Delaware |
6770 |
47-1347291 |
||||||||
(State or other
jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
David Alan
Miller, Esq. Jeffrey M. Gallant, Esq. Graubard Miller The Chrysler Building 405 Lexington Avenue New York, New York 10174 (212) 818-8800 (212) 818-8881 Facsimile |
Christian O. Nagler, Esq. Kirkland & Ellis LLP 601 Lexington Avenue New York, NY 10022 (212) 446-4800 |
Large
accelerated filer o |
Accelerated filer o |
Non-accelerated filer x (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) |
Smaller reporting company o |
Title of each Class of Security being registered |
Amount being Registered |
Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Security(1) |
Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(1) |
Amount of Registration Fee |
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---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Units, each
consisting of one share of Common Stock, $.0001 par value, and one Warrant |
40,250,000 Units(2) |
$ | 10.00 | $ | 402,500,000 | $ | 51,842.00 | |||||||||||
Shares of
Common Stock, $.0001 par value, included as part of the Units |
40,250,000 Shares(2) |
| | | (3) | |||||||||||||
Warrants
included as part of the Units(4) |
40,250,000 Warrants(2) |
| | | (3) | |||||||||||||
Total |
$ | 402,500,000 | $ | 51,842.00 | (5) |
(1) |
Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o). |
(2) |
Includes 5,250,000 Units and 5,250,000 shares of Common Stock and 5,250,000 Warrants underlying such Units which may be issued on exercise of a 45-day option granted to the Underwriters to cover over-allotments, if any. |
(3) |
No fee pursuant to Rule 457(g). |
(4) |
Pursuant to Rule 416, there are also being registered an indeterminable number of additional securities as may be issued to prevent dilution resulting from stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions. |
(5) |
Filing fee previously paid. |
Price to Public |
Underwriting Discounts and Commissions(1) |
Proceeds, Before Expenses, to us |
||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Per Unit
|
$ | 10.00 | $ | 0.55 | $ | 9.45 | ||||||||
Total
|
$ | 350,000,000 | $ | 19,250,000 | $ | 330,750,000 |
(1) |
Includes $0.35 per unit, or $12.25 million in the aggregate (or approximately $14.10 million in the aggregate if the underwriters overallotment option is exercised in full), payable to the underwriters for deferred underwriting commissions to be placed in our trust account. These funds will be released only on completion of our initial business combination, as described in this prospectus. Please see the section titled Underwriting for further information relating to the underwriting arrangements agreed to between us and the underwriters in this offering. |
Deutsche Bank Securities |
Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. |
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Page |
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SUMMARY
|
1 | |||||
SUMMARY
FINANCIAL DATA |
18 | |||||
RISK FACTORS
|
19 | |||||
CAUTIONARY
NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS |
42 | |||||
USE OF
PROCEEDS |
43 | |||||
DIVIDEND
POLICY |
48 | |||||
DILUTION
|
49 | |||||
CAPITALIZATION
|
51 | |||||
MANAGEMENTS DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS |
52 | |||||
PROPOSED
BUSINESS |
57 | |||||
MANAGEMENT
|
75 | |||||
PRINCIPAL
STOCKHOLDERS |
87 | |||||
CERTAIN
TRANSACTIONS |
90 | |||||
DESCRIPTION OF
SECURITIES |
93 | |||||
SHARES
ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE |
99 | |||||
MATERIAL U.S.
FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS |
101 | |||||
UNDERWRITING
|
109 | |||||
LEGAL MATTERS
|
116 | |||||
EXPERTS
|
116 | |||||
WHERE YOU CAN
FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION |
116 | |||||
INDEX TO
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS |
F-1 |
|
references in this prospectus to we, us or our company refer to Quinpario Acquisition Corp. 2; |
|
references in this prospectus to insider shares refer to the 10,062,500 shares of common stock issued prior to this offering, which include up to an aggregate of 1,312,500 shares of common stock subject to forfeiture to the extent that the underwriters over-allotment option is not exercised in full or in part; |
|
references in this prospectus to initial stockholders refer to the holders of the insider shares; |
|
references in this prospectus to our management or our management team refer to our officers and directors; |
|
references in this prospectus to our public shares and public warrants refer to shares of our common stock and warrants which are being sold as part of the units in this offering (whether they are purchased in this offering or thereafter in the open market) and references to public stockholders and public warrantholders refer to the holders of our public shares and public warrants, including our sponsor and management team to the extent they purchase public shares or public warrants, provided that their status as public stockholders and public warrantholders shall exist only with respect to such public shares or public warrants; |
|
references to private warrants refer to the warrants we are selling privately to our sponsor and its designees upon consummation of this offering; |
|
references in this prospectus to our sponsor refer to Quinpario Partners 2, LLC; |
|
except as specifically provided otherwise, the information in this prospectus assumes that members of our sponsor and/or their affiliates do not purchase any units in this offering, and, accordingly, the number of private warrants purchased by our sponsor and its designees will not be reduced, as more fully described in this prospectus; and |
|
except as specifically provided otherwise, the information in this prospectus assumes that the underwriters will not exercise their over-allotment option. |
Securities
offered |
35,000,000 units, at $10.00 per unit, each unit consisting of one share of common stock and one warrant. Each warrant offered in this offering
is exercisable to purchase one-half of one share of our common stock. Warrants may be exercised only for a whole number of shares of common stock. No
fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of the warrants. |
|||||
We
structured each warrant to be exercisable for one-half of one share of our common stock at a price of $5.75 per half share, as compared to warrants
issued by some other similar companies which are exercisable for one whole share, in order to reduce the dilutive effect of the warrants upon
completion of a business combination as compared to units that each contain a warrant to purchase one whole share, thus making us, we believe, a more
attractive merger partner for target businesses. However, this unit structure may cause our units to be worth less than if they included a warrant to
purchase one full share. |
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Listing of our
securities and proposed symbols |
We
anticipate the units, and the shares of common stock and warrants once they begin separate trading, will be listed on Nasdaq under the symbols
QPACU, QPAC and QPACW, respectively. |
|||||
Each
of the common stock and warrants may trade separately on the 52nd day following the date of this prospectus unless Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
informs us of its decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our filing a Current Report on Form 8-K with the SEC containing an audited
balance sheet reflecting our receipt of the gross proceeds of this offering and issuing a press release announcing when such separate trading will
begin. |
Once
the shares of common stock and warrants commence separate trading, holders will have the option to continue to hold units or separate their units into
the component pieces. Holders will need to have their brokers contact our transfer agent in order to separate the units into shares of common stock and
warrants. |
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We
will file a Current Report on Form 8-K with the SEC, including an audited balance sheet, promptly upon the consummation of this offering, which is
anticipated to take place three business days from the date the units commence trading. The audited balance sheet will reflect our receipt of the
proceeds from the exercise of the over-allotment option if the over-allotment option is exercised on the date of this prospectus. If the over-allotment
option is exercised after the date of this prospectus, we will file an amendment to the Form 8-K or a new Form 8-K to provide updated financial
information to reflect the exercise of the over-allotment option. |
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Shares of common
stock: |
||||||
Number
outstanding before this offering |
10,062,500 shares1 |
|||||
Number to be
outstanding after this offering and sale of private warrants |
43,750,000 shares2 |
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Warrants: |
||||||
Number
outstanding before this offering |
0 |
|||||
Number to be
outstanding after this offering and sale of private warrants |
53,000,000 warrants3 |
|||||
Exercisability |
Each
warrant offered in this offering is exercisable to purchase one-half of one share of our common stock. |
1 |
This number includes an aggregate of 1,312,500 insider shares that are subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised by the underwriters. |
2 |
Assumes the over-allotment option has not been exercised and an aggregate of 1,312,500 insider shares have been forfeited. |
3 |
Assumes the over-allotment option has not been exercised and that members of our sponsor and/or their affiliates do not purchase any units in this offering which would otherwise reduce the number of private warrants being purchased, as described elsewhere in this prospectus. |
Exercise
price |
$5.75
per half share, subject to adjustment as provided for herein. No public warrants will be exercisable for cash unless we have an effective and current
registration statement covering the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants and a current prospectus relating to such shares of
common stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a registration statement covering the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the public
warrants is not effective within a specified period following the consummation of our initial business combination, public warrant holders may, until
such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when we shall have failed to maintain an effective registration
statement, exercise warrants on a cashless basis. |
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Exercise
period |
The
warrants will become exercisable on the later of 30 days after the completion of an initial business combination or 12 months from the closing of this
offering. The warrants will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the fifth anniversary of our completion of an initial business combination, or
earlier upon redemption. |
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Redemption |
We may
redeem the outstanding warrants (excluding the private warrants), in whole and not in part, at a price of $0.01 per warrant: |
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at any time while the warrants are exercisable, |
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upon a minimum of 30 days prior written notice of redemption, |
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if, and only if, the last sales price of our shares of common stock equals or exceeds $24.00 per share for any 20 trading
days within a 30 trading day period (the 30-day trading period) ending three business days before we send the notice of redemption,
and |
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if, and only if, there is a current registration statement in effect with respect to the shares of common stock underlying
such warrants commencing five business days prior to the 30-day trading period and continuing each day thereafter until the date of
redemption. |
||||||
If the
foregoing conditions are satisfied and we issue a notice of redemption, each warrant holder can exercise his, her or its warrant prior to the scheduled
redemption date. However, the price of the shares of common stock may fall below the |
$24.00
trigger price as well as the $11.50 warrant exercise price after the redemption notice is issued. |
||||||
The
redemption criteria for our warrants have been established at a price which is intended to provide warrant holders a substantial premium to the initial
exercise price and provide a sufficient differential between the then-prevailing share price and the warrant exercise price so that if the share price
declines as a result of our redemption call, the redemption will not cause the share price to drop below the exercise price of the
warrants. |
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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 such event, each holder would pay the exercise price by surrendering the warrants for that number of shares of
common stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares of common stock underlying the warrants, multiplied by
the difference between the exercise price of the warrants and the fair market value (defined below) by (y) the fair market value. The
fair market value shall mean the average reported last sale price of the shares of common stock for the 10 trading days ending on the third
trading day prior to the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants. Whether we will exercise our option to require all
holders to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis will depend on a variety of factors including the price of our shares of common
stock at the time the warrants are called for redemption, our cash needs at such time and concerns regarding dilutive stock
issuances. |
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Offering proceeds
to be held in the trust account |
$341,000,000 of the net proceeds of this offering (or $392,450,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full), plus the $9,000,000 we
will receive from the sale of the private warrants (or $10,050,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full), for an aggregate of $350,000,000
(or $402,500,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) or $10.00 per unit sold to the public in this offering (whether or not the
over-allotment option is exercised in full or in part), will be placed in an account in the United States maintained by Continental Stock Transfer
& Trust Company, acting as trustee pursuant to an agreement to be signed on the |
date
of this prospectus. Pursuant to the investment management trust agreement that will govern the investment of such funds, the trustee, upon
our written instructions, will direct UBS Financial Services to invest the funds as set forth in such written instructions and to custody the
funds while invested and until otherwise instructed in accordance with the investment management trust agreement. The remaining $1,300,000 of net
proceeds of this offering will not be held in the trust account. |
||||||
Except
as set forth below, the proceeds held in the trust account will not be released until the earlier of: (1) the completion of our initial business
combination within the required time period and (2) our redemption of 100% of the outstanding public shares if we have not completed a business
combination in the required time period. Therefore, unless and until our initial business combination is consummated, the proceeds held in the trust
account will not be available for our use for any expenses related to this offering or expenses which we may incur related to the investigation and
selection of a target business and the negotiation of an agreement to acquire a target business. |
||||||
Notwithstanding the foregoing, there can be released to us from the trust account (1) any interest earned on the funds in the trust account
that we need to pay our income or other tax obligations and (2) any remaining interest earned on the funds in the trust account that we need for our
working capital requirements. With these exceptions, expenses incurred by us may be paid prior to a business combination only from the net proceeds of
this offering not held in the trust account of approximately $1,300,000; provided, however, that in order to meet our working capital needs following
the consummation of this offering if the funds not held in the trust account and interest earned on the funds held in the trust account available to us
are insufficient, our sponsor, officers and directors or their affiliates may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds, from time to time or at any
time, in whatever amount they deem reasonable in their sole discretion. Each loan would be evidenced by a non-interest bearing promissory note. The
notes would either be paid upon consummation of our initial business combination, without interest, or, at the lenders discretion, up to
$1,500,000 of the notes may be converted upon consummation of our |
business combination into additional private warrants at a price of $0.50 per warrant. Our stockholders have approved the issuance of the
warrants (and underlying shares of common stock) upon conversion of such notes, to the extent the holder wishes to so convert them at the time of the
consummation of our initial business combination. If we do not complete a business combination, the loans will not be repaid. |
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Limited payments
to insiders |
There
will be no fees, reimbursements or other cash payments paid to our sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates prior to or in connection with the
consummation of a business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is) other than: |
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repayment at the closing of this offering of non-interest bearing loans in an aggregate amount of up to $300,000 made by our
sponsor; |
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payment of $10,000 per month to Quinpario Partners LLC for office space and related services; and |
||||||
reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them in connection with certain activities on our behalf, such as
identifying and investigating possible business targets and business combinations. |
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There
is no limit on the amount of out-of-pocket expenses reimbursable by us; provided, however, that to the extent such expenses exceed the available
proceeds not deposited in the trust account and the interest income earned on the amounts held in the trust account, such expenses would not be
reimbursed by us unless we consummate an initial business combination. Our audit committee will review and approve all reimbursements and payments made
to any sponsor or member of our management team, or our or their respective affiliates, and any reimbursements and payments made to members of our
audit committee will be reviewed and approved by our Board of Directors, with any interested director abstaining from such review and
approval. |
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Stockholder
approval of, or tender offer in connection with, initial business combination |
In
connection with any proposed initial business combination, we will either (1) seek stockholder approval of such initial business combination at a
meeting called for such purpose at which |
stockholders may seek to convert their shares, regardless of whether they vote for or against the proposed business combination, into their
pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (net of taxes payable), or (2) provide our stockholders with the
opportunity to sell their shares to us by means of a tender offer (and thereby avoid the need for a stockholder vote) for an amount equal to their pro
rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (net of taxes payable), in each case subject to the limitations described
herein. If we determine to engage in a tender offer, such tender offer will be structured so that each stockholder may tender all of his, her or its
shares rather than some pro rata portion of his, her or its shares. If enough stockholders tender their shares so that we are unable to satisfy any
applicable closing condition set forth in the definitive agreement related to our initial business combination, or we are unable to maintain net
tangible assets of at least $5,000,001, we will not consummate such initial business combination. The decision as to whether we will seek stockholder
approval of a proposed business combination or will allow stockholders 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 stockholder approval. Unlike other blank check companies which require stockholder votes and conduct proxy solicitations in
conjunction with their initial business combinations and related conversions of public shares for cash upon consummation of such initial business
combinations even when a vote is not required by law, we will have the flexibility to avoid such stockholder vote and allow our stockholders to sell
their shares pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or Exchange Act, which regulate issuer
tender offers. In that case, we will file tender offer documents with the SEC which will contain substantially the same financial and other information
about the initial business combination as is required under the SECs proxy rules. We will consummate our initial business combination only if we
have net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 upon such consummation and, solely if we seek stockholder approval, a majority of the outstanding
shares of common |
stock
voted are voted in favor of the business combination. |
||||||
We
chose our net tangible asset threshold of $5,000,001 to ensure that we would avoid being subject to Rule 419 promulgated under the Securities Act.
