CONFIDENTIAL — DRAFT — NOT FOR FILING
NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE
ORIGINAL LISTING APPLICATION
Application No. NYSE-2022-04218
Applicant: CALLOWAY-BRIGGS RENEWABLES INC.
Proposed Ticker Symbol: CBRI
Date of Application: April 11, 2022
STATUS: DRAFT — NOT FILED Offering Placed in Dormant Status June 17, 2022
Prepared by:
Calderwood & Harkness LLP 599 Lexington Avenue New York, NY 10022
C&H Matter No. 1015-00001
Contact for Applicant:
Sandra Haverford General Counsel & Corporate Secretary Calloway-Briggs Renewables Inc. 4200 Ridgeline Parkway, Suite 1100 Austin, TX 78746
Issuer's Counsel Contact:
Jennifer Kwon, Partner Calderwood & Harkness LLP 599 Lexington Avenue New York, NY 10022
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PART I — GENERAL INFORMATION
Section 1 — Identification of Applicant
The following information is provided for the identification of the applicant seeking an original listing on the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE" or the "Exchange").
Full Legal Name of Applicant: Calloway-Briggs Renewables Inc. (hereinafter referred to as the "Company," the "Applicant," or "CBR").
State or Jurisdiction of Incorporation: The Company is incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law ("DGCL").
Date of Incorporation: The Company was originally incorporated in the State of Delaware in 2014. In connection with the proposed initial public offering described in this Application, the Company intends to adopt an Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws, each to become effective upon the closing of the initial public offering. Copies of the draft Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the draft Amended and Restated Bylaws are attached hereto as Exhibit A and Exhibit B, respectively.
Employer Identification Number (EIN): 83-4027615
Principal Executive Office Address:
Calloway-Briggs Renewables Inc. 4200 Ridgeline Parkway, Suite 1100 Austin, TX 78746
Registered Agent in State of Incorporation:
Capitol Statutory Services, Inc. 1209 Orange Street Wilmington, DE 19801
Telephone Number of Principal Office: [To be inserted]
Website: [To be inserted]
Industry Classification / SIC Code: The Company operates in the renewable energy sector, with principal activities encompassing the development, construction, ownership, and operation of utility-scale solar photovoltaic ("solar PV") generation facilities, onshore wind generation facilities, and battery energy storage systems ("BESS"). The Company's operations span regulated and unregulated utility power generation and fall within the Standard Industrial Classification codes applicable to electric services and renewable energy generation.
Fiscal Year End: December 31
Independent Auditor:
Ashford & Pemberton LLP 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 2800 New York, NY 10112
Lead Engagement Partner: Gregory Sondheim, CPA
Ashford & Pemberton LLP is an independent registered public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board ("PCAOB") and has served as the Company's independent auditor since fiscal year 2018. Ashford & Pemberton LLP has audited the Company's consolidated financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2019, December 31, 2020, and December 31, 2021, each of which is included in the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (as amended) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").
Transfer Agent and Registrar:
Continental Shareowner Services, Inc. 1 Ashbury Asset Advisors Plaza, 30th Floor New York, NY 10004
Contact: Maria Costello, Vice President, Corporate Actions
Continental Shareowner Services, Inc. has been engaged as the transfer agent and registrar for the Company's common stock in connection with the proposed initial public offering. The Company will coordinate with Continental Shareowner Services, Inc. to ensure DTC eligibility and book-entry transfer capability prior to the listing date.
Issuer's Counsel:
Calderwood & Harkness LLP 599 Lexington Avenue New York, NY 10022
Contact: Jennifer Kwon, Partner
Underwriters' Counsel:
Prescott, Danforth & Yee LLP 1271 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020
Section 2 — Description of Securities to Be Listed
This Section 2 sets forth the material terms and characteristics of the securities for which listing on the New York Stock Exchange is sought.
Type of Security: Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Common Stock").
Proposed Ticker Symbol: CBRI
CUSIP Number: To be determined. The Company will cause a CUSIP number to be assigned to the Common Stock by CUSIP Global Services prior to the listing date. The assigned CUSIP number will be communicated to the Exchange promptly upon assignment.
Authorized Shares: The total number of authorized shares of Common Stock will be as set forth in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, a draft of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A. The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation is expected to be filed with the Delaware Secretary of State upon or immediately prior to the closing of the initial public offering.
