UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-Q
| QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 | |||||
For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2025
OR
| TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 | |||||
For the transition period from to
Commission File No. 001-41691
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (Commission File Number) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) | ||||||
(Address of principal executive office) (Zip Code)
(310 ) 201-4100
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
N/A
(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||||||||
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days: Yes x No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes x No ☐
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 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 | ☐ | ☒ | 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 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☒ No ☐
As of May 12, 2025, 61,859,712 Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001, and 0 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001, were issued and outstanding.
ARES ACQUISITION CORPORATION II
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q
Table of Contents
| Page | ||||||||
2
PART I—FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. Unaudited Condensed Financial Statements
ARES ACQUISITION CORPORATION II
CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS
| As of March 31, | As of December 31, | ||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||
| (Unaudited) | |||||||||||
| Assets | |||||||||||
| Current assets: | |||||||||||
| Cash | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Prepaid expenses | |||||||||||
| Total current assets | |||||||||||
| Investments held in Trust Account | |||||||||||
| Total assets | $ | $ | |||||||||
Liabilities and shareholders’ deficit | |||||||||||
| Current liabilities: | |||||||||||
| Accrued expenses | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Total current liabilities | |||||||||||
| Overfunding loans | |||||||||||
| Deferred underwriting and advisory fees | |||||||||||
| Total liabilities | |||||||||||
| Commitments and contingencies | |||||||||||
Class A ordinary shares, $ | |||||||||||
| Shareholders’ deficit | |||||||||||
Preference shares, $ | |||||||||||
Class A ordinary shares, $ | |||||||||||
Class B ordinary shares, $ | |||||||||||
| Accumulated deficit | ( | ( | |||||||||
| Total shareholders’ deficit | ( | ( | |||||||||
Total liabilities and shareholders’ deficit | $ | $ | |||||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.
3
ARES ACQUISITION CORPORATION II
CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(UNAUDITED)
For the three months ended March 31, | |||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||
| General and administrative expenses | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Loss from operations | ( | ( | |||||||||
| Other income: | |||||||||||
| Investment income on investments held in Trust Account | |||||||||||
| Total other income | |||||||||||
| Net income | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Basic and diluted weighted average shares outstanding of Class A ordinary shares | |||||||||||
Basic and diluted net income per share, Class A ordinary shares | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Basic and diluted weighted average shares outstanding of Class B ordinary shares | |||||||||||
Basic and diluted net income per share, Class B ordinary shares | $ | $ | |||||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.
4
ARES ACQUISITION CORPORATION II
CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
(UNAUDITED)
For the three months ended March 31, 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Class B Ordinary Shares | Additional Paid-in Capital | Accumulated Deficit | Total Shareholders’ Deficit | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shares | Amount | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Balance as of December 31, 2024 | $ | $ | $ | ( | $ | ( | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accretion of Class A ordinary shares to redemption amount | — | — | — | ( | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net income | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Balance as of March 31, 2025 | $ | $ | $ | ( | $ | ( | |||||||||||||||||||||||
For the three months ended March 31, 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Class B Ordinary Shares | Additional Paid-in Capital | Accumulated Deficit | Total Shareholders’ Deficit | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shares | Amount | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Balance as of December 31, 2023 | $ | $ | $ | ( | $ | ( | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accretion of Class A ordinary shares to redemption amount | — | — | — | ( | ( | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Balance as of March 31, 2024 | $ | $ | $ | ( | $ | ( | |||||||||||||||||||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.
5
ARES ACQUISITION CORPORATION II
CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(UNAUDITED)
For the three months ended March 31, | |||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||
| Cash flows from operating activities: | |||||||||||
| Net income | $ | $ | |||||||||
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities: | |||||||||||
| Investment income earned on investments held in Trust Account | ( | ( | |||||||||
| Changes in operating assets and liabilities: | |||||||||||
| Prepaid expenses | |||||||||||
| Accrued expenses | |||||||||||
| Due to related party | |||||||||||
| Net cash used in operating activities | ( | ( | |||||||||
| Net change in cash | ( | ( | |||||||||
| Cash – beginning of period | |||||||||||
| Cash – end of period | $ | $ | |||||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.
6
1. ORGANIZATION
Ares Acquisition Corporation II (“AACT” or the “Company”) was incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company on March 15, 2021. The Company was formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses (the “Business Combination”).
The Company is not limited to a particular industry or geographic region for purposes of consummating a Business Combination. The Company is an emerging growth company and, as such, the Company is subject to all of the risks associated with emerging growth companies.
As of March 31, 2025, the Company had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from March 15, 2021 (inception) through March 31, 2025 relates to the Company’s formation and the initial public offering (the “Initial Public Offering”) described below, and since the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the search for a prospective initial business combination. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of its initial Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company generates non-operating income in the form of interest income from the proceeds derived from the Initial Public Offering. The Company has selected December 31 as its fiscal year end.
The registration statement for the Company’s Initial Public Offering was declared effective on April 20, 2023. On April 25, 2023, the Company consummated its Initial Public Offering of 50,000,000 units (the “Units” and, with respect to the Class A ordinary shares included in the Units being offered, the “public shares”) at $10.00 per Unit, including 5,000,000 Units to cover over-allotments (the “Over-Allotment Units”), at $10.00 per Unit, which is discussed in Note 3, generating gross proceeds of $500,000,000 , and incurring offering costs of $28,550,129 , of which $17,500,000 was for deferred underwriting commissions (see Note 5). Each Unit consists of one Class A ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant (“Public Warrant”).
Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering: (i) the Company consummated the sale of 14,300,000 warrants (the “Private Placement Warrants”), including 1,000,000 Private Placement Warrants to cover over-allotments, for an aggregate purchase price of $14,300,000 , in a private placement to Ares Acquisition Holdings II LP, a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership (the “Sponsor”) and (ii) the Sponsor extended to the Company a non-interest bearing promissory note of $4,500,000 (the “Base Overfunding Loan”) and an additional non-interest bearing promissory note of $500,000 (the “Over-allotment Overfunding Loan”) in connection with the sale of the Over-Allotment Units, for which both loans are collectively referred to as the “Overfunding Loans,” for a total outstanding balance of $5,000,000 (see Note 4).
Upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering and the private placement, $505,000,000 ($10.10 per Unit) of the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and certain of the proceeds of the private placement and the Overfunding Loans were placed in a trust account (“Trust Account”) located in the United States and invested solely in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), with a maturity of 185 days or less or in any open-ended investment company that holds itself out as a money market fund selected by the Company meeting the conditions of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, as determined by the Company, until the earlier of: (i) the consummation of a Business Combination; and (ii) the distribution of the Trust Account, as described below.
The Company’s management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, although substantially all of the net proceeds are intended to be applied generally toward consummating a Business Combination. The Company’s initial Business Combination must be with one or more target businesses that together have a fair market value of at least 80 % of the assets held in the Trust Account (excluding the deferred underwriting fees and taxes payable on the income earned on the Trust Account) at the time of the agreement to enter into a Business Combination. The Company will only complete a Business Combination if the post-business combination company owns or acquires 50 % or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. There is no assurance that the Company will be able to complete a Business Combination successfully.
The Company will provide its holders of the outstanding public shares (the “public shareholders”) with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Class A ordinary shares upon the consummation of a Business Combination either (i) in connection with a shareholder meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The
7
decision as to whether the Company will seek shareholder approval of a Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company, solely in its discretion. The public shareholders will be entitled to convert their public shares for a pro rata portion of the amount then in the Trust Account (initially $10.10 per public share, plus any pro rata interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and net of taxes paid or payable, if any). There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of a Business Combination with respect to the Company’s warrants. The public shares subject to redemption will be recorded at a redemption value and classified as temporary equity upon the completion of the Initial Public Offering in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480, “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.”
The Company will proceed with a Business Combination only if it obtains the approval of an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, which requires the affirmative vote of shareholders holding a majority of ordinary shares who attend and vote at a shareholder meeting. If a shareholder vote is not required by law and the Company does not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other legal reasons, the Company will, pursuant to its Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing a Business Combination. If, however, shareholder approval of the transactions is required by law, or the Company decides to obtain shareholder approval for business or legal reasons, the Company will offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. If the Company seeks shareholder approval in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor has agreed to vote its Class B ordinary shares, and the Sponsor and the Company’s officers and directors have agreed to vote any public shares acquired in or after the Initial Public Offering in favor of a Business Combination. Additionally, each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction or abstain from voting on the proposed transaction. See “Subsequent Events” for information about the Sponsor’s conversion of its Class B ordinary shares to Class A ordinary shares.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company seeks shareholder approval of a Business Combination and it does not conduct conversion pursuant to the tender offer rules, the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association provides that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), will be restricted from converting its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15 % or more of the public shares sold in the Initial Public Offering, without the prior consent of the Company.
