Ideation Acquisition Corp.
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
Form 10-K
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ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2007
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TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the transition period from to
IDEATION ACQUISITION CORP.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Delaware
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001-33800
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77-0688094 |
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
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(Commission File Number)
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(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
100 North Crescent Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(Address of principal executive offices)(zip code)
(310) 694-8150
(Registrants telephone number, including area code)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
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Title of Class |
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Name of Exchange on which registered |
Units, each consisting of one share of Common Stock, $0.0001 par value,
and One Warrant to Purchase Common Stock
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The American Stock Exchange |
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Common Stock, $0.0001 par value
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The American Stock Exchange |
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Warrants to Purchase Common Stock
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The American Stock Exchange |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
None.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of
the Securities Act. YES o NO þ
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or
Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. YES o NO þ
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for
such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been
subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. YES þ NO o
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is
not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrants knowledge, in
definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K
or any amendment to this Form 10-K. þ
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large
accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of large accelerated filer, accelerated filer and smaller reporting company in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
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Large accelerated filer o
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Accelerated filer o
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Non-accelerated
filer þ
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Smaller reporting company o |
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(Do not check if a smaller reporting company) |
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the
Exchange Act). YES þ NO o
The registrant commenced trading its units on November 20, 2007 and the registrants common
stock and warrants commenced trading separately from its units on December 26, 2007. As a result,
there was no aggregate market value of the registrants voting or non-voting equity held by
non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2007. The aggregate market value of the outstanding
common stock, other than shares held by persons who may be deemed affiliates of the registrant,
computed by reference to the closing sale price for the registrants Common Stock on December 31,
2007 as reported on The American Stock Exchange, was approximately $38,500,000.
The number of outstanding shares of the Registrants common stock as of March 25, 2008 was
12,500,000.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K that are not purely historical are
forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to,
statements regarding our managements expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies
regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other
characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are
forward-looking statements. The words anticipates, believe, continue, could, estimate,
expect, intends, may, might, plan, possible, potential, predicts, project,
should, would and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence
of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements
in this Annual Report on Form 10-K may include, for example, statements about our:
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ability to complete a combination with a target business; |
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success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, key employees or
directors following a business combination; |
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management team allocating their time to other businesses and potentially having conflicts of
interest with our business or in approving a business combination, as a result of which they
would then receive expense reimbursements; |
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potential inability to obtain additional financing to complete a business combination; |
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limited pool of prospective target businesses; |
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potential change in control if we acquire a target business for stock; |
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public securities limited liquidity and trading, as well as the current lack of a trading market; |
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delisting of our securities from the American Stock Exchange or an inability to have our
securities quoted on the American Stock Exchange following a business combination; |
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use of proceeds not in trust and our financial performance following our initial
public offering; or |
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our financial performance following our initial public offering. |
The forward-looking statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are based on our
current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us.
There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we have
anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of
which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to
be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These
risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those factors described under the heading
Risk Factors in Item 1A below. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize,
or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from
those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or
revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws and/or if and when management
knows or has a reasonable basis on which to conclude that previously disclosed projections are no
longer reasonably attainable.
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PART I
Item 1. Business
General
References to we, us or the Company are to Ideation Acquisition Corp.
We are a blank check company organized under the laws of the State of Delaware on June 1,
2007. We were formed for the purpose of acquiring, through a merger, capital stock exchange, asset
acquisition or other similar business combination, one or more businesses. While our efforts in
identifying prospective target businesses will not be limited to a particular industry, we expect
to focus on businesses in the digital media sector, which encompasses companies that emphasize the
use of digital technology to create, distribute or service others that create or distribute content
for various platforms including online, mobile, satellite, television, cable, radio, print, film,
video games and software. Digital technology refers to the use of digitally-enabled means, as
opposed to analog means, to process, transmit, store or display content. We may also focus on
traditional media businesses, including motion picture exhibition companies, television and radio
broadcast companies, print media publishing companies and traditional content libraries, if we
believe that the incorporation of digital technology will enhance and accelerate the growth of
those businesses. We have not established specific criteria that would trigger our consideration of
businesses outside of the digital media sector. In addition, we intend to direct our search toward
digital media businesses in the United States, but we would also consider businesses outside of the
United States.
The registration statement (File No. 333-144218) for our initial public offering of 10,000,000
units (IPO), each unit consisting of one share of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, and
one warrant exercisable for an additional share of common stock (a Warrant) was declared
effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on November 19, 2007. On November 26,
2007, we completed our IPO at a price of $8.00 per unit.
Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of our common stock at a price of $6.00
exercisable on the later of our consummation of a business combination or November 19, 2008,
provided in each case that there is an effective registration statement covering the shares of
common stock underlying the warrants in effect. The Warrants expire on November 19, 2011, unless
earlier redeemed. Additionally, our initial stockholders purchased an aggregate of 2,400,000
warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant ($2.4 million in the aggregate) in a private placement
transaction (the Private Placement) that occurred immediately prior to our IPO. Upon the closing
of our IPO, on November 26, 2007, we sold and issued an option for $100 to purchase up to 500,000
units, at $10.00 per unit, to the representatives of the underwriters in our
IPO. The units issuable upon exercise of this option are identical
to those offered in the Offering; however, the warrants will entitle
the holder to purchase from the Company one share of common stock at
an exercise price of $7.00 per share.
We received net proceeds of approximately $79.1 million from our IPO and the Private
Placement. Of those net proceeds, approximately $2.73 million is attributable to the portion of the
underwriters discount which has been deferred until our consummation of a business combination. Of
these net proceeds, $78.8 million was deposited into a trust account maintained at Continental
Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the Trust Account) and will be held in trust and not released
until the earlier to occur of (i) the completion of a business combination or (ii) our liquidation,
in which case such proceeds will be distributed to our public stockholders. For a more complete
discussion of our financial information, see the section appearing elsewhere in this Annual Report
entitled Selected Financial Data.
Digital Media Sector Trends
The enterprises that create and distribute content and entertainment and their related service
businesses are in the midst of a dramatic transformation, mostly due to technological innovation.
Content owners are struggling to adapt to changing paradigms and disruptions to their traditional
business models. Some of the key trends impacting the digital media sector are as follows:
Proliferation of broadband internet access. According to the Global Household Subscription
Forecast, 2007-2011, by Ben Piper of Strategy Analytics, dated July 30, 2007, nearly half of all
North American households had broadband Internet access in 2006, with broadband Internet
penetration expected to reach 73% by 2010. In addition, according to Market Analysis: U.S.
Broadband Services 2006-2010 Forecast published by IDC, dated September 2006, IDC estimates that
the average speed of downstream access for a broadband connection, the speed at which an end-user
accesses media files, doubled from the third quarter of 2004 to the same quarter of 2006. The
proliferation of broadband Internet connections has provided an increasing number of users with the
capability to access rich media content efficiently.
Increasing sophistication of Internet-connected devices. The proliferation of devices that
are capable of connecting to the Internet, such as MP3 players, mobile phones and videogame
consoles, has given users more control and flexibility over how and where they access and use media
content from the Internet. For example, the
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increasing prevalence of music-enabled consumer electronic devices is driving the transition of
music from offline to online to mobile phones. We believe that this trend will result in greater
usage of rich multimedia, such as short-form video and music, as wireless service providers seek to
differentiate their service offerings.
Explosion of user-generated content. Through technologies like Internet search, personal
digital video recorders, video-on-demand and social media platforms, consumers are increasingly
accustomed to immediate, on-demand access to media content, including videos, music and photos
provided by media or content providers or by users themselves. The popularity of websites like
YouTube and My Space are driving increased interest in watching user-created content online. As a
result, consumers are spending more time online and downloading and uploading significantly larger
files. As content becomes more personalized, we believe that users will consume content that is
targeted towards their own tastes, thus moving beyond the mass market broadcasting methods of
distributing video and film.
Importance of social networking. Social networking websites allow users to create their own
personalized webpage, express their personality and interact with people with similar interests.
Social networking sites are among the most popular destinations online, where users spend a
significant amount of their time online. Social networking websites typically offer interactive
entertainment, such as blogs, audio, video, messaging and discussion forums. These virtual
communities offer advertisers the ability to tailor marketing to consumers more precisely. Beyond
advertising, companies use social networking sites as a tool to promote their products through
viral marketing. These sites offer a powerful way to attract users with good content that is
tightly integrated with their brand. Furthermore, many social networking websites offer some form
of role-play or game situation encompassing the social network, which brings new revenue sources,
including merchandising, pay for usage components and immersive advertising, where brands are used
on items inside the game. Finally, many companies use social networking tools, such as customer
recommendations or ratings of products or services, to enable consumers to find products and
services more easily on their websites.
Long Tail opportunities created by the Internet. The traditional retailers and
distributors of entertainment content, such as movie theaters, music stores, book stores and DVD
rental stores, are governed by their need to find large audiences in order to maximize the use of
limited physical space. Therefore, these traditional channels focus on the marketing and
distribution of hits, or the highest volume, most popular titles with mass market appeal.
However, outside of the hits, there is a significant amount of high quality entertainment content
that has the potential to generate meaningful revenues but does not meet the revenue thresholds set
by the traditional distribution channels. These represent opportunities that exist in the long
tail, which is a term used in statistics to describe the low-frequency population which gradually
tails off following a high-frequency population. E-commerce companies without the constraints of
physical space, such as eBay, Amazon, RealNetworks and Netflix, have used the Internet to exploit
long tail opportunities by expanding the amount of content available to consumers at minimal
incremental cost. Content libraries can be digitized, stored on the Internet and sold to niche
markets, where consumers may be willing to pay higher prices for content that is harder to locate.
The increased breadth of available content enables consumers to personalize their media content by
pulling only the content that they desire, rather than having mass media pushed to them via
traditional channels.
Evolution of Hollywoods content distribution model. Hollywoods traditional distribution
system relies on sequential windows of exclusive viewing, designed to maximize revenue over the
life cycle of the film. The traditional migration of a film through the movie theaters, video/DVD,
pay-per-view, premium cable channels, network and free cable channels and finally syndicated TV is
being challenged. The length of these exclusivity windows is being reduced; for example, cable
companies and studios are now making some films available on video on demand on the same day as the
DVD release.
New forms of content. High speed internet access and more cost-effective storage capacity
solutions are increasingly enabling consumers to view any film, television show or peer-to-peer
clip in the comfort in their own home. In the near future, we believe that the traditional concept
of a television show or film will be challenged. Entertainment will likely evolve into structured
or unstructured forms of various lengths that viewers can enjoy on demand on the platform of their
choice.
Impact of technology on content creation. New technology and equipment is streamlining the
production of content, enabling studios to create content quicker and realize significant cost
savings. Production processes that had not significantly changed in over 100 years are being
transformed. New high definition video cameras are approaching the quality level of 35 millimeter
cameras, which have been traditionally used in film production. Several recent major motion
pictures, such as Collateral and Star Wars have been shot on video. The use of digital video
instead of traditional film makes the editing, special effects, lab development, music, graphics,
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titles, storage, dailies and other processes cheaper and simpler. Digital projection at the
movie theaters can potentially save the film industry hundreds of millions of dollars per year by
eliminating the need to deliver film physically to the theaters. Special effects and animation
processes are now mostly digitized and are continuously becoming more efficient. New software
systems have streamlined the budgeting, scheduling, accounting and other elements of the production
process.
Assault on intellectual property rights. The design, distribution, protection and
consumption of all forms of digital content are continuing to experience an unprecedented amount of
change. With the expansion of high-bandwidth Internet infrastructure and the shift to digital
media, PC-based entertainment platforms, digital portable devices, networked devices, Internet
downloads and the proliferation of peer-to-peer, or P2P, file sharing networks, content and
copyright owners are vulnerable to unauthorized use of their content. Inexpensive, easy to use
in-home copying devices, such as VCRs, CD and DVD recorders, and PC based hard drive recorders
enable consumers to make unauthorized copies of video, audio and software content. Content owners
lose billions of dollars every year to casual copying and professional or bootleg piracy and
Internet/P2P piracy. For example, according to a study prepared by L.E.K. for the Motion Picture
Association, the major U.S. motion picture studios lost $6.1 billion to piracy worldwide in 2005.
As technological advances facilitate digital downloads and digital copying, motion picture studios,
music labels, cable television program distributors and software games publishers have become more
concerned with protecting their intellectual property.
The information provided above relates to the digital media sector. Although we expect to
focus our search on businesses in the digital media sector, our efforts in identifying prospective
target businesses will not be limited to a particular industry, and we may seek to acquire a target
business or businesses outside of the digital media sector, at any time following the consummation
of this offering, if we believe that doing so would be in the best interest of our stockholders.
Any information regarding the digital media sector that is included in this prospectus would be
irrelevant if we decide to consider a target business or businesses outside of the digital media
sector.
Business Strategy
We have identified the following criteria that we believe are important in evaluating
prospective target businesses. While our management intends to utilize these criteria in evaluating
business combination opportunities both in and outside of the digital media sector, we expect that
no individual criterion will entirely determine a decision to pursue a particular opportunity.
Further, any particular business combination opportunity which our management ultimately determines
to pursue may not meet one or more of these criteria. We have not established specific criteria
that would trigger our consideration of businesses outside of the digital media sector.
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Growth orientation. We will seek to acquire companies that we expect to experience
substantial growth post-acquisition. We believe that we are well-positioned to evaluate a
companys current growth prospects and opportunities to enhance growth post-acquisition. |
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Hidden intrinsic value. We will seek situations where we are able to acquire target
companies that have unseen value or other characteristics that have been disregarded by the
marketplace. We intend to leverage the operational experience and financial acumen of our
team to focus on unlocking value others may have overlooked, as a means to generate
significant growth post closing. |
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Attractive return on investment. We will seek to identify businesses that will offer an
attractive risk-adjusted return on investment for our shareholders. We will look to
consummate an acquisition on attractive terms and to use our corporate structure as an
asset in negotiations with owners of prospective targets. Financial returns will be
evaluated based on both organic cash flow growth potential and an ability to create value
through new initiatives such as future acquisitions, repositioning the company, increasing
investment in new products or distribution channels and operational restructuring. This
potential upside from growth in the business will be weighed against the downside risks
inherent in the plan and in the business. |
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Outstanding management team. We believe that experienced, proven entrepreneurial
managers working as a complementary team are a critical component to creating and
sustaining long-term value. We will look for businesses that have management teams with a
proven track record for delivering top line growth and bottom line profits, but, in each
situation, we will assess opportunities to improve a targets management team and to
recruit additional talent. |
Our Competitive Strengths
We believe that we have the following competitive strengths, which will help us consummate an
attractive business combination opportunity. However, we cannot assure you that we will be able to
locate a target business or that we will succeed in consummating a business combination.
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Extensive track record with mergers and acquisitions. Our management team, including
our officers and directors, and our special advisors, have experience in all phases of
acquisition and growth financing transactions in both the public and private markets.
Notably, Dr. Phillip Frost, our Chairman of the Board, founded IVAX Corporation, which was
sold for $9.2 billion, including assumed debt, to Teva Pharmaceuticals in 2006. During Dr.
Frosts tenure, IVAX consummated in excess of 50 acquisitions and divestitures primarily
in the healthcare industry. Mr. Steven D. Rubin and Dr. Rao Uppaluri, two of our executive
officers, along with Dr. Frost, were responsible for the due diligence, structuring,
negotiating and closing of many of these acquisitions. In addition, Dr. Frost founded Key
Pharmaceuticals, which was sold to Schering-Plough in 1986 for $600 million. |
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Expertise in identifying and financing emerging technology companies. Dr. Frost, Dr.
Uppaluri and Mr. Rubin are members of The Frost Group, a private investment firm, which
has made a number of investments in various development stage technology companies, in the
United States and abroad, in a variety of industries other than the digital media sector.
These investments, which range from small minority investments to controlling majority
stakes, span a wide range of cutting edge technology platforms in the areas of
pharmaceuticals, diagnostic devices, medical devices, telecommunications, software for
seismic data analysis, and new materials for computer chips. The Frost Group not only has
expertise in identifying emerging technologies, but also has extensive experience in
taking development stage companies public through a reverse merger with a public shell
company. |
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Unique deal sourcing capabilities. Mr. Robert N. Fried, our Chief Executive Officer,
has over 23 years of experience founding and operating traditional and digital media
companies, as well as producing numerous award winning feature films. His experience in
both the creative and business aspects of the entertainment industry provides exposure to
a unique array of business opportunities and the ability to evaluate these opportunities
critically. He has developed a wide network of relationships with executives and board
members of digital media companies, as well as influential artists and content creators.
We believe that Mr. Frieds experience with all aspects of the entertainment industry
makes him uniquely qualified to find attractive business combination opportunities in the
digital media sector and to present those opportunities to us. |
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Management operating experience. Our management team has significant experience in
founding, operating and building companies in a variety of industries. We believe that
this experience provides us with a competitive advantage in evaluating businesses and
acquisition opportunities. In addition, the members of our management team have served as
senior officers and directors of acquiring and acquired private and public companies. This
experience also assists us in evaluating whether acquisition targets have the resources
necessary to operate as publicly traded companies. |
Effecting a Business Combination
General
We are not presently engaged in, and we will not engage in, any substantive commercial
business for an indefinite period of time until we have consummated a business combination. We
intend to utilize cash derived from the proceeds of our offering and the private placement of our
insider warrants, our capital stock, debt or a combination of these in effecting a business
combination. Although substantially all of the net proceeds of the offering were intended to be
applied generally toward effecting a business combination, the proceeds are not otherwise being
designated for any more specific purposes. If we engage in a business combination with a target
business using our capital stock and/or debt financing as the consideration to fund the
combination, proceeds from our offering and the private placement of the insider warrants will then
be used to undertake additional acquisitions or to fund the operations of the target business on a
post-combination basis. We may also engage in a business combination with a company which does not
need substantial additional capital but which desires to establish a public trading market for its
shares, while avoiding what it may deem to be adverse consequences of undertaking a public offering
itself. These include time delays, significant expense, loss of voting control and compliance with
various Federal and state securities laws. In the alternative, we may seek to consummate a business
combination with a company that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development
or growth. While we may seek to effect business combinations with more than one target business, we
will probably have the ability, as a result of our limited resources, to effect only a single
business combination.
We Have Not Identified a Target Business
We are currently in the process of identifying and evaluating targets for a business
combination. We cannot assure you, however, that we will be able to locate a target business or
that we will be able to engage in a business combination transaction with a target business on
favorable terms.
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Prior to completion of a business combination, we will seek to have all vendors, prospective
target businesses or other entities with whom we contract, which we refer to as potential
contracted parties or a potential contracted party, execute agreements with us waiving any right,
title, interest or claim of any kind whatsoever in or to any funds held in the Trust Account for
the benefit of our public stockholders. Such a waiver will apply to any kind of right, title,
interest or claim that a potential contracted party may have. In the event that a potential
contracted party refuses to execute such a waiver, we will execute an agreement with that entity
only if our management first determines that we would be unable to obtain, on a reasonable basis,
substantially similar services or opportunities from another entity willing to execute such a
waiver. Examples of instances where we may engage a third party that refused to execute a waiver
would be the engagement of a third party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are
believed by management to be superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a
waiver or a situation in which management does not believe it would be able to find a provider of
required services willing to provide the waiver. If a vendor or service provider or a prospective
target business refuses to execute such a waiver, then Dr. Phillip Frost, Robert N. Fried, Rao
Uppaluri, Steven D. Rubin and Jane Hsiao will be personally liable and to the extent any claims by
any such party would reduce the amounts in the Trust Account available for distribution to our
stockholders in the event of a liquidation.
Subject to the limitations that a target business have a fair market value of at least 80% of
our net assets (excluding deferred underwriting discounts and commissions of $2.73 million) at the
time of the acquisition, we will have virtually unrestricted flexibility in identifying and
selecting a prospective acquisition candidate. Other than the broad guidelines described above, we
have not established any specific attributes or criteria for prospective target businesses.
Accordingly, there is no reliable basis for investors to currently evaluate the possible merits or
risks of the target business with which we may ultimately complete a business combination. To the
extent we effect a business combination with a company that does not have a stable history of
earnings and growth or an entity in a relatively early stage of its development or growth,
including entities without established records of sales or earnings, we may be affected by numerous
risks inherent in the business and operations of that company. Although our management will
endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that
we will properly ascertain or assess all significant risk factors.
Sources of Target Businesses
We anticipate that target business candidates will be brought to our attention from various
unaffiliated sources, including investment bankers, venture capital funds, private equity funds,
leveraged buyout funds, management buyout funds and other members of the financial community.
Target businesses may be brought to our attention by such unaffiliated sources as a result of being
solicited by us through calls, mailings or advertisements. These sources may also introduce us to
target businesses they think we may be interested in on an unsolicited basis. Our officers and
directors as well as their affiliates may also bring to our attention target business candidates
that they become aware of through their business contacts as a result of formal or informal
inquiries or discussions they may have, as well as attending trade shows or conventions.
While we do not presently anticipate engaging the services of professional firms or other
individuals that specialize in business acquisitions on any formal basis, we may engage these firms
or other individuals in the future. In addition, we may pay fees or compensation to third parties
for their efforts in introducing us to potential target businesses that we have not previously
identified if we believe that the payment of such fees or compensation would be in the best
interest of our stockholders. Such fees or compensation may be calculated as a percentage of the
dollar value of the transaction and/or may involve monthly retainer payments. We will seek to
negotiate the lowest reasonable percentage fee consistent with the attractiveness of the
opportunity and the alternatives, if any, that are then available to us. Payment of finders fees
is customarily tied to completion of a transaction, in which case any such fee will be paid out of
the funds held in the Trust Account and released to us following the business combination. Although
it is possible that we may pay finders fees in the case of an uncompleted transaction, we consider
this possibility to be remote. In no event will we pay any of our initial stockholders, officers,
directors or special advisors, or any entity with which they are affiliated, any finders fee,
consulting fee or other compensation for services rendered to us, prior to, or in connection with,
the consummation of a business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is),
other than the monthly fee of $7,500 for office space and administrative and support services
payable to Clarity, and a potential finders or success fee to Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc., an
affiliate of Dr. Frost, to the extent we enter into an agreement with such company in connection
with our search for a target business. In addition, our initial stockholders, officers, directors
and special advisors have agreed that neither they, nor any of their affiliates, will accept a
finders fee, consulting fee or any similar fees from any person or other entity in connection with
the consummation of a business combination, other than a finders or success fee payable to
Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc., to the extent the Company enters into an agreement with Ladenburg
Thalmann in connection with the Companys search for a target business, and compensation or fees
that may be received for any services provided following such business combination.
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There is no business affiliated with our initial stockholders, officers, directors or special
advisors that is currently being considered as a potential target, but if we decide to enter into a
business combination with a target business that is affiliated with any of our initial
stockholders, officers, directors or special advisors, we would do so only if we obtained an
opinion from an unaffiliated, independent investment banking firm that the business combination is
fair to our stockholders from a financial perspective.
In connection with our search for a target business, we may enter into an agreement with
Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc., an investment banking and securities brokerage firm and a subsidiary
of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc., that provides for the payment of a finders or
success fee. Dr. Frost, our Chairman of the Board, is the Chairman of the Board of Ladenburg
Thalmann Financial Services Inc. and a significant stockholder of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial
Services Inc. In no instance will we pay Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. a finders fee for a
referral involving a business opportunity that was brought to the attention of Ladenburg Thalmann &
Co. Inc. initially by any of our officers, directors or special advisors, including Dr. Frost.
While Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. may be involved in our business combination, neither its role
nor its proposed fee structure has been determined. It is not anticipated that Dr. Frost would be
directly involved in providing any services on behalf of Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. as part of
any business combination involving us.
Selection of a Target Business and Structuring of a Business Combination
Dr. Frost, Dr. Uppaluri and Messrs. Fried and Rubin will supervise the process of evaluating
prospective target businesses, and we expect that they will devote substantial time to the search
for an acquisition candidate. They will be assisted by the rest of our management team, together
with our outside attorneys, accountants and other representatives.
