SGMD Sugarmade Inc (PK)

Item 1A. Risk Factors

RISK FACTORS

Cautionary Statements

The discussions and information in this Form 10-K may contain both historical and forward-looking statements. To the extent that the Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements regarding the financial condition, operating results, business prospects, or any other aspect of our business, please be advised that our actual financial condition, operating results, and business performance may differ materially from that projected or estimated by us in forward-looking statements. We have attempted to identify, in context, certain of the factors we currently believe may cause actual future experience and results to differ from our current expectations.

RISKS RELATED TO OUR BUSINESS

The report of our independent registered public accounting firm expresses substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

The report of our independent registered public accounting firm expresses substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Our auditors, L&L CPAs, have indicated in their report on the Company’s financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2019, that conditions exist that raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern due to our recurring losses from operations and substantial decline in our working capital. A “going concern” opinion could impair our ability to finance our operations through the sale of equity, incurring debt, or other financing alternatives. Our ability to continue as a going concern will depend upon the availability and terms of future funding, continued growth, improved operating margins and our ability to profitably meet service commitments. If we are unable to achieve these goals, our business would be jeopardized and the Company may not be able to continue. If we ceased operations, it is likely that all of our investors would lose their investment.

We face risks associated with strategic acquisitions.

Our business strategy includes strategically acquisitions of businesses and assets, some of which may be material. We plan to investigate and acquire strategic businesses with the potential to be accretive to earnings, increase our market penetration, brand strength and our market position or enhancement our existing product offerings. There can be no assurance that we will be able to identify or successfully complete transactions with suitable acquisition candidates in the future.

These acquisitions may involve a number of financial, accounting, managerial, operational, legal, compliance and other risks and challenges, including the following, any of which could adversely affect our results of operations:

Additionally, if we were to undertake a substantial acquisition, the acquisition would likely need to be financed in part through additional financing from banks, through possible public offerings or private placements of debt or equity securities or through other arrangements. There can be no assurance that the necessary acquisition financing would be available to us on acceptable terms if and when required.

Acquisitions could also result in dilutive issuances of equity securities or the incurrence of debt, which could adversely affect our operating results. We may also unknowingly inherit liabilities from acquired businesses or assets that arise after the acquisition and that are not adequately covered by indemnities. Following any business acquisition, we could experience difficulty in integrating personnel, operations, financial and other systems, and in retaining key employees and customers. In addition, if an acquired business fails to meet our expectations, our operating results, business and financial position may suffer.

In addition, a significant portion of the purchase price of companies we acquire may be allocated to acquired goodwill and other intangible assets, which must be assessed for impairment at least annually. We may record goodwill and other intangible assets on our consolidated balance sheet in connection with our acquisitions. If we are not able to realize the value of these assets, we may be required to incur charges relating to the impairment of these assets, which could materially impact our financial condition and results of operations.

We may have difficulties integrating acquisitions or identifying new acquisitions.

A major part of our strategy is to grow through acquisition. However, we may be unable to identify and consummate additional acquisitions or may be unable to successfully integrate and manage the product lines or businesses that we have recently acquired or may acquire in the future. In addition, we may be unable to achieve a substantial portion of any anticipated cost savings from acquisitions or other anticipated benefits in the timeframe we anticipate, or at all. Moreover, any acquired product lines or businesses may require a greater than anticipated amount of trade, promotional and capital spending. Acquisitions involve numerous risks, including difficulties in the assimilation of the operations, technologies, services and products of the acquired companies, personnel turnover and the diversion of management’s attention from other business concerns. Any inability by us to integrate and manage any product lines or businesses that we have recently acquired or may acquire in the future in a timely and efficient manner, any inability to achieve a substantial portion of any anticipated cost savings or other anticipated benefits from these acquisitions in the time frame we anticipate or any unanticipated required increases in trade, promotional or capital spending could adversely affect our business, consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. Moreover, future acquisitions by us could result in our incurring substantial additional indebtedness, being exposed to contingent liabilities or incurring the impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets, all of which could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.

We may need additional capital in the future, which could dilute the ownership of current shareholders or we may be unable to secure additional funding in the future or to obtain such funding on favorable terms.

