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As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on July 21, 2021

Registration No. 333-257714

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

AMENDMENT NO. 1

TO

FORM S-1

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

TGPX Holdings I LLC*

to be converted as described herein into a corporation named

Traeger, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   3630   82-2739741

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(Primary Standard Industrial

Classification Code Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

1215 E Wilmington Ave., Suite 200

Salt Lake City, Utah 84106

(801) 701-7180

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

Jeremy Andrus

Chief Executive Officer

1215 E Wilmington Ave., Suite 200

Salt Lake City, Utah 84106

(801) 701-7180

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copies to:

 

Stelios G. Saffos

Shayne Kennedy

Ian D. Schuman

Latham & Watkins LLP

1271 Avenue of the Americas

New York, New York 10020

(212) 906-1200

 

Thomas Burton

General Counsel

1215 E Wilmington Ave., Suite 200

Salt Lake City, Utah 84106

(801) 701-7180

 

Andrew B. Barkan

Meredith L. Mackey

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver

& Jacobson LLP

One New York Plaza

New York, New York 10004

(212) 859-8000

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

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, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth 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 pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☐

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of each class of
securities to be registered
 

Amount

to be

registered(1)

 

Proposed

maximum

offering price

per share(2)

 

Proposed

maximum

aggregate
offering price(1)(2)

  Amount of
registration fee(3)

Common stock, par value $0.0001 per share

 

27,058,822

 

$18.00

  $487,058,796   $53,139

 

 

(1)

Includes 3,529,411 shares of common stock that the underwriters have the option to purchase.

(2)

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

(3)

The registrant previously paid a total of $10,910 in connection with the prior filing of the registration statement.

*

Prior to the effectiveness of this Registration Statement, TGPX Holdings I LLC will convert into a Delaware corporation pursuant to a statutory conversion and will change its name to Traeger, Inc. See “Corporate Conversion” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

 

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 this Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 


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Explanatory Note

TGPX Holdings I LLC, the registrant whose name appears on the cover of this registration statement, is a Delaware limited liability company. Prior to the effectiveness of this registration statement, TGPX Holdings I LLC will convert into a Delaware corporation pursuant to a statutory conversion and will change its name to Traeger, Inc. In the accompanying prospectus, we refer to all of the transactions related to our conversion to a corporation as the “Corporate Conversion.” In connection with the Corporate Conversion, TGP Holdings LP, a Delaware limited partnership and the sole holder of limited liability company interests in TGPX Holdings I LLC, will become the holder of shares of common stock of Traeger, Inc. Except as disclosed in the prospectus, the consolidated financial statements and selected historical consolidated financial data and other financial information included in this Registration Statement are those of TGPX Holdings I LLC and its subsidiaries and do not give effect to the Corporate Conversion. Only shares of common stock of Traeger, Inc. are being sold in this offering.

 


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The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION. DATED JULY 21, 2021

23,529,411 Shares

 

LOGO

Traeger, Inc.

Common Stock

 

 

This is an initial public offering of Traeger, Inc. We are selling 8,823,529 shares of our common stock and the selling stockholders identified in this prospectus are offering 14,705,882 shares of our common stock. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the shares by the selling stockholders.

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for the common stock. The initial public offering price is expected to be between $16.00 and $18.00 per share. We have applied to list our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “COOK.”

We are an “emerging growth company” as defined under the U.S. federal securities laws and, as such, may elect to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements. See “Prospectus Summary—Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company.”

Following this offering, a private equity fund managed by AEA Investors, the AEA Fund, will own approximately 29.7% of our common stock (or approximately 28.6% if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares of common stock in full), Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board, or OTPP, will own approximately 21.9% of our common stock (or approximately 21.1% if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares of common stock in full) and certain private equity funds managed by Trilantic North America, collectively TCP, will own approximately 16.0% of our common stock (or approximately 15.3% if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares of common stock in full). Following this offering, pursuant to our Stockholders Agreement (as defined herein), the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP will control a majority of the voting power of our shares of common stock eligible to vote in the election of our directors. As a result, we expect to be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the corporate governance standards of the New York Stock Exchange. See “Management—Director Independence and Controlled Company Exception” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—New Stockholders Agreements.”

 

 

Investing in our common stock involves risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 27 to read about factors you should consider before buying shares of our common stock.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

     Per
share
     Total  

Initial public offering price

   $                    $                

Underwriting discounts and commissions(1)

   $        $    

Proceeds, before expenses, to us

   $        $    

Proceeds, before expenses, to the selling stockholders

   $        $    

 

(1)

See “Underwriting” for additional information regarding underwriting compensation.

At our request, the underwriters have reserved up to 5% of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus for sale, at the initial public offering price, to certain individuals identified by us. See “Underwriting—Directed Share Program.”

To the extent that the underwriters sell more than 23,529,411 shares of our common stock, the underwriters have an option to purchase up to an additional 3,529,411 shares of common stock from the selling stockholders at the initial public offering price less underwriting discounts and commissions, for 30 days after the date of this prospectus. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of our common stock by the selling stockholders pursuant to any exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares.

Delivery of the shares of common stock will be made on or about                 , 2021.

 

 

 

Morgan Stanley   Jefferies   Baird   William Blair
Credit Suisse   RBC Capital Markets
BMO Capital Markets   Piper Sandler   Stifel
Telsey Advisory Group   Academy Securities   AmeriVet Securities   Loop Capital Markets   Ramirez & Co., Inc.

The date of this prospectus is                 , 2021.


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LOGO

IN 1987, TRAEGER INVENTED THE ORIGINAL WOOD PELLET GRILL. IT REIGNITED OUR 2-MILLION-YEAR-OLD CONNECTION TO FIRE. IT CREATED A COMMUNITY, A LIFESTYLE, AND A MOVEMENT. IT BECAME MUCH MORE THAN A GRILL.


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LOGO

TODAY ...WE TEACH PEOPLE TO LOVE THE EXPERIENCE OF COOKING. ...WE MAKE EVERYONE FEEL LIKE A BACKYARD HERO. ...WE BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO CREATE A MORE FLAVORFUL WORLD.


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LOGO

2 MILLION GRILLS SOLD Grills sold, 2016-2020 9I MILLION COOKING CYCLES IN 2020 1.6 MILLION SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS As of March 31, 2021 1,600 RECIPES


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LOGO


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LOGO

WELCOME TO THE TRAEGERHOOD


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

GENERAL INFORMATION

     ii  

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

     1  

RISK FACTORS

     27  

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     70  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     72  

DIVIDEND POLICY

     73  

CORPORATE CONVERSION

     74  

CAPITALIZATION

     75  

DILUTION

     77  

SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

     79  

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

     80  

A NOTE FROM JEREMY ANDRUS, CEO OF TRAEGER

     106  

BUSINESS

     108  

MANAGEMENT

     141  

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

     147  

PRINCIPAL AND SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

     160  

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

     163  

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

     167  

SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

     174  

MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES TO NON-U.S. HOLDERS

     176  

UNDERWRITING

     180  

LEGAL MATTERS

     190  

EXPERTS

     190  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     190  

INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

     F-1  

 

 

You should rely only on the information included elsewhere in this prospectus and any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us that we have referred to you. Neither we, the selling stockholders nor the underwriters have authorized anyone to provide you with additional information or information different from that included elsewhere in this prospectus or in any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us that we have referred to you. If anyone provides you with additional, different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. Offers to sell, and solicitations of offers to buy, shares of our common stock are being made only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted.

No action is being taken in any jurisdiction outside the United States to permit a public offering of common stock or possession or distribution of this prospectus in that jurisdiction. Persons who come into possession of this prospectus in jurisdictions outside the United States are required to inform themselves about and to observe any restriction as to this offering and the distribution of this prospectus applicable to those jurisdictions. See “Underwriting.”

 

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GENERAL INFORMATION

Basis of Presentation and Other Information

Unless the context otherwise requires, all references to “Traeger,” the “Company,” “we,” us,” and “our” refer, prior to the Corporate Conversion discussed elsewhere in this prospectus, to TGPX Holdings I LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, together with its consolidated subsidiaries, and, after the Corporate Conversion, to Traeger, Inc., a Delaware corporation, together with its consolidated subsidiaries.

Certain monetary amounts, percentages, and other figures included in this prospectus have been subject to rounding adjustments. Percentage amounts included in this prospectus have not in all cases been calculated on the basis of such rounded figures, but on the basis of such amounts prior to rounding. For this reason, percentage amounts in this prospectus may vary from those obtained by performing the same calculations using the figures in our consolidated financial statements or the figures included elsewhere in this prospectus. Certain other amounts that appear in this prospectus may not sum due to rounding.

Market and Industry Data

This prospectus includes estimates regarding market and industry data that we prepared based on our management’s knowledge and experience in the markets in which we operate, together with information obtained from various sources, including publicly available information, industry reports and publications, surveys, our customers, distributors, suppliers, trade and business organizations and other contacts in the markets in which we operate. Management estimates are derived from publicly available information released by independent industry analysts and third-party sources, as well as data from our internal research, and are based on assumptions made by us upon reviewing such data and our knowledge of such industry and markets which we believe to be reasonable.

In presenting this information, we have made certain assumptions that we believe to be reasonable based on such data and other similar sources and on our knowledge of, and our experience to date in, the markets for our products. Statistics and estimates related to our total addressable market in the United States, or U.S. TAM, and our serviceable addressable market in the United States, or U.S. SAM, as a whole and the various categories therein, and our market share within the U.S. TAM and U.S. SAM, are based on internal and third-party research, as well as consumer surveys. Our U.S. TAM is calculated based on an estimated percentage of households in the United States that have a grill. We estimate that percentage to be approximately 60% based on internal and third-party market research, historical surveys, and interviews with market participants. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the total number of households in the United States – a figure which encompasses houses, apartments, and other separate living quarters – was roughly 128.5 million in 2020. We determined our U.S. SAM based on our analysis of a survey we conducted to evaluate general trends in grill ownership. In March 2021, we conducted a survey of consumers across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany, with approximately 4,200 consumers in total and 2,600 consumers in the United States, including 157 recent Traeger purchasers. We screened survey responses for respondents (i) between the ages of 25 and 69 years old, (ii) with annual household income of $25,000 or more, and (iii) who had purchased a grill in the two years prior to the survey. To calculate our U.S. SAM, we measured the percentage of the respondents who expressed attitudinal similarities to our brand and target grill owners, such as willingness to spend more to get the highest quality products, first movers among friends to experiment with new cooking technologies, and/or frustration with current cooking methodologies and requirements for grills.

This market data is subject to change and may be limited by the availability of raw data, the voluntary nature of the data gathering process and other limitations inherent in any statistical survey. In addition, customer preferences are subject to change. Accordingly, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such market data.

 

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Trademarks, Trade Names and Service Marks

Traeger, our logos, and other registered or common law trade names, trademarks or service marks of Traeger appearing in this prospectus are the property of Traeger. This prospectus also contains trademarks, trade names and service marks of other companies, which are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, trademarks, trade names and service marks referred to in this prospectus may appear without the ®, or SM symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or the right of the applicable licensor to these trademarks, trade names and service marks. We do not intend our use or display of other parties’ trademarks, trade names or service marks to imply, and such use or display should not be construed to imply, a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, these other parties.

 

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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This summary highlights selected information contained elsewhere in this prospectus. Because this is only a summary, it does not contain all the information that may be important to you. You should read the entire prospectus carefully, especially “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus, before deciding to invest in our common stock.

Welcome to the Traegerhood

Our mission is to bring people together to create a more flavorful world.

Traeger is the creator and category leader of the wood pellet grill, an outdoor cooking system that ignites all-natural hardwoods to grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and barbeque. Our Traeger grills are versatile and easy to use, empowering cooks of all skillsets to create delicious meals with a wood-fired flavor that cannot be replicated with gas, charcoal, or electric grills.

At the heart of our brand is a passionate and engaged community called the Traegerhood, which includes everyone from casual grillers to competition pitmasters and professional chefs. Our flagship wood pellet grills are internet of things, or IoT, devices that allow owners to program, monitor, and control their grill through our Traeger app, which is used on more than 1.6 million mobile devices per month. We complement our innovative cooking technologies with a digital library of approximately 1,600 original recipes and Traeger Kitchen Live cooking classes, which receive over 144,000 weekly views. In addition, we offer consumable products, such as wood pellets, rubs, and sauces, that drive recurring revenue.

Leveraging our authentic brand and the Traegerhood, we have established an omnichannel distribution strategy led by retailers ranging from Ace Hardware and The Home Depot to Wayfair and Williams Sonoma. We complement this retail channel with direct to consumer sales through our website and Traeger app. We believe this accessibility has fueled our growth, as we have increased our revenue from $262.1 million in 2017 to $545.8 million in 2020, representing a compound annual growth rate, or CAGR, of 28%.

Today, we estimate that 60% of U.S. households own a grill, representing a total addressable market of approximately 75 million households in the United States. With approximately 2.0 million Traegers sold in the United States from 2016 to 2020, we estimate that our U.S. household penetration is only 3% of this total addressable market. As a result, we believe our potential market opportunity is massive and that our ability to grow within and beyond the outdoor grill market is unrivaled. We see opportunities to expand our integrated, connected cooking platform with new types of technologies and experiences. Together with the Traegerhood, we are disrupting home cooking.


 

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LOGO

The Traeger

Before we invented the Traeger, the age-old practice of cooking with wood could be challenging. It was difficult to ignite the wood, maintain consistent temperatures, and create the right amount of smoke for flavoring. With the advent of cooking methods such as electricity and gas, wood-fired cooking was, for a time, relegated to barbecue pitmasters and high-end restaurants. Nevertheless, cooking with wood can simply make food taste better. If done correctly, wood offers distinct flavors, and different types of woods can be used independently or in combination to introduce flavors that we believe are otherwise difficult to create.

The Traeger simplifies the process of cooking with wood and empowers everyone from a casual griller to a professional chef to create delicious meals that we believe cannot be replicated with gas-, electric- or charcoal-based cooking systems. Our grills use an auger to feed natural hardwood pellets into a fire pot, where they are ignited by a hot rod to create consistent heat and flavorful smoke. A fan stokes the fire and creates convection, which is key to the versatility of our grills. The Traeger monitors the temperature and adjusts the auger and fan to maintain consistent cooking conditions. All of this is accomplished by pressing a button and setting a temperature. We believe our wood pellet grills offer the following advantages:

 

   

Taste: Hardwood smoke can make beef, pork, poultry, seafood, vegetables, and baked goods taste delicious. Wood-fired cooking suits numerous eating styles and diets including paleo, ketogenic, gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan.

 

   

Versatility: The Traeger is able to grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and barbecue. Culinary traditions from around the world are represented in the Traeger recipe collection.

 

   

Ease of Use: Connected Traegers can be programmed via smartphone to accomplish multi-hour cook cycles with minimal supervision. Thanks to this accessible user experience, even new Traeger owners can cook recipes ranging from barbecue ribs, Moroccan ground meat kebabs, and teriyaki-glazed cod to wood-fired pizza, focaccia bread, and chocolate chip cookies to smoked guacamole, blistered curry cauliflower, and pasta salad.

 

   

Consistency: By automatically monitoring and maintaining the set temperature, the Traeger cooks food with minimal supervision, creating consistent results each session.

 

   

Community: The Traeger brings friends, family, and neighbors together for memorable meals. These elevated experiences motivate the Traegerhood to support members with recipe ideas, photos, and tips.


 

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Based on a survey we commissioned in 2017, owners of a Traeger and at least one other grill overwhelmingly preferred their Traeger in a head-to-head comparison against gas and charcoal grills, and approximately 90% of Traeger owners indicated that they planned to buy a wood pellet grill again as their next grill. We believe the Traeger outcompetes other outdoor cooking solutions because it creates mouth-watering results and transforms cooking from a chore into an enjoyable and cherished experience. Our grill owners proudly call it “Traegering.”

A Passionate Community

Everyone loves to eat. The Traeger teaches people to love cooking too. We strive to make our grill owners the heroes of their backyard gatherings with friends and family. Together, we carry on the ancient tradition of cooking food over a wood fire.

Members of the Traegerhood use their grill frequently and advocate passionately for our brand. Data from our cloud-connected grills suggest the average owner cooked 56 times on their Traeger in 2020. In a survey involving 235 Traeger owners, 80% of these customers responded that they have recommended Traeger to an average of six people. Our surveys also suggest that 80% of Traeger owners engage with the brand, whether by visiting our website (69%), talking about us with friends and family (56%), and/or watching our videos (47%).

Traeger has the largest social media community of any grilling brand, with 1.6 million followers across Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube as of March 15, 2021. We believe that this community brings new people to Traeger, creates solidarity within the Traegerhood, and motivates owners to use their grills more often. In 2020, our social media following grew 40%, and we doubled the percentage of followers who engage with our posts by sharing, liking, replying, or commenting. Our active members seem to eat, sleep, and breathe Traeger and contributed more than 350,000 user-generated posts across Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter in 2020.

Our group of foodies, pitmasters, and backyard heroes proudly wear our branded apparel, sometimes sport Traeger tattoos, and occasionally name a child after us (that’s not an exaggeration). From moms and dads to professional athletes and their fans, from outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen to weekend warriors and world-class chefs, the Traegerhood is an inclusive and diverse community. Together, we are redefining what home cooks can accomplish with a backyard grill, and we are making outdoor cooking accessible to everyone.

Strong Financial Performance

With our premium product offering, innovative approach to home cooking, and passionate community, we are delivering exceptional financial performance:

 

   

We increased the estimated average retail equivalent price paid for our grills from approximately $678 in 2017 to $839 in 2020, representing a CAGR of 7%;

 

   

We more than doubled revenue from $262.1 million in 2017 to $545.8 million in 2020, representing a CAGR of 28%;

 

   

We increased the percentage of revenue from sales of consumables, which includes wood pellets, rubs, and sauces, from 18.1% in 2017 to 22.0% in 2020;

 

   

We grew net income from a net loss of $22.3 million in 2017 to net income of $31.6 million in 2020; and

 

   

We more than doubled Adjusted EBITDA from $54.4 million in 2019 to $116.1 million in 2020. For a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, information about why we consider Adjusted EBITDA useful and a discussion of the material risks and limitations of this measure, please see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”


 

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Our Market Opportunity

Food consumption is a fundamental part of life. In 2019, food was the third largest annual expenditure for consumers in the United States after housing and transportation according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Our ambition is to empower consumers to create memorable food with our integrated, connected home cooking platform. In the United States, the total spend on food at home, which primarily includes grocery purchases, was $1.1 trillion in 2020 and has grown at a CAGR of 4.3% since 2015 according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. On top of that, consumers in the United States spent $698 billion on food away from home in 2020.

We believe our current premium product offering, which consists of cloud-connected wood pellet grills, consumables, and grill accessories, addresses a large consumer base. In the United States, our primary market, we estimate that the installed base of grills was nearly 100 million as of December 31, 2020, with nearly one-third of U.S. grill-owning households owning multiple grills. We estimate that grills are replaced every five years on average, and that approximately 20 million grills were purchased in the United States in 2020.

We consider our market opportunity in terms of a total addressable market in the United States, or U.S. TAM, which we believe is the market we can reach over the long-term, and a serviceable addressable market in the United States, or U.S. SAM, which we address with our current products. According to our research, our U.S. TAM is comprised of approximately 75 million households that own a grill, representing approximately 60% of households in the United States. Our U.S. SAM, which is based on internal survey analysis, includes 45 million households that value Traeger’s differentiated quality, technology, and convenience. With approximately 2.0 million Traegers sold in the United States from 2016 to 2020, we estimate that we have penetrated approximately 3% and 5% of our U.S. TAM and U.S. SAM, respectively. For a discussion of the methodology used in determining our U.S. TAM and U.S. SAM, see the section titled “Industry and Market Data.”

Traeger’s U.S. Market Opportunity

 

LOGO

 

*

Based on an installed base of approximately 2.0 million Traegers sold in the United States from 2016 to 2020.


 

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We believe we have ample opportunity to expand the number of households comprising our U.S. SAM by:

 

   

Bringing New Households to the Category: As the pioneer of the wood pellet grill, we believe we are bringing new households to the category by illustrating the benefits of wood-fired cooking.

 

   

Increasing Brand Awareness: We believe we and the Traegerhood will continue to grow our brand awareness by educating consumers about the versatility and ease of using a Traeger to create memorable food experiences.

 

   

Developing New Innovations: We will continue to invest in innovative digital cooking technologies that we believe will inspire and motivate more households to use our products and upgrade to new grills in the future.

We also currently offer products in selected markets outside the United States and plan to expand to additional markets that exhibit similar trends in outdoor cooking and grill ownership. We believe these incremental markets will meaningfully expand our total addressable market.

What Sets Us Apart

Traegering is built on the radical idea that home cooking can become a universally enjoyable craft and an elevated experience when people have the right platform. We believe our owners are excited to fire up their Traegers and cook because of our disruptive approach. We believe the following competitive strengths have been instrumental to our success:

Pioneering Brand of Wood-Fired Cooking

For 34 years, Traeger has been the leading name in wood pellet grilling. We believe our differentiated cooking platform enables Traeger users to create memorable cooking experiences and allows us to cultivate a brand that we believe is:

 

   

Category defining: People talk about owning a Traeger, not a wood pellet grill, the same way people talk about owning a Peloton or a Harley-Davidson, not a connected spin bike or a motorcycle.

 

   

Aspirational: The Traeger brand represents a lifestyle, not just a grill. We believe that fans wear Traeger apparel and discuss Traegering because they want to be associated with our brand and community.

 

   

Extensible: We believe our brand equity is strong enough that consumers may follow us into other categories in the food-at-home market.

We believe these core brand attributes provide us a competitive edge. The Traeger name is a stamp of quality and signal of inclusion in the Traegerhood.

Accessible User Experience

Our wood pellet grill is an outdoor cooking device that people can set and forget while they work or play. In fact, Traeger owners control their grill from their smartphone or smartwatch using our Traeger app, which can automate entire recipes with pre-programmed cooking cycles. The seamless Traeger user experience is summarized below and creates great results for first-time cooks and seasoned chefs.

 

   

Getting Started: The Traeger plugs into an electric socket, fires up with the push of a button, and comes to temperature quickly, on par with gas grills and significantly faster than charcoal grills.

 

   

Fuel the Fire: An auger motor and fan feed the fire with the right amount of wood and circulate the heat to create convection.


 

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Set-it & Forget-it: An automated control system maintains the set temperature so that owners don’t need to babysit their grill.

 

   

Consistent Results: Precise temperatures create consistent results versus other cooking solutions that may dry out, overcook, or scorch food in the hands of novice or intermediate cooks.

 

   

Versatility: The Traeger can grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and barbecue, giving owners the ability to create a wide variety of meals.

We believe that our innovations have made wood-fired and wood-flavored recipes accessible to and enjoyable for all Traeger owners, driving usage, engagement with our digital community, and consumption of our wood pellets, rubs, and sauces.

Integrated, Connected Home Cooking Platform

In 2014, we reinvented the original Traeger with the launch of an integrated, connected home cooking platform that simplifies and enhances the Traeger experience. The key components of this integrated platform are:

 

   

Innovative Wood Pellet Grill: We created the original wood pellet grill and have continued to innovate our grilling products over time. Our grills include precision temperature controls, built-in meat probes that allow the cook to monitor food temperatures without lifting the lid, a drip tray that helps avoid flareups, and a grease collection system that makes cleanup simple.

 

   

Digital Content: We have created more than 1,600 original recipes that inspire Traeger owners to use their grill and learn new cooking skills. Members of the Traegerhood review our recipes and offer tips to help other owners select and perfect each meal. Through Traeger Kitchen TV, our weekly, live-streaming cooking classes, our community ambassadors and chefs introduce new recipes and produce video content that we can make available through our Traeger app and digital marketing channels.

 

   

Recurring Revenue Consumables: Our consumables include wood pellets, which are made from natural, virgin hardwood and are available in a variety of flavors, as well as rubs, sauces, and other food items. Our more than 1,600 recipes call for our consumables, which represent a recurring and expanding sales opportunity as our customer base grows and the number of installed grills increases.

 

   

Connected Grilling: We developed our proprietary WiFIRE technology to enable users to control and monitor their Traeger anytime, anywhere, through our proprietary Traeger app, their Apple Watch, or with voice controls via Amazon Alexa and Google Home. Owners can choose a recipe in the Traeger app and tap “Make Now” to run the recipe’s cook cycle on their connected grill. This semi-automated cooking experience takes the uncertainty out of making a new dish and delights Traeger owners.

Our integrated, connected cooking platform motivates Traeger owners to cook often, engage with our content and community, leverage our grills’ IoT capabilities, and purchase our consumables. The image below provides an overview of the engagement and flywheel effects generated through our platform.


 

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LOGO

Cooking success is addictive because it leads to a sense of accomplishment and a willingness to try new recipes. Each new experiment and progression drives consumption of our wood pellets, rubs, and sauces. On the Traeger app and our website, we offer Traeger-branded products that are recommended in our recipes, and we are continuously expanding our offering to satisfy voracious and adventurous Traeger owners. We believe our integrated and connected cooking platform creates a positive user experience that drives customer satisfaction and further household penetration while producing incremental data and recurring revenue.

Engaged, Vocal Advocates

Our cooking platform delights our customers; we know this because it has created a vocal and engaged community, which we call the Traegerhood. A diverse, global community, the Traegerhood is hungry to share experiences and encourage other members to try new recipes and cooking styles. We believe we have one of the most loyal and supportive fanbases and that much of our growth has come from word of mouth. Our passionate community strives to be:

 

   

Always Traegering: Data from our cloud-connected grills suggest the average owner cooked 56 times on their Traeger in 2020 – approximately once every six days – for an average cook time of 76 minutes. With our installed base, this amounts to 91 million cook cycles on Traegers last year. The Traeger is an integral part of owners’ lives. Longer cook cycles fuel pellet consumption and indicate that owners are trying longer recipes, like pulled pork, in addition to quicker, weeknight meals, like glazed salmon. Even in colder months (November to February), when many other grills are stowed away for winter, Traeger owners cook an average of four times per month. Holidays and events such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the Super Bowl are among the most popular cooking days.

 

   

Always learning: Our owners eagerly seek out new ideas to try at home. 92% of Traeger owners have used a Traeger recipe in the last year, and 74% report using a Traeger recipe one or more times in the last month. We provide access to more than 1,600 wood-fired recipes and our Traeger Kitchen Live classes attract over 144,000 views per week.


 

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Always networking: As our installed base grows, the Traeger experience becomes more integrated, more data-driven, more inspiring, more social, and more widely known. We believe we have the highest net promoter score in our category at 69 (compared to a category average of 46) according to a survey that we conducted in March 2021. Net promoter score is a rating metric used as a measure of customer advocacy and satisfaction as well as word of mouth referrals, expressed as a numerical value up to a maximum value of 100, based on responses from a March 2021 survey of approximately 4,200 consumers across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany, including 2,600 consumers and 157 recent Traeger purchasers in the United States. We believe net promoter score is an important assessment to gauge customer satisfaction with our products and to measure the strength of our brand. In a separate survey involving 235 Traeger owners, 80% of customers responded that they have recommended Traeger to an average of six people. Moreover, an estimated 75% of Traeger owners believe the brand reflects who they are as people. We believe this network accelerates penetration and strengthens existing Traeger owners’ connection to the brand. In turn, their affinity for the brand drives recurring purchases of wood pellets, rubs, and sauces.

Continuous Investment in Disruptive Innovation

Beginning in 2014, we pioneered a digital outdoor cooking experience. Using software, internet connectivity, and cloud technology, we reinvented the original Traeger to be an IoT device featuring a variety of modern technologies, including:

 

   

WiFIRE Technology: A cloud system, mobile application, and web-connected grill that enables users to automate recipe steps and control and monitor their grill from anywhere in the world using their smartphone.

 

   

D2 Direct Drive: A system designed to maintain grill temperature to +/-5° F of set temperature through variable speed fans and DC auger control.

 

   

Pellet Sensor: Measures pellet fuel levels and sends the data to the user’s Traeger app, triggering a low fuel alert if needed.

 

   

Super Smoke: A mode that maximizes production of hardwood smoke to infuse flavors into the food.

We improve the performance of our hardware by delivering firmware updates remotely to WiFIRE-enabled grills via the cloud. For example, last year we delivered a firmware update that allowed our Pro Series grills to reach temperatures as high as 500° F, up from 450° F originally. This firmware update expanded the types of recipes grill owners can perform on their Traeger, without requiring them to buy new hardware.

In addition, we use data from WiFIRE-enabled grills to better understand our users’ cooking habits. Cook cycle data, for instance, tells us which recipes are used, how long cook cycles last, the grill temperature, and what time of day the grill is active or on standby. This information guides recipe and product development and can allow us to personalize recipe recommendations for each grill owner. We believe that together, our proprietary technology, data, continuous improvements, and personalization drive engagement, more frequent cooking cycles, and purchases of our consumables. Furthermore, to protect our integrated platform, we invest in intellectual property. As of March 31, 2021, we had approximately 45 issued U.S. patents and 21 U.S. patent applications pending, which serve to protect our rights and make it difficult for our competitors to replicate our platform.

Visionary Management Team and Award-Winning Culture

The Traegerhood starts at the top and runs through the organization. In 2014, Jeremy Andrus invested in the business and became our CEO. Seeing potential in the brand, Mr. Andrus relocated the headquarters to Salt Lake City, Utah, recruited a multidisciplinary team, and implemented an innovative product and distribution strategy that accelerated business growth.


 

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We value calculated risk-taking, innovation, and independent decision-making. Our employees live the Traeger lifestyle at home with their own grills and at our office with its outdoor barbecue deck and test kitchen. We have gathered a diverse group of high-horsepower individuals, from various leading brands and businesses, who understand our strategy and have the autonomy to further it.

Today, more than 700 employees located in 35 states and nine countries drive our success. We believe we are among the most attractive employers in Salt Lake City and the greater Mountain West areas. We were voted a “Best Company to Work For” from 2016 to 2018 by Utah Business.

We believe our award-winning culture ultimately drives positive partner and consumer experiences.

Strong Financial Profile Marked by Recurring Revenue

We have historically delivered consistent growth, and have increased our revenue at a CAGR of 28% from 2017 to 2020, and reached $545.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. Our revenue increased by 107.0% for the three months ended March 31, 2021 as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2020, and reached $235.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021.

We believe our financial profile is strengthened by recurring revenue from our consumables. Consumables generated 22.0% and 17.3% of our total revenue for the year ended December 31, 2020 and the three months ended March 31, 2021, respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2020, we estimate that Traeger owners bought approximately 110 pounds of Traeger wood pellets, up from approximately 87 pounds for the year ended December 31, 2018. Based on a survey we conducted in November 2020, we believe that 96% of Traeger owners purchased Traeger wood pellets in the last year.

We also aggressively invest in innovation and new technology, which we believe can drive revenue growth. Due in part to the pace of wood pellet grill innovation, we estimate that owners of wood pellet grills replace their grills 44% faster than owners of gas grills on average. We believe our innovation and technologies have allowed us to increase the estimated average retail equivalent price paid for our grills from approximately $678 in 2017 to $839 in 2020 – well above the market-average selling price for wood pellet grills of $596 in 2020. We estimate the average retail equivalent price based on an analysis of our recommended retailer pricing and retail channel volume and our direct to consumer, or DTC, channel pricing and volume. In turn, rising wood pellet sales, higher average retail equivalent prices, regular product releases, and expansion in accessories and consumables help to increase the lifetime value of our customers.

Our Growth Strategies

Our mission is to bring people together to create a more flavorful world. To accomplish this, we plan to:

Expand the Wood Pellet Category and Increase Brand Awareness

With approximately 3% household penetration in the United States, we believe our market opportunity is significant. Brand awareness for the wood pellet category is approximately 25%, which suggests that a majority of U.S. consumers are unfamiliar with a wood pellet grill and what we consider its advantages over gas and charcoal. By increasing consumer awareness and leading the premiumization of outdoor cooking, we are seeking to make wood pellet grills the top tier of the category. Our strategy is to ensure that discerning consumers think of wood first when purchasing or replacing a grill.

Shortly after launching in 1987, we built a dedicated community around the Traeger experience. Our strategy has been to harness the power of this community, the Traegerhood, to strategically grow the brand. In


 

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our core markets, brand awareness historically grew through word-of-mouth advertising, in-store education, and social media. For the year ended December 31, 2020, we estimate that our Traeger owner acquisition cost was approximately $113 per Traeger owner added during the period, down from approximately $131 per Traeger owner added during the year ended December 31, 2019.

Today, we believe we have an opportunity to drive customer growth significantly by increasing investments in marketing. Towards that end, we are focusing on marketing campaigns to scale unaided brand awareness and accelerate household penetration. Across our heritage Oregon, Utah, and Washington markets, we estimate our average household penetration was 10.6% in 2020 and has grown rapidly over the last few years. These heritage markets continue to represent some of our fastest-growing markets.

Our proven marketing strategy is now driving awareness outside of our heritage markets. For example, in a recent targeted marketing campaign, from 2019 to 2020, we generated a 280% increase in measured awareness and a 34% increase in grill sales in a particular market compared to a nearby control market. Replicating this strategy in other markets could drive similar increases in awareness and sales. By following this playbook, we aim to continue to penetrate and expand our SAM.

Optimize Our Omnichannel Distribution Strategy

We are pursuing an omnichannel distribution strategy. Our primary focus is on retail, where we seek to build top-tier retail relationships and deliver authentic in-store marketing experiences that are optimized for conversion. Although there is untapped retail whitespace, within this channel our strategy is to develop deep and strong relationships with retailers. We complement our retail channel with our DTC channel, where we have purposefully moderated customer acquisition because we believe the experience of interacting with a Traeger, guided by trained salespeople, is the most valuable method of customer acquisition at this stage. To further optimize our distribution strategy, we are seeking to:

 

   

Maximize retail productivity. We have significant room for growth in the United States. Approximately 60% of U.S. households own a grill, but our current penetration is only approximately 3%. We plan to continue working with leading retailers and across diverse channel segments, focusing on high productivity in limited points of wholesale distribution.

We have a broad network of national retailers that span multiple categories, including Ace Hardware, Amazon.com, BBQGuys, Cabela’s, Costco, Do it Best, RC Willey, Scheels, The Home Depot, Wayfair, and Williams Sonoma. We plan to continue working with our retail partners to further calibrate our product assortment to each channel and its core audiences. By improving productivity rather than just increasing the number of doors, we believe we can build strong partnerships that align with our growth strategy.

Our team is very active at the point of sale. Our Brand Ambassadors performed an estimated 2,000 roadshows and demos across our network of retailers and at special events. These demonstrations serve as a trial for potential grill owners and have been shown to drive conversion and brand loyalty. Furthermore, by offering a variety of grill lines that differ in size, price, construction, materials, and digital technologies, we are able to target a broad range of customer at the point of sale.

Overall, we believe that our retail strategy leads to more and better retail space as well as improved merchandising at each point of sale.

 

   

Grow DTC to complement retail sales. For the year ended December 31, 2020 and the three months ended March 31, 2021, approximately 7% and 2%, respectively, of our revenue was generated through our DTC channel. Our DTC channel enables us to serve hard-to-reach consumers who do not shop with one of our retail partners. It also serves the many Traeger owners who visit our website for recipes and wish to order the accompanying wood pellets, rubs, and sauces.


 

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Through our DTC channel, we are creating a flagship experience for the Traeger brand globally. We believe there is a significant global DTC growth opportunity that is incremental and does not meaningfully detract from retailer productivity.

As part of our omnichannel distribution strategy, we have established DTC-specific technology, operations, and functionality that can scale. We believe we have everything in place to acquire customers and even manage subscriptions. We also see opportunities to curate third-party brands and bundle offers.

Grow Recurring Revenue

The more Traegers there are in homes, the more opportunities we have to build brand awareness and sell consumables. We believe Traeger owners already prefer our wood pellets. We plan to leverage that loyalty to build a preference for Traeger-branded rubs and sauces as well. Just like our wood pellets, our other consumables promise quality and dependability for our owners. To continue growing sales of our consumables, we plan to:

 

   

Expand the accessibility of our wood pellets and other consumables through new distribution and easy DTC purchase experiences.

 

   

Inspire Traeger users to cook more at home through digital content.

 

   

Grow our portfolio of consumables, including new flavors of wood pellets, rubs, and sauces.

As we execute on these strategies, we believe we can significantly increase our recurring revenue.

Export our Brand Globally

We estimate that North America accounts for roughly half of the worldwide outdoor cooking market. To expand globally, we plan to export our omnichannel distribution strategy and brand awareness playbook to key markets that have a culture of outdoor cooking but have only experienced gas and charcoal. In North America, we are taking market share from multinational gas and charcoal brands, and abroad, we believe we are positioned to do the same.

Disrupt Cooking Experiences, Outdoors and Indoors

We are disrupting outdoor cooking by providing a solution that delivers exceptional taste, versatility, ease of use, consistency, and community. We believe that we can replicate this experience with other cooking modalities. We plan to target categories where consumer demand is strong, but innovation has been lacking. Through product innovation, authentic branding, a passionate community, and strong partnerships, we believe we can introduce the Traeger experience into other categories in the food-at-home market.


 

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LOGO

Recent Developments

Preliminary Estimated Financial Results for the Three Months and Six Months Ended June 30, 2021

Our financial results for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2021 are not yet complete and will not be available until after the completion of this offering. Accordingly, set forth below are certain preliminary estimated financial results for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2021, which are subject to revision based upon the completion of our quarter-end financial closing processes and other developments that may arise prior to the time our financial results are finalized. Our preliminary estimated financial results are therefore forward-looking statements based solely on information available to us as of the date of this prospectus and may differ from these estimates. You should not place undue reliance on these estimates. The information presented herein should not be considered a substitute for the financial information to be filed with the SEC in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended June 30, 2021 once it becomes available. Our preliminary estimated financial results contained in this prospectus have been prepared in good faith by, and are the responsibility of, management based upon our internal reporting for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2021. Our independent registered public accounting firm, Ernst & Young LLP, has not audited, reviewed, compiled or performed any procedures with respect to the following preliminary estimated financial results. Accordingly, Ernst & Young LLP does not express an opinion or any other form of assurance with respect thereto. For additional information, see “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors.”


 

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The following are our preliminary estimated financial results for the three months and the six months June 30, 2021:

 

     Three months ended      Six months ended  
     June 30,
2021
(estimated
low)
    June 30,
2021
(estimated
high)
    June 30,
2020

(actual)
     June 30,
2021
(estimated
low)
     June 30,
2021
(estimated
high)
     June 30,
2020

(actual)
 
     (in thousands)  

Preliminary estimated financial results:

               

Revenue

   $ 211,000     $ 212,500     $ 153,190      $ 446,573      $ 448,073      $ 266,973  

Gross Profit

     82,000       84,000       66,688        182,631        184,631        118,443  

Net income (loss)

     (5,500     (3,800     18,853        33,429        35,129        26,772  

Adjusted EBITDA

     23,250       24,380       39,274        87,329        88,459        67,910  

Adjusted Net Income

     4,450       5,780       19,576        49,294        50,624        29,168  

 

   

For the three months ended June 30, 2021, we expect to report revenue in the range of $211.0 million to $212.5 million, representing growth of approximately 37.7% and 38.7%, respectively, over the three months ended June 30, 2020. Revenue growth was driven by continued strong growth across our core retail channels and demand for our accessories and consumables, which continue to expand to new outlets in the grocery channel.

 

   

For the three months ended June 30, 2021, we expect to report gross profit in the range of $82.0 million to $84.0 million, representing growth of approximately 23.0% and 26.0%, respectively, over the three months ended June 30, 2020. This further represents gross margins of 38.9% to 39.5% for the three months ended June 30, 2021, compared to gross margin of 43.5% for the three months ended June 30, 2020. Gross profit grew as a result of continued strong demand leading to revenue growth, while gross margin was adversely impacted by higher freight costs due to less outbound and inbound port capacity during the period.

 

   

For the three months ended June 30, 2021, we expect to report a net loss in the range of $5.5 million to $3.8 million as compared to net income of $18.9 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020. This expected net loss is primarily due to increases in sales and marketing to continue to build brand awareness and in general and administrative expenses as we invest in innovation and additions for continued growth.

 

   

For the three months ended June 30, 2021, we expect to report Adjusted EBITDA in the range of $23.3 million to $24.4 million, as compared to $39.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020. This decrease was due to increases in sales and marketing to continue to build brand awareness and in general and administrative expenses as we invest in innovation and additions for continued growth.


 

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We calculate Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) adjusted to exclude interest expense, provision for income taxes, depreciation and amortization, equity-based compensation, other (income) expense, non-routine legal and refinancing expenses and offering related expenses. Other (income) expense are gains (losses) on disposal of property, plant and equipment, impairments of long-term assets, and unrealized gains (losses) from derivatives. Non-routine legal expenses are primarily external legal expenses for litigation, patent and trademark defense, and legal costs related to an acquisition or offering. Non-routine refinancing expenses are primarily expenses related to the refinancing of our existing credit facilities. Offering related expenses are primarily for legal and consulting costs incurred in connection with our initial public offering process. Adjusted EBITDA Margin represents Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenue. Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin should be viewed as measures of operating performance that are supplements to, and not substitutes for, operating income or loss, net earnings or loss and other U.S. GAAP measures of income (loss). The following table provides a reconciliation of net income (loss), the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP, to Adjusted EBITDA for the periods presented:

 

     Three months ended     Six months ended  
     June 30,
2021
(estimated
low)
    June 30,
2021
(estimated
high)
    June 30,
2020

(actual)
    June 30,
2021
(estimated
low)
     June 30,
2021
(estimated
high)
     June 30,
2020

(actual)
 
     (in thousands)  

Net income (loss)

   $ (5,500   $ (3,800   $ 18,853     $ 33,429      $ 35,129      $ 26,772  

Adjusted to exclude the following:

              

Provision for income taxes

     100       —         516       824        724        547  

Other (income) expense

     2,600       2,500       (351     5,948        5,848        166  

Interest expense

     7,900       7,900       9,063       15,712        15,712        18,248  

Depreciation and amortization

     10,800       10,700       10,119       21,499        21,399        19,947  

Equity-based compensation

     1,600       1,500       640       2,556        2,456        1,254  

Non-routine legal expenses

     1,550       1,500       434       2,792        2,742        976  

Offering related expenses

     100       80       —         469        449        —    

Non-routine refinancing expenses

     4,100       4,000       —         4,100        4,000        —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 23,250     $ 24,380     $ 39,274     $ 87,329      $ 88,459      $ 67,910  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

We calculate Adjusted Net Income as net income (loss) adjusted to exclude equity-based compensation, other (income) expense, non-routine legal and refinancing expenses and offering related expenses. Adjusted Net Income should be viewed as a measure of operating performance that is a supplement to, and not a substitute for, operating income or loss, net earnings or loss and other U.S. GAAP measures of income (loss). The following table provides a reconciliation of net income (loss), the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP, to Adjusted Net Income for the periods presented:

 

     Three months ended     Six months ended  
     June 30,
2021
(estimated
low)
    June 30,
2021
(estimated
high)
    June 30,
2020

(actual)
    June 30,
2021
(estimated
low)
     June 30,
2021
(estimated
high)
     June 30,
2020

(actual)
 
     (in thousands)  

Net income (loss)

   $ (5,500   $ (3,800   $ 18,853     $ 33,429      $ 35,129      $ 26,772  

Adjusted to exclude the following:

              

Other (income) expense

     2,600       2,500       (351     5,948        5,848        166  

Equity-based compensation

     1,600       1,500       640       2,556        2,456        1,254  

Non-routine legal expenses

     1,550       1,500       434       2,792        2,742        976  

Offering related expenses

     100       80       —         469        449        —    

Non-routine refinancing expenses

     4,100       4,000       —         4,100        4,000        —    

Tax impact of adjusting items

     —         —         —         —          —          —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Adjusted Net Income

   $ 4,450     $ 5,780     $ 19,576     $ 49,294      $ 50,624      $ 29,168  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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Each of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income is a non-GAAP financial measure. For information about why we consider each metric a useful measure and a discussion of the material risks and limitations of such measure, please see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

Acquisition of Apption Labs Limited

As part of our business strategy, we consider a wide array of potential strategic transactions, including acquisitions of businesses, new technologies, services and other assets and strategic investments that complement our business. On July 1, 2021, we acquired all of the equity interests of Apption Labs Limited and its subsidiaries, or Apption. Apption specializes in the design and manufacture of innovative hardware and software related to small kitchen appliances, including the MEATER smart thermometer and related technology. MEATER is a wireless smart thermometer that provides users the ability to monitor the status of a cook cycle with their connected devices through the MEATER app using WiFi and Bluetooth technology. The MEATER thermometer and app can be used to monitor the internal temperature of the food being cooked, as well as the ambient temperature of the cooking environment. The MEATER app features a guided cook system that assists users in creating desired and consistent results and predicts time to completion. This acquisition will help facilitate our entry into the adjacent accessories market with a highly complementary product that we believe will bolster our existing portfolio, create efficiencies for our consumers and expose us to new growth channels. Furthermore, acquiring Apption continues our digital evolution to create a premier connected, user friendly and rewarding grilling experience.

The aggregate purchase consideration for the acquisition was approximately $100.0 million, subject to working capital and other adjustments. This includes $60.0 million paid at closing from borrowings under our New First Lien Term Loan (as defined below) and cash on hand as well as an aggregate $40.0 million in contingent consideration based on the achievement of certain future revenue thresholds for fiscal 2021 and 2022. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Credit Facilities.” We incurred expenses of approximately $1.6 million related to the acquisition. Following the acquisition, certain employees of Apption will continue their employment and will manage the Apption business while also integrating the business into our operations.

Refinancing

On June 29, 2021, we refinanced our existing Credit Facilities and entered into a new first lien credit agreement, or the New First Lien Credit Agreement. The New First Lien Credit Agreement provides for a $560.0 million senior secured term loan facility (including a $50.0 million delayed draw term loan), or the New First Lien Term Loan Facility, and a $125.0 million revolving credit facility, or the New Revolving Credit Facility and, together with the New First Lien Term Loan Facility, the New Credit Facilities. We used approximately $452.4 million of the net proceeds from the New First Lien Term Loan Facility to repay all amounts outstanding under our existing First Lien Term Loan Facility and Second Lien Term Loan Facility, including an outstanding principal balance of $445.5 million and accrued and unpaid interest of $6.9 million. In addition, on June 29, 2021, we entered into an amendment to our Receivables Financing Agreement, pursuant to which we increased the net borrowing capacity to $100.0 million from the prior range of $30.0 million to $45.0 million. These transactions are collectively referred to herein as the Refinancing. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Credit Facilities.”

On July 1, 2021, we used approximately $46.1 million of the net proceeds from the New First Lien Term Loan Facility to pay a portion of the purchase consideration for the acquisition of Apption. Following the acquisition and the Refinancing, as of July 2, 2021, the aggregate principal amount of our debt was approximately $518 million and our cash and cash equivalents was approximately $15 million.


 

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Our Investors

AEA Investors

AEA Investors is one of the most experienced global private investment firms. Founded in 1968, AEA Investors currently manages over $15 billion of capital as of December 31, 2020 for an investor group that includes former and current chief executive officers of major multinational corporations, family groups and institutional investors from around the world. With a staff of approximately 90 investment professionals and offices in New York, Stamford, San Francisco, London, Munich and Shanghai, AEA Investors focuses on investing in companies in the consumer, industrial, and related services sectors.

Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board

Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board, or OTPP, is the largest single-profession pension plan in Canada, with CAD $221.2 billion of assets under management as of December 31, 2020. It is an independent organization responsible for investing the pension fund’s assets and administers the pensions of 331,000 active and retired teachers in Ontario. OTPP has offices in Toronto, Hong Kong, London, and Singapore.

Trilantic North America

Trilantic Capital Management L.P., or Trilantic North America, is a private equity firm focused on control and significant minority investments in North America with primary investment focus in the business services, consumer, and energy sectors. Trilantic North America has offices in New York and Austin. The firm manages institutional private equity funds with aggregate assets under management of $6.1 billion as of December 31, 2020.

Prior to this offering, a private equity fund managed by AEA Investors, the AEA Fund, OTPP, and certain private equity funds managed by Trilantic North America, collectively TCP, together the Investors, indirectly owned substantially all of our limited liability company interests. Following the Corporate Conversion, each of the Investors will receive a number of shares of our common stock in direct proportion to their respective interests in TGP Holdings LP, our parent entity, or the Partnership. In order to ensure compliance with the requirements of certain provisions of the Pension Benefits Act (Ontario) applicable to OTPP, pursuant to which OTPP is restricted from investing monies of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, directly or indirectly, in securities of a corporation to which are attached more than 30% of the votes that may be cast for the election of directors of the corporation, after the pricing of this offering OTPP will hold a number of shares of our common stock representing 30% or less of the total number of shares of common stock outstanding. After giving effect to this offering and the Corporate Conversion, the AEA Fund, OTPP, and TCP will hold approximately 29.7%, 21.9% and 16.0% respectively, of our outstanding common stock.

Our Investors will have significant power to control our affairs and policies, including with respect to the election of directors (and through the election of directors, the appointment of management). For a description of certain potential conflicts between the Investors and our other stockholders, see “Risk Factors—Risks Related to our Capital Structure, Indebtedness, and Capital Requirements—The Investors will continue to hold a substantial portion of our outstanding common stock following this offering, and the Investors’ interests may conflict with our interests and the interests of other stockholders.” For a description of the Investors’ ownership interests in us and their rights with respect to such ownership interests, including the right to designate individuals to be included in the slate of nominees for election to our board of directors, see “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions,” “Principal and Selling Stockholders” and “Description of Capital Stock.”

Corporate Conversion

We currently operate as a Delaware limited liability company under the name TGPX Holdings I LLC. Prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, TGPX Holdings I LLC


 

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will convert into a Delaware corporation pursuant to a statutory conversion and will change its name to Traeger, Inc. In this prospectus, we refer to all of the transactions related to our conversion to a corporation as the Corporate Conversion. In conjunction with the Corporate Conversion, all of our outstanding limited liability company interests will be converted into shares of our common stock, and TGP Holdings LP, a Delaware limited partnership, or the Partnership, will become the holder of shares of common stock of Traeger, Inc. In connection with the Corporate Conversion, the Partnership will liquidate and distribute these shares of common stock to the holders of partnership interests in the Partnership in direct proportion to their respective interests in the Partnership based upon the value of Traeger, Inc. at the time of this offering, with a value implied by the initial public offering price of the shares of common stock sold in this offering. After giving effect to such liquidation and distribution, including the elimination of any fractional shares resulting therefrom, and the Corporate Conversion, we will have 108,724,387 shares of common stock outstanding and the former holders of partnership interests of the Partnership will own all of our shares of common stock.

The purpose of the Corporate Conversion is to reorganize our structure so that the entity that is offering our common stock to the public in this offering is a corporation rather than a limited liability company and so that our existing investors will own our common stock rather than equity interests in a limited liability company. For further information regarding the Corporate Conversion, see “Corporate Conversion.”

Corporate Structure

The following diagram sets forth a simplified view of our corporate structure as of December 31, 2020, after giving effect to the consummation of the Corporate Conversion and the consummation of this offering. This chart is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent all legal entities affiliated with the entities depicted. Our indirect subsidiaries are omitted.

 

 

LOGO

New Stockholders Agreements

In connection with this offering, we intend to enter into two new stockholders agreements, or the New Stockholders Agreements. We intend to enter into a stockholders agreement with the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP, or the Stockholders Agreement, and a stockholders agreement with Jeremy Andrus, our Chief Executive Officer, or the Management Stockholders Agreement.


 

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Stockholders Agreement

We intend to enter into a Stockholders Agreement with the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP, or the parties to our Stockholders Agreement, granting certain board designation rights to each such party for so long as they each beneficially own at least 5% of the aggregate number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately following this offering. Pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, we will agree to include in our slate of director nominees the individuals designated by the parties to our Stockholders Agreement. Following completion of this offering, we expect that the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP will have the right to designate three, two and two directors, respectively. These board designation rights are subject to certain limitations and exceptions.

In addition, pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, and subject to our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, for so long as the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP collectively beneficially own at least 30% of the aggregate number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately following this offering, certain actions by us or any of our subsidiaries will require the prior written consent of each of the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP so long as each such stockholder is entitled to designate at least two directors for nomination to our board of directors. The actions that will require prior written consent include: (i) change in control transactions, (ii) acquiring or disposing of assets or any business enterprise or division thereof for consideration excess of $250.0 million in any single transaction or series of transactions, (iii) increasing or decreasing the size of our board of directors, (iv) terminating the employment of our chief executive officer or hiring a new chief executive officer, (v) initiating any liquidation, dissolution, bankruptcy or other insolvency proceeding involving us or any of our significant subsidiaries, and (vi) any transfer, issue, sale or disposition of any shares of common stock, other equity securities, equity-linked securities or securities that are convertible into equity securities of us or our subsidiaries to any person or entity that is a non-strategic financial investor in a private placement transaction or series of transactions.

Management Stockholders Agreement

We intend to enter into a Management Stockholders Agreement with Jeremy Andrus, our Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to which we will agree to include Mr. Andrus in our slate of director nominees for so long as Mr. Andrus serves in his capacity as our Chief Executive Officer or, if Mr. Andrus is no longer serving as our Chief Executive Officer, until the earlier of (i) the termination of Mr. Andrus’ employment by us or any of our subsidiaries for cause and (ii) the date on which Mr. Andrus beneficially owns less than 2% of the shares of common stock then outstanding.

For additional information regarding the New Stockholders Agreements, please see the section titled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—New Stockholders Agreements.”

Summary Risk Factors

We are subject to a number of risks, including risks that may prevent us from achieving our business objectives or that may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. You should carefully consider the risks discussed in the section titled “Risk Factors,” including the following principal risks, before investing in our common stock:

 

   

We have incurred operating losses in the past, may incur operating losses in the future, and may not achieve or maintain profitability in the future.

 

   

We may be unable to manage our future growth effectively, which could make it difficult to execute our business strategy.

 

   

Our growth depends, in part, on expanding into additional markets, and we may not be successful in doing so.

 

   

Our business depends on maintaining and strengthening our brand to generate and maintain ongoing demand for our products, and a significant reduction in such demand could harm our results of operations.


 

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If we fail to cost-effectively attract new customers or retain our existing customers, we may not be able to increase sales.

 

   

Our business could be adversely affected if we fail to maintain product quality and product performance at an acceptable cost or if we incur significant losses, increased costs or harm to our reputation or brand as a result of product liability claims or product recalls.

 

   

We may be subject to product liability and warranty claims and product recalls that could result in significant direct or indirect costs, or we could experience greater product returns than expected, either of which could harm our reputation or brand and have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

 

   

We operate in a highly competitive market and we may be unable to compete successfully against existing and future competitors.

 

   

Use of social media and community ambassadors may materially and adversely affect our reputation or subject us to fines or other penalties.

 

   

We derive a significant majority of our revenue from sales of our grills. A decline in sales of our grills would negatively affect our future revenue and results of operations.

 

   

We derive the majority of our revenues from three major retailers and a decline in demand from these retailers or failure by these retailers to perform their contractual obligations would cause our customer base, results of operations and business to suffer.

 

   

The COVID-19 pandemic could adversely affect certain aspects of our business and negatively impact ability to access capital in the future.

 

   

We have significant international operations and are exposed to risks associated with doing business globally and many of our products are manufactured by third parties outside of the United States.

 

   

We rely on a limited number of third-party manufacturers, and problems with, or loss of, our suppliers or an inability to obtain raw materials could harm our business and results of operations.

 

   

The ability of our stockholders to influence corporate matters may be limited because a small number of stockholders beneficially own a substantial amount of our common stock and will continue to have substantial control over us after the offering.

 

   

We will be a “controlled company” under the corporate governance rules of the New York Stock Exchange and, as a result, will qualify for, and intend to rely on, exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements. You will not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to such requirements.

Our business also faces a number of other challenges and risks discussed throughout this prospectus. You should read the entire prospectus carefully, especially “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus, before deciding to invest in our common stock.

Corporate Information

We were initially formed on August 4, 2017 as TGPX Holdings I Corp., a Delaware corporation, in connection with a corporate reorganization of our business. On August 23, 2017, we completed a corporate conversion whereby TGPX Holdings I Corp. was converted into TGPX Holdings I LLC, a Delaware limited liability company. Upon completion of this offering, we will be a Delaware corporation, and we will change our name to Traeger, Inc. See “Corporate Conversion.” Our principal executive office is located at 1215 E Wilmington Ave., Suite 200, Salt Lake City, UT 84106 and our telephone number at that address is (801) 701-7180. We maintain a website at www.traegergrills.com. We have included our website address in this


 

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prospectus as an inactive textual reference only. The information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not a part of, and should not be considered as being incorporated by reference into, this prospectus.

Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company

As a company with less than $1.07 billion in revenue during our last fiscal year, we qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act. An emerging growth company may take advantage of specified reduced reporting and other burdens that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions include:

 

   

a requirement to have only two years of audited financial statements and only two years of related Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations;

 

   

an exemption from the auditor attestation requirement on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting;

 

   

reduced disclosure about the Company’s executive compensation arrangements; and

 

   

no non-binding advisory votes on executive compensation or golden parachute arrangements.

In addition, the JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards. We have elected to take advantage of this extended transition period.

We have elected to take advantage of certain of the reduced disclosure obligations in the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part and may elect to take advantage of other reduced reporting requirements in future filings. In particular, in this prospectus, we have provided only two years of audited financial statements and have not included all of the executive compensation-related information that would be required if we were not an emerging growth company. Accordingly, the information contained herein may be different than the information you receive from other public companies in which you hold stock.

We may take advantage of these provisions until the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering. However, if any of the following events occur prior to the end of such five-year period, (i) our annual gross revenue exceeds $1.07 billion, (ii) we issue more than $1.0 billion of non-convertible debt in any three-year period or (iii) we become a “large accelerated filer,” (as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act), we will cease to be an emerging growth company prior to the end of such five-year period. We will be deemed to be a “large accelerated filer” at such time that we (a) have an aggregate worldwide market value of common equity securities held by non-affiliates of $700.0 million or more as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter, (b) have been required to file annual and quarterly reports under the Exchange Act, for a period of at least 12 months and (c) have filed at least one annual report pursuant to the Exchange Act.


 

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The Offering

 

Common stock offered by us

   8,823,529 shares.

Common stock offered by the selling stockholders

   14,705,882 shares.

Common stock to be outstanding after this offering

   117,547,916 shares.

Option to purchase additional shares of common stock from the selling stockholders

   3,529,411 shares.

Use of proceeds

   We estimate that the net proceeds to us from this offering will be approximately $133.0 million, assuming an initial public offering price of $17.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering to (i) repay amounts outstanding under our New First Lien Term Loan Facility and (ii) to pay cash bonuses to certain of our employees, including certain of our executive officers, in connection with this offering. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of shares of common stock by the selling stockholders in this offering, including from any exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares of common stock from the selling stockholders. The selling stockholders will receive all of the net proceeds and bear the underwriting discount, if any, attributable to their sale of our common stock. We will pay certain expenses associated with this offering. See “Use of Proceeds” and “Principal and Selling Stockholders.”

Controlled company

   Following this offering, we will be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the corporate governance rules of the New York Stock Exchange.

Directed share program

   At our request, the underwriters have reserved for sale at the initial public offering price per share up to 5% of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus, to certain individuals through a directed share program, including our directors, employees and certain other individuals identified by us. If purchased by these persons, these shares will not be subject to a lock-up restriction, except in the case of shares purchased by any director or executive officer. The number of shares of common stock available for sale to the general public will be reduced by the number of reserved shares sold to these individuals. Any reserved shares not purchased by these individuals will be offered by the underwriters to the general public on the same basis as the other shares of common stock offered under this prospectus. See the section titled “Underwriting—Directed Share Program.”

 

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Risk factors

   Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 27 of this prospectus for a discussion of factors you should carefully consider before investing in our common stock.

Proposed symbol

   “COOK”

The number of shares of common stock to be outstanding after this offering is based on 108,724,387 shares of our common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2021, after giving effect to the split of our common units and the Corporate Conversion and excludes:

 

   

7,799,422 shares of common stock, based on 129,990,330 fully diluted shares of common stock outstanding after this offering, issuable in connection with the vesting of restricted stock units, or RSUs, granted to our Chief Executive Officer under our 2021 Incentive Award Plan, or the 2021 Plan, which awards will become effective in connection with this offering, which we refer to as the Chief Executive Officer Award (see the section titled “Executive Compensation” for additional information regarding these awards);

 

   

4,642,992 shares of common stock, based on an assumed initial public offering price of $17.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, issuable in connection with the vesting of RSUs, which we refer to as the IPO RSUs and, along with the Chief Executive Officer Awards, as the IPO Awards, granted under our 2021 Plan, including to our Chief Financial Officer and certain of our directors, which awards will become effective in connection with this offering; and

 

   

14,105,750 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2021 Plan, based on an assumed initial public offering price of $17.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus (which number includes the IPO Awards).

Our 2021 Plan also provides for automatic annual increases in the number of shares reserved thereunder, which are not reflected in the numbers above. See the section titled “Executive Compensation—Executive Compensation Arrangements” for additional information.

Unless otherwise expressly stated or the context otherwise requires, all information contained in this prospectus assumes:

 

   

the split of our 10 common units, representing all of our limited liability company interests, into 108,724,422 common units;

 

   

the completion of the Corporate Conversion as described in “Corporate Conversion;”

 

   

no settlement of RSUs (including the Chief Executive Officer Award);

 

   

no exercise of the option to purchase additional shares of common stock by the underwriters; and

 

   

the effectiveness of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws in connection with the completion of this offering.


 

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Summary Consolidated Financial and Operating Data

The following tables summarize our consolidated financial and operating data for the periods and as of the dates indicated. The summary consolidated statements of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 and the consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. The summary consolidated statements of operations data for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020 and the consolidated balance sheet data as of March 31, 2021 have been derived from our unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. The consolidated balance sheet data as of March 31, 2020 has been derived from our unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements not included in this prospectus. In our opinion, the unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a basis consistent with our audited consolidated financial statements and contain all adjustments, consisting only of normal and recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair statement of such financial statements. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected in the future, and results for the three months ended March 31, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the full fiscal year or any other period. You should read the following information in conjunction with the sections titled “Selected Consolidated Financial and Operating Data” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements, the accompanying notes and other financial information included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,
    Year Ended December 31,  
     2021     2020     2020     2019  
     (unaudited)              
    

(in thousands, except unit/share and per unit/share amounts)

 

Consolidated Statement of Operations Data

        

Revenue

   $ 235,573     $ 113,783     $ 545,772     $ 363,319  

Cost of revenue

     134,943       62,028       310,408       207,539  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

     100,631       51,755       235,364       155,780  

Operating expense:

        

Sales and marketing

     30,851       16,718       93,690       66,921  

General and administrative

     13,556       9,004       50,243       45,304  

Amortization of intangible assets

     8,301       8,131       32,533       33,099  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     52,708       33,853       176,466       145,325  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income from operations

     47,923       17,902       58,898       10,455  

Other income (expense), net:

        

Interest expense

     (7,812     (9,185     (34,073     (39,462

Other income (expense)

     (458     (767     7,526       (462
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other income (expense), net

     (8,270     (9,952     (26,547     (39,924

Income (loss) before provision for income taxes

     39,653       7,950       32,351       (29,469

Provision for income taxes

     724       31       749       124  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

   $ 38,929     $ 7,919     $ 31,602     $ (29,593
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss) per common unit holder

   $ 0.36     $ 0.07     $ 0.29     $ (0.27)  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Weighted average common units outstanding, basic and diluted

     108,724,422       108,724,422       108,724,422       108,724,422  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Basic and diluted pro forma net income (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders(1)

   $ 0.36       $ (0.08  
  

 

 

     

 

 

   

Basic and diluted weighted-average shares used in computing pro forma net income (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders(1)

     117,547,916         117,547,916    
  

 

 

     

 

 

   

 

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(1)

Basic and diluted pro forma net income per share, and the basic and diluted weighted-average shares used in computing pro forma net income per share, give effect to (i) the split of our common units and the Corporate Conversion, (ii) the Refinancing, including the estimated impact of reduced interest expense resulting from the lower effective interest rate of the New Credit Facilities as compared to the prior Credit Facilities, the estimated impact of increased expense resulting from a higher borrowing capacity under the New Revolving Credit Facility as compared to the prior Revolving Credit Facility, and the reduced aggregate principal amount to be outstanding following the application of the net proceeds to us from this offering as described in “Use of Proceeds,” in each case as if it had occurred at January 1, 2020, the beginning of the earliest period presented, and (iii) the sale and issuance by us of 8,823,529 shares of our common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $17.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the estimated offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

The table below provides a summary of net income used in the calculation of basic and diluted pro forma net income per share attributable to common stockholders for the periods presented:

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31, 2021
     Year Ended
December 31,
2020
 
     (in thousands)  

Net income

   $ 38,929      $ 31,602  

Adjustment for debt refinancing and interest expense (a)

     2,574        5,013  

Adjustment for stock-based compensation expense due to acceleration of vesting of all Class B units of the Partnership(b)

     956        (46,380
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Pro forma net income

   $ 42,459      $ (9,765
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a)

These adjustments reflect the elimination of the historical interest expense related to the prior Credit Facilities, as well as the incurrence of debt issuance costs, losses on extinguishment, and interest expense (including higher commitment fee expenses resulting from a higher borrowing capacity under the New Credit Facilities and higher amortization of deferred financing costs associated with the new facilities) related to the New Credit Facilities, after reflecting the pro forma effect of the Refinancing and application of the net proceeds to us in this offering.

These adjustments are not tax affected as the impact amounts would have been offset by a corresponding adjustment to the deferred tax asset valuation allowances. The adjustment for the reduced interest expense for the New First Lien Term Loan Facility is based upon a LIBOR of 0.75% plus an applicable margin of 3.25%, resulting in an assumed historical interest rate of 4.00%, which represents a reduction of 100 basis points from the applicable interest rate on the prior First Lien Term Loan Facility. The applicable margin of 3.25% reflects a reduction of 0.25% in applicable margin following the consummation of this offering, pursuant to the terms of the New First Lien Credit Agreement. For every 1.00% change in the assumed historical interest rate, our pro forma interest expense would increase or decrease (as applicable) by $0.9 million and $4.0 million, respectively, for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and the year ended December 31, 2020.

The adjustment for the increased expense for the New Revolving Credit Facility is based upon a commitment fee of 0.50% per annum on undrawn amounts and a borrowing capacity of $125.0 million, as compared to the same commitment fee and a borrowing capacity of between $50.0 million and $67.0 million under the prior Revolving Credit Facility.

 

  (b)

In connection with this offering, all unvested and outstanding Class B unit awards of the Partnership will vest. Based on an assumed public price at the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of the prospectus that forms a part of this registration statement on Form S-1, we estimate that we will incur aggregate equity compensation expense of approximately $43.9 million at the time of the initial public offering as a result of the modification and acceleration of stock-based compensation due to the vesting of the unvested awards. The adjustment to the year ended December 31, 2020 includes the aggregate equity compensation expense due to the acceleration of vesting of unvested awards as well and the equity compensation expense recorded in 2021 up to the date of vesting acceleration. The adjustment to the three months ended March 31, 2021 reflects actual equity stock compensation recorded during the three months ended March 31, 2021 reflected in 2020 for purposes of pro forma presentation.


 

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The table below provides a summary of the weighted-average shares used in computing pro forma net income per share attributable to common stockholders for the periods presented:

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31, 2021
     Year Ended
December 31,
2020
 

Weighted-average shares outstanding(a)

     108,724,387        108,724,387  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Common stock sold by us in this offering

     8,823,529        8,823,529  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Weighted-average shares outstanding – pro forma(a)

     117,547,916        117,547,916  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a)

Gives effect to the split of our common units and the Corporate Conversion.

 

     As of March 31, 2021  
     Actual      Pro Forma(1)      Pro Forma
as Adjusted(2)
 
     (in thousands)  

Consolidated Balance Sheet Data

        

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 17,101      $ 70,128      $ 70,128  

Working capital(3)

     123,695        123,695        123,695  

Total assets

     1,094,671        1,149,596        1,149,596  

Long-term debt, including current portion(4)

     436,848        497,092        366,331  

Total liabilities

     579,746        639,990        509,229  

Accumulated deficit

     (57,069      (62,388      (107,859

Total member’s/stockholders’ equity(5)

     514,925        509,606        640,367  

 

(1)

The pro forma column gives effect to (i) the Corporate Conversion (ii) the Refinancing, and (iii) the filing and effectiveness of our certificate of incorporation in connection with this offering.

(2)

The pro forma as adjusted column gives effect to (i) the pro forma adjustments described in note (1), (ii) the issuance and sale by us of 8,823,529 shares of common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $17.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us and (iii) the application of the net proceeds from this offering as described in “Use of Proceeds.” Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $17.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the pro forma as adjusted amount of total stockholders’ equity, as well as decrease (increase) the amount of long-term debt and total liabilities, in each case by $8.3 million, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Similarly, each increase (decrease) of 1.0 million shares in the number of shares offered by us at an assumed initial public offering price of $17.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, would increase (decrease) the pro forma as adjusted amount of total stockholders’ equity, as well as decrease (increase) the amount of long-term debt and total liabilities, in each case by $16.1 million. The pro forma as adjusted information discussed above is illustrative only and will be adjusted based on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of our initial public offering determined at pricing.

(3)

Working capital is defined as current assets less current liabilities.

(4)

Does not include $38.0 million drawn down under our Receivables Financing Agreement as of March 31, 2021.

(5)

In connection with the Corporate Conversion, the membership interests will be reduced to zero to reflect the elimination of all outstanding interests in TGPX Holdings I LLC and corresponding adjustments will be reflected as common stock, additional paid-in capital and total stockholders’ equity in Traeger, Inc. (formerly TGPX Holdings I LLC). See “Capitalization.”


 

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Non-GAAP Financial Measures

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,      Year Ended December 31,  
             2021                      2020                      2020                      2019          
     (in thousands)  

Adjusted EBITDA(1)

   $        64,079      $      28,636      $    116,075      $      54,422  

Adjusted Net Income(1)

     33,014        6,246        22,919        (24,321

 

(1)

Each of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income is a non-GAAP financial measure. For a reconciliation of each of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income to the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP financial measure, information about why we consider each metric a useful measure and a discussion of the material risks and limitations of such measure, please see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”


 

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the following risks and uncertainties, together with all of the other information included in this prospectus, including our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus, before making an investment decision. In addition to the risks relating to the COVID-19 pandemic that are specifically described below, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic may also have the effect of significantly heightening many of the other risks associated with our business and an investment in our common stock, including the other risks described in this prospectus. The occurrence of any of the following risks, or additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial, could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. In such case, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment.

Risks Related to Our Business

We have incurred operating losses in the past, may incur operating losses in the future, and may not achieve or maintain profitability in the future.

We have incurred operating losses in the past and may continue to incur net losses in the future. For the year ended December 31, 2020, we had net income of $31.6 million, compared to a net loss of $29.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. For the three months ended March 31, 2021, we had net income of $38.9 million, compared to net income of $7.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. As of March 31, 2021, we had an accumulated deficit of $57.1 million. We expect our operating expenses to increase in the future as we continue our sales and marketing efforts, expand our operating and retail infrastructure, add content and software features to our platform, expand into new geographies, develop new products, and in connection with legal, accounting, and other expenses related to operating as a new public company. These efforts and additional expenses may be more costly than we expect, and we cannot guarantee that we will be able to increase our revenue to offset our operating expenses. Our revenue growth may slow or our revenue may decline for a number of other reasons, including reduced demand for our products, increased competition, a decrease in the growth or reduction in size of our overall market, the impacts to our business from the COVID-19 pandemic, or if we cannot capitalize on growth opportunities. If our revenue does not grow at a greater rate than our operating expenses, we will not be able to achieve and maintain profitability.

Our recent growth rates may not be sustainable or indicative of future growth and we expect our growth rate to slow.

We have experienced significant growth since our change of ownership in 2013. Our historical rate of growth may not be sustainable or indicative of our future rate of growth. We have also experienced increased demand for our products due to the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on consumer behavior as a result of various stay-at-home orders and restrictions on dining options and restaurant closures. We cannot predict the extent to which or the length that such restrictions will remain in place or if and when consumer behavior will return to pre-pandemic levels. We believe that our continued revenue growth, as well as our ability to improve or maintain margins and profitability, will depend upon, among other factors, our ability to address the challenges, risks, and difficulties described elsewhere in this prospectus and the extent to which our various products grow and contribute to our results of operations. We cannot provide assurance that we will be able to successfully manage any such challenges or risks to our future growth. In addition, our number of customers and markets may not continue to grow or may decline due to a variety of possible risks, including increased competition and the maturation of our business. Any of these factors could cause our revenue growth to decline and may adversely affect our margins and profitability. Failure to continue our revenue growth or improve margins would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. You should not rely on our historical rate of revenue growth as an indication of our future performance.

 

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We may be unable to manage our future growth effectively, which could make it difficult to execute our business strategy.

We have experienced rapid growth in our business operations and the scope and complexity of our business have increased substantially over the past several years. As a result, the number of our full-time employees increased from approximately 450 as of December 31, 2018 to approximately 700 as of December 31, 2020, and we have expanded our operations to include additional wood pellet production facilities and additional manufacturing and supply sources. We have only a limited history of operating our business at its current scale. We have made and expect to continue to make significant investments in our research and development efforts and in our sales and marketing organizations, including with respect to future product offerings, consumables, accessories, and services, and to expand our operations and infrastructure both domestically and internationally. This growth has placed, and may continue to place, significant demands on our management and our operational and financial infrastructure. For example, our customers increasingly rely on our support services to resolve any issues related to the use of our products and smart features. Providing a high-quality customer experience is vital to our success in generating word-of-mouth referrals to drive sales, maintain, and expand our brand recognition and retain existing customers. The importance of high-quality support will increase as we expand our business and introduce new and/or enhanced products and offerings, especially if we face limited brand recognition in certain markets that leads to non-acceptance or delayed acceptance of our products and services by consumers. Our ability to manage our growth effectively and to integrate new employees, technologies and acquisitions into our existing business will require us to continue to expand our operational and financial infrastructure and to continue to retain, attract, train, motivate, and manage employees. Management of growth is particularly difficult as employees work from home as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Continued growth could strain our ability to develop and improve our operational, financial and management controls, enhance our reporting systems and procedures, recruit, train, and retain highly skilled personnel and maintain customer satisfaction. Additionally, if we do not effectively manage the growth of our business and operations, the quality of our products and content could suffer, which could negatively affect our reputation and brand, business, financial condition, and results of operations, and our corporate culture may be harmed.

Our growth depends, in part, on our continued penetration and expansion into additional markets, and we may not be successful in doing so.

We believe that our future growth depends not only on continuing to reach our current core demographic, but also continuing to penetrate and broaden our retailer, customer, and distribution bases, including through online sales channels and our website, in the United States and international markets. In these markets, we have faced and may continue to face challenges that are different from those we currently encounter, including competitive, merchandising, distribution, hiring, legal and regulatory, and other difficulties, such as understanding and accurately predicting the demographics, preferences, and purchasing habits of consumers in these new geographic markets. We may encounter problems in our logistical operations, including our fulfillment and shipping functions, related to an increased demand from online sales channels. We have also encountered and may continue to encounter difficulties in attracting customers due to a lack of familiarity with or acceptance of our brand, or a resistance to paying for our premium products, particularly in international markets. We continue to evaluate marketing efforts and other strategies to expand our retailer, customer, and distribution bases. In addition, although we are continuing to invest in sales and marketing activities to further penetrate newer regions, we cannot assure you that we will be successful. If we are not successful, our business, financial condition, and results of operations may be harmed.

Our business depends on maintaining and strengthening our brand to generate and maintain ongoing demand for our products, and a significant reduction in such demand could harm our results of operations.

The Traeger name and premium brand image are integral to the growth of our business, as well as to the implementation of our strategies for expanding our business. Our success depends on the value and reputation of our brand, which, in turn, depends on factors such as the quality, market fit, design, performance, and functionality of

 

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our physical and digital products, our communication and marketing activities, including live and digital advertising, social media, online content, and public relations, the image of our retailers’ floor spaces and e-commerce platform, and our management of the customer experience, including direct interfaces through customer service. Maintaining, promoting, and positioning our brand are important to expanding our customer base and will depend largely on the success of our marketing and merchandising efforts and our ability to provide consistent, high-quality customer experiences. We intend to continue making substantial investments in these areas in order to maintain and enhance our brand, and such investments may not be successful. Ineffective marketing, negative publicity, product diversion to unauthorized distribution channels, product or manufacturing defects, including defects that may cause fires or explosions, counterfeit products, unfair labor practices, and failure to protect the intellectual property rights in our brand are some of the potential threats to the strength of our brand, and those and other factors could rapidly and severely diminish customer confidence in us. Furthermore, these factors could cause our customers to lose the personal connection they feel with the Traeger brand. Moreover, the growing use of social and digital media by us, our customers and third parties increases the speed and extent that information or misinformation and opinions can be shared. We believe that maintaining and enhancing our brand image in our current markets and in new markets where we have limited brand recognition is important to expanding our customer base. If we are unable to maintain or enhance our brand in current or new markets, our growth strategy and results of operations could be harmed.

If we fail to cost-effectively attract new customers or retain our existing customers, we may not be able to increase sales.

Our success depends on our ability to cost-effectively attract customers to our products and to retain our existing customers and encourage our customers to continue to utilize our products and content for their cooking needs. We must also increase general public awareness of our products, wood pellet grills, and the related cooking methodologies and techniques. For example, in order to increase customer awareness and expand our customer base, we must appeal to and attract customers who have historically associated grilling and outdoor cooking with traditional gas, charcoal, and electric grills and may have extensive experience in cooking with such devices. To effectively market our products, we must educate these customers about the various benefits of using our products and about cooking with wood pellet grills generally. We cannot assure you that we will be successful in changing customer behavior or cooking habits or that we will achieve broad market education or awareness. Even if we are able to raise awareness, customers may be slow in changing their habits and may be hesitant to use our products for a variety of reasons, including lack of experience with our products or cooking with wood pellet grills, price, competition and negative selling efforts from competitors and the perceptions regarding the time and complexity of using our products or learning new cooking techniques. Moreover, because our grills require sufficient outdoor space and ventilation to safely operate, even if we are successful in influencing customer behavior or cooking habits, many individuals may not be able to purchase our grills due to space constraints, particularly in high-density and non-suburban markets where residential outdoor space is limited.

We have made, and we expect that we will continue to make, significant investments in attracting new customers, including through the use of corporate partnerships, traditional, digital, and social media, and participation in, and sponsorship of, community events. Marketing campaigns can be expensive and may not result in the cost-effective acquisition of customers. We cannot assure you that any increase in our customer acquisition costs will result in any revenue growth. Further, as our brand becomes more widely known, future marketing campaigns may not attract new customers at the same rate as past campaigns. We believe that our paid and non-paid marketing initiatives have been critical in promoting customer awareness of our products and wood pellet grills, which in turn has driven demand for our products and increased the extent to which new and existing customers utilize our online content for cooking related information and resources. Any decrease in the success of our non-paid marketing initiatives, which primarily consist of customer advocacy and word-of-mouth referrals, may cause an increase in both our marketing and customer acquisition costs.

Our paid marketing initiatives include television, search engine marketing, mail to consumers, email, display and dedicated in-store arrangements, radio, and magazine advertising and social media marketing. For

 

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example, we actively market our products through television and buy search advertising through search engines, such as Google and Bing, major mobile application stores and social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, and use internal analytics and external vendors for bid optimization and channel strategy. Our non-paid advertising efforts include search engine optimization, non-paid social media and e-mail marketing. Search engines frequently modify their search algorithms and these changes can cause our websites to receive less favorable placements, which could reduce the number of customers who visit our website or are directed to information about our products. The costs associated with advertising through search engines can also vary significantly from period to period, and have generally increased over time. We may be unable to modify our strategies in response to any future search algorithm changes made by the search engines, which could require a change in the strategy we use to generate customer traffic and drive customer interactions. In addition, our website must comply with search engine guidelines and policies, which are complex and may change at any time. If we fail to follow such guidelines and policies properly, search engines may rank our content lower in search results, penalize us or could remove our content altogether from their indices. Further, changes to third-party policies that limit our ability to deliver, target or measure the effectiveness of advertising, including changes by mobile operating system and browser providers such as Apple and Google, could reduce the effectiveness of our marketing.

If we are unable to attract new customers, or fail to do so in a cost-effective manner, our growth could be slower than we expect and our business will be harmed.

Our business could be adversely affected if we fail to maintain product quality and product performance at an acceptable cost.

In order to maintain and increase revenue, we must produce high quality products at acceptable costs. If we are unable to maintain the quality and performance of our products at acceptable costs, our brand, the market acceptance of our products and our results of operations would suffer. As we periodically update our product lines and introduce changes to manufacturing processes or incorporate new materials and technologies, we may encounter unanticipated issues with product quality and product consistency or production and supply delays. For example, we have recently introduced products that incorporate smart features, including our WiFIRE technology, a cloud based, Wi-Fi controller that connects our grills to our Traeger app, enabling users to automate recipe steps and control and monitor their grill remotely. We also recently introduced D2 Direct Drive, an integrated, software-driven system that maintains grill temperature through variable speed fans and DC auger control. While we engage in product testing in an effort to identify and address any product quality issues before we introduce products to market, unanticipated product quality or performance issues may be identified after a product has been introduced and sold. As we continue to introduce new products and product enhancements, we expect the costs associated with such products and enhancements will continue to increase.

We may be subject to product liability and warranty claims and product recalls that could result in significant direct or indirect costs, or we could experience greater product returns than expected, either of which could harm our reputation or brand and have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

We face the risk of exposure to product liability or other claims, including class action lawsuits, in the event our products are, or are alleged to be, defective or have resulted in harm to persons, including death, or to property as a result of product malfunction, fires, explosions or other causes. For example, we are aware of several situations in which our grills were investigated as the cause of a fire. Our grills may cause fires if not properly used or maintained, including fires caused by buildup of fats or grease, or if there are quality, manufacturing or design defects. Although we label our grills to warn of such risks, our sales could be reduced if our grills are considered dangerous to use or if they are implicated in causing personal injury, death or property damage. Additionally, we may experience food safety or food-borne illness incidents with our rubs or sauces. We may in the future incur significant liabilities if product liability lawsuits or regulatory enforcement actions against us are successful. We may also have to recall and/or replace defective products or parts, which could

 

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result loss of sales and increased costs related to such recall or replacement efforts, which could be material. Any losses not covered by insurance could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Real or perceived quality issues, including those arising in connection with product liability lawsuits, warranty claims or recalls, could also result in adverse publicity, which could harm our brand and reputation and cause our sales to decline. In addition, any such issues may be seized on by competitors in efforts to increase their market share.

We generally provide a minimum three-year limited warranty on all of our grills. The occurrence of any material defects in our grills could result in an increase in returns or make us liable for damages and warranty claims in excess of our current reserves, which could result in an adverse effect on our business prospects, liquidity, financial condition, and cash flows if returns or warranty claims were to materially exceed anticipated levels. In addition, we could incur significant costs to correct any defects, warranty claims, or other problems, including costs related to product recalls, and such costs may not be covered by insurance and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Any negative publicity related to the perceived quality and safety of our products could affect our brand image, decrease consumer confidence and demand, and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. Also, while our warranty is limited to part replacement and returns, warranty claims may result in litigation, the occurrence of which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

In addition to warranties supplied by us, we may also offer the option for customers to purchase third-party extended warranty and services contracts in some markets, which creates an ongoing performance obligation over the warranty period. Extended warranties are regulated in the United States on a state level and are treated differently state by state. Outside the United States, regulations for extended warranties vary from country to country. Changes in interpretation of the insurance regulations or other laws and regulations concerning extended warranties on a federal, state, local, or international level may cause us to incur costs or have additional regulatory requirements to meet in the future. Our failure to comply with past, present, and future similar laws could result in reduced sales of our products, reputational damage, penalties, and other sanctions, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

We operate in a highly competitive market and we may be unable to compete successfully against existing and future competitors.

We operate in a highly competitive business market, and compete with multiple companies in the outdoor cooking market within brick-and-mortar and online sales channels. Numerous other companies offer a wide variety of products, including traditional gas, charcoal and electric grills, consumables, and accessories, that compete with our grills, consumables, and accessories, including wood pellets that can be used with our grills. For example, we compete with established, well-known, and legacy grill brands, including Weber, among others, as well as numerous other companies that offer competing products. These competitors offer a broad array of grills at different price points, including traditional gas, charcoal and electric grill offerings, as well as a significant number of wood pellet grills. We also compete against other wood pellet grill brands, such as Dansons. Moreover, the outdoor cooking market is expanding to include alternatives beyond traditional grills, and we also compete against companies that manufacture griddles, such as Blackstone. We have experienced an increase in competitors and competing offerings of gas and charcoal grills, wood pellet grills, and other outdoor cooking devices in recent years.

Competition in our market is based on a number of factors including product quality, performance, durability, styling, brand image and recognition, and price, as well as the perceived taste and satisfaction to be attained in using a particular grill or cooking methodology.

We believe that we have been able to compete successfully largely on the basis of our premium brand, superior design capabilities, product development, product performance, ease of use, and on the breadth of our independent, regional, and national retailers, our growing online presence and our DTC channel. Our competitors

 

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may be able to develop and market high quality products that compete with our products, sell their products for lower prices, adapt to changes in customer needs and preferences more quickly, devote greater resources to the design, sourcing, distribution, marketing, and sale of their products, or generate greater brand recognition than us. In addition, as we expand into new product categories, we have faced, and will continue to face, different and, in some cases, more formidable competition. Many of our competitors and potential competitors have significant competitive advantages, including longer operating histories, the ability to leverage their sales efforts and marketing expenditures across a broader portfolio of products, global product distribution, larger and broader retailer bases, more established relationships with a larger number of suppliers and manufacturers, greater brand recognition, larger or more effective brand ambassador and endorsement relationships, greater online presence and appearing more prominently in internet search results, greater financial strength, larger research and development teams, larger marketing budgets, and more distribution and other resources than we do. Some of our competitors may aggressively discount their products or offer other attractive sales terms in order to gain market share, which could result in pricing pressures, reduced margins, or lost market share.

We also compete with providers of wood pellets for use in grilling, including well-known brands like Weber, Kingsford and Dansons, among others. These competitors offer a broad array of pellet types and flavors that can be used in our wood pellet grills. Similar to our experience regarding competition for our wood pellet grills, we have experienced an increase in competitors and competing offerings of wood pellets in recent years.

If we are not able to overcome these potential competitive challenges, effectively market our current and future products, and otherwise compete effectively against our current or potential competitors, our prospects, financial condition, and results of operations could be harmed.

Use of social media and community ambassadors may materially and adversely affect our reputation or subject us to fines or other penalties.

We use third-party social media platforms as marketing tools, among other things. For example, we maintain Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest accounts, as well as our own content on our website and Traeger app. We maintain relationships with many community ambassadors, which others may refer to as influencers, and engage in sponsorship initiatives. As existing e-commerce and social media platforms continue to rapidly evolve and new platforms develop, we must continue to maintain a presence on these platforms and establish presences on new or emerging popular social media platforms. If we are unable to cost-effectively use social media platforms as marketing tools or if the social media platforms we use do not evolve quickly enough for us to fully optimize such platforms, our ability to acquire new consumers and our financial condition may suffer. Furthermore, as laws and regulations rapidly evolve to govern the use of these platforms and devices, the failure by us, our employees, our network of community ambassadors, our sponsors or third parties acting at our direction (including retailers) to abide by applicable laws and regulations in the use of these platforms and devices or otherwise could subject us to regulatory investigations, class action lawsuits, liability, fines or other penalties and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

In addition, an increase in the use of social media for marketing may cause an increase in the burden on us to monitor compliance of such materials, and increase the risk that such materials could contain problematic product or marketing claims in violation of applicable regulations. For example, in some cases, the Federal Trade Commission, or the FTC, has sought enforcement action where an endorsement has failed to clearly and conspicuously disclose a material relationship between a community ambassador and an advertiser. While we ask community ambassadors to comply with the FTC regulations and our guidelines, we do not regularly monitor what our community ambassadors post, and if we were held responsible for the content of their posts, we could be forced to alter our practices, which could have material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Negative commentary regarding us, our products or community ambassadors, and other third parties who are affiliated with us may also be posted on social media platforms and may be adverse to our reputation or

 

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business. Community ambassadors with whom we maintain relationships could engage in behavior or use their platforms to communicate directly with our customers in a manner that reflects poorly on our brand and may be attributed to us or otherwise adversely affect us. It is not possible to prevent such behavior, and the precautions we take to detect this activity may not be effective in all cases. The harm may be immediate, without affording us an opportunity for redress or correction.

We derive a significant majority of our revenue from sales of our wood pellet grills. A decline in sales of our grills would negatively affect our future revenue and results of operations.

Our wood pellet grills are sold in highly competitive markets with limited barriers to entry. Introduction by competitors of comparable grills at lower price points, a decline in consumer spending, or other factors could result in a decline in our revenue derived from our grills, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Because we derive a significant majority of our revenue from the sales of our wood pellet grills, any material decline in sales of our grills would have a pronounced impact on our revenue and results of operations.

A significant portion of our revenue is generated from sales of our products to retailers, and we derive a majority of our revenue from three retailers. A decline in demand from these retailers or failure by these retailers to perform their contractual obligations would cause our customer base, results of operations and business to suffer.

We generate a significant portion of our revenue through our retail channel, which includes sales to brick-and-mortar retailers, e-commerce platforms, and multichannel retailers, who, in turn, sell our products to their end consumers. In addition, we depend on a limited number of major retailers for a majority of our revenue. For example, in the year ended December 31, 2020, our three largest retailers accounted for 20%, 18%, and 16% of our revenue, respectively, with no other customer accounting for greater than 10% of our revenue for the year. In the three months ended March 31, 2021, our three largest retailers accounted for 24%, 23%, and 16% of our revenue, respectively, with no other customer accounting for greater than 10% of our revenue during the period. Although we generally do not have long-term contracts or purchase agreements with our retailers, we expect these major retailers to continue to make up a large portion of our revenue in the foreseeable future.

Our retailers may decide to emphasize products from our competitors, to redeploy their retail floor space or digital placement to other product categories, or to take other actions that reduce their purchases of our products. Our financial performance depends in part on our ability to maintain our relationships with our retailers, particularly our major retailers, and drive end customers to their stores. The loss of all or a substantial portion of our sales to retailers, and our major retailers in particular, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows by reducing cash flows and by limiting our ability to spread our fixed costs over a larger revenue base. We may make fewer sales to our retailers for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to:

 

   

failure to accurately identify the needs of our retailers;

 

   

a lack of acceptance of new products, consumables, accessories, or services;

 

   

failure to obtain shelf space or prominent digital placement from our retailers;

 

   

loss of business relationships, including due to brand or reputational harm;

 

   

breaches of contracts with retailers, or our failure to enter into or renew our contracts or purchase orders with major retailers;

 

   

consolidation within the retail industry among retailers and retail chains;

 

   

reduced, delayed or material changes to the business requirements or operations of our retailers;

 

   

failure to fulfil orders from our retailers in full or on a timely basis;

 

   

strikes or other work stoppages affecting sales and inventory of our major retailers;

 

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increasing competition by our competitors or the competitors of our major retailers that do not offer or sell our products;

 

   

store closures, decreased foot traffic, recession or other adverse effects resulting from public health crises such as the current COVID-19 pandemic (or other future pandemics or epidemics); or

 

   

general failure or bankruptcy of any of our major retailers.

Furthermore, in depressed market conditions, retailers that we have entered into contracts with may not be able to perform their obligations under our contracts and/or may no longer need the amount of our products they have contracted for or may be able to obtain comparable products at a lower price. If economic, political, regulatory or financial market conditions deteriorate and/or our retailers experience a significant downturn in their business or financial condition, they may attempt to renegotiate, reject or declare force majeure under our contracts. Should any counterparty fail to honor its obligations under a contract with us, we could sustain losses, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. We may also decide to renegotiate our existing contracts on less favorable terms and/or at reduced volumes in order to preserve our relationships with our retailers.

Upon the expiration of contracts, retailers may decide not to recontract on terms as favorable to us as our current contracts, or at all. For example, our current customers may acquire wood pellet grills from other providers that offer more competitive pricing.

We cannot assure you that our retailers will continue to carry our current products or carry any new products that we develop. If these risks occur, they could harm our brand as well as our results of operations and financial condition. In addition, store closures, decreased foot traffic and recession resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic will adversely affect the performance and will likely adversely affect the financial condition of many of these customers. Some retailers may decide to stop selling wood pellet grills. Any reduction in the amount of wood pellet grills or other products purchased by our retailers, or our inability to renegotiate or replace our existing contracts on economically acceptable terms, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, business, and financial position.

If we are unable to anticipate customer preferences and successfully develop new, innovative, and updated products, services, and features, or if we fail to effectively manage the introduction of new products, services, and features, our business will suffer.

The market for our products is characterized by new product and service introductions, frequent enhancements to existing products, and changing customer demands, needs, and preferences. Our success depends on our ability to identify and originate trends and to anticipate and react to changing customer demands, needs, and preferences in a timely manner. Changes in customer preferences cannot be predicted with certainty. If we are unable to introduce new or enhanced products, services or features in a timely manner, or our new or enhanced products, services, and features are not widely accepted by customers, our competitors may introduce similar concepts faster than us, which could negatively affect our sales and growth. Moreover, new products, services, and features may not be accepted by customers, as preferences could shift rapidly to different types of cooking methodologies and techniques or away from our offerings altogether, and our future success depends in part on our ability to anticipate and respond to such changes. For instance, a shift in consumer tastes, dietary habits, and nutritional values, concerns regarding the health effects of foods typically cooked on our grills and shifts in preference from animal-based protein to plant-based protein products could reduce our sales or our market share, which would harm our business and financial condition. Similarly, a shift in consumer tastes regarding the flavors of our wood pellets or other consumables could impact our ability to drive recurring sales from such items, which could have an adverse impact on our growth and revenue. In addition, we may not be successful at introducing the Traeger experience into other categories in the food-at-home market.

Failure to anticipate and respond in a timely manner to changing customer preferences could lead to, among other things, lower sales, pricing pressure, lower margins, discounting of our existing products and excess

 

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inventory levels. Even if we are successful in initiating or anticipating such preferences, our ability to adequately address or react to them will partially depend upon our continued ability to develop, introduce, and market innovative, high-quality products, services, and features. Development of new or enhanced products, services, accessories, and features may require significant time and financial resources, which could result in increased costs and a reduction in our margins. We may be unable to recoup the amount of such investments if our new or improved offerings do not gain widespread market acceptance. Moreover, we have experienced and may continue to experience delays in the development and introduction of new or enhanced products, services, accessories and features due to the effects of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Moreover, we must successfully manage introductions of new or enhanced products, services, and features, which could adversely impact the sales of our existing products. For instance, customers may choose to forgo purchasing existing products in advance of new product launches and we may experience higher returns from customers following the announcement of new products and features. As we introduce new or enhanced products, services and features, we may face additional challenges meeting regulatory and other compliance standards and managing a more complex supply chain and manufacturing process, including the time and cost associated with onboarding and overseeing additional suppliers, contract manufacturers, and logistics providers, among others. We may also face challenges managing the inventory of new or existing products, which could lead to excess inventory and discounting of such products. In addition, new or enhanced products and services may have varying selling prices and costs, including in comparison to legacy products, which could negatively impact our gross margins and results of operations.

Our passion and focus on delivering a high-quality and engaging experience for our customers may not maximize short-term financial results, which may yield results that conflict with the market’s expectations and could result in our stock price being negatively affected.

We are passionate about continually enhancing the Traeger experience and community, with a focus on driving long-term customer engagement through innovation, immersive content, technologically advanced products, and community support, which may not necessarily maximize short-term financial results. We frequently make business decisions that may reduce our short-term financial results if we believe that the decisions are consistent with our goals to improve the Traeger experience and community, which we believe will improve our financial results over the long term. These decisions may not be consistent with the short-term expectations of our stockholders and may not produce the long-term benefits that we expect, in which case our customer engagement and our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be harmed.

The market for wood pellet grills is still in the early stages of growth and if it does not continue to grow, grows more slowly than we expect, or fails to grow as large as we expect, our business may be adversely affected.

While wood pellet grills have been sold commercially since the 1980s, the market for wood pellet grills remained relatively small and niche until recently. The current broader market for wood pellet grills is relatively new and rapidly growing, and it is uncertain whether it will sustain high levels of demand and achieve wide market acceptance. Our success depends substantially on the willingness of customers to widely adopt the cooking methodologies and techniques associated with our products. To be successful, we must continue to educate customers about our products, and the related cooking methodologies and techniques, through significant investment and high-quality content that is superior to the content and cooking experiences provided by our competitors. Additionally, the market for grills and other cooking devices at large is heavily saturated, and the demand for and market acceptance of new products in the market is uncertain. It is difficult to predict the future growth rates, if any, and size of our market. We cannot assure you that our market will develop as expected, that broad public interest in wood pellet grills will continue, or that our products will be widely adopted. Furthermore, our grills require sufficient outdoor space and ventilation to safely operate, which limits our ability to sell or expand our presence in high-density, non-suburban markets. If the market for wood pellet grills does not develop, develops more slowly than expected, or becomes saturated with competitors, or if our products do not achieve market acceptance, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be adversely affected.

 

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The COVID-19 pandemic could adversely affect certain aspects of our business and negatively impact ability to access capital in the future.

Since being reported in December 2019, COVID-19 has spread globally, including to every state in the United States, and has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. The COVID-19 pandemic and preventative measures taken to contain or mitigate such have caused, and are continuing to cause, business slowdowns or shutdowns in affected areas and significant disruption in the financial markets both globally and in the United States, which could lead to a decline in discretionary spending by consumers, and in turn impact our business, sales, financial condition, and results of operations. The impacts include, but are not limited to:

 

   

the possibility of renewed retail store closures or reduced operating hours and/or decreased retail traffic;

 

   

disruption to our distribution centers and our third-party manufacturers and other vendors, including the effects of facility closures as a result of outbreaks of COVID-19 or measures taken by federal, state or local governments to reduce its spread, reductions in operating hours, labor shortages, and real time changes in operating procedures, including for additional cleaning and disinfection procedures;

 

   

difficulty in forecasting demand resulting in inventory constraints; and

 

   

significant disruption of global financial markets, which could have a negative impact on our ability to access capital in the future.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the global supply chain, with restrictions and limitations on related activities causing disruption and delay, along with increased raw material, storage, and shipping costs. These disruptions and delays have strained domestic and international supply chains, which have affected and could continue to negatively affect the flow or availability of certain products. Furthermore, significantly increased demand from online sales channels, including our website, has impacted our logistical operations, including our fulfillment and shipping functions, which has resulted in periodic delays in the delivery of our products. The further spread of COVID-19, and the requirements to take action to help limit the spread of the illness, could impact our ability to carry out our business as usual and may materially adversely impact global economic conditions, our business, results of operations, cash flows, and financial condition. For example, travel restrictions imposed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted certain of our product development initiatives, as we were unable to visit certain third-party manufacturers to review processes and procedures for new products and product enhancements. The extent of the impact of COVID-19 on our business and financial results will depend on future developments, including the duration and severity of the outbreak (including the severity and transmission rates of new variants of the coronavirus) within the markets in which we and our manufacturers and suppliers operate, the timing, distribution, and efficacy of vaccines and other treatments, the related impact on consumer confidence and spending, and the effect of governmental regulations imposed in response to the pandemic, all of which are highly uncertain and ever-changing. While we have experienced an increase in demand for our products due to the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on consumer behaviors, including due to various stay-at-home orders and restrictions on dining options and restaurant closures, this increased demand may not be sustained following the pandemic, or if economic conditions worsen, which would negatively impact consumer spending.

The sweeping nature of the COVID-19 pandemic makes it extremely difficult to predict how our business and operations will be affected over the long term. However, the likely overall economic impact of the pandemic is generally viewed as highly negative to the general economy. Any of the foregoing factors, or other cascading effects of the coronavirus pandemic, could materially increase our costs, negatively impact our sales and damage our results of operations and liquidity, possibly to a significant degree. The duration of any such impacts or likelihood of any similar future pandemics cannot be predicted.

 

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Our estimated addressable market is subject to inherent challenges and uncertainties. If we have overestimated the size of our addressable market, our future growth opportunities may be limited.

Our U.S. TAM is calculated based on an estimated percentage of households in the United States that have a grill, which is estimated based on internal and third-party market research, historical surveys, and interviews with market participants. Our U.S. SAM is based on internal survey analysis from a survey we conducted in March 2021 with approximately 4,200 consumers across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany, including 2,600 consumers in the United States, including 157 recent Traeger purchasers. As a result, each of our U.S. TAM and U.S. SAM is subject to significant uncertainty and is based on assumptions that may not prove to be accurate. Our estimates are based, in part, on third-party reports and are subject to significant assumptions and estimates. These estimates, as well as the estimates and forecasts in this prospectus relating to the size and expected growth of the markets in which we operate, and our penetration of those markets, may change or prove to be inaccurate. While we believe the information on which we base our U.S. TAM and U.S. SAM is generally reliable, such information is inherently imprecise. In addition, our expectations, assumptions and estimates of future opportunities are necessarily subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors, including those described herein. If third-party or internally generated data prove to be inaccurate or we make errors in our assumptions based on that data, our future growth opportunities may be affected. If our addressable market, or the size of any of the various ancillary markets in which we operate, proves to be inaccurate, our future growth opportunities may be limited and there could be a material adverse effect on our prospects, business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Competitors have imitated and attempted to imitate, and will likely continue to imitate or attempt to imitate, our products, and technology. If we are unable to protect or preserve our brand image and proprietary rights, our business may be harmed.

As our business continues to expand, our competitors have imitated or attempted to imitate, and will likely continue to imitate or attempt to imitate, our product designs, functionality, and branding, which could harm our business and results of operations. Only a portion of the intellectual property used in the manufacture and design of our products is patented, and we therefore rely on other forms of protection, including trade and service marks, trade dress, trade secrets, and the strength of our brand. For example, the original patent for pellet grills, which was filed by Joe Traeger in 1986, expired in 2006. Following expiration of this patent, competitors introduced competing products with similar designs and technologies, and there are currently a significant number of wood pellet grills available from a variety of competitors, including Weber and Dansons, among others. We regard our patents, trade dress, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and similar proprietary rights as critical to our success. We also rely on trade secret protection and confidentiality agreements with our employees, consultants, suppliers, manufacturers, and others to protect our proprietary rights. Nevertheless, the steps we take to protect our proprietary rights against infringement or other violation may be inadequate, and we may experience difficulty in effectively limiting the unauthorized use of our patents, trademarks, trade dress, and other intellectual property and proprietary rights worldwide. We also cannot guarantee that others will not independently develop technology with the same or similar function to any proprietary technology we rely on to conduct our business and differentiate ourselves from our competitors. As we continue to grow our business and strengthen our brand, we expect to experience increased counterfeiting of our products, including, among others, imitation and look-alike products and fraudulent website and distributors. Unauthorized use or invalidation of our patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade dress, trade secrets, or other intellectual property or proprietary rights may cause significant damage to our brand and harm our results of operations.

While we actively develop and protect our intellectual property rights, there can be no assurance that we will be adequately protected in all countries in which we conduct our business or that we will prevail when defending our patent, trademark, and proprietary rights. Additionally, we could incur significant costs and management distraction in pursuing claims to enforce our intellectual property rights through litigation and defending any alleged counterclaims. If we are unable to protect or preserve the value of our patents, trade dress, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property rights for any reason, or if we fail to maintain our brand

 

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image due to actual or perceived product or service quality issues, adverse publicity, governmental investigations or litigation, or other reasons, our brand and reputation could be damaged, and our business may be harmed.

Our revenue and profits depend on the level of customer spending for discretionary items, which is sensitive to general economic conditions and other factors.

Demand for our premium products is significantly influenced by a number of economic factors affecting our customers and trends in customer spending. For example, demand for our grills is particularly sensitive to consumer spending levels as our grills can represent expensive purchases for consumers. There are a number of factors that influence consumer spending, including actual and perceived economic conditions, consumer confidence, disposable income, credit availability, unemployment, and tax rates in the markets where we sell our products. Consumers also have discretion as to where to spend their disposable income and may choose to purchase other items if we do not continue to provide authentic, compelling, and high-quality products at appropriate price points. As global economic conditions continue to be volatile and economic uncertainty remains, trends in discretionary spending also remain unpredictable and subject to declines. Any of these factors could harm discretionary spending, resulting in a reduction in demand for our products, decreased prices, and harm to our business and results of operations. Moreover, purchases of discretionary items, such as our premium products, tend to decline during recessionary periods when disposable income is lower or during other periods of economic instability or uncertainty, which may slow our growth more than we anticipate. A downturn in the economies in markets in which we sell our products, particularly in the United States, may materially harm our sales, profitability, and financial condition.

Our results of operations may suffer if we do not accurately forecast demand for our products or successfully manage our inventory to match customer demand.

To ensure adequate inventory supply, we must forecast inventory needs and place orders with our manufacturers before firm orders are placed by our customers. If we fail to accurately forecast customer demand, we may experience excess inventory levels or a shortage of product to deliver to our customers. Factors that could affect our ability to accurately forecast demand for our products include: (a) an increase or decrease in demand for our products; (b) our failure to accurately forecast customer acceptance for our new products; (c) product introductions by competitors; (d) unanticipated changes in general market conditions or other factors, which may result in cancellations of orders or a reduction or increase in the rate of reorders or at-once orders placed by retailers; (e) the impact of unseasonable weather conditions; (f) weakening of economic conditions or consumer confidence in future economic conditions, which could reduce demand for discretionary items, such as our products; and (g) terrorism or acts of war, or the threat thereof, or political or labor instability or unrest, riots, public health crises such as the current COVID-19 pandemic (or other future pandemics or epidemics), which could adversely affect consumer confidence and spending or interrupt production and distribution of product and raw materials.

Inventory levels in excess of customer demand may result in inventory write-downs or write-offs and the sale of excess inventory at discounted prices or in less preferred distribution channels, which could impair our brand image and harm our margins. In addition, if we underestimate the demand for our products, our manufacturers may not be able to produce products to meet our requirements, and this could result in delays in the shipment of our products, lost sales, and damage to our reputation and retailer and distributor relationships. For example, late in the first quarter of 2020, we reduced inventory purchase orders as a precautionary measure against the unknown impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy and our business and to improve financial flexibility. These actions, coupled with the overall strong demand during 2020, ultimately contributed to lower than expected inventory levels throughout the second half of 2020 and, in turn, resulted in inventory constraints in the second half of 2020 continuing into early 2021.

Such difficulty in forecasting demand, which we have encountered and may continue to encounter as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, also makes it difficult to estimate our future results of operations and financial

 

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condition from period to period. A failure to accurately predict the level of demand for our products could adversely impact our profitability or cause us not to achieve our expected financial results.

Our business may fluctuate as a result of seasonality and changes in weather conditions.

We have typically experienced moderately higher levels of sales of our grills in the first and second quarters of the year as our retailers purchase inventory in advance of warmer weather, when demand for outdoor cooking products is the highest across our key markets. Higher sales also coincide with social events and national holidays, which occur during the same timeframe. Although our products can be used year-round, unusually adverse weather conditions can negatively impact the timing of the sales of certain of our products, causing reduced sales and negatively impacting profitability when such conditions exist. Prolonged adverse weather conditions could significantly reduce our sales in one or more periods. These conditions may shift sales to subsequent reporting periods, cause our results of operations to fluctuate on a quarterly basis, or decrease overall sales. Further, our quarterly results of operations in future fiscal years may fluctuate or otherwise be significantly affected as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The effect of the pandemic may exceed the quarterly changes in our results of operations that we have typically experienced from seasonality and weather conditions.

If our plan to increase sales through our direct to customer channel is not successful, our business and results of operations could be harmed.

Part of our growth strategy involves increasing our DTC sales through our website and Traeger app. However, we have limited operating and compliance experience executing the retail component of this strategy, and our competitors may have a greater online presence and a more developed e-commerce platform than us. The level of customer traffic and volume of customer purchases through our websites or other e-commerce initiatives are substantially dependent on our ability to provide a content-rich and user-friendly website, a hassle-free customer experience, sufficient product availability, and reliable, timely delivery of our products. If we are unable to maintain and increase customers’ safe and effective use of our website or Traeger app, allocate sufficient product to our website or Traeger app, adequately protect our customers from fraudulent activity online, including third parties impersonating our products, and increase any sales through our DTC channel, our business, and results of operations could be harmed. Moreover, any failure or perceived failure by us to comply with applicable laws and regulations, including those associated with our website or the Traeger app, may result in governmental investigations or enforcement actions, litigation, claims or public statements against us by consumer advocacy groups or others.

As we expand our e-commerce platform across the geographies in which we sell our products, we may encounter different and evolving laws governing the operation and marketing of e-commerce websites, as well as the collection, storage, and use of information on customers interacting with those websites. We may incur additional costs and operational challenges in complying with these laws and regulations, and differences in these laws and regulations may cause us to operate our business differently, and less effectively, in different territories. If so, we may incur additional costs and may not fully realize the investment in our geographic expansion.

We have significant international operations and are exposed to risks associated with doing business globally.

We sell and distribute our products in many key international markets in Europe, North America, and elsewhere around the world. These activities have resulted and will continue to result in investments in inventory, accounts receivable, employees, corporate infrastructure and facilities. In addition, we source most of our products through manufacturing relationships involving suppliers and vendors located outside of the United States. The operation of foreign distribution in our international markets, as well as the management of relationships with manufacturers and foreign suppliers, will continue to require the dedication of management and other resources.

 

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As a result of this international business, we are exposed to increased risks inherent in conducting business outside of the United States. These risks include the following:

 

   

adverse changes in foreign currency exchange rates can have a significant effect upon our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows;

 

   

increased difficulty in protecting our intellectual property rights and trade secrets, including litigation costs and the outcome of such litigation;

 

   

increased exposure to events that could impair our ability to operate internationally with third parties such as problems with such third parties’ operations, finances, insolvency, labor relations, manufacturing capabilities, costs, insurance, natural disasters or other catastrophic events;

 

   

unexpected legal or government action or changes in legal or regulatory requirements;

 

   

social, economic or political instability;

 

   

potential negative consequences from changes to taxation or tariff policies;

 

   

the effects of any anti-American sentiments on our brands or sales of our products;

 

   

increased difficulty in ensuring compliance by employees, agents and contractors with our policies as well as with the laws of multiple jurisdictions, including but not limited to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the U.K. Bribery Act 2010, international environmental, health, and safety laws, and increasingly complex regulations relating to the conduct of international commerce, including import/export laws and regulations, economic sanctions laws and regulations and trade controls;

 

   

increased difficulty in controlling and monitoring foreign operations from the United States, including increased difficulty in identifying and recruiting qualified personnel for our foreign operations; and

 

   

increased exposure to interruptions in land, air carrier, or vessel shipping services.

We have limited experience with international regulatory environments and market practices and may not be able to penetrate or successfully operate in any foreign markets we choose to enter. In addition, we may incur significant expenses as a result of our continued international expansion, and we may not be successful. We may face limited brand recognition in certain parts of the world that could lead to non-acceptance or delayed acceptance of our products and services by consumers in new markets. We may also face challenges to acceptance of our products and content in new markets. Our failure to successfully manage these risks could harm our international operations and have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

We are subject to governmental export and import controls, customs, and economic sanction laws that could subject us to liability and impair our ability to compete in international markets.

The United States and various foreign governments have imposed controls, export license requirements, and restrictions on the import or export of certain technologies, as well as customs and other import regulatory requirements. Our products may be subject to U.S. export controls. Compliance with applicable regulatory requirements regarding the import and export of our products may create delays in the introduction of our products in international markets, and, in some cases, prevent the export of our products to some countries altogether.

Furthermore, U.S. export control laws and economic sanctions prohibit the provision of products and services to countries, governments, and persons targeted by U.S. sanctions. Even though we take precautions to prevent our products from being provided to targets of U.S. sanctions, our products could be provided to those targets or provided by our customers. Any such provision could have negative consequences, including government investigations, penalties, and reputational harm. Our failure to obtain required import or export approval for our products, or to comply with applicable laws and regulations with regard to our import and export activity, could harm our international and domestic sales and adversely affect our revenue.

 

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We could be subject to future enforcement action with respect to compliance with governmental export and import controls, customs laws, and economic sanctions laws that result in penalties, costs, and restrictions on export privileges that could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Failure to comply with anti-corruption and anti-money laundering laws, including the FCPA and similar laws associated with our activities outside of the United States, could subject us to penalties and other adverse consequences.

We operate a global business and may have direct or indirect interactions with officials and employees of government agencies or state-owned or government controlled entities. We are subject to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or FCPA, the U.S. domestic bribery statute contained in 18 U.S.C. § 201, the U.S. Travel Act, the USA PATRIOT Act, the U.K. Bribery Act, and possibly other anti-bribery and anti-money laundering laws in countries in which we conduct activities. These laws generally prohibit companies and their employees and third-party intermediaries from corruptly promising, authorizing, offering, or providing, directly or indirectly, improper payments of anything of value to government officials, political parties, and private-sector recipients for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business, directing business to any person, or securing any improper advantage. Certain laws, including the U.K. Bribery Act, also prohibit soliciting or receiving bribes or improper payments. In addition, U.S. public companies are required to maintain records that accurately and fairly represent their transactions and have an adequate system of internal accounting controls. In many foreign countries, including countries in which we may conduct business, it may be a local custom that businesses engage in practices that are prohibited by the FCPA or other applicable laws and regulations. We face significant risks if we or any of our directors, officers, employees, agents or other partners or representatives fail to comply with these laws and governmental authorities in the United States and elsewhere could seek to impose substantial civil and/or criminal fines and penalties which could have a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, results of operations, and financial condition.

We have implemented an anti-corruption compliance program and policies, procedures and training designed to foster compliance with these laws. However, our employees, contractors, and agents, and companies to which we outsource certain of our business operations, may take actions in violation of our policies or applicable law. Any such violation could have an adverse effect on our reputation, business, results of operations, and prospects.

Any violation of the FCPA, other applicable anti-corruption laws, or anti-money laundering laws could result in whistleblower complaints, adverse media coverage, investigations, loss of export privileges, severe criminal or civil sanctions and, in the case of the FCPA, suspension or debarment from U.S. government contracts, any of which could have a materially adverse effect on our reputation, business, results of operations, and prospects. In addition, responding to any enforcement action may result in a significant diversion of management’s attention and resources and significant defense costs and other professional fees.

Our business could be adversely affected from an accident, safety incident, or workforce disruption. Our internal manufacturing processes and related activities, as well as our in-house warehousing and last-mile logistics activities, could expose us to significant personal injury claims that could subject us to substantial liability.

The COVID-19 pandemic increases our exposure to these risks; for example, various local government orders have been implemented in areas where we operate that require us to secure personal protective equipment, such as face masks and gloves, for our delivery teams, and to implement new methods of monitoring employee health, such as temperature checks. As these government orders have come down, a global shortage of personal protective equipment has resulted, and we have experienced delays and increased costs in obtaining these materials for our teams. Our inability to timely adapt to changing norms and requirements around maintaining a safe workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic could cause employee illness, accidents, or team discontent if it is perceived that we are failing to protect the health and safety of our employees. While we maintain liability insurance, the amount

 

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of such coverage may not be adequate to cover fully all claims, and we may be forced to bear substantial losses from an accident or safety incident resulting from our manufacturing, warehousing, or last-mile activities.

We are subject to payment-related risks that may result in higher operating costs or the inability to process payments, either of which could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.

For sales through our DTC channel, as well as for sales to certain retailers through our retail channel, we accept a variety of payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards, electronic funds transfers, electronic payment systems, and gift cards, as applicable. Accordingly, we are, and will continue to be, subject to significant and evolving regulations and compliance requirements, including obligations to implement enhanced authentication processes that could result in increased costs and liability, and reduce the ease of use of certain payment methods. For certain payment methods, including credit and debit cards, as well as electronic payment systems, we pay interchange and other fees, which may increase over time. We rely on independent service providers for payment processing, including credit and debit cards. If these independent service providers become unwilling or unable to provide these services to us, or if the cost of using these providers increases, our business could be harmed. We and our payment processing providers are also subject to payment card association operating rules and agreements, including data security rules and agreements, certification requirements, and rules governing electronic funds transfers, which could change or be reinterpreted to make it difficult or impossible for us to comply. If we fail to comply with these rules, agreements or requirements, or if our data security systems are breached or compromised, we may be liable for losses incurred by card issuing banks or customers, subject to fines and higher transaction fees, lose our ability to accept credit or debit card payments from our customers, or process electronic fund transfers or facilitate other types of payments. Any failure to comply could significantly harm our brand, reputation, business, financial condition, and results of operations.

In the future, we may accept bitcoin or other forms of cryptocurrency as a form of payment for our products, subject to applicable laws, which we may or may not liquidate upon receipt. The prices of such assets have been in the past and may continue to be highly volatile, including as a result of various associated risks and uncertainties. If we hold such assets and their values decrease relative to our purchase prices, our financial condition may be harmed.

Our revenue could decline due to changes in credit markets and decisions made by credit providers.

Certain of our customers finance their purchase of our grills through third-party credit providers with whom we have existing relationships. If we are unable to maintain our relationships with our financing partners, there is no guarantee that we will be able to find replacement partners who will provide our customers with financing on similar terms, and our ability to sell our grills may be adversely affected. Further, reductions in consumer lending and the availability of consumer credit could limit the number of customers with the financial means to purchase our grills. Higher interest rates could increase our costs or the monthly payments for grills financed through other sources of consumer financing. In the future, we cannot be assured that third-party financing providers will continue to provide consumers with access to credit or that available credit limits will not be reduced. Such restrictions or reductions in the availability of consumer credit, or the loss of our relationship with our current financing partners, could have an adverse effect on our business, financial conditions, and results of operations.

Customer demand for sustainably produced products could reduce buyers for our products and competition among buyers for our products, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, cash flows, and results of operations.

Some of our customers have expressed a preference that certain of our products be made from raw materials sourced from forests certified to different standards, including standards of the Forest Stewardship Council, or FSC. Additionally, some environmental organizations have targeted the wood pellet industry as harmful to the environment and encouraged consumers to opt for more environmentally friendly options. If customer demand for sustainably produced products (including FSC) increases, there may be reduced demand and we may only be

 

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able to charge lower prices for our products relative to our competitors who can supply products sourced from forests certified to such standards. Furthermore, if we and our competitors seek to comply with sustainability initiatives, including FSC, we could incur materially increased costs for our operations or be required to modify our existing operations, which would have a material adverse effect on our revenue, margins and cash flows. In addition, we may be unable to obtain the raw materials (particularly wood fiber from third parties for use at our wood pellet facilities) required to sustain our growth and satisfy our existing and future customer contracts. FSC, in particular, employs standards that are geographically variable and could cause a material reduction in our ability to source wood pellets, which would have a material adverse effect on our ability to execute our business plan and our results of operations.

Significant increases in the cost of raw materials for our wood pellet facilities or our suppliers suffering from operating or financial difficulties could adversely impact revenue and our ability to satisfy customer demand.

We purchase wood fiber from third parties for use at our wood pellet facilities. Our reliance on third parties to secure wood fiber exposes us to potential price volatility and unavailability of such raw materials, and the associated costs may exceed our ability to pass through such price increases to customers, which could adversely affect our gross margins. For example, the price of lumber has significantly increased in recent years. Further, delays or disruptions in obtaining wood fiber may result from a number of factors affecting our suppliers, including extreme weather or forest fires, production or delivery disruptions, inadequate logging capacity, labor disputes, impaired financial condition of a particular supplier, the inability of suppliers to comply with regulatory or sustainability requirements (including increased sustainability standards, such as the FSC) or decreased availability of raw materials. In addition, other companies, whether or not in our industry, could procure wood fiber within our procurement areas and adversely change regional market dynamics, resulting in insufficient quantities of raw material or higher prices. Any of these events or the impact on the availability of wood fiber could increase our operating costs or prevent us from selling our wood pellets in quantities that satisfy customer demand, and thereby could have a material adverse effect on our brand, reputation, business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Our revenues, net income, and cash flow from operations are dependent to a significant extent on the pricing of our products and our continued ability to secure raw materials at adequate levels and acceptable prices. Therefore, if we are restricted from securing a sufficient amount of raw materials from third parties for a prolonged period of time, or if material damage to a significant portion of such third-party landowners’ standing timber were to occur, we could suffer materially adverse effects to our results of operations. Any interruption or delay in the supply of wood fiber, or our inability to obtain wood fiber at acceptable prices in a timely manner, could impair our ability to meet the demands of our customers, which could have a material adverse effect on our brand, reputation, business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Failure to implement effective quality control systems at our wood pellet facilities could have a material adverse effect on our business and operations.

The performance and quality of our wood pellet products are important to the success of our business and can significantly impact the cooking experience of our grills and the taste of food cooked with our grills. To ensure consistent product quality, we must develop and implement improved quality control systems and quality training programs, and must otherwise promote and enforce employee adherence to our quality control policies and guidelines. We must also update such policies and guidelines and may be required to hire additional personnel and quality control specialists. We have a limited history in operating wood pellet manufacturing facilities at both our existing and planned scale and may experience challenges in implementing improvements to our processes and operations that are necessary to support future business needs, which further increases our risk with respect to quality controls. Any significant failure involving the development, implementation or maintenance of quality control systems and related programs could have a negative impact on our product quality and consistency, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and reputation.

 

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An increase in the price or a significant interruption in the supply of electricity could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

Our wood pellet facilities use a substantial amount of electricity. The price and supply of electricity are unpredictable and can fluctuate significantly based on international, political and economic circumstances, as well as other events outside our control, such as changes in supply and demand due to weather conditions, regional production patterns and environmental concerns. In addition, potential climate change regulations or carbon or emissions taxes could result in higher production costs for electricity, which may be passed on to us in whole or in part and we may not have the ability to pass such costs through to the customer, which could adversely affect our gross margins. A significant increase in the price of electricity or an extended interruption in the supply of electricity to our production plants could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and cash flows.

Increases in labor costs, potential labor disputes, and work stoppages or an inability to hire skilled manufacturing, sales, and other personnel could adversely affect our business.

An increase in labor costs, work stoppages or disruptions at our facilities or those of our suppliers or transportation service providers, or other labor disruptions, could decrease our sales and increase our expenses. In addition, although our employees are not represented by a union, our labor force may become subject to labor union organizing efforts, which could cause us to incur additional labor costs and increase the related risks that we now face. It is also possible that a union seeking to organize one subset of our employee population, such as the employees in our manufacturing facility, could also mount a corporate campaign, resulting in negative publicity or other actions that require attention by our management team and our employees. Negative publicity, work stoppages, or strikes by unions could have an adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition, and results of operations.

The competition for skilled manufacturing, sales and other personnel can be intense in the regions in which our wood pellet facilities are located. A significant increase in the salaries and wages paid in these regions or by competing employers could result in a reduction of our labor force, increases in the salaries and wages that we must pay or both. If we are unable to hire skilled manufacturing, sales, and other personnel, our ability to execute our business plan, and our results of operations, would suffer.

Our wood pellet production operations are subject to operational hazards and downtimes or interruptions, which may have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

Our wood pellets are combustible products. Fires and explosions have occurred at similar entities. As a result, our business could be adversely affected by these and other operational hazards and could suffer catastrophic loss due to unanticipated events such as explosions, fires, natural disasters or severe weather conditions. Severe weather, such as floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, forest fires or other catastrophes, or climatic phenomena, such as drought, may impact our operations by causing weather-related damage to our wood pellet facilities and equipment. Such severe weather may also adversely affect the ability of our suppliers to provide us with the raw materials we require or the ability of vessels to load, transport, and unload our wood pellet products. In addition, our wood pellet facilities are subject to the risk of unexpected equipment failures. At our wood pellet facilities plants, our manufacturing processes are dependent upon critical pieces of equipment, and such equipment may, on occasion, be out of service as a result of such failures. As a result, we may experience material facility shutdowns or periods of reduced production, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. Any interference with or curtailment of our wood pellet facilities and related production operations could result in a loss of productivity, an increase in our operating costs and decrease in revenue, which may have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

In addition, we may not be fully insured against all risks incident to our wood pellet production operations, including the risk of our operations being interrupted due to severe weather and natural disasters. Furthermore,

 

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we may be unable to maintain or obtain insurance of the type and amount we desire at reasonable rates. As a result of market conditions, premiums and deductibles for certain of our insurance policies could escalate. In some instances, insurance could become unavailable or available only for reduced amounts of coverage. If we were to incur a significant liability for which we are not fully insured, it could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Our wood pellet production operations are subject to stringent environmental and occupational health and safety laws and regulations that may expose us to significant costs and liabilities.

