UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
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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 pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.
Introductory Note
As previously announced, on July 28, 2021, Spartan Acquisition Corp. III, a Delaware corporation (“Spartan”), Athena Pubco B.V., a Dutch private limited liability company (besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid) (“Athena Pubco”), Athena Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Merger Sub”), Madeleine Charging B.V., a Dutch private limited liability company (besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid) (“Madeleine Charging”), Allego Holding B.V., a Dutch private limited liability company (besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid) (“Allego”), and, solely with respect to the sections specified therein, E8 Partenaires, a French societe par actions simplifee (“E8 Investor”), entered into a Business Combination Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (the “Business Combination Agreement”). Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions to closing (the “Closing”) of the transactions contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement (the “Transactions”), the Transactions will effect a business combination between Spartan and Allego. Capitalized terms used herein but not otherwise defined shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Business Combination Agreement, a copy of which was filed as Exhibit 2.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC by Spartan on July 28, 2021, and is incorporated herein by reference.
| Item 1.01. | Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement. |
On February 28, 2022, Spartan, Athena Pubco, Merger Sub, Madeleine Charging, Allego and, solely for the purposes of the sections specified therein, E8 Investor entered into that certain Amendment to the Business Combination Agreement (the “Amendment”) pursuant to which, among other things, the parties thereto (i) modified the applicable thresholds that determine whether certain fees payable to E8 Investor will be paid in cash, Company Common Shares or a combination of cash and Company Common Shares.
According to the Amendment, in the event the holders of: (a) more than 15% but not more than 72.4% of Spartan Class A Common Stock exercise their Redemption Rights in respect of such shares (the “Part A First Redemption Threshold”), Allego will issue to E8 Investor a number of Company Common Shares equal to 50% of the amounts payable as “Part A of the Fees” (as such term is defined in the E8 Agreement); and (b) more than 72.4% of the outstanding shares of Spartan Class A Common Stock exercise Redemption Rights in respect of such shares (the “Part A Second Redemption Threshold” and, together with the Part A First Redemption Threshold, each a “Part A Redemption Threshold”), Allego will issue to E8 Investor a number of Company Common Shares equal to 100% of the amounts payable as Part A of the Fees, in each case, on the terms and subject to the conditions as more particularly set forth in the E8 Agreement and the Business Combination Agreement.
In addition, for purposes of determining if a Part A Redemption Threshold has been met, any net cash proceeds received by Athena Pubco from the issuance of any NewCo Ordinary Shares in connection with Closing (at a price of $10.00 per NewCo Ordinary Share) in excess of $193.5 million, other than any net cash proceeds from the Trust Account, shall be deemed to reduce, on a dollar for dollar basis, the value of the shares of Spartan Class A Common Stock with respect to which the holders thereof have exercised their Redemption Rights (with the value of one such share being deemed to be worth $10.00), and with each such share being deemed not to have been redeemed.
The foregoing description of the Amendment does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by the terms and conditions of the Amendment, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 2.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
Forward-Looking Statements
This Current Report on Form 8-K includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by any investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Spartan’s and Allego’s actual results may differ from their expectations, estimates, and projections and, consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as “expect,” “estimate,” “project,” “budget,” “forecast,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “believes,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” and similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without
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limitation, Spartan’s and Allego’s expectations with respect to future performance and anticipated financial impacts of the Transactions, the satisfaction or waiver of the closing conditions to the Transactions, and the timing of the completion of the Transactions. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially, and potentially adversely, from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Most of these factors are outside Spartan’s and Allego’s control and are difficult to predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to: (i) the occurrence of any event, change, or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Business Combination Agreement or could otherwise cause the Transactions to fail to close; (ii) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Spartan, Athena Pubco and/or Allego following the announcement of the Transactions; (iii) the inability to complete the Transactions, including due to failure to obtain approval of the stockholders of Spartan, certain regulatory approvals, or the satisfaction of other conditions to closing in the Business Combination Agreement; (iv) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Allego’s business and/or the ability of the parties to complete the Transactions; (v) the inability to obtain or maintain the listing of Athena Pubco’s common shares on the New York Stock Exchange following the Transactions; (vi) the risk that the Transactions disrupt current plans and operations as a result of the announcement and consummation of the Transactions; (vii) the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the Transactions, which may be affected by, among other things, competition, the ability of Allego to grow and manage growth profitably, and to retain its key employees; (viii) costs related to the Transactions; (ix) changes in applicable laws or regulations; and (x) the possibility that Allego, Spartan or Athena Pubco may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. The foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. Additional information concerning certain of these and other risk factors is contained in Spartan’s most recent filings with the SEC and in the registration statement on Form F-4 (the “Form F-4”), including the proxy statement/prospectus forming a part thereof filed by Athena Pubco in connection with the Transactions on September 30, 2021, as amended on December 14, 2021, January 18, 2022 and February 1, 2022. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning Spartan, Allego or Athena Pubco, the transactions described herein or other matters and attributable to Spartan, Allego, Athena Pubco or any person acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Each of Spartan, Allego and Athena Pubco expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in their expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any statement is based, except as required by law.