Subject to the requirement that our initial business combination must be with a target
business with a fair market value of at least 80% of our net assets (excluding deferred
underwriting discounts and commissions of $2.73 million) at the time of such acquisition, our
management will have virtually unrestricted flexibility in identifying and selecting a prospective
target business. Other than the broad guidelines described above, we have not established any
specific attributes or criteria for prospective target businesses. In evaluating a prospective
target business in any industry, our management will consider, among other factors, the following:
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financial condition and results of operation; |
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cash flow potential; |
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growth potential; |
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experience and skill of management and availability of additional personnel; |
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capital requirements; |
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competitive position; |
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regulatory or technical barriers to entry; |
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stage of development of the products, processes or services; |
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security measures employed to protect technology, trademarks or trade secrets; |
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degree of current or potential market acceptance of the products, processes or
services; |
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proprietary features and degree of intellectual property or other protection of the
products, processes
or services; |
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regulatory environment of the industry; and |
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costs associated with effecting the business combination. |
These criteria are not intended to be exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a
particular business combination will be based, to the extent relevant, on the above factors as well
as other considerations deemed relevant by our management in effecting a business combination
consistent with our business objective. Management will
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consider these criteria as a whole. For example, one target with a balance sheet that is
stronger than another target due to the existence of higher stockholders equity or other indicia
of financial strength, may have a less established competitive position in its market. We cannot
say which criteria will be most important when evaluating two or more potential business
combinations. In evaluating a prospective target business, we will conduct an extensive due
diligence review which will encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and
inspection of facilities, as well as review of financial and other information which is made
available to us. This due diligence review will be conducted either by our management or by
unaffiliated third parties we may engage.
The structure of a particular business combination may take the form of a merger, capital
stock exchange, asset acquisition or other similar structure. Although we have no commitments to
issue our securities, we may issue a substantial number of additional shares of our common stock or
preferred stock, a combination of common and preferred stock, or debt securities, to complete a
business combination.
We will endeavor to structure a business combination so as to achieve the most favorable tax
treatment to us, the target business and its stockholders. The time and costs required to select
and evaluate a target business and to structure and complete the business combination cannot
presently be ascertained with any degree of certainty. Any costs incurred with respect to the
identification and evaluation of a prospective target business with which a business combination is
not ultimately completed will result in a loss to us and reduce the amount of capital available to
otherwise complete a business combination.
Fair Market Value of Target Business
The target business that we acquire must have a fair market value equal to at least 80% of our
net assets (excluding deferred underwriting discounts and commissions of $2.73 million) at the time
of such acquisition, although we may acquire a target business whose fair market value
significantly exceeds 80% of our net assets. In order to consummate such an acquisition, we may
issue a significant amount of our debt or equity securities to the sellers of such businesses
and/or seek to raise additional funds through a private offering of debt or equity securities.
Since we have no specific business combination under consideration, we have not entered into any
such fund raising arrangement and have no current intention of doing so. The fair market value of
the target will be determined by our board of directors based upon standards generally accepted by
the financial community, such as actual and potential gross margins, the values of comparable
businesses, earnings and cash flow, book value and, where appropriate, upon the advice of
appraisers or other professional consultants. If our board is not able to independently determine
that the target business has a sufficient fair market value, we will obtain an opinion from an
unaffiliated, independent investment banking firm that is a member of the Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority with respect to the satisfaction of such criterion. Since any opinion, if
obtained, would merely state that fair market value meets the 80% of net assets threshold, it is
not anticipated that copies of such opinion would be distributed to our stockholders, although
copies will be provided to stockholders who request it. If we obtain such an opinion, it will
likely be addressed to our board of directors for their use in evaluating the transaction, and we
do not anticipate that our stockholders will be entitled to rely on such opinion. However, since
any such opinion would be attached to, and thoroughly described in, our proxy soliciting materials,
we believe investors will be provided with sufficient information in order to allow them to
properly analyze the transaction. Accordingly, whether the independent investment banking firm
allows stockholders to rely on their opinion will not be a factor in determining which firm to
hire. Other factors expected to be considered by our board of directors in making such decision
include, among others, cost, timing and reputation of the investment bank, including its knowledge
of the target business industry. We will not be required to obtain an opinion from an investment
banking firm as to the fair market value if our board of directors independently determines that
the target business complies with the 80% threshold. To reduce potential conflicts of interest, we
will not consummate a business combination with an entity that is affiliated with any of our
initial stockholders, which includes our officers, directors and special advisors, unless we obtain
an opinion from an unaffiliated, independent investment banking firm that the business combination
is fair to our stockholders from a financial perspective. In the event that we obtain such opinion,
we will file it with the SEC.
Lack of Business Diversification
Our business combination must be with a target business or businesses that satisfy the minimum
valuation standard at the time of such acquisition, as discussed above, although this process may
entail the simultaneous acquisitions of several businesses at the same time. Therefore, at least
initially, the prospects for our success may be entirely dependent upon the future performance of a
single business. Unlike other entities which may have the resources to complete several business
combinations of entities operating in multiple industries or multiple areas of a single industry,
it is probable that we will not have the resources to diversify our operations or benefit from the
possible spreading of risks or offsetting of losses. By consummating a business combination with
only a single entity, our lack of diversification may:
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subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory developments, any
or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact upon the particular industry in
which we may operate
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result in our dependency upon the performance of a single operating business
or the
development or market acceptance of a single or limited number of products, processes or
services. |
If we determine to simultaneously acquire several businesses and such businesses are owned by
different sellers, we will need for each of such sellers to agree that our purchase of its business
is contingent on the simultaneous closings of the other acquisitions, which may make it more
difficult for us, and delay our ability, to complete the business combination. With multiple
acquisitions, we could also face additional risks, including additional burdens and costs with
respect to possible multiple negotiations and due diligence investigations (if there are multiple
sellers) and the additional risks associated with the subsequent assimilation of the operations and
services or products of the acquired companies in a single operating business. In no instance will
we acquire less than majority voting control of a target business. However, this restriction will
not preclude a reverse merger or similar transaction where we will acquire the target business.
Limited Ability to Evaluate the Target Business Management
Although we intend to closely scrutinize the management of a prospective target business when
evaluating the desirability of effecting a business combination, we cannot assure you that our
assessment of the target business management will prove to be correct. In addition, we cannot
assure you that the future management will have the necessary skills, qualifications or abilities
to manage a public company. Furthermore, the future role of our officers and directors, if any, in
the target business following a business combination cannot presently be stated with any certainty.
While it is possible that one or more of our officers, directors and special advisors, including
Mr. Fried, will remain associated in some capacity with us following a business combination
(potentially as officers, directors or consultants), it is unlikely that they will devote their
full time efforts to our affairs subsequent to a business combination. Moreover, they would only be
able to remain with the company after the consummation of a business combination if they are able
to negotiate employment or consulting agreements in connection with the business combination. Such
negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of the business combination and
could provide for them to receive compensation in the form of cash payments and/or our securities
for services they would render to the company after the consummation of the business combination.
While the personal and financial interests of our key personnel may influence their motivation in
identifying and selecting a target business, their ability to remain with the company after the
consummation of a business combination will not be the determining factor in our decision as to
whether or not we will proceed with any potential business combination. Additionally, we cannot
assure you that our officers and directors will have significant experience or knowledge relating
to the operations of the particular target business.
Following a business combination, we may seek to recruit additional managers to supplement the
incumbent management of the target business. We cannot assure you that we will have the ability to
recruit additional managers, or that any such additional managers we do recruit will have the
requisite skills, knowledge or experience necessary to enhance the incumbent management.
Opportunity for Stockholder Approval of Business Combination
Prior to the completion of a business combination, we will submit the transaction to our
stockholders for approval, even if the nature of the acquisition is such as would not ordinarily
require stockholder approval under applicable state law. In connection with any such transaction,
we will also submit to our stockholders for approval a proposal to amend our amended and restated
certificate of incorporation to provide for our corporate life to continue perpetually following
the consummation of such business combination. We will consummate a business combination only if
stockholders vote both in favor of such business combination and our amendment to extend our
corporate life.
In connection with seeking stockholder approval of a business combination, we will furnish our
stockholders with proxy solicitation materials prepared in accordance with the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, which, among other matters, will include a description of the operations
of the target business and audited historical financial statements of the business.
In connection with the vote required for any business combination, all of our initial
stockholders have agreed to vote their respective initial shares in accordance with the majority of
the shares of common stock voted by the public stockholders. This voting arrangement shall not
apply to shares included in units purchased in our IPO or purchased following our IPO in the open
market by any of our initial stockholders, officers and directors. Accordingly, they may vote these
shares on a proposed business combination any way they choose. We will proceed with the business
combination only if a majority of the shares of common stock voted by the public stockholders are
voted in
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favor of the business combination and public stockholders owning 30% or more of the shares
sold in our IPO do not both exercise their conversion rights and vote against the business
combination.
Conversion Rights
At the time we seek stockholder approval of any business combination, we will offer each
public stockholder the right to have such stockholders shares of common stock converted to cash if
the stockholder votes against the business combination and the business combination is approved and
completed. Our initial stockholders will not be able to convert shares of our common stock owned by
them, directly or indirectly, whether acquired prior to, in or after our initial public offering
(nor will they seek appraisal rights with respect to such shares if appraisal rights would be
available to them). The actual per-share conversion price will be equal to the amount in the Trust
Account (a portion of which is made up of $2,730,000 in deferred underwriting discounts and
commissions), inclusive of any interest thereon and not previously released to us for working
capital requirements, as of two business days prior to the proposed consummation of a business
combination divided by the number of shares of common stock sold in our IPO. Without taking into
account any interest earned on the Trust Account, the initial per-share conversion price would be
approximately $7.88, or $0.12 less than the per-unit offering price of $8.00. An eligible
stockholder may request conversion at any time after the mailing to our stockholders of the proxy
statement and prior to the vote taken with respect to a proposed business combination at a meeting
held for that purpose, but the request will not be granted unless the stockholder votes against the
business combination and the business combination is approved and completed. The specific
procedures for conversion in connection with a stockholder vote for a proposed initial business
combination will be set forth in the proxy statement relating to such vote.
We may require public stockholders to tender their certificates to our transfer agent prior to
the meeting or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using the Depository
Trust Companys DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System. We will notify investors on a
current report on Form 8-K and in our proxy statement related to the initial business combination
if we impose this requirement. If we elect to require physical delivery of the share certificates,
we would expect that stockholders would have to comply with the following steps. If the shares are
held in street name, stockholders must instruct their account executive at the stockholders bank
or broker to withdraw the shares from the stockholders account and request that a physical
certificate be issued in the stockholders name. Our transfer agent will be available to assist
with this process. No later than the day prior to the stockholder meeting, the written instructions
stating that the stockholder wishes to convert his or her shares into a pro rata share of the Trust
Account and confirming that the stockholder has held the shares since the record date and will
continue to hold them through the stockholder meeting and the closing of our business combination
must be presented to our transfer agent. Certificates that have not been tendered in accordance
with these procedures by the day prior to the stockholder meeting will not be converted into cash.
In the event a stockholder tenders his or her shares and decides prior to the stockholder meeting
that he or she does not want to convert his or her shares, the stockholder may withdraw the tender.
In the event that a stockholder tenders shares and our business combination is not completed, these
shares will not be converted into cash and the physical certificates representing these shares will
be returned to the stockholder.
If stockholders vote against our initial business combination but do not properly exercise
their conversion rights, such stockholders will not be able to convert their shares of common stock
into cash at the conversion price. Any request for conversion, once made, may be withdrawn at any
time up to the date of the meeting.
We will not complete any business combination if public stockholders, owning 30% or more of
the shares sold in our offering, both exercise their conversion rights and vote against the
business combination. Accordingly, it is our understanding and intention in every case to structure
and consummate a business combination in which public stockholders owning 29.99% of the shares sold
in our IPO may exercise their conversion rights and the business combination will still go forward.
If the business combination is not approved or completed for any reason, then public
stockholders voting against such business combination will not be entitled to convert their shares
of common stock into a pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account.
Such public stockholders would only be entitled to convert their shares of common stock into a pro
rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account in the event that such
stockholders elect to vote against a subsequent business combination that is approved by
stockholders and completed, or in connection with our dissolution and liquidation, discussed below.
Liquidation if No Business Combination
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we will continue in
existence only until November 19, 2009. If we have not completed a business combination by such
date, our corporate existence will cease except for the purposes of winding up our affairs and
liquidating, pursuant to Section 278 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. This has the same
effect as if our board of directors and stockholders had formally voted to approve
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our dissolution pursuant to Section 275 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. Accordingly,
limiting our corporate existence to a specified date as permitted by Section 102(b)(5) of the
Delaware General Corporation Law removes the necessity to comply with the formal procedures set
forth in Section 275 (which would have required our stockholders to formally vote to approve our
dissolution and liquidation). We view the provision terminating our corporate life by November 19,
2009 as an obligation to our stockholders. This provision will be amended only in connection with,
and upon consummation of, our initial business combination by such date.
If we are unable to complete a business combination by November 19, 2009, we will distribute
to all of our public stockholders, in proportion to their respective equity interests, an aggregate
sum equal to the amount in the Trust Account including:
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all accrued interest, net of income taxes payable on such interest and interest
income (net of taxes payable on such interest) of up to an aggregate of $ 1,700,000
on the Trust Account balance that has been released to us prior to such distribution to
fund our expenses relating to investigating and selecting a target business and other
working capital requirements, including the costs of liquidation; and |
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as well as any of our remaining net assets (subject to our obligations under Delaware law to
provide for claims of creditors as described below).
We anticipate notifying the trustee of the Trust Account to begin liquidating such assets
promptly after such date and anticipate it will take no more than 10 business days to effectuate
such distribution. Our initial stockholders have waived their rights to participate in any
liquidation distribution with respect to their shares of common stock owned by them immediately
prior to our initial public offering. There will be no distribution from the Trust Account with
respect to our warrants which will expire worthless. We will pay the costs of liquidation from our
remaining assets outside of the Trust Account. If such funds are insufficient, our initial
stockholders have agreed to advance us the funds necessary to complete such liquidation (currently
anticipated to be no more than approximately $15,000) and have agreed not to seek repayment for
such expenses.
If we were to expend all of the net proceeds of our offering, other than the proceeds
deposited in the Trust Account, and without taking into account interest, if any, earned on the
Trust Account after payments to us for working capital and amounts paid or accrued for taxes, the
initial per-share liquidation price would be $7.88, or $0.12 less than the per unit offering price
of $8.00. The proceeds deposited in the Trust Account could, however, become subject to the claims
of our creditors (which could include vendors and service providers we have engaged to assist us in
any way in connection with our search for a target business and that are owed money by us, as well
as target businesses themselves) which could have higher priority than the claims of our public
stockholders. Dr. Phillip Frost, Robert N. Fried, Rao Uppaluri, Steven D. Rubin and Jane Hsiao have
agreed that they will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a vendor for services
rendered or products sold to us, by a third party with which we entered into a contractual
relationship following consummation of our IPO or by a prospective target business reduce the
amounts in the Trust Account available for distribution to our stockholders in the event of a
liquidation, except as to any claimed amounts owed to a third party who executed a valid and
enforceable waiver. In the event that our board of directors determines that it is in our best
interest to bring a claim against these persons to enforce our right to obtain indemnification from
them, they will have a fiduciary obligation to bring such a claim (it may for example not be in our
best interest to do so if the cost to bring the claim would be greater than the anticipated amount
that we would receive if we successfully prosecuted the claim). We have questioned such persons on
their financial net worth and reviewed their financial information and believe that they will be
able to satisfy any indemnification obligations that may arise. However, we cannot assure you that
they will be able to satisfy those obligations, if they are required to do so. Accordingly, the
actual per-share liquidation price could be less than $7.88, plus interest, due to claims of
creditors. Additionally, if we are forced to file a bankruptcy case or an involuntary bankruptcy
case is filed against us which is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the Trust Account could be
subject to applicable bankruptcy law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to
the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our stockholders. To the extent any
bankruptcy claims deplete the Trust Account, we cannot assure you we will be able to return to our
public stockholders at least $7.88 per share.
Our public stockholders will be entitled to receive funds from the Trust Account only in the
event of the expiration of our corporate existence and our liquidation or if they seek to convert
their respective shares into cash upon a business combination which the stockholder voted against
and which is completed by us. In no other circumstances will a stockholder have any right or
interest of any kind to or in the Trust Account.
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, stockholders may be held liable for claims by
third parties against a corporation to the extent of distributions received by them in a
dissolution. If the corporation complies with certain procedures set forth in Section 280 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law intended to ensure that it makes reasonable provision for all
claims against it, including a 60-day notice period during which any third-party claims can
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be brought against the corporation, a 90-day period during which the corporation may reject
any claims brought, and an additional 150-day waiting period before any liquidating distributions
are made to stockholders, any liability of stockholders with respect to a liquidating distribution
is limited to the lesser of such stockholders pro rata share of the claim or the amount
distributed to the stockholder, and any liability of the stockholder would be barred after the
third anniversary of the dissolution. However, as stated above, it is our intention to make
liquidating distributions to our stockholders as soon as reasonably possible after November 19,
2009 and, therefore, we do not intend to comply with those procedures. As such, our stockholders
could potentially be liable for any claims to the extent of distributions received by them (but no
more) and any liability of our stockholders may extend well beyond the third anniversary of such
date. Because we will not be complying with Section 280, Section 28 1(b) of the Delaware General
Corporation Law requires us to adopt a plan that will provide for our payment, based on facts known
to us at such time, of (i) all existing claims, (ii) all pending claims and (iii) all claims that
may be potentially brought against us within the subsequent 10 years. Accordingly, we would be
required to provide for any claims of creditors known to us at that time or those that we believe
could be potentially brought against us within the subsequent 10 years prior to our distributing
the funds in the Trust Account to our public stockholders. However, because we are a blank check
company, rather than an operating company, and our operations will be limited to searching for
prospective target businesses to acquire, the only likely claims to arise would be from our vendors
and service providers (such as accountants, lawyers, investment bankers, etc.) and potential target
businesses. As described above, pursuant to the obligation contained in our underwriting agreement,
we will seek to have all third parties we engage and prospective target businesses execute
agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind whatsoever they may have
in or to any assets held in the Trust Account. Such a waiver will apply to any kind of right,
title, interest or claim that a potential contracted party may have. As a result, we believe the
claims that could be made against us will be limited, thereby lessening the likelihood that any
claim would result in any liability extending to the trust. We therefore believe that any necessary
provision for creditors will be reduced and should not have a significant impact on our ability to
distribute the funds in the Trust Account to our public stockholders.
If we are forced to file a bankruptcy case or an involuntary bankruptcy case is filed against
us which is not dismissed, any distributions received by stockholders in our dissolution could be
viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy laws as either a preferential transfer
or a fraudulent conveyance. As a result, a bankruptcy court could seek to recover all amounts
received by our stockholders in our dissolution. Furthermore, because we intend to distribute the
proceeds held in the Trust Account to our public stockholders promptly after November 19, 2009,
this may be viewed or interpreted as giving preference to our public stockholders over any
potential creditors with respect to access to or distributions from our assets. Furthermore, our
board of directors may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to our creditors and/or
may have acted in bad faith, and thereby exposing itself and our company to claims of punitive
damages, by paying public stockholders from the Trust Account prior to addressing the claims of
creditors. We cannot assure you that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons.
Competition
In identifying, evaluating and selecting a target business, we may encounter intense
competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including other blank
check companies, venture capital firms, leveraged buyout firms and operating businesses looking to
expand their operations through the acquisition of a target business. Many of these entities are
well established and have extensive experience identifying and effecting business combinations
directly or through affiliates. Many of these competitors possess greater technical, human and
other resources than us and our financial resources will be relatively limited when contrasted with
those of many of these competitors. While we believe there may be numerous potential target
businesses that we could acquire with the net proceeds of our IPO, our ability to compete in
acquiring certain sizable target businesses will be limited by our available financial resources.
This inherent competitive limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of a
target business. Further, the following may not be viewed favorably by certain target businesses:
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our obligation to seek stockholder approval of a business combination may delay or
threaten the completion of a transaction; |
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our obligation to convert into cash shares of common stock held by our public
stockholders who vote against the business combination and exercise their conversion
rights may reduce the resources available to us for a business combination; and |
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our outstanding warrants, and the potential future dilution they represent. |
Any of these factors may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating a
business combination. Our management believes, however, that our status as a public entity and
potential access to the United States public equity markets may give us a competitive advantage
over privately-held entities having a similar business objective as ours in acquiring a target
business with significant growth potential on favorable terms.
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If we succeed in effecting a business combination, there will be, in all likelihood, intense
competition from competitors of the target business. We cannot assure you that, subsequent to a
business combination, we will have the resources or ability to compete effectively.
Facilities
We maintain our principal executive offices at 100 North Crescent Drive, Beverly Hills,
California 90210. The cost for this space is included in the $7,500 per-month fee that Clarity will
charge us for office space and administrative and support services pursuant to an agreement between
us and Clarity. We believe, based on rents and fees for similar services in the Beverly Hills,
California area, that the fee charged by Clarity is at least as favorable as we could have obtained
from any unaffiliated person. We consider our current office space, combined with the other office
space otherwise available to our executive officers, adequate for our current operations.
Effective April 1, 2008, we intend to move our principal offices to 1990 S. Bundy Boulevard,
Suite 620, Los Angeles, CA 90025. We will sublease space and pay $7,500 per month for office space
and related services to Spirit SMX LLC. Robert N. Fried, our Chief Executive Officer and one of our
initial shareholders, is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Spirit SMX LLC. We believe,
based on rents and fees for similar services in the Los Angeles, California area, that the fee
charged by Spirit SMX LLC is at least as favorable as we could have obtained from any unaffiliated
person. Our audit committee of Ideation Acquisition Corp approved the sub-leasing and
administrative and support services agreement with Spirit SMX LLC on March 20, 2008. We will
terminate our agreement with Clarity Partners, L.P. before March 31, 2008.
Employees
We have three executive officers. These individuals are not obligated to devote any specific
number of hours to our matters and intend to devote only as much time as they deem necessary to our
affairs. The amount of time they will devote in any time period will vary based on the availability
of suitable target businesses to investigate, the course of negotiations with target businesses,
and the due diligence preceding and accompanying a possible business combination. Accordingly, once
management locates a suitable target business to acquire, they will spend more time investigating
such target business and negotiating and processing the business combination (and consequently
spend more time on our affairs) than they would prior to locating a suitable target business. We do
not intend to have any full time employees prior to the consummation of a business combination.
Legal Proceedings
We are not involved in any litigation or administrative proceedings incidental to our
business.
Periodic Reporting and Audited Financial Statements
We have registered our units, common stock and warrants under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, and have reporting obligations thereunder, including the requirement that we file annual and
quarterly reports with the SEC. In accordance with the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, this annual report contains financial statements audited and reported on by our
independent registered public accounting firm.
We will not acquire a target business if we cannot obtain audited financial statements for
such target business. Additionally, We will provide stockholders with audited financial statements
of the prospective target business as part of the proxy solicitation materials sent to stockholders
to assist them in assessing the target business. In all likelihood, these financial statements
will need to be prepared in accordance with, or reconciled to, United States generally accepted
accounting principles. To the extent that his requirement cannot be met, we may not be able to
acquire the proposed target business. While this may limit the pool of potential acquisition
candidates, we do not believe that this limitation will be material.
The public may read and copy any materials we file with the SEC at the SECs Public Reference
Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. The public may obtain information on the
operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC also
maintains an Internet website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other
information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. The SECs Internet website is
located at http://www.sec.gov.
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Item 1A. Risk Factors
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully
all of the material risks described below, together with the other information contained in this
Annual Report before making a decision to invest in our securities. If any of the following events
occur, our business, financial condition and operating results may be materially adversely
affected. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all
or part of your investment.
We are a newly formed, development stage company with no operating history and no revenues and,
accordingly, you will not have any basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business
objective.
We are a recently incorporated development stage company with no operating results to date.
Because we do not have an operating history, you will have no basis upon which to evaluate our
ability to achieve our business objective, which is to acquire one or more businesses. We have no
plans, arrangements or understandings with any prospective acquisition candidates and may be unable
to complete a business combination. We will not generate any revenues until, at the earliest, after
the consummation of a business combination.
We may not be able to consummate a business combination within the required time frame, in which
case, we would be forced to liquidate.
