Amendment: SEC Form SCHEDULE 13D/A filed by Churchill Capital Corp IX
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549 |
SCHEDULE 13D
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. 1)
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Churchill Capital Corp IX (Name of Issuer) |
Class A Ordinary Shares, $0.0001 par value (Title of Class of Securities) |
G21301109 (CUSIP Number) |
Jay Taragin 640 Fifth Avenue, 14th Floor New York, NY, 10019 (212) 380-7500 (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications) |
06/05/2025 (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of This Statement) |

SCHEDULE 13D
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CUSIP No. | G21301109 |
1 |
Name of reporting person
Churchill Sponsor IX LLC | ||||||||
2 | Check the appropriate box if a member of a Group (See Instructions)
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3 | SEC use only | ||||||||
4 |
Source of funds (See Instructions)
WC | ||||||||
5 |
Check if disclosure of legal proceedings is required pursuant to Items 2(d) or 2(e)
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6 | Citizenship or place of organization
DELAWARE
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Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With: |
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11 | Aggregate amount beneficially owned by each reporting person
7,912,500.00 | ||||||||
12 | Check if the aggregate amount in Row (11) excludes certain shares (See Instructions)
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13 | Percent of class represented by amount in Row (11)
21.6 % | ||||||||
14 | Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)
OO |
SCHEDULE 13D
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CUSIP No. | G21301109 |
1 |
Name of reporting person
M. Klein Associates, Inc. | ||||||||
2 | Check the appropriate box if a member of a Group (See Instructions)
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3 | SEC use only | ||||||||
4 |
Source of funds (See Instructions)
OO | ||||||||
5 |
Check if disclosure of legal proceedings is required pursuant to Items 2(d) or 2(e)
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6 | Citizenship or place of organization
NEW YORK
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Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With: |
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11 | Aggregate amount beneficially owned by each reporting person
7,912,500.00 | ||||||||
12 | Check if the aggregate amount in Row (11) excludes certain shares (See Instructions)
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13 | Percent of class represented by amount in Row (11)
21.6 % | ||||||||
14 | Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)
OO |
SCHEDULE 13D
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CUSIP No. | G21301109 |
1 |
Name of reporting person
Michael Klein | ||||||||
2 | Check the appropriate box if a member of a Group (See Instructions)
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3 | SEC use only | ||||||||
4 |
Source of funds (See Instructions)
OO | ||||||||
5 |
Check if disclosure of legal proceedings is required pursuant to Items 2(d) or 2(e)
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6 | Citizenship or place of organization
UNITED STATES
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Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With: |
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11 | Aggregate amount beneficially owned by each reporting person
7,912,500.00 | ||||||||
12 | Check if the aggregate amount in Row (11) excludes certain shares (See Instructions)
![]() | ||||||||
13 | Percent of class represented by amount in Row (11)
21.6 % | ||||||||
14 | Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)
IN |
SCHEDULE 13D
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Item 1. | Security and Issuer | |
(a) | Title of Class of Securities:
Class A Ordinary Shares, $0.0001 par value | |
(b) | Name of Issuer:
Churchill Capital Corp IX | |
(c) | Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
640 Fifth Avenue, 14th Floor, New York,
NEW YORK
, 10019. | |
Item 1 Comment:
The following constitutes Amendment No. 1 ("Amendment No. 1") to the Schedule 13D filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 13, 2024 (as amended, the "Schedule 13D") by Churchill Sponsor IX LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Sponsor"), M. Klein Associates, Inc. ("M. Klein Associates") and Michael Klein (collectively, the "Reporting Persons"). This Amendment No. 1 supplements Item 4, Item 6 and Item 7 and amends and restates Items 5 as set forth below. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined in this Amendment No. 1 have the meanings set forth in the Schedule 13D. | ||
Item 4. | Purpose of Transaction | |
Merger Agreement
As disclosed in the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by Churchill Capital Corp IX (the "Issuer") on June 6, 2025, the Issuer entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization (the "Merger Agreement") by and among the Issuer, AL Merger Sub I, Inc., a Delaware corporation and direct, wholly owned subsidiary of the Issuer ("Merger Sub I"), AL Merger Sub II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of the Issuer ("Merger Sub II") and Plus Automation, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Plus").
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, and on the terms and subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth therein, the parties thereto intend to effect a business combination transaction by which Merger Sub I will merge with and into Plus, with Plus continuing as the surviving corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Issuer ("First Merger"), and immediately following the First Merger, the surviving corporation of the First Merger will merge with and into Merger Sub II, with Merger Sub II continuing as the surviving entity (the "Second Merger" and, together with the First Merger, the "Mergers"). The transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement are referred to as the "Transactions."
