Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis
Item
7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following discussion and analysis of the Company’s
financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our audited financial statements and the notes thereto
which are included in “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Annual Report. Certain information contained
in the discussion and analysis set forth below includes forward-looking statements. Our actual results may differ materially from those
anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of many factors, including those set forth under “Cautionary Note Regarding
Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factor Summary,” “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Annual Report.
Overview
We are a blank check company incorporated as a
Cayman Islands exempted company on December 23, 2020 for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase,
reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. Our sponsor is Freedom Acquisition I LLC, a Cayman Islands
limited liability company.
The registration statement for our initial public
offering (the “Initial Public Offering”) became effective on February 25, 2021. On March 2, 2021, we consummated the Initial
Public Offering of 34,500,000 units, which included the exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase an additional 4,500,000
units at the Initial Public Offering price to cover over-allotments (the “Units”, and, with respect to the Class A ordinary
shares included in the Units, the “Public Shares” and, with respect to the one-fourth of one redeemable warrant included in
the Units, the “Public Warrants”), at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $345.0 million, and incurring offering
costs of approximately $19.18 million, inclusive of approximately $12.08 million in deferred underwriting commissions.
Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial
Public Offering, we consummated the private placement (“Private Placement”) of 6,266,667 warrants (each, a “Private
Placement Warrant” and collectively, the “Private Placement Warrants” and, together with the Public Warrants, the “Warrants”),
at a price of $1.50 per Private Placement Warrant with the sponsor, generating gross proceeds of approximately $9.4 million.
Upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering
and the Private Placement, approximately $345.0 million ($10.00 per Unit) of the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and certain
of the proceeds of the Private Placement were placed in a trust account (“Trust Account”), located in the United States with
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee, and, until the 24-month anniversary of the consummation of our initial
public offering, invested only in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment
Company Act having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated
under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. To mitigate the risk of us being
deemed to have been operating as an unregistered investment company, prior to the 24-month anniversary of the consummation of
our initial public offering, we instructed Continental to liquidate the U.S. government treasury obligations or money market funds held
in the trust account and to hold all the funds in the trust account in cash in a bank deposit account, until the earlier of: (i) the completion
of a business combination and (ii) the distribution of the Trust Account as described below.
If we have not completed a business combination
during the Extension Period, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up; (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible
but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the Public Shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate
amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released
to us to pay our income taxes, if any (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses) divided by the number of the then-outstanding
Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish Public Shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive
further liquidation distributions, if any); and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval
of the remaining shareholders and the board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject, in each case, to our obligations under Cayman
Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating
distributions with respect to our outstanding Warrants, which will expire worthless if we fail to consummate a business combination within
the Combination Period.
53
Recent Developments
Second Amendment
to the Business Combination Agreement
On January 17, 2023, the Company, Complete Solaria,
First Merger Sub and Second Merger Sub entered into that certain Second Amendment to Business Combination Agreement (the “Second
Amendment”) amending the Business Combination Agreement.
The Second Amendment provides that, if the Company
and Complete Solaria determine in good faith by January 1, 2023 that it is probable that the Business Combination will be consummated
after March 1, 2023, the Company will be required to prepare (with the reasonable cooperation of Complete Solaria) and file with the SEC
a proxy statement pursuant to which it will seek the approval of its shareholders for proposals to amend the Company’s organizational
documents to extend the time period for the Company to consummate its initial business combination for (x) up to an additional six (6)
months, from March 2, 2023 to September 2, 2023 (the original Business Combination Agreement provided for an extension from March 1, 2023
to September 2, 2023) or (y) such other period of time as the Company and Complete Solaria may mutually agree (the original Business Combination
Agreement contemplated no such prong (y)). In addition, the Second Amendment amends the Business Combination Agreement by changing the
latest permitted Agreement End Date (as defined in the Business Combination Agreement) from September 1, 2023 to September 2, 2023.
Amendment
to Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles
On February 28, 2023, Freedom held the Extraordinary
General Meeting of shareholders, at which holders of 35,373,848 ordinary shares, comprised of 26,773,848 Class A ordinary shares
and 8,600,000 Class B ordinary shares, were present in person or by proxy, representing approximately 82.02% of the voting power
of the 43,125,000 Outstanding Shares of Freedom entitled to vote at the Extraordinary General Meeting at the close of business on January
23, 2023, which was the Record Date for the Extraordinary General Meeting. The Outstanding Shares on the Record Date were comprised of
34,500,000 Class A ordinary shares and 8,625,000 Class B ordinary shares.
