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PART
I
Item
1: Business
Unless
the context requires otherwise in this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Annual Report”), the terms “SHI,” the “Company,”
“we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Soluna Holdings, Inc. together with its consolidated subsidiaries,
“SCI” refers to Soluna Computing, Inc , formerly known as EcoChain, Inc.. Other trademarks, trade names, and service marks
used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are the property of their respective owners.
Overview
and Recent Developments
Soluna
Holdings, Inc. (“SHI”, “Company”, “our”), formerly known as Mechanical Technology, Incorporated was
incorporated in Nevada on March 24, 2021, and is the successor to Mechanical Technology, Inc., which was incorporated in the State of
New York in 1961, as a result of a merger which became effective on March 29, 2021, and is headquartered in Albany, New York. Effective
November 2, 2021, the Company changed its name from “Mechanical Technology, Incorporated” (or “MTI”) to “Soluna
Holdings, Inc.”
SHI
currently conducts our business through our wholly-owned subsidiary, Soluna Computing, Inc. (“SCI”). SCI is engaged in the
mining of cryptocurrency through data centers that can be powered by renewable energy sources. Recently, SCI has built modular data centers
that are used for cryptocurrency mining though proprietary mining and hosting business models. SCI intends to continue to develop and
build modular data centers that use wasted renewable energy for cryptocurrency mining and in the in the future can be used for intensive,
batchable computing applications, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, with the goal of providing a cost-effective alternative
to battery storage or transmission lines. Headquartered in Albany, New York, the Company uses technology and intentional design to solve
complex, real-world challenges. The Company’s data centers are operated through certain projects noted below: Project Edith, Project
Sophie, Project Marie, and Project Dorothy.
Until
the Sale (as defined below), we also operated though our wholly-owned subsidiary, MTI Instruments, an instruments business engaged in
the design, manufacture and sale of vibration measurement and system balancing solutions, precision linear displacement sensors, instruments
and system solutions, and wafer inspection tools. MTI Instruments was incorporated in New York on March 8, 2000. MTI Instruments’
products consisted of engine vibration analysis systems for both military and commercial aircraft and electronic gauging instruments
for position, displacement and vibration application within the industrial manufacturing markets, as well as in the research, design
and process development markets. These systems, tools and solutions were developed for markets and applications that require consistent
operation of complex machinery and the precise measurements and control of products, processes, and the development and implementation
of automated manufacturing and assembly. On December 17, 2021, we announced that we had entered into a non-binding letter of intent with
a potential buyer (the “Buyer”) regarding the potential sale of MTI Instruments (the “LOI”) to an unrelated third
party. Pursuant to the LOI, the Buyer would acquire 100% of the issued and outstanding common stock of MTI Instruments. As a result of
the foregoing, the MTI Instruments business was reported as discontinued operations in the consolidated financial statements as of December
31, 2021 and prior periods within our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, as was filed with the SEC on March
31, 2022, as well as in these consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2022 (the “Annual Report”).
On April 11, 2022, we consummated the sale of MTI Instruments, (‘the Sale”)., MTI Instruments ceased to be our wholly-owned
subsidiary, and, as a result, we have exited the instruments business.
On
April 11, 2022, SHI entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement (the “Stock Purchase Agreement”) with NKX Acquiror, Inc. (the
“Purchaser”), pursuant to which the Company sold on such date all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of
its wholly-owned subsidiary, MTI Instruments, for approximately $9.4 million in cash, subject to certain adjustments as set forth in
the Stock Purchase Agreement (the “Sale”). The consideration paid by the Purchaser to the Company was based on an aggregate
enterprise value of approximately $10.75 million. The Company recognized a gain on the sale of approximately $7.8 million.
Project
Edith
The
Edith project is a project permitted to consume up to 3.3 MegaWatts (“MW”) located in Wenatchee, Washington. The data center
was acquired from the estate of the GigaWatt bankruptcy in May 2020. The project operates in a district with increasing power rates.
At the time of Soluna’s acquisition (May 2020), the peak power rate, which does not include all charges to the facility was at
2.68 cents kWh, forecasting to increase 3.62 cents kWh by January 2025.
In
the first quarter of 2022, the ETH (“Ethereum”) foundation made it clear that the merge to proof-of-stake was happening
and graphics processing unit (“GPU”) mining was going to be challenged going forward. In the early summer of 2022, Soluna began
to seek a buyer for the assets. Soluna ultimately sold the GPU mining assets and other mining equipment in September 2022 for $790
thousand. Soluna has committed to providing certain facilities contracts at cost plus a markup to facilitate the continued
operations for the mining assets for the new ownership.
Project
Marie
The
Marie Project is Soluna’s 20 MW co-location facility based in Kentucky. This facility was Soluna’s first project in Kentucky,
prior to building the Sophie greenfield project. The site is powered by the Tennessee Valley Authority (“TVA”) grid and is
designed to operate 24/7 less mandatory TVA curtailment windows.
On
December 30, 2021, Soluna MC Borrowing 2021-1 LLC (the “Borrower”), an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Company entered
into a Master Equipment Finance Agreement (the “MEFA”) with NYDIG ABL LLC (“NYDIG”) as lender, servicer and collateral
agent (the “NYDIG facility”). The Master Agreement outlined the framework for a financing up to approximately $14.4 million
in aggregate equipment financing.
In
January 2022, Soluna began investing capital into Project Marie to upgrade the facility to support 20 MW of power consumption and
create power efficiencies in the main leased building. These upgrades were completed in February of 2022. In January, Soluna
completed the roll out of legacy hosting customers at the facility to be replaced with proprietary mining equipment.
In
March and April, the facility experienced several unplanned outages due to issues with electrical infrastructure owned by CC Metals and
Alloys, LLC (“CCMA”). Despite these setbacks, the facility was able to recover and continue to run at a steady hashrate throughout
the course of the year. When the Bitcoin downturn hit, the Marie facility took initiative to ensure maximum efficiency of the miner inventory
and also took action to reduce site-level expenses.
Project
Marie power was impacted by increased Financial Conduit Authority (“FCA”) changes in late summer which were at levels
not seen in many years. To further reduce risk to contribution margin, the company began contract negotiations with the 10 MW
hosting customer at the site whose renewal was due in September. These negotiations resulted in a more favorable fee structure that
positioned the company to better navigate the FCA volatility and the broader Bitcoin economics.
With
the decline in the price of Bitcoin that occurred during 2022, by September 2022, the cashflows from Marie became inadequate to fully
service the NYDIG loan. After discussions with NYDIG, two separate monthly waivers of payments for September and October 2022 were agreed.
By November 2022, however, the Borrower failed to make its payment, and subsequently, on December 20, 2022, the Borrower received a Notice
of Acceleration and Repossession (the “NYDIG Notice”) from NYDIG with respect to the MEFA, by and between Borrower and NYDIG.
The obligations of Borrower under the MEFA and reflected in the NYDIG Notice are ring-fenced to Borrower and its direct parent company,
Soluna MC LLC. The Company is not a party to any guaranty, collateral agreement or other support agreement with or for the benefit of
NYDIG. Borrower had entered into a dialogue with NYDIG to resolve the matters set forth in the NYDIG Notice.
The
NYDIG Notice states that (a) Borrower failed to observe or perform certain covenants, conditions or agreements contained in the MEFA
and such failure continued unremedied for a period of ten days after Borrower’s knowledge of such breach, which resulted in an
event of default under the MEFA, and (b) Borrower defaulted under the guaranty, collateral agreement, or other support agreement, which
resulted in an event of default under the MEFA. In addition, the NYDIG Notice states that Borrower failed to pay certain payments of
principal and interest under the MEFA when due, which failure also constituted an event of default under the MEFA. As a result of the
foregoing events of default, and pursuant to the MEFA, NYDIG (x) declared the principal amount of all loans due and owing under the MEFA
and all accompanying Loan Documents (as defined in the MEFA) to be due and immediately payable, (y) imposed a default rate of interest
on any outstanding principal amount of each loan (together with all then unpaid interest accruing thereon) and all other obligations
under the MEFA and the Loan Documents, and (z) demanded the return of all equipment subject to the MEFA and the Loan Documents.
On
February 23, 2023, NYDIG proceeded to foreclose on all of the collateral securing the MEFA, which resulted in a reportable disposition
of all of the Company’s mining assets at the site and certain of the operating assets of Project Marie. Additionally, NDYIG has stated its intention to pursue SCI, the parent company of Guarantor, under a piercing of
the corporate veil claim relating to Defendants’ debts and liabilities under the loan documents. SCI denies any such liability and
has filed a complaint for a declaratory judgment against NYDIG in the Eighth Judicial District Court in Clark County, Nevada on March
16, 2023 seeking a declaratory judgment as to such matter. In a related development,
also on February 23, 2023, the Borrower received a notice of termination of the Management and Hosting Services Agreement with CC Metals
and Alloys, LLC. As a result of this action and certain other characteristics of the facility, the Company elected to shut down the
Marie facility, and has impaired certain property, plant, and equipment assets that were at the Marie facility. The Company believes it will maximize its profits and return on assets by concentrating its personnel and capital on
its Dorothy Facility.
Project
Sophie
The
Sophie Project is Soluna’s 25 MW modular data center based in Kentucky. This facility is the first site based on Soluna’s
modular design, electrical design, and powered by its proprietary software Maestro OS (™). The site is powered by the TVA grid
and is designed to operate during off-peak hours to help Western Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative (“WKRECC”) manage its
excess energy consumption. During 2022, power prices at the site, after the full ramp-up of activities, were approximately 4.0 cents per kWh.
By
April 8, 2022, older machines (Bitmain S9s) at Sophie were replaced with newer models growing the hashrate and a power usage
effectiveness and consuming over 20 MW of energy. In May of 2022, the Project Sophie team moved into the completed offices, added a
new asphalt road, and upgraded the network infrastructure on the site. In June and July of 2022, the site exceeded previous mining
hashrates by installing new Bitmain S19s and replacing S9 machines. Project Sophie has also hosted a series of
curtailment and MaestroOS control system, our proprietary load monitoring management system, demonstrations with leading renewable energy companies and capital providers, further enhancing the site’s performance.
Project
Dorothy
The
Dorothy Project is a 100 MW Soluna modular data center co-located at the Briscoe Wind Farm in Silverton, Texas. It was acquired as part
of the merger with Soluna Callisto in October 2021, discussed in further details on Footnote 5 on the consolidated financial statements.
The initial 50MW phase of the project includes 44 modular data center buildings in two sub-phases, Dorothy 1A and Dorothy 1B. Each of
these phases is 25 MW each. Dorothy is the second modular data center built using Soluna’s proprietary design and software. The
facility is designed to consume the wasted electricity from the wind farm and the grid. It incorporates learnings and enhancements from
the Sophie project.
Permitting
and Construction:
In
March 2022, Soluna began site level construction via an early access agreement with the landowner and Briscoe Wind Farm, LLC., to place the concrete pad and erection
of the site’s main warehouse. In April
of 2022, the procurement of internet service providers began. By May 2022, the company began erecting the prefabricated modular
data center buildings and trenching for underground electrical conduits.
On
June 15, 2022, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (“ERCOT”), the Texas independent system operator, formed
a new taskforce, Large Flexible Load Interconnection Taskforce (“LTLTF” of “LFL”) to deal with the overwhelming
increase in new load interconnection requests related to Bitcoin Mining. The new task force’s charter focused on studying the systems
impact of these data centers and to establish a new interim process for approval. The new process included the addition of new technical
studies and modeling to ensure the reliability of the electrical system. Briscoe, Oncor and Soluna collaborated on completing the required
technical studies throughout the summer and early fall of 2022.
On
October 31, 2022, after the completion of required studies, the Briscoe Wind Farm submitted a revised Resource Asset Registration Forms
(“RARF”) to ERCOT requesting the addition of the Dorothy Project as a 100 MW behind-the-meter load and to initiate the modeling
process. On December 8, 2022, the Briscoe/Soluna project was approved by the ERCOT modeling team. On December 19, 2022, all required
studies were approved and the Dorothy Project received a “Met Planning” approval from ERCOT LFL.
While these ERCOT approvals were being obtained, through the summer and fall of 2022, Soluna continued the
construction of Dorothy erecting more buildings, installing power infrastructure, completing the warehouse and office buildings,
including ancillary HVAC and power. From September to December 2022, all mechanical and electrical construction was completed for
Dorothy 1A. On October 15, 2022, Dorothy 1B’s construction was officially paused. In March 2023, the data center’s
substation interconnection was completed, and Dorothy 1B’s construction was resumed and the site’s network and
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems were installed.
Project-level
Financing:
On
April 22, 2022, SCI signed definitive agreements with funds managed by Spring Lane Capital (“SLC”) to provide a $35
million pool of capital for financing Soluna projects co-located with renewable energy projects. At least $12.5 million of the pool was
earmarked for the Dorothy Project. In July 2022, Soluna began drawing down on the SLC capital to finance Dorothy construction and
return capital to the Company for past funding. In exchange for SLC’s contributions, the Company and Spring Lane were issued approximately 68% and 32% of the
Class B Membership Interests in Soluna DVSL ComputeCo, LLC (“DVSL”). The Company consolidated the accounts of DVSL, a Variable
Interest Entity (“VIE”), as of December 31, 2022.
On
March 10, 2023, SCI completed the final tranche of a series of project-level agreements for $7.5 million of capital to fund the
first 25 MW of the Dorothy Facility and corporate expenses from funds managed by SLC. This additional capital will be used to help
complete the substation interconnection and the final stages of the Dorothy Facility, and corporate operations of Soluna. SLC has
been a strategic partner for Soluna at the project and corporate levels of the business since 2022. In this series of transactions,
SLC has increased its stake in DVSL from approximately 32% to 85% and has in turn reduced SCI’s ownership
from 68% to 15%. After SLC realizes an 18% Internal Rate of Return hurdle on its investments, Soluna retains the right to 50% of the
profits on Soluna DVSL ComputeCo.
The second 25 MW being developed as part of the Dorothy Facility, the ownership of which is held within Soluna DV
ComputeCo, LLC (“DV”), remains indirectly wholly owned by the Company.
Operating
Definitive Agreements with Counter Parties:
Throughout
2022 SCI’s corporate development continued to negotiate the definitive documents with Golden Spread Electric Cooperative, Inc.,
a Texas cooperative corporation (“GSEC”) and Lighthouse Electric Cooperative, Inc., a Texas cooperative corporation (“LHEC”),
Oncor Electric Delivery, LLC (“Oncor”) and Briscoe Wind Farm, LLC’s various sponsors and financing parties (“Briscoe”).
These agreements were finalized in March 2023 (see below).
On
March 2, 2023, Soluna DV Services, LLC, a Nevada limited liability company (“ServeCo”) and an indirect wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Company, entered into a series of agreements with Briscoe, (b) GSEC, and (c) LHEC. All the agreements were effective
as of February 24, 2023 (the “Effective Date”). The Company is developing a modular data center in phases (the “Dorothy
Facility”). The two phases of the Dorothy Facility will have a peak demand of 50 megawatts, and if, upon mutual agreement,
all four phases are completed, the data center will have an estimated peak demand of 150 megawatts. The Dorothy Facility will be located
next to, and supplied energy from, Briscoe’s 150-megawatt wind farm located at or near Briscoe and Floyd Counties, Texas (the “Briscoe
Wind Farm”). Under the agreements, LHEC and GSEC will supply the Dorothy Facility with energy from the Briscoe Wind Farm and
the ERCOT market.
ServeCo
and LHEC entered into an Agreement for Electric Service to Soluna DV Services, LLC (the “Retail Agreement”) for resale
of energy supplied from the Briscoe Wind Farm and the ERCOT market delivered by GSEC for service to the energy load of the Dorothy Facility.
As noted above, GSEC has by separate agreement arranged to purchase power at wholesale from Briscoe or to deliver and purchase power
from the ERCOT market to serve LHEC with electric power and energy for resale to ServeCo for service to the Dorothy Facility. The initial
term of the Retail Agreement is five years, with up to five extension terms of one year each unless terminated by LHEC or ServeCo.
ServeCo
and Briscoe also entered into a Cooperation Agreement (the “Cooperation Agreement”), pursuant to which Briscoe and
ServeCo agreed to certain rights, obligations, and restrictions with respect to the real property of the Dorothy Facility and the construction,
interconnection, permitting, operation, maintenance, removal, and decommissioning of the Dorothy Facility and applicable credit support.
Soluna DV ComputeCo, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company and Soluna DVSL
ComputeCo, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company became parties to the Cooperation
Agreement by each entering into a Joinder Agreement on the Effective Date. Unless terminated sooner in accordance with its terms, the
term of the Cooperation Agreement is from the Effective Date until the expiration or termination of the Power Purchase Agreement, by
and between Briscoe and GSEC, dated as of the Effective Date (the “PPA”).
ServeCo,
Briscoe, LHEC, and GSEC also entered into a Performance and Net Energy Security Agreement (the “PSA”), pursuant to
which ServeCo will provide certain credit support to LHEC in connection with its obligations under the Retail Agreement and the other
transaction agreements. The PSA is effective on the Effective Date and will remain in effect for 18 months following the later of the
termination of the Retail Agreement or the termination of the PPA.
On
the Effective Date, ServeCo and Alice Fay Grabbe (“Owner”) entered into a Lease Agreement (the “Lease”)
to lease certain real property located in Briscoe County, Texas for the Dorothy Facility. Unless terminated sooner in accordance with
its terms, the initial term of the Lease is five years. The initial term of the Lease will automatically extend for five additional one-year
periods, unless terminated by ServeCo or Owner.
Company Organization
Our
website is at http://www.solunacomputing.com. Information contained on our website does not constitute part of and is not incorporated
into this Annual Report.
The
corporate organizational structure as of December 31, 2022, of SHI appears below.
![](https://content.edgar-online.com/edgar_conv_img/2023/03/31/0001493152-23-010333_form10-k_001.jpg)
Effective
January 1, 2023, SLC increased its stake in Soluna DVSL ComputeCo from approximately 32% to 85% and has in turn reduced SCI’s
ownership from 68% to 15%.
Notice
of Potential Delisting
On
December 21, 2022, the Company received a letter (the “Nasdaq Notice”) from the Listing Qualifications Staff of The NASDAQ
Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) indicating that, based upon the closing bid price of the Company’s common stock (the “Common
Stock”) for the last 30 consecutive business days, the Common Stock no longer meets the requirement to maintain a minimum closing
bid price of $1.00 per share, as set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2). The Notice has no immediate effect on the listing of the
Company’s Common Stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market.
In
accordance with NASDAQ Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A), the Company has a grace period of 180 calendar days, or until June 21, 2023, to regain
compliance with the minimum closing bid price requirement for continued listing. In order to regain compliance, the minimum closing bid
price per share of the Company’s Common Stock must be at least $1.00 for a minimum of ten consecutive business days.
Results
of Special Meeting of Stockholders on March 10, 2023
The
Company held the Special Meeting of stockholders on March 10, 2023, in which the following items were approved by the Company’s
stockholders:
| ● | Proposal
No. 1: The Company’s stockholders approved (a) the issuance of shares of the Company’s
common stock to certain investors pursuant to a Securities Purchase Agreement dated December
5, 2022 entered into among the Company and such investors (the “December 2022 Purchase
Agreement”), (b) the issuance of shares of the Company’s common stock upon the
exercise of warrants issued to such investors pursuant to the December 2022 Purchase Agreement,
and (c) the issuance of additional shares of the Company’s common stock, and the issuance
of shares of the Company’s common stock upon the exercise of additional related warrants,
upon the exercise of options granted to such investors under the December 2022 Purchase Agreement,
in each case as required by the terms of the December 2022 Purchase Agreement and Nasdaq
Listing Rules. |
| ● | Proposal
No. 2: The Company’s stockholders approved (a) adjustments to the conversion price
of outstanding convertible promissory notes, (b) adjustments to the exercise price of outstanding
warrants to purchase the Company’s common stock held by the holders of outstanding
convertible promissory notes, (c) the issuance of shares of the Company’s common stock
upon the conversion of such convertible promissory notes, and (d) the issuance of shares
of the Company’s common stock upon the exercise of such warrants to purchase the Company’s
common stock, in each case as required by the terms of the December 2022 Purchase Agreement
and Nasdaq Listing Rules. |
| ● | Proposal
No. 3: The Company’s stockholders approved the Soluna Holdings, Inc. Third Amended
and Restated 2021 Stock Incentive Plan, (the “Third Amended and Restated 2021 Plan”),
which amended and restated the Soluna Holdings, Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2021 Stock
Incentive Plan, to, among other things, increase the number of shares of the Company’s
common stock reserved for issuance thereunder, on a quarterly basis, to 18.75% of the shares
of the Company’s common stock outstanding as of the first trading day of each quarter,
and allow the Company to grant awards of shares of the Company’s 9.0% Series A Cumulative
Perpetual Preferred Stock (with and without restrictions); and |
| ● | Proposal
No. 4: The Company’s stockholders approved the Soluna Holdings, Inc. 2023 Stock
Incentive Plan, (the “2023 Plan”), which sets the number of shares of the Company’s
common stock reserved for issuance thereunder, on a quarterly basis, to 9.75% of the shares
of the Company’s common stock outstanding as of the first trading day of each quarter. |
Business
Segments
Cryptocurrency
Proprietary Mining Segment
SCI
engages in cryptocurrency mining by which transactions between cryptocurrency users are verified and added to the blockchain public ledger.