Historically, we have raised equity capital, including debt convertible into equity capital, to support and expand our operations. To the extent that we raise additional equity capital, existing shareholders will experience a dilution in the voting power and ownership of their shares of Common Stock, and earnings per share, if any, would be negatively impacted. Our inability to use our equity securities to finance our operations could materially limit our growth. Any borrowings made to finance operations could make us more vulnerable to a downturn in our operating results, a downturn in economic conditions, or increases in interest rates on borrowings that are subject to interest rate fluctuations. The amount and timing of such additional financing needs will vary principally depending on the timing of new product launches, investments and/or acquisitions, and the amount of cash flow from our operations. If our resources are insufficient to satisfy our cash requirements, we may seek to issue additional equity or debt securities or obtain a credit facility. If our cash flow from operations is insufficient to meet any debt service

requirements, we could be required to sell additional equity securities, refinance our obligations, or dispose of assets in order to meet debt service requirements. There can be no assurance that any financing will be available to us when needed or will be available on terms acceptable to us. Our failure to obtain sufficient financing on favorable terms and conditions could have a material adverse effect on our growth prospects and our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Uncertainty of profitability

Our business strategy may result in increased volatility of revenues, loses and/or earnings. As we will only develop a limited number of products at a time, our overall success will depend on a limited number of products, which may cause variability and unsteady profits and losses depending on the products and/or services offered and their market acceptance.

Our revenues and our profitability may be adversely affected by economic conditions and changes in the market for our products. Our business is also subject to general economic risks that could adversely impact the results of operations and financial condition.

Because of the anticipated nature of the products that we offer and attempt to develop, it is difficult to accurately forecast revenues and operating results and these items could fluctuate in the future due to a number of factors. These factors may include, among other things, the following:

We cannot guarantee that we will succeed in achieving our goals, and our failure to do so would have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results

Some of business initiatives in the hydroponic sector are new and are only in early stages of commercialization. As is typical in a new and rapidly evolving industry, demand and market acceptance for recently introduced products and services are subject to a high level of uncertainty and risk. Because the market for our Company is new and evolving, it is difficult to predict with any certainty the size of this market and its growth rate, if any. We cannot guarantee that a market for our Company will develop or that demand for our products will emerge or be sustainable. If the market fails to develop, develops more slowly than expected or becomes saturated with competitors, our business, financial condition and operating results would be materially adversely affected.

We have incurred losses since our inception, have yet to achieve profitable operations and anticipate that we will continue to incur losses for the foreseeable future.

Even if we obtain more customers or increase sales to our existing customers, there is no guarantee we will be able to generate a profit. Because we are a small company and have limited capital, we must limit our products and services. Because we will be limiting our marketing activities, we may not be able to attract enough customers to buy our products to operate profitably. Further, we are subject to raw material pricing which can erode the profitability of our products and put additional negative pressure on profitability. If we cannot operate profitably, we may have to suspend or cease operations.

For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2019 we incurred an operating loss of $4,915,077. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018, we incurred an operating loss of $1,241,947. At June 30, 2019 we had an accumulated deficit of $47,088,950. Although we have generated substantial revenues, they are insufficient to make the Company profitable. We plan to increase our expenses associated with the development of our business. There is no assurance we will be able to derive revenues from the development of our business to successfully achieve positive cash flow or that our business will be successful. If we achieve profitability, we may be unable to sustain or increase profits on a quarterly or annual basis.

We do not have sufficient cash on hand.

As of June 30, 2019, we had $34,371 cash on hand. These cash resources are not sufficient for us to execute our business plan. If we do not generate sufficient cash from our intended financing activities and sales, we will be unable to continue our operations. We estimate that within the next 12 months we will need at least $5,000,000 in cash from either investors or operations. While we intend to engage in several equity or debt financings, there is no assurance that these will actually occur. Nor can we assure our shareholders that we will not be required to obtain additional financing on terms that are dilutive of their interests. You should recognize that if we are unable to generate sufficient revenues or obtain debt or equity financing, we will not be able to earn profits and may not be able to continue operations.

The success of our new and existing products and services is uncertain.

We expect to continue to commit significant resources and capital to develop and market existing and new products, services and enhancements. These products and services are relatively untested, and there is no assurance that we will achieve market acceptance for these products and services, or other new products and services that we may offer in the future. Moreover, these and other new products and services may face significant competition with new and existing competitors. In addition, new products, services and enhancements may pose a variety of technical challenges and require us to attract additional qualified employees. The failure to successfully develop and market these new products, services or enhancements could seriously harm our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, we are subject to raw material pricing which can erode the profitability of our products and put additional negative pressure on profitability. Moreover, if we fail to accurately project demand for our new or existing products, we may encounter problems of overproduction or underproduction which would materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, as well as damage our reputation and brand.

Third-party suppliers could fail to fulfill our orders for parts used to assemble our products, which would disrupt our business, increase our costs, harm our reputation, and potentially cause us to lose our market.

We depend on international third-party suppliers, including in The People’s Republic of China, for materials used to assemble our products. Changing federal tariffs could adversely affect our international third-party suppliers. We cannot predict the nature of any future tariffs, laws, regulations, interpretations or applications, nor can we determine what effect additional governmental regulations or administrative policies and procedures, when and if promulgated, could have on our suppliers and our business. These suppliers could increase prices to us, fail to produce products to our specifications or in a workmanlike manner and may not deliver the material or products on a timely basis. Our suppliers may also have to obtain inventories of the necessary parts and tools for production. Any change in our suppliers’ approach to tariffs or resolving production issues could disrupt our ability to fulfill orders and could also disrupt our business due to delays in finding new suppliers, providing specifications and testing initial production. Such disruptions in our business and/or delays in fulfilling orders would materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, as well as damage our reputation and brand.

