[8-K] Ares Acquisition Corporation II Units, each consisting of one Class A ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant Reports Material Event

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Ares Acquisition Corporation II (AACT) has entered into a material working capital loan agreement with its sponsor, Ares Acquisition Holdings II LP, for up to $2 million. The unsecured loan, dated June 23, 2025, will be used to finance transaction costs related to AACT's proposed business combination with Kodiak Robotics.

Key terms of the working capital loan:

• No interest on unpaid principal balance
• Matures upon earlier of business combination completion or last day to complete business combination
• Convertible into warrants of post-merger company at $1.00 per warrant
• Each warrant exercisable for one ordinary share at $11.50

The company has filed an S-4 registration statement (No. 333-287278) on May 14, 2025, regarding the proposed merger with Kodiak Robotics. If AACT fails to complete a business combination, the loan will only be repaid using funds available outside the trust account.

Insights

Capital Markets Analyst

Interest-free $2 m sponsor loan adds liquidity for Kodiak deal; limited cash impact but modest potential dilution.

The filing reveals a $2 million unsecured promissory note from the SPAC’s sponsor. The note carries no interest and becomes payable at the earlier of (i) completion of the business combination or (ii) the deadline by which the SPAC must merge. If no deal closes, repayment is limited to funds outside the trust, preserving redemption proceeds.

Why it matters: 1) The cash supplies working capital for expenses tied to the proposed Kodiak Robotics merger, easing near-term execution risk. 2) The sponsor can convert any principal into warrants at $1 each. Full conversion would create up to 2 million additional private-placement-style warrants, a minor dilutive layer given typical post-merger share counts.

Balance-sheet view: Because the loan is unsecured, interest-free, and junior to trust assets, it adds limited leverage pressure. No immediate cash leaves the trust, and investors’ ability to redeem at the original IPO price remains intact.

Net assessment: The loan modestly improves liquidity while introducing a small, manageable dilution risk. Overall, the disclosure is neutral for shareholder value.

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): June 23, 2025

ARES ACQUISITION CORPORATION II

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Cayman Islands		001-41691		98-1592112
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		(Commission File Number)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

245 Park Avenue, 44^th Floor

New York, New York 10167

(310) 201-4100

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

Copies of all communications, including communications sent to agent for service, should be sent to:

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

☒ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of Each Class		Trading Symbol(s)		Name of each exchange on which registered
Units, each consisting of one Class A Ordinary Share, par value $0.0001 per share, and one-half of one redeemable warrant		AACT.U		New York Stock Exchange
Class A Ordinary Shares, par value $0.0001 per share		AACT		New York Stock Exchange
Redeemable warrants, each whole warrant exercisable for one Class A Ordinary Share at an exercise price of $11.50		AACT WS		New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

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. ☐

Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On June 23, 2025, Ares Acquisition Corporation II, a Cayman Islands exempted company and blank check company (“AACT” or the “Company”), issued an unsecured working capital loan promissory note in the total principal amount of up to two million dollars ($2,000,000) to Ares Acquisition Holdings II LP, a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership and the sponsor of the Company (the “Sponsor”), in respect of working capital loans provided by the Sponsor (the “Working Capital Loan”).

The Working Capital Loan does not bear interest on the unpaid principal balance and matures and is repayable upon the earlier of the (i) consummation of the Company’s initial merger, stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities (a “Business Combination”) and (ii) last day the Company has to complete a Business Combination pursuant to the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, as then in effect (such date, the “Maturity Date”). The Maturity Date may be accelerated upon the occurrence of an “Event of Default” (as defined in the Working Capital Loan). Any outstanding principal under the Working Capital Loan may be prepaid at any time by the Company, at its election and without penalty.

If the Company does not consummate a Business Combination, the Working Capital Loan will be repaid solely to the extent that the Company has funds available to it, if any, outside of its trust account established in connection with its initial public offering of its securities. The Company expects to use the proceeds of the Working Capital Loan to finance transaction costs in connection with the Company’s proposed business combination with Kodiak Robotics, Inc. (“Kodiak”) (the “Proposed Business Combination”). The total principal amount of the Working Capital Loan may be converted, in whole or in part, at the option of the Sponsor into warrants of the post-Business Combination company at a price of $1.00 per warrant, with each warrant exercisable for one ordinary share or share of common stock, as applicable, of the post-Business Combination company. The warrants will otherwise be identical to the private placement warrants issued to the Sponsor at the time of the initial public offering of the Company.

The foregoing description of the Working Capital Loan does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by the terms and conditions of the Working Capital Loan Promissory Note, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K (this “Current Report”) and is incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01.

Item 2.03 Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.

The information disclosed under Item 1.01 of this Current Report is incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03 to the extent required.