However, if we seek to consummate an initial business combination with a target business that imposes any type of working capital closing condition or
requires us to have a minimum amount of funds available from the trust account upon consummation of such initial business combination, our net tangible
asset threshold may limit our ability to consummate such initial business combination (as we may be required to have a lesser number of shares
converted or sold to us in any tender offer) and may force us to seek third party financing which may not be available on terms acceptable to us or at
all. As a result, we may not be able to consummate such initial business combination and we may not be able to locate another suitable target within
the applicable time period, if at all. |
||||||
Our
sponsor (including its officers, directors, members, employees and affiliates) and our officers and directors have agreed (1) to vote any of their
insider shares and any public shares purchased in or after this offering in favor of any proposed business combination, (2) not to convert any shares
(including the insider shares) in connection with a stockholder vote to approve a proposed initial business combination and (3) not to sell any shares
(including the insider shares) in a tender offer in connection with any proposed business combination. None of our sponsor, officers, directors or
their affiliates has indicated any intention to purchase units in this offering or any units or shares of common stock in the open market or in private
transactions. However, if a significant number of stockholders vote, or indicate an intention to vote, against a proposed business combination, our
sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates could make such purchases in the open market or in private transactions in order to influence the
vote. Notwithstanding the foregoing, our officers, directors, sponsor and their affiliates will not make purchases of shares of common stock if the
purchases would violate Section 9(a)(2) or Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act, which are rules designed to stop potential manipulation of a companys
stock. |
Conversion
rights |
At any
meeting called to approve an initial business combination, any public stockholder voting either for or against such proposed business combination will
be entitled to demand that his shares of common stock be converted for a pro rata portion of the amount then in the trust account (initially $10.00 per
share, plus any pro rata interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our taxes or for working
capital). |
|||||
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a public stockholder, together with any affiliate of his or any other person with whom he is acting in concert
or as a group (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) will be restricted from seeking conversion rights with respect to 15% or
more of the shares of common stock sold in this offering without our prior written consent. We believe this restriction will prevent an individual
stockholder or group from accumulating large blocks of shares before the vote held to approve a proposed business combination and attempt
to use the conversion right as a means to force us or our management to purchase its shares at a substantial premium to the then current market
price. |
||||||
We may
require public stockholders, whether they are a record holder or hold their shares in street name, to either tender their certificates to
our transfer agent at any time through the vote on the business combination or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using
Depository Trust Companys DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holders option. There is a nominal cost associated with
this tendering process and the act of certificating the shares or delivering them through the DWAC system. The transfer agent will typically charge the
tendering broker $45 and it would be up to the broker whether or not to pass this cost on to the converting holder. |
||||||
Liquidation if no
business combination |
If we
are unable to complete our 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 outstanding
public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, divided by the number of then
outstanding public |
shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further
liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption as part of a
single integrated transaction, dissolve and liquidate, subject to the approval of our remaining holders of common stock and our board of directors (who
have contractually agreed to take such actions to effectuate such dissolution and liquidation), subject (in the case of (ii) and (iii) above) to our
obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. The holders of the insider shares will
not participate in any redemption distribution. Holders of warrants will receive no proceeds in connection with the redemption or
liquidation. |
||||||
We may
not have funds sufficient to pay or provide for all creditors claims. Although we will seek to have all third parties (including any vendors or
other entities we engage after this offering) and any prospective target businesses enter into valid and enforceable agreements with us waiving any
right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account, there is no guarantee that they will execute such
agreements. There is also no guarantee that the third parties would not challenge the enforceability of these waivers and bring claims against the
trust account for monies owed them. Quinpario Partners LLC and Mr. Quinn have agreed that they will
be liable to ensure that the proceeds in the trust account are not reduced by the claims of target businesses or claims of vendors or other entities
that are owed money by us for services rendered or contracted for or products sold to us, but they may not be able to satisfy their
indemnification obligations if they are required to do so. Furthermore, they will have no liability under this indemnity as to any
claimed amounts owed to a target business or vendor or other entity who has executed an agreement with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim
of any kind they may have in or to any monies held in the trust account. |
||||||
If we
are unable to conclude our initial business combination and we expend all of the net proceeds of this offering not deposited in the trust account,
without taking into account any interest earned on the trust account, we expect |
that
the initial per-share redemption price will be approximately $10.00. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could, however, become subject to
claims of our creditors that are in preference to the claims of our stockholders. In addition, if we are forced to file a bankruptcy case or an
involuntary bankruptcy case 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 stockholders.
Therefore, the actual per-share redemption price may be less than $10.00. |
||||||
We
will pay the costs of any subsequent liquidation from our remaining assets outside of the trust account. If such funds are insufficient, Quinpario
Partners LLC has agreed to pay the funds necessary to complete such liquidation (currently anticipated to be no more than approximately $15,000) and
has agreed not to seek repayment for such expenses. |
As of September 12, 2014 |
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---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Actual |
As Adjusted (1) |
||||||||||
Balance
Sheet Data: |
|||||||||||
Working
capital (deficiency) |
$ | (47,278 | ) | $ | 339,062,722 | (2) | |||||
Total assets
|
84,385 | 351,312,722 | (3) | ||||||||
Total
liabilities |
71,663 | 12,250,000 | (4) | ||||||||
Value of
common stock subject to possible conversion/tender |
| 334,062,720 | (5) | ||||||||
Stockholders equity |
12,722 | 5,000,002 |
(1) |
Includes the $9,000,000 we will receive from the sale of the private warrants. |
(2) |
The as adjusted calculation equals actual working capital of ($47,278) as of September 12, 2014, plus $350,000,000 in cash held in trust from the proceeds of this offering, plus $1,300,000 in cash held outside the trust account, plus $60,000 to reduce liabilities related to offering costs at September 12, 2014 paid out of the proceeds from this offering, less $12,250,000 of deferred underwriting commissions. |
(3) |
The as adjusted calculation equals actual total assets of $84,385 as of September 12, 2014 plus $350,000,000 in cash held in trust from the proceeds of this offering, plus $1,300,000 in cash held outside the trust account, less payment of $71,663 of liabilities as of September 12, 2014. |
(4) |
The as adjusted calculation represents deferred underwriting commissions. |
(5) |
The as adjusted value of common stock subject to possible conversion/tender is derived by taking 33,406,272 shares of common stock which may be converted, representing the maximum number of shares that may be converted or sold while maintaining at least $5,000,001 in net tangible assets after the offering, multiplied by a conversion/tender price of $10.00. |
|
may significantly reduce the equity interest of investors in this offering; |
|
may subordinate the rights of holders of shares of common stock if we issue shares of preferred stock with rights senior to those afforded to our shares of common stock; |
|
may cause a change in control if a substantial number of shares of common stock are issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors; and |
|
may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our shares of common stock. |
|
default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after our initial business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations; |
|
acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant; |
|
our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt security is payable on demand; and |
|
our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt security contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt security is outstanding. |
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a limited availability of market quotations for our securities; |
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reduced liquidity with respect to our securities; |
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a determination that our shares are a penny stock, which will require brokers trading in our shares to adhere to more stringent rules, possibly resulting in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our shares; |
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a limited amount of news and analyst coverage for our company; and |
|
a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future. |
|
solely dependent upon the performance of a single business, or |
|
dependent upon the development or market acceptance of a single or limited number of products, processes or services. |
|
restrictions on the nature of our investments; and |
|
restrictions on the issuance of securities. |
|
registration as an investment company; |
|
adoption of a specific form of corporate structure; and |
|
reporting, record keeping, voting, proxy, compliance policies and procedures and disclosure requirements and other rules and regulations. |
|
the history of other similarly structured blank check companies; |
|
prior offerings of those companies; |
|
our prospects for acquiring an operating business at attractive values; |
|
our capital structure; |
|
securities exchange listing requirements; |
|
market demand; |
|
expected liquidity of our securities; and |
|
general conditions of the securities markets at the time of the offering. |
|
rules and regulations or currency conversion or corporate withholding taxes on individuals; |
|
tariffs and trade barriers; |
|
regulations related to customs and import/export matters; |
|
longer payment cycles; |
|
tax issues, such as tax law changes and variations in tax laws as compared to the United States; |
|
currency fluctuations and exchange controls; |
|
challenges in collecting accounts receivable; |
|
cultural and language differences; |
|
employment regulations; |
|
crime, strikes, riots, civil disturbances, terrorist attacks and wars; and |
|
deterioration of political relations with the United States. |
|
ability to complete our initial business combination; |
|
success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, key employees or directors following our initial business combination; |
|
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, as a result of which they would then receive expense reimbursements; |
|
potential ability to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination; |
|
pool of prospective target businesses; |
|
the ability of our officers and directors to generate a number of potential investment opportunities; |
|
potential change in control if we acquire one or more target businesses for stock; |
|
the potential liquidity and trading of our securities; |
|
the lack of a market for our securities; |
|
use of proceeds not held in the trust account or available to us from interest income on the trust account balance; or |
|
financial performance following this offering. |
Without Over-Allotment Option |
Over-Allotment Option Exercised |
|||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gross
proceeds |
||||||||||
From offering
|
$ | 350,000,000 | $ | 402,500,000 | ||||||
From private
placement |
9,000,000 | 10,050,000 | ||||||||
Total gross
proceeds |
359,000,000 | 412,550,000 | ||||||||
Offering
expenses (1) |
||||||||||
Underwriting
discount (excluding deferred portion) |
7,000,000 | (2) | 8,050,000 | (2) | ||||||
Legal fees
|
250,000 | 250,000 | ||||||||
Nasdaq listing
fee |
75,000 | 75,000 | ||||||||
Printing and
engraving expenses |
55,000 | 55,000 | ||||||||
Accounting
fees |
30,000 | 30,000 | ||||||||
FINRA filing
fee |
61,000 | 61,000 | ||||||||
SEC
registration fee |
52,000 | 52,000 | ||||||||
Miscellaneous
expenses |
177,000 | 177,000 | ||||||||
Total offering
expenses |
7,700,000 | 8,750,000 | ||||||||
Net
proceeds |
||||||||||
Held in the
trust account |
350,000,000 | 402,500,000 | ||||||||
Not held in
the trust account |
1,300,000 | 1,300,000 | ||||||||
Total net
proceeds |
$ | 351,300,000 | $ | 403,800,000 | ||||||
Use of net
proceeds not held in the trust account(3)(4) |
||||||||||
Legal,
accounting and other third party expenses attendant to the search for target businesses and to the due diligence investigation, structuring and
negotiation of our initial business combination |
$ | 335,000 | 26 | % | ||||||
Due diligence
of prospective target businesses by officers, directors and sponsor |
150,000 | 12 | % | |||||||
Legal and
accounting fees relating to SEC reporting obligations |
150,000 | 12 | % | |||||||
Payment of
administrative fee to Quinpario Partners LLC ($10,000 per month for up to 24 months) |
240,000 | 18 | % | |||||||
Corporate and
franchise taxes |
225,000 | 17 | % | |||||||
Working
capital to cover miscellaneous expenses, D&O insurance, general corporate purposes, liquidation obligations and reserves |
200,000 | 15 | % | |||||||
Total
|
$ | 1,300,000 | 100 | % |
(1) |
A portion of the offering expenses, including the SEC registration fee, the FINRA filing fee, the non-refundable portion of the Nasdaq listing fee and a portion of the legal and audit fees, have been paid from the funds we received from Quinpario Partners LLC described below. These funds will be repaid out of the proceeds of this offering available to us. |
(2) |
The underwriting discount of 2.0% is payable at the closing of the offering. As indicated elsewhere in this prospectus, certain members of our sponsor and/or their affiliates have indicated that they may invest in the public offering. If any of them do, the underwriters have agreed that we will receive the entire aggregate gross proceeds from such purchases and the underwriters will not receive any underwriting discounts or commissions on such purchased units at the closing of the offering. Additionally, a deferred underwriting fee of 3.5% (including on any units purchased by members of our sponsor and/or their affiliates) is payable upon consummation of our initial |
business combination and will be held in the trust account until consummation of such business combination. No discounts or commissions will be paid with respect to the purchase of the private warrants. |
(3) |
The amount of proceeds not held in the trust account will remain constant at $1,300,000 even if the over-allotment is exercised. In addition, interest income earned on the amounts held in the trust account (after payment of taxes owed on such interest income) will be available to us to pay for our working capital requirements. We estimate the interest earned on the trust account will be approximately $350,000 over a 24-month period assuming an interest rate of approximately 0.05% per year. |
(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 that business combination. 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 be deducted from our excess working capital. |
Public
offering price |
$ | 10.00 | ||||||||
Net tangible
book value before this offering |
$ | (0.01 | ) | |||||||
Increase
attributable to new investors and private sales |
0.49 | |||||||||
Pro forma net
tangible book value after this offering |
0.48 | |||||||||
Dilution to
new investors |
$ | 9.52 | ||||||||
Percentage of
dilution to new investors |
95.2 | % |
Shares Purchased |
Total Consideration |
Average Price per Share |
|||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number |
Percentage |
Amount |
Percentage |
||||||||||||||||||||
Initial
stockholders |
8,750,000 | (1) | 20 | % | $ | 25,000 | 0.01 | % | $ | 0.002 | |||||||||||||
New investors
|
35,000,000 | 80 | % | 350,000,000 | 99.99 | % | $ | 10.00 | |||||||||||||||
43,750,000 | 100.0 | % | $ | 350,025,000 | 100.0 | % |
(1) |
Assumes the over-allotment option has not been exercised and an aggregate of 1,312,500 insider shares have been forfeited as a result thereof. |
Numerator: |
||||||
Net tangible
book value before the offering |
$ | (47,278 | ) | |||
Net proceeds
from this offering and private placement of private warrants |
351,300,000 | |||||
Plus: Offering
costs accrued for and paid in advance, excluded from tangible book value before this offering |
60,000 | |||||
Less: Deferred
underwriters commission |
(12,250,000 | ) | ||||
Less: Proceeds
held in the trust account subject to conversion/tender |
(334,062,720 | ) | ||||
$ | 5,000,002 | |||||
Denominator: |
||||||
Shares of
common stock outstanding prior to this offering |
8,750,000 | (1) | ||||
Shares of
common stock to be sold in this offering |
35,000,000 | |||||
Less: Shares
subject to conversion/tender |
(33,406,272 | ) | ||||
10,343,728 |
(1) |
Assumes that the underwriters over-allotment option has not been exercised and an aggregate of 1,312,500 insider shares have been forfeited as a result thereof. |
September 12, 2014 |
|||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Actual |
As Adjusted (1) |
||||||||||
Note payable
to related party(2) |
$ | 46,663 | $ | | |||||||
Deferred
underwriting commission |
| 12,250,000 | |||||||||
Shares of
common stock, $.0001 par value, -0- and 33,406,272 shares which are subject to possible conversion/tender |
| 334,062,720 | |||||||||
Stockholders equity: |
|||||||||||
Preferred
stock, $.0001 par value, 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued or outstanding |
| | |||||||||
Common stock,
$.0001 par value, 135,000,000 shares authorized; 10,062,500 shares issued and outstanding, actual; 10,343,728 shares (3) issued and
outstanding (excluding 33,406,272 shares subject to possible conversion/tender), as adjusted |
1,006 | 1,034 | |||||||||
Additional
paid-in capital |
23,994 | 5,011,246 | |||||||||
Deficit
accumulated during the development stage |
(12,278 | ) | (12,278 | ) | |||||||
Total
stockholders equity: |
12,722 | 5,000,002 | |||||||||
Total
capitalization |
$ | 59,385 | $ | 351,312,722 |
(1) |
Includes the $9,000,000 we will receive from the sale of the private warrants. |
(2) |
Note payable to related party is a promissory note issued in the aggregate amount of up to $300,000 to our sponsor. The note is non-interest bearing and is payable on the earliest to occur of (i) January 31, 2015, (ii) the consummation of this offering or (iii) the date on which we determine not to proceed with this offering. |
