Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this Report
including, without limitation, statements under this "Item 2. Management's
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations"
regarding our financial position, business strategy and the plans and objectives
of management for future operations, are forward- looking statements. When used
in this Report, words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect,"
"intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management,
identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based
on the beliefs of our management, as well as assumptions made by, and
information currently available to our management. Actual results could differ
materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result
of certain factors detailed in our filings with the SEC. All subsequent written
or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our
behalf are qualified in their entirety by this paragraph.
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of
operations should be read in conjunction with the unaudited condensed financial
statements and the notes thereto included in this Report under "Item 1 Financial
Statements". Certain information contained in the discussion and analysis set
forth below includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and
uncertainties.
Overview
We are a blank check company incorporated on October 12, 2020 as a Delaware
corporation and formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange,
asset acquisition, stock purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or other
similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities.
We expect to continue to incur significant costs in the pursuit of our
acquisition plans. We cannot assure you that our plans to complete an initial
Business Combination will be successful.
Recent Development
On October 24, 2022, the Company, entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger
(the "Merger Agreement") with European Lithium Limited, an Australian Public
Company limited by shares ("EUR"), European Lithium AT (Investments) Limited, a
BVI business company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands and a direct,
wholly-owned subsidiary of EUR (the "European Lithium"), Critical Metals Corp.,
a BVI business company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands ("Pubco") and
Project Wolf Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary
of Pubco, pursuant to which, upon closing of the Business Combination (the
"Closing"), Pubco will acquire all of the issued and outstanding capital shares
and equity interests of the European Lithium from EUR in exchange for ordinary
shares of Pubco, European Lithium shall become a wholly owned subsidiary of
Pubco and EUR shall become a shareholder of Pubco (the "Share Exchange"); and
immediately thereafter Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company, with the
Company continuing as the surviving entity and wholly owned subsidiary of Pubco.
Further, (a) the Company's issued and outstanding shares common stock
immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger, will be cancelled in
exchange for the right of the holder thereof to receive one ordinary share, par
value $0.0001 per share, of Pubco ("Ordinary Share"); (b) all of the outstanding
Public Warrants of the Company, entitling the holder thereof to purchase one
share of common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share will be converted
into the right to receive a warrant to purchase one Ordinary Share at the same
exercise price, being an exercise price of $11.50 per share, and (c) EUR will
receive the number of Ordinary Shares in the Share Exchange that shall have an
aggregate value equal to the Closing Share Consideration (as defined in the
Merger Agreement) consisting of $750,000,000 divided by the redemption amount
per share of common stock payable to the Company's public stockholders that
elect to redeem common stock in connection with the Closing, and, subject to
applicable terms and conditions, earnout consideration of up to an additional
10% of such Closing Share Consideration, in each case subject to adjustment as
set forth in the Merger Agreement, and all upon the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement.
Refer to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on October 25, 2022,
for additional information.
Results of Operations
As of September 30, 2022, we had not commenced any operations. All activity for
the period from October 12, 2020 (inception) through September 30, 2022 relates
to our formation, the initial public offering and the search for a target
company for an initial business Combination. We have neither engaged in any
operations nor generated any revenues to date. We will not generate any
operating revenues until after the completion of our initial Business
Combination, at the earliest. We will generate non-operating income in the form
of interest income on cash and cash equivalents from the proceeds derived from
the initial public offering and the sale of the Private Placement Shares. 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.
For the three months ended September 30, 2022, we had net loss of $63,692, which
consisted of interest income on Trust Account of $723,707, offset by formation
and operating costs of $594,513, Delaware franchise tax of $55,145 and income
tax provision of $137,741.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, we had net loss of $391,426, which
consisted of formation and operating costs of $1,000,028, Delaware franchise tax
of $279,018 and income tax provision of $141,151, offset by interest income on
Trust Account of $1,028,771.
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, we had a net loss of
$1,446 and $9,030, respectively, relating to formation and operating costs.
