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 19, 2025

    

ADTRAN Holdings, Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)


Delaware	001-41446	87-2164282
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

901 Explorer Boulevard
Huntsville, Alabama		35806-2807
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)		(Zip Code)

     Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: 256 963-8000

    

     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
Common Stock, Par Value $0.01 per share	ADTN	Nasdaq Global Select Market

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.

Indenture and Notes

On September 19, 2025, ADTRAN Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) issued $201,250,000 aggregate principal amount of its 3.75% convertible senior notes due 2030 (the “Notes”). The Notes were issued pursuant to, and are governed by, an indenture (the “Indenture”), dated as of September 19, 2025, between the Company and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”). Pursuant to the purchase agreement between the Company and Evercore Group L.L.C., as representative (the “Representative”) of the several initial purchasers of the Notes (the “Initial Purchasers”), the Company granted the Initial Purchasers an option to purchase, for settlement within a period of 13 days from, and including, the date the Notes are first issued, up to an additional $26,250,000 aggregate principal amount of Notes. The Notes issued on September 19, 2025 include $26,250,000 aggregate principal amount of Notes issued pursuant to the full exercise by the Initial Purchasers of such option.

The Notes will be the Company’s senior, unsecured obligations and will be (i) equal in right of payment with the Company’s existing and future senior, unsecured indebtedness; (ii) senior in right of payment to the Company’s existing and future indebtedness, if any, that is expressly subordinated to the Notes; (iii) effectively subordinated to the Company’s existing and future secured indebtedness (including indebtedness under the Company’s credit agreement), to the extent of the value of the collateral securing that indebtedness; and (iv) structurally subordinated to all existing and future indebtedness and other liabilities, including trade payables, and (to the extent the Company is not a holder thereof) preferred equity, if any, of the Company’s subsidiaries.

The Notes will accrue interest at a rate of 3.75% per annum, payable semi-annually in arrears on March 15 and September 15 of each year, beginning on March 15, 2026. The Notes will mature on September 15, 2030, unless earlier repurchased, redeemed or converted. Before June 15, 2030, noteholders will have the right to convert their Notes only upon the occurrence of certain events. From and after June 15, 2030, noteholders may convert their Notes at any time at their election until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date. The Company will settle conversions by paying cash up to the aggregate principal amount of the Notes to be converted and paying or delivering, as applicable, cash, shares of its common stock or a combination of cash and shares of its common stock, at the Company’s election, in respect of the remainder, if any, of its conversion obligation in excess of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes being converted, based on the applicable conversion rate. The initial conversion rate is 86.8206 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount of Notes, which represents an initial conversion price of approximately $11.52 per share of common stock. The conversion rate and conversion price will be subject to customary adjustments upon the occurrence of certain events. In addition, if certain corporate events that constitute a “make-whole fundamental change” (as defined in the Indenture) occur, then the conversion rate will, in certain circumstances, be increased for a specified period of time.

The Notes will be redeemable, in whole or in part (subject to certain limitations described below), at the Company’s option at any time, and from time to time, on or after September 20, 2028 and on or before the 46th scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date, but only if (i) the Notes are “Freely Tradable” (as defined in the Indenture) as of the date the Company sends the related redemption notice, and all accrued and unpaid additional interest, if any, has been paid in full as of the most recent interest payment date occurring on or before the date the Company sends the related redemption notice; and (ii) the last reported sale price per share of the Company’s common stock exceeds 130% of the conversion price on (1) each of at least 20 trading days, whether or not consecutive, during the 30 consecutive trading days ending on, and including, the trading day immediately before the date the Company sends the related redemption notice; and (2) the trading day immediately before the date the Company sends such redemption notice. However, the Company may not redeem less than all of the outstanding Notes unless at least $70.0 million aggregate principal amount of Notes are outstanding and not called for redemption as of the time the Company sends, and after giving effect to, the related redemption notice. The redemption price will be a cash amount equal to the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date. In addition, calling (or the deemed calling of) any Note for redemption will constitute a “make-whole fundamental change” with respect to that Note, in which case the conversion rate applicable to the conversion of that Note will be increased in certain circumstances if it is converted during the related redemption conversion period.

If certain corporate events that constitute a “fundamental change” (as defined in the Indenture) occur, then, subject to a limited exception for certain cash mergers, noteholders may require the Company to repurchase their Notes at a cash repurchase price equal to the principal amount of the Notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the fundamental change repurchase date. The definition of “fundamental change” includes certain business combination transactions involving the Company and certain de-listing events with respect to the Company’s common stock.

