Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
References in this report (the “Quarterly Report”) to “we,” “us” or the “Company” refer to Concord Acquisition Corp III. References to our “management” or our “management team” refer to our officers and directors, references to the “Sponsors” refer to Concord Sponsor Group III LLC and CA2 Co-Investment, LLC. The following discussion and analysis of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the condensed financial statements and the notes thereto contained elsewhere in this Quarterly Report.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This Quarterly Report includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), that are not historical facts and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected and projected. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this Quarterly Report including, without limitation, statements in this “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” regarding the Company’s financial position, the business strategy, plans and objectives of management for future operations, and the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the Company’s search for a Business Combination (as defined below), are forward-looking statements. Words such as “expect,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “seek” and variations and similar words and expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance, but reflect management’s current beliefs, based on information currently available. A number of factors could cause actual events, performance or results to differ materially from the events, performance and results discussed in the forward-looking statements. For information identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). For information relating to the Business Combination Agreement (as defined below) and transactions contemplated thereunder, please see the Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed with the SEC on November 13, 2023, as may be amended from time to time. The Company’s securities filings can be accessed on the EDGAR section of the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Except as expressly required by applicable securities law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Overview
We are a blank check company incorporated on February 18, 2021 as a Delaware corporation and formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, our capital stock, debt or a combination of cash, stock and debt.
We expect to continue to incur significant costs in the pursuit of our acquisition plans. We cannot assure you that our plans to complete a Business Combination will be successful.
In April 2023, the Company and the Sponsor entered into Non-Redemption Agreements with a number of the Company’s stockholders in exchange for them agreeing not to redeem shares of the Company’s Class A common stock sold in the IPO (the "Non-Redeemed Shares") in connection with the special meeting of stockholders called by the Company and held on May 4, 2023 (described below). In exchange for the foregoing commitments not to redeem such shares, the Sponsor has agreed to transfer to such stockholders an aggregate of 999,665 shares of the Company’s Class B common stock (the "Class B shares"), par value $0.0001 per share, held by the Sponsor immediately following consummation of an initial business combination.
On May 4, 2023, the Company’s stockholders approved at the special meeting of stockholders a proposal to amend the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the “charter”) to extend the date by which the Company has to consummate a business combination from May 8, 2023 (the “Termination Date”) to November 8, 2023, or such earlier date as may be determined by the board of directors of the Company (such later date, the “Extended Date”) In connection with the votes to approve the Charter Amendment, the holders of 30,460,066 shares of Class A common stock of the Company properly exercised their right to redeem their shares for cash at a redemption price of approximately $10.42 per share, for an aggregate redemption amount of approximately $317,000,000, leaving approximately $42,000,000 in the Trust Account.
25
Table of Contents
Recent Developments
On November 2, 2023, the Company entered into a business combination agreement (the “Business Combination Agreement”) with GCT Semiconductor, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“GCT”), and Gibraltar Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation and a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“Merger Sub”). Pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, the parties will, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions contained in the Business Combination Agreement, consummate a business combination transaction pursuant to which Merger Sub will merge with and into GCT, with GCT surviving the merger as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Merger” and, together with the other transactions contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement, the “Transactions” and the closing of the Transactions, the “Closing”).
The aggregate equity consideration to be paid to GCT’s stockholders and other equity holders in the Transactions (the “Aggregate Transaction Consideration”) will be equal to the quotient of (i) the Company Value (as defined below) divided by (ii) $10.00. Immediately prior to the Closing, all of the outstanding principal and accrued interest under the outstanding promissory notes issued by GCT that can be converted into shares of GCT common stock will be so converted in accordance with their terms. The “Company Value” means an amount equal to $350 million, minus the amount of indebtedness of GCT immediately prior to the Closing, plus the amount of GCT’s cash and cash equivalents immediately prior to the Closing (with standard exceptions), plus the aggregate exercise price of all “in-the-money” warrants of GCT outstanding immediately prior to the Closing.
