ) | (0. 13 | ) | (0.13 | ) | (0.13 | ) | (0.13 | ) | (0.13 | ) | (0.13 | ) | (0.13 | ) | (0.13 | ) | (0.13 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Increase attributable to public shareholders |
7.70 | 7.72 | 7.12 | 7.13 | 6.15 | 6.17 | 4.28 | 4.31 | (0.91 | ) | (0.89 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Pro forma net tangible book value after this offering and the sale of the private placement units |
7.57 | 7.59 | 6.99 | 7.00 | 6.02 | 6.04 | 4.15 | 4.18 | (1.04 | ) | (1.02 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Dilution to public shareholders |
$ | 2.43 | $ | 2.41 | $ | 3.01 | $ | 3.00 | $ | 3.98 | $ | 3.96 | $ | 5.85 | $ | 5.82 | $ | 11.04 | $ | 11.02 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Percentage of dilution to public shareholders |
24.30 | % | 24.10 | % | 30.10 | % | 30.00 | % | 39.80 | % | 39.60 | % | 58.50 | % | 58.20 | % | 110.40 | % | 110.20 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Numerator: |
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| Net tangible book deficit before this offering |
$ | (662,087 | ) | $ | (662,087 | ) | $ | (662,087 | ) | $ | (662,087 | ) | $ | (662,087 | ) | $ | (662,087 | ) | $ | (662,087 | ) | $ | (662,087 | ) | $ | (662,087 | ) | $ | (662,087 | ) | ||||||||||
| Net proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement units (1) |
176,300,000 | 202,550,000 | 176,300,000 | 202,550,000 | 176,300,000 | 202,550,000 | 176,300,000 | 202,550,000 | 176,300,000 | 202,550,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Plus: Offering costs accrued for or paid in advance, excluded from tangible book value |
638,992 | 638,992 | 638,992 | 638,992 | 638,992 | 638,992 | 638,992 | 638,992 | 638,992 | 638,992 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Less: Deferred underwriting commissions (2) |
(6,125,000 | ) | (7,043,750 | ) | (6,125,000 | ) | (7,043,750 | ) | (6,125,000 | ) | (7,043,750 | ) | (6,125,000 | ) | (7,043,750 | ) | (6,125,000 | ) | (7,043,750 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Less: Over-allotment liability |
(287,200 | ) | — | (287,200 | ) | — | (287,200 | ) | — | (287,200 | ) | — | (287,200 | ) | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Less: Amounts paid for redemptions (3) |
— | — | (43,750,000 | ) | (50,312,500 | ) | (87,500,000 | ) | (100,625,000 | ) | (131,250,000 | ) | (150,937,500 | ) | (175,000,000 | ) | (201,250,000 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| $ | 169,864,705 | $ | 195,483,155 | $ | 126,114,705 | $ | 145,170,655 | $ | 82,364,705 | $ | 94,858,155 | $ | 38,614,705 | $ | 44,545,655 | $ | (5,135,295 | ) | $ | (5,766,845 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
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| NO REDEMPTIONS | 25% OF MAXIMUM REDEMPTIONS |
50% OF MAXIMUM REDEMPTIONS |
75% OF MAXIMUM REDEMPTIONS |
MAXIMUM REDEMPTIONS |
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| WITHOUT OVER- ALLOTMENT |
WITH OVER- ALLOTMENT |
WITHOUT OVER- ALLOTMENT |
WITH OVER- ALLOTMENT |
WITHOUT OVER- ALLOTMENT |
WITH OVER- ALLOTMENT |
WITHOUT OVER- ALLOTMENT |
WITH OVER- ALLOTMENT |
WITHOUT OVER- ALLOTMENT |
WITH OVER- ALLOTMENT |
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| Denominator: |
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| Ordinary shares outstanding prior to this offering |
5,031,250 | 5,031,250 | 5,031,250 | 5,031,250 | 5,031,250 | 5,031,250 | 5,031,250 | 5,031,250 | 5,031,250 | 5,031,250 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ordinary shares forfeited if over-allotment is not exercised |
(656,250 | ) | — | (656,250 | ) | — | (656,250 | ) | — | (656,250 | ) | — | (656,250 | ) | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ordinary shares offered and sale of private placement units |
18,050,000 | 20,727,500 | 18,050,000 | 20,727,500 | 18,050,000 | 20,727,500 | 18,050,000 | 20,727,500 | 18,050,000 | 20,727,500 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Less: Ordinary shares redeemed |
— | — | (4,375,000 | ) | (5,031,250 | ) | (8,750,000 | ) | (10,062,500 | ) | (13,125,000 | ) | (15,093,750 | ) | (17,500,000 | ) | (20,125,000 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 22,425,000 | 25,758,750 | 18,050,000 | 20,727,500 | 13,675,000 | 15,696,250 | 9,300,000 | 10,665,000 | 4,925,000 | 5,633,750 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| (1) | Expenses applied against gross proceeds include offering expenses of approximately $700,000 and underwriting commissions of $3,500,000 or $4,025,000 if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option (excluding deferred underwriting fees). See “Use of Proceeds.” |
| (2) | Upon the consummation of our initial business combination, $0.20 per unit, or $3,500,000 in the aggregate (or $4,025,000 in the aggregate if the underwriters’ option to purchase additional units is exercised in full), is payable upon the closing of this offering. $0.35 per share, or $6,125,000 in the aggregate (or $7,043,750 in the aggregate if the underwriters’ option to purchase additional units is exercised in full) is payable to the underwriters for deferred underwriting commissions and will be placed in a trust account located in the United States as described herein. The deferred commissions will be fully earned by the underwriters upon the payment of the purchase price for the units purchased by the underwriters on the closing of this offering and will be released to the underwriters only on and concurrently with completion of an initial business combination. Up to 40% of the deferred underwriting commissions may be paid at the sole discretion of our management team to the underwriters in the allocations determined by our management team and/or to third parties not participating in this offering (but who are members of FINRA) that assist us in consummating our initial business combination. |
| (3) | If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase units, public shares, warrants or equity-linked securities in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination, although they are under no obligation to do so. In the event of any such purchases of our shares prior to the completion of our initial business combination or if we enter into non-redemption agreements with certain of our shareholders, the number of Class A ordinary shares subject to redemption will be reduced by the amount of any such purchases or shares subject to non-redemption agreements, increasing the pro forma net tangible book value per share. See “Proposed Business — Effecting Our Initial Business Combination — Permitted Purchases and Other Transactions with Respect to Our Securities.” |
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For purposes of presenting the maximum redemption scenario, we have reduced our pro forma net tangible book value after this offering (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option) by $175,000,000 because holders of up to approximately 100% of our public shares may redeem their shares for a pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account at a per share redemption price equal to the amount in the trust account as set forth in our tender offer or proxy materials (initially anticipated to be the aggregate amount held in trust two business days prior to the commencement of our tender offer or shareholders meeting, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us for permitted withdrawals, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares).
The following table sets forth information (i) with respect to our sponsor, which holds our Class B ordinary shares and the private placement units, and the public shareholders, and (ii) that was used determine the net tangible book value per share, as presented in this section:
| SHARES PURCHASED | TOTAL CONSIDERATION | AVERAGE PRICE PER SHARE |
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| NUMBER | PERCENTAGE | AMOUNT | PERCENTAGE | |||||||||||||||||
| Class B Ordinary |
4,375,000 | 19.51 | % | $ | 25,000 | 0.01 | % | $ | 0.006 | |||||||||||
| Private Placement |
550,000 | 2.45 | % | 5,500,000 | 3.05 | % | $ | 10.00 | ||||||||||||
| Public Shareholders ` |
17,500,000 | 78.04 | % | 175,000,000 | 96.94 | % | $ | 10.00 | ||||||||||||
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| 22,425,000 | 100.00 | % | $ | 180,525,000 | 100.00 | % | ||||||||||||||
| (1) | Assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option and the corresponding forfeiture of 656,250 Class B ordinary shares held by our sponsor. |
| (2) | Includes 550,000 private placement units purchased by our sponsor in a private placement simultaneously with the closing of this offering. |
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The following table sets forth our capitalization at September 30, 2024, and as adjusted to give effect to the filing of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, the sale of our Class A ordinary shares included in the units sold in this offering and the private placement shares included in the private placement units sold concurrently with the consummation of this offering and the application of the estimated net proceeds derived from the sale of such securities:
| SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 | ||||||||
| ACTUAL | AS ADJUSTED (1) |
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| Promissory note – related party (2) |
$ | 109,405 | $ | — | ||||
| Deferred underwriting commissions (3) |
— | 6,125,000 | ||||||
| Over-allotment liability (4) |
— | 287,200 | ||||||
| Class A ordinary shares; -0- and 17,500,000 shares are subject to possible redemption, actual and as adjusted, respectively (5) |
— | 175,000,000 | ||||||
| Preference shares, $0.0001 par value; 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding, actual and as adjusted |
— | — | ||||||
| Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value, 300,000,000 shares authorized; -0- and 550,000 shares issued and outstanding (excluding -0- and 17,500,000 shares subject to possible redemption), actual and as adjusted, respectively |
— | 55 | ||||||
| Class B ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value, 30,000,000 shares authorized, 5,031,250 and 4,375,000 shares issued and outstanding, actual and as adjusted, respectively |
503 | 437 | ||||||
| Additional paid-in capital |
24,497 | — | ||||||
| Accumulated deficit |
(48,095 | ) | (5,135,787 | ) | ||||
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| Total shareholders’ deficit |
$ | (23,095 | ) | $ | (5,135,295 | ) | ||
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| Total capitalization |
$ | 86,310 | $ | 176,276,905 | ||||
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| (1) | Assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option and the corresponding forfeiture of 656,250 Class B ordinary shares held by our sponsor. |
| (2) | Our sponsor may loan us up to $300,000 under an unsecured promissory note to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering. As of September 30, 2024, we have $109,405 borrowed under such promissory note. |
| (3) | $0.35 per share, or $6,125,000 in the aggregate, will be payable to the underwriters for deferred underwriting commissions. The deferred underwriting commissions will become payable to the underwriters from the amounts held in the trust account solely in the event that we complete a initial business combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement. We record deferred underwriting commissions upon the closing of this offering as a reduction of additional paid-in capital. Since the actual additional paid-in capital was reduced by the recording of the accrued deferred underwriting commission, total capitalization, as adjusted, includes the amount of the deferred underwriting commission to reflect total capitalization. |
| (4) | The underwriters’ over-allotment option is deemed to be a freestanding financial instrument indexed on the shares subject to redemption and will be accounted for as a liability pursuant to ASC 480 if not fully exercised at the time of the initial public offering. |
| (5) | Upon the completion of our initial business combination, we will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash at a per share price 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 us for permitted withdrawals, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, subject to any limitations (including, but not limited to, cash requirements) created by the terms of the proposed business combination. |
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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Overview
We are a blank check company incorporated on June 28, 2024 as a Cayman Islands exempted company for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement units, our shares, debt or a combination of cash, equity and debt.
The issuance of additional shares in a business combination:
| ∎ | may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in this offering, 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 to Class A ordinary shares; |
| ∎ | could cause a change in control if a substantial number of Class A ordinary shares are issued, which may affect, among other things, the post-business combination company’s ability to use its net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of the post-business combination company’s officers and directors; |
| ∎ | may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of the post-business combination company by diluting the share ownership or voting rights of a person seeking to obtain control of the post-business combination company; |
| ∎ | may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our units, Class A ordinary shares and/or warrants; and |
| ∎ | may not result in adjustment to the exercise price of our warrants. |
Similarly, if we issue debt securities or otherwise incur significant debt to banks or other lenders or the owners of a target, it could result in:
| ∎ | default and foreclosure on the assets of the post-business combination company if its operating revenues are insufficient to repay its debt obligations; |
| ∎ | acceleration of the post-business combination company’s obligations to repay such indebtedness, even if it makes all principal and interest payments when due, if it breaches certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant; |
| ∎ | the post-business combination company’s immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt security is payable on demand; |
| ∎ | post-business combination company’s inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt security contains covenants restricting its ability to obtain such financing while the debt security is outstanding; |
| ∎ | using a substantial portion of the post-business combination company’s cash flow to pay principal and interest on its debt, which will reduce the funds available for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes; |
| ∎ | limitations on the post-business combination company’s flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in its business and in the industry in which it operates; |
| ∎ | increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and |
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| ∎ | limitations on the post-business combination company’s ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of its strategy and other purposes and other disadvantages compared to its competitors who have less debt. |
As indicated in the accompanying financial statements, as of September 30, 2024, we had no cash and a working capital deficit of $662,087. 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.
Results of Operations and Known Trends or Future Events
We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenues to date. Our only activities since inception have been organizational activities and those necessary to prepare for this offering. Following this offering, we will not generate any operating revenues until after completion of our initial business combination. We will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents after this offering. There has been no significant change in our financial or trading position and no material adverse change has occurred since the date of our audited financial statements. After this offering, we expect to incur increased expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses. We expect our expenses to increase substantially after the closing of this offering.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Our liquidity needs have been satisfied prior to the completion of this offering through a payment of $25,000 to cover for certain of our expenses in exchange for the issuance of the founder shares and a commitment from our sponsor to loan up to $300,000 to us to cover our expenses in connection with this offering. We estimate that the net proceeds from (i) the sale of the units in this offering, after deducting estimated offering expenses of $700,000, underwriting commissions of $3,500,000, or $4,025,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full (excluding deferred underwriting commissions of $6,125,000, or $7,043,750 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), and (ii) the sale of the private placement units for a purchase price of $5,500,000 (or $6,025,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be $176,300,000 (or $202,550,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full). $175,000,000 (or $201,250,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be held in the trust account, which includes the deferred underwriting commissions described above. The proceeds held in the trust account will be held in cash, including in demand deposit accounts at a bank, or 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 which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. The remaining $1.3 million will not be held in the trust account. In the event that our offering expenses exceed our estimate of $700,000, we may fund such excess with funds not to be held in the trust account. In such case, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would decrease by a corresponding amount. Conversely, in the event that the offering expenses are less than our estimate of $700,000, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would increase by a corresponding amount.
We intend to use substantially all of the funds held in the trust account, including any amounts representing interest earned on the trust account (less permitted withdrawals and deferred underwriting commissions), to complete our initial business combination. We are allowed to make permitted withdrawals from interest income (if any) to pay income taxes, if any. Our annual income tax obligations will depend on the amount of interest and other income earned on the amounts held in the trust account. We expect the interest income earned on the amount in the trust account (if any) will be sufficient to pay our income taxes and permitted withdrawals. To the extent that our equity or debt is used, in whole or in part, as consideration to complete our initial business combination, the remaining proceeds held in the trust account will be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business or businesses, make other acquisitions and pursue our growth strategies.
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Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we will have available to us the $1,300,000 of proceeds held outside the trust account, funds from permitted withdrawals as well as certain funds from loans from our sponsor, members of our management team or any of their affiliates. We will use these funds to primarily identify and evaluate target businesses, perform business due diligence on prospective target businesses, travel to and from the offices, plants or similar locations of prospective target businesses or their representatives or owners, review corporate documents and material agreements of prospective target businesses, and structure, negotiate and complete a business combination.
We do not believe we will need to raise additional funds following this offering in order to meet the expenditures required for operating our business prior to the completion of our initial business combination, other than funds available from loans from our sponsor, members of our management team or any of their affiliates. However, if our estimates of the costs of identifying a target business, undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating an initial business combination are less than the actual amount necessary to do so, we may have insufficient funds available to operate our business prior to the completion of our initial business combination. In order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor, affiliates of our sponsor or our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete our initial business combination, we may repay such loaned amounts. In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account or funds from permitted withdrawals to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into private placement units of the post business combination entity at a price of $10.00 per unit at the option of the lender. The private placement units issued upon conversion of any such loans would be identical to the private placement units sold in a private placement concurrently with this offering. The terms of such loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor, members of our management team or any of their affiliates as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.
We expect our primary liquidity requirements during that period to include approximately $325,000 for legal, accounting, due diligence, travel and other expenses in connection with any business combinations; $125,000 for legal and accounting fees related to regulatory reporting obligations; $25,000 for consulting, travel and miscellaneous expenses incurred during the search for an initial business combination target; and $75,000 for Nasdaq continued listing fees; $150,000 for director and officer liability insurance premiums. We will also pay our sponsor for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to us in the amount of $25,000 per month ($600,000 over a 24 month period).
These amounts are estimates and may differ materially from our actual expenses. In addition, we could use a portion of the funds not being placed in trust to pay commitment fees for financing, fees to consultants to assist us with our search for a target business or as a down payment or to fund a “no-shop” provision (a provision designed to keep target businesses from “shopping” around for transactions with other companies or investors on terms more favorable to such target businesses) with respect to a particular proposed business combination, although we do not have any current intention to do so. If we entered into an agreement where we paid for the right to receive exclusivity from a target business, the amount that would be used as a down payment or to fund a “no-shop” provision would be determined based on the terms of the specific business combination and the amount of our available funds at the time. Our forfeiture of such funds (whether as a result of our breach or otherwise) could result in our not having sufficient funds to continue searching for, or conducting due diligence with respect to, prospective target businesses.
Moreover, we may need to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination, either because the transaction requires more cash than is available from the proceeds held in our trust account, or because we become obligated to redeem a significant number of our public shares upon completion of the business combination, in which case we may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection with such
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business combination. There is no limitation on our ability to raise funds through the issuance of equity-linked securities or through loans, advances or other indebtedness, privately or through other means, in connection with our initial business combination, including pursuant to forward purchase agreements, non-redemption or backstop arrangements we may enter into following consummation of this offering. If we have not consummated our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering because we do not have sufficient funds available to us, we will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the trust account. For more information also see “Offering—Payments to insiders” and “Offering—Additional financing” as well as “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Search for, Consummation of, or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination—We may issue additional Class A ordinary shares or preference shares to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue Class A ordinary shares upon the conversion of the founder shares at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions contained in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our shareholders and likely present other risks,” “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Search for, Consummation of, or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination—We may issue shares to investors in connection with our initial business combination at a price which is less than $10.00 or the prevailing market price of our shares at that time, which could dilute the interests of our existing shareholders and add costs” or “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Search for, Consummation of, or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination—We may issue notes or other debt, or otherwise incur substantial debt, to complete a business combination, which may adversely affect our leverage and financial condition and thus negatively impact the value of our shareholders’ investment in us.”
Controls and Procedures
We are not currently required to maintain an effective system of internal controls as defined by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We will be required to comply with the internal control requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025. Only in the event that we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer and no longer qualify as an emerging growth company would we be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on internal control over financial reporting. Further, for as long as we remain an emerging growth company as defined in the JOBS Act, we intend to 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 independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement.
Prior to the closing of this offering, we have not completed an assessment, nor have our auditors tested our systems, of our internal controls. We expect to assess the internal controls of our target business or businesses prior to the completion of our initial business combination and, if necessary, to implement and test additional controls as we may determine are necessary in order to state that we maintain an effective system of internal controls. A target business may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding the adequacy of internal controls. Many small and mid-sized target businesses we may consider for our initial business combination may have internal controls that need improvement in areas such as:
| ∎ | staffing for financial, accounting and external reporting areas, including segregation of duties; |
| ∎ | reconciliation of accounts; |
| ∎ | proper recording of expenses and liabilities in the period to which they relate; |
| ∎ | evidence of internal review and approval of accounting transactions; |
| ∎ | documentation of processes, assumptions and conclusions underlying significant estimates; and |
| ∎ | documentation of accounting policies and procedures. |
Because it will take time, management involvement and perhaps outside resources to determine what internal control improvements are necessary for us to meet regulatory requirements and market expectations
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for our operation of a target business, we may incur significant expenses in meeting our public reporting responsibilities, particularly in the areas of designing, enhancing, or remediating internal and disclosure controls. Doing so effectively may also take longer than we expect, thus increasing our exposure to financial fraud or erroneous financing reporting.
Once our management’s report on internal controls is complete, we will retain our independent auditors to audit and render an opinion on such report when required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The independent auditors may identify additional issues concerning a target business’s internal controls while performing their audit of internal control over financial reporting.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
The net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement units held in the trust account will be held in cash, including in demand deposit accounts at a bank, or invested 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 which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Due to the short-term nature of these investments, we believe there will be no associated material exposure to interest rate risk.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements; Commitments and Contractual Obligations; Quarterly Results
As of September 30, 2024, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements as defined in Item 303(a)(4)(ii) of Regulation S-K and did not have any commitments or contractual obligations. No unaudited quarterly operating data is included in this prospectus as we have not conducted any operations to date.
JOBS Act
The JOBS Act contains provisions that, among other things, relax certain reporting requirements for qualifying public companies. We will qualify as an “emerging growth company” and under the JOBS Act will be 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 exemptions we may not be required to, among other things, (i) provide an auditor’s attestation report on our system of internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, (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 auditor’s report 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 chief executive officer’s compensation to median employee compensation. These exemptions will apply for a period of five years following the completion of our initial public offering or until we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” whichever is earlier.
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General
We are a newly organized blank check company incorporated on June 28, 2024, as a Cayman Islands exempted company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses, which we refer to throughout this prospectus as our initial business combination. To date, our efforts have been limited to organizational activities as well as activities related to this offering. We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target. We have generated no operating revenues to date and we do not expect that we will generate operating revenues until we consummate our initial business combination.
While we may pursue an acquisition opportunity in any business, industry, sector, or geographical location, we intend to focus on industries that complement our management team’s background, and to capitalize on the ability of our management team to identify and acquire a business, focusing on the healthcare or healthcare-related industries. In particular, we intend to target North American, British or European companies in the biopharmaceutical, medical devices, diagnostics, and specialized healthcare services sectors where our management has extensive investment experience.
Furthermore, we believe that our management team is positioned to drive ongoing value creation post-business combination, as the team has done with multiple prior investments in healthcare, healthcare-related and other sectors over time. We believe our management team is well suited to identify opportunities that have the potential to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns for our shareholders. Our sponsor is an affiliate of Oaktree, a registered investment adviser with global investment experience. Through our affiliation with Oaktree, we intend to capitalize on the ability and experience of the Oaktree platform across healthcare or healthcare-related industries. Given Oaktree’s global reach and experience, we believe our team has the required investment, operational, diligence and capital raising expertise to effect a business combination with an attractive target and to position it for long-term success in the public markets. We may pursue a transaction in which our shareholders immediately prior to the completion of our initial business combination would collectively own a minority interest in the post-business combination company.
Oaktree
Oaktree is a leading global investment management firm founded in 1995 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California, with over 1,200 employees throughout offices in 23 cities in 17 countries (including offices of affiliates of Oaktree-managed funds). As of June 30, 2024, Oaktree had approximately $193 billion in assets under management. Of such AUM, approximately $16.3 billion have been committed across its private equity strategies. Oaktree’s senior executives and investment professionals have focused on less efficient markets and alternative investments for the past 39 years. Oaktree emphasizes a value-oriented approach to deploying capital in control investing, listed equities, and other alternative investment strategies. Oaktree also has a stellar SPAC track record, specifically in the healthcare space with two prior de-SPACing acquisitions of Hims & Hers Health, Inc. (NYSE:HIMS) and Alvotech (NASDAQ:ALVO).
Oaktree’s primary firm wide goal is to achieve attractive returns while effectively managing global risk and focusing on opportunistic situations across a wide variety of asset classes and market sectors. Oaktree believes that it can achieve this goal by taking advantage of “market inefficiencies” in which financial markets and their participants fail to accurately value assets or fail to make available to companies the capital that they reasonably require. Oaktree believes that its defining characteristic is its adherence to the highest professional standards, which has yielded several important benefits. Most importantly, Oaktree believes this characteristic has allowed Oaktree to attract and retain a talented group of investment professionals, while being viewed as a partner of choice for potential investment opportunities.
We believe that the breadth of the Oaktree platform and the collective expertise of our management team will allow us to identify numerous initial acquisition targets across the healthcare or healthcare-related sectors. Oaktree’s
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multi- decade track record of successful investing in both public and private markets gives us differentiated access and insights into a deep network of institutional investors worldwide, as well as a diversified portfolio of lending relationships. Oaktree’s client base includes leading pension plans, insurance companies, endowments, foundations, and sovereign wealth funds. Furthermore, Oaktree expects to leverage its strong relationships with banks and other financial institutions as well as those with brokers, advisors and attorneys. This network of contacts is instrumental in obtaining access to investment opportunities, some of which are made available to Oaktree on a highly selective, and in some cases an exclusive, basis. We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target. For more information on our sponsor and its controlling persons, please see the section entitled “Principal Shareholders.”
Life Sciences Platform
Oaktree’s Life Sciences investment platform, co-led by our Director Dr. Aman Kumar has been an early mover in the life sciences private lending space, beginning its investing activity in 2013. Since that time, Oaktree has committed approximately $5 billion across 51 life sciences investments (through August 31, 2024) with no realized losses. The 11-person, life sciences-dedicated investment team has significant healthcare-specific, operational, and financial experience and varied backgrounds spanning business, healthcare equity and credit buy-side, investment banking and medicine. The life sciences industry has historically benefited from attractive secular growth (including through periods of macro economic downturn), and we believe this will continue, as growth in the sector is supported by technological innovation and favorable demographic trends. The industry has frequently outperformed the S&P 500 and exhibited a low correlation with broader growth.
Since 2013, Oaktree’s Life Sciences team has evaluated nearly 800 investment opportunities, of which only 71 progressed into the final round with 51 investments eventually consummating. Of these 51 investments, 69% were in companies based in the US, 16% in European companies and balance in the UK and rest of the world. Sub-sector wise, about two-thirds were in the biopharma space, with the balance across medical devices and healthcare services.
We will be able to capitalize on the team’s healthcare-specific operational and financial experience and varied backgrounds spanning finance and medicine. We believe having a deep understanding of, ability to “speak the language”, and relationships within the life sciences industry provides a significant advantage when negotiating with management teams and evaluating prospective business combination targets.
Oaktree’s global platform, which offers significant differentiation relative to competitors, provides our company with key structural and operational advantages. We expect to (i) leverage Oaktree’s research capabilities and industry expertise, including a multi-million dollar annual research budget and over 350 investment professionals, (ii) access extensive deal flow from institutional client relationships, banks and brokers, (iii) attract talented investment professionals and advisors, (iv) enjoy increased influence with company boards and management teams, (v) seek restructuring advice if necessary from investment professionals managing over $44.6 billion as of June 30, 2024, across Oaktree’s opportunities funds and distressed strategies and (vi) leverage Oaktree’s extensive infrastructure, including over 800 back-office employees. Moreover, our team is particularly well positioned within Oaktree to manage the day-to-day efforts of our company given its experience managing OAC and OACB and its deep understanding of the public markets and how to tailor transactions that best position private companies to succeed as long-term public companies. See “Risk Factors—General Risk Factors—Past experience or performance by our management team or their affiliates, including Oaktree, Oaktree Acquisition Corp. and Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II, may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in us.”
Healthcare Opportunity
While we may pursue a business combination in any industry, we intend to focus on opportunities in the healthcare or healthcare-related industries in North America, the United Kingdom and Western Europe. The healthcare sector has seen continuous innovation and rapid technological advancements over the last decade, making it one of the fastest-growing industries. This growth has been driven by ongoing research into new treatment areas and disease states as well as by favourable demographic tailwinds given rapidly aging populations in developed markets. Of
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course, the industry has recently been heralded as a hero in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, and investor focus in the sector has increased meaningfully as life sciences companies rushed to develop diagnostic tests, therapeutics, and vaccines in record time during the pandemic. However, the demand for innovative and disruptive treatments and technologies pre-dates this pandemic, and we believe this dynamic will continue long into the future as companies continue to improve treatments for existing conditions and develop novel treatments for previously undiagnosed or untreatable diseases. Moreover, we believe the industry’s growth will accelerate in the coming years as populations age, the global middle class expands, and medical expenditures outpace GDP growth across the developed world. Healthcare spending as a percentage of global GDP already exceeds 10% and represents roughly 18% of the US economic output. In addition to this, global annual R&D spending in the healthcare industry is forecasted to be $288 billion in 2024 according to Evaluate Ltd’s Research & Development Expenditures report. Unsurprisingly, this will be a highly capital-intensive endeavor, requiring significant spending on research and development, building out manufacturing and supply chain capacities, and commercializing new products and technologies. The industry’s already substantial financing needs should—like the global population’s median age—keep rising, which should create an ample opportunity set for increasing investment in the space.
Experience with Special Purpose Acquisition Companies
Certain members of our management team and board of directors have previous experience in the execution of public acquisition vehicles. In January 2021, Oaktree Acquisition Corp. consummated its initial business combination with Hims, Inc. The Class A common stock of the combined company, Hims & Hers Health, Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol “HIMS.” The closing price of the ordinary shares of Hims & Hers Health, Inc. on the NYSE on October 2, 2024 was $18.95. Prior to the acquisition of Hims & Hers Health, Inc., the SPAC lead an initial sourcing of approximately 300+ opportunities, then diligence approximately 75+ prospective targets and submitted 12 letters of intent. Oaktree Acquisition Corp. consummated its business combination without an extension and within 24 months of the closing of its initial public offering, as provided by its amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. The holders of 6,193 Class A ordinary shares of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. (or approximately 0.03% of the publicly held Class A ordinary shares) elected to have their shares redeemed in connection with the business combination with Hims, Inc.
Additionally, in June 2022, Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II consummated its initial business combination with Alvotech Holdings S.A. The ordinary shares and warrants of the combined company, Alvotech, are traded on Nasdaq under the symbol “ALVO” and “ALVOW,” respectively. The closing price of the ordinary shares and warrants of Alvotech on Nasdaq on October 2, 2024 and October 1, 2024 were $12.30 and $2.82, respectively. Prior to the acquisition of Alvotech, the SPAC lead an initial sourcing of approximately 235+ opportunities, then diligence approximately 74+ prospective targets and submitted 9 letters of intent. Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II consummated its business combination without an extension and within 24 months of the closing of its initial public offering, as provided by its amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. The holders of 24,023,495 Class A ordinary shares of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II (or approximately 96.09% of the publicly held Class A ordinary shares) elected to have their shares redeemed in connection with the business combination with Alvotech.
Across both transactions Oaktree’s SPACs have generated an equity return of approximately 40% since 2020.
We believe that there is currently a large backlog of life sciences companies with only 11 IPOs completed year-to-date and 23,000 life sciences company globally and the capital market conditions continue to improve with more IPOs completed in 2024 (year-to-date) than both 2022 and 2023. The life sciences sector is the most active with 168 transactions raising $34 billion in proceeds year-to-date.
We believe our management and board of director’s capabilities and experience managing Oaktree Acquisition Corp. and Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II will complement Oaktree Acquisition Corp. III Life Sciences and demonstrate the team’s resources required to effect a successful business combination in the current market conditions. In addition, we are well positioned to source additional funding in the capital markets, as required.
Oaktree Acquisition Corp. III Life Sciences will be a natural extension of our management’s day-to-day business and benefit from the proprietary deal flow the team sources, both internally, from other groups across the global Oaktree platform, and externally, from our management’s and board of director’s breadth of industry relationships.
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Our founders and our directors and officers, Oaktree, or its affiliates expect in the future to become affiliated with other public special purpose acquisition companies that may have acquisition objectives that are similar to ours. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Sponsor and Management Team—Our officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities, including another blank check company, and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.”
The past experience or performance of the members of our management team or their affiliates, including Oaktree Acquisition Corp. and Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II and Oaktree, is not a guarantee that we will be able to identify a suitable candidate for our initial business combination or of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate. You should not rely on the historical record or the performance of our management team or their affiliates, including Oaktree Acquisition Corp. and Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II and Oaktree or any of their affiliates’ or managed fund’s performance as indicative of our future performance. See “Risk Factors—General Risk Factors—Past experience or performance by our management team or their affiliates, including Oaktree, Oaktree Acquisition Corp. and Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II, may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in us.”
Our Founders, Board of Directors and Management
John Frank has served as the Chairman and on our board of directors since July 2024. Mr. Frank served in a similar role on the board of directors of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. I and Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II until their business combinations with Hims, Inc. and Alvotech Holdings S.A., respectively. Mr. Frank is Vice Chairman and Director of Brookfield Oaktree Holdings, LLC (formerly Oaktree Capital Group, LLC) and Vice Chairman of Oaktree. He has been senior executive of Oaktree working closely with co-founders Howard Marks and Bruce Karsh, for twenty-three years. Since October 2017, Mr. Frank has also served as the Chairman of the board of directors of Oaktree Specialty Lending Corporation. From October 2017 to March 2021, Mr. Frank also served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Oaktree Strategic Income Corporation prior to its merger with Oaktree Specialty Lending Corporation. Mr. Frank joined Oaktree in 2001 as General Counsel and was named Oaktree’s Managing Principal in early 2006, a position which he held for about nine years. As Managing Principal, Mr. Frank was the firm’s principal executive officer and responsible for all aspects of the firm’s management. Prior to joining Oaktree, Mr. Frank was a partner of the Los Angeles law firm of Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP where he managed a number of notable merger and acquisition transactions. Prior to joining Munger Tolles in 1984, Mr. Frank served as a law clerk to the Honorable Frank M. Coffin of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Frank served as a Legislative Assistant to the Honorable Robert F. Drinan, Member of Congress. Mr. Frank holds a B.A. degree with honors in history from Wesleyan University and a J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School, where he was Managing Editor of the Michigan Law Review and a member of the Order of the Coif. He is a member of the State Bar of California and, while in private practice, was listed in Woodward & White’s Best Lawyers in America. Mr. Frank is a member of the Board of Directors of Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) and Daily Journal Corporation and a Trustee of The James Irvine Foundation and the XPRIZE Foundation. Mr. Frank was a long-time trustee of Good Samaritan Hospital, Polytechnic School and Wesleyan University (where he served as Chair of the Board from 2001 until 2004). We believe Mr. Frank’s experience and expertise make him well qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.
Aman Kumar, MD, has served on our board of directors since July 2024 and is a managing director within Oaktree’s Global Private Debt strategy. He also serves as a co-portfolio manager for the strategy’s Life Sciences Lending platform which focuses on investment opportunities across the healthcare spectrum from biotechnology and pharmaceuticals to medical devices and healthcare services. Prior to joining Oaktree in 2014, Dr. Kumar spent three years at Deutsche Bank in London working on the Global Credit team, most recently as a vice president on the European High Yield trading desk. Since June 2023, Dr. Kumar has been serving on the board of directors of Sanius Health. He has also been a board member of Si02 Material Science since September 2023. He received an M.B.A. from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and holds a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degree from King’s College London. Prior to Wharton, Dr. Kumar worked as a surgeon in the UK National Health Service (NHS). He is a member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. We believe Dr. Kumar’s significant investment experience and experience in the healthcare sector make him well qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.
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Zaid Pardesi has served as our Chief Executive Officer since July 2024 and is a managing director at Oaktree Capital. Mr. Pardesi also served as the Chief Financial Officer and Head of M&A of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II from September 2020 until the closing of the business combination of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II with Alvotech (NASDAQ: ALVO) in June 2022. From July 2019 to January 2021, Mr. Pardesi served as Chief Financial Officer and Head of M&A of Oaktree Acquisition Corp., which consummated a business combination with Hims & Hers Health, Inc. (NYSE: HIMS). He has spent his career originating, acquiring and managing middle-market companies in the industrial, consumer, and healthcare sectors, often operating platforms as Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Pardesi joined Oaktree in 2019 from The Cranemere Group, a global holding company, where he was a senior investment professional acquiring middle-market businesses. Prior thereto, Mr. Pardesi was an investor at H.I.G. Capital and at AEA Investors in New York and London. He began his career at Bain & Company. Mr. Pardesi received an M.B.A. from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and a B.S. from Northwestern University, where he was a computer engineering and economics double major. We believe Mr. Pardesi’s significant investment experience make him well qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.
Mathew Pendo has served as our Chief Operation Officer since July 2024. Mr. Pendo currently serves as the Managing Director, Head of Corporate Development and Capital Markets for Oaktree and the President of the following Oaktree managed Business Development Companies: Oaktree Specialty Lending Corporation and Oaktree Strategic Credit Fund. Mr. Pendo joined Oaktree in 2015. Mr. Pendo previously served Chief Operating Officer of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II until its business combination with Alvotech Holdings S.A., and as Chief Operating Officer of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. until its business combination with Hims, Inc. His prior experience includes serving as the chief investment officer of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where he was honored with the Distinguished Service Award in 2013. Mr. Pendo began his career at Merrill Lynch, where he spent 18 years, starting in their investment banking division before becoming managing director of the technology industry group. Subsequently, Mr. Pendo was a managing director at Barclays Capital, first serving as co-head of U.S. Investment Banking and then co-head of Global Industrials group. He received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Princeton University, cum laude and is a former board member of Ally Financial, Keypath Education, Inc., New IPT Holdings, LLC and SuperValue Inc.
Courtney Conigliaro has served as our Chief Financial Officer since July 2024 and is a senior vice president within Oaktree’s Finance organization, serving as head of the corporate accounting organization. She joined Oaktree’s Finance organization in 2021. She has spent her career managing and overseeing finance, accounting and reporting functions within the asset management and real estate industries, in a variety of management roles. Prior to working at Oaktree, Ms. Conigliaro worked at CBRE, Inc., a global commercial real estate services and investments company, from 2018 to 2021, where she was a senior director, serving as the global segment controller for their advisory segment and overseeing financial due diligence and integrations for the company’s mergers and acquisitions, including oversight of CBRE’s SPAC finance operations. She began her career as an auditor and consultant at Ernst & Young, serving strategic clients in the real estate and financial services industries. Ms. Conigliaro received a B.S. in Accountancy from Villanova University.
Paul Meister has agreed to serve on our board of directors. Mr. Meister has been a partner in Novalis LifeSciences, a life science-focused venture firm, since 2021. Mr. Meister is the co-founder, and since 2008, Chief Executive Officer of Liberty Lane Partners, LLC, a private investment company with investment holdings in healthcare, technology and distribution-related industries. From 2014 to 2018, Mr. Meister was President of MacAndrews & Forbes Incorporated, a private company that owns or controls a diverse set of businesses. In 2018, Mr. Meister also served, on an interim basis, as Executive Vice Chairman of Revlon, Inc. a leading beauty products company (NYSE: REV). Mr. Meister served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of inVentiv Health, Inc. (now Syneos Health Inc.) (NASDAQ: SYNH), a leading provider of commercial, consulting and clinical research services to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, from 2010 to 2014. Mr. Meister was Chairman of Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (NYSE: TMO), a scientific instruments equipment and supplies company, from 2006 to 2007. Mr. Meister was previously an Executive Officer of Fisher
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Scientific International, Inc., a predecessor of Thermo Fisher Scientific from 1991 to 2006. Mr. Meister has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and an M.B.A. from Northwestern University. Other public company directorships include Aptiv PLC (NYSE: APTIV) since July 2019; Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE: AMRX) since August 2019; Oaktree Acquisition Corp. I (July 2019 - January 2021) (NADSAQ: OAC); Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II (NASDAQ: OACB) from September 2020 to June 2022, Quanterix Corporation (NASDAQ: QTRX) since 2013, and Scientific Games Corporation (NASDAQ: SGMS) from March 2012 to June 2020. Mr. Meister is Co-Chair of the University of Michigan’s Life Sciences Institute External Advisory Board and Chair of the Provost’s Advisory Committee. We believe Mr. Meister’s significant investment experience and business strategy expertise make him well qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.
Alvin Shih, M.D. has agreed to serve on our board of directors. Dr. Shih has broad experience in drug development, spanning multiple indications with a focus on rare diseases, including as the chief operating officer and founding member of Pfizer Inc.’s (NYSE: PFE) rare disease research unit from May 2010 to May 2014. Most recently, he has served as president and chief executive officer of Catamaran Bio, Inc. since February 2021. Prior to his current role, from July 2019 to December 2020 Dr. Shih served as the chief executive officer of Disarm Therapeutics, a biotechnology company that developed therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases and that was acquired by Eli Lilly in October 2020. Before that, Dr. Shih was chief executive officer of Enzyvant Therapeutics from November 2016 to February 2019, where he led the company’s cell/tissue-based therapy development for treating a rare immunological disease. Dr. Shih was also the executive vice president and head of research at Retrophin, Inc. from May 2014 to October 2016 where he worked on therapies for multiple disease indications. Dr. Shih has been serving on the board of directors of Tenza from November 2021. Since January 2024, Dr. Shih has been serving on the board of directors of Zevra Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ GS: ZVRA), and since July 2024, Dr. Shih has served on the board of directors of Imbria Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Shih previously worked in management consulting at McKinsey & Company and L.E.K. Consulting, LLC. He received his medical degree from the University of Alabama and completed his residency training at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Shih received his M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. We believe that Dr. Shih’s significant leadership experience in the biotechnology industry and his experience in rare disease qualifies him to serve as a member of our board of directors.
We believe our management team and board of directors is well positioned to take advantage of the growing set of investment opportunities focused on the healthcare industry and that our contacts and relationships will allow us to generate an attractive transaction for our shareholders.
With respect to the above, past experience or performance of our management team or Oaktree and their respective affiliates is not a guarantee of either (i) success with respect to a business combination that may be consummated or (ii) the ability to successfully identify and execute a transaction. You should not rely on the historical record of management or Oaktree and their respective affiliates as indicative of future performance. See “Risk Factors—General Risk Factors—Past experience or performance by our management team or their affiliates, including Oaktree, Oaktree Acquisition Corp. and Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II, may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in us.” For a list of our executive officers and directors and entities for which a conflict of interest may or does exist between such officers and directors, on the one hand, and us, on the other hand, please refer to “Management—Conflicts of Interest.”