Pre-IPO Shares Outstanding: Prior to the initial public offering, and after giving effect to the reclassification of the Company's existing equity interests into shares of Common Stock and the conversion or exchange of all outstanding convertible or exchangeable securities on a fully diluted basis, the Company will have 100,000,000 shares of Common Stock outstanding (the "Pre-IPO Shares"). The reclassification will be effected pursuant to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and related corporate actions approved by the Board of Directors and existing stockholders.
Shares to Be Issued in the Initial Public Offering (Base Offering): The Company is proposing to offer and sell, together with the selling stockholder identified below, a total of 23,713,636 shares of Common Stock in the base offering, allocated as follows:
(a) Primary Shares: 16,895,455 shares of Common Stock to be issued and sold by the Company in a primary offering; and
(b) Secondary Shares: 6,818,182 shares of Common Stock to be sold by Pinnacle Vista Capital Partners III, LP (the "Selling Stockholder") in a secondary offering. The Company will not receive any proceeds from the sale of secondary shares by the Selling Stockholder.
Overallotment Option (Greenshoe) Shares: The Company and the Selling Stockholder have agreed to grant the underwriters an option, exercisable within 30 days of the date of the final prospectus, to purchase up to an additional 3,559,091 shares of Common Stock (representing 15% of the base offering shares) solely to cover over-allotments, if any. The allocation of overallotment shares between primary and secondary shares will be determined at the time of exercise in consultation with the underwriters.
Total Shares to Be Listed: The Company is seeking to list up to 127,272,727 shares of Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange, calculated as follows:
• Pre-IPO Shares Outstanding: 100,000,000 shares
• Plus: IPO Shares (base offering): 23,713,636 shares
• Plus: Overallotment Option Shares (full exercise): 3,559,091 shares
• Total: Up to 127,272,727 shares
Post-IPO Shares Outstanding:
• Base offering (no overallotment exercise): 123,713,636 shares
• Full overallotment exercise: 127,272,727 shares
Assumed IPO Price: For purposes of this Application, the Company has assumed an initial public offering price of $22.00 per share, which represents the midpoint of the anticipated filing range. The actual offering price will be determined through the book-building process in consultation with the underwriters and may differ materially from this assumed price.
Aggregate Offering Size: Based on the assumed IPO price of $22.00 per share and the full exercise of the overallotment option, the aggregate offering size is expected to be approximately $600,000,000, calculated as follows:
• Base offering: 23,713,636 shares × $22.00 = $521,700,000 (approximately)
• Overallotment: 3,559,091 shares × $22.00 = $78,300,000 (approximately)
• Total (full exercise): $600,000,000 (approximately)
Voting Rights: Each share of Common Stock entitles the holder thereof to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders. The Company will not have any dual-class or multi-vote stock structure in effect at the time of listing. The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation does not provide for any shares of capital stock with voting rights in excess of one vote per share. The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation includes a sundown provision with respect to any future consideration of differential voting rights. All voting rights are subject to the provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Amended and Restated Bylaws, the Amended and Restated Stockholders' Agreement, and applicable law.
Dividend Rights: The Company does not currently anticipate paying any cash dividends on shares of Common Stock for the foreseeable future. The Company intends to retain all available funds and any future earnings for use in the operation and expansion of its business, including the development and construction of its renewable energy project pipeline. The declaration and payment of dividends are at the sole discretion of the Board of Directors and will depend on range factors, including the Company's financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements, contractual restrictions, and other factors the Board of Directors may deem relevant. The Company's existing credit agreements with Veltrano National Bank, as administrative agent, contain covenants that restrict the Company's ability to pay dividends, and additional restrictions may be imposed under future financing arrangements.
Liquidation Rights: In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Company, holders of Common Stock will be entitled to receive, on a pro rata basis, all remaining assets of the Company available for distribution to stockholders after payment of, or adequate provision for, all debts and other liabilities of the Company and the satisfaction of any liquidation preferences applicable to any outstanding shares of preferred stock (of which none are currently outstanding or proposed to be outstanding upon listing).
DTC Eligibility: The shares of Common Stock to be listed will be eligible for deposit and book-entry transfer through The Depository Trust Company ("DTC"). The Company will coordinate with Continental Shareowner Services, Inc. (as transfer agent and registrar) to submit the necessary DTC eligibility request letter and related documentation to ensure that the Common Stock is DTC-eligible on or prior to the listing date. The Company anticipates that shares of Common Stock will be evidenced solely in book-entry form through the facilities of DTC and its participants, and that no physical stock certificates will be issued in connection with the initial public offering.
