[SCHEDULE 13D] PodcastOne, Inc. SEC Filing

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

LiveOne, Inc. reports direct beneficial ownership of 19,761,050 shares of PodcastOne, Inc., representing approximately 71.8% of the outstanding common stock, comprised of 18,661,050 shares and 1,100,000 warrants. LiveOne acquired PodcastOne in 2020, completed a spin-out/direct listing in 2023, and has since settled intercompany balances into additional shares including 237,113 shares received on June 11, 2025. On May 19, 2025 LiveOne sold senior secured convertible debentures with $16.75M principal (sold for $15.25M cash) that accrue interest at 11.75%, are convertible at $2.10 per share, and are secured by liens on LiveOne and certain subsidiaries, including PodcastOne assets. LiveOne states it holds the shares for investment and may evaluate strategic actions, including potential sales, further financings or other transactions.

Positive

• Controlling stake: LiveOne beneficially owns 71.8% of PodcastOne, providing clear governance control.
• Acquisition history: LiveOne acquired PodcastOne in 2020 and completed a spin-out/direct listing in 2023, reflecting continuity of ownership and operational integration.
• Non-borrowed shares acquisition: Recent settlement converted intercompany balances into 237,113 shares acquired June 11, 2025, increasing ownership without external debt.

Negative

• Secured financing: The May 19, 2025 Debentures are secured by liens on LiveOne and subsidiaries, including PodcastOne assets, which prioritizes creditors over equity holders.
• High cost debt: Initial Debentures accrue at 11.75% and include original issue discount features, increasing financing cost burden.
• Dilution risk: Debentures convert at $2.10 per share and the SPA contemplates up to $11.0M additional debentures if conditions are met, which could dilute existing equity.
• Redemption and default mechanics: Monthly and scheduled redemption rights and acceleration on customary defaults create cash flow and refinancing risk for LiveOne.

Insights

Financial Analyst

TL;DR: LiveOne holds a controlling ~71.8% stake, giving it decisive governance influence and shaping PodcastOne's strategic direction.

The Reporting Person's 71.8% ownership establishes clear control over PodcastOne, limiting minority shareholder influence and consolidating voting power. The position includes warrants representing incremental economic exposure. The May 2025 debenture financing provides LiveOne with near-term liquidity flexibility but also creates convertibility that could affect capitalization if converted. Overall, the filing is material and directly impacts corporate control and capital structure.

Risk Analyst

TL;DR: The financings are secured and high-cost, creating potential downside risk for creditors and minority holders.

The Initial Debentures carry an 11.75% OID interest rate, a conversion price of $2.10 and are secured by liens on LiveOne and its guarantor subsidiaries, including PodcastOne assets. These secured obligations and redemption mechanics create refinancing, dilution and priority risks. The SPA also permits additional issuance up to $11.0M under conditions, which could further leverage or dilute stakeholders if triggered.

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13D

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

PodcastOne, Inc.

(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock, $0.00001 par value per share

(Title of Class of Securities)

22275C105

(CUSIP Number)

Robert S. Ellin
c/o LiveOne, Inc., 269 South Beverly Dr., Suite #1450
Beverly Hills, CA, 90212
(310) 601-2505

(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

06/11/2025

(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of This Statement)

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of §§ 240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

SCHEDULE 13D

CUSIP No. 22275C105

1

Name of reporting person

LiveOne, Inc.

2

Check the appropriate box if a member of a Group (See Instructions)

(a)
(b)

3

SEC use only

4

Source of funds (See Instructions)

OO

5

Check if disclosure of legal proceedings is required pursuant to Items 2(d) or 2(e)

6

Citizenship or place of organization

DELAWARE

Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With:

7	Sole Voting Power 19,761,050.00
8	Shared Voting Power 0.00
9	Sole Dispositive Power 19,761,050.00
10	Shared Dispositive Power 0.00

11

Aggregate amount beneficially owned by each reporting person

19,761,050.00

12

Check if the aggregate amount in Row (11) excludes certain shares (See Instructions)

13

Percent of class represented by amount in Row (11)

71.8 %

14

Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)

