Goal Acquisitions Corp. (Nasdaq: PUCK) today issued the following
open letter to its shareholders:
Dear Shareholders -
As you may know, Goal Acquisitions Corp. (Nasdaq: PUCK) (“Goal”
or “we”) has recently announced our entry into a business
combination with Digital Virgo Group (“Digital Virgo” or the
“Company”). Digital Virgo is a French corporation that is a global
hub for payment and monetization of digital content and services
that enables worldwide access to mobile content, entertainment, and
commerce—all payable on a phone bill using carrier billing
solutions, or alternative payment methods.
This is an opportune moment to combine with a strong and growing
global business that generates substantial recurring revenue,
having been consistently profitable for the last seven years.
Digital Virgo has generated positive EBITDA growth on strong
margins while creating tremendous market demand for the Company’s
mobile media, sports, entertainment, gaming, commerce, finance, and
other offerings, working with 140 telcos in 40+ countries. We are
excited about their consistent growth and the upside as we look to
bring Digital Virgo’s capabilities to the North American market. We
see Digital Virgo as a source for long-term returns, as well as a
leader in the space as mobile, entertainment, gaming, sports,
wagering, and commerce converge. Digital Virgo is poised to take
advantage of the future of digital content, where one destination
exists to meet customers’ mobile entertainment and commerce needs,
including payments, live events, travel, gaming, shopping, social
impact and more.
The Company itself offers an impact opportunity in global
markets as Digital Virgo provides access to digital services and
content to the unbanked and underbanked, where they otherwise would
not be able to participate. We intend to increase this impact,
including providing new ways for consumers to give and nonprofit
organizations to raise funds all through a seamless mobile
experience and phone bill payment.
Goal is comprised of seasoned board members and proven
business-builders who possess deep relationships in sports, media,
telecommunications, investments, brand building, and M&A, that
will stimulate Digital Virgo’s success in the U.S. market and
beyond. These relationships will help the Company develop new
partnerships, a critical element in leading the Company to more
rapid customer acquisition and premier content creation, enhancing
the platform and aiding revenue growth and profitability.
Similarly, the Digital Virgo team is exceptional. The Company’s
leadership has worked closely together for many years with the
founder previously navigating a 900M+ euro exit from a previous
company.
We have maintained disciplined diligence throughout our
process—our goals of identifying a quality company never wavering
as the markets continued to change. We know that investors are
always looking for opportunities with companies that have positive
cash flow, relevance, and growth potential, regardless of market
conditions. The Company itself is no stranger to down markets and
has a proven track record of financial success in a variety of
economic environments, with preliminary estimates for 2022 gross
revenue, net income, and adjusted EBITDA at 436 million euros (12%
YoY growth), 26 million euros (66% YoY), and 46 million euros (15%
YoY growth), respectively. In addition to financial success, the
Company also has an enviable M&A history, acquiring 15
companies in the last 14 years—while strengthening global
operations. Irrespective of this transaction or entry into North
America, Digital Virgo is on track to reach 70 million euros of
adjusted EBITDA by 2027.
As you know first-hand, prudent investors become even more
discerning when the market dips, and that’s exactly the approach
we’ve taken. After completing more than a year’s worth of due
diligence, we are highly confident in the quality of this proposed
business combination.
Existing Goal shareholders have received an extension proxy
requesting a vote in favor of a month-to-month extension, for up to
six months, in order for the Digital Virgo merger with Goal to
proceed forward to completion. The Goal sponsor team is
incentivizing holders to grant such extension by depositing the
lesser of (a) $0.05 per share for each public share of Company that
is not redeemed in connection with the Special Meeting and (b)
$258,750 per 30-day period. In addition, the proceeds held in
Goal’s trust account will continue to be invested in United States
government treasury bills with a maturity of 185 days or less or in
money market funds investing solely in U.S. Treasuries and meeting
certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act
of 1940, as amended, as determined by the Company, or in an
interest bearing demand deposit account until the earlier of: (i)
the completion of its initial business combination and (ii) the
distribution of the trust account.