Following the Closing, the Company will issue up to an aggregate of 20,000,000 additional shares of its common stock to the stockholders of GCT as of immediately prior to the Closing and certain other persons, including the PIPE Investors (as defined below) (collectively, the “GCT Recipients”), if the volume weighted average price (the “VWAP”) of the shares of the Company’s common stock equals or exceeds certain minimum share prices at any time during the period starting 60 days following the Closing and expiring on the fifth anniversary of the Closing (the “Earnout Period”), as follows: (i) 6,666,667 shares if the VWAP of the shares of the common stock equals or exceeds $12.50 for any 20 trading days within a period of 30 consecutive trading days during the Earnout Period; (ii) 6,666,666 shares if the VWAP of the shares of the common stock equals or exceeds $15.00 for any 20 trading days within a period of 30 consecutive trading days during the Earnout Period; and (iii) 6,666,667 shares if the VWAP of the shares of the common stock equals or exceeds $17.50 for any 20 trading days within a period of 30 consecutive trading days during the Earnout Period. Such shares will also become issuable under certain circumstances if a “change of control” of the Company occurs following the Closing but prior to the applicable earnout expiration date and the price per share in the change of control equals or exceeds the applicable price target.
Concurrently with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, certain investors (the “PIPE Investors”) entered into subscription agreements (the “PIPE Subscription Agreements”) pursuant to which the PIPE Investors have committed to purchase in a private placement an aggregate of 4,484,854 shares of the Company’s Class A common stock (the “PIPE Shares”) at a purchase price of $6.67 per share and an aggregate purchase price of approximately $29.9 million (the “PIPE Investment”). The purchase of the PIPE Shares is conditioned upon, among other things, the consummation of the Transactions and will be consummated immediately prior to or substantially concurrently with the Closing. The public warrants included as part of Units sold in the IPO (the “Public Warrants”) and Private Placement Warrants include certain down-round provisions under which their exercise price may be adjusted, if (a) the Company issues additional shares of the Company’s Class A common stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of the Company’s Class A common stock for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of its initial business combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per share of the Company’s Class A common stock (the “Newly Issued Price”), (b) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of an initial business combination on the date of the consummation of such initial business combination (net of redemptions), and (c) the volume weighted average trading price of the the Company’s Class A common stock during the twenty (20) trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which the Company consummates an initial business combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, the price per share (including in cash or by payment of warrants pursuant to a “cashless exercise,” to the extent permitted) at which shares of the Company’s Class A common stock may be purchased at the time a warrant is exercised will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger prices will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price.
Concurrently with the execution and delivery of the Business Combination Agreement, the Company entered into a sponsor support agreement (the “Sponsor Support Agreement”) with GCT, the Sponsor and CA2 Co-Investment LLC (“CA2”). Pursuant to the Sponsor Support Agreement, the Sponsor and CA2 have, among other things, agreed to vote all of their shares of the Company’s common stock in favor of the approval of the Transactions, including the Merger, not to redeem any of their shares of the Company’s common stock and to waive their anti-dilution protections with respect to their shares of the Company’s Class B common stock. In addition, the Sponsor and CA2 agreed that a portion of up to an aggregate of 1,920,375 shares of common stock to be issued to them at Closing (collectively,
26
Table of Contents
the Sponsor Earnout Shares”) will be unvested and subject to forfeiture as of the Closing, and will only vest if certain share price trading thresholds are satisfied during a specified period of time following the Closing. The Sponsor and CA2 further agreed that (i) 1,399,107 shares of common stock to be held by them at Closing, (ii) any portion of the Sponsor Earnout Shares not unvested and made subject to forfetiture as of the Closing and (iii) up to an aggregate of 2,820,000 Private Placement Warrants to be held by them at Closing may be allocated by GCT to the GCT Recipients, and transferred to the GCT Recipients at Closing (without any vesting conditions). The Sponsor and CA2 also agreed (i) to forfeit up to an additional 2,820,000 Private Placement Warrants held by them at Closing, to the extent not allocated prior to the Closing to certain third parties, including prospective PIPE Investors and holders of shares of the Company’s Class A common stock who agree not to redeem their shares in connection with any extension of the Company’s deadline to consummate an initial business combination, and (ii) to forgive all amounts outstanding under the Sponsor Loans.
In connection with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, the Company entered into a support agreement (the “Stockholder Support Agreement”) with certain stockholders of GCT pursuant to which such stockholders have, among other things, agreed to vote to adopt and approve the Business Combination Agreement and all other documents and transactions contemplated thereby and to subject their shares to certain transfer restrictions.
The foregoing descriptions of the Business Combination Agreement, PIPE Subscription Agreements, Sponsor Support Agreement, Stockholder Support Agreement, and other areements and transactions contemplated thereunder are not complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the respective agreements, copies of which (or the forms of which, as applicable) are respectively filed as exhibits to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on November 8, 2023.