(3) |
Assumes the over-allotment option has not been exercised and an aggregate of 1,312,500 insider shares have been forfeited as a result thereof. |
|
may significantly dilute the equity interest of our investors in this offering who would not have pre-emption rights in respect of any such issuance; |
|
may subordinate the rights of holders of shares of common stock if we issue shares of preferred stock with rights senior to those afforded to our shares of common stock; |
|
will likely cause a change in control if a substantial number of our shares of common stock are issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and most likely will also result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors; and |
|
may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our securities. |
|
default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after our initial business combination are insufficient to pay our debt obligations; |
|
acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we have made all principal and interest payments when due if the debt security contains covenants that required the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves and we breach any such covenant without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant; |
|
our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt security is payable on demand; and |
|
our inability to obtain additional financing, if necessary, if the debt security contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain additional financing while such security is outstanding. |
|
$335,000 of expenses for the search for target businesses and for the legal, accounting and other third-party expenses attendant to the due diligence investigations, structuring and negotiating of our initial business combination; |
|
$150,000 of expenses for the due diligence and investigation of a target business by our officers, directors and sponsor; |
|
$150,000 of expenses in legal and accounting fees relating to our SEC reporting obligations; |
|
$240,000 for the payment of the administrative fee to Quinpario Partners LLC (of $10,000 per month for up to 24 months); |
|
$225,000 for corporate and franchise taxes; and |
|
$200,000 for general working capital that will be used for miscellaneous expenses, liquidation obligations and reserves, including director and officer liability insurance premiums. |
|
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. |
|
Opportunities for Platform Growth: We intend to seek to acquire one or more businesses or assets that we can grow both organically and through acquisitions. Particularly in regard to the specialty chemicals and performance materials industries, we may initially consider those sectors that complement our management teams background, such as composites and carbon fibers, filtration and biomaterials, alternative energy and storage, specialty films and packaging, ceramics and inorganics, plastics and compounds, electronic chemicals and materials, specialty resins and plastics, chemicals and additives, and specialty fluids and lubricants. |
|
History of and Potential for Strong Free Cash Flow Generation: We intend to seek to acquire one or more businesses that have the potential to generate strong free cash flow (i.e., companies that typically generate cash in excess of that required to maintain or expand the business asset base). We intend to focus on one or more businesses that have recurring revenue streams and low working capital and capital expenditure requirements. We may also seek to prudently leverage this cash flow in order to enhance stockholder value. |
|
Established Companies with Proven Track Records: We intend to seek to acquire established companies, particularly those focused on industries connected to the specialty chemicals and performance materials industries with sound historical financial performance. We intend to typically focus on companies with a history of strong operating and financial results. Although we are not restricted from doing so, we do not currently intend to acquire start-up companies. |
|
Experienced and Motivated Management Teams: We intend to seek to acquire businesses that have strong, experienced management teams with a substantial personal economic stake in the performance of the acquired business. We intend to focus on management teams with a proven track record of driving revenue growth, enhancing profitability and generating strong free cash flow. We also intend to focus on companies where we expect that the operating expertise of our officers and directors will complement the targets management team. |
|
Strong Competitive Industry Position: We intend to seek to acquire businesses focused on the specialty chemicals and performance materials industries that have strong fundamentals, although we may acquire businesses in other industries. The factors we may consider include growth prospects, competitive dynamics and position, level of consolidation, need for capital investment, potential for improvement and barriers to entry. We intend to focus on companies that have a leading or niche market position. We will likely analyze the strengths and weaknesses of target businesses relative to their competitors, focusing on technology, global positioning, product quality and services, customer loyalty, cost impediments associated with customers switching to competitors, intellectual property protection and brand positioning. We also intend seek to acquire one or more businesses that demonstrate advantages or have the potential to become advantaged when compared to their competitors, which may help to protect their market position and profitability. |
|
subject us to negative economic, competitive and regulatory developments, 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, and |
|
result in our dependency upon the performance of a single operating business or the development or market acceptance of a single or limited number of products, processes or services. |
|
we shall either (1) seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination at a meeting called for such purpose at which stockholders may seek to convert their shares, regardless of whether they vote for or against the proposed business combination, into their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (net of taxes payable), or (2) provide our stockholders with the opportunity to sell their shares to us by means of a tender offer (and thereby avoid the need for a stockholder vote) for an amount equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (net of taxes payable), in each case subject to the limitations described herein; |
|
we will consummate our initial business combination only if we have net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 upon such consummation and, solely if we seek stockholder approval, a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock voted are voted in favor of the business combination; |
|
if our initial business combination is not consummated within 24 months of the closing of this offering, then our existence will terminate and we will distribute all amounts in the trust account and any net assets remaining outside the trust account on a pro rata basis to all of our public holders of shares of common stock; |
|
upon the consummation of this offering, $350,000,000, or $402,500,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full, shall be placed into the trust account; |
|
we may not consummate any other business combination, merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar transaction prior to our initial business combination; and |
|
prior to our initial business combination, we may not issue (i) any shares of common stock or any securities convertible into common stock, or (ii) any securities that participate in any manner in the proceeds of the trust account, or that vote as a class with the common stock sold in this offering on our initial business combination. |
|
our obligation to seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination or engage in a tender offer may delay the completion of a transaction; |
|
our obligation to convert shares of common stock held by our public stockholders may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination; |
|
our outstanding warrants, and the potential future dilution they represent; |
|
our obligation to either repay or issue private warrants upon conversion of up to $1,500,000 of working capital loans that may be made to us by our sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates; and |
|
our obligation to register the resale of the insider shares, as well as the private warrants (and underlying securities) and any securities issued to our sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates upon conversion of working capital loans. |
Terms of the Offering |
Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering |
|||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Escrow of
offering proceeds |
$350,000,000 of
the net offering proceeds and proceeds from the sale of the private warrants will be deposited into a trust account in the United States maintained by
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, acting as trustee. Pursuant to the investment management trust agreement that will govern the
investment of such funds, the trustee, upon our written instructions, will direct UBS Financial Services to invest the funds as set forth in
such written instructions and to custody the funds while invested and until otherwise instructed in accordance with the investment management
trust agreement. |
$297,675,000 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. |
Terms of the Offering |
Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Investment of
net proceeds |
The $350,000,000
of net offering proceeds and proceeds from the sale of the private warrants held in the trust account will only be invested in United States government
treasury bills, bonds or notes with a maturity of 180 days or less or in money market funds meeting the applicable conditions under Rule 2a-7
promulgated under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and that invest solely in U.S. treasuries. |
Proceeds could be
invested only in specified securities such as a money market fund meeting conditions of the Investment Company Act of 1940 or in securities that are
direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed as to principal or interest by, the United States. |
||||||||
Limitation on
fair value or net assets of target business |
The initial target
business that we acquire must have a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the balance in our trust account at the time of the execution of a
definitive agreement for our initial business combination. |
We would be
restricted from acquiring a target business unless the fair value of such business or net assets to be acquired represent at least 80% of the maximum
offering proceeds. |
||||||||
Trading of
securities issued |
The units may
commence trading on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. The common stock and warrants comprising the units will begin separate trading on
the 52nd day following the date of this prospectus unless Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. informs us of its decision to allow earlier separate
trading, provided we have filed with the SEC a Current Report on Form 8-K, which includes an audited balance sheet reflecting our receipt of the
proceeds of this offering. |
No trading of the
shares of common stock would be permitted until the completion of our initial business combination. During this period, the securities would be held in
the escrow or trust account. |
Terms of the Offering |
Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Election to
remain an investor |
We will either (1)
give our stockholders the opportunity to vote on the business combination or (2) provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to sell their
shares of our common stock to us in a tender offer for cash equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account,
less taxes. If we hold a meeting to approve a proposed business combination, we will send each stockholder a proxy statement containing information
required by the SEC. Alternatively, if we do not hold a meeting and instead conduct a tender offer, we will conduct such tender offer in accordance
with 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 as we would have included in a proxy statement. |
A prospectus
containing information 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 the post-effective amendment, to
decide whether he or she elects to remain a stockholder of the company or require the return of his or her 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 would
automatically be returned to the stockholder. Unless a sufficient number of investors elect to remain investors, all of the deposited funds in the
escrow account must be returned to all investors and none of the securities will be issued. |
||||||||
Business
combination deadline |
Pursuant to our
amended and restated certificate of incorporation, if we are unable to complete our 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 outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders rights as
stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably
possible following such redemption as part of a single integrated transaction, dissolve and liquidate, subject to the approval of our remaining
stockholders and our board of directors (who have contractually agreed to take such actions to effectuate such dissolution and liquidation), subject
(in the case of (ii) and (iii) above) to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable
law. |
If an acquisition
has not been consummated within 18 months after the effective date of the initial registration statement, funds held in the trust or escrow account
would be returned to investors |
Terms of the Offering |
Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Interest earned
on the funds in the trust account |
There can be
released to us, from time to time, any interest earned on the funds in the trust account (1) that we may need to pay our tax obligations and (2) any
remaining interest that we need for our working capital requirements. |
All interest
earned on the funds in the trust account will be held in the trust account for the benefit of public stockholders until the earlier of the completion
of our initial business combination and our liquidation upon failure to effect our initial business combination within the allotted
time. |
||||||||
Release of
funds |
Except for (1)
interest earned on the funds in the trust account that we may need to pay our tax obligations and (2) any remaining interest that we may need for our
working capital requirements that may be released to us from the interest earned on the trust account balance, the proceeds held in the trust account
will not be released until the earlier of the completion of our initial business combination and our liquidation upon failure to effect our initial
business combination within the allotted time. |
The proceeds held
in the escrow account would not be released until the earlier of the completion of our initial business combination or the failure to effect our
initial business combination within the allotted time. |
Name |
Age |
Position |
||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jeffry N.
Quinn |
55 | Chairman of the Board |
||||||||
D. John
Srivisal |
36 | President and Chief Executive Officer |
||||||||
A. Craig
Ivey |
57 | Vice
President Operations |
||||||||
Sara F.
Melly |
34 | Vice
President, General Counsel and Secretary |
||||||||
Edgar G.
Hotard |
61 | Director |
||||||||
W. Thomas
Jagodinski |
57 | Director |
||||||||
Ilan
Kaufthal |
67 | Director |
||||||||
Roberto
Mendoza |
68 | Director |
||||||||
Dr. John
Rutledge |
66 | Director |
||||||||
Shlomo
Yanai |
62 | Director |
|
reviewing and discussing with management and the independent auditor the annual audited financial statements, and recommending to the board whether the audited financial statements should be included in our Form 10-K; |
|
reviewing and discussing with management and our independent auditor our quarterly financial statements prior to the filing of our Form 10-Qs, including the results of the independent auditors review of the quarterly financial statements |
|
discussing with management and the independent auditor significant financial reporting issues and judgments made in connection with the preparation of our financial statements; |
|
discussing with management major risk assessment and risk management policies; |
|
monitoring the independence of the independent auditor; |
|
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; |
|
reviewing and approving all related-party transactions; |
|
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 auditor, including the fees and terms of the services to be performed; |
|
appointing or replacing the independent auditor; |
|
determining the compensation and oversight of the work of the independent auditor (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; and |
|
approving reimbursement of expenses incurred by our management team in identifying potential target businesses. |
|
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 our stockholders. |
|
reviewing and approving on an annual basis the corporate goals and objectives relevant to our Chief Executive Officers compensation, evaluating our Chief Executive Officers performance in light of such goals and objectives and determining and approving the remuneration (if any) of our Chief Executive Officers based on such evaluation; |
|
reviewing and approving the compensation of all of our other 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; |
|
if required, 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. |
|
None of our officers and directors is required to commit their full time to our affairs and, accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in allocating their time among various business activities. |
|
As described below, in the course of their other business activities, our officers and directors may become aware of investment and business opportunities which may be appropriate for presentation to our company as well as the other entities with which they are affiliated. Our officers and directors may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. |
|
Certain of our officers and directors are now, and all may in the future become, affiliated with entities, including other blank check companies, engaged in business activities similar to those intended to be conducted by our company. |
|
Unless we consummate our initial business combination, our officers, directors and sponsor will not receive reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them to the extent that such expenses exceed the amount of available proceeds not deposited in the trust account and the amount of interest income from the trust account that may be released to us as working capital. |
|
The insider shares and private warrants beneficially owned by our officers and directors will be subject to restrictions on transfer that will not lapse unless our initial business combination is successfully completed. Additionally, our sponsor will not receive liquidation distributions with respect to any of the insider shares. For the foregoing reasons, our board may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is appropriate to effect our initial business combination with. |
|
the corporation could financially undertake the opportunity; |
|
the opportunity is within the corporations line of business; and |
|
it would not be fair to the corporation and its stockholders for the opportunity not to be brought to the attention of the corporation. |
Name of Individual |
Name Affiliated Company |
Affiliation |
||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jeffry N.
Quinn |
Jason Industries Inc. |
Chairman of the Board of Directors |
||||||||
Tronox Limited |
Director |
|||||||||
Ferro Corporation |
Director |
|||||||||
W.R. Grace & Co. |
Director |
|||||||||
Edgar G.