We must complete a business combination with a business or businesses whose fair market value
is at least 80% of our net assets (excluding deferred underwriting discounts and commissions of
$2.73 million) at the time of the business combination within 24 months after the consummation of
our IPO. If we fail to consummate a business combination within the required time frame, we will be
forced to liquidate our assets. We may not be able to consummate a business combination for any
number of reasons. We may not be able to find suitable target businesses within the required time
frame. In addition, our negotiating position and our ability to conduct adequate due diligence on
any potential target may be reduced as we approach the deadline for the consummation of a business
combination. Furthermore, we will be unable to consummate a business combination if holders of 30%
or more of the shares sold in our IPO vote against the transaction and opt to convert their stock
into a pro rata share of the Trust Account even if a majority of our stockholders approve the
transaction. If we fail to complete a specific business combination after expending substantial
management time and attention and substantial costs for accountants, attorneys and others, such
costs likely would not be recoverable, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts
to locate and combine with another target business within the required time frame.
If we are forced to liquidate before a business combination and distribute the Trust Account, our
public stockholders will receive less than $8.00 per share and our warrants will expire worthless.
If we are unable to complete a business combination within the prescribed time frames and are
forced to liquidate our assets, the per-share liquidation distribution will be less than $8.00
because of expenses related to our offering, our general and administrative expenses and the
anticipated costs of seeking a business combination. Furthermore, there will be no liquidating
distribution with respect to our outstanding warrants which will expire worthless if we liquidate
before the completion of a business combination.
If the net proceeds of our IPO available to us outside of the Trust Account are insufficient to
allow us to operate for at least the next 24 months, we may be unable to complete a business
combination.
We have made funds available to us outside of the Trust Account of $250,000, and there will
be additional funds available to us, up to an additional $1,700,000, to pay our income or other tax
obligations and to fund our expenses relating to investigating and selecting a target business and
other working capital requirements. These funds are derived solely from interest earned on the
Trust Account balance, net of taxes payable on such interest. Our board of directors reviews and
approves all significant expenditures by the Company. We believe that the funds available to us
will be sufficient to allow us to operate for at least the next 24 months, assuming that a business
combination is not consummated during that time. However, we cannot assure you that our estimates
will be accurate. We may request the release of such funds for a number of purposes that may not
ultimately lead to a business combination. For instance, we could use a portion of the funds
available to us to pay fees to consultants to assist us with our search for a target business. We
could also use a portion of the funds as a down payment with respect to a particular proposed
business combination, or enter into a letter of intent where we pay for the right to receive
exclusivity from a target business, where we may be required to forfeit funds (whether as a result
of our breach or otherwise). In any of these cases, or in other situations where we expend the
funds available to us outside of the Trust Account for purposes that do not result in a business
combination, we may not have sufficient remaining funds to continue searching for, or to conduct
due diligence with respect to, a target business, in which case we would be forced to obtain
alternative financing or liquidate.
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Under Delaware law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation may be amended, which
could reduce or eliminate the protection afforded to our stockholders..
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation contains certain requirements and
restrictions that will apply to us until the consummation of a business combination. Specifically,
our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides, among other things, that:
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proceeds from our offering and the private placement placed into the Trust Account are
not to be disbursed from the Trust Account except in connection with a business
combination, including the payment of the deferred underwriting discounts and commissions,
or thereafter, upon our dissolution and liquidation, or as otherwise permitted in the
amended and restated certificate of incorporation; |
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prior to consummating a business combination, we must submit such business
combination to our stockholders for approval; |
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we may consummate the business combination if approved by a majority of our
stockholders and public stockholders owning less than 30% of the shares sold in our IPO
exercise their conversion rights; |
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if a business combination is approved and consummated, public stockholders who voted
against the business combination and who exercise their conversion rights will receive
their pro rata share of the Trust Account, before payment of deferred underwriting
discounts and commissions and including any interest earned on their pro rata share, net of
taxes payable on such interest, and net of interest income on the Trust Account balance,
net of taxes payable on such interest, (i) of up to $1,700,000 accrued and reserved or
released to us to fund working capital requirements or (ii) accrued and reserved or
released to us to pay income or other tax obligations; and |
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if a business combination is not consummated within 24 months of the consummation of
our IPO, then our corporate purposes and powers will immediately thereupon be limited to
acts and activities relating to dissolving and winding up our affairs, including
liquidation of our assets, including funds in the Trust Account, and we will not be able to
engage in any other business activities. |
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation requires that prior to the consummation
of our initial business combination we obtain the consent of 95% of our stockholders to amend these
provisions. However, a court could conclude that the 95% consent requirement constitutes a
practical prohibition on amendment in violation of the stockholders statutory rights to amend the
corporate charter. In that case, these provisions could be amended without the consent of 95% of
our stockholders, and any such amendment could reduce or eliminate the protection these provisions
afford to our stockholders. However, we view all of the foregoing provisions as obligations to our
stockholders. Neither we nor our board of directors will propose any amendment to these provisions,
or support, endorse or recommend any proposal that stockholders amend any of these provisions at
any time prior to the consummation of our initial business combination (subject to any fiduciary
obligations our management or board may have).
Because there are numerous companies with a business plan similar to ours seeking to effectuate a
business combination, it may be more difficult for us to do so.
Based upon publicly available information, since August 2003 through February 2008,
approximately 151 similarly structured blank check companies have completed initial public
offerings in the United States. Of these companies, only 46 companies have consummated a business
combination, while 23 other companies have announced they have entered into a definitive agreement
for a business combination, but have not consummated such business combination, and 8 companies
have dissolved or announced their intention to dissolve and return proceeds to investors.
Accordingly, there are approximately 74 blank check companies with more than approximately $12.8
billion of proceeds that are seeking to carry out a business plan similar to our business plan.
Furthermore, there are a number of additional blank check companies that are still in the
registration process but have not completed initial public offerings, and there are likely to be
more blank check companies filing registration statements for initial public offerings after the
date of this Annual Report and prior to our completion of a business combination. Although we are
not aware of any other blank check companies with a specific focus on the digital media sector and
some of those companies must complete a business combination in specific industries, a number of
them may consummate a business combination in any industry they choose. Therefore, we may be
subject to competition from these and other companies seeking to carry out a business plan similar
to ours. Because of this competition, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to effectuate a
business combination within the required time periods.
We depend on interest earned in the Trust Account to fund our search for a target business or
businesses, to pay our tax obligations and to complete our initial business combination.
We depend on sufficient interest being earned on the proceeds held in the Trust Account to
provide us with additional working capital we will need to identify one or more target businesses
and to complete our initial business
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combination, as well as to pay any tax obligations that we may owe. While we are entitled to
have released to us for such purposes certain interest earned on the funds in the Trust Account, up
to a maximum of $1,700,000, a substantial decline in interest rates may result in our having
insufficient funds available with which to structure, negotiate or close an initial business
combination. In such event, we would need to borrow funds from our management team to operate or
may be forced to liquidate. However, neither our management team nor any other party is required to
provide financing to us under any circumstances.
If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in trust could be reduced and the
per-share liquidation price received by stockholders will be less than $7.88.
Our placing of funds in trust may not protect those funds from third party claims against us.
Although we continue to seek to have all third parties we engage and prospective target businesses
execute valid and enforceable agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any
kind in or to any assets held in the Trust Account, there is no guarantee that they will execute
such agreements. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that, even if such entities execute such
agreements with us, they will not seek recourse against the Trust Account, or if executed, that
such waivers will be enforceable or otherwise prevent potential contracted parties from making
claims against the Trust Account. Nor is there any guarantee that a court would uphold the validity
of such agreements. Accordingly, the proceeds held in trust could be subject to claims which could
take priority over those of our public stockholders and, as a result, the per-share liquidation
price could be less than $7.88 due to claims of such third parties. Dr. Phillip Frost, Robert N.
Fried, Rao Uppaluri, Steven D. Rubin and Jane Hsiao have agreed that they will be liable to us if
and to the extent any claims by a vendor for services rendered or products sold to us, by a third
party with which we entered into a contractual relationship or by a prospective target business
reduce the amounts in the Trust Account available for distribution to our stockholders in the event
of a liquidation, except as to any claimed amounts owed to a third party who executed a valid and
enforceable waiver. Because we continue to seek to have all third parties we engage and prospective
target businesses execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any
kind whatsoever they may have in or to any assets held in the Trust Account, we believe the
likelihood of such persons having any such obligations is minimal. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
we have questioned them on their financial net worth and reviewed their financial information and
believe that they will be able to satisfy any indemnification obligations that may arise. However,
we cannot guarantee that they will be able to satisfy those obligations. Therefore, if we
liquidate, we cannot guarantee that the per-share distribution from the Trust Account will not be
less than $7.88 plus interest, due to such claims.
Furthermore, creditors may seek to interfere with the distribution of the Trust Account
pursuant to federal or state creditor and bankruptcy laws, which could delay the actual
distribution of such funds or reduce the amount ultimately available for distribution to our public
stockholders. If we are forced to file a bankruptcy case or an involuntary bankruptcy case is filed
against us which is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the Trust Account could be subject to
applicable bankruptcy law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims
of third parties with priority over the claims of our stockholders. Any claims by creditors could
cause additional delays in the distribution of trust funds to the public stockholders beyond the
time periods required to comply with Delaware General Corporation Law and federal securities laws
and regulations. To the extent any bankruptcy claims deplete the Trust Account, we cannot assure
you we will be able to return to our public stockholders at least $7.88 per share.
Our stockholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against us to the extent of
distributions received by them.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we will continue in
existence only until November 19, 2009. If we have not completed a business combination by such
date and amended this provision in connection therewith, pursuant to the Delaware General
Corporation Law, our corporate existence will cease except for the purposes of winding up our
affairs and liquidating. Under Sections 280 through 282 of the Delaware General Corporation Law,
stockholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against a corporation to the extent of
distributions received by them in dissolution. If the corporation complies with certain procedures
set forth in Section 280 of the Delaware General Corporation Law intended to ensure that it makes
reasonable provision for all claims against it, including a 60-day notice period during which any
third-party claims can be brought against the corporation, a 90-day period during which the
corporation may reject any claims brought, and an additional 150-day waiting period before any
liquidating distributions are made to stockholders, any liability of stockholders with respect to a
liquidating distribution is limited to the lesser of such stockholders pro rata share of the claim
or the amount distributed to the stockholder, and any liability of the stockholder would be barred
after the third anniversary of the dissolution. However, it is our intention to make liquidating
distributions to our stockholders as soon as reasonably possible after November 19, 2009 and,
therefore, we do not intend to comply with those procedures. Because we will not be complying with
those procedures, we are required, pursuant to Section 281 of the Delaware General Corporation Law,
to adopt a plan that will provide for our payment, based on facts known to us at such time, of (i)
all existing claims, (ii) all pending claims and (iii) all claims that may be potentially brought
against us within the subsequent 10 years.
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Accordingly, we would be required to provide for any creditors known to us at that time or
those that we believe could be potentially brought against us within the subsequent 10 years prior
to distributing the funds held in the trust to stockholders. We cannot assure you that we will
properly assess all claims that may be potentially brought against us. As such, our stockholders
could potentially be liable for any claims to the extent of distributions received by them (but no
more) and any liability of our stockholders may extend well beyond the third anniversary of such
date. Accordingly, we cannot assure that third parties will not seek to recover from our
stockholders amounts owed to them by us.
Additionally, if we are forced to file a bankruptcy case or an involuntary bankruptcy case is
filed against us which is not dismissed, any distributions received by stockholders in our
dissolution could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy laws as either a
preferential transfer or a fraudulent conveyance. As a result, a bankruptcy court could seek to
recover all amounts received by our stockholders in our dissolution. Because we intend to
distribute the proceeds held in the Trust Account to our public stockholders promptly after
November 19, 2009, this may be viewed or interpreted as giving preference to our public
stockholders over any potential creditors with respect to access to or distributions from our
assets. Furthermore, our board may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to our
creditors and/or acted in bad faith, and thereby exposing itself and our company to claims of
punitive damages, by paying public stockholders from the Trust Account prior to addressing the
claims of creditors. We cannot assure that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons.
Since we are not restricted to a particular industry and we have not yet selected a target business
with which to complete a business combination, we are unable to currently ascertain the merits or
risks of the industry or business in which we may ultimately operate.
While our efforts in identifying prospective target businesses will not be limited to a
particular industry, we expect to focus on businesses in the digital media sector, which
encompasses companies that emphasize the use of digital technology to create, distribute or service
others that create or distribute content for various platforms including online, mobile, satellite,
television, cable, radio, print, film, video games and software. Digital technology refers to the
use of digitally-enabled means, as opposed to analog means, to process, transmit, store or display
content. We may also focus on traditional media businesses, including motion picture exhibition
companies, television and radio broadcast companies, print media publishing companies and
traditional content libraries, if we believe that the incorporation of digital technology will
enhance and accelerate the growth of those businesses. We have not established specific criteria
that would trigger our consideration of businesses outside of the digital media sector. In
addition, we intend to direct our search toward digital media businesses in the United States, but
we would also consider businesses outside of the United States. Accordingly, there is no current
basis to evaluate the possible merits or risks of the particular industry in which we may
ultimately operate or the target business which we may ultimately acquire. To the extent we
complete a business combination with a company that does not have a stable history of earnings and
growth or an entity in a relatively early stage of its development, we may be affected by numerous
risks inherent in the business operations of those entities. If we complete a business combination
with an entity in an industry characterized by a high level of risk, we may be affected by the
currently unascertainable risks of that industry. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate
the risks inherent in a particular industry or target business, we cannot assure that we will
properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. Even if we properly assess those
risks, some of them may be outside of our control or ability to affect.
We may issue shares of our capital stock or debt securities to complete a business combination,
which would reduce the equity interest of our stockholders and likely cause a change in control of
our ownership.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, authorizes the issuance of up to
50,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, and 1,000,000 shares of preferred
stock, par value $0.0001 per share. As of December 31, 2007, there are 24,600,000 authorized but
unissued shares of our common stock available for issuance (after appropriate reservation for the
issuance of the shares upon full exercise of our outstanding warrants ) and all of the 1,000,000
shares of preferred stock available for issuance. Although we have no commitment as of the date of
this Report, we may issue a substantial number of additional shares of our common or preferred
stock, or a combination of common and preferred stock, including through convertible debt
securities, to complete a business combination. The issuance of additional shares of our common
stock or any number of shares of our preferred stock:
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may significantly reduce the equity interest of investors; |
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may subordinate the rights of holders of common stock if we issue preferred stock with
rights senior to those afforded to our common stock; |
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will likely cause a change in control if a substantial number of our shares of common
stock are issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net
operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of
our present officers and directors; and |
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may adversely affect the then-prevailing market price for our common stock. |
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Similarly, if we issue debt securities, it could result in: |
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default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating cash flow after a business
combination is insufficient to pay our debt obligations; |
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acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal
and interest payments when due, if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance
of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant; |
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a required immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt
security is payable on demand; and |
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our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt security contains
covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt security is
outstanding. |
Our long-term success will likely be dependent upon a yet to be identified management team.
Our ability to successfully effect a business combination is dependent upon the efforts of our
management team. The future role of our management team in any acquired business or businesses,
however, cannot presently be ascertained. Although it is possible that one or more of our officers,
directors and special advisors, including Robert N. Fried, will remain associated in some capacity
with any acquired business or businesses following a business combination (potentially as officers,
directors or consultants), it is likely that the management team of the acquired business or
businesses at the time of the business combination will remain in place given that it is likely
that they will have greater knowledge, experience and expertise than our management team in the
industry in which the acquired business or businesses operate as well as in managing the acquired
business or businesses. Thus, even though one or more of our officers, directors and special
advisors may continue to be associated with us after a business combination, it is likely that we
will be dependent upon a yet to be identified management team for our long-term success. Although
we intend to closely scrutinize the management team of a prospective target business in connection
with evaluating the desirability of effecting a business combination, we cannot assure that our
assessment of the management team will prove to be correct. These individuals may be unfamiliar
with the requirements of operating a public company and the securities laws, which could increase
the time and resources we must expend to assist them in becoming familiar with the complex
disclosure and financial reporting requirements imposed on U.S. public companies. This could be
expensive and time-consuming and could lead to various regulatory issues that may adversely affect
our operations.
Our officers, directors and special advisors may negotiate employment or consulting agreements with
a target business in connection with a particular business combination. These agreements may
provide for them to receive compensation following a business combination and as a result, may
cause them to have conflicts of interest in determining whether a particular business combination
is the most advantageous.
After the consummation of a business combination, our officers, directors and special advisors
may remain associated in some capacity with the acquired business or businesses if they are able to
negotiate employment or consulting agreements in connection with the business combination. Such
negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of the business combination and
could provide for such individuals to receive compensation in the form of cash payments and/or our
securities for services they would render to the acquired business or businesses after the
consummation of the business combination. The personal and financial interests of such individuals
may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business. However, we believe
the ability of such individuals to remain with the company after the consummation of a business
combination will not be the determining factor in our decision as to whether or not we will proceed
with any potential business combination.
We will likely seek a business combination with one or more privately-held companies, which may
present certain challenges to us, including the lack of available information about these
companies.
In accordance with our business strategy, we will likely seek a business combination with one
or more privately-held companies. Generally, very little public information exists about these
companies, and we are required to rely on the ability of our management team to obtain adequate
information to evaluate the potential returns from investing in these companies. If we are unable
to uncover all material information about these companies, then we may not make a fully informed
investment decision, and we may lose money on our investments.
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If we do not conduct an adequate due diligence investigation of a target business with which we
combine, we may be required to subsequently take write-downs or write-offs, restructuring, and
impairment or other charges that could have a significant negative effect on our financial
condition, results of operations and our stock price, which could cause you to lose some or all of
your investment.
In order to meet our disclosure and financial reporting obligations under the federal
securities laws, and in order to develop and seek to execute strategic plans for how we can
increase the revenues and/or profitability of a target business, realize operating synergies or
capitalize on market opportunities, we must conduct a due diligence investigation of one or more
target businesses. Intensive due diligence is time consuming and expensive due to the operations,
accounting, finance and legal professionals who must be involved in the due diligence process. Even
if we conduct extensive due diligence on a target business with which we combine, we cannot assure
you that this diligence will surface all material issues that may be present inside a particular
target business, or that factors outside of the target business and outside of our control will not
later arise. If our diligence fails to identify issues specific to a target business, industry or
the environment in which the target business operates, we may be forced to later write-down or
write-off assets, restructure our operations, or incur impairment or other charges that could
result in our reporting losses. Even though these charges may be non-cash items and not have an
immediate impact on our liquidity, the fact that we report charges of this nature could contribute
to negative market perceptions about us or our common stock. In addition, charges of this nature
may cause us to violate net worth or other covenants to which we may be subject as a result of
assuming pre-existing debt held by a target business or by virtue of our obtaining post-combination
debt financing.
Our board of directors may not accurately determine the fair market value of a target business, and
as a result we may pay more than what the target business is actually worth.
We must complete a business combination with a business or businesses whose fair market value
is at least 80% of our net assets (excluding deferred underwriting discounts and commissions of
$2.73 million) at the time of the business combination. The fair market value of a target business
or businesses will be determined by our board of directors based upon standards generally accepted
by the financial community, such as actual and potential gross margins, the values of comparable
businesses, earnings and cash flow, book value and, where appropriate, upon the advice of
appraisers or other professional consultants. If our board is not able to independently determine
that the target business has a sufficient fair market value to meet the threshold criterion, we
will obtain an opinion from an unaffiliated, independent investment banking firm that is a member
of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority with respect to the satisfaction of such criterion.
However, we will not be required to obtain an opinion from an investment banking firm as to the
fair market value, if our board of directors independently determines that the target business
complies with the 80% threshold. If our board of directors, or any investment banking firm or other
expert upon whose opinion our board may rely, overestimates the fair market value of a company that
we acquire, then the value of our securities could be adversely affected.
There is no limit on the total amount of out-of-pocket expenses that may be incurred by our
officers and directors in connection with identifying and investigating possible target businesses
and business combinations.
We will reimburse our officers and directors for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses
incurred by them in connection with identifying and investigating possible target businesses and
business combinations. There is no limit on the total amount of out-of-pocket expenses reimbursable
by us, provided that members of our management team will not receive reimbursement for any
out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them to the extent that such expenses exceed the amount held
outside of the Trust Account of $250,000 and interest income on the Trust Account balance, net of
taxes payable on such interest, of up to $1,700,000 that may be released to us to fund our expenses
relating to investigating and selecting a target business and other working capital requirements,
unless a business combination is consummated. Additionally, there will be no review of the
reasonableness of the expenses other than by our audit committee and, in some cases, by our board
of directors, or if such reimbursement is challenged, by a court of competent jurisdiction. As
out-of-pocket expenses incurred by our officers and directors will not be subject to any dollar
limit or any review of the reasonableness of such expenses other than by our audit committee or our
board of directors, the aggregate business expenses incurred by our officers and directors in
connection with investigating and selecting possible target businesses may be greater than if such
expenses were subject to a more extensive review, which would reduce the amount of working capital
available to us for a business combination. In addition, if such out-of-pocket expenses exceed the
available funds held outside of the trust and the interest income that may be released to us as
described above, our members of management will not be reimbursed for such excess unless we
consummate a business combination. As described in more detail below, this may create a conflict of
interest for members of our management in determining whether a particular target business is
appropriate for a business combination and in the public stockholders best interest.
Our officers and directors will allocate their time to other businesses thereby causing conflicts
of interest in their determination as to how much time to devote to our affairs. This conflict of
interest could have a negative impact on our ability to consummate a business combination.
Our officers and directors are not required to commit any specified amount of time to our
affairs, which could create a conflict of interest when allocating their time between our
operations and their other commitments. We do not
intend to have any full time employees prior to the consummation of a business combination.
All of our executive officers are engaged in several other business endeavors and are not obligated
to devote any specific number of hours to our affairs. If our officers and directors other
business affairs require them to devote more substantial amounts of time to such affairs, it could
limit their ability to devote time to our affairs and could have a negative impact on our ability
to consummate a business combination. We cannot assure you that these conflicts will be resolved in
our favor.
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Members of our management team and our directors may become aware of business opportunities that
may be appropriate for presentation to us as well as other entities with which they are or may
become affiliated and, as a result, may have conflicts of interest that may adversely affect us.
Due to affiliations with other companies, members of our management team and our directors may
have fiduciary obligations to present potential business opportunities to entities with which they
are affiliated prior to presenting them to us which could cause conflicts of interest.
Additionally, our officers and directors may in the future become affiliated with entities,
including other blank check companies, engaged in business activities similar to those intended to
be conducted by us. Our officers and directors may organize, promote or become involved with other
blank check companies, including blank check companies with a focus on the digital media sector,
either before or after we consummate a business combination. Accordingly, they may have conflicts
of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.
For a discussion of our management teams and our directors existing affiliations and potential
conflicts of interest that you should be aware of, please see Item 13. Certain Relationships,
Related Transactions and Director Independence We cannot assure that any conflicts of interest
will be resolved in our favor, and a potential target business may be presented to another entity
prior to its presentation to us.
In addition, in connection with our search for a target business, we may enter into an
agreement with Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc., or Ladenburg Thalmann, an investment banking and
securities brokerage firm and a subsidiary of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc., that
provides for the payment of a finders or success fee. Dr. Frost, our Chairman of the Board, is the
Chairman of the Board of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. and a significant stockholder
of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. In no instance will we pay Ladenburg Thalmann & Co.
Inc. a finders fee for a referral involving a business opportunity that was brought to the
attention of Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. initially by any of our officers, directors or special
advisors, including Dr. Frost. Dr. Frosts relationship with Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. and
Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. may present a conflict of interest, and we cannot assure
you that any such conflict will be resolved in our favor.
We have engaged Ladenburg Thalmann to provide due diligence and acquisition analysis of
certain potential candidates on a contingency fee basis subject to successful business combination.
Our officers and directors beneficially own shares and warrants that will not participate in
liquidation distributions and, therefore, our officers and directors may have a conflict of
interest in determining whether a particular target business is appropriate for a business
combination.