The Sponsor and the Company’s officers and directors have agreed (i) to waive their redemption rights with respect to their Class B ordinary shares and any public shares held by them in connection with the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) not to propose an amendment to (a) modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to provide for the redemption of its public shares in connection with a Business Combination or to redeem 100 % of the Company’s public shares if the Company does not complete a Business Combination by the Combination Period (as defined below) or (b) with respect to any other material provisions relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity, unless the Company provides the public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares in conjunction with any such amendment.
The Company originally had until April 25, 2025 to complete a Business Combination (the “Combination Period”). See “Subsequent Events” for details on an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders at which the Company extended the Combination Period until January 26, 2026, or such earlier date as the Company’s board of directors may approve, or such later date that the shareholders may approve, in accordance with the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association. If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the Company will as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account (less taxes payable and up to $100,000 of interest income to pay liquidation expenses) divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to the Company’s obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and to the other requirements of applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to the Company’s warrants, which may expire worthless if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period.
The Sponsor has agreed to waive its liquidation rights with respect to its Class B ordinary shares if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. However, if the Sponsor or the Company’s officers or directors acquire public shares in or after the Initial Public Offering, such public shares will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period.
8
The underwriters have agreed to waive their rights to their deferred underwriting commissions (see Note 5) held in the Trust Account in the event the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and, in such event, such amounts will be included with the funds held in the Trust Account that will be available to fund the redemption of the public shares. In the event of such distribution, it is possible that the per share value of the assets remaining available for distribution will be less than the Initial Public Offering price per Unit ($10.00 ).
In order to protect the amounts held in the Trust Account, the Sponsor has agreed to be liable to the Company if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to the Company, or a prospective target business with which the Company has discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amounts in the Trust Account to below (i) $10.10 per public share or (ii) such lesser amount per public share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes. This liability will not apply with respect to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the Trust Account and except as to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriters of the Initial Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, the Sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third party claims. The Company will seek to reduce the possibility that the Sponsor will have to indemnify the Trust Account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all material vendors, service providers (except the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses or other entities with which the Company does business, execute agreements with the Company waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the Trust Account.
Risks and Uncertainties
Management has evaluated the impact of persistent inflation and rising interest rates, financial market instability and certain geopolitical events. Management has concluded that while it is reasonably possible that the risks and uncertainties related to or resulting from these events could have a negative effect on the Company’s financial position, results of its operations and/or search for a target company, the specific impact is not readily determinable as of the date of these unaudited condensed financial statements. The unaudited condensed financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of these risks and uncertainties.
Going Concern Considerations, Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of March 31, 2025, the Company had $657,314 in cash held outside of the Trust Account and a working capital deficit of $2,345,233.
As of March 31, 2025, the Company had investments held in the Trust Account of $556,498,479 , consisting of cash and investments in a money market fund that invests solely in U.S. government securities. Interest income on the balance in the Trust Account may be used by the Company to pay taxes, and to pay up to $100,000 of any dissolution expenses.
The Company’s liquidity needs to date have been satisfied through a contribution of $25,000 from the Sponsor to cover certain expenses in exchange for the issuance of the Class B ordinary shares, a loan of $366,781 from the Sponsor pursuant to the Promissory Note (see Note 4), and the proceeds from the consummation of the private placement not held in the Trust Account. The Company repaid the Promissory Note in full on April 25, 2023. In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor may provide the Company with Working Capital Loans (see Note 4). As of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, there were no amounts outstanding under any Working Capital Loan.
Management has determined that the extended mandatory liquidation of the Trust Account, as approved on April 22, 2025, should a business combination not occur by January 26, 2026, raises substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of time within one year after the date that the unaudited condensed financial statements are issued. Management plans to complete the initial Business Combination prior to the extended mandatory liquidation date of the Trust Account and expects to receive financing from the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor to meet its obligations through the time of liquidation of the Trust Account or the completion of the initial Business Combination. There is no financing that is currently committed and no assurance that the plans to consummate the initial Business Combination will be successful or successful within the Combination Period. The unaudited condensed financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the Company’s inability to continue as a going concern.
9
2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of Presentation
Segment Reporting
The Company complies with ASU 2023-07, which improves reportable segment disclosure requirements, primarily through enhanced disclosures about significant segment expenses among other disclosure requirements.
Emerging Growth Company
The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), and it may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.
Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period, which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of the Company’s unaudited condensed financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of these unaudited condensed financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the Company’s management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the unaudited condensed financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods.
Making estimates requires management to exercise significant judgment. It is at least reasonably possible that the estimate of the effect of a condition, situation or set of circumstances that existed at the date of the unaudited condensed financial statements, which management considered in formulating its estimate, could change in the near term due to one or more future confirming events. Accordingly, the actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
10
respectively. The Company did not have cash equivalents held outside the Trust Account as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024.
Investments Held in Trust Account
The Company’s portfolio of investments is comprised solely of U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act, with a maturity of 185 days or less, or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act that invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. The Company’s investments held in the Trust Account are classified as trading securities. Trading securities are presented on the condensed balance sheets at fair value at the end of each reporting period. Gains and losses resulting from the change in fair value of these securities are included in investment income on investments held in Trust Account in the accompanying unaudited condensed statements of operations. The estimated fair values of investments held in the Trust Account are determined using quoted market prices in active markets.
Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of a cash account in a financial institution, which, at times, may exceed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation limit of $250,000. Any loss incurred or a lack of access to such funds could have a significant adverse impact on the Company’s financial condition.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
Fair value is defined as the price that would be received for sale of an asset or paid for transfer of a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. GAAP establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value.
The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). These tiers include:
•Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices for identical instruments in active markets;
•Level 2, defined as inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable such as quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets or quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and
•Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions, such as valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable.
In some circumstances, the inputs used to measure fair value might be categorized within different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In those instances, the fair value measurement is categorized in its entirety in the fair value hierarchy based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement.
As of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the carrying values of cash, accrued expenses, due to related party and advances from related party approximate their fair values due to the short-term nature of the instruments. The Company’s portfolio of investments held in the Trust Account is comprised of investments in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act, with a maturity of 185 days or less, or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act that invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. The fair value for trading securities is determined using quoted market prices in active markets.
Derivative Financial Instruments
The Company evaluates its equity-linked financial instruments to determine if such instruments are derivatives or contain features that qualify as embedded derivatives in accordance with ASC 815, “Derivatives and Hedging.” For derivative financial instruments that are classified as liabilities, the derivative instrument is initially recognized at fair value with subsequent changes in fair value recognized in the unaudited condensed statements of operations each reporting period. The
11
classification of derivative instruments, including whether such instruments should be classified as liabilities or as equity, is evaluated at the end of each reporting period.
The Company accounts for the Public Warrants and the Private Placement Warrants in accordance with the guidance contained in ASC 815. Such guidance provides that the warrants are not precluded from equity classification. Equity-classified contracts are initially measured at fair value (or allocated value). Subsequent changes in fair value are not recognized as long as the contracts continue to be classified in equity.
Class A Ordinary Shares Subject to Possible Redemption
The Company accounts for its Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in ASC Topic 480, “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Class A ordinary shares subject to mandatory redemption (if any) are classified as liability instruments and are measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable Class A ordinary shares (including Class A ordinary shares that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) are classified as temporary equity. At all other times, Class A ordinary shares are classified as shareholders’ equity. The Company’s Class A ordinary shares feature certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of the Company’s control and subject to the occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, 50,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, subject to possible redemption are presented as temporary equity, outside of the shareholders’ deficit section of the Company’s condensed balance sheets.
The Company recognizes changes in redemption value immediately as they occur and adjusts the carrying value of redeemable ordinary shares to equal the redemption value at the end of each reporting period. This method would view the end of the reporting period as if it were also the redemption date for the security. Immediately upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Company recognized the accretion from initial book value to redemption amount value. The change in the carrying value of redeemable Class A ordinary shares resulted in charges against additional paid-in capital and accumulated deficit.
As of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the Class A ordinary shares reflected in the accompanying condensed balance sheets are reconciled in the following table:
Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption as of December 31, 2023 | $ | |||||||
| Plus: | ||||||||
| Accretion of carrying value to redemption value | ||||||||
Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption as of December 31, 2024 | ||||||||
| Plus: | ||||||||
| Accretion of carrying value to redemption value | ||||||||
Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption as of March 31, 2025 | $ | |||||||
Income Taxes
ASC 740 prescribes a recognition threshold and a measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. The Company has determined that the Cayman Islands is the Company’s only major tax jurisdiction. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. There were no no
12
Net Income per Ordinary Share
The Company complies with accounting and disclosure requirements of FASB ASC Topic 260, “Earnings Per Share”. The Company has two classes of shares, which are referred to as Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Income and losses are shared pro rata between the two classes of shares. Net income per ordinary share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period. Accretion associated with the redeemable shares of Class A ordinary shares is excluded from earnings per share as the redemption value approximates fair value.