Cryptocurrency mining also introduces new cryptocurrency coins into the existing circulating supply, facilitating a peer-to-peer decentralized
network without the need for a third-party central authority.
Cryptocurrency
Mining Revenue
SCI recognizes revenue when the related cryptocurrencies are converted to U.S. dollars through its accounts with
Coinbase and Bittrex, cryptocurrency exchanges (i.e., a platform that facilitates the exchange of cryptocurrencies for other assets, such
as conventional money or other digital currencies). SCI exchanges cryptocurrency to U.S. dollars through the Coinbase and Bittrex account
daily. SCI primarily mines Bitcoin and in prior years and to a lesser degree, in 2022, mined Ethereum, Ethereum Classic LiteCoin, RavenCoin,
Zcash, and Sia. The type of cryptocurrency mined is based specifically on the installed cryptocurrency miner, in each of the Company’s
data centers, as each miner can mine only one type of cryptocurrency at a time. The miners perform complex computations at a speed
referred to as the “hash rate.” SCI participates in mining pools where our miners’ computations are combined with those
of other miners owned by others to place blocks on the blockchain, which generates the relevant Proof of Work and related cryptocurrency
reward. The mining pool operator uses software to track contributions to the pool made by all the miners and allocates the newly
minted cryptocurrency to each participant in the pool based on their pro rata contributions. SCI monitors its contributions to each
pool and the distribution of the relevant cryptocurrency to ensure that SCI receives the correct amount of cryptocurrency. The cryptocurrencies
allocated to SCI are automatically issued to its Coinbase and Bittrex accounts either daily or based on reaching a threshold level of
a mined coin as established by SCI with the pools. Certain coins, such as Sia and Zcash are converted to Bitcoin by the pool prior to
being transferred to SCI’s Coinbase and Bittrex accounts. Coinbase and Bittrex conversions to U.S. dollars are initiated daily by
SCI. Coinbase and Bittrex converts the coins to U.S. dollars based on the coin price at the time of the transfer. The U.S.
dollars are then transferred to SCI’s bank account.
Cryptocurrency
Data Hosting Services Segment
The
Company has entered into customer hosting contracts whereby the Company provides electrical power and network connectivity to cryptocurrency
mining customers, in exchange for a fixed rate per megawatt-hour (“MWh”) (“Contract Capacity”), and a share of
mining profits. The majority of the Company’s hosting services were located at the Project Marie facility. The Company allocated
approximately 10 MWs to hosted customers. The hosting fee is paid monthly in advance. The actual monthly amounts are calculated after
the close of each month and reconciled to the monthly advance based on the clauses contained in the ASIC respective contracts. Monthly
advanced payments and customer deposits are reflected as other liabilities. Customer contract security deposits are made at the time
the contract is signed and held until the conclusion of the contract relationship. In
August of 2022, the Company executed a change in the hosting contract at Project Marie, in which the Company moved to charging a flat
fee per month, with the electricity charges then treated as a pass-through and in turn not recognized as revenue. The Company still receives
a profit share component from this hosting contract. On February 23, 2023, the Borrower received a notice of termination of the Management
and Hosting Services Agreement with CC Metals and Alloys, LLC. As a result of this action and certain other characteristics of the facility
(see above), the Company elected to shut down the Marie facility. The Company expects future hosting
contracts to have an electricity pass-through impact, operations overhead fee component, and profit share elements noted above.
Cryptocurrency
Assets for both Mining and Hosting services
Soluna
engages in the design, development and building of site locations that are employed to host certain cryptocurrency assets, known as miners.
Soluna constructs and builds these data centers employing certain know how. These site location facilities contain certain buildings
called modular data centers, electrical equipment including transformers, switch gear and busways, racking and other equipment.
Cryptocurrency
assets, known as miners, consist of hardware and software that perform the computations needed to mine cryptocurrencies, as discussed
under “Cryptocurrency Revenue” above, and as such are the source of the associated revenues generated by a cryptocurrency
mine, including SCI’s. SCI has several thousand miners in service, mostly Bitmains, that generate Bitcoin. For a number of reasons,
including (i) that SCI purchases miners in the secondary market from a number of different sellers, and (ii) that the price fluctuates
because of supply and demand, as well as changes in the price of the specific cryptocurrency that can be mined by the miner purchased,
which in turn drives the cost of the miners, the cost of purchasing these assets fluctuates regularly.
Bitcoin
Mining Ecosystem and Competitive Landscape
Bitcoin
miners compete on a global basis and organize themselves in a wide range of structures from individuals using one or more systems to
run mining operations to industrial-scale data centers with thousands of systems. The zero-sum, winner take-all approach results in an
intense focus on innovation in hardware, software, facility design, and power procurement strategies. Miners may organize themselves
into pools, which creates a more stable revenue stream aggregating their hashrate with other miners. The mining business is global and
is not dominated by any particular individual or organization.
The
Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index estimates that hashrate is distributed globally on the following basis (January - 2022):1
| ● | United
States - 37.8% |
| ● | China
- 21.1% |
| ● | Kazakhstan
- 13.2% |
| ● | Canada
- 6.5% |
| ● | Russia
- 4.7% |
| ● | All
others - 16.7% |
1 https://ccaf.io/cbeci/mining_map
The
Company differentiates its strategy in three principal ways:
| 1. | Focus
on Stranded Renewable Energy: We believe that our emphasis on using renewable energy sources
for our mining operations, including stranded renewables, provides us with a long-term competitive
advantage. Stranded renewables refer to clean energy resources that are underutilized due
to their remote locations or grid constraints. By tapping into these stranded resources,
we reduce bitcoin mining’s environmental impact while taking advantage of the excess
capacity that would otherwise go to waste. Also, leveraging sustainable power sources such
as solar, wind, and hydroelectric allows us to benefit from the long-term secular cost advantages
associated with these sources. As the demand for clean energy increases, there will be increases in technology improvements, government support, and other emerging technologies in which
will drive the cost of renewable
energy production to decrease, ultimately lowering our operational expenses and
allowing us to preserve our competitive differentiation. |
| 2. | Operations
in the United States: Our strategic decision to establish operations in the United States,
particularly in Texas and Kentucky, allows us to capitalize on these region’s relatively
stable regulatory environments. The United States has a well-established legal framework
that provides clearer guidance on cryptocurrency and blockchain technology compared to other
jurisdictions. Additionally, both Texas and Kentucky have become a hub for cryptocurrency
mining due to abundant and affordable energy resources, business-friendly regulations, and
political support for the industry. By situating our operations in this region, we benefit
from a more predictable regulatory regime, which minimizes potential disruptions to our business
and enhances our competitive position. |
| 3. | Diversification
of Revenue Streams: In addition to our core Bitcoin mining operations, we have expanded our
business model to host other miners and, in the future, may expand into other various types
of computing workloads, providing us with a more stable revenue mix. By offering our state-of-the-art
infrastructure, renewable energy sources, and competitive pricing, we generate additional,
more predictable income while promoting the use of clean energy within the mining industry. Furthermore,
the Company is exploring opportunities to accommodate other high-performance computing
needs, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics. This diversification
strategy helps us mitigate the risks associated with the volatile nature of the cryptocurrency
market and strengthens our competitive position in the broader technology landscape. |
Notwithstanding
these competitive advantages, we continue to face stiff competition from other cryptocurrency mining companies, some of which may
have greater financial, technical, and operational resources. Our primary competitors are:
| ● | Core
Scientific, Inc. |
| ● | Marathon
Digital Holdings, Inc. |
| ● | Riot
Blockchain, Inc. |
| ● | CleanSpark
Inc |
| ● | Cipher
Mining, Inc., |
| ● | Bitfarms
Ltd |
| ● | HIVE
Blockchain Technologies, Ltd., |
| ● | Argo
Blockchain PLC |
| ● | Hut
8 Mining Corp. |
| ● | Iris
Energy |
| ● | Terawulf
Inc |
| ● | Bit
Digital Inc |
| ● | Digihost
Technology Inc |
| ● | DMG
Blockchain Solutions |
| ● | Applied
Digital Corp. |
| ● | Stronghold
Digital Mining |
| ● | Sphere
3dD Corp. |
| ● | Mawson
Infrastructure Group |
| ● | Greenidge
Generation
|
As
the industry evolves, new entrants may emerge, and existing competitors may adopt new strategies or technologies that could potentially
challenge our position. To stay competitive, we remain committed to continuously improving our mining efficiency, investing in advanced
technologies, and closely monitoring regulatory developments to navigate the dynamic competitive landscape effectively.
Intellectual
Property
The
production of Bitcoin is governed by open source software and in addition relies upon internally developed software and design
methodologies which it protects as trade secrets.
Soluna
has filed eight provisional patent applications with the U.S. Patent and Trade Market Office. These patents pertain to the technologies
related to the Modular Data Center (MDC) concept employed by the Company such as their modular architecture, cooling technology, simulations
technology and overall technologies related to the control of the data center. There are also provisional patents regarding the variable
power consumption of the data center and the local co-optimization of power generation supply with demand. Provisional patent applications
must be converted into full patent applications within one year of filing.
Soluna
also filed two full patent applications, both of which are utility patents. The first is related to the modular data center, specifically
the layout of the buildings (modules) on a site. The layout as well as specific elements are critical elements which drive our efficiency.
The second full application is around the local co-optimization of power generation supply with demand generated using a data center.
This patent outlines the methodology of having an independently metered load co-located with power generation.
There
can be no assurance that any of the Company’s patent applications will be granted, or if granted, will convey any competitive advantage
to the Company. Enforcing patents is a timely and expensive process and the Company may not have sufficient resources to pursue any infringement.
Soluna
has a registered trademark for the Company name.
Equity
investment – Harmattan Energy, Ltd (“HEL”)
Simultaneously
with entering into the January 2020 Operating and Management Agreement with HEL, the Company, pursuant to a purchase agreement it entered
into with HEL, made a strategic investment in HEL by purchasing 158,730 Class A Preferred Shares of HEL for an aggregate purchase price
of $500,000. After acceptance of the Deliverables, as required by the terms of the purchase agreement, the Company purchased an additional
79,365 Class A Preferred Shares of HEL for an aggregate purchase price of $250,000. The Company also has the right, but not the obligation,
to purchase additional equity securities of HEL and its subsidiaries (including additional Class A Preferred Shares of HEL) if HEL secures
certain levels or types of project financing with respect to its own wind power generation facilities. The Company has additionally entered
into a Side Letter Agreement, dated January 13, 2020, with Soluna Technologies Investment I, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
that owns, on a fully diluted basis, 61.5% of HEL and is controlled by a Brookstone Partners-affiliated director of the Company. The
Side Letter Agreement provides for the transfer to the Company of additional Class A Preferred Shares of HEL in the event HEL issues
additional equity below agreed-upon valuation thresholds.
Several
of HEL’s equity holders are affiliated with Brookstone Partners, the investment firm that holds an equity interest in the
Company through Brookstone Partners Acquisition XXIV, LLC. One of our Brookstone-affiliated directors serves as a director and is
currently acting President of HEL, and the other Brookstone-affiliated director and the Company’s CEO, has an ownership
interest in HEL. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company had performed an impairment assessment and noted that the full
amount of $750,000 for the Company’s investment in HEL had been impaired and written off the books for fiscal year
2022.
Existing
or Probable Governmental Regulations
Regulatory
Cryptocurrency
mining is largely an unregulated activity at both the state and federal level. We anticipate that cryptocurrency mining will face
increased regulation in the near and long-term. We cannot predict how future regulations may affect our business or operations.
State regulation of cryptocurrency mining is important with respect to where we conduct our mining operations. Our Dorothy Project
is located in the State of Texas. To the extent that there is any state regulation, Texas is one of the most favorable regulatory
environments for cryptocurrency miners.
In
March 2022, the United States announced plans to establish a unified federal regulatory regime for cryptocurrency, and a group of United
States Senators sent a letter to the United States Treasury Department asking Treasury Secretary Yellen to investigate Treasury’s
ability to monitor and restrict the use of cryptocurrencies to evade sanctions imposed by the United States. We are unable to predict
the impact that any new regulations may have on our business at the time of filing this Annual Report. We continue to monitor and proactively
engage in dialogue on legislative matters related to our industry.
On
August 17, 2022, the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the U.S. House of Representatives sent letters to other public companies with
Bitcoin mining operations requesting information related to the environmental impact and energy consumption of the recipients.
In
September 2022, the White House issued a report regarding the Climate and Energy Implications of Crypto-Assets in the United States.
The report states that the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency should initiate a process to solicit data and develop
environmental performance and energy conservation standards for crypto-asset technologies, including mining equipment. Should such measures
prove ineffective at achieving the Administration’s environmental goals, the report calls for the Administration to explore executive
actions and legislation to limit or eliminate the use of high energy intensity consensus mechanisms for crypto-asset mining.
We
are unable to predict the impact that any new standards, legislation, or regulations may have on our business at the time of filing this
Annual Report. We continue to monitor and proactively engage in dialogue on regulatory and legislative matters related to our industry.
Further,
in December 2022 the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance issued guidance advising companies to disclose exposure and risk to
the cryptocurrency market. While the focus is on digital asset managers and exchanges, and not Bitcoin miners, the failure of such large
asset managers and exchanges may create increased price volatility of Bitcoin. Soluna does not store our Bitcoin on such exchanges; however,
we may be impacted by such failures.
In
January 2023, the Federal Reserve, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation issued a joint
statement discouraging banks from doing business with clients in crypto-asset industries. In January 2023, the Federal Reserve also issued
a policy statement broadening its authority to cover state-chartered banks.
Also
in January 2023, the House of Representatives announced its first ever Financial Services Subcommittee on Digital Assets and the intention
to develop a regulatory framework for the digital asset industry. Bipartisan leadership of the Senate Banking Committee announced that
goal as well.
As
the regulatory and legal environment evolves, we may become subject to new laws, such as further regulation by the SEC and other agencies,
which may affect our mining and other activities. For additional discussion regarding our belief about the potential risks existing and
future regulation pose to our business, see Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” of this Annual Report.
Environmental
There
are increasing concerns over the quantity of energy, particularly from non-renewable sources, used for Bitcoin mining and its effects
on the environment. Many media reports focus exclusively on the energy requirements of Bitcoin mining and cite it as an environmental
concern. However, those reports tend to omit discussion of the positive contributions associated with Bitcoin mining to other customers
on the electrical grid. Bitcoin mining operations present a stable demand for energy and can be quickly curtailed, uniquely positioning
businesses that engage in Bitcoin mining to respond to increased electricity demand in emergency situations. Overall, our operations
incentivize new power generation development, and our actions help to reduce the frequency and impact of power failures and electricity
price surges.
Human
Capital Resources
As
of March 20, 2023, we had 32 employees, including 30 full-time employees, 1 part-time employee, and 1 full-time consultant consisting
of nine SHI employees (six are in finance and three executives), 23 SCI employees. Of the SCI employees one was in finance, fourteen
in operations, one in corporate development, four in technology and engineering, and two executives. The operations personnel include
both individuals directly involved in the strategy of our data centers as well as data center maintenance and supervisory roles. Certain
positions within our organization require industry-specific technical knowledge. We have been successful in attracting and retaining
qualified technical personnel for these positions. None of our employees are covered by any collective bargaining agreement.
Our
human capital resources objectives include, as applicable, identifying, recruiting, retaining, engaging, incentivizing, and integrating
our existing and additional employees. The Company supports its employees through a competitive compensation package, including company
equity, generous health benefits and a flexible PTO policy. We have a combination of remote and on-site employees.
Insurance
The
Company and its subsidiaries maintains insurance policies with reputable insurers against such risks and in such amounts as
management has determined to be prudent for our operations and that we believe are similar in scope and coverage in all material
respects to insurance policies maintained by other similarly situated businesses. These policies include coverages for D&O,
Builders Risk, Property, General Liability, Auto and other casualty lines of business.
Item
1A. Risk Factors
Our
business, financial condition and operating results are subject to a number of risk factors, both those that are known to us and identified
below and others that may arise from time to time. These risk factors could cause our actual results to differ materially from those
suggested by forward-looking statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K (this “Report”) and elsewhere, and may adversely
affect our business, financial condition or operating results. If any of these risk factors should occur, moreover, the trading price
of our securities could decline, and investors in our securities could lose all or part of their investment in our securities. These
risk factors, along with other information contained in this Report, should be carefully considered in evaluating our prospects.
Risks
Relating to the Company and its Growth Strategy
The
Company’s ability to operate as a going concern is in doubt.
The
audit opinion and notes that accompany the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements disclose a going concern qualification to
its ability to continue in business. The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared under the assumption that
the Company will continue as a going concern. The Company has incurred losses resulting in an accumulated deficit of $221.8 million as
of December 31, 2022, and further losses are anticipated in the development of its business.
The
accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements has shown that the Company did not generate sufficient revenue to generate net income
and has negative working capital as of December 31, 2022. The Company’s ability to continue as a going concern is dependent on
its ability to raise capital to fund its future data centers and working capital requirements or its ability to profitably execute its
business plan. The Company’s plans for the long-term return to and continuation as a going concern include financing its future
operations through sales of its Common Shares and/or debt. Additionally, the volatility in capital markets and general economic conditions
in the U.S. and elsewhere can pose significant challenges to raising the required funds. These factors raise substantial doubt about
the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.
The
Company’s consolidated financial statements do not give effect to any adjustments required to realize its assets and discharge
its liabilities in other than the normal course of business and at amounts different from those reflected in the accompanying Consolidated
Financial Statements.
We
may not be able to refinance, extend or repay our substantial indebtedness owed to our convertible note debt holders, which would have
a material adverse effect on our financial condition and ability to continue as a going concern.
We
anticipate that we will need to raise a significant amount of debt or equity capital in the near future in order to repay our outstanding
debt obligations owed to our convertible noteholders when they mature. On October 25, 2021, the Company issued to certain institutional
investors secured convertible notes in the aggregate principal amount of approximately $16.3 million for an aggregate purchase price
of $15.0 million. Through original issuance until March 23, 2023, the noteholders have converted approximately $5.2 million of debt.
As of March 23, 2023, we owed our convertible debt holders approximately $11.6 million of principal which is currently due on April 25,
2023. If we are unable to raise sufficient capital to repay these obligations at maturity and we are otherwise unable to extend the maturity
dates or refinance these obligations, we would be in default. We cannot provide any assurances that we will be able to raise the necessary
amount of capital to repay these obligations or that we will be able to extend the maturity dates or otherwise refinance these obligations.
Upon a default in the convertible debt our convertible debt holders would have the right to exercise its rights and remedies to collect,
which would include foreclosing on our assets. Accordingly, a default would have a material adverse effect on our business and, if our
convertible noteholders exercise its rights and remedies, we would likely be forced to seek bankruptcy protection.
We
may be impacted by macroeconomic conditions due to global pandemics, epidemics or outbreaks of disease and the resulting global supply
chain crisis.
Global
trade conditions and consumer trends that originated during the COVID-19 pandemic continue to persist and may also have long-lasting
adverse impact on us and our industry. There are continued risks arising from new pandemics, epidemics or outbreaks of disease, and ongoing
COVID-19 related issues which have exacerbated port congestion and intermittent supplier shutdowns and delays, resulting in additional
expenses to expedite delivery of new miners, as well as critical materials needed for our expansion plans. Further, miner manufacturers
have been impacted by the constrained supply of the semiconductors used in the production of the highly specialized ASIC chips miners
rely on, and increased labor costs to manufacture new miners as workforces and global supply chains continue to be affected by COVID-19
and may further be affected by global outbreaks of various epidemics or disease, ultimately leading to continually higher prices for
new miners. Thus, until the global supply chain crisis is resolved, and these extraordinary pressures are alleviated, we expect to continue
to incur higher than usual costs to obtain and deploy new miners and we may face difficulties obtaining the new miners we need at prices
or in quantities we find acceptable, if at all, and our business and results of operations may suffer as a result.
In
addition, labor shortages resulting from the pandemic may lead to increased difficulty and labor costs in hiring and retaining the highly
qualified and motivated people we need to conduct our business and execute on our strategic growth initiatives. Sustaining our growth
plans will require the ongoing readiness and solvency of our suppliers and vendors, a stable and motivated production workforce, and
government cooperation, each of which may be affected by macroeconomic factors outside of our immediate control.
We
cannot predict the duration or direction of current global trends or their sustained impact. Ultimately, we continue to monitor macroeconomic
conditions to remain flexible and to optimize and evolve our business as appropriate, and we will have to accurately project demand and
infrastructure requirements globally and deploy our workforce and capital resources accordingly. If we experience unfavorable global
market conditions, or if we cannot or do not maintain operations at a scope that is commensurate with such conditions or are later required
to or choose to suspend such operations again, our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results may be harmed.
We
expect the cost of acquiring new miners to continue to be affected by the global supply chain crisis.
