Exhibit 99.1

 

AUTHENTIC EQUITY ACQUISITION CORP.

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm	F-2
Balance Sheet	F-3
Notes to Financial Statement	F-4

 

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of

Authentic Equity Acquisition Corp.

 

Opinion on the Financial Statement

 

We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of Authentic Equity Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) as of January 20, 2021, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statement”). In our opinion, the financial statement presents fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of January 20, 2021, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

This financial statement is the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statement based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statement is free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

 

Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statement, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statement. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statement. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

/s/ WithumSmith+Brown, PC

 

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2020.

 

New York, New York

January 26, 2021

 

 

AUTHENTIC EQUITY ACQUISITION CORP.

BALANCE SHEET

January 20, 2021

 

Assets
Current assets:
Cash		$	1,866,503
Prepaid expenses			476,800
Total current assets			2,343,303
Cash held in Trust Account			230,000,000
Total Assets		$	232,343,303
Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable		$	921,671
Accrued expenses			70,000
Total current liabilities			991,671
Deferred underwriting commissions			8,050,000
Total liabilities			9,041,671
Commitments and Contingencies
Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value; 21,830,163 shares subject to possible redemption at $10.00 per share			218,301,630
Shareholders’ Equity
Preference shares, $0.0001 par value; 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding			-
Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value; 300,000,000 shares authorized; 1,169,837 shares issued and outstanding (excluding 21,830,163 shares subject to possible redemption)			117
Class B ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value; 30,000,000 shares authorized; 7,000,000 shares issued and outstanding			700
Additional paid-in capital			5,056,765
Accumulated deficit			(57,580	)
Total shareholders’ equity			5,000,002
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity		$	232,343,303

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statement.

 

 

AUTHENTIC EQUITY ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT

 

Note 1 — Description of Organization, Business Operations

 

Authentic Equity Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) was incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company on September 29, 2020. The Company was formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities (the “Business Combination”).

 

As of January 20, 2021, the Company had not commenced any operations. All activity through January 20, 2021 relates to the Company’s formation and the initial public offering (the “Initial Public Offering”) described below. 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 from the proceeds derived from the Initial Public Offering. The Company has selected December 31 as its fiscal year end.

 

The Company’s Sponsor is Authentic Equity Sponsor LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sponsor”). The registration statement for the Company’s Initial Public Offering was declared effective on January 14, 2021. On January 20, 2021, the Company consummated its Initial Public Offering of 23,000,000 units (the “Units” and, with respect to the Class A ordinary shares included in the Units being offered, the “Public Shares”), including 3,000,000 additional Units to cover over-allotments (the “Over-Allotment Units”), at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $230.0 million, and incurring offering costs of approximately $13.3 million, of which approximately $8.1 million was for deferred underwriting commissions (Note 5).

 

Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Company consummated the private placement (“Private Placement”) of 6,600,000 warrants (each, a “Private Placement Warrant” and collectively, the “Private Placement Warrants”) for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $5.8 million, in a private placement to the Sponsor and the sale of a right for the gross proceeds of $824,500 to General Electric Pension Trust (“GEPT”) to purchase up to $50.0 million of Forward Purchase Units (as defined in Note 5) that will close simultaneously with the Initial Public Offering.

 

Upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering and the Private Placement, $230.0 million ($10.00 per Unit) of the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and certain of the proceeds of the Private Placement were placed in a trust account (“Trust Account”) located in the United States with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee, and will be invested only in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the Investment Company Act, which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations, until the earlier of: (i) the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) the distribution of the Trust Account as described below.

 

The Company’s management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering, the sale of Private Placement Warrants and the sale of a right to purchase Forward Purchase Units under the Forward Purchase Agreement, 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 having an aggregate fair market value of 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) at the time of the signing of the agreement to enter into the initial Business Combination. However, 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 sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act.

 

 

AUTHENTIC EQUITY ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT

 