Section 3 — Registration Statement
The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a Registration Statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), relating to the initial public offering of the Common Stock described in this Application.
Form of Registration Statement: Form S-1 (Securities Act of 1933, as amended). The Company has not previously filed any registration statement with the SEC and is not eligible to use short-form registration on Form S-3 at this time.
Confidential Submission under the JOBS Act: Yes. The Company initially submitted its Draft Registration Statement on Form DRS-1 on a confidential basis pursuant to the provisions of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the "JOBS Act"). The Company qualifies as an "emerging growth company" as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Securities Act, as amended by the JOBS Act, on the basis that the Company's total annual gross revenues for its most recently completed fiscal year (FY 2021: $487.3 million) were below the $1.235 billion threshold applicable as of the date of filing. As an emerging growth company, the Company is entitled to certain scaled disclosure accommodations and exemptions as described more fully in the Registration Statement and in Section 17 of this Application.
SEC CIK Number: 0001948372
EDGAR Filing History:
The following is a summary of the principal filings made with the SEC in connection with the proposed initial public offering:
(a) Initial Draft Registration Statement (DRS-1): EDGAR Accession No. 0001948372-22-000001, filed April 11, 2022. This filing constituted the initial confidential submission of the Company's Draft Registration Statement on Form S-1 pursuant to the JOBS Act.
(b) Amendment No. 1 to Draft Registration Statement (DRS/A-1): EDGAR Accession No. 0001948372-22-000002, filed May 20, 2022. This amendment was filed in response to the first round of SEC staff comments and included revisions to the prospectus disclosure relating to, among other things, risk factors, management's discussion and analysis, and certain financial statement presentation matters.
(c) Amendment No. 2 to Draft Registration Statement (DRS/A-2): EDGAR Accession No. 0001948372-22-000003, filed June 10, 2022. This amendment was filed in response to the second round of SEC staff comments and included additional revisions and supplemental information requested by the staff.
SEC Comment History: The SEC Division of Corporation Finance issued two rounds of written comments with respect to the Company's Draft Registration Statement, as summarized below:
• First Round of Comments: Received May 6, 2022. The first comment letter contained 18 comments addressing various aspects of the prospectus disclosure, including (i) the description of the Company's revenue recognition policies and practices, (ii) the presentation of non-GAAP financial measures (including Adjusted EBITDA), (iii) the adequacy of risk factor disclosure relating to the Company's reliance on government tax incentives and subsidies, (iv) the disclosure of related-party transactions, (v) the presentation of the Company's project pipeline, and (vi) various financial statement and accounting matters. The Company filed a response letter and Amendment No. 1 on May 20, 2022.
• Second Round of Comments: Received June 3, 2022. The second comment letter contained 7 comments, consisting primarily of follow-up comments relating to (i) the Company's Adjusted EBITDA reconciliation, (ii) the disclosure of the tax-equity partnership structure for the Solaris West project, and (iii) certain legal proceedings disclosure. The Company filed a response letter and Amendment No. 2 on June 10, 2022.
• Total Comments: 25 comments received across both rounds. All comments have been resolved to the satisfaction of the SEC staff.
• Oral Clearance: The SEC staff provided oral clearance on June 14, 2022, indicating that no further comments were forthcoming and that the Registration Statement would be eligible for declaration of effectiveness upon the filing of a pricing amendment (including final pricing information, underwriting discounts, and related terms).
Status of Registration Statement: As of the date of this Application, the Registration Statement on Form S-1 has not been declared effective by the SEC. Following the receipt of oral clearance on June 14, 2022, the Company and its advisors determined, in light of prevailing market conditions and other strategic considerations, to place the proposed initial public offering in dormant status. The offering was formally placed in dormant status on June 17, 2022. The Company retains the ability to reactivate the offering and to proceed with the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, subject to the filing of any necessary amendments to update the disclosure contained therein and to reflect any material developments since the date of the most recent filing.
PART II — LISTING STANDARDS QUALIFICATION
Section 4 — Financial Standards
This Section 4 sets forth the financial and quantitative data demonstrating the Company's compliance with the initial listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange, as set forth in Section 102.01 of the NYSE Listed Company Manual. The Company relies primarily on the Global Market Capitalization / Revenue Test described in Section 4.2 below as the basis for its financial qualification for listing.
