What happened
Shares of ChargePoint (CHPT +2.11%) crashed today, down by 10% as of 3:30 p.m. EDT, after the company announced it is conducting a secondary offering. The news comes just a few months after ChargePoint completed its merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC).
So what
The secondary offering is being launched in order for existing shareholders, primarily early venture capital (VC) funds, to sell stock in an orderly fashion. ChargePoint is not issuing any new shares and will not receive any of the proceeds from the deal; this is not a dilutive capital raise. Instead, existing shareholders are collectively selling 12 million shares of stock, while the underwriters have a greenshoe option for another 1.8 million shares.
Image source: ChargePoint.
The largest seller participating in the offering is Linse Capital, which is looking to sell 7.9 million shares. Funds affiliated with Quantum Energy Partners will offer another 3.1 million shares, and Braemar Energy Ventures wants to get rid of 2.2 million shares. All three of those VC funds previously invested in ChargePoint as a private company between 2012 and 2018.
A handful of executives, including CEO Pasquale Romano and Chief Revenue Officer Michael Hughes, are selling a smaller number of shares.
Now what
ChargePoint is likely attempting to mitigate the risk of a sell-off associated with the expiration of lock-up agreements, which is scheduled for Aug. 26. The company's board has the ability to unilaterally waive the lock-up restrictions and is choosing to do so in this case for all of the shares being offered for sale.
