Item 8.01. Other Events.
Addition of Risk Factor Concerning Excise Tax
The following new risk factor titled "A new 1% U.S. federal excise tax could be
imposed on us in connection with redemptions by us of our shares" is being added
to the Definitive Proxy Statement filed on April 13, 2023:
A new 1% U.S. federal excise tax could be imposed on us in connection with
redemptions by us of our shares.
On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act of 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 (the "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.
Any redemption or other repurchase that occurs in connection with an initial
business combination, extension or otherwise, may be subject to the excise tax.
Whether and to what extent Alset Capital Acquisition Corp. (the "Company" or
"Alset") would be subject to the excise tax in connection with an initial
business combination would depend on a number of factors, including (i) the fair
market value of the redemptions and repurchases in connection with the initial
business combination, (ii) the structure of the initial business combination,
(iii) the nature and amount of any "PIPE" or other equity issuances in
connection with the initial business combination (or otherwise issued not in
connection with the initial business combination but issued within the same
taxable year of the initial business combination) and (iv) the content of
regulations and other guidance from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. In
addition, because the excise tax would be payable by the Company, and not by the
redeeming holder, the mechanics of any required payment of the excise tax have
not been determined.
For the avoidance of doubt, the proceeds placed in the Company's trust account
and the interest earned thereon shall not be used to pay for any excise tax due
under the IR Act in connection with any redemptions of the Company's Class A
common stock prior to or in connection with an extension or prior to its initial
business combination.
Forward-Looking Statements
This Current Report on Form 8-K (the "Current Report") is provided for
informational purposes only and contains information with respect to a proposed
business combination (the "Proposed Business Combination") among the Company and
HWH International., Inc. ("HWH"). No representations or warranties, express or
implied are given in, or in respect of, this Current Report. In addition, this
Current Report does not purport to be all-inclusive or to contain all the
information that may be required to make a full analysis of the Proposed
Business Combination.
This Current Report contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of
the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. The Company and HWH's actual results may differ from their expectations,
estimates and projections and consequently, you should not rely on these
forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as
"expect," "estimate," "project," "budget," "forecast," "anticipate," "intend,"
"plan," "may," "will," "could," "should," "believes," "predicts," "potential,"
"might" and "continues," and similar expressions are intended to identify such
forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without
limitation, The Company and HWH's expectations with respect to future
performance and anticipated financial impacts of the transactions (the
"Transactions") contemplated by the Merger Agreement. These forward-looking
statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results to differ materially from expected results. Most of these factors are
outside of the control of the Alset or HWH and are difficult to predict. Factors
that may cause such differences include but are not limited to: (i) the expected
timing and likelihood of completion of the Transactions, (ii) the occurrence of
any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to a failure of
the conditions to or the termination of the Business Combination Agreement;
(iii) the ability of HWH to meet Nasdaq listing standards following the
Transactions and in connection with the consummation thereof; (iv) the
occurrence of a material adverse change with respect to the financial position,
performance, operations or prospects of HWH or Alset; (v) failure to realize the
anticipated benefits of the Proposed Business Combination or risk relating to
the uncertainty of any prospective financial information of HWH; (vi) the
failure of HWH to meet projected development and production targets; (vii) the
possibility that the combined company may be adversely affected by other
economic, business, and/or competitive factors, and (viii) other risks and
uncertainties described herein and other reports and other public filings with
the SEC by Alset, including Alset's Form 10-K for the year ended November 30,
2022 as filed with the SEC on February 24, 2023 (the "10-K") or the 10-Q for
the quarterly period ended February 28, 2023 as filed with the SEC on April 14,
2023 (the "10-Q"), or that HWH has filed or intends to file with the SEC,
including in the Registration Statement. The foregoing list of factors is not
exclusive. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or
should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary
materially from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking
statements. There may be additional risks that neither Alset nor HWH presently
know, or that Alset and HWH currently believe are immaterial, that could cause
actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking
statements, which speak only as of the date made. To the fullest extent
permitted by law in no circumstances will HWH, Alset or any of their respective
subsidiaries, interest holders, affiliates, representatives, partners,
directors, officers, employees, advisers or agents be responsible or liable for
any direct, indirect or consequential loss or loss of profit arising from the
use of this Current Report, its contents, its omissions, reliance on the
information contained within it, or on opinions communicated in relation thereto
or otherwise arising in connection therewith. These forward-looking statements
should not be relied upon as representing HWH's and Alset's assessments as of
any date subsequent to the date of this Current Report. HWH and Alset undertake
no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or
circumstances after the date they were made except as required by law or
applicable regulation.
Additional Information About the Proposed Business Combination and Where to Find
It
In connection with the Proposed Business Combination, Alset has filed relevant
materials with the SEC, including an Amendment No. 5 to Registration Statement
on Form S-4, which includes a preliminary proxy statement/prospectus of Alset ,
and a prospectus for the registration of Alset's securities in connection with
the Proposed Business Combination (the "Registration Statement"). The
Registration Statement has not yet been declared effective. The parties urge its
investors, stockholders, and other interested persons to read, when available,
the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus and definitive proxy
statement/prospectus, in each case when filed with the SEC and documents
incorporated by reference therein because these documents will contain important
information about Alset, HWH and the Proposed Business Combination. After the
Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC, the definitive proxy
statement/prospectus and other relevant documents will be mailed to the
stockholders of Alset as of the record date in the future to be established for
voting on the Proposed Business Combination and will contain important
information about the Proposed Business Combination and related matters.
Shareholders of Alset and other interested persons are advised to read, when
available, these materials (including any amendments or supplements thereto)
because they will contain important information about Alset, HWH and the
Proposed Business Combination. Shareholders and other interested persons will
also be able to obtain copies of the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus, the
definitive proxy statement/prospectus, and other relevant materials in
connection with the Proposed Business Combination, without charge, once
available, at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or by directing a request to:
Alset Capital Acquisition Corp., Attention: Heng Fai Ambrose Chan, telephone:
(301) 971-3955. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through,
the websites or links referenced in this Current Report in each case is not
incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this Current Report.
Participants in the Solicitation
Alset, HWH and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed
participants in the solicitation of proxies from Alset's stockholders in
connection with the Proposed Business Combination. Alset's stockholders and
other interested persons may obtain, without charge, more detailed information
regarding the directors and officers of Alset, or persons who may under SEC
rules be deemed in the solicitation of proxies to Alset's stockholders in
connection with the Proposed Business Combination, in the Registration Statement
or in Alset's Form 10-K or its Form 10-Q. Additional information regarding the
interests of such persons are likewise included in that Registration Statement.
You may obtain free copies of these documents as described above.
Non-Solicitation
This Current Report is not a proxy statement or solicitation of a proxy, consent
or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the Proposed
Business Combination and shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation
of an offer to buy any securities, or a solicitation of any vote or approval,
nor shall there be any sale of securities in any state or jurisdiction in which
such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or
qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. No
offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the
requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption
therefrom.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
Exhibit No. Description
104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL
document)
© Edgar Online, source Glimpses