MERGER

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2022

Business Combination and Asset Acquisition [Abstract]

On June 28, 2021, the Company entered into a Business Combination Agreement (as amended on November 30, 2021, January 10, 2022 and January 25, 2022) (the “Business Combination Agreement” or "BCA"), by and among S1 Holdco, Trebia, and Protected (collectively, the “Companies”). On January 26, 2022 (the “Closing Date”), the Company consummated the business combination (the "Merger") pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement. Following the consummation of the Merger, the combined company is organized via an “Up-C” structure, in which substantially all of the assets and business operations of System1 are held by S1 Holdco. The combined Companies’ business continues to operate through the subsidiaries of S1 Holdco and Protected. Additionally, Trebia’s ordinary shares and public warrants ceased trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), and System1 Inc.'s Class A common stock and the Public Warrants began trading on the NYSE on January 28, 2022 under the symbols “SST” and “SST.WS,” respectively.

The consideration paid to the existing equity holders of S1 Holdco and Protected in connection with the Merger consisted of the following:

•Cash;

•Class A common stock;

•Class C common stock;

•Replacement Awards.

The aggregate cash consideration was $440,155.

The aggregate equity consideration paid and/or retained for S1 Holdco Class B Units was $610,144, consisting of (a) the aggregate equity consideration payable under the Business Combination Agreement, consisting of shares of Class A common stock and Replacement Awards, and (b) the aggregate Class B Units in S1 Holdco retained by S1 Holdco equity holders at the Closing.

The fair value of the Class A common stock was determined by utilizing the transaction closing price per share per the BCA of $10.00 and a discount of 10%, as the shares were not immediately available for sale upon issuance and this restriction is viewed to be a function of the security characteristics.

Additionally, the aggregate Class B units in S1 Holdco retained by S1 Holdco equity holders at the Closing Date resulted in a non-controlling interest. The 22,077 Class B units in S1 Holdco and the corresponding Class C common stock in the Company were determined to have an estimated value of $198,691. As the Class B units in S1 Holdco together with the corresponding shares of the Company's Class C common stock are exchangeable for shares of Class A common stock on a one-for-one basis, the fair value was determined using the same method as for the shares of Class A common stock, utilizing the transaction closing price of $10.00 and a discount of 10% (as the units and the corresponding shares of Class C common stock were not immediately available for sale upon issuance and this restriction is viewed to be a function of the security characteristics). The fair value of $198,691 was included in non-controlling interest on the accompanying consolidated balance sheet and consolidated statements of changes in stockholders' equity.

In connection with the Merger, System1 and Cannae Holdings, Inc. (“Cannae”), an investor in the Sponsor of Trebia, entered into a backstop agreement (the “Backstop Agreement”) on June 28, 2021, as amended on January

10, 2022, whereby Cannae agreed, to subscribe for up to 25,000 shares of Trebia Class A common stock in order to fund up to $250,000 of redemptions by shareholders of Trebia. See discussion below regarding the Amended and Restated Sponsor Agreement, which was amended in conjunction with the Backstop Agreement. As a result of shareholder redemptions, Cannae provided $246,484 of the cash used to fund the Closing Cash Consideration pursuant to its obligations under the Backstop Agreement and in exchange received 24,648 shares of Class A common stock ("Backstop shares").

Additionally, pursuant to the Backstop Agreement, the Selling Shareholders (i.e., certain shareholders of S1 Holdco and Protected prior to the Merger) agreed that, in the event shareholders of Trebia requested redemption of Trebia outstanding equity immediately prior to the Merger in excess of a certain dollar value threshold, certain equity holders of S1 Holdco and Protected would reduce their cash consideration and proportionally increase their equity consideration for the Merger, which is referred to as the “Seller Backstop Election”. In the event that the Seller Backstop Election was made, the Sponsors would forfeit their shares to allow the Company to then issue shares to the Selling Shareholders. The Seller Backstop Election was triggered and, as a result, the Sponsors forfeited 930 shares of Trebia Class B ordinary shares which were converted at time of Merger, at a one-to-one ratio, into shares of Class A common stock of System1 and delivered to the various selling shareholders of S1 Holdco, collectively referred to as the “Sponsor Promote Shares”. The total consideration amount, in a combination of cash and equity consideration, did not change from the amount agreed in the Business Combination Agreement due to this Seller Backstop Election. The Company recorded $7,706 in Salaries and benefits expense and $661 in Selling, general and administrative expense for Sponsor Promote Shares during the period January 27, 2022 through March 31, 2022 (Successor).

In connection with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement and the Backstop Agreement, on June 28, 2021, as amended on January 10, 2022, the sponsors of Trebia entered into the Amended and Restated Sponsor Agreement whereby the sponsors agreed to forfeit up to 2,600 shares of Trebia Class B common stock in order for the Company to then issue the shares to Cannae (“Backstop forfeiture shares”), in exchange for Cannae entering into the Backstop Agreement. On January 27, 2022, based upon the final backstop funding provided by Cannae, the sponsors forfeited 2,533 shares of Trebia Class B shares, after which the Company then issued 2,533 shares of Class A common stock to Cannae. Trebia recorded a forward purchase liability of $25,336 immediately prior to the Merger, representing the fair value of the Backstop shares and the Backstop forfeiture shares.

