ARBGU Aequi Acquisition Corporation

NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

MARCH 31, 2023

NOTE 1. DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS

Aequi Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) is a blank check company incorporated in Delaware on September 1, 2020. The Company was formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses (the “Business Combination”).

The Company is not limited to a particular industry or sector for purposes of consummating a Business Combination. The Company is an early stage and emerging growth company and, as such, the Company is subject to all of the risks associated with early stage and emerging growth companies.

As of March 31, 2023, the Company had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from September 1, 2020 (inception) through March 31, 2023 relates to the Company’s formation, initial public offering (“Initial Public Offering”), which is described below, and identifying a target company for a Business Combination. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of its initial Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company generates non-operating income in the form of interest income from the proceeds derived from the Initial Public Offering.

The registration statement for the Company’s Initial Public Offering (the “IPO Registration Statement”) was declared effective on November 19, 2020. On November 24, 2020, the Company consummated the Initial Public Offering of 20,000,000 units (the “Units” and, with respect to the Class A common stock included in the Units sold, the “Public Shares”), at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $200,000,000 which is described in Note 3.

Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Company consummated the sale of 4,000,000 warrants (the “Private Placement Warrants”) at a price of $1.50 per Private Placement Warrant in a private placement to Aequi Sponsor LLC (the “Sponsor”), generating gross proceeds of $6,000,000, which is described in Note 4.

Following the closing of the Initial Public Offering on November 24, 2020, an amount of $200,000,000 ($10.00 per Unit) from the net proceeds of the sale of the Units in the Initial Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants was placed in a trust account (the “Trust Account”) located in the United States until the earlier of: (i) the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) the distribution of the funds held in the Trust Account, as described below.

On December 2, 2020, the Company consummated the sale of an additional 3,000,000 Units, at $10.00 per Unit, and the sale of an additional 400,000 Private Placement Warrants, at $1.50 per Private Placement Warrant, generating total gross proceeds of $30,600,000. A total of $30,000,000 of the net proceeds was deposited into the Trust Account, bringing the aggregate proceeds held in the Trust Account to $230,000,000.

Transaction costs amounted to $13,092,230, consisting of $4,600,000 in cash underwriting fees, $8,050,000 of deferred underwriting fees and $442,230 of other offering costs, of which $250,000 was paid through the transfer of Founder Shares (as defined below). An aggregate of $373,435 of the transaction costs allocated to the warrants were charged to the statements of operations upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering. The deferred underwriting fees in the accompanying balance sheet as of December 31, 2022 were waived during the three months ended March 31, 2023 and were removed from the balance sheet.

The Company’s management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and the sale of Private Placement Warrants, although substantially all of the net proceeds are intended to be applied generally toward consummating a Business Combination. There is no assurance that the Company will be able to complete a Business Combination successfully. The Company must complete one or more initial Business Combinations with one or more operating businesses or assets with a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the assets held in the Trust Account (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the Trust Account). The Company will only complete a Business Combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target business sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

The Company will provide the holders of the outstanding Public Shares (the “Public Stockholders”) with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Public Shares upon the completion of a Business Combination either (i) in connection with a stockholder meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether the Company will seek stockholder approval of a Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company. The Public Stockholders will be entitled to redeem their Public Shares for a pro rata portion of the amount then in the Trust Account (initially anticipated to be $10.00 per Public Share, plus any pro rata interest then in the Trust Account, net of taxes payable). There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of a Business Combination with respect to the Company’s Warrants (as defined below). 

AEQUI ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

MARCH 31, 2023

The Company will only proceed with a Business Combination if the Company has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 following any related redemptions and, if the Company seeks stockholder approval, a majority of the shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination. If a stockholder vote is not required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements and the Company does not decide to hold a stockholder vote for business or other reasons, the Company will, pursuant to its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing a Business Combination. If, however, stockholder approval of the transaction is required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements, or the Company decides to obtain stockholder approval for business or other reasons, the Company will offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. If the Company seeks stockholder approval in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor has agreed to vote its Founder Shares and any Public Shares purchased during or after the Initial Public Offering in favor of approving a Business Combination. Additionally, each Public Stockholder may elect to redeem their Public Shares without voting, and if they do vote, irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company seeks stockholder approval of a Business Combination and it does not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, the Certificate of Incorporation will provide that a Public Stockholder, together with any affiliate of such stockholder or any other person with whom such stockholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the Public Shares, without the prior consent of the Company.