Our wood pellet production operations are subject to stringent federal, regional, state, and local environmental, health and safety laws and regulations. These laws and regulations govern environmental protection, occupational health and safety, the release or discharge of materials into the environment, air emissions, wastewater discharges, the investigation and remediation of contaminated sites and allocation of liability for cleanup of such sites. These laws and regulations may restrict or impact our business in many ways, including by requiring us to acquire permits or other approvals to conduct regulated activities; limiting our air emissions or wastewater discharges or requiring us to install costly equipment to control, reduce or treat such emissions or discharges; imposing requirements on the handling or disposal of wastes; impacting our ability to modify or expand our operations (for example, by limiting or prohibiting construction and operating activities in environmentally sensitive areas); and imposing health and safety requirements for worker protection. We may be required to make significant capital and operating expenditures to comply with these laws and regulations. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations may result in the assessment of administrative, civil, and criminal penalties, imposition of investigatory or remedial obligations, suspension or revocation of permits and the issuance of orders limiting or prohibiting some or all of our operations. Adoption of new or modified environmental laws and regulations may impair the operation of our wood pellet production operations, delay or prevent expansion of existing facilities or construction of new facilities and otherwise result in increased costs and liabilities, which may be material.

Certain environmental laws, including the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, or CERCLA, and analogous state laws, impose strict as well as joint and several liability upon statutorily defined parties without regard to comparative fault. Under these laws, we may be required to remediate contaminated properties currently or formerly operated by us, or facilities of third parties that received waste generated by our wood pellet production operations. Such remediation obligations may be imposed regardless of whether such contamination resulted in whole or in part from the conduct of others and whether such contamination resulted from actions (by us or third parties) that complied with all applicable laws in effect at the time of those actions. Our facilities are located on sites that have been used for manufacturing activities for an extended period of time, which increases the possibility of contamination being present. In addition, claims for damages to persons or property, including natural resources, may result from the environmental, health, and safety impacts of our operations, including accidental spills or releases in the course of our operations or those of a third party. Although we are not presently aware of any material contamination on our properties or any material remediation liabilities, we cannot assure you that we will not be exposed to significant remediation obligations or liabilities in the future.

Climate change legislation, regulatory initiatives and litigation could result in increased operating costs or, in some instances, adversely impact demand for our products.

Many nations have agreed to limit emissions of greenhouse gas pursuant to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, also known as the “Kyoto Protocol,” and other initiatives. In December 2015, the United States and 194 other countries adopted the Paris Agreement, committing to work towards addressing climate change and agreeing to a monitoring and review process for greenhouse gas emissions. Although the United States withdrew from the Paris Agreement in November 2020, the United States officially rejoined the Paris Agreement in February 2021 following the change in Presidential administrations, and may in the future choose to join other international agreements targeting greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, in January 2021,

 

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President Biden issued an executive order directing all federal agencies to review and take action to address any federal regulations, orders, guidance documents, policies, and any similar agency actions promulgated during the prior administration that may be inconsistent with the current administration’s policies and to confront the climate crisis. President Biden also issued an executive order solely targeting climate change. The adoption of legislation or regulatory programs at the federal level, or other government action to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, could require us to incur increased operating costs, such as costs to purchase and operate emissions control systems, to acquire emissions allowances or to comply with new regulatory or reporting requirements.

Moreover, many U.S. states, either individually or through multi-state regional initiatives, have begun to address greenhouse gas emissions, primarily through the planned development of greenhouse gas emission inventories and/or regional greenhouse gas cap-and-trade programs. Certain states where our wood pellet facilities are located, including New York, have implemented climate change regulations and committed to reducing greenhouse gases. For example, New York recently implemented the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 and 85% below 1990 levels by 2050. Such regulations may increase the cost of operating such facilities or otherwise restrict the operations of such facilities, which could have an adverse impact on our business and operations.

Further, our markets may be affected by legislative initiatives and policies that promote or do not promote devices that have or share similar traits to our wood pellet grills, such as wood burning stoves and similar appliances. Certain jurisdictions have adopted or proposed local ordinances or policies restricting the use of a wide range of devices, which may encompass or cover the cooking mechanism utilized by our wood pellet grills. It remains uncertain whether or to what extent such restrictions could impact demand for our products or the ability of customers to use our grills in states or other jurisdictions that have adopted or may in the future adopt or implement such restrictions. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued regulations that set particulate matter limits for certain wood-burning appliances that people use to heat their home. While these limits are not applicable to cook stoves such as wood-fired grills, the regulations impose labeling requirements that may be applicable and such regulations may be broadened in the future. These restrictions and the applicable requirements for permits or exemptions may vary significantly by location, and we may be unable to track or monitor all such restrictions in the markets in which we sell our products. Future changes to laws or policies relating to these or similar matters could reduce demand for our products and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

As a producer and distributor of a variety of consumer products, we must comply with various federal, state, provincial, local and foreign laws relating to the materials, production, packaging, quality, labeling and distribution of our products, including various environmental and health and safety laws and regulations. For example, the electronic components of our products may be subject to restrictions regarding the raw materials used and end of life requirements such as the collection, recycling and recovery of wastes. Our food products must meet U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, or parallel foreign requirements of safety for human consumption, labeling, processing and distribution under sanitary conditions and production in accordance with FDA “good manufacturing practices.” Should our products fail to comply with such laws and regulations or the interpretation or enforcement of such laws and regulations becomes more stringent, our costs could increase and changes to our products or operations could be required, which may have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects.

Federal, state, and local legislative and regulatory initiatives relating to forestry products and the potential for related litigation could result in increased costs, additional operating restrictions or delays for our suppliers, which could negatively impact our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Commercial forestry is regulated by complex regulatory frameworks at each of the federal, state, and local levels. Among other federal laws, the Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act have been applied to commercial forestry operations through agency regulations and court decisions, as well as through the delegation to

 

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states to implement and monitor compliance with such laws. State forestry laws, as well as land use regulations and zoning ordinances at the local level, are also used to manage forests in the United States, as well as other regions from which we may need to source raw materials in the future. Any new or modified laws or regulations at any of these levels could have the effect of reducing forestry operations in areas where we procure our raw materials, and consequently may prevent us from purchasing raw materials in an economic manner, or at all. In addition, future regulation of, or litigation concerning, the use of timberlands, the protection of threatened or endangered species or their habitats, the promotion of forest biodiversity, and the response to and prevention of wildfires, as well as litigation, campaigns or other measures advanced by environmental activist groups, could also reduce the availability of the raw materials required for our operations and the production of our wood pellets.

Regulatory authorities in the United States, European Union and elsewhere are increasingly regulating hazardous materials and other substances, and those regulations could affect sales of our products.

Legislation and regulations concerning hazardous materials and other substances can restrict the sale of products and/or increase the cost of producing them. Some of our products are subject to restrictions under laws or regulations such as California’s Proposition 65 and the EU’s chemical substances directive. The EU “REACH” registration system requires us to perform studies of some of the materials used in our products and to register the information in a central database, increasing the cost of these products. As a result of such regulations, our ability to sell certain products may be curtailed and customers may avoid purchasing some products in favor of less regulated, less hazardous or less costly alternatives. It may be impractical for us to continue manufacturing heavily regulated products, and we may incur costs to shut down or transition such operations to alternative products. These circumstances could adversely affect our business, including our revenue and results of operations.

Risks Related to Our Reliance on Third Parties

We rely on a limited number of third-party manufacturers, and problems with, or loss of, our suppliers or an inability to obtain raw materials could harm our business and results of operations.

Our grills are produced by a limited number of third-party manufacturers. We face the risk that these third-party manufacturers may not produce and deliver our products on a timely basis or at all. Our reliance on a limited number of manufacturers for our products increases our risks, since we do not currently have alternative or replacement manufacturers for certain of our products beyond our existing manufacturers. In the event of interruption from our manufacturers or suppliers, we may not be able to increase capacity from other sources or develop alternate or secondary sources without incurring material additional costs and substantial delays, and we do not maintain sufficient inventory levels to mitigate the impact of such costs and delays. Further, certain of these manufacturers have developed specific processes and manufacturing procedures for certain of our products, and such processes and procedures may not be easily transferred to other manufacturers, if at all. Furthermore, we expect that as we continue to introduce new products and product enhancements, our manufacturing costs will grow increasingly more complex and the cost will continue to increase. We have experienced, and will likely continue to experience, certain operational difficulties with our manufacturers. These difficulties include reductions in the availability of production capacity, errors in complying with product specifications, insufficient quality control, failures to meet production deadlines, failure to achieve our product quality standards, increases in costs of materials, and manufacturing or other business interruptions. The ability of our manufacturers to effectively satisfy our production requirements could also be impacted by manufacturer financial difficulty or damage to their operations caused by fire, terrorist attack, riots, natural disaster, public health issues such as the current COVID-19 pandemic (or other future pandemics or epidemics), or other events. In particular, the current COVID-19 outbreak has caused, and may continue to cause, interruptions in the development, manufacturing (including the sourcing of key components), and shipment of our products, which could adversely impact our revenue and results of operations. Such interruptions may be due to, among other things, temporary closures of manufacturing facilities, and other vendors and distributors in our supply chain, restrictions on travel or the import/export of goods and services from certain ports that we use, and local quarantines. The failure of any manufacturer or distributor to perform to our expectations could result in supply shortages or delays for certain products and harm our business.

 

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If we experience significantly increased demand, or if we need to replace an existing manufacturer due to lack of performance, we may be unable to supplement or replace manufacturing capacity on a timely basis or on terms that are acceptable to us, which may increase our costs, reduce our margins, and harm our ability to deliver our products on time. For certain of our products, it may take a significant amount of time to identify and qualify a manufacturer that has the capability and resources to produce our products to our specifications in sufficient volume and satisfy our service and quality control standards. Accordingly, a loss of any of our significant manufacturers, suppliers or distributors could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

The capacity of our manufacturers to produce our products is also dependent upon the availability of raw materials. Our manufacturers may not be able to obtain sufficient supply of raw materials, which could result in delays in deliveries of our products by our manufacturers or increased costs. Any shortage of raw materials or inability of a manufacturer to produce or ship our products in a timely manner, or at all, could impair our ability to ship orders of our products in a cost-efficient, timely manner and could cause us to miss the delivery requirements of our customers. As a result, we could experience cancellations of orders, refusals to accept deliveries, or reductions in our prices and margins, any of which could harm our financial performance, reputation, and results of operations.

If we fail to timely and effectively obtain shipments of products from our manufacturers and deliver products to our customers, including our retailers, our business, and results of operations could be harmed.

Our business depends on our ability to source and distribute products in a timely manner. However, we cannot control all of the factors that might affect the timely and effective procurement of our products from our third-party manufacturers and the delivery of our products to our customers, including to retailers through our retail channel.

Our third-party contract manufacturers ship most of our products to our third-party logistics providers, who have warehouses in California, Georgia, Texas and Washington, as well as operations in the Netherlands and Canada. The limited geographical scope of our distribution and fulfillment centers makes us vulnerable to natural disasters, weather-related disruptions, accidents, system failures, public health issues such as the current COVID-19 pandemic (or other future pandemics or epidemics), or other unforeseen events that could delay or impair our ability to fulfill orders to retail channel customers and/or ship products to DTC customers, which could harm our sales. We import our products, and we are also vulnerable to risks associated with products manufactured abroad, including, among other things: (a) risks of damage, destruction, or confiscation of products while in transit to our distribution centers; and (b) transportation and other delays in shipments, including as a result of heightened security screening, port congestion, and inspection processes or other port-of-entry limitations or restrictions in the United States. Failure to procure our products from our third-party manufacturers and deliver such products to our customers in a timely, effective, and economically viable manner could reduce our sales and gross margins, damage our brand, and harm our business.

We also rely on the timely and free flow of goods through open and operational ports from our suppliers and manufacturers. Labor disputes or disruptions at ports, our common carriers, or our suppliers or manufacturers could create significant risks for our business, particularly if these disputes result in work slowdowns, lockouts, strikes, or other disruptions during periods of significant importing or manufacturing, potentially resulting in delayed or canceled orders by customers, unanticipated inventory accumulation or shortages, and harm to our business, results of operations, and financial condition. In addition, we rely upon independent freight carriers for product shipments from our distribution centers to our customers. We may not be able to obtain sufficient freight capacity on a timely basis or at favorable shipping rates and, therefore, may not be able to receive products from suppliers or deliver products to customers in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Accordingly, we are subject to the risks, including labor disputes, union organizing activity, inclement weather, public health crises such as the current COVID-19 pandemic (or other future pandemics or epidemics),

 

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and increased transportation costs, associated with our third-party manufacturers’ and carriers’ ability to provide products and services to meet our requirements. In addition, if the cost of fuel rises, the cost to deliver products may rise, which could harm our profitability.

Fluctuations in the cost and availability as well as delays of raw materials, equipment, labor, and transportation could cause manufacturing delays or increase our costs.

The price and availability of raw materials and key components used to manufacture our products, including electronic components, such as integrated circuits, processors and system on chips, components built into our unique specifications or that are single sourced, as well as manufacturing equipment, tooling, and wood fibers, may fluctuate significantly. In addition, the cost of labor at our third-party manufacturers could increase significantly. For example, manufacturers in China have experienced increased costs in recent years due to shortages of labor and fluctuations of the Chinese yuan in relation to the U.S. dollar. Additionally, the cost of logistics and transportation fluctuates in large part due to the price of oil, global demand and other geopolitical factors. Any fluctuations in the cost and availability of any of our raw materials or other sourcing or transportation costs related to our raw materials or products could harm our gross margins and our ability to meet customer demand. For example, disruptions to or increases in the cost of local, regional domestic or international transportation services for our products and other forms of infrastructure, such as electricity, due to shortages of vessels, barges, railcars or trucks, weather-related problems, flooding, droughts, accidents, mechanical difficulties, bankruptcy, strikes, lockouts, bottlenecks (such as the recent blockage of the Suez Canal in March 2021) or other events could increase our costs, temporarily impair our ability to deliver products to our customers on time or at all and might, in certain circumstances, constitute a force majeure event under our customer contracts, permitting our customers to suspend taking delivery of and paying for our products or resulting in a charge to us for our customers’ lost profits as a result of our failure to timely deliver our products. Relatedly, some of our contracts with our large retail customers subject us to financial penalties if we fail to ship an order that is on time or in full. If we are unable to successfully mitigate a significant portion of these product cost increases, fluctuations or delays, our results of operations could be harmed.

In addition, persistent disruptions in our access to infrastructure may force us to halt production as we reach storage capacity at our facilities. Accordingly, if the primary transportation services we use to transport our products are disrupted, and we are unable to find alternative transportation providers, it could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, business, and financial position.

Many of our products are manufactured by third parties outside of the United States, and our business may be harmed by legal, regulatory, economic, political, and public health risks associated with international trade and those markets.

Many of our primary products are manufactured by entities located in China. In addition, we have a third-party manufacturer in Vietnam. Our reliance on suppliers and manufacturers in foreign markets creates risks inherent in doing business in foreign jurisdictions, including: (a) the burdens of complying with a variety of foreign laws and regulations, including trade and labor restrictions and laws relating to the importation and taxation of goods; (b) changes in the U.S. or international regulations requiring the enactment of more restrictive environmental regulations in markets where we manufacture our products, including China and/or Vietnam; (c) weaker protection for intellectual property and other legal rights than in the United States, and practical difficulties in enforcing intellectual property and other rights outside of the United States; (d) compliance with U.S. and foreign laws relating to foreign operations and business activities, including the FCPA and the UK Bribery Act (which generally prohibit U.S. companies from making improper payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business), regulations of the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC (which generally restrict U.S. companies from operating in certain countries, or maintaining business relationships with certain restricted parties), U.S. anti-money laundering regulations, and similar laws that prohibit engaging in other corrupt and illegal practices; (e) economic and political instability and acts of terrorism in the countries where our suppliers are located; (f) public health crises, such as pandemics and

 

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epidemics, in the countries where our suppliers and manufacturers are located; (g) transportation interruptions or increases in transportation costs; and (h) the imposition of tariffs or non-tariff barriers on components and products that we import into the United States or other markets. For example, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in increased travel restrictions, supply chain disruptions, and extended shutdown of certain businesses around the globe. This public health crises or any further political developments or health concerns in markets in which our products are manufactured could result in social, economic, and labor instability, adversely affecting the supply of our products and, in turn, our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Further, we cannot assure you that our directors, officers, employees, representatives, manufacturers, or suppliers have not engaged and will not engage in conduct for which we may be held responsible, nor can we assure you that our manufacturers, suppliers, or other business partners have not engaged and will not engage in conduct that could materially harm their ability to perform their contractual obligations to us or even result in our being held liable for such conduct. Violations of the FCPA, the UK Bribery Act, OFAC regulations, or other export control, anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, and anti-terrorism laws or regulations may result in severe criminal or civil penalties, and we may be subject to other related liabilities, which could harm our business, financial condition, cash flows, and results of operations.

Changes to United States trade policies that restrict imports or increase import tariffs may have a material adverse effect on our business.

There have been significant changes and proposed changes in recent years to U.S. trade policies, tariffs, and treaties affecting imports. For example, the United States has imposed supplemental tariffs of up to 25% on certain imports from China, as well as increased tariffs and import restrictions on products imported from various other countries. In response, China and other countries have imposed or proposed additional tariffs on certain exports from the United States. The United States is also investigating certain trade-related practices by Vietnam that could affect U.S. imports from that country, and has recently renegotiated the multilateral trading relationship between the United States, Canada, and Mexico, resulting in the replacement of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with a new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

A significant proportion of our products are manufactured in China, Vietnam, and other regions outside of the United States. Accordingly, such U.S. policy changes have made it and may continue to make it difficult or more expensive for us to obtain certain products manufactured outside the United States, which could affect our revenue and profitability. Further tariff increases could require us to increase our prices, which could decrease customer demand for our products. Retaliatory tariff and trade measures imposed by other countries could affect our ability to export products and therefore adversely affect our revenue. Any of these factors could depress economic activity and restrict our access to suppliers or customers, and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations and affect our strategy in China, Vietnam, and elsewhere around the world.

We depend on our retailers to display and present our products to customers, and our failure to maintain and further develop our relationships with our retailers could harm our business.

Through our retail channel, we sell a significant amount of our products through knowledgeable national, regional, and independent retailers. These retailers service customers by stocking and displaying our products, explaining our product attributes and capabilities, and sharing our brand story. Our relationships with these retailers are important to the authenticity of our brand and the marketing programs we continue to deploy. Our failure to maintain relationships with retailers and brand ambassadors at retailers, or financial difficulties experienced by these retailers, could harm our business.

Because we are a premium brand, our sales depend, in part, on retailers effectively displaying our products, including providing attractive space and point of purchase displays in their stores and e-commerce platforms, and training their sales personnel to sell our products. If retailers reduce or terminate those activities, we may experience reduced sales of our products, resulting in lower gross margins, which would harm our results of operations.

 

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Insolvency, credit problems or other financial difficulties that could confront our retailers or distributors could expose us to financial risk.

We sell to the large majority of retail channel customers on open account terms and do not require collateral or a security interest in the inventory we sell them. Consequently, our accounts receivable for our retail channel customers are unsecured. We also rely on third-party distributors to distribute our products to our retail channel and DTC customers. Insolvency, credit problems, or other financial difficulties confronting our retailers or distributors could expose us to financial risk. These actions could expose us to risks if our distributors are unable to distribute our products to our customers and/or if our retail channel customers are unable to pay for the products they purchase from us in a timely matter or at all. Financial difficulties of our retailers could also cause them to reduce their sales staff, use of attractive displays, number or size of stores, and the amount of floor space dedicated to our products. Any reduction in sales by, or loss of, our current retailers or customer demand, or credit risks associated with our retailers or distributors, could harm our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

If our independent suppliers and manufacturers do not comply with ethical business practices or with applicable laws and regulations, our reputation, business, and results of operations could be harmed.

Our reputation and our customers’ willingness to purchase our products depend in part on our suppliers’, manufacturers’, and retailers’ compliance with ethical employment practices, such as with respect to child labor, wages and benefits, forced labor, discrimination, safe and healthy working conditions, and with all legal and regulatory requirements relating to the conduct of their businesses. We do not exercise control over our suppliers, manufacturers, and retailers and cannot guarantee their compliance with ethical and lawful business practices. If our suppliers, manufacturers, or retailers fail to comply with applicable laws, regulations, safety codes, employment practices, human rights standards, quality standards, environmental standards, production practices, or other obligations, norms, or ethical standards, our reputation and brand image could be harmed, and we could be exposed to litigation and additional costs that would harm our business, reputation, and results of operations.

Risks Related to our Capital Structure, Indebtedness and Capital Requirements

We depend on cash generated from our operations to support our growth, and we may need to raise additional capital, which may not be available on terms acceptable to us or at all.

We primarily rely on cash flow generated from our sales to fund our current operations and our growth initiatives. As we expand our business, we will need significant cash from operations to purchase inventory, increase our product development, expand our manufacturer and supplier relationships, pay personnel, pay for the increased costs associated with operating as a public company, expand internationally, and further invest in our sales and marketing efforts. If our business does not generate sufficient cash flow from operations to fund these activities and sufficient funds are not otherwise available from our current or future credit facility, we may need additional equity or debt financing. If such financing is not available to us on satisfactory terms, our ability to operate and expand our business or to respond to competitive pressures could be harmed. Moreover, if we raise additional capital by issuing equity securities or securities convertible into equity securities, the ownership of our existing stockholders may be diluted. The holders of new securities may also have rights, preferences or privileges which are senior to those of existing holders of common stock. In addition, any indebtedness we incur may subject us to covenants that restrict our operations and will require interest and principal payments that could create additional cash demands and financial risk for us.

Our ability to use our net operating loss carryforwards and certain other tax attributes may be limited.

As of December 31, 2020, we have net operating loss carryforwards, or NOLs, of approximately $67.4 million for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which will be available to offset future taxable income. Due to recent tax legislation, approximately $42.7 million of these NOLs are eligible for indefinite carryforward, limited by certain taxable income. Due to cumulative losses, we have recorded a full valuation allowance against

 

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our net deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Utilization of our NOLs and certain other tax attributes depends on many factors, including our future income, which cannot be assured. In addition, Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or Section 382, generally imposes an annual limitation on the amount of taxable income that may be offset by NOLs and certain other tax attributes when a corporation has undergone an “ownership change” (generally, if the percentage of its stock owned by its “5-percent shareholders,” as defined in Section 382, increases by more than 50 percentage points (by value) over a three-year period). We are not aware of any existing restrictions or limitations on the use of our NOLs or other tax attributes under Section 382. However, we may undergo an ownership change in the future, including as a result of the combined effect of this and future offerings, which would result in an annual limitation under Section 382. The limitations arising from any ownership change may prevent utilization of our NOLs and certain other tax attributes. To the extent we are not able to offset our future taxable income with our NOLs or other tax attributes, this could adversely affect our operating results and cash flows.

Changes in our effective tax rate or exposure to additional income tax liabilities could adversely affect our financial results.

Taxation and tax policy changes, tax rate changes, new tax laws, revised tax law interpretations, and changes in accounting standards and guidance related to tax matters may cause fluctuations in our effective tax rate. For example, the Biden administration has proposed to increase the U.S. corporate income tax rate to 28% from 21%, increase the U.S. taxation of international business operations and impose a global minimum tax. Our effective tax rate may also be impacted by changes in the geographic mix of our earnings.

Our substantial indebtedness could materially adversely affect our financial condition.

As of March 31, 2021, the total principal amount outstanding on our prior First Lien Term Loan Facility and Second Lien Term Loan Facility was $330.5 million and $115.0 million, respectively, and we had borrowing capacity of $67.0 million under the Revolving Credit Facility. On a pro forma basis, after giving effect to the Refinancing and this offering (including the use of proceeds to us therefrom), our total principal amount of indebtedness outstanding would have been approximately $379.2 million under our New First Lien Term Loan Facility as of March 31, 2021. In addition, we would have had up to $125.0 million of available borrowing capacity under out New Revolving Credit Facility. Our substantial indebtedness could have important consequences to the holders of our common stock, including the following:

 

   

making it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations with respect to our other debt;

 

   

limiting our ability to obtain additional financing to fund future working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions or other general corporate requirements;

 

   

requiring us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flows to debt service payments instead of other purposes, thereby reducing the amount of cash flows available for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, and other general corporate purposes;

 

   

increasing our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions;

 

   

exposing us to the risk of increased interest rates as our borrowings under our New First Lien Term Loan Facility and New Revolving Credit Facility are at variable rates of interest;

 

   

limiting our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in the industry in which we compete;

 

   

placing us at a disadvantage compared to other, less leveraged competitors; and

 

   

increasing our cost of borrowing.

The New First Lien Term Loan Facility and New Revolving Credit Facility will mature on June 2028 and June 2026, respectively. We may need to refinance all or a portion of our indebtedness on or before the maturity thereof. We may not be able to obtain such financing on commercially reasonable terms or at all. Failure to refinance our indebtedness could have a material adverse effect on us.

 

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The terms of our New First Lien Credit Agreement may restrict our current and future operations, including our ability to respond to changes or to take certain actions.

Our New First Lien Credit Agreement contains a number of restrictive covenants that impose significant operating and financial restrictions on us and may limit our ability to engage in certain acts including, but not limited to, our ability to incur additional indebtedness or liens (with certain exceptions), make certain investments, engage in fundamental changes or transactions including changes of control, transfer or dispose of certain assets, make restricted payments (including dividends), engage in new lines of business, make certain prepayments and engage in certain affiliate transactions. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Credit Facilities.” As a result of these restrictions, we may be limited in how we conduct our business, unable to raise additional debt or equity financing to operate during general economic or business downturns, or unable to compete effectively or to take advantage of new business opportunities.

A breach of the covenants or restrictions under our New First Lien Credit Agreement could result in a default or an event of default. Such a default may allow the creditors to accelerate the related debt and may result in the acceleration of any other debt to which a cross-acceleration or cross-default provision applies. In addition, an event of default would permit the lenders to terminate all commitments to extend further credit under such facility. Furthermore, if we were unable to repay the amounts due and payable, those lenders under each facility could proceed against the collateral granted to them to secure that indebtedness. In the event our lenders were to accelerate the repayment of our indebtedness, we and our subsidiaries may not have sufficient assets to repay that indebtedness. In exacerbated or prolonged circumstances, one or more of these events could result in our bankruptcy or liquidation.

Our debt may be downgraded, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

A reduction in the ratings that rating agencies assign to our short- and long-term debt may negatively impact our access to the debt capital markets and increase our cost of borrowing, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

The AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP will continue to hold a substantial portion of our outstanding common stock following this offering, and their interests may conflict with our interests and the interests of other stockholders.

Following the completion of this offering, and without giving effect to any purchases that may be made through our directed share program or otherwise in this offering, the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP will own approximately 67.6% of the voting power of our common stock (or 65.0% if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares from us in full). In addition, we will agree to nominate to our board of directors individuals designated by each of the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP in accordance with the Stockholders Agreement between us and the Investors. The AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP will each retain the right to designate directors for so long as they each beneficially own at least 5% of the aggregate number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately following this offering. In addition, for so long as the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP collectively beneficially own at least 30% of the aggregate number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately following this offering, certain actions by us or any of our subsidiaries will require the prior written consent of each of the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP so long as such stockholder is entitled to designate at least two directors for nomination to our board of directors. The actions that will require prior written consent include: (i) change in control transactions, (ii) acquiring or disposing of assets or any business enterprise or division thereof for consideration excess of $250.0 million in any single transaction or series of transactions, (iii) increasing or decreasing the size of our board of directors, (iv) terminating the employment of our chief executive officer or hiring a new chief executive officer, (v) initiating any liquidation, dissolution, bankruptcy or other insolvency proceeding involving us or any of our significant subsidiaries, and (vi) any transfer, issue, issuance, sale or disposition of any shares of common stock, other equity securities, equity-linked securities or securities that are convertible into equity securities of us or our subsidiaries to any person or entity that is a non-strategic financial investor in a private placement transaction or series of transactions. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—New Stockholders Agreements.”

 

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Even when the parties to our Stockholders Agreement cease to own shares of our stock representing a majority of the total voting power, for so long as such parties continue to own a significant percentage of our stock, they will still be able to significantly influence or effectively control the composition of our board of directors and the approval of actions requiring stockholder approval through their voting power. Accordingly, for such period of time, the parties to our Stockholders Agreement will have significant influence with respect to our management, business plans and policies. For instance, for so long as the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP continue to own a significant percentage of our common stock, they may be able to cause or prevent a change of control of the Company or a change in the composition of our board of directors, and could preclude any unsolicited acquisition of the Company. The concentration of ownership could deprive us of what we perceive as an attractive business combination opportunity, or investors of an opportunity to receive a premium for their shares of common stock as part of a sale of the Company and ultimately may affect the market price of our common stock.

Further, our certificate of incorporation, which will be in effect following this offering, will provide that the doctrine of “corporate opportunity” will not apply with respect to certain parties to our New Stockholders Agreements or their affiliates (other than us and our subsidiaries), and any of their respective principals, members, directors, partners, stockholders, officers, employees or other representatives (other than any such person who is also our employee or an employee of our subsidiaries), or any director or stockholder who is not employed by us or our subsidiaries. See “—Our certificate of incorporation will provide that the doctrine of “corporate opportunity” will not apply with respect to certain parties to our New Stockholders Agreements and any director or stockholder who is not employed by us or our subsidiaries.”

Risks Related to Intellectual Property, Information Technology, and Data Privacy

Recent changes to patent laws in the United States and in foreign jurisdictions may limit our ability to obtain, defend, and/or enforce our patents.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled on several patent cases in recent years, either narrowing the scope of patent protection available in certain circumstances or weakening the rights of patent owners in certain situations. In addition to increasing uncertainty with regard to our ability to obtain patents in the future, this combination of events has created uncertainty with respect to the value of patents, once obtained. Depending on actions by the U.S. Congress, the U.S. federal courts, and the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the laws and regulations governing patents could change in unpredictable ways that could weaken our ability to obtain new patents or to enforce patents that we have licensed or that we might obtain in the future. Similarly, changes in patent law and regulations in other countries or jurisdictions, changes in the governmental bodies that enforce them or changes in how the relevant governmental authority enforces patent laws or regulations may weaken our ability to obtain new patents or to enforce patents that we have licensed or that we may obtain in the future.

If our trademarks and trade names are not adequately protected, we may not be able to build name recognition in our markets of interest.

If our trademarks and trade names are not adequately protected, we may not be able to build name recognition in our target markets and our business may be adversely affected. At times, competitors may adopt trade names or trademarks similar to ours, thereby impeding our ability to build brand identity, possibly leading to market confusion and potentially requiring us to pursue legal action. In addition, there could be potential trade name or trademark infringement claims brought by owners of other registered trademarks or trademarks that incorporate variations of our unregistered trademarks or trade names. If we are unable to successfully register our trademarks and trade names and establish name recognition based on our trademarks and trade names, then we may not be able to compete effectively and our business may be adversely affected. Our efforts to enforce or protect our proprietary rights related to trademarks, domain names, copyrights, or other intellectual property may be ineffective and could result in substantial costs and diversion of resources and could adversely impact our financial condition or results of operations.

 

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Our success depends in part on our ability to operate without infringing on or misappropriating the proprietary rights of others, and if we are unable to do so we may be liable for damages.

We cannot be certain that United States or foreign patents or patent applications of other companies do not exist or will not be issued that would prevent us from commercializing our products. Third parties may sue us for allegedly infringing or misappropriating their patent or other intellectual property rights. Intellectual property litigation is costly. If we do not prevail in litigation, depending on the litigant, in addition to any damages we might have to pay, we could be required to cease the infringing activity or obtain a license requiring us to make royalty payments. It is possible that a required license may not be available to us on commercially acceptable terms, if at all. In addition, a required license may be non-exclusive, and therefore our competitors may have access to the same technology licensed to us. If we fail to obtain a required license or are unable to design around another company’s patent, we may be unable to make use of some of the affected products, or their features, which could reduce our revenues.

The defense costs and settlements for patent infringement lawsuits are not covered by insurance. Patent infringement lawsuits can take years to resolve. If we are not successful in our defenses or are not successful in obtaining dismissals of any such lawsuit and/or subsequent appeals, legal fees or settlement costs could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial position.

We rely significantly on information technology, and any failure, inadequacy or interruption of that technology could harm our ability to effectively operate our business.

Our business relies on information technology. Our ability to effectively manage and maintain our inventory and internal reports, and to ship products to customers and invoice them on a timely basis, depends significantly on our enterprise resource planning, warehouse management, and other information systems, including those operated by certain of our third-party partners. We also heavily rely on information systems to process financial and accounting information for financial reporting purposes. Any of these information systems could fail or experience a service interruption for a number of reasons, including computer viruses, programming errors, hacking or other unlawful activities, disasters or our failure to properly maintain system redundancy or protect, repair, maintain or upgrade our systems. The failure of our or our third-party partners’ information systems to operate effectively or to integrate with other systems, or a breach in security of these systems, could cause delays in product fulfillment and reduced efficiency of our operations, which could negatively impact our financial results. If we experienced any significant disruption to our financial information systems that we are unable to mitigate, our ability to timely report our financial results could be impacted, which could negatively impact our stock price. We also communicate electronically throughout the world with our employees and with third parties, such as customers, suppliers, vendors and consumers. A service interruption or shutdown could have a materially adverse impact on our operating activities and could result in reputational, competitive, and business harm. Remediation and repair of any failure, problem or breach of our key information systems could require significant capital investments.

Cyber attacks or data breaches could adversely affect our business, disrupt our operations, and negatively impact our business.

Threats to network and data security are increasingly diverse and sophisticated. Despite our efforts and processes to prevent cyber-attacks and data breaches, our products and services, as well as our servers, computer and information systems, and those of third parties that we use in our operations are vulnerable to cybersecurity risks, including cyber-attacks such as viruses and worms, ransomware attacks, phishing attacks, denial-of-service attacks, physical or electronic break-ins, third-party or employee theft or misuse, and similar disruptions from unauthorized tampering with our servers and computer systems or those of third parties that we use in our operations, which could lead to interruptions, delays, loss of critical data, unauthorized access to customer and employee personal data, and loss of customer confidence. In addition, we may be the target of email scams that attempt to acquire personal information or company assets.

 

 

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Despite our efforts to implement security barriers to such threats, the techniques used by cyber threat actors change frequently and may be difficult to anticipate and detect. As a result, we may not be able to entirely mitigate these threats. Additionally, due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, there is an increased risk that we may experience cybersecurity-related incidents as a result of our employees, service providers, and third parties working remotely on less secure systems during government mandated shelter-in-place orders. Any cyber-attack that attempts to obtain our or our customers’ data and assets, disrupt our service, or otherwise access our systems, or those of third parties we use, if successful, could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations, be expensive to remedy, and damage our reputation. In addition, any such breaches may result in negative publicity, litigation and regulatory action or fines and adversely affect our brand, impacting demand for our products and services, and could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. The costs of mitigating cybersecurity risks are significant and are likely to increase in the future. These costs include, but are not limited to, retaining the services of cybersecurity providers; compliance costs arising out of existing and future cybersecurity, data protection and privacy laws and regulations; and costs related to maintaining redundant networks, data backups and other damage-mitigation measures.

Certain aspects of the business, particularly our website, heavily depend on consumers entrusting personal financial information to be transmitted securely over public networks. We have experienced increasing e-commerce sales over the past several years, which increases our exposure to cybersecurity risks. We invest considerable resources in protecting the personal information of our customers but are still subject to the risks of security breaches and cyber incidents resulting in unauthorized access to stored personal information. Any breach of our cybersecurity measures could result in violation of privacy, security, and data protection laws and regulations, potential litigation, and a loss of confidence in our security measures, all of which could have a negative impact on our financial results and our reputation. In addition, a privacy breach could cause us to incur significant costs to restore the integrity of our system and could result in significant costs in government or regulator penalties and private litigation.

While our insurance policies include liability coverage for certain of these matters, our insurance is subject to certain exclusions and exceptions, as well as retention amounts that could be substantial. If we experience a significant security incident, we could be subject to liability or other damages that exceed our insurance coverage and we cannot be certain that such insurance policies will continue to be available to us on economically reasonable terms, or at all, or that any insurer will not deny coverage as to any future claim. The successful assertion of one or more large claims against us that exceed available insurance coverage, or the occurrence of changes in our insurance policies, including premium increases or the imposition of sublimits, large deductible or co-insurance requirements, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

Any material disruption or breach of our information technology systems or those of third-party partners could materially damage our customer and business partner relationships and subject us to significant reputational, financial, legal, and operational consequences.

We depend on our information technology systems, as well as those of third parties, to design and develop new products, operate our website, host and manage our services, store data, process transactions, respond to user inquiries, and manage inventory and our supply chain as well as to conduct and manage other activities. Any material disruption or slowdown of our systems or those of third parties that we depend upon, including a disruption or slowdown caused by our or their failure to successfully manage significant increases in user volume or successfully upgrade our or their systems, system failures, viruses, ransomware, security breaches, or other causes, could cause information, including data related to orders, to be lost or delayed, which could result in delays in the delivery of products to retailers and customers or lost sales, which could reduce demand for our products, harm our brand and reputation, and cause our sales to decline. If changes in technology cause our information systems, or those of third parties that we depend upon, to become obsolete, or if our or their information systems are inadequate to handle our growth, particularly as we increase sales through our website, we could damage our customer and business partner relationships and our business and results of operations could be harmed.

 

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We interact with many of our consumers through our e-commerce platforms, and these systems face similar risks of interruption or attack. Consumers increasingly utilize these services to purchase our products and to engage with our brand. If we are unable to continue to provide consumers a user-friendly experience and evolve our platform to satisfy consumer preferences, the growth of our e-commerce business and our net revenues may be negatively impacted. If this software contains errors, bugs or other vulnerabilities which impede or halt service, this could result in damage to our reputation and brand, loss of users, or loss of revenue.

We collect, process, store, and use personal information and data, which subjects us to governmental regulation and other legal obligations related to privacy and security and our actual or perceived failure to comply with such obligations could harm our business.

We regularly collect, obtain, and transmit personal information about customers, employees, suppliers, and vendors in the course of conducting our business through our website, our app, and information technology systems.

As a result, we must comply with an increasingly complex and demanding regulatory environment, with frequent impositions of new and changing requirements enacted to protect business and personal data in the United States, Europe, and elsewhere. For example, among other cases, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) requires covered companies to provide new disclosures to California consumers and provide such consumers certain data protection and privacy rights, including the ability to opt-out of certain sales of personal information. The CCPA provides for civil penalties for violations, as well as a private right of action for certain data breaches. This private right of action may increase the likelihood of, and risks associated with, data breach litigation. A ballot initiative from privacy rights advocates intended to augment and expand the CCPA called the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) was passed in November 2020 and will take effect in January 2023 (with a look back to January 2022). The CPRA will significantly modify the CCPA, including by expanding consumers’ rights with respect to certain sensitive personal information. The CPRA also creates a new state agency that will be vested with authority to implement and enforce the CCPA and the CPRA. The Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA), which will go into effect in 2023, gives new data protection rights to Virginia residents and imposes additional obligations on controllers and processors of personal data. For example, like the CCPA, the VCDPA grants Virginia residents certain rights to access personal data that is being processed by the controller, the right to correct inaccuracies in that personal data and the right to require that their personal data be deleted by the data controller. In addition, Virginia residents will have the right to request a copy of their personal data in a format that permits them to transmit it to another data controller. Further, under the VCDPA, Virginia residents will have the right to opt out of the sale of their personal data, as well as the right to opt out of the processing of their personal data for targeted advertising. New legislation proposed or enacted in a number of U.S. states imposes, or has the potential to impose additional obligations on companies that collect, store, use, retain, disclose, transfer and otherwise process confidential, sensitive and personal information, and will continue to shape the data privacy environment nationally. State laws are changing rapidly and there is discussion in Congress of a new federal data protection and privacy law to which we would become subject if it is enacted

We are also subject to laws, regulations, and standards in many jurisdictions outside of the United States, which apply broadly to the collection, use, retention, security, disclosure, transfer and other processing of personal information. For example, in the European Economic Area, or EEA, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) imposes stringent operational requirements for entities processing personal information and significant penalties for non-compliance. In particular, under the GDPR, fines of up to 20 million Euros or up to 4% of the annual global revenue of the noncompliant company, whichever is greater, could be imposed for violations of certain of the GDPR’s requirements. Such penalties are in addition to any civil litigation claims by data subjects and other regulatory actions that may be taken by competent authorities. As of January 1, 2021, we are also subject to the UK GDPR and UK Data Protection Act of 2018, which retains the GDPR in the United Kingdom’s national law and mirrors the fines under the GDPR.

 

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In addition, we are subject to evolving EU and UK privacy laws on cookies and e-marketing. In the EU and the UK, regulators are increasingly focusing on compliance with current national laws that implement the ePrivacy Directive, and which are likely to be replaced by an EU regulation known as the ePrivacy Regulation, which will significantly increase fines for non-compliance. In the EU and the UK, informed consent is required for the placement of certain cookies or similar technologies on a customer’s or user’s device and for direct electronic marketing. The UK GDPR and the GDPR also impose conditions on obtaining valid consent, such as a prohibition on pre-checked consents and a requirement to ensure separate consents are sought for each type of cookie or similar technology. While the text of the ePrivacy Regulation is still under development, a recent European court decision and regulators’ recent guidance are driving increased attention to cookies and tracking technologies. If regulators start to enforce the strict approach in recent guidance, this could lead to substantial costs, require significant systems changes, limit the effectiveness of our marketing activities, divert the attention of our technology personnel, adversely affect our margins, increase costs and subject us to additional liabilities. Regulation of cookies and similar technologies, and any decline of cookies or similar online tracking technologies as a means to identify and potentially target customers and users, may lead to broader restrictions and impairments on our marketing and personalization activities and may negatively impact our efforts to understand our customers and users.

The above mentioned privacy laws also contain onerous requirements relating to data security. Although we rely on a variety of security measures to provide security for our processing, transmission, and storage of personal information and other confidential information, we are unable to assure that we will not experience future security breaches, given the increasingly sophisticated tools used by hackers, data thieves, and cyber criminals. Any breach of our network or vendor systems may result in the loss of confidential business and financial data or misappropriation of personal information, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, including unwanted media attention, damage to our reputation, litigation, fines, significant legal and remediation expenses, or regulatory action.

We make public statements about our use and disclosure of personal information through our privacy policy, information provided on our website and press statements. Although we endeavor to ensure that our public statements are complete, accurate and fully implemented, we may at times fail to do so or be alleged to have failed to do so. We may be subject to potential regulatory or other legal action if such policies or statements are found to be deceptive, unfair or misrepresentative of our actual practices. In addition, from time to time, concerns may be expressed about whether our products and services compromise the privacy of our users and others. Any concerns about our data privacy and security practices (even if unfounded), or any failure, real or perceived, by us to comply with our posted privacy policies or with any legal or regulatory requirements, standards, certifications or orders or other privacy or consumer protection-related laws and regulations applicable to us, could cause our users to reduce their use of our products and services.

While we believe that we comply with industry standards and applicable laws and industry codes of conduct relating to privacy, security, and data protection in all material respects, there is no assurance that we will not be subject to claims that we have violated applicable laws or codes of conduct, that we will be able to successfully defend against such claims or that we will not be subject to significant fines and penalties in the event of non-compliance. Additionally, in the United States, to the extent multiple state-level laws are introduced with inconsistent or conflicting standards and there is no federal law to preempt such laws, compliance with such laws could be difficult and costly to achieve and we could be subject to fines and penalties in the event of non-compliance. Any failure or perceived failure by us to comply with applicable privacy, security, and data protection laws, rules, regulations, and standards, or with other obligations to which we may be or may become subject, may result in actions against us by governmental entities, private claims and litigations, fines, penalties, or other liabilities or result in orders or consent decrees forcing us to modify our business practices. As a result, we may incur significant costs to comply with laws regarding the protection and unauthorized disclosure of personal information, which could also negatively impact our operations, resulting in a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Any such action could be expensive to defend, damage our reputation and adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

 

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We rely on operating system providers and app stores to support some of our products and services, including our app, and any disruption, deterioration or change in their services, policies, practices, guidelines and/or terms of service could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations.

The success of some of our products and services depend upon the effective operation of certain mobile operating systems, networks and standards that are run by operating system providers and app stores (Providers). We do not control these Providers and as a result, we are subject to risks and uncertainties related to the actions taken, or not taken, by these Providers. We largely utilize Android-based and iOS-based technology for our Traeger app.

The Providers that control these operating systems frequently introduce new technology, and from time to time, they may introduce new operating systems or modify existing ones. Further, we are also subject to the policies, practices, guidelines, certifications and terms of service of Providers’ platforms on which we publish our Traeger app and content. These policies, guidelines and terms of service govern the promotion, distribution, content and operation generally of applications and content available through such Providers. Each Provider has broad discretion to change and interpret its terms of service, guidelines and policies, and those changes may have an adverse effect on our or our customers’ or users’ ability to use our products and services. A Provider may also change its fee structure, add fees associated with access to and use of its platform or app store, limit the use of personal information and other data for advertising purposes or restrict how users can share information on their platform or across other platforms. If we or our customers or users were to violate a Provider’s terms of service, guidelines, certifications or policies, or if a Provider believes that we or our customers or users have violated, its terms of service, guidelines, certifications or policies, then that Provider could limit or discontinue our or our customers’ or users’ access to its platform or app store. In some cases, these requirements may not be clear and our interpretation of the requirements may not align with the interpretation of the Provider, which could lead to inconsistent enforcement of these terms of service or policies against us or our customers or users and could also result in the Provider limiting or discontinuing access to its platform or app store. If our products and services were unable to work effectively on or with these operating systems, either because of technological or operational constraints or because the Provider impairs our ability to operate on their platform, this could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

If any Providers, including either Google (for Android) or Apple (for iOS) stop providing us with access to their platform or infrastructure, fail to provide reliable access, cease operations, modify or introduce new systems or otherwise terminate services, the delay caused by qualifying and switching to other operating systems could be time consuming and costly and could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Any limitation on or discontinuation of our or our customers’ or users’ access to any Provider’s platform or app store could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations or otherwise require us to change the way we conduct our business.

Risks Related to Our Common Stock and this Offering

There has been no prior market for our common stock. An active market may not develop or be sustainable, and investors may be unable to resell their shares at or above the initial public offering price.

There has been no public market for our common stock prior to this offering. The initial public offering price for our common stock was determined through negotiations between the representative of the underwriters and us and may vary from the market price of our common stock following the completion of this offering. An active or liquid market in our stock may not develop upon completion of this offering or, if it does develop, it may not be sustainable. In the absence of an active trading market for our common stock, you may not be able to resell your shares at or above the initial public offering price or at all. We cannot predict the prices at which our common stock will trade.

 

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Our stock price may be volatile or may decline regardless of our operating performance, resulting in substantial losses for investors purchasing shares in this offering.

The market price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly in response to numerous factors, many of which are beyond our control, including:

 

   

actual or anticipated fluctuations in our results of operations;

 

   

the financial projections we may provide to the public, any changes in these projections, or our failure to meet these projections;

 

   

failure of securities analysts to initiate or maintain coverage of us, changes in financial estimates or ratings by any securities analysts who follow us or our failure to meet these estimates or the expectations of investors;

 

   

announcements by us or our competitors of significant technical innovations, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures, results of operations, or capital commitments;

 

   

changes in operating performance and stock market valuations of other retail companies generally, or those in our industry in particular;

 

   

price and volume fluctuations in the overall stock market, including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and trends in the economy as a whole;

 

   

changes in our board of directors or management;

 

   

sales of large blocks of our common stock, including sales by our executive officers or directors;

 

   

lawsuits threatened or filed against us;

 

   

changes in laws or regulations applicable to our business;

 

   

changes in our capital structure, such as future issuances of debt or equity securities;

 

   

short sales, hedging, and other derivative transactions involving our capital stock;

 

   

general economic conditions in the United States;

 

   

other events or factors, including those resulting from war, incidents of terrorism, pandemics, or other public health emergencies or responses to these events; and

 

   

the other factors described in the sections titled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, or they publish negative reports about our business, our share price, and trading volume could decline.

The trading market for our common stock will depend in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business, our market, and our competitors. We do not have any control over these analysts. If one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade our shares or change their opinion of our shares, our share price would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of us or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which could cause our share price or trading volume to decline.

Anti-takeover provisions in our charter documents and under Delaware law could make an acquisition of us more difficult, limit attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management and limit the market price of our common stock.

Provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control or changes in our management, including the following:

 

   

amendments to certain provisions of our certificate of incorporation or amendments by our stockholders to our bylaws will generally require the approval of at least two-thirds of the voting power of our outstanding capital stock;

 

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our staggered board;

 

   

at any time when the parties to our Stockholders Agreement beneficially own, in the aggregate, at least a majority of the voting power of our outstanding capital stock, our stockholders may take action by consent without a meeting, and at any time when the parties to our Stockholders Agreement beneficially own, in the aggregate, less than the majority of the voting power of our outstanding capital stock, our stockholders may not take action by written consent, but may only take action at a meeting of stockholders;

 

   

our certificate of incorporation will not provide for cumulative voting;

 

   

vacancies on our board of directors will be able to be filled only by our board of directors and not by stockholders, subject to the rights granted pursuant to the New Stockholders Agreements;

 

   

a special meeting of our stockholders may only be called by the chairperson of our board of directors, our Chief Executive Officer or a majority of our board of directors;

 

   

our certificate of incorporation will restrict the forum for certain litigation against us to Delaware or the federal courts, as applicable, unless we otherwise consent in writing;

 

   

our board of directors will have the authority to issue shares of undesignated preferred stock, the terms of which may be established and shares of which may be issued without further action by our stockholders; and

 

   

advance notice procedures apply for stockholders (other than the parties to our New Stockholders Agreements for nominations made pursuant to the terms of the New Stockholders Agreements) to nominate candidates for election as directors or to bring matters before an annual meeting of stockholders.

In addition, we have opted out of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, but our certificate of incorporation will provide that engaging in any of a broad range of business combinations with any “interested stockholder” (generally defined as any person who, together with that person’s affiliates and associates, owns, 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock) for a period of three years following the date on which the stockholder became an “interested stockholder” is prohibited unless certain requirements are met, provided, however, that, under our certificate of incorporation, the parties to our Stockholders Agreement and their respective affiliates will not be deemed to be interested stockholders regardless of the percentage of our outstanding voting stock owned by them, and accordingly will not be subject to such restrictions.

These provisions may frustrate or prevent any attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management by making it more difficult for stockholders to replace members of our board of directors, which is responsible for appointing the members of our management. As a result, these provisions may adversely affect the market price and market for our common stock if they are viewed as limiting the liquidity of our stock or as discouraging takeover attempts in the future.

Our certificate of incorporation will provide that the doctrine of “corporate opportunity” will not apply with respect to certain parties to our New Stockholders Agreements and any director or stockholder who is not employed by us or our subsidiaries.

The doctrine of corporate opportunity generally provides that a corporate fiduciary may not develop an opportunity using corporate resources, acquire an interest adverse to that of the corporation or acquire property that is reasonably incident to the present or prospective business of the corporation or in which the corporation has a present or expectancy interest, unless that opportunity is first presented to the corporation and the corporation chooses not to pursue that opportunity. The doctrine of corporate opportunity is intended to preclude officers or directors or other fiduciaries from personally benefiting from opportunities that belong to the corporation. Pursuant to our certificate of incorporation, which will be in effect following this offering, we will

 

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renounce, to the fullest extent permitted by law and in accordance with Section 122(17) of the Delaware General Corporation Law, all interest and expectancy that we otherwise would be entitled to have in, and all rights to be offered an opportunity to participate in, any opportunity that may be presented to the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP or their affiliates (other than us and our subsidiaries), and any of their respective principals, members, directors, partners, stockholders, officers, employees or other representatives (other than any such person who is also our employee or an employee of our subsidiaries), or any director or stockholder who is not employed by the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP or their affiliates and any director or stockholder who is not employed by us or our subsidiaries will, therefore, have no duty to communicate or present corporate opportunities to us, and will have the right to either hold any corporate opportunity for their (and their affiliates’) own account and benefit or to recommend, assign or otherwise transfer such corporate opportunity to persons other than us, including to any director or stockholder who is not employed by us or our subsidiaries. As a result, certain of our stockholders, directors and their respective affiliates will not be prohibited from operating or investing in competing businesses. We, therefore, may find ourselves in competition with certain of our stockholders, directors or their respective affiliates, and we may not have knowledge of, or be able to pursue, transactions that could potentially be beneficial to us. Accordingly, we may lose a corporate opportunity or suffer competitive harm, which could negatively impact our business, operating results and financial condition.

The provision of our certificate of incorporation requiring exclusive forum in certain courts in the State of Delaware or the federal district courts of the United States for certain types of lawsuits may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers.

Our certificate of incorporation will provide that, unless we otherwise consent in writing, (A) (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director, officer, other employee or stockholder of us to the us or the our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our certificate of incorporation or our bylaws (as either may be amended or restated) or as to which the Delaware General Corporation Law confers exclusive jurisdiction on the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine of the law of the State of Delaware shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be exclusively brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or, if such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction thereof, the federal district court of the State of Delaware; and (B) the federal district courts of the United States shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act; however, there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce such provision, and investors cannot waive compliance with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the exclusive forum provision shall not apply to claims seeking to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts of the United States have exclusive jurisdiction. The choice of forum provision may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and our directors, officers, and other employees, although our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. Alternatively, if a court were to find the choice of forum provision contained in our certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could harm our business, results of operations, and financial condition. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of our capital stock shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the forum provisions in our certificate of incorporation.

Future sales of shares by existing stockholders could cause our stock price to decline.

If our existing stockholders sell, or indicate an intention to sell, substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market after the contractual lock-up agreements described below expire and other restrictions on resale lapse, the trading price of our common stock could decline below the initial public offering price. Based on shares outstanding as of March 31, 2021, upon the closing of this offering, we will have 117,547,916 outstanding

 

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shares of common stock. Of these shares, all of the shares of common stock offered in connection with this offering will be eligible for sale in the public market and substantially all of the remaining shares of common stock will be subject to a 180-day contractual lock-up with the underwriters. Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, may permit our executive officers, directors, employees, and current stockholders who are subject to the contractual lock-up to sell shares prior to the expiration of the lock-up agreements. Upon expiration of the contractual lock-up agreements with the underwriters, and based on shares outstanding as of March 31, 2021, approximately 94,018,505 additional shares will be eligible for sale in the public market.

You will experience an immediate and substantial dilution of the net tangible book value of the common shares you purchase in this offering.

The assumed initial public offering price of $17.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, is substantially higher than our net tangible book value per common share immediately after this offering. Therefore, if you purchase our common stock in this offering, you will incur immediate dilution of $18.28 in the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share from the price you paid assuming that stock price. In addition, following this offering, purchasers who bought shares from us in the offering will have contributed 45.2% of the total consideration paid to us by our stockholders to purchase 23,529,411 shares of common stock to be sold by us in this offering, in exchange for acquiring approximately 20.0%% of our total outstanding shares as of March 31, 2021 after giving effect to this offering.

Further, we may need to raise additional funds in the future to finance our operations and/or acquire complementary businesses. If we obtain capital in future offerings on a per-share basis that is less than the initial public offering price per share, the value of the price per share of your common stock will likely be reduced. In addition, if we issue additional equity securities in a future offering and you do not participate in such offering, there will effectively be dilution in your percentage ownership interest in us.

We will in the future grant stock options and other awards to our certain current or future officers, directors, employees, and consultants under additional plans or individual agreements. The grant, exercise, vesting, and/or settlement of these awards, as applicable, will have the effect of diluting your ownership interests in us. We may also issue additional equity securities in connection with other types of transactions, including shares issued as part of the purchase price for acquisitions of assets or other companies from time to time or in connection with strategic partnerships or joint ventures, or as incentives to management or other providers of resources to us. Such additional issuances are likely to have the same dilutive effect.

We anticipate incurring substantial stock-based compensation expense and incurring substantial obligations related to the vesting and settlement of RSUs granted in connection with the completion of this offering, which may have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations and may result in substantial dilution.

In light of the 7,799,422 RSUs subject to the Chief Executive Officer Award and the 4,642,992 RSUs subject to the IPO RSUs that have been granted in connection with this offering, we anticipate that we will incur substantial stock-based compensation expenses and may expend substantial funds to satisfy tax withholding and remittance obligations related to these RSUs. The 7,799,422 RSUs subject to the Chief Executive Officer Award received by Jeremy Andrus, our Chief Executive Officer, will vest based on (i) the achievement of performance goals, which we refer to as the PSU CEO Awards and (ii) time-based RSUs, which we refer to as the Time-Based RSU CEO Awards and together with the PSU CEO Awards, the CEO Awards. The vesting of these awards is subject to the respective continued service or employment of Mr. Andrus through the applicable vesting date. The PSU CEO Awards granted to Mr. Andrus will become earned based on the achievement of stock price goals (measured as a volume-weighted stock price over 60 days) at any time until the tenth anniversary of the closing of this offering. Mr. Andrus’ PSU CEO Award is divided into five tranches, with the first tranche having a stock price goal of 125% of the initial public offering price, and each of the next four stock prices goals equal to 125% of the immediately preceding stock price goal. To the extent earned, the PSU CEO Awards will vest if certain time-based vesting conditions are also met. The Time-Based RSU CEO Awards granted to Mr. Andrus will vest

 

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as to 20% of the underlying shares on each of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth anniversaries of the closing of this offering, subject to Mr. Andrus’ continued service as our chief executive officer or executive chairman of our board of directors.

For additional information regarding the IPO Awards, please see the section titled “Executive Compensation.” We will record substantial stock-compensation expense for the IPO RSUs, the PSU CEO Awards and the Time-Based RSU CEO Awards. The grant date fair value of the PSU CEO Awards and the Time-Based RSU CEO Awards is estimated to be $80.6 million, which we estimate will be recognized as compensation expense over a weighted average period of 4.87 years, though could be earlier if the stock price goals are achieved earlier than we estimated. We expect the stock-based compensation expense relating to these awards to adversely impact our future financial results.

Our management team will have immediate and broad discretion over the use of the net proceeds to us from this offering and may not use them effectively.

We intend to use the net proceeds to us from this offering to prepay amounts outstanding under our New First Lien Term Loan Facility and to pay cash bonuses to certain of our employees, including certain of our executive officers, in connection with this offering. However, our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds. Our stockholders may not agree with the manner in which our management chooses to allocate the net proceeds from this offering and will not have the opportunity as part of their investment decision to assess whether the net proceeds are being used appropriately. The failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operation. Pending their use, we may invest the net proceeds to us from this offering in a manner that does not produce value. The decisions made by our management may not result in positive returns on your investment and you will not have an opportunity to evaluate the economic, financial or other information upon which our management bases its decisions.

Transactions engaged in by our principal stockholders, our officers or directors involving our common stock may have an adverse effect on the price of our stock.

Our officers, directors, and principal stockholders (greater than 5% stockholders) collectively will control approximately 76.4% of our issued and outstanding common stock upon completion of this offering, excluding IPO Awards and without giving effect to any purchases that may be made through our directed share program or otherwise in this offering. Subsequent sales of our shares by these stockholders could have the effect of lowering our stock price. The perceived risk associated with the possible sale of a large number of shares by these stockholders, or the adoption of significant short positions by hedge funds or other significant investors, could cause some of our stockholders to sell their stock, thus causing the price of our stock to decline. In addition, actual or anticipated downward pressure on our stock price due to actual or anticipated sales of stock by our directors or officers could cause other institutions or individuals to engage in short sales of our common stock, which may further cause the price of our stock to decline.

From time to time our directors and executive officers may sell shares of our common stock on the open market. These sales will be publicly disclosed in filings made with the SEC. In the future, our directors and executive officers may sell a significant number of shares for a variety of reasons unrelated to the performance of our business. Our stockholders may perceive these sales as a reflection on management’s view of the business and result in some stockholders selling their shares of our common stock. These sales could cause the price of our stock to drop.

We do not intend to pay dividends for the foreseeable future.

We currently intend to retain any future earnings to finance the operation and expansion of our business and we do not expect to declare or pay any dividends in the foreseeable future. As a result, stockholders must rely on sales of their common stock after price appreciation as the only way to realize any future gains on their investment.

 

 

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As a result of becoming a public company, we will be obligated to develop and maintain proper and effective internal control over financial reporting, and if we fail to develop and maintain an effective system of disclosure controls and internal control over financial reporting, our ability to produce timely and accurate financial statements or comply with applicable laws and regulations could be impaired.

As a public company, we will be subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, the listing requirements of the New York Stock Exchange, and other applicable securities rules and regulations. Compliance with these rules and regulations will increase our legal and financial compliance costs, make some activities more difficult, time consuming, or costly, and increase demand on our systems and resources, particularly after we are no longer an emerging growth company. The Exchange Act requires, among other things, that we file annual, quarterly, and current reports with respect to our business and results of operations. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires, among other things, that we maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting. It may require significant resources and management oversight to maintain and, if necessary, improve our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting to meet this standard. As a result, management’s attention may be diverted from other business concerns, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations. Although we have already hired additional employees to comply with these requirements, we may need to hire more employees in the future or engage outside consultants, which would increase our costs and expenses

As a public company, we will also be required, pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, to furnish a report by management on, among other things, the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting commencing with our second annual report on Form 10-K. Effective internal control over financial reporting is necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and, together with adequate disclosure controls and procedures, are designed to prevent fraud. Any failure to implement required new or improved controls, or difficulties encountered in their implementation, could cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations. Ineffective internal controls could also cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information, which could have a negative effect on the trading price of our common stock.

This assessment will need to include disclosure of any material weaknesses identified by our management in our internal control over financial reporting, as well as a statement that our independent registered public accounting firm has issued an opinion on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, provided that our independent registered public accounting firm will not be required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting until our first annual report required to be filed with the SEC following the later of the date we are deemed to be an “accelerated filer” or a “large accelerated filer,” each as defined in the Exchange Act, or the date we are no longer an emerging growth company, as defined in the JOBS Act. We could be an emerging growth company for up to five years. An independent assessment of the effectiveness of our internal controls could detect problems that our management’s assessment might not. Undetected material weaknesses in our internal controls could lead to financial statement restatements and require us to incur the expense of remediation. We will be required to disclose changes made in our internal control and procedures on a quarterly basis. To comply with the requirements of being a public company, we may need to undertake various actions, such as implementing new internal controls and procedures and hiring accounting or internal audit staff.

We are in the early stages of the costly and challenging process of compiling the system and processing documentation necessary to perform the evaluation needed to comply with Section 404. We may not be able to complete our evaluation, testing, and any required remediation in a timely fashion. During the evaluation and testing process, if we identify material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, we will be unable to assert that our internal control over financial reporting is effective.

If we are unable to assert that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, or if our independent registered public accounting firm is unable to express an opinion on the effectiveness of our internal control,

 

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including as a result of the material weakness described above, we could lose investor confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, which could cause the price of our common stock to decline, and we may be subject to investigation or sanctions by the SEC. In addition, if we are unable to continue to meet these requirements, we may not be able to remain listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

In addition, as we continue to scale and improve our operations, including our internal systems and processes, we are currently implementing, and in the future may seek to implement, a variety of critical systems, such as billing, human resource information systems and accounting systems. We cannot assure you that new systems, including any increases in scale or related improvements, will be successfully implemented or that appropriate personnel will be available to facilitate and manage these processes. Failure to implement necessary systems and procedures, transition to new systems and processes or hire the necessary personnel could result in higher costs, compromised internal reporting and processes and system errors or failures. For example, we are in the process of implementing a new product lifecycle management system, or PLM system, as a development tool to help us compile and analyze data related to the lifecycle of our products. The implementation and transition to any new critical system, including our new PLM system, or enhancements to existing systems, may be costly, require significant attention of many employees who would otherwise be focused on other aspects of our business and disruptive to our business if they do not work as planned or if we experience issues related to such implementation or transition, which could have a material adverse effect on our operations.

Upon the listing of our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange, we will be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the corporate governance standards of the New York Stock Exchange. As a result, we will qualify for, and intend to rely on, exemptions from certain corporate governance standards. You will not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to such requirements.

After the completion of this offering, the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP will collectively control a majority of the voting power of shares eligible to vote in the election of our directors. Because more than 50% of the voting power in the election of our directors will be held by an individual, group, or another company, we will be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the corporate governance standards of the New York Stock Exchange. As a controlled company, we may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements, including the requirements that, within one year of the date of the listing of our common stock:

 

   

a majority of our board of directors consists of “independent directors,” as defined under the rules of such exchange;

 

   

our board of directors has a compensation committee that is composed entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities; and

 

   

our board of directors has a nominating and corporate governance committee that is composed entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities.

Following this offering, we do not intend to rely on these exemptions, except for the exemption from the requirement that our compensation committee be composed entirely of independent directors. However, as long as we remain a “controlled company,” we may elect in the future to take advantage of any of these exemptions. As a result of any such election, our board of directors would not have a majority of independent directors, our compensation committee would not consist entirely of independent directors and our directors would not be nominated or selected by independent directors. Accordingly, you will not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of the New York Stock Exchange rules.

We are an “emerging growth company” and are availing ourselves of reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies, which could make our common stock less attractive to investors.

We are an emerging growth company, as defined in the JOBS Act, and we are taking advantage of and may continue to take advantage of, for as long as five years following the completion of our IPO, certain exemptions

 

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from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies, including not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. In addition, under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies can delay the adoption of certain new or revised accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies.

We have elected to avail ourselves of this exemption from new or revised accounting standards and, therefore, we are not and will continue not to be subject to the same new or revised accounting standards as other public companies that are not emerging growth companies or that have opted out of using such extended transition period, which may make comparison of our financial statements with those of other public companies more difficult. We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive because we are relying on these exemptions. 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.

General Risks

We may engage in merger and acquisition activities, which could require significant management attention, disrupt our business, dilute stockholder value, and adversely affect our results of operations.

As part of our business strategy, we have made and may in the future make investments in businesses, new technologies, services, and other assets and strategic investments that complement our business. For example, on July 1, 2021 we acquired all of the equity interested of Apption, which specializes in the manufacture and design of hardware and software related to small kitchen appliances, including the MEATER smart thermometer and related technology. We may not be able to find suitable acquisition candidates and we may not be able to complete acquisitions on favorable terms, if at all, in the future. If we do complete acquisitions, we may not ultimately strengthen our competitive position or achieve our goals, and any acquisitions we complete could be viewed negatively by our customers or investors. Moreover, an acquisition, investment, or business relationship may result in unforeseen operating difficulties and expenditures, including disrupting our ongoing operations, diverting management from their primary responsibilities, subjecting us to additional liabilities, increasing our expenses, and adversely impacting our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Moreover, we may be exposed to unknown liabilities and the anticipated benefits of any acquisition, investment, or business relationship may not be realized, if, for example, we fail to successfully integrate such acquisitions, or the technologies associated with such acquisitions, into our company.

To pay for any such acquisitions, we would have to use cash, incur debt, or issue equity securities, each of which may affect our financial condition or the value of our capital stock and could result in dilution to our stockholders. If we incur more debt it would result in increased fixed obligations and could also subject us to covenants or other restrictions that would impede our ability to manage our operations. Additionally, we may receive indications of interest from other parties interested in acquiring some or all of our business. The time required to evaluate such indications of interest could require significant attention from management, disrupt the ordinary functioning of our business, and could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

From time to time, we may be subject to legal proceedings, regulatory disputes, and governmental inquiries that could cause us to incur significant expenses, divert our management’s attention, and materially harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

From time to time, we may be subject to claims, lawsuits, government investigations, and other proceedings involving products liability, competition, and antitrust, intellectual property, privacy, consumer protection, securities, tax, labor and employment, commercial disputes, and other matters that could adversely affect our business operations and financial condition. As we have grown, we have seen a rise in the number and significance of these disputes and inquiries, and we may face increased exposure to securities litigation as a public company. Litigation and regulatory proceedings that we are currently facing or could face, may be

 

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protracted and expensive, and the results are difficult to predict. Certain of these matters include speculative claims for substantial or indeterminate amounts of damages and include claims for injunctive relief. Additionally, our litigation costs could be significant. Adverse outcomes with respect to litigation or any of these legal proceedings may result in significant settlement costs or judgments, penalties, and fines, or require us to modify our products or services, make content unavailable, or require us to stop offering certain features, all of which could negatively affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

The results of litigation, investigations, claims, and regulatory proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty, and determining reserves for pending litigation and other legal and regulatory matters requires significant judgment. There can be no assurance that our expectations will prove correct, and even if these matters are resolved in our favor or without significant cash settlements, these matters, and the time and resources necessary to litigate or resolve them, could harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations

Our financial results and future growth could be harmed by currency exchange rate fluctuations.

As our international business grows, our results of operations could be adversely impacted by changes in foreign currency exchange rates, such as the British Pound and the Canadian Dollar, and we may transact in more foreign currencies in the future. Revenues and certain expenses in markets outside of the United States are recognized in local foreign currencies, and we are exposed to potential gains or losses from the translation of those amounts into U.S. dollars for consolidation into our financial statements. Similarly, we are exposed to gains and losses resulting from currency exchange rate fluctuations on transactions generated by our foreign subsidiaries in currencies other than their local currencies. In addition, the business of our independent manufacturers in China and Vietnam may also be disrupted by currency exchange rate fluctuations by making their purchases of raw materials more expensive and more difficult to finance. Changes in the value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar can affect our revenue and results of operations. As we increase the extent of our international operations, such foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations could make it more difficult to detect underlying trends in our business and results of operations, such as our margins and cash flows. From time to time, we use hedging strategies to reduce our exposure to currency fluctuations and may continue to use derivative instruments, such as foreign currency forward and option contracts, to hedge certain exposures to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. Given the volatility of exchange rates, there can be no assurance that we will be able to effectively manage our currency transaction risks. The use of such hedging activities may not offset any or more than a portion of the adverse financial effects of unfavorable movements in foreign exchange rates over the limited time the hedges are in place and may introduce additional risks if we are unable to structure effective hedges with such instruments.

Our future success depends on the continuing efforts of our management and key employees, and on our ability to attract and retain highly skilled personnel and senior management.

We depend on the talents and continued efforts of our senior management and key employees. The loss of members of our management or key employees may disrupt our business and harm our results of operations. Furthermore, our ability to manage further expansion will require us to continue to attract, motivate, and retain additional qualified personnel. Competition for this type of personnel is intense, and we may not be successful in attracting, integrating, and retaining the personnel required to grow and operate our business effectively. There can be no assurance that our current management team or any new members of our management team will be able to successfully execute our business and operating strategies.

If our estimates or judgments relating to our critical accounting policies prove to be incorrect or change significantly, our results of operations could be harmed.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. These estimates form the basis for making judgments about the carrying

 

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values of assets, liabilities, and equity and the amount of sales and expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. Our results of operations may be harmed if our assumptions change or if actual circumstances differ from those in our assumptions, which could cause our results of operations to fall below the expectations of securities analysts and investors and could result in a decline in our stock price.

Our business is subject to the risk of earthquakes, fires, explosions, power outages, floods, forest fires, and other catastrophic events, and to interruption by problems such as terrorism, public health crises, cyberattacks, or failure of key information technology systems.

Our business is vulnerable to damage or interruption from earthquakes, fires, explosions, floods, power losses, telecommunications failures, terrorist attacks, acts of war, riots, public health crises, human errors, criminal acts, and similar events. For example, a significant natural disaster, such as an earthquake, fire, or flood, could harm our business, results of operations, and financial condition, and our insurance coverage may be insufficient to compensate us for losses that may occur. Our wood pellet production facility in New York is located in a flood zone. In addition, the facilities of our suppliers and where our manufacturers produce our products are located in parts of Asia that frequently experience typhoons and earthquakes. Acts of terrorism and public health crises, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic (or other future pandemics or epidemics), could also cause disruptions in our or our suppliers’, manufacturers’, and logistics providers’ businesses or the economy as a whole. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the global supply chain, with restrictions and limitations on related activities causing disruption and delay, and the likely overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is viewed as highly negative to the general economy. These disruptions and delays have strained certain domestic and international supply chains, which have affected and could continue to negatively affect the flow or availability of certain of our products. We may not have sufficient protection or recovery plans in some circumstances, such as natural disasters affecting locations where we have operations or store significant inventory. Our servers may also be vulnerable to computer viruses, criminal acts, denial-of-service attacks, ransomware, and similar disruptions from unauthorized tampering with our computer systems, which could lead to interruptions, delays, or loss of critical data. As we rely heavily on our information technology and communications systems and the Internet to conduct our business and provide high-quality customer service, these disruptions could harm our ability to run our business and either directly or indirectly disrupt our suppliers’ or manufacturers’ businesses, which could harm our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

We are subject to many hazards and operational risks that can disrupt our business, some of which may not be insured or fully covered by insurance.

Our operations are subject to many hazards and operational risks inherent to our business, including: (a) general business risks; (b) product liability; (c) product recall; and (d) damage to third parties, our infrastructure, or properties caused by fires, explosions, floods, and other natural disasters, power losses, telecommunications failures, terrorist attacks, riots, public health crises such as the current COVID-19 pandemic (and other future pandemics or epidemics), human errors, and similar events.

Our insurance coverage may be inadequate to cover our liabilities related to such hazards or operational risks. For example, our insurance coverage does not cover us for business interruptions as they relate to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we may not be able to maintain adequate insurance in the future at rates we consider reasonable and commercially justifiable, and insurance may not continue to be available on terms as favorable as our current arrangements. The occurrence of a significant uninsured claim or a claim in excess of the insurance coverage limits maintained by us could harm our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

 

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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus contains forward-looking statements. You can generally identify forward-looking statements by our use of forward-looking terminology such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “seek,” “vision,” or “should,” or the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements include those we make regarding the following matters:

 

   

our future financial performance, including our expectations regarding revenue, cost of revenue, operating expenses and our ability to maintain future profitability;

 

   

the sufficiency of our cash to meet our liquidity needs;

 

   

the demand for our products and offerings in general as well as our ability to accurately forecast demand for our products;

 

   

our ability to effectively manage our growth and future expenses;

 

   

our ability to enhance existing products and develop new products in a timely manner;

 

   

our ability to successfully execute upon our strategy, including growing our customer base and successfully entering new markets and international expansion as well as compliance with any applicable laws and regulations;

 

   

the impact of COVID-19 on global markets, economic conditions and the response by governments and third parties;

 

   

our ability to cost-effectively attract new customers and retain our existing customers;

 

   

problems with, or loss of, our third-party manufacturers and suppliers, or an inability to obtain raw materials;

 

   

our ability to maintain and enhance our brand and scale our existing marketing channels;

 

   

the evolution of the social media industry impacting demand for our products;

 

   

our ability to compete with existing and new competitors in our markets;

 

   

failure to comply with ongoing regulatory and environmental requirements as well as sustainability standards;

 

   

our ability to maintain product quality and product performance at an acceptable cost;

 

   

the size of our total addressable market and market trends, expected growth rates of these markets and our ability to grow within and further penetrate our primary markets;

 

   

our expectations regarding relationships with third parties, including our major retail partners that account for a significant portion of our revenue, and manufacturing partners;

 

   

the attraction and retention of qualified employees and key personnel;

 

   

the impact of natural disasters and failures of our information technology on our operations and the operations of our manufacturing partners

 

   

our ability to maintain, protect and enhance our intellectual property;

 

   

our ability to securely maintain customer and other third-party data;

 

   

the increases expenses associated with being a public company;

 

   

our anticipated use of net proceeds to us from this offering; and

 

   

the other factors set forth under “Risk Factors.”

 

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The preceding list is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all of our forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While we believe these expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections are reasonable, such forward- looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. These and other important factors, including those discussed in this prospectus under the headings “Prospectus Summary,” “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Business,” may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Furthermore, the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business operations and financial results and on the world economy as a whole may heighten the risks and uncertainties that affect our forward-looking statements described above. Given these risks and uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included elsewhere in this prospectus are not guarantees of future performance and our actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and the development of the industry in which we operate, may differ materially from the forward-looking statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. In addition, even if our results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and events in the industry in which we operate, are consistent with the forward-looking statements included elsewhere in this prospectus, they may not be predictive of results or developments in future periods.

Any forward-looking statement that we make in this prospectus speaks only as of the date of such statement. Except as required by law, we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise, or to publicly announce any update or revision to, any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this prospectus.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate that the net proceeds to us from the sale of shares of our common stock in this offering will be approximately $133.0 million, after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $17.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the net proceeds to us from this offering by approximately $8.3 million, assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Each increase (decrease) of 1.0 million shares in the number of shares sold in this offering by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the net proceeds to us from this offering by approximately $16.1 million, assuming an initial public offering price of $17.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. The information discussed above is illustrative only and will adjust based on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing.

We intend to use approximately $130.8 million of the net proceeds to us from this offering to prepay amounts outstanding under our New First Lien Term Loan Facility and approximately $2.2 million to pay cash bonuses to certain of our employees, including certain of our executive officers, in connection with this offering. Borrowings under our New First Lien Term Loan Facility were used to repay $445.5 million outstanding on the Company’s First and Second Lien Term Loans and unpaid interest of $6.9 million in connection with the Refinancing, and to fund a portion of the closing cash consideration for the acquisition of Apption Labs Limited. See “Prospectus Summary—Recent Developments,” “Executive Compensation—IPO-Related Changes in Executive Compensation” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—IPO Bonuses.”

The New Credit Facilities provide for a $560.0 million New First Lien Term Loan Facility (including a $50.0 million delayed draw term loan) and a $125.0 million New Revolving Credit Facility. As of the date of this prospectus, the total principal amount outstanding on the New First Lien Term Loan Facility was $510.0 million and there was no outstanding principal balance under the New Revolving Credit Facility. The New First Lien Term Loan Facility accrues interest at a rate per annum that considers both fixed and floating components. The fixed component ranges from 3.00% to 3.50% per annum based on the consummation of a Qualifying Public Offering and our Public Debt Rating (each as defined in the New First Lien Credit Agreement). The floating component is based on the Eurocurrency Base Rate (as defined in the New First Lien Credit Agreement) for the relevant interest period. For further information on the prior Credit Facilities and our New Credit Facilities, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation–Liquidity and Capital Resources.”

We may find it necessary or advisable to use the net proceeds to us for other purposes, and we will have broad discretion in the application and specific allocations of the net proceeds to us of this offering. Pending the uses described above, we intend to invest the net proceeds from this offering to us in short- and intermediate-term, interest- bearing obligations, investment-grade instruments or other securities.

We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock in this offering by the selling stockholders, including any shares sold by the selling stockholders pursuant to the underwriters’ over-allotment option. We have agreed to pay the expenses of the selling stockholders related to this offering other than the underwriting discounts and commissions.

 

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DIVIDEND POLICY

We currently intend to retain all available funds and any future earnings to fund the development and growth of our business and to potentially repay any indebtedness and, therefore, we do not anticipate declaring or paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Any future determination as to the declaration and payment of dividends, if any, will be at the discretion of our board of directors, subject to compliance with contractual restrictions and covenants in the agreements governing our current and future indebtedness. Any such determination will also depend upon our business prospects, results of operations, financial condition, cash requirements and availability and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant.

Accordingly, you may need to sell your shares of our common stock to realize a return on your investment, and you may not be able to sell your shares at or above the price you paid for them. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Common Stock and this Offering—We do not intend to pay dividends for the foreseeable future.”

 

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CORPORATE CONVERSION

We currently operate as a Delaware limited liability company under the name TGPX Holdings I LLC. All of our limited liability company interests are held by TGP Holdings LP, a Delaware limited partnership, or the Partnership, that is managed by its general partner, TGP Holdings GP Corp, a Delaware corporation. As a result, our business and affairs are currently managed under the direction of the board of directors of TGP Holdings GP Corp.

Prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, TGPX Holdings I LLC will convert into a Delaware corporation pursuant to a statutory conversion and will change its name to Traeger, Inc. In this prospectus, we refer to all of the transactions related to our conversion to a corporation as the Corporate Conversion.

The purpose of the Corporate Conversion is to reorganize our structure so that the entity that is offering our common stock to the public in this offering is a corporation rather than a limited liability company and so that our existing investors will own our common stock rather than equity interests in a limited liability company.

In conjunction with the Corporate Conversion, all of our outstanding limited liability company interests will be converted into shares of our common stock, and the Partnership will become the holder of shares of common stock of Traeger, Inc. In connection with the Corporate Conversion, the Partnership will liquidate and distribute these shares of common stock to the Investors and the other holders of partnership interests in the Partnership in direct proportion to their respective interests in the Partnership based upon the value of Traeger, Inc. at the time of this offering, with a value implied by the initial public offering price of the shares of common stock sold in this offering. In connection with this offering, all of the outstanding incentive units of the Partnership, which represent profits interests, will become vested in full and the holders of such units will be entitled distributions of common stock in connection with the Corporate Conversion. Following the Partnership’s liquidation and distribution, including the elimination of any fractional shares resulting therefrom, and the Corporate Conversion, we will have 108,724,387 shares of common stock outstanding and the former holders of partnership interests of the Partnership will own all of our shares of common stock. In this prospectus, we have assumed a value of Traeger, Inc. based on the initial public offering price of $17.00 per share of common stock, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. However, the number of shares of common stock to be distributed to each former holder of partnership interests of the Partnership will be affected by the value of Traeger, Inc. at the time of this offering. Based upon the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, we do not expect that the impact of any such change in the number of common shares to be distributed to any former holder of partnership interests of the Partnership will be material.

As a result of the Corporate Conversion, Traeger, Inc. will succeed to all of the property and assets of TGPX Holdings I LLC and will succeed to all of the debts and obligations of TGPX Holdings I LLC. Traeger, Inc. will be governed by a certificate of incorporation filed with the Delaware Secretary of State and bylaws, the material provisions of which are described under the heading “Description of Capital Stock.” On the effective date of the Corporate Conversion, our directors and officers will be as described elsewhere in this prospectus. See “Management.”

Except as otherwise noted herein, the consolidated financial statements and selected historical consolidated financial data and other financial information included elsewhere in this prospectus are those of TGPX Holdings I LLC and its subsidiaries and do not give effect to the Corporate Conversion. We do not expect that the Corporate Conversion will have an effect on our results of operations.

 

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CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth our cash and cash equivalents and our consolidated capitalization as of March 31, 2021:

 

   

on an actual basis, after giving effect to the split of our common units that occurred on July 21, 2021;

 

   

on a pro forma basis to give effect to the Corporate Conversion, the Refinancing and the filing and effectiveness of our certificate of incorporation in connection with this offering; and

 

   

on a pro forma as adjusted basis to give effect to the pro forma adjustments described above, the issuance and sale by us of 8,823,529 shares of our common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $17.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us and the application of the net proceeds from this offering as described in “Use of Proceeds.”

The information discussed below is illustrative only, and our cash and cash equivalents and capitalization following the Corporate Conversion, the Refinancing and the consummation of this offering (including the use of proceeds to us therefrom) will adjust based on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing. You should read the data set forth below in conjunction with “Use of Proceeds,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Description of Capital Stock” and the consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

     As of March 31, 2021  
     Actual     Pro Forma     Pro Forma
as Adjusted
 
     (in thousands, except unit/share data)  

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 17,101     $ 70,128     $ 70,128  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Long-term debt, including current portion(1)

     436,848       497,092       366,331  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Member’s equity:

      

108,724,422 units outstanding, actual; no units outstanding pro forma or pro forma as adjusted(2)

   $ —       $ —       $ —    

Additional paid-in capital(2)

     571,994       —         —    

Accumulated deficit(2)

     (57,069     —         —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total member’s equity(2)

   $ 514,925     $ —       $ —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Stockholders’ equity (deficit):

      

Preferred stock; $0.0001 par value per share; no shares authorized, issued or outstanding, actual; 25,000,000 shares authorized and no shares issued or outstanding pro forma or pro forma as adjusted

     —         —         —    

Common stock; $0.0001 par value per share; no shares authorized, issued, or outstanding, actual; 1,000,000,000 shares authorized, 108,724,387 shares issued and outstanding pro forma; 1,000,000,000 shares authorized, 117,547,916 shares issued and outstanding pro forma as adjusted(2)

     —         11       12  

Additional paid-in capital(2)

     —         571,983       748,845  

Accumulated deficit(2)

     —         (62,388     (108,490
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total stockholders’ equity

     —         509,606       640,367  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total capitalization

   $ 951,773     $ 1,006,698     $ 1,006,698  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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(1)

Does not include $38.0 million drawn down under our Receivables Financing Agreement as of March 31, 2021.

(2)

In connection with the Corporate Conversion, the membership interests will be reduced to zero to reflect the elimination of all outstanding interests in TGPX Holdings I LLC and corresponding adjustments will be reflected as common stock, additional paid-in capital and total stockholders’ equity in Traeger, Inc. (formerly TGPX Holdings I LLC).

Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $17.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the pro forma as adjusted amount of each of additional paid-in capital, total stockholders’ equity and total capitalization, as well as decrease (increase) the amount of long-term debt, in each case by $8.3 million, assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Each increase (decrease) of 1.0 million shares in the number of shares sold in this offering by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the pro forma as adjusted amount of each of additional paid-in capital, total stockholders’ equity and total capitalization, as well as decrease (increase) the amount of long-term debt, in each case by $16.1 million, assuming an initial public offering price of $17.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

The number of shares of common stock to be outstanding after this offering is based on 108,724,387 shares of our common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2021, after giving effect to the split of our common units and the Corporate Conversion, and excludes:

 

   

7,799,422 shares of common stock issuable in connection with the vesting of the Chief Executive Officer Award (see the section titled “Executive Compensation” for additional information regarding these awards);

 

   

4,642,992 shares of common stock issuable in connection with the vesting of the IPO RSUs granted under our 2021 Plan; and

 

   

14,105,750 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2021 Plan, based on an assumed initial public offering price of $17.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus (which number includes the IPO Awards).

Our 2021 Plan also provides for automatic annual increases in the number of shares reserved thereunder, which are not reflected in the numbers above. See the section titled “Executive Compensation—Executive Compensation Arrangements” for additional information.

 

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DILUTION

If you purchase any of the shares offered by this prospectus, you will experience dilution to the extent of the difference between the initial public offering price per share of our common stock and the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value (deficit) per share of our common stock immediately after this offering.

Our historical net tangible book value (deficit) as of March 31, 2021 was $(274.5) million, or $(2.52) per unit, after giving effect to the split of our common units that occurred on July 21, 2021. Historical net tangible book value per unit is determined by dividing our total tangible assets less our total liabilities by the number of our units. After giving effect to the Corporate Conversion and the Refinancing, our pro forma net tangible book value (deficit) as of March 31, 2021 was $(281.7) million, or $(2.59) per share of common stock. After giving further effect to our sale of shares of common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $17.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and the application of the net proceeds from this offering as described in “Use of Proceeds,” our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value (deficit) as of March 31, 2021 would have been $(150.9) million, or $(1.28) per share. This represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value of $1.24 per share to our existing stockholders and an immediate dilution of $18.28 per share to new investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering.

The following table illustrates this dilution on a per share basis:

 

Assumed initial public offering price per share

      $ 17.00  

Historical net tangible book value (deficit) per unit as of March 31, 2021

   $ (2.52   

Increase per share attributable to the pro forma adjustments described above

     (0.7   

Pro forma net tangible book value (deficit) per share as of March 31, 2021

   $ (2.59   

Increase attributable to new investors in this offering

   $ 1.31     

Pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value (deficit) per share after this offering

      $ (1.28
     

 

 

 

Dilution in pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share to new investors in this offering

      $ 18.28  
     

 

 

 

Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial offering price of $17.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value by $8.3 million, or $0.07 per share, and the dilution per common share to new investors in this offering by $0.93 per share, assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. An increase of 1.0 million shares in the number of shares of common stock offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share by $0.15 and decrease the dilution per share to new investors by $0.15, assuming no change in the assumed initial public offering price and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. A decrease of 1.0 million shares in the number of shares of common stock offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would decrease the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share by $0.15 and increase the dilution per share to new investors by $0.15, assuming an initial public offering price of $17.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

The following table summarizes, on a pro forma as adjusted basis, as of March 31, 2021, the differences between the number of shares of common stock purchased or to be purchased from us, the total consideration paid or to be paid to us and the average price per share paid by existing stockholders or to be paid by new investors purchasing shares of

 

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common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $17.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, before deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 

     Shares Purchased     Total Consideration     Average
Price

Per
Share
 
     Number      Percent     Amount      Percent        

Existing stockholders before this offering

     94,018,505        80.0   $ 485,546,653        54.8   $ 5.16  

New investors participating in this offering

     23,529,411        20.0       399,999,987        45.2       17.00  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

Total

     117,547,916        100   $ 885,546,640        100  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

Sales by the selling stockholders in this offering will reduce the number of shares held by existing stockholders to 94,018,505, or approximately 80% of the total shares of common stock outstanding after this offering, which will increase the number of shares held by new investors to 117,547,916, or approximately 20% of the total shares of common stock outstanding after this offering.

Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $17.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) total consideration paid by new investors by $8.3 million and total consideration paid by all stockholders by $8.3 million, assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. An increase (decrease) of 1.0 million shares in the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) total consideration paid by new investors by $16.1 million and total consideration paid by all stockholders by $16.1 million, assuming the assumed initial public offering price remains the same, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

The dilution information discussed above is illustrative only and may change based on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of this offering. In addition, to the extent we issue any additional stock options or warrants or any outstanding stock options are exercised, or if we issue any other securities or convertible debt in the future, investors will experience further dilution.

The number of shares of common stock to be outstanding after this offering is based on 108,724,387 shares of our common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2021, after giving effect to the split of our common units and the Corporate Conversion, and excludes:

 

   

7,799,422 shares of common stock issuable in connection with the vesting of the Chief Executive Officer Award (see the section titled “Executive Compensation” for additional information regarding these awards);

 

   

4,642,992 shares of common stock issuable in connection with the vesting of the IPO RSUs granted under our 2021 Plan; and

 

   

14,105,750 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2021 Plan, based on an assumed initial public offering price of $17.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus (which number includes the IPO Awards).

Our 2021 Plan also provides for automatic annual increases in the number of shares reserved thereunder, which are not reflected in the numbers above. See the section titled “Executive Compensation—Executive Compensation Arrangements” for additional information.

 

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SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

The following tables present our selected financial and operating data for the periods and as of the dates indicated. We derived our selected consolidated statement of operations data and cash flow data for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 and our selected consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. We derived our selected consolidated statement of operations data and cash flow data for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020 and our selected consolidated balance sheet data as of March 31, 2021 from our unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. The consolidated balance sheet data as of March 31, 2020 has been derived from our unaudited interim consolidated financial statements not included in this prospectus. In our opinion, the unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a basis consistent with our audited consolidated financial statements and contain all adjustments, consisting only of normal and recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair statement of such financial statements. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected in the future, and results for the three months ended March 31, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the full fiscal year or any other period. You should read the following information in conjunction with the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements, the accompanying notes and other financial information included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,     Year Ended December 31,  
             2021                     2020                     2020                     2019          
     (unaudited)              
     (in thousands)  

Consolidated Statement of Operations Data

        

Revenue

   $ 235,573     $ 113,783     $ 545,772     $ 363,319  

Cost of revenue

     134,942       62,028       310,408       207,539  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

     100,631       51,755       235,364       155,780  

Operating expense:

        

Sales and marketing

     30,851       16,718       93,690       66,921  

General and administrative

     13,556       9,004       50,243       45,304  
        

Amortization of intangible assets

     8,301       8,131       32,533       33,099  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     52,708       33,853       176,466       145,325  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income from operations

     47,923       17,902       58,898       10,455  

Other income (expense), net:

        

Interest expense

     (7,812     (9,185     (34,073     (39,462
        

Other income (expense)

     (458     (767     7,526       (462
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other income (expense), net

     (8,270     (9,952     (26,547     (39,924

Income before provision for income taxes

     39,653       7,950       32,351       (29,469
        

Provision for income taxes

     724       31       749       124  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

   $ 38,929     $ 7,919     $ 31,602     $ (29,593
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows Data

        

Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities

   $ (26,544   $ (11,524   $ 46,597     $ 18,486  

Net cash used in investing activities

     (4,975     (2,891     (27,341     (8,997

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

     37,064       50,014       (14,777     (9,260

Consolidated Balance Sheet Data (at period end)

        

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 17,101     $ 42,678     $ 11,556     $ 7,077  

Working capital

     123,695       101,605       78,934       35,265  

Total assets

     1,094,671       992,021       989,581       924,845  

Long-term debt, including current portion

     436,848       498,799       437,012       447,338  

Total liabilities

     579,746       552,609       514,541       493,967  

Accumulated deficit

     (57,069     (119,680     (95,998     (127,600

Total member’s equity

     514,925       439,411       475,040       430,878  

 

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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with the “Selected Consolidated Financial Data” and our consolidated financial statements and the related notes and other financial information included elsewhere in this prospectus. Some of the information included in this discussion and analysis or set forth elsewhere in this prospectus, including information with respect to our plans and strategy for our business, includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. You should review the “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” sections of this prospectus for a discussion of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in the following discussion and analysis.

Overview

Traeger is the creator and category leader of the wood pellet grill, an outdoor cooking system that ignites all-natural hardwoods to grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and barbeque. Our grills are versatile and easy to use, empowering cooks of all skillsets to create delicious meals with a wood-fired flavor that cannot be replicated with gas, charcoal, or electric grills. Grills are at the core of our platform and are complemented by Traeger wood pellets, rubs, sauces, and accessories.

Our marketing strategy has been instrumental in building our brand and driving customer advocacy and revenue. We have disrupted the outdoor cooking market and created a passionate community, the Traegerhood, which includes foodies, pitmasters, backyard heroes, moms and dads, professional athletes, outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen, and world-class chefs. This community, together with our various marketing initiatives, has helped to promote our brand and products to the wider consumer population and supported our efforts to redefine outdoor cooking as an experience accessible to everyone. We have an active online and social media presence, with over 1.6 million social media followers, and a content-rich website that drives significant customer engagement and brings our Traegerhood together. We also directly engage with our current and target customers by sponsoring and participating in a variety of events, including live shows, outdoor festivals, rodeos, music and film festivals, barbecue competitions, fishing tournaments, and retailer events. We believe the style and authenticity of our customer engagement reinforces our brand and drives new and existing customer interest in our products and community.

Our revenue is primarily generated through the sale of our wood pellet grills, consumables, and accessories. We currently offer three series of grills – Pro, Ironwood and Timberline – as well as a selection of smaller, portable grills. Our grills are available in a number of different sizes and can be upgraded through a variety of accessories. A growing number of our grills feature WiFIRE technology, which allows users to monitor and adjust their grills remotely using our Traeger app. Our consumables include our wood pellets, which are made from natural, virgin hardwood and are available in a variety of flavors, as well as rubs, sauces, and other food items. As fuel for thousands of Traegers worldwide, wood pellet sales represent a recurring and expanding sales opportunity as our customer base grows and the number of installed grills increases. Our accessories include grill covers, liners, tools, apparel and other ancillary items.

We sell our grills using an omnichannel distribution strategy that consists primarily of retail and direct to consumer, or DTC, channels. Our retail channel covers brick-and-mortar retailers, e-commerce platforms, and multichannel retailers, who, in turn, sell our grills to their end customers. Our retailers include Ace Hardware, Amazon.com, Costco, The Home Depot, and William Sonoma, among others, as well as a significant number of independent retailers that cater to local communities and specific categories, such as hardware, camping, outdoor, farm, ranch, barbecue and other categories. We expect to increase our number of brick-and-mortar and online retailers over time. Our DTC channel covers sales directly to customers through our website and Traeger app. Our DTC channel primarily comprises Traeger.com and certain country- and region-specific Traeger or distributor websites. Our consumables and accessories are available through the same channels as our grills.

 

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Over the last several years, we have made significant investments in our supply chain and manufacturing operations. We have developed an efficient and scalable supply chain that includes third party manufacturers for our grills and accessories and pellet production facilities for our wood pellets that we own or lease. We work closely with our manufacturers to evolve on design and process improvements and ensure consistent product quality across our grills and accessories. Our grills are currently manufactured in China and Vietnam, and our wood pellets are produced at facilities located in New York, Oregon, Georgia, and Texas. We have entered into manufacturing agreements covering the supply of substantially all of our grills and accessories, pursuant to which we make purchases on a purchase order basis. We rely on several third-party suppliers for the components used in our grills, including integrated circuits, processors, and system on chips.

Our financial results have reflected our rapid growth. Our revenue grew at a CAGR of 28% from 2017 to 2020, and reached $545.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, up from $363.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, which represents revenue growth of 50.2% from 2019 to 2020. Our net income was $31.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, compared to a net loss of $29.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. Our Adjusted EBITDA reached $116.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, up from $54.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. Our revenue increased by 107.0% for the three months ended March 31, 2021 as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2020, and reached $235.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, up from $113.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. Our net income was $38.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, compared to $7.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. Our Adjusted EBITDA reached $64.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, up from $28.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. For a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, information about why we consider Adjusted EBITDA useful and a discussion of the material risks and limitations of this measure, please see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

Key Factors Affecting Our Performance

We believe that our financial condition and results of operations have been, and will continue to be, affected by a number of factors, including those described below and in the section titled “Risk Factors” included elsewhere in this prospectus.

Ability to Attract and Retain Customers and Increase Customer Engagement

Sustaining our growth will require us to continue to attract and retain new customers. We are still in the early stages of growth in our markets, and believe that we can significantly grow our customer base and number of installed grills. For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, we estimate that our household penetration in the United States was approximately 3% and 2%, respectively. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, we had 2.0 million and 1.5 million installed grills, respectively. We calculate our installed base as the number of grills purchased in the prior five years, which represents the average grill replacement cycle. Increasing our number of installed grills would also have a positive effect on our ability to generate recurring revenue from our consumables, such as our wood pellets. We have strategically invested in and developed, and expect to continue to invest significant amounts on our marketing initiatives to build and maintain our strong brand, achieve broad education and awareness of wood pellet grills and the related cooking methods and techniques, acquire new customers, and drive consumers to our retailers. We have also invested and expect to continue to invest in growing our teams of sales representatives to keep pace with increased demand, expand our relationships with brick-and-mortar and online retailers, and grow our revenue.

Our growth will also depend on our continued ability to retain existing customers and maintain customer loyalty and satisfaction with our products, including our consumables. We measure customer engagement using a variety of metrics and data sources, and believe that engagement is a leading indicator of customer satisfaction and retention. We believe that word-of-mouth referrals from friends and family are an important component of

 

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our marketing strategy, and we must continue to provide an experience that our customers and fellow Traegerhood members believe is authentic. These efforts require significant investments in marketing and content, and we expect to continue to invest in these aspects of our business in order to grow our revenue and reinforce our brand. The extent to which we are successful in these efforts is expected to have a significant impact on our results of operations. To increase affordability and expand our addressable market, we offer attractive third-party financing programs for qualified customers.

Customer Economics

Our compelling customer economic model benefits from (i) a profitable first sale, (ii) a strong attachment rate for our consumable products, including wood pellets, rubs, and sauces, and (iii) a faster, innovation-driven replacement cycle:

 

   

Profitable First Sale: When we acquire a Traeger owner, the adjusted gross profit earned on the initial sale of our grill and accessories more than offsets our sales and marketing investment. For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, our Traeger owner acquisition cost, which we calculate as sales and marketing expense less depreciation and amortization expense, was $113 and $131 per Traeger owner added in such periods, respectively.

 

   

Strong Consumable Attachment Rate: After the initial sale of our grill and accessories, Traeger owners can also purchase our consumable products on a regular or as-needed basis, increasing customer engagement with our brand. A survey we conducted in November 2020 indicated that 96% of Traeger owners purchased Traeger wood pellets in the last year. We plan to expand the accessibility of our wood pellets and other consumables through new distribution and easy DTC purchase experiences.

 

   

Faster, Innovation-Driven Replacement Cycle: We believe Traeger owners value our innovative, premium product offering and, as a result, upgrade to our newest, most advanced products faster than owners of conventional grills. We estimate that owners of wood pellet grills replace their grills 44% faster than owners of gas grills on average. Furthermore, based on a survey we commissioned in 2017, approximately 90% of Traeger owners indicated that they planned to buy a wood pellet grill again as their next grill.

We believe our compelling customer economic model provides for attractive initial and recurring profitability, which we expect to expand through product innovation and increasing customer engagement.

Product Mix

We offer a wide variety of outdoor wood pellet grills, consumables, and accessories. These products are sold at different prices, are made of different materials and involve varying levels of manufacturing complexity and cost. In any particular period, changes in the volume of particular products sold and the prices of those products relative to other products will impact our average selling price and our cost of revenue. In addition to the impacts attributable to general product mix across our grills, consumables, and accessories, our results of operations are impacted by the relative margins of products sold within each product category. For example, we have historically been able to realize higher sales and margins when we sell larger grills compared to our smaller or portable grills. We also have noted that our premium offerings realize higher sales and margins compared to our entry-level offerings. As we continue to introduce new products at varying price points to compete with grills and other cooking devices across a wide range of prices, our overall gross margins may vary from period to period as a result of changes in product mix and different margins for our higher and lower price point offerings. We may choose to introduce new products with initially lower gross margins with the expectation that those margins will improve over time as we improve the efficiency of our supply chain and manufacturing processes for those products. In addition, our product mix and our gross margins may be impacted by our marketing decisions in a particular period, as well as the rebates and incentives that we may extend to our customers in a particular period. For the year ended December 31, 2020, our grills, consumables, and accessories generated $391.0 million,

 

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$120.2 million, and $34.5 million, respectively, representing 71.7%, 22.0%, and 6.3% of our total revenue, respectively. For the three months ended March 31, 2021, our grills, consumables, and accessories generated $178.7 million, $40.8 million, and $16.1 million, respectively, representing 75.9%, 17.3%, and 6.8% of our total revenue, respectively.

Sales Channel Mix

We sell our grills using an omnichannel distribution strategy that consists primarily of retail and DTC channels and relies heavily on our content-rich website and customer engagement. Within our retail channel, we primarily rely on brick-and-mortar retailers to sell our grills to their end customers and have developed a strong network of retailers in the United States. For the year ended December 31, 2020, our three largest retailers accounted for 20%, 18%, and 16% of our revenue, respectively, with no other customer accounting for greater than 10% of our revenue for the year. For the three months ended March 31, 2021, our three largest retailers accounted for 24%, 23%, and 16% of our revenue, respectively, with no other customer accounting for greater than 10% of our revenue for the period. To improve and expand our network and compete more effectively, we regularly monitor and assess the performance of our retailers and evaluate locations and geographic coverage in order to identify potential market opportunities. We work with retailers to coordinate in-store demonstrations and events, and to install in-store fixtures and displays, which requires significant investment and time. We also sell grills through e-commerce platforms and multichannel retailers through our retail channel. In addition, we sell our products through our DTC channel, which includes our website and Traeger app. We have made investments in our website, online store, Traeger app, and distribution and fulfillment capabilities, and have experienced strong growth in DTC sales. Gross margin on sales through our DTC channel is generally higher than gross margin on sales through our retail channel. If our DTC sales grow faster than sales in our retail channel, we would expect a favorable impact to overall gross margin over time. For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, our DTC channel generated revenue of $40.0 million and $31.0 million, respectively, representing approximately 7% and 9% of our revenue, respectively. For the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, our DTC channel generated revenue of $5.7 million and $5.4 million, respectively, representing approximately 2% and 5% of our revenue, respectively.

New Product Development and Innovation

Our growth also depends on our ability to develop new products and technological enhancements that meet the demands of existing and new consumers. Developing and introducing new grills and features that deliver improved performance and convenience are important to improving the value of our brand and customer experience. By introducing new grills and products, we are able to appeal to a new and broader range of customers and focus on underserved or untapped markets within the outdoor cooking market. We expect to continue to introduce and evolve on our products, including through new technologies, such as our WiFIRE and Traeger app, as well as through broader assortments of wood pellet flavors, rubs, sauces, and accessories. In order to do this, we will need to continue to invest in research and development, and will need to successfully manage product transitions to avoid delays in customer purchases, excess or obsolete inventory, and increased returns as customers wait for our new products to become available. For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, research and development expense was $6.8 million and $5.0 million, respectively. For the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, research and development expense was $2.0 million and $1.1 million, respectively.

Ability to Manage Costs and Inventory

Our results of operations are affected by our ability to manage our manufacturing and supply costs effectively and to respond to changing sales cycles. Our product costs vary based on the costs of supplies and raw materials, as well as the arrangements with our manufacturing contractors and labor costs. For example, costs associated with the components used in our grills, including integrated circuits, processors and system on chips, as well as raw material costs, including the cost of steel, aluminum and timber, have a significant impact on our

 

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cost of revenue. The costs of these items have historically varied significantly and have been affected by changes in supply and demand and general business conditions. In particular, the costs of integrated circuits, processors and system on chips have increased in recent years. We seek to mitigate the effects of increases in these costs by broadening our supplier base and exploring options for substitution or secondary sourcing without sacrificing quality. We have long-standing relationships with some of our key suppliers and maintain certain fixed-price contracts and contracts with prices determined based on the current index price. For our purchase orders of materials and components, the prices of such items are based on market rates when the orders become effective. Prices for spot market purchases are negotiated on a continuous basis in line with the market at the time. We have not entered into hedges with respect to our raw material costs at this time, but we may choose to enter into such hedges in the future.

We have implemented various initiatives to reduce our cost base and improve the efficiency of our supply chain and manufacturing processes. We rely on several third party manufacturers for our grills and continuously monitor, review and work with our manufacturers to identify potential improvements and create additional efficiencies. We currently operate seven wood pellet production facilities and strategically utilize third-party producers, which can increase our cost of revenue, during periods of increased demand. We rely on our insights into the market gleaned from inventory levels, industry reports about anticipated demand for our products, and our own estimates and assumptions in formulating our manufacturing plans and product orders for future periods.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to our results and measures of performance determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we believe that certain non-GAAP financial measures are useful in evaluating and comparing our financial and operational performance over multiple periods, identifying trends affecting our business, formulating business plans and making strategic decisions.

Each of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income is a key performance measure that our management uses to assess our financial performance and is also used for internal planning and forecasting purposes. We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors and other interested parties in analyzing our financial performance because it provides a comparable overview of our operations across historical periods. In addition, we believe that providing each of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income, together with a reconciliation of net income (loss) to each such measure, helps investors make comparisons between our company and other companies that may have different capital structures, different tax rates, and/or different forms of employee compensation. For example, due to finite-lived intangible assets included on our balance sheet following our corporate reorganization in 2017, we have significant non-cash amortization expense attributable to the nature of our capital structure.

Each of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income is used by our management team as an additional measure of our performance for purposes of business decision-making, including managing expenditures, and evaluating potential acquisitions. Period-to-period comparisons of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income help our management identify additional trends in our financial results that may not be shown solely by period-to-period comparisons of net income or income from continuing operations. In addition, we may use Adjusted EBITDA in the incentive compensation programs applicable to some of our employees. Each of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income has inherent limitations because of the excluded items, and may not be directly comparable to similarly titled metrics used by other companies.

We calculate Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) adjusted to exclude interest expense, provision for income taxes, depreciation and amortization, equity-based compensation, other (income) expense, non-routine legal expenses and offering related expenses. Other (income) expense are gains (losses) on disposal of property, plant and equipment, impairments of long-term assets, and unrealized gains (losses) from derivatives. Non-routine legal expenses are primarily external legal expenses for litigation, patent and trademark defense, and legal costs related to an acquisition or offering. Offering related expenses are primarily for legal and consulting costs incurred in connection with our initial public offering process. Adjusted EBITDA Margin represents Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenue. Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin should be viewed as measures of operating performance that are supplements to, and not substitutes for, operating income

 

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or loss, net earnings or loss and other U.S. GAAP measures of income (loss). The following table presents a reconciliation of net income (loss), the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP, to Adjusted EBITDA on a consolidated basis.

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,
    Year Ended
December 31,
 
     2021     2020     2020     2019  
     (dollars in thousands)  

Net income (loss)

   $ 38,929     $ 7,919     $ 31,602     $ (29,593
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted to exclude the following:

      

Provision for income taxes

     724       31       749       124  

Other (income) expense

     3,348       517       (5,947     84  

Interest expense

     7,812       9,185       34,073       39,462  

Depreciation and amortization

     10,699       9,828       40,968       39,157  

Equity-based compensation

     956       614       12,810       2,352  

Non-routine legal expenses

     1,242       542       1,820       2,836  

Offering related expenses

     369       —         —         —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 64,079     $ 28,636     $ 116,075     $ 54,422  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Revenue

   $ 235,573     $ 113,783     $ 545,772     $ 363,319  

Net income (loss) as a percentage of revenue

     16.5     7.0     5.8     (8.1 %) 

Adjusted EBITDA Margin

     27.2     25.2     21.3     15.0
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

We calculate Adjusted Net Income as net income (loss) adjusted to exclude equity-based compensation, other (income) expense, non-routine legal expenses and offering related expenses. Adjusted Net Income should be viewed as a measure of operating performance that is a supplement to, and not a substitute for, operating income or loss, net earnings or loss and other U.S. GAAP measures of income (loss). The following table presents a reconciliation of net income (loss), the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP, to Adjusted Net Income on a consolidated basis.

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,
     Year Ended
December 31,
 
     2021      2020      2020      2019  
     (in thousands)  

Net income (loss)

   $ 38,929      $ 7,919      $ 31,602      $ (29,593

Adjusted to exclude the following:

           

Other (income) expense

     3,348        517        (5,947      84  

Equity-based compensation

     956        614        12,810        2,352  

Non-routine legal expenses

     1,242        542        1,820        2,836  

Offering related expenses

     369        —          —          —    

Tax impact of adjusting items

     —          —          —          —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Adjusted Net Income

   $ 33,014      $ 6,246      $ 22,919      $ (24,321
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Impact of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused various elements of disruption to economies, businesses, markets and communities around the globe. In the interest of public health, many governments closed physical stores and business locations deemed to be non-essential, which drove higher unemployment levels and resulted in the closure of certain businesses. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a variety of impacts to the businesses of our retailers and suppliers, as well as customer behavior and discretionary spending. Although we cannot predict when the United States and global economy will fully recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, we believe that our

 

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business is well positioned to attract new customers, capitalize on existing and growing trends in our industry and benefit from the revival of the economy and discretionary spending. Nevertheless, we do not have certainty that a full economic recovery will happen in the near future, and it is possible that the prolonging of the COVID-19 pandemic could have certain adverse effects on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Furthermore, our growth in the past year may obscure the extent to which seasonality and other trends have affected our business and may continue to affect our business. For more information regarding the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, refer to “Risk Factors—Risks Related to our Business—The COVID-19 pandemic could adversely affect certain aspects of our business and negatively impact ability to access capital in the future.”

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we quickly developed a plan of action that focused first on the health and safety of our employees. In March 2020, we implemented a work-from-home policy and began to establish safety measures at our wood pellet production facilities. Next, we took immediate action to protect our liquidity. These actions included reductions in discretionary spending and capital expenditures, a temporary hiring freeze, employee furloughs, and a reduction in our inventory purchase plan. At the end of the first quarter of 2020, we drew down the available capacity under our revolving credit facility to increase cash to sustain our operations. We also focused on business continuity across our value chain and operations, and made strategic pivots and reprioritized key initiatives to focus on our immediate response to the COVID-19 pandemic and maintain a nimble approach to our long-term strategy as we continued to monitor the situation. We have started to return a portion of our remote workforce to physical locations. We do not believe remote operations or our cost reduction initiatives have significantly impacted the productivity of our workforce or operations, or resulted in meaningful disruption to our sales activities or ongoing revenue generation.

The sale of our grills, consumables and accessories experienced considerable growth following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic as people invested in recreational activities based around the home during periods of quarantine and limited public activities. At the beginning of the second quarter of 2020 as the impact of governmental pandemic-related measures on business activity took hold, we experienced sustained demand for our products as many of our specialty and hardware retailers were deemed essential by state and local governments and thus remained open to customers. In addition, consumer purchase behavior shifted to online retail, including our own website, which offset the impact of select store closures and stay-at-home orders. As the second quarter of 2020 progressed, we began experiencing significant demand across our distribution channels as customer interest in our products increased, retail stores began to reopen and online retail continued to benefit from favorable shifts in consumer purchase behavior. This strong demand continued throughout the second half of 2020, and we believe that this was a primary driver of our revenue growth during 2020. Together with the increased demand for our products, we experienced higher costs and supply chain delays as a result of restrictions or disruptions of transportation as a result of the pandemic. Late in the first quarter of 2020, we reduced inventory purchase orders as a precautionary measure against the unknown impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy and our business and to improve financial flexibility. These actions, coupled with the overall strong demand during 2020, ultimately contributed to lower than expected inventory levels throughout the second half of 2020 and, in turn, resulted in inventory constraints in the second half of 2020 continuing into early 2021.

Components of Results of Operations

Revenue

We derive substantially all of our revenue from the sale of grills, consumables, and accessories in North America, which includes the United States and Canada. We recognize revenue, net of product returns, for our grills, consumables, and accessories generally at the time of delivery to retailers through our retail channel and to customers through our DTC channel. Estimated product returns are recorded as a reduction of revenue at the time of recognition and are calculated based on product returns history, observable changes in return behavior, and expected returns based on sales volume and mix. We also have certain contractual programs that can give rise to elements of variable consideration, such as volume incentive rebates, with estimated amounts of credits recorded as a reduction to revenue.

 

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Although we experience demand for our products throughout the year, we believe there can be certain seasonal fluctuations in our revenue. We have typically experienced moderately higher levels of sales of our grills in the first and second quarters of the year as our retailers purchase inventory in advance of warmer weather, when demand for outdoor cooking products is the highest across our key markets. Higher sales also coincide with social events and national holidays, which occur during the same warm weather timeframe.

Gross Profit

Gross profit reflects revenue less cost of revenue. Cost of revenue consists of product costs, including the costs of components, costs of products from our third-party manufacturers, direct and indirect manufacturing costs across all products, packaging, inbound freight and duties, warehousing and fulfillment, warranty costs, product quality testing and inspection costs, excess and obsolete inventory write-downs, cloud-hosting costs for our WiFIRE connected grills, depreciation of tooling and manufacturing equipment, amortization of internal use software and patented technology, and certain employee-related expenses.

We calculate gross margin as gross profit divided by revenue. Gross margin can be impacted by several factors, including, in particular, product mix and sales channel mix. For example, gross margin on sales through our DTC channel is generally higher than gross margin on sales through our retail channel. If our DTC sales grow faster than sales from our retail channel, and if we are able to realize greater economies of scale or product cost improvements through engineering and sourcing, we would expect a favorable impact to overall gross margin over time. Additionally, gross margin on sales of certain of our products is higher than for others. If revenue from sales of wood pellets increased as a percentage of total revenue, we would expect to see an increase in overall gross margin. These favorable anticipated gross margin impacts may not be realized, or may be offset by other unfavorable gross margin factors. Additionally, any new products that we develop, or our planned expansion into new geographies, may impact our future gross margin. External factors beyond our control, such as duties and tariffs and costs of doing business in certain geographies can also impact gross margin.

Sales and Marketing

Sales and marketing expense consists primarily of the costs associated with advertising and marketing of our products and employee-related expenses, including salaries, benefits, and equity-based compensation expense, as well as sales incentives and professional services. These costs can include print, internet and television advertising, travel-related expenses, direct customer acquisition costs, costs related to conferences and events, and broker commissions. We expect our sales and marketing expense to increase on an absolute dollar basis for the foreseeable future as we continue to increase the scope of outreach to potential new customers to drive our revenue growth. We also anticipate that sales and marketing expense as a percentage of revenue will fluctuate from period to period based on revenue for such period and the timing of the expansion of our sales and marketing functions, as these activities may vary in scope and scale over future periods.

General and Administrative

General and administrative expense consists primarily of employee-related expenses and facilities for our executive, finance, accounting, legal, human resources, information technology and other administrative functions. General and administrative expense also includes fees for professional services, such as external legal, accounting, and information and technology services, and insurance.

In addition, general and administrative expense includes research and development expenses incurred to develop and improve our future products and processes, which primarily consist of employee and facilities-related expenses, including salaries, benefits and equity-based compensation expense, as well as fees for professional services, costs related to prototype tooling and materials, and software platform costs. Research and development expense was $6.8 million and $5.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and was $2.0 million and $1.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

 

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We expect general and administrative expense, including our research and development expenses and external legal and accounting expenses, to increase on an absolute dollar basis for the foreseeable future as we continue to increase investments to support our growth and develop new and enhance existing products and interactive software. We also anticipate increased administrative and compliance costs as a result of becoming a public company. We anticipate that general and administrative expense as a percentage of revenue will vary from period to period, but we expect to leverage these expenses over time as we grow our revenue.

Amortization of Intangible Assets

Amortization of intangible assets primarily consists of amortization of identified finite-lived customer relationship and trademark assets that were allocated a considerable portion of the purchase price from the corporate reorganization and acquisition of our business in 2017. These costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over 17 to 25 year useful lives and, as a result, amortization expense on these assets is expected to remain stable over the coming years. Future business acquisitions may result in incremental amortization of intangible assets acquired in any such transactions.

Total Other Income (Expense), Net

Total other income (expense), net consists of interest expense and other income (expense). Interest expense includes interest and other fees associated with our credit facilities and receivables financing agreement. Other income (expense) also consists of any gains (losses) on the sale of long-lived assets and from the foreign currency contracts that we use to manage our exposure to foreign currency exchange rate risk related to our purchases and international operations.

 

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Results of Operations

The following tables summarize key components of our results of operations for the periods presented. The period-to-period comparisons of our historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected in the future.

 

    Three Months Ended
March 31,
    Change     Year Ended
December 31,
    Change  
    2021     2020     Amount     %     2020     2019     Amount     %  
    (unaudited)                          
    (dollars in thousands)  

Revenue

  $ 235,573     $ 113,783     $ 121,790       107.0   $ 545,772     $ 363,319     $ 182,453       50.2

Cost of revenue

    134,943       62,028       72,914       117.6     310,408       207,539       102,869       49.6
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

    100,631      
51,755
 
    48,876       94.4     235,364       155,780       79,584       51.1

Operating expense:

               

Sales and marketing

    30,851       16,718       14,133       84.5     93,690       66,921       26,769       40.0

General and administrative

    13,556       9,004       4,552       50.6     50,243       45,304       4,939       10.9

Amortization of intangible assets

    8,301       8,131       170       2.1     32,533       33,100       (567     (1.7 %) 
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

    52,708       33,853       18,855       55.7     176,466       145,325       31,141       21.4
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income from operations

    47,923       17,902       30,021       167.7     58,898       10,455       48,443       463.3

Other income (expense), net:

               

Interest expense

    (7,812     (9,185     (1,682     (14.9 %)      (34,073     (39,462     5,389       13.7

Other income (expense)

    (458     (767     (309     (40.3 %)      7,526       (462     7,988       n.m.  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other income (expense), net

    (8,270     (9,952     (1,682     (16.9 %)      (26,547     (39,924     13,377       33.5

Income (loss) before provision for income taxes

    39,653       7,950       31,703       398.8     32,351       (29,469     61,820       209.8

Provision for income taxes

    724       31       693       2,235.5     749       124       625            504.0
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

  $ 38,929     $ 7,919     $ 31,010       391.6   $ 31,602     $ (29,593   $ 61,195       206.8
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Comparison of the Three Months Ended March 31, 2021 and 2020

Revenue

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,
     Change  
     2021      2020      Amount      %  
     (dollars in thousands)  

Revenue:

  

Grills

   $ 178,655      $ 83,175      $ 95,480        114.8

Consumables

     40,813        23,793        17,019        71.5

Accessories

     16,105        6,815        9,290        136.3
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Revenue

   $ 235,573      $ 113,783      $ 121,790        107.0
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Revenue increased by $121.8 million, or 107.0%, to $235.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 compared to $113.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. This increase was driven by strong demand for our grills, consumables, and accessories.

 

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Revenue from our grills grew $95.5 million, or 114.8%, to $178.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 compared to $83.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. This increase was driven by higher unit volume compared to the prior period.

Revenue from our consumables grew $17.0 million, or 71.5%, to $40.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 compared to $23.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. This increase was driven by repeating sales of wood pellets and other consumables from our installed base of grills, as well as increased unit volume associated with the expansion of our installed base of grills.

Revenue from our accessories grew $9.3 million, or 136.3%, to $16.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 compared to $6.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. This increase was driven by increased unit volume associated with the higher volume of grills sold.

Gross Profit

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,
    Change  
     2021     2020     Amount      %  
     (dollars in thousands)  

Gross profit

   $ 100,631     $ 51,755     $ 48,876        94.4

Gross margin (Gross profit as a percentage of revenue)

     42.7     45.5     

Gross profit increased $48.9 million, or 94.4%, to $100.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 compared to $51.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. Gross margin as a percentage of revenue decreased to 42.7% for the three months ended March 31, 2021 from 45.5% for the three months ended March 31, 2020. The decrease in gross margin was driven by increased shipping costs, appreciation of the Chinese Renminbi relative to the U.S. Dollar, and an increase in our use of contract manufacturing for the production of wood pellets, as we added third-party production to meet increased demand.

Sales and Marketing

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,
    Change  
     2021     2020     Amount      %  
     (dollars in thousands)  

Sales and marketing

   $ 30,851     $ 16,718     $ 14,133        84.5

As a percentage of revenue

     13.1     14.7     

Sales and marketing expense increased $14.1 million, or 84.5%, to $30.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 compared to $16.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. As a percentage of revenue, sales and marketing expense decreased to 13.1% for the three months ended March 31, 2021 from 14.7% for the three months ended March 31, 2020. The increase in sales and marketing expense was driven by a $5.4 million increase in advertising costs to drive customer awareness, demand, and conversion, a $2.5 million increase in commission expense as sales increased and brand ambassadors performed a higher number of roadshows, a $2.1 million increase in personnel-related expenses associated with an increase in headcount in our marketing, customer experience, and sale functions, and a $2.0 million increase in professional services primarily related to third-party customer service support.

 

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General and Administrative

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,
    Change  
     2021     2020     Amount      %  
     (dollars in thousands)  

General and administrative

   $ 13,556     $ 9,004     $ 4,552        50.6

As a percentage of revenue

     5.8     7.9     

General and administrative expense increased $4.5 million, or 50.6%, to $13.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 compared to $9.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. As a percentage of revenue, general and administrative expense decreased to 5.8% for the three months ended March 31, 2021 from 7.9% for the three months ended March 31, 2020. The increase in general and administrative expense was driven by a $1.3 million increase in personnel-related expenses associated with investments to build a team to support our current and future growth, a $1.0 million increase in professional services, and a $1.2 million increase in legal services.

Amortization of Intangible Assets

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,
    Change  
     2021     2020     Amount      %  
     (dollars in thousands)  

Amortization of intangible assets

   $ 8,301     $ 8,131     $ 170        2.1

As a percentage of revenue

     3.5     7.1     

Amortization of intangible assets, substantially attributable to the 2017 acquisition of the Company, increased $0.2 million, or 2.1%, to $8.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 compared to $8.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020.

Other Expense, Net

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,
    Change  
     2021     2020     Amount      %  
     (dollars in thousands)  

Interest expense

   $ (7,812   $ (9,185   $ (1,373      (14.9 )% 

Other expense

   $ (458   $ (767   $ (309      (40.3 )% 
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total other expense, net

   $ (8,270   $ (9,952   $ (1,682      (16.9 )% 

As a percentage of revenue

     3.5     8.7     

Total other expense, net decreased $1.7 million, or 16.9%, to $8.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 compared to $10.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. This decrease was due primarily to a lower applicable interest rate on our first lien term loan and lower interest rate expense from our revolving line of credit. In 2020, we increased borrowings under our revolving credit facility as we sought to preserve liquidity during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

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Comparison of the Years Ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

Revenue

 

     Year Ended December 31,      Change  
     2020      2019      Amount      %  
     (dollars in thousands)  

Revenue:

  

Grills

   $ 391,047      $ 268,227      $ 122,820        45.8

Consumables

     120,247        72,118        48,129        66.7

Accessories

     34,478        22,974        11,504        50.1
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Revenue

   $ 545,772      $ 363,319      $ 182,453        50.2
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Revenue increased by $182.5 million, or 50.2%, to $545.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to $363.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. This increase was driven by an acceleration of demand for our grills, consumables and accessories during the last three quarters of 2020 in part due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic as people invested in recreational activities based around the home. A majority of the increase was generated from sales through our retail channel, which followed strong sell through of our products at retail stores that we attribute, in part, to the growing awareness of our brand and products.