The Company will provide the holders (the “Public Shareholders”) of the Public Shares, 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 shareholder meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether the Company will seek shareholder approval of a Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company, solely in its discretion. The Public Shareholders will be entitled to redeem their Public Shares for a pro rata portion of the amount then in the Trust Account ($10.00 per Public Share). The per-share amount to be distributed to Public Shareholders who redeem their Public Shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions the Company will pay to the underwriters (as discussed in Note 5). These Public Shares are classified as temporary equity upon the completion of the Initial Public Offering in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” In such case, the Company will proceed with a Business Combination if the Company has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 upon such consummation of a Business Combination and a majority of the shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination. If a shareholder vote is not required by law and the Company does not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other legal reasons, the Company will, pursuant to the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association which will be adopted upon the consummation of the Initial Public Offering (the “Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association”), conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing a Business Combination. If, however, shareholder approval of the transactions is required by law, or the Company decides to obtain shareholder approval for business or legal 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. Additionally, each Public Shareholder may elect to redeem their Public Shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction. If the Company seeks shareholder approval in connection with a Business Combination, the initial shareholders (as defined below) agreed to vote their Founder Shares (as defined below in Note 4) and any Public Shares purchased during or after the Initial Public Offering in favor of a Business Combination. Subsequent to the consummation of the Initial Public Offering, the Company will adopt an insider trading policy which will require insiders to: (i) refrain from purchasing shares during certain blackout periods and when they are in possession of any material non-public information and (ii) to clear all trades with the Company’s Chief Financial Officer prior to execution. In addition, the initial shareholders agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their Founder Shares and Public Shares in connection with the completion of a Business Combination.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association provides that a Public Shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder 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% or more of the Class A ordinary shares sold in the Initial Public Offering, without the prior consent of the Company.

 

The Company’s Sponsor, officers and directors (the “initial shareholders”) agreed not to propose an amendment to the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association (a) that would modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of its Public Shares if the Company does not complete a Business Combination within 24 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering, or January 20, 2023, (the “Combination Period”) or (b) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity, unless the Company provides the Public Shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Class A ordinary shares in conjunction with any such amendment.

 

If the Company is unable to complete 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 the Company to pay its tax obligations, if any (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses) divided by the number of the then-outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish Public Shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any); and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining shareholders and the board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), to the Company’s obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.

 

 

AUTHENTIC EQUITY ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT

 

The Sponsor agreed to waive their 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 or members of the Company’s management team acquire Public Shares in or after the Initial Public Offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to such Public Shares if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. The underwriters agreed to waive their rights to their deferred underwriting commission (see Note 5) 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 residual assets remaining available for distribution (including Trust Account assets) will be only $10.00 per share initially held in the Trust Account. In order to protect the amounts held in the Trust Account, the Sponsor 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. This liability will not apply with respect to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the Trust Account or 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 our independent registered public accounting firm, prospective target businesses or 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.

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

As of January 20, 2021, the Company had approximately $1.9 million in its operating bank account, and working capital of approximately $1.4 million.

 

The Company’s liquidity needs to date have been satisfied through a contribution of $25,000 from Sponsor to cover for certain expenses in exchange for the issuance of the Founder Shares, a loan of $96,500 from the Sponsor pursuant to the Note (see Note 4), and the proceeds from the consummation of the Private Placement and sale of a right to purchase Forward Purchase Units not held in the Trust Account. The Company repaid the Note in full on January 20, 2021. In addition, 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 (see Note 4). As of January 20, 2021, there were no amounts outstanding under any Working Capital Loan.

 

Based on the foregoing, management believes that the Company 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 one year from this filing. Over this time period, the Company will be using these funds for paying existing accounts payable, identifying and evaluating prospective initial Business Combination candidates, performing due diligence on prospective target businesses, paying for travel expenditures, selecting the target business to merge with or acquire, and structuring, negotiating and consummating the Business Combination.

 

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

 

Basis of Presentation

 

The accompanying financial statement is presented in U.S. dollars in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC.

 

 

AUTHENTIC EQUITY ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT

 

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 auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, 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 shareholder 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 an emerging growth 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 an 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 financial statement with another public company that is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company that has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.

 

Concentration of Credit Risk

 

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash accounts in a financial institution, which, at times, may exceed the Federal Depository Insurance Coverage limit of $250,000. At January 20, 2021, the Company has not experienced losses on these accounts and management believes the Company is not exposed to significant risks on such accounts.

 

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 had no cash equivalents as of January 20, 2021.

 

Cash Held in Trust Account

 

At January 20, 2021, the Company had $230.0 million in cash held in the Trust Account.

 

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

 

The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under the FASB ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the balance sheet primarily due to their short-term nature.

 

Use of Estimates

 

The preparation of financial statement in conformity with U.S. 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 financial statement.

 

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 financial statement, 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.

 

Offering Costs Associated with the Initial Public Offering

 

Offering costs consisted of legal, accounting, underwriting fees and and other costs incurred that were directly related to the Initial Public Offering and that were charged to shareholders’ equity upon the completion of the Initial Public Offering.