The Sponsor has agreed (a) to waive its redemption rights with respect to the Founder Shares and Public Shares held by it in connection with the completion of a Business Combination and (b) not to propose an amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation (i) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to allow redemptions in connection with a Business Combination or to redeem 100% of its Public Shares if the Company does not complete a Business Combination by August 24, 2023 (or such earlier date as determined by the Company’s board of directors) (the “Combination Period”) or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-business combination activity, unless the Company provides the Public Stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their Public Shares in conjunction with any such amendment.

On November 15, 2022, the Company held a special meeting in lieu of annual meeting of stockholders (the “Meeting”). At the Meeting, the Company’s stockholders approved an amendment (the “Charter Amendment”) to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to extend the date by which the Company must consummate its Business Combination from November 24, 2022 to August 24, 2023 (or such earlier date as determined by the board of directors of the Company). In connection with the Meeting, stockholders holding 19,410,956 shares of Class A common stock exercised their right to redeem their shares for a pro rata portion of the funds in the Company’s Trust Account. As a result, approximately $195.5 million (approximately $10.07 per Public Share) was removed from the Trust Account to pay such holders and approximately $36.1 million remained in the Trust Account. Following redemptions, the Company has 3,589,044 Public Shares outstanding. If the Company has not completed a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the Company will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the Public Shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to pay taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish Public Stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining stockholders and the Company’s board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to the Company’s Warrants, which will expire worthless if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period.

The Sponsor has agreed to waive its liquidation rights with respect to the Founder Shares if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. However, if the Sponsor acquires Public Shares in or after the Initial Public Offering, such Public Shares will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. The underwriters have agreed to waive their rights to their deferred underwriting commission (see Note 6) held in the Trust Account in the event the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and, in such event, such amounts will be included with the other funds held in the Trust Account that will be available to fund the redemption of the Public Shares. In the event of such distribution, it is possible that the per share value of the assets remaining available for distribution will be less than the Initial Public Offering price per Unit ($10.00).

In order to protect the amounts held in the Trust Account, the Sponsor has agreed to be liable to the Company if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to the Company, or a prospective target business with which the Company has discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per Public Share and (ii) the actual amount per Public Share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account, if less than $10.00 per public Share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to monies held in the Trust Account nor will it apply to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriters of the Initial Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, the Sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims. The Company will seek to reduce the possibility that the Sponsor will have to indemnify the Trust Account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers (except for the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses and other entities with which the Company does business, execute agreements with the Company waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the Trust Account.

AEQUI ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

MARCH 31, 2023

Liquidity, Capital Resources and Going Concern

As of March 31, 2023, the Company had approximately $81,000 in its operating bank account and working capital deficit of approximately $400,000. In order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor, or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, provide the Company Working Capital Loans (as defined below) (see Note 5). As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were no amounts outstanding under any Working Capital Loans.

The Company may raise additional capital through loans or additional investments from the Sponsor or its stockholders, officers, directors, or third parties. The Company’s officers and directors and the Sponsor may but are not obligated to (except as described above), loan the Company funds, from time to time, in whatever amount they deem reasonable in their sole discretion, to meet the Company’s working capital needs. Based on the foregoing, the Company believes it will have sufficient working capital and borrowing capacity from the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor, or certain of the Company’s officers and directors to meet its needs through the earlier of the consummation of a Business Combination or at least one year from the date that the unaudited condensed financial statements were issued.

In connection with the Company’s assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with Financial Accounting Standard Board’s Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, “Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” the Company has until the end of the Combination Period to consummate a Business Combination. It is uncertain that the Company will be able to consummate a Business Combination by this time. If a Business Combination is not consummated by this date, there will be a mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution of the Company. Management has determined that the liquidity condition and mandatory liquidation, should a Business Combination not occur, and potential subsequent dissolution raises substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Management intends to complete a Business Combination prior to the end of the Combination Period. No adjustments have been made to the carrying amounts of assets or liabilities should the Company be required to liquidate after the end of the Combination Period.