Certain of our founders, officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary and contractual duties to other entities, including without limitation, investment funds, accounts, co-investment vehicles and other entities managed by Oaktree or its affiliates and certain companies in which Oaktree or such entities have invested. As a result, if any of our founders, officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he, she or it has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations (including, without limitation, any Oaktree funds or other investment vehicles), then, he, she or it may be required to honor such fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such entity. However, we do not expect these
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duties to present a significant conflict of interest with our search for an initial business combination. We believe this conflict of interest will be naturally mitigated, to some extent, by the differing nature of the acquisition targets Oaktree typically considers most attractive for Oaktree funds and the types of acquisitions we expect Oaktree Acquisition Corp. III Life Sciences to find most attractive. As a result of due diligence from the broader platform, we may become aware of a potential transaction that is not a fit for the traditional investing activities of Oaktree but that is an attractive opportunity for us. In addition to the above, our officers and directors are not required to commit any specific amount of time to our affairs, and accordingly will have conflicts of interest in allocating management time among various business activities, including identifying potential business combinations and monitoring the related due diligence.
Business Strategy
While we will not be limited to a particular industry or geographic region, given the experience of our management team and Oaktree, our acquisition and value creation strategy will be to identify, acquire and build a company in the healthcare and healthcare related industries, including biopharmaceutical, medical devices, diagnostics, and specialized healthcare services companies.
Our acquisition strategy will leverage Oaktree’s network of proprietary deal sourcing where we believe a combination of industry research, private equity sponsorship and lending relationships will provide us with a number of unique business combination opportunities. Additionally, we expect that relationships cultivated from years of transaction experience with management teams of public and private companies, investment bankers, restructuring advisers, attorneys and accountants will provide potential opportunities for our company. Our goal is to collaborate with a company that already is a fundamentally healthy company. We will seek to work with a potential acquisition candidate to access the capital markets, retain and attract top tier management talent, and execute a proprietary value-creation business plan helping the company continue to grow into the next phase of its life cycle. We intend to employ a fundamental, value-oriented acquisition framework that seeks a target with the potential for significant equity value creation coupled with strong downside protection from dependable cash flows and a durable business franchise. The management team along with our board of directors have experience in:
| ∎ | Operating companies in the public and private markets, defining corporate strategy, and identifying, mentoring and recruiting top talent; |
| ∎ | Growing companies, both organically and through strategic transactions, expanding product portfolios and broadening geographic footprints; |
| ∎ | Strategically investing in leading private and public healthcare companies to help accelerate growth and maturation; |
| ∎ | Sourcing, structuring, acquiring and selling businesses; |
| ∎ | Accessing public and private capital markets to optimize capital structure, including financing businesses and helping companies transition ownership structures; and |
| ∎ | Fostering relationships with sellers, capital providers and experienced target management teams. |
| ∎ | Building companies with resilient and flexible business models that have had success in navigating multiple periods of economic drawdowns. |
Following the completion of this offering, we will communicate with our management’s network of deal sourcing relationships to articulate the parameters for our search for a potential business combination and begin the process of pursuing and reviewing potential opportunities.
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Acquisition Criteria
Consistent with our strategy, we have identified the following general criteria and guidelines which we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses. We will use these criteria and guidelines in evaluating acquisition opportunities, but we may decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet these criteria and guidelines. We intend to acquire one or more businesses that we believe:
| ∎ | Will benefit from a public currency. Access to the public equity markets could allow the target company to utilize an additional form of capital, enhancing its ability to pursue accretive acquisitions, high-return capital projects, and/or strengthen its balance sheet; |
| ∎ | Has a healthy growing platform. We will seek to invest in companies that we believe possess attractive business models that will provide a growing platform for equity investors; |
| ∎ | Has a management team and/or a strong sponsor that desires a significant equity stake in the post-business combination company. We will seek to partner with a management team and/or seller who is well-incentivized and aligned in an effort to create shareholder value; |
| ∎ | Can be acquired at an attractive valuation for public market investors. We will seek to be a disciplined steward of capital that will invest on terms that we believe provide attractive risk-adjusted returns. We intend to focus on target companies with an approximate enterprise of $500 million – $1.5 billion; |
| ∎ | Will be resilient to economic cycles. We will focus on recession-resilient business models; |
| ∎ | Are commercial stage assets that have an attractive cash flow profile and/or unit economics. We will seek to target businesses with attractive financial attributes; and |
| ∎ | Will benefit from Oaktree’s long-term sponsorship as it looks to accelerate its growth in the public markets. We intend to acquire a company which we believe will benefit from our differentiated industry network, brand and proprietary value-creation capabilities to improve financial performance and business planning. |
These criteria are not intended to be exhaustive. We may use other criteria as well. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial business combination may be based, to the extent relevant, on these general guidelines as well as other considerations, factors and criteria that our management may deem relevant. In the event that we decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet the above criteria and guidelines, we will disclose that the target business does not meet the above criteria in our shareholder communications related to our initial business combination, which, as discussed in this prospectus, would be in the form of tender offer documents or proxy solicitation materials that we would file with the SEC.
Our Acquisition Process
In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a thorough due diligence review which will encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document reviews, inspection of facilities, as well as a review of financial, operational, legal and other information which will be made available to us. We will also utilize our operational and capital planning experience.
As described in more details below under “—Other Consideration and Conflicts of Interest” and in the section entitled “Management—Conflicts of Interest,” we are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors and conflicts of interest may arise if we select a business combination target that is affiliated with our sponsor, officer or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion that our initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view from either an independent investment banking firm or an independent accounting firm. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context. Despite our agreement to obtain an opinion from an independent investment
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banking firm or an independent valuation or accounting firm regarding the fairness to our company from a financial point of view of a business combination with one or more domestic or international businesses affiliated with our sponsor, executive officers, directors or sponsor, potential conflicts of interest still may exist and, as a result, the terms of the business combination may not be as advantageous to our public shareholders as they would be absent any conflicts of interest. Such conflicts of interest in connection with a business combination with a business affiliated with our sponsor, executive officers or directors include conflicts related to the additional fiduciary and contractual duties that our directors and officers may have (as further described in the next paragraph) and conflicts resulting from our directors’ and officers’ indirect ownership in the founder shares and private placement units held by our sponsor and the effective price at which such securities were purchased by our sponsor and which may result in the selection of an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value and is unprofitable for public shareholders (while still profitable from our sponsor’s, directors’ and officers’ perspective) instead of not consummating a business combination at all or with a different business combination target (for more information, also see “—Other Consideration and Conflicts of Interest”).
Our founders, officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary and contractual duties to other entities, including without limitation, any future special purpose acquisition companies they may be involved in and investment funds, accounts, co-investment vehicles and other entities managed by affiliates of Oaktree and certain companies in which Oaktree or such entities have invested. As a result, if any of our founders, officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he, she or it has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations (including, without limitation, any future special purpose acquisition companies they may be involved in and any current or future Oaktree funds or other investment vehicles), he or she may need to honor such fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such entity. If these funds or investment entities decide to pursue any such opportunity, we may be precluded from pursuing the same. In addition, investment ideas generated within or presented to Oaktree or our founders may be suitable for both us and a current or future Oaktree fund, portfolio company or other investment entity and, subject to applicable fiduciary duties, may first be directed to such fund, portfolio company or other entity before being directed, if at all, to us. None of Oaktree, our founders or any members of our board of directors who are also employed by Oaktree or its affiliates have any obligation to present us with any opportunity for a potential business combination of which they become aware solely in their capacities as officers or executives of Oaktree. Further, members of our management team will directly or indirectly own our ordinary shares and/or private placement units (including their underlying securities) following this offering, and, accordingly, may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. The low price that our sponsor, executive officers and directors (directly or indirectly) paid for the founder shares creates an incentive whereby our officers and directors could potentially make a substantial profit even if we select an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value and is unprofitable for public shareholders.
Although affiliates of our directors and officers or entities, to which they have fiduciary obligations, including Oaktree or certain of its current or future investment funds, accounts, co-investment vehicles and other entities managed by affiliates of Oaktree, may pursue a similar target universe to us for acquisition or investment opportunities, we anticipate that the specific companies or assets that we may target (e.g. companies in the healthcare or healthcare-related industries seeking to go public) will only overlap as appropriate opportunities for such entities and persons due to their investment mandates if such potential targets also desire to enter into other debt or equity transactions with such entities and persons in connection with a going public transaction, which our potential targets may choose to effectuate via a business combination with us or without us via a business combination with a competing special purpose acquisition company or the use of a more traditional initial public offering or direct listing structure. Therefore, we do not expect the fiduciary and contractual duties of our directors, officers, their affiliates and entities, to which they have fiduciary obligations, to materially affect our ability to select an appropriate acquisition target and complete an initial business combination.
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Initial Business Combination
We must complete one or more business combinations that together have an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the net assets held in the trust account (excluding the amount of deferred underwriting discounts held in trust and taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account) at the time of signing the agreement to enter into the initial business combination. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses or we are considering an initial business combination with an affiliated entity, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or an independent valuation or accounting firm with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. Our shareholders may not be provided with a copy of such opinion nor will they be able to rely on such opinion. While we consider it unlikely that our board will not be able to make an independent determination of the fair market value of a target business or businesses, it may be unable to do so if the board is less familiar or experienced with the target company’s business, there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of the company’s assets or prospects, including if such company is at an early stage of development, operations or growth, or if the anticipated transaction involves a complex financial analysis or other specialized skills and the board determines that outside expertise would be helpful or necessary in conducting such analysis. Since any opinion, if obtained, would merely state that the fair market value of the target business meets the 80% of net assets threshold, unless such opinion includes material information regarding the valuation of a target business or the consideration to be provided, it is not anticipated that copies of such opinion would be distributed to our shareholders. However, if required under applicable law, any proxy statement that we deliver to shareholders and file with the SEC in connection with a proposed transaction will include such opinion.
We may, at our option, pursue an acquisition opportunity jointly with one or more parties affiliated with Oaktree, including without limitation, officers and partners of Oaktree, investment funds, accounts, co-investment vehicles and other entities managed by affiliates of Oaktree and/or investors in funds, accounts, co-investment vehicles and other entities managed by affiliates of Oaktree. Any such party may co-invest with us in the target business at the time of our initial business combination, or we could raise additional proceeds to complete the acquisition by issuing to such parties a specified future issuance. The amount and other terms and conditions of any such joint acquisition or specified future issuance would be determined at the time thereof.
We anticipate structuring our initial business combination so that the post-business combination company in which our public shareholders own shares will own or acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses. We may, however, structure our initial business combination such that the post-business combination company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management team or shareholders or for other reasons, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-business combination 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, or the Investment Company Act. Even if the post-business combination company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to the business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-business combination company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our shareholders immediately prior to the completion of our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our issued and outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-business combination company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be valued for purposes of the 80% of net assets test.
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If the business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% of net assets test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the target businesses and we will treat the target businesses together as the initial business combination for purposes of a tender offer or for seeking shareholder approval, as applicable.
To the extent we effect our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in such company or business. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all significant risk factors.
The time required to select and evaluate a target business and to structure and complete our initial business combination, and the costs associated with this process, are not currently ascertainable with any degree of certainty. Any costs incurred with respect to the identification and evaluation of a prospective target business with which our initial business combination is not ultimately completed will result in our incurring losses and will reduce the funds we can use to complete another business combination. Further, as the number of special purpose acquisition companies evaluating targets increases, attractive targets may become scarcer and there may be more competition for attractive targets. Because of our limited resources and such increased competition for business combination opportunities, including from other special purpose acquisition companies or other entities having a similar business objective to us, it may be more difficult for us to complete our initial business combination or negotiate attractive terms for our initial business combination. Depending on who our competitors will be when negotiating a business combination transaction, we may also be at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating an initial business combination. For more information also see “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Search for, and Consummation of, or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination—As the number of special purpose acquisition companies evaluating targets increases, attractive targets may become scarcer and there may be more competition for attractive targets. This could increase the cost of our initial business combination and could even result in our inability to find a target or to consummate an initial business combination” and “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Search for, and Consummation of, or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination—Because of our limited resources and the significant competition for business combination opportunities, it may be more difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. If we do not complete our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per public share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless.”
Pursuant to a letter agreement to be entered with us, we have agreed not to enter into a definitive agreement regarding an initial business combination without the prior consent of our sponsor. Further, pursuant to such letter agreement, each of our sponsor, directors and officers has agreed to restrictions on its ability to transfer, assign, or sell founder shares, private placement units and public units (if any are purchased in connection with the offering), as summarized in the table below. For more information on non-contractual resale restrictions, also see “Securities Eligible for Future Sale—Rule 144,” “Securities Eligible for Future Sale—Restrictions on the Use of Rule 144 by Shell Companies or Former Shell Companies” and “Securities Eligible for Future Sale—Summary of resale restrictions.”
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| SUBJECT SECURITIES |
TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS |
NATURAL PERSONS AND ENTITIES SUBJECT TO TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS |
EXCEPTIONS TO TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS | |||
| Founder Shares | Agreement not to (a) sell, offer to sell, contract or agree to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agree to dispose of, directly or indirectly, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidation with respect to or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder with respect to, any security, (b) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any security, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of such securities, in cash or otherwise, or (c) publicly announce any intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (a) or (b) (each of the foregoing, a “Transfer”), until the earlier of (A) 180 days after the completion of our initial business combination and (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property. Further, no Transfer of any Class A ordinary shares, Class B ordinary shares or any other securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, ordinary | Our sponsor, directors and officers | Restrictions are not applicable to transfers (a) to our officers or directors, any affiliates or family members of any of our officers or directors, any members or partners of our sponsor or their affiliates, any affiliates of our sponsor, or any employees of such affiliates; (b) in the case of an individual, by gift to a member of one of the individual’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of the individual’s immediate family, an affiliate of such person or to a charitable organization; (c) in the case of an individual, by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of the individual; (d) in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; (e) by private sales or transfers made in connection with the consummation of a business combination at prices no greater than the price at which the founder shares, private placement units, private placement warrants, private placement shares or Class A ordinary shares, as applicable, were originally purchased; (f) pro rata distributions from our sponsor to its members, partners, or shareholders pursuant to our sponsor’s operating agreement, (g) by virtue of our sponsor’s organizational documents upon liquidation or dissolution of our sponsor; (h) to the Company for no value for cancellation in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination; (i) in |
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| SUBJECT SECURITIES |
TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS |
NATURAL PERSONS AND ENTITIES SUBJECT TO TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS |
EXCEPTIONS TO TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS | |||
| shares until 180 days after the date of this prospectus. |
the event of our liquidation prior to the completion of our initial business combination; or (j) in the event of our completion of a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination; provided, however, that in the case of clauses (a) through (g) these permitted transferees must enter into a written agreement agreeing to be bound by these transfer restrictions and the other restrictions contained in the letter agreement. Any permitted transferees would be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of our sponsor and management team with respect to any founder shares and private placement units (including their underlying securities). Further, despite the 180 day Transfer restriction after the date of this prospectus that is described under the column “Transfer restrictions” to the left of this column, the underwriting agreement authorizes registration with the SEC pursuant to the Registration Rights and Shareholder Rights Agreement of the resale of the founder shares, the private placement units (including any private placement units issued upon conversion of working capital loans) and their |
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| SUBJECT SECURITIES |
TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS |
NATURAL PERSONS AND ENTITIES SUBJECT TO TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS |
EXCEPTIONS TO TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS | |||
| underlying securities, the exercise of the private placement warrants and the public warrants and the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of such warrants or conversion of founder shares. | ||||||
| Private Placement Units and underlying securities | No Transfer until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination. Further, no Transfer of any Class A ordinary shares, Class B ordinary shares or any other securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, ordinary shares until 180 days after the date of this prospectus. | Our sponsor, directors and officers | Same as above. | |||
| Public Units and underlying securities (if any are purchased in connection with the offering) | No Transfer of any Class A ordinary shares, Class B ordinary shares or any other securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, ordinary shares until 180 days after the date of this prospectus. | Our sponsor, directors and officers | Same as above. |
The letter agreement also provides that the sponsor and each director and officer agree to vote any founder shares, private placement shares included in private placement units and any public shares they may own in favor of a proposed initial business combination if we seek shareholder approval for such business combination and in favor of any proposals recommended by our board of directors in connection with such business combination (except with respect to any such public shares which may not be voted in favor of approving the business combination transaction in accordance with the requirements of Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act and any SEC interpretations or guidance relating thereto). Further, our sponsor, directors and officers also agree not to redeem any public shares they may hold in connection with such shareholder approval. The letter agreement may not be changed, amended, modified or waived as to any particular provision, except by a written instrument executed by (i) each director and officer signatory to the letter agreement with respect to herself or himself, as applicable, to the extent she or he are the subject of any such change, amendment, modification or waiver, (ii) us, and (iii) our sponsor. Changes, amendments, modifications or waivers to the Transfer restriction that lasts for 180 days after the date of this prospectus will require the written consent of the representatives of the underwriters of this offering. While we do not expect our board to approve any amendment to the letter agreement prior to our initial business combination, it may be possible that our board, in exercising its business judgment and subject to its fiduciary duties, chooses to approve one or more amendments to the letter agreement. Any such amendments to the letter agreement would not require approval from our shareholders and may have an adverse effect on the value of an investment in our securities. For more information, also see “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Sponsor and Management Team—Our letter agreement with our sponsor, officers and directors may be amended without shareholder approval” and “Underwriting—Contractual Transfer Restrictions in the Letter Agreement and Underwriting Agreement.”
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In order to facilitate our initial business combination or for any other reason determined by our sponsor, our sponsor may, with our consent, (i) surrender or forfeit, transfer or exchange our founder shares, private placement units or any of our other securities held by it, including for no consideration in connection with a PIPE financing or otherwise, (ii) subject any such securities to earn-outs or other restrictions, and (iii) enter into any other arrangements with respect to any such securities.
We may approve an amendment or waiver of the letter agreement that would allow the sponsor to directly, or members of our sponsor to indirectly, transfer founder shares and private placement units or membership interests in our sponsor in a transaction in which the sponsor or Oaktree removes itself as our sponsor before identifying a business combination. As a result, there is a risk that Oaktree and its affiliates, our sponsor and our officers and directors may divest their ownership or economic interests in us or in our sponsor, which would likely result in our loss of certain key personnel, including John Frank, Zaid Pardesi, Aman Kumar or Mathew Pendo. There can be no assurance that any replacement sponsor or key personnel will successfully identify a business combination target for us, or, even if one is so identified, successfully complete such business combination.
Other Considerations and Conflicts of Interest
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination or subsequent transaction with a company that is affiliated with Oaktree or our sponsor, founders, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with Oaktree, our sponsor or any of our founders, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or an independent valuation or accounting firm that such initial business combination or transaction is fair to our company from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context.
The table below summarizes (i) the number of founder shares and private placement units issued or to be issued to the sponsor simultaneously with the consummation of this offering and the price paid or to be paid by the sponsor for such securities, and (ii) the main items of compensation received or eligible to be received by the sponsor, our sponsor’s affiliates and our directors and officers:
| ENTITY/ |
AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION RECEIVED OR TO
BE |
CONSIDERATION | ||
| Sponsor | 5,031,250 founder shares(1) (of which 656,250 are subject to forfeiture to the underwriters do not exercise their overallotment option) | $25,000 or approximately $0.005 per founder share | ||
| 550,000 private placement units (or 602,500 private placement units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) | ||||
| $25,000 per month | Office space, secretarial and administrative services | |||
| Up to $300,000 | Repayment of loans made to us to cover offering related and organizational expenses | |||
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| ENTITY/INDIVIDUAL |
AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION RECEIVED OR TO |
CONSIDERATION | ||
| Sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates | Up to $1,500,000 in working capital loans by our sponsor, our sponsor’s affiliates and our directors or officers. Such loans may be converted at the option of the lender into private placement units at a conversion price of $10.00 per unit(2) | Working capital loans to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an initial business combination | ||
| Reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating, negotiating and completing an initial business combination. There is no cap or ceiling on the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such persons in connection with activities on our behalf.(3) | Services in connection with identifying, investigating and completing an initial business combination | |||
| (1) | As described under “Offering—Founder shares conversion and anti-dilution rights,” the founder shares and Class A ordinary shares issuable in connection with the conversion of the founder shares may result in material dilution to our public shareholders due to the nominal price of $0.005 per founder share at which our sponsor purchased the founder shares and/or the anti-dilution rights of our founder shares that may result in an issuance of Class A ordinary shares on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion. Our sponsor, directors and officers and their affiliates may receive additional compensation and/or may be issued additional securities in connection with an initial business combination, including securities that may result in material dilution to public shareholders. For more information also see under “Offering—Payments to insiders” and “Offering—Additional financing.” |
| (2) | The $10.00 per private placement unit conversion price for such working capital loans may potentially be significantly less than the market price of our shares at the time the lenders elect to convert their working capital loans into private placement units. Further, the $11.50 exercise price of the private placement warrants included in the private placement units issuable upon conversion of working capital loans may be significantly less than the market price of our shares at the time such private placement warrants are exercised. Similarly, depending on the market price of our shares at the time our private placement warrants are exercised, the cashless exercise feature of our private placement warrants may also result in material dilution to our public shareholders given that the cashless exercise of the warrants will not result in any cash proceeds to us and holders of our private placement warrants would pay the private placement warrant exercise price by surrendering their warrants for a number of Class A ordinary shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of Class A ordinary shares underlying the warrants, multiplied by the excess of the “Sponsor fair market value” (as defined below) over the exercise price of the warrants by (y) the Sponsor fair market value. The “Sponsor fair market value” shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Class A ordinary shares for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of warrant exercise is sent to the warrant agent. Therefore, such private placement unit issuances may result in significant dilution to holders of our shares. For more information also see “Risk Factor—Risks Relating to our Search for, Consummation of, or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination—We may issue shares to investors in connection with our initial business combination at a price which is less than $10.00 or the prevailing market price of our shares at that time, which could dilute the interests of our existing shareholders and add costs” and “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Sponsor and Management Team—Our warrants may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A ordinary shares and make it more difficult to effectuate our initial business combination.” |
| (3) | For more information, also see “Effecting Our Initial Business Combination—Sources of Target Businesses,” “Management—Executive Officer and Director Compensation” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions.” |
Affiliates of Oaktree and members of our board of directors will directly or indirectly own founder shares and private placement units (including their underlying securities) following this offering and, accordingly, may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. Due to their economic interest in our sponsor of approximately 70%, up to 13% and up to 13% respectively, each of an affiliated fund of Oaktree, Zaid Pardesi and Aman Kumar may be considered to have a material interest in our sponsor. The low price that our sponsor, executive officers and directors (directly or indirectly) paid for the founder shares creates an
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incentive whereby our officers and directors could potentially make a substantial profit even if we select an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value and is unprofitable for public shareholders. If we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, the founder shares and private placement units held by our sponsor may lose most of their value, except to the extent that the founder shares or the Class A ordinary shares included in the private placement units receive liquidating distributions from assets outside the trust account, which could create an incentive for our sponsor, executive officers and directors to complete a transaction even if we select an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value and is unprofitable for public shareholders. Similarly, additional conflicts of interests may arise and incentives may be created to select an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value and is unprofitable for public shareholders instead of not consummating a business combination if (i) after the redemption of public shareholders no assets are available outside of the trust account to repay any loans extended to us by our sponsor, affiliates of our sponsor or our officers and directors and to reimburse our sponsor and others for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with identifying, investigating and completing an initial business combination or (ii) not consummating a business combination within the allotted time may require service providers to forfeit their fees. Further, each of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers or directors were to be included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination.
We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target. Oaktree is continuously made aware of potential business opportunities, one or more of which we may desire to pursue for a business combination, but we have not (nor has anyone on our behalf) contacted any prospective target business or had any substantive discussions, formal or otherwise, with respect to a business combination transaction with our company. We will not consider a business combination with any company that has already been identified to Oaktree as a suitable acquisition candidate for it, unless Oaktree, in its sole discretion, declines such potential business combination or makes available to our company a co-investment opportunity in accordance with Oaktree’s applicable policies and procedures. Additionally, we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, taken any substantive measure, directly or indirectly, to identify or locate any suitable acquisition candidate for us, nor have we engaged or retained any agent or other representative to identify or locate any such acquisition candidate.
Oaktree may manage multiple investment vehicles and raise additional funds and/or successor funds in the future, which may be during the period in which we are seeking our initial business combination. These Oaktree investment entities may be seeking acquisition opportunities and related financing at any time. We may compete with any one or more of them on any given acquisition opportunity.
Our sponsor and our officers and directors may sponsor or form other special purpose acquisition companies similar to ours or may pursue other business or investment ventures during the period in which we are seeking an initial business combination. Any such companies, businesses or investments may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an initial business combination. However, we do not believe that any such potential conflicts would materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination.
In addition, certain of our founders, officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary and contractual duties to other entities, including without limitation, any future special purpose acquisition companies they may be involved in and investment funds, accounts, co-investment vehicles and other entities managed by affiliates of Oaktree and certain companies in which Oaktree or such entities have invested. As a result, if any of our founders, officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he, she or it has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations (including, without limitation, any future special purpose acquisition companies they may be involved in and any current or future Oaktree funds or other investment vehicles), then he or she may need to honor such fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such entity. If these funds or investment entities decide to pursue any such
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opportunity, we may be precluded from pursuing the same. In addition, investment ideas generated within or presented to Oaktree or our founders may be suitable for both us and a current or future Oaktree fund, portfolio company or other investment entity and, subject to applicable fiduciary duties, may first be directed to such fund, portfolio company or other entity before being directed, if at all, to us. None of Oaktree, our founders or any members of our board of directors who are also employed by Oaktree or its affiliates have any obligation to present us with any opportunity for a potential business combination of which they become aware solely in their capacities as officers or executives of Oaktree. Although affiliates of our directors and officers or entities, to which they have fiduciary obligations, including Oaktree or certain of its current or future investment funds, accounts, co-investment vehicles and other entities managed by affiliates of Oaktree, may pursue a similar target universe to us for acquisition or investment opportunities, we anticipate that the specific companies or assets that we may target (e.g. companies in the healthcare or healthcare-related industries seeking to go public) will only overlap as appropriate opportunities for such entities and persons due to their investment mandates if such potential targets also desire to enter into other debt or equity transactions with such entities and persons in connection with a going public transaction, which our potential targets may choose to effectuate via a business combination with us or without us via a business combination with a competing special purpose acquisition company or the use of a more traditional initial public offering or direct listing structure. Therefore, we do not expect the fiduciary and contractual duties of our directors, officers, their affiliates and entities, to which they have fiduciary obligations, to materially affect our ability to select an appropriate acquisition target and complete an initial business combination.
To address the matters set out above, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, to the maximum extent permitted by law: (i) no individual serving as a director or an officer shall have any duty, except and to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us; and (ii) we renounce any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which may be a corporate opportunity for any director or officer or another entity, including any entities managed by Oaktree or its affiliates and any companies in which Oaktree or such entities have invested, about which any of our officers or directors acquires knowledge (we will waive any claim or cause of action we may have in respect thereof), on the one hand, and us, on the other. In addition our amended and restated articles of association will contain provisions to exculpate and indemnify, to the maximum extent permitted by law, such persons in respect of any liability, obligation or duty to the company that may arise as a consequence of such persons becoming aware of any business opportunity or failing to present such business opportunity.
Further, our founders, officers and directors are not required to commit any specified amount of time to our affairs and, accordingly, will have conflicts of interest in allocating management time among various business activities, including identifying potential business combinations and monitoring the related due diligence. In particular, certain of our officers and directors may serve as an officer and/or director of other future special purpose acquisition companies. Moreover, our founders, officers and directors have, and will have in the future, time and attention requirements for current and future investment funds, accounts, co-investment vehicles and other entities managed by Oaktree. To the extent any conflict of interest arises between, on the one hand, us and, on the other hand, investments funds, accounts, co-investment vehicles and other entities managed by Oaktree (including, without limitation, arising as a result of certain of our founders, officers and directors being required to offer acquisition opportunities to such investment funds, accounts, co-investment vehicles and other entities), Oaktree and its affiliates will resolve such conflicts of interest in their sole discretion in accordance with their then existing fiduciary, contractual and other duties and there can be no assurance that such conflict of interest will be resolved in our favor. For more information on conflicts of interests, also see the sections entitled “Risk Factors —Risks Relating to our Sponsor and Management Team” and “Management—Conflicts of Interest.”
We have until the date that is 24 months from the closing of this offering or until such earlier liquidation date as our board of directors may approve to consummate our initial business combination. If we anticipate that we may be unable to consummate our initial business combination within such
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24-month period, we may seek shareholder approval to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to extend the date by which we must consummate our initial business combination. If we seek shareholder approval for an extension, and the related amendments are implemented by the directors, holders of Class A ordinary shares will be offered an opportunity to redeem their shares at a per share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned thereon (less permitted withdrawals), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to applicable law. There is no limit on the number of extensions that we may seek; however, we do not expect to extend the time period to consummate our initial business combination beyond 36 months from the closing of this offering. If we determine not to or are unable to extend the time period to consummate our initial business combination or fail to obtain shareholder approval to extend, our sponsor may lose its entire investment in our founder shares and our private placement units. For more information, also see “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Securities—Since our sponsor, executive officers and directors may lose their entire investment in us (other than with respect to public shares they may acquire during or after this offering) if our initial business combination is not completed and no liquidating distributions from assets outside the trust account are available, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination.”
As described under “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Sponsor and Our Management Team—You will not be permitted to exercise your warrants unless we register and qualify the underlying Class A ordinary shares or certain exemptions are available,” the holders of our warrants will not be permitted to exercise their warrants unless we register and qualify the underlying Class A ordinary shares or certain exemptions are available. If the issuance of the Class A ordinary shares upon exercise of our public warrants is not registered or qualified or exempt from registration or qualification, the holders of such warrants will not be entitled to exercise their warrants and the warrants may have no value and expire worthless. In such an instance, our sponsor and its permitted transferees (which may include our directors and officers) would be able to exercise their private placement warrants (given the private placement warrants are exercisable for cash or “cashless” at the option of our sponsor and its permitted transferees) and our sponsor and its permitted transferees may sell the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of such private placement warrants while holders of our public warrants would not be able to exercise their warrants and sell the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise.
Further, if and when the public warrants become redeemable by us, we may exercise our redemption right even if we are unable to register or qualify the underlying shares of Class A Common Stock for sale under applicable state securities laws and even if an exemption from such registration or qualification is not available. As a result, we may redeem our public warrants even if the public holders are otherwise unable to exercise their public warrants (for more information, also see “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Sponsor and Our Management Team—We may redeem your unexpired warrants prior to their exercise at a time that is disadvantageous to you, thereby making your warrants worthless.”). In addition, the ability to redeem our public warrants could create conflicts of interest as it limits the potential upside of holders of our public warrants while our non-redeemable private placement warrants remain outstanding and become more valuable as our share price increases. Our management team may also require holders to exercise their warrants on a “cashless” basis, which would reduce the number of Class A ordinary shares received by a holder upon exercise of their warrants and thereby reduce the potential equity “upside” of a public holder’s investment in us. For more information, also see “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Sponsor and Our Management Team—Our management’s ability to require holders of our public warrants to exercise such public warrants on a cashless basis will cause holders to receive fewer Class A ordinary shares upon their exercise of the public warrants than they would have received had they been able to exercise their public warrants for cash.”
Status as a Public Company
We believe our structure will make us an attractive business combination partner to target businesses. As an existing public company, we offer a target business an alternative to the traditional initial public offering through a merger or other business combination with us. In a business combination transaction
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with us, the owners of the target business may, for example, exchange their shares of stock, shares or other interests in the target business for our Class A ordinary shares (or shares of a new holding company) or for a combination of our Class A ordinary shares and cash, allowing us to tailor the consideration to the specific needs of the sellers. We believe target businesses will find this method a more expeditious and cost effective method to becoming a public company than the typical initial public offering. The typical initial public offering process takes a significantly longer period of time than the typical business combination transaction process, and there are significant expenses, market and other uncertainties in the initial public offering process, including, but not limited, underwriting discounts and commissions, marketing and road show efforts, that may not be present to the same extent in connection with a business combination with us.
Furthermore, once a proposed business combination is completed, the target business will have effectively become public, whereas an initial public offering is always subject to the underwriters’ ability to complete the offering, as well as general market conditions, which could delay or prevent the offering from occurring or have negative valuation consequences. Once public, we believe the target business would then have greater access to capital, an additional means of providing management incentives consistent with shareholders’ interests and the ability to use its shares as currency for acquisitions. Being a public company can offer further benefits by augmenting a company’s profile among potential new customers and vendors and aid in attracting talented employees.
While we believe that our structure and our management team’s backgrounds will make us an attractive business partner, some potential target businesses may view our status as a blank check company, such as our lack of an operating history and our ability to seek shareholder approval of any proposed initial business combination, negatively.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act. We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.235 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our Class A ordinary shares that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the prior three-year period.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $250 million as of the prior June 30, and (2) our annual revenues equaled or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year or the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30.
Financial Position
With funds available for a business combination initially in the amount of $170,175,000, after payment of the estimated expenses of this offering and $6,125,000 of deferred underwriting fees (or $195,506,250 after payment of the estimated expenses of this offering and $7,043,750 of deferred underwriting fees if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), we offer a target business a variety of options such as creating a liquidity event for its owners, providing capital for the potential growth and expansion of its operations or strengthening its balance sheet by reducing its debt ratio. Because we are able to complete our initial business combination using our cash, debt or equity securities, or a combination of the foregoing, we have the flexibility to use the most efficient combination that will allow us to tailor the consideration to be paid to the target business to fit its needs and desires. However, we have not taken any steps to secure third party financing and there can be no assurance it will be available to us.
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EFFECTING OUR INITIAL BUSINESS COMBINATION
General
We are not presently engaged in, and we will not engage in, any operations for an indefinite period of time following this offering. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of this offering, the sale of the private placement units, our equity, debt or a combination of these as the consideration to be paid in our initial business combination. We may seek to complete our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, which would subject us to the numerous risks inherent in such companies and businesses.
If our initial business combination is paid for using equity or debt, or not all of the funds released from the trust account are used for payment of the consideration in connection with our initial business combination or used for redemptions of our Class A ordinary shares, we may apply the balance of the cash released to us from the trust account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of the post-business combination company, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other companies or for working capital.
We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions with any business combination target. Additionally, we have not engaged or retained any agent or other representative to identify or locate any suitable acquisition candidate, to conduct any research or take any measures, directly or indirectly, to locate or contact a target business, other than our officers and directors. Accordingly, there is no current basis for investors in this offering to evaluate the possible merits or risks of the target business with which we may ultimately complete our initial business combination. Although our management will assess the risks inherent in a particular target business with which we may combine, we cannot assure you that this assessment will result in our identifying all risks that a target business may encounter. Furthermore, some of those risks may be outside of our control, meaning that we can do nothing to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely affect a target business.
We may need to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination, either because the transaction requires more cash than is available from the proceeds held in our trust account, or because we become obligated to redeem a significant number of our public shares upon completion of the business combination, in which case we may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection with such business combination. There is no limitation on our ability to raise funds through the issuance of equity-linked securities or through loans, advances or other indebtedness, privately or through other means, in connection with our initial business combination, including pursuant to forward purchase agreements, non-redemption or backstop arrangements we may enter into following consummation of this offering. We are not currently a party to any arrangement or understanding with any third party with respect to raising any additional funds through the sale of securities, the incurrence of debt or otherwise. For more information also see “Offering—Payments to insiders” and “Offering—Additional financing” as well as “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Search for, Consummation of, or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination—We may issue additional Class A ordinary shares or preference shares to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue Class A ordinary shares upon the conversion of the founder shares at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions contained in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our shareholders and likely present other risks,” “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Search for, Consummation of, or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination—We may issue shares to investors in connection with our initial business combination at a price which is less than $10.00 or the prevailing market price of our shares at that time, which could dilute the interests of our existing shareholders and add costs” or “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Search for, Consummation of, or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination—We may issue notes or other debt, or otherwise incur substantial debt, to complete a business combination, which may adversely affect our leverage and financial condition and thus negatively impact the value of our shareholders’ investment in us.”
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Sources of Target Businesses
Our process of identifying acquisition targets will leverage Oaktree’s and our management team’s unique industry experiences, proven deal sourcing capabilities and broad and deep network of relationships in numerous industries, including executives and management teams, private equity groups and other institutional investors, large business enterprises, lenders, investment bankers and other investment market participants, restructuring advisers, consultants, attorneys and accountants, which we believe should provide us with a number of business combination opportunities. We expect that the collective experience, capability and network of Oaktree, our founders, directors and officers, combined with their individual and collective reputations in the investment community, will help to create prospective business combination opportunities.
In addition, we anticipate that target business candidates may be brought to our attention from various unaffiliated sources, including investment bankers and private investment funds. Target businesses may be brought to our attention by such unaffiliated sources as a result of being solicited by us through calls or mailings. These sources may also introduce us to target businesses in which they think we may be interested on an unsolicited basis, since many of these sources will have read this prospectus and know what types of businesses we are targeting. Our officers and directors, as well as their affiliates, may also bring to our attention target business candidates of which they become aware through their business contacts as a result of formal or informal inquiries or discussions they may have, as well as attending trade shows or conventions.
While we do not presently anticipate engaging the services of professional firms or other individuals that specialize in business acquisitions on any formal basis, we may engage these firms or other individuals in the future, in which event we may pay a finder’s fee, consulting fee or other compensation to be determined in an arm’s length negotiation based on the terms of the transaction. We will engage a finder only to the extent our management determines that the use of a finder may bring opportunities to us that may not otherwise be available to us or if finders approach us on an unsolicited basis with a potential transaction that our management determines is in our best interest to pursue. Payment of a finder’s fee is customarily tied to completion of a transaction, in which case any such fee will be paid out of the funds held in the trust account. In addition, we may pay our sponsor or any of our officers or directors, or any entity with which they are affiliated, a finder’s fee, consulting fee or other compensation in connection with identifying, investigating and completing our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is), which we will disclose in the proxy statement filed in connection with our initial business combination. We have agreed to pay our sponsor a total of $25,000 per month for office space, secretarial and administrative support and to reimburse our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates, for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating and completing an initial business combination. Some of our officers and directors may enter into employment or consulting agreements with the post-business combination company following our initial business combination.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination or subsequent transaction with a company that is affiliated with Oaktree or our sponsor, founders, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with Oaktree, our sponsor or any of our founders, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or an independent valuation or accounting firm that such initial business combination or transaction is fair to our company from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context.
Each of our officers and directors presently has, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities, including any future special purpose acquisition companies they may be involved in and entities that are affiliates of our sponsor, pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity. Accordingly, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she may honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such entity. For more information, see “Management—Conflicts of Interest.”
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Evaluation of a Target Business and Structuring of Our Initial Business Combination
In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a thorough due diligence review which may encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document reviews, interviews of customers and suppliers, inspection of facilities, as well as a review of financial, operational, legal and other information which will be made available to us. If we determine to move forward with a particular target, we will proceed to structure and negotiate the terms of the business combination transaction.
The time required to identify and evaluate a target business and to structure and complete our initial business combination, and the costs associated with this process, are not currently ascertainable with any degree of certainty. Any costs incurred with respect to the identification and evaluation of, and negotiation with, a prospective target business with which our initial business combination is not ultimately completed will result in our incurring losses and will reduce the funds we can use to complete another business combination. In addition, we have agreed not to enter into a definitive agreement regarding an initial business combination without the prior consent of our sponsor.
Lack of Business Diversification
For an indefinite period of time after the completion of our initial business combination, the prospects for our success may depend entirely on the future performance of a single business. Unlike other entities that have the resources to complete business combinations with multiple entities in one or several industries, it is probable that we will not have the resources to diversify our operations and mitigate the risks of being in a single line of business. By completing our initial business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may:
| ∎ | subject us to negative economic, competitive and regulatory developments, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact on the particular industry in which we operate after our initial business combination; and |
| ∎ | cause us to depend on the marketing and sale of a single product or limited number of products or services. |
Limited Ability to Evaluate the Target’s Management Team
Although we intend to closely scrutinize the management of a prospective target business when evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with that business, our assessment of the target business’s management may not prove to be correct. In addition, the future management may not have the necessary skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company. Furthermore, the future role of members of our management team, if any, in the target business cannot presently be stated with any certainty. The determination as to whether any of the members of our management team will remain with the combined company will be made at the time of our initial business combination. While it is possible that one or more of our directors will remain associated in some capacity with us following our initial business combination, it is unlikely that any of them will devote their full efforts to our affairs subsequent to our initial business combination. Moreover, we cannot assure you that members of our management team will have significant experience or knowledge relating to the operations of the particular target business.
We cannot assure you that any of our key personnel will remain in senior management or advisory positions with the combined company. The determination as to whether any of our key personnel will remain with the combined company will be made at the time of our initial business combination.
Following a business combination, we may seek to recruit additional managers to supplement the incumbent management of the target business. We cannot assure you that we will have the ability to recruit additional managers, or that additional managers will have the requisite skills, knowledge or experience necessary to enhance the incumbent management.
Shareholders May Not Have the Ability to Approve Our Initial Business Combination
We may conduct redemptions without a shareholder vote pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC subject to the provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. However, we will seek shareholder approval if it is required by applicable law or stock exchange rule, or we may decide to seek shareholder approval for business or other reasons.