Revenue from our grills grew $122.8 million, or 45.8%, to $391.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to $268.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. This increase was driven by higher unit volume compared to the prior year.

Revenue from our consumables grew $48.1 million, or 66.7%, to $120.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to $72.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. This increase was driven by repeating sales of wood pellets and other consumables from our installed base of grills, as well as increased unit volume associated with the expansion of our installed base of grills.

Revenue from our accessories grew $11.5 million, or 50.1%, to $34.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to $23.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. This increase was a driven by increased unit volume associated with the higher volume of grills sold.

Gross Profit

 

     Year Ended December 31,     Change  
     2020     2019     Amount      %  
     (dollars in thousands)  

Gross profit

   $ 235,364     $ 155,780     $ 79,584        51.1

Gross margin (Gross profit as a percentage of revenue)

     43.1     42.9     

Gross profit increased $79.6 million, or 51.1%, to $235.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to $155.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. Gross margin as a percentage of revenue increased to 43.1% for the year ended December 31, 2020 from 42.9% for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase in gross margin was driven by a favorable sales channel mix as we experienced increased DTC sales, potentially caused by shifts in consumer preferences for online shopping due to the COVID-19 pandemic, improved operating leverage and lower warranty expense. The increase in gross margin was offset in part by increased shipping costs, appreciation of the Chinese Renminbi relative to the U.S. Dollar, and increased cloud-hosting costs resulting from an increase in our number of WiFIRE connected grills and connected customers. In

 

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addition, gross margin was adversely impacted by an increase in our use of contract manufacturing for the production of wood pellets, as we added third-party production to meet increased demand in 2020.

Sales and Marketing

 

     Year Ended December 31,     Change  
     2020      2019     Amount      %  
     (dollars in thousands)  

Sales and marketing

   $ 93,690      $ 66,921     $ 26,769        40.0

As a percentage of revenue

     17.2      18.4     

Sales and marketing expense increased $26.8 million, or 40.0%, to $93.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to $66.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. As a percentage of revenue, sales and marketing expense decreased to 17.2% for the year ended December 31, 2020 from 18.4% for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase in sales and marketing expense was driven by a $15.5 million increase in advertising costs to drive customer awareness, demand, and conversion, a $6.8 million increase in professional services primarily related to third-party customer service support, a $4.6 million increase in personnel-related expenses associated with an increase in headcount in our marketing, customer experience, and sales functions and investment to build a team to support our current and future growth, and a $2.2 million increase in equity-based compensation to sales and marketing oriented employees due to a change in management’s probability assessment relating to the vesting of the ordinary performance units in 2020. These increases were offset in part by a $4.8 million decrease in travel-related expenses due to reduced travel during the COVID-19 pandemic.

General and Administrative

 

     Year Ended December 31,     Change  
     2020      2019     Amount      %  
     (dollars in thousands)  

General and administrative

   $ 50,243      $ 45,304     $ 4,939        10.9

As a percentage of revenue

     9.2      12.5     

General and administrative expense increased $4.9 million, or 10.9%, to $50.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to $45.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. As a percentage of revenue, general and administrative expense decreased to 9.2% for the year ended December 31, 2020 from 12.5% for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase in general and administrative expense was driven by a $8.1 million increase in equity-based compensation to general and administrative employees, primarily due to a change in management’s probability assessment relating to the vesting of the ordinary performance units in 2020, as well as a $1.8 million increase in personnel-related expenses associated with investments to build a team to support our current and future growth. These increases were offset in part by a $3.4 million decrease in professional and legal services and a decrease of $1.6 million in other administrative and travel-related expenses.

Amortization of Intangible Assets

 

     Year Ended December 31,     Change  
     2020      2019     Amount      %  
     (dollars in thousands)  

Amortization of intangible assets

   $ 32,533      $ 33,100     ($ 567      (1.7 )% 

As a percentage of revenue

     6.0      9.1     

Amortization of intangible assets, substantially attributable to the 2017 acquisition of the Company, decreased $0.6 million, or 1.7%, to $32.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to $33.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2019.

 

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Other Income (Expense), Net

 

     Year Ended December 31,     Change  
     2020     2019     Amount      %  
     (dollars in thousands)  

Interest expense

   $ (34,073   $ (39,462   $ 5,389        13.7

Other income (expense)

   $ 7,526     $ (462   $ 7,988        n.m.  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total other income (expense), net

   $ (26,547   $ (39,924   $ 13,377        33.5

As a percentage of revenue

     4.9     11.0     

Total other expense, net decreased $13.4 million, or 33.5%, to $26.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to $39.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. This decrease was due in part to an increase of $7.6 million in other income from gains recognized on foreign currency contracts. Interest expense decreased $5.4 million as a result of a lower applicable interest rate on our first lien term loan, which decrease was offset in part by an increase in borrowings under our revolving credit facility in 2020 as we sought to preserve liquidity during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Quarterly Results of Operations

The following table sets forth our unaudited quarterly consolidated statements of operations data for each of the nine quarters ended March 31, 2021. In our opinion, the unaudited consolidated statements of operations data set forth below has been prepared on a basis consistent with our audited consolidated financial statements and contain all adjustments, consisting only of normal and recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair statement of such financial statements. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected in the future, and results for any quarter are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for a full year or any other period. The following quarterly financial data should be read in conjunction with our financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

    Three Months Ended  
    March 31,
2021
    Dec. 31,
2020
    Sept. 30,
2020
    June 30,
2020
    March 31,
2020
    Dec. 31,
2019
    Sept. 30,
2019
    June 30,
2019
    March 31,
2019
 
    (in thousands)  

Revenue

  $ 235,573     $ 133,727     $ 145,072     $ 153,190     $ 113,783     $ 74,738     $ 73,180     $ 119,196     $ 96,205  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cost of revenue

    134,942       82,584       79,294       86,502       62,028       43,499       41,714       66,914       55,412  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

    100,631       51,143       65,778       66,688       51,755       31,239       31,466       52,282       40,793  

Operating expense:

                 

Sales and marketing

    30,851       29,353       26,635       20,984       16,718       16,921       17,563       19,134       13,303  

General and administrative

    13,556       14,606       17,327       9,306       9,004       14,059       10,670       10,475       10,100  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Amortization of intangible assets

    8,301       8,135       8,135       8,132       8,131       8,274       8,273       8,274       8,279  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

    52,708       52,094       52,097       38,422       33,853       39,254       36,506       37,883       31,682  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income from operations

    47,923       (951     13,681       28,266       17,902       (8,015     (5,040     14,399       9,111  

Other income (expense), net:

                 

Interest expense

    (7,812     (7,764     (8,061     (9,063     (9,185     (9,101     (9,734     (10,297     (10,330
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Other income (expense)

    (458     5,480       2,647       166       (767     1,364       (1,399     (1,381     954  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other income (expense), net

    (8,270     (2,284     (5,414     (8,897     (9,952     (7,737     (11,133     (11,678     (9,376

Income (loss) before provision for income taxes

    39,653       (3,235     8,267       19,369       (7,950     (15,752     (16,173     2,721       (265
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Provision for income taxes

    724       52       150       516       31       124       —         —         —    
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

  $ 38,929     $ (3,287   $ 8,117     $ 18,853     $ 7,919     $ (15,876   $ (16,173   $ 2,721     $ (265
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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Adjusted EBITDA

The following table presents a reconciliation of net income (loss), the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP, to Adjusted EBITDA on a consolidated basis. For information about why we consider Adjusted EBITDA useful and a discussion of the material risks and limitations of this measure, please see “—Non-GAAP Measures.”

 

     Three Months Ended  
     March 31,
2021
     Dec. 31,
2020
    Sept. 30,
2020
    June 30,
2020
    March 31,
2020
     Dec. 31,
2019
    Sept. 30,
2019
    June 30,
2019
     March 31,
2019
 
     (in thousands)  
Net income (loss)    $ 38,929      $ (3,287   $ 8,117     $ 18,853     $ 7,919      $ (15,876   $ (16,173   $ 2,721      $ (265
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Adjusted to exclude the following:

                     

Provision for income taxes

     724        52       150       516       31        124       —         —          —    

Other (income) expense

     3,348        (3,789     (2,324     (351     517        (1,055     1,148       1,105        (1,114

Interest expense

     7,812        7,764       8,061       9,063       9,185        9,101       9,734       10,297        10,330  

Depreciation and amortization

     10,699        10,574       10,447       10,119       9,828        9,982       9,798       9,777        9,600  

Equity-based compensation

     956        1,751       9,805       640       614        574       555       617        606  

Non-routine legal expenses

     1,242        741       103       434       542        1,614       1,170       52        —    

Offering related expenses

     369        —         —         —         —          —         —         —          —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA

     64,079        13,806       34,359       39,274       28,636        4,464       6,232       24,569        19,157  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Historically, our cash requirements have principally been for working capital purposes, capital expenditures, and debt service payments. We have funded our operations through cash flows from operating activities, cash on hand, and borrowings under our revolving credit facility. In November 2020, we entered into a receivables financing agreement, which provided an additional financing option to address our working capital requirements.

Our future working capital requirements will depend on many factors, including our rate of revenue growth and profitability, the timing and size of future acquisitions, and the timing of introductions of new products and investments in our supply chain and implementation of technologies.

As of March 31, 2021, we had cash and cash equivalents of $17.1 million, $67.0 million of available borrowing capacity under our revolving credit facility, and $45.0 million of available borrowing capacity under our receivables financing agreement. On a pro forma basis, after giving effect to the Refinancing and this offering (including the application of net proceeds received by us in this offering), our total principal amount of indebtedness outstanding would have been approximately $379.2 million under our New First Lien Term Loan Facility as of March 31, 2021. In addition, we would have had up to $125.0 million of available borrowing capacity under our New Revolving Credit Facility and $100.0 million of available borrowing capacity under our receivables financing agreement. As of the date hereof, we have drawn down $2.0 million on our receivables financing agreement for general corporate and working capital purposes. We believe that our existing cash and cash equivalents, availability under our revolving credit facility and receivables financing agreement, and our cash flows from operating activities will be sufficient to fund our working capital requirements and planned capital expenditures, and to service our debt obligations, for at least the next 12 months. We may from time to time seek to raise additional equity or debt financing to support our growth or in connection with the acquisition of complementary businesses. Any equity financing we may undertake could be dilutive to our existing

 

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stockholders, and any additional debt financing we may undertake could require debt service and financial and operational requirements that could adversely affect our business. There is no assurance we would be able to obtain future financing on acceptable terms or at all. In particular, the widespread COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in, and may continue to result in, significant disruption of global financial markets, reducing our ability to access capital.

In light of the large number of RSUs subject to the Chief Executive Officer Award and the RSUs subject to the IPO RSUs that have been granted in connection with this offering, we anticipate that we will incur substantial stock-based compensation expenses and may expend substantial funds to satisfy tax withholding and remittance obligations related to these RSUs. For example, the grant date fair value of the PSU CEO Awards and the Time-Based RSU CEO Awards is estimated to be $80.6 million, which we estimate will be recognized as compensation expense over a weighted average period of 4.87 years, though could be earlier if the stock price goals are achieved earlier than we estimated. We expect the stock-based compensation expense relating to these awards to adversely impact our future financial results.

In addition, in connection with the completion of this offering, based on an assumed initial public offering price of $17.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, we estimate that we will incur aggregate equity compensation expense of approximately $43.9 million as a result of the acceleration of vesting of the unvested Class B unit awards issued by the Partnership.

Cash Flows

The following table sets forth cash flow data for the periods indicated therein:

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,
     Year Ended
December 31,
 
     2021      2020      2020      2019  
    

(in thousands)

 

Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities

   $ (26,544    $ (11,524    $ 46,597      $ 18,486  

Net cash used in investing activities

     (4,975      (2,891      (27,341      (8,997

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

     37,064        50,015        (14,777      (9,260
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

   $ 5,545      $ 35,599      $ 4,479      $ 229  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Cash Flow from Operating Activities

During the three months ended March 31, 2021, net cash used in operating activities consisted of net income of $38.9 million and net non-cash adjustments to net income of $15.8 million, offset by net changes in operating assets and liabilities of $81.6 million. Non-cash adjustments consisted of depreciation of property, plant, and equipment of $2.2 million, amortization of intangible assets of $8.5 million, equity-based compensation of $1.0 million, and unrealized gains on foreign currency contracts of $3.3 million. The decrease in net cash from net changes in operating assets and liabilities during the three months ended March 31, 2021 was primarily due to an increase in accounts receivable of $99.3 million and an increase in inventories of $6.7 million, offset in part by an increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses of $26.5 million.

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, net cash used in operating activities consisted of net income of $7.9 million and net non-cash adjustments to net income of $11.6 million, offset by net changes in operating assets and liabilities of $31.0 million. Non-cash adjustments consisted of depreciation of property, plant, and equipment of $1.5 million, amortization of intangible assets of $8.3 million, equity-based compensation of $0.6 million, and unrealized gains on foreign currency contracts of $0.5 million. The decrease in net cash from net changes in operating assets and liabilities during the three months ended March 31, 2020 was primarily due to an increase in accounts receivable of $31.1 million and an increase in inventories of $7.4 million, offset in part by an increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses of $7.4 million.

 

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During the year ended December 31, 2020, net cash provided by operating activities consisted of net income of $31.6 million and net non-cash adjustments to net income of $50.6 million, offset by net changes in operating assets and liabilities of $35.6 million. Non-cash adjustments consisted of depreciation of property, plant, and equipment of $7.8 million, amortization of intangible assets of $33.2 million, equity-based compensation of $12.8 million, and unrealized gains on foreign currency contracts of $6.1 million. The decrease in net cash from net changes in operating assets and liabilities during the year ended December 31, 2020 was primarily due to an increase in accounts receivable of $30.2 million and an increase in inventories of $29.5 million, offset in part by an increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses of $28.4 million.

During the year ended December 31, 2019, net cash provided by operating activities consisted of a net loss of $29.6 million, net non-cash adjustments to net loss of $44.4 million, and an increase in net cash from net changes in operating assets and liabilities of $3.7 million. Non-cash adjustments consisted of depreciation of property, plant, and equipment of $6.1 million, amortization of intangible assets of $33.1 million, and equity-based compensation of $2.4 million. The increase in net cash from the net changes in operating assets and liabilities during the year ended December 31, 2019 was primarily due to an increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses of $17.1 million, offset in part by an increase in accounts receivable of $8.5 million and an increase in inventories of $5.0 million.

Cash Flow from Investing Activities

During the three months ended March 31, 2021, net cash used in investing activities was $5.0 million. The cash flow used was driven by the purchase of property, plant, and equipment of $4.9 million primarily related to the purchase of tooling equipment, the purchase of wood pellet production equipment, and internal-use software and website developments costs.

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, net cash used in investing activities was $2.9 million. The cash flow used was driven by the purchase of property, plant, and equipment of $2.5 million primarily related to internal-use software and website developments costs.

During the year ended December 31, 2020, net cash used in investing activities was $27.3 million. The cash flow used was driven by the purchase of property, plant, and equipment of $14.1 million primarily related to the purchase of wood pellet production equipment, tooling, and internal-use software and website developments costs. In addition, the cash used was driven by the acquisition of subsidiaries of $13.2 million related to the purchase of a wood pellet production facility and the purchase of intangible assets associated with the termination of distributor relationships.

During the year ended December 31, 2019, net cash used in investing activities was $9.0 million. The cash flow used was driven by the purchase of property, plant and equipment of $7.5 million primarily related to the purchase of tooling and internal-use software and website development costs.

Cash Flow from Financing Activities

During the three months ended March 31, 2021, net cash provided by financing activities was $37.1 million. The cash flow provided was driven primarily by net proceeds from our line of credit of $38.0 million partially offset by principal repayments under our first lien term loan of $0.9 million.

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, net cash provided by financing activities was $50.0 million. The cash flow provided was driven primarily by net proceeds from our line of credit of $51.0 million partially offset by principal repayments under our first lien term loan of $0.9 million.

During the year ended December 31, 2020, net cash used in financing activities was $14.8 million. The cash flow used was driven primarily by net repayments during the year of $10.0 million related to our revolving line of credit and principal repayments under our first lien term loan of $3.4 million.

 

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During the year ended December 31, 2019, net cash used in financing activities was $9.3 million. The cash flow used was driven primarily by net repayments during the year of $5.5 million related to our revolving of credit and $3.4 million of principal repayments under our first lien term loan.

Credit Facilities

On September 25, 2017, we entered into (i) a first lien credit agreement with various lenders, or the First Lien Credit Agreement and (ii) a second lien credit agreement with various lenders, or the Second Lien Credit Agreement and together with the First Lien Credit Agreement, the Credit Agreements. On June 29, 2021, we refinanced our existing Credit Facilities and entered into a new first lien credit agreement, or the New First Lien Credit Agreement. The New First Lien Credit Agreement provides for a senior secured term loan facility, or the New First Lien Term Loan Facility, and a revolving credit facility, or the New Revolving Credit Facility and, together with the New First Lien Term Loan Facility, the New Credit Facilities. On June 29, 2021, we used a portion of the proceeds from the New First Lien Term Loan Facility to repay all amounts outstanding under our existing First Lien Term Loan Facility and Second Lien Term Loan Facility. These transactions are collectively referred to herein as the Refinancing.

First Lien Credit Agreement

The First Lien Credit Agreement, as amended, provided for a $340.7 million senior secured term loan facility, or the First Lien Term Loan Facility, and a $67.0 million secured asset-based revolving credit facility, or the Revolving Credit Facility.

The First Lien Term Loan Facility, as amended, accrued interest at a rate per annum that considered both fixed and floating components. The fixed component ranged from 3.75% to 4.25% per annum based on our most recently determined First Lien Net Leverage Ratio (as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement). The floating component was based on LIBOR for the relevant interest period, subject to a minimum LIBOR rate of 1.00%. As of March 31, 2021, the total principal amount outstanding on the First Lien Term Loan Facility was $330.5 million. The weighted average interest rate on the First Lien Term Loan Facility was 5.50% and 6.73% for each of 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Loans under the Revolving Credit Facility, as amended, accrued interest at a rate per annum that considered both fixed and floating components. The fixed component ranged from 3.75% to 4.25% per annum based on our most recently determined First Lien Net Leverage Ratio (as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement). As of March 31, 2021, there was no outstanding principal balance under the Revolving Credit Facility.

Second Lien Credit Agreement

The Second Lien Credit Agreement provided for a $115.0 million senior secured term loan facility, or the Second Lien Term Loan Facility, which together with the First Lien Credit Facilities are referred to as the Credit Facilities. The Second Lien Term Loan Facility accrued interest at a rate per annum that considered both fixed and floating components. The fixed component was 8.5% per annum. The floating component was based on LIBOR for the relevant interest period, subject to a minimum LIBOR rate of 1.00%. The weighted average interest rate on the Second Lien Term Loan Facility was 9.92% and 11.04% for each of the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.

New First Lien Credit Agreement

On June 29, 2021, we entered into a new first lien credit facility, or the New First Lien Credit Facility. The New First Lien Credit Facility provides for a $560.0 million New First Lien Term Loan Facility (including a $50.0 million delayed draw term loan) and a $125.0 million New Revolving Credit Facility.

 

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The New First Lien Term Loan Facility accrues interest at a rate per annum that considers both fixed and floating components. The fixed component ranges from 3.00% to 3.50% per annum based on the consummation of a Qualifying Public Offering and our Public Debt Rating (each as defined in the New First Lien Credit Agreement). The floating component is based on the Eurocurrency Base Rate (as defined in the New First Lien Credit Agreement) for the relevant interest period. The First Lien Term Loan Facility requires quarterly principal payments from December 2021 through June 2028, with any remaining unpaid principal and any accrued and unpaid interest due on the maturity date of June 29, 2028. The delayed draw term loan includes a variable commitment fee, which is based on the fixed interest rate and ranges from 0% to the Applicable Rate (as defined in the New First Lien Credit Agreement). As of the date of this prospectus, the total principal amount outstanding on the New First Lien Term Loan Facility was $510.0 million.

Loans under the New Revolving Credit Facility, as amended, accrue interest at a rate per annum that considers both fixed and floating components. The fixed component ranges from 2.75% to 3.50% per annum based on the consummation of a Qualifying Public Offering and our most recently determined First Lien Net Leverage Ratio (as defined in the New First Lien Credit Agreement). The floating component is based on the Eurocurrency Base Rate for the relevant interest period. The New Revolving Credit Facility also has a variable commitment fee, which is based on our most recently determined First Lien Net Leverage Ratio and ranges from 0.250% to 0.500% per annum on undrawn amounts. Letters of credit may be issued under the New Revolving Credit Facility in an amount not to exceed $15.0 million which, when issued, lower the overall borrowing capacity of the facility. The Revolving Credit Facility expires on June 29, 2026 and no principal payments are due before such date. As of the date of this prospectus, there was no outstanding principal balance under the New Revolving Credit Facility.

Except as noted below, the Credit Facilities are collateralized by substantially all of the assets of TGP Holdings III LLC, TGPX Holdings II LLC, Traeger Pellet Grills Holdings LLC and certain subsidiaries of Traeger Pellet Grills Holdings LLC, including intellectual property and the equity interests along with the equity interest of each of these respective entities (other than TGPX Holdings II LLC). The assets of Traeger SPE LLC, substantively consisting of our accounts receivable, collateralize the receivables financing agreement discussed below and do not collateralize the Credit Facilities. There are no guarantees from parent entities above TGPX Holdings II LLC.

The agreements contain certain affirmative and negative covenants that limit our ability to, among other things, incur additional indebtedness or liens (with certain exceptions), make certain investments, engage in fundamental changes or transactions including changes of control, transfer or dispose of certain assets, make restricted payments (including dividends), engage in new lines of business, make certain prepayments and engage in certain affiliate transactions. In addition, we are subject to a springing financial covenant whereby we are required to maintain a First Lien Net Leverage Ratio (as defined in the New First Lien Credit Agreement) not to exceed 6.20 to 1.00. As of March 31, 2021, we were in compliance with the covenants under the prior Credit Facilities.

Accounts Receivable Credit Facility

On November 2, 2020, we entered into a receivables financing agreement, as amended, or the Receivables Financing Agreement. Pursuant to the Receivables Financing Agreement, we participate in a trade receivables securitization program administered by MUFG Bank Ltd. Through this arrangement, we have secured short-term capital requirements financing using outstanding accounts receivable balances as collateral, which have been contributed by us to a wholly owned subsidiary, Traeger SPE LLC. As a special purpose entity, or SPE, Traeger SPE LLC has been structured such that its assets (substantively the accounts receivable contributed by us to the SPE) are outside the reach of other creditors, including the lenders under our First Lien Credit Agreement and Second Lien Credit Agreement. While we provide services to the SPE through continuing involvement in the aspects of collection and cash application of the receivables, the receivables are owned by the SPE once contributed to it by us. We are the primary beneficiary and hold all equity interests of the SPE, thus we consolidate the SPE without any significant judgments.

 

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On June 29, 2021, we entered into Amendment No. 1 to the Receivables Financing Agreement and increased the net borrowing capacity from the prior range of $30.0 million to $45.0 million up to $100.0 million. As of the date hereof, we are eligible to borrow $100.0 million under this facility. Absent any cash advances that exceed the SPE’s available cash, the SPE collects proceeds from the receivables and transfers available cash to us on a regular basis. We are required to pay an annual upfront fee for the facility, along with interest on outstanding cash advances of approximately 1.7%, and an unused capacity charge that ranges from 0.25% to 0.5%. The facility is set to terminate on September 25, 2022.

As of March 31, 2021, we had drawn down $38.0 million under this facility. As of the date hereof, we have drawn down $8.0 million under this facility for general corporate and working capital purposes.

Contractual Obligations.

The following table summarizes our contractual cash obligations as of December 31, 2020. This table does not include information on our recurring purchases of finished products or materials for use in production, as our inventory purchase contracts do not require fixed or minimum quantities.

 

     Payments by period  
     Total      < 1 Year      1 - 3 Years      3 - 5 years      > 5 Years  
     (in thousands)  

Notes payable—principal payments(1)

   $ 446,355    $ 3,407    $ 6,815      $ 436,133      $ —    

Interest on notes payable(2)

     112,531      27,429        54,346        30,756        —    

Operating leases(3)

     60,061      4,547        7,289        9,744        38,481  

Capital leases

     903      335        500        68        —    

Other purchase obligations(4)

     7,447        3,488        3,959        —          —    

Unused credit facility payments(5)

     756      433        323        —          —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total contractual obligations

   $ 628,053    $ 39,639    $ 73,232      $ 476,701      $ 38,481  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1)

Represents borrowings under our prior Credit Facilities as of December 31, 2020. See “—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Credit Facilities.” On June 29, 2021 we refinanced our existing Credit Facilities and entered into the New First Lien Credit Agreement and repaid all amounts outstanding under our existing First Lien Term Loan Facility and Second Lien Term Loan Facility, including an outstanding principal balance of $445.5 million and accrued and unpaid interest of $6.9 million. The New First Lien Term Loan Facility accrues interest at a rate per annum that considers both fixed (ranges from 3.00% to 3.50% per annum based on the consummation of a Qualifying Public Offering and our Public Debt Rating (each as defined in the New First Lien Credit Agreement)) and floating components (based on the Eurocurrency Base Rate (as defined in the New First Lien Credit Agreement) for the relevant interest period). The First Lien Term Loan Facility requires quarterly principal payments from December 2021 through June 2028, with any remaining unpaid principal and any accrued and unpaid interest due on the maturity date of June 29, 2028. As of the date of this prospectus, the total principal amount outstanding on the New First Lien Term Loan Facility was $510.0 million.

(2)

Relates to estimated future interest payments for borrowings under our prior Credit Facilities.

(3)

Operating lease obligations relate to our office space (including a new headquarters, currently under construction) and warehouses. The lease terms are between one and sixteen years, and the majority of the lease agreements are renewable at the end of the lease period.

(4)

We have entered into noncancellable commitments primarily related to our cloud-hosting costs, software licenses, and other professional fees.

(5)

We were required to pay a commitment fee of 0.375% as of December 31, 2020 based on the unused portion of our revolving line of credit under the prior First Lien Credit Agreement, and a commitment fee of 0.5% based on the unused portion of the accounts receivable credit facility. Pursuant to the terms of the New First Lien Credit Agreement, the New Revolving Credit Facility has a variable commitment fee, which is based on our most recently determined First Lien Net Leverage Ratio and ranges from 0.250% to 0.500%. In addition, on June 29, 2021, we entered into an amendment to our Receivables Financing Agreement, pursuant to which we increased the net borrowing capacity to $100.0 million.

Refer to Note 10 and Note 13 to our financial statements and notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus for a discussion of our debt and operating lease obligations, respectively.

 

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Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We do not have nor do we enter into off-balance sheet arrangements that had, or which are reasonably likely to have, a material effect on our financial condition, revenues or expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources.

Critical Accounting Policies

Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The preparation of our financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect certain reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period.

While our significant accounting policies are described in further detail in Note 2 in our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus, we believe that the following critical accounting policies reflect our more significant judgments and estimates used that management believes are particularly important in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements and that require the use of estimates, assumptions and judgments to determine matters that are inherently uncertain.

Revenue Recognition

As discussed in the “Recently Adopted Accounting Standards” section in Note 2 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, we adopted the new revenue recognition standard, ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, at the beginning of 2019.

We determine revenue recognition through the following steps in accordance with ASC 606:

 

   

identification of the contract, or contracts, with a customer;

 

   

identification of the performance obligations in the contract;

 

   

determination of the transaction price;

 

   

allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and

 

   

recognition of revenue when, or as, we satisfy a performance obligation.

We derive substantially all of our revenue from the sale of grills, consumables, and accessories as well as associated shipping charges billed to customers. We recognize revenue at the amount to which we expect to be entitled when a contract exists with a customer that specifies the goods and services to be provided at an agreed upon sales price and when the performance obligation is satisfied when control of the products or services is transferred to our customers. The performance obligation for most of our sales transactions are considered complete when control transfers, which is determined when products are shipped or delivered to the customer depending on the terms of the contract. Sales are made on normal and customary short-term credit terms or upon delivery of point-of-sale transactions.

Shipping charges billed to customers are included in net sales and related shipping costs are included in cost of sales. We elected to account for shipping and handling activities performed after control has been transferred to the customer as a fulfillment cost.

We enter into contractual arrangements with customers in the form of individual customer orders which specify the goods, quantity, pricing, and associated order terms. We do not have long-term contracts that are satisfied over time. Due to the nature of the contracts, no significant judgment exists in relation to the identification of the customer contract or satisfaction of the performance obligation. We expense incremental costs of obtaining a contract due to the short-term nature of the contracts.

 

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We have various contractual programs and practices with customers that give rise to elements of variable consideration such as customer cooperative advertising and volume incentive rebates. We estimate the variable consideration using the most likely amount method based on sales and contractual rates with each customer and record the estimated amount of credits for these programs as a reduction to revenue. Actual credits and their impact on reported revenue could differ from our estimates and could materially affect our results of operations.

We have entered into contracts with some customers that allow for credits to be claimed for certain matters of operational compliance or for returns to the retail customer from its end consumers. Estimates of the credits that will be issued associated with these items are estimated using the expected value method and are based on actual historical experience and are recorded as a reduction of revenue at the time of recognition or when circumstances change resulting in a change in estimated returns. Actual credits and their respective impacts on reported revenue could differ from our estimates and could materially affect our results of operations.

Warranty Costs

We generally provide our customers with a three-year limited warranty on residential model pellet grills and a one-year warranty on accessories for defects in material and workmanship under normal use and maintenance. Warranty liabilities are recorded on the basis of grills and accessories sold and reflect our estimate of warranty related costs expected to be incurred during the respective unexpired warranty periods. Our estimates of warranty costs are based on historical as well as current product replacement and related delivery costs incurred and warranty policies. New product launches require a greater use of judgment in developing estimates until historical experience becomes available.

If actual product replacement rates or deliver costs differ from our estimates, revisions to the estimated warranty liabilities recognized would be required and could materially affect our results of operations.

Valuation of Goodwill and Acquired Intangible Assets

Intangible Assets

Finite-lived intangible assets are initially recorded at fair value and presented net of accumulated amortization. Intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives. We are currently amortizing acquired intangible assets, including customer relationships, business trademarks, patented technology, and other intangible assets over periods ranging between 7 years and 25 years. These assets were recognized in the purchase price allocation when we underwent a corporate restructuring and acquisition in 2017. We assess the impairment of intangible assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable.

An impairment loss on intangible assets exists when the estimated undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset and its eventual disposition are less than its carrying amount. If the carrying amount exceeds the sum of the undiscounted cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized based on the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the estimated fair value of the assets.

Goodwill

Goodwill represents the excess of consideration transferred over the fair value of tangible and identifiable intangible net assets acquired and the liabilities assumed in a business combination. Substantively all of our goodwill was recognized in the purchase price allocation when we were acquired in 2017 in connection with our corporate restructuring, with incremental amounts recognized in subsequent business combinations. Goodwill is not amortized, but is subject to an annual impairment test. In conducting our annual impairment test, we first review qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is

 

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less than its carrying amount. If factors indicate that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, we perform a quantitative assessment, analyzing the expected present value of future cash flows to quantify the amount of impairment, if any. We review goodwill for impairment annually during the fourth quarter of each fiscal year or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that an impairment may exist. We performed qualitative assessments of goodwill and determined based on the economic conditions and industry and market considerations, that it was more likely than not that the fair value of goodwill was greater than its carrying value, therefore the quantitative impairment test was not performed. Therefore, no impairment of goodwill was recorded for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

If actual results differ from our estimates and assumptions, an impairment charge of goodwill could occur, which could materially affect our results of operations.

Incentive Units

We record equity-based compensation expense related to Class B incentive units awards issued by TGP Holdings LP, our parent company, consistent with the compensation expense associated with the holder of the incentive units. The units granted by TGP Holdings LP have been issued for services performed on behalf of us. Therefore, the expense associated with these awards is pushed down to us.

The incentive unit grants are measured for expensing purposes at the grant date based on the fair value of the award. The incentive unit grants consist of time-based vesting units, ordinary performance vesting units, and extraordinary performance vesting units. Fair value of the time-based units, which have no performance measurement, is expensed according to the defined vesting schedule, which is typically for four years of service. Fair value of the performance-based units is expensed over the requisite service period based on the probability of us achieving the performance target, and such assessments are made no less frequently than quarterly. Fair value of the extraordinary performance units is expensed upon the achievement of an established return to the investors upon an exit event taking place that monetizes TGP Holdings LP equity holders, or if a change of control in the company occurs.

Determining the fair value of incentive unit awards on the grant date requires judgment. The estimated grant date fair values of the incentive unit awards granted during 2020 and 2019 were derived using option pricing models. The assumptions used in these option-pricing models requires the input of subjective assumptions and are as follows:

 

     For the year ended
December 31,
     2020    2019

Volatility

   50.3% - 69.0%    40.0%

Risk-free rate

   0.2% - 0.7%    2.1%

Dividend yield

   None    None

Marketability discount

   18.6% - 23.9%    15%

Expected term in years

   3    4

 

   

Volatility – The expected volatility is estimated based on the volatilities using a weighted peer group of companies that are deemed to be similar to us.

 

   

Risk-free rate – We base the risk-free rate on yields for U.S. Treasury securities for a period approximating the expected term.

 

   

Dividend yield – We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the near future and therefore use an expected dividend yield of zero.

 

   

Marketability discount – The Finnerty model and the Asian Protective Put Model methods were used to estimate the discount for lack of marketability inherent to the awards.

 

   

Expected term in years – Due to a lack of historical information, we develop the estimate based on the investment time horizon expectation of the investors.

 

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The determination of incentive unit expense is inherently uncertain and subjective and involves the application of valuation models and assumptions requiring the use of judgment. If factors change and different assumptions are used, the amounts recognized for incentive unit expense could be materially different and affect our results of operations.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

For information regarding recent accounting pronouncements, see Note 2 to our financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus.

We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act, and we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies.” We may take advantage of these exemptions until we are no longer an “emerging growth company.” Section 107 of the JOBS Act provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period afforded by the JOBS Act for the implementation of new or revised accounting standards. We have elected to use the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards and as a result of this election, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with public company effective dates.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

We are exposed to market risk in the ordinary course of business. Market risk represents the risk of loss that may impact our financial position due to adverse changes in financial market prices and rates. Our market risk exposure is primarily a result of fluctuations in interest rates, foreign currency exchange risk, and commodity price risk. We do not hold or issue financial instruments for speculative or trading purposes.

Interest Rate Risk

We had cash and cash equivalents of $17.1 and $42.7 million as of March 31, 2021 and 2020. We hold cash and cash equivalents for working capital purposes. We do not have material exposure to market risk with respect to investments. We had $445.5 million and $443.8 million of outstanding debt as of March 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Certain amounts under our Credit Facilities accrue interest at a floating interest rate. Based on the outstanding balance of the Credit Facilities as of March 31, 2021, for every 100 basis point increase in the interest rates, we would incur approximately $4.5 million of additional annual interest expense. We currently do not hedge interest rate exposure. We may in the future hedge our interest rate exposure and may use swaps, caps, collars, structured collars or other common derivative financial instruments to reduce interest rate risk. It is difficult to predict the effect that future hedging activities would have on our operating results.

Foreign Currency Exchange Risk

We have foreign currency risks related to certain of our foreign subsidiaries, primarily in Europe and China. The operating expenses of these subsidiaries are recorded in the currency of the countries where these subsidiaries are located, which is primarily Euros and Chinese Renminbi. However, we believe that the exposure to foreign currency fluctuation from operating expenses is relatively minor at this time as the related costs do not constitute a significant portion of our total expenses.

In addition, our manufacturers and suppliers may incur costs, including labor costs, in other currencies. To the extent that exchange rates move unfavorably for our manufacturers and suppliers, they may seek to pass these additional costs on to us, which could have a material impact on our gross margin. In addition, a strengthening of the U.S. Dollar may increase the cost of our products to our customers outside of the United States. Our results of operations and cash flows are, therefore, subject to fluctuations due to changes in foreign currency exchange rates.

 

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Our primary foreign currency exchange risk relates to the purchase of inventory from manufacturers denominated in Chinese Renminbi. We utilize foreign currency contracts to manage foreign currency risk in purchasing inventory and capital equipment, and future settlement of foreign denominated assets and liabilities. The volume of our foreign currency contract activity is limited by the amount of transaction exposure in each foreign currency and our election as to whether to hedge the respective transactions. We had outstanding foreign currency contracts as of March 31, 2021 and 2020, but did not elect hedge accounting for any of these contracts. All outstanding contracts are with the same counterparty and thus the fair market value of the contracts in an asset position are offset by the fair market value of the contracts in a liability position to reach a net position. For periods where the net position is an asset balance, the balance is recorded within prepaid expenses and other current assets on our consolidated balance sheet and for periods where the net position is a liability balance, the balance is recorded within derivative liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet. Changes in the net fair value of contracts are recorded in other income (expense), net in the consolidated statements of operations. At March 31, 2021 and 2020, the net asset fair value of our foreign currency contract positions was $2.9 million and $(0.3) million, respectively. Gains from these foreign currency contract positions were $0.8 million and $0.2 million for the years ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. At March 31, 2021, a 10% favorable or unfavorable exchange rate movement in the Chinese Renminbi in our portfolio of foreign currency contracts would have resulted in an incremental unrealized gain of approximately $9.5 million or loss of approximately $7.8 million, respectively.

We do not utilize foreign currency contracts for speculative purposes. There can be no assurance that our hedging arrangements or other foreign exchange rate risk-management practices, if any, will eliminate or substantially reduce risks associated with our exposure to fluctuating foreign exchange rates.

Commodity Price Risk

We are exposed to commodity price fluctuations primarily as a result of the cost of steel that is used by our manufacturers. For example, steel is the primary raw material used in manufacturing of our grills. Under our current agreements with our primary contract manufacturers, we have the ability to periodically fix the cost of our grills so that the manufacturers bear the risk of steel price fluctuation for a period of time. During such periods, increases in the price of steel would not impact our costs. However, our business can be affected by sustained dramatic movements in steel prices.

 

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A Note from Jeremy Andrus, CEO of Traeger

An S-1 is a “disclosure document,” as my partners in this endeavor often remind me. I believe this S-1 is also an invitation to join a community we call “the Traegerhood.” I want to tell you why I joined this community and how it changes people’s lives, including my own.

When Traeger came across my desk in 2013, I didn’t recognize why it was extraordinary. I thought grills were commoditized slabs of metal. Honestly, I couldn’t remember which grill brand sat on my deck. On a research trip to The Home Depot, I saw rows and stacks of grills that seemed indistinguishable from one another. Did consumers care which grill they cooked on?

I like companies that compete based on their product experience, innovation, and brand. I didn’t think wood pellet grills—a category I had never heard of—could possibly be for me.

A few months later, the private equity firm that had brought Traeger to my attention insisted I take another look. They shared Traeger’s net promoter score, a measure of how likely people are to recommend the brand to friends and family. It was much higher than I expected. That passion for Traeger didn’t square with my assumption that grills were interchangeable. I needed to meet some customers.

I said to the first customer, “Tell me about your experience with Traeger.” He responded, “My Traeger changed my life.” Little did I know that hundreds of Traeger owners, from all walks of life, would tell me those exact words in the years to come. By the end of the interviews, I felt like I was speaking to members of a cult, not owners of a cooking device.

There was something powerful about Traeger that I couldn’t explain but couldn’t ignore. A grill that changes people’s lives. How was that possible? Unsure of the answer but eager to find it, I joined Traeger and became its CEO in 2014.

My family and I began to live the Traeger lifestyle, and it changed our lives too. In my home, the chef had always been Kristin, my wife, who for the last eight years has taught people to cook on live TV. Kristin did the grilling, not me. I thought I was an awful cook.

But when I started using our Traeger, I gained confidence and began to take pride in my cooking. Kristin and I began to share the responsibility and joy of crafting meals for our family and friends. I felt like a better cook, but more importantly, I felt like a better husband and father.

On Mother’s Day this year, I Traegered for our extended family. They didn’t just eat the food—they raved about it. While I would love to take credit for that Mother’s Day meal (and I did), the truth is that the Traeger wood pellet grill made me look—and feel—like a barbecue hero. That is part of how Traeger changes lives. It empowers people to nourish and delight their loved ones.

Until very recently, food was a communal experience. We hunted and gathered together. We cooked for each other. We bonded over meals and around fires. We honored the divine and sacred with food. Even today, the people we love are the people we eat with most often. Traegering in the backyard with friends and family is a way of rediscovering our own nature.

Perhaps that primal quality is what makes our community so authentic and passionate. Truly, the Traegerhood continues to blow my mind and fill me with gratitude.

Buying a Traeger is more like joining a brotherhood and sisterhood than purchasing a grill. Our community members share their experiences, celebrate successes, mentor novices, and gather in person. When we say our mission is to “bring people together to create a more flavorful world,” our product and technology are just the enablers. Our community fulfills that mission.

 

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During the pandemic, I have especially felt the impact of this community. It was difficult for us all to be isolated at home, in our COVID pods, unable to see friends, family, and coworkers safely. During that time, Traegering became a source of solace. Online, the Traegerhood stepped up to the unusual moment, mustering the love and inspiration many of us needed.

The team here at Traeger also stepped up to this unusual moment. They are the unsung heroes of the Traegerhood. Nothing we accomplished over the past seven years would have been possible without their commitment to our vision and their willingness to journey far beyond their comfort zones.

Life at Traeger is not for the faint of heart. We don’t hold employees by the hand. Instead, we toss them into the deep end of the pool (metaphorically). We ask employees to take on challenges they have never encountered or solved before. I believe that is the secret to engaging employees and helping them find meaning in their work. Once someone has been tossed into the deep end, there is no going back to a work culture that lets people trade hours in a chair for income.

I am forever grateful that the Traeger team joined this adventure and took ownership over the outcome. There was no guarantee of success. Without the team, you would not be reading this disclosure document.

Traeger’s community and team are everything to me. That’s why I want to make a promise right now: going public doesn’t change who we are and what is sacred to us. We believe in doing the right thing for our community. We will not solve for short-term appearances. We will build for the long-term at a pace that makes sense. We will win by putting experience first. We will continue to embrace and live our values and empower others to live them too. We will continue to be irreverent in ways that other brands cannot or dare not be.

The Traegerhood predates our current management team. It is not owned by this company but co-owned by everyone who Traegers. As I invite you to join us as a shareholder, I do so on behalf of, and at the pleasure of, our community.

We are early in this journey. Investing in Traeger means pioneering the belief that a cooking experience can change people’s lives by changing their relationship with food, family, community, and their own humanity.

On behalf of my team and the Traegerhood, welcome. We’re glad you’re here.

Sincerely,

 

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Jeremy Andrus, CEO of Traeger

 

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BUSINESS

Welcome to the Traegerhood

Our mission is to bring people together to create a more flavorful world.

Traeger is the creator and category leader of the wood pellet grill, an outdoor cooking system that ignites all-natural hardwoods to grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and barbeque. Our Traeger grills are versatile and easy to use, empowering cooks of all skillsets to create delicious meals with a wood-fired flavor that cannot be replicated with gas, charcoal, or electric grills.

At the heart of our brand is a passionate and engaged community called the Traegerhood, which includes everyone from casual grillers to competition pitmasters and professional chefs. Our flagship wood pellet grills are internet of things, or IoT, devices that allow owners to program, monitor, and control their grill through our Traeger app, which is used on more than 1.6 million mobile devices per month. We complement our innovative cooking technologies with a digital library of approximately 1,600 original recipes and Traeger Kitchen Live cooking classes, which receive over 144,000 weekly views. In addition, we offer consumable products, such as wood pellets, rubs, and sauces, that drive recurring revenue.

Leveraging our authentic brand and the Traegerhood, we have established an omnichannel distribution strategy led by retailers ranging from Ace Hardware and The Home Depot to Wayfair and Williams Sonoma. We complement this retail channel with direct to consumer sales through our website and Traeger app. We believe this accessibility has fueled our growth, as we have increased our revenue from $262.1 million in 2017 to $545.8 million in 2020, representing a compound annual growth rate, or CAGR, of 28%.

Today, we estimate that 60% of U.S. households own a grill, representing a total addressable market of approximately 75 million households in the United States. With approximately 2.0 million Traegers sold in the United States from 2016 to 2020, we estimate that our U.S. household penetration is only 3% of this total addressable market. As a result, we believe our potential market opportunity is massive and that our ability to grow within and beyond the outdoor grill market is unrivaled. We see opportunities to expand our integrated, connected cooking platform with new types of technologies and experiences. Together with the Traegerhood, we are disrupting home cooking.

 

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The Traeger

Before we invented the Traeger, the age-old practice of cooking with wood could be challenging. It was difficult to ignite the wood, maintain consistent temperatures, and create the right amount of smoke for flavoring.

 

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With the advent of cooking methods such as electricity and gas, wood-fired cooking was, for a time, relegated to barbecue pitmasters and high-end restaurants. Nevertheless, cooking with wood can simply make food taste better. If done correctly, wood offers distinct flavors, and different types of woods can be used independently or in combination to introduce flavors that we believe are otherwise difficult to create.

The Traeger simplifies the process of cooking with wood and empowers everyone from a casual griller to a professional chef to create delicious meals that we believe cannot be replicated with gas-, electric- or charcoal-based cooking systems. Our grills use an auger to feed natural hardwood pellets into a fire pot, where they are ignited by a hot rod to create consistent heat and flavorful smoke. A fan stokes the fire and creates convection, which is key to the versatility of our grills. The Traeger monitors the temperature and adjusts the auger and fan to maintain consistent cooking conditions. All of this is accomplished by pressing a button and setting a temperature. We believe our wood pellet grills offer the following advantages:

 

   

Taste: Hardwood smoke can make beef, pork, poultry, seafood, vegetables, and baked goods taste delicious. Wood-fired cooking suits numerous eating styles and diets including paleo, ketogenic, gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan.

 

   

Versatility: The Traeger is able to grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and barbecue. Culinary traditions from around the world are represented in the Traeger recipe collection.

 

   

Ease of Use: Connected Traegers can be programmed via smartphone to accomplish multi-hour cook cycles with minimal supervision. Thanks to this accessible user experience, even new Traeger owners can cook recipes ranging from barbecue ribs, Moroccan ground meat kebabs, and teriyaki-glazed cod to wood-fired pizza, focaccia bread, and chocolate chip cookies to smoked guacamole, blistered curry cauliflower, and pasta salad.

 

   

Consistency: By automatically monitoring and maintaining the set temperature, the Traeger cooks food with minimal supervision, creating consistent results each session.

 

   

Community: The Traeger brings friends, family, and neighbors together for memorable meals. These elevated experiences motivate the Traegerhood to support members with recipe ideas, photos, and tips.

Based on a survey we commissioned in 2017, owners of a Traeger and at least one other grill overwhelmingly preferred their Traeger in a head-to-head comparison against gas and charcoal grills, and approximately 90% of Traeger owners indicated that they planned to buy a wood pellet grill again as their next grill. We believe the Traeger outcompetes other outdoor cooking solutions because it creates mouth-watering results and transforms cooking from a chore into an enjoyable and cherished experience. Our grill owners proudly call it “Traegering.”

A Passionate Community

Everyone loves to eat. The Traeger teaches people to love cooking too. We strive to make our grill owners the heroes of their backyard gatherings with friends and family. Together, we carry on the ancient tradition of cooking food over a wood fire.

Members of the Traegerhood use their grill frequently and advocate passionately for our brand. Data from our cloud-connected grills suggest the average owner cooked 56 times on their Traeger in 2020. In a survey involving 235 Traeger owners, 80% of these customers responded that they have recommended Traeger to an average of six people. Our surveys also suggest that 80% of Traeger owners engage with the brand, whether by visiting our website (69%), talking about us with friends and family (56%), and/or watching our videos (47%).

Traeger has the largest social media community of any grilling brand, with 1.6 million followers across Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube as of March 15, 2021. We believe that this community brings new people to Traeger, creates solidarity within the Traegerhood, and motivates owners to use their grills more often. In 2020,

 

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our social media following grew 40%, and we doubled the percentage of followers who engage with our posts by sharing, liking, replying, or commenting. Our active members seem to eat, sleep, and breathe Traeger and contributed more than 350,000 user-generated posts across Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter in 2020.

Our group of foodies, pitmasters, and backyard heroes proudly wear our branded apparel, sometimes sport Traeger tattoos, and occasionally name a child after us (that’s not an exaggeration). From moms and dads to professional athletes and their fans, from outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen to weekend warriors and world-class chefs, the Traegerhood is an inclusive and diverse community. Together, we are redefining what home cooks can accomplish with a backyard grill, and we are making outdoor cooking accessible to everyone.

Strong Financial Performance

With our premium product offering, innovative approach to home cooking, and passionate community, we are delivering exceptional financial performance:

 

   

We increased the estimated average retail equivalent price paid for our grills from approximately $678 in 2017 to $839 in 2020, representing a CAGR of 7%;

 

   

We more than doubled revenue from $262.1 million in 2017 to $545.8 million in 2020, representing a CAGR of 28%;

 

   

We increased the percentage of revenue from sales of consumables, which includes wood pellets, rubs, and sauces, from 18.1% in 2017 to 22.0% in 2020;

 

   

We grew net income from a net loss of $22.3 million in 2017 to net income of $31.6 million in 2020; and

 

   

We more than doubled Adjusted EBITDA from $54.4 million in 2019 to $116.1 million in 2020. For a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, information about why we consider Adjusted EBITDA useful and a discussion of the material risks and limitations of this measure, please see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

Our Market Opportunity

Food consumption is a fundamental part of life. In 2019, food was the third largest annual expenditure for consumers in the United States after housing and transportation according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Our ambition is to empower consumers to create memorable food with our integrated, connected home cooking platform. In the United States, the total spend on food at home, which primarily includes grocery purchases, was $1.1 trillion in 2020 and has grown at a CAGR of 4.3% since 2015 according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. On top of that, consumers in the United States spent $698 billion on food away from home in 2020.

We believe our current premium product offering, which consists of cloud-connected wood pellet grills, consumables, and grill accessories In the United States, our primary market, we estimate that the installed base of grills was nearly 100 million as of December 31, 2020, with nearly one-third of U.S. grill-owning households owning multiple grills. We estimate that grills are replaced every five years on average, and that approximately 20 million grills were purchased in the United States in 2020.

We consider our market opportunity in terms of a total addressable market in the United States, or U.S. TAM, which we believe is the market we can reach over the long-term, and a serviceable addressable market in the United States, or U.S. SAM, which we address with our current products. According to our research, our U.S. TAM is comprised of approximately 75 million households that own a grill, representing approximately 60% of households in the United States. Our U.S. SAM, which is based on internal survey analysis, includes 45 million households that value Traeger’s differentiated quality, technology, and convenience. With approximately

 

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2.0 million Traegers sold in the United States from 2016 to 2020, we estimate that we have penetrated approximately 3% and 5% of our U.S. TAM and U.S. SAM, respectively. For a discussion of the methodology used in determining our U.S. TAM and U.S. SAM, see the section titled “Industry and Market Data.”

Traeger’s U.S. Market Opportunity

 

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Based on an installed base of approximately 2.0 million Traegers sold in the United States from 2016 to 2020.

We believe we have ample opportunity to expand the number of households comprising our U.S. SAM by:

 

   

Bringing New Households to the Category: As the pioneer of the wood pellet grill, we believe we are bringing new households to the category by illustrating the benefits of wood-fired cooking.

 

   

Increasing Brand Awareness: We believe we and the Traegerhood will continue to grow our brand awareness by educating consumers about the versatility and ease of using a Traeger to create memorable food experiences.

 

   

Developing New Innovations: We will continue to invest in innovative digital cooking technologies that we believe will inspire and motivate more households to use our products and upgrade to new grills in the future.

We also currently offer products in selected markets outside the United States and plan to expand to additional markets that exhibit similar trends in outdoor cooking and grill ownership. We believe these incremental markets will meaningfully expand our total addressable market.

 

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What Sets Us Apart

Traegering is built on the radical idea that home cooking can become a universally enjoyable craft and an elevated experience when people have the right platform. We believe our owners are excited to fire up their Traegers and cook because of our disruptive approach. We believe the following competitive strengths have been instrumental to our success:

Pioneering Brand of Wood-Fired Cooking

For 34 years, Traeger has been the leading name in wood pellet grilling. We believe our differentiated cooking platform enables Traeger users to create memorable cooking experiences and allows us to cultivate a brand that we believe is:

 

   

Category defining: People talk about owning a Traeger, not a wood pellet grill, the same way people talk about owning a Peloton or a Harley-Davidson, not a connected spin bike or a motorcycle.

 

   

Aspirational: The Traeger brand represents a lifestyle, not just a grill. We believe that fans wear Traeger apparel and discuss Traegering because they want to be associated with our brand and community.

 

   

Extensible: We believe our brand equity is strong enough that consumers may follow us into other categories in the food-at-home market.

We believe these core brand attributes provide us a competitive edge. The Traeger name is a stamp of quality and signal of inclusion in the Traegerhood.

Accessible User Experience

Our wood pellet grill is an outdoor cooking device that people can set and forget while they work or play. In fact, Traeger owners control their grill from their smartphone or smartwatch using our Traeger app, which can automate entire recipes with pre-programmed cooking cycles. The seamless Traeger user experience is summarized below and creates great results for first-time cooks and seasoned chefs.

 

   

Getting Started: The Traeger plugs into an electric socket, fires up with the push of a button, and comes to temperature quickly, on par with gas grills and significantly faster than charcoal grills.

 

   

Fuel the Fire: An auger motor and fan feed the fire with the right amount of wood and circulate the heat to create convection.

 

   

Set-it & Forget-it: An automated control system maintains the set temperature so that owners don’t need to babysit their grill.

 

   

Consistent Results: Precise temperatures create consistent results versus other cooking solutions that may dry out, overcook, or scorch food in the hands of novice or intermediate cooks.

 

   

Versatility: The Traeger can grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and barbecue, giving owners the ability to create a wide variety of meals.

We believe that our innovations have made wood-fired and wood-flavored recipes accessible to and enjoyable for all Traeger owners, driving usage, engagement with our digital community, and consumption of our wood pellets, rubs, and sauces.

Integrated, Connected Home Cooking Platform

In 2014, we reinvented the original Traeger with the launch of an integrated, connected home cooking platform that simplifies and enhances the Traeger experience. The key components of this integrated platform are:

 

   

Innovative Wood Pellet Grill: We created the original wood pellet grill and have continued to innovate our grilling products over time. Our grills include precision temperature controls, built-in meat probes that allow the cook to monitor food temperatures without lifting the lid, a drip tray that helps avoid flareups, and a grease collection system that makes cleanup simple.

 

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Digital Content: We have created more than 1,600 original recipes that inspire Traeger owners to use their grill and learn new cooking skills. Members of the Traegerhood review our recipes and offer tips to help other owners select and perfect each meal. Through Traeger Kitchen TV, our weekly, live-streaming cooking classes, our community ambassadors and chefs introduce new recipes and produce video content that we can make available through our Traeger app and digital marketing channels.

 

   

Recurring Revenue Consumables: Our consumables include wood pellets, which are made from natural, virgin hardwood and are available in a variety of flavors, as well as rubs, sauces, and other food items. Our more than 1,600 recipes call for our consumables, which represent a recurring and expanding sales opportunity as our customer base grows and the number of installed grills increases.

 

   

Connected Grilling: We developed our proprietary WiFIRE technology to enable users to control and monitor their Traeger anytime, anywhere, through our proprietary Traeger app, their Apple Watch, or with voice controls via Amazon Alexa and Google Home. Owners can choose a recipe in the Traeger app and tap “Make Now” to run the recipe’s cook cycle on their connected grill. This semi-automated cooking experience takes the uncertainty out of making a new dish and delights Traeger owners.

Our integrated, connected cooking platform motivates Traeger owners to cook often, engage with our content and community, leverage our grills’ IoT capabilities, and purchase our consumables. The image below provides an overview of the engagement and flywheel effects generated through our platform.

 

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Cooking success is addictive because it leads to a sense of accomplishment and a willingness to try new recipes. Each new experiment and progression drives consumption of our wood pellets, rubs, and sauces. On the Traeger app and our website, we offer Traeger-branded products that are recommended in our recipes, and we are continuously expanding our offering to satisfy voracious and adventurous Traeger owners. We believe our integrated and connected cooking platform creates a positive user experience that drives customer satisfaction and further household penetration while producing incremental data and recurring revenue.

 

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Engaged, Vocal Advocates

Our cooking platform delights our customers; we know this because it has created a vocal and engaged community, which we call the Traegerhood. A diverse, global community, the Traegerhood is hungry to share experiences and encourage other members to try new recipes and cooking styles. We believe we have one of the most loyal and supportive fanbases and that much of our growth has come from word of mouth. Our passionate community strives to be:

 

   

Always Traegering: Data from our cloud-connected grills suggest the average owner cooked 56 times on their Traeger in 2020 – approximately once every six days – for an average cook time of 76 minutes. With our installed base, this amounts to 91 million cook cycles on Traegers last year. The Traeger is an integral part of owners’ lives. Longer cook cycles fuel pellet consumption and indicate that owners are trying longer recipes, like pulled pork, in addition to quicker, weeknight meals, like glazed salmon. Even in colder months (November to February), when many other grills are stowed away for winter, Traeger owners cook an average of four times per month. Holidays and events such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the Super Bowl are among the most popular cooking days.

 

   

Always learning: Our owners eagerly seek out new ideas to try at home. 92% of Traeger owners have used a Traeger recipe in the last year, and 74% report using a Traeger recipe one or more times in the last month. We provide access to more than 1,600 wood-fired recipes and our Traeger Kitchen Live classes attract over 144,000 views per week.

 

   

Always networking: As our installed base grows, the Traeger experience becomes more integrated, more data-driven, more inspiring, more social, and more widely known. We believe we have the highest net promoter score in our category at 69 (compared to a category average of 46) according to a survey that we conducted in March 2021. Net promoter score is a rating metric used as a measure of customer advocacy and satisfaction as well as word of mouth referrals, expressed as a numerical value up to a maximum value of 100. Our methodology of calculating net promoter score for grill owners reflects data from a March 2021 survey of approximately 4,200 consumers across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany, including 2,600 consumers and 157 recent Traeger purchasers. Net promoter score gives no weight to responses declining to answer the survey question. In the survey, we asked respondents to “Please, tell us how likely you are to recommend the following grill brands to a friend or colleague on a scale of 0 to 10, where 1 = ‘Would definitely not recommend’ and 10 = ‘Would definitely recommend.’” Responses of 9 or 10 are considered “promoters,” responses of 7 or 8 are considered neutral or “passives,” and responses of 6 or less are considered “detractors.” We then subtract the number of respondents who are detractors from the number of respondents who are promoters and divide that number by the total number of respondents. We believe net promoter score is an important assessment to gauge customer satisfaction with our products and to measure the strength of our brand. In a separate survey involving 235 Traeger owners, 80% of customers responded that they have recommended Traeger to an average of six people. Moreover, an estimated 75% of Traeger owners believe the brand reflects who they are as people. We believe this network accelerates penetration and strengthens existing Traeger owners’ connection to the brand. In turn, their affinity for the brand drives recurring purchases of wood pellets, rubs, and sauces.

Continuous Investment in Disruptive Innovation

Beginning in 2014, we pioneered a digital outdoor cooking experience. Using software, internet connectivity, and cloud technology, we reinvented the original Traeger to be an IoT device featuring a variety of modern technologies, including:

 

   

WiFIRE Technology: A cloud system, mobile application, and web-connected grill that enables users to automate recipe steps and control and monitor their grill from anywhere in the world using their smartphone.

 

   

D2 Direct Drive: A system designed to maintain grill temperature to +/-5° F of set temperature through variable speed fans and DC auger control.

 

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Pellet Sensor: Measures pellet fuel levels and sends the data to the user’s Traeger app, triggering a low fuel alert if needed.

 

   

Super Smoke: A mode that maximizes production of hardwood smoke to infuse flavors into the food.

We improve the performance of our hardware by delivering firmware updates remotely to WiFIRE-enabled grills via the cloud. For example, last year we delivered a firmware update that allowed our Pro Series grills to reach temperatures as high as 500° F, up from 450° F originally. This firmware update expanded the types of recipes grill owners can perform on their Traeger without requiring them to buy new hardware.

In addition, we use data from WiFIRE-enabled grills to better understand our users’ cooking habits. Cook cycle data, for instance, tells us which recipes are used, how long cook cycles last, the grill temperature, and what time of day the grill is active or on standby. This information guides recipe and product development and can allow us to personalize recipe recommendations for each grill owner. We believe that together, our proprietary technology, data, continuous improvements, and personalization drive engagement, more frequent cooking cycles, and purchases of our consumables. Furthermore, to protect our integrated platform, we invest in intellectual property. As of March 31, 2021, we had approximately 45 issued U.S. patents and 21 U.S. patent applications pending, which serve to protect our rights and make it difficult for our competitors to replicate our platform.

Visionary Management Team and Award-Winning Culture

The Traegerhood starts at the top and runs through the organization. In 2014, Jeremy Andrus invested in the business and became our CEO. Seeing potential in the brand, Mr. Andrus relocated the headquarters to Salt Lake City, Utah, recruited a multidisciplinary team, and implemented an innovative product and distribution strategy that accelerated business growth.

We value calculated risk-taking, innovation, and independent decision-making. Our employees live the Traeger lifestyle at home with their own grills and at our office with its outdoor barbecue deck and test kitchen. We have gathered a diverse group of high-horsepower individuals, from various leading brands and businesses, who understand our strategy and have the autonomy to further it.

Today, more than 700 employees located in 35 states and nine countries drive our success. We believe we are among the most attractive employers in Salt Lake City and the greater Mountain West areas. We were voted a “Best Company to Work For” from 2016 to 2018 by Utah Business.

We believe our award-winning culture ultimately drives positive partner and consumer experiences.

Strong Financial Profile Marked by Recurring Revenue

We have historically delivered consistent growth, and have increased our revenue at a CAGR of 28% from 2017 to 2020, and reached $545.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. Our revenue increased by 107.0% for the three months ended March 31, 2021 as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2020, and reached $235.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021.

We believe our financial profile is strengthened by recurring revenue from our consumables. Consumables generated 22.0% and 17.3% of our total revenue for the year ended December 31, 2020 and the three months ended March 31, 2021, respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2020, we estimate that Traeger owners bought approximately 110 pounds of Traeger wood pellets, up from approximately 87 pounds for the year ended December 31, 2018. Based on a survey we conducted in November 2020, we believe that 96% of Traeger owners purchased Traeger wood pellets in the last year.

 

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We also aggressively invest in innovation and new technology, which we believe can drive revenue growth. Due in part to the pace of wood pellet grill innovation, we estimate that owners of wood pellet grills replace their grills 44% faster than owners of gas grills on average. We believe our innovation and technologies have allowed us to increase the estimated average retail equivalent price paid for our grills from approximately $678 in 2017 to $839 in 2020 – well above the market-average selling price for wood pellet grills of $596 in 2020. We estimate the average retail equivalent price based on an analysis of our recommended retailer pricing and retail channel volume and our direct to consumer, or DTC, channel pricing and volume. In turn, rising wood pellet sales, higher average retail equivalent prices, regular product releases, and expansion in accessories and consumables help to increase the lifetime value of our customers.

Our Growth Strategies

Our mission is to bring people together to create a more flavorful world. To accomplish this, we plan to:

Expand the Wood Pellet Category and Increase Brand Awareness

With approximately 3% household penetration in the United States, we believe our market opportunity is significant. Brand awareness for the wood pellet category is approximately 25%, which suggests that a majority of U.S. consumers are unfamiliar with a wood pellet grill and what we consider its advantages over gas and charcoal. By increasing consumer awareness and leading the premiumization of outdoor cooking, we are seeking to make wood pellet grills the top tier of the category. Our strategy is to ensure that discerning consumers think of wood first when purchasing or replacing a grill.

Shortly after launching in 1987, we built a dedicated community around the Traeger experience. Our strategy has been to harness the power of this community, the Traegerhood, to strategically grow the brand. In our core markets, brand awareness historically grew through word-of-mouth advertising, in-store education, and social media. For the year ended December 31, 2020, we estimate that our Traeger owner acquisition cost was approximately $113 per Traeger owner added during the period, down from approximately $131 per Traeger owner added during the year ended December 31, 2019.

Today, we believe we have an opportunity to drive customer growth significantly by increasing investments in marketing. Towards that end, we are focusing on marketing campaigns to scale unaided brand awareness and accelerate household penetration. Across our heritage Oregon, Utah, and Washington markets, we estimate our average household penetration was 10.6% in 2020, and has grown rapidly over the last few years. These heritage markets continue to represent some of our fastest growing markets.

Our proven marketing strategy is now driving awareness outside of our heritage markets. For example, in a recent targeted marketing campaign, from 2019 to 2020 we generated a 280% increase in measured awareness and a 34% increase in grill sales in a particular market compared to a nearby control market. Replicating this strategy in other markets could drive similar increases in awareness and sales. By following this playbook, we aim to continue to penetrate and expand our SAM.

Optimize Our Omnichannel Distribution Strategy

We are pursuing an omnichannel distribution strategy. Our primary focus is on retail, where we seek to build top-tier retail relationships and deliver authentic in-store marketing experiences that are optimized for conversion. Although there is untapped retail whitespace, within this channel our strategy is to develop deep and strong relationships with retailers. We complement our retail channel with our DTC channel, where we have purposefully moderated customer acquisition because we believe the experience of interacting with a Traeger, guided by trained salespeople, is the most valuable method of customer acquisition at this stage. To further optimize our distribution strategy, we are seeking to:

 

   

Maximize retail productivity. We have significant room for growth in the United States. Approximately 60% of U.S. households own a grill, but our current penetration is only approximately

 

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3%. We plan to continue working with leading retailers and across diverse channel segments, focusing on high productivity in limited points of wholesale distribution.

We have a broad network of national retailers that span multiple categories, including Ace Hardware, Amazon.com, BBQGuys, Cabela’s, Costco, Do it Best, RC Willey, Scheels, The Home Depot, Wayfair, and Williams Sonoma. We plan to continue working with our retail partners to further calibrate our product assortment to each channel and its core audiences. By improving productivity rather than just increasing the number of doors, we believe we can build strong partnerships that align with our growth strategy.

Our team is very active at the point of sale. Our Brand Ambassadors performed an estimated 2,000 roadshows and demos across our network of retailers and at special events. These demonstrations serve as a trial for potential grill owners and have been shown to drive conversion and brand loyalty. Furthermore, by offering a variety of grill lines that differ in size, price, construction, materials, and digital technologies, we are able to target a broad range of customer at the point of sale.

Overall, we believe that our retail strategy leads to more and better retail space as well as improved merchandising at each point of sale.

 

   

Grow DTC to complement retail sales. For the year ended December 31, 2020 and the three months ended March 31, 2021, approximately 7% and 2%, respectively, of our revenue was generated through our DTC channel. Our DTC channel enables us to serve hard-to-reach consumers who do not shop with one of our retail partners. It also serves the many Traeger owners who visit our website for recipes and wish to order the accompanying wood pellets, rubs, and sauces.

Through our DTC channel, we are creating a flagship experience for the Traeger brand globally. We believe there is a significant global DTC growth opportunity that is incremental and does not meaningfully detract from retailer productivity.

As part of our omnichannel distribution strategy, we have established DTC-specific technology, operations, and functionality that can scale. We believe we have everything in place to acquire customers and even manage subscriptions. We also see opportunities to curate third-party brands and bundle offers.

Grow Recurring Revenue

The more Traegers there are in homes, the more opportunities we have to build brand awareness and sell consumables. We believe Traeger owners already prefer our wood pellets. We plan to leverage that loyalty to build a preference for Traeger-branded rubs, and sauces as well. Just like our wood pellets, our other consumables promise quality and dependability for our owners. To continue growing sales of our consumables, we plan to:

 

   

Expand the accessibility of our wood pellets and other consumables through new distribution and easy DTC purchase experiences.

 

   

Inspire Traeger users to cook more at home through digital content.

 

   

Grow our portfolio of consumables, including new flavors of wood pellets, rubs, and sauces.

As we execute on these strategies, we believe we can significantly increase our recurring revenue.

Export our Brand Globally

We estimate that North America accounts for roughly half of the worldwide outdoor cooking market. To expand globally, we plan to export our omnichannel distribution strategy and brand awareness playbook to key markets that have a culture of outdoor cooking but have only experienced gas and charcoal. In North America, we are taking market share from multinational gas and charcoal brands, and abroad, we believe we are positioned to do the same.

 

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Disrupt Cooking Experiences, Outdoors and Indoors

We are disrupting outdoor cooking by providing a solution that delivers exceptional taste, versatility, ease of use, consistency, and community. We believe that we can replicate this experience with other cooking modalities. We plan to target categories where consumer demand is strong, but innovation has been lacking. Through product innovation, authentic branding, a passionate community, and strong partnerships, we believe we can introduce the Traeger experience into other categories in the food-at-home market.

A More Flavorful World

Storied and relentlessly innovating, we are teaching people to love the experience of cooking. Preparing and sharing a meal that has been cooked over fire is a communal celebration of who we are. Cooking with fire gave our ancestors the calories required to evolve and the time to focus on more than the hunt – it made us human.

Communities formed around the flame, and they still do. There is nothing like the community we are building around a high-tech flame. Its members are not just “consumers.” They are co-owners of the Traeger brand, co-inventors in our product development, and co-collaborators in bringing people together to create a more flavorful world.

 

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Our Products and Integrated, Connected Cooking Platform

 

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The Original

In 1987, we invented the original wood pellet grill. The original Traeger helped to transform outdoor cooking by making it easy to enjoy the delicious flavors of wood-fired food. Prior to the original Traeger, cooking with wood fire was difficult and there was no efficient way to ignite the wood, maintain consistent temperatures, and create the right amount of smoke. The original Traeger helped to solve these challenges, making it easier for home cooks to achieve extraordinary culinary results.

 

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The Reinvented Original

We’ve come a long way since 1987 and have made significant improvements to our grills and technologies. Along the way, our product design has been centered on our core concepts of taste, versatility, ease of use, consistency, and community.

Beginning in 2014, we pioneered a digital outdoor cooking experience. Using software, internet connectivity, and cloud technology, we reinvented the original Traeger to be an internet of things, or IoT, device featuring a variety of modern technologies, including:

 

   

WiFIRE technology – Utilizes cloud-computing, our Traeger app, and our cloud-connected grills to enable users to automate recipe steps and control and monitor their grill from anywhere in the world using their smartphone.

 

   

D2 Direct Drive – An automated control system that maintains grill temperature to +/-5 degrees of set temperature through fans and DC auger control.

 

   

Super Smoke Mode – A proprietary cooking mode that maximizes production of hardwood smoke to infuse flavors into food.

 

   

Pellet Sensor – A connected sensor that measures wood pellet levels and communicates with our Traeger app, enabling users to monitor fuel levels and receive alerts when fuel gets low.

 

   

TurboTemp – A rapid startup system that brings the grill to cooking temperature and reacts quickly to temperature changes.

Today, our wood pellet grills feature modern, updated designs that improve upon the original. Our grills use an auger to feed natural hardwood pellets into a fire pot, where they are ignited by a hot rod to create heat and flavorful smoke. A fan stokes the fire and creates convection, which is key to the versatility of our grills. A drip tray funnels the grease, fat, and oil to an external bucket to help prevent flareups and simplify cleanup.

Our Integrated Platform

Our integrated platform includes four types of products: wood pellet grills, digital content, the Traeger app, and consumables. We integrate these products to optimize the cooking experience and produce valuable feedback loops with consumers.

As an example of how our integrated platform works, consider a new Timberline grill owner that is looking to use their grill for the first time. This owner might search our website for ideas and find our beginner-rated Smoked Midnight Brisket recipe, which calls for four of our consumable products. After buying these ingredients and a grill cleaning accessory from a nearby retailer, the owner might then use the Traeger app to program this recipe into the grill. During the 12-hour cook cycle, the owner may then read a Traeger tutorial on “How to Slice a Brisket Against the Grain.” After producing a delicious, well-cut brisket, the owner may share his or her experience with others offline or online via social media, which can lead or encourage others to buy a Traeger and start their own cycle. If the owner likes the food and experience, they are also likely to use more Traeger recipes and buy more consumables.

As a result, our integrated platform can drive grill usage, brand affinity, word of mouth, and purchases of our consumables.

Our Grills

We offer six primary grill lines. These grills vary in size, price, construction, materials, and digital technologies. Our grills represented 71.7% of our revenue for the year ended December 31, 2020 and 75.9% of our revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2021.

 

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Timberline Series ($1,799.99 – $1,999.99)

 

LOGO    The Timberline is the premier outdoor cooking solution in our grill lineup. We offer two sizes of Timberline models that provide 1,300 and 850 square inches of cooking space, respectively, and utilize three tiers of stainless steel racks. Both models hold 24 pounds of pellets in the hopper and reach a max temperature of 500° F. We offer qualified customers in the United States six-, 12- and 18-month financing options, with payments starting as low as $113 per month.

Ironwood Series ($1,199.99 – $1,499.99)

 

LOGO    The Ironwood is second to the Timberline in our lineup. We offer two sizes of Ironwood models that provide 885 and 650 square inches of cooking space, respectively. Both models hold 20 pounds of pellets in the hopper and reach a max temperature of 500° F. We offer qualified customers in the United States six-, 12- and 18-month financing options, with payments starting as low as $75 per month.

 

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Pro Series with WiFIRE ($799.99 – $999.99)

 

LOGO    We offer two sizes of cloud-connected Pro Series grills that provide 780 and 575 square inches of cooking space, respectively. Both models hold 18 pounds of pellets in the hopper and reach a max temperature of 500° F. We offer qualified customers in the United States six-, 12- and 18-month financing options, with payments starting as low as $73 per month.

Pro Series without WiFIRE ($599.99 – $699.99)

 

LOGO    We offer two sizes of Pro Series grills that provide 884 and 572 square inches of cooking space, respectively. Both models hold 18 pounds of pellets in the hopper and reach a max temperature of 450° F. We offer qualified customers in the United States six-, 12- and 18-month financing options, with payments starting as low as $55 per month.

Town and Travel Series ($299.99 – $469.99)

Our portable grills offer wood pellet grilling technology in a compact, lighter weight unit for camping, tailgating, boating, and other mobile use cases. We currently offer Ranger, Tailgater and Scout portable models that are designed to cover a range of specific activities and uses. Financing is available for qualified customers in the United States.

 

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Ranger

 

LOGO    The Ranger offers 176 square inches of cooking space and holds 8 pounds of pellets in the hopper. It weighs 60 pounds and reaches a max temperature of 450° F. Key features of the Ranger include a digital arc controller with 5° F increments, advanced grilling logic for temperature control, and a latched lid for transport.

Tailgater

 

LOGO    The Tailgater offers 300 square inches of cooking space and holds 8 pounds of pellets in the hopper. It weighs 62 pounds and reaches a max temperature of 450° F. Key features of the Tailgater include a digital arc controller with 5° F increments, advanced grilling logic for temperature control, and EZ-fold legs for transportation and storage.

Scout

 

LOGO    The Scout is the most compact and affordable grill in our lineup. It offers 176 square inches of cooking capacity and holds 4 pounds of pellets in the hopper. It weighs 45 pounds and reaches a max temperature of 450° F. Key features of the Scout include a digital arc controller with 25° F increments and a latched lid for transport.

Club Lineup

We also offer a special lineup of grills through targeted channels, including Costco’s retail locations and website. These grills are available in different sizes and with a variety of features.

 

Scout    Junior    Mesa    Texas Elite 34
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Prairie    Silverton 620    Century 885    Silverton 810

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Our Digital Content

We produce a library of digital content including instructional recipes and videos that demonstrate tips, tricks, and cooking techniques that empower Traeger owners to progress their cooking skills. In addition, we produce short- and long-form branded content highlighting stories, community members, and lifestyle content from the Traegerhood.

 

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1,600 Recipes and Counting

 

Creating an extensive array of wood-fired recipes is crucial to educating our consumers and inspiring them to cook more often and craft even better food. From quick and easy entry-level dishes to more advanced culinary endeavors, we cater to all levels of cooks. Our recipes include appetizers, main dishes, sides, desserts, and even wood-fired cocktails to tie the meal together. They range from traditional barbecue classics like ribs and brisket to Spanish-style Paella, Italian porchetta, and even homemade baked pie, allowing consumers to take full advantage of the grill’s versatility. The majority of our recipes are developed and tested by our in-house culinary team. However, we also leverage our network of chefs, recipe developers, and pitmasters to source recipes and insights.

 

 

 

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Traeger Kitchen Live

 

We offer weekly, live-streaming cooking classes to consumers through our Traeger Kitchen Live series, where our community ambassadors welcome consumers into their kitchens and instruct on how to use a Traeger for everything from barbecue brisket to baked goods. They also share tips and tricks and interact with viewers.

 

 

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Traeger Shop Class

 

We currently offer “Shop Class: Private Table,” a series of shop classes that are taught online by community ambassadors and Traeger Pro team members and feature detailed prep-to-plate instruction. The small group format ensures that the class is personal and interactive. With the purchase of their ticket, participants receive a list of supplies they’ll need to follow along in real-time. They are also mailed a swag bag filled with goodies. Shop Classes are also offered in-person in select markets throughout the year.

 

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The Traeger App

Our Traeger app, which we launched in 2017, is a mobile software application available on iOS or Android devices. The Traeger app is free to download from the Apple App Store or Google Play, is free to use, and is used on more than 1.6 million mobile devices per month.

 

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With the Traeger app, grill owners can:

 

1.  Pair their WiFIRE grill to enable remote control of key functions, monitor pellet levels and temperatures, and program the grill to run cook cycles based on Traeger recipes.

 

2.  Interact with pitmasters, chefs, and culinary experts and learn straight from pros with detailed video recipes. Step-by-step snapshots break down each recipe and guide users through every part of the process. Content is personalized to the users based on their skill level and dietary preferences.

 

3.  Purchase our grills, consumables, and accessories or lookup their nearest retailer. Convenient access to shopping can encourage users to purchase Traeger products featured in their recipes and instructional content.

Our Consumables

We offer a variety of Traeger-branded wood pellets, rubs, and sauces for use when cooking with our grills. Our digital content and expanding collection of recipes provide users with more than 1,600 recipes to explore and test their skills with these Traeger-branded flavor enhancers. Our consumables represented 22.0% of our revenue for the year ended December 31, 2020 and 17.3% of our revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2021.

 

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Traeger Wood Pellets

We offer premium wood pellets made from 100% natural, virgin hardwood. They are made in the United States and we oversee production from sawmill to shelf. Our wood pellets are designed to offer predictable, consistent burn and wood-fired flavors. We sell our wood pellets in 20 pound bags for $18.99 to $29.99 per bag.

 

LOGO    Pecan: Sweet, spicy, assertive    LOGO    Signature Blend: Hickory, Maple, Cherry - Full-bodied, versatile flavor
LOGO    Hickory: Full-bodied, bold    LOGO    Reserve Blend: Oak, Cherry, and Apple hardwood blend. *Available at ACE Hardware only
LOGO    Apple: Light, slightly fruity    LOGO    Turkey Blend: Oak, Hickory, Maple hardwood blend with a hint of Rosemary. Includes Traeger orange brine and turkey rub kit
LOGO    Cherry: Subtly sweet, fruity    LOGO   

Gourmet Blend: Versatile mix of sweet maple complemented by notes of savory hickory and tart cherry.

*Available at Costco only

LOGO    Mesquite: Hearty BBQ flavor      

 

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Traeger Rubs and Sauces

We offer a variety of rubs and sauces, as well as seasonings and marinades. These products are made in the United States with high-quality ingredients.

Rubs

 

       
LOGO   Traeger Rub: Sweet, salty, and savory with zesty garlic, herby basil and oregano notes and the subtle smokiness of paprika and chili pepper    LOGO    Traeger Winemaker’s Napa Valley Rub: Sweet and savory blend of red wine, fennel, garlic bring the flavors of Napa Valley
LOGO   Traeger Chicken Rub: Black pepper and chili powder teamed up with citrus and cane sugar    LOGO    Traeger Veggie Rub: Garlic, chili powder, other spices
LOGO   Traeger Beef Rub: Sweet molasses balanced with paprika, chili powder, and other spices    LOGO    Traeger Pork & Poultry Rub: Paprika, onion, chili pepper bring savory notes, while apple and honey add a touch of sweetness
LOGO   Traeger Prime Rib Rub: Sweet and savory featuring rosemary and garlic    LOGO    Traeger Orange Brine And Turkey Rub Kit: Thanksgiving flavors with orange brine and Turkey Rub
LOGO   Traeger Coffee Rub: Traditional spices like garlic, paprika, and black pepper get a boost from coffee and cocoa    LOGO    Traeger Bloody Mary Cocktail Salt: Pure sea salt with celery seed, garlic, paprika, black pepper
LOGO   Traeger Fin & Feather Rub: Garlic, onion, and just a hint of spiciness    LOGO    Traeger BBQ Rub & Spices Sampler Kit: Beef Rub, Chicken Rub, Coffee Rub, Traeger Rub, Prime Rib Rub, Pork & Poultry Rub

 

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LOGO   Traeger Blackened Saskatchewan Rub: Secret signature blend of garlic and other spices    LOGO   Traeger Ultimate Seasoning 3 Pack: Chicken Rub, Prime Rib Rub, and Pork & Poultry Rub
LOGO   Traeger Jerky Rub: Loaded with soy sauce, brown sugar, chili powder, bell pepper     
Sauces & Cocktail Mixers     
      
LOGO   Traeger ‘Que BBQ Sauce: Signature barbecue Sauce featuring notes of brown sugar, smoky hickory, and tangy vinegar    LOGO   Traeger Sugar Lips Glaze: Rich sweetness with a bit of tanginess and a hint of herby flavors
LOGO   Traeger Sweet & Heat BBQ Sauce: Tangy sweetness of Apricot barbecue sauce with the peppery kick of Texas Spicy BBQ for a balance of sweet and heat    LOGO   Traeger Smoked Simple Syrup: Simple syrup features sweet notes of vanilla and clove, balanced with light, smoky flavor
LOGO   Traeger Texas Spicy BBQ Sauce: Peppery heat and thin consistency ideal for marinating    LOGO   Traeger Smoked Bloody Mary Mix: Hints of horseradish, and a kick of cayenne, mixed with wood-fired smoke taste

 

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LOGO   Traeger Apricot BBQ Sauce: Tangy sauce featuring apricot sweetness     

Our Accessories

We offer a variety of grill accessories (including covers, drip trays, bucket liners, and shelves), tools to aid in meal prep, cooking, and cleanup (including pellet storage systems, cleaning solutions and barbecue tools), replacement parts, and apparel and merchandise (including t-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, and baseball hats, in unisex, male, and female styles). Our accessories represented 6.3% of our revenue for the year ended December 31, 2020 and 6.8% of our revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2021.

Marketing

Following the launch of the original Traeger in 1987, a dedicated community began to form around the Traeger experience. Our strategy has been to harness the power of this community and strategically grow our brand using a “win where it matters” approach, which focuses on core demographics that are aligned with our brand, from the barbecue world to the outdoors and culinary spaces.

With this targeted approach, we have maintained a unique sense of authenticity as the creator of a cooking experience that welcomes everyone from casual backyard grillers to James Beard Award-winning chefs. Our marketing strategy has produced organic growth by building relationships, having a strong brand presence at industry and culinary events, and winning the “hearts and minds” of consumers with an authentic brand backed by devoted followers. We have grown the brand by extending that playbook to new communities and geographic regions, all without losing our focus on engaging with existing grill owners.

Our Marketing Team

Our team consists of members across a broad range of functions and perspectives, including brand marketing, digital marketing, retail product marketing, culinary, events management, creative, consumer insights, and customer experience. We bring experiences from leading consumer, lifestyle, and technology brands to the table and, collectively, we share a passion for the consumer and empathy for how our brand interacts with their lives.

Our Marketing Channels

With our community as a foundation, we have scaled and increased broader consumer awareness through omnichannel initiatives. At the center of our efforts is a relentless focus on the customer journey, which starts with initial awareness of the Traeger brand and continues through purchasing and beyond. The purchase of the grill is just the beginning, as we assist with onboarding and provide supplemental content and personalized recipe recommendations to help owners continue to cook and improve their skills and repertoire. We aim to provide experiences that transform cooking from a chore into a craft and deliver pinnacle moments for the consumer as they incorporate their Traeger into holidays, celebrations, milestones and get-togethers.

 

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We have invested significantly in our initiatives to increase broader consumer awareness of our brand and wood pellet grills. From 2018 to 2020, we invested $55.1 million to accelerate brand-building initiatives, including $30.3 million in 2020. We utilize the following key channels to engage with existing and potential customers:

 

   

Social Media – Our social media sites serve not only as places for consumers to discover and learn about our brand, but also as home base for the Traegerhood to gather, grow their skills, get inspired, and share their passion. Social media allows our community to stay aware of current cooking trends and consume our dedicated Traeger content across a variety of social media platforms. As of March 31, 2021, we had approximately 980,000 Instagram followers and 431,000 Facebook followers, an increase of approximately 286,000 and 81,000 from the prior year, respectively. In addition, we had 72 million YouTube site views from the beginning of the first quarter of 2020 through March 31, 2021.

 

   

Community Ambassadors – Our community ambassadors are masters of their crafts and include professional athletes, hunters, Michelin-star and James Beard Award-winning chefs, and world-class pitmasters. We have more than 1,400 community ambassadors, including people with dedicated social media followings who can craft incredible food on a Traeger and influence their respective communities with authentic content. We leverage our ambassador relationships to produce recipes, live cooking classes, and other branded content. We equip our community ambassadors with free grills suited to their unique needs and ensure they’re stocked with necessary supplies like wood pellets and accessories. In addition to providing complimentary products, we compensate some of our top-tier partners that participate in content shoots and Traeger events or provide custom content or recipes.

 

   

Advertising – We have taken a digital-first approach across our advertising, investing in measurable channels across search, social media, connected television, and video. In addition, we have found success in complementing digital media with traditional media channels, such as linear and cable television, outdoor advertising, and radio, to achieve broader reach among our target audiences. We utilize a mixture of brand and product marketing messages to drive brand awareness, educate around the benefits of our product solution, increase purchase intent, and generate measurable growth as part of our performance marketing initiatives.

 

   

Traeger.com – Traeger.com is our flagship destination to deliver our Traeger experience. Consumers can purchase grills, consumables, and accessories, as well as limited-edition items, via our website. In addition to buying Traeger goods, online visitors engage with our premium branded content, community stories, recipes, and skill-building offerings. With pro tips, test kitchen content, and a collection of over 1,600 recipes developed by our culinary staff and community ambassadors, we strive to inspire Traeger owners and nurture their skills. We broadcast Traeger Kitchen Live cooking classes, which focus on education and interaction across a variety of cuisines ranging from spatch-cocked Thanksgiving turkey to Caribbean-style grilled lobster to smoked beef ribs.

 

   

Retail Product Marketing – We build strong relationships with retailers that align directly with our growth strategy. These relationships allow us to create engaging brand experiences, including customized Traeger shop-in-shop concepts and merchandising fixtures. We know that many consumers want to physically lift the lid of a Traeger and talk to someone with knowledge before making a purchase decision, so we strive to ensure that our retailers’ employees are trained to offer expert guidance and product information. Our retailers range from nationwide chains to independent barbecue shops, and play a role in our awareness efforts by integrating us into their advertising campaigns.

 

   

Consumer Events – Serving Traeger-made food is a powerful way to introduce people to our product. Our goal is to create a branded presence that gives people a taste of our brand flavor along with their food samples, resulting in a compelling, memorable experience. We go to sales conventions, barbecue competitions, food and wine festivals, retailer events, and more with a dedicated team of community ambassadors. This team is staffed with activation experts who know how to create a memorable experience with a layer of fun and flair that stands out from the crowd and challenges the status quo.

 

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Sales

We have two primary sales channels: retail and DTC. Our retail channel covers our relationships with brick-and-mortar retailers, e-commerce platforms, and multichannel retailers, and included over 1,700 retailers as of March 31, 2021. Our products are available at more than 10,300 retail locations in the United States.

We have built relationships with well-known national retailers, such as The Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and Costco. We also work with a significant number of independent retailers that cater to local communities and specific categories, such as hardware, camping, outdoor, farm, ranch, and barbecue. Our DTC channel covers sales directly to customers through our website and Traeger app.

Sales Organization Structure

Our sales team is dedicated to maximizing retail channel productivity. In the United States, our sales organization has three directors covering three territories: West, Central, and East. Beneath the directors, territory managers oversee areas within our territories. In addition, we have leaders and teams covering specific areas of our business, including:

 

   

National hardware, big box, and buying groups, such as The Home Depot and Ace Hardware;

 

   

Club businesses, such as Costco;

 

   

Specialty sales, such as outdoor channels and furniture, appliance, and grocery stores; and

 

   

International sales.

Our Field Sales Team focuses on supporting our retailers at the ground level. Whether they are training staff members, setting up merchandise displays, or cooking on location over the weekend, they aim to become an extension of our retailers’ teams to drive awareness, sell-through, and brand advocacy.

Our sales team also focuses on in-person experiences and education. Since 2019, they have conducted more than 2,000 roadshows and demo events per year. Roadshow events take place at retail locations and special events, like the Texas State Fair and Cowboy Christmas.

As of March 31, 2021, our sales organization included approximately 340 directors, managers, and sales team members.

Built for Symbiotic Relationships

By sending our sales team into the field, we have built face-to-face relationships with retail executives and staff, and we have established deep roots with retail category leaders. Anecdotally, we know that a number of executive team members at these retailers are Traeger owners and advocates.

We believe that retailers value Traeger’s aspirational brand and premium reputation. They also appreciate how our wood pellets, rubs, and sauces bring shoppers through the door frequently and can lead to purchases of unrelated goods. Many of these retailers offer free assembly and delivery of grills at our price points, which gives our owners a high-touch experience when our product first arrives at their home.

Retail Employee Programs

We work to transform retail associates into advocates for our brand and products. We aim to accomplish this through two primary programs:

 

   

Certified Traeger Pro – We identify and recruit promising retail associates to our Salt Lake City headquarters for a day and a half of intensive training in our product line.

 

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Employee Purchase Program – We enable retail associates to purchase their own Traeger at a significant discount. We find that associates who own a Traeger and have tasted the food are more likely to recommend the product to grill shoppers. They are also able to provide a more compelling and informed sales experience.

Overall, we aim to provide the best retail experience at selective points of sales, and we strive to maximize productivity rather than door count.

Product Development

Product Mission

Our Product team’s mission is to develop world-class innovation with flawless product commercialization and 4.8-star or higher consumer ratings to enhance the consumer cooking experience from beginning to end. These high standards are essential to our strategy of selling a premium product with mass market appeal. Product innovation can also increase our pricing and encourage customers to replace their grills more often than the average grill owner.

As of March 31, 2021, our Product team consisted of approximately 35 members. Our team aims to build upon our core concepts of taste, versatility, ease of use, consistency, and community. Since 2014, our team has re-envisioned the outdoor cooking archetype with digital experiences and has developed and leveraged our intellectual property to help build a moat around our business.

Department Structure

Our product department is headed by a Product Leader with direct reports that lead three pillars of product development:

 

   

Category – Our Category team identifies unmet needs and drives a business case for solving them. Team members manage our commercialized product lines and focus on future innovations for our product portfolio. The team also decides which products to keep, revise, or discontinue, and with what timing.

 

   

Design – The Design team focuses on user experience, including the structure of components, the way products are used, and human factors (e.g., average height) that shape the experience. The team aims to design experiences that are valuable, useful, usable, findable, credible, desirable, and accessible.

 

   

Engineering – The Engineering team includes mechanical and electrical engineers who ensure that products can meet the requirements set forth by the Category and Design teams. The team prototypes and tests products through a comprehensive performance engineering and compliance process. The team also ensures that products meet governmental safety standards as well as our high standards for performance and user experience. The Engineering team collaborates with our manufacturers and, once this process is finalized, commercial-scale production begins.

Nimble Process

We are a consumer insights led, innovation focused, matrixed organization working in a concurrent fashion. Our category business team and teams covering brand and sales, sourcing, quality, manufacturing, and sales and operations planning work with our Product team throughout the innovation, development, and commercialization processes. With this strategy, we eliminate the traditional handoffs that can exist between siloed teams and slow innovation or lead to products that fail to meet business, design, and engineering requirements. We believe this “Nimble” process can give us an edge over slower-moving and legacy competitors.

 

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Insights from Everywhere

To produce the best cooking experience possible, we gather insights from every step and decision in the cooking process with the objective of identifying unmet needs. We believe everyone at our company contributes to this process. Insights from sales, marketing, operations, customer service, and other departments feed our innovations and drive creative, outside the box thinking.

Our Product team also conducts “in-habitat” observations to see how Traeger owners use our products in their own backyard. These studies have helped us to recognize problems and unmet needs that lead to new product categories, design principles, and engineering standards.

Product Accomplishments

Our Product team is responsible for launching our flagship technologies, including WiFIRE, D2 Direct Drive, Pellet Sensor, Super Smoke, and TurboTemp. Other important but less visible product improvements and accomplishments include:

 

   

Reduced the estimated average assembly time for our Century grill from 2.5 to 1 hours while also decreasing the cost of the grill by $16;

 

   

Achieved a Good Design Award for the Timberline, which supported a higher average retail equivalent price for our grills and established us as an innovative leader in the industry with patented IoT technology.

 

   

Achieved the Best Consumer Reports score in all grill categories with our Ironwood model while reducing the cost of our IoT technology.

Culture and People

We believe that the Traeger culture and people differentiate us from competitors by enabling us to sustain product innovation, engage our community, elevate our brand, and form strong partnerships over the long term. We observe that many other cooking brands produce one compelling innovation and then merely add incremental features. We changed the outdoor cooking landscape with the original wood pellet grill, and we did so again with the first cloud-connected offering in the category. We believe our culture and people will permit us to continue the disruption in outdoor cooking and potentially expand it into other ancillary areas of the at home cooking market.

Mission and Values

In our model, culture precedes strategy and process. Choices about how we grow and operate the company stem from our core values, which help to attract and retain talented people from within and beyond our industry. We hire for risk tolerance, intellectual curiosity, passion, humility, and a drive to do “big things.” We teach hires the Traeger culture and strategy and then toss them into the proverbial deep end. We celebrate their successes and help them learn from their mistakes, but do not allow them to fail.

Although we may share a number of common values with other companies, the exact wording of our values is unique to Traeger and known only to our employees and closest partners. These values are the foundation upon which we innovate products, build community, share our brand, and build partnerships. We summarize these values as follows:

 

   

We emphasize quality, taking pride in masterful execution, down to the tiniest detail.

 

   

We test the status quo, take calculated risks, and think disruptively.

 

   

We work as a team and strive to bring out the best in our teammates.

 

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We continuously learn, develop, and refine ourselves.

 

   

We create a positive experience for every retailer and customer, no matter what it takes.

We have a strong track record of selectivity and retention and believe we are among the most attractive employers in the Salt Lake City and the greater Mountain West areas. We were voted a “Best Company to Work For” from 2016 to 2018 by Utah Business. Diversity and inclusion are key components of our culture and are fundamental to achieving our strategic priorities and future vision. Many of our employees live the Traeger lifestyle at home with their own grills and at our office, with its outdoor barbecue deck and test kitchen.

As of March 31, 2021, we had more than 700 employees located in 35 states and nine countries, of which approximately 700 were full-time, 10 were part-time and 5 were temporary employees. Of our total employees, approximately 625 are located in the United States. Our employees are divided across several core functions, including sales and marketing, supply chain management, product development, wood pellet manufacturing, and culinary and talent management. None of our employees are currently covered by a collective bargaining agreement. We have had no labor-related work stoppages and believe our relations with our employees are positive and stable.

Our people are essential to our success, and we expect headcount to grow for the foreseeable future as we focus on recruiting employees with experience to continue to bolster various functions related to our operations as a publicly traded company and to support our expected growth.

Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Logistics

We have developed an efficient and scalable global supply chain with a continued focus on improving products and services while reducing costs. This supply chain includes third-party manufacturing and logistics providers, internal product development teams and vertically integrated wood pellet production. Our internal supply chain management team oversees our global supply chain and includes personnel in the United States and China. Our operations in China are dedicated to quality control, product engineering and supply chain logistics, and includes employees that monitor the production quality of our manufacturers and suppliers. This team in China also works to identify new manufacturing capacity as needed, and manages the transfer of technology between suppliers to manage our supply chain risk. Our internal supply chain management team supports product introductions and evolving channel strategies, researches materials and equipment, qualifies suppliers and potential manufacturers, directs internal demand and production planning, manages product purchasing plans and oversees product transportation. Our personnel also work with our third-party manufacturers to monitor product quality and manufacturing process efficiency.

We utilize third-party manufacturers to manufacture and supply our grills and accessories. Our grills are manufactured by three manufacturers located in China and Vietnam, and we outsource the production of our accessories and apparel to a global network of suppliers. The raw materials and components used in our grills are sourced either directly by us or on our behalf by our manufacturers from a variety of suppliers. Our supply chain management team coordinates the relationships and commercial terms between our manufacturers and the suppliers of raw material and components that we have sourced directly. We regularly review our existing manufacturers and suppliers globally, and evaluate new manufacturers and suppliers, to ensure that we can scale our manufacturing base and strategically position our operations to mitigate risk related to geopolitical and macroeconomic pressures as we grow.

We generally purchase from our primary manufacturers on a purchase order basis. Pursuant to our internal policies and terms with such parties, our manufacturers must follow our established product design specifications, quality assurance programs, and manufacturing standards. We have developed preferred relationships with our manufacturers to maintain access to the resources needed to scale and ensure our manufacturers have the requisite experience to produce our grills and related accessories, and work closely with

 

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our manufacturers to improve their yields and efficiency. We pay for and own certain tooling and equipment that is specifically required to manufacture our products in order to have control of supply and component pipelines. We have purchase commitments based on our purchase orders for certain amounts of goods, work-in-progress, and components.

We produce our wood pellets through a vertically integrated network of seven wood pellet production facilities and a select number of contract manufacturers capable of meeting our specifications in the United States. This network includes an owned and operated facility in New York and leased facilities in Oregon, Georgia, Texas, and Virginia. Our facilities are strategically located across the United States near hardwood inputs and key customer distribution centers. We believe operating these facilities gives us greater control over production and supply, and we pay for and own certain tooling and equipment at these facilities in order to maintain product quality and supply requirements, including the specific moisture content of our wood pellets. We are committed to continuous improvement in our wood pellet production operations. We have implemented a quality management system designed to ensure delivery of consistent, high-quality wood pellets, especially as our production volumes have increased.

We utilize multiple third-party logistics providers for a significant portion of our distribution and fulfillment operations, which include warehousing and shipping. Our third-party logistics providers have warehouses in California, Georgia, Texas and Washington, with warehouses dedicated to specific, high-volume single channel products and DTC sales. Our wood pellet production facilities have the capacity to store batches of finished wood pellets on site, and send finished goods to our third-party providers for further warehousing and distribution to our customers. Our inventory is managed by these third-party logistics providers, which interface with our material resources planning, or MRP, system to enable us to maintain visibility and control over inventory levels and customer shipments. We maintain a third-party logistics providers in the Netherlands and Canada to support our international growth. We believe our providers have sufficient expansion capacity to meet our future needs, and that our distribution and fulfillment strategy has improved the efficiency and scalability of our operations.

We manage inventory through a third-party MRP system. We forecast demand based on market inputs and generate SKU and rolling 18-month forecasts. The MRP system incorporates our forecasts, existing inventory levels, inbound purchase orders, and agreed lead times for product deliveries, and generates purchase recommendations to support inventory and service level metrics and targets.

Information Systems

Over the past five years, we have invested heavily in our technology infrastructure with the goal of improving our scalability, performance, reliability, business continuity, and data security. We utilize leading software solutions for key aspects of our information systems, including Epicor for our ERP system, which covers sales order fulfillment, inventory management, and financial reporting, and Salesforce.com as our customer relationship management system, which covers customer interaction and information and field sales enablement.

Our digital technology footprint consists of a suite of enterprise-grade platforms that enable us to provide a leading customer experience. These platforms include Salesforce Commerce Cloud as our e-commerce platform, Amazon Web Services, or AWS, as the backbone for our connected grill technology, Salesforce B2B Commerce for online dealer commerce, as well as a host of other specialized software solutions for targeted purposes. In addition, we have modernized our system integrations, leveraging an event-bus and service-oriented architecture to help ensure accuracy, monitoring, and self-healing processes for data movement between our enterprise systems. Our ERP interfaces with the e-commerce platform, as well as the management systems utilized at our outsourced warehousing and distribution centers, allowing us to effectively manage our global network of manufacturers and distributors and our expanding customer base.

 

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In early 2020, we finished migrating all of our core business applications from an on-premise hosting infrastructure to the Microsoft Azure cloud. This has helped us achieve secure, redundant, and highly available business-critical applications. All other applications employed at Traeger are either SaaS-based or hosted on the cloud via AWS to achieve flexibility and accessibility to support the distributed nature of our global business. We believe our planned systems infrastructure will be sufficient to support our expected growth for the foreseeable future.

Intellectual Property

The protection of our brand, technology and intellectual property is an important aspect of our business. In particular, we believe the Traeger brand is significant to the success of our business. We protect our intellectual property, including our brand, through a combination of trademarks, patents, copyrights, contractual provisions, confidentiality procedures and non-disclosure agreements. For example, we generally enter into confidentiality agreements and invention or work product assignment agreements with our employees and consultants to control access to, and clarify ownership of, our proprietary information. We protect our intellectual property rights in the United States and certain international jurisdictions. We believe these intellectual property rights, combined with our innovation and distinctive product design, performance, and brand name and reputation, contribute to our competitive position and success of our business.

The original patent for the wood pellet grill, which was filed by Joe Traeger in 1986, expired in 2006. As of March 31, 2021, we had approximately 368 trademark registrations and 237 issued patents and pending patent applications in the United States and other countries. As of March 31, 2021, we had approximately 45 issued U.S. patents and 21 U.S. patent applications pending. Our material U.S. patents for our current products generally expire between March 2036 and May 2039, and cover rights related to our WiFIRE technology, D2 Direct Drive, and Super Smoke, among others. We also had approximately 95 issued foreign patents and 76 foreign patent applications pending.

We have a proactive online marketplace monitoring and seller/listing termination program to disrupt any online counterfeit offerings. In addition, we work to shut down counterfeit stand-alone sites through litigation and administrative procedures.

We aggressively pursue and defend our intellectual property rights to protect our brand, designs, and inventions. We have processes and procedures in place to identify, protect, and optimize our intellectual property assets on a global basis. In the future, we intend to continue to seek intellectual property protection for our new products, technologies and processes that we believe are innovative, and will prosecute those who infringe on these valuable assets.

Competition

We operate in the highly competitive outdoor cooking market. Numerous other companies offer a wide variety of products, including traditional gas, charcoal and electric grills, that compete with our grills, accessories and other products.

We compete with established, well-known, and legacy grill brands, including Weber, among others, as well as numerous other brands and grill manufacturers that offer competing products. These competitors offer a broad array of grills at different price points, including traditional gas, charcoal and electric grill offerings, as well as a significant number of wood pellet grills. We also compete against other wood pellet grill brands, such as Dansons. Moreover, the outdoor cooking market is expanding to include alternatives beyond traditional grills, and we also compete against companies that manufacture griddles, such as Blackstone. We have experienced an increase in competitors and competing offerings of gas and charcoal grills, wood pellet grills and other outdoor cooking devices in recent years.

 

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Competition in the outdoor cooking market is based on a number of factors, including product quality, performance, ease of use, durability, styling, brand image and recognition, safety, and price, as well as the perceived taste and satisfaction to be attained in using a particular grill or cooking methodology. Our competitors may be able to develop and market high-quality products that compete with our products, sell their products for lower prices, adapt to changes in customer needs and preferences more quickly, devote greater resources to the design, sourcing, distribution, marketing, and sale of their products, or generate greater brand recognition than us, including on social media and other internet platforms. These competitors may have significant competitive advantages, including longer operating histories, ability to leverage their sales efforts and marketing expenditures across a broader portfolio of products, global product distribution, larger and broader retailer bases (including online retailers), more established relationships with a larger number of suppliers and manufacturers, greater brand recognition, larger or more effective ambassador and endorsement relationships, greater financial strength, larger research and development teams, larger marketing budgets, and more distribution and other resources than we do.

We also compete with providers of wood pellets for use in grilling, including well-known brands like Weber, Kingsford and Dansons, among others, whose pellets may be used with our grills. These competitors offer a broad array of pellet types and flavors. Similar to our experience regarding competition for our wood pellet grills, we have experienced an increase in competitors and competing offerings of wood pellets in recent years.

Sustainability

We believe that our responsibility is not only to our customers, but also to the environment. One of our key objectives is to enhance the sustainability of our operating and production processes and reduce the environmental impact of our operations. This commitment is evident through our continued effort to reduce the environmental impact of our wood pellets and related wood pellet production facilities, as well as our internal sustainability policies and initiatives. For example, our internal sustainability policies require that all harvesting activities be conducted legally, transparently and in a manner that safeguards water quality and sensitive habitats while optimizing the carbon benefits of the wood pellets we produce.

We believe that our demand for the wood fiber used in connection with the production of our wood pellets is complementary to, rather than in competition with, demand for wood for use by other industries, such as lumber and furniture making. For example, we can use low-cost pulpwood and mill residues in our wood pellet production process, which is not generally in high demand by the U.S. housing construction industry. In addition, where possible, we utilize the sawdust from hardwood that may otherwise go to waste to make our wood pellets.

Facilities

Our headquarters is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, where we lease approximately 80,000 square feet of space under a lease that expires in 2026. We have plans to move to a new approximately 94,000 square foot facility in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2022, with the lease expected to expire in 2038. Our headquarters are used for accounting and finance, sales and marketing, customer support, product development and supply chain management functions. We also lease facilities in Shanghai, China, which are primarily used for local quality assurance, product development and supply chain management with our third party manufacturers and suppliers in Asia.

 

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We produce our wood pellets at wood pellet production facilities in Tuscarora, New York; Molalla, Oregon; Redmond, Oregon; Sweet Home, Oregon; Menlo, Georgia; Jasper, Texas; and Rural Retreat, Virginia. We own the land and buildings at facilities in Tuscarora, New York and lease the land and buildings at the other facilities. In addition, we own capital equipment and assets at these facilities. The table below provides an overview of our wood pellet production facilities as of March 31, 2021.

 

     Tuscarora,
NY
     Molalla,
OR
     Redmond,
OR
     Sweet
Home,
OR
     Menlo,
GA
     Jasper,
TX
     Rural
Retreat,
VA
 

Raw Material Storage (sq. ft.)

     5,000        12,000        n/a        6,000        n/a        8,000        10,400  

Manufacturing Size (sq. ft.)

     3,750        5,280        20,000        5,000        6,000        8,400        12,000  

Warehousing Size (sq. ft.)

     36,000        12,800        45,000        15,000        47,000        34,000        21,600  

Average Production (tons of wood pellets per year)(1)

     48,825        14,735        25,126        16,984        26,709        15,735        45,000  

Maximum Production (tons of wood pellets per year)

     54,338        19,924        39,848        19,924        39,848        19,924        54,338  

Ownership

     Owned        Leased        Leased        Leased        Leased        Leased        Leased  

Lease End

     —          2027        2022        2026        2026        2035        2025  

Average headcount(2)

     14        13        10        13        14        10        18  

 

(1)

Molalla, Redmond, Sweet Home, Menlo, and Jasper facilities based on 2020 production. Tuscarora facility was acquired in the fourth quarter of 2020 and is based on 2020 production of heating pellets by prior owners. Rural Retreat facility was not operational prior to the fourth quarter of 2020 and production is based on management estimate.

(2)

Average headcount for 2020. Rural Retreat facility was not operational prior to the fourth quarter of 2020 and is based on management estimate.

We believe that these facilities are sufficient for our current needs and that additional facilities will be available to accommodate the expansion of our business should they be needed.    

Environmental Matters

Certain of our operations, properties and products are subject to stringent and comprehensive federal, state and local laws and regulations governing matters including environmental protection, occupational health and safety and the release or discharge of materials into the environment, including air emissions and wastewater discharges. These laws and regulations, among other matters, govern activities and operations that may have adverse environmental effects, such as discharges to air, soil and water, and establish standards for the handling of hazardous and toxic substances and the handling and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations may result in the assessment of administrative, civil and criminal penalties, the imposition of investigatory and remedial obligations and the issuance of orders enjoining some or all of our operations in affected areas.

The trend in environmental regulation is towards increasingly stringent and broader requirements for activities that may affect the environment. Any changes in environmental laws and regulations or re-interpretation of enforcement policies that result in more stringent and costly requirements could have a material adverse effect on our operations and products, particularly with respect to our wood pellet production facilities, and financial position. Although we monitor environmental requirements closely and budget for the expected costs, actual future expenditures may be different from the amounts we currently anticipate spending. Moreover, certain environmental laws impose joint and several strict liability for costs to clean up and restore sites where pollutants have been disposed or otherwise spilled or released. We cannot assure you that we will not incur significant costs and liabilities for remediation or damage to property, natural resources or persons as a result of spills or releases from our operations or those of a third party. We may choose not to, or may be otherwise unable to, pass on any increased costs to our customers. Although we believe that we are in substantial compliance with existing environmental laws and regulations and that continued compliance with existing requirements will not materially affect us, there is no assurance that the current level of regulation will continue in the future.

 

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We are also subject to permitting, registration, and other government approval requirements under environmental, health and safety laws and regulations applicable in the jurisdictions in which we operate. Those requirements obligate us to obtain permits, registrations, and other government approvals from one or more governmental agencies in order to conduct our operations and sell our products. The requirements vary depending on the location where our regulated activities are conducted. As with all governmental processes, there is a degree of uncertainty as to whether a permit, registration, or approval will be granted, the time it will take for a permit, registration, or approval to be issued and the conditions that may be imposed in connection with the granting of the permit, registration, or approval.

The following summarizes some of the more significant existing environmental laws and regulations applicable to our operations and our wood pellet production facilities in particular.

Air Emissions

The federal Clean Air Act, as amended, or CAA, and state and local laws and implementing regulations, regulate the emission of air pollutants from our facilities. The CAA and state and local laws and regulations impose significant monitoring, testing, recordkeeping and reporting requirements for these emissions. These laws and regulations require us to obtain pre-approval for the construction or modification of certain projects or facilities expected to produce or significantly increase air emissions, obtain and strictly comply with stringent air permit emission limits, and in certain cases utilize specific equipment or technologies to control and measure emissions. Obtaining these permits can be both costly and time intensive and has the potential to delay opening of new facilities or significant expansion of existing facilities; moreover, complying with these permits, including satisfying testing requirements, can be costly and time-intensive. Failure to comply with these laws, regulations and permit requirements may cause us to face fines, penalties or injunctive orders in connection with air pollutant emissions from our operations.

The CAA requires that we obtain various construction and operating permits, including, in some cases, Title V air permits. In certain cases, the CAA requires us to incur capital expenditures to install air pollution control devices at our facilities. We have incurred, and expect to continue to incur, substantial administrative and capital expenditures to maintain compliance with CAA requirements that have been promulgated or may be promulgated or revised in the future.

Climate Change and Greenhouse Gases

Climate change continues to attract considerable attention globally. Numerous proposals have been made and could continue to be made at the international, national, regional, state and local levels of government to monitor and limit existing emissions of greenhouse gases, or GHGs, as well as to restrict or eliminate future emissions. In January 2021, the Biden administration issued an executive order that, among other things, established an Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases, or Working Group, which is called on to, among other things, develop methodologies for calculating the “social cost of carbon.” Final recommendations from the Working Group are due no later than January 2022. The Biden administration also issued an executive order in January 2021 focused on addressing climate change. As a result of these recent developments, our operations could be subject to a series of regulatory, litigation and financial risks associated with the production, transportation and sale of our products. The potential effects of GHG emission limits on our business are subject to significant uncertainties based on, among other things, the timing of the implementation of any new requirements, the required levels of emission reductions, and the nature of any market-based or tax-based mechanisms adopted to facilitate reductions. Compliance with changes in laws and regulations relating to climate change could increase our costs of operating and could require us to make significant financial expenditures that cannot be predicted with certainty at this time. For more information, see “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business—Climate change legislation, regulatory initiatives and litigation could result in increased operating costs or, in some instances, adversely impact demand for our products.”

 

 

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Finally, scientists have concluded that increasing concentrations of GHGs in the earth’s atmosphere may produce climate changes that have significant physical effects, such as sea-level rise, increased frequency and severity of storms, floods and other climatic events, including forest fires. If any such effects were to occur, they could have an adverse effect on our operations.

Water Discharges

The Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, or Clean Water Act, as well as state laws and implementing regulations, restrict the discharge of pollutants into waters of the United States. Any such discharge of pollutants must be performed in accordance with the terms of a permit issued by the U.S. EPA or the implementing state agency. In addition, the Clean Water Act and implementing state laws and regulations require individual permits or coverage under general permits for discharges of storm water runoff from certain types of facilities. Federal and state regulatory agencies can impose administrative, civil and criminal penalties for non-compliance with discharge permits or other requirements of the Clean Water Act and analogous state laws and regulations. Although our facilities are presently in compliance with these requirements, changes to the terms and conditions of our permits in future renewals or new or modified regulations could require us to incur additional capital or operating expenditures which may be material.

Endangered Species Act

The federal Endangered Species Act, as amended, or ESA, restricts activities that may affect endangered and threatened species or their habitats. We believe that we are in substantial compliance with the ESA. However, the designation of previously unidentified endangered or threatened species or habitat could cause us to incur additional costs or become subject to operating restrictions or bans in the affected areas, which could have an adverse impact on the availability or price of raw materials. In particular, such developments could have the effect of reducing forestry operations in areas where we procure our raw materials and, in turn, the availability of raw materials required for our operations and the production of our wood pellets.

Health and Safety Matters

We are subject to federal, state and local laws and regulations, including the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act, as amended, or OSHA, and comparable state statutes, whose purpose is to protect the health and safety of workers. OSHA regulations impose various requirements, including with respect to training, policies and procedures and maintenance. In addition, the OSHA hazard communication standards in the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act and comparable state statutes require that information be maintained concerning hazardous materials used or produced in our operations and that this information be provided to employees, state and local governmental authorities and citizens. National Fire Protection Association standards for combustible dust require our facilities to incorporate pollution control equipment such as cyclones, baghouses and electrostatic precipitators to minimize regulated emissions. We continually strive to maintain compliance with applicable safety, health, air, solid waste and wastewater regulations; nevertheless, we cannot guarantee that serious accidents will not occur in the future.

Legal Proceedings

We are from time to time subject to, and are presently involved in, litigation and other legal proceedings. We believe that there are no pending lawsuits or claims that, individually or in the aggregate, may have a material effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

 

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MANAGEMENT

Executive Officers and Directors

The following table sets forth certain information about our executive officers and directors.

 

Name

   Age     

Position

Executive Officers

     

Jeremy Andrus

     50      Chief Executive Officer and Director

Dominic Blosil

     40      Chief Financial Officer

Jim Hardy

     61      Chief Supply Chain Officer

Non-Employee Directors

     

Raul Alvarez

     66      Director

Wendy A. Beck

     56      Director

Martin Eltrich

     49      Director

James Ho

     44      Director

Daniel James

     56      Director

Elizabeth C. Lempres

     61      Director

Fred Lynch(1)

     57      Director

James Manges

     44      Director

Wayne Marino

     60      Director

Harjit Shoan

     46      Director

 

(1)

Mr. Lynch expects to resign from our board of directors prior to the closing of this offering.

Executive Officers

Jeremy Andrus has served as our Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of directors since January 2014. Following this offering, Mr. Andrus will serve as the chairman of our board of directors. Prior to joining us, Mr. Andrus served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Skullcandy, Inc. Mr. Andrus received a B.S. in International Relations from Brigham Young University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. We believe Mr. Andrus is qualified to serve on our board of directors because of his perspective and experience as our Chief Executive Officer and his extensive experience in corporate strategy, brand leadership, general management processes, and operational leadership.

Dominic Blosil has served as our Chief Financial Officer since January 2018. Prior to that, Mr. Blosil served as our Vice President of Strategy and Finance from February 2014 to December 2017. From November 2010 to January 2014, Mr. Blosil served as Director of Strategy and Finance at Skullcandy, Inc. Mr. Blosil received a B.S. in Business Management, Finance from Brigham Young University.

Jim Hardy has served as our Chief Supply Chain Officer since March 2021. Mr. Hardy has over 35 years of supply chain experience, most recently serving as Chief Operating Officer of Fanatics, Inc. from November 2017 to December 2019 and as Executive Vice President Global Operations of Under Armour, Inc. from March 2012 to March 2017. Mr. Hardy has also served on the board of directors of several private companies. Mr. Hardy received a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Florida.

Non-Employee Directors

Raul Alvarez has served as a member of our board of directors since May 2018, and following this offering will serve as our lead independent director. Mr. Alvarez is an Operating Partner of Advent International Corporation, a position he has held since July 2017. Mr. Alvarez has served on the board of directors of Eli Lilly and Company since 2009 and of Lowe’s Companies, Inc. since 2010. Mr. Alvarez also serves on the board of directors of several private companies. Mr. Alvarez previously served on the board of directors of Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc., McDonalds Corporation, KeyCorp, Skylark Co., Ltd, and Realogy Holdings Corp. Mr. Alvarez received a B.B.A. in Accounting from the University of Miami. We believe Mr. Alvarez is qualified to serve on our board of directors because of his extensive leadership experience, strong business acumen and public company board experience.

 

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Wendy A. Beck has served as a member of our board of directors since July 2021. Ms. Beck most recently served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Inc. until March 2018. Prior to that, Ms. Beck served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Domino’s Pizza Inc. from 2008 to 2010, as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Whataburger Restaurants, LP from 2004 through 2008 and as their Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer from 2001 through 2004, and as Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc. from 2000 through 2001 and previously served in other financial positions since 1993. Ms. Beck joined the board of directors of Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc., or ASO, in December 2020 and serves on the audit committee and as chair of the nominating and corporate governance committee of ASO. She has also served on the board of directors and the compensation committee of Bloomin’ Brands, Inc. since February 2018 and the board of directors and has chaired the audit committee of At Home Group Inc. since September 2014. Ms. Beck received her B.S. in Accounting from the University of South Florida and has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1992. We believe Ms. Beck is qualified to serve on our board of directors because of her executive leadership and her extensive financial and public company executive and board experience.

Martin Eltrich has served as a member of our board of directors since September 2017. Mr. Eltrich is a Partner with AEA Investors, which he joined in June 2001, and leads the consumer/retail investment practice. Mr. Eltrich served on the board of directors of At Home Group Inc. from October 2011 to October 2020. He currently serves on the board of directors of several private companies, including Jack’s Family Restaurants, Melissa & Doug, and ThreeSixty. Mr. Eltrich received a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania. We believe Mr. Eltrich is qualified to serve on our board of directors because of his extensive knowledge and understanding of our business, corporate finance, strategic planning, and investments.

James Ho has served as a member of our board of directors since September 2017. Mr. Ho is a Partner at AEA Investors, which he joined in August 2001, and focuses on AEA’s investments in the consumer and services sectors. Currently, Mr. Ho serves on the board of directors of several private companies, including Melissa & Doug, and ThreeSixty. Mr. Ho received a B.A. in Economics and MMSS from Northwestern University. We believe Mr. Ho is qualified to serve on our board of directors because of his extensive knowledge and understanding of our business, consumer businesses, corporate strategy, corporate finance, and governance.

Daniel James has served as a member of our board of directors since 2014. Mr. James is a Managing Partner and President of Trilantic North America, which he joined in 2009. Currently, Mr. James serves on the board of directors of several private companies, including Ortholite and Sunrise Strategic Partners. Mr. James received a B.A. in Chemistry from the College of the Holy Cross. We believe Mr. James is qualified to serve on our board of directors because of his knowledge of our business and his extensive experience in corporate finance and investing.

Elizabeth C. Lempres has served as a member of our board of directors since July 2021. Most recently, Ms. Lempres served as Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, a management consulting firm, until her retirement in August 2017. Ms. Lempres has served on the board of directors of General Mills, Inc. since June 2019, Great-West Lifeco. Inc. since May 2018 and Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. since April 2017. Ms. Lempres also serves on the board of directors of several private companies. Ms. Lempres received an A.B. from Dartmouth College, a B.S. from Dartmouth College Thayer School of Engineering and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. We believe Ms. Lempres is qualified to serve on our board of directors because of her extensive leadership experience, strong business acumen and public company board experience.

Fred Lynch has served as a member of our board of directors since July 2020. Mr. Lynch is an Operating Partner at AEA Investors, which he joined in January 2020, and focuses on the value-added industrials sector. Prior to that, Mr. Lynch served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Masonite International Corporation from May 2007 until May 2019, where he also served on the board of directors of Masonite from June 2009 until May 2019. Currently, Mr. Lynch serves on the board of directors of Ingevity Corporation, a position he has held since May 2016, and on the board of directors of several private companies, including Process Sensing

 

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Technologies. Mr. Lynch received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Villanova University and an M.B.A. from Temple University. Mr. Lynch expects to resign from our board of directors prior to the closing of this offering.

James Manges has served as a member of our board of directors since 2013. Mr. Manges is a Partner and Head of Consumer at Trilantic North America, which he joined in 2009. Currently, Mr. Manges serves on the board of directors of several private companies, including Gorilla Commerce, Ortholite, Orva, Rarebreed Veterinary Partners, Taymax, and Sunrise Strategic Partners. Mr. Manges received a B.A. from Yale University and an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School. We believe Mr. Manges is qualified to serve on our board of directors because of his extensive knowledge of consumer businesses and his experience in corporate finance and investing.

Wayne Marino has served as a member of our board of directors since July 2014. Mr. Marino currently serves on the board of directors of several private companies. Mr. Marino previously served as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Under Armour, Inc. from 2004 to 2012. Mr. Marino received a B.B.A. in Accounting from Iona College. We believe Mr. Marino is qualified to serve on our board of directors because of his extensive leadership experience, financial knowledge, and executive experience with public companies.

Harjit Shoan has served as a member of our board of directors since September 2017. Mr. Shoan is a Managing Director at OTPP, which he joined in June 2014. Currently, Mr. Shoan serves on the board of directors of several private companies, including Arterra Wines Canada, Shearer’s Snacks and Koru. Mr. Shoan received a B.B.A. from Wilfrid Laurier University and an M.B.A. from the University of Oxford. Mr. Shoan is a CFA charterholder. We believe Mr. Shoan is qualified to serve on our board of directors because of his extensive experience in investing and corporate finance and his knowledge of consumer retail businesses.

Family Relationships

There are no family relationships among any of our directors or executive officers.

Composition of the Board of Directors

After the completion of this offering, our business and affairs will be managed under the direction of our board of directors, which will initially consist of ten directors.

In connection with this offering, we intend to enter into a new stockholders agreement with the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP that grants certain board designation rights to each such party for so long as they beneficially own at least 5% of the aggregate number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately following this offering. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—New Stockholders Agreements.”

In accordance with our certificate of incorporation and the Stockholders Agreement, each of which will be in effect upon the closing of this offering, our board of directors will be divided into three classes with staggered three year terms. At each annual meeting of stockholders after the initial classification, the successors to the directors whose terms will then expire will be elected to serve from the time of election and qualification until the third annual meeting following their election. Our directors will be divided among three classes as follows:

 

   

the Class I directors will be Jeremy Andrus, Wendy A. Beck, Daniel James and Elizabeth C. Lempres, and their terms will expire at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2022;

 

   

the Class II directors will be Martin Eltrich, James Manges and Harjit Shoan, and their terms will expire at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2023; and

 

   

the Class III directors will be Raul Alvarez, James Ho and Wayne Marino, and their terms will expire at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2024.

Any increase or decrease 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. This classification of our board of directors could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire, or discourage a third party from seeking to acquire, control of us.

 

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Director Independence and Controlled Company Exception

We will be a “controlled company” under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange. As a result, we qualify for exemptions from, and may elect not to comply with, certain corporate governance requirements under the rules, including the requirements that within one year of the completion of this offering we have a board that is composed of majority of “independent directors,” as defined under the rules, and a compensation committee and a nominating and corporate governance committee that are composed entirely of independent directors. Even though we will be a controlled company, we are required to comply with the rules of the SEC and the New York Stock Exchange relating to the membership, qualifications and operations of the audit committee, as discussed below.