Even if we expand our customer base, there is no assurance that we will continue to make a profit.

Our revenue growth has been derived from the sale of our products. Our success and the planned growth and expansion of our business depend on us achieving greater and broader acceptance of our products and expanding our customer base. There can be no assurance that customers will purchase our products or that we will continue to expand our customer base. If we are unable to effectively market or expand our product offerings, we will be unable to grow and expand our business or implement our business strategy. Even if we obtain more customers, there is no guarantee that we will be able to continue to generate a profit. Because we have limited capital, we may be required to limit our products and services. Because we will be limiting our marketing activities, we may not be able to attract enough customers to buy our products to operate profitably. If we cannot market our new and existing products and services profitably, we may have to limit or suspend or cease operations.

Even if we are able to expand our business operations, we may be unable to successfully manage our future growth.

If we are able to continue expanding our operations, we may experience periods of rapid growth that will require additional resources. Any such growth could place increased strain on our management, operational, financial and other resources, and we will need to train, motivate, and manage employees, as well as attract management, sales, finance and accounting, international, technical, and other professionals. In addition, we will need to expand the scope of our infrastructure and develop further physical resources. Any failure to expand these areas and implement appropriate procedures and controls in an efficient manner and at a pace consistent with the business objectives could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

Our inability to effectively manage our growth could harm our business and materially and adversely affect our operating results and financial condition.

Our strategy envisions growing our business. We plan to expand our product, sales, administrative and marketing operations. Any growth in or expansion of our business is likely to continue to place a strain on our management and administrative resources, infrastructure and systems. As with other growing businesses, we expect that we will need to further refine and expand our business development capabilities, our systems and processes and our access to financing sources. We also will need to hire, train, supervise, and manage new employees. These processes are time consuming and expensive, will increase management responsibilities and will divert management attention.

If we do not successfully generate additional products and services, or if such products and services are developed but not successfully commercialized, we could lose revenue opportunities.

Our future success depends, in part, on our ability to expand our product and service offerings. To that end we have engaged in the process of identifying new product opportunities to provide additional products and related services to our customers. The processes of identifying and commercializing new products is complex and uncertain, and if we fail to accurately predict customers’ changing needs and emerging trends, our business could be harmed. We have already and may have to continue to commit significant resources to commercializing new products before knowing whether our investments will result in products the market will accept. Furthermore, we may not execute successfully on commercializing those products because of errors in product planning or timing, technical hurdles that we fail to overcome in a timely fashion, or a lack of appropriate resources. This could result in competitors providing those solutions before we do and a reduction in net sales and earnings.

The success of new products depends on several factors, including proper new product definition, timely completion, and introduction of these products, differentiation of new products from those of our competitors, and market acceptance of these products. There can be no assurance that we will successfully identify additional new product opportunities, develop and bring new products to market in a timely manner, or achieve market acceptance of our products or that products and technologies developed by others will not render our products or technologies obsolete or noncompetitive.

If we are not able to raise enough funds through the Investment Agreement or other sources, we may not be able to successfully develop and market our products and our business may fail.

We do not have any commitments for financing other than the Investment Agreement, and we will need additional financing to meet our obligations and to continue our business. Although we plan to raise funds through the Investment Agreement, due to the conditions of the Investment Agreement we cannot guarantee that we will be able to raise money through the use of the Investment Agreement or that we will be able to utilize the full Investment Agreement.

Our business may suffer if we are unable to attract or retain talented personnel.

Our success will depend in large measure on the abilities, expertise, judgment, discretion, integrity and good faith of Management, as well as other personnel. We have a small management team, and the loss of a key individual or our inability to attract suitably qualified replacements or additional staff could adversely affect our business. Our success also depends on the ability of Management to form and maintain key commercial relationships within the marketplace. No assurance can be given that key personnel will continue their association or employment with us or that replacement personnel with comparable skills will be found. If we are unable to attract and retain key personnel and additional employees, our business may be adversely affected. We do not maintain key-man life insurance on any of our executive employees.

The loss of key Management personnel could adversely affect our business

We depend on the continued services of our executive officers and senior management team as they work closely with independent associate leaders and are responsible for our day-to-day operations. Our success depends in part on our ability to retain our executive officers, to compensate our executive officers at attractive levels, and to continue to attract additional qualified individuals to our management team. Although we have entered into employment agreements with our senior management team, and do not believe that any of them are planning to leave or retire in the near term, we cannot assure you that our senior managers will remain with us. The loss or limitation of the services of any of our executive officers or members of our senior management team, or the inability to attract additional qualified management personnel, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, or independent associate relations.

