Banzai International, Inc. 10-Q

Item 1A. Risk Factors As of the date of this Quarterly Report, other than as set forth below, there have been no material changes with respect to those risk factors previously disclosed in our (i) IPO Registration Statement, (ii) Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, as filed with the SEC on April 1, 2022, and (iii) Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended March 31, 2022 and June 30, 2022, as filed with the SEC on May 16, 2022 and August 12, 2022, respectively. Any of these factors could result in a significant or material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition. Additional risks could arise that may also affect our business or ability to consummate an initial Business Combination. We may disclose changes to such risk factors or disclose additional risk factors from time to time in our future filings with the SEC. A new 1% U.S. federal excise tax could be imposed on us in connection with redemptions by us of our shares in connection with a Business Combination or other stockholder vote pursuant to which stockholders would have a right to submit their shares for redemption (a “Redemption Event”). On August 16, 2022, the IR Act was signed into federal law. The IR Act provides for, among other things, a new U.S. federal 1% excise tax on certain repurchases (including redemptions) of stock by publicly traded domestic (i.e., U.S.) corporations and certain domestic subsidiaries of publicly traded foreign corporations. The excise tax is imposed on the repurchasing corporation itself, not its stockholders from which shares are repurchased. The amount of the excise tax is generally 1% of the fair market value of the shares repurchased at the time of the repurchase. However, for purposes of calculating the excise tax, repurchasing corporations are permitted to net the fair market value of certain new stock issuances against the fair market value of stock repurchases during the same taxable year. In addition, certain exceptions apply to the excise tax. The U.S. Department of the Treasury (the “Treasury Department”) has been given authority to provide regulations and other guidance to carry out, and prevent the abuse or avoidance of the excise tax. The IR Act applies only to repurchases that occur after December 31, 2022. Any redemption or other repurchase that occurs after December 31, 2022, in connection with a Redemption Event may be subject to the excise tax. Whether and to what extent we would be subject to the excise tax in connection with a Redemption Event would depend on a number of factors, including (i) the fair market value of the redemptions and repurchases in connection with the Redemption Event, (ii) the structure of the Business Combination, (iii) the nature and amount of any “PIPE” or other equity issuances in connection with the Business Combination (or otherwise issued not in connection with the Redemption Event but issued within the same taxable year of the Business Combination) and (iv) the content of regulations and other guidance from the Treasury Department. In addition, because the excise tax would be payable by us, and not by the redeeming holder, the mechanics of any required payment of the excise tax have not been determined. The foregoing could cause a reduction in the cash available on hand to complete a Business Combination and in our ability to complete a Business Combination. To mitigate the risk that we might be deemed to be an investment company for purposes of the Investment Company Act, we may, at any time, instruct the trustee to liquidate the securities held in the Trust Account and instead to hold the funds in the Trust Account in cash items until the earlier of the consummation of our initial Business Combination or our liquidation. As a result, following the liquidation of securities in the Trust Account, we would likely receive minimal interest, if any, on the funds held in the Trust Account, which would reduce the dollar amount our public stockholders would receive upon any redemption or liquidation of the Company. The funds in the Trust Account have, since our initial public offering, been held only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds investing solely in U.S. government treasury obligations and meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act. However, to mitigate the risk of us being deemed to be an unregistered investment company (including under the subjective test of Section 3(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act) and thus subject to regulation under the Investment Company Act, we may, at any time, instruct Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the trustee with respect to the Trust Account, to liquidate the U.S. government treasury obligations or money market funds held in the Trust Account and thereafter to hold all funds in the Trust Account as cash items until the earlier of the consummation of our initial Business Combination or the liquidation of the Company. Following such liquidation, we would likely receive minimal interest, if any, on the funds held in the Trust Account. However, interest previously earned on the funds held in the Trust Account still may be released to us to pay our taxes, if any. As a result, any decision to liquidate the securities held in the Trust Account and thereafter to hold all funds in the Trust Account in cash items would reduce the dollar amount our public stockholders would receive upon any redemption or liquidation of the Company. In the event that we may be deemed to be an investment company, we may be required to liquidate the Company. 25 We may not be able to complete an initial Business Combination with certain potential target companies if a proposed transaction with the target company may be subject to review or approval by regulatory authorities pursuant to certain U.S. or foreign laws or regulations. Certain acquisitions or Business Combinations may be subject to review or approval by regulatory authorities pursuant to certain U.S. or foreign laws or regulations. In the event that such regulatory approval or clearance is not obtained, or the review process is extended beyond the period of time that would permit an initial Business Combination to be consummated with us, we may not be able to consummate a Business Combination with such target. Among other things, the U.S. Federal Communications Act prohibits foreign individuals, governments, and corporations from owning more than a specified percentage of the capital stock of a broadcast, common carrier, or aeronautical radio station licensee. In addition, U.S. law currently restricts foreign ownership of U.S. airlines. In the United States, certain mergers that may affect competition may require certain filings and review by the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission, and investments or acquisitions that may affect national security are subject to review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”). CFIUS is an interagency committee authorized to review certain transactions involving foreign investment in the United States by foreign persons in order to determine the effect of such transactions on the national security of the United States. Outside the United States, laws or regulations may affect our ability to consummate a Business Combination with potential target companies incorporated or having business operations in jurisdiction where national security considerations, involvement in regulated industries (including telecommunications), or in businesses relating to a country’s culture or heritage may be implicated. U.S. and foreign regulators generally have the power to deny the ability of the parties to consummate a transaction or to condition approval of a transaction on specified terms and conditions, which may not be acceptable to us or a target. In such event, we may not be able to consummate a transaction with that potential target. As a result of these various restrictions, the pool of potential targets with which we could complete an initial Business Combination may be limited and we may be adversely affected in terms of competing with other SPACs that do not have similar ownership issues. Moreover, the process of government review could be lengthy. Because we have only a limited time to complete our initial Business Combination, our failure to obtain any required approvals within the requisite time period may require us to liquidate. If we liquidate, our public stockholders may only receive $10.00 per share, and our warrants will expire worthless. This will also cause you to lose any potential investment opportunity in a target company and the chance of realizing future gains on your investment through any price appreciation in the combined company. Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds None. Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities None. Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures Not applicable.