SEC Form 10-Q/A filed by Pioneer Merger Corp. (Amendment)

The Company will provide the holders of its Public Shares (the “Public Shareholders”) 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 (initially anticipated to be $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 underwriter (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 the Company 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 (“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. 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 (i) 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 12, 2023, (the “Combination Period”) or (ii) 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 taxes, 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.

The initial shareholders 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 initial shareholders 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 underwriter agreed to waive its rights to its 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 underwriter of the Initial Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under 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 (other than 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.

Proposed Business Combination

On May 26, 2021, Pioneer entered into a Business Combination Agreement (as it may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Business Combination Agreement”), by and among Pioneer, Pioneer SPAC Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Pioneer (“Pioneer Merger Sub”), and Acorns, a Delaware corporation.

The Business Combination Agreement provides for, among other things, the following transactions on the Closing Date (as defined in the Business Combination Agreement): (i) Pioneer will domesticate as a Delaware corporation pursuant to Section 388 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and Part XII of the Cayman Islands Companies Law (2020 Revision) (the “Domestication”) and, in connection with the Domestication, (A) Pioneer’s name will be changed to “Acorns Holdings, Inc.” (“New Acorns”), (B) each issued and outstanding Class A ordinary share of Pioneer and each issued and outstanding Class B ordinary share of Pioneer will be converted into one share of common stock of New Acorns (collectively, the “New Acorns Common Stock”), and (C) each issued and outstanding whole warrant  to purchase Class A ordinary shares of Pioneer (but subject to the forfeiture, pursuant to the terms of the Sponsor Warrant Forfeiture Agreement (as defined below)) will represent the right to purchase one share of New Acorns Common Stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in that certain Warrant Agreement, dated as of January 12, 2021, by and between Pioneer and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the “Trustee” or “Continental”) (the  “Warrant Agreement”); (ii) convertible notes issued by Acorns to affiliates of Declaration Partners LP and Senator Investor Group, in an aggregate principal amount of $55,000,000, outstanding as of immediately prior to the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Business Combination (the “Closing”) and following the Domestication, will convert into a number of shares of New Acorns Common Stock equal to the outstanding principal amount due in respect of such convertibles notes plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereunder, divided by $10; (iii) Pioneer will (A) cause the Trustee to contribute to Pioneer Merger Sub the amount of cash remaining in the Trust Account (after deducting any amounts paid to Pioneer shareholders that exercise their redemption rights in connection with the Business Combination, net of Pioneer’s unpaid transaction expenses), (B) contribute to Pioneer Merger Sub the proceeds actually received by Pioneer in the PIPE Financing (as defined below) (net of Acorns’ unpaid transaction expenses), and (C) deposit (or cause the Trustee to deposit) with the exchange agent the cash amount payable in exchange for a portion of the common stock of Acorns outstanding as of immediately prior to the time the Merger (as defined below) becomes effective (the “Effective Time”); and (iv) following the Domestication, Pioneer Merger Sub will merge with and into Acorns, with Acorns as the surviving corporation in the merger and, after giving effect to such merger, continuing as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pioneer (the “Merger”).

The obligation of Pioneer and Acorns to consummate the Business Combination is subject to certain closing conditions, including, but not limited to, (i) the expiration or termination of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, (ii) the approval of Pioneer’s shareholders, (iii) the approval of Acorns’ shareholders, (iv) the conversion of Acorns Preferred Stock to New Acorns Common Stock on the Closing Date but prior to the Effective Time, (v) the conversion of the Company 2020 Convertible Notes to New Acorns Common Stock on the Closing Date but prior to the Effective Time, (vi) Pioneer having at least $5,000,001 of net tangible assets (as determined in accordance with Rule 3a51-1(g)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) remaining after the Closing, (vii) the Registration Statement (as defined below) being declared effective under the Securities Act, (viii) no law, order or other legal restraint being issued by any governmental entity enjoining or prohibiting the closing of the Business Combination, and (ix) obtaining Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. approval of the FINRA Application (as such term is defined in the Business Combination Agreement) with respect to the Business Combination and the indirect change of ownership of Acorns Securities, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

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Consideration to Acorns Equityholders in the Business Combination 

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Concurrently with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, (i) Acorns and the holders of the Company 2020 Convertible Notes (as defined in the Business Combination Agreement) have amended the terms of the Company 2020 Convertible Notes to convert all such notes to common shares of Acorns on the Closing Date but prior to the Effective Time, and (ii) certain holders of Acorns Preferred Stock (as defined in the Business Combination Agreement) have executed and delivered to Acorns an irrevocable written consent in order to increase the number of authorized shares of Acorns Common Stock and effect the conversion of all shares of Acorns Preferred Stock to Acorns Common Stock in accordance with the terms of Acorns’ certificate of incorporation, with the effective time of such conversion occurring on the Closing Date but prior to the Effective Time.

In accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Business Combination Agreement, (i) outstanding Acorns Common Stock, with respect to which an election to receive cash has been made, up to the Maximum Permitted Cash Election Shares (as defined in the Business Combination Agreement), will be exchanged for cash equal to the Equity Value Per Share (as defined in the Business Combination Agreement), determined based on the implied Acorns fully-diluted equity value of $1,500,000,000 (the “Acorns Equity Value”), (ii) outstanding Acorns Common Stock, with respect to which an election to receive New Acorns Common Stock has been made or has not been revoked or no election to receive New Acorns Common Stock or cash has been made, will be exchanged for shares of New Acorns Common Stock equal to the Per Share Stock Consideration (as defined in the Business Combination Agreement), and (iii) all options (vested and unvested), warrants and restricted stock units of Acorns will be exchanged for comparable options, warrants and restricted stock units that are exercisable for shares of New Acorns Common Stock, with such adjustments to number of shares and exercise prices, as applicable, determined based on the Acorns Equity Value plus the aggregate exercise price of all Acorns options and Acorns warrants.

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Other Related Agreements

Concurrently with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, Pioneer entered into subscription agreements (the “Subscription Agreements”) with certain institutional and accredited investors. Pursuant to the Subscription Agreements, each investor agreed to subscribe for and purchase, and Pioneer agreed to issue and sell to such investors, prior to and substantially concurrently with the Closing, an aggregate of 16,500,000 shares of New Acorns Common Stock for a purchase price of $10.00 per share, for aggregate gross proceeds of $165,000,000 (the “PIPE Financing”).

Also concurrently with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, Acorns, Pioneer and the Sponsor, entered into the Sponsor Warrant Forfeiture Agreement (the “Sponsor Warrant Forfeiture Agreement”), pursuant to which, the Sponsor has agreed to, among other things, (i) immediately prior to the Closing, forfeit for no consideration and automatically cancel 3,350,000 private placement warrants of Pioneer held by the Sponsor (the “Sponsor Forfeiture Warrants”), and (ii) prior to the Closing, not transfer, pledge, encumber or otherwise subject to any lien, or otherwise dispose of, any of the Sponsor Forfeiture Warrants. In addition, the Sponsor and Pioneer have agreed to execute and deliver to Continental or any successor Warrant Agent (as defined in the Warrant Agreement), written instructions to register the transfer and cancellation of the Sponsor Forfeiture Warrants, effective as of immediately prior to the Closing.

For a full copy of the agreements and more information, refer to the Company’s current report on Form 8-Ks, filed with the SEC on May 27, 2021 and June 15, 2021, and the Registration Statement on Form S-4/A filed with the SEC on September 30, 2021.

Liquidity

As of September 30, 2021, the Company had approximately $39,000 in its operating bank account and a working capital deficit of approximately $4.0 million.

The Company’s liquidity needs to date have been satisfied through a contribution of $25,000 from the Sponsor to cover for certain offering costs in exchange for the issuance of the Founder Shares (as defined in Note 4), the loans of approximately $141,000 prior to a the Initial Public Offering and $200,000 from the Sponsor pursuant to a second promissory note of up to $500,000 available as discussed in Note 4, and the proceeds from the consummation of the Private Placement not held in the Trust Account. The Company repaid the first promissory note of approximately $141,000 in full on January 15, 2021. As of September 30, 2021, $200,000 is outstanding from the Sponsor's second promissory note, and $300,000 remains available. 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 5). As of September 30, 2021, there were no amounts outstanding under any Working Capital Loan.

Based on the foregoing, management believes that the Company does not have sufficient liquidity to meet its anticipated obligations over the next year from the issuance of these financial statements. In connection with the Company’s assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with FASB’s Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, “Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” management has determined that the Company has access to funds from the Sponsor, and the Sponsor has the financial wherewithal to fund the Company, that are sufficient to fund the working capital needs of the Company until the earlier of the consummation of the Business Combination or one year from the issuance of these financial statements.

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Share Based Compensation

The Company records non-cash compensation recognized as a result of the fair value of the Private Placement Warrants being in excess of the amount paid by the Sponsor, pursuant to ASC 718, Share-based Compensation. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, the Company had a loss on excess of fair value over cash received for Private Placement Warrants of $0 and approximately $737,000, respectively.

Related Party Loans

On October 22, 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 approximately $141,000 under the Note, and on January 15, 2021, the Company repaid the Note in full.

On June 17, 2021, the Sponsor agreed to loan the Company an aggregate of up to $500,000 to cover for expenses related to the Closing pursuant to a promissory note. This loan was non-interest bearing and payable prior to the earlier of December 31, 2021, or the Closing of a Business Combination. As of September 30, 2021, the Company borrowed $200,000 under the note.

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 $1.50 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. As of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company had no borrowings under Working Capital Loans.

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. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, the Company has incurred $30,000 and $80,000 for administrative fees, respectively. Of these amounts, $60,000 is accrued as of September 30, 2021.

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 60th 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.

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 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 the Class A ordinary shares during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which the Company consummates its 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, and 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” 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.

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):

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.

Except as set forth below, none of the Private Placement Warrants will be redeemable by the Company so long as they are held by the Sponsor or its permitted transferees.

Redemption of warrants when the price per Class A ordinary share equals or exceeds $10.00.   Once the warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the outstanding warrants:

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 0.361 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.