Similarly,
the global supply chain crisis, coupled with increased demand for computer chips, has created a shortfall of semiconductors, resulting
in challenges for the supply chain and production of the miners we employ in our Bitcoin mining operations. The miners are highly specialized
servers built around ASIC chips, which very few manufacturers are able to produce in sufficient scale and quality to suit our operations.
As a result, the cost to produce these miners has increased, and their manufacturers have passed on increased costs of production to
purchasers like us. Therefore, until the global supply chain crisis is resolved, and these extraordinary pressures are alleviated, we
expect to continue to incur higher than usual costs to obtain and deploy new miners, which could adversely affect our financial condition
and results of operations.
Construction
of our future facilities potentially exposes us to additional risks.
We
intend to continue constructing modular data centers in addition to our Dorothy Facility, which potentially exposes us to significant
risks we may otherwise not be exposed to, including risks related to, among other sources: construction delays; lack of availability
of parts and/or labor, increased prices as a result, in part to inflation, and delays for data center equipment; labor disputes and work
stoppages, including interruptions in work due to pandemics, epidemics, and other health risks; unanticipated environmental issues and
geological problems; delays related to permitting and approvals to open from public agencies and utility companies; and delays in site
readiness leading to our failure to meet commitments made in connection with such expansion.
All
construction related projects depend on the skill, experience, and attentiveness of our personnel throughout the design and construction
process. Should a designer, general contractor, significant subcontractor or key supplier experience financial problems or other problems
during the design or construction process, we could experience significant delays, increased costs to complete the project and/or other
negative impacts to our expected returns.
If
we are unable to overcome these risks and additional pressures to complete our expansion projects in a timely manner, if at all, we may
not realize their anticipated benefits, and our business and financial condition may suffer as a result.
We
may have difficulty in obtaining banking services for our cryptocurrency activities.
While
the banking authorities in the United States do not prohibit banks from providing banking services to cryptocurrency-related businesses
such as the Company, the Federal Reserve, the FDIC and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency have issued directives to banks
in the United relating to their crypto-asset risks and as a result a significant number of banks have determined to limit such activities.
Accordingly, we have had, and may have in the future have, difficulty in opening bank accounts, obtaining letters of credit and generally
access to the banking system.
We
may be unable to obtain additional funding to scale the SCI hosting and proprietary cryptocurrency mining business to a larger-scale
business.
We
are considering further increasing the size of our business as we seek to leverage our experience and expertise in area of hosting and
proprietary cryptocurrency mining operations. To do so, however, we will need to raise additional debt and/or equity financing, which
may not be available to us on acceptable terms or at all. Failure to generate adequate cash from our operations or find sources of funding
would require us to scale back or curtail our operations or expansion efforts, including limiting our ability to expand the SCI hosting
and cryptocurrency business to a larger-scale operation, and would have an adverse impact on our business and financial condition. If
we raise additional equity financing, our stockholders may experience significant dilution of their ownership interests, and the per-share
value of our Common Stock could decline. Furthermore, if we engage in additional debt financing, the holders of debt likely would have
priority over the holders of Common Stock on order of payment preference. We may be required to accept terms that restrict our ability
to incur additional indebtedness or take other actions including terms that require us to maintain specified liquidity or other ratios
that could otherwise not be in the interests of our stockholders.
We
rely upon strategic partners to finance certain of our facilities.
In
order to complete construction of the first phase of our Dorothy Facility we have partnered with Spring Lane Capital, which provided
$14.0 in funding to complete construction and fund corporate expenses, and we may seek similar funding completion of subsequent phases
of the Dorothy Facility and our other projects in development. As a result, we will be requiring financing assistance as well as cooperation
in significant operation decisions affecting the projects. If we are unable to obtain strategic partners for our projects or if we and
our partners disagree on matters affecting our projects, our growth, prospects and financial results may be adversely affected.
The
lack of regulation of digital asset exchanges which Bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies, are traded on, may expose us to the effects
of negative publicity resulting from fraudulent actors in the cryptocurrency space, and can adversely affect an investment in the Company.
The
digital asset exchanges on which Bitcoin is traded are relatively new and largely unregulated. Many digital asset exchanges do not provide
the public with significant information regarding their ownership structure, management teams, corporate practices, or regulatory compliance.
As a result, the marketplace may lose confidence in, or may experience problems relating to, such digital asset exchanges, including
prominent exchanges handling a significant portion of the volume of digital asset trading. In 2022, a number of digital asset exchanges
filed for bankruptcy proceedings and/or became the subjects of investigation by various governmental agencies for, among other things,
fraud, causing a loss of confidence and an increase in negative publicity for the digital asset ecosystem. As a result, many digital
asset markets, including the market for Bitcoin, have experienced increased price volatility. The Bitcoin ecosystem may continue to be
negatively impacted and experience long term volatility if public confidence decreases.
These
events are continuing to develop, and it is not possible to predict, at this time, every risk that they may pose to us, our service providers,
or the digital asset industry as a whole. A perceived lack of stability in the digital asset exchange market and the closure or temporary
shutdown of digital asset exchanges due to business failure, hackers or malware, government-mandated regulation, or fraud, may reduce
confidence in digital asset networks and result in greater volatility in cryptocurrency values. These potential consequences of a digital
asset exchange’s failure could adversely affect an investment in us.
Recent
events in the industry, such as filing for and seeking protection of Chapter 11 proceedings by major market participants, may have significant
impact on further development and acceptance of digital asset networks and digital assets as they exposed how unpredictable and turbulent
the digital assets industry can be. Specifically, the Chapter 11 Bankruptcy filings of digital asset exchanges FTX Trading Ltd., et al.
(“FTX”) (including its affiliated hedge fund, Alameda Research LLC) was unexpected and significantly reduced confidence in
the digital assets industry as it was one of the largest and considered among safest digital asset trading platforms. Furthermore, it
also revealed potential systemic risks and industry contagion as a significant number of other major market participants were affected
by FTX’s Chapter 11 filing – namely, among others, BlockFi Inc., et al. (“BlockFi”), as one of the largest digital
assets lending companies. At this time, we believe that there are no significant exposures of our business to any of the industry participants
who filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy; however, such failure of key institutions in the cryptocurrency asset industry highlights the risk
of systemic interconnectedness between major market participants and the effect it could have on the industry as a whole.
The
closure and temporary shutdown of major digital asset exchanges and trading platforms, such as FTX, due to fraud or business failure,
has disrupted investor confidence in cryptocurrencies and led to a rapid escalation of oversight of the digital asset industry. Thus,
the failures of key market participants and systemic contagion risk is expected to, as a consequence, invite stricter regulatory scrutiny.
All this could have a negative impact on further development and acceptance of digital asset networks and digital assets, including Bitcoin.
Bitcoin
market exposure to financially troubled cryptocurrency-based companies.
The
failure of several crypto platforms has impacted and may continue to impact the broader crypto economy; the full extent of these impacts
may not yet be known. Bitcoin is part of the cryptocurrency environment and is subject to price volatility resulting from financial instability,
poor business practices, and fraudulent activities of players in the cryptocurrency market. When investors in cryptocurrency and cryptocurrency-based
companies experience financial difficulty as a result of price volatility, poor business practices, and/or fraud, it has caused, and
may cause additional, loss of confidence in the cryptocurrency space, reputational harm to cryptocurrency assets, heightened scrutiny
by regulatory authorities and law makers, and a steep decline in the value of Bitcoin, among other material impacts. Such adverse effects
have affected, and may in the future affect, the profitability of our Bitcoin mining operations and our ability to obtain a profit from
hosting institutional-scale data center clients.
Our
business plan is heavily dependent upon acquisitions and strategic alliances and our ability to identify, acquire or ally on appropriate
terms, and successfully integrate and manage any acquired companies or alliances will impact our financial condition and operating results.
Part
of our strategy to grow our business is dependent on the acquisition of other entities or businesses in the future that complement our
current products, enhance our market coverage or technical capabilities, or offer growth opportunities. We may also need to form strategic
alliances or partnerships in order to remain competitive in our market. We may not be able, however, to identify and successfully negotiate
suitable acquisitions alliances, obtain any financing necessary for such acquisitions on satisfactory terms or otherwise complete any
such acquisitions or alliances. Further, any acquisition or alliance may require a significant amount of management’s time and
financial resources to complete; furthermore, such acquisitions, strategic alliances or partnerships could be difficult to integrate,
disrupt our business and dilute stockholder value.
For
example, in January 2020, the Company formed SCI as its wholly owned subsidiary to pursue a new business line focused on cryptocurrency
and the blockchain ecosystem. In October 2021, Soluna Computing became a wholly owned subsidiary of SCI pursuant to a merger. Prior to
the merger, Soluna Computing had assisted us in developing and operating the cryptocurrency mining facility through contractual arrangements.
In May 2022, SCI secured an investment by Spring Lane Capital into the first 25 MW of Project Dorothy. Spring Lane initially invested
$3.85 million and agreed to fund thirty-two percent (32%) of further costs throughout 2022 subject to a ceiling amount of $12.5 million.
Later, on March 10, 2023, Spring Lane agreed to increase its participation in this first 25 MW for an additional $7.5 million, plus a
similar share of all additional costs incurred during 2023 to complete the project, with a ceiling of total invested through March 10,
2023, plus an additional $3.0 million.
In
the future, we may acquire or form strategic alliances or partnerships with other businesses in order to remain competitive or to acquire
new technologies. Acquisitions, alliances and investments involve numerous risks, including:
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the
potential failure to achieve the expected benefits of the combination, acquisition or alliance; |
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difficulties
in and the cost of integrating operations, technologies, services and personnel; |
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difficulty
of assimilating geographically dispersed operations and personnel of the companies we acquire or ally with; |
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impairment
of relationships with employees, customers, vendors, distributors or business partners of either an acquired business or our own; |
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unanticipated
difficulties in conforming business practices, policies, procedures, internal controls and financial records of acquisitions with
our own; |
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the
potential inability to successfully integrate acquired operations and products or to realize cost savings or other anticipated benefits
from integration; |
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diversion
of financial and managerial resources from existing operations; |
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risk
of entering new markets in which we have little or no experience or where competitors may have stronger market positions; |
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potential
write-offs of acquired assets or investments and potential financial and credit risks associated with acquired customers; |
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inability
to generate sufficient revenue to offset acquisition or investment costs; |
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the
risk of cancellation or early termination of an alliance by either party; |
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potential
unknown liabilities associated with the acquired businesses; |
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unanticipated
expenses related to acquired technology and its integration into the existing businesses; |
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negative
impact to our results of operations because of the depreciation and amortization of amounts related to acquired intangible assets,
fixed assets and deferred compensation, and the loss of acquired deferred revenue and unbilled deferred revenue; |
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loss
of key employees or customers of acquired companies; |
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potential
disruption of our business or the acquired business; |
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inability
to accurately forecast the performance of recently acquired businesses, resulting in unforeseen adverse effects on our operating
results; |
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the
tax effects of any acquisitions; and |
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Adverse
accounting impact to our results of operations. |
Our
failure to successfully manage our recent acquisition of Soluna Computing or these investments by Spring Lane into the first 25 MW of
Project Dorothy, or other future acquisitions, strategic alliances or partnerships could seriously harm our operating results. In addition,
our stockholders would be diluted if we finance the future acquisitions, strategic alliances or partnerships by incurring convertible
debt or issuing equity securities.
We
cannot offer any assurance that we will be able to identify, complete or successfully integrate any suitable acquisitions or suitable
alliances. Even if successfully negotiated and closed, any acquisitions or alliances may not yield expected synergies, may not advance
our business strategy as expected, may fall short of expected return-on-investment targets, or may otherwise fail to achieve their objectives
or perform as contemplated and not prove successful. Companies that we acquire may operate with different cost and margin structures,
which could further cause fluctuations in our operating results and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of
operations.
Risks
Related to our SCI Business and Cryptocurrency
We
have a history of operating losses, and we may report additional operating losses in the future.
Our
primary focus is on the hosting and proprietary cryptocurrency mining business, and we have recorded historical losses and negative cash
flow from our operations when the value of Bitcoin we and our hosted customers mine does not exceed associated costs. Further, as part
of our strategic growth plans, we have made capital investments in expanding and vertically integrating our mining operations, increased
our employee base, and incurred additional costs associated with owning and operating a self-mining facility. However, future market
prices of Bitcoin are difficult to predict, and we cannot guarantee that our future revenues will exceed our associated costs.
SCI
has a limited operating history, and we may not recognize operating income from the SCI line of business in the future.
SCI
began operations in January 2020 and therefore is subject to all the risks inherent in a newly established business venture in a rapidly
developing and changing industry. SCI’s limited operating history also makes it difficult to evaluate SCI’s current business
and its future prospects. SCI has not yet been able to confirm that its business model can or will be successful over the long term,
and we may not ever continue to recognize operating income from this business. Our projections for its growth have been developed internally
and may not prove to be accurate. SCI’s operating results will likely fluctuate moving forward as we focus on growing our operations
and as the market prices of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies fluctuate. We may need to make business decisions that could adversely
affect SCI’s operating results, such as modifications to its business structure or operations. In addition, we expect additional
growth in this business, which could place significant demands on SCI’s and the Company’s management and other resources
and require us to continue developing and improving our operational, financial and other internal controls. SCI may not be able to address
these challenges in a cost-effective manner or at all. If we do not effectively manage SCI’s growth, it may not be able to execute
on its business plan, respond to competitive pressures or take advantage of market opportunities, and our business, financial condition
and results of operations could be materially harmed.
Given
SCI’s early-stage status, without positive operating income, there is a substantial risk regarding SCI’s ability to succeed.
You should consider our business and prospects in light of these risks and the risks and difficulties that we will encounter as we continue
to develop our business model. We may not be able to address these risks and difficulties successfully, which would materially harm our
business and operating results, and we could be forced to terminate our business, liquidate our assets and dissolve, and you could lose
part or all of your investment.
Prices
of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile, and if our mined cryptocurrencies are converted into dollars when such values are low, we
may not recognize the income from the conversion of the mined cryptocurrencies that we were expecting.
The
fluctuating prices of cryptocurrencies represent significant uncertainties for SCI’s business. A variety of factors, known and
unknown, may affect price and valuation, including, but not limited to (i) the supply of such cryptocurrencies; (ii) global blockchain
asset demand, which can be influenced by the growth of retail merchants’ and commercial businesses’ acceptance of blockchain
assets like cryptocurrencies as payment for goods and services, the security of online cryptocurrency exchanges and networks and digital
wallets that hold blockchain assets, the perception that the use and holding of blockchain assets is safe and secure, and the regulatory
restrictions on their use; (iii) investors’ expectations with respect to the rate of inflation; (iv) changes in the software, software
requirements or hardware requirements underlying a blockchain network; (v) changes in the rights, obligations, incentives or rewards
for the various participants in a blockchain network; (vi) currency exchange rates; (vii) fiat currency withdrawal and deposit policies
of cryptocurrency exchanges and networks and liquidity on such exchanges and networks; (viii) interruptions in service from or failures
of major cryptocurrency exchanges and networks; (ix) investment and trading activities of large subscribers, including private and registered
investment funds, that may directly or indirectly invest in blockchain assets; (x) monetary policies of governments, trade restrictions,
currency devaluations and revaluations; (xi) regulatory measures, if any, that affect the use of blockchain assets; (xii) the maintenance
and development of the open-source software protocol of the cryptocurrency networks; (xiii) global or regional political, economic or
financial events and situations; (xiv) expectations among blockchain participants that the value of blockchain assets will soon change;
and (xv) a decrease in the price of blockchain assets that may have a material adverse effect on SCI’s financial condition and
operating results. If our mined cryptocurrencies are converted into dollars when their values are low, we may not recognize the income
from the conversion of the mined cryptocurrencies that we were expecting. Further, the extreme swings in value can make it difficult
for us to develop reasonable financial plans and projections with respect to SCI’s business.
The
Company’s business model is evolving and is subject to various uncertainties.
The
likelihood of the Company’s success must be considered in light of our ability to generate revenues by providing relevant services
to our partners in an uncertain industry or industries, including the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry in which we currently operate
and the data center development industry in which we intend to operate, which, in the Company’s view, creates and will continue
to create an uncertain business environment for the Company. As the Company’s business model evolves, it is possible that we will
decide to modify our business strategy and commence operations in an entirely different industry than the ones in which the Company currently
operates. The Company cannot offer any assurance that these or any other modifications will be successful or will not result in harm
to our business. We may not be able to manage our growth effectively, which could damage our reputation, limit our growth, and negatively
affect our operating results. Further, the Company cannot provide any assurance that it will successfully identify all emerging trends
and growth opportunities in any particular business sector and the Company may lose out on business opportunities. Additionally, current
global and regional economic conditions may have a material effect on the demand for the Company’s services, which could also materially
affect the Company’s partners. Deterioration in the global macroeconomic environment or in certain regions could impact the Company’s
financial condition and operations and, depending upon the severity and duration of these factors, the Company’s profitability
and liquidity position could be negatively impacted. All such circumstances could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s
business, prospects and/or operations.
SCI
may not be able to continue to develop its technology and keep pace with technological developments,
expand its mining operations or otherwise compete with other companies, some of whom have greater resources and experience.
We
do not have the resources to compete with larger cryptocurrency mining entities at this time and may not be able to compete successfully
against present or future competitors. The cryptocurrency industry has attracted various high-profile and well-established operators,
some of which have substantially greater liquidity and financial resources than we do. With the limited resources we have available,
we may experience great difficulties in expanding and improving our network of miners to remain competitive, and we may not be in a position
to construct additional operational cryptocurrency mines.
Rapid
technological change is a current feature of the cryptocurrency industry, including hosting and proprietary cryptocurrency mining, and
we cannot provide assurance that we will be able to achieve the technological advances, in a timely manner or at all, that may be necessary
for us to remain competitive or that certain of our equipment will not become obsolete. Our ability to anticipate and manage changes
in technology standards on a timely basis will be a significant factor in our ability to remain competitive. We may not be successful,
generally or relative to our competitors, in timely implementing new technology into our systems, or doing so in a cost-effective manner.
During the course of implementing any such new technology into our operations, we may experience system interruptions and failures. Further,
if due to technological developments we need to replace our miners entirely to remain competitive in the market, there can be no assurance
that we will be able to do so on a cost-effective basis or in a timely manner, particularly in light of the long production period to
manufacture and assemble cryptocurrency miners, potential large-scale purchases of miners from existing competitors and new entrants
into the industry. Furthermore, there can be no assurance that we will recognize, in a timely manner or at all, the benefits that we
may expect as a result of our implementing new technology into our operations. As a result, our business, prospects, and operations may
suffer, and there may be adverse effects on our financial condition and on the market prices of our securities.
In
addition, competition from existing and future competitors, particularly the other North American companies that may have access to greater
volumes of competitively priced energy, could result in our inability to secure acquisitions and partnerships that we may need to expand
our business in the future. This competition from other entities with greater resources, experience and reputations may result in our
failure to maintain or expand our business. If we are unable to expand and remain competitive, our business could be negatively affected
which would have an adverse effect on the trading prices of our securities, which in turn would harm investors in our Company.
Regulatory
changes or actions may alter the nature of an investment in us or restrict the use of cryptocurrencies in a manner that adversely affects
our business, prospects, or operations.
As
cryptocurrencies have grown in both popularity and market size, governments around the world have reacted differently to cryptocurrencies;
certain governments have deemed them illegal, and others have allowed their use and trade without restriction, while in some jurisdictions,
such as in the United States, subject the mining, ownership and exchange of cryptocurrencies to extensive, and in some cases overlapping,
unclear and evolving regulatory requirements.
For
example, in January 2023, the Federal Reserve, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation issued
a joint statement effectively discouraging banks from doing business with clients in crypto-asset industries, which could potentially
create challenges regarding access to financial services. In January 2023, the Federal Reserve also issued a policy statement broadening
its authority to cover state-chartered institutions. Moreover, in January 2023, the White House issued a statement cautioning deepening
ties between crypto-assets and the broader financial system. Meanwhile, the SEC has announced several actions aimed at curtailing activities
it deems sales of unregistered securities.
However,
also during January of 2023, the U.S. House of Representatives announced its first ever Financial Services Subcommittee on Digital Assets
and the intention to develop a regulatory framework for the use and trade of digital assets and related financial services products in
the United States. Bipartisan leadership of the Senate Banking Committee announced a similar objective.
Given
the difficulty of predicting the outcomes of ongoing and future regulatory actions and legislative developments, it is possible that
they could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects or operations.
Bitcoin
and Bitcoin mining, as well as cryptocurrencies generally, may be made illegal in certain jurisdictions, including the ones we operate
in, which could adversely affect our business prospects and operations.
Although
we do not anticipate any material adverse regulations on Bitcoin mining in our jurisdictions of operation, it is possible that state
or federal regulators may seek to impose harsh restrictions or total bans on cryptocurrency mining which may make it impossible for us
to do business without relocating our mining operations, which could be very costly and time consuming. Further, although Bitcoin and
Bitcoin mining, as well as cryptocurrencies generally, are largely unregulated in most countries (including the United States), regulators
in certain jurisdictions may undertake new or intensify existing regulatory actions in the future that could severely restrict the right
to mine, acquire, own, hold, sell, or use cryptocurrency or to exchange it for traditional fiat currency such as the United States dollar.