CO

SCHEDULE 13D

Item 1.	Security and Issuer
(a)	Title of Class of Securities: Common Stock, $0.00001 par value per share
(b)	Name of Issuer: PodcastOne, Inc.
(c)	Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices: 345 North Maple Drive Suite 295, Beverly Hills, CALIFORNIA , 90212.
Item 2.	Identity and Background
(a)	LiveOne, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("the "Reporting Person").
(b)	The address of the principal business and the principal office of the Reporting Person is 269 South Beverly Drive, Suite #1450, Beverly Hills, CA 90212. The Reporting Person is an award-winning, creator-first, music, entertainment and technology platform publicly trading on The NASDAQ Capital Market ("Nasdaq") under the symbol "LVO".
(c)	The name, business address, title, and present principal occupation or employment of each of the directors and executive officers of the Reporting Person are set forth below. The business address listed for each individual not principally employed by the Reporting Person is c/o of LiveOne, 269 South Beverly Drive, Suite #1450, Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Unless otherwise indicated below, all of the persons listed below are citizens of the United States of America. Name Present Principal Occupation Including Name and Address of Employer Executive Officers Robert S. Ellin -- Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board and Director Ryan Carhart -- Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President, Corporate Secretary and Treasurer Non-Executive Directors Jay Krigsman -- Director; Executive Vice President and Asset Manager of The Krausz Companies Ramin Arani -- Director; Partner at &vest Capital Patrick Wachsberger -- Director; Founder and Manager of Picture Perfect Entertainment LLC Kenneth Solomon -- Director; Chief Executive Officer of Merit Street Media Bridget Baker -- Director; Chief Executive Officer of Baker Media Inc. Kristopher Wright -- Director; Vice President of Nike Global Men's Footwear Lifestyle Product
(d)	During the last five years, the Reporting Person has not or, to the knowledge of the Reporting Person, none of the Reporting Person's executive officers or directors have been convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors) or been a party to a civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction and as a result of such proceeding was or is subject to a judgment, decree or final order enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject to, federal or state securities laws or finding any violation with respect to such laws.
(e)	During the last five years, the Reporting Person has not or, to the knowledge of the Reporting Person, none of the Reporting Person's executive officers or directors have been convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors) or been a party to a civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction and as a result of such proceeding was or is subject to a judgment, decree or final order enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject to, federal or state securities laws or finding any violation with respect to such laws.
(f)	All of the persons listed above are citizens of the United States of America.
Item 3.	Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration
	On July 1, 2020, the Issuer was acquired by the Reporting Person and became its wholly owned subsidiary. On July 15, 2022, the Issuer completed a private placement offering (the "Notes Financing") of its unsecured convertible notes (the "Bridge Notes") to the Reporting Person, certain accredited investors and institutional investors (collectively the "Registered Stockholders") for gross proceeds of $8,835,800. On September 8, 2023, the Issuer completed the Direct Listing and became the Reporting Person's majority owned subsidiary. In addition, the information set forth or incorporated by reference in Item 6 is incorporated by reference in this Item 3. No borrowed funds were used to purchase any shares reported herein.
Item 4.	Purpose of Transaction
	All of the Shares (as defined below) reported herein were acquired for investment purposes. The Reporting Person intends to evaluate its investment in the Shares on a continual basis. Other than as expressly set forth below, the Reporting Person has no plans or proposals as of the date of this filing that relate to, or would result in, any of the actions enumerated in Item 4(a)-(j) of Schedule 13D. The Reporting Person may engage in communications with one or more stockholders, officers or directors of the Issuer and others, including but not limited to, discussions regarding the Issuer's operations and strategic direction and ideas that, if effected, could result in, among other things, any of the matters identified in Item 4(a)-(j) of Schedule 13D, including but not limited to debt or equity capital raising transactions, acquisitions, mergers, combinations and other strategic transactions. The Reporting Person reserves its right, based on all relevant factors and subject to applicable law, at any time and from time to time, to review or reconsider its position, change its purpose, take other actions, including to cause or introduce strategic or corporate transactions involving the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries, or one or more of the