ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS.
There have been no
material changes from the risk factors previously disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
March 31, 2019, filed with the Commission on July 1, 2019 (the “
Form 10-K
”), except as provided and discussed
below, and investors should review the risks provided below and in the Form 10-K prior to making an investment in the Company.
Risks Relating to the Continued Listing
of Our Common Stock on the NYSE American
If we are unable to maintain compliance
with NYSE American continued listing standards, our common stock may be delisted from the NYSE American equities market, which
would likely cause the liquidity and market price of our common stock to decline.
Our common stock is
currently listed on the NYSE American. The NYSE American will consider suspending dealings in, or delisting, securities of an issuer
that do not meet its continued listing standards. If we cannot meet the NYSE American continued listing requirements, the NYSE
American may delist our common stock, which could have an adverse impact on us and the liquidity and market price of our stock.
We may be unable to
comply with NYSE American continued listing standards. Our business has been and may continue to be affected by worldwide macroeconomic
factors, which include uncertainties in the credit and capital markets. External factors that affect our stock price, such as liquidity
requirements of our investors, as well as our performance, could impact our market capitalization, revenue and operating results,
which, in turn, could affect our ability to comply with the NYSE American’s listing standards. The NYSE American has the
ability to suspend trading in our common stock or remove our common stock from listing on the NYSE American if in the opinion of
the exchange: (a) the financial condition and/or operating results of the Company appear to be unsatisfactory; or (b) it appears
that the extent of public distribution or the aggregate market value of our common stock has become so reduced as to make further
dealings on the exchange inadvisable; or (c) we have sold or otherwise disposed of our principal operating assets, or have ceased
to be an operating company; or (d) we have failed to comply with our listing agreements with the exchange (which include that we
receive additional listing approval from the exchange prior to us issuing any shares of common stock, something we have inadvertently
failed to comply with in the past); or (e) any other event shall occur or any condition shall exist which makes further dealings
on the exchange unwarranted.
In the past we have
been out of compliance with the NYSE American’s continued listing standards which (a) require a listed company to maintain
shareholders’ equity of more than $2-$6 million, depending on the prior years of net losses experienced by the listed company;
and (b) require a listed company to maintain an average trading price for its securities which exceeds $0.20 per share, for each
30 day rolling period. While we have cured such prior non-compliance described in (a) above, moving forward, if the Company is
again determined to be below compliance with any of the continued listing standards within 12 months of February 15, 2019, the
NYSE American will examine the relationship between the two incidents of noncompliance and re-evaluate the Company’s method
of financial recovery from the first incident. Thereafter the NYSE Regulation will take appropriate action, which depending on
the circumstances, may include truncating the standard compliance procedures or immediately initiating delisting procedures. Separately,
in connection with (b) above, the NYSE American previously advised us that our continued listing was predicated on the Company
demonstrating sustained price improvement of our common stock on the NYSE American through June 3, 2019; which we demonstrated
as of June 3, 2019, provided that we were once again advised on July 2, 2019, that our continued listing was predicated on the
Company demonstrating sustained price improvement of our common stock on the NYSE American through January 2, 2020. We subsequently
completed a 1-for-25 reverse stock split on July 8, 2019 to address the NYSE American’s concerns, but if the trading price
of our common stock is not above $0.20 per share on January 2, 2020, the NYSE American will begin the process to delist our common
stock. Additionally, if at any time, for any reason, our common stock trades below $0.06 per share, the NYSE American will immediately
begin delisting steps to delist our common stock from the NYSE American.
If we are unable to
retain compliance with the NYSE American criteria for continued listing, our common stock would be subject to delisting. A delisting
of our common stock could negatively impact us by, among other things, reducing the liquidity and market price of our common stock
and reducing the number of investors willing to hold or acquire our common stock, which could negatively impact our ability to
raise equity financing. In addition, delisting from the NYSE American might negatively impact our reputation and, as a consequence,
our business. Additionally, if we were delisted from the NYSE American and we are not able to list our common stock on another
national exchange we will no longer be eligible to use Form S-3 registration statements and will instead be required to file a
Form S-1 registration statement for any primary or secondary offerings of our common stock, which would delay our ability to raise
funds in the future, may limit the type of offerings of common stock we could undertake, and would increase the expenses of any
offering, as, among other things, registration statements on Form S-1 are subject to SEC review and comments whereas take downs
pursuant to a previously filed Form S-3 are not.
Risks Relating to the Lineal Merger;
Shareholder Approval in Connection Therewith; and Our Securities
The holders of
our Series C Preferred Stock are due a number of shares of common stock upon conversion of such Series C Preferred Stock which
significantly exceeds the number of shares of common stock which are available for future issuance.
As
of August 14, 2019, we had 250 million authorized shares of common stock and 26,128,200 shares of common stock issued and
outstanding. As of August 14, 2019, the Series C Holders are still due approximately 56 billion shares of common stock
upon conversion of the outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock, which have a current conversion price of $0.001 per
share, and an additional 28,231,700 shares in connection with shares of Series C Preferred Stock previously
converted which are held in abeyance subject to such holders’ 9.99% ownership limitations). Such number of shares
exceeds by 225 times the number of shares of common stock we have authorized for future issuance. As such, the holders of our
Series C Preferred Stock have the ability to convert the shares of Series C Preferred Stock into a number of shares of common
stock which would prevent us from issuing any other shares of common stock for compensation, future acquisitions or other
matters. In the event the limit of our authorized number of shares of common stock are reached we would need to take action
to increase such number of authorized but unissued shares of common stock, which would only provide the Series C Preferred
Stock holders with futher ability to convert such Series C Preferred Stock into common stock and as described in the risk
factors below, create further dilution to existing shareholders and reductions in the trading price of our common
stock.
Until such time
as the Stockholder Approval has been received, the holder of the Company’s Series C Preferred Stock will continue to be able
to convert such Series C Preferred Stock into a significant number of shares of common stock of the Company, which will result
in extreme dilution to existing shareholders.