The proposed Mergers are expected to be consummated following the receipt of the required approval by the shareholders of the Issuer and Plus and the satisfaction or waiver of certain other closing conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement.
The foregoing description of the Merger Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Merger Agreement filed as Exhibit 2.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Issuer on June 6, 2025, which is incorporated herein by reference. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in such Form 8-K.
In connection with the execution of the Merger Agreement, certain of the Reporting Persons entered into the A&R Registration Rights Agreement and Sponsor Agreement, each as defined and described below.
Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement
Effective upon the closing of the Mergers, that certain Registration Rights Agreement of the Issuer, dated May 1, 2024, will be amended and restated, and the Issuer, Sponsor and certain persons and entities receiving SPAC Common Stock in connection with the Mergers (the "New Holders" and, together with Sponsor, the "Reg Rights Holders") will be parties to an Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement, attached as Exhibit E to the Merger Agreement (the "A&R Registration Rights Agreement"). Pursuant to the A&R Registration Rights Agreement, the Issuer will agree to use commercially reasonable efforts to (i) file with the SEC (at the Issuer's sole cost and expense) a registration statement registering the resale of certain securities held by or issuable to the Reg Rights Holders within 15 business days after the Closing (the "Resale Registration Statement") and (ii) cause the Resale Registration Statement to become effective as soon as reasonably practicable after the filing thereof, but in no event later than the 105th calendar day (or 165th calendar day if the Commission notifies the Issuer that it will "review" the Shelf Registration Statement) after the Closing Date. In certain circumstances, the Reg Rights Holders may demand in the aggregate up to 3 underwritten offerings and will be entitled to customary piggyback registration rights.
Pursuant to the A&R Registration Rights Agreement, the New Holders have agreed not to transfer their respective shares for a period of 180 days following the Closing Date; however, such transfer restrictions terminate as to (a) 50% of such holder's shares upon the earlier of 180 days after the Closing and the date on which the VWAP of the Class A Common Stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share during any 15 trading days within any 180 consecutive trading day period following the Closing, and (b) 50% of such holder's shares upon the earlier of 360 days after the Closing and the date on which the VWAP of the Class A Common Stock equals or exceeds $14.00 per share during any 15 trading days within any 360 consecutive trading day period following the Closing, subject to certain exceptions to the termination of transfer restrictions with respect to shares of SPAC Common Stock issued as Earnout Consideration or held directly or indirectly by certain founder executives of Plus. Similar transfer restrictions will apply to the shares of SPAC Common Stock issued to former securityholders of Plus in connection with the Mergers pursuant to the Bylaws of Domesticated SPAC in effect following the Domestication and the Closing.
The foregoing description of the A&R Registration Rights Agreement is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the A&R Registration Rights Agreement attached as Exhibit 10.5 to this Schedule 13D.
Amended and Restated Sponsor Agreement
In connection with the execution of the Merger Agreement, the Issuer amended and restated that certain letter agreement, dated May 1, 2024, from the Sponsor and each of the persons undersigned thereto, including Michael Klein (the "Insiders") to the Issuer (the "Amended and Restated Sponsor Agreement"), pursuant to which each of the Sponsor and the Insiders agreed to, among other things: (a) to vote any of such Insider's shares of the Issuer capital stock in favor of the adoption and approval of the Merger Agreement and approval of the Transactions and all other SPAC Stockholder Matters), (b) against any action, proposal, transaction or agreement that would reasonably be expected to result in a breach of any representation, warranty, covenant, obligation or agreement of the Issuer contained in the Merger Agreement, (c) in favor of any proposal to adjourn or postpone the applicable stockholder meeting to a later date if (and only if) (1) there are not sufficient votes to approve and adopt any of the matters described in clause (a) above on the dates on which such meetings are held or proposed to be held or (2) the Minimum Cash Condition has not been satisfied, and (d) against the following actions or proposals: (1) any Business Combination Proposal or any proposal in opposition to approval of the Merger Agreement or in competition with or inconsistent with the Merger Agreement and (2) (A) any change in the present capitalization of SPAC or any amendment of the governance documents of the Issuer or the Domesticated SPAC, except (x) as contemplated by clause (a) above or (y) to the extent expressly contemplated by the Merger Agreement, (B) any liquidation, dissolution or other change in the Issuer's corporate structure or business (other than as may be proposed pursuant to an extension proxy), (C) any action, proposal, transaction or agreement that would reasonably be expected to result in a breach in any material respect of any representation, warranty, covenant, obligation or agreement of the Sponsor or any Insider under the Amended and Restated Sponsor Agreement, or (D) any other action or proposal involving the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries that is intended, or would reasonably be expected, to prevent, impede, interfere with, delay, postpone or adversely affect the Transactions (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any action taken in connection with any valid action taken by the Issuer to terminate the Merger Agreement in accordance with the terms thereof) and (ii) not to redeem, elect to redeem or tender or submit any Cayman Class B Shares, Cayman Class A Shares or SPAC Common Stock owned by it, him or her for redemption in connection with any of the stockholder approvals or proposals described in clause (i) above, or in connection with any vote to amend the governance documents of the Issuer or the Domesticated SPAC.