On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “IR
Act”) was signed into federal law. The IR Act provides for, among
other things, a new U.S. federal 1% excise tax (the “Excise Tax”)
on certain repurchases of stock by publicly traded U.S. domestic
corporations and certain U.S. domestic subsidiaries of publicly
traded foreign corporations occurring on or after January 1, 2023.
Any redemption of the shares of the Class A common stock, par value
$0.0001 per share, of the Company on or after January 1, 2023 may
be subject to the Excise Tax. The proceeds placed in the trust
account established in connection with the Company’s initial public
offering (the “Trust Account”) and the interest earned thereon
shall not be used to pay for the Excise Tax that may be levied on
the Company in connection with such redemptions. The Company
further confirms that it will not utilize any funds from the Trust
Account to pay any such Excise Tax.
We look forward to your continued involvement in this investment
and the chance to realize strong returns, while leading a consumer
evolution in one-destination access for content, entertainment,
sports and commerce.
Our Goal team thanks you for your partnership and support so
far, and requests that you support our extension.
Looking ahead,
Alex Greystoke, Founder and Advisor Harvey Schiller, Chief
Executive Officer
About Goal Acquisitions
Goal Acquisitions Corp. is a blank check company formed for the
purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition,
stock purchase, recapitalization, reorganization, or other similar
business combination with one or more business entities. For more
information visit www.goalacquisitions.com.
No Offer or Solicitation
This press release is for informational purposes only and does
not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to
buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in
any jurisdiction in which the offer, solicitation or sale would be
unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the
securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities
shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the
requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
No Assurances
There can be no assurance that the proposed Business Combination
will be completed, nor can there be any assurance, if the Business
Combination is completed, that the potential benefits of combining
the companies will be realized. The description of the Business
Combination contained herein is qualified in its entirety by
reference to the current definitive agreements relating to the
Business Combination, copies of which have been filed by Goal with
the SEC as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K on November
17, 2022.
Participants in the Solicitation
Goal and Digital Virgo and their respective directors and
executive officers may be considered participants in the
solicitation of proxies from Goal’s stockholders with respect to
the potential transaction described in this press release under the
rules of the SEC. Information about the directors and executive
officers of Goal and their ownership of Goal’s securities is set
forth in Goal’s Final Prospectus filed with the SEC on February 16,
2021. Additional information regarding the persons who may, under
the rules of the SEC, be deemed participants in the solicitation of
Goal’s stockholders in connection with the potential transaction
will be set forth in the preliminary and definitive proxy
statements when those are filed with the SEC. These documents are
available free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or by
directing a request to Goal Acquisitions Corp., Attention: William
T. Duffy, telephone: (888) 717-7678.
Additional Information about the Proposed Business
Combination and Where to Find It
Digital Virgo will submit with the SEC a Registration Statement
on Form F-4 (as may be amended, the “Registration Statement”),
which includes a preliminary proxy statement of Goal and a
prospectus in connection with the proposed Business Combination
involving Goal and Digital Virgo pursuant to the Business
Combination Agreement by and among the parties (the “Business
Combination Agreement”). STOCKHOLDERS OF GOAL AND OTHER INTERESTED
PERSONS ARE ADVISED TO READ, WHEN AVAILABLE, THE PRELIMINARY AND
DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENTS, ANY AMENDMENTS THERETO AS WELL AS ANY
OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR THAT WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC
IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED BUSINESS COMBINATION BECAUSE THESE
DOCUMENTS WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT GOAL, DIGITAL
VIRGO AND THE BUSINESS COMBINATION. THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT
WILL BE MAILED TO STOCKHOLDERS OF GOAL AS OF A RECORD DATE TO BE
ESTABLISHED FOR VOTING ON THE BUSINESS COMBINATION. ONCE AVAILABLE,
STOCKHOLDERS OF GOAL WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO OBTAIN A COPY OF THE
PROXY STATEMENTS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC WITHOUT
CHARGE, BY DIRECTING A REQUEST TO: GOAL ACQUISITIONS CORP.,
ATTENTION: WILLIAM T. DUFFY, TELEPHONE: (888) 717-7678 OR EMILIE
ROUSSELL: +33 1 82 50 50 00. THE PRELIMINARY AND DEFINITIVE PROXY
STATEMENTS, AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS, ONCE AVAILABLE, CAN
ALSO BE OBTAINED, WITHOUT CHARGE, AT THE SEC’S WEBSITE
(WWW.SEC.GOV).