In November 2023, the Company and the Sponsor entered into Non-Redemption Agreements with a number of the Company’s stockholders in exchange for them agreeing not to redeem shares of the Company’s Class A common stock sold in the IPO in connection with the special meeting of stockholders called by the Company and held on November 7, 2023 (described below). In exchange for the foregoing commitments not to redeem such shares, the Company has agreed to allocate to such investors an aggregate of 782,001 shares of Class A common stock (the “Promote Shares”) and the Sponsor has agreed to surrender and forfeit to the Company for no consideration a number of shares of Class B common stock equal to the number of Promote Shares upon closing of an initial business combination.
On November 7, 2023, the Company’s stockholders approved at the special meeting of stockholders a proposal to amend the Company’s charter to further extend the date by which the Company has to consummate a Business Combination from the Extended Date to August 8, 2024, or such earlier date as may be determined by the board of directors of the Company (such later date, the “Current Extended Date”). In connection with the votes to approve such a proposal, the holders of an additional 98,573 shares of Class A common stock of the Company properly exercised their right to redeem their shares for cash at a redemption price of approximately $10.70 per share, for an aggregate redemption amount of approximately $1.1 million, leaving approximately $42.2 million in the Trust Account and 3,941,361 shares of Class A common stock subject to possible redemption outstanding immediately following these redemptions.
Results of Operations
We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenues to date. Our only activities since inception have been organizational activities and those necessary for our initial public offering (“IPO”) and activities related to seeking and consummating a business combination with an acquisition target. We do not expect to generate any operating revenues until after completion of our initial business combination. Until such time that a business combination occurs, we will generate non-operating income in the form of investment income on cash and cash equivalents in the form of specified U.S. government treasury bills or specified money market funds after the IPO and non-operating income or expense from the changes in the fair value of warrant liabilities and Sponsor loans. There has been no significant change in our financial or trading position and no material adverse change has occurred since the date of our audited financial statements. Until the completion of our initial business combination, we expect to incur increased expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses.
27
Table of Contents
For the three months ended September 30, 2023, we had net loss of $1,107,189 which consisted of operating costs of $500,148, a change in the fair value of the warrant liability and sponsor loans of $1,057,000 and income taxes of $106,318, partially offset by income from investments held in Trust Account of $555,280 and income from operating bank account of $997.
For the three months ended September 30, 2022, we had net income of $3,200,859 which consisted of a change in the fair value of the warrant liability and sponsor loans of $2,222,000 and income from investments held in the Trust Account of $1,588,513 partially offset by operating costs of $286,566 and income taxes of $323,088.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, we had net income of $762,879 which consisted of income from investments held in Trust Account of $6,289,385 and income from operating bank account of $3,205, partially offset by operating costs of $3,788,909, a change in the fair value of the warrant liability and sponsor loans of $450,800 and income taxes of $1,290,002.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, we had net income of $18,757,827 which consisted of a change in the fair value of the warrant liability and sponsor loans of $17,918,000 and income from investments held in Trust Account of $2,116,670 partially offset by operating costs of $895,786 and income taxes of $381,057.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Until the consummation of the IPO, as described below, our only source of liquidity was an initial purchase of ordinary shares by the sponsors and loans from our Sponsor.
The Company also executed promissory notes with the Sponsors (the “Sponsors Loans”), evidencing loans to the Company in the aggregate amount of $6,900,000. The Sponsor Loans shall be repaid or converted into warrants (“Sponsor Loan Warrants”) at a conversion price of $1.00 per warrant, at the Sponsors’ discretion. The Sponsor Loan Warrants will be identical to the Private Placement Warrants.
As of September 30, 2023, we had available to us $212,936 of cash held outside the Trust Account (which included $203,663 of cash withdrawn by the Company from the Trust Account to pay taxes yet to be paid and excluding excise taxes). We will use these funds primarily to identify and evaluate target businesses, perform business due diligence on prospective target businesses, travel to and from the offices or similar locations of prospective target businesses or their representatives or owners, review corporate documents and material agreements of prospective target businesses, structure, negotiate and complete a business combination, and to pay taxes to the extent the interest earned on the Trust Account is not sufficient to pay our taxes.
If the estimate of the costs of identifying a target business, undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating a Business Combination are less than the actual amount necessary to do so, the Company may have insufficient funds available to operate our business prior to a Business Combination. Moreover, the Company may need to obtain additional financing either to complete a Business Combination or because the Company becomes obligated to redeem a significant number of public shares upon consummation of a Business Combination, in which case the Company may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection with such Business Combination. Subject to compliance with applicable securities laws, the Company would only complete such financing simultaneously with the completion of a Business Combination. If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination because it does not have sufficient funds available, the Company will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the Trust Account. In addition, following a Business Combination, if cash on hand is insufficient, the Company may need to obtain additional financing in order to meet its obligations.