Hotard |
HAO Capital |
Operating Partner |
||||||||
ARCH Venture Partners |
Venture Partner |
|||||||||
SIAD Engineering (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd. |
Executive Chairman |
|||||||||
Baosteel Metals |
Director |
|||||||||
SIAD Macchine Impianti S.p.A. |
Director |
|||||||||
Jason Industries Inc. |
Director |
|||||||||
Albany International Corp. |
Director |
|||||||||
W. Thomas
Jagodisnki |
Lindsay Corporation |
Director |
||||||||
Centrus Energy Corp. |
Director |
|||||||||
Ilan
Kaufthal |
East Wind Advisors |
Chairman |
||||||||
Cambrex Corporation |
Director |
|||||||||
Blyth, Inc. |
Director |
|||||||||
Tronox Limited |
Director |
|||||||||
Roberto
Mendoza |
Atlas Advisors LLC |
Senior Managing Director |
||||||||
Rocco Forte & Family Limited |
Director |
|||||||||
Manpower Inc. |
Director |
|||||||||
The Western Union Company |
Director |
|||||||||
Dr. John
Rutledge |
Rutledge Capital |
Chairman |
||||||||
Safanad SA Inc. |
Chief Investment Strategist |
|||||||||
Jason Industries Inc. |
Director |
|||||||||
Shlomo
Yanai |
Protalix BioTherapeutics, Inc. |
Chairman |
||||||||
Cambrex Corporation |
Chairman |
|
each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our outstanding shares of common stock; |
|
each of our officers and directors; and |
|
all of our officers and directors as a group. |
Prior to Offering |
After Offering(2) |
||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner(1) |
Amount and Nature of Beneficial Ownership |
Approximate Percentage of Outstanding Shares of common stock |
Amount and Nature of Beneficial Ownership |
Approximate Percentage of Outstanding Shares of common stock |
|||||||||||||||
Jeffry N.
Quinn |
9,762,500 | (3) | 97.5 | % | 8,450,000 | (3) | 19.4 | % | |||||||||||
D. John
Srivisal |
0 | (4) | 0 | % | 0 | (4) | 0 | % | |||||||||||
A. Craig Ivey
|
0 | (4) | 0 | % | 0 | (4) | 0 | % | |||||||||||
Sara F.
Melly |
0 | 0 | % | 0 | 0 | % | |||||||||||||
Egdar G.
Hotard |
50,000 | * | 50,000 | * | |||||||||||||||
W. Thomas
Jagodisnki |
50,000 | * | 50,000 | * | |||||||||||||||
Ilan
Kaufthal |
50,000 | * | 50,000 | * | |||||||||||||||
Roberto
Mendoza |
50,000 | * | 50,000 | * | |||||||||||||||
Dr. John
Rutledge |
50,000 | * | 50,000 | * | |||||||||||||||
Shlomo
Yanai |
50,000 | * | 50,000 | * | |||||||||||||||
Quinpario
Partners 2, LLC |
9,762,500 | 97.5 | % | 8,450,000 | 19.4 | % | |||||||||||||
All directors
and executive officers as a group (10 individuals) |
10,062,500 | 100.0 | % | 8,750,000 | 20.0 | % |
* |
Less than 1% |
(1) |
Unless otherwise indicated, the business address of each of the individuals is 12935 N. Forty Drive, Suite 201, St. Louis, Missouri 63141. |
(2) |
Assumes no exercise of the over-allotment option and, therefore, the forfeiture of an aggregate of 1,312,500 shares of common stock held by our sponsor. |
(3) |
Represents shares held by Quinpario Partners 2, LLC, our sponsor. Quinpario Partners LLC is the managing member of Quinpario Partners 2, LLC. Jeffry N. Quinn, our Chairman of the Board, is the sole managing member of Quinpario Partners LLC. Consequently, Mr. Quinn may be deemed the beneficial owner of the securities held by our sponsor and has sole voting and dispositive control over such securities. Mr. Quinn disclaims beneficial ownership over any securities owned by our sponsor in which he does not have any pecuniary interest. |
(4) |
Does not include any shares indirectly owned by this individual as a result of his membership interest in our sponsor. |
|
at any time while the warrants are exercisable, |
|
upon not less than 30 days prior written notice of redemption to each warrant holder, |
|
if, and only if, the reported last sale price of the shares of common stock equals or exceeds $24.00 per share, for any 20 trading days within a 30-day trading period ending on the third business day prior to the notice of redemption to warrant holders, and |
|
if, and only if, there is a current registration statement in effect with respect to the shares of common stock underlying such warrants commencing five business days prior to the 30-day trading period and continuing each day thereafter until the date of redemption. |
|
a stockholder who owns 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock (otherwise known as an interested stockholder); |
|
an affiliate of an interested stockholder; or |
|
an associate of an interested stockholder, for three years following the date that the stockholder became an interested stockholder. A business combination includes a merger or sale of more than 10% of our assets. However, the above provisions of Section 203 do not apply if: |
|
our board of directors approves the transaction that made the stockholder an interested stockholder, prior to the date of the transaction; |
|
after the completion of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, that stockholder owned at least 85% of our voting stock outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, other than statutorily excluded shares of common stock; or |
|
on or subsequent to the date of the transaction, the business combination is approved by our board of directors and authorized at a meeting of our stockholders, and not by written consent, by an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock not owned by the interested stockholder. |
|
1% of the number of shares then outstanding, which will equal 437,500 shares of common stock immediately after this offering (or 503,125 shares of common stock if the over-allotment option is exercised in full); and |
|
the average weekly trading volume of the shares of common stock during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to the sale. |
|
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. |
|
certain financial institutions; |
|
insurance companies; |
|
dealers and traders in securities or foreign currencies; |
|
persons holding our securities as part of a hedge, straddle, conversion transaction or other integrated transaction; |
|
U.S. persons whose functional currency for U.S. federal income tax purposes is not the U.S. dollar; |
|
partnerships or other entities classified as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes; |
|
persons liable for the alternative minimum tax; and |
|
tax-exempt organizations. |
|
at any time during the last half of such taxable year, five or fewer individuals (without regard to their citizenship or residency and including as individuals for this purpose certain entities such as certain tax-exempt organizations, pension funds, and charitable trusts) own or are deemed to own (pursuant to certain constructive ownership rules) more than 50% of the stock of the corporation by value; and |
|
at least 60% of the corporations adjusted ordinary gross income, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes, for such taxable year consists of PHC income (which includes, among other things, dividends, interest, certain royalties, annuities and, under certain circumstances, rents). |
|
a citizen or resident of the United States for U.S. federal income tax purposes; |
|
a corporation, or other entity taxable as a corporation, created or organized in, or under the laws of, the United States or any political subdivision of the United States; |
|
an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or |
|
a trust if a court within the U.S. is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or it has in effect a valid election to be treated as a U.S. person. |
|
the gain is effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, under certain income tax treaties, is attributable to a United States permanent establishment you maintain); |
|
you are an individual, you hold your shares of common stock or warrants as capital assets, you are present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of disposition and you meet other conditions, and you are not eligible for relief under an applicable income tax treaty; or |
|
we are or have been a United States real property holding corporation for United States federal income tax purposes and, in the case where the shares of our common stock are regularly traded on an established securities market, you hold or have held, directly or indirectly, at any time within the shorter of the five-year period preceding disposition or your holding period for your shares of common stock or warrants, more than 5% of our common stock. Special rules may apply to the determination of the 5% threshold in the case of a holder of a warrant. You are urged to consult your own tax advisors regarding the effect of holding the warrants on the calculation of such 5% threshold. We will be classified as a United States real property holding corporation if the fair market value of our United States real property interests equals or exceeds 50% of the sum of (1) the fair market value of our United States real property interests, (2) the fair market value of our non-United States real property interests and (3) the fair market value of any other of our assets which are used or held for use in our trade or business. Although we currently are not a United States real property holding corporation, we cannot determine whether we will be a United States real property holding corporation in the future until we consummate an initial business combination. |
Underwriter |
Number of Units |
|||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Deutsche Bank
Securities Inc. |
||||||
Cantor
Fitzgerald & Co. |
||||||
Total
|
35,000,000 |
Paid by Quinpario Acquisition Corp. 2 |
|||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No Exercise |
Full Exercise |
||||||||||
Per
Unit(1) |
$ | 0.55 | $ | 0.55 | |||||||
Total(1) |
$ | 19,250,000 | $ | 22,137,500 |
(1) |
Includes $0.35 per unit, or approximately $12.25 million (or approximately $14.10 million if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) in the aggregate payable to the underwriters for deferred underwriting commissions to be placed in a trust account located in the United States as described herein. The deferred commissions will be released to the underwriters only on completion of an initial business combination. |
|
Short sales involve secondary market sales by the underwriters of a greater number of shares than they are required to purchase in the offering. |
|
Covered short sales are sales of units in an amount up to the number of units represented by the underwriters over-allotment option. |
|
Naked short sales are sales of units in an amount in excess of the number of units represented by the underwriters over-allotment option. |
|
Covering transactions involve purchases of units either pursuant to the over-allotment option or in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover short positions. |
|
To close a naked short position, the underwriters must purchase shares in the open market after the distribution has been completed. 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 the units in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering. |
|
To close a covered short position, the underwriters must purchase units in the open market after the distribution has been completed or must exercise the over-allotment option. In determining the source of shares to close 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 over-allotment option. |
|
Stabilizing transactions involve bids to purchase units so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. |
|
to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive; |
|
to fewer than 100, or, if the relevant member state has implemented the relevant provisions of the 2010 PD Amending Directive, 150, natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive), as permitted under the Prospectus Directive, subject to obtaining the prior consent of the relevant Dealer or Dealers nominated by the issuer for any such offer; or natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined below) subject to obtaining the prior consent of the underwriter for any such offer; or |
|
in any other circumstances that do not require the publication by us of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive. |
|
released, issued, distributed or caused to be released, issued or distributed to the public in France; or |
|
used in connection with any offer for subscription or sale of the units to the public in France. |
|
to qualified investors (investisseurs qualifiés) and/or to a restricted circle of investors (cercle restreint dinvestisseurs), in each case investing for their own account, all as defined in, and in accordance with, Article L.411-2, D.411-1, D.411-2, D.734-1, D.744-1, D.754-1 and D.764-1 of the French Code monétaire et financier; |
|
to investment services providers authorized to engage in portfolio management on behalf of third parties; or |
|
in a transaction that, in accordance with article L.411-2-II-1¦Mbb[-or-2¦Mbb[-or 3¦Mbb[ of the French Code monétaire et financier and article 211-2 of the General Regulations (Règlement Général) of the Autorité des Marchés Financiers, does not constitute a public offer (appel public à lépargne). |
|
shares, debentures and units of shares and debentures 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 shares pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except: |
|
to an institutional investor (for corporations, under Section 274 of the SFA) or to a relevant person defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA, or to any person pursuant to an offer that is made on terms that such shares, debentures and units of shares and debentures of that corporation or such rights and interest in that trust are acquired at a consideration of not less than S$200,000 (or its equivalent in a foreign currency) for each transaction, whether such amount is to be paid for in cash or by exchange of securities or other assets, and further for corporations, in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA; |
|
where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer; or |
|
where the transfer is by operation of law. |
Page |
||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
F-2 |
||||||
Financial
Statements |
||||||
F-3 |
||||||
F-4 |
||||||
F-5 |
||||||
F-6 |
||||||
F-7
F-12 |
ASSETS |
|||||||
Current
Assets: Cash and cash equivalents |
$ | 24,385 | |||||
Deferred
offering costs |
60,000 | ||||||
Total
assets |
$ | 84,385 | |||||
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY |
|||||||
Current
liabilities: |
|||||||
Accrued
offering costs |
$ | 25,000 | |||||
Note payable
to sponsor |
46,663 | ||||||
Total
liabilities |
71,663 | ||||||
Stockholders equity |
|||||||
Preferred
stock, $.0001 par value, 1,000,000 shares authorized: none issued and outstanding |
| ||||||
Common stock,
$.0001 par value, 135,000,000 shares authorized; 10,062,500 shares issued and outstanding(1) |
1,006 | ||||||
Additional
paid-in capital |
23,994 | ||||||
Accumulated
Deficit |
(12,278 | ) | |||||
Total
stockholders equity |
12,722 | ||||||
Total
liabilities and stockholders equity |
$ | 84,385 |
(1) |
Includes an aggregate of 1,312,500 shares subject to forfeiture by the initial stockholder to the extent that the underwriters over-allotment option is not exercised in full (see note 4) |
Formation,
general & administrative costs |
$ | 12,278 | ||||
Net loss
|
$ | (12,278 | ) | |||
Weighted
average number of common shares outstanding basic and diluted(1) |
8,750,000 | |||||
Net loss per
common share basic and diluted |
$ | (0.00 | ) |
(1) |
Excludes an aggregate of 1,312,500 shares subject to forfeiture by the initial stockholder to the extent that the underwriters over-allotment option is not exercised in full (see note 4) |
Common Stock |
||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shares(1) |
Amount |
Additional Paid-in Capital |
Accumulated Deficit |
Total Stockholders Equity |
||||||||||||||||||
Sale of common
stock issued to initial stockholder |
10,062,500 | $ | 1,006 | $ | 23,994 | $ | | $ | 25,000 | |||||||||||||
Net loss
|
(12,278 | ) | (12,278 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||
Balance at
September 12, 2014 |
10,062,500 | $ | 1,006 | $ | 23,994 | $ | (12,278 | ) | $ | 12,722 |
(1) |
Includes an aggregate of 1,312,500 shares subject to forfeiture by the initial stockholder to the extent that the underwriters over-allotment option is not exercised in full (see note 4) |
Cash flows
from operating activities: |
||||||
Net loss
|
$ | (12,278 | ) | |||
Adjustments to
reconcile net loss to net cash used to operating activities |
||||||
Payment of
expenses pursuant to note payable to sponsor |
11,663 | |||||
Changes in
operating assets and liabilities |
||||||
Accrued
expenses |
| |||||
Net cash
used in operating activities |
(615 | ) | ||||
Cash flows
from financing activities: |
||||||
Proceeds from
sale of common stock to initial stockholder |
25,000 | |||||
Net cash
provided by financing activities |
25,000 | |||||
Net
increase in cash |
24,385 | |||||
Cash at
beginning of the period |
| |||||
Cash at end
of the period |
$ | 24,385 | ||||
Non-cash
financing activities: |
||||||
Accrual of
deferred offering costs |
$ | 25,000 | ||||
Payment of
deferred operating costs pursuant to note payable to sponsor |
35,000 |
Page |
||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SUMMARY
|
1 | |||||
SUMMARY
FINANCIAL DATA |
18 | |||||
RISK FACTORS
|
19 | |||||
CAUTIONARY
NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS |
42 | |||||
USE OF
PROCEEDS |
43 | |||||
DIVIDEND
POLICY |
47 | |||||
DILUTION
|
48 | |||||
CAPITALIZATION
|
50 | |||||
MANAGEMENTS DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS |
51 | |||||
PROPOSED
BUSINESS |
56 | |||||
MANAGEMENT
|
74 | |||||
PRINCIPAL
STOCKHOLDERS |
86 | |||||
CERTAIN
TRANSACTIONS |
89 | |||||
DESCRIPTION OF
SECURITIES |
92 | |||||
SHARES
ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE |
98 | |||||
MATERIAL U.S.
FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS |
100 | |||||
UNDERWRITING
|
108 | |||||
LEGAL MATTERS
|
115 | |||||
EXPERTS
|
115 | |||||
WHERE YOU CAN
FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION |
115 | |||||
INDEX TO
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS |
F-1 |
Initial
Trustees fee |
$ | 1,000 | (1) | |||
SEC
Registration Fee |
52,000 | |||||
FINRA filing
fee |
61,000 | |||||
Accounting
fees and expenses |
30,000 | |||||
Nasdaq listing
fees |
75,000 | |||||
Printing and
engraving expenses |
55,000 | |||||
Directors
& Officers liability insurance premiums |
125,000 | (2) | ||||
Legal fees and
expenses |
250,000 | |||||
Miscellaneous |
51,000 | (3) | ||||
Total |
$ | 700,000 |
(1) |
In addition to the initial acceptance fee that is charged by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as trustee, the registrant will be required to pay to Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company fees for acting as trustee, as transfer agent of the registrants shares of common stock, as warrant agent for the registrants warrants. |
(2) |
This amount represents the approximate amount of director and officer liability insurance premiums the registrant anticipates paying following the consummation of its initial public offering and until it consummates a business combination. |
(3) |
This amount represents additional expenses that may be incurred by the Company in connection with the offering over and above those specifically listed above, including distribution and mailing costs. |
Name |
Number of Shares |
|||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quinpario
Partners 2, LLC |
10,062,500 |
Exhibit No. |
Description |
|||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1.1 | Form
of Underwriting Agreement. |
|||||
3.1 | Certificate of Incorporation.** |
|||||
3.2 | Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation. |
|||||
3.3 | Bylaws.** |
|||||
4.1 | Specimen Unit Certificate.** |
|||||
4.2 | Specimen common stock Certificate.** |
|||||
4.3 | Specimen Warrant Certificate.** |
|||||
4.4 | Form
of Warrant Agreement among the Registrant and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company.** |
|||||
5.1 | Opinion of Graubard Miller.** |
|||||
10.1 | Form
of Letter Agreement among the Registrant, Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc., Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. and each of the Registrants Officers,
Directors and Sponsor.** |
|||||
10.2 | Form
of Investment Management Trust Agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company and the Registrant.** |
|||||
10.3 | Form
of Letter Agreement between Quinpario Partners LLC and Registrant regarding administrative support.** |
|||||
10.4 | Promissory Note issued to Quinpario Partners LLC.** |
|||||
10.5 | Form
of Registration Rights Agreement among the Registrant, the Sponsor and other initial Stockholders.** |
|||||
10.6 | Form
of Subscription Agreements among the Registrant, Graubard Miller and the Sponsor.** |
|||||
14 | Code
of Ethics.** |
|||||
23.1 | Consent of Marcum LLP. |
|||||
23.2 | Consent of Graubard Miller (included in Exhibit 5.1).** |
|||||
24 | Power
of Attorney (included on signature page of this Registration Statement). |
** |
Previously Filed. |
QUINPARIO ACQUISITION CORP. 2 |
||||||||||
By: |
/s/ D. John Srivisal |
|||||||||
Name:
D. John Srivisal Title: Chief Executive Officer |
Name |
Position |
Date |
||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
/s/ Jeffry N. Quinn |
Chairman of
the Board |
January 8, 2015 |
||||||||
Jeffry N.
Quinn |
||||||||||
/s/ D. John Srivisal |
President
and Chief Executive Officer |
January 8, 2015 |
||||||||
D. John
Srivisal |
(Principal executive officer and principal financial and accounting) |
|||||||||
/s/ Edgar G.
Hotard |
Director |
January 8, 2015 |
||||||||
Edgar G.
Hotard |
||||||||||
/s/ W. Thomas
Jagodisnki |
Director |
January 8, 2015 |
||||||||
W. Thomas
Jagodisnki |
||||||||||
/s/ Ilan
Kaufthal |
Director |
January 8, 2015 |
||||||||
Ilan
Kaufthal |
||||||||||
/s/ Roberto
Mendoza |
Director |
January 8, 2015 |
||||||||
Roberto
Mendoza |
||||||||||
/s/ Dr. John
Rutledge |
Director |
January 8, 2015 |
||||||||
Dr. John
Rutledge |
||||||||||
/s/ Shlomo
Yanai |
Director |
January 8, 2015 |
||||||||
Shlomo
Yanai |
Exhibit 1.1
35,000,000 Units1
Quinpario Acquisition Corp. 2
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
[●], 2014
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
Cantor Fitzgerald & Co.
As Representatives of the Several Underwriters
c/o Deutsche
Bank Securities Inc.
60 Wall Street, 4th Floor
New York, New York 10005
c/o Cantor Fitzgerald & Co.
499 Park
Avenue
New York, New York 10022
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Quinpario Acquisition Corp. 2, a corporation organized under the laws of Delaware (the “Company”), proposes to sell to you and, as applicable, to the several underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters”), for whom you (the “Representatives”) are acting as representatives, 35,000,000 Units (as defined below) of the Company (said units to be issued and sold by the Company being hereinafter called the “Underwritten Securities”). The Company also proposes to grant to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to 5,250,000 additional units to cover over-allotments, if any (the “Option Securities”: the Option Securities, together with the Underwritten Securities, being hereinafter called the “Securities”). To the extent there are no additional Underwriters listed on Schedule I other than you, the term Representatives as used herein shall mean you, as Underwriter, and the term Underwriter shall mean either the singular or plural as the context requires. Certain capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined are defined in Section 20 hereof.
Each unit (“Unit”) consists of one share of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), and one warrant, where each warrant entitles the holder to purchase one-half of one share of Common Stock (each a “Warrant”). The shares of Common Stock and Warrants included in the Units will not trade separately until the 52nd day following the date of the Prospectus (unless the Representatives inform the Company of their decision to allow earlier separate trading), subject to (a) the Company’s preparation of an audited balance sheet reflecting the receipt by the Company of the proceeds of the offering of the Securities, (b) the filing of such audited balance sheet with the Commission on a Form 8-K or similar form by the Company that includes such audited balance sheet, and (c) the Company having issued a press release announcing when such separate trading will begin. Each Warrant entitles its holder, upon exercise, to purchase one-half of one share of Common Stock for $5.75 per half share ($11.50 per whole share) during the period commencing on the later of thirty (30) days after the completion of an initial Business Combination (as defined below) or twelve (12) months from the date of the consummation of the Offering (as defined below) and terminating on the five-year anniversary of the date of the completion of such initial Business Combination or earlier upon redemption; provided, however, that pursuant to the Warrant Agreement (as defined below), a warrant may not be exercised for a fractional share, so that only an even number of warrants may be exercised at any given time by a holder thereof. As used herein, the term “Business Combination” (as described more fully in the Registration Statement) shall mean a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses.
1 | Plus an option to purchase from the Company up to 5,250,000 additional Units to cover over-allotments. |
The Company has entered into an Investment Management Trust Agreement, effective as of [●], 2014, with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (“CST”), as trustee, in substantially the form filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Registration Statement (the “Trust Agreement”), pursuant to which the proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Warrants (as defined below) and certain proceeds of the Offering will be deposited and held in a trust account (the “Trust Account”) for the benefit of the Company, the Underwriters and the holders of the Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities, if and when issued.
The Company has entered into a Warrant Agreement, effective as of [●], 2014, with respect to the Warrants (as defined below) and the Private Placement Warrants with CST, as warrant agent, in substantially the form filed as Exhibit 4.4 to the Registration Statement (the “Warrant Agreement”), pursuant to which CST will act as warrant agent in connection with the issuance, registration, transfer, exchange, redemption, and exercise of the Warrants and Private Placement Warrants.
The Company has received a subscription letter, dated as of September 11, 2014 (the “Founder’s Purchase Agreement”), from Quinpario Partners 2, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sponsor”), pursuant to which the Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 10,062,500 shares of Common Stock (the “Founder Shares”), for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, including an aggregate of up to 1,312,500 shares subject to forfeiture to the extent the Option Securities are not issued in full or in part. The Founder Shares are substantially similar to the Common Stock included in the Units except as described in the Prospectus.
The Company has entered into an Amended and Restated Sponsor Warrants Purchase Agreement, effective as of [●], 2014 (the “Warrant Subscription Agreement”), with the Sponsor, pursuant to which the Sponsor agreed to purchase an aggregate of [●] warrants [(or up to [●] if the over-allotment option is exercised in full)], each entitling the holder to purchase one-half of one share of Common Stock (the “Private Placement Warrants”), for $0.50 per Private Placement Warrant. The Private Placement Warrants are substantially similar to the Warrants included in the Units, except as described in the Prospectus.
The Company has entered into a Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of [●], 2014, with the Sponsor, in substantially the form filed as Exhibit 10.5 to the Registration Statement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company has granted certain registration rights in respect of certain securities as described in the Prospectus.
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The Company has caused to be duly executed and delivered letters by the Sponsor and each of the Company’s officers and directors, in substantially the form filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Registration Statement (the “Insider Letters”).
The Company has entered into a Letter, dated as of [●], 2014, with the Sponsor in substantially the form filed as Exhibit 10.3 to the Registration Statement (the “Administrative Services Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company will pay to Quinpario Partners, LLC (the “Affiliate”) an aggregate monthly fee of $10,000 for certain office space, utilities and secretarial support.
1. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter as set forth below in this Section 1.
(a) The Company has prepared and filed with the Commission the Registration Statement (file number 333- 198988) on Form S-l, including the related Preliminary Prospectus, for registration under the Act of the offering and sale of the Securities. Such Registration Statement, including any amendments thereto filed prior to the Execution Time, has become effective. The Company has filed one or more amendments thereto, including the related Preliminary Prospectus, each of which has previously been furnished to you. The Company will file with the Commission the Prospectus in accordance with Rule 424(b). As filed, such Prospectus shall contain all information required by the Act and, except to the extent the Representatives shall agree in writing to a modification, shall be in all substantive respects in the form furnished to you prior to the Execution Time or, to the extent not completed at the Execution Time, shall contain only such specific additional information and other changes (beyond that contained in the latest Preliminary Prospectus) as the Company has advised you, prior to the Execution Time, will be included or made therein. The Company has complied to the Commission’s satisfaction with all requests of the Commission for additional or supplemental information. [The Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus will, for purposes of distribution to Canadian persons, have a Canadian “wrap-around” (the “Canadian Offering Memorandum”“). Insofar as they relate to offers or sales of Securities in Canada, all references herein to the Preliminary Prospectus, Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus shall include the Canadian Offering Memorandum.]
(b) On the Effective Date, the Registration Statement did, and when the Prospectus is first filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date (as defined herein) and on any date on which Option Securities are purchased, if such date is not the Closing Date (a “settlement date”), the Prospectus (and any supplement thereto) will, comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act; on the Effective Date and at the Execution Time, the Registration Statement did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; as of the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date and any settlement date, any individual Written Testing-the-Waters Communication (as defined herein) did not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Statutory Prospectus, complied in all material respects with the Act and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and on the date of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date and any settlement date, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to the information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.
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(c) The Statutory Prospectus, as of the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date and any settlement date, did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to the information contained in or omitted from the Statutory Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.
(d) The Company has filed with the Commission a Form 8-A (file number 001-36788) providing for the registration under the Exchange Act of the Securities, which registration is currently effective on the date hereof. The Securities have been authorized for listing, subject to official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory distribution, on the Nasdaq Capital Market, and the Company knows of no reason or set of facts that is likely to adversely affect such authorization.
(e) The Commission has not issued any order or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to issue any order preventing or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any part thereof, and has not instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to institute any proceedings with respect to such an order.
(f) (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement and (ii) as of the Execution Time (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)), the Company was and is an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405).
(g) The Company has not used a Free Writing Prospectus.
(h) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware with full corporate power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus and to enter into this Agreement, the Trust Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Founder’s Purchase Agreement, the Warrant Subscription Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Insider Letters and the Administrative Services Agreement and to carry out the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction that requires such qualification.
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(i) There is no franchise, contract or other document of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit thereto, which is not described or filed as required (and the Statutory Prospectus contains in all material respects the same description of the foregoing matters contained in the Prospectus); and the statements in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus under the headings “Principal Stockholders,” “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions,” and “Description of Securities” insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings. There are no business relationships or related party transactions involving the Company or any other person required by the Act to be described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus that have not been described as required.
(j) The Company’s authorized equity capitalization is as set forth in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus.
(k) All issued and outstanding securities of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and nonassessable; and none of such securities were issued in violation of the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The offers and sales of the outstanding Common Stock, Option and Warrants were at all relevant times either registered under the Act, the applicable state securities and blue sky laws or, based in part on the representations and warranties of the purchasers of such shares of Common Stock, Option and Warrants, exempt from such registration requirements. The holders of outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are not entitled to preemptive or other rights to subscribe for the Securities; and, except as set forth in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, no options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue, or rights to convert any obligations into or exchange any securities for, shares of capital stock of or ownership interests in the Company are outstanding.
(l) The Securities have been duly authorized and when executed by the Company and countersigned and issued and delivered against payment by the underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued.
(m) The Common Stock included in the Units has been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered against payment for the Securities by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
(n) The Warrants included in the Units, when executed, authenticated, issued and delivered in the manner set forth in the Warrant Agreement against payment for the Securities by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, will be duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered, and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.
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(o) The shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants included in the Units and the Private Placement Warrants have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance upon exercise thereof and, when executed by the Company and countersigned, and issued and delivered against payment therefor pursuant to the Warrants and the Private Placement Warrants, as applicable, and the Warrant Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. The holders of such Common Stock are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; such Common Stock is not and will not be subject to any preemptive or other similar contractual rights granted by the Company; and all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of such Common Stock (other than such execution, countersignature and delivery at the time of issuance) has been duly and validly taken.
(p) The certificates for the Common Stock are in valid and proper form.
(q) Except as set forth in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, no holders of any securities of the Company or any rights exercisable for or convertible or exchangeable into securities of the Company have the right to require the Company to register any such securities of the Company under the Act or to include any such securities in a registration statement to be filed by the Company.
(r) No securities of the Company have been sold by the Company or by or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any person or persons controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Company from its inception through and including the date hereof, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus.
(s) Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates has, prior to the date hereof, made any offer or sale of any securities that are required to be “integrated” pursuant to the Act with the offer and sale of the Underwritten Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement.
(t) The Founder Shares are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
(u) The Private Placement Warrants, when delivered upon the consummation of this offering, will be duly executed, authenticated and issued, and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.
(v) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.
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(w) The Trust Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company, in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.
(x) The Warrant Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.
(y) The Founder’s Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Sponsor, and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company and the Sponsor, enforceable against the Company and the Sponsor in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.
(z) The Warrant Subscription Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Sponsor, and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company and the Sponsor, enforceable against the Company and the Sponsor in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.
(aa) The Registration Rights Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.