Our initial stockholders purchased insider warrants on a private placement basis
simultaneously with the consummation of our initial public offering. Our initial stockholders will
not be able to exercise their insider warrants if outside investors are not able to exercise their
warrants. The insider warrants are identical to the other warrants, except that if we call the
warrants for redemption, the insider warrants will be exercisable on a cashless basis so long as
they are still held by our initial stockholders or their affiliates. Our initial stockholders have
waived their right to receive distributions with respect to their initial shares upon our
liquidation if we are unable to consummate a business combination. Accordingly, the shares and
warrants issued to the initial stockholders will be worthless if we do not consummate a business
combination. The personal and financial interests of our directors and officers may influence their
motivation in timely identifying and selecting a target business and completing a business
combination. Consequently, our directors and officers discretion in identifying and selecting a
suitable target business may result in a conflict of interest when determining whether the terms,
conditions and timing of a particular business combination are appropriate and in our stockholders
best interest.
Unless we complete a business combination, members of our management team will not receive
reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses they incur if such expenses exceed the available funds
held outside of the trust and the interest income that may be released to us to fund our expenses
relating to investigating and selecting a target business and other working capital requirements.
Therefore, they may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business
is appropriate for a business combination and in the public stockholders best interest.
Members of our management team will not receive reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses
incurred by them to the extent that such expenses exceed the $250,000 held outside of the Trust
Account and interest income on the Trust Account balance, net of taxes payable on such interest, of
up to $1,700,000 that may be released to us to fund our expenses relating to investigating and
selecting a target business and other working capital requirements, unless a
business combination is consummated. Members of our management team may, as part of any such
combination, negotiate the repayment of some or all of any such expenses. If the target business
owners do not agree to such repayment, this could cause our management team to view such potential
business combination unfavorably, thereby resulting in a conflict of interest. The financial
interests of members of our management team could influence their motivation in selecting a target
business and thus, there may be a conflict of interest when determining whether a particular
business combination is in the stockholders best interest.
22
The American Stock Exchange may delist our securities from quotation on its exchange which could
limit investors ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional
trading restrictions.
Our securities are listed on the American Stock Exchange, a national securities exchange. We
cannot assure that our securities will continue to be listed on the American Stock Exchange in the
future prior to a business combination.
If the American Stock Exchange delists our securities from trading on its exchange, we could
face significant material adverse consequences, including:
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a limited availability of market quotations for our securities; |
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a reduced liquidity with respect to our securities; |
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a determination that our common stock is a penny stock which will require brokers
trading in our common stock to adhere to more stringent rules, possibly resulting in a
reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our common stock; |
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a limited amount of news and analyst coverage for our company; |
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a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the
future; and |
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a determination that we are subject to provisions of the California Corporations Code. |
We may only be able to complete one business combination with the proceeds of our IPO, which will
cause us to be solely dependent on a single business which may have a limited number of products or
services.
Our initial business combination must be with a business with a fair market value of at least
80% of our net assets (excluding deferred underwriting discounts and commissions of $2.73 million)
at the time of such acquisition, although this may entail the simultaneous acquisitions of several
businesses at the same time. By consummating a business combination with only a single entity, we
would not be able to diversify our operations or benefit from the possible spreading of risks or
offsetting of losses, unlike other entities which may have the resources to complete several
business combinations in different industries or different areas of a single industry. Accordingly,
the prospects for our success may be:
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solely dependent upon the performance of a single business, or |
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dependent upon the development or market acceptance of a single or limited
number of products, processes or services. |
This lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory
developments, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact upon the particular
industry in which we may operate subsequent to a business combination.
Alternatively, if our business combination entails the simultaneous acquisitions of several
businesses at the same time from different sellers, we would face additional risks, including
difficulties and expenses incurred in connection with the subsequent integration of the operations
and services or products of the acquired companies into a single operating business. If we are
unable to adequately address these risks, it could negatively impact our profitability and results
of operations.
We may effect a business combination with a financially unstable company or an entity in the early
stage of development or growth, which may subject us to greater risks than if we were to effect a
business combination with a more established company with a proven record of earnings and growth.
After conducting due diligence investigations to evaluate risks in potential target
businesses, we may still decide to effect a business combination with a company that is financially
unstable or is in the early stage of development or growth, including an entity without established
records of sales or earnings. To the extent we effect a business combination with financially
unstable or early stage or emerging growth companies, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent
in the business and operations of such companies that we would not be subject to if we were to
effect a business combination with a more established company with a proven record of earnings and
growth.
23
The ability of our stockholders to exercise their conversion rights may not allow us to effectuate
the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure.
When we seek stockholder approval of any business combination, we will offer each public
stockholder, but not our initial stockholders, the right to have his, her or its shares of common
stock converted to cash if the stockholder votes against the business combination and the business
combination is approved and completed. Such holder must both vote against such business combination
and then exercise his, her or its conversion rights to receive a pro rata portion of the Trust
Account. Accordingly, if our business combination requires us to use substantially all of our cash
to pay the purchase price, because we will not know how many stockholders may exercise such
conversion rights, we may either need to reserve part of the Trust Account for possible payment
upon such conversion if the transaction is approved, or we may need to arrange third party
financing to help fund our business combination in case a larger percentage of stockholders
exercise their conversion rights than we expect.
The conversion rights afforded to the public stockholders may result in the conversion into
cash of up to approximately 29.99% of the aggregate number of the shares sold in our IPO.
Therefore, as much as approximately $23,640,000 (plus the converting stockholders share of all
accrued interest after distribution interest income on the Trust Account balance to us as described
above) may be required to fund the exercise of conversion rights. Since we have no specific
business combination under consideration, we have not taken any steps to secure third party
financing. Therefore, we may not be able to consummate a business combination that requires us to
use all of the funds held in the Trust Account as part of the purchase price, or we may end up
having a leverage ratio that is not optimal for our business combination. In the event that the
acquisition involves the issuance of our stock as consideration, we may be required to issue a
higher percentage of our stock to make up for a shortfall in funds. Raising additional funds to
cover any shortfall may involve dilutive equity financing or incurring indebtedness at a higher
than desirable level. This may limit our ability to effectuate the most attractive business
combination available to us.
We will proceed with a business combination only if public stockholders owning less than 30% of the
shares sold in our IPO exercise their conversion rights.
We will proceed with a business combination only if public stockholders owning less than 30%
of the shares sold in our IPO exercise their conversion rights. Accordingly, approximately 29.99%
of the public stockholders may exercise their conversion rights and we could still consummate a
proposed business combination. We have established the conversion percentage at 30%, rather than
the 20% threshold that is customary and standard of offerings similar to ours, in order to reduce
the likelihood that a small group of investors holding a large block of our stock will be able to
stop us from completing a business combination that is otherwise approved by a large majority of
our public stockholders. Thus, because we permit a larger number of stockholders to exercise their
conversion rights, it will be easier for us to consummate an initial business combination with a
target business which you may believe is not suitable for us, and investors may not receive the
full amount of your original investment upon exercise of your conversion rights.
Our business combination may require us to use substantially all of our cash to pay the
purchase price. In such a case, because we will not know how many stockholders may exercise such
conversion rights, we may need to arrange third party financing to help fund our business
combination in case a large percentage of stockholders exercise their conversion rights. We cannot
assure you that such financing will be available on acceptable terms, if at all. If third party
financing is unavailable to consummate a particular business combination, we would be compelled to
restructure or abandon the combination and seek an alternative target business.
Even if we do not need third party financing to consummate a business combination, we may
require additional capital in the form of debt, equity, or a combination of both to operate
or grow any potential business we may acquire. There can be no assurance that we will be able to
obtain such additional capital if it is required. If we fail to secure such financing, this failure
could have a material adverse effect on the operations or growth of the target business. None of
our officers or directors or any other party is required to provide any financing to us in
connection with, or following, our initial business combination.
Because of our limited resources and structure, we may not be able to consummate an attractive
business combination.
We expect to encounter intense competition from other entities, including other blank check
companies having a business objective similar to ours, private equity funds, venture capital funds,
leveraged buyout funds and operating businesses competing for acquisitions. Many of these entities
are well established and have extensive experience in identifying and effecting business
combinations directly or through affiliates. Many of these competitors possess greater technical,
human and other resources than we do, and our financial resources will be relatively limited when
contrasted with those of many of these competitors. While we believe that there are numerous
potential target businesses that we could acquire with the net proceeds of our IPO, our ability to
compete in acquiring certain sizable target businesses will be limited by the availability of
sufficient financial resources. This inherent competitive
24
limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of certain target businesses.
In addition, we expect to focus our efforts on identifying a prospective target business in the in
the digital media sector, and Robert Fried, our President and Chief Executive Officer, is the only
member of our management team with experience in that sector. Furthermore, the obligation we have
to seek stockholder approval of a business combination may delay the consummation of a transaction.
Additionally, outstanding warrants, and the future dilution they potentially represent, may not be
viewed favorably by certain target businesses. Any of these factors may place us at a competitive
disadvantage in successfully negotiating a business combination. The fact that, as of February
2008, only 46 of the blank check companies that have gone public in the United States since August
2003 have consummated a business combination and only 23 other companies have announced they have
entered into a definitive agreement for a business combination may be an indication that there are
fewer attractive target businesses available to such entities like our company or that many
privately held target businesses are not inclined to enter into these types of transactions with
publicly held blank check companies like ours. If we are unable to consummate a business
combination with a target business within the prescribed time periods, we will be forced to
liquidate.
We may be unable to obtain any additional financing necessary to complete a business combination or
to fund the operations and growth of the target business, which could compel us to restructure or
abandon a particular business combination.
We believe that the net proceeds secured by our public offering are sufficient to allow us to
consummate a business combination. However, because we have not yet identified any prospective
target business, we cannot ascertain the capital requirements for any particular transaction. If
the net proceeds prove to be insufficient, either because of the size of the business combination,
the depletion of the available net proceeds expended in search of a target business, or the
obligation to convert into cash a significant number of shares from dissenting stockholders, we
will be required to seek additional financing. We cannot guarantee that such financing will be
available on acceptable terms, if at all. To the extent that additional financing proves to be
unavailable when needed to consummate a particular business combination, we would be compelled to
either restructure the transaction or abandon that particular business combination and seek an
alternative target business candidate. In addition, even if we do not need additional financing to
consummate a business combination, we may require additional financing to fund the operations or
growth of the target business. The failure to secure such financing could have a material adverse
effect on the continued development or growth of the target business. None of our officers,
directors or stockholders is required to provide any financing to us in connection with, or
following, a business combination.
Our initial stockholders, including our officers and directors, control a substantial interest in
us and thus may influence certain actions requiring a stockholder vote.
Our initial stockholders collectively own approximately 24% of our issued and outstanding
shares of common stock. Unless we are or become subject to any applicable limitations under Section
2115(b) of the California Corporations Code, our board of directors will be divided into three
classes, each of which will generally serve for a term of three years with only one class of
directors being elected in each year. We may consummate an initial business combination before
there is an annual meeting of stockholders to elect new directors, in which case all of the current
directors will continue in office at least until the consummation of our initial business
combination. If there is an annual meeting, as a consequence of our staggered board of directors,
only a minority of the board of directors will be considered for election, and our initial
stockholders, because of their ownership position, will have considerable influence regarding the
outcome. Accordingly, our initial stockholders will continue to exert control at least until the
consummation of a business combination. While our initial stockholders do not currently intend to
purchase any of our securities in the aftermarket, neither our initial stockholders nor any of
their affiliates are prohibited from doing so. Our initial stockholders have not established
specific criteria that would trigger purchases of our securities, and they would likely consider a
wide variety of factors in determining whether to purchase any of our securities, including whether
they believe that such securities are undervalued. If they were to make any such purchases, our
initial stockholders will have a greater influence on matters requiring stockholder approval,
including the vote taken in connection with a business combination. To the extent that our initial
stockholders or their affiliates purchase shares of our common stock in the aftermarket, or
otherwise purchase shares of our common stock, such purchases may have an impact on the market
price of our common stock.
Any purchases of our common stock by our initial stockholders or their affiliates could impact the
stockholder vote in favor of a business combination.
Neither our initial stockholders nor their affiliates are prohibited from purchasing any of
our securities in the aftermarket or otherwise. Such purchases may be made from public stockholders
that have indicated their intention to vote against the business combination and exercise their
conversion rights. Accordingly, purchases by our initial stockholders or their affiliates could
result in a business combination being approved that may not have otherwise been approved by our
public stockholders, but for the purchases made by our initial stockholders or their affiliates.
However,
our initial stockholders own shares of our common stock which will become worthless if we do
not consummate a business combination and, accordingly, they have an interest in causing a business
combination to be consummated that is different from our other stockholders.
25
Our stockholders cannot take any action by written consent, which may have the effect of
discouraging, delaying or preventing takeover attempts or other changes in the control of our
company, our board or management, that are not supported by our board of directors, despite
possible benefits to our stockholders.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that our stockholders are not
able to take any action by written consent, but will only be able to take action at a duly called
annual or special meeting of stockholders. Our bylaws further provide that special meetings of our
stockholders may be called by a majority of our board of directors, by our Chairman of the Board or
Chief Executive Officer and will be called by our President or Secretary upon the written request
of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock. These provisions, by
making it difficult for our stockholders to take action, may have the effect of discouraging,
delaying or preventing non-negotiated takeover attempts not approved by our board of directors that
our stockholders may consider favorable, including transactions that might result in payment of a
premium over the market price for the shares of common stock held by our stockholders. Moreover,
these provisions may prevent or frustrate attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove members
of our board of directors.
Our outstanding warrants and option may have an adverse effect on the market price of our common
stock and make it more difficult to effect a business combination.
We issued warrants to purchase 10,000,000 shares of common stock as part of the units offered
through our initial public offering and issued the insider warrants to purchase 2,400,000 shares of
common stock. In addition, we granted an option to purchase 500,000 units to the representative of
the underwriters which, upon exercise by the representative, resulted in the issuance of an
additional 500,000 warrants. To the extent we issue shares of common stock to effect a business
combination, the potential for the issuance of a substantial number of additional shares upon
exercise of these warrants and option could make us a less attractive acquisition vehicle in the
eyes of a target business. This is because such securities, when exercised, will increase the
number of issued and outstanding shares of our common stock and reduce the value of the shares
issued to complete the business combination. Accordingly, our warrants and option may make it more
difficult to effectuate a business combination or increase the cost of acquiring the target
business. Additionally, the sale, or even the possibility of sale, of the shares underlying the
warrants and option could have an adverse effect on the market price for our securities or on our
ability to obtain future financing.
If our initial stockholders exercise their registration rights with respect to their initial shares
or insider warrants (or underlying securities), it may have an adverse effect on the market price
of our common stock and the existence of these rights may make it more difficult to effect a
business combination.
The holders of the initial shares as well as the holders of the insider warrants (and
underlying securities), are entitled to registration rights pursuant to an agreement signed on the
effective date of our offering. The holders of the majority of these securities are entitled to
make up to two demands that we register such securities. As the initial shares will be released
from escrow one year after the consummation of a business combination, our initial stockholders
will be able to make a demand for registration of the resale of their initial shares at any time
commencing nine months after the consummation of a business combination. Additionally, our initial
stockholders will be able to elect to exercise these registration rights with respect to the
insider warrants (and underlying securities) at any time after we consummate a business
combination. In addition, the holders will have certain piggy-back registration rights with
respect to registration statements filed subsequent to our consummation of a business combination.
We will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration
statements. If our initial stockholders exercise their registration rights with respect to all of
their initial shares and the insider warrants (and underlying securities), then there will be an
additional 4,900,000 shares of common stock eligible for trading in the public market. The presence
of these additional shares of common stock trading in the public market may have an adverse effect
on the market price of our common stock. In addition, the existence of these rights may make it
more difficult to effectuate a business combination or increase the cost of acquiring the target
business, as the stockholders of the target business may be discouraged from entering into a
business combination with us or will request a higher price for their securities because of the
potential effect the exercise of such rights may have on the trading market for our common stock.
If we are deemed to be an investment company, we may be required to satisfy burdensome compliance
requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it more difficult for us to
complete a business combination.
A company that, among other things, is or holds itself out as being engaged primarily, or
proposes to engage primarily, in the business of investing, reinvesting, owning, trading or holding
certain types of securities would be deemed an investment company under the Investment Company Act
of 1940. Since we will invest the proceeds held in
the Trust Account, it is possible that we will be deemed an investment company.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, we do not believe that our anticipated principal activities will
subject us to the Investment Company Act of 1940. To this end, the proceeds held in trust will be
invested by the trustee only in United States government securities within the meaning of Section
2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 having a maturity of 180 days or less or in money
market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company
Act of 1940. By restricting the investment of the proceeds to these instruments, we intend to meet
the requirements for the exemption provided in Rule 3a-1 promulgated under the Investment Company
Act of 1940.
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If we are nevertheless deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act of
1940, we may be subject to certain restrictions that may make it more difficult for us to complete
a business combination, including:
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restrictions on the nature of our investments; and |
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restrictions on the issuance of securities. |
In addition, we may have imposed upon us certain burdensome compliance requirements, including:
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registration as an investment company; |
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adoption of a specific form of corporate structure; and |
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reporting, record keeping, voting, proxy, compliance policies and procedures
and disclosure requirements and other rules and regulations. |
Compliance with these additional regulatory burdens would require additional expense for which we
have not allotted.
If we seek to acquire a target business with operations outside of the United States, economic,
political, social and other factors of the country where the target business operates may adversely
affect our ability to achieve our business objective.
If we seek to acquire a target business that operates in a foreign country, our ability to
achieve our business objective may be adversely affected by economic, political, social and
religious factors of the country where the target business operates. The economy of such country
may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as the level of economic
development, the amount of governmental involvement, the growth rate of its gross domestic product,
the allocation of resources, the control of foreign exchange, the rate of inflation, capital
reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position. These differences may
adversely affect our ability to acquire one or more businesses with operations outside the United
States. Additionally, changes in the countrys laws or regulations or political conditions may also
impact our ability to acquire a foreign target business.
One or more countries where the target business operates may have corporate disclosure, governance
and regulatory requirements that are different from those in the United States, which may make it
more difficult or complex to consummate a business combination.
Companies in other countries are subject to accounting, auditing, regulatory and financial
standards and requirements that differ, in some cases significantly, from those applicable to
public companies in the United States, which may make it more difficult or complex to consummate a
business combination. In particular, the assets and profits appearing on the financial statements
of a company located outside the United States may not reflect its financial position or results of
operations in the way they would be reflected had such financial statements been prepared in
accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. There may be substantially less
publicly available information about companies located outside the United States than there is
about United States companies. Moreover, companies in other countries may not be subject to the
same degree of regulation as are United States companies with respect to such matters as insider
trading rules, tender offer regulation, shareholder proxy requirements and the timely disclosure of
information.
Legal principles relating to corporate affairs and the validity of corporate procedures,
directors fiduciary duties and liabilities and shareholders rights for companies located outside
the United States may differ from those that may apply in the United States, which may make the
consummation of a business combination with such companies located outside of the United States
more difficult. We therefore may have more difficulty in achieving our business objective.
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Foreign currency fluctuations could adversely affect our business and financial results.
If we acquire a target business which does business and generates sales in one or more
countries outside the United States, foreign currency fluctuations may affect the costs that we
incur in such international operations. It is also possible that some or all of our operating
expenses may be incurred in non-U.S. dollar currencies. The appreciation of
non-U.S. dollar currencies in those countries where we have operations against the U.S. dollar
would increase our costs and could harm our results of operations and financial condition.
Exchange controls that exist in certain countries may limit our ability to utilize our cashflow
effectively following a business combination.
If we effect a business combination with a target business that operates in one or more
countries outside of the United States, we may become subject to rules and regulations on currency
conversion that are in effect in certain countries. Such rules and regulations impose restrictions
on conversion of local currency into foreign currencies with respect to entities with foreign
equity holdings in excess of a certain level. Such restrictions on currency exchanges may limit our
ability to use our cash flow for the distribution of dividends to our stockholders or to fund
operations we may have outside of the country where the target business is located.
Because any target business with which we attempt to complete a business combination may be
required to provide our stockholders with financial statements prepared in accordance with, or
which can be reconciled to, United States generally accepted accounting principles, prospective
target businesses may be limited.
In accordance with requirements of United States federal securities laws, in order to seek
stockholder approval of a business combination, a proposed target business may be required to have
certain financial statements which are prepared in accordance with, or which can be reconciled to,
U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and audited in accordance with U.S. generally
accepted auditing standards. To the extent that a proposed target business does not have financial
statements which have been prepared in accordance with, or which can be reconciled to, U.S.
generally accepted accounting principles and audited in accordance with U.S. generally accepted
auditing standards, we may not be able to complete a business combination with that proposed target
business. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential target businesses
with which we may complete a business combination.
Returns on investment in companies with operations outside the United States may be decreased
by withholding and other taxes.
If we effect a business combination with a target business that operates in one or more
countries outside of the United States, our investments in certain countries may incur tax risk,
and income that might otherwise not be subject to withholding of local income tax under normal
international conventions may be subject to withholding in such countries. Any withholding taxes
paid by us on income from our investments in other countries may or may not be creditable on our
income tax returns. We intend to avail ourselves of income tax treaties that are in place to seek
to minimize any withholding tax or local tax otherwise imposed in other countries. However, there
is no assurance that the local tax authorities will recognize application of such treaties to
achieve a minimization of local tax. We may also elect to create foreign subsidiaries to effect the
business combinations to attempt to limit the potential tax consequences of a business combination.
Certain sectors of the economy in one or more countries where a target business operates may be
subject to government regulations that limit foreign ownership, which may adversely affect our
ability to achieve our business objective.
Some countries have in place government regulations that aim to limit foreign ownership in
certain sectors of their economy. As we intend to avoid sectors in which foreign investment is
disallowed, the possible number of acquisitions outside of the United States that are available for
investment may be limited. Our management team will evaluate the risk associated with investments
in sectors in which foreign investment is restricted. However, there can be no guarantee that our
management team will be correct in its assessment of political and policy risk associated with
investments in general and in particular in sectors that are regulated by the applicable
government. Any changes in policy could have an adverse impact on our ability to achieve our
business objective.
If any relevant government authorities find us or the target business with which we ultimately
complete a business combination to be in violation of any existing or future laws or regulations in
place, they would have broad discretion in dealing with such a violation, including, without
limitation:
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Levying fines; |
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Revoking our business and other licenses; and |
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Requiring that we restructure our ownership or operations. |
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If we effect a business combination with a target business located outside of the United States,
the target businesss operations may become less attractive if political and diplomatic relations
between the United States and the country where the target business is located deteriorate.
The relationship between the United States and the country where a target business is located
may weaken over time. Changes in the state of the relations between such country and the United
States are difficult to predict and could adversely affect our future operations or cause potential
target businesses to become less attractive. This could lead to a decline in our profitability. Any
meaningful deterioration of the political and diplomatic relations between the United States and
the relevant country could have a material adverse effect on our operations after a successful
completion of a business combination.
If we effect a business combination with a target business located outside of the United States, we
may be unable to enforce our rights because the local judiciary, which may be relatively
inexperienced in enforcing corporate and commercial law, will determine the scope and enforcement
of almost all of our target businesss material agreements under local law.
If we effect a business combination with a company located outside of the United States, the
laws of the country in which such company operates will govern almost all of the material
agreements relating to its operations. We cannot assure you that the target business will be able
to enforce any of its material agreements or that remedies will be available in this new
jurisdiction. The local judiciary may be relatively inexperienced in enforcing corporate and
commercial law, and the system of laws and the enforcement of existing laws in such jurisdiction
may not be as certain in implementation and interpretation as in the United States. The inability
to enforce or obtain a remedy under any of our future agreements could result in a significant loss
of business, business opportunities or capital.
If we effect a business combination with a company located outside of the United States, we would
be subject to a variety of additional risks that may negatively impact our operations.