4.1 — Earnings Test (Alternative)
The Company does not rely on the earnings test set forth in Section 102.01A of the NYSE Listed Company Manual as its primary listing standard. The following information is presented solely for informational purposes and to provide the Exchange with a complete picture of the Company's historical earnings performance.
• Fiscal Year 2021 Net Income: $41.7 million
• Fiscal Year 2020 Net Income: $14.1 million
• Fiscal Year 2019 Net Loss: ($22.4 million)
The NYSE earnings test under Section 102.01A requires aggregate pre-tax income of at least $10 million over the three most recent fiscal years, with positive pre-tax income in each of the two most recent fiscal years, and minimum pre-tax income of $2 million in each of the two most recent fiscal years. While the Company reported positive net income in each of fiscal years 2020 and 2021, the Company reported a net loss of ($22.4 million) in fiscal year 2019. The aggregate pre-tax income for the three fiscal years ended December 31, 2021, when taking into account the fiscal year 2019 loss, does not satisfy the $10 million aggregate threshold requirement with certainty depending on the applicable pre-tax income adjustments. Accordingly, the Company has elected to rely on the Global Market Capitalization / Revenue Test described in Section 4.2 below as the basis for its financial qualification for listing.
4.2 — Global Market Capitalization / Revenue Test
The Company satisfies the initial listing standards of the NYSE under Section 102.01C of the NYSE Listed Company Manual (Global Market Capitalization / Revenue Test). The relevant data and analysis are set forth below.
Pre-Money Equity Valuation:
The Company's pre-money equity valuation, calculated as the product of the Pre-IPO Shares outstanding (100,000,000 shares) and the assumed IPO price of $22.00 per share, is $2,200,000,000.
Post-Money Equity Valuation (Base Offering):
The Company's post-money equity valuation, calculated as the product of the post-IPO shares outstanding on a base offering basis (123,713,636 shares) and the assumed IPO price of $22.00 per share, is $2,721,700,000 (approximately).
Enterprise Value (Fiscal Year 2021):
The Company's enterprise value as of December 31, 2021, on a pro forma basis reflecting the completion of the base offering, is approximately $4,246,700,000, calculated as follows:
• Post-money equity valuation: $2,721,700,000
• Plus: Total debt (as of December 31, 2021): $1,710,000,000
• Less: Estimated cash and cash equivalents (as of December 31, 2021): ($185,000,000)
• Enterprise Value: approximately $4,246,700,000
EV/EBITDA Multiple (Fiscal Year 2021):
The Company's enterprise value to Adjusted EBITDA multiple for fiscal year 2021 is approximately 19.4x, calculated as enterprise value of approximately $4,246,700,000 divided by fiscal year 2021 Adjusted EBITDA of $218,600,000.
Revenue:
The Company's audited revenue for the three most recent fiscal years and unaudited revenue for the most recent interim period are as follows:
• Fiscal Year 2021 Revenue: $487,300,000 (audited by Ashford & Pemberton LLP)
• Fiscal Year 2020 Revenue: $401,500,000 (audited by Ashford & Pemberton LLP)
• Fiscal Year 2019 Revenue: $312,800,000 (audited by Ashford & Pemberton LLP)
• First Quarter 2022 Revenue (unaudited): $131,400,000
Adjusted EBITDA (Fiscal Year 2021): The Company's Adjusted EBITDA for fiscal year 2021 was $218,600,000. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure and is defined and reconciled to the most directly comparable GAAP measure (net income) in the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1.
Total Assets (December 31, 2021): $3,940,000,000
Total Debt (December 31, 2021): $1,710,000,000
Estimated Cash and Cash Equivalents (December 31, 2021): $185,000,000
Qualification Summary: Based on the foregoing, the Company satisfies the Global Market Capitalization / Revenue Test under Section 102.01C of the NYSE Listed Company Manual as follows:
(a) The Company's post-money market capitalization of approximately $2,721,700,000 significantly exceeds the minimum requirement of $200 million in global market capitalization;
(b) The Company's fiscal year 2021 revenue of $487,300,000 significantly exceeds the minimum requirement of $100 million in revenue in the most recent 12-month period; and
(c) The aggregate market value of the Company's publicly-held shares (as described in Section 4.3 below) will significantly exceed $100 million upon completion of the initial public offering.