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Under Nasdaq’s listing rules, shareholder approval would be required for our initial business combination if, for example:
| ∎ | we issue (other than in a public offering for cash) ordinary shares that will either (a) be equal to or in excess of 20% of the number of ordinary shares then issued and outstanding (excluding the private placement shares included in the private placement units) or (b) have voting power equal to or in excess of 20% of the voting power then issued and outstanding (excluding the private placement shares included in the private placement units); |
| ∎ | any of our directors, officers or substantial shareholders (as defined by Nasdaq rules) has a 5% or greater interest (or such persons collectively have a 10% or greater interest), directly or indirectly, in the target business or assets to be acquired or otherwise and the present or potential issuance of ordinary shares could result in an increase in issued and outstanding ordinary shares or voting power of 5% or more; or |
| ∎ | the issuance or potential issuance of ordinary shares will result in our undergoing a change of control. |
The decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination in those instances in which shareholder approval is not required by law will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on business and legal reasons, which include a variety of factors, including, but not limited to:
| ∎ | the timing of the transaction, including in the event we determine shareholder approval would require additional time and there is either not enough time to seek shareholder approval or doing so would place the company at a disadvantage in the transaction or result in other additional burdens on the company; |
| ∎ | the expected cost of holding a shareholder vote; |
| ∎ | the risk that the shareholders would fail to approve the proposed business combination; |
| ∎ | other time and budget constraints of the company; and |
| ∎ | additional legal complexities of a proposed business combination that would be time-consuming and burdensome to present to shareholders. |
Permitted Purchases and Other Transactions with Respect to Our Securities
If we seek shareholder approval of our business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase units, public shares, warrants or equity-linked securities in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination, although they are under no obligation to do so. Additionally, at any time at or prior to the completion of our initial business combination, subject to applicable securities laws (including with respect to material nonpublic information), our sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates may enter into transactions with investors and others to provide them with incentives to acquire units, public shares or warrants or not redeem their public shares. Such a purchase may include a contractual acknowledgment that such shareholder, although still the record holder of our shares is no longer the beneficial owner thereof and therefore agrees not to exercise its redemption rights. In the event that our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions from public shareholders who have already elected to exercise their redemption rights or submitted a proxy to vote against our initial business combination, such selling shareholders would be required to revoke their prior elections to redeem their shares and any proxy to vote against our initial business combination. We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to the tender offer rules under the Exchange Act or a going-private transaction subject to the going-private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will be required to comply with such rules. It is intended that, if Rule 10b-18 would apply to purchases by our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates, then such purchases will comply with Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act, to the extent it applies, which provides a safe harbor for purchases made under certain conditions, including with respect to timing, pricing and volume of purchases.
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There is no limit on the number of securities our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase in such transactions, subject to compliance with applicable law and Nasdaq rules. However, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. None of the funds held in the trust account will be used to purchase units, public shares or warrants in such transactions. Such persons will be subject to restrictions in making any such purchases when they are in possession of any material non-public information not disclosed to the seller or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act.
The purpose of any such purchases of shares could be to (i) increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the business combination, (ii) reduce the number of public warrants outstanding or vote such warrants on any matters submitted to the warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination or (iii) to satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of the business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. Any such transactions may result in the completion of our business combination that may not otherwise have been possible.
In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our securities may be reduced and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, which may make it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange.
Our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and/or their affiliates anticipate that they may identify the shareholders with whom our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may pursue privately negotiated purchases by either the shareholders contacting us directly or by our receipt of redemption requests submitted by shareholders (holding Class A ordinary shares) following our mailing of proxy materials in connection with our initial business combination. To the extent that our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates enter into a private purchase, they would identify and contact only potential selling shareholders who have expressed their election to redeem their shares for a pro rata share of the trust account or vote against our initial business combination, whether or not such shareholder has already submitted a proxy with respect to our initial business combination but only if such shares have not already been voted at the general meeting related to our initial business combination. Our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates will select which shareholders to purchase shares from based on the negotiated price and number of shares and any other factors that they may deem relevant, and will only purchase shares if such purchases comply with Regulation M under the Exchange Act and the other federal securities laws.
Any purchases by our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and/or their affiliates who are affiliated purchasers under Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act will only be made to the extent such purchases are able to be made in compliance with Rule 10b-18, which is a safe harbor from liability for manipulation under Section 9(a)(2) and Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. Rule 10b-18 has certain technical requirements that must be complied with in order for the safe harbor to be available to the purchaser. Our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and/or their affiliates will be subject to restrictions in making purchases of ordinary shares if the purchases would violate Section 9(a)(2) or Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. Any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements.
Additionally, in the event our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates were to purchase units, public shares or warrants from public shareholders, such purchases would be structured in compliance with the requirements of Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act including, in pertinent part, through adherence to the following:
| ∎ | Our registration statement/proxy statement filed for our business combination transaction would disclose the possibility that our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates may purchase public shares from public shareholders outside the redemption process, along with the purpose of such purchases; |
| ∎ | if our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates were to purchase public shares from public shareholders, they would do so at a price no higher than the price offered through our redemption process; |
| ∎ | our registration statement/proxy statement filed for our business combination transaction would include a representation that any of our securities purchased by our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates would not be voted in favor of approving the business combination transaction; |
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| ∎ | our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates would not possess any redemption rights with respect to our securities or, if they do acquire and possess redemption rights, they would waive such rights; and |
| ∎ | we would disclose in a Form 8-K, before our security holder meeting to approve the business combination transaction, the following material items: |
| ∎ | the amount of our securities purchased outside of the redemption offer by our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates, along with the purchase price; |
| ∎ | the purpose of the purchases by our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates; |
| ∎ | the impact, if any, of the purchases by our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates on the likelihood that the business combination transaction will be approved; |
| ∎ | the identities of our security holders who sold to our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates (if not purchased on the open market) or the nature of our security holders (e.g., 5% security holders) who sold to our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates; and |
| ∎ | the number of our securities for which we have received redemption requests pursuant to our redemption offer. |
Please see “Proposed Business—Permitted Purchases and Other Transactions with Respect to Our Securities” for a description of how such persons will determine from which shareholders to seek to acquire securities.
Redemption Rights for Public Shareholders upon Completion of Our Initial Business Combination
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Class A ordinary shares upon the completion of our initial business combination 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 us for permitted withdrawals, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. The amount in the trust account is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per public share. The per share amount we will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions we will pay to the underwriters. The redemption rights may include the requirement that a beneficial holder must identify itself in order to validly redeem its shares. There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of our initial business combination with respect to our warrants or any private placement units and their underlying securities. Further, we will not proceed with redeeming our public shares, even if a public shareholder has properly elected to redeem its shares, if a business combination does not close. Our sponsor and our management team have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares, private placement shares included in any private placement units and public shares in connection with (i) the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) the implementation by the directors of, following a shareholder vote to approve, an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed or repurchased in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares.
Manner of Conducting Redemptions
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Class A ordinary shares upon the completion of our initial business combination either (i) in connection with a shareholder meeting called to approve the business combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our 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 us to seek shareholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirement or whether we were deemed to be a foreign private issuer (which would require a tender offer rather than seeking shareholder approval under SEC rules). Asset acquisitions and share purchases would not typically require shareholder approval while direct mergers with our company (other than with a 90% subsidiary of ours) and any
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transactions where we issue more than 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares or seek to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association would typically require shareholder approval. We currently intend to conduct redemptions in connection with a shareholder vote unless shareholder approval is not required by applicable law or stock exchange rule or we choose to conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC for business or other reasons.
If we hold a shareholder vote to approve our initial business combination, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association:
| ∎ | conduct the redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies, and not pursuant to the tender offer rules; and |
| ∎ | file proxy materials with the SEC. |
In the event that we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, we will distribute proxy materials and, in connection therewith, provide our public shareholders with the redemption rights described above upon completion of the initial business combination.
If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the ordinary shares, represented in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereon, voted at a shareholder meeting are voted in favor of the business combination. In such case, our sponsor and each member of our management team have agreed to vote their founder shares, private placement shares included in any private placement units and any public shares (including public shares that are part of a public unit) purchased during or after this offering in favor of our initial business combination (except with respect to any such public shares which may not be voted in favor of approving the business combination transaction in accordance with the requirements of Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act and any SEC interpretations or guidance relating thereto). As a result, in addition to our founder shares and private placement shares included in the private placement units issued concurrently with the consummation of this offering, we would need 6,287,501, or 35.9%, of the 17,500,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming all issued and outstanding shares are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised). Assuming that only the holders of one-third of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, representing a quorum under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, vote their shares, we will not need any public shares in addition to our founder shares and the private placement shares included in the private placement units purchased by our sponsor simultaneously with this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to approve an initial business combination. Each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction or vote at all. In addition, our sponsor, our management team and underwriters have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares, private placement shares included in any private placement units and public shares in connection with (i) the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) the implementation by the directors of, following a shareholder vote to approve, an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed or repurchased in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares.
If we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association:
| ∎ | conduct the redemptions pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, which regulate issuer tender offers; and |
| ∎ | file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination which contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies. |
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Upon the public announcement of our initial business combination, we or our sponsor will terminate any plan established in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 to purchase Class A ordinary shares in the open market if we elect to redeem our public shares through a tender offer, to comply with Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act.
In the event we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, our offer to redeem will remain open for at least 20 business days, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(a) under the Exchange Act, and we will not be permitted to complete our initial business combination until the expiration of the tender offer period. In addition, the tender offer will be conditioned on public shareholders not tendering more than the number of public shares we are permitted to redeem. If public shareholders tender more shares than we have offered to purchase, we will withdraw the tender offer and not complete the initial business combination.
Limitation on Redemption upon Completion of Our Initial Business Combination If We Seek Shareholder Approval
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to Excess Shares, without our prior consent. We believe this restriction will discourage shareholders from accumulating large blocks of shares, and subsequent attempts by such holders to use their ability to exercise their redemption rights against a proposed business combination as a means to force us or our management to purchase their shares at a significant premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. Absent this provision, a public shareholder holding more than an aggregate of 15% of the public shares sold in this offering could threaten to exercise its redemption rights if such holder’s shares are not purchased by us, our sponsor or our management team at a premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. By limiting our shareholders’ ability to redeem no more than 15% of the public shares sold in this offering without our prior consent, we believe we will limit the ability of a small group of shareholders to unreasonably attempt to block our ability to complete our initial business combination, particularly in connection with a business combination with a target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash.
However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of our initial business combination with respect to our warrants or our private placement units and their underlying securities.
Tendering Share Certificates in Connection with a Tender Offer or Redemption Rights
Public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” will be required to either tender their certificates (if any) to our transfer agent prior to the date set forth in the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, mailed to such holders, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using The Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/ Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holder’s option, in each case up to two business days prior to the initially scheduled vote to approve the business combination. The proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will indicate the applicable delivery requirements, which may include the requirement that a beneficial holder must identify itself in order to validly redeem its shares. Accordingly, a public shareholder would have from the time we send out our tender offer materials until the close of the tender offer period, or up to two business days prior to the initially scheduled vote on the proposal to approve the business combination if we distribute proxy materials, as applicable, to tender its shares if it wishes to seek to exercise its redemption rights. In the event that a shareholder fails to properly comply with the procedures to redeem shares, its shares may not be redeemed. Given the relatively short period in which to exercise redemption rights, it is advisable for shareholders to use electronic delivery of their public shares.
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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 a fee of approximately $80.00 and it would be up to the broker whether or not to pass this cost on to the redeeming holder. However, this fee would be incurred regardless of whether or not we require holders seeking to exercise redemption rights to tender their shares. The need to deliver shares is a requirement of exercising redemption rights regardless of the timing of when such delivery must be effectuated.
The foregoing is different from the procedures used by many blank check companies. In order to perfect redemption rights in connection with their business combinations, many blank check companies would distribute proxy materials for the shareholders’ vote on an initial business combination, and a holder could simply vote against a proposed business combination and check a box on the proxy card indicating such holder was seeking to exercise his or her redemption rights. After the business combination was approved, the company would contact such shareholder to arrange for him or her to deliver his or her certificate to verify ownership. As a result, the shareholder then had an “option window” after the completion of the business combination during which he or she could monitor the price of the company’s shares in the market. If the price rose above the redemption price, he or she could sell his or her shares in the open market before actually delivering his or her shares to the company for cancellation. As a result, the redemption rights, to which shareholders were aware they needed to commit before the shareholder meeting, would become “option” rights surviving past the completion of the business combination until the redeeming holder delivered its certificate. The requirement for physical or electronic delivery prior to the meeting ensures that a redeeming shareholder’s election to redeem is irrevocable once the business combination is approved.
Any request to redeem such shares, once made, may be withdrawn at any time up to two business days prior to the initially scheduled vote on the proposal to approve the business combination, unless otherwise agreed to by us. Furthermore, if a holder of a public share delivered its certificate in connection with an election of redemption rights and subsequently decides prior to the applicable date not to elect to exercise such rights, such holder may simply request that the transfer agent return the certificate (physically or electronically). It is anticipated that the funds to be distributed to holders of our public shares electing to redeem their shares will be distributed promptly after the completion of our initial business combination.
If our initial business combination is not approved or completed for any reason, then our public shareholders who elected to exercise their redemption rights would not be entitled to redeem their shares for the applicable pro rata share of the trust account. In such case, we will promptly return any certificates delivered by public holders who elected to redeem their shares.
If our initial proposed business combination is not completed, we may continue to try to complete a business combination with a different target until 24 months from the closing of this offering.
Redemption of Public Shares and Liquidation If No Initial Business Combination
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that we will have only 24 months from the closing of this offering to consummate an initial business combination. If we do not consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, 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, 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 and not previously released to us for permitted withdrawals (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of the 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 our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to our warrants, which will expire worthless if we have not consummated an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, if we wind up for any other reason prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, we will follow the foregoing procedures with respect to the
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liquidation of the trust account as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, subject to applicable Cayman Islands law.
Our sponsor and each member of our management team have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares or private placement shares included in private placement units they hold if we fail to consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering).
Our sponsor, executive officers, directors and director nominees have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed or repurchased in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares, unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares upon implementation of any such amendment 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 and not previously released to us for permitted withdrawals, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares. This redemption right shall apply in the event of the implementation of any such amendment, whether proposed by our sponsor, any executive officer, director or director nominee, or any other person.
We expect that all costs and expenses associated with implementing our plan of dissolution, as well as payments to any creditors, will be funded from amounts remaining out of the approximately $1,300,000 of proceeds held outside the trust account, plus funds from permitted withdrawals, plus up to $100,000 of funds from the trust account available to us to pay dissolution expenses, although we cannot assure you that there will be sufficient funds for such purpose.
If we were to expend all of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement units, other than the proceeds deposited in the trust account, and without taking into account interest, if any, earned on the trust account, the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders upon our dissolution would be $10.00. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could, however, become subject to the claims of our creditors which would have higher priority than the claims of our public shareholders. We cannot assure you that the actual per-share redemption amount received by shareholders will not be less than $10.00. While we intend to pay such amounts, if any, we cannot assure you that we will have funds sufficient to pay or provide for all creditors’ claims.
Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers (excluding our independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses and other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public shareholders, there is no guarantee that they will execute such agreements or even if they execute such agreements that they would be prevented from bringing claims against the trust account including but not limited to fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain an advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the trust account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account, our management will perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will only enter into an agreement with a third party that has not executed a waiver if management believes that such third party’s engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative. Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where management is unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. Our independent registered accounting firm will not execute agreements with us waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account. In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations,
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contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason. In order to protect the amounts held in the trust account, 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 (excluding our independent registered accounting firm), or a prospective target business with which we have entered into a written letter of intent, confidentially or other similar agreement or business combination agreement, reduce the amounts in the trust account to below the lesser of (i) $10.00 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 $10.00 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest that may be withdrawn for permitted withdrawals and, if we decide to liquidate, $100,000 of dissolution expenses, 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 seek access to the trust account nor will it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. In the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, our sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third party claims. However, we have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and we believe that our sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company. Our sponsor may not be able to satisfy those obligations. As a result, if any such claims were successfully made against the trust account, the funds available for our initial business combination and redemptions could be reduced to less than $10.00 per public share. In such event, we may not be able to complete our initial business combination, and you would receive such lesser amount per share in connection with any redemption of your public shares. None of our officers or directors will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.
In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below the lesser of (i) $10.00 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 $10.00 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest that may be withdrawn for permitted withdrawals and, if we decide to liquidate, $100,000 of dissolution expenses, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its indemnification obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent directors would determine whether to take legal action against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations. While we currently expect that our independent directors would take legal action on our behalf against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment may choose not to do so in any particular instance. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that due to claims of creditors the actual value of the per-share redemption price will not be less than $10.00 per public share.
We will seek to reduce the possibility that our sponsor will have to indemnify the trust account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers (excluding our independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the trust account. Our sponsor will also not be liable as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. We will have access to up to approximately $1,300,000 from the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement units and funds from permitted withdrawals with which to pay any such potential claims (including costs and expenses incurred in connection with our liquidation, currently estimated to be no more than approximately $100,000). In the event that we liquidate and it is subsequently determined that the reserve for claims and liabilities is insufficient, shareholders who received funds from our trust account could be liable for claims made by creditors; however such liability will not be greater than the amount of funds from our trust account received by any such shareholder. In the event that our offering expenses exceed our estimate of $700,000, we may fund such excess with funds from the funds not to be held in the trust account. In such case, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would decrease by a corresponding amount. Conversely, in the event that the offering expenses are less than our estimate of $700,000, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would increase by a corresponding amount.
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If we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any bankruptcy claims deplete the trust account, we cannot assure you we will be able to return $10.00 per public share to our public shareholders. Additionally, if we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy laws as either a “preferential transfer” or a “fraudulent conveyance.”
As a result, a bankruptcy court could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. Furthermore, our board of directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, and thereby exposing itself and our company to claims of punitive damages, by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. We cannot assure you that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons.
Our public shareholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only (i) in the event of the redemption of our public shares if we do not consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, (ii) in connection with the implementation by the directors of, following a shareholder vote, an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed or repurchased in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares, and (iii) if they redeem their respective shares for cash upon the completion of the initial business combination. Public shareholders who redeem their Class A ordinary shares in connection with a shareholder vote described in clause (ii) in the preceding sentence shall not be entitled to funds from the trust account upon the subsequent completion of an initial business combination or liquidation if we have not consummated an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, with respect to such Class A ordinary shares so redeemed. In no other circumstances will a shareholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the trust account. In the event we seek shareholder approval in connection with our initial business combination, a shareholder’s voting in connection with the business combination alone will not result in a shareholder’s redeeming its shares to us for an applicable pro rata share of the trust account. Such shareholder must have also exercised its redemption rights described above. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, like all provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, may be amended with a shareholder vote.
Comparison of Redemption or Purchase Prices in Connection with Our Initial Business Combination and If We Fail to Complete Our Initial Business Combination.
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The following table compares the redemptions and other permitted purchases of public shares that may take place in connection with the completion of our initial business combination and if we do not consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering.
| REDEMPTIONS IN REDEMPTIONS IN OUR INITIAL BUSINESS COMBINATION |
OTHER PERMITTED PUBLIC SHARES BY OUR AFFILIATES |
REDEMPTIONS IF WE FAIL TO COMPLETE | ||||
| Calculation of redemption price | Redemptions at the time of our initial business combination may be made pursuant to a tender offer or in connection with a shareholder vote. The redemption price will be the same whether we conduct redemptions pursuant to a tender offer or in connection with a shareholder vote. In either case, our public shareholders may redeem their public shares for 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 (which is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per share), including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us for permitted withdrawals, if any, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, subject to any limitations (including but not limited to cash requirements) agreed to in connection with the negotiation of terms of a proposed business combination. | If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase units, public shares or warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following completion of our initial business combination. There is no limit to the prices that our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may pay in these transactions. If they engage in such transactions, they will be restricted from making any such purchases when they are in possession of any material nonpublic information not disclosed to the seller or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act. We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to the tender offer rules under the Exchange Act or a going private transaction subject to the going-private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will be required to comply with such rules. | If we do not consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, we will redeem all public shares at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount, then on deposit in the trust account (which is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per share), including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us for permitted withdrawals (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses) divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. |
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| REDEMPTIONS IN REDEMPTIONS IN OUR INITIAL BUSINESS COMBINATION |
OTHER PERMITTED PUBLIC SHARES BY OUR AFFILIATES |
REDEMPTIONS IF WE FAIL TO COMPLETE | ||||
| Impact to remaining shareholders | The redemptions in connection with our initial business combination will reduce the book value per share for our remaining shareholders, who will bear the burden of the deferred underwriting commissions and permitted withdrawals. | If the permitted purchases described above are made, there would be no impact to our remaining shareholders because the purchase price would not be paid by us. | The redemption of our public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination will reduce the book value per share for the shares held by our sponsor, who will be our only remaining shareholder after such redemptions. |
Comparison of This Offering to Those of Blank Check Companies Subject to Rule 419
The following table compares the terms of this offering to the terms of an offering by a blank check company subject to the provisions of Rule 419. This comparison assumes that the gross proceeds, underwriting commissions and underwriting expenses of our offering would be identical to those of an offering undertaken by a company subject to Rule 419, and that the underwriters will not exercise their over-allotment option. None of the provisions of Rule 419 apply to our offering.
| TERMS OF OUR OFFERING |
TERMS UNDER A RULE 419 OFFERING | |||
| Escrow of offering proceeds | $175,000,000 of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement units will be deposited into a trust account located in the United States with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee. | Approximately $148,837,500 of the offering proceeds would be required to be deposited into either an escrow account with an insured depositary institution or in a separate bank account established by a broker-dealer in which the broker-dealer acts as trustee for persons having the beneficial interests in the account. | ||
| Investment of net proceeds | $175,000,000 of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement units held in trust will be held in cash, including in demand deposit accounts at a bank, or 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 which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. | Proceeds could be invested only in specified securities such as a money market fund meeting conditions of the Investment Company Act or in securities that are direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed as to principal or interest by, the United States. | ||
| Receipt of interest on escrowed funds | Interest income (if any) on proceeds from the trust account to be paid to shareholders is reduced by (i) permitted withdrawals and (ii) in the event of our liquidation for failure to complete our initial business combination within the allotted time, up to $100,000 of net interest that may be released to us should we have no or insufficient working capital | Interest income on funds in escrow account would be held for the sole benefit of investors, unless and only after the funds held in escrow were released to us in connection with our completion of a business combination. | ||
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| TERMS OF OUR OFFERING |
TERMS UNDER A RULE 419 OFFERING | |||
| to fund the costs and expenses of our dissolution and liquidation. | ||||
| Limitation on fair value or net assets of target business | We must complete one or more business combinations that together have an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of our assets held in the trust account (excluding the amount of deferred underwriting discounts held in trust and taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account) at the time of signing the agreement to enter into the initial business combination. | The fair value or net assets of a target business must represent at least 80% of the maximum offering proceeds. | ||
| Trading of securities issued | The units are expected to begin trading on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. The Class A ordinary shares and warrants comprising the units will begin separate trading on the 52nd day following the date of this prospectus (or, if such date is not a business day, the following business day) unless the representatives of the underwriters inform us of their decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our having filed the Current Report on Form 8-K described below and having issued a press release announcing when such separate trading will begin. We will file the Current Report on Form 8-K promptly after the closing of this offering. If the over-allotment option is exercised following the initial filing of such Current Report on Form 8-K, a second or amended Current Report on Form 8-K will be filed to provide updated financial information to reflect the exercise of the over-allotment option. The units will automatically separate into their component parts and will not be traded after completion of our initial business combination. | No trading of the units or the underlying Class A ordinary shares and warrants would be permitted until the completion of a business combination. During this period, the securities would be held in the escrow or trust account.. | ||
| Exercise of the warrants | The warrants cannot be exercised until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination. | The warrants could be exercised prior to the completion of a business combination, but securities received and cash paid in connection with the exercise would be deposited in the escrow or trust account. | ||
| Election to remain an investor | We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash at a per share price equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to | A prospectus containing information pertaining to the business combination required by the SEC would be sent to each investor. Each investor would be given the opportunity to notify the company in writing, within a period of no less than 20 business days and no more than 45 business days from the effective date of a post-effective amendment to the | ||
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| TERMS OF OUR OFFERING |
TERMS UNDER A RULE 419 OFFERING | |||
| us for permitted withdrawals, divided by the number of the then outstanding public shares, upon the completion of our initial business combination, subject to the limitations described herein. We may not be required by applicable law or stock exchange rule to hold a shareholder vote. If we are not required by applicable law or stock exchange rule and do not otherwise decide to hold a shareholder vote, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC and file tender offer documents with the SEC which will contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under the SEC’s proxy rules. If, however, we hold a shareholder vote, we will, like many blank check companies, offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the ordinary shares, represented in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereon, voted at a shareholder meeting are voted in favor of the business combination. Additionally, each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction or vote at all. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will require that at least five clear days’ notice will be given of any such shareholder meeting. | company’s registration statement, to decide if he, she or it elects to remain a shareholder of the company or require the return of his, her or its investment. If the company has not received the notification by the end of the 45th business day, funds and interest or dividends, if any, held in the trust or escrow account are automatically returned to the shareholder. Unless a sufficient number of investors elect to remain investors, all funds on deposit in the escrow account must be returned to all of the investors and none of the securities are issued. | |||
| Business combination deadline | If we do not consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, 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, redeem 100% of 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 and not previously released to us for permitted withdrawals (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), | If an acquisition has not been completed within 18 months after the effective date of the company’s registration statement, funds held in the trust or escrow account are returned to investors. | ||
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| TERMS OF OUR OFFERING |
TERMS UNDER A RULE 419 OFFERING | |||
| divided by the number of the 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 our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. | ||||
| Release of funds | Except with respect to permitted withdrawals, we will not be permitted to withdraw any of the principal or interest held in the trust account until the earliest of (i) the completion of our initial business combination,(ii) the redemption of our public shares if we have not consummated an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, subject to applicable law and (iii) the redemption of our public shares properly submitted in connection with the implementation by the directors of, following a shareholder vote to approve, an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed or repurchased in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares. Based on current interest rates, we expect that interest income earned on the trust account (if any) will be sufficient to pay our income taxes and fund permitted withdrawals. | The proceeds held in the escrow account are not released until the earlier of the completion of a business combination and the failure to effect a business combination within the allotted time. | ||
| Delivering share certificates in connection with the exercise of redemption rights | We intend to require our public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to, at the holder’s option, either deliver their shares (and share certificates | Many blank check companies provide that a shareholder can vote against a proposed business combination and check a box on the proxy card indicating that such shareholder is seeking to exercise its redemption rights. After the business | ||
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| TERMS OF OUR OFFERING |
TERMS UNDER A RULE 419 OFFERING | |||
| (if any) and other redemption forms) to our transfer agent or tender or deliver their shares to our transfer agent electronically using the Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) system, prior to the date set forth in the proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable. In the case of proxy materials, this date may be up to two business days prior to the initially scheduled vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination. In addition, if we conduct redemptions in connection with a shareholder vote, we intend to require a public shareholder seeking redemption of its public shares to also submit a written request for redemption to our transfer agent two business days prior to the scheduled vote in which the name of the beneficial owner of such shares is included. The proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will indicate whether we are requiring public shareholders to satisfy such delivery requirements. Accordingly, a public shareholder would have up to two business days prior to the scheduled vote on the initial business combination if we distribute proxy materials, or from the time we send out our tender offer materials until the close of the tender offer period, as applicable, to deliver or tender its shares (and share certificates (if any) and other redemption forms) if it wishes to seek to exercise its redemption rights. | combination is approved, the company would contact such shareholder to arrange for delivery of its share certificates to verify ownership. | |||
| Limitation on redemption rights of shareholders holding more than 15% of the public shares sold in this offering if we hold a shareholder vote | If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from redeeming its public shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the public shares sold in this | Many blank check companies provide no restrictions on the ability of shareholders to redeem shares based on the number of shares held by such shareholders in connection with an initial business combination. | ||
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| TERMS OF OUR OFFERING |
TERMS UNDER A RULE 419 OFFERING | |||
| offering, without our prior consent. However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including all shares held by those shareholders that hold more than 15% of the public shares sold in this offering) for or against our initial business combination. |
Competition
In identifying, evaluating and selecting a target business for our initial business combination, we may encounter competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including other special purpose acquisition or blank check companies, private equity groups and leveraged buyout funds, public companies, operating businesses seeking strategic acquisitions. Many of these entities are well established and have extensive experience identifying and effecting business combinations directly or through affiliates. Moreover, many of these competitors possess greater financial, technical, human and other resources than us. Our ability to acquire larger target businesses will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of a target business. Furthermore, our obligation to pay cash in connection with our public shareholders who properly exercise their redemption rights may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination and our outstanding warrants, and the future dilution they potentially represent, may not be viewed favorably by certain target businesses. Either of these factors may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating an initial business combination.
Facilities
We currently maintain our executive offices at 333 South Grand Avenue, 28th Floor, Los Angeles, California 90071. The cost for our use of this space is included in the $25,000 per month fee we will pay to our sponsor for office space, administrative and support services. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations.
Employees
We currently have three executive officers. These individuals are not obligated to devote any specific number of hours to our matters but they intend to devote as much of their time as they deem necessary to our affairs until we have completed our initial business combination. The amount of time they will devote in any time period will vary based on whether a target business has been selected for our initial business combination and the stage of the business combination process we are in. We do not intend to have any full time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination.
Periodic Reporting and Financial Information
We will register our units, Class A ordinary shares and warrants under the Exchange Act and have reporting obligations, including the requirement that we file annual, quarterly and current reports with the SEC. In accordance with the requirements of the Exchange Act, our annual reports will contain financial statements audited and reported on by our independent registered public accountants.
We will provide shareholders with audited financial statements of the prospective target business as part of the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, sent to shareholders. These financial statements may be required to be prepared in accordance with, or reconciled to, GAAP, or IFRS, depending on the circumstances, and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential target businesses we may acquire because some targets may be unable to provide such statements in time for us to disclose such statements in accordance with federal proxy rules and complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering. We cannot assure you that any particular target business identified by us as a potential acquisition candidate will have financial statements prepared in accordance with the requirements outlined above, or that the potential target business will be able to prepare its financial statements in accordance with the requirements outlined above. To the
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extent that these requirements cannot be met, we may not be able to acquire the proposed target business. While this may limit the pool of potential acquisition candidates, we do not believe that this limitation will be material.
We will be required to evaluate our internal control procedures for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025 as required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Only in the event that we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer and no longer qualify as an emerging growth company would we be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on internal control over financial reporting. A target business may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of their internal controls. The development of the internal controls of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such acquisition.
We will file a registration statement on Form 8-A with the SEC to voluntarily register our securities under Section 12 of the Exchange Act. As a result, we will be subject to the rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act. We have no current intention of filing a Form 15 to suspend our reporting or other obligations under the Exchange Act prior or subsequent to the consummation of our initial business combination.
We are a Cayman Islands exempted company. Exempted companies are Cayman Islands companies conducting business mainly outside the Cayman Islands and, as such, are exempted from complying with certain provisions of the Companies Act. As an exempted company, we have received a tax exemption undertaking from the Cayman Islands government that, in accordance with Section 6 of the Tax Concessions Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands, for a period of 30 years from the 5th July, 2024, no law which is enacted in the Cayman Islands imposing any tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations will apply to us or our operations and, in addition, that no tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations or which is in the nature of estate duty or inheritance tax will be payable (i) on or in respect of our shares, debentures or other obligations or (ii) by way of the withholding in whole or in part of a payment of dividend or other distribution of income or capital by us to our shareholders or a payment of principal or interest or other sums due under a debenture or other obligation of us.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act. As such, we are eligible to 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 our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the prices of our securities may be more volatile.
In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We intend to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period.
We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.235 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our Class A ordinary shares that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the prior three-year period.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $250 million as of the prior June 30, and (2) our annual revenues equaled or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year or the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30.
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Legal Proceedings
There is no material litigation, arbitration or governmental proceeding currently pending against us or any members of our management team in their capacity as such.
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Officers, Directors and Director Nominees
Our officers, directors and director nominees are as follows:
| NAME |
AGE |
POSITION | ||
| John Frank | 68 | Chairman and Director | ||
| Zaid Pardesi | 41 | Chief Executive Officer | ||
| Aman Kumar | 44 | Director | ||
| Mathew Pendo | 61 | Chief Operating Officer | ||
| Courtney Conigliaro | 43 | Chief Financial Officer | ||
| Paul Meister | 71 | Director nominee | ||
| Alvin Shih | 47 | Director nominee |
John Frank has served as the Chairman and on our board of directors since July 2024. Mr. Frank served in a similar role on the board of directors of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. I and Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II until their business combinations with Hims, Inc. and Alvotech Holdings S.A., respectively. Mr. Frank is Vice Chairman and Director of Brookfield Oaktree Holdings, LLC (formerly Oaktree Capital Group, LLC) and Vice Chairman of Oaktree. He has been senior executive of Oaktree working closely with co-founders Howard Marks and Bruce Karsh, for twenty-three years. Since October 2017, Mr. Frank has also served as the Chairman of the board of directors of Oaktree Specialty Lending Corporation. From October 2017 to March 2021, Mr. Frank also served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Oaktree Strategic Income Corporation prior to its merger with Oaktree Specialty Lending Corporation. Mr. Frank joined Oaktree in 2001 as General Counsel and was named Oaktree’s Managing Principal in early 2006, a position which he held for about nine years. As Managing Principal, Mr. Frank was the firm’s principal executive officer and responsible for all aspects of the firm’s management. Prior to joining Oaktree, Mr. Frank was a partner of the Los Angeles law firm of Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP where he managed a number of notable merger and acquisition transactions. Prior to joining Munger Tolles in 1984, Mr. Frank served as a law clerk to the Honorable Frank M. Coffin of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Frank served as a Legislative Assistant to the Honorable Robert F. Drinan, Member of Congress. Mr. Frank holds a B.A. degree with honors in history from Wesleyan University and a J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School, where he was Managing Editor of the Michigan Law Review and a member of the Order of the Coif. He is a member of the State Bar of California and, while in private practice, was listed in Woodward & White’s Best Lawyers in America. Mr. Frank is a member of the Board of Directors of Chevron Corporation and Daily Journal Corporation and a Trustee of The James Irvine Foundation and the XPRIZE Foundation. Mr. Frank was a long-time trustee of Good Samaritan Hospital, Polytechnic School and Wesleyan University (where he served as Chair of the Board from 2001 until 2004). We believe Mr. Frank’s experience and expertise make him well qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.
Aman Kumar, MD, has served on our board of directors since July 2024 and is a managing director within Oaktree’s Global Private Debt strategy. He also serves as a co-portfolio manager for the strategy’s Life Sciences Lending platform which focuses on investment opportunities across the healthcare spectrum from biotechnology and pharmaceuticals to medical devices and healthcare services. Prior to joining Oaktree in 2014, Dr. Kumar spent three years at Deutsche Bank in London working on the Global Credit team, most recently as a vice president on the European High Yield trading desk. Since June 2023, Dr. Kumar has been serving on the board of directors of Sanius Health. He has also been a board member of Si02 Material Science since September 2023. He received an M.B.A. from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and holds a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degree from King’s College London. Prior to Wharton, Dr. Kumar worked as a surgeon in the UK National Health Service (NHS). He is a member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. We believe Dr. Kumar’s significant investment experience and experience in the healthcare sector make him well qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.
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Zaid Pardesi has served as our Chief Executive Officer since July 2024 and is a managing director at Oaktree Capital. Mr. Pardesi has also served as the Chief Financial Officer and Head of M&A of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II from September 2020 until the closing of the business combination of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II with Alvotech (NASDAQ: ALVO) in June 2022. From July 2019 to January 2021, Mr. Pardesi served as Chief Financial Officer and Head of M&A of Oaktree Acquisition Corp., which consummated a business combination with Hims & Hers Health, Inc. (NYSE: HIMS). He has spent his career originating, acquiring and managing middle-market companies in the industrial, consumer, and healthcare sectors, often operating platforms as Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Pardesi joined Oaktree in 2019 from The Cranemere Group, a global holding company, where he was a senior investment professional acquiring middle-market businesses. Prior thereto, Mr. Pardesi was an investor at H.I.G. Capital and at AEA Investors in New York and London. He began his career at Bain & Company. Mr. Pardesi received an M.B.A. from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and a B.S. from Northwestern University, where he was a computer engineering and economics double major. We believe Mr. Pardesi’s significant investment experience make him well qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.
Mathew Pendo has served as our Chief Operation Officer since July 2024. Mr. Pendo currently serves as the Managing Director, Head of Corporate Development and Capital Markets for Oaktree and the President of the following Oaktree managed Business Development Companies: Oaktree Specialty Lending Corporation and Oaktree Strategic Credit Fund. Mr. Pendo joined Oaktree in 2015. Mr. Pendo previously served Chief Operating Officer of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II until its business combination with Alvotech Holdings S.A., and as Chief Operating Officer of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. until its business combination with Hims, Inc. His prior experience includes serving as the chief investment officer of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where he was honored with the Distinguished Service Award in 2013. Mr. Pendo began his career at Merrill Lynch, where he spent 18 years, starting in their investment banking division before becoming managing director of the technology industry group. Subsequently, Mr. Pendo was a managing director at Barclays Capital, first serving as co-head of U.S. Investment Banking and then co-head of Global Industrials group. He received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Princeton University, cum laude and is a former board member of Ally Financial, Keypath Education, Inc., New IPT Holdings, LLC and SuperValue Inc.
Courtney Conigliaro has served as our Chief Financial Officer since July 2024 and is a senior vice president within Oaktree’s Finance organization, serving as head of the corporate accounting organization. She joined Oaktree’s Finance organization in 2021. She has spent her career managing and overseeing finance, accounting and reporting functions within the asset management and real estate industries, in a variety of management roles. Prior to working at Oaktree, Ms. Conigliaro worked at CBRE, Inc., a global commercial real estate services and investments company, from 2018 to 2021, where she was a senior director, serving as the global segment controller for their advisory segment and overseeing financial due diligence and integrations for the company’s mergers and acquisitions, including oversight of CBRE’s SPAC finance operations. She began her career as an auditor and consultant at Ernst & Young, serving strategic clients in the real estate and financial services industries. Ms. Conigliaro received a B.S. in Accountancy from Villanova University.
Paul Meister has agreed to serve on our board of directors. Mr. Meister has been a partner in Novalis LifeSciences, a life science-focused venture firm, since 2021. Mr. Meister is the co-founder, and since 2008, Chief Executive Officer of Liberty Lane Partners, LLC, a private investment company with investment holdings in healthcare, technology and distribution-related industries. From 2014 to 2018, Mr. Meister was President of MacAndrews & Forbes Incorporated, a private company that owns or controls a diverse set of businesses. In 2018, Mr. Meister also served, on an interim basis, as Executive Vice Chairman of Revlon, Inc. a leading beauty products company (NYSE: REV). Mr. Meister served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of inVentiv Health, Inc. (now Syneos Health Inc.) (NASDAQ: SYNH), a leading provider of commercial, consulting and clinical research services to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, from 2010 to 2014. Mr. Meister was Chairman of Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (NYSE: TMO), a scientific instruments equipment and supplies company, from 2006 to 2007. Mr. Meister was previously an Executive Officer of Fisher Scientific International, Inc., a predecessor of Thermo Fisher Scientific from 1991 to 2006. Mr. Meister has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and an M.B.A. from Northwestern University. Other public company directorships include Aptiv PLC (NYSE: APTIV) since July 2019; Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE: AMRX) since August 2019; Oaktree Acquisition Corp. I (July 2019 - January 2021) (NADSAQ: OAC); Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II (NASDAQ: OACB) from September 2020 to June 2022, Quanterix
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Corporation (NASDAQ: QTRX) since 2013, and Scientific Games Corporation (NASDAQ: SGMS) from March 2012 to June 2020. Mr. Meister is Co-Chair of the University of Michigan’s Life Sciences Institute External Advisory Board and Chair of the Provost’s Advisory Committee. We believe Mr. Meister’s significant investment experience and business strategy expertise make him well qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.
Alvin Shih, M.D. has agreed to serve on our board of directors. Dr. Shih has broad experience in drug development, spanning multiple indications with a focus on rare diseases, including as the chief operating officer and founding member of Pfizer Inc.’s (NYSE: PFE) rare disease research unit from May 2010 to May 2014. Most recently, he has served as president and chief executive officer of Catamaran Bio, Inc. since February 2021. Prior to his current role, from July 2019 to December 2020 Dr. Shih served as the chief executive officer of Disarm Therapeutics, a biotechnology company that developed therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases and that was acquired by Eli Lilly in October 2020. Before that, Dr. Shih was chief executive officer of Enzyvant Therapeutics from November 2016 to February 2019, where he led the company’s cell/tissue-based therapy development for treating a rare immunological disease. Dr. Shih was also the executive vice president and head of research at Retrophin, Inc. from May 2014 to October 2016 where he worked on therapies for multiple disease indications. Dr. Shih has been serving on the board of directors of Tenza from November 2021. Since January 2024, Dr. Shih has been serving on the board of directors of Zevra Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ GS: ZVRA), and since July 2024, Dr. Shih has served on the board of directors of Imbria Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Shih previously worked in management consulting at McKinsey & Company and L.E.K. Consulting, LLC. He received his medical degree from the University of Alabama and completed his residency training at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Shih received his M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. We believe that Dr. Shih’s significant leadership experience in the biotechnology industry and his experience in rare disease qualifies him to serve as a member of our board of directors.
We believe our management team and board of directors is well positioned to take advantage of the growing set of investment opportunities focused on the healthcare industry and that our contacts and relationships will allow us to generate an attractive transaction for our shareholders.