Such restrictions may adversely affect us as the large-scale use of cryptocurrencies as a means of exchange is presently confined to
certain regions globally. Such circumstances could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects or operations and potentially
the value of any Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies we or our hosted customers mine, and thus harm our investors.
Our
interactions with a blockchain may expose us to specially designated nationals (“SDN”) or blocked persons and new legislation
or regulation could adversely impact our business or the market for cryptocurrencies.
The
Office of Financial Assets Control (“OFAC”) of the U.S. Department of Treasury requires us to comply with its sanction program
and not conduct business with persons named on its SDN list. However, because of the pseudonymous nature of blockchain transactions we
may inadvertently and without our knowledge engage in transactions with persons named on OFAC’s SDN list. Our Company’s policy
prohibits any transactions with such SDN individuals, but we may not be adequately capable of determining the ultimate identity of the
individual with whom we transact with respect to selling cryptocurrency assets. We are unable to predict the nature or extent of new
and proposed legislation and regulation affecting the cryptocurrency industry, or the potential impact of the use of cryptocurrencies
by SDN or other blocked or sanctioned persons, which could have material adverse effects on our business and our industry more broadly.
Further, we may be subject to investigation, administrative or court proceedings, and civil or criminal monetary fines and penalties
as a result of any regulatory enforcement actions, all of which could harm our reputation and affect the value of our securities.
Security
breaches could result in a loss of our cryptocurrencies.
Security
breaches including computer hacking or computer malware have been a consistent concern in the cryptocurrency industry. This could involve
hacking in which an unauthorized person obtains access to the systems or information and can cause harm by the transmission of virus
or the corruption of data. These breaches may occur due to an action by an outside party or by the error and negligence of an employee.
We primarily rely on the Luxor mining pool and SCI’s cryptocurrencies are stored with exchanges such as Coinbase prior to selling
them. If any breach were to occur of our security system, operations or third-party platforms, the result could cause a loss of our cryptocurrencies,
loss of confidential or proprietary information, force the Company to cease operations or could cause damage to the reputation of the
Company. If an actual or perceived attack were to occur, the market perception of the Company may be damaged, which could adversely affect
potential and current investments in the Company and reduce demand for our securities and cause a reduction in our share prices.
Incorrect
or fraudulent cryptocurrency transactions may be irreversible.
It
is possible that, through computer or human error, theft or criminal action, our cryptocurrency could be transferred in incorrect amounts
or to unauthorized third parties or accounts. In general, cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible, and stolen or incorrectly transferred
cryptocurrencies may be irretrievable, and we may have extremely limited or no effective means of recovering any losses as a result of
an incorrect transfer or theft. As a result, any incorrectly executed or fraudulent cryptocurrency transactions could adversely affect
our business, operating results and financial condition.
The
impact of geopolitical and economic events on the supply and demand for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is uncertain.
Geopolitical
crises may motivate large-scale purchases of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, which could rapidly increase the price of Bitcoin and
other cryptocurrencies. This may increase the likelihood of a subsequent price decrease as crisis-driven purchasing behavior dissipates,
adversely affecting the value of the cryptocurrencies that we or our hosted customers mine. Alternatively, as an emerging asset class
with limited acceptance as a payment system or commodity, global crises and general economic downturn may discourage investment in cryptocurrencies
as investors focus their investment on less volatile asset classes as a means of hedging their investment risk.
Cryptocurrencies,
which are relatively new, are subject to supply and demand forces. How such supply and demand will be impacted by geopolitical events
is largely uncertain but could be harmful to us and investors in our securities. Political or economic crises may motivate large-scale
acquisitions or sales of cryptocurrencies either globally or locally. Such events could have a material adverse effect on our ability
to continue as a going concern or to pursue our strategy at all, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects
or operations and potentially the value of any cryptocurrencies that we or our hosted customers mine.
The
failure of cryptocurrencies to become widely accepted and/or used as a medium of exchange and method of payment could adversely affect
our business, prospects and financial condition.
The
use of cryptocurrencies in the retail and commercial marketplace, despite sporadic adoption, is currently limited. A significant portion
of cryptocurrency demand is generated by investors seeking a long-term store of value or speculators seeking to profit from the short-
or long-term holding of the asset. Price volatility, slow processing speeds and high transaction costs undermine Bitcoin’s and
other cryptocurrencies’ ability to be used as a medium of exchange, as retailers are less likely to accept it as a direct form
of payment. Large-scale acceptance of cryptocurrencies as a means of payment has not, and may never, occur.
The
relative lack of acceptance of cryptocurrencies in the retail and commercial marketplace, or a reduction of such use, limits the ability
of end users to use them to pay for goods and services. Such lack of acceptance or a decline in acceptance could have a material adverse
effect on the value of the cryptocurrencies that we or our hosted customers mine, the viability of cryptocurrency mining as a business,
and our ability to continue as a going concern or to pursue our business strategy, which could have a material adverse effect on our
business, prospects, operations and financial condition, as well as on the market value of our securities.
Proposed
development of a cryptocurrency, as well as the eventual likely development of government-backed digital currencies
and the development of cryptocurrencies by other tech companies, may adversely affect the value
of Bitcoin and other existing, or even future, cryptocurrencies.
In
May 2019, Facebook, now named Meta, announced its plans for a cryptocurrency then called
Libra and later called Diem, which faced significant objections and concerns from governments, legislators and regulators. Following
such objections and concerns, Diem’s development was abandoned, and its assets (including both the technology and intellectual
property) sold to Silvergate Capital Corp., the holding company for Silvergate Bank, based in La Jolla, California, on January 31, 2022.
Silvergate Capital Corp. was understood to be seeking to introduce a new digital currency using these recently purchased assets by the
end of 2022. While that did not happen, Silvergate’s efforts could encourage other financial institutions or even other technology
companies and other entities to develop their own cryptocurrencies, which could negatively impact the value of existing cryptocurrencies.
Further, in the event that government-backed digital currencies, which regulators in several countries are already considering or even
developing, are developed and widely adopted, that could be likely to have a negative impact on the existing currencies including larger
widespread adoption and potentially impacting the market share by non-government digital currency. Additional cryptocurrencies are introduced
to the market frequently, and although some have gained popularity as some features have been different than Bitcoin, Bitcoin remains
the market leader. As cryptocurrency adoption grows, the likelihood increases that additional cryptocurrency will be introduced and gain
popularity against Bitcoin, potentially negatively impacting the value of Bitcoin and perhaps other cryptocurrencies.
Cryptocurrencies
face significant scaling and adoption obstacle issues which may lessen the demand for our services over time.
Cryptocurrencies,
including Bitcoin, face significant scaling and adoption issues, which may lessen the demand for our services over time. The current
limitations of transaction throughput, high transaction fees, and extended processing times hinder widespread adoption and reduce the
feasibility of cryptocurrencies as a daily payment method. As the industry attempts to address these challenges through protocol upgrades,
second-layer solutions, and alternative consensus mechanisms, there is no guarantee that such solutions will be widely adopted or successful
in resolving these issues. Should the scaling and adoption challenges persist or worsen, the demand for cryptocurrencies may decline,
negatively impacting our mining operations and revenue. Furthermore, the emergence of new cryptocurrencies employing alternative, more
scalable technologies could lead to a shift in market preferences, diminishing the value of the cryptocurrencies we mine and potentially
affecting our business prospects and profitability
Because
our most of our and our hosted customers’ miners are designed specifically to mine Bitcoin and may not be readily adaptable to
mining other cryptocurrencies, a sustained decline in Bitcoin’s value could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
We
and our hosted customers have invested substantial capital in acquiring miners designed specifically to mine Bitcoin as efficiently and
as rapidly as possible on our assumption that we will be able to use them to mine Bitcoin and generate revenue from our operations. Therefore,
our mining and hosting operations focus primarily on mining Bitcoin, and our revenue is largely based on the value of Bitcoin. Accordingly,
if the value of Bitcoin declines and fails to recover, for example, because of the development and acceptance of competing blockchain
platforms or technologies, including competing cryptocurrencies which our miners or our customers’ miners may not be able to mine,
the revenue we generate from our operations will likewise decline. Moreover, we may not be able to successfully repurpose our operations
in a timely manner, if at all, if we or our customers decide to switch to mining a different cryptocurrency (or to another purpose altogether)
following a sustained decline in Bitcoin’s value or if Bitcoin is replaced by another cryptocurrency. This could
have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, operations and financial condition, as well as on the market value of our
securities.
The
Dorothy Facility is subject to a five-year ground lease, and if we are unable to renew its term, we may be unable to fully realize the
anticipated benefits of the ongoing development of the site.
The
Dorothy Facility is subject to a ground lease with an initial term of five years, followed by five one-year renewal options, unless terminated
earlier. The long-term success of our plans for the Dorothy Facility is largely based on our ability to maintain the lease in effect
and to renew it going forward. If we fail to maintain the lease or renew it once its initial term expires and the landlord us to vacate
the premises, we will likely incur significant costs in relocating our operations, if we could do so at all, and our operations would
be interrupted during such relocation. Further, if we fail to renew the lease on terms favorable to us, and our costs are increased,
then we may not realize the anticipated benefits of our investment in the facility or any future development of its remaining available
capacity. Any disruptions or changes our present relationship with the landlord for the Dorothy Facility could disrupt our business and
our results of operations negatively.
The
properties included in
our mining and hosting facility network may experience damages, including damages that are not covered by insurance.
Our
current mining operation for Project Sophie is, and any future mines or hosting facility we establish will be, subject to a variety of
risks relating to physical condition and operation, including:
|
● |
the
presence of construction or repair defects or other structural or building damage; |
|
● |
any
noncompliance with or liabilities under applicable environmental, health or safety regulations or requirements or building permit
requirements; and |
|
● |
any
damage resulting from natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, floods and windstorms. |
For
example, the currently operating Sophie facility, or the future Dorothy facility could be rendered inoperable, temporarily or permanently,
as a result of a fire or other natural disaster or by a terrorist or other attack on the mine. The security and other measures we take
to protect against these risks may not be sufficient. Additionally, our mines could be materially adversely affected by a power outage,
loss of access to the electrical grid, or loss by the grid of cost-effective sources of electrical power generating capacity. Given the
power requirement, it would not be feasible to run miners on back-up power generators in the event of a power outage. Our insurance covers
the replacement cost of any lost or damaged miners but does not cover any interruption of our mining activities; our insurance therefore
may not be adequate to cover the losses we suffer as a result of any of these events. In the event of an uninsured loss, including a
loss in excess of insured limits, at any of the mines in our network, such mines may not be adequately repaired in a timely manner or
at all and we may lose some or all of the future revenues anticipated to be derived from such mines. The potential impact on our business
is currently magnified because we are currently operating only a single mine.
SCI’s
reliance on a third-party mining pool service provider for our mining revenue payouts may have a negative impact on SCI’s operations.
The same may be true in the case of SCI’s likely hosted customers.
We
and many Bitcoin miners use a third–party mining pool to receive our mining rewards from the network. Cryptocurrency mining pools
allow miners to combine their computing power, increasing their chances of solving a block and getting paid by the network. The rewards
are distributed by the pool operator, proportionally to our contribution to the pool’s overall mining power, used to generate each
block. Should the pool operator’s system suffer downtime due to a cyber-attack, software malfunction, or similar issues, it will
negatively impact our ability to mine and receive revenue. Furthermore, we and many other Bitcoin miners are dependent on the accuracy
of the mining pool operator’s recordkeeping to accurately record the total processing power provided to the pool for a given Bitcoin
mining application in order to assess the proportion of that total processing power we provided. While we have internal methods of tracking
both our power provided and the total used by the pool, the mining pool operator uses its own recordkeeping to determine our proportion
of a given reward. We and other miners have little means of recourse against the mining pool operator if we determine that the proportion
of the reward that the mining pool operator pays out to us is incorrect, other than leaving the pool. If we are unable to consistently
obtain accurate proportionate rewards from our mining pool operator, we may experience reduced reward for our efforts, which would have
an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
Over
time, incentives for Bitcoin miners to continue to contribute processing power to the Bitcoin network may transition from a set reward
to transaction fees. If the incentives for Bitcoin mining are not sufficiently high, we and our hosted customers may not have an adequate
incentive to continue to mine.
In
general, as the number of Bitcoin rewards awarded for solving a block in a blockchain decreases, our ability to achieve profitability
also decreases. Decreased use and demand for Bitcoin rewards may adversely affect our incentive to expend processing power to solve blocks.
If the Bitcoin rewards for solving blocks and transaction fees are not sufficiently high, fewer Bitcoin miners will mine. At insufficiently
attractive rewards, our costs of operations in total may exceed our revenues from Bitcoin mining and from hosting customers engaged in
Bitcoin mining
To
incentivize Bitcoin miners to continue to contribute processing power to the Bitcoin network, such network may either formally or informally
transition from a set reward to transaction fees earned upon solving a block. This transition could be accomplished either by Bitcoin
miners independently electing to record in the blocks they solve only those transactions that include payment of a transaction fee or
by the Bitcoin network adopting software upgrades that require the payment of a minimum transaction fee for all transactions. If as a
result transaction fees paid for Bitcoin transactions become too high, Bitcoin users may be reluctant to transfer Bitcoin or accept Bitcoin
as a means of payment, and existing users may be motivated to hold existing Bitcoin and switch from Bitcoin to another digital asset
or back to fiat currency for transactions, diminishing the aggregate amount of available transaction fees for Bitcoin miners. Such reduction
would adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition.
The
Bitcoin reward for successfully uncovering a block will halve several times in the future, and Bitcoin’s value may not adjust to
compensate us for the reduction in the rewards we receive from our Bitcoin mining efforts.
Halving
is a process designed to control the overall supply and reduce the risk of inflation in cryptocurrencies using a proof of work consensus
algorithm. At a predetermined block, the Bitcoin mining reward is cut in half, hence the term “halving.” For Bitcoin, the
reward was initially set at 50 Bitcoin currency rewards per block, and this was cut in half to 25 on November 28, 2012 at block 210,000,
then again to 12.5 on July 9, 2016 at block 420,000. The most recent halving for Bitcoin occurred on May 11, 2020 at block 630,000 and
the reward was reduced to 6.25. It is expected that the next halving will likely occur in 2024. This process will reoccur until the total
amount of Bitcoin currency rewards issued reaches 21 million, which is expected around the year 2140. While Bitcoin prices have had a
history of fluctuations around the halving of its rewards, there is no guarantee that the price change will be favorable or would compensate
for the reduction in mining reward. If a corresponding and proportionate increase in the trading prices of Bitcoin or a proportionate
decrease in mining difficulty does not follow these anticipated halving events, the revenue we and our hosted customers earn from our
Bitcoin mining operations could see a corresponding decrease, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and operations.
We
may not be able to realize the benefits of forks, and forks in a digital asset network may occur in the future, which may affect the
value of the cryptocurrencies that we mine.
To
the extent that a significant majority of users and miners on a cryptocurrency network install software that changes the cryptocurrency
network or properties of a cryptocurrency, including the irreversibility of transactions and limitations on the mining of new cryptocurrency,
the cryptocurrency network would be subject to new protocols and software. If less than a significant majority of users and miners on
the cryptocurrency network consent to the proposed modification, however, and the modification is not compatible with the software prior
to its modification, a “fork” of the network would occur, with one prong of the network running the pre-modified software
and the other running the modified software. The effect of such a fork would be the existence of two versions of the cryptocurrency running
in parallel yet lacking interchangeability and necessitating exchange-type transaction to convert currencies between the two forks. After
a fork, it may be unclear which fork represents the original asset and which is the new asset.
If
we hold a specific cryptocurrency at the time of a hard fork into two cryptocurrencies, industry standards would dictate that we would
be expected to hold an equivalent amount of the old and new assets following the fork. We may not, however, be able to secure or realize
the economic benefit of the new asset. Our business may be adversely impacted by forks in an applicable cryptocurrency network.
In
addition, historically, speculation over a new “hard fork” in the Bitcoin protocol has resulted in Bitcoin price volatility
and future hard forks may occur at any time. A hard fork could lead to a disruption of networks and our information technology systems
could be affected by cybersecurity attacks, replay attacks or security weaknesses, any of which can further lead to temporary or even
permanent loss of its assets. Such disruption and loss could cause us to be exposed to liability, even in circumstances where we have
no intention of supporting an asset compromised by a hard fork. Additionally, a hard fork may result in a scenario where users running
the previous protocol will not recognize blocks created by those running the new protocol, and vice versa. This may render our cryptocurrency
mining hardware, or that of our hosted customers, incompatible with the new protocol. Such changes may have a material effect on our
operations, financial position and financial performance.
As
the aggregate amount of computing power, or hash rate, in the Bitcoin network increases, the amount of Bitcoin earned per unit of hash
rate decreases; as a result, in order to maintain our market share, we may have to incur significant capital expenditures in order to
expand our fleet of miners.
The
aggregate computing power of the global Bitcoin network has generally grown over time, and we expect it to continue to grow in the future.
To the extent the global hash rate continues to increase, the market share of and the amount of Bitcoin rewards paid to any fixed fleet
of miners will decrease. Therefore, in order to maintain our market share, we may be required to expand our mining fleet, which may require
significant capital expenditures. If we can’t acquire sufficient numbers of new miners or access sufficient capital to fund our
expenditures, our results of operations and financial condition could be adversely materially affected. While a business strategy focused
on hosting could mitigate some of this risk, the fact that hosted clients are ultimately exposed to similar such risk allows for the
continued possibility that this could have an adverse effect on our business operations, strategy and financial performance.
Climate
change, and the regulatory and legislative developments related to climate change, may materially adversely affect our business and financial
condition.
The
potential physical impacts of climate change on our operations are highly uncertain and would be particular to the geographic circumstances
in areas in which we operate or in which our third-party providers operate. These may include changes in rainfall and storm patterns
and intensities, water shortages, changing sea levels and changing temperatures. The impacts of climate change may materially and adversely
impact the cost, production and financial performance of our operations. Further, any impacts to our business and financial condition
as a result of climate change are likely to occur over a sustained period of time and are therefore difficult to quantify with any degree
of specificity. For example, extreme weather events may result in adverse physical effects on portions of our infrastructure, which could
disrupt our supply chain and ultimately our business operations.
In
addition, a number of governments or governmental bodies have introduced or are contemplating legislative and regulatory changes in response
to the potential impact of climate change. Companies across many industries are facing increasing scrutiny related to their environmental,
social, and governance (“ESG”) practices. Investor advocacy groups, certain institutional investors, investment funds and
other influential investors are also increasingly focused on ESG practices and in recent years have placed increasing importance on the
non-financial impacts of their investments. Given the very significant amount of electrical power required to operate cryptocurrency
miners, as well as the environmental impact of mining for the rare earth metals used in the production of mining servers, the cryptocurrency
mining industry may become a target for future environmental and energy regulation, and any such regulation may not distinguish between
cryptocurrency mining powered partially by renewable energy, as is much of SCI’s business, and cryptocurrency mining using traditional
(i.e. fossil fuel) sources of energy. Legislation and increased regulation regarding climate change could impose significant costs on
us and our suppliers, including costs related to increased energy requirements, capital equipment, environmental monitoring and reporting,
and other costs to comply with such regulations. Any future climate change regulations could also negatively impact our ability to compete
with companies situated in areas not subject to such limitations. Furthermore, increased public awareness and concern regarding environmental
risks, including global climate change, may result in increased public scrutiny of our business and our industry, and our management
team may divert significant time and energy away from our operations and towards responding to such scrutiny and reassuring our employees.
Given the political significance and uncertainty around the impact of climate change and how it should be addressed, we cannot predict
how legislation and regulation will affect our financial condition, operating performance and ability to compete. Any of the foregoing
could result in a material adverse effect on our business, prospects and financial condition.
Our
business could be harmed by prolonged power and internet outages, shortages, or capacity constraints.
Our
operations require a significant amount of electrical power and access to high-speed internet to be successful. If we are unable to secure
sufficient electrical power, or if we lose internet access for a prolonged period, we may be required to reduce our operations or cease
them altogether. If this occurs, our business and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.
We
are subject to risks associated with our need for significant electrical power.
Our
operations have required significant amounts of electrical power, and, as we continue to expand our mining fleet and begin to operate
our Dorothy Facility, we anticipate our demand for electrical power will continue to grow. The fluctuating price of electricity we require
for our operations, and to power our expansion, may inhibit our profitability. If we are unable to continue to obtain sufficient electrical
power on a cost-effective basis, we may not realize the anticipated benefits of our significant capital investments.
Additionally,
our operations could be materially adversely affected by prolonged power outages. Although certain critical functions of our facilities
may be powered by backup generators on a temporary basis, it would not be feasible or cost-effective to run miners on back-up power generators
for extended periods of time. Therefore, we may have to reduce or cease our operations in the event of an extended power outage, or as
a result of the unavailability or increased cost of electrical power. If this were to occur, our business and results of operations could
be materially and adversely affected.
Changing
environmental regulation and public energy policy may expose our business to new risks.