The rules of the New York Stock Exchange define a “controlled company” as a company of which more than 50% of the voting power for the election of directors is held by an individual, a group or another company. After the closing of this offering the Investors, as described in “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions—New Stockholders Agreements.” and “—Coordination Agreement,” will beneficially own approximately 67.6% of the combined voting power of our common stock (or 65.0% if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full). Accordingly, we will qualify as a “controlled company” and will be able to rely on the controlled company exemption from the director independence requirements of the New York Stock Exchange relating to the board of directors, compensation committee and nominating and corporate governance committee. See “Risk Factors—Upon the listing of our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange, we will be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the corporate governance standards of the New York Stock Exchange. As a result, we will qualify for, and intend to rely on, exemptions from certain corporate governance standards. You will not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to such requirements.” If we cease to be a controlled company and our common stock continues to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange, we will be required to comply with these requirements by the date our status as a controlled company changes or within specified transition periods applicable to certain provisions, as the case may be.

In connection with this offering, our board of directors has undertaken a review of the independence of each director and considered whether each director has a material relationship with us that could compromise his or her ability to exercise independent judgment in carrying out his or her responsibilities. As a result of this review, our board of directors determined that Raul Alvarez, Wendy A. Beck, Martin Eltrich, James Ho, Daniel James, Elizabeth C. Lempres, James Manges, Wayne Marino and Harjit Shoan are “independent directors” as defined under the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and the listing requirements and rules of the New York Stock Exchange, representing nine of our ten directors.

Committees of the Board of Directors

Upon consummation of this offering, our board of directors will have the following committees: the audit committee, the compensation committee and the nominating and corporate governance committee. From time to time, our board of directors may also establish any other committees that it deems necessary or desirable.

Each of the audit committee, the compensation committee, and the nominating and corporate governance committee will operate under a written charter that will be approved by our board of directors in connection with this offering. A copy of each of the audit committee, compensation committee, and nominating and corporate governance committee charters will be available on our corporate website. The reference to our website address in this prospectus does not include or incorporate by reference the information on our website into this prospectus.

Audit Committee.

Our audit committee will oversee our corporate accounting and financial reporting process and assists our board of directors in monitoring our financial systems. Our audit committee will be responsible for, among other things:

 

   

appointing, compensating, retaining, evaluating, terminating and overseeing our independent registered public accounting firm;

 

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discussing with our independent registered public accounting firm their independence;

 

   

reviewing with our independent registered public accounting firm the scope and results of their audit;

 

   

approving all audit and permissible non-audit services to be performed by our independent registered public accounting firm;

 

   

overseeing the financial reporting process and discussing with management and our independent registered public accounting firm the interim and annual financial statements that we file with the SEC;

 

   

reviewing our policies on risk assessment and risk management;

 

   

reviewing related party transactions;

 

   

overseeing our financial and accounting controls and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements; and

 

   

establishing procedures for the confidential anonymous submission of concerns regarding questionable accounting, internal controls or auditing matters.

Upon consummation of this offering, our audit committee will consist of Raul Alvarez, Wendy A. Beck, and Wayne Marino, with Wayne Marino serving as chair. Our board of directors has determined that each of Raul Alvarez, Wendy A. Beck, and Wayne Marino are independent directors under the rules of and the additional independence standards applicable to audit committee members established pursuant to Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act. Our board of directors has also determined that each of Raul Alvarez, Wendy A. Beck, and Wayne Marino meets the “financial literacy” requirement for audit committee members under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange and each of Raul Alvarez, Wendy A. Beck, and Wayne Marino is an “audit committee financial expert” within the meaning of the SEC rules.

Compensation Committee.

Our compensation committee will oversee our compensation policies, plans and benefits programs. Our compensation committee will be responsible for, among other things:

 

   

reviewing and approving corporate goals and objectives relevant to the compensation of our Chief Executive Officer, evaluating the performance of the Chief Executive Officer in light of these goals and objectives and setting or making recommendations to the board of directors regarding the compensation of the Chief Executive Officer;

 

   

reviewing and setting or making recommendations to our board of directors regarding the compensation of our other executive officers;

 

   

making recommendations to our board of directors regarding the compensation of our directors;

 

   

reviewing and approving or making recommendations to our board of directors regarding our incentive compensation and equity-based plans and arrangements; and

 

   

appointing and overseeing any compensation consultants.

Upon consummation of this offering, our compensation committee will consist of Raul Alvarez and James Ho, with Raul Alvarez serving as chair. The composition of our compensation committee meets the New York Stock Exchange requirements for independence under the current listing standards and SEC rules and regulations. Raul Alvarez is a non-employee director, as defined in Section 16b-3 of the Exchange Act.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.

Our nominating and corporate governance committee will oversee and assist our board of directors in reviewing and recommending nominees for election as directors. Our nominating and corporate governance committee will be responsible for, among other things:

 

   

identifying individuals qualified to become members of our board of directors, consistent with criteria approved by our board of directors and in accordance with the terms of the Stockholders Agreement;

 

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recommending to our board of directors the nominees for election to our board of directors at annual meetings of our stockholders;

 

   

overseeing an evaluation of our board of directors and its committees; and

 

   

developing and recommending to our board of directors a set of corporate governance guidelines.

Our nominating and corporate governance committee consists of Wendy A. Beck, Elizabeth C. Lempres, and Wayne Marino, with Elizabeth C. Lempres, serving as chair. The composition of our nominating and corporate governance committee meets the requirements for independence under the current listing standards and SEC rules and regulations, including the exemptions available to controlled companies.

Board Leadership Structure

Effective at the time of effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, Mr. Andrus will become our chairman. As Mr. Andrus is not an “independent director,” our board of directors has appointed Raul Alvarez to serve as our lead independent director, effective at the time of effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. The lead independent director’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to: presiding over all meetings of the board of directors at which the chair of the board of directors is not present, including any executive sessions of the independent directors; approving board meeting schedules and agendas; and acting as the liaison between the independent directors on the one hand and the chief executive officer and chair of our board of directors on the other. Our corporate governance guidelines provide the flexibility for our board of directors to modify our leadership structure in the future as it deems appropriate.

Risk Oversight

Our board of directors has an active role, as a whole and also at the committee level, in overseeing the management of our risks. Our board of directors is responsible for general oversight of risks and regular review of information regarding our risks, including credit risks, liquidity risks and operational risks. The compensation committee is responsible for overseeing the management of risks relating to our executive compensation plans and arrangements. The audit committee is responsible for overseeing the management of financial and cybersecurity risks. The nominating and corporate governance committee is responsible for overseeing the management of risks associated with the independence of our board of directors and potential conflicts of interest. Although each committee is responsible for evaluating certain risks and overseeing the management of such risks, the entire board of directors is regularly informed through discussions from committee members about such risks. Our board of directors believes its administration of its risk oversight function has not negatively affected our board of directors’ leadership structure.

Code of Ethics

We have adopted a written code of business conduct and ethics that applies to our directors, officers and employees, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions prior to the completion of this offering. Following this offering, a current copy of the code will be posted on the investor section of our website.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

None of the members of our compensation committee is an officer or one of our employees. None of our executive officers currently serves, or in the past year has served, as a member of the board of directors or compensation committee (or other board committee performing equivalent functions or, in the absence of any such committee, the entire board of directors) of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving on our board of directors or compensation committee.

 

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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

This section discusses the material components of the executive compensation program for our executive officers who are named in the “2020 Summary Compensation Table” below. In 2020, our “named executive officers” and their positions were as follows:

 

   

Jeremy Andrus, Chief Executive Officer;

 

   

Dominic Blosil, Chief Financial Officer; and

 

   

Stephen Woodside, former Chief Supply Chain Officer.

On September 25, 2020, Mr. Woodside separated from our company.

This discussion may contain forward-looking statements that are based on our current plans, considerations, expectations, and determinations regarding future compensation programs. Actual compensation programs that we adopt following the completion of this offering may differ materially from the currently planned programs summarized in this discussion.

2020 Summary Compensation Table

The following table sets forth information concerning the compensation of our named executive officers for the year ended December 31, 2020.

 

Name and Principal
Position

   Year      Salary ($)     Option
Awards($)(1)
     All Other
Compensation ($)
    Total ($)  

Jeremy Andrus

     2020        593,357        $ 29,772  (2)      623,129  

Chief Executive Officer

            

Dominic Blosil

     2020        380,769       311,468      $ 13,115  (3)      705,352  

Chief Financial Officer

            

Stephen Woodside

     2020        280,769  (4)       $ 883,494  (5)      1,164,263  

Former Chief Supply Chain Officer

            

 

(1)

Amounts reflect the grant-date fair value of Class B common units issued as “profits interests” in TGP Holdings, LP granted during the year ended December 31, 2020 computed in accordance with ASC Topic 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation. See Note 16 of the audited and unaudited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for a discussion of the relevant assumptions used in calculating these amounts. These Class B common units are intended to constitute profits interests for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Despite the fact that the Class B common units do not require the payment of an exercise price, for purposes of this table we believe they are most similar to stock options and are properly classified as “options” under the definition provided in Item 402(a)(6)(i) of Regulation S-K as an instrument with an “option-like feature.”

(2)

Amount reflects (i) $19,500 in matching contributions under Traeger Pellet Grills LLC’s 401(k) plan and (ii) $10,272 in an additional Company contribution under Traeger Pellet Grills LLC’s 401(k) plan with respect to 4% of Mr. Andrus’s compensation.

(3)

Amount reflects matching contributions under Traeger Pellet Grills LLC’s 401(k) plan.

(4)

Mr. Woodside separated from Traeger Pellet Grills LLC on September 25, 2020.

(5)

Amount reflects (i) severance payments paid or accrued during 2020 ($872,264) and (ii) $11,230 in matching contributions under Traeger Pellet Grills LLC’s 401(k) plan.

Narrative to Summary Compensation Table

2020 Salaries

The named executive officers receive a base salary to compensate them for services rendered to us. The base salary payable to each named executive officer is intended to provide a fixed component of compensation reflecting the executive’s skill set, experience, role, and responsibilities.

In 2020, Mr. Blosil was entitled to receive $300,000 annually, which was increased to $400,000 on March 1, 2020, and Mr. Andrus was entitled to receive $546,364 annually, which was increased to $750,000 on September 27, 2020. Prior to his departure, Mr. Woodside was entitled to receive $365,000 annually.

 

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The base salaries of Mr. Andrus and Mr. Blosil were adjusted in connection with this offering. See “IPO-Related Changes in Executive Compensation—” below for additional information.

2020 Bonuses

None of our named executive officers were eligible to earn annual cash incentive bonuses during 2020.

2020 Equity Compensation

2020 Incentive Units

Our named executive officers currently hold profits interests in TGP Holdings LP, our parent entity, or the Partnership, which are intended to constitute “profits interests” within the meaning of the relevant IRS Revenue Procedure guidance. We refer to these profits interests as Incentive Units.

In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, Mr. Blosil was granted 993.90 Incentive Units, as set forth below. The Incentive Units are divided into three tranches. Forty percent (40%) of the Incentive Units, or Time-Based Units, generally vest as to 25% of the Time-Based Units on the first anniversary of the applicable vesting date and in equal monthly installments thereafter through the fourth anniversary of the applicable vesting date. Another 40% of the Incentive Units, or Ordinary Performance Units, vest in equal annual installments over four years subject to the achievement of certain performance-vesting conditions. The final 20% of the Incentive Units, or Extraordinary Performance Units, will vest in full upon the achievement of additional performance-vesting conditions. The vesting of all Time-Based Units is generally subject to acceleration upon the occurrence of a “sale of the partnership” (as defined in the award agreements).

The vesting of the Ordinary Performance Units at the end of each applicable fiscal year is based on the Partnership’s achievement of threshold, target and maximum EBITDA goals, subject to the named executive officer’s continuous employment through the applicable vesting date. If the target EBITDA goal for a given fiscal year is not met, the unvested portion of the Ordinary Performance Units will remain eligible to vest in one or more subsequent fiscal years to the extent that target EBITDA is met during such subsequent fiscal years. If a sale of the Partnership occurs during a given fiscal year, Partnership’s EBITDA will be annualized in order to determine vesting of Ordinary Performance Units eligible to vest that fiscal year. Furthermore, upon a sale of the Partnership that occurs prior to December 31, 2021, each participant’s unvested Ordinary Performance Units, if any, will vest in a percentage equal to a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Ordinary Performance Units held by such participant which vested during the fiscal years prior to the fiscal year in which the sale of the Partnership takes place, and the denominator of which is the number of Ordinary Performance Units held by such participant which did not vest during those prior fiscal years. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the AEA Fund achieves a multiple of invested capital equal to 2.0x at any time prior to the earlier of an initial public offering or a sale of the Partnership, all unvested Ordinary Performance Units will vest in full.

The Extraordinary Performance Units will vest if the AEA Fund achieves a multiple of invested capital equal to 3.0x at any time prior to the earlier of an initial public offering or a sale of the Partnership. If the AEA Fund does not achieve a multiple of invested capital equal to 3.0x prior to the earlier of an initial public offering or a sale of the partnership, all of the Extraordinary Performance Units will be forfeited without consideration.

In the event a named executive officer is terminated for any reason other than a termination by Traeger Pellet Grills LLC for “cause” (as such term is defined in the named executive officer’s services agreement with Traeger Pellet Grills LLC, which agreements are described under the section titled “—Executive Compensation Arrangements” below), any unvested Incentive Units will be forfeited without consideration, and, other than with respect to Mr. Andrus’s Incentive Units, any vested Incentive Units generally will be subject to repurchase at fair market value upon the named executive officer’s termination of employment. If a named executive officer is terminated by Traeger Pellet Grills LLC for cause, all Incentive Units held by such named executive officer (whether vested or unvested) will be forfeited without consideration.

Upon a termination of Mr. Andrus’s employment by Traeger Pellet Grills LLC without cause or due to a non-extension by Traeger Pellet Grills LLC of his employment term, or due to resignation by Mr. Andrus for

 

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“good reason” (as such term is defined in his employment agreement), Mr. Andrus’s unvested Incentive Units will remain outstanding and continue to vest for an additional twelve months following his termination. None of Mr. Andrus’s vested Incentive Units are subject to repurchase under the Partnership’s First Amendment to Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement.

The following table sets forth the Incentive Units granted to our named executive officers in the 2020 fiscal year.

 

Named Executive Officer

   2020 Incentive Units Granted  

Jeremy Andrus

     0  

Dominic Blosil

     993.90  

Stephen Woodside

     0  

For additional information about Incentive Units held by our named executive officers, please see the section titled “Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End” below. We expect all of the outstanding Incentive Units to become vested in full in connection with this offering. As a result, the holders of these Incentive Units will become entitled to distributions of our common stock in connection with the Corporate Conversion. See “Corporate Conversion”

In connection with Mr. Woodside’s termination of employment, the Partnership repurchased all of his vested Incentive Units for fair market value as of the date of his termination.

Equity Compensation Plans

In connection with this offering, we adopted the 2021 Incentive Award Plan, referred to below as the 2021 Plan, in order to facilitate the grant of cash and equity incentives to directors, employees (including our named executive officers) and consultants of our company and certain of our affiliates, and to enable our company and certain of its affiliates to obtain and retain services of these individuals, which is essential to our long-term success. For additional information about the 2021 Plan, please see the section titled “Equity Incentive Plans” below.

Other Elements of Compensation

Retirement Plans

We currently maintain a 401(k) retirement savings plan for our employees, including our named executive officers, who satisfy certain eligibility requirements. Our named executive officers are eligible to participate in the 401(k) plan on the same terms as other full-time employees. The Internal Revenue Code allows eligible employees to defer a portion of their compensation, within prescribed limits, on a pre-tax basis through contributions to the 401(k) plan. Currently, we match contributions made by participants in the 401(k) plan up to a specified percentage of the employee contributions, and these matching contributions are fully vested as of the date on which the contribution is made. In addition, we have discretion to make additional contributions to the 401(k) plan, up to 4% of each employee’s compensation, regardless of such employee’s actual contributions. We believe that providing a vehicle for tax-deferred retirement savings though our 401(k) plan, and making fully vested matching contributions, adds to the overall desirability of our executive compensation package and further incentivizes our employees, including our named executive officers, in accordance with our compensation policies.

Employee Benefits and Perquisites

Health/Welfare Plans. All of our full-time employees, including our named executive officers, are eligible to participate in our health and welfare plans, including medical, dental and vision benefits, medical and dependent care flexible spending accounts, short-term and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, and an employee assistance program.

 

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We believe the perquisites described above are necessary and appropriate to provide a competitive compensation package to our named executive officers. Mr. Woodside was also entitled (i) to company-paid business class travel for all international flights in excess of six hours and (ii) reimbursement for relocation expenses.

No Tax Gross-Ups

We do not make gross-up payments to cover our named executive officers’ personal income taxes that may pertain to any of the compensation or perquisites paid or provided by us.

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End

The following table summarizes the number of shares of common stock underlying outstanding equity incentive plan awards for Messrs. Andrus and Blosil as of December 31, 2020. Mr. Woodside did not hold any outstanding equity incentive plan awards as of December 31, 2020.

 

          Option Awards        

Name

  Grant Date     Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options (#)
Exercisable
    Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options (#)
Unexercisable
    Equity incentive
plan awards:
Number of
securities
underlying
unexercised
unearned
options (#)(4)
    Option
Exercise
Price ($)
    Option
Expiration
Date
 

Jeremy Andrus

    12/13/2017       26,933 (2)      4,489       13,467       (1     —    
    5/24/2018       2,883 (2)      481       1,442       (1     —    

Dominic Blosil

    12/13/2017       1,257 (2)      209       628       (1     —    
    1/29/2018       897 (2)      150       449       (1     —    
    5/24/2018       231 (2)      38       115       (1     —    
    3/4/2020       298 (3)      398       298       (1     —    

 

(1)

These Incentive Units were issued as “profits interests” for U.S. federal income tax purposes and do not require the payment of an exercise price, but rather entitle the holder to participate in our future appreciation from and after the date of grant of the applicable Incentive Units. Despite this, for purposes of this table we believe they are most similar to stock options and are properly classified as “options” under the definition provided in Item 402(a)(6)(i) of Regulation S-K as an instrument with an “option-like feature.” Each Incentive Unit is granted with a threshold value applicable to such Incentive Units. The threshold amount represents the cumulative distributions that must be made by us pursuant to the TGP Holdings LP limited partnership agreement before a grantee is entitled to receive any distributions or payments in respect of such grantee’s Incentive Units. Each of the Incentive Units has a threshold value of $563,208,160.75.

(2)

Represents (i) Time-Based Units that vest as to 25% of the Time-Based Units on the first anniversary of December 31, 2017 and in equal monthly installments thereafter until the fourth anniversary of December 31, 2017, subject to the named executive officer’s continuous employment through the applicable vesting date, and (ii) Ordinary Performance Units that were vested as of December 31, 2020 based on the achievement of EBITDA goals, as described above under “2020 Equity Compensation – 2020 Incentive Units”. The vesting of all Time-Based Units is generally subject to acceleration upon a sale of the partnership (as defined in the award agreements).

(3)

Represents (i) Time-Based Units that vest as to 25% of the Time-Based Units on the first anniversary of March 4, 2020 and in equal monthly installments thereafter until the fourth anniversary of March 4, 2020, subject to the named executive officer’s continuous employment through the applicable vesting date, and (ii) Ordinary Performance Units that were vested as of December 31, 2020 based on the achievement of EBITDA goals, as described above under “2020 Equity Compensation – 2020 Incentive Units”. The vesting of all Time-Based Units is generally subject to acceleration upon a sale of the partnership (as defined in the award agreements).

(4)

Represents Ordinary Performance Units and Extraordinary Performance Units that vest subject to satisfaction of performance-vesting goals (described above under “2020 Equity Compensation -- 2020 Incentive Units”) and were unvested as of December 31, 2020.

Executive Compensation Arrangements

Our named executive officers’ employment agreements in effect as of December 31, 2020 are described below.

Jeremy Andrus Amended & Restated Employment Agreement

On September 25, 2017, we entered into an amended and restated employment agreement with Mr. Andrus. Mr. Andrus’s employment agreement provides for base salary, eligibility to receive a profits interest grant, and participation in our standard benefit plans. The employment agreement has an initial term of one year with automatic annual renewals unless any party provides written notice of non-renewal at least ninety days in advance of the expiration of the current term.

 

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Pursuant to the terms of Mr. Andrus’s employment agreement, if Mr. Andrus’s employment is terminated by Traeger Pellet Grills LLC without “cause” or due to Traeger Pellet Grills LLC’s decision not to renew Mr. Andrus’s employment term, or by Mr. Andrus for “good reason” (each, as defined in his employment agreement), Mr. Andrus is entitled to receive (i) 12 months’ severance pay based on his base salary rate on the date of such termination, to be paid monthly over the 12-month period following the termination date (beginning on the 60th day following the termination date) and (ii) up to 12 months’ company-paid health benefits continuation, in each case subject to Mr. Andrus’s execution of a general release of claims in favor of Traeger Pellet Grills LLC. In addition, Mr. Andrus’s unvested Incentive Units are subject to accelerated vesting as described in the section titled “—Equity Compensation,” above.

Under Mr. Andrus’s employment agreement, Mr. Andrus is subject to noncompetition and employee and customer non-solicitation covenants during the term of his employment and for one year thereafter. The employment agreement also includes a standard invention assignment and confidential information covenant.

Dominic Blosil Offer Letter

Mr. Blosil is employed pursuant to an employment offer letter entered into with Traeger Pellet Grills LLC in connection with his hiring as Traeger Pellet Grills LLC’s Vice President of Finance and Strategic Planning, which continued to govern his employment in 2020 as Traeger Pellet Grills LLC’s Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Blosil’s offer letter provides for base salary, eligibility to receive an equity incentive grant, and participation in our standard benefit plans. Mr. Blosil’s offer letter has no fixed term.

Pursuant to the terms of his offer letter, if Mr. Blosil’s employment is terminated by Traeger Pellet Grills LLC without “cause” (as defined in the offer letter), Mr. Blosil will be entitled to receive six months’ severance pay based on his base salary on the date of such termination, subject to Mr. Blosil’s execution of a general release of claims in favor of Traeger Pellet Grills LLC.

Pursuant to the terms of his offer letter, Mr. Blosil also entered into a separate agreement pursuant to which he is subject to a noncompetition and employee and customer non-solicitation covenants during the term of his employment and for one year thereafter. The agreement also includes a standard invention assignment and confidential information covenant.

Stephen Woodside Employment Agreement

On November 5, 2018, Mr. Woodside commenced employment with Traeger Pellet Grills LLC under an employment agreement dated October 24, 2018, entered into in connection with his hiring as Traeger Pellet Grills LLC’s Chief Supply Chain Officer. Prior to the termination of the employment agreement in connection with his separation from Traeger Pellet Grills LLC on September 25, 2020, Mr. Woodside’s employment agreement provided for base salary, eligibility to receive a profits interest grant, participation in our standard benefit plans, relocation expense reimbursement, and company-paid business class travel for all international flights in excess of six hours. Mr. Woodside’s employment agreement did not have a fixed term.

Pursuant to the terms of the Mr. Woodside’s employment agreement, if Mr. Woodside’s employment were terminated by Traeger Pellet Grills LLC without “cause”, or by Mr. Woodside for “good reason” (each, as defined in his employment agreement), Mr. Woodside would have been entitled to receive from Traeger Pellet Grills LLC (i) six months’ severance pay based on his base salary rate on the date of such termination, to be paid monthly over the 12-month period following the termination date (beginning on the 60th day following the termination date) and (ii) six months’ company-paid health benefits continuation, in each case subject to Mr. Woodside’s execution of a general release of claims in favor of Traeger Pellet Grills LLC.

Pursuant to the terms of his employment agreement, Mr. Woodside also entered into a separate agreement pursuant to which he was subject to a noncompetition and employee and customer non-solicitation covenants

 

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during the term of his employment and for one year thereafter. The agreement also includes standard an invention assignment and confidential information covenants.

Stephen Woodside Separation and Release and Waiver of Claims Agreement

On October 5, 2020, Mr. Woodside and Traeger Pellet Grills LLC entered into a Separation and Release and Waiver of Claims Agreement, pursuant to which Traeger Pellet Grills LLC agreed to provide certain payments and benefits in exchange for Mr. Woodside’s execution of a release of claims in connection with the termination of his employment on September 25, 2020. The agreement provides that Mr. Woodside will receive (i) 18 months of base salary, payable in accordance with Traeger Pellet Grills LLC’s regular payroll practices over the 18-month period following his applicable release revocation period, (ii) 18 months of company-paid COBRA premiums (or less, if Mr. Woodside becomes eligible to participate in another insurance plan), (iii) a lump sum payment equal to $300,000, and (iv) an additional lump sum payment equal to $30,000 for Mr. Woodside’s relocation expenses. In connection with the termination of Mr. Woodside’s employment, his vested and unvested Incentive Units were treated as described in the section titled “—Equity Compensation,” above.

The agreement also includes noncompetition and employee and customer non-solicitation covenants that apply until September 25, 2021 and October 5, 2022, respectively. Furthermore, Mr. Woodside is subject to a perpetual non-disparagement covenant in favor of Traeger Pellet Grills LLC.

IPO-Related Changes in Executive Compensation

In connection with this offering, our board of directors approved certain changes to our named executive officers’ annual base salaries. We also expect to grant equity awards and cash bonuses to some of our employees, including certain of our named executive officers. Each of these arrangement is described in more detail below.

Mr. Blosil’s Annual Base Salary

Our board of directors approved an increase to Mr. Blosil’s annual base salary to $450,000, effective as of August 1, 2021.

IPO Cash Bonus to Mr. Blosil

We expect to grant cash awards to certain of our employees in connection with this offering with an aggregate value of approximately $2.2 million. Of these, we expect Mr. Blosil will receive a cash award of $750,000.

Jeremy Andrus Letter Agreement

In connection with the grant of equity awards discussed below in the section entitled “Recent Changes in Executive Compensation – IPO-Related Equity Awards,” we entered into a letter agreement, or the Side Letter, with Mr. Andrus pursuant to which Mr. Andrus agreed that he will not be eligible to receive another equity-based or long-term incentive compensation award prior to calendar year 2027. In addition, under the Side Letter, Mr. Andrus agreed (i) to reduce his annual base salary to $0 until December 31, 2026 and (ii) to not be eligible to receive an annual bonus with respect to 2021 or for any period prior to December 31, 2026. The Board believes that the lack of cash compensation, coupled with equity awards’ design (of vesting upon the achievement of significant stock price appreciation goals), ensures that Mr. Andrus’s compensation over the next several years is directly and solely tied to the Company’s achievement of superior performance.

IPO-Related Equity Awards

Our board of directors approved the grant of restricted stock unit awards pursuant to the 2021 Plan to certain of our directors, consultants and employees in connection with this offering. The restricted stock unit awards will become effective on the completion of this offering.

 

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The aggregate dollar-denominated value of the awards, excluding the Chief Executive Officer Award, will be approximately $78.9 million, and the number of shares of our common stock subject to these awards will be determined based on the initial public offering price per share of our common stock in this offering. The restricted stock unit awards that our directors will receive are further described under the section titled, “Post-IPO Director Compensation—Director IPO Grants” below.

These awards granted to Messrs. Andrus and Blosil, are comprised of long-term performance-based restricted stock units, or PSUs, and time-based restricted stock units, or RSUs. The Chief Executive Officer Award is expected to cover a number of shares of common stock such that, following the grant of all IPO-related equity awards (including the Chief Executive Officer Award), equals 6% of the fully-diluted shares of common stock (with 4% covering Mr. Andrus’s PSUs and 2% covering Mr. Andrus’s RSUs ). We expect the Chief Executive Officer Award to cover an aggregate of 7,799,422 shares of common stock (based on 129,990,330 fully diluted shares of common stock outstanding after this offering).

The dollar-denominated value of the PSUs granted to Mr. Blosil will be approximately $2,760,000, and the dollar-denominated value of the RSUs granted to Mr. Blosil will be approximately $6,440,000. The number of shares of our common stock subject to these awards will be determined based on the initial public offering price per share of our common stock in this offering.

Andrus and Blosil PSU Awards

The PSUs are intended to retain and incentivize Messrs. Andrus and Blosil to lead our company to sustained, long-term superior financial performance. We believe the PSUs further align the executives’ interests with those of our long-term stockholders because the vesting, in addition to the value the executives may realize from the awards, if any, will depend on the creation of significantly enhanced stockholder value over a period of up to ten years following the date of this offering.

The PSUs granted to Messrs. Andrus and Blosil will become earned based on the achievement of stock price goals (measured as a volume-weighted average stock price over 60 days) at any time until the tenth anniversary of the closing of this offering. Mr. Andrus’s PSUs are divided into five tranches, with the first tranche having a stock price goal of 125% of the IPO price, and each of the next four stock prices goals equally 125% of the immediately preceding stock price goal. Mr. Blosil’s PSUs are divided into two tranches, with the first tranche having a stock price goal of 200% of the IPO price and the second tranche having a stock price goal of 300% of the IPO price.

For Mr. Andrus, any PSUs that become earned PSUs will vest on the applicable vesting date described in the following table or, if later, the date on which the applicable stock price goal is achieved, subject to Mr. Andrus’s continued service as our chief executive officer or executive chairman of our board of directors:

 

Earned PSUs’ Vesting Tranche

  

Vesting Date

First Vesting Tranche    50% on the first anniversary and 50% on the second anniversary of the closing of this offering
Second Vesting Tranche    50% on the second anniversary and 50% on the third anniversary of the closing of this offering
Third Vesting Tranche    50% on the third anniversary and 50% on the fourth anniversary of the closing of this offering
Fourth Vesting Tranche    50% on the fourth anniversary and 50% on the fifth anniversary of the closing of this offering
Fifth Vesting Tranche   

50% on the fifth anniversary and 50% on the

sixth anniversary of the closing of this offering

 

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For Mr. Blosil, any PSUs that become earned PSUs will vest as to (i) 50% of the earned PSUs on the later of the first anniversary of the closing of this offering and the date on which the applicable stock price goal is achieved and (ii) 50% of the earned PSUs on the later of the second anniversary of the closing of this offering and the date on which the applicable stock price goal is achieved, in any case subject to his continued employment.

PSUs that remain unvested as of the expiration date automatically will be forfeited terminated without consideration.

Upon a termination of Mr. Andrus’s service by us without cause, by Mr. Andrus for good reason, or due to Mr. Andrus’s disability (each as defined in his award agreement), or due to Mr. Andrus’s death, any previously earned PSUs will vest, and any remaining PSUs will be forfeited and terminated without consideration. Upon a termination of Mr. Blosil’s employment due to Mr. Blosil’s disability (each as defined in Mr. Blosil’s award agreement) or due to Mr. Blosil’s death, any previously earned PSUs will vest, and any remaining PSUs will be forfeited and terminated without consideration. The vesting of any earned PSUs will be subject to the executive’s timely execution and non-revocation of a general release of claims.

In the event our company incurs a change in control, then any previously-earned PSUs will vest and any remaining PSUs will vest based on the price per share received by or payable with respect to our common stockholders in connection with the transaction, pro-rated to reflect a price per share that falls between two stock price goals.

To the extent any of the PSUs granted to Mr. Andrus vest, Mr. Andrus must hold such shares for two years following their vesting date, subject to certain exceptions set forth in the award agreement.

The RSUs granted to Mr. Andrus will vest as to 20% of the underlying shares on each of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth anniversaries of the closing of this offering, subject to Mr. Andrus’s continued service as our chief executive officer or executive chairman of our board of directors. Upon a termination of Mr. Andrus’s service by us without cause, by Mr. Andrus for good reason, or due to Mr. Andrus’s disability or death then, subject to his timely execution and non-revocation of a general release of claims, any unvested RSU will vest. To the extent any of the RSUs granted to Mr. Andrus vest, Mr. Andrus must hold such shares for two years following their vesting date, subject to certain exceptions set forth in the award agreement.

The RSUs granted to Mr. Blosil will vest as to 50% of the underlying RSUs on the third and fourth anniversaries of the closing of this offering, subject to Mr. Blosil’s continued service as of each applicable vesting date. Upon a termination of Mr. Blosil’s employment by us without cause on or following a change in control then, subject to his timely execution and non-revocation of a general release of claims, any unvested RSU will vest.

Director Compensation

2020 Director Compensation

The following table sets forth information for 2020 regarding the compensation awarded to, earned by or paid to our non-employee directors who served on our board of directors during 2020. Mr. Andrus, who served as our Chief Executive Officer during 2020, and continues to serve in that capacity, does not receive additional compensation for his service as a director, and therefore is not included in the Director Compensation table below. All compensation paid to Mr. Andrus is reported above in the “2020 Summary Compensation Table”.

In general, our non-employee directors did not receive any cash compensation for their service as a non-employee director during the year ended December 31, 2020. However, in February 2019, we entered into a Consulting Agreement and Amendment to Management Unit Grant Agreement with Mr. Marino pursuant to which Mr. Marino receives an annual fee of $55,000, payable in equal installments each calendar quarter for as long as he provides services as a non-employee director on our board. For 2020, we agreed to increase this annual fee to $55,000.

 

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Name

   Fees
Earned
or Paid
in Cash
($)
    Total
($)
 

Wayne Marino

     55,000 (1)      55,000  

Fred Lynch(2)

     —      

James Ho

     —      

Martin Eltrich

     —      

James Manges

     —      

Daniel James

     —      

Raul Alvarez

     —      

Harjit Shoan

     —      

 

(1)

Amount represents an annual fee payable to Mr. Marino for his services to our board and audit committee.

(2)

Mr. Lynch expects to resign from our board of directors prior to the closing of this offering.

The table below shows the aggregate numbers of Incentive Units held as of December 31, 2020 by each non-employee director who was serving as of December 31, 2020.

 

Name

   Unvested
Incentive
Units
Outstanding
at Fiscal Year
End
 

Wayne Marino

     76  

Fred Lynch(1)

      

Martin Eltrich

      

James Manges

      

Daniel James

      

Raul Alvarez

     120  

Harjit Shoan

      

 

(1)

Mr. Lynch expects to resign from our board of directors prior to the closing of this offering.

Post-IPO Director Compensation Program

Director IPO Grants

In connection with this offering, our board of directors approved the grant of restricted stock unit awards pursuant to the 2021 Plan to certain of our non-employee directors: Wayne Marino, Raul Alvarez, Wendy Beck and Elizabeth Lempres. These restricted stock unit awards will become effective upon the closing of this offering, and each has a value of $192,500 (with the number of shares determined based on the initial public offering price per share of our common stock in this offering). Each award will vest in full on the earlier of the first anniversary of the closing of this offering and our annual stockholders’ meeting in 2022, subject to continued service as of such date.

Post-IPO Director Compensation Program

In connection with this offering, our board of directors adopted and our stockholders approved a nonemployee director compensation program, or the Director Compensation Program, which will become effective in connection with the completion of this offering. The Director Compensation Program will provide for annual retainer fees and long-term equity awards for certain of our non-employee directors, referred to herein as Eligible Directors. The material terms of the Director Compensation Program are summarized below.

 

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The Director Compensation Program consists of the following components:

Cash Compensation

 

   

Annual Retainer: $75,000

 

   

Lead independent director: $75,000

 

   

Annual Committee Chair Retainer:

 

   

Audit: $20,000

 

   

Compensation: $15,000

 

   

Nominating and Governance: $10,000

Annual cash retainers will be paid in quarterly installments in arrears and will be pro-rated for any partial calendar quarter of service.

Equity Compensation

 

   

Initial Grant: Each Eligible Director who is initially elected or appointed to serve on the Board after the effective date of this offering automatically will be granted, on the date on which such Eligible Director is appointed or elected to serve on the Board, a restricted stock unit award with a value of approximately $192,500, multiplied by a fraction (i) the numerator of which is the difference between 365 and the number of days from the date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of the Company’s stockholders (or the effective date of this offering, if there is no preceding annual meeting date) through the election or appointment date and (ii) the denominator of which is 365. These initial grants will vest in full on the earlier to occur of (x) the one-year anniversary of the applicable grant date and (y) the date of the next annual meeting of the Company’s stockholders following the grant date, subject to such Eligible Director’s continued service through the applicable vesting date.

 

   

Annual Grant: An Eligible Director who is serving on our board of directors as of the date of the annual meeting of the Company’s stockholders each calendar year (beginning with calendar year 2022) will be granted, on such annual meeting date, a RSU award with a value of approximately $192,500. Each annual grant will vest in full on the earlier to occur of (i) the first anniversary of the applicable grant date and (ii) the date of the next annual meeting following the grant date, subject to such Eligible Director’s continued service through the applicable vesting date.

In addition, each Initial Grant and Annual Grant will vest in full upon a change in control of the Company (as defined in the 2021 Plan) if the Eligible Director will not become a member of the board of the Company or the ultimate parent of the Company as of immediately following such change in control.

Compensation under our Director Compensation Program will be subject to the annual limits on non-employee director compensation set forth in the 2021 Plan, as described in the section titled “Executive Compensation.”

Equity Incentive Plans

2021 Incentive Award Plan

In connection with this offering, our board of directors adopted, and our stockholders approved, the 2021 Incentive Award Plan, or the 2021 Plan, under which we may grant cash and equity incentive awards to eligible service providers in order to attract, motivate and retain the talent for which we compete.

Eligibility and Administration. Our employees, consultants and directors, and employees, consultants, and directors of our subsidiaries, are eligible to receive awards under the 2021 Plan. Following this offering, the 2021

 

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Plan will be administered by our board of directors with respect to awards to non-employee directors and by our compensation committee with respect to other participants, each of which may delegate its duties and responsibilities to committees of our directors and/or officers (referred to collectively as the plan administrator below), subject to certain limitations that may be imposed under Section 16 of the Exchange Act, and/or stock exchange rules, as applicable. The plan administrator will have the authority to make all determinations and interpretations under, prescribe all forms for use with, and adopt rules for the administration of, the 2021 Plan, subject to its express terms and conditions. The plan administrator will also set the terms and conditions of all awards under the 2021 Plan, including any vesting and vesting acceleration conditions.

Limitation on Awards and Shares Available. Subject to the adjustment described in the following sentence, the initial number of shares of our common stock available for issuance under awards granted pursuant to the 2021 Plan will equal 12% of the number of shares of our outstanding common stock upon completion of this offering, which shares may be authorized but unissued shares, treasury shares, or shares purchased in the open market. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the 2021 Plan, no more than 100,000,000 shares of our common stock may be issued pursuant to the exercise of incentive stock options under the 2021 Plan.

The number of shares available for issuance will be increased by an annual increase on the first day of each calendar year beginning January 1, 2022 and ending on and including January 1, 2031, equal to the lesser of (i) 5% of the aggregate number of shares of our common stock outstanding on the final day of the immediately preceding calendar year and (ii) such smaller number of shares as is determined by our board of directors.

If an award under the 2021 Plan expires, lapses or is terminated, exchanged for or settled for cash, surrendered, repurchased, or cancelled without having been fully exercised or forfeited, any shares subject to such award may, to the extent of such forfeiture, expiration, or cash settlement, be used again for new grants under the 2021 Plan. Further, shares delivered to us to satisfy the applicable exercise or purchase price of an award under the 2021 Plan and/or to satisfy any applicable tax withholding obligations (including shares retained by us from the award under the 2021 Plan being exercised or purchased and/or creating the tax obligation) will become or again be available for award grants under the 2021 Plan. The payment of dividend equivalents in cash in conjunction with any awards under the 2021 Plan will not reduce the shares available for grant under the 2021 Plan. However, the following shares may not be used again for grant under the 2021 Plan: (i) shares subject to stock appreciation rights, or SARs, that are not issued in connection with the stock settlement of the SAR on exercise and (ii) shares purchased on the open market with the cash proceeds from the exercise of options.

Awards granted under the 2021 Plan upon the assumption of, or in substitution for, awards authorized or outstanding under a qualifying equity plan maintained by an entity with which we enter into a merger or similar corporate transaction will not reduce the shares available for grant under the 2021 Plan. The 2021 Plan provides that, commencing with the calendar year following the calendar year in which the effective date of the 2021 Plan occurs, the sum of any cash compensation and the aggregate grant date fair value (determined as of the date of the grant under ASC Topic 718, or any successor thereto) of all awards granted to a non-employee director as compensation for services as a non-employee director during any calendar year may not exceed the amount equal to $750,000.

Awards. The 2021 Plan provides for the grant of stock options, including incentive stock options, or ISOs, and nonqualified stock options, or NSOs, restricted stock, dividend equivalents, RSUs, stock appreciation rights, or SARs, and other stock or cash awards. Certain awards under the 2021 Plan may constitute or provide for a deferral of compensation, subject to Section 409A of the Code, which may impose additional requirements on the terms and conditions of such awards. All awards under the 2021 Plan will be set forth in award agreements, which will detail all terms and conditions of the awards, including any applicable vesting and payment terms and post-termination exercise limitations. Awards other than cash awards generally will be settled in shares of our common stock, but the plan administrator may provide for cash settlement of any award. A brief description of each award type follows.

 

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Stock Options. Stock options provide for the purchase of shares of our common stock in the future at an exercise price set on the grant date. ISOs, by contrast to NSOs, may provide tax deferral beyond exercise and favorable capital gains tax treatment to their holders if certain holding period and other requirements of the Code are satisfied. The exercise price of a stock option may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the underlying share on the date of grant (or 110% in the case of ISOs granted to certain significant stockholders), except with respect to certain substitute options granted in connection with a corporate transaction. The term of a stock option may not be longer than ten years (or five years in the case of ISOs granted to certain significant stockholders). Vesting conditions determined by the plan administrator may apply to stock options and may include continued service, performance and/or other conditions.

SARs. SARs entitle their holder, upon exercise, to receive from us an amount equal to the appreciation of the shares subject to the award between the grant date and the exercise date. The exercise price of a SAR may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the underlying share on the date of grant (except with respect to certain substitute SARs granted in connection with a corporate transaction) and the term of a SAR may not be longer than ten years. Vesting conditions determined by the plan administrator may apply to SARs and may include continued service, performance and/or other conditions.

Restricted Stock and RSUs. Restricted stock is an award of nontransferable shares of our common stock that remain forfeitable unless and until specified conditions are met, and which may be subject to a purchase price. RSUs are contractual promises to deliver shares of our common stock in the future, which may also remain forfeitable unless and until specified conditions are met, and may be accompanied by the right to receive the equivalent value of dividends paid on shares of our common stock prior to the delivery of the underlying shares. Settlement of RSUs may be deferred under the terms of the award or at the election of the participant, if the plan administrator permits such a deferral. Conditions applicable to restricted stock and RSUs may be based on continuing service, the attainment of performance goals and/or such other conditions as the plan administrator may determine.

Other Stock or Cash Based Awards. Other stock or cash based awards of cash, fully vested shares of our common stock and other awards valued wholly or partially by referring to, or otherwise based on, shares of our common stock may be granted under the 2021 Plan. Other stock or cash based awards may be granted to participants and may also be available as a payment form in the settlement of other awards, as standalone payments and as payment in lieu of base salary, bonus, fees, or other cash compensation otherwise payable to any individual who is eligible to receive awards.

Dividend Equivalents. Dividend equivalents represent the right to receive the equivalent value of dividends paid on shares of our common stock and may be granted alone or in tandem with awards other than stock options or SARs. Dividend equivalents are credited as of dividend record dates during the period between the date an award is granted and the date such award vests, is exercised, is distributed or expires, as determined by the plan administrator.

Performance Awards. Performance awards include any of the foregoing awards that are granted subject to vesting and/or payment based on the attainment of specified performance goals or other criteria the plan administrator may determine, which may or may not be objectively determinable. Performance criteria upon which performance goals are established by the plan administrator may include but are not limited to: (1) net earnings (either before or after one or more of the following: (a) interest, (b) taxes, (c) depreciation, (d) amortization, and (e) non-cash equity-based compensation expense); (2) gross or net sales or revenue; (3) net income (either before or after taxes); (4) adjusted net income; (5) operating earnings or profit; (6) cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow and free cash flow); (7) return on assets; (8) return on capital; (9) return on stockholders’ equity; (10) total stockholder return; (11) return on sales; (12) gross or net profit or operating margin; (13) costs; (14) funds from operations; (15) expenses; (16) working capital; (17) earnings per share; (18) adjusted earnings per share; (19) price per share of our common stock; (20) regulatory achievements or compliance; (21) implementation or completion of critical projects; (22) market share; (23) economic value;

 

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(24) debt levels or reduction; (25) sales-related goals; (26) comparisons with other stock market indices; (27) operating efficiency; (28) employee satisfaction; (29) financing and other capital raising transactions; (30) recruiting and maintaining personnel; (31) year-end cash; and (32) human capital management goals or environmental, social and governance goals, any of which may be measured either in absolute terms for us or any operating unit of our company or as compared to any incremental increase or decrease or as compared to results of a peer group or to market performance indicators or indices.

Certain Transactions. The plan administrator has broad discretion to take action under the 2021 Plan, as well as make adjustments to the terms and conditions of existing and future awards, to prevent the dilution or enlargement of intended benefits and facilitate necessary or desirable changes in the event of certain transactions and events affecting our common stock, such as stock dividends, stock splits, mergers, acquisitions, consolidations, and other corporate transactions. In addition, in the event of certain non-reciprocal transactions with our stockholders known as “equity restructurings,” the plan administrator will make equitable adjustments to the 2021 Plan and outstanding awards. In the event of a change in control of our company (as defined in the 2021 Plan), to the extent that the surviving entity declines to continue, convert, assume, or replace outstanding awards, then all such awards will become fully vested and exercisable in connection with the transaction. Upon or in anticipation of a change of control, the plan administrator may cause any outstanding awards to terminate at a specified time in the future and give the participant the right to exercise such awards during a period of time determined by the plan administrator in its sole discretion. Individual award agreements may provide for additional accelerated vesting and payment provisions.

Foreign Participants, Claw-Back Provisions, Transferability, and Participant Payments. The plan administrator may modify award terms, establish subplans and/or adjust other terms and conditions of awards, subject to the share limits described above, in order to facilitate grants of awards subject to the laws and/or stock exchange rules of countries outside of the United States. All awards will be subject to the provisions of any claw- back policy implemented by our company to the extent set forth in such claw-back policy and/or in the applicable award agreement. With limited exceptions for estate planning, domestic relations orders, certain beneficiary designations and the laws of descent and distribution, awards under the 2021 Plan are generally non-transferable prior to vesting, and are exercisable only by the participant. With regard to tax withholding, exercise price, and purchase price obligations arising in connection with awards under the 2021 Plan, the plan administrator may, in its discretion, accept cash or check, shares of our common stock that meet specified conditions, a “market sell order,” or such other consideration as it deems suitable.

Plan Amendment and Termination. Our board of directors may amend or terminate the 2021 Plan at any time; however, except in connection with certain changes in our capital structure, stockholder approval will be required for any amendment that increases the number of shares available under the 2021 Plan. Stockholder approval is not required for any amendment that “reprices” any stock option or SAR, or cancels any stock option or SAR in exchange for cash or another award when the option or SAR price per share exceeds the fair market value of the underlying shares. No award may be granted pursuant to the 2021 Plan after the tenth anniversary of the earlier of the date on which our stockholders approved the 2021 Plan or the date on which our board of directors adopted the 2021 Plan.

 

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PRINCIPAL AND SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of June 30, 2021 and as adjusted to reflect the sale of common stock offered by us and the selling stockholders in this offering by:

 

   

each of our directors;

 

   

each of our named executive officers;

 

   

all of our directors and executive officers as a group;

 

   

each person or entity who is known by us to beneficially own more than 5% of our common stock; and

 

   

each of the selling stockholders.

The number of shares beneficially owned by each stockholder is determined under rules issued by the SEC. Under these rules, a person is deemed to be a “beneficial” owner of a security if that person has or shares voting power or investment power, which includes the power to dispose of or to direct the disposition of such security. Except as indicated in the footnotes below, we believe, based on the information furnished to us, that the individuals and entities named in the table below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares beneficially owned by them, subject to any applicable community property laws.

The percentage of beneficial ownership prior to this offering is based on 108,724,387 shares of common stock outstanding as of June 30, 2021 after giving effect to the split of our common units and the Corporate Conversion, including the distribution of shares of common stock to the holders of partnership interests in the Partnership based upon the value of Traeger, Inc. at the time of this offering, with a value implied by the initial public offering price of $17.00 per share of common stock, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. The number of shares of common stock to be distributed to each former holder of partnership interests in the Partnership will be affected by the value of Traeger, Inc. at the time of this offering. See “Corporate Conversion.” The percentage of beneficial ownership after this offering is based on 117,547,916 shares of common stock outstanding as of June 30, 2021 after giving effect to the split of our common units, the Corporate Conversion and our issuance of 8,823,529 shares of common stock in this offering.

In computing the number of shares beneficially owned by an individual or entity and the percentage ownership of that person, shares of common stock subject to options, warrants or other rights held by such person that are currently exercisable or that will become exercisable or will otherwise vest within 60 days of June 30, 2021 are considered outstanding, although these shares are not considered outstanding for purposes of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. The table below excludes any shares issuable in connection with the IPO Awards and any purchases that may be made through our directed share program or otherwise in this offering. See “Underwriting—Directed Share Program.”

Unless otherwise indicated below, to our knowledge, all persons listed below have sole voting and investment power with respect to their shares of common stock, except to the extent authority is shared by spouses under applicable law. Unless otherwise indicated below, the address for each person or entity listed below is c/o Traeger, Inc., 1215 E Wilmington Ave., Suite 200, Salt Lake City, UT 84106.

 

                            Shares Beneficially Owned After this Offering  
    Shares Beneficially Owned
Prior to this Offering
    Number of
Shares Being
Offered in
this Offering
    Number of
Shares Being
Offered
Pursuant to
Underwriters’
Option
    Assuming the
Underwriters’ Option
is Not Exercised
    Assuming the
Underwriters’ Option
is Exercised in Full
 

Name of Beneficial Owner

  Number
of Shares
    Percentage     Number
of Shares
    Percentage     Number
of Shares
    Percentage  

5% Stockholders:

               

AEA Fund(1)

    40,462,767       37.2       5,521,249       1,330,640       34,941,518       29.7       33,610,878       28.6  

Entities affiliated with OTPP(2)

    29,808,418       27.4       4,067,436       980,268       25,740,982       21.9       24,760,714       21.1  

 

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                            Shares Beneficially Owned After this Offering  
    Shares Beneficially Owned
Prior to this Offering
    Number of
Shares Being
Offered in
this Offering
    Number of
Shares Being
Offered
Pursuant to
Underwriters’
Option
    Assuming the
Underwriters’ Option
is Not Exercised
    Assuming the
Underwriters’ Option
is Exercised in Full
 

Name of Beneficial Owner

  Number
of Shares
    Percentage     Number
of Shares
    Percentage     Number
of Shares
    Percentage  

Entities affiliated with Trilantic Capital Management L.P.(3)

    21,713,128       20.0       2,962,815       714,049       18,750,313       16.0       18,036,264       15.3  

Directors and Named Executive Officers:

               

Jeremy Andrus(4)

    10,936,799       10.1       1,492,351       359,663       9,444,448       8.0       9,084,785       7.7  

Dominic Blosil

    597,986       0.6       81,596       19,665       516,390       0.4       496,725       0.4  

Stephen Woodside

    —         —         —         —         —         —         —         —    

Raul Alvarez

    382,269       0.4       —         —         382,269       0.3       382,269       0.3  

Wendy A. Beck

    —         —         —         —         —         —         —         —    

Martin Eltrich(5)

    —         —         —         —         —         —         —         —    

James Ho(5)

    —         —         —         —         —         —         —         —    

Daniel James(6)

    —         —         —         —         —         —         —         —    

Elizabeth C. Lempres

    —         —         —         —         —         —         —         —    

Fred Lynch(5)

    —         —         —         —         —         —         —         —    

James Manges(6)

    —         —         —         —         —         —         —         —    

Wayne Marino

    21,781       *       —         —         21,781       *       21,781       *  

Harjit Shoan(7)

    —         —         —         —         —         —         —         —    

All directors and executive officers as a group (13 persons)

    11,938,838       11.0       1,573,947       379,328       10,364,888       8.8       9,985,560       8.5  

Other Selling Stockholders:

               

Certain senior management employes(8)

    705,647       *       96,286       23,206       609,361       *       586,155       *  

Certain marketing team employees(8)

    322,731       *       37,016       4,315       285,715       *       281,400       *  

Certain sales team employees(8)

    958,700       *       125,901       27,099       832,799       *       805,700       *  

Certain product team employees(8)

    1,032,992       *       117,493       26,569       915,499       *       888,930       *  

Certain general and administrative team employees(8)

    973,446       *       97,024       20,529       876,422       *       855,893       *  

Certain finance and legal team employees(8)

    519,625       *       70,892       17,081       448,733       *       431,652       *  

Certain former employees(8)

    288,098       *       35,823       6,327       252,275       *       245,948       *  

 

*

Represents beneficial ownership of less than 1% of our outstanding shares of common stock.

(1)

Consists of 40,462,767 shares of common stock held of record by AEA TGP Holdco LP, or the AEA Fund. The general partner of TGP Holdco is AEA Fund VI Stockholder Representative Corp., which is wholly owned by AEA Investors Fund VI LP, which, along with AEA Investors Executive Fund VI LP, is a limited partner in the AEA Fund. The general partner of AEA Investors Fund VI LP is AEA Investors Partners VI LP, whose general partner is AEA Management (Cayman) Ltd. The general partner of AEA Investors Executive Fund VI LP is AEA Investors Executive Partners VI LLC, whose sole member is AEA Investors LP. Each of AEA Fund VI Stockholder Representative Corp., AEA Investors Fund VI LP, AEA Investors Executive Fund VI LP, AEA Investors Partners VI LP, AEA Investors Executive Partners VI LLC, AEA Management (Cayman) Ltd., and AEA Investors LP may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of the shares of record owned by the AEA Fund, but each disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares. John L. Garcia, the Chairman of

 

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  AEA Investors LP and the sole stockholder and director of AEA Management (Cayman) Ltd., and Brian R. Hoesterey, the Chief Executive Officer of AEA Investors LP, may also be deemed to share beneficial ownership of the shares of the issuer’s common stock held of record by the AEA Fund, but each of Dr. Garcia and Mr. Hoesterey disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein. The address of each of the individuals, the AEA Fund, AEA Investors Executive Partners VI LLC, and AEA Investors LP is c/o AEA Investors LP, 520 Madison Ave., 40th Floor, New York, NY 10022. The address of each of AEA Investors Fund VI LP, AEA Investors Executive Fund VI LP, AEA Investors Partners VI LP and AEA Management (Cayman) Ltd. is P.O. Box 309, Ugland House, Grand Cayman KY1-1104, Cayman Islands. For a description of our relationship with this stockholder, please see “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions.”
(2)

Consists of 29,808,418 shares of common stock held of record by 2594868 Ontario Limited, or 2594868, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board, or OTPP and together with 2594868, the OTPP Entities. The President and Chief Executive Officer of OTPP has delegated to each of Harjit Shoan and Kevin Mansfield the authority to implement disposition decisions with respect to the shares of common stock that are held by or may be acquired by 2594868; however, approval of such decisions are made by senior personnel within the capital markets group of OTPP in accordance with internal portfolio guidelines. Voting decisions are made by OTPP in accordance with internal proxy voting guidelines. As such, each of Harjit Shoan and Kevin Mansfield expressly disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares of Common Stock that are held by or may be acquired by 2594868. The business address of the OTPP is 5650 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario M2M 4H5. For a description of our relationship with this stockholder, please see “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions.”

(3)

Shares are indirectly owned by Trilantic Capital Partners V (North America) L.P. and Trilantic Capital Partners V (North America) Fund A L.P. together, the Trilantic Funds. The holdings of the Trilantic Funds are held by: TCP Traeger Holdings SPV LLC, or TCP SPV, which is managed by Trilantic Capital Partners Associates V L.P., or Trilantic Associates, as managing member. Trilantic Capital Management L.P., or TCM, is the investment adviser of the Trilantic Funds and the TCP SPV. TCM, Trilantic Associates, as well as Charles Ayres, E. Daniel James, and Christopher R. Manning (collectively, the Trilantic Partners) as partners, members of the Board of Managers and majority owners of TCM and the Board of Managers of the general partner of Trilantic Associates, may be deemed to share voting and dispositive power of the voting interests in the shares owned by the Trilantic Funds. The Trilantic Funds disclaim beneficial ownership of the shares of common stock, except to the extent of their pecuniary interest. TCM and the Trilantic Partners disclaim beneficial ownership of all shares held by the Trilantic Funds and TCP SPV. Each of the foregoing entities’ and individuals’ address is c/o Trilantic Capital Management L.P., 399 Park Avenue, 39th Floor, New York, NY 10022. For a description of our relationship with this stockholder, please see “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions.”

(4)

Consists of (i) 5,719,388 shares of common stock held by Jeremy Andrus and (ii) 5,217,411 shares of common stock held by Andrus-Traeger Holdings, LLC. Mr. Andrus is the manager of Andrus-Traeger Holdings, LLC and may be deemed to have voting and dispositive power over the shares held by Andrus-Traeger Holdings, LLC. The address of Andrus-Traeger Holdings, LLC is 1845 E. Yalecrest Avenue, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108.

(5)

Each of Mr. Eltrich, Mr. Ho, and Mr. Lynch serve on the board of directors as representatives of AEA, but disclaim beneficial ownership of the shares of common stock held of record by affiliates of AEA Investors LP. Please see footnote 1 above. Mr. Lynch expects to resign from our board of directors prior to the closing of this offering. The address of these individuals is c/o AEA Investors LP, 520 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor, New York NY 10022.

(6)

Each of Mr. James and Mr. Manges serve on the board of directors as representatives of the private equity funds managed by Trilantic Capital Management L.P., but disclaim beneficial ownership of the shares of common stock held of record by Trilantic Capital Management L.P. and its affiliates. Please see footnote 3 above. The addresses of these individuals is c/o Trilantic Capital Management, L.P., 399 Park Avenue, 39th Floor, New York, NY 10022.

(7)

Mr. Shoan serves on the board of directors as a representative of OTPP, but disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares of common stock held of record by the OTPP Entities and their affiliates. Please see footnote 2 above. The addresses of these individuals is 5650 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario M2M 4H5.

(8)

Consists of selling stockholders not otherwise listed in this table who within the groups indicated collectively own less than 1% of our common stock.

 

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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

In addition to the equity and other compensation, termination, change in control and other arrangements discussed in the section titled “Executive Compensation,” the following is a description of each transaction since January 1, 2018 and each currently proposed transaction which:

 

   

we have been or are to be a participant;

 

   

the amount involved exceeded or will exceed $120,000; and

 

   

any of our directors, executive officers or, to our knowledge, beneficial owners of more than 5% of our capital stock or any member of the immediate family of any of the foregoing persons had or will have a direct or indirect material interest.

New Stockholders Agreements

In connection with this offering, we intend to enter into two new stockholders agreements, or the New Stockholders Agreements. We intend to enter into a stockholders agreement with the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP, or the Stockholders Agreement, and a stockholders agreement with Jeremy Andrus, our Chief Executive Officer, or the Management Stockholders Agreement.

Stockholders Agreement

The Stockholders Agreement will grant the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP the right, but not the obligation, to designate a number of individuals for election to our board of directors at any meeting of our stockholders. Pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, we will be required to, among other things, nominate a number of individuals for election as our directors at any meeting of our stockholders, designated by the AEA Fund (each such individual an “AEA Designee”), OTPP (each such individual an “OTPP Designee”) and TCP (each such individual a “TCP Designee”), such that, upon the election of such individual and each other individual designated by or at the direction of our board of directors or a duly-authorized committee of the board, as a director of our company, the number of:

 

  A.

AEA Designees serving as directors will be equal to (i) three (3) directors, if certain affiliates of the AEA Fund continue to beneficially own at least 20% of the aggregate number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately following this offering, (ii) two (2) directors, if certain affiliates of the AEA Fund continue to beneficially own at less than 20% but more than 10% of the aggregate number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately following this offering, or (iii) one (1) director, if certain affiliates of the AEA Fund continue to beneficially own less than 10% but more than 5% of the aggregate number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately following this offering;

 

  B.

OTPP Designees serving as directors will be equal to (i) two (2) directors, if certain affiliates of OTPP continue to beneficially own at least 10% of the aggregate number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately following this offering, or (ii) one (1) director, if certain affiliates of OTPP continue to beneficially own less than 10% but more than 5% of the aggregate number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately following this offering; and

 

  C.

TCP Designees serving as directors will be equal to (i) two (2) directors, if certain affiliates of TCP continue to beneficially own at least 10% of the aggregate number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately following this offering, or (ii) one (1) director, if certain affiliates of TCP continue to beneficially own less than 10% but more than 5% of the aggregate number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately following this offering.

Each of the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP will also agree to vote, or cause to vote, all of their outstanding shares of our common stock at any annual or special meeting of stockholders in which directors are elected, so as to cause the election of the AEA Designees, OTPP Designees and TCP Designees, in each case to the extent that each or any of the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP have exercised their right to designate individuals for election to the board of directors.

 

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If the number of individuals that the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP have the right to designate is decreased because of the decrease in its in ownership, then a corresponding AEA Designee, OTPP Designee or TCP Designee will immediately tender his or her resignation for consideration by our board of directors and, if such resignation is requested by the board of directors, such director shall resign within thirty (30) days of the date on which the relevant stockholder’s right to designate individuals for election as our directors was decreased pursuant to the terms of the Stockholders Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a director may resign at any time regardless of the period of time left in his or her then current term.

In addition, pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, and subject to our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, for so long as the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP collectively beneficially own at least 30% of the aggregate number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately following this offering, certain actions by us or any of our subsidiaries will require the prior written consent of each of the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP so long as such stockholder is entitled to designate at least two (2) directors for nomination to our board of directors. The actions that will require prior written consent include: (i) change in control transactions, (ii) acquiring or disposing of assets or any business enterprise or division thereof for consideration in excess of $250.0 million in any single transaction or series of transactions, (iii) increasing or decreasing the size of our board of directors, (iv) terminating the employment of our chief executive officer or hiring a new chief executive officer, and (v) initiating any liquidation, dissolution, bankruptcy or other insolvency proceeding involving us or any of our significant subsidiaries.

Management Stockholders Agreement

The Management Stockholders Agreement will require us to, among other things, nominate Jeremy Andrus, our Chief Executive Officer, for election as a director at any meeting of our stockholders, for so long as Mr. Andrus serves in his capacity as our Chief Executive Officer or, if Mr. Andrus is no longer serving as our Chief Executive Officer, until the earlier of (i) the termination of Mr. Andrus’s employment by us or any of our subsidiaries for cause, or (ii) the date on which Mr. Andrus beneficially owns less than 2% of the shares of common stock then outstanding. Each of the termination and dates referred to in the immediately preceding sentence is referred to herein as a Trigger Event.

In addition, pursuant to the Management Stockholders Agreement, for so long as a Trigger Event has not occurred, upon the first, second and third consecutive vacancies on the board of directors resulting from a decrease in the number of AEA Designees, OTPP Designees or TCP Designees pursuant to the terms of the Stockholders Agreement, Mr. Andrus will have the right to designate the initial replacement director(s) and we will be required to nominate such individual(s) for election as our directors at the immediately succeeding meeting of our stockholders. In the event that Mr. Andrus is no longer serving as our Chief Executive Officer and for so long as a Trigger Event has not occurred, (i) any director designated by Mr. Andrus in accordance with the foregoing sentence shall satisfy the standards of independence established for independent directors and the additional independence standards applicable to audit committee members established pursuant to Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act and shall not be an affiliate of Mr. Andrus, and (ii) we will appoint Mr. Andrus as our Executive Chairman.

Coordination Agreement

In connection with this offering, the Investors will enter into a coordination agreement, or the Coordination Agreement. Pursuant to the Coordination Agreement, the Investors will agree, subject to certain limited exceptions, to certain limitations on their ability to sell or transfer any shares of common stock. For example, the Coordination Agreement requires the Investors to make reasonable efforts to provide notice to the other Investors and to coordinate their sales of common stock for certain transfers including, but not limited to (i) transfers by the Investors of their shares pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act, or Rule 144, (ii) distributions to partners, and (iii) tag-along rights regarding certain private sales of common stock. Any Investor may withdraw from the Coordination Agreement in the event such Investor holds less than three percent (3%) of the aggregate then-outstanding shares of our common stock.

 

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Registration Rights Agreement

In connection with this offering, we, the Investors and certain other stockholders will enter into a registration rights agreement, or the Registration Rights Agreement. The Registration Rights Agreement provides the Investors and certain other stockholders, under certain circumstances and subject to certain restrictions, with certain rights with respect to the registration of their shares of common stock under the Securities Act, including customary demand and piggyback registration rights. For a description of these registration rights, see “Description of Capital Stock—Registration Rights” for additional information.

Management Agreement

On September 25, 2017, we entered into a management agreement, or the Management Agreement, with AEA Investors LP, or AEA, relating to the provision of its advisory and consulting services. The Management Agreement required us to pay AEA compensation a mutually agreed fee consistent with past practice for services provided by AEA in connection with potential acquisitions, mergers, financings or other major transactions, including an initial public offering. The Management Agreement also required us to reimburse AEA for its reasonable documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection with the Acquisition, its provision of ongoing advisory and consulting services, monitoring its investment in us and developing, negotiating, performing or enforcing any agreements or documents relating to its investment in us. Pursuant to the Management Agreement, we incurred fees and expenses that were less than $120,000 in each of 2018, 2019 and 2020 for services rendered by AEA. For the three months ended March 31, 2021, we did not incur any fees or expenses under the Management Agreement. In connection with this offering, the Management Agreement will be terminated, subject to the ongoing application of indemnification provisions as discussed below.

Pursuant to the Management Agreement, we agreed to indemnify AEA against any claims or liabilities relating to or arising out of actions taken by AEA relating to the provision of its advisory and consulting services (under the terms of the Management Agreement) or the operation of our business, except for claims or liabilities that are judicially determined to have resulted from actions taken or omitted to be taken by AEA in bad faith, or due to AEA’s gross negligence or willful misconduct or that are attributable to any diminution in the value of the investment made by AEA. If for any reason (other than the bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct of AEA as provided above) the foregoing indemnity is unavailable to or insufficient to hold AEA harmless, then we will be required to contribute to any amount paid or payable by AEA as a result of such claims or liabilities in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by us, on the one hand, and AEA, on the other hand, (ii) the relative fault of us and AEA and (iii) any relevant equitable considerations, subject to the limitation that in any event AEA’s aggregate contribution to all claims and liabilities shall not exceed the amount of fees actually received by AEA under the Management Agreement (notwithstanding a finding of bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct of AEA). Under the Management Agreement, AEA did not have any liability to us in connection with the services it rendered pursuant to the agreement (notwithstanding a finding of bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct of AEA). Those indemnification provisions survive termination of the Management Agreement.

Other Transactions

We outsource a portion of our customer service and support operations to a third party. This third party is owned in part by OTPP and TCP. The total amount of expenses associated with such services were $6.5 million and $0 for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $1.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. We did not incur any similar expenses in the three months ended March 31, 2020. Amounts payable to the third party as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 were $0.7 million and $0, respectively, and were $0.5 million as of March 31, 2021. There were no such amounts payable as of March 31, 2020.

 

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IPO Bonuses

We intend to pay certain employees, including certain of our executive officers, cash bonuses in connection with a successful completion of this offering. The bonuses will be paid in cash using a portion of the net proceeds from this offering. We expect that the aggregate amount of such bonus payments will be approximately $2.2 million for all employees, including an expected cash award of $750,000 to Dominic Blosil, our Chief Financial Officer.

Directed Share Program

At our request, the underwriters have reserved for sale at the initial public offering price per share up to 5% of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus, to certain individuals through a directed share program, including our directors, employees and certain other individuals identified by us. See “Underwriting—Directed Share Program.”

Indemnification Agreements

Our bylaws, as will be in effect prior to the closing of this offering, provide that we will indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, subject to certain exceptions contained in our bylaws. In addition, our certificate of incorporation, as will be in effect prior to the closing of this offering, will provide that our directors will not be liable for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Prior to the closing of this offering, we will enter into indemnification agreements with each of our executive officers and directors. The indemnification agreements will provide the indemnitees with contractual rights to indemnification, and expense advancement and reimbursement, to the fullest extent permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law, subject to certain exceptions contained in those agreements.

There is no pending litigation or proceeding naming any of our directors or officers for which indemnification is being sought, and we are not aware of any pending litigation that may result in claims for indemnification by any director or executive officer.

Our Policy Regarding Related Party Transactions

In connection with this offering, our board of directors will adopt a written related person transaction policy, which will become effective upon the closing of this offering, setting forth the policies and procedures for the review and approval or ratification of related person transactions. This policy covers, with certain exceptions set forth in Item 404 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, any transaction, arrangement or relationship, or any series of similar transactions, arrangements or relationships, in which we were or are to be a participant, where the amount involved exceeds $120,000 in any fiscal year and a related person had, has or will have a direct or indirect material interest, including without limitation, purchases of goods or services by or from the related person or entities in which the related person has a material interest, indebtedness, guarantees of indebtedness and employment by us of a related person. In reviewing and approving any such transactions, our audit committee is tasked to consider all relevant facts and circumstances, including, but not limited to, whether the transaction is on terms comparable to those that could be obtained in an arm’s length transaction and the extent of the related person’s interest in the transaction. All of the transactions described in this section occurred prior to the adoption of this policy.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

The following descriptions of our capital stock and provisions of our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws are summaries and are qualified by reference to the certificate of incorporation and the bylaws, which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. During the period between the Corporate Conversion and the pricing of this offering, Jeremy Andrus will temporarily be granted such percentage of additional voting power so as to ensure that OTPP, in accordance with the requirements of certain provisions of the Pension Benefits Act (Ontario) applicable to OTPP, does not hold a number of shares of our common stock that would entitle OTPP to more than 30% of the votes that may be cast for the election of our directors prior to the pricing of this offering. The additional voting power granted to Jeremy Andrus will automatically be canceled and retired upon pricing of this offering, at which time OTPP will hold 30% or less of our total issued and outstanding shares of common stock. The description below reflects the completion of the Corporate Conversion and assumes the cancellation and retirement of the additional voting power granted to Jeremy Andrus discussed above.

General

Our authorized capital stock following this offering consists of 1,000,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, and 25,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share. Unless the board of directors determines otherwise, we will issue all shares of our capital stock in uncertificated form. We urge you to read our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws.

Common Stock

As of March 31, 2021, after giving effect to the Corporate Conversion, we had 108,724,387 shares of common stock outstanding, held of record by approximately 74 stockholders of record.

Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders and do not have cumulative voting rights. An election of directors by our stockholders shall be determined by a plurality of the votes cast by the stockholders entitled to vote on the election. Holders of common stock are entitled to receive proportionately any dividends as may be declared by our board of directors, subject to any preferential dividend rights of any series of preferred stock that we may designate and issue in the future.

In the event of our liquidation, dissolution, or winding up, the holders of common stock are entitled to receive proportionately our net assets available for distribution to stockholders after the payment in full of all debts and other liabilities and subject to the prior rights of any outstanding preferred stock. Holders of common stock have no preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights. There will be no sinking fund provisions applicable to our common stock. The rights, preferences and privileges of holders of common stock are subject to and may be adversely affected by the rights of the holders of shares of any series of preferred stock that we may designate and issue in the future.

Preferred Stock

As of March 31, 2021, after giving effect to the Corporate Conversion, no shares of preferred stock were issued or outstanding.

Under the terms of our certificate of incorporation, our board of directors is authorized to direct us to issue shares of preferred stock in one or more series without stockholder approval. Our board of directors has the discretion to determine the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions, including voting rights, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, of each series of preferred stock.

 

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The purpose of authorizing our board of directors to issue preferred stock and determine its rights and preferences is to eliminate delays associated with a stockholder vote on specific issuances. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions, future financings and other corporate purposes, could have the effect of making it more difficult for a third party to acquire, or could discourage a third party from seeking to acquire, a majority of our outstanding voting stock. We have no present plans to issue any shares of preferred stock.

Restricted Stock Units

Our board recently approved the IPO Awards, which include the Chief Executive Officer Award and the IPO RSUs and will become effective in connection with the completion of this offering. The Chief Executive Officer Award includes RSUs settleable for 7,799,422 shares of common stock, based on 129,990,330 fully diluted shares of common stock outstanding after this offering. The IPO RSUs include RSUs settleable for 4,642,992 shares of common stock, based on an assumed initial public offering price of $17.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. Recipients of our IPO RSUs include our Chief Financial Officer and our non-employee directors: Wayne Marino, Raul Alvarez, Wendy Beck and Elizabeth Lempres. For more information regarding the IPO Awards, please see “Executive Compensation.” The aggregate number of shares of our common stock subject to the IPO Awards is undeterminable at this time, as they will be determined based on the initial public offering price per share of our common stock in this offering.

Dividends

The Delaware General Corporation Law permits a corporation to declare and pay dividends out of “surplus” or, if there is no “surplus,” out of its net profits for the fiscal year in which the dividend is declared or the preceding fiscal year. “Surplus” is defined as the excess of the net assets of the corporation over the amount determined to be the capital of the corporation by the board of directors. The capital of the corporation is typically calculated to be (and cannot be less than) the aggregate par value of all issued shares of capital stock. Net assets equal the fair value of the total assets minus total liabilities. The Delaware General Corporation Law also provides that dividends may not be paid out of net profits if, after the payment of the dividend, capital is less than the capital represented by the outstanding stock of all classes having a preference upon the distribution of assets.

Declaration and payment of any dividend will be subject to the discretion of our board of directors. The time and amount of dividends will depend upon our financial condition, operations, cash requirements and availability, debt repayment obligations, capital expenditure needs, restrictions in our debt instruments, industry trends, the provisions of Delaware law affecting the payment of distributions to stockholders and any other factors our board of directors may consider relevant.

Any decision to declare and pay dividends in the future will be made at the sole discretion of our board of directors and will depend on, among other things, our results of operations, cash requirements, financial condition, contractual restrictions and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant. Our ability to pay dividends will be limited by covenants in our existing indebtedness and may be limited by the agreements governing other indebtedness that we or our subsidiaries incur in the future.

Authorized but Unissued Shares

The authorized but unissued shares of our common stock and our preferred stock are available for future issuance without stockholder approval, subject to any limitations imposed by the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange. These additional shares may be used for a variety of corporate finance transactions, acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued and unreserved common stock and preferred stock could make more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.

 

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Registration Rights

In connection with this offering, we, the Investors and certain other stockholders will enter into the Registration Rights Agreement, pursuant to which such holders of our common stock will have registration rights. Registration of these shares under the Securities Act would result in these shares becoming fully tradable without restriction under the Securities Act immediately upon the effectiveness of the registration, except for shares purchased by affiliates. Shares covered by a registration statement will be eligible for sale in the public market upon the expiration or release from the terms of the lock-up agreement. Under the Registration Rights Agreement, we will generally be required to pay all expenses (other than underwriting discounts and commissions and certain other expenses) related to any registration, whether or not such registration becomes effective or the offering is consummated. The Registration Rights Agreement also contains customary indemnification and procedural terms.

Demand Registration Rights

Following the completion of this offering, the holders of an aggregate of 79,432,813 shares of our common stock, which together represents 67.6% of our outstanding shares of common stock after the offering, will be entitled to certain demand registration rights. Subject to certain limitations, we are obligated to effect (i) an unlimited amount of such demands from the AEA Fund whether before or after the consummation of this offering and (ii) up to two (2) demands from each of OTPP and TCP, subject to certain ownership limitations and restrictions for each of OTPP and TCP. Following any demand request, we will notify other holders with such rights as to the requested registration at least five (5) business days prior to the filing of any registration statement and, as expeditiously as possible, but in any event no later than forty-five (45) days from our receipt of such demand, effect such registration. If we determine that it would be detrimental to us and our stockholders to effect a requested registration due to a valid business reason, we may postpone such registration and file the registration statement within five (5) business days after such valid business reason no longer exists but in no event more than forty-five (45) days after such valid business reason has been determined to exist. In connection with any demand registration, the AEA Fund shall have the right to designate the lead managing underwriter pursuant to an underwritten offering.

The foregoing demand registration rights are subject to a number of additional exceptions and limitations.

Piggyback Registration Rights

In the event that we propose to register any of our securities under the Securities Act, either for our own account or for the account of other stockholders, certain of our stockholders, including the Investors, will be entitled to certain “piggyback” registration rights, entitling them to notice of the registration and allowing them to include their registrable securities in such registration. These rights will apply whenever we propose to file a registration statement under the Securities Act other than with respect to (i) a registration related to the sale of securities to employees pursuant to a stock option, stock purchase or similar plan or (2) a registration relating to a corporate reorganization or other transaction covered by Rule 145 promulgated under the Securities Act.

S-3 Registration Rights

Following the completion of this offering, the holders of an aggregate of 88,877,287 shares of our common stock, which represents 75.6% of our outstanding shares of common stock after the offering, will be entitled to certain Form S-3 registration rights. One or more holders of these shares may request that we register the offer and sale of their shares on a registration statement on Form S-3 if we are eligible to file a registration statement on Form S-3 so long as the request covers securities the anticipated aggregate public offering price of which is the lesser of (i) at least $20.0 million or (ii) the market value of the remaining registrable securities held by such holder requesting the Form S-3 registration. Following such a request, we will notify the other holders with such rights as to the requested registration and, as expeditiously as possible, but in any event within 20 days, effect such shelf underwriting request. Certain holders may make an unlimited number of requests for registration on

 

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Form S-3; however, for certain holders, we will not be required to effect such a registration on Form S-3 if we have effected a registration within the six-month period preceding the date of the request.

In each case described above, if we determine that it would be detrimental to us and our stockholders to effect a requested registration due to a valid business reason, we may postpone such registration and file the registration statement within five (5) business days after such valid business reason no longer exists but in no event more than forty-five (45) days after such valid business reason has been determined to exist.

Exclusive Venue

Our certificate of incorporation will require, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers or other employees to us or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law or our certificate of incorporation or our bylaws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim against us governed by the internal affairs doctrine will have to be brought only in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware (or the federal district court for the District of Delaware or other state courts of the State of Delaware if the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware does not have jurisdiction). The certificate of incorporation will also require that the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act; however, there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce such provision, and investors cannot waive compliance with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. Although we believe these provisions benefit us by providing increased consistency in the application of applicable law in the types of lawsuits to which they apply, the provisions may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers. These provisions would not apply to any suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts of the United States have exclusive jurisdiction.

Conflicts of Interest

Delaware law permits corporations to adopt provisions renouncing any interest or expectancy in certain opportunities that are presented to the corporation or its officers, directors or stockholders. Our certificate of incorporation will, to the maximum extent permitted from time to time by Delaware law, renounce any interest or expectancy that we have in, or right to be offered an opportunity to participate in, specified business opportunities that are from time to time presented to the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP or their affiliates (other than us and our subsidiaries), and any of their respective principals, members, directors, partners, stockholders, officers, employees or other representatives (other than any such person who is also our employee or an employee of our subsidiaries), or any director or stockholder who is not employed by us or our subsidiaries (each such person, an “exempt person”). Our certificate of incorporation will provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, no exempt person will have any duty to refrain from (i) engaging in a corporate opportunity in the same or similar lines of business in which we or our affiliates now engage or propose to engage or (ii) otherwise competing with us or our affiliates. In addition, to the fullest extent permitted by law, in the event that an exempt person acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or other business opportunity which may be a corporate opportunity for itself or himself or its or his affiliates or for us or our affiliates, such exempt person will have no duty to communicate or offer such transaction or business opportunity to us or any of our affiliates and they may take any such opportunity for themselves or offer it to another person or entity. To the fullest extent permitted by law, no business opportunity will be deemed to be a potential corporate opportunity for us unless we would be permitted, to undertake the opportunity under our certificate of incorporation, we have sufficient financial resources to undertake the opportunity, we have an interest or expectancy in such opportunity and the opportunity would be in line with our business.

Limitations on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors

The Delaware General Corporation Law authorizes corporations to limit or eliminate the personal liability of directors to corporations and their stockholders for monetary damages for breaches of directors’ fiduciary

 

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duties, subject to certain exceptions. Our certificate of incorporation will include a provision that eliminates the personal liability of directors for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law. The effect of these provisions is to eliminate the rights of us and our stockholders, through stockholders’ derivative suits on our behalf, to recover monetary damages from a director for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, including breaches resulting from grossly negligent behavior. However, exculpation does not apply to any director if the director has breached his or her duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, knowingly or intentionally violated the law, authorized illegal dividends or redemptions or derived an improper personal benefit from his or her actions as a director.

Our bylaws will provide that we must indemnify and advance expenses to our directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized by the Delaware General Corporation Law. We also are expressly authorized to carry directors’ and officers’ liability insurance providing indemnification for our directors, officers and certain employees for some liabilities. We believe that these indemnification and advancement provisions and insurance are useful to attract and retain qualified directors and executive officers.

The limitation of liability, indemnification and advancement provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. In addition, your investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions.

We expect to enter into indemnification agreements with our current directors and executive officers prior to the completion of this offering and expect to enter into a similar agreement with any new directors or executive officers.

There is currently no pending material litigation or proceeding involving any of our directors, officers or employees for which indemnification is sought.

Anti-Takeover Effects of Provisions of Our Certificate of Incorporation, Our Bylaws and Delaware Law

Certain provisions of Delaware law and our certificate of incorporation and bylaws contain provisions that may delay, defer or discourage another party from acquiring control of us. We expect that these provisions, which are summarized below, will discourage coercive takeover practices or inadequate takeover bids. These provisions are also designed to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with our board of directors, 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 of directors the power to discourage acquisitions that some stockholders may favor.

Classified Board of Directors

Our certificate of incorporation will provide that our board of directors is divided into three classes, with each class serving three-year staggered terms. As a result, approximately one-third of our directors are expected to be elected each year. Our certificate of incorporation will provide that directors may be removed at any time with or without cause upon the affirmative vote of the holders of capital stock representing a majority of the voting power of our outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote thereon; provided, however, that at any time when the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP beneficially own, in the aggregate, less than the majority of the voting power of our outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, directors may only be removed for cause and only upon the affirmative vote of a majority of the holders of capital stock representing the voting power of our outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote thereon. See “Management—Committees of the Board of Directors.” These provisions may have the effect of deferring, delaying or discouraging hostile takeovers, or changes in control of us or our management.

 

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Board of Directors Vacancies: Size of the Board

Our certificate of incorporation will provide that, subject to the rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock to elect directors and the terms of the Stockholders Agreements, vacant directorships, including newly created seats, shall be filled solely by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. Our certificate of incorporation will provide that, subject to the rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock to elect directors and the rights granted pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, the number of directors constituting our board of directors will be permitted to be set only by a resolution adopted by our board of directors. These provisions would prevent a stockholder from increasing the size of our board of directors and then gaining control of our board of directors by filling the resulting vacancies with its own nominees. This will make it more difficult to change the composition of our board of directors and will promote continuity of management.

Requirements for Advance Notification of Stockholder Meetings, Nominations and Proposals

Our bylaws will provide advance notice procedures for stockholders seeking to bring business before our annual meeting of stockholders or to nominate candidates for election as directors at our annual meeting of stockholders. Our bylaws will also specify certain requirements regarding the timing, form and content of a stockholder’s notice. These provisions will not apply to the parties to each of our New Stockholders Agreements so long as each such agreement remains in effect. These provisions might preclude our stockholders from bringing matters before our annual meeting of stockholders or from making nominations for directors at our annual meeting of stockholders if the proper procedures are not followed. We expect that these provisions may also discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our company.

Stockholder Action by Written Consent; Special Meeting of Stockholders

Our certificate of incorporation will provide that, at any time when the parties to our Stockholders Agreement beneficially own, in the aggregate, at least a majority of the voting power of our outstanding capital stock, our stockholders may take action by consent without a meeting, and at any time when the parties to our Stockholders Agreement beneficially own, in the aggregate, less than the majority of the voting power of our outstanding capital stock, our stockholders may not take action by written consent, but may only take action at a meeting of stockholders. As a result, following the time when the AEA Fund, OTPP and TCP beneficially own, in the aggregate, less than the majority of the voting power of our outstanding capital stock, a holder controlling a majority of our capital stock would not be able to amend our bylaws or remove directors without holding a meeting of our stockholders called in accordance with our bylaws. Our certificate of incorporation will further provide that special meetings of our stockholders may be called only by a majority of our board of directors, the chairperson of our board of directors, or our Chief Executive Officer, as applicable, thus prohibiting a stockholder from calling a special meeting. These provisions might delay the ability of our stockholders to force consideration of a proposal or for stockholders controlling a majority of our capital stock to take any action, including the removal of directors.

No Cumulative Voting

The Delaware General Corporation Law provides that stockholders are not entitled to cumulate votes in the election of directors unless a corporation’s certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Our certificate of incorporation does not provide for cumulative voting.

Amendment of Charter and Bylaws Provisions

Amendments to certain provisions of our certificate of incorporation will require the approval of two-thirds of the voting power of our outstanding capital stock. Our amended and restated bylaws will provide that approval of stockholders holding two-thirds of the voting power of our outstanding capital stock, is required for stockholders to amend or adopt any provision of our bylaws.

 

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Issuance of Undesignated Preferred Stock

Our board of directors will have the authority, without further action by our stockholders, to issue              shares of undesignated preferred stock with rights and preferences, including voting rights, designated from time to time by our board of directors. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock would enable our board of directors to render more difficult or to discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or other means.

Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law

Our certificate of incorporation will contain a provision opting out of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. However, our certificate of incorporation will contain provisions that are similar to Section 203. Specifically, our certificate of incorporation will provide that, subject to certain exceptions, we will not be able to engage in a “business combination” with any “interested stockholder” for three years following the date that the person became an interested stockholder, unless:

 

   

prior to such time, our board of directors approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;

 

   

upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of our voting stock outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding certain shares; or

 

   

at or subsequent to that time, the business combination is approved by our board of directors and by the affirmative vote of holders of at least two-thirds of our outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder.

Generally, a “business combination” includes a merger, asset, or stock sale or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. Subject to certain exceptions, an “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with that person’s affiliates and associates, owns 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock. For purposes of this section only, “voting stock” has the meaning given to it in the certificate of incorporation.

Under certain circumstances, this provision will make it more difficult for a person who would be an “interested stockholder” to effect various business combinations with us for a three-year period. This provision may encourage companies interested in acquiring us to negotiate in advance with our board of directors because the stockholder approval requirement would be avoided if our board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction which results in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder. These provisions also may have the effect of preventing changes in our board of directors and may make it more difficult to accomplish transactions which stockholders may otherwise deem to be in their best interests.

Our certificate of incorporation provides the Investors and any of their respective affiliates, and any group as to which such persons are a party, will not be deemed to be “interested stockholders” for purposes of this provision.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock will be American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC.

Stock Exchange Listing

We have applied to list our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “COOK.”

 

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SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

Immediately prior to this offering, there was no public market for our common stock, and no predictions can be made about the effect, if any, that market sales of our common stock or the availability of such shares for sale will have on the market price prevailing from time to time. Nevertheless, future sales of our common stock in the public market or the perception that such sales or issuances may occur, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock and could impair our ability to raise capital through future sales of our securities. Furthermore, although we have applied to list our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange, we cannot assure you that there will be an active public trading market for our common stock.

Upon consummation of this offering, we expect to have outstanding an aggregate of 117,547,916 shares of our common stock, assuming no exercise of outstanding options and assuming that the underwriters have not exercised their option to purchase additional shares. All of the shares of common stock sold in this offering will be freely transferable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act by persons other than “affiliates,” as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. Generally, the balance of our outstanding shares of common stock are “restricted securities” within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act, and the sale of those shares will be subject to the limitations and restrictions that are described below. Shares of our common stock that are not restricted securities and are purchased by our affiliates will be “control securities” under Rule 144. Restricted securities may be sold in the public market only if registered under the Securities Act or if they qualify for an exemption from registration under Rule 144 or Rule 701 under the Securities Act. These rules are summarized below. Control securities may be sold in the public market subject to the restrictions set forth in Rule 144, other than the holding period requirement.

Upon the expiration of the lock-up agreements described below 180 days after the date of this prospectus, and subject to the provisions of Rule 144, an additional 94,018,505 shares will be available for sale in the public market. The sale of these restricted securities is subject, in the case of shares held by affiliates, to the volume restrictions contained in Rule 144.

Lock-up Agreements

In connection with this offering, we and the selling stockholders, our executive officers and directors and substantially all of our other existing security holders have agreed with the underwriters not to sell or transfer any common stock or securities convertible into, exchangeable for, exercisable for, or repayable with common stock, for 180 days after the date of this prospectus without first obtaining the written consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, subject to certain limited exceptions. 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.

In connection with the offering, certain of our employees, including our executive officers, and/or directors may enter into written trading plans that are intended to comply with Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act. Sales under these trading plans would not be permitted until the expiration of the lock-up agreements relating to the offering described above.

Rule 144

In general, under Rule 144 as in effect on the date of this prospectus, beginning 90 days after the consummation of this offering, a person who is an affiliate, and who has beneficially owned our common stock for at least six months, is entitled to sell in any three-month period a number of shares that does not exceed the greater of:

 

   

1% of the number of shares of our common stock then outstanding, which will equal approximately 1.17 million shares immediately after consummation of this offering; or

 

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the average weekly trading volume in our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to that sale.

Sales by our affiliates under Rule 144 are also subject to manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us. An “affiliate” is a person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by, or is under common control with an issuer.

Under Rule 144, a person who is not deemed to have been an affiliate of ours at any time during the 90 days preceding a sale, and who has beneficially owned the shares proposed to be sold for at least six months, would be entitled to sell those shares subject only to availability of current public information about us, and after beneficially owning such shares for at least twelve months, would be entitled to sell an unlimited number of shares without restriction. To the extent that our affiliates sell their common stock, other than pursuant to Rule 144 or a registration statement, the purchaser’s holding period for the purpose of effecting a sale under Rule 144 commences on the date of transfer from the affiliate.

Rule 701

In general, under Rule 701 as in effect on the date of this prospectus, any of our employees, directors, officers, consultants or advisors who purchased shares from us in reliance on Rule 701 in connection with a compensatory stock or option plan or other written agreement before the effective date of this offering, or who purchased shares from us after that date upon the exercise of options granted before that date, are eligible to resell such shares 90 days after the effective date of this offering in reliance upon Rule 144. If such person is not an affiliate, such sale may be made subject only to the manner of sale provisions of Rule 144. If such a person is an affiliate, such sale may be made under Rule 144 without compliance with the holding period requirement, but subject to the other Rule 144 restrictions described above. However, substantially all Rule 701 shares are subject to lock-up agreements as described above and will become eligible for sale in compliance with Rule 144 only upon the expiration of the restrictions set forth in those agreements.

Stock Plans

We intend to file a registration statement or statements on Form S-8 under the Securities Act covering shares of common stock reserved for issuance under our new omnibus incentive plan and pursuant to all outstanding option grants made prior to this offering. These registration statements are expected to be filed as soon as practicable after the closing date of this offering. Shares issued upon the exercise of stock options after the effective date of the applicable Form S-8 registration statement will be eligible for resale in the public market without restriction, subject to Rule 144 limitations applicable to affiliates and the lock-up agreements described above.

Registration Rights

Following this offering, some of our stockholders will, under some circumstances, have the right to require us to register their shares for future sale. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions— Registration Rights Agreement.”

 

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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES TO NON-U.S. HOLDERS

The following discussion is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences to Non-U.S. Holders (as defined below) of the purchase, ownership, and disposition of our common stock issued pursuant to this offering, but does not purport to be a complete analysis of all potential tax effects. The effects of other U.S. federal tax laws, such as estate and gift tax laws, and any applicable state, local, or non-U.S. tax laws are not discussed. This discussion is based on the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, judicial decisions, and published rulings and administrative pronouncements of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, in each case in effect as of the date hereof. These authorities may change or be subject to differing interpretations. Any such change or differing interpretation may be applied retroactively in a manner that could adversely affect a Non-U.S. Holder. We have not sought and will not seek any rulings from the IRS regarding the matters discussed below. There can be no assurance the IRS or a court will not take a contrary position to that discussed below regarding the tax consequences of the purchase, ownership, and disposition of our common stock.

This discussion is limited to Non-U.S. Holders that hold our common stock as a “capital asset” within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code (generally, property held for investment). This discussion does not address all U.S. federal income tax consequences relevant to a Non-U.S. Holder’s particular circumstances, including the impact of the Medicare contribution tax on net investment income and the alternative minimum tax. In addition, it does not address consequences relevant to Non-U.S. Holders subject to special rules, including, without limitation:

 

   

U.S. expatriates and former citizens or long-term residents of the United States;

 

   

persons holding our common stock as part of a hedge, straddle, or other risk reduction strategy or as part of a conversion transaction or other integrated investment;

 

   

banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions;

 

   

brokers, dealers, or traders in securities;

 

   

“controlled foreign corporations,” “passive foreign investment companies,” and corporations that accumulate earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax;

 

   

partnerships or other entities or arrangements treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes (and investors therein);

 

   

tax-exempt organizations or governmental organizations;

 

   

persons deemed to sell our common stock under the constructive sale provisions of the Code;

 

   

persons who hold or receive our common stock pursuant to the exercise of any employee stock option or otherwise as compensation;

 

   

tax-qualified retirement plans; and

 

   

“qualified foreign pension funds” as defined in Section 897(l)(2) of the Code and entities all of the interests of which are held by qualified foreign pension funds.

If an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our common stock, the tax treatment of an owner in such an entity will depend on the status of the owner, the activities of such entity, and certain determinations made at the owner level. Accordingly, entities treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes holding our common stock and the owners in such entities should consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to them.

THIS DISCUSSION IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TAX ADVICE. INVESTORS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS WITH RESPECT TO THE APPLICATION OF THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS TO THEIR PARTICULAR

 

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SITUATIONS AS WELL AS ANY TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP, AND DISPOSITION OF OUR COMMON STOCK ARISING UNDER THE U.S. FEDERAL ESTATE OR GIFT TAX LAWS OR UNDER THE LAWS OF ANY STATE, LOCAL, OR NON-U.S. TAXING JURISDICTION OR UNDER ANY APPLICABLE INCOME TAX TREATY.

Definition of a Non-U.S. Holder

For purposes of this discussion, a “Non-U.S. Holder” is any beneficial owner of our common stock that is neither a “U.S. person” nor an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A U.S. person is any person that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is or is treated as any of the following:

 

   

an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States;

 

   

a corporation created or organized 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 tax regardless of its source; or

 

   

a trust that (1) is subject to the primary supervision of a U.S. court and the control of one or more “United States persons” (within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code), or (2) has a valid election in effect to be treated as a United States person for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Distributions

As described in the section entitled “Dividend Policy,” we do not anticipate declaring or paying dividends to holders of our common stock in the foreseeable future. However, if we do make distributions of cash or property on 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. Amounts not treated as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes will first constitute a return of capital and be applied against and reduce a Non-U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its common stock, but not below zero. Any excess will be treated as capital gain and will be treated as described below under “—Sale or Other Taxable Disposition.”

Subject to the discussion below on effectively connected income, dividends paid to a Non-U.S. Holder will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% of the gross amount of the dividends (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty, provided the Non-U.S. Holder furnishes a valid IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or other applicable documentation) certifying qualification for the lower treaty rate). A Non-U.S. Holder that does not timely furnish the required documentation, but that qualifies for a reduced treaty rate, may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS. Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding their entitlement to benefits under any applicable income tax treaty.

If dividends paid to a Non-U.S. Holder are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the Non-U.S. Holder maintains a permanent establishment in the United States to which such dividends are attributable), the Non-U.S. Holder will be exempt from the U.S. federal withholding tax described above. To claim the exemption, the Non-U.S. Holder must furnish to the applicable withholding agent a valid IRS Form W-8ECI, certifying that the dividends are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States.

Any such effectively connected dividends will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis at the rates applicable to a U.S. person. A Non-U.S. Holder that is a corporation also may be subject to a branch profits tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on such effectively connected dividends, as adjusted for certain items. Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding any applicable tax treaties that may provide for different rules and certification requirements.

 

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Sale or Other Taxable Disposition

A Non-U.S. Holder will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain realized upon the sale or other taxable disposition of our common stock unless:

 

   

the gain is effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the Non-U.S. Holder maintains a permanent establishment in the United States to which such gain is attributable);

 

   

the Non-U.S. Holder is a nonresident alien individual present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year of the disposition and certain other requirements are met; or

 

   

our common stock constitutes a U.S. real property interest (USRPI) by reason of our status as a U.S. real property holding corporation (USRPHC) for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Gain described in the first bullet point above generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis at the rates applicable to a U.S. person. A Non-U.S. Holder that is a corporation also may be subject to a branch profits tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on such effectively connected gain, as adjusted for certain items.

A Non-U.S. Holder described in the second bullet point above will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on gain realized upon the sale or other taxable disposition of our common stock, which may be offset by U.S. source capital losses of the Non-U.S. Holder (even though the individual is not considered a resident of the United States), provided the Non-U.S. Holder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses.

With respect to the third bullet point above, we believe we currently are not, and do not anticipate becoming, a USRPHC. Because the determination of whether we are a USRPHC depends, however, on the fair market value of our USRPIs relative to the fair market value of our non-U.S. real property interests and our other business assets, there can be no assurance we currently are not a USRPHC or will not become one in the future. Even if we are or were to become a USRPHC, gain arising from the sale or other taxable disposition of our common stock by a Non-U.S. Holder will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax if our common stock is “regularly traded,” as defined by applicable Treasury Regulations, on an established securities market and such Non-U.S. Holder owned, actually and constructively, 5% or less of our common stock throughout the shorter of the five-year period ending on the date of the sale or other taxable disposition or the Non-U.S. Holder’s holding period.

Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding potentially applicable income tax treaties that may provide for different rules.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

Payments of dividends on our common stock will not be subject to backup withholding, provided the applicable withholding agent does not have actual knowledge or reason to know the holder is a United States person and the holder either certifies its non-U.S. status, such as by furnishing a valid IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E, or W-8ECI, or otherwise establishes an exemption. However, information returns are required to be filed with the IRS in connection with any distributions on our common stock paid to the Non-U.S. Holder, regardless of whether such distributions constitute dividends or whether any tax was actually withheld. In addition, proceeds of the sale or other taxable disposition of our common stock within the United States or conducted through certain U.S.-related brokers generally will not be subject to backup withholding or information reporting if the applicable withholding agent receives the certification described above and does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that such holder is a United States person or the holder otherwise establishes an exemption. If a Non-U.S. Holder does not provide the certification described above or the applicable withholding agent has actual knowledge or reason to know that such Non-U.S. Holder is a United

 

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States person, payments of dividends or of proceeds of the sale or other taxable disposition of our common stock generally will be subject to backup withholding at a rate currently equal to 24% of the gross proceeds of such dividend, sale or other taxable disposition. Proceeds of a disposition of our common stock conducted through a non-U.S. office of a non-U.S. broker generally will not be subject to backup withholding or information reporting.

Copies of information returns that are filed with the IRS may also be made available under the provisions of an applicable treaty or agreement to the tax authorities of the country in which the Non-U.S. Holder resides or is established.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be allowed as a refund or a credit against a Non-U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

Additional Withholding Tax on Payments Made to Foreign Accounts

Withholding taxes may be imposed under Sections 1471 to 1474 of the Code (such Sections commonly referred to as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA) on certain types of payments made to non-U.S. financial institutions and certain other non-U.S. entities. Specifically, a 30% withholding tax may be imposed on dividends on, or (subject to the proposed Treasury Regulations discussed below) gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of, our common stock paid to a “foreign financial institution” or a “non-financial foreign entity” (each as defined in the Code) whether acting as a beneficial owner or an intermediary, unless (1) the foreign financial institution undertakes certain diligence and reporting obligations, (2) the non-financial foreign entity either certifies it does not have any “substantial United States owners” (as defined in the Code) or furnishes identifying information regarding each substantial United States owner, or (3) the foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity otherwise qualifies for an exemption from these rules. If the payee is a foreign financial institution and is subject to the diligence and reporting requirements in (1) above, it must enter into an agreement with the U.S. Department of the Treasury requiring, among other things, that it undertake to identify accounts held by certain “specified United States persons” or “United States owned foreign entities” (each as defined in the Code), annually report certain information about such accounts, and withhold 30% on certain payments to non-compliant foreign financial institutions and certain other account holders. Accordingly, the entity through which our common stock is held may affect the determination of whether FATCA withholding is required. Foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the United States governing FATCA may be subject to different rules.

Under the applicable Treasury Regulations and administrative guidance, withholding under FATCA generally applies to payments of dividends on our common stock. While withholding under FATCA would have applied also to payments of gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of stock on or after January 1, 2019, proposed Treasury Regulations eliminate FATCA withholding on payments of gross proceeds entirely. Taxpayers generally may rely on these proposed Treasury Regulations until final Treasury Regulations are issued.

Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the potential application of withholding under FATCA to their investment in our common stock.

 

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UNDERWRITING

Under the terms and subject to the conditions in an underwriting agreement dated the date of this prospectus, the underwriters named below, for whom Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC is acting as representative, have severally agreed to purchase, and we and the selling stockholders have agreed to sell to them, severally, the number of shares indicated below:

 

Name

   Number of Shares  

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

  

Jefferies LLC

  

Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated

  

William Blair & Company, L.L.C.

  

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

  

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

  

BMO Capital Markets Corp.

  

Piper Sandler & Co.

  

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated

  

Telsey Advisory Group LLC

  

Academy Securities, Inc.

  

AmeriVet Securities, Inc.

  

Loop Capital Markets LLC

  

Samuel A. Ramirez & Company, Inc.

  
  

 

 

 

Total:

     23,529,411  
  

 

 

 

The underwriters and the representative are collectively referred to as the “underwriters” and the “representative,” respectively. The underwriters are offering the shares of common stock subject to their acceptance of the shares from us and the selling stockholders and subject to prior sale. The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the several underwriters to pay for and accept delivery of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus are subject to the approval of certain legal matters by their counsel and to certain other conditions. The underwriters are obligated to take and pay for all of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus if any such shares are taken. However, the underwriters are not required to take or pay for the shares covered by the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares described below.

The underwriters initially propose to offer part of the shares of common stock directly to the public at the offering price listed on the cover page of this prospectus and part to certain dealers at a price that represents a concession not in excess of $        per share under the public offering price. After the initial offering of the shares of common stock, the offering price and other selling terms may from time to time be varied by the representative.

The selling stockholders have granted to the underwriters an option, exercisable for 30 days from the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to 3,529,411 additional shares of common stock at the public offering price listed on the cover page of this prospectus, less underwriting discounts and commissions. The underwriters may exercise this option solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments, if any, made in connection with the offering of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus. To the extent the option is exercised, each underwriter will become obligated, subject to certain conditions, to purchase about the same percentage of the additional shares of common stock as the number listed next to the underwriter’s name in the preceding table bears to the total number of shares of common stock listed next to the names of all underwriters in the preceding table.

 

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The following table shows the per share and total public offering price, underwriting discounts and commissions, and proceeds before expenses to us and the selling stockholders. These amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase up to an additional 3,529,411 shares of common stock.

 

          Total  
    Per
Share
    No
Exercise
    Full
Exercise
 

Public offering price

  $                   $                   $                

Underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid by:

     

Us

  $       $       $    

The selling stockholders

  $       $       $    

Proceeds, before expenses, to us

  $       $       $    

Proceeds, before expenses, to the selling stockholders

  $       $       $    

The estimated offering expenses payable by us, exclusive of the underwriting discounts and commissions, are approximately $8.8 million. We have agreed to pay expenses incurred by the selling stockholders in connection with this offering, other than the underwriting discounts and commissions. We have agreed to reimburse the underwriters for expense relating to clearance of this offering with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority up to $35,000 and expenses incurred in connection with the directed share program. In addition, the underwriters have agreed to reimburse us for certain expenses related to the offering.

The underwriters have informed us that they do not intend sales to discretionary accounts to exceed 5% of the total number of shares of common stock offered by them.

We have applied to list our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “COOK”.

We, the selling stockholders and all directors and officers and the holders of substantially all of our outstanding stock and stock options have agreed that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC on behalf of the underwriters, subject to limited exceptions, we and they will not, and will not publicly disclose an intention to, during the period ending 180 days after the date of this prospectus, or the restricted period:

 

   

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 shares of common stock;

 

   

file any registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the offering of any shares of common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock; or

 

   

enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the common stock,

whether any such transaction described above is to be settled by delivery of common stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. In addition, we and each such person agrees that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC on behalf of the underwriters, we or such other person will not, during the restricted period, make any demand for, or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of common stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock.

In relation to us, the restrictions described above do not apply to:

 

  (a)

the sale of shares to the underwriters;

 

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  (b)

the issuance or acquisition by us of shares of common stock in connection with the exercise of an option or warrant, vesting or settlement of restricted stock or restricted stock units or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date of this prospectus of which the underwriters have been advised in writing;

 

  (c)

the issuance of shares of common stock pursuant to our equity incentive plans or the amendment of awards under our equity incentive plans, provided that any issuance of shares of common stock are non-transferable for the remainder of the restricted period;

 

  (d)

common stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, common stock, or the entrance into an agreement to issue common stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, common stock, in connection with any merger, joint venture, strategic alliances, commercial or other collaborative transaction or the acquisition or license of the business, property, technology or other assets of another individual or entity or the assumption of an employee benefit plan in connection with a merger or acquisition; provided that the aggregate number of common stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, our common stock that we may issue or agree to issue pursuant to this clause (d) shall not exceed 10% of the total outstanding share capital immediately following the issuance of the shares; and provided further, that the recipients of any such shares of common stock and securities issued pursuant to this clause (d) during the 180-day restricted period described above shall enter into a lock-up agreement on or prior to such issuance; or

 

  (e)

facilitating the establishment of a trading plan on behalf of any of our shareholders, officers or directors pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of common stock, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of common stock during the restricted period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by us regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of common stock may be made under such plan during the restricted period.

In relation to the selling stockholders, our officers, our directors and holders of substantially all of our outstanding stock and stock options, the restrictions described above do not apply to:

 

  (a)

subject to certain limitations, transactions relating to shares of common stock or other securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the offering of the shares;

 

  (b)

subject to certain limitations, transfers as a bona fide gift or gifts:

 

  (c)

subject to certain limitations, transfers or distributions to (1) direct or indirect limited partners, members, stockholders, or holders of similar equity interests that is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) or (2) any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by certain holders and their affiliates;

 

  (d)

subject to certain limitations, transfers to any immediate family member (“immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin);

 

  (e)

subject to certain limitations, transfers or dispositions by will or intestacy;

 

  (f)

subject to certain limitations, transfers to a nominee or custodian of a person or entity to whom a disposition or transfer would be permissible under clauses (b), (d) and (e) above;

 

  (g)

subject to certain limitations, transfers to us upon death, disability or termination of employment;

 

  (h)

subject to certain limitations, transfers or dispositions pursuant to an order of a court or regulatory agency or by operation of law, such as pursuant to a domestic relations order or in connection with a divorce settlement, divorce decree or separation agreement;

 

  (i)

subject to certain limitations, transfers to us in connection with the repurchase of shares of common stock issued pursuant to equity awards granted under a stock incentive plan or other equity award plan,

 

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  which plan is described in this prospectus, or pursuant to the agreements pursuant to which such shares were issued, as described in this prospectus, provided that such repurchase of shares of common stock is in connection with the termination of the undersigned’s service provider relationship with us;

 

  (j)

subject to certain limitations, transfers to us (A) pursuant to the exercise, in each case on a “cashless” or “net exercise” basis, of any option to purchase common stock granted by us pursuant to any employee benefit plans or arrangements described in this prospectus, where any common stock received by the undersigned upon any such exercise will be subject to the terms of the lock-up agreement, or (B) for the purpose of satisfying any withholding taxes (including estimated taxes) due as a result of the exercise of any option to purchase common stock or the vesting of any restricted stock or restricted stock unit awards granted by us pursuant to employee benefit plans or arrangements described in this prospectus, in each case on a “cashless,” “net exercise” or “net settlement” basis, where any common stock received by the undersigned upon any such exercise or vesting will be subject to the terms of the lock-up agreement; provided that any such options, restricted stock and restricted stock units are held by the undersigned as of the date of this prospectus and were issued pursuant to equity awards granted under a stock incentive plan or other equity award plan, which plan is described in this prospectus;

 

  (k)

subject to certain limitations, transfers pursuant to a bona fide third party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction that is approved by our board of directors and made to all of our holders of capital stock, the result of which is that any “person” (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), or group of persons, becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 of the Exchange Act) of more than 50% of the total voting power of the voting share capital of us or the surviving entity, provided that in the event that such transaction is not completed, the shares shall remain subject to the provisions of the lock-up agreement; or

 

  (l)

to the underwriters pursuant to the underwriting agreement.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, in its sole discretion, may release the common stock and other securities subject to the lock-up agreements described above in whole or in part at any time.

In order to facilitate the offering of the common stock, the underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the common stock. Specifically, the underwriters may sell more shares than they are obligated to purchase under the underwriting agreement, creating a short position. A short sale is covered if the short position is no greater than the number of shares available for purchase by the underwriters under the option to purchase additional shares. The underwriters can close out a covered short sale by exercising the option to purchase additional shares or purchasing shares in the open market. In determining the source of shares to close out a covered short sale, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the open market price of shares compared to the price available under the option to purchase additional shares. The underwriters may also sell shares in excess of the option to purchase additional shares, creating a naked short position. 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 the common stock in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in this offering. As an additional means of facilitating this offering, the underwriters may bid for, and purchase, shares of common stock in the open market to stabilize the price of the common stock. These activities may raise or maintain the market price of the common stock above independent market levels or prevent or retard a decline in the market price of the common stock. The underwriters are not required to engage in these activities and may end any of these activities at any time.

We, the selling stockholders and the underwriters have agreed to indemnify each other against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on websites maintained by one or more underwriters, or selling group members, if any, participating in this offering. The representative may agree to

 

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allocate a number of shares of common stock to underwriters for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Internet distributions will be allocated by the representative to underwriters that may make Internet distributions on the same basis as other allocations.

The underwriters and their respective affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. Certain of the underwriters and their respective affiliates have, from time to time, performed, and may in the future perform, various financial advisory and investment banking services for us, for which they received or will receive customary fees and expenses.

In addition, in the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their respective 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 and may at any time hold long and short positions in such securities and instruments. Such investment and securities activities may involve our securities and instruments. The underwriters and their respective affiliates may also make investment recommendations or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long or short positions in such securities and instruments. In addition, affiliates of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Jefferies LLC and BMO Capital Markets Corp. are lenders under our New Revolving Credit Facility, and such entities or their affiliates acted as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners under our New First Lien Term Loan Facility, for which an affiliate of Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC also acts as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent.

Pricing of the Offering

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock. The initial public offering price will be determined by negotiations among us, the selling stockholders, and the representative. Among the factors to be considered in determining the initial public offering price will be our future prospects and those of our industry in general, our sales, earnings and certain other financial and operating information in recent periods, and the price-earnings ratios, price-sales ratios, market prices of securities, and certain financial and operating information of companies engaged in activities similar to ours. We cannot assure you that the initial public offering price will correspond to the price at which the common stock will trade in the public market subsequent to this offering or that an active trading market for the common stock will develop and continue after this offering.

Directed Share Program

At our request, the underwriters have reserved for sale at the initial public offering price per share up to 5% of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus, to certain individuals through a directed share program, including our directors, employees and certain other individuals identified by us. If purchased by these persons, these shares will not be subject to a lock-up restriction, except in the case of shares purchased by any director or executive officer, which shares will be subject to the lock-up restrictions described above. The number of shares of common stock available for sale to the general public will be reduced by the number of reserved shares sold to these individuals. Any reserved shares not purchased by these individuals will be offered by the underwriters to the general public on the same basis as the other shares of common stock offered under this prospectus. The underwriters will receive the same discount from such reserved shares as they will from other shares of our common stock sold to the public in this offering. We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities and expenses, including liabilities under the Securities Act, in connection with sales of the reserved shares. We have also agreed to reimburse the underwriters for expenses incurred in connection with the directed share program. The directed share program will be arranged through Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC.

 

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Selling Restrictions

Other than in the United States, no action has been taken by us or the underwriters that would permit a public offering of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. The shares of common stock offered by this prospectus may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, nor may this prospectus or any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the offer and sale of any such shares of common stock be distributed or published, in any jurisdiction, except under circumstances that will result in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of that jurisdiction. Persons into whose possession this prospectus comes are advised to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to the offering and the distribution of this prospectus. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any shares of common stock offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or a solicitation is unlawful.

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, 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 of common stock may only be made to persons, or to 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 of common stock without disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act.

The shares of common stock applied for by Exempt Investors in Australia must not be offered for sale in Australia in the period of twelve 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.

This prospectus contains general information only and does not take into account 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 for their needs, objectives and circumstances, and, if necessary, seek expert advice on those matters.

Canada

The shares of common stock 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 of common stock 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

 

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prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

Pursuant to section 3A.3 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.

China

This prospectus does not constitute a public offer of shares of common stock, whether by sale or subscription, in the People’s Republic of China, or PRC. The shares of common stock are not being offered or sold directly or indirectly in the PRC to or for the benefit of, legal or natural persons of the PRC.

Further, no legal or natural persons of the PRC may directly or indirectly purchase any of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus or any beneficial interest therein without obtaining all prior PRC’s governmental approvals that are required, whether statutorily or otherwise. Persons who come into possession of this document are required by the Company and its representatives to observe these restrictions.

European Economic Area

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area (each a Relevant State), no shares of common stock 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 of common stock 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 the shares of common stock may be offered to the public in that Relevant State at any time:

(a)    to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined under Article 2 of the Prospectus Regulation;

(b)    to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined under Article 2 of 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 the shares of common stock shall require the Company or any of the underwriters to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the Prospectus Regulation.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to the shares of common stock 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 of common stock to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any shares of common stock, and the expression “Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.

Dubai International Financial Centre

This prospectus relates to an Exempt Offer in accordance with the Offered Securities Rules of the Dubai Financial Services Authority, or the 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

 

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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 of common stock to which this prospectus relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the shares of common stock offered should conduct their own due diligence on the shares of common stock. If you do not understand the contents of this prospectus you should consult an authorized financial advisor.

Hong Kong

The shares of common stock may not be offered or sold by means of any document other than (1) in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap.32, Laws of Hong Kong); (2) to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap.571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder; or (3) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap.32, Laws of Hong Kong), and no advertisement, invitation, or document relating to the shares of common stock may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case 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 in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to shares of common stock which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap.571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder.

Japan

No registration pursuant to Article 4, paragraph 1 of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan (Law No. 25 of 1948, as amended), or the FIEL, has been made or will be made with respect to the solicitation of the application for the acquisition of the shares of common stock.

Accordingly, the shares of common stock have not been, directly or indirectly, offered or sold and will not be, directly or indirectly, offered or sold in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan (which term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan) or to others for re-offering or re-sale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements, and otherwise in compliance with, the FIEL and the other applicable laws and regulations of Japan.

For Qualified Institutional Investors, or QII

Please note that the solicitation for newly issued or secondary securities (each as described in Paragraph 2, Article 4 of the FIEL) in relation to the shares of common stock constitutes either a “QII only private placement” or a “QII only secondary distribution” (each as described in Paragraph 1, Article 23-13 of the FIEL). Disclosure regarding any such solicitation, as is otherwise prescribed in Paragraph 1, Article 4 of the FIEL, has not been made in relation to the shares of common stock. The shares of common stock may only be transferred to QIIs.

For Non-QII Investors

Please note that the solicitation for newly issued or secondary securities (each as described in Paragraph 2, Article 4 of the FIEL) in relation to the shares of common stock constitutes either a “small number private placement” or a “small number private secondary distribution” (each as is described in Paragraph 4, Article 23-13 of the FIEL). Disclosure regarding any such solicitation, as is otherwise prescribed in Paragraph 1, Article 4 of the FIEL, has not been made in relation to the shares of common stock. The shares of common stock may only be transferred en bloc without subdivision to a single investor.

Korea

The shares of common stock offered by this prospectus have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Investments Services and Capital Markets Act of Korea and the decrees and regulations thereunder, or

 

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the FSCMA, and the shares of common stock have been and will be offered in Korea as a private placement under the FSCMA. None of the shares of common stock may be offered, sold or delivered directly or indirectly, or offered or sold to any person for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Korea or to any resident of Korea except pursuant to the applicable laws and regulations of Korea, including the FSCMA and the Foreign Exchange Transaction Law of Korea and the decrees and regulations thereunder, or the FETL. Furthermore, the purchaser of the shares of common stock will comply with all applicable regulatory requirements (including but not limited to requirements under the FETL) in connection with the purchase of the shares of common stock. By the purchase of the shares of common stock, the relevant holder thereof will be deemed to represent and warrant that if it is in Korea or is a resident of Korea, it purchased the shares of common stock pursuant to the applicable laws and regulations of Korea.

Singapore

This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of Non-CIS Securities may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the Non-CIS Securities be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore, or the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person pursuant to Section 275(1), or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), 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 Non-CIS Securities 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;

(b)    or 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 (as defined in Section 239(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the 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 Non-CIS Securities pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except:

(a)    to an institutional investor or to a relevant person defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA, or to any person arising from an offer referred to in Section 275(1A) or Section 276(4)(i)(B) of the SFA;

(b)    where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer;

(c)    where the transfer is by operation of law;

(d)    as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA; or

(e)    as specified in Regulation 32 of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Shares and Debentures) Regulations 2005 of Singapore.

Singapore Securities and Futures Act Product Classification: Solely for the purposes of our obligations pursuant to sections 309B(1)(a) and 309B(1)(c) of the SFA, we have determined, and hereby notify all relevant persons (as defined in Section 309A of the SFA), that the shares of common stock are “prescribed capital markets products” (as defined in the Securities and Futures (Capital Markets Products) Regulations 2018) and Excluded Investment Products (as defined in MAS Notice SFA 04-N12: Notice on the Sale of Investment Products and MAS Notice FAA-N16: Notice on Recommendations on Investment Products).

 

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Switzerland

This prospectus is not intended to constitute an offer or solicitation to purchase or invest in the shares of common stock described herein. The shares of common stock may not be publicly offered, sold or advertised, directly or indirectly, in, into or from Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange or on any other exchange or regulated trading venue in Switzerland. Neither this prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the shares of common stock constitutes a prospectus as such term is understood pursuant to article 652a or article 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or a listing prospectus within the meaning of the listing rules of the SIX Swiss Exchange or any other regulated trading venue in Switzerland, and neither this prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the shares of common stock may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.

United Kingdom

No shares of common stock have been offered or will be offered pursuant to the offering to the public in the United Kingdom prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the shares of common stock that either (i) has been approved by the Financial Conduct Authority or (ii) is to be treated as if it had been approved by the Financial Conduct Authority in accordance with the transitional provisions in Article 74 (transitional provisions) of the Prospectus Amendment etc. (EU Exit) Regulations 2019/1234, except that the shares of common stock may be offered to the public in the United Kingdom at any time:

(a)    to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined under Article 2 of the UK Prospectus Regulation;

(b)    to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined under Article 2 of the UK Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representatives for any such offer; or

(c)    in any other circumstances falling within Section 86 of the FSMA.

provided that no such offer of the shares of common stock shall require the Company or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Section 85 of the FSMA or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the UK Prospectus Regulation. For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to the shares of common stock in the United Kingdom means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any shares of common stock to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any shares of common stock and 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.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the shares of common stock offered hereby will be passed upon for us and the selling stockholders by Latham & Watkins LLP, New York, New York. The validity of the shares of common stock offered hereby will be passed upon for the underwriters by Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, New York, New York. Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP provides legal services to us and our subsidiaries from time to time and owns an indirect interest in less than 1% of our common stock through limited partnership interests in funds associated with AEA Investors.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of TGPX Holdings I LLC at December 31, 2020 and 2019, and for the years then ended, appearing in this Prospectus and Registration Statement have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon appearing elsewhere herein, and are included in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

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 hereby. This prospectus, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement, some items of which are contained in exhibits to the registration statement as permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information with respect to us and our common stock, we refer you to the registration statement and its exhibits. Statements contained in this prospectus concerning the contents of any contract or any other document are not necessarily complete. If a contract or document has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, please see the copy of the contract or document that has been filed. Each statement in this prospectus relating to a contract or document filed as an exhibit is qualified in all respects by the filed exhibit. The exhibits to the registration statement should be reviewed for the complete contents of these contracts and documents. A copy of the registration statement and its exhibits may be obtained from the SEC upon the payment of fees prescribed by it. The SEC maintains a website at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding companies that file electronically with it.

Upon completion of this offering, we will become subject to the information and periodic and current reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, and in accordance therewith, will file periodic and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The registration statement, such periodic and current reports and other information can be obtained electronically by means of the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

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TGPX HOLDINGS I LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

INDEX TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

CONTENTS

 

     Page  
AUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS OF AND FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019   

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

     F-2  

Consolidated Balance Sheets

     F-3  

Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income

     F-4  

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Member’s Equity

     F-5  

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

     F-6  

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

     F-7-F-28  

 

UNAUDITED INTERIM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS OF MARCH 31, 2021 AND FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2021 AND 2020   

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

     F-29  

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income

     F-30  

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Member’s Equity

     F-31  

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

     F-32  

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

     F-34-F-41  

 

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Member and the Board of Directors of TGPX Holdings I LLC

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of TGPX Holdings I LLC and subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the related consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss), changes in member’s equity and cash flows for the years then ended, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company at December 31, 2020 and 2019, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years then ended, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2017.

Salt Lake City, Utah

May 3, 2021, except as to paragraph 2 of Note 21,

which is as of July 21, 2021

 

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TGPX HOLDINGS I LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands)

 

     December 31,  
     2020     2019  

ASSETS

    

Current Assets

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 11,556     $ 7,077  

Accounts receivable, net

     64,840       34,670  

Inventories

     68,835       39,304  

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     13,776       3,378  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current assets

     159,007       84,429  

Property, plant, and equipment, net

     32,404       21,775  

Goodwill

     256,838       251,170  

Intangible assets, net

     539,841       567,088  

Other long-term assets

     1,491       383  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 989,581     $ 924,845  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND MEMBER’S EQUITY

    

Current Liabilities

    

Accounts payable

   $ 21,673     $ 17,391  

Accrued expenses

     54,697       28,043  

Current portion of notes payable

     3,407       3,407  

Current portion of capital leases

     296       323  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     80,073       49,164  

Notes payable, net of current portion

     433,605       443,931  

Capital leases, net of current portion

     536       561  

Other long-term liabilities

     327       311  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities

     514,541       493,967  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Commitments and contingencies (Note 13)

    

Member’s equity

    

108,724,422 common units authorized, issued, and outstanding at December 31, 2020 and 2019

     —         —    

Member’s capital

     571,038       558,478  

Accumulated deficit

     (95,998     (127,600
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total member’s equity

     475,040       430,878  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities and member’s equity

   $ 989,581     $ 924,845  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

 

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TGPX HOLDINGS I LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED

STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

(in thousands, except unit and per unit amounts)

 

     Year-ended December 31,  
     2020     2019  

Revenue

   $ 545,772     $ 363,319  

Cost of revenue

     310,408       207,539  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

     235,364       155,780  

Operating expense

    

Sales and marketing

     93,690       66,921  

General and administrative

     50,243       45,304  

Amortization of intangible assets

     32,533       33,100  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expense

     176,466       145,325  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income from operations

     58,898       10,455  

Other income (expense):

    

Interest expense

     (34,073     (39,462

Other income (expense)

     7,526       (462
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other income (expense), net

     (26,547     (39,924

Income (loss) before provision for income taxes

     32,351       (29,469

Provision for income taxes

     749       124  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

   $ 31,602     $ (29,593
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Comprehensive income (loss)

   $ 31,602     $ (29,593
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss) attributable to common unit holders

     31,602       (29,593
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss) per unit, basic and diluted

   $ 0.29     $ (0.27
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Weighted-average number of units outstanding, basic and diluted

     108,724,422       108,724,422  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

 

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TGPX HOLDINGS I LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN MEMBER’S EQUITY

(in thousands, except unit amounts)

 

     Common Units                  Total  
     Units
Outstanding
     No Par
Value
     Member’s
Capital
    Accumulated
Deficit
    Member’s
Equity
 

Balance at January 1, 2019

     108,724,422          —        $ 556,206     $ (98,413   $ 457,793  

Cumulative adjustment for adoption of ASC 606

     —          —          —         406       406  

Distributions

     —          —          (80     —         (80

Equity-based compensation

     —          —          2,352       —         2,352  

Net loss

     —          —          —         (29,593     (29,593
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2019

     108,724,422        —        $ 558,478     $ (127,600   $ 430,878  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Distributions

     —          —        $ (250   $ —         (250

Equity-based compensation

     —          —          12,810       —         12,810  

Net income

     —          —          —         31,602       31,602  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2020

     108,724,422        —        $ 571,038     $ (95,998   $ 475,040  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

 

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TGPX HOLDINGS I LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(in thousands)

 

     Year-ended
December 31,
 
     2020     2019  

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

    

Net income (loss)

   $ 31,602     $ (29,593

Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:

    

Depreciation of property, plant, and equipment

     7,762       6,057  

Amortization of intangible assets

     33,206       33,100  

Amortization of deferred financing costs

     2,762       2,640  

Loss on disposal of property, plant, and equipment

     186       618  

Equity-based compensation expense

     12,810       2,352  

Bad debt expense

     —         206  

Unrealized gain on derivative contracts

     (6,087     (581

Change in operating assets and liabilities:

    

Accounts receivable

     (30,170     (8,494

Inventories, net

     (29,531     (4,949

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     (4,311     (49

Accounts payable and accrued expenses

     28,351       17,052  

Deferred rent

     17       127  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by operating activities

     46,597       18,486  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES

    

Purchase of property, plant, and equipment

     (14,127     (7,501

Acquisition of subsidiaries

     (12,724     (1,141

Capitalization of patent costs

     (511     (503

Proceeds from notes receivable

     21       48  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in investing activities

     (27,341     (8,997
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES

    

Proceeds on line of credit

     57,000       34,500  

Repayments on line of credit

     (67,000     (40,000

Deferred financing costs paid

     (810     —    

Repayments of term loans

     (3,407     (3,407

Principal payments on capital lease obligations

     (310     (273

Distributions to member

     (250     (80
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in financing activities

     (14,777     (9,260
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase in cash

     4,479       229  

Cash at beginning of period

     7,077       6,848  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

CASH AT END OF PERIOD

   $ 11,556     $ 7,077  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION:

    

Cash paid during the period for interest

   $ 31,327     $ 36,791  

Cash paid for income taxes

   $ 76     $ 124  

NON-CASH FINANCING AND INVESTING ACTIVITIES

    

Equipment purchased under capital leases

   $ 393     $ 350  

Property, plant, and equipment included in accounts payable and accrued expenses

   $ 576     $ 318  

Unpaid amount for acquisition of subsidiaries included in accrued expenses

   $ 2,414     $ —    

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

 

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1 – DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Nature of Operations – TGPX Holdings I LLC and its wholly owned Subsidiaries (collectively “Traeger” or the “Company”) design, source, sell, and support wood pellet fueled barbeque grills sold to retailers, distributors, and direct to consumers. The Company produces and sells the pellets used to fire the grills and also sells Traeger-branded rubs, spices, and sauces, as well as grill accessories (including covers, barbeque tools, trays, liners, and merchandise). A significant portion of the Company’s sales are generated from customers throughout the United States (“U.S.”), and the Company continues to develop distribution in Canada and Europe. The Company’s headquarters are in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Company is a limited liability company, a legal entity in which the owner’s (member’s) liabilities are limited to their respective investments in the Company.