At the Extraordinary General Meeting, the shareholders
approved, by special resolution, the Extension Amendment Proposal, which extended the date by which Freedom must (i) consummate a merger,
amalgamation, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination, which Freedom refers
to as its initial business combination, (ii) cease its operations except for the purpose of winding up if it fails to complete such initial
business combination, and (iii) redeem all of the Class A ordinary shares, included as part of the units sold in the initial public offering,
for an additional three months, from March 2, 2023 to June 2, 2023, and thereafter to up to three (3) times by an additional one month
each time (or up to September 2, 2023). The voting results for such proposal were as follows:
For
Against
Abstain
35,047,305
326,543
0
In connection with the Extension Amendment, public
shareholders elected to redeem an aggregate of 23,256,504 Class A ordinary shares at a redemption price of $10.21 per share, representing
approximately 67.41% of the issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares, for an aggregate redemption amount of approximately $237,372,952.
Following such redemptions, approximately $114,759,374 remained in the trust account and 11,243,496 Class A ordinary shares remain outstanding.
At the Extraordinary General Meeting, the public
shareholders also approved the proposal to amend the Trust Agreement, by and between Freedom and Continental, as trustee, to reflect the
Extension Amendment. The amendment to the Trust Agreement provides that Continental shall commence liquidation of the trust account only
and promptly (x) after its receipt of the applicable instruction letter delivered by Freedom in connection with either the consummation
of an initial business combination or Freedom’s inability to effect an initial business combination within the time frame specified
in Freedom’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or (y) upon the date that is the later of the end of the
Extension Period and such later date as may be approved by Freedom’s shareholders in accordance with the amended and restated memorandum
and articles of association, if the aforementioned termination letter has not been received by Continental prior to such date. The voting
results for such proposal were as follows:
For
Against
Abstain
35,047,305
326,543
0
54
Promissory Note
On February 28, 2023, we issued an unsecured promissory
note in the amount of up to $2,100,000 to our sponsor. The proceeds of such promissory note, $1,600,000 of which was drawn down immediately, $400,000 of which may be drawn down, with the mutual consent of us and our sponsor, if we wish to extend the
date by which we will consummate a business combination beyond June 2, 2023, and $100,000 of which may be drawn down on an as-needed basis
at the discretion of our sponsor, will be used for general working capital purposes. Such promissory note bears no interest and is payable
in full upon the consummation of our business combination. A failure to pay the principal within five business days of the date specified
above or the commencement of a voluntary or involuntary bankruptcy action shall be deemed an event of default, in which case the promissory
note may be accelerated. The promissory note shall be forgiven by our sponsor if we are unable to consummate a business combination within
the time frame specified in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (as amended from time to time), except to
the extent of any funds held outside of the trust account established in connection with our initial public offering. The issuance of
the promissory note was made pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
Results of Operations and Known Trends or Future
Events
We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated
any revenues to date. Our only activities since inception have been organizational activities, those necessary to prepare for our Initial
Public Offering and identifying a target company for our initial business combination. We do not expect to generate any operating revenues
until after completion of our initial business combination. We generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on cash and
cash equivalents held in the Trust Account and through changes in the fair value of our warrant liabilities. We incur expenses as a result
of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses.
For the year ended December 31, 2022, we had
net income of $5,982,340, which consisted of an unrealized gain on change in fair value of our warrant liabilities of $5,509,917,
interest income of $4,821,632 on our amounts held in the Trust Account, reduction of transaction costs incurred in
connection with IPO of $271,687, offset by $4,407,058 of operating costs consisting mostly of general and administrative expenses,
foreign currency exchange loss of $17,638 and change in the fair value of convertible notes of $196,200.
For the year ended December 31, 2021, we had
net income of $5,128,650, which consisted of an unrealized gain on change in fair value of our warrant liabilities of $9,381,750,
interest income of $105,681 on our amounts held in the Trust Account, offset by $3,782,028 of operating costs consisting mostly of
general and administrative expenses, foreign currency exchange loss of $1,475 and offering expenses related to warrant issuance of
$575,278.
We classify the Warrants issued in connection
with our Initial Public Offering and Private Placement as liabilities at their fair value and adjust the warrant instruments to fair
value at each reporting period. These liabilities are subject to remeasurement at each balance sheet date until exercised, and any
change in fair value is recognized in our consolidated statements of operations. As part of the reclassification to warrant
liability, we recorded a portion of the offering costs associated with the Initial Public Offering as expense in the consolidated
statements of operations in the amount of $575,278 based on a relative fair value basis. For the period from the Initial Public
Offering to December 31, 2022, the change in fair value of the Warrants was a decrease in the liability of $14,147,084.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of December 31, 2022, we had cash outside the Trust Account of $72,923
in its operating bank accounts, $349,927,313 in marketable securities held in the Trust Account to be used for a business combination,
or to repurchase or redeem its stock in connection therewith, and a working capital deficit of $5,493,215. As of December 31, 2022, none
of the amount in the Trust Account was available to be withdrawn as described above.
