As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 12, 2022
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware | 5812 | 82-4271369 | ||
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) |
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
8725 Pendery Place, Suite 201,
Bradenton, FL 34201
(941) 907-9800
(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrants Principal Executive Offices)
Christopher A. Tomasso
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
8725 Pendery Place, Suite 201,
Bradenton, FL 34201
(941) 907-9800
(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent For Service)
Copies to:
Alexander D. Lynch, Esq. Ashley J. Butler, Esq. |
Jay Wolszczak, Esq. Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel and Secretary 8725 Pendery Place, Suite 201, Bradenton, FL 34201 (941) 907-9800 |
Marc D. Jaffe, Esq. Ian D. Schuman, Esq. Peter J. Sluka, Esq. John J. Slater, Esq. Latham & Watkins LLP 1271 Avenue of the Americas New York, New York 10020 (212) 906-1894 |
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. ☐
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of large accelerated filer, accelerated filer, smaller reporting company and emerging growth company in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer | ☐ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | |||
Non-accelerated filer | ☒ | Smaller reporting company | ☒ | |||
Emerging growth company | ☒ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☒
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. The selling stockholders may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
Subject to Completion, Dated September 12, 2022
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS
4,500,000 Shares
First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc.
Common Stock
The selling stockholders named in this prospectus are offering 4,500,000 shares of common stock of First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc. (the Company). We are not selling any shares of common stock under this prospectus and we will not receive any proceeds from the sale of common stock to be offered by the selling stockholders. See Use of Proceeds.
Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (Nasdaq) under the symbol FWRG. On September 9, 2022, the last sale price of our common stock as reported on Nasdaq was $18.49 per share.
We are an emerging growth company and a smaller reporting company as defined under the federal securities laws and, as such, will be subject to reduced public company reporting requirements. This prospectus complies with the requirements that apply to an issuer that is an emerging growth company and a smaller reporting company. See Prospectus Summary Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company and a Smaller Reporting Company.
Following the closing of this offering, Advent (as defined on page 14 of this prospectus) will indirectly beneficially own approximately 71.5% of our outstanding common stock, or approximately 70.4% if the underwriters option to purchase additional shares is fully exercised. As a result, Advent will beneficially own shares sufficient for majority votes over all matters requiring stockholder votes and will be able to exercise significant voting influence over fundamental and significant corporate matters and transactions. Therefore, after the completion of this offering, we expect to remain a controlled company within the meaning of the corporate governance standards of Nasdaq. See Risk Factors Risks Related to this Offering and Ownership of Our Common Stock, Management Director Independence and Controlled Company Exemption and Principal and Selling Stockholders.
Investing in our common stock involves risk. See Risk Factors on page 26 to read about factors you should consider before buying shares of our common stock.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Per Share | Total | |||||||
Public offering price |
$ | $ | ||||||
Underwriting discount (1) |
$ | $ | ||||||
Proceeds, before expenses, to the selling stockholders |
$ | $ |
(1) | We refer you to Underwriting, beginning on page 58 of this prospectus, for additional information regarding total underwriter compensation. |
To the extent that the underwriters sell more than 4,500,000 shares of common stock, the selling stockholders have granted to the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 675,000 shares from the selling stockholders at the public offering price less the underwriting discount. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock by the selling stockholders, including if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares of our common stock.
BofA Securities | Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC | Jefferies |
The underwriters expect to deliver the shares against payment in New York, New York on , 2022.
The date of this prospectus is , 2022.
FIRST WATCH THE DAYTIME CAFE
BETTER COFFEE BETTER WORLD PROJECT SUNRISE HUILA COLOMBIA
ORIGINATED IN 1983 BUT WERE JUST GETTING STARTED
YOU FIRST IT PEBLS GOOD TO SERVE
YEAH SFRESH
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You should rely only on the information contained, or incorporated by reference, in this prospectus or in any free writing prospectus we may specifically authorize to be delivered or made available to you. Neither we, the selling stockholders nor the underwriters (or any of our or their respective affiliates) have authorized anyone to provide any information other than that contained, or incorporated by reference, in this prospectus or in any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we have referred you. Neither we, the selling stockholders nor the underwriters (or any of our or their respective affiliates) take any responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. We, the selling stockholders and the underwriters (or any of our or their respective affiliates) are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing, or being incorporated by reference, in this prospectus or any free writing prospectus is accurate only as of its date, regardless of its time of delivery or the time of any sale of shares of our common stock. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.
As permitted under the rules of the SEC, this prospectus incorporates important business information that is contained in documents that we file with the SEC, but that is not included in or delivered with this prospectus. You may obtain copies of these documents, without charge, from the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov, as well as from other sources. See Where You Can Find More Information and Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference in this prospectus.
Trademarks and Trade Names
We and our subsidiaries own or have the rights to various trademarks, trade names, service marks and copyrights, including the following: First Watch, You First, Yeah, Its Fresh! and various logos used in association with these terms. Solely for convenience, the trademarks, trade names, service marks and copyrights referred to herein are listed without the ©, ® and TM symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we, or the applicable owner, will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our or their, as applicable, rights to these trademarks, trade names, service marks and copyrights. Other trademarks, trade names, service marks or copyrights appearing in this prospectus are the property of their respective owners.
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Market and Industry Information
Unless otherwise indicated, market data and industry for information used throughout this prospectus is based on managements knowledge of the industry and the good faith estimates of management. We also relied, to the extent available, upon independent industry surveys and publications and other publicly available information prepared by a number of sources, including third-party industry sources, such as a market report titled Restaurant, Food & Beverage Market Research Handbook 2020-2021 published in September 2019 by Richard K. Miller & Associates (RKMA), information published by the NPD Group and a five-year longitudinal study of employee surveys on Glassdoor published in August 2022 by William Blair. All of the market data and industry information used in this prospectus involves a number of assumptions and limitations, and you are cautioned not to give undue weight to such estimates. Although we believe that these sources are reliable, neither we, the selling stockholders nor the underwriters can guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and neither we, the selling stockholders nor the underwriters have independently verified this information. While we believe the estimated market position, market opportunity and market size information included in this prospectus is generally reliable, such information, which is derived in part from managements estimates and beliefs, is inherently uncertain and imprecise. Projections, assumptions and estimates of our future performance and the future performance of the industry in which we operate are necessarily subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors, including those described in Risk Factors, Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and elsewhere in this prospectus. These and other factors could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in our estimates and beliefs and in the estimates prepared by independent parties.
Basis of Financial Presentation
We use a 52- or 53-week fiscal year ending on the last Sunday of each calendar year. All references to fiscal 2021, fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2019 reflect the results of the 52-week fiscal year ended December 26, 2021, the 52-week fiscal year ended December 27, 2020 and the 52-week fiscal year ended December 29, 2019, respectively. Our fiscal quarters are comprised of 13 weeks each, except for fiscal years consisting of 53 weeks for which the fourth quarter will consist of 14 weeks, and end on the 13th Sunday of each quarter (14th Sunday of the fourth quarter, when applicable). Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared in U.S. dollars and in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (GAAP). We report financial and operating information in one segment.
Key Metrics
Average Unit Volume (AUV)
AUV is the total restaurant sales (excluding gift card breakage) recognized in the comparable restaurant base, which we define as the number of company-owned First Watch branded restaurants open for 18 months or longer as of the beginning of the fiscal year (Comparable Restaurant Base), divided by the number of restaurants in the Comparable Restaurant Base during the period.
Cash-on-Cash Return
Cash-on-Cash Return is defined as restaurant level operating profit (excluding gift card breakage and deferred rent (income) expense) in the third year of operation (months 25-36 of operation) for our company-owned restaurants divided by their cash build-out expenses, net of landlord incentives. Restaurant level operating profit represents restaurant sales, less restaurant operating expenses, which include food and beverage costs, labor and other related expenses, other restaurant operating expenses, pre-opening expenses and occupancy expenses. Restaurant level operating profit excludes corporate level expenses and other items that we do not consider in our evaluation of ongoing core operating performance of our restaurants as identified in the reconciliation of income (loss) from operations, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, to restaurant level
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operating profit, included in Prospectus Summary Summary Historical Consolidated Financial and Other Data.
Franchise-owned New Restaurant Openings (Franchise-owned NROs)
Franchise-owned NROs are the number of new franchise-owned First Watch restaurants commencing operations during the period.
New Restaurant Openings (NROs)
NROs are the number of new company-owned First Watch restaurants commencing operations during the period.
Same-Restaurant Sales Growth
Same-restaurant sales growth is the percentage change in year-over-year restaurant sales (excluding gift card breakage) for the Comparable Restaurant Base. For fiscal 2021, fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2019, there were 269 restaurants, 212 restaurants and 168 restaurants, respectively, in our Comparable Restaurant Base. For the twenty-six weeks ended June 26, 2022 and the twenty-six weeks ended June 27, 2021, there were 304 restaurants and 270 restaurants, respectively, in our Comparable Restaurant Base. Measuring our same-restaurant sales growth allows management to evaluate the performance of our existing restaurant base. We believe this measure is useful for investors to provide a consistent comparison of restaurant sales results and trends across periods within our core, established restaurant base, unaffected by results of store openings, closings, and other transitional changes.
Same-Restaurant Traffic Growth
Same-restaurant traffic growth is the percentage change in traffic counts as compared to the same period in the prior year using the Comparable Restaurant Base. For fiscal 2021, fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2019, there were 269 restaurants, 212 restaurants and 168 restaurants, respectively, in our Comparable Restaurant Base. For the twenty-six weeks ended June 26, 2022 and the twenty-six weeks ended June 27, 2021, there were 304 restaurants and 270 restaurants, respectively, in our Comparable Restaurant Base. Measuring our same-restaurant traffic growth allows management to evaluate the performance of our existing restaurant base. We believe this measure is useful for investors because an increase in same-restaurant traffic provides an indicator as to the development of our brand and the effectiveness of our marketing strategy.
System-wide New Restaurant Openings (System-wide NROs)
System-wide NROs are the number of NROs and Franchise-owned NROs commencing operations during the period.
System-wide restaurants (System-wide restaurants)
System-wide restaurants is the total number of First Watch restaurants, including all company-owned and franchise-owned restaurants.
System-wide sales
System-wide sales consist of restaurant sales from our company-owned restaurants and franchise-owned restaurants. We do not recognize the restaurant sales from our franchised restaurants as revenue. See Note 2, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, in the notes to the audited consolidated financial statements included in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 26, 2021 (the Annual Report) for a description of our revenue recognition policy.
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This summary highlights information appearing elsewhere in this prospectus or documents incorporated by reference herein. This summary is not complete and does not contain all of the information that you should consider before making a decision to participate in the offering. You should carefully read the entire prospectus, including the information presented under Risk Factors and the information that is incorporated in this prospectus by reference to our Annual Report (including, without limitation, matters discussed under the headings Risk Factors and Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and in our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes) and our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 27, 2022 and June 26, 2022 filed with the SEC on May 10, 2022 and August 9, 2022, respectively (the Quarterly Reports) (including, without limitation, matters discussed under the headings Risk Factors and Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and in our unaudited interim consolidated financial statements and related notes) before making an investment decision. Unless the context requires otherwise, references to our company, the Company, we, us, our and First Watch refer to First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc. and its direct and indirect subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.
We Are First Watch
We are First Watch an award-winning daytime restaurant concept serving made-to-order breakfast, brunch and lunch using fresh ingredients. Since our founding in 1983, we have built our brand on our commitment to operational excellence, our You First culture and our culinary mission centered around a fresh, innovative menu that is continuously evolving. These foundational brand pillars have established First Watch as the largest and fastest growing concept in daytime dining (Daytime Dining) an emerging restaurant segment that is differentiated from legacy segments by operating exclusively during daytime hours with a progressive on-trend chef-driven menu. Our one shift, from 7:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and one main menu enable us to optimize restaurant operations and attract and retain employees who are passionate about hospitality and drawn to our No Night Shifts Ever approach. This differentiation has driven high employee satisfaction and retention, and strong consumer demand and operating performance as evidenced by our strong sales and traffic performance in fiscal 2021 and fiscal 2022. This strength in performance also built upon our 28 consecutive quarters of same-
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restaurant sales growth from fiscal 2013 to fiscal 2019 and positive annual same-restaurant traffic growth from fiscal 2014 to fiscal 2019. In January 2020, we were recognized as Americas Favorite Restaurant Brand in Market Forces annual consumer study and as one of three industry finalists for Black Box Intelligences 2020 Best Practices award. In 2022, we were also awarded with ADPs prestigious Culture at Work award and we were also named a Most Loved Workplace by Newsweek.
Our Promise: Yeah, Its Fresh!
At First Watch, we take a creative approach to Daytime Dining led by a focus on and commitment to freshness. Each item is made-to-order and prepared with care you will not find microwave ovens, heat lamps or deep fryers in our kitchens. Every morning, we arrive at the crack of dawn to slice and juice fresh fruits and vegetables, bake muffins, brew our fresh coffee and whip up our French Toast batter from scratch. Our award-winning chef-driven menu includes elevated executions of classic favorites for breakfast, lunch and brunch, along with First Watch-specific specialties such as our protein-packed Quinoa Power Bowl®, Farmstand Breakfast Tacos, Avocado Toast, Morning Meditation (juiced in-house daily), our Pomegranate Sunrise, Chickichangas and our famous Million Dollar Bacon. While our menu constantly evolves, our focus on and commitment to freshness never wavers.
Our Mission: You First
For nearly 40 years, we have cultivated an organizational culture built on our mission of You First, which puts serving others above all else. As a company, we put our employees first and empower them to do whatever it takes to put our customers first. We give back in meaningful ways to the local communities in which we operate and also support national and international causes we care about, such as our Project Sunrise partnership that supports women-owned coffee farms in Colombia, which in turn empowers them to reinvest in their communities. Our You First mission, in addition to our quality of life advantage inherent in our single-shift operating model, has led us to be recognized as an employer of choice in our industry, according to a five-year longitudinal study of employee surveys on Glassdoor published in August 2022 by William Blair. We believe
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this unique approach and operating model have enabled us to retain and attract the best and brightest employees in the industry and are key factors in our ability to meet the growing demand we are seeing across the country.
Proven Record of Sustained Growth
We have delivered nearly four decades of sales and unit growth as a result of our broad brand appeal, compelling economic proposition and difficult-to-replicate business model. We have achieved consistent growth in total System-wide restaurants to 449 as of June 26, 2022, from 277 restaurants in fiscal 2015.
Over the six-year period ended December 29, 2019 (prior to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic), we:
| Consistently delivered same-restaurant sales growth, averaging 6.3% annually |
| Consistently achieved positive annual same-restaurant traffic growth, averaging 1.4% annually |
Over the five-year period ended December 29, 2019 (prior to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic), we:
| Consistently increased AUVs by 25.7%, from $1.3 million in fiscal 2015 to $1.6 million in fiscal 2019 |
| Consistently opened new company-owned restaurants with an average Cash-on-Cash Return of 50.8% |
In fiscal 2021 and through the twenty-six weeks ended June 26, 2022, we have continued to grow:
| AUV for fiscal 2021 grew to $1.8 million and our fiscal 2022 NROs realized average annualized sales of $2.2 million |
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| Same-restaurant sales growth and same-restaurant traffic growth for the twenty-six weeks ended June 26, 2022 were 19.7% and 14.4%, respectively |
| As compared to 2019, same-restaurant sales growth and same-restaurant traffic growth were 28.1% and 5.5%, respectively, for the twenty-six weeks ended June 26, 2022 |
According to Nations Restaurant News, in 2019, First Watch was the fastest-growing full-service restaurant concept in the United States, based on year-over-year System-wide sales growth metrics, and in 2020 and 2021, FSR Magazine identified First Watch as the fastest-growing full-service restaurant chain based on unit growth. Despite the economic turbulence created by the COVID-19 pandemic, we opened 42 System-wide restaurants in fiscal 2020. We also opened 31 System-wide restaurants in fiscal 2021, and we expect to open 38-48 System-wide restaurants in fiscal 2022. Our NROs have performed exceptionally well, averaging over $2.0 million in annualized sales, evidencing our compelling business momentum and ability to successfully grow our footprint. Our NRO pipeline is robust and we have strong confidence in our ability to meet our growth plan.
At June 26, 2022, our franchisees operated 99 of First Watchs 449 System-wide restaurants, of which 55 are currently subject to our option to purchase using previously agreed upon purchase formulae. As an element of our growth strategy, from time to time we have acquired restaurants from our franchisees.
Following 2020s COVID-related turbulence, First Watch experienced a rapid recovery. Starting in March 2021, we began to consistently report positive same-restaurant sales growth measured against pre-COVID results, including 5.9%, 13.4%, 14.8% and 19.7% same-restaurant sales growth in March, April, May and June of 2021, respectively, relative to March, April, May and June of 2019, respectively. Our momentum had continued into the third quarter of fiscal 2021 with same-restaurant sales for the month of July up 64.9% over 2020 and up
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20.2% over 2019 and the month of August was up 45.2% over 2020 and up 17.0% over 2019. Similarly, our traffic in those months was up 5.1% and up 2.0% in July and August of 2021 over 2019, respectively.
Long-Term Consumer Trends in Our Favor
We believe that we are well-positioned to continue to benefit from the confluence of a number of long-term multi-generational consumer trends:
Increasing Morning Meal Occasions.
The morning meal (Breakfast and morning Snack) has been the only foodservice daypart with consistent year-over-year growth for the last eight years, according to RKMA, and a recent 2022 study on Breakfast Away From Home, conducted by Technomic, projects a 7.3% compound annual growth rate from 2021 through 2024. Moreover, according to NPD Group, 78% of breakfasts are still being prepared at home during 2019, which provides a long-term opportunity for our future growth. We believe that the broad appeal of our menu and the quality of our ingredients give us a competitive advantage over many alternatives that offer breakfast and lunch. We believe that migration from dense urban to suburban areas, where most of our restaurants are located, will result in increased traffic and brand awareness. Changes in work-from-home routines have kept people in suburban areas for larger portions of the day, expanding First Watchs exposure to an incremental customer base.
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Demand for Fresh, Healthy Food.
According to RKMA, almost two thirds of consumers consider a healthy menu an important factor in their restaurant choice and according to the NPD Group, 60% of consumers say they want more protein in their diet. Our freshly made food, with simple, high-quality, protein-rich ingredients, such as cage-free eggs and quinoa, aligns well with these consumer trends. According to Market Force data in January 2020, First Watch scored 36 and 23 points higher than the second place breakfast brand in categories of healthy choices and food quality, respectively.
Consumers Want On-Demand Dining.
Consumers want the ability to order what they want and when they want it without regard to traditional daypart conventions. Increasingly busy schedules, the rise of the gig economy, flexible job hours and growth of remote workers, trends magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic, are powering demand for convenient, fast and flexible Daytime Dining offerings from our all-day menu, for which traditional rigid breakfast and lunch dayparts were not designed. Our analysis of the Google search trend index for breakfast locations shows a significant increase of searches from 2015 through 2022, which reinforces our growth opportunity.
We Are Disrupting a Massive Category
As consumer needs have evolved, so have we. Our Urban Farm positioning provides a creative, farm-fresh breakfast, brunch and lunch menu in a warm and rustic yet contemporary atmosphere, creating an energizing Daytime Dining experience that resonates with consumers. We enjoy broad appeal to a customer base that includes the morning traditionalists as well as a growing segment of younger, healthier and more affluent customers. These digital-centric consumers care about food and quality, are willing to pay more, and report higher advocacy for and share of visits to First Watch. There is no other concept with an offering similar to ours at a comparable scale. Our operating hours encompass breakfast, brunch and lunch, which represent 63% of all restaurant sales in the U.S. according to RKMA. Our business model and our scale position us for continued growth within this massive category.
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Unrelenting Commitment to Fresh Ingredients and Culinary Innovation
Our creative, on-trend menu and seasonal offerings define the culinary voice of our brand and highlight our commitment to quality and freshness. We believe this commitment is a key differentiator between First Watch and larger restaurant concepts that have failed to evolve. When we say, Yeah, Its Fresh, we mean it. While many established restaurant concepts are outsourcing a large part of the preparation of their food, we still do much of it in-house in each restaurant every day.
That commitment to quality and freshness is further evidenced throughout our award-winning menu with ingredients such as cage-free eggs, organic mixed greens and all-natural chicken, just to name a few. Our highly-curated menu of approximately 60 entrée items small relative to most in our industry features a thoughtful balance of classic favorites prepared and presented in an elevated way using high-quality ingredients, along with innovative and interesting specialty dishes that take the consumer on a culinary exploration.
Our creativity and innovation extend beyond todays offerings and into our overall menu strategy. Successful platform introductions such as our Fresh Juice program and Shareables, which include menu items such as Million Dollar Bacon and Holey Donuts, were added in the past few years, adding incremental revenue opportunities while enhancing our culinary credibility. We have seen our Fresh Juice and Shareables platforms rise from 9.6% and 3.4% of customers purchasing in the fourth fiscal quarter ended December 30, 2018, respectively, to 18.3% and 5.5% in the second fiscal quarter of 2022 (or, with respect to our Shareables platform, 5.5% for the twenty-six weeks ended June 26, 2022, compared to 1.9% in fiscal 2017) and our per person average over that same period rose from $12.02 to $15.08.
One Shift, One Menu, One Focus
We believe that our compelling business model, built around One Shift, One Menu, One Focus affords us competitive advantages. Our single-shift restaurant hours, by design, result in No Night Shifts Ever. This helps make us an employer of choice in the foodservice industry, which we believe allows us to attract superior talent, retain employees longer and create a unifying organizational culture. Our single menu, throughout the day and across all restaurants in our system, streamlines our supply chain and restaurant operations, simplifies our employee training and provides for a consistent customer experience. Our singular emphasis on Daytime Dining gives us the clarity of purpose to relentlessly focus on delivering a superior experience.
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You First Culture Elevates Employee and Customer Satisfaction
Our You First culture is palpable at every level of our organization. Our hiring, training and retention strategies empower our approximately 10,000 employees, united by our culture, to deliver superior customer experiences.
Our training programs share our legacy and culture of operating excellence. We have established a training facility at our corporate headquarters named the F.A.R.M. (First Watch Academy of Restaurant Management), to which we invite managers-in-training for a week-long brand experience where they learn everything from our history and cultural pillars to leadership and management tools. We have enhanced this training program to also focus on building a more diverse and inclusive team. In addition, managers-in-training also complete a comprehensive 10-week C.A.F.E. (Culture and Food Experience) training program in the restaurants, alongside experienced managers. New hourly employees participate in at least three days of initial onboarding training and shadowing. Our general managers and directors of operations conduct in-restaurant training for our staff who also train online through our Virtual Learning Academy. We have always believed our employees are our greatest asset, and we continually receive recognition for this You First approach.
| In 2020, First Watch ranked first in Market Forces Composite Loyalty Index metric, evidencing the compelling level of satisfaction amongst our customers. |
| In 2022, a five-year longitudinal study of employee surveys on Glassdoor published by William Blair ranked us #1 for work/life balance and we were in the top 10 in overall employee satisfaction, among casual dining concepts in both 2021 and 2022. |
| In 2022, we were awarded ADPs prestigious Culture At Work award recognizing First Watch amongst its portfolio of 990,000 clients. |
| In 2022, Newsweek recognized First Watch as a Most Loved Workplace. |
Track Record of Resilience and Exceptional Same-Restaurant Traffic and Sales Growth
Our strong brand combined with growing awareness, broad consumer appeal and excellence in execution have created outstanding and consistent performance over time. Over the five-year fiscal period ended December 29, 2019, our same-restaurant sales growth was positive every year, averaging 6.8% annually, and our same-restaurant traffic growth was 1.5%. During 2021, we experienced recovery of our in-restaurant dining sales and continued to build on the strength of our operating performance generating an increase in same-restaurant sales growth driven primarily by same-restaurant traffic growth and in the second fiscal quarter of 2022, our financial results reflect the continued momentum of our strong operating performance with same-restaurant sales growth of 13.4% (30.2% relative to the second fiscal quarter of 2019) and same-restaurant traffic growth of 8.1% (7.4% relative to the second fiscal quarter of 2019).
Strong Restaurant Productivity and Proven Portability
The success of our brand is reflected in our restaurant-level performance and Cash-on-Cash Return. Through the twenty-six weeks ended June 26, 2022, our existing restaurants have generated annualized average sales of $2.0 million and in a single shift (seven and a half hours daily), comparable to many restaurants open for several shifts or in some cases around the clock. We have demonstrated the portability of our model by
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successfully operating restaurants in 28 states. Restaurants in our top decile span ten different states and 18 different designated market areas. Our fiscal 2021 and fiscal 2022 NROs realized average annualized sales of $2.2 million.
Experienced, Passionate Leadership Team and Deep Bench of Talent
Our team is led by passionate executives who have an extensive mix of experience in our brand and with other leading consumer facing businesses. Christopher A. Tomasso, our President, Chief Executive Officer and Director, has more than 25 years of industry experience and joined First Watch in 2006. Mr. Tomasso sets the strategic vision and brand positioning for the company, while enhancing its organizational culture. Mr. Tomasso was recognized with FSR Readers Choice Award as one of two top C-Suite Executives in 2021. Henry Melville Hope, III, our Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, has more than 37 years of public accounting and industry experience including serving as Chief Financial Officer of large, successful public and private companies. We have a deep bench of talent throughout the organization. Our executives and key employees average more than 15 years of industry experience and our restaurant general managers have an average tenure at First Watch of five years. In addition, we have dozens of fully-trained, tested, high-performing managers positioned throughout our system who are poised to step into the general manager role as we execute our growth strategy and open new restaurants.
How We Will Continue to Grow Sales and Profits
While we are proud of our success in having grown sales and restaurant level operating profit consistently for many years prior to the pandemic, our focus is on the future. We believe our continued growth will come from opening new restaurants in existing and new geographies and driving traffic and building sales at our existing restaurants as new customers discover First Watch and regulars come and enjoy us more frequently. We are even more confident in our growth strategies based on the consumer reaction to our brand and strong resurgence we have seen since 2020.
Grow Our Brand Footprint by Consistently Opening New Restaurants
First Watch has grown from 277 restaurants in fiscal 2015 to 449 System-wide restaurants as of June 26, 2022 while increasing annual AUV from $1.3 million in fiscal 2015 to $1.8 million in fiscal 2021 and achieving positive same-restaurant sales growth and traffic except for fiscal 2020. We believe we have significant potential to expand our presence within all the states in which we currently operate as well as new ones and have a significant opportunity to build density both in existing and new markets. Our deeply experienced restaurant development team in partnership with a third-party real estate analytics firm conducted an in-depth study that concludes we have the potential for more than 2,200 locations in the United States.