The
issuance of common stock upon conversion of the Series C Preferred Stock will result in immediate and substantial dilution to
the interests of other stockholders. Although the holders of such Series C Preferred Stock (the “
Series C
Holders
”) may not receive shares of common stock exceeding 9.99% of our outstanding shares of common stock
immediately after affecting such conversion, this restriction does not prevent the Series C Holders from receiving shares up
to the 9.99% limit, selling those shares, and then receiving the rest of the shares it is due, in one or more tranches, while
still staying below the 9.99% limit. For example, since approximately July 9, 2019, the Series C Holders have been converting
shares of Series C Preferred Stock into common stock, and/or requesting additional shares of common stock which they are due
for prior conversions, which are held in abeyance, in an amount equal to approximately 9.99% of our outstanding shares of
common stock every one or two days, which has caused a significant increase in the number of outstanding shares of our common
stock over that time period and resulted in extreme dilution to existing stockholders. If the Series C Holders choose to
continue to do this, it will continue to cause substantial dilution to the then holders of our common stock. Additionally,
the continued sale of shares issuable upon successive conversions will likely create significant downward pressure on the
price of our common stock as the Series C Holders sell material amounts of our common stock over time and/or in a short
period of time. This could place further downward pressure on the price of our common stock and in turn result in the Series
C Holders receiving an ever increasing number of additional shares of common stock upon conversion of its securities, and
adjustments thereof, which in turn will likely lead to further dilution, reductions in the exercise/conversion price of the
Series C Holders’ securities and even more downward pressure on our common stock, which could lead to our common stock
becoming devalued or worthless. Because the current conversion price of the Series C Preferred Stock (including conversion
premiums) is $0.001 per share, the Series C Holders are incentivized to continually convert such Series C Preferred Stock and
sell shares of our common stock into the market because every price they are able to sell at above $0.001 per share results
in profit to such holders.
Until
such time as the Stockholder Approval and other requirements of the Exchange Agreement are received, the Series C Preferred
Stock is exchanged for shares of Series D Preferred Stock, and the number of shares of common stock issuable upon conversion
of the Series D Preferred Stock is fixed, the Series C Holders will continue to have the right to convert Series C Preferred
Stock and dilute the holdings of common stock holders. As of August 14, 2019, the Series C Holders are still due
approximately 56,342,906,515 shares of common stock upon conversion of the outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock
(significantly more than the 250 million shares we have authorized) and an additional 28,231,700 shares in connection
with shares of Series C Preferred Stock previously converted which are held in abeyance subject to such holders’ 9.99%
ownership limitations), which if converted and sold, will cause extreme dilution to existing shareholders and will likely
cause the value of the Company’s common stock to significantly decline in value, due to downward pressure on the price
of such stock due to such sales, and due to the value of the Company’s assets being spread our over a larger number of
total holders of common stock (i.e., with each holder of common stock holding a smaller percentage of the total outstanding
shares).
In the event
the Company stockholders provide Stockholder Approval, the Series E and Series F Preferred Stockholders will obtain voting control
over the Company.
Except as otherwise
expressly provided in the Series E Designation, the holders of Series E Preferred Stock and common stock vote together as a single
class and not as separate classes. Each outstanding share of Series E Preferred Stock is entitled to vote a number of voting shares
equal to the Voting Shares on all stockholder matters to come before the stockholders of the Company (whether at a meeting of the
stockholders of the Company, by written action of stockholders in lieu of a meeting or otherwise) (the “
Voting Rights
”);
provided that the Voting Rights shall not apply, and the holders shall not be allowed to vote on, the Stockholder Approval. “
Voting
Shares
” means (i) 18.9% of the total shares of common stock issued and outstanding on the date the Plan of Merger was
agreed to by the parties, prior to the Approval Date; and (b) 76.0% of the Company’s total voting shares on, and following,
the Approval Date, divided by the 1 million shares of Series E Preferred Stock issued in connection with the Plan of Merger.
Except as otherwise
provided in the Series F Designation or as required by law, the holders of Series E Preferred Stock and the holders of common stock
shall vote together as a single class and not as separate classes. Each outstanding share of Series F Preferred Stock is entitled
to vote a number of voting shares equal to (i) 1% of the total shares of common stock issued and outstanding on the date the Plan
of Merger was agreed to by the parties, prior to the Approval Date (19.9% together with the Series E Preferred Stock); and (b)
4% of the Company’s total voting shares on the Approval Date (80% together with the Series E Preferred Stock), divided by
the 16,750 shares of Series F Preferred Stock issued in connection with the Plan of Merger; provided that the Series F Preferred
Stock shall not be allowed to vote on the Stockholder Approval.
As a result, on the
date of Stockholder Approval, the Series E and Series F Preferred Stock holders will collectively have the right to vote 80% of
the Company’s voting shares and such holders will have control over the Company.
The approval
by the stockholders of the Company of the conversion of the Series E and Series F Preferred Stock into common stock at the future
stockholder meeting will result in substantial and significant dilution to existing stockholders with the Company’s common
stock holders only holding in aggregate, a maximum of 6.67% of the Company’s fully-diluted shares of common stock.
The result of the Plan
of Merger, Series D Designation and Series E Designation, each as described in greater detail above, will be that, effective upon
the Stockholder Approval Date, and subject to the Closing Conditions of the Exchange Agreement, (a) the common stock holders of
the Company will hold between 6% and 6.67% of the Company’s fully-diluted capitalization (depending on whether the 3% Increase
described above is triggered); (b) Discover will hold Series D Preferred Stock convertible into 26.67% of the Company’s fully-diluted
capitalization, subject to the terms of the Series D Preferred Stock; and (c) the Lineal Members, who hold the Series E Preferred
Stock, will have the right to convert such Series E Preferred Stock, subject to the terms thereof, as discussed below, into 66.67%
of the Company’s fully-diluted capitalization, subject to the 3% Increase described above. For example, if on the Stockholder
Approval Date, there are 20,000,000 shares of common stock issued and outstanding, the Series E Preferred Stock will be convertible
into approximately 200 million shares of common stock (approximately 232 million if the 3% Increase is triggered) and the Series
D Preferred Stock will be convertible into, subject to the ownership blocker set forth therein, a total of 79,970,015 shares of
common stock. As a result, upon the Stockholder Approval Date, and subject to the Closing Conditions of the Exchange Agreement,
the percentage of voting shares held by the common stockholders of the Company, and the percentage of fully-diluted shares held
by such common stockholders, will be significantly less than the percentage which they hold prior to the Stockholder Approval Date,
and the conversion rights of the Series E Preferred Stock and Series D Preferred Stock, and conversions under such preferred stock,
will result in significant dilution to existing stockholders. Effective on the Stockholder Approval Date, the common stockholders
of the Company will own only between 6% and 6.67% of the Company’s capital stock, subject to the preferential liquidation
preferences and other rights in the designations of the Company’s preferred stock.
The Series E
Preferred Stock includes redemption rights which, if exercisable, and if exercised, may result in the effective unwinding of the
Lineal acquisition and other consequences.
The Series E Preferred
Stock holders, with the consent of a majority in interest of such Series E Preferred Stock holders, have the option, exercisable
from time to time after November 22, 2019, or if an acquisition by Lineal of assets or securities which results in the Company,
immediately after such acquisition, being able to meet the initial listing requirements of the NYSE American (“
Lineal
Transaction
”), has not occurred prior to September 23, 2019, a date which is 60 days after the closing of a Lineal Transaction
(the “
Redemption Date
”), or such other later date which is approved by the Company and a majority in interest
of such Series E Preferred Stock holders, provided that the Shareholder Approval has not been received by such date, to require
that the Company redeem shares of the outstanding Series E Preferred Stock. Each Redemption shall be on a one-for-one basis between
Series E Preferred Stock and Lineal Common Shares and shall be subject to applicable law. No redemption of the Series E Preferred
Stock is allowed unless there is a pro rata redemption of the Series F Preferred Stock.