On each of April 1, 2022 and June 6, 2022, we
issued an unsecured promissory note in the amount of up to $500,000 to our sponsor (the “Sponsor Notes”). On December 14,
2022, we issued an unsecured promissory note in the amount of up to $325,000 to Tidjane Thiam, Adam Gishen, Edward Zeng, and Abhishek
Bhatia (collectively, the “Payees”) (such note, together with the Sponsor Notes, the “Convertible Notes”). The
proceeds of the Convertible Notes, which may be drawn down from time to time until we consummate our initial business combination, will
be used for general working capital purposes. The Convertible Notes bear no interest and are payable in full upon the earlier to occur
of (i) twenty-four (24) months from the closing of our initial public offering (or such later date as may be extended in accordance with
the terms of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) or (ii) the consummation of our business combination. A
failure to pay the principal within five business days of the date specified above or the commencement of a voluntary or involuntary bankruptcy
action shall be deemed an event of default, in which case the Convertible Notes may be accelerated. Prior to our first payment of all
or any portion of the principal balance of the Convertible Notes in cash, our sponsor and the Payees, as applicable, have the option to
convert all, but not less than all, of the principal balance of the Convertible Notes into private placement warrants (the “Conversion
Warrants”), each warrant exercisable for one of our ordinary shares at an exercise price of $1.50 per share. The terms of the Conversion
Warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. Our sponsor and the Payees shall be entitled to certain registration rights
relating to the Conversion Warrants. The issuances of the Convertible Notes were made pursuant to the exemption from registration contained
in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. As of December 31, 2022, the Company had drawn a total of $1,225,000 on
the Convertible Notes.
55
In addition, on February 28, 2023, we issued an
additional unsecured promissory note in the amount of up to $2,100,000 to our sponsor, as further described under “—Recent
Developments—Promissory Note.”
We may raise additional capital through loans
or additional investments from the sponsor or an affiliate of the sponsor or certain of its directors and officers. The sponsor may, but
is not obligated to, lend us funds, from time to time in whatever amounts it deems reasonable in its sole discretion, to meet our working
capital needs. There can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain additional financing, however. Moreover, we may need to obtain
additional financing either to complete our business combination or because we become obligated to redeem a significant number of its
public shares upon consummation of its business combination, in which case we may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection
with such business combination. Subject to compliance with applicable securities laws, we would only complete such financing simultaneously
with the completion of its business combination.
If we are unable to raise additional capital,
it may be required to take additional measures to conserve liquidity, which could include, but not necessarily be limited to, curtailing
operations, suspending the pursuit of a potential transaction and reducing overhead expenses. We cannot provide any assurance that new
financing will be available to it on commercially acceptable terms, if at all.
Going Concern
In connection with our assessment of going concern
considerations in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 205-40, “Presentation of Financial Statements
– Going Concern,” pursuant to its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, we have until the end of the Extension Period
to consummate a business combination. If a business combination is not consummated during the Extension Period, we will have a mandatory
liquidation and subsequent dissolution. Although we intend to consummate a business combination during the Extension Period, it is uncertain
that we will be able to do so. This, as well as our liquidity condition, raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going
concern. No adjustments have been made to the carrying amounts of assets or liabilities should we be required to liquidate at the end
of the Extension Period.
Contractual Obligations
We do not have any long-term debt obligations,
capital lease obligations, operating lease obligations, purchase obligations or long-term liabilities other than described below.
We have an agreement to pay the sponsor a total
of up to $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support services. We began incurring these fees
on February 25, 2021 and will continue to incur these fees monthly until the earlier of the completion of the business combination and
our liquidation.
We have an agreement to pay the underwriters
of our Initial Public Offering a deferred fee of $12,075,000 in the aggregate, which will become payable to them from the amounts
held in the Trust Account solely in the event that we complete a business combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting
agreement. As of October 25, 2022, and November 2, 2022, respectively, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
have waived their portions of the deferred underwriting fee which is reflected in the consolidated statement of operations and the
consolidated statement of changes in shareholders’ deficit as a reduction of transaction costs incurred in connection
with IPO. Therefore, the deferred underwriting fee was reduced by $9,056,250, of which $271,687 is shown in the consolidated statement of operations as a reduction of transaction
costs incurred in connection with the IPO and $8,784,563 is charged to additional paid-in capital in the consolidated statement of changes
in shareholders’ deficit. As a result of the reductions, the outstanding deferred underwriting fee payable was reduced to $3,018,750.
56
Critical Accounting Policies
This management’s discussion and analysis
of our financial condition and results of operations is based on our financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with
U.S. GAAP. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts
of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities in our financial statements. On
an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates and judgments, including those related to fair value of financial instruments and accrued
expenses. We base our estimates on historical experience, known trends and events and various other factors that we believe to be reasonable
under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities
that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.