If we effect a business combination with a company located outside of the United States, we
would be subject to risks associated with companies operating in the target businesss home
jurisdiction. The additional risks we may be exposed to include but are not limited to the
following:
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tariffs and trade barriers; |
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regulations related to customs and import/export matters; |
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longer payment cycles; |
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tax issues, such as tax law changes and variations in tax laws as compared to the
United States; |
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challenges in collecting accounts receivable; |
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cultural and language differences; |
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employment regulations; and |
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crimes, strikes, riots, civil disturbances, terrorist attacks and wars. |
We cannot assure you that we would be able to adequately address these additional risks. If we
were unable to do so, our operations might suffer.
Risks Associated with the Digital Media Sector
We believe that businesses in the digital media sector are subject to the risks discussed
below. Any information regarding the digital media sector that is included in this Annual Report
would be irrelevant if we decide to consider a target business or businesses outside of the digital
media sector.
The speculative nature of the digital media sector may result in our inability to produce products
or services that receive sufficient market acceptance for us to be successful.
Certain segments of the digital media sector are highly speculative and historically have
involved a substantial degree of risk. For example, the success of a particular film, video game,
program or recreational attraction depends upon unpredictable and changing factors, including the
success of promotional efforts, the availability of alternative forms of entertainment and leisure
time activities, general economic conditions, public acceptance and other tangible and intangible
factors, many of which are beyond our control. If we complete a business combination with a target
business in such a segment, we may be unable to produce products or services that receive
sufficient market acceptance for us to be successful.
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Changes in technology may reduce the demand for the products or services we may offer following a
business combination.
The digital media sector is substantially affected by rapid and significant changes in
technology. These changes may reduce the demand for certain existing services and technologies used
in these industries or render them obsolete. We cannot assure you that the technologies used by or
relied upon or produced by a target business with which we effect a business combination will not
be subject to such occurrence. While we may attempt to adapt and apply the services provided by the
target business to newer technologies, we cannot assure you that we will have sufficient resources
to fund these changes or that these changes will ultimately prove successful.
If following a business combination, the products or services that we market or sell are not
accepted by the public, our profits may decline.
Certain segments of the digital media sector are dependent on developing and marketing new
products and services that respond to technological and competitive developments and changing
customer needs and tastes. We cannot assure you that the products and services of a target business
with which we effect a business combination will gain market acceptance. Any significant delay or
failure in developing new or enhanced technology, including new product and service offerings,
could result in a loss of actual or potential market share and a decrease in revenues.
If we are unable to protect our patents, trademarks, copyrights and other intellectual property
rights following a business combination, competitors may be able to use our technology or
intellectual property rights, which could weaken our competitive position.
If we are successful in acquiring a target business and the target business is the owner of
patents, trademarks, copyrights and other intellectual property, our success will depend in part on
our ability to obtain and enforce intellectual property rights for those assets, both in the United
States and in other countries. In those circumstances, we may file applications for patents,
copyrights and trademarks as our management deems appropriate. We cannot assure you that these
applications, if filed, will be approved, or that we will have the financial and other resources
necessary to enforce our proprietary rights against infringement by others. Additionally, we cannot
assure you that any patent, trademark or copyright obtained by us will not be challenged,
invalidated or circumvented.
If we are alleged to have infringed on the intellectual property or other rights of third parties
it could subject us to significant liability for damages and invalidation of our proprietary
rights.
If, following a business combination, third parties allege that we have infringed on their
intellectual property rights, privacy rights or publicity rights or have defamed them, we could
become a party to litigation. These claims and any resulting lawsuits could subject us to
significant liability for damages and invalidation of our proprietary rights and/or restrict our
ability to publish and distribute the infringing or defaming content.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
Not applicable.
Item 2. Facilities
We have agreed to pay Clarity Partners, L.P., or Clarity, a monthly fee of $7,500 for office
space and administrative and support services. Barry A. Porter, one of our special advisors, is a
co-founder and Managing General Partner of Clarity, and the grantor trust of Mr. Porter, Nautilus
Trust dtd 9/10/99, is one of our initial stockholders. This arrangement is being agreed to by
Clarity for our benefit and is not intended to provide Mr. Porter, any member of our management
team, any other special advisor or any of our directors with compensation in lieu of a salary or
other remuneration. We believe, based on rents and fees for similar services in the Beverly Hills,
California area, that the fee charged by Clarity is at least as favorable as we could have obtained
from any unaffiliated person. This arrangement will terminate upon completion of a business
combination or the distribution of the Trust Account to our public stockholders.
Effective April 1, 2008, we intend to move our principal offices to 1990 S. Bundy Boulevard,
Suite 620, Los Angeles, CA 90025. We will sublease space and pay $7,500 per month for office space
and related services to Spirit SMX LLC. Robert N. Fried, our Chief Executive Officer and one of our
initial shareholders, is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Spirit SMX LLC. We believe,
based on rents and fees for similar services in the Los Angeles, California area, that the fee
charged by Spirit SMX LLC is at least as favorable as we could have obtained from any unaffiliated
person. Our audit committee of Ideation Acquisition Corp approved the sub-leasing and
administrative and support services agreement with Spirit SMX LLC on March 20, 2008. We will
terminate our agreement with Clarity Partners, L.P. before March 31, 2008.
30
Item 3. Legal Proceedings
To the knowledge of management, there is no litigation currently pending, threatened or
contemplated against us.
Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
No matters were submitted to a vote of our shareholders during the fourth quarter of the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2007.
31
PART II
Item 5. Market for Registrants Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Our units, common stock and warrants trade on the American Stock Exchange under the symbols
IDI.U, IDI and IDI.WS respectively.
The following table sets forth the range of high and low sales prices for the units, common
stock and warrants for the applicable portion of the quarter ended December 31, 2007. The units
commenced public trading on November 20, 2007, and the common stock and warrants commenced public
trading separately on December 26, 2007:
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Units |
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Common Stock |
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Warrants |
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High |
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Low |
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High |
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Low |
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High |
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Low |
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2007: |
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Fourth Quarter |
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$ |
8.01 |
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7.85 |
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7.20 |
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7.20 |
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0.70 |
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0.70 |
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Holders of Common Equity
On March 17, 2008, there was one holder of record of our units, twelve holders of record of
our warrants and twelve holders of record of our common stock. Such numbers do not include
beneficial owners holding shares, warrants or units through nominee names.
Dividends
We have not paid any dividends on our common stock to date and we do not intend to pay cash
dividends prior to the consummation of a business combination. After we complete a business
combination, the payment of dividends will depend on our revenues and earnings, if any, capital
requirements and general financial condition. The payment of dividends after a business combination
will be within the discretion of our then-board of directors. Our board of directors currently
intends to retain any earnings for use in our business operations and, accordingly, we do not
anticipate the board declaring any dividends in the foreseeable future.
Use of Proceeds from our Initial Public Offering
On November 25, 2007, we consummated a private placement of an aggregate of 2,400,000 private
placement warrants to our initial stockholders for an aggregate purchase price of $2,400,000.
On November 26, 2007, we consummated our IPO of 10,000,000 Units, each Unit consisting of one
share of common stock and one warrant, at a price of $8.00 per Unit and received net proceeds of
$76.7 million which was net of $2.73 million in deferred underwriting fees.
On November 26, 2007, we used $200,000 of our general working capital to repay the notes
payable to Frost Gamma Investments Trust, Robert N. Fried, Rao Uppaluri, Steven D. Rubin and Jane
Hsiao.
In November and December 2007, we used $61,305 of our general working capital to pay premiums
associated with our directors and officers liability insurance.
As of December 31, 2007, we have paid or incurred an aggregate of approximately $959,000 in
expenses, which have been or will be paid out of the proceeds of our IPO not held in trust for the
following purposes:
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payment of estimated taxes incurred as a result of interest income earned on funds
currently held in the Trust Account; |
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expenses for due diligence and investigation of prospective target businesses; |
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legal and accounting fees relating to our SEC reporting obligations and general
corporate matters; and |
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miscellaneous expenses. |
32
As of December 31, 2007, after giving effect to our IPO and our operations subsequent thereto,
approximately $78.8 million was held in trust and we had approximately $75,000 of unrestricted
cash, and the entire $1.7 million that we are entitled to withdraw from interest earned on the
funds held in the Trust Account, available to
us for our activities in connection with identifying and conducting due diligence of a
suitable business combination, and for general corporate matters.
Item 6. Selected Financial Data
The following table summarizes the relevant financial data for our business and should be read
with our financial statements, which are included in this report. We have not had any significant
operations to date, so only balance sheet data is presented.
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Balance Sheet Data: |
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December 31, 2007 |
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Working capital (deficiency) |
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295,599 |
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Total assets |
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79,280,230 |
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Total liabilities |
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2,899,631 |
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Value of common stock which may be redeemed for cash ($7.88 per share) |
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23,639,992 |
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Stockholders equity |
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52,740,607 |
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Item 7. Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results
of operations together with Selected Consolidated Financial Data and our consolidated financial
statements and notes thereto that appear elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This
discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties, and
assumptions. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking
statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, those presented under
Risks Relating to the Company included in Item 1A and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form
10-K.
Overview
References to we, us or the Company are to Ideation Acquisition Corp.
We are a blank check company organized under the laws of the State of Delaware on June 1,
2007. We were formed for the purpose of acquiring, through a merger, capital stock exchange, asset
acquisition or other similar business combination, one or more businesses. While our efforts in
identifying prospective target businesses will not be limited to a particular industry, we expect
to focus on businesses in the digital media sector, which encompasses companies that emphasize the
use of digital technology to create, distribute or service others that create or distribute content
for various platforms including online, mobile, satellite, television, cable, radio, print, film,
video games and software. Digital technology refers to the use of digitally-enabled means, as
opposed to analog means, to process, transmit, store or display content. We may also focus on
traditional media businesses, including motion picture exhibition companies, television and radio
broadcast companies, print media publishing companies and traditional content libraries, if we
believe that the incorporation of digital technology will enhance and accelerate the growth of
those businesses. We have not established specific criteria that would trigger our consideration of
businesses outside of the digital media sector. In addition, we intend to direct our search toward
digital media businesses in the United States, but we would also consider businesses outside of the
United States.
The registration statement (File No. 333-144218) for our initial public offering of
10,000,000 units (IPO), each unit consisting of one share of common stock, par value $0.0001 per
share, and one warrant exercisable for an additional share of common stock (a Warrant) was
declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on November 19, 2007. On
November 26, 2007, we completed our IPO at a price of $ 8.00 per unit.
Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of our common stock at a price of $6.00
exercisable on the later of our consummation of a business combination or November 19, 2008,
provided in each case that there is an effective registration statement covering the shares of
common stock underlying the warrants in effect. The Warrants expire on November 19, 2011, unless
earlier redeemed. Additionally, our initial stockholders purchased an aggregate of 2,400,000
warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant ($2.4 million in the aggregate) in a private placement
transaction (the Private Placement) that occurred immediately prior to our IPO. Upon the closing
of our IPO, on November 26, 2007, we sold and issued an option for $100 to purchase up to 500,000
units, at an exercise price of $7.00 per unit, to the representatives of the underwriters in our
IPO.
33
We received net proceeds of approximately $79.1 million from the IPO and the Private
Placement. Of those net proceeds, approximately $2.73 million is attributable to the portion of the
underwriters discount which has been deferred until our consummation of a business combination. Of
these net proceeds, $78.8 million was deposited into a
Trust Account maintained at Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the Trust Account)
and will be held in trust and not released until the earlier to occur of (i) the completion of a
business combination or (ii) our liquidation, in which case such proceeds will be distributed to
our public stockholders. For a more complete discussion of our financial information, see the
section appearing elsewhere in this Annual Report entitled Selected Financial Data.
We intend to utilize cash derived from the proceeds of our IPO, our capital stock, debt or a
combination of cash, capital stock and debt, in effecting a business combination. The issuance of
additional shares of our capital stock in a business combination:
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may significantly reduce the equity interest of our stockholders; |
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may subordinate the rights of holders of common stock if we issue preferred stock with
rights senior to those afforded to our common stock; |
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will likely cause a change in control if a substantial number of our shares of common
stock are issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net
operating loss carry forwards, if any, and most likely will also result in the resignation
or removal of our present officers and directors; and |
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may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our common stock |
Similarly, if we issue debt securities, it could result in:
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default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after a business
combination are insufficient to pay our debt obligations; |
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acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we have made all
principal and interest payments when due if the debt security contains covenants that
required the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves and we breach any such covenant without
a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant; |
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our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt
security is payable on demand; and |
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our inability to obtain additional financing, if necessary, if the debt security
contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain additional financing while such
security is outstanding. |
Results of Operations
Through December 31, 2007 our efforts have been limited to organizational activities related
to our initial public offering, activities related to identifying and evaluating prospective
acquisitive candidates, and activities related to general corporate matters. We have neither
engaged in any operations nor generated any revenues, other than interest income earned on the
proceeds of our private placement and initial public offering. For the period ended December 31,
2007, we earned $340,417 as interest income, of which $48,682 was received as of December 31, 2007.
As of December 31, 2007 we had $75,457 of unrestricted cash and $340,417 of additional
interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account available to us for our activities in
connection with identifying and conducting due diligence of a suitable business combination, and
for general corporate matters. The following table shows the total funds held in the Trust Account
through December 31, 2007.
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Net proceeds from an initial public and private placement of
stock and warrants to our initial stockholders (excluding
$250,000 not held in trust) |
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$ |
76,085,000 |
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Deferred underwriters discount and compensation |
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$ |
2,730,000 |
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Total interest received to date |
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$ |
48,682 |
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Less total interest disbursed to us for working capital
through December 31, 2007 |
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$ |
-0- |
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Less total taxes paid through December 31, 2007 |
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$ |
-0- |
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Total funds held in Trust Account through December 31, 2007 |
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$ |
78,863,682 |
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34
Liquidity and Capital Resources
We intend to use substantially all of the net proceeds from our offering and private
placement, including the funds held in the Trust Account (excluding deferred underwriting discounts
and commissions), to acquire a target business and to pay our expenses relating thereto. To the
extent that our capital stock is used in whole or in part as consideration to effect a business
combination, the proceeds held in the Trust Account which are not used to consummate a business
combination will be disbursed to the combined company and will, along with any other net proceeds
not expended, be used as working capital to finance the operations of the acquired business or
businesses. Such working capital funds could be used in a variety of ways, including, without
limitation, for maintenance or expansion of the operations of an acquired business or businesses,
the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in consummating our business
combination, to fund strategic acquisitions and for marketing, research and development of existing
or new products. Such funds could also be used to repay any operating expenses or finders fees
which we had incurred prior to the completion of our business combination if the funds available to
us outside of the Trust Account were insufficient to cover such expenses.
We believe that the $250,000 in funds available to us outside of the Trust Account, together
with up to $1,700,000 of interest earned on the Trust Account balance, net of taxes payable on such
interest, that may be released to us to fund our expenses relating to investigating and selecting a
target business and other working capital requirements, will be sufficient to allow us to operate
for the next 24 months, assuming that a business combination is not consummated during that time.
However, we cannot guarantee that our estimates will be accurate. We may request the release of
such funds for a number of purposes that may not ultimately lead to a business combination. For
instance, we could use a portion of the funds available to us to pay fees to consultants to assist
us with our search for a target business. We could also use a portion of the funds as a down
payment with respect to a particular proposed business combination, or enter into a letter of
intent where we pay for the right to receive exclusivity from a target business, where we may be
required to forfeit funds (whether as a result of our breach or otherwise). In any of these cases,
or in other situations where we expend the funds available to us outside of the Trust Account for
purposes that do not result in a business combination, we may not have sufficient remaining funds
to continue searching for, or to conduct due diligence with respect to, a target business, in which
case we would be forced to obtain alternative financing or liquidate. We will be using these funds
for identifying and evaluating prospective acquisition candidates, performing business due
diligence on prospective target businesses, traveling to and from the offices, plants or similar
locations of prospective target businesses, reviewing corporate documents and material agreements
of prospective target businesses, selecting the target business to acquire and structuring,
negotiating and consummating the business combination. We anticipate that we will incur
approximately:
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$800,000 of expenses for legal, accounting and other expenses attendant to the due
diligence investigation, structuring and negotiating of a business combination; |
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$180,000 of expenses for office space and administrative and support services payable
to Clarity Partners, L.P. ($7,500 per month for 2 years); |
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$200,000 of expenses in legal and accounting fees relating to our SEC reporting
obligations; and |
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$770,000 for general working capital that will be used for miscellaneous expenses and
general corporate purposes (including director and officer liability insurance premiums). |
The amount of available proceeds is based on managements estimates of the costs needed to
fund our operations for the next 24 months and consummate a business combination. We do not believe
we will need to raise additional funds following our IPO in order to meet the expenditures required
for operating our business. However, we may need to raise additional funds through a private
offering of debt or equity securities, if such funds are required to consummate a business
combination that is presented to us, although we have not entered into any such arrangement and
have no current intention of doing so.
We are obligated to pay to Clarity a monthly fee of $7,500 for office space and administrative
and support services. Barry A. Porter, one of our special advisors, is a co-founder and Managing
General Partner of Clarity, and the grantor trust of Mr. Porter, Nautilus Trust dtd 9/10/99, is one
of our initial stockholders.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In September 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued SFAS No. 157, Fair
Value Measurements. This Statement defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair
value in generally accepted accounting principles, expands disclosures about fair value
measurements and applies under other accounting pronouncements that require or permit fair value
measurements. SFAS No. 157 does not require any new fair value measurements. However, the FASB
anticipates that for some entities, the application of SFAS No. 157 will change current practice.
35
SFAS No. 157 is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after
November 15, 2007, which for the Company would be its fiscal year beginning January 1, 2008. We are
currently evaluating the impact of SFAS No. 157 but does not expect that it will have a material
impact on its financial statements.
In February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159, The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets
and Financial Liabilities. This Statement permits entities to choose to measure many financial
instruments at fair value. Unrealized gains and losses on items for which the fair value option has
been elected are reported in earnings. SFAS No. 159 is effective for fiscal years beginning after
November 15, 2007. We are currently assessing the impact of SFAS No. 159 on its financial position
and results of operations.
In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS 141(R), Business Combinations). SFAS 141(R) provides
companies with principles and requirements on how an acquirer recognizes and measures in its
financial statements the identifiable assets acquired, liabilities assumed, and any non-controlling
interest in the acquiree as well as the recognition and measurement of goodwill acquired in a
business combination. SFAS 141(R) also requires certain disclosures to enable users of the
financial statements to evaluate the nature and financial effects of the business combination.
Acquisition costs associated with the business combination will generally be expensed as incurred.
SFAS 141(R) is effective for business combinations occurring in fiscal years beginning after
December 15, 2008, which will require us to adopt these provisions for business combinations
occurring in fiscal 2009 and thereafter. Early adoption of SFAS 141(R) is not permitted.
Redeemable common stock
We account for redeemable common stock in accordance with Emerging Issue Task Force D-98
Classification and Measurement of Redeemable Securities. Securities that are redeemable for cash
or other assets are classified outside of permanent equity if they are redeemable at the option of
the holder. In addition, if the redemption causes a redemption event, the redeemable securities
should not be classified outside of permanent equity. As further described above, we will only
consummate a business combination if a majority of the shares of common stock voted by the public
stockholders owning shares sold in our IPO vote in favor of the business combination and public
stockholders holding less than 30% (2,999,999) of common shares sold in our IPO exercise their
conversion rights. As further discussed above, if a business combination is not consummated by
November 19, 2009, we will liquidate. Accordingly, 2,999,999 shares have been classified outside of
permanent equity at redemption value. We recognizes changes in the redemption value immediately as
they occur and adjusts the carrying value of the redeemable common stock to equal its redemption
value at the end of each reporting period.
Critical Accounting Policies
Basis of presentation
Our financial statements are presented in U.S. dollars in conformity with accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP).
Development Stage Company
We comply with the reporting requirements of SFAS No. 7, Accounting and Reporting by
Development Stage Enterprises.
Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject us to a significant concentration of credit
risk consist primarily of cash. We maintains deposits in federally insured financial institutions
in excess of federally insured limits. However, management believes we are not exposed to
significant credit risk due to the financial position of the depository institutions in which those
deposits are held.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The fair values of our assets and liabilities that qualify as financial instruments under SFAS
No. 107, Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Instrument, approximate their carrying amounts
presented in the accompanying balance sheet.
Preferred Stock
We are authorized to issue 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock with such designations, voting
and other rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors.
There were no preferred shares issued as of December 31, 2007.
36
Net Income per Common Share
We comply with SFAS No. 128, Earnings Per Share, which requires dual presentation of basic
and diluted earnings per share on the face of the statement of operations. Basic net income per
share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average common shares outstanding for the
period. Diluted net income per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if warrants
were to be exercised or converted or otherwise resulted in the issuance of common stock that then
shared in the earnings of the entity.
The Companys statement of operations includes a presentation of earnings per share for common
stock subject to possible redemption in a manner similar to the two-class method of earnings per
share. Basic and diluted net income per share amount for the maximum number of shares subject to
possible redemption is calculated by dividing the net interest attributable to common shares
subject to possible redemption by the weighted average number of shares subject to possible
redemption. Basic and diluted net income per share amount for the shares outstanding not subject
to possible redemption is calculated by dividing the net income exclusive of the net interest
income attributable to common shares subject to redemption by the weighted average number of shares
not subject to possible redemption.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that
affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and
liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of income and expenses
during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Income Taxes
We comply with SFAS 109, Accounting for Income Taxes, which requires an asset and liability
approach to financial accounting and reporting for income taxes. Deferred income tax assets and
liabilities are computed for differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets
and liabilities that will result in future taxable or deductible amounts, based on enacted tax laws
and rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income.
Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount
expected to be realized.
We also comply with the provisions of the Financial Accounting Standards Interpretation No.
48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes (FIN 48). FIN 48 prescribes a recognition
threshold and measurement process for recording in the financial statements uncertain tax positions
taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. FIN 48 also provides guidance on de-recognition,
classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosures and transitions.
There were no unrecognized tax benefits as of December 31, 2007. We would recognize accrued
interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. No amounts were
accrued for the payment of interest and penalties at December 31, 2007. Management is currently
unaware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals, or material
deviations from its position. We adopted FIN 48 effective June 1, 2007 (date of inception) and has
determined that the adoption did not have an impact on the our financial position, results of
operations, or cash flows.
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Market risk is the sensitivity of income to changes in interest rates, foreign exchanges,
commodity prices, equity prices, and other market-driven rates or prices. We are not presently
engaged in and, if we do not consummate a suitable business combination prior to the prescribed
liquidation date of the trust fund, we may not engage in, any substantive commercial business.
Accordingly, we are not and, until such time as we consummate a business combination, we will not
be, exposed to risks associated with foreign exchange rates, commodity prices, equity prices or
other market-driven rates or prices. The net proceeds of our initial public offering held in the
trust fund may be invested by the trustee only in United States government securities within the
meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 having a maturity of 180 days or
less, or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the
Investment Company Act of 1940. Given our limited risk in our exposure to government securities and
money market funds, we do not view the interest rate risk to be significant.
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
Reference is made to the Index to Consolidated Financial Statements that appears on page F-1
of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm,
the Financial Statements and
the Notes of Financial Statements, listed in the Index to Financial Statements, which appear
beginning on page F-2 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, are incorporated by reference into this
Item 8.
37
Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
None.
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
Disclosure controls and procedures are controls and other procedures that are designed to
ensure that information required to be disclosed in company reports filed or submitted under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act) is recorded, processed, summarized and
reported, within the time periods specified in the SECs rules and forms. Disclosure controls and
procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information
required to be disclosed in company reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act is
accumulated and communicated to management, including our chief executive officer, as appropriate
to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
As required by Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act, Dr. Uppaluri, our principal
financial officer, carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of
our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2007. Based upon his evaluation, he
concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective.
Our internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the
supervision of, our president and chief executive officer and effected by our board of directors,
management and other personnel, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of our
financial reporting and the preparation of our financial statements for external purposes in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (United States). Internal control over
financial reporting includes policies and procedures that pertain to the maintenance of records
that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of our
assets; provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit
preparation of our financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles
(United States), and that our receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with the
authorization of our board of directors and management; and provide reasonable assurance regarding
prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of our assets that
could have a material effect on our financial statements.
This Annual Report on Form 10-K does not include a report of managements assessment regarding
internal control over financial reporting or an attestation report of the companys registered
public accounting firm due to a transition period established by rules of the SEC for newly public
companies.