 

 

AUTHENTIC EQUITY ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT

 

Class A Ordinary Shares Subject to Possible Redemption

 

The Company accounts for its Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in ASC Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Class A ordinary shares subject to mandatory redemption (if any) are classified as liability instruments and are measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable Class A ordinary shares (including Class A ordinary shares that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) are classified as temporary equity. At all other times, Class A ordinary shares are classified as shareholders’ equity. The Company’s Class A ordinary shares features certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of the Company’s control and subject to the occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, at January 20, 2021, 21,830,163 Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption are presented as temporary equity, outside of the shareholders’ equity section of the Company’s balance sheet.

 

Income Taxes

 

The Company accounts for income taxes under ASC Topic 740, “Income Taxes.” FASB 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. There were no unrecognized tax benefits as of January 20, 2021. The Company’s management determined that the Cayman Islands is the Company’s only major tax jurisdiction. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. No amounts were accrued for the payment of interest and penalties as of January 20, 2021. 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.

 

There is currently no taxation imposed on income by the Government of the Cayman Islands. In accordance with Cayman income tax regulations, income taxes are not levied on the Company. Consequently, income taxes are not reflected in the Company’s financial statement. The Company’s management does not expect that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will materially change over the next twelve months.

 

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

 

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

 

Note 3 — Initial Public Offering

 

On January 20, 2021, the Company consummated its Initial Public Offering of 23,000,000 Units, including 3,000,000 Over-Allotment Units, at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $230.0 million, and incurring offering costs of approximately $13.3 million, of which approximately $8.1 million was for deferred underwriting commissions.

 

Each Unit consists of one Class A ordinary share, and one-half of one redeemable warrant (each, a “Public Warrant”). Each whole Public Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment (see Note 6).

 

 

AUTHENTIC EQUITY ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT

 

Note 4 — Related Party Transactions

 

Founder Shares

 

On October 1, 2020, the Sponsor paid $25,000 to cover certain expenses on behalf of the Company in exchange for issuance of 5,750,000 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001, (the “Founder Shares”). In December 2020, the Company effected a share capitalization with respect to the Class B ordinary shares resulting in an aggregate of 7,000,000 Founder Shares outstanding. The Sponsor subsequently transferred 25,000 Class B ordinary shares to each of the independent directors, which shares were not subject to forfeiture in the event the underwriters’ over-allotment option was not exercised. The Sponsor agreed to forfeit (a) up to 750,000 Founder Shares to the extent that the over-allotment option was not exercised in full by the underwriters and (b) up to 1,250,000 Founder Shares depending on the number of units purchased under the Forward Purchase Agreement (as defined in Note 5) if such number is below 5,000,000. The forfeiture would be adjusted to the extent that the over-allotment option was not exercised in full by the underwriters, so that the Founder Shares would represent 20.0% of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares after the Initial Public Offering plus the number of Class A ordinary shares that may be sold pursuant to the Forward Purchase Agreement (as defined in Note 5). On January 20, 2021, the underwriter fully exercised its over-allotment option; thus, 750,000 Founder Shares were no longer subject to forfeiture.

 

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

 

Private Placement Warrants

 

Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Company consummated the Private Placement of 6,600,000 Private Placement Warrants for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $5.8 million, in a private placement to the Sponsor and the sale of a right for the gross proceeds of $824,500 to GEPT to purchase up to $50.0 million of Forward Purchase Units (as defined in Note 5) that will close simultaneously with the Initial Public Offering.

 

Each whole Private Placement Warrant is exercisable for one whole Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share. A portion of the proceeds from the Private Placement Warrants was added to the 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 Private Placement Warrants will expire worthless. The Private Placement Warrants will be non-redeemable and exercisable on a cashless basis so long as they are held by the Sponsor, GEPT or their permitted transferees.

 

The Sponsor and the Company’s officers and directors agreed, subject to limited exceptions, not to transfer, assign or sell any of their Private Placement Warrants until 30 days after the completion of the initial Business Combination.

 

Related Party Loans

 

On September 30, 2020, the Sponsor agreed to loan the Company an aggregate of up to $300,000 to cover for expenses related to the Initial Public Offering pursuant to a promissory note (the “Note”). This loan was non-interest bearing and payable upon the completion of the Initial Public Offering. The Company borrowed $96,500 under the Note and fully repaid the Note on January 20, 2021.