With respect to the above, past experience or performance of our management team or Oaktree and their respective affiliates is not a guarantee of either (i) success with respect to a business combination that may be consummated or (ii) the ability to successfully identify and execute a transaction. You should not rely on the historical record of management or Oaktree and their respective affiliates as indicative of future performance. See “Risk Factors—General Risk Factors—Past experience or performance by our management team or their affiliates, including Oaktree, Oaktree Acquisition Corp. and Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II, may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in us.” For a list of our executive officers and directors and entities for which a conflict of interest may or does exist between such officers and directors, on the one hand, and us, on the other hand, please refer to “Management—Conflicts of Interest.”
Certain of our founders, officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary and contractual duties to other entities, including without limitation, investment funds, accounts, co-investment vehicles and other entities managed by Oaktree or its affiliates and certain companies in which Oaktree or such entities have invested. As a result, if any of our founders, officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he, she or it has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations (including, without limitation, any Oaktree funds or other investment vehicles), then, he, she or it may be required to honor such fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such entity. However, we do not expect these duties to present a significant conflict of interest with our search for an initial business combination. We believe this conflict of interest will be naturally mitigated, to some extent, by the differing nature of the acquisition targets Oaktree typically considers most attractive for Oaktree funds and the types of acquisitions we expect Oaktree Acquisition Corp. III Life Sciences to find most attractive. As a result of due diligence from the broader platform, we may become aware of a potential transaction that is not a fit for the traditional investing activities of Oaktree but that is an attractive opportunity for us. In addition to the above, our officers and directors are not required to commit any specific amount of time to our affairs, and, accordingly will have conflicts of interest in allocating management time among various business activities, including identifying potential business combinations and monitoring the related due diligence.
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Number and Terms of Office of Officers and Directors
Our board of directors is divided into three classes, with only one class of directors being elected in each year, and with each class (except for those directors appointed prior to our first annual meeting of shareholders) serving a three-year term. The term of office of the first class of directors, consisting of Paul Meister, will expire at our first annual meeting of shareholders. The term of office of the second class of directors, consisting of Alvin Shih, will expire at our second annual meeting of shareholders. The term of office of the third class of directors, consisting of John Frank and Aman Kumar, will expire at our third annual meeting of shareholders.
In accordance with Nasdaq corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual meeting until one year after the first full fiscal year that the company is in existence. Further, as a Cayman Islands exempted company, there is no requirement under the Companies Act for us to hold annual or shareholder meetings to elect directors. We may not hold an annual meeting of shareholders to elect new directors prior to the consummation of our initial business combination. Prior to the completion of an initial business combination, any vacancy on the board of directors may be filled by a nominee chosen by the vote of a majority of the remaining directors.
Pursuant to the registration and shareholder rights agreement to be entered into on or prior to the closing of this offering, our sponsor, upon and following consummation of an initial business combination, will be entitled to nominate three individuals for election to our board of directors, as long as the sponsor holds any securities covered by the registration and shareholder rights agreement.
Our officers are appointed by the board of directors and serve at the discretion of the board of directors, rather than for specific terms of office. Our board of directors is authorized to appoint persons to the offices set forth in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association as it deems appropriate. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that our officers may consist of one or more chairman of the board, chief executive officer, chief financial officer, chief business officer, president, vice presidents, secretary, treasurer and such other offices as may be determined by the board of directors.
Director Independence
Nasdaq listing standards require that a majority of our board of directors be independent. An “independent director” is defined generally as a person other than an officer or employee of the company or its subsidiaries or any other individual having a relationship with the company which in the opinion of the company’s board of directors, could interfere with the director’s exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. We have “independent directors” as defined in Nasdaq’s listing standards and applicable SEC rules. Our board of directors has determined that John Frank, Aman Kumar, Paul Meister and Alvin Shih are “independent directors” as defined in the Nasdaq listing standards. Paul Meister and Alvin Shih are independent under applicable SEC rules. We are utilizing the phase-in provisions of Rule 5615(b) of the Nasdaq rules for the audit committee composition requirement and, following the closing of this offering, we expect to appoint an additional director that will meet the independence and financial literacy requirements of applicable Nasdaq and SEC rules. Our independent directors will have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.
Executive Officer and Director Compensation
None of our executive officers or directors have received any cash compensation for services rendered to us. As described under “Principal Shareholders,” Paul Meister and Alvin Shih, our independent directors, were given an opportunity to make an investment for a non-controlling minority position in our sponsor. Commencing on the date the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part is declared effective through the earlier of consummation of our initial business combination and our liquidation, we will pay our sponsor for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to us in the amount of $25,000 per month. In addition, we may pay our sponsor or any of our officers or directors, or any entity with which they are affiliated, a finder’s fee, consulting fee or other compensation in connection with identifying, investigating and completing our initial business combination, which we will disclose in the proxy statement filed in connection with our initial business combination. In addition, our sponsor, executive officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection
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with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made by us to our sponsor, executive officers or directors, or our or their affiliates. Any such payments prior to an initial business combination will be made using funds held outside the trust account or funds received from permitted withdrawals. Other than quarterly audit committee review of such reimbursements, we do not expect to have any additional controls in place governing our reimbursement payments to our directors and executive officers for their out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with our activities on our behalf in connection with identifying and consummating an initial business combination.
After the completion of our initial business combination, directors or members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting or management fees from the combined company. All of these fees will be fully disclosed to shareholders, to the extent then known, in the proxy solicitation materials or tender offer materials furnished to our shareholders in connection with a proposed business combination. We have not established any limit on the amount of such fees that may be paid by the combined company to our directors or members of management. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of the proposed business combination, because the directors of the post-combination business will be responsible for determining executive officer and director compensation. Any compensation to be paid to our executive officers will be determined, or recommended to the board of directors for determination, either by a compensation committee constituted solely by independent directors or by a majority of the independent directors on our board of directors.
We do not intend to take any action to ensure that members of our management team maintain their positions with us after the consummation of our initial business combination, although it is possible that some or all of our executive officers and directors may negotiate employment or consulting arrangements to remain with us after our initial business combination. The existence or terms of any such employment or consulting arrangements to retain their positions with us may influence our management’s motivation in identifying or selecting a target business but we do not believe that the ability of our management to remain with us after the consummation of our initial business combination will be a determining factor in our decision to proceed with any potential business combination. We are not party to any agreements with our executive officers and directors that provide for benefits upon termination of employment.
Committees of the Board of Directors
Our board of directors will have three standing committees: an audit committee, a nominating committee and a compensation committee. Subject to phase-in rules and a limited exception, the rules of Nasdaq and Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act require that the audit committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors. Subject to phase-in rules and a limited exception, the rules of Nasdaq require that the compensation committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors. Each committee will operate under a charter that will be approved by our board and will have the composition and responsibilities described below. The charter of each committee will be available on our website.
Audit Committee
We will establish an audit committee of the board of directors. Paul Meister and Alvin Shih will serve as members of our audit committee. We are utilizing the phase-in provisions of Rule 5615(b) of the Nasdaq rules for the audit committee composition requirement and, following the closing of this offering, we expect to appoint an additional director that will meet the independence and financial literacy requirements of applicable Nasdaq and SEC rules. Our board of directors has determined that each of Paul Meister and Alvin Shih is independent. Paul Meister will serve as the chairman of the audit committee. Each member of the audit committee meets the financial literacy requirements of Nasdaq and our board of directors has determined that Paul Meister qualifies as “audit committee financial expert” as defined in applicable SEC rules and has accounting or related financial management expertise.
The audit committee will be responsible for:
| ∎ | meeting with our independent registered public accounting firm regarding, among other issues, audits, and adequacy of our accounting and control systems; |
| ∎ | monitoring the independence of the independent registered public accounting firm; |
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| ∎ | verifying the rotation of the lead (or coordinating) audit partner having primary responsibility for the audit and the audit partner responsible for reviewing the audit as required by law; |
| ∎ | inquiring and discussing with management our compliance with applicable laws and regulations; |
| ∎ | pre-approving all audit services and permitted non-audit services to be performed by our independent registered public accounting firm, including the fees and terms of the services to be performed; |
| ∎ | appointing or replacing the independent registered public accounting firm; |
| ∎ | determining the compensation and oversight of the work of the independent registered public accounting firm (including resolution of disagreements between management and the independent auditor regarding financial reporting) for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or related work; |
| ∎ | establishing procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by us regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or reports which raise material issues regarding our financial statements or accounting policies; |
| ∎ | monitoring compliance on a quarterly basis with the terms of this offering and, if any noncompliance is identified, immediately taking all action necessary to rectify such noncompliance or otherwise causing compliance with the terms of this offering; and |
| ∎ | reviewing and approving all payments made to our existing shareholders, executive officers or directors and their respective affiliates. Any payments made to members of our audit committee will be reviewed and approved by our board of directors, with the interested director or directors abstaining from such review and approval. |
Nominating Committee
We will establish a nominating committee of our board of directors. The members of our nominating committee will be Paul Meister and Alvin Shih, and Alvin Shih will serve as chairman of the nominating committee. Our board of directors has determined that each of Paul Meister and Alvin Shih is independent.
The nominating committee will be responsible for overseeing the selection of persons to be nominated to serve on our board of directors. The nominating committee will consider persons identified by its members, management, shareholders, investment bankers and others.
Guidelines for Selecting Director Nominees
The guidelines for selecting nominees, which will be specified in a charter adopted by us, generally provide that persons to be nominated:
| ∎ | should have demonstrated notable or significant achievements in business, education or public service; |
| ∎ | should possess the requisite intelligence, education and experience to make a significant contribution to the board of directors and bring a range of skills, diverse perspectives and backgrounds to its deliberations; and |
| ∎ | should have the highest ethical standards, a strong sense of professionalism and intense dedication to serving the interests of the shareholders. |
The nominating committee will consider a number of qualifications relating to management and leadership experience, background and integrity and professionalism in evaluating a person’s candidacy for membership on the board of directors. The nominating committee may require certain skills or attributes, such as financial or accounting experience, to meet specific board needs that arise from time to time and will also consider the overall experience and makeup of its members to obtain a broad and diverse mix of board members. The nominating committee will not distinguish among nominees recommended by shareholders and other persons.
Compensation Committee
We will establish a compensation committee of our board of directors. The members of our compensation committee will be Paul Meister and Alvin Shih, and Alvin Shih will serve as chairman of the compensation committee.
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Our board of directors has determined that each of Paul Meister and Alvin Shih is independent. We will adopt a compensation committee charter, which details the principal functions of the compensation committee, including:
| ∎ | reviewing and approving on an annual basis the corporate goals and objectives relevant to our Chief Executive Officer’s compensation, evaluating our Chief Executive Officer’s performance in light of such goals and objectives and determining and approving the remuneration (if any) of our Chief Executive Officer based on such evaluation; |
| ∎ | reviewing and approving the compensation of all of our other Section 16 executive officers; |
| ∎ | reviewing our executive compensation policies and plans; |
| ∎ | implementing and administering our incentive compensation equity-based remuneration plans; |
| ∎ | assisting management in complying with our proxy statement and annual report disclosure requirements; |
| ∎ | approving all special perquisites, special cash payments and other special compensation and benefit arrangements for our executive officers and employees; |
| ∎ | producing a report on executive compensation to be included in our annual proxy statement; and |
| ∎ | reviewing, evaluating and recommending changes, if appropriate, to the remuneration for directors. |
The charter will provide that the compensation committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser and will be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of any such adviser. However, before engaging or receiving advice from a compensation consultant, external legal counsel or any other adviser, the compensation committee will consider the independence of each such adviser, including the factors required by Nasdaq and the SEC.
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
None of our executive officers currently serves, and in the past year has not served, as a member of the compensation committee of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving on our board of directors.
Code of Ethics
We will adopt a Code of Ethics applicable to our directors, officers and employees. A copy of the Code of Ethics will be provided without charge upon request from us. Upon completion of this offering, the full text of our Code of Ethics will be posted on the investor relations section of our website. We intend to disclose future amendments to our Code of Ethics, or any waivers of such policy, on our website or in public filings. See the section of this prospectus entitled “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”
Conflicts of Interest
Under Cayman Islands law, directors and officers owe the following fiduciary duties:
| ∎ | duty to act in good faith in what the director or officer believes to be in the best interests of the company as a whole; |
| ∎ | duty to exercise powers for the purposes for which those powers were conferred and not for a collateral purpose; |
| ∎ | directors should not improperly fetter the exercise of future discretion; |
| ∎ | duty to exercise authority for the purpose for which it is conferred and a duty to exercise powers fairly as between different sections of shareholders; |
| ∎ | duty not to put themselves in a position in which there is a conflict between their duty to the company and their personal interests; and |
| ∎ | duty to exercise independent judgment. |
In addition to the above, directors also owe a duty of care which is not fiduciary in nature. This duty has been defined as a requirement to act as a reasonably diligent person having both the general knowledge, skill and experience that may reasonably be expected of a person carrying out the same functions as are carried out by that director in relation to the company and the general knowledge skill and experience of that director.
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As set out above, directors have a duty not to put themselves in a position of conflict and this includes a duty not to engage in self-dealing, or to otherwise benefit as a result of their position. However, in some instances what would otherwise be a breach of this duty can be forgiven and/or authorized in advance by the shareholders provided that there is full disclosure by the directors. This can be done by way of permission granted in the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or alternatively by shareholder approval at shareholder meetings.
Certain of our officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities, including entities that are affiliates of our sponsor, pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity. Accordingly, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she may honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such entity. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law: (i) no individual serving as a director or an officer shall have any duty, except and to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us; and (ii) we renounce any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which may be a corporate opportunity for any director or officer or another entity, including any entities managed by Oaktree or its affiliates and any companies in which Oaktree or such entities have invested, about which any of our officers or directors acquires knowledge (we will waive any claim or cause of action we may have in respect thereof), on the one hand, and us, on the other. In addition our amended and restated articles of association will contain provisions to exculpate and indemnify, to the maximum extent permitted by law, such persons in respect of any liability, obligation or duty to the company that may arise as a consequence of such persons becoming aware of any business opportunity or failing to present such business opportunity. As described in more details under “Proposed Business—Other Considerations and Conflicts of Interest,” although affiliates of our directors and officers or entities, to which they have fiduciary obligations, including Oaktree or certain of its current or future investment funds, accounts, co-investment vehicles and other entities managed by affiliates of Oaktree, may pursue a similar target universe to us for acquisition or investment opportunities, we anticipate that the specific companies or assets that we may target (e.g. companies in the healthcare or healthcare-related industries seeking to go public) will only overlap as appropriate opportunities for such entities and persons due to their investment mandates if such potential targets also desire to enter into other debt or equity transactions with such entities and persons in connection with a going public transaction, which our potential targets may choose to effectuate via a business combination with us or without us via a business combination with a competing special purpose acquisition company or the use of a more traditional initial public offering or direct listing structure. Therefore, we do not expect the fiduciary and contractual duties of our directors, officers, their affiliates and entities, to which they have fiduciary obligations, to materially affect our ability to select an appropriate acquisition target and complete an initial business combination.
Below is a table summarizing the entities to which our executive officers and directors currently have fiduciary duties, contractual obligations or other material management relationships:
| INDIVIDUAL |
ENTITY |
ENTITY’S BUSINESS |
AFFILIATION | |||
| John Frank | Brookfield Oaktree Holdings, LLC | Asset Management | Vice Chairman and Director | |||
| Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. (1) | Asset Management | Vice Chairman | ||||
| Chevron Corporation | Energy | Director | ||||
| Oaktree Specialty Lending Corporation | Asset Management | Chairman and Director | ||||
| Daily Journal Corporation | Media | Director | ||||
| Zaid Pardesi | Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. (1) | Asset Management | Managing Director | |||
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| INDIVIDUAL |
ENTITY |
ENTITY’S BUSINESS |
AFFILIATION | |||
| Solutions Mechanical LLC | Commercial and industrial heating, ventilation and air conditioning | President | ||||
| Aman Kumar | Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. (1) | Asset Management | Managing Director | |||
| Sanius Health | Healthcare | Director | ||||
| Si02 Material Science | Material Science | Director | ||||
| Mathew Pendo | Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. (1) | Asset Management | Managing Director, Head of Corporate Development and Capital Markets | |||
| Oaktree Specialty Lending Corporation | Asset Management | President and Chief Operating Officer | ||||
| Oaktree Strategic Credit Fund | Asset Management | President and Chief Operating Officer | ||||
| Oaktree Strategic Income II | Asset Management | President and Chief Operating Officer | ||||
| Courtney Conigliaro | Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. (1) | Asset Management | Senior Vice President – Head of Corporate Accounting | |||
| Paul Meister | Liberty Lane Partners, LLC | Investment Company | Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer | |||
| Quanterix Corporation | Biotechnology | Director | ||||
| Aptiv PLC | Technology | Director | ||||
| Novalis LifeSciences | Biotechnology | Partner | ||||
| Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Healthcare | Chairman and Director | ||||
| University of Michigan’s Life Sciences Institute | Life Sciences | Co-Chair of External Advisory Board; Chair of the Provost’s Advisory Committee | ||||
| Alvin Shih | Catamaran Bio, Inc. | Healthcare | President and Chief Executive Officer | |||
| Tenza | Biotechnology | Director | ||||
| Zevra Therapeutics, Inc. | Healthcare | Director | ||||
| Imbria Pharmaceuticals | Healthcare | Executive Chair | ||||
| (1) | Includes certain of its funds and other affiliates. |
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Potential investors should also be aware of the following other potential conflicts of interest:
| ∎ | Our executive officers and directors are not required to, and will not, commit their full time to our affairs, which may result in a conflict of interest in allocating their time between our operations and our search for a business combination and their other businesses. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination. Each of our executive officers is engaged in several other business endeavors for which he may be entitled to substantial compensation, and our executive officers are not obligated to contribute any specific number of hours per week to our affairs. Further, our sponsor and our officers and directors may sponsor or form other special purpose acquisition companies similar to ours or may pursue other business or investment ventures during the period in which we are seeking an initial business combination. Any such companies, businesses or investments may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an initial business combination. However, we do not believe that any such potential conflicts would materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination. |
| • | Our sponsor subscribed for founder shares prior to the date of this prospectus and will purchase private placement units in a transaction that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering. Our sponsor and our management team have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares, private placement shares included in any private placement units and public shares in connection with (i) the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) the implementation by the directors of, following a shareholder vote to approve, an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares. Additionally, our sponsor and each member of our management team have agreed to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to their founder shares and their private placement units if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the required time period. Except as described herein, our sponsor and our management team have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their founder shares until the earliest of (A) 180 days after the completion of our initial business combination and (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property. With certain limited exceptions, the private placement units (and any private placement share or private placement warrant included in such private placement units) will not be transferable until 30 days following the completion of our initial business combination. Except as described herein, our sponsor, directors and officers also agreed not to transfer any of their securities until 180 days following the date of this prospectus. For more information on the letter agreement in which the transfer restrictions are included and for more information on the limited exceptions to such transfer restrictions, also see “Proposed Business—Initial Business Combination.” Because each of our executive officers and director nominees will own ordinary shares and/or private placement units (including their underlying securities) directly or indirectly, they may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. |
| • | Our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors was included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination. The low price that our sponsor, executive officers and directors (directly or indirectly) paid for the founder shares creates an incentive whereby our officers and directors could potentially make a substantial profit even if we select an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value and is unprofitable for public shareholders. If we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, the founder shares and private placement units held by our sponsor may lose most of their value, except to the extent that the founder shares or the Class A ordinary shares included in the private placement units receive liquidating distributions from assets |
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| outside the trust account, which could create an incentive for our sponsor, executive officers and directors to complete a transaction even if we select an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value and is unprofitable for public shareholders. Similarly, additional conflicts of interests may arise and incentives may be created to select an acquisition target that subsequently declines in value and is unprofitable for public shareholders instead of not consummating a business combination if (i) after the redemption of public shareholders no assets are available outside of the trust account to repay any loans extended to us by our sponsor, affiliates of our sponsor or our officers and directors and to reimburse our sponsor and others for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with identifying, investigating and completing an initial business combination or (ii) not consummating a business combination within the allotted time may require service providers to forfeit their fees. |
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination or subsequent transaction with a company that is affiliated with Oaktree or our sponsor, founders, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with Oaktree, our sponsor or any of our founders, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or an independent valuation or accounting firm that such initial business combination or transaction is fair to our company from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context. In addition, we may pay our sponsor or any of our officers or directors, or any entity with which they are affiliated, a finder’s fee, consulting fee or other compensation in connection with identifying, investigating and completing our initial business combination, which we will disclose in the proxy statement filed in connection with our initial business combination. Further, commencing on the date our securities are first listed on the Nasdaq, we will also pay our sponsor for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to us in the amount of $25,000 per month.
We cannot assure you that any of the above mentioned conflicts will be resolved in our favor.
If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the ordinary shares, represented in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereon, voted at a shareholder meeting are voted in favor of the business combination. In such case, our sponsor and each member of our management team have agreed to vote their founder shares, private placement shares included in any private placement units and public shares purchased during or after this offering in favor of our initial business combination (except with respect to any such public shares which may not be voted in favor of approving the business combination transaction in accordance with the requirements of Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act and any SEC interpretations or guidance relating thereto).
For more information on certain risks and conflicts of interests, please also see “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Sponsor and Management Team.”
Limitation on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors
Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against willful default, willful neglect, actual fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide for indemnification of our officers and directors to the maximum extent permitted by law, including for any liability incurred in their capacities as such, except through their own actual fraud, willful default or willful neglect. We will enter into agreements with our directors and officers to provide contractual indemnification in addition to the indemnification provided for in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. We expect to purchase a policy of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that insures our officers and directors against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances and insures us against our obligations to indemnify our officers and directors.
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Our officers and directors have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the trust account, and have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever (except to the extent they are entitled to funds from the trust account due to their ownership of public shares). Accordingly, any indemnification provided will only be able to be satisfied by us if (i) we have sufficient funds outside of the trust account or (ii) we consummate an initial business combination.
Our indemnification obligations may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our officers or directors. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against our officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. Furthermore, a shareholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against our officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
We believe that these provisions, the insurance and the indemnity agreements are necessary to attract and retain talented and experienced officers and directors.
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The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of our ordinary shares as of the date of this prospectus, and as adjusted to reflect the sale of our Class A ordinary shares included in the units offered by this prospectus, and assuming no purchase of units in this offering, by:
| ∎ | each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares; |
| ∎ | each of our executive officers, directors and director nominees that beneficially owns ordinary shares; and |
| ∎ | all our executive officers and directors as a group. |
Unless otherwise indicated, we believe that all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all of our ordinary shares beneficially owned by them. The following table does not reflect record or beneficial ownership of the private placement warrants as these warrants are not exercisable within 60 days of the date of this prospectus.
On July 15, 2024, Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, L.P. paid $25,000 to cover for certain expenses on our behalf in exchange for the issuance of 5,031,250 founder shares (of which, 656,250 are subject to forfeiture if the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option), or approximately $0.005 per share. On September 9, 2024, in connection with its dissolution, Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, L.P. transferred the 5,031,250 Class B ordinary shares to Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, LLC, our sponsor, and assigned all its rights and obligation under the securities subscription agreement dated July 15, 2024 to our sponsor. In addition, our sponsor has committed, pursuant to a written agreement, to purchase an aggregate of 550,000 private placement units for a purchase price of $10.00 per share in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the closing of this offering (assuming the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option). Prior to the initial investment in the company of $25,000, the company had no assets, tangible or intangible. The per share price of the founder shares was determined by dividing the amount so paid by the number of founder shares issued in consideration therefor. The number of shares beneficially owned and post-offering percentages in the following table assume that the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option and that there are 22,425,000 ordinary shares, consisting of (i) 17,500,000 Class A ordinary shares included in the public units sold in this offering, (ii) 4,375,000 Class B ordinary shares, and (iii) 550,000 private placement shares underlying the private placement units purchased by our sponsor in a private placement simultaneously with the closing of this offering, issued and outstanding after this offering.
| NAME AND ADDRESS OF BENEFICIAL OWNER (1) |
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED (2) |
APPROXIMATE PERCENTAGE OF ISSUED AND OUTSTANDING ORDINARY SHARES |
||||||||||
| BEFORE OFFERING |
AFTER OFFERING |
|||||||||||
| Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, LLC (our sponsor) (3)(4) |
4,925,000 | (5) | 100.0 | % | 22.0 | % (5) | ||||||
| John Frank (6) |
— | — | — | |||||||||
| Zaid Pardesi (6) |
— | — | — | |||||||||
| Aman Kumar (6) |
— | — | — | |||||||||
| Mathew Pendo (6) |
— | — | — | |||||||||
| Courtney Conigliaro (6) |
— | — | — | |||||||||
| Paul Meister (7) |
— | — | — | |||||||||
| Alvin Shih (7) |
— | — | — | |||||||||
| All officers, directors and director nominees as a group (seven individuals) |
4,925,000 | (5) | 100.0 | % | 22.0 | % (5) | ||||||
| * | Less than one percent. |
| (1) | Unless otherwise noted, the business address of the following entities or individuals is 333 South Grand Avenue, 28th Floor, Los Angeles, California 90071. |
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| (2) | Interests shown are post-offering and consist of founder shares, classified as Class B ordinary shares, and private placement shares included in private placement units. The Class B ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination or earlier at the option of the holder on a one-for-one basis (such Class A ordinary share delivered upon conversion will not have any redemption rights or be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account if we fail to consummate an initial business combination), subject to adjustment pursuant to certain anti-dilution rights, as described in the section entitled “Description of Securities.” |
| (3) | The shares reported above are held in the name of our sponsor, which is organized in the Cayman Islands as a limited liability company for the purpose of holding securities in us and providing certain services to us pursuant to the administrative services and indemnification agreement, as further described herein. The managing member of our sponsor is Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS GP, Ltd. (“Acquisition Holdings”). The director of Acquisition Holdings is Oaktree. The general partner of Oaktree is Oaktree Capital Management GP, LLC (“Oaktree GP”). The sole managing member of Oaktree GP is Oaktree Capital Holdings, LLC (“OCH”). Oaktree Capital Group Holdings, L.P. (“OCGH”) is the direct owner of all of the Class B units of OCH. Brookfield Corporation (“BN”) and Brookfield Asset Management, Ltd. (“BAM” and, together with BN, “Brookfield”) are the indirect owners of all of the Class A units of OCH. Oaktree Capital Group Holdings GP, LLC (“OCGH GP”) is the general partner of OCGH. OCGH GP is governed by its members, Howard S. Marks, Bruce A. Karsh, John B. Frank and Sheldon M. Stone, none of whom exercise voting or dispositive power with respect to the Class B ordinary shares or private placement shares included in the private placement units held by our sponsor alone or are deemed to have beneficial ownership. BAM Partners Trust (the “BAM Partnership”) is the sole owner of class B Limited Voting Shares of each of BN and BAM. These shares provide the holder thereof with the right to elect one half of the board of directors of each of BN and BAM and, as such, may indirectly control the decisions of Brookfield regarding the votes and disposition of securities held by our sponsor; therefore the BAM Partnership may be deemed to have indirect beneficial ownership of the Class B ordinary shares and private placement shares included in the private placement units held by our sponsor. Each of our sponsor, Acquisition Holdings, Oaktree, Oaktree GP, OCH, OGCH GP, Brookfield, and the BAM Partnership may be deemed to have beneficial ownership of the Class B ordinary shares and private placement shares included in the private placement units held by our sponsor, but each disclaims such beneficial ownership except to the extent of such entity’s pecuniary interest therein. |
| (4) | Due to their economic interest in our sponsor of approximately 70%, up to 13% and up to 13% respectively, each of an affiliated fund of Oaktree, Zaid Pardesi and Aman Kumar may be considered to have a material interest in our sponsor. |
| (5) | Includes 550,000 private placement shares included in the private placement units to be purchased by the sponsor simultaneously with this offering, as further described in this prospectus. |
| (6) | Does not include any shares indirectly owned by this individual as a result of his direct or indirect ownership interest in our sponsor. |
| (7) | Does not include any shares indirectly owned by this individual as a result of his ownership interest in our sponsor. Paul Meister and Alvin Shih, our independent directors, were given an opportunity to make an investment for a non-controlling minority position in our sponsor. |
Immediately after this offering, our sponsor will beneficially own 20% of the then issued and outstanding ordinary shares (excluding the private placement shares included in the private placement units) and will have the right to elect all of our directors prior to the completion of our initial business combination. If we increase or decrease the size of this offering, we will effect a share capitalization or a share surrender or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B ordinary shares immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of our sponsor (and its permitted transferees, if any) at 20% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares (excluding the private placement shares included in the private placement units) upon the consummation of this offering. Holders of our public shares will not have the right to elect any directors to our board of directors prior to the completion of our initial business combination. Because of this ownership block, our sponsor may be able to effectively influence the outcome of all other matters requiring approval by our shareholders, including amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and approval of significant corporate transactions including our initial business combination.
Our sponsor and our management team have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares, private placement shares included in any private placement units and public shares in connection with (i) the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) the implementation by the directors of, following a shareholder vote to approve, an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed or repurchased in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares. Further, our sponsor and each member of our management team have agreed to vote their founder shares, private placement shares included in any private placement units and public shares purchased during or after this offering in favor of our initial business combination (except with respect to any such public shares which may not be voted in favor of approving the business combination transaction in accordance with the requirements of Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act and any SEC interpretations or guidance relating thereto).
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Our sponsor, Oaktree, and our directors and officers are deemed to be our “promoters” as such term is defined under the federal securities laws.
Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Units
The founder shares and private placement units are each subject to transfer restrictions pursuant to lock-up provisions in the letter agreement entered into by our sponsor and our management team. Our sponsor and our management team have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell (i) any of their founder shares until the earliest of (A) 180 days after the completion of our initial business combination and (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property, and (ii) any of their private placement units (including any private placement shares or private placement warrants included in such private placement units) until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination. The foregoing restrictions are not applicable to transfers (a) to our officers or directors, any affiliates or family members of any of our officers or directors, any members or partners of our sponsor or their affiliates, any affiliates of our sponsor, or any employees of such affiliates; (b) in the case of an individual, by gift to a member of one of the individual’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of the individual’s immediate family, an affiliate of such person or to a charitable organization; (c) in the case of an individual, by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of the individual; (d) in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; (e) by private sales or transfers made in connection with the consummation of a business combination at prices no greater than the price at which the founder shares, private placement units, private placement warrants, private placement shares or Class A ordinary shares, as applicable, were originally purchased; (f) pro rata distributions from our sponsor to its members, partners, or shareholders pursuant to our sponsor’s operating agreement, (g) by virtue of our sponsor’s organizational documents upon liquidation or dissolution of our sponsor; (h) to the Company for no value for cancellation in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination; (i) in the event of our liquidation prior to the completion of our initial business combination; or (j) in the event of our completion of a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination; provided, however, that in the case of clauses (a) through (g) these permitted transferees must enter into a written agreement agreeing to be bound by these transfer restrictions and the other restrictions contained in the letter agreement. For a summary of the material terms of the transfer restrictions described in the foregoing, the letter agreement in which the transfer restrictions are included and whether and when our sponsor may sell securities, please see “Proposed Business—Initial Business Combination” and “Securities Eligible for Future Sale.”
Our letter agreement with our sponsor, officers and directors contains provisions relating to the transfer restrictions described above may be amended without shareholder approval with our written consent as well as the written consent of the sponsor and our directors and officers to the extent they are the subject of any change, amendment, modification or waiver to the letter agreement. The written consent of Jefferies LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC, as representatives of the underwriters, will also be required for an amendment of a provision of the letter agreement that subjects the sponsor and our directors and officers to certain of the restrictions included in the underwriting agreement and pursuant to which the sponsor and our officers and directors agree that, subject to the same exceptions described in the preceding paragraph and certain other exceptions described in the underwriting agreement, for a period of 180 days from the date of this prospectus, they will not, without the prior written consent of Jefferies LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC, as representatives of the underwriters, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, units, warrants, Class A ordinary shares or any other securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, Class A ordinary shares (for more information on the transfer restrictions and the exceptions thereto included in the underwriting agreement, also see “Underwriting—Contractual Transfer Restrictions in the Letter Agreement and Underwriting Agreement”).
While we do not expect our board to approve any amendment to the letter agreement prior to our initial business combination, it may be possible that our board, in exercising its business judgment and subject to its fiduciary duties, chooses to approve one or more amendments to the letter agreement. Any such amendments to the letter agreement would not require approval from our shareholders and may have an adverse effect on the value of an investment in our securities.
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Registration and Shareholder Rights
In addition, pursuant to the registration and shareholder rights agreement to be entered into on or prior to the closing of this offering, (i) our sponsor, upon and following consummation of an initial business combination, will be entitled to nominate three individuals for election to our board of directors, as long as the sponsor holds any securities covered by the registration and shareholder rights agreement, and (ii) our sponsor will have certain registration rights with respect to the securities they hold or may acquire, including any founder shares and/or private placement units (including the securities that are included in such units) they hold. For more information see the section of this prospectus entitled “Description of Securities—Registration and Shareholder Rights.”
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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
On July 15, 2024, Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, L.P. paid $25,000 to cover for certain expenses on our behalf in exchange for the issuance of 5,031,250 founder shares, or approximately $0.005 per share. On September 9, 2024, in connection with its dissolution, Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, L.P. transferred the 5,031,250 Class B ordinary shares to Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, LLC, our sponsor, and assigned all its rights and obligation under the securities subscription agreement dated July 15, 2024 to our sponsor. The number of founder shares issued was determined based on the expectation that such founder shares would represent 20% of the issued and outstanding shares (excluding the private placement shares included in the private placement units) upon completion of this offering. If we increase or decrease the size of this offering, we will effect a share capitalization or a share surrender or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B ordinary shares immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of our sponsor (and its permitted transferees, if any) at 20% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares (excluding the private placement shares included in the private placement units) upon the consummation of this offering. Up to 656,250 founder shares held by our sponsor are subject to forfeiture by our sponsor depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised. The founder shares (including the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise thereof) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by the holder.
Our sponsor has committed, pursuant to a written agreement, to purchase 550,000 private placement units (or 602,500 private placement units if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) for a purchase price of $10.00 per share in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the closing of this offering. As such, our sponsor’s interest in this transaction is valued at between $5,500,000 and $6,025,000, depending on the number of private placement units purchased. The private placement units and their underlying securities may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by their respective holders.
As more fully discussed in the section of this prospectus entitled “Management—Conflicts of Interest,” if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity that falls within the line of business of any entity to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such opportunity to such entity. Our officers and directors currently have certain relevant fiduciary duties or contractual obligations that may take priority over their duties to us.
We currently maintain our executive offices at 333 South Grand Avenue, 28th Floor, Los Angeles, California 90071. The cost for our use of this space is included in the $25,000 per month fee we will pay to our sponsor for office space, administrative and support services, commencing on the date the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part is declared effective. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees. In addition, we have agreed, pursuant to the administrative services and indemnification agreement with our sponsor and Oaktree relating to the monthly payment for services outlined therein, that we will indemnify our sponsor and its affiliates, including Oaktree, from any liability arising with respect to their activities in connection with our affairs, including, but not limited to, any claims, made by us or a third party, (i) arising out of or relating to this offering or our operations or conduct of our business, (ii) in respect of any investment opportunities sourced by the sponsor and its affiliates, including Oaktree, and/or (iii) against our sponsor and/or Oaktree alleging any expressed or implied management or endorsement by our sponsor and/or Oaktree of any of our activities or any express or implied association between our sponsor and/or Oaktree, on the one hand, and us or any of our other affiliates, on the other hand, which agreement will provide that the indemnified parties cannot access the funds held in our trust account.
We may pay our sponsor or any of our officers or directors, or any entity with which they are affiliated, a finder’s fee, consulting fee or other compensation in connection with identifying, investigating and completing our initial business combination, which we will disclose in the proxy statement filed in connection with our initial business combination. In addition, these individuals will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made by us to our sponsor, officers, directors or our or their affiliates and will determine which expenses and the amount of expenses that will be reimbursed. There is no cap or ceiling on the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such persons in connection with activities on our behalf.
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Our sponsor may loan us funds to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering. These loans would be non-interest bearing, unsecured and are due at the earlier of December 31, 2024 or the closing of this offering. The loan will be repaid upon the closing of this offering out of the estimated $700,000 of offering proceeds that has been allocated to the payment of offering expenses and that is not held in the trust account.
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor, affiliates of our sponsor or our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete an initial business combination, we may repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us. In the event that the initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account or funds from permitted withdrawals to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into private placement units of the post business combination entity at a price of $10.00 per unit at the option of the lender. The private placement units issued upon conversion of any such loans would be identical to the private placement units sold in a private placement concurrently with this offering.
The terms of such loans by our officers and directors, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. We do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor, members of our management team or any of their affiliates as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.
After our initial business combination, members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting, management or other fees from the combined company with any and all amounts being fully disclosed to our shareholders, to the extent then known, in the tender offer or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, furnished to our shareholders. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of distribution of such tender offer materials or at the time of a shareholder meeting held to consider our initial business combination, as applicable, as it will be up to the directors of the post-combination business to determine executive and director compensation.
We will enter into a registration and shareholder rights agreement pursuant to which our sponsor, and its permitted transferees, if any, will be entitled to certain registration rights with respect to the securities they hold or may acquire, including the Class A ordinary shares into which founder shares are convertible and the securities included in private placement units (including any private placement units that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans), such as the private placement shares included in private placement units, the warrants included in such private placement units and any Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of such warrants. Further, pursuant to such agreement, our sponsor, upon and following consummation of an initial business combination, will also be entitled to nominate three individuals for election to our board of directors, as long as the sponsor holds any securities covered by the registration and shareholder rights agreement, which is described under the section of this prospectus entitled “Description of Securities—Registration and Shareholder Rights.”
Policy for Approval of Related Party Transactions
The audit committee of our board of directors will adopt a charter, providing for the review, approval and/or ratification of “related party transactions,” which are those transactions required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K as promulgated by the SEC, by the audit committee. At its meetings, the audit committee shall be provided with the details of each new, existing, or proposed related party transaction, including the terms of the transaction, any contractual restrictions that the company has already committed to, the business purpose of the transaction, and the benefits of the transaction to the company and to the relevant related party. Any member of the committee who has an interest in the related party transaction under review by the committee shall abstain from voting on the approval of the related party transaction, but may, if so requested by the chairman of the committee, participate in some or all of the committee’s discussions of the related party transaction. Upon completion of its review of the related party transaction, the committee may determine to permit or to prohibit the related party transaction.
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We are a Cayman Islands exempted company and our affairs will be governed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act and the common law of the Cayman Islands. Pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association which will be adopted prior to the consummation of this offering, we will be authorized to issue 300,000,000 Class A ordinary shares and 30,000,000 Class B ordinary shares, as well as 1,000,000 preference shares, $0.0001 par value each. The following description summarizes certain terms of our securities as set out more particularly in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Because it is only a summary, it may not contain all the information that is important to you.
Units
Each unit has an offering price of $10.00 and consists of one Class A ordinary share and one-fifth of one redeemable warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as described in this prospectus.
Pursuant to the warrant agreement, a warrant holder may exercise its warrants only for a whole number of the company’s Class A ordinary shares. This means only a whole warrant may be exercised at any given time by a warrant holder.
The Class A ordinary shares and warrants comprising the units are expected to begin separate trading on the 52nd day following the date of this prospectus (or, if such date is not a business day, the following business day) unless the representatives of the underwriters inform us of their decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our having filed the Current Report on Form 8-K described below and having issued a press release announcing when such separate trading will begin. Once the Class A ordinary shares and warrants commence separate trading, holders will have the option to continue to hold units or separate their units into the component securities. Holders will need to have their brokers contact our transfer agent in order to separate the units into Class A ordinary shares and warrants. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Accordingly, unless you purchase at least five units, you will not be able to receive or trade a whole warrant.
In no event will the Class A ordinary shares and warrants be traded separately until we have filed with the SEC a Current Report on Form 8-K which includes an audited balance sheet reflecting our receipt of the gross proceeds at the closing of this offering and the sale of the private placement warrants. We will file a Current Report on Form 8-K which includes this audited balance sheet promptly after the completion of this offering. If the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised following the initial filing of such Current Report on Form 8-K, a second or amended Current Report on Form 8-K will be filed to provide updated financial information to reflect the exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option.
Additionally, the units will automatically separate into their component parts and will not be traded after completion of our initial business combination.
Ordinary Shares
Prior to the date of this prospectus, there were 5,031,250 Class B ordinary shares issued and outstanding, all of which were held of record by our sponsor, so that our sponsor will own 20% of our issued and outstanding shares (excluding the private placement shares included in the private placement units and assuming our sponsor, directors or officers do not purchase any shares in this offering) after this offering. Up to 656,250 of the founder shares will be surrendered for no consideration depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment is exercised. Upon the closing of this offering, 22,425,000 of our ordinary shares will be outstanding (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option and the corresponding surrender for no consideration of 656,250 founder shares) including:
| ∎ | 17,500,000 Class A ordinary shares issued as part of this offering; |
| ∎ | 550,000 private placement shares underlying the units sold in a private placement concurrently with the closing of this offering; and |
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| ∎ | 4,375,000 Class B ordinary shares held by our sponsor. |
If we increase or decrease the size of this offering, we will effect a share capitalization or a share surrender or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B ordinary shares immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of our sponsor (and its permitted transferees, if any) at 20% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares (excluding the private placement shares included in the private placement units) upon the consummation of this offering.