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Restaurant Count by State as of June 26, 2022
First Watch remained committed to invest in growth throughout 2020 and 2021 and continued to open new restaurants. Our new restaurants have a flexible box size of approximately 3,000-6,600 square feet, which allows us to grow our footprint in several different locations. We opened 42 System-wide restaurants in fiscal 2020. We opened 31 System-wide restaurants in fiscal 2021, and we expect to open 38-48 System-wide restaurants in fiscal 2022. Our NROs have performed exceptionally well, averaging over $2.0 million in annualized sales, evidencing our compelling business momentum and ability to successfully grow our footprint. Our NRO pipeline is robust and we have strong confidence in our ability to meet our growth plan.
We employ a comprehensive, data-driven real estate approval process to select and develop every new site. In selecting new locations, we combine rigorous data on specific market characteristics, demographics, and growth, with a deep expertise that takes into account brand impact and opportunity of individual market and sites. Every new restaurant further drives brand awareness and creates meaningful marketing buzz when we open in new markets. We intend to leverage our rigorous real estate site selection process to open more than 130 company-owned restaurants from 2022 through 2024. While our existing franchisees are committed to developing restaurants in the future, we expect company-owned restaurants will be the primary growth driver of our footprint over the long term. In addition, 55 franchise-owned restaurants are currently subject to our option to purchase at previously agreed upon purchase formulae.
The new unit economics of our restaurants are highly attractive, with net capital investment ranging between $0.9 million and $1.4 million in 2022. We target our NRO performance to average third-year annualized sales of $2.3 million, third-year restaurant operating profit margin of approximately 18% to 20%, and third-year Cash-on-Cash Returns above 35%. The current 2022 annualized sales of our NROs opened since 2020 is $2.2 million and our NROs opened since 2015 which have operated for at least three years realized average third-year restaurant level operating profit margins of 16.2% and Cash-on-Cash Returns of 37.7%, respectively, despite the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Drive Restaurant Traffic and Build Sales
We have a significant runway to continue to grow traffic and restaurant sales by executing against a defined set of strategies.
| Continued Menu Innovation. We continuously evolve our offering to keep our menu fresh and exciting yet operationally efficient. We implement changes to our menu every 10 weeks, and our chef-led culinary innovation team maintains a keen awareness of emerging culinary trends and immerses themselves in the marketplace through frequent culinary inspiration tours using experiences to develop a robust pipeline of exciting new recipes and menu offerings. We intend to drive continued incremental customer spending through our five highly-anticipated seasonal menus and the introduction of new menu platforms similar to our introductions of Fresh Juices and Shareables. For fiscal 2021, 8.3% of customers purchased items from our seasonal menu, 15.7% purchased Fresh Juices and 6.2% purchased Shareables. We expect menu innovation to continue to provide incremental growth opportunities in the future. We believe that Fresh Juices and Shareables represent important incremental revenue opportunities, with Fresh Juices improving our operating margins with approximately $29.0 million in sales for fiscal 2021 and Shareables providing a valuable opportunity for incremental sales with menu mix as high as 6.2% of guests. |
| Offer Alcohol as Only First Watch Can. The alcoholic beverage offerings at First Watch are unique and reflect our culinary innovation in combining fresh juices and ingredients with a variety of liquors. At the end of fiscal 2019, early tests showed that offering alcoholic beverages where practical throughout our system was a highly-incremental new sales growth platform, opening up new occasions for our consumers to enjoy dining out and allowing us to reach new demographics. During the COVID19 pandemic, we accelerated this initiative to better position the First Watch brand upon recovery as we learned that customers joining us for breakfast or lunch were at times interested in making the meal more of a celebration. As of June 26, 2022, our alcohol menu is offered in 341 System-wide restaurants with clear plans to continue the expansion to all restaurants where feasible. Since the rollout in fiscal 2020, the presence of alcohol on our menu has lifted overall dine-in beverage attachment in restaurants where it is served, by approximately 145 basis points when compared to restaurants where we do not offer alcohol, confirming the incrementality of the offering. Further, for the second fiscal quarter of 2022, alcohol accounted for 2.7% of in-restaurant sales at company-owned restaurants, with 5.1% of guests purchasing alcohol where offered in our restaurants, and increased the average in-restaurant customer spend by $0.42 as compared to our restaurants that do not offer alcohol. These incremental alcohol sales are highly profitable. More importantly, we remain confident in the long-term opportunity to innovate within this platform to further elevate the social occasion of breakfast, brunch and lunch. Similar to the launch of our Fresh Juice and Shareables platforms, we are optimistic that increasing consumer awareness and excitement, including through new items and |
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promotions, around alcohol will drive new, additional occasions and broaden our appeal to a new demographic seeking an experiential occasion. |
| Convenience and Increased Accessibility through Our Off-Premises Offering. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we integrated technology into our business to enhance customer access and enable off-premises consumption. In fiscal 2019, off-premises sales accounted for approximately $2,000 in average weekly sales per restaurant. We have now built the foundation to optimize the off-premises opportunity through our digital channels (both through direct ordering as well as third-party delivery). These off-premises platforms, now available in all restaurants, have grown four-fold since fiscal 2019 and accounted for more than 20% of average weekly sales per restaurant during the second fiscal quarter of 2022. Even as our dining room sales recovered, off-premises sales remained strong, indicating continued customer demand. We see future opportunity to refine and grow this demand largely by focusing on in-restaurant infrastructure, especially in our new restaurant prototypes. We have seen encouraging results in NROs from innovations such as dedicated make lines and to-go rooms, separate entrances and dedicated parking spots to enhance the experience of both our off-premises and dine-in customers. |
| Increase Our Brand Awareness. We believe First Watch is still in the early stages of our life cycle, as consumers in our existing and new markets continue to discover the First Watch brand. For nearly 40 years, First Watch has grown primarily through word-of-mouth as our service, menu and environment created ardent fans as evident in our numerous local awards and customer satisfaction scores. In January 2020, First Watch was named Americas Favorite Restaurant Brand by Market Force. This study evaluated restaurants across multiple sectors and based its ranking on customer recommendations and brand satisfaction. This strong customer affinity was also highlighted in a recent 2021 national study where First Watch ranked 10th in net promoter score among the countrys 74 largest restaurant brands and comparable to the industrys most highly regarded names. Despite this, brand awareness remains low as indicated by a 2021 nationally represented survey where only 11% were aware of First Watch. The combination of both high customer satisfaction and opportunity for growing awareness highlights strong potential for the brand. |
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As our development of new restaurants continues, we believe the increased penetration in new and existing markets will contribute to higher brand awareness. While we believe that organic growth of awareness contributes more to our local feel, we also recognize the future potential of strategically applying advertising dollars in appropriate channels to accelerate this opportunity. Our advertising costs represented approximately 1% of total revenues in 2021. We intend to grow our brand awareness primarily through increased investment in cost-efficient digital channels in order to further leverage our first party, owned, customer data to target and reach the right audiences that will lead to higher conversion and higher return on investment. We have successfully piloted these investment initiatives and remain confident that this approach provides further growth opportunity to build traffic and sales.
Deliver an Excellent On-Premise Dining Experience. Excellence in restaurant-level execution, recognized by customers and reinforced by the hundreds of accolades we have received, increases the visit frequency of our customer, promotes trial by new consumers and ultimately encourages loyalty. We have received hundreds of awards from local and national media outlets that we believe matter to consumers including being named one of TripAdvisors Best Restaurant Chains in 2019. While off-premises dining has emerged as a sizeable use occasion for many customers cautious to eat outside their homes, we believe that our unwavering focus will remain on delivering an amazing dining experience in our restaurants to every customer in every visit. We aim to continue to leverage our One Shift, One Menu, One Focus model to stay distinguishably different from our competitors by executing on delivering a superior dining experience every day to further drive traffic and build sales.
Additional Platforms and Initiatives. We have seen the opportunity, over time, to selectively evolve our concept and offerings via the implementation of key strategies and initiatives. Future initiatives include:
| Weekday Occasions: We believe that we have the opportunity to significantly increase market share by driving incremental customer visits during the weekday dayparts through the evolution of our menu with fresh, convenient and differentiated offerings. As a result of an evolving consumer landscape, there has been a significant migration of people from urban to suburban areas, where a meaningful portion of our restaurants exist. This migration, coupled with an increasing work-from-home trend, presents First Watch with an incremental customer opportunity during the weekday business hours which we believe will further propel growth. With the presence of our off-premises channels and the opportunity to apply targeted marketing, we believe the weekday occasion holds future opportunity to build sales and traffic. |
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| Customer Technology & Customer Data: As we fast-tracked the implementation of our off-premises platforms in fiscal 2020, we also took the opportunity to accelerate the implementation of customer data acquisition systems in order to better inform the habits and behaviors of our customers. With the large increase in remote digital orders, we also sought to digitize in-restaurant orders for the purpose of creating an omnichannel view of the First Watch customer. By integrating remote waitlist, remote orders, tokenized credit card transactions and WiFi into one system, we now have the ability to better understand trial, frequency and customer lifetime value. Since the establishment of these systems, we have gathered customer information for 9.6 million unique customer profiles, 4 million of which are opted into communication. The advancements in these foundational systems provide future opportunity for targeted communication and the development of more advanced customer relationship management systems aimed at growing customer frequency. |
| Restaurant Technology Unlocking Throughput & Capacity: For nearly 40 years, we grew organically from an intense focus on people and service, delivering a unique restaurant experience that has been difficult for competitors to duplicate at scale. The introduction of our off-premises platform laid a strong foundation for certain technologies that will now unlock further in-restaurant innovation, enabling greater peak hour throughput and capacity, thus the ability to serve more demand. In many of our restaurants, we experience more weekend demand than we are currently able to serve, indicated by extended wait times during peak hours. Through new technological tools to enable optimal seating configurations, lower table turn times and more efficient kitchen order routing, we believe that we have the opportunity to achieve higher peak hour sales. Most key among these opportunities is the installation of kitchen display screens, a core technology system in the industry, to our back-of-house to automate our order routing. We remain confident that the addition of this technology will unlock greater efficiency within our kitchens and raise our ability to serve more of our unfulfilled demand. |
Our Sponsor
Founded in 1984, Advent International Corporation (Advent) has invested in more than 395 private equity transactions in 41 countries and as of March 31, 2022, had $75.9 billion in assets under management. Advents current portfolio comprises investments across five sectors Retail, Consumer & Leisure; Business and Financial Services; Healthcare; Industrial and Technology. The Advent team includes more than 270 investment professionals across Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia.
Following the closing of this offering, funds managed by Advent are expected to own approximately 71.5% of our outstanding common stock, or approximately 70.4% if the underwriters option to purchase additional shares is fully exercised. As a result, Advent is able to exercise significant voting influence over fundamental and significant corporate matters and transactions. See Risk Factors Risks Related to this Offering and Ownership of Our Common Stock and Principal and Selling Stockholders.
Our Initial Public Offering and Debt Refinancing
On September 30, 2021, the Companys registration statement on Form S-1 related to its initial public offering (IPO) was declared effective and the Companys common stock began trading on the Nasdaq on October 1, 2021. On October 5, 2021, the Company completed its IPO, pursuant to which 10,877,850 shares of common stock were sold at the IPO price of $18.00 per share, which included the full exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase up to an additional 1,418,850 shares of common stock. The Company received aggregate net proceeds of $182.1 million after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions of $13.7 million. All of the Companys outstanding shares of preferred stock were automatically converted into 3,156,812 shares of common stock immediately prior to and in connection with the consummation of the IPO. See Note 1, Nature of Business and Organization, in the notes to the audited consolidated financial statements incorporated by reference to our Annual Report for additional information.
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On October 6, 2021, FWR Holding Corporation, one of our indirect subsidiaries, entered into the New Credit Agreement (as defined in Description of Material Indebtedness), which provides for (i) the $100.0 million New Term Facility (as defined in Description of Material Indebtedness) and (ii) the $75.0 million New Revolving Credit Facility (as defined in Description of Material Indebtedness), which was undrawn at June 26, 2022. The loans under the New Facilities (as defined in Description of Material Indebtedness) mature on October 6, 2026.
The aggregate net proceeds from our IPO, the proceeds from the New Term Facility (as defined in Description of Material Indebtedness) and cash on hand were used to repay in full the outstanding borrowings under our previous senior credit facilities.
See Description of Material Indebtedness elsewhere in this prospectus, Part II. Item 7. Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations Liquidity and Capital Resources and Note 10, Debt, in the notes to the audited consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report and Part I. Item 2. Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations Liquidity and Capital Resources in our Quarterly Reports, which are incorporated by reference herein.
Corporate Information
First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc. was incorporated in Delaware on August 10, 2017, under the name AI Fresh Super Holdco, Inc. We changed our name on December 20, 2019 to First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc. Our principal executive offices are located at 8725 Pendery Place, Suite 201, Bradenton, FL 34201, and our telephone number is (941) 907-9800. Our corporate website address is www.firstwatch.com. Our corporate website and the information contained on, or that can be accessed through, the website is not deemed to be incorporated by reference in, and is not considered part of, this prospectus. You should not rely on any such information in making your decision whether to purchase our common stock.
Risks Associated With Our Business
Investing in our common stock involves a number of risks. These risks represent challenges to the successful implementation of our strategy and the growth of our business. Some of these risks are:
| adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic or other infectious diseases; |
| uncertainty regarding ongoing hostility between Russia and Ukraine and the related impact on macroeconomic conditions, including inflation, as a result of such conflict or other related events; |
| our vulnerability to changes in economic conditions and consumer preferences; |
| our inability to successfully open new restaurants or establish new markets; our inability to effectively manage our growth; |
| potential negative impacts on sales at our and our franchisees restaurants as a result of our opening new restaurants; |
| a decline in visitors to any of the retail centers, lifestyle centers, or entertainment centers where our restaurants are located; |
| lower than expected same-restaurant sales growth; |
| unsuccessful marketing programs and limited time new offerings; |
| changes in the cost of food; |
| unprofitability or closure of new restaurants or lower than previously experienced performance in existing restaurants; |
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| our inability to compete effectively for customers; |
| unsuccessful financial performance of our franchisees; |
| our limited control over our franchisees operations; |
| our inability to maintain good relationships with our franchisees; |
| conflicts of interest with our franchisees; |
| the geographic concentration of our system-wide restaurant base in the southeast portion of the United States; damage to our reputation and negative publicity; |
| our inability or failure to recognize, respond to and effectively manage the accelerated impact of social media; |
| our limited number of suppliers and distributors for several of our frequently used ingredients; |
| information technology system failures or breaches of our network security; |
| our failure to comply with federal and state laws and regulations relating to privacy, data protection, advertising and consumer protection, or the expansion of current or the enactment of new laws or regulations relating to privacy, data protection, advertising and consumer protection; |
| our potential liability with respect to our gift cards under the property laws of some states; |
| our failure to enforce and maintain our trademarks and protect our other intellectual property; |
| litigation with respect to intellectual property assets; |
| our dependence on our executive officers and certain other key employees; |
| our inability to identify qualified individuals for our workforce; |
| our failure to obtain or to properly verify the employment eligibility of our employees; |
| our failure to maintain our corporate culture as we grow; |
| unionization activities among our employees; |
| employment and labor law proceedings; |
| labor shortages or increased labor costs or health care costs; |
| risks associated with leasing property subject to long-term and non-cancelable leases; |
| risks related to our sale of alcoholic beverages; |
| our inability to effectively manage our internal controls over financial reporting; |
| costly and complex compliance with federal, state and local laws; |
| changes in accounting principles applicable to us; |
| our vulnerability to natural disasters, unusual weather conditions, pandemic outbreaks, political events, war and terrorism; |
| our inability to secure additional capital to support business growth; |
| our level of indebtedness; failure to comply with covenants under the New Credit Agreement (as defined in Description of Material Indebtedness); and |
| the interests of Advent may differ from those of public stockholders. |
For a discussion of these and other risks you should consider before making an investment in our common stock, see the section entitled Risk Factors.
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Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company and a Smaller Reporting Company
As a company with less than $1.07 billion in gross revenue during our last fiscal year, we qualify as an emerging growth company as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (the JOBS Act). An emerging growth company may take advantage of specified reduced reporting and other regulatory requirements for up to five years that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions include, among other matters:
| requirement to present only two years of audited financial statements and only two years of related Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations; |
| exemption from the auditor attestation requirement on the effectiveness of our system of internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended (the Sarbanes-Oxley Act); |
| exemption from the adoption of new or revised financial accounting standards until they would apply to private companies; |
| exemption from compliance with any new requirements adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) requiring mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditors report in which the auditor would be required to provide additional information about the audit and the financial statements of the issuer; |
| an exemption from the requirement to seek non-binding advisory votes on executive compensation and golden parachute arrangements; and |
| reduced disclosure about executive compensation arrangements. |
We will remain an emerging growth company until the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the completion of our IPO unless, (1) prior to that time, we have more than $1.07 billion in annual gross revenue, (2) we have a market value for our common stock held by non-affiliates of more than $700 million as of the last day of our second fiscal quarter of the fiscal year and, as a consequence, are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, as defined in Rule 12b-2 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), or (3) we issue more than $1.0 billion of non-convertible debt over a three-year period, whether or not issued in a registered offering. We have availed ourselves of the reduced reporting obligations with respect to audited financial statements and related Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and executive compensation disclosure in this prospectus and expect to continue to avail ourselves of the reduced reporting obligations available to emerging growth companies in future filings.
In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act of 1933 (the Securities Act) for complying with new or revised accounting standards. An emerging growth company can, therefore, delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. However, we are choosing to opt out of that extended transition period and, as a result, we plan to comply with new and revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of those standards is required for non-emerging growth companies. Section 107 of the JOBS Act provides that our decision to opt out of the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards is irrevocable.
As a result of our decision to avail ourselves of certain provisions of the JOBS Act, the information that we provide may be different from what you may receive from other public companies in which you hold an equity interest. In addition, it is possible that some investors will find our common stock less attractive as a result of our elections, which may cause a less active trading market for our common stock and more volatility in our stock price.
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We are also a smaller reporting company, meaning that the market value of our stock held by non-affiliates was less than $250 million as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter. We may continue to be a smaller reporting company after this offering if either (1) the market value of our stock held by non-affiliates is less than $250 million as of the last business day of the second fiscal quarter of such year or (2) our annual revenue was less than $100 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and the market value of our stock held by non-affiliates is less than $700 million as of the last business day of the second fiscal quarter of such year. If we are a smaller reporting company at the time we cease to be an emerging growth company, we may continue to rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements that are available to smaller reporting companies. Specifically, as a smaller reporting company we may choose to present only the two most recent fiscal years of audited financial statements in our Annual Report and, similar to emerging growth companies, smaller reporting companies have reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation.
For risks related to our status as an emerging growth company and a smaller reporting company, see Risk Factors Risks Related to the Offering and Ownership of Our Common Stock We are an emerging growth company and a smaller reporting company and the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies and smaller reporting companies may make our common stock less attractive to investors.
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Issuer |
First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc. |
Common stock offered by us |
None |
Common stock offered by the selling stockholders |
4,500,000 shares of common stock (5,175,000 shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full) |
Common stock to be outstanding prior to and after this offering |
59,080,348 shares of common stock |
Option to purchase additional shares of common stock |
The underwriters have an option to purchase an additional 675,000 shares of common stock from the selling stockholders. The underwriters can exercise this option at any time within 30 days from the date of this prospectus. |
Use of proceeds |
The selling stockholders will receive all of the proceeds from the sale of our common stock in this offering. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of common stock by the selling stockholders. See Use of Proceeds. |
Dividend policy |
We do not anticipate paying any dividends on our common stock for the foreseeable future; however, we may change this policy in the future. See Dividend Policy. |
Risk Factors |
Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. See the Risk Factors section of this prospectus beginning on page 26 for a discussion of factors you should carefully consider before investing in our common stock. |
Listing |
Our common stock is listed on Nasdaq under the symbol FWRG. |
Except as otherwise indicated, the number of shares of our common stock outstanding after this offering is based on 59,080,348 shares outstanding as of August 5, 2022 and:
| excludes 4,238,120 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options at a weighted average exercise price of $9.47 per share, which stock options were granted under our 2017 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (the 2017 Plan); |
| excludes 38,311 shares of our common stock underlying restricted stock units and 993,581 of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options at a weighted average exercise price of $12.58 per share, in each case, that were granted under the First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc. 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the 2021 Plan); and |
| excludes an aggregate of 3,002,180 shares of our common stock that will be available for future equity awards under the 2021 Plan |
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SUMMARY HISTORICAL CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA
The following tables set forth our summary historical consolidated financial and other data for the periods as of the dates indicated. We derived the historical summary consolidated statements of operations data and consolidated statements of cash flows data for the twenty-six weeks ended June 26, 2022 and June 27, 2021 and the consolidated balance sheet data as of June 26, 2022 from the unaudited interim consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report for the quarterly period ended June 26, 2022 filed with the SEC on August 9, 2022 (the Q2 2022 Quarterly Report). We derived the historical summary consolidated statements of operations data and consolidated statements of cash flows data for fiscal 2021, fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2019 from the audited consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto incorporated by reference to our Annual Report. We have prepared the unaudited interim consolidated financial statements on the same basis as the audited consolidated financial statements and have included all adjustments necessary for the fair statement of the consolidated financial statements for the interim periods presented.
Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of future results of operations. You should read the information set forth below together with the audited consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto included in our Annual Report and the unaudited consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto included in the Q2 2022 Quarterly Report.
Twenty-Six Weeks Ended | Fiscal | |||||||||||||||||||
June 26, 2022 |
June 27, 2021 |
2021 | 2020 | 2019 | ||||||||||||||||
(in thousands, except share and per share data) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Consolidated Statements of Operations Data: |
||||||||||||||||||||
Revenues: |
||||||||||||||||||||
Restaurant sales |
$ | 352,351 | $ | 277,054 | $ | 592,343 | $ | 337,433 | $ | 429,309 | ||||||||||
Franchise revenues |
5,214 | 4,078 | 8,850 | 4,955 | 7,064 | |||||||||||||||
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
Total revenues |
357,565 | 281,132 | 601,193 | 342,388 | 436,373 | |||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
Operating costs and expenses: |
||||||||||||||||||||
Restaurant operating expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown below): |
||||||||||||||||||||
Food and beverage costs |
84,622 | 60,512 | 134,201 | 76,975 | 100,689 | |||||||||||||||
Labor and other related expenses |
113,829 | 85,999 | 189,167 | 120,380 | 148,537 | |||||||||||||||
Other restaurant operating expenses |
56,076 | 45,443 | 94,847 | 61,821 | 55,573 | |||||||||||||||
Occupancy expenses |
29,227 | 27,066 | 55,433 | 49,450 | 44,165 | |||||||||||||||
Pre-opening expenses |
2,079 | 2,063 | 3,310 | 3,880 | 5,815 | |||||||||||||||
General and administrative expenses |
41,505 | 27,341 | 70,388 | 46,322 | 55,818 | |||||||||||||||
Depreciation and amortization |
16,623 | 15,762 | 32,379 | 30,725 | 28,027 | |||||||||||||||
Impairments and loss on disposal of assets |
234 | 163 | 381 | 315 | 33,596 | |||||||||||||||
Transaction expenses (income), net |
557 | 626 | (1,156 | ) | (258 | ) | 1,709 | |||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
Total operating costs and expenses |
344,752 | 264,975 | 578,950 | 389,610 | 473,929 | |||||||||||||||
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
Income (Loss) from operations |
12,813 | 16,157 | 22,243 | (47,222 | ) | (37,556 | ) | |||||||||||||
Interest expense |
(2,132 | ) | (12,605 | ) | (20,099 | ) | (22,815 | ) | (20,080 | ) | ||||||||||
Other income (expense), net |
279 | 321 | (1,774 | ) | 483 | (255 | ) | |||||||||||||
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Twenty-Six Weeks Ended | Fiscal | |||||||||||||||||||
June 26, 2022 | June 27, 2021 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | ||||||||||||||||
(in thousands, except share and per share data) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Income (Loss) before income taxes |
10,960 | 3,873 | 370 | (69,554 | ) | (57,891 | ) | |||||||||||||
Income tax (expense) benefit |
(3,613 | ) | (2,110 | ) | (2,477 | ) | 19,873 | 12,419 | ||||||||||||
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Net income (loss) and total comprehensive income (loss) |
$ | 7,347 | $ | 1,763 | $ | (2,107 | ) | $ | (49,681 | ) | $ | (45,472 | ) | |||||||
Net income (loss) per common share basic |
$ | 0.12 | $ | 0.04 | $ | (0.04 | ) | $ | (1.10 | ) | $ | (1.01 | ) | |||||||
Net income (loss) per common share diluted |
$ | 0.12 | $ | 0.04 | $ | (0.04 | ) | $ | (1.10 | ) | $ | (1.01 | ) | |||||||
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding basic |
59,053,219 | 45,013,784 | 48,213,995 | 45,013,784 | 45,013,784 | |||||||||||||||
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding diluted |
59,933,003 | 45,560,575 | 48,213,995 | 45,013,784 | 45,013,784 | |||||||||||||||
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Data (in thousands): |
||||||||||||||||||||
Net cash provided by (used in): |
||||||||||||||||||||
Operating activities |
$ | 31,812 | $ | 30,428 | $ | 62,971 | $ | (18,364 | ) | $ | 21,465 | |||||||||
Investing activities |
$ | (26,945 | ) | $ | (19,524 | ) | $ | (35,682 | ) | $ | (26,974 | ) | $ | (82,389 | ) | |||||
Financing activities |
$ | (3,165 | ) | $ | (1,717 | ) | $ | (14,271 | ) | $ | 73,314 | $ | 55,761 | |||||||
Other Data: |
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Restaurant sales (in thousands) |
$ | 352,351 | $ | 277,054 | $ | 592,343 | $ | 337,433 | $ | 429,309 | ||||||||||
System-wide sales (in thousands) |
$ | 445,357 | $ | 350,596 | $ | 750,674 | $ | 426,303 | $ | 558,397 | ||||||||||
Same-restaurant sales growth |
19.7 | % | 95.9 | % | 63.0 | % | (29.0 | )% | 5.6 | % | ||||||||||
AUV (1) (in thousands) |
$ | 1,786 | $ | 1,119 | $ | 1,594 | ||||||||||||||
System-wide restaurants |
449 | 423 | 435 | 409 | 368 | |||||||||||||||
Company-owned |
350 | 335 | 341 | 321 | 299 | |||||||||||||||
Franchise-owned |
99 | 88 | 94 | 88 | 69 | |||||||||||||||
Income (loss) from operations margin |
3.6 | % | 5.8 | % | 3.8 | % | (14.0 | )% | (8.7 | )% | ||||||||||
Net income (loss) margin |
2.1 | % | 0.6 | % | (0.4 | )% | (14.5 | )% | (10.4 | )% | ||||||||||
Adjusted EBITDA(a) (in thousands) |
$ | 37,153 | $ | 35,182 | $ | 66,301 | $ | (5,744 | ) | $ | 38,099 | |||||||||
Adjusted EBITDA Margin(a) |
10.4 | % | 12.5 | % | 11.0 | % | (1.7 | )% | 8.7 | % | ||||||||||
Restaurant level operating profit (in thousands)(b) |
$ | 66,518 | $ | 55,990 | $ | 115,404 | $ | 28,236 | $ | 74,530 | ||||||||||
Restaurant level operating profit margin(b) |
18.9 | % | 20.2 | % | 19.5 | % | 8.4 | % | 17.4 | % | ||||||||||
Deferred rent expense (income) (2) |
$ | 1,231 | $ | (1,807 | ) | $ | (2,011 | ) | $ | 10,087 | $ | 4,272 |
(1) | Average unit volume presented for comparable restaurant base on an annual basis only. |
(2) | Represents the non-cash portion of straight-line rent expense recorded within occupancy expenses and general and administrative expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss). |
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As of June 26, 2022 | ||||
(in thousands) | ||||
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data: |
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Cash and cash equivalents |
$ | 53,566 | ||
Total assets |
$ | 1,080,248 | ||
Total debt (c) |
$ | 103,479 | ||
Total liabilities |
$ | 563,126 | ||
Working capital (d) |
$ | (22,851 | ) | |
Total equity |
$ | 517,122 |
(a) | Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin as presented in this prospectus are supplemental measures of our performance that are neither required by, nor presented in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin are not measurements of our financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to net income (loss), income (loss) from operations, or any other performance measures derived in accordance with GAAP, or as alternatives to cash flow from operating activities as a measure of our liquidity. Adjusted EBITDA represents net income (loss) before depreciation and amortization, interest expense, income taxes and items that we do not consider in our evaluation of ongoing core operating performance as identified in the reconciliation of net income (loss), the most directly comparable measure under GAAP, to Adjusted EBITDA. Adjusted EBITDA as shown is not adjusted to reflect the impact of pre-opening expenses or deferred rent (income) expense. Adjusted EBITDA Margin represents Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of total revenues. |
Management uses Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin (i) as factors in evaluating managements performance when determining incentive compensation, (ii) to evaluate our operating results and the effectiveness of our business strategies and (iii) internally as benchmarks to compare our performance to that of our competitors. The use of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin as performance measures permit a comparative assessment of our operating performance relative to our performance based on our GAAP results, while isolating the effects of some items that are either nonrecurring in nature or vary from period to period without any correlation to our ongoing core operating performance.
Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin or similar non-GAAP measures are frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties as supplemental measures of financial performance within our industry. Management believes that Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin provide investors with additional transparency of our operations.
Our presentation of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin should not be construed to imply that our future results will be unaffected by these items. Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin have important limitations as analytical tools, and you should not consider them in isolation or as substitutes for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Some of these limitations are:
| Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin do not reflect our cash expenditures or future requirements for capital expenditures or contractual commitments; |
| Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin do not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for our working capital needs; |
| Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin do not adjust for all non-cash income or expense items that are reflected in our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows; |
| although depreciation is a non-cash charge, the assets being depreciated will often have to be replaced in the future, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin do not reflect any cash requirements for such replacements; |
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| Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin do not reflect the impact of stock-based compensation on our results of operations; |
| Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin do not reflect the interest expense, or the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments on our debt; |
| Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin do not reflect our income tax expense (benefit) or the cash requirements to pay our income taxes; and |
| other companies in our industry may calculate Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin differently than we do, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures. |
We compensate for these limitations by providing specific information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from such non-GAAP financial measures. We further compensate for the limitations in our use of non-GAAP financial measures by presenting comparable GAAP measures more prominently.
In evaluating Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin, you should be aware that in the future we may incur expenses similar to those adjusted for in the reconciliation of Net income (loss) and Net income (loss) margin, the most directly comparable GAAP measures, to Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin as follows:
Twenty-Six Weeks Ended | Fiscal | |||||||||||||||||||
June 26, 2022 |
June 27, 2021 |
2021 | 2020 | 2019 | ||||||||||||||||
(in thousands) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Net income (loss) |
$ | 7,347 | $ | 1,763 | $ | (2,107 | ) | $ | (49,681 | ) | $ | (45,472 | ) | |||||||
Depreciation and amortization |
16,623 | 15,762 | 32,379 | 30,725 | 28,027 | |||||||||||||||
Interest expense |
2,132 | 12,605 | 20,099 | 22,815 | 20,080 | |||||||||||||||
Income taxes |
3,613 | 2,110 | 2,477 | (19,873 | ) | (12,419 | ) | |||||||||||||
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EBITDA |
29,715 | 32,240 | 52,848 | (16,014 | ) | (9,784 | ) | |||||||||||||
IPO-readiness and strategic transition |
1,171 | 1,179 | 2,402 | 4,247 | 10,012 | |||||||||||||||
Stock-based compensation (2) |
5,102 | 316 | 8,596 | 750 | 1,160 | |||||||||||||||
Loss on extinguishment of debt |
| | 2,403 | | | |||||||||||||||
Transaction expenses (income), net (3) |
557 | 626 | (1,156 | ) | (258 | ) | 1,709 | |||||||||||||
Impairments and loss on disposal of |
234 | 163 | 381 | 315 | 33,596 | |||||||||||||||
Recruiting and relocation costs (5) |
219 | 182 | 351 | 228 | 1,081 | |||||||||||||||
Severance costs (6) |
155 | 265 | 265 | 239 | 325 | |||||||||||||||
COVID-19 related charges (7) |
| 211 | 211 | 4,749 | | |||||||||||||||
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Adjusted EBITDA |
$ | 37,153 | $ | 35,182 | $ | 66,301 | $ | (5,744 | ) | $ | 38,099 | |||||||||
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Total revenues |
$ | 357,565 | $ | 281,132 | $ | 601,193 | $ | 342,388 | $ | 436,373 | ||||||||||
Net income (loss) margin |
2.1 | % | 0.6 | % | (0.4 | )% | (14.5 | )% | (10.4 | )% | ||||||||||
Adjusted EBITDA margin |
10.4 | % | 12.5 | % | 11.0 | % | (1.7 | )% | 8.7 | % |
(1) | Represents costs related to the assessment and redesign of our systems and processes. In 2021, the costs also include information technology support and external professional service costs incurred in connection with IPO-readiness efforts. These costs are recorded within general and administrative expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss). |
(2) | Represents non-cash, stock-based compensation expense which is recorded in general and administrative expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss). |
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(3) | Represents (i) revaluations of contingent consideration payable to previous stockholders for tax savings generated through the use of federal and state loss carryforwards and general business credits that had been accumulated from operations prior to August 2017, (ii) gains or losses associated with lease or contract terminations, (iii) costs incurred in connection with the acquisition of franchise-owned restaurants, (iv) costs incurred in connection with the conversion of certain restaurants to company-owned restaurants operating under the First Watch trade name and (v) costs related to restaurant closures. |
(4) | Includes impairments recognized on intangible assets and fixed assets as well as costs related to the disposal of assets due to retirements, replacements or certain restaurant closures. |
(5) | Represents costs incurred for hiring qualified individuals as we assessed the redesign of our systems and processes. These costs are recorded within general and administrative expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss). |
(6) | Severance costs are recorded in general and administrative expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss). |
(7) | Consists of costs incurred in connection with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which primarily includes inventory obsolescence and spoilage, compensation for employees upon furlough and return from furlough, health insurance costs paid for furloughed employees, net of employee retention credit and costs incurred to amend certain financial commitments. |
(b) | Restaurant level operating profit and restaurant level operating profit margin are non-GAAP supplemental measures of operating performance of our restaurants that are neither required by, nor presented in accordance with GAAP, and should not be considered as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Restaurant level operating profit represents restaurant sales less restaurant operating expenses, which include food and beverage costs, labor and other related expenses, other restaurant operating expenses, pre-opening expenses and occupancy expenses. In addition, restaurant level operating profit excludes corporate-level expenses and items that we do not consider in our evaluation of ongoing core operating performance. Restaurant level operating profit and restaurant level operating profit margin are not indicative of our overall results, and because they exclude corporate-level expenses, do not accrue directly to the benefit of our stockholders. We will continue to incur such expenses in the future. Restaurant level operating profit margin represents restaurant level operating profit as a percentage of restaurant sales. |
Restaurant level operating profit and restaurant level operating profit margin are important measures we use to evaluate the performance and profitability of each operating restaurant, individually and in the aggregate. Additionally, restaurant level operating profit and restaurant level operating profit margin or similar non GAAP financial measures are frequently used by analysts, investors and other interested parties to evaluate companies in our industry. We believe that restaurant level operating profit and restaurant level operating profit margin, when used in conjunction with GAAP financial measures, provide useful information about our operating results, identify operational trends and allow for greater transparency with respect to key metrics used by us in our financial and operational decision making. We use restaurant level operating profit and restaurant level operating profit margin to make decisions regarding future spending and other operational decisions. Our calculations of restaurant level operating profit and restaurant level operating profit margin may not be comparable to similar measures reported by other companies, have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered as a substitute for the analysis of our results as a whole as reported under GAAP.
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A reconciliation of Income (Loss) from operations and Income (Loss) from operations margin, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, to restaurant level operating profit and restaurant level operating profit margin is as follows:
Twenty-Six Weeks Ended | Fiscal | |||||||||||||||||||
June 26, 2022 |
June 27, 2021 |
2021 | 2020 | 2019 | ||||||||||||||||
(in thousands) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Income (Loss) from operations |
$ | 12,813 | $ | 16,157 | $ | 22,243 | $ | (47,222 | ) | $ | (37,556 | ) | ||||||||
Less: Franchise revenues |
(5,214 | ) | (4,078 | ) | (8,850 | ) | (4,955 | ) | (7,064 | ) | ||||||||||
Add: |
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General and administrative expenses |
41,505 | 27,341 | 70,388 | 46,322 | 55,818 | |||||||||||||||
Depreciation and amortization |
16,623 | 15,762 | 32,379 | 30,725 | 28,027 | |||||||||||||||
Transaction expenses (income), net (1) |
557 | 626 | (1,156 | ) | (258 | ) | 1,709 | |||||||||||||
Impairments and loss on disposal of assets (2) |
234 | 163 | 381 | 315 | 33,596 | |||||||||||||||
COVID-19 related charges (3) |
| 19 | 19 | 3,309 | | |||||||||||||||
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Restaurant level operating profit |
$ | 66,518 | $ | 55,990 | $ | 115,404 | $ | 28,236 | $ | 74,530 | ||||||||||
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Restaurant sales |
$ | 352,351 | $ | 277,054 | $ | 592,343 | $ | 337,433 | $ | 429,309 | ||||||||||
Income (Loss) from operations margin |
3.6 | % | 5.8 | % | 3.8 | % | (14.0 | )% | (8.7 | )% | ||||||||||
Restaurant level operating profit margin |
18.9 | % | 20.2 | % | 19.5 | % | 8.4 | % | 17.4 | % |
(1) | Represents (i) revaluations of contingent consideration payable to previous stockholders for tax savings generated through the use of federal and state loss carryforwards and general business credits that had been accumulated from operations prior to August 2017, (ii) gains or losses associated with lease or contract terminations, (iii) costs incurred in connection with the acquisition of franchise-owned restaurants, (iv) costs incurred in connection with the conversion of certain restaurants to company-owned restaurants operating under the First Watch trade name and (v) costs related to restaurant closures. |
(2) | Includes impairments recognized on intangible assets and fixed assets as well as costs related to the disposal of assets due to retirements, replacements or certain restaurant closures. |
(3) | Consists of costs incurred in connection with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which primarily includes inventory obsolescence and spoilage, compensation for employees upon furlough and return from furlough, and health insurance costs paid for furloughed employees, net of employee retention credit. |
(c) | Total debt includes the current and long-term debt, excluding unamortized debt discount and deferred issuance costs. See Note 10, Debt, in the notes to the audited consolidated financial statements incorporated by reference to our Annual Report for additional information. Also, see Description of Material Indebtedness. |
(d) | We define working capital as current assets less current liabilities. |
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An investment in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider each of the following risk factors, together with the other information contained in this prospectus and the information incorporated by reference herein, including Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations as well as the other information set forth under Risk Factors contained in our Annual Report and our Quarterly Reports, and our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes contained in our Annual Report, before investing in our common stock. The occurrence of any of the risks described below and under Risk Factors in our Annual Report and our Quarterly Reports could materially and adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operations and cash flow, in which case the trading price of our common stock could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operations and cash flow. See Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.
Risks Related to this Offering and Ownership of Our Common Stock
Future offerings of debt or equity securities by us may have a material adverse effect on the market price of our common stock.
In the future, we may attempt to obtain financing or to further increase our capital resources by issuing additional shares of our common stock or by offering debt or other equity securities, including senior or subordinated notes, debt securities convertible into equity or shares of preferred stock.
Any future debt financing could involve restrictive covenants relating to our capital-raising activities and other financial and operational matters, which might make it more difficult for us to obtain additional capital and to pursue business opportunities, including potential acquisitions. Moreover, if we issue debt securities, the debt holders would have rights to make claims on our assets senior to the rights of our holders of our common stock. The issuance of additional shares of our common stock or other equity securities or securities convertible into equity may dilute the economic and voting rights of our existing stockholders or reduce the market price of our common stock or both. Debt securities convertible into equity could be subject to adjustments in the conversion ratio pursuant to which certain events may increase the number of equity securities issuable upon conversion. Preferred shares could have a preference with respect to liquidating distributions or a preference with respect to dividend payments that could limit our ability to pay dividends to the holders of our common stock. Our decision to issue securities in any future offering will depend on market conditions and other factors beyond our control, which may have a material adverse effect on the amount, timing, or nature of our future offerings. Thus, holders of our common stock bear the risk that our future offerings may reduce the market price of our common stock and dilute their stockholdings in us.
If the ownership of our common stock continues to be highly concentrated, it may prevent you and other minority stockholders from influencing significant corporate decisions and may result in conflicts of interest.
Following the closing of this offering, Advent will indirectly beneficially own approximately 71.5% of our outstanding common stock, or approximately 70.4% if the underwriters option to purchase additional shares is fully exercised. As a result, Advent will beneficially own shares sufficient for majority votes over all matters requiring stockholder votes, including: the election of directors; mergers, consolidations and acquisitions; the sale of all or substantially all of our assets and other decisions affecting our capital structure; amendments to our certificate of incorporation or our bylaws; and our winding up and dissolution.
This concentration of ownership may delay, deter or prevent acts that would be favored by our other stockholders. The interests of Advent may not always coincide with our interests or the interests of our other stockholders. This concentration of ownership may also have the effect of delaying, preventing or deterring a
26
change in control of us. Also, Advent may seek to cause us to take courses of action that, in its judgment, could enhance its investment in us, but which might involve risks to our other stockholders or adversely affect us or our other stockholders, including investors in this offering. As a result, the market price of our common stock could decline or stockholders might not receive a premium over the then-current market price of our common stock upon a change in control. In addition, this concentration of share ownership may adversely affect the trading price of our common stock because investors may perceive disadvantages in owning shares in a company with significant stockholders. See Principal and Selling Stockholders and Description of Capital Stock Anti-takeover Provisions.
As a controlled company, we are not subject to all of the corporate governance rules of Nasdaq.
We are considered a controlled company under the rules of Nasdaq. Controlled companies are exempt from the corporate governance rules requiring that listed companies have (i) a majority of the board of directors (the Board) consist of independent directors under the listing standards of Nasdaq, (ii) independent director oversight of director nominations and (iii) a compensation committee composed entirely of independent directors. Although we are eligible to use some or all of these exemptions, our Board is comprised of a majority of independent directors, and our nominating and corporate governance committee and compensation committee consist entirely of independent directors. However, if we are to use some or all of these exemptions in the future, you may not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of Nasdaq. See Management.
We do not anticipate paying any dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future.
We do not expect to declare or pay any cash or other dividends in the foreseeable future on our common stock because we intend to use cash flow generated by operations to grow our business. FWR Holding Corporation, our wholly-owned indirect subsidiary, is the borrower under the New Credit Agreement (as defined in Description of Material Indebtedness). The New Credit Agreement restricts FWR Holding Corporations ability to pay cash dividends and, because we are a holding company that does not conduct any business operations of our own, our ability to pay cash dividends on our common stock is dependent upon cash dividends and distributions and other transfers from our subsidiaries, including FWR Holding Corporation. We or our subsidiaries may also enter into other credit agreements or other borrowing arrangements in the future that restrict or limit our ability to pay cash dividends on our common stock. As a result, you may not receive any return on an investment in our common stock unless you sell our common stock for a price greater than that which you paid for it. See Dividend Policy.
Our quarterly results of operations may fluctuate significantly and could fall below the expectations of securities analysts and investors due to seasonality and other factors, some of which are beyond our control, resulting in a decline in our stock price.
Our quarterly results of operations may fluctuate due principally to seasonal factors and the timing of holidays. Accordingly, results for any one quarter are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for any other quarter or for any year and same-restaurant sales growth for any particular future period may decrease. In addition, as we expand our number of restaurants in cold weather climates, the seasonality of our business may be amplified. In the future, results of operations may fall below the expectations of securities analysts and investors. In that event, the price of our common stock could be adversely impacted.
We are an emerging growth company and a smaller reporting company and the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies and smaller reporting companies may make our common stock less attractive to investors.
We are an emerging growth company, as defined in the JOBS Act, and a smaller reporting company as defined under the rules promulgated under the Securities Act. As an emerging growth company and a smaller
27
reporting company, we may follow reduced disclosure requirements and do not have to make all of the disclosures that public companies that are not emerging growth companies or smaller reporting companies do. To the extent that we continue to qualify as a smaller reporting company, as such term is defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act, after we cease to qualify as an emerging growth company, we will continue to be permitted to make certain reduced disclosures in our periodic reports and other documents that we file with the SEC.
As a result of our decision to avail ourselves of certain provisions of the JOBS Act, the information that we provide may be different from what you may receive from other public companies in which you hold an equity interest. We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive as a result of our decision to take advantage of some or all of the reduced disclosure requirements available to emerging growth companies or smaller reporting companies. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our stock price may be more volatile.
If securities or industry analysts publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our stock price and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for our common stock is influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts publish about us or our business. If one or more analysts ceases coverage of our company or fails to publish reports on us regularly, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline. Moreover, if our results of operations do not meet the expectations of the investor community, or one or more of the analysts who cover our company downgrade our stock, our stock price could decline. As a result, you may not be able to sell shares of our common stock at prices equal to or greater than the price of common stock sold in this offering.
The market price and trading volume of our common stock may be volatile, which could result in rapid and substantial losses for our stockholders, and you may lose all or part of your investment.
Shares of our common stock sold in this offering may experience significant volatility on Nasdaq. An active, liquid and orderly market for our common stock may not be sustained, which could depress the trading price of our common stock or cause it to be highly volatile or subject to wide fluctuations. The market price of our common stock may fluctuate or may decline significantly in the future and you could lose all or part of your investment. Some of the factors that could negatively affect our share price or result in fluctuations in the price or trading volume of our common stock include:
| variations in our quarterly or annual results of operations; |
| changes in our earnings estimates (if provided) or differences between our actual results of operations and those expected by investors and analysts; |
| reduced customer traffic due to illness, quarantine or government or self-imposed restrictions placed on our restaurants operations; |
| changes in consumer spending behaviors (e.g. continued practice of social distancing, decrease in consumer confidence in general macroeconomic conditions and a decrease in consumer discretionary spending); |
| the contents of published research reports about us or our industry or the failure of securities analysts to cover our common stock; |
| additions or departures of key management personnel; |
| any increased indebtedness we may incur in the future; |
| announcements by us or others and developments affecting us; |
| actions by institutional stockholders; |
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| litigation and governmental investigations; |
| legislative or regulatory changes; |
| judicial pronouncements interpreting laws and regulations; |
| changes in government programs; |
| changes in market valuations of similar companies; |
| speculation or reports by the press or investment community with respect to us or our industry in general; |
| announcements by us or our competitors of significant contracts, acquisitions, dispositions, strategic relationships, joint ventures or capital commitments; and |
| general market, political and economic conditions, including local conditions in the markets in which we operate, as well as global geopolitical tensions. |
These broad market and industry factors may decrease the market price of our common stock, regardless of our actual financial performance. The stock market in general has from time to time experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations, including recently. In addition, in the past, following periods of volatility in the overall market and decreases in the market price of a companys securities, securities class action litigation has often been instituted against these companies. This litigation, if instituted against us, could result in substantial costs and a diversion of our managements attention and resources, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The market price of our common stock could be negatively affected by sales of substantial amounts of our common stock in the public markets.
After this offering, we will have 59,080,348 shares of common stock outstanding. Of our issued and outstanding shares, all of the shares of common stock sold in this offering is freely transferable, except for any shares held by our affiliates, as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. Following the closing of this offering, approximately 71.5% of our outstanding common stock, or approximately 70.4% if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, will be indirectly beneficially owned by Advent, and can be resold into the public markets in the future in accordance with the requirements of Rule 144. See Shares Eligible For Future Sale.
We, certain of our officers, directors and the selling stockholders have agreed, subject to specified exceptions, not to directly or indirectly:
| sell, offer, contract or grant any option to sell (including any short sale), pledge, transfer, establish an open put equivalent position within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(h) under the Exchange Act, |
| otherwise dispose of any shares of common stock, options or warrants to acquire shares of common stock, or securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into shares of common stock currently or hereafter owned either of record or beneficially, or |
| publicly announce an intention to do any of the foregoing for a period of 75 days after the date of this prospectus without the prior written consent of . |
This restriction terminates after the close of trading of the common stock on and including the 75th day after the date of this prospectus. BofA Securities, Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Jefferies LLC may, in their sole discretion and at any time or from time to time before the termination of the 75-day period release all or any portion of the securities subject to lock-up agreements. See Underwriting No Sales of Similar Securities.
Sales of substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market, or the possibility that such sales may occur, may cause the market price of our common stock to decrease. A decline in the price of our common
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stock might impede our ability to raise capital through the issuance of additional common stock or other equity securities.
The future issuance of additional common stock in connection with the 2021 Plan and the 2017 Plan will dilute all other stockholdings.
We have an aggregate of 232,647,460 shares of common stock authorized but unissued and not reserved for issuance under the 2021 Plan and 2017 Plan. Additionally, the 2021 Plan contains an evergreen provision, pursuant to which the aggregate number of shares available for issuance under the plan will automatically increase on the first day of each fiscal year, beginning in fiscal 2023. While we do not intend to grant any further awards under the 2017 Plan, we may issue all the shares underlying the awards granted under the 2017 Plan and all of the shares authorized for issuance under the 2021 Plan without any action or approval by our stockholders, subject to certain exceptions. Any common stock issued in connection with the 2021 Plan or the 2017 Plan would dilute the ownership percentage held by existing stockholders.
Fluctuations in our tax obligations and effective tax rate and realization of our deferred tax assets may result in volatility of our results of operations.
We are subject to income taxes in various U.S. jurisdictions. We record tax expense based on our estimates of future payments, which may in the future include reserves for uncertain tax positions in multiple tax jurisdictions, and valuation allowances related to certain net deferred tax assets. At any one time, many tax years may be subject to audit by various taxing jurisdictions. The results of these audits and negotiations with taxing authorities may affect the ultimate settlement of these issues. We expect that throughout the year there could be ongoing variability in our quarterly tax rates as events occur and exposures are evaluated.
In addition, our effective tax rate in a given financial reporting period may be materially impacted by a variety of factors including, but not limited to, changes in the mix and level of earnings, varying tax rates in the different jurisdictions in which we operate, fluctuations in the valuation allowance or by changes to existing accounting rules or regulations. Further, tax laws are subject to change, including as provided in recently enacted U.S. tax legislation, which, among other things, included a 15% minimum tax on the adjusted financial statement income of certain corporations.
Other new legislation may be enacted in the future that could negatively impact our current or future tax structure and effective tax rates. We are currently unable to predict whether such changes will occur. If such changes are enacted or implemented, we are currently unable to predict the ultimate impact on our business.
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as anticipates, intends, plans, seeks, believes, estimates, expects and similar references to future periods, or by the inclusion of forecasts or projections. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements we make regarding the outlook for our future business and financial performance, such as those contained in Part II. Item 7. Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in our Annual Report and Part I. Item 2. Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in our Quarterly Reports.
Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions regarding our business, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, by their nature, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. As a result, our actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include regional, national or global political, economic, business, competitive, market and regulatory conditions and the following:
| adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic or other infectious diseases; |
| uncertainty regarding ongoing hostility between Russia and Ukraine and the related impact on macroeconomic conditions, including inflation, as a result of such conflict or other related events; |
| our vulnerability to changes in economic conditions and consumer preferences; |
| our inability to successfully open new restaurants or establish new markets; our inability to effectively manage our growth; |
| potential negative impacts on sales at our and our franchisees restaurants as a result of our opening new restaurants; |
| a decline in visitors to any of the retail centers, lifestyle centers, or entertainment centers where our restaurants are located; |
| lower than expected same-restaurant sales growth; |
| unsuccessful marketing programs and limited time new offerings; |
| changes in the cost of food; |
| unprofitability or closure of new restaurants or lower than previously experienced performance in existing restaurants; |
| our inability to compete effectively for customers; |
| unsuccessful financial performance of our franchisees; |
| our limited control over our franchisees operations; |
| our inability to maintain good relationships with our franchisees; |
| conflicts of interest with our franchisees; |
| the geographic concentration of our system-wide restaurant base in the southeast portion of the United States; damage to our reputation and negative publicity; |
| our inability or failure to recognize, respond to and effectively manage the accelerated impact of social media; |
| our limited number of suppliers and distributors for several of our frequently used ingredients; |
| information technology system failures or breaches of our network security; |
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| our failure to comply with federal and state laws and regulations relating to privacy, data protection, advertising and consumer protection, or the expansion of current or the enactment of new laws or regulations relating to privacy, data protection, advertising and consumer protection; |
| our potential liability with respect to our gift cards under the property laws of some states; |
| our failure to enforce and maintain our trademarks and protect our other intellectual property; |
| litigation with respect to intellectual property assets; |
| our dependence on our executive officers and certain other key employees; |
| our inability to identify qualified individuals for our workforce; |
| our failure to obtain or to properly verify the employment eligibility of our employees; |
| our failure to maintain our corporate culture as we grow; |
| unionization activities among our employees; |
| employment and labor law proceedings; |
| labor shortages or increased labor costs or health care costs; |
| risks associated with leasing property subject to long-term and non-cancelable leases; |
| risks related to our sale of alcoholic beverages; |
| our inability to effectively manage our internal controls over financial reporting; |
| costly and complex compliance with federal, state and local laws; |
| changes in accounting principles applicable to us; |
| our vulnerability to natural disasters, unusual weather conditions, pandemic outbreaks, political events, war and terrorism; |
| our inability to secure additional capital to support business growth; |
| our level of indebtedness; failure to comply with covenants under the New Credit Agreement (as defined in Description of Material Indebtedness); and |
| the interests of Advent may differ from those of public stockholders. |
See Risk Factors for a further description of these and other factors. For the reasons described above, we caution you against relying on any forward-looking statements, which should also be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included elsewhere in this prospectus. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this prospectus speaks only as of the date on which we make it. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.
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All shares of our common stock offered by this prospectus will be sold by the selling stockholders. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of common stock by the selling stockholders. We have agreed to pay certain expenses related to this offering, which we estimate to be approximately $1,500,000.
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We do not currently intend to pay cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. However, in the future, subject to the factors described below and our future liquidity and capitalization, we may change this policy and choose to pay dividends.
We are a holding company that does not conduct any business operations of our own. As a result, our ability to pay cash dividends on our common stock is dependent upon cash dividends and distributions and other transfers from our subsidiaries, including FWR Holding Corporation. The ability of FWR Holding Corporation to pay dividends is currently restricted by the terms of the New Credit Agreement (as defined in Description of Material Indebtedness). We may also enter into other credit agreements or other borrowing arrangements in the future that restrict or limit our ability to pay cash dividends on our common stock.
In addition, under Delaware law, our Board may declare dividends only to the extent of our surplus (which is defined as total assets at fair market value minus total liabilities, minus statutory capital) or, if there is no surplus, out of our net profits for the then current and/or immediately preceding fiscal year.
Any future determination to pay dividends will be at the discretion of our Board and will take into account:
| restrictions on the ability of FWR Holding Corporation to pay dividends in the New Credit Agreement; |
| general economic business conditions; |
| our earnings, financial condition, and results of operations; |
| our capital requirements; |
| our prospects; |
| legal restrictions; and |
| such other factors as our Board may deem relevant. |
See Risk Factors Risks Related to this Offering and Ownership of Our Common Stock We do not anticipate paying any dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future, Description of Material Indebtedness, and Description of Capital Stock appearing elsewhere in this prospectus, Part II. Item 7. Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations Liquidity and Capital Resources in our Annual Report and Part I. Item 2. Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations Results of Operations Liquidity and Capital Resources in our Quarterly Reports.
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Directors and Executive Officers
The following table sets forth the names and ages, as of June 26, 2022, of the individuals who will serve as our executive officers and members of our Board at the time of the offering.
Name |
Age | Position | ||
Christopher A. Tomasso |
52 | President, Chief Executive Officer and Director | ||
Henry Melville Hope, III |
61 | Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer | ||
Jay Wolszczak |
53 | Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel and Secretary | ||
John Daniel Jones |
43 | Chief Operations Officer | ||
Eric Hartman |
50 | Chief Development Officer | ||
Laura Sorensen |
49 | Chief People Officer | ||
Calum Middleton |
42 | Chief Strategy Officer | ||
Ralph Alvarez |
67 | Director and Chairman of the Board | ||
Julie M.B. Bradley |
53 | Director | ||
Tricia Glynn |
41 | Director | ||
William Kussell |
63 | Director | ||
Stephanie Lilak |
53 | Director | ||
Lisa Price |
60 | Director | ||
Michael White |
34 | Director |
Christopher A. Tomasso
Mr. Tomasso has served as a director since December 2019, and has served as our President and Chief Executive Officer since August 2017 and December 2019, respectively. Mr. Tomasso has also served as director, president and chief executive officer of First Watch Restaurants, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, since October 2017, December 2015 and June 2018, respectively. In addition, Mr. Tomasso served as chief marketing officer of First Watch Restaurants, Inc. from August 2006 to December 2015.
Mr. Tomassos management, investment, marketing, and corporate strategy expertise make him well qualified to serve as a director.
Henry Melville Hope, III
Mr. Hope has served as our Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer since December 2019. Mr. Hope has also served as chief financial officer, executive vice president and treasurer of First Watch Restaurants, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, since July 2018, and as a director of First Watch Restaurants, Inc. since June 2021. Prior to joining us, Mr. Hope served as managing director and chief operating officer of Genesis Real Estate Advisers, LLC from March 2016 to August 2018, as managing director of Blue Plate Development and Consulting, LLC from May 2014 to February 2016 and as chief financial officer of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc. from February 2008 to May 2014.
Jay Wolszczak
Mr. Wolszczak has served as our Chief Legal Officer since May 2022 and as our General Counsel and Secretary since December 2019. Mr. Wolszczak has also served as chief legal officer, general counsel and secretary of First Watch Restaurants, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, since May 2018. Previously, Mr. Wolszczak worked at Hard Rock Café International (USA), Inc. from October 1997 to April 2018 where he most recently served as general counsel.
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John Daniel Jones
Mr. Jones has served as our Chief Operations Officer since October 2021. Prior thereto, Mr. Jones served as chief operating officer of CAVA Mezze Grill from August 2016 to September 2021 and worked at Starbucks Coffee Co. from August 2002 to August 2016, where he most recently served as regional director of operations.
Eric Hartman
Mr. Hartman has served as Chief Development Officer of First Watch Restaurants, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, since November 2016. In addition, Mr. Hartman founded the business SEVA Development Services LLC and served as its president from January 2014 to November 2016, and worked at Bloomin Brands, Inc. from August 2001 to January 2014 where he most recently served as vice president of real estate and development.
Laura Sorensen
Ms. Sorensen has served as Chief People Officer of First Watch Restaurants, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, since August 2016. Prior to joining us, Ms. Sorensen worked at Darden Restaurants from June 2010 to August 2016 where she most recently served as senior vice president of human resources for LongHorn Steakhouse.
Calum Middleton
Mr. Middleton has served as Chief Strategy Officer of First Watch Restaurants, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, since June 2021. Mr. Middleton also served as senior vice president of finance of First Watch Restaurants, Inc. from January 2019 to June 2021, vice president of finance from February 2018 to January 2019 and director of financial planning & analysis of First Watch Restaurants, Inc. from March 2015 to February 2018. Prior to joining us, he worked at Star2Star Communications, LLC from November 2012 to January 2015 where he most recently served as senior vice president of financial planning and analysis.
Ralph Alvarez
Mr. Alvarez has served as a director and as chairman of the Board since December 2019. Mr. Alvarez has served as an operating partner of Advent since July 2017. Previously, Mr. Alvarez served as the executive chairman of Skylark Co., Ltd. from January 2013 to March 2018, as a director of Realogy Holdings Corp. from August 2013 until May 2018 and as a director of Dunkin Brands Group from May 2012 until December 2020. Mr. Alvarez currently serves as a director of Lowes Companies, Inc., Traeger, Inc. and Eli Lilly & Company.
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Mr. Alvarezs qualifications to serve on our Board include his extensive management expertise and leadership experience on several boards of directors across multiple industries.
Julie M.B. Bradley
Ms. Bradley has served as a director since January 2020. Ms. Bradley served as chief financial officer, chief accounting officer and treasurer of TripAdvisor, Inc. from 2011 to 2015. Ms. Bradley served as a director of Constant Contact, Inc. from 2015 to 2016, as a director of Wayfair Inc. from 2012 to May 2021, and as a director of Blue Apron Holdings, Inc. from 2015 to October 2020. Ms. Bradley currently serves as a director of GoodRx Holdings, Inc. since August 2020, of ContextLogic Inc. since October 2020 and of BitSight Technologies, Inc. since April 2022.
Ms. Bradleys qualifications to serve on our Board include her extensive operational and financial management and leadership expertise in public companies.
Tricia Glynn
Ms. Glynn has served as a director since August 2017. Ms. Glynn has also served as a managing director of Advent since October 2016 and as a director of Olaplex, Inc. since January 2020 and Orveon, Inc. since December 2021. Previously, she served as principal of Bain Capital Private Equity from August 2004 to July 2016. Ms. Glynn served as a director of lululemon athletica inc. from August 2017 to June 2021 and of Burlington Stores, Inc. from August 2012 to June 2018.
Ms. Glynns qualifications to serve on our Board include her extensive management, investment, and leadership expertise in public companies.
William Kussell
Mr. Kussell has served as a director since December 2019. He has served as an operating partner of Advent since February 2010. Mr. Kussell served as chairman of the board of directors of Bojangles, Inc. from August 2011 to January 2019, and as a director of Extended Stay America, Inc. from June 2010 until June 2016.
Mr. Kussells qualifications to serve on our Board include his extensive management expertise and leadership experience on boards of directors across multiple industries.
Stephanie Lilak
Ms. Lilak has served as a director since June 2022. Ms. Lilak has served as the chief people officer of Bumble Inc., an online dating application, since November 2021. Previously, Ms. Lilak was senior vice president, chief human resources officer at Dunkin Brands Group, Inc. from July 2019 to November 2021. Prior to Dunkin Brands, Ms. Lilak spent 23 years with General Mills Inc., in roles of increasing responsibility. She served as vice president, human resources for the North America Retail Segment from January 2016 until July 2019.
Ms. Lilaks qualifications to serve on our Board include her extensive human resources management experience and leadership expertise.
Lisa Price
Ms. Price has served as a director since September 2020. Ms. Price founded the haircare and beauty products company Carols Daughter in 1993, which was acquired by LOreal in 2014. Ms. Price continues to hold an executive role helping with product development, marketing and creative direction of Carols Daughter.
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Ms. Prices qualifications to serve on our Board include her extensive management experience and leadership expertise.
Michael White
Mr. White has served as a director since April 2019. He has served as principal of Advent since January 2021. Previously, Mr. White served as vice president of Advent from January 2019 to January 2021 and vice president of TPG Inc., a leading global alternative asset manager, from August 2016 to December 2018. Mr. White has served as a director of Olaplex, Inc. since January 2020 and Orveon, Inc. since December 2021.
Mr. Whites qualifications to serve on our Board include his extensive investment and management expertise.
Board of Directors
Our business and affairs are managed by or under the direction of our Board. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the total number of directors constituting our Board shall be at least one, or such larger number as may be fixed from time to time by resolution of at least a majority of directors then in office. Contemporaneously with this offering, our Board is currently composed of 8 directors.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that our Board is divided into three classes, with one class being elected at each annual meeting of stockholders. Each class is as nearly equal in number as possible, with one class being elected each year to serve a staggered three-year term. The Class I directors, whose terms will expire at the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, are William Kussell, Stephanie Lilak and Lisa Price. The Class II directors, whose terms will expire at the 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, are Julie M.B. Bradley and Michael White. The Class III directors, whose terms will expire at the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, are Ralph Alvarez, Tricia Glynn and Christopher A. Tomasso. See Description of Capital Stock Anti-takeover Provisions.
Director Independence and Controlled Company Exemption
We are considered a controlled company within the meaning of Nasdaq rules. Controlled companies under those rules are companies of which more than 50% of the voting power for the election of directors is held by an individual, a group or another company. On this basis, we have availed ourselves of the controlled company exemption under the corporate governance rules of Nasdaq. Accordingly, we are not required to have a majority of independent directors on our Board as defined under the rules of Nasdaq nor are we required to have a compensation committee and a nominating and corporate governance committee composed entirely of independent directors. The controlled company exemption does not modify the independence requirements for the audit committee, which require that our audit committee be composed of at least three members, a majority of whom were required to be independent within 90 days of our IPO, and each of whom must be independent within one year of our IPO. Notwithstanding the availability of the controlled company exemption, our Board is composed of a majority of independent directors and our compensation committee and nominating and corporate governance committee are composed entirely of independent directors. Our Board has affirmatively determined that each of Ralph Alvarez, Julie M.B. Bradley, Tricia Glynn, William Kussell, Stephanie Lilak, Lisa Price and Michael White are independent directors under the applicable rules of Nasdaq. Christopher A. Tomasso, our President and CEO, is not considered an independent director under Nasdaq rules.
If at any time we cease to be a controlled company under the rules of Nasdaq, our Board will take all action necessary to comply with Nasdaq corporate governance rules, including as applicable appointing a majority of independent directors to the Board and establishing certain committees composed entirely of independent directors, subject to a permitted phase-in period.
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Board Committees
Our Board has established an audit committee, compensation committee, and a nominating and corporate governance committee. Each committee operates under a charter that has been approved by our Board and has the composition and responsibilities described below. Members serve on these committees until their resignations or until otherwise determined by our Board. The charter of each committee is available on our website.
Audit Committee. The primary purposes of our audit committee are to produce the annual report of the audit committee required by the rules of the SEC and assist the Boards oversight of the accounting and financial reporting processes of the Company and the Companys compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, including:
| audits of our financial statements; |
| the integrity of our financial statements; |
| our process relating to risk management and the conduct and systems of internal controls over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures; |
| the qualifications, engagement, compensation, independence and performance of our independent auditor, and the independent auditors conduct of the annual audit of the Companys financial statements and any other services provided to the Company; and |
| the performance of our internal audit function. |
The audit committee is currently composed of Ralph Alvarez, Julie M.B. Bradley, William Kussell, Stephanie Lilak and Michael White. Julie M.B. Bradley serves as chairperson of the audit committee. Each of Ralph Alvarez, Julie M.B. Bradley and Michael White qualifies as an audit committee financial expert as such term has been defined by the SEC in Item 407(d) of Regulation S-K. Our Board has affirmatively determined that Ralph Alvarez, Julie M.B. Bradley, William Kussell and Stephanie Lilak meet the definition of an independent director for the purposes of serving on the audit committee under applicable Nasdaq rules and Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act. We intend to comply with these independence requirements for all members of the audit committee within the time periods specified under such rules. The audit committee is governed by a charter that complies with the rules of Nasdaq.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The primary purposes of our nominating and corporate governance committee are to recommend candidates for appointment to the Board and to assist the Board in its oversight of the Companys corporate governance practices, including:
| identifying and screening individuals qualified to serve as directors, and recommending to the Board candidates for nomination for election at the annual meeting of stockholders or to fill Board vacancies; |
| developing, recommending to the Board and reviewing the Companys corporate governance guidelines; |
| coordinating and overseeing the annual self-evaluation of the Board and its committees; and |
| reviewing on a regular basis the overall corporate governance of the Company and recommending improvements to the Board where appropriate. |
The nominating and corporate governance committee is currently composed of Ralph Alvarez, Tricia Glynn and Lisa Price, each of whom have been determined by the Board to be independent directors under the applicable rules of Nasdaq. Tricia Glynn will serve as chairperson of the nominating and corporate governance committee. The nominating and corporate governance committee is governed by a charter that complies with the rules of Nasdaq.
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Compensation Committee. The primary purposes of our compensation committee are to produce the annual report of the compensation committee required by the rules of the SEC and to assist the Board in overseeing our employee compensation policies and practices, including:
| determining, approving and recommending to the Board for its approval executive officer compensation arrangements, plans, policies and programs; and |
| reviewing, approving, and recommending to the Board for its approval Company-wide and executive bonus plans or programs and equity-based compensation plans. |
The compensation committee is currently composed of Ralph Alvarez, Tricia Glynn and Stephanie Lilak, each of whom have been determined by the Board to be independent directors under the applicable rules of Nasdaq. Tricia Glynn serves as chairperson of the compensation committee. The compensation committee is governed by a charter that complies with the rules of Nasdaq.
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
The members of our Compensation Committee during the year ended December 26, 2021 were Ralph Alvarez and Tricia Glynn. During fiscal 2021, none of our executive officers served (i) as a member of the compensation committee or board of directors of another entity, one of whose executive officers served on our compensation committee, or (ii) as a member of the compensation committee of another entity, one of whose executive officers served on our Board.
Indemnification of Directors and Officers
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we will indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporate Law (the DGCL).
We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our executive officers and directors. The indemnification agreements provide the executive officers and directors with contractual rights to indemnification, expense advancement and reimbursement, to the fullest extent permitted under the DGCL, subject to certain exceptions contained in those agreements.
Code of Ethics and Business Conduct
We have adopted a code of business conduct and ethics that applies to our directors, executive officers and employees that complies with the rules and regulations of Nasdaq. A copy of the code is available on our website located at https://investors.firstwatch.com/corporate-governance/governance-documents, under Policies and Guidelines. You also may obtain, without charge, a printed copy of the Code of Ethics and Business Conduct by sending a written request to: First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc., 8725 Pendery Place, Ste. 201, Bradenton, FL 34201, Attention: Legal Department. We intend to satisfy the disclosure requirement regarding any amendments to or waivers from our code for our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions by posting such information on our website promptly following the date of the amendment or waiver.
Corporate Governance Guidelines
Our Board has adopted corporate governance guidelines in accordance with the corporate governance rules of Nasdaq that serve as a flexible framework within which our Board and its committees operate. These guidelines cover a number of areas including the duties and responsibilities of the Board, director independence, Board leadership structure, executive sessions, Chief Executive Officer evaluations, management development and succession planning, director nomination, qualification and election, director orientation and continuing education, Board agenda, materials, information and presentations, director access to senior managers and
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independent advisers, Board communication with stockholders and others, standing board committees, director compensation and annual board and committee performance evaluations. A copy of our corporate governance guidelines is posted on our website located at https://investors.firstwatch.com/corporate-governance/governance-documents, under Policies and Guidelines.
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PRINCIPAL AND SELLING STOCKHOLDERS
The following table shows information as of August 5, 2022 regarding the beneficial ownership of our common stock as adjusted to give effect to this offering by:
| each person or group who is known by us to own beneficially more than 5% of our common stock; |
| each member of our Board and each of our named executive officers (NEOs); and |
| all members of our Board and our executive officers as a group. |
Beneficial ownership of shares is determined under rules of the SEC and generally includes any shares over which a person exercises sole or shared voting or investment power. Except as noted by footnote, and subject to community property laws where applicable, we believe based on the information provided to us that the persons and entities named in the table below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of our common stock shown as beneficially owned by them. Percentage of beneficial ownership is based on shares of common stock outstanding as of August 5, 2022. Shares of common stock subject to options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of the date of this prospectus are deemed to be outstanding and beneficially owned by the person holding the options for the purposes of computing the percentage of beneficial ownership of that person and any group of which that person is a member, but are not deemed outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage of beneficial ownership for any other person. Except as otherwise indicated, the persons named in the table below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of capital stock held by them. Unless otherwise indicated, the address for each holder listed below is 8725 Pendery Place, Suite 201, Bradenton, FL 34201.
Shares of common stock beneficially owned before this offering |
Shares of common stock beneficially owned after this offering (assuming no exercise of the option to purchase additional shares) |
Shares of common stock beneficially owned after this offering assuming full exercise of the option to purchase additional shares |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Name and address |
Number of shares |
Percentage of shares |
Number of shares |
Percentage of shares |
Number of shares |
Percentage of shares |
||||||||||||||||||
5% stockholders: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Funds managed by Advent International Corporation (1) |
46,739,784 | 79.1 | % | 42,239,784 | 71.5 | % | 41,564,784 | 70.4 | % | |||||||||||||||
NEOs and directors: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Christopher A. Tomasso (2) |
972,373 | 1.6 | % | 972,373 | 1.6 | % | 972,373 | 1.6 | % | |||||||||||||||
Henry Melville Hope, III (3) |
145,975 | * | 145,975 | * | 145,975 | * | ||||||||||||||||||
Eric Hartman (4) |
208,113 | * | 208,113 | * | 208,113 | * | ||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Alvarez (5) |
504,869 | * | 504,869 | * | 504,869 | * | ||||||||||||||||||
Julie M.B. Bradley (6) |
23,017 | * | 23,017 | * | 23,017 | * | ||||||||||||||||||
Tricia Glynn (7) |
| * | | * | | * | ||||||||||||||||||
William Kussell (8) |
224,743 | * | 224,743 | * | 224,743 | * | ||||||||||||||||||
Stephanie Lilak |
| * | | * | | * | ||||||||||||||||||
Lisa Price (9) |
24,553 | * | 24,553 | * | 24,553 | * | ||||||||||||||||||
Michael White (7) |
| * | | * | | * | ||||||||||||||||||
All directors and executive officers as a group (13 persons) |
2,516,465 | 4.1 | % | 2,516,465 | 4.1 | % | 2,516,465 | 4.1 | % |
* | Represents beneficial ownership of less than 1% of our outstanding common stock. |
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(1) | Amount includes: (i) 2,801,208 shares of common stock held by Advent International GPE VIII Limited Partnership; (ii) 3,040,469 shares of common stock held by Advent International GPE VIII-B-1 Limited Partnership; (iii) 2,267,020 shares of common stock held by Advent International GPE VIII-B-2 Limited Partnership; (iv) 3,539,978 shares of common stock held by Advent International GPE VIII-B-3 Limited Partnership; (v) 8,543,936 shares of common stock held by Advent International GPE VIII-B Limited Partnership; (vi) 1,395,510 shares of common stock held by Advent International GPE VIII-C Limited Partnership; (vii) 1,193,501 shares of common stock held by Advent International GPE VIII-D Limited Partnership; (viii) 353,680 shares of common stock held by Advent International GPE VIII-F Limited Partnership; (ix) 3,133,388 shares of common stock held by Advent International GPE VIII-H Limited Partnership; (x) 2,913,665 shares of common stock held by Advent International GPE VIII-I Limited Partnership; (xi) 2,863,279 shares of common stock held by Advent International GPE VIII-J Limited Partnership (the funds set forth in the foregoing clauses (i)-(xi), the Advent VIII Luxembourg Funds); (xii) 6,570,631 shares of common stock held by Advent International GPE VIII-A Limited Partnership; (xiii) 1,329,140 shares of common stock held by Advent International GPE VIII-E Limited Partnership; (xiv) 2,254,307 shares of common stock held by Advent International GPE VIII-G Limited Partnership; (xv) 1,343,488 shares of common stock held by Advent International GPE VIII-K Limited Partnership; (xvi) 1,220,984 shares of common stock held by Advent International GPE VIII-L Limited Partnership (the funds set forth in the foregoing clauses (xii)-(xvi), the Advent VIII Cayman Funds); (xvii) 103,389 shares of common stock held by Advent Partners GPE VIII Limited Partnership; (xviii) 644,355 shares of common stock held by Advent Partners GPE VIII Cayman Limited Partnership; (xix) 124,235 shares of common stock held by Advent Partners GPE VIII-A Limited Partnership; (xx) 85,955 shares of common stock held by Advent Partners GPE VIII-A Cayman Limited Partnership; and (xxi) 1,017,666 shares of common stock held by Advent Partners GPE VIII-B Cayman Limited Partnership (the funds set forth in the foregoing clauses (xvii)-(xxi), the Advent VIII Partners Funds). |
GPE VIII GP S.à r.l. is the general partner of the Advent VIII Luxembourg Funds. GPE VIII GP Limited Partnership is the general partner of the Advent VIII Cayman Funds. AP GPE VIII GP Limited Partnership is the general partner of the Advent VIII Partners Funds. Advent International GPE VIII, LLC is the manager of GPE VIII GP S.à r.l. and the general partner of each of GPE VIII GP Limited Partnership and AP GPE VIII GP Limited Partnership.
Advent is the manager of Advent International GPE VIII, LLC and may be deemed to have voting and dispositive power over the shares held by the Advent VIII Luxembourg Funds, the Advent VIII Cayman Funds and the Advent VIII Partners Funds. Investment decisions by Advent are made by a number of individuals currently comprised of John L. Maldonado, David M. Mussafer and Bryan M. Taylor. The address of each of the entities and individuals named in this footnote is c/o Advent International Corporation, Prudential Tower, 800 Boylston St., Suite 3300, Boston, MA 02199.
(2) | Includes 759,605 shares of common stock held by Mr. Tomasso that are issuable upon exercise of stock options that are currently exercisable or are exercisable within 60 days. |
(3) | Includes 142,975 shares of common stock held by Mr. Hope that are issuable upon exercise of stock options that are currently exercisable or are exercisable within 60 days. |
(4) | Includes 180,858 shares of common stock held by Mr. Hartman that are issuable upon exercise of stock options that are currently exercisable or are exercisable within 60 days. |
(5) | Includes 121,010 shares of common stock held by Mr. Alvarez that are issuable upon exercise of stock options that are currently exercisable or are exercisable within 60 days. |
(6) | Includes 23,017 shares of common stock held by Ms. Bradley that are issuable upon exercise of stock options that are currently exercisable or are exercisable within 60 days. |
(7) | Ms. Glynn and Mr. White are employees of Advent but do not have voting or dispositive power over any shares deemed to be beneficially owned by Advent. |
(8) | Includes 72,343 shares of common stock held by Mr. Kussell that are issuable upon exercise of stock options that are currently exercisable or are exercisable within 60 days. Also includes 57,007 shares of |
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common stock held by the Melanie Kussell Irrevocable Trust of 2014 and 57,007 shares of common stock held by the David Kussell Irrevocable Trust of 2014. |
(9) | Includes 24,553 shares of common stock held by Ms. Price that are issuable upon exercise of stock options that are currently exercisable or are exercisable within 60 days. |
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DESCRIPTION OF MATERIAL INDEBTEDNESS
New Facilities
FWR Holding Corporation, a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of the Company (the Borrower), is the borrower under that certain Credit Agreement dated as of October 6, 2021 (the New Credit Agreement), which provides for (i) a $100.0 million term loan A facility that was drawn in full on October 6, 2021 (the New Term Facility and the loans thereunder, the New Term Loans), and (ii) a $75.0 million revolving credit facility which was undrawn at June 26, 2022 (the New Revolving Credit Facility and together with the New Term Facility, the New Facilities).