NOTE  2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 8 of Regulation S-X of the SEC. Certain information or footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC for interim financial reporting. Accordingly, they do not include all the information and footnotes necessary for a complete presentation of financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements include all adjustments, consisting of a normal recurring nature, which are necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position, operating results and cash flows for the period presented. 

The accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 filed with the SEC on March 31, 2023. The interim results for the three months ended March 31, 2023 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the period ending December 31, 2023 or for any other future periods.

Emerging Growth Company

The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), and it may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.

Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of the Company’s unaudited condensed financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.

AEQUI ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

MARCH 31, 2023

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the unaudited condensed financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the Company’s 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 unaudited condensed financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.

Making estimates requires management to exercise significant judgment. It is at least reasonably possible that the estimate of the effect of a condition, situation or set of circumstances that existed at the date of the unaudited condensed financial statements, which management considered in formulating its estimate, could change in the near term due to one or more future confirming events. Accordingly, the actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all short-term investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. The Company did not have any cash equivalents as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022.

Marketable Securities Held in the Trust Account

At March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, substantially all of the assets held in the Trust Account were held in demand deposits and money market funds invested in U.S. Treasury Bills (see Note 10).

Class A Common Stock Subject to Possible Redemption

The Company accounts for its Class A common stock subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in Accounting Standard Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Shares of Class A common stock subject to mandatory redemption are classified as a liability instrument and is measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable common stock (including common stock that features redemption rights that is either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) is classified as temporary equity. At all other times, common stock is classified as stockholders’ equity (deficit). The Company’s Class A common stock features certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of the Company’s control and subject to occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, at March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, Class A common stock subject to possible redemption was presented as temporary equity, outside of the stockholders’ deficit section of the Company’s condensed balance sheets.

The Company recognizes changes in redemption value immediately as they occur and adjusts the carrying value of the Class A common stock subject to possible redemption to equal the redemption value at the end of each reporting period. This method would view the end of the reporting period as if it were also the redemption date for the security. Effective with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Company recognized the accretion from initial book value to redemption amount, which resulted in charges against additional paid-in capital (to the extent available) and accumulated deficit. For the three months ended March 31, 2023, the Company recorded accretion of $32,318, which represents the interest earned on the Trust Account net of allowable withdrawals for tax purposes and dissolutions expenses (set at a maximum of $100,000).

At March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the adjustments of the value of Class A common stock reflected in the condensed balance sheets are reconciled in the following table:

Offering Costs

The Company complies with the requirement of ASC 340-10-S99-1. Offering costs consisted of legal, accounting and other expenses incurred through the Initial Public Offering that were directly related to the Initial Public Offering. Offering costs were allocated to the separable financial instruments issued in the Initial Public Offering based on a relative fair value basis, compared to total proceeds received. Offering costs allocated to warrant liabilities were expensed as incurred in the statements of operations. Offering costs associated with the Class A common stock issued were initially charged to temporary equity and then accreted to common stock subject to redemption upon the completion of the Initial Public Offering.

AEQUI ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

MARCH 31, 2023

Warrant Liabilities

The Company does not use derivative instruments to hedge exposures to cash flow, market, or foreign currency risks. The Company evaluates all of its financial instruments, including issued stock purchase warrants, to determine if such instruments are derivatives or contain features that qualify as embedded derivatives, pursuant to ASC 480 and ASC Topic 815, “Derivatives and Hedging” (“ASC 815”). The Company accounts for the Public Warrants (as defined below) and Private Placement Warrants (together with the Public Warrants and warrants convertible from the Working Capital Loans, the “Warrants”) in accordance with the guidance contained in ASC 815-40 under which the Warrants do not meet the criteria for equity treatment and must be recorded as liabilities. Accordingly, the Company classifies the Warrants as liabilities at their fair value and adjusts the Warrants to fair value at each reporting period. This liability is subject to re-measurement at each condensed balance sheet date until exercised, and any change in fair value is recognized in the statements of operations. 

Income Taxes

The Company follows the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes under ASC 740, “Income Taxes.” Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statements’ carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that included the enactment date. Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company had deferred tax assets with a full valuation allowance recorded against them.

ASC 740 prescribes a recognition threshold and a measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. There were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts accrued for interest and penalties as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022. The Company is currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals or material deviation from its position. The Company is subject to income tax examinations by major taxing authorities since inception.

