Item
1A. Risk Factors.
Risks
Related to Our Business
There
can be no assurance that we can achieve or maintain profitability.
As
a business, we may encounter problems, expenses, difficulties, complications and delays that may affect our ability to become
profitable. As a result, we may not be able to generate sufficient revenue to operate and grow in the manner desired.
Our
ability to achieve and maintain profitability and positive cash flow will be dependent upon, among other things:
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our
ability to raise capital on favorable terms in order to operate and grow our business;
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management’s
ability to maintain the technology and skills necessary to operate our business;
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our
ability to maintain awareness of regulatory updates by government agencies and changes in the law, particularly in the areas
of product transportation, handling and compliance and environmental regulation;
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our
ability to attract customers who require the products and services we offer;
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our
ability to convert existing users of incumbent metal cutting fuels to MagneGas;
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our
ability to perform under the gasifier purchase and sales agreements we have entered into;
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our
ability to generate revenues through the sale of our products and services to potential clients;
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our
ability to manage the logistics and operations of our Company and the distribution of our products and services; and
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our
ability to overcome the impact (if any) of Covid-19 on our business operations.
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We
have a relatively limited history of operations and a history of operating losses and our auditors have indicated that there is
a substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.
The
Company has limited history, which makes it difficult to accurately forecast our earnings and cash flows. Our lack of significant
history makes it likely that there are risks inherent to our business that are yet to be recognized by us or others, or not fully
appreciated, and that could result in us earning less than we anticipate or even suffering further losses. For the fiscal years
ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, we generated revenues of approximately $21.1 million, and approximately $9.7 million,
respectively, and reported net losses of approximately $5.7 million and approximately $4.5 million, respectively, and negative
cash flow from operating activities of approximately $4.8 million and approximately $5.3 million, respectively. We anticipate
that we will continue to report losses and negative cash flow. As a result of these net losses and cash flow deficits and other
factors, our independent auditors issued an audit opinion with respect to our financial statements for the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2019 and 2018 that indicated that there is a substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.
We
may need to raise additional capital that may not be available, which could harm our business.
Our
growth will require that we generate additional capital either through retained earnings or the issuance of additional debt or
equity securities. Additional capital may not be available on terms acceptable to us, if at all. Any equity financings could result
in dilution to our stockholders or reduction in the earnings available to our common stockholders. Lastly, the long-term impact
of COVID-19 on the equity and debt markets is unknown at this time, however, there has been increased market volatility since
December 2019. In the event COVID-19 negatively impacts the debt or equity markets it may become increasingly difficult or impossible
to raise capital. If adequate capital is not available or the terms of such capital are not attractive, we may have to curtail
our growth and our business, and our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Our
U.S. retail model is a low-margin business, and our global profitability is directly affected by cost deflation or inflation,
commodity volatility and other factors.
Gas
sales and welding supply distribution is characterized by relatively high inventory turnover with relatively low profit margins.
Volatile commodity costs have a direct impact on our industry and our ability to produce MagneGas. We make a significant portion
of our sales at prices that are based on the cost of products we sell, plus a percentage margin. As a result, our profit levels
may be negatively affected during periods of product cost deflation, even though our gross profit percentage may remain relatively
constant. Prolonged periods of product cost inflation also may reduce our profit margins and earnings, if product cost increases
cannot be passed on to customers because they resist paying higher prices. In addition, periods of rapid inflation may have a
negative effect on our business. There may be a lag between the time of the price increase and the time at which we are able to
pass it along, as well as the impact it may have on discretionary spending by consumers.
Our
business strategy includes growth, and our financial condition and results of operations could be negatively affected if we fail
to grow or fail to manage our growth effectively.
Over
the course of our business development, we have established a retail and wholesale platform and network of brokers to sell our
synthetic gas for use in the metalworking and manufacturing industries. Our business strategy includes continued expansion of
this network by way of acquisitions and organic growth. Growth opportunities may not be available or we may not be able to manage
our growth successfully. If we do not manage our growth effectively, our financial condition and operating results could be negatively
affected. Furthermore, there are considerable costs involved in acquiring companies and expanding retail capacity, and generally
a period of time is required to generate the necessary revenues to offset these costs, especially in areas in which we do not
have an established presence. Accordingly, any such business expansion can be expected to negatively impact our earnings until
certain economies of scale are reached.
The
growth of our business depends upon the development and successful commercial acceptance of our products.
Successful
commercialization of MagneGas depends on timely and efficient implementation of manufacturing processes and effective sales, marketing
and customer service. Because of the complexity of our products, significant delays may occur between development, introduction
to the market and volume production phases.
Widescale
commercialization of the MagneGas and the commercial sales of Gasification Units may involve many difficulties, including but
not limited to:
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retention
and hiring of appropriate operational, research and development personnel;
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determination
of the products’ technical specifications;
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successful
completion of the development process;
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successful
marketing of MagneGas, resulting in customer acceptance;
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successful
scaled production of Gasification Units;
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regulatory
approvals;
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managing
inventory levels, logistics and operations;
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additional
customer service and warranty costs associated with supporting product modifications and/or subsequent potential field upgrades;
and
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the
global impact of COVID-19 on the welding supply and gas distribution business, generally.
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We
must expend significant financial and management resources to develop and market MagneGas and our Gasification Units. We cannot
ensure that we will receive meaningful revenue from these investments. If we are unable to continue to successfully develop or
modify our products in response to customer requirements or technological changes, or our products are not commercially successful,
our business may be harmed.
Competition
in our industry is intense, and we may not be able to compete successfully.
Gas
sales and welding supply distribution is highly competitive. Many of our competitors have greater financial and other resources
than we do. Furthermore, there are a large number of local and regional distributors. These companies often align themselves with
other smaller distributors through purchasing cooperatives and marketing groups. The goal is to enhance their geographic reach,
private label offerings, overall purchasing power, cost efficiencies, and ability to meet customer distribution requirements.
These suppliers also rely on local presence as a source of competitive advantage, and they may have lower costs and other competitive
advantages due to geographic proximity. We generally do not have exclusive service agreements with our customers, and they may
switch to other suppliers that offer lower prices, differentiated products or customer service that is perceived to be superior.
The cost of switching suppliers is very low as are the barriers to entry into the gas and welding supply distribution industry.
We believe most purchasing decisions in the gas and welding supply distribution industry are based on the quality and price of
the product, plus a distributor’s ability to completely and accurately fill orders and provide timely deliveries.
Increased
competition has caused the gas and welding supply distribution industry to change, as distributors seek to lower costs, further
increasing pressure on the industry’s profit margins. Heightened competition among our suppliers, significant pricing initiatives
or discount programs established by competitors, new entrants, and trends toward vertical integration could create additional
competitive pressures that reduce margins and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We
rely on third-party suppliers, and our business may be affected by interruption of supplies or increases in product costs.