 

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”). If the Company completes a Business Combination, the Company would repay the Working Capital Loans out of the proceeds of the Trust Account released to the Company. Otherwise, the Working Capital Loans 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 proceeds held outside the Trust Account to repay the Working Capital Loans but no proceeds held in the Trust Account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. Except for the foregoing, the terms of such Working Capital Loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. The Working Capital Loans would either be repaid upon consummation of a Business Combination, without interest, or, at the lender’s discretion, up to $1.5 million of such Working Capital Loans may be convertible into warrants of the post Business Combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. As of January 20, 2021, the Company had no borrowings under the Working Capital Loans.

 

 

AUTHENTIC EQUITY ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT

 

Administrative Support Agreement

 

Commencing on the effective date of the prospectus, the Company agreed to pay an affiliate of the Sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to the Company. Upon completion of the initial Business Combination or the Company’s liquidation, the Company will cease paying these monthly fees.

 

Note 5 — Commitments and Contingencies

 

Forward Purchase Agreement

 

In connection with the consummation of the Initial Public Offering, the Company entered into a forward purchase agreement (the “Forward Purchase Agreement”) with GEPT, pursuant to which, in exchange for $824,500 of proceeds paid to the Company in the Private Placement, GEPT has the right, in its discretion, to purchase up to the lesser of (i) $50.0 million of units and (ii) a number of units equal to 19.99% of the pro forma equity outstanding at the time of the closing of the Company’s initial Business Combination, including but not limited to, any ordinary shares issued in connection with the Initial Public Offering, the Forward Purchase Agreement or any private placement or other offering or to any seller in the initial Business Combination (the “Forward Purchase Units”), with each unit consisting of one Class A ordinary share (the “Forward Purchase Shares”) and 0.425 of one warrant to purchase one Class A ordinary share at $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment (the “Forward Purchase Warrants”), for a purchase price of $10.00 per unit, in a private placement to occur concurrently with the closing of the initial Business Combination.

 

In consideration for the purchase for the Forward Purchase Units, if GEPT purchases the maximum number of Forward Purchase Units available to it under the Forward Purchase Agreement, the Company will issue to GEPT, at the closing of the Company’s initial Business Combination and prior to the conversion of the Class B ordinary shares into Class A ordinary shares in accordance with the terms thereof (the “GEPT Issuance”):

 

●

a number of Class B ordinary shares (the “GEPT Class B ordinary shares”) that is equal to 12.5% of the aggregate number of Class B ordinary shares outstanding at the time of the initial Business Combination prior to the conversion of such Class B ordinary shares into Class A ordinary shares pursuant to the terms thereof and after giving effect to the issuance of the GEPT Class B ordinary shares and any other Class B ordinary shares as a result of anti-dilution rights or other adjustments and the number of Class B ordinary shares transferred, assigned, sold or forfeited in connection with the initial Business Combination but excluding 115,000 Class B ordinary shares from such calculation (the “Post-Business Combination Class B ordinary shares”) (provided, however, that if the Founder Shares are converted into Class A ordinary shares prior to the date of the Company’s initial Business Combination, GEPT will receive a number of Class A ordinary shares equal to the number of Class A ordinary shares that it would have been entitled to pursuant to the GEPT Issuance); and

 

●

a number of Private Placement Warrants equal to 12.5% of the aggregate number of Private Placement Warrants outstanding at the time of the Company’s initial business combination prior to the conversion of such Class B ordinary shares into Class A ordinary shares pursuant to the terms thereof and after giving effect to any Private Placement Warrants transferred, assigned, sold or forfeited in connection with the initial Business Combination (the “Post-Business Combination Private Placement Warrants”).

 

In connection with such issuance, the Sponsor agreed to forfeit to the Company for no consideration a number of Class B ordinary shares and Private Placement Warrants (the “Sponsor Forfeiture”) such that after the Sponsor Forfeiture and the GEPT Issuance, the Sponsor will own (i) a number of Class B ordinary shares equal to 87.5% of the number of Post-Business Combination Class B ordinary shares plus 15,000 Class B ordinary shares, and (ii) a number of Private Placement Warrants equal to 87.5% of the number of Post-Business Combination Private Placement Warrants.

 

The Forward Purchase Warrants purchased by GEPT under the Forward Purchase Agreement will have the same terms as the Public Warrants. The Private Placement Warrants to be issued to GEPT as described above will have the same terms and be subject to the same transfer restrictions as the Private Placement Warrants held by the Sponsor.