16
Going Concern, Liquidity and Capital Resources
On November 8, 2021, we consummated our initial public offering of 15,500,000
Units at $10.00 per unit (which included a partial exercise of the underwriters'
over-allotment option), which is discussed in Note 3 and the sale of an
aggregate of 770,000 shares at a price of $10.00 per Private Placement Share in
a private placement to VO Sponsor, LLC (the "Sponsor") and Cantor Fitzgerald&
Co. ("Cantor") that closed simultaneously with the initial public offering. On
November 8, 2021, the underwriter exercised 2,000,000 of the full 2,025,000
over-allotment option available to them and forfeited the remainder. Due to the
partial exercise of the over-allotment option, the initial stockholders
forfeited 8,750 Founder Shares. Transaction costs amounted to $11,381,247
consisting of $2,700,000 of underwriting commissions, $8,150,000 of deferred
underwriting fees and $531,247 of other cash offering costs.
Simultaneously with the closing of the initial public offering, we consummated
the sale of an aggregate of 770,000 shares of common stock at a price of $10.00
per Private Placement Share in a private placement to our Sponsor and to Cantor,
generating gross proceeds to us of $7,700,000. Of the total Private Placement
Shares sold, 722,750 shares were purchased by the Sponsor and 47,250 shares were
purchased by Cantor.
Following the closing of the initial public offering on November 8, 2021,
$158,100,000 ($10.20 per Unit) from the net proceeds sold in the initial public
offering and the proceeds of the sale of the Private Placement Shares, was
deposited in a Trust Account.
As of September 30, 2022, we had $538,622 of cash in our operating bank account
and a working capital of $37,197 (excluding franchise and income taxes payable).
As of December 31, 2021, we had $1,046,646 of cash in our operating bank account
and a working capital of $1,079,831 (excluding franchise tax payable).
Our liquidity needs up to September 30, 2022 have been satisfied through a
payment from the Sponsor of $25,000 for the Founder Shares and the loan under an
unsecured promissory note from the Sponsor of $150,000, which was fully drawn
down as of September 30, 2022. In addition, in order to finance transaction
costs in connection with an initial Business Combination, our Sponsor or an
affiliate of the Sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are
not obligated to, provide us working capital loans. As of September 30, 2022 and
December 31, 2021, there were no amounts outstanding under any working capital
loans.
We have incurred and expect to continue to incur significant costs in pursuit of
our financing and acquisition plans. If our estimates 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, we may have insufficient funds to operate our business prior to an
initial Business Combination. We have until February 8, 2023, 15 months from the
closing of the IPO, which happened on November 8, 2021, to consummate a Business
Combination (the "Combination Period"). It is uncertain that we will be able to
consummate a Business Combination within the Combination Period. If a Business
Combination is not consummated within the Combination Period, there will be a
mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution. As a result of the above, in
connection with our assessment of going concern considerations in accordance
with Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2014-15, "Disclosures of Uncertainties
about an Entity's Ability to Continue as a Going Concern," management has
determined that the liquidity conditions raise substantial doubt about our
ability to continue as a going concern through the earlier of liquidation
deadline of February 8, 2023 and approximately one year from the date of filing.
These unaudited condensed financial statements do not include any adjustments
relating to the recovery of the recorded assets or the classification of the
liabilities that might be necessary should we be unable to continue as a going
concern.
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 the Sponsor
a monthly fee of $10,000 for office space, utilities and secretarial and
administrative support services. We began incurring these fees on November 4,
2021 and will continue to incur these fees monthly until the earlier of the
completion of the initial Business Combination and our liquidation.
17
Registration Rights
The holders of the Founder Shares, Private Placement Shares, EBC Shares and
warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans (and any
shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of the warrants that may be
issued upon conversion of working capital loans) will be entitled to
registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement dated November
8, 2021, requiring us to register such securities for resale. The holders of
these securities will be entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short
form demands, that we register such securities. In addition, the holders have
certain "piggy-back" registration rights with respect to registration statements
filed subsequent to the completion of the initial Business Combination.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the underwriters may not exercise their demand
and "piggyback" registration rights after five and seven years after the
effective date of the Registration Statement and may not exercise their demand
rights on more than one occasion.