We
get substantially all of our gas and welding supplies and related products from third-party suppliers. We typically do not have
long-term contracts with suppliers. Although our purchasing volume can provide leverage when dealing with suppliers, they may
not provide the gas and welding products and supplies we need in the quantities and at the prices requested. We do not control
the actual production of the products we sell. This means we are also subject to delays caused by interruption in production and
increases in product costs based on conditions outside our control. These conditions could include work slowdowns, work interruptions,
strikes or other job actions by employees of suppliers; severe weather; product recalls; transportation interruptions; unavailability
of fuel or increases in fuel costs; competitive demands; and natural disasters or other catastrophic events. Our inability to
obtain adequate supplies of gas and welding equipment and related products because of any of these or other factors could mean
that we could not fulfill our obligations to our customers and, as a result, our customers may turn to other distributors.
Our
relationships with key long-term customers may be materially diminished or terminated.
We
have long-standing relationships with a number of our customers, many of whom could unilaterally terminate their relationship
with us or materially reduce the amount of business they conduct with us at any time. Market competition, customer requirements,
customer financial condition and customer consolidation through mergers or acquisitions also could adversely affect our ability
to continue or expand these relationships. There is no guarantee that we will be able to retain or renew existing agreements,
maintain relationships with any of our customers on acceptable terms or at all or collect amounts owed to us from insolvent customers.
Our customer agreements are generally terminable upon advance written notice (typically ranging from 30 days to six months) by
either us or the customer, which provides our customers with the opportunity to renegotiate their contracts with us or to award
more business to our competitors. The loss of one or more of our major customers could adversely affect our business, financial
condition and results of operations.
We
must consummate and effectively integrate the businesses we acquire.
Historically,
a portion of our growth has come through acquisitions. If we are unable to find, consummate, and integrate acquired businesses
successfully or realize anticipated economic, operational and other benefits and synergies in a timely manner, our profitability
may decrease. Integrating acquired businesses may be more difficult in a region or market in which we have limited expertise.
A significant expansion of our business and operations, in terms of geography or magnitude, could strain our administrative and/or
operational resources. Significant acquisitions may also require incurring debt or issuing shares of our stock. This could increase
our interest expense and make it difficult for us to get favorable financing for other acquisitions or capital investments in
the future.
We
may be subject to or affected by liability claims related to products we distribute.
As
any seller of products, we may be exposed to liability claims in the event that the products we sell cause injury or illness.
The equipment, cylinders and gas we sell or distribute may breakdown or malfunction. Further, because of the inherent risk in
the compression, transportation and use of gases, it is possible that claims for personal injury and business losses arising out
of a breakdown or malfunction could occur. We believe we have sufficient primary or excess umbrella liability insurance to cover
product liability claims. However, our current insurance may not continue to be available at a reasonable cost or, if available,
may not be adequate to cover all of our liabilities. We generally seek contractual indemnification and insurance coverage from
parties supplying products to us. But this indemnification or insurance coverage is limited, as a practical matter, to the creditworthiness
of the indemnifying party and the insured limits of any insurance provided by suppliers. If we do not have adequate insurance
or contractual indemnification available, the liability related to defective products could adversely affect our results of operations.
Any
negative media exposure or other event that harms our reputation could hurt our business.
Maintaining
a good reputation is critical to our business, particularly in selling MagneGas and our Gasification Units. Any event that damages
our reputation, justified or not, could quickly affect our revenues and profits. This includes adverse publicity about the quality,
safety or integrity of our products. In addition, concerns unrelated to our products, can result in negative publicity about the
gas and welding supply distribution industry and dramatically reduce our sales.
If
our competitors implement a lower cost structure, they may be able to offer reduced prices to customers. We may be unable to adjust
our cost structure to compete profitably.
Over
the last several decades, the gas and welding supply retail industry has undergone a significant change. Companies such as Airgas,
Matheson and Praxair have developed a lower cost structure, so they can provide their customers with an everyday low-cost product
offering. To the extent more of our competitors adopt an everyday low-price strategy, we would potentially be pressured to offer
lower prices to our customers. That would require us to achieve cost savings to offset these reductions. We may be unable to change
our cost structure and pricing practices rapidly enough to successfully compete in that environment.
Most
of our customers are not obligated to continue purchasing products from us.
Most
of our customers buy from us pursuant to individual purchase orders, and we often do not enter into long-term agreements with
these customers. Because such customers are not obligated to continue purchasing products from us, we cannot assure you that the
volume and/or number of our customers’ purchase orders will remain constant or increase or that we will be able to maintain
our existing customer base. Significant decreases in the volume and/or number of our customers’ purchase orders or our inability
to retain or grow our current customer base may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results
of operations.
Our
business may be subject to significant environmental, health and safety costs.
Our
operations face a broad range of federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment or
health and safety. These laws govern numerous issues, including discharges to air, soil and water; the handling and disposal of
hazardous substances; the investigation and remediation of contamination resulting from the release of petroleum products and
other hazardous substances; employee health and safety; and fleet safety. In the course of our operations, we operate and maintain
vehicle fleets, we use and dispose of hazardous substances, and we may store fuel or feedstocks in on-site aboveground and underground
storage tanks. We cannot be sure that compliance with, or liability under, existing or future environmental, health and safety
laws, will not adversely affect our future operating results.
Costs
of compliance with burdensome or changing environmental and operational safety regulations could cause our focus to be diverted
away from our business and our results of operations may suffer.
Our
business is subject to various federal and state mandated regulatory and safety requirements which are implemented by state and
federal agencies. These regulations are subject to change and such changes may require additional capital expenditures or increased
operating costs. Consequently, considerable resources may be required to comply with future regulations. In addition, our production
facilities could be subject to nuisance or related claims by employees, property owners or residents near the facilities. Environmental
and public nuisance claims, or tort claims, or increased environmental compliance costs resulting therefrom could significantly
increase our operating costs.
We
are subject to the requirements of the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, or OSHA, and comparable state statutes
that regulate the protection of the health and safety of workers. OSHA requires that we maintain information about hazardous materials
used or produced in our operations and that we provide this information to employees, state and local governmental authorities,
and local residents. Failure to comply with OSHA requirements, including general industry standards, process safety standards
and control of occupational exposure to regulated substances, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations,
financial condition and the cash flows of the business if we are subjected to significant fines or compliance costs.
If
we fail to comply with requirements imposed by applicable law or other governmental regulations, we could become subject to lawsuits,
investigations and other liabilities and restrictions on our operations that could significantly and adversely affect our business.
We
are subject to governmental regulation at the federal, state and local levels in many areas of our business, including gas storage,
trade, anticorruption, transportation, employment and other areas of safety and compliance. If we fail to comply with applicable
laws and regulations or encounter disagreements with respect to our contracts subject to governmental regulations, including those
referred to above, we may be subject to investigations, criminal sanctions or civil remedies, including fines, injunctions, prohibitions,
seizures or debarments from contracting with the government. The cost of compliance or the consequences of non-compliance, including
debarments, could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. In addition, governmental units may
make changes in the regulatory frameworks within which we operate that may require us to incur substantial increases in costs
in order to comply with such laws and regulations.
We
rely heavily on technology, and any disruption in existing technology or delay in implementing new technology could adversely
affect our business.