The holders of the
Series F Preferred Stock have the option, exercisable from time to time after the Redemption Date, or such other later date which
is approved by the Company and a majority in interest of the holders of the Series F Preferred Stock, or if Stockholder Approval
has been received, then only after the date following the date when the Company has received net proceeds from the issuance of
equity securities of at least $6,750,000, to require that the Company redeem all or any portion of the outstanding shares of Series
F Preferred Stock for cash, by requiring the Company to pay each applicable holder, an amount equal to $100 per Series F Preferred
Stock share multiplied by the number of Series F Preferred Stock shares held by each applicable holder, subject to redemption.
In the event the Company is prohibited from completing a redemption due to applicable law, the Company is required to redeem that
number of shares of Series F Preferred Stock which is able to be redeemed under applicable law.
In the event the Series
E Preferred Stock was fully-redeemed, the Series E Preferred holders and Series F Preferred Stock holders would be able to re-acquire
100% of the securities of Lineal and effectively unwind the Company’s acquisition of Lineal.
Additionally, in the
event of the redemption of more than 50% of the Series E and F Preferred Stock shares, the $1,050,000 loan made by the Company
to Lineal will be due two years from such applicable date, provided that the Company will not have any security for such loan,
which may not be repaid timely, if at all.
The issuance
and sale of common stock upon conversion of the Series C Preferred Stock will likely significantly depress the market price of
our common stock.
As
described above, until such time as the Stockholder Approval and other requirements of the Exchange Agreement are received,
the Series C Preferred Stock is exchanged for shares of Series D Preferred Stock, and the number of shares of common stock
issuable upon conversion of the Series D Preferred Stock is fixed, the Series C Holders will continue to have the right to
convert Series C Preferred Stock and dilute the holdings of common stock holders. For example, since approximately July 9, 2019, the Series C Holders have been converting
shares of Series C Preferred Stock into common stock, and/or requesting additional shares of common stock which they are due
for prior conversions, which are held in abeyance, in an amount equal to approximately 9.99% of our outstanding shares of
common stock every one or two days, which has caused a significant increase in the number of outstanding shares of our common
stock over that time period and diluted existing stockholders. Additionally, as of August 14, 2019,
the Series C Holders are still due approximately 56,342,906,515 shares of common stock upon conversion of the outstanding
shares of Series C Preferred Stock (significantly more than the 250 million shares we have authorized), at a current
conversion price of $0.001 per share, and an additional 28,321,700 shares in connection with shares of Series C Preferred
Stock previously converted which are held in abeyance subject to such holders’ 9.99% ownership limitations).
As
conversions of Series C Preferred Stock and sales of such converted shares take place, the price of our common stock
will likley decline in value. In addition, the common stock issuable upon conversion of the Series C Preferred Stock
will represent overhang that may also adversely affect the market price of our common stock. Overhang occurs when there is
a greater supply of a company’s stock in the market than there is demand for that stock. When this happens the price
of the company’s stock will decrease, and any additional shares which shareholders attempt to sell in the market will
only further decrease the share price. If the share volume of our common stock cannot absorb converted shares sold by the
Series C Preferred Stock holders, then the value of our common stock will likely decrease, and as a result, we may be
delisted from the NYSE American.
If persons engage
in short sales of our common stock, including sales of shares to be issued upon exercise of our outstanding convertible preferred
stock, the price of our common stock may decline.
Selling short is a
technique used by a stockholder to take advantage of an anticipated decline in the price of a security. In addition, holders of
options, warrants and other convertible securities will sometimes sell short knowing they can, in effect, cover through the exercise
of an option or warrant or conversion of a convertible security, thus locking in a profit. A significant number of short sales
or a large volume of other sales within a relatively short period of time can create downward pressure on the market price of a
security. Further sales of common stock issued upon exercise of our outstanding Series C Preferreds Stock could encourage short
sales that could further undermine the value of our common stock. Shareholders could, therefore, experience a decline in the values
of their investment as a result of short sales of our common stock.
The Series E
and Series F Preferred Stock includes provisions restricting the Company’s ability to undertake certain transactions without
the approval of such Series E and Series F Preferred Stockholders.
Until the
earlier
of
(a) the fifth (5
th
) anniversary of the Closing Date of the Lineal acquisition; and (b) the date that 5% or less of the
Series E Preferred Stock and Series F Preferred Stock issued in connection with the Merger are outstanding, the Company is not
authorized to affect any Material Asset Transfer or change of control, as described in the Series E Designation (collectively,
a “
Material Transaction
”), without the consent of a majority in interest of such Series E Preferred Stock holders.
“
Material Asset Transfer
” means (i) the sale, license, distribution or transfer, of more than 20% of the assets
of (a) the Company; or (b) Lineal, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, subject to certain exceptions;
or (ii) the merger, consolidation or reorganization of the Company or Lineal with another corporation, partnership or other entity
and as a result of such merger, consolidation or reorganization less than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the surviving
or resulting corporation, partnership or other entity shall be owned in the aggregate by the stockholders of the Company (as to
the Company) or the Company (as to Lineal), as determined immediately prior to the consummation of such merger, consolidation or
reorganization.
Additionally,
until the Protective Provision Termination Date, the Company shall not, without first obtaining the approval of a majority in interest
of such Series E Preferred Stock holders: (a) issue any shares of preferred stock, other than as contemplated by the Plan of Merger;
(b) issue any Lineal Common Shares or Lineal Preferred Shares; or (c) issue any shares of common stock or convertible securities,
except for: (i) shares of common stock issued upon conversion of the Series F Preferred Stock; (ii) shares of common stock issued
upon conversion of the Series C Preferred Stock and Series D Preferred Stock, or as otherwise provided for in the Series C Designation
or Series D Designation; (iii) shares of Series D Preferred Stock pursuant to the Exchange Agreement; (iv) shares of common stock
issuable pursuant to the terms of agreements or understandings which were in place as of the Closing Date, and which have not been
amended, modified or revised after such Closing Date, except to make such terms more favorable to the Company; and (v) shares of
common stock issuable upon the exercise of options or upon the conversion or exchange of convertible securities, outstanding as
of the Closing Date, in each case provided such issuance is pursuant to the terms of such option or convertible security as was
in effect as of the Closing Date, except to the extent such terms are amended or revised to make such terms more favorable to the
Company.
