Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
First Amendment to the Agreement and Plan of Merger
On May 7, 2021, Forum Merger III Corporation ("Forum") entered into an amendment
(the "First Amendment") to that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger entered
into on December 10, 2020 (the "Merger Agreement") with ELMS Merger Corp., a
Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Forum ("Merger Sub"),
Electric Last Mile, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("ELM"), and Jason Luo, in his
capacity as the initial stockholder representative to ELM, pursuant to which,
subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions set forth therein
(including the completion of the Carveout Transaction (as defined below)),
Merger Sub will merge with and into ELM, with ELM surviving the merger in
accordance with the Delaware General Corporation Law as a wholly owned
subsidiary of Forum (the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, the
"Business Combination").
The consummation of the Business Combination is subject to, among other
conditions, (i) the effectiveness of (A) the exclusive IP license agreement,
dated April 9, 2021, by and between SF Motors Inc. (d/b/a SERES), a Delaware
corporation ("SERES"), and ELM (the "SERES Exclusive Intellectual Property
License Agreement"), (B) the agreement of purchase and sale, dated April 9,
2021, by and between SERES and ELM (the "SERES Asset Purchase Agreement"), and
(C) the supply agreement, dated April 9, 2021, by and between Chongqing Sokon
Motor (Group) Imp. & Exp. Co., Ltd. ("Sokon") and ELM (the "Sokon Supply
Agreement" and, together with the SERES Exclusive Intellectual Property License
Agreement and the SERES Asset Purchase Agreement, the "Key Contracts"), and that
each such contract is valid and binding and in full force and effect, no written
notice of intent to terminate any such contracts has been delivered and that the
transactions contemplated by such contracts have been consummated; (ii) the
acquisition by ELM of a leasehold interest in, or fee simple title to, the
Mishawaka, Indiana manufacturing facility (provided that Forum has agreed that
this condition will be waived upon delivery by ELM of evidence of the mutual
written agreement of ELM and SERES as to the date and time of the transfer of
possession of the facility to ELM in accordance with the SERES Asset Purchase
Agreement, which date and time shall be no later than two business days
following the closing of the Business Combination (the "Closing")); and (iii)
the receipt by ELM of key intellectual property rights related to its proposed
business from SERES ((i), (ii) and (iii) collectively referred to as the
"Carveout Transaction").
Pursuant to the First Amendment, Forum will issue, at Closing, 5,000,000 shares
of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of Forum ("common stock") to SERES
in satisfaction of ELM's obligation under the SERES Asset Purchase Agreement to
deliver shares of common stock to SERES as compensation for strategic
cooperation, consulting services and technical support provided by SERES to ELM
prior to the Closing.
1
Letter Agreement
In connection with the execution of the Key Contracts, on May 7, 2021, Forum
executed a letter agreement (the "Letter Agreement") in favor of ELM confirming
that, for purposes of the Merger Agreement, (1) the term "Key Contract" is
deemed to exclude reference to the Transition Services Agreement and the SERES
Exclusive Patent License Agreement (in each case, as defined in the Merger
Agreement), (2) each reference in the Merger Agreement to the "SERES Lease
Agreement" is deemed to refer to the SERES Asset Purchase Agreement, and (3)
each reference in the Merger Agreement to the "Sokon Supply Agreement" is deemed
to refer to the Sokon Supply Agreement. In addition, Forum agreed in the Letter
Agreement that the condition to closing in the Merger Agreement requiring ELM to
acquire a leasehold interest in, or fee simple title to, the Mishawaka, Indiana
manufacturing facility will be waived by Forum upon delivery by ELM of evidence
of the mutual written agreement of ELM and SERES as to the date and time of the
transfer of possession of the facility to ELM in accordance with the SERES Asset
Purchase Agreement, which date and time shall be no later than two business days
following the Closing. In the Letter Agreement, Forum also confirmed that the
closing condition requiring that each of the Key Contracts be executed by each
of the parties thereto, in form and substance acceptable to Forum (in Forum's
sole discretion), has been satisfied in full.
The foregoing descriptions of the First Amendment and the Letter Agreement do
not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by the terms and
conditions of the First Amendment and the Letter Agreement, copies of which are
attached as Exhibits 2.1 and 10.1 hereto and are incorporated by reference
herein.
Important Information About the Business Combination and Where to Find It
In connection with the Business Combination, Forum filed a preliminary proxy
statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and intends
to file a definitive proxy statement with the SEC. Forum's stockholders and
other interested persons are advised to read the preliminary proxy statement and
any amendments thereto and, when available, the definitive proxy statement, in
connection with Forum's solicitation of proxies for its special meeting of
stockholders to be held to approve, among other things, the Business
Combination, because these documents contain important information about Forum,
ELM and the Business Combination. When available, the definitive proxy statement
for the Business Combination will be mailed to stockholders of Forum as of a
record date to be established for voting on the Business Combination. Forum's
stockholders may also obtain a copy of the preliminary proxy statement, any
amendments thereto, and, once available, the definitive proxy statement, as well
as other documents filed with the SEC by Forum, without charge, at the SEC's
website located at www.sec.gov or by directing a request to: Forum Merger III
Corporation, 1615 South Congress Avenue, Suite 103, Delray Beach, FL 33445.