Interest Rate and Fees
Borrowings under the New Facilities bear interest, at the Borrowers option, at a rate per annum equal to either (i) the base rate plus a margin of between 125 and 200 basis points depending on the Total Rent Adjusted Net Leverage Ratio (as defined below) or (ii) the London interbank offer rate (LIBOR) plus a margin of between 225 and 300 basis points depending on the Total Rent Adjusted Net Leverage Ratio. The New Credit Agreement contains LIBOR replacement language, pursuant to which the New Credit Agreement may be amended to replace LIBOR with a secured overnight financing rate or another alternate benchmark rate upon the occurrence of certain LIBOR cessation events.
The following fees are required to be paid under the New Credit Agreement:
| an unused commitment fee to each revolving lender on the undrawn commitments under the New Revolving Credit Facility at a rate per annum of between 25 and 50 basis points, depending on the Total Rent Adjusted Net Leverage Ratio, payable quarterly in arrears; |
| a participation fee to each revolving lender at a rate equal to the applicable LIBOR margin for revolving loans on the daily face amount of such revolving lenders letter of credit exposure, payable quarterly in arrears; |
| a customary fronting fee (not to exceed 12.5 basis points per annum) to each issuing bank on the daily face amount of such issuing banks letter of credit exposure, payable quarterly in arrears, and such issuing banks standard fees with respect to the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of letters of credit or processing of drawings thereunder; and |
| an annual administrative agency fee payable to Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent. |
Voluntary Prepayments
Subject to certain notice requirements, the Borrower may voluntarily prepay outstanding loans under the New Facilities in whole or in part without premium or penalty other than customary breakage costs with respect to LIBOR loans.
Amortization; Mandatory Prepayments; Final Maturity
The New Term Facility is subject to amortization of principal, payable in quarterly installments on the last business day of each fiscal quarter, equal to (i) 2.50% of the original principal amount of the term loans in fiscal year ended December 25, 2022, (ii) 5.00% of the original principal amount of the term loans in fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, (iii) 5.00% of the original principal amount of the term loans in fiscal year ended December 29, 2024, (iv) 7.50% of the original principal amount of the term loans in fiscal year ended
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December 28, 2025 and (v) 10.00% of the original principal amount of the term loans in fiscal year ended December 27, 2026. The remaining aggregate principal amount outstanding (together with accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount) under the New Term Facility is payable at the maturity of the New Term Facility.
In addition, the New Credit Agreement requires mandatory prepayments of the New Term Loans with:
| 100.0% of the net cash proceeds of certain asset sales and/or insurance/condemnation events above a threshold amount, subject to reinvestment rights and other exceptions; and |
| 100.0% of the net cash proceeds of any issuance or incurrence of debt that is not permitted by the New Credit Agreement. |
The New Facilities mature on October 6, 2026.
Guarantors
The obligations of the Borrower under the New Credit Agreement are guaranteed by AI Fresh Parent, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned direct subsidiary of the Company, and each wholly-owned domestic restricted subsidiary of the Borrower, subject to certain exceptions. Certain future-formed or acquired wholly owned domestic restricted subsidiaries of the Borrower will also be required to guarantee the obligations under the New Credit Agreement.
Security
The obligations of the Borrower under the New Credit Agreement are secured by first-priority security interests in substantially all of the assets of the Borrower and the guarantors, subject to permitted liens and other exceptions.
Certain Covenants; Representations and Warranties
The New Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative covenants (including reporting obligations, transactions with affiliates and nature of business) and negative covenants and requires the Borrower to make customary representations and warranties at certain times set forth in the New Credit Agreement. The negative covenants, among other things and subject to certain exceptions, limit the ability of the Borrower and its restricted subsidiaries to:
| incur or guarantee additional indebtedness; |
| create liens; |
| pay dividends or make other distributions in respect of equity of the Borrower; |
| make payments in respect of material subordinated, junior secured and/or unsecured debt; |
| enter into burdensome agreements with negative pledge clauses or restrictions on subsidiary distributions; |
| make investments, including acquisitions, loans, and advances; |
| consolidate, merge, liquidate, or dissolve; |
| sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of assets; and |
| amend or otherwise change the terms of the documentation governing certain restricted debt. |
Financial Covenants
Pursuant to the New Credit Agreement, the Borrower is required to maintain, on a consolidated basis, both (a) a maximum ratio of (i) consolidated total net debt of the Borrower and its restricted subsidiaries to
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(ii) consolidated EBITDA of the Borrower and its restricted subsidiaries plus consolidated cash rent expense, in each case, with certain adjustments set forth in the New Credit Agreement (the Total Rent Adjusted Net Leverage Ratio), and (b) a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio of (i) consolidated EBITDA of the Borrower and its restricted subsidiaries plus consolidated cash rent expense, in each case, with certain adjustments set forth in the New Credit Agreement to (ii) consolidated fixed charges of the Borrower and its restricted subsidiaries, in each case, subject to customary equity cure rights and other terms as set forth in the New Credit Agreement and tested as of the last day of each fiscal quarter. The Borrowers ability to borrow under the New Revolving Credit Facility is subject to the absence of a default or event of default under the New Credit Agreement, including the Borrowers compliance with these financial covenants.
Events of Default
The New Credit Agreement contains customary events of default, subject in certain circumstances to specified grace periods, thresholds and exceptions, including, among others, payment defaults, cross-defaults to certain material indebtedness, covenant defaults, material inaccuracy of representations and warranties, bankruptcy events, material judgments, material defects with respect to guarantees and collateral and change of control. If an event of default occurs, the lenders would be entitled to take various actions, including acceleration of the loans and termination of the commitments under the New Credit Agreement, foreclosure on collateral and all other remedial actions available to a secured creditor. Failure to pay certain amounts owing under the New Credit Agreement may result in an increased interest rate equal to 2.00% per annum plus, in the case of overdue principal or interest of any loan or unreimbursed letter of credit disbursement, the rate of interest otherwise applicable to the relevant loan or letter of credit disbursement or, in the case of any other amount, the rate applicable to revolving loans that bear interest by reference to the base rate.
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The following is a description of (i) the material terms of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws and (ii) certain applicable provisions of Delaware law. We refer you to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, copies of which will be filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
Authorized Capitalization
Our authorized capital stock consists of 300,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share. Following the consummation of this offering, 59,080,348 shares of common stock and no shares of preferred stock shall be outstanding. Unless our Board determines otherwise, we will issue all shares of our capital stock in uncertificated form.
Common Stock
Holders of our common stock are entitled to the rights set forth below.
Voting Rights
At any meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected, directors will be elected by a plurality of the votes cast by the holders of shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors. Our stockholders do not have cumulative voting rights. Except as otherwise provided in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our bylaws or as required by law, all matters to be voted on by our stockholders other than matters relating to the election and removal of directors must be approved by a majority of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and voting on the subject matter.
Dividend Rights
Holders of common stock share equally in any dividend declared by our Board, subject to the rights of the holders of any outstanding preferred stock.
Liquidation Rights
In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, distribution of assets or winding up of our affairs, holders of our common stock would be entitled to share ratably in our assets that are legally available for distribution to stockholders after payment of liabilities. If we have any preferred stock outstanding at such time, holders of the preferred stock may be entitled to distribution and/or liquidation preferences. In either such case, we must pay the applicable distribution to the holders of our preferred stock before we may pay distributions to the holders of our common stock.
Registration Rights
Certain of our existing stockholders have certain registration rights with respect to our common stock pursuant to a registration rights agreement.
Other Rights
Our stockholders have no preemptive or other rights to subscribe for additional shares. There are no redemption, conversion or sinking fund provisions applicable to our common stock. All holders of our common stock are entitled to share equally on a share-for-share basis in any assets available for distribution to common stockholders upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up. All outstanding shares are, and all shares offered by this prospectus will be, when sold, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
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Preferred Stock
Our Board is authorized to provide for the issuance of preferred stock in one or more series and to fix the preferences, powers and relative, participating, optional or other special rights and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, including the dividend rate, conversion rights, voting rights, redemption rights and liquidation preference and to fix the number of shares to be included in any such series without any further vote or action by our stockholders. Any preferred stock so issued may rank senior to our common stock with respect to the payment of dividends or amounts upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, or both. In addition, any such shares of preferred stock may have class or series voting rights. The issuance of preferred stock may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company without further action by the stockholders and may adversely affect the voting and other rights of the holders of our common stock.
Anti-takeover Provisions
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws contain provisions that delay, defer or discourage transactions involving an actual or potential change in control of us or change in our management. We expect that these provisions, which are summarized below, will discourage coercive takeover practices or inadequate takeover bids. These provisions are designed to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with our Board, which we believe may result in an improvement of the terms of any such acquisition in favor of our stockholders. However, they also give our Board the power to discourage transactions that some stockholders may favor, including transactions in which stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares or transactions that our stockholders might otherwise deem to be in their best interests. Accordingly, these provisions could adversely affect the price of our common stock.
Classified Board of Directors
Our Board is divided into three classes, Class I, Class II and Class III, with members of each class serving staggered three-year terms. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the authorized number of directors may be changed only by resolution of the Board. Any additional directorships resulting from an increase in the number of directors will be distributed among the three classes so that, as nearly as possible, each class will consist of one-third of the directors. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws also provide that a director may be removed by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of our outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, and only for cause so long as our Board is classified. Any vacancy on our Board, including a vacancy resulting from an enlargement of our Board, may be filled only by vote of a majority of our directors then in office. Our classified Board could have the effect of delaying or discouraging an acquisition of us or a change in our management.
Special Meetings of Stockholders and Advance Notice Requirements for Stockholder Meetings, Nominations and Proposals
Our amended and restated bylaws provide that special meetings of the stockholders may be called only upon the request of a majority of our Board, the Chairperson of our Board or the Chief Executive Officer. Our amended and restated bylaws prohibit the conduct of any business at an annual or special meeting other than as specified in the notice for such meeting or otherwise brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board or a duly authorized committee or authorized officer to whom the Board or committee delegated such authority. These provisions may have the effect of deferring, delaying or discouraging hostile takeovers or changes in control or management of our company.
Our amended and restated bylaws establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and the nomination of candidates for election as directors, other than nominations made by or at the direction of our Board or a committee of our Board. In order for any matter to be properly brought before a meeting, a
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stockholder will have to comply with these advance notice requirements of directors, which may be filled only by a vote of a majority of directors then in office, even though less than a quorum, and not by the stockholders. Our amended and restated bylaws allow the presiding officer at a meeting of the stockholders to adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of meetings, which may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the rules and regulations are not followed. These provisions may also defer, delay or discourage a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirers own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our company.
No Stockholder Action by Written Consent
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws provide that after the time that Advent collectively owns less than 50% of our then outstanding common stock, subject to the rights of any holders of preferred stock to act by written consent instead of a meeting, stockholder action may be taken only at an annual meeting or special meeting of stockholders and may not be taken by written consent instead of a meeting. Failure to satisfy any of the requirements for a stockholder meeting could delay, prevent or invalidate stockholder action.
Section 203 of the DGCL
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL, which relate to business combinations with interested stockholders, do not apply to us. Section 203 of the DGCL prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a business combination transaction with an interested stockholder (a stockholder who owns more than 15% of our common stock) for a period of three years after the interested stockholder became such unless the transaction fits within an applicable exemption, such as Board approval of the business combination or the transaction that resulted in such stockholder becoming an interested stockholder. These provisions apply even if the business combination could be considered beneficial by some stockholders. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation contains provisions that have the same effect as Section 203 of the DGCL and provides that Advent, their respective affiliates or successors, their transferees, and any group as to which such persons are party do not constitute interested stockholders for purposes of these provisions for so long as they collectively own, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of the voting power of our then outstanding shares of voting stock. Although we have elected to opt out of the statutes provisions, we could elect to be subject to Section 203 in the future.
Amendment to Bylaws and Certificate of Incorporation
Any amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation must first be approved by a majority of our Board and if required by law, thereafter be approved by a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment. Our amended and restated bylaws may be amended (x) by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, without further stockholder action or (y) by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the voting power of the then outstanding shares entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, without further action by our Board.
Renouncement of Corporate Opportunity
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, except as may be expressly agreed in writing between our company and Advent, we renounce any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any business opportunity that may from time to time be presented to and that may be a business opportunity for Advent or any of its managers, officers, directors, agents stockholders, members, partners, affiliates, and subsidiaries (other than our company and its subsidiaries) (Exempted Persons), even if the opportunity is one that we might reasonably have pursued or had the ability or desire to pursue if granted the opportunity to do so. No such Exempted Persons are liable to us for breach of any fiduciary or other duty, as a director or officer or otherwise, by reason of the fact that such person, acting in good faith, pursues or acquires
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any such business opportunity, directs any such business opportunity to another person or fails to present any such business opportunity, or information regarding any such business opportunity, to us.
Exclusive Forum
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, unless we consent in writing to an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or, if the Court of Chancery lacks jurisdiction, a state court located within the State of Delaware or the federal district court for the District of Delaware, shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for any (i) derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty or other wrongdoing by any current or former director, officer, employee, agent or stockholder to us or our stockholders, (iii) action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated bylaws or as to which the DGCL confers jurisdiction on the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, or (iv) action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine of the law of the State of Delaware. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation also provides that the foregoing exclusive forum provision does not apply to actions brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Securities Act or Exchange Act, or any other claim or cause of action for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation also provides that, unless we consent in writing to an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the sole and exclusive forum for the resolution of any action asserting a claim arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Pursuant to the Exchange Act, claims arising thereunder must be brought in federal district courts of the United States of America.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in any shares of our capital stock shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the forum provision in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. In any case, stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. The enforceability of similar choice of forum provisions in other companies certificates of incorporation has been challenged in legal proceedings, and it is possible that a court could find these types of provisions to be inapplicable or unenforceable. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation also provides that any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock will be deemed to have notice of and consented to this choice of forum provision. These exclusive forum provisions may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers.
Listing
Our common stock is listed on Nasdaq under the symbol FWRG.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
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SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
Future sales of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that sales may occur, could materially adversely affect the prevailing market price of our common stock at such time and our ability to raise equity capital in the future.
Sale of Restricted Securities
Upon consummation of this offering, we will have 59,080,348 shares of our common stock outstanding. Of these shares, all shares sold in the IPO and all shares sold in this offering will be freely tradable without further restriction or registration under the Securities Act, except that any shares purchased by our affiliates may generally only be sold in compliance with Rule 144, which is described below. Of the remaining outstanding shares, 43,702,498 shares are deemed restricted securities under the Securities Act.
Lock-Up Arrangements and Registration Rights
In connection with this offering, we, certain of our officers, our directors and the selling stockholders will enter into lock-up agreements that restrict the sale of our securities for up to 75 days after the date of this prospectus, subject to certain exceptions or an extension in certain circumstances.
In addition, we entered into a registration rights agreement in connection with the IPO pursuant to which certain stockholders will have the right, subject to certain conditions, to require us to register the sale of their shares of our common stock under federal securities laws. If these stockholders exercise this right, our other existing stockholders may require us to register their registrable securities.
Following the lock-up periods described above, all of the shares of our common stock that are restricted securities or are held by our affiliates as of the date of this prospectus will be eligible for sale in the public market in compliance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act.
Rule 144
The shares of our common stock sold in this offering will generally be freely transferable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act, except that any shares of our common stock held by an affiliate of ours may not be resold publicly except in compliance with the registration requirements of the Securities Act or under an exemption under Rule 144 or otherwise. Rule 144 permits our common stock that has been acquired by a person who is an affiliate of ours, or has been an affiliate of ours within the past three months, to be sold into the market in an amount that does not exceed, during any three-month period, the greater of:
| one percent of the total number of shares of our common stock outstanding; or |
| the average weekly reported trading volume of our common stock for the four calendar weeks prior to the sale. |
Such sales are also subject to specific manner of sale provisions, a six-month holding period requirement, notice requirements and the availability of current public information about us.
Approximately 14,324,099 shares of our common stock that are not subject to lock-up arrangements will be eligible for sale under Rule 144 immediately upon the closing.
Rule 144 also provides that a person who is not deemed to have been an affiliate of ours at any time during the three months preceding a sale, and who has for at least six months beneficially owned shares of our common stock that are restricted securities, will be entitled to freely sell such shares of our common stock subject only to the availability of current public information regarding us. A person who is not deemed to have been an affiliate
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of ours at any time during the three months preceding a sale, and who has beneficially owned for at least one year shares of our common stock that are restricted securities, will be entitled to freely sell such shares of our common stock under Rule 144 without regard to the current public information requirements of Rule 144.
Rule 701
Rule 701 generally allows a stockholder who purchased shares of our capital stock pursuant to a written compensatory plan or contract and who is not deemed to have been an affiliate of our company during the immediately preceding 90 days to sell these shares in reliance upon Rule 144, but without being required to comply with the public information, holding period, volume limitation or notice provisions of Rule 144. Rule 701 also permits affiliates of our company to sell their Rule 701 shares under Rule 144 without complying with the holding period requirements of Rule 144. All holders of Rule 701 shares, however, are required to wait until 90 days after the date of this prospectus before selling those shares pursuant to Rule 701.
Additional Registration Statements
We filed a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act on September 30, 2021, which became effective upon filing, to register 4,034,072 shares of our common stock to be issued or reserved for issuance under the 2021 Plan. Shares granted under the 2021 Plan and registered under such registration statement are available for sale in the open market, unless such shares are subject to vesting restrictions with us or the lock-up restrictions described above.
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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS FOR NON-U.S. HOLDERS
The following is a general discussion of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences to non-U.S. holders (as defined herein) of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our common stock. This discussion does not provide a complete analysis of all potential U.S. federal income tax considerations relating thereto. This description is based on the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), existing and proposed U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, administrative pronouncements, judicial decisions, and interpretations of the foregoing, all as of the date hereof and all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. This discussion is limited to non-U.S. holders (as defined herein) who hold shares of our common stock as capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code (generally for investment). Moreover, this discussion is for general information only and does not address all of the tax consequences that may be relevant to you in light of your particular circumstances, nor does it discuss special tax provisions, which may apply to you if you are a holder who is subject to special treatment under U.S. federal income tax laws, such as certain financial institutions or financial services entities, insurance companies, tax-exempt entities or governmental organizations, tax-qualified retirement plans, qualified foreign pension funds (and entities all of the interests of which are held by qualified foreign pension funds), dealers in securities or currencies, persons who have elected to mark securities to market, entities that are treated as partnerships or other pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes (and partners or beneficial owners thereof), foreign branches, controlled foreign corporations, passive foreign investment companies, former U.S. citizens or long-term residents, holders that acquired our common stock in a compensatory transaction, holders subject to special tax accounting rules as a result of any item of gross income with respect to our common stock being taken into account in an applicable financial statement, corporations that accumulate earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax, persons deemed to sell common stock under the constructive sale provisions of the Code, and persons that hold common stock as part of a straddle, hedge, conversion transaction, or other integrated investment. In addition, this discussion does not address estate or gift taxes, the alternative minimum tax, the Medicare tax on certain investment income or any state, local or foreign taxes or any U.S. federal tax laws other than U.S. federal income tax laws.
You are urged to consult with your own tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal income tax consequences of acquiring, owning and disposing of our common stock, as well as the application of any state, local, or foreign income and other tax laws or tax treaties.
As used in this section, a non-U.S. holder is a beneficial owner of our common stock that is not, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:
| an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States, |
| a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) that is created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, |
| an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source, or |
| a trust if (i) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (ii) it has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a domestic trust. |
If a partnership or other entity treated as a pass-through entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes is a holder of our common stock, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership or an owner of the other pass-through entity will depend upon the status of the partner or owner and the activities of the partnership or other pass-through entity. Any partnership or other pass-through entity, and any partner in such a partnership or owner of such a pass-through entity, holding shares of our common stock should consult its own tax advisor as to the particular U.S. federal income tax consequences applicable to it.
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INVESTORS CONSIDERING THE PURCHASE OF OUR COMMON STOCK SHOULD CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE APPLICATION OF U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS TO THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATIONS AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF OTHER FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND FOREIGN TAX LAWS, AND APPLICABLE TAX TREATIES.
Distributions on Common Stock
Although we do not currently anticipate doing so in the foreseeable future (as discussed in the section entitled Dividend Policy), if we do pay distributions on shares of our common stock, such distributions will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits will constitute a return of capital that is applied against and reduces, but not below zero, a non-U.S. holders adjusted tax basis in shares of our common stock. Any remaining excess will be treated as gain realized on the sale or other disposition of our common stock. See Dispositions of Common Stock.
Any dividend paid to a non-U.S. holder on our common stock will generally be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a 30% rate, subject to the discussion below regarding effectively connected income. The withholding tax might not apply, however, or might apply at a reduced rate, under the terms of an applicable income tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. holders country of residence. You should consult your own tax advisors regarding your entitlement to benefits under a relevant income tax treaty. Generally, in order for us or our paying agent to withhold tax at a lower treaty rate, a non-U.S. holder must certify its entitlement to treaty benefits. A non-U.S. holder generally can meet this certification requirement by providing a valid Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or other applicable form), as applicable, to us or our paying agent. If the non-U.S. holder holds the stock through a financial institution or other agent acting on the non-U.S. holders behalf, the non-U.S. holder will be required to provide appropriate documentation to the agent. The non-U.S. holders agent will then be required to provide certification to us or our paying agent, either directly or through other intermediaries. Even if our current or accumulated earnings and profits are less than the amount of the distribution, the applicable withholding agent may elect to treat the entire distribution as a dividend for U.S. federal tax purposes. A non-U.S. holder that does not timely furnish the required documentation, but that qualifies for a reduced treaty rate, generally may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS.
Dividends received by a non-U.S. holder that are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business conducted by the non-U.S. holder and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. holders country of residence, are attributable to a permanent establishment (or, in certain cases involving individual holders, a fixed base) maintained by the non-U.S. holder in the United States, are generally not subject to such withholding tax. To obtain this exemption, a non-U.S. holder must provide the applicable withholding agent with a valid IRS Form W-8ECI (or applicable successor form) properly certifying such exemption. Such effectively connected dividends, although generally not subject to withholding tax (provided certain certification and disclosure requirements are satisfied), are taxed at the same graduated rates applicable to U.S. persons, net of certain deductions and credits. In addition to the graduated tax described above, such effectively connected dividends received by corporate non-U.S. holders may also be subject to a branch profits tax at a rate of 30% or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty.
Dispositions of Common Stock
Subject to the discussion below on backup withholding and other withholding requirements, gain realized by a non-U.S. holder on a sale, exchange or other disposition of our common stock generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax, unless:
| the gain (i) is effectively connected with the conduct by the non-U.S. holder of a U.S. trade or business and (ii) if required by an applicable income tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. |
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holders country of residence, is attributable to a permanent establishment (or, in certain cases involving individual holders, a fixed base) maintained by the non-U.S. holder in the United States (in which case the special rules described below apply), |
| the non-U.S. holder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 or more days in the taxable year of such disposition and certain other conditions are met (in which case the gain would be subject to a flat 30% tax, or such reduced rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty, which may be offset by certain U.S. source capital losses, provided the non-U.S holder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses), or |
| we are, or have been, a U.S. real property holding corporation (a USRPHC) for U.S. federal income tax purposes at any time during the shorter of the five-year period ending on the date of disposition of our common stock and the non-U.S. holders holding period for our common stock. |
Generally, a corporation is a USRPHC if the fair market value of its United States real property interests equals 50% or more of the sum of the fair market value of (a) its worldwide real property interests and (b) its other assets used or held for use in a trade or business. The tax relating to a disposition of stock in a USRPHC does not apply to a non-U.S. holder whose holdings, actual and constructive, amount to 5% or less of our common stock at all times during the applicable period, provided that our common stock is regularly traded on an established securities market. No assurance can be provided that our stock will be regularly traded on an established securities market at all times for purposes of the rules described above. Although there can be no assurances in this regard, we believe we have not been and are not currently a USRPHC, and do not anticipate being a USRPHC in the future. You should consult your tax advisor about the consequences that could result if we have been, are or become a USRPHC.
If any gain from the sale, exchange or other disposition of our common stock (1) is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business conducted by a non-U.S. holder and (2) if required by an applicable income tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. holders country of residence, is attributable to a permanent establishment (or, in certain cases involving individuals, a fixed base) maintained by such non-U.S. holder in the United States, then the gain generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the same graduated rates applicable to U.S. persons, net of certain deductions and credits. In addition to the graduated tax described above, such effectively connected gain realized by corporate non-U.S. holders may also be subject to a branch profits tax at a rate of 30% or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
Any dividends that are paid to a non-U.S. holder must be reported annually to the IRS and to the non-U.S. holder. Copies of these information returns also may be made available to the tax authorities of the country in which the non-U.S. holder resides under the provisions of various treaties or agreements for the exchange of information. Dividends paid on our common stock and the gross proceeds from a taxable disposition of our common stock may be subject to additional information reporting and may also be subject to U.S. federal backup withholding if such non-U.S. holder fails to comply with applicable U.S. information reporting and certification requirements. Provision of an IRS Form W-8 appropriate to the non-U.S. holders circumstances will generally satisfy the certification requirements necessary to avoid the additional information reporting and backup withholding.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts so withheld under the backup withholding rules will be refunded by the IRS or credited against the non-U.S. holders U.S. federal income tax liability, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.
Other Withholding Taxes
Provisions commonly referred to as FATCA impose withholding (separate and apart from, but without duplication of, the withholding tax described above) at a rate of 30% on payments of U.S.-source dividends
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(including our dividends) paid to foreign financial institutions (which is broadly defined for this purpose and in general includes investment vehicles) and certain other non-U.S. entities unless various U.S. information reporting and due diligence requirements (generally relating to ownership by U.S. persons of interests in or accounts with those entities) have been satisfied, or an exemption applies. Withholding imposed under FATCA may also apply to gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of domestic corporate stock (including our stock); although, under proposed U.S. Treasury regulations published on December 18, 2018, no withholding would apply to such gross proceeds. The preamble to such proposed regulations specifies that taxpayers (including withholding agents) are permitted to rely on the proposed regulations pending finalization. An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign jurisdiction may modify these requirements. Accordingly, the entity through which our common stock is held may affect the determination of whether such withholding is required. If FATCA withholding is imposed, a beneficial owner that is not a foreign financial institution generally will be entitled to a refund of any amounts withheld by filing a U.S. federal income tax return containing the required information (which may entail significant administrative burden). Non-U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the effects of FATCA on their investment in our common stock.