Finally, for
so long as the outstanding Series E Preferred Stock shares have the right to vote at least 5% of the Company’s total voting
shares, the Series E Preferred Stock, voting as a group, have the right to (a) appoint one member to the Company’s Board
of Directors; (b) appoint four (4) members of Lineal’s Board of Directors (i.e., the managers of Lineal) (prior to Shareholder
Approval); and one (1) member to Lineal’s Board of Directors (subsequent to Shareholder Approval), provided that unless approved
by a majority in interest of such Series E Preferred Stock holders, the Board of Directors of Lineal shall have no more than five
(5) members; (c) nominate an individual to serve as the Company’s COO; and (d) nominate individuals to serve as the executive
officers of Lineal.
The Series E Designation
also provides the Series E Preferred Stock holders customary protective provisions requiring the consent of the Series E Preferred
Stock holders for certain matters, including amending the Lineal Company Agreement, which would adversely affect the rights of
the Series E Preferred Stock holders and/or the Series E Preferred Stock.
As a result of the
above the Series E and Series F Preferred Stock holders will have significant control over the activities of the Company and Lineal
and the Company’s and Lineal’s operations, the Company’s ability to raise capital and ability to liquidate assets,
and the interests of the preferred stock holders may be different than those of the common stock holders and create conflicts of
interest.
The Series E
and Series F Preferred Stock includes a liquidation preference.
In the event of any
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, either voluntary or involuntary (each a “
Liquidation Event
”),
the holders of Series E Preferred Stock are entitled to receive prior to the holders of the Company’s other security holders,
except in the case of the Series C Preferred Stock, which is junior in ranking only to the first distributions up until $2,000
per share of Series E Preferred Stock (the original issue price per share)($20 million in aggregate), and the Series F Preferred
Stock, the Company’s capital leases as may be in place from time to time and other senior debt approved by a majority in
interest of such preferred holders, and then is entitled to pari passu ranking, and pro rata with the holders of the Company’s
Series D Preferred Stock, an amount per share for each share of Series E Preferred Stock held by them equal to the greater of (a)
$2,000 per share and (b) the amount of cash that would have been received had such share of Series E Preferred Stock been converted
into common stock immediately prior to such Liquidation Event based on the Conversion Rate. In the event of a Liquidation Event,
the holders of Series F Preferred Stock are entitled to receive prior to the holders of the Company’s securities other than
the Series D Preferred Stock, and pro rata with the holders of the Series D Preferred Stock, but not prior to any holders of the
Company’s senior securities (as described in the designation), an amount per share for each share of Series F Preferred Stock
held by them equal to $100 ($1,675,000 in aggregate), then, after any distributions to any other shares of preferred stock, the
holders are entitled to eight percent (8%) of any remaining assets left for distribution to the holders of the common stock.
The
Series C Holders hold an approximately $56.3 million liquidation preference in the Company.
Each share of Series
C Preferred Stock held by the Discover and Discover Growth includes a liquidation preference, payable to the Series C Holders upon
any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, after payment or provision for payment
of debts and other liabilities of the Company and after priority amounts due to the Series E Preferred Stock holders and Series
F Preferred Stock holders, as discussed above,
prior to
any distribution or payment made to the holders of preferred
stock or common stock, by reason of their ownership thereof equal to $10,000 (“
Face Value
”), plus an amount
equal to any accrued but unpaid dividends thereon. Because the dividends currently require that interest be paid on the Face Value
of 34.95% per annum, for the entire seven year term of the Series C Preferred Stock (even if payable sooner than seven years after
the issuance date), the total liquidation value required to be paid to the Discover and Discover Growth upon a liquidation, dissolution
or winding up of the Company is approximately $56.3 million as of the date of this filing. As referenced above, this liquidation
preference would be payable after the other preferential rights of our other outstanding series of preferred stock, but prior to
any amount being distributed to the holders of our common stock. Because our net assets total significantly less than $56.3 million
(notwithstanding the preferential liquidation rights of our other series of preferred stock), it is likely that our common stockholders
would not receive any amount in the event the Company was liquidated, dissolved or wound up.
Pursuant to the
Funding Agreement the Company is required to hold $4 million of funds in a separate segregated bank account to be used solely for
future acquisitions.
The Funding Agreement
required the Company to deposit into a newly opened and dedicated bank account, $4,000,000, which is intended to be used for acquisitions
of assets and/or securities of complementary businesses of Lineal. The amount of such deposit may only be released with the approval
of the Company and Lineal’s designee. While in the Account the Company will not have the use of such funds, except for mutually
agreed upon acquisitions. While held in the Account such funds may not be generating as much income for the Company as they would
be if used for other purposes, will reduce the amount of funds the Company has for operations and other matters, and could force
the Company to raise money for operations sooner than it otherwise would.
The Funding Agreement
terminates on the first to occur of (a) the distribution of all of the amounts in the account in accordance with the agreement;
(b) the consent of a Preferred Majority; and (c) delivery to the former holders of the Series E and F Preferred Stock, by the Company,
of a notice of termination, in the event the Series E and F Preferred Stock have been fully redeemed by the Company. As such, the
Company has no control over the termination of the Agreement and in the event the Company and Lineal’s representative cannot
mutually agree on a use for such funds, the funds will continue to remain in a segregated account until the termination of the
Funding Agreement, if ever.
The integration
of Lineal’s assets and operations
present significant challenges that may reduce the anticipated potential
benefits of such acquisition.
The
integration of Lineal’s assets and operations are well underway but present significant challenges that may reduce the anticipated
potential benefits of this transaction. The integration of Lineal’s assets and options is complex and time-consuming due
to the size and complexity of such organization. The Company faces significant challenges in consolidating functions and integrating
organizations, procedures and operations in a timely and efficient manner, as well as retaining key personnel. The principal challenges
include the following:
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integrating Lineal’s existing businesses;
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preserving significant business relationships;
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further consolidation of corporate and administrative
functions;
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conforming standards, controls, procedures and policies, business cultures and compensation structures
between Lineal and the Company; and
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retaining key employees.
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The Company’s
management plans to dedicate substantial effort to integrating the business of Lineal with the Company. These efforts could divert
management’s focus and resources from the Company’s business, corporate initiatives or strategic opportunities. If
the Company is unable to integrate Lineal’s organizations, procedures and operations in a timely and efficient manner, the
anticipated benefits of this acquisition may not be realized fully or may take longer to realize than expected. An inability to
realize the full extent of the anticipated benefits of this acquisition, as well as any delays encountered in the integration process,
could also have an adverse effect upon the Company’s revenues, expenses and operating results.
The Company’s
future success depends, in part, upon its ability to complete the integration and manage this expanded business, which will pose
substantial challenges for management, including challenges related to the management and monitoring of new operations and associated
increased costs and complexity. There can be no assurances that the Company will be successful or that it will realize the expected
operating efficiencies, cost savings and other benefits currently anticipated.