The Company’s current taxable income primarily consists of interest income on the Trust Account. The Company’s general and administrative costs are generally considered start-up costs and are not currently deductible. The Company recorded $41,808 of income tax expense during the three months ended March 31, 2023, and $0 in income tax expense during the three months ended March 31, 2022. The Company’s effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 differs from the expected income tax rate mainly due to the change in the fair value of the warrant liabilities and the start-up costs which are not currently deductible.

Net (Loss) Income per Share of Common Stock

Net (loss) income per share of common stock is computed by dividing net (loss) income by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding for the period. The Company has not considered the effect of Warrants sold in the Initial Public Offering and private placement to purchase 12,066,667 shares of Class A common stock in the calculation of diluted (loss) income per share, since the exercise of the warrants is contingent on future events.

The Company calculates its losses and earnings per share to allocate net (loss) income pro rata to Class A and Class B common stock. This presentation contemplates a Business Combination as the most likely outcome, in which case, both classes of common stock share pro rata in the losses and income of the Company. Accretion associated with the redeemable shares of Class A common stock is excluded from loses and earnings per share as the redemption value approximates fair value.

The following table reflects the calculation of basic and diluted net (loss) income per share of common stock (in dollars, except per share amounts):

AEQUI ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

MARCH 31, 2023

Concentration of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of a cash account in a financial institution, which, at times, may exceed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation coverage limit of $250,000. The Company has significant cash balances at financial institutions which throughout the year regularly exceed the federally insured limit of $250,000. Any loss incurred or a lack of access to such funds could have a significant adverse impact on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities which qualify as financial instruments under ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurement,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the accompanying condensed balance sheets, primarily due to their short-term nature, other than the warrant liabilities (see Note 11).

Recent Accounting Standards

Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s unaudited condensed financial statements.

NOTE 3. INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING

Pursuant to the Initial Public Offering, the Company sold 23,000,000 Units, inclusive of 3,000,000 Units sold to the underwriters on December 2, 2020 as a result of the underwriters’ election to fully exercise their over-allotment option, at a price of $10.00 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one share of Class A common stock and one-third of one redeemable warrant (“Public Warrant”). Each whole Public Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment (see Note 9). 

NOTE 4. PRIVATE PLACEMENT

Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 4,000,000 Private Placement Warrants at a price of $1.50 per Private Placement Warrant, or an aggregate of $6,000,000. On December 2, 2020, in connection with the underwriters’ election to fully exercise their over-allotment option, the Company sold an additional 400,000 Private Placement Warrants to the Sponsor, at a price of $1.50 per Private Placement Warrant, generating gross proceeds of $600,000. Each Private Placement Warrant is exercisable to purchase one share of Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment (see Note 9). The proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Warrants were added to the net proceeds from the Initial Public Offering held in the Trust Account. If the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Warrants held in the Trust Account will be used to fund the redemption of the Public Shares (subject to the requirements of applicable law) and the Private Placement Warrants will expire worthless.

NOTE 5. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Founder Shares

In September 2020, the Sponsor purchased 8,625,000 shares of Class B common stock (the “Founder Shares”) for an aggregate price of $25,000. On October 5, 2020, the Sponsor transferred 350,000 Founder Shares to the Company’s legal counsel in consideration for its services in lieu of a cash payment for fees relating to the Initial Public Offering. In November 2020, the Sponsor returned to the Company, at no cost, an aggregate of 2,875,000 Founder Shares, which the Company cancelled, resulting in an aggregate of 5,750,000 Founder Shares outstanding. All shares and per-share amounts have been retroactively restated to reflect the stock cancellation.

The Sponsor has agreed, subject to limited exceptions, not to transfer, assign or sell any of the Founder Shares until the earlier to occur of: (A) one year after the completion of a Business Combination and (B) subsequent to a Business Combination, (x) if the last reported sale price of the Class A common stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after a Business Combination, or (y) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of the Public Stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of common stock for cash, securities or other property.

Administrative Services Agreement

The Company entered into an agreement, commencing on November 19, 2020 through the earlier of the Company’s consummation of a Business Combination and its liquidation, to pay the Sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support. For the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company incurred $30,000 and $30,000 in fees related to these services, respectively. The Company had a total of $60,000 and $30,000, respectively, included in accrued expenses related to the administrative services in the accompanying condensed balance sheets as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022.