Our
ability to control costs and maximize profits, as well as to serve customers most effectively, depends on the reliability of our
information technology systems and related data entry processes in our transaction intensive business. We rely on software and
other information technology to manage significant aspects of our business. These include to make purchases, process orders, manage
our retail locations, load trucks in the most efficient manner, and optimize the use of storage space. Any disruption to this
information technology could negatively affect our customer service, decrease the volume of our business, and result in increased
costs. We have invested and continue to invest in technology security initiatives, business continuity, and disaster recovery
plans. However, these measures cannot fully insulate us from technology disruption that could impair operations and profits. Information
technology evolves rapidly. To compete effectively, we are required to integrate new technologies in a timely and cost-effective
manner. If competitors implement new technologies before we do, allowing them to provide lower priced or enhanced services of
superior quality compared to those we provide, our operations and profits could be affected.
A
cybersecurity incident and other technology disruptions could negatively affect our business and our relationships with customers.
We
rely upon information technology networks and systems to process, transmit and store electronic information, to process payments,
and to manage or support virtually all of our business processes and activities. We also use mobile devices, social networking
and other online activities to connect with our employees, suppliers, business partners and our customers. These uses give rise
to cybersecurity risks, including security breach, espionage, system disruption, theft, online platform hijacking that could redirect
online credit card payments to another credit card processing website, and inadvertent or unauthorized release of information.
Our business involves the storage and transmission of numerous classes of sensitive and/or confidential information and intellectual
property, including customers’ and suppliers’ personal information, private information about employees, and financial
and strategic information about us and our business partners. Further, we are also expanding and improving our information technologies,
resulting in a larger technological presence and corresponding increase in exposure to cybersecurity risk. Additionally, while
we have implemented measures to prevent security breaches and cyber incidents, our preventative measures and incident response
efforts may not be entirely effective. The theft, destruction, loss, misappropriation, or release of sensitive and/or confidential
information or intellectual property, or interference with our information technology systems or the technology systems of third
parties on which we rely, could result in business disruption, negative publicity, brand damage, violation of privacy laws, loss
of customers, potential liability and competitive disadvantage.
Extreme
weather conditions and natural disasters may interrupt our business, or our customers’ businesses, which could have a material
adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations.
Some
of our facilities and our customers’ facilities are located in areas that may be subject to extreme, and occasionally prolonged,
weather conditions, including, but not limited to, hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, extreme heat and extreme cold. Such extreme
weather conditions may interrupt our operations and reduce the number of consumers who visit our customers’ facilities in
such areas. Furthermore, such extreme weather conditions may interrupt or impede access to our customers’ facilities, all
of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations.
Adverse
judgments or settlements resulting from legal proceedings in which we may be involved in the normal course of our business could
reduce our profits or limit our ability to operate our business.
In
the normal course of our business, we may be involved in various legal proceedings. The outcome of these proceedings cannot be
predicted. If any of these proceedings were to be determined adversely to us or a settlement involving a payment of a material
sum of money were to occur, it could materially and adversely affect our profits or ability to operate our business. Additionally,
we could become the subject of future claims by third parties, including our employees, suppliers, customers, and other counterparties,
our investors, or regulators. Any significant adverse judgments or settlements would reduce our profits and could limit our ability
to operate our business. Further, we may incur costs related to claims for which we have appropriate third-party indemnity, but
such third parties may fail to fulfill their contractual obligations.
Because
our long-term plan depends, in part, on our ability to expand the sales of our Gasifier Units and MagneGas to customers located
outside of the United States, our business will be susceptible to risks associated with international operations.
We
have limited experience operating in foreign jurisdictions. We continue to explore opportunities for joint ventures internationally.
Our inexperience in operating our business outside of the United States increases the risk that our current and future international
expansion efforts will be unsuccessful. Conducting international operations subjects us to new risks that, generally, we have
not faced in the United States, including:
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fluctuations
in currency exchange rates;
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unexpected
changes in foreign regulatory requirements;
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longer
accounts receivable payment cycles and difficulties in collecting accounts receivable;
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difficulties
in managing and staffing international operations;
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potentially
adverse tax consequences, including the complexities of foreign value added tax systems and restrictions on the repatriation
of earnings;
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localization
of our solutions, including translation into foreign languages and associated expenses;
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the
burdens of complying with a wide variety of foreign laws and different legal standards, including laws and regulations related
to privacy;
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increased
burden in compliance with certain United States laws and regulatory schemes, including, but not limited to, the Foreign Corrupt
Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and various trade controls and economic sanctions laws, regulations and policies, such
as the International Traffic in Arms Regulations and the Export Administration Regulations;
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increased
financial accounting and reporting burdens and complexities;
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political,
social and economic instability abroad, terrorist attacks and security concerns in general; and
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reduced
or varied protection for intellectual property rights in some countries.
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Escalating
trade tensions and the adoption or expansion of tariffs and trade restrictions could negatively impact us.
The
U.S. government has recently announced tariffs on steel and aluminum products and materials imported into the United States and
has signaled a willingness to impose tariffs on other products. Various countries and economic regions have announced plans or
intentions to impose retaliatory tariffs on a wide range of products they import from the United States. These newly imposed or
threatened U.S. tariffs and retaliatory tariffs could have the effect of increasing the cost of materials for our products, which
could result in our products becoming less competitive or generating lower margins. The tariffs could also result in disruptions
to our supply chain, as suppliers struggle to fill orders from companies trying to purchase goods in bulk ahead of announced tariffs.
Finally, many of our customers also operate in industries that are vulnerable to harm from imposition of tariffs and these customers
may be unable to stay solvent as a result of the tariffs, which would negatively impact our sales.
Economic
conditions and regulatory changes following the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union could have a material adverse
effect on our business and results of operations.
We
have a wholly owned subsidiary, MagneGas Limited, which is based in London, England, for the purpose of directly applying for
grants and government-backed financing as a European entity. The United Kingdom invoked Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union
on March 29, 2017, initiating the process to leave the European Union (“Brexit”), which occurred on January 31, 2020.
Brexit could lead to legal uncertainty and potentially divergent national laws and regulations as the United Kingdom determines
which European Union laws to replace or replicate. Given the ongoing political uncertainty surrounding the form of Brexit (including
a potential “hard Brexit” in which the United Kingdom would also give up full access to the European Union single
market and customs union), we cannot predict how the Brexit process will finally be implemented and are continuing to assess the
potential impact, if any, on our ability to seek grants and government-backed financing as a European entity.
Our
future success is dependent, in part, on the performance and continued service of Scott Mahoney and Tyler Wilson and other key
personnel. Without their continued service, we may be forced to interrupt our operations.
We
are presently dependent to a great extent upon the experience, abilities and continued services of Scott Mahoney, our Chief Executive
Officer and Tyler Wilson, our Chief Financial Officer. The loss of the services of any of our key officers or employees would
delay our business operations substantially.
Members
of our board of directors and our executive officers will have other business interests and obligations to other entities.