 

 

AUTHENTIC EQUITY ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT

 

Registration and Shareholder Rights

 

The holders of Founder Shares, Private Placement Warrants and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans (and any Class A ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of the Private Placement Warrants and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans) were entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration and shareholder rights agreement signed upon consummation of the Initial Public Offering. These holders were entitled to certain demand and “piggyback” registration rights. However, the registration and shareholder rights agreement provide that the Company will not permit any registration statement filed under the Securities Act to become effective until the termination of the applicable lock-up period for the securities to be registered. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.

 

Pursuant to the Forward Purchase Agreement, the Company agreed to use reasonable best efforts to: (i) file within 30 days after the closing of the initial Business Combination a registration statement with the SEC for a secondary offering of the Forward Purchase Shares and the Forward Purchase Warrants (and underlying Class A ordinary shares); (ii) cause such registration statement to be declared effective promptly thereafter but in no event later than sixty (60) days after the initial filing; (iii) maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement until the earliest of (A) the date on which the Sponsor or its assignees cease to hold the securities covered thereby, and (B) the date all of the securities covered thereby can be sold publicly without restriction or limitation under Rule 144 of the Securities Act; and (iv), after such registration statement is declared effective, cause the Company to conduct firm commitment underwritten offerings, subject to certain limitations. In addition, the Forward Purchase Agreement provides for certain “piggy-back” registration rights to the holders of forward purchase securities to include their securities in other registration statements filed by the Company. The Company will bear the cost of registering these securities.

 

Underwriting Agreement

 

The Company granted the underwriters a 45-day option from the final prospectus relating to the Initial Public Offering to purchase up to 3,000,000 additional Units to cover over-allotments, if any, at $10.00 per Unit, less the underwriting discounts and commissions. On January 20, 2021, the underwriter fully exercised its over-allotment option.

 

The underwriters were entitled to an underwriting discount of $0.20 per unit, or $4.6 million in the aggregate, paid upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering. In addition, $0.35 per unit, or approximately $8.1 million in the aggregate will be payable to the underwriters for deferred underwriting commissions. The deferred underwriting commissions will become payable to the underwriters from the amounts held in the Trust Account solely in the event that the Company completes a Business Combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.

 

Risks and Uncertainties

 

Management continues to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the industry 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 financial statement. The financial statement does not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

 

Note 6 — Shareholders’ Equity

 

Class A Ordinary Shares — The Company is authorized to issue 300,000,000 Class A ordinary shares with a par value of $0.0001 per share. As of January 20, 2021, there were 1,169,837 shares issued and outstanding, excluding 21,830,163 Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption.

 

Class B Ordinary Shares — The Company is authorized to issue 30,000,000 Class B ordinary shares with a par value of $0.0001 per share. On October 1, 2020, the Company issued 5,750,000 Class B ordinary shares to the Sponsor. In December 2020, the Company effected a share capitalization with respect to the Class B ordinary shares resulting in an aggregate of 7,000,000 Class B ordinary shares outstanding. Of the 7,000,000 Class B ordinary shares outstanding, up to 750,000 Class B ordinary shares were subject to forfeiture to the extent that the underwriters’ over-allotment option was not exercised in full or in part, and up to 1,250,000 Class B ordinary shares are subject to forfeiture depending on the number of units purchased under the Forward Purchase Agreement if such number is below 5,000,000, so that the initial shareholders will collectively own approximately 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares (less the total number of Class B ordinary shares forfeited (if any) by the Sponsor to the extent less than 5,000,000 units are purchased under the Forward Purchase Agreement) plus the number of Class A ordinary shares that may be sold pursuant to the Forward Purchase Agreement (See Note 5). On January 20, 2021, the underwriter fully exercised its over-allotment option; thus, 750,000 Class B ordinary shares were no longer subject to forfeiture.

 

 

AUTHENTIC EQUITY ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT

 

Ordinary shareholders of record are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters to be voted on by shareholders. Except as described below, holders of Class A ordinary shares and holders of Class B ordinary shares will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of the Company’s shareholders except as required by law.

 

The Class B ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of the initial Business Combination or earlier at the option of the holders thereof at a ratio such that the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all Founder Shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the sum of (i) the total number of ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon completion of the Initial Public Offering (less the total number of Class B ordinary shares forfeited (if any) by the Sponsor to the extent less than 5,000,000 units are purchased under the Forward Purchase Agreement) and the number of Class A ordinary shares that may be sold pursuant to the forward purchase agreement, plus (ii) the total number of Class A ordinary shares issued or deemed issued or issuable upon conversion or exercise of any equity-linked securities or rights issued or deemed issued, by the Company in connection with or in relation to the consummation of the initial Business Combination, excluding any Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities exercisable for or convertible into Class A ordinary shares issued, deemed issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial Business Combination, any Private Placement Warrants issued to the Sponsor, its affiliates or any member of the management team upon conversion of Working Capital Loans and any Forward Purchase Warrants. In no event will the Class B ordinary shares convert into Class A ordinary shares at a rate of less than one-to-one.