THE PRECEDING DISCUSSION OF U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY. IT IS NOT TAX ADVICE. EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR SHOULD CONSULT ITS TAX ADVISOR REGARDING THE PARTICULAR U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND FOREIGN TAX CONSEQUENCES OF PURCHASING, HOLDING AND DISPOSING OF OUR COMMON STOCK, INCLUDING THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANY PROPOSED CHANGE IN APPLICABLE LAWS, INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENTS OR TAX TREATIES.
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The selling stockholders are offering the shares of common stock described in this prospectus through a number of underwriters. BofA Securities, Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Jefferies LLC are acting as representatives of each of the underwriters named below. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in an underwriting agreement among us, the selling stockholders and the underwriters, the selling stockholders have agreed to sell to the underwriters, and each of the underwriters has agreed, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the selling stockholders, the number of shares of common stock set forth opposite its name below.
Underwriter |
Number of shares |
|||
BofA Securities, Inc. |
||||
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC |
||||
Jefferies LLC |
||||
|
|
|||
Total |
4,500,000 | |||
|
|
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the underwriting agreement, the underwriters have agreed, severally and not jointly, to purchase all of the shares sold under the underwriting agreement if any of these shares are purchased. If an underwriter defaults, the underwriting agreement provides that the purchase commitments of the non-defaulting underwriters may be increased or the underwriting agreement may be terminated.
We and the selling stockholders have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.
The underwriters are offering the shares, subject to prior sale, when, as and if issued to and accepted by them, subject to approval of legal matters by their counsel, including the validity of the shares, and other conditions contained in the underwriting agreement, such as the receipt by the underwriters of officers certificates and legal opinions. The underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel or modify offers to the public and to reject orders in whole or in part.
Commissions and Discounts
The representatives have advised us and the selling stockholders that the underwriters propose initially to offer the shares to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and to dealers at that price less a concession not in excess of $ per share. After the initial offering, the public offering price, concession or any other term of the offering may be changed.
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The following table shows the public offering price, underwriting discount and proceeds before expenses to the selling stockholders. The information assumes either no exercise or full exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares.
Per Share | Without Option |
With Option | ||||||||||
Public offering price |
$ | $ | $ | |||||||||
Underwriting discount |
$ | $ | $ | |||||||||
Proceeds, before expenses, to the selling stockholders |
$ | $ | $ |
The expenses of the offering, not including the underwriting discount, are estimated at $1,500,000 and are payable by us and the selling stockholders. We and the selling stockholders have also agreed to reimburse the underwriters for certain of their expenses incurred in connection with this offering in an amount up to $35,000.
Option to Purchase Additional Shares
The selling stockholders have granted an option to the underwriters, exercisable for 30 days after the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to 675,000 additional shares at the public offering price, less the underwriting discount. If the underwriters exercise this option, each will be obligated, subject to conditions contained in the underwriting agreement, to purchase a number of additional shares proportionate to that underwriters initial amount reflected in the above table.
No Sales of Similar Securities
We, the selling stockholders and our executive officers and directors have agreed not to sell or transfer any common stock or securities convertible into, exchangeable for, exercisable for, or repayable with common stock, for 75 days after the date of this prospectus without first obtaining the written consent of BofA Securities, Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Jefferies LLC. Specifically, we and these other persons have agreed, with certain limited exceptions, not to directly or indirectly:
| offer, pledge, sell or contract to sell any common stock, |
| sell any option or contract to purchase any common stock, |
| purchase any option or contract to sell any common stock, |
| grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of any common stock, |
| lend or otherwise dispose of or transfer any common stock, |
| request or demand that we file or make a confidential submission of a registration statement related to the common stock, or |
| enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, the economic consequence of ownership of any common stock whether any such swap or transaction is to be settled by delivery of shares or other securities, in cash or otherwise. |
This lock-up provision applies to common stock and to securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for or repayable with common stock. It also applies to common stock owned now or acquired later by the person executing the agreement or for which the person executing the agreement later acquires the power of disposition.
Stock Exchange Listing
Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq under the symbol FWRG.
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Price Stabilization and Short Positions
Until the distribution of the shares is completed, SEC rules may limit underwriters and selling group members from bidding for and purchasing our common stock. However, the representatives may engage in transactions that stabilize the price of the common stock, such as bids or purchases to peg, fix or maintain that price.
In connection with the offering, the underwriters may purchase and sell our common stock in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, purchases on the open market to cover positions created by short sales and stabilizing transactions. Short sales involve the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of shares than they are required to purchase in the offering. Covered short sales are sales made in an amount not greater than the underwriters option to purchase additional shares described above. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their option to purchase additional shares or purchasing shares in the open market. In determining the source of shares to close out the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase shares through the option granted to them. Naked short sales are sales in excess of such option. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of our common stock in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of various bids for or purchases of shares of common stock made by the underwriters in the open market prior to the completion of the offering.
Similar to other purchase transactions, the underwriters purchases to cover the syndicate short sales may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our common stock or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our common stock. As a result, the price of our common stock may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. The underwriters may conduct these transactions on the Nasdaq, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.
Neither we, the selling stockholders nor any of the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of our common stock. In addition, neither we, the selling stockholders nor any of the underwriters make any representation that the representatives will engage in these transactions or that these transactions, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.
In connection with this offering, underwriters and selling group members may engage in passive market making transactions in the common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act during a period before the commencement of offers or sales of common stock and extending through the completion of distribution. A passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid of that security. However, if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market makers bid, that bid must then be lowered when specified purchase limits are exceeded. Passive market making may cause the price of our common stock to be higher than the price that otherwise would exist in the open market in the absence of those transactions. The underwriters and dealers are not required to engage in passive market making and may end passive market making activities at any time.
Electronic Distribution
In connection with the offering, certain of the underwriters or securities dealers may distribute prospectuses by electronic means, such as e-mail.
Other Relationships
Some of the underwriters and their affiliates have engaged in, and may in the future engage in, investment banking and other commercial dealings in the ordinary course of business with us or our affiliates. They have
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received, or may in the future receive, customary fees and commissions for these transactions. In that regard, certain of the underwriters or their respective affiliates are acting as administrative agent, collateral agent and lenders under our New Credit Agreement. All shares of our common stock offered by this prospectus will be sold by the selling stockholders and we will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of common stock by the selling stockholders. Therefore, none of the proceeds from this offering will be used to repay, all or in part, the New Credit Agreement.
In addition, in the ordinary course of their business activities, the underwriters and their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers. Such investments and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of ours or our affiliates. The underwriters and their affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or financial instruments and may hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.
European Economic Area
In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area (each a Relevant State), no shares have been offered or will be offered pursuant to the offering to the public in that Relevant State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the shares which has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation), except that offers of shares may be made to the public in that Relevant State at any time under the following exemptions under the Prospectus Regulation:
a. | to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined under the Prospectus Regulation; |
b. | to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined under the Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representatives for any such offer; or |
c. | in any other circumstances falling within Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation, provided that no such offer of shares shall require the Company or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the Prospectus Regulation. |
Each person in a Relevant State who initially acquires any shares or to whom any offer is made will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed to and with the Company and the underwriters that it is a qualified investor within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation.
In the case of any shares being offered to a financial intermediary as that term is used in Article 5(1) of the Prospectus Regulation, each such financial intermediary will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that the shares acquired by it in the offer have not been acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in circumstances which may give rise to an offer to the public other than their offer or resale in a Relevant State to qualified investors, in circumstances in which the prior consent of the representatives has been obtained to each such proposed offer or resale.
The Company, the underwriters and their affiliates will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations, acknowledgements and agreements.
For the purposes of this provision, the expression an offer to the public in relation to any shares in any Relevant State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any shares, and the expression Prospectus Regulation means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.
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The above selling restriction is in addition to any other selling restrictions set out below.
In connection with the offering, the underwriters are not acting for anyone other than the Company and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to their clients nor for providing advice in relation to the offering.
Notice to Prospective Investors in the United Kingdom
In relation to the United Kingdom (UK), no shares have been offered or will be offered pursuant to the offering to the public in the UK prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the shares which has been approved by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK in accordance with the UK Prospectus Regulation and the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended (FSMA), except that offers of shares may be made to the public in the UK at any time under the following exemptions under the UK Prospectus Regulation and the FSMA:
a. | to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined under the UK Prospectus Regulation; |
b. | to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined under the UK Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of representatives for any such offer; or |
c. | at any time in other circumstances falling within section 86 of the FSMA, provided that no such offer of shares shall require the Company or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Section 85 of the FSMA or Article 3 of the UK Prospectus Regulation or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the UK Prospectus Regulation. |
Each person in the UK who initially acquires any shares or to whom any offer is made will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed to and with the Company and the underwriters that it is a qualified investor within the meaning of the UK Prospectus Regulation.
In the case of any shares being offered to a financial intermediary as that term is used in Article 5(1) of the UK Prospectus Regulation, each such financial intermediary will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that the shares acquired by it in the offer have not been acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in circumstances which may give rise to an offer to the public other than their offer or resale in the UK to qualified investors, in circumstances in which the prior consent of the representatives has been obtained to each such proposed offer or resale.
The Company, the underwriters and their affiliates will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations, acknowledgements and agreements.
For the purposes of this provision, the expression an offer to the public in relation to any shares in the UK means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any shares, the expression UK Prospectus Regulation means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, and the expression FSMA means the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended.
This document is for distribution only to persons who (i) have professional experience in matters relating to investments and who qualify as investment professionals within the meaning of Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended, the Financial Promotion Order), (ii) are persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) (high net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc.) of the Financial Promotion Order, (iii) are outside the United Kingdom, or (iv) are persons to whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the FSMA) in connection with the issue or sale of any securities may otherwise lawfully be communicated or caused
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to be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as relevant persons). This document is directed only at relevant persons and must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Switzerland
The shares may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX) or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This document has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the shares or the offering may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.
Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the offering, the Company, the shares have been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this document will not be filed with, and the offer of shares will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA (FINMA), and the offer of shares has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes (CISA). The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of shares.
Notice to Prospective Investors in the Dubai International Financial Centre
This prospectus relates to an exempt offer (Exempt Offer) in accordance with the Offered Securities Rules of the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). This prospectus is intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Offered Securities Rules of the DFSA. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with Exempt Offers. The DFSA has not approved this prospectus nor taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no responsibility for the prospectus. The shares to which this prospectus relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the shares offered should conduct their own due diligence on the shares. If you do not understand the contents of this prospectus you should consult an authorized financial advisor.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Australia
No placement document, prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document has been lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, in relation to the offering. This prospectus does not constitute a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Corporations Act 2001 (the Corporations Act), and does not purport to include the information required for a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Corporations Act.
Any offer in Australia of the shares may only be made to persons (the Exempt Investors) who are sophisticated investors (within the meaning of section 708(8) of the Corporations Act), professional investors (within the meaning of section 708(11) of the Corporations Act) or otherwise pursuant to one or more exemptions contained in section 708 of the Corporations Act so that it is lawful to offer the shares without disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act.
The shares applied for by Exempt Investors in Australia must not be offered for sale in Australia in the period of 12 months after the date of allotment under the offering, except in circumstances where disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act would not be required pursuant to an exemption under section 708 of the Corporations Act or otherwise or where the offer is pursuant to a disclosure document which complies with Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act. Any person acquiring shares must observe such Australian on-sale restrictions.
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This prospectus contains general information only and does not take account of the investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any particular person. It does not contain any securities recommendations or financial product advice. Before making an investment decision, investors need to consider whether the information in this prospectus is appropriate to their needs, objectives and circumstances, and, if necessary, seek expert advice on those matters.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Hong Kong
The shares have not been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold in Hong Kong, by means of any document, other than (a) to professional investors as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong and any rules made under that ordinance; or (b) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a prospectus as defined in the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong or which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of that ordinance. No advertisement, invitation or document relating to the shares has been or may be issued or has been or may be in the possession of any person for the purposes of issue, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to shares which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to professional investors as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance and any rules made under that ordinance.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Japan
The shares have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan (Law No. 25 of 1948, as amended) and, accordingly, will not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan, or for the benefit of any Japanese Person or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to any Japanese Person, except in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines promulgated by relevant Japanese governmental or regulatory authorities in effect at the relevant time. For the purposes of this paragraph, Japanese Person shall mean any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Singapore
This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, the shares were not offered or sold or caused to be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase and will not be offered or sold or caused to be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, and this prospectus or any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the shares, has not been circulated or distributed, nor will it be circulated or distributed, whether directly or indirectly, to any person in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor (as defined in Section 4A of the Securities and Futures Act (Chapter 289) of Singapore, as modified or amended from time to time (the SFA)) pursuant to Section 274 of the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA) pursuant to Section 275(1) of the SFA, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA, or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.
Where the shares are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:
(a) | a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or |
(b) | a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an individual who is an accredited investor, securities or securities-based derivatives contracts (each term as defined in Section 2(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the |
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beneficiaries rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the shares pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except: |
(c) | to an institutional investor or to a relevant person, or to any person arising from an offer referred to in Section 275(1A) or Section 276(4)(i)(B) of the SFA; |
(d) | where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer; |
(e) | where the transfer is by operation of law; or |
(f) | as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA. |
Notice to Prospective Investors in Canada
The shares may be sold only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the shares must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.
Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchasers province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchasers province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.
Pursuant to section 3A.3 (or, in the case of securities issued or guaranteed by the government of a non-Canadian jurisdiction, section 3A.4) of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (NI 33-105), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.
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Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, New York, New York, has passed upon the validity of the common stock offered hereby on behalf of us. Certain legal matters will be passed upon on behalf of the underwriters by Latham & Watkins LLP.
The financial statements incorporated in this Prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 26, 2021 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
In connection with First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc.s initial public offering, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) completed an independence assessment to evaluate the services and relationships with the Company and its affiliates that may bear on PwCs independence under the SEC and PCAOB independence rules for the audit period commencing December 31, 2018. PwC informed the Company that, commencing in February 2020 and continuing through June 2020, a PwC member firm was engaged to provide permissible tax compliance services to a portfolio company controlled by Advent, which currently is the majority equity holder of the Company, pursuant to a contingent fee of approximately $40,000. The existence of the contingent fee is not in accordance with the SEC and PCAOB auditor independence rules.
PwC provided an overview of the facts and circumstances surrounding the contingent fee arrangement to our audit committee and management, including the entity involved, the fees earned and other relevant factors. Considering the facts presented, our audit committee and PwC have concluded that the contingent fee would not impair PwCs application of objective and impartial judgment on any matters encompassed within the audit engagement performed by PwC for our financial statements as of and for the fiscal year ended December 27, 2020, and that no reasonable investor would conclude otherwise.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the shares of our common stock offered by this prospectus. For purposes of this section, the term registration statement means the original registration statement and any and all amendments including the schedules and exhibits to the original registration statement or any amendment. This prospectus, filed as part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement or the exhibits and schedules thereto as permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information about us and our common stock, you should refer to the registration statement, including the exhibits. This prospectus summarizes provisions that we consider material of certain contracts and other documents to which we refer you. Because the summaries may not contain all of the information that you may find important, you should review the full text of those documents.
This registration statement, including its exhibits and schedules, will be filed with the SEC. The SEC maintains a website at http://www.sec.gov from which interested persons can electronically access the registration statement, including the exhibits and schedules to the registration statement, and the annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information that we file with the SEC.
We are subject to the information and reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You can request copies of these documents, for a copying fee, by writing to the SEC. We intend to furnish our stockholders with annual reports containing financial statements audited by our independent auditors.
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We have not authorized anyone to give you any information or to make any representations about us or the transactions we discuss in this prospectus other than those contained in this prospectus. If you are given any information or representations about these matters that is not discussed in this prospectus, you must not rely on that information. This prospectus is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities anywhere or to anyone where or to whom we are not permitted to offer or sell securities under applicable law.
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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
We are incorporating by reference into this prospectus certain information that we have filed with the SEC, which means that we are disclosing important information to you by referring you to that document we have filed separately with the SEC. The documents that have been incorporated by reference are an important part of the prospectus, and you should review that information in order to understand the nature of any investment by you in the common stock. Any statement contained in a document or report incorporated or deemed to be incorporated herein by reference shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any subsequently filed document or report that also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus. We are incorporating by reference the documents listed below:
This prospectus incorporates by reference the following (excluding any portions of such documents that have been furnished but not filed for purposes of the Exchange Act, unless otherwise expressly identified in such filings as being incorporated by reference into this prospectus):
| our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 26, 2021, filed with the SEC on March 23, 2022; |
| our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 27, 2022 filed with the SEC on May 10, 2022 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 26, 2022 filed with the SEC on August 9, 2022; |
| our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, filed with the SEC on April 11, 2022; and |
| our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on October 6, 2021, March 11, 2022, May 26, 2022, June 21, 2022, August 19, 2022 and September 7, 2022. |
We are also incorporating by reference additional documents that we file with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, after the date of this prospectus through the completion of the offering. We are not, however, incorporating by reference any documents or portions thereof, whether specifically listed above or filed in the future, that are not deemed filed with the SEC, including any information furnished pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or certain exhibits furnished pursuant to Item 9.01 of Form 8-K.
Statements contained in this prospectus as to the contents of any contract or other document referred to in this prospectus do not purport to be complete, and, where reference is made to the particular provisions of such contract or other document, such provisions are qualified in all respects by reference to all of the provisions of such contract or other document.
You may obtain copies of these documents free of charge on our website, https://investors.firstwatch.com/, as soon as reasonably practicable after they have been filed with the SEC and through the SECs website, http://www.sec.gov. You may also obtain such documents by submitting a written request either to the Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel and Secretary, First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc., 8725 Pendery Place, Suite 201, Bradenton, FL 34201, or to investorrelations@firstwatch.com, or an oral request by calling the Companys Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel and Secretary at (941) 907-9800. The Company will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a prospectus is delivered, a copy of any or all of the reports that have been incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained in the registration statement but not delivered with the prospectus upon oral or written request, at no cost to the requester, by contacting the Company as noted above.
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4,500,000 Shares
Common Stock
Prospectus
BofA Securities | Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC | Jefferies |
, 2022
Until , 2022 (25 days after the date of this prospectus), all dealers that buy, sell or trade in shares of these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.
PART II INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
The following table sets forth all costs and expenses, other than the underwriting discount, paid or payable by us in connection with the sale of the common stock being registered. All amounts shown are estimates except for the SEC registration fee and the FINRA filing fee.
Amount Paid or to be Paid |
||||
SEC registration fee |
$ | 8,760 | ||
FINRA filing fee |
14,674 | |||
Blue sky qualification fees and expenses |
5,000 | |||
Printing and engraving expenses |
250,000 | |||
Legal fees and expenses |
825,000 | |||
Accounting fees and expenses |
300,000 | |||
Transfer agent and registrar fees and expenses |
8,600 | |||
Miscellaneous expenses |
87,966 | |||
Total |
$ | 1,500,000 |
Item 14. Indemnification of Officers and Directors.
The Registrant is governed by the DGCL. Section 145 of the DGCL provides that a corporation may indemnify any person, including an officer or director, who was or is, or is threatened to be made, a party to any threatened, pending or completed legal action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of such corporation), by reason of the fact that such person was or is an officer, director, employee or agent of such corporation or is or was serving at the request of such corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, provided such officer, director, employee or agent acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the corporations best interest and, for criminal proceedings, had no reasonable cause to believe that such persons conduct was unlawful. A Delaware corporation may indemnify any person, including an officer or director, who was or is, or is threatened to be made, a party to any threatened, pending or contemplated action or suit by or in the right of such corporation, under the same conditions, except that such indemnification is limited to expenses (including attorneys fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person, and except that no indemnification is permitted without judicial approval if such person is adjudged to be liable to such corporation. Where an officer or director of a corporation is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to above, or any claim, issue or matter therein, the corporation must indemnify that person against the expenses (including attorneys fees) which such officer or director actually and reasonably incurred in connection therewith.
The Registrants amended and restated bylaws authorizes the indemnification of its officers and directors, consistent with Section 145 of the DGCL, as amended. The Registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with each of its directors and executive officers. These agreements, among other things, require the Registrant to indemnify each director and executive officer to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, including indemnification of expenses such as attorneys fees, judgments, fines and settlement amounts incurred by the director or executive officer in any action or proceeding, including any action or proceeding by or in right of the Registrant, arising out of the persons services as a director or executive officer.
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Reference is made to Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL, which enables a corporation in its original certificate of incorporation or an amendment thereto to eliminate or limit the personal liability of a director for violations of the directors fiduciary duty, except (i) for any breach of the directors duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) pursuant to Section 174 of the DGCL, which provides for liability of directors for unlawful payments of dividends of unlawful stock purchase or redemptions or (iv) for any transaction from which a director derived an improper personal benefit.
The Registrant maintains standard policies of insurance that provide coverage (i) to its directors and officers against loss rising from claims made by reason of breach of duty or other wrongful act and (ii) to the Registrant with respect to indemnification payments that it may make to such directors and officers.
The proposed form of underwriting agreement to be filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Registration Statement provides for indemnification to the Registrants directors and officers by the underwriters against certain liabilities.
Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
The following sets forth information regarding all unregistered securities sold by the Registrant in transactions that were exempt from the requirements of the Securities Act in the last three years and does not give effect to the 11.838-for-1 stock split of our common stock effected on September 20, 2021 prior to our IPO:
| In April 2019, the Registrant granted options to 10 employees to purchase an aggregate of 39,670 shares of its common stock at an exercise price of $150 per share. |
| From July 2019 through April 2020, the Registrant granted options to seven employees and directors to purchase an aggregate of 42,107 shares of its common stock at an exercise price of $160 per share. |
| From September 2020 through February 2021, the Registrant granted options to seven employees and directors to purchase an aggregate of 23,834 shares of its common stock at an exercise price of $150 per share. |
| On August 14, 2020, the Registrant sold 258,745.8805 shares of preferred stock to AI Fresh Holdings Limited Partnership for an aggregate purchase price of $38,811,882.08, at a price of $150 per share. |
| On September 24, 2020, the Registrant sold 7,920.7861 shares of preferred stock to AI Fresh Holdings Limited Partnership for an aggregate purchase price of $1,188,117.92, at a price of $150 per share. |
The offers, sales and issuances of the preferred stock listed above were exempt from registration under the Securities Act under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act or Regulation D promulgated thereunder as transactions by an issuer not involving a public offering. The shares of common stock in all of the transactions listed above were issued or will be issued in reliance upon Section 4(2) of the Securities Act or Rule 701 promulgated under Section 3(b) of the Securities Act as the sale of such securities did not or will not involve a public offering. The recipients of the securities in each of these transactions represented their intentions to acquire the securities for investment only and not with a view to or for sale in connection with any distribution thereof, and appropriate legends were placed upon the stock certificates issued in these transactions. All recipients had adequate access, through their relationships with the Registrant, to information about the Registrant.
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Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
(a) Exhibits:
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** | Previously filed. |
Item 17. Undertakings
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriters at the closing specified in the underwriting agreements, certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriters to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer, or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
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The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:
(1) | For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective. |
(2) | For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in the City of Bradenton, State of Florida, on September 12, 2022.
FIRST WATCH RESTAURANT GROUP, INC. | ||
By: | /s/ Christopher A. Tomasso | |
Name: ChristopherA. Tomasso | ||
Title: President,Chief Executive |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each of the undersigned constitutes and appoints each of Christopher A. Tomasso, Henry Melville Hope, III and Jay Wolszczak, or any of them, each acting alone, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for such person and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign this Registration Statement on Form S-1 (including all pre-effective and post-effective amendments and registration statements filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the SEC, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming that any such attorney-in-fact and agent, or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on September 12, 2022.
Signature |
Title | |
/s/ Christopher A. Tomasso Christopher A. Tomasso |
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer) | |
/s/ Henry Melville Hope, III Henry Melville Hope, III |
Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) | |
/s/ Jay Wolszczak Jay Wolszczak |
Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel and Secretary | |
/s/ Ralph Alvarez Ralph Alvarez |
Director and Chairman of the Board | |
/s/ Julie M. B. Bradley Julie M.B. Bradley |
Director | |
/s/ Tricia Glynn Tricia Glynn |
Director |
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Signature |
Title | |
/s/ William Kussell William Kussell |
Director | |
/s/ Stephanie Lilak Stephanie Lilak |
Director | |
/s/ Lisa Price Lisa Price |
Director | |
/s/ Michael White Michael White |
Director |
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Exhibit 1.1
FIRST WATCH RESTAURANT GROUP, INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
[4,500,000] Shares of Common Stock
FORM OF UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Dated: September [14], 2022
FIRST WATCH RESTAURANT GROUP, INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
[4,500,000] Shares of Common Stock
FORM OF UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
September [14], 2022
BofA Securities, Inc.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
Jefferies LLC
as Representatives of the several Underwriters
c/o BofA Securities, Inc.
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036
c/o Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
200 West Street
New York, New York 10282
c/o Jefferies LLC
520 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10022
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Certain stockholders named in Schedule B hereto (the Selling Shareholders) of First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), confirm their respective agreements with BofA Securities, Inc. (BofA), Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (Goldman Sachs), Jefferies LLC (Jefferies) and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the Underwriters, which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom BofA, Goldman Sachs and Jefferies are acting as representatives (in such capacity, the Representatives), with respect to (i) the sale by the Selling Shareholders, acting severally and not jointly, and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective numbers of shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (Common Stock) set forth in Schedule A and B hereto and (ii) the grant by the Selling Shareholders to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of [675,000] additional shares of Common Stock. The aforesaid [4,500,000] shares of Common Stock (the Initial Securities) to be purchased by the Underwriters and all or any part of the [675,000] shares of Common Stock subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the Option Securities) are herein called, collectively, the Securities.
The Company and the Selling Shareholders understand that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Representatives deem advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered.