In accordance with the Amended and Restated Sponsor Agreement entered into concurrently with the Business Combination Agreement, the Company issued 1,450 Class D shares to the Trebia sponsors in exchange for 1,450 Trebia Class B shares ("Sponsor RSA's"). The difference in the fair value of the two was treated as a capital contribution. The founders of S1 Holdco and Protected were also issued 1,450 Class D shares ("Seller RSUs"). Further, in connection with the Merger, the Company also effected an incentive plan for Protected business. Refer to Note 19—STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION for additional information on the Seller RSU's and the Protected Incentive Plan.

Concurrently with the consummation of the Merger, System1 entered into a tax receivable agreement with the minority holders of S1 Holdco, (the “Tax Receivable Agreement” or "TRA"), pursuant to which, among other things, the parties to the Tax Receivable Agreement have agreed to the allocation and payment of 85% of the actual savings, if any, in U.S. federal, state and local income tax that System1 may realize as a result of certain tax benefits (if any) related to the transactions contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement and future exchanges of Class B Units in S1 Holdco (together with the corresponding shares of the Company’s shares of Class C common stock) in exchange for shares of the Company’s Class A common stock. As of the Closing Date, the fair value of obligations under the TRA were determined to be zero as any tax savings were uncertain. The TRA is contingent consideration and subsequent changes in fair value of the contingent liability are recognized in earnings. Refer to TRA discussion in Note 10—INCOME TAXES.

The Company adopted ASU No. 2021-08, Business Combinations: Contract Assets & Liabilities on January 1, 2022 and accordingly, has recorded contract assets and contract liabilities acquired as part of the Merger based on what the Company would have recorded under ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, as of the acquisition

date, as if the Company had entered into the original contract at the same date and on the same terms as S1 Holdco and Protected.

The Merger has been accounted for as a business combination using the acquisition method of accounting. The total purchase price was allocated to the tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their respective fair values on the acquisition date.

The purchase consideration was allocated to the following assets and liabilities:


	Amount
Tangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed:
Cash and marketable securities	$	68,748
Accounts receivable	79,086
Prepaid expenses	7,807
Income tax receivable	4,566
Property, plant & equipment, net	1,551
Other assets	6,950
Accounts payable	(9,798)
Deferred revenue	(60,768)
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	(110,004)
Income tax payable	(2,091)
Notes payable	(172,038)
Deferred tax liabilities	(138,613)
Other liabilities	(8,474)
Total tangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed	(333,078)
Intangible assets	562,100
Goodwill	821,277
Net assets acquired	$	1,050,299

Consideration:
Cash	$	440,155
Equity	411,453
Total consideration attributable to System1	851,608
Total consideration attributable to non-controlling interest	198,691
Total consideration	$	1,050,299

The intangible assets as of the closing date of the acquisition included:


	Amount		Weighted Average Useful Life (in Years)
Trademarks	$	246,400	10
Customer relationships	119,700		4
Technology	196,000		4
Total	$	562,100

The fair value of the intangible assets acquired was determined using income-based approach methodologies. Intangible assets are amortized over their estimated economic useful lives using a straight-line method, which approximates the pattern in which the economic benefits are consumed. Customer relationships are amortized on an

accelerated basis. To determine the amortization period for each of the customer relationships assets and to evaluate the pattern of usage of economic benefits, the Company performed a customer attrition analysis of the Company's customer relationships to estimate the attrition rate and consequently the life expectancy for the existing customer relationships.

Key assumptions used in the valuation of intangible assets are below:

Trademarks – The Company valued trademarks using the relief-from-royalty method under the income-based approach. Key assumptions include forecasted revenue, an estimated royalty rate applicable to the trademarks, and a discount rate.

Customer relationships – The Company valued customer relationships using an excess-earnings method utilizing distributor inputs. Key assumptions include customer attrition rate, revenue growth rate, existing customer revenue, deferred revenue, and a discount rate.

Technology – The Company valued technology using the excess-earnings method utilizing company-specific inputs. Key assumptions include forecasted revenue, technology migration rate and a discount rate.

The goodwill arising from the acquisition consists largely of the expected synergies from combining operations as well as the value of the workforce. Goodwill is not deductible for tax purposes.

Unaudited Pro Forma Information

The following unaudited pro forma information reflects adjustments for additional amortization resulting from the fair value adjustments to assets acquired and liabilities assumed, adjustments for alignment of accounting policies, adjustments for transaction expenses, adjustments for certain stock-based compensation and equity related expenses incurred as a result of the transactions and the resulting tax effects, as if the Merger and acquisitions of Answers, CouponFollow and RoadWarrior (each as defined in Note 4—ACQUISITIONS) occurred January 1, 2021. The pro forma results do not include any anticipated cost synergies or other effects of the merged companies. Accordingly, pro forma amounts are not necessarily indicative of the results that actually would have occurred had the acquisitions been completed on the dates indicated, nor is it indicative of the future operating results of the combined company.


	Year ended
	December 31, 2022		December 31, 2021
Pro forma revenue	$	843,872	$	880,789
Pro forma net (loss)	$	(360,022)	$	(211,904)