The calculation of diluted net income per share does not consider the effect of the Public Warrants issued in connection with the Initial Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants because the exercise of the warrants is contingent upon the occurrence of future events.
The following table reflects the calculation of basic and diluted net income per ordinary share:
For the three months ended March 31, | |||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||
| Class A ordinary shares | |||||||||||
| Numerator: | |||||||||||
Net income attributable to Class A ordinary shares | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Denominator: | |||||||||||
| Basic and diluted weighted average shares outstanding, Class A ordinary shares | |||||||||||
Basic and diluted net income per share, Class A ordinary shares | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Class B ordinary shares | |||||||||||
| Numerator: | |||||||||||
Net income attributable to Class B ordinary shares | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Denominator: | |||||||||||
| Basic and diluted weighted average shares outstanding, Class B ordinary shares | |||||||||||
Basic and diluted net income per share, Class B ordinary shares | $ | $ | |||||||||
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncements, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s unaudited condensed financial statements.
3. INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING
On April 25, 2023, the Company consummated its Initial Public Offering of 50,000,000 Units, including 5,000,000 Units to cover Over-Allotment Units, at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $500,000,000 , and incurring offering costs of $28,550,129 , of which $17,500,000 was for deferred underwriting commissions (see Note 5). Each Unit consists of one Class A ordinary share and one-half of one Public Warrant.
4. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Class B Ordinary Shares
On March 19, 2021, the Sponsor paid $25,000 to cover certain offering and formation costs of the Company in consideration of the Company’s Class B ordinary shares. Through April 25, 2023, the Company effectuated a share surrender and share recapitalizations resulting in the Sponsor holding an aggregate of 12,937,500 20 % of the outstanding shares upon completion of the offering. The Sponsor agreed to forfeit up to 1,687,500 20 % of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares after the Initial Public Offering. On April 25, 2023, the underwriters partially exercised the over-allotment option to purchase 5,000,000 Units; thus, 1,250,000 Class B ordinary shares were no longer subject to forfeiture. On June 5, 2023, following the expiration of the remaining over-allotment option, the Sponsor forfeited 437,500 Class B ordinary shares. The Class B ordinary shares will
13
automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares upon consummation of a Business Combination, or earlier at the option of the holders of the Class B ordinary shares, on a one-for-one basis, subject to certain adjustments, as described in Note 6.
The Sponsor has agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of the Class B ordinary shares (except to certain permitted transferees) until the earlier of (i) one year after the date of the consummation of a Business Combination, or (ii) subsequent to the consummation of a Business Combination, (a) if the last reported sale price of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share subdivisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30 -trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the Business Combination, or (b) subsequent to a Business Combination, the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of the Company’s shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property.
See “Subsequent Events” for information about the Sponsor’s conversion of its Class B ordinary shares into Class A ordinary shares.
Promissory Notes
On March 19, 2021, the Company issued a promissory note to the Sponsor, pursuant to which the Sponsor agreed to loan the Company up to an aggregate of $300,000 to be used for the payment of costs related to the Initial Public Offering (the “Promissory Note”). On February 8, 2023, the Company amended the Promissory Note with an effective date as of December 31, 2021 to increase the principal up to $400,000 . The Promissory Note was non-interest bearing, unsecured and payable upon the completion of the Initial Public Offering. The Company borrowed $366,781 under the Promissory Note and fully repaid the Promissory Note on April 25, 2023. Borrowings under the Promissory Note were no longer available after consummation of the Initial Public Offering.
See “Subsequent Events” for details about additional related party transactions.
Private Placement Warrants
Concurrently with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Company consummated the private placement of 14,300,000 Private Placement Warrants, including 1,000,000 Private Placement Warrants to cover over-allotments, for an aggregate purchase price of $14,300,000 in a private placement to the Sponsor. Each Private Placement Warrant is exercisable to purchase one share of Class A ordinary shares at a price of $11.50 per share. A portion of the proceeds from the Private Placement Warrants was added to the proceeds from the Initial Public Offering to be held in the Trust Account. If the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the proceeds of the sale of the Private Placement Warrants will be used to fund the redemption of the public shares, and the Private Placement Warrants may expire worthless.
Overfunding Loans
Concurrently with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Sponsor extended the Base Overfunding Loan in the amount of $4,500,000 to the Company. On April 25, 2023, simultaneously with the sale of the Over-Allotment Units, the Sponsor further extended the Over-allotment Overfunding Loan in the amount of $500,000 to the Company, for an aggregate outstanding principal amount of $5,000,000 . The Overfunding Loans will be repaid upon the closing of the initial Business Combination or converted into warrants of the post-business combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant (or any combination of repayment or conversion), at the Sponsor’s discretion, which warrants will be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. The Overfunding Loans are being extended in order to ensure that the amount in the Trust Account is $10.10 per public share. If the Company does not complete an initial Business Combination, the Company will not repay the Overfunding Loans from amounts held in the Trust Account, however, the Company may repay the Overfunding Loans if there are funds available outside the Trust Account. As of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the Company had $5,000,000
Working Capital Loans
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor may loan the Company funds as may be required (“Working Capital Loans”). If the Company completes a Business Combination, the Company would repay the Working Capital Loans out of the proceeds of the Trust Account released to the Company. Otherwise, the Working Capital Loans would be repaid only out of funds held outside the Trust Account. In
14
the event that a Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of proceeds held outside the Trust Account to repay the Working Capital Loans, but no proceeds held in the Trust Account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. Except for the foregoing, the terms of such Working Capital Loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. The Working Capital Loans would either be repaid upon consummation of a Business Combination, without interest, or, at the lender’s discretion, up to $2,000,000 of such Working Capital Loans may be convertible into warrants of the post-Business Combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. As of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the Company had no
Administrative Service Fee
On April 20, 2023, the Company has agreed to pay the Sponsor, or an affiliate of the Sponsor, a monthly fee of $16,667 for office space, utilities, secretarial support and administrative services. This arrangement will terminate upon completion of a Business Combination or the distribution of the Trust Account to the public shareholders. The Company incurred $50,001 during the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively, in expenses in connection with such services. These expenses were presented within general and administrative expenses in the accompanying unaudited condensed statements of operations. As of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the Company had no
Advances from Related Parties
The Sponsor, or an affiliate of the Sponsor, paid certain operating costs on behalf of the Company. These advances are due on demand and are non-interest bearing. As of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the Company had $58,590 and $50,221 , respectively, outstanding in due to related party as reflected in the accompanying condensed balance sheets.
Advisory Agreement
On April 20, 2023, the Company engaged Ares Management Capital Markets LLC (“AMCM”), an affiliate of the Company’s Sponsor, to provide consulting and advisory services to the Company in connection with the Initial Public Offering and the initial Business Combination. Ares Management Capital Markets LLC received an advisory fee of $2,000,000 , paid upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering, and will receive a deferred advisory fee of $3,500,000 , payable solely in the event that the Company completes the initial Business Combination. The fees are reimbursed from a portion of the fees paid to the underwriters. See “Subsequent Events” for details about additional agreements with respect to AMCM’s advisory fee.
5. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Registration Rights
The holders of the Class B ordinary shares, Private Placement Warrants and Private Placement Warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans and Overfunding Loans (and the Class A ordinary shares underlying such warrants) will have registration rights to require the Company to register a sale of any of its securities held by them pursuant to a registration rights agreement signed upon consummation of the Initial Public Offering. The holders of these securities will be entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form registration demands, that the Company register such securities for sale under the Securities Act. In addition, these holders will be entitled to “piggy-back” registration rights to include their securities in other registration statements filed by the Company, subject to certain limitations. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Underwriting Agreement
The Company granted the underwriters a 45 -day option from the final prospectus relating to the Initial Public Offering to purchase up to 6,750,000 additional Units to cover over-allotments, if any, at the Initial Public Offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions. On April 25, 2023, the underwriters partially exercised their over-allotment option for an additional 5,000,000 Units.
The underwriters were entitled to a cash underwriting discount of $0.20 per Unit, or $10,000,000 in the aggregate, paid upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering. In addition, the underwriters will be entitled to deferred underwriting commissions of $0.35 per Unit, or $17,500,000 in the aggregate. The deferred underwriting commissions will become payable
15
to the underwriters from the amounts held in the Trust Account solely in the event that the Company completes a Business Combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement. See “Subsequent Events” for details about additional agreements with respect to the deferred underwriting commissions.