Pursuant to the Amended and Restated Sponsor Agreement, 1,078,125 of Sponsor's shares of SPAC Common Stock (the "Sponsor Shares") will unvest as of the Closing and will revest on the date on which (i) the VWAP of the Class A Common Stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share during any 15 trading days within any 180 consecutive trading day period following the Closing or (ii) the Issuer undergoes a change of control and the price per share received by stockholders of the Issuer in such change of control transaction equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (or if consideration is not received by stockholders of the Issuer, the price per share implied by such transaction is $12.00) (the "Triggering Event"). If the applicable vesting terms as described in the foregoing sentence is not achieved within 5 years of the Closing, such Sponsor Shares will be forfeited in accordance with the terms of the Amended and Restated Sponsor Agreement. In the event of a change of control of the Issuer prior to the fifth anniversary of the Closing, the Sponsor Shares will vest immediately prior to the closing of such change of control if the change of control also constitutes the Triggering Event; otherwise, they will be automatically forfeited immediately prior to the closing for no consideration. In addition, the Issuer has agreed to forfeit up to 718,750 shares of SPAC Common Stock based on the amount of SPAC stockholder redemptions and SPAC transaction expenses in connection with the Transactions, on the terms set forth in the Sponsor Agreement.
Pursuant to the Amended and Restated Sponsor Support Agreement, but subject to the consummation of the Merger, the Sponsor and each Insider agreed to waive all anti-dilution rights with respect to the rate that the Cayman Class B Shares convert into the Cayman Class A Shares in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement.
The foregoing description of the Amended and Restated Sponsor Agreement is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Amended and Restated Sponsor Agreement attached as Exhibit 10.5 to this Schedule 13D. | ||
Item 5. | Interest in Securities of the Issuer | |
(a) | See rows (11) and (13) of the cover page to this Schedule 13D for the aggregate number of Class A Ordinary Shares, $0.0001 par value ("Class A Ordinary Shares") and percentage of Class A Ordinary Shares beneficially owned by each of the Reporting Persons. | |
(b) |
See rows (7) through (10) of the cover page to this Schedule 13D for the Class A Ordinary Shares as to which each of the Reporting Persons has the sole or shared power to vote or direct the vote and sole or shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition.
Mr. Klein is the sole stockholder of M. Klein Associates, which is the managing member of the Sponsor and accordingly, Mr. Klein may be deemed to have beneficial ownership of securities reported herein. Mr. Klein disclaims any ownership of securities reported herein other than to the extent of any pecuniary interest he may have therein, directly or indirectly. | |
(c) | None of the Reporting Persons has effected any transactions of Ordinary Shares during the 60 days preceding the date of this report. | |
(d) | Not applicable. | |
(e) | Not applicable. | |
Item 6. | Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships With Respect to Securities of the Issuer | |
Item 4 of this Amendment No. 1 is incorporated herein by reference. | ||
Item 7. | Material to be Filed as Exhibits. | |
Exhibit 10.5 - Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of June 5, 2025, by and among Churchill Capital Corp IX, Churchill Sponsor IX LLC, Plus Automation, Inc. and certain other Holders identified therein (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit E to the Merger Agreement filed as Exhibit 2.1 to the Issuer's Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Issuer on June 6, 2025 with the Commission).
Exhibit 10.6 - Amended and Restated Sponsor Agreement, dated as of June 5, 2025, by and among Churchill Capital Corp IX, Churchill Sponsor IX LLC, Plus Automation, Inc. and the Insiders (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit E to the Merger Agreement filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Issuer's Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Issuer on June 6, 2025 with the Commission). |
SIGNATURE | |
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.
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