AEON Biopharma, Inc. quarterly report, Q2 FY2022

Filing summary

Entity and period: The supplied filing is Priveterra Acquisition Corp.’s unaudited Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2022—not a filing in the name of AEON Biopharma, Inc. Priveterra describes itself as a blank-check company seeking a business combination and had not begun operating activities. The filing text does not describe AEON Biopharma or a transaction with AEON.

Financial results and position

MetricThree months ended June 30, 2022Six months ended June 30, 2022
Operating revenueNoneNone
Formation and operating costs$427,204$816,277
Net income$1,867,104$4,640,497
Net income per share$0.05$0.13
Net cash used in operating activitiesSix-month period: $570,154
  • Income was principally driven by noncash gains from the warrant liability fair-value change: $2.17 million for the quarter and $5.21 million for the six-month period. Trust investment interest was $137,380 and $266,966, respectively. These figures do not reflect operating revenue.
  • At June 30, cash outside the trust was $7,758; current assets were $248,294 and current liabilities were $965,778. Management reported a $492,202 working-capital deficit excluding taxes payable.
  • Trust investments totaled $276.27 million. Total liabilities were $12.80 million, including a $9.66 million deferred underwriting discount payable only if a business combination is completed. No working-capital loan borrowings were outstanding; the filing reports no operating debt at period-end.
  • Margins are not meaningful because the company had no revenue or operating business. Stockholders’ deficit was $12.37 million; 27.6 million Class A shares were classified as subject to redemption at approximately $10 per share.

Changes versus prior comparable periods

  • Quarterly net income of $1.87 million compared with a $4.03 million net loss in second-quarter 2021, largely reflecting a shift from a $3.66 million warrant fair-value loss to a $2.17 million gain.
  • Six-month net income increased to $4.64 million from $2.29 million in 2021. The 2022 result included a $5.21 million warrant fair-value gain; the 2021 period included $655,046 of offering costs allocated to warrant liabilities.
  • Six-month operating cash use improved to $570,154 from $1.01 million. Cash outside the trust declined to $7,758 from $497,412 at December 31, 2021.
  • Warrant liability fell to $2.18 million from $7.38 million at year-end 2021, creating a material noncash gain.

Outlook, risks and unusual items

  • The company had until February 11, 2023 to complete a business combination; otherwise it expected to wind up and redeem public shares from the trust, subject to the filing’s terms. Management stated its intent to complete a transaction before that deadline.
  • Management concluded that limited liquidity and the mandatory liquidation provisions raise substantial doubt about the company’s ability to continue as a going concern. It expected further costs and noted that potential sponsor or affiliate working-capital loans were optional, not committed.
  • Disclosure controls were deemed ineffective because of a material weakness in accounting for complex financial instruments. Management described planned remediation, including enhanced review and access to technical accounting support; it said additional analysis was performed for these financial statements.
  • The company cited potential effects of COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine conflict as not readily determinable. It also warned that proposed SEC rules affecting SPAC transactions could increase costs or complicate a business combination. No legal proceedings or off-balance-sheet arrangements were reported.

Most important facts to verify

  • Confirm the intended filing: this report is for Priveterra Acquisition Corp. (ticker PMGM), not AEON Biopharma, Inc.
  • Verify whether a business combination was completed by the February 11, 2023 deadline and review subsequent filings for the outcome.
  • Assess available cash outside the trust, any committed financing, and the going-concern warning.
  • Review the warrant valuation assumptions and the material weakness and remediation status; reported earnings are significantly affected by noncash fair-value changes.
  • Confirm the deferred underwriting fee and redemption terms applicable to any proposed transaction.