Risks Relating to Our Pipeline Service
Operations
Competing pipeline
service providers, including certain major energy and chemical companies, possess, or have greater financial resources to acquire,
assets better suited to meet customer demand, which could undermine our ability to obtain and retain customers or reduce utilization
of our assets, which could reduce our revenues and cash flows.
We face competition
in all aspects of our business and can give no assurances that we will be able to compete effectively against our competitors.
Our competitors include major energy and chemical companies, some of which have greater financial resources, more resources, employees
and greater technology. Certain of our competitors also may have advantages in competing for acquisitions or other new business
opportunities because of their financial resources and synergies in operations. Our inability to effectively compete with competitors
who have more resources than us could have a negative effect on our revenue, and cash flows.
Our operations
are subject to operational hazards and interruptions, and we cannot insure against and/or predict all potential losses and liabilities
that might result therefrom.
Our operations and
those of our customers and suppliers are subject to operational hazards and unforeseen interruptions due to natural disasters,
adverse weather conditions (such as hurricanes, tornadoes, storms and floods), accidents, fires, explosions, hazardous materials
releases, mechanical failures and other events beyond our control. In addition, many scientists hypothesize that global climatic
changes are occurring that are likely to increase the number and severity of hurricanes and other damaging weather conditions.
These events might result in a loss of life or equipment, injury or extensive property damage, as well as an interruption in our
operations or those of our customers or suppliers. In the event any of our facilities, or those of our customers or suppliers,
suffer significant damage or are forced to shut down for a significant period of time, it may have a material adverse effect on
our earnings, our other results of operations and our financial condition as a whole.
As
a result of market conditions, premiums and deductibles for certain of our insurance policies could increase substantially; therefore,
we may not be able to maintain or obtain insurance of the type and amount we desire at reasonable rates. Certain insurance coverage
could become subject to broad exclusions, become unavailable altogether or become available only for reduced amounts of coverage
and at higher rates. If we were to incur a significant liability for which we are insufficiently insured, such a liability could
have a material adverse effect on our financial position.
Climate change
and fuels legislation and other regulatory initiatives may decrease demand for our services and increase our operating costs.
In response to scientific
studies asserting that emissions of certain “
greenhouse gases
” such as carbon dioxide and methane may be contributing
to warming of the Earth’s atmosphere, the U.S. Congress, European Union and other political bodies have considered legislation
or regulation to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. To the extent the United States and other countries impose climate change
regulations on the oil industry, it could have an adverse direct or indirect effect on our business.
Passage of climate
change or fuels legislation or other regulatory initiatives in fuel efficiency, fuel additives, renewable fuels and other areas
in which we conduct business could result in changes to the demand for the services we provide and could increase the costs of
our operations. Reductions in our revenues or increases in our expenses as a result of climate change legislation or other regulatory
initiatives could have adverse effects on our business, financial position, results of operations and prospects.
Finally, increasing
concentrations of greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere may produce climate changes that have significant physical effects,
such as increased frequency and severity of storms, floods and other climatic events. If any such effects were to occur, they could
have an adverse effect on our assets and operations.
Our pipeline
services operations are subject to federal, state and local laws and regulations, in the U.S. and in the other countries in which
we operate, relating to environmental, health, safety and security that could require us to make substantial expenditures.
Our pipeline services
operations are subject to increasingly stringent international, federal, state and local environmental, health, safety and security
laws and regulations. The servicing of pipelines which carry hazardous materials, including petroleum products, entails the risk
that these products may be released into the environment, potentially causing substantial expenditures for a response action, significant
government penalties, liability to government agencies including for damages to natural resources, personal injury or property
damages to private parties and significant business interruption. Further, in recent years, increased regulatory focus on pipeline
integrity and safety has resulted in various proposed or adopted regulations. The implementation of these regulations, and the
adoption of future regulations, could require us to make additional capital expenditures, increase our operating costs, and reduce
the demand for our services, all of which could cause a reduction in our revenues and a material adverse effect on our results
of operations.
Current and future
legislative action and regulatory initiatives could also result in changes to operating permits, material changes in operations,
increased capital expenditures and operating costs, increased costs of raw materials and decreased demand for our services that
cannot be assessed with certainty at this time. We may be required to make expenditures to modify operations or install pollution
control equipment or release prevention and containment systems that could materially and adversely affect our business, financial
condition, results of operations and liquidity if these expenditures, as with all costs, are not ultimately reflected in the tariffs
and other fees we receive for our services.
Terrorist attacks
and the threat of future attacks worldwide, as well as continued hostilities in the Middle East or other sustained military campaigns,
may adversely impact our results of operations.
The United States Department
of Homeland Security has identified pipelines and other energy infrastructure assets as ones that might be specific targets of
terrorist organizations. These potential targets might include our pipeline systems, storage facilities or operating systems. Increased
security measures we have taken as a precaution against possible terrorist attacks have resulted in increased costs to our business.
Uncertainty surrounding continued hostilities in the Middle East or other sustained military campaigns may affect our operations
in unpredictable ways, including disruptions of crude oil supplies and markets for refined products, instability in the financial
markets that could restrict our ability to raise capital and the possibility that infrastructure facilities could be direct targets
of, or indirect casualties of, an attack.
Our financial
and operating results may vary significantly from quarter-to-quarter and year-to-year.
Our business
is subject to seasonal and annual fluctuations. Some of the quarterly variation is the result of weather, particularly
rain, ice and snow, which create difficult operating conditions. Similarly, demand for routine repair and maintenance
services for gas utilities is lower during their peak customer needs in the winter. Some of the annual variation is
the result of large construction projects which fluctuate based on general economic conditions and customer needs. Annual
and quarterly results may also be adversely affected by:
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Changes in our mix of customers, projects, contracts and business;
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Regional or national and/or general economic conditions and demand for our services;
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Variations and changes in the margins of projects performed during any particular quarter;
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Increases in the costs to perform services caused by changing weather conditions;
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The termination or expiration of existing agreements or contracts;
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The budgetary spending patterns of customers;
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Increases in construction costs that we may be unable to pass through to our customers;
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Cost or schedule overruns on fixed-price contracts;
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Availability of qualified labor for specific projects;
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Changes in bonding requirements and bonding availability for existing and new agreements;
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The need and availability of letters of credit;
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Costs we incur to support growth, whether organic or through acquisitions;
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The timing and volume of work under contract; and
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Losses experienced in our operations.
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As a result, our operating
results in any particular quarter may not be indicative of the operating results expected for any other quarter or for an entire
year.
Demand for our
services may decrease during economic recessions or volatile economic cycles, and a reduction in demand in end markets may adversely
affect our business.