Neither
our directors nor our executive officers will be required to manage the Company as their sole and exclusive function and they
may have other business interests and may engage in other activities in addition to those relating to the Company, provided that
such activities do not compete with the business of the Company or otherwise breach their agreements with the Company. We are
dependent on our directors and executive officers to successfully operate our Company. Their other business interests and activities
could divert time and attention from operating our business.
Pending
or future litigation and government investigations may have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and results of
operations.
We
may be a party to litigation matters involving our business, which operates within a highly regulated industry. We are not currently
involved in any litigation that we believe could have a materially adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.
There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or by any court, public board, government agency, self-regulatory
organization or body pending or, to the knowledge of the executive officers of our Company or any of our subsidiaries, threatened
against or affecting our Company, our common stock, any of our subsidiaries or of our Company’s or our Company’s subsidiaries’
officers or directors in their capacities as such, in which an adverse decision could have a material impact on the Company.
We
may be required to record a significant charge to earnings as we are required to reassess our goodwill or other intangible assets
arising from acquisitions.
We
are required under U.S. GAAP to review our intangible assets, including goodwill, for impairment when events or changes in circumstances
indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. Goodwill is required to be tested for impairment annually or more frequently
if facts and circumstances warrant a review. Factors that may be considered a change in circumstances, indicating that the carrying
value of our amortizable intangible assets may not be recoverable, include a decline in stock price and market capitalization
and slower or declining growth rates in our industry. We may be required to record a significant charge to earnings in our financial
statements during the period in which any impairment of our goodwill or amortizable intangible assets is determined.
Management
has identified material weaknesses in our internal controls over financial reporting and as a result we may not prevent or detect
misstatements in our financial reporting.
As
a result of material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting, the Company’s management has concluded that,
as of December 31, 2018, the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting was not effective based on the criteria
in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway
Commission (“COSO”). Management has not maintained adequate segregation of duties within the Company due to its reliance
on a few individuals to fill multiple roles and responsibilities. Furthermore, the Company has limited accounting personnel to
prepare its financial statements and handle complex accounting transactions. Our failure to segregate duties and the insufficiency
of our accounting resources has been a material weakness for the period covering this report.
Failure
to comply with applicable government regulations could materially limit our sales opportunities and future revenue.
Failure
to obtain operating permits, or otherwise to comply with applicable governmental, federal, state and local regulatory and environmental
requirements could affect our abilities to market and sell MagneGas and Gasification Units and could have a material adverse effect
on our business and operations. We and our customers may be required to comply with a number of federal, state and local laws
and regulations in the areas of safety, health and environmental controls. Because we sell Gasification Units internationally,
we are required to comply with laws and regulations of various foreign jurisdictions and, when applicable, obtain permits in those
other jurisdictions. We cannot be certain that we will be able to obtain or maintain required permits and approvals or that new
or more stringent environmental regulations will not be enacted or that if they are, we will be able to meet the stricter standards.
The
preparation of our financial statements involves the use of estimates, judgments and assumptions, and our financial statements
may be materially affected if our estimates prove to be inaccurate.
Financial
statements prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”)
require the use of estimates, judgments, and assumptions that affect the reported amounts. Different estimates, judgments, and
assumptions reasonably could be used that would have a material effect on the financial statements, and changes in these estimates,
judgments, and assumptions are likely to occur from period to period in the future. These estimates, judgments, and assumptions
are inherently uncertain, and, if they prove to be wrong, then we face the risk that charges to income will be required.
Our
Officers and Directors hold similar positions with Taronis Technologies, Inc. which may cause conflicts of interests that may
adversely affect our business.
Our
CEO, CFO and a majority of the members of our Board of Directors hold similar positions with Taronis Technologies, Inc., the Company’s
former parent company. Even though we do not anticipate any issues given the differences between our business and Taronis Technologies’
business, these relationships could create, or appear to create, potential conflicts of interest when our Officers or Directors
faced with decisions that could have different implications for us and/or Taronis Technologies. The appearance of conflicts, even
if such conflicts do not materialize, might adversely affect the public’s perception of us, as well as our relationship
with other companies and our ability to enter into new relationships in the future, which could have a material adverse effect
on our ability to raise capital or to do business.
Because
MagneGas is relatively new to the metalworking market, it may take time for the industry to adopt it.
MagneGas
competes with acetylene and other fossil-fuel based metal cutting fuels in the metalworking market. Because MagneGas is a relatively
new product in the industry, it may take time for end-users to consider using MagneGas which may adversely impact our sales. A
failure by the market to adopt our products quickly, or at all, will have material adverse effect on our results of operations,
financial condition and the cash flows of the business.
Mergers
or other strategic transactions involving our competitors could weaken our competitive position, which could harm our operating
results.
There
is significant competition among existing alternative fuel producers. Some of our competitors may enter into new alliances with
each other or may establish or strengthen cooperative relationships with systems integrators, third-party consulting firms or
other parties. Any such consolidation, acquisition, alliance or cooperative relationship could lead to pricing pressure and our
loss of market share and could result in a competitor with greater financial, technical, marketing, service and other resources,
all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition.
Our
failure to respond to rapid change in the market for alternative fuel products could have an adverse effect on our results of
operations.
Our
future success will depend significantly on our ability to continue to create a product that is clean, effective and competitively
priced. However, as technology develops generally, consumer preferences switch, government regulations and incentives change and
industry standards evolve. A currently competitive product may quickly become uncompetitive. A delay in or inability to develop
or acquire technological improvements, adapt the products we develop to technological changes or provide technology that appeals
to our customers may preclude our ability to compete in the marketplace and could cause us to lose existing customer relationships.
Such failures could lead to our insolvency.
Public
health epidemics or outbreaks could adversely impact our business.
In
December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. While initially the outbreak
was largely concentrated in China and caused significant disruptions to its economy, it has now spread to several other countries
and infections have been reported globally. The extent to which the coronavirus impacts our operations will depend on future developments,
which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence, including the duration of the outbreak, new information which
may emerge concerning the severity of the coronavirus and the actions to contain the coronavirus or treat its impact, among others.
In particular, the continued spread of the coronavirus globally could adversely impact our operations and could have an adverse
impact on our business and our financial results.
Risks
Related to Our Intellectual Property
We
rely on trademarks, trade secrets, and other forms of intellectual property protections, however, these protections may not be
adequate.
We
rely on a combination of trademark, trade secret and other intellectual property laws in the United States. We will or have applied
in the United States and in certain countries for registration of a limited number of trademarks, some of which have been registered
or issued. We cannot guarantee that our applications will be approved by the applicable governmental authorities, or that third
parties will not seek to oppose or otherwise challenge our registrations or applications. We also rely on unregistered proprietary
rights, including common law trademark protection. However, third parties may use trademarks identical or confusingly similar
to ours, or independently develop trade secrets or know-how similar or equivalent to ours. If our proprietary information is divulged
to third parties, including our competitors, or our intellectual property rights are otherwise misappropriated or infringed, our
competitive position could be harmed. Lastly, we rely on an exclusive world-wide license for the production and distribution of
MagneGas and the manufacture and sale of Gasification Units. If our license agreement with Taronis Technologies, Inc. is terminated
or invalidated we could incur significant losses and our business operations could be materially harmed.