Contingent Fees
The Company has entered into fee arrangement with a service provider pursuant to which certain transaction fees and service fees will become payable only if the Company consummates a Business Combination. If the Business Combination does not occur, the Company will not be required to pay these contingent fees. As of March 31, 2025, the amount of these contingent fees with the service provider was $732,045 .
See “Subsequent Events” for details about additional agreements with respect to certain contingent fees payable upon consummation of an initial business combination.
6. SHAREHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
Preference Shares — The Company is authorized to issue 99,990,000 preference shares with a par value of $0.0001 per share with such designation, rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by the Company’s Board of Directors. As of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, there were no
Class A Ordinary Shares — The Company is authorized to issue 9,000,000,000 Class A ordinary shares with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders of Class A ordinary shares are entitled to one vote for each share. As of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, there were no 50,000,000 shares as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024 that are subject to possible redemption and are presented as temporary equity, outside of the shareholders’ deficit section of the condensed balance sheets.
Class B Ordinary Shares — The Company is authorized to issue 900,000,000 Class B ordinary shares with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders of the Company’s Class B ordinary shares are entitled to one vote for each ordinary share. As of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, there were 12,500,000
Holders of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares will vote together as a single class on all other matters submitted to a vote of shareholders except as required by law.
The Class B ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of a Business Combination, or earlier at the option of the holders of the Class B ordinary shares, on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment. In the case that additional Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts offered in the Initial Public Offering and related to the closing of a Business Combination, the ratio at which Class B ordinary shares shall convert into Class A ordinary shares will be adjusted (unless the holders of a majority of the outstanding Class B ordinary shares agree to waive such adjustment with respect to any such issuance or deemed issuance) so that the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all Class B ordinary shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20 % of the sum of the total number of all ordinary shares outstanding upon completion of the Initial Public Offering plus all Class A ordinary shares and equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued in connection with a Business Combination (excluding any shares or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in a Business Combination and any private placement-equivalent warrants issued to the Sponsor or its affiliates upon conversion of loans made to the Company).
7. WARRANTS
As of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, there were 39,300,000 warrants outstanding (14,300,000 Private Placement Warrants and 25,000,000 Public Warrants). The Public Warrants may only be exercised for a whole number of shares. No fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of the Public Warrants. The Public Warrants will become exercisable 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination. The Public Warrants will expire five years after the completion of a Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.
The Company will not be obligated to deliver any Class A ordinary shares pursuant to the exercise of a warrant and will have no obligation to settle such warrant exercise unless a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to the Class A ordinary shares underlying the warrants is then effective and a prospectus relating thereto is current, subject to the Company satisfying its obligations with respect to registration. No warrant will be exercisable and the Company will not be
16
obligated to issue Class A ordinary shares upon exercise of a warrant unless the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon such warrant exercise has been registered, qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the registered holder of the warrants.
The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the registration statement to become effective within 60 business days after the closing of its initial business combination, and to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement and a current prospectus relating to those Class A ordinary shares until the warrants expire or are redeemed, as specified in the warrant agreement provided that if its Class A ordinary shares are at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of a “covered security” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, the Company may, at its option, require holders of the Public Warrants who exercise their warrants to do so on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act and, in the event the Company so elects, it will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement. If a registration statement covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the 60 th day after the closing of the initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when the Company will have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption, but the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available.
Once the warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the Public Warrants:
• in whole and not in part;
• at a price of $0.01 per warrant;
• upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption given after the warrants become exercisable to
each warrant holder; and
• if, and only if, the closing price of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for adjustments to the number of shares issuable upon exercise or the exercise price of a warrant) for any 20 trading days within a 30 -trading day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the Company sends the notice of redemption to the warrant holders.
In addition, if (i) the Company issues additional Class A ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of a Business Combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per Class A ordinary share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by the Company’s board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to the Sponsor or its affiliates, without taking into account any Class B ordinary shares held by the Sponsor or its affiliates, prior to such issuance) (the “Newly Issued Price”), (ii) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60 % of the total equity proceeds, and interest on such issuances, available for the funding of a Business Combination on the date of the consummation of a Business Combination (net of redemptions), and (iii) the volume weighted average trading price of the Company’s ordinary shares during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which the Company consummates a Business Combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115 % of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described above will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180 % of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price.
The Private Placement Warrants (Note 4) are identical to the Public Warrants underlying the Units sold in the Initial Public Offering, except that the Private Placement Warrants and the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of the Private Placement Warrants will not be transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination, subject to certain limited exceptions. Additionally, the Private Placement Warrants will be exercisable on a cashless basis, be non-redeemable and be entitled to registration rights.
If the Company calls the Public Warrants for redemption, management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise the Public Warrants to do so on a “cashless basis,” as described in the warrant agreement. The exercise price and number of ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a share dividend, or recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. However, the warrants will not be adjusted for issuance of ordinary shares at a price below its exercise price. Additionally, in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the warrants. If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination
17
Period and the Company liquidates the funds held in the Trust Account, holders of warrants will not receive any of such funds with respect to their warrants, nor will they receive any distribution from the Company’s assets held outside of the Trust Account with respect to such warrants. Accordingly, the warrants may expire worthless.
8. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
As of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, assets held in the Trust Account are comprised of cash and investments in a money market fund that invests solely in U.S. government securities. During the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company did not withdraw any interest income from the Trust Account.
The following table presents information about the Company’s financial assets that are measured at fair value as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, and indicates the fair value hierarchy of the valuation techniques that the Company utilized to determine such fair value:
| As of March 31, | As of December 31, | |||||||||||||||||||
| Description | Level | 2025 | 2024 | |||||||||||||||||
| Assets, at fair value | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Investments held in Trust Account | 1 | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||||
9. SEGMENT INFORMATION
ASC Topic 280, “Segment Reporting,” establishes standards for companies to report in their financial statements information about operating segments, products, services, geographic areas, and major customers. Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise for which separate financial information is available that is regularly evaluated by the Company’s chief operating decision maker (“CODM”), or group, in deciding how to allocate resources and assess performance.
The Company’s CODM has been identified as a group that includes the chief executive officer, chief financial officer and chief operating officer, that collectively reviews the consolidated operating results for the Company as a whole to make decisions about allocating resources and assessing financial performance. Accordingly, the CODM has determined that the Company only has one reporting segment.
The CODM assesses performance for the single segment and decides how to allocate resources based on net income or loss that also is reported on the unaudited condensed statements of operations. The measure of segment assets is reported on the condensed balance sheets as total assets. The CODM reviews several key metrics, including general and administrative expenses, which represent the significant segment expenses, and investment income on investments held in the Trust Account, both of which are included in the accompanying unaudited condensed statements of operations.
The CODM reviews investment income on investments held in the Trust Account to measure and monitor stockholder value and determine the most effective strategy of investment with the Trust Account funds while maintaining compliance with the trust agreement. General and administrative expenses are reviewed and monitored by the CODM to manage and forecast cash to ensure enough capital is available to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. The CODM also reviews general and administrative expenses to manage, maintain and enforce all contractual agreements to ensure costs are aligned with all agreements and budget.
18
10. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
Management has evaluated subsequent events to determine if events or transactions occurring through the date the unaudited condensed financial statements were issued required potential adjustment to or disclosure in the unaudited condensed financial statements. Other than as described below, the Company concluded that there have been no events that have occurred that would require adjustments to the unaudited condensed financial statements.
On April 14, 2025, the Company entered into a business combination agreement (as it may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with its terms, the “Business Combination Agreement”), by and among the Company, Kodiak Robotics Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Kodiak”), and AAC II Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Merger Sub”). The transactions contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement are referred to as the “Proposed Business Combination.” Concurrently with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, the Company entered into a sponsor support agreement with Kodiak and the Sponsor (the “Sponsor Support Agreement”), and certain stockholders of Kodiak entered into certain company support agreements with Kodiak and the Company. The Business Combination Agreement and the Proposed Business Combination were unanimously approved by the board of directors of each of the Company (including, in the case of the Company, the special committee of the board of directors, which consists of its independent directors), Merger Sub and Kodiak.
Concurrently with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, in connection with a financing effort related to the Business Combination, AACT entered into subscription agreements with certain institutional and accredited investors (the “PIPE Investors” and the subscription agreements, the “Subscription Agreements”). Under the terms of the Subscription Agreements, the PIPE Investors agreed, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Subscription Agreements, and following the domestication, to subscribe for and purchase an aggregate of $60 million worth of shares of the post-closing company (the “PIPE Stock”). The base purchase price per share for the PIPE Stock will equal the redemption price of the Class A ordinary shares in connection with the closing of the Proposed Business Combination (the “Redemption Price”), subject to adjustment such that the purchase price per share will be 90 % of the Redemption Price for any PIPE Investor that subscribes for $50 million or more of PIPE Stock. We refer to such transactions as the “PIPE Investments.” The closing of the PIPE Investments is conditioned upon, among other things, the completion or concurrent consummation of the Proposed Business Combination.