(bb) Each of the Insider Letters executed by the Company, the Sponsor and, to the Company’s knowledge each executive officer and director of the Company, has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, the Sponsor and, to the Company’s knowledge, each such executive officer and director, respectively, and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, the Sponsor and, to the Company’s knowledge, each such executive officer and director, respectively, enforceable against the Company, the Sponsor and, to the Company’s knowledge, each such executive officer and director, respectively, in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.
(cc) The Administrative Services Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.
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(dd) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(ee) No consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental agency or body is required in connection with the transactions contemplated herein or in the Trust Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Founder’s Purchase Agreement, the Warrant Subscription Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Insider Letters or the Administrative Services Agreement, except for the registration under the Act and the Exchange Act of the Securities and such as may be required under state securities or blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein and in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus.
(ff) The Company is not in violation or default of (i) any provision of its charter or bylaws, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which it is a party or bound or to which its property is subject, or (iii) any (x) statute, law, rule, regulation, or (y) judgment, order or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company; except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above for any such conflict, breach or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to have a material adverse effect on the financial condition, prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”).
(gg) Neither the issue and sale of the Securities nor the consummation of any other of the transactions herein contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof or of the Trust Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Founder’s Purchase Agreement, the Warrant Subscription Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Insider Letters or the Administrative Services Agreement will conflict with, result in a breach or violation of, or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to, (i) the charter or by-laws of the Company, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company is a party or bound or to which the Company’s property is subject, or (iii) any statute, law, rule, or regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable to the Company of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its respective properties.
(hh) No holders of securities of the Company have rights to the registration of such securities under the Registration Statement.
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(ii) The historical financial statements and schedules of the Company included in the Statutory Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Registration Statement present fairly the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as of the dates and for the periods indicated, comply as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted therein). The summary financial data set forth under the caption “Summary Financial Data” in the Statutory Prospectus, Prospectus and Registration Statement fairly present, on the basis stated in the Statutory Prospectus, Prospectus and Registration Statement, the information included therein. The Company is not party to any off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations), or other relationships with unconsolidated entities or other persons that may have a material current or future effect on the Company’s financial condition, changes in financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources, or significant components of revenues or expenses. The statistical, industry-related and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate, and such data agree with the sources from which they are derived.
(jj) No action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or the Sponsor, or the property of either of them is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened that (i) could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby by the Company or (ii) could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
(kk) The Company owns or leases all such properties as are necessary to the conduct of its operations as presently conducted.
(ll) Marcum LLP (“Marcum”), who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and delivered their report with respect to the audited financial statements and schedules included in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, is a registered public accounting firm that is independent with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the Exchange Act and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder.
(mm) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of (i) any material weakness in internal control over financial reporting or (ii) any change in internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
(nn) The Company maintains effective “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined under Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act to the extent required by such rule).
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(oo) There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company’s officers or directors, in their capacities as such, to comply with (as and when applicable), and immediately following the Effective Date the Company will be in compliance with, Nasdaq Marketplace Rules IM-5605. Further, there is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company’s officers or directors, in their capacities as such, to comply with (as and when applicable), and immediately following the Effective Date the Company will be in compliance with, the phase-in requirements and all other provisions of the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC corporate governance requirements set forth in the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules.
(pp) There are no transfer taxes or other similar fees or charges under Federal law or the laws of any state, or any political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance or sale by the Company of the Securities.
(qq) The Company has filed all tax returns that are required to be filed by it or has requested extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure so to file would not have a Material Adverse Effect) and has paid all taxes required to be paid by it and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied against it, to the extent that any of the foregoing is due and payable, except for any such assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being contested in good faith or as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
(rr) The Company possesses all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by the appropriate Federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct its business, and the Company has not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such license, certificate, authorization or permit that, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
(ss) None of the Company, the Sponsor, or any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company: (i) has used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity: (ii) has made any direct or indirect unlawful contribution or payment to any official of, or candidate for, or any employee of, any Federal, state or foreign office from corporate funds; (iii) has made any bribe, unlawful rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment; or (iv) is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the OECD Convention on Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions (“OECD Convention”), the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “FCPA”) or any similar law or regulation to which the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company is subject. The Company, the Sponsor and, to the knowledge of the Company, its directors, officers, agents, employees and affiliates have each conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and any applicable similar law or regulation and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.
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(tt) The operations of the Company are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record-keeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”), the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the applicable money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company conducts business, the applicable rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(uu) None of the Company, the Sponsor or any director, officer, agent or affiliate of the Company is currently subject to any sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“QFAC”) or any similar sanctions imposed by any other body, governmental or other, to which any of such persons is subject (collectively, “other economic sanctions”‘); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the Offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any sanctions administered by OFAC or other economic sanctions.
(vv) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company (i) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of any of the Underwriters and (ii) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any of the Underwriters.
(ww) All information contained in the questionnaires (the “Questionnaires”‘) completed by the Sponsor and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Company’s officers and directors and provided to the Underwriters as an exhibit to his or her Insider Letter, is true and correct and the Company has not become aware of any information that would cause the information disclosed in the Questionnaires completed by the Sponsor or the Company’s officers and directors to become inaccurate and incorrect.
(xx) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, prior to the date hereof, the Company has not identified any acquisition target and has not, nor, to its knowledge, has anyone on its behalf, initiated any substantive discussions with an entity that the Company will acquire in its initial Business Combination.
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(yy) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, there are no claims, payments, arrangements, contracts, agreements or understandings relating to the payment of a brokerage commission or finder’s, consulting, origination or similar fee by the Company or the Sponsor with respect to the sale of the Securities hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company, the Sponsor or any officer or director of the Company, or their respective affiliates, that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).
(zz) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or any other “item of value” as defined in Rule 5110(c)(3) of FINRA’s Conduct Rules): (i) to any person, as a finder’s fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company; (ii) to any person that has been accepted by FINRA as a member of FINRA (a “Member”); or (iii) to any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any Member, within the twelve months prior to the Effective Date, other than payments to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement.
(aaa) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, during the period beginning 180 days prior to the initial filing of the Registration Statement and ending on the Effective Date, no Member and/or any person associated or affiliated with a Member has provided any investment banking, financial advisory and/or consulting services to the Company.
(bbb) Except as disclosed in the FINRA Questionnaires provided to the Representatives, no officer, director, or beneficial owner of any class of the Company’s securities (whether debt or equity, registered or unregistered, regardless of the time acquired or the source from which derived) (any such individual or entity, a “Company Affiliate”) is a Member or a person associated or affiliated with a Member.
(ccc) Except as disclosed in the FINRA Questionnaires provided to the Representatives, no Company Affiliate is an owner of stock or other securities of any Member (other than securities purchased on the open market).
(ddd) No Company Affiliate has made a subordinated loan to any Member.
(eee) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, no proceeds from the sale of the Underwritten Securities (excluding underwriting compensation as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus) will be paid by the Company to any Member, or any persons associated or affiliated with a Member.
(fff) The Company has not issued any warrants or other securities, or granted any options, directly or indirectly to anyone who is a potential underwriter in the Offering or a related person (as defined by FINRA rules) of such an underwriter within the 180-day period prior to the initial filing date of the Registration Statement.
(ggg) Except for the issuance of securities to the Sponsor, no person to whom securities of the Company have been privately issued within the 180-day period prior to the initial filing date of the Registration Statement has any relationship or affiliation or association with any Member.
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(hhh) No Member intending to participate in the Offering has a conflict of interest with the Company. For this purpose, a “conflict of interest” means, if at the time of the Member’s participation in the Offering, any of the following applies: (A) the securities are to be issued by the Member; (B) the Company controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Member or the Member’s associated persons; (C) at least 5% of the net offering proceeds, not including underwriting compensation, are intended to be: (i) used to reduce or retire the balance of a loan or credit facility extended by the Member, its affiliates and its associated persons, in the aggregate; or (ii) otherwise directed to the Member, its affiliates and associated persons, in the aggregate; or (D) as a result of the Offering and any transactions contemplated at the time of the Offering: (i) the Member will be an affiliate of the Company; (ii) the Member will become publicly owned; or (iii) the Company will become a Member or form a broker-dealer subsidiary.
(iii) The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(jjj) The Company does not own an interest in any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other entity.
(kkk) No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among any of the Company or any affiliate of the Company, on the one hand, and any director, officer, shareholder, special advisor, customer or supplier of the Company or any affiliate of the Company, on the other hand, which is required by the Act or the Exchange Act to be described in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus that is not described as required. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees of indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company or any of their respective family members, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus. The Company has not extended or maintained credit, arranged for the extension of credit, or renewed an extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan to or for any director or officer of the Company.
(lll) The Company has not offered, or caused the Underwriters to offer, the Underwritten Securities to any person or entity with the intention of unlawfully influencing: (a) a customer or supplier of the Company or any affiliate of the Company to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company or such affiliate or (b) a journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or any such affiliate.
(mmm) Upon delivery and payment for the Units on the Closing Date, the Company will not be subject to Rule 419 under the Act and none of the Company’s outstanding securities will be deemed to be a “penny stock” as defined in Rule 3a51-1 under the Exchange Act.
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(nnn) Except as disclosed in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, prior to the date hereof, neither the Company nor anyone on its behalf has, and as of the Closing Date, neither the Company nor anyone on its behalf will have: (a) contacted any prospective target business (as described in the Prospectus) or had any substantive discussions, formal or otherwise, with respect a possible initial Business Combination, or (b) undertaken, or engaged or retained any agent or other representative to undertake, any research, diligence, evaluations or similar activities to identify, locate or contact any suitable acquisition candidate.
(ooo) The Company is in compliance in all material respects with all presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”); no “reportable event” (as defined in ERISA) has occurred with respect to any “pension plan” (as defined in ERISA) for which the Company would have any liability; the Company has not incurred and does not expect to incur liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “pension plan” or (ii) Sections 412 or 4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Code”); and each “pension plan” for which the Company would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified in all material respects and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.
(ppp) From the time of the initial filing of the Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged, directly or through any Person authorized to act on its behalf, in any Testing-the-Waters Communication) through the Execution Time, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”). “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Act.
(qqq) The Company (i) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representatives with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Act and (ii) has not authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representatives have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications other than those listed on Schedule III hereto. “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act.
Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Securities shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.
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2. Purchase and Sale. (a) Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price of $9.80 per Unit, the amount of the Underwritten Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule I hereto.
(b) Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to 5,250,000 Option Securities at the same purchase price per share as the Underwriters shall pay for the Underwritten Securities. Said option may be exercised only to cover over-allotments in the sale of the Underwritten Securities by the Underwriters. Said option may be exercised in whole or in part at any time on or before the 45th day after the date of the Prospectus upon written notice by the Representatives to the Company setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are exercising the option and the settlement date. The number of Option Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be based upon the same percentage of the total number of the Option Securities to be purchased by the several Underwriters as such Underwriter is purchasing of the Underwritten Securities, subject to such adjustments as the Representatives in their absolute discretion shall make to eliminate any fractional shares.
(c) In addition to the discount from the public offering price represented by the Purchase Price set forth in the first sentence of Section 2(a) of this Agreement, the Company hereby agrees to pay to the Underwriters a deferred discount of $0.35 per Unit (including both Underwritten Securities and Option Securities) purchased hereunder (the “Deferred Discount”). The Underwriters hereby agree that if no Business Combination is consummated within the time period provided in the Trust Agreement and the funds held under the Trust Agreement are distributed to the holders of the Common Stock included in the Securities sold pursuant to this Agreement (the “Public Stockholders” ), (i) the Underwriters will forfeit any rights or claims to the Deferred Discount and (ii) the trustee under the Trust Agreement is authorized to distribute the Deferred Discount to the Public Stockholders on a pro rata basis.
3. Delivery and Payment. Delivery of and payment for the Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities (if the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof shall have been exercised on or before the third Business Day prior to the Closing Date) shall be made at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on [●], 2014, or at such time on such later date not more than three Business Days after the foregoing date as the Representatives shall designate, which date and time may be postponed by agreement between the Representatives and the Company or as provided in Section 9 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment for the Securities being herein called the “Closing Date”‘). Delivery of the Securities shall be made to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof by wire transfer payable in same- day funds to an account specified by the Company and to the Trust Account as described below in this Section 3. Delivery of the Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.
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(a) Payment for the Underwritten Securities shall be made as follows: $341,700,000 of the proceeds received by the Company for the Underwritten Securities, including $12,250,000 of Deferred Discount, shall be deposited in the Trust Account pursuant to the terms of the Trust Agreement and $1,300,000 shall be paid to the order of the Company upon delivery to the Representatives of the Underwritten Securities through the facilities of DTC or, if the Representatives have otherwise instructed, upon delivery to the Representatives of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives) representing the Underwritten Securities, in each case for the account of the Underwriters. The Underwritten Securities shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representatives may request in writing at least two Business Days prior to the Closing Date. If delivery is not made through the facilities of DTC, the Company will permit the Representatives to examine and package the Underwritten Securities for delivery, at least one Business Day prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Underwritten Securities except upon tender of payment by the Representatives for all the Underwritten Securities.
(b) Payment for the Option Securities shall be made as follows: $9.80 per Option Security (including $0.35 per Option Security of Deferred Discount) shall be deposited in the Trust Account pursuant to the terms of the Trust Agreement upon delivery to the Representatives of the Option Securities through the facilities of DTC or, if the Representatives have otherwise instructed, upon delivery to the Representatives of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives) representing the Option Securities (or through the facilities of DTC) for the account of the Underwriters. The Option Securities shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representatives may request in writing at least two Business Days prior to the Closing Date. If delivery is not made through the facilities of DTC, the Company will permit the Representatives to examine and package the Option Securities for delivery, at least one Business Day prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Option Securities except upon tender of payment by the Representatives for all the Option Securities.
If the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof is exercised after the third Business Day prior to the Closing Date, the Company will deliver the Option Securities (at the expense of the Company) to the Representatives, at 60 Wall Street, 4th Floor, New York, New York 10005, New York, New York, on the date specified by the Representatives (which shall be at least three Business Days after exercise of said option) for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to the Trust Account as described above in Section 3(b). If settlement for the Option Securities occurs after the Closing Date, the Company will deliver to the Representatives on the settlement date for the Option Securities, and the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase the Option Securities shall be conditioned upon receipt of, supplemental opinions, certificates and letters confirming as of such date the opinions, certificates and letters delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 6 hereof.
4. Offering by Underwriters. It is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for sale to the public as set forth in the Prospectus (the “Offering”).
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5. Agreements. The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that:
(a) Prior to the termination of the offering of the Securities, the Company will not file any amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement unless the Company has furnished you a copy for your review prior to filing and will not file any such proposed amendment, supplement or Rule 462(b) Registration Statement to which you reasonably object. The Company will cause the Prospectus, properly completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed in a form approved by the Representatives with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within the time period prescribed and will provide evidence satisfactory to the Representatives of such timely filing. The Company will promptly advise the Representatives (i) when the Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have been filed (if required) with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or when any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any Testing-the-Water Communication shall have been filed with the Commission, (ii) when, prior to termination of the offering of the Securities, any amendment to the Registration Statement shall have been filed or become effective, (iii) of any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any Testing-the- Water Communication or for any supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any order preventing or suspending the use of the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, or of the institution of any proceedings for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act and (v) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the occurrence of any such suspension or objection to the use of the Registration Statement and, upon such issuance, occurrence or notice of objection, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal of such stop order or relief from such occurrence or objection, including, if necessary, by filing an amendment to the Registration Statement or a new registration statement and using its best efforts to have such amendment or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable.