Our
products may infringe the intellectual property rights of others, which may cause us to incur unexpected costs or potentially
prevent us from selling our products.
We
cannot be certain that our products do not and will not infringe intellectual property rights of others. We may be subject to
legal proceedings and claims in the ordinary course of our business, including claims of alleged infringement of intellectual
property rights of third parties by us or our customers in connection with their use of our products. Any such claims, whether
or not meritorious, could result in costly litigation and divert the efforts of our management and personnel. Moreover, should
we be found liable for infringement, we may be required to enter into licensing agreements (if available on acceptable terms or
at all) or to pay damages and to cease making or selling certain products. Any of the foregoing could cause us to incur significant
costs and prevent us from selling our products.
The
success of our business depends, in part, upon proprietary technologies and information that may be difficult to protect and may
infringe or be perceived to infringe on the intellectual property rights of third parties.
We
believe that the identification, acquisition and development of proprietary technologies are key drivers of our business. Our
success depends, in part, on our ability to obtain or license patents, maintain the secrecy of our proprietary technology and
information and operate without infringing on the proprietary rights of third parties. We cannot guarantee that the patents of
others will not have an adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business, that the patents that provide us with competitive
advantages will not be challenged by third parties, that we will develop additional proprietary technology that is patentable
or that any patents issued to us will provide us with competitive advantages. Further, we cannot assure you that others will not
independently develop similar or superior technologies, duplicate elements of our technology or design around it.
To
commercialize our proprietary technologies successfully, we may need to acquire licenses to use, or to contest the validity of,
issued or pending patents. We cannot guarantee that any license acquired under such patents would be made available to us on acceptable
terms, if at all, or that we would prevail in any such contest. In addition, we could incur substantial costs in defending ourselves
in suits brought against us for alleged infringement of another party’s patents or in defending the validity or enforceability
of our patents, or in bringing patent infringement suits against other parties based on our patents.
In
addition to the protection afforded by patents, we also rely on trade secrets, proprietary know-how and technology that we seek
to protect, in part, by confidentiality agreements with our prospective joint venture partners, employees and consultants. We
cannot guarantee that these agreements will not be breached, that we will have adequate remedies for any such breach, or that
our trade secrets and proprietary know-how will not otherwise become known or be independently discovered by others.
We
cannot guarantee that we will obtain any patent protection that we seek, that any protection we do obtain will be found valid
and enforceable if challenged or that it will confer any significant commercial advantage. U.S. patents and patent applications
may be subject to interference proceedings, U.S. patents may be subject to re-examination proceedings in the U.S. Patent and Trademark
Office and foreign patents may be subject to opposition or comparable proceedings in the corresponding foreign patent offices,
which proceedings could result in either loss of the patent or denial of the patent application, or loss or reduction in the scope
of one or more of the claims of, the patent or patent application. In addition, such interference, re-examination and opposition
proceedings may be costly. Moreover, the U.S. patent laws may change, possibly making it easier to challenge patents. Some of
our technology was, and continues to be, developed in conjunction with third parties, and thus there is a risk that such third
parties may claim rights in our intellectual property. Thus, any patents that we own or license from others may provide limited
or no protection against competitors. Our pending patent applications, those we may file in the future, or those we may license
from third parties, may not result in patents being issued. If issued, they may not provide us with proprietary protection or
competitive advantages against competitors with similar technology.
Several
patents in the patent portfolio licensed from Taronis Technologies, Inc. have imperfect chains of title, which could result in
ownership challenges by third parties. The cost to defend against such ownership challenges or the loss of such patents could
have a material adverse effect on our business, operation or financial results.
Our
licensed patents, U.S. Patent No’s. 6,183,604, 6,663,752, and 6,673,322, have defects in their original
patent assignments. We have filed several nunc pro tunc assignments to correct the assignment defects for each of these
patents (the “Corrective Assignments”). The Corrective Assignments are intended to correct the defects in earlier
defective patent assignments such that each patent is valid and enforceable by us. The Corrective Assignments do not replace the
assignments previously recorded at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Instead, the Corrective Assignments are intended to repair
the defects in the prior patent assignments. Notwithstanding the recordation of the Corrective Assignments, the ownership of each
patent may be subject to ownership challenges and the costs to defend against such ownership challenges or the loss of such patents
could have a material adverse effect on our business, operations or financial results.
Many
of our competitors have significant resources and incentives to apply for and obtain intellectual property rights that could limit
or prevent our ability to commercialize our current or future products in the United States or abroad.
Many
of our potential competitors have significant resources and have made substantial investments in competing technologies and may
seek to apply for and obtain patents that will prevent, limit or interfere with our ability to make, use or sell our products
either in the United States or in international markets. Our current or future U.S. or foreign patents may be challenged, circumvented
by competitors or others or may be found to be invalid, unenforceable or insufficient. Since patent applications are confidential
until patents are issued in the United States, or in most cases, until after 18 months from filing of the application, or corresponding
applications are published in other countries, and since publication of discoveries in the scientific or patent literature often
lags behind actual discoveries, we cannot be certain that we were the first to make the inventions covered by each of our pending
patent applications, or that we were the first to file patent applications for such inventions.
If
we are unable to protect the confidentiality of our proprietary information and know-how, the value of our technology and products
could be adversely affected.
In
addition to licensed patented technology, we rely on our unpatented proprietary technology, trade secrets, processes and know-how.
We generally seek to protect this information by confidentiality agreements with our employees, consultants, scientific advisors
and third parties. These agreements may be breached, and we may not have adequate remedies for any such breach. In addition, our
trade secrets may otherwise become known or be independently developed by competitors. To the extent that our employees, consultants
or contractors use intellectual property owned by others in their work for us, disputes may arise as to the rights in related
or resulting know-how and inventions.
Risks
Related to Our Securities
Future
issuance of our common stock could dilute the interests of existing stockholders.
We
may issue additional shares of our common stock in the future. The issuance of a substantial amount of common stock could have
the effect of substantially diluting the interests of our current stockholders. We may also be subject to or be required to accept
unfavorable terms in financings, including features that may create further dilution, such as warrants, anti-dilution features,
price resets and other similar features. These types of features will make such equity financings more dilutive, but may also
create additional, compounded dilution in connection with future financings as well. In addition, the sale of a substantial amount
of common stock in the public market, either in the initial issuance or in a subsequent resale by the target company in an acquisition
which received such common stock as consideration or by investors who acquired such common stock in a private placement, could
have an adverse effect on the market price of our common stock. Significant dilution will lower our stock price and could result
in the loss of our Nasdaq listing.
The
market price for our common stock is volatile, which could lead to wide fluctuations in our share price. You may be unable to
sell your common stock at or above your purchase price, which may result in substantial losses to you.
