DEF: Concord II Seeks Extension for Events.com Merger
Proxy Statement
Concord Acquisition Corp II requests stockholder approval to extend its business combination deadline to December 31, 2026, aiming to complete its merger with Events.com.
Summary
- Concord Acquisition Corp II (Concord II) is holding a special meeting on December 16, 2025, to vote on amending its charter to extend the deadline for completing a business combination from December 31, 2025, to December 31, 2026.
- The company entered into a merger agreement with Events.com, Inc. on August 26, 2024, but believes there is insufficient time to complete this transaction by the current deadline.
- Public stockholders have the right to redeem their Class A common stock for approximately $11.60 per share, based on a trust account balance of $99,168 as of December 3, 2025, regardless of their vote on the extension.
- The closing price of Concord II's Class A common stock on December 3, 2025, was $11.42.
- Approval of the Charter Amendment requires the affirmative vote of at least 65% of the outstanding Class A and Class B common stock, voting together.
- Concord II's directors, executive officers, and affiliates, who beneficially own approximately 92.8% of the common stock, intend to vote in favor of the Charter Amendment.
- The company was delisted from NYSE American on September 3, 2024, for failing to complete a business combination within 36 months and now trades on OTC Markets.
- This is the fourth extension sought by Concord II since its IPO in September 2021, with previous extensions occurring in August 2023, May 2024, and February 2025, each resulting in significant redemptions and a reduction in the trust account balance.
Sentiment
Score: 2
Explanation: The sentiment is highly negative due to repeated extensions, significant depletion of the trust account, delisting from a major exchange, and the inherent risks associated with a SPAC struggling to complete a business combination. While an active merger agreement exists, the history of delays and redemptions, coupled with the low trust balance, indicates substantial challenges and uncertainty for investors.
Positives
- The Board of Directors unanimously recommends voting FOR the Charter Amendment, believing it is in the best interests of Concord II and its stockholders to allow more time to complete the proposed merger with Events.com.
- Public stockholders retain redemption rights, allowing them to exit their investment at a pro rata portion of the trust account funds if they choose, or to retain shares and vote on a future business combination.
- The company has an active merger agreement with Events.com, indicating a potential path to a business combination.
Negatives
- This is the fourth extension sought by Concord II, indicating repeated difficulties in consummating a business combination within initial and previously extended timelines.
- The trust account balance has significantly diminished due to prior redemptions, from an initial $280,097,500 to approximately $99,168 as of December 3, 2025.
- The company was delisted from NYSE American on September 3, 2024, and now trades on OTC Markets, which typically implies lower liquidity and investor confidence.
- Warrants will expire worthless if a business combination is not completed, representing a total loss for warrant holders.
- The 1% U.S. federal excise tax on stock repurchases after December 31, 2022, could reduce the per-share amount public stockholders receive upon redemption, and trust account funds will not be used to pay this tax.
- The sponsor's ability to satisfy its indemnity obligations for claims reducing the trust account below $10.00 per public share is uncertain, as its only assets are Concord II securities.
Risks
- There is no assurance that the extension will enable Concord II to complete an initial business combination, including the proposed Transaction with Events.com, prior to the Extended Date.
- Significant redemptions by public stockholders could leave Concord II with insufficient cash to consummate a business combination on commercially acceptable terms, or at all.
- The liquidity of Concord II's securities may be adversely affected by the ability of public stockholders to exercise redemption rights, potentially making it difficult to sell shares on the open market.
- The Board's recommendation to approve the Charter Amendment may be influenced by the fact that initial stockholders, officers, and directors will lose their entire investment in founder shares and private placement warrants if a business combination is not completed.
- Concord II could be deemed an investment company under the Investment Company Act, leading to severe restrictions, burdensome compliance, and potential liquidation.
- Holding trust account funds in an interest-bearing demand deposit account may result in minimal interest, reducing the dollar amount public stockholders receive upon redemption or liquidation.
- The 1% U.S. federal excise tax on stock repurchases could reduce the per-share amount public stockholders would otherwise receive upon redemption.
- Changes in SEC laws or regulations (e.g., SPAC Rule Proposals, Final Rules) may adversely affect the ability to negotiate and complete a business combination and may increase costs and time.
- If deemed a foreign person, Concord II might be unable to complete a business combination with a U.S. target company due to U.S. foreign investment regulations (CFIUS review), limiting target opportunities and potentially leading to liquidation.