Forward-Looking Statements
The information in this press release includes “forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of
the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words
such as “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,”
“will,” “expect,” “continue,” “should,” “would,” “anticipate,”
“believe,” “seek,” “target,” “predict,” “potential,” “seem,”
“future,” “outlook” or other similar expressions that predict or
indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of
historical matters, but the absence of these words does not mean
that a statement is not forward-looking. These forward-looking
statements include, but are not limited to, (1) statements
regarding estimates and forecasts of financial and performance
metrics and projections of market opportunity and market share; (2)
references with respect to the anticipated benefits of the proposed
Business Combination and the projected future financial performance
of Goal and Digital Virgo’s operating companies following the
proposed Business Combination; (3) changes in the market for
Digital Virgo’s products and services and expansion plans and
opportunities; (4) Digital Virgo’s unit economics; (5) the sources
and uses of cash of the proposed Business Combination; (6) the
anticipated capitalization and enterprise value of the combined
company following the consummation of the proposed Business
Combination; (7) the projected technological developments of
Digital Virgo and its competitors; (8) anticipated short- and
long-term customer benefits; (9) current and future potential
commercial and customer relationships; (10) the ability to
manufacture efficiently at scale; (11) anticipated investments in
research and development and the effect of these investments and
timing related to commercial product launches; and (12)
expectations related to the terms and timing of the proposed
Business Combination. These statements are based on various
assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and
on the current expectations of Digital Virgo’s and Goal’s
management and are not predictions of actual performance. These
forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes
only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by
any investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a
definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and
circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will
differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are
beyond the control of Digital Virgo and Goal. These forward-looking
statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties,
including the occurrence of any event, change or other
circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the
Business Combination Agreement; the risk that the Business
Combination disrupts current plans and operations as a result of
the announcement and consummation of the transactions described
herein; the inability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the
Business Combination; the lack of a third-party fairness opinion in
determining whether or not to pursue the proposed Business
Combination; the ability to obtain or maintain the listing of Goal
on The Nasdaq Stock Market, following the Business Combination,
including having the requisite number of shareholders; costs
related to the Business Combination; changes in domestic and
foreign business, market, financial, political and legal
conditions; risks relating to the uncertainty of certain projected
financial information with respect to Digital Virgo; Digital
Virgo’s ability to successfully and timely develop, manufacture,
sell and expand its technology and products, including implement
its growth strategy; Digital Virgo’s ability to adequately manage
any supply chain risks, including the purchase of a sufficient
supply of critical components incorporated into its product
offerings; risks relating to Digital Virgo’s operations and
business, including information technology and cybersecurity risks,
failure to adequately forecast supply and demand, loss of key
customers and deterioration in relationships between Digital Virgo
and its employees; Digital Virgo’s ability to successfully
collaborate with business partners; demand for Digital Virgo’s
current and future offerings; risks that orders that have been
placed for Digital Virgo’s products are cancelled or modified;
risks related to increased competition; risks relating to potential
disruption in the transportation and shipping infrastructure,
including trade policies and export controls; risks that Digital
Virgo is unable to secure or protect its intellectual property;
risks of product liability or regulatory lawsuits relating to
Digital Virgo’s products and services; risks that the
post-combination company experiences difficulties managing its
growth and expanding operations; the uncertain effects of the
COVID-19 pandemic and certain geopolitical developments; the
inability of the parties to successfully or timely consummate the