The
market for our common stock is characterized by significant price volatility when compared to the shares of larger, more established
companies that have large public floats and we expect that our share price will continue to be more volatile than the shares of
such larger, more established companies for the indefinite future. The volatility in our share price is attributable to a number
of factors, including the trading volume of our shares and the fact that we are considered by some to be a speculative or “risky”
investment due to our lack of profits to date and uncertainty surrounding market acceptance of our products. As a consequence,
some investors may be inclined to sell their shares quickly and at greater discounts than would be the case with a larger established
company. Many of these factors are beyond our control and may decrease the market price of our common stock, regardless of our
operating performance.
Our
operating results may fluctuate significantly, and these fluctuations may cause the price of our securities to fall.
Our
quarterly operating results may fluctuate significantly in the future due to a variety of factors that could affect our revenues
or our expenses in any particular quarter. You should not rely on quarter-to-quarter comparisons of our results of operations
as an indication of future performance. Factors that may affect our quarterly results include:
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our
entry into mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and other strategic transactions;
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market
acceptance of our products and those of our competitors;
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the
sales and fulfillment cycle associated with our products, which is typically lengthy and subject to a number of significant
risks over which we have little or no control, and the corresponding delay in our receipt of the associated revenue;
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our
ability to complete the technical milestone tests associated with our commercial agreements;
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our
ability to attract and retain key personnel;
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development
of new designs and technologies; and
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our
ability to manage our anticipated growth and expansion.
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The
price of shares of our common stock may not reflect our value and there can be no assurance that there will be an active market
for our shares of common stock now or in the future.
The
price of our common stock, when traded, may not reflect our true value. We cannot guarantee that there will be an active market
for our shares of common stock either now or in the future. Market liquidity will depend, among other things, on the perception
of our operating business and any steps that our management might take to bring us to the awareness of investors and we cannot
guarantee that there will be any awareness generated. Consequently, investors may not be able to liquidate their investment or
liquidate it at a price that reflects the value of the business. As a result, holders of our securities may have difficulty finding
purchasers for our shares should they attempt to sell shares held by them. Even if a more active market should develop, the price
of our shares of common stock may be highly volatile. Our shares should be purchased only by investors having no need for liquidity
in their investment and who can hold our shares for an indefinite period of time.
If
and when a larger trading market for our common stock develops, the market price of our common stock is still likely to be highly
volatile and subject to wide fluctuations, and you may be unable to resell your shares at or above the price at which you acquired
them.
The
market price of our common stock is likely to be highly volatile and could be subject to wide fluctuations in response to a number
of factors that are beyond our control, including, but not limited to:
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Variations
in our revenues and operating expenses;
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Actual
or anticipated changes in the estimates of our operating results or changes in stock market analyst recommendations regarding
our common stock, other comparable companies or our industry generally;
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Market
conditions in our industry, the industries of our customers and the economy as a whole;
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Actual
or expected changes in our growth rates or our competitors’ growth rates;
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Developments
in the financial markets and worldwide or regional economies;
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Announcements
of innovations or new products or services by us or our competitors;
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Announcements
by the government relating to regulations that govern our industry;
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Sales
of our common stock or other securities by us or in the open market; and
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Changes
in the market valuations of other comparable companies.
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If
securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about us, or publish negative reports about our business, our
share price could decline.
Our
lack of analyst coverage might depress the price of our common stock and result in limited trading volume. If we do maintain or
receive analyst coverage in the future, any negative reports published by such analysts could have similar effects.
If
our shares of common stock become subject to the penny stock rules, it would become more difficult to trade our shares.
The
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has adopted rules that regulate broker-dealer practices in connection with transactions
in penny stocks. Penny stocks are generally equity securities with a price per share of less than $5.00, other than securities
registered on certain national securities exchanges or authorized for quotation on certain automated quotation systems, provided
that current price and volume information with respect to transactions in such securities is provided by the exchange or system.
If we do not obtain or retain a listing on a national exchange, and if the price of our common stock is less than $5.00 per share,
our common stock will be deemed a penny stock. The penny stock rules require a broker-dealer, before effecting a transaction in
a penny stock not otherwise exempt from those rules, to deliver a standardized risk disclosure document containing specified information.
In addition, the penny stock rules require that, before effecting any such transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from
those rules, a broker-dealer must make a special written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for the purchaser
and receive (i) the purchaser’s written acknowledgment of the receipt of a risk disclosure statement; (ii) a written agreement
to transactions involving penny stocks; and (iii) a signed and dated copy of a written suitability statement. These disclosure
requirements may have the effect of reducing the trading activity in the secondary market for our common stock, and therefore
stockholders may have difficulty selling their shares.
FINRA
sales practice requirements may also limit a stockholder’s ability to buy and sell our securities.
In
addition to the “penny stock” rules described above, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“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. The FINRA requirements
may make it more difficult for broker-dealers to recommend that their customers buy our securities, which may limit a stockholder’s
ability to buy and sell our securities and have an adverse effect on the market for our securities.
We
do not intend to pay dividends for the foreseeable future, and as a result you must rely on increases in the market price of our
common stock for returns on your equity investment.
For
the foreseeable future, we intend to retain any earnings to finance the development and expansion of our business, and we do not
anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock. Accordingly, investors must be prepared to rely on sales of their common
stock after price appreciation to earn an investment return, which may never occur. Investors seeking cash dividends should not
purchase our common stock. Any determination to pay dividends in the future will be made at the discretion of our Board and will
depend on our results of operations, financial condition, contractual restrictions, restrictions imposed by applicable law and
other factors our Board deems relevant.
Being
a public company is expensive and could adversely affect our ability to attract and retain qualified officers and directors.
Following
the completion of the spin-off from Taronis Technologies, Inc., we became a public company and we are now subject to the reporting
requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These requirements generate significant accounting, legal, and financial
compliance costs, and make some activities more difficult, time consuming or costly than they would otherwise be, and may place
significant strain on our personnel and resources. These rules and regulations applicable to public companies, and the risks involved
in serving as an officer or director of a public company, may also make it more difficult and expensive for us to obtain director
and officer liability insurance, and to recruit and retain qualified officers and directors.
If
we are unable to implement and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting in the future, investors may lose
confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports and the market price of our common stock may decline.
As
a public company, we are required to maintain internal control over financial reporting and to report any material weaknesses
in such internal control. Further, we are required to report any changes in internal controls on a quarterly basis. In addition,
we are required to furnish a report by management on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting pursuant to
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We will design, implement, and test the internal controls over financial reporting required
to comply with these obligations. If we identify material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, if we are
unable to comply with the requirements of Section 404 in a timely manner or assert that our internal control over financial reporting
is effective, or if our independent registered public accounting firm is unable to express an opinion as to the effectiveness
of its internal control over financial reporting when required, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness
of our financial reports and the market price of the common stock could be negatively affected. We also could become subject to
investigations by the stock exchange on which the securities are listed, the Commission, or other regulatory authorities, which
could require additional financial and management resources.
As
an “emerging growth company” under the JOBS Act, we are permitted to rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements.