Except as described below, ordinary shareholders of record are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters to be voted on by shareholders and 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 our shareholders except as required by law. Unless otherwise specified in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, or as required by applicable provisions of the Companies Act or applicable stock exchange rules, the affirmative vote of a majority of our ordinary shares that are represented in person or by proxy and are voted is required to approve any such matter voted on by our shareholders. Approval of certain actions will require a special resolution under Cayman Islands law, being the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes cast by such shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at the applicable general meeting of the company, and pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association; such actions include amending our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and approving a statutory merger or consolidation with another company. Our board of directors is divided into three classes, each of which will generally serve for terms of three years with only one class of directors being elected in each year. There is no cumulative voting with respect to the election of directors, with the result that the holders of more than 50% of the shares entitled to vote and voted for the election of directors can elect all of the directors. Our shareholders are entitled to receive ratable dividends when, as and if declared by the board of directors out of funds legally available therefor. Prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on the election of directors during such time. Incumbent directors shall also have the ability to appoint additional directors or to appoint replacement directors in the event of a casual vacancy in accordance with the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Further, prior to the closing of our initial business combination, only holders of our Class B ordinary shares will be entitled to vote on transferring the Company by way of continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands (including any special resolution required to amend the constitutional documents of the Company or to adopt new constitutional documents of the company, in each case, as a result of the company approving a transfer by way of continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands) and, as a result, our sponsor will be able to approve any such proposal without the vote of any other shareholder. The provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association governing the appointment of directors prior to our initial business combination and our continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands prior to our initial business combination may only be amended by a special resolution passed by holders representing at least two-thirds of our outstanding Class B ordinary shares. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on a special resolution to amend such provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles during such period.
Because our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will authorize the issuance of up to 300,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, if we were to enter into a business combination, we may (depending on the terms of such a business combination) be required to increase the number of Class A ordinary shares which we are authorized to issue at the same time as our shareholders vote on the business combination to the extent we seek shareholder approval in connection with our initial business combination.
Our board of directors is divided into three classes with only one class of directors being elected in each year and each class (except for those directors appointed prior to our first annual meeting of shareholders) serving a three-year term. In accordance with Nasdaq corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual meeting until one year after the first full fiscal year that the company is in existence. As an exempted company, there is no requirement under the Companies Act for us to hold annual or shareholder meetings to elect directors other than to ensure that the company has at least one director at all times. We may not hold an annual meeting of shareholders to elect new directors prior to the consummation of our initial business combination. Prior to the completion of an initial business combination, any vacancy on the board of directors may be filled by a nominee chosen by the vote of a majority of the remaining directors.
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We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination 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 our initial business combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us for permitted withdrawals, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. The amount in the trust account is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per public share. The per share amount we will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions we will pay to the underwriters. The redemption rights may include the requirement that a beneficial owner must identify itself in order to valid redeem its shares. There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of our initial business combination with respect to our warrants or our private placement units and their underlying securities. Our sponsor and our management team have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares, private placement shares included in any private placement units and public shares in connection with (i) the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) the implementation by the directors of, following a shareholder vote to approve, an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed or repurchased in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares. Unlike many blank check companies that hold shareholder votes and conduct proxy solicitations in conjunction with their initial business combinations and provide for related redemptions of public shares for cash upon completion of such initial business combinations even when a vote is not required by law, if a shareholder vote is not required by applicable law or stock exchange rule and we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other reasons, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC, and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will require these tender offer documents to contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under the SEC’s proxy rules. If, however, a shareholder approval of the transaction is required by applicable law or stock exchange rule, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other reasons, we will, like many blank check companies, offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the ordinary shares, represented in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereon, voted at a shareholder meeting are voted in favor of the business combination. However, the participation of our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or their affiliates in privately-negotiated transactions (as described in this prospectus), if any, could result in the approval of our initial business combination even if a majority of our public shareholders vote, or indicate their intention to vote, against such initial business combination unless restricted by applicable Nasdaq rules. For purposes of seeking approval of the majority of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, non-votes will have no effect on the approval of our initial business combination once a quorum is obtained. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will require that at least five clear days’ notice will be given of any shareholder meeting.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from redeeming its public shares with respect to Excess Shares, without our prior consent. However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. Our shareholders’ inability to redeem the Excess Shares will reduce their influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination, and such shareholders could suffer a material loss in their investment if they sell such Excess Shares on the open market. Additionally, such shareholders will not receive redemption distributions with respect to the Excess Shares if we complete our initial business combination. And, as a result, such shareholders will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 15% and, in order to dispose such shares would be required to sell their shares in open market transactions, potentially at a loss.
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If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the ordinary shares, represented in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereon, voted at a shareholder meeting are voted in favor of the business combination. In such case, our sponsor and each member of our management team have agreed to vote their founder shares, private placement shares included in any private placement units and any public shares (including public shares that are part of a public unit) purchased during or after this offering in favor of our initial business combination (except with respect to any such public shares which may not be voted in favor of approving the business combination transaction in accordance with the requirements of Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act and any SEC interpretations or guidance relating thereto). As a result, in addition to our founder shares and private placement shares included in the private placement units issued concurrently with the consummation of this offering, we would need 6,287,501, or 35.9%, of the 17,500,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming all issued and outstanding shares are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised). Assuming that only the holders of one-third of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, representing a quorum under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, vote their shares, we will not need any public shares in addition to our founder shares and the private placement shares included in the private placement units purchased by our sponsor simultaneously with this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to approve an initial business combination. Additionally, each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction or vote at all.
Pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, if we do not consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up; (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but no 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 and not previously released to us for permitted withdrawals (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of the 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 our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case of clause (ii) and (iii), to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. Our sponsor and each member of our management team have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares or private placement shares included in private placement units they hold if we fail to consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering).
In the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the company after a business combination, our shareholders are entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining available for distribution to them after payment of liabilities and after provision is made for each class of shares, if any, having preference over the ordinary shares. Our shareholders have no preemptive or other subscription rights. There are no sinking fund provisions applicable to the ordinary shares, except that we will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash at a per share price equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us for permitted withdrawals, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, upon the completion of our initial business combination, subject to the limitations described herein.
Private placement Units
The private placement units (including any private placement shares or private placement warrants included in such private placement units) will not be transferable or salable until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination (except, among other limited exceptions as described under “Principal Shareholders—Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Units,” to our officers and directors and other persons or entities affiliated with our sponsor). Holders of our private placement units (including their underlying securities) are entitled to certain registration rights. If we do not consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the
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closing of this offering, any proceeds from the sale of the private placement units held in the trust account will be used to fund the redemption of our public shares (subject to the requirements of applicable law). Holders of our private placement units have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares, private placement shares included in any private placement units and public shares in connection with (i) the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) the implementation by the directors of, following a shareholder vote to approve, an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed or repurchased in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares. Further, if we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the ordinary shares, represented in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereon, voted at a shareholder meeting are voted in favor of the business combination. In such case, our sponsor and each member of our management team have agreed to vote their founder shares, private placement shares included in any private placement units and any public shares purchased during or after this offering in favor of our initial business combination (except with respect to any such public shares which may not be voted in favor of approving the business combination transaction in accordance with the requirements of Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act and any SEC interpretations or guidance relating thereto). Otherwise, the private placement units are identical to the Class A ordinary shares sold in this offering.
Our sponsor and our management team have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their private placement units (including any private placement shares or private placement warrants included in such private placement units), until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, except that, among other limited exceptions as described under the section of this prospectus entitled “Principal Shareholders—Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Units,” to our officers and directors and other persons or entities affiliated with our sponsor made to our officers and directors and other persons or entities affiliated with our sponsor. For more information on the letter agreement in which such transfer restrictions are included and for more information on the limited exceptions to such transfer restrictions, also see “Proposed Business—Initial Business Combination.”
In order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor, affiliates of our sponsor or our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into private placement units of the post business combination entity at a price of $10.00 per unit at the option of the lender. The private placement units issued upon conversion of any such loans would be identical to the private placement units sold in a private placement concurrently with this offering.
Founder Shares
The founder shares are designated as Class B ordinary shares and, except as described below, are identical to the Class A ordinary shares included in the units being sold in this offering, and holders of founder shares have the same shareholder rights as public shareholders, except that:
| ∎ | the founder shares are subject to certain transfer restrictions, as described in more detail below; |
| ∎ | in a vote to transfer the Company by way of continuation to a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands (which requires a special resolution, being the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes cast by the holders of the issued shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on such matter at a general meeting of the company), only holders of our founder shares shall carry the right to vote; |
| ∎ | our sponsor and our management team have entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to (i) waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, private placement shares included in any private placement units and public shares they hold in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, private placement shares included in any private placement units and public shares in connection with the implementation by the directors of, following a shareholder vote to approve, an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our |
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| obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed or repurchased in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares and (iii) waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares or private placement shares included in private placement units they hold if we fail to consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering); |
| ∎ | the founder shares will automatically convert into our Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination or earlier at the option of the holder on a one-for-one basis (such Class A ordinary share delivered upon conversion will not have any redemption rights or be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account if we fail to consummate an initial business combination), subject to adjustment pursuant to certain anti-dilution rights, as described below and in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association; and |
| ∎ | the founder shares are entitled to registration rights. |
If we submit our initial business combination to our public shareholders for a vote, our sponsor and our management team have agreed to vote their founder shares, private placement shares included in any private placement units and any public shares purchased during or after this offering in favor of our initial business combination (except with respect to any such public shares which may not be voted in favor of approving the business combination transaction in accordance with the requirements of Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act and any SEC interpretations or guidance relating thereto). If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the ordinary shares, represented in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereon, voted at a shareholder meeting are voted in favor of the business combination. In such case, our sponsor and each member of our management team have agreed to vote their founder shares, private placement shares included in any private placement units and any public shares (including public shares that are part of a public unit) purchased during or after this offering in favor of our initial business combination. As a result, in addition to our founder shares and private placement shares included in the private placement units issued concurrently with the consummation of this offering, we would need 6,287,501, or 35.9%, of the 17,500,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming all issued and outstanding shares are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised);
Subject to adjustment for share sub-divisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like, and subject to further adjustment as provided herein, the founder shares, which are designated as Class B ordinary shares, will be convertible at the option of the holder on a one-for-one basis or will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares (such Class A ordinary share delivered upon conversion will not have any redemption rights or be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account if we fail to consummate an initial business combination) concurrently with or immediately following the consummation of our initial business combination at a ratio such that the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all founder shares (including, for the avoidance of doubt for purposes of the calculation described hereafter, the Class A ordinary shares that may have been issued upon conversion of Class B ordinary shares at the option of the holder thereof prior to the consummation of our initial business combination) will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the sum of (i) the total number of ordinary shares issued and outstanding (excluding the private placement shares included in the private placement units and including any Class A ordinary share issued pursuant to the underwriters’ over-allotment option) upon completion of this offering, plus (ii) the sum of 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, deemed issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial business combination and any private placement-equivalent units issued to our sponsor, members of our management team or any of their affiliates upon conversion of working capital loans made to the Company. In no event will the Class B ordinary shares convert into Class A ordinary shares at a rate of less than one to one.
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Except as described herein, our sponsor and our management team have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their founder shares until the earliest of (A) 180 days after the completion of our initial business combination and (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property. Any permitted transferees will be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of our sponsor and management team with respect to any founder shares. We refer to such transfer restrictions throughout this prospectus as the lock-up. For more information on the letter agreement in which the transfer restrictions are included and for more information on the limited exceptions to such transfer restrictions, also see “Proposed Business—Initial Business Combination.”
Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on the election of directors during such time. Further, prior to the closing of our initial business combination, only holders of our Class B ordinary shares will be entitled to vote on transferring the Company by way of continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands (including any special resolution required to amend the constitutional documents of the Company or to adopt new constitutional documents of the company, in each case, as a result of the company approving a transfer by way of continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands) and, as a result, our sponsor will be able to approve any such proposal without the vote of any other shareholder. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a special resolution passed by holders representing at least two-thirds of our outstanding Class B ordinary shares. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on a special resolution to amend such provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles during such period. With respect to any other matter submitted to a vote of our shareholders, including any vote in connection with our initial business combination, except as required by law, holders of our founder shares and holders of our public shares will vote together as a single class, with each share entitling the holder to one vote.
Warrants
Public Shareholders’ Warrants
Each whole warrant entitles the registered holder to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as discussed below, at any time commencing 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, provided that we have an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants and a current prospectus relating to them is available (or we permit holders to exercise their warrants on a “cashless basis” under the circumstances specified in the warrant agreement) and such Class A ordinary shares are registered, qualified or exempt from registration under the securities or blue sky laws of the state of residence of the holder. Pursuant to the warrant agreement, a warrant holder may exercise its warrants only for a whole number of Class A ordinary shares. This means only a whole warrant may be exercised at a given time by a warrant holder. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade.
Accordingly, unless you purchase at least five units, you will not be able to receive or trade a whole warrant. The warrants will expire five years after the completion of our initial business combination, at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, or earlier upon redemption or liquidation of the company.
We will not be obligated to deliver any Class A ordinary shares pursuant to the exercise of a warrant and will have no obligation to settle such warrant exercise unless a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to the Class A ordinary shares underlying the warrants is then effective and a prospectus relating thereto is current, subject to our satisfying our obligations described below with respect to registration, or a valid exemption from registration is available. No warrant will be exercisable and we will not be obligated to issue a Class A ordinary share upon exercise of a warrant unless the Class A ordinary share issuable upon such warrant exercise has been registered, qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the registered holder of the warrants. In the event that the conditions in the two immediately preceding sentences are not satisfied with respect to a warrant, the holder of such warrant will not be entitled to exercise such warrant and such warrant may have no value and expire worthless. In no event will we be required to net cash settle any warrant. In the event that a registration statement is not effective for the exercised warrants, the purchaser of a unit containing such warrant will have paid the full purchase price for the unit solely for the Class A ordinary share underlying such unit.
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We are registering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants in the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part because the warrants will become exercisable 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, which may be within one year of this offering. However, because the warrants will be exercisable until their expiration date of up to five years after the completion of our initial business combination, in order to comply with the requirements of Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act following the consummation of our initial business combination, we have agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 20 business days after the closing of our initial business combination, we will use our commercially reasonable efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1, Form S-3, Form F-1 or Form F-3 for the registration, under the Securities Act, of the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants, and we will use our commercially reasonable efforts to cause the same to become effective within 60 business days after the closing of our initial business combination, and to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement and a current prospectus relating to those Class A ordinary shares until the warrants expire or are redeemed, as specified in the warrant agreement; provided that if our Class A ordinary shares are at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of a “covered security” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, we may, at our option, require holders of public warrants who exercise their warrants to do so on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act and, in the event we so elect, we will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement, but we will use our commercially reasonably efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available. If a registration statement covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the 60th day after the closing of the initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when we will have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption, but we will use our commercially reasonably efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available. In such event, each holder would pay the exercise price by surrendering the warrants for that number of Class A ordinary shares equal to (A) the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of Class A ordinary shares underlying the warrants, multiplied by the excess of the “fair market value” (as defined below) less the exercise price of the warrants by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” as used in this paragraph shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Class A ordinary shares for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of exercise is delivered to the warrant agent.
Redemption of warrants when the price per Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $18.00. Once the warrants become exercisable, we may redeem the outstanding warrants (except as described herein with respect to the private placement warrants):
| ∎ | in whole and not in part; |
| ∎ | at a price of $0.01 per warrant; |
| ∎ | upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption to each warrant holder; and |
| ∎ | if, and only if, the closing price of the Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for adjustments to the number of shares issuable upon exercise or the exercise price of a warrant as described under the heading “- Warrants—Public Shareholders’ Warrants—Anti-Dilution Adjustments”) for any 20 trading days within a 30- trading day period ending three trading days before we send the notice of redemption to the warrant holders. |
We will not redeem the warrants as described above unless a registration statement under the Securities Act covering the issuance of the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is then effective and a current prospectus relating to those Class A ordinary shares is available throughout the 30-day redemption period. If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may exercise our redemption right even if we are unable to register or qualify the underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws.
If we call the warrants for redemption as described above, our management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise warrants to do so on a “cashless basis.” In determining whether to require all holders to exercise their warrants on a “cashless basis,” our management will consider, among other factors, our cash position, the number of warrants that are outstanding and the dilutive effect on our shareholders of issuing the maximum number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of our warrants. In such event, each holder would pay
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the exercise price by surrendering the warrants for that number of Class A ordinary shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of Class A ordinary shares underlying the warrants, multiplied by the “fair market value” of our Class A ordinary shares less the exercise price of the warrants by (y) the fair market value.
We have established the last of the redemption criterion discussed above to prevent a redemption call unless there is at the time of the call a significant premium to the warrant exercise price. If the foregoing conditions are satisfied and we issue a notice of redemption of the warrants, each warrant holder will be entitled to exercise his, her or its warrant prior to the scheduled redemption date. However, the price of the Class A ordinary shares may fall below the $18.00 redemption trigger price (as adjusted for adjustments to the number of shares issuable upon exercise or the exercise price of a warrant as described under the heading “- Warrants—Public Shareholders’ Warrants—Anti-Dilution Adjustments”) as well as the $11.50 (for whole shares) warrant exercise price after the redemption notice is issued.
Redemption Procedures. A holder of a warrant may notify us in writing in the event it elects to be subject to a requirement that such holder will not have the right to exercise such warrant, to the extent that after giving effect to such exercise, such person (together with such person’s affiliates), to the warrant agent’s actual knowledge, would beneficially own in excess of 9.8% (or such other amount as a holder may specify) of the Class A ordinary shares issued and outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise.
Anti-Dilution Adjustments. If the number of outstanding Class A ordinary shares is increased by a capitalization or share dividend paid in Class A ordinary shares to all or substantially all holders of Class A ordinary shares, or by a sub-division of Class A ordinary shares or other similar event, then, on the effective date of such capitalization or share dividend, sub-division or similar event, the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable on exercise of each warrant will be increased in proportion to such increase in the outstanding Class A ordinary shares.
In addition, if we, at any time while the warrants are outstanding and unexpired, pay a dividend or make a distribution in cash, securities or other assets to all or substantially all of the holders of the Class A ordinary shares on account of such Class A ordinary shares (or other securities into which the warrants are convertible), other than (a) as described above, (b) any cash dividends or cash distributions which, when combined on a per share basis with all other cash dividends and cash distributions paid on the Class A ordinary shares during the 365-day period ending on the date of declaration of such dividend or distribution does not exceed $0.50 (as adjusted to appropriately reflect any other adjustments and excluding cash dividends or cash distributions that resulted in an adjustment to the exercise price or to the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable on exercise of each warrant) but only with respect to the amount of the aggregate cash dividends or cash distributions equal to or less than $0.50 per share, (c) to satisfy the redemption rights of the holders of Class A ordinary shares in connection with a proposed initial business combination, (d) to satisfy the redemption rights of the holders of Class A ordinary shares in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares, (e) as a result of the repurchase of Class A ordinary shares by us if a proposed initial business combination is presented to our shareholders for approval, or (f) in connection with the redemption of our public shares upon our failure to complete our initial business combination, then the warrant exercise price will be decreased, effective immediately after the effective date of such event, by the amount of cash and/or the fair market value of any securities or other assets paid on each Class A ordinary share in respect of such event.
If the number of outstanding Class A ordinary shares is decreased by a consolidation, combination, or reclassification of Class A ordinary shares or other similar event, then, on the effective date of such consolidation, combination, reclassification or similar event, the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable on exercise of each warrant will be decreased in proportion to such decrease in outstanding Class A ordinary shares.
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Whenever the number of Class A ordinary shares purchasable upon the exercise of the warrants is adjusted, as described above, the warrant exercise price will be adjusted by multiplying the warrant exercise price immediately prior to such adjustment by a fraction (x) the numerator of which will be the number of Class A ordinary shares purchasable upon the exercise of the warrants immediately prior to such adjustment and (y) the denominator of which will be the number of Class A ordinary shares so purchasable immediately thereafter.
In addition, if (x) we issue additional Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per ordinary share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by our board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to our sponsor or its affiliates, without taking into account any founder shares held by our sponsor or such affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance) (the “Newly Issued Price”), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of our initial business combination on the date of the consummation of our initial business combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of our Class A ordinary shares during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which we consummate our initial business combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described above under “- Redemption of warrants when the price per Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $18.00” will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price.
In case of any reclassification or reorganization of the outstanding Class A ordinary shares (other than those described above or that solely affects the par value of such Class A ordinary shares), or in the case of any merger or consolidation of us with or into another corporation (other than a consolidation or merger in which we are the continuing corporation and that does not result in any reclassification or reorganization of our outstanding Class A ordinary shares), or in the case of any sale or conveyance to another corporation or entity of the assets or other property of us as an entirety or substantially as an entirety in connection with which we are dissolved, the holders of the warrants will thereafter have the right to purchase and receive, upon the basis and upon the terms and conditions specified in the warrants and in lieu of the Class A ordinary shares immediately theretofore purchasable and receivable upon the exercise of the rights represented thereby, the kind and amount of Class A ordinary shares or other securities or property (including cash) receivable upon such reclassification, reorganization, merger or consolidation, or upon a dissolution following any such sale or transfer, that the holder of the warrants would have received if such holder had exercised their warrants immediately prior to such event.
The warrants will be issued in registered form under a warrant agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, and us. The warrant agreement provides that the terms of the warrants may be amended without the consent of any holder for the purpose of (i) curing any ambiguity or correct any mistake, including to conform the provisions of the warrant agreement to the description of the terms of the warrants and the warrant agreement set forth in this prospectus, or defective provision, (ii) amending the provisions relating to cash dividends on ordinary shares as contemplated by and in accordance with the warrant agreement or (iii) adding or changing any provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under the warrant agreement as the parties to the warrant agreement may deem necessary or desirable and that the parties deem to not adversely affect the rights of the registered holders of the warrants, provided that the approval by the holders of at least 50% of the then-outstanding public warrants is required to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) any amendment to the terms of the private placement warrants shall only require our consent and the holders of a majority of the private placement warrants, (b) we may lower the exercise price of the warrants or extend the duration of the exercise period of the warrants without the consent of the registered holders of the warrants, and (c) we may in our sole discretion and at any time allow or require the exercise of the warrants on a “cashless basis” without the consent of any registered holders.
You should review a copy of the warrant agreement, which will be filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, for a complete description of the terms and conditions applicable to the warrants.
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The warrant holders do not have the rights or privileges of holders of ordinary shares and any voting rights until they exercise their warrants and receive Class A ordinary shares. After the issuance of Class A ordinary shares upon exercise of the warrants, each holder will be entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters to be voted on by shareholders.
No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. If, upon exercise of the warrants, a holder would be entitled to receive a fractional interest in a share, we will, upon exercise, round down to the nearest whole number the number of Class A ordinary shares to be issued to the warrant holder.
We have agreed that, subject to applicable law, any action, proceeding or claim against us arising out of or relating in any way to the warrant agreement will be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and we irrevocably submit to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction will be the exclusive forum for any such action, proceeding or claim. See “Risk Factors—Our warrant agreement will designate the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by holders of our warrants, which could limit the ability of warrant holders to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with our company.” This provision applies to claims under the Securities Act but does not apply to claims under the Exchange Act or any claim for which the federal district courts of the United States of America are the sole and exclusive forum. We note, however, that there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce this provision and that investors cannot waive compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for state and federal courts over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder.
Private Placement Warrants
Except as described below, the private placement warrants have terms and provisions that are identical to those of the warrants being sold as part of the units in this offering. The private placement warrants (including the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the private placement warrants) will not be transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination (except pursuant to limited exceptions as described under “Principal Shareholders—Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Units,” to our officers and directors and other persons or entities affiliated with the sponsor) and they will not be redeemable by us. Our sponsor, or its permitted transferees, has the option to exercise the private placement warrants on a cashless basis. Any amendment to the terms of the private placement warrants or any provision of the warrant agreement with respect to the private placement warrants will require a vote of holders of at least 50% of the number of the then outstanding private placement warrants.
If holders of the private placement warrants elect to exercise them on a cashless basis, they would pay the exercise price by surrendering his, her or its warrants for that number of Class A ordinary shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of Class A ordinary shares underlying the warrants, multiplied by the excess of the “Sponsor fair market value” over the exercise price of the warrants by (y) the Sponsor fair market value. For these purposes, the “Sponsor fair market value” shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Class A ordinary shares for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of warrant exercise is sent to the warrant agent. The reason that we have agreed that these warrants will be exercisable on a cashless basis so long as they are held by our sponsor and its permitted transferees is because it is not known at this time whether they will be affiliated with us following a business combination. If they remain affiliated with us, their ability to sell our securities in the open market will be significantly limited. We expect to have policies in place that restrict insiders from selling our securities except during specific periods of time. Even during such periods of time when insiders will be permitted to sell our securities, an insider cannot trade in our securities if he or she is in possession of material non-public information. Accordingly, unlike public shareholders who could exercise their warrants and sell the Class A ordinary shares received upon such exercise freely in the open market in order to recoup the cost of such exercise, the insiders could be significantly restricted from selling such securities. As a result, we believe that allowing the holders to exercise such warrants on a cashless basis is appropriate.
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Our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors have the right, but not the obligation, to loan us funds interest free and on substantially the same terms as our existing promissory note. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into private placement units of the post business combination entity at a price of $10.00 per unit at the option of the lender. The private placement units issued upon conversion of any such loans would be identical to the private placement units sold in a private placement concurrently with this offering and each such private placement unit would include one-fifth of a private placement warrant.
Register of Members
Under the Companies Act, we must keep a register of members and there should be entered therein:
| ∎ | the names and addresses of the members of the company, a statement of the shares held by each member, which: |
| ∎ | distinguishes each share by its number (so long as the share has a number); |
| ∎ | confirms the amount paid, or agreed to be considered as paid, on the shares of each member; |
| ∎ | confirms the number and category of shares held by each member; and |
| ∎ | confirms whether each relevant category of shares held by a member carries voting rights under the Articles, and if so, whether such voting rights are conditional; |
| ∎ | the date on which the name of any person was entered on the register as a member; and |
| ∎ | the date on which any person ceased to be a member. |
For these purposes, “voting rights” means rights conferred on shareholders, including the right to appoint directors, in respect of their shares to vote at general meetings of the company on all or substantially all matters. A voting right is conditional where the voting right arises only in certain circumstances.
Under Cayman Islands law, the register of members of our company is prima facie evidence of the matters set out therein (i.e. the register of members will raise a presumption of fact on the matters referred to above unless rebutted) and a member registered in the register of members will be deemed as a matter of Cayman Islands law to have legal title to the shares as set against its name in the register of members. Upon the closing of this public offering, the register of members will be immediately updated to reflect the issue of shares by us. Once our register of members has been updated, the shareholders recorded in the register of members will be deemed to have legal title to the shares set against their name. However, there are certain limited circumstances where an application may be made to a Cayman Islands court for a determination on whether the register of members reflects the correct legal position. Further, the Cayman Islands court has the power to order that the register of members maintained by a company should be rectified where it considers that the register of members does not reflect the correct legal position. If an application for an order for rectification of the register of members were made in respect of our ordinary shares, then the validity of such shares may be subject to re-examination by a Cayman Islands court.
Preference Shares
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will authorize 1,000,000 preference shares and will provide that preference shares may be issued from time to time in one or more series or classes. Our board of directors will be authorized to fix the voting rights, if any, designations, powers, preferences, the relative, participating, optional or other special rights and any qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, applicable to the shares of each series or class. Our board of directors will be able to, without shareholder approval, issue preference shares with voting and other rights that could adversely affect the voting power and other rights of the holders of the ordinary shares and could have antitakeover effects. The ability of our board of directors to issue preference shares without shareholder approval could have the effect of, among other things, one or more of the following:
| ∎ | Restricting dividends in the respect of the ordinary shares; |
| ∎ | Diluting the voting power of the ordinary shares or providing that holders of preference shares have the right to vote on matters as a class; |
| ∎ | Impairing the liquidation rights of the ordinary shares; or |
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| ∎ | Delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control of us or the removal of existing management. |
We have no preference shares issued and outstanding at the date hereof. Although we do not currently intend to issue any preference shares, we cannot assure you that we will not do so in the future. No preference shares are being issued or registered in this offering.
Dividends
We have not paid any cash dividends on our ordinary shares to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of our initial business combination even if we have substantial assets outside the trust account. The payment of cash dividends following completion of our initial business combination will be within the discretion of our board of directors at such time and will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial condition at such time. There is no certainty we will be in a position to, or decide to, pay cash dividends after completing any business combination. If we increase or decrease the size of this offering, we will effect a share capitalization or other appropriate mechanism, immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the number of founder shares at 20.0% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering. Further, if we incur any indebtedness in connection with our initial business combination, our ability to declare dividends following completion of our initial business combination may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.
Our Transfer Agent and Warrant Agent
The transfer agent for our ordinary shares and warrant agent for our warrants is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company. We have agreed to indemnify Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company in its roles as transfer agent and warrant agent, its agents and each of its shareholders, directors, officers and employees against all claims and losses that may arise out of acts performed or omitted for its activities in that capacity, except for any claims and losses due to any gross negligence or intentional misconduct of the indemnified person or entity.
Certain Differences in Corporate Law
Cayman Islands companies are governed by the Companies Act. The Companies Act is modeled on English Law but does not follow recent English Law statutory enactments, and differs from laws applicable to United States corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary of the material differences between the provisions of the Companies Act applicable to us and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the United States and their shareholders.
Mergers and Similar Arrangements. In certain circumstances, the Companies Act allows for mergers or consolidations between two Cayman Islands companies, or between a Cayman Islands exempted company and a company incorporated in another jurisdiction (provided that is facilitated by the laws of that other jurisdiction) so as to form a single surviving company.
Where the merger or consolidation is between two Cayman Islands companies, the directors of each company must approve and enter into a written plan of merger or consolidation containing certain prescribed information. That plan or merger or consolidation must then be authorized by either (a) a special resolution (usually a majority of two-thirds in value of the voting shares voted at a shareholder meeting) of the shareholders of each company; or (b) such other authorization, if any, as may be specified in such constituent company’s articles of association. No shareholder resolution is required for a merger between a parent company (i.e., a company that owns at least 90% of the issued shares of each class in a subsidiary company) and its subsidiary company. The consent of each holder of a fixed or floating security interest of a constituent company must be obtained, unless the court waives such requirement. If the Cayman Islands Registrar of Companies is satisfied that the requirements of the Companies Act (which includes certain other formalities) have been complied with, the Registrar of Companies will register the plan of merger or consolidation.
Where the merger or consolidation involves a foreign company, the procedure is similar, save that with respect to the foreign company, the directors of the Cayman Islands exempted company are required to make a declaration to the effect that, having made due enquiry, they are of the opinion that the requirements set out below have been met: (i) that the merger or consolidation is permitted or not prohibited by the constitutional documents of the foreign company and by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the foreign company is incorporated, and that those laws and
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any requirements of those constitutional documents have been or will be complied with; (ii) that no petition or other similar proceeding has been filed and remains outstanding or order made or resolution adopted to wind up or liquidate the foreign company in any jurisdictions; (iii) that no receiver, trustee, administrator or other similar person has been appointed in any jurisdiction and is acting in respect of the foreign company, its affairs or its property or any part thereof; (iv) that no scheme, order, compromise or other similar arrangement has been entered into or made in any jurisdiction whereby the rights of creditors of the foreign company are and continue to be suspended or restricted; and (v) there is no other reason why it would be against the public interest to permit the merger or consolidation.
Where the surviving company is the Cayman Islands exempted company, the directors of the Cayman Islands exempted company are further required to make a declaration to the effect that, having made due enquiry, they are of the opinion that the requirements set out below have been met: (i) that the foreign company is able to pay its debts as they fall due and that the merger or consolidation is bona fide and not intended to defraud unsecured creditors of the foreign company; (ii) that in respect of the transfer of any security interest granted by the foreign company to the surviving or consolidated company (a) consent or approval to the transfer has been obtained, released or waived; (b) the transfer is permitted by and has been approved in accordance with the constitutional documents of the foreign company; and (c) the laws of the jurisdiction of the foreign company with respect to the transfer have been or will be complied with; (iii) that the foreign company will, upon the merger or consolidation becoming effective, cease to be incorporated, registered or exist under the laws of the relevant foreign jurisdiction; and (iv) that there is no other reason why it would be against the public interest to permit the merger or consolidation.
Where the above procedures are adopted, the Companies Act provides certain limited appraisal rights for dissenting shareholders to be paid a payment of the fair value of his shares upon their dissenting to the merger or consolidation if they follow a prescribed procedure. In essence, that procedure is as follows: (a) the shareholder must give his written objection to the merger or consolidation to the constituent company before the vote on the merger or consolidation, including a statement that the shareholder proposes to demand payment for his shares if the merger or consolidation is authorized by the vote; (b) within 20 days following the date on which the merger or consolidation is approved by the shareholders, the constituent company must give written notice to each shareholder who made a written objection; (c) a shareholder must within 20 days following receipt of such notice from the constituent company, give the constituent company a written notice of his intention to dissent including, among other details, a demand for payment of the fair value of his shares; (d) within seven days following the date of the expiration of the period set out in paragraph (b) above or seven days following the date on which the plan of merger or consolidation is filed, whichever is later, the constituent company, the surviving company or the consolidated company must make a written offer to each dissenting shareholder to purchase his shares at a price that the company determines is the fair value and if the company and the shareholder agree the price within 30 days following the date on which the offer was made, the company must pay the shareholder such amount; and (e) if the company and the shareholder fail to agree a price within such 30 day period, within 20 days following the date on which such 30 day period expires, the company (and any dissenting shareholder) must file a petition with the Cayman Islands Grand Court to determine the fair value and such petition must be accompanied by a list of the names and addresses of the dissenting shareholders with whom agreements as to the fair value of their shares have not been reached by the company. At the hearing of that petition, the court has the power to determine the fair value of the shares together with a fair rate of interest, if any, to be paid by the company upon the amount determined to be the fair value. Any dissenting shareholder whose name appears on the list filed by the company may participate fully in all proceedings until the determination of fair value is reached. A shareholder who dissents must do so in respect of all shares that such person holds in the constituent company. Upon the giving of a notice of dissent under paragraph (c) above, the shareholder to whom the notice relates shall cease to have any of the rights of a shareholder except the right to be paid the fair value of that person’s shares and certain rights specified in the Companies Act. These rights of a dissenting shareholder are not available in certain circumstances, for example, to dissenters holding shares of any class in respect of which an open market exists on a recognized stock exchange or recognized interdealer quotation system at the relevant date or where the consideration for such shares to be contributed are shares of any company listed on a national securities exchange or shares of the surviving or consolidated company.
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Moreover, Cayman Islands law has separate statutory provisions that facilitate the reconstruction or amalgamation of companies in certain circumstances, schemes of arrangement will generally be more suited for complex mergers or other transactions involving widely held companies, commonly referred to in the Cayman Islands as a “scheme of arrangement” which may be tantamount to a merger. In the event that a merger was sought pursuant to a scheme of arrangement (the procedures for which are more rigorous and take longer to complete than the procedures typically required to consummate a merger in the United States), the arrangement in question must be approved by a majority in number of each class of shareholders and creditors with whom the arrangement is to be made and who must in addition represent three-fourths in value of each such class of shareholders or creditors, as the case may be, that are present and voting either in person or by proxy at a meeting, or meeting summoned for that purpose and in relation to a compromise or arrangement between a company and its shareholders or any class of them, shareholders who represent 75% in value of the company’s shareholders or class of shareholders, as the case may be, that are present and voting either in person or by proxy at a meeting summoned for that purpose.
The convening of the meetings and subsequently the terms of the arrangement must be sanctioned by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. While a dissenting shareholder would have the right to express to the court the view that the transaction should not be approved, the court can be expected to approve the arrangement if it satisfies itself that:
| ∎ | we are not proposing to act illegally or beyond the scope of our corporate authority and the statutory provisions as to majority vote have been complied with; |
| ∎ | the shareholders have been fairly represented at the meeting in question; |
| ∎ | the arrangement is such as a businessman would reasonably approve; and |
| ∎ | the arrangement is not one that would more properly be sanctioned under some other provision of the Companies Act or that would amount to a “fraud on the minority.” |
If a scheme of arrangement or takeover offer (as described below) is approved, any dissenting shareholder would have no rights comparable to dissenters’ rights or appraisal rights (providing rights to receive payment in cash for the judicially determined value of the shares), which would otherwise ordinarily be available to dissenting shareholders of United States corporations.
Squeeze-out Provisions. When a tender offer is made and accepted by holders of 90% of the shares to whom the offer relates within four months, the offeror may, within a two-month period after the expiration of the initial four-month period, require the holders of the remaining shares to transfer such shares on the terms of the offer. An objection can be made to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, but this is unlikely to succeed unless there is evidence of fraud, bad faith, collusion or inequitable treatment of the shareholders.
Further, transactions similar to a merger, reconstruction and/or an amalgamation may in some circumstances be achieved through means other than these statutory provisions, such as a share capital exchange, asset acquisition or control, or through contractual arrangements of an operating business.
Shareholders’ Suits. Our Cayman Islands counsel is not aware of any reported class action having been brought in a Cayman Islands court. Derivative actions have been brought in the Cayman Islands courts, and the Cayman Islands courts have confirmed the availability for such actions. In most cases, we will be the proper plaintiff in any claim based on a breach of duty owed to us, and a claim against (for example) our officers or directors usually may not be brought by a shareholder. However, based both on Cayman Islands authorities and on English authorities, which would in all likelihood be of persuasive authority and be applied by a court in the Cayman Islands, exceptions to the foregoing principle apply in circumstances in which:
| ∎ | a company is acting, or proposing to act, illegally or ultra vires (beyond the scope of its authority); |
| ∎ | the act complained of, although not beyond the scope of the authority, could be effected if duly authorized by more than the number of votes which have actually been obtained; or |
| ∎ | those who control the company are perpetrating a “fraud on the minority.” |
A shareholder may have a direct right of action against us where the individual rights of that shareholder have been infringed or are about to be infringed.
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Enforcement of Civil Liabilities. The Cayman Islands has a different body of securities laws as compared to the United States and provides less protection to investors. Additionally, Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to sue before the Federal courts of the United States.
We have been advised by our Cayman Islands legal counsel that the courts of the Cayman Islands are unlikely (i) to recognize or enforce against us judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state; and (ii) in original actions brought in the Cayman Islands, to impose liabilities against us predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state, so far as the liabilities imposed by those provisions are penal in nature. In those circumstances, although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, the courts of the Cayman Islands will recognize and enforce a foreign money judgment of a foreign court of competent jurisdiction without retrial on the merits based on the principle that a judgment of a competent foreign court imposes upon the judgment debtor an obligation to pay the sum for which judgment has been given provided certain conditions are met. For a foreign judgment to be enforced in the Cayman Islands, such judgment must be final and conclusive and for a liquidated sum, and must not be in respect of taxes or a fine or penalty, inconsistent with a Cayman Islands judgment in respect of the same matter, impeachable on the grounds of fraud or obtained in a manner, and or be of a kind the enforcement of which is, contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands (awards of punitive or multiple damages may well be held to be contrary to public policy). A Cayman Islands Court may stay enforcement proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere.
Special Considerations for Exempted Companies. We are an exempted company with limited liability (meaning our public shareholders have no liability, as members of the company, for liabilities of the company over and above the amount paid for their shares) under the Companies Act. The Companies Act distinguishes between ordinary resident companies and exempted companies. Any company that is registered in the Cayman Islands but conducts business mainly outside of the Cayman Islands may apply to be registered as an exempted company. The requirements for an exempted company are essentially the same as for an ordinary company except for the exemptions and privileges listed below:
| ∎ | annual reporting requirements are minimal and consist mainly of a statement that the company has conducted its operations mainly outside of the Cayman Islands and has complied with the provisions of the Companies Act; |
| ∎ | an exempted company’s register of members is not open to inspection; |
| ∎ | an exempted company does not have to hold an annual shareholder meeting; |
| ∎ | an exempted company may issue negotiable or bearer shares or shares with no par value; |
| ∎ | an exempted company may obtain an undertaking against the imposition of any future taxation (such undertakings are usually given for 30 years in the first instance); |
| ∎ | an exempted company may register by way of continuation in another jurisdiction and be deregistered in the Cayman Islands; |
| ∎ | an exempted company may register as a limited duration company; and |
| ∎ | an exempted company may register as a segregated portfolio company. |
Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will contain provisions designed to provide certain rights and protections relating to this offering that will apply to us until the completion of our initial business combination. These provisions cannot be amended without a special resolution. As a matter of Cayman Islands law, a resolution is deemed to be a special resolution where it has been approved by either (i) the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds (or any higher threshold specified in a company’s articles of association) of a company’s shareholders entitled to vote and so voting at a shareholder meeting for which notice specifying the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution has been given; or (ii) if so authorized by a company’s articles of association, by a unanimous written resolution of all of the company’s shareholders. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that special resolutions must be approved either by at least two-thirds of the votes cast by such shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, where proxies are
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allowed, by proxy at a shareholder meeting of the company (i.e., the lowest threshold permissible under Cayman Islands law), or by a unanimous written resolution of all of our shareholders. Further, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that a quorum at our shareholder meetings will consist of one or more shareholders who together hold not less than one-third of the ordinary shares entitled to vote at such meeting being individuals present in person or by proxy.