Underwriting Agreement
The underwriters are entitled to a cash underwriting discount of 5.0% of the
gross proceeds of the initial public offering, or $8,150,000 (inclusive of the
$400,000 deferral noted above) upon consummation of the initial Business
Combination.
Critical Accounting Policies
Offering Costs
We comply with the requirements of ASC 340-10-S99-1 and SEC Staff Accounting
Bulletin Topic 5A - "Expenses of Offering." Offering costs consist of
underwriter, accounting, filing and legal expenses incurred through the balance
sheet date that are directly related to the initial public offering and were
charged to temporary equity and stockholders' deficit based on the underlying
instruments' relative fair value upon the completion of the initial public
offering. If the initial public offering had proved to be unsuccessful, these
deferred costs, as well as additional expenses to be incurred, would have been
charged to operations.
Fair Value Measurement
Fair value is defined as the price that would be received for sale of an asset
or paid for transfer of a liability, in an orderly transaction between market
participants at the measurement date. GAAP establishes a three-tier fair value
hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. The
hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active
markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the
lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). Our financial
instruments are classified as either Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3. These tiers
include:
? Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices (unadjusted) for
identical instruments in active markets;
? Level 2, defined as inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are
either directly or indirectly observable such as quoted prices for similar
instruments in active markets or quoted prices for identical or similar
instruments in markets that are not active; and
? Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs in which little or no market data
exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions, such as
valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant
inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable.
18
Common Stock Subject to Possible Redemption
We account for our shares of common stock subject to possible redemption in
accordance with guidance in ASC Topic 480 "Distinguishing Liabilities from
Equity." Shares of common stock subject to mandatory redemption (if any) are
classified as a liability instrument and are measured at fair value.
Conditionally redeemable shares of common stock (including 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, shares of
common stock are classified as stockholders' deficit. Our shares of common stock
sold in the initial public offering feature certain redemption rights that are
considered to be outside of our control and subject to the occurrence of
uncertain future events.
We recognize changes in redemption value immediately as they occur and adjusts
the carrying value of shares of redeemable common stock to equal the redemption
value at the end of each reporting period. Such changes are reflected in
additional paid-in capital, or in the absence of additional capital, in
accumulated deficit.
Net Income (Loss) Per Common Stock
We apply the two-class method in calculating earnings per share, with one class
being the redeemable shares and one class being the non-redeemable shares. The
contractual formula utilized to calculate the redemption amount approximates
fair value. Changes in fair value are not considered a dividend for the purposes
of the numerator in the earnings per share calculation. Net income (loss) per
common stock is computed by dividing the pro rata net income (loss) between the
redeemable common stock and the non-redeemable common stock by the weighted
average number of shares of common stock outstanding for each of the periods.
The calculation of diluted income (loss) per share of common stock does not
consider the effect of the warrants issued in connection with the initial public
offering since the exercise of the warrants is contingent upon the occurrence of
future events and the inclusion of such warrants would be anti-dilutive.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Our management does not believe that there are any recently issued, but not
effective, accounting standards, which, if currently adopted, would have a
material effect on our financial statements.
Factors That May Adversely Affect Our Results of Operations
Our results of operations and our ability to complete an initial Business
Combination may be adversely affected by various factors that could cause
economic uncertainty and volatility in the financial markets, many of which are
beyond our control. Our business could be impacted by, among other things,
downturns in the financial markets or in economic conditions, increases in oil
prices, inflation, increases in interest rates, supply chain disruptions,
declines in consumer confidence and spending, the ongoing effects of the
COVID-19 pandemic, including resurgences and the emergence of new variants, and
geopolitical instability, such as the military conflict in Ukraine. We cannot at
this time fully predict the likelihood of one or more of the above events, their
duration or magnitude or the extent to which they may negatively impact our
business and our ability to complete an initial Business Combination.
© Edgar Online, source Glimpses