In connection with the potential PIPE Investments, the Company entered into arrangements with certain placement agents pursuant to which such placement agents and certain other parties will receive up to 4.0 % of funds raised in connection with the PIPE Investment upon the successful consummation of a PIPE Investment subject to the payment of minimum amounts to certain placement agents. If the PIPE Investment does not occur, the Company will only be required to pay the minimum amount and will not be required to pay these contingent fees. The actual amount of fees payable will be based upon the final amounts in the PIPE Investment. No fees will be payable to the placement agents in connection with their role as placement agents in the event that the Company does not consummate the Proposed Business Combination.
In addition, prior to the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, the Company, AMCM, and the representatives of the several underwriters in connection with the Company’s Initial Public Offering agreed to adjust the aggregate amount payable to the underwriters as a deferred underwriting fee and to AMCM as a deferred Initial Public Offering advisory fee to an aggregate amount of $8,359,410 .
For further details on the Proposed Business Combination, refer to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Company with the SEC on April 14, 2025.
On April 22, 2025, the Company held an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders (the “Shareholder Meeting”) and approved a proposal to amend the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association to extend the date by which the Company has to consummate an initial business combination from April 25, 2025 to January 26, 2026, or such earlier date as the Company’s board of directors may approve, or such later date that the shareholders may approve, in accordance with the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association (the “Extension”). In connection with the approval of the Extension, shareholders elected to redeem an aggregate of 640,288 Class A ordinary shares, for which the Company paid cash from the Trust Account in the aggregate amount of approximately $7.1 million (approximately $11.16 per share) to redeeming shareholders.
In connection with the Extension, the Company issued an aggregate of 12,500,000 Class A ordinary shares to the Sponsor upon the conversion (the “Conversion”) by the Sponsor of an equal number of Class B ordinary shares. The
19
In connection with the approval of the Extension, the Sponsor agreed to make monthly deposits directly to the Trust Account of $0.02 for each outstanding Class A ordinary share, other than Class A ordinary shares held by the Sponsor upon any conversion of Class B ordinary shares (each deposit, a “Contribution”), beginning on April 25, 2025. All Contributions will be repaid in full by the post-closing company at the time of the closing of the Proposed Business Combination. If the Proposed Business Combination does not close, 50% of the Contributions will be an obligation of Kodiak and 50% will be an obligation of the Company pursuant to a non-interest bearing, unsecured promissory note (the “Extension Promissory Note”) issued by the Company to the Sponsor. The Extension Promissory Note will be repaid to the Sponsor on the earlier of (i) the consummation of a business combination, or (ii) January 26, 2026. In April 2025, the Sponsor deposited approximately $1.0 million into the Trust Account.
20
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
References to “AACT,” the “Company,” “our,” “us” or “we” refer to Ares Acquisition Corporation II. The following discussion and analysis of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our unaudited condensed financial statements and the notes thereto contained elsewhere in this report. Certain information contained in the discussion and analysis set forth below includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act). We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions about us that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “continue,” or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions. Such statements include, but are not limited to, possible business combinations, including the Proposed Business Combination, and the financing thereof, and related matters, as well as all other statements other than statements of historical fact included in this Form 10-Q. Factors that might cause or contribute to such a discrepancy include, but are not limited to, those described in our other Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings, including in our proxy statement/prospectus (the “Proxy Statement/Prospectus”) related to the Proposed Business Combination included in a Registration Statement on Form S-4, and any amendments thereto, that was initially filed with the SEC on May 14, 2025 (File No. 333-287278).
Overview
We are a blank check company formed on March 15, 2021 as a Cayman Islands exempted company for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses, which we refer to throughout this Quarterly Report as our initial business combination. We intend to effectuate our business combination using cash from the proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, our capital stock, debt or a combination of cash, stock and debt.
As indicated in the accompanying financial statements, as of March 31, 2025, we had $657,314 in our operating bank account. Further, we expect to continue to incur significant costs in the pursuit of an initial business combination. We cannot assure you that our plans to complete our initial business combination will be successful.
Our registration statement for our Initial Public Offering was declared effective on April 20, 2023. On April 25, 2023, we consummated our Initial Public Offering of 50,000,000 Units, including 5,000,000 Over-Allotment Units, at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $500,000,000, and incurring offering costs of $28,550,129, of which $17,500,000 was for deferred underwriting commissions.
Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, we consummated the Private Placement of 14,300,000 Private Placement Warrants, including 1,000,000 Private Placement Warrants to cover over-allotments, for an aggregate purchase price of $14,300,000, to the Sponsor.
Upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Private Placement and the Overfunding Loans, $505,000,000 ($10.10 per Unit) of the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and certain of the proceeds of the Private Placement and the Overfunding Loans were placed in the Trust Account located in the United States and invested in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act, with a maturity of 185 days or less or in any open-ended investment company that holds itself out as a money market fund selected by the Company meeting the conditions of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, as determined by the Company, until the earlier of: (i) the consummation of a business combination or (ii) the distribution of the Trust Account, as described below.
We currently have until January 26, 2026 to complete a business combination. If we are unable to complete a business combination within the Combination Period, we will as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account (less taxes payable and up to $100,000 of interest income to pay liquidation expenses) divided by the number of the then-outstanding public shares, which redemption
21
will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and to the other requirements of applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to our warrants, which may expire worthless if we fail to complete a business combination within the Combination Period.
Recent Developments
Business Combination Agreement with Kodiak Robotics Inc.
On April 14, 2025, we entered into the Business Combination Agreement with Kodiak. The Business Combination Agreement and the Proposed Business Combination were unanimously approved by the board of directors of each of the Company (including, in our case, the special committee of the board of directors, which consists of our independent directors), Merger Sub and Kodiak.
The Proposed Business Combination is subject to, among other things, the approval of the Proposed Business Combination by the Company’s shareholders, satisfaction of the conditions stated in the Business Combination Agreement and other customary closing conditions, including that the SEC completes its review of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, the receipt of certain regulatory approvals, and the approval by the NYSE to list the securities of the combined company.
In connection with the closing of the Proposed Business Combination, Merger Sub will merge with and into Kodiak, with Kodiak being the surviving corporation and continuing as a direct wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.
For further detail on the Proposed Business Combination, refer to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Company with the SEC on April 14, 2025.
Sponsor Support Agreement
Concurrently with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, we entered into a sponsor support agreement with Kodiak and our Sponsor. Pursuant to the Sponsor Support Agreement, our Sponsor agreed to, among other things vote in favor of the adoption of certain proposals at the extraordinary general meeting to be held in connection with the approval of the Proposed Business Combination. If at any time prior to the termination of the Business Combination Agreement, the Company’s board of directors or the special committee of the board of directors effects a Modification of Recommendation (as defined in the Business Combination Agreement), then the obligations to vote in accordance with the foregoing sentence shall automatically be deemed to be modified such that the Sponsor will vote its shares in the same proportion to the votes cast of the public shareholders.
Extension
Our Initial Public Offering prospectus and Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association provided that we had until April 25, 2025 (the date which was 24 months after the consummation of the Initial Public Offering) to complete an initial business combination. On April 22, 2025, we held the Shareholder Meeting at which we extended the Combination Period until January 26, 2026, or such earlier date as our board of directors may approve, or such later date as the shareholders may approve in accordance with the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association. In connection with the approval of the Extension, shareholders elected to redeem an aggregate of 640,288 Class A ordinary shares, of which we paid cash from the Trust Account in the aggregate amount of approximately $7.1 million (approximately $11.16 per share) to redeeming shareholders.
PIPE Investment Arrangements
Concurrently with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, in connection with a financing effort related to the Business Combination, we entered into the Subscription Agreements with the PIPE Investors. Under the terms of the Subscription Agreements, the PIPE Investors agreed, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Subscription Agreements, and following the domestication, to subscribe for and purchase an aggregate of $60 million worth of PIPE Stock. The base purchase price per share for the PIPE Stock will equal the Redemption Price, subject to adjustment such that the purchase price per share will be 90% of the Redemption Price for any PIPE Investor that subscribes for $50 million or more of PIPE Stock. The closing of the PIPE Investments is conditioned upon, among other things, the completion or concurrent consummation of the Proposed Business Combination.