The 108,724,422 common units in the Company are held by TGP Holdings LP and there are no potentially dilutive securities at the TGPX Holdings I LLC level. Accordingly, basic and diluted earnings per share presented on the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 are the same.

Pushdown Accounting – On September 25, 2017, AEA Investors LP, TCP Traeger Holdings SPV LLC, Ontario Limited, and other management and limited partners purchased a 100% equity stake (the “Transaction”) in Traeger Pellet Grills Holdings LLC through a merger agreement in which TGP Holdings LP (“Purchaser”) was formed. TGPX Holdings I LLC was formed and became a wholly owned subsidiary of Purchaser on that date. Total consideration transferred by the Purchaser for the acquisition of Traeger Pellet Grills Holdings LLC was $954 million. The Company has applied pushdown accounting from the Transaction to recognize the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed. This included recording newly established fair values for property, plant, and equipment and the recognition of identified intangibles and goodwill in the purchase price allocation.

Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation – The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP).

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Use of Estimates – The preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The most significant estimates and the assumptions made by management that present the greatest amount of estimation uncertainty include business combination accounting for the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed, customer credits and returns, valuation and impairment of intangible assets including goodwill, unrealized positions on foreign currency derivatives and reserves for warranty. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents – Traeger considers cash on deposit and short-term investments with remaining maturities at acquisition of three months or less to be cash and cash equivalents.

 

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Concentrations – Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash in banks, trade accounts receivable and foreign currency contracts. Credit is extended to customers based on an evaluation of the customer’s financial condition and collateral is not generally required in the Company’s sales transactions. Three customers (each large U.S. retailers) that accounted for a significant portion of net sales are as follows:

 

     For the year-ended
December 31,
 
         2020             2019      

Customer A

     20     16

Customer B

     18     16

Customer C

     16     22

Concentrations of credit risk exist to the extent credit terms are extended with these three large customers. A business failure on the part of any one the three customers could result in a material amount of exposure to the Company. No other single customer accounted for greater than 10% of the Company’s net sales for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.

The Company’s sales to dealers and distributors located outside the United States are generally denominated in U.S. dollars. The Company does have sales to certain dealers located in the European Union, the United Kingdom and Canada which are denominated in Euros, British Pounds and Canadian Dollars, respectively.

The Company relies on a limited number of suppliers for its contract manufacturing of grills and accessories. A significant disruption in the operations of certain of these manufacturers, or in the transportation of parts and accessories would impact the production of the Company’s products for a substantial period of time, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

Accounts Receivable, Net – The Company reports its accounts receivable based on the amount that is expected to be collected from its sales to customers. The accounts receivable balance is comprised of the amounts invoiced to customers and reduced by an allowance for doubtful accounts, accrued sales discounts and a credit reserve for sales returns and allowances. The Company performs on-going credit evaluations of its customers and in certain instances may deploy third-party collection efforts. Generally, the Company does not require collateral in its transactions with customers. The Company determines its allowance for doubtful accounts and credit reserve for sales returns and allowances based on management’s evaluation of the accounts receivable aging, past credit and collection history, and product returns and discounts history. Adjustments to the allowance for doubtful accounts for amounts related to known credit events that would affect a customer’s ability to pay are charged to bad debt expense, otherwise any adjustment is recorded as a reduction to net sales. Interest is not accrued on outstanding accounts receivable balances.

Inventories – Inventories consist of finished goods, work-in-process and raw materials. Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value, with cost for raw materials and finished goods stated as an approximate cost determined on the first-in first-out basis. Net realizable value is defined as estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal and transportation. Assessments to value the inventory at the lower of the average cost to purchase the inventory, or the net realizable value of the inventory, are based upon assumptions about future demand, physical deterioration, changes in price levels and market conditions. As a result of the Company’s assessments, when the net realizable value of inventory is less than the carrying value, the inventory cost is written down to the net realizable value and the write down is recorded as a charge to cost of revenue. Inventories include indirect acquisition and production costs that are incurred to bring the inventories to their present condition and location. Inventories are recorded net of reserves for obsolescence. Once established, the original cost of the inventory less the related inventory reserve represents the new cost basis of such products.

 

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Derivative Instruments – The Company uses derivative contracts (foreign exchange option contracts) for the purpose of economically hedging exposure to changes in currency fluctuations between the U.S. Dollar and the Chinese Renminbi. The Company accounts for these contracts in accordance with FASB ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging, which requires that all derivatives be recognized at fair value in the consolidated balance sheets, and that corresponding gains and losses are recognized in other income (expense) in the consolidated statements of operations. The Company does not apply hedge accounting to these instruments.

Property, Plant, and Equipment – Property, plant, and equipment is stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Additions and betterments to property, plant, and equipment that improve economic performance, extend the useful life, or improve the quality of units or services produced of the component asset are capitalized.

The Company does not depreciate amounts recorded for land. Depreciation and amortization on individual components of property is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets as follows:

 

     Years

Buildings

   15

Machinery and equipment

   5-20

Leasehold improvements

   Shorter of useful lives or lease term

Office equipment and fixtures

   2-10

Vehicles

   2-10

Computer hardware and software

   3-5

When assets are sold or otherwise disposed of, the cost and related accumulated depreciation or amortization are derecognized from the respective accounts, and any remaining carrying value is included in depreciation expense in the consolidated statements of operations if retired, or if sold, the resulting gain or loss is recognized in other income in the consolidated statements of operations. The cost of maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred.

The Company capitalizes costs for internal-use software incurred during the application development stage. Software costs related to preliminary project activities and post implementation activities are expensed as incurred. The Company capitalizes costs incurred for software purchases and certain costs related to website development. Capitalized costs related to internal-use software, software purchases and website development are amortized on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the software, not to exceed three years. Capitalized costs less accumulated amortization are included within property, plant, and equipment, net on the consolidated balance sheets.

Deferred Financing Costs – Costs incurred in connection with long-term debt financing are deferred and reflected net of notes payable and are amortized to interest expense utilizing the effective-interest method over the term of the related financing. Costs incurred in connection with the issuance and amendments to the revolving credit facility and the issuance of the Receivables Financing Agreement are capitalized and recorded as other assets on the consolidated balance sheets. These costs are being amortized to interest expense on a straight-line basis over the term of each respective credit facility.

Deferred Rent – Deferred rent expense represents the difference between rent paid and the amounts expensed for operating leases as well as certain tenant improvement allowances and incentives provided by landlords. Certain leases have scheduled rent increases, and certain leases include an initial period of free or reduced rent as an inducement to enter into the lease agreement (“rent holidays”). The Company includes these changes in the calculation of recognized rent expense on a straight-line basis over the term of the underlying leases, without regard to when rent payments are made.

 

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Intangible Assets – Finite-lived intangible assets are initially recorded at fair value and presented net of accumulated amortization. Intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives. The Company is currently amortizing acquired intangible assets, including customer relationships, business trademarks and patented technology, over periods ranging between 7 years and 25 years. Amortization related acquired patent technology and capitalized patent costs is recorded as a component of cost of revenue.

Goodwill – Goodwill represents the excess of consideration transferred over the fair value of tangible and identifiable intangible net assets acquired and the liabilities assumed in a business combination. Substantively all of the Company’s goodwill was recognized in the purchase price allocation when the Company was acquired in 2017, with smaller incremental amounts recognized in subsequent business combinations. Goodwill is not amortized, but is subject to an annual impairment test. In conducting its annual impairment test, the Company first reviews qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If factors indicate that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, the Company performs a quantitative assessment, analyzing the expected present value of future cash flows to quantify the amount of impairment, if any.

The Company conducts annual goodwill impairment tests in the fourth quarter of each fiscal year or whenever an indicator of impairment exists. For the annual impairment tests conducted in the fourth quarters of 2020 and 2019, the Company performed qualitative assessments of goodwill and determined based on the economic conditions and industry and market considerations, that it was more likely than not that the fair value of goodwill was greater than its carrying value, therefore the quantitative impairment test was not performed. Therefore, no impairment of goodwill was recorded for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Impairment of Assets – Long-lived assets, including property, plant, and equipment and finite-lived intangible assets, are evaluated for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset or asset group may not be recoverable. An impairment is considered to exist if the total estimated future cash flows on an undiscounted basis are less than the carrying amount of the asset or asset group. If impairment exists, the impairment loss is measured and recorded based on discounted estimated future cash flows. In estimating future cash flows, assets are grouped at the lowest levels for which there are identifiable cash flows that are largely independent of cash flows from other asset groups. The Company concluded there were no indicators of impairment identified at December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments – The Company estimates the fair value of its financial assets and liabilities, except for foreign currency option contracts, based upon existing interest rates related to such assets and liabilities compared to the current market rates of interest for instruments of similar nature and degree of risk. The carrying value reflected in the consolidated balance sheets for such financial assets and liabilities, (such as receivables and payables) approximates fair value.

Cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, prepaid expenses and other current assets, accounts payable, accrued expenses, obligations under capital leases, and customer deposits are recorded at cost, which approximates fair value due to the current nature of these items. The fair values of the notes payable are determined using recent trades between private parties which are not observable inputs. The fair values of the foreign currency option contracts are estimated based on quoted market prices.

Based on the underlying inputs, each fair value measurement in its entirety is reported in one of the three levels in the fair value hierarchy, which evaluates the inputs used in measuring fair value. Refer to Note 7 – Fair Value Measurements for definitions of the fair value hierarchy.

Revenue Recognition and Sales Returns and Allowances – On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASU 2014-09 Revenue from Contracts with Customers and all subsequent related amendments to the ASU (collectively “ASC 606”) using the modified retrospective method applied to contracts that were not completed as of January 1, 2020. Under the modified retrospective method, the company recognized the cumulative effect of initially applying the new revenue standard as a decrease to the opening balance of accumulated deficit.

 

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The Company recognizes revenue at the amount to which it expects to be entitled when a contract exists with a customer that specifies the goods and services to be provided at an agreed upon sales price and when the performance obligation is satisfied when control of the products or services is transferred to its customers. The performance obligation for most of the Company’s sales transactions is considered complete when control transfers, which is determined when products are shipped or delivered to the customer depending on the terms of the contract. Sales are made on normal and customary short-term credit terms or upon delivery of point-of-sale transactions.

Shipping charges billed to customers are included in net sales and related shipping costs are included in cost of sales. The company has elected to account for shipping and handling activities performed after control has been transferred to the customer as a fulfillment cost.

The Company enters into contractual arrangements with customers in the form of individual customer orders which specify the goods, quantity, pricing, and associated order terms. The Company does not have long-term contracts that are satisfied over time. Due to the nature of the contracts, no significant judgment exists in relation to the identification of the customer contract or satisfaction of the performance obligation. The Company expenses incremental costs of obtaining a contract due to the short-term nature of the contracts.

The Company has certain contractual programs and practices with customers that can give rise to elements of variable consideration such as customer cooperative advertising and volume incentive rebates. The company estimates the variable consideration using the most likely amount method based on sales and contractual rates with each customer and records the estimated amount of credits for these programs as a reduction to net sales.

The Company has entered into contracts with some customers that allow for credits to be claimed for certain matters of operational compliance or for returns to the retail customer from end consumers. Estimates of the credits that will be issued associated with these items are estimated using the expected value method and are based on actual historical experience and are recorded as a reduction of revenue at the time of recognition or when circumstances change resulting in a change in estimated returns. Revenue is recognized net of any taxes collected from customers, which are subsequently remitted to governmental authorities.

The Company also offers assurance-type warranties relating to its products sold to end customers that are accounted for under ASC Topic 460, Guarantees. See Warranty Costs below.

Cost of Revenue – Cost of revenue consists of product costs, including costs of components, costs of products from third-party contract manufacturers of grills and accessories, direct and indirect manufacturing costs of wood pellet production, packaging, inbound freight and duties, warehousing and fulfillment, warranty costs, product quality testing and inspection costs, excess and obsolete inventory write-downs, cloud-hosting costs for connected devices, depreciation of tooling and manufacturing equipment, amortization of internal use software and patented technology, and certain employee related expenses.

Warranty Costs – The Company generally provides its customers with a three-year limited warranty on residential model pellet grills and a one-year warranty on accessories for defects in material and workmanship under normal use and maintenance. Warranty liabilities are recorded on the basis of grills and accessories sold and reflect management’s estimate of warranty related costs expected to be incurred during the respective unexpired warranty periods. Management’s estimates of warranty costs are based on historical as well as current product replacement and related delivery costs incurred and warranty policies.

Warranty claims expense is included in cost of revenue on the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

Sales and Marketing Sales and marketing expenses consist primarily of the advertising and marketing of its products and personnel-related expenses, including salaries, benefits and equity-based compensation expense, as

 

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well as sales incentives and professional services. These costs are included in selling and marketing expenses within operating expenses in the consolidated statements of operations.

Advertising Costs – The Company incurs non-direct response advertising costs which are expensed as incurred. Advertising expense was $30.3 million and $14.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and is included in selling and marketing expense on the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

General and Administrative General and administrative expense consist primarily of personnel-related expenses and facilities for executive, finance, accounting, legal, human resources, and information technology functions. General and administrative expense also includes fees for professional services principally comprised of legal, audit, tax and accounting services, and insurance. These costs are included in general and administrative expenses within operating expenses in the consolidated statements of operations.

Research and Development Research and development expenses consist primarily of personnel-related expenses, including salaries, benefits and equity-based compensation expense, as well as professional services, prototype materials and software platform costs. Research and development expense was $6.8 million and $5.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and is included in general and administrative expenses on the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

Income Taxes – TGPX Holdings I LLC has elected to be subject to U.S. taxation as a C-Corporation. The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability method. The asset and liability method requires recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for expected future tax consequences of temporary differences that currently exist between tax bases and financial reporting bases of the Company’s assets and liabilities. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. A valuation allowance is established on deferred tax assets if it is determined by management that it is more-likely-than-not that such deferred tax assets will not be realized.

Income and loss for tax purposes may differ from the financial statement amounts and may be allocated to the members on a different basis for tax purposes than for financial statement purposes.

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with ASC 740, Income Taxes, requires the Company to report information regarding its exposure to various tax positions taken by the Company. The Company has determined whether any tax positions have met the recognition threshold and has measured the Company’s exposure to those tax positions. Management believes that the Company has adequately addressed all relevant tax positions and that there are no uncertain tax positions that would require adjustment to the consolidated financial statements to comply with the provisions of the guidance. The Company has elected to record any interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions within interest expense on the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. No interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions were recorded for either the year-ended December 31, 2020 or 2019, respectively.

The Company has recorded research and development tax credits that are available for developing new or improved or innovative products, processes, software or inventions.

Incentive Units – The Company records equity-based compensation expense related to Class B incentive units awards issued by TGP Holdings LP consistent with the compensation expense associated with the holder of the incentive units. The units granted by TGP Holdings LP have been issued for services performed on behalf of the Company. Therefore, the expense associated with these awards is pushed down to the Company.

The incentive unit grants are measured for expensing purposes at the grant date based on the fair value of the award. The Incentive unit grants consisted of time-based vesting units, ordinary performance vesting units, and

 

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extraordinary performance vesting units. Fair value of the time-based units is expensed according to the defined vesting schedule, which is typically for four years of service. Fair value of the performance-based units is expensed over the requisite service period based on the probability of the Company achieving the performance target, and such assessments are made no less frequently than quarterly. Fair value of the extraordinary performance units will be expensed upon the achievement of an established return to the investors upon an exit, or a change of control in the Company occurs.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

As an “emerging growth company,” the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (“JOBS Act”), allows the Company to delay adoption of new or revised accounting pronouncements applicable to public companies until such pronouncements are made applicable to private companies. The Company has elected to use this extended transition period under the JOBS Act. The adoption dates discussed below reflect this election.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) and the FASB has also certain subsequent related ASUs that supplement and amend Topic 842. The guidance in Topic 842 replaces the leasing guidance in Topic 840, Leases. Under the new guidance, lessees are required to recognize right of use assets related to the leases and lease liabilities on the balance sheet. For leases with terms of 12 months or less, the lessee is permitted to make an accounting policy election by class of underlying asset not to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the income statement. The new standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021 and for interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. The Company will adopt the guidance effective January 1, 2022. Management is evaluating its existing portfolio of operating leases for right of use assets and lease liabilities that would need be recognized upon implementation and the impact of this guidance on its consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326), which modifies the measurement of expected credit losses of certain financial instruments requiring entities to estimate an expected lifetime credit loss on financial assets. The guidance is effective for fiscal years and interim periods for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, with early adoption permitted. The Company does not believe the adoption of ASU 2016-13 will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350). The guidance simplifies the accounting for impairment by eliminating the requirement to calculate the implied fair value of goodwill. An entity will still be able to perform today’s optional qualitative goodwill impairment assessment before determining whether to proceed to Step 1.

The guidance is effective for annual impairment tests beginning after December 15, 2021; however early adoption is permitted. The Company elected to early adopt this guidance on January 1, 2020 with no significant impact to the consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2019-15 Intangibles – Goodwill and Other – Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40) Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That is a Service Contract. The guidance requires customers in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract to follow the internal-use software guidance in ASU 350-40 to determine which implementation costs to defer and recognize as an asset. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021. Management is evaluating the impact of this guidance on its consolidated financial statements.

 

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3 – REVENUE

The following table disaggregates revenue by product category, geography, and sales channel for the periods indicated (in thousands):    

 

     Year-ended December 31,  

Revenue by product category

   2020      2019  

Grills

   $ 391,047      $ 268,227  

Consumables

     120,247        72,118  

Accessories

     34,478        22,974  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total revenue

   $ 545,772      $ 363,319  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

     Year-ended December 31,  

Revenue by geography

   2020      2019  

North America

   $ 529,983      $ 354,660  

Rest of world

     15,789        8,659  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total revenue

   $ 545,772      $ 363,319  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

     Year-ended December 31,  

Revenue by sales channel

   2020      2019  

Retail

   $ 506,786      $ 330,245  

Direct to consumer

     38,986        33,074  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total revenue

   $ 545,772      $ 363,319  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

4 – ACQUISITIONS

In November 2020, the Company entered into an agreement to terminate a bilateral distribution agreement and to purchase certain intangible assets from one of its U.S. distributors. Total consideration agreed to in connection with the agreement was $6.6 million. In addition, the Company agreed to repurchase inventory for $1.1 million. Management determined that this transaction was required to be accounted for as a business combination.

The aggregate price was allocated as follows (in thousands):

 

Inventories

   $ 1,121  

Customer relationships

     4,422  

Goodwill

     2,104  
  

 

 

 

Total purchase price

   $ 7,647  
  

 

 

 

Goodwill in the transaction is ascribed to the synergies realizable from assuming more direct distribution capabilities for the Company for this portion of its business. It is the Company’s expectation that it will be able to deduct the entire amount of goodwill for tax purposes. The Company believes that this acquisition enables it to further increase sales through control of this distribution network.

In November 2020, the Company entered into an asset purchase agreement with an existing supplier relating to the manufacture and production of wood pellets for total consideration of $7.2 million. The entire amount of consideration was paid for by the Company with cash. Management determined that this transaction was required to be accounted for as a business combination.

The aggregate purchase price was allocated as follows (in thousands):

 

Property, plant, and equipment

   $ 3,727  

Goodwill

     3,478  
  

 

 

 

Total purchase price

     $7,205  
  

 

 

 

 

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Goodwill in the transaction is ascribed to the wood pellet manufacturing operation and the synergies realizable from assuming control of this portion of the wood pellet supply chain in the Company’s business. It is the Company’s expectation that it will be able to deduct the entire amount of goodwill for tax purposes. The Company believes that the acquisition of the pellet mill will assist it in satisfying the growing demand for its pellets.

No transaction costs were capitalized for the acquisitions; such costs are included in General and Administrative expenses in the consolidated income statements.

5 – BALANCE SHEET COMPONENTS

Accounts receivable consists of the following (in thousands):

 

     December 31,  
     2020      2019  

Trade accounts receivable

   $ 77,574      $ 41,882  

Allowance for doubtful accounts

     (652      (616

Reserve for returns, discounts and allowances

     (12,082      (6,596
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total accounts receivable, net

   $ 64,840      $ 34,670  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Inventories consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

     December 31,  
     2020      2019  

Raw materials

   $ 1,161      $ 1,435  

Work in process

     6,087        3,507  

Finished goods

     61,587        34,362  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Inventories

   $ 68,835      $ 39,304  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Included within inventories are adjustments of $0.8 million and $0.4 million for the years-ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, to record inventory to net realizable value.

Accrued expenses consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

     December 31,  
     2020      2019  

Accrual for inventories in-transit

   $ 27,012      $ 11,921  

Warranty accrual

     6,728        4,798  

Accrued compensation and bonus

     6,179        3,890  

Other

     14,778        7,434  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Accrued expenses

   $ 54,697      $ 28,043  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

The changes in the Company’s warranty liability, included in accrued expenses on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets, were as follows (in thousands):

 

     December 31,  
     2020      2019  

Warranty accrual, beginning of period

   $ 4,798      $ 3,279  

Warranty claims

     (6,773      (5,730

Warranty costs accrued

     8,703        7,249  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Warranty accrual, end of period

   $ 6,728      $ 4,798  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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6 – DERIVATIVES

The Company is exposed to foreign currency exchange rate risk related to its purchases and international operations. The Company utilizes foreign currency contracts to manage foreign currency risk in purchasing inventory and capital equipment, and future settlement of foreign denominated assets and liabilities. The volume of the Company’s foreign currency contract activity is limited by the amount of transaction exposure in each foreign currency and the Company’s election as to whether to hedge the transactions. There are no derivative instruments entered into for speculative purposes.

The Company had outstanding foreign currency contracts as of December 31, 2020 and 2019. The Company did not elect hedge accounting for any of these contracts. All outstanding contracts are with the same counterparty and thus the fair market value of the contracts in an asset position are offset by the fair market value of the contracts in a liability position to reach a net position. For periods where the net position is an asset balance, the balance is recorded within prepaid expenses and other current assets on the consolidated balance sheet and for periods where the net position is a liability balance, the balance is recorded within derivative liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet. Changes in the net fair value of contracts are recorded in other expense, net in the consolidated statements of operations.

The Company’s only derivative transactions were foreign currency contracts. Gross and net balances from foreign currency contract positions were as follows (in thousands):

 

     December 31,  
     2020      2019  

Gross Asset Fair Value

   $ 6,259      $ 711  

Gross Liability Fair Value

     –          (538
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net Asset Fair Value

   $ 6,259      $    173  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Gains (losses) from foreign currency contracts were recorded in other income (expense), net within the accompanying consolidated statements of operations as follows (in thousands):

 

     December 31,  
     2020      2019  

Realized gain (loss)

   $ 1,512      $ (484

Unrealized gain

     6,087           581  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total gains

   $ 7,599      $ 97  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

7 – FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Financial assets and liabilities valued using Level 1 inputs are based on unadjusted quoted market prices within active markets. Financial assets and liabilities valued using Level 2 inputs are based primarily on observable trades and/or prices for similar assets or liabilities in active or inactive markets. Financial assets and liabilities valued using Level 3 inputs are primarily valued using management’s assumptions about the assumptions market participants would utilize in pricing the asset or liability.

 

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The following table presents information about the fair value measurement of the Company’s financial instruments (in thousands):

 

            As of December 31,  

Financial Instruments Recorded at Fair Value on a
Recurring Basis:

   Fair Value Measurement Level      2020      2019  

Assets:

        

Derivative assets—foreign currency contracts (1)

     2      $ 6,259      $ 173  
     

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total assets

      $ 6,259      $    173  
     

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1)

Included in prepaid expenses and other current assets in the consolidated balance sheet

Transfers of assets and liabilities among Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 are recorded as of the actual date of the events or change in circumstances that caused the transfer. For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, there were no transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy of the Company’s assets or liabilities measured at fair value.

The fair value of the Company’s derivative assets through its foreign currency contracts is based upon observable market-based inputs that reflect the present values of the differences between estimated future foreign currency rates versus fixed future settlement prices per the contracts, and therefore, are classified within Level 2.

The following financial instruments are recorded at their carrying amount (in thousands of dollars):

 

     As of December 31, 2020      As of December 31, 2019  

Financial Instruments Recorded at Carrying Amount:

   Carrying
Amount
     Estimated
Fair Value
     Carrying
Amount
     Estimated
Fair Value
 

Liabilities:

           

Debt – First Lien and Second Lien (1)

   $ 446,355      $ 439,253      $ 459,762      $ 431,888  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total liabilities

   $ 446,355      $ 439,253      $ 459,762      $ 431,888  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1)

Included in notes payable in the consolidated balance sheet. Due to the unobservable nature of the inputs these financial instruments are considered to be Level 3 instruments in the fair value hierarchy

8 – PROPERTY, PLANT, AND EQUIPMENT

Property, plant, and equipment consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

     December 31  
     2020      2019  

Land and buildings

   $ 1,472      $ —    

Machinery and equipment

     15,433        10,518  

Leasehold improvements

     6,050        5,817  

Office equipment and fixtures

     7,592        5,869  

Vehicles

     1,889        1,783  

Computer software and hardware

     9,295        6,481  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     41,731        30,468  

Plus construction in progress

     8,205        1,387  

Less accumulated depreciation

     (17,532      (10,080
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Property, plant, and equipment, net

   $ 32,404      $ 21,775  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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The Company leases fleet vehicles, forklifts, and office equipment that are accounted for as capital leases and are included in property, plant, and equipment and accumulated depreciation. The total carrying amount of capital leases as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 was $0.8 million and $0.9 million, respectively.

Depreciation expense related to property, plant, and equipment recorded in cost of sales was $3.4 million and $2.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Depreciation expense related to property, plant, and equipment recorded in general and administrative expense was $4.4 million and $3.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

9 – GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLES

Goodwill was $256.8 million and $251.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. The amount of goodwill is primarily attributable to the allocation of the purchase price from the Transaction on September 25, 2017. Incremental additions to goodwill arising from recent business combinations are disclosed in Note 4, Acquisitions.

Intangible assets as of December 31, 2020 consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

     December 31, 2020  
     Weighted
Average Life
(in years)
     Gross
Carrying
Amount
     Accumulated
Amortization
     Net Book
Value
 

Customer relationships

     17      $ 378,394      $ (71,645    $ 306,748  

Trademark

     25        264,000        (34,496      229,504  

Patented technology

     7        4,000        (1,867      2,133  

Favorable lease position

     8        51        (22      29  

Other intangible assets

     12        1,635        (209      1,427  
     

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

      $ 648,080      $ (108,239    $ 539,841  
     

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

The preponderance of the customer relationships and the trademark were pushed down from the purchase accounting in the Transaction in 2017 disclosed in Note 1.

Intangible assets as of December 31, 2019 consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

     December 31, 2019  
     Weighted
Average Life
(in years)
     Gross
Carrying
Amount
     Accumulated
Amortization
     Net Book
Value
 

Customer relationships

     17      $ 373,241      $ (49,679    $ 323,562  

Trademark

     25        264,000        (23,936      240,064  

Patented technology

     7        4,000        (1,295      2,705  

Favorable lease position

     8        51        (15      36  

Other intangible assets

     12        829        (108      721  
     

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

      $ 642,121      $ (75,033    $ 567,088  
     

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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Estimated annual amortization expense for the next five years and thereafter for the years ending December 31 (in thousands):

 

2021

   $ 33,857  

2022

     33,848  

2023

     33,838  

2024

     33,678  

2025

     33,230  

Thereafter

     371,390  
  

 

 

 
   $ 539,841  
  

 

 

 

Total amortization expense was $33.2 and $33.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

10 – NOTES PAYABLE

Notes payable refers to the corporate level debt facilities that were entered into on September 25, 2017, and used to provide funding in the acquisition of the Company in the Transaction. The Company’s corporate debt is incurred and guaranteed by certain of its operating subsidiaries, but it is not guaranteed by the Company or any parent entities above the borrower and guarantors in the ownership structure.

The Company’s corporate level consolidated outstanding debt is as follows (in thousands except for rates):

 

     December 31.      Interest rate as of
December 31, 2020
 
     2020      2019  

First lien credit agreement:

        

First lien term loans, maturing through September 2024

   $ 331,355      $ 334,762        5.0

Revolving credit facility, matures September 2022

     —          10,000        —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

Total first lien notes payable

     331,355        344,762     

Second lien credit agreement:

        

Second lien term loan, matures September 2025

     115,000        115,000        9.5
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

Total notes payable

     446,355        459,762     

Less: unamortized deferred financing costs

     (9,343      (12,424   

Less: current maturities

     (3,407      (3,407   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

Notes payable, net of current portion

   $ 433,605      $ 443,931     
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

First Lien Credit Agreement

The First Lien Credit Agreement is between TGP Holdings III LLC (a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company) and Credit Suisse AG, Cayman Islands Branch as Administrative Agent, and several other lending banks. The repayment provisions of the First Lien Term Loans include scheduled payments (quarterly in the approximate amount of $0.9 million until maturity), voluntary prepayments (permitted at par without premiums after six months following the closing date), and mandatory prepayments. Mandatory prepayments can be triggered by the sale of secured assets, excess cash flow, issuance of refinancing debt as defined, and/or other circumstances as respectively defined by the First Lien Credit Agreement. The excess cash flow mandatory prepayment provision does not apply if the Company maintains a net leverage ratio, as defined, below 5.25:1. No mandatory prepayments were triggered in 2020 or 2019.

 

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The annual interest rate on the First Lien Term Loans has fixed and variable components. The fixed component is referred to as the applicable rate and can be adjusted based on the Company’s most recently determined First Lien Net Leverage Ratio. The applicable rate was 4.00% and 4.25% for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The floating component is based on LIBOR for the relevant interest period, subject to a minimum level of 1%. Borrowings under the First Lien Credit Agreement are secured by substantially all of the Company’s assets, with the exception of certain unrestricted subsidiaries as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement, which include the special purpose entity Traeger SPE LLC disclosed in Note 11, Receivables Financing Agreement.

The First Lien Term Loan contains a variety of affirmative and negative covenants. The Company was in compliance with all covenants on the First Lien Term Loan as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

The Company was in compliance with stipulated limitations as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement regarding securitizations and receivables financings in November 2020 when the Company entered the Receivables Financing Agreement described in Note 11. There are also separate constraints, as defined, that permit the Company to incur incremental corporate debt and acquisition related debt.

Revolving Credit Facility

Concurrent with the issuance of the First Lien Term Loan on September 25, 2017, TGP Holdings III LLC also obtained a revolving line of credit to provide borrowings up to $30 million. The line of credit is collateralized by substantially all of the assets of the Company pursuant to the First Lien Credit Agreement and matures on September 25, 2022 and no principal payments are due before that date. Through a series of amendments to the First Lien Credit Agreement, the borrowing capacity of the First Lien Revolving Credit Facility was increased to $67 million as of December 31, 2020 ($50 million as of December 31, 2019). The maturity date was not extended as part of the amendments.

The annual interest rate on the First Lien Revolving Credit Facility has fixed and floating components. The fixed component is referred to as the applicable rate and can be adjusted based on the most recently determined First Lien Net Leverage Ratio. The applicable rate varied between 4.00% and 4.25% for the year-ended December 31, 2020 and was 4.25% for the year ended December 31, 2019. The floating component is based on LIBOR for the relevant interest period. The Revolving Credit Facility has a variable commitment fee, which is based on the Company’s most recently determined First Lien Net Leverage Ratio, and ranges from 0.375% to 0.50% per annum on undrawn amounts, paid quarterly.

Under the Revolving Credit Facility, the borrowing base may be used to secure letters of credit (limited to $15 million), which when issued, lower the overall borrowing capacity of the facility. The fees levied on revolving letters of credit are similar to the interest rate for outstanding revolving credit draws.

The Revolving Credit Facility contains a variety of affirmative and negative covenants. The Revolving Credit Facility has a financial covenant regarding a maximum net leverage ratio as defined in the agreement. The maximum net leverage ratio (calculated on a pro-forma basis as defined in the agreement) is not permitted to exceed 7.4 to 1. The Company complied with all covenants as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Second Lien Credit Agreement

The Second Lien Credit agreement is also between the TGP Holdings III LLC and Credit Suisse AG, Cayman Islands Branch as Administrative Agent, and several other lending banks. No payments are required on the Second Lien Term Loan until all First Lien Term Loans have been paid in full unless certain repayments are declined by First Lien lenders and thus flow to the Second Lien facility. Mandatory prepayments can be triggered by the sale of assets, excess cash flow, issuance of refinancing debt as defined, and/or other circumstances as respectively defined by the Second Lien Credit Agreement. Voluntary prepayments on the Second Lien term loan are not subject to a premium after the second anniversary of the closing date. No mandatory prepayments were triggered in 2020 or 2019.

 

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The annual interest rate on the Second Lien Term Loans has fixed and variable components. The fixed component is referred to as the applicable rate and was 8.50% for each of the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The floating component is based on LIBOR for the relevant interest period, subject to a minimum level of 1%. Borrowings under the Second Lien Credit Agreement are secured and guaranteed by the Company and certain subsidiaries, similar to the First Lien Credit Agreement described above, with the First Lien creditors taking precedence.

The Second Lien contains certain affirmative and negative covenants. The Company complied with all covenants as of December 31, 2020.

Future maturities of the notes payable are as follows as of December 31 (in thousands):

 

Years Ending December 31,

  

2021

   $ 3,407  

2022

     3,407  

2023

     3,407  

2024 (with remaining principal balance of First Lien)

     321,134  

2025 (with remaining principal balance of Second Lien)

     115,000  

Thereafter

     —    
  

 

 

 
   $ 446,355  
  

 

 

 

11 – RECEIVABLES FINANCING AGREEMENT

On November 2, 2020 Traeger SPE LLC (a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company) entered into a receivables financing agreement (“RFA”). Through the RFA, the Company participates in a trade receivables securitization program administered on its behalf by MUFG Bank Ltd. Through this arrangement, the Company has secured short-term capital requirements financing using outstanding accounts receivable balances as collateral, which have been contributed by the Company to Traeger SPE LLC. As a special purpose entity (“SPE”), Traeger SPE LLC has been structured so that its assets (substantively the accounts receivable contributed by the Company to the SPE) are outside the reach of other creditors of the Company, including the First and Second Lien lenders. While the Company provides services to the SPE through continuing involvement in the aspects of collection and cash application of the receivables, the receivables are owned by the SPE once contributed to it by the Company. The Company is the primary beneficiary and holds all equity interests of the SPE, thus the Company consolidates the SPE without any significant judgments.

To the extent there is a sufficient borrowing base, the net borrowing capacity of the facility ranges during the year from $30 million to $45 million. As of December 31, 2020, the Company was eligible to borrow $30 million under this facility; however, as of that date, no cash advances had been drawn under this facility. Absent any cash advances that exceed the SPE’s available cash, the SPE collects proceeds from the receivables and transfers available cash to the Company on a regular basis. The Company pays an annual upfront fee for the facility along with interest on outstanding borrowings of approximately 1.7% and an unused capacity charge that ranges from 0.25% to 0.5%. The facility is set to terminate on September 25, 2022.

As of May 3, 2021, the Company has drawn down on its accounts receivable facility in the amount of $45.0 million for general corporate and working capital purposes.

12 – FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS

Operations outside the United States are subject to risks inherent in operating under different legal systems and various political and economic environments. Among the risks are changes in existing tax laws, possible limitations on foreign investment and income repatriation, government price or foreign exchange controls, and restrictions on currency exchange.

 

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The functional currency of the Company’s consolidated foreign subsidiaries in Europe and China is the U.S. Dollar. Results of operations for the Company’s consolidated foreign subsidiaries are remeasured from the local currency to the U.S. dollar using average exchange rates during the period, while monetary assets and liabilities are remeasured at the exchange rate in effect at the reporting date. Non-monetary assets and liabilities and equity accounts of consolidated foreign subsidiaries are carried at historical values. Resulting gains or losses from remeasuring foreign currency financial statements are recorded in other income (expense) in the consolidated statements of operations.

Foreign currency transaction gains and losses resulting from exchange rate fluctuations on transactions denominated in a currency other than the U.S. Dollar are included in other income expense in the consolidated statements of operations. In 2020, the Company recorded a net foreign exchange loss of $0.2 million while in 2019 the Company recorded a net foreign exchange gain of $0.6 million.

13 – COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Leases

The Company leases various real property and equipment under operating lease agreements with various expiration dates through October 2038.

Several of the real property leases include escalations and options to extend, ranging from one to five additional years. Rental expense is reflected in general and administrative expense and selling and marketing expense. Total rent expense for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 was $2.9 million and $2.7 million, respectively.

The Company leases fleet vehicles, forklifts, and office equipment that are accounted for as capital leases and are included in property, plant, and equipment. Furthermore, capitalized lease amortization is included with property, plant, and equipment depreciation.

Future minimum rental payments under non-cancelable leases as of December 31, 2020 are as follows (in thousands):

 

Years Ending December 31,    Operating
Leases
     Capital
Leases
 

2021

   $ 4,547      $    335  

2022

     3,224        318  

2023

     4,065        182  

2024

     4,904        68  

2025

     4,840        —    

Thereafter

     38,481     
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total minimum lease payments

   $ 60,061      $ 903  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Less: amount representing interest

        (71
     

 

 

 

Net minimum lease payments

      $ 832  
     

 

 

 

In November 2020, the Company entered into a lease agreement to rent an office building consisting of approximately 85,771 square feet in Salt Lake City, UT, which is expected to become the new corporate headquarters. The Company expects to move into the building on or around May 1, 2022. The term of the lease continues for 16 years and 6 months following the commencement date. The landlord has granted 100% rent abatement for the first 6 months following commencement date and 50% abatement on rent for the 7-18 months following commencement date. The Company will then pay scheduled basic annual rent in monthly installments afterwards. The minimum payments associated with this lease are included in the table above.

 

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Unconditional purchase commitments

The Company has unconditional purchase commitments for cloud-hosting costs, software licenses, and other

professional fees. Future minimum payments under these unconditional purchase commitments as of December 31, 2020 are as follows (in thousands):

 

Years Ending December 31,       

2021

   $ 3,488  

2022

     2,846  

2023

     1,113  

2024

     —    

2025

     —    

Thereafter

     —    
  

 

 

 

Total future minimum payments

   $ 7,447  
  

 

 

 

Legal Matters

The Company is subject to various claims, complaints and legal actions in the normal course of business. The Company does not believe it has any currently pending litigation of which the outcome will have a material adverse effect on its operations or financial position.

14 – RETIREMENT PLAN

The Company maintains a defined contribution retirement plan (“401(k) plan”) for all full-time employees in the United States. This 401(k) plan allows employees to contribute a portion of their eligible compensation up to the certain maximum dollar limits set by the Internal Revenue Service. The Company made matching contributions to the 401(k) plan of $1.2 million and $0.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The expenses are recorded consistent with the payroll expense associated to each individual employee to whom the matching contributions pertains.

15 – MEMBER’S EQUITY

The holder of each of the 108,724,422 Common Units of member’s equity of the Company is TGP Holdings LP, a partnership and the sole member of this Company. All interests in the Company are represented by TGP Holdings LP. The business and affairs of TGP Holdings, LP are managed exclusively by its General Partner on behalf of the Limited Partners. There are two authorized classes of ownership units at TGP Holdings LP: Class A Units and Class B Units. Class A and Class B units have no voting rights but have rights with respect to profits and losses of the Partnership and distributions from the Partnership. All Class A Units were issued in connection with capital contributions made by the holders of such awards. Class B units are issued as compensatory awards in connection with the performance of services of employees and certain directors of this Company for benefit of TGP Holdings LP and/or its subsidiaries.

The significant rights, privileges, and preferences of the Common Units are as follows:

 

   

The holders of Common Units shall have the rights with respect to profits, losses and distributions of the Company, the allocations of which shall be made 100% to the sole member.

 

   

The Company’s sole member shall have all of the powers and rights necessary, appropriate or advisable to effectuate and carry out the purposes and business of the Company, and the sole member may delegate to any such person such authority to act on behalf of the Company.

 

   

In the sole discretion of the sole member, the Company may from time to time distribute its available cash to the sole member.

 

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The Company may dissolve, and its affairs shall be wound up upon the written consent of the sole member. In winding up, the Company’s assets first shall be distributed to creditors in satisfaction of indebtedness, second to the payment of loans or advances made by the sole member to the Company, and third, once the other payments have been made, the remaining distributions shall be to the sole member.

16 – EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION

TGP Holdings LP established a management incentive equity pool, authorizing a maximum of 99,389 total units, or 15% of the total authorized units, for purpose of compensatory awards to employees and certain directors of the Company. Under the Plan, eligible management employees and directors are granted a certain number of Class B Units of TGP Holdings LP which are considered to be profit interests. The participation threshold of the Class B Units is established for each grant based on the fair market value of TGP Holdings LP membership units at the date of the grant.

The incentive unit grants consisted of time-based vesting units, ordinary performance vesting units, and extraordinary performance (i.e., exit event) vesting units. Upon vesting, each unit is subject to restrictions, terms and conditions set forth in the TGP Holdings LP partnership agreement. This includes certain exercisability restrictions that limit the ability of the awardees to redeem the units unless certain events occur. Time-based vesting is expensed on a straight-line basis according to the defined vesting schedule. Ordinary performance-based vesting is expensed utilizing the accelerated attribution method based on the probability of the Company achieving the performance target. The performance target is a specified measure of Partnership EBITDA, as specifically defined in the unit grant agreements, to be achieved by specified year-end dates over a four-year service period. Should the Company fail to accomplish the performance target at different year-ends during the service periods, there are opportunities to cumulatively “catch-up” the performance, and thus accomplish the vesting of the awards, if a higher Partnership EBITDA target is achieved in a subsequent year. Extraordinary performance vesting units become vested and are expensed only upon an exit event that results in the achievement of a specific return to investors. There is no stated limit to the contractual term of the awards. For any vested units relating to an awardee who has terminated employment with the Company, TGP Holdings LP possesses repurchase rights relating to the vested units, and any unvested awards are forfeited.

The incentive unit grants are measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the awards. The estimated grant date fair values of the incentive units granted during 2020 and 2019, were derived using option pricing models.

The range of assumptions used in estimating the grant date fair value of the units awarded were as follows:

 

    

For the year ended
December 31,

 
    

2020

   2019  

Volatility

   50.3% - 69.0%      40.0

Risk-free rate

   0.2% - 0.7%      2.1

Dividend yield

   None      None  

Marketability discount

   18.6% - 23.9%      15

Expected term

   3      4  

The expected volatility has been estimated based on the volatilities using a weighted peer group of companies that are deemed to be similar to the Company. The risk-free rate has been determined on yields for U.S. Treasury securities for a period approximating the expected term. The dividend yield is zero as the Company has never declared or paid cash dividends and has no current plans to do so in the foreseeable future. The Finnerty model and the Asian Protective Put Model methods were used to estimate the discount for lack of marketability inherent to the awards. For the expected term, due to a lack of historical information, the estimate is developed based on the investment time horizon expectation of the investors.

 

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Equity-based compensation was classified as follows in the accompanying statements of operations (in thousands):

 

     Year-ended
December 31,
 
     2020      2019  

General and administrative

   $ 10,147      $ 2,018  

Sales and marketing

     2,575        316  

Cost of revenue

     88        18  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total equity-based compensation

   $ 12,810      $ 2,352  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

The Company has elected to recognize forfeitures as they occur.

The following table summarizes the Class B unit activity for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

 

     Number of Units      Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value
 
            (in thousands)  

Outstanding balance at January 1, 2019

     91,513     

Granted

     9,016     

Redeemed

     (776   

Forfeited or cancelled

     (10,729   
  

 

 

    

Outstanding balance at December 31, 2019

     89,024     
  

 

 

    

Granted

     8,589     

Redeemed

     (1,002   

Forfeited or cancelled

     (2,752   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Outstanding balance at December 31, 2020

     93,859      $ 119,623  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Vested balance at December 31, 2020

     54,193      $ 66,940  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

The number and weighted-average grant date fair value for unvested Class B units are as follows:

 

     Number of
Unvested Units
     Weighted-Average
Fair Value of Units
 

Balance at December 31, 2018

     82,362      $ 239.95  

Granted

     9,016        243.76  

(Vested)

     (8,378      278.06  

(Forfeited)

     (10,729      238.87  
  

 

 

    

Balance at December 31, 2019

     72,271      $ 235.86  
  

 

 

    

Granted

(Vested)

(Forfeited)

    

8,589

(36,663

(2,752

 

   $

 

508.01

296.43

230.76

 

 

 

  

 

 

    

Balance at December 31, 2020

     41,445      $ 240.53  
  

 

 

    

The total amount of unrecognized equity-based compensation cost as of December 31, 2020 related to granted units that are expected to vest over a weighted average period of 2.1 years is $5.5 million.

As the performance criteria related to the extraordinary performance units has not been achieved, and the achievement of the performance criteria has not been deemed to be probable at any time up to and including December 31, 2020, no equity-based compensation expense has been recorded related to these units. As of December 31, 2020, unrecognized compensation related to extraordinary performance units was $2.4 million.

 

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During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, cash settlements in the amounts of $0.3 million and $0 were paid to redeem the vested awards of terminated awardees.

17 – INCOME TAXES

Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes.

Provision for income taxes consisted of the following components:

 

     Year-ended
December 31,
 
     2020      2019  

Current:

     

Federal

   $   —        $   —    

State

     678        124  

Foreign

     121        —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total current tax expense

   $ 799      $ 124  

Deferred expense:

     

Federal

   $ —        $ —    

State

     —          —    

Foreign

     (50      —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total deferred tax benefit

   $ (50    $ —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Provision for income taxes

   $ 749      $ 124  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Reconciliations of the differences between the effective and statutory income tax rates for years ending December 31, 2020 and 2019 are as follows:

 

     Year-ended
December 31,
 
     2020     2019  

Federal statutory rate

     21.0     21.0

State income taxes, net of federal benefit

     3.3       3.3  

Foreign rate differential

     0.2       —    

Equity-based compensation

     9.9       (1.9

Non-deductible items

     0.5       (1.2

Research and development credits

     (0.7     0.9  

Changes in valuation allowance

     (33.9     (26.7

Changes in tax rates

     (0.5     (0.3

Other

     2.6       4.5  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
     2.4     (0.4 )% 
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

The differences between the U.S. statutory rate and the Company’s effective tax rate for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 are primarily due to the changes in valuation allowance, state taxes, and equity-based compensation.

 

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The amounts that comprised deferred income tax assets, net as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 are as follows:

 

     Year-ended December 31,  
     2020      2019  

Net operating losses

   $ 16,807      $ 17,583  

Investments

     (146      2,381  

Sec. 163(j) interest

     2,998        10,503  

Tax credits

     725        568  

Property and equipment (foreign)

     34        —    

Less: valuation allowance

     (20,384      (31,035
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Deferred income tax assets, net

   $ 34      $ —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

As of December 31, 2020, the Company has net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $67.4 million for federal income tax purposes, which will be available to offset future taxable income. Due to recent tax legislation, approximately $42.7 million of these net operating losses are eligible for indefinite carryforward, limited by certain taxable income limitations. The Company is not aware of any restrictions or limitations on use of the net operating losses under Internal Revenue Code Section 382. Due to cumulative losses, the Company has recorded a full valuation allowance against its net deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 respectively.

The Company also had federal research and development tax credit carryforwards for tax return purposes of $0.7 million, which begin to expire in 2038 if not utilized.

The Company annually conducts an analysis of its tax positions and has concluded that it has no uncertain tax positions as of December 31, 2020. The Company’s policy is to record uncertain tax positions as a component of interest expense from continuing operations. The Company is not under examination by any jurisdiction as of December 31, 2020. With few exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal, state, or local income tax examinations by tax authorities for years before 2017.

18 – RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

The Company outsources a portion of its customer service and support through a third party who is an affiliate of the Company through common ownership. The total amount of expenses the Company recorded associated with such services totaled $6.5 million and $0 for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Amounts payable to the third party at December 31, 2020 and 2019 was $0.7 million and $0, respectively.

19 – SEGMENT INFORMATION

The Company concluded that its business is a single reportable segment. The Company operates as a single-brand consumer products business. This is supported by the Company’s operational structure, which includes sales, design, operations, marketing, and administrative functions focused on the entire product suite rather than individual product categories. The Company’s chief operating decision maker does not regularly review financial information below a level of consolidated Company results to determine resource allocation or to assess performance.

Revenue related to customers outside the United States represents less than 10% of the Company’s consolidated revenue. Assets outside of the United States were not disclosed as they totaled less than 10% of the Company’s consolidated assets as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

20 – EARNINGS (LOSS) PER UNIT

The Company discloses two calculations of earnings per member unit: basic earnings per unit and diluted earnings per unit. The numerator in calculating basic earnings per unit and diluted earnings per unit is consolidated net income (loss). The denominator in calculating basic earnings per unit is the weighted average units outstanding. The denominator for diluted earnings per unit is the same as basic because there were no potential dilutive common units outstanding.

 

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The computation of basic and diluted earnings (loss) per common unit is as follows (in thousands, except per unit amounts):

 

    Year-ended December 31,  
    2020      2019  

Net income (loss) available to members—basic and diluted

  $ 31,602      $ (29,593
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Weighted average number of units—basic and diluted

    108,724,422        108,724,422  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Earnings (loss) per unit—basic and diluted

  $ 0.29      $ (0.27
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

There were no potentially dilutive securities outstanding in 2020 and 2019. Equity-based compensation awards are granted at a parent level above the Company’s consolidation results and the expense related to those awards is pushed down to the Company.

21 - SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

The Company has evaluated subsequent events through May 3, 2021, the date the Consolidated Financial Statements were available to be issued. The Company has determined that there were no subsequent events required to be disclosed. The Company has also evaluated subsequent events through July 21, 2021, the date the Consolidated Financial Statements were reissued, for the effects of the split of common units described below.

In July 2021, the Company effected a forward split of its 10 common units into 108,724,422 common units. All unit, per unit and related information presented in the accompanying consolidated financial statements have been retroactively adjusted, where applicable, to reflect the impact of the split of common units.

 

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TGPX HOLDINGS I LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(unaudited)

(in thousands)

 

     March 31,
2021
    December 31,
2020
 

ASSETS

    

Current Assets

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 17,101     $ 11,556  

Accounts receivable, net

     164,134       64,840  

Inventories, net

     75,532       68,835  

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     12,271       13,776  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current assets

     269,038       159,007  

Property, plant, and equipment, net

     35,599       32,404  

Goodwill

     256,838       256,838  

Intangible assets, net

     531,486       539,841  

Other long-term assets

     1,710       1,491  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 1,094,671     $ 989,581  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND MEMBERS’ EQUITY

    

Current Liabilities

    

Accounts payable

   $ 37,731     $ 21,673  

Accrued expenses

     65,866       54,697  

Line of Credit

     38,000       —    

Current portion of notes payable

     3,407       3,407  

Current portion of capital leases

     339       296  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     145,343       80,073  

Notes payable, net of current portion

     433,441       433,605  

Capital leases, net of current portion

     627       536  

Other non-current liabilities

     335       327  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities

     579,746       514,541  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Commitments and contingencies (Note 7)

    

Member’s equity

    

108,724,422 common units authorized, issued, and outstanding at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020

     —         —    

Member’s capital

     571,994       571,038  

Accumulated deficit

     (57,069     (95,998
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total member’s equity

     514,925       475,040  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities and member’s equity

   $ 1,094,671     $ 989,581  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements

 

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TGPX HOLDINGS I LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(unaudited)

(in thousands, except unit and per unit amounts)

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
             2021                     2020          

Revenue

   $ 235,573     $ 113,783  

Cost of revenue

     134,942       62,028  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

     100,631       51,755  

Operating expense

    

Sales and marketing

     30,851       16,718  

General and administrative

     13,556       9,004  

Amortization of intangible assets

     8,301       8,131  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expense

     52,708       33,853  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income from operations

     47,923       17,902  

Other expense, net:

    

Interest expense

     (7,812     (9,185

Other expense

     (458     (767
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other expense, net

     (8,270     (9,952

Income before provision for income taxes

     39,653       7,950  

Provision for income taxes

     724       31  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income

   $ 38,929     $ 7,919  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Comprehensive income

   $ 38,929     $ 7,919  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income attributable to common unit holders

     38,929       7,919  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income per unit, basic and diluted

   $ 0.36     $ 0.07  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Weighted-average number of units outstanding, basic and diluted

     108,724,422       108,724,422  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements

 

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TGPX HOLDINGS I LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN MEMBER’S EQUITY

(unaudited)

(in thousands, except unit amounts)

 

     Common Units      Member’s
Capital
     Accumulated
Deficit
    Total
Member’s Equity
 
     Units
Outstanding
     No Par
Value
 

Balance at December 31, 2020

     108,724,422        —        $ 571,038      $ (95,998   $ 475,040  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Equity-based compensation

     —          —          956        —         956  

Net income

     —          —          —          38,929       38,929  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at March 31, 2021

     108,724,422        —        $ 571,994      $ (57,069   $ 514,925  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2019

     108,724,422        —        $ 558,478      $ (127,600   $ 430,878  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Equity-based compensation

     —          —          614        —         614  

Net income

     —          —          —          7,919       7,919  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at March 31, 2020

     108,724,422        —        $ 559,092      $ (119,681   $ 439,411  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements

 

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TGPX HOLDINGS I LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(unaudited)

(in thousands)

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
             2021                     2020          

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

 

 

Net income

   $ 38,929     $ 7,919  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities:

    

Depreciation of property, plant and equipment

     2,225       1,523  

Amortization of intangible assets

     8,466       8,290  

Amortization of deferred financing costs

     749       657  

Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment

     79       17  

Equity-based compensation expense

     956       614  

Unrealized loss on derivative contracts

     3,349       500  

Change in operating assets and liabilities:

    

Accounts receivable

     (99,293     (31,091

Inventories, net

     (6,697     (7,409

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     (1,844     63  

Accounts payable and accrued expenses

     26,531       7,376  

Deferred rent

     6       17  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in operating activities

     (26,544     (11,524
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES

    

Purchase of property, plant, and equipment

     (4,865     (2,522

Acquisition of subsidiaries

     —         (200

Capitalization of patent costs

     (110     (181

Proceeds from notes receivable

     —         12  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in investing activities

     (4,975     (2,891
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES

    

Proceeds on line of credit

     50,000       51,000  

Repayments on line of credit

     (12,000     —    

Deferred financing costs paid

     —         (60

Repayments of term loans

     (852     (852

Principal payments on capital lease obligations

     (84     (74

Distributions to member

     —         —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by financing activities

     37,064       50,014  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase in cash

     5,545       35,599  

Cash at beginning of period

     11,556       7,077  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

CASH AT END OF PERIOD

   $ 17,101     $ 42,676  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements

 

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TGPX HOLDINGS I LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(unaudited)

(in thousands)

 

(Continued)              
     Three Months Ended March 31,  
             2021                      2020          

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION:

 

  

Cash paid during the period for interest

   $ 6,928      $ 2,948  

Cash paid for income taxes

   $ —        $ —    

NON-CASH FINANCING AND INVESTING ACTIVITIES

     

Equipment purchased under capital leases

   $ 219      $ 37  

Property, plant, and, equipment included in accounts payable

   $ 992      $ 344  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements

 

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1 – DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Nature of Operations – TGPX Holdings I LLC and its wholly owned Subsidiaries (collectively “Traeger” or the “Company”) design, source, sell, and support wood pellet fueled barbeque grills sold to retailers, distributors, and direct to consumers. The Company produces and sells the pellets used to fire the grills and also sells Traeger-branded rubs, spices, and sauces, as well as grill accessories (including covers, barbeque tools, trays, liners, and merchandise). A significant portion of the Company’s sales are generated from customers throughout the United States (“U.S.”), and the Company continues to develop distribution in Canada and Europe. The Company’s headquarters are in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Company is a limited liability company, a legal entity in which the owner’s (member’s) liabilities are limited to their respective investments in the Company.

The 108,724,422 common units in the Company are held by TGP Holdings LP and there are no potentially dilutive securities at the TGPX Holdings I LLC level. Accordingly, basic and diluted earnings per share presented on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) as of March 31, 2021 and 2020 are the same.

Pushdown Accounting – On September 25, 2017, AEA Investors LP, TCP Traeger Holdings SPV LLC, Ontario Limited, and other management and limited partners purchased a 100% equity stake (the “Transaction”) in Traeger Pellet Grills Holdings LLC through a merger agreement in which TGP Holdings LP (“Purchaser”) was formed. TGPX Holdings I LLC was formed and became a wholly owned subsidiary of Purchaser on that date. Total consideration transferred by the Purchaser for the acquisition of Traeger Pellet Grills Holdings LLC was $954 million. The Company has applied pushdown accounting from the Transaction to recognize the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed. This included recording newly established fair values for property, plant, and equipment and the recognition of identified intangibles and goodwill in the purchase price allocation.

Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation – The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) for interim financial information and do not include all of the information and notes required for complete financial statements. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with its most recent annual audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2020.

In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contain all normal and recurring adjustments necessary to fairly present the consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods presented. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for any other interim period or for the year ending December 31, 2021.

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Emerging Growth Company Status – The Company is an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (“JOBS Act”). Under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies can delay adopting new or revised financial accounting standards until such time as those standards apply to private companies. The Company has elected to use the extended transition period for complying with the adoption of new or revised accounting standards and as a result of this election, its financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with public company effective dates. The Company will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest of (i) the end of the fiscal year in which the market value of its common stock that is held by non-affiliates is at least $700 million as of the last business day of its most recently completed second fiscal quarter, (ii) the end of the fiscal year in which the Company has total annual gross revenues of $1.07 billion or more during such fiscal year, (iii) the date on which the Company issues more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt in a three-year period, or (iv) the end of the fiscal year in which the fifth anniversary of the Company’s initial public offering (“IPO”) occurs, which will be 2026.

 

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2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Use of Estimates – The preparation of these financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The most significant estimates and the assumptions made by management that present the greatest amount of estimation uncertainty include business combination accounting for the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed, customer credits and returns, obsolete inventory reserves, valuation and impairment of intangible assets including goodwill, unrealized positions on foreign currency derivatives and reserves for warranty. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Concentrations – Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash in banks, trade accounts receivable and foreign currency contracts. Credit is extended to customers based on an evaluation of the customer’s financial condition and collateral is not generally required in the Company’s sales transactions. Three customers (each large U.S. retailers) that accounted for a significant portion of net sales are as follows:

 

     March 31,
2021
    December 31,
2020
 

Customer A

     24     18

Customer B

     23     20

Customer C

     16     16

Concentrations of credit risk exist to the extent credit terms are extended with these three large customers. A business failure on the part of any one the three customers could result in a material amount of exposure to the Company. No other single customer accounted for greater than 10% of the Company’s net sales as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020.

The Company’s sales to dealers and distributors located outside the United States are generally denominated in U.S. dollars. The Company does have sales to certain dealers located in the European Union, the United Kingdom and Canada which are denominated in Euros, British Pounds and Canadian Dollars, respectively.

The Company relies on a limited number of suppliers for its contract manufacturing of grills and accessories. A significant disruption in the operations of certain of these manufacturers, or in the transportation of parts and accessories would impact the production of the Company’s products for a substantial period of time, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

As an “emerging growth company,” the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (“JOBS Act”), allows the Company to delay adoption of new or revised accounting pronouncements applicable to public companies until such pronouncements are made applicable to private companies. The Company has elected to use this extended transition period under the JOBS Act. There have been no material changes to the implementation or evaluation of “Recently Issued Accounting Standards” as described elsewhere in this prospectus for the period ended December 31, 2020.

 

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3 – REVENUE

The following table disaggregates revenue by product category, geography, and sales channel for the periods indicated (in thousands):    

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  

Revenue by product category

           2021                      2020          

Grills

   $ 178,655      $ 83,175  

Consumables

     40,813        23,793  

Accessories

     16,105        6,815  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total revenue

   $ 235,573      $ 113,783  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  

Revenue by geography

           2021                      2020          

North America

   $ 226,251      $ 109,438  

Rest of world

     9,322        4,345  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total revenue

   $ 235,573      $ 113,783  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  

Revenue by sales channel

           2021                      2020          

Retail

   $ 229,827      $ 108,379  

Direct to consumer

     5,746        5,404  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total revenue

   $ 235,573      $ 113,783  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

4 – BALANCE SHEET COMPONENTS

Accounts receivable consists of the following (in thousands):

 

     March 31,
2021
     December 31,
2020
 

Trade accounts receivable

   $ 182,374      $ 77,574  

Allowance for doubtful accounts

     (650      (652

Reserve for returns, discounts and allowances

     (17,590      (12,082
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total accounts receivable, net

   $ 164,134      $ 64,840  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Inventories consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

     March 31,
2021
     December 31,
2020
 

Raw materials

   $ 1,992      $ 1,161  

Work in process

     9,848        6,087  

Finished goods

     63,692        61,587  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Inventories

   $ 75,532      $ 68,835  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Included within inventories are adjustments of $0.0 million and $0.8 million at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively, to record inventory to net realizable value.

 

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Accrued expenses consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

     March 31,
2021
     December 31,
2020
 

Accrual for inventories in-transit

   $ 30,289      $ 27,012  

Warranty accrual

     8,071        6,728  

Accrued compensation and bonus

     6,689        6,179  

Other

     20,817        14,778  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Accrued expenses

   $ 65,866      $ 54,697  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

The changes in the Company’s warranty liability, included in accrued expenses on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets, were as follows (in thousands):

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
             2021                      2020          

Warranty accrual, beginning of period

   $ 6,728      $ 4,798  

Warranty claims

     (1,461      (1,194

Warranty costs accrued

     2,804        1,528  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Warranty accrual, end of period

   $ 8,071      $ 5,132  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

5 – DERIVATIVES

The Company is exposed to foreign currency exchange rate risk related to its purchases and international operations. The Company utilizes foreign currency contracts to manage foreign currency risk in purchasing inventory and capital equipment, and future settlement of foreign denominated assets and liabilities. The volume of the Company’s foreign currency contract activity is limited by the amount of transaction exposure in each foreign currency and the Company’s election as to whether to hedge the transactions. There are no derivative instruments entered into for speculative purposes.

The Company had outstanding foreign currency contracts as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020. The Company did not elect hedge accounting for any of these contracts. All outstanding contracts are with the same counterparty and thus the fair market value of the contracts in an asset position are offset by the fair market value of the contracts in a liability position to reach a net position. For periods where the net position is an asset balance, the balance is recorded within prepaid expenses and other current assets on the consolidated balance sheet and for periods where the net position is a liability balance, the balance is recorded within derivative liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet. Changes in the net fair value of contracts are recorded in other expense, net in the consolidated statements of operations.

The Company’s only derivative transactions were foreign currency contracts. Gross and net balances from foreign currency contract positions were as follows (in thousands):

 

     March 31,
2021
     December 31,
2020
 

Gross Asset Fair Value

   $ 2,911      $ 6,259  

Gross Liability Fair Value

     —          —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net Asset Fair Value

   $ 2,911      $ 6,259  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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Gains (losses) from foreign currency contracts were recorded in other income (expense), net within the accompanying consolidated statements of operations as follows (in thousands):

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
             2021                      2020          

Realized gain (loss)

   $ 2,549      $ (301

Unrealized gain (loss)

     (3,349      (500
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Totals gains (loss)

   $ (800    $ (801
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

6 – FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Financial assets and liabilities valued using Level 1 inputs are based on unadjusted quoted market prices within active markets. Financial assets and liabilities valued using Level 2 inputs are based primarily on observable trades and/or prices for similar assets or liabilities in active or inactive markets. Financial assets and liabilities valued using Level 3 inputs are primarily valued using management’s assumptions about the assumptions market participants would utilize in pricing the asset or liability.

The following table presents information about the fair value measurement of the Company’s financial instruments (in thousands):

 

Financial Instruments Recorded at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis:

   Fair Value
Measurement
Level
     As of
March 31,
2021
     As of
December 31,
2020
 

Assets:

        

Derivative assets—foreign currency contracts (1)

     2      $ 2,911      $ 6,259  
     

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total assets

      $ 2,911      $ 6,259  
     

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1)

Included in prepaid expenses and other current assets in the consolidated balance sheet

Transfers of assets and liabilities among Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 are recorded as of the actual date of the events or change in circumstances that caused the transfer. As of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, there were no transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy of the Company’s assets or liabilities measured at fair value.

The fair value of the Company’s derivative assets through its foreign currency contracts is based upon observable market-based inputs that reflect the present values of the differences between estimated future foreign currency rates versus fixed future settlement prices per the contracts, and therefore, are classified within Level 2.

The following financial instruments are recorded at their carrying amount (in thousands of dollars):

 

     As of March 31, 2021      As of December 31, 2020  

Financial Instruments Recorded at Carrying Amount:

   Carrying
Amount
     Estimated
Fair Value
     Carrying
Amount
     Estimated
Fair Value
 

Liabilities:

           

Debt—First Lien and Second Lien (1)

   $ 445,503      $ 443,838      $ 446,355      $ 439,253  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total liabilities

   $ 445,503      $ 443,838      $ 446,355      $ 439,253  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1)

Included in notes payable in the consolidated balance sheet. Due to the unobservable nature of the inputs these financial instruments are considered to be Level 3 instruments in the fair value hierarchy

 

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7 – COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Legal Matters

The Company is subject to various claims, complaints and legal actions in the normal course of business. The Company does not believe it has any currently pending litigation of which the outcome will have a material adverse effect on its operations or financial position.

8 – EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION

TGP Holdings LP established a management incentive equity pool, authorizing a maximum of 99,389 total units, or 15% of the total authorized units, for purpose of compensatory awards to employees and certain directors of the Company. Under the Plan, eligible management employees and directors are granted a certain number of Class B Units of TGP Holdings LP which are considered to be profit interests. The participation threshold of the Class B Units is established for each grant based on the fair market value of TGP Holdings LP membership units at the date of the grant.

The Company recognized $1.0 million and $0.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively of compensation expense in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations. As of March 31, 2021, total unrecognized compensation expense for unvested units totaled $4.6 million, and are expected to vest over a weighted average period of 2.1 years.

As the performance criteria related to the extraordinary performance units has not been achieved, and the achievement of the performance criteria has not been deemed to be probable at any time up to and including March 31, 2021, no equity-based compensation expense has been recorded related to these units. As of March 31, 2021, unrecognized compensation related to extraordinary performance units was $2.4 million.

9 – INCOME TAXES

For the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company recorded a provision for income taxes of $0.7 million and $0.0 million, respectively.

The Company regularly evaluates the realizability of its deferred tax assets and establishes a valuation allowance if it is more likely than not that some or all the deferred tax assets will not be realized. In making such a determination, the Company considers all available positive and negative evidence, including future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, loss carryback and tax planning strategies. Generally, more weight is given to objectively verifiable evidence, such as the cumulative loss in recent years, as a significant piece of negative evidence to overcome.

10 – RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

The Company outsources a portion of its customer service and support through a third party who is an affiliate of the Company through common ownership. The total amount of expenses the Company recorded associated with such services totaled $1.8 million and $0 for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and March 31, 2020, respectively. Amounts payable to the third party as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 was $0.5 million and $0.7, respectively.

11 – EARNINGS PER UNIT

The Company discloses two calculations of earnings per member unit: basic earnings per unit and diluted earnings per unit. The numerator in calculating basic earnings per unit and diluted earnings per unit is

 

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consolidated net income. The denominator in calculating basic earnings per unit is the weighted average units outstanding. The denominator for diluted earnings per unit is the same as basic because there were no potential dilutive common units outstanding.

The computation of basic and diluted earnings per common unit is as follows (in thousands, except per unit amounts):

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
         2021                      2020          

Net income available to members—basic and diluted

   $ 38,929      $ 7,919  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Weighted average number of units—basic and diluted

     108,724,422        108,724,422  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Earnings per unit—basic and diluted

   $ 0.36      $ 0.07  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

There were no potentially dilutive securities outstanding as of March 31, 2021 and March 31, 2020. Equity-based compensation awards are granted at a parent level above the Company’s consolidation results and the expense related to those awards is pushed down to the Company.

12 - SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

The Company has evaluated subsequent events through July 6, 2021, the date the Condensed Consolidated

Financial Statements were available to be issued. The Company has also evaluated subsequent events through

July 21, 2021, the date the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements were reissued, for the effects of the split of common units described below.

On June 29, 2021, the Company refinanced its Credit Facilities and entered into a new First Lien Credit

Agreement which provides for a $560.0 million senior secured term loan (including a $50.0 million delayed draw

term loan) and a $125 million revolving credit facility. Proceeds from the refinancing were used to repay $445.5

million outstanding on the Company’s First and Second Lien Term Loans and unpaid interest of $6.9 million. In

addition, on June 29, 2021, the Company entered into an amendment to its Receivables Financing Agreement,

pursuant to which the net borrowing capacity was increased to $100.0 million.

On July 1, 2021, the Company acquired all of the equity interests of Apption Labs Limited and its subsidiaries. Apption Labs Limited specializes in the manufacture and design of innovative hardware and software related to small kitchen appliances. This acquisition will help facilitate the Company’s entry into the adjacent accessories market and bolster its existing portfolio with a complementary product. Total consideration for the acquisition included $60.0 million of cash paid at time of closing and up to $40 million in contingent consideration based on achievement of certain revenue thresholds for fiscal 2021 and 2022.

The Company has not finalized its accounting for the Apption Labs acquisition as this transaction recently occurred on July 1, 2021 and therefore, is unable to disclose preliminary accounting. The assets and liabilities acquired or that will result from the acquisition, include cash, fixed assets, accounts receivable, inventory, technology, intangible assets, contingent liabilities, and goodwill. All areas of the purchase accounting are not yet finalized, including the valuation of i) receivables, ii) intangible assets; iii) deferred purchase consideration, iv) inventory, and v) fixed assets. Additionally, the purchase price allocation is provisional for income tax-related matters. The Company anticipates reporting the preliminary purchase accounting associated with the acquisition in connection with the filing of its third quarter 2021 financial statements.

On July 12, 2021, the Board approved the acceleration of vesting of all unvested and outstanding Class B unit awards, subject to the successful completion of an initial public offering of the Company. The approval for the

 

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Table of Contents

acceleration of vesting was determined to be a modification. As a result, the Company evaluated each of the modified awards to determine the necessary accounting. At the time of the initial public offering, awards where vesting was probable prior to and after the modification, will result in an acceleration of the remaining expense based on the original grant date fair value and awards where vesting was not probable, will result in recognition of the fair value of the modified awards as of the modification date.

The Company has estimated the fair value of the Class B unit awards on the date of modification using the midpoint of the preliminary price range related to the initial public offering, after giving effect to the conversion of vested Class B units into shares of the Company’s common stock. The conversion of the Class B units into shares of common stock will be determined by applying the equity value associated with existing Class A and Class B units and assuming the equity value is distributed to each unit in accordance with the order of cash distributions required by the TGP Holdings LP limited partnership agreement.

In connection with the completion of the Company’s initial public offering, based on an assumed public price at the midpoint of the price range, the Company estimates that it will incur aggregate equity compensation expense of approximately $43.9 million as a result of the acceleration of vesting of the unvested Class B unit awards. Given the proximity of the modification to the initial public offering, the actual expense to be recorded by the Company will be based on the actual conversion of the Class B units into common stock and the valuation of the Company at time of the initial public offering.

In July 2021, the Company effected a forward split of its 10 common units into 108,724,422 common units. All unit, per unit and related information presented in the accompanying consolidated financial statements have been retroactively adjusted, where applicable, to reflect the impact of the split of common units.

 

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Table of Contents

 

 

Through and including                 , 2021 (the 25th day after the date of this prospectus), all dealers that effect transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealer’s obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as an underwriter and with respect to unsold allotments or subscriptions.

23,529,411 Shares

Traeger, Inc.

Common Stock

 

LOGO

 

 

P r o s p e c t u s

 

 

Morgan Stanley

Jefferies

Baird

William Blair

Credit Suisse

RBC Capital Markets

BMO Capital Markets

Piper Sandler

Stifel

Telsey Advisory Group

Academy Securities

AmeriVet Securities

Loop Capital Markets

Ramirez & Co., Inc.

 

 

            , 2021

 

 

 


Table of Contents

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

The following table sets forth all the costs and expenses, other than underwriting discounts, payable in connection with the sale of the shares of common stock being registered hereby. Except as otherwise noted, the Registrant will pay all of the costs and expenses set forth in the following table. All amounts shown below are estimates, except the SEC registration fee, the FINRA filing fee and the stock exchange listing fee:

 

     Amount  

SEC registration fee

   $ 53,139  

FINRA filing fee

     73,559  

Initial NYSE listing fee

     345,000  

Printing and engraving expenses

     425,000  

Legal fees and expenses

     4,000,000  

Accounting fees and expenses

     1,600,000  

Transfer agent and registrar fees

     7,500  

Miscellaneous expenses

     2,252,197  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 8,766,395  
  

 

 

 

Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Section 102 of the Delaware General Corporation Law allows a corporation to eliminate the personal liability of a director to the corporation or its shareholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except in cases where the director breached his or her duty of loyalty to the corporation or its shareholders, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law, willfully or negligently authorized the unlawful payment of a dividend or approved an unlawful stock redemption or repurchase or obtained an improper personal benefit. Our certificate of incorporation contains a provision which eliminates directors’ personal liability as set forth above.

Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide in effect that we shall indemnify our directors and officers to the extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law. Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides that a Delaware corporation has the power to indemnify its directors, officers, employees and agents in certain circumstances. Subsection (a) of Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law empowers a corporation to indemnify any director, officer, employee or agent, or former director, officer, employee or agent, who was or is a party, or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation), against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such action, suit or proceeding provided that such director, officer, employee or agent acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, provided that such director, officer, employee or agent had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.

Subsection (b) of Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law empowers a corporation to indemnify any director, officer, employee or agent, or former director, officer, employee or agent, who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that such person acted in any of the capacities set forth above, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred in

 

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connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit provided that such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification may be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery shall determine that despite the adjudication of liability such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the court shall deem proper.

Section 145 further provides that to the extent that a director or officer or employee of a corporation has been successful in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections (a) and (b) or in the defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he or she shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection therewith; that indemnification provided by Section 145 shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the party seeking indemnification may be entitled; and the corporation is empowered to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation against any liability asserted against him or her or incurred by him or her in any such capacity or arising out of his or her status as such whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify him or her against such liabilities under Section 145; and that, unless indemnification is ordered by a court, the determination that indemnification under subsections (a) and (b) of Section 145 is proper because the director, officer, employee or agent has met the applicable standard of conduct under such subsections shall be made by (1) a majority vote of the directors who are not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even though less than a quorum, or (2) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (3) by the shareholders.

We have in effect insurance policies for general officers’ and directors’ liability insurance covering all of our officers and directors. In addition, we have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and officers. These indemnification agreements may require us, among other things, to indemnify each such director or officer for certain expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and settlement amounts incurred by such director or officer in any action or proceeding arising out of his or her service as one of our directors or officers.

Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

Prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement, we will convert into a Delaware corporation pursuant to a statutory conversion and will change our name to Traeger, Inc. We refer to all of the transactions related to our conversion to a corporation as the Corporate Conversion. In conjunction with the Corporate Conversion, all of our outstanding limited liability company interests will be converted into an aggregate of 108,724,387 shares of our common stock, and TGP Holdings LP, a Delaware limited partnership, or the Partnership, will become the holder of shares of common stock of Traeger, Inc. In connection with the Corporate Conversion, the Partnership will liquidate and distribute these shares of common stock to the holders of partnership interests in the Partnership in direct proportion to their respective interests in the Partnership. Following such liquidation and distribution and the Corporate Conversion, the former holders of partnership interests of the Partnership will own all of our shares of common stock.

The conversion of our outstanding limited liability company interests into shares of common stock will not be registered under the Securities Act, and the shares will be issued in reliance upon the exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act set forth in Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act.

 

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Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.

(a) Exhibits.

 

     Incorporated by
Reference
      

Exhibit
Number

  

Exhibit Description

   Form      Date      Number      Filed
Herewith
  1.1    Form of Underwriting Agreement.             X
  2.1    Form of Plan of Conversion.             X
  2.2    Form of Certificate of Conversion of TGPX Holdings I LLC.             X
  3.1    Form of Certificate of Incorporation of Traeger, Inc., to be in effect upon completion of the Registrant’s conversion from a limited liability company to a corporation.             X
  3.2    Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, to be in effect upon the completion of this offering.             X
  3.3    Form of Bylaws of Traeger, Inc., to be in effect upon completion of the Registrant’s conversion from a limited liability company to a corporation.             X
  3.4    Limited Liability Company Agreement of TGPX Holdings I LLC.      S-1        07/06/21        3.3     
  3.5    First Amendment to Limited Liability Company Agreement of TGPX Holdings I LLC.             X
  4.1    Form of Certificate of Common Stock.             X
  4.2    Form of Stockholders Agreement.             X
  4.3    Form of Management Stockholders Agreement.             X
  4.4    Form of Registration Rights Agreement, to be effective upon the consummation of this offering.      S-1        07/06/21        4.4     
  4.5    Form of Coordination Agreement, to be effective upon the consummation of this offering.      S-1        07/06/21        4.5     
  5.1    Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP             X
10.1    Form of Indemnification Agreement between Traeger, Inc. and its directors and officers.      S-1        07/06/21        10.1     
10.2#    Traeger, Inc. 2021 Incentive Award Plan and related form agreements thereunder.             X
10.3#    Traeger, Inc. Non-Employee Director Compensation Program.             X
10.4#    Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, by and between Jeremy Andrus and Traeger Pellet Grills LLC, dated September 25, 2017.      S-1        07/06/21        10.4     
10.5#    Offer of Employment Letter, by and between Dominic Blosil and Traeger Pellet Grills LLC, dated January 28, 2014.      S-1        07/06/21        10.5     
10.6#    Employment Agreement, by and between Stephen Woodside and Traeger Pellet Grills LLC, dated October 23, 2018.      S-1        07/06/21        10.6     

 

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     Incorporated by
Reference
      

Exhibit
Number

  

Exhibit Description

   Form      Date      Number      Filed
Herewith
10.7    Separation and Release and Waiver of Claims Agreement, by and between Stephen Woodside and Traeger Pellet Grills LLC, dated October  5, 2020.      S-1        07/06/21        10.7     
10.8#    Form of Letter Agreement, by and between Jeremy Andrus and Traeger, Inc.             X
10.9#    Form of Performance-Vesting Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (Andrus IPO Award) under 2021 Incentive Award Plan.             X
10.10#    Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (Andrus IPO Award) under 2021 Incentive Award Plan.             X
10.11#    Form of Performance-Vesting Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (IPO Awards) under 2021 Incentive Award Plan.             X
10.12#    Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement under 2021 Incentive Award Plan             X
10.13#    Traeger, Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan.             X
10.14#    Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (Deferred RSUs) under 2021 Incentive Award Plan.             X
10.15#    Form of Option Award Agreement under 2021 Incentive Award Plan.             X
10.16    First Lien Credit Agreement by and among TGP Holdings III LLC, TGPX Holdings II LLC, Credit Suisse AG, as administrative agent, and the lender parties thereto, dated September 25, 2017.      S-1        07/06/21        10.8     
10.17    Amendment No.  1 to the First Lien Credit Agreement, by and Among TGP Holdings III LLC, TGPX Holdings II LLC, Credit Suisse AG, as administrative agent, and the lender parties thereto, dated March 15, 2018.      S-1        07/06/21        10.9     
10.18    Amendment No.  2 to the First Lien Credit Agreement, by and Among TGP Holdings III LLC, TGPX Holdings II LLC, Traeger Pellet Grills Holdings LLC, Credit Suisse AG, as administrative agent, and the lender parties thereto, dated April 20, 2018.      S-1        07/06/21        10.10     
10.19    Amendment No.  3 to the First Lien Credit Agreement, by and Among TGP Holdings III LLC, TGPX Holdings II LLC, Traeger Pellet Grills Holdings LLC, Credit Suisse AG, as administrative agent, and the lender parties thereto, dated March 2, 2020.      S-1        07/06/21        10.11     
10.20    Amendment No.  4 to the First Lien Credit Agreement, by and Among TGP Holdings III LLC, TGPX Holdings II LLC, Traeger Pellet Grills Holdings LLC, Credit Suisse AG, as administrative agent, and the lender parties thereto, dated March 20, 2020.      S-1        07/06/21        10.12     

 

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     Incorporated by
Reference
      

Exhibit
Number

  

Exhibit Description

   Form      Date      Number      Filed
Herewith
10.21    Amendment No.  5 to the First Lien Credit Agreement, by and Among TGP Holdings III LLC, TGPX Holdings II LLC, Traeger Pellet Grills Holdings LLC, Credit Suisse AG, as administrative agent, and the lender parties thereto, dated March 23, 2020.      S-1        07/06/21        10.13     
10.22    First Lien Credit Agreement by and among TGP Holdings III LLC, Traeger Pellet Grills Holdings LLC, TGPX Holdings II LLC, Credit Suisse AG, as administrative agent, and the lender parties thereto, dated June 29, 2021.      S-1        07/06/21        10.14     
10.23    Second Lien Credit Agreement by and among TGP Holdings III LLC, TGPX Holdings II LLC, Credit Suisse AG, as administrative agent, and the lender parties thereto, dated September 25, 2017.      S-1        07/06/21        10.15     
10.24    Receivables Financing Agreement, by and among Traeger SPE LLC, MUFG Bank, Ltd., Traeger Pellet Grills LLC and the lender parties thereto, dated November 2, 2020.      S-1        07/06/21        10.16     
10.25    Amendment No.  1 to the Receivables Financing Agreement, by and among Traeger SPE LLC, MUFG Bank, Ltd., Traeger Pellet Grills LLC and the lender parties thereto, dated June 29, 2021.      S-1        07/06/21        10.17     
10.26    Purchase and Contribution Agreement, by and among Traeger SPE LLC, MUFG Bank, Ltd., Traeger Pellet Grills LLC and the lender parties thereto, dated November 2, 2020.      S-1        07/06/21        10.18     
10.27    Current Office Lease dated January 23, 2015, as amended April 1, 2015, February 8, 2016, November  22, 2016, December 4, 2017, and August 28, 2018.      S-1        07/06/21        10.19     
10.28^    Planned Office Lease dated November 4, 2020, as amended February 8, 2021.      S-1        07/06/21        10.20     
21.1    List of Subsidiaries      S-1        07/06/21        21.1     
23.1    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm             X
23.2    Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)             X
24.1    Power of Attorney (reference is made to the signature page to the Registration Statement)      S-1        07/06/21        24.1     

 

#

Indicates management contract or compensatory plan.

^

Portions of the exhibit have been omitted as permitted under Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K.

(b) Financial Statement Schedules.

Schedules not listed above have been omitted because the information required to be set forth therein is not applicable or is shown in the financial statements or the notes thereto.

 

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Item 17. Undertakings

The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriters at the closing specified in the underwriting agreement 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 Securities and Exchange Commission 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 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.

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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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Salt Lake City, Utah, on this 21st day of July, 2021.

 

TGPX Holdings I LLC
By: TGP Holdings LP, its member
By: TGP Holdings GP Corp, its general partner
By:  

/s/ Jeremy Andrus

Name:     Jeremy Andrus
Title:     Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ Jeremy Andrus

   Chief Executive Officer and Director (principal executive officer)   July 21, 2021
Jeremy Andrus

/s/ Dominic Blosil

   Chief Financial Officer (principal financial and accounting officer)   July 21, 2021
Dominic Blosil

*

    
Raul Alvarez    Director   July 21, 2021

*

    
Wendy A. Beck    Director   July 21, 2021

*

    
Martin Eltrich    Director   July 21, 2021

*

    
James Ho    Director   July 21, 2021

*

    
Daniel James    Director   July 21, 2021

*

        
Elizabeth C. Lempres    Director   July 21, 2021

     

    
Fred Lynch    Director    

 

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Signature

  

Title

 

Date

*

    
James Manges    Director   July 21, 2021

*

    
Wayne Marino    Director   July 21, 2021

*

    
Harjit Shoan    Director   July 21, 2021

 

* By:   /s/ Thomas Burton
  Thomas Burton
  Attorney-in-Fact

 

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Exhibit 1.1

Traeger, Inc.

[] SHARES OF COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $0.0001 PER SHARE

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

July [•], 2021

 


July [•], 2021

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

As Representative of the Underwriters named in Schedule II

c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

1585 Broadway

New York, New York 10036

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Traeger, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule II hereto (the “Underwriters”), and certain stockholders of the Company (the “Selling Stockholders”) named in Schedule 1 hereto severally propose to sell to the several Underwriters, an aggregate of [•] shares of Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share of the Company (the “Firm Shares”), of which [•] shares are to be issued and sold by the Company and an aggregate [•] shares are to be sold by the Selling Stockholders, each Selling Stockholder selling the amount of Firm Shares set forth opposite such Selling Stockholder’s name in Schedule I hereto.

The Selling Stockholders also propose to sell to the several Underwriters not more than an additional [•] shares of the Company’s Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Additional Shares”) if and to the extent that Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“Morgan Stanley”) shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to purchase such shares of common stock granted to the Underwriters in Section 3 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Shares.” The shares of Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to as the “Common Stock.” The Company and the Selling Stockholders are hereinafter sometimes collectively referred to as the “Sellers.”

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-257714), including a preliminary prospectus, relating to the Shares. The registration statement as amended at the time it becomes effective, including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”; the prospectus in the form first used to confirm sales of Shares (or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter referred to as the “Prospectus.” If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement to register additional shares of Common Stock pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (a “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.


For purposes of this Agreement, “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, “preliminary prospectus” shall mean each prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and each prospectus that omitted information pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the preliminary prospectus contained in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness together with the documents and pricing information set forth in Schedule III hereto, and “broadly available road show” means a “bona fide electronic road show” as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) under the Securities Act that has been made available without restriction to any person. As used herein, the terms “Registration Statement,” “preliminary prospectus,” “Time of Sale Prospectus” and “Prospectus” shall include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein as of the date hereof.

Morgan Stanley has agreed to reserve a portion of the Shares to be purchased by it under this Agreement for sale to the Company’s directors, officers, employees and business associates and other parties related to the Company (collectively, “Participants”), as set forth in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus under the heading “Underwriting” (the “Directed Share Program”). The Shares to be sold by Morgan Stanley and its affiliates pursuant to the Directed Share Program, at the direction of the Company, are referred to hereinafter as the “Directed Shares”. Any Directed Shares not orally confirmed for purchase by any Participant by the end of the business day on which this Agreement is executed will be offered to the public by the Underwriters as set forth in the Prospectus.

The Company agrees and confirms that references to “affiliates” of Morgan Stanley that appear in this Agreement shall be understood to include Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co., Ltd.

Prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the business of the Company was conducted through TGPX Holdings I LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“TGPX LLC”). TGPX LLC undertook a corporate conversion immediately prior to the execution of this Agreement whereby all holders of units of TGPX LLC became holders of shares of Common Stock of the Company.

1. Representations and Warranties of the Company. In this Section 1, references to the Company’s knowledge, belief or awareness shall mean the knowledge, belief or awareness of each of the Company and TGPX LLC. The Company, including TGPX LLC, represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

(a) The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act are pending before or threatened by the Commission.

 

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(b) (i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, will not contain any 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) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (iii) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, and at the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (iv) each broadly available road show, if any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (v) the Prospectus, as of its date, does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through Morgan Stanley expressly for use therein.

(c) The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply, as of the date of such filing, in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Except for the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule III hereto, and electronic road shows, if any, each furnished to Morgan Stanley before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without Morgan Stanley’s prior consent, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus.

 

 

3


(d) The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the state of Delaware, has the corporate power and authority to own or lease its property and to conduct its business as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(e) Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated, organized or formed, is validly existing as a corporation or other business entity in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, organization or formation (to the extent the concept of good standing is applicable in such jurisdiction), has the corporate or other business entity power and authority to own or lease its property and to conduct its business as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction (to the extent the concept of good standing is applicable in such jurisdiction) in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; all of the issued shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable (to the extent the concept of good standing is applicable in such jurisdiction) and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and other than liens securing obligations under the (i) senior secured revolving credit facility (the “Revolving Credit Facility”), (ii) senior secured delayed draw term loan facility (the “Delayed Draw Term Loan Facility”) and (iii) senior secured first lien term loan facility (the “First Lien Term Loan Facility” and, together with the Revolving Credit Facility and the Delayed Draw Term Loan Facility, the “First Lien Credit Facilities” and, together with the receivables financing facility of Traeger SPE LLC, the “Credit Facilities”) of TGP Holdings III LLC. The only subsidiaries of the Company are (a) the subsidiaries listed on Exhibit 21 to the Registration Statement and (b) certain other subsidiaries which, considered in the aggregate as a single subsidiary, do not constitute a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X.

(f) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(g) The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to legal matters, in all material respects, to the description thereof contained in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

 

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(h) The shares of Common Stock (including the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholders) outstanding prior to the issuance of the Shares to be sold by the Company have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

(i) The Shares to be sold by the Company have been duly authorized and, when issued, delivered and paid for in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of the Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding (A) securities or obligations of the Company convertible into or exchangeable for any Common Stock of the Company, (B) warrants, rights or options to subscribe for or purchase from the Company any such Common Stock or any such convertible or exchangeable securities or obligations or (C) obligations of the Company to issue or sell any shares of Common Stock, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or obligations or any such warrants, rights or options. The Company has not, directly or indirectly, offered or sold any of the Shares by means of any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder) or used any “prospectus” or made any “offer” (within the meaning of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder) in connection with the offer or sale of the Shares, in each case other than the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(j) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not contravene (i) any provision of applicable law, (ii) the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company, (iii) any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (iv) any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, except in the case of clauses (iii) and (iv), where such contravention would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body, agency or court is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, except such as have been obtained or as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares.

(k) There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

 

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(l) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (i) other than proceedings accurately described in all material respects in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and proceedings that would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the power or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus or (ii) that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus and are not so described in all material respects; and there are no statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents to which the Company is subject or by which the Company is bound that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described in all material respects or filed as required.

(m) Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(n) The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(o) The Company and each of its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

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(p) There are no (i) claims, actions or causes of action filed with a court or governmental authority based on or pursuant to any Environmental Law pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) investigations with respect to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries has received written notice alleging actual or potential violations or liability on the part of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, based on or pursuant to any Environmental Law, and (iii) to the knowledge of the Company, past or present actions, activities, circumstances, conditions or occurrences, including, without limitation, the release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, that could reasonably be expected to result in a violation of or liability under any Environmental Law on the part of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except where such claims, actions, causes of actions, investigations, or violation of or liability under, would not, singly or in the aggregate have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(q) There are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which would, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(r) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, and, except for the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholders, any person to whom the Company has granted registration rights, to the extent applicable to the offering of the Shares, has waived such rights or agreed not to exercise such rights until after the expiration of the Restricted Period (as defined below).

(s) (i) None of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or controlled affiliates, or any director or officer thereof, or, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee, agent or representative of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries or controlled affiliates, has taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment, giving or receipt of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any government official (including any officer or employee of a government or 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) (“Government Official”) in order to influence official action, or to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws; (ii) the Company and each of its subsidiaries and controlled affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted and

 

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maintained and will continue to maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representations and warranties contained herein; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries will use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of the offering in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws.

(t) The operations of the Company and each of its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company and each of 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 agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(u) (i) None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries, or any director, officer, or employee thereof, or, to the Company’s knowledge, any agent, affiliate or representative of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is an individual or entity (“Person”) that is, or is owned or controlled by one or more Persons that are:

(A) the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), or

(B) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria).

(ii) The Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person

(A) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions; or

 

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(B) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).

(iii) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in, are not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.

(v) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, have not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, nor entered into any material transaction; (ii) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital stock, nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on its capital stock other than ordinary and customary dividends; and (iii) there has not been any material change in the capital stock, short-term debt, long-term debt, net current assets or net assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; except in the case of each of (i) and (iii) above, as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(w) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them which is material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries, other than liens secured under the Credit Facilities; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and, to the Company’s knowledge, enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and would not reasonably be expected to materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries.

(x) (i) The Company and its subsidiaries own or have a valid license to all patents, inventions, copyrights, know how (including trade secrets and other unpatented proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks and trade names (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”) used in or reasonably necessary to the conduct of their respective businesses as currently conducted; (ii) the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company and its subsidiaries and, to the Company’s knowledge, the Intellectual Property Rights licensed to the Company and its subsidiaries, are valid, subsisting and enforceable, and there is no pending or, to the Company’s

 

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knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity, scope or enforceability of any such Intellectual Property Rights, and, to the Company’s knowledge, there are no facts or circumstances which would reasonably be expected to render any Intellectual Property owned by or exclusively licensed to the Company invalid, unenforceable, or inadequate to protect the interests of the Company; (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice alleging any infringement, misappropriation or other violation of Intellectual Property Rights which, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (iv) to the Company’s knowledge, no third party is infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating, or has infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated, any Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company or its subsidiaries in a manner that would reasonably be expected to be material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (v) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates, or has infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated, any Intellectual Property Rights of any third party, except as would not reasonably be expected to be material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (vi) all employees or contractors engaged in the development of material Intellectual Property Rights on behalf of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company have executed an invention assignment agreement whereby such employees or contractors presently assign all of their right, title and interest in and to such Intellectual Property Rights to the Company or the applicable subsidiary, and to the Company’s knowledge no such agreement has been breached or violated; and (vii) the Company and its subsidiaries use, and have used, commercially reasonable efforts to appropriately maintain all information intended to be maintained as a trade secret.

(y) (i) The Company and its subsidiaries use and have used any and all software and other materials distributed under a “free,” “open source,” or similar licensing model (including, but not limited to, the MIT License, Apache License, GNU General Public License, GNU Lesser General Public License and GNU Affero General Public License) (collectively, “Open Source Software”) in compliance with all license terms applicable to such Open Source Software; and (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries uses or distributes or has used or distributed any Open Source Software in any manner that requires or has required (A) the Company or any of its subsidiaries to permit reverse engineering of any software code or other technology owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (B) any software code or other technology owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries to be (1) disclosed or distributed in source code form, (2) licensed for the purpose of making derivative works or (3) redistributed at no charge.

(z) Except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (i) the Company and each of its subsidiaries have complied and are presently in compliance with all internal and external privacy policies,

 

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contractual obligations, applicable industry standards, applicable laws, statutes, judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or other governmental or regulatory authority and any other legal obligations, in each case, relating to the collection, use, transfer, import, export, storage, protection, disposal and disclosure by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of personal, personally identifiable, household, sensitive, confidential or regulated data (collectively, “Data Security Obligations”, and such data, “Data”); (ii) the Company has not received any written notification of or written complaint regarding (or, to the Company’s knowledge, oral notification or complaint), and the Company has no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in non-compliance with any Data Security Obligation; and (iii) there is, and in the last three (3) years, has been no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body pending or threatened alleging non-compliance with any Data Security Obligation by the Company or its subsidiaries.

(aa) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable technical, administrative, physical, and organizational measures necessary to protect the information technology and computer assets, equipment, systems, networks, hardware, software, applications, websites, data and databases (collectively, “IT Systems”) and Data used in connection with the operation of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ respective businesses as currently conducted. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company and its subsidiaries have established, maintained, implemented and complied with information technology, information security, cyber security and data protection controls, policies and procedures, including oversight, access controls, encryption, technological and physical safeguards and business continuity/disaster recovery and security plans, that are designed to (i) protect and maintain the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy, and security of the IT Systems and Data consistent with applicable industry standards and practices, or as otherwise required by applicable regulatory standards, and (ii) that are designed to protect against and prevent breach, destruction, loss, unauthorized distribution, use, access, disablement, misappropriation or modification, or other compromise or misuse of or relating to any of the IT Systems or Data used in connection with the operation of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ respective businesses as currently conducted (“Breach”). The Company and its subsidiaries have implemented applicable industry standard measures designed to ensure that the IT Systems and Data used in connection with the operation of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ respective businesses as currently conducted are free and clear of all bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware, and other corruptants. To the Company’s knowledge, there has been no Breach, and the Company and its subsidiaries have not received written notification of and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any such Breach (including, but not limited to, any event that would reasonably be expected to give rise to a Breach or incident for which notification by the Company or its subsidiaries to individuals and/or governmental agency, authority or body is required under any applicable law, regulation, code of conduct or contract to which the Company or its subsidiaries is a party).

 

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(bb) (i) No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists, or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent; and (ii) the Company is not aware of any existing, threatened or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, manufacturers or contractors that would, in the case of (i) and (ii), reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(cc) The Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are, in the reasonable judgment of the Company, prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(dd) The Company and its each of its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses, except where the failure to obtain such certificates, authorizations and permits would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the management, condition (financial or other), business, properties or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the management, condition (financial or other), business, properties or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(ee) The financial statements included in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes thereto, comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates shown and its results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered

 

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thereby except for any normal year-end adjustments in the Company’s quarterly financial statements. The other financial information included in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and presents fairly in all material respects the information shown thereby. The statistical, industry-related and market-related data included in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources which the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate and such data is consistent with the sources from which they are derived, in each case in all material respects.

(ff) Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and delivered its report with respect to the audited consolidated financial statements and schedules filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement and included in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).

(gg) The Company and each of its subsidiaries, maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (i) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially or adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to materially or adversely affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

(hh) The Company has not sold, issued or distributed any shares of Common Stock during the six-month period preceding the date hereof, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulation D or S of, the Securities Act, other than shares issued or sold pursuant to employee benefit plans, equity incentive plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants.

(ii) The Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus and any preliminary prospectus comply, and any amendments or supplements thereto will comply, with any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any preliminary prospectus, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, are distributed in connection with the Directed Share Program.

 

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(jj) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency, other than those obtained, is required in connection with the offering of the Directed Shares in any jurisdiction where the Directed Shares are being offered.

(kk) The Company has not offered, or caused Morgan Stanley or any Morgan Stanley Entity as defined in Section 12 to offer, Shares to any person pursuant to the Directed Share Program with the specific intent to unlawfully influence (i) a customer or supplier of the Company to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company, or (ii) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or its products.

(ll) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed through the date of this Agreement or have requested extensions thereof (except where the failure to file would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole) and have paid all taxes required to be paid thereon (except for cases in which the failure to file or pay would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or, except as currently being contested in good faith and for which reserves required by U.S. GAAP have been created in the financial statements of the Company), and no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries which, singly or in the aggregate, has had (nor does the Company nor any of its subsidiaries have any notice or knowledge of any tax deficiency which could reasonably be expected to be determined adversely to the Company or its subsidiaries and which could reasonably be expected to have) a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(mm) From the time of initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”).

(nn) The Company (i) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication with any person other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of Morgan Stanley with entities that are reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are reasonably believed to be accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act and (ii) has not authorized anyone other than Morgan Stanley to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that Morgan Stanley has been

 

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authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act other than those listed on Schedule [    ] hereto. “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) or Rule 163B of the Securities Act.

(oo) As of the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, none of (A) the Time of Sale Prospectus, (B) any free writing prospectus, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, and (C) any individual Testing-the-Waters Communication, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, 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; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information (as defined below).

(pp) The statements in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus under the headings “Description of Capital Stock”, “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings and present the information required to be shown in all material respects.

(qq) There are no material contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement or to be filed as exhibits thereto which have not been so described and filed as required.

2. Representations and Warranties of the Selling Stockholders. Each Selling Stockholder severally and not jointly represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

(a) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of such Selling Stockholder.

(b) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by or on behalf of such Selling Stockholder, and if such Selling Stockholder is not AEA TGP Holdco LP, 2594868 Ontario Limited or TCP Traeger Holdings SPV LLC (each a “Non-Sponsor Selling Stockholder”), the Custody Agreement signed by such Non-Sponsor Selling Stockholder and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, as Custodian, relating to the deposit of the Shares to be sold by such Non-Sponsor Selling Stockholder (the “Custody Agreement”) and the

 

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Power of Attorney appointing certain individuals as such Non-Sponsor Selling Stockholder’s attorneys-in-fact to the extent set forth therein, relating to the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Registration Statement (the “Power of Attorney”) will not contravene (i) any provision of applicable law, or (ii) the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of such Selling Stockholder (if such Selling Stockholder is a corporation), or (iii) any agreement or other instrument binding upon such Selling Stockholder or (iv) any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over such Selling Stockholder, except in the case of clauses (iii) and (iv) as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Selling Stockholder to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Custody Agreement and the Power of Attorney, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body, agency or court is required for the performance by such Selling Stockholder of its obligations under this Agreement or the Custody Agreement or Power of Attorney of such Non-Sponsor Selling Stockholder, except such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares.

(c) Such Selling Stockholder has, and on the Closing Date will have, valid title to, or a valid “security entitlement” within the meaning of Section 8-501 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code (the “UCC”) in respect of, the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder free and clear of all security interests, claims, liens, equities or other encumbrances and the legal right and power, and all authorization and approval required by law, to enter into this Agreement, and if a Non-Sponsor Selling Stockholder, the Custody Agreement and the Power of Attorney and to sell, transfer and deliver the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder or a security entitlement in respect of such Shares.

(d) The Custody Agreement and the Power of Attorney have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by such Non-Sponsor Selling Stockholder and are valid and binding agreements of such Selling Stockholder.

(e) Upon payment for the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement, delivery of such Shares, as directed by the Underwriters, to Cede & Co. (“Cede”) or such other nominee as may be designated by the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), registration of such Shares in the name of Cede or such other nominee and the crediting of such Shares on the books of DTC to securities accounts 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 UCC to such Shares), (A) DTC shall be a “protected purchaser” of such Shares within the meaning of Section 8-303 of the UCC, (B) under Section 8-501 of the UCC, the Underwriters will acquire a valid security entitlement in respect of such Shares and (C) no action based on any “adverse claim”, within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, to such Shares may be asserted against the Underwriters with respect to such security entitlement; for purposes of this representation, such Selling Stockholder may

 

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assume that when such payment, delivery and crediting occur, (x) such Shares will have been registered in the name of Cede or another nominee designated by DTC, in each case on the Company’s share registry in accordance with its certificate of incorporation, bylaws and applicable law, (y) DTC will be registered as a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC and (z) appropriate entries to the accounts of the several Underwriters on the records of DTC will have been made pursuant to the UCC.

(f) Such Selling Stockholder has delivered to Morgan Stanley an executed lock-up agreement in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the “Lock-up Agreement”).

(g) (i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, any 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, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (ii) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, and at the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (iii) each broadly available road show, if any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (iv) the Prospectus, as of its date, does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain, as of the date of any amendment or supplement, any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph are limited in all respects to statements or omissions made in reliance upon information relating to such Selling Stockholder furnished to the Company in writing by such Selling Stockholder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any roadshow, any Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto, it being understood and agree that the only information furnished by such Selling Stockholder consists of the name of such Selling Stockholder, the number of offered shares and the address and other information with respect to such Selling Stockholder (excluding percentages) which appear in the Registration Statement or any Prospectus in the table (and corresponding footnotes) under the caption “Principal and Selling Stockholders” (with respect to each Selling Stockholder, the “Selling Stockholder Information”).

 

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(h) (i) None of such Selling Stockholder or any of its subsidiaries, or, to the knowledge of such Selling Stockholder, any director, officer, employee, agent, or representative, is a Person that is, or is owned or controlled by one or more Persons that are:

(A) the subject of any Sanctions, or

(B) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria).

(ii) Such Selling Stockholder will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:

(A) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions; or

(B) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).

(iii) Such Selling Stockholder has not knowingly engaged in, is not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.

(iv) (a) None of such Selling Stockholder or any of its subsidiaries, or, to the knowledge of such Selling Stockholder, any director, officer, employee, agent, or representative has taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment giving or receipt of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any Government Official in order to influence official action, or to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws; (b) such Selling Stockholder and each of its subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintained and will continue to maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representations and warranties contained herein; and (c) neither the Selling Stockholder nor any of its subsidiaries will use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of the offering in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws.

 

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(v) The operations of such Selling Stockholder and each of its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with all applicable Anti-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 Stockholder or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Selling Stockholder, threatened.

(i) Such Selling Stockholder represents and warrants that it is not (i) an employee benefit plan subject to Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), (ii) a plan or account subject to Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended or (iii) an entity deemed to hold “plan assets” of any such plan or account under Section 3(42) of ERISA, 29 C.F.R. 2510.3-101, or otherwise.

(j) Such Selling Stockholder has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.

(k) Neither such Selling Stockholder nor any person acting on behalf of such Selling Stockholder (other than, if applicable, the Company and the Underwriters) has used or referred to any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) relating to the Shares.

(l) No stamp, documentary, issuance, registration, transfer, or other similar taxes or duties are payable by or on behalf of the Underwriters or the Selling Stockholders in Canada or to any taxing authority thereof or therein in connection with (i) the execution, delivery or consummation of this Agreement, (ii) the sale and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters, or (iii) the re-sale and delivery of the Shares by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein. The Shares are not, and will not at the time of any re-sale and delivery of the Shares by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein be, “taxable Canadian property” as defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada).

(m) 2594868 Ontario Limited has the power to submit, and pursuant to Section 19(a) has, to the extent permitted by law, legally, validly, effectively and irrevocably submitted, to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Specified Courts (as defined in Section 19(a)), and has the power to designate, appoint and empower, and pursuant to Section 19(b), has legally, validly and effectively designated, appointed and empowered an agent for service of process in any suit or proceeding based on or arising under this Agreement in any of the Specified Courts.

 

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3. Agreements to Sell and Purchase. Each Seller, severally and not jointly, hereby agrees to sell to the several Underwriters, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from such Seller at $[•] a share (the “Purchase Price”) the number of Firm Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as Morgan Stanley may determine) that bears the same proportion to the number of Firm Shares to be sold by such Seller as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule II hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.

On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Selling Stockholders agree to sell to the Underwriters the Additional Shares, and the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to [•] Additional Shares at the Purchase Price, provided, however, that the amount paid by the Underwriters for any Additional Shares shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on such Additional Shares. Morgan Stanley may exercise this right on behalf of the Underwriters in whole or from time to time in part by giving written notice not later than 30 days after the date of this Agreement. Any exercise notice shall specify the number of Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date on which such shares are to be purchased. Each purchase date must be at least one business day after the written notice is given and may not be earlier than the closing date for the Firm Shares or later than ten business days after the date of such notice. Additional Shares may be purchased as provided in Section 5 hereof solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm Shares. On each day, if any, that Additional Shares are to be purchased (an “Option Closing Date”), each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Additional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as Morgan Stanley may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule II hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.

4. Terms of Public Offering. The Sellers are advised by Morgan Stanley that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Shares as soon after the Registration Statement and this Agreement have become effective as in Morgan Stanley’s judgment is advisable. The Sellers are further advised by Morgan Stanley that the Shares are to be offered to the public initially at $[•] a share (the “Public Offering Price”) and to certain dealers selected by Morgan Stanley at a price that represents a concession not in excess of $[•] a share under the Public Offering Price, and that any Underwriter may allow, and such dealers may reallow, a concession, not in excess of $[•] a share, to any Underwriter or to certain other dealers.

5. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Firm Shares to be sold by each Seller shall be made to such Seller in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Firm Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on August [•], 2021, or at such other time on the same or such other date, not later than August [•], 2021, as shall be designated in writing by Morgan Stanley. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.”

 

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Payment for any Additional Shares shall be made to the Selling Stockholders in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Additional Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in Section 3 or at such other time on the same or on such other date, in any event not later than [•], 2021, as shall be designated in writing by Morgan Stanley.

The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as Morgan Stanley shall request in writing not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be delivered to Morgan Stanley on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters. The Purchase Price payable by the Underwriters shall be reduced by any transfer taxes paid by, or on behalf of, the Underwriters in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriters.

6. Conditions to the Underwriters Obligations. The obligations of the Sellers to sell the Shares to the Underwriters and the several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares on the Closing Date are subject to the condition that the Registration Statement shall have become effective not later than [•] (New York City time) on the date hereof.

The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the following further conditions:

(a) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:

(i) no order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission;

(ii) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any of the securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”); and

 

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(iii) there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus that, in Morgan Stanley’s judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in Morgan Stanley’s judgment, impracticable to market the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(b) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Sections 6(a)(i) and 6(a)(ii) above and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.

The officers signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of their knowledge as to proceedings threatened.

(c) The Underwriters shall have received a certificate, dated the date of this Agreement and dated such Closing Date, of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, satisfactory to the Underwriters, as to the accuracy of certain data contained in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, respectively, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.

(d) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion and negative assurance letter of Latham & Watkins LLP, outside counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Morgan Stanley.

(e) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date (i) an opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP, outside counsel for AEA TGP Holdco LP, TCP Traeger Holdings SPV LLC, Jeremy Andrus and [                ], dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Morgan Stanley.

(f) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Torys LLP, local counsel for 2594868 Ontario Limited, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Morgan Stanley.

(g) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion and negative assurance letter of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, with respect to such matters as the Underwriters may require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they reasonably request for the purposes of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

 

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(h) The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from Ernst & Young LLP, independent public accountants, 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 Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than the date hereof.

(i) The Lock-up Agreements between Morgan Stanley, certain stockholders and the Selling Stockholders, officers and directors of the Company shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.

(j) FINRA shall have confirmed that it has not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements relating to the offering of the Shares.

(k) At the Closing Date, the Shares shall have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance.

(l) The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase Additional Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to Morgan Stanley on the applicable Option Closing Date of the following:

(i) a certificate, dated the Option Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, confirming that the certificate delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof remains true and correct as of such Option Closing Date;

(ii) a certificate, dated the Option Closing Date, of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, satisfactory to the Underwriters, as to the accuracy of certain data contained in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, respectively, and otherwise to the same effect as the certificate required by Section 6(c) hereof;

(iii) an opinion and negative assurance letter of Latham & Watkins LLP, outside counsel for the Company, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 6(d) hereof;

(iv) an opinion of (i) Latham & Watkins LLP, outside counsel for AEA TGP Holdco LP, TCP Traeger Holdings SPV LLC, Jeremy Andrus and [                ], dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 6(e);

(v) an opinion of Torys LLP, local counsel for 2594868 Ontario Limited dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 6(f) hereof;

 

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(vi) an opinion and negative assurance letter of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 6(g) hereof;

(vii) a letter dated the Option Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from Ernst & Young LLP, independent public accountants, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Underwriters pursuant to Section 6(h) hereof; provided that the letter delivered on the Option Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than two business days prior to such Option Closing Date; and

(viii) such other documents as Morgan Stanley may reasonably request with respect to the good standing of the Company, the due authorization and issuance of the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date and other matters related to the issuance of such Additional Shares.

7. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

(a) To furnish to Morgan Stanley, without charge, written or electronic signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and for delivery to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and to furnish to Morgan Stanley in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 7(e) or 7(f) below, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as Morgan Stanley may reasonably request.

(b) Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, to furnish to Morgan Stanley a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which Morgan Stanley reasonably objects, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.

(c) To furnish to Morgan Stanley a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and not to use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus to which Morgan Stanley reasonably objects.

 

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(d) Not to take any action that would result in an Underwriter or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter that the Underwriter otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.

(e) If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Shares at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading, or if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, or if, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to any dealer upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Time of Sale Prospectus is delivered to a prospective purchaser, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement, or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

(f) If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses Morgan Stanley will furnish to the Company) to which Shares may have been sold by Morgan Stanley on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

 

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(g) To endeavor to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as Morgan Stanley shall reasonably request; provided that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.

(h) To make generally available (which may be satisfied by the filing with the Commission on its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System) to the Company’s security holders and to Morgan Stanley as soon as practicable an earnings statement covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(i) If any Seller is not a U.S. person for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Company will deliver to each Underwriter (or its agent) and Seller that is not a U.S. person, on or before the Closing Date, (i) a certificate with respect to the Company’s status as a “United States real property holding corporation,” dated not more than thirty (30) days prior to the Closing Date, as described in Treasury Regulations Sections 1.897-2(h) and 1.1445-2(c)(3), and (ii) proof of delivery to the IRS of the required notice, as described in Treasury Regulations 1.897-2(h)(2).

(j) To comply with all applicable securities and other laws, rules and regulations in each jurisdiction in which the Directed Shares are offered in connection with the Directed Share Program.

(k) The Company will promptly notify Morgan Stanley 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 Shares within the meaning of the Securities Act and (ii) completion of the Restricted Period (as defined in this Section 7).

(l) If at any time following the distribution of any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Testing-the-Waters Communication 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 Morgan Stanley and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission.

(m) The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Shares by the Company substantially in the manner described in the “Use of Proceeds” section of the Time of Sale Prospectus and, except as disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Company does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares by the Company hereunder to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any Underwriter.

 

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The Company also covenants with each Underwriter that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, and will not publicly disclose an intention to, during the period ending 180 days after the date of the Prospectus (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 or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (3) file any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock.

The restrictions contained in the preceding paragraph shall not apply to (A) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (B) the issuance or acquisition by the Company of shares of Common Stock in connection with the exercise of an option or warrant, vesting or settlement of restricted stock or restricted stock units or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof as described in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus, (C) the issuance of shares of Common Stock pursuant to equity incentive plans of the Company or the amendment of awards under the equity incentive plans of the Company, provided that any issuance of shares of Common Stock are non-transferable for the remainder of the Restricted Period, (D) Common Stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, Common Stock, or the entrance into an agreement to issue Common Stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, Common Stock, in connection with any merger, joint venture, strategic alliances, commercial or other collaborative transaction or the acquisition or license of the business, property, technology or other assets of another individual or entity or the assumption of an employee benefit plan in connection with a merger or acquisition; provided that the aggregate number of Common Stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, Common Stock that the Company may issue or agree to issue pursuant to this clause (D) shall not exceed 10% of the total outstanding share capital of the Company immediately following the issuance of the Shares; and provided further, that the recipients of any such shares of Common Stock and securities issued pursuant to this clause (D) during the 180-day restricted period described above shall enter into an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto on or prior to such issuance or (E) facilitating the establishment of a trading plan on behalf of a stockholder, officer or director of the Company pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Stock during the Restricted Period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Common Stock may be made under such plan during the Restricted Period.

 

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If Morgan Stanley, in its sole discretion, agrees to release or waive the restrictions on the transfer of Shares set forth in a Lock-up Agreement for an officer or director of the Company and provides 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 C hereto through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.

8. Covenants of the Sellers. Each Seller, severally and not jointly, covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

(a) Each Seller will deliver to each Underwriter (or its agent), prior to or at the Closing Date, a properly completed and executed Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form W-9 or an IRS Form W-8, as appropriate, together with all required attachments to such form.

(b) Each Seller will deliver to each Underwriter (or its agent), 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 each Seller undertakes to provide such additional supporting documentation as each Underwriter may reasonably request in connection with the verification of the foregoing Certification.

9. Expenses. Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Sellers agree to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of their obligations under this Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel, the Company’s accountants and counsel for the Selling Stockholders in connection with the registration and delivery of the Shares under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers, in the quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) the cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 7(g) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum, (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters incurred in connection with the review and qualification of

 

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the offering of the Shares by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (such counsel fees and disbursements under clause (iii) of this paragraph and this clause (iv) not to exceed an aggregate amount of $35,000), (v) all fees and expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the registration statement on Form 8-A relating to the Common Stock and all costs and expenses incident to listing the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange, (vi) the cost of printing certificates representing the Shares, (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares (with the Underwriters agreeing to pay all costs and expenses related to their participation in investor presentations or any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares), including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, 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 with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show, (ix) the document production charges and expenses associated with printing this Agreement (x) all fees and disbursements of counsel incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program and stamp duties, similar taxes or duties or transfer taxes, if any, incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program and (xi) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section, Section 11 entitled “Indemnity and Contribution,” Section 12 entitled “Directed Share Program Indemnification” and the last paragraph of Section 14 below, the Underwriters will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel, stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Shares by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.

The provisions of this Section shall not supersede or otherwise affect any agreement (including, without limitation, any registration rights agreement or stockholders agreement) that the Sellers may otherwise have for the allocation of such expenses among themselves.

10. Covenants of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, covenants with the Company not to take any action that would result in the Company being required to file with the Commission under Rule 433(d) a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter that otherwise would not be required to be filed by the Company thereunder, but for the action of the Underwriter.

11. Indemnity and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred

 

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in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim), that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any “road show” as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act (a “road show”), the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Testing-the-Waters Communication or arise out of, or are based upon, any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through Morgan Stanley expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such in-formation furnished by the Underwriters through Morgan Stanley consists of the information described as such in paragraph (c) below. The Company agrees and confirms that references to “affiliates” of Morgan Stanley that appear in this Agreement shall be understood to include Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co., Ltd.”

(b) The Selling Stockholders, severally and not jointly, agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any road show, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Testing-the-Waters Communication or arise out of, or are based upon, any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only with reference to the Selling Stockholder Information and provided, further, that the aggregate liability of any Selling Stockholder pursuant to this subsection (b) shall be limited to an amount equal to the net proceeds (net or underwriting discounts and commissions but without deducting expenses) received by such Selling Stockholder for the Shares sold by such Selling Stockholder under this Agreement (with respect to each Selling Stockholder, the “Selling Stockholder Proceeds”).

 

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(c) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Selling Stockholders, the directors of the Company, the officers of the Company who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company or any Selling Stockholder within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any road show or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of, or are based upon, any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through Morgan Stanley expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus, road show, or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the third, seventh and thirteenth paragraphs under the caption “Underwriting” (such information, the “Underwriter Information”)

(d) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 11(a), 11(b) or 11(c), such person (the “indemnified party”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “indemnifying party”) in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonably incurred fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed in writing to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood and agreed that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for (i) the reasonably incurred fees and expenses of

 

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more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Underwriters and all persons, if any, who control any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or who are affiliates of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act, (ii) the reasonably incurred fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either such Section and (iii) the reasonably incurred fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Selling Stockholders and all persons, if any, who control any Selling Stockholder within the meaning of either such Section, and that all such reasonably incurred fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. In the case of any such separate firm for the Underwriters and such control persons and affiliates of any Underwriters, such firm shall be designated in writing by Morgan Stanley. In the case of any such separate firm for the Company, and such directors, officers and control persons of the Company, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Company. In the case of any such separate firm for the Selling Stockholders and such control persons of any Selling Stockholders, such firm shall be designated in writing by the persons named as attorneys-in-fact for the Selling Stockholders under the Powers of Attorney. The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an (i) unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding 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) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 11(a), 11(b) or 11(c) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i)

 

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in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party or parties on the other hand from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 11(e)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 11(e)(i) above but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and of the indemnified party or parties on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Sellers on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before deducting expenses) received by each Seller and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Sellers on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Sellers or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 11 are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares they have purchased hereunder, and not joint. The Selling Stockholders’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 11 are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares they have sold hereunder, and not joint. The liability of each Selling Stockholder under the contribution agreement contained in this paragraph shall be limited to an amount equal to the aggregate Selling Stockholder Proceeds.

(f) The Sellers and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 11 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 that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 11(e). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in Section 11(e) shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 11, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this Section 11 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.

 

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(g) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 11 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the Selling Stockholders contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, any person controlling any Underwriter or any affiliate of any Underwriter, by or on behalf of any Selling Stockholder or any person controlling any Selling Stockholder, or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Shares.

(h) The aggregate liability of each Selling Stockholder under the indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 11 shall not exceed the Selling Stockholder Proceeds.

12. Directed Share Program Indemnification. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Morgan Stanley, each person, if any, who controls Morgan Stanley within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and each affiliate of Morgan Stanley within the meaning of Rule 405 of the Securities Act (“Morgan Stanley Entities”) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) (i) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any material prepared by or with the consent of the Company for distribution to Participants in connection with the Directed Share Program or arise out of or are based upon any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) that arise out of, or are based upon, the failure of any Participant to pay for and accept delivery of Directed Shares that the Participant agreed to purchase; or (iii) related to, arising out of, or in connection with the Directed Share Program, other than losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or expenses relating thereto) that are finally judicially determined to have resulted from the bad faith or gross negligence of Morgan Stanley Entities.

(b) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any Morgan Stanley Entity in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 12(a), the Morgan Stanley Entity seeking indemnity, shall promptly notify the Company in writing and the Company, upon request of the Morgan Stanley Entity, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Morgan Stanley Entity to represent the Morgan Stanley Entity and any others the Company may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any Morgan Stanley Entity shall have the right to retain

 

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its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Morgan Stanley Entity unless (i) the Company shall have agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Company and the Morgan Stanley Entity and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. The Company shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of the Morgan Stanley Entities in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Morgan Stanley Entities. Any such separate firm for the Morgan Stanley Entities shall be designated in writing by Morgan Stanley. The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Company agrees to indemnify the Morgan Stanley Entities from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time a Morgan Stanley Entity shall have requested the Company to reimburse it for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the Company agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Company of the aforesaid request and (ii) the Company shall not have reimbursed the Morgan Stanley Entity in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Morgan Stanley Entity is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Morgan Stanley Entity, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of the Morgan Stanley Entities from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.

(c) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 12(a) is unavailable to a Morgan Stanley Entity or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then the Company in lieu of indemnifying the Morgan Stanley Entity thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the Morgan Stanley Entity as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Morgan Stanley Entities on the other hand from the offering of the Directed Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 12(c)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 12(c)(i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Morgan Stanley Entities on the other hand in connection with any statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Morgan Stanley Entities on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Directed Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from

 

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the offering of the Directed Shares (before deducting expenses) and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Morgan Stanley Entities for the Directed Shares, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Directed Shares. If the loss, claim, damage or liability is caused by an untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Morgan Stanley Entities on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement or the omission or alleged omission relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Morgan Stanley Entities and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

(d) The Company and the Morgan Stanley Entities agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 12 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Morgan Stanley Entities were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 12(c). The amount paid or payable by the Morgan Stanley Entities as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Morgan Stanley Entities in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 12, no Morgan Stanley Entity shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Directed Shares distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Morgan Stanley Entity has otherwise been required to pay. The remedies provided for in this Section 12 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.