proposed Business Combination, including the risk that any required
shareholder or regulatory approvals are not obtained, are delayed
or are subject to unanticipated conditions that could adversely
affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the
proposed Business Combination; the outcome of any legal proceedings
that may be instituted against Digital Virgo or Goal or other
following announcement of the proposed Business Combination and
transactions contemplated thereby; the ability of Digital Virgo to
execute its business model, including market acceptance of its
planned products and services and achieving sufficient production
volumes at acceptable quality levels and prices; technological
improvements by Digital Virgo’s peers and competitors; and those
risk factors discussed in documents of Goal filed, or to be filed,
with the SEC. If any of these risks materialize or our assumptions
prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the
results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be
additional risks that neither Goal nor Digital Virgo presently know
or that Goal and Digital Virgo currently believe are immaterial
that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained
in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking
statements reflect Goal’s and Digital Virgo’s expectations, plans
or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this
press release. Goal and Digital Virgo anticipate that subsequent
events and developments will cause Goal’s and Digital Virgo’s
assessments to change. However, while Goal and Digital Virgo may
elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in
the future, Goal and Digital Virgo specifically disclaim any
obligation to do so. Readers are referred to the most recent
reports filed with the SEC by Goal. Readers are cautioned not to
place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which
speak only as of the date made, and we undertake no obligation to
update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Non-IFRS Financial Matters
The projected financial information included in
this letter includes certain non-IFRS financial measures, including
Adjusted EBITDA. Digital Virgo’s management included these non-IFRS
financial measures because it believes they are useful in
evaluating Digital Virgo’s operating performance, as they are
similar to measures reported by Digital Virgo’s public competitors
and are regularly used by security analysts, institutional
investors, and other interested parties in analyzing operating
performance and prospects.
Digital Virgo defines Adjusted EBITDA as the
Recurring Operating Profit in accordance with IFRS (Operating
Profit excluding non-current costs and revenues) plus the
depreciation, amortization and impairment of non-current assets
excluding the depreciation charges for the right-of-use assets,
plus the stock-based compensation expenses (consumption of the fair
value of free shares and stock options granted to employees and
managers).
Digital Virgo defines non-IFRS gross profit as
revenue less cost of revenues. Non-IFRS gross margin is defined as
Digital Virgo’s non-IFRS gross profit divided by total revenues.
Digital Virgo’s management believes non-IFRS gross profit and
non-IFRS gross margin can provide a useful measure of Digital
Virgo’s core performance over time as they eliminate the impact of
non-cash expenses and allow a direct comparison of Digital Virgo’s
cash operations and ongoing operating performance between
periods.
Non-IFRS financial information is presented for
supplemental informational purposes only, has limitations as an
analytical tool and should not be considered in isolation or as a
substitute for financial information presented in accordance with
IFRS. In addition, other companies, including companies in Digital
Virgo’s industry, may calculate similarly titled non-IFRS measures
differently or may use other measures to evaluate their
performance, all of which could reduce the usefulness of our
non-IFRS financial measures as tools for comparison. Investors are
encouraged to review the related IFRS financial measures and the
reconciliation of these non-IFRS financial measures to their most
directly comparable IFRS financial measures, and not to rely on any
single financial measure to evaluate Digital Virgo’s business. A
reconciliation of non-IFRS measures is available in the Company’s
investor deck filed with the SEC as an exhibit to a current report
on Form 8-K on December 8, 2022.
Contacts
For inquiries regarding Digital Virgo, please contact: www.digitalvirgo.com/contact.
Media
For Digital Virgo media inquiries, please contact Communications Director Émilie Roussel:
press@digitalvirgo.com
For Goal Acquisitions media inquiries, please contact:
press@goalacquisitions.com
Investors
For investor inquiries at Digital Virgo, please contact:
ir@digitalvirgo.com
For investor inquiries at Goal Acquisitions, please contact:
info@goalacquisitions.com
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