UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 4, 2017
PLUG POWER INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
Delaware |
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1-34392 |
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22-3672377 |
(State or Other |
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(Commission File Number) |
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(IRS Employer |
968 Albany Shaker Road, Latham, New York 12110
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
(518) 782-7700
(Registrants telephone number, including area code)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
x Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On April 4, 2017, Plug Power Inc. (the Company) and Amazon.com, Inc. (Amazon) entered into a Transaction Agreement (the Transaction Agreement), pursuant to which the Company agreed to issue to Amazon.com NV Investment Holdings LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Amazon (NV Investment), a warrant (the Warrant) to acquire up to 55,286,696 shares (the Warrant Shares) of the Companys common stock, par value $0.01 per share (Common Stock), subject to certain vesting events described below. The Company and Amazon entered into the Transaction Agreement in connection with existing commercial agreements between the Company and Amazon with respect to the deployment of the Companys GenKey fuel cell technology at Amazon distribution centers. The existing commercial agreements contemplate future purchase orders for the Companys fuel cell technology. The vesting of the Warrant Shares, described below, is linked to payments made by Amazon or its affiliates (directly or indirectly through third parties) pursuant to the existing commercial agreements.
Warrant
The Warrant Shares will vest based on Amazons payment of up to $600 million to the Company in connection with Amazons purchase of goods and services from the Company. The first tranche of 5,819,652 Warrant Shares vested upon the execution of the Warrant and other transaction documents. The second tranche of 29,098,260 Warrant Shares will vest in four installments of 7,274,565 Warrant Shares each time Amazon or its affiliates, directly or indirectly through third parties, make an aggregate of $50 million in payments to the Company, up to payments totaling $200 million in the aggregate. The exercise price for the first and second tranches of Warrant Shares will be $1.1893 per share. After Amazon has made payments to the Company totaling $200 million, the third tranche of 20,368,784 Warrant Shares will vest in eight installments of 2,546,098 Warrant Shares each time Amazon or its affiliates, directly or indirectly through third parties, make an aggregate of $50 million in payments to the Company, up to payments totaling $400 million in the aggregate. The exercise price of the third tranche of Warrant Shares will be an amount per share equal to ninety percent (90%) of the 30-day volume weighted average share price of the Common Stock as of the first vesting date of the second tranche of Warrant Shares. The Warrant is exercisable through April 4, 2027.
Upon the consummation of certain change of control transactions (as defined in the Warrant) prior to the vesting of at least 60% of the aggregate Warrant Shares, the Warrant will automatically vest and become exercisable with respect to an additional number of Warrant Shares such that 60% of the aggregate Warrant Shares shall have vested. If a change of control transaction is consummated after the vesting of at least 60% of the aggregate Warrant Shares, then no acceleration of vesting will occur with respect to any of the unvested Warrant Shares as a result of the transaction. The exercise price and the Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrant are subject to customary antidilution adjustments.
The foregoing summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Warrant, which is filed as Exhibit 4.1 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.
Transaction Agreement
The Transaction Agreement sets forth certain governance arrangements and provisions relating to Amazons equity interest in the Company, including customary registration rights, and includes customary representations and warranties and covenants of the Company and Amazon.
The Transaction Agreement contains certain restrictions on Amazons ability to transfer the Warrant and Warrant Shares. The Transaction Agreement also contains certain customary standstill restrictions that remain in effect during the period from the execution of the Transaction Agreement until such time as Amazon owns less than 10% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the Standstill Period). During the Standstill Period, Amazon and its affiliates will be required to vote all of their shares of Common Stock in excess of 14.9% of the Companys outstanding shares of Common Stock in accordance with the recommendation of the Companys Board of Directors.
The issuance of the Warrant and the exercise thereof by NV Investment with respect to Warrant Shares representing more than 20% of the shares of Common Stock outstanding as of the date of issuance of the Warrant, or approximately 38,242,071 shares of Common Stock, is subject to the prior approval of the Companys stockholders, as required under the rules of The Nasdaq Stock Market (the Stockholder Approval). Pursuant to the Transaction Agreement, no later than the Companys 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the Company will convene and hold a meeting of its stockholders (the Stockholder Meeting) to consider and vote on the Stockholder Approval.
The issuance of the Warrant and of Warrant Shares, which are subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Transaction Agreement and the Warrant, have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), in reliance on the exemption from registration provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) promulgated thereunder. The Warrant was issued only to NV Investment in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Agreement. This current report on Form 8-K does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any security and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offering would be unlawful.
The foregoing summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Transaction Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 3.02. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.
See disclosures under Item 1.01 of this Form 8-K.
Item 3.03. Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.