The lack of available and cost-effective directors and officer’s insurance coverage in our industry may cause us to be unable to attract and retain qualified executives, and this may result in our inability to further develop our business

Our business depends on attracting independent directors, executives and senior management to advance our business plans. We currently do not have directors and officer’s insurance to protect our directors, officers and the company against to possible third-party claims. This is due to the significant lack availability of such policies in the cannabis industry at reasonably competitive prices. As a result, the Company and our executive directors and officers are susceptible to liability claims arising by third parties, and as a result, we may be unable to attract and retain qualified independent directors and executive management causing the development of our business plans to be impeded as a result.

If we fail to maintain satisfactory relationships with our larger customers, our business may be harmed. 

We do not have and are unlikely to enter into long-term fixed quantity supply agreements with our customers. Due to competition or other factors, we could lose future business from our customers, either partially or completely. The future loss of one or more of our significant customers or a substantial future reduction of orders by any of our significant customers could harm our business and results of operations. Moreover, our customers may vary their order levels significantly from period to period and customers may not continue to place orders with us in the future at the same levels as in prior periods. In the event that in the future we lose any of our larger customers, we may not be able to replace that revenue source. This could harm our financial results.

Management of growth will be necessary for us to be competitive

Successful expansion of our business will depend on our ability to effectively attract and manage staff, strategic business relationships, and shareholders. Specifically, we will need to hire skilled management and technical personnel as well as manage partnerships to navigate shifts in the general economic environment. Expansion has the potential to place significant strains on financial, management, and operational resources, yet failure to expand will inhibit our profitability goals.

We import many of our products from Asian counties, including the People’s Republic of China. Disruptions or a change in the tariff situation may negatively affect our business

Many of the products we market are manufactured in Asian countries and are then imported to our facilities in the United States and ultimately sold to our customers. There can be no assurance of the reliability of such channels and disruption would likely have a significant impact on our business operations, our ability to retain customers and on our ability to generate profits. A significant change in trade tariffs could also negatively affect our business operations.

 If product liability lawsuits are successfully brought against us, we will incur substantial liabilities.

From time to time, we may receive complaints from customers regarding our goods and services. We may become subject to product liability lawsuits from customers alleging injury because of a purported defect in our products or services, claiming substantial damages and demanding payments from us. Liability claims may include allegations of defects in manufacturing, defects in design, a failure to warn of dangers inherent in the product, negligence, strict liability and a breach of warranties. Claims could also be asserted under state consumer protection acts. We may be in the chain of ownership when we supply or distributes products, and therefore is subject to the risk of being held legally responsible for such products. Given the nature of these products (including their relation to cannabis or for

other reasons), these claims may not be subject to insurance coverage or covered by insurance policies. Any resulting litigation, regardless of the merits or eventual outcome, could decrease demand for our products, result in product recalls or withdrawals, be costly, divert management attention, result in increased costs of doing business, or otherwise have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition. Any litigation or even negative publicity generated as a result of customer frustration or disagreement with the products or services could damage our reputation and diminish the value of our brand name, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

We cannot guarantee that we will succeed in achieving our goals, and our failure to do so would have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results

Some of business initiatives in the hydroponic sector are new and are only in early stages of commercialization. As is typical in a new and rapidly evolving industry, demand and market acceptance for recently introduced products and services are subject to a high level of uncertainty and risk. Because the market for our Company is new and evolving, it is difficult to predict with any certainty the size of this market and its growth rate, if any. We cannot guarantee that a market for our Company will develop or that demand for our products will emerge or be sustainable. If the market fails to develop, develops more slowly than expected or becomes saturated with competitors, our business, financial condition and operating results would be materially adversely affected.

RISKS OF GOVERNMENT ACTION AND REGULATORY UNCERTAINTY

The Farm Bill recently passed, and undeveloped shared state-federal regulations over hemp cultivation and production may impact our business.

The Farm Bill was signed into law on December 20, 2018. Under Section 10113 of the Farm Bill, state departments of agriculture must consult with the state’s governor and chief law enforcement officer to devise a plan that must be submitted to the Secretary of USDA. A state’s plan to license and regulate hemp can only commence once the Secretary of USDA approves that state’s plan. In states opting not to devise a hemp regulatory program, USDA will need to construct a regulatory program under which hemp cultivators in those states must apply for licenses and comply with a federally-run program. The details and scopes of each state’s plans are not known at this time and may contain varying regulations that may impact our business. Even if a state creates a plan in conjunction with its governor and chief law enforcement officer, the Secretary of the USDA must approve it. There can be no guarantee that any state plan will be approved. Review times may be extensive. There may be amendments and the ultimate plans, if approved by states and the USDA, may materially limit our business depending upon the scope of the regulations.