Participants in the Solicitation
Forum and its directors and executive officers may be considered participants in
the solicitation of proxies with respect to the Business Combination.
Information about the directors and executive officers of Forum and a
description of their interests in Forum are set forth in the preliminary proxy
statement, which was filed with the SEC, and will be set forth in the definitive
proxy statement, when it is filed with the SEC, in connection with the proposed
Business Combination. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the
sources indicated above. ELM and its directors and executive officers may also
be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the
stockholders of Forum in connection with the Business Combination. A list of the
names of such directors and executive officers and information regarding their
interests in the Business Combination are set forth in the preliminary proxy
statement, which was filed with the SEC, and will be set forth in the definitive
proxy statement, when it is filed with the SEC, in connection with the proposed
Business Combination. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the
sources indicated above.
2
Forward-Looking Statements
This Current Report on Form 8-K includes "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Forum's and ELM'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,"
"continue," and similar expressions are intended to identify such
forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without
limitation, Forum's and ELM's expectations with respect to future performance
and anticipated financial impacts of the Business Combination, the satisfaction
of the closing conditions to the Business Combination, the size, demands and
growth potential of the markets for ELM's products and ELM's ability to serve
those markets, ELM's ability to develop innovative products and compete with
other companies engaged in the commercial delivery vehicle industry and/or the
electric vehicle industry, ELM's ability to attract and retain customers, the
estimated go to market timing and cost for ELM's products, the implied valuation
of ELM and the timing of the completion of the Business Combination. These
forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that
could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results.
Most of these factors are outside Forum's and ELM's control and are difficult to
predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited
to: (1) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could
give rise to the termination of the Merger Agreement relating to the Business
Combination or could otherwise cause the Business Combination to fail to close;
(2) the inability of ELM to consummate the Carveout Transaction (as defined
below); (3) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against
Forum or ELM following the announcement of the Business Combination; (4) the
inability to complete the Business Combination, including due to failure to
obtain approval of the stockholders of Forum or other conditions to closing in
the Merger Agreement; (5) the receipt of an unsolicited offer from another party
for an alternative business transaction that could interfere with the Business
Combination; (6) the inability to obtain the listing of the common stock of the
post-acquisition company on the Nasdaq Stock Market or any alternative national
securities exchange following the Business Combination; (7) the risk that the
announcement and consummation of the Business Combination disrupts current plans
and operations; (8) the inability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the
Business Combination, which may be affected by, among other things, competition
and the ability of the combined company to grow and manage growth profitably and
retain its key employees; (9) costs related to the Business Combination; (10)
changes in applicable laws or regulations; (11) the possibility that ELM may be
adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; (12)
the impact of COVID-19 on the combined company's business; and (13) other risks
and uncertainties indicated from time to time in the proxy statement filed
relating to the Business Combination, including those under the "Risk Factors"
section therein, and in Forum's other filings with the SEC. Some of these risks
and uncertainties may in the future be amplified by the COVID-19 outbreak and
there may be additional risks that Forum and ELM consider immaterial or which
are unknown. Forum and ELM caution that the foregoing list of factors is not
exclusive. Forum and ELM caution readers not to place undue reliance upon any
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. ELM is
currently engaged in limited operations only and its ability to carry out its
business plans and strategies in the future are contingent upon the closing of
the Business Combination. The consummation of the Business Combination is
subject to, among other conditions, (i) the effectiveness of certain agreements
between ELM and SF Motors, Inc. (d/b/a SERES) ("SERES"), (ii) the acquisition by
ELM of a leasehold interest in, or fee simple title to, the Indiana
manufacturing facility prior to the Business Combination (provided that Forum
has agreed that this condition will be waived upon delivery by ELM of evidence
of the mutual written agreement of ELM and SERES as to the date and time of the
transfer of possession of the facility to ELM, which date and time shall be no
later than two business days following the closing of the Business Combination),
and (iii) the securing by ELM of key intellectual property rights related to its
proposed business (collectively, the "Carveout Transaction"). All statements
herein regarding ELM's anticipated business assume the completion of the
Carveout Transaction. Forum and ELM do not undertake or accept any obligation or
undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking
statements to reflect any change in their expectations or any change in events,
conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
No Offer or Solicitation
This Current Report on Form 8-K shall not constitute a solicitation of a proxy,
consent or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the
Business Combination. This Current Report on Form 8-K shall also not constitute
an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor
shall there be any sale of securities in any states or jurisdictions in which
such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or
qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.
3
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
Exhibit No. Description
2.1 First Amendment to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May
7, 2021, by and among Forum Merger III Corporation, ELMS Merger Corp.,
Electric Last Mile, Inc. and Jason Luo.
10.1 Letter Agreement, dated as of May 7, 2021, by Forum Merger III
Corporation.
4
© Edgar Online, source Glimpses