There have been no significant changes in our critical accounting policies as discussed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed by us
with the SEC on April 13, 2022.
Our critical accounting policies are presented below:
Class A Ordinary Shares Subject to Possible
Redemption
We account for our Class A ordinary shares subject
to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in ASC Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Class A
ordinary shares subject to mandatory redemption (if any) are classified as a liability instrument and are measured at fair value. Conditionally
redeemable ordinary shares (including ordinary shares that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder
or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within our control) are classified as temporary equity. At
all other times, Class A ordinary shares are classified as shareholders’ deficit. Our Class A ordinary shares feature certain redemption
rights that are considered to be outside of our control and subject to the occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, as of December
31, 2022 and 2021, 34,500,000 Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption are presented at redemption value as temporary equity,
outside of the shareholders’ deficit section of our consolidated balance sheets.
Derivative Warrant Liabilities
We do not use derivative instruments to hedge
exposures to cash flow, market, or foreign currency risks. We evaluate all of our financial instruments, including issued share purchase
Warrants, to determine if such instruments are derivatives or contain features that qualify as embedded derivatives, pursuant to ASC 480
and ASC 815-15. The classification of derivative instruments, including whether such instruments should be recorded as liabilities or
as equity, is reassessed at the end of each reporting period.
We account for our 14,891,667 Warrants issued
in connection with our Initial Public Offering (8,625,000) and Private Placement (6,266,667) as derivative warrant liabilities in accordance
with ASC 815-40. Accordingly, we recognize the warrant instruments as liabilities at fair value and adjust the instruments to fair value
at each reporting period. The liabilities are subject to re-measurement at each balance sheet date until exercised, and any change in
fair value is recognized in our statements of operations. The fair value of the Private Placement Warrants has been estimated using binomial lattice simulations at each measurement date. The fair value of the Public Warrants was initially estimated using Monte Carlo simulations.
After the Public Warrants were separately traded, the measurement of the Public Warrants used an observable market quote in an active
market.
Net Income per Ordinary Share
We have two classes of shares, which are referred
to as Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Earnings and losses are shared pro rata between the two classes of shares.
The 14,891,667 potential ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of the Warrants were excluded from diluted earnings per share for
the year ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 because the Warrants are contingently exercisable, and the contingencies have not yet been met.
As a result, diluted net income per ordinary share is the same as basic net income per ordinary share for the periods presented.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In August 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards
Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2020-06, Debt — Debt with Conversion and Other
Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging — Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40) (“ASU 2020-06”)
to simplify accounting for certain financial instruments. ASU 2020-06 eliminates the current models that require separation of beneficial
conversion and cash conversion features from convertible instruments and simplifies the derivative scope exception guidance pertaining
to equity classification of contracts in an entity’s own equity. The new standard also introduces additional disclosures for convertible
debt and freestanding instruments that are indexed to and settled in an entity’s own equity. ASU 2020-06 amends the diluted earnings
per share guidance, including the requirement to use the if-converted method for all convertible instruments. ASU 2020-06 is effective
January 1, 2024 and should be applied on a full or modified retrospective basis, with early adoption permitted beginning on January 1,
2021. The guidance was adopted starting January 1, 2022. Adoption of the ASU did not impact our financial position, results of operations
or cash flows.
Management does not believe that any recently
issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on our consolidated
financial statements.
57
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we did not have
any off-balance sheet arrangements.
JOBS Act
The Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012
(the “JOBS Act”) contains provisions that, among other things, relax certain reporting requirements for qualifying public
companies. We qualify as an “emerging growth company” and under the JOBS Act are allowed to comply with new or revised accounting
pronouncements based on the effective date for private (not publicly traded) companies. We are electing to delay the adoption of new or
revised accounting standards, and as a result, we may not comply with new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which
adoption of such standards is required for non-emerging growth companies. As a result, the financial statements may not be comparable
to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.
Additionally, we are in the process of evaluating
the benefits of relying on the other reduced reporting requirements provided by the JOBS Act. Subject to certain conditions set forth
in the JOBS Act, if, as an “emerging growth company,” we choose to rely on such exemptions we may not be required to, among
other things, (i) provide an auditor’s attestation report on our system of internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to
Section 404, (ii) provide all of the compensation disclosure that may be required of non-emerging growth public companies under the Dodd-Frank
Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, (iii) comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the PCAOB regarding mandatory
audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements
(auditor discussion and analysis) and (iv) disclose certain executive compensation related items such as the correlation between executive
compensation and performance and comparisons of the CEO’s compensation to median employee compensation. These exemptions will apply
for a period of five years following the completion of our Initial Public Offering or until we are no longer an “emerging growth
company,” whichever is earlier.
Item
7A. 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.
Item
8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
This information appears following Item 15 of
this Report and is included herein by reference.
Item
9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
None.
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