types of transactions or have one or more the results described in Item 4(a)-(j) of Schedule 13D) or formulate and implement plans or proposals with respect to any of the foregoing. The Reporting Person from time to time intends to review its investment in the Issuer on the basis of various factors, including whether various strategic transactions have occurred or may occur, the Issuer's business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, general economic and industry conditions, the securities markets in general and those for the Issuer's securities in general, as well as other developments and other investment opportunities. Based upon such review, the Reporting Person intends to take such actions in the future as it deems appropriate in light of the circumstances existing from time to time, which may include acquisitions of shares of common stock or other convertible securities of the Issuer or disposal of all or any portion of the Shares or shares of common stock or other securities of the Issuer otherwise acquired by the Reporting Person, either in the open market or privately negotiated transactions, with or without prior notice.
Item 5.	Interest in Securities of the Issuer
(a)	As of the date hereof, the Reporting Person has direct beneficial ownership interest of 19,761,050 shares of common stock (the "Shares") (representing approximately 71.8% of the number of shares of common stock issued and outstanding), consisting of (i) 18,661,050 shares of common stock directly beneficially owned by the Reporting Person (representing approximately 67.8% of the number of shares of common stock issued and outstanding) and (ii) 1,100,000 Bridge Warrants (as defined below) to purchase shares of common stock directly beneficially owned by the Reporting Person (representing approximately 4.0% of the number of shares of common stock issued and outstanding). The percentages with respect the Reporting Person's beneficial ownership are based on (i) 26,412,297 shares of the Issuer's common stock issued and outstanding as of August 11, 2025, reported by the Issuer in its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter June 30, 2025, filed with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission on August 14, 2025, plus (ii) 1,100,000 Bridge Warrants directly beneficially owned by the Reporting Person.
(b)	The Reporting Person, has sole power to vote or direct the vote of 19,761,050 shares of common stock directly beneficially owned by the Reporting Person; has shared power to vote or direct the vote of 0 shares of common stock directly beneficially owned by the Reporting Person; has sole power to dispose or direct the disposition of 19,761,050 shares of Common Stock directly beneficially owned by the Reporting Person; and has shared power to dispose or direct the disposition of 0 shares of Common Stock directly beneficially owned by the Reporting Person.
(c)	Within the past 60 days, the Reporting Person has acquired 237,113 shares of the Issuer's common stock, which shares were acquired on June 11, 2025, as a settlement of the Issuer's intercompany balances owed by the Issuer to the Reporting Person for services previously rendered.
(d)	Not applicable.
(e)	Not applicable.
Item 6.	Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships With Respect to Securities of the Issuer
	Acquisition of PodcastOne On July 1, 2020, the Reporting Person through its wholly owned subsidiary, LiveXLive PodcastOne, Inc., acquired the Issuer. As a result of such acquisition, the Reporting Person acquired 147,984,230 shares of the Issuer's common stock from the Issuer's former stockholders. In connection with the anticipated spin-out of the Issuer as a separate publicly trading company, the Reporting Person, through its wholly owned subsidiary, LiveXLive PodcastOne, Inc., canceled 127,984,230 shares of common stock owned by the Reporting Person. Accordingly, immediately prior to the Spin-Out, the Reporting Person owned 20,000,000 shares of common stock, which constituted 100% of the Issuer's then issued and outstanding shares of common stock. Bridge Notes Offering On July 15, 2022, the Issuer completed a private placement offering of the Bridge Notes for gross proceeds of $8.0 million. In connection with the sale of the Bridge Notes, the holders of the Bridge Notes, including the Reporting Person, received warrants to purchase shares of common stock at an exercise price of $3.00 per share (the "Bridge Warrants"). Direct Listing On September 8, 2023, the Issuer completed its spin out from the Reporting Person to become a separate publicly trading company (the "Spin-Out") as a result of its direct listing on The NASDAQ Capital Market on such date (the "Direct Listing"). In connection with such completed Direct Listing, all of the remaining Bridge Notes (including interest thereunder) in the aggregate amount of approximately $7.02 million converted into approximately 2,341,000 shares of the Issuer's common stock at the conversion price of $3.00 per share, and the exercise price of the Bridge Warrants was fixed at $3.00 per share. As a result of the Spin-Out, (i) the Issuer issued 1,100,00 Bridge Warrants to the Reporting Person, all of which were issued and outstanding as of the date of this Schedule 13D, and (ii) the Reporting Person distributed (x) 4,300,000 shares of common