Form 8-K - Current report

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): September 25, 2024

IX Acquisition Corp.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Cayman Islands		001-40878		98-1586922
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)		(Commission File Number)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

53 Davies Street, W1K 5JH

United Kingdom

Not Applicable

(Address of principal executive offices)

(Zip Code)

+44 (0) (203) 908-0450

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

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 Securities Exchange Act of 1934:

Title for each class	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
Units, each consisting of Class A ordinary share, par value $0.0001 per share, and one-half of one redeemable warrant	IXAQU	The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share	IXAQ	The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Redeemable warrants, each warrant exercisable for one Class A ordinary share, each at an exercise price of $11.50 per share	IXAQW	The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

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 x

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. ¨

Important Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This Current Report on Form 8-K contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, both as amended. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the pending transactions among Parent, Merger Sub and the Company and the transactions contemplated thereby, and the parties’ perspectives and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the proposed transaction, including the anticipated initial enterprise value and post-closing equity value, the benefits of the proposed transaction, integration plans, expected synergies and revenue opportunities, anticipated future financial and operating performance and results, including estimates for growth, the expected management and governance of the combined company, and the expected timing of the transactions. The words “expect,” “believe,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan” and similar expressions indicate forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, assumptions (including assumptions about general economic, market, industry and operational factors), known or unknown, which could cause the actual results to vary materially from those indicated or anticipated.

Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: (i) risks related to the expected timing and likelihood of completion of the pending transaction, including the risk that the transaction may not close due to one or more closing conditions to the transaction not being satisfied or waived, such as regulatory approvals not being obtained, on a timely basis or otherwise, or that a governmental entity prohibited, delayed or refused to grant approval for the consummation of the transaction or required certain conditions, limitations or restrictions in connection with such approvals; (ii) risks related to the ability of Parent, Merger Sub and the Company to successfully integrate the businesses; (iii) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the applicable transaction agreements; (iv) the risk that there may be a material adverse change with respect to the financial position, performance, operations or prospects of Parent, Merger Sub or the Company; (v) risks related to disruption of management time from ongoing business operations due to the proposed transaction; (vi) the risk that any announcements relating to the proposed transaction could have adverse effects on the market price of Parent’s securities; (vii) the risk that the proposed transaction and its announcement could have an adverse effect on the ability of Parent, Merger Sub and the Company to retain customers and retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with their suppliers and customers and on their operating results and businesses generally; (viii) the risk that the combined company may be unable to achieve cost-cutting synergies or it may take longer than expected to achieve those synergies; and (ix) risks associated with the financing of the proposed transaction. A further list and description of risks and uncertainties can be found in Parent’s IPO prospectus filed with the SEC and in the Registration Statement on Form S-4 and proxy statement/prospectus that will be filed with the SEC by Parent in connection with the proposed transactions, and other documents that the parties may file or furnish with the SEC, which you are encouraged to read. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements relate only to the date they were made, and Parent, Merger Sub and the Company and their subsidiaries undertake no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made except as required by law or applicable regulation.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

In connection with the transaction described herein, Parent will file relevant materials with the SEC, including the Registration Statement on Form S-4 and a proxy statement/prospectus. The proxy statement/prospectus and a proxy card will be mailed to shareholders of Parent as of a record date to be established for voting at the shareholders’ meeting relating to the proposed transactions. Shareholders will also be able to obtain a copy of the Registration Statement on Form S-4 and proxy statement/prospectus without charge from Parent. The Registration Statement on Form S-4 and proxy statement/prospectus, once available, may also be obtained without charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or by writing to Parent at 53 Davies Street, W1K 5JH United Kingdom. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF PARENT ARE URGED TO READ THESE MATERIALS (INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSACTIONS THAT PARENT WILL FILE WITH THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PARENT, MERGER SUB, THE COMPANY AND THE TRANSACTIONS.

Participants in Solicitation

The Merger Sub and the Company and certain shareholders of Parent, and their respective directors, executive officers and employees and other persons may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the holders of Parent ordinary shares in respect of the proposed transaction. Information about Parent’s directors and executive officers and their ownership of Parent’s ordinary shares is set forth in Parent’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC. Other information regarding the interests of the participants in the proxy solicitation will be included in the proxy statement/prospectus pertaining to the proposed transaction when it becomes available. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above.