We anticipate
that moving forward a substantial portion of our revenue and profit will be generated from construction projects, the awarding
of which we do not directly control. The engineering and construction industry historically has experienced cyclical
fluctuations in financial results due to economic recessions, downturns in business cycles of our customers, material shortages,
price increases by subcontractors, interest rate fluctuations and other economic factors beyond our control. When the general
level of economic activity deteriorates, our customers may delay or cancel upgrades, expansions, and/or maintenance and repairs
to their systems. Many factors, including the financial condition of the industry, could adversely affect our customers and their
willingness to fund capital expenditures in the future.
Economic, regulatory
and market conditions affecting our specific end markets may adversely impact the demand for our services, resulting in the delay,
reduction or cancellation of certain projects and these conditions may continue to adversely affect us in the future.
We are also dependent
on the amount of work our customers outsource. In a slower economy, our customers may decide to outsource less services reducing
demand for our services. In addition, consolidation, competition or capital constraints in the industries we serve may result in
reduced spending by our customers.
Industry
trends and government regulations could reduce demand for our pipeline services.
The demand for
our pipeline services is dependent on the level of capital project spending by companies in the oil and gas industry. This
level of spending is subject to large fluctuations depending primarily on the current price, volatility, and expectations of future
prices of oil and natural gas. The price is a function of many factors, including levels of supply and demand, government
policies and regulations, oil industry refining capacity and the potential development of alternative fuels.
Specific government
decisions could affect demand for our services. For example, a limitation on the use of “
fracking
”
technology, or creation of significant regulatory issues for the construction of underground pipelines, could significantly reduce
our underground work.
Conversely, government
regulations may increase the demand for our pipeline services. The anticipation by utilities that coal-fueled power
plants may become uneconomical to operate because of potential environmental regulations or low natural gas prices has increased
demand for gas pipeline construction for utility customers.
Many of our customers
are regulated by federal and state government agencies and the addition of new regulations or changes to existing regulations may
adversely impact demand for our services and the profitability of those services.
Many of our energy
customers are regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“
FERC
”), and our utility customers are
regulated by state public utility commissions. These agencies could change the way in which they interpret current regulations
and may impose additional regulations. These changes could have an adverse effect on our customers and the profitability of the
services they provide, which could reduce demand for our services or delay our ability to complete projects.
We may lose business
to competitors through the competitive bidding processes.
We are engaged in highly
competitive businesses in which most customer contracts are awarded through bidding processes based on price and the acceptance
of certain risks. We compete with other general and specialty contractors, both regional and national, and small local contractors.
The strong competition in our markets requires maintaining skilled personnel and investing in technology, and it also puts pressure
on profit margins. We do not obtain contracts from all of our bids and our inability to win bids at acceptable profit margins would
adversely affect our business.
The timing of
new contracts may result in unpredictable fluctuations in our business.
Substantial portions
of our revenue are derived from project-based work that is awarded through a competitive bid process. It is generally very difficult
to predict the timing and geographic distribution of the projects that we will be awarded. The selection of, timing of or failure
to obtain projects, delays in award of projects, the re-bidding or termination of projects due to budget overruns, cancellations
of projects or delays in completion of contracts could result in the under-utilization of our assets and reduce our cash flows.
Even if we are awarded contracts, we face additional risks that could affect whether, or when, work will begin. For example, some
of our contracts are subject to financing, permitting and other contingencies that may delay or result in termination of projects.
We may have difficulty in matching workforce size and equipment location with contract needs. In some cases, we may be required
to bear the cost of a ready workforce and equipment that is larger than necessary, resulting in unpredictability in our cash flow,
expenses and profitability. If any expected contract award or the related work release is delayed or not received, we could incur substantial
costs without receipt of any corresponding revenue. Finally, the winding down or completion of work on significant projects will
reduce our revenue and earnings if these projects have not been replaced.
Backlog may not
be realized or may not result in revenue or profit.
Most of our contracts
may be terminated by our customers on short notice. Reductions in backlog due to cancellation by a customer, or for other reasons,
could significantly reduce the revenue that we actually receive from contracts in our backlog. In the event of a project cancellation,
we may be reimbursed for certain costs, but we typically have no contractual right to the total revenue reflected in our backlog.
Projects may remain in our backlog for extended periods of time.
Given these factors,
our backlog at any point in time may not accurately represent the revenue that we expect to realize during any period, and our
backlog as of the end of a fiscal year may not be indicative of the revenue we expect to earn in the following fiscal year. Inability
to realize revenue from our backlog could have an adverse effect on our business.
Our actual cost
may be greater than expected in performing our fixed-price contracts, causing us to realize significantly lower profit or losses
on our projects.
We expect to continue
to generate a portion of our revenue and profit under fixed-price contracts. In general, we must estimate the costs of completing
a specific project to bid these types of contracts. The actual cost of labor and materials may vary from the costs we originally
estimated, and we may not be successful in recouping additional costs from our customers. These variations may cause gross profit
for a project to differ from those we originally estimated. Reduced profitability or losses on projects could occur
due to changes in a variety of factors such as:
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Failure to properly estimate costs of engineering, materials, equipment or labor;
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Unanticipated technical problems with the structures, materials or services being supplied by us, which may require that we spend our own money to remedy the problem;
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Project modifications not reimbursed by the client creating unanticipated costs;
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Changes in the costs of equipment, materials, labor or subcontractors;
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Our suppliers or subcontractors failure to perform;
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Changes in local laws and regulations, and;
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Delays caused by weather conditions.
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As projects grow in
size and complexity, multiple factors may contribute to reduced profit or losses, and depending on the size of the particular project,
variations from the estimated contract costs could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Weather can significantly
affect our revenue and profitability.
Our ability to perform
work and meet customer schedules can be affected by weather conditions such as snow, ice and rain. Weather may affect
our ability to work efficiently and can cause project delays and additional costs. Our ability to negotiate change orders
for the impact of weather on a project could impact our profitability. In addition, the impact of weather can cause
significant variability in our quarterly revenue and profitability.
We require subcontractors
and suppliers to assist us in providing certain services, and we may be unable to retain the necessary subcontractors or obtain
suppliers to complete certain projects adversely affecting our business.
We use subcontractors
to perform portions of our contracts and to manage workflow. While we are not dependent on any single subcontractor, general market
conditions may limit the availability of subcontractors to perform portions of our contracts causing delays and increases in our
costs.
Although significant
materials are often supplied by the customer, we use suppliers to provide some materials and equipment used for projects. If
a supplier fails to provide supplies and equipment at the estimated price, fails to provide adequate amounts of supplies and equipment,
or fails to provide supplies when scheduled, we may be required to source the supplies or equipment at a higher price or may be
required to delay performance of the project. The additional cost or project delays could negatively impact project
profitability.
Failure of a subcontractor
or supplier to comply with laws, rules or regulations could negatively affect our reputation and our business.