Our
and our hosted customers’ Bitcoin mining operations require a substantial amount of power and can only be successful, and ultimately
profitable, if the costs incurred, including for electricity, are lower than the revenue we generate from operations. As a result, any
mine we or our hosted customers establish can only be successful if we can obtain sufficient electrical power for that mine on a cost-effective
basis, and our establishment of new mines requires us to find locations where that is the case. For instance, our plans and strategic
initiatives for the Dorothy Facility are based, in part, on our understanding of current environmental and energy regulations, policies,
and initiatives enacted by federal and Texas regulators. If new regulations are imposed, or if existing regulations are modified, the
assumptions we made underlying our plans and strategic initiatives may be inaccurate, and we may incur additional costs to adapt our
planned business, if we are able to adapt at all, to such regulations.
In
addition, there continues to be a lack of consistent climate legislation, which creates economic and regulatory uncertainty for our business
because the cryptocurrency mining industry, with its high energy demand, may become a target for future environmental and energy regulation.
New legislation and increased regulation regarding climate change could impose significant costs on us and our suppliers, including costs
related to increased energy requirements, capital equipment, environmental monitoring and reporting, and other costs to comply with such
regulations. Further, any future climate change regulations could also negatively impact our ability to compete with companies situated
in areas not subject to such limitations.
For
example, in September 2022, the White House issued a report regarding the Climate and Energy Implications of Crypto-Assets in the United
States. The report states that the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency should initiate a process to solicit data
and develop environmental performance and energy conservation standards for crypto-asset technologies, including mining equipment. Should
such measures prove ineffective at achieving the Administration’s environmental goals, the report calls for the Administration
to explore executive actions and legislation to limit or eliminate the use of high energy intensity consensus mechanisms for crypto-asset
mining in the United States.
We
may be affected by price fluctuations in the wholesale and retail power markets.
While
the majority of our power and hosting arrangements contain fixed power prices, some also contain certain price adjustment mechanisms
in case of certain events. Furthermore, a portion of our power and hosting arrangements includes merchant power prices, or power prices
reflecting market movements. Market prices for power, generation capacity and ancillary services, are unpredictable. Over the past year,
the market prices for power have generally been increasing, driven in part by the price increases in various commodities, including natural
gas. Depending upon the effectiveness of any price risk management activity undertaken by us, an increase in market prices for power,
generation capacity, and ancillary services may adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition, and operating results.
Long- and short-term power prices may fluctuate substantially due to a variety of factors outside of our control, including, but not
limited to:
| ● | increases
and decreases in generation capacity; |
| | |
| ● | changes
in power transmission or fuel transportation capacity constraints or inefficiencies; |
| | |
| ● | volatile
weather conditions, particularly unusually hot or mild summers or unusually cold or warm
winters; |
| ● | technological
shifts resulting in changes in the demand for power or in patterns of power usage, including
the potential development of demand-side management tools, expansion and technological advancements
in power storage capability and the development of new fuels or new technologies for the
production or storage of power; |
| | |
| ● | federal
and state power, market and environmental regulation and legislation; and |
| | |
| ● | changes
in capacity prices and capacity markets. |
If
we are unable to secure power supply at prices or on terms acceptable to us, it would have a material adverse effect on our business,
prospects, financial condition, and operating results.
If
federal or state legislatures or agencies initiate or release tax determinations that change the classification of cryptocurrencies as
property for tax purposes (in the context of when such cryptocurrencies are held as an investment), such determination could have a negative
tax consequence on us.
Current
Internal Revenue Service guidance indicates that digital assets such as Bitcoin should be treated and taxed as property, and that transactions
involving the payment of Bitcoin for goods and services should be treated as barter transactions. While this treatment creates a potential
tax reporting requirement for any circumstance where the ownership of a cryptocurrency passes from one person to another, it preserves
the right to apply capital gains treatment to those transactions which may adversely affect our results of operations.
Risks
Related to our Company Generally
Our
confidentiality agreements with employees and others may not adequately prevent disclosure of our trade secrets and other proprietary
information, which could limit our ability to compete.
While
we are currently in the process of applying for patents with respect to SCI’s business, presently we rely on trade secrets to protect
our proprietary technology and processes. Despite such protection, however, it is possible that a third party may copy or otherwise obtain
and use our U.S. Patent and Trademark Office-registered or other proprietary information without our authorization, and trade secrets
can be difficult to protect. Policing unauthorized use of our intellectual property and trade secrets is difficult, particularly in light
of the global nature of the Internet and because the laws of other countries may afford us little or no effective protection of our intellectual
property. Potentially expensive litigation may be necessary in the future to enforce our intellectual property rights, to protect our
trade secrets, to determine the validity and scope of the proprietary rights of others or to defend against claims of infringement or
invalidity. Additionally, we enter into confidentiality and intellectual property assignment agreements with our employees, consultants
and other advisors. These agreements generally require that the other party keep confidential and not disclose to third parties’
confidential information developed by the party under such agreements or made known to the party by us during the course of the party’s
relationship with us. Our employees, consultants and other advisors, however, may not honor these agreements and enforcing a claim that
a party illegally obtained and is using our trade secrets is difficult, expensive and time-consuming and the outcome is unpredictable.
Our failure to obtain and maintain trade secret protection could adversely affect our competitive position.
We
rely on highly skilled personnel and the continuing efforts of our executive officers and, if we are unable to retain, motivate or hire
qualified personnel, our business may be severely disrupted. In addition, increased labor costs and the unavailability of skilled workers
could hurt our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our
performance largely depends on the talents, knowledge, skills, know-how and efforts of highly skilled individuals and in particular,
the expertise held by our Chief Executive Officer, Michael Toporek of SHI, and Chief Executive Officer, John Belizaire of SCI. His absence,
were it to occur, would materially and adversely impact development and implementation of our projects and businesses. Our future success
depends on our continuing ability to identify, hire, develop, motivate and retain highly skilled personnel for all areas of our organization.
Our continued ability to compete effectively depends on our ability to attract, among others, new technology developers and to retain
and motivate our existing contractors. If one or more of our executive officers or other key personnel are unable or unwilling to continue
in their present positions, we may not be able to replace them readily, if at all. In such case, our business may be severely disrupted,
and we may incur additional expenses to recruit and retain new officers or other key personnel. In addition, if any of our executives
or key personnel joins a competitor or forms a competing company, we may lose customers.
In
addition, we compete with other businesses in our industries and other similar employers to attract and retain qualified personnel with
the technical skills and experience required to successfully operate our businesses. The demand for skilled workers is high and the supply
is limited, and a shortage in the labor pool of skilled workers or other general inflationary pressures or changes in applicable laws
and regulations could make it more difficult for us to attract and retain personnel and could require us to enhance our wage and benefits
packages, which could increase our operating costs.
Brookstone
XXIV currently has a controlling interest in the Company due to the number of shares of common stock that it beneficially owns and its
designation of two of our directors.
As
of March 28, 2023 , Brookstone XXIV owned approximately 15.2% of the Company’s outstanding shares of Common Stock and has
designated two directors that sit on our nine-member Board. Accordingly, Brookstone XXIV has the ability to exert a significant degree
of influence or actual control over our management and affairs and, as a practical matter, will control corporate actions requiring stockholder
approval, irrespective of how our other stockholders may vote, including the election of directors, amendments to our articles of incorporation,
as amended (“Articles of Incorporation”) and our bylaws (“Bylaws”), and the approval of mergers and other significant
corporate transactions, including a sale of substantially all of our assets, and Brookstone XXIV may vote its shares in a manner that
is adverse to the interests of our minority stockholders. This concentration of voting control could deprive holders of our Common Stock
of an opportunity to receive a premium for their shares of our Common Stock as part of a sale of the Company. Further, Brookstone XXIV’s
control position might adversely affect the market prices of our securities to the extent investors perceive disadvantages in owning
shares of a company with a controlling stockholder.
Brookstone
XXIV and its director designees may acquire interests and positions that could present potential conflicts with our and our stockholders’
interests.
Brookstone
XXIV and its director designees may make investments in companies and may, from time to time, acquire and hold interests in businesses
that compete directly or indirectly with us. Brookstone XXIV and its director designees may also pursue, for their own accounts, acquisition
opportunities that may be complementary to our business, and as a result, those acquisition opportunities might not be available to us.
As part of our sale of 3,750,000 shares of our Common Stock to Brookstone XXIV in October 2016 and as required by Brookstone XXIV as
a condition to purchasing the shares, our Board renounced, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the Company’s expectancy
with respect to being offered an opportunity to participate in any business opportunity that is discovered by or presented to a director
designee (a “Business Opportunity”), whether in such director designee’s capacity as a director of the Company or otherwise.
Accordingly, the interests of Brookstone XXIV and the designated directors with respect to a Business Opportunity may supersede ours,
and Brookstone XXIV or its affiliates or the Brookstone XXIV-designated directors may be involved with businesses that compete with us
and may pursue opportunities for the sole benefit of Brookstone XXIV and its affiliates without our involvement, for which we have limited
recourse. Such actions on the part of Brookstone XXIV or its director designees could have a material adverse effect on our business,
financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
In
addition, Michael Toporek, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, serves as the Managing General Partner of Brookstone XXIV. As
a result of the potential conflicts inherent in his serving in both roles, it is possible that Mr. Toporek could make decisions that
benefit Brookstone XXIV at the expense of the Company.
Insiders
continue to have substantial control over the Company.
As
of March 28, 2023 , the Company’s directors and executive officers held the
current right to vote approximately 18.7% of the Company’s outstanding voting stock. Of this total, 15.2% was owned or controlled
by Brookstone XXIV, for which Michael Toporek, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, also serves as Managing General Partner.
In addition, the Company’s directors and executive officers have the right to acquire additional shares of our Common Stock by
exercising their equity awards under our equity compensation plans, which could increase their voting percentage significantly. As a
result, Mr. Toporek acting alone, and/or many of the Company’s officers and directors acting together, may have the ability to
exert significant control over the Company’s decisions and control the management and affairs of the Company, and also to determine
the outcome of matters submitted to stockholders for approval, including the election or removal of a director, and any merger, consolidation
or sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets. Accordingly, this concentration of ownership may harm the future market
prices of our securities by:
|
● |
delaying,
deferring or preventing a change in control of the Company; |
|
● |
impeding
a merger, consolidation, takeover or other business combination involving the Company; or |
|
● |
discouraging
a potential acquirer from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of the Company. |
We
are subject to complex environmental, health and safety laws and regulations that may expose us to significant liabilities for penalties,
damages or costs of remediation or compliance.
We
are subject to various federal, state, local and foreign environmental, health and safety laws and regulations. These laws and regulations
govern matters such as: the emission and discharge of hazardous materials into the ground, air or water; the generation, use, storage,
handling, treatment, packaging, transportation, exposure to, and disposal of hazardous and biological materials, including recordkeeping,
reporting and registration requirements; and the health and safety of our employees. We may incur significant additional costs beyond
those currently contemplated to comply with these regulatory requirements. Further, if we fail to comply with these requirements we may
be exposed to fines, penalties and/or interruptions in our operations that could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating
results and financial condition. Certain environmental laws may impose strict, joint and several liability for costs required to clean
up and restore sites where hazardous substances have been disposed or otherwise released into the environment, even under circumstances
where the hazardous substances were released by prior owners or operators, or the activities conducted and from which a release emanated
complied with applicable law.
Further,
existing regulations, particularly in the environmental area, could be revised or reinterpreted, or new laws and regulations could be
adopted or become applicable to us or our facilities and future changes in environmental laws and regulations could occur, including
potential regulatory and enforcement developments related to air emissions, any of which could result in significant additional costs.
Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
General
Risk Factors
We
are heavily dependent on our senior management, and a loss of a member of our senior management team could cause the market prices of
our securities to suffer.
If
we lose the services of Michael Toporek, our Chief Executive Officer and a member of our board of directors, John Belizaire, SCI’s
Chief Executive Officer and member of our board of directors, Philip Patman, Jr., our Chief Financial Officer, and/or certain key employees,
we may not be able to find appropriate replacements on a timely basis, and our business could be adversely affected. We do not currently
maintain key life insurance policies on these officers or key employees. Our existing operations and continued future development depend
to a significant extent upon the performance and active participation of these individuals and certain key employees. We may not be successful
in retaining the services of these individuals, and if we were to lose any of these individuals, we may not be able to find appropriate
replacements on a timely basis and our financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
We
may incur losses and liabilities in the course of business that could prove costly to defend or resolve.
Companies
that operate in one or more of the businesses that we operate face significant legal risks. There is a risk that we could become involved
in litigation wherein an adverse result could have a material adverse effect on our business and our financial condition. There is a
risk of litigation generally in conducting a commercial business, and we are, at times, involved in commercial disputes with third parties,
such as customers, distributors and vendors. These risks often may be difficult to assess or quantify and their existence and magnitude
often remain unknown for substantial periods of time. We may incur significant legal expenses in defending against litigation.
We
may become subject to claims of infringement or misappropriation of the intellectual property rights of others, which could prohibit
us from selling our products, require us to obtain licenses from third parties or to develop non-infringing alternatives, and subject
us to substantial monetary damages and injunctive relief.
We
may receive notices from third parties that the manufacture, use or sale of any products we develop infringes upon one or more claims
of their patents. Moreover, because patent applications can take many years to issue, there may be currently pending applications, unknown
to us, that may later result in issued patents that materially and adversely affect our business. Third parties could also assert infringement
or misappropriation claims against us with respect to our future product offerings, if any. We cannot be certain that we have not infringed
the intellectual property rights of any third parties. Any infringement or misappropriation claim could result in significant costs,
substantial damages and our inability to manufacture, market or sell any of our product offerings that are found to infringe another
person’s patent. Even if we were to prevail in any such action, the litigation could result in substantial cost and diversion of
resources that could materially and adversely affect our business. If a court determined, or if we independently discovered, that our
product offerings violated third-party proprietary rights, there can be no assurance that we would be able to re-engineer our product
offerings to avoid those rights or obtain a license under those rights on commercially reasonable terms, if at all. As a result, we could
be prohibited from selling products that are found to infringe upon the rights of others. Even if obtaining a license were feasible,
it may be costly and time-consuming. A court could also enter orders that temporarily, preliminarily, or permanently enjoin us from making,
using, selling, offering to sell or importing our products that are found to infringe on third parties’ intellectual property rights,
or could enter orders mandating that we undertake certain remedial actions. Further, a court could order us to pay compensatory damages
for any such infringement, plus prejudgment interest, and could in addition treble the compensatory damages and award attorneys’
fees. Any such payments could materially and adversely affect our business and financial condition.
If
we are unable to protect our information systems against service interruption or failure, misappropriation of data or breaches of security,
our operations could be disrupted, we could be subject to costly government enforcement actions and private litigation and our reputation
may be damaged.
Our
business involves the collection, storage and transmission of personal, financial or other information that is entrusted to us by our
customers and employees. Our information systems also contain the Company’s proprietary and other confidential information related
to our business. Our efforts to protect such information may be unsuccessful due to the actions of third parties, computer viruses, physical
or electronic break-ins, catastrophic events, employee error or malfeasance or other attempts to harm our systems. As the techniques
used to obtain unauthorized access, disable or degrade service or sabotage systems, change frequently and often are not recognized until
launched against a target, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or timely implement adequate preventative measures. We could
also experience a loss of critical data and delays or interruptions in our ability to manage inventories or process transactions. Some
of our commercial partners, such as those that help us maintain our website, may receive or store information provided by us or our users
through our website. If these third parties fail to adopt or adhere to adequate information security practices or fail to comply with
our policies in this regard, or in the event of a breach of their networks, our customers’ or employees’ information may
be improperly accessed, used or disclosed.
If
our systems are harmed or fail to function properly, we may need to expend significant financial resources to repair or replace systems
or to otherwise protect against security breaches or to address problems caused by breaches. If we experience a significant security
breach or fail to detect and appropriately respond to a significant security breach, we could be exposed to costly legal actions against
us in connection with such incidents, which could result in orders or judgments forcing us to pay damages or fines or to take certain
actions with respect to our information systems. Any incidents involving unauthorized access to or improper use of user information,
or incidents that are a violation of our online privacy policies, could harm our brand reputation and diminish our competitive position.
Any of these events could have a material and adverse effect on our business, reputation or financial results. Our insurance policies
carry coverage limits, which may not be adequate to reimburse us for losses caused by security breaches.
Our
risk management process may not identify all risks that we are subject to and will not eliminate all risk.
Our
Enterprise Risk Management (“ERM”) process seeks to identify and address significant risks. Our ERM process uses the most
recent integrated risk framework in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring
Organizations of the Treadway Commission to assess, manage and monitor risks. We believe that risk-taking is an inherent aspect of the
pursuit of our growth and performance strategy. Our goals are to proactively manage risks in a structured approach in conjunction with
strategic planning, with the intent to preserve and enhance shareowner value, and to manage prudently, rather than wholly avoiding, risks.
We can mitigate risks and their impact on the Company, however, only to a limited extent, and no ERM process can identify all risks that
we may face. Therefore, there may be risks that we are currently unaware of, that may develop in the future or that we currently consider
immaterial. Further, our management of risks may prove inadequate. The emergence of risks of which we were unaware or are unable to manage
could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.
The
Company’s officers and directors are indemnified against certain conduct that may prove costly to defend.
Our
Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws generally provide broad indemnification to our officers and directors against judgments, fines,
amounts paid in settlement and expenses, including attorneys’ fees actually incurred in connection with most actions or proceedings
to which they are or are threatened to be made a party that relates to their service as an officer or director, except as limited as
set forth therein. We are also obligated to advance expenses as they are incurred by a director or officer in defending an action or
proceeding prior to final disposition upon receipt of an undertaking by the applicable person to repay such advanced amount if the advancement
is ultimately found to not be permitted by law or otherwise.
In
addition, the Nevada Revised Statutes (the “NRS”) provides that no director or officer is individually liable for damages
as a result of an act or failure to act in his or her capacity as a director or officer except if (i) the presumption that such director
or officer acted in good faith, on an informed basis and with a view to the interests of the Company is rebutted, and (ii) it is proven
that such director’s or officer’s act or failure to act constituted a breach of his or her fiduciary duties as a director
or officer, and such breach involved intentional misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation of law. Consequently, subject to the applicable
provisions of the NRS and to certain limited exceptions in the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, the Company’s officers and
directors will not be liable to the Company or to its stockholders for monetary damages resulting from their conduct as an officer or
director. As a result, we may have to spend significant resources indemnifying our officers and directors or paying for damages caused
by their conduct.
The
requirements of being a public company may strain our resources and divert management’s attention.
As
a public company, we are subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley
Act), the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and other applicable securities rules and regulations. The Exchange
Act requires, among other things, that we file annual and current reports with the SEC with respect to our business and operating results.
Compliance with these rules and regulations increases our legal and financial compliance costs, makes some activities more difficult,
time-consuming, or costly, and increases demand on our systems and resources. As a result of disclosure of information in this Report
and in filings required of a public company, our business and financial condition is more visible, which we believe may result in threatened
or actual litigation, including by competitors and other third parties. If such claims are successful, our business and operating results
could be harmed, and even if the claims do not result in litigation or are resolved in our favor, these claims, and the time and resources
necessary to resolve them, could divert resources of our management and harm our business and operating results.
Risks
Related to our Securities
The
market price of our securities are likely be volatile, which may cause investment losses for our shareholders.
The
market price of our securities has been and is likely to continue to be volatile, and investors in our securities may experience a decrease,
which could be substantial, in the value of their securities or the loss of their entire investment in the Company for a number of reasons,
including reasons unrelated to our operating performance or prospects. The market price of our securities could be subject to wide fluctuations
in response to a broad and diverse range of factors, including those described elsewhere in this “Risk Factors” section as
well as the following:
| ● | announcements
by us regarding liquidity, significant acquisitions, equity investments and divestitures,
addition or loss of significant customers and contracts, capital expenditure commitments
and litigation; |
| ● | our
issuance of securities or debt, particularly if in connection with acquisition activities; |
| ● | the
sale of a significant number of shares of our common stock by shareholders; |
| ● | recent
changes in financial condition or results of operations, such as in earnings, revenues or
other measure of company value; |
| ● | general
market and economic conditions; and |
| ● | announcements
of technological innovations or new product introductions by us or our competitors. |
Further,
broad market and industry factors may have a material adverse effect on the market price of our securities regardless of our actual operating
performance.
In
addition, stock markets have experienced in the past and may in the future experience a high level of price and volume volatility, and
the market prices of equity securities of many companies have experienced in the past and may in the future experience wide price fluctuations
not necessarily related to the operating performance of such companies. These broad market fluctuations may adversely affect the market
price of our securities.
Finally,
our relatively small public float and daily trading volume have in the past caused, and may in the future result in, significant volatility
in the price of our securities. As of December 31, 2022, we had approximately 14,195,402 shares of our common stock outstanding
held by non-affiliates and 3,055,190 shares of our Series A Preferred Stock outstanding held by non-affiliates. Our daily trading volume
for the year ended December 31, 2022, averaged approximately 119,105 shares of common stock and 18,645 shares of Series A Preferred Stock.
Because
there has been limited precedent set for financial accounting of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency assets, the determination that we have
made for how to account for cryptocurrency assets transactions may be subject to change.