Laws and regulations affecting our industry to be developed under the Farm Bill are in development

As a result of the Farm Bill’s recent passage, there will be a constant evolution of laws and regulations affecting the hemp industry could detrimentally affect our operations. Local, state and federal hemp laws and regulations may be broad in scope and subject to changing interpretations. These changes may require us to incur substantial costs associated with legal and compliance fees and ultimately require us to alter our business plan. Furthermore, violations of these laws, or alleged violations, could disrupt our business and result in a material adverse effect on our operations. In addition, we cannot predict the nature of any future laws, regulations, interpretations or applications, and it is possible that regulations may be enacted in the future that will be directly applicable to our business.

U.S. Federal and foreign regulation and enforcement may adversely affect the implementation of cannabis laws and regulations and may negatively impact our revenue, or we may be found to be violating the Controlled Substances Act or other U.S. federal, state, or foreign laws.

Even though we do not cultivate, process, market or distribute cannabis or any products that contain cannabis, some of our customers do engage in such activities. Cannabis, as not strictly defined in the 2018 Farm Bill, is a Schedule-I controlled substance and is illegal under federal law. Even in those states where the use of cannabis, as not strictly defined in the 2018 Farm Bill, has been legalized, its use remains a violation of federal law. A Schedule I controlled substance is defined as a substance that has no currently accepted medical use in the United States, a lack of safety for use under medical supervision and a high potential for abuse. The Department of Justice defines Schedule 1 controlled substances as “the most dangerous drugs of all the drug schedules with potentially severe psychological or physical dependence.”

At present, numerous states and the District of Columbia allow their citizens to use medical cannabis. Additionally, many states have approved legalization of cannabis, as not strictly defined in the 2018 Farm Bill, for adult recreational use. The laws of these states relative to cannabis as not strictly defined in the 2018 Farm Bill, are in conflict with the Federal Controlled Substances Act, which makes cannabis, as not strictly defined in the 2018 Farm Bill, use and possession illegal on a national level. If the federal government decides to enforce the Controlled Substances Act with respect to cannabis, as not strictly defined in the 2018 Farm Bill, persons that are charged with distributing, possessing with intent to distribute, or growing cannabis, as not strictly defined in the 2018 Farm Bill, could be subject to fines and imprisonment. Any such change in the federal government’s enforcement of current federal laws will cause significant financial damage to us.

The approach to the enforcement of cannabis laws may be subject to change, which creates uncertainty for our business.

As a result of the conflicting views between state legislatures and the federal government regarding cannabis, as not strictly defined in the 2018 Farm Bill, investments in, and the operations of, cannabis businesses in the U.S. are subject to inconsistent laws and regulations. Laws and regulations affecting the cannabis industry are constantly changing, which could detrimentally affect our operations. Local, state and federal cannabis laws and regulations are broad in scope and subject to evolving interpretations, which could require us to incur substantial costs associated with compliance or alter our business plan. In addition, violations of these laws, or allegations of such violations, could disrupt our business and result in a material adverse effect on our operations. It is also possible that regulations may be enacted in the future that will be directly applicable to our business. These ever-changing regulations could even affect federal tax policies that may make it difficult to claim tax deductions on our returns. We cannot predict the nature of any future laws, regulations, interpretations or applications, nor can we determine what effect additional governmental regulations or administrative policies and procedures, when and if promulgated, could have on our business.

RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH BANK AND INSURANCE LAWS AND REGULATIONS

We and our customers may have difficulty accessing the service of banks, which may make it difficult to sell our products and services and manage our cashflows.

Since the commerce in cannabis, as not strictly defined in the 2018 Farm Bill, is illegal under federal law, federally most chartered banks will not accept for deposit funds from businesses involved with cannabis. Consequently, businesses involved in the cannabis industry often have trouble finding a bank willing to accept their business. The inability to open bank accounts may make it difficult for our customers to operate. There does appears to be recent movement to allow state-chartered banks and credit unions to provide banking to the industry, but as of the date of this report there are only nominal entities that have been formed that offer these services. Further, in a February 6, 2018, Forbes article, United States Secretary of the Treasury, Steven Munchin, is reported to have testified that his department is “reviewing the existing guidance.” But he clarified that he doesn’t want to rescind it without having an alternate policy in place to address public safety concerns.

Financial transactions involving proceeds generated by cannabis-related conduct can form the basis for prosecution under the federal money laundering statutes, unlicensed money transmitter statute and the U.S. Bank Secrecy Act. Despite guidance from the U.S. Department of the Treasury suggesting it may be possible for financial institutions to provide services to cannabis-related businesses consistent with their obligations under the Bank Secrecy Act, banks remain hesitant to offer banking services to cannabis-related businesses. Consequently, those businesses involved in the cannabis industry continue to encounter difficulty establishing banking relationships. Our inability to maintain our current bank accounts would make it difficult for us to operate our business, increase our operating costs, and pose additional operational, logistical and security challenges and could result in our inability to implement our business plan. Similarly, many of our customers are directly involved in cannabis sales and further restriction to their ability to access banking services may make it difficult for them to purchase our products, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to certain federal regulations relating to cash reporting.