4.3 — Minimum Public Float and Share Distribution
The Company demonstrates compliance with the NYSE's minimum public float and share distribution requirements as follows:
Shares to Be Distributed to Public Investors in the IPO:
• Base offering: 23,713,636 shares
• Full overallotment exercise: 27,272,727 shares
Minimum Round-Lot Holders Requirement: Section 102.01A of the NYSE Listed Company Manual requires a minimum of 400 holders of 100 shares or more (round-lot holders). The Company anticipates that it will exceed this threshold based on the distribution capabilities of the underwriter syndicate, which consists of five underwriting firms with extensive retail and institutional distribution networks:
• Hargrove Keating & Co. (Lead-Left Book-Running Manager)
• Linden Pratt Securities LLC (Joint Book-Running Manager)
• Graymont Brothers Inc. (Joint Book-Running Manager)
• Barfield Stuart & Co. (Co-Manager)
• Crane Whitley Capital LLC (Co-Manager)
Based on the anticipated size of the offering and the breadth of the underwriter syndicate, the Company expects to have well in excess of 400 round-lot holders upon completion of the initial public offering. The lead-left book-running manager, Hargrove Keating & Co., has indicated that it expects institutional and retail demand sufficient to support broad distribution of the offering shares.
Minimum Publicly Held Shares: Section 102.01A of the NYSE Listed Company Manual requires a minimum of 1,100,000 publicly held shares at the time of listing. Upon completion of the base offering, the Company will have at minimum 23,713,636 publicly held shares, which significantly exceeds this requirement.
Minimum Market Value of Publicly Held Shares: Section 102.01B of the NYSE Listed Company Manual requires a minimum aggregate market value of publicly held shares of $40,000,000. At the assumed IPO price of $22.00 per share, the aggregate market value of the minimum publicly held shares (base offering) is approximately $521,700,000, calculated as 23,713,636 shares multiplied by $22.00 per share. This amount significantly exceeds the minimum requirement.
4.4 — Minimum Price Requirement
Section 102.01A of the NYSE Listed Company Manual requires that the price per share be at least $4.00 at the time of listing.
Assumed IPO Price per Share: $22.00 (representing the midpoint of the anticipated filing range).
The Company satisfies this requirement. The assumed IPO price of $22.00 per share is substantially in excess of the $4.00 minimum per-share price required by the NYSE for initial listing.
Section 5 — Share Distribution Projections
The following table sets forth the projected distribution of the Company's Common Stock upon completion of the initial public offering, presented on both a base offering basis (assuming no exercise of the overallotment option) and a full exercise basis (assuming full exercise of the overallotment option).
The following supplemental information is provided with respect to the projected share distribution:
Pinnacle Vista Capital Partners III, LP Pre-IPO Ownership: Pinnacle Vista Capital Partners III, LP currently holds approximately 62% of the Company's fully diluted common equity, representing approximately 62,000,000 shares of Common Stock. Pinnacle Vista Capital Partners III, LP made its initial investment in the Company in 2017 and provided follow-on capital in 2019.
Pinnacle Vista Capital Partners III, LP Post-IPO Ownership (Base Offering, After Secondary Sale): Following the completion of the base offering, in which Pinnacle Vista Capital Partners III, LP will sell 6,818,182 shares as the Selling Stockholder, Pinnacle Vista Capital Partners III, LP will hold approximately 55,181,818 shares, representing approximately 44.6% of the total post-IPO shares outstanding on a base offering basis (55,181,818 shares divided by 123,713,636 shares).
Pinnacle Vista Capital Partners III, LP Post-IPO Ownership (Full Overallotment Exercise): Assuming full exercise of the overallotment option (and assuming that additional overallotment shares are allocated entirely to primary shares issued by the Company or that Pinnacle Vista does not sell additional secondary shares in the overallotment), Pinnacle Vista Capital Partners III, LP will hold approximately 55,181,818 shares, representing approximately 43.4% of the total post-IPO shares outstanding on a full exercise basis (55,181,818 shares divided by 127,272,727 shares).
Selling Stockholder (Secondary Offering) Details: In the base offering, Pinnacle Vista Capital Partners III, LP will sell 6,818,182 shares of Common Stock at the assumed IPO price of $22.00 per share, for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $150,000,000. The Company will sell 16,895,455 primary shares for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $371,700,000 at the assumed IPO price. The Company will not receive any proceeds from the sale of secondary shares by Pinnacle Vista Capital Partners III, LP. A more detailed projected share distribution schedule is attached hereto as Exhibit P.