The Notes will have customary provisions relating to the occurrence of “Events of Default” (as defined in the Indenture), which include the following: (i) certain payment defaults on the Notes (which, in the case of a default in the payment of interest on the Notes, will be subject to a 30-day cure period); (ii) the Company’s failure to send certain notices under the Indenture within specified periods of time; (iii) a default in the Company’s obligation to convert a Note upon the exercise of a conversion right with respect thereto, if such default is not cured within three days after its occurrence; (iv) the Company’s failure to comply with certain covenants in the Indenture relating to the Company’s ability to consolidate with or merge with or into, or sell, lease or otherwise transfer, in one transaction or a series of transactions, all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to another person; (v) a default by the Company in its other obligations or agreements under the Indenture or the Notes if such default is not cured or waived within 60 days after notice is given in accordance with the Indenture; (vi) certain defaults by the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to indebtedness for borrowed money of at least $30,000,000; and (vii) certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency and reorganization involving the Company or any of its significant subsidiaries.

If an Event of Default involving bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization events with respect to the Company (and not solely with respect to a significant subsidiary of the Company) occurs, then the principal amount of, and all accrued and unpaid interest on, all of the Notes then outstanding will immediately become due and payable without any further action or notice by any person. If any other Event of Default occurs and is continuing, then, the Trustee, by notice to the Company, or noteholders of at least 25% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding, by notice to the Company and the Trustee, may declare the principal amount of, and all accrued and unpaid interest on, all of the Notes then outstanding to become due and payable immediately. However, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may elect, at its option, that the sole remedy for an Event of Default relating to certain failures by the Company to comply with certain reporting covenants in the Indenture consists exclusively of the right of the noteholders to receive special interest on the Notes for up to 180 days at a specified rate per annum not exceeding 0.50% on the principal amount of the Notes.

The above description of the Indenture and the Notes is a summary and is not complete. A copy of the Indenture and the form of the certificate representing the Notes are filed as Exhibits 4.1 and 4.2, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K, and the above summary is qualified by reference to the terms of the Indenture and the Notes set forth in such exhibits.

Capped Call Transactions

On September 16, 2025, in connection with the pricing of the Notes, the Company entered into privately negotiated capped call transactions (the “Base Capped Call Transactions”) with one of the Initial Purchasers or its affiliate and certain other financial institutions (the “Option Counterparties”). In addition, on September 17, 2025, in connection with the Initial Purchasers’ exercise in full of their option to purchase additional Notes, the Company entered into additional capped call transactions (the “Additional Capped Call Transactions,” and, together with the Base Capped Call Transactions, the “Capped Call Transactions”) with each of the Option Counterparties. The Capped Call Transactions cover, subject to anti-dilution adjustments substantially similar to those applicable to the Notes, the aggregate number of shares of the Company’s common stock that initially underlie the Notes, and are expected generally to reduce potential dilution to the Company’s common stock upon any conversion of Notes and/or offset any cash payments the Company is required to make in excess of the principal amount of converted Notes, as the case may be, with such reduction and/or offset subject to a cap, based on the cap price of the Capped Call Transactions. The cap price of the Capped Call Transactions is initially approximately $15.51 per share, which represents a premium of approximately 75% over the last reported sale price of $8.86 per share of the Company’s common stock on September 16, 2025. The cost of the Capped Call Transactions was approximately $17.6 million.

The Capped Call Transactions are separate transactions, each between the Company and the applicable Option Counterparty, and are not part of the terms of the Notes and will not affect any holder’s rights under the Notes or the Indenture. Holders of the Notes will not have any rights with respect to the Capped Call Transactions.

The above description of the Capped Call Transactions is a summary and is not complete. A copy of the form of confirmation for the Capped Call Transactions is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K, and the above summary is qualified by reference to the terms of the form of confirmation set forth in such exhibit.

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

The disclosure set forth in Item 1.01 above is incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.

Item 3.02 Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.

The disclosure set forth in Item 1.01 above is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.02. The Notes were issued to the Initial Purchasers in reliance upon Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) in transactions not involving any public offering. The Notes were resold by the Initial Purchasers to persons whom the Initial Purchasers reasonably believe are “qualified institutional buyers,” as defined in, and in accordance with, Rule 144A under the Securities Act. Any shares of the Company’s common stock that may be issued upon conversion of the Notes will be issued in reliance upon Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act as involving an exchange by the Company exclusively with its security holders. Initially, a maximum of 22,714,447 shares of the Company’s common stock may be issued upon conversion of the Notes, based on the initial maximum conversion rate of 86.8206 shares of the Company’s common stock per $1,000 principal amount of Notes, which is subject to customary anti-dilution adjustment provisions.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits


Exhibit	Description
4.1	Indenture, dated as of September 19, 2025, between ADTRAN Holdings, Inc. and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as trustee.
4.2	Form of certificate representing the 3.75% convertible senior notes due 2030 (included as Exhibit A to Exhibit 4.1).
10.1	Form of Confirmation for Capped Call Transactions.
104	Cover page interactive data file (embedded within the inline XBRL document).

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.


			ADTRAN Holdings, Inc.

Date:	September 22, 2025	By:	/s/ Timothy Santo
			Name: Timothy Santo Title: Chief Financial Officer (Duly Authorized Officer and Principal Financial Officer)

ADTRAN Holdings, Inc. 8-K