No Offer or Solicitation

This Current Report on Form 8-K shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any states or jurisdictions in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act, or an exemption therefrom.

Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

As previously announced, on March 29, 2024, IX Acquisition Corp. (“Parent”), a Cayman Islands exempted company (which will de-register from the Register of Companies in the Cayman Islands by way of continuation out of the Cayman Islands and into the State of Delaware so as to migrate to and domesticate as a Delaware corporation prior to the Closing Date, entered into a Merger Agreement, by and among Parent, AKOM Merger Sub Inc., a Nevada corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (“Merger Sub”), and AERKOMM Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”) (as it may be amended and/or restated from time to time, the “Merger Agreement”). Capitalized terms used in this Current Report on Form 8-K but not otherwise defined herein have the meanings given to them in the Merger Agreement.

On September 25, 2024, Parent, Merger Sub and the Company entered into an amendment (the “Amendment”) to the Merger Agreement to (1) provide that any lock-up period applicable to the Sponsor or any officers, directors or affiliates of Parent will terminate at the Closing of the Merger, (2) change the percentage of the Founder Shares being treated as Escrowed Sponsor Shares from 50% to 25%, (3) add a provision providing for the Company to pay certain amounts to Parent to cover its working capital and extension expenses, and (4) add a provision that Parent may terminate the Merger Agreement at any time prior to the Closing Date if the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company enters into voluntary bankruptcy or fails to remove within 60 days any petition in bankruptcy filed against it prior to Closing.

The foregoing description of the Amendment does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by the terms and conditions of the Amendment, a copy of which is filed hereto as Exhibit 2.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

Exhibit Number		Description
10.1		Amendment to the Merger Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2024, by and among IX Acquisition Corp., AKOM Merger Sub, Inc., AERKOMM Inc.
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 report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	IX Acquisition Corp.

Dated: September 27, 2024	By:	/s/ Noah Aptekar
		Name:	Noah Aptekar
		Title:	Chief Financial Officer

Exhibit 10.1

AMENDMENT TO MERGER AGREEMENT

THIS AMENDMENT TO MERGER AGREEMENT (this “Amendment”) is made as of September 25, 2024 (the “Amendment Date”) by and among AERKOMM Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), IX Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company limited by shares that, in accordance with the Agreement (as defined below), is planned to be re-domesticated as a Delaware corporation (“Parent”), and AKOM Merger Sub, Inc., a Nevada corporation (“Merger Sub”). Each of the Company, Parent and Merger Sub shall individually be referred to herein as a “Party” and, collectively, the “Parties.” Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Agreement (as defined below).

WHEREAS, the Company, Parent and Merger Sub entered into that certain Merger Agreement dated as of March 29, 2024 (as may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof, the “Agreement”);

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 11.3 of the Agreement, the Agreement may be amended by a writing signed by each Party; and

WHEREAS, the Parties wish to amend the Agreement as set forth in this Amendment.

NOW, THEREFORE, intending to be legally bound and in consideration of the mutual provisions set forth in this Amendment and the Agreement and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE 1

AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT

Section 1.1 Amendment to Section 7.4 of the Agreement. Section 7.4 of the Agreement is hereby amended and restated to read as follows:

“Lock-Up Agreements. Prior to the Closing, the Company shall cause those persons set forth on Schedule 7.4 to enter into a Lock-Up Agreement with Parent to be effective as of the Closing, pursuant to which the shares comprising the Aggregate Merger Consideration shall be subject to a lock-up for a period of twelve (12) months following the Closing Date in accordance with the terms and conditions more fully set forth in the Lock-Up Agreement or, for significant shareholders who are not directors or officers of the Company, for a shorter period of time as may be mutually agreed upon between Parent and the Company (not to be shorter than six (6) months, subject to any provision in the Lock-Up Agreement that provides for release of the lock-up if certain conditions are met). Any lock-up period applicable to the Sponsor or any officers, directors or affiliates of Parent will terminate at the Closing of the Merger, and the parties shall take all further action necessary to amend all agreements or documents necessary to effect the foregoing, provided that the Sponsor, Parent and their affiliates shall cooperate reasonably with directives or requests of regulatory authorities or the underwriter.”