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) a registration statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-[ ● ]), including the related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses, covering the registration of the sale of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 1933 Act). Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430A (Rule 430A) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act (the 1933 Act Regulations) and Rule 424(b) (Rule 424(b)) of the 1933 Act Regulations. The information included in such prospectus that was omitted from such registration statement at the time it became effective but that is deemed to be part of such registration statement at the time it became effective pursuant to Rule 430A(b) is herein called the Rule 430A Information. Such registration statement, including the amendments thereto, the exhibits thereto and any schedules thereto, and the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-1 under the 1933 Act, at the time it became effective, and including the Rule 430A Information, is herein called the Registration Statement. Any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations is herein called the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and, after such filing, the term Registration Statement shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. Each prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and each prospectus that omitted the Rule 430A Information that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, including the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-1 under the 1933 Act, is herein called a preliminary prospectus. The final prospectus, in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Securities, including the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-1 under the 1933 Act, is herein called the Prospectus. For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system or any successor system (EDGAR).
As used in this Agreement:
Applicable Time means [ ● ] p.m., New York City time, on September [14], 2022 or such other time as agreed by the Company and the Representatives.
General Disclosure Package means any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the most recent preliminary prospectus (including any documents incorporated therein by reference) that is distributed to investors prior to the Applicable Time and the information included on Schedule C-1 hereto, all considered together.
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus means any issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (Rule 433), including without limitation any free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations (Rule 405)) relating to the Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a road show that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Companys records pursuant to Rule 433(g).
Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors (other than a bona fide electronic road show, as defined in Rule 433 (the Bona Fide Electronic Road Show)), as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule C-2 hereto.
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Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.
Testing-the-Waters Communication means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the 1933 Act or Rule 163B under the 1933 Act.
Written Testing-the-Waters Communication means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the 1933 Act.
All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is contained, included or stated in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or other references of like import) shall include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed by 1933 Act Regulations to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the 1934 Act), which is incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed by 1933 Act Regulations to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, at or after the execution and delivery of this Agreement.
SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties.
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time, the Closing Time (as defined below) and any Date of Delivery (as defined below), and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:
(i) Registration Statement and Prospectuses. Each of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto has become effective under the 1933 Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Companys knowledge, contemplated. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.
Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective, the Applicable Time, the Closing Time and any Date of Delivery complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time each was filed with the Commission, and, in each case, at the Applicable Time, the Closing Time and any Date of Delivery complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering and the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
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The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus, when they became effective or at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1934 Act (the 1934 Act Regulations).
(ii) Accurate Disclosure. Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, on the date hereof, at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. At the Applicable Time and any Date of Delivery, neither (A) the General Disclosure Package nor (B) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto, as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statement became effective or when such documents incorporated by reference were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, when read together with the other information in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, did not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein. For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished shall be the information in the first paragraph under the heading UnderwritingCommissions and Discounts, the information in the second, third and fourth paragraphs under the heading UnderwritingPrice Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids and the information under the heading UnderwritingElectronic Distribution in each case contained in the Prospectus (collectively, the Underwriter Information).
(iii) Incorporation of Documents by Reference. The Company meets the requirements to incorporate documents by reference in the Registration Statement pursuant to General Instruction VII to Form S-1 under the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.
(iv) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein, and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified.
(v) Testing-the-Waters Materials. The Company (A) has not engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication and (B) has not authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representatives have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications.
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(vi) Company Not Ineligible Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations) of the Securities and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an ineligible issuer, as defined in Rule 405.
(vii) Emerging Growth Company Status. From the time of the initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly or through any Person authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communication) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an emerging growth company, as defined in Section 2(a) of the 1933 Act (an Emerging Growth Company).
(viii) Independent Accountants. The accountants who certified the financial statements and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are independent public accountants as required by the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act, the 1934 Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
(ix) Financial Statements; Non-GAAP Financial Measures. The financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statement of operations, stockholders equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly in all material respects in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included therein. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or incorporated by reference therein, regarding non-GAAP financial measures (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G of the 1934 Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the 1933 Act, to the extent applicable. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commissions rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
(x) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Except as otherwise stated therein, since the date of the latest audited financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (A) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise (a Material Adverse Effect), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, and (C) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.
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(xi) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xii) Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each significant subsidiary of the Company (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) (each, a Subsidiary and, collectively, the Subsidiaries) has been duly organized and is validly existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, has corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary were issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary. Each significant subsidiary of the Company (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation SX promulgated by the Commission) has been listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Registration Statement.
(xiii) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in the column entitled Actual under the caption Capitalization (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus). The outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company, including the Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Selling Shareholders, have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company, including the Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Selling Shareholders, were issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.
(xiv) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(xv) Authorization and Description of Securities. The Common Stock conforms to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such description conforms to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same.
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(xvi) Registration Rights. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities (A) registered for sale pursuant to the Registration Statement or (B) otherwise registered for sale or sold by the Company under the 1933 Act pursuant to this Agreement, other than those rights that have been disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and have been waived.
(xvii) Absence of Violations, Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (A) in violation of its charter, by-laws or similar organizational document, (B) in default in the performance or observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company or any subsidiary is subject (collectively, Agreements and Instruments), except for such defaults that would not, singly or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) in violation of any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, assets or operations (each, a Governmental Entity), except, in the case of clauses (A) (if such entity is not the Company or a Subsidiary), (B) and (C) above, for such violations that would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties or assets of the Company or any subsidiary pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not, singly or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter, by-laws or similar organizational document of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any Governmental Entity (except for such violations of any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any Governmental Entity that would not, singly or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect).
(xviii) Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or any subsidiarys principal suppliers, manufacturers or contractors, which, in either case, would be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xix) Absence of Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any Governmental Entity now pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which might materially and adversely affect their respective properties or assets or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and the aggregate of all pending legal
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or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any such subsidiary is a party or of which any of their respective properties or assets is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, could not be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xx) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any Governmental Entity is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the rules of the Nasdaq Global Select Market, state securities laws or the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA).
(xxi) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess such material permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, Governmental Licenses) issued by the appropriate Governmental Entities necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except where the failure so to possess would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. All of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxii) Title to Property. The Company and its subsidiaries do not own any real property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good title to all personal property owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (A) are described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (B) would not, singly or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease, except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxiii) Possession of Intellectual Property. Except as (A) described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; or (B) would not, singly or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect: (x) the Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service
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marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, Intellectual Property) necessary to carry on the business now operated by them, and (y) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its subsidiaries therein.
(xxiv) Environmental Laws. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or would not, singly or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold (collectively, Hazardous Materials) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, Environmental Laws), (B) the Company and its subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, (C) to the knowledge of the Company, there are no pending or threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigations or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its subsidiaries and (D) to the knowledge of the Company, there are no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or Governmental Entity, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.
(xxv) Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls. The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain effective internal control over financial reporting (as defined under Rule 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the 1934 Act Regulations) and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with managements general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with managements general or specific authorization; (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (E) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commissions rules and guidelines applicable thereto. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the end of the Companys most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (1) no material weakness in the Companys internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (2) no change in the Companys internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Companys internal control over financial reporting.
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The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain an effective system of disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15 and Rule 15d-15 under the 1934 Act Regulations) that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commissions rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the Companys management, including its principal executive officer or officers and principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.
(xxvi) Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the Companys directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the Sarbanes-Oxley Act), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.
(xxvii) Payment of Taxes. All United States federal income tax returns of the Company and its subsidiaries required by law to be filed have been filed (or have requested extensions thereof) and all taxes, shown by such returns or otherwise assessed, which are due and payable, have been paid, except for cases in which the failure to pay would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or assessments against which appeals have been or will be promptly taken and as to which adequate reserves have been provided. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all other tax returns that are required to have been filed by them pursuant to applicable foreign, state, local or other law except insofar as the failure to file such returns would not be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and have paid all taxes due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company and its subsidiaries, except for cases in which the failure to pay would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or for such taxes, if any, as are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been established by the Company. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company in respect of any income and corporation tax liability for any years not finally determined are adequate to meet any assessments or re-assessments for additional income tax for any years not finally determined, except to the extent of any inadequacy that would not be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxviii) Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance, with financially sound and reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks as is generally maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar business, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any of its subsidiaries will not be able (A) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (B) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxix) Investment Company Act. The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be required, to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act).
(xxx) Absence of Manipulation. Neither the Company nor any affiliate of the Company has taken, nor will the Company or any affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed, or that could be reasonably expected, to cause or result in, or which constitutes, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or to result in a violation of Regulation M under the 1934 Act.
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(xxxi) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the FCPA), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any foreign official (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA and the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.
(xxxii) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Company and its subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the Money Laundering Laws); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(xxxiii) OFAC. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, controlled affiliate, or representative of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is an individual or entity (Person) currently the subject or target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States Government, including, without limitation, the U.S. Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the European Union, Her Majestys Treasury (HMT), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, Sanctions), nor is the Company located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions; and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the sale of the Securities, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions.
(xxxiv) Statistical and Market-Related Data. Any statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes, after reasonable inquiry, to be reliable and accurate in all material respects.
(xxxv) Cybersecurity. (A) There has been no material security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure, or other compromise of the Company or its subsidiaries information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data and databases
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(including the data and information of their respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained, processed or stored by the Company and its subsidiaries, and, to the Companys knowledge, any such data processed or stored by third parties on behalf of the Company and its subsidiaries), equipment or technology (collectively, IT Systems and Data) (B) neither the Company nor its subsidiaries have been notified in writing of, or to the Companys knowledge been otherwise notified of, and each of them have no knowledge of any event or condition that could result in, any material security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure or other compromise to their IT Systems and Data and (C) the Company and its subsidiaries have implemented commercially reasonable administrative and technological safeguards designed to maintain and protect the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of their IT Systems and Data reasonably consistent with industry standards and practices, or as required by applicable regulatory standards. The Company and its subsidiaries are presently in material compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, external policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification.
(xxxvi) Stock Options. With respect to the stock options (the Stock Options) granted pursuant to the stock-based compensation plans of the Company and its subsidiaries (the Company Stock Plans), (i) each Stock Option intended to qualify as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code) so qualifies, (ii) each grant of a Stock Option was duly authorized no later than the date on which the grant of such Stock Option was by its terms to be effective (the Grant Date) by all necessary corporate action, including, as applicable, approval by the board of directors of the Company (or a duly constituted and authorized committee thereof) and any required stockholder approval by the necessary number of votes or written consents, and the award agreement governing such grant (if any) was duly executed and delivered by each party thereto, (iii) each such grant was made in accordance with the terms of the Company Stock Plans, the 1934 Act and all other applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements, including the rules of the Nasdaq Global Select Market and any other exchange on which Company securities are traded, and (iv) each such grant was properly accounted for in accordance with GAAP in the financial statements (including the related notes) of the Company and disclosed in the Companys filings with the Commission in accordance with the 1934 Act and all other applicable laws. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no policy or practice of the Company of granting, Stock Options prior to, or otherwise coordinating the grant of Stock Options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its subsidiaries or their results of operations or prospects.
(xxxvii) Compliance with ERISA. (i) Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA), for which the Company would have any liability (each, a Plan) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code; (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan, excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; (iii) for no Plan nor any employee pension benefit plan (within the meaning of Section 3(2) of ERISA) that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA for which the Company or any member of the Companys Controlled Group (defined as any entity, whether or not incorporated, that is under common control with the Company within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(14) of ERISA or any entity that would be regarded as a single employer with the Company under Section 414(b),(c),(m) or (o) of the Code) (each, an ERISA Affiliate Plan) would have any
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liability that has failed (whether or not waived), or is reasonably expected to fail, to satisfy the minimum funding standards (within the meaning of Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code) applicable to such Plan or ERISA Affiliate Plan; (iv) no Plan or ERISA Affiliate Plan is, or is reasonably expected to be, in at risk status (within the meaning of Section 303(i) of ERISA) and no Plan or ERISA Affiliate Plan that is a multiemployer plan within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA is in endangered status or critical status (within the meaning of Sections 304 and 305 of ERISA) (v) no reportable event (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA and the regulations promulgated thereunder) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any Plan or ERISA Affiliate Plan; (vi) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified, and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification; (vii) neither the Company nor any member of the Controlled Group has incurred, nor reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation, in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan or ERISA Affiliate Plan (including a multiemployer plan within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA); and (viii) none of the following events has occurred or is reasonably likely to occur: (A) a material increase in the aggregate amount of contributions required to be made to all Plans by the Company in the current fiscal year of the Company and its Controlled Group affiliates compared to the amount of such contributions made in the Companys most recently completed fiscal year; or (B) a material increase in the Company and its subsidiaries accumulated post-retirement benefit obligations (within the meaning of Accounting Standards Codification Topic 715-60) compared to the amount of such obligations in the Company and its subsidiaries most recently completed fiscal year, except in each case with respect to the events or conditions set forth in (i) through (viii) hereof, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Representations and Warranties by the Selling Shareholders. Each Selling Shareholder, severally and not jointly, represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Applicable Time, as of the Closing Time and, if the Selling Shareholder is selling Option Securities on a Date of Delivery, as of each such Date of Delivery, and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:
(i) Required Consents; Authority. All consents, approvals, authorizations and orders necessary for the execution and delivery by such Selling Shareholder of this Agreement hereinafter referred to, and for the sale and delivery of the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder hereunder, have been obtained, except for such consents, approvals authorizations and orders with respect to the Securities as have been made under the 1933 Act or may be required under state or non-US securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters and the approval of the underwriting terms and arrangements by FINRA; and such Selling Shareholder has full right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder hereunder; this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of such Selling Shareholder.
(ii) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by such Selling Shareholder of this Agreement and the consummation by such Selling Shareholder of the transactions contemplated herein or therein will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, result in the termination, modification or acceleration of, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property, right or asset of such Selling Shareholder pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which such Selling Shareholder is a party or by which such Selling Shareholder is bound or to which any of
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the property, right or asset of such Selling Shareholder is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents of such Selling Shareholder or (iii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory agency, except in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of such Selling Shareholder to perform its obligations under this Agreement.
(iii) Title to Shares. Such Selling Shareholder has good and valid title to the Securities to be sold at the Closing Time or any Date of Delivery, as the case may be, by such Selling Shareholder hereunder, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or adverse claims; such Selling Shareholder will have, immediately prior to the Closing Time or any Date of Delivery, as the case may be, good and valid title to the Securities to be sold at the Closing Time or any Date of Delivery, as the case may be, by such Selling Shareholder, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or adverse claims; and, upon delivery of such Securities and payment therefor pursuant hereto, good and valid title to such Securities, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or adverse claims, will pass to the several Underwriters.
(iv) Delivery of Securities. Upon payment of the purchase price for the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder pursuant to this Agreement, delivery of such Securities, as directed by the Underwriters, to Cede & Co. (Cede) or such other nominee as may be designated by The Depository Trust Company (DTC) (unless delivery of such Securities is unnecessary because such Securities are already in possession of Cede or such nominee), registration of such Securities in the name of Cede or such other nominee (unless registration of such Securities is unnecessary because such Securities are already registered in the name of Cede or such nominee), and the crediting of such Securities on the books of DTC to securities accounts (within the meaning of Section 8-501(a) of the UCC) of the Underwriters (assuming that neither DTC nor any such Underwriter has notice of any adverse claim, within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the Uniform Commercial Code then in effect in the State of New York (UCC), to such Securities), (A) under Section 8-501 of the UCC, the Underwriters will acquire a valid security entitlement in respect of such Securities and (B) no action (whether framed in conversion, replevin, constructive trust, equitable lien, or other theory) based on any adverse claim, within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, to such Securities may be asserted against the Underwriters with respect to such security entitlement; for purposes of this representation, such Selling Shareholder may assume that when such payment, delivery (if necessary) and crediting occur, (I) such Securities will have been registered in the name of Cede or another nominee designated by DTC, in each case on the Companys share registry in accordance with its certificate of incorporation, bylaws and applicable law, (II) DTC will be registered as a clearing corporation, within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, (III) appropriate entries to the accounts of the several Underwriters on the records of DTC will have been made pursuant to the UCC, (IV) to the extent DTC, or any other securities intermediary which acts as clearing corporation with respect to the Securities, maintains any financial asset (as defined in Section 8-102(a)(9) of the UCC in a clearing corporation pursuant to Section 8-111 of the UCC, the rules of such clearing corporation may affect the rights of DTC or such securities intermediaries and the ownership interest of the Underwriters, (V) claims of creditors of DTC or any other securities intermediary or clearing corporation may be given priority to the extent set forth in Section 8-511(b) and 8-511(c) of the UCC and (VI) if at any time DTC or other securities intermediary does not have sufficient Securities to satisfy claims of all of its entitlement holders with respect thereto then all holders will share pro rata in the Securities then held by DTC or such securities intermediary.
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(v) No Stabilization or Manipulation. Such Selling Shareholder has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(vi) General Disclosure Package. The General Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time did not, and as of the Closing Time and as of any Delivery Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that such representations and warranties set forth in this subsection (b)(vii) apply only to A) the legal name, address and number and number of shares of Securities owned by such Selling Shareholder, (B) biography information provided by the members of the board of directors of the Company who are affiliates of the Selling Shareholder, as applicable, contained under the caption Management in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and (C) the other information (excluding percentages) with respect to such Selling Shareholder which appears in the beneficial ownership table (and corresponding footnotes) under the caption Principal and Selling Stockholders in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (the Selling Shareholder Information).
(vii) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and Written Testing-the-Watters Communication. Other than the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus, such Selling Shareholder (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not prepared, made, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act or (ii) the documents listed on Schedule C-2, each electronic road show and any other written communications approved in writing in advance by the Company and the Representatives.
(viii) Registration Statement and Prospectus. As of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, the Registration Statement and any such post-effective amendment did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Time and as of any Delivery Date, as the case may be, the Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that such Selling Shareholder makes such representation and warranty solely with respect to the Selling Shareholder Information with respect to such Selling Shareholder.
(ix) No Unlawful Payments. Neither such Selling Shareholder nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any director, officer or employee of such Selling Shareholder or any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of such Selling Shareholder, any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of such Selling Shareholder or any of its subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made or taken an act in furtherance of an offer, promise or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or benefit to any foreign or domestic
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government official or employee, including of any government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the FCPA, or any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an offence under the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law; or (iv) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit. Such Selling Shareholder and its subsidiaries have instituted, maintain and enforce, and will continue to maintain and enforce policies and procedures designed to promote and ensure compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws.
(x) Compliance with Anti-Money Laundering Laws. The operations of such Selling Shareholder and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Money Laundering Laws, and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving such Selling Shareholder or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of such Selling Shareholder, threatened.
(xi) No Conflicts with Sanctions Laws. Neither such Selling Shareholder nor any of its subsidiaries, directors, officers or employees, nor, to the knowledge of such Selling Shareholder, any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of such Selling Shareholder or any of its subsidiaries is currently the subject or the target of Sanctions, nor is such Selling Shareholder or any of its subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is subject of Sanctions; and such Selling Shareholder will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or target of Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any country or territory that is subject of Sanctions or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. For the past five years, such Selling Shareholder and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in and are not now knowingly engaged in any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any country or territory that is subject of Sanctions.
(xii) Organization and Good Standing. Such Selling Shareholder has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its respective jurisdictions of organization.
(xiii) ERISA. Such Selling Shareholder is not (i) an employee benefit plan subject to Title I of ERISA, (ii) a plan or account subject to Section 4975 of the Code or (iii) an entity deemed to hold plan assets of any such plan or account under 29 C.F.R. 2510.3-101, as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA.
(c) Officers Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby; and any certificate signed by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholders as such and delivered to the
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Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be deemed a representation and warranty by such Selling Shareholder to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.
(a) Initial Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, each Selling Shareholder, severally and not jointly, agree to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from each Selling Shareholder, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A, that proportion of the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule B opposite the name of such Selling Shareholder, which the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional number of Initial Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof, bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject, in each case, to such adjustments among the Underwriters as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.
(b) Option Securities. In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Selling Shareholders, acting severally and not jointly, hereby grant an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional [675,000] shares of Common Stock, as set forth in Schedule B, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities. The option hereby granted may be exercised for 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part at any time from time to time upon notice by the Representatives to the Selling Shareholders setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (a Date of Delivery) shall be determined by the Representatives, but shall not be later than seven full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time. If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the total number of Option Securities then being purchased which the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject, in each case, to such adjustments as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.
(c) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates or security entitlements for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of Latham & Watkins LLP at 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020 or at such other place as shall be agreed upon among the Representatives, the Company and the Selling Shareholders, at 9:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the second (third, if the Applicable Time is after 4:30 P.M. (New York City time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon among the Representatives, the Company and the Selling Shareholders (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called Closing Time).
In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates or security entitlements for, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon among the Representatives, the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the Representatives to the Company and the Selling Shareholders.
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Payment shall be made to the Selling Shareholders by wire transfer of immediately available funds to [a] bank account[s] designated by the Selling Shareholders against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates or security entitlements for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representatives, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. The Representatives, individually and not as representatives of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Option Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.
SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company and the Selling Shareholders. The Company and each Selling Shareholder covenant with each Underwriter as follows:
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430A, and will notify the Representatives immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will effect all filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.
(b) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the 1933 Act Regulations (Rule 172), would be) required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representatives notice of such event, (B) prepare any
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amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representatives with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The Company has given the Representatives notice of any filings made pursuant to the 1934 Act or 1934 Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time; the Company will give the Representatives notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time and will furnish the Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.
(c) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representatives, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(d) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(e) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representatives may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Securities; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.
(f) Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.
(g) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under Use of Proceeds.
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(h) Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to effect and maintain the listing of the Securities on the Nasdaq Global Select Market.
(i) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 75 days from the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or file or confidentially submit any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) engage in any hedging or other transaction or arrangement (including, without limitation, any short sale or the purchase or sale of, or entry into, any put or call option, or combination thereof, forward, swap or any other derivative transaction or instrument, however described or defined) which is designed to or which reasonably could be expected to lead to or result in a sale, loan, pledge or other disposition, or transfer of any of the economic consequences of ownership, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, of any shares of Common Stock of the Company or any derivative instruments, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the Representatives; provided that confidential or non-public submissions to the Commission of any registration statements under the 1933 Act may be made if (w) no public announcement of such confidential or non-public submission shall be made, (x) if any demand was made for, or any right exercised with respect to, such registration of shares of Stock or securities convertible, exercisable or exchangeable into Stock, no public announcement of such demand or exercise of rights shall be made, (y) the Company shall provide written notice at least three business days prior to such confidential or non-public submission to the Representatives and (z) no such confidential or non-public submission shall become a publicly filed registration statement during the 75-day restricted period. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (B) any shares of Common Stock issued or options to purchase Common Stock granted pursuant to existing employee benefit plans of the Company referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (C) any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to any non-employee director stock plan or dividend reinvestment plan referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (D) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act, provided that such plan does not provide for the transfer of shares of Common Stock during the 75-day restricted period and the establishment of such plan does not require or otherwise result in any public filing or other public announcement of such plan during the 75-day restricted period, (E) the issuance of up to 5% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock in connection with the acquisition of the assets of, or a majority or controlling portion of the equity of, or a joint venture with another entity in connection with the acquisition by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of such entity; provided in the case of this clause (E) the transferee of such shares agrees to be bound in writing to the restrictions set forth in this Section 3(i), (F) the filing of any registration statement on Form S-8 or a successor form thereto relating to the shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to or reserved for issuance under the stock-based compensation plans of the Company and its subsidiaries referred to in clauses (B) or (C), and (G) shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to a plan of reorganization.
(j) If the Representatives, in their sole discretion, agree to release or waive the restrictions set forth in a lock-up agreement described in Section 5(i) hereof for an officer or director of the Company and provide the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three business days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit D hereto through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.
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(k) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a Prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and 1934 Act Regulations.
(l) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Each of the Company and each Selling Shareholder agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representatives, it will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a free writing prospectus, or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Representatives will be deemed to have consented to the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses listed on Schedule C-2 hereto and any road show that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Representatives. Each of the Company and each Selling Shareholder represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Representatives as an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.
(m) Certification Regarding Beneficial Owners. The Company and each Selling Shareholder will deliver to the Representatives, on the date of execution of this Agreement, a properly completed and executed Certification Regarding Beneficial Owners of Legal Entity Customers, together with copies of identifying documentation, and the Company and each Selling Shareholder undertake to provide such additional supporting documentation as the Representatives may reasonably request in connection with the verification of the foregoing certification.
(n) Emerging Growth Company Status. The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of the Securities within the meaning of the 1933 Act and (ii) completion of the 75-day restricted period referred to in Section 3(i).
(o) Tax Forms. Each Selling Shareholder will deliver to each Underwriter (or its agent), at or prior to the Closing Time, a properly completed and executed IRS Form W-9 or an applicable IRS Form W-8, as appropriate, together with all required attachments to such form, establishing a complete exemption from United States backup withholding tax.
SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses.
(a) Expenses. The Company will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of their obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the
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Underwriters to investors, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates or security entitlements for the Securities to the Underwriters, including any stock, registration, documentary, capital, issuance, transfer or other similar taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Companys counsel and independent accountants, (v) the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(e) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto up to an aggregate of $5,000, (vi) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Securities, (vii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any road show undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Securities, including without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, it being understood that except as provided in this Section 4 or Section 6 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of the travel, lodging and other expenses of the Underwriters or any of their employees incurred by them in connection with any road show presentation to potential investors and 50% of the costs of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show presentations, (viii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with, the review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Securities (provided that the reimbursement obligation for such fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters shall not exceed, in the aggregate, $35,000) and (ix) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Securities on the Nasdaq Global Select Market.
(b) Expenses of the Selling Shareholders. The Selling Shareholders, severally and not jointly, will pay all expenses incident to the performance of their respective obligations under, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by, this Agreement, including (i) any stamp and other duties and stock and other transfer taxes, if any, payable upon the sale of the Securities to the Underwriters and their transfer between the Underwriters pursuant to an agreement between such Underwriters, and (ii) the fees and disbursements of their respective counsel and other advisors.
(c) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives in accordance with the provisions of Section 5, Section 9(a)(i) or (iii), or Section 10 hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters. For the avoidance of doubt, if this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 10 hereof, the Company shall have no obligation to reimburse a defaulting Underwriter for out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) incurred by such defaulting Underwriter in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.
(d) Allocation of Expenses. The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement that the Company and the Selling Shareholders may make for the sharing of such costs and expenses.
SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Shareholders contained herein or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or on behalf of any Selling Shareholder delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and each Selling Shareholder of their respective covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Rule 430A Information. The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has become effective and, at the Closing Time, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any
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preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Companys knowledge, contemplated; and the Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. A prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time frame required by Rule 424(b) or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed with, and declared effective by, the Commission in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A.
(b) Opinion of Counsel for Company. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the opinion and negative assurance letter, dated the Closing Time, of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto.
(c) Opinions of Counsels for the Selling Shareholders. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the opinion and negative assurance letter, dated the Closing Time, of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, Bonn Steichen & Partners, Maples and Calder (Cayman) LLP and Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A., counsels for the Selling Shareholders, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto.
(d) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the opinion and negative assurance letter, dated the Closing Time, of Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.
(e) Officers Certificate. At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings or business affairs of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, and the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer or the President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the 1933 Act has been issued, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated.
(f) Chief Financial Officers Certificate. At the time of the execution of this Agreement and at the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received from the Chief Financial Officer of the Company a certificate, dated the date hereof or the Closing Time, respectively, as to the accuracy of certain financial and other information included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.
(g) Certificate of Selling Shareholders. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received a certificate of an Attorney-in-Fact on behalf of each Selling Shareholder, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) the representations and warranties of each Selling Shareholder in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time and (ii) each Selling Shareholder has complied with all agreements and all conditions on its part to be performed under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing Time.
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(h) Accountants Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP a letter, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants comfort letters to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(i) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP a letter, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (f) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.
(j) Approval of Listing. At the Closing Time, the Securities shall have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, subject only to official notice of issuance.
(k) Lock-up Agreements. At the date of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto signed by the persons listed on Schedule D hereto.
(l) Rating. Neither the Company nor its subsidiaries have any debt securities or preferred stock that are rated by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization (as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the 1934 Act).
(m) Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities. In the event that the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities, the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Shareholders contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Company and any of its subsidiaries and the Selling Shareholders hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representatives shall have received:
(i) Officers Certificate. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of the President or a Vice President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(e) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.
(ii) Chief Financial Officers Certificate. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(f) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.
(iii) Officers Certificate of Selling Shareholders. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of an Attorney-in-Fact on behalf of each Selling Shareholder confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(g) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.
(iv) Opinion of Counsel for Company. If requested by the Representatives, the favorable opinion and negative assurance letter of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof.
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(v) Opinions of Counsels for the Selling Shareholders. If requested by the Representatives, the favorable opinion of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, Bonn Steichen & Partners, Maples and Calder (Cayman) LLP and Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A., counsels for the Selling Shareholders, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(c) hereof.
(iv) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. If requested by the Representatives, the opinion and negative assurance letter of Latham & Watkins, LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(d) hereof.
(v) Bring-down Comfort Letter. If requested by the Representatives, a letter from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representatives pursuant to Section 5(i) hereof, except that the specified date in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Date of Delivery.
(n) Additional Documents. At the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery (if any) counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably request.
(o) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option Securities on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the relevant Option Securities, may be terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company and the Selling Shareholders at any time at or prior to Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15, 16 and 17 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 6. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act (each, an Affiliate)), its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included (A) in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or (B) in any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities (Marketing Materials), including any roadshow or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically), or the omission or alleged omission in any preliminary prospectus, Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, Prospectus or in any Marketing Materials of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
25
(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(e) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company and the Selling Shareholders;
(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representatives), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.
(b) Indemnification of Underwriters by Selling Shareholders. Each Selling Shareholder, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its Affiliates and selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act to the extent and in the manner set forth in clauses (a)(i), (ii) and (iii) above; provided that each Selling Shareholder shall be liable only to the extent that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission has been made in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with the Selling Shareholder Information; provided that the liability of any Selling Shareholder pursuant to this Section 6(b) shall not exceed the total net proceeds (after deducting underwriter discounts and commissions but before deducting offering expenses) from the sale of the Securities sold by such Selling Shareholder hereunder (the Selling Shareholder Proceeds).
(c) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers and Selling Shareholders. Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, and each Selling Shareholder and each person, if any, who controls any Selling Shareholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.
(d) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such
26
indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) and 6(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by BofA, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(c) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Selling Shareholders. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution is or could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party, in form and substance satisfactory to such indemnified party, from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(e) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
(f) Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 6 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.
(g) Other Agreements with Respect to Indemnification. The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement among the Company and the Selling Shareholders with respect to indemnification.
SECTION 7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and of the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
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The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, on the other hand, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.
The relative fault of the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Selling Shareholders or by the Underwriters and the parties relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company, the Selling Shareholders and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7, subject to the limitations set forth above, shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, in no event shall (i) an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting commissions received by such Underwriter in connection with the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public or (ii) a Selling Shareholder be required to contribute any amount in excess of its Selling Shareholder Proceeds.
No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and each Underwriters Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company or any Selling Shareholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company or such Selling Shareholder, as the case may be. The Underwriters respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number of Initial Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.
The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.
The provisions of this Section 7 shall not affect any agreement among the Company and the Selling Shareholders with respect to contribution.
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SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties, indemnities and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Selling Shareholders submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or the Company or any officer or director or any person controlling the Company or any person controlling any Selling Shareholder and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.
SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.
(a) Termination. The Representatives may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company and the Selling Shareholders, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time (i) if there has been, in the judgment of the Representatives, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the Nasdaq Global Select Market, or (iv) if trading generally on the NYSE MKT or the New York Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq Global Select Market has been suspended or materially limited or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority, or (v) a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or with respect to Clearstream or Euroclear systems in Europe, or (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.
(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15, 16 and 17 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the Defaulted Securities), the Representatives shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representatives shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:
(i) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed one-eleventh of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or
29
(ii) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds one-eleventh of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to any Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing Time, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase, and the Selling Shareholders to sell, the Option Securities to be purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10(ii) shall be without liability on the part of the Company and the Selling Shareholders, except that the Company and the Selling Shareholders will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 4 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 6 and Section 7 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.
No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.
In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and the Selling Shareholders to sell the relevant Option Securities, as the case may be, either the (i) Representatives or (ii) the Company and the Selling Shareholders shall have the right to postpone Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term Underwriter includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.
SECTION 11. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the Representatives as follows: (i) in care of BofA at One Bryant Park, New York, New York 10036, attention of Syndicate Department (facsimile: (646) 855-3073), with a copy to ECM Legal (facsimile: (212) 230-8730); (ii) in care of Goldman Sachs at 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282-2198, attention of Registration Department; and (iii) in care of Jefferies at 520 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022, attention of General Counsel (facsimile: (646) 619-4437); in each case, with a copy to Latham & Watkins LLP, 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020, attention of Ian Schuman. Notices to the Company shall be directed to it at 8725 Pendery Place, Bradenton, Florida 34201-2006, attention of General Counsel (facsimile: (941) 907-8933), with a copy to Weil, Gotshal & Manages LLP, 767 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10153, attention of Alexander Lynch, Esq. Notices to the Selling Shareholders shall be given at the addresses provided in Schedule B, with a copy to Weil, Gotshal & Manages LLP, 767 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10153, attention of Alexander Lynch, Esq.
SECTION 12. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. Each of the Company and each Selling Shareholder acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arms-length commercial transaction between the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, and does not constitute a recommendation, investment advice, or solicitation of any action by the Underwriters, (b) in connection with the offering of the Securities and the process leading thereto, each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any Selling Shareholder, or its respective stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company or any Selling Shareholder with respect to the offering of the Securities or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any Selling Shareholder on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the
30
Company or any Selling Shareholder with respect to the offering of the Securities except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of each of the Company and each Selling Shareholder, and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory, investment or tax advice with respect to the offering of the Securities and the Company and each of the Selling Shareholders has consulted its own respective legal, accounting, financial, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate, and (f) none of the activities of the Underwriters in connection with the transactions contemplated herein constitutes a recommendation, investment advice or solicitation of any action by the Underwriters with respect to any entity or natural person.
SECTION 13. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.
(a) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
(b) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
For purposes of this Section 13, a BHC Act Affiliate has the meaning assigned to the term affiliate in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k). Covered Entity means any of the following: (i) a covered entity as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a covered bank as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a covered FSI as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b). Default Right has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable. U.S. Special Resolution Regime means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
SECTION 14. Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Company and each of the Selling Shareholders and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters, the Company and each of the Selling Shareholders and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters, the Company and each of the Selling Shareholders and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
SECTION 15. Trial by Jury. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates), each of the Selling Shareholders and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
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SECTION 16. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF, THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.
SECTION 17. Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Immunity. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (Related Proceedings) shall be instituted in (i) the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan or (ii) the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan (collectively, the Specified Courts), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court (a Related Judgment), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such partys address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Each party not located in the United States irrevocably appoints CT Corporation System as its agent to receive service of process or other legal summons for purposes of any such suit, action or proceeding that may be instituted in any state or federal court in the City and County of New York. With respect to any Related Proceeding, each party irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, all immunity (whether on the basis of sovereignty or otherwise) from jurisdiction, service of process, attachment (both before and after judgment) and execution to which it might otherwise be entitled in the Specified Courts, and with respect to any Related Judgment, each party waives any such immunity in the Specified Courts or any other court of competent jurisdiction, and will not raise or claim or cause to be pleaded any such immunity at or in respect of any such Related Proceeding or Related Judgment, including, without limitation, any immunity pursuant to the United States Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976, as amended.
SECTION 18. TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
SECTION 19. Compliance with USA Patriot Act. In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company and the Selling Shareholders, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.
SECTION 20. Counterparts and Electronic Signatures. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement. Electronic signatures complying with the New York Electronic Signatures and Records Act (N.Y. State Tech. §§ 301-309), as amended from time to time, or other applicable law will be deemed original signatures for purposes of this Agreement. Transmission by telecopy, electronic mail or other transmission method of an executed counterpart of this Agreement will constitute due and sufficient delivery of such counterpart.
SECTION 21. Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company and the Selling Shareholders a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Shareholders in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours, | ||
FIRST WATCH RESTAURANT GROUP, INC. |
By |
|
Name: |
||
Title: |
||
[SELLING SHAREHOLDERS] |
By |
|
Name: |
||
Title: |
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED, as of the date first above written: | ||
BOFA SECURITIES, INC. | ||
GOLDMAN SACHS & CO. LLC | ||
JEFFERIES LLC | ||
By: | BOFA SECURITIES, INC. | |
By |
| |
Authorized Signatory | ||
By: | GOLDMAN SACHS & CO. LLC | |
By |
| |
Authorized Signatory | ||
By: | JEFFERIES LLC | |
By |
| |
Authorized Signatory |
For themselves and as Representatives of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.
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SCHEDULE A
The initial public offering price per share for the Securities shall be $[ ● ].
The purchase price per share for the Securities to be paid by the several Underwriters shall be $[ ● ], being an amount equal to the initial public offering price set forth above less $[ ● ] per share, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 2(b) for dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities.
Name of Underwriter | Number of Initial Securities |
|||
BofA Securities, Inc. |
||||
Goldman Sachs and Co. LLC |
||||
Jefferies LLC |
||||
[ ● ] |
||||
|
|
|||
Total |
[4,500,000 | ] | ||
|
|
Sch A
SCHEDULE B
Selling Shareholder |
Number of Initial Shares: |
Number of Option Shares: |
||||||
[ ● ] |
[ ● | ] | [ ● | ] | ||||
[ ● ] |
[ ● | ] | [ ● | ] |
Sch B
SCHEDULE C-1
Pricing Terms
1. The Selling Shareholders are selling [4,500,000] shares of Common Stock.
2. The Selling Shareholders have granted an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional [675,000] shares of Common Stock.
3. The initial public offering price per share for the Securities shall be $[ ● ].
SCHEDULE C-2
Free Writing Prospectuses
Electronic Roadshow, dated September, 2022.
Sch C
SCHEDULE D
List of Persons and Entities Subject to Lock-up
Advent International GPE VIII Limited Partnership
Advent International GPE VIII-B-1 Limited Partnership
Advent International GPE VIII-B-2 Limited Partnership
Advent International GPE VIII-B-3 Limited Partnership
Advent International GPE VIII-A Limited Partnership
Advent International GPE VIII-B Limited Partnership
Advent International GPE VIII-C Limited Partnership
Advent International GPE VIII-D Limited Partnership
Advent International GPE VIII-E Limited Partnership
Advent International GPE VIII-F Limited Partnership
Advent International GPE VIII-G Limited Partnership
Advent International GPE VIII-H Limited Partnership
Advent International GPE VIII-I Limited Partnership
Advent International GPE VIII-J Limited Partnership
Advent International GPE VIII-K Limited Partnership
Advent International GPE VIII-L Limited Partnership
Advent Partners GPE VIII Limited Partnership
Advent Partners GPE VIII Cayman Limited Partnership
Advent Partners GPE VIII-A Limited Partnership
Advent Partners GPE VIII-A Cayman Limited Partnership
Advent Partners GPE VIII-B Cayman Limited Partnership
Raul Alvarez
William Kussell
Julie Bradley
Stephanie Lilak
Lisa Price
Tricia Glynn
Michael White
Christopher Tomasso
Eric Hartman
Laura Sorensen
Jay Wolszczak
Mel Hope
Calum Middleton
Dan Jones
Sch D
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF OPINION OF COMPANYS COUNSEL
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(b)
[Weil to provide separately]
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF OPINION OF COUNSELS FOR THE SELLING SHAREHOLDERS
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(c)
[Weil to provide separately]
Form of lock-up from directors, officers or other stockholders pursuant to Section 5(l)
EXHIBIT C
Lock-Up Agreement
September [ ● ], 2022
BofA Securities, Inc.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
Jefferies LLC
as Representatives of the several
Underwriters to be named in the
within mentioned Underwriting Agreement
c/o BofA Securities, Inc.
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036
c/o Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
200 West Street
New York, New York 10282
c/o Jefferies LLC
4201 Congress Street, Suite 350
Charlotte, North Carolina 28209
Re: | Proposed Public Offering of Common Stock of First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc. |
Dear Sirs:
The undersigned, a securityholder, officer and/or director of First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), understands that BofA Securities, Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Jefferies LLC (collectively, the Representatives) propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the Underwriting Agreement) with the Company and the Selling Shareholders listed on Schedule B to the Underwriting Agreement, providing for the public offering (the Public Offering) of shares of the Companys common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the Common Stock). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.
In consideration of the Representatives agreement to purchase and make the Public Offering of the Common Stock, and for other good and valuable consideration receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, the undersigned will not, and will not cause any direct or indirect affiliate to, during the period beginning on the date of this letter agreement (this Letter Agreement) and ending at the close of business 75 days after the date of the final prospectus relating to the Public Offering (the Prospectus) (such period, the Restricted Period), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition (including without limitation, Common Stock or such other securities which may be deemed to be
beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant) (collectively, the Lock-Up Securities), (2) enter into any hedging, swap or other agreement or transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Lock-Up Securities, in cash or otherwise or (3) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing. The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the foregoing precludes the undersigned from engaging in any hedging or other transactions or arrangements (including, without limitation, any short sale or the purchase or sale of, or entry into, any put or call option, or combination thereof, forward, swap or any other derivative transaction or instrument, however described or defined) designed or intended, or which could reasonably be expected to lead to or result in, a sale, loan, pledge or other disposition or transfer (whether by the undersigned or any other person) of any economic consequences of ownership, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, of any Lock-Up Securities, whether any such transaction or arrangement (or instrument provided for thereunder) would be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise (any such sale, loan, pledge or other disposition, or transfer of economic consequences, a Transfer).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may:
(a) transfer the undersigneds Lock-Up Securities:
(i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, or for bona fide estate planning purposes,
(ii) by will, other testamentary document or intestacy,
(iii) to any trust, partnership, limited liability company or other entity for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned, the immediate family or affiliate of the undersigned, or if the undersigned is a trust, to a trustor or beneficiary of the trust or to the estate of a beneficiary of such trust (for purposes of this Letter Agreement, immediate family shall mean any relationship by blood, current or former marriage, domestic partnership or adoption, not more remote than first cousin),
(iv) to any partnership, limited liability company or other entity of which the undersigned and the immediate family of the undersigned are the legal and beneficial owner of all of the outstanding equity securities or similar interests,
(v) to any immediate family member or any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by the undersigned,
(vi) if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity, (A) to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the undersigned, or to any investment fund or other entity controlling, controlled by, managing or managed by or under common control with the undersigned or affiliates of the undersigned (including, for the avoidance of doubt, where the undersigned is a partnership, to its general partner or a successor partnership or fund, or any other funds managed by such partnership), or (B) as part of a distribution to limited partners, limited liability company members or shareholders of the undersigned, or holders of similar equity interests in the undersigned,
(vii) by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order, divorce settlement, divorce decree or separation agreement,
(viii) to a nominee or custodian of a person or entity to whom a disposition or transfer would be permissible under clauses (i) through (iv) above,
(ix) pursuant to an order of a court or regulatory agency having jurisdiction over the undersigned,
(x) to the Company from an employee of the Company upon death, disability or termination of employment or other service relationship with the Company or the undersigneds failure to meet certain conditions set out upon receipt of such Lock-Up Securities, in each case, of such employee,
(xi) as part of a sale of the undersigneds Lock-Up Securities acquired in open market transactions after the closing date for the Public Offering,
(xii) to the Company in connection with the vesting, settlement, or exercise of restricted stock units, options, warrants or other rights to purchase shares of Common Stock (including, in each case, by way of net or cashless exercise), including for the payment of exercise price and tax and remittance payments due as a result of the vesting, settlement, or exercise of such restricted stock units, options, warrants or rights, provided that any such shares of Common Stock received upon such exercise, vesting or settlement shall be subject to the terms of this Letter Agreement, and provided further that any such restricted stock units, options, warrants or rights are held by the undersigned pursuant to an agreement or equity awards granted under a stock incentive plan or other equity award plan, each such agreement or plan which is described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or
(xiii) pursuant to a bona fide third-party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction that is approved by the Board of Directors of the Company and made to all holders of the Companys capital stock involving a Change of Control (as defined below) of the Company (for purposes hereof, Change of Control shall mean the transfer (whether by tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, to a person or group of affiliated persons, of shares of capital stock if, after such transfer, such person or group of affiliated persons would hold at least a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Company (or the surviving entity)); provided that in the event that such tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction is not completed, the undersigneds Lock-Up Securities shall remain subject to the provisions of this Letter Agreement;
provided that (A) in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (a)(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi) and (viii) , such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value and each donee, devisee, transferee or distributee shall execute and deliver to the Representatives a lock-up letter in the form of this Letter Agreement, (B) in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (a) (i), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi) and (ix) no filing by any party (donor, donee, devisee, transferor, transferee, distributer or distributee) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer or distribution (other than a filing on a Form 5 made after the expiration of the Restricted Period referred to above) and (C) in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (a) (ii), (vii), (viii), (ix), (xi) and (xii) it shall be a condition to such transfer that no public filing, report or announcement shall be voluntarily made and if any filing under
Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, or other public filing, report or announcement reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock in connection with such transfer or distribution shall be legally required during the Restricted Period, such filing, report or announcement shall clearly indicate in the footnotes thereto the nature and conditions of such transfer;
(b) exercise outstanding options, settle restricted stock units or other equity awards or exercise warrants pursuant to plans described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; provided that any Lock-Up Securities received upon such exercise, vesting or settlement shall be subject to the terms of this Letter Agreement;
(c) convert outstanding preferred stock, warrants to acquire preferred stock or convertible securities into shares of Common Stock or warrants to acquire shares of Common Stock; provided that any such shares of Common Stock or warrants received upon such conversion shall be subject to the terms of this Letter Agreement; and
(d) establish trading plans pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Lock-Up Securities; provided that (1) such plans do not provide for the transfer of Lock-Up Securities during the Restricted Period and (2) no filing by any party under the Exchange Act or other public announcement shall be required or made voluntarily in connection with such trading plan and any public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act made by any person regarding the establishment of such plan during the Restricted Period shall include a statement that the undersigned is not permitted to transfer, sell or otherwise dispose of securities under such plan during the Restricted Period in contravention of this Letter Agreement.
If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters agree that, at least three business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of shares of Lock-Up Securities, the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver, and (ii) the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such announcement. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration or that is to an immediate family member as defined in FINRA Rule 5130(i)(5) and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this letter to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.
In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company, and any duly appointed transfer agent for the registration or transfer of the securities described herein, are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Letter Agreement.
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Letter Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.
The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters have not provided any recommendation or investment advice nor have the Underwriters solicited any action from the undersigned with respect to the Public Offering of the Common Stock and the undersigned has consulted their own legal, accounting, financial, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent deemed appropriate. The undersigned further acknowledges and agrees that, although the Representatives may be required or choose to provide
certain Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS disclosures to you in connection with the Public Offering, the Representatives and the other Underwriters are not making a recommendation to you to enter into this Letter Agreement, participate in the Public Offering, or sell any shares of Common Stock at the price determined in the Public Offering, and nothing set forth in such disclosures is intended to suggest that either of the Representatives or any Underwriter is making such a recommendation.
Nothing in this Letter Agreement shall prevent the undersigned from making a demand for, or exercising any right with respect to, the registration of the undersigneds Common Stock, provided that (i) no sales of Common Stock shall be made in connection with any such demand or any such exercise by the undersigned or any of its affiliates prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period and (ii) no filing by any party (donor, donee, devisee, transferor, transferee, distributer or distributee) under the Exchange Act, or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with any such demand or any such exercise prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period; provided further that in no event shall the Company be permitted to take an action in violation of Section 3(i) of the Underwriting Agreement.
The undersigned understands that, if (1) prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement, the Company files an application to withdraw the Registration Statement related to the Public Offering, (2) the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective by October 31, 2022, (3) the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Common Stock to be sold thereunder, or (4) the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters advise the Company, or the Company advises the Representatives, in writing, prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement, that they have determined not to proceed with the Public Offering, the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this Letter Agreement.
The undersigned understands that the Representatives are entering into the Underwriting Agreement and proceeding with the Public Offering in reliance upon this Letter Agreement. This agreement may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, e.g., www.docusign.com or www.echosign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.
This Letter Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
Very truly yours, |
Signature: |
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Print Name: |
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EXHIBIT D
FORM OF PRESS RELEASE
TO BE ISSUED PURSUANT TO SECTION 3(j)
FIRST WATCH RESTAURANT GROUP, INC.
[Date]
FIRST WATCH RESTAURANT GROUP, INC. (the Company) announced today that BofA Securities, Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Jefferies LLC, the representatives in the Companys recent public sale of shares of common stock, is [waiving] [releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to shares of the Companys common stock held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver] [release] will take effect on , 20 , and the shares may be sold on or after such date.
This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Exhibit 5.1
767 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10153-0119
+1 212 310 8000 tel
+1 212 310 8007 fax
September 12, 2022
First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc.
8725 Pendery Place, Suite 201,
Bradenton, FL 34201
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), in connection with the preparation and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission of the Companys Registration Statement on Form S-1 (as amended, and including any subsequent registration statement on Form S-1 filed pursuant to Rule 462(b), the Registration Statement), under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Act), relating to the registration of the sale by the parties listed as selling stockholders (the Selling Stockholders) in the Registration Statement of the number of shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the Common Stock), of the Company specified in the Registration Statement (together with any additional shares of Common Stock that may be sold by the Selling Stockholders pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act, the Shares). The Shares are to be sold by the Selling Stockholders pursuant to an underwriting agreement among the Company, the Selling Stockholders and the underwriters named therein (the Underwriting Agreement), the form of which will be filed as Exhibit 1.1 to the Registration Statement.
In so acting, we have examined originals or copies (certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction) of (i) the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, incorporated by reference as Exhibit 3.1 to the Registration Statement; (ii) the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, incorporated by reference as Exhibit 3.2 to the Registration Statement; (iii) the Registration Statement; (iv) the prospectus contained within the Registration Statement; (v) the form of the Underwriting Agreement; (vi) the form of the Certificate of Common Stock of the Company, incorporated by reference as Exhibit 4.1 to the Registration Statement; and (vii) such corporate records, agreements, documents and other instruments, and such certificates or comparable documents of public officials and of officers and representatives of the Company, and have made such inquiries of such officers and representatives, as we have deemed relevant and necessary as a basis for the opinion hereinafter set forth.
In such examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified, conformed or photostatic copies, and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents. As to all questions of fact material to this opinion that have not been independently established, we have relied upon certificates or comparable documents of officers and representatives of the Company.
September 12, 2022 Page 2 |
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Based on the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications stated herein, we are of the opinion that the Shares are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
The opinion expressed herein is limited to the corporate laws of the State of Delaware and we express no opinion as to the effect on the matters covered by this letter of the laws of any other jurisdiction.
We hereby consent to the filing of this letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, to the incorporation by reference of this letter into any subsequent registration statement on Form S-1 filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Act with respect to the Shares and to the reference to our firm under the caption Legal Matters in the prospectus which is a part of the Registration Statement. In giving such consent we do not hereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
Exhibit 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-1 of First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc. of our report dated March 23, 2022 relating to the financial statements, which appears in First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc.s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 26, 2021. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading Experts in such Registration Statement.
/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Tampa, Florida
September 12, 2022
Exhibit 107
Calculation of Filing Fee Tables
Form S-1
(Form Type)
First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Table 1: Newly Registered and Carry Forward Securities
Security Type |
Security Title |
Fee Calculation or Carry Forward Rule |
Amount Registered(1) |
Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Unit(2) |
Maximum Price |
Fee Rate |
Amount of Registration Fee | |||||||||
Newly Registered Securities | ||||||||||||||||
Fees to Be Paid |
Equity | Common stock, par value $0.01 per share | Other | 5,175,000 | $18.26 | $94,495,500 | 0.0000927 | $8,759.73 | ||||||||
Total Offering Amounts | $94,495,500 | $8,759.73 | ||||||||||||||
Total Fees Previously Paid | | |||||||||||||||
Total Fee Offsets | | |||||||||||||||
Net Fee Due | $8,759.73 |
(1) | Includes shares of common stock that may be purchased by the underwriters under their option to purchase additional shares of common stock. |
(2) | Pursuant to Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act, and solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee, the proposed maximum offering price per share is $18.26, which is the average of the high and low prices of the shares of the common shares on September 8, 2022 on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. |