The
term “emerging growth company” means an issuer that had total annual gross revenues of less than $1,070,000,000
during its most recently completed fiscal year. An issuer that is an emerging growth company as of the first day of that fiscal
year shall continue to be deemed an emerging growth company until the earliest of: (a) The last day of the fiscal year of the
issuer during which it had total annual gross revenues of $1,070,000,000 or more; (b) The last day of the fiscal year of the issuer
following the fifth anniversary of the date of the first sale of common equity securities of the issuer pursuant to an effective
registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933; (c) The date on which such issuer has, during the previous three year
period, issued more than $1,000,000,000 in non-convertible debt; or (d) The date on which such issuer is deemed to be a large
accelerated filer.
Based
on the above definition, we qualify as an “emerging growth company” under the JOBS Act. As a result, we are
permitted to, and intend to, rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements. For so long as we are an emerging growth
company, we will not be required to:
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have
an auditor report on our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act;
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comply
with any requirement that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding mandatory audit firm rotation
or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the consolidated financial
statements (i.e., an auditor discussion and analysis);
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submit
certain executive compensation matters to stockholder advisory votes, such as “say-on-pay” and “say-on-frequency”;
and
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disclose
certain executive compensation related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons
of the chief executive officer’s compensation to median employee compensation.
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In
addition, Section 102 of the JOBS Act also provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of the extended transition
period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words,
an emerging growth company can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply
to private companies. We have elected to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period. Our consolidated financial
statements may therefore not be comparable to those of companies that comply with such new or revised accounting standards.
We
will remain an “emerging growth company” for up to five years, or until the earliest of (i) the last day of the first
fiscal year in which our total annual gross revenues exceed $1 billion, (ii) the date that we become a “large accelerated
filer” as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act, which would occur if the market value of our ordinary shares that
is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter
or (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1 billion in non-convertible debt during the preceding three year period.
Until
such time, however, we cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive because we may rely on these exemptions.
If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common
stock and warrants and the price of our securities may be more volatile.
As
an emerging growth company, our auditor is not required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal controls.
Our
independent registered public accounting firm is not required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial
reporting while we are an emerging growth company. This means that the effectiveness of our financial operations may differ from
our peer companies in that they may be required to obtain independent registered public accounting firm attestations as to the
effectiveness of their internal controls over financial reporting and we are not. While our management will be required to attest
to internal control over financial reporting and we will be required to detail changes to our internal controls on a quarterly
basis, we cannot provide assurance that the independent registered public accounting firm’s review process in assessing
the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting, if obtained, would not find one or more material weaknesses
or significant deficiencies. Further, once we cease to be an emerging growth company, we will be subject to independent registered
public accounting firm attestation regarding the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting. Even if management
finds such controls to be effective, our independent registered public accounting firm may decline to attest to the effectiveness
of such internal controls and issue a qualified report.
We
believe we will be considered a “smaller reporting company” and will be exempt from certain disclosure requirements,
which could make our common stock less attractive to potential investors.
Rule
12b-2 of the Exchange Act a “smaller reporting company” means an issuer that is not an investment company, an asset-backed
issuer, or a majority-owned subsidiary of a parent that is not a smaller reporting company and that:
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Had
a public float of less than $250 million; or
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Had
annual revenues of less than $100 million and either:
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No
public float; or
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A
public float of less than $700 million.
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Whether
an issuer is a smaller reporting company is determined on an annual basis.
As
a smaller reporting company, we will not be required and may not include a Compensation Discussion and Analysis section in our
proxy statements; we will provide only two years of financial statements; and we need not provide the table of selected financial
data. We also will have other “scaled” disclosure requirements that are less comprehensive than issuers that are not
smaller reporting companies which could make our common stock less attractive to potential investors, which could make it more
difficult for our stockholders to sell their shares.
Provisions
of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws may delay or prevent a take-over which may not be in the best interests of our
shareholders.
Provisions
of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws may be deemed to have anti-takeover effects, which include, among others, when
and by whom special meetings of our shareholders may be called, and may delay, defer or prevent a takeover attempt. In addition,
our certificate of incorporation authorizes the issuance of shares of preferred stock with such rights and preferences as may
be determined from time to time by our board of directors in their sole discretion. Our board may, without shareholder approval,
issue shares of preferred stock with dividends, liquidation, conversion, voting or other rights that could adversely affect the
voting power or other rights of the holders of our common stock.
Provisions
of our certificate of incorporation may prevent shareholder derivative actions or any other actions brought against the officers
or directors of the Company from being brought in any court except the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware.
Our
Certificate of Incorporation includes an exclusive forum provision that states in pertinent part that unless the Company consents
in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive
forum for the following types of actions or proceedings under Delaware statutory or common law, including, any derivative action
or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company, actions asserting breaches of fiduciary duties, and actions related to the Company’s
certificate of incorporation, bylaws, the Delaware General Corporation Law and so forth. Additionally, unless the Company otherwise
consents, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint
asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, subject to and contingent upon a final adjudication
in the State of Delaware of the enforceability of such exclusive forum provision. These provisions limit the ability of the Company’s
shareholders to bring actions in any court other than the Court of Chancery (or federal court), which ultimately may disadvantage
the Company’s shareholders or be cost prohibitive. Notwithstanding the foregoing, there is uncertainty as to whether a court
would enforce such provision and that investors cannot waive compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations
thereunder. Furthermore, the exclusive forum provision does not apply to actions arising under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934.
Fiduciaries
investing the assets of a trust or pension or profit-sharing plan must carefully assess an investment in our Company to ensure
compliance with ERISA.
In
considering an investment in the Company of a portion of the assets of a trust or a pension or profit-sharing plan qualified under
Section 401(a) of the Code and exempt from tax under Section 501(a), a fiduciary should consider (i) whether the investment satisfies
the diversification requirements of Section 404 of ERISA; (ii) whether the investment is prudent, since the Shares are not freely
transferable and there may not be a market created in which the Shares may be sold or otherwise disposed; and (iii) whether interests
in the Company or the underlying assets owned by the Company constitute “Plan Assets” under ERISA. See “ERISA
Considerations.”
Risks
Relating to the Spin-Off
We
may be unable to achieve some or all of the benefits that we expect to achieve from our spin-off from Taronis Technologies, Inc.
As
a result of our separation from Taronis Technologies, Inc. we may be more susceptible to market fluctuations and other adverse
events than we would have been were we still a part of Taronis Technologies, Inc. If we fail to achieve some or all of the benefits
that we expect to achieve as an independent company, or do not achieve them in the time we expect, our results of operations and
financial condition could be materially adversely affected.
We
have a limited operating history as a separate public company, our financial information from before the spin-off from Taronis
Technologies, Inc. may not reflect our current or future results as an independent company, we may not be able to make, on a timely
or cost-effective basis, the changes necessary to operate as an independent company and, as a result, we may experience increased
costs.