Because
there has been limited precedent set for the financial accounting of cryptocurrencies and related revenue recognition and no official
guidance has yet been provided by the FASB or the SEC, it is unclear how companies may in the future be required to account for cryptocurrency
transactions and assets and related revenue recognition. A change in regulatory or financial accounting standards could result in the
necessity to change our accounting methods and restate our financial statements. Such a restatement could adversely affect the accounting
for our newly mined cryptocurrency rewards and more generally negatively impact our business, prospects, financial condition and results
of operations. Such circumstances would have a material adverse effect on our ability to continue as a going concern or to pursue our
new strategy at all, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects or operations as well as and potentially the
value of any cryptocurrencies we hold or expect to acquire for our own account and harm our investors.
If
we are not able to comply with the applicable continued listing requirements or standards of Nasdaq, Nasdaq could delist our common stock
or Series A Preferred Stock or broker-dealers may be discouraged from effecting transactions in shares of our securities.
Our
common stock became listed and commenced trading on Nasdaq on March 23, 2020, and our Series A Preferred Stock commenced trading on Nasdaq
on August 19, 2021. In order to maintain such listings, we must satisfy minimum financial and other continued listing requirements and
standards, including those regarding director independence and independent committee requirements, minimum stockholders’ equity,
minimum share price and certain corporate governance requirements. We have been given notice by NASDAQ that by virtue of our common stock
trading below the $1.00 minimum bid price requirement, we will be subject to delisting unless prior to June 21, 2023, the closing bid
price exceeds $1.00 for twenty consecutive trading days. While the Company may seek to satisfy this requirement by a reverse stock split,
there can be no assurances that we will be able to comply with such applicable listing standards. If we fail to do so, Nasdaq may delist
our common stock and Series A Preferred Stock, which would likely have an adverse impact on the market price and liquidity of such securities.
In
addition, our shares of common stock have in the past constituted, and may again in the future constitute, “penny stock”
within the meaning of Section 3(a)(51) of the Exchange Act and Rule 3a-51-1 thereunder, and so will be subject to the “penny stock”
rules adopted under Section 15(g) (now 15(h)) of the Exchange Act. The penny stock rules generally apply to companies whose common stock
is not listed on a national securities exchange and trades at less than $5.00 per share, other than companies that have had average revenue
of at least $6,000,000 for the last three years or that have tangible net worth of at least $5,000,000 ($2,000,000 if the company has
been operating for three or more years). These rules require, among other things, that brokers who trade penny stocks to persons other
than “established customers” complete certain documentation, make suitability inquiries of investors, and provide investors
with certain information concerning trading in the security, including a risk disclosure document and quote information under certain
circumstances. Many brokers have decided not to trade penny stocks because of the requirements of the penny stock rules and, as a result,
the number of broker-dealers willing to act as market makers in such securities is limited. If our common stock is subject to the penny
stock rules for any significant period, it could have an adverse effect on the market, if any, for our common stock. If the common stock
is subject to the penny stock rules, investors will find it more difficult to dispose of their shares of our common stock.
Raising
additional funds through debt or equity financing could be dilutive and may cause the market price of our securities to decline. We still
may need to raise additional funding which may not be available on acceptable terms, or at all. Failure to obtain additional capital
may force us to delay, limit or terminate our product development efforts or other operations.
To
the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, your ownership interest may be
diluted, and the terms of these securities may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect your rights as a shareholder.
Furthermore, any additional fundraising efforts may divert our management from their day-to-day activities, which may adversely affect
our ability to develop and commercialize our products and services. In addition, the sale of a significant number of our shares of common
stock, either by us or by our shareholders (in particular Brookstone, our largest shareholder) could depress the price of our securities.
We
may continue to seek funds through equity or debt financings, collaborative or other arrangements with corporate sources, or through
other sources of financing. Additional funding may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all. Any failure to raise capital
as and when needed, as a result of insufficient authorized shares or otherwise, could have a negative impact on our financial condition
and on our ability to pursue our business plans and strategies.
Item
1B: Unresolved Staff Comments
Not
applicable.
Item
2: Properties
We
lease approximately 3,478 square feet of office, in Albany, New York, which houses the corporate offices of SHI. The current lease agreement
expires on December 31, 2024.
SCI
leases approximately 19,000 square feet of space in four buildings in East Wenatchee, Washington. The space is currently used for hosted
operations. The current lease agreements expire for one building on June 30, 2024, for another on November 30, 2024, and for the remaining
two buildings on July 31, 2023.
On
March 4, 2021, Soluna SW, LLC acquired a 3.2-acre tract of real property located in Murray, Kentucky on which it has built an energy-efficient
cryptocurrency mining facility that includes 22 buildings for the Company’s miners.
On
February 24, 2023, Soluna DV Services, LLC entered into a lease agreement for a 33.19-acre tract of land in Briscoe County, Texas. The
Agreement is for an Initial Term that expires on the date five years from the Service Date with the right to extend the term of the Agreement
for five additional one year terms.
We
believe these facilities are generally well-maintained and adequate for the Company’s current needs and for expansion, if required.
Item
3: Legal Proceedings
At
any point in time, we may be involved in various lawsuits or other legal proceedings. Such lawsuits could arise from the sale of products
or services or from other matters relating to our regular business activities, compliance with various governmental regulations and requirements,
or other transactions or circumstances.
We
have been named as a party in the December 19, 2019 United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) Demand Letter regarding
the Malta Rocket Fuel Area Superfund Site (“Site”) located in Malta and Stillwater, New York, in connection with an alleged
release of hazardous materials into the environment. The EPA is seeking reimbursement of response costs from all named parties in the
amount of approximately $358 thousand plus interest in connection with the investigation and disposal activities associated with the
various drum caches discovered at the Site, issuance of the Explanation of Significant Differences (“ESD”) of the Site, and
implementation of the work contemplated by the ESD. We consider the likelihood of a material adverse outcome with respect to this matter
to be remote and do not currently anticipate that any expense or liability that we may incur as a result of this matter in the future
will be material to the Company’s business or financial condition. Further, we are not presently involved in any other litigation
that we believe is likely, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial condition,
results of operations or cash flows.
NYDIG
filed a complaint against Soluna MC Borrowing 2021-1 LLC (“Borrower”) and Soluna MC LLC (“Guarantor”, and together
with Borrower, “Defendants”) in Marshall Circuit Court of the Commonwealth of Kentucky on December 29, 2022 regarding a series
of loans made by NYDIG to Borrower pursuant to a master equipment finance agreement that were secured by certain assets of Borrower and
guaranteed by Guarantor pursuant to a written guaranty agreement executed by Guarantor. The Court issued on February 15, 2023, an agreed
order granting NYDIG’s motion for writ of possession which, among other things, ordered parties to provide NYDIG access to the
collateral described therein and preserved the rights of NYDIG to pursue a deficiency judgment against the Defendants. Also on February
15, 2023, the Defendants filed their answer and affirmative defenses in this proceeding. The Defendants believe that NYDIG has liquidated
some of the collateral securing the loans and anticipate that NYDIG will complete the liquidation of collateral and continue to prosecute
the complaint to obtain a judgment against the Defendants. Additionally, NDYIG has stated its intention to pursue SCI, the parent company
of Guarantor, under a piercing of the corporate veil claim relating to Defendants’ debts and liabilities under the loan documents.
SCI denies any such liability and has filed a complaint for a declaratory judgment against NYDIG in the Eighth Judicial District Court
in Clark County, Nevada on March 16, 2023, seeking a declaratory judgment as to such matter.
Item
4: Mine Safety Disclosures
Not
applicable.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
1.
Nature of Operations
Description
of Business
Unless
the context requires otherwise in these notes to the consolidated financial statements, the terms “SHI,” the “Company,”
“we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Soluna Holdings, Inc. together with its consolidated subsidiaries,
“SCI” refers to Soluna Computing, Inc, formerly known as EcoChain, Inc., and “MTI Instruments” refers to MTI
Instruments, Inc..
Soluna
Holdings, Inc., formerly known as Mechanical Technology, Incorporated was incorporated in Nevada on March 24, 2021, and is the successor
to Mechanical Technology, Inc., which was incorporated in the State of New York in 1961, as a result of a merger which became effective
on March 29, 2021, and is headquartered in Albany, New York. Effective November 2, 2021, the Company changed its name from “Mechanical
Technology, Incorporated” to “Soluna Holdings, Inc.”
SHI
currently conducts our business through our wholly-owned subsidiary, Soluna Computing, Inc. (“SCI”). SCI is engaged in mining
of cryptocurrency through data centers that can be powered by renewable energy sources. Recently, SCI has built modular data centers
that are used for cryptocurrency mining though proprietary mining and hosting business models. SCI intends to continue to develop and
build, modular data centers that use wasted renewable energy for cryptocurrency mining and in the future can be used for intensive, batchable
computing applications, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, with the goal of providing a cost-effective alternative
to battery storage or transmission lines. Headquartered in Albany, New York, the Company uses technology and intentional design to solve
complex, real-world challenges.
SCI
was incorporated in Delaware on January 8, 2020 as EcoChain, Inc., which operates cryptocurrency mining facilities that performs proprietary
mining and data hosting services that integrates with the cryptocurrency blockchain network. Through the October 2021 acquisition by
EcoChain, Inc. of an entity at the time named Soluna Computing, Inc., SCI also has a pipeline of certain cryptocurrency mining projects
previously owned by Harmattan Energy, Ltd. (“HEL”) (formerly known as Soluna Technologies, Ltd.), a Canadian corporation
incorporated under the laws of the Province of British Colombia that develops vertically-integrated, utility-scale computing facilities
focused on cryptocurrency mining and cutting-edge blockchain applications. Following such acquisition, on November 15, 2021, SCI completed
its conversion and redomicile to Nevada and changed its name from “EcoChain, Inc.” to “Soluna Computing, Inc.”.
The following day, the acquired entity, Soluna Computing, Inc., changed its name to “Soluna Callisto Holdings Inc.” (“Soluna
Callisto”). We earn revenue from this business as the mined cryptocurrencies are converted into U.S. dollars. In fiscal year 2021,
SCI began mining operations in Murray, Kentucky, (“Project Sophie”) and Calvert City, Kentucky, (“Project Marie”).
Project Marie had performed hosting services and proprietary mining in which 10 megawatts were used for hosting services and 10 megawatts
was used for proprietary mining through the end of February 2023, at which time the facility had shut down. Project Sophie currently
operates fully on proprietary mining with a capacity of 25 megawatts. On September 17, 2022, SCI sold specified assets consisting mainly
of mining equipment and other general equipment items to a buyer at its Wenatchee, Washington location, (“Project Edith”).
Soluna has committed to providing certain facilities contracts at cost plus a markup to facilitate the continued operations for the sold
mining assets, on behalf of the new ownership. We have a development site in Texas (“Project Dorothy”) for a potential of
up to 100 megawatts to be built at a wind farm with initial energization of 50 megawatts, in which the Company has obtained approval
from the ERCOT and expects to begin energization in fiscal year 2023. The Company as of December 31, 2022, has a 67.8% ownership interest in Soluna DVSL ComputeCo, LLC (“DVSL”)
in which is included within the Project Dorothy site, as discussed further in Note 18, and subsequent to year-end, had a reduction in
ownership to 15% as discussed further in Note 20.
Until
the Sale (as defined below), we also operated though our wholly owned subsidiary, MTI Instruments, an instruments business engaged in
the design, manufacture and sale of vibration measurement and system balancing solutions, precision linear displacement sensors, instruments
and system solutions, and wafer inspection tools. MTI Instruments was incorporated in New York on March 8, 2000. MTI Instruments’
products consisted of engine vibration analysis systems for both military and commercial aircraft and electronic gauging instruments
for position, displacement and vibration application within the industrial manufacturing markets, as well as in the research, design
and process development markets. These systems, tools and solutions were developed for markets and applications that require consistent
operation of complex machinery and the precise measurements and control of products, processes, and the development and implementation
of automated manufacturing and assembly. On December 17, 2021, we announced that we had entered into a non-binding letter of intent with
a potential buyer (the “Buyer”) regarding the potential sale of MTI Instruments (the “LOI”) to an unrelated third
party. Pursuant to the LOI, the Buyer would acquire 100% of the issued and outstanding common stock of MTI Instruments. As a result of
the foregoing, the MTI Instruments business was reported as discontinued operations in our consolidated financial statements as of December
31, 2021 and prior periods included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on March
31, 2022 (the “Prior Year Annual Report”), as well as in these consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2022.
On April 11, 2022, we consummated the Sale, MTI Instruments ceased to be our wholly-owned subsidiary and, as a result, we have exited
the instruments business. See Note 14 for additional information on the Sale.
On
April 11, 2022, SHI entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement (the “Stock Purchase Agreement”) with NKX Acquiror, Inc. (the
“Purchaser”), pursuant to which the Company sold on such date all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of
its wholly-owned subsidiary, MTI Instruments, for approximately $9.4 million in cash, subject to certain adjustments as set forth in
the Stock Purchase Agreement (the “Sale”). The consideration paid by the Purchaser to the Company was based on an aggregate
enterprise value of approximately $10.75 million. The Company recognized a gain on sale of approximately $7.8 million.
Going
Concern and Liquidity
The
Company’s financial statements as of December 31, 2022 have been prepared using generally accepted accounting principles in the
United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) applicable to a going concern, which contemplates the realization of assets and liquidation
of liabilities in the normal course of business. As shown in the accompanying financial statements, the Company did not generate sufficient
revenue to generate net income and has negative working capital as of December 31, 2022. In addition, the Company has seen a decline
in the price of Bitcoin, especially in the second and third quarters of fiscal year 2022 due its volatility, which had a material
and negative impact to our operations, however, did some improvement in the fourth quarter of 2022. These factors, among others indicate
that there is substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after issuance of these
financial statements as of December 31, 2022, or March 31, 2023.
The
ability to continue as a going concern is dependent upon the Company generating profitable operations in the future and/or obtaining
the necessary financing to meet its obligations and repay its liabilities arising from normal business operations when they come due.
In the near term, management is evaluating and implementing different strategies to obtain financing to fund the Company’s expenses
and growth to achieve a level of revenue adequate to support the Company’s current cost structure. Financing strategies may include,
but are not limited to, stock issuances, project level equity, debt borrowings, partnerships and/or collaborations. If the Company is
unable to meet its financial obligations, it could be forced to restructure or refinance, seek additional equity capital or sell its
assets. The Company might then be unable to obtain such financing or capital or sell its assets on satisfactory terms. There can be no
assurance that additional financing will be available to the Company when needed or, if available, that it can be obtained on commercially
reasonable terms. If the Company is not able to obtain the additional financing on a timely basis, if and when it is needed, it will
be forced to delay or scale down some or all of its development activities or perhaps even cease the operation of its business.
In
addition, as discussed above and further in Notes 16, and 17, the Company sold the MTI Instruments business in April 2022 to focus on
developing and monetizing green, zero-carbon computing and cryptocurrency mining facilities. The Company received approximately $9.0
million in cash, net of transaction costs, from the Sale.
To
further implement management’s strategy, the Company entered into transactions to (i) recapitalize and negotiate revised terms
with senior secured lenders, which released collateral (thus enabling execution of the project financing strategy), (ii) provide a
means for Noteholders (as defined in Note 9) to reduce the Company’s debt through the equity markets, and (iii) issue and sell
$5.0
million in a new series of preferred stock. In addition, in May 2022, SCI entered into a structural understanding with Soluna SLC
Fund I Projects Holdco LLC (“Spring Lane”), a Delaware limited liability company, pursuant to which Spring Lane agreed
to provide up to $35.0
million in project financing subject to various milestones and conditions precedent; following the recapitalization and
restructuring discussed above, and in August 2022, the Company entered into an agreement with Spring Lane for an initial funding of
up to $12.5
million from the previously agreed-upon $35.0
million commitment from Spring Lane for Project Dorothy for a 32% ownership as of year-end. As of December 31, 2022, the Company had received approximately $4.8
million worth of contributions from Spring Lane.
Soluna
MC Borrowing 2021-1, received a Notice of Acceleration and Repossession (the “NYDIG Notice”)
from NYDIG ABL LLC (“NYDIG”) with respect to the Master Equipment Finance Agreement, dated as of December 30, 2021 (the “MEFA”),
by and between Borrower and NYDIG. The obligations of Borrower under the MEFA and reflected in the NYDIG Notice were ring-fenced to Borrower
and its direct parent company, Soluna MC LLC. The approximate aggregate principal and interest outstanding under the MEFA and the Loan
Documents as of end of the year were approximately $10.8
million. On February
23, 2023, NYDIG proceeded to foreclose on all of the collateral securing the MEFA, which resulted in a reportable disposition of all
of the Company’s mining assets at the site and certain of the operating assets of Project Marie. The total net book value of the
collateralized assets that were repossessed totaled $3.5 million. Additionally, NDYIG has stated its intention to pursue SCI, the parent
company of Guarantor, under a piercing of the corporate veil claim relating to Defendants’ debts and liabilities under the loan
documents. SCI denies any such liability and has filed a complaint for a declaratory judgment against NYDIG in the Eighth Judicial District
Court in Clark County, Nevada on March 16, 2023 seeking a declaratory judgment as to such matter.
In
October 2022, the Company issued a convertible promissory note to Spring Lane (the “Spring Lane Note”) with an aggregate
principal amount of $850 thousand. Upon closing of the October 2022 Offering, the Company issued to Spring Lane an aggregate of 593,065
shares of common stock upon the automatic conversion of the Spring Lane Note, equal to the aggregate principal amount of $850,000 and
accrued and unpaid interest thereon at the same price per share as the October 2022 Offering noted below. On October 24, 2022, the Company
entered into an Underwriting Agreement with Univest Securities, LLC in connection with the offer and sale to such underwriter, in a firm
commitment public offering of 1,388,889 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share at a price to the public
of $1.44 per share (“October 2022 Offering”). The aggregate gross proceeds were approximately $2.0 million before deducting
underwriting discounts and commissions of 8.0% ($0.16 million) and other offering fees and expenses, resulting in aggregate net proceeds
to the Company of approximately $1.6 million.
On
December 5, 2022, the Company entered into a securities purchase agreement with the purchasers named therein of 1,125,000 shares of the
Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share and associated warrants to purchase up to 2,250,000 shares of common stock at
a price of $0.76 per share and associated Warrants, with the investors in the Offering having the right to purchase additional shares
of Common Stock and related warrants in up to two subsequent placements (“December Offering”).
Subsequent
to year-end, the Company has entered into six separate promissory notes for a total of $900
thousand at an interest
rate of 15%.
In March, 2023, we retired two of these promissory notes for a total of $300 thousand, leaving $600 thousand still outstanding, using
proceeds from a subsequent placement of the aforementioned December Offering.
Also,
beginning in February and concluding on March 10, 2023 the Company entered into a series of Purchase and Sale Agreements with Spring
Lane for a total purchase price of $7.5 million for the sale of Series B membership interests owned by SHI. The capital was funded
and used to help complete the substation interconnection and the final stages of Project Dorothy, Soluna’s flagship project in
West Texas, and corporate operations and general expenses of Soluna. In this series of transactions, Spring Lane increased its stake
in Soluna DVSL ComputeCo from approximately 32% to 85% and reduced SCI’s ownership from 68% to 15%.
In
addition to the proceeds from the foregoing transactions and together with the Company’s cash on hand for available use of approximately
$1.1 million as of December 31, 2022, the Company will need additional capital raising activities, to meet its outstanding commitments
relating to capital expenditures as of December 31, 2022 of $0.9 million and other operational needs, as well as additional needs during
2023 and management continues to evaluate different strategies to obtain financing to fund operations. However, management cannot provide
any assurances that the Company will be successful in accomplishing additional financing or any of its other plans. These financial statements
do not include any adjustments related to the recoverability and classification of assets or the amounts and classification of liabilities
that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern.
The
COVID-19 global pandemic has been unprecedented and unpredictable, and the impact is likely to
continue to result in significant national and global economic disruption, which may adversely affect our business. Although the Company
has experienced some minor changes to our miner shipments due to disruptions in the global supply chain, the Company does not expect
any material impact on our long-term strategic plans, our operations, or our liquidity due to the impacts of COVID-19. Further,
various macroeconomic factors could adversely affect our business and the results of our operations
and financial condition, including changes in inflation, interest rates and overall economic conditions. For instance, inflation could
negatively impact the Company by increasing our labor costs, through higher wages and higher interest rates. If inflation or other factors
were to significantly increase our business costs, our ability to develop our current projects may be negatively affected. Interest rates,
the liquidity of the credit markets and the volatility of the capital markets could also affect the operation of our business and our
ability to raise capital in order to fund our operations. However, the Company is actively monitoring this situation and the possible
effects on our financial condition, liquidity, operations, suppliers, and the industry.
2. Accounting Policies
Principles
of Consolidation
The
consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiary, SCI. All intercompany balances
and transactions are eliminated in consolidation.
Reclassification
Certain
prior year amounts have been reclassified for consistency with the current year presentation. These reclassifications had no effect on
the reported results of operations or net assets. The reclassifications relate to the presentation of discontinued operations-held for
sale.