(e) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 12 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Morgan Stanley Entity or the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Directed Shares.

13. Termination. The Underwriters may terminate this Agreement by notice given by Morgan Stanley to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to or on the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on, or by, as the case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE American, the NASDAQ Global Market, the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade, (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (iii) a material disruption in securities settlement, payment or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred, (iv) any moratorium on commercial banking activities

 

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shall have been declared by Federal or New York State authorities or (v) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis that, in Morgan Stanley’s judgment, is material and adverse and which, singly or together with any other event specified in this clause (v), makes it, in Morgan Stanley’s judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale or delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus.

14. Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriters. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

If, on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule II bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as Morgan Stanley may specify, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of Shares that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 14 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such number of Shares without the written consent of such Underwriter. If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to Morgan Stanley, the Company and the Selling Stockholders for the purchase of such Firm Shares are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter, the Company or the Selling Stockholders. In any such case either Morgan Stanley or the relevant Sellers shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Prospectus, in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, on an Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Shares and the aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date or (ii) purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such default. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

 

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If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of any Seller to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason any Seller shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Sellers will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by such Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder.

15. Entire Agreement. (a) This Agreement, together with any contemporaneous written agreements and any prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement) that relate to the offering of the Shares, represents the entire agreement between the Company and the Selling Stockholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the preparation of any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, the conduct of the offering, and the purchase and sale of the Shares.

(b) The Company and each Selling Stockholder acknowledge that in connection with the offering of the Shares: (i) the Underwriters have acted at arm’s length, are not agents of, and owe no fiduciary duties to, the Company, any of the Selling Stockholders or any other person, (ii) the Underwriters owe the Company and each Selling Stockholder only those duties and obligations set forth in this Agreement, any contemporaneous written agreements and prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement), if any, (iii) the Underwriters may have interests that differ from those of the Company and each Selling Stockholder, and (iv) 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. The Company and each Selling Stockholder waive to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims it may have against the Underwriters arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the offering of the Shares.

(c) Each Selling Stockholder further acknowledges and agrees that, although the Underwriters may provide certain Selling Stockholders with certain Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS disclosures or other related documentation in connection with the offering, the Underwriters are not making a recommendation to any Selling Stockholder to participate in the offering or sell any Shares at the Purchase Price, and nothing set forth in such disclosures or documentation is intended to suggest that any Underwriter is making such a recommendation.

16. Recognition of the United States 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 State.

 

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(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 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.

17. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to this Agreement or any document to be signed in connection with this Agreement shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, and the parties hereto consent to conduct the transactions contemplated hereunder by electronic means.

18. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.

19. Submission to Jurisdiction; Appointment of Agents for Service. (a) 2594868 Ontario Limited irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any New York State or United States Federal court sitting in the The City of New York (the “Specified Courts”) over any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the offering of the Shares (each, a “Related Proceeding”). 2594868 Ontario Limited irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any Related Proceeding brought in such a court and any claim that any such Related Proceeding brought in such a court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. To the extent that 2594868 Ontario Limited has or hereafter

 

39


may acquire any immunity (on the grounds of sovereignty or otherwise) from the jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process with respect to itself or its property, 2594868 Ontario Limited irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, such immunity in respect of any such suit, action or proceeding.

(b) 2594868 Ontario Limited herby irrevocably appoints [•], with offices at [•] as its agent for service of process in any Related Proceeding and agrees that service of process in any such Related Proceeding may be made upon it at the office of such agent. 2594868 Ontario Limited waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any other requirements of or objections to personal jurisdiction with respect thereto. 2594868 Ontario Limited represents and warrants that such agent has agreed to act as the 2594868 Ontario Limited’s agent for service of process, and 2594868 Ontario Limited agrees to take any and all action, including the filing of any and all documents and instruments, that may be necessary to continue such appointment in full force and effect.

20. Judgment Currency. If for the purposes of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert a sum due hereunder into any currency other than United States dollars, the parties hereto agree, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Underwriters could purchase United States dollars with such other currency in the County of New York on the business day preceding that on which final judgment is given. The obligation of 2594868 Ontario Limited with respect to any sum due from it to any Underwriter or any person controlling any Underwriter shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency other than United States dollars, not be discharged until the first business day following receipt by such Underwriter or controlling person of any sum in such other currency, and only to the extent that such Underwriter or controlling person may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase United States dollars with such other currency. If the United States dollars so purchased are less than the sum originally due to such Underwriter or controlling person hereunder, 2594868 Ontario Limited agrees as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify such Underwriter or controlling person against such loss. If the United States dollars so purchased are greater than the sum originally due to such Underwriter or controlling person hereunder, such Underwriter or controlling person agrees to pay to 2594868 Ontario Limited an amount equal to the excess of the dollars so purchased over the sum originally due to such Underwriter or controlling person hereunder.

21. Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.

22. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and effective only upon receipt and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered, mailed or sent to Morgan Stanley, 1585 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk, with a copy to the Legal Department; if to the Company shall be delivered, mailed or sent to Thomas Burton, General Counsel, 1215 E Wilmington Ave., Suite 200, Salt Lake City, Utah 84106, with copies to Stelios G. Saffos, Shayne Kennedy, and Ian D. Schuman, Latham & Watkins LLP, 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020 and if to the Selling Stockholders shall be delivered, mailed or sent to Thomas Burton, 1215 E Wilmington Ave., Suite 200, Salt Lake City, Utah 84106.

 

40


Very truly yours,
Traeger, Inc.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

41


The Selling Stockholders named in Schedule I hereto, acting severally
By:  

 

  Attorney-in Fact

 

Accepted as of the date hereof

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

Acting severally on behalf of themselves and the several Underwriters named in Schedule II hereto
By:   Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

42


SCHEDULE I

 

Selling Stockholders

   Number of
Firm Shares
To Be Sold
    Number of
Additional Shares
To Be Sold if
Option is Exercised
in Full
 

AEA TGP Holdco LP

     [ •]      [ •] 

2594868 Ontario Limited

     [ •]      [ •] 

TCP Traeger Holdings SPV LLC

     [ •]      [ •] 

Andrus-Traeger Holdings, LLC

     [ •]      [ •] 

Jeremy Andrus

     [ •]      [ •] 

[•]

     [ •]      [ •] 
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total:

     [ •]      [ •] 
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

I-1


SCHEDULE II

 

Underwriter

   Number of
Firm Shares
To Be Purchased
    Number of
Additional Shares
To Be Purchased
if Option is
Exercised in Full
 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

     [ •]      [ •] 

Jefferies LLC

     [ •]      [ •] 

Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated

     [ •]      [ •] 

William Blair & Company, L.L.C.

     [ •]      [ •] 

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

     [ •]      [ •] 

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

     [ •]      [ •] 

BMO Capital Markets Corp.

     [ •]      [ •] 

Piper Sandler & Co.

     [ •]      [ •] 

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated

     [ •]      [ •] 

Telsey Advisory Group LLC

     [ •]      [ •] 

Academy Securities, Inc.

     [ •]      [ •] 

AmeriVet Securities, Inc.

     [ •]      [ •] 

Loop Capital Markets LLC

     [ •]      [ •] 

Samuel A. Ramirez & Company, Inc.

     [ •]      [ •] 

Total:

     [ •]      [ •] 

 

II-1


SCHEDULE III

Time of Sale Prospectus

 

1.

Preliminary Prospectus issued [•], 2021

 

2.

[FWPs filed under Rule 433(d)]

 

3.

[FWP containing a description of terms that does not reflect final terms]1

 

4.

[Orally communicated pricing information]2

 

 

1 

NTD: To be inserted if the Time of Sale Prospectus does not include a final term sheet.

2 

NTD: To be inserted if pricing term sheet is used at time of sale instead of FWP.

 

III-1


EXHIBIT A

[Certificate of Chief Financial Officer of the Company]


EXHIBIT B

TRAEGER, INC.

FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT

____________, 2021

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

As Representative of the Underwriters named in Schedule II

c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

1585 Broadway

New York, New York 10036

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned understands that Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“Morgan Stanley”) proposes to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Traeger, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the several Underwriters, including Morgan Stanley (the “Underwriters”), of [•] shares (the “Shares”) of Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share of the Company (the “Common Stock”).

To induce the Underwriters that may participate in the Public Offering to continue their efforts in connection with the Public Offering, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, and will not publicly disclose an intention to, during the period (the “Restricted Period”) commencing on the date of this lock-up agreement (the “Lock-Up Agreement”) and ending 180 days after the date of the final prospectus (the “Public Offering Date”) relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”), (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 beneficially owned (as such term is used in Rule 13d-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), by the undersigned or any other securities so owned convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise.

 

1


Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may transfer the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any Common Stock: (a) in connection with transactions relating to shares of Common Stock or other securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the Public Offering, (b) as a bona fide gift or gifts, (c) if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity, (A) transfers 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, transfer or disposition without consideration by the undersigned to its stockholders, partners, members or other equity holders, (d) to any trust or limited family partnership for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned (for purposes of this Lock-Up Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, current or former marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin), (e) upon death or by will, testamentary document or the laws of intestate succession, (f) to a nominee or custodian of a person or entity to whom a disposition or transfer would be permissible under clauses (b), (d) and (e) above, (g) to the Company from the undersigned upon death, disability or termination of employment, (h) pursuant to an order of a court or regulatory agency or by operation of law, such as pursuant to a domestic relations order or in connection with a divorce settlement, divorce decree or separation agreement, (i) to the Company in connection with the repurchase of shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to equity awards granted under a stock incentive plan or other equity award plan, which plan is described in the Prospectus, or pursuant to the agreements pursuant to which such shares were issued, as described in the Prospectus, provided that such repurchase of shares of Common Stock is in connection with the termination of the undersigned’s service provider relationship with the Company, (j) to the Company (A) pursuant to the exercise, in each case on a “cashless” or “net exercise” basis, of any option to purchase Common Stock granted by the Company pursuant to any employee benefit plans or arrangements described in the Time of Sale Prospectus (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) and the Prospectus, where any Common Stock received by the undersigned upon any such exercise will be subject to the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement, or (B) for the purpose of satisfying any withholding taxes (including estimated taxes) due as a result of the exercise of any option to purchase Common Stock or the vesting of any restricted stock or restricted stock unit awards granted by the Company pursuant to employee benefit plans or arrangements described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, in each case on a “cashless,” “net exercise” or “net settlement” basis, where any Common Stock received by the undersigned upon any such exercise or vesting will be subject to the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement; provided that any such options, restricted stock and restricted stock units are held by the undersigned as of the date hereof and were issued pursuant to equity awards granted under a stock incentive plan or other equity award plan, which plan is described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, (k) 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 Company’s capital stock, the result of which is that any “person” (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), or group of persons, becomes the beneficial owner (as

 

2


defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 of the Exchange Act) of more than 50% of the total voting power of the voting stock of the Company or the surviving entity (a “Change of Control Transaction”), provided that in the event that such Change of Control Transaction is not completed, the undersigned’s Shares shall remain subject to the provisions of this Lock-Up Agreement, (l) to the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, (m) with the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley on behalf of the Underwriters; provided that (1) in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clauses (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) and (h), each donee or distributee shall sign and deliver a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of this Lock-Up Agreement, (2) in the case of clauses (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f), such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (3) in the case of any transfer pursuant to clauses (b), (d), (e), (f) and (l), no 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, shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the Restricted Period (other than any required Form 5 filing), (4) in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clauses (a) and (c), no 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, shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the Restricted Period or (5) in the case of clauses (g), (h), (i) and (j), it shall be a condition to such transfer that 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 or (n) to facilitate the establishment of a trading plan on behalf of a stockholder, officer or director of the Company pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Stock during the Restricted Period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Common Stock may be made under such plan during the Restricted Period.

The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the foregoing precludes the undersigned from engaging in any hedging or other transaction designed or intended, or which could reasonably be expected to lead to or result in, a sale or disposition of any shares of Common Stock, or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, even if any such sale or disposition transaction or transactions would be made or executed by or on behalf of someone other than the undersigned. In addition, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the Restricted Period, make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

 

3


If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, the undersigned further agrees that the foregoing restrictions shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed Shares the undersigned may purchase in the offering.

If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) Morgan Stanley agrees 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 Common Stock, Morgan Stanley 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 Morgan Stanley hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release. 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 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 agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.

The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters are relying upon this agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Public Offering. The undersigned further understands that this agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns.

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 Shares 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 Underwriters may provide certain Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS disclosures or other related documentation to you in connection with the Public Offering, the Underwriters are not making a recommendation to you to participate in the Public Offering or sell any Shares at the price determined in the Public Offering, and nothing set forth in such disclosures or documentation is intended to suggest that any Underwriter is making such a recommendation.

Whether or not the Public Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Public Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the Underwriters. This agreement shall lapse and become null and void upon the earliest to occur of: (i) the Public Offering Date shall not have occurred on or before August 30, 2021, (ii) prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement by the parties thereto, the Company notifies Morgan Stanley in writing that it does not intend to proceed with the Public Offering, (iii) for any reason the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Shares to be sold thereunder.

 

4


This agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

Very truly yours,

 

(Name)

 

(Address)

 

5


EXHIBIT C

FORM OF WAIVER OF LOCK-UP

_____________, 2021

[Name and Address of

Officer or Director

Requesting Waiver]

Dear Mr./Ms. [Name]:

This letter is being delivered to Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“Morgan Stanley”) in connection with the offering by Traeger, Inc. (the “Company”) of _____ shares of common stock, $__ par value (the “Common Stock”), of the Company and the lock-up agreement dated ____, 20__ (the “Lock-up Agreement”), executed by you in connection with such offering, and your request for a [waiver] [release] dated ____, 20__, with respect to ____ shares of Common Stock (the “Shares”).

Morgan Stanley hereby agrees to [waive] [release] the transfer restrictions set forth in the Lock-up Agreement, but only with respect to the Shares, effective _____, 20__; provided, however, that such [waiver] [release] is conditioned on the Company announcing the impending [waiver] [release] by press release through a major news service at least two business days before effectiveness of such [waiver] [release]. This letter will serve as notice to the Company of the impending [waiver] [release].

Except as expressly [waived] [released] hereby, the Lock-up Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

 

Very truly yours,
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

 

 

1


Acting severally on behalf of themselves and the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

cc: Traeger, Inc.

 

2


FORM OF PRESS RELEASE

Traeger, Inc.

[Date]

Traeger, Inc. (the “Company”) announced today that Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, the lead book-running manager in the Company’s recent public sale of _____ shares of its common stock is [waiving][releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to ____ shares of the Company’s 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.

 

1

Exhibit 2.1

[FORM OF]

PLAN OF CONVERSION

Converting

TGPX Holdings I LLC

(a Delaware limited liability company)

to

Traeger, Inc.

(a Delaware corporation)

THIS PLAN OF CONVERSION (this “Plan”), dated as of , 2021, is hereby adopted and approved by TGPX Holdings I LLC, a limited liability company formed under the laws of Delaware (the “LLC”), to set forth the terms, conditions and procedures governing the conversion of the LLC to a Delaware corporation to be named “Traeger, Inc.” (the “Corporation”) pursuant tounder the provisions of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (6 Del. C. § 18-101, et seq.) (the “DLLCA”) and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (8 Del. C. § 101, et seq.) (the “DGCL”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in the Limited Liability Company Agreement of the LLC, dated as of August 23, 2017 (as amended, the “LLC Agreement”), by and among the LLC and the Member.

WHEREAS, the LLC is a limited liability company formed and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware and is currently governed by and operating under the LLC Agreement;

WHEREAS, the board (the “Board”) of TGP Holdings GP Corp, a Delaware corporation, the general partner of TGP Holdings LP, a Delaware limited partnership and the sole Member of the LLC, in connection with a proposed public offering (the “IPO”) of common stock by the Corporation (as defined below), has determined that it is in the best interests of the LLC for the LLC to convert to a Delaware corporation under the DLLCA and DGCL upon the terms and conditions and in accordance with the procedures set forth herein, and the Board has authorized and approved the IPO and the Conversion (as defined below) and the execution, delivery and filing of any and all instruments, certificates and documents necessary or desirable in connection therewith;

WHEREAS, the Board and the Member have each approved and adopted this Plan, the Conversion (as defined below), the Pre-IPO Certificate of Incorporation (as defined below) and the other transactions contemplated by this Plan; and

WHEREAS, in connection with the Conversion, all outstanding limited liability company interests of the LLC, which are represented by Common Units (as defined in the LLC Agreement), shall be converted into the right to receive shares of Class A Common Stock (as defined below) as provided in this Plan and the Pre-IPO Certificate of Incorporation.


NOW, THEREFORE, the LLC does hereby adopt this Plan to effect the conversion of the LLC to the Corporation as follows:

1. Conversion; Effect of Conversion. Upon and subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan and pursuant to the relevant provisions of the DLLCA and the DGCL, including without limitation Section 265 of the DGCL, the LLC shall convert (the “Conversion”) to the Corporation at the Effective Time (as defined below) and for all purposes of the laws of the State of Delaware, the Conversion shall be deemed a continuation of the existence of the LLC in the form of a Delaware corporation. The Corporation shall thereafter be subject to all of the provisions of the DGCL, except that notwithstanding Section 106 of the DGCL, the existence of the Corporation shall be deemed to have commenced on the date the LLC commenced its existence. The Conversion shall not affect any obligations or liabilities of the LLC incurred prior to the Effective Time. The LLC shall not be required to wind up its affairs under Section 18-803 of the DLLCA or pay its liabilities and distribute its assets, and the Conversion shall not constitute a dissolution of the LLC and shall constitute a continuation of the existence of the LLC in the form of a Delaware corporation. Upon the Effective Time, for all purposes of the laws of the State of Delaware, all of the rights, privileges and powers of the LLC, and all property and all debts due to the LLC, as well as all other things and causes of action belonging to the LLC, shall remain vested in the Corporation and shall be the property of the Corporation, and the title to any real property vested by deed or otherwise in the LLC shall not revert or be in any way impaired by reason of the Conversion, and all rights of creditors and all liens upon any property of the LLC shall be preserved unimpaired, and all debts, liabilities and duties of the LLC shall remain attached to the Corporation and may be enforced against it to the same extent as if such debts, liabilities and duties had been incurred or contracted by it in its capacity as a corporation. The rights, privileges, powers and interests in property of the LLC, as well as the debts, liabilities and duties of the LLC, shall not be deemed, as a consequence of the Conversion, to have been transferred to the Corporation for any purpose of the laws of the State of Delaware.

2. Certificate of Conversion; Certificate of Incorporation; Effective Time. The Conversion shall be effective upon the filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware of: (a) a duly executed Certificate of Conversion, in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto (the “Certificate of Conversion”), and (b) a duly executed Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, in the form of Exhibit B attached hereto (the “Pre-IPO Certificate of Incorporation”), or at such later time as may be specified in both the Certificate of Conversion and the Pre-IPO Certificate of Incorporation (such time of effectiveness, the “Effective Time”). From and after the Effective Time, the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation shall be in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B, until thereafter amended in accordance with the terms thereof and the DGCL. The Pre-IPO Certificate of Incorporation will provide for authorized shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock of the Corporation. Following the Conversion, a certain stockholder of the Corporation will be issued shares of Class B Common Stock of the Corporation for such consideration at least equal to aggregate par value of the shares in order to ensure that Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board, a stockholder of the Corporation, in accordance with the requirements of certain provisions of the Pension Benefits Act (Ontario) applicable to Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board, will not hold a number of shares of the Corporation’s common stock that would entitle Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board to more than 30% of the votes that may be cast for the election of the Corporation’s directors prior to the pricing of the IPO. In connection with the pricing of the IPO, the Corporation shall file with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware a duly executed Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, in the form of Exhibit C attached hereto (the “Public Company Certificate of Incorporation”), which Public Company Certificate of Incorporation will eliminate the shares of Class B Common Stock and will amend the Class A Common Stock to be Common Stock and such Public Company Certificate of Incorporation will serve as the Corporation’s governing certificate of incorporation following the IPO until thereafter amended in accordance with the terms thereof and the DGCL.

 

2


3. Bylaws of the Corporation. From and after the Effective Time, the Bylaws of the Corporation shall be in the form of Exhibit D attached hereto (the “Bylaws”), until thereafter amended in accordance with the terms thereof, the DGCL and the Pre-IPO Certificate of Incorporation or, following the pricing of the IPO, the Public Company Certificate of Incorporation.

4. Directors and Officers.

(a) The Incorporator of the Corporation shall, by an incorporator’s consent, appoint the following as the initial members of the board of directors of the Corporation: Jeremy Andrus, Raul Alvarez, Wendy Beck, Martin Eltrich, James Ho, Daniel James, Liz Lempres, James Manges, Wayne Marino and Harjit Shoan, each of whom to hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders for the election of directors (or, if applicable, of the class of directors in which such director serves) and until their his or her respective successor is duly elected and qualified, or their earlier death, resignation or removal.

(b) At the Effective Time, the officers of the LLC as of the Effective Time shall be the officers of the Corporation and shall hold office until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified, or their earlier death, resignation or removal.

The LLC and the Incorporator and, after the Effective Time, the Corporation and its board of directors shall take all necessary actions to cause each of such individuals to be appointed as a director and/or officer, as the case may be, of the Corporation

5. Effect of the Conversion on Equity Interests in the LLC.

(a) Conversion of Outstanding Securities. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan, at the Effective Time, automatically by virtue of the Conversion and without any further action on the part of the LLC, the Corporation or any holder of Units, each Common Unit of the LLC that is outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted into and shall be deemed to be one (1) share of Class A Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Corporation (“Class A Common Stock”), and as of the Effective Time each such share of Class A Common Stock shall be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. Following the pricing of the IPO and pursuant to the Public Company Certificate of Incorporation, the name of the Class A Common Stock will be amended to be Common Stock (the “Common Stock”).

(b) No Further Ownership Rights in Units. All shares of Class A Common Stock into which Units are converted pursuant to the Conversion in accordance with the terms of this Plan shall be deemed to have been issued in full satisfaction of all rights pertaining to such Units. Immediately following the Effective Time, Units shall cease to exist, and the holder of any Units immediately prior to the Effective Time shall cease to have any rights with respect thereto.

 

3


(c) No Impact on Vesting Restrictions and Repurchase Rights. The conversion of Units pursuant to this Plan will not limit, impair or otherwise modify any vesting restrictions or repurchase rights with respect to any equity issued by the LLC to any officer or employee of the LLC or any other person, which vesting restrictions and repurchase rights shall continue to apply to the shares of Class A Common Stock issued hereby to any such persons until the expiration of such vesting restrictions and repurchase rights in accordance with their terms.

(d) Transfer Books. At the Effective Time, there shall be no further registration of transfers on the transfer books of the LLC of any Units that were outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time.

(e) Registration in Book-Entry. Shares of Class A Common Stock issued in connection with the Conversion shall be uncertificated, and the Corporation shall register, or cause to be registered, such shares into which each outstanding Unit shall have been converted as a result of the Conversion in book-entry form.

(f) Conversion of Plans. As of the Effective Time, the Corporation shall automatically, by virtue the Conversion, assume the Traeger, Inc. 2021 Incentive Award Plan (the “2021 Plan”) in substantially the form of Exhibit E hereto and all references therein to LLC or Corporation shall be deemed automatically to be references to Corporation and the references to the securities to be issued pursuant to awards thereunder shall be references to the common stock of the Corporation. Following the Effective Time and after giving effect to the Conversion and the filing of the Public Company Certificate of Incorporation, there will be a number of shares of Corporation Common Stock reserved for issuance under the 2021 Plan equal to 12% of the number of shares of Corporation Common Stock outstanding as of the Effective Time, plus such additional shares that may become available for issuance under the 2021 Plan pursuant to its terms by virtue of forfeitures, surrenders or otherwise, and an aggregate of 100,000,000 shares may be issued pursuant to the award of incentive stock options under the 2021 Plan (as such term is defined in Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended), pursuant to its terms which may be issued to employees of Corporation and its subsidiaries.

(g) Liquidation of TGP Holdings LP. Following the Effective Time and the pricing of the IPO, all of the outstanding incentive units of TGP Holdings LP (the sole Member of TGPX Holdings I LLC), will become vested in full. In connection with the pricing of the IPO, TGP Holdings LP will effect a liquidation, following which the holders of partnership interests in such entity will be entitled receive Common Stock of the Corporation. The distribution of the Common Stock of the Corporation to the holders of partnership interests will be determined in accordance with the terms of the Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of TGP Holdings LP, dated as of September 25, 2017, as amended as of the date of the liquidation of TGP Holdings LP.

6. Licenses, Permits, Titled Property, Etc. As applicable, following the Effective Time, to the extent required, the Corporation shall apply for new state tax identification numbers, qualifications to conduct business (including as a foreign corporation), licenses, permits and similar authorizations on its behalf and in its own name in connection with the Conversion and to reflect the fact that it is a corporation. As required or appropriate, following the Effective Time, all real, personal and intangible property of the LLC which was titled or registered in the name of the LLC shall be re-titled or re-registered, as applicable, in the name of the Corporation by appropriate filings and/or notices to the appropriate parties (including, without limitation, any applicable governmental agencies). In addition, following the Effective Time, the LLC’s customer, vendor and other communications (e.g., business cards, letterhead, websites, etc.) shall be revised to reflect the Conversion and the Corporation’s corporate status.

 

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7. Termination of LLC Agreement. As of the Effective Time, the LLC Agreement shall be terminated and of no further force and effect. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the termination of the LLC Agreement shall not relieve any party thereto from any liability arising in connection with any breach by such party of the LLC Agreement, arising prior to the Effective Time.

8. Further Assurances. If, at any time after the Effective Time, the Corporation shall determine or be advised that any deeds, bills of sale, assignments, agreements, documents or assurances or any other acts or things are necessary, desirable or proper, consistent with the terms of this Plan, (a) to vest, perfect or confirm, of record or otherwise, in the Corporation its right, title or interest in, to or under any of the rights, privileges, immunities, powers, purposes, franchises, properties or assets of the LLC, or (b) to otherwise carry out the purposes of this Plan, the Corporation and its proper officers and directors (or their designees) are hereby authorized to solicit in the name of the LLC any third party consents or other documents required to be delivered by any third party, to execute and deliver, in the name and on behalf of the LLC, all such deeds, bills of sale, assignments, agreements, documents and assurances and do, in the name and on behalf of the LLC, all such other acts and things necessary, desirable or proper to vest, perfect or confirm its right, title or interest in, to or under any of the rights, privileges, immunities, powers, purposes, franchises, properties or assets of the LLC and otherwise to carry out the purposes of this Plan.

9. Implementation and Interpretation; Termination and Amendment. This Plan shall be implemented and interpreted, prior to the Effective Time, by the Board and, following the Effective Time, by the board of directors of the Corporation, (a) each of which shall have full power and authority, subject to applicable law, to delegate and assign any matters covered hereunder to any other party(ies), including, without limitation, any officers of the LLC or any officers of the Corporation, as the case may be, and (b) the interpretations and decisions of which shall be final, binding, and conclusive on all parties. The Board at any time prior to the Effective Time may terminate, amend or modify this Plan. Upon such termination of this Plan, if the Certificate of Conversion and the Pre-IPO Certificate of Incorporation have been filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, but have not become effective, any person or entity that was authorized to execute, deliver and file such certificates may execute, deliver and file a Certificate of Termination of such certificates.

10. Third Party Beneficiaries. This Plan shall not confer any rights or remedies upon any person or entity other than as express provided herein.

11. Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Plan will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Plan is held to be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision will be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of this Plan.

 

5


12. Governing Law. This Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the conflicts of laws rules of such state.

 

6


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the LLC has caused this Plan to be executed by its duly authorized representative as of the date first stated above.

 

TGPX Holdings I LLC

 

By: TGP Holdings LP, its member
By: TGP Holdings GP Corp, its general partner

 

By:  

                 

Name:   Jeremy Andrus
Title:   Chief Executive Officer

 

7


EXHIBIT A

Form of Certificate of Conversion

 

8


EXHIBIT B

Pre-IPO Certificate of Incorporation


EXHIBIT C

Public Company Certificate of Incorporation


EXHIBIT D

Form of Bylaws


EXHIBIT E

Form of Traeger, Inc. 2021 Incentive Award Plan

Exhibit 2.2

CERTIFICATE OF CONVERSION

OF

TGPX HOLDINGS I LLC,

A DELAWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

TO

TRAEGER, INC.,

A DELAWARE CORPORATION

This Certificate of Conversion to Corporation, dated as of July [ 🌑 ], 2021 is being duly executed and filed by TGPX Holdings I LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Company”), to convert TGPX Holdings I LLC to Traeger, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”), under the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (6 Del. C. § 18-101, et seq.) and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (8 Del. C. § 101, et seq.).

 

1.

The jurisdiction in which the Company was first formed is Delaware.

 

2.

The jurisdiction of the Company immediately prior to filing this Certificate of Conversion from a limited liability company to a corporation (this “Certificate”) was Delaware.

 

3.

The Company filed its original certificate of formation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and was first formed on August 23, 2017 in the State of Delaware.

 

4.

The name and type of entity of the Company immediately prior to the filing of this Certificate was TGPX Holdings I LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

5.

The name of the Corporation as set forth in the certificate of incorporation of the corporation filed in accordance with Section 265(b) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware is Traeger, Inc.

 

6.

The conversion of the Company to the Corporation shall be effective upon the filing of this Certificate of Conversion to Corporation and a certificate of incorporation of the Corporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Certificate of Conversion from a Limited Liability Company to a Corporation dated as of July [ 🌑 ], 2021.

 

TGPX HOLDINGS I LLC
By:  

 

Name: Jeremy Andrus

Title: Chief Executive Officer

Exhibit 3.1

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

TRAEGER, INC.

ARTICLE I

The name of the corporation is Traeger, Inc. (the “Corporation”).

ARTICLE II

The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware 19801. The name of its registered agent at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.

ARTICLE III

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) as it now exists or may hereafter be amended and supplemented. The Corporation is being incorporated in connection with the conversion of TGPX Holdings I LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Converting Entity”), to the Corporation and this Certificate of Incorporation is being filed simultaneously with the Certificate of Conversion of the Converting Entity to the Corporation (the “Certificate of Conversion”).

ARTICLE IV

The total number of shares of all classes of capital stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 1,025,000,000 shares, consisting of 999,999,999 shares of Class A Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class A Common Stock”), 1 share of Class B Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class B Common Stock” and together with the Class A Common Stock, the “Common Stock”) and 25,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”). Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, the number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL. Upon the effectiveness of the Certificate of Conversion and this Certificate of Incorporation (the “Effective Time”), without any action required on the part of the Corporation or any former holder of limited liability company interests of the Converting Entity, each common unit of the Converting Entity issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time will be converted into, and shall be deemed to be, one (1) issued and outstanding, fully paid and nonassessable shares of Class A Common Stock.

ARTICLE V


The designations and the powers, preferences, privileges and rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof in respect of each class of capital stock of the Corporation are as follows:

 

  A.

Common Stock.

1. General. The voting, dividend, liquidation and other rights, preferences and powers of the holders of Common Stock are subject to and qualified by the rights, powers and preferences of any series of Preferred Stock as may be designated by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) and outstanding from time to time.

2. Voting. Except as otherwise provided herein or expressly required by law, at all meetings of stockholders and on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation generally, the shares of Common Stock shall entitle the holders thereof to the following voting rights:

(i) Each share of Class A Common Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to one (1) vote per share of Class A Common Stock held of record by such holder.

(ii) Each share of Class B Common Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to a number of votes per share of Class B Common Stock held of record by such holder equal to 5% of the aggregate number of votes entitled to be cast by the holders of Class A Common Stock and any other class of equity securities of the Company entitled to vote other than the Class B Common Stock, as calculated on the record date of such vote.

(iii) Except as otherwise provided herein or required by law, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall (a) be entitled to notice of any stockholders’ meeting in accordance with the Bylaws of the Corporation (as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time, the “Bylaws”), and (b) be entitled to vote upon such matters and in such manner as may be provided by law; provided, however, that, except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate of Incorporation that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation (as defined herein)) or pursuant to the DGCL. There shall be no cumulative voting.

3. Dividend Rights. Subject to applicable law and the preferential or other rights of any holders of Preferred Stock then outstanding, the holders of Common Stock, as such, shall be entitled to receive, pro rata in accordance with the number of shares of Common Stock held by each stockholder, the payment of dividends on the Common Stock when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors from time to time out of the assets or funds legally available therefor in accordance with applicable law.


4. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Subject to the preferential or other rights of any holders of Preferred Stock then outstanding and after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation, upon the dissolution, distribution of assets, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, the funds and assets of the Corporation that may be legally distributed to the Corporation’s stockholders shall be distributed among the holders of the outstanding Common Stock pro rata in accordance with the number of shares of Common Stock held by each such holder.

5. Surrender, Automatic Cancellation of Class B Common Stock.

(i) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Certificate of Incorporation, any holder of Class B Common Stock may surrender such shares of Class B Common Stock to the Corporation at any time without the payment of any consideration by the Corporation for such shares with the prior written approval of three-quarters of the voting power of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock.

(ii) Each share of Class B Common Stock shall be automatically and immediately transferred to the Corporation and cancelled for no consideration and shall no longer be issued or outstanding, without any further action on the part of the Corporation or any holder of Class B Common Stock, upon the earlier to occur of (a) the execution of an underwriting agreement in connection with the pricing of a firm commitment underwritten initial public offering filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or (b) the Corporation’s receipt of a written request from the holders of three-quarters of the voting power of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock.

(iii) Following the surrender to the Corporation or automatic transfer to the Corporation and cancellation of any shares of Class B Common Stock, each such share of Class B Common Stock shall thereupon automatically be retired and shall not be available for reissuance.

 

  B.

Preferred Stock.

Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series, each of such series to have such terms as stated or expressed herein and in the resolution or resolutions providing for the creation and issuance of such series adopted by the Board of Directors as hereinafter provided. Any shares of Preferred Stock which may be redeemed, purchased or acquired by the Corporation may be reissued except as otherwise provided by law.

Authority is hereby expressly granted to the Board of Directors from time to time to issue the Preferred Stock in one or more series, and in connection with the creation of any such series, by adopting a resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of the shares thereof and by filing a certificate of designation relating thereto in accordance with the DGCL (a “Certificate of Designation”), to determine and fix the number of shares of such series and such voting powers, full or limited, or no voting powers, and such designations, preferences and relative participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, including


without limitation thereof, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, all to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by the DGCL. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the resolution or resolutions providing for the creation and issuance of any series of Preferred Stock may provide that such series shall be superior or rank equally or be junior to any other series of Preferred Stock to the extent permitted by law and this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation).

ARTICLE VI

For the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation it is further provided that:

A.     General Powers. Except as otherwise expressly provided by the DGCL or this Certificate of Incorporation, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors.

B.     Number of Directors; Election of Directors. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the number of directors which shall constitute the whole Board of Directors shall be fixed exclusively by one or more resolutions adopted from time to time by the Board of Directors.

C.     Classes of Directors. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the directors of the Corporation shall be classified with respect to the time for which they severally hold office into three classes, designated as Class I, Class II and Class III. Each class shall consist, as nearly as possible, of one-third of the total number of such directors. The initial Class I directors shall serve for a term expiring at the first annual meeting of the stockholders following the time at which the initial classification of the Board of Directors becomes effective; the initial Class II directors shall serve for a term expiring at the second annual meeting of the stockholders following the time at which the initial classification of the Board of Directors becomes effective; and the initial Class III directors shall serve for a term expiring at the third annual meeting following the time at which the initial classification of the Board of Directors becomes effective. At each annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation following the time at which the initial classification of the Board of Directors becomes effective, the successors of the class of directors whose term expires at that meeting shall be elected to hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders held in the third year following the year of their election. The Board of Directors is authorized to assign members of the Board of Directors already in office to a class at the time the initial classification of the Board of Directors becomes effective.

D.     Term and Removal. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, each director shall hold office until the annual meeting at which such director’s term expires and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal. No decrease in the number of directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the Board of Directors or any individual director may be removed from office at any time either with or without cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of capital stock representing a majority of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of


capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon; provided, however, that from and after the time when the AEA Stockholder (as defined below), the OTPP Stockholder (as defined below) and the TCP Stockholder (as defined below) (together, the “Sponsor Stockholders”) first cease to beneficially own, in the aggregate, a majority of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation (a “Sponsor Trigger Event”), the Board of Directors or any individual director may be removed from office only for cause. For purposes of this Certificate of Incorporation (i) the “AEA Stockholder” shall mean AEA Investors Fund VI LP, AEA TGP Holdco LP and any respective affiliate transferees, (ii) the “OTPP Stockholder” shall mean 2594868 Ontario Limited and any affiliate transferees and (iii) the “TCP Stockholder” shall mean TCP Traeger Holdings SPV LLC and any affiliate transferees.

E.     Vacancies and Newly Created Directorships. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, any newly created directorship that results from an increase in the number of directors or any vacancy on the Board of Directors that results from the death, disability, resignation, disqualification or removal of any director or from any other cause shall be filled solely by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and shall not be filled by the stockholders unless the Board of Directors determines by resolution that any such vacancy or newly created directorship shall be filled by the stockholders. Any director elected to fill a newly created directorship or vacancy in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders held to elect the class of directors to which such director is elected and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, or removal.

F.     Preferred Stock Directors. Whenever the holders of any series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right as provided for herein (including any Certificate of Designation), voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more such other series, to elect directors, the election, term of office, removal and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article VI, during the period when the holders of any series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right to elect additional directors, the number of directors to be elected by the holders of any such series of Preferred Stock shall be in addition to the number fixed pursuant to paragraph B of this Article VI, and the total number of directors constituting the whole Board of Directors shall be automatically increased by such number of directors to be elected by the holders of any such series of Preferred Stock and each such additional director shall serve until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, or until such director’s right to hold such office terminates pursuant to said provisions, whichever occurs earlier, subject to his or her earlier death, disqualification, resignation or removal. Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Designation(s) in respect of any series of Preferred Stock, whenever the holders of any series of Preferred Stock having such right to elect additional directors are divested of such right pursuant to the provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation), the terms of office of all such additional directors elected by the holders of such series of Preferred Stock, or elected to fill any vacancies resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of such additional directors, shall forthwith terminate (in which case each such director thereupon shall cease to be qualified as, and shall cease to be, a director) and the total authorized


number of directors of the Corporation shall automatically be reduced accordingly.

G. Vote by Ballot. The directors of the Corporation need not be elected by written ballot unless the Bylaws so provide.

ARTICLE VII

A.     Consent of Stockholders In Lieu of Meeting. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, prior to the occurrence of the Sponsor Trigger Event, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents, setting forth the action so taken, are (1) signed by the holders of outstanding shares of the relevant class(es) or series of stock of the Corporation representing not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares of stock of the Corporation then issued and outstanding entitled to vote thereon were present and voted, and (2) delivered to the Corporation in accordance with applicable law. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to act by consent in lieu of a meeting provided in this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation), at any time after the occurrence of the Sponsor Trigger Event, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at an annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, and shall not be taken by consent in lieu of a meeting.

B.     Special Meetings of Stockholders. Special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called, for any purpose or purposes, at any time only by or at the direction of (i) the Chairperson of the Board of Directors (if any), (ii) the Chief Executive Officer or (iii) the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Board of Directors, and shall not be called by any other person or persons.

C.     Stockholder Nominations and Introduction of Business, Etc. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for election of directors and other business to be brought by stockholders before a meeting of stockholders shall be given in the manner provided by the Bylaws of the Corporation.

ARTICLE VIII

No director of the Corporation shall have any personal liability to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL as the same exists or hereafter may be amended. Any amendment, repeal or modification of this Article VIII, or the adoption of any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article VIII, shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation with respect to any act or omission occurring prior to such amendment, repeal, modification or adoption. If the DGCL is amended after approval by the stockholders of this Article VIII to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as so amended.


ARTICLE IX

The Corporation shall have the power to provide rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses to its current and former officers, directors, employees and agents and to any person who is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.

ARTICLE X

Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, (a) (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director, officer, other employee or stockholder of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws (as either may be amended or restated) or as to which the DGCL confers exclusive jurisdiction on the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (the “Court of Chancery”), or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, be exclusively brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or, if such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction thereof, the federal district court of the State of Delaware; and (b) the federal district courts of the United States (the “Federal Courts”) shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. To the fullest extent permitted by law, any Person purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article X. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Article X shall not apply to claims seeking to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act, or any other claim for which the U.S. federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction.

ARTICLE XI

A.     To the fullest extent permitted by law and in accordance with Section 122(17) of the DGCL, (i) the Corporation hereby renounces all interest and expectancy that it otherwise would be entitled to have in, and all rights to be offered an opportunity to participate in, any business opportunity that from time to time may be presented to the Sponsor Stockholders, or their respective affiliates (other than the Corporation and its subsidiaries), and any of their respective principals, members, directors, partners, stockholders, officers, employees or other representatives (other than any such person who is also an employee of the Corporation or its subsidiaries), or any director or stockholder who is not employed by the Corporation or its subsidiaries (each such person, an “Exempt Person”); (ii) no Exempt Person will have any duty to refrain from (1) engaging in a corporate opportunity in the same or similar lines of business in which the Corporation or its subsidiaries from time to time is engaged or proposes to engage or (2) otherwise competing, directly or indirectly, with the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries; and (iii) if any Exempt Person acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or other business opportunity which may be a corporate opportunity both for such Exempt Person or any of his or her respective affiliates, on the one hand, and for the Corporation or its subsidiaries, on the other hand, such Exempt Person shall have no duty to communicate or offer such transaction or business opportunity to the Corporation or its subsidiaries and such Exempt Person may take any and all


such transactions or opportunities for itself or offer such transactions or opportunities to any other Person.

B.     To the fullest extent permitted by law, no potential transaction or business opportunity may be deemed to be a corporate opportunity of the Corporation or its subsidiaries unless (i) the Corporation or its subsidiaries would be permitted to undertake such transaction or opportunity in accordance with this Certificate of Incorporation, (ii) the Corporation or its subsidiaries at such time have sufficient financial resources to undertake such transaction or opportunity, (iii) the Corporation or its subsidiaries have an interest or expectancy in such transaction or opportunity and (iv) such transaction or opportunity would be in the same or similar line of business in which the Corporation or its subsidiaries are then engaged or a line of business that is reasonably related to, or a reasonable extension of, such line of business.

C.     To the fullest extent permitted by law, no stockholder and no director will be liable to the Corporation or its subsidiaries or stockholders for breach of any duty solely by reason of any activities or omissions of the types referred to in this Article XI, except to the extent such actions or omissions are in breach of this Article XI.

D.     Any amendment, repeal or modification of this Article XI, or the adoption of any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article XI, shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation with respect to any act or omission occurring prior to such amendment, repeal, modification or adoption.

ARTICLE XII

A.     Section 203 of the DGCL. The Corporation expressly elects not to be governed by Section 203 of the DGCL and the restrictions and limitations set forth therein.

B.     Interested Stockholder Transactions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Certificate of Incorporation, at any point in time at which the Class A Common Stock is registered under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, the Corporation shall not engage in any Business Combination (as defined below) with any Interested Stockholder (as defined below) for a period of three (3) years following the time that such stockholder became an Interested Stockholder, unless:

 

  a.

prior to such time that such stockholder became an Interested Stockholder, the Board of Directors approved either the Business Combination or the transaction which resulted in such stockholder becoming an Interested Stockholder; or

 

  b.

upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an Interested Stockholder, the Interested Stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock (as defined below) of the Corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding (but not the outstanding voting stock owned by the Interested Stockholder) those shares owned by (i) persons who are directors and also officers and (ii) employee stock plans in which employee participants do


 

not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or

 

  c.

at or subsequent to such time that such stockholder became an Interested Stockholder, the Business Combination is approved by the Board of Directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of capital stock which is not owned by such Interested Stockholder.

C.     The restrictions contained in the foregoing Section B of Article XII shall not apply if:

 

  a.

a stockholder becomes an Interested Stockholder inadvertently and (i) as soon as practicable divests itself of ownership of sufficient shares so that the stockholder ceases to be an Interested Stockholder and (ii) would not, at any time, within the three-year period immediately prior to the Business Combination between the Corporation and such stockholder, have been an Interested Stockholder but for the inadvertent acquisition of ownership, or

 

  b.

the Business Combination is proposed prior to the consummation or abandonment of and subsequent to the earlier of the public announcement or the notice required hereunder of a proposed transaction which (i) constitutes one of the transactions described in the second sentence of this Section C(b) of Article XII, (ii) is with or by a Person who either was not an Interested Stockholder during the previous three years or who became an Interested Stockholder with the approval of the Board of Directors and (iii) is approved or not opposed by a majority of the directors then in office (but not less than one) who were directors prior to any Person becoming an Interested Stockholder during the previous three years or were recommended for election or elected to succeed such directors by a majority of such directors. The proposed transactions referred to in the preceding sentence are limited to (x) a merger or consolidation of the Corporation (except for a merger in respect of which, pursuant to Section 251(f) of the DGCL, no vote of the stockholders of the Corporation is required), (y) a sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) whether as part of a dissolution or otherwise, of assets of the Corporation or of any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation (other than to any direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiary or to the Corporation) having an aggregate market value equal to fifty percent or more of either that aggregate market value of all the assets of the Corporation determined on a consolidated basis or the aggregate market value of all the outstanding stock of the Corporation or (z) a proposed tender or exchange offer for fifty percent (50%) or more of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation. The Corporation shall give not less than 20 days’ notice to all Interested Stockholders prior to the consummation of any of the transactions described in clause (x) or (y) of the second sentence of this Section C(b) of Article XII.


D.     For purposes of this Article XII, references to:

 

  a.

Affiliate” means a person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, another person.

 

  b.

associate”, when used to indicate a relationship with any person, means: (i) any corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity of which such person is a director, officer or partner or is, directly or indirectly, the owner of 20% or more of any class of shares of voting stock of the Corporation; (ii) any trust or other estate in which such person has at least a 20% beneficial interest or as to which such person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity; and (iii) any relative or spouse of such person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same residence as such person.

 

  c.

Business Combination,” when used in reference to the Corporation and any Interested Stockholder of the Corporation, means (i) any merger or consolidation of the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation (a) with the Interested Stockholder, or (b) with any other corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity if the merger or consolidation is caused by the Interested Stockholder and as a result of such merger or consolidation Part B of this Article XII is not applicable to the surviving entity; (ii) any sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition (in one (1) transaction or a series of transactions), except proportionately as a stockholder of the Corporation, to or with the Interested Stockholder, whether as part of a dissolution or otherwise, of assets of the Corporation or of any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation which assets have an aggregate market value equal to 10% or more of either the aggregate market value of all the assets of the Corporation determined on a consolidated basis or the aggregate market value of all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation; (iii) any transaction which results in the issuance or transfer by the Corporation or by any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation of any stock of the Corporation or of such subsidiary to the Interested Stockholder, except: (a) pursuant to the exercise, exchange or conversion of securities exercisable for, exchangeable for or convertible into stock of the Corporation or any such subsidiary which securities were outstanding prior to the time that the Interested Stockholder became such; (b) pursuant to a merger under Section 251(g) of the DGCL; (c) pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made, or the exercise, exchange or conversion of securities exercisable for, exchangeable for or convertible into stock of the Corporation or any such subsidiary which security is distributed, pro rata to all holders of a class or series of stock of the Corporation subsequent to the time the Interested Stockholder became such; (d) pursuant to an exchange offer by the Corporation to purchase stock made on the same terms to all holders of said stock; or (e) any issuance or transfer of stock by the Corporation; provided, however, that in no case under items (c)


 

through (e) of this subsection (iii) shall there be an increase in the Interested Stockholder’s proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of the Corporation or of the voting stock of the Corporation (except as a result of immaterial changes due to fractional share adjustments); (iv) any transaction involving the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation which has the effect, directly or indirectly, of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series, or securities convertible into the stock of any class or series, of the Corporation or of any such subsidiary which is owned by the Interested Stockholder, except as a result of immaterial changes due to fractional share adjustments or as a result of any purchase or redemption of any shares of stock not caused, directly or indirectly, by the interested stockholder; or (v) any receipt by the Interested Stockholder of the benefit, directly or indirectly (except proportionately as a stockholder of the Corporation), of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges, or other financial benefits (other than those expressly permitted in subsections (i) through (iv) above) provided by or through the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary.

 

  d.

Control,” including the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with,” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting stock, by contract or otherwise. A Person who is the owner of 20% or more of the outstanding voting stock of any corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity shall be presumed to have control of such entity, in the absence of proof by a preponderance of the evidence to the contrary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a presumption of control shall not apply where such Person holds voting stock, in good faith and not for the purpose of circumventing this section, as an agent, bank, broker, nominee, custodian or trustee for one or more owners who do not individually or as a group have control of such entity.

 

  e.

Interested Stockholder” means any Person (other than the Corporation and any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation) that (i) is the beneficial owner of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are entitled to vote, or (ii) is an Affiliate or associate of the Corporation and was the beneficial owner of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are entitled to vote at any time within the three-year period immediately prior to the date on which it is sought to be determined whether such Person is an Interested Stockholder, and the Affiliates and associates of such Person. Notwithstanding anything in this Article XII to the contrary, the term “Interested Stockholder” shall not include: (1) (a) AEA Investors Fund VI LP and AEA TGP Holdco LP, (b) 2594868 Ontario Limited and (c) TCP Traeger Holdings SPV LLC or any of their respective Affiliate transferees, current or future Affiliates, associates or portfolio companies (or portfolio companies of any of their current or future Affiliates) of the foregoing, including any investment funds managed by such


 

Persons (collectively, the “Investors”), or any other Person with whom any of the foregoing are acting as a group or in concert for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of shares of capital stock of the Corporation, (2) any other Person who acquires voting stock of the Corporation directly or indirectly from an Investor in accordance with the terms of the Stockholders Agreement, dated July [ 🌑 ], 2021, by and among the Corporation and the Sponsor Stockholders (as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented and/or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with its terms), (3) any Person who acquires voting stock of the Corporation through a broker’s transaction executed on any securities exchange or other over-the-counter market or pursuant to an underwritten public offering or (4) any Person whose ownership of shares in excess of the 15% limitation set forth herein is the result of any action taken solely by the Corporation; provided, further, that in the case of clause (4) such Person shall be an Interested Stockholder if thereafter such Person acquires additional shares of voting stock of the Corporation, except as a result of further corporate action not caused, directly or indirectly, by such Person.

 

  f.

owner,” including the terms “own” and “owned,” when used with respect to any stock, means a Person that individually or with or through any of its Affiliates or associates:

 

  i.

beneficially owns such stock, directly or indirectly; or

 

  ii.

has (a) the right to acquire such stock (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the owner of stock tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or associates until such tendered stock is accepted for purchase or exchange; or (b) the right to vote such stock pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the owner of any stock because of such Person’s right to vote such stock if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such stock arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given in response to a proxy or consent solicitation made to ten or more Persons; or

 

  iii.

has any agreement, arrangement or understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent as described in item (b) of subsection ii. above), or disposing of such stock with any other Person that beneficially owns, or whose Affiliates or associates beneficially own, directly or indirectly, such stock.


  g.

Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity.

 

  h.

stock” means, with respect to any corporation, capital stock and, with respect to any other entity, any equity interest.

 

  i.

voting stock” means, with respect to any corporation, stock of any class or series entitled to vote generally in the election of directors and, with respect to any entity that is not a corporation, any equity interest entitled to vote generally in the election of the governing body of such entity. Every reference to a percentage of voting stock shall refer to such percentages of the votes of such voting stock.

ARTICLE XIII

A.     Amendment of the Certificate of Incorporation. The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change, adopt or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by statute, and all rights conferred upon stockholders herein are granted subject to this reservation; provided, however, that, notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation or any provision of law that might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any vote of the holders of shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation required by law or by this Certificate of Incorporation, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors shall be required to amend or repeal, or adopt any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with Articles V, VI, VII, VIII, XI, XII and XIII.

B.     Amendment of Bylaws. In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred upon it by the DGCL, the Board of Directors shall have the power to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation. The stockholders may not adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation unless such action is approved, in addition to any other vote required by law or by this Certificate of Incorporation, by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.

C.     Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (ii) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph of this Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to permit the Corporation to protect its directors,


officers, employees and agents from personal liability in respect of their good faith service to or for the benefit of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law.

ARTICLE XIV

The incorporator of the Corporation is Jeremy Andrus, whose mailing address is 1215 E Wilmington Ave., Suite 200, Salt Lake City, Utah 84106.


The undersigned incorporator has executed this Certificate of Incorporation on this [ 🌑 ] day of [ 🌑 ], 2021.

 

TRAEGER, INC.

By:

 

         

Name: Jeremy Andrus

Incorporator

Exhibit 3.2

AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

TRAEGER, INC.

Traeger, Inc. (the “Corporation”), a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), does hereby certify as follows:

1. The name of the Corporation is Traeger, Inc. The Corporation was incorporated under its current name by the filing of its original Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on July [ 🌑 ], 2021.

2. This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), which amends, restates and further integrates the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation as heretofore in effect, has been approved by the board of directors of the Corporation in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the DGCL, and has been adopted by the written consent of the stockholders of the Corporation in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL.

3. The text of the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation is hereby amended and restated by this Certificate of Incorporation to read in its entirety as set forth in EXHIBIT A attached hereto.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate of Incorporation to be signed by a duly authorized officer of the Corporation, on July [ 🌑 ], 2021.

 

Traeger, Inc., a Delaware corporation

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

Thomas Burton

 

Title:

 

General Counsel and Secretary


EXHIBIT A

ARTICLE I

The name of the corporation is Traeger, Inc. (the “Corporation”).

ARTICLE II

The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware 19801. The name of its registered agent at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.

ARTICLE III

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) as it now exists or may hereafter be amended and supplemented.

ARTICLE IV

The total number of shares of all classes of capital stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 1,025,000,000 shares, consisting of 1,000,000,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), and 25,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”). Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, the number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL.

ARTICLE V

The designations and the powers, preferences, privileges and rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof in respect of each class of capital stock of the Corporation are as follows:

A. Common Stock.

1. General. The voting, dividend, liquidation and other rights, preferences and powers of the holders of Common Stock are subject to and qualified by the rights, powers and preferences of any series of Preferred Stock as may be designated by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) and outstanding from time to time.

2. Voting. Except as otherwise provided herein or expressly required by law, at all meetings of stockholders and on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation generally, each holder of Common Stock, as such, shall have the right to one (1) vote per share of Common Stock held of record by such holder. Except as otherwise provided herein or required by law, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall (a) be entitled to notice of any stockholders’ meeting in accordance with the Bylaws of the Corporation (as the same may be


amended and/or restated from time to time, the “Bylaws”), and (b) be entitled to vote upon such matters and in such manner as may be provided by law; provided, however, that, except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate of Incorporation that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation (as defined herein)) or pursuant to the DGCL. There shall be no cumulative voting.

3. Dividend Rights. Subject to applicable law and the preferential or other rights of any holders of Preferred Stock then outstanding, the holders of Common Stock, as such, shall be entitled to receive, pro rata in accordance with the number of shares of Common Stock held by each stockholder, the payment of dividends on the Common Stock when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors from time to time out of the assets or funds legally available therefor in accordance with applicable law.

4. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Subject to the preferential or other rights of any holders of Preferred Stock then outstanding and after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation, upon the dissolution, distribution of assets, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, the funds and assets of the Corporation that may be legally distributed to the Corporation’s stockholders shall be distributed among the holders of the outstanding Common Stock pro rata in accordance with the number of shares of Common Stock held by each such holder.

B. Preferred Stock.

Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series, each of such series to have such terms as stated or expressed herein and in the resolution or resolutions providing for the creation and issuance of such series adopted by the Board of Directors as hereinafter provided. Any shares of Preferred Stock which may be redeemed, purchased or acquired by the Corporation may be reissued except as otherwise provided by law.

Authority is hereby expressly granted to the Board of Directors from time to time to issue the Preferred Stock in one or more series, and in connection with the creation of any such series, by adopting a resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of the shares thereof and by filing a certificate of designation relating thereto in accordance with the DGCL (a “Certificate of Designation”), to determine and fix the number of shares of such series and such voting powers, full or limited, or no voting powers, and such designations, preferences and relative participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, including without limitation thereof, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, all to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by the DGCL. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the resolution or resolutions providing for the creation and issuance of any series of Preferred Stock may provide that such series shall be superior or rank equally or be junior to any other series of Preferred Stock to the extent permitted by law and this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation).

ARTICLE VI


For the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation it is further provided that:

A. General Powers. Except as otherwise expressly provided by the DGCL or this Certificate of Incorporation, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors.

B. Number of Directors; Election of Directors. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the number of directors which shall constitute the whole Board of Directors shall be fixed exclusively by one or more resolutions adopted from time to time by the Board of Directors.

C. Classes of Directors. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the directors of the Corporation shall be classified with respect to the time for which they severally hold office into three classes, designated as Class I, Class II and Class III. Each class shall consist, as nearly as possible, of one-third of the total number of such directors. The initial Class I directors shall serve for a term expiring at the first annual meeting of the stockholders following the time at which the initial classification of the Board of Directors becomes effective; the initial Class II directors shall serve for a term expiring at the second annual meeting of the stockholders following the time at which the initial classification of the Board of Directors becomes effective; and the initial Class III directors shall serve for a term expiring at the third annual meeting following the time at which the initial classification of the Board of Directors becomes effective. At each annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation following the time at which the initial classification of the Board of Directors becomes effective, the successors of the class of directors whose term expires at that meeting shall be elected to hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders held in the third year following the year of their election. The Board of Directors is authorized to assign members of the Board of Directors already in office to a class at the time the initial classification of the Board of Directors becomes effective.

D. Term and Removal. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, each director shall hold office until the annual meeting at which such director’s term expires and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal. No decrease in the number of directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the Board of Directors or any individual director may be removed from office at any time either with or without cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of capital stock representing a majority of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon; provided, however, that from and after the time when the AEA Stockholder (as defined below), the OTPP Stockholder (as defined below) and the TCP Stockholder (as defined below) (together, the “Sponsor Stockholders”) first cease to beneficially own, in the aggregate, a majority of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation (a “Sponsor Trigger Event”), the Board of Directors or any individual director may be removed from office only for cause. For purposes of this Certificate of Incorporation (i) the “AEA Stockholder” shall mean AEA Investors Fund VI LP, AEA TGP Holdco LP and any respective affiliate transferees, (ii) the “OTPP Stockholder” shall mean 2594868 Ontario Limited and any affiliate transferees and (iii) the “TCP Stockholder” shall mean TCP Traeger Holdings SPV LLC and any affiliate transferees.


E. Vacancies and Newly Created Directorships. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, any newly created directorship that results from an increase in the number of directors or any vacancy on the Board of Directors that results from the death, disability, resignation, disqualification or removal of any director or from any other cause shall be filled solely by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and shall not be filled by the stockholders unless the Board of Directors determines by resolution that any such vacancy or newly created directorship shall be filled by the stockholders. Any director elected to fill a newly created directorship or vacancy in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders held to elect the class of directors to which such director is elected and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, or removal.

F. Preferred Stock Directors. Whenever the holders of any series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right as provided for herein (including any Certificate of Designation), voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more such other series, to elect directors, the election, term of office, removal and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article VI, during the period when the holders of any series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right to elect additional directors, the number of directors to be elected by the holders of any such series of Preferred Stock shall be in addition to the number fixed pursuant to paragraph B of this Article VI, and the total number of directors constituting the whole Board of Directors shall be automatically increased by such number of directors to be elected by the holders of any such series of Preferred Stock and each such additional director shall serve until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, or until such director’s right to hold such office terminates pursuant to said provisions, whichever occurs earlier, subject to his or her earlier death, disqualification, resignation or removal. Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Designation(s) in respect of any series of Preferred Stock, whenever the holders of any series of Preferred Stock having such right to elect additional directors are divested of such right pursuant to the provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation), the terms of office of all such additional directors elected by the holders of such series of Preferred Stock, or elected to fill any vacancies resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of such additional directors, shall forthwith terminate (in which case each such director thereupon shall cease to be qualified as, and shall cease to be, a director) and the total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall automatically be reduced accordingly.

G. Vote by Ballot. The directors of the Corporation need not be elected by written ballot unless the Bylaws so provide.

ARTICLE VII

A. Consent of Stockholders In Lieu of Meeting. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, prior to the occurrence of the Sponsor Trigger Event, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents, setting forth the action so taken, are (1) signed by the holders of outstanding shares of the relevant class(es) or series of


stock of the Corporation representing not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares of stock of the Corporation then issued and outstanding entitled to vote thereon were present and voted, and (2) delivered to the Corporation in accordance with applicable law. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to act by consent in lieu of a meeting provided in this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation), at any time after the occurrence of the Sponsor Trigger Event, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at an annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, and shall not be taken by consent in lieu of a meeting.

B. Special Meetings of Stockholders. Special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called, for any purpose or purposes, at any time only by or at the direction of (i) the Chairperson of the Board of Directors (if any), (ii) the Chief Executive Officer or (iii) the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Board of Directors, and shall not be called by any other person or persons.

C. Stockholder Nominations and Introduction of Business, Etc. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for election of directors and other business to be brought by stockholders before a meeting of stockholders shall be given in the manner provided by the Bylaws of the Corporation.

ARTICLE VIII

No director of the Corporation shall have any personal liability to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL as the same exists or hereafter may be amended. Any amendment, repeal or modification of this Article VIII, or the adoption of any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article VIII, shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation with respect to any act or omission occurring prior to such amendment, repeal, modification or adoption. If the DGCL is amended after approval by the stockholders of this Article VIII to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as so amended.

ARTICLE IX

The Corporation shall have the power to provide rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses to its current and former officers, directors, employees and agents and to any person who is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.

ARTICLE X

Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, (a) (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director, officer, other employee or stockholder of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders


(iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws (as either may be amended or restated) or as to which the DGCL confers exclusive jurisdiction on the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (the “Court of Chancery”), or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, be exclusively brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or, if such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction thereof, the federal district court of the State of Delaware; and (b) the federal district courts of the United States (the “Federal Courts”) shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. To the fullest extent permitted by law, any Person purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article X. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Article X shall not apply to claims seeking to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act, or any other claim for which the U.S. federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction.

ARTICLE XI

A. To the fullest extent permitted by law and in accordance with Section 122(17) of the DGCL, (i) the Corporation hereby renounces all interest and expectancy that it otherwise would be entitled to have in, and all rights to be offered an opportunity to participate in, any business opportunity that from time to time may be presented to the Sponsor Stockholders, or their respective affiliates (other than the Corporation and its subsidiaries), and any of their respective principals, members, directors, partners, stockholders, officers, employees or other representatives (other than any such person who is also an employee of the Corporation or its subsidiaries), or any director or stockholder who is not employed by the Corporation or its subsidiaries (each such person, an “Exempt Person”); (ii) no Exempt Person will have any duty to refrain from (1) engaging in a corporate opportunity in the same or similar lines of business in which the Corporation or its subsidiaries from time to time is engaged or proposes to engage or (2) otherwise competing, directly or indirectly, with the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries; and (iii) if any Exempt Person acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or other business opportunity which may be a corporate opportunity both for such Exempt Person or any of his or her respective affiliates, on the one hand, and for the Corporation or its subsidiaries, on the other hand, such Exempt Person shall have no duty to communicate or offer such transaction or business opportunity to the Corporation or its subsidiaries and such Exempt Person may take any and all such transactions or opportunities for itself or offer such transactions or opportunities to any other Person.

B. To the fullest extent permitted by law, no potential transaction or business opportunity may be deemed to be a corporate opportunity of the Corporation or its subsidiaries unless (i) the Corporation or its subsidiaries would be permitted to undertake such transaction or opportunity in accordance with this Certificate of Incorporation, (ii) the Corporation or its subsidiaries at such time have sufficient financial resources to undertake such transaction or opportunity, (iii) the Corporation or its subsidiaries have an interest or expectancy in such transaction or opportunity and (iv) such transaction or opportunity would be in the same or similar line of business in which the Corporation or its subsidiaries are then engaged or a line of business that is reasonably related to, or a reasonable extension of, such line of business.


C. To the fullest extent permitted by law, no stockholder and no director will be liable to the Corporation or its subsidiaries or stockholders for breach of any duty solely by reason of any activities or omissions of the types referred to in this Article XI, except to the extent such actions or omissions are in breach of this Article XI.

D. Any amendment, repeal or modification of this Article XI, or the adoption of any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article XI, shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation with respect to any act or omission occurring prior to such amendment, repeal, modification or adoption.

ARTICLE XII

A. Section 203 of the DGCL. The Corporation expressly elects not to be governed by Section 203 of the DGCL and the restrictions and limitations set forth therein.

B. Interested Stockholder Transactions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Certificate of Incorporation, at any point in time at which the Common Stock is registered under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, the Corporation shall not engage in any Business Combination (as defined below) with any Interested Stockholder (as defined below) for a period of three (3) years following the time that such stockholder became an Interested Stockholder, unless:

 

  a.

prior to such time that such stockholder became an Interested Stockholder, the Board of Directors approved either the Business Combination or the transaction which resulted in such stockholder becoming an Interested Stockholder; or

 

  b.

upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an Interested Stockholder, the Interested Stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock (as defined below) of the Corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding (but not the outstanding voting stock owned by the Interested Stockholder) those shares owned by (i) persons who are directors and also officers and (ii) employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or

 

  c.

at or subsequent to such time that such stockholder became an Interested Stockholder, the Business Combination is approved by the Board of Directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of capital stock which is not owned by such Interested Stockholder.

C. The restrictions contained in the foregoing Section B of Article XII shall not apply if:

 

  a.

a stockholder becomes an Interested Stockholder inadvertently and (i) as soon as practicable divests itself of ownership of sufficient shares so that the stockholder ceases to be an Interested Stockholder and (ii) would not, at any


 

time, within the three-year period immediately prior to the Business Combination between the Corporation and such stockholder, have been an Interested Stockholder but for the inadvertent acquisition of ownership, or

 

  b.

the Business Combination is proposed prior to the consummation or abandonment of and subsequent to the earlier of the public announcement or the notice required hereunder of a proposed transaction which (i) constitutes one of the transactions described in the second sentence of this Section C(b) of Article XII, (ii) is with or by a Person who either was not an Interested Stockholder during the previous three years or who became an Interested Stockholder with the approval of the Board of Directors and (iii) is approved or not opposed by a majority of the directors then in office (but not less than one) who were directors prior to any Person becoming an Interested Stockholder during the previous three years or were recommended for election or elected to succeed such directors by a majority of such directors. The proposed transactions referred to in the preceding sentence are limited to (x) a merger or consolidation of the Corporation (except for a merger in respect of which, pursuant to Section 251(f) of the DGCL, no vote of the stockholders of the Corporation is required), (y) a sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) whether as part of a dissolution or otherwise, of assets of the Corporation or of any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation (other than to any direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiary or to the Corporation) having an aggregate market value equal to fifty percent or more of either that aggregate market value of all the assets of the Corporation determined on a consolidated basis or the aggregate market value of all the outstanding stock of the Corporation or (z) a proposed tender or exchange offer for fifty percent (50%) or more of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation. The Corporation shall give not less than 20 days’ notice to all Interested Stockholders prior to the consummation of any of the transactions described in clause (x) or (y) of the second sentence of this Section C(b) of Article XII.

D. For purposes of this Article XII, references to:

 

  a.

Affiliate” means a person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, another person.

 

  b.

associate”, when used to indicate a relationship with any person, means: (i) any corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity of which such person is a director, officer or partner or is, directly or indirectly, the owner of 20% or more of any class of shares of voting stock of the Corporation; (ii) any trust or other estate in which such person has at least a 20% beneficial interest or as to which such person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity; and (iii) any relative or spouse of such person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same residence as such person.


  c.

Business Combination,” when used in reference to the Corporation and any Interested Stockholder of the Corporation, means (i) any merger or consolidation of the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation (a) with the Interested Stockholder, or (b) with any other corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity if the merger or consolidation is caused by the Interested Stockholder and as a result of such merger or consolidation Part B of this Article XII is not applicable to the surviving entity; (ii) any sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition (in one (1) transaction or a series of transactions), except proportionately as a stockholder of the Corporation, to or with the Interested Stockholder, whether as part of a dissolution or otherwise, of assets of the Corporation or of any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation which assets have an aggregate market value equal to 10% or more of either the aggregate market value of all the assets of the Corporation determined on a consolidated basis or the aggregate market value of all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation; (iii) any transaction which results in the issuance or transfer by the Corporation or by any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation of any stock of the Corporation or of such subsidiary to the Interested Stockholder, except: (a) pursuant to the exercise, exchange or conversion of securities exercisable for, exchangeable for or convertible into stock of the Corporation or any such subsidiary which securities were outstanding prior to the time that the Interested Stockholder became such; (b) pursuant to a merger under Section 251(g) of the DGCL; (c) pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made, or the exercise, exchange or conversion of securities exercisable for, exchangeable for or convertible into stock of the Corporation or any such subsidiary which security is distributed, pro rata to all holders of a class or series of stock of the Corporation subsequent to the time the Interested Stockholder became such; (d) pursuant to an exchange offer by the Corporation to purchase stock made on the same terms to all holders of said stock; or (e) any issuance or transfer of stock by the Corporation; provided, however, that in no case under items (c) through (e) of this subsection (iii) shall there be an increase in the Interested Stockholder’s proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of the Corporation or of the voting stock of the Corporation (except as a result of immaterial changes due to fractional share adjustments); (iv) any transaction involving the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation which has the effect, directly or indirectly, of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series, or securities convertible into the stock of any class or series, of the Corporation or of any such subsidiary which is owned by the Interested Stockholder, except as a result of immaterial changes due to fractional share adjustments or as a result of any purchase or redemption of any shares of stock not caused, directly or indirectly, by the interested stockholder; or (v) any receipt by the Interested Stockholder of the benefit, directly or indirectly (except proportionately as a stockholder of the Corporation), of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges, or other financial benefits (other than those expressly permitted in subsections (i) through (iv)


 

above) provided by or through the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary.

 

  d.

Control,” including the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with,” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting stock, by contract or otherwise. A Person who is the owner of 20% or more of the outstanding voting stock of any corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity shall be presumed to have control of such entity, in the absence of proof by a preponderance of the evidence to the contrary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a presumption of control shall not apply where such Person holds voting stock, in good faith and not for the purpose of circumventing this section, as an agent, bank, broker, nominee, custodian or trustee for one or more owners who do not individually or as a group have control of such entity.

 

  e.

Interested Stockholder” means any Person (other than the Corporation and any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation) that (i) is the beneficial owner of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are entitled to vote, or (ii) is an Affiliate or associate of the Corporation and was the beneficial owner of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are entitled to vote at any time within the three-year period immediately prior to the date on which it is sought to be determined whether such Person is an Interested Stockholder, and the Affiliates and associates of such Person. Notwithstanding anything in this Article XII to the contrary, the term “Interested Stockholder” shall not include: (1) (a) AEA Investors Fund VI LP and AEA TGP Holdco LP, (b) 2594868 Ontario Limited and (c) TCP Traeger Holdings SPV LLC or any of their respective Affiliate transferees, current or future Affiliates, associates or portfolio companies (or portfolio companies of any of their current or future Affiliates) of the foregoing, including any investment funds managed by such Persons (collectively, the “Investors”), or any other Person with whom any of the foregoing are acting as a group or in concert for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of shares of capital stock of the Corporation, (2) any other Person who acquires voting stock of the Corporation directly or indirectly from an Investor in accordance with the terms of the Stockholders Agreement, dated July [ 🌑 ], 2021, by and among the Corporation and the Sponsor Stockholders (as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented and/or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with its terms), (3) any Person who acquires voting stock of the Corporation through a broker’s transaction executed on any securities exchange or other over-the-counter market or pursuant to an underwritten public offering or (4) any Person whose ownership of shares in excess of the 15% limitation set forth herein is the result of any action taken solely by the Corporation; provided, further, that in the case of clause (4) such Person shall be an Interested Stockholder if thereafter such Person acquires additional shares of voting stock of the


 

Corporation, except as a result of further corporate action not caused, directly or indirectly, by such Person.

 

  f.

owner,” including the terms “own” and “owned,” when used with respect to any stock, means a Person that individually or with or through any of its Affiliates or associates:

 

  i.

beneficially owns such stock, directly or indirectly; or

 

  ii.

has (a) the right to acquire such stock (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the owner of stock tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or associates until such tendered stock is accepted for purchase or exchange; or (b) the right to vote such stock pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the owner of any stock because of such Person’s right to vote such stock if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such stock arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given in response to a proxy or consent solicitation made to ten or more Persons; or

 

  iii.

has any agreement, arrangement or understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent as described in item (b) of subsection ii. above), or disposing of such stock with any other Person that beneficially owns, or whose Affiliates or associates beneficially own, directly or indirectly, such stock.

 

  g.

Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity.

 

  h.

stock” means, with respect to any corporation, capital stock and, with respect to any other entity, any equity interest.

 

  i.

voting stock” means, with respect to any corporation, stock of any class or series entitled to vote generally in the election of directors and, with respect to any entity that is not a corporation, any equity interest entitled to vote generally in the election of the governing body of such entity. Every reference to a percentage of voting stock shall refer to such percentages of the votes of such voting stock.

ARTICLE XIII

A. Amendment of the Certificate of Incorporation. The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change, adopt or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation,


in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by statute, and all rights conferred upon stockholders herein are granted subject to this reservation; provided, however, that, notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation or any provision of law that might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any vote of the holders of shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation required by law or by this Certificate of Incorporation, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors shall be required to amend or repeal, or adopt any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with Articles V, VI, VII, VIII, XI, XII and XIII.

B. Amendment of Bylaws. In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred upon it by the DGCL, the Board of Directors shall have the power to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation. The stockholders may not adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation unless such action is approved, in addition to any other vote required by law or by this Certificate of Incorporation, by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.

C. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (ii) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph of this Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to permit the Corporation to protect its directors, officers, employees and agents from personal liability in respect of their good faith service to or for the benefit of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Exhibit 3.3

Bylaws of

Traeger, Inc.

(a Delaware corporation)

 


Table of Contents

 

          Page  

Article I - Corporate Offices

     1  

1.1

   Registered Office      1  

1.2

   Other Offices      1  

Article II - Meetings of Stockholders

     1  

2.1

   Place of Meetings      1  

2.2

   Annual Meeting      1  

2.3

   Special Meeting      1  

2.4

   Notice of Business to be Brought before a Meeting      2  

2.5

   Notice of Nominations for Election to the Board      5  

2.6

   Additional Requirements for Valid Nomination of Candidates to Serve as Director and, if Elected, to be Seated as Directors      7  

2.7

   Notice of Stockholders’ Meetings      9  

2.8

   Quorum      9  

2.9

   Adjourned Meeting; Notice      9  

2.10

   Conduct of Business      9  

2.11

   Voting      10  

2.12

   Record Date for Stockholder Meetings and Other Purposes      10  

2.13

   Proxies      11  

2.14

   List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote      11  

2.15

   Inspectors of Election      12  

2.16

   Delivery to the Corporation      12  

Article III - Directors

     13  

3.1

   Powers      13  

3.2

   Number      13  

3.3

   Resignation; Removal; Vacancies      13  

3.4

   Place of Meetings; Meetings by Telephone      13  

3.5

   Regular Meetings      13  

3.6

   Special Meetings; Notice      13  

3.7

   Quorum      14  

3.8

   Board Action without a Meeting      14  

3.9

   Fees and Compensation of Directors      14  

Article IV - Committees

     15  

4.1

   Committees of Directors      15  

4.2

   Committee Minutes      15  

4.3

   Meetings and Actions of Committees      15  

4.4

   Subcommittees      16  

Article V - Officers

     16  

5.1

   Officers      16  

5.2

   Appointment of Officers      16  

5.3

   Subordinate Officers      16  

 

i


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

          Page  

5.4

   Removal and Resignation of Officers      16  

5.5

   Vacancies in Offices      17  

5.6

   Representation of Shares of Other Corporations      17  

5.7

   Authority and Duties of Officers      17  

5.8

   Compensation      17  

Article VI - Records

     17  

Article VII - General Matters

     18  

7.1

   Execution of Corporate Contracts and Instruments      18  

7.2

   Stock Certificates      18  

7.3

   Special Designation of Certificates      18  

7.4

   Lost Certificates      19  

7.5

   Shares Without Certificates      19  

7.6

   Construction; Definitions      19  

7.7

   Dividends      19  

7.8

   Fiscal Year      19  

7.9

   Seal      19  

7.10

   Transfer of Stock      20  

7.11

   Stock Transfer Agreements      20  

7.12

   Registered Stockholders      20  

7.13

   Waiver of Notice      20  

Article VIII - Notice

     20  

8.1

   Delivery of Notice; Notice by Electronic Transmission      20  

Article IX - Indemnification

     21  

9.1

   Indemnification of Directors and Officers      21  

9.2

   Indemnification of Others      22  

9.3

   Prepayment of Expenses      22  

9.4

   Determination; Claim      22  

9.5

   Non-Exclusivity of Rights      22  

9.6

   Insurance      22  

9.7

   Continuation of Indemnification      23  

9.8

   Amendment or Repeal; Interpretation      23  

Article X - Amendments

     24  

Article XI - Definitions

     24  

 

 

ii


Bylaws of

Traeger, Inc.

 

 

 

Article I - Corporate Offices

1.1 Registered Office.

The address of the registered office of Traeger, Inc. (the “Corporation”) in the State of Delaware, and the name of its registered agent at such address, shall be as set forth in the Corporation’s certificate of incorporation, as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time (the “Certificate of Incorporation”).

1.2 Other Offices.

The Corporation may have additional offices at any place or places, within or outside the State of Delaware, as the Corporation’s board of directors (the “Board”) may from time to time establish or as the business of the Corporation may require.

Article II - Meetings of Stockholders

2.1 Place of Meetings.

Meetings of stockholders shall be held at any place within or outside the State of Delaware, designated by the Board. The Board may, in its sole discretion, determine that a meeting of stockholders shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication as authorized by Section 211(a)(2) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”). In the absence of any such designation or determination, stockholders’ meetings shall be held at the Corporation’s principal executive office.

2.2 Annual Meeting.

The Board shall designate the date and time of the annual meeting. At the annual meeting, directors shall be elected and other proper business properly brought before the meeting in accordance with Section 2.4 of these Bylaws may be transacted. The Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any previously scheduled annual meeting of stockholders.

2.3 Special Meeting.

Special meetings of the stockholders may be called only by such persons and only in such manner as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation.

No business may be transacted at any special meeting of stockholders other than the business specified in the notice of such meeting. The Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any previously scheduled special meeting of stockholders.

 


2.4 Notice of Business to be Brought before a Meeting. This Section 2.4 shall apply to any business that may be brought before an annual meeting of stockholders other than nominations for election to the Board at such meeting, which shall be governed by Section 2.5 and Section 2.6. Stockholders seeking to nominate persons for election to the Board must comply with Section 2.5 and Section 2.6 and this Section 2.4 shall not be applicable to nominations except as expressly provided in Section 2.5 and Section 2.6.

(a) At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, business must be (i) specified in a notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Board, (ii) if not specified in a notice of meeting, otherwise brought before the meeting by the Board or the Chairperson of the Board, if any, or (iii) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by a stockholder present in person who (A) (1) was a record owner of shares of the Corporation both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 2.4 and at the time of the meeting, (2) is entitled to vote at the meeting, and (3) has complied with this Section 2.4 in all applicable respects or (B) properly made such proposal in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (as so amended and inclusive of such rules and regulations, the “Exchange Act”). The foregoing clause (iii) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to propose business to be brought before an annual meeting of the stockholders. The only matters that may be brought before a special meeting are the matters specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling the meeting pursuant to Section 2.3, and stockholders shall not be permitted to propose business to be brought before a special meeting of the stockholders. For purposes of this Section 2.4 and Section 2.5, “present in person” shall mean that the stockholder proposing that the business be brought before the annual meeting of the Corporation, or a qualified representative of such proposing stockholder, appear at such annual meeting, and a “qualified representative” of such proposing stockholder shall be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or any other person authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders.

(b) Without qualification, for business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (iii)(A) of Section 2.4(a), the business must constitute a proper matter for stockholder action and the stockholder must (i) provide Timely Notice (as defined below) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation and (ii) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.4. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than ninety (90) days nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the one-year anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that if the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty (30) days before or more than sixty (60) days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered, or mailed and received, not later than the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or, if later, the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of such annual meeting was first made by the Corporation (such notice within such time periods, “Timely Notice”); provided, further, that for the purposes of calculating Timely Notice for the first annual meeting held after the Corporation’s initial public offering of its common stock pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1, the date of the immediately preceding annual meeting shall be deemed to be [Conversion Date][ 🌑 ], 2021. In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of Timely Notice as described above.

(c) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2.4, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth:

 

2


(i) As to each Proposing Person (as defined below), (A) the name and address of such Proposing Person (including, if applicable, the name and address that appear on the Corporation’s books and records); and (B) the class or series and number of shares of the Corporation that are, directly or indirectly, owned of record or beneficially owned (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) by such Proposing Person, except that such Proposing Person shall in all events be deemed to beneficially own any shares of any class or series of the Corporation as to which such Proposing Person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) and (B) are referred to as “Stockholder Information”);

(ii) As to each Proposing Person, (A) the full notional amount of any securities that, directly or indirectly, underlie any “derivative security” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(c) under the Exchange Act) that constitutes a “call equivalent position” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(b) under the Exchange Act) (“Synthetic Equity Position”) and that is, directly or indirectly, held or maintained by such Proposing Person with respect to any shares of any class or series of shares of the Corporation; provided that, for the purposes of the definition of “Synthetic Equity Position,” the term “derivative security” shall also include any security or instrument that would not otherwise constitute a “derivative security” as a result of any feature that would make any conversion, exercise or similar right or privilege of such security or instrument becoming determinable only at some future date or upon the happening of a future occurrence, in which case the determination of the amount of securities into which such security or instrument would be convertible or exercisable shall be made assuming that such security or instrument is immediately convertible or exercisable at the time of such determination; and, provided, further, that any Proposing Person satisfying the requirements of Rule 13d-1(b)(1) under the Exchange Act (other than a Proposing Person that so satisfies Rule 13d-1(b)(1) under the Exchange Act solely by reason of Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E)) shall not be deemed to hold or maintain the notional amount of any securities that underlie a Synthetic Equity Position held by such Proposing Person as a hedge with respect to a bona fide derivatives trade or position of such Proposing Person arising in the ordinary course of such Proposing Person’s business as a derivatives dealer, (B) any rights to dividends on the shares of any class or series of shares of the Corporation owned beneficially by such Proposing Person that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (C) any material pending or threatened legal proceeding in which such Proposing Person is a party or material participant involving the Corporation or any of its officers or directors, or any affiliate of the Corporation, (D) any other material relationship between such Proposing Person, on the one hand, and the Corporation, any affiliate of the Corporation, on the other hand, (E) any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement of such Proposing Person with the Corporation or any affiliate of the Corporation (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement), (F) a representation that such Proposing Person intends or is part of a group which intends to deliver a proxy statement or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or otherwise solicit proxies or votes from stockholders in support of such proposal and (G) any other information relating to such Proposing Person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies or consents by such Proposing Person in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) through (G) are referred to as “Disclosable Interests”); provided, however, that Disclosable Interests shall not include any such disclosures with respect to the ordinary course business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these Bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner; and

 

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(iii) As to each item of business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting, (A) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting and any material interest in such business of each Proposing Person, (B) the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend the Bylaws, the language of the proposed amendment), (C) a reasonably detailed description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings (x) between or among any of the Proposing Persons or (y) between or among any Proposing Person and any other person or entity (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder, and (D) any other information relating to such item of business that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, that the disclosures required by this paragraph (iii) shall not include any disclosures with respect to any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these Bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner.

(d) For purposes of this Section 2.4, the term “Proposing Person” shall mean (i) the stockholder providing the notice of business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, (ii) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the business proposed to be brought before the annual meeting is made, and (iii) any participant (as defined in paragraphs (a)(ii)-(vi) of Instruction 3 to Item 4 of Schedule 14A) with such stockholder in such solicitation.

(e) A Proposing Person shall update and supplement its notice to the Corporation of its intent to propose business at an annual meeting, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2.4 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these Bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any proposal or to submit any new proposal, including by changing or adding matters, business or resolutions proposed to be brought before a meeting of the stockholders.

(f) Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, no business shall be conducted at an annual meeting that is not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 2.4. The presiding officer of the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that the business was not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 2.4, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare to the meeting and any such business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted.

 

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(g) This Section 2.4 is expressly intended to apply to any business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting of stockholders other than any proposal made in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act and included in the Corporation’s proxy statement. In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.4 with respect to any business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, each Proposing Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such business. Nothing in this Section 2.4 shall be deemed to affect the rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.

(h) For purposes of these Bylaws, “public disclosure” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by a national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Sections 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

2.5 Notice of Nominations for Election to the Board.

(a) Nominations of any person for election to the Board at an annual meeting or at a special meeting (but only if the election of directors is a matter specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling such special meeting) may be made at such meeting only (i) as provided in the Stockholders Agreements (as defined below), (ii) by or at the direction of the Board, including by any committee or persons authorized to do so by the Board or these Bylaws, or (iii) by a stockholder present in person (A) who was a record owner of shares of the Corporation both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 2.5 and at the time of the meeting, (B) is entitled to vote at the meeting, and (C) has complied with this Section 2.5 and Section 2.6 as to such notice and nomination. Other than nominations made by a stockholder in accordance with the Stockholders Agreements, the foregoing clause (iii) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at an annual meeting or special meeting.

(b) (i) Without qualification, for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at an annual meeting pursuant to clause (iii) of Section 2.5(a), the stockholder must (1) provide Timely Notice (as defined in Section 2.4) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation, (2) provide the information, agreements and questionnaires with respect to such stockholder and its candidate for nomination as required to be set forth by this Section 2.5 and Section 2.6 and (3) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.5 and Section 2.6.

(ii) Without qualification, if the election of directors is a matter specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling a special meeting, then for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at a special meeting, the stockholder must (A) provide Timely Notice thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, (B) provide the information with respect to such stockholder and its candidate for nomination as required by this Section 2.5 and Section 2.6 and (C) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.5. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice for nominations to be made at a special meeting must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such special meeting and not later than the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such special meeting or, if later, the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public disclosure (as defined in Section 2.4) of the date of such special meeting was first made.

 

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(iii) In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or special meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

(iv) In no event may a Nominating Person provide Timely Notice with respect to a greater number of director candidates than are subject to election by stockholders at the applicable meeting. If the Corporation shall, subsequent to such notice, increase the number of directors subject to election at the meeting, such notice as to any additional nominees shall be due on the later of (A)(1) the conclusion of the time period for Timely Notice for an annual meeting or (2) the date set forth in Section 2.5(b)(ii) for a special meeting, and (B) the tenth day following the date of public disclosure (as defined in Section 2.4) of such increase.

(c) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2.5, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth:

(i) As to each Nominating Person (as defined below), the Stockholder Information (as defined in Section 2.4(c)(i), except that for purposes of this Section 2.5 the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 2.4(c)(i));

(ii) As to each Nominating Person, any Disclosable Interests (as defined in Section 2.4(c)(ii), except that for purposes of this Section 2.5 the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 2.4(c)(ii) and the disclosure with respect to the business to be brought before the meeting in Section 2.4(c)(ii) shall be made with respect to the nomination of persons for election to the Board at the meeting); and

(iii) As to each candidate whom a Nominating Person proposes to nominate for election as a director, (A) all information with respect to such candidate for nomination that would be required to be set forth in a stockholder’s notice pursuant to this Section 2.5 and Section 2.6 if such candidate for nomination were a Nominating Person, (B) all information relating to such candidate for nomination that is required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14(a) under the Exchange Act (including such candidate’s written consent to being named in the Corporation’s proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected), (C) a description of any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement between or among any Nominating Person, on the one hand, and each candidate for nomination or his or her respective associates or any other participants in such solicitation, on the other hand, including, without limitation, all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 under Regulation S-K if such Nominating Person were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the candidate for nomination were a director or executive officer of such registrant (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) through (C) are referred to as “Nominee Information”), and (D) a completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement as provided in Section 2.6(a).

(d) For purposes of this Section 2.5, the term “Nominating Person” shall mean (i) the stockholder providing the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting, (ii) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting is made, and (iii) any other participant in such solicitation.

 

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(e) A stockholder providing notice of any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2.5 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these Bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any nomination or to submit any new nomination.

(f) In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.5 with respect to any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting, each Nominating Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such nominations.

2.6 Additional Requirements for Valid Nomination of Candidates to Serve as Director and, if Elected, to be Seated as Directors.

(a) To be eligible to be a candidate for election as a director of the Corporation at an annual or special meeting, a candidate must be nominated in the manner prescribed in Section 2.5 and the candidate for nomination, whether nominated by the Board or by a stockholder of record, must have previously delivered (with respect to nominations by stockholders pursuant to Section 2.5, within the time period for delivery of the stockholder’s notice pursuant to Section 2.5), to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, (i) a completed written questionnaire (in a form provided by the Corporation upon request) with respect to the background, qualifications, stock ownership and independence of such proposed nominee and (ii) a written representation and agreement (in form provided by the Corporation upon request) that such candidate for nomination (A) is not and, if elected as a director during his or her term of office, will not become a party to (1) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given and will not give any commitment or assurance to, any person or entity as to how such proposed nominee, if elected as a director of the Corporation, will act or vote on any issue or question that has not been disclosed to the Corporation (a “Voting Commitment”) or (2) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such proposed nominee’s ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Corporation, with such proposed nominee’s fiduciary duties under applicable law, (B) is not, and will not become a party to, any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation with respect to any direct or indirect compensation or reimbursement for service as a director that has not been disclosed therein or otherwise to the Corporation and (C) if elected as a director of the Corporation, will comply with all applicable corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality, stock ownership and trading and other policies and guidelines of the Corporation applicable to directors and in effect during such person’s term in office as a director (and, if requested by any candidate for nomination, the Secretary of the Corporation shall provide to such candidate for nomination all such policies and guidelines then in effect).

(b) The Board may also require any proposed candidate for nomination as a Director to furnish such other information as may reasonably be requested by the Board in writing prior to the meeting of stockholders at which such candidate’s nomination is to be acted upon in order for the Board to determine the eligibility of such candidate for nomination to be an independent director of the Corporation, including, without limitation, eligibility in accordance with the Corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines.

 

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(c) A candidate for nomination as a director shall further update and supplement the materials delivered pursuant to this Section 2.6, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided pursuant to this Section 2.6 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (or any other office specified by the Corporation in any public announcement) not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these Bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any proposal or to submit any new proposal, including by changing or adding nominees, matters, business or resolutions proposed to be brought before a meeting of the stockholders.

(d) No candidate shall be eligible for nomination as a director of the Corporation unless such candidate for nomination and the Nominating Person seeking to place such candidate’s name in nomination has complied with Section 2.5 and this Section 2.6, as applicable. The presiding officer at the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that a nomination was not properly made in accordance with Section 2.5 and this Section 2.6, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare such determination to the meeting, the defective nomination shall be disregarded and any ballots cast for the candidate in question (but in the case of any form of ballot listing other qualified nominees, only the ballots cast for the nominee in question) shall be void and of no force or effect.

(e) Subject to Section 2.6(f) of these Bylaws, no candidate for nomination shall be eligible to be seated as a director of the Corporation unless nominated in accordance with Section 2.5 and this Section 2.6.

(f) Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, for so long as any party to (i) that certain stockholders agreement, dated as of July [ 🌑 ], 2021, by and among the Corporation, AEA Investors Fund VI LP, AEA TGP Holdco LP, 2594868 Ontario Limited and TCP Traeger Holdings SPV LLC, and any of their respective affiliate transferees (as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented and/or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with its terms, the “Sponsor Stockholders Agreement”), and (ii) that certain stockholders agreement dated as of July [ 🌑 ], 2021, by and between the Corporation and Jeremy Andrus (as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented and/or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with its terms, the “Management Stockholders Agreement” and, together with the Sponsor Stockholders Agreement, the “Stockholders Agreements”), is entitled to nominate a Director or Directors pursuant to the applicable Stockholders Agreement, such party shall not be subject to Section 2.5 or this Section 2.6 with respect to a nomination made pursuant to the applicable Stockholder Agreement.

 

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2.7 Notice of Stockholders Meetings.

Unless otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the notice of any meeting of stockholders shall be sent or otherwise given in accordance with Section 8.1 of these Bylaws not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting. The notice shall specify the place, if any, date and time of the meeting, the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called.

2.8 Quorum.

Unless otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the holders of a majority in voting power of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person if applicable, or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the stockholders. A quorum, once established at a meeting, shall not be broken by the withdrawal of enough votes to leave less than a quorum. If, however, a quorum is not present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, then either (i) the person presiding over the meeting or (ii) a majority in voting power of the stockholders entitled to vote thereon, present in person, or by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy, shall have power to adjourn the meeting from time to time in the manner provided in Section 2.9 of these Bylaws until a quorum is present or represented. At any adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present or represented, any business may be transacted that might have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed.

2.9 Adjourned Meeting; Notice.

When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time, place, if any, thereof, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At any adjourned meeting, the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. If after the adjournment a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, the Board shall fix as the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting as of the record date so fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting.

2.10 Conduct of Business.

The date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at a meeting shall be announced at the meeting by the person presiding over the meeting. The Board may adopt by resolution such rules and regulations for the conduct of the meeting of stockholders as it shall deem appropriate. Except to the extent inconsistent with such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board, the person presiding over any meeting of stockholders shall have the right and authority to convene and (for any or no reason) to recess and/or adjourn the meeting, to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures (which need not be in writing) and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such presiding person, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations or procedures, whether adopted by

 

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the Board or prescribed by the person presiding over the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (i) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting; (ii) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present (including, without limitation, rules and procedures for removal of disruptive persons from the meeting); (iii) limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other persons as the person presiding over the meeting shall determine; (iv) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; and (v) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants. The presiding person at any meeting of stockholders, in addition to making any other determinations that may be appropriate to the conduct of the meeting (including, without limitation, determinations with respect to the administration and/or interpretation of any of the rules, regulations or procedures of the meeting, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the person presiding over the meeting), shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a matter of business was not properly brought before the meeting and if such presiding person should so determine, such presiding person shall so declare to the meeting and any such matter or business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted or considered. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board or the person presiding over the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

2.11 Voting.

Except as may be otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, each stockholder shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of capital stock held by such stockholder.

Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, at all duly called or convened meetings of stockholders at which a quorum is present, for the election of directors, a plurality of the votes cast shall be sufficient to elect a director. Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws, the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation, or applicable law or pursuant to any regulation applicable to the Corporation or its securities, each other matter presented to the stockholders at a duly called or convened meeting at which a quorum is present shall be decided by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the votes cast (excluding abstentions and broker non-votes) on such matter.

2.12 Record Date for Stockholder Meetings and Other Purposes.

In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board, and which record date shall, unless otherwise required by law, not be more than sixty (60) days nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If the Board so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by the Board, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be the close of business on the next day preceding the day on which notice is first given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting; and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance herewith at the adjourned meeting.

 

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In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment or any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of capital stock, or for the purposes of any other lawful action, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than sixty (60) days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating thereto.

2.13 Proxies.

Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy authorized by an instrument in writing or by a transmission permitted by law filed in accordance with the procedure established for the meeting, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three (3) years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. The revocability of a proxy that states on its face that it is irrevocable shall be governed by the provisions of Section 212 of the DGCL. A proxy may be in the form of an electronic transmission which sets forth or is submitted with information from which it can be determined that the transmission was authorized by the stockholder.

2.14 List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote.

The Corporation shall prepare, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (provided, however, that if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than ten (10) days before the date of the meeting, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth day before the meeting date), arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. The Corporation shall not be required to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting: (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, or (ii) during ordinary business hours, at the Corporation’s principal executive office. In the event that the Corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the Corporation. If the meeting is to be held at a place, then the list shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting. Such list shall presumptively determine the identity of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and the number of shares held by each of them. Except as otherwise provided by law, the stock ledger shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the list of stockholders required by this Section 2.14 or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.

 

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2.15 Inspectors of Election.

Before any meeting of stockholders, the Corporation shall appoint an inspector or inspectors of election to act at the meeting or its adjournment and make a written report thereof. The Corporation may designate one or more persons as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If any person appointed as inspector or any alternate fails to appear or fails or refuses to act, then the person presiding over the meeting shall appoint a person to fill that vacancy.

Such inspectors shall:

(i) determine the number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each, the number of shares represented at the meeting and the validity of any proxies and ballots;

(ii) count all votes or ballots;

(iii) count and tabulate all votes;

(iv) determine and retain for a reasonable period a record of the disposition of any challenges made to any determination by the inspector(s); and

(v) certify its or their determination of the number of shares represented at the meeting and its or their count of all votes and ballots.

Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of the duties of inspector, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspection with strict impartiality and according to the best of such inspector’s ability. Any report or certificate made by the inspectors of election is prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein. The inspectors of election may appoint such persons to assist them in performing their duties as they determine.

2.16 Delivery to the Corporation.

Whenever Section 2.4, Section 2.5 or Section 2.6 of this Article II requires one or more persons (including a record or beneficial owner of stock) to deliver a document or information to the Corporation or any officer, employee or agent thereof (including any notice, request, questionnaire, revocation, representation or other document or agreement), such document or information shall be in writing exclusively (and not in an electronic transmission) and shall be delivered exclusively by hand (including, without limitation, overnight courier service) or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, and the Corporation shall not be required to accept delivery of any document not in such written form or so delivered. For the avoidance of doubt, the Corporation expressly opts out of Section 116 of the DGCL with respect to the delivery of information and documents to the Corporation required by Section 2.4, Section 2.5 or Section 2.6 of this Article II.

 

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Article III - Directors

3.1 Powers.

Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation or the DGCL, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board.

3.2 Number; Term; Qualifications.

The total number of directors constituting the Board shall be determined from time to time as provided in the Certificate of Incorporation. The Board shall be classified in the manner provided in the Certificate of Incorporation. Each director shall hold office until such time as provided in the Certificate of Incorporation. No reduction of the authorized number of directors shall have the effect of removing any director before that director’s term of office expires. Directors need not be stockholders to be qualified for election or service as a director of the Corporation. The Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws may prescribe qualifications for directors.

3.3 Resignation; Removal; Vacancies.

Any director may resign at any time upon written or electronic transmission to the Secretary of the Corporation. Such resignation shall be effective upon delivery unless otherwise specified. Directors of the Corporation may be removed only as expressly provided in the Certificate of Incorporation. Newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors or any vacancies on the Board resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification, removal from office or other cause shall be filled as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation.

3.4 Place of Meetings; Meetings by Telephone.

The Board may hold meetings, both regular and special, either within or outside the State of Delaware.

Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, members of the Board, or any committee designated by the Board, may participate in a meeting of the Board, or any committee, by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting pursuant to this bylaw shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

3.5 Regular Meetings.

Regular meetings of the Board may be held within or outside the State of Delaware and at such time and at such place as which has been designated by the Board and publicized among all directors, either orally or in writing, by telephone, including a voice-messaging system or other system designed to record and communicate messages, or by electronic mail or other means of electronic transmission. No further notice shall be required for regular meetings of the Board.

3.6 Special Meetings; Notice.

Special meetings of the Board for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by the Chairperson of the Board, if any, the Chief Executive Officer or a majority of the total number of directors constituting the Board; provided, that at any time that the total number of directors constituting the board is eight (8) or more, special meetings of the Board may also be called by four (4) directors.

 

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Notice of the time and place of special meetings shall be:

(i) delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone;

(ii) sent by United States first-class mail, postage prepaid;

(iii) sent by electronic mail; or

(iv) sent by other means of electronic transmission,

directed to each director at that director’s address, telephone number, electronic mail address, or other address for electronic transmission, as the case may be, as shown on the Corporation’s records.

If the notice is (i) delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone, (ii) sent by electronic mail, or (iii) sent by other means of electronic transmission, it shall be delivered or sent at least twenty-four (24) hours before the time of the holding of the meeting. If the notice is sent by U.S. mail, it shall be deposited in the U.S. mail at least four (4) days before the time of the holding of the meeting. The notice need not specify the place of the meeting (if the meeting is to be held at the Corporation’s principal executive office) nor the purpose of the meeting.

3.7 Quorum.

At all meetings of the Board, unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, a majority of the total number of directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business; provided that, solely for the purposes of filling vacancies pursuant to Section 3.3 of these Bylaws, a meeting of the Board may be held if a majority of the directors then in office participate in such meeting. The vote of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by statute, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws. If a quorum is not present at any meeting of the Board, then the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present.

3.8 Board Action without a Meeting.

Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission. After an action is taken, the consent or consents relating thereto shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board, or the committee thereof, in the same paper or electronic form as the minutes are maintained. Such action by written consent or consent by electronic transmission shall have the same force and effect as a unanimous vote of the Board.

3.9 Fees and Compensation of Directors.

Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the Board shall have the authority to fix the compensation, including fees and reimbursement of expenses, of directors for services to the Corporation in any capacity. Any director of the Corporation may decline any or all such compensation payable to such director in his or her discretion.

 

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Article IV - Committees

4.1 Committees of Directors.

The Board may designate one (1) or more committees, each committee to consist, of one (1) or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one (1) or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent permitted by applicable law or provided in the resolution of the Board or in these Bylaws, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers that may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority to (i) approve or adopt, or recommend to the stockholders, any action or matter expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval (other than the election or removal of directors), or (ii) adopt, amend or repeal any bylaw of the Corporation.

4.2 Committee Minutes.

Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board when required.

4.3 Meetings and Actions of Committees.

Meetings and actions of committees shall be governed by, and held and taken in accordance with, the provisions of:

(i) Section 3.4 (place of meetings; meetings by telephone);

(ii) Section 3.5 (regular meetings);

(iii) Section 3.6 (special meetings; notice);

(iv) Section 3.8 (board action without a meeting); and

(v) Section 7.13 (waiver of notice),

with such changes in the context of those Bylaws provisions as are necessary to substitute the committee and its members for the Board and its members. However:

(i) the time of regular meetings of committees may be determined either by resolution of the Board or by resolution of the committee;

 

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(ii) special meetings of committees may also be called by resolution of the Board or the chairperson of the applicable committee; and

(iii) the Board may adopt rules for the governance of any committee to override the provisions that would otherwise apply to the committee pursuant to this Section 4.3, provided that such rules do not violate the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or applicable law.

4.4 Subcommittees.

Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws or the resolutions of the Board designating the committee, a committee may create one (1) or more subcommittees, each subcommittee to consist of one (1) or more members of the committee, and delegate to a subcommittee any or all of the powers and authority of the committee.

Article V - Officers

5.1 Officers.

The officers of the Corporation shall include a Chief Executive Officer and a Secretary. The Corporation may also have, at the discretion of the Board, a Chairperson of the Board, an Executive Chairperson of the Board, a Vice Chairperson of the Board, a Chief Financial Officer, a Chief Accounting Officer, a Chief Legal Officer, a Treasurer, one (1) or more Vice Presidents, one (1) or more Assistant Secretaries, and any such other officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws. Any number of offices may be held by the same person. No officer need be a stockholder or director of the Corporation.

5.2 Appointment of Officers.

The Board shall appoint the officers of the Corporation, except such officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.3 of these Bylaws.

5.3 Subordinate Officers.

The Board may appoint, or empower the Chief Executive Officer or President or, in the absence of a Chief Executive Officer or President, the Chief Financial Officer, to appoint, such other officers and agents as the business of the Corporation may require. Each of such officers and agents shall hold office for such period, have such authority, and perform such duties as are provided in these Bylaws or as the Board may from time to time determine.

5.4 Removal and Resignation of Officers.

Subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under any contract of employment, any officer may be removed, either with or without cause, by the Board or, except in the case of an officer chosen by the Board, by any officer upon whom such power of removal may be conferred by the Board. Any officer may resign at any time by giving notice in writing or by electronic transmission to the Corporation. Any resignation shall take effect at the date of the receipt of that notice or at any later time specified in that notice. Unless otherwise specified in the notice of resignation, the acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. If a resignation is made effective at a later date and the Corporation accepts the future effective date, the Board may fill the pending vacancy before the effective date if the Board provides that the successor shall not take office until the effective date. Any resignation is without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the Corporation under any contract to which the officer is a party.

 

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5.5 Vacancies in Offices.

Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation shall be filled by the Board or as provided in Section 5.2.

5.6 Representation of Shares of Other Corporations.

The Chairperson of the Board, if any, the Chief Executive Officer or the President, or any other person authorized by the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President, is authorized to vote, represent and exercise on behalf of this Corporation all rights incident to any and all shares or voting securities of any other corporation or other entity standing in the name of this Corporation. The authority granted herein may be exercised either by such person directly or by any other person authorized to do so by proxy or power of attorney duly executed by such person having the authority.

5.7 Authority and Duties of Officers.

All officers of the Corporation shall respectively have such authority and perform such duties in the management of the business of the Corporation as may be provided herein or designated from time to time by the Board and, to the extent not so provided, as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the oversight of the Board.

5.8 Compensation.

The compensation of the officers of the Corporation for their services as such shall be fixed from time to time by or at the direction of the Board. An officer of the Corporation shall not be prevented from receiving compensation by reason of the fact that he or she is also a director of the Corporation.

Article VI - Records

A stock ledger consisting of one or more records in which the names of all of the Corporation’s stockholders of record, the address and number of shares registered in the name of each such stockholder, and all issuances and transfers of stock of the corporation are recorded in accordance with Section 224 of the DGCL shall be administered by or on behalf of the Corporation. Any records administered by or on behalf of the Corporation in the regular course of its business, including its stock ledger, books of account, and minute books, may be kept on, or by means of, or be in the form of, any information storage device, or method, or one or more electronic networks or databases (including one or more distributed electronic networks or databases), provided that the records so kept can be converted into clearly legible paper form within a reasonable time and, with respect to the stock ledger, that the records so kept (i) can be used to prepare the list of stockholders specified in Sections 219 and 220 of the DGCL, (ii) record the information specified in Sections 156, 159, 217(a) and 218 of the DGCL, and (iii) record transfers of stock as governed by Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code as adopted in the State of Delaware.    

 

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Article VII - General Matters

7.1 Execution of Corporate Contracts and Instruments.

The Board may authorize any officer or officers, or agent or agents, to enter into any contract or execute any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation; such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.

7.2 Stock Certificates.

The shares of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates, provided that the Board by resolution may provide that some or all of the shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation shall be uncertificated. Certificates for the shares of stock, if any, shall be in such form as is consistent with the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law. Every holder of stock represented by a certificate shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by, any two officers authorized to sign stock certificates representing the number of shares registered in certificate form. The Chairperson or Vice Chairperson of the Board, if any, Chief Executive Officer, the President, Vice President, the Treasurer, if any, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Corporation shall be specifically authorized to sign stock certificates. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate has ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he or she were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.

The Corporation may issue the whole or any part of its shares as partly paid and subject to call for the remainder of the consideration to be paid therefor. Upon the face or back of each stock certificate issued to represent any such partly paid shares, or upon the books and records of the Corporation in the case of uncertificated partly paid shares, the total amount of the consideration to be paid therefor and the amount paid thereon shall be stated. Upon the declaration of any dividend on fully paid shares, the Corporation shall declare a dividend upon partly paid shares of the same class, but only upon the basis of the percentage of the consideration actually paid thereon.

7.3 Special Designation of Certificates.

If the Corporation is authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one series of any class, then the powers, the designations, the preferences and the relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights shall be set forth in full or summarized on the face or on the back of the certificate that the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock (or, in the case of uncertificated shares, set forth in a notice provided pursuant to Section 151 of the DGCL); provided, however, that except as otherwise provided in Section 202 of the DGCL, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, there may be set forth on the face of back of the certificate that the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock (or, in the case of any uncertificated shares, included in the aforementioned notice) a statement that the Corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, the designations, the preferences and the relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights.

 

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7.4 Lost Certificates.

Except as provided in this Section 7.4, no new certificates for shares shall be issued to replace a previously issued certificate unless the latter is surrendered to the Corporation and cancelled at the same time. The Corporation may issue a new certificate of stock or uncertificated shares in the place of any certificate theretofore issued by it, alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, and the Corporation may require the owner of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or such owner’s legal representative, to give the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify it against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate or uncertificated shares.

7.5 Shares Without Certificates

The Corporation may adopt a system of issuance, recordation and transfer of its shares of stock by electronic or other means not involving the issuance of certificates, provided the use of such system by the Corporation is permitted in accordance with applicable law.

7.6 Construction; Definitions.

Unless the context requires otherwise, the general provisions, rules of construction and definitions in the DGCL shall govern the construction of these Bylaws. Without limiting the generality of this provision, the singular number includes the plural and the plural number includes the singular.

7.7 Dividends.

The Board, subject to any restrictions contained in either (i) the DGCL or (ii) the Certificate of Incorporation, may declare and pay dividends upon the shares of its capital stock. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property or in shares of the Corporation’s capital stock.

The Board may set apart out of any of the funds of the Corporation available for dividends a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose and may abolish any such reserve. Such purposes shall include but not be limited to equalizing dividends, repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, and meeting contingencies.

7.8 Fiscal Year.

The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board and may be changed by the Board.

7.9 Seal.

The Corporation may adopt a corporate seal, which shall be adopted and which may be altered by the Board. The Corporation may use the corporate seal by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any other manner reproduced.

 

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7.10 Transfer of Stock.

Shares of the Corporation shall be transferable in the manner prescribed by law, in these Bylaws and subject to the restrictions under any coordination agreement. Shares of stock of the Corporation shall be transferred on the books of the Corporation only by the holder of record thereof or by such holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing, upon surrender to the Corporation of the certificate or certificates representing such shares endorsed by the appropriate person or persons (or by delivery of duly executed instructions with respect to uncertificated shares), with such evidence of the authenticity of such endorsement or execution, transfer, authorization and other matters as the Corporation may reasonably require, and accompanied by all necessary stock transfer stamps. No transfer of stock shall be valid as against the Corporation for any purpose until it shall have been entered in the stock records of the Corporation by an entry showing the names of the persons from and to whom it was transferred.

7.11 Stock Transfer Agreements.

The Corporation shall have power to enter into and perform any agreement with any number of stockholders of any one or more classes or series of stock of the Corporation to restrict the transfer of shares of stock of the Corporation of any one or more classes owned by such stockholders in any manner not prohibited by the DGCL.

7.12 Registered Stockholders.

The Corporation:

(i) shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends and to vote as such owner; and

(ii) shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of another person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of the State of Delaware.

7.13 Waiver of Notice.

Whenever notice is required to be given under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, a written waiver, signed by the person entitled to notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the person entitled to notice, whether before or after the time of the event for which notice is to be given, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the stockholders need be specified in any written waiver of notice or any waiver by electronic transmission unless so required by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.

Article VIII - Notice

8.1 Delivery of Notice; Notice by Electronic Transmission.

Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provisions of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these Bylaws may be given in writing directed to the stockholder’s mailing address (or by electronic transmission directed to the stockholder’s electronic mail address, as applicable) as it appears on the

 

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records of the Corporation and shall be given (1) if mailed, when the notice is deposited in the U.S. mail, postage prepaid, (2) if delivered by courier service, the earlier of when the notice is received or left at such stockholder’s address or (3) if given by electronic mail, when directed to such stockholder’s electronic mail address unless the stockholder has notified the Corporation in writing or by electronic transmission of an objection to receiving notice by electronic mail. A notice by electronic mail must include a prominent legend that the communication is an important notice regarding the Corporation.

Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws shall be effective if given by a form of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder to whom the notice is given. Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice or electronic transmission to the Corporation. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, the Corporation may give a notice by electronic mail in accordance with the first paragraph of this section without obtaining the consent required by this paragraph.

Any notice given pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall be deemed given:

(i) if by facsimile telecommunication, when directed to a number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice;

(ii) if by a posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, upon the later of (A) such posting and (B) the giving of such separate notice; and

(iii) if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a notice may not be given by an electronic transmission from and after the time that (i) the Corporation is unable to deliver by such electronic transmission two (2) consecutive notices given by the Corporation and (ii) such inability becomes known to the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation or to the transfer agent, or other person responsible for the giving of notice, provided, however, the inadvertent failure to discover such inability shall not invalidate any meeting or other action.

An affidavit of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or of the transfer agent or other agent of the Corporation that the notice has been given shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.

Article IX - Indemnification

9.1 Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

The Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any director or officer of the Corporation (a “covered person”) who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “Proceeding”) by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture,

 

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trust, enterprise or non-profit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any such Proceeding. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.4, the Corporation shall be required to indemnify a person in connection with a Proceeding initiated by such person only if the Proceeding was authorized in the specific case by the Board.

9.2 Indemnification of Others.

The Corporation shall have the power to indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any employee or agent of the Corporation who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any Proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was an employee or agent of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any such Proceeding.

9.3 Prepayment of Expenses.

The Corporation shall to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by any covered person, and may pay the expenses incurred by any employee or agent of the Corporation, in defending any Proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that such payment of expenses in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking by the person to repay all amounts advanced if it should be ultimately determined that the person is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article IX or otherwise.

9.4 Determination; Claim.

If a claim for indemnification (following the final disposition of such Proceeding) under this Article IX is not paid in full within sixty (60) days, or a claim for advancement of expenses under this Article IX is not paid in full within thirty (30) days, after a written claim therefor has been received by the Corporation the claimant may thereafter (but not before) file suit to recover the unpaid amount of such claim and, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such claim to the fullest extent permitted by law. In any such action the Corporation shall have the burden of proving that the claimant was not entitled to the requested indemnification or payment of expenses under applicable law.

9.5 Non-Exclusivity of Rights.

The rights conferred on any person by this Article IX shall not be exclusive of any other rights which such person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

9.6 Insurance.

The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust enterprise or non-profit entity against any liability asserted against him or her and incurred by him or her in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify him or her against such liability under the provisions of the DGCL.

 

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9.7 Continuation of Indemnification.

The rights to indemnification and to prepayment of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article IX shall continue notwithstanding that the person has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of the estate, heirs, executors, administrators, legatees and distributees of such person.

9.8 Amendment or Repeal; Interpretation.

The provisions of this Article IX shall constitute a contract between the Corporation, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, each individual who serves or has served as a director or officer of the Corporation (whether before or after the adoption of these Bylaws), in consideration of such person’s performance of such services, and pursuant to this Article IX the Corporation intends to be legally bound to each such current or former director or officer of the Corporation. With respect to current and former directors and officers of the Corporation, the rights conferred under this Article IX are present contractual rights and such rights are fully vested, and shall be deemed to have vested fully, immediately upon adoption of theses Bylaws. With respect to any directors or officers of the Corporation who commence service following adoption of these Bylaws, the rights conferred under this provision shall be present contractual rights and such rights shall fully vest, and be deemed to have vested fully, immediately upon such director or officer commencing service as a director or officer of the Corporation. Any repeal or modification of the foregoing provisions of this Article IX shall not adversely affect any right or protection (i) hereunder of any person in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such repeal or modification or (ii) under any agreement providing for indemnification or advancement of expenses to an officer or director of the Corporation in effect prior to the time of such repeal or modification.

Any reference to an officer of the Corporation in this Article IX shall be deemed to refer exclusively to the Chief Executive Officer, President, and Secretary, or other officer of the Corporation appointed by (x) the Board pursuant to Article V of these Bylaws or (y) an officer to whom the Board has delegated the power to appoint officers pursuant to Article V of these Bylaws, and any reference to an officer of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall be deemed to refer exclusively to an officer appointed by the Board (or equivalent governing body) of such other entity pursuant to the certificate of incorporation and Bylaws (or equivalent organizational documents) of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise. The fact that any person who is or was an employee of the Corporation or an employee of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise has been given or has used the title of “Vice President” or any other title that could be construed to suggest or imply that such person is or may be an officer of the Corporation or of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall not result in such person being constituted as, or being deemed to be, an officer of the Corporation or of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise for purposes of this Article IX.

 

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Article X - Amendments

The Board is expressly empowered to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws. The stockholders also shall have power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws; provided, however, that such action by stockholders shall require, in addition to any other vote required by the Certificate of Incorporation or applicable law, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.

Article XI - Definitions

As used in these Bylaws, unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

An “electronic transmission” means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, including the use of, or participation in, one or more electronic networks or databases (including one or more distributed electronic networks or databases), that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process.

An “electronic mail” means an electronic transmission directed to a unique electronic mail address (which electronic mail shall be deemed to include any files attached thereto and any information hyperlinked to a website if such electronic mail includes the contact information of an officer or agent of the Corporation who is available to assist with accessing such files and information).

An “electronic mail address” means a destination, commonly expressed as a string of characters, consisting of a unique user name or mailbox (commonly referred to as the “local part” of the address) and a reference to an internet domain (commonly referred to as the “domain part” of the address), whether or not displayed, to which electronic mail can be sent or delivered.

The term “person” means any individual, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust, business trust, joint stock company, joint venture, unincorporated association, cooperative or association or any other legal entity or organization of whatever nature, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.

 

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Traeger, Inc.

Certificate of Adoption of Bylaws

 

 

 

The undersigned hereby certifies that he is the duly elected, qualified, and acting Secretary of Traeger, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”), and that the foregoing Bylaws were adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation on [ 🌑 ], 2021 to be effective as of [ 🌑 ], 2021.

 

 

Thomas Burton

General Counsel & Secretary

Exhibit 3.5

FIRST AMENDMENT TO LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

OF

TGPX HOLDINGS I LLC

Dated as of July 21, 2021

Reference is hereby made to that certain Limited Liability Company Agreement of TGPX Holdings I LLC (the “Company”), dated as of August 23, 2017 (the “LLC Agreement”), entered into by TGP Holdings LP, a Delaware limited partnership, as the sole member of the Company (the “Member”). All capitalized terms used in this Amendment (this “Amendment”) have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the LLC Agreement unless otherwise defined herein. This Amendment shall be dated as of the date first set forth above and as necessary to give effect to the actions contemplated hereby.

RECITALS

WHEREAS: The Company is currently governed by the LLC Agreement and, pursuant to Section 10.1 of the LLC Agreement, amendments to the LLC Agreement (except as otherwise expressly provided therein) may be made only with the consent of the Member.

WHEREAS: Pursuant to Section 3.2(b) of the LLC Agreement, the number of Common Units held by the Member as of any given time shall be set forth on Schedule A of the LLC Agreement, as such schedule may be updated from time to time in accordance with the terms of the LLC Agreement.

WHEREAS: The Member and TGP Holdings GP Corp, a Delaware corporation and the general partner of the Member, desire to effect a forward unit split of the existing 10 Common of the LLC set forth on Schedule A of the LLC Agreement.

WHEREAS: The Member has agreed, in order to prepare for the possibility of an initial public offering (the “IPO”) and the conversion of the Company from a limited liability company into a corporation to be incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware, to amend the LLC Agreement as set forth below.

AGREEMENT

NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the foregoing recitals and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, it is hereby agreed as follows:

 

  1.

Schedule A of the LLC Agreement is hereby amended in its entirety to read:

SCHEDULE A

 

Member

   Interests

TGP Holdings LP

  

108,724,422 Common Units

 

  2.

Except as expressly set forth herein, this Amendment shall not apply to any other provisions of the LLC Agreement and the remainder of the LLC Agreement shall remain unchanged.

 

  3.

From and after the date of this Amendment, all references in the LLC Agreement to “this Agreement” shall refer to the LLC Agreement, as amended by this Amendment.


  4.

This Amendment shall be binding upon, and shall inure to the benefit of, the party hereto and its successors and permitted assigns.

 

  5.

This Amendment will be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware (without regard to conflict of law principles).

 

  6.

Each provision of this Amendment shall be considered severable and if for any reason any provision or provisions herein are determined to be invalid, unenforceable or illegal under any existing or future law, such invalidity, unenforceability or illegality shall not impair the operation of or affect those portions of this Amendment that are valid, enforceable and legal.

[Signature page immediately follows]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Amendment to be duly executed and delivered in its name and on its behalf as of the date first written above.

 

 

MEMBER:

TGP HOLDINGS LP

By: TGP Holdings GP Corp, its general partner

 

By:

 

/s/ Jeremy Andrus

Name:

 

Jeremy Andrus

Title:

 

Chief Executive Officer

[Signature Page to First Amendment to TGPX Holdings I Limited Liability Company Agreement]

Exhibit 4.1

 

LOGO

NUMBER TI TRAEGER SHARES INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE CUSIP XXXXXX XX X SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS AND LEGENDS This certifies that is the record holder of FULLY PAID AND NONASSESSABLE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK, $0.0001 PAR VALUE PER SHARE, OF TRAEGER, INC. transferable on the books of the Corporation in person or by duly authorized attorney upon surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed. This Certificate is not valid until countersigned by the Transfer Agent and registered by the Registrar. WITNESS the facsimile seal of the Corporation and the facsimile signatures of its duly authorized officers. Dated: CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER TRAEGER, INC CORPORATE SEAL DELAWARE SCERETARY COUNTERSIGNED AND REGISTERED: AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER TRUST& COMPANY, LLC (BROOKLYN, NY) TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR BY: AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE


LOGO

The Corporation shall furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests a statement of the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock of the Corporation or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights. Such requests shall be made to the Corporations Secretary at the principal office of the Corporation. KEEP THIS CERTIFICATE IN A SAFE PLACE. IF IT IS LOST, STOLEN, OR DESTROYED THE CORPORATION WILL REQUIRE A BOND INDEMNITY AS A CONDITION TO THE ISSUANCE OF A REPLACEMENT CERTIFICATE. The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations: TEN COM as tenants in common TEN ENT as tenants by the entireties JT TEN as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common COM PROP as community property UNIF GIFT MIN ACT Custodian (Cust) (Minor) under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (State) UNIF TRF MIN ACT Custodian (until age) (Cust) (Minor) under Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (State) Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list. FOR VALUE RECEIVED, hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE (PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, OF ASSIGNEE) shares of the capital stock represented by within Certificate, and do hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint attorney-in-fact to transfer the said stock on the books of the within named Corporation with full power of the substitution in the premises. Dated Signature(s) Guaranteed: NOTICE: THE SIGNATURE TO THIS ASSIGNMENT MUST CORRESPOND WITH THE NAME AS WRITTEN UPON THE FACE OF THE CERTIFICATE IN EVERY PARTICULAR, WITHOUT ALTERATION OR ENLARGEMENT OR ANY CHANGE WHATSOEVER. By THE SIGNATURE(S) SHOULD BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION, (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM), PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15. GUARANTEES BY A NOTARY PUBLIC ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE. SIGNATURE GUARANTEES MUST NOT BE DATED.

Exhibit 4.2

 

 

 

STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT

by and among

TRAEGER, INC.

and

THE STOCKHOLDERS NAMED HEREIN

Dated as of [], 2021

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

     1  

Section 1.1.

   Definitions      1  

Section 1.2.

   General Interpretive Principles      4  

ARTICLE II MANAGEMENT

     5  

Section 2.1.

   Board of Directors      5  

Section 2.2.

   Controlled Company      8  

ARTICLE III ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES

     8  

Section 3.1.

   Matters Requiring Consent      8  

Section 3.2.

   Exculpation Among Stockholders      9  

Section 3.3.

   Confidentiality      9  

ARTICLE IV ADDITIONAL PARTIES

     10  

Section 4.1.

   Additional Parties      10  

ARTICLE V MISCELLANEOUS

     10  

Section 5.1.

   Amendment      10  

Section 5.2.

   Corporate Opportunities      10  

Section 5.3.

   Termination      10  

Section 5.4.

   Non-Recourse      11  

Section 5.5.

   No Third Party Beneficiaries      11  

Section 5.6.

   Recapitalizations; Exchanges, Etc.      11  

Section 5.7.

   Addresses and Notices      11  

Section 5.8.

   Binding Effect      12  

Section 5.9.

   Waiver      12  

Section 5.10.

   Counterparts      12  

Section 5.11.

   Applicable Law; Waiver of Jury Trial      13  

Section 5.12.

   Severability      13  

Section 5.13.

   Delivery by Electronic Transmission      14  

Section 5.14.

   Entire Agreement      14  

Section 5.15.

