SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 5, 2021 (February 1, 2021)

ARES ACQUISITION CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(310) 201-4100

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:

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

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

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.   ☐

On February 1, 2021, the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-252163) (the “Registration Statement”) relating to the initial public offering (the “IPO”) of Ares Acquisition Corporation (the “Company”) was declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Company subsequently filed, on February 1, 2021, a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-252636) pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, which was effective immediately upon filing. On February 4, 2021, the Company consummated the IPO of 100,000,000 units (the “Units”), which included the exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase an additional 13,000,000 Units at the initial public offering price to cover over-allotments. Each Unit consists of one Class A ordinary share, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Class A Ordinary Shares”), and one-fifth of one redeemable warrant (the “Public Warrants”), each whole Public Warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one Class A Ordinary Share at an exercise price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment. The Units were sold at an offering price of $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $1,000,000,000. Further, in connection with the IPO, the Company entered into the following agreements, forms of which were previously filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement:

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The above descriptions are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the applicable agreement, each of which is incorporated by reference herein and filed herewith as Exhibits 1.1, 3.1, 4.1, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 and 10.5, respectively.

Simultaneous with the consummation of the IPO and the issuance and sale of the Units, the Company consummated the private placement of 15,333,333 Private Placement Warrants at a price of $1.50 per Private Placement Warrant, generating total proceeds of $23,000,000 (the “Private Placement”). The Private Placement Warrants, which were purchased by the Sponsor, are substantially similar to the Public Warrants, except that if held by the Sponsor or its permitted transferees, they (i) may be exercised for cash or on a cashless basis, (ii) are not subject to being called for redemption (except in certain circumstances when the Public Warrants are called for redemption and a certain price per Class A Ordinary Share threshold is met) and (iii) subject to certain limited exceptions, will be subject to transfer restrictions until 30 days following the consummation of the Company’s initial business combination. If the Private Placement Warrants are held by holders other than the Sponsor or its permitted transferees, the Private Placement Warrants will be redeemable by the Company in all redemption scenarios and exercisable by holders on the same basis as the Public Warrants. The Private Placement Warrants have been issued pursuant to, and are governed by the Warrant Agreement.

On February 1, 2021, and in connection with the IPO, the Company adopted its Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association. The Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association is filed herewith as Exhibit 3.1 and is incorporated by reference herein.

(d) Exhibits

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SIGNATURES

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.

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