Section 6 — Lock-Up Arrangements
In connection with the proposed initial public offering, certain stockholders, directors, and executive officers of the Company will be subject to lock-up agreements restricting the sale, transfer, or other disposition of shares of Common Stock for a specified period following the offering. The material terms of the lock-up arrangements are as follows.
Lock-Up Period: 180 days following the date of the final prospectus relating to the initial public offering (the "Lock-Up Period").
Lock-Up Parties: The following persons and entities are expected to enter into lock-up agreements with the underwriters:
(a) All seven (7) members of the Board of Directors, consisting of Garrett Calloway, Elaine Briggs, Hugh Pemberton, Diane Kovac, Warren Okoro, Catherine Liang, and Richard Estavez;
(b) All six (6) named executive officers of the Company;
(c) Pinnacle Vista Capital Partners III, LP; and
(d) All other holders of 1% or more of the Company's pre-IPO Common Stock.
In total, approximately 18 persons and entities are expected to execute lock-up agreements.
Lock-Up Release Conditions: The lock-up restrictions may be released prior to the expiration of the 180-day Lock-Up Period only upon:
(a) the prior written consent of Hargrove Keating & Co., as representative of the underwriters; or
(b) the occurrence of a Change of Control of the Company (as such term is defined in the underwriting agreement).
Issuer Lock-Up: In addition to the individual lock-up agreements described above, the Company itself has agreed that it will not, without the prior written consent of Hargrove Keating & Co. (as representative of the underwriters), issue, sell, offer to sell, contract to sell, grant any option for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of or register any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock, for a period of 180 days following the date of the final prospectus. This issuer lock-up is subject to customary exceptions, including:
(a) the issuance of shares of Common Stock pursuant to employee equity compensation plans (including the 2022 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan and the 2022 Employee Stock Purchase Plan);
(b) the issuance of shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into Common Stock in connection with bona fide acquisitions or strategic transactions, subject to the requirement that the recipients of such shares enter into lock-up agreements for the balance of the Lock-Up Period; and
(c) the filing of a registration statement on Form S-8 relating to employee equity compensation plans.
Lock-Up Carve-Outs: The individual lock-up agreements contain certain customary exceptions permitting the following transfers during the Lock-Up Period without the prior consent of the underwriters' representative:
(a) transfers to affiliates (including transfers by Pinnacle Vista Capital Partners III, LP to affiliated funds or entities), provided that the transferee agrees to be bound by the lock-up restrictions;
(b) estate-planning transfers, including transfers to trusts for the benefit of the lock-up party or members of the lock-up party's immediate family, provided that the transferee agrees to be bound by the lock-up restrictions;
(c) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, provided that no sales or other dispositions may be effected under such plan during the Lock-Up Period; and
(d) pledges of shares to lenders as collateral for bona fide indebtedness, provided that any foreclosure or other disposition pursuant to such pledge during the Lock-Up Period requires the prior written consent of Hargrove Keating & Co.
Execution Status as of June 17, 2022: As of the date the offering was placed in dormant status (June 17, 2022), 15 of the 18 anticipated lock-up agreements had been fully executed and delivered to the underwriters' counsel. The remaining three lock-up agreements remain outstanding and unexecuted as a result of the decision to place the offering in dormant status. If the offering is reactivated, the Company will cause all remaining lock-up agreements to be executed prior to the pricing of the offering.
PART III — CORPORATE GOVERNANCE CERTIFICATIONS
Section 7 — Board of Directors
This Section 7 sets forth the composition of the Company's Board of Directors and the independence determinations made in connection with the proposed listing on the New York Stock Exchange.
7.1 — Board Composition
The Company's Board of Directors currently consists of seven (7) members. The following table sets forth the name, affiliation, and independence status of each director, as determined by the Board of Directors in accordance with the independence standards set forth in Section 303A of the NYSE Listed Company Manual and Rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Summary of Independence Determinations:
• Total Board Members: 7
• Independent Directors: 3 of 7 (Warren Okoro, Catherine Liang, and Richard Estavez)
• Non-Independent Directors: 4 of 7
The four non-independent directors consist of two members of the Company's management (Garrett Calloway and Elaine Briggs) and two designees of Pinnacle Vista Capital Partners III, LP (Hugh Pemberton and Diane Kovac). Messrs. Calloway and Briggs are not independent because they serve as executive officers of the Company. Messrs. Pemberton and Kovac are not independent because they are affiliated with Pinnacle Vista Capital Partners, the Company's controlling stockholder, and have a material relationship with the Company by virtue of the Pinnacle Vista management-services agreement described in Section 9.4 of this Application and the board designation rights described in Section 7.3 below.
