To date, they are separate public companies with separate corporate charters and separate tickers. A merger is bad news on several counts. When SEC scrutinizes AEGY in the context of a merger that needs their approval, the SEC will see what we see: a confusing and duplicitous mess of a company. Not good.  AEGY is up to its neck in convertible debt. That debt becomes shared debt in a merger. Also, not good. Further, SKTO/BB have too much going for them now to put any of it at risk.