 

Preference Shares — The Company is authorized to issue 1,000,000 preference shares 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 January 20, 2021, there were no preference shares issued or outstanding.

 

Warrants — Public Warrants may only be exercised for a whole number of shares. The Public Warrants will become exercisable on the later of (a) 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination or (b) 12 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering; provided in each case that the Company has an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants and a current prospectus relating to them is available (or the Company permits holders to exercise their Public Warrants on a cashless basis and such cashless exercise is exempt from registration under the Securities Act). The Company agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than twenty (20) business days after the closing of the initial Business Combination, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants, and the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the same to become effective within 60 business days after the closing of the initial Business Combination, and to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement and a current prospectus relating to those Class A ordinary shares until the warrants expire or are redeemed, as specified in the warrant agreement provided that if the Class A ordinary shares are at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy 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 elects, it will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement. If a registration statement covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the 60^th day after the closing of the initial Business Combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when the Company will have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption, but the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available.

 

The warrants have an exercise price of $11.50 per whole share, and will expire five years after the completion of a Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.

 

 

AUTHENTIC EQUITY ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT

 

In addition, if (x) the Company issues additional Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of the initial Business Combination (excluding any forward purchase securities) at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per ordinary share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by the board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to the Sponsor or its affiliates, without taking into account any Founder Shares held by the Sponsor or such affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance) (the “Newly Issued Price”), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of the initial Business Combination on the date of the consummation of the initial Business Combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of Class A ordinary shares during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which the Company consummates the initial Business Combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described under “Redemption of warrants when the price per Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $18.00” and “Redemption of warrants when the price per Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $10.00” will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $10.00 per share redemption trigger price described under “Redemption of warrants when the price per Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $10.00” will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price.

 

The Private Placement Warrants and the Forward Purchase Warrants will be identical to the Public Warrants underlying the Units being sold in the Initial Public Offering, except that the Private Placement Warrants and the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of the Private Placement Warrants will not be transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days 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, GEPT 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.

 

Redemption of warrants when the price per Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $18.00.    Once the warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the outstanding warrants (except with respect to the Private Placement Warrants):

 

●

in whole and not in part;

●

at a price of $0.01 per warrant;

●

upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption; and

●

if, and only if, the last reported sale price (the “closing price”) of the Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the Company sends the notice of redemption to the warrant holders.

 

The Company will not redeem the warrants as described above unless an registration statement under the Securities Act covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is effective and a current prospectus relating to those Class A ordinary shares is available throughout the 30-day redemption period. If and when the warrants become redeemable by the Company, it 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 when the price per Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $10.00.    Commencing 90 days after the warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the outstanding warrants:

 

●

in whole and not in part;

●

at a price of $0.10 per warrant;

●

upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption;

●

if, and only if, the closing price of Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $10.00 per Public Share (as adjusted) for any 20 trading days within the 30-trading day period ending three trading days before the Company sends the notice of redemption to the warrant holders; and

●

if the closing price of the Class A ordinary shares for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the Company sends the notice of redemption to the warrant holders is less than $18.00 per share (as adjusted), the Private Placement Warrants must also be concurrently called for redemption on the same terms as the outstanding Public Warrants, as described above;

 

provided that holders will be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis prior to redemption and receive that number of shares determined by reference to an agreed table based on the redemption date and the “fair market value” of the Class A ordinary shares.

 

 

AUTHENTIC EQUITY ACQUISITION CORP.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT

  

The “fair market value” of the Class A ordinary shares for the above purpose shall mean the volume weighted average price of Class A ordinary shares during the 10 trading days immediately following the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants. In no event will the warrants be exercisable in connection with this redemption feature for more than 0.365 Class A ordinary shares per warrant (subject to adjustment).

 

If the Company has not completed the initial 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.

 

Note 7 — Subsequent Events

 

The Company evaluated subsequent events and transactions that occurred after the balance sheet date up to the date that the financial statement was issued. Based upon this review, the Company did not identify any subsequent events that would have required adjustment or disclosure in the financial statement.

 

 

 

F-14