The Bank Secrecy Act, enforced by FinCEN, requires us to report currency transactions in excess of $10,000, including identification of the customer by name and social security number, to the IRS. This regulation also requires us to report certain suspicious activity, including any transaction that exceeds $5,000 that we know, suspect or have reason to believe involves funds from illegal activity or is designed to evade federal regulations or reporting requirements and to verify sources of funds. Substantial penalties can be imposed against us if we fail to comply with this regulation. If we fail to comply with these laws and regulations, the imposition of a substantial penalty could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Due to our involvement in the cannabis industry, we may have a difficult time obtaining the various insurances that are desired to operate our business, which may expose us to additional risk and financial liability

Insurance that is otherwise readily available, such as general liability, and directors and officer’s insurance, is more difficult for us to find, and more expensive, because we are service providers to companies in the cannabis industry. There are no guarantees that we will be able to find such insurances in the future, or that the cost will be affordable to us. If we are forced to go without such insurances, it may prevent us from entering into certain business sectors, may inhibit our growth, and may expose us to additional risk and financial liabilities.

RISK ASSOCIATED WITH OUR INDUSTRY

Our business and financial performance may be adversely affected by downturns in the target markets that we serve or reduced demand for the types of products we sell. 

Demand for our products is often affected by general economic conditions as well as product-use trends in our target markets. These changes may result in decreased demand for our products. The occurrence of these conditions is beyond our ability to control and, when they occur, they may have a significant impact on our sales and results of operations. The inability or unwillingness of our customers to pay a premium for our products due to general economic conditions or a downturn in the economy may have a significant adverse impact on our sales and results of operations.

Changes within the cannabis industry may adversely affect our financial performance. 

Changes in the identity, ownership structure and strategic goals of our competitors and the emergence of new competitors in our target markets may harm our financial performance. New competitors may include foreign-based companies and commodity-based domestic producers who could enter our specialty markets if they are unable to compete in their traditional markets. The paper industry has also experienced consolidation of producers and distribution channels. Further consolidation could unite other producers with distribution channels through which we intend to sell our products, thereby limiting access to our target markets.

We are subject to certain tax risks and treatments that could negatively impact our results of operations.

Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended, prohibits businesses from deducting certain expenses associated with trafficking-controlled substances (within the meaning of Schedule I and II of the Controlled Substances Act). The IRS has invoked Section 280E in tax audits against various cannabis businesses in the U.S. that are permitted under applicable state laws. Although the IRS issued a clarification allowing the deduction of certain expenses, the scope of such items is interpreted very narrowly, and the bulk of operating costs and general administrative costs are not permitted to be deducted. While there are currently several pending cases before various administrative and federal courts challenging these restrictions, there is no guarantee that these courts will issue an interpretation of Section 280E favorable to cannabis businesses.

The Company’s industry is highly competitive, and we have less capital and resources than many of our competitors which may give them and advantage in developing and marketing products similar to ours or make our products obsolete.

We are involved in a highly competitive industry where we may compete with numerous other companies who offer alternative methods or approaches, who may have far greater resources, more experience, and personnel perhaps more qualified than we do. Such resources may give our competitors an advantage in developing and marketing products similar to ours or products that make our products less desirable to consumers or obsolete. There can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully compete against these other entities.

We may be unable to respond to the rapid technological change in the industry and such change may increase costs and competition that may adversely affect our business

Rapidly changing technologies, frequent new product and service introductions and evolving industry standards characterize our market. The continued growth of the Internet and intense competition in our industry exacerbates these market characteristics. Our future success will depend on our ability to adapt to rapidly changing technologies by continually improving the performance features and reliability of our products. We may experience difficulties that could delay or prevent the successful development, introduction or marketing of our products. In addition, any new enhancements must meet the requirements of our current and prospective customers and must achieve significant market acceptance. We could also incur substantial costs if we need to modify our products and services or infrastructures to adapt to these changes.

We also expect that new competitors may introduce products or services that are directly or indirectly competitive with us. These competitors may succeed in developing, products and services that have greater functionality or are less costly than our products and services and may be more successful in marketing such products and services. Technological changes have lowered the cost of operating communications and computer systems and purchasing software. These changes reduce our cost of selling products and providing services, but also facilitate increased competition by reducing competitors’ costs in providing similar products and services. This competition could increase price competition and reduce anticipated profit margins.

RISKS RELATED TO OUR COMMON STOCK

We may need additional capital that will dilute the ownership interest of investors.