AEQUI ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

MARCH 31, 2023

Promissory Note – Related Party

In order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor, or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required (“Working Capital Loans”). On February 1, 2023, the Company issued a promissory note (the “Note”) in the principal amount of up to $1,500,000 to the Sponsor. The Note was issued in connection with advances the Sponsor may make in the future to the Company for working capital expenses. As of the date of this report, the Sponsor has not advanced any funds to the Company under the Note. If the Company completes a Business Combination, the Company would repay the Note out of the proceeds of the trust account released to the Company. Otherwise, the Note would be repaid only out of funds held outside the trust account. In the event that a Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay the Note but no proceeds from the trust account would be used to repay the Note. At the election of the Sponsor, all or a portion of the unpaid principal amount of the Note may be converted into warrants of the Company at a price of $1.50 per warrant (the “Conversion Warrants”). The Conversion Warrants and their underlying securities are entitled to the registration rights set forth in the Note. At March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were no Working Capital Loans outstanding.

NOTE 6. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Risks and Uncertainties

Management continues to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and has concluded that while it is reasonably possible that the virus could have a negative effect on the Company’s financial position, results of its operations and/or search for a target company, the specific impact is not readily determinable as of the date of these unaudited condensed financial statements. The unaudited condensed financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

In February 2022, the Russian Federation and Belarus commenced a military action with the country of Ukraine. As a result of this action, various nations, including the United States, have instituted economic sanctions against the Russian Federation and Belarus. Further, the impact of this action and related sanctions on the world economy are not determinable as of the date of these unaudited condensed financial statements. The specific impact on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows is also not determinable as of the date of these unaudited condensed financial statements.

Inflation Reduction Act of 2022

On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “IR Act”) was signed into federal law. The IR Act provides for, among other things, a new U.S. federal 1% excise tax on certain repurchases of stock by publicly traded U.S. domestic corporations and certain U.S. domestic subsidiaries of publicly traded foreign corporations occurring on or after January 1, 2023. The excise tax is imposed on the repurchasing corporation itself, not its stockholders from which shares are repurchased. The amount of the excise tax is generally 1% of the fair market value of the shares repurchased at the time of the repurchase. However, for purposes of calculating the excise tax, repurchasing corporations are permitted to net the fair market value of certain new stock issuances against the fair market value of stock repurchases during the same taxable year. In addition, certain exceptions apply to the excise tax. The U.S. Department of the Treasury (the “Treasury”) has been given authority to provide regulations and other guidance to carry out and prevent the abuse or avoidance of the excise tax.

Any redemption or other repurchase that occurs after December 31, 2022, in connection with a Business Combination, extension vote or otherwise, may be subject to the excise tax. Whether and to what extent the Company would be subject to the excise tax in connection with a Business Combination, extension vote or otherwise would depend on a number of factors, including (i) the fair market value of the redemptions and repurchases in connection with the Business Combination, extension or otherwise, (ii) the structure of a Business Combination, (iii) the nature and amount of any “PIPE” or other equity issuances in connection with a Business Combination (or otherwise issued not in connection with a Business Combination but issued within the same taxable year of a Business Combination) and (iv) the content of regulations and other guidance from the Treasury. In addition, because the excise tax would be payable by the Company and not by the redeeming holder, the mechanics of any required payment of the excise tax have not been determined. The foregoing could cause a reduction in the cash available on hand to complete a Business Combination and in the Company’s ability to complete a Business Combination.

Registration Rights

Pursuant to a registration rights agreement entered into on November 19, 2020, the holders of the Founder Shares, Private Placement Warrants and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans (and any Class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of the Private Placement Warrants and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans and upon conversion of the Founder Shares) will have registration rights to require the Company to register a sale of any of its securities held by the Company (in the case of the Founder Shares, only after conversion to the Company’s Class A common stock). These holders will be entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form registration demands, that the Company register such securities for sale under the Securities Act. In addition, these holders will have certain “piggy-back” registration rights to include such securities in other registration statements filed by the Company and rights to require the Company to register for resale such securities pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. However, the registration rights agreement provides that the Company will not permit any registration statement filed under the Securities Act to become effective until termination of the applicable lock-up period. The Company will bear the costs and expenses incurred in connection with filing any such registration statements.