22
In connection with the potential PIPE Investments, we entered into arrangements with certain placement agents pursuant to which such placement agents and certain other parties will receive up to 4.0% of funds raised in connection with the PIPE Investment upon the successful consummation of a PIPE Investment subject to the payment of minimum amounts to certain placement agents. If the PIPE Investment does not occur, we will only be required to pay the minimum amount and will not be required to pay these contingent fees. The actual amount of fees payable will be based upon the final amounts in the PIPE Investment. No fees will be payable to the placement agents in connection with their role as placement agents in the event that the Company does not consummate the Proposed Business Combination.
Deferred Discount Fees
Prior to the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, we, AMCM, and the representatives of the several underwriters in connection with the Company’s Initial Public Offering agreed to adjust the aggregate amount payable to the underwriters as a deferred underwriting fee and to AMCM as a deferred Initial Public Offering advisory fee to an aggregate amount of $8,359,410.
Conversion
In connection with the Extension, we issued an aggregate of 12,500,000 Class A ordinary shares to our Sponsor upon the conversion by our Sponsor of an equal number of Class B ordinary shares. The 12,500,000 Class A ordinary shares issued in connection with the Conversion are subject to the same restrictions as applied to the Class B ordinary shares before the Conversion, including, among other things, certain transfer restrictions, waiver of redemption rights and the obligation to vote in favor of an initial business combination as described in our Initial Public Offering prospectus. Following the Conversion and redemptions in connection with the Shareholder Meeting, there are 61,859,712 Class A ordinary shares and no Class B ordinary shares issued and outstanding.
Extension Promissory Note
In connection with the approval of the Extension, our Sponsor agreed to make monthly deposits directly to the Trust Account of $0.02 for each outstanding Class A ordinary share, other than Class A ordinary shares held by our Sponsor upon any conversion of Class B ordinary shares. The Contributions will be repaid in full at the time of the closing of the Proposed Business Combination. If the Proposed Business Combination does not close, 50% of the Contribution will be an obligation of Kodiak and 50% will be an obligation of the Company pursuant to a non-interest bearing, unsecured promissory note (the “Extension Promissory Note”) issued by us to our Sponsor. Such Contributions, which will be paid monthly, began on April 25, 2025 and thereafter will be made on the twenty-fifth day of each month (or if such day is not a business day, on the business day immediately preceding such day) until the earlier of (i) the consummation of an initial business combination, and (ii) January 26, 2026 (the earlier of (i) and (ii), the “Maturity Date”). The Extension Promissory Note does not bear any interest, and is repayable by us to our Sponsor upon the Maturity Date. The Maturity Date may be accelerated upon the occurrence of certain events of default. Any outstanding principal under the Extension Promissory Note may be prepaid at any time by us, at our election and without penalty. In April 2025, the Sponsor deposited approximately $1.0 million into the Trust Account.
Results of Operations
All activity for the period from March 15, 2021 (inception) through March 31, 2025 related to our formation and the preparation for the Initial Public Offering, and since the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the search for a prospective initial business combination. We will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of our initial business combination. We generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on investments. We expect to incur increased expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses.
For the three months ended March 31, 2025, we had net income of $2,992,795, which consisted of investment income earned on investments held in Trust Account of $5,698,441, offset by general and administrative costs of $2,705,646.
For the three months ended March 31, 2024, we had net income of $6,393,390, which consisted of investment income earned on investments held in Trust Account of $6,848,902, offset by general and administrative costs of $455,512.
23
Going Concern Considerations, Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of March 31, 2025, we had $657,314 in cash held outside of the Trust Account and a working capital deficit of $2,345,233.
Our liquidity needs to date have been satisfied through a contribution of $25,000 from our Sponsor to cover certain expenses in exchange for the issuance of the Class B ordinary shares, a loan of $366,781 from our Sponsor pursuant to the Promissory Note (see Note 4) and the proceeds from the consummation of the Private Placement not held in the Trust Account. On April 25, 2023, the total balance of $366,781 of the Promissory Note was fully repaid to the Sponsor. In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a business combination, our Sponsor or an affiliate of our Sponsor may provide us with Working Capital Loans. As of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, there were no amounts outstanding under any Working Capital Loans.
In connection with our assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, “Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” our management has determined that the extended mandatory liquidation of the Trust Account, as approved on April 22, 2025, should a business combination not occur by January 26, 2026, raises substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern for a period of time within one year after the date that the unaudited condensed financial statements are issued. Our management plans to complete the initial business combination prior to the extended mandatory liquidation date of the Trust Account and expects to receive financing from our Sponsor or the affiliates of our Sponsor to meet its obligations through the time of liquidation of the Trust Account or the completion of the initial business combination. There is no financing that is currently committed and no assurance that our plans to consummate the initial business combination will be successful or successful within the Combination Period. The unaudited condensed financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from our inability to continue as a going concern.
Trends Affecting Our Business
We continue to evaluate the impact of persistent inflation and fluctuations in interest rates, financial market instability and certain geopolitical events. Management has concluded that while it is reasonably possible that the risks and uncertainties related to or resulting from these events could have a negative effect on our financial position, results of operations and/or ability to complete an initial business combination, we cannot at this time fully predict the likelihood of one or more of the above events, their duration or magnitude or the extent to which they may negatively impact our business and our ability to complete an initial business combination.
Contractual Obligations
We do not have any long-term debt obligations, capital lease obligations, operating lease obligations, purchase obligations, off-balance sheet arrangements or long-term liabilities.
Administrative Service Fee
On April 20, 2023, we entered into an agreement to pay our Sponsor a monthly fee of $16,667 for general and administrative services including office space, utilities, secretarial support and administrative services. This arrangement will terminate upon completion of our initial business combination or the distribution of the Trust Account to the public shareholders.
Underwriting Agreement and Advisory Agreement
The underwriters are entitled to a deferred fee of $17,500,000. The deferred fee will be waived by the underwriters in the event that we do not complete an initial business combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.
On April 20, 2023, we also engaged AMCM, an affiliate of the Company’s Sponsor, to provide consulting and advisory services to us in connection with the Initial Public Offering, for which it will receive a deferred advisory fee of $3,500,000, payable solely in the event that we complete the initial business combination. The fees payable to AMCM will be reimbursed from a portion of the fees to the underwriters.
Subsequently, prior to the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, we, AMCM, and the representatives of the several underwriters in connection with our Initial Public Offering agreed to adjust the aggregate amount payable to the
24
underwriters as a deferred underwriting fee and to AMCM as a deferred Initial Public Offering advisory fee to an aggregate amount of $8,359,410.
Contingent Fees
We have entered into a fee arrangement with a service provider pursuant to which certain transaction fees and service fees will become payable only if we consummate a business combination. If the business combination does not occur, we will not be required to pay these contingent fees. As of March 31, 2025, the amount of these contingent fees with the service provider was $732,045.
In connection with the potential PIPE Investments, we entered into arrangements with certain placement agents pursuant to which such placement agents and certain other parties will receive up to 4.0% of funds raised in connection with the PIPE Investment upon the successful consummation of a PIPE Investment subject to the payment of minimum amounts to certain placement agents. If the PIPE Investment does not occur, we will only be required to pay the minimum amount and will not be required to pay these contingent fees. The actual amount of fees payable will be based upon the final amounts in the PIPE Investment. No fees will be payable to the placement agents in connection with their role as placement agents in the event that the Company does not consummate the Proposed Business Combination.
Critical Accounting Estimates
Management’s discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based on our unaudited condensed financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. The preparation of our unaudited condensed financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities in our financial statements. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates and judgments, including those related to fair value of financial instruments and accrued expenses. We base our estimates on historical experience, known trends and events and various other factors that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. The Company has identified the following as its critical accounting estimates:
Class A Ordinary Shares Subject to Possible Redemption
We account for our Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in ASC Topic 480, “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Class A ordinary shares subject to mandatory redemption (if any) are classified as liability instruments and are measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable Class A ordinary shares (including Class A ordinary shares that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within our control) are classified as temporary equity. At all other times, Class A ordinary shares are classified as shareholders’ equity (deficit). Our Class A ordinary shares feature certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of our control and subject to the occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, 50,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, subject to possible redemption are presented as temporary equity, outside of the shareholders’ deficit section of our condensed balance sheets. We recognize changes in redemption value immediately as they occur and adjust the carrying value of redeemable ordinary shares to equal the redemption value at the end of each reporting period. This method would view the end of the reporting period as if it were also the redemption date for the security.
Net Income Per Ordinary Share
We comply with the accounting and disclosure requirements of FASB ASC Topic 260, “Earnings Per Share”. We have two classes of shares, which are referred to as Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Income and losses are shared pro rata between the two classes of shares. Net income (loss) per ordinary share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period. Accretion associated with the redeemable Class A ordinary shares is excluded from earnings per share as the redemption value approximates fair value.