Prior
to the spin-off, Taronis Technologies, Inc. performed various corporate functions for us, including tax administration, governance,
compliance, accounting, internal audit and external reporting. Our historical financial results reflect allocations of corporate
expenses from Taronis Technologies, Inc. for these and similar functions that may be less than the comparable expenses we would
have incurred had we operated as a separate publicly traded company. Prior to the spin-off, we shared with Taronis Technologies,
Inc. economies of scope and scale in costs, employees, vendor relationships and relationships with our customers. Although we
entered into transition agreements and licensing, and other agreements that govern certain commercial and other relationships
between us and Taronis Technologies, Inc., those arrangements may not capture the benefits our business enjoyed as a result of
being integrated with the business of Taronis Technologies, Inc. prior to the spin-off.
Generally,
our working capital requirements, including acquisitions and capital expenditures, were satisfied as part of the corporate-wide
cash management policies of Taronis Technologies, Inc. before the spin-off. Since the completion of the spin-off, Taronis Technologies,
Inc. has not and will not be providing us with funds to finance our working capital or other cash requirements, and we may need
to obtain financing from banks, through public offerings or private placements of debt or equity securities, strategic relationships
or other arrangements. We may be unable to replace in a timely manner or on comparable terms and costs the services or other benefits
that Taronis Technologies, Inc. previously provided to us.
The
loss of the benefits from being a part of Taronis Technologies, Inc. could have an adverse effect on our business, results of
operations and financial condition. Other significant changes may occur in our cost structure, management, financing and business
operations as a result of our operating as a company separate from Taronis Technologies, Inc.
Our
failure to maintain effective internal controls or meet the financial reporting and other requirements to which we are now subject
could have a material adverse effect on our business and the price of our common stock.
As
a result of the spin-off, we are subject to reporting and other obligations under U.S. securities laws and are required to comply
with applicable internal controls and reporting requirements. Effective internal and disclosure controls are necessary for us
to provide reliable financial reports and effectively prevent fraud and to operate successfully as a public company. If we are
unable to maintain adequate financial and management controls, reporting systems, information technology systems and procedures,
our ability to comply with the financial reporting requirements and other rules that apply to reporting companies under U.S. securities
laws may be impaired. Ineffective internal and disclosure controls could also cause investors to lose confidence in our reported
financial information, which would likely have a negative effect on the per share trading price of our common stock.
In
connection with the spin-off we agreed to indemnify Taronis Technologies, Inc. and Taronis Technologies, Inc., agreed to indemnify
us for certain liabilities, and if we are required to perform under these indemnities or if Taronis Technologies, Inc. is unable
to satisfy its obligations under these indemnities, our financial results could be negatively affected.
In
connection with the spin-off, Taronis Technologies, Inc. agreed to indemnify us for certain liabilities, and we agreed to indemnify
Taronis Technologies, Inc. for certain liabilities, including cross-indemnities that are principally designed to place financial
responsibility for the obligations and liabilities of our business with us, and financial responsibility for the obligations and
liabilities of Taronis Technologies, Inc.’s business with Taronis Technologies, Inc. Should our indemnification obligations
exceed applicable insurance coverage, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Additionally, the indemnities from Taronis Technologies, Inc. may not be sufficient to protect us against the full amount of these
and other liabilities. Third parties also could seek to hold us responsible for any of the liabilities that Taronis Technologies,
Inc. has agreed to assume. Even if we ultimately succeed in recovering from Taronis Technologies, Inc. any amounts for which we
are held liable, we may be temporarily required to bear those losses ourselves. Each of these risks could negatively affect our
business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
The
contingent liabilities we assumed in connection with the spin-off could adversely affect our results of operations and financial
condition.
The
contingent liabilities we assumed in connection with the spin-off could adversely affect our results of operations and financial
condition. Pursuant to the Separation Agreement and Distribution Agreement, we assumed certain contingent and other corporate
liabilities of Taronis Technologies, Inc., which we refer to in this Report as “shared contingent liabilities,” incurred
prior to the spin-off, including liabilities of Taronis Technologies, Inc. related to, arising out of or resulting from certain
divested subsidiary businesses, certain general corporate matters of Taronis Technologies, Inc. and any actions with respect to
the spin-off brought by any third party. The realization of any of these potential liabilities could have an adverse effect on
our business or results of operations. There were no stated liabilities at December 31, 2019.
The
spin-off and related transactions may expose us to potential liabilities arising out of state and federal fraudulent conveyance
laws and legal distribution requirements.
Although
we reasonably believe we were adequately capitalized immediately after the spin-off, the spin-off could be challenged under various
state and federal fraudulent conveyance laws. An unpaid creditor could claim that Taronis Technologies, Inc. did not receive fair
consideration or reasonably equivalent value in the spin-off, and that the spin-off left Taronis Technologies, Inc. insolvent
or with unreasonably small capital or that Taronis Technologies, Inc. intended or believed it would incur debts beyond its ability
to pay such debts as they mature. If a court were to agree with such a plaintiff, then such court could void the spin-off as a
fraudulent transfer and could impose a number of different remedies, including, returning our assets or your shares in our company
to Taronis Technologies, Inc. or providing Taronis Technologies, Inc. with a claim for money damages against us in an amount equal
to the difference between the consideration received by Taronis Technologies, Inc. and the fair market value of our Company at
the time of the spin-off.
Certain
of our Directors and executive officers may have actual or potential conflicts of interest because of their ownership of Taronis
Technologies, Inc.’s equity or their current or former positions at Taronis Technologies, Inc.
Four
of our Directors also serve on the Taronis Technologies, Inc. board of directors. This could create, or appear to create, potential
conflicts of interest when our or Taronis Technologies, Inc.’s management and directors face decisions that could have different
implications for us and Taronis Technologies, Inc., including the resolution of any dispute regarding the terms of the agreements
governing the spin-off and the relationship between us and Taronis Technologies, Inc., any commercial agreements entered into
in the future between us and Taronis Technologies, Inc. and the allocation of such directors’ time between us and Taronis
Technologies, Inc.
Because
of their current or former positions with Taronis Technologies, Inc., some of our executive officers and non-employee Directors
own shares of Taronis Technologies, Inc.’s common stock. The continued ownership of Taronis Technologies, Inc.’s common
stock by our Directors and executive officers creates or may create the appearance of conflicts of interest when these Directors
and executive officers are faced with decisions that could have different implications for us and Taronis Technologies, Inc.
The
spin-off did not qualify as a reorganization for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Sections 368(a)(1)(D) and 355 of the Code,
and our stockholders, we and Taronis Technologies, Inc. may be required to pay substantial U.S. federal income taxes including
as a result of indemnification under the Tax Matters Agreement.
The
distribution was not conditioned upon the spin-off qualifying as a reorganization for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Sections
368(a)(1)(D) and 355 of the Code. Therefore, because the distribution does not qualify as a tax-free transaction, we may recognize
a substantial gain for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Additionally, because the distribution of the common stock of does not qualify
as tax-free under Section 355 of the Code, our shareholders will be treated as having received a taxable distribution equal to
the value of the stock distributed, treated as a taxable dividend to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits,
and then would have a tax-free basis recovery up to the amount of their tax basis in their shares, and then would have taxable
gain from the sale or exchange of the shares to the extent of any excess.