stock to the Reporting Person's stockholders of record as a special dividend in connection with the completion of the Direct Listing (the "Distribution Shares") and (ii) approximately 20,000 additional shares of common stock to the extent that any Distribution Shares were required to be rounded up. May 2025 Securities Purchase Agreement On May 19, 2025 (the "Closing Date"), the Reporting Person and the Issuer entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the "SPA") with certain institutional investors (collectively, the "Purchasers"), pursuant to which (i) the Reporting Person sold to the Purchasers its Original Issue Discount Senior Secured Convertible Debentures (the "Initial Debentures") in an aggregate principal amount of $16.75 million for an aggregate cash purchase price of $15.25 million, and (ii) if certain conditions are satisfied as set forth in the SPA, including at least one of the Conditions (as defined below), the Reporting Person may sell at its option to the Purchasers its additional Original Issue Discount Senior Secured Convertible Debentures in an aggregate principal amount of $11,000,000 on substantially the same terms as the Initial Debentures (the "Additional Debentures" and collectively with the Initial Debentures, the "Debentures"), in a private placement transaction. The Debentures are convertible into shares of the Reporting Person's common stock at the holder's option at a conversion price of $2.10 per share, subject to certain customary adjustments such as stock splits, stock dividends and stock combinations. The Reporting Person may sell to the Purchasers the Additional Debentures if within 15 months of the Closing Date either of the following conditions have been satisfied during such 15-month period (the "Conditions"): (x) the VWAP (as defined in the SPA) of the Reporting Person's common stock has been equal to or greater than $4.20 per share (subject to certain customary adjustments such as stock splits, stock dividends and stock combinations) for 30 consecutive trading days, or (y) the Reporting Person's Free Cash Flow (as defined in the SPA) has been equal to or greater to $3,000,000 for three consecutive fiscal quarters, and has increased in each of the foregoing quarters from the immediately preceding fiscal quarter. The Initial Debentures mature on May 19, 2028 and accrue interest at 11.75% per year. Commencing with the calendar month of August 2025 (subject to the following sentence), the holders of the Initial Debentures will have the right, at their option, to require the Reporting Person to redeem an aggregate of up to $100,000 of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures per month. For the month of August 2025, the holders may not submit a redemption notice for such a redemption prior to August 18, 2025. Commencing from November 18, 2025, May 18, 2026 and May 18, 2027, the holders of the Initial Debentures will have the right, at their option, to require the Reporting Person to redeem an aggregate of up to $150,000, $250,000 and $300,000, respectively, of the outstanding principal amount of the Initial Debentures per month. Subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including applicable prior notice to the holders of the Initial Debentures, at any time after May 19, 2026, the Reporting Person may elect to prepay all, but not less than all, of the then outstanding Initial Debentures for a prepayment amount equal to the outstanding principal balance of then outstanding Initial Debentures plus all accrued and unpaid interest thereon, together with a prepayment premium equal to the following (the "Prepayment Premium"): (a) if the Initial Debentures are prepaid after May 19, 2026, but on or prior to May 19, 2027, 5% of the entire outstanding principal balance of the outstanding Initial Debentures (or the applicable portion thereof required to be prepaid by the Reporting Person); and (c) if the Initial Debentures are prepaid on or after May 19, 2027, but prior to the maturity date of the Initial Debentures, 4% of the entire outstanding principal balance of then outstanding Initial Debentures (or the applicable portion thereof required to be prepaid by the Reporting Person). Subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, the Reporting Person shall be required to prepay the entire outstanding principal amount of all of then outstanding Initial Debentures in connection with a Change of Control Transaction (as defined in the Initial Debentures) for a prepayment amount equal to the outstanding principal balance of then outstanding Initial Debentures, plus all accrued and unpaid interest thereon, plus the applicable Prepayment Premium based on when such Change of Control Transaction occurs within the period set forth above applicable to such Prepayment Premium; provided, that (x) if a Change of Control Transaction occurs on or prior to May 19, 2026, plus 10% of the entire outstanding principal balance of then outstanding Initial Debentures; (y) if the Specified Carve-Out Transaction (as defined in the Debentures) in consummated, the Issuer shall be required to prepay the Initial Debentures, in an aggregate amount equal to the lower of the outstanding principal balance of then outstanding Initial Debentures and $7,500,000, in each case, plus the applicable Prepayment Premium, and (z) if a