The calculation of diluted net income per share does not consider the effect of the public warrants issued in connection with the Initial Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, because the exercise of the warrants is contingent upon the occurrence of future events.
25
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Our management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncement if currently adopted would have a material effect on the accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements.
JOBS Act
The JOBS Act contains provisions that, among other things, relax certain reporting requirements for qualifying public companies. We qualify as an “emerging growth company” and under the JOBS Act are allowed to comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements based on the effective date for private (not publicly traded) companies. We are electing to delay the adoption of new or revised accounting standards, and as a result, we may not comply with new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for non-emerging growth companies. As a result, our unaudited condensed financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.
Additionally, we are in the process of evaluating the benefits of relying on the other reduced reporting requirements provided by the JOBS Act. Subject to certain conditions set forth in the JOBS Act, if, as an “emerging growth company,” we choose to rely on such exemptions we may not be required to, among other things, (i) provide an auditor’s attestation report on our system of internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404, (ii) provide all of the compensation disclosure that may be required of non-emerging growth public companies under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, (iii) comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the PCAOB regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements (auditor discussion and analysis) and (iv) disclose certain executive compensation related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the chief executive officer’s compensation to median employee compensation. These exemptions will apply for a period of five years following the completion of our Initial Public Offering or until we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” whichever is earlier.
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
We are a smaller reporting company as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act and are not required to provide the information otherwise required under this item.
Item 4. Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in our Exchange Act reports is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2025, as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act. Based on this evaluation, our principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of March 31, 2025.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act) during the most recent fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
26
PART II—OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings
From time to time, we, our executive officers, directors, our Sponsor and its respective affiliates and/or any of their respective principals and employees are subject to legal proceedings, and as a result, incur significant costs and expenses in connection with such legal proceedings.
Additionally, we and our Sponsor and its affiliates are also subject to extensive regulation, which, from time to time, results in requests for information from us or our Sponsor or its affiliates, or legal or regulatory proceedings or investigations against us or our Sponsor or its affiliates. We incur significant costs and expenses in connection with any such proceedings, information requests and investigations.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
As of the date of this Quarterly Report, there have been no material changes with respect to those risk factors disclosed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 filed by the Company with the SEC on March 12, 2025, except for the below additional risks which could result in a significant or material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition. Additional risk factors not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business or results of operations.
There is substantial doubt about AACT’s ability to continue as a “going concern.”
Under the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, AACT must consummate an initial business combination by January 26, 2026, or such earlier date as AACT’s board of directors (the “AACT Board”) may approve, or such later date as AACT’s shareholders may approve, in accordance with the AACT’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association. Although AACT intends to complete an initial business combination within the Combination Period, there can be no assurance that AACT will be able to consummate an initial business combination by this time. If an initial business combination is not consummated by the end of AACT’s Combination Period, there will be a mandatory liquidation of the Trust Account. Accordingly, AACT’s management has determined that the mandatory liquidation of the Trust Account, should an initial business combination not occur, raises substantial doubt about AACT’s ability to continue as a going concern. The unaudited condensed financial statements contained elsewhere in this report do not include any adjustments that might result from AACT’s inability to continue as a going concern.
Risks Related to the Proposed Business Combination
The consummation of the Proposed Business Combination is subject to a number of conditions and if those conditions are not satisfied or waived, any definitive agreement relating to the Proposed Business Combination may be terminated in accordance with its terms and the Proposed Business Combination may not be completed.
Even if the Business Combination Agreement is approved by the shareholders of AACT, specified conditions must be satisfied or waived before the parties to the Business Combination Agreement are obligated to complete the Proposed Business Combination. AACT does not control the satisfaction of all such conditions. AACT and Kodiak may not satisfy all of the closing conditions in the Business Combination Agreement. If the closing conditions are not satisfied or waived, the Proposed Business Combination will not occur, or will be delayed pending later satisfaction or waiver, and such delay may cause AACT and Kodiak to each lose some or all of the intended benefits of the Proposed Business Combination.
Some of AACT’s officers and directors may have conflicts of interest that may influence or have influenced them to support or approve the Proposed Business Combination or other proposals described in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus without regard to your interests or in determining whether Kodiak is an appropriate target for AACT’s initial business combination.
On March 19, 2021, the Sponsor paid $25,000 to cover certain of the offering costs of the Initial Public Offering in consideration of Class B ordinary shares. Prior to the initial investment of $25,000 by the Sponsor, AACT had no assets. As a result of various transactions, including the Conversion, the Sponsor (together with its permitted transferees) currently holds an aggregate of 12,500,000 shares of Class A ordinary shares that were converted from Class B ordinary shares (the “Converted Class A Ordinary Shares”). The Converted Class A Ordinary Shares may become worthless if we do not complete an initial business combination. In addition, the Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 14,300,000 Private Placement Warrants for an aggregate purchase price of $14,300,000, each exercisable to purchase one Class A ordinary share at $11.50 per share, at a price of $1.00 per warrant, in a private placement that closed simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering. Pursuant
27
to the Sponsor Support Agreement, 50% of the Sponsor’s Converted Class A Ordinary Shares are subject to vesting during the Earn Out Period (as defined in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus). If we do not consummate an initial business combination within the period ending on January 26, 2026, or such earlier date as our board of directors may approve or such later date as the shareholders may approve in accordance with the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Private Placement Warrants may expire worthless. Additionally, AMCM, an affiliate of the Sponsor, acted as an advisor to AACT in connection with the Initial Public Offering and will receive a deferred Initial Public Offering advisory fee of $2,777,777 in connection with the closing of the Proposed Business Combination. The personal and financial interests of certain of AACT’s officers and directors may influence or have influenced them in identifying and selecting a target for our initial business combination, completing the Proposed Business Combination and the operation of AACT following the Proposed Business Combination.
The Sponsor, members of the board of directors of AACT (the “AACT Board”) and AACT’s executive officers, and their respective affiliates have incurred out-of-pocket expenses in connection with performing due diligence on suitable targets for business combinations and the negotiation of the Proposed Business Combination. At the Closing, the Sponsor, members of the AACT Board and AACT’s officers, and their respective affiliates, will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on AACT’s behalf, such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable targets for business combinations. If a business combination is not completed within the Combination Period the Sponsor, members of the AACT Board and AACT’s officers, and any of their respective affiliates will not be eligible for any such reimbursement. On April 22, 2025, AACT extended the Combination Period from April 25, 2025 to January 26, 2026. In connection with the Extension, on April 16, 2025, the Sponsor agreed to make monthly deposits directly to the Trust Account of $0.02 for each outstanding Class A ordinary share, other than the Converted Class A Ordinary Shares. Beginning April 25, 2025, the Sponsor commenced making monthly contributions. The Sponsor shall make a Contribution on the 25th day of each month (or if such day is not a business day, on the business day immediately preceding such day) until the Maturity Date. The Contributions will be repaid in full by Kodiak at the time of Closing. In the event that the Proposed Business Combination does not close, 50% of the Contributions will be an obligation of Kodiak and 50% will be an obligation of AACT. AACT may use a portion of proceeds held outside the Trust Account to repay this loan, but no proceeds held in the Trust Account would be used to repay the Contributions. In addition, our Sponsor has extended to us Overfunding Loans of $5,000,000, which will be repaid upon the closing of an initial business combination or converted into warrants of the post-business combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant (or any combination of repayment or conversion), at the Sponsor’s discretion, which warrants will be identical to the Private Placement Warrant. If we do not complete an initial business combination, we will not repay the Overfunding Loans from the Trust Account, and we would likely not have other available funds to repay the Overfunding Loans.
Certain officers and members of the AACT Board also participate in arrangements that may provide them with other interests in the Proposed Business Combination that are different from yours, including arrangements for their continued service as directors of AACT after the consummation of the Proposed Business Combination.
Further, the Sponsor has agreed to vote its Converted Class A Ordinary Shares, and the Sponsor, members of the AACT Board and AACT’s officers have agreed (and their permitted transferees will agree) to vote any public shares acquired in or after the Initial Public Offering in favor of our initial business combination. The Sponsor and each of the members of the AACT Board and its executive officers have also agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any Converted Class A Ordinary Shares and any public shares in connection with the redemption of Class A ordinary shares or Class B ordinary shares upon the completion of an initial business combination.
Among others, these interests may influence or have influenced the Sponsor and the executive officers and members of the AACT Board to support or approve the Proposed Business Combination and the other proposals described in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus. The personal and financial interests of our officers and certain members of the AACT Board may have influenced their motivation in identifying and selecting Kodiak and seeking to complete a business combination with Kodiak, and may influence their operation of AACT following the Proposed Business Combination. This risk may become more acute as the end of the Proposed Business Combination nears.
