PROPOSAL 2: THE SHARE AUTHORIZATION PROPOSAL
Increase in Number of Authorized Shares of Common Stock
The Board recommends that the stockholders adopt an amendment to the Charter to increase the number of authorized shares of Class A Common Stock from 815,000,000 to 1,690,000,000 shares, increasing the number of authorized shares of Common Stock from 890,000,000 to 1,765,000,000 shares and the total number of authorized shares of Common Stock and Preferred Stock from 900,000,000 to 1,775,000,000 shares. Pursuant to the Charter, the Company currently has 10,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock and 890,000,000 shares of Common Stock authorized, including (i) 815,000,000 shares of Class A Common Stock and (ii) 75,000,000 shares of Class B Common Stock. As of January 31, 2023, there were no shares of Preferred Stock, 624,276,890 shares of Class A Common Stock and 64,000,588 shares of Class B Common Stock issued and outstanding.
The Board believes it is desirable for the Company to have a sufficient number of shares of Class A Common Stock available for the satisfaction of its existing obligations to issue shares of Class A Common Stock as and if they become due, for possible future financings or acquisition transactions, stock dividends or splits, stock issuances pursuant to employee benefit plans and other proper corporate purposes. In particular, in order to fund its ongoing operations and business plan, including to launch the FF 91, the Company is seeking to raise additional capital from various fundraising efforts currently underway to supplement its cash on hand as of January 15, 2023 of $19.6 million, including restricted cash of $2.1 million. FF expects that it may raise additional capital to support the ramp-up of production of the FF 91 to generate revenues to put it on a path to cash flow break-even. It is possible that some of these additional shares could be used in the future for various other purposes without further stockholder approval, except as such approval may be required in particular cases by the Company’s Charter, applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange or other quotation system on which the Company’s securities may then be listed. The Board believes that approval of the Share Authorization Proposal is crucial predominantly to ensure that the Company has sufficient authorized shares to meet its existing obligations to issue shares of Class A Common Stock as and if they become due, and to secure needed financing without incurring the delay and expense of holding additional stockholders’ meetings.
If the Share Authorization Proposal is approved, up to an additional 875,000,000 shares of Class A Common Stock, or a total of 1,775,000,000 shares of authorized and unreserved shares of Preferred Stock and Common Stock would be issued and outstanding or available for future issuance. The additional shares of Class A Common Stock will have the same rights as the presently authorized shares of Class A Common Stock, including the right to cast one vote per share of Class A Common Stock. Although the authorization of additional shares will not, in itself, have any effect on the rights of any holder of our Common Stock, the future issuance of additional shares of Class A Common Stock (other than by way of a stock split or dividend) would have the effect of diluting the voting rights and could have the effect of diluting earnings per share and book value per share of existing stockholders.
The Charter amendment will become effective upon the filing of the amendment with the Secretary of State of Delaware. The Company currently plans to file such amendment promptly after the Special Meeting if the Share Authorization Proposal is approved.
Amended and Restated Shareholder Agreement
Pursuant to the Amended and Restated Shareholder Agreement, dated January 13, 2023, between the Company and FF Top Holding LLC (“FF Top”), FF Top has agreed to vote all shares of Common Stock that it beneficially owns in favor of an increase in the Company’s authorized shares of Class A Common Stock from 815,000,000 to 1,690,000,000 (as such number may be adjusted due to any stock split, reverse stock split or other similar corporate action after January 13, 2023) at the Special Meeting. FF Top has also agreed not to transfer, convert or otherwise take any action that would result in the conversion of any shares of Class B Common Stock into Class A Common Stock of the Company prior to the Company’s receipt of stockholder approval of the Share Authorization Proposal.
The failure to obtain approval of the Share Authorization Proposal may hinder the Company from obtaining future financing.
Proposal
The Company is seeking stockholder approval to adopt an amendment to the Charter to increase the number of authorized shares of Class A Common Stock from 815,000,000 to 1,690,000,000, increasing the total number of authorized shares of Common Stock and Preferred Stock from 900,000,000 to 1,775,000,000.