Item 9B. Other Information
Not applicable.
38
PART III
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
Our current directors and executive officers are as follows:
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Name |
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Age |
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Position |
Dr. Phillip Frost, M.D.
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70 |
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Chairman of the Board |
Robert N. Fried
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47 |
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President, Chief Executive Officer and Director |
Rao Uppaluri
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58 |
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Treasurer and Director |
Steven D. Rubin
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47 |
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Secretary and Director |
Thomas E. Beier
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62 |
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Director |
Shawn Gold
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42 |
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Director |
David H. Moskowitz
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71 |
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Director |
Dr. Phillip Frost, M.D. Dr. Frost has served as our Chairman of the Board since our inception.
Dr. Frost has served as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Opko Health, Inc.
since March, 2007. Dr. Frost is a member of The Frost Group, a private investment firm. Dr. Frost
was named the Vice Chairman of the Board of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Limited, or TEVA, in
January 2006 when Teva acquired IVAX Corporation, or IVAX, for $9.2 billion, including assumed
debt. IVAX was a multinational company engaged in the research, development, manufacturing and
marketing of branded and generic pharmaceuticals and veterinary products. Dr. Frost had served as
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of IVAX since 1987. Dr. Frost was named Chairman
of the Board of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc., an American Stock Exchange-listed
investment banking and securities brokerage firm, in July 2006 and has been a director of Ladenburg
Thalmann Financial Services Inc. since March 2005. He serves on the Board of Regents of the
Smithsonian Institution, is a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Miami, is a
Trustee of each of the Scripps Research Institutes, the Miami Jewish Home for the Aged, and the
Mount Sinai Medical Center and is Co-Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of the American Stock
Exchange. Dr. Frost is also a director of Continucare Corporation, an American Stock
Exchange-listed provider of outpatient healthcare and home healthcare services, Northrop Grumman
Corp., a New York Stock Exchange-listed global defense and aerospace company, and is the Chairman
of the Board of Modigene, Inc., a development stage biopharmaceutical company. Dr. Frost owns an
equity interest in the general partner and in the limited partnership of Peregrine VC Investments
II, a private venture capital fund based in Israel that invests primarily in early-stage Israeli
technology companies, The Florida Value Fund LLLP, a private equity fund focused on mid-market
companies in the State of Florida, and Calex Equity Partners, LP, an equity fund with a value
orientation. Dr. Frost holds a Bachelors Degree in French Literature from the University of
Pennsylvania, and an M.D. from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Robert N. Fried. Mr. Fried has served as our President and Chief Executive Officer and a
member of our board of directors since our inception. Mr. Fried is a digital media entrepreneur and
accomplished film producer. Since 1990, Mr. Fried has served as President of Fried Films, a motion
picture production company he founded in 1990. Mr. Fried has produced or served as executive
producer for 15 films, including Man of the Year and Collateral. Mr. Frieds films have won
numerous awards, including an Academy Award for the Live Action Short Film Session Man, the ASCAP
award for Collateral, the Christopher Award for Rudy, and Emmy, SAG and Golden Globe awards for
Winchell. Mr. Fried has founded several digital media companies, such as Spirit EMX, an internet
video content company, and Ideation Mobile Media, a mobile advertising company which is unrelated
to us other than through Mr. Fried. Mr. Fried has also served as consultant to numerous entities,
advising them on studio slate financings, the formation of independent film production companies,
computer animation, theatrical production, Internet planning and general strategic planning and
business development. He was an investor in and served on the advisory board of WebTV Networks,
Inc., which was sold to Microsoft Corporation for $425 million in 1997, and Intermix, Inc., owner
of MySpace.com, which Intermix sold to News Corporation for $580 million in 2005. From November
1996 until June 2001, Mr. Fried served as Chairman of WhatsHotNow, Inc., or WHN, an e-commerce
service provider to the entertainment and licensed merchandise industries, which he founded in
1996. WHN built and managed e-commerce and direct response commerce operations for major media
companies, such as NBC, ABC, Fox, MTV, Comedy Central, Playboy, TV Guide, Sony Pictures, Universal
and Paramount. WHN also built and maintained a business-to-business licensed merchandise retail
exchange that managed the online product catalogs for over 130 licensee/manufacturers and had over
5,000 retail members. Mr. Fried also served as Chief Executive Officer of WHN from July 1999 until
June 2001. From December 1994 until June 1996, Mr. Fried was President and Chief Executive Officer
of Savoy Pictures, a unit of Savoy Pictures Entertainment, Inc. Mr. Fried led the turnaround of
Savoys motion picture and television departments, which included marketing, distribution, business
affairs, creative development and physical production. Savoy Pictures Entertainment was sold to
Silver King Communications, which is now a part of InterActive Corp, in 1996. From 1983 to 1990,
Mr. Fried held several executive positions including Executive Vice
President in charge of Production for Columbia Pictures, Director of Film Finance and Special
Projects for Columbia Pictures and Director of Business Development at Twentieth Century Fox. Mr.
Fried holds an M.S. from Cornell University and an M.B.A. from the Columbia University Graduate
School of Business.
39
Rao Uppaluri, Ph.D., CFA. Dr. Uppaluri has served as our Treasurer and a member of our board
of directors since our inception. He has served as the Chief Financial officer of Opko Health, Inc.
since March, 2007. He is also a member of The Frost Group. Dr. Uppaluri served as the Vice
President, Strategic Planning and Treasurer of IVAX from 1997 until December 2006. Before joining
IVAX, from 1987 to August 1996, Dr. Uppaluri was Senior Vice President, Senior Financial Officer
and Chief Investment Officer with Intercontinental Bank, a publicly traded commercial bank in
Florida. In addition, he served in various positions, including Senior Vice President, Chief
Investment Officer and Controller, at Peninsula Federal Savings & Loan Association, a publicly
traded Florida S&L, from October 1983 to 1987. His prior employment, during 1974 to 1983, included
engineering, marketing and research positions with multinational companies and research institutes
in India and the United States. Dr. Uppaluri currently serves on the Board of Directors of Longfoot
Communications Corp., a shell company seeking a merger or other business partner. Dr. Uppaluri
holds a B.S. and M.S. in Engineering from Andhra University in India and an M.B.A. and Ph.D in
Finance from Indiana University.
Steven D. Rubin. Mr. Rubin has served as our Secretary and a member of our board of directors
since our inception. Mr. Rubin has served as Executive Vice President-Administration and as a
director of Opko Health, Inc. since March , 2007. He is also a member of The Frost Group. Mr. Rubin
served as the Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of IVAX from August 2001 until
September 2006. Before joining IVAX, from January 2000 to August 2001, Mr. Rubin served as the
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of privately-held Telergy, Inc., a provider of
business telecommunications and diverse optical network solutions. He was with the Miami law firm
of Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson from 1986 until 2000, in the Corporate and
Securities Department. Mr. Rubin was a shareholder of that firm from 1991 until 2000 and a director
from 1998 until 2000. Mr. Rubin currently serves on the board of directors of Dreams, Inc., a
vertically-integrated sports products company, and Modigene Inc., a development stage
biopharmaceutical company, Safe Stitch Medical, Inc., a medical device company, and Longfoot
Communications Corp., a shell company seeking a merger or other business partner. Mr. Rubin holds
a B.A. in Economics from Tulane University and a J.D. from the University of Florida.
Thomas E. Beier. Mr. Beier has served as a member of our board of directors since our
inception. Mr. Beier served as Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer of IVAX
from October 1997 until August 2006. From December 1996 until October 1997, Mr. Beier served as
Senior Vice President of Finance of IVAX. Before joining IVAX, Mr. Beier served as Executive Vice
President and Chief Financial Officer of Intercontinental Bank from 1989 until August 1996. Mr.
Beier currently serves on the Board of Directors of Opko Health, Inc. Mr. Beier holds a B.B.A. in
Accounting from the University of Miami.
Shawn Gold. Mr. Gold has served as a member of our board of directors since our inception. Mr.
Gold served as Senior Vice President of Marketing and Content for MySpace.com from February 2006 to
November 16, 2007. Before joining MySpace.com, Mr. Gold co-founded Weblogs, Inc., a publisher of
professional Internet blogs, where he served as Publisher from November 2004 until February 2006.
From August 2000 until July 2002, Mr. Gold served as the President of eUniverse.com, an Internet
media company. Before joining eUniverse.com, from early 1999 until August 2000, Mr. Gold served as
Vice President of Marketing and Communications of WHN. From 1997 until 1999, Mr. Gold served as
head of strategic planning at Rare Medium, where he created the inaugural interactive communication
strategies for P&G, General Foods, Mattel and Nestle. From 1995 until 1997, Mr. Gold founded and
served as general manager for Icon New Medias advertising division, publishing Word.com and
Charged.com, where he created the first interstitial ads on the web and an industry-leading
advertising system based on time rotation and contextual integration. He started developing
interactive content in 1992 as a partner with TouchTunes Interactive, a telecommunications music
marketing service in the USA, Japan and New Zealand. Mr. Gold holds a B.S. in Finance from Syracuse
University.
David H. Moskowitz. Mr. Moskowitz has served as a member of our board of directors since our
inception. Mr. Moskowitz has practiced law at his firm David H. Moskowitz & Associates since 1984
and has practiced law for more than 40 years. Mr. Moskowitz holds a B.S. in accounting from
Pennsylvania State University, an L.L.B. from Villanova University and a D.Phil. from Oxford
University.
Special Advisors
We also have several advisors that will assist us in identifying, seeking and consummating a
business combination. They are as follows:
40
Thomas H. Baer. Mr. Baer has served as a director of Medici Arts, B.V., or Medici, a
Netherlands holding company, since its creation in September 2004, and as the Vice Chairman of
Medici Arts, LLC since January 2007. Medici and its subsidiaries own EuroArts Music International
and Idéale Audience, companies that produce and
acquire audiovisual content in the classical and popular music fields and distribute libraries
of audiovisual content that it owns or licenses, and Elektrofilm, a media services company engaged
by content owners and producers to perform post production, distribution, digital media and library
services. Before joining Medici, Mr. Baer served as a consultant to the chairman and chief
executive officer of Liberty Livewire, predecessor to Ascent Media, a media services company, from
2000 until 2001, and as a director of Four Media Company, prior to its acquisition by Liberty
Livewire in 2000. After serving as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of
New York from 1961 until 1966, Mr. Baer founded Baer & McGoldrick, now Schulte, Roth and Zabel, a
law firm with offices in New York and London, where he practiced in the litigation, corporate,
mergers and acquisitions, and entertainment fields from 1969 until 1980, first as a member of the
firm and then as counsel to the firm. Since 1983, Mr. Baer has been active as a motion picture
producer and as an executive in the entertainment and media space in partnership with Michael H.
Steinhardt. In 1994, Steinhardt Baer Pictures Company, of which Mr. Baer is a General Partner,
acquired a minority interest in October Films, which has since been acquired by Universal Pictures.
Since 1983, Mr. Baer has served variously as president of Kings Road Productions and as a contract
producer at Orion Pictures Corporation and Universal Pictures. Mr. Baer is a graduate of Tufts
University and Yale Law School.
Jarl Mohn. Mr. Mohn, also known as Lee Masters, currently serves as Chairman of the Board of
CNET, a on-line publisher of special interest content. Mr. Mohn also currently serves on the board
of several media companies, including The E.W. Scripps Company, XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc.
and MobiTV, a television programming provider for mobile telephone companies. Mr. Mohn founded and
served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Liberty Digital, Inc., a publicly-traded company
that invested in mid-stage interactive television, cable networks and internet enterprises, from
June 1999 until March 2002. Before joining Liberty Digital, from January 1990 until December 1998,
Mr. Mohn founded and served as President and Chief Executive Officer of E! Entertainment
Television. From 1986 until 1990, Mr. Mohn served as Executive Vice President and General Manager
of MTV and VH1. Prior to his career in television, Mohn enjoyed a successful 19-year career in
radio, where he was a disc jockey, programmer, general manager and owner of a group of radio
stations.
Barry A. Porter. Mr. Porter is a co-founder and a Managing General Partner of Clarity Partners
L.P., a private equity firm focused on investments in media, communications and business services.
Claritys transactions have included growth investments, leveraged acquisitions and build-ups,
joint ventures, and recapitalizations. Mr. Porter also serves on the investment committee of
Clarity China, an affiliated private equity firm focusing on investments in the greater China
region. Before the formation of Clarity, Mr. Porter was a Managing Director of Pacific Capital
Group from 1993 until 1997. While at Pacific Capital Group, Mr. Porter was a co-founder of Global
Crossing, a telecommunications company, and he served in a variety of senior executive positions at
Global Crossing from 1997 to 2000 and on that companys Board of Directors. Before joining Pacific
Capital Group, Mr. Porter was an investment banker at Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. from 1986 until
1993, where he became a Senior Managing Director and was a co-head of the media and communications
practice, head of the gaming industries group and an active participant in the firms high-yield
activities. Before joining Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. Mr. Porter was an attorney at Wyman, Bautzer,
Rothman, Kuchel and Silbert in Los Angeles from 1983 until 1986, where he focused on media and
entertainment matters. Mr. Porter currently serves as a director on the board of directors of BASE
Entertainment, Liberation Entertainment and Westec InterActive. He is also involved in a variety of
community organizations and is on the Board of the Independent School Alliance for Minority Affairs
and on the Board of Public Counsel. Mr. Porter holds a J.D. and M.B.A from the University of
California, Berkeley, and a B.S. in Finance and Political Science from the Wharton School of
Business, University of Pennsylvania.
The special advisors set forth above are not currently affiliated with members of management.
Except for the monthly fee of $7,500 payable to Clarity described below, we have no formal
arrangements or agreements with these advisors to provide services to us, and they have no
fiduciary obligations to present business opportunities to us. These special advisors will simply
provide advice, introductions to potential targets, and assistance to us, at our request, only if
they are able to do so. Nevertheless, we believe that, with their business background and extensive
contacts, they will be helpful to our search for a target business and our consummation of a
business combination.
Number and Terms of Directors
Our board of directors is divided into three classes with only one class of directors being
elected in each year and each class serving a three-year term. The term of office of the first
class of directors, consisting of Steven D. Rubin and Shawn Gold, will expire at our first annual
meeting of stockholders. The term of office of the second class of directors, consisting of Rao
Uppaluri and Thomas Beier, will expire at the second annual meeting. The term of office of the
third class of directors, consisting of Dr. Phillip Frost, Robert N. Fried and David H. Moskowitz,
will expire at the third annual meeting. To the extent that we are or become subject to any
restrictions under Section 2115(b) of the California Corporations Code relating to our ability to
have a staggered board of directors, all of our directors will be elected at each annual meeting of
stockholders and will hold office until the next annual meeting.
41
These individuals will play a key role in identifying and evaluating prospective acquisition
candidates, selecting the target business, and structuring, negotiating and consummating its
acquisition. We believe that the skills and expertise of these individuals, their collective access
to acquisition opportunities and ideas, their contacts, and their transaction expertise should
enable them to successfully identify and effect an acquisition although we cannot assure you that
they will, in fact, be able to do so.
Director Independence
Our board of directors has determined that Thomas E. Beier, Shawn Gold and David H. Moskowitz
are independent directors as such term is defined in Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act and the rules
of the American Stock Exchange. The American Stock Exchange requires that a majority of our board
must be composed of independent directors. However, since we listed on the American Stock Exchange
in connection with our IPO, we are not required to meet this requirement until one year following
our listing on the American Stock Exchange. We intend to appoint additional members to our Board of
Directors in the future to meet the requirement that a majority of our Board of Directors be
independent within one year of our listing on the American Stock Exchange. Our independent
directors will have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.
Any affiliated transactions will be on terms no less favorable to us than could be obtained
from independent parties. Any affiliated transactions must be approved by a majority of our
independent and disinterested directors.
Board Committees
Audit Committee
We have established an audit committee of the board of directors, which consists of Thomas E.
Beier, David H. Moskowitz and Steven D. Rubin. Under the American Stock Exchange listing standards
and applicable rules of the SEC, we are required to have an audit committee of at least three
members, each of whom must be independent. However, since we listed on the American Stock Exchange
in connection with our initial public offering, we are permitted to have one independent member at
the time of listing, a majority of independent members within 90 days of listing and all
independent members within one year. Currently, two members of the audit committee, Messrs. Beier
and Moskowitz, are independent. We intend to replace Mr. Rubin with an independent member within
one year of our listing on the American Stock Exchange.
The audit committees responsibilities include:
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reviewing and discussing with management and the independent auditor the annual
audited financial statements, and recommending to the board whether the audited
financial statements should be included in our Form 10-K; |
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discussing with management and the independent auditor significant financial
reporting issues and judgments made in connection with the preparation of our financial
statements; |
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discussing with management major risk assessment and risk management policies; |
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monitoring the independence of the independent auditor; |
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verifying the rotation of the lead (or coordinating) audit partner having
primary responsibility for the audit and the audit partner responsible for reviewing
the audit as required by law; |
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reviewing and approving all related-party transactions, including, but not
limited to, any involvement of Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. in our business
combination; |
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inquiring and discussing with management our compliance with applicable laws
and regulations; |
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pre-approving all audit services and permitted non-audit services to be
performed by our independent auditor, including the fees and terms of the services to
be performed; |
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appointing or replacing the independent auditor; |
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determining the compensation and oversight of the work of the independent
auditor (including resolution of disagreements between management and the independent
auditor regarding financial reporting) for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit
report or related work; and |
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establishing procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints
received by us regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or reports which
raise material issues regarding our financial statements or accounting policies. |
42
Financial Experts on Audit Committee
Each member of the audit committee is financially sophisticated, as required by the American
Stock Exchange listing standards. In addition, the board of directors has determined that Mr. Beier
qualifies as an audit committee financial expert, as defined under the applicable rules of the
SEC.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
We have established a nominating and corporate governance committee of the board of directors,
which consists of Shawn Gold, David H. Moskowitz and Steven D. Rubin. Under the American Stock
Exchange listing standards, each member of the nominating and corporate governance committee must
be independent, with limited exceptions. However, since we listed on the American Stock Exchange in
connection with our initial public offering, we are permitted to have one independent member at the
time of listing, a majority of independent members within 90 days of listing and all independent
members within one year. Currently, two members of the nominating and corporate governance
committee, Messrs. Gold and Moskowitz, are independent. We intend to replace Mr. Rubin with an
independent member within one year of our listing on the American Stock Exchange. The nominating
and corporate governance committee is responsible for overseeing the selection of persons to be
nominated to serve on our board of directors. The nominating and corporate governance committee
will consider persons identified by its members, management, stockholders, investment bankers and
others.
Guidelines for Selecting Director Nominees
The nominating and corporate governance committee will consider a number of qualifications
relating to management, leadership experience, background, integrity and professionalism in
evaluating a persons candidacy for membership on the board of directors. The nominating and
corporate governance committee may require certain skills or attributes, such as financial or
accounting experience, to meet specific board needs that arise from time to time. The nominating
and corporate governance committee will not distinguish among nominees recommended by stockholders
and other persons.
Code of Ethics
We have adopted a code of ethics that applies to all of our executive officers, directors and
employees. The code of ethics codifies the business and ethical principles that govern all aspects
of our business.
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires our officer, directors and
persons who own more than ten percent of a registered class of our equity securities to file
reports of ownership and changes in ownership with the SEC. Officers, directors and ten percent
stockholders are required by regulation to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they
file. Based solely on copies of such forms received, we believe that, during the year ended
December 31, 2007, all filing requirements applicable to our officer, directors and greater than
ten percent beneficial owners were complied with.
Item 11. Executive Compensation
No executive officer has received any cash compensation for services rendered to us. No
compensation of any kind, including finders, consulting or other similar fees, will be paid to any
of our initial stockholders, officers, directors or special advisors, or any of their affiliates,
for any services rendered prior to or in connection with the consummation of a business
combination, other than the monthly fee of $7,500 for office space and administrative and support
services payable to Clarity, a potential finders or success fee to Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc.,
an affiliate of Dr. Frost, to the extent we enter into an agreement with such company in connection
with our search for a target business, and repayment of non-interest bearing loans of $200,000 in
the aggregate made by certain of our initial stockholders. However, such individuals will be
reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such
as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business
combinations. Our audit committee will review and approve all reimbursements made to our initial
stockholders, officers, directors or their affiliates, and any reimbursements made to members of
our audit committee will be reviewed and approved by our board of directors, with any interested
director abstaining from such review and approval. Such review will encompass an analysis of the
corporate purposes advanced by such expenses and their reasonableness as compared to similar
services or products that could have been procured from an independent third party source. There is
no limit on the total amount of these out-of-pocket expenses reimbursable by us, provided that
members of our management team will not receive reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses
incurred by them to the extent that such expenses exceed the amount held outside of the Trust
Account (initially, approximately $250,000) and interest income on the Trust Account balance, net
of taxes payable on such interest, of up to $1,700,000 that may be released to us to fund our
expenses relating to investigating and selecting a target business and other working capital
requirements, unless a business combination is consummated. There will be no review of the
reasonableness of the expenses other than by our audit committee and, in some cases, by our board
of directors as described above, or if such reimbursement is challenged, by a court of competent
jurisdiction.
43
Our officers, directors and special advisors may be paid consulting, management or other fees
from the combined company with any and all amounts being fully disclosed to stockholders, to the
extent then known, in the proxy solicitation materials furnished to our stockholders. It is
unlikely, however, that the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of a stockholder
meeting held to consider a business combination, as it will be up to the directors of the
post-combination business to determine executive and director compensation.
In addition, since the role of present management after a business combination is uncertain,
we have no ability to determine what remuneration, if any, will be paid to those persons after a
business combination. While the role of present management after a business combination is
uncertain, our executive officers and directors who remain with us may be paid consulting,
management or other fees from the combined company with any and all amounts being fully disclosed
to stockholders, to the extent then known, in the proxy solicitation materials furnished to our
stockholders. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of a
stockholder meeting held to consider a business combination, as it will be up to the directors of
the post-combination business to determine executive and director compensation. In this event, such
compensation will be publicly disclosed at the time of its determination in a Form 8-K, as required
by the SEC.
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management
The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of our common
stock as of March 25, 2008, by:
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each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our
outstanding shares
of common stock; |
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each of our officers and directors; and |
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all our officers and directors as a group. |
As of March 25, 2008, we had 12,500,000 shares of common stock issued and outstanding. Unless
otherwise indicated, we believe that all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment
power with respect to all shares of common stock beneficially owned by them.
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Approximate |
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Amount and Nature of |
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Percentage of |
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Beneficial |
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Outstanding Common |
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner (2) |
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Ownership (1)(3) |
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Stock |
Officers and Directors |
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Dr. Phillip Frost, M.D.(4) |
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1,509,000 |
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12.1 |
% |
Robert N. Fried |
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620,500 |
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4.9 |
% |
Rao Uppaluri |
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157,500 |
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1.3 |
% |
Steven D. Rubin |
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157,500 |
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1.3 |
% |
Thomas E. Beier |
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10,000 |
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* |
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Shawn Gold |
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10,000 |
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* |
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David H. Moskowitz |
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10,000 |
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* |
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All directors and executive officers as a
group (7 individuals) |
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2,474,500 |
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19.8 |
% |
5% Holders |
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Frost Gamma Investments Trust(5) |
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1,509,000 |
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12.1 |
% |
President and Fellows of Harvard College(6) |
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1,200,000 |
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9.6 |
% |
Millenco LLC(7) |
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1,008,300 |
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8.1 |
% |
HBK Investments L.P.(8) |
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756,684 |
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6.1 |
% |
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* |
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less than 1% |
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(1) |
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Includes shares of common stock which the person has the right to acquire within 60 days of March 25, 2008. |
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(2) |
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Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each of the following is 100 North Crescent Drive, Beverly
Hills, California 90210. |
44
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(3) |
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Does not reflect 2,400,000 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of warrants held by certain of
our initial stockholders, which are not exercisable until the later of our completion of a business
combination and November 19, 2008. |
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(4) |
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The number of shares beneficially owned by Dr. Frost includes shares of common stock beneficially owned by
Frost Gamma Investments Trust, of which Frost Gamma Limited Partnership is the sole and exclusive
beneficiary. Dr. Frost is one of two limited partners of Frost Gamma Limited Partnership. The general
partner of Frost Gamma Limited Partnership is Frost Gamma, Inc. and the sole shareholder of Frost Gamma,
Inc. is Frost-Nevada Corporation. Dr. Frost is also the sole shareholder of Frost-Nevada Corporation. |
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(5) |
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The business address of Frost Gamma Investments Trust is 4400 Biscayne Blvd., Suite 1500, Miami, Florida
33137. Frost Gamma Limited Partnership is the sole and exclusive beneficiary of Frost Gamma Investments
Trust. Dr. Frost is one of two limited partners of Frost Gamma Limited Partnership. The general partner of
Frost Gamma Limited Partnership is Frost Gamma, Inc. and the sole shareholder of Frost Gamma, Inc. is
Frost-Nevada Corporation. Dr. Frost is also the sole shareholder of Frost-Nevada Corporation. |
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(6) |
|
The business address of President and Fellows of Harvard College is c/o Harvard Management Company, Inc.,
600 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, MA 02210. The foregoing information is derived from a Schedule 13G filed
with the SEC on February 14, 2008 |
|
(7) |
|
Millennium Management LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (Millennium Management), is the manager
of Millenco LLC, and consequently may be deemed to have shared voting control and investment discretion
over securities owned by Millenco. Israel A. Englander (Mr. Englander) is the managing member of
Millennium Management. As a result, Mr. Englander may be deemed to have shared voting control and
investment discretion over securities deemed to be beneficially owned by Millennium Management. The
foregoing should not be construed in and of itself as an admission by Millennium Management or Mr.
