CBIZ Stockholders Approve $55/Share Grant Thornton Merger; Close Expected November 2
CBZ has more than doubled off its 52-week low of $24.29 on elevated volume (1.9× avg).
Summary
CBIZ shareholders approved the $55-per-share all-cash merger with Grant Thornton Advisors, with about 97% of votes cast in favor, and the company expects to close on or about November 2, 2026.
Key Events · M&A and Partnerships · CBZ
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Merger Agreement Approved by Stockholders
The Merger Agreement Proposal passed with 39,198,360 votes for, 1,180,759 against and 60,250 abstentions — a majority of outstanding shares entitled to vote.
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Merger-Related Compensation Also Cleared
The non-binding advisory proposal on change-in-control compensation for named executive officers passed 37,188,161 for to 3,130,664 against, with 120,544 abstentions.
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Closing Targeted for November 2, 2026
CBIZ said it expects to close the Transactions on or about November 2, 2026, subject to the terms of the Merger Agreement; the adjournment proposal was moot and not presented.
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Quorum and Vote Turnout
40,439,369 shares, representing 73.6% of shares outstanding as of the September 16, 2026 record date, were present virtually or by proxy at the Special Meeting.
Analysis · CBZ · Trade & Services
The last major condition on the $55-per-share all-cash sale to Grant Thornton Advisors has cleared. Holders of 73.6% of shares cast ballots, and the merger passed by a wide margin, with roughly 97% of votes cast in favor. That converts a pending deal into a near-certain closing, expected on or about November 2, 2026. For shareholders the outcome is essentially a fixed $55 cash price rather than a bet on the business. That matters because the company recently posted a Q3 earnings miss, withdrew 2026 guidance, disclosed two material weaknesses in internal controls with an adverse auditor opinion, and flagged about $15 million of one-time legal expenses omitted from its October 19 release. The remaining risk is timing and any closing condition, not shareholder approval.
How filings like this one have moved
In the 30 days to Oct 27, 2026, 36.2% of the 898 measured filings Wiseek scored 8 moved their stock by 5% or more by the next session's close. The median move was -0.75%. These are measured outcomes after filings of this importance, not a forecast for this one.
Measured one observation per ticker per day, after exclusions. Current figures: Filing Impact Tracker · open dataset
At the time of this filing, CBZ was trading at $54.82 on NYSE in the Trade & Services sector, with a market capitalization of approximately $3B. The 52-week trading range was $24.29 to $56.41. This filing was assessed with positive market sentiment and an importance score of 8 out of 10.