Section 1.2 Amendment to Section 8.11 of the Agreement. Section 8.11 of the Agreement is hereby amended and restated to read as follows:

“Escrowed Sponsor Shares. Following the Domestication and at the Closing, Sponsor shall place twenty-five percent (25%) of the shares of Parent Class A Common Stock held by Sponsor as “Founder Shares” (as defined in the Sponsor Letter Agreement) (the “Escrowed Sponsor Shares”) in escrow with the Exchange Agent or another escrow agent mutually agreed upon among Parent, the Company and Sponsor and which shall be held in escrow pursuant to the terms of the Incentive Merger Consideration Escrow Agreement. One third of the Escrowed Sponsor Shares shall be released to Sponsor upon the occurrence of each Milestone Event. In the event of a Change in Control transaction during the Calculation Period, the Escrowed Sponsor Shares will be released to Sponsor subject to the same terms and conditions applicable to the Incentive Merger Consideration that Persons who were Company Stockholders immediately prior to the Closing (other than holders of Dissenting Shares) are eligible to receive pursuant to Section 3.7(c). In the event that no Milestone Events are achieved prior to the expiration of the Calculation Period, the Escrowed Sponsor Shares will be automatically forfeited and cancelled.”

Section 1.3 Addition of Section 8.13 to the Agreement. A new Section 8.13 is hereby added after Section 8.12 and reads as follows:

“8.13 Working Capital and Invoices.

(a) Parent will provide the Company with an invoice totaling $500,000 no later than 5 days after the date Parent’s third extension is approved by its stockholders (which approval will take place on or prior to October 12, 2024). The Company agrees to pay such invoice no later than 45 days after receipt.

(b) Beginning on January 1, 2025, and the first of every month thereafter until the Closing of the Merger, Parent will provide the Company with an invoice totaling $100,000 for the Parent’s ongoing working capital and general corporate expenses and the Company agrees to pay such invoice no later than 30 days after receipt, provided that if the Closing of the Merger occurs during a month in respect of which an invoice has previously been issued, such invoice shall be amended and resubmitted to pro rate for the number of days elapsed from the first day of such month until the Closing.

(c) Parent will provide the Company with an invoice totaling $250,000 if an amendment to the Registration Statement is not filed with the SEC by 5:30pm ET, on Friday, September 27, 2024 due to a delay beyond such date caused by the Company, and the Company agrees to pay such invoice no later than 30 days after receipt. Thereafter, Parent may provide the Company with an invoice totaling $250,000 each time: (i) the Parent is unable to respond to SEC comments relating to and to refile the Registration Statement within 30 calendar days due to delay caused by Company, (ii) the Company does not timely file any Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or Annual Report on Form 10-K, (iii) the Company is more than two days late in filing any 8-K and such delay is materially adverse to the transaction or results in material delay to the Closing, (iv) the Company is the cause of any other delay of 30 days to the transaction or any filing relating to the transaction (including the Registration Statement), including, but not limited to, delays caused by Parent’s or Company’s inability to make timely submissions to any regulator or key stakeholder necessary to Closing the deal, including but not limited to Nasdaq, FINRA, trust and transfer agents, underwriters, and placement agents, or (iv) the Company takes, or has taken since the signing of the Original Merger Agreement, any action without prior written consent of the Parent (not be unreasonably delayed or withheld) that delays the transaction or any filing relating to the transaction (including the Registration Statement) of 30 or more days. In the event that a single infraction causes a multiple-month delay to Closing, the Parent will provide the Company with a separate invoice for every month of delay. For each infraction, the Company will pay such invoice no later than 30 days after receipt.

(d) Amounts actually paid by the Company to the Parent as contemplated in this Section 8.13 shall be credited against the Cause Termination Fee liability of the Company under the Section 10.4 of the Agreement and the aggregate amount of invoices issued by Parent pursuant to this Section 8.13 shall not exceed the amount of the Cause Termination Fee. For the avoidance of doubt, if Closing has not occurred by the Outside Closing Date, which may be extended by 6 months to April 12, 2025 per Section 10.1 of the Agreement, then in the event of a Parent Termination with Cause the remaining balance of the Cause Termination Fee would then be due to Parent from the Company, net of the amounts actually paid by the Company to the Parent as contemplated in this section 8.13.