Important Information and Where to Find It
In connection with the Transactions, a registration statement on Form F-4 was filed by Athena Pubco with the SEC on September 30, 2021, as amended on December 14, 2021, January 18, 2022 and February 1, 2022, and was declared effective on February 10, 2022. The Form F-4 includes a definitive proxy statement that has been mailed to holders of Spartan’s common stock in connection with Spartan’s solicitation for proxies for the vote by Spartan’s stockholders in connection with the Transactions and other matters as described in the Form F-4, as well as a prospectus of Athena Pubco relating to the offer of the securities to be issued in connection with the completion of the Transactions. Spartan, Allego and Athena Pubco urge investors, stockholders and other interested persons to read the Form F-4, including the proxy statement/prospectus incorporated by reference therein, as well as other documents filed with the SEC in connection with the Transactions, as these materials contain important information about Allego, Spartan, and the Transactions. Such persons can also read Spartan’s final prospectus dated February 8, 2021 (SEC File No. 333-252866), for a description of the security holdings of Spartan’s officers and directors and their respective interests as security holders in the consummation of the Transactions. The definitive proxy statement/prospectus has been mailed to Spartan’s stockholders as of January 18, 2021. Stockholders will also be able to obtain copies of such documents, without charge, once available, at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, or by directing a request to: Spartan Acquisition Corp. III, 9 West 57th Street, 43rd Floor, New York, NY 10019, or (212) 515-3200. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, the websites referenced in this Current Report on Form 8-K is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this Current Report Form 8-K.
INVESTMENT IN ANY SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SEC OR ANY OTHER REGULATORY AUTHORITY NOR HAS ANY AUTHORITY PASSED UPON OR ENDORSED THE MERITS OF THE OFFERING OR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
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Participants in the Solicitation
Spartan, Allego, Athena Pubco and their respective directors, executive officers and other members of their management and employees, under SEC rules, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies of Spartan’s stockholders in connection with the Transactions. Investors and security holders may obtain more detailed information regarding the names, affiliations and interests of Spartan’s directors and executive officers in Spartan’s final prospectus dated February 8, 2021 (SEC File No. 333-252866), which was filed with the SEC on February 10, 2021. Information regarding the persons who may, under SEC rules, be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies of Spartan’s stockholders in connection with the Transactions is set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus for the Transactions. Information concerning the interests of Spartan’s, Athena Pubco’s and Allego’s participants in the solicitation, which may, in some cases, be different than those of Spartan’s, Athena Pubco’s and Allego’s equity holders generally, is set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus relating to the Transactions.
No Offer or Solicitation
This Current Report on Form 8-K shall not constitute a solicitation of a proxy, consent or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the Transactions. This Current Report on Form 8-K shall also not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any states or jurisdictions in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption therefrom.
| Item 9.01. | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(d) Exhibits.
| * | All schedules have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(a)(5) of Regulation S-K. A copy of any omitted schedule and/or exhibit will be furnished to the SEC upon request. |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.
Dated: February 28, 2022
| SPARTAN ACQUISITION CORP. III | ||
| By: | /s/ Geoffrey Strong | |
| Name: | Geoffrey Strong | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
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