New York, January 17, 2026, 06:33 EST — The market has closed.
- BigBear.ai shares ended Friday at $6.12, slipping 0.8% amid heavy trading volume.
- An SEC filing reveals the company is already “97%” of the way toward approving a proposal to double its authorized common shares. Voting remains open until Jan. 21.
- After the U.S. holiday, markets will reopen Tuesday, and BigBear.ai has rescheduled its shareholder meeting for Jan. 22.
BigBear.ai Holdings shares closed Friday down 0.8% at $6.12, with around 91.6 million shares traded before the weekend break. The stock has seen heavy volume all week, including about 127.0 million shares changing hands on Thursday. 1
The next key event isn’t an earnings call—it’s a vote. In a Jan. 15 filing, BigBear.ai revealed it’s “97% of the way” to securing the votes needed to boost its authorized common stock from 500 million to 1 billion shares. Voting remains open until 11:59 p.m. ET on Jan. 21. Proxy advisers ISS and Glass Lewis have both recommended shareholders vote “For,” according to the same filing. 2
Authorized shares represent the maximum number a company can issue, as defined in its charter. Increasing this limit doesn’t immediately dilute current shareholders, but it opens the door for future share sales tied to deals or fundraising—something equity traders often factor in well ahead of time.
The broader market mood is mixed as the week begins. Wall Street finished Friday almost unchanged, and U.S. markets will be closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Trading picks back up Tuesday. 3
BigBear.ai is pitching the share-authorisation move as a way to maintain flexibility. CEO Kevin McAleenan, in separate proxy filings, emphasized the company wants approval for more shares but clarified this isn’t a plan to “immediately issue and sell” the additional stock. 4
Balance-sheet adjustments are also underway. On Jan. 14, the company announced it converted $125 million principal of its 6% convertible senior secured notes due 2029 into common shares, wiping out that debt “without any material cash outlay.” Note-related debt now stands at roughly $17 million, tied to convertible notes maturing in December 2026. 5
A previous filing explained how the conversion window works. According to an 8-K dated Jan. 2, the conversion rate for notes converted between Jan. 2 and Jan. 15 was raised to 305.5254 shares per $1,000 principal, up from the usual 281.4491 shares. Any notes not converted by then would be redeemed for cash on Jan. 16. 6
BigBear.ai has also been focusing on secure, government-oriented generative AI. In late December, it closed a $250 million cash deal to acquire Ask Sage. McAleenan described the acquisition as a “significant milestone” for advancing “mission-ready AI” in regulated sectors. 7
The near-term outlook is mixed. Approving the share proposal might reignite worries about dilution in a stock known for big swings and heavy trading. If it doesn’t pass, the company loses flexibility to use equity for acquisitions or financing—an outcome management is keen to prevent.
Traders are keeping an eye out for more proxy-solicitation documents or fresh vote counts as the deadline nears. The company’s voting platform shows Jan. 21 as the last day for online votes, with phone support available Monday through Saturday. 8
The key date to watch is Jan. 22, when BigBear.ai’s special stockholders meeting will reconvene at 3:00 p.m. EST via webcast. 9