AEQUI ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

MARCH 31, 2023

Deferred Underwriting Fee Payable

On November 19, 2020, the underwriters agreed that the deferred underwriting discounts and commissions for a total of up to $8,050,000 might be paid at the Company’s sole discretion to (i) any participating underwriter or syndicate members in the Initial Public Offering, in part or in full, or (ii) any third parties not participating in the Initial Public Offering that assist the Company in consummating the initial Business Combination. On March 2, 2023, BofA Securities, Inc., who acted as a joint book-running manager of the Initial Public Offering, waived its entitlement to the Company’s payment of the deferred underwriting discounts and commissions.

NOTE 7. CLASS A COMMON STOCK SUBJECT TO POSSIBLE REDEMPTION

The Company is authorized to issue 100,000,000 shares of Class A common stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders of Class A common stock are entitled to one vote for each share. At March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were 3,589,044 shares of Class A common stock issued and outstanding, respectively, which are subject to possible redemption and are presented as temporary equity. The Company’s Class A common stock features certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of the Company’s control and subject to the occurrence of future events.

In connection with the Meeting on November 15, 2022, stockholders holding 19,410,956 shares of Class A common stock exercised their right to redeem their shares for a pro rata portion of the funds in the Company’s Trust Account. As a result, approximately $195.5 million (approximately $10.07 per public share) was removed from the Trust Account to pay such holders and approximately $36.1 million remained in the Trust Account. Following redemptions, the Company has 3,589,044 public shares outstanding.

NOTE 8. STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT

Preferred Stock — The Company is authorized to issue 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share with such designations, voting and other rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by the Company’s board of directors. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were no shares of preferred stock issued or outstanding.

Class B Common Stock — The Company is authorized to issue 10,000,000 shares of Class B common stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders of Class B common stock are entitled to one vote for each share. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were 5,750,000 shares of Class B common stock issued and outstanding.

Only holders of the Class B common stock will have the right to vote on the election of directors prior to the Business Combination. Holders of Class A common stock and holders of Class B common stock will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of the Company’s stockholders except as otherwise required by law.

The shares of Class B common stock will automatically convert into Class A common stock at the time of a Business Combination, or earlier at the option of the holder, on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment. In the case that additional shares of Class A common stock, or equity- linked securities, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts issued in the Initial Public Offering and related to the closing of a Business Combination, the ratio at which shares of Class B common stock shall convert into shares of Class A common stock will be adjusted (unless the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Class B common stock agree to waive such anti-dilution adjustment with respect to any such issuance or deemed issuance) so that the number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of all shares of Class B common stock will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the sum of the total number of shares of common stock outstanding upon the completion of the Initial Public Offering plus all shares of Class A common stock and equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued in connection with a Business Combination, excluding any shares or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in a Business Combination.

NOTE 9. WARRANT LIABILITIES

At March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were 7,666,667 Public Warrants and 4,400,000 Private Placement Warrants outstanding to purchase an aggregate of 12,066,667 shares of Class A common stock which are contingent upon the occurrence of future events as discussed below. Public Warrants may only be exercised for a whole number of shares. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the Units and only whole warrants will trade. The Public Warrants will become exercisable on the later of (a) 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination and (b) 12 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering. The Public Warrants will expire five years after the completion of a Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.

The Company will not be obligated to deliver any shares of Class A common stock pursuant to the exercise of a warrant and will have no obligation to settle such warrant exercise unless a registration statement under the Securities Act covering the issuance of the shares of Class A common stock underlying the warrants is then effective and a prospectus relating thereto is current, subject to the Company satisfying its obligations with respect to registration. No warrant will be exercisable and the Company will not be obligated to issue shares of Class A common stock upon exercise of a warrant unless Class A common stock issuable upon such warrant exercise has been registered, qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the registered holder of the warrants. 