We may require additional capital to fund our future business operations. If we raise additional funds through the issuance of equity, equity-related or convertible debt securities, these securities may have rights, preferences or privileges senior to those of the rights of holders of our shares of common stock, who may experience dilution of their ownership interest of our shares of Common Stock. We cannot predict whether additional financing will be available to us on favorable terms when required, or at all. Since our inception, we have experienced negative cash flow from operations and expect to experience significant negative cash flow from operations in the future. The issuance of additional shares of Common Stock by our board of directors may have the effect of further diluting the proportionate equity interest and voting power of holders of our shares of Common Stock.

We have the ability to issue additional shares of our shares of preferred stock without asking for stockholder approval, which could cause your investment to be diluted.

Our Articles of Incorporation authorizes the Board of Directors to issue up to 1,990,000,000 shares of Common Stock. The power of the Board of Directors to issue shares of Common Stock, preferred stock or warrants or options to purchase shares of Common Stock or preferred stock is generally not subject to stockholder approval. Accordingly, any additional issuance of our shares of Common Stock, or shares of preferred stock that may be convertible into Common Stock, may have the effect of diluting your investment.

Our shares of Common Stock qualify as a penny stock. As such, we are subject to the risks associated with “penny stocks”. Regulations relating to “penny stocks” limit the ability of our shareholders to sell their shares and, as a result, our shareholders may have to hold their shares indefinitely.

Our shares of Common Stock are deemed to be “penny stock” as that term is defined in Regulation Section 240.3a51-1 of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Penny stocks are stocks: (a) with a price of less than $5.00 per share; (b) that are not traded on a “recognized” national exchange; (c) whose prices are not quoted on the NASDAQ automated quotation system (NASDAQ - where listed stocks must still meet requirement (a) above); or (d) in issuers with net tangible assets of less than $2,000,000 (if the issuer has been in continuous operation for at least three years) or $5,000,000 (if in continuous operation for less than three years), or with average revenues of less than $6,000,000 for the last three years.

Section 15(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Regulation 240.15g(c)2 of the Securities and Exchange Commission require broker dealers dealing in penny stocks to provide potential investors with a document disclosing the risks of penny stocks and to obtain a manually signed and dated written receipt of the document before effecting any transaction in a penny stock for the investor’s account. Potential investors in our shares of Common Stock are urged to obtain and read such disclosure carefully before purchasing any shares of Common Stock that are deemed to be “penny stock”.

Moreover, Regulation 240.15g-9 of the SEC requires broker dealers in penny stocks to approve the account of any investor for transactions in such stocks before selling any penny stock to that investor. This procedure requires the broker dealer to: (a) obtain from the investor information concerning his or her financial situation, investment experience and investment objectives; (b) reasonably determine, based on that information, that transactions in penny stocks are suitable for the investor and that the investor has sufficient knowledge and experience as to be reasonably capable of evaluating the risks of penny stock transactions; (c) provide the investor with a written statement setting forth the basis on which the broker dealer made the determination in (ii) above; and (d) receive a signed and dated copy of such statement from the investor confirming that it accurately reflects the investor’s

financial situation, investment experience and investment objectives. Compliance with these requirements may make it more difficult for investors in our shares of Common Stock to resell their shares to third parties or to otherwise dispose of them. Holders should be aware that, according to SEC Release No. 34-29093, dated April 17, 1991, the market for penny stocks suffers from patterns of fraud and abuse. Such patterns include:

Our Management is aware of the abuses that have occurred historically in the penny stock market. Although we do not expect to be in a position to dictate the behavior of the market or of broker-dealers who participate in the market, Management will strive within the confines of practical limitations to prevent the described patterns from being established with respect to our securities.

FINRA sales practice requirements may also limit a stockholder’s ability to buy and sell our stock and to deposit certificates in paper form or to clear shares for trading under Safe Harbor exemptions and regulations for unregistered shares.

In addition to the “penny stock” rules described above, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (known as “FINRA”) has adopted rules that require that in recommending an investment to a customer, a broker-dealer must have reasonable grounds for believing that the investment is suitable for that customer. Prior to recommending speculative low-priced securities to their non-institutional customers, broker-dealers must make reasonable efforts to obtain information about the customer’s financial status, tax status, investment objectives and other information. Under interpretations of these rules, FINRA believes that there is a high probability that speculative low-priced securities will not be suitable for at least some customers. FINRA requirements make it more difficult for broker- dealers to recommend that their customers buy our shares of Common Stock, which may limit your ability to buy and sell our stock and have an adverse effect on the market for our shares. FINRA requirements make it more difficult for our investor to deposit paper stock certificates or to clear our shares of Common Stock that are transferred electronically to brokerage accounts. There can be no assurances that our investors will be able to clear our shares for eventual resale.