   Remedies      14  

 

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STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT

This STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT (as the same may be amended from time to time in accordance with its terms, the “Agreement”) is entered into as of [●], 2021, by and among (i) Traeger, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Issuer”); (ii) AEA Investors Fund VI LP, a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership (“AEA VI”); (iii) AEA TGP Holdco LP (the “AEA Stockholders”); (iii) 2594868 Ontario Limited (the “OTPP Stockholder”); (iv) TCP Traeger Holdings SPV LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “TCP Stockholder”); and (v) any other Person who becomes a party hereto pursuant to Article V (each, such Person, the AEA Stockholder, the OTPP Stockholder and the TCP Stockholder, a “Stockholder” and such Person collectively with the AEA Stockholders, the OTPP Stockholder and the TCP Stockholder, the “Stockholders”).

WHEREAS, the parties hereto have, pursuant to the Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of TGP Holdings LP, dated as of September 25, 2017 (as amended, the “LP Agreement”), agreed to certain rights, duties and obligations with respect to ownership of Shares (as hereinafter defined) after the consummation of the IPO.

WHEREAS, in connection with the consummation by the Issuer of the IPO (as hereinafter designed), the parties hereto desire to enter into this Agreement to govern certain of their rights, duties and obligations with respect to ownership of Shares (as hereinafter defined) after the consummation of the IPO.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, the parties mutually agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.1. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

“AEA Designee” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a)(i).

Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with such Person. The term “control,” as used with respect to any Person, means the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. “Controlled” and “controlling” have meanings correlative to the foregoing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes hereof, none of the Stockholders, the Issuer, or any of their respective Subsidiaries shall be considered Affiliates of any portfolio operating company in which the Stockholders or any of their investment fund Affiliates have made a debt or equity investment, and none of the Stockholders or any of their Affiliates shall be considered an Affiliate of (a) Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries or (b) each other.

Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.


Beneficial Ownership” and “Beneficially Own” and similar terms have the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that no Stockholder shall be deemed to beneficially own any securities of the Issuer held by any other Stockholder solely by virtue of the provisions of this Agreement (other than this definition which shall be deemed to be read for this purpose without the proviso hereto).

Board” means the Board of Directors of the Issuer.

Business Day” means any day, other than a Saturday, Sunday or one on which banks are authorized by law to be closed in New York, New York.

Certificate of Incorporation” means the Issuer’s certificate of incorporation to be filed and effective in connection with the consummation of the IPO as it may be amended and/or restated from time to time.

Change in Control” means the occurrence of any of the following events:

(a) the sale or disposition, in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all, of the assets of the Issuer to any “person” or “group” (as such terms are defined in Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act), other than to any of the Stockholders or any of their respective Affiliates (collectively, the “Permitted Holders”);

(b) any person or group, other than one or more of the Permitted Holders, is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of the voting stock or interests, as applicable, of the Issuer (or any entity which controls the Issuer or which is a successor to all or substantially all of the assets of the Issuer), including by way of merger, recapitalization, reorganization, redemption, issuance of capital stock, consolidation, tender or exchange offer or otherwise; or

(c) a merger of the Issuer with or into another Person (other than one or more of the Permitted Holders) in which the voting stockholders or members, as applicable, of the Issuer immediately prior to such merger cease to hold at least fifty percent (50%) of the voting shares of the Issuer (or the surviving corporation or ultimate parent) immediately following such merger;

provided that, in each case under clause (a), (b) or (c), no Change in Control shall be deemed to occur unless the Permitted Holders as a result of such transaction cease to have the ability, without the approval of any Person who is not a Permitted Holder, to elect a majority of the members of the Board of Directors or other governing body of the Issuer (or the resulting entity), and in no event shall a Change in Control be deemed to include any transaction effected for the purpose of (i) changing, directly or indirectly, the form of organization or the organizational structure of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries, or (ii) contributing assets or equity to entities controlled by the Issuer (or owned by the Issuer in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the Issuer).

Closing Date” means the date of the closing of the IPO.

 

-2-


Coordination Agreement” means that certain coordination agreement to be entered into in connection with the IPO, the form of which is attached as Exhibit A to the LP Agreement (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time).

Director” means any member of the Board from time to time.

Director Designee” means an AEA Designee, OTPP Designee or a TCP Designee.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as the same may be amended from time to time.

Independent Director” means a Director who qualifies, as of the date of such Director’s election or appointment to the Board (or any committee thereof) and as of any other date on which the determination is being made, as an “independent director” under the applicable rules of the Stock Exchange, as determined by the Board and as an “Independent Director” under Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act and any corresponding requirement of Stock Exchange rules for audit committee members, as well as any other independence requirements of the U.S. securities laws that is then applicable to the Issuer, as determined by the Board.

Initial Public Offering” or “IPO” means the Public Offering of the Shares of the Issuer pursuant to the IPO Registration Statement.

IPO Registration Statement” means the registration statement on Form S-1, as amended (SEC File No. 333-257714) filed with the SEC on July 6, 2021 and declared effective on [●], 2021.

Issuer” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Joinder Agreement” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1.

Law,” with respect to any Person, means (a) all provisions of all laws, statutes, ordinances, rules, regulations, permits, certificates or orders of any governmental authority applicable to such Person or any of its assets or property or to which such Person or any of its assets or property is subject and (b) all judgments, injunctions, orders and decrees of all courts and arbitrators in proceedings or actions in which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its assets or properties is or may be bound or subject.

LP Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

OTPP Entity” means Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board and any subsidiary thereof.

OTPP Designee” means ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a)(ii).

Person” means an individual, partnership, corporation, business trust, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company or any other entity of whatever nature, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.

 

-3-


Public Offering” means any offering and sale of equity securities of the Issuer or any successor to the Issuer for cash pursuant to an effective registration statement (other than on Form S-4, S-8 or a comparable form) under the Securities Act.

Registration Rights Agreement” means that certain registration rights agreement to be entered into in connection with the IPO, the form of which is attached as Exhibit B to the LP Agreement, as it may be amended and/or restated from time to time.

SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as the same may be amended from time to time.

Shares” means shares of common stock, par value of $0.0001 per share, of the Issuer, and any equity securities issued in respect thereof, or in substitution therefor, in connection with any stock split, dividend or combination, or any reclassification, recapitalization, merger, consolidation or similar transaction.

TCP Designee” means has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a)(iii).

Stock Exchange” means the New York Stock Exchange or such other securities exchange or interdealer quotation system on which Shares are then listed or quoted.

Stockholder” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any party, any corporation, partnership, trust, limited liability company or other form of legal entity in which such party (or another Subsidiary of such party) holds stock or other ownership interests representing (a) more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting power of all outstanding stock or ownership interests of such entity, (b) the right to receive more than fifty percent (50%) of the net assets of such entity available for distribution to the holders of outstanding stock or ownership interests upon a liquidation or dissolution of such entity or (c) a general or managing partnership interest in such entity.

30% Rule” means Section 79 of regulation 909 under Section 62 of the Pension Benefits Act (Ontario) which prohibits Ontario Teachers’ Plan Investment Board and its affiliates from, directly or indirectly, investing the moneys of the plan in the securities of a corporation to which are attached more than 30 per cent of the votes that may be cast to elect or remove the directors of a corporation.

Section 1.2. General Interpretive Principles. The name assigned to this Agreement and the section captions used herein are for convenience of reference only and shall not be construed to affect the meaning, construction or effect hereof. Whenever required by the context, any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular form of nouns, pronouns and verbs shall include the plural and vice versa. Reference to any agreement, document or instrument means such agreement, document or instrument as amended or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof, and if applicable hereof. Unless otherwise specified, the terms “hereof,” “herein” and similar terms refer to this Agreement as a whole, and references herein to Articles or Sections

 

-4-


refer to Articles or Sections of this Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, the words, “include,” “includes” and “including,” when used herein, shall be deemed in each case to be followed by the words “without limitation”. The terms “dollars” and “$” shall mean United States dollars. The parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement. Any reference to actions by the AEA Stockholders shall mean actions taken by the holders of a majority of the Shares Beneficially Owned by the AEA Stockholders. Any reference to actions by the OTPP Stockholder shall mean actions taken by the holders of a majority of the Shares Beneficially Owned by the OTPP Stockholder. Any reference to actions by the TCP Stockholder shall mean actions taken by the holders of a majority of the Shares Beneficially Owned by the TCP Stockholder. In the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties hereto, and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any of the provisions of this Agreement. Wherever a conflict exists between this Agreement and any other agreement, this Agreement shall control but solely to the extent of such conflict.

ARTICLE II

MANAGEMENT

Section 2.1. Board of Directors.

(a) Composition; Company Recommendation. Following the Closing Date, each of the AEA Stockholders, the OTPP Stockholder and the TCP Stockholder shall have the right, but not the obligation, to designate for election to the Board, and the Issuer shall include such designees as nominees for election to the Board at all of the Issuer’s applicable annual or special meetings of stockholders (or consents in lieu of a meeting) at which Directors are to be elected (adjusted as appropriate to take into account the Issuer’s classified Board structure, if applicable), subject to satisfaction of all qualification and legal requirements regarding service as a Director in accordance with Section 2.1(c), the number of designees that, if elected, will result in such Stockholder having the number of Directors serving on the Board as follows:

(i) (x) Immediately following the Closing Date and so long as the AEA Stockholders continue to collectively Beneficially Own at least twenty percent (20%) of the aggregate number of Shares outstanding immediately following the Closing Date, the Issuer shall include in its slate of nominees three (3) Directors designated by the AEA Stockholders, (y) if at any time following the Closing Date, the AEA Stockholders collectively Beneficially Own less than twenty percent (20%) but at least ten percent (10%) of the aggregate number of Shares outstanding immediately following the Closing Date, the Issuer shall include in its slate of nominees two (2) Directors designated by the AEA Stockholders, and (z) if at any time following the Closing Date, the AEA Stockholders collectively Beneficially Own less than ten percent (10%) but at least five percent (5%) of the aggregate number of Shares outstanding immediately following the Closing Date, the Issuer shall include in its slate of nominees one (1) Director designated by the AEA Stockholders (each such Board designee, an “AEA Designee”).

 

-5-


(ii) (x) Immediately following the Closing Date and so long as the OTPP Stockholder continues to collectively Beneficially Own at least ten percent (10%) of the aggregate number of Shares outstanding immediately following the Closing Date, the Issuer shall include in its slate of nominees two (2) Directors designated by the OTPP Stockholder, and (y) if at any time following the Closing Date, the OTPP Stockholder collectively Beneficially Owns less than ten percent (10%) but at least five percent (5%) of the aggregate number of Shares outstanding immediately following the Closing Date, the Issuer shall include in its slate of nominees one (1) Director designated by the OTPP Stockholders (each such Board designee, an “OTPP Designee”).

(iii) (x) Immediately following the Closing Date and so long as the TCP Stockholder continues to collectively Beneficially Own at least ten percent (10%) of the aggregate number of Shares outstanding immediately following the Closing Date, the Issuer shall include in its slate of nominees two (2) Directors designated by the TCP Stockholder, and (y) if at any time following the Closing Date, the TCP Stockholder collectively Beneficially Owns less than ten percent (10%) but at least five percent (5%) of the aggregate number of Shares outstanding immediately following the Closing Date, the Issuer shall include in its slate of nominees one (1) Director designated by the OTPP Stockholders (each such Board designee, a “TCP Designee”).

(b) As of the Closing Date, the Board shall be comprised of ten (10) Directors as follows:

(i) The Directors initially designated for appointment to the Board (x) by the AEA Stockholders shall be Martin Eltrich, as a Class II Director, and James Ho, as a Class III Director; (y) by the OTPP Stockholder shall be Harjit Shoan, as a Class II Director; and (z) by the TCP Stockholder shall be James Manges, as a Class II Director, and E. Daniel James, as a Class I Director.

(ii) The Independent Directors initially nominated for appointment to the Board shall be Raul Alvarez, as a Class III Director; Wayne Marino, as a Class III Director; Wendy A. Beck, as a Class I Director; and Elizabeth C. Lempres, as a Class I Director.

(iii) Jeremy Andrus, the Chief Executive Officer of the Issuer, as a Class I Director.

(c) If the Issuer’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee determines in good faith that a Director Designee (i) is not qualified to serve on the Board consistent with such committee’s duly adopted policies and procedures applicable to all directors or (ii) does not satisfy applicable legal requirements regarding service as a Director, the applicable nominating Stockholder shall have the right to designate a different Director Designee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to each Stockholder, at least one member, partner or senior employee of such Stockholder shall be eligible to serve in such Stockholder’s Director Designee position.

 

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(d) In the event that any of the AEA Stockholders, OTPP Stockholder or TCP Stockholder has designated less than the total number of designees that it shall be entitled to designate pursuant to Section 2.1(a), then such Stockholder shall have the right, at any time, to designate such additional designee(s) to which it is entitled, in which case, the Issuer and the Directors shall take all necessary corporate action, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law (including with respect to fiduciary duties under Delaware law), to (x) facilitate the election or appointment of such additional designee(s) to the Board, including by increasing the size of the Board or otherwise, and (y) appoint such additional designees to fill such newly created directorships or to fill any other existing vacancies.

(e) Except as provided in Section 2.1(a), if the number of individuals that any Stockholder has the right to designate for election to the Board is decreased pursuant to Section 2.1(a), then the corresponding number of Director Designees of such Stockholder shall immediately offer to tender his or her resignation for consideration by the Board and, if such resignation is requested by the Board, such Director Designee or Director Designees shall resign within thirty (30) days from the date that the Stockholder’s right to designate for election to the Board was decreased. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, a Director Designee may resign at any time regardless of the period of time left in his or her then current term.

(f) Except as provided above and subject to the applicable provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Issuer, each Stockholder shall have the sole and exclusive right to designate an AEA Designee, OTPP Designee or TCP Designee, as applicable (serving in the same class as the predecessor), to fill vacancies on the Board pursuant to Section 2.1(a) that are created by reason of death, removal or resignation of such Stockholder’s designees, subject to Section 2.1(c) and (e).

(g) The Issuer and each of the Stockholders shall take all actions necessary and within their control to give effect to the provisions contained in this Article II, including (i) in the case of the Issuer, soliciting proxies to vote for each Director Designee designated by the Stockholders and otherwise using its best efforts to cause each Director Designee designated by the Stockholders to be included in the slate of nominees recommended by the Issuer and elected as a Director of the Issuer, and (ii) in the case of the Stockholders, voting the Shares held directly or indirectly by such Stockholders (whether at a meeting or by consent) and any of their respective Affiliates, to cause the election or removal of the Director Designees designated by the Stockholders, in each case as provided for herein and otherwise using their best efforts to cause the Issuer to comply with its obligations hereunder. No Person shall take any action that would be inconsistent with or otherwise circumvent the provisions of this Agreement; provided that each of the AEA Stockholders, the OTPP Stockholder or the TCP Stockholder may, in its sole discretion, elect not to designate any individual for election to the Board as such Stockholder’s respective Director Designee.

(h) The Issuer and its Subsidiaries shall reimburse the Directors for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with their attendance at meetings of the Board or the board of directors of any of the Issuer’s Subsidiaries, and any committees thereof, including without limitation travel, lodging and meal expenses, in accordance with the Issuer’s reimbursement policies. If the Issuer adopts a policy that Directors own a minimum amount of equity in the Issuer, Director Designees shall not be subject to such policy.

 

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(i) The Issuer and its Subsidiaries shall obtain customary director and officer indemnity insurance on commercially reasonable terms which insurance shall cover each member of the Board and the members of each board of directors of any of the Issuer’s Subsidiaries. The Issuer and its Subsidiaries shall enter into director and officer indemnification agreements substantially in the form attached as Exhibit B hereto, with each of the Director Designees.

Section 2.2. Controlled Company.

(a) The AEA Stockholders, the OTPP Stockholder and the TCP Stockholder acknowledge and agree that, (i) by virtue of this Article II, they are acting as a “group” within the meaning of the Stock Exchange rules as of the date hereof, and (ii) by virtue of the combined voting power of Shares held by the AEA Stockholders, the OTPP Stockholder and the TCP Stockholder, the Issuer shall qualify as a “controlled company” within the meaning of Stock Exchange rules as of the Closing Date.

(b) So long as the Issuer qualifies as a “controlled company” for purposes of Stock Exchange rules, the Issuer may elect to be a “controlled company” for purposes of Stock Exchange rules, and will disclose in its annual meeting proxy statement that it is a “controlled company” and the basis for that determination. If the Issuer ceases to qualify as a “controlled company” for purposes of Stock Exchange rules, the AEA Stockholders, the OTPP Stockholder, the TCP Stockholder and the Issuer will take whatever action may be reasonably necessary in relation to such party, if any, to cause the Issuer to comply with Stock Exchange rules as then in effect within the timeframe for compliance available under such rules.

ARTICLE III

ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES

Section 3.1. Matters Requiring Consent. Notwithstanding anything herein or in the Certificate of Incorporation to the contrary, the Issuer and its Subsidiaries shall not, directly or indirectly, by amendment, merger, consolidation or otherwise, take any of the actions set forth below without the prior written consent of (i) the AEA Stockholders, to the extent the AEA Stockholders are entitled to designate two (2) AEA Designees as of the date of such proposed action; (ii) the OTPP Stockholder, to the extent the OTPP Stockholder is entitled to designate two (2) OTPP Designee as of the date of such action; and/or (iii) the TCP Stockholder, to the extent the TCP Stockholder is entitled to designate two (2) TCP Designee as of the date of such action, in each case, so long as the number of Shares collectively Beneficially Owned by the AEA Stockholders, the OTPP Stockholder and the TCP Stockholder, as of the date of such proposed action, is at least thirty percent (30%) of the aggregate number of Shares outstanding immediately following the consummation of the IPO:

(a) increase or decrease the authorized number of Directors constituting the Board or the board of directors of any Subsidiary;

(b) terminate or appoint a Chief Executive Officer of the Issuer;

(c) in respect of the Issuer or any of its significant subsidiaries (as such term is defined under Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X), initiate any voluntary election to wind up, liquidate or dissolve or to commence bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or relief proceedings or adopt a plan with respect thereto or admit in writing an inability to pay any indebtedness;

 

-8-


(d) acquire or dispose, or agree to acquire or dispose, of any assets or any business enterprise or division thereof, or invest in or enter into, any joint venture, alliance or other strategic or similar transaction, or agree to invest in or enter into any such transaction, for consideration in excess of two-hundred and fifty million ($250.0 million) in any single transaction or series of related transactions; or

(e) enter into or effect a Change in Control.

Section 3.2. Exculpation Among Stockholders. Each Stockholder acknowledges that it is not relying upon any person, firm or corporation, other than the public information filed by the Issuer with the SEC relating to its Shares, in making its investment or decision to sell, retain or further invest in the Issuer. Each Stockholder agrees that none of the Stockholders or the respective controlling persons, officers, directors, partners, agents, or employees of any Stockholder shall be liable to any other Stockholder for any action heretofore or hereafter taken or omitted to be taken by any of them in connection with the purchase of the Shares.

Section 3.3. Confidentiality. Each Stockholder agrees, for so long as such Stockholder owns any Shares and for a period of two (2) years following the date upon which such Stockholder ceases to own any Shares, to keep confidential, any non-public information provided to such Stockholder by the Issuer; provided, however, that nothing herein will limit the disclosure of any information (i) to the extent required by law, statute, rule, regulation, judicial process, subpoena or court order or required by any governmental agency or other regulatory authority (including, without limitation, by deposition, interrogatory, request for documents, oral questions, subpoena, civil investigative demand, administrative proceeding or similar process); (ii) that is in the public domain or becomes generally available to the public, in each case, other than as a result of the disclosure by the parties in violation of this Agreement; (iii) is or becomes available on a non-confidential basis to a Stockholder from a source other than the Issuer; provided that such source is not subject to any obligation of confidentiality to the Issuer; (iv) is independently developed by Stockholder without violating this Agreement; (v) to a Stockholder’s advisors, representatives and Affiliates (which for the AEA Stockholders, the OTPP Stockholder and the TCP Stockholder shall include, directors, officers, employees, agents, financing sources and direct and indirect, current and prospective limited partners and investors in the ordinary course of their business); provided that such advisors, representatives and Affiliates shall have been advised of this Agreement and shall have been directed to comply with the confidentiality provisions hereof, or shall otherwise be bound by customary obligations of confidentiality, and the applicable Stockholder shall be responsible for any breach of or failure to comply with the provisions of this Section 3.3 applicable to Affiliates who receive confidential information about the Issuer from such Stockholder; or (vi) to any prospective purchaser of a Stockholder’s Shares; provided that (A) such prospective purchaser shall have been advised of this Agreement and shall have expressly agreed to be bound by the confidentiality provisions hereof, and (B) the prospective purchaser shall be responsible for any breach of or failure to comply with this Agreement by any of its Affiliates and such prospective purchaser agrees, at its sole expense, to take reasonable measures (including but not limited to court proceedings) to restrain its advisors, representatives and Affiliates from prohibited or unauthorized disclosure or use of any confidential information.

 

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ARTICLE IV

ADDITIONAL PARTIES

Section 4.1. Additional Parties. Additional parties, provided they are Permitted Holders, may be added to and be bound by and receive the benefits afforded by this Agreement upon the signing and delivery of a joinder to this Agreement substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A hereto (the “Joinder Agreement”) by the Issuer and the acceptance thereof by such additional parties and, to the extent permitted by Section 5.1, amendments may be effected to this Agreement reflecting such rights and obligations, consistent with the terms of this Agreement, of such party as the Issuer, the Stockholders and such party may agree.

ARTICLE V

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 5.1. Amendment. The terms and provisions of this Agreement may be modified or amended at any time and from time to time only by the written consent of each party hereto.

Section 5.2. Corporate Opportunities. Each Stockholder hereby represents, warrants and covenants to the Issuer and each other Stockholder that such Stockholder (i) understands that Article XI of the Certificate of Incorporation includes provisions that provide that the Issuer, to the fullest extent permitted by law and in accordance with Section 122(17) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, renounce any interest or expectancy in certain corporate opportunities that are presented to the parties hereto, subject to certain exceptions, and (ii) shall not vote in favor of amending, or otherwise seek to amend, Article XI of the Issuer’s Certificate of Incorporation without the written consent of each Stockholder that is a then-current Stockholder under the terms of this Agreement. In addition, the Issuer hereby agrees that it shall not seek to amend or remove Article XI of the Certificate of Incorporation in a manner adverse to any then-current Stockholder under the terms of this Agreement without the prior consent of such adversely effected Stockholder(s).

Section 5.3. Termination. This Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the earlier of (i) a Change in Control; (ii) written agreement of each of the AEA Stockholders, the OTPP Stockholder and the TCP Stockholder; or (iii) solely with respect to a particular Stockholder, the dissolution or liquidation of such Stockholder. In the event of any termination of this Agreement as provided in clauses (i) or (ii) of this Section 5.3, this Agreement shall forthwith become wholly void and of no further force or effect (except for this Article V) and there shall be no liability on the part of any parties hereto or their respective officers or directors, except as provided in this Article V. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no party hereto shall be relieved from liability for any willful breach of this Agreement.

 

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Section 5.4. Non-Recourse. Notwithstanding anything that may be expressed or implied in this Agreement or any document or instrument delivered in connection herewith, and notwithstanding the fact that certain of the Stockholders may be partnerships or limited liability companies, by its acceptance of the benefits of this Agreement, the Issuer and each Stockholder covenant, agree and acknowledge that no Person (other than the parties hereto) has any obligations hereunder, and that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, no recourse under this Agreement or any documents or instruments delivered in connection with this Agreement shall be had against any current or future director, officer, employee, general or limited partner or member of any Stockholder or of any Affiliate or assignee thereof, whether by the enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or equitable proceeding, or by virtue of any statute, regulation or other applicable Law, it being expressly agreed and acknowledged that no personal liability whatsoever shall attach to, be imposed on or otherwise be incurred by any the former, current and future equity holders, controlling persons, directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates, members, managers, general or limited partners or assignees of the Stockholders or any former, current or future stockholder, controlling person, director, officer, employee, general or limited partner, member, manager, Affiliate, agent or assignee of any of the foregoing, as such for any obligation of any Stockholder under this Agreement or any documents or instruments delivered in connection with this Agreement for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation.

Section 5.5. No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of the parties hereto and their permitted assigns and successors, and, except as provided in Section 5.4, nothing herein, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other Person or entity, any legal or equitable right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement.

Section 5.6. Recapitalizations; Exchanges, Etc. The provisions of this Agreement shall apply to the full extent set forth herein with respect to Shares, to any and all shares of capital stock of the Issuer or any successor or assign of the Issuer (whether by merger, consolidation, sale of assets or otherwise) which may be issued in respect of, in exchange for, or in substitution of the Shares, by reason of a stock dividend, stock split, stock issuance, reverse stock split, combination, recapitalization, reclassification, merger, consolidation or otherwise.

Section 5.7. Addresses and Notices. Any notice provided for in this Agreement will be in writing and will be either personally delivered, or received by certified mail, return receipt requested, sent by reputable overnight courier service (charges prepaid) or facsimile or electronic mail to the Issuer at the address set forth below and to any other recipient and to any holder of Shares at such address as indicated by the Issuer’s records, or at such address or to the attention of such other person as the recipient party has specified by prior written notice to the sending party. Notices will be deemed to have been given hereunder when delivered personally or sent by electronic mail (provided confirmation of such electronic mail is received or such electronic mail is delivered during regular business hours on any Business Day to the respective email addresses below and no bounce-back or error message is received by the sender), three days after deposit in the U.S. mail and one day after deposit with a reputable overnight courier service. If notice is given to the Issuer or to the Stockholders, a copy shall be sent to such party at the addresses set forth below:

 

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(w) if to the Issuer, to:

Traeger, Inc.

1215 E Wilmington Ave., Suite 200

Salt Lake City, Utah 84106

Attention: Chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

with a copy (which shall not constitute written notice) to:

Latham & Watkins LLP

1271 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10020

Attention: Stelios G. Saffos

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to each of the AEA Stockholders, the OTPP Stockholder and the TCP Stockholder as specified below;

(x) if to the AEA Stockholders, to:

c/o AEA Investors LP

520 Madison Ave., 40th Floor

New York, NY 10022

Attention: Barbara L. Burns

(y) if to the OTPP Stockholder, to:

c/o Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan

5650 Yonge Street

Toronto, Ontario M2M 4H5

Attention: Harj Shoan

(z) if to the TCP Stockholder, to:

c/o Trilantic Capital Partners

399 Park Avenue, 39th Floor

New York, NY 10022

Attention: James Manges

Section 5.8. Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns.

Section 5.9. Waiver. No failure by any party to insist upon the strict performance of any covenant, duty, agreement or condition of this Agreement or to exercise any right or remedy consequent upon a breach thereof shall constitute a waiver of any such breach or any other covenant, duty, agreement or condition.

Section 5.10. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts, each of which will be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement binding on all the parties hereto.

 

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Section 5.11. Applicable Law; Waiver of Jury Trial. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware. The parties hereto agree that any suit, action or proceeding seeking to enforce any provision of, or based on any matter arising out of or in connection with, this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (whether brought by any party or any of its Affiliates or against any party or any of its Affiliates) shall be brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or in the event, but only in the event, that such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction over such action or proceeding, the Superior Court of the State of Delaware (Complex Commercial Division) or, if subject matter jurisdiction over the action or proceeding is vested exclusively in the federal courts of the United States of America, the United States District Court for the District of Delaware) and each of the parties hereby irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of such courts (and of the appropriate appellate courts therefrom) in any such suit, action or proceeding and irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding in any such court or that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Process in any such suit, action or proceeding may be served on any party anywhere in the world, whether within or without the jurisdiction of any such court. THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVE ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

Section 5.12. Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or the effectiveness or validity of any provision in any other jurisdiction, and this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein.

Section 5.13. Delivery by Electronic Transmission. This Agreement and any signed agreement or instrument entered into in connection with this Agreement or contemplated hereby, and any amendments hereto or thereto, to the extent signed and delivered by means of electronic transmission (i.e., in portable document format), shall be treated in all manner and respects as an original agreement or instrument and shall be considered to have the same binding legal effect as if it were the original signed version thereof delivered in person. At the request of any party hereto or to any such agreement or instrument, each other party hereto or thereto shall re-execute original forms thereof and deliver them to all other parties. No party hereto or to any such agreement or instrument shall raise the use of electronic transmission to deliver a signature or the fact that any signature or agreement or instrument was transmitted or communicated through the use of electronic transmission as a defense to the formation of a contract and each such party forever waives any such defense.

 

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Section 5.14. Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the Registration Rights Agreement and the Coordination Agreement, and all of the other exhibits, annexes and schedules hereto and thereto constitute the entire understanding and agreement between the parties as to restrictions on the transferability of Shares and the other matters covered herein and therein and supersede and replace any prior understanding, agreement between the parties as to restrictions on the transferability of Shares and the other matters covered herein and therein and supersede and replace any prior understanding, agreement or statement of intent, in each case, written or oral, of any and every nature with respect thereto. In the event of any inconsistency between this Agreement and any agreement executed or delivered to effect the purposes of this Agreement, this Agreement shall govern as among the parties hereto.

Section 5.15. Remedies. The Issuer and the Stockholders shall be entitled to enforce their rights under this Agreement specifically, to recover damages by reason of any breach of any provision of this Agreement (including, without limitation, costs of enforcement) and to exercise all other rights existing in their favor. The parties hereto agree and acknowledge that money damages may not be an adequate remedy for any breach of the provisions of this Agreement, and that the Issuer or any Stockholder may in its sole discretion apply to any court of law or equity of competent jurisdiction for specific performance or injunctive relief (without posting a bond or other security) in order to enforce or prevent any violation of the provisions of this Agreement. All remedies, either under this Agreement or by Law or otherwise afforded to any party, shall be cumulative and not alternative. All obligations hereunder shall be satisfied in full without set-off, defense or counterclaim.

Section 5.16. 30% Rule Compliance.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, no OTPP Entity (each, an “Applicable Entity”), shall be required or permitted to make any investment in the Issuer or any subsidiary thereof (each a “Group Company”), or take any action or step, or to cause any other person to take any action or step, that would be reasonably expected to cause any such Applicable Entity to be in breach of or to contravene the 30% Rule

(b) The Issuer and the Stockholders (for purposes of this Section 5.16, excluding the OTPP Shareholder) will co-operate with the relevant Applicable Entities to assist the Applicable Entities to comply with the 30% Rule in relation to their investment in the Issuer or any other Group Company and the exercise of the OTPP Shareholder’s rights under this Agreement. In furtherance of the foregoing, the Issuer and each Stockholder agrees to take (or omit to take) any action or step reasonably requested by any Applicable Entity, including, without limitation, a change in the authorized capital of a Group Company, that is necessary to avoid any breach or potential breach of the 30% Rule. The Stockholders agree to exercise their governance rights and cause their nominated directors to exercise their powers as such to comply with the foregoing. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Section 5.16, no Stockholder shall be required to take any action or step that has, or would reasonably be likely to have, a material adverse effect on such Stockholder’s economic, governance or other rights under this Agreement. In furtherance of the foregoing, each Stockholder and Group Company agrees that it shall not, without the OTPP Shareholder’s prior written consent, issue any new securities, redeem or repurchase securities or otherwise alter its capital structure in any way that would affect or adjust any Stockholder’s proportionate interest in the voting rights to appoint and remove directors (or similar persons) of any Group Company or would otherwise change the authorized or issued share capital of any Group Company or the rights attaching thereto if such change would result in a breach of the 30% Rule.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on the day and year first above written.

 

TRAEGER, INC.
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT]


AEA TGP HOLDCO LP
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT]


2594868 ONTARIO LIMITED
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT]


TCP TRAEGER HOLDINGS SPV LLC
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT]


EXHIBIT A

FORM OF JOINDER TO STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT

This Joinder Agreement (this “Joinder Agreement”) is made as of the date written below by the undersigned (the “Joining Party”) in accordance with the Stockholders Agreement dated as of [ 🌑 ], 2021 (the “Stockholders Agreement”) among Traeger, Inc. and certain other persons named therein, as the same may be amended from time to time. Capitalized terms used, but not defined, herein shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms in the Stockholders Agreement.

The Joining Party hereby acknowledges, agrees and confirms that, by its execution of this Joinder Agreement, the Joining Party shall be deemed to be a party to and a “Stockholder” under the Stockholders Agreement as of the date hereof and shall have all of the rights and obligations of the Stockholder from whom it has acquired Shares (to the extent permitted by the Stockholders Agreement) as if it had executed the Stockholders Agreement. The Joining Party hereby ratifies, as of the date hereof, and agrees to be bound by, all of the terms, provisions and conditions contained in the Stockholders Agreement.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Joinder Agreement as of the date written below.

 

Date:                     [ ], 202[ ]     [NAME OF JOINING PARTY]
    By:  

 

    Name:
    Title:
    Address for Notices:
    AGREED ON THIS [ ] day of [ ], 202[ ]:


EXHIBIT B

FORM OF DIRECTOR AND OFFICER INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

Exhibit 4.3

 

 

 

MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT

by and among

TRAEGER, INC.

and

JEREMY ANDRUS

Dated as of [], 2021

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

     1  

Section 1.1.

   Definitions      1  

Section 1.2.

   General Interpretive Principles      3  

ARTICLE II MANAGEMENT

     4  

Section 2.1.

   Board of Directors      4  

ARTICLE III ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES

     6  

Section 3.1.

   Exculpation by Andrus      6  

ARTICLE IV MISCELLANEOUS

     6  

Section 4.1.

   Amendment      6  

Section 4.2.

   Termination      6  

Section 4.3.

   Non-Recourse      6  

Section 4.4.

   No Third Party Beneficiaries      6  

Section 4.5.

   Recapitalizations; Exchanges, Etc.      7  

Section 4.6.

   Addresses and Notices      7  

Section 4.7.

   Binding Effect      7  

Section 4.8.

   Waiver      7  

Section 4.9.

   Counterparts      8  

Section 4.10.

   Applicable Law; Waiver of Jury Trial      8  

Section 4.11.

   Severability      8  

Section 4.12.

   Delivery by Electronic Transmission      8  

Section 4.13.

   Entire Agreement      9  

Section 4.14.

   Remedies      9  

 


MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT

This MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT (as the same may be amended from time to time in accordance with its terms, the “Agreement”) is entered into as of [•], 2021, by and among (i) Traeger, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Issuer”), and (ii) Jeremy Andrus (“Andrus”).

WHEREAS, in connection with the consummation by the Issuer of the IPO (as hereinafter defined), the parties hereto desire to enter into this Agreement to govern certain of their rights, duties and obligations with respect to ownership of Shares (as hereinafter defined) after the consummation of the IPO.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, the parties mutually agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.1. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

AEA Stockholders” means AEA Investors Fund VI LP, a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership, and AEA TGP Holdco LP and any respective Affiliate transferees who hold Shares at the applicable time.

Affiliates” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with such Person. The term “control,” as used with respect to any Person, means the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. “Controlled” and “controlling” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Andrus Trigger Event” means the earliest of: (i) the termination of employment of Andrus by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries for Cause; and (ii) the first date on which Andrus ceases to Beneficially Own greater than two percent (2%) of the Shares then outstanding (determined on a fully diluted basis, including any Shares acquired by Andrus following the consummation of the IPO).

Andrus Nominee” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a)(ii).

Beneficial Ownership” and “Beneficially Own” and similar terms have the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act.

Board” means the Board of Directors of the Issuer.


Business Day” means any day, other than a Saturday, Sunday or one on which banks are authorized by law to be closed in New York, New York.

Cause” has the meaning set forth in that certain Amended and Restated Employment Agreement by and between Traeger Pellet Grills LLC and Andrus, dated September 25, 2017, as it may be amended and/or restated from time to time.

Certificate of Incorporation” means the Issuer’s certificate of incorporation to be filed and effective in connection with the consummation of the IPO as it may be amended and/or restated from time to time.

Change in Control” has the meaning set forth in the Stockholders Agreement.

Closing Date” means the date of the closing of the IPO.

Director” means any member of the Board from time to time.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as the same may be amended from time to time.

Fiscal Year” means an accounting reference period for the Issuer which shall begin on January 1st and end on December 31st.

Independent Director” has the meaning set forth in the Stockholders Agreement.

Initial Public Offering” or “IPO” means the Public Offering of the Shares of the Issuer pursuant to Form S-1, as amended (SEC File No. 333-257714), filed with the SEC on July 6, 2021 and declared effective on [ 🌑 ], 2021.

Issuer” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Law,” with respect to any Person, means (a) all provisions of all laws, statutes, ordinances, rules, regulations, permits, certificates or orders of any governmental authority applicable to such Person or any of its assets or property or to which such Person or any of its assets or property is subject and (b) all judgments, injunctions, orders and decrees of all courts and arbitrators in proceedings or actions in which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its assets or properties is or may be bound or subject.

OTPP Stockholder” means 2594868 Ontario Limited and any Affiliate transferees who holds Shares at the applicable time..

Person” means an individual, partnership, corporation, business trust, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company or any other entity of whatever nature, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.

Qualification Criteria” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a)(i).

 

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Registration Rights Agreement” means that certain registration rights agreement to be entered into in connection with the IPO, the form of which is attached as Exhibit B to the LP Agreement, as it may be amended and/or restated from time to time.

SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as the same may be amended from time to time.

Shares” means shares of common stock, par value of $$0.0001 per share, of the Issuer, and any equity securities issued in respect thereof, or in substitution therefor, in connection with any stock split, dividend or combination, or any reclassification, recapitalization, merger, consolidation or similar transaction.

Sponsor Stockholders” means the AEA Stockholders, the OTPP Stockholder and the TCP Stockholder, collectively.

Stockholders Agreement” means that certain Stockholders Agreement, dated on or about the date hereof, by and among the Issuer, the Sponsor Stockholders and the signatories party thereto, as it may be amended and/or restated from time to time.

Sponsor Vacancy” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a)(ii).

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any party, any corporation, partnership, trust, limited liability company or other form of legal entity in which such party (or another Subsidiary of such party) holds stock or other ownership interests representing (a) more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting power of all outstanding stock or ownership interests of such entity, (b) the right to receive more than fifty percent (50%) of the net assets of such entity available for distribution to the holders of outstanding stock or ownership interests upon a liquidation or dissolution of such entity or (c) a general or managing partnership interest in such entity.

TCP Stockholder” means TCP Traeger Holdings SVP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and any respective Affiliate transferees who hold Shares at the applicable time.

Section 1.2. General Interpretive Principles. The name assigned to this Agreement and the section captions used herein are for convenience of reference only and shall not be construed to affect the meaning, construction or effect hereof. Whenever required by the context, any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular form of nouns, pronouns and verbs shall include the plural and vice versa. Reference to any agreement, document or instrument means such agreement, document or instrument as amended or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof, and if applicable hereof. Unless otherwise specified, the terms “hereof,” “herein” and similar terms refer to this Agreement as a whole, and references herein to Articles or Sections refer to Articles or Sections of this Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, the words, “include,” “includes” and “including,” when used herein, shall be deemed in each case to be followed by the words “without limitation”. The terms “dollars” and “$” shall mean United States dollars. The parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement. In the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this

 

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Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties hereto, and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any of the provisions of this Agreement. Wherever a conflict exists between this Agreement and any other agreement, this Agreement shall control but solely to the extent of such conflict.

ARTICLE II

MANAGEMENT

Section 2.1. Board of Directors.

(a) Andrus Designation Rights.

(i) Following the Closing Date (x) for so long as Andrus serves in his capacity as the Chief Executive Officer of the Issuer or (y) if Andrus is no longer serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the Issuer, for so long as an Andrus Trigger Event has not occurred, the Issuer shall include Andrus in its slate of Board nominees for election to the Board at all of the Issuer’s applicable annual or special meetings of stockholders (or consents in lieu of a meeting) at which Directors are to be elected (adjusted as appropriate to take into account the Issuer’s classified Board structure, if applicable), subject to satisfaction of all qualification and legal requirements regarding service as a Director in accordance with Section 2.1(b) (the “Qualification Criteria”).

(ii) Following the Closing Date and for so long as an Andrus Trigger Event has not occurred, upon creation of the first, second and third consecutive vacancies on the Board as a result of a reduction in the number of directors that the AEA Stockholder, OTPP Stockholder or TCP Stockholder are permitted to designate to the Board in accordance with the Stockholders Agreement (each, a “Sponsor Vacancy” and collectively, the “Sponsor Vacancies”), Andrus shall have the right to designate the initial replacement designee for each corresponding Sponsor Vacancy (each, a “Andrus Nominee” and collectively, the “Andrus Nominees”), and the Issuer shall include each applicable Andrus Nominee in its slate of Board nominee(s) for election to the Board in the immediately succeeding annual or special meetings of stockholders (or consents in lieu of a meeting) at which Directors are to be elected after the creation of a Sponsor Vacancy (adjusted as appropriate to take into account the Issuer’s classified Board structure, if applicable), subject to satisfaction of the Qualification Criteria. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, if (x) Andrus is no longer the Chief Executive Officer of the Issuer and (y) an Andrus Trigger Event has not occurred, any Andrus Nominee(s) designated by Andrus in accordance with this Section 2.1(a)(ii) may not be an Affiliate of Andrus and must qualify as an Independent Director.

(iii) Following the Closing Date, if Andrus is no longer serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the Issuer, for so long as an Andrus Trigger Event has not occurred and Andrus serves on the Board, the Issuer shall appoint Andrus as its Executive Chairman.

 

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(b) If the Issuer’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee determines in good faith that Andrus or any Andrus Nominee (i) is not qualified to serve on the Board consistent with such committee’s duly adopted policies and procedures applicable to all directors or (ii) does not satisfy applicable legal requirements regarding service as a Director, then Andrus shall have the right to designate a different person as a Director.

(c) If Andrus ceases to be the Chief Executive Officer of the Issuer and an Andrus Trigger Event has occurred, then Andrus shall immediately offer to tender his resignation for consideration by the Board and, if such resignation is requested by the Board, Andrus shall resign within thirty (30) days from the occurrence of the Andrus Trigger Event. In the event that the Board requests such resignation, the Issuer shall immediately take any and all actions necessary or appropriate in ensuring the removal of Andrus. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Andrus or, if applicable, each Andrus Nominee may resign at any time regardless of the period of time left in his or her then current term.

(d) The Issuer shall take all actions necessary and within its control to give effect to the provisions contained in this Article II, including soliciting proxies to vote for Andrus and, if applicable, each Andrus Nominee if designated by Andrus pursuant to Section 2.1(a) and otherwise using its best efforts to cause Andrus and, if applicable, each Andrus Nominee, to be elected as a Director of the Issuer. No Person shall take any action that would be inconsistent with or otherwise circumvent the provisions of this Agreement.

(e) The Issuer and its Subsidiaries shall reimburse the Directors for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with their attendance at meetings of the Board or the board of directors of any of the Issuer’s Subsidiaries, and any committees thereof, including without limitation travel, lodging and meal expenses, in accordance with the Issuer’s reimbursement policies.

(f) The Issuer and its Subsidiaries shall obtain customary director and officer indemnity insurance on commercially reasonable terms which insurance shall cover each member of the Board and the members of each board of directors of any of the Issuer’s Subsidiaries. The Issuer and its Subsidiaries shall enter into director and officer indemnification agreements substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A hereto, with each of the Directors.

(g) For so long as an Andrus Trigger Event has not occurred, the Issuer will consult with (but shall not be required to obtain the consent of) Andrus in connection with the proposed nominations of Directors (other than Directors who are designated by the AEA Stockholder, OTPP Stockholder or TCP Stockholder pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement) at least 60 days in advance of the filing of proxy or consent solicitation material for the applicable annual or special meetings of stockholders (or consents in lieu of a meeting) at which such Directors are to be elected.

 

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ARTICLE III

ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES

Section 3.1. Exculpation by Andrus. Andrus acknowledges that he is not relying upon any person, firm or corporation, other than the public information filed by the Issuer with the SEC relating to its Shares, in making his investment or decision to sell, retain or further invest in the Issuer.

ARTICLE IV

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 4.1. Amendment. The terms and provisions of this Agreement may be modified or amended at any time and from time to time only by the written consent of each party hereto.

Section 4.2. Termination. This Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the earlier of (i) a Change in Control, (ii) written agreement of the Issuer and Andrus provided Andrus holds Shares at such time or (iii) upon Andrus (a) no longer Beneficially Owning any Shares in the Issuer and (b) ceasing to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the Issuer. In the event of any termination of this Agreement as provided in clauses (i) or (ii) of this Section 5.2, this Agreement shall forthwith become wholly void and of no further force or effect (except for this Article IV) and there shall be no liability on the part of any parties hereto or their respective officers or directors, except as provided in this Article IV. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no party hereto shall be relieved from liability for any willful breach of this Agreement.

Section 4.3. Non-Recourse. Notwithstanding anything that may be expressed or implied in this Agreement or any document or instrument delivered in connection herewith, by its acceptance of the benefits of this Agreement, the Issuer and Andrus covenant, agree and acknowledge that no Person (other than the parties hereto) has any obligations hereunder, and that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, no recourse under this Agreement or any documents or instruments delivered in connection with this Agreement shall be had against Andrus or any assignee thereof, whether by the enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or equitable proceeding, or by virtue of any statute, regulation or other applicable Law, it being expressly agreed and acknowledged that no personal liability whatsoever shall attach to, be imposed on or otherwise be incurred by Andrus or any agent or assignee thereof, as such for any obligation of Andrus under this Agreement or any documents or instruments delivered in connection with this Agreement for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation.

Section 4.4. No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of the parties hereto and their permitted assigns and successors, and, except as provided in Section 4.3, nothing herein, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other Person or entity, any legal or equitable right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

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Section 4.5. Recapitalizations; Exchanges, Etc. The provisions of this Agreement shall apply to the full extent set forth herein with respect to Shares, to any and all shares of capital stock of the Issuer or any successor or assign of the Issuer (whether by merger, consolidation, sale of assets or otherwise) which may be issued in respect of, in exchange for, or in substitution of the Shares, by reason of a stock dividend, stock split, stock issuance, reverse stock split, combination, recapitalization, reclassification, merger, consolidation or otherwise.

Section 4.6. Addresses and Notices. Any notice provided for in this Agreement will be in writing and will be either personally delivered, or received by certified mail, return receipt requested, sent by reputable overnight courier service (charges prepaid) or facsimile or electronic mail to the Issuer at the address set forth below and to any other recipient and to any holder of Shares at such address as indicated by the Issuer’s records, or at such address or to the attention of such other person as the recipient party has specified by prior written notice to the sending party. Notices will be deemed to have been given hereunder when delivered personally or sent by electronic mail (provided confirmation of such electronic mail is received or such electronic mail is delivered during regular business hours on any Business Day to the respective email addresses below and no bounce-back or error message is received by the sender), three days after deposit in the U.S. mail and one day after deposit with a reputable overnight courier service. If notice is given to the Issuer or to Andrus, a copy shall be sent to such party at the addresses set forth below:

if to the Issuer, to:

Traeger, Inc.

1215 E Wilmington Ave., Suite 200

Salt Lake City, Utah 84106

Attention: Chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

with a copy (which shall not constitute written notice) to:

Latham & Watkins LLP

1271 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10020

Attention: Stelios G. Saffos

if to Andrus, to:

[•]

Section 4.7. Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns.

Section 4.8. Waiver. No failure by any party to insist upon the strict performance of any covenant, duty, agreement or condition of this Agreement or to exercise any right or remedy consequent upon a breach thereof shall constitute a waiver of any such breach or any other covenant, duty, agreement or condition.

 

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Section 4.9. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts, each of which will be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement binding on all the parties hereto.

Section 4.10. Applicable Law; Waiver of Jury Trial. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware. The parties hereto agree that any suit, action or proceeding seeking to enforce any provision of, or based on any matter arising out of or in connection with, this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or in the event, but only in the event, that such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction over such action or proceeding, the Superior Court of the State of Delaware (Complex Commercial Division) or, if subject matter jurisdiction over the action or proceeding is vested exclusively in the federal courts of the United States of America, the United States District Court for the District of Delaware) and each of the parties hereby irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of such courts (and of the appropriate appellate courts therefrom) in any such suit, action or proceeding and irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding in any such court or that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Process in any such suit, action or proceeding may be served on any party anywhere in the world, whether within or without the jurisdiction of any such court. THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVE ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

Section 4.11. Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or the effectiveness or validity of any provision in any other jurisdiction, and this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein.

Section 4.12. Delivery by Electronic Transmission. This Agreement and any signed agreement or instrument entered into in connection with this Agreement or contemplated hereby, and any amendments hereto or thereto, to the extent signed and delivered by means of electronic transmission (i.e., in portable document format), shall be treated in all manner and respects as an original agreement or instrument and shall be considered to have the same binding legal effect as if it were the original signed version thereof delivered in person. At the request of any party hereto or to any such agreement or instrument, each other party hereto or thereto shall re-execute original forms thereof and deliver them to all other parties. No party hereto or to any such agreement or instrument shall raise the use of electronic transmission to deliver a signature or the fact that any signature or agreement or instrument was transmitted or communicated through the use of electronic transmission as a defense to the formation of a contract and each such party forever waives any such defense.

 

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Section 4.13. Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the Registration Rights Agreement and all of the other exhibits, annexes and schedules hereto and thereto constitute the entire understanding and agreement between the parties as to restrictions on the transferability of Shares and the other matters covered herein and therein and supersede and replace any prior understanding, agreement between the parties as to restrictions on the transferability of Shares and the other matters covered herein and therein and supersede and replace any prior understanding, agreement or statement of intent, in each case, written or oral, of any and every nature with respect thereto. In the event of any inconsistency between this Agreement and any agreement executed or delivered to effect the purposes of this Agreement, this Agreement shall govern as among the parties hereto.

Section 4.14. Remedies. The Issuer and Andrus shall be entitled to enforce their rights under this Agreement specifically, to recover damages by reason of any breach of any provision of this Agreement (including, without limitation, costs of enforcement) and to exercise all other rights existing in their favor. The parties hereto agree and acknowledge that money damages may not be an adequate remedy for any breach of the provisions of this Agreement, and that the Issuer or Andrus may in its sole discretion apply to any court of law or equity of competent jurisdiction for specific performance or injunctive relief (without posting a bond or other security) in order to enforce or prevent any violation of the provisions of this Agreement. All remedies, either under this Agreement or by Law or otherwise afforded to any party, shall be cumulative and not alternative. All obligations hereunder shall be satisfied in full without set-off, defense or counterclaim.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on the day and year first above written.

 

TRAEGER, INC.
By:   

         

Name:
Title:

 

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Jeremy Andrus

 

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EXHIBIT A

FORM OF DIRECTOR AND OFFICER INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

 

-12-

Exhibit 5.1

 

 

LOGO

  1271 Avenue of the Americas
  New York, New York 10020-1401
  Tel: +1.212.906.1200 Fax: +1.212.751.4864
  www.lw.com
 

 

FIRM / AFFILIATE OFFICES

  Beijing    Moscow
  Boston    Munich
  Brussels    New York
  Century City    Orange County
  Chicago    Paris
  Dubai    Riyadh
  Düsseldorf    San Diego
  Frankfurt    San Francisco
  Hamburg    Seoul
  Hong Kong    Shanghai
  Houston    Silicon Valley
  London    Singapore
  Los Angeles            Tokyo
  Madrid    Washington, D.C.                
  Milan   

July 21, 2021

TGPX Holdings I LLC

1215 E Wilmington Ave., Suite 200

Salt Lake City, Utah 84106

 

  Re:

Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-257714)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special counsel to TGPX Holdings I LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, in connection with the proposed registration of up to 27,058,822 shares (the “Shares”) of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of Traeger, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) to be formed upon the statutory conversion of TGPX Holdings I LLC from a Delaware limited liability company into a Delaware corporation (the “Conversion”). The Shares include up to 8,823,529 shares to be issued and sold by the Company (the “Company Shares”) and up to 18,235,293 shares to be sold by certain selling stockholders (the “Stockholder Shares”). The Shares are included in a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on July 6, 2021 (Registration No. 333-257714) (as amended, the “Registration Statement”). The Conversion will take place prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement. The term “Shares” shall include any additional shares of common stock registered by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act in connection with the offering contemplated by the Registration Statement. This opinion is being furnished in connection with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act, and no opinion is expressed herein as to any matter pertaining to the contents of the Registration Statement or related prospectus (the “Prospectus”), other than as expressly stated herein with respect to the issue of the Shares.

As such counsel, we have examined such matters of fact and questions of law as we have considered appropriate for purposes of this letter. With your consent, we have relied upon certificates and other assurances of officers of the Company and others as to factual matters without having independently verified such factual matters. We are opining herein as to General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, and we express no opinion with respect to any other laws.


July 21, 2021

Page 2

 

LOGO

 

Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is our opinion that, following the effectiveness of the Conversion, (i) when the amended and restated certificate of incorporation of the Company in the form most recently filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation”) has been fuly filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and when the Company Shares shall have been duly registered on the books of the transfer agent and registrar therefor in the name or on behalf of the purchasers and have been issued by the Company against payment therefor (not less than par value) in the circumstances contemplated by the form of underwriting agreement most recently filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, the issue and sale of the Company Shares will have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company and the Company Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and (ii) when the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been duly filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, the Stockholder Shares will have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company and will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. In rendering the foregoing opinion, we have assumed that the Company will comply with all applicable notice requirements regarding uncertificated shares provided in the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware

This opinion is for your benefit in connection with the Registration Statement and may be relied upon by you and by persons entitled to rely upon it pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Act. We consent to your filing this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm in the Prospectus under the heading “Legal Matters.” We further consent to the incorporation by reference of this letter and consent into any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) with respect to the Shares. In giving such consent, we do not thereby 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 Commission thereunder.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Latham & Watkins LLP

Exhibit 10.2

 

TRAEGER, INC.

2021 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

ARTICLE I.

PURPOSE

The Plan’s purpose is to enhance the Company’s ability to attract, retain and motivate persons who make (or are expected to make) important contributions to the Company by providing these individuals with equity ownership opportunities and/or equity-linked compensatory opportunities. Capitalized terms used in the Plan are defined in Article XI.

ARTICLE II.

ELIGIBILITY

Service Providers are eligible to be granted Awards under the Plan, subject to the limitations described herein.

ARTICLE III.

ADMINISTRATION AND DELEGATION

3.1 Administration. The Plan is administered by the Administrator. The Administrator has authority to determine which Service Providers receive Awards, grant Awards and set Award terms and conditions, subject to the conditions and limitations in the Plan. The Administrator also has the authority to take all actions and make all determinations under the Plan, to interpret the Plan and Award Agreements and to adopt, amend and repeal Plan administrative rules, guidelines and practices as it deems advisable. The Administrator may correct defects and ambiguities, supply omissions and reconcile inconsistencies in the Plan or any Award Agreement as it deems necessary or appropriate to administer the Plan and any Awards. The Administrator’s determinations under the Plan are in its sole discretion and will be final and binding on all persons having or claiming any interest in the Plan or any Award.

3.2 Appointment of Committees. To the extent Applicable Laws permit, the Board or the Administrator may delegate any or all of its powers under the Plan to one or more Committees or committees of officers of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. The Board or the Administrator, as applicable, may rescind any such delegation, abolish any such committee or Committee and/or re-vest in itself any previously delegated authority at any time.

ARTICLE IV.

STOCK AVAILABLE FOR AWARDS

4.1 Number of Shares. Subject to adjustment under Article VIII and the terms of this Article IV, the maximum number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to Awards under the Plan shall be equal to the Overall Share Limit. Shares issued under the Plan may consist of authorized but unissued Shares, Shares purchased on the open market or treasury Shares.

4.2 Share Recycling. If all or any part of an Award expires, lapses or is terminated, exchanged for or settled in cash, surrendered, repurchased, canceled without having been fully exercised/settled or forfeited, in any case, in a manner that results in the Company acquiring Shares covered by the Award at a price not greater than the price (as adjusted to reflect any Equity Restructuring) paid by the Participant for such Shares or not issuing any Shares covered by the Award, the unused Shares covered by the Award will,


as applicable, become or again be available for Award grants under the Plan. Further, Shares delivered (either by actual delivery or attestation) to the Company by a Participant to satisfy the applicable exercise or purchase price of an Award and/or to satisfy any applicable tax withholding obligation with respect to an Award (including Shares retained by the Company from the Award being exercised or purchased and/or creating the tax obligation) will, as applicable, become or again be available for Award grants under the Plan. The payment of Dividend Equivalents in cash in conjunction with any outstanding Awards shall not count against the Overall Share Limit. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the following Shares shall not be added to the Shares authorized for grant under Section 4.1 and shall not be available for future grants of Awards: (a) Shares subject to a Stock Appreciation Right that are not issued in connection with the stock settlement of the Stock Appreciation Right on exercise thereof; and (b) Shares purchased on the open market with the cash proceeds from the exercise of Options.

4.3 Incentive Stock Option Limitations. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no more than 100,000,000 Shares may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options.

4.4 Substitute Awards. In connection with an entity’s merger or consolidation with the Company or any Subsidiary or the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s acquisition of an entity’s property or stock, the Administrator may grant Awards in substitution for any options or other stock or stock-based awards granted before such merger or consolidation by such entity or its affiliate. Substitute Awards may be granted on such terms as the Administrator deems appropriate, notwithstanding limitations on Awards in the Plan. Substitute Awards will not count against the Overall Share Limit (nor shall Shares subject to a Substitute Award be added to the Shares available for Awards under the Plan as provided above), except that Shares acquired by exercise of substitute Incentive Stock Options will count against the maximum number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options under the Plan. Additionally, in the event that a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines has shares available under a pre-existing plan approved by stockholders and not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or combination, the shares available for grant pursuant to the terms of such pre-existing plan (as adjusted, to the extent appropriate, using the exchange ratio or other adjustment or valuation ratio or formula used in such acquisition or combination to determine the consideration payable to the holders of common stock of the entities party to such acquisition or combination) may be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under the Plan (and Shares subject to such Awards shall not be added to the Shares available for Awards under the Plan as provided above); provided that Awards using such available shares shall not be made after the date awards or grants could have been made under the terms of the pre-existing plan, absent the acquisition or combination, and shall only be made to individuals who were not Service Providers prior to such acquisition or combination.

4.5 Non-Employee Director Compensation. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the Plan, the Administrator may establish compensation for non-employee Directors from time to time, subject to the limitations in the Plan. The Administrator will from time to time determine the terms, conditions and amounts of all such non-employee Director compensation in its discretion and pursuant to the exercise of its business judgment, taking into account such factors, circumstances and considerations as it shall deem relevant from time to time; provided that, commencing with the calendar year following the calendar year in which the Effective Date occurs, the sum of any cash compensation, or other compensation, and the value (determined as of the grant date in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, or any successor thereto) of Awards granted to a non-employee Director as compensation for services as a non-employee Director with respect to any fiscal year of the Company may not exceed $750,000 (which limit shall not apply to the compensation for any non-employee Director of the Company who serves in any capacity in addition to that of a non-employee Director for which he or she receives additional compensation).

 

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ARTICLE V.

STOCK OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

5.1 General. The Administrator may grant Options or Stock Appreciation Rights to Service Providers subject to the limitations in the Plan, including any limitations in the Plan that apply to Incentive Stock Options. The Administrator will determine the number of Shares covered by each Option and Stock Appreciation Right, the exercise price of each Option and Stock Appreciation Right and the conditions and limitations applicable to the exercise of each Option and Stock Appreciation Right. A Stock Appreciation Right will entitle the Participant (or other person entitled to exercise the Stock Appreciation Right) to receive from the Company upon exercise of the exercisable portion of the Stock Appreciation Right an amount determined by multiplying the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date of exercise over the exercise price per Share of the Stock Appreciation Right by the number of Shares with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised. Such amount shall be subject to any limitations of the Plan or that the Administrator may impose and payable in cash, Shares valued at Fair Market Value or a combination of the two as the Administrator may determine or provide in the Award Agreement.

5.2 Exercise Price. The Administrator will establish each Option’s and Stock Appreciation Right’s exercise price and specify the exercise price in the Award Agreement. The exercise price will not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value on the grant date of the Option (subject to Section 5.6) or Stock Appreciation Right. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of an Option or a Stock Appreciation Right that is a Substitute Award, the exercise price per share of the Shares subject to such Option or Stock Appreciation Right, as applicable, may be less than the Fair Market Value per share on the date of grant; provided that the exercise price of any Substitute Award shall be determined in accordance with the applicable requirements of Sections 424 and 409A of the Code.

5.3 Duration. Each Option or Stock Appreciation Right will be exercisable at such times and as specified in the Award Agreement, provided that the term of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right will not exceed ten years. Notwithstanding the foregoing and unless determined otherwise by the Company, in the event that on the last business day of the term of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right (other than an Incentive Stock Option) (i) the exercise of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right is prohibited by Applicable Law, as determined by the Company, or (ii) Shares may not be purchased or sold by the applicable Participant due to any Company insider trading policy (including blackout periods) or a “lock-up” agreement undertaken in connection with an issuance of securities by the Company, the term of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be extended until the date that is 30 days after the end of the legal prohibition, black-out period or lock-up agreement, as determined by the Company; provided, however, in no event shall the extension last beyond the ten year term of the applicable Option or Stock Appreciation Right. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent permitted under Applicable Laws, if the Participant, prior to the end of the term of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, violates the non-competition, non-solicitation, confidentiality or other similar restrictive covenant provisions of any employment contract, confidentiality and nondisclosure agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the right of the Participant and the Participant’s transferees to exercise any Option or Stock Appreciation Right issued to the Participant shall terminate immediately upon such violation, unless the Company otherwise determines.

5.4 Exercise. Options and Stock Appreciation Rights may be exercised by delivering to the Company a written notice of exercise, in a form the Administrator approves (which may be electronic), signed by the person authorized to exercise the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, together with, as applicable, payment in full (i) as specified in Section 5.5 for the number of Shares for which the Award is exercised and (ii) as specified in Section 9.5 for any applicable taxes. Unless the Administrator otherwise determines, an Option or Stock Appreciation Right may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share.

 

3


5.5 Payment Upon Exercise. Subject to Section 10.8, any Company insider trading policy (including blackout periods) and Applicable Laws, the exercise price of an Option must be paid by:

(a) cash, wire transfer of immediately available funds or by check payable to the order of the Company, provided that the Company may limit the use of one of the foregoing payment forms if one or more of the payment forms below is permitted;

(b) if there is a public market for Shares at the time of exercise, unless the Administrator otherwise determines, (i) delivery (including electronically or telephonically to the extent permitted by the Administrator) of an irrevocable and unconditional undertaking by a broker acceptable to the Administrator to deliver promptly to the Company sufficient funds to pay the exercise price, or (ii) the Participant’s delivery to the Company of a copy of irrevocable and unconditional instructions to a broker acceptable to the Administrator to deliver promptly to the Company cash or a check sufficient to pay the exercise price; provided that such amount is paid to the Company at such time as may be required by the Administrator;

(c) to the extent permitted by the Administrator, delivery (either by actual delivery or attestation) of Shares owned by the Participant valued at their Fair Market Value;

(d) to the extent permitted by the Administrator, surrendering Shares then issuable upon the Option’s exercise valued at their Fair Market Value on the exercise date;

(e) to the extent permitted by the Administrator, delivery of a promissory note or any other property that the Administrator determines is good and valuable consideration; or

(f) to the extent permitted by the Company, any combination of the above payment forms approved by the Administrator.

5.6 Additional Terms of Incentive Stock Options. The Administrator may grant Incentive Stock Options only to employees of the Company, any of its present or future parent or subsidiary corporations, as defined in Sections 424(e) or (f) of the Code, respectively, and any other entities the employees of which are eligible to receive Incentive Stock Options under the Code. If an Incentive Stock Option is granted to a Greater Than 10% Stockholder, the exercise price will not be less than 110% of the Fair Market Value on the Option’s grant date, and the term of the Option will not exceed five years. All Incentive Stock Options will be subject to and construed consistently with Section 422 of the Code. By accepting an Incentive Stock Option, the Participant agrees to give prompt notice to the Company of dispositions or other transfers (other than in connection with a Change in Control) of Shares acquired under the Option made within (i) two years from the grant date of the Option or (ii) one year after the transfer of such Shares to the Participant, specifying the date of the disposition or other transfer and the amount the Participant realized, in cash, other property, assumption of indebtedness or other consideration, in such disposition or other transfer. Neither the Company nor the Administrator will be liable to a Participant, or any other party, if an Incentive Stock Option fails or ceases to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code. Any Incentive Stock Option or portion thereof that fails to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code for any reason, including becoming exercisable with respect to Shares having a fair market value exceeding the $100,000 limitation under Treasury Regulation Section 1.422-4, will be a Non-Qualified Stock Option.

 

4


ARTICLE VI.

RESTRICTED STOCK; RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS; DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS

6.1 General. The Administrator may grant Restricted Stock, or the right to purchase Restricted Stock, to any Service Provider, subject to the Company’s right to repurchase all or part of such shares at their issue price or other stated or formula price from the Participant (or to require forfeiture of such shares) if conditions the Administrator specifies in the Award Agreement are not satisfied before the end of the applicable restriction period or periods that the Administrator establishes for such Award. In addition, the Administrator may grant to Service Providers Restricted Stock Units, which may be subject to vesting and forfeiture conditions during the applicable restriction period or periods, as set forth in an Award Agreement.

6.2 Restricted Stock.

(a) Dividends. Participants holding shares of Restricted Stock will be entitled to all ordinary cash dividends paid with respect to such Shares, unless the Administrator provides otherwise in the Award Agreement. In addition, unless the Administrator provides otherwise, if any dividends or distributions are paid in Shares, or consist of a dividend or distribution to holders of Common Stock of property other than an ordinary cash dividend, the Shares or other property will be subject to the same restrictions on transferability and forfeitability as the shares of Restricted Stock with respect to which they were paid.

(b) Stock Certificates. The Company may require that the Participant deposit in escrow with the Company (or its designee) any stock certificates issued in respect of shares of Restricted Stock, together with a stock power endorsed in blank.

6.3 Restricted Stock Units.

(a) Settlement. The Administrator may provide that settlement of Restricted Stock Units will occur upon or as soon as reasonably practicable after the Restricted Stock Units vest or will instead be deferred, on a mandatory basis or at the Participant’s election, in a manner intended to comply with Section 409A.

(b) Stockholder Rights. A Participant will have no rights of a stockholder with respect to Shares subject to any Restricted Stock Unit unless and until the Shares are delivered in settlement of the Restricted Stock Unit.

6.4 Dividend Equivalents. If the Administrator provides, a grant of Restricted Stock Units or Other Stock or Cash Based Award may provide a Participant with the right to receive Dividend Equivalents, and no Dividend Equivalents shall be payable with respect to Options or Stock Appreciation Rights. Dividend Equivalents may be paid currently or credited to an account for the Participant, settled in cash or Shares and subject to the same restrictions on transferability and forfeitability as the Restricted Stock Units with respect to which the Dividend Equivalents are granted and subject to other terms and conditions as set forth in the Award Agreement.

ARTICLE VII.

OTHER STOCK OR CASH BASED AWARDS

Other Stock or Cash Based Awards may be granted to Participants, including Awards entitling Participants to receive Shares to be delivered in the future and including annual or other periodic or long-term cash bonus awards (whether based on specified Performance Criteria or otherwise), in each case subject to any conditions and limitations in the Plan. Such Other Stock or Cash Based Awards will also be available as a payment form in the settlement of other Awards, as standalone payments and as payment in lieu of compensation to which a Participant is otherwise entitled. Other Stock or Cash Based Awards may be paid in Shares, cash or other property, as the Administrator determines.

 

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ARTICLE VIII.

ADJUSTMENTS FOR CHANGES IN COMMON STOCK

AND CERTAIN OTHER EVENTS

8.1 Equity Restructuring(a) . In connection with any Equity Restructuring, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article VIII, the Administrator will equitably adjust each outstanding Award as it deems appropriate to reflect the Equity Restructuring, which may include adjusting the number and type of securities subject to each outstanding Award and/or the Award’s exercise price or grant price (if applicable), granting new Awards to Participants, and/or making a cash payment to Participants. The adjustments provided under this Section 8.1 will be nondiscretionary and final and binding on the affected Participant and the Company; provided that the Administrator will determine whether an adjustment is equitable.

8.2 Corporate Transactions. In the event of any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Common Stock, other securities, or other property), reorganization, merger, consolidation, combination, amalgamation, repurchase, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution, or sale, transfer, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or sale or exchange of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, Change in Control, issuance of warrants or other rights to purchase Common Stock or other securities of the Company, other similar corporate transaction or event, other unusual or nonrecurring transaction or event affecting the Company or its financial statements or any change in any Applicable Laws or accounting principles, the Administrator, on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, either by the terms of the Award or by action taken prior to the occurrence of such transaction or event (except that action to give effect to a change in Applicable Law or accounting principles may be made within a reasonable period of time after such change) is hereby authorized to take any one or more of the following actions whenever the Administrator determines that such action is appropriate in order to (x) prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended by the Company to be made available under the Plan or with respect to any Award granted or issued under the Plan, (y) to facilitate such transaction or event or (z) give effect to such changes in Applicable Laws or accounting principles:

(a) To provide for the cancellation of any such Award in exchange for either an amount of cash or other property with a value equal to the amount that could have been obtained upon the exercise or settlement of the vested portion of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights under the vested portion of such Award, as applicable; provided that, if the amount that could have been obtained upon the exercise or settlement of the vested portion of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights, in any case, is equal to or less than zero, then the Award may be terminated without payment; provided, further, that Awards held by members of the Board will be settled in Shares on or immediately prior to the applicable event if the Administrator takes action under this clause (a);

(b) To provide that such Award shall vest and, to the extent applicable, be exercisable as to all Shares covered thereby, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or the provisions of such Award;

(c) To provide that such Award be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for by awards covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and/or applicable exercise or purchase price, in all cases, as determined by the Administrator;

 

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(d) To make adjustments in the number and type of Shares (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards and/or with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the limitations in Article IV on the maximum number and kind of shares which may be issued) and/or in the terms and conditions of (including the grant or exercise price or applicable performance goals), and the criteria included in, outstanding Awards;

(e) To replace such Award with other rights or property selected by the Administrator; and/or

(f) To provide that the Award will terminate and cannot vest, be exercised or become payable after the applicable event.

8.3 Effect of Non-Assumption in a Change in Control. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 8.2, if a Change in Control occurs and a Participant’s Awards are not continued, converted, assumed, or replaced with a substantially similar award by (a) the Company, or (b) a successor entity or its parent or subsidiary (an “Assumption”), and provided that the Participant has not had a Termination of Service, then, immediately prior to the Change in Control, such Awards shall become fully vested, exercisable and/or payable, as applicable, and all forfeiture, repurchase and other restrictions on such Awards shall lapse, in which case, such Awards shall be canceled upon the consummation of the Change in Control in exchange for the right to receive the Change in Control consideration payable to other holders of Common Stock (i) which may be on such terms and conditions as apply generally to holders of Common Stock under the Change in Control documents (including, without limitation, any escrow, earn-out or other deferred consideration provisions) or such other terms and conditions as the Administrator may provide, and (ii) determined by reference to the number of shares subject to such Awards and net of any applicable exercise price; provided that to the extent that any Awards constitute “nonqualified deferred compensation” that may not be paid upon the Change in Control under Section 409A without the imposition of taxes thereon under Section 409A, the timing of such payments shall be governed by the applicable Award Agreement (subject to any deferred consideration provisions applicable under the Change in Control documents); and provided, further, that if the amount to which a Participant would be entitled upon the settlement or exercise of such Award at the time of the Change in Control is equal to or less than zero, then such Award may be terminated without payment. The Administrator shall determine whether an Assumption of an Award has occurred in connection with a Change in Control.

8.4 Administrative Stand Still. In the event of any pending stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of Company assets to stockholders, or any other extraordinary transaction or change affecting the Shares or the share price of Common Stock, including any Equity Restructuring or any securities offering or other similar transaction, for administrative convenience, the Administrator may refuse to permit the exercise of any Award for up to 60 days before or after such transaction.

8.5 General. Except as expressly provided in the Plan or the Administrator’s action under the Plan, no Participant will have any rights due to any subdivision or consolidation of Shares of any class, dividend payment, increase or decrease in the number of Shares of any class or dissolution, liquidation, merger, or consolidation of the Company or other corporation. Except as expressly provided with respect to an Equity Restructuring under Section 8.1 or the Administrator’s action under the Plan, no issuance by the Company of Shares of any class, or securities convertible into Shares of any class, will affect, and no adjustment will be made regarding, the number of Shares subject to an Award or the Award’s grant or exercise price. The existence of the Plan, any Award Agreements and the Awards granted hereunder will not affect or restrict in any way the Company’s right or power to make or authorize (i) any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization or other change in the Company’s capital structure or its business, (ii) any merger, consolidation dissolution or liquidation of the Company or sale of Company assets or (iii) any sale or issuance of securities, including securities with rights superior to those of the Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Shares. The Administrator may treat Participants and Awards (or portions thereof) differently under this Article VIII.

 

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ARTICLE IX.

GENERAL PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO AWARDS

9.1 Transferability. Except as the Administrator may determine or provide in an Award Agreement or otherwise for Awards other than Incentive Stock Options, Awards may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered, either voluntarily or by operation of law, except by will or the laws of descent and distribution, or, subject to the Administrator’s consent, pursuant to a domestic relations order, and, during the life of the Participant, will be exercisable only by the Participant. Any permitted transfer of an Award hereunder shall be without consideration, except as required by Applicable Law. References to a Participant, to the extent relevant in the context, will include references to a Participant’s authorized transferee that the Administrator specifically approves.

9.2 Documentation. Each Award will be evidenced in an Award Agreement, which may be written or electronic, as the Administrator determines. The Award Agreement will contain the terms and conditions applicable to an Award. Each Award may contain terms and conditions in addition to those set forth in the Plan.

9.3 Discretion. Except as the Plan otherwise provides, each Award may be made alone or in addition or in relation to any other Award. The terms of each Award to a Participant need not be identical, and the Administrator need not treat Participants or Awards (or portions thereof) uniformly.

9.4 Termination of Status. The Administrator will determine how the disability, death, retirement, authorized leave of absence or any other change or purported change in a Participant’s Service Provider status affects an Award and the extent to which, and the period during which, the Participant, the Participant’s legal representative, conservator, guardian or Designated Beneficiary may exercise rights under the Award, if applicable.

9.5 Withholding. Each Participant must pay the Company, or make provision satisfactory to the Administrator for payment of, any taxes required by Applicable Law to be withheld in connection with such Participant’s Awards by the date of the event creating the tax liability. The Company or one of its Subsidiaries may deduct an amount sufficient to satisfy such tax obligations based on the applicable statutory withholding rates (or such other rate as may be determined by the Company after considering any accounting consequences or costs) from any payment of any kind otherwise due to a Participant. In the absence of a contrary determination by the Company (or, with respect to withholding pursuant to clause (ii) below with respect to Awards held by individuals subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, a contrary determination by the Administrator), all tax withholding obligations will be calculated based on the minimum applicable statutory withholding rates. Subject to Section 10.8 and any Company insider trading policy (including blackout periods), Participants may satisfy such tax obligations (i) in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds, by check made payable to the order of the Company, provided that the Company may limit the use of the foregoing payment forms if one or more of the payment forms is permitted, (ii) to the extent permitted by the Administrator, in whole or in part by delivery of Shares, including Shares delivered by attestation and Shares retained from the Award creating the tax obligation, valued at their fair market value on the date of delivery, (iii) if there is a public market for Shares at the time the tax obligations are satisfied, unless the Administrator otherwise determines, (A) delivery (including electronically or telephonically to the extent permitted by the Administrator) of an irrevocable and unconditional undertaking by a broker acceptable to the Administrator to deliver promptly to the Company sufficient funds to satisfy the tax obligations, or (B) delivery by the Participant to the Company of a copy of irrevocable and unconditional instructions to a broker acceptable to the Administrator to deliver promptly

 

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to the Company cash or a check sufficient to satisfy the tax withholding; provided that such amount is paid to the Company at such time as may be required by the Administrator, or (iv) to the extent permitted by the Administrator, any combination of the foregoing payment forms approved by the Administrator. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the number of Shares which may be so delivered or retained pursuant to clause (ii) of the immediately preceding sentence shall be limited to the number of Shares which have a fair market value on the date of delivery or retention no greater than the aggregate amount of such liabilities based on the maximum individual statutory tax rate in the applicable jurisdiction at the time of such withholding (or such other rate as may be required to avoid the liability classification of the applicable award under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America). If any tax withholding obligation will be satisfied under clause (ii) above by the Company’s retention of Shares from the Award creating the tax obligation and there is a public market for Shares at the time the tax obligation is satisfied, the Company may elect to instruct any brokerage firm determined acceptable to the Company for such purpose to sell on the applicable Participant’s behalf some or all of the Shares retained and to remit the proceeds of the sale to the Company or its designee, and each Participant’s acceptance of an Award under the Plan will constitute the Participant’s authorization to the Company and instruction and authorization to such brokerage firm to complete the transactions described in this sentence.

9.6 Amendment of Award; Repricing. The Administrator may amend, modify or terminate any outstanding Award, including by substituting another Award of the same or a different type, changing the exercise or settlement date, and converting an Incentive Stock Option to a Non-Qualified Stock Option. The Participant’s consent to such action will be required unless (i) the action, taking into account any related action, does not materially and adversely affect the Participant’s rights under the Award, or (ii) the change is permitted under Article VIII or pursuant to Section 10.6. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything in the Plan to the contrary, the Administrator may, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, reduce the exercise price per share of outstanding Options or Stock Appreciation Rights or cancel outstanding Options or Stock Appreciation Rights in exchange for cash, other Awards or Options or Stock Appreciation Rights with an exercise price per share that is less than the exercise price per share of the original Options or Stock Appreciation Rights.

9.7 Conditions on Delivery of Stock. The Company will not be obligated to deliver any Shares under the Plan or remove restrictions from Shares previously delivered under the Plan until (i) all Award conditions have been met or removed to the Company’s satisfaction, (ii) as determined by the Company, all other legal matters regarding the issuance and delivery of such Shares have been satisfied, including any applicable securities laws and stock exchange or stock market rules and regulations, and (iii) the Participant has executed and delivered to the Company such representations or agreements as the Administrator deems necessary or appropriate to satisfy any Applicable Laws. The Company’s inability to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which the Administrator determines is necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any securities, will relieve the Company of any liability for failing to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority has not been obtained.

9.8 Acceleration. The Administrator may at any time provide that any Award will become immediately vested and fully or partially exercisable, free of some or all restrictions or conditions, or otherwise fully or partially realizable.

9.9 Cash Settlement. Without limiting the generality of any other provision of the Plan, the Administrator may provide, in an Award Agreement or subsequent to the grant of an Award, in its discretion, that any Award may be settled in cash, Shares or a combination thereof.

 

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ARTICLE X.

MISCELLANEOUS

10.1 No Right to Employment or Other Status. No person will have any claim or right to be granted an Award, and the grant of an Award will not be construed as giving a Participant the right to continued employment or any other relationship with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. The Company and its Subsidiaries expressly reserve the right at any time to dismiss or otherwise terminate their respective relationships with a Participant free from any liability or claim under the Plan or any Award, except as expressly provided in an Award Agreement or in the Plan.

10.2 No Rights as Stockholder; Certificates. Subject to the Award Agreement, no Participant or Designated Beneficiary will have any rights as a stockholder with respect to any Shares to be distributed under an Award until becoming the record holder of such Shares. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, unless the Administrator otherwise determines or Applicable Laws require, the Company will not be required to deliver to any Participant certificates evidencing Shares issued in connection with any Award and instead such Shares may be recorded in the books of the Company (or, as applicable, its transfer agent or stock plan administrator). The Company may place legends on stock certificates issued under the Plan that the Administrator deems necessary or appropriate to comply with Applicable Laws.

10.3 Effective Date and Term of Plan. Unless earlier terminated by the Board, the Plan will become effective on the day prior to the Public Trading Date and will remain in effect until the tenth anniversary of earlier of (i) the date the Board adopted the Plan or (ii) the date the Company’s stockholders approved the Plan, but Awards previously granted may extend beyond that date in accordance with the Plan. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan, an Incentive Stock Option may not be granted under the Plan after 10 years from the earlier of (i) the date the Board adopted the Plan or (ii) the date the Company’s stockholders approved the Plan. If the Plan is not approved by the Company’s stockholders, the Plan will not become effective and no Awards will be granted under the Plan will continue in full force and effect in accordance with its terms.

10.4 Amendment of Plan. The Administrator may amend, suspend or terminate the Plan at any time; provided that no amendment, other than an increase to the Overall Share Limit, may materially and adversely affect any Award outstanding at the time of such amendment without the affected Participant’s consent. No Awards may be granted under the Plan during any suspension period or after the Plan’s termination. Awards outstanding at the time of any Plan suspension or termination will continue to be governed by the Plan and the Award Agreement, as in effect before such suspension or termination. The Board will obtain stockholder approval of any Plan amendment to the extent necessary to comply with Applicable Laws.

10.5 Provisions for Foreign Participants. The Administrator may modify Awards granted to Participants who are foreign nationals or employed outside the United States or establish subplans or procedures under the Plan to address differences in laws, rules, regulations or customs of such foreign jurisdictions with respect to tax, securities, currency, employee benefit or other matters.

10.6 Section 409A.

(a) General. The Company intends that all Awards be structured to comply with, or be exempt from, Section 409A, such that no adverse tax consequences, interest, or penalties under Section 409A apply. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or any Award Agreement to the contrary, the Administrator may, without a Participant’s consent, amend this Plan or Awards, adopt policies and procedures, or take any other actions (including amendments, policies, procedures and retroactive actions) as are necessary or appropriate to preserve the intended tax treatment of Awards, including any such actions intended to (A) exempt this Plan or any Award from Section 409A, or (B) comply with Section 409A, including regulations, guidance, compliance programs and other interpretative authority that may be issued after an Award’s grant date. The Company makes no representations or warranties as to an Award’s tax

 

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treatment under Section 409A or otherwise. The Company will have no obligation under this Section 10.6 or otherwise to avoid the taxes, penalties or interest under Section 409A with respect to any Award and will have no liability to any Participant or any other person if any Award, compensation or other benefits under the Plan are determined to constitute noncompliant “nonqualified deferred compensation” subject to taxes, penalties or interest under Section 409A.

(b) Separation from Service. If an Award constitutes “nonqualified deferred compensation” under Section 409A, any payment or settlement of such Award upon a termination of a Participant’s Service Provider relationship will, to the extent necessary to avoid taxes under Section 409A, be made only upon the Participant’s “separation from service” (within the meaning of Section 409A), whether such “separation from service” occurs upon or after the termination of the Participant’s Service Provider relationship. For purposes of this Plan or any Award Agreement relating to any such payments or benefits, references to a “termination,” “termination of employment” or like terms means a “separation from service.”

(c) Payments to Specified Employees. Notwithstanding any contrary provision in the Plan or any Award Agreement, any payment(s) of “nonqualified deferred compensation” required to be made under an Award to a “specified employee” (as defined under Section 409A and as the Administrator determines) due to his or her “separation from service” will, to the extent necessary to avoid taxes under Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, be delayed for the six-month period immediately following such “separation from service” (or, if earlier, until the specified employee’s death) and will instead be paid (as set forth in the Award Agreement) on the day immediately following such six-month period or as soon as administratively practicable thereafter (without interest). Any payments of “nonqualified deferred compensation” under such Award payable more than six months following the Participant’s “separation from service” will be paid at the time or times the payments are otherwise scheduled to be made. Furthermore, notwithstanding any contrary provision of the Plan or any Award Agreement, any payment of “nonqualified deferred compensation” under the Plan that may be made in installments shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate and distinct payments.

10.7 Limitations on Liability. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the Plan, no individual acting as a director, officer, other employee or agent of the Company or any Subsidiary will be liable to any Participant, former Participant, spouse, beneficiary, or any other person for any claim, loss, liability, or expense incurred in connection with the Plan or any Award, and such individual will not be personally liable with respect to the Plan because of any contract or other instrument executed in his or her capacity as an Administrator, director, officer, other employee or agent of the Company or any Subsidiary. The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each director, officer, other employee and agent of the Company or any Subsidiary that has been or will be granted or delegated any duty or power relating to the Plan’s administration or interpretation, against any cost or expense (including attorneys’ fees) or liability (including any sum paid in settlement of a claim with the Administrator’s approval) arising from any act or omission concerning this Plan unless arising from such person’s own fraud or bad faith.

10.8 Lock-Up Period. The Company may, at the request of any underwriter representative or otherwise, in connection with registering the offering of any Company securities under the Securities Act, prohibit Participants from, directly or indirectly, selling or otherwise transferring any Shares or other Company securities during a period of up to 180 days following the effective date of a Company registration statement filed under the Securities Act, or such longer period as determined by the underwriter.

10.9 Data Privacy. As a condition for receiving any Award, each Participant explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of personal data as described in this section by and among the Company and its Subsidiaries and affiliates exclusively for implementing, administering and managing the Participant’s participation in the Plan. The Company and

 

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its Subsidiaries and affiliates may hold certain personal information about a Participant, including the Participant’s name, address and telephone number; birthdate; social security number, insurance number or other identification number; salary; nationality; job title(s); any Shares held in the Company or its Subsidiaries and affiliates; and Award details, to implement, manage and administer the Plan and Awards (the “Data”). The Company and its Subsidiaries and affiliates may transfer the Data amongst themselves as necessary to implement, administer and manage a Participant’s participation in the Plan, and the Company and its Subsidiaries and affiliates may transfer the Data to third parties assisting the Company with Plan implementation, administration and management. These recipients may be located in the Participant’s country, or elsewhere, and the Participant’s country may have different data privacy laws and protections than the recipients’ country. By accepting an Award, each Participant authorizes such recipients to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, to implement, administer and manage the Participant’s participation in the Plan, including any required Data transfer to a broker or other third party with whom the Company or the Participant may elect to deposit any Shares. The Data related to a Participant will be held only as long as necessary to implement, administer, and manage the Participant’s participation in the Plan. A Participant may, at any time, view the Data that the Company and its Subsidiaries hold regarding such Participant, request additional information about the storage and processing of the Data regarding such Participant, recommend any necessary corrections to the Data regarding the Participant or refuse or withdraw the consents in this Section 10.9 in writing, without cost, by contacting the local human resources representative. The Company may cancel Participant’s ability to participate in the Plan and, in the Administrator’s discretion, the Participant may forfeit any outstanding Awards if the Participant refuses or withdraws the consents in this Section 10.9. For more information on the consequences of refusing or withdrawing consent, Participants may contact their local human resources representative.

10.10 Severability. If any portion of the Plan or any action taken under it is held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity will not affect the remaining parts of the Plan, and the Plan will be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provisions had been excluded, and the illegal or invalid action will be null and void.

10.11 Governing Documents. If any contradiction occurs between the Plan and any Award Agreement or other written agreement between a Participant and the Company (or any Subsidiary) that the Administrator has approved, the Plan will govern, unless it is expressly specified in such Award Agreement or other written document that a specific provision of the Plan will not apply.

10.12 Governing Law. The Plan and all Awards will be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, disregarding any state’s choice-of-law principles requiring the application of a jurisdiction’s laws other than the State of Delaware.

10.13 Claw-back Provisions. All Awards (including, without limitation, any proceeds, gains or other economic benefit actually or constructively received by a Participant upon any receipt or exercise of any Award or upon the receipt or resale of any Shares underlying the Award) shall be subject to the provisions of any claw-back policy implemented by the Company, including, without limitation, any claw-back policy adopted to comply with Applicable Laws (including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder), as and to the extent set forth in such claw-back policy or the Award Agreement.

10.14 Titles and Headings. The titles and headings in the Plan are for convenience of reference only and, if any conflict, the Plan’s text, rather than such titles or headings, will control.

 

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10.15 Conformity to Securities Laws. Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with Applicable Laws. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Plan and all Awards will be administered only in conformance with Applicable Laws. To the extent Applicable Laws permit, the Plan and all Award Agreements will be deemed amended as necessary to conform to Applicable Laws.

10.16 Relationship to Other Benefits. No payment under the Plan will be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, savings, profit sharing, group insurance, welfare or other benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary except as expressly provided in writing in such other plan or an agreement thereunder.

10.17 Broker-Assisted Sales. In the event of a broker-assisted sale of Shares in connection with the payment of amounts owed by a Participant under or with respect to the Plan or Awards, including amounts to be paid under the final sentence of Section 9.5: (a) any Shares to be sold through the broker-assisted sale will be sold on the day the payment first becomes due, or as soon thereafter as practicable; (b) such Shares may be sold as part of a block trade with other Participants in the Plan in which all participants receive an average price; (c) the applicable Participant will be responsible for all broker’s fees and other costs of sale, and by accepting an Award, each Participant agrees to indemnify and hold the Company and its Subsidiaries harmless from any losses, costs, damages, or expenses relating to any such sale; (d) to the extent the Company, its Subsidiaries or their designee receives proceeds of such sale that exceed the amount owed, the Company or its Subsidiary will pay such excess in cash to the applicable Participant as soon as reasonably practicable; (e) the Company, its Subsidiaries and their designees are under no obligation to arrange for such sale at any particular price; and (f) in the event the proceeds of such sale are insufficient to satisfy the Participant’s applicable obligation, the Participant may be required to pay immediately upon demand to the Company or its designee an amount in cash sufficient to satisfy any remaining portion of the Participant’s obligation.

ARTICLE XI.

DEFINITIONS

As used in the Plan, the following words and phrases will have the following meanings:

11.1 “Administrator” means the Board or a Committee to the extent that the Board’s powers or authority under the Plan have been delegated to such Committee.

11.2 “Applicable Laws” means the requirements relating to the administration of equity incentive plans under U.S. federal and state securities, tax and other applicable laws, rules and regulations, the applicable rules of any stock exchange or quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted and the applicable laws and rules of any foreign country or other jurisdiction where Awards are granted.

11.3 “Award” means, individually or collectively, a grant under the Plan of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Dividend Equivalents, or Other Stock or Cash Based Awards.

11.4 “Award Agreement” means a written agreement evidencing an Award, which may be electronic, that contains such terms and conditions as the Administrator determines, consistent with and subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

11.5 “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

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11.6 “Cause” means, except as may otherwise be provided in Participant’s employment or service agreement to the extent such agreement is in effect at the relevant time, any of the following events:

(a) Participant’s willful failure substantially to perform his or her duties and responsibilities to the Company (other than any such failure resulting from Participant’s incapacity due to physical or mental illness) or carry out or comply with a lawful and reasonable directive of the Company, in each case, after a written demand for performance is delivered to Participant by the Administrator, which demand specifically identifies the manner in which the Administrator believes that Participant has not performed his or her duties;

(b) Participant’s deliberate violation of a Company policy;

(c) Participant’s commission of, including any entry by Participant of a guilty or no contest plea to, any felony under any state, federal or foreign law or any crime involving moral turpitude, or Participant’s commission of unlawful harassment or discrimination;

(d) Participant’s commission of any act of fraud, embezzlement, dishonesty or any other willful misconduct that has caused or is reasonably expected to result in material reputational, economic or financial injury to the Company;

(e) Participant’s unlawful use (including being under the influence) or possession of illegal drugs on the Company’s (or any affiliate’s) premises or while performing Participant’s duties and responsibilities;

(f) Participant’s willful misconduct or gross negligence with respect to any material aspect of the Company’s business or a material breach by Participant of his or her fiduciary duty to the Company;

(g) unauthorized use or disclosure by Participant of any proprietary information or trade secrets of the Company or any other party to whom Participant owes an obligation of nondisclosure as a result of his or her relationship with the Company; or

(h) Participant’s willful breach of any of his or her obligations under any written agreement or covenant with the Company.

11.7 “Change in Control” means and includes each of the following:

(a) A transaction or series of transactions (other than an offering of Common Stock to the general public through a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or a transaction or series of transactions that meets the requirements of clauses (i) and (ii) of subsection (c) below) whereby any “person” or related “group” of “persons” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (other than the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, any Permitted Holder, an employee benefit plan maintained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or a “person” that, prior to such transaction, directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company) directly or indirectly acquires beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities of the Company possessing more than 50% of the total combined voting power of the Company’s securities outstanding immediately after such acquisition; or

(b) During any period of two consecutive years, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board together with any new Director(s) (other than a Director designated by a person who shall have entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in subsections (a) or (c)) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Directors then still in office who either were Directors at the beginning of the two-year period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof (a “Non-Transactional Change in Control”); or

 

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(c) The consummation by the Company (whether directly involving the Company or indirectly involving the Company through one or more intermediaries) of (x) a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or business combination or (y) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets in any single transaction or series of related transactions or (z) the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity, in each case other than a transaction:

(i) which results in the Company’s voting securities outstanding immediately before the transaction continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the Company or the person that, as a result of the transaction, controls, directly or indirectly, the Company or owns, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or otherwise succeeds to the business of the Company (the Company or such person, the “Successor Entity”)) directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity’s outstanding voting securities immediately after the transaction, and

(ii) after which no person or group beneficially owns voting securities representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity; provided, however, that no person or group shall be treated for purposes of this clause (ii) as beneficially owning 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity solely as a result of the voting power held in the Company prior to the consummation of the transaction.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Change in Control constitutes a payment event with respect to any Award (or portion of any Award) that provides for the deferral of compensation that is subject to Section 409A, to the extent required to avoid the imposition of additional taxes under Section 409A, the transaction or event described in subsection (a), (b) or (c) with respect to such Award (or portion thereof) shall only constitute a Change in Control for purposes of the payment timing of such Award if such transaction also constitutes a “change in control event,” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5).

The Administrator shall have full and final authority, which shall be exercised in its discretion, to determine conclusively whether a Change in Control has occurred pursuant to the above definition, the date of the occurrence of such Change in Control and any incidental matters relating thereto; provided that any exercise of authority in conjunction with a determination of whether a Change in Control is a “change in control event” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) shall be consistent with such regulation.

11.8 “Closing Date” means the date on which the Company’s initial public offering closes.

11.9 “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations issued thereunder.

11.10 “Committee” means one or more committees or subcommittees of the Board, which may include one or more Company directors or executive officers, to the extent Applicable Laws permit. To the extent required to comply with the provisions of Rule 16b-3, it is intended that each member of the Committee will be, at the time the Committee takes any action with respect to an Award that is subject to Rule 16b-3, a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3; however, a Committee member’s failure to qualify as a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 will not invalidate any Award granted by the Committee that is otherwise validly granted under the Plan.

 

15


11.11 “Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value of $0.0001 per share.

11.12 “Company” means Traeger, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or any successor.

11.13 “Consultant” means any consultant, advisor or other person or entity that is not an Employee, in each case, that can be granted an Award that is eligible to be registered on a Form S-8 Registration Statement.

11.14 “Designated Beneficiary” means the beneficiary or beneficiaries the Participant designates, in a manner the Administrator determines, to receive amounts due or exercise the Participant’s rights if the Participant dies or becomes incapacitated. Without a Participant’s effective designation, “Designated Beneficiary” will mean the Participant’s estate.

11.15 “Director” means a Board member.

11.16 “Disability” means a permanent and total disability under Section 22(e)(3) of the Code, as amended.

11.17 “Dividend Equivalents” means a right granted to a Participant under the Plan to receive the equivalent value (in cash or Shares) of dividends paid on Shares.

11.18 “Employee” means any employee of the Company or its Subsidiaries.

11.19 “Equity Restructuring” means, as determined by the Administrator, a non-reciprocal transaction between the Company and its stockholders, such as a stock dividend, stock split, spin-off or recapitalization through a large, nonrecurring cash dividend, or other large, nonrecurring cash dividend, that affects the shares of Common Stock (or other securities of the Company) or the share price of Common Stock (or other securities of the Company) and causes a change in the per share value of the Common Stock underlying outstanding Awards.

11.20 “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

11.21 “Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of a Share determined as follows: (a) if the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange, its Fair Market Value will be the closing sales price for such Common Stock as quoted on such exchange for such date, or if no sale occurred on such date, the last day preceding such date during which a sale occurred, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or another source the Administrator deems reliable; (b) if the Common Stock is not traded on a stock exchange but is quoted on a national market or other quotation system, the closing sales price on such date, or if no sales occurred on such date, then on the last date preceding such date during which a sale occurred, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or another source the Administrator deems reliable; or (c) without an established market for the Common Stock, the Administrator will determine the Fair Market Value in its discretion.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Award granted on the pricing date of the Company’s initial public offering, the Fair Market Value shall mean the initial public offering price of a Share as set forth in the Company’s final prospectus relating to its initial public offering filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

16


11.22 “Greater Than 10% Stockholder” means an individual then owning (within the meaning of Section 424(d) of the Code) more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or its parent or subsidiary corporation, as defined in Section 424(e) and (f) of the Code, respectively.

11.23 “Incentive Stock Option” means an Option intended to qualify as an “incentive stock option” as defined in Section 422 of the Code.

11.24 “Non-Qualified Stock Option” means an Option, or portion thereof, not intended or not qualifying as an Incentive Stock Option.

11.25 “Option” means an option to purchase Shares, which will either be an Incentive Stock option or a Non-Qualified Stock Option.

11.26 “Other Stock or Cash Based Awards” means cash awards, awards of Shares, and other awards valued wholly or partially by referring to, or are otherwise based on, Shares or other property awarded to a Participant under Article VII.

11.27 “Overall Share Limit” means [_____]1 Shares. In addition, on the first day of each calendar year beginning on and including January 1, 2022 and ending on and including January 1, 2031, the Overall Share Limit shall be increased by (i) 5% of the aggregate number of Shares outstanding on the final day of the immediately preceding calendar year, or (ii) such smaller number of Shares as is determined by the Board.

11.28 “Participant” means a Service Provider who has been granted an Award.

11.29 “Performance Criteria” means the criteria (and adjustments) that the Administrator may select for an Award to establish performance goals for a performance period, which may include (but is not limited to) the following: net earnings or losses (either before or after one or more of interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, and non-cash equity-based compensation expense); gross or net sales or revenue or sales or revenue growth; net income (either before or after taxes) or adjusted net income; profits (including but not limited to gross profits, net profits, profit growth, net operation profit or economic profit), profit return ratios or operating margin; budget or operating earnings (either before or after taxes or before or after allocation of corporate overhead and bonus); cash flow (including operating cash flow and free cash flow or cash flow return on capital); return on assets; return on capital or invested capital; cost of capital; return on stockholders’ equity; total stockholder return; return on sales; costs, reductions in costs and cost control measures; expenses; working capital; earnings or loss per share; adjusted earnings or loss per share; price per share or dividends per share (or appreciation in or maintenance of such price or dividends); regulatory achievements or compliance; implementation, completion or attainment of objectives relating to research, development, regulatory, commercial, or strategic milestones or developments; market share; economic value or economic value added models; division, group or corporate financial goals; customer satisfaction/growth; customer service; employee satisfaction; recruitment and maintenance of personnel; human capital management (including diversity and inclusion); supervision of litigation and other legal matters; strategic partnerships and transactions; financial ratios (including those measuring liquidity, activity, profitability or leverage); debt levels or reductions; sales-related goals; financing and other capital raising transactions; cash on hand; acquisition activity; investment sourcing activity; and marketing initiatives, any of which may be measured in absolute terms or as compared to any incremental increase or decrease. Such performance goals also may be based solely by reference to the Company’s performance or the performance of a Subsidiary, division, business segment or business unit of the Company or a Subsidiary, or based upon performance relative to performance of other companies or upon comparisons of any of the indicators of performance relative to performance of other companies.

 

1 

NTD: Will equal 12% of the number of Shares outstanding on the Closing Date (following the Corporate Conversion).

 

17


11.30 “Permitted Holder” means each of the Stockholder Group, any member of the Stockholder Group, Jeremy Andrus or any of their respective affiliates.

11.31 “Plan” means this 2021 Incentive Award Plan.

11.32 “Public Trading Date” means the first date upon which the Common Stock is listed (or approved for listing) upon notice of issuance on any securities exchange or designated (or approved for designation) upon notice of issuance as a national market security on an interdealer quotation system.

11.33 “Restricted Stock” means Shares awarded to a Participant under Article VI subject to certain vesting conditions and other restrictions.

11.34 “Restricted Stock Unit” means an unfunded, unsecured right to receive, on the applicable settlement date, one Share or an amount in cash or other consideration determined by the Administrator to be of equal value as of such settlement date awarded to a Participant under Article VI subject to certain vesting conditions and other restrictions.

11.35 “Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act.

11.36 “Section 409A” means Section 409A of the Code and all regulations, guidance, compliance programs and other interpretative authority thereunder.

11.37 “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

11.38 “Service Provider” means an Employee, Consultant or Director.

11.39 “Share” means a share of Common Stock.

11.40 “Stock Appreciation Right” means a stock appreciation right granted under Article V.

11.41 “Stockholder Group” means the “group” (as such term is used in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) consisting of AEA TGP Holdco LP. 2594868 Ontario Limited, Trilantic Capital Partners V (North America) L.P. and Trilantic Capital Partners V (North America) Fund A L.P., in each case together with their affiliates.

11.42 “Subsidiary” means any entity (other than the Company), whether domestic or foreign, in an unbroken chain of entities beginning with the Company if each of the entities other than the last entity in the unbroken chain beneficially owns, at the time of the determination, securities or interests representing at least 50% of the total combined voting power of all classes of securities or interests in one of the other entities in such chain.

11.43 “Substitute Awards” means Awards granted or Shares issued by the Company in assumption of, or in substitution or exchange for, awards previously granted, or the right or obligation to make future awards, in each case by a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines.

11.44 “Termination of Service” means the date the Participant ceases to be a Service Provider.

* * * * *

 

18

Exhibit 10.3

TRAEGER, INC.

NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR COMPENSATION PROGRAM

Eligible Directors (as defined below) on the board of directors (the “Board”) of Traeger, Inc. (the “Company”) shall be eligible to receive cash and equity compensation as set forth in this Non-Employee Director Compensation Program (this “Program”). The cash and equity compensation described in this Program shall be paid or be made, as applicable, automatically as set forth herein and without further action of the Board, to each member of the Board who is not an employee of the Company or any of its parents or subsidiaries and who is determined by the Board to be eligible to receive compensation under this Program (each, an “Eligible Director”), who may be eligible to receive such cash or equity compensation, unless such Eligible Director declines the receipt of such cash or equity compensation by written notice to the Company.

This Program shall become effective upon the closing of the initial public offering of the Company’s common stock (the “Effective Date”) and shall remain in effect until it is revised or rescinded by further action of the Board. This Program may be amended, modified or terminated by the Board at any time in its sole discretion. No Eligible Director shall have any rights hereunder, except with respect to equity awards granted pursuant to Section 2 of this Program.

1. Cash Compensation.

a. Annual Retainers. Each Eligible Director shall be eligible to receive an annual cash retainer of $75,000 for service on the Board.

b. Additional Annual Retainers. An Eligible Director shall be eligible to receive the following additional annual retainers, as applicable:

(i) Chairperson/Lead Independent Director. An Eligible Director serving as Chairperson or Lead Independent Director of the Board shall be eligible to receive an additional annual retainer of $75,000 for such service.

(ii) Audit Committee. An Eligible Director serving as Chairperson of the Audit Committee shall be eligible to receive an additional annual retainer of $20,000 for such service.

(iii) Compensation Committee. An Eligible Director serving as Chairperson of the Compensation Committee shall be eligible to receive an additional annual retainer of $15,000 for such service.

(iv) Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. An Eligible Director serving as Chairperson of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee shall be eligible to receive an additional annual retainer of $10,000 for such service.

c. Payment of Retainers. The annual cash retainers described in Sections 1(a) and 1(b) shall be earned on a quarterly basis based on a calendar quarter and shall be paid by the Company in arrears not later than 30 days following the end of each calendar quarter. In the event an Eligible Director does not serve as a director, or in the applicable positions described in Section 1(b), for an entire calendar quarter, the retainer paid to such Eligible Director shall be prorated for the portion of such calendar quarter actually served as a director, or in such position, as applicable.

 

1


2. Equity Compensation.

a. General. Eligible Directors shall be granted the equity awards described below. The awards described below shall be granted under and shall be subject to the terms and provisions of the Company’s 2021 Incentive Award Plan or any other applicable Company equity incentive plan then-maintained by the Company (such plan, as may be amended from time to time, the “Equity Plan”) and may be granted subject to the execution and delivery of award agreements, including attached exhibits, in substantially the forms approved by the Board prior to or in connection with such grants. All applicable terms of the Equity Plan apply to this Program as if fully set forth herein, and all grants of equity awards hereby are subject in all respects to the terms of the Equity Plan. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Equity Plan.

b. Initial Awards. Each Eligible Director who is initially elected or appointed to serve on the Board after the Effective Date automatically shall be granted a Restricted Stock Unit award (each, an “Initial Award”). The number of Restricted Stock Units subject to an Initial Award will be determined by dividing the Pro-Rated Value by the closing price for the Company’s common stock on the applicable grant date. Each Initial Award shall be granted on the date on which such Eligible Director is appointed or elected to serve on the Board (the “Election Date”), and shall vest in full on the earlier to occur of (x) the one-year anniversary of the applicable grant date and (y) the date of the next Annual Meeting (as defined below) following the grant date, subject to continued service through the applicable vesting date. The “Pro-Rated Value” shall equal $192,500, multiplied by a fraction, (i) the numerator of which is the difference between 365 and the number of days from the immediately preceding Annual Meeting date (or the Effective Date, if there is no preceding Annual Meeting date) through the appointment or election date and (ii) the denominator of which is 365.

c. Annual Awards. An Eligible Director who is serving on the Board as of the date of the annual meeting of the Company’s stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) each calendar year beginning with calendar year 2022 shall be granted a Restricted Stock Unit award with a value of $192,500 (an “Annual Award”, together with the Initial Award, the “Director Award”). The number of Restricted Stock Units subject to an Annual Award will be determined by dividing $192,500 by the closing price for the Company’s common stock on the applicable grant date. Each Annual Award shall vest in full on the earlier to occur of (x) the one-year anniversary of the applicable grant date and (y) the date of the next Annual Meeting following the grant date, subject to continued service through the applicable vesting date.

d. Accelerated Vesting Events. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Eligible Director’s Director Award(s) shall vest in full immediately prior to the occurrence of a Change in Control, to the extent outstanding at such time, if the Eligible Director will not become, as of immediately following such Change in Control, a member of the Board or the board of directors of ultimate parent of the Company.

3. Compensation Limits. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Program, all compensation payable under this Program will be subject to any limits on the maximum amount of non-employee Director compensation set forth in the Equity Plan, as in effect from time to time.

*****

 

2

Exhibit 10.8

LOGO

________, 2021

Re:    Waiver of Compensation

Dear Jeremy:

This letter serves to memorialize your agreement with Traeger, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, the “Company”) regarding certain compensation-related matters relating to your Employment Agreement and, in certain cases, during the Waiver Period (each, as defined below). Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning set forth in the Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2017, between you, Traeger Pellet Grills LLC and TGP Holdings LP (the “Employment Agreement”), as in effect on the date hereof.

You agree and acknowledge:

 

   

Your annual Base Salary will be reduced from $750,000 (the “Original Base Salary”) to $0 (the “Revised Base Salary”), effective as of the closing of the Company’s initial public offering (the “Effective Date”), continuing during the Waiver Period.

 

   

You will not be eligible to receive an annual cash bonus from the Company for 2021 or with respect to any other portion of the Waiver Period.

 

   

During the Waiver Period, you (and your spouse and/or eligible dependents) will be eligible, at the sole cost of the Company, to participate in and be covered under the health and welfare benefit plans and programs maintained by the Company for the benefit of its employees from time to time. If the Company is otherwise unable to continue to cover you under its group health plans without violating law or incurring penalties (including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act or the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) then, in either case, you agree that the employee-portion of the relevant premium payment(s) will be taxable to you. You also acknowledge and agree that the premium paid with respect to the Company’s life insurance plan / program may be taxable to you.

 

   

If, during the Waiver Period, you experience a severance-qualifying termination of employment pursuant to Section 7(d) of the Employment Agreement, you will receive $0 in respect of your monthly Base Salary rate and the equity incentive awards then held by you shall be treated in accordance with the terms of the applicable award agreements and, if applicable, the Traeger, Inc. 2021 Incentive Award Plan (the “2021 Plan”). For the avoidance of doubt, you will be eligible for continued benefits as set forth in Section 7(d)(iv) of the Employment Agreement.


   

That certain performance-based restricted stock unit award (the “PSU Award”) and that certain time-based restricted stock unit award (the “RSU Award”) granted to you under the 2021 Plan on or around the date hereof, together with the arrangements described in the first bullet of this letter, constitute full payment of wages earned by you for your employment with the Company and its affiliates during the Waiver Period. You also agree and acknowledge that, unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) or the Compensation Committee of the Board in its sole discretion, you will not be eligible to receive a Company long-term incentive or equity-based compensatory award prior to calendar year 2027 or, if earlier, a Change in Control (as defined in the 2021 Plan).

 

   

References to Holdings and the Partnership Agreement (each as defined in the Employment Agreement) shall be deemed removed from the Employment Agreement.

 

   

Effective as of the Effective Date, (i) references in the Employment Agreement to the “Board” shall refer to the Board of Directors of Traeger, Inc. and (ii) notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Employment Agreement, matters pertaining to your nomination for election to the Board shall be governed by that certain Management Stockholders’ Agreement by and between you and Traeger, Inc., dated as of July __, 2021.

 

   

For purposes of the Employment Agreement, the definitions of “Cause” and “Good Reason” shall be replaced with the definitions of Cause and Good Reason set forth in the Performance-Based Restricted Stock Award Agreement relating to the PSU Award.

 

   

The reference to “Base Salary” in Section 10 of the Employment Agreement shall be replaced with “Original Base Salary.”

 

   

All references in the second and third sentences of Section 17 of the Employment Agreement to (i) the “State of Delaware” shall be replaced with the “State of Utah” and (ii) the “United States District Court for the District of Delaware” shall be replaced with the “United States District Court for the District of Utah.”

The “Waiver Period” shall mean the date beginning on the Effective Date and ending on the earlier of December 31, 2026 or a Change in Control.

Other than as described in this letter, all other terms and conditions of the Employment Agreement remain unchanged. You acknowledge and agree that neither any of the foregoing, nor entering into this letter, will constitute an event giving rise to “Good Reason” for purposes of the Employment Agreement or any other agreement between you and the Company.

Please indicate your acceptance and acknowledgement of, and agreement to, the foregoing by signing below.

 

Sincerely,

By:

Its:


Agreed and Acknowledged:

 

Name: Jeremy Andrus

Exhibit 10.9

 

TRAEGER, INC.

2021 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

PERFORMANCE-BASED RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT GRANT NOTICE

Traeger, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), has granted to the participant listed below (“Participant”) the performance-based Restricted Stock Units (the “PSUs”) described in this Performance-Based Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice (this “Grant Notice”), subject to the terms and conditions of the Traeger, Inc. 2021 Incentive Award Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”) and the Performance-Based Restricted Stock Unit Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A, the Vesting Schedule attached as Exhibit B (Exhibits A and B, collectively, the “Agreement”) and the Release attached as Exhibit C, all of which are incorporated into this Grant Notice by reference. Capitalized terms not specifically defined in this Grant Notice or the Agreement have the meanings given to them in the Plan.

 

Participant:

  

Jeremy Andrus

Grant Date:

  

[Effective on later of closing of IPO and date Form S-8 filed]

Number of Total PSUs:

  

[________]1

Expiration Date

  

[Tenth anniversary of IPO closing date]

Vesting Schedule:

  

Exhibit B

By accepting (whether in writing, electronically or otherwise) the PSUs, Participant agrees to be bound by the terms of this Grant Notice, the Plan and the Agreement. Participant has reviewed the Plan, this Grant Notice and the Agreement in their entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing this Grant Notice and fully understands all provisions of the Plan, this Grant Notice and the Agreement.

 

TRAEGER, INC.

   

PARTICIPANT

By:

 

 

   

 

Name:

 

 

   

Jeremy Andrus

Title:

 

 

   

 

 

1

NTD: Number of PSUs to represent, following the grant of all IPO-related equity awards (including this Award), 4% of the fully-diluted shares of common stock.


Exhibit A

PERFORMANCE-BASED RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

WHEREAS, the Company has granted the PSUs to Participant effective as of the Grant Date set forth in the Grant Notice (the “Grant Date”);

WHEREAS, in connection therewith, the parties desire to enter into this Performance-Based Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (this “Agreement”); and

WHEREAS, the Company and Participant expect that Participant will not be eligible to receive a Company long-term incentive or equity-based compensatory award prior to calendar year 2027 or, if earlier, a Change in Control.

NOW, THEREFORE, the Company and Participant hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I.

GENERAL

1.1 Award of PSUs and Dividend Equivalents.

(a) Each PSU represents the right to receive one Share, as set forth in this Agreement. Participant will have no right to the distribution of any Shares until the time (if ever) the PSUs have vested.

(b) The Company hereby grants to Participant, with respect to each PSU, a Dividend Equivalent for ordinary cash dividends paid to substantially all holders of outstanding Shares with a record date after the Grant Date and prior to the date the applicable PSU is settled, forfeited or otherwise expires. Each Dividend Equivalent entitles Participant to receive the equivalent value of any such ordinary cash dividends paid on a single Share. The Company will establish a separate Dividend Equivalent bookkeeping account (a “Dividend Equivalent Account”) for each Dividend Equivalent and credit the Dividend Equivalent Account (without interest) on the applicable dividend payment date with the amount of any such cash paid. Any Dividend Equivalents granted in connection with the PSUs issued hereunder, and any amounts that may become distributable in respect thereof, shall be treated separately from such PSUs and the rights arising in connection therewith for purposes of the designation of time and form of payments required by Section 409A.

1.2 Incorporation of Terms of Plan. The PSUs and Dividend Equivalents are subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference.

1.3 Unsecured Promise. The PSUs and Dividend Equivalents will at all times prior to settlement represent an unsecured Company obligation payable only from the Company’s general assets.

1.4 Definitions. Capitalized terms not specifically defined in this Agreement have the meanings specified in the Grant Notice or in the Plan. In addition, the following defined terms shall apply:

(a) “Cause” means the occurrence of any one or more of the following events:

(i) Participant’s willful misconduct or gross negligence in the performance of Participant’s duties as Chief Executive Officer or, if applicable, Executive Chairman of the Board, in either case, which causes the Company or its Subsidiaries material harm;

(ii) Participant’s repeated willful failure to follow the lawful directives of the Board that are not inconsistent with his position as Chief Executive Officer or, if applicable, as


Executive Chairman of the Board (other than as a result of death or physical or mental incapacity), in either case, which causes the Company or its Subsidiaries material harm;

(iii) Participant’s conviction of, or pleading of guilty or nolo contendere to, a felony or any crime involving moral turpitude if it impacts the reputation or goodwill of the Company or its Subsidiaries;

(iv) Participant’s performance of any material act of theft, embezzlement, fraud, dishonesty or misappropriation of the property of the Company or its Subsidiaries; or

(v) Participant’s use of illegal drugs, or Participant’s abuse of alcohol that materially impairs Participant’s ability to perform Participant’s duties contemplated hereunder; or

(vi) Participant’s material breach of any obligation under any written agreement with the Company or its Subsidiaries or under any applicable written policy of the Company or its Subsidiaries that has been provided to or made available to Participant (including any code of conduct or harassment policies) which causes the Company material harm.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Cause” shall not include or be predicated upon any act or omission by Participant which is taken or made either (A) at the direction of the Board, (B) in good faith under Participant’s reasonable belief that the act or omission was in the best interest of the Company or its Subsidiaries, (C) pursuant to the advice of the Company’s counsel, or (D) to comply with a lawful court order, directive from a federal, state or local government agency or industry regulatory authority, or subpoena. The Company shall provide Participant with a written notice detailing the specific circumstances alleged to constitute Cause within ninety (90) days after the Board (other than Participant) first knows, or with the exercise of reasonable diligence would know, of the occurrence of such circumstances, and, except with respect to clause (iii) above, any determination of Cause by the Company will be made by a resolution approved by a majority of the members of the Board (other than Participant, as applicable) within thirty (30) days following the expiration of Participant’s cure period followed by a termination of Participant’s employment within such thirty (30) day period, provided that no such determination or termination may be made until Participant has been given written notice detailing the specific Cause event and a period of thirty (30) days following receipt of such notice to cure such event (if susceptible to cure) in all material respects to the reasonable satisfaction of the Board. Otherwise, any claim of such circumstances as “Cause” shall be deemed irrevocably waived by the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Participant’s right to cure shall not apply if there are habitual breaches by Participant.

(b) “Disability” means a permanent and total disability under Code Section 22(e)(3).

(c) “Good Reason” means the occurrence of any one or more of the following events without Participant’s prior written consent, unless the Company fully corrects the circumstances constituting Good Reason (provided such circumstances are capable of correction) as provided below:

(i) material diminution in Participant’s duties, authorities or responsibilities (other than temporarily while physically or mentally incapacitated or as required by Applicable Laws) or removal from any of Participant’s executive officer positions;

(ii) a change in the geographic location of Participant’s principal work location with the Company by more than 35 miles from its existing location;

(iii) assignment to Participant of any duties inconsistent with Participant’s position, titles and offices as set forth above; or

 

A-2


(iv) the Company’s material breach of this Agreement, that certain Management Stockholders’ Agreement by and between the Company and Participant, dated as of [____], 2021, the Employment Agreement, that certain letter agreement by and between the Company and Participant, dated as of [____], 2021 (the “Side Letter”), or any amendment to any of the foregoing, or any agreement that supersedes either or both of the Employment Agreement and/or the Side Letter.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Participant will not be deemed to have resigned for Good Reason unless (A) Participant provides the Company with written notice setting forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed by Participant to constitute Good Reason within 90 days after the date of the occurrence of any event that Participant knows or should reasonably have known to constitute Good Reason, (B) the Company fails to cure such acts or omissions in all material respects to the reasonable satisfaction of Participant within 30 days following its receipt of such notice (provided that the Company’s right to cure shall not apply if there are habitual breaches by the Company), and (C) the effective date of Participant’s termination for Good Reason occurs no later than 60 days after the expiration of the Company’s cure period. Otherwise, any claim of such circumstances as “Good Reason” shall be deemed irrevocably waived by Participant.

(d) “Qualifying Termination” means a termination of Participant’s Service either by the Company without Cause, by Participant for Good Reason or due to Participant’s death or Disability.

(e) “Service” means Participant’s employment or service with the Company as its Chief Executive Officer, or as Executive Chairman.

ARTICLE II.

VESTING; FORFEITURE; SETTLEMENT

2.1 General Vesting. The PSUs will be earned and vest in connection with the achievement of Price Per Share Goals as defined in and as set forth in Exhibit B, subject to Participant’s continued Service with the Company or its Affiliates through the applicable Vesting Date(s) (as defined in Exhibit B), except to the extent provided in Sections 2.2 and 2.3 below. Dividend Equivalents (including any Dividend Equivalent Account balance) will vest upon the vesting of the PSUs with respect to which the Dividend Equivalent (including the Dividend Equivalent Account) relates.

2.2 Change in Control. If (i) a Change in Control occurs, (ii) Participant remains in continued Service until at least immediately prior to the Change in Control, and (iii) some or all PSUs remain outstanding as of immediately prior to such Change in Control, then:

(a) Any then-unvested Earned PSUs will vest immediately prior to the closing of such Change in Control.

(b) With respect to any PSUs that are not Earned PSUs, if a Price Per Share Goal is first achieved based on the CIC Price (or, with respect to a Non-Transactional Change in Control, if the Price Per Share Goal is achieved as of the Change in Control date), then any PSUs to which such Price Per Share Goal applies shall become Earned PSUs (as defined in Exhibit B) as of immediately prior to the closing of such Change in Control. In addition, if the CIC Price (or, with respect to a Non-Transactional Change in Control, the Price Per Share as of the Change in Control date) falls between two Price Per Share Goals, then an additional number of PSUs shall become Earned PSUs immediately prior to the closing of such Change in Control equal to a number of PSUs determined using straight line interpolation between the Price Per Share Goals between which such price falls. Any PSUs that become Earned PSUs in accordance with this Section 2.2(b) will vest immediately prior to the closing of such Change in Control.

 

A-3


Notwithstanding the generality of the foregoing, in the event that a Price Per Share Goal was achieved prior to the Change in Control, no additional PSUs shall become Earned PSUs pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 2.2(b) with respect to such Price Per Share Goal.

(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 8.3 of the Plan, if, following the application of Sections 2.2(b), any PSUs have not become Earned PSUs as of (or in connection with) the Change in Control, then such PSUs automatically will be forfeited and terminated as of immediately prior to such Change in Control without consideration therefor.

2.3 Termination of Service.

(a) If Participant experiences a Qualifying Termination, then (i) any PSUs that are Earned PSUs as of such Qualifying Termination shall vest as of the termination date and (ii) any PSUs that are not Earned PSUs as of such Qualifying Termination will be forfeited and terminated without consideration therefor.

(b) The treatment set forth in Section 2.3(a) is subject to and conditioned upon Participant’s (or Participant’s estate’s) timely execution, delivery and non-revocation of a general release of claims in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the “Release”) and continued compliance with the Restrictive Covenants (as defined below) through the effective date of the Release. The Release shall be delivered to Participant (or Participant’s estate’s) within five business days following the termination date, and Participant shall have 21 days thereafter (or 45 days, if necessary to comply with Applicable Law) to execute and deliver the Release to the Company. The Company may update the Release attached hereto to the extent necessary to reflect changes in law.

(c) If Participant experiences a termination of Service for any reason other than a Qualifying Termination, all PSUs that have not become vested on or prior to the date of such termination of Service (including any Earned PSUs) automatically will be forfeited and terminated as of the termination date without consideration therefor.

2.4 Forfeiture.

(a) Any PSUs that remain outstanding and are not Earned PSUs as of the close of business on the Expiration Date automatically will be forfeited and terminated at the close of business on the Expiration Date without consideration therefor.

(b) Upon Participant’s material breach of any of the Restrictive Covenants, any PSUs underlying the Award that remain outstanding as of the date of such breach (if any) automatically will be forfeited and terminated as of the date that such breach is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.

(c) Dividend Equivalents (including any Dividend Equivalent Account balance) will be forfeited upon the forfeiture of the PSUs with respect to which the Dividend Equivalent (including the Dividend Equivalent Account) relates.

2.5 Settlement.

(a) The PSUs will be paid in Shares, and Dividend Equivalents (including any Dividend Equivalent Account balance) will be paid in cash or Shares, as soon as practicable and in any event within 45 days after the vesting date of the applicable PSU, as determined pursuant to Section 2.2, Section 2.3(a) or Exhibit B.

 

A-4


(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may delay any payment under this Agreement that the Company reasonably determines would violate Applicable Law until the earliest date the Company reasonably determines the making of the payment will not cause such a violation (in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(7)(ii)); provided the Company reasonably believes the delay will not result in the imposition of excise taxes under Section 409A. For the avoidance of doubt, any Dividend Equivalents granted in connection with the PSUs issued hereunder, and any amounts that may become distributable in respect thereof, shall be treated separately from such PSUs and the rights arising in connection therewith for purposes of the designation of time and form of payments required by Section 409A.

(c) If a Dividend Equivalent is paid in Shares, the number of Shares paid with respect to the Dividend Equivalent will equal the quotient, rounded down to the nearest whole Share, of the Dividend Equivalent Account balance divided by the Fair Market Value of a Share on the day immediately preceding the payment date.

ARTICLE III.

TAXATION AND TAX WITHHOLDING

3.1 Representation. Participant represents to the Company that Participant has reviewed with Participant’s own tax advisors the tax consequences of this award of PSUs and Dividend Equivalents (the “Award”) and the transactions contemplated by the Grant Notice and this Agreement. Participant is relying solely on such advisors and not on any statements or representations of the Company or any of its agents.

3.2 Tax Withholding.

(a) Payment of the withholding tax obligations with respect to the Award may be by any of the following, or a combination thereof:

(i) Cash or check;

(ii) Subject to Section 10.17 of the Plan, delivery (including electronically or telephonically to the extent permitted by the Company) by Participant to the Company of a copy of irrevocable and unconditional instructions to a broker acceptable to the Company that Participant has placed a market sell order with such broker with respect to Shares then-issuable upon settlement of the Award, and that the broker has been directed to deliver promptly to the Company funds sufficient to satisfy the applicable tax withholding obligations; provided, that payment of such proceeds is then made to the Company at such time as may be required by the Administrator; or

(iii) By the Company withholding, or causing to be withheld, Shares otherwise vesting or issuable under this Award in satisfaction of any applicable withholding tax obligation. The number of Shares which may be so withheld shall be such number of Shares which have a Fair Market Value on the date of withholding equal to the aggregate amount of such liabilities based on the maximum individual statutory withholding rates in Participant’s applicable jurisdictions for federal, state, local and foreign income tax and payroll tax purposes that are applicable to such taxable income.