Our sponsor and its permitted transferees, if any, who will collectively beneficially own 20% of our ordinary shares (excluding the private placement units and assuming our sponsor, directors or officers do not purchase any public shares in this offering) upon the closing of this offering, will participate in any vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and will have the discretion to vote in any manner they choose. Specifically, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide, among other things, that:
| ∎ | if we do not consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up; (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but no 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 and not previously released to us for permitted withdrawals (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of the 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 our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law; |
| ∎ | prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we may not, except in connection with the conversion of Class B ordinary shares into Class A ordinary shares where the holders of such shares have waived any rights to receive funds from the trust account, issue additional securities that would entitle the holders thereof to (i) receive funds from the trust account or (ii) vote as a class with our public shares (a) on our initial business combination or on any other proposal presented to shareholders prior to or in connection with the completion of an initial business combination or (b) to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to (x) extend the time we have to consummate a business combination beyond 24 months from the closing of this offering or (y) amend the foregoing provisions; |
| ∎ | in the event we enter into a business combination with a target business that is affiliated with our sponsor, our directors or our executive officers, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or an independent valuation or accounting firm that such a business combination or transaction is fair to our company from a financial point of view; |
| ∎ | if a shareholder vote on our initial business combination is not required by applicable law or stock exchange rule and we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other reasons, we will offer to redeem our public shares pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, and will file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination which contain substantially the same financial and other information about our initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act; |
| ∎ | we must complete one or more business combinations that together have an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the net assets held in the trust account (excluding the amount of deferred underwriting discounts held in trust and taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account) at the time of signing the agreement to enter into the initial business combination; |
| ∎ | our initial business combination must be approved by a majority of our independent directors; |
| ∎ | if our directors implement, following the approval of the shareholders, an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of our obligation to provide holders of our Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed or repurchased in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares, we will |
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| provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their ordinary shares upon such approval 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 and not previously released to us for permitted withdrawals, divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein; |
| ∎ | we will not effectuate our initial business combination solely with another blank check company or a similar company with nominal operations; and |
| ∎ | unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the courts of the Cayman Islands shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any claim or dispute arising out of or in connection with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or otherwise related in any way to each shareholder’s shareholding in us, including but not limited to (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of any fiduciary or other duty owed by any of our current or former director, officer or other employee to us or our shareholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Companies Act or our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, or (iv) any action asserting a claim against us governed by the internal affairs doctrine (as such concept is recognized under the laws of the United States of America) and that each shareholder irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Cayman Islands over all such claims or disputes. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association also provide that, without prejudice to any other rights or remedies that we may have, each of our shareholders acknowledges that damages alone would not be an adequate remedy for any breach of the selection of the courts of the Cayman Islands as exclusive forum and that accordingly we shall be entitled, without proof of special damages, to the remedies of injunction, specific performance or other equitable relief for any threatened or actual breach of the selection of the courts of the Cayman Islands as exclusive forum. The forum selection provision in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will not apply to actions or suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Securities Act, Exchange Act or any claim for which the federal district courts of the United States of America are, as a matter of the laws of the United States of America, the sole and exclusive forum for determination of such a claim. This choice of forum provision may increase a shareholder’s cost and limit the shareholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and other employees. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any of our shares or other securities, whether by transfer, sale, operation of law or otherwise, shall be deemed to have notice of and have irrevocably agreed and consented to these provisions. There is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce such provisions, and the enforceability of similar choice of forum provisions in other companies’ charter documents has been challenged in legal proceedings. It is possible that a court could find this type of provisions to be inapplicable or unenforceable, and if a court were to find this provision in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving the dispute in other jurisdictions, which could have adverse effect on our business and financial performance. |
The Companies Act permits a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands to amend its memorandum and articles of association with the approval of a special resolution. A company’s articles of association may specify that the approval of a higher majority is required but, provided the approval of the required majority is obtained, any Cayman Islands exempted company may amend its memorandum and articles of association regardless of whether its memorandum and articles of association provides otherwise. Accordingly, although we could amend any of the provisions relating to our proposed offering, structure and business plan which are contained in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, we view all of these provisions as binding obligations to our shareholders and neither we, nor our officers or directors, will take any action to amend or waive any of these provisions unless we provide dissenting public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares.
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Anti-Money Laundering—Cayman Islands
In order to comply with legislation or regulations aimed at the prevention of money laundering, we are required to adopt and maintain anti-money laundering procedures, and may require subscribers to provide evidence to verify their identity and source of funds. Where permitted, and subject to certain conditions, we may also delegate the maintenance of our anti-money laundering procedures (including the acquisition of due diligence information) to a suitable person.
We reserve the right to request such information as is necessary to verify the identity of a subscriber. In some cases the directors may be satisfied that no further information is required since an exemption applies under the Anti-Money Laundering Regulations (As revised) of the Cayman Islands, as amended and revised from time to time (the “Regulations”). Depending on the circumstances of each application, a detailed verification of identity might not be required where:
| (a) | the subscriber makes the payment for their investment from an account held in the subscriber’s name at a recognized financial institution; |
| (b) | the subscriber is regulated by a recognized regulatory authority and is based or incorporated in, or formed under the law of, a recognized jurisdiction; or |
| (c) | the application is made through an intermediary which is regulated by a recognized regulatory authority and is based in or incorporated in, or formed under the law of a recognized jurisdiction and an assurance is provided in relation to the procedures undertaken on the underlying investors. |
For the purposes of these exceptions, recognition of a financial institution, regulatory authority or jurisdiction will be determined in accordance with the Regulations by reference to those jurisdictions recognized by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority as having equivalent anti-money laundering regulations.
In the event of delay or failure on the part of the subscriber in producing any information required for verification purposes, we may refuse to accept the application, in which case any funds received will be returned without interest to the account from which they were originally debited.
We also reserve the right to refuse to make any distribution payment to a shareholder if our directors or officers suspect or are advised that the payment of such distribution to such shareholder might result in a breach of applicable anti-money laundering or other laws or regulations by any person in any relevant jurisdiction, or if such refusal is considered necessary or appropriate to ensure our compliance with any such laws or regulations in any applicable jurisdiction.
If any person resident in the Cayman Islands knows or suspects, or has reasonable grounds for knowing or suspecting, that another person is engaged in criminal conduct or is involved with terrorism or terrorist property and the information for that knowledge or suspicion came to their attention in the course of business in the regulated sector or other trade, profession, business or employment, the person will be required to report such knowledge or suspicion to (i) the Financial Reporting Authority of the Cayman Islands (“FRA”) or a nominated officer (appointed in accordance with the Proceeds of Crime Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands) if the disclosure relates to criminal conduct or money laundering, or (ii) the FRA or a police constable or a nominated officer, pursuant to the Terrorism Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands, if the disclosure relates to involvement with terrorism or terrorist financing and terrorist property. Such a report will not be treated as a breach of confidence or of any restriction upon the disclosure of information imposed by any enactment or otherwise. We reserve the right to refuse to make any payment to a shareholder if our directors or officers suspect or are advised that the payment to such shareholder might result in a breach of applicable anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing, prevention of proliferation financing and financial sanctions or other laws or regulations by any person in any relevant jurisdiction, or if such refusal is considered necessary or appropriate to ensure our compliance with any such laws or regulations in any applicable jurisdiction.
Should a shareholder or its duly authorized delegates or agents be, or become (or is believed by the company or its affiliates (“Agents”) to be or become) at any time while it owns or holds an interest in the company, (a) an individual or entity named on any sanctions list maintained by the United Kingdom (including as extended to the Cayman Islands by Orders in Council) or the Cayman Islands or any similar list maintained under applicable law or is otherwise subject to applicable sanctions in the Cayman Islands (a “Sanctions Subject”) or (b) an entity owned or
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controlled directly or indirectly by a Sanctions Subject, as determined by the company in its sole discretion, then (i) the company or its Agents may immediately and without notice to the shareholder cease any further dealings with the shareholder or freeze any dealings with the interests or accounts of the shareholder (e.g., by prohibiting payments by or to the shareholder or restricting or suspending dealings with the interests or accounts) or freeze the assets of the company (including interests or accounts of other shareholders who are not Sanctions Subjects), until the relevant person ceases to be a Sanctions Subject or a license is obtained under applicable law to continue such dealings (a “Sanctioned Persons Event”), (ii) the company and its Agents may be required to report such action or failure to comply with information requests and to disclose the shareholder’s identity (and/or the identity of the shareholder’s beneficial owners and control persons) to the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, the Cayman Islands Financial Reporting Authority, or other applicable governmental or regulatory authorities (without notifying the Subscriber that such information has been so provided) and (iii) the company and its Agents have no liability whatsoever for any liabilities, costs, expenses, damages and/or losses (including but not limited to any direct, indirect or consequential losses, loss of profit, loss of revenue, loss of reputation and all interest, penalties and legal costs and all other professional costs and expenses) incurred by the shareholder as a result of a Sanctioned Persons Event.
Data Protection in the Cayman Islands—Privacy Notice
This privacy notice explains the manner in which the company collects, processes and maintains personal data about investors of the company pursuant to the Data Protection Act (Revised) of the Cayman Islands, as amended from time to time and any regulations, codes of practice or orders promulgated pursuant thereto (“DPL”).
The company is committed to processing personal data in accordance with the DPL. In its use of personal data, the company will be characterized under the DPL as a ‘data controller’, whilst certain of the company’s service providers, affiliates and delegates may act as ‘data processors’ under the DPL. These service providers may process personal information for their own lawful purposes in connection with services provided to the company.
By virtue of making an investment in the company, the company and certain of the company’s service providers may collect, record, store, transfer and otherwise process personal data by which individuals may be directly or indirectly identified.
Your personal data will be processed fairly and for lawful purposes, including (a) where the processing is necessary for the company to perform a contract to which you are a party or for taking pre-contractual steps at your request (b) where the processing is necessary for compliance with any legal, tax or regulatory obligation to which the company is subject, (c) where the processing is for the purposes of legitimate interests pursued by the company or by a service provider to whom the data are disclosed, or (d) where you otherwise consent to the processing of personal data for any other specific purpose. As a data controller, we will only use your personal data for the purposes for which we collected it. If we need to use your personal data for an unrelated purpose, we will contact you.
We anticipate that we will share your personal data with the company’s service providers for the purposes set out in this privacy notice. We may also share relevant personal data where it is lawful to do so and necessary to comply with our contractual obligations or your instructions or where it is necessary or desirable to do so in connection with any regulatory reporting obligations. In exceptional circumstances, we will share your personal data with regulatory, prosecuting and other governmental agencies or departments, and parties to litigation (whether pending or threatened), in any country or territory including to any other person where we have a public or legal duty to do so (e.g. to assist with detecting and preventing fraud, tax evasion and financial crime or compliance with a court order).
Your personal data shall not be held by the company for longer than necessary with regard to the purposes of the data processing.
We will not sell your personal data. Any transfer of personal data outside of the Cayman Islands shall be in accordance with the requirements of the DPL. Where necessary, we will ensure that separate and appropriate legal agreements are put in place with the recipient of that data.
The company will only transfer personal data in accordance with the requirements of the DPL, and will apply appropriate technical and organizational information security measures designed to protect against unauthorized or unlawful processing of the personal data and against the accidental loss, destruction or damage to the personal data.
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The company will collect, use, disclose, retain and secure personal data to the extent reasonably required only and within the parameters that could be reasonably expected during the normal course of business. The company will only process, disclose, transfer or retain personal data to the extent legitimately required to conduct the activities of the company on an ongoing basis or to comply with legal and regulatory obligations to which we are subject. The company will only transfer personal data in accordance with the requirements of the DPL, and will apply appropriate technical and organizational information security measures designed to protect against unauthorized or unlawful processing of the personal data and against the accidental loss, destruction or damage to the personal data.
In our use of this personal data, we will be characterized as a “data controller” for the purposes of the DPL, while our affiliates and service providers who may receive this personal data from us in the conduct of our activities may either act as our “data processors” for the purposes of the DPL or may process personal information for their own lawful purposes in connection with services provided to us.
The company may also obtain personal data from other public sources. Personal data includes, without limitation, the following information relating to a shareholder and/or any individuals connected with a shareholder as an investor: name, residential address, email address, contact details, corporate contact information, signature, nationality, place of birth, date of birth, tax identification, credit history, correspondence records, passport number, bank account details, source of funds details and details relating to the shareholder’s investment activity.
If you are a natural person, this will affect you directly. If you are a corporate investor (including, for these purposes, legal arrangements such as trusts or exempted limited partnerships) that provides us with personal data on individuals connected to you for any reason in relation to your investment into the company, this will be relevant for those individuals and you should inform such individuals of the content.
The company, as the data controller, may collect, store and use personal data for lawful purposes, including, in particular:
| ∎ | where this is necessary for the performance of our rights and obligations under any purchase agreements; |
| ∎ | where this is necessary for compliance with a legal and regulatory obligation to which we are subject (such as compliance with anti-money laundering, counter terrorist financing, prevention of proliferation financing, financial sanctions and FATCA/CRS requirements); and/or |
| ∎ | where this is necessary for the purposes of our legitimate interests and such interests are not overridden by your interests, fundamental rights or freedoms. |
Should the company wish to use personal data for other specific purposes (including, if applicable, any purpose that requires your consent), we will contact you.
You have certain rights under the DPL, including (a) the right to be informed as to how we collect and use your personal data (and this privacy notice fulfils the Company’s obligation in this respect) (b) the right to obtain a copy of your personal data (c) the right to require us to stop direct marketing (d) the right to have inaccurate or incomplete personal data corrected (e) the right to withdraw your consent and require us to stop processing or restrict the processing, or not begin the processing of your personal data (f) the right to be notified of a data breach (unless the breach is unlikely to be prejudicial) (g) the right to obtain information as to any countries or territories outside the Cayman Islands to which we, whether directly or indirectly, transfer, intend to transfer or wish to transfer your personal data, general measures we take to ensure the security of personal data and any information available to us as to the source of your personal data (h) the right to complain to the Office of the Ombudsman of the Cayman Islands and (i) the right to require us to delete your personal data in some limited circumstances.
If you consider that your personal data has not been handled correctly, or you are not satisfied with the company’s responses to any requests you have made regarding the use of your personal data, you have the right to complain to the Cayman Islands’ Ombudsman. The Ombudsman can be contacted by email at info@ombudsman.ky or by accessing their website here: ombudsman.ky.
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Certain Anti-Takeover Provisions of our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that our board of directors will be classified into three classes of directors. In addition, prior to the closing of our initial business combination, only holders of our Class B ordinary shares will have the right to appoint directors prior to or in connection with the completion of our initial business combination. Incumbent directors shall also have the ability to appoint additional directors or to appoint replacement directors in the event of a casual vacancy in accordance with the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. As a result, in most circumstances, a person can gain control of our board only by successfully engaging in a proxy contest at two or more annual meetings.
Our authorized but unissued Class A ordinary shares and preference shares are available for future issuances without shareholder approval and could be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future offerings to raise additional capital, acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued and unreserved Class A ordinary shares and preference shares could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.
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SECURITIES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
Immediately after this offering we will have 22,425,000 Class A ordinary shares (or 25,758,750 Class A ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) issued and outstanding on an as-converted basis. Of these shares, the Class A ordinary shares included in the public units sold in this offering (17,500,000 Class A ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is not exercised and 20,125,000 Class A ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be freely tradable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act, except for any Class A ordinary shares purchased by one of our affiliates within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act. Similarly, any public units or public warrants sold in this offering will be freely tradable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act, except for any public units purchased by one of our affiliates within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act. All of the outstanding founder shares (4,375,000 founder shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is not exercised and 5,031,250 founder shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) and all of the outstanding private placement units (550,000 private placement units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is not exercised and 602,500 private placement units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), and the securities underlying the foregoing, will be restricted securities under Rule 144, in that they were issued in private transactions not involving a public offering.
Contractual transfer restrictions
Our sponsor and our management team have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell (i) any of their founder shares until the earliest of (A) 180 days after the completion of our initial business combination and (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property, and (ii) any of their private placement units (including any private placement shares or private placement warrants included in such private placement units) until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination. The foregoing restrictions are not applicable to transfers (a) to our officers or directors, any affiliates or family members of any of our officers or directors, any members or partners of our sponsor or their affiliates, any affiliates of our sponsor, or any employees of such affiliates; (b) in the case of an individual, by gift to a member of one of the individual’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of the individual’s immediate family, an affiliate of such person or to a charitable organization; (c) in the case of an individual, by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of the individual; (d) in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; (e) by private sales or transfers made in connection with the consummation of a business combination at prices no greater than the price at which the founder shares or private placement units, private placement warrants, private placement shares or Class A ordinary shares, as applicable, were originally purchased; (f) pro rata distributions from our sponsor to its members, partners, or shareholders pursuant to our sponsor’s operating agreement, (g) by virtue of our sponsor’s organizational documents upon liquidation or dissolution of our sponsor; (h) to the Company for no value for cancellation in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination; (i) in the event of our liquidation prior to the completion of our initial business combination; or (j) in the event of our completion of a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination; provided, however, that in the case of clauses (a) through (g) these permitted transferees must enter into a written agreement agreeing to be bound by these transfer restrictions and the other restrictions contained in the letter agreement.
The letter agreement with our sponsor, officers and directors that includes the transfer restrictions described in the foregoing may be amended without shareholder approval with our written consent as well as the written consent of the sponsor and our directors and officers to the extent they are the subject of any change, amendment, modification or waiver to the letter agreement. The written consent of Jefferies LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC as representatives of the underwriters, will also be required for an amendment of a provision of the letter agreement that subjects the sponsor and our directors and officers to certain of the restrictions included in the underwriting agreement and pursuant to which the sponsor and our officers and directors agree that, subject to the same exceptions described in the preceding paragraph and certain other exceptions described in the underwriting agreement, for a period of 180 days from the date of this prospectus, they will not, without the prior written consent of Jefferies LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC as representatives of the underwriters, offer,
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sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, units, warrants, Class A ordinary shares or any other securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, Class A ordinary shares (for more information on the transfer restrictions and exceptions thereto included in the underwriting agreement, also see “Underwriting—Contractual Transfer Restrictions in the Letter Agreement and Underwriting Agreement”). While we do not expect our board to approve any amendment to the letter agreement prior to our initial business combination, it may be possible that our board, in exercising its business judgment and subject to its fiduciary duties, chooses to approve one or more amendments to the letter agreement. Any such amendments to the letter agreement would not require approval from our shareholders and may have an adverse effect on the value of an investment in our securities. For more information on the letter agreement and a summary of the transfer restrictions described above and the limited exceptions to such transfer restrictions, also see “Proposed Business—Initial Business Combination.”
Rule 144
Pursuant to Rule 144, a person who has beneficially owned restricted shares or warrants for at least six months would be entitled to sell their securities provided that (i) such person is not deemed to have been one of our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the three months preceding, a sale and (ii) we are subject to the Exchange Act periodic reporting requirements for at least three months before the sale and have filed all required reports under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the 12 months (or such shorter period as we were required to file reports) preceding the sale.
Persons who have beneficially owned restricted shares or warrants for at least six months but who are our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the three months preceding, a sale, would be subject to additional restrictions, by which such person would be entitled to sell within any three-month period only a number of securities that does not exceed the greater of:
| ∎ | 1% of the total number of ordinary shares then outstanding, which will equal 224,250 shares immediately after this offering (or 257,588 shares if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full); and |
| ∎ | the average weekly reported trading volume of the Class A ordinary shares during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to the sale. |
Sales by our affiliates under Rule 144 are also limited by manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us.
Restrictions on the Use of Rule 144 by Shell Companies or Former Shell Companies
Rule 144 is not available for the resale of securities initially issued by shell companies (other than business combination related shell companies) or issuers that have been at any time previously a shell company. However, Rule 144 also includes an important exception to this prohibition if the following conditions are met:
| ∎ | the issuer of the securities that was formerly a shell company has ceased to be a shell company; |
| ∎ | the issuer of the securities is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act; |
| ∎ | the issuer of the securities has filed all Exchange Act reports and material required to be filed, as applicable, during the preceding 12 months (or such shorter period that the issuer was required to file such reports and materials), other than Form 8-K reports; and |
| ∎ | at least one year has elapsed from the time that the issuer filed current Form 10 type information with the SEC reflecting its status as an entity that is not a shell company. |
As a result, our sponsor will be able to sell its founder shares and its private placement units and their underlying securities pursuant to Rule 144 without registration one year after we have completed our initial business combination.
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Summary of resale restrictions
The below table summarizes the material terms of the restrictions described in the subsections above and whether and when our sponsor may sell securities purchased in connection with or concurrently with this offering.
As described further above, pursuant to a letter agreement to be entered with us, each of our sponsor, directors and officers has agreed to restrictions on its ability to transfer, assign, or sell founder shares, private placement units and public units (if any are purchased in connection with the offering), as summarized in the table below. For more information on non-contractual resale restrictions, also see above “—Rule 144” and “—Restrictions on the Use of Rule 144 by Shell Companies or Former Shell Companies.”
| SUBJECT |
TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS |
NATURAL SUBJECT RESTRICTIONS |
EXCEPTIONS TO TRANSFER | |||
| Founder Shares (1)(2) | Agreement not to (a) sell, offer to sell, contract or agree to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agree to dispose of, directly or indirectly, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidation with respect to or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder with respect to, any security, (b) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any security, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of such securities, in cash or otherwise, or (c) publicly announce any intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (a) or (b) (each of the foregoing, a “Transfer”), until the earlier of (A) 180 days after the completion of our initial business combination and (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property. Further, no Transfer of any Class A ordinary shares, Class B ordinary shares or any other securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, ordinary shares until 180 days after the date of this prospectus. | Our sponsor, directors and officers | Restrictions are not applicable to transfers (a) to our officers or directors, any affiliates or family members of any of our officers or directors, any members or partners of our sponsor or their affiliates, any affiliates of our sponsor, or any employees of such affiliates; (b) in the case of an individual, by gift to a member of one of the individual’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of the individual’s immediate family, an affiliate of such person or to a charitable organization; (c) in the case of an individual, by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of the individual; (d) in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; (e) by private sales or transfers made in connection with the consummation of a business combination at prices no greater than the price at which the founder shares, private placement units, private placement warrants, private placement shares or Class A ordinary shares, as applicable, were originally purchased; (f) pro rata distributions from our sponsor to its members, partners, or shareholders pursuant to our sponsor’s operating agreement, (g) by virtue of our sponsor’s organizational documents upon liquidation or dissolution of our sponsor; (h) to the Company for no value for cancellation in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination; (i) in the event of our liquidation |
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| SUBJECT |
TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS |
NATURAL SUBJECT RESTRICTIONS |
EXCEPTIONS TO TRANSFER | |||
| prior to the completion of our initial business combination; or (j) in the event of our completion of a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination; provided, however, that in the case of clauses (a) through (g) these permitted transferees must enter into a written agreement agreeing to be bound by these transfer restrictions and the other restrictions contained in the letter agreement. Any permitted transferees would be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of our sponsor and management team with respect to any founder shares and private placement units (including their underlying securities). Further, despite the 180 day Transfer restriction after the date of this prospectus that is described under the column “Transfer restrictions” to the left of this column, the underwriting agreement authorizes registration with the SEC pursuant to the Registration Rights and Shareholder Rights Agreement of the resale of the founder shares, the private placement units (including any private placement units issued upon conversion of working capital loans) and their underlying securities, the exercise of the private placement warrants and the public warrants and the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of such warrants or conversion of founder shares. | ||||||
| Private Placement Units and underlying securities (1)(2) | No Transfer until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination. Further, no Transfer of any Class A ordinary shares, Class B ordinary shares or any other securities convertible into, or exercisable or | Our sponsor, directors and officers | Same as above. | |||
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| SUBJECT |
TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS |
NATURAL SUBJECT RESTRICTIONS |
EXCEPTIONS TO TRANSFER | |||
| exchangeable for, ordinary shares until 180 days after the date of this prospectus. | ||||||
| Public Units and underlying securities (if any are purchased in connection with the offering)(2) | No Transfer of any Class A ordinary shares, Class B ordinary shares or any other securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, ordinary shares until 180 days after the date of this prospectus. | Our sponsor, directors and officers | Same as above. | |||
| (1) | For more information on the number securities beneficially held by our sponsor, please see the section entitled “Principal Shareholders” in this prospectus. |
| (2) | The founder shares and private placement units, including any private placement shares and private placement warrants included in such private placement units, issued in connection or simultaneously with this offering are restricted securities and subject to the limitations on transfer described above under “—Rule 144” and “—Restrictions on the Use of Rule 144 by Shell Companies or Former Shell Companies.” Further, our sponsor, its permitted transferees or any other person that becomes an affiliate of the post-business combination company for purposes of Rule 144 under the Securities Act may be subject to additional resale restrictions with respect to securities they hold, as described above. |
The letter agreement may not be changed, amended, modified or waived as to any particular provision, except by a written instrument executed by (i) each director and officer signatory to the letter agreement with respect to herself or himself, as applicable, to the extent she or he are the subject of any such change, amendment, modification or waiver, (ii) us, and (iii) our sponsor. Changes, amendments, modifications or waivers to the Transfer restriction that lasts for 180 days after the date of this prospectus will require the written consent of the representatives of the underwriters of this offering. While we do not expect our board to approve any amendment to the letter agreement prior to our initial business combination, it may be possible that our board, in exercising its business judgment and subject to its fiduciary duties, chooses to approve one or more amendments to the letter agreement. Any such amendments to the letter agreement would not require approval from our shareholders and may have an adverse effect on the value of an investment in our securities. For more information, also see “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Sponsor and Management Team—Our letter agreement with our sponsor, officers and directors may be amended without shareholder approval” and “Underwriting—Contractual Transfer Restrictions in the Letter Agreement and Underwriting Agreement.”
In order to facilitate our initial business combination or for any other reason determined by our sponsor, our sponsor may, with our consent, (i) surrender or forfeit, transfer or exchange our founder shares, private placement units or any of our other securities, including for no consideration in connection with a PIPE financing or otherwise, (ii) subject any such securities to earn-outs or other restrictions, held by it and (iii) enter into any other arrangements with respect to any such securities.
We may approve an amendment or waiver of the letter agreement that would allow the sponsor to directly, or members of our sponsor to indirectly, transfer founder shares and private placement units or membership interests in our sponsor in a transaction in which the sponsor or Oaktree removes itself as our sponsor before identifying a business combination. As a result, there is a risk that Oaktree and its affiliates, our sponsor and our officers and directors may divest their ownership or economic interests in us or in our sponsor, which would likely result in our loss of certain key personnel, including John Frank, Zaid Pardesi, Aman Kumar or Mathew Pendo. There can be no assurance that any replacement sponsor or key personnel will successfully identify a business combination target for us, or, even if one is so identified, successfully complete such business combination.
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Registration and Shareholder Rights
Holders of our founder shares and private placement units, including from time to time public shares, private placement units that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans, any private placement shares or private placement warrants included in private placement units, any Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of founder shares or upon exercise of warrants they may hold or acquire, and any warrants, including private placement warrants, that they may hold or acquire, will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration and shareholder rights agreement to be signed in connection with the consummation of this offering. The holders of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that we register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggyback” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination. We will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Further, pursuant to the registration and shareholder rights agreement described above, our sponsor, upon and following consummation of an initial business combination, will be entitled to nominate three individuals for election to our board of directors, as long as the sponsor holds any securities covered by the registration and shareholder rights agreement.
Listing of Securities
We intend to apply to have our units listed on Nasdaq under the symbol “OACCU.” Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, we expect that the Class A ordinary shares and warrants will be listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “OACC” and “OACCW,” respectively. The units will automatically separate into their component parts and will not be traded following the completion of our initial business combination.
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The following summary of certain Cayman Islands and U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to an investment in our units, each consisting of one Class A ordinary share and one-fifth of one redeemable warrant, which we refer to collectively as our securities, is based upon laws and relevant interpretations thereof in effect as of the date of this prospectus, all of which are subject to change. This summary does not address all possible tax considerations relating to an investment in our Class A ordinary shares and warrants, such as the tax consequences under state, local and other tax laws.
Prospective investors are urged to consult their advisors on the possible tax consequences of investing in our securities under the laws of their country of citizenship, residence or domicile.
Cayman Islands Tax Considerations
The following is a discussion on certain Cayman Islands income tax consequences of an investment in the securities of the company. The discussion is a general summary of present law, which is subject to prospective and retroactive change. It is not intended as tax advice, does not consider any investor’s particular circumstances, and does not consider tax consequences other than those arising under Cayman Islands law.
Under Existing Cayman Islands Laws
Payments of dividends and capital in respect of our securities will not be subject to taxation in the Cayman Islands and no withholding will be required on the payment of a dividend or capital to any holder of the securities nor will gains derived from the disposal of the securities be subject to Cayman Islands income or corporate tax. The Cayman Islands currently has no income, corporate or capital gains tax and no estate duty, inheritance tax or gift tax.
No stamp duty is payable in respect of the issue of the warrants. An instrument of transfer in respect of a warrant is stampable if executed in or brought into the Cayman Islands.
No stamp duty is payable in respect of the issue of our Class A ordinary shares or on an instrument of transfer in respect of such shares.
The company has been incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands as an exempted company with limited liability and, as such, has applied for and received an undertaking from the Financial Secretary of the Cayman Islands as follows:
THE TAX CONCESSIONS ACT
(AS REVISED)
UNDERTAKING AS TO TAX CONCESSIONS
In accordance with the provision of Section 6 of The Tax Concessions Act (As Revised), the Financial Secretary undertakes with Oaktree Acquisition Corp. III Life Sciences:
| 1. | That no law which is hereafter enacted in the Cayman Islands imposing any tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations shall apply to the company or its operations; and |
| 2. | In addition, that no tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations or which is in the nature of estate duty or inheritance tax shall be payable: |
| 2.1 | On or in respect of the shares, debentures or other obligations of the company; or |
| 2.2 | by way of the withholding in whole or part, of any relevant payment as defined in the Tax Concessions Act (As Revised). |
These concessions shall be for a period of thirty years from July 5th, 2024.
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U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations
General
The following discussion summarizes certain U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our units (each consisting of one Class A ordinary share and one-fifth of one redeemable warrant) that are purchased in this offering by U.S. Holders (as defined below) and Non-U.S. Holders (as defined below). Because the components of a unit are generally separable at the option of the holder, the holder of a unit generally should be treated, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as the owner of the underlying Class A ordinary share and warrant components of the unit. As a result, the discussion below with respect to actual holders of Class A ordinary shares and warrants also should apply to holders of units (as the deemed owners of the underlying Class A ordinary shares and warrants that constitute the units).
This discussion is limited to certain U.S. federal income tax considerations to beneficial owners of our securities who are initial purchasers of a unit pursuant to this offering and hold the unit and each component of the unit as a capital asset (generally, property held for investment) within the meaning of Section 1221 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). This discussion assumes that the Class A ordinary shares and warrants will trade separately and that any distributions made (or deemed made) by us on our Class A ordinary shares and any consideration received (or deemed received) by a holder in consideration for the sale or other disposition of our securities will be in U.S. dollars. This discussion is a summary only and does not consider all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to the acquisition, ownership and disposition of a unit by a prospective investor in light of its particular circumstances, including considerations that may apply to investors subject to special rules, such as:
| ∎ | our founders, sponsor, officers or directors or holders of our Class B ordinary shares or private placement warrants; |
| ∎ | banks, financial institutions or financial services entities; |
| ∎ | broker-dealers; |
| ∎ | taxpayers that are subject to the mark-to-market accounting rules; |
| ∎ | tax-exempt entities; |
| ∎ | S-corporations; |
| ∎ | governments or agencies or instrumentalities thereof; |
| ∎ | insurance companies; |
| ∎ | regulated investment companies; |
| ∎ | real estate investment trusts; |
| ∎ | persons liable for alternative minimum tax; |
| ∎ | controlled foreign corporations; |
| ∎ | PFICs; |
| ∎ | expatriates or former long-term residents of the United States; |
| ∎ | persons that actually or constructively own five percent or more of our shares, by vote or value; |
| ∎ | persons that acquired our securities pursuant to an exercise of employee share options, in connection with employee share incentive plans or otherwise as compensation or in connection with services; |
| ∎ | persons required to accelerate the recognition of any item of gross income with respect to Class A ordinary shares or warrants as a result of such income being recognized or an applicable financial statement; |
| ∎ | persons that hold our securities as part of a straddle, constructive sale, wash sale, hedging, conversion or other integrated or similar transaction; or |
| ∎ | U.S. Holders (as defined below) whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar. |
Moreover, the discussion below is based upon the provisions of the Code, the Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, all as of the date hereof, and those authorities may be repealed, revoked, modified or subject to differing interpretations, possibly on a retroactive basis, so as to result in U.S. federal income tax consequences different from those discussed below. Furthermore, this discussion does not address any aspect of U.S. federal non-income tax laws, alternative minimum, gift, estate or Medicare contribution tax laws, or state, local or non-U.S. tax laws and does not address, except as discussed herein, any tax reporting obligations of a holder of Class A ordinary shares or warrants.
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We have not sought, and will not seek, a ruling from the IRS as to any U.S. federal income tax consequence described herein. The IRS may disagree with the discussion herein, and its determination may be upheld by a court. Moreover, there can be no assurance that future legislation, regulations, administrative rulings or court decisions will not adversely affect the accuracy of the statements in this discussion.
This discussion does not consider the tax treatment of entities or arrangement classified as partnerships or other pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes or persons who hold our securities through such entities or arrangements. If a partnership (or other entity or arrangement classified as a partnership or other pass-through entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes) is the beneficial owner of our securities, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner, member, or other beneficial owner in the partnership or other pass-through entity generally will depend on the status of the partner, member, or other beneficial owner, and the activities of the partnership or such other pass-through entity and certain determinations made at the partner, member, or other beneficial owner level. If you are a partner, member, or other beneficial owner of a partnership (or other entity or arrangement classified as a partnership or other pass-through entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holding our securities, we urge you to consult your tax advisor.
THIS DISCUSSION IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY, AND IS ONLY A SUMMARY OF CERTAIN UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACQUISITION, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR SECURITIES. THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX TREATMENT OF PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS IN OUR SECURITIES MAY BE AFFECTED BY MATTERS NOT DISCUSSED HEREIN AND DEPENDS IN SOME INSTANCES ON DETERMINATIONS OF FACT AND INTERPRETATIONS OF COMPLEX PROVISIONS OF U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAW FOR WHICH NO CLEAR PRECEDENT OR AUTHORITY MAY BE AVAILABLE. THIS DISCUSSION IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR CAREFUL TAX PLANNING. EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR IN OUR SECURITIES IS URGED TO CONSULT ITS TAX ADVISOR WITH RESPECT TO THE PARTICULAR TAX CONSEQUENCES TO SUCH INVESTOR OF THE ACQUISITION, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR SECURITIES, INCLUDING THE APPLICABILITY AND EFFECT OF ANY UNITED STATES FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND NON-U.S. TAX LAWS, AS WELL AS UNDER ANY APPLICABLE TAX TREATY, AND POSSIBLE CHANGES IN TAX LAW.
Allocation of Purchase Price and Characterization of a Unit
No statutory, administrative or judicial authority directly addresses the treatment of a unit or instruments similar to a unit for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and therefore, that treatment is not entirely clear. The acquisition of a unit should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as the acquisition of one of our Class A ordinary shares and one-fifth of one redeemable warrant. Each whole warrant is exercisable to acquire one of our Class A ordinary shares. We intend to treat the acquisition of a unit in the foregoing manner. By purchasing a unit, you agree to adopt such treatment for U.S. federal income and other applicable tax purposes. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, each holder of a unit must allocate the purchase price paid by such holder for such unit between the one Class A ordinary share and the one-fifth of one redeemable warrant based on the relative fair market value of each at the time of issuance. Under U.S. federal income tax law, each investor must make its own determination of such value based on all the relevant facts and circumstances. Therefore, we strongly urge each investor to consult its tax advisor regarding the determination of value for these purposes. The price allocated to each Class A ordinary share and one-fifth of one redeemable warrant should constitute the holder’s initial tax basis in such share or warrant. Any disposition of a unit should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a disposition of the Class A ordinary share and the one-fifth of one redeemable warrant comprising the unit, and the amount realized on the disposition should be allocated between the Class A ordinary share and one-fifth of one redeemable warrant based on their respective relative fair market values at the time of disposition (as determined by each such unit holder based on all the relevant facts and circumstances). Neither the separation of the Class A ordinary share and the one-fifth of one redeemable warrant comprising a unit nor the combination of fifths of warrants into a single warrant should be a taxable event for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
The foregoing treatment of the units, Class A ordinary shares and warrants and a holder’s purchase price allocation are not binding on the IRS or the courts. Because there are no authorities that directly address instruments that are similar to the units, no assurance can be given that the IRS or the courts will agree with the characterization described above or the discussion below. Accordingly, each prospective investor is urged to consult its tax advisor regarding the tax consequences of an investment in a unit (including alternative characterizations of a unit). The balance of this discussion assumes that the characterization of the units described above is respected for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
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U.S. Holders
This section applies to you if you are a “U.S. Holder.” A U.S. Holder is a beneficial owner of our units, Class A ordinary shares or warrants who or that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:
| ∎ | an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; |
| ∎ | a corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) that is created or organized (or treated as created or organized) in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; |
| ∎ | an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source; or |
| ∎ | a trust, if (i) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more U.S. persons (as defined in the Code) have authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (ii) it has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. |
Taxation of Distributions
Subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, a U.S. Holder generally will be required to include in gross income as dividends in the year actually or constructively received by the U.S. Holder the amount of any distribution of cash or other property (other than certain distributions of the company’s shares or rights to acquire the company’s shares) paid on our Class A ordinary shares to the extent the distribution is paid out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles). Such dividends paid by us will be taxable to a corporate U.S. Holder at regular rates and will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction generally allowed to domestic corporations in respect of dividends received from other domestic corporations. Distributions in excess of such earnings and profits generally will be applied against and reduce the U.S. Holder’s basis in its Class A ordinary shares (but not below zero) and, to the extent in excess of such basis, will be treated as gain from the sale or exchange of such Class A ordinary shares (the treatment of which is described under “—Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Ordinary Shares and Warrants” below).
With respect to non-corporate U.S. Holders, under tax laws currently in effect and subject to certain exceptions (including, but not limited to, dividends treated as investment income for purposes of investment interest deduction limitations), dividends generally will be taxed at the lower applicable long-term capital gains rate (see “—Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Ordinary Shares and Warrants” below) only if our Class A ordinary shares are readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States, the company is not treated as a PFIC for the taxable year in which the dividend was paid or in the preceding taxable year and certain other requirements are met (including with respect to holding period). It is unclear, however, whether certain redemption rights described in this prospectus may suspend the running of the applicable holding period for this purpose. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the availability of such lower rate for any dividends paid with respect to our Class A ordinary shares.
Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Ordinary Shares and Warrants
Subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, a U.S. Holder generally will recognize capital gain or loss on the sale or other taxable disposition of our Class A ordinary shares or warrants (including on our dissolution and liquidation if we do not consummate an initial business combination within the required time period). Any such capital gain or loss generally will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder’s holding period for such Class A ordinary shares or warrants exceeds one year. It is unclear, however, whether certain redemption rights described in this prospectus may suspend the running of the applicable holding period for this purpose. If the running of the holding period for the Class A ordinary shares is suspended, then non-corporate U.S. Holders may not be able to satisfy the one-year holding period requirement for long-term capital gain treatment, in which case any gain on a sale or other taxable disposition of the Class A ordinary shares would be subject to short-term capital gain treatment and would be taxed at regular ordinary income tax rates.
The amount of gain or loss recognized on a sale or other taxable disposition generally will be equal to the difference between (i) the sum of the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property received in such disposition (or, if the Class A ordinary shares or warrants are held as part of units at the time of the disposition, the portion of the amount realized on such disposition that is allocated to the Class A ordinary shares or warrants based upon the then relative fair market values of the Class A ordinary shares and the warrants comprising such units) and (ii) the U.S.
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Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its Class A ordinary shares or warrants so disposed of. A U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its Class A ordinary shares or warrants generally will equal the U.S. Holder’s acquisition cost (that is, the portion of the purchase price of a unit allocated to a Class A ordinary share or one-fifth of one redeemable warrant, as described above under “—Allocation of Purchase Price and Characterization of a Unit”) reduced, in the case of a Class A ordinary share, by any prior distributions treated as a return of capital. See “—Exercise, Lapse or Redemption of a Warrant” below for a discussion regarding a U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the Class A ordinary share acquired pursuant to the exercise of a warrant. Long-term capital gain realized by a non-corporate U.S. Holder is currently eligible to be taxed at reduced rates of taxation. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to certain limitations.
Redemption of Class A Ordinary Shares
Subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, in the event that a U.S. Holder’s Class A ordinary shares are redeemed pursuant to the redemption provisions described in this prospectus under “Description of Securities—Ordinary Shares” or if we purchase a U.S. Holder’s Class A ordinary shares in an open market transaction, the treatment of the transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes will depend on whether such redemption or purchase by us qualifies as a sale of the Class A ordinary shares under Section 302 of the Code. If the redemption or purchase by us qualifies as a sale of Class A ordinary shares, the U.S. Holder will be treated as described above under “—Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Ordinary Shares and Warrants.” If the redemption or purchase by us does not qualify as a sale of Class A ordinary shares, the U.S. Holder will be treated as receiving a corporate distribution with the tax consequences described above under “—Taxation of Distributions.” Whether a redemption or purchase by us qualifies for sale treatment will depend largely on the total number of our shares treated as held by the U.S. Holder (including any shares constructively owned by the U.S. Holder as described in the following paragraph, including as a result of owning warrants) relative to all of our shares outstanding both before and after such redemption or purchase by us. A redemption or purchase by us of Class A ordinary shares generally will be treated as a sale of the Class A ordinary shares (rather than as a corporate distribution) if such redemption or purchase by us (i) is “substantially disproportionate” with respect to the U.S. Holder, (ii) results in a “complete termination” of the U.S. Holder’s interest in us or (iii) is “not essentially equivalent to a dividend” with respect to the U.S. Holder. These tests are explained more fully below.