Permitted Disposition (as defined in the Debentures) pursuant to clause (g) of the definition thereof is consummated, the Reporting Person shall be required to prepay the Initial Debentures in an aggregate amount equal to the lower of the outstanding principal balance of then outstanding Initial Debentures and 50% of the first $1,000,000 of net proceeds resulting from such Permitted Disposition up to $1,000,000 and 25% of such net proceeds in excess of $1,000,000, in each case, plus the applicable Prepayment Premium. the Reporting Person's obligations under the Debentures can be accelerated upon the occurrence of certain customary events of default. In the event of default and acceleration of our obligations, the Reporting Person would be required to pay the applicable prepayment amount described above. The Reporting Person's obligations under the Debentures have been guaranteed under a Subsidiary Guarantee, dated as of the Closing Date, by certain of its wholly owned subsidiaries, including the Issuer (collectively, the "Guarantors"). The Reporting Person's obligations under the Debentures and the Guarantors' obligations under the Subsidiary Guarantee are secured under a Security Agreement (the "Security Agreement") entered into on the Closing Date among the Reporting Person, the Guarantors, certain Purchasers and JGB Collateral, LLC as agent for the Purchasers (the "Security Agreement"), by a lien on all of the Reporting Person's and the Guarantors' assets, including the Issuer's assets, subject to certain exceptions. Intercompany Balance Settlement Since March 15, 2024, the Reporting Person has acquired 1,712,326 shares of the Issuer's common stock as a result of the settlement of the Issuer's intercompany balances owed to the Reporting Person.
Item 7.	Material to be Filed as Exhibits.
	1 -- Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 7, 2020, by and among the Reporting Person, the Issuer, LiveXLive PodcastOne, Inc., the persons identified as "Sellers" on the signature pages thereto, and Norman Pattiz, as the representative of the Sellers (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Reporting Person's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on May 8, 2020). 2 -- Form of 10% Original Issued Discount Convertible Promissory Note, dated July 15, 2022, issued by the Issuer to certain purchasers (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Issuer's Registration Statement, as amended, filed with the SEC on December 27, 2022). 3 -- Form of Warrants, dated July 15, 2022, issued by the Issuer to the Registered Stockholders (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Issuer's Registration Statement, as amended, filed with the SEC on December 27, 2022). 4 -- Form of Subscription Agreement, dated as of July 15, 2022, between the Issuer and certain purchasers (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Issuer's Registration Statement, as amended, filed with the SEC on December 27, 2022). 5 -- Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 19, 2025, among the Reporting Person, the Issuer and certain purchasers (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Reporting Person's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on May 23, 2025). 6 -- Subsidiary Guarantee, dated as of May 19, 2025, made by the Guarantors, in favor of the Secured Parties (as defined therein) (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Reporting Person's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on May 23, 2025). 7 -- Security Agreement, dated as of May 19, 2025, among the Reporting Person, the Guarantors, certain purchasers and JGB Collateral, LLC (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Reporting Person's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on May 23, 2025). 8 -- Form of the Reporting Person's 11.75% Original Issue Discount Senior Secured Convertible Debentures (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Reporting Person's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on May 23, 2025).

SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

LiveOne, Inc.

Signature:	/s/ Ryan Carhart
Name/Title:	Ryan Carhart/Chief Financial Officer
Date:	08/15/2025

FAQ

How many PodcastOne (PODC) shares does LiveOne beneficially own?

LiveOne beneficially owns 19,761,050 shares of PodcastOne, representing approximately 71.8% of outstanding common stock.

What components make up LiveOne's 19,761,050 share stake in PODC?

The stake comprises 18,661,050 shares of common stock plus 1,100,000 Bridge Warrants to purchase shares (treated as beneficially owned).

What financing did LiveOne complete on May 19, 2025 and what are key terms?

LiveOne sold Initial Debentures with $16.75M principal for $15.25M cash, accruing interest at 11.75%, convertible at $2.10 per share, and secured by liens including PodcastOne assets.

Did LiveOne acquire additional PODC shares recently and how?

Yes; within the past 60 days LiveOne acquired 237,113 shares on June 11, 2025 as settlement of intercompany balances.

Does LiveOne plan to change its ownership or take corporate actions at PodcastOne?

LiveOne states the shares were acquired for investment and it currently has no concrete plans, but it reserves the right to evaluate and pursue transactions including sales, financings or other strategic actions.