Correction
of an Error
During
the year-end December 31, 2021, the Company recorded cash preferred dividend distributions of $630
thousand in the Annual Report presentation as an increase within accumulated deficit. However, in the absence of retained earnings,
cash dividends should generally be charged to Additional-Paid-in Capital (“APIC”). This treatment is supported by
Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 480-10-S99-2, which requires accretion of redeemable preferred stock to be
charged to APIC in the absence of retained earnings. As the Company did not have accumulated profit (i.e.: absence of retained
earnings), the preferred cash dividends should have been charged to APIC.
The
following tables present the effects of the correction of the prior period error to the Consolidated Statement of Equity:
Schedule
of Error Correction in Condensed Consolidated Statement of Equity
| |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| |
| |
Preferred Stock | | |
Common Stock | | |
Additional Paid-in | | |
Accumulated | | |
Treasury Stock | | |
Total Stockholders’ | |
| |
Shares | | |
Amount | | |
Shares | | |
Amount | | |
Capital | | |
Deficit | | |
Shares | | |
Amount | | |
Equity | |
| |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| |
September 30, 2021 | |
| 806,585 | | |
$ | 1 | | |
| 13,732,713 | | |
$ | 14 | | |
$ | 172,898 | | |
$ | (120,419 | ) | |
| 1,015,493 | | |
$ | (13,764 | ) | |
$ | 38,730 | |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Adjustment for correction of an error-Preferred dividends | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
| (176 | ) | |
| 176 | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
| — | |
Balance September 30, 2021-as adjusted | |
| 806,585 | | |
$ | 1 | | |
| 13,732,713 | | |
$ | 14 | | |
$ | 172,722 | | |
$ | (120,243 | ) | |
| 1,015,493 | | |
$ | (13,764 | ) | |
$ | 38,730 | |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
December 31, 2021 | |
| 1,252,299 | | |
$ | 1 | | |
| 14,769,699 | | |
$ | 15 | | |
$ | 228,420 | | |
$ | (123,684 | ) | |
| 1,015,493 | | |
$ | (13,764 | ) | |
$ | 90,988 | |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Adjustment for correction of an error-Preferred dividends | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
| (630 | ) | |
| 630 | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
| — | |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
December 31, 2021-as adjusted | |
| 1,252,299 | | |
$ | 1 | | |
| 14,769,699 | | |
$ | 15 | | |
$ | 227,790 | | |
$ | (123,054 | ) | |
| 1,015,493 | | |
$ | (13,764 | ) | |
$ | 90,988 | |
Balance | |
| 1,252,299 | | |
$ | 1 | | |
| 14,769,699 | | |
$ | 15 | | |
$ | 227,790 | | |
$ | (123,054 | ) | |
| 1,015,493 | | |
$ | (13,764 | ) | |
$ | 90,988 | |
Use
of Estimates
The
consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles
(“U.S. GAAP”), which require management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and
liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported
amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Property,
Plant, and Equipment
Property,
plant and equipment are stated at cost and depreciated using the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives as follows:
Property, Plant
And Equipment
Leasehold
improvements |
|
Lesser
of the life of the lease or the useful life of the improvement |
|
|
|
Computers
and related software |
|
3
to 5 years |
|
|
|
Cryptocurrency
miners |
|
3
years |
|
|
|
Machinery
and equipment |
|
8
to 15 years |
|
|
|
Office
furniture, equipment and fixtures |
|
2
to 10 years |
|
|
|
Buildings |
|
30-40
years |
|
|
|
Purchased
pre-fabricated buildings |
|
15-20
years |
Significant
additions or improvements extending assets’ useful lives are capitalized; normal maintenance and repair costs are expensed as incurred.
The costs of fully depreciated assets remaining in use are included in the respective asset and accumulated depreciation accounts. When
items are sold or retired, related gains or losses are included in net (loss) income.
Intangible
assets
Intangible
assets include the Strategic Pipeline Contract with an estimated useful life of 5 years, assembled workforce of individuals included
as part of the asset acquisition with an estimated useful life of 5 years and patents with an estimated useful life of 15-25 years. The
Company amortizes the intangible assets over their estimated useful lives on a straight-line basis. The Company does not recognize internally
developed patents as intangible assets, however legal costs associated with defending such patents are capitalized as long-lived assets.
Income
Taxes
The
Company is subject to income taxes in the U.S. (federal and state). As part of the process of preparing our consolidated financial statements,
the Company calculates income taxes for each of the jurisdictions in which the Company operates. This involves estimating actual current
taxes due together with assessing temporary differences resulting from differing treatment for tax and accounting purposes that are recorded
as deferred tax assets and liabilities, loss carryforwards and tax credit carryforwards, for which income tax benefits are expected to
be realized in future years. A valuation allowance has been established to reduce deferred tax assets, if it is more likely than not
that all, or some portion, of such deferred tax assets will not be realized. The effect on deferred taxes of a change in tax rates is
recognized in the period that includes the enactment date.
Significant
management judgment is required in determining the Company’s provision for income taxes, deferred tax assets and liabilities, and
any valuation allowance recorded against the Company’s net deferred tax assets. The Company considers all available evidence, both
positive and negative, such as historical levels of income and future forecasts of taxable income amongst other items in determining
the Company’s valuation allowance. In addition, the Company’s assessment requires the Company to schedule future taxable
income in accordance with accounting standards that address income taxes to assess the appropriateness of a valuation allowance, which
further requires the exercise of significant management judgment.
The
Company accounts for taxes in accordance with the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. Under this method, the Company
must recognize the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained
on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized in the financial
statements from such a position are measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon
ultimate resolution. The impact of the Company’s reassessment of its tax positions for these standards did not have a material
impact on its results of operations, financial condition, or liquidity.
The
Company is currently subject to audit in various jurisdictions, and these jurisdictions may assess additional income tax liabilities
against us. Developments in an audit, litigation, or in applicable laws, regulations, administrative practices, principles, and interpretations
could have a material effect on the Company’s operating results or cash flows in the period or periods in which such developments
occur, as well as for prior and in subsequent periods.
Tax
laws, regulations, and administrative practices in various jurisdictions may be subject to significant change, with or without notice,
due to economic, political, and other conditions, and significant judgment is required in evaluating and estimating the Company’s
provision and accruals for these taxes. There are many transactions that occur during the ordinary course of business for which the ultimate
tax determination is uncertain. The Company’s effective tax rates could be affected by numerous factors, such as intercompany transactions,
earnings being lower than anticipated in jurisdictions where the Company has lower statutory rates and higher than anticipated in jurisdictions
where the Company has higher statutory rates, the applicability of special tax regimes, losses incurred in jurisdictions for which the
Company is not able to realize the related tax benefit, changes in foreign currency exchange rates, entry into new businesses and geographies,
changes to its existing businesses and operations, acquisitions and investments and how they are financed, changes in the Company’s
stock price, changes in its deferred tax assets and liabilities and their valuation, and changes in the relevant tax, accounting, and
other laws, regulations, administrative practices, principles, and interpretations.
Equity
Investment – Harmattan Energy Limited
The
Company owns approximately 1.79% of HEL’s outstanding stock, calculated on a fully-diluted basis, as of December 31, 2022 and 2021.
The equity investment in HEL is carried at the cost of investment and was $0 following the impairment of the equity investment as of
December 31, 2022. Previously, it was $750 thousand as of December 31, 2021.
Equity
Investments without Readily Determinable Fair Values
Our
equity investment in HEL is accounted for under the measurement alternative. Equity securities measured and recorded using the measurement
alternative are recorded at cost minus impairment, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from qualifying observable price changes.
Adjustments resulting from impairments and observable price changes are recorded in the income statement. There was an impairment recognized
for the full amount of $750 thousand in fiscal year 2022. No impairment was recognized in fiscal year 2021.
Equity
Method Investments
The
Company’s consolidated net income or loss will include our proportionate share, if any, of the net income or loss of our
equity method investee. When the Company records its proportionate share of net income, it increases equity income (loss), net in
our consolidated statements of operations and our carrying value in that investment. Conversely, when the Company records its
proportionate share of a net loss, it decreases equity income (loss), net in our consolidated statements of operations and our
carrying value in that investment. When the Company’s carrying value in an equity method investee company has been reduced to
zero, no further losses are recorded in the Company’s financial statements unless the Company guaranteed obligations of the
investee company or has committed additional funding. When the investee company subsequently reports income, the Company will not
record its share of such income until it equals the amount of its share of losses not previously recognized.
As
of December 31, 2022, the Company owned approximately 47.5%
of MeOH Power, Inc.’s outstanding common stock, or 75,049,937
shares. The number of shares of MeOH Power, Inc.’s common stock authorized for issuance is 240,000,000
as of December 31, 2022. The Company records its investment in MeOH Power, Inc. using the equity method of accounting. The fair
value of the Company’s interest in MeOH Power, Inc. has been determined to be $0
as of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, based on MeOH Power, Inc.’s net position and expected cash flows.
Variable
Interest Entities
Variable
Interest Entities (“VIEs”) are entities that, by design, either (i) lack sufficient equity to permit the entity to finance
its activities independently, or (ii) have equity holders that do not have the power to direct the activities of the entity that most
significantly impact its economic performance, the obligation to absorb the entity’s expected losses, or the right to receive the
entity’s expected residual returns. The Company consolidates a VIE when it is the primary beneficiary, which is the party that
has both (i) the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and (ii) through
its interests in the VIE, the obligation to absorb expected losses or the right to receive expected benefits from the VIE that could
potentially be significant to the VIE.
The
Company consolidates the accounts of Soluna DVSL ComputeCo, LLC (“DVSL”), a VIE, in which the Company holds a 67.8% equity
interest as of December 31, 2022, and which was created in order to construct, own, operate and maintain multi-purpose data centers in
order to support the mining of cryptocurrency assets, batch processing and other non-crypto related activities. DVSL was designed by
Soluna to create an entity for outside investors to invest in specific projects. The creation of DVSL resulted in Soluna, through its
equity interest in DVSL, absorbing operational risk that the entity was created to create and distribute, resulting in Soluna having
a variable interest in DVSL. Soluna is the primary beneficiary of DVSL, due to its role as the manager handling the day-to-day activities
of DVSL and its majority ownership of Class B Units of DVSL, and thus has the power to direct the activities of DVSL that most significantly
impact the performance of DVSL and has the obligation to absorb losses or gains of DVSL that could be significant to Soluna. DVSL is
a VIE of Soluna as DVSL is structured with non-substantive voting rights.
Non-Controlling
Interests
The
ownership interest held by owners other than the Company in less than wholly-owned subsidiaries are classified as non-controlling interests.
The value attributable to the non-controlling interests is presented on the consolidated balance sheets separately
from the equity attributable to the Company. Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interests are presented separately on
the consolidated statements of operations and consolidated statements of comprehensive income,
respectively.
Fair
Value Measurement
The
estimated fair value of certain financial instruments, including cash, accounts receivable and short-term debt approximates their carrying
value due to their short maturities and varying interest rates. “Fair value” is the price that would be received to sell
an asset or transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Company utilizes
valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. Based on the observability
of the inputs used in the valuation methods, the Company is required to provide the following information according to the fair value
accounting standards. These standards established a fair value hierarchy as specified that ranks the quality and reliability of the information
used to determine fair values. Financial assets and liabilities are classified and disclosed in one of the following three categories:
Level 1: |
Quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities, which includes listed equities. |
Level 2: |
Observable market-based inputs or unobservable inputs that are corroborated by market data. These items are typically priced using models or other valuation techniques. These models are primarily financial industry-standard models that consider various assumptions, including the time value of money, yield curves, volatility factors, as well as other relevant economic measures. |
Level 3: |
These use unobservable inputs that are not corroborated by market data. These values are generally estimated based upon methodologies utilizing significant inputs that are generally less observable from objective sources. |
The
fair value hierarchy also requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when
measuring fair value. Assets and liabilities measured at fair value are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input
that is significant to the fair value measurement.
On
October 25, 2021, pursuant to a securities purchase agreement dated October 20, 2021 (the “SPA), the Company issued to certain
accredited investors Class A, Class B and Class C common stock purchase warrants (collectively, the “Warrants”) to purchase
up to an aggregate of 1,776,073 shares of common stock (the “Warrant Shares”), at an exercise price $12.50, $15 and $18 per
share, respectively. The Warrants are considered freestanding equity-classified instruments due to their detachable and separately exercisable
features and meet the indexation criteria within derivative accounting. Accordingly, the Warrants are presented as a component of Stockholders’
Equity in accordance with derivative accounting.
The
fair value of the Warrants were determined to be $8.29 per Class A Warrant, $8.10 per Class B warrant, and $7.95 per Class C warrant
as of the valuation date, using Monte Carlo simulations and certain Level 3 inputs. As noted in Note 9, the Company entered into
an Addendum and Addendum Amendment in which the Company surrendered their Class B and Class C warrants in exchange for Class
D common stock purchase warrants at an exercise price of $3.50 per share, Class E common stock purchase warrants of common stock at an
exercise price of $4.50 per share, Class F common stock purchase warrants of common stock at an exercise price of $5.50 per share, and
Class G common stock purchase warrants of common stock at an exercise price of $7.50, in which had fair values to be determined at $2.24
for Class D, $2.18 for Class E, $2.13 for Class F, and $2.08 for Class G, respectively. Any modifications of the warrants were subsequently
revalued. Inherent in a Monte Carlo simulation are assumptions related to expected stock-price volatility, expected life, risk-free
interest rate and dividend yield. The Company estimates the volatility of its common stock warrants based on implied volatility from
its traded warrants and historical volatility of select peers’ common stock with a similar expected term of the Warrants. The risk-free
interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury zero-coupon yield on the grant date with a maturity similar to the expected remaining term
of the warrants. The expected term of the Warrants is assumed to be equivalent to their remaining contractual term. The dividend rate
is based on the historical rate, which the Company expects to remain at zero.
Following
the debt extinguishment on July 19, 2022 as noted further in Note 9, the Convertible Notes will be accounted for under the fair
value method on a recurring basis upon issuance (e.g., upon execution of the Addendum) per guidance within ASC 480, and at each
subsequent reporting period, with changes in fair value reported in earnings. Although the Notes are not being accounted for under
825-10, the substance of the debt is considered to be the same and is therefore considered outside the scope of ASC 470-60. As such,
the Company performed a fair value analysis of the Convertible Notes. For the year-ended December 31, 2022, the Company had Monte
Carlo simulations run-out for the expected conversion dates of the Convertible Notes using risk free rates, annual volatility, daily
trading volumes, likely conversion profiles, and other assumptions based on principal and accrued interest as of the year-end. The
Company determined the fair value of the Convertible Notes uses certain Level 3 inputs.
Changes in Level
3 Financial Liabilities Carried at Fair Value
Schedule
of Changes in Level
3 Financial Liabilities Carried at Fair Value
(in thousands) | |
| | |
Balance, July 19, 2022 (date of Addendum of convertible notes) | |
$ | 14,610 | |
Conversions of debt | |
| (1,100 | ) |
Total revaluation loss | |
| 597 | |
Balance, September 13, 2022 | |
| 14,107 | |
Total revaluation gains | |
| (1,853 | ) |
Balance, December 31, 2022 | |
$ | 12,254 | |
Following
the debt extinguishment on July 19, 2022 as noted further discussed in Note 9, the Convertible Notes will be accounted for under the
fair value method on a recurring basis upon issuance (e.g., upon execution of the Addendum) per guidance within ASC 480, and at each
subsequent reporting period, with changes in fair value reported in earnings. The Company had a subsequent Addendum Amendment on
September 13, 2022, which caused a revaluation of the fair value on the executed Addendum Amendment date.
Consistent
with the guidance in purchase accounting, the value of the pipeline of certain cryptocurrency mining projects previously owned by HEL
acquired in the Soluna Callisto acquisition in October 2021 as of the acquisition date was estimated using an expected value approach,
which probability-weights various future outcomes and uses certain Level 3 inputs. Included in those inputs are the following key assumptions:
expected growth in share price at a risk-free rate in the risk-neutral framework based on U.S. Treasury Rates as of the valuation date,
volatility of share price based on historical equity volatilities of comparable companies over a lookback period, assessments associated
with qualified projects based on assessment on timing of payments and assessment of active megawatt scenarios and the associated probabilities.
The resulting amounts are then discounted to present value through use of a discount rate that considers, among other things, the risk
of the payments, credit risk of the Company, and overall weighted average cost of capital of the acquired business. The resulting calculations
resulted in an estimated fair value of the acquired assets and consideration paid in common stock of approximately $33 million, which
was included as part of the consideration paid in the Soluna Callisto acquisition. As noted in Note 5, Accounting Standards Codification
(“ASC”) 805-50 provides that assets acquired in an asset acquisition are measured based on the costs of the acquisition,
which is the consideration that the acquirer transfers to the seller and includes direct transaction costs related to the acquisition
in which costs were an additional $3.5 million including as part of the acquired assets. For assessment on the fair value of the strategic
pipeline for impairment analysis, the Company looks at fair value based on projected construction costs, likely operating margins, timing
of payments, assessment of active megawatts scenarios, and the associated probabilities of completion of future projects, with other
factors noted above.
Revenue
Recognition
Cryptocurrency
Mining Revenue
The
Company recognizes revenue under ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The core principles of the revenue standard are that
a company should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised good or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration
to which the company expects to be entitled for those goods or services. The following five steps are applied to achieve that core principle:
●
Step 1: Identify the contract with the customer
●
Step 2: Identify the performance obligations in the contract
●
Step 3: Determine the transaction price
●
Step 4: Allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract
●
Step 5: Recognize revenue when the Company satisfies a performance obligation
In
order to identify the performance obligations in a contract with a customer, a company must assess the promised goods or services in
the contract and identify each promised good or service that is distinct. A performance obligation meets ASC 606’s definition of
a “distinct” good or service (or bundle of goods or services) if both of the following criteria are met: The customer can
benefit from the good or service either on its own or together with other resources that are readily available to the customer (i.e.,
the good or service is capable of being distinct), and the entity’s promise to transfer the good or service to the customer is
separately identifiable from other promises in the contract (i.e., the promise to transfer the good or service is distinct within the
context of the contract).
If
a good or service is not distinct, the good or service is combined with other promised goods or services until a bundle of goods or services
is identified that is distinct.
The
transaction price is the amount of consideration to which an entity expects to be entitled in exchange for transferring promised goods
or services to a customer. The consideration promised in a contract with a customer may include fixed amounts, variable amounts, or both.
When determining the transaction price, an entity must consider the effects of all of the following:
●
Variable consideration
●
Constraining estimates of variable consideration
●
The existence of a significant financing component in the contract
●
Noncash consideration
●
Consideration payable to a customer
Variable
consideration is included in the transaction price only to the extent that it is probable that a significant reversal in the amount of
cumulative revenue recognized will not occur when the uncertainty associated with the variable consideration is subsequently resolved.
The transaction price is allocated to each performance obligation on a relative standalone selling price basis. The transaction price
allocated to each performance obligation is recognized when that performance obligation is satisfied, at a point in time or over time
as appropriate.
Providing
computing power to solve complex cryptographic algorithms in support of the Bitcoin blockchain (in a process known as “solving
a block”) is an output of the Company’s ordinary activities. The provision of providing such computing power is the only
performance obligation in the Company’s contracts with mining pool operators. The transaction consideration the Company receives,
if any, is noncash consideration, which the Company measures at fair value on the date received, which is not materially different than
the fair value at contract inception or the time the Company has earned the award from the pools. The consideration is all variable.
Because it is not probable that a significant reversal of cumulative revenue will not occur, the consideration is constrained until the
mining pool operator successfully places a block (by being the first to solve an algorithm) and the Company receives confirmation of
the consideration it will receive, at which time revenue is recognized. There is no significant financing component in these transactions.
Fair
value of the cryptocurrency award received is determined using the quoted price of the related cryptocurrency where the Company is registered
at the time of receipt. The mined cryptocurrency is immediately paid to the Coinbase and Bittrex wallet. Cryptocurrency is converted
to U.S. dollars nearly everyday, as SCI is not in the business of accumulating material amounts of cryptocurrency on its balance sheet.
Data
center hosting
The
Company has entered customer hosting contracts whereby the Company provides electrical power and network connectivity to cryptocurrency
mining customers, and the customers pay a stated amount per megawatt-hour (“MWh”) (“Contract Capacity”), a fixed
rate, as well as a share of the coins mined. The fee is generally paid monthly in advance. The actual monthly amounts are calculated
after the close of each month and reconciled to the monthly advance based on the clauses contained in the respective contracts. If any
shortfalls due to outages are experienced, service level credits may be made to customers to offset outages which prevented them from
cryptocurrency mining. Monthly advanced payments and customer deposits are reflected as other liabilities. Customer contract security
deposits are made at the time the contract is signed and held until the conclusion of the contract relationship.
Deferred
revenue is primarily from advance monthly payments received and revenue is recognized when service is completed.
Cost
of Cryptocurrency Mining and Data Center Hosting Revenue
Cost
of cryptocurrency mining and data center hosting revenue includes direct utility costs as well as overhead costs that relate to the operations
of SCI’s cryptocurrency mining facility.
Accounts
Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
Trade
accounts receivable are stated at the invoiced amount billed to customers and do not bear interest. An allowance for doubtful accounts,
if necessary, represents the Company’s best estimate of the amount of probable credit losses in its existing accounts receivable.