Future Outlook
Concord II intends to continue its efforts to obtain stockholder approval for and consummate the proposed business combination with Events.com, Inc. or an alternative business combination prior to the newly proposed Extended Date of December 31, 2026. The Board believes this extension is necessary to allow sufficient time for the transaction to close.
Management Comments
- "The Board currently believes that there will not be sufficient time before the Termination Date to complete the Transactions, or another business combination."
- "The purpose of the Extension is to provide the Company more time to complete the Transactions and a business combination, which the Board believes is in the best interests of our stockholders."
- "After careful consideration of all relevant factors, the Board has determined that the Charter Amendment is fair to and in the best interests of Concord II and its stockholders, has declared it advisable and recommends that you vote or give instruction to vote FOR it."
- "Concord II believes that such redemption rights protect Concord IIs public stockholders from having to sustain their investments for an unreasonably long period if Concord II fails to find a suitable acquisition in the timeframe initially contemplated by its charter."
Industry Context
The filing highlights the ongoing challenges faced by Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) in completing business combinations within their initial timelines, often necessitating extensions and leading to significant redemptions. The mention of the Inflation Reduction Act's excise tax and the SEC's Final Rules on SPACs underscores the evolving regulatory landscape impacting the industry, increasing compliance burdens and potential costs. The delisting from NYSE American and move to OTC Markets reflects a common outcome for SPACs that struggle to finalize deals, impacting liquidity and investor perception.
Corporate Governance
| Change Type | Description | Effective Date | Impact Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charter Amendment Proposal | Proposal to amend the company's amended and restated certificate of incorporation to extend the date by which Concord II has to consummate a business combination from December 31, 2025, to December 31, 2026. | Upon stockholder approval and filing with Delaware Secretary of State (if approved) | Extends the company's corporate existence and the timeframe for completing a business combination, potentially allowing the merger with Events.com to proceed. However, it also prolongs the period of uncertainty for investors and may lead to further redemptions. |
| Voting Rights for Directors | Prior to the closing of the initial business combination, holders of Class B common stock have the exclusive right to elect, remove, and replace any director, while Class A common stock holders have no such right. | Ongoing | Concentrates control over board composition with Class B stockholders (primarily the sponsor and affiliates), limiting the influence of public Class A stockholders on governance matters related to director appointments. |
Related Party Transactions
- Concord II's directors, executive officers, and affiliates beneficially own 6,508,490 founder shares (Class B common stock), representing approximately 92.8% of the outstanding common stock, which will be worthless if a business combination is not completed.
- The sponsor and anchor investors purchased 5,401,300 private placement warrants for an aggregate of $8,101,950, which will expire worthless if a business combination is not completed.
- The sponsor has agreed to be liable for certain claims against the trust account, but its ability to satisfy these obligations is uncertain as its only assets are Concord II securities.
- Concord II pays its sponsor $20,000 per month for administrative services, which will continue until a business combination or liquidation.
- The sponsor has the ability to loan Concord II up to $650,000, which would likely not be repaid if a business combination is not completed.
- Non-Redemption Agreements (NRAs) in August 2023 and May 2024 involved issuing 'Promote Shares' (Class A common stock) to certain stockholders who agreed not to redeem their shares, with the sponsor forfeiting Class B shares in exchange.
Stakeholder Impact
- **Shareholders (Public Class A):** Face continued uncertainty regarding the business combination, potential for further dilution from redemptions, and the risk of warrants expiring worthless. They have redemption rights but may lose potential upside if they redeem and a successful merger occurs. The stock price is currently below the estimated redemption value.
- **Shareholders (Founder/Class B):** Their significant investment in founder shares and private placement warrants is at risk of becoming worthless if no business combination is completed. They have a strong incentive to approve the extension and complete a deal.
- **Warrant Holders:** Warrants will expire worthless if a business combination is not completed by the extended deadline, representing a complete loss of investment.
- **Creditors/Vendors:** The sponsor's indemnity agreement aims to protect the trust account from third-party claims, but the sponsor's ability to fulfill this obligation is uncertain, potentially impacting creditors if the company liquidates.
- **Management/Directors:** Their financial interests are heavily tied to the completion of a business combination, as their founder shares and warrants would otherwise become worthless. They also benefit from ongoing administrative fees and potential future compensation post-merger.
Next Steps
- Hold a special meeting of stockholders on December 16, 2025, to vote on the Charter Amendment and Adjournment Proposal.
- If the Charter Amendment is approved, file an amendment to the charter with the Secretary of State of Delaware.