AEQUI ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

MARCH 31, 2023

The Company has agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 15 business days after the closing of a Business Combination, it will use its best efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement registering the issuance under the Securities Act, of the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants. The Company will use its best efforts to cause the same to become effective within 60 business days after the closing of a Business Combination and to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement, and a current prospectus relating thereto, until the expiration of the warrants in accordance with the provisions of the warrant agreement. Notwithstanding the above, if the Company’s Class A common stock is at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that it satisfies the definition of a “covered security” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, the Company may, at its option, require holders of Public Warrants who exercise their warrants to do so on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act and, in the event the Company so elect, it will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement, but will use its best efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available.

Redemptions of warrants for cash. Once the warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem for cash the outstanding Public Warrants:

If and when the warrants become redeemable by the Company, the Company may exercise its redemption right even if it is unable to register or qualify the underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws.

Redemption of warrants for Class A common stock. Commencing ninety days after the warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the outstanding warrants:

If the Company calls the Public Warrants for redemption, management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise the Public Warrants to do so on a “cashless basis,” as described in the warrant agreement. The exercise price and number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a stock dividend, or recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. However, except as described below, the warrants will not be adjusted for issuance of Class A common stock at a price below its exercise price. Additionally, in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the warrants. If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and the Company liquidates the funds held in the Trust Account, holders of warrants will not receive any of such funds with respect to their warrants, nor will they receive any distribution from the Company’s assets held outside of the Trust Account with the respect to such warrants. Accordingly, the warrants may expire worthless.

In addition, if the Company issues additional shares of common stock or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of a Business Combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per share of common stock (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by the Company’s board of directors, and in the case of any such issuance to the Company’s initial stockholders or their respective affiliates, without taking into account any Founder Shares held by the Sponsor, as applicable, prior to such issuance) (the “Newly Issued Price”), the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the Newly Issued Price.

AEQUI ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

MARCH 31, 2023

The Private Placement Warrants are identical to the Public Warrants underlying the Units sold in the Initial Public Offering, except that the Private Placement Warrants and the Class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of the Private Placement Warrants will not be transferable, assignable or saleable until after the completion of a Business Combination, subject to certain limited exceptions. Additionally, the Private Placement Warrants will be exercisable on a cashless basis and be non-redeemable, except as described above, so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees. If the Private Placement Warrants are held by someone other than the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees, the Private Placement Warrants will be redeemable by the Company and exercisable by such holders on the same basis as the Public Warrants.

NOTE 10. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

The fair value of the Company’s financial assets and liabilities reflects management’s estimate of amounts that the Company would have received in connection with the sale of the assets or paid in connection with the transfer of the liabilities in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In connection with measuring the fair value of its assets and liabilities, the Company seeks to maximize the use of observable inputs (market data obtained from independent sources) and to minimize the use of unobservable inputs (internal assumptions about how market participants would price assets and liabilities). The following fair value hierarchy is used to classify assets and liabilities based on the observable inputs and unobservable inputs used in order to value the assets and liabilities:

At March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, assets held in the Trust Account of $36,738,051 and $36,453,939, respectively, were held in demand deposits. During the three months ended March 31, 2023, the Company did not withdraw any amount from the Trust Account. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company withdrew a total of $528,900 from the Trust Account to pay for franchise and income taxes of the Company and withdrew $195,584,213 from the Trust Account in connection with the redemption of Class A common stock.

The following table presents information about the Company’s assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis at March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 and indicates the fair value hierarchy of the valuation inputs the Company utilized to determine such fair value.

The Warrants are accounted for as liabilities in accordance with ASC 815-40 and are presented within warrant liabilities in the accompanying condensed balance sheets. The warrant liabilities are measured at fair value at inception and on a recurring basis, with changes in fair value presented within the change in fair value of warrant liabilities in the statements of operations.

The subsequent measurements of the Public Warrants after the detachment of the Public Warrants from the Units is classified as Level 1 due to the use of an observable market quote in an active market under the ticker ARBGW. For periods subsequent to the detachment of the Public Warrants from the Units, the close price of the Public Warrant price was used as the fair value of the Warrants as of each relevant date. The subsequent measurements of the Private Placement Warrants after the detachment of the Public Warrants from the Units are classified as Level 2 due to the use of an observable market quote for a similar asset in an active market.

Transfers to/from Levels 1, 2 and 3 are recognized at the end of the reporting period in which a change in valuation technique or methodology occurs. There were no transfers to or from the various Levels during the three months ended March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022.