Englander as to beneficial ownership of the shares owned by Millenco. The business address of Millenco LLC
is 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10103. The foregoing information is derived from a Schedule 13G
filed with the SEC on December 6, 2007. |
|
(8) |
|
HBK Investments L.P. has delegated discretion to vote and dispose of the Securities to HBK Services LLC
(Services). Services may, from time to time, delegate discretion to vote and dispose of certain of the
Securities to HBK New York LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, HBK Virginia LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company, HBK Europe Management LLP, a limited liability partnership organized under the laws of
the United Kingdom, and/or HBK Hong Kong Ltd., a corporation organized under the laws of Hong Kong
(collectively, the Subadvisors). Each of Services and the Subadvisors is under common control with HBK
Investments L.P. The Subadvisors expressly declare that the filing of this statement on Schedule 13G shall
not be construed as an admission that they are, for the purpose of Section 13(d) or 13(g) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, beneficial owners of the Securities.
Jamiel A. Akhtar, Richard L. Booth, David C. Haley, Lawrence H. Lebowitz, and William E. Rose are each
managing members (collectively, the Members) of HBK Management LLC. The Members expressly declare that
the filing of this statement on Schedule 13G shall not be construed as an admission that they are, for the
purpose of Section 13(d) or 13(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, beneficial owners of the
Securities.
The business address of HBK Investments L.P. is 300 Crescent Court, Suite 700, Dallas, Texas 75201.
The foregoing information is derived from a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on January 18, 2008. |
45
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions
On June 12, 2007, in connection with the formation of our company, we issued 2,500,000 shares
of our common stock to our initial stockholders for $0.01 per share or a total of $25,000.
Additionally, our initial stockholders purchased warrants exercisable for 2,400,000 shares of our
common stock, for $1.00 per warrant or a total of $2,400,000, in a private placement transaction
that occured simultaneously with the consummation of our IPO. The table below sets forth the number
of initial shares purchased and the number of insider warrants to be purchased by each of our
initial stockholders.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of Initial |
|
|
Number of Insider |
|
Name |
|
Shares |
|
|
Warrants |
|
Frost Gamma Investments Trust(1) |
|
|
1,359,000 |
|
|
|
1,320,000 |
|
Robert N. Fried |
|
|
617,500 |
|
|
|
550,000 |
|
Rao Uppaluri |
|
|
154,500 |
|
|
|
150,000 |
|
Steven D. Rubin |
|
|
154,500 |
|
|
|
150,000 |
|
Jane Hsiao |
|
|
154,500 |
|
|
|
150,000 |
|
Thomas E. Beier |
|
|
10,000 |
|
|
|
5,000 |
|
Shawn Gold |
|
|
10,000 |
|
|
|
5,000 |
|
David H. Moskowitz |
|
|
10,000 |
|
|
|
5,000 |
|
Thomas H. Baer |
|
|
10,000 |
|
|
|
5,000 |
|
Jarl Mohn |
|
|
10,000 |
|
|
|
30,000 |
|
Nautilus Trust dtd 9/10/99(2) |
|
|
10,000 |
|
|
|
30,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
|
|
2,500,000 |
|
|
|
2,400,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
The beneficiary of Frost Gamma Investments Trust is an entity controlled by Dr. Phillip
Frost, M.D. |
|
(2) |
|
Nautilus Trust dtd 9/10/99 is the grantor trust of Barry A. Porter. |
The proceeds from the sale of the insider warrants were deposited in the Trust Account pending
our completion of a business combination. The insider warrants are identical to the warrants
included in the units being offered in an initial public offering except that if we call the
warrants for redemption, the insider warrants will be exercisable on a cashless basis so long as
such warrants are held by our initial stockholders or their affiliates. Our initial stockholders
have agreed that the insider warrants will not be sold or transferred by them until 90 days after
we have completed a business combination, provided however that transfers can be made to certain
permitted transferees who agree in writing to be bound by such transfer restrictions. Accordingly,
the insider warrants were placed in escrow and will not be released until 90 days after the
completion of a business combination. Lazard Capital Markets LLC has no intention of waiving these
restrictions.
The initial stockholders are entitled to registration rights pursuant to an agreement signed
on November 19, 2007. The holders of the majority of these securities will be entitled to make up
to two demands that we register such securities. As the initial shares will be released from escrow
one year after the consummation of a business combination, our initial stockholders will be able to
make a demand for registration of the resale of their initial shares at any time commencing nine
months after the consummation of a business combination. Additionally, our initial stockholders
will be able to elect to exercise these registration rights with respect to the insider warrants
(and underlying securities) at any time after we consummate a business combination. In addition,
the holders will have certain piggy-back registration rights with respect to registration
statements filed subsequent to our consummation of a business combination. We will bear the
expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
We have agreed to pay Clarity a monthly fee of $7,500 for office space and administrative and
support services. Barry A. Porter, one of our special advisors, is a co-founder and Managing
General Partner of Clarity, and the grantor trust of Mr. Porter, Nautilus Trust dtd 9/10/99, is one
of our initial stockholders. This arrangement is being agreed to by Clarity for our benefit and is
not intended to provide Mr. Porter, any member of our management team, any other special advisor or
any of our directors with compensation in lieu of a salary or other remuneration. We believe, based
on rents and fees for similar services in the Beverly Hills, California area, that the fee charged
by Clarity is at least as favorable as we could have obtained from any unaffiliated person.
Effective April 1, 2008, we intend to move our principal offices to 1990 S. Bundy Boulevard, Suite
620, Los Angeles, CA 90025. We will sublease space and pay $7,500 per month for office space and
related services to Spirit SMX LLC. Robert N. Fried, our Chief Executive Officer and one of our
initial shareholders, is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Spirit SMX LLC. We believe,
based on rents and fees for similar services in the Los Angeles, California area, that the fee
charged by Spirit SMX LLC is at least as favorable as we could have obtained from any unaffiliated
person. Our audit committee of Ideation Acquisition Corp approved the sub-leasing and
administrative and support services agreement with Spirit SMX LLC on March 20, 2008. We will
terminate our agreement with Clarity Partners, L.P. before March 31, 2008.
Frost Gamma Investments Trust, Robert N. Fried, Rao Uppaluri, Steven D. Rubin and Jane Hsiao
loaned a total of $200,000 to us for the payment of offering expenses. The loans were non-interest
bearing and were repaid on November 26, 2007 out of the proceeds of our IPO available to us for
payment of offering expenses.
46
We will reimburse our officers and directors for any reasonable out-of-pocket business
expenses incurred by them in connection with certain activities on our behalf such as identifying
and investigating possible target businesses and business combinations. Our audit committee will
review and approve all reimbursements made to our initial stockholders, officers, directors or
their affiliates, and any reimbursements made to members of our audit committee will be reviewed
and approved by our board of directors, with any interested director abstaining from such review
and approval. Such review will encompass an analysis of the corporate purposes advanced by such
expenses and their reasonableness as compared to similar services or products that could have been
procured from an independent third
party source. There is no limit on the total amount of out-of-pocket expenses reimbursable by
us, provided that members of our management team will not receive reimbursement for any
out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them to the extent that such expenses exceed the amount held
outside of the Trust Account (initially, approximately $250,000) and interest income on the Trust
Account balance, net of taxes payable on such interest, of up to $1,700,000 that may be released to
us to fund our expenses relating to investigating and selecting a target business and other working
capital requirements, unless a business combination is consummated. Additionally, there will be no
review of the reasonableness of the expenses other than by our audit committee and, in some cases,
by our board of directors as described above, or if such reimbursement is challenged, by a court of
competent jurisdiction.
No compensation of any kind, including finders, consulting or other similar fees, will be
paid to any of our initial stockholders, officers, directors or special advisors, or any of their
affiliates, for any services rendered prior to or in connection with the consummation of a business
combination, other than the monthly fee of $7,500 for office space and administrative and support
services referred to above, a potential finders or success fee to Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc.,
an affiliate of Dr. Frost, to the extent we enter into an agreement with such company in connection
with our search for a target business, and repayment of non-interest bearing loans of $200,000 in
the aggregate made by certain of our initial stockholders.
All ongoing and future transactions between us and any of our officers and directors or their
respective affiliates, including loans by our officers and directors, will be on terms believed by
us to be no less favorable to us than are available from unaffiliated third parties. Such
transactions or loans, including any forgiveness of loans, will require prior approval by a
majority of our disinterested independent directors or the members of our board who do not have
an interest in the transaction, in either case who had access, at our expense, to our attorneys or
independent legal counsel. We will not enter into any such transaction unless our disinterested
independent directors determine that the terms of such transaction are no less favorable to us
than those that would be available to us with respect to such a transaction from unaffiliated third
parties.
Other Conflicts of Interest
Potential investors should be aware of the following potential conflicts of interest:
None of our officers and directors is required to commit any specified amount of time to our
affairs and, accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in allocating their time among
various business activities.
Members of our management team and our directors may become aware of business opportunities
that may be appropriate for presentation to us as well as the other entities with which they are or
may be affiliated. Due to affiliations with other companies, members of our management team and our
directors may have fiduciary obligations to present potential business opportunities to those
entities prior to presenting them to us which could cause conflicts of interest. Accordingly,
members of our management team and our directors may have conflicts of interest in determining to
which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. For example, Dr. Frost, Dr.
Uppaluri and Mr. Rubin have fiduciary obligations that arise as a result of their affiliation with
The Frost Group and Opko Health, Inc. While neither The Frost Group nor Opko Health, Inc. presently
intends to make acquisitions in the digital media sector, to the extent that we consider a business
combination outside of the digital media sector, we may compete with The Frost Group or Opko
Health, Inc. in pursuing a business combination. Additionally, Dr. Frost owns an equity interest in
the general partner and in the limited partnership of Peregrine VC Investments II, a private
venture capital fund based in Israel that invests primarily in early-stage Israeli technology
companies, The Florida Value Fund LLLP, a private equity fund focused on mid-market companies in
the State of Florida, and Calex Equity Partners, LP, an equity fund with a value orientation. The
investment focus of Peregrine VC Investments II is on acquiring non-controlling interests of
companies, and the targeted aggregate capital of such fund is $20 million. The investments of The
Florida Value Fund LLLP range between $1 million and $4 million per company in the form of either
equity or mezzanine debt. The investment focus of Calex Equity Partners, L.P. is to maximize total
returns by taking long and short non-controlling positions in primarily equity securities of U.S.
and foreign public companies. Accordingly, based on the investment criteria of Peregrine VC
Investments II, The Florida Value Fund LLLP and Calex Equity Partners, LP, we do not expect to
compete with those funds in our search for a target business or businesses. In addition, Mr. Fried
has fiduciary duties to Fried Films. Fried Films only acquires motion picture screenplays, and, as
a result, we do not expect to compete with such company in our search for a target business or
businesses. For a description of our management teams and our directors existing affiliations,
please see the previous section entitled Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.
47
Our officers, directors and special advisors may in the future become affiliated with
entities, including other blank check companies, engaged in business activities similar to those
intended to be conducted by our company. Additionally, our officers, directors and special advisors
may organize, promote or become involved with
other blank check companies, including blank check companies with a focus on the digital media
sector, either before or after our consummation of a business combination.
In connection with our search for a target business, we may enter into an agreement with
Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc., an investment banking and securities brokerage firm and a subsidiary
of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc., that provides for the payment of a finders or
success fee. Dr. Frost, our Chairman of the Board, is the Chairman of the Board of Ladenburg
Thalmann Financial Services Inc. and a significant stockholder of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial
Services Inc. In no instance will we pay Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. a finders fee for a
referral involving a business opportunity that was brought to the attention of Ladenburg Thalmann &
Co. Inc. initially by any of our officers, directors or special advisors, including Dr. Frost.
While Ladenburg Thalmann & Co.
Inc. may be involved in our business combination, neither its role nor its proposed fee structure
has been determined.
The initial shares and insider warrants owned by our initial stockholders, which includes
our officers, directors and special advisors, will be released from escrow only if a business
combination is successfully completed. In addition, the insider warrants purchased by our initial
stockholders and any warrants which our initial stockholders may purchase in this offering or in
the aftermarket will expire worthless if an initial business combination is not consummated.
Additionally, our initial stockholders will not receive liquidation distributions with respect to
any of their initial shares. For the foregoing reasons, our board of directors may have a conflict
of interest in determining whether a particular target business is appropriate for us and our
stockholders.
Our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a
particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors
were included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to an initial
business combination. Additionally, our officers and directors may enter into employment or
consulting agreements with us in connection with a business combination pursuant to which they may
be entitled to compensation for any services provided following such business combination. The
personal and financial interests of our officers and directors may influence their motivation in
identifying and selecting a target business.
The ability of the holders of our insider warrants to exercise the insider warrants on a
cashless basis if we call such warrants for redemption may cause a conflict of interest in
determining when to call the warrants for redemption as they would potentially be able to avoid any
negative price pressure on the price of the warrants and common stock due to the redemption through
a cashless exercise.
Our initial stockholders, officers, directors and special advisors may purchase shares of
common stock in the open market. If they did, they would be entitled to vote such shares as they
choose on a proposal to approve a business combination.
Our special advisors have no fiduciary obligations to us. Therefore, they have no obligation
to present business opportunities to us at all and will only do so if they believe it will not
violate any fiduciary obligations they have. For a description of our special advisors existing
affiliations, please see the previous section entitled Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate
Governance Special Advisors.
In general, officers and directors of a corporation incorporated under the laws of the State
of Delaware are required to present business opportunities to a corporation if:
|
|
|
the corporation could financially undertake the opportunity; |
|
|
|
|
the opportunity is within the corporations line of business; and |
|
|
|
|
it would not be fair to the corporation and its stockholders for the opportunity not to be
brought to the attention of the corporation. |
Accordingly, as a result of multiple business affiliations, our officers and directors may
have similar legal obligations relating to presenting business opportunities to multiple entities.
In addition, conflicts of interest may arise when our board evaluates a particular business
opportunity. We cannot assure you that any of the above mentioned conflicts will be resolved in our
favor.
48
Each of our officers, directors and special advisors has, or may come to have, to a certain
degree, other fiduciary obligations. Members of our management team, our directors and our special
advisors have fiduciary obligations to other companies on whose board of directors they presently
sit, or may have obligations to companies
whose board of directors they may join in the future. To the extent that they identify
business opportunities that may be suitable for us or other companies on whose board of directors
they may sit, our officers, directors and special advisors will honor those fiduciary obligations.
Accordingly, they may not present opportunities to us that come to their attention in the
performance of their duties as directors of such other entities unless the other companies have
declined to accept such opportunities or clearly lack the resources to take advantage of such
opportunities. See Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance Special Advisors.
In order to minimize potential conflicts of interest which may arise from multiple corporate
affiliations, each of our officers and directors has agreed, until the earliest of a business
combination, our liquidation or such time as he ceases to be an officer or a director, to present
to us for our consideration, prior to presentation to any other entity, any business opportunity
which may reasonably be required to be presented to us under Delaware law, subject to any
pre-existing fiduciary or contractual obligations he might have.
In connection with the vote required for any business combination, all of our initial
stockholders, which includes our officers, directors and special advisors, have agreed to vote
their respective shares of common stock which were owned prior to this offering in accordance with
the vote of the public stockholders owning a majority of the shares of our common stock sold in
this offering. In addition, they have agreed to waive their respective rights to participate in any
liquidation distribution with respect to their initial shares. Any common stock acquired by our
initial stockholders in the offering or aftermarket will be considered part of the holdings of the
public stockholders. Except with respect to the conversion rights afforded to public stockholders,
these initial stockholders will have the same rights as other public stockholders with respect to
such shares, including voting rights in connection with a potential business combination.
Accordingly, they may vote such shares on a proposed business combination any way they choose.
In the event we consider a target business affiliated with a member of our board of directors,
we would establish a special committee consisting of disinterested members of our board of
directors to oversee the negotiations with such affiliated entity and evaluate and vote upon the
business combination. To further minimize potential conflicts of interest, we have agreed not to
consummate a business combination with an entity which is affiliated with any of our initial
stockholders, which includes our officers, directors and special advisors, unless we obtain an
opinion from an unaffiliated, independent investment banking firm that the business combination is
fair to our stockholders from a financial perspective. Accordingly, to the extent any of our
initial stockholders are affiliated with an entity that is a portfolio company of, or that has
received a financial investment from, any company that is affiliated with our initial stockholders,
we would not consummate a business combination with such entity unless we obtained an opinion from
an unaffiliated, independent investment banking firm that the business combination is fair to our
stockholders from a financial perspective. We currently do not anticipate entering into a business
combination with an entity affiliated with our management team or our initial stockholders.
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services
The firm of Rothstein, Kass & Company, P.C.(Rothstein Kass) acts as our principal
accountant. Rothstein Kass manages and supervises the audit, and is exclusively responsible for the
opinion rendered in connection with its examination. We have engaged the firm of Insero & Company
CPAs, P.C. (Insero) to assist us in the preparation of our audited financial statements. The
following is a summary of fees paid to Rothstein Kass for services rendered:
Audit Fees
The aggregate fees billed or expected to be billed for professional services rendered by
Rothstein Kass for the year ended December 31, 2007 for (a) the annual audit of our financial
statements for such year and (b) the audit of our financial statements dated 9/30/07 and 11/26/07
and filed with our registration statement on Form S-1 or our Current Reports on Form 8-K and (c)
reviews of SEC filings amounted to approximately $62,000.
Audit-Related Fees
We did not receive audit-related services that are not reported as Audit Fees for the year
ended December 31, 2007.
Tax Fees
We did not receive professional services for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning for
the year ended December 31, 2007. However, we engaged Rothstein Kass in 2008 to prepare our Federal
and State tax returns for 2007.
49
All Other Fees
We did not receive products and services provided by Rothstein Kass, other than those
discussed above, for the year ended December 31, 2007.
Pre-Approval Policy
Since our audit committee was not formed until November 26, 2007, the audit committee did not
pre-approve all of the foregoing services, although any services rendered prior to the formation of
our audit committee were approved by our board of directors. Since the formation of our audit
committee, and on a going-forward basis, the audit committee has and will pre-approve all auditing
services and permitted non-audit services to be performed for us by Rothstein Kass, including the
fees and terms thereof (subject to the de minimus exceptions for non-audit services described in
the Exchange Act which are approved by the audit committee prior to the completion of the audit).
The audit committee may form and delegate authority to subcommittees of the audit committee
consisting of one or more members when appropriate, including the authority to grant pre-approvals
of audit and permitted non-audit services, provided that decisions of such subcommittee to grant
pre-approvals shall be presented to the full audit committee at its next scheduled meeting.
50
PART IV
Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
(1) |
|
Financial Statements |
|
|
|
See Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data. |
|
(2) |
|
Financial Statement Schedules |
All supplemental schedules have been omitted since the required information is not present in
amounts sufficient to require submission of the schedule, or because the required information is
included in the consolidated financial statements or notes thereto.
(3) |
|
Exhibits |
|
|
|
See Exhibit Index. |
51
EXHIBIT INDEX
|
|
|
|
|
Exhibit |
Number |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3.1 |
|
|
Certificate of Incorporation.* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3.2 |
|
|
Bylaws.* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3.3 |
|
|
Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.1 |
|
|
Specimen Unit Certificate.* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.2 |
|
|
Specimen Common Stock Certificate.* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.3 |
|
|
Form of Warrant Certificate.* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.4 |
|
|
Form of Warrant Agreement between the Registrant and continental Stock Transfer & Trust
Company.* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10.1 |
|
|
Form of Letter Agreement among the Registrant, the Representative and each officer,
director and initial stockholder.* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10.2 |
|
|
Form of Investment Management Trust Agreement between the Registrant and Continental
Stock Transfer & Trust Company.* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10.3 |
|
|
Form of Securities Escrow Agreement among the Registrant, Continental Stock Transfer &
Trust Company and the initial stockholders.* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10.4 |
|
|
Form of Letter Agreement between the Registrant and Clarity Partners, L.P. regarding
office space and related services.* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10.5 |
|
|
Promissory Notes issued June 12, 2007 to Frost Gamma Investments Trust, Robert N. Fried,
Rao Uppaluri, Steven D. Rubin and Jane Hsiao.* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10.6 |
|
|
Form of Registration Rights Agreement among the Registrant and the initial stockholders.* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10.7 |
|
|
Warrant Purchase Agreement dated August 16, 2007 among the Registrant and the purchasers
named therein.* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
14 |
|
|
Code of Ethics* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
31.1 |
|
|
Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to SEC Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a)** |
|
|
|
|
|
|
31.2 |
|
|
Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to SEC Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a)** |
|
|
|
|
|
|
32.1 |
|
|
Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §1350** |
|
|
|
|
|
|
32.2 |
|
|
Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §1350** |
|
|
|
* |
|
Incorporated by reference to exhibits of the same number filed with the Registrants
Registration Statement on Form S-1 or amendments thereto (File No. 333-144218) |
|
** |
|
Filed herewith |
52
IDEATION
ACQUISITION CORP.
(a development stage company)
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
F-1
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
Ideation Acquisition Corp.
We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of Ideation Acquisition Corp. (a corporation in
the development stage) (the Company) as of December 31, 2007, and the related statements of
operations, stockholders equity, and cash flows for the period from June 1, 2007 (Inception) to
December 31, 2007. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Companys management.
Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting
Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to
obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its
internal control over financial reporting. Our audit included consideration of internal control
over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the
circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the
Companys internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An
audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in
the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made
by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that
our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material
respects, the financial position of Ideation Acquisition Corp. (a corporation in the development
stage) as of December 31, 2007 and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the period
June 1, 2007 (Date of Inception) to December 31, 2007, in conformity with accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States of America.
/s/ Rothstein, Kass & Company, P.C.
Roseland, New Jersey
March 26, 2008
F-2
IDEATION ACQUISITION CORP.
(a corporation in the development stage)
Balance Sheet
December 31, 2007
|
|
|
|
|
Assets |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current Assets: |
|
|
|
|
Cash |
|
$ |
124,139 |
|
Interest receivable |
|
|
291,835 |
|
Other current assets |
|
|
49,256 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total current assets |
|
|
465,230 |
|
Other asset, cash held in trust |
|
|
78,815,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total assets |
|
$ |
79,280,230 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities and Stockholders Equity |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
Accrued expenses |
|
$ |
26,721 |
|
Income taxes payable |
|
|
74,244 |
|
Franchise taxes payable |
|
|
68,666 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total current liabilities |
|
|
169,631 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long-term liability |
|
|
|
|
Deferred underwriters fee |
|
|
2,730,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common stock subject to possible redemption (2,999,999 shares at redemption value of $7.88 per share) |
|
|
23,639,992 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Commitments and contingencies |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stockholders equity: |
|
|
|
|
Preferred Stock, $0.0001 par value, 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and
outstanding |
|
|
|
|
Common Stock, $0.0001 par value, 50,000,000 shares authorized,
12,500,000 shares issued and
outstanding including 2,999,999 shares subject to possible redemption |
|
|
1,250 |
|
Additional paid-in capital |
|
|
52,595,237 |
|
Income accumulated during the development stage |
|
|
144,120 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total stockholders equity |
|
|
52,740,607 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities and stockholders equity |
|
$ |
79,280,230 |
|
|
|
|
|
(See accompanying notes to financial statements)
F-3
IDEATION ACQUISITION CORP.