(e) If any of these invoices remain unpaid after 30 days, interest shall accrue on the due balance at a rate of 10% per annum.”

Section 1.4 Amendment to Section 10.2(a) to the Agreement. Section 10.2(a) of the Agreement is hereby amended and restated to read as follows:

“Parent may terminate this Agreement by giving written notice to the Company, without prejudice to any rights or obligations Parent or Merger Sub may have: (i) at any time prior to the Closing Date if (x) the Company shall have breached any representation, warranty, agreement or covenant contained herein to be performed on or prior to the Closing Date, which has rendered or would reasonably be expected to render the satisfaction of any of the conditions set forth in Section 9.2(a) 9.2(b) or 9.2(c) impossible; and (y) such breach cannot be cured or is not cured by the earlier of the Outside Closing Date and thirty (30) days following receipt by the Company of a written notice from Parent describing in reasonable detail the nature of such breach; provided, however, that Parent is not then in material breach of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements contained in this Agreement; (ii) at any time after the Company Stockholder Written Consent Deadline if the Company has not previously received the Company Stockholder Approval (provided, that upon the Company receiving the Company Stockholder Approval, Parent shall no longer have any right to terminate this Agreement under this clause (ii)), or (iii) at any time prior to the Closing Date if the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company enters into voluntary bankruptcy or fails to remove within 60 days any petition in bankruptcy filed against it prior to Closing.”

ARTICLE 2

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 2.1 No Other Amendment. Except to the extent that any provisions of or any Exhibits or Schedules to the Agreement are expressly amended by Article 1 of this Amendment, all terms and conditions of the Agreement and all other documents, instruments and agreements executed thereunder, shall remain in full force and effect pursuant to the terms thereof. In the event of any inconsistency or contradiction between the terms of this Amendment and the Agreement, the provisions of this Amendment shall prevail and control.

Section 2.2 Reference to the Agreement. On and after the date hereof, each reference in the Agreement to “this Agreement,” “hereof,” “herein,” “herewith,” “hereunder” and words of similar import shall, unless otherwise stated, be construed to refer to the Agreement as amended by the Amendment. No reference to the Amendment need be made in any instrument or document at any time referring to the Agreement and a reference to the Agreement in any such instrument or document shall be deemed to be a reference to the Agreement as amended by the Amendment.

[The remainder of this page intentionally left blank; signature pages to follow]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

	Parent:

	IX ACQUISITION CORP.

	By:	/s/ Karen Bach
		Name: Karen Bach
		Title: Chief Executive Officer

	Merger Sub:

	AKOM MERGER SUB, INC.

	By:	/s/ Noah Aptekar
		Name: Noah Aptekar
		Title: President

[Signature Page to Merger Agreement]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

	Company:

	AERKOMM INC.

	By:	/s/ Louis Giordimaina
		Name: Louis Giordimaina
		Title: Chief Executive Officer

[Signature Page to Merger Agreement]

Schedule 7.4 List of Lock-up Parties

Cover	Sep. 25, 2024
Document Information [Line Items]
Document Type	8-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Sep. 25, 2024
Entity File Number	001-40878
Entity Registrant Name	IX Acquisition Corp.
Entity Central Index Key	0001852019
Entity Tax Identification Number	98-1586922
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	E9
Entity Address, Address Line One	53 Davies Street
Entity Address, Country	GB
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	W1K 5JH
City Area Code	203
Local Phone Number	908-045
Written Communications	false
Soliciting Material	false
Pre-commencement Tender Offer	false
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	true
Elected Not To Use the Extended Transition Period	false
Units [Member]
Document Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	Units, each consisting of Class A ordinary share, par value $0.0001 per share, and one-half of one redeemable warrant
Trading Symbol	IXAQU
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ
Common Class A [Member]
Document Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share
Trading Symbol	IXAQ
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ
Redeemable Warrants [Member]
Document Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	Redeemable warrants, each warrant exercisable for one Class A ordinary share, each at an exercise price of $11.50 per share
Trading Symbol	IXAQW
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