- Continue efforts to obtain stockholder approval for the proposed business combination with Events.com, Inc. and consummate the transaction by the Extended Date of December 31, 2026.
- Public stockholders wishing to redeem their shares must tender them by December 12, 2025.
Key Dates
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| February 18, 2021 | Original certificate of incorporation filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware. |
| March 1, 2021 | Sponsor purchased 7,187,500 founder shares for $25,000. |
| March 25, 2021 | Sponsor sold 1,437,500 founder shares to CA2 Co-Investment LLC and 25,000 to each independent director. |
| March 26, 2021 | Initial filing of registration statement on Form S-1 with the SEC. |
| May 6, 2021 | CA2 Co-Investment sold 956,439 shares back to sponsor. |
| August 31, 2021 | Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed. |
| September 1, 2021 | Units began trading on NYSE under CNDA.U. |
| September 3, 2021 | Initial Public Offering (IPO) consummated, generating $250,000,000 gross proceeds. Private placement of 5,000,000 warrants completed. |
| September 28, 2021 | Underwriters partially exercised over-allotment option, issuing 3,009,750 additional units and 401,300 additional private placement warrants. |
| December 27, 2021 | Class A common stock and warrants began trading separately on NYSE under CNDA and CNDA.WS. |
| August 16, 2022 | Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IR Act) signed into federal law, imposing a 1% excise tax on stock repurchases. |
| January 1, 2023 | Effective date for the 1% excise tax on stock repurchases. |
| August 29, 2023 | Stockholders approved an amendment to extend the business combination deadline from September 3, 2023, to June 3, 2025. 13,310,731 shares redeemed for $137,792,552. |
| March 28, 2024 | Entered into a subscription agreement with the Sponsor and a Capital Contribution Note Investor for up to $600,000. |
| May 23, 2024 | Company announced transfer of listing from NYSE to NYSE American LLC. |
| May 29, 2024 | Class A common stock, units, and warrants began trading on NYSE American. |
| May 31, 2024 | Stockholders approved an amendment to extend the business combination deadline from June 3, 2024, to March 3, 2025. 12,498,716 shares redeemed for $132,667,234. |
| June 28, 2024 | Treasury finalized certain proposed regulations relating to procedures for reporting and paying the Excise Tax. |
| August 26, 2024 | Entered into an agreement and plan of merger with Events.com, Inc. and Concord Merger Sub, Inc. |
| September 3, 2024 | Received a letter from NYSE American LLC stating delisting proceedings commenced due to failure to consummate a business combination within 36 months. Trading suspended. |
| October 11, 2024 | Company joined OTC Markets, with units and Class A common stock trading on OTCIDTM Basic Market. |
| October 21, 2024 | Redeemable warrants began trading on OTCQB Venture Market. |
| February 28, 2025 | Stockholders approved an amendment to extend the business combination deadline from March 3, 2025, to December 31, 2025. 2,191,753 shares redeemed for $23,765,518. |
| December 2, 2025 | Record date for determining stockholders entitled to vote at the special meeting. |
| December 3, 2025 | Trust account held approximately $99,168. Closing price of Class A common stock was $11.42. |
| December 4, 2025 | Proxy statement dated and first mailed to stockholders on or about December 5, 2025. |
| December 12, 2025 | Deadline for public stockholders to tender shares for redemption (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time). |
| December 15, 2025 | Deadline for Internet/mobile proxy votes (11:59 p.m. Eastern Time). |
| December 16, 2025 | Special meeting of stockholders to be held at 12:00 p.m. local time. |
| December 31, 2025 | Current business combination termination date. |
| December 31, 2026 | Proposed extended business combination termination date. |
Recommendation
strong sellThe company's history of repeated extensions, coupled with a drastically depleted trust account and delisting from a major exchange, signals severe operational and financial distress. While a merger agreement with Events.com exists, the consistent failure to close a deal and the significant redemptions indicate a high probability of further delays or eventual liquidation. The current stock price being below the redemption value suggests the market already discounts the company's prospects. Given the substantial risks, including the potential for warrants to expire worthless and the uncertainty of the sponsor's indemnity, a seasoned investor would likely recommend a strong sell to minimize further capital erosion, especially for those who can redeem at a higher value than the current market price.
Keywords
SPAC, Merger, Extension, Events.com, Concord Acquisition Corp II, CNDA, Proxy Statement, SEC Filing, Business Combination, Redemption, Trust Account, Corporate Governance, Delisting, OTC Markets
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