The Company has until the Current Extended Date to consummate a Business Combination. If a Business Combination is not consummated by this date and any additional extension(s) are not obtained, there will be a mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution of the Company. Although the Company intends to consummate a Business Combination on or before the Current Extended Date, it is uncertain whether the Company will be able to consummate a Business Combination by this time. In connection with the Company’s assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with ASC Subtopic 205-40, “Presentation of Financial Statements – Going Concern”, Management has determined that the mandatory liquidation, should a Business Combination not occur, and an additional extension is not obtained, and potential subsequent dissolution, as well as the potential for the Company to have insufficient funds available to operate its business prior to a Business Combination, raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. No adjustments have been made to the carrying amounts and classification of assets or liabilities should the Company be required to liquidate after the Current Extended Date.
28
Table of Contents
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements; Commitments and Contractual Obligations
We have no obligations, assets or liabilities which would be considered off-balance sheet arrangements as of September 30, 2023. We do not participate in transactions that create relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, often referred to as variable interest entities, which would have been established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements. We have not entered into any off-balance sheet financing arrangements, established any special purpose entities, guaranteed any debt or commitments of other entities, or purchased any non-financial assets.
Contractual Obligations
We do not have any long-term debt, capital lease obligations, operating lease obligations or long-term liabilities, other than an agreement to pay an affiliate of the Sponsor a monthly fee of $20,000 for office space, administrative and support services. We began incurring these fees on November 3, 2021 and will continue to incur these fees monthly until the earlier of the completion of our initial Business Combination and our liquidation. Further, on May 3, 2022, the Sponsor agreed to loan the Company up to $350,000 to be used to pay operating expenses. This loan is non-interest bearing, unsecured, is not convertible into warrants or any other securities, and due at the closing of a business combination. The Company had not borrowed any amount under the promissory note. There was no balance outstanding as of both September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022. Additionally, our underwriters are entitled to a deferred underwriting discount of $12,075,000 of the gross proceeds of the IPO held in the Trust Account upon the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.
On March 29, 2023, the Company engaged a capital markets advisor in connection with seeking an extension for completing a business combination, a possible acquisition of a third party by merger, consolidation, acquisition of stock or assets or other business combination, and as a placement agent in connection with a private placement of debt, equity, equity-linked or convertible securities. The Company agreed to pay the capital markets advisor a transaction fee in connection with the services provided, payable upon and subject to the Company’s consummation of an initial business combination. The fee consists of a fixed and determinable portion and a variable portion contingent upon certain future events expected to take place upon completion of a business combination. As of September 30, 2023, $2,500,000 was accrued for the fee as the amount was fixed and determinable. These costs may be paid for using the proceeds of the cash available once a business combination is complete.
Critical Accounting Policies and Significant Judgments and Estimates
We prepare our financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The preparation of financial statements also requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, costs and expenses and related disclosures. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ significantly from the estimates made by our management.
There have been no material changes to our critical accounting policies and estimates from those disclosed in our financial statements and the related notes and other financial information included in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, on file with the SEC, except as noted below:
Non-Redemption Agreements
In April 2023, the Sponsor and certain investors (“Investors”) of the Company’s Class A common stock entered into Non-Redemption Agreements. The Non-Redemption Agreements provide for the assignment of economic interest of an aggregate of 999,665 shares of Class B common stock of the Company held by the Sponsor to the Investors in exchange for such Investors agreeing to hold and not redeem their Class A common stock at the special meeting of stockholders held on May 4, 2023. Pursuant to the Non-Redemption Agreements, the Sponsor has agreed to transfer to such Investors an aggregate of 999,665 Class B common stock upon the consummation of an initial Business Combination. The Company estimated the aggregate fair value of the shares attributable to the Investors to be $884,554 or $0.88 per share. The Company complies with the requirements of SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) Topic 5(A) – “Expenses of Offering” and SAB Topic 5(T): Miscellaneous Accounting - Accounting for Expenses or Liabilities Paid by Principal Stockholder(s). As such, the value of the Class B common stock assigned to the Investors are recognized as offering costs and charged to shareholders’ deficit. The value of the Class B common stock contributed by the Sponsors is reported as an increase to shareholders’ deficit.
29
Table of Contents
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
We are a smaller reporting company as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act and are not required to provide the information otherwise required under this item.
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.