Costs and expenses of being a reporting company under the 1934 Securities Exchange Act may be burdensome and prevent us from achieving profitability

As a public company, we are subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and parts of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We expect that the requirements of these rules and regulations will continue to increase our legal, accounting and financial compliance costs, make some activities more difficult, time-consuming and costly, and place significant strain on our personnel, systems and resources.

The trading market for our common stock is limited.

We are quoted on the OTC Markets Group’s OTCQB Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board under the trading symbol “SGMD”. The OTCQB is regarded as a junior trading venue. This may result in limited shareholder interest and hence lower prices for our common stock than might otherwise be obtained.

Our principal stockholders, executive officers and directors own a significant percentage of our common stock and will be able to exert a significant control over matters submitted to the stockholders for approval.

Our officers and directors, and stockholders who own more than 5% of our common stock beneficially own a significant percentage of our common stock. This significant concentration of share ownership may adversely affect the trading price for our common stock because investors often perceive disadvantages in owning stock in companies with controlling stockholders. These stockholders, if they acted together, could significantly influence all matters requiring approval by the stockholders, including the election of directors. The interests of these stockholders may not always coincide with the interests of other stockholders.

We do not intend to pay dividends on our common stock and, consequently, your ability to achieve a return on your investment will depend on appreciation in the price of our common stock.

We have never declared or paid any cash dividend on our common stock and do not currently intend to do so for the foreseeable future. We currently anticipate that we will retain future earnings for the development, operation and expansion of our business and do not anticipate declaring or paying any cash dividends for the foreseeable future. Therefore, the success of an investment in shares of our common stock will depend upon any future appreciation in their value. There is no guarantee that shares of our common stock will appreciate in value or even maintain the price at which our stockholders have purchased their shares.

If we fail to establish or maintain effective internal control over financial reporting, we may be unable to accurately report our financial results or prevent fraud, and investor confidence and the market price of our common stock may, therefore, be adversely impacted.

As a public company, we are required to maintain internal control over financial reporting for each of our fiscal years and to report any material weaknesses in such internal control. Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) requires that we evaluate and determine the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, provide a management report on the internal control over financial reporting, which must be attested to by our independent registered public accounting firm to the extent we decide not to avail ourselves of the exemptions provided under federal laws. Management has presently concluded that our internal control over financial reporting is not effective and has reported such conclusions in management’s report in this annual report on Form 10-K. In the event that the Company’s status with the SEC changes to that of an accelerated filer from a smaller reporting company, our independent registered public accounting firm will be required to attest to and report on our management’s assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. Under such circumstances, even if our management concludes that our internal control over financial reporting are effective, our independent registered public accounting firm may still decline to attest to our management’s assessment, or may issue a report that is qualified, if it is not satisfied with our controls, or the level at which our controls are documented, designed, operated or reviewed, or if it interprets the relevant requirements differently from us.

Shareholders and investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports and the market price of our common stock could be negatively affected, we could become subject to investigations by the Securities and Exchange Commission, or other regulatory authorities, which could require additional financial and management resources and could damage our reputation and diminish the value of our brand name.

The market price of our common stock may be volatile and may be affected by market conditions beyond our control. The market price of our common stock is subject to significant fluctuations in response to, among other factors:

In addition, if the market for stocks in our industry, or the stock market in general, experiences a loss of investor confidence, the market price of our common stock could decline for reasons unrelated to our business, financial condition, or results of operations. If any of the foregoing occurs, it could cause the price of our common stock to fall and may expose us to lawsuits that, even if unsuccessful, could be costly to defend and a distraction to our Board of Directors and management.

The application of the “penny stock” rules could adversely affect the market price of our common shares and increase your transaction costs to sell those shares.

Our shares of Common Stock are considered to be “penny stocks” as the Securities and Exchange Commission has adopted Rule 3a51-1, which establishes the definition of a “penny stock,” to include any equity security that has a market price of less than $5.00 per share or with an exercise price of less than $5.00 per share and because they are not registered on a national securities exchange or listed on an automated quotation system sponsored by a registered national securities association, pursuant to Rule 3a51-1(a) under the Exchange Act. For any transaction involving a penny stock, unless exempt, the rules require that a broker or dealer approve a person’s account for transactions in penny stocks and that the broker or dealer receives from the investor a written agreement to the transaction, setting forth the identity and quantity of the penny stock to be purchased. The broker or dealer must also deliver, prior to any transaction in a penny stock, a disclosure schedule prescribed by the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the penny stock market, which sets forth the basis on which the broker or dealer made the suitability determination and that the broker or dealer received a signed, written agreement from the investor prior to the transaction. Generally, brokers may be less willing to execute transactions in securities subject to the “penny stock” rules. This may make it more difficult for investors to dispose of our common stock and cause a decline in the market value of our stock.