(a corporation in the development stage)
Statement of Operations
For the Period from June 1, 2007 (Date of Inception) to December 31, 2007
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue |
|
$ |
|
|
Formation and operating costs |
|
|
100,877 |
|
|
|
|
|
Loss from operations |
|
|
(100,877 |
) |
Interest income |
|
|
340,417 |
|
|
|
|
|
Income before provision for income taxes |
|
|
239,540 |
|
Provision for income taxes |
|
|
95,420 |
|
|
|
|
|
Net income |
|
$ |
144,120 |
|
|
|
|
|
Maximum number of shares subject to possible redemption: |
|
|
|
|
Weighted average number of shares, basic and diluted |
|
|
522,000 |
|
Income per share amount, basic and diluted |
|
$ |
0.00 |
|
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding
(not subject to possible redemption): |
|
|
|
|
Basic |
|
|
3,664,000 |
|
Diluted |
|
|
3,897,000 |
|
Income per share amount: |
|
|
|
|
Basic |
|
$ |
0.04 |
|
Diluted |
|
$ |
0.04 |
|
(See accompanying notes to financial statements)
F-4
IDEATION ACQUISITION CORP.
(a corporation in the development stage)
Statement of Stockholders Equity For the Period from
June 1, 2007 (Date of Inception) to December 31, 2007
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accumulated |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Additional |
|
|
During the |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common Stock |
|
|
Paid-in |
|
|
Development |
|
|
Stockholders |
|
|
|
Shares |
|
|
Amount |
|
|
Capital |
|
|
Stage |
|
|
Equity |
|
Common shares issued to founders |
|
|
2,500,000 |
|
|
$ |
250 |
|
|
$ |
24,750 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
25,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proceeds from issuance of warrants |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,400,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,400,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sale of 10,000,000 units through public
offering, net of underwriters
discount and offering expenses, at
$8.00 per unit (including 2,999,999
shares subject to possible
redemption) |
|
|
10,000,000 |
|
|
|
1,000 |
|
|
|
73,810,479 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
73,811,479 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proceeds subject to possible redemption,
2,999,999 shares |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(23,639,992 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(23,639,992 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
144,120 |
|
|
|
144,120 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance at December 31, 2007 |
|
|
12,500,000 |
|
|
$ |
1,250 |
|
|
$ |
52,595,237 |
|
|
$ |
144,120 |
|
|
$ |
52,740,607 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(See accompanying notes to financial statements)
F-5
IDEATION ACQUISITION CORP.
(a corporation in the development stage)
Statement of Cash Flows
For the Period from June 1, 2007 (Date of Inception) to December 31, 2007
|
|
|
|
|
Cash flows from operating activities: |
|
|
|
|
Net income |
|
$ |
144,120 |
|
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in
operating activities: |
|
|
|
|
Change in operating assets and
liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
Interest receivable |
|
|
(291,835 |
) |
Other current assets |
|
|
(49,256 |
) |
Accrued expenses |
|
|
26,721 |
|
Income taxes payable |
|
|
74,244 |
|
Franchise taxes payable |
|
|
68,666 |
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash used in operating activities |
|
|
(27,340 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash used in investing activities: |
|
|
|
|
Cash held in Trust Account |
|
|
(78,815,000 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash flows from financing activities: |
|
|
|
|
Proceeds from notes payable to stockholders |
|
|
200,000 |
|
Proceeds from common shares issued to founders |
|
|
25,000 |
|
Proceeds from public offering |
|
|
80,000,000 |
|
Proceeds from issuance of insider warrants |
|
|
2,400,000 |
|
Repayment of notes payable to stockholders |
|
|
(200,000 |
) |
Payment of underwriters discount and offering costs |
|
|
(3,458,521 |
) |
|
|
|
|
Net cash provided by financing activities |
|
|
78,966,479 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net increase in cash |
|
|
124,139 |
|
Cash beginning of period |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash end of period |
|
$ |
124,139 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash financing activities: |
|
|
|
|
Deferred underwriters fees |
|
$ |
2,730,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
(See accompanying notes to financial statements)
F-6
IDEATION ACQUISITION CORP.
(a corporation in the development stage)
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Note 1 Organization and Nature of Business Operations
Ideation Acquisition Corp. (a corporation in the development stage) (the Company) was
incorporated in Delaware on June 1, 2007. The Company was formed to acquire through a merger, stock
exchange, asset acquisition or similar business combination a currently unidentified business or
businesses. The Company is considered to be in the development stage as defined in Statement of
Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 7, Accounting and Reporting By Development Stage
Enterprises, and is subject to the risks associated with activities of development stage
companies.
The registration statement for the Companys initial public offering (Offering) was declared
effective on November 19, 2007. The Company consummated the Offering on November 26, 2007. The
Companys management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net
proceeds of the Offering of Units although substantially all of the net proceeds of the Offering
are intended to be generally applied toward consummating a business combination with (or
acquisition of) a Target Business (Business Combination). As used herein, Target Business shall
mean one or more businesses that at the time of the Companys initial Business Combination has a
fair market value of at least 80% of the Companys net assets (all of the Companys assets,
including the funds then held in the trust account, less the Companys liabilities (excluding
deferred underwriting discounts and commissions of approximately $2.73 million). Furthermore,
there is no assurance that the Company will be able to successfully affect a Business Combination.
Upon closing of the Offering, $78,815,000 was placed in a trust account and invested in United
States government securities within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act
of 1940, as amended (Investment Company Act), having a maturity of 180 days or less, or in money
market funds selected by the Company meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under
the Investment Company Act, until the earlier of (i) the consummation of the Companys first
Business Combination or (ii) the liquidation of the Company. The amounts placed in the trust
account consists of the proceeds of our IPO (see Note 3) and the issuance of Insider Warrants (see
Note 4) and $2.73 million of the gross proceeds representing deferred underwriting discounts and
commissions that will be released to the underwriters on completion of a Business Combination. The
remaining proceeds outside of the trust account, along with the interest income of up to $1.7
million earned on the trust account that may be released to the Company, may be used to pay for
business, legal and accounting due diligence on prospective acquisitions and continuing general and
administrative expenses.
The Company will seek stockholder approval before it will affect any Business Combination,
even if the Business Combination would not ordinarily require stockholder approval under applicable
state law. In connection with the stockholder vote required to approve any Business Combination,
all of the Companys existing stockholders (Initial Stockholders) have agreed to vote the shares
of common stock owned by them immediately before the Companys IPO in accordance with the majority
of the shares of common stock voted by the Public Stockholders. Public Stockholders is defined as
the holders of common stock sold as part of the Units in the Offering or in the aftermarket. The
Company will proceed with a Business Combination only if a majority of the shares of common stock
voted by the Public Stockholders are voted in favor of the Business Combination and Public
Stockholders owning less than 30% of the shares sold in the Public Offering exercise their
conversion rights. If a majority of the shares of common stock voted by the Public Stockholders are
not voted in favor of a proposed initial Business Combination, but 24 months has not yet passed
since closing of the Offering, the Company may combine with another Target Business meeting the
fair market value criterion described above.
Public Stockholders voting against a Business Combination will be entitled to convert their
stock into a pro rata share of the total amount on deposit in the trust account, before payment of
underwriting discounts and commissions and including any interest earned on their portion of the
trust account net of income taxes payable thereon, and net of any interest income of up to $1.7
million on the balance of the trust account previously released to the Company, if a Business
Combination is approved and completed.
F-7
IDEATION ACQUISITION CORP.
(a corporation in the development stage)
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
The Companys Certificate of Incorporation was amended prior to the closing of the Offering to
provide that the Company will continue in existence only until 24 months from the effective date.
If the Company has not completed a Business Combination by such date, its corporate existence will
cease except for the purposes of winding up its affairs and it will liquidate. In the event of
liquidation, it is likely that the per share value of the residual assets remaining available for
distribution (including trust account assets) will be less than the initial public offering price
per share in the Offering (assuming no value is attributed to the Warrants contained in the Units
to be offered in the Offering discussed in Note 3).
The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of its initial
Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company will generate non-operating income in the form
of interest income on cash and cash equivalents. At December 31, 2007, the Company earned
approximately $340,000 of interest income on the trust.
Note 2 Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of presentation
The financial statements of the Company are presented in U.S. dollars in conformity with
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP).
Development Stage Company
The Company complies with the reporting requirements of SFAS No. 7, Accounting and Reporting
by Development Stage Enterprises.
Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to a significant concentration of
credit risk consist primarily of cash. The Company maintains deposits in federally insured
financial institutions in excess of federally insured limits. However, management believes the
Company is not exposed to significant credit risk due to the financial position of the depository
institutions in which those deposits are held.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The fair values of the Companys assets and liabilities that qualify as financial instruments
under SFAS No. 107, Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Instrument, approximate their
carrying amounts presented in the accompanying balance sheet.
Preferred Stock
The Company is authorized to issue 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock with such designations,
voting and other rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by the Board of
Directors. There were no preferred shares issued as of December 31, 2007.
Net Income per Common Share
The Company complies with SFAS No. 128, Earnings Per Share, which requires dual presentation
of basic and diluted earnings per share on the face of the statement of operations. Basic net
income per share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average common shares
outstanding for the period. Diluted net income per share reflects the potential dilution that
could occur if warrants were to be exercised or converted or otherwise resulted in the issuance of
common stock that then shared in the earnings of the entity.
The Companys statement of operations includes a presentation of earnings per share for common
stock subject to possible redemption in a manner similar to the two-class method of earnings per
share. Basic and diluted net income per share amount for the maximum number of shares subject to
possible redemption is calculated by dividing the net interest attributable to common shares
subject to possible redemption by the weighted average number of shares subject to possible
redemption. Basic and diluted net income per share amount for the shares outstanding not subject
to possible redemption is calculated by dividing the net income exclusive of the net interest
income attributable to common shares subject to redemption by the weighted average number of shares
not subject to possible redemption.
F-8
IDEATION ACQUISITION CORP.
(a corporation in the development stage)
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that
affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and
liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of income and expenses
during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Income Taxes
The Company complies with SFAS 109, Accounting for Income Taxes, which requires an asset and
liability approach to financial accounting and reporting for income taxes. Deferred income tax
assets and liabilities are computed for differences between the financial statement and tax bases
of assets and liabilities that will result in future taxable or deductible amounts, based on
enacted tax laws and rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to
affect taxable income. Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax
assets to the amount expected to be realized.
The Company also complies with the provisions of the Financial Accounting Standards
Interpretation No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes (FIN 48). FIN 48 prescribes a
recognition threshold and measurement process for recording in the financial statements uncertain
tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. FIN 48 also provides guidance on
de-recognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosures
and transitions. There were no unrecognized tax benefits as of December 31, 2007. The Company would
recognize accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax
expense. No amounts were accrued for the payment of interest and penalties at December 31, 2007.
Management is currently unaware of any issues under review that could result in significant
payments, accruals, or material deviations from its position. The Company adopted FIN 48 effective
June 1, 2007 (date of inception) and has determined that the adoption did not have an impact on the
Companys financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.
New Accounting Pronouncements
In September 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued SFAS No. 157,
Fair Value Measurements. This Statement defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring
fair value in generally accepted accounting principles, expands disclosures about fair value
measurements and applies under other accounting pronouncements that require or permit fair value
measurements. SFAS No. 157 does not require any new fair value measurements. However, the FASB
anticipates that for some entities, the application of SFAS No. 157 will change current practice.
SFAS No. 157 is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after
November 15, 2007, which for the Company would be its fiscal year beginning January 1, 2008. The
Company is currently evaluating the impact of SFAS No. 157 but does not expect that it will have a
material impact on its financial statements.
In February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159, The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets
and Financial Liabilities. This Statement permits entities to choose to measure many financial
instruments at fair value. Unrealized gains and losses on items for which the fair value option has
been elected are reported in earnings. SFAS No. 159 is effective for fiscal years beginning after
November 15, 2007. The Company is currently assessing the impact of SFAS No. 159 on its financial
position and results of operations.
In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS 141(R), Business Combinations). SFAS 141(R) provides
companies with principles and requirements on how an acquirer recognizes and measures in its
financial statements the identifiable assets acquired, liabilities assumed, and any non-controlling
interest in the acquiree as well as the recognition and measurement of goodwill acquired in a
business combination. SFAS 141(R) also requires certain disclosures to enable users of the
financial statements to evaluate the nature and financial effects of the business combination.
Acquisition costs associated with the business combination will generally be expensed as incurred.
SFAS 141(R) is effective for business combinations occurring in fiscal years beginning after
December 15, 2008, which will require the Company to adopt these provisions for business
combinations occurring in fiscal 2009 and thereafter. Early adoption of SFAS 141(R) is not
permitted.
F-9
IDEATION ACQUISITION CORP.
(a corporation in the development stage)
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Redeemable common stock
The Company accounts for redeemable common stock in accordance with Emerging Issue Task Force
D-98 Classification and Measurement of Redeemable Securities. Securities that are redeemable for
cash or other assets are classified outside of permanent equity if they are redeemable at the
option of the holder. In addition, if the redemption causes a redemption event, the redeemable
securities should not be classified outside of permanent equity. As discussed in Note 1, the
Business Combination will only be consummated if a majority of the shares of common stock voted by
the Public Stockholders are voted in favor of the Business Combination and Public Stockholders
holding less than 30% (2,999,999) of common shares sold in the Offering exercise their conversion
rights. As further discussed in Note 1, if a Business Combination is not consummated within 24
months, the Company will liquidate. Accordingly, 2,999,999 shares have been classified outside of
permanent equity at redemption value. The Company recognizes changes in the redemption value
immediately as they occur and adjusts the carrying value of the redeemable common stock to equal
its redemption value at the end of each reporting period.
Note 3 Initial Public Offering
In its initial pubic offering effective November 19, 2007 (consummated November 26, 2007), the
Company sold 10,000,000 units (Units) at a price of $8.00 per unit. Proceeds from the initial
public offering totaled $73,811,479 which was net of $3,458,521 in underwriting and other expenses
and $2,730,000 of deferred underwriting fees. Each Unit consists of one share of the Companys
common stock, $0.0001 par value, and one Redeemable Common Stock Purchase Warrant (Warrant). Each
Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase from the Company one share of common stock at an
exercise price of $6.00 commencing on the later of the completion of a Business Combination with a
Target Business and November 19, 2008 and expiring November 19, 2011, unless earlier redeemed. The
Warrants will be redeemable at a price of $0.01 per Warrant upon 30 days notice after the Warrants
become exercisable, only in the event that the last sale price of the common stock is at least $
11.50 per share for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading day period ending on the third business
day prior to the date on which notice of redemption is sent. In accordance with the warrant
agreement, the Company is only required to use its best efforts to maintain the effectiveness of
the registration statement covering the Warrants. The Company will not be obligated to deliver
securities, and there are no contractual penalties for failure to deliver securities, if a
registration statement is not effective at the time of exercise. Additionally, in the event that a
registration is not effective at the time of exercise, the holder of such Warrant shall not be
entitled to exercise such Warrant and in no event (whether in the case of a registration statement
not being effective or otherwise) will the Company be required to net cash settle the warrant
exercise. Consequently, the Warrants may expire unexercised and unredeemed.
Proceeds held in the trust account will not be available for the Companys use for any
purpose, except to pay any income taxes and up to $1.7 million can be taken from the interest
earned on the trust account to fund the Companys working capital. These proceeds will be used to
pay for business, legal, and accounting due diligence on prospective acquisitions and continuing
general and administrative expenses.
Note 4 Related Party Transactions
In June 2007, the Company issued 2,500,000 shares (Initial Shares) of common stock to the
Initial Stockholders for $0.01 per share or a total of $25,000. The Initial Stockholders also
purchased 250,000 units for $2,000,000 in the IPO.
The Company issued unsecured promissory notes totaling $200,000 to its Initial Stockholders,
on June 12, 2007. The notes were non-interest bearing and were repaid from the proceeds of the
Offering by the Company.
The Company has agreed to pay $7,500 per month for office space and general and administrative
services. The office space is being leased from Clarity Partners, L.P. Barry A. Porter, one of our
special advisors, is a co-founder and Managing General Partner of Clarity Partners, L.P., and the
grantor trust of Mr. Porter, Nautilus Trust dtd 9/10/99, is one of our initial stockholders.
Services commenced on November 19, 2007 and will terminate upon the earlier of (i) the consummation
of a Business Combination or (ii) the liquidation of the Company. See Note 7 for a description of
the new office space agreement entered into by the Company and Spirit SMX LLC effective April 1,
2008.
F-10
IDEATION ACQUISITION CORP.
(a corporation in the development stage)
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
The Initial Stockholders purchased warrants (Insider Warrants) exercisable for 2,400,000
shares of common stock at a purchase price of $1.00 per warrant concurrently with the closing of
the Offering at a price of $1.00 per Insider Warrant directly from the Company and not as part of
the Offering. All of the proceeds from this private placement have been placed in a trust account
until a business combination has been consummated. The Insider Warrants are identical to the
Warrants included in the Units sold in the Offering except that if the Company calls the Warrants
for redemption, the Insider Warrants may be exercisable on a cashless basis so long as such
securities are held by the Initial Stockholders or their affiliates. Additionally, our Initial
Stockholders have agreed that the Insider Warrants will not be sold or transferred by them until
after the Company has completed a Business Combination. The Company believes based on a review of
the trading prices of the public warrants of other blank check companies similar to the Company,
that the purchase price of $1.00 per Insider Warrant is not less than the approximate fair value of
such warrants on the date of issuance. Therefore, the Company has not recorded stock-based
compensation expense upon the sale of the Insider Warrants.
The holders of the Initial Shares, as well as the holders of the Insider Warrants (and
underlying securities), will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to an agreement signed on
November 19, 2007. The holders of a majority of these securities will be entitled to make up to two
demands that we register such securities. The holders of a majority of the Initial Shares will be
able to make a demand for registration of the resale of their Initial Shares at any time commencing
nine months after the consummation of a business combination. The holders of a majority of the
Insider Warrants (or underlying securities) will be able to elect to exercise these registration
rights with respect to the Insider Warrants (or underlying securities) at any time after the
Company consummates a business combination. In addition, such holders will have certain
piggy-back registration rights on registration statements filed subsequent to the date on which
such securities are released from escrow. All our Initial Stockholders placed the initial shares
and the insider warrants into an escrow account maintained by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust
Company, acting as escrow agent. The Initial Shares will not be released from escrow until one year
after the consummation of a Business Combination, or earlier if, following a Business Combination,
the Company engages in a subsequent transaction resulting in the Companys stockholders having the
right to exchange their shares for cash or other securities or if the Company liquidates and
dissolves. The Insider Warrants will not be released from escrow until 90 days after the completion
of a Business Combination. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the
filing of any such registration statements.
Note 5 Income taxes
The Companys provision for income taxes reflects the application of federal and state
statutory rates to the Companys income before taxes. The Companys effective tax rate was 39.8%
for the period from June 1, 2007 (date of inception) to December 31, 2007.
Components of the provision for income taxes are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
Current
Federal |
|
|
74,244 |
|
State |
|
|
21,176 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total Current |
|
$ |
95,420 |
|
|
|
|
|
The effective income tax differs from the federal statutory rate of 34% principally due to the
effect of state income taxes.
F-11
IDEATION ACQUISITION CORP.
(a corporation in the development stage)
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 6 Commitments and contingencies
At
the closing of the Offering, the Company paid a fee of 3.5% of the gross offering proceeds, excluding the
proceeds received from the founding shareholders purchase of IPO units. In addition, the Company
has committed to pay a deferred fee of 3.5% of the gross proceeds, less the fees not paid on the
founding shareholders purchase of IPO units, to the underwriters on the completion of an initial
business combination by the Company.
In addition to the previously described fee, Lazard Capital Markets LLC was granted a 45-day
option to purchase up to 1,500,000 Units (over and above the 10,000,000 Units referred to above)
solely to cover over-allotments, if any. The over-allotment option was not used and expired on
January 3, 2008.
The Company sold to the underwriters in the Offering for $100, as additional compensation,
an option to purchase up to a total of 500,000 Units for $10.00 per Unit. The Units issuable upon
exercise of this option are identical to those offered in the Offering; however the Warrants will
entitle the holder to purchase from the Company one share of common stock at an exercise price of
$7.00 per share. The purchase option and its underlying securities have been registered under the
registration statement which was effective on November 19, 2007.
The sale of this option has been accounted for as an equity transaction. Accordingly, there
was no net effect on the Companys financial position or results of operations, except for the
recording of the $100 proceeds from the sale. The Company has determined, based upon a
Black-Scholes model, that the most recent fair market value of the option is approximately $2.3
million, using an expected life of five years, volatility of 75.3% and a risk-free interest rate of
3.55%. Because the units do not have a trading history, the volatility factor is based on
information currently available to management. The volatility factor of 75.3% is the average
volatility of ten sample blank check companies that have completed a business combination and have
at least two years of trading history. The Companys management believes that this volatility is a
reasonable benchmark, given the uncertainty of the industry of the target business, to use in
estimating the expected volatility for its common stock.
The purchase option may be exercised for cash or on a cashless basis, at the holders
option, such that the holder may use the appreciated value of the purchase option (the difference
between the exercise prices of the purchase option and the underlying Warrants and the market price
of the Units and underlying securities) to exercise the purchase option without the payment of any
cash. The Company will have no obligation to net cash settle the exercise of the purchase option or
the Warrants underlying the purchase option. The holder of the purchase option will not be entitled
to exercise the purchase option or the Warrants underlying the purchase option unless a
registration statement covering the securities underlying the purchase option is effective or an
exemption from a registration is available. If the holder is unable to exercise the purchase option
or the underlying Warrants, the purchase option or Warrants, as applicable, will expire worthless.
Note 7 Subsequent Event
Effective April 1, 2008, the Company intends to move its principal offices to 1990 S. Bundy
Boulevard, Suite 620, Los Angeles, CA 90025. It will sublease space and pay $7,500 per month for
office space and related services to Spirit SMX LLC. Robert N. Fried, our Chief Executive Officer
and one of our initial shareholders, is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Spirit SMX LLC.
The audit committee of Ideation Acquisition Corp approved the sub-leasing and administrative and
support services agreement on March 20, 2008. The company will terminate its agreement with Clarity
Partners, L.P. before March 31, 2008.
F-12
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused
this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
|
|
|
|
|
Date: March 27, 2008 |
IDEATION ACQUISITION CORP.
|
|
|
/s/ Robert N. Fried
|
|
|
Robert N. Fried |
|
|
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
(Principal Executive Officer) |
|
|
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this Annual Report on
Form 10-K has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the
capacities and on the dates indicated:
|
|
|
|
|
Signature |
|
Title |
|
Date |
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Phillip Frost
Phillip Frost |
|
Chairman of the Board
|
|
March 27, 2008 |
/s/ Robert N. Fried
Robert N. Fried |
|
President, Chief Executive Officer
and Director
(Principal Executive Officer)
|
|
March 27, 2008 |
/s/ Rao Uppaluri
Rao Uppaluri |
|
Treasurer and Director
(Principal Financial Officer)
|
|
March 27, 2008 |
/s/ Steven D. Rubin
Steven D. Rubin |
|
Secretary and Director
|
|
March 27, 2008 |
/s/ Thomas E. Beier
Thomas E. Beier |
|
Director
|
|
March 27, 2008 |
/s/ Shawn Gold
Shawn Gold |
|
Director
|
|
March 27, 2008 |
/s/ David H. Moskowitz
David H. Moskowitz |
|
Director
|
|
March 27, 2008 |