(b) If, at any time prior to the filing of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b), any event or development occurs as a result of which the Statutory Prospectus would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made at such time not misleading, the Company will (i) notify promptly the Representatives so that any use of the Statutory Prospectus may cease until it is amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement the Statutory Prospectus to correct such statement or omission; and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.
(c) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), any event or development occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made or the circumstances then prevailing not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Act or the rules thereunder, the Company promptly will (i) notify the Representatives of any such event; (ii) prepare and file with the Commission, subject to the second sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 5, an amendment or supplement that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; and (iii) supply any supplemented Prospectus to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.
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(d) As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives an earnings statement or statements of the Company and its subsidiaries that will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158.
(e) The Company will not make any offer relating to the Units that constitutes or would constitute a Free Writing Prospectus or a portion thereof required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433 of the Act.
(f) The Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and to each other Underwriter a copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any supplement thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will pay the expenses of printing or other production of all documents relating to the offering.
(g) The Company will arrange, if necessary, for the qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities; provided that in no event shall the Company be obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to service of process in suits, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Securities, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.
(h) The Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, (x) offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction that is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the Company or any affiliate of the Company or any person in privity with the Company or any affiliate of the Company), directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act with respect to, any other Units, shares of Common Stock, Warrants or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, shares of Common Stock or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending 180 days after the date of this Agreement; provided, however, that the Company may (1) issue and sell the Private Placement Warrants, (2) issue and sell the Option Securities on exercise of the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof, (3) register with the Commission pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, in accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement, the resale of the Founder Shares and the Private Placement Warrants and (4) issue securities in connection with a Business Combination.
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(i) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(j) The Company agrees to pay the costs and expenses relating to the following matters: (i) the preparation, printing or reproduction and filing with the Commission of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits thereto), each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement to any of them; (ii) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery (including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging) of such copies of the Registration Statement, each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and all amendments or supplements to any of them, as may, in each case, be reasonably requested for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities; (iii) the preparation, printing, authentication, issuance and delivery of certificates for the Securities, including any stamp or transfer taxes in connection with the original issuance and sale of the Securities; (iv) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery of this Agreement and all other agreements or documents printed (or reproduced) and delivered in connection with the offering of the Securities; (v) the registration of the Securities under the Exchange Act and the listing of the Securities on the Nasdaq Capital Market; (vi) the printing and delivery of a preliminary blue sky memorandum, any registration or qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of the several states (including filing fees and fees for counsel for the Underwriters relating to such memorandum, registration and qualification in an aggregate amount previously agreed upon between the Company and the Representatives); (vii) any filings required to be made with FINRA (including filing fees and the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such filings up to $25,000); (viii) the transportation and other expenses incurred by or on behalf of the Company (and not the Underwriters) in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the Securities; (ix) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants and the fees and expenses of counsel (including local and special counsel) for the Company; and (x) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder.
(k) For a period commencing on the Effective Date and ending at least five (5) years from the date of the consummation of the Business Combination or until such earlier time at which the Liquidation occurs, the Company will use its best efforts to maintain the registration of the Units, Common Stock and Warrants under the provisions of the Exchange Act, except after giving effect to a going private transaction after the completion of a Business Combination. The Company will not deregister the Units, Common Stock or Warrants under the Exchange Act (except in connection with a going private transaction after the completion of a Business Combination) without the prior written consent of the Representatives.
(l) The Company shall, on the date hereof, retain its independent registered public accounting firm to audit the balance sheet of the Company as of the Closing Date (the “Audited Balance Sheet”) reflecting the receipt by the Company of the proceeds of the Offering on the Closing Date. As soon as the Audited Balance Sheet becomes available, the Company shall promptly, but not later than four Business Days after the Closing Date, file a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Commission, which Report shall contain the Company’s Audited Balance Sheet. Additionally, upon the Company’s receipt of the proceeds from the exercise of all or any portion of the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof, the Company shall promptly, but not later than four Business Days after the receipt of such proceeds, file a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Commission, which report shall disclose the Company’s sale of the Option Securities and its receipt of the proceeds therefrom.
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(m) For a period commencing on the Effective Date and ending at least five (5) years from the date of the consummation of the Business Combination or until such earlier time at which the Liquidation occurs or the Common Stock and Warrants cease to be publicly traded, the Company, at its expense, shall cause its regularly engaged independent registered public accounting firm to review (but not audit) the Company’s financial statements for each of the first, three fiscal quarters prior to the announcement of quarterly financial information, the filing of the Company’s Form 10-Q quarterly report and the mailing, if any, of quarterly financial information to stockholders.
(n) For a period commencing on the Effective Date and ending at least five (5) years from the date of the consummation of the Business Combination or until such earlier time at which the Liquidation occurs, the Company shall, to the extent such information or documents are not otherwise publicly available, upon written request from the Representatives (Attn: [●] with a copy to: [●]), furnish to the Representatives copies of such financial statements and other periodic and special reports as the Company from time to time furnishes generally to holders of any class of securities, and promptly furnish to the Representatives: (i) a copy of such registration statements, financial statements and periodic and special reports as the Company shall be required to file with the Commission and from time to time furnishes generally to holders of any such class of its securities; and (ii) such additional documents and information with respect to the Company and the affairs of any future subsidiaries of the Company as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request, all subject to the execution of a satisfactory confidentiality agreement.
(o) For a period commencing on the Effective Date and ending at least five (5) years from the date of the consummation of the Business Combination or until such earlier time at which the Liquidation occurs or the Common Stock and Warrants cease to be publicly traded, the Company shall retain a transfer and warrant agent.
(p) In no event will the amounts payable by the Company for office space and secretarial and administrative services exceed $10,000 per month in the aggregate until the earlier of the date of the consummation of the Business Combination or the Liquidation.
(q) The Company will not consummate a Business Combination with any entity that is affiliated with the Sponsor or any of the Company’s officers or directors unless it obtains an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA that such Business Combination is fair to the Company from a financial point of view. Other than as set forth in this subsection, the Company shall not pay the Sponsor or its affiliates or any of the Company’s executive officers, directors or any of their respective affiliates any fees or compensation for services rendered to the Company prior to, or in connection with, the consummation of a Business Combination; provided however, that such officers, directors and affiliates (i) may receive reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them in connection with activities on the Company’s behalf to the extent that such expenses do not exceed the amount of available proceeds not deposited in the Trust Account; (ii) may be repaid loans as described in the Registration Statement; and (iii) may be paid $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial support pursuant to the Administrative Services Agreement between the Company and the Affiliate.
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(r) The Company will apply the net proceeds from the offering received by it in a manner consistent in all material respects with the applications described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus.
(s) For a period of 90 days following the Effective Date, in the event any person or entity (regardless of any FINRA affiliation or association) is engaged to assist the Company in its search for a merger candidate or to provide any other merger and acquisition services, or has provided or will provide any investment banking, financial, advisory and/or consulting services to the Company, the Company agrees that it shall promptly provide to FINRA (via a FINRA submission), the Representatives and their counsel a notification prior to entering into the agreement or transaction relating to a potential Business Combination: (i) the identity of the person or entity providing any such services; (ii) complete details of all such services and copies of all agreements governing such services prior to entering into the agreement or transaction; and (iii) justification as to why the value received by any person or entity for such services is not underwriting compensation for the Offering. The Company also agrees that proper disclosure of such arrangement or potential arrangement will be made in the tender offer materials or proxy statement, as applicable, which the Company may file in connection with the Business Combination for purposes of offering redemption of shares held by its stockholders or for soliciting stockholder approval, as applicable.
(t) The Company shall advise FINRA, the Representatives and their counsel if it is aware that any 5% or greater stockholder of the Company becomes an affiliate or associated person of a Member participating in the distribution of the Company’s Securities.
(u) The Company shall cause the proceeds of the Offering to be held in the Trust Account to be invested only in United States government treasury bills with a maturity of 180 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act as set forth in the Trust Agreement and disclosed in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus. The Company will otherwise conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the Investment Company Act. Furthermore, once the Company consummates a Business Combination, it will not be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act.
(v) During the period prior to the earlier of the Company’s initial Business Combination or Liquidation, the Company may instruct the trustee under the Trust Agreement to release from the Trust Account, solely from interest income earned on the funds held in the Trust Account, the amounts necessary to pay taxes and for working capital requirements. Otherwise, all funds held in the Trust Account will remain in the Trust Account until the earlier of the consummation of the Company’s initial Business Combination or the Liquidation.
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(w) The Company will reserve and keep available that maximum number of its authorized but unissued securities that are issuable upon exercise of any of the Warrants, the Option and Private Placement Warrants outstanding from time to time.
(x) Prior to the consummation of a Business Combination or the Liquidation, the Company shall not issue any shares of Common Stock, Warrants or any options or other securities convertible into Common Stock, or any shares of preferred stock, in each case, that participate in any manner in the Trust Account or that vote as a class with the Common Stock on a Business Combination.
(y) The Company’s independent directors will review on a quarterly basis all payments made to the Sponsor, to the Company’s officers or directors, or to the Company’s or any of such other persons’ respective affiliates.
(z) The Company agrees that it will use commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the Company from becoming subject to Rule 419 under the Act prior to the consummation of any Business Combination, including, but not limited to, using its best efforts to prevent any of the Company’s outstanding securities from being deemed to be a “penny stock” as defined in Rule 3a-51-1 under the Exchange Act during such period.
(aa) To the extent required by Rule 13a-l5(e) under the Exchange Act, the Company will maintain “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined under Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary in order to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
(bb) The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to effect and maintain the listing of the Securities, Common Stock and Warrants on the Nasdaq Capital Market.
(cc) As soon as legally required to do so, the Company and its directors and officers, in their capacities as such, shall take all actions necessary to comply with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications, and to comply with the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules.
(dd) The Company shall not take any action or omit to take any action that would cause the Company to be in breach or violation of its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, or its Bylaws, as amended.
(ee) The Company will seek to have all vendors, service providers (other than independent accountants), prospective target businesses, lenders or other entities with which it does business enter into agreement waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the Trust Account for the benefit of the Public Stockholders. The Company may forego obtaining such waivers only if the Company shall have received the approval of its Chief Executive Officer.
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(ff) The Company may consummate the initial Business Combination and conduct redemptions of shares of Common Stock for cash upon consummation of such Business Combination without a stockholder vote pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, including the filing of tender offer documents with the Commission. Such tender offer documents will contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial Business Combination and the redemption rights as is required under the Commission’s proxy rules and will provide each stockholder of the Company with the opportunity prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination to redeem the shares of Common Stock held by such stockholder for an amount of cash equal to (A) the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account representing (x) the proceeds held in the Trust Account from the Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants and (y) any interest income earned on the funds held in the Trust Account (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by (B) the total number of shares of Common Stock sold as part of the Units in the Offering (the “Public Shares”) then outstanding. If, however, the Company elects not to file such tender offer documents, a stockholder vote is required by law in connection with the initial Business Combination, or the Company decides to hold a stockholder vote for business or other legal reasons, the Company will submit such Business Combination to the Company’s stockholders for their approval (“Business Combination Vote”). With respect to the initial Business Combination Vote, if any, the Sponsor has agreed to vote all of its Founder Shares and any other shares of Common Stock purchased during or after the Offering in favor of the Company’s initial Business Combination. If the Company seeks stockholder approval of the initial Business Combination, the Company will offer to each Public Stockholder holding shares of Common Stock the right to have its shares redeemed in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules of the Commission at a per share redemption price (the “Redemption Price”) equal to (I) the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account representing (1) the proceeds held in the Trust Account from the Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants and (2) any interest income earned on the funds then held in the Trust Account (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by (II) the total number of Public Shares then outstanding. If the Company seeks stockholder approval of the initial Business Combination, the Company may proceed with such Business Combination only if a majority of the outstanding shares voted by the stockholders at a duly held stockholders meeting are voted to approve such Business Combination. If, after seeking and receiving such stockholder approval, the Company elects to so proceed, it will redeem shares, at the Redemption Price, from those Public Stockholders who affirmatively requested such redemption. Only Public Stockholders holding shares of Common Stock who properly exercise their redemption rights, in accordance with the applicable tender offer or proxy materials related to such Business Combination, shall be entitled to receive distributions from the Trust Account in connection with an initial Business Combination, and the Company shall pay no distributions with respect to any other holders or shares of capital stock of the Company in connection therewith. In the event that the Company does not effect a Business Combination by twenty-four (24) months from the closing of the Offering, 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 (10) 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, divided by the number of then outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish Public Stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and subject to the requirement that any refund of income taxes that were paid from the Trust Account that is received after the redemption shall be distributed to the former Public Stockholders after payment of any then remaining outstanding debts of the Company, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining stockholders and the Company’s board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. Only Public Stockholders holding shares of Common Stock included in the Securities shall be entitled to receive such redemption amounts and the Company shall pay no such redemption amounts or any distributions in liquidation with respect to any other shares of capital stock of the Company. The Company will not propose any amendment to its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation that would affect the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the outstanding Public Shares if the Company has not consummated a Business Combination within twenty-four (24) months from the closing of the Offering, as described in Section 9.2(d) of the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation unless the Company offers the right to redeem in connection with such amendment.
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(gg) In the event that the Company desires or is required by an applicable law or regulation to cause an announcement (“Business Combination Announcement”) to be placed in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times or any other news or media publication or outlet or to be made via a public filing with the Commission announcing the consummation of the Business Combination that indicates that the Underwriters were the underwriters in the Offering, the Company shall supply the Representatives with a draft of the Business Combination Announcement and provide the Representatives with a reasonable advance opportunity to comment thereon, subject to the agreement of the Underwriters to keep confidential such draft announcement in accordance with the Representatives’ standard policies regarding confidential information.
(hh) Upon the consummation of the initial Business Combination, the Company will pay to the Representatives, on behalf of the Underwriters, the Deferred Discount. Payment of the Deferred Discount will be made out of the proceeds of this offering held in the Trust Account. The Underwriters shall have no claim to payment of any interest earned on the portion of the proceeds held in the Trust Account representing the Deferred Discount. If the Company fails to consummate its initial Business Combination within twenty-four (24) months from the closing of the Offering, the Deferred Discount will not be paid to the Representatives and will, instead, be included in the Liquidation distribution of the proceeds held in the Trust Account made to the Public Stockholders. In connection with any such Liquidation, the Underwriters forfeit any rights or claims to the Deferred Discount.