We may experience
delays and defaults in client payments and we may pay our suppliers and subcontractors before receiving payment from our customers
for the related services, which could result in an adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
We use subcontractors
and material suppliers for portions of certain work, and our customers pay us for those related services. If we pay our suppliers
and subcontractors for materials purchased and work performed for customers who fail to pay us, or such customers delay paying
us for the related work or materials, we could experience a material adverse effect on our business. In addition, if customers
fail to pay us for work we perform, we could experience a material adverse effect on our business.
A significant
portion of our business depends on our ability to provide surety bonds, and we may be unable to compete for or work on certain
projects if we are not able to obtain the necessary surety bonds.
Our contracts frequently
require that we provide payment and performance bonds to our customers. Under standard terms in the surety market, sureties issue
or continue bonds on a project-by-project basis and can decline to issue bonds at any time or require the posting of additional
collateral as a condition to issuing or renewing bonds.
Current or future market
conditions, as well as changes in our surety providers’ assessments of our operating and financial risk, could cause our
surety providers to decline to issue or renew, or to substantially reduce, the availability of bonds for our work and could increase
our bonding costs. These actions could be taken on short notice. If our surety providers were to limit or eliminate our access
to bonding, our alternatives would include seeking bonding capacity from other sureties, finding more business that does not require
bonds and posting other forms of collateral for project performance, such as letters of credit or cash. We may be unable to secure
these alternatives in a timely manner, on acceptable terms, or at all. Accordingly, if we were to experience an interruption or
reduction in the availability of bonding capacity, we may be unable to compete for or work on certain projects.
Our bonding requirements
may limit our ability to incur indebtedness, which would limit our ability to refinance our existing credit facilities or to execute
our business plan.
Our ability to obtain
surety bonds depends upon various factors including our capitalization, working capital, tangible net worth and amount of our indebtedness.
In order to obtain required bonds, we may be limited in our ability to incur additional indebtedness that may be needed to refinance
our existing credit facilities upon maturity, to complete acquisitions, and to otherwise execute our business plans.
We may be unable
to win some new contracts if we cannot provide clients with letters of credit.
For many of our clients,
surety bonds provide an adequate form of security, but for some clients, additional security in the form of a letter of credit
may be required. While we have capacity for letters of credit under our credit facility, the amount required by a client
may be in excess of our credit limit. Any such amount would be issued at the sole discretion of our lenders. Failure
to provide a letter of credit when required by a client may result in our inability to compete for or win a project.
During the ordinary
course of our business, we may become subject to material lawsuits or indemnity claims.
We have in the past
been, and may in the future be, named as a defendant in lawsuits, claims and other legal proceedings during the ordinary course
of our business. These actions may seek, among other things, compensation for alleged personal injury, workers’ compensation,
employment discrimination, breach of contract, property damage, punitive damages, and civil penalties or other losses or injunctive
or declaratory relief. In addition, we generally indemnify our customers for claims related to the services we provide and actions
we take under our contracts with them, and, in some instances, we may be allocated risk through our contract terms for actions
by our customers or other third parties. Because our services in certain instances may be integral to the operation and performance
of our customers’ infrastructure, we may become subject to lawsuits or claims for any failure of the systems on which we
work, even if our services are not the cause of such failures, and we could be subject to civil and criminal liabilities to the
extent that our services contributed to any property damage, personal injury or system failure. The outcome of any of these lawsuits,
claims or legal proceedings could result in significant costs and diversion of management’s attention from the business.
Payments of significant amounts, even if reserved, could adversely affect our reputation and our business.
Our business
is labor intensive. If we are unable to attract and retain qualified managers and skilled employees, our operating costs
may increase.
Our business is labor
intensive and our ability to maintain our productivity and profitability may be limited by our ability to employ, train and retain
skilled personnel necessary to meet our requirements. We may not be able to maintain an adequately skilled labor force necessary
to operate efficiently and to support our growth strategy. We have from time-to-time experienced, and may in the future experience,
shortages of certain types of qualified personnel. The supply of experienced engineers, project managers, field supervisors and
other skilled workers may not be sufficient to meet current or expected demand. The beginning of new, large-scale infrastructure
projects or increased competition for workers currently available to us, could affect our business, even if we are not awarded
such projects. Labor shortages or increased labor costs could impair our ability to maintain our business or grow our revenue.
If we are unable to hire employees with the requisite skills, we may also be forced to incur significant training expenses.
Our business
may be affected by difficult work sites and environments which may adversely affect our ability to procure materials and labor.
We perform our work
under a variety of conditions, including, but not limited to, difficult and hard to reach terrain, difficult site conditions and
busy urban centers where delivery of materials and availability of labor may be impacted. Performing work under these conditions
can slow our progress, potentially causing us to incur contractual liability to our customers. These difficult conditions may also
cause us to incur additional, unanticipated costs that we might not be able to pass on to our customers.
We may incur
liabilities or suffer negative financial or reputational impacts relating to health and safety matters.
Our operations are
subject to extensive laws and regulations relating to the maintenance of safe conditions in the workplace. While we have invested,
and will continue to invest, substantial resources in our environmental, health and safety programs, our industry involves a high
degree of operational risk and there can be no assurance that we will avoid significant liability exposure. Although we have taken
what we believe are appropriate precautions, we may suffer fatalities in the future. Serious accidents, including fatalities, may
subject us to substantial penalties, civil litigation or criminal prosecution. Claims for damages to persons, including claims
for bodily injury or loss of life, could result in substantial costs and liabilities, which could materially and adversely affect
our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. In addition, if our safety record were to substantially deteriorate
over time or we were to suffer substantial penalties or criminal prosecution for violation of health and safety regulations, our
customers could cancel our contracts and not award us future business.
Interruptions
in our operational systems or successful cyber security attacks on any of our systems could adversely impact our operations, our
ability to report financial results and our business.
We rely on computer,
information and communication technology and related systems to operate our business and to protect sensitive company information.
Any cyber security attack that affects our facilities, our systems, our customers or any of our financial data could have a material
adverse effect on our business. Our computer and communications systems, and consequently our operations, could be damaged or interrupted
by cyber-attacks and physical security risks, such as natural disasters, loss of power, telecommunications failures, acts of war,
acts of terrorism, computer viruses, physical or electronic break-ins and actions by hackers and cyber-terrorists. Any of these,
or similar, events could cause system disruptions, delays and loss of critical information, delays in processing transactions and
delays in the reporting of financial information.
We have experienced
cyber security threats such as viruses and attacks targeting our systems, and expect the frequency and sophistication of such incidents
to continue to grow. Such prior events have not had a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.
However, future threats or existing threats of which we are not yet aware could cause harm to our business and our reputation;
disrupt our operations; expose us to potential liability, regulatory actions and loss of business; and impact our results of operations
materially. Our insurance coverage may not be adequate to cover all the costs related to cyber security attacks or disruptions
resulting from such events.