During the pendency of the Proposed Business Combination, AACT will not be able to solicit, initiate or take any action to facilitate or encourage any inquiries into the making, submission or announcement of, or enter into a business combination with another party because of restrictions in the Business Combination Agreement. Furthermore, certain provisions of the Business Combination Agreement will discourage third parties from submitting alternative takeover proposals, including proposals that may be superior to the arrangements contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement.
Covenants in the Business Combination Agreement impede the ability of AACT to make or consider other acquisitions or complete other transactions that are not in the ordinary course of business pending completion of the Proposed Business
28
Combination. As a result, AACT may be at a disadvantage to its competitors during that period. While the Proposed Business Combination Agreement is in effect, neither AACT nor Kodiak may solicit, assist, initiate, engage or facilitate the making, submission or announcement of or encourage any alternative acquisition proposal, such as a merger, material sale of assets or equity interests or other business combination, with any third party, even though any such alternative acquisition could be more favorable to AACT’s shareholders than the Proposed Business Combination. If the Proposed Business Combination is not completed, these provisions will make it more difficult to complete an alternative business combination following the termination of the Business Combination Agreement due to the passage of time during which these provisions have remained in effect.
The exercise of AACT Board members’ and executive officers’ discretion in agreeing to changes or waivers in the terms of the Proposed Business Combination may result in a conflict of interest when determining whether such changes to the terms of the Proposed Business Combination or waivers of conditions are appropriate and in AACT’s shareholders’ best interests.
In the period leading up to the closing of the Proposed Business Combination, events may occur that, pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, would require AACT to consider agreeing to amend the Business Combination Agreement, to consent to certain actions taken by Kodiak or to waive rights to which AACT is entitled under the Business Combination Agreement. Such events could arise because of changes in the course of Kodiak’s business, a request by Kodiak to undertake actions that would otherwise be prohibited by the terms of the Business Combination Agreement or the occurrence of other events that would have a material adverse effect on Kodiak’s business and would entitle AACT to terminate the Business Combination Agreement. In any such circumstances, it would be at AACT’s discretion, acting through the AACT Board and the special committee of the AACT Board, to grant its consent or waive those rights. The existence of financial and personal interests of one or more members of the AACT Board described in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus may result in a conflict of interest on the part of such director(s) between what such director may believe is best for AACT and its shareholders and what such director may believe is best for themselves in determining whether or not to take the requested action. As of the date of this Quarterly Report, AACT does not believe there will be any changes or waivers that members of the AACT Board and AACT’s executive officers would be likely to make after shareholder approval of the Business Combination Proposal (as defined in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus) has been obtained. While certain changes could be made without further shareholder approval, AACT will circulate a new or amended proxy statement/prospectus and resolicit AACT’s shareholders if changes are required with respect to the terms of the transaction that would have a material impact on its shareholders are required prior to the vote on the Business Combination Proposal.
AACT’s executive officers and directors and their affiliates may enter into agreements concerning AACT’s securities prior to the shareholder meeting in connection with the Proposed Business Combination, which may have the effect of increasing the likelihood of completion of the Proposed Business Combination or decreasing the value of the AACT securities.
At any time prior to the shareholder meeting in connection with the Proposed Business Combination, during a period when they are not then aware of any material non-public information regarding AACT or its securities, AACT’s executive officers and directors and their affiliates may enter into a written plan to purchase AACT’s securities pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 of the Exchange Act, and may engage in other public market purchases, as well as private purchases, of securities. Further, at any time prior to the shareholder meeting in connection with the Proposed Business Combination, during a period when they are not then aware of any material non-public information regarding AACT or its securities, AACT’s executive officers and directors and their respective affiliates may: (i) purchase shares from institutional and other holders who vote, or indicate an intention to vote, against the Business Combination Proposal or the other shareholder proposals as described in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus (the “Shareholder Proposals”), or who elect to redeem, or indicate an intention to redeem, public shares; (ii) execute agreements to purchase such shares from such holders in the future; and (iii) enter into transactions with such holders to provide such holders with incentives to acquire public shares, vote their public shares in favor of the Business Combination Proposal or the other Shareholder Proposals or not redeem their public shares. Such an agreement may include a contractual acknowledgement that such shareholder, although still the record holder of Class A ordinary shares, is no longer the beneficial owner thereof and therefore agrees not to exercise its redemption rights. In the event that AACT’s executive officers and directors or their affiliates purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions from public shareholders who have already elected to exercise their redemption rights, such selling shareholders would be required to revoke their prior elections to redeem their public shares. While the exact nature of any such incentives has not been determined, they might include, without limitation, arrangements to protect such investors or holders against potential loss in value of their public shares, including the granting of put options and the transfer of shares or Private Placement Warrants owned by the Sponsor for nominal value to such investors or holders.
The purpose of such share purchases and other transactions by AACT’s executive officers and directors and their respective affiliates would be to increase the likelihood of satisfaction of the requirements that the holders of the requisite number of Class A ordinary shares present and voting at the shareholder meeting in connection with the Proposed Business
29
Combination vote in favor of the Business Combination Proposal and the other Shareholder Proposals when it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met.
Any such arrangements may have a depressive effect on the price of the Class A ordinary shares. For example, as a result of these arrangements, an investor may have the ability to effectively purchase shares at a price lower than market and may therefore be more likely to sell the shares it owns, either prior to or immediately after the shareholder meeting in connection with the Proposed Business Combination.
As of the date of this Quarterly Report, AACT’s directors and officers and their affiliates have not entered into any such agreements. AACT will file a Current Report on Form 8-K to disclose arrangements entered into or significant purchases made by any of the aforementioned persons that would affect the vote on the Business Combination Proposal or the redemption threshold. Any such report will include descriptions of any arrangements entered into or significant purchases by any of the aforementioned persons.
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds from Registered Securities
Unregistered Sales
We did not sell any equity securities during the quarter ended March 31, 2025.
Use of Proceeds
In connection with the Initial Public Offering, we incurred offering costs of $28,550,129 (including deferred underwriting commissions of $17,500,000). Other incurred offering costs consisted principally preparation fees related to the Initial Public Offering. After deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions (excluding the deferred portion, which amount will be payable upon consummation of the initial Business Combination, if consummated) and the Initial Public Offering expenses, $505,000,000 of the net proceeds from our Initial Public Offering and certain of the proceeds of the private placement and the Overfunding Loans were placed in the Trust Account.
There has been no material change in the planned use of the proceeds from the Initial Public Offering and certain of the proceeds of the private placement and the Overfunding Loans as is described in the Company’s final prospectus related to the Initial Public Offering.
Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities
None.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
None.
Item 5. Other Information
During the quarter ended March 31, 2025, none of our directors or executive officers adopted terminated
30
Item 6. Exhibits
| Exhibit No. | Description | |||||||
| Business Combination Agreement, dated as of April 14, 2025, by and among Ares Acquisition Corporation II, Kodiak Robotics Inc. and AAC II Merger Sub, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on April 14, 2025). | ||||||||
| Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on April 26, 2023). | ||||||||
| Sponsor Support Agreement, dated as of April 14, 2025, by and among Ares Acquisition Corporation II, Kodiak Robotics, Inc. and Ares Acquisition Holdings II LP (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on April 14, 2025). | ||||||||
| Form of Company Support Agreement, by and among Ares Acquisition Corporation II, Kodiak Robotics, Inc. and the persons set forth on Schedule A thereto (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on April 14, 2025). | ||||||||
| Form of Subscription Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on April 14, 2025). | ||||||||
| Form of Promissory Note, dated as of April 22, 2025, by and among Ares Acquisition Corporation II and Ares Acquisition Holdings II LP (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on April 16, 2025) | ||||||||
31.1* | Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. | |||||||
31.2* | Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. | |||||||
32.1** | Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. | |||||||
32.2** | Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. | |||||||
| 101.INS* | XBRL Instance Document | |||||||
| 101.SCH* | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document | |||||||
| 101.CAL* | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document | |||||||
| 101.DEF* | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document | |||||||
| 101.LAB* | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels Linkbase Document | |||||||
| 101.PRE* | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document | |||||||
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File - the cover page interactive data file does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document. | |||||||
* Filed herewith
** These certifications are not deemed filed by the SEC and are not to be incorporated by reference in any filing we make under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, irrespective of any general incorporation language in any filings.
31
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
| ARES ACQUISITION CORPORATION II | |||||||||||
Dated: May 15, 2025 | By: | /s/ David B. Kaplan | |||||||||
| Name: | David B. Kaplan | ||||||||||
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer and Co-Chairman (Principal Executive Officer) | ||||||||||
Dated: May 15, 2025 | By: | /s/ Jarrod Phillips | |||||||||
| Name: | Jarrod Phillips | ||||||||||
| Title: | Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) | ||||||||||
32