(ii) The Company will endeavor in good faith, in cooperation with the Representatives to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably designate, provided that no such qualification shall be required in any jurisdiction where, as a result thereof, the Company would be subject to service of general process or to taxation as a foreign corporation doing business in such jurisdiction. Until the earliest of (i) the date on which all Underwriters shall have ceased to engage in market-making activities in respect of the Securities, (ii) the date on which the Securities are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market (or any successor thereto), (iii) a going private transaction after the completion of a Business Combination, and (iv) the date of the liquidation of the Company, in each jurisdiction where such qualification shall be effected, the Company will, unless the Representatives agree that such action is not at the time necessary or advisable, use all reasonable efforts to file and make such statements or reports at such times as are or may be required to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.
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(jj) If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly (i) notify the Representatives so that use of the Written Testing-the-Waters Communication may cease until it is amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission; and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement to the Representatives in such quantities as may be reasonably requested.
(kk) The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of the Securities within the meaning of the Act and (ii) completion of the 180-day restricted period referred to in Section 5(h) hereof.
(ll) If the Representatives, in their sole discretion, agrees to release or waive the transfer restrictions set forth in any Insider Letter for an officer or director of the Company and provides the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three business days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.
(mm) Upon the earlier to occur of the expiration or termination of the Underwriters’ over-allotment option, the Company shall cancel or otherwise effect the forfeiture of Common Stock from the Sponsor, in an aggregate amount equal to the number of shares of Common Stock determined by multiplying (a) 1,312,500 by (b) a fraction, (i) the numerator of which is 5,250,000 minus the number of shares of Common Stock purchased by the Underwriters upon the exercise of their over-allotment option, and (ii) the denominator of which is 5,250,000. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full, the Company shall not repurchase any of the shares of Common Stock pursuant to this subsection.
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6. Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities, as the case may be, shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein as of the Execution Time, the Closing Date and any settlement date pursuant to Section 3 hereof, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, have been filed in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened.
(b) The Company shall have requested and caused Graubard Miller, counsel for the Company, to have furnished to the Representatives its opinions dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.
(c) The Representatives shall have received from Kirkland & Ellis LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(d) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate of the Company, signed by the Chief Executive Officer and the principal financial or accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, and this Agreement and that:
(i) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as if made on the Closing Date and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date;
(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened; and
(iii) since the date of the most recent financial statements included in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there has been no Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
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(e) The Company shall have requested and caused Marcum to have furnished to the Representatives, at the Execution Time and at the Closing Date, letters, dated respectively as of the Execution Time and as of the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, confirming that they are a registered public accounting firm that is independent with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission thereunder and that they have performed a review of the audited financial statements of the Company for the period July 15, 2014 (inception) through September 12, 2014, and stating in effect that:
(i) in their opinion the audited financial statements and financial statement schedules included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus and reported on by them comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the related rules and regulations adopted by the Commission; and
(ii) they have performed certain other specified procedures as a result of which they determined that certain information of an accounting, financial or statistical nature (which is limited to accounting, financial or statistical information derived from the general accounting records of the Company) set forth in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, including the information set forth under the captions “Dilution” and “Capitalization” in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, agrees with the accounting records of the Company, excluding any questions of legal interpretation.
References to the Prospectus in this paragraph (e) include any supplement thereto at the date of the letter.
(f) Subsequent to the Execution Time or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof), the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there shall not have been (i) any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (e) of this Section 6 or (ii) any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto) the effect of which, in any case referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof), the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
(g) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further information, certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.
(h) FINRA shall not have raised any objection with respect to the fairness or reasonableness of the underwriting or other arrangements of the transactions contemplated hereby.
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(i) The Securities shall be duly listed subject to notice of issuance on the Nasdaq Capital Market, satisfactory evidence of which shall have been provided to the Representatives.
(j) On the Effective Date, the Company shall have delivered to the Representatives executed copies of the Trust Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Founder’s Purchase Agreement, the Warrant Subscription Agreement, each of the Insider Letters, the Registration Rights Agreement and the Administrative Services Agreement.
(k) At least one Business Day prior to the Closing Date, the Sponsor shall have caused the purchase price for the Private Placement Warrants to be wired to the Company and the Company shall direct the escrow agent to deposit such funds into the Trust Account and to hold such funds in escrow therein.
(l) No order preventing or suspending the sale of the Units in any jurisdiction designated by the Representatives pursuant to Section 5(hh) hereof shall have been issued as of the Closing Date, and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or shall have been threatened.
If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the Representatives. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing.
The documents required to be delivered by this Section 6 shall be delivered at the office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, at 601 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York, 10022, unless otherwise indicated herein, on the Closing Date.
7. Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 6 hereof is not satisfied, because of any termination pursuant to Section 10 hereof (other than clauses (ii), (iii) or (vi) thereof) or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters severally through the Representatives on demand for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities.
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8. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees and agents of each Underwriter, each person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and each affiliate of each Underwriter against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other Federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged-untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement for the registration of the Securities as originally filed or in any amendment thereof, or in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Statutory Prospectus, the Prospectus, any “roadshow” as defined in Section 433(h) of the Act or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described in the last sentence of Section 8(b) hereof. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability that the Company may otherwise have.
(b) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only with reference to written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity. The Company acknowledges that the following statements set forth under the heading “Underwriting,” (x) the list of Underwriters and their respective roles and participation in the sale of the Securities, (y) the sentences related to concessions and reallowances and sales to discretionary accounts, and (z) the paragraphs related to stabilization, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids, in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus constitute the only information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the several Underwriters for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity.
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(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve it from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of material rights and defenses and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. The indemnifying party shall be entitled to appoint counsel of the indemnifying party’s choice at the indemnifying party’s expense to represent the indemnified party in any action for which indemnification is sought (in which case the indemnifying party shall not thereafter be responsible for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel retained by the indemnified party or parties except as set forth below); provided, however, that such counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party’s election to appoint counsel to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest, (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties that are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action or (iv) the indemnifying party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party. An indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned), settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless (i) such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
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(d) In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally agree to contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending the same) (collectively “Losses”) to which the Company and one or more of the Underwriters may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and by the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities; provided, however, that in no case shall any Underwriter (except as may be provided in any agreement among underwriters relating to the offering of the Securities) be responsible for any amount in excess of the underwriting discount or commission applicable to the Securities purchased by such Underwriter hereunder. If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is unavailable for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally shall contribute in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Benefits received by the Company shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by it, and benefits received by the Underwriters shall be deemed to be equal to the total underwriting discounts and commissions, in each case as set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any untrue or any alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information provided by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata allocation or any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 8, each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee and agent of an Underwriter shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph (d).
(e) In any proceeding relating to the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Statutory Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, the Prospectus or any supplement or amendment thereto, each party against whom contribution may be sought under this Section 8 hereby consents to the exclusive jurisdiction of (i) the Federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan and (ii) the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), agrees that process issuing from such courts may be served upon it by any other contributing party and consents to the service of such process and agrees that any other contributing party may join it as an additional defendant in any such proceeding in which such other contributing party is a party. The Company irrevocably appoints Corporation Services Company as its agent to receive service of process or other legal summons for purposes of any such suit, action or proceeding that may be instituted in any state or Federal court in the City and County of New York.
(f) Any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses for which an indemnified party is entitled to indemnification or contribution under this Section 8 shall be paid by the indemnifying party to the indemnified party as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are incurred. The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 8 and the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, its directors or officers or any person controlling any Underwriter or the Company, its directors or officers or any persons controlling the Company, (ii) acceptance of any Securities and payment therefor hereunder, and (iii) any termination of this Agreement. A successor to any Underwriter, its directors or officers or any person controlling any Underwriter, or to the Company, its directors or officers, or any person controlling the Company, shall be entitled to the benefits of the indemnity, contribution and reimbursement agreements contained in this Section 8.
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9. Default by an Underwriter. If any one or more Underwriters shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Securities agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder and such failure to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its or their obligations under this Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up and pay for (in the respective proportions that the amount of Securities set forth opposite their names in Schedule I hereto bears to the aggregate amount of Securities set forth opposite the names of all the remaining Underwriters) the Securities that the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase; provided, however, that in the event that the aggregate amount of Securities that the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the underwritten Securities, the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all, but shall not be under any obligation to purchase any, of the Securities. If within one Business Day after such default relating to more than 10% of the Underwritten Securities the remaining Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Underwritten Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of one Business Day within which to procure another party or parties reasonably satisfactory to you to purchase said Underwritten Securities. In the event that neither the remaining Underwriters nor the Company purchase or arrange for the purchase of all of the Underwritten Securities to which a default relates as provided in this Section 9, this Agreement will terminate without liability to any nondefaulting Underwriter or the Company. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth in this Section 9, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period, not exceeding five Business Days, as the Representatives shall determine in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the Company and any nondefaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.
10. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if at any time prior to such delivery and payment (i) trading in the Company’s Units, Common Stock or Warrants shall have been suspended by the Commission, or trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Capital Market shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on such exchange or trading market, (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared either by Federal or New York State authorities, (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, or other national or international calamity or crisis (including, without limitation, an act of terrorism) or change in economic or political conditions the effect of which on financial markets is such as to make it, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), (iv) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change in or affecting the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, (v) the enactment, publication, decree or other promulgation of any statute, regulation, rule or order of any court or other governmental authority which in your opinion materially and adversely affects or may materially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company, or (vi) the taking of any action by any governmental body or agency in respect of its monetary or fiscal affairs which in your opinion has a material adverse effect on the securities markets in the United States.
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11. Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or its officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of the officers, directors, employees, agents or controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of Sections 7 and 8 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.
12. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., 60 Wall Street, 4th Floor, New York, New York 10005 (fax: (212) 797-9344); Attention: Equity Capital Markets - Syndicate Desk, with a copy to Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., 60 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005; Attention: General Counsel, and to Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., 499 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, Facsimile: (212) 829-4708, Attention: General Counsel, with a copy to Christian O. Nagler at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, 601 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York or facsimile: (212) 446-6460 or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to Quinpario Acquisition Corp. 2, 12935 N. Forty Dr., Suite 201, St. Louis, MO, 63141 (fax: (775) 206-7966; Attention: Sara Melly, with a copy to the Company’s counsel at Graubard Miller, The Chrysler Building, 405 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10074, Attention: David Alan Miller.
13. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers, directors, employees, agents and controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
14. No Fiduciary Duty. The Company hereby acknowledges that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters and any affiliate through which it may be acting, on the other, (b) the Underwriters are acting as principal and not as an agent or fiduciary of the Company and (c) the Company’s engagement of the Underwriters in connection with the offering and the process leading up to the offering is as independent contractors and not in any other capacity. Furthermore, the Company agrees that it is solely responsible for making its own judgments in connection with the offering (irrespective of whether any of the Underwriters has advised or is currently advising the Company on related or other matters). The Company agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriters have rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe an agency, fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.
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15. Integration. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
16. Applicable Law. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be instituted in the Specified Courts, and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court, as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
17. Waiver of Jury Trial. The Company hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
18. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
19. Headings. The section headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
20. Definitions. The terms that follow, when used in this Agreement, shall have the meanings indicated.
“Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
“Applicable Time” shall mean [●] [a.m./p.m.] (New York time) on the date of this Agreement.
“Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York City,
“Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Effective Date” shall mean each date and time that the Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement became or becomes effective.
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“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
“Execution Time” shall mean the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto.
“Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean a free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405.
“Liquidation” shall mean the distributions of the Trust Account to the Public Stockholders in connection with the redemption of shares of Common Stock held by the Public Stockholders pursuant to the terms of the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, if the Company fails to consummate a Business Combination.
“Preliminary Prospectus” shall mean any preliminary prospectus referred to in paragraph 1(a) above and any preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the Effective Date that omits Rule 430A Information.
“Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus relating to the Securities that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the Execution Time.
“Registration Statement” shall mean the registration statement referred to in paragraph 1(a) above, including exhibits and financial statements and any prospectus and prospectus supplement relating to the Securities that is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and deemed part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430A, as amended at the Execution Time and, in the event any post-effective amendment thereto or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement becomes effective prior to the Closing Date, shall also mean such registration statement as so amended or such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, as the case may be.
“Rule 158”, “Rule 163”, “Rule 164”, “Rule 172”, “Rule 405”, “Rule 415”, “Rule 424”, “Rule 430A” and “Rule 433” refer to such rules under the Act.
“Rule 430A Information” shall mean information with respect to the Securities and the offering thereof permitted to be omitted from the Registration Statement when it becomes effective pursuant to Rule 430A.
“Rule 462(b) Registration Statement” shall mean a registration statement and any amendments thereto filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) relating to the offering covered by the registration statement referred to in Section 1(a) hereof.
“Statutory Prospectus” shall mean (i) the Preliminary Prospectus dated [●], 2014, relating to the Securities and (ii) the Time of Delivery Information, if any, set forth on Schedule II hereto.
[remainder of page intentionally left blank]
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon it will become a binding agreement among the Company and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours, | ||
Quinpario Acquisition Corp. 2 | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written.
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
Cantor Fitzgerald & Co.
As Representatives of the several Underwriters listed on Schedule I
By: Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
By: Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
SCHEDULE I
Underwriters |
Number of Underwritten Securities to be Purchased | |
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. | ||
Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. | ||
Total | 35,000,000 |
SCHEDULE II
TIME OF DELIVERY INFORMATION
Quinpario Acquisition Corp. 2 priced 35,000,000 units at $10.00 per unit plus an additional 5,250,000 units if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full.
The amounts in the Trust Account may be invested only in U.S. government treasury bills with a maturity of 180 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 units will be issued pursuant to an effective registration statement that has been previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of any offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities law of any such state or jurisdiction.
Copies of the prospectus related to this offering may be obtained from Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., 60 Wall Street, 4th Floor New York, New York 10005 or Cantor Fitzgerald, 499 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, Attn: [●], email: [●].
SCHEDULE III
SCHEDULE OF WRITTEN TESTING-THE-WATER COMMUNICATIONS
[●]
EXHIBIT A
Form of Press Release
Quinpario Acquisition Corp. 2
[Date]
Quinpario Acquisition Corp. 2 (the “Company”) announced today that Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Cantor Fitzgerald, the book-running managers and underwriters in the Company’s recent public sale of Units, is [waiving] [releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to shares of the Company’s [Common Stock] [Warrants] [Units] held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver] [release] will take effect on [Date], and the securities may be sold on or after such date.
This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
A-1
Exhibit 23.1
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm’s Consent
We consent to the inclusion in this Registration Statement of Quinpario Acquisition Corp. 2 (the “Company”) on Amendment No. 3 to Form S-1, File No. 333-198988, of our report dated September 26, 2014, which includes an explanatory paragraph as to the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, with respect to our audit of the financial statements of Quinpario Acquisition Corp. 2 as of September 12, 2014 and for the period from July 15, 2014 (inception) through September 12, 2014, which report appears in the Prospectus, which is part of this Registration Statement. We also consent to the reference to our Firm under the heading “Experts” in such Prospectus.
/s/ Marcum llp
Marcum llp
New York, NY
January 7, 2015