While we have taken
steps to mitigate persistent and continuously evolving cyber security threats by implementing network security and internal control
measures, implementing policies and procedures for managing risk to our information systems, periodically testing our information
technology systems, and conducting employee training on cyber security, there can be no assurance that a system or network failure
or data security breach would not adversely affect our business. Furthermore, the continuing and evolving threat of cyber-attacks
has resulted in increased regulatory focus on prevention. To the extent we face increased regulatory requirements, we may be required
to expend significant additional resources to meet such requirements.
Because of the
inherent dangers involved in pipeline services and oil and gas exploration, there is a risk that we may incur liability or damages
as we conduct our business operations, which could force us to expend a substantial amount of money in connection with litigation
and/or a settlement.
The oil and natural
gas business involves a variety of operating hazards and risks such as well blowouts, pipe failures, casing collapse, explosions,
uncontrollable flows of oil, natural gas or well fluids, fires, spills, pollution, releases of toxic gas and other environmental
hazards and risks. The pipeline services industry involves risks such as damage to property, environmental hazards and risks, releases
of hazardous materials, pollution, personal injury and others. These hazards and risks could result in substantial losses to us
from, among other things, injury or loss of life, severe damage to or destruction of property, natural resources and equipment,
pollution or other environmental damage, cleanup responsibilities, regulatory investigation and penalties and suspension of operations.
In addition, we may be liable for environmental damages caused by previous owners of property purchased and leased by us in the
future. As a result, substantial liabilities to third parties or governmental entities may be incurred, the payment of which could
reduce or eliminate the funds available for the purchase of properties and/or property interests, exploration, development or acquisitions
or result in the loss of our properties and/or force us to expend substantial monies in connection with litigation or settlements.
As such, our current insurance or the insurance that we obtain in the future may not be adequate to cover any losses or liabilities.
We cannot predict the availability of insurance or the availability of insurance at premium levels that justify our purchase. The
occurrence of a significant event not fully insured or indemnified against could materially and adversely affect our financial
condition and operations. We may elect to self-insure if management believes that the cost of insurance, although available, is
excessive relative to the risks presented. In addition, pollution and environmental risks generally are not fully insurable. The
occurrence of an event not fully covered by insurance could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results
of operations, which could lead to any investment in us declining in value or becoming worthless.
We incur certain
costs to comply with government regulations, particularly regulations relating to environmental protection and safety, and could
incur even greater costs in the future.
Our operations are
regulated extensively at the federal, state and local levels and are subject to interruption or termination by governmental and
regulatory authorities based on environmental or other considerations. Moreover, we have incurred and will continue to incur costs
in our efforts to comply with the requirements of environmental, safety and other regulations. Further, the regulatory environment
in the oil and natural gas industry could change in ways that we cannot predict and that might substantially increase our costs
of compliance and, in turn, materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Specifically, as an
owner or lessee and operator of crude oil and natural gas properties and as a pipeline services company, we are subject to various
federal, state, local and foreign regulations relating to the discharge of materials into, and the protection of, the environment.
These regulations may, among other things, impose liability on us for the cost of pollution cleanup resulting from operations,
subject us to liability for pollution damages and require suspension or cessation of operations in affected areas. Moreover, we
are subject to the United States (“
U.S.
”) EPA rule requiring annual reporting of greenhouse gas (“
GHG
”)
emissions. Changes in, or additions to, these regulations could lead to increased operating and compliance costs and, in turn,
materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
We are aware of the
increasing focus of local, state, national and international regulatory bodies on GHG emissions and climate change issues. In addition
to the U.S. EPA’s rule requiring annual reporting of GHG emissions, we are also aware of legislation proposed by U.S. lawmakers
to reduce GHG emissions.
Additionally, there
have been various proposals to regulate hydraulic fracturing at the federal level, including possible regulations limiting the
ability to dispose of produced waters. Currently, the regulation of hydraulic fracturing is primarily conducted at the state level
through permitting and other compliance requirements. Any new federal regulations that may be imposed on hydraulic fracturing could
result in additional permitting and disclosure requirements (such as the reporting and public disclosure of the chemical additives
used in the fracturing process) and in additional operating restrictions. In addition to the possible federal regulation of hydraulic
fracturing, some states and local governments have considered imposing various conditions and restrictions on drilling and completion
operations, including requirements regarding casing and cementing of wells, testing of nearby water wells, restrictions on the
access to and usage of water and restrictions on the type of chemical additives that may be used in hydraulic fracturing operations.
Such federal and state permitting and disclosure requirements and operating restrictions and conditions could lead to operational
delays and increased operating and compliance costs and, moreover, could delay or effectively prevent the development of crude
oil and natural gas from formations which would not be economically viable without the use of hydraulic fracturing.
We will continue to
monitor and assess any new policies, legislation, regulations and treaties in the areas where we operate to determine the impact
on our operations and take appropriate actions, where necessary. We are unable to predict the timing, scope and effect of any currently
proposed or future laws, regulations or treaties, but the direct and indirect costs of such laws, regulations and treaties (if
enacted) could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Our contracts
are subject to change orders that are subject to change or cancellation, which may reduce the value anticipated from projects,
or the timing of such projects and revenues.
Change orders are
modifications of an original contract that effectively change the existing provisions of the contract without adding new scope
or terms. Change orders may include changes in specifications or designs, manner of performance, facilities, equipment, materials,
sites and periods of completion of the work. Either we or our customers may initiate change orders. Contracts may be subject to
change orders which may be subject to cancellation or change in the future, which changes and/or cancellations may reduce the revenues
we anticipate generating from such contracts, may change the timing of planned projects, and/or may have a material adverse effect
on our results of operations.
Our contracts
may require us to perform extra or change order work, which can result in disputes and adversely affect our working capital, profits
and cash flows.
Our contracts often
require us to perform extra or change order work as directed by the customer even if the customer has not agreed in advance on
the scope or price of the extra work to be performed. This process may result in disputes over whether the work performed is beyond
the scope of the work included in the original project plans and specifications or, if the customer agrees that the work performed
qualifies as extra work, the price that the customer is willing to pay for the extra work. These disputes may not be settled to
our satisfaction. Even when the customer agrees to pay for the extra work, we may be required to fund the cost of such work for
a lengthy period of time until the change order is approved by the customer and we are paid by the customer.
To the extent that
actual recoveries with respect to change orders or amounts subject to contract disputes or claims are less than the estimates
used in our financial statements, the amount of any shortfall will reduce our future revenues and profits, and this could have
a material adverse effect on our reported working capital and results of operations. In addition, any delay caused by the extra
work may adversely impact the timely scheduling of other project work and our ability to meet specified contract milestone dates.