The Board of Directors has affirmatively determined that each of Warren Okoro, Catherine Liang, and Richard Estavez qualifies as "independent" within the meaning of Section 303A.02 of the NYSE Listed Company Manual and has no material relationship with the Company (either directly or as a partner, stockholder, or officer of an organization that has a relationship with the Company). In making these independence determinations, the Board of Directors considered all relevant facts and circumstances, including the directors' business, familial, and other relationships with the Company, its management, and Pinnacle Vista Capital Partners.
7.2 — Controlled-Company Status
The Company expects to qualify as a "controlled company" within the meaning of Section 303A.00 of the NYSE Listed Company Manual upon the completion of the initial public offering and the listing of its Common Stock on the NYSE. Under the NYSE rules, a "controlled company" is a listed company of which more than 50% of the voting power for the election of directors is held by an individual, a group, or another company.
Pinnacle Vista Capital Partners III, LP will hold approximately 44.6% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock immediately following the completion of the base offering (or approximately 43.4% assuming full exercise of the overallotment option). However, pursuant to the Amended and Restated Stockholders' Agreement, which will become effective upon the closing of the initial public offering, Pinnacle Vista Capital Partners III, LP and the Founders (Garrett Calloway and Elaine Briggs, who collectively hold approximately 19.4% of the outstanding shares) have agreed to vote their shares together on certain matters, including the election of directors. The combined voting power of Pinnacle Vista and the Founders under the voting agreement provisions of the Stockholders' Agreement represents approximately 64.0% of the total voting power of the Company's outstanding shares on a base offering basis, thereby exceeding the 50% threshold required for controlled-company status.
Exemptions Relied Upon: As a controlled company, the Company intends to rely upon the following exemptions from the NYSE corporate governance requirements:
(a) The requirement that a majority of the Board of Directors be composed of independent directors (Section 303A.01);
(b) The requirement that the compensation committee be composed entirely of independent directors (Section 303A.05); and
(c) The requirement that the nominating/corporate governance committee be composed entirely of independent directors (Section 303A.04).
Audit Committee Independence — No Exemption Available: The Company acknowledges that the controlled-company exemption does not extend to the audit committee independence requirements. Section 303A.06 of the NYSE Listed Company Manual and SEC Rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 require that the audit committee be composed entirely of independent directors, regardless of controlled-company status. As described in Section 8.1 below, the Company's Audit Committee is composed entirely of independent directors.
Phase-In Compliance: Notwithstanding its reliance on the controlled-company exemptions, the Company has voluntarily established the following fully constituted board committees in advance of listing:
(a) An Audit Committee composed entirely of independent directors (as required, without regard to controlled-company status);
(b) A Compensation Committee composed entirely of independent directors (voluntarily, notwithstanding the availability of the controlled-company exemption); and
(c) A Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, of which two of three members are independent directors (Hugh Pemberton, a non-independent director, serves as a member pursuant to the controlled-company exemption).
The Company intends to transition to full compliance with all NYSE corporate governance requirements, including the majority-independent board requirement and the fully independent committee requirements, upon the earlier of (i) ceasing to qualify as a controlled company or (ii) such time as the Board of Directors determines is appropriate, subject to applicable phase-in periods under Section 303A.00 of the NYSE Listed Company Manual.
7.3 — Board Designation Rights
Under the Amended and Restated Stockholders' Agreement, which will become effective upon the closing of the initial public offering (a draft of which is attached hereto as Exhibit K), the following board designation rights have been established:
Pinnacle Vista Designation Rights: Pinnacle Vista Capital Partners III, LP has the right to designate a specified number of directors to the Board of Directors based on its ownership of the Company's outstanding Common Stock, subject to the following step-down thresholds:
(a) For so long as Pinnacle Vista holds 40% or more of the outstanding Common Stock, Pinnacle Vista shall have the right to designate three (3) directors;