(b) Participant acknowledges that Participant is ultimately liable and responsible for all taxes owed in connection with the PSUs and the Dividend Equivalents, regardless of any action the Company or any Subsidiary takes with respect to any tax withholding obligations that arise in connection with the PSUs or Dividend Equivalents. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary makes any representation or undertaking regarding the treatment of any tax withholding in connection with the awarding, vesting or

 

A-5


payment of the PSUs or the Dividend Equivalents or the subsequent sale of Shares. The Company and its Subsidiaries do not commit and are under no obligation to structure the PSUs or Dividend Equivalents to reduce or eliminate Participant’s tax liability.

ARTICLE IV.

OTHER PROVISIONS

4.1 Adjustments. Participant acknowledges that the PSUs, the Shares subject to the PSUs, the Dividend Equivalents and the Price Per Share Goals are subject to adjustment, modification and/or termination in certain events as provided in this Agreement and the Plan. For purposes of clarity, in connection with an Equity Restructuring the Price Per Share Goals shall be subject to Section 8.1 of the Plan.

4.2 Clawback. Notwithstanding Section 10.13 of the Plan, the Award and the Shares issuable hereunder shall be subject to (i) any Company clawback or recoupment policy required in order to comply with Applicable Law, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) any Company clawback or recoupment policy approved by the Company’s Board which applies to the senior executives of the Company. The Company and Participant acknowledge that neither this Section 4.2 nor Section 10.13 of the Plan are intended to limit any clawback and/or disgorgement of the Award and/or the Shares issuable hereunder pursuant to Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

4.3 Notices. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to the Company must be in writing and addressed to the Company in care of the Company’s General Counsel at the Company’s principal office or the General Counsel’s then-current email address or facsimile number. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to Participant must be in writing and addressed to Participant (or, if Participant is then deceased, to the Designated Beneficiary) at Participant’s last known mailing address, email address or facsimile number in the Company’s personnel files. By a notice given pursuant to this Section, either party may designate a different address for notices to be given to that party. Any notice will be deemed duly given when actually received, when sent by email, when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited with postage prepaid in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service, when delivered by a nationally recognized express shipping company or upon receipt of a facsimile transmission confirmation.

4.4 Transferability. Without limiting the generality of any other provision in this Agreement, this Award shall be subject to the restrictions on transferability set forth in Section 9.1 of the Plan. In addition, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Participant shall not, without the consent of the Administrator (which shall not be unreasonably withheld), sell, pledge, assign, hypothecate, transfer or otherwise dispose of (collectively, “Transfer”) any Shares delivered under this Agreement prior to the second (2nd) anniversary of the applicable Vesting Date(s) (the “Post-Vesting Transfer Restrictions”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Post-Vesting Transfer Restrictions shall not apply to (i) any Transfer of Shares to the Company, (ii) any Transfer in satisfaction of any tax withholding obligations with respect to the Award, (iii) any Transfer following Participant’s termination of Service due to death or Disability, including without limitation by will or pursuant to the laws of descent and distribution, (iv) subject to the consent of the Administrator (which shall not be unreasonably withheld), any Transfer of the Shares to an estate planning vehicle of Participant or (v) any Transfer upon the occurrence of or following a Change in Control (or such earlier time as is necessary in order for Participant to participate in such Change in Control transaction with respect to the Shares and receive the consideration payable with respect thereto in connection with such Change in Control). If any Shares are Transferred to an estate planning vehicle of Participant in accordance with the foregoing sentence, then the Shares shall continue to be subject to all terms and conditions set forth herein (including with respect to the Post-Vesting Transfer Restrictions)

 

A-6


and Participant and the transferee shall execute any documents reasonably requested by the Administrator to (x) confirm the status of the transferee as an estate planning vehicle of Participant, (y) satisfy any requirements for the Transfer under Applicable Law and (z) evidence such Transfer.

4.5 Titles. Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Agreement.

4.6 Conformity to Securities Laws. Participant acknowledges that the Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement are intended to conform to the extent necessary with all Applicable Laws and, to the extent Applicable Laws permit, will be deemed amended as necessary to conform to Applicable Laws.

4.7 Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Agreement to a single or multiple assignees, and this Agreement will inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Agreement or the Plan, this Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs, legatees, legal representatives, successors and assigns of the parties hereto.

4.8 Limitations Applicable to Section 16 Persons. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or this Agreement, if Participant is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the Plan, the Grant Notice, this Agreement and the PSUs and Dividend Equivalents will be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including any amendment to Rule 16b-3) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule. To the extent Applicable Laws permit, this Agreement will be deemed amended as necessary to conform to such applicable exemptive rule.

4.9 Restrictive Covenants. In consideration of the benefits being provided to Participant pursuant to this Agreement, Participant agrees to be bound by the restrictive covenants (the “Restrictive Covenants”) contained in Section 9 of the Amended and Restated Employment Agreement by and between Traeger Pellet Grills, LLC and Participant, dated as of September 27, 2017 (the “Employment Agreement”) are incorporated herein by reference.

4.10 Entire Agreement; Amendment. The Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement (including any exhibit hereto) constitute the entire agreement of the parties and supersede in their entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Company and Participant with respect to the subject matter hereof. To the extent permitted by the Plan, this Agreement may be wholly or partially amended or otherwise modified, suspended or terminated at any time or from time to time by the Administrator or the Board; provided, however, that except as may otherwise be provided by Article VIII and Sections 10.4 and 10.6 of the Plan, no amendment, modification, suspension or termination of this Agreement shall adversely affect the PSUs or Dividend Equivalents without the prior written consent of Participant.

4.11 Agreement Severable. In the event that any provision of the Grant Notice or this Agreement is held illegal or invalid, the provision will be severable from, and the illegality or invalidity of the provision will not be construed to have any effect on, the remaining provisions of the Grant Notice or this Agreement.

4.12 Limitation on Participant’s Rights. Participation in the Plan confers no rights or interests other than as herein provided. This Agreement creates only a contractual obligation on the part of the Company as to amounts payable and may not be construed as creating a trust. Neither the Plan nor any underlying program, in and of itself, has any assets. Participant will have only the rights of a general unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to amounts credited and benefits payable, if any, with respect to the PSUs and Dividend Equivalents, and rights no greater than the right to receive cash or the

 

A-7


Shares as a general unsecured creditor with respect to the PSUs and Dividend Equivalents, as and when settled pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

4.13 Not a Contract of Service. Nothing in the Plan, the Grant Notice or this Agreement confers upon Participant any right to continue in the employ or service of the Company or any Subsidiary or interferes with or restricts in any way the rights of the Company and its Subsidiaries, which rights are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge or terminate the services of Participant at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without cause, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in a written agreement between the Company or a Subsidiary and Participant.

4.14 Counterparts. The Grant Notice may be executed in one or more counterparts, including by way of any electronic signature, subject to Applicable Law, each of which will be deemed an original and all of which together will constitute one instrument.

* * * * *

 

A-8


Exhibit B

EARNED PSUS; VESTING SCHEDULE

Earned PSUs

The PSUs will become “Earned PSUs” based on the achievement of Price Per Share Goals set forth in the table below during the Performance Period, subject to certification by the Administrator that the applicable Price Per Share Goal has been achieved (provided that no such certification shall be required in the event one or more Price Per Share Goals are achieved as a result of the occurrence of a Change in Control).

 

Vesting Tranche

   Price Per Share Goal2      Number of Earned PSUs3  

“First Vesting Tranche”

   $ [___      [___

“Second Vesting Tranche”

   $ [___      [___

“Third Vesting Tranche”

   $ [___      [___

“Fourth Vesting Tranche”

   $ [___      [___

“Fifth Vesting Tranche”

   $ [___      [___

For the avoidance of doubt, each Price Per Share Goal for an Earned PSU may be achieved only once during the Performance Period and more than one Price Per Share Goal may be achieved on a particular date. For example, if the first Price Per Share Goal of $[___] per share is determined by the Administrator to have been satisfied on January 1, 2023, the Price Per Share thereafter drops below such level and again reaches $[___] per share during the 60 consecutive trading day period ending September 30, 2023, no additional PSUs shall become Earned PSUS as a result of reaching the same Price Per Share Goal for a second time.

Vesting of Earned PSUs

Except as otherwise provided in Sections 2.2 through 2.4 of the Agreement, with respect to any PSUs that become Earned PSUs, such Earned PSUs shall vest on the applicable “Vesting Date” set forth in the table below based on such Earned PSUs’ Vesting Tranche. For the avoidance of doubt, PSUs may become Earned PSUs based on achievement of the Price Per Share Goals prior to the applicable Vesting Date, including, without limitation, prior to the first anniversary of the IPO Date.

 

Earned PSUs’

Vesting Tranche

  

Vesting Date

First Vesting Tranche

  

•  50% on the later of first anniversary of IPO Date and date on which the Price Per Share Goal is achieved;

•  50% on the later of second anniversary of IPO Date and date on which the Price Per Share Goal is achieved

Second Vesting Tranche

  

•  50% on the later of second anniversary of IPO Date and date on which the Price Per Share Goal is achieved;

 

2 

NTD: Initial price per share goal will equal 125% of the IPO price, and each tranche thereafter will be 125% of the prior goal.

3 

NTD: Each tranche will represent 20% of the total PSUs.


  

•  50% on the later of third anniversary of IPO Date and date on which the Price Per Share Goal is achieved

Third Vesting Tranche

  

•  50% on the later of third anniversary of IPO Date and date on which the Price Per Share Goal is achieved;

•  50% on the later of fourth anniversary of IPO Date and date on which the Price Per Share Goal is achieved

Fourth Vesting Tranche

  

•  50% on the later of fourth anniversary of IPO Date and date on which the Price Per Share Goal is achieved;

•  50% on the later of fifth anniversary of IPO Date and date on which the Price Per Share Goal is achieved

Fifth Vesting Tranche

  

•  50% on the later of fifth anniversary of IPO Date and date on which the Price Per Share Goal is achieved;

•  50% on the later of sixth anniversary of IPO Date and date on which the Price Per Share Goal is achieved

In no event may more than [______]4 PSUs vest pursuant to this Award.

Definitions

CIC Price” means the price per share of Common Stock (or, in connection with a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, the implied price per share of Common Stock) paid by an acquiror in connection with such Change in Control or, to the extent that the consideration in the Change in Control transaction is paid in stock of the acquiror or its affiliate, then, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, the CIC Price shall mean the value of the consideration paid per Share based on the average of the closing trading prices of a share of such acquiror stock on the principal exchange on which such shares are then traded for each trading day during the five consecutive trading days ending on and including the date on which a Change in Control occurs. In the event the consideration in the Change in Control takes any other form, the value of such consideration shall be determined by the Administrator in its good faith reasonable discretion in a manner intended to not diminish the value of the Award to Participant.

IPO Date” means the date on which the closing of the underwritten public offering of the Company’s Common Stock occurs.

Performance Period” means the period beginning on (and including) the IPO Date and ending on (and including) the Expiration Date.

Price Per Share” means the Fair Market Value per Share.

Price Per Share Goal” means a target average Price Per Share as set forth in the table above measured over any 60 consecutive trading-day period during the Performance Period; provided, however, that if a Change in Control occurs, then the Price Per Share Goals shall be evaluated solely by reference to the CIC Price (other than in connection with a Change in Control that is solely a Non-Transactional Change in Control). For the avoidance of doubt, the Price Per Share does not need to be maintained over the 60

 

 

4 

NTD: Will refer to total number of PSUs granted.

 

B-2


consecutive trading day period and achievement of the Price Per Share Goal shall be determined based on the average Price Per Share over a 60 consecutive trading-day period.

Vesting Tranche” means each of the First Vesting Tranche, Second Vesting Tranche, Third Vesting Tranche, Fourth Vesting Tranche and Fifth Vesting Tranche.

 

B-3


Exhibit C

GENERAL RELEASE

1. Release. For valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned does hereby release and forever discharge the “Releasees” hereunder, consisting of Traeger, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Company”), and the Company’s partners, subsidiaries, associates, affiliates, successors, heirs, assigns, directors, officers and employees of and from any and all manner of action or actions, cause or causes of action, in law or in equity, suits, debts, liens, contracts, agreements, promises, liability, claims, demands, damages, losses, costs, attorneys’ fees or expenses, of any nature whatsoever, known or unknown, fixed or contingent (hereinafter called “Claims”), which the undersigned now has or may hereafter have against the Releasees, or any of them, by reason of any matter, cause, or thing whatsoever from the beginning of time to the date hereof. The Claims released herein include, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any Claims in any way arising out of, based upon, or related to the employment or service, or termination of employment or service, of the undersigned by the Releasees, or any of them; any alleged breach of any express or implied contract of employment or service; any alleged torts or other alleged legal restrictions on Releasees’ right to terminate the employment or service of the undersigned; and any alleged violation of any federal, state or local statute or ordinance including, without limitation, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination In Employment Act (“ADEA”), the Americans With Disabilities Act.

2. Claims Not Released. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this general release (the “Release”) shall not operate to release any rights or claims of the undersigned (i) to payments or benefits under the performance-based restricted stock unit award agreement between the undersigned and the Company (to which this Release is attached) or as a holder of any securities of the Company, (ii) to accrued or vested benefits the undersigned may have, if any, as of the date hereof under any applicable plan, policy, practice, program, contract or agreement with the Company, (iii) to any Claims, including claims for indemnification and/or advancement of expenses arising under any indemnification agreement between the undersigned and the Company, under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policy or under the bylaws, certificate of incorporation or other similar governing document of the Company, (iv) to any Claims which cannot be waived by an employee under applicable law or (v) with respect to the undersigned’s right to communicate directly with, cooperate with, or provide information to, any federal, state or local government regulator.

3. Exceptions. Notwithstanding anything in this Release to the contrary, nothing contained in this Release shall prohibit the undersigned from (i) filing a charge with, reporting possible violations of federal law or regulation to, participating in any investigation by, or cooperating with any governmental agency or entity or making other disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of applicable law or regulation and/or (ii) communicating directly with, cooperating with, or providing information (including trade secrets) in confidence to, any federal, state or local government regulator (including, but not limited to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or the U.S. Department of Justice) for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law, or from providing such information to the undersigned’s attorney or in a sealed complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other governmental proceeding. Pursuant to 18 USC Section 1833(b), (1) the undersigned will not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that is made: (x) in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney, and solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (y) in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal and (2) the undersigned acknowledges that an individual who files a lawsuit for retaliation by an employer for reporting a suspected violation of law may disclose the trade secret to the attorney of the individual and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, if the individual files any document containing the trade secret under seal and does not disclose the trade secret, except pursuant to court order.

 

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4. Representations. The undersigned represents and warrants that there has been no assignment or other transfer of any interest in any Claim which the undersigned may have against Releasees, or any of them, and the undersigned agrees to indemnify and hold Releasees, and each of them, harmless from any liability, Claims, demands, damages, costs, expenses and attorneys’ fees incurred by Releasees, or any of them, as the result of any such assignment or transfer or any rights or Claims under any such assignment or transfer. It is the intention of the parties that this indemnity does not require payment as a condition precedent to recovery by the Releasees against the undersigned under this indemnity.

5. No Action. The undersigned agrees that if the undersigned hereafter commences any suit arising out of, based upon, or relating to any of the Claims released hereunder or in any manner asserts against Releasees, or any of them, any of the Claims released hereunder, then the undersigned agrees to pay to Releasees, and each of them, in addition to any other damages caused to Releasees thereby, all attorneys’ fees incurred by Releasees in defending or otherwise responding to said suit or Claim. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this provision shall not apply to any suit or Claim to the extent it challenges the effectiveness of this Release with respect to a claim under the ADEA.

6. No Admission. The undersigned further understands and agrees that neither the payment of any sum of money nor the execution of this Release shall constitute or be construed as an admission of any liability whatsoever by the Releasees, or any of them, who have consistently taken the position that they have no liability whatsoever to the undersigned.

7. [OWBPA. The undersigned agrees and acknowledges that this Release constitutes a knowing and voluntary waiver and release of all Claims the undersigned has or may have against the Company and/or any of the Releasees as set forth herein, including, but not limited to, all Claims arising under the Older Worker’s Benefit Protection Act and the ADEA. In accordance with the Older Worker’s Benefit Protection Act, the undersigned is hereby advised as follows:

 

  (i)

the undersigned has read the terms of this Release, and understands its terms and effects, including the fact that the undersigned agreed to release and forever discharge the Company and each of the Releasees, from any Claims released in this Release;

 

  (ii)

the undersigned understands that, by entering into this Release, the undersigned does not waive any Claims that may arise after the date of the undersigned’s execution of this Release, including without limitation any rights or claims that the undersigned may have to secure enforcement of the terms and conditions of this Release;

 

  (iii)

the undersigned has signed this Release voluntarily and knowingly in exchange for the consideration described in this Release, which the undersigned acknowledges is adequate and satisfactory to the undersigned and which the undersigned acknowledges is in addition to any other benefits to which the undersigned is otherwise entitled;

 

  (iv)

the Company advises the undersigned to consult with an attorney prior to executing this Release;

 

  (v)

the undersigned has been given at least [21]5 days in which to review and consider this Release. To the extent that the undersigned chooses to sign this Release prior to the expiration of such period, the undersigned acknowledges that the undersigned has done so voluntarily, had sufficient time to consider the Release, to consult with counsel and that

 

 

5 

NTD: Use 45 days in a group termination, and include information regarding terminated positions.

 

C-2


 

the undersigned does not desire additional time and hereby waives the remainder of the [21]-day period; and

 

  (vi)

the undersigned may revoke this Release within seven days from the date the undersigned signs this Release and this Release will become effective upon the expiration of that revocation period if the undersigned has not revoked this Release during such seven-day period. If the undersigned revokes this Release during such seven-day period, this Release will be null and void and of no force or effect on either the Company or the undersigned and the undersigned will not be entitled to any of the payments or benefits which are expressly conditioned upon the execution and non-revocation of this Release. Any revocation must be in writing and sent to [name], via electronic mail at [email address], on or before 11:59 p.m. Mountain time on the seventh day after this Release is executed by the undersigned.]6

8. Acknowledgement. The undersigned acknowledges that different or additional facts may be discovered in addition to what is now known or believed to be true by the undersigned with respect to the matters released in this Release, and the undersigned agrees that this Release shall be and remain in effect in all respects as a complete and final release of the matters released, notwithstanding any different or additional facts.

9. Governing Law. This Release is deemed made and entered into in the State of Utah, and in all respects shall be interpreted, enforced and governed under the internal laws of the State of Utah, to the extent not preempted by federal law.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Release this ____ day of ___________, ____.

 

 

Jeremy Andrus

 

 

6 

NTD: Include as applicable.

 

C-3

Exhibit 10.10

 

TRAEGER, INC.

2021 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT GRANT NOTICE

Traeger, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), has granted to the participant listed below (“Participant”) the Restricted Stock Units (the “RSUs”) described in this Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice (this “Grant Notice”), subject to the terms and conditions of the Traeger, Inc. 2021 Incentive Award Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”) and the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Agreement”) and the Release attached as Exhibit B, all of which are incorporated into this Grant Notice by reference. Capitalized terms not specifically defined in this Grant Notice or the Agreement have the meanings given to them in the Plan.

 

Participant:

   Jeremy Andrus

Grant Date:

   [Effective on later of closing of IPO and date Form S-8 filed]

Number of RSUs:

   [________]1

Vesting Commencement Date:

   [IPO Date]

Vesting Schedule:

   Subject to Participant’s continued Service and except as otherwise provided in Section 2.2(a) of the Agreement, the RSUs shall vest with respect to 20% of the RSUs on each of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth anniversaries of the Vesting Commencement Date.

By accepting (whether in writing, electronically or otherwise) the RSUs, Participant agrees to be bound by the terms of this Grant Notice, the Plan and the Agreement. Participant has reviewed the Plan, this Grant Notice and the Agreement in their entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing this Grant Notice and fully understands all provisions of the Plan, this Grant Notice and the Agreement.

 

TRAEGER, INC.

    

PARTICIPANT

By:

 

 

    

 

Name:

 

 

    

Jeremy Andrus

Title:

 

 

    
 

 

1 

NTD: Number of RSUs to represent, following the grant of all IPO-related equity awards (including this Award), 2% of the fully-diluted shares of common stock.


Exhibit A

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

WHEREAS, the Company has granted the RSUs to Participant effective as of the Grant Date set forth in the Grant Notice (the “Grant Date”);

WHEREAS, in connection therewith, the parties desire to enter into this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (this “Agreement”); and

WHEREAS, the Company and Participant expect that Participant will not be eligible to receive a Company long-term incentive or equity-based compensatory award prior to calendar year 2027 or, if earlier, a Change in Control.

NOW, THEREFORE, the Company and Participant hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I.

GENERAL

1.1 Award of RSUs and Dividend Equivalents.

(a) Each RSU represents the right to receive one Share, as set forth in this Agreement. Participant will have no right to the distribution of any Shares until the time (if ever) the RSUs have vested.

(b) The Company hereby grants to Participant, with respect to each RSU, a Dividend Equivalent for ordinary cash dividends paid to substantially all holders of outstanding Shares with a record date after the Grant Date and prior to the date the applicable RSU is settled, forfeited or otherwise expires. Each Dividend Equivalent entitles Participant to receive the equivalent value of any such ordinary cash dividends paid on a single Share. The Company will establish a separate Dividend Equivalent bookkeeping account (a “Dividend Equivalent Account”) for each Dividend Equivalent and credit the Dividend Equivalent Account (without interest) on the applicable dividend payment date with the amount of any such cash paid. Any Dividend Equivalents granted in connection with the RSUs issued hereunder, and any amounts that may become distributable in respect thereof, shall be treated separately from such RSUs and the rights arising in connection therewith for purposes of the designation of time and form of payments required by Section 409A.

1.2 Incorporation of Terms of Plan. The RSUs and Dividend Equivalents are subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference.

1.3 Unsecured Promise. The RSUs and Dividend Equivalents will at all times prior to settlement represent an unsecured Company obligation payable only from the Company’s general assets.

1.4 Definitions. Capitalized terms not specifically defined in this Agreement have the meanings specified in the Grant Notice or in the Plan. In addition, the following defined terms shall apply:

(a) “Cause” means the occurrence of any one or more of the following events:

(i) Participant’s willful misconduct or gross negligence in the performance of Participant’s duties as Chief Executive Officer or, if applicable, Executive Chairman of the Board, in either case, which causes the Company or its Subsidiaries material harm;

(ii) Participant’s repeated willful failure to follow the lawful directives of the Board that are not inconsistent with his position as Chief Executive Officer or, if applicable, as


Executive Chairman of the Board (other than as a result of death or physical or mental incapacity), in either case, which causes the Company or its Subsidiaries material harm;

(iii) Participant’s conviction of, or pleading of guilty or nolo contendere to, a felony or any crime involving moral turpitude if it impacts the reputation or goodwill of the Company or its Subsidiaries;

(iv) Participant’s performance of any material act of theft, embezzlement, fraud, dishonesty or misappropriation of the property of the Company or its Subsidiaries; or

(v) Participant’s use of illegal drugs, or Participant’s abuse of alcohol that materially impairs Participant’s ability to perform Participant’s duties contemplated hereunder; or

(vi) Participant’s material breach of any obligation under any written agreement with the Company or its Subsidiaries or under any applicable written policy of the Company or its Subsidiaries that has been provided to or made available to Participant (including any code of conduct or harassment policies) which causes the Company material harm.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Cause” shall not include or be predicated upon any act or omission by Participant which is taken or made either (A) at the direction of the Board, (B) in good faith under Participant’s reasonable belief that the act or omission was in the best interest of the Company or its Subsidiaries, (C) pursuant to the advice of the Company’s counsel, or (D) to comply with a lawful court order, directive from a federal, state or local government agency or industry regulatory authority, or subpoena. The Company shall provide Participant with a written notice detailing the specific circumstances alleged to constitute Cause within ninety (90) days after the Board (other than Participant) first knows, or with the exercise of reasonable diligence would know, of the occurrence of such circumstances, and, except with respect to clause (iii) above, any determination of Cause by the Company will be made by a resolution approved by a majority of the members of the Board (other than Participant, as applicable) within thirty (30) days following the expiration of Participant’s cure period followed by a termination of Participant’s employment within such thirty (30) day period, provided that no such determination or termination may be made until Participant has been given written notice detailing the specific Cause event and a period of thirty (30) days following receipt of such notice to cure such event (if susceptible to cure) in all material respects to the reasonable satisfaction of the Board. Otherwise, any claim of such circumstances as “Cause” shall be deemed irrevocably waived by the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Participant’s right to cure shall not apply if there are habitual breaches by Participant.

(b) “Disability” means a permanent and total disability under Code Section 22(e)(3).

(c) “Good Reason” means the occurrence of any one or more of the following events without Participant’s prior written consent, unless the Company fully corrects the circumstances constituting Good Reason (provided such circumstances are capable of correction) as provided below:

(i) material diminution in Participant’s duties, authorities or responsibilities (other than temporarily while physically or mentally incapacitated or as required by Applicable Laws) or removal from any of Participant’s executive officer positions;

(ii) a change in the geographic location of Participant’s principal work location with the Company by more than 35 miles from its existing location;

(iii) assignment to Participant of any duties inconsistent with Participant’s position, titles and offices as set forth above; or

 

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(iv) the Company’s material breach of this Agreement, that certain Management Stockholders’ Agreement by and between the Company and Participant, dated as of [____], 2021, the Employment Agreement, that certain letter agreement by and between the Company and Participant, dated as of [____], 2021 (the “Side Letter”), or any amendment to any of the foregoing, or any agreement that supersedes either or both of the Employment Agreement and/or the Side Letter.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Participant will not be deemed to have resigned for Good Reason unless (A) Participant provides the Company with written notice setting forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed by Participant to constitute Good Reason within 90 days after the date of the occurrence of any event that Participant knows or should reasonably have known to constitute Good Reason, (B) the Company fails to cure such acts or omissions in all material respects to the reasonable satisfaction of Participant within 30 days following its receipt of such notice (provided that the Company’s right to cure shall not apply if there are habitual breaches by the Company), and (C) the effective date of Participant’s termination for Good Reason occurs no later than 60 days after the expiration of the Company’s cure period. Otherwise, any claim of such circumstances as “Good Reason” shall be deemed irrevocably waived by Participant.

(d) “Qualifying Termination” means a termination of Participant’s Service either by the Company without Cause, by Participant for Good Reason or due to Participant’s death or Disability.

(e) “Service” means Participant’s employment or service with the Company as its Chief Executive Officer, or as Executive Chairman.

ARTICLE II.

VESTING; FORFEITURE; SETTLEMENT

2.1 General Vesting. The RSUs will vest as set forth in the Grant Notice, subject to Participant’s continued Service with the Company or its Affiliates, except to the extent provided in Section 2.2 below. Dividend Equivalents (including any Dividend Equivalent Account balance) will vest upon the vesting of the RSUs with respect to which the Dividend Equivalent (including the Dividend Equivalent Account) relates.

2.2 Termination of Service.

(a) If Participant experiences a Qualifying Termination, then any RSUs that are outstanding and unvested as of such Qualifying Termination shall vest as of the termination date.

(b) The treatment set forth in Section 2.2(a) is subject to and conditioned upon Participant’s (or Participant’s estate’s) timely execution, delivery and non-revocation of a general release of claims in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the “Release”) and continued compliance with the Restrictive Covenants (as defined below) through the effective date of the Release. The Release shall be delivered to Participant (or Participant’s estate’s) within five business days following the termination date, and Participant shall have 21 days thereafter (or 45 days, if necessary to comply with Applicable Law) to execute and deliver the Release to the Company. The Company may update the Release attached hereto to the extent necessary to reflect changes in law.

(c) If Participant experiences a termination of Service for any reason other than a Qualifying Termination, all RSUs that have not become vested on or prior to the date of such termination of Service automatically will be forfeited and terminated as of the termination date without consideration therefor.

 

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2.3 Forfeiture.

(a) Upon Participant’s material breach of any of the Restrictive Covenants, any RSUs underlying the Award that remain outstanding as of the date of such breach (if any) automatically will be forfeited and terminated as of the date that such breach is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.

(b) Dividend Equivalents (including any Dividend Equivalent Account balance) will be forfeited upon the forfeiture of the RSUs with respect to which the Dividend Equivalent (including the Dividend Equivalent Account) relates.

2.4 Settlement.

(a) The RSUs will be paid in Shares, and Dividend Equivalents (including any Dividend Equivalent Account balance) will be paid in cash or Shares, as soon as practicable and in any event within 45 days after the vesting date of the applicable RSU, as determined pursuant to Section 2.1 or Section 2.2(a).

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may delay any payment under this Agreement that the Company reasonably determines would violate Applicable Law until the earliest date the Company reasonably determines the making of the payment will not cause such a violation (in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(7)(ii)); provided the Company reasonably believes the delay will not result in the imposition of excise taxes under Section 409A. For the avoidance of doubt, any Dividend Equivalents granted in connection with the RSUs issued hereunder, and any amounts that may become distributable in respect thereof, shall be treated separately from such RSUs and the rights arising in connection therewith for purposes of the designation of time and form of payments required by Section 409A.

(c) If a Dividend Equivalent is paid in Shares, the number of Shares paid with respect to the Dividend Equivalent will equal the quotient, rounded down to the nearest whole Share, of the Dividend Equivalent Account balance divided by the Fair Market Value of a Share on the day immediately preceding the payment date.

ARTICLE III.

TAXATION AND TAX WITHHOLDING

3.1 Representation. Participant represents to the Company that Participant has reviewed with Participant’s own tax advisors the tax consequences of this award of RSUs and Dividend Equivalents (the “Award”) and the transactions contemplated by the Grant Notice and this Agreement. Participant is relying solely on such advisors and not on any statements or representations of the Company or any of its agents.

3.2 Tax Withholding.

(a) Payment of the withholding tax obligations with respect to the Award may be by any of the following, or a combination thereof:

(i) Cash or check;

(ii) Subject to Section 10.17 of the Plan, delivery (including electronically or telephonically to the extent permitted by the Company) by Participant to the Company of a copy of irrevocable and unconditional instructions to a broker acceptable to the Company that Participant has placed a market sell order with such broker with respect to Shares then-issuable upon settlement

 

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of the Award, and that the broker has been directed to deliver promptly to the Company funds sufficient to satisfy the applicable tax withholding obligations; provided, that payment of such proceeds is then made to the Company at such time as may be required by the Administrator; or

(iii) By the Company withholding, or causing to be withheld, Shares otherwise vesting or issuable under this Award in satisfaction of any applicable withholding tax obligation. The number of Shares which may be so withheld shall be such number of Shares which have a Fair Market Value on the date of withholding equal to the aggregate amount of such liabilities based on the maximum individual statutory withholding rates in Participant’s applicable jurisdictions for federal, state, local and foreign income tax and payroll tax purposes that are applicable to such taxable income.

(b) Participant acknowledges that Participant is ultimately liable and responsible for all taxes owed in connection with the RSUs and the Dividend Equivalents, regardless of any action the Company or any Subsidiary takes with respect to any tax withholding obligations that arise in connection with the RSUs or Dividend Equivalents. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary makes any representation or undertaking regarding the treatment of any tax withholding in connection with the awarding, vesting or payment of the RSUs or the Dividend Equivalents or the subsequent sale of Shares. The Company and its Subsidiaries do not commit and are under no obligation to structure the RSUs or Dividend Equivalents to reduce or eliminate Participant’s tax liability.

ARTICLE IV.

OTHER PROVISIONS

4.1 Adjustments. Participant acknowledges that the RSUs, the Shares subject to the RSUs and the Dividend Equivalents are subject to adjustment, modification and/or termination in certain events as provided in this Agreement and the Plan.

4.2 Clawback. Notwithstanding Section 10.13 of the Plan, the Award and the Shares issuable hereunder shall be subject to (i) any Company clawback or recoupment policy required in order to comply with Applicable Law, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) any Company clawback or recoupment policy approved by the Company’s Board which applies to the senior executives of the Company. The Company and Participant acknowledge that neither this Section 4.2 nor Section 10.13 of the Plan are intended to limit any clawback and/or disgorgement of the Award and/or the Shares issuable hereunder pursuant to Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

4.3 Notices. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to the Company must be in writing and addressed to the Company in care of the Company’s General Counsel at the Company’s principal office or the General Counsel’s then-current email address or facsimile number. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to Participant must be in writing and addressed to Participant (or, if Participant is then deceased, to the Designated Beneficiary) at Participant’s last known mailing address, email address or facsimile number in the Company’s personnel files. By a notice given pursuant to this Section, either party may designate a different address for notices to be given to that party. Any notice will be deemed duly given when actually received, when sent by email, when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited with postage prepaid in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service, when delivered by a nationally recognized express shipping company or upon receipt of a facsimile transmission confirmation.

4.4 Transferability. Without limiting the generality of any other provision in this Agreement, this Award shall be subject to the restrictions on transferability set forth in Section 9.1 of the Plan. In

 

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addition, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Participant shall not, without the consent of the Administrator (which shall not be unreasonably withheld), sell, pledge, assign, hypothecate, transfer or otherwise dispose of (collectively, “Transfer”) any Shares delivered under this Agreement prior to the second (2nd) anniversary of the applicable Vesting Date(s) (the “Post-Vesting Transfer Restrictions”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Post-Vesting Transfer Restrictions shall not apply to (i) any Transfer of Shares to the Company, (ii) any Transfer in satisfaction of any tax withholding obligations with respect to the Award, (iii) any Transfer following Participant’s termination of Service due to death or Disability, including without limitation by will or pursuant to the laws of descent and distribution, (iv) subject to the consent of the Administrator (which shall not be unreasonably withheld), any Transfer of the Shares to an estate planning vehicle of Participant or (v) any Transfer upon the occurrence of or following a Change in Control (or such earlier time as is necessary in order for Participant to participate in such Change in Control transaction with respect to the Shares and receive the consideration payable with respect thereto in connection with such Change in Control). If any Shares are Transferred to an estate planning vehicle of Participant in accordance with the foregoing sentence, then the Shares shall continue to be subject to all terms and conditions set forth herein (including with respect to the Post-Vesting Transfer Restrictions) and Participant and the transferee shall execute any documents reasonably requested by the Administrator to (x) confirm the status of the transferee as an estate planning vehicle of Participant, (y) satisfy any requirements for the Transfer under Applicable Law and (z) evidence such Transfer.

4.5 Titles. Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Agreement.

4.6 Conformity to Securities Laws. Participant acknowledges that the Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement are intended to conform to the extent necessary with all Applicable Laws and, to the extent Applicable Laws permit, will be deemed amended as necessary to conform to Applicable Laws.

4.7 Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Agreement to a single or multiple assignees, and this Agreement will inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Agreement or the Plan, this Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs, legatees, legal representatives, successors and assigns of the parties hereto.

4.8 Limitations Applicable to Section 16 Persons. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or this Agreement, if Participant is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the Plan, the Grant Notice, this Agreement and the RSUs and Dividend Equivalents will be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including any amendment to Rule 16b-3) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule. To the extent Applicable Laws permit, this Agreement will be deemed amended as necessary to conform to such applicable exemptive rule.

4.9 Restrictive Covenants. In consideration of the benefits being provided to Participant pursuant to this Agreement, Participant agrees to be bound by the restrictive covenants (the “Restrictive Covenants”) contained in Section 9 of the Amended and Restated Employment Agreement by and between Traeger Pellet Grills, LLC and Participant, dated as of September 27, 2017 (the “Employment Agreement”) are incorporated herein by reference.

4.10 Entire Agreement; Amendment. The Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement (including any exhibit hereto) constitute the entire agreement of the parties and supersede in their entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Company and Participant with respect to the subject matter hereof. To the extent permitted by the Plan, this Agreement may be wholly or partially amended or otherwise modified, suspended or terminated at any time or from time to time by the Administrator or the Board; provided,

 

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however, that except as may otherwise be provided by Article VIII and Sections 10.4 and 10.6 of the Plan, no amendment, modification, suspension or termination of this Agreement shall adversely affect the RSUs or Dividend Equivalents without the prior written consent of Participant.

4.11 Agreement Severable. In the event that any provision of the Grant Notice or this Agreement is held illegal or invalid, the provision will be severable from, and the illegality or invalidity of the provision will not be construed to have any effect on, the remaining provisions of the Grant Notice or this Agreement.

4.12 Limitation on Participant’s Rights. Participation in the Plan confers no rights or interests other than as herein provided. This Agreement creates only a contractual obligation on the part of the Company as to amounts payable and may not be construed as creating a trust. Neither the Plan nor any underlying program, in and of itself, has any assets. Participant will have only the rights of a general unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to amounts credited and benefits payable, if any, with respect to the RSUs and Dividend Equivalents, and rights no greater than the right to receive cash or the Shares as a general unsecured creditor with respect to the RSUs and Dividend Equivalents, as and when settled pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

4.13 Not a Contract of Service. Nothing in the Plan, the Grant Notice or this Agreement confers upon Participant any right to continue in the employ or service of the Company or any Subsidiary or interferes with or restricts in any way the rights of the Company and its Subsidiaries, which rights are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge or terminate the services of Participant at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without cause, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in a written agreement between the Company or a Subsidiary and Participant.

4.14 Counterparts. The Grant Notice may be executed in one or more counterparts, including by way of any electronic signature, subject to Applicable Law, each of which will be deemed an original and all of which together will constitute one instrument.

* * * * *

 

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Exhibit B

GENERAL RELEASE

1. Release. For valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned does hereby release and forever discharge the “Releasees” hereunder, consisting of Traeger, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Company”), and the Company’s partners, subsidiaries, associates, affiliates, successors, heirs, assigns, directors, officers and employees of and from any and all manner of action or actions, cause or causes of action, in law or in equity, suits, debts, liens, contracts, agreements, promises, liability, claims, demands, damages, losses, costs, attorneys’ fees or expenses, of any nature whatsoever, known or unknown, fixed or contingent (hereinafter called “Claims”), which the undersigned now has or may hereafter have against the Releasees, or any of them, by reason of any matter, cause, or thing whatsoever from the beginning of time to the date hereof. The Claims released herein include, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any Claims in any way arising out of, based upon, or related to the employment or service, or termination of employment or service, of the undersigned by the Releasees, or any of them; any alleged breach of any express or implied contract of employment or service; any alleged torts or other alleged legal restrictions on Releasees’ right to terminate the employment or service of the undersigned; and any alleged violation of any federal, state or local statute or ordinance including, without limitation, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination In Employment Act (“ADEA”), the Americans With Disabilities Act.

2. Claims Not Released. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this general release (the “Release”) shall not operate to release any rights or claims of the undersigned (i) to payments or benefits under the restricted stock unit award agreement between the undersigned and the Company (to which this Release is attached) or as a holder of any securities of the Company, (ii) to accrued or vested benefits the undersigned may have, if any, as of the date hereof under any applicable plan, policy, practice, program, contract or agreement with the Company, (iii) to any Claims, including claims for indemnification and/or advancement of expenses arising under any indemnification agreement between the undersigned and the Company, under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policy or under the bylaws, certificate of incorporation or other similar governing document of the Company, (iv) to any Claims which cannot be waived by an employee under applicable law or (v) with respect to the undersigned’s right to communicate directly with, cooperate with, or provide information to, any federal, state or local government regulator.

3. Exceptions. Notwithstanding anything in this Release to the contrary, nothing contained in this Release shall prohibit the undersigned from (i) filing a charge with, reporting possible violations of federal law or regulation to, participating in any investigation by, or cooperating with any governmental agency or entity or making other disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of applicable law or regulation and/or (ii) communicating directly with, cooperating with, or providing information (including trade secrets) in confidence to, any federal, state or local government regulator (including, but not limited to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or the U.S. Department of Justice) for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law, or from providing such information to the undersigned’s attorney or in a sealed complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other governmental proceeding. Pursuant to 18 USC Section 1833(b), (1) the undersigned will not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that is made: (x) in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney, and solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (y) in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal and (2) the undersigned acknowledges that an individual who files a lawsuit for retaliation by an employer for reporting a suspected violation of law may disclose the trade secret to the attorney of the individual and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, if the individual files any document containing the trade secret under seal and does not disclose the trade secret, except pursuant to court order.

 

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4. Representations. The undersigned represents and warrants that there has been no assignment or other transfer of any interest in any Claim which the undersigned may have against Releasees, or any of them, and the undersigned agrees to indemnify and hold Releasees, and each of them, harmless from any liability, Claims, demands, damages, costs, expenses and attorneys’ fees incurred by Releasees, or any of them, as the result of any such assignment or transfer or any rights or Claims under any such assignment or transfer. It is the intention of the parties that this indemnity does not require payment as a condition precedent to recovery by the Releasees against the undersigned under this indemnity.

5. No Action. The undersigned agrees that if the undersigned hereafter commences any suit arising out of, based upon, or relating to any of the Claims released hereunder or in any manner asserts against Releasees, or any of them, any of the Claims released hereunder, then the undersigned agrees to pay to Releasees, and each of them, in addition to any other damages caused to Releasees thereby, all attorneys’ fees incurred by Releasees in defending or otherwise responding to said suit or Claim. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this provision shall not apply to any suit or Claim to the extent it challenges the effectiveness of this Release with respect to a claim under the ADEA.

6. No Admission. The undersigned further understands and agrees that neither the payment of any sum of money nor the execution of this Release shall constitute or be construed as an admission of any liability whatsoever by the Releasees, or any of them, who have consistently taken the position that they have no liability whatsoever to the undersigned.

7. [OWBPA. The undersigned agrees and acknowledges that this Release constitutes a knowing and voluntary waiver and release of all Claims the undersigned has or may have against the Company and/or any of the Releasees as set forth herein, including, but not limited to, all Claims arising under the Older Worker’s Benefit Protection Act and the ADEA. In accordance with the Older Worker’s Benefit Protection Act, the undersigned is hereby advised as follows:

 

  (i)

the undersigned has read the terms of this Release, and understands its terms and effects, including the fact that the undersigned agreed to release and forever discharge the Company and each of the Releasees, from any Claims released in this Release;

 

  (ii)

the undersigned understands that, by entering into this Release, the undersigned does not waive any Claims that may arise after the date of the undersigned’s execution of this Release, including without limitation any rights or claims that the undersigned may have to secure enforcement of the terms and conditions of this Release;

 

  (iii)

the undersigned has signed this Release voluntarily and knowingly in exchange for the consideration described in this Release, which the undersigned acknowledges is adequate and satisfactory to the undersigned and which the undersigned acknowledges is in addition to any other benefits to which the undersigned is otherwise entitled;

 

  (iv)

the Company advises the undersigned to consult with an attorney prior to executing this Release;

 

  (v)

the undersigned has been given at least [21]2 days in which to review and consider this Release. To the extent that the undersigned chooses to sign this Release prior to the expiration of such period, the undersigned acknowledges that the undersigned has done so voluntarily, had sufficient time to consider the Release, to consult with counsel and that

 

2 NTD: Use 45 days in a group termination, and include information regarding terminated positions.

 

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the undersigned does not desire additional time and hereby waives the remainder of the [21]-day period; and

 

  (vi)

the undersigned may revoke this Release within seven days from the date the undersigned signs this Release and this Release will become effective upon the expiration of that revocation period if the undersigned has not revoked this Release during such seven-day period. If the undersigned revokes this Release during such seven-day period, this Release will be null and void and of no force or effect on either the Company or the undersigned and the undersigned will not be entitled to any of the payments or benefits which are expressly conditioned upon the execution and non-revocation of this Release. Any revocation must be in writing and sent to [name], via electronic mail at [email address], on or before 11:59 p.m. Mountain time on the seventh day after this Release is executed by the undersigned.]3

8. Acknowledgement. The undersigned acknowledges that different or additional facts may be discovered in addition to what is now known or believed to be true by the undersigned with respect to the matters released in this Release, and the undersigned agrees that this Release shall be and remain in effect in all respects as a complete and final release of the matters released, notwithstanding any different or additional facts.

9. Governing Law. This Release is deemed made and entered into in the State of Utah, and in all respects shall be interpreted, enforced and governed under the internal laws of the State of Utah, to the extent not preempted by federal law.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Release this ____ day of ___________, ____.

 

 

Jeremy Andrus

 

 

3 NTD: Include as applicable.

 

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Exhibit 10.11

 

TRAEGER, INC.

2021 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

PERFORMANCE-BASED RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT GRANT NOTICE

Traeger, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), has granted to the participant listed below (“Participant”) the performance-based Restricted Stock Units (the “PSUs”) described in this Performance-Based Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice (this “Grant Notice”), subject to the terms and conditions of the Traeger, Inc. 2021 Incentive Award Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”) and the Performance-Based Restricted Stock Unit Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A, the Vesting Schedule attached as Exhibit B (Exhibits A and B, collectively, the “Agreement”) and the Release attached as Exhibit C, all of which are incorporated into this Grant Notice by reference. Capitalized terms not specifically defined in this Grant Notice or the Agreement have the meanings given to them in the Plan.

 

Participant:

  

[________]

Grant Date:

  

[Effective on later of closing of IPO and date Form S-8 filed]

Number of Total PSUs:

  

[________]

Expiration Date

  

[Tenth anniversary of IPO closing date]

Vesting Schedule:

  

Exhibit B

By accepting (whether in writing, electronically or otherwise) the PSUs, Participant agrees to be bound by the terms of this Grant Notice, the Plan and the Agreement. Participant has reviewed the Plan, this Grant Notice and the Agreement in their entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing this Grant Notice and fully understands all provisions of the Plan, this Grant Notice and the Agreement. Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions arising under the Plan, this Grant Notice or the Agreement.

 

TRAEGER, INC.

 

PARTICIPANT

By:

 

 

     

 

Name:

 

 

     

[________]

Title:

 

 

     


Exhibit A

PERFORMANCE-BASED RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

WHEREAS, the Company has granted the PSUs to Participant effective as of the Grant Date set forth in the Grant Notice (the “Grant Date”); and

WHEREAS, in connection therewith, the parties desire to enter into this Performance-Based Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (this “Agreement”).

NOW, THEREFORE, the Company and Participant hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I.

GENERAL

1.1    Award of PSUs and Dividend Equivalents.

(a)    Each PSU represents the right to receive one Share, as set forth in this Agreement. Participant will have no right to the distribution of any Shares until the time (if ever) the PSUs have vested.

(b)    The Company hereby grants to Participant, with respect to each PSU, a Dividend Equivalent for ordinary cash dividends paid to substantially all holders of outstanding Shares with a record date after the Grant Date and prior to the date the applicable PSU is settled, forfeited or otherwise expires. Each Dividend Equivalent entitles Participant to receive the equivalent value of any such ordinary cash dividends paid on a single Share. The Company will establish a separate Dividend Equivalent bookkeeping account (a “Dividend Equivalent Account”) for each Dividend Equivalent and credit the Dividend Equivalent Account (without interest) on the applicable dividend payment date with the amount of any such cash paid. Any Dividend Equivalents granted in connection with the PSUs issued hereunder, and any amounts that may become distributable in respect thereof, shall be treated separately from such PSUs and the rights arising in connection therewith for purposes of the designation of time and form of payments required by Section 409A.

1.2    Incorporation of Terms of Plan. The PSUs and Dividend Equivalents are subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference.

1.3    Unsecured Promise. The PSUs and Dividend Equivalents will at all times prior to settlement represent an unsecured Company obligation payable only from the Company’s general assets.

1.4    Definitions. Capitalized terms not specifically defined in this Agreement have the meanings specified in the Grant Notice or in the Plan. In addition, the following defined terms shall apply:

(a)    “Disability” means a permanent and total disability under Code Section 22(e)(3).

(b)    “Qualifying Termination” means a termination of Participant’s Service due to Participant’s death or Disability.

(c)    “Restrictive Covenant Agreement” means that certain Non-Competition, Confidentiality, Non-Solicitation Agreement and Assignment of Invention Agreement by and between Traeger Pellet Grills, LLC and Participant, dated as of [______].

(d)    “Service” means Participant’s employment or service with the Company or a subsidiary as an Employee.


ARTICLE II.

VESTING; FORFEITURE; SETTLEMENT

2.1    General Vesting. The PSUs will be earned and vest in connection with the achievement of Price Per Share Goals as defined in and as set forth in Exhibit B, subject to Participant’s continued Service with the Company or its Affiliates through the applicable Vesting Date(s) (as defined in Exhibit B), except to the extent provided in Sections 2.2 and 2.3 below. Dividend Equivalents (including any Dividend Equivalent Account balance) will vest upon the vesting of the PSUs with respect to which the Dividend Equivalent (including the Dividend Equivalent Account) relates.

2.2    Change in Control. If (i) a Change in Control occurs, (ii) Participant remains in continued Service until at least immediately prior to the Change in Control, and (iii) some or all PSUs remain outstanding as of immediately prior to such Change in Control, then:

(a)    Any then-unvested Earned PSUs will vest immediately prior to the closing of such Change in Control.

(b)    With respect to any PSUs that are not Earned PSUs, if a Price Per Share Goal is first achieved based on the CIC Price (or, with respect to a Non-Transactional Change in Control, the Price Per Share as of the Change in Control date), then any PSUs to which such Price Per Share Goal applies shall become Earned PSUs (as defined in Exhibit B) as of immediately prior to the closing of such Change in Control. In addition, if the CIC Price (or, with respect to a Non-Transactional Change in Control, the Price Per Share as of the Change in Control date) falls between two Price Per Share Goals, then an additional number of PSUs shall become Earned PSUs immediately prior to the closing of such Change in Control equal to a number of PSUs determined using straight line interpolation between the Price Per Share Goals between which such price falls. Any PSUs that become Earned PSUs in accordance with this Section 2.2(b) will vest immediately prior to the closing of such Change in Control. Notwithstanding the generality of the foregoing, in the event that a Price Per Share Goal was achieved prior to the Change in Control, no additional PSUs shall become Earned PSUs pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 2.2(b) with respect to such Price Per Share Goal.

(c)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 8.3 of the Plan, if, following the application of Sections 2.2(b), any PSUs have not become Earned PSUs as of (or in connection with) the Change in Control, then such PSUs automatically will be forfeited and terminated as of immediately prior to such Change in Control without consideration therefor.

2.3    Termination of Service.

(a)    If Participant experiences a Qualifying Termination, then (i) any PSUs that are Earned PSUs as of such Qualifying Termination shall vest as of the termination date and (ii) any PSUs that are not Earned PSUs as of such Qualifying Termination will be forfeited and terminated without consideration therefor.

(b)    The treatment set forth in Section 2.3(a) is subject to and conditioned upon Participant’s (or Participant’s estate’s) timely execution, delivery and non-revocation of a general release of claims in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the “Release”) and continued compliance with the Restrictive Covenants (as defined below). The Release shall be delivered to Participant (or Participant’s estate’s) within five business days following the termination date, and Participant shall have 21 days thereafter (or 45 days, if necessary to comply with Applicable Law) to execute and deliver the Release to the Company. The Company may update the Release attached hereto to the extent necessary to reflect changes in law.

 

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(c)    If Participant experiences a termination of Service for any reason other than a Qualifying Termination, all PSUs that have not become vested on or prior to the date of such termination of Service (including any Earned PSUs) automatically will be forfeited and terminated as of the termination date without consideration therefor.

2.4    Forfeiture.

(a)    Any PSUs that remain outstanding and are not Earned PSUs as of the close of business on the Expiration Date automatically will be forfeited and terminated at the close of business on the Expiration Date without consideration therefor.

(b)    Upon Participant’s material breach of any of the Restrictive Covenants, any PSUs underlying the Award that remain outstanding as of the date of such breach (if any) automatically will be forfeited and terminated as of the date that such breach is determined by the Administrator in its good faith discretion.

(c)    Dividend Equivalents (including any Dividend Equivalent Account balance) will be forfeited upon the forfeiture of the PSUs with respect to which the Dividend Equivalent (including the Dividend Equivalent Account) relates.

2.5    Settlement.

(a)    The PSUs will be paid in Shares, and Dividend Equivalents (including any Dividend Equivalent Account balance) will be paid in cash or Shares, as soon as practicable and in any event within 45 days after the vesting date of the applicable PSU, as determined pursuant to Section 2.2, Section 2.3(a) or Exhibit B.

(b)    Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may delay any payment under this Agreement that the Company reasonably determines would violate Applicable Law until the earliest date the Company reasonably determines the making of the payment will not cause such a violation (in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(7)(ii)); provided the Company reasonably believes the delay will not result in the imposition of excise taxes under Section 409A. For the avoidance of doubt, any Dividend Equivalents granted in connection with the PSUs issued hereunder, and any amounts that may become distributable in respect thereof, shall be treated separately from such PSUs and the rights arising in connection therewith for purposes of the designation of time and form of payments required by Section 409A.

(c)    If a Dividend Equivalent is paid in Shares, the number of Shares paid with respect to the Dividend Equivalent will equal the quotient, rounded down to the nearest whole Share, of the Dividend Equivalent Account balance divided by the Fair Market Value of a Share on the day immediately preceding the payment date.

ARTICLE III.

TAXATION AND TAX WITHHOLDING

3.1    Representation. Participant represents to the Company that Participant has reviewed with Participant’s own tax advisors the tax consequences of this award of PSUs and Dividend Equivalents (the “Award”) and the transactions contemplated by the Grant Notice and this Agreement. Participant is relying solely on such advisors and not on any statements or representations of the Company or any of its agents.

3.2    Tax Withholding.

 

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(a)    Payment of the withholding tax obligations with respect to the Award may be by any of the following, or a combination thereof, as determined by [the Company in its sole discretion / Participant or the Administrator]1:

(i)    Cash or check;

(ii)    In whole or in part by delivery of Shares, including Shares delivered by attestation and Shares retained from the Award creating the tax obligation, valued at their Fair Market Value on the date of delivery

(iii)    In whole or in part by the Company withholding of Shares otherwise vesting or issuable under this Award in satisfaction of any applicable withholding tax obligations.

(b)    Unless [the Company / Participant or the Administrator] otherwise determines, and subject to Section 10.17 of the Plan, payment of the withholding tax obligations with respect to the Award shall be by [delivery (including electronically or telephonically to the extent permitted by the Company) of an irrevocable and unconditional undertaking by a broker acceptable to the Company to deliver promptly to the Company sufficient funds to satisfy the applicable tax withholding obligations] / [delivery (including electronically or telephonically to the extent permitted by the Company) by Participant to the Company of a copy of irrevocable and unconditional instructions to a broker acceptable to the Company that Participant has placed a market sell order with such broker with respect to Shares then-issuable upon settlement of the Award, and that the broker has been directed to deliver promptly to the Company funds sufficient to satisfy the applicable tax withholding obligations; provided, that payment of such proceeds is then made to the Company at such time as may be required by the Administrator]2; or

(c)    Subject to Section 9.5 of the Plan, the applicable tax withholding obligation will be determined based on Participant’s Applicable Withholding Rate. Participant’s “Applicable Withholding Rate” shall mean (i) if Participant is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the greater of (A) the minimum applicable statutory tax withholding rate or (B) with Participant’s consent, the maximum individual tax withholding rate permitted under the rules of the applicable taxing authority for tax withholding attributable to the underlying transaction, or (ii) if Participant is not subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the minimum applicable statutory tax withholding rate or such other higher rate approved by the Company; provided, however, that (i) in no event shall Participant’s Applicable Withholding Rate exceed the maximum individual statutory tax rate in the applicable jurisdiction at the time of such withholding (or such other rate as may be required to avoid the liability classification of the applicable award under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America); and (ii) the number of Shares tendered or withheld, if applicable, shall be rounded up to the nearest whole Share sufficient to cover the applicable tax withholding obligation, to the extent rounding up to the nearest whole Share does not result in the liability classification of the RSUs under generally accepted accounting principles.

(d)    Participant acknowledges that Participant is ultimately liable and responsible for all taxes owed in connection with the PSUs and the Dividend Equivalents, regardless of any action the Company or any Subsidiary takes with respect to any tax withholding obligations that arise in connection with the PSUs or Dividend Equivalents. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary makes any representation or undertaking regarding the treatment of any tax withholding in connection with the awarding, vesting or payment of the PSUs or the Dividend Equivalents or the subsequent sale of Shares. The Company and its

 

 

1 

NTD: “Participant or the Administrator” for Section 16 individuals. “The Company” for non-Section 16 individuals.

2 

NTD: Use second bracketed language for Section 16 individuals.

 

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Subsidiaries do not commit and are under no obligation to structure the PSUs or Dividend Equivalents to reduce or eliminate Participant’s tax liability.

ARTICLE IV.

OTHER PROVISIONS

4.1    Adjustments. Participant acknowledges that the PSUs, the Shares subject to the PSUs, the Dividend Equivalents and the Price Per Share Goals are subject to adjustment, modification and/or termination in certain events as provided in this Agreement and the Plan. For purposes of clarity, in connection with an Equity Restructuring the Price Per Share Goals shall be subject to Section 8.1 of the Plan.

4.2    Clawback. Notwithstanding Section 10.13 of the Plan, the Award and the Shares issuable hereunder shall be subject to (i) any Company clawback or recoupment policy required in order to comply with Applicable Law, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) any Company clawback or recoupment policy approved by the Company’s Board which applies to the senior executives of the Company. The Company and Participant acknowledge that neither this Section 4.2 nor Section 10.13 of the Plan are intended to limit any clawback and/or disgorgement of the Award and/or the Shares issuable hereunder pursuant to Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

4.3    Notices. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to the Company must be in writing and addressed to the Company in care of the Company’s General Counsel at the Company’s principal office or the General Counsel’s then-current email address or facsimile number. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to Participant must be in writing and addressed to Participant (or, if Participant is then deceased, to the Designated Beneficiary) at Participant’s last known mailing address, email address or facsimile number in the Company’s personnel files. By a notice given pursuant to this Section, either party may designate a different address for notices to be given to that party. Any notice will be deemed duly given when actually received, when sent by email, when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited with postage prepaid in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service, when delivered by a nationally recognized express shipping company or upon receipt of a facsimile transmission confirmation.

4.4    Titles. Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Agreement.

4.5    Conformity to Securities Laws. Participant acknowledges that the Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement are intended to conform to the extent necessary with all Applicable Laws and, to the extent Applicable Laws permit, will be deemed amended as necessary to conform to Applicable Laws.

4.6    Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Agreement to a single or multiple assignees, and this Agreement will inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Agreement or the Plan, this Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs, legatees, legal representatives, successors and assigns of the parties hereto.

4.7    Limitations Applicable to Section 16 Persons. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or this Agreement, if Participant is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the Plan, the Grant Notice, this Agreement and the PSUs and Dividend Equivalents will be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including any amendment to Rule 16b-3) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule. To the extent Applicable

 

A-5


Laws permit, this Agreement will be deemed amended as necessary to conform to such applicable exemptive rule.

4.8    Restrictive Covenants. In consideration of the benefits being provided to Participant pursuant to this Agreement, Participant agrees to be bound by the restrictive covenants (the “Restrictive Covenants”) contained in the Restrictive Covenant Agreement are incorporated herein by reference.

4.9    Entire Agreement; Amendment. The Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement (including any exhibit hereto) constitute the entire agreement of the parties and supersede in their entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Company and Participant with respect to the subject matter hereof. To the extent permitted by the Plan, this Agreement may be wholly or partially amended or otherwise modified, suspended or terminated at any time or from time to time by the Administrator or the Board; provided, however, that except as may otherwise be provided by the Plan, no amendment, modification, suspension or termination of this Agreement shall materially and adversely affect the PSUs or Dividend Equivalents without the prior written consent of Participant.

4.10    Agreement Severable. In the event that any provision of the Grant Notice or this Agreement is held illegal or invalid, the provision will be severable from, and the illegality or invalidity of the provision will not be construed to have any effect on, the remaining provisions of the Grant Notice or this Agreement.

4.11    Limitation on Participant’s Rights. Participation in the Plan confers no rights or interests other than as herein provided. This Agreement creates only a contractual obligation on the part of the Company as to amounts payable and may not be construed as creating a trust. Neither the Plan nor any underlying program, in and of itself, has any assets. Participant will have only the rights of a general unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to amounts credited and benefits payable, if any, with respect to the PSUs and Dividend Equivalents, and rights no greater than the right to receive cash or the Shares as a general unsecured creditor with respect to the PSUs and Dividend Equivalents, as and when settled pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

4.12    Not a Contract of Service. Nothing in the Plan, the Grant Notice or this Agreement confers upon Participant any right to continue in the employ or service of the Company or any Subsidiary or interferes with or restricts in any way the rights of the Company and its Subsidiaries, which rights are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge or terminate the services of Participant at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without cause, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in a written agreement between the Company or a Subsidiary and Participant.

4.13    Counterparts. The Grant Notice may be executed in one or more counterparts, including by way of any electronic signature, subject to Applicable Law, each of which will be deemed an original and all of which together will constitute one instrument.

* * * * *

 

A-6


Exhibit B

EARNED PSUS; VESTING SCHEDULE

Earned PSUs

The PSUs will become “Earned PSUs” based on the achievement of Price Per Share Goals set forth in the table below during the Performance Period, subject to certification by the Administrator that the applicable Price Per Share Goal has been achieved (provided that no such certification shall be required in the event one or more Price Per Share Goals are achieved as a result of the occurrence of a Change in Control other than a Non-Transactional Change in Control).

 

Vesting Tranche

  

Price Per Share Goal3

  

Number of Earned PSUs4

“First Vesting Tranche”

   $[___]    [____]

“Second Vesting Tranche”

   $[___]    [____]

For the avoidance of doubt, each Price Per Share Goal for an Earned PSU may be achieved only once during the Performance Period and more than one Price Per Share Goal may be achieved on a particular date. For example, if the first Price Per Share Goal of $[___] per share is determined by the Administrator to have been satisfied on January 1, 2023, the Price Per Share thereafter drops below such level and again reaches $[___] per share during the 60 consecutive trading day period ending September 30, 2023, no additional PSUs shall become Earned PSUS as a result of reaching the same Price Per Share Goal for a second time.

Vesting of Earned PSUs

Except as otherwise provided in Sections 2.2 through 2.4 of the Agreement, with respect to any PSUs that become Earned PSUs, such Earned PSUs shall vest as to (i) 50% of the Earned PSUs on the later of the first anniversary of the IPO Date and the date on which the Price Per Share Goal is achieved with respect to the applicable Vesting Tranche and (ii) 50% of the Earned PSUs on the later of the second anniversary of the IPO Date and the first anniversary of the date on which the Price Per Share Goal is achieved with respect to the applicable Vesting Tranche (each, a “Vesting Date”).

In no event may more than [______]5 PSUs vest pursuant to this Award.

Definitions

CIC Price” means the price per share of Common Stock (or, in connection with a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, the implied price per share of Common Stock) paid by an acquiror in connection with such Change in Control or, to the extent that the consideration in the Change in Control transaction is paid in stock of the acquiror or its affiliate, then, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, the CIC Price shall mean the value of the consideration paid per Share based on the average of the closing trading prices of a share of such acquiror stock on the principal exchange on which such shares are then traded for each trading day during the five consecutive trading days ending on and including the date on which a Change in Control occurs. In the event the consideration in the Change

 

 

3 

NTD: Initial price per share goal will equal 2x the IPO price, second price per share goal will equal 3x the IPO price.

4 

NTD: Each tranche will represent 50% of the total PSUs.

5 

NTD: Will refer to total number of PSUs granted.


in Control takes any other form, the value of such consideration shall be determined by the Administrator in its good faith reasonable discretion in a manner intended to not diminish the value of the Award to Participant.

IPO Date” means the date on which the closing of the underwritten public offering of the Company’s Common Stock occurs.

Performance Period” means the period beginning on (and including) the IPO Date and ending on (and including) the Expiration Date.

Price Per Share” means the Fair Market Value per Share.

Price Per Share Goal” means a target average Price Per Share as set forth in the table above measured over any 60 consecutive trading-day period during the Performance Period; provided, however, that if a Change in Control occurs, then the Price Per Share Goals shall be evaluated solely by reference to the CIC Price (other than in connection with a Change in Control that is solely a Non-Transactional Change in Control).

Vesting Tranche” means each of the First Vesting Tranche and Second Vesting Tranche.

 

B-2


Exhibit C

GENERAL RELEASE

1.    Release. For valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned does hereby release and forever discharge the “Releasees” hereunder, consisting of Traeger, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Company”), and the Company’s partners, subsidiaries, associates, affiliates, successors, heirs, assigns, directors, officers and employees of and from any and all manner of action or actions, cause or causes of action, in law or in equity, suits, debts, liens, contracts, agreements, promises, liability, claims, demands, damages, losses, costs, attorneys’ fees or expenses, of any nature whatsoever, known or unknown, fixed or contingent (hereinafter called “Claims”), which the undersigned now has or may hereafter have against the Releasees, or any of them, by reason of any matter, cause, or thing whatsoever from the beginning of time to the date hereof. The Claims released herein include, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any Claims in any way arising out of, based upon, or related to the employment or service, or termination of employment or service, of the undersigned by the Releasees, or any of them; any alleged breach of any express or implied contract of employment or service; any alleged torts or other alleged legal restrictions on Releasees’ right to terminate the employment or service of the undersigned; and any alleged violation of any federal, state or local statute or ordinance including, without limitation, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination In Employment Act (“ADEA”), the Americans With Disabilities Act.

2.    Claims Not Released. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this general release (the “Release”) shall not operate to release any rights or claims of the undersigned (i) to payments or benefits under the performance-based restricted stock unit award agreement between the undersigned and the Company (to which this Release is attached) or as a holder of any securities of the Company, (ii) to accrued or vested benefits the undersigned may have, if any, as of the date hereof under any applicable plan, policy, practice, program, contract or agreement with the Company, (iii) to any Claims, including claims for indemnification and/or advancement of expenses arising under any indemnification agreement between the undersigned and the Company, under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policy or under the bylaws, certificate of incorporation or other similar governing document of the Company, (iv) to any Claims which cannot be waived by an employee under applicable law or (v) with respect to the undersigned’s right to communicate directly with, cooperate with, or provide information to, any federal, state or local government regulator.

3.    Exceptions. Notwithstanding anything in this Release to the contrary, nothing contained in this Release shall prohibit the undersigned from (i) filing a charge with, reporting possible violations of federal law or regulation to, participating in any investigation by, or cooperating with any governmental agency or entity or making other disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of applicable law or regulation and/or (ii) communicating directly with, cooperating with, or providing information (including trade secrets) in confidence to, any federal, state or local government regulator (including, but not limited to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or the U.S. Department of Justice) for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law, or from providing such information to the undersigned’s attorney or in a sealed complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other governmental proceeding. Pursuant to 18 USC Section 1833(b), (1) the undersigned will not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that is made: (x) in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney, and solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (y) in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal and (2) the undersigned acknowledges that an individual who files a lawsuit for retaliation by an employer for reporting a suspected violation of law may disclose the trade secret to the attorney of the individual and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, if the individual files any document containing the trade secret under seal and does not disclose the trade secret, except pursuant to court order.

 

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4.    Representations. The undersigned represents and warrants that there has been no assignment or other transfer of any interest in any Claim which the undersigned may have against Releasees, or any of them, and the undersigned agrees to indemnify and hold Releasees, and each of them, harmless from any liability, Claims, demands, damages, costs, expenses and attorneys’ fees incurred by Releasees, or any of them, as the result of any such assignment or transfer or any rights or Claims under any such assignment or transfer. It is the intention of the parties that this indemnity does not require payment as a condition precedent to recovery by the Releasees against the undersigned under this indemnity.

5.    No Action. The undersigned agrees that if the undersigned hereafter commences any suit arising out of, based upon, or relating to any of the Claims released hereunder or in any manner asserts against Releasees, or any of them, any of the Claims released hereunder, then the undersigned agrees to pay to Releasees, and each of them, in addition to any other damages caused to Releasees thereby, all attorneys’ fees incurred by Releasees in defending or otherwise responding to said suit or Claim. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this provision shall not apply to any suit or Claim to the extent it challenges the effectiveness of this Release with respect to a claim under the ADEA.

6.    No Admission. The undersigned further understands and agrees that neither the payment of any sum of money nor the execution of this Release shall constitute or be construed as an admission of any liability whatsoever by the Releasees, or any of them, who have consistently taken the position that they have no liability whatsoever to the undersigned.

7.    [OWBPA. The undersigned agrees and acknowledges that this Release constitutes a knowing and voluntary waiver and release of all Claims the undersigned has or may have against the Company and/or any of the Releasees as set forth herein, including, but not limited to, all Claims arising under the Older Worker’s Benefit Protection Act and the ADEA. In accordance with the Older Worker’s Benefit Protection Act, the undersigned is hereby advised as follows:

 

  (i)

the undersigned has read the terms of this Release, and understands its terms and effects, including the fact that the undersigned agreed to release and forever discharge the Company and each of the Releasees, from any Claims released in this Release;

 

  (ii)

the undersigned understands that, by entering into this Release, the undersigned does not waive any Claims that may arise after the date of the undersigned’s execution of this Release, including without limitation any rights or claims that the undersigned may have to secure enforcement of the terms and conditions of this Release;

 

  (iii)

the undersigned has signed this Release voluntarily and knowingly in exchange for the consideration described in this Release, which the undersigned acknowledges is adequate and satisfactory to the undersigned and which the undersigned acknowledges is in addition to any other benefits to which the undersigned is otherwise entitled;

 

  (iv)

the Company advises the undersigned to consult with an attorney prior to executing this Release;

 

  (v)

the undersigned has been given at least [21]6 days in which to review and consider this Release. To the extent that the undersigned chooses to sign this Release prior to the expiration of such period, the undersigned acknowledges that the undersigned has done so voluntarily, had sufficient time to consider the Release, to consult with counsel and that

 

 

6 

NTD: Use 45 days in a group termination, and include information regarding terminated positions.

 

C-2


 

the undersigned does not desire additional time and hereby waives the remainder of the [21]-day period; and

 

  (vi)

the undersigned may revoke this Release within seven days from the date the undersigned signs this Release and this Release will become effective upon the expiration of that revocation period if the undersigned has not revoked this Release during such seven-day period. If the undersigned revokes this Release during such seven-day period, this Release will be null and void and of no force or effect on either the Company or the undersigned and the undersigned will not be entitled to any of the payments or benefits which are expressly conditioned upon the execution and non-revocation of this Release. Any revocation must be in writing and sent to [name], via electronic mail at [email address], on or before 11:59 p.m. Mountain time on the seventh day after this Release is executed by the undersigned.]7

8.    Acknowledgement. The undersigned acknowledges that different or additional facts may be discovered in addition to what is now known or believed to be true by the undersigned with respect to the matters released in this Release, and the undersigned agrees that this Release shall be and remain in effect in all respects as a complete and final release of the matters released, notwithstanding any different or additional facts.

9.    Governing Law. This Release is deemed made and entered into in the State of Utah, and in all respects shall be interpreted, enforced and governed under the internal laws of the State of Utah, to the extent not preempted by federal law.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Release this ____ day of ___________, ____.

[________]

 

 

7 

NTD: Include as applicable.

 

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Exhibit 10.12

 

TRAEGER, INC.

2021 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT GRANT NOTICE

Traeger, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), has granted to the participant listed below (“Participant”) the Restricted Stock Units (the “RSUs”) described in this Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice (this “Grant Notice”), subject to the terms and conditions of the Traeger, Inc. 2021 Incentive Award Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”) and the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Agreement”), both of which are incorporated into this Grant Notice by reference. Capitalized terms not specifically defined in this Grant Notice or the Agreement have the meanings given to them in the Plan.

 

Participant:

  

[To be specified]

Grant Date:

  

[To be specified]

Number of RSUs:

  

[To be specified]

Vesting Commencement Date:

  

[To be specified]

Vesting Schedule:

  

[To be specified]

By accepting (whether in writing, electronically or otherwise) the RSUs, Participant agrees to be bound by the terms of this Grant Notice, the Plan and the Agreement. Participant has reviewed the Plan, this Grant Notice and the Agreement in their entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing this Grant Notice and fully understands all provisions of the Plan, this Grant Notice and the Agreement. Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions arising under the Plan, this Grant Notice or the Agreement.

 

TRAEGER, INC.

    

PARTICIPANT

By:

 

 

    

 

Name:

 

 

    

[Participant Name]

Title:

 

 

    


Exhibit A

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

Capitalized terms not specifically defined in this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (this “Agreement”) have the meanings specified in the Grant Notice or, if not defined in the Grant Notice, in the Plan.

ARTICLE I.

GENERAL

1.1 Award of RSUs and Dividend Equivalent Rights.

(a) The Company has granted the RSUs to Participant effective as of the Grant Date set forth in the Grant Notice (the “Grant Date”). Each RSU represents the right to receive one Share as set forth in this Agreement. Participant will have no right to the distribution of any Shares until the time (if ever) the RSUs have vested.

(b) The Company hereby grants to Participant, with respect to each RSU granted hereunder, a Dividend Equivalent for ordinary cash dividends paid to substantially all holders of outstanding Shares with a record date after the Grant Date and prior to the date the applicable RSU is settled, forfeited or otherwise expires. Each Dividend Equivalent entitles Participant to receive the equivalent value of any such ordinary cash dividends paid on a single Share. The Company will establish a separate Dividend Equivalent bookkeeping account (a “Dividend Equivalent Account”) for each Dividend Equivalent and credit the Dividend Equivalent Account (without interest) on the applicable dividend payment date with the amount of any such cash paid. Any Dividend Equivalents granted in connection with the RSUs issued hereunder, and any amounts that may become distributable in respect thereof, shall be treated separately from such RSUs and the rights arising in connection therewith for purposes of the designation of time and form of payments required by Section 409A. For clarity, the Dividend Equivalents granted hereunder shall satisfy the right to receive Dividend Equivalents pursuant to Section 3.4 of the Deferred Compensation Plan (as defined below).

1.2 Incorporation of Terms of Plan. The RSUs are subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference. In the event of any inconsistency between the Plan and this Agreement, the terms of the Plan will control.

1.3 Unsecured Promise. The RSUs and Dividend Equivalents will at all times prior to settlement represent an unsecured Company obligation payable only from the Company’s general assets.

ARTICLE II.

VESTING; FORFEITURE AND SETTLEMENT

2.1 Vesting; Forfeiture. The RSUs will vest according to the vesting schedule in the Grant Notice except that any fraction of an RSU that would otherwise be vested will be accumulated and will vest only when a whole RSU has accumulated. Dividend Equivalents (including any Dividend Equivalent Account balance) will vest upon the vesting of the RSUs with respect to which the Dividend Equivalent (including the Dividend Equivalent Account) relates. In the event of Participant’s Termination of Service for any reason, (a) all unvested RSUs will immediately and automatically be cancelled and forfeited, except as otherwise determined by the Administrator or provided in a binding written agreement between Participant and the Company and (b) Dividend Equivalents (including any Dividend Equivalent Account balance) will be forfeited upon the forfeiture of the RSUs with respect to which the Dividend Equivalent (including the Dividend Equivalent Account) relates.

 

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2.2 Settlement.

(a) Subject to and in accordance with the Deferred Compensation Plan, the RSUs, to the extent vested, and Dividend Equivalents (including any Dividend Equivalent Account balance) will, in any case, be paid in Shares within 45 days following the earliest to occur of: (i) Participant’s “separation from service” (within the meaning of Section 409A); (ii) a Change in Control (as defined below); (iv) Participant’s death; or (v) Participant’s Disability (as defined below) (in any case, such payment date, the “Payment Date”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the exact Payment Date shall be determined by the Company in its sole discretion (and Participant shall not have the right to designate the time of payment).

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may delay any payment under this Agreement that the Company reasonably determines would violate Applicable Law until the earliest date the Company reasonably determines the making of the payment will not cause such a violation (in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(7)(ii)); provided the Company reasonably believes the delay will not result in the imposition of excise taxes under Section 409A.

2.3 Certain Definitions.

(a) “Change in Control” shall, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in the Plan, have the meaning set forth in the Deferred Compensation Plan.

(b) “Deferred Compensation Plan” shall mean the Traeger, Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan for Directors, as may be amended and/or restated from time to time.

(c) “Disability” shall, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in the Plan, have the meaning set forth in the Deferred Compensation Plan.

ARTICLE III.

TAXATION AND TAX WITHHOLDING

3.1 Representation. Participant represents to the Company that Participant has reviewed with Participant’s own tax advisors the tax consequences of this award of RSUs and Dividend Equivalents (the “Award”) and the transactions contemplated by the Grant Notice and this Agreement. Participant is relying solely on such advisors and not on any statements or representations of the Company or any of its agents.

3.2 Tax Withholding.

(a) Subject to Section 3.2(b), payment of the withholding tax obligations with respect to the Award may be by any of the following, or a combination thereof, as determined by Participant or the Administrator:

(i) Cash or check;

(ii) In whole or in part by delivery of Shares, including Shares delivered by attestation and Shares retained from the Award creating the tax obligation, valued at their Fair Market Value on the date of delivery; or

(iii) In whole or in part by the Company withholding of Shares otherwise vesting or issuable under this Award in satisfaction of any applicable withholding tax obligations.

 

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(b) Unless Participant or the Administrator otherwise determines, and subject to Section 10.17 of the Plan, payment of the withholding tax obligations with respect to the Award shall be by delivery (including electronically or telephonically to the extent permitted by the Company) by Participant to the Company of a copy of irrevocable and unconditional instructions to a broker acceptable to the Company that Participant has placed a market sell order with such broker with respect to Shares then-issuable upon settlement of the Award, and that the broker has been directed to deliver promptly to the Company funds sufficient to satisfy the applicable tax withholding obligations; provided, that payment of such proceeds is then made to the Company at such time as may be required by the Administrator.

(c) Subject to Section 9.5 of the Plan, the applicable tax withholding obligation will be determined based on Participant’s Applicable Withholding Rate. Participant’s “Applicable Withholding Rate” shall mean (i) if Participant is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the greater of (A) the minimum applicable statutory tax withholding rate or (B) with Participant’s consent, the maximum individual tax withholding rate permitted under the rules of the applicable taxing authority for tax withholding attributable to the underlying transaction, or (ii) if Participant is not subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the minimum applicable statutory tax withholding rate or such other higher rate approved by the Company; provided, however, that (i) in no event shall Participant’s Applicable Withholding Rate exceed the maximum individual statutory tax rate in the applicable jurisdiction at the time of such withholding (or such other rate as may be required to avoid the liability classification of the applicable award under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America); and (ii) the number of Shares tendered or withheld, if applicable, shall be rounded up to the nearest whole Share sufficient to cover the applicable tax withholding obligation, to the extent rounding up to the nearest whole Share does not result in the liability classification of the RSUs under generally accepted accounting principles.

(d) Participant acknowledges that Participant is ultimately liable and responsible for all taxes owed in connection with the RSUs and Dividend Equivalents, regardless of any action the Company or any Subsidiary takes with respect to any tax withholding obligations that arise in connection with the RSUs or Dividend Equivalents. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary makes any representation or undertaking regarding the treatment of any tax withholding in connection with the awarding, vesting or payment of the RSUs or the Dividend Equivalents or the subsequent sale of Shares. The Company and its Subsidiaries do not commit and are under no obligation to structure the RSUs or Dividend Equivalents to reduce or eliminate Participant’s tax liability.

3.3 Section 409A.

(a) General. To the extent applicable, this Agreement shall be interpreted in accordance with Section 409A, including without limitation any such regulations or other guidance that may be issued after the effective date of this Agreement.

(b) Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation. Sections 10.6(b) and (c) of the Plan shall apply to the RSUs, Dividend Equivalents and this Agreement. For purposes of Section 409A, each RSU (and the right to payment with respect to each RSU) is to be treated as a right to a separate payment.

ARTICLE IV.

OTHER PROVISIONS

4.1 Adjustments. Participant acknowledges that the RSUs and the Shares subject to the RSUs and Dividend Equivalents are subject to adjustment, modification and termination in certain events as provided in this Agreement and the Plan.

 

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4.2 Clawback. The Award and the Shares issuable hereunder shall be subject to any clawback or recoupment policy in effect on the Grant Date or as may be adopted or maintained by the Company following the Grant Date, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder.

4.3 Notices. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to the Company must be in writing and addressed to the Company in care of the Company’s General Counsel at the Company’s principal office or the General Counsel’s then-current email address or facsimile number. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to Participant must be in writing and addressed to Participant (or, if Participant is then deceased, to the Designated Beneficiary) at Participant’s last known mailing address, email address or facsimile number in the Company’s personnel files. By a notice given pursuant to this Section, either party may designate a different address for notices to be given to that party. Any notice will be deemed duly given when actually received, when sent by email, when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited with postage prepaid in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service, when delivered by a nationally recognized express shipping company or upon receipt of a facsimile transmission confirmation.

4.4 Titles. Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Agreement.

4.5 Conformity to Securities Laws. Participant acknowledges that the Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement are intended to conform to the extent necessary with all Applicable Laws and, to the extent Applicable Laws permit, will be deemed amended as necessary to conform to Applicable Laws.

4.6 Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Agreement to a single or multiple assignees, and this Agreement will inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Agreement or the Plan, this Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs, legatees, legal representatives, successors and assigns of the parties hereto.

4.7 Limitations Applicable to Section 16 Persons. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or this Agreement, if Participant is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the Plan, the Grant Notice, this Agreement and the RSUs and Dividend Equivalents will be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including any amendment to Rule 16b-3) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule. To the extent Applicable Laws permit, this Agreement will be deemed amended as necessary to conform to such applicable exemptive rule.

4.8 Entire Agreement; Amendment. The Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement (including any exhibit hereto, as well as the Deferred Compensation Plan) constitute the entire agreement of the parties and supersede in their entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Company and Participant with respect to the subject matter hereof. To the extent permitted by the Plan, this Agreement may be wholly or partially amended or otherwise modified, suspended or terminated at any time or from time to time by the Administrator or the Board; provided, however, that except as may otherwise be provided by the Plan, no amendment, modification, suspension or termination of this Agreement shall materially and adversely affect the RSUs or Dividend Equivalents without the prior written consent of Participant.

4.9 Agreement Severable. In the event that any provision of the Grant Notice or this Agreement is held illegal or invalid, the provision will be severable from, and the illegality or invalidity of the provision will not be construed to have any effect on, the remaining provisions of the Grant Notice or this Agreement.

 

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4.10 Limitation on Participant’s Rights. Participation in the Plan confers no rights or interests other than as herein provided. This Agreement creates only a contractual obligation on the part of the Company as to amounts payable and may not be construed as creating a trust. Neither the Plan nor any underlying program, in and of itself, has any assets. Participant will have only the rights of a general unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to amounts credited and benefits payable, if any, with respect to the RSUs and Dividend Equivalents, and rights no greater than the right to receive cash or the Shares as a general unsecured creditor with respect to the RSUs and Dividend Equivalents, as and when settled pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

4.11 Not a Contract of Employment. Nothing in the Plan, the Grant Notice or this Agreement confers upon Participant any right to continue in the employ or service of the Company or any Subsidiary or interferes with or restricts in any way the rights of the Company and its Subsidiaries, which rights are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge or terminate the services of Participant at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without cause, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in a written agreement between the Company or a Subsidiary and Participant.

4.12 Counterparts. The Grant Notice may be executed in one or more counterparts, including by way of any electronic signature, subject to Applicable Law, each of which will be deemed an original and all of which together will constitute one instrument.

* * * * *

 

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Exhibit 10.13

TRAEGER, INC.

DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN FOR DIRECTORS

Effective as of August 2, 2021

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page(s)  

ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS

     1  

ARTICLE II. PURPOSE; DEFERRAL ELECTIONS

     4  

ARTICLE III. DEFERRED COMPENSATION ACCOUNTS

     4  

ARTICLE IV. PAYMENT OF DEFERRED COMPENSATION

     5  

ARTICLE V. ADMINISTRATION; EFFECTIVENESS, AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION OF PLAN

     6  

ARTICLE VI. MISCELLANEOUS

     6  

 

 

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TRAEGER, INC.

DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN FOR DIRECTORS

ARTICLE I.

DEFINITIONS

1.1 “Administrator” shall mean the Board or a Committee to the extent that the Board’s powers or authority under the Plan have been delegated to such Committee.

1.2 “Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

1.3 “Cash Fee” shall mean the quarterly cash retainer payable to a Director pursuant to the Compensation Program for services as a member of the Board, including any retainers payable under the Compensation Program solely for serving as Lead Independent Director and/or for serving on one or more committees of the Board.

1.4 “Change in Control” shall mean and include each of the following:

(a) A transaction or series of transactions (other than an offering of Common Stock to the general public through a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or a transaction or series of transactions that meets the requirements of clauses (i) and (ii) of subsection (c) below) whereby any “person” or related “group” of “persons” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (other than the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, any Permitted Holder, an employee benefit plan maintained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or a “person” that, prior to such transaction, directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company) directly or indirectly acquires beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities of the Company possessing more than 50% of the total combined voting power of the Company’s securities outstanding immediately after such acquisition; or

(b) During any period of two consecutive years, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board together with any new Director(s) (other than a Director designated by a person who shall have entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in subsections (a) or (c)) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Directors then still in office who either were Directors at the beginning of the two-year period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof; or

(c) The consummation by the Company (whether directly involving the Company or indirectly involving the Company through one or more intermediaries) of (x) a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or business combination or (y) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets in any single transaction or series of related transactions or (z) the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity, in each case other than a transaction:

(i) which results in the Company’s voting securities outstanding immediately before the transaction continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the Company or the person that, as a result of the transaction, controls, directly or indirectly, the Company or owns, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or otherwise succeeds to the business of the Company (the Company or such person, the “Successor Entity”)) directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the combined


voting power of the Successor Entity’s outstanding voting securities immediately after the transaction, and

(ii) after which no person or group beneficially owns voting securities representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity; provided, however, that no person or group shall be treated for purposes of this clause (ii) as beneficially owning 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity solely as a result of the voting power held in the Company prior to the consummation of the transaction.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of the Plan, in no event with a Change in Control be deemed to have occurred if such transaction or event does not constitute a “change in control event,” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5).

1.5 “Committee” shall mean one or more committees or subcommittees of the Board, which may include one or more Directors or executive officers of the Company, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act.

1.6 “Common Stock” shall mean the common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share.

1.7 “Company” shall mean Traeger, Inc. and any corporate successors.

1.8 “Compensation Program” shall mean the Traeger, Inc. Non-Employee Director Compensation Program, as the same may be amended and/or amended and restated from time to time.

1.9 “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and any successor statute thereto.

1.10 “Deferred Compensation Account shall mean an account maintained for each participating Director who makes a Deferral Election as described in Articles II and III.

1.11 “Deferred Stock Unit” shall mean a notional unit representing the right to receive one share of Common Stock, that is received by a participating Director pursuant to this Plan and provides for the deferred receipt of Eligible Compensation.

1.12 “Director” shall mean a non-employee member of the Board.

1.13 “Disability” shall mean, with respect to a participating Director, that such Director has become “disabled” within the meaning of Section 409A, as determined by the Administrator in good faith.

1.14 “Effective Date” shall mean the day prior to the Public Trading Date.

1.15 “Eligible Compensation” shall mean, with respect to any Year, any Cash Fee earned or Equity Award granted during such Year.

1.16 “Equity Awards” shall mean, as applicable, any Initial Award and/or any Annual Award (each such term, as defined in the Compensation Program) and any award granted under the Incentive Plan in connection with the closing of the Company’s initial public offering of its Common Stock.

1.17 “Equity Restructuring” shall mean, as determined by the Administrator, a non-reciprocal transaction between the Company and its stockholders, such as a stock dividend, stock split, spin-off or

 

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recapitalization through a large, nonrecurring cash dividend, or other large, nonrecurring cash dividend, that affects the shares of Common Stock (or other securities of the Company) or the share price of Common Stock (or other securities of the Company) and causes a change in the per share value of the Common Stock underlying outstanding Deferred Stock Units.

1.18 “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

1.19 “Fair Market Value” shall mean, as of any date, the value of a share of Common Stock determined as follows: (a) if the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange, its Fair Market Value will be the closing sales price for such Common Stock as quoted on such exchange for such date, or if no sale occurred on such date, the last day preceding such date during which a sale occurred, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or another source the Administrator deems reliable; (b) if the Common Stock is not traded on a stock exchange but is quoted on a national market or other quotation system, the closing sales price on such date, or if no sales occurred on such date, then on the last date preceding such date during which a sale occurred, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or another source the Administrator deems reliable; or (c) without an established market for the Common Stock, the Administrator will determine the Fair Market Value in its discretion.

1.20 “Incentive Plan” shall mean the Traeger, Inc. 2021 Incentive Award Plan, as it may be amended and/or amended and restated from time to time.

1.21 “Permitted Holder” means each of the Stockholder Group, any member of the Stockholder Group, Jeremy Andrus or any of their respective affiliates.

1.22 “Plan” shall mean this Deferred Compensation Plan for Directors, as it may be amended and/or amended and restated from time to time.

1.23 “Public Trading Date” means the first date upon which the Common Stock is listed (or approved for listing) upon notice of issuance on any securities exchange or designated (or approved for designation) upon notice of issuance as a national market security on an interdealer quotation system.

1.24 “Year” shall mean any calendar year.

1.25 “Section 409A” shall mean Section 409A of the Code and Department of Treasury regulations and other interpretive guidance issued thereunder.

1.26 “Separation from Service” shall mean a “separation from service” (within the meaning of Section 409A).

1.27 “Stockholder Group” means the “group” (as such term is used in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) consisting of AEA TGP Holdco LP. 2594868 Ontario Limited, Trilantic Capital Partners V (North America) L.P. and Trilantic Capital Partners V (North America) Fund A L.P., in each case together with their affiliates.

1.28 “Subsidiary” shall mean any entity (other than the Company), whether domestic or foreign, in an unbroken chain of entities beginning with the Company if each of the entities other than the last entity in the unbroken chain beneficially owns, at the time of the determination, securities or interests representing at least 50% of the total combined voting power of all classes of securities or interests in one of the other entities in such chain.

 

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ARTICLE II.

PURPOSE; DEFERRAL ELECTIONS

2.1 Purpose. The purpose of this Plan is to provide the Directors with an opportunity to defer payment of all or a portion of their Eligible Compensation, as set forth herein.

2.2 Deferral Elections. A Director may elect to defer payment of all or a specified portion of any Eligible Compensation by filing a written election with the Company on a form prescribed by the Company as follows (such an election, a “Deferral Election”):

(a) On or before December 31 of any Year, the Director may elect to defer all or any portion of any Eligible Compensation earned by or granted to (as applicable) such Director during any Year following the Year in which the Deferral Election was made, subject to Section 2.2(b) and (c) below.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 2.2(a), with respect to any Year after the Effective Date in which a Director is initially elected or appointed to serve on the Board, such Director may elect no later than 30 days after the Director’s commencement of services as a member of the Board to defer all or any portion of any Eligible Compensation earned by or granted to (as applicable) such Director following the later of (i) the date of the Director’s commencement of services as a Director and (ii) the date such Director’s irrevocable Deferral Election is filed with the Company.

(c) Notwithstanding Section 2.2(a), any Director who is first eligible to participate in this Plan on the Effective Date may make an initial Deferral Election no later than 30 days after the Effective Date to defer all or any portion of any Eligible Compensation earned by or granted to (as applicable) such Director following the later of (i) the Effective Date and (ii) the date such Director’s irrevocable Deferral Election is filed with the Company.

(d) In each applicable Deferral Election form, the Director shall specify (i) with respect to each participating Director’s Cash Fees, the portion of any such Cash Fees which will be subject to deferral hereunder and (ii) with respect to each participating Director’s Equity Award(s), whether all or none of any such Equity Award(s) will be subject to deferral hereunder (any such deferred compensation, together, the “Deferred Compensation”).

2.3 Duration of Deferral Elections. Each Deferral Election shall continue in effect from Year to Year unless otherwise terminated in accordance with Article V or by the applicable Director by delivery of a written notice to the Administrator prior to January 1 of the Year in which such termination is first to become effective.

ARTICLE III.

DEFERRED COMPENSATION ACCOUNTS

3.1 Deferred Compensation Accounts. The Company shall maintain a bookkeeping Deferred Compensation Account for the Deferred Compensation of each participating Director. With respect to any Deferred Compensation deferred by Director hereunder, such Deferred Compensation shall be denominated in Deferred Stock Units.

3.2 Crediting of Cash Fees. A participating Director’s Cash Fees that are deferred hereunder shall be credited to his or her Deferred Compensation Account in the form of Deferred Stock Units on the date the deferred Cash Fees would otherwise have been paid. On such date, the Company shall credit to the Deferred Compensation Account a number of Deferred Stock Units determined by dividing (i) the portion of the Cash Fees that the participating Director elected to defer, by (ii) the Fair Market Value of a

 

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share of Common Stock on such date, rounded down to the nearest whole Deferred Stock Unit. A participating Director will be fully vested in each Deferred Stock Unit that relates to deferred Cash Fees.

3.3 Crediting of Equity Awards. A participating Director’s Equity Awards that are deferred hereunder shall be credited to his or her Deferred Compensation Account in an equal number of Deferred Stock Units. The Deferred Stock Units related to such deferred Equity Award shall be subject to the same vesting or other forfeiture restrictions that would have otherwise applied to such Equity Award. In the event the participating Director forfeits Deferred Stock Units in accordance with the foregoing, his or her Deferred Compensation Account shall be debited for the number of Deferred Stock Units forfeited.

3.4 Dividend Equivalents. Each Deferred Stock Unit credited to a Director’s Deferred Compensation Account shall carry with it a right to receive dividend equivalents in respect of the share of Common Stock underlying such Deferred Stock Unit. On the date on which any dividend is paid to shareholders of the Company, the Company shall credit such Director’s Deferred Compensation Account, with respect to each Deferred Stock Unit credited to such account, with an additional number of Deferred Stock Units equal to the per share value of the dividend so paid divided by the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on the date such dividend was paid. To the extent required by the applicable Award Agreement (as defined in the Incentive Plan) evidencing an Equity Award deferred hereunder, the Deferred Stock Units credited with respect to such dividend equivalent shall be subject to the same vesting or other forfeiture restrictions that applies to such Equity Award.

3.5 Adjustments. If adjustments are made to the outstanding shares of Common Stock as a result of an Equity Restructuring, an appropriate adjustment also will be made in the number of Deferred Stock Units credited to each participating Director’s Deferred Compensation Account and/or to the number and kind of shares for which such Deferred Stock Units are outstanding.

ARTICLE IV.

PAYMENT OF DEFERRED COMPENSATION

4.1 Payment Events. Subject to Section 4.5, payment of any Deferred Stock Units shall be made to a participating Director in one lump sum on the earliest to occur of the following events (the “Payment Event”): (i) the Director’s Separation from Service; (ii) a Change in Control; (iii) the Director’s death; or (iv) the Director’s Disability.

4.2 Timing and Form of Payment.

(a) Amounts contained in a participating Director’s Deferred Compensation Account will, subject to Section 4.5 below, be distributed in a lump sum within 45 days following the applicable Payment Event (in any case, such payment date, the “Payment Date”), in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth herein. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the exact Payment Date shall be determined by the Company in its sole discretion (and the participating Director shall not have the right to designate the time of payment).

(b) Amounts credited to a Deferred Compensation Account shall be paid in the form of one whole share of Common Stock for each Deferred Stock Unit that has vested in accordance with its terms as of the applicable Payment Date; provided, that, (i) the Company may choose in its discretion to pay the participating Director cash in lieu of all or a portion of the shares of Common Stock and (ii) no fractional shares of Common Stock shall be issued and the Administrator shall determine, in its sole discretion, whether cash shall be given in lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock or whether such fractional shares of Common Stock shall be rounded up or down. Deferred Stock Units issued to and shares of Common Stock paid to participants under the Plan shall be issued and paid from the Incentive Plan.

 

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4.3 Designation of Beneficiary. Each Director shall have the right to designate a beneficiary who is to succeed to his right to receive payments hereunder in the event of the Director’s death (each, a “Designated Beneficiary”). Any Designated Beneficiary will receive payments in the same manner as the applicable Director if he had lived. In the event of a Director failing to designate a beneficiary under this Section 4.3 or upon the death of a Designated Beneficiary without a designated successor, the balance of the amounts contained in the Director’s Deferred Compensation Account, if any, shall be payable in accordance with Section 4.2 to the Director’s estate in full. No designation of a beneficiary or change in beneficiary shall be valid unless in writing signed by the Director and filed with the Administrator. A Designated Beneficiary may be changed without the consent of any prior beneficiary.

4.4 Permissible Acceleration. Notwithstanding Sections 4.1 and 4.2, all or a portion of a Director’s Deferred Compensation Account may be distributed prior to the applicable Payment Date upon the occurrence of one or more of the events specified in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(j)(4), as determined by the Administrator.

4.5 Section 409A Delay. Notwithstanding any contrary provision in the Plan, any payment required to be made hereunder to a Director who is a “specified employee” (as defined under Section 409A and as the Administrator determines) upon his or her Separation from Service will, to the extent necessary to avoid taxes under Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, be delayed for the six-month period immediately following such Separation from Service (or, if earlier, until the specified employee’s death) and will instead be paid (as set forth herein) on the day immediately following such six-month period or death or as soon as administratively practicable thereafter (without interest). Notwithstanding any contrary provision of the Plan, any payment of “nonqualified deferred compensation” under the Plan that may be made in installments shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate and distinct payments.

ARTICLE V.

ADMINISTRATION; EFFECTIVENESS, AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION OF PLAN

5.1 Plan Administrator. The Plan will be administered by the Administrator. The books and records to be maintained for the purpose of the Plan shall be maintained by the Company at its expense. All expenses of administering the Plan shall be paid by the Company.

5.2 Effective Date. The Plan was adopted by the Board effective as of the Effective Date.

5.3 Plan Amendment; Termination. The Board may amend, suspend, or terminate the Plan at any time and for any reason. No amendment, suspension, or termination will, without the consent of the participant, materially impair rights or obligations under any Deferred Stock Units previously awarded to the participant under the Plan, except as provided below. The Board may terminate the Plan and distribute the Deferred Compensation Accounts to participants in accordance with and subject to the rules of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(j)(4)(ix), or successor provisions, and any generally applicable guidance issued by the Internal Revenue Service permitting such termination and distribution.

ARTICLE VI.

MISCELLANEOUS

6.1 Limitations on Transferability. Except to the extent required by law, the right of any Director or any beneficiary thereof to any benefit or to any payment hereunder shall not be subject in any manner to attachment or other legal process for the debts of such Director or beneficiary; and any such benefit or payment shall not be subject to alienation, sale, transfer, assignment or encumbrance.

 

6


6.2 Limitations on Liability. No member of the Board and no officer or employee of the Company shall be liable to any person for any action taken or omitted in connection with the administration of the Plan unless attributable to his own fraud or willful misconduct, and the Company shall not be liable to any person for any such action unless attributable to fraud or willful misconduct on the part of a Director, officer or employee of the Company.

6.3 Rights as a Stockholder. Deferred Stock Units shall not entitle any Director or other person to rights of a stockholder of the Company or any of its affiliates with respect to such Deferred Stock Units unless and until any shares of Common Stock have been issued to the holder thereof in respect of such Deferred Stock Units pursuant to Article IV hereof.

6.4 Limitation on Participant’s Rights6.5 .

(a) The Company shall not be required to acquire, reserve, segregate or otherwise set aside any shares of its Common Stock for the payment of its obligations under the Plan, but shall make available as and when required a sufficient number of shares of its Common Stock to meet the needs of the Plan, subject to the terms and conditions of the Incentive Plan.

(b) Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to create a trust of any kind or any fiduciary relationship. To the extent that any person acquires a right to receive payments from the Company under the Plan, such right shall be no greater than the right of any unsecured general creditor of the Company.

6.5 Severability. If any portion of the Plan or any action taken under it is held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity will not affect the remaining parts of the Plan, and the Plan will be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provisions had been excluded, and the illegal or invalid action will be null and void.

6.6 Governing Documents. If any contradiction occurs between the Plan and any Deferral Election or other written agreement between a participating Director and the Company that the Administrator has approved, the Plan will govern, unless it is expressly specified in such agreement or other written document that a specific provision of the Plan will not apply.

6.7 Governing Law. The Plan will be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, disregarding any state’s choice-of-law principles requiring the application of a jurisdiction’s laws other than the State of Delaware. The Plan is intended to be construed so that participation in the Plan will be exempt from Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, pursuant to regulations and interpretations issued from time to time by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

6.8 Titles and Headings. The titles and headings in the Plan are for convenience of reference only and, if any conflict, the Plan’s text, rather than such titles or headings, will control.

6.9 Conformity to Securities Laws. Each participating Director acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with applicable laws. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Plan will be administered only in conformance with applicable laws. To the extent applicable laws permit, the Plan will be deemed amended as necessary to conform to applicable laws (subject to Section 409A).

6.10 Relationship to Other Benefits. No payment under the Plan will be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, savings, profit sharing, group insurance, welfare

 

7


or other benefit plan of the Company except as expressly provided in writing in such other plan or an agreement thereunder.

 

8

Exhibit 10.14

 

TRAEGER, INC.

2021 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT GRANT NOTICE

Traeger, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), has granted to the participant listed below (“Participant”) the Restricted Stock Units (the “RSUs”) described in this Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice (this “Grant Notice”), subject to the terms and conditions of the Traeger, Inc. 2021 Incentive Award Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”) and the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Agreement”), both of which are incorporated into this Grant Notice by reference. Capitalized terms not specifically defined in this Grant Notice or the Agreement have the meanings given to them in the Plan.

 

    Participant:

  

[To be specified]

    Grant Date:

  

[To be specified]

    Number of RSUs:

  

[To be specified]

    Vesting Commencement Date:    

  

[To be specified]

    Vesting Schedule:

  

[To be specified]

By accepting (whether in writing, electronically or otherwise) the RSUs, Participant agrees to be bound by the terms of this Grant Notice, the Plan and the Agreement. Participant has reviewed the Plan, this Grant Notice and the Agreement in their entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing this Grant Notice and fully understands all provisions of the Plan, this Grant Notice and the Agreement. Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions arising under the Plan, this Grant Notice or the Agreement.

 

TRAEGER, INC.      PARTICIPANT

By:

 

 

    

             

Name:

 

 

 

                    

  

[Participant Name]

Title:

 

 

    


Exhibit A

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

Capitalized terms not specifically defined in this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (this “Agreement”) have the meanings specified in the Grant Notice or, if not defined in the Grant Notice, in the Plan.

ARTICLE I.

GENERAL

1.1 Award of RSUs and Dividend Equivalent Rights.

(a) The Company has granted the RSUs to Participant effective as of the Grant Date set forth in the Grant Notice (the “Grant Date”). Each RSU represents the right to receive one Share as set forth in this Agreement. Participant will have no right to the distribution of any Shares until the time (if ever) the RSUs have vested.

(b) The Company hereby grants to Participant, with respect to each RSU granted hereunder, a Dividend Equivalent for ordinary cash dividends paid to substantially all holders of outstanding Shares with a record date after the Grant Date and prior to the date the applicable RSU is settled, forfeited or otherwise expires. Each Dividend Equivalent entitles Participant to receive the equivalent value of any such ordinary cash dividends paid on a single Share. The Company will establish a separate Dividend Equivalent bookkeeping account (a “Dividend Equivalent Account”) for each Dividend Equivalent and credit the Dividend Equivalent Account (without interest) on the applicable dividend payment date with the amount of any such cash paid. Any Dividend Equivalents granted in connection with the RSUs issued hereunder, and any amounts that may become distributable in respect thereof, shall be treated separately from such RSUs and the rights arising in connection therewith for purposes of the designation of time and form of payments required by Section 409A.

1.2 Incorporation of Terms of Plan. The RSUs are subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference. In the event of any inconsistency between the Plan and this Agreement, the terms of the Plan will control.

1.3 Unsecured Promise. The RSUs and Dividend Equivalents will at all times prior to settlement represent an unsecured Company obligation payable only from the Company’s general assets.

ARTICLE II.

VESTING; FORFEITURE AND SETTLEMENT

2.1 Vesting; Forfeiture. The RSUs will vest according to the vesting schedule in the Grant Notice except that any fraction of an RSU that would otherwise be vested will be accumulated and will vest only when a whole RSU has accumulated. Dividend Equivalents (including any Dividend Equivalent Account balance) will vest upon the vesting of the RSUs with respect to which the Dividend Equivalent (including the Dividend Equivalent Account) relates. In the event of Participant’s Termination of Service for any reason, (a) all unvested RSUs will immediately and automatically be cancelled and forfeited, except as otherwise determined by the Administrator or provided in a binding written agreement between Participant and the Company and (b) Dividend Equivalents (including any Dividend Equivalent Account balance) will be forfeited upon the forfeiture of the RSUs with respect to which the Dividend Equivalent (including the Dividend Equivalent Account) relates.

 

1


2.2 Settlement.

(a) The RSUs will be paid in Shares and Dividend Equivalents (including any Dividend Equivalent Account balance) will be paid in cash or Shares, as soon as administratively practicable after the vesting date of the applicable RSU, but in no event later than March 15 of the year following the year in which the RSU’s vesting date occurs.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may delay any payment under this Agreement that the Company reasonably determines would violate Applicable Law until the earliest date the Company reasonably determines the making of the payment will not cause such a violation (in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(7)(ii)); provided the Company reasonably believes the delay will not result in the imposition of excise taxes under Section 409A.

(c) If a Dividend Equivalent is paid in Shares, the number of Shares paid with respect to the Dividend Equivalent will equal the quotient, rounded down to the nearest whole Share, of the Dividend Equivalent Account balance divided by the Fair Market Value of a Share on the day immediately preceding the payment date.

ARTICLE III.

TAXATION AND TAX WITHHOLDING

3.1 Representation. Participant represents to the Company that Participant has reviewed with Participant’s own tax advisors the tax consequences of this award of RSUs and Dividend Equivalents (the “Award”) and the transactions contemplated by the Grant Notice and this Agreement. Participant is relying solely on such advisors and not on any statements or representations of the Company or any of its agents.

3.2 Tax Withholding.1

(a) Subject to Section 3.2(b), payment of the withholding tax obligations with respect to the Award may be by any of the following, or a combination thereof, as determined by [the Company in its sole discretion / Participant or the Administrator]2:

(i) Cash or check;

(ii) In whole or in part by delivery of Shares, including Shares delivered by attestation and Shares retained from the Award creating the tax obligation, valued at their Fair Market Value on the date of delivery; or

(iii) In whole or in part by the Company withholding of Shares otherwise vesting or issuable under this Award in satisfaction of any applicable withholding tax obligations.

(b) Unless [the Company / Participant or the Administrator] otherwise determines, and subject to Section 10.17 of the Plan, payment of the withholding tax obligations with respect to the Award shall be by [delivery (including electronically or telephonically to the extent permitted by the Company) of an irrevocable and unconditional undertaking by a broker acceptable to the Company to deliver promptly to the Company sufficient funds to satisfy the applicable tax withholding obligations] / [delivery (including electronically or telephonically to the extent permitted by the Company) by Participant to the Company of

 

 

1 

Note to Traeger: Tax withholding to be discussed.

2 

Note to Draft: “Participant or the Administrator” for Section 16 individuals. “The Company” for non-Section 16 individuals.

 

2


a copy of irrevocable and unconditional instructions to a broker acceptable to the Company that Participant has placed a market sell order with such broker with respect to Shares then-issuable upon settlement of the Award, and that the broker has been directed to deliver promptly to the Company funds sufficient to satisfy the applicable tax withholding obligations; provided, that payment of such proceeds is then made to the Company at such time as may be required by the Administrator]3.

(c) Subject to Section 9.5 of the Plan, the applicable tax withholding obligation will be determined based on Participant’s Applicable Withholding Rate. Participant’s “Applicable Withholding Rate” shall mean (i) if Participant is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the greater of (A) the minimum applicable statutory tax withholding rate or (B) with Participant’s consent, the maximum individual tax withholding rate permitted under the rules of the applicable taxing authority for tax withholding attributable to the underlying transaction, or (ii) if Participant is not subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the minimum applicable statutory tax withholding rate or such other higher rate approved by the Company; provided, however, that (i) in no event shall Participant’s Applicable Withholding Rate exceed the maximum individual statutory tax rate in the applicable jurisdiction at the time of such withholding (or such other rate as may be required to avoid the liability classification of the applicable award under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America); and (ii) the number of Shares tendered or withheld, if applicable, shall be rounded up to the nearest whole Share sufficient to cover the applicable tax withholding obligation, to the extent rounding up to the nearest whole Share does not result in the liability classification of the RSUs under generally accepted accounting principles.

(d) Participant acknowledges that Participant is ultimately liable and responsible for all taxes owed in connection with the RSUs and Dividend Equivalents, regardless of any action the Company or any Subsidiary takes with respect to any tax withholding obligations that arise in connection with the RSUs or Dividend Equivalents. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary makes any representation or undertaking regarding the treatment of any tax withholding in connection with the awarding, vesting or payment of the RSUs or the Dividend Equivalents or the subsequent sale of Shares. The Company and its Subsidiaries do not commit and are under no obligation to structure the RSUs or Dividend Equivalents to reduce or eliminate Participant’s tax liability.

ARTICLE IV.

OTHER PROVISIONS

4.1 Adjustments. Participant acknowledges that the RSUs and the Shares subject to the RSUs and Dividend Equivalents are subject to adjustment, modification and termination in certain events as provided in this Agreement and the Plan.

4.2 Clawback. The Award and the Shares issuable hereunder shall be subject to any clawback or recoupment policy in effect on the Grant Date or as may be adopted or maintained by the Company following the Grant Date, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder.

4.3 Notices. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to the Company must be in writing and addressed to the Company in care of the Company’s General Counsel at the Company’s principal office or the General Counsel’s then-current email address or facsimile number. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to Participant must be in writing and addressed to Participant (or, if Participant is then deceased, to the Designated Beneficiary) at Participant’s last known mailing address, email address or facsimile number in the Company’s personnel files. By a notice given pursuant to this Section, either party may designate a different address for notices to be given to that party. Any notice will

 

 

3 

Note to Draft: Use second bracketed language for Section 16 individuals.

 

3


be deemed duly given when actually received, when sent by email, when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited with postage prepaid in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service, when delivered by a nationally recognized express shipping company or upon receipt of a facsimile transmission confirmation.

4.4 Titles. Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Agreement.

4.5 Conformity to Securities Laws. Participant acknowledges that the Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement are intended to conform to the extent necessary with all Applicable Laws and, to the extent Applicable Laws permit, will be deemed amended as necessary to conform to Applicable Laws.

4.6 Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Agreement to a single or multiple assignees, and this Agreement will inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Agreement or the Plan, this Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs, legatees, legal representatives, successors and assigns of the parties hereto.

4.7 Limitations Applicable to Section 16 Persons. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or this Agreement, if Participant is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the Plan, the Grant Notice, this Agreement and the RSUs and Dividend Equivalents will be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including any amendment to Rule 16b-3) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule. To the extent Applicable Laws permit, this Agreement will be deemed amended as necessary to conform to such applicable exemptive rule.

4.8 Entire Agreement; Amendment. The Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement (including any exhibit hereto) constitute the entire agreement of the parties and supersede in their entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Company and Participant with respect to the subject matter hereof. To the extent permitted by the Plan, this Agreement may be wholly or partially amended or otherwise modified, suspended or terminated at any time or from time to time by the Administrator or the Board; provided, however, that except as may otherwise be provided by the Plan, no amendment, modification, suspension or termination of this Agreement shall materially and adversely affect the RSUs or Dividend Equivalents without the prior written consent of Participant.

4.9 Agreement Severable. In the event that any provision of the Grant Notice or this Agreement is held illegal or invalid, the provision will be severable from, and the illegality or invalidity of the provision will not be construed to have any effect on, the remaining provisions of the Grant Notice or this Agreement.

4.10 Limitation on Participant’s Rights. Participation in the Plan confers no rights or interests other than as herein provided. This Agreement creates only a contractual obligation on the part of the Company as to amounts payable and may not be construed as creating a trust. Neither the Plan nor any underlying program, in and of itself, has any assets. Participant will have only the rights of a general unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to amounts credited and benefits payable, if any, with respect to the RSUs and Dividend Equivalents, and rights no greater than the right to receive cash or the Shares as a general unsecured creditor with respect to the RSUs and Dividend Equivalents, as and when settled pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

4.11 Not a Contract of Employment. Nothing in the Plan, the Grant Notice or this Agreement confers upon Participant any right to continue in the employ or service of the Company or any Subsidiary

 

4


or interferes with or restricts in any way the rights of the Company and its Subsidiaries, which rights are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge or terminate the services of Participant at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without cause, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in a written agreement between the Company or a Subsidiary and Participant.

4.12 Counterparts. The Grant Notice may be executed in one or more counterparts, including by way of any electronic signature, subject to Applicable Law, each of which will be deemed an original and all of which together will constitute one instrument.

* * * * *

 

5

Exhibit 10.15

 

TRAEGER, INC.

2021 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

STOCK OPTION GRANT NOTICE

Traeger, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) has granted to the participant listed below (“Participant”) the stock option (the “Option”) described in this Stock Option Grant Notice (the “Grant Notice”), subject to the terms and conditions of the Traeger, Inc. 2021 Incentive Award Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”) and the Stock Option Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Agreement”), both of which are incorporated into this Grant Notice by reference. Capitalized terms not specifically defined in this Grant Notice or the Agreement have the meanings given to them in the Plan.

 

Participant:   

[To be specified]

Grant Date:   

[To be specified]

Exercise Price per Share:   

[To be specified]

Shares Subject to the Option:   

[To be specified]

Final Expiration Date:   

[To be specified]

Vesting Commencement Date:   

[To be specified]

Vesting Schedule:   

[To be specified]

Type of Option   

[Incentive Stock Option]/[Non-Qualified Stock Option]

By accepting (whether in writing, electronically or otherwise) the Option, Participant agrees to be bound by the terms of this Grant Notice, the Plan and the Agreement. Participant has reviewed the Plan, this Grant Notice and the Agreement in their entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing this Grant Notice and fully understands all provisions of the Plan, this Grant Notice and the Agreement. Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions arising under the Plan, this Grant Notice or the Agreement.

 

TRAEGER, INC.      PARTICIPANT
By:  

 

    

 

Name:  

 

          [Participant Name]
Title:  

 

    


Exhibit A

STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

Capitalized terms not specifically defined in this Agreement have the meanings specified in the Grant Notice or, if not defined in the Grant Notice, in the Plan.

ARTICLE I.

GENERAL

1.1 Grant of Option. The Company has granted to Participant the Option effective as of the grant date set forth in the Grant Notice (the “Grant Date”).

1.2 Incorporation of Terms of Plan. The Option is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference. In the event of any inconsistency between the Plan and this Agreement, the terms of the Plan will control.

ARTICLE II.

PERIOD OF EXERCISABILITY

2.1 Commencement of Exercisability. The Option will vest and become exercisable according to the vesting schedule in the Grant Notice (the “Vesting Schedule”) except that any fraction of a Share as to which the Option would be vested or exercisable will be accumulated and will vest and become exercisable only when a whole Share has accumulated. Notwithstanding anything in the Grant Notice, the Plan or this Agreement to the contrary, unless the Administrator otherwise determines, the Option will immediately expire and be forfeited as to any portion that is not vested and exercisable as of Participant’s Termination of Service for any reason (after taking into consideration any accelerated vesting and exercisability which may occur in connection with such Termination of Service).

2.2 Duration of Exercisability. The Vesting Schedule is cumulative. Any portion of the Option which vests and becomes exercisable will remain vested and exercisable until the Option expires. The Option will be forfeited immediately upon its expiration.

2.3 Expiration of Option. The Option may not be exercised to any extent by anyone after, and will expire on, the first of the following to occur:

(a) The final expiration date in the Grant Notice; provided, however, such final expiration date may be extended pursuant to Section 5.3 of the Plan;

(b) Except as the Administrator may otherwise approve, the expiration of three months from the date of Participant’s Termination of Service, unless Participant’s Termination of Service is for Cause or by reason of Participant’s death or Disability;

(c) Except as the Administrator may otherwise approve, the expiration of one year from the date of Participant’s Termination of Service by reason of Participant’s death or Disability; and

(d) Except as the Administrator may otherwise approve, Participant’s Termination of Service for Cause.

 

1


ARTICLE III.

EXERCISE OF OPTION

3.1 Person Eligible to Exercise. During Participant’s lifetime, only Participant may exercise the Option. After Participant’s death, any exercisable portion of the Option may, prior to the time the Option expires, be exercised by Participant’s Designated Beneficiary as provided in the Plan.

3.2 Partial Exercise. Any exercisable portion of the Option or the entire Option, if then wholly exercisable, may be exercised, in whole or in part, according to the procedures in the Plan at any time prior to the time the Option or portion thereof expires, except that the Option may only be exercised for whole Shares.

3.3 Tax Withholding; Exercise Price.

(a) Subject to Section 3.3(b) and 3.3(c), payment of the exercise price and withholding tax obligations with respect to the Option may be by any of the following, or a combination thereof, as determined by [the Company in its sole discretion / Participant or the Administrator]1:

(i) Cash or check;

(ii) In whole or in part by delivery of Shares, including Shares delivered by attestation and Shares retained from the Award creating the tax obligation, valued at their Fair Market Value on the date of delivery; or

(iii) In whole or in part by the Company withholding of Shares otherwise issuable upon exercise of this Award.

(b) Unless [the Company / Participant or the Administrator] otherwise determines, and subject to Section 10.17 of the Plan, payment of the exercise price and withholding tax obligations with respect to the Option shall be by [delivery (including electronically or telephonically to the extent permitted by the Company) of an irrevocable and unconditional undertaking by a broker acceptable to the Company to deliver promptly to the Company sufficient funds to satisfy the applicable exercise price and tax withholding obligations] / [delivery (including electronically or telephonically to the extent permitted by the Company) by Participant to the Company of a copy of irrevocable and unconditional instructions to a broker acceptable to the Company that Participant has placed a market sell order with such broker with respect to Shares then-issuable upon exercise of the Option, and that the broker has been directed to deliver promptly to the Company funds sufficient to satisfy the applicable exercise price and tax withholding obligations; provided, that payment of such proceeds is then made to the Company at such time as may be required by the Administrator]2.

(c) Subject to Section 9.5 of the Plan, the applicable tax withholding obligation will be determined based on Participant’s Applicable Withholding Rate. Participant’s “Applicable Withholding Rate” shall mean (i) if Participant is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the greater of (A) the minimum applicable statutory tax withholding rate or (B) with Participant’s consent, the maximum individual tax withholding rate permitted under the rules of the applicable taxing authority for tax withholding attributable to the underlying transaction, or (ii) if Participant is not subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the minimum applicable statutory tax withholding rate or such other higher rate approved

 

 

1 

NTD: “Participant or the Administrator” for Section 16 individuals. “The Company” for non-Section 16 individuals.

2 

NTD: Use second bracketed language for Section 16 individuals.

 

2


by the Company; provided, however, that (i) in no event shall Participant’s Applicable Withholding Rate exceed the maximum individual statutory tax rate in the applicable jurisdiction at the time of such withholding (or such other rate as may be required to avoid the liability classification of the applicable award under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America); and (ii) the number of Shares tendered or withheld, if applicable, shall be rounded up to the nearest whole Share sufficient to cover the applicable tax withholding obligation, to the extent rounding up to the nearest whole Share does not result in the liability classification of the Option under generally accepted accounting principles.

(d) Participant acknowledges that Participant is ultimately liable and responsible for the exercise price and all taxes owed in connection with the Option (and, with respect to taxes, regardless of any action the Company or any Subsidiary takes with respect to any tax withholding obligations that arise in connection with the Option). Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary makes any representation or undertaking regarding the treatment of any tax withholding in connection with the awarding, vesting or exercise of the Option or the subsequent sale of Shares. The Company and the Subsidiaries do not commit and are under no obligation to structure the Option to reduce or eliminate Participant’s tax liability.

ARTICLE IV.

OTHER PROVISIONS

4.1 Adjustments. Participant acknowledges that the Option is subject to adjustment, modification and termination in certain events as provided in this Agreement and the Plan.

4.2 Clawback. The Option and the Shares issuable hereunder shall be subject to any clawback or recoupment policy in effect on the Grant Date or as may be adopted or maintained by the Company following the Grant Date, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder.

4.3 Notices. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to the Company must be in writing and addressed to the Company in care of the Company’s General Counsel at the Company’s principal office or the General Counsel’s then-current email address or facsimile number. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to Participant must be in writing and addressed to Participant (or, if Participant is then deceased, to the Designated Beneficiary) at Participant’s last known mailing address, email address or facsimile number in the Company’s personnel files. By a notice given pursuant to this Section, either party may designate a different address for notices to be given to that party. Any notice will be deemed duly given when actually received, when sent by email, when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited with postage prepaid in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service, when delivered by a nationally recognized express shipping company or upon receipt of a facsimile transmission confirmation.

4.4 Titles. Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Agreement.

4.5 Conformity to Securities Laws. Participant acknowledges that the Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement are intended to conform to the extent necessary with all Applicable Laws and, to the extent Applicable Laws permit, will be deemed amended as necessary to conform to Applicable Laws.

4.6 Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Agreement will inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Agreement or the Plan, this Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs, legatees, legal representatives, successors and assigns of the parties hereto.

 

3


4.7 Limitations Applicable to Section 16 Persons. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or this Agreement, if Participant is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the Plan, the Grant Notice, this Agreement and the Option will be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including any amendment to Rule 16b-3) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule. To the extent Applicable Laws permit, this Agreement will be deemed amended as necessary to conform to such applicable exemptive rule.

4.8 Entire Agreement; Amendment. The Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement (including any exhibit hereto) constitute the entire agreement of the parties and supersede in their entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Company and Participant with respect to the subject matter hereof. To the extent permitted by the Plan, this Agreement may be wholly or partially amended or otherwise modified, suspended or terminated at any time or from time to time by the Administrator or the Board; provided, however, that except as may otherwise be provided by the Plan, no amendment, modification, suspension or termination of this Agreement shall materially and adversely affect the Option without the prior written consent of Participant.

4.9 Agreement Severable. In the event that any provision of the Grant Notice or this Agreement is held illegal or invalid, the provision will be severable from, and the illegality or invalidity of the provision will not be construed to have any effect on, the remaining provisions of the Grant Notice or this Agreement.

4.10 Limitation on Participant’s Rights. Participation in the Plan confers no rights or interests other than as herein provided. This Agreement creates only a contractual obligation on the part of the Company as to amounts payable and may not be construed as creating a trust. Neither the Plan nor any underlying program, in and of itself, has any assets. Participant will have only the rights of a general unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to amounts credited and benefits payable, if any, with respect to the Option, and rights no greater than the right to receive the Shares as a general unsecured creditor with respect to the Option, as and when exercised pursuant to the terms hereof.

4.11 Not a Contract of Employment. Nothing in the Plan, the Grant Notice or this Agreement confers upon Participant any right to continue in the employ or service of the Company or any Subsidiary or interferes with or restricts in any way the rights of the Company and its Subsidiaries, which rights are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge or terminate the services of Participant at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without Cause, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in a written agreement between the Company or a Subsidiary and Participant.

4.12 Counterparts. The Grant Notice may be executed in one or more counterparts, including by way of any electronic signature, subject to Applicable Law, each of which will be deemed an original and all of which together will constitute one instrument.

4.13 Incentive Stock Options. If the Option is designated as an Incentive Stock Option:

(a) Participant acknowledges that to the extent the aggregate fair market value of shares (determined as of the time the option with respect to the shares is granted) with respect to which stock options intended to qualify as “incentive stock options” under Section 422 of the Code, including the Option, are exercisable for the first time by Participant during any calendar year exceeds $100,000 or if for any other reason such stock options do not qualify or cease to qualify for treatment as “incentive stock options” under Section 422 of the Code, such stock options (including the Option) will be treated as non-qualified stock options. Participant further acknowledges that the rule set forth in the preceding sentence will be applied by taking the Option and other stock options into account in the order in which they were granted, as determined under Section 422(d) of the Code. Participant also acknowledges that if the Option is exercised more than three months after Participant’s Termination of Service, other than by reason of death or Disability, the Option will be taxed as a Non-Qualified Stock Option.

 

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(b) Participant will give prompt written notice to the Company of any disposition or other transfer of any Shares acquired under this Agreement if such disposition or other transfer is made (i) within two years from the Grant Date or (ii) within one year after the transfer of such Shares to Participant. Such notice will specify the date of such disposition or other transfer and the amount realized, in cash, other property, assumption of indebtedness or other consideration, by Participant in such disposition or other transfer.

* * * * *

 

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Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Experts” and to the use of our report dated May 3, 2021 (except as to paragraph 2 of Note 21, which is as of July 21, 2021), in the Registration Statement (Amendment No. 1 to Form S-1 No. 333-257714) and related Prospectus of TGPX Holdings I LLC dated July 21, 2021.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Salt Lake City, Utah

July 21, 2021