Forward Looking Statements

This Current Report includes “forward-looking statements” including regarding AACT’s or its management teams’ expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: AACT’s expectations with respect to the timing of the proposed Business Combination, the Contribution, the conversion of the Promissory Note, the use of proceeds of the Promissory Note, the capitalization of AACT after giving effect to the

Proposed Business Combination and expectations with respect to the future performance and the success of the combined company following the consummation of the Proposed Business Combination (the “combined company”). These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this Current Report, and on the current expectations of AACT’s management and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied upon by any investors as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of Kodiak and AACT. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including changes in business, market, financial, political and legal conditions; the inability of the parties to successfully or timely consummate the Proposed Business Combination, including the risk that any regulatory approvals are not obtained, are delayed or are subject to unanticipated conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the Proposed Business Combination or that the approval of the equity holders of Kodiak or AACT is not obtained; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the Proposed Business Combination; the amount of redemption requests made by AACT’s public equity holders; and the ability of AACT or the combined company to issue equity or equity-linked securities in connection with the Proposed Business Combination or in the future. Additional information concerning these and other factors that may impact such forward-looking statements can be found in filings and potential filings by Kodiak, AACT or the combined company resulting from the Proposed Business Combination with the SEC, including under the heading “Risk Factors.” If any of these risks materialize or any assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that neither Kodiak nor AACT presently know or that Kodiak and AACT currently believe are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as and must not be relied on by investors as a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability.

In addition, forward-looking statements reflect AACT’s expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this Current Report. AACT anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause AACT’s assessments to change. However, while AACT may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, AACT specifically disclaims any obligation to do so, except as required by law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing AACT’s assessments as of any date subsequent to the date of this Current Report. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements. Neither Kodiak, AACT, nor any of their respective affiliates have any obligation to update these forward-looking statements other than as required by law.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

In connection with the Proposed Business Combination, AACT and Kodiak filed a registration statement on Form S-4 with the SEC on May 14, 2025 (File No. 333-287278) (the “Registration Statement”), which includes a prospectus with respect to the combined company’s securities to be issued in connection with the Proposed Business Combination and a preliminary proxy statement with respect to the shareholder meeting of AACT to vote on the Proposed Business Combination. AACT and Kodiak also plan to file other documents and relevant materials with the SEC regarding the Proposed Business Combination. After the Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC, the definitive proxy statement/prospectus included in the Registration Statement will be mailed to the shareholders of AACT as of the record date to be established for voting on the Proposed Business Combination. SECURITY HOLDERS OF KODIAK AND AACT ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS (INCLUDING ALL AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND OTHER DOCUMENTS AND RELEVANT MATERIALS RELATING TO THE PROPOSED BUSINESS COMBINATION THAT WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION WITH RESPECT TO THE PROPOSED BUSINESS

COMBINATION BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED BUSINESS COMBINATION AND THE PARTIES TO THE PROPOSED BUSINESS COMBINATION. Shareholders are able to obtain free copies of the proxy statement/prospectus and other documents containing important information about Kodiak and AACT once such documents are filed with the SEC through the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. In addition, the documents filed by AACT may be obtained free of charge from AACT at www.aresacquisitioncorporationii.com. Alternatively, these documents, when available, can be obtained free of charge from AACT upon written request to Ares Acquisition Corporation II, 245 Park Avenue, 44th Floor, New York, NY 10167, Attn: Secretary, or by calling (888) 818-5298. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through the websites referenced in this Current Report is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this Current Report.

Participants in the Solicitation

AACT, Kodiak and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of AACT in connection with the Proposed Business Combination. Security holders may obtain more detailed information regarding the names, affiliations and interests of certain of AACT’s executive officers and directors in the solicitation by reading AACT’s final prospectus related to its initial public offering filed with the SEC on April 24, 2023, the definitive proxy statement/prospectus, which will become available after the Registration Statement has been declared effective by the SEC, and other relevant materials filed with the SEC in connection with the Proposed Business Combination when they become available. Information concerning the interests of AACT’s participants in the solicitation, which may, in some cases, be different from those of AACT’s shareholders generally, is set forth in the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus included in the Registration Statement.

No Offer or Solicitation

This Current Report shall not constitute a solicitation of any proxy, vote, consent or approval in any jurisdiction in connection with the Proposed Business Combination and shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities of AACT, Kodiak or the combined company resulting from the Proposed Business Combination, nor shall there be any sale of any such securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits

Exhibit Number		Title
10.1		Working Capital Loan Promissory Note, by and between Ares Acquisition Corporation II and Ares Acquisition Holdings II LP.
104		Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this Current Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Dated: June 24, 2025				Ares Acquisition Corporation II
				By:		/s/ Allyson Satin
				Name:		Allyson Satin
				Title:		Chief Operating Officer