In connection with and prior to entering into the Transaction Agreement, on April 4, 2017, the Company and Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, Inc., as rights agent (Broadridge), entered into an Amendment No. 7 (the Amendment) to Shareholders Rights Agreement, dated as of June 23, 2009 (as amended by Amendment No. 1 to Shareholder Rights Agreement, dated as of May 6, 2011, Amendment No. 2 to Shareholder Rights Agreement, dated
March 16, 2012, Amendment No. 3 to Shareholder Rights Agreement, dated March 23, 2012, Amendment No. 4 to Shareholder Rights Agreement dated February 11, 2013, Amendment No. 5 to Shareholder Rights Agreement, dated May 8, 2013 and Amendment No. 6 to the Shareholder Rights Agreement dated December 19, 2016, the Rights Agreement), between the Company and Broadridge. The Amendment amends the definition of Acquiring Person to allow Amazon and its affiliates or associates, including NV Investment, to acquire the Warrant and the Warrant Shares without triggering the rights under the Rights Agreement. If Amazon becomes the beneficial owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock and at such time Amazon is or is deemed to be the beneficial owner of any shares of Common Stock other than by virtue of owning the Warrant and the Warrant Shares (including as a result of any adjustments to any of the terms of the Warrant, including, without limitation, the exercise price of the Warrant or the number of Warrant Shares), as well as any shares of Common Stock acquired by Amazon under certain exceptions in the Transaction Agreement, then Amazon will be deemed an Acquiring Person under the Rights Agreement.
The foregoing summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Amendment, which is filed as Exhibit 4.2 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 8.01. Other Events.
On April 5, 2017, the Company issued a press release with respect to the transactions described above, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1. The Company also intends to hold a conference call with investors with respect to the transactions described above during which it will discuss the materials that are attached as Exhibit 99.2 hereto. The press release attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and the investor presentation attached hereto as Exhibit 99.2 are incorporated herein by reference.
Additional Information about the Transactions and Where to Find It
This communication is being made in respect of the transactions between the Company and Amazon, and the related issuance of a Warrant, described herein. The issuance of the Warrant, and the exercise thereof, with respect to Warrant Shares representing more than 20% of the Companys Common Stock outstanding as of the date of issuance of such Warrant will be submitted to the Companys stockholders for the Stockholder Approval. The Company intends to file with the SEC a proxy statement for the Stockholder Meeting (the Proxy Statement) that will include a proposal relating to the Stockholder Approval. This communication does not constitute a solicitation of any vote or proxy from any of the Companys stockholders. Investors are urged to read the Proxy Statement carefully and in its entirety when it becomes available and any other relevant documents or materials filed or to be filed with the SEC or incorporated by reference in the Proxy Statement, because they will contain important information about the transactions between the Company and Amazon, the issuance of the Warrant and the proposal relating to the Stockholder Approval. The Proxy Statement will be mailed to the Companys stockholders. In addition, the Proxy Statement and other documents will be available free of charge at the SECs internet website, www.sec.gov. When available, the Proxy Statement and other pertinent documents may also be obtained free of charge at the Investor Relations section of the Companys website, www.plugpower.com, or by directing a written request to Plug Power
Media & Investor Relations, 968 Albany Shaker Road, Latham, New York 12110 or at tel: (518) 738-0269 or email: media@plugpower.com.
The Company and its directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the Companys stockholders in favor of the Stockholder Approval. Information about the Companys directors and executive officers is included in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 filed with the SEC on March 10, 2017. Additional information regarding these persons and their interests in the transactions will be included in the Proxy Statement when it is filed with the SEC. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits
d) Exhibits.
Exhibit |
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Description |
4.1 |
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Warrant to Purchase Common Stock, issued April 4, 2017, by and between Plug Power Inc. and Amazon.com NV Investment Holdings LLC |
4.2 |
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Amendment No. 7, effective as of April 4, 2017, to Shareholder Rights Agreement by and between Plug Power Inc. and Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, Inc., as Rights Agent |
10.1 |
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Transaction Agreement, dated as of April 4, 2017, by and between Plug Power Inc. and Amazon.com, Inc. |
99.1 |
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Plug Power Inc. Press Release dated April 5, 2017 |
99.2 |
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Investor Presentation |
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.
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PLUG POWER INC. | |
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Date: April 5, 2017 |
By: |
/s/ Andrew Marsh |
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Name: Andrew Marsh |
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Title: Chief Executive Officer |
[Signature Page to Warrant 8-K]
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit |
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Description |
4.1 |
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Warrant to Purchase Common Stock, issued April 4, 2017, by and between Plug Power Inc. and Amazon.com NV Investment Holdings LLC |
4.2 |
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Amendment No. 7, effective as of April 4, 2017, to Shareholder Rights Agreement by and between Plug Power Inc. and Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, Inc., as Rights Agent |
10.1 |
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Transaction Agreement, dated as of April 4, 2017, by and between Plug Power Inc. and Amazon.com, Inc. |
99.1 |
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Plug Power Inc. Press Release dated April 5, 2017 |
99.2 |
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Investor Presentation |