In determining whether any of the foregoing tests are satisfied, a U.S. Holder takes into account not only our shares actually owned by the U.S. Holder, but also our shares that are constructively owned by such holder. A U.S. Holder may constructively own, in addition to shares owned directly, shares owned by certain related individuals and entities in which the U.S. Holder has an interest or that have an interest in such U.S. Holder, as well as any shares the U.S. Holder has a right to acquire by exercise of an option, which would generally include Class A ordinary shares which could be acquired by such U.S. Holder pursuant to the exercise of the warrants. In order to meet the substantially disproportionate test, the percentage of our issued and outstanding voting shares actually and constructively owned by the U.S. Holder immediately following the redemption or purchase by us of Class A ordinary shares must, among other requirements, be less than 80% of the percentage of our issued and outstanding voting shares actually and constructively owned by the U.S. Holder immediately before the redemption or purchase by us. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, the Class A ordinary shares may not be treated as voting shares for this purpose and, consequently, this substantially disproportionate test may not be applicable. There will be a complete termination of a U.S. Holder’s interest if either (i) all of our shares actually and constructively owned by the U.S. Holder are redeemed or (ii) all of our shares actually owned by the U.S. Holder are redeemed and the U.S. Holder is eligible to waive, and effectively waives in accordance with specific rules, the attribution of shares owned by certain family members and the U.S. Holder does not constructively own any of our other shares and otherwise complies with specific conditions. Whether the redemption or purchase by us of the Class A ordinary shares is essentially equivalent to a dividend with respect to a U.S. Holder generally will depend on the particular facts and circumstances applicable to the U.S. Holder, but generally the redemption will not be essentially equivalent to a dividend with respect to a U.S. Holder if such redemption results in a “meaningful reduction” of such U.S. Holder’s proportionate interest in us. Whether the redemption will result in a meaningful reduction in a U.S. Holder’s proportionate interest in us will depend on the particular facts and circumstances. However, the IRS has indicated in a published ruling that even a small reduction in the proportionate interest of a small minority shareholder in a publicly held corporation who exercises no control over corporate affairs may constitute such a “meaningful reduction.” U.S. Holders are urged to consult with their tax advisors as to the tax consequences of a redemption or purchase by us of any Class A ordinary shares.
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If none of the foregoing tests is satisfied, then the redemption or purchase by us will be treated as a corporate distribution and the tax effects will be as described under “—Taxation of Distributions” above. After the application of those rules, any remaining tax basis of the U.S. Holder in the redeemed Class A ordinary shares will be added to the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its remaining shares. If there are no remaining ordinary shares, a U.S. Holder is urged to consult its tax advisor as to the allocation of any remaining basis.
Exercise, Lapse or Redemption of a Warrant
Subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, a U.S. Holder generally will not recognize gain or loss upon the acquisition of a Class A ordinary share on the exercise of a warrant for cash. A U.S. Holder’s initial tax basis in a Class A ordinary share received upon exercise of the warrant generally will equal the sum of the U.S. Holder’s initial investment in the warrant (that is, the portion of the U.S. Holder’s purchase price for the units that is allocated to the warrant, as described above under “Allocation of Purchase Price and Characterization of a Unit”) and the exercise price. It is unclear whether a U.S. Holder’s holding period for the Class A ordinary share received will commence on the date of exercise of the warrant or the day following the date of exercise of the warrant and the holding period of such Class A ordinary share will not include the period during which the U.S. Holder held the warrant. If a warrant is allowed to lapse unexercised, a U.S. Holder generally will recognize a capital loss equal to such holder’s tax basis in the warrant.
The tax consequences of a cashless exercise of a warrant are not clear under current law. Subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, a cashless exercise may not be taxable, either because the exercise is not a realization event or because the exercise is treated as a “recapitalization” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In either situation, a U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the Class A ordinary shares received generally should equal the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the warrants exercised therefor. If the cashless exercise was not a realization event, it is unclear whether a U.S. Holder’s holding period for the Class A ordinary shares received would be treated as commencing on the date of exercise of the warrant or the day following the date of exercise of the warrants; in either case, the holding period would not include the period during which the U.S. Holder held the warrants. If the cashless exercise were treated as a recapitalization, the holding period of the Class A ordinary shares received would include the holding period of the warrants.
It is also possible that a cashless exercise may be treated in part as a taxable exchange in which gain or loss would be recognized. In such event, a portion of the warrants to be exercised on a cashless basis could, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, be deemed to have been surrendered in consideration for the exercise price of the remaining warrants, which would be deemed to be exercised. For this purpose, a U.S. Holder may be deemed to have surrendered a number of warrants having an aggregate value equal to the total exercise price for the total number of warrants exercised. Subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, the U.S. Holder would recognize capital gain or loss with respect to the warrants deemed surrendered in an amount equal to the difference between the fair market value of the warrants deemed surrendered (i.e., the total exercise price) and the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in such warrants. In this case, a U.S. Holder’s aggregate tax basis in the Class A ordinary shares received would equal the sum of the U.S. Holder’s initial investment in the warrants deemed exercised (i.e., the portion of the U.S. Holder’s purchase price for the units that is allocated to such warrants, as described above under “Allocation of Purchase Price and Characterization of a Unit”) and the aggregate exercise price of such warrants. It is unclear whether a U.S. Holder’s holding period for the Class A ordinary shares would commence on the date of exercise of the warrant or the day following the date of exercise of the warrant; in either case, the holding period will not include the period during which the U.S. Holder held the warrant.
Due to the absence of authority on the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a cashless exercise, including when a U.S. Holder’s holding period would commence with respect to the Class A ordinary shares received, there can be no assurance which, if any, of the alternative tax consequences and holding periods described above would be adopted by the IRS or a court of law. Accordingly, U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of a cashless exercise.
The U.S. federal income tax consequences of an exercise of a warrant occurring after our giving notice of an intention to redeem the warrant for $0.01 as described in the section of this prospectus entitled “Description of Securities—Warrants—Public Shareholders’ Warrants—Redemption of warrants when the price per Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $18.00” are unclear under current law. In the case of a cashless exercise, the exercise may be treated either as if we redeemed such warrant for Class A ordinary shares or as an exercise of the warrant. If the
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cashless exercise of a warrant for Class A ordinary shares is treated as a redemption, then, subject to the PFIC rules described below, such redemption generally should be treated as a tax deferred “recapitalization” for U.S. federal income tax purposes, in which case a U.S. Holder should not recognize any gain or loss on such redemption, and accordingly, a U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the Class A ordinary shares received should equal the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the warrant and the holding period of the Class A ordinary shares should include the holding period of the warrant. Alternatively, if the cashless exercise of a warrant is treated as such, the U.S. federal income tax consequences generally should be as described above in the second and third paragraphs under the heading “—Exercise, Lapse or Redemption of a Warrant.” In the case of an exercise of a warrant for cash, the U.S. federal income tax treatment generally should be as described above in the first paragraph under the heading “—Exercise, Lapse or Redemption of a Warrant.” Due to the lack of clarity under current law regarding the treatment described in this paragraph, there can be no assurance as to which, if any, of the alternative tax consequences described above would be adopted by the IRS or a court of law. Accordingly, U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of the exercise of a warrant occurring after our giving notice of an intention to redeem the warrant as described above.
If we purchase warrants in an open market transaction, such redemption or purchase by us generally will be treated as a taxable disposition to the U.S. Holder, taxed as described above under “—Gain or Loss on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Ordinary Shares and Warrants.”
Possible Constructive Distributions
The terms of each warrant provide for an adjustment to the number of Class A ordinary shares for which the warrant may be exercised or to the exercise price of the warrant in certain events, as discussed in the section of this prospectus captioned “Description of Securities—Warrants—Public Shareholders’ Warrants.” An adjustment which has the effect of preventing dilution generally is not taxable. The U.S. Holders of the warrants would, however, be treated as receiving a constructive distribution from us if, for example, the adjustment increases the U.S. Holder’s proportionate interest in our assets or earnings and profits (e.g., through an increase in the number of Class A ordinary shares that would be obtained upon exercise or, depending on the circumstances, through a decrease to the exercise price, including, for example, the decrease to the exercise price of the warrants where additional Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities are issued in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per Class A ordinary share, as described under “Description of Securities—Warrants—Anti-Dilution Adjustments”) as a result of a taxable distribution of cash or other property to the holders of our Class A ordinary shares. Such constructive distribution would be subject to tax as described under “-Taxation of Distributions” above in the same manner as if the U.S. Holders of the warrants received a cash distribution from us equal to the fair market value of such increased interest. Generally, a U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its warrant would be increased to the extent any such constructive distribution to the U.S. Holder is treated as a dividend.
Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules
A non-U.S. corporation will be classified as a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes if either (i) at least 75% of its gross income in a taxable year, including its pro rata share of the gross income of any corporation in which it is considered to own at least 25% of the shares by value, is passive income or (ii) at least 50% of its assets in a taxable year (ordinarily determined based on fair market value and averaged quarterly over the year), including its pro rata share of the assets of any corporation in which it is considered to own at least 25% of the shares by value, are held for the production of, or produce, passive income. Passive income generally includes, among other things, dividends, interest, rents and royalties (other than rents or royalties derived from the active conduct of a trade or business) and gains from the disposition of passive assets.
Because we are a blank check company, with no current active operating business, we believe that it is likely that we will meet the PFIC asset or income test for our current taxable year. However, pursuant to a startup exception, a corporation will not be a PFIC for the first taxable year the corporation has gross income (the “startup year”), if (1) no predecessor of the corporation was a PFIC; (2) the corporation satisfies the IRS that it will not be a PFIC for either of the first two taxable years following the startup year; and (3) the corporation is not in fact a PFIC for either of those years. The applicability of the startup exception to us is uncertain and will not be known until after the close of our current taxable year (and perhaps until after the end of our first two taxable years following our startup year). After the acquisition of a company or assets in a business combination, we may still meet one of the PFIC tests
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depending on the timing of the acquisition and the amount of our passive income and assets as well as the passive income and assets of the acquired business. If the company that we acquire in a business combination is a PFIC, then we will likely not qualify for the startup exception and will be a PFIC for our current taxable year. Our actual PFIC status for our current taxable year or any subsequent taxable year, however, will not be determinable until after the end of such taxable year (and, in the case of the startup exception to our current taxable year, perhaps not until after the end of our two taxable years following our startup year). Accordingly, there can be no assurance with respect to our status as a PFIC for our current taxable year or any future taxable year.
Although our PFIC status is determined annually, an initial determination that we are a PFIC for any taxable year will generally apply for subsequent years to a U.S. Holder who held (or is deemed to have held) Class A ordinary shares or warrants while we were a PFIC, whether or not we meet the test for PFIC status in those subsequent years. If we are determined to be a PFIC for any taxable year (or portion thereof) that is included in the holding period of a U.S. Holder of our Class A ordinary shares or warrants and, in the case of our Class A ordinary shares, the U.S. Holder did not make either a timely and valid mark-to-market election, a qualified electing fund (“QEF”) election for our first taxable year as a PFIC in which the U.S. Holder held (or was deemed to hold) Class A ordinary shares, or a QEF election along with a purging election, or a mark-to-market election, each as described below, such U.S. Holder generally will be subject to special and adverse rules with respect to (i) any gain recognized by the U.S. Holder on the sale or other disposition of its Class A ordinary shares or warrants and (ii) any “excess distribution” made to the U.S. Holder (generally, any distributions to such U.S. Holder during a taxable year of the U.S. Holder that are greater than 125% of the average annual distributions received by such U.S. Holder in respect of the Class A ordinary shares during the three preceding taxable years of such U.S. Holder or, if shorter, such U.S. Holder’s holding period for the Class A ordinary shares prior to the beginning of the taxable year of such distributions).
Under these rules:
| ∎ | the U.S. Holder’s gain or excess distribution will be allocated ratably over the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the Class A ordinary shares or warrants; |
| ∎ | the amount allocated to the U.S. Holder’s taxable year in which the U.S. Holder recognized the gain or received the excess distribution, or to the period in the U.S. Holder’s holding period before the first day of our first taxable year in which we are a PFIC, will be taxed as ordinary income; |
| ∎ | the amount allocated to other taxable years (or portions thereof) of the U.S. Holder and included in its holding period will be taxed at the highest tax rate in effect for that year and applicable to the U.S. Holder; and |
| ∎ | an additional tax equal to the interest charge generally applicable to underpayments of tax will be imposed on the U.S. Holder with respect to the tax attributable to each such other taxable year of the U.S. Holder. |
In general, if we are determined to be a PFIC, a U.S. Holder may be able to avoid the PFIC tax consequences described above in respect of our Class A ordinary shares (but not our warrants) by making and maintaining a timely and valid QEF election (if eligible to do so) to include in income its pro rata share of our net capital gains (as long-term capital gain) and other earnings and profits (as ordinary income), on a current basis, in each case whether or not distributed, in the taxable year of the U.S. Holder in which or with which our taxable year ends. A U.S. Holder generally may make a separate election to defer the payment of taxes on undistributed income inclusions under the QEF rules, but if deferred, any such taxes will be subject to an interest charge.
It is not entirely clear how various aspects of the PFIC rules apply to the warrants. However, a U.S. Holder may not make a QEF election with respect to its warrants to acquire our Class A ordinary shares. As a result, if a U.S. Holder sells or otherwise disposes of such warrants (other than upon exercise of such warrants) and we were a PFIC at any time during the U.S. Holder’s holding period of such warrants, any gain recognized generally will be treated as an excess distribution, taxed as described above. If a U.S. Holder that exercises such warrants properly makes and maintains a QEF election with respect to the newly acquired Class A ordinary shares (or has previously made a QEF election with respect to our Class A ordinary shares), the QEF election will apply to the newly acquired Class A ordinary shares. Notwithstanding any such QEF election, the adverse tax consequences relating to PFIC shares, adjusted to take into account the current income inclusions resulting from the QEF election, will continue to apply with respect to such newly acquired Class A ordinary shares (which generally will be deemed to have a holding period for purposes of the PFIC rules that includes the period the U.S. Holder held the warrants), unless the U.S.
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Holder makes a purging election under the PFIC rules. Under one type of purging election, the U.S. Holder will be deemed to have sold such shares at their fair market value and any gain recognized on such deemed sale will be treated as an excess distribution, as described above. As a result of such purging election, the U.S. Holder will generally have a new basis and, solely for purposes of the PFIC rules, a new holding period in the Class A ordinary shares acquired upon the exercise of the warrants for purposes of the PFIC rules. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors as to the availability of purging elections and the application of the rules governing purging elections to their particular circumstances (including a potential separate “deemed dividend” purging election that may be available if we are a controlled foreign corporation).
The QEF election is made on a shareholder-by-shareholder basis and, once made, can be revoked only with the consent of the IRS. A U.S. Holder generally makes a QEF election by attaching a completed IRS Form 8621 (Information Return by a Shareholder of a Passive Foreign Investment company or Qualified Electing Fund), including the information provided in a PFIC Annual Information Statement, to a timely filed U.S. federal income tax return for the tax year to which the election relates. Retroactive QEF elections generally may be made only by filing a protective statement with such return and if certain other conditions are met or with the consent of the IRS. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the availability and tax consequences of a retroactive QEF election under their particular circumstances.
In order to comply with the requirements of a QEF election, a U.S. Holder must receive a PFIC Annual Information Statement from us. If we determine we are a PFIC for any taxable year, upon written request, we will endeavor to provide to a U.S. Holder such information as the IRS may require, including a PFIC Annual Information Statement, in order to enable the U.S. Holder to make and maintain a QEF election, but there is no assurance that we will timely provide such required information. There is also no assurance that we will have timely knowledge of our status as a PFIC in the future or of the required information to be provided. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that a U.S. Holder will have the information necessary to make a QEF election.
If a U.S. Holder has made a QEF election with respect to our Class A ordinary shares, and the excess distribution rules discussed above do not apply to such shares (because of a timely QEF election for our first taxable year as a PFIC in which the U.S. Holder holds (or is deemed to hold) such shares or a purge of the PFIC taint pursuant to a purging election, as described above), any gain recognized on the sale of our Class A ordinary shares generally will be taxable as capital gain and no additional tax or interest charge will be imposed under the PFIC rules. As discussed above, if we are a PFIC for any taxable year, a U.S. Holder of our Class A ordinary shares that has made a QEF election will be currently taxed on its pro rata share of our earnings and profits, whether or not distributed for such year. A subsequent distribution of such earnings and profits that were previously included in income generally should not be taxable when distributed to such U.S. Holder. The tax basis of a U.S. Holder’s shares in a QEF will be increased by amounts that are included in income, and decreased by amounts distributed but not taxed as dividends, under the above rules. In addition, if we are not a PFIC for any taxable year, such U.S. Holder will not be subject to the QEF inclusion regime with respect to our Class A ordinary shares for such taxable year.
If we are a PFIC and our Class A ordinary shares constitute “marketable stock” the U.S. Holder may avoid the adverse PFIC tax consequences discussed above if such U.S. Holder, at the close of the first taxable year in which it holds (or is deemed to hold) our Class A ordinary shares, makes a mark-to-market election with respect to such shares for such taxable year. Such U.S. Holder will include for each of its taxable years as ordinary income the excess, if any, of the fair market value of its Class A ordinary shares at the end of such year over its adjusted basis in its Class A ordinary shares. These amounts of ordinary income would not be eligible for the favorable tax rules applicable to qualified dividend income or long-term capital gains. The U.S. Holder also will recognize an ordinary loss in respect of the excess, if any, of its adjusted basis in its Class A ordinary shares over the fair market value of its Class A ordinary shares at the end of its taxable year (but only to the extent of the net amount of previously included income as a result of the mark-to-market election). The U.S. Holder’s basis in its Class A ordinary shares will be adjusted to reflect any such income or loss amounts, and any further gain recognized on a sale or other taxable disposition of its Class A ordinary shares will be treated as ordinary income. Currently, a mark-to-market election may not be made with respect to warrants.
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The mark-to-market election is available only for “marketable stock,” which is generally, stock that is regularly traded on a national securities exchange that is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the NYSE (on which we intend to list the Class A ordinary shares), or on a non-U.S. exchange or market that the IRS determines has rules sufficient to ensure that the market price represents a legitimate and sound fair market value. If made, a mark-to-market election would be effective for the taxable year for which the election was made and for all subsequent taxable years unless the Class A ordinary shares ceased to qualify as “marketable stock” for purposes of the PFIC rules or the IRS consented to the revocation of the election. Moreover, a mark-to-market election made with respect to our Class A ordinary shares would not apply to any lower-tier PFICs in which we hold an interest. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the availability and tax consequences of a mark- to-market election in respect to our Class A ordinary shares under their particular circumstances.
If we are a PFIC and, at any time, have a non-U.S. subsidiary that is classified as a PFIC, U.S. Holders generally would be deemed to own a portion of the shares of such lower-tier PFIC, and generally could incur liability for the deferred tax and interest charge described above if we receive a distribution from, or dispose of all or part of our interest in, the lower-tier PFIC or the U.S. Holders otherwise were deemed to have disposed of an interest in the lower-tier PFIC. Upon written request, we will endeavor to cause any lower-tier PFIC to provide to a U.S. Holder the information that may be required to make or maintain a QEF election with respect to the lower-tier PFIC. There can be no assurance that we will have timely knowledge of the status of any such lower-tier PFIC. In addition, we may not hold a controlling interest in any such lower-tier PFIC and thus there can be no assurance we will be able to cause the lower-tier PFIC to provide such required information. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that a U.S. Holder will have the information necessary to make a QEF election in respect of a lower-tier PFIC. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the tax issues raised by lower-tier PFICs.
A U.S. Holder that owns (or is deemed to own) shares in a PFIC during any taxable year of the U.S. Holder, may have to file an IRS Form 8621 (whether or not a QEF or mark-to-market election is made) and such other information as may be required by the U.S. Treasury Department. Failure to do so, if required, will extend the statute of limitations until such required information is furnished to the IRS.
The rules dealing with PFICs and with the QEF, purging and mark-to-market elections are very complex and are affected by various factors in addition to those described above. Accordingly, U.S. Holders of our Class A ordinary shares and warrants are urged to consult their tax advisors concerning the application of the PFIC rules to our securities under their particular circumstances.
Tax Reporting
Certain U.S. Holders may be required to file an IRS Form 926 (Return by a U.S. Transferor of Property to a Foreign Corporation) to report a transfer of property (including cash) to us. Substantial penalties may be imposed on a U.S. Holder that fails to comply with this reporting requirement. Furthermore, certain U.S. Holders who are individuals and certain entities will be required to report information with respect to such U.S. Holder’s investment in “specified foreign financial assets” on IRS Form 8938 (Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets), subject to certain exceptions. Specified foreign financial assets generally include any financial account maintained with a non-U.S. financial institution and should also include the Class A ordinary shares and warrants if they are not held in an account maintained with a U.S. financial institution. Persons who are required to report specified foreign financial assets and fail to do so may be subject to substantial penalties. Potential investors are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the non-U.S. financial asset and other reporting obligations and their application to an investment in our Class A ordinary shares and warrants.
Non-U.S. Holders
This section applies to you if you are a “Non-U.S. Holder.” As used herein, the term “Non-U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of our units, Class A ordinary shares or warrants (other than an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership or other pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes) who or that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:
| ∎ | a non-resident alien individual (other than certain former citizens and residents of the United States subject to U.S. tax as expatriates); |
| ∎ | a non-U.S. corporation; or |
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| ∎ | an estate or trust that is not a U.S. Holder; but generally does not include an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of disposition. If you are such an individual, you are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and sale or other disposition of our securities. |
Dividends (including constructive dividends) paid or deemed paid to a Non-U.S. Holder in respect of our Class A ordinary shares generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax, unless the dividends are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base that such Non-U.S. Holder maintains in the United States). In addition, a Non-U.S. Holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain attributable to a sale or other taxable disposition of our Class A ordinary shares or warrants unless such gain is effectively connected with its conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base that such Non-U.S. Holder maintains in the United States).
Dividends (including constructive dividends) and gains that are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base in the United States) generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the same regular U.S. federal income tax rates applicable to a comparable U.S. Holder and, in the case of a Non-U.S. Holder that is a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, also may be subject to an additional branch profits tax at a 30% rate or a lower applicable tax treaty rate.
The characterization for U.S. federal income tax purposes of the redemption or purchase by us of a Non-U.S. Holder’s Class A ordinary shares will generally correspond to the U.S. federal income tax characterization of such a redemption or purchase of a U.S. Holder’s Class A ordinary shares, as described under “U.S. Holders Redemption of Class A Ordinary Shares” above, and the consequences of the redemption or purchase by us to the Non-U.S. Holder will be as described in the paragraphs above under the heading “Non-U.S. Holders” based on such characterization.
The characterization for U.S. federal income tax purposes of a Non-U.S. Holder’s exercise of a warrant, or the lapse or redemption of a warrant held by a Non-U.S. Holder, generally will correspond to the U.S. characterization described under “U.S. Holders Exercise, Lapse or Redemption of a Warrant,” above, although to the extent a cashless exercise or redemption results in a taxable exchange, the consequences would be similar to those described in the preceding paragraphs above for a Non-U.S. Holder’s gain on the sale or other disposition of our securities.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
Dividend payments with respect to our Class A ordinary shares and proceeds from the sale, exchange or redemption of our Class A ordinary shares may be subject to information reporting to the IRS and possible United States backup withholding. Backup withholding will not apply, however, to a U.S. Holder who furnishes a correct taxpayer identification number and makes other required certifications, or who is otherwise exempt from backup withholding and establishes such exempt status. A Non-U.S. Holder generally will eliminate the requirement for information reporting and backup withholding by providing certification of its non-U.S. status, under penalties of perjury, on a duly executed applicable IRS Form W-8 or by otherwise establishing an exemption.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Amounts withheld as backup withholding may be credited against a holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, and a holder generally may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules by timely filing the appropriate claim for refund with the IRS and furnishing any required information.
The U.S. federal income tax discussion set forth above is included for general information only and may not be applicable depending upon a holder’s particular situation. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors with respect to the tax consequences to them of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our Class A ordinary shares and warrants, including the tax consequences under U.S. federal state, and local, estate, non-U.S. and other tax laws and tax treaties and the possible effects of changes in U.S. or other tax laws.
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Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the underwriting agreement, dated , 2024, among us and Jefferies LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC as representatives of the underwriters, we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, and each of the underwriters has agreed, severally and not jointly, to purchase from us, the respective number of units shown opposite its name below:
| UNDERWRITER |
NUMBER OF UNITS |
|||
| Jefferies LLC |
||||
| Citigroup Global Markets Inc. |
||||
| UBS Securities LLC |
||||
| Total |
17,500,000 | |||
The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the several underwriters are subject to certain conditions precedent such as the receipt by the underwriters of officers’ certificates and legal opinions and approval of certain legal matters by their counsel. The underwriting agreement provides that the underwriters will purchase all of the units if any of them are purchased. If an underwriter defaults, the underwriting agreement provides that the purchase commitments of the nondefaulting underwriters may be increased or the underwriting agreement may be terminated. We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters and certain of their controlling persons against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and to contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.
The underwriters have advised us that, following the completion of this offering, they currently intend to make a market in the units as permitted by applicable laws and regulations. However, the underwriters are not obligated to do so, and the underwriters may discontinue any market-making activities at any time without notice in their sole discretion. Accordingly, no assurance can be given as to the liquidity of the trading market for the units or their components, that you will be able to sell any of the units or their components that are held by you at a particular time or that the prices that you receive when you sell will be favorable.
The underwriters are offering the units subject to their acceptance of the units from us and subject to prior sale. The underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel or modify offers to the public and to reject orders in whole or in part. In addition, the underwriters have advised us that they do not intend to confirm sales to any account over which they exercise discretionary authority.
Commission and Expenses
The underwriters have advised us that they propose to offer the units to the public at the initial public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and to certain dealers, which may include the underwriters, at that price less a concession not in excess of $ per unit. The underwriters may allow, and certain dealers may reallow, a discount from the concession not in excess of $ per unit to certain brokers and dealers. After the offering, the initial public offering price, concession and reallowance to dealers may be reduced by the representatives. No such reduction will change the amount of proceeds to be received by us as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.
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The following table shows the public offering price, the underwriting discounts and commissions that we are to pay the underwriters and the proceeds, before expenses, to us in connection with this offering. Such amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional units.
| PAID BY OAKTREE ACQUISITION CORP. III LIFE SCIENCES |
||||||||
| NO EXERCISE |
FULL EXERCISE |
|||||||
| Per Unit (1) |
$ | 0.55 | $ | 0.55 | ||||
| Total (1) |
$ | 9,625,000 | $ | 11,068,750 | ||||
| (1) | $0.20 per unit, or $3,500,000 in the aggregate (or $4,025,000 in the aggregate if the underwriters’ option to purchase additional units is exercised in full), is payable upon the closing of this offering. $0.35 per share, or $6,125,000 in the aggregate (or $7,043,750 in the aggregate if the underwriters’ option to purchase additional units is exercised in full) is payable to the underwriters for deferred underwriting commissions and will be placed in a trust account located in the United States as described herein. The deferred commissions will be fully earned by the underwriters upon the payment of the purchase price for the units purchased by the underwriters on the closing of this offering and will be released to the underwriters only on and concurrently with completion of an initial business combination. Up to 40% of the deferred underwriting commissions may be paid at the sole discretion of our management team to the underwriters in the allocations determined by our management team and/or to third parties not participating in this offering (but who are members of FINRA) that assist us in consummating our initial business combination. |
If we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, the underwriters have agreed that (i) they will forfeit any rights or claims to their deferred underwriting commissions, including any accrued interest thereon, then in the trust account and (ii) the deferred underwriters’ commissions will be distributed on a pro rata basis, together with any accrued interest thereon (which interest will be net of permitted withdrawals) to the public shareholders.
We estimate expenses payable by us in connection with this offering, other than the underwriting discounts and commissions referred to above, will be approximately $700,000. We have agreed to reimburse the underwriters for (i) FINRA-related fees and expenses of the underwriters’ legal counsel, not to exceed $25,000; and (ii) costs of background checks and the costs of attending any “due diligence” meetings, not to exceed $25,000.
Determination of Offering Price
Prior to this offering, there has not been a public market for our units. Consequently, the initial public offering price for our units was determined by negotiations between us and the representatives. Among the factors considered in these negotiations were the history and prospects of companies whose principal business is the acquisition of other companies, prior offerings of those companies, our management, our capital structure, and currently prevailing general conditions in equity securities markets, including current market valuations of publicly traded companies considered comparable to our company.
We offer no assurances that the initial public offering price will correspond to the price at which the units and its components will trade in the public market subsequent to the offering or that an active trading market for the units or its components will develop and continue after the offering.
Listing
We intend to apply to have our units listed on Nasdaq under the symbol “OACCU.” Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, we expect that the Class A ordinary shares and warrants will be listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “OACC” and “OACCW,” respectively. The units will automatically separate into their component parts and will not be traded following the completion of our initial business combination.
Stamp Taxes
If you purchase units offered in this prospectus, you may be required to pay stamp taxes and other charges under the laws and practices of the country of purchase, in addition to the offering price listed on the cover page of this prospectus.
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Option to Purchase Additional Units
We have granted to the underwriters an option, exercisable for 45 days from the date of this prospectus, to purchase, from time to time, in whole or in part, up to an aggregate of 2,625,000 units from us at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, less underwriting discounts and commissions. If the underwriters exercise this option, each underwriter will be obligated, subject to specified conditions, to purchase a number of additional units proportionate to that underwriter’s initial purchase commitment as indicated in the table above. This option may be exercised only if the underwriters sell more units than the total number set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.
Contractual Transfer Restrictions in the Letter Agreement and Underwriting Agreement
Our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed pursuant to the letter agreement with our sponsor, officers and directors not to transfer, assign or sell any founder shares they may hold until the earlier to occur of: (A) 180 days after the completion of our initial business combination and (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property (except as described herein under “Principal Shareholders—Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Units”). Any permitted transferees will be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of our sponsor and our management team with respect to any founder shares. We refer to such transfer restrictions throughout this prospectus as the lock-up.
Pursuant to the letter agreement, the private placement units (including any private placement shares or private placement warrants included in such private placement units) will not be transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination (except with respect to permitted transferees as described herein under the section of this prospectus entitled “Principal Shareholders—Transfers of Founder Shares and Private Placement Units”).
Further, pursuant to the underwriting agreement we have agreed that, for a period of 180 days from the date of this prospectus, we will not, without the prior written consent of Jefferies LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC, as representatives of the underwriters, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, units, Class A ordinary shares or any other securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, Class A ordinary shares; provided, however, that we may (1) issue and sell the private placement units, (2) issue and sell the additional Class A ordinary shares to cover our underwriters’ over-allotment option (if any), (3) register with the SEC pursuant to an agreement to be entered into concurrently with the issuance and sale of the securities in this offering, the resale of the founder shares, the private placement shares included in the private placement units, the private placement warrants included in the private placement units and ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of the founder shares or upon exercise of private placement warrants, and (4) issue securities in connection with an initial business combination. Jefferies LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC, as representatives of the underwriters, in their sole discretion, may release any of the securities subject to these restrictions at any time without notice. The foregoing shall not apply to the forfeiture of any founder shares pursuant to their terms or any transfer of founder shares to any current or future independent director of the company (as long as such current or future independent director is subject to the terms of the letter agreement, filed herewith, at the time of such transfer; and as long as, to the extent any Section 16 reporting obligation is triggered as a result of such transfer, any related Section 16 filing includes a practical explanation as to the nature of the transfer).
Our letter agreement contains a provision that also subjects our sponsor and our directors and officers to the restrictions of the underwriting agreement that are described in the foregoing paragraph. Pursuant to such provision in the letter agreement the sponsor and our officers and directors agree, subject to the same exceptions that are described in the foregoing and to certain limited exceptions as described in the letter agreement (for more information on such limited exceptions, also see “Securities Eligible for future sale—Contractual transfer restrictions”), that, for a period of 180 days from the date of this prospectus, they will not, without the prior written consent of Jefferies LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC, as representatives of the underwriters, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, units, warrants,
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Class A ordinary shares or any other securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, Class A ordinary shares. The written consent of Jefferies LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC, as representatives of the underwriters, us, the sponsor and each of the directors and officers with respect to herself or himself, will be required in connection with a change, amendment, modification or waiver to the provision of the letter agreement described in the foregoing. For more information on the letter agreement and a summary of the transfer restrictions included therein and the exceptions to the transfer restrictions described above, also see “Proposed Business—Initial Business Combination” and “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Sponsor and Management Team—Our letter agreement with our sponsor, officers and directors may be amended without shareholder approval.”
Stabilization
The underwriters have advised us that they, pursuant to Regulation M under the Exchange Act, and certain persons participating in the offering may engage in short sale transactions, stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions or the imposition of penalty bids in connection with this offering. These activities may have the effect of stabilizing or maintaining the market price of the units at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market. Establishing short sales positions may involve either “covered” short sales or “naked” short sales.
“Covered” short sales are sales made in an amount not greater than the underwriters’ option to purchase additional units in this offering. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their option to purchase additional units or purchasing units in the open market. In determining the source of units to close out the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of units available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase units through the option to purchase additional units.
“Naked” short sales are sales in excess of the option to purchase additional units. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing units in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of our units in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in this offering.
A stabilizing bid is a bid for the purchase of units on behalf of the underwriters for the purpose of fixing or maintaining the price of the units. A syndicate covering transaction is the bid for or the purchase of units on behalf of the underwriters to reduce a short position incurred by the underwriters in connection with the offering. Similar to other purchase transactions, the underwriters’ purchases to cover the syndicate short sales may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our units or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our units. As a result, the price of our units may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. A penalty bid is an arrangement permitting the underwriters to reclaim the selling concession otherwise accruing to a syndicate member in connection with the offering if the units originally sold by such syndicate member are purchased in a syndicate covering transaction and therefore have not been effectively placed by such syndicate member.
Neither we nor any of the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of our units. The underwriters are not obligated to engage in these activities and, if commenced, any of the activities may be discontinued at any time.
The underwriters may also engage in passive market making transactions in our units on Nasdaq in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M during a period before the commencement of offers or sales of our units in this offering and extending through the completion of distribution. A passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid of that security. However, if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid, that bid must then be lowered when specified purchase limits are exceeded.
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Electronic Distribution
A prospectus in electronic format may be made available by e-mail or on the web sites or through online services maintained by one or more of the underwriters or their affiliates. In those cases, prospective investors may view offering terms online and may be allowed to place orders online. The underwriters may agree with us to allocate a specific number of units for sale to online brokerage account holders. Any such allocation for online distributions will be made by the underwriters on the same basis as other allocations. Other than the prospectus in electronic format, the information on the underwriters’ web sites and any information contained in any other web site maintained by any of the underwriters is not part of this prospectus, has not been approved and/or endorsed by us or the underwriters and should not be relied upon by investors.
Other Activities and Relationships
We do not have any expectation, understanding or agreement with any underwriter for such underwriter to provide any additional services to us after the consummation of this offering relating to our initial business combination, the financing thereof or other related transactions. The underwriting agreement does not obligate the underwriters to perform any services in connection with our initial business combination or to receive their deferred commissions, which will be fully earned by the underwriters upon the payment of the purchase price for the units purchased by the underwriters on the closing of this offering and will be released to the underwriters only on and concurrently with completion of an initial business combination.
We may engage the underwriters, in our discretion, for example, to introduce us to potential target businesses, provided financial advisory services to us in connection with a business combination or assist us in raising additional capital in the future, including by acting as a placement agent in a private offering or underwriting or arranging debt financing. If any of the underwriters provide services to us after this offering, we may pay such underwriter fair and reasonable fees that would be determined at that time in an arm’s length negotiation; provided that no agreement will be entered into with any of the underwriters and no fees for such services will be paid to any of the underwriters prior to the date that is 60 days from the date of this prospectus, unless such payment would not be deemed underwriters’ compensation in connection with this offering. We may pay the underwriters of this offering or any entity with which they are affiliated, a finder’s fee or other compensation for services rendered to us in connection with the completion of a business combination. Any fees we may pay the underwriters or their affiliates for services rendered to us after this offering may be contingent on the completion of a business combination and may include non-cash compensation. The underwriters or their affiliates that provide these services to us may have a potential conflict of interest given that the underwriters are entitled to the deferred portion of their underwriting compensation for this offering only if an initial business combination is completed within the specified timeframe.
The underwriters and certain of their affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. The underwriters and certain of their affiliates have, from time to time, performed, and may in the future perform, various commercial and investment banking and financial advisory services for us and our affiliates, for which they received or will receive customary fees and expenses.
In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and certain of their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers, and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments issued by us and our affiliates. The underwriters and certain of their respective affiliates may also communicate independent investment recommendations, market color or trading ideas and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.
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Selling Restrictions
Canada
Resale Restrictions
The distribution of the securities in Canada is being made only in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia on a private placement basis exempt from the requirement that we prepare and file a prospectus with the securities regulatory authorities in each province where trades of these securities are made. Any resale of the securities in Canada must be made under applicable securities laws which may vary depending on the relevant jurisdiction, and which may require resales to be made under available statutory exemptions or under a discretionary exemption granted by the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authority. Purchasers are advised to seek legal advice prior to any resale of the securities.
Representations of Canadian Purchasers
By purchasing the securities in Canada and accepting delivery of a purchase confirmation, a purchaser is representing to us and the dealer from whom the purchase confirmation is received that:
| ∎ | the purchaser is entitled under applicable provincial securities laws to purchase the securities without the benefit of a prospectus qualified under those securities laws as it is an “accredited investor” as defined under National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions, |
| ∎ | the purchaser is a “permitted client” as defined in National Instrument 31-103 - Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations, |
| ∎ | where required by law, the purchaser is purchasing as principal and not as agent, and |
| ∎ | the purchaser has reviewed the text above under Resale Restrictions. |
Conflicts of Interest
Canadian purchasers are hereby notified that the underwriters are relying on the exemption set out in section 3A.3 or 3A.4, if applicable, of National Instrument 33-105 - Underwriting Conflicts from having to provide certain conflict of interest disclosure in this document.
Statutory Rights of Action
Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if the prospectus (including any amendment thereto) such as this document contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser of these securities in Canada should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.
Enforcement of Legal Rights
All of our directors and officers as well as the experts named herein may be located outside of Canada and, as a result, it may not be possible for Canadian purchasers to effect service of process within Canada upon us or those persons. All or a substantial portion of our assets and the assets of those persons may be located outside of Canada and, as a result, it may not be possible to satisfy a judgment against us or those persons in Canada or to enforce a judgment obtained in Canadian courts against us or those persons outside of Canada.
Taxation and Eligibility for Investment
Canadian purchasers of the securities should consult their own legal and tax advisors with respect to the tax consequences of an investment in the securities in their particular circumstances and about the eligibility of the securities for investment by the purchaser under relevant Canadian legislation.
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Australia
This prospectus is not a disclosure document for the purposes of Australia’s Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) of Australia, or Corporations Act, has not been lodged with the Australian Securities & Investments Commission and is only directed to the categories of exempt persons set out below. Accordingly, if you receive this prospectus in Australia:
You confirm and warrant that you are either:
| ∎ | a “sophisticated investor” under section 708(8)(a) or (b) of the Corporations Act; |
| ∎ | a “sophisticated investor” under section 708(8)(c) or (d) of the Corporations Act and that you have provided an accountant’s certificate to the Company which complies with the requirements of section 708(8)(c)(i) or (ii) of the Corporations Act and related regulations before the offer has been made; |
| ∎ | a person associated with the Company under Section 708(12) of the Corporations Act; or |
| ∎ | a “professional investor” within the meaning of section 708(11)(a) or (b) of the Corporations Act. |
To the extent that you are unable to confirm or warrant that you are an exempt sophisticated investor, associated person or professional investor under the Corporations Act any offer made to you under this prospectus is void and incapable of acceptance.
You warrant and agree that you will not offer any of the securities issued to you pursuant to this prospectus for resale in Australia within 12 months of those securities being issued unless any such resale offer is exempt from the requirement to issue a disclosure document under section 708 of the Corporations Act.
European Economic Area
In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area (each a “Relevant State”), no units have been offered or will be offered pursuant to this offering to the public in that Relevant State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the units that has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation, except that offers of units may be made to the public in that Relevant State at any time under the following exemptions under the Prospectus Regulation:
| (a) | to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined under the Prospectus Regulation; |
| (b) | to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined under the Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the underwriters for any such offer; or |
| (c) | in any other circumstances falling within Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation, provided that no such offer of units shall require the issuer or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the Prospectus Regulation. |
For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to any units in any Relevant State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any units to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any units, and the expression “Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.
Hong Kong
No securities have been offered or sold, and no securities may be offered or sold, in Hong Kong, by means of any document, other than to persons whose ordinary business is to buy or sell shares or debentures, whether as principal or agent; or to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong (“SFO”) and any rules made under that Ordinance; or in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” as defined in the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong (“CO”) or which do not constitute an offer or invitation to the public for the purpose of the CO or the SFO. No document, invitation or advertisement relating to the securities has been issued or may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to securities which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” as defined in the SFO and any rules made under that Ordinance.
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This prospectus has not been registered with the Registrar of Companies in Hong Kong. Accordingly, this prospectus may not be issued, circulated or distributed in Hong Kong, and the securities may not be offered for subscription to members of the public in Hong Kong. Each person acquiring the securities will be required, and is deemed by the acquisition of the securities, to confirm that he is aware of the restriction on offers of the securities described in this prospectus and the relevant offering documents and that he is not acquiring, and has not been offered any securities in circumstances that contravene any such restrictions.
Israel
This document does not constitute a prospectus under the Israeli Securities Law, 5728-1968, or the Securities Law, and has not been filed with or approved by the Israel Securities Authority. In Israel, this prospectus is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, and any offer of the units is directed only at, (i) a limited number of persons in accordance with the Israeli Securities Law and (ii) investors listed in the first addendum, or the Addendum, to the Israeli Securities Law, consisting primarily of joint investment in trust funds, provident funds, insurance companies, banks, portfolio managers, investment advisors, members of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, underwriters, venture capital funds, entities with equity in excess of NIS 50 million and “qualified individuals,” each as defined in the Addendum (as it may be amended from time to time), collectively referred to as qualified investors (in each case, purchasing for their own account or, where permitted under the Addendum, for the accounts of their clients who are investors listed in the Addendum). Qualified investors are required to submit written confirmation that they fall within the scope of the Addendum, are aware of the meaning of same and agree to it.
Japan
The offering has not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan (Law No. 25 of 1948 of Japan, as amended), or FIEL, and the underwriters will not offer or sell any securities, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan (which term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), or to others for reoffering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the FIEL and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan.
Singapore
This prospectus has not been and will not be lodged or registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the securities may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the securities be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the “SFA”), (ii) to a relevant person pursuant to Section 275(1), or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275, of the SFA, or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.
Where the securities are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:
| ∎ | a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or |
| ∎ | a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an individual who is an accredited investor, securities (as defined in Section 239(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the securities pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except: |
| ∎ | to an institutional investor or to a relevant person defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA, or to any person arising from an offer referred to in Section 275(1A) or Section 276(4)(i)(B) of the SFA; |
| ∎ | where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer; |
| ∎ | where the transfer is by operation of law; |
| ∎ | as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA; or |
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| ∎ | as specified in Regulation 32 of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Shares and Debentures) Regulations 2005 of Singapore. |
Switzerland
The securities may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (“SIX”) or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This prospectus has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the securities or the offering may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.
Neither this prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the offering, the Company or the securities have been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this prospectus will not be filed with, and the offer of securities will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA, and the offer of securities has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes (“CISA”). The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of securities.
United Kingdom
In relation to the United Kingdom, no units have been offered or will be offered pursuant to this offering to the public in the United Kingdom prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the units that either (i) has been approved by the Financial Conduct Authority or (ii) is to be treated as if it had been approved by the Financial Conduct Authority in accordance with the transitional provision in Regulation 74 of the Prospectus (Amendment etc.) (EU exit) Regulations 2019, except that offers of units may be made to the public in the United Kingdom at any time under the following exemptions under the UK Prospectus Regulation:
| (a) | to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in Article 2 of the UK Prospectus Regulation; |
| (b) | to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in Article 2 of the UK Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the underwriter for any such offer; or |
| (c) | in any other circumstances falling within section 86 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended, (the “FSMA”), provided that no such offer of units shall require the issuer or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to section 85 of the FSMA or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the UK Prospectus Regulation. |
For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to any units in the United Kingdom means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any units to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any units, and the expression “UK Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.
Each underwriter has represented and agreed that:
| ∎ | it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the FSMA) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of any units in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to the issuer; and |
| ∎ | it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to any units in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom. |
Cayman Islands
This document does not constitute a public offer of, or an invitation to the public to purchase, units, warrants or Class A ordinary shares in the company, whether by way of sale or subscription, in the Cayman Islands. Units have not been offered or sold, and will not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in the Cayman Islands.
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Kirkland & Ellis LLP, New York, New York is acting as United States counsel in connection with the registration of our securities under the Securities Act, and as such, will pass upon the validity of the securities offered in this prospectus with respect to units and warrants. Walkers (Cayman) LLP will pass upon the validity of the securities offered in this prospectus with respect to the Class A ordinary shares and matters of Cayman Islands law. In connection with this offering, White & Case LLP, New York, New York advised the underwriters in connection with this offering.
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The financial statements of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. III Life Sciences as of July 15, 2024 and for the period from June 28, 2024 (inception) through July 15, 2024 appearing in this prospectus have been audited by WithumSmith+Brown, PC, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon, appearing elsewhere in this prospectus, and are included in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the securities we are offering by this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement. For further information about us and our securities, you should refer to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed with the registration statement. Whenever we make reference in this prospectus to any of our contracts, agreements or other documents, the references are materially complete but may not include a description of all aspects of such contracts, agreements or other documents, and you should refer to the exhibits attached to the registration statement for copies of the actual contract, agreement or other document.
Upon completion of this offering, we will be subject to the information requirements of the Exchange Act and will file annual, quarterly and current event reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You can read our SEC filings, including the registration statement, over the Internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. We also maintain a corporate website at www.oaktreeacquisitioncorp.com, at which, following the completion of this offering, you may access these materials free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website does not constitute part of this prospectus, and the inclusion of our website address in this prospectus is an inactive textual reference only.
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OAKTREE ACQUISITION CORP. III LIFE SCIENCES
| PAGE | ||||
| Financial Statements of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. III Life Sciences: |
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| F-2 | ||||
| Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2024 (Unaudited) and June 28, 2024 |
F-3 | |||
| F-4 | ||||
| F-5 | ||||
| F-6 | ||||
| F-7 | ||||
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Table of Contents
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Shareholder and the Board of Directors of
Oaktree Acquisition Corp. III Life Sciences
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. III Life Sciences (the “Company”) as of July 15, 2024, the related statements of operations, changes in shareholder’s equity and cash flows for the period from June 28, 2024 (inception) through July 15, 2024, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of July 15, 2024, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the period from June 28, 2024 (inception) through July 15, 2024, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (the “PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ WithumSmith+Brown, PC
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2024.
New York, New York
October 4, 2024
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OAKTREE ACQUISITION CORP. III LIFE SCIENCES
BALANCE SHEETS
| Assets | SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 (UNAUDITED) |
JULY 15, 2024 |
||||||
| Deferred offering costs |
$ | 638,992 | $ | 97,043 | ||||
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| Total assets |
$ | 638,992 | $ | 97,043 | ||||
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| Liabilities and Shareholder’s Equity |
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| Current liabilities: |
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| Accrued offering costs |
$ | 545,747 | $ | 72,043 | ||||
| Accrued expenses |
6,935 | 17,355 | ||||||
| Promissory note—related party |
109,405 | — | ||||||
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| Total current liabilities |
662,087 | 89,398 | ||||||
| Commitments and Contingencies |
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| Shareholder’s Equity: |
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| Preference shares, $0.0001 par value; 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued or outstanding |
— | — | ||||||
| Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value; 300,000,000 shares authorized; none issued or outstanding |
— | — | ||||||
| Class B ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value; 30,000,000 shares authorized; 5,031,250 shares issued and outstanding (1) |
503 | 503 | ||||||
| Additional paid-in capital |
24,497 | 24,497 | ||||||
| Accumulated deficit |
(48,095 | ) | (17,355 | ) | ||||
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| Total shareholder’s equity |
(23,095 | ) | 7,645 | |||||
| Total Liabilities and Shareholder’s Equity |
$ | 638,992 | $ | 97,043 | ||||
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| (1) | This number includes up to 656,250 Class B ordinary shares subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriters (see Note 4 and 6). |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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OAKTREE ACQUISITION CORP. III LIFE SCIENCES
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
| FOR THE PERIOD FROM JUNE 28, 2024 (INCEPTION) THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 (UNAUDITED) |
FOR THE PERIOD FROM JUNE 28, 2024 (INCEPTION) THROUGH JULY 15, 2024 |
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| Formation, general and administrative expenses |
$ | 48,095 | $ | 17,355 | ||||
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| Net loss |
(48,095 | ) | (17,355 | ) | ||||
| Weighted average ordinary shares outstanding, basic and diluted (1) |
4,375,000 | 4,375,000 | ||||||
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| Basic and diluted net loss per ordinary share |
$ | (0.01 | ) | $ | (0.00 | ) | ||
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| (1) | This number excludes an aggregate of up to 656,250 Class B ordinary shares subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriters (see Note 4 and 6). |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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OAKTREE ACQUISITION CORP. III LIFE SCIENCES
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDER’S EQUITY
FOR THE PERIOD FROM JUNE 28, 2024 (INCEPTION) THROUGH JULY 15, 2024
AND FOR THE PERIOD FROM JUNE 28, 2024 (INCEPTION) THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2024
| ORDINARY SHARES | ADDITIONAL PAID-IN CAPITAL |
ACCUMULATED DEFICIT |
TOTAL SHAREHOLDER’S EQUITY |
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| CLASS B | ||||||||||||||||||||
| SHARES | AMOUNT | |||||||||||||||||||
| Balance—June 28, 2024 (inception) |
— | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | |||||||||||
| Issuance of Class B ordinary |
5,031,250 | 503 | 24,497 | — | 25,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Net loss |
— | — | — | (17,355 | ) | (17,355 | ) | |||||||||||||
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| Balance—July 15, 2024 |
5,031,250 | $ | 503 | $ | 24,497 | $ | (17,355 | ) | $ | 7,645 | ||||||||||
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| Net loss |
(30,740 | ) | (30,740 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
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| Balance—September 30, 2024 |
5,031,250 | $ | 503 | $ | 24,497 | $ | (48,095 | ) | $ | (23,095 | ) | |||||||||
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| (1) | This number includes up to 656,250 Class B ordinary shares subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part by the underwriters (see Note 4 and 6). |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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OAKTREE ACQUISITION CORP. III LIFE SCIENCES
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
| FOR THE PERIOD FROM JUNE 28, 2024 (INCEPTION) THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 (UNAUDITED) |
FOR THE PERIOD FROM JUNE 28, 2024 (INCEPTION) THROUGH JULY 15, 2024 |
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| Cash Flows from Operating Activities: |
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| Net loss |
$ | (48,095 | ) | $ | (17,355 | ) | ||
| Payment of operating expenses through promissory note—related party |
41,160 | — | ||||||
| Changes in operating liabilities: |
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| Accrued expenses |
6,935 | 17,355 | ||||||
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| Net cash used in operating activities |
— | — | ||||||
| Net change in cash |
— | — | ||||||
| Cash—beginning of the period |
— | — | ||||||
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| Cash—end of the period |
$ | — | $ | — | ||||
| Supplemental disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities: |
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| Deferred offering costs in exchange for issuance of Class B ordinary shares |
$ | 25,000 | $ | 25,000 | ||||
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| Deferred offering costs paid through promissory note—related party |
$ | 68,245 | $ | — | ||||
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| Deferred offering costs included in accrued offering costs |
$ | 545,747 | $ | 72,043 | ||||
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The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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OAKTREE ACQUISITION CORP. III LIFE SCIENCES
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
September 30, 2024
Note 1—Description of Organization and Business Operations
Oaktree Acquisition Corp. III Life Sciences (the “Company”) is a newly organized blank check company incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company and formed 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”). The Company has not selected any specific Business Combination target and the Company has not, nor has anyone on its behalf, engaged in any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any Business Combination target with respect to an initial Business Combination with the Company. The Company is an emerging growth company and, as such, the Company is subject to all of the risks associated with emerging growth companies.
As of September 30, 2024, the Company had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from June 28, 2024 (inception) through September 30, 2024 relates to the Company’s formation and the proposed initial public offering described below. 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 Proposed Public Offering (as defined below). The Company has selected December 31 as its fiscal year end.
The Company’s sponsor is Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, LLC, a Cayman Islands limited liability company (the “Sponsor”). The Company’s ability to commence operations is contingent upon obtaining adequate financial resources through a proposed public offering (the “Proposed Public Offering”) of 17,500,000 units (each, a “Unit”) at $10.00 per Unit (or 20,125,000 Units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), which is discussed in Note 3, and the sale of 550,000 private placement units (or 602,500 private placement units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) (each, a “Private Placement Unit”), at a price of $10.00 per Private Placement Unit in a private placement to the Sponsor that will close simultaneously with the Proposed Public Offering. Each unit has an offering price of $10.00 and consists of one Class A ordinary share (each such share, a “Private Placement Share”) and one-fifth of one redeemable warrant (each such warrant, a “Private Placement Warrant”). Each whole warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share.
The Company’s management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Proposed Public Offering and the sale of Private Placement Units, although substantially all of the net proceeds are intended to be applied generally toward consummating a Business Combination. There is no assurance that the Company will be able to complete a Business Combination successfully. The Company must complete one or more initial Business Combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the net assets held in the Trust Account (as defined below) (excluding the amount of deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the Trust Account) at the time of the signing of the agreement to enter into the initial Business Combination. However, the Company will only complete a 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”). Upon the closing of the Proposed Public Offering, management has agreed that an amount equal to at least $10.00 per Public Share sold in the Proposed Public Offering, including certain proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Units, will be held in a trust account (“Trust Account”), located in the United States, with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee, and will be held in cash, including in demand deposit accounts at a bank, or invested only in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations, until the earlier of: (i) the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) the distribution of the Trust Account as described below.
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The Company will provide the holders (the “Public Shareholders”) of Public Units, with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Public Shares upon the completion of a Business Combination either (i) in connection with a shareholder meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether the Company will seek shareholder approval of a Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company, solely in its discretion. The Public Shareholders will be entitled to redeem their Public Shares for a pro rata portion of the amount then held in the Trust Account (initially anticipated to be $10.00 per Public Share, plus any pro rata interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company for Permitted Withdrawals (as defined below)). The per-share amount to be distributed to Public Shareholders who redeem their Public Shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions the Company will pay to the underwriters (as discussed in Note 5).
Upon the public announcement of the initial Business Combination, if the Company elects to conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, the Company and the Sponsor will terminate any plan established in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 to purchase the Class A ordinary shares in the open market, in order to comply with Rule 14e-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). In the event the Company conducts redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, the offer to redeem will remain open for at least 20 business days, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(a) under the Exchange Act, and the Company will not be permitted to complete the initial Business Combination until the expiration of the tender offer period. In addition, the tender offer will be conditioned on public shareholders not tendering more than the number of public shares the Company is permitted to redeem. If public shareholders tender more shares than the Company has offered to purchase, the Company will withdraw the tender offer and not complete such initial Business Combination.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company seeks shareholder approval of its Business Combination and does not conduct redemptions in connection with its Business Combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association will provide that a Public Shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from redeeming its Public Shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the Public Shares issued in the Proposed Public Offering, without the prior consent of the Company.
The Sponsor and the Company’s officers and directors (the “initial shareholders”) have agreed not to propose an amendment to the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association (a) that would modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to provide holders of its Public Shares the right to have their shares redeemed or repurchased in connection with a Business Combination or to redeem 100% of the Company’s Public Shares if the Company does not complete its Business Combination within 24 months from the closing of the Proposed Public Offering (the “Combination Period”) or (b) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of Public Shareholders, unless the Company provides the Public Shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Class A ordinary shares in conjunction with any such amendment 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 and not previously withdrawn or eligible to be withdrawn by the Company to fund the Company’s working capital requirements, subject to an annual limit of $250,000 (plus the rollover of unused amounts from prior years), and/or to pay the Company’s taxes (any withdrawals to pay for our taxes (which shall exclude the 1% U.S. federal excise tax that was implemented by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 if any is imposed on us) shall not be subject to the $250,000 annual limitation described in the foregoing) (“Permitted Withdrawals”), divided by the number of the then-outstanding Public Shares.
If the Company has not completed a 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 and not previously released to the Company for Permitted Withdrawals (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of the 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
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of the remaining shareholders and the board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) to the Company’s obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to the Company’s warrants, which will expire worthless if the Company does not consummate an initial Business Combination within 24 months from the closing of the Proposed Public Offering.
The initial shareholders have agreed to waive their liquidation rights with respect to the Founder Shares and Private Placement Shares included in the Private Placement Units if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. However, if the initial shareholders acquire Public Shares in or after the Proposed Public Offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to such Public Shares if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. The underwriters have agreed to waive their rights to their deferred underwriting commission (see Note 5) held in the Trust Account in the event the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and, in such event, such amounts will be included with the other funds held in the Trust Account that will be available to fund the redemption of the Public Shares.
In the event of such distribution, it is possible that the per share value of the assets remaining available for distribution (including Trust Account assets) will be only $10.00 per share initially held in the Trust Account. In order to protect the amounts held in the Trust Account, the Sponsor has agreed to be liable to the Company if and to the extent any claims by a third party (excluding the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm) 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, confidentially or other similar agreement or Business Combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below the lesser of (i) $10.00 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 $10.00 per Public Share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets. This liability will not apply with respect to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the Trust Account or to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriters of the Proposed Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).
Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, the Sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims. The Sponsor has not made reserves for such indemnification obligations, nor has 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 Sponsor may not be able to satisfy those obligations. The Company will seek to reduce the possibility that the Sponsor will have to indemnify the Trust Account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers (excluding the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses or other entities with which the Company does business, execute agreements with the Company waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the Trust Account.
Note 2—Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements are presented in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (the “US GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The accompanying unaudited financial statements as of September 30, 2024 and for the period from June 28, 2024 (inception) through September 30, 2024 have been prepared in accordance with GAAP and the rules of the SEC. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal accruals), considered for a fair presentation have been included. The interim results for the period from June 28, 2024 (inception) through September 30, 2024 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2024 or for any future interim periods.
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The Company does not have sufficient liquidity to meet its anticipated obligations over the next year from the date of issuance of these financial statements. In connection with the Company’s assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 205-40, “Presentation of Financial Statements—Going Concern”, management has determined that the Company has access to funds from the Sponsor, and the Sponsor has the financial ability to provide such funds, that are sufficient to fund the working capital needs of the Company until the earlier of the consummation of the Proposed Public Offering or in excess of one year from the date of issuance of these financial statements, which includes $300,000 in the form of the Note (as defined below) payable on the earlier of December 31, 2024, or the date on which the Company consummates the Proposed Public Offering.
Emerging Growth Company
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 independent registered public accounting firm 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 an emerging growth 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 an 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 that is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company that 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 financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires the Company’s 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 financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Class A Redeemable Share Classification
The Public Shares will contain a redemption feature which allows for the redemption of such Public Shares in connection with the Company’s liquidation, or if there is a shareholder vote or tender offer in connection with the Company’s initial Business Combination. In accordance with ASC 480-10-S99, the Company classifies Public Shares subject to redemption outside of permanent equity as the redemption provisions are not solely within the control of the Company. The Company will recognize changes in redemption value immediately as they occur and will adjust the carrying value of redeemable shares to equal the redemption value at the end of each reporting period. The change in the carrying value of redeemable shares will result in charges against additional paid-in capital (to the extent available) and accumulated deficit.
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Deferred Offering Costs
The Company complies with the requirements of the ASC 340-10-S99 and SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin Topic 5A—“Expenses of Offering.” Deferred offering costs consist principally of professional and registration fees that are related to the Proposed Public Offering. FASB ASC 470-20, “Debt with Conversion and Other Options,” addresses the allocation of proceeds from the issuance of convertible debt into its equity and debt components. The Company applies this guidance to allocate Proposed Public Offering proceeds from the Units between Class A ordinary shares and warrants, using the residual method by allocating Proposed Public Offering proceeds first to assigned value of the warrants and then to the Class A ordinary shares. Offering costs allocated to the Class A ordinary shares will be charged to temporary equity offering costs allocated to the Public Warrants and Private Placement Warrants will be charged to shareholder’s equity and Public Warrants and Private Placement Warrants after management’s evaluation will be accounted for under equity treatment. Should the Proposed Public Offering prove to be unsuccessful, these deferred costs, as well as additional expenses to be incurred, will be charged to operations.
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 sheet, primarily due to its short-term nature.
Fair Value Measurements
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. |
In some circumstances, the inputs used to measure fair value might be categorized within different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In those instances, the fair value measurement is categorized in its entirety in the fair value hierarchy based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement.
Net Loss Per Ordinary Share
Net loss per ordinary share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period, excluding ordinary shares subject to forfeiture. Weighted average shares were reduced for the effect of an aggregate of 656,250 ordinary shares that are subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised by the underwriters (see Note 6). At September 30, 2024 and July 15, 2024, the Company did not have any dilutive securities and other contracts that could, potentially, be exercised or converted into ordinary shares and then share in the earnings of the Company. As a result, diluted loss per ordinary share is the same as basic loss per ordinary share for the period presented.
Income Taxes
The Company follows the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes under FASB ASC Topic 740, “Income Taxes.” Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statements carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that included the enactment date. Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized.
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ASC Topic 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. The Company’s management determined that the Cayman Islands is the Company’s major tax jurisdiction. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. As of September 3, 2024 and July 15, 2024 there were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts accrued for 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.
The Company is considered to be an exempted Cayman Islands company with no connection to any other taxable jurisdiction and is presently not subject to income taxes or income tax filing requirements in the Cayman Islands or the United States. As such, the Company’s tax provision was zero for the period presented.
Derivative Financial Instruments
The Company evaluates its financial instruments to determine if such instruments are derivatives or contain features that qualify as embedded derivatives in accordance with ASC Topic 815, “Derivatives and Hedging.” For derivative financial instruments that are accounted for as liabilities, the derivative instrument is initially recorded at its fair value on the grant date and is then re-valued at each reporting date, with changes in the fair value reported in the statement of operations. The classification of derivative instruments, including whether such instruments should be recorded as liabilities or as equity, is evaluated at the end of each reporting period. Derivative liabilities are classified in the balance sheet as current or non-current based on whether or not net cash settlement or conversion of the instrument could be required within 12 months of the balance sheet date. The underwriters’ over-allotment option is deemed to be a freestanding financial instrument indexed on the contingently redeemable shares and will be accounted for as a liability pursuant to ASC 480 if not fully exercised at the time of the Proposed Public Offering.
Warrant Instruments
The Company will account for the Public Warrants and Private Placement Warrants issued in connection with the Proposed Public Offering and the private placement in accordance with the guidance contained in FASB ASC Topic 815, “Derivatives and Hedging”. Accordingly, the Company evaluated and classified the warrant instruments under equity treatment at their assigned values. Such guidance provides that the warrants described above will not be precluded from equity classification. Equity-classified contracts are initially measured at fair value (or allocated value). Subsequent changes in fair value are not recognized as long as the contracts continue to be classified in equity in accordance with ASC 480 and ASC 815.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
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 financial statements.
Note 3—Proposed Public Offering
Pursuant to the Proposed Public Offering, the Company intends to offer for sale 17,500,000 Units (or 20,125,000 Units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $10.00 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one Class A ordinary share, and one-fifth of one redeemable warrant (each, a “Public Warrant”). Each Public Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment (see Note 6).
The Company will grant the underwriters a 45-day option from the date of the final prospectus relating to the Proposed Public Offering to purchase up to 2,625,000 additional Units to cover over-allotments, if any, at the Proposed Public Offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions.
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Note 4—Related Party Transactions
Founder Shares
On July 15, 2024, Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, L.P. paid $25,000 to cover certain of the Company’s expenses in exchange for the issuance of 5,031,250 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 (the “Founder Shares”). Subsequently, on September 9, 2024, in connection with its dissolution, Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, L.P. transferred the 5,031,250 Founder Shares to the Sponsor, and assigned all its rights and obligation under the securities subscription agreement dated July 15, 2024 to the Sponsor (see Note 7). The Sponsor has agreed to forfeit up to 656,250 Founder Shares to the extent that the over-allotment option is not exercised in full by the underwriters. The forfeiture will be adjusted to the extent that the over-allotment option is not exercised in full by the underwriters so that the Founder Shares will represent 20.0% of the Company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares (excluding the Private Placement Units and assuming the initial shareholders do not purchase any Public Shares in the Proposed Public Offering) after the Proposed Public Offering.
Subject to limited exceptions, the initial shareholders will agree not to transfer, assign or sell any Founder Shares until the earlier to occur of: (A) 180 days after the completion of the initial Business Combination and (B) subsequent to the initial Business Combination, the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of the Public Shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property.
Private Placement Units
The Sponsor will agree to purchase an aggregate of 550,000 Private Placement Units (or 602,500 Private Placement Units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), at a price of $10.00 per Private Placement Unit ($5,500,000 in the aggregate, or $6,025,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the closing of the Proposed Public Offering. Such Private Placement Units are identical to the Units sold in the Proposed Public Offering. If the Company does not consummate an initial Business Combination within 24 months from the closing of the Proposed Public Offering, any proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Units held in the Trust Account will be used to fund the redemption of the Public Shares (subject to the requirements of applicable law). Holders of the Private Placement Units have entered into an agreement, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their Founder Shares, Private Placement Shares included in any Private Placement Units and Public Shares in connection with (i) the completion of the initial Business Combination and (ii) the implementation by the directors of, following a shareholder vote to approve, an amendment to the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) that would modify the substance or timing of the obligation to provide holders of the Class A ordinary shares the right to have their shares redeemed or repurchased in connection with the initial Business Combination or to redeem 100% of the Public Shares if the Company does not complete the initial Business Combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to the rights of holders of the Class A ordinary shares. Subject to limited exceptions, the Private Placement Units (including any Private Placement Shares or Private Placement Warrants included in such Private Placement Units) will not be transferable or salable until 30 days after the completion of the initial Business Combination. Certain proceeds from the Private Placement Units will be added to the proceeds from the Proposed Public Offering to be held in the Trust Account.
Related Party Loans
On July 15, 2024, Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, L.P. agreed to loan the Company an aggregate of up to $300,000 to cover expenses related to the Proposed Public Offering pursuant to a promissory note (the “Note”). Subsequently, on September 9, 2024, Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, L.P. assigned the Note to the Sponsor (see Note 7). This loan is non-interest bearing and payable on the earlier of December 31, 2024 or the completion of the Proposed Public Offering. As of September 30, 2024 and July 15, 2024, the Company had $109,405 and $0 outstanding borrowings under the Note, respectively.
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Working Capital Loans
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a 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 a Business Combination, the Company may repay the Working Capital Loans out of the proceeds of the Trust Account released to the Company. Otherwise, the Working Capital Loans may be repaid only out of funds held outside the Trust Account. In the event that a Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of the proceeds held outside the Trust Account or funds from Permitted Withdrawals to repay the Working Capital Loans but no proceeds held in the Trust Account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. Except for the foregoing, the terms of such Working Capital Loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. The Working Capital Loans would either be repaid upon consummation of a Business Combination, without interest, or, at the lender’s discretion, up to $3.0 million of such Working Capital Loans may be convertible into shares of the post Business Combination entity at a price of $10.00 per unit. The Private Placement Units issued upon conversion of any such loans would be identical to the Private Placement Units sold in a private placement concurrently with the Proposed Public Offering. As of September 30, 2024 and July 15, 2024, the Company had no outstanding borrowings under the Working Capital Loans.
Administrative Support Agreement
Commencing on the date that the date of the effectiveness of the registration statement related to the Company’s Proposed Public Offering through the earlier of consummation of the initial Business Combination and the Company’s liquidation, the Company will pay the Sponsor for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to the Company in the amount of $25,000 per month.
Note 5—Commitments and Contingencies
Registration Rights
Holders of the Founder Shares and Private Placement Units, including from time to time the Public Shares, Private Placement Units that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans, any Private Placement Shares or Private Placement Warrants included in Private Placement Units, any Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of Founder Shares or upon exercise of warrants they may hold or acquire, and any warrants, including Private Placement Warrants, that they may hold or acquire, will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration and shareholder rights agreement to be signed in connection with the consummation of the Proposed Public Offering. The holders of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain piggyback registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the completion of the initial Business Combination. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements. Further, the Sponsor, upon and following consummation of an initial Business Combination, will be entitled to nominate three individuals for election to our board of directors, as long as the Sponsor holds any securities covered by the registration and shareholder rights agreement.
Underwriting Agreement
The Company will grant the underwriters a 45-day option from the final prospectus relating to the Proposed Public Offering to purchase up to 2,625,000 additional Public Shares to cover over-allotments, if any, at the Proposed Public Offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions.
The underwriters will be entitled to an underwriting discount of $0.20 per Public Share, or $3,500,000 in the aggregate (or approximately $4,025,000 in the aggregate if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), payable upon the closing of the Proposed Public Offering. In addition, $0.35 per Public Share, or $6,125,000 in the aggregate (or approximately $7,043,750 in the aggregate if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be payable to the underwriters for deferred underwriting commissions. The deferred fee will become payable to the underwriters from the amounts held in the Trust Account solely in the event that the Company completes a Business Combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.
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Risks and Uncertainties
The United States and global markets are experiencing volatility and disruption following the geopolitical instability resulting from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the recent escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict. In response to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (“NATO”) deployed additional military forces to eastern Europe, and the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and other countries have announced various sanctions and restrictive actions against Russia, Belarus and related individuals and entities, including the removal of certain financial institutions from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication payment system. Certain countries, including the United States, have also provided and may continue to provide military aid or other assistance to Ukraine and to Israel, increasing geopolitical tensions among a number of nations. The invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict and the resulting measures that have been taken, and could be taken in the future, by NATO, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Israel and its neighboring states and other countries have created global security concerns that could have a lasting impact on regional and global economies. Although the length and impact of the ongoing conflicts are highly unpredictable, they could lead to market disruptions, including significant volatility in commodity prices, credit and capital markets, as well as supply chain interruptions and increased cyber-attacks against U.S. companies. Additionally, any resulting sanctions could adversely affect the global economy and financial markets and lead to instability and lack of liquidity in capital markets.
Any of the above mentioned factors, or any other negative impact on the global economy, capital markets or other geopolitical conditions resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict and subsequent sanctions or related actions, could adversely affect the Company’s search for an initial Business Combination and any target business with which the Company may ultimately consummate an initial Business Combination.
Note 6—Shareholder’s Equity
Preference Shares—The Company is authorized to issue 1,000,000 preference shares with such designations, voting and other rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by the Company’s board of directors. As of September 30, 2024 and July 15, 2024, there were no preference shares issued or outstanding.
Class A Ordinary Shares—The Company is authorized to issue 300,000,000 Class A ordinary shares with a par value of $0.0001 per share. As of September 30, 2024 and July 15, 2024, there were no Class A ordinary shares issued or outstanding.
Class B Ordinary Shares—The Company is authorized to issue 30,000,000 Class B ordinary shares with a par value of $0.0001 per share. As of September 30, 2024 and July 15, 2024, there were 5,031,250 Class B ordinary shares outstanding, of which up to 656,250 shares are subject to forfeiture to the Company by the Sponsor for no consideration to the extent that the underwriters over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part, so that the Sponsor will collectively own 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares (excluding the Private Placement Units and assuming the initial shareholders do not purchase any shares in the Proposed Public Offering) (See Note 4).
Except as described below, ordinary shareholders of record are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters to be voted on by shareholders and 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. Unless otherwise specified in the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, or as required by applicable provisions of the Companies Act or applicable stock exchange rules, the affirmative vote of a majority of the ordinary shares that are represented in person or by proxy and are voted is required to approve any such matter voted on by the shareholders. Approval of certain actions will require a special resolution under Cayman Islands law, being the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes cast by such shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at the applicable general meeting of the company, and pursuant to the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association; such actions include amending the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and approving a statutory merger or consolidation with another company. The board of directors is divided into three classes, each of which will generally serve for
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terms of three years with only one class of directors being elected in each year. There is no cumulative voting with respect to the election of directors, with the result that the holders of more than 50% of the shares entitled to vote and voted for the election of directors can elect all of the directors. The shareholders are entitled to receive ratable dividends when, as and if declared by the board of directors out of funds legally available therefor. Prior to the initial Business Combination, only holders of the Founder Shares will have the right to vote on the appointment of directors. Holders of the Public Shares will not be entitled to vote on the election of directors during such time. Incumbent directors shall also have the ability to appoint additional directors or to appoint replacement directors in the event of a casual vacancy in accordance with the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Further, prior to the closing of the Business Combination, only holders of the Class B ordinary shares will be entitled to vote on transferring the Company by way of continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands (including any special resolution required to amend the constitutional documents of the Company or to adopt new constitutional documents of the company, in each case, as a result of the company approving a transfer by way of continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands) and, as a result, the Sponsor will be able to approve any such proposal without the vote of any other shareholder. The provisions of the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association governing the appointment of directors prior to the Business Combination and the Company’s continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands prior to the initial Business Combination may only be amended by a special resolution passed by holders representing at least two-thirds of the Company’s outstanding Class B ordinary shares. Holders of the public shares will not be entitled to vote on a special resolution to amend such provisions of the amended and restated memorandum and articles during such period.
Subject to adjustment for share sub-divisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like, and subject to further adjustment as provided herein, the Founder Shares, which are designated as Class B ordinary shares, will be convertible at the option of the holder on a one-for-one basis or will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares (such Class A ordinary share delivered upon conversion will not have any redemption rights or be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account if we fail to consummate an initial business combination) concurrently with or immediately following the consummation of the initial Business Combination at a ratio such that the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all Founder Shares (including, for the avoidance of doubt for purposes of the calculation described hereafter, the Class A ordinary shares that may have been issued upon conversion of Founder Shares at the option of the holder thereof prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination) will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the sum of (i) the total number of ordinary shares issued and outstanding (excluding the Private Placement Shares included in the Private Placement Units and including any Class A ordinary share issued pursuant to the underwriters’ over-allotment option) upon consummation of this offering, plus (ii) the sum of 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, deemed issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the Business Combination and any private placement-equivalent units issued to the Sponsor, members of the management team or any of their affiliates upon conversion of working capital loans made to the Company. In no event will the Class B ordinary shares convert into Class A ordinary shares at a rate of less than one to one.
Warrants—As of September 30, 2024 and July 15, 2024, there were no warrants outstanding. Public Warrants may only be exercised for a whole number of shares. No fractional Public Warrants will be issued upon separation of the Units and only whole Public Warrants will trade.
The Public Warrants will become exercisable 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination , provided in each case that the Company has an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants and a current prospectus relating to them is available and such shares are registered, qualified or exempt from registration under the securities, or blue sky, laws of the state of residence of the holder (or the Company permit holders to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis under certain circumstances). The Company is registering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants in the registration statement of which the prospectus, in which these financial statements are included, forms a part because the Public Warrants will become exercisable 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination, which may be within one year of the Proposed Public Offering. However, because the Public Warrants
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will be exercisable until their expiration date of up to five years after the completion of the Business Combination, in order to comply with the requirements of Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act following the consummation of the Business Combination, the Company has agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 20 business days after the closing of the initial Business Combination, the Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants and to maintain a current prospectus relating to those Class A ordinary shares until the warrants expire or are redeemed, as specified in the warrant agreement. If a registration statement covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the 60th day after the closing of the initial Business Combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when the Company will have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption. Notwithstanding the above, if the Class A ordinary shares are at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of a “covered security” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, the Company may, at its option, require holders of Public Warrants who exercise their warrants to do so on a “cashless basis” and, in the event the Company so elects, the Company will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement, and in the event the Company does not so elect, it will use commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available.
The warrants have an exercise price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustments, and will expire five years after the completion of a Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation. In addition, if (x) the Company issues additional Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of the initial Business Combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per Class A ordinary share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by the board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to the Sponsor or its affiliates, without taking into account any Founder Shares held by the Sponsor or its affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance) (the “Newly Issued Price”), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of the initial Business Combination on the date of the consummation of the initial Business Combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of Class A ordinary shares during the 20-trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which the Company consummates its initial Business Combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, then the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price. See “—Redemption of warrants when the price per class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $18.00” below).
The Private Placement Warrants are identical to the Public Warrants underlying the Units sold in the Proposed Public Offering, except (i) that the Private Placement Warrants and the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the Private Placement Warrants will not be transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination, subject to certain limited exceptions, (ii) the Private Placement Warrants will be non-redeemable and (iii) the Private Placement Warrants will be exercisable on a cashless basis and have certain registration rights.
Redemption of warrants when the price per Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $18.00. Once the warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the outstanding warrants (except as described herein with respect to the Private Placement Warrants):
| ∎ | in whole and not in part; |
| ∎ | at a price of $0.01 per warrant; |
| ∎ | upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption, which we refer to as the 30-day redemption period; and |
| ∎ | if, and only if, the last reported sale price of the Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted) for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the Company sends the notice of redemption to the warrant holders. |
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The Company will not redeem the warrants as described above unless a registration statement under the Securities Act covering the issuance of the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is then effective and a current prospectus relating to those Class A ordinary shares is available throughout the 30-day redemption period.
In no event will the Company be required to net cash settle any warrant. If the Company has not completed a Business Combination within the Combination Period and the Company liquidates the funds held in the Trust Account, holders of warrants will not receive any of such funds with respect to their warrants, nor will they receive any distribution from the Company’s assets held outside of the Trust Account with the respect to such warrants. Accordingly, the warrants may expire worthless.
Note 7—Subsequent Events
The Company has evaluated subsequent events and transactions that occurred after the balance sheet dates up to October 4, 2024, the date that the financial statements were available to be issued. Based upon this review, the Company did not identify any subsequent events that would have required adjustment or disclosure in the financial statements.
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17,500,000 Units
OAKTREE ACQUISITION CORP. III
LIFE SCIENCES
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS
, 2024
Joint Book-Running Managers
| Jefferies | Citigroup | UBS Investment Bank |
Until , 2024 (25 days after the date of this prospectus), all dealers that buy, sell or trade our securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers’ obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.
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PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
The estimated expenses payable by us in connection with the offering described in this registration statement (other than the underwriting discount and commissions) will be as follows:(1)
| SEC/FINRA expenses |
$ | 75,529 | ||
| Accounting fees and expenses |
50,000 | |||
| Printing and engraving expenses |
30,000 | |||
| Road show expenses |
10,000 | |||
| Legal fees and expenses |
450,000 | |||
| Nasdaq listing and filing fees |
75,000 | |||
| Miscellaneous |
9,471 | |||
| Total |
$ | 700,000 |
| (1) | All amounts are estimates except for the SEC registration fee and the FINRA filing fee. |
Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against willful default, willful neglect, actual fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide for indemnification of our officers and directors to the maximum extent permitted by law, including for any liability incurred in their capacities as such, except through their own actual fraud, willful `default or willful neglect. We may purchase a policy of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that insures our officers and directors against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances and insures us against our obligations to indemnify our officers and directors.
Our officers and directors have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the trust account, and have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever (except to the extent they are entitled to funds from the trust account due to their ownership of public shares). Accordingly, any indemnification provided will only be able to be satisfied by us if (i) we have sufficient funds outside of the trust account or (ii) we consummate an initial business combination.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling us pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.
On July 15, 2024, Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, L.P. paid $25,000 to cover for certain expenses on our behalf in exchange for issuance of 5,031,250 of our Class B ordinary shares, or approximately $0.005 per share. On September 9, 2024, in connection with its dissolution, Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, L.P. transferred the 5,031,250 Class B ordinary shares to Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, LLC, our sponsor, and assigned all its rights and obligation under the securities subscription agreement dated July 15, 2024 to our sponsor. Such securities were issued in connection with our organization and subsequently transferred pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. The total number of Class B ordinary shares outstanding after this offering and the expiration of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional units will equal 20% of our ordinary shares issued and outstanding at such time. The Class B ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares concurrently with or immediately following the consummation of our initial
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business combination, or earlier at the option of the holder thereof, on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment, as described in this registration statement. If we increase or decrease the size of this offering, we will effect a share capitalization or other appropriate mechanism, immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the number of Class B ordinary shares at 20.0% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering.
Our sponsor is an accredited investor for purposes of Rule 501 of Regulation D. Each of the equity holders in our sponsor is an accredited investor under Rule 501 of Regulation D. The sole business of Oaktree Acquisition Holdings III LS, LLC is to act as the company’s sponsor in connection with this offering.
Our sponsor has committed, pursuant to a written agreement, to purchase 550,000 private placement units (or 602,500 private placement units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), at a price of $10.00 per private placement share ($5,500,000 in the aggregate or $6,025,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), in a private placement that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering. The issuance of the private placement units will be made pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.
No underwriting discounts or commissions were paid with respect to such sales.
Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.
| (a) | Exhibits. The Exhibit Index on page II-4 is incorporated herein by reference. |
| (b) | Financial Statements. See page F-1 for, an index to, and the financial statements of the registrant. |
Item 17. Undertakings.
| (a) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriters at the closing specified in the underwriting agreements, certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriters to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser. |
| (b) | Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. |
| (c) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that: |
| (1) | For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective. |
| (2) | For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
| (3) | For the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser, if the registrant is subject to Rule 430C, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the |
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| registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use. |
| (4) | For the purpose of determining liability of a registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of an undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser: |
| (i) | Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; |
| (ii) | Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by an undersigned registrant; |
| (iii) | The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and |
| (iv) | Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser. |
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EXHIBIT INDEX
| * | Previously filed. |
| ** | Filed herewith. |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Chicago, State of Illinois, on the 18th day of October, 2024.
| OAKTREE ACQUISITION CORP. III LIFE SCIENCES | ||
| By:
|
/s/ Zaid Pardesi | |
| Name: | Zaid Pardesi | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| NAME |
TITLE |
DATE | ||
| * John Frank |
Chairman and Director | October 18, 2024 | ||
| /s/ Zaid Pardesi Zaid Pardesi |
Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) |
October 18, 2024 | ||
| * Courtney Conigliaro |
Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) |
October 18, 2024 | ||
| /s/ Aman Kumar Aman Kumar |
Director | October 18, 2024 | ||
| * By: |
/s/ Aman Kumar | |
| Aman Kumar | ||
| Attorney-in-Fact |
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AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 6(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, the undersigned has signed this registration statement, solely in its capacity as the duly authorized representative of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. III Life Sciences, in the City of Chicago, Illinois, on the 18th day of October, 2024.
| By:
|
/s/ Zaid Pardesi | |
|
|
Name: Zaid Pardesi | |
|
|
Title: Authorized Representative |
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Exhibit 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We hereby consent to the use in the Prospectus constituting a part of this Registration Statement on Amendment No. 1 to Form S-1 of our report dated October 4, 2024, relating to the financial statements of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. III Life Sciences, as of July 15, 2024 and for the period from June 28, 2024 (inception) through July 15, 2024, which is contained in that Prospectus. We also consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Experts” in the Prospectus.
/s/ WithumSmith+Brown, PC
New York, New York
October 18, 2024