The Company determines the allowance based on historical write-off experience and current exposures identified. The Company reviews its
allowance for doubtful accounts monthly. Past due balances over 90 days and over a specified amount are reviewed individually for collectability.
All other balances are reviewed on a pooled basis by type of receivable. Account balances are charged off against the allowance when
the Company believes it is probable the receivable will not be recovered. The Company does not have any off-balance-sheet credit exposure
related to its customers. The Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts was $0 at both December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021.
Payment
terms and conditions vary by contract type, although terms generally include a requirement of payment within 20 days. In instances where
the timing of revenue recognition differs from the timing of invoicing, we have determined our contracts generally do not include a significant
financing component. The primary purpose of the Company’s invoicing terms is to provide customers with simplified and predictable
ways of purchasing our products and services, not to receive financing from its customers.
The
Company recognizes an asset for the incremental costs of obtaining a contract with a customer, if the Company expects the benefit of
those costs to be longer than one year. As of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company has recorded no capitalized costs
to obtain a contract.
Employee
Receivables
Certain
employees have a receivable due to the Company related to the vesting of stock awards, in which $120 thousand and $0 were outstanding
as of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively. The balance is currently included within Prepaid and other assets for $26
thousand and within the Other Assets-long-term for $94 thousand in the consolidated financial statements.
Deposits
on equipment
As
of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company had approximately $1.2 million and $10.2 million in deposits on equipment, that had not yet
been received by the Company as of the year end. Once the Company receives such equipment in the subsequent period, the Company will
reclassify such balance into Property, Plant, and Equipment.
Long-Lived
Assets
The
Company accounts for impairment or disposal of long-lived assets, which include property, plant, and equipment and also finite-lived
intangible assets, in accordance with accounting standards that address the financial accounting and reporting for the impairment or
disposal of long-lived assets, specify how impairment will be measured, and how impaired assets will be classified in the
consolidated financial statements. On a quarterly basis, the Company analyzes the status of its long-lived assets at each subsidiary
for potential impairment. Recoverability of assets to be held and used are measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an
asset to undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. Because the impairment test for long-lived assets
held in use is based on estimated undiscounted cash flows, there may be instances where an asset or asset group is not considered
impaired, even when its fair value may be less than its carrying value, because the asset or asset group is recoverable based on the
cash flows to be generated over the estimated life of the asset or asset group. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the
impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the
assets. During the year ended December 31, 2022,
the Company has impaired approximately $47.4
million of property, plant, and equipment, and there was no impairment for the intangible assets for the year ended December 31,
2022. There was no impairment of property, plant, and equipment and intangible assets during the year ended December 31,
2021.
Cash
and Cash Equivalents
Cash
and cash equivalents consist of cash and highly liquid short-term investments with original maturities of less than three months.
Restricted
Cash
Restricted
cash relates to cash that is legally restricted as to withdrawal and usage or is being held for a specific purpose and thus not
available to the Company for immediate or general business use. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company had approximately
$685 thousand and $0.
The balance in restricted cash relates to funds held in an escrow account due to sales of equipment that were executed in fiscal
year 2022, in which the Company can release to the convertible noteholders only if they request their share of funds. If no funds
are distributed to the convertible noteholders from the escrow account by December 31, 2023, the funds may be used for general
purposes for the Company.
Net
(loss) Income per Share
The
Company computes basic income per common share by dividing net income by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during
the reporting period. Diluted income per share reflects the potential dilution, if any, computed by dividing income by the combination
of dilutive common share equivalents, comprised of shares issuable under outstanding investment rights, warrants and the Company’s
share-based compensation plans, and the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the reporting period. Dilutive common
share equivalents include the dilutive effect of in-the-money stock options, which are calculated based on the average share price for
each period using the treasury stock method. Under the treasury stock method, the exercise price of a stock option and the amount of
compensation cost, if any, for future service that the Company has not yet recognized are assumed to be used to repurchase shares in
the current period.
Share-Based
Payments
The
Company grants options to purchase our common stock and awards restricted stock to our employees and directors under our equity incentive
plans. The benefits provided under these plans are share-based payments and the Company accounts for stock-based awards exchanged for
employee service in accordance with the appropriate share-based payment accounting guidance. Stock-based compensation represents the
cost related to stock-based awards granted to employees and directors. The Company measures stock-based compensation cost at grant date
based on the estimated fair value of the award and recognizes the cost as expense on a straight-line basis in accordance with the vesting
of the options (net of estimated forfeitures) over the option’s requisite service period. The Company estimates the fair value
of stock-based awards on the grant date using a Black-Scholes valuation model. The Company uses the fair value method of accounting with
the modified prospective application, which provides for certain changes to the method for valuing share-based compensation. The valuation
provisions apply to new awards and to awards that are outstanding on the effective date and subsequently modified. Under the modified
prospective application, prior periods are not revised for comparative purposes. Stock-based compensation expense is recorded in the
lines titled “Cost of product revenue-included in discontinued operations,” “Selling, general and administrative expenses,”
and “Research and product development expenses-included in discontinued operations” in the Consolidated Statements of Operations
based on the employees’ respective functions.
The
Company records deferred tax assets for awards that potentially can result in deductions on the Company’s income tax returns based
on the amount of compensation cost that would be recognized upon issuance of the award and the Company’s statutory tax rate. All
income tax effects of awards, including excess tax benefits, recognized on stock-based compensation expense are reflected in the Consolidated
Statements of Operations as a component of the provision for income taxes on a prospective basis.
The
determination of the fair value of share-based payment awards on the date of grant using an option-pricing model is affected by the Company’s
stock price as well as assumptions regarding a number of complex and subjective variables. These variables include the Company’s
expected stock price volatility over the term of the awards, actual and projected employee stock option exercise behaviors, risk-free
interest rate, and expected dividends.
Theoretical
valuation models and market-based methods are evolving and may result in lower or higher fair value estimates for share-based compensation.
The timing, readiness, adoption, general acceptance, reliability, and testing of these methods is uncertain. Sophisticated mathematical
models may require voluminous historical information, modeling expertise, financial analyses, correlation analyses, integrated software
and databases, consulting fees, customization, and testing for adequacy of internal controls.
For
purposes of estimating the fair value of stock options granted using the Black-Scholes model, the Company uses the historical volatility
of its stock for the expected volatility assumption input to the Black-Scholes model, consistent with the accounting guidance. The risk-free
interest rate is based on the risk-free zero-coupon rate for a period consistent with the expected option term at the time of grant.
The expected option term is calculated based on our historical forfeitures and cancellation rates.
The
fair value of restricted stock awards is based on the market close price per share on the grant date. The Company expenses the compensation
cost of these awards as the restriction period lapses, which is typically a one- to three-year service period to the Company. The shares
represented by restricted stock awards are outstanding at the grant date, and the recipients are entitled to voting rights with respect
to such shares upon issuance.
Notes
payable
The
Company records notes payable net of any discount or premiums. Discounts and premiums are amortized as interest expense or income over
the life of the note in such a way as to result in a constant rate of interest when applied to the amount outstanding at the beginning
of any given period.
Concentration
of Credit Risk
Financial
instruments that subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk principally consist of cash equivalents and trade accounts
receivable. The Company’s trade accounts receivable are from data hosting revenue with the Company’s customers
throughout the year. The Company does not require collateral and has not historically experienced significant credit losses related
to receivables from individual customers or groups of customers in any particular industry or geographic area. The Company requires that hosting customers make a prepayment of the next month’s estimated expenses or make
a security deposit to the Company.
The
Company has cash deposits in excess of federally insured limits but does not believe them to be at risk.
Other
Comprehensive Income
The
Company had no other comprehensive income items for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.
Leases
The
Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception. Operating leases are included in operating lease right-of-use (“ROU”)
assets and operating lease liability on our consolidated balance sheets. The Company did not have any finance leases as of December 31,
2022 or December 31, 2021.
Operating
lease ROU assets and operating lease liabilities are recognized based on the present value of the future minimum lease payments over
the lease term at commencement date. As most of the Company’s leases do not provide an implicit rate, the Company uses its incremental
borrowing rate based on the information available at commencement date in determining the present value of future payments. The operating
lease ROU assets also include any lease payments made and excludes lease incentives and initial direct costs incurred. The Company’s
lease terms may include options to extend or terminate its leases when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise those
options. Lease expense for minimum lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
The
Company has lease agreements with lease and non-lease components, which are generally accounted for separately. For real estate leases,
the Company accounts for lease components together with non-lease components (e.g., common-area maintenance).
Accounting
Updates Not Yet Effective
Changes
to U.S. GAAP are established by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) in the form of accounting standard updates
(“ASUs”) to the FASB’s Accounting Standards Codification (ASC). The Company considered the applicability and impact
of all ASUs. ASUs not mentioned below were assessed and determined to be either not applicable or are expected to have minimal impact
on our consolidated financial position or results of operations.
In
June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13 (Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326)) and its subsequent amendments to the
initial guidance within ASU 2018-19, ASU 2019-04, ASU 2019-05, ASU 2019-10, ASU 2019-11 and ASU 2020-02, respectively (collectively,
Topic 326). Topic 326 changes how entities will measure credit losses for most financial assets and certain other instruments that
are not accounted for at fair value through net income. This standard replaces the existing incurred credit loss model and
establishes a single credit loss framework based on a current expected credit loss model for financial assets carried at amortized
cost, including loans and held-to- maturity debt securities. The current expected loss model requires an entity to estimate credit
losses expected over the life of the credit exposure upon initial recognition of that exposure when the financial asset is
originated or acquired, which will generally result in earlier recognition of credit losses. This standard also requires expanded
credit quality disclosures. For available-for-sale debt securities, entities will be required to record allowances rather than
reduce the carrying amount, as they do today under the other-than-temporary impairment model. This standard also simplifies the
accounting model for purchased credit-impaired debt securities and loans. This standard will affect loans, debt securities, trade
receivables, net investments in leases, off balance sheet credit exposures, reinsurance receivables, and any other financial assets
not excluded from the scope that have the contractual right to receive cash. ASU 2018-19 clarifies that receivables arising from
operating leases are accounted for using lease guidance and not as financial instruments. ASU 2019-04 clarifies that equity
instruments without readily determinable fair values for which an entity has elected the measurement alternative should be
remeasured to fair value as of the date that an observable transaction occurred. ASU 2019-05 provides an option to irrevocably elect
to measure certain individual financial assets at fair value instead of amortized cost. This standard should be applied on either a
prospective transition or modified-retrospective approach depending on the subtopic. This standard will be effective for the Company
for annual and interim reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2022, and while early adoption is permitted, the Company
does not expect to elect that option. The Company evaluated the impact of the adoption of this standard on its consolidated
financial statements, including assessing and evaluating assumptions and models to estimate losses. The Company notes that currently
this ASU will not have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.
3. Accounts Receivable
Accounts
receivables consist of the following at:
Schedule of Accounts Receivables
(Dollars in thousands) | |
December 31, 2022 | | |
December 31, 2021 | |
Data Hosting | |
$ | 53 | | |
| 450 | |
Other receivable | |
| 267 | | |
| 81 | |
Total | |
$ | 320 | | |
$ | 531 | |
Included in other receivable as of December 31, 2022, was a related party receivable of $247 thousand with Spring
Lane in relation to Project Dorothy. No related party receivable was noted as of December 31, 2021.
4. Property, Plant and Equipment
Property,
plant and equipment consist of the following at:
Schedule of Property, Plant and Equipment
(Dollars in thousands) | |
December 31, 2022 | | |
December 31, 2021 | |
Land | |
$ | 52 | | |
$ | 52 | |
Land improvements | |
| 488 | | |
| 238 | |
Buildings | |
| 6,351 | | |
| 5,650 | |
Leasehold improvements | |
| 59 | | |
| 317 | |
Vehicles | |
| 15 | | |
| 15 | |
Computers and related software | |
| 7,248 | | |
| 30,890 | |
Machinery and equipment | |
| 3,295 | | |
| 2,588 | |
Office furniture and fixtures | |
| 22 | | |
| 22 | |
Equipment held for sale | |
| 295 | | |
| - | |
Construction in progress | |
| 26,175 | | |
| 7,590 | |
| |
| 44,000 | | |
| 47,362 | |
Less: Accumulated depreciation | |
| (1,496 | ) | |
| (2,765 | ) |
| |
$ | 42,504 | | |
$ | 44,597 | |
Depreciation
expense was approximately $18.7 million and $2.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Repairs and maintenance
expense was $76 thousand and $77 thousand for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
The
Company incurred a $4.1
million loss for the year ended December 31, 2022 in connection with the disposal of miners and equipment with a net book value of
approximately $6.9
million in which the Company received proceeds of $2.8
million for year ended December 31, 2022. There were no
such disposals on equipment for the year ended December 31, 2021.
During
the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company concluded that there were impairment indicators on property, plant and equipment associated
with the S-9 and L3 miners in storage. As a result, a quantitative impairment analysis was required throughout the fiscal year of 2022.
As such, the Company reassessed its estimates and forecasts throughout the fiscal year of 2022, to determine the fair values of the S-9
and L3 miners held in storage. As a result of the analysis, as of year ended December 31, 2022, the Company concluded the carrying amount
of the property, plant and equipment associated with the S-9 and L3 miners exceeded its fair value, which resulted in impairment charges
of $1.9 million on the consolidated statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2022.
In
addition, the Company assessed the active miners in operations and determined there has been a decline in the market value of the
active miners in the Company’s operations. As a result, a quantitative impairment analysis was required as of December 31,
2022. As such, the Company reassessed its estimates and forecasts as of December 31, 2022, to determine the undiscounted cash flows
to determine whether the miners would be recoverable. It was determined based on the analysis, that the undiscounted cash flow with
residual value was less than the net book value as of December 31, 2022, confirming the existence of a triggering event, and
therefore required an impairment to be recognized. Based on the fair value of the active miners compared to the net book value, the
Company recorded an impairment charge of approximately $39.4
million to be recognized on the consolidated statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2022.
As
of December 31, 2022, the Company had M20 miners and M21 miners in service at the Sophie location. Of these miners a portion of the
miners were planned to be sold in the near future. The remaining M20 and M21 miners were to be disposed of as they had no value and
were not being used. Prior to year-end, the Company had a business opportunity to sell the non-disposed miners in which received
board of directors approval and therefore all the remaining assets were classified as assets held for sale included within property, plant, equipment on the balance sheet due to a policy election. As a result, a
quantitative impairment analysis was required as of December 31, 2022. The Company was not generating positive cash inflows and
there had been a significant decline in the market value of miners based on the hashrate index. As a result of the fair value
analysis as of December 31, 2022, the Company concluded the carrying amount of the property, plant and equipment associated with the
M20 and M21 miners exceeded its fair value of $295
thousand, which resulted in impairment charges of approximately $1.8
million on the consolidated statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2022. Subsequent to year-end the M20 and M21
miners were sold, in which the Company incurred a loss on sale subsequent to year-end for $77
thousand.
As
of December 31, 2022, the Company has equipment held at vendor including switchgears, transformers, busways and bus plugs. The
Company had discussions with a potential buyer and board of directors approval for sale of the switchgears held at vendor. There has
not been a final sale but there has been activity around interest and potential sales prices. The company has a purchase order
received for the switchgear, subject to inspection of the equipment and final sale. The sale of the equipment held at vendor would
mean the equipment is not being used for its intended purpose. As such, the Company reassessed its estimates and forecasts as of
December 31, 2022, to determine the fair values of the equipment held at vendor. As a result of the fair value analysis as of
December 31, 2022, the Company concluded the carrying amount of the equipment held at vendor exceeded its fair value of $916
thousand, which resulted in an impairment charge of $1.9
million on the consolidated statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2022.
On
February 23, 2023, NYDIG proceeded to foreclose on all of the collateral securing the MEFA, which resulted in a reportable
disposition of all of the Company’s mining assets at the site and certain of the operating assets of Project Marie. The total
net book value of the collateralized assets that were repossessed totaled $3.5
million in which were written off the Company’s books in the first quarter of 2023, offset the outstanding loan. In addition,
due to the subsequent event of the foreclosure on the collateral assets and ceasing of the Marie operations as discussed in Note 20,
this created an impairment trigger for the Company to reassess the fixed assets for the year-ended December 31, 2022, due to
conditions existing as of December 31, 2022, although the close of operations didn’t occur until February of 2023. Due to the
closure of operations for Project Marie, the Company will dispose of approximately $1.7
million worth of leasehold improvements and general electrical upgrades and equipment which were attached to the facility which
could not be salvaged for any value with the operations ceasing, and therefore the Company impaired those assets for the full amount
as of December 31, 2022. Also, the Company will have equipment held for sale due to the closure of the Marie facility in the first
quarter of 2023, in which based on a fair value analysis compared to the Company’s net book value of the equipment still held
will have an impairment of approximately $700
thousand to be recorded on the consolidated statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2022. As a result, the total impairment for the Marie assets not attached to the collateralized NYDIG assets was
approximately $2.4
million for the year-ended December 31, 2022.
5. Asset Acquisition
As
discussed above in Note 1, on October 29, 2021, the Company completed the Soluna Callisto acquisition pursuant to an Agreement and Plan
of Merger dated as of August 11, 2021, by and among the Company, SCI and Soluna Callisto (the “Merger Agreement”). The purpose
of the transaction was (i) for SCI to acquire substantially all of the assets (other than those assets physically located in Morocco)
formerly held by HEL, which assets consisted of Soluna Callisto’s existing pipeline of certain cryptocurrency mining projects that
HEL previously transferred to Soluna Callisto and (ii) to provide SCI with the opportunity to directly employ or retain the services
of four individuals whose services it had retained through HEL prior to the merger. As a result of the merger, each share of common stock
of Soluna Callisto issued and outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the merger, other than shares owned by the Company
or any of our subsidiaries, was cancelled and converted into the right to receive a proportionate share of up to 2,970,000 shares (the
“Merger Shares”) of the Company’s common stock payable upon the achievement of certain milestones within five years
after the effective date in the merger, as set forth in the merger agreement and the schedules thereto (the “Merger Consideration”).
See Note 11 for further information regarding our relationship with HEL.
The
acquisition was accounted for, for purposes of U.S. GAAP, using the asset acquisition method of accounting under the ASC 805-50. We determined
that we acquired in the acquisition a group of similar identifiable assets (primarily, the “strategic pipeline contract”
of certain cryptocurrency mining projects), which we classified as an intangible asset for accounting purposes. As a result, our acquisition
of the set of assets and activities constituted an asset acquisition, as opposed to a business acquisition, under ASC 805. ASC 805-50
provides that assets acquired in an asset acquisition are measured based on the costs of the acquisition, which is the consideration
that the acquirer transfers to the seller and includes direct transaction costs related to the acquisition. We included Soluna Callisto’s
results of operations in our results of operations beginning on the effective date of the acquisition.
Termination
Consideration
In
connection with the Soluna Callisto acquisition, effective as of October 29, 2021, pursuant to the terms of a termination agreement (the
“Termination Agreement”) dated as of August 11, 2021, by and among the Company, SCI, and HEL, on November 5, 2021, SCI paid
HEL $725,000 and SHI issued to HEL 150,000 shares of our common stock (the “Termination Shares”). SCI also reimbursed $75,000
to HEL for transaction-related fees and expenses. SHI included the termination costs as part of asset acquisition per ASC 805-50. Based
on the closing price of SHI common stock on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) on November 5, 2021, SHI valued the aggregate
termination consideration at approximately $1.9 million.
Merger
Consideration
The
fair value of the Merger Consideration included various assumptions, including those related to the allocation of the estimated value
of the maximum number of Merger Shares (2,970,000 shares) issuable as Merger Consideration, which issuance is contingent on the achievement
of certain milestones of generating active Megawatts from Qualified Projects in which the Cost Requirement is satisfied within five years
after the effective date of the merger, as set forth in the Merger Agreement and the schedules thereto, as set forth below. The Merger
Consideration and the timing of the payment thereof is subject to the following qualifications and limitations:
|
1a) |
Upon
the Company achieving each one active MegaWatts (“Active MWs”) from the projects in which the cost requirement is satisfied,
SHI shall issue to HEL 19,800 shares for each one MW up to a maximum 150 Active MW. |
|
i. |
If,
on or before June 30, 2022, SCI or Soluna Callisto directly or indirectly achieved at least 50 active MWs from one or more of three
current projects as set forth in the Merger Agreement that satisfy the Cost Requirement as defined within the Merger Agreement, then
the Merger Shares would have been issued at an accelerated rate of 29,700 Merger Shares for each of such first 50 Active MW, such
that the Merger Shares in respect of the remaining 100 Active MWs (if any) would have been issued at a reduced rate of 14,850 Merger
Shares per Active MW (as of December 31, 2022, the Company did not achieve this milestone); |
|
|
|
|
ii. |
If,
by June 30, 2023, SCI or Soluna Calisto fail to achieve directly or indirectly (other than pursuant to a Portfolio Acquisition) at
least 50 Active MW from Projects that satisfy the Cost Requirement, then the maximum aggregate number of Merger Shares shall be reduced
from 2,970,000 to 1,485,000; |
|
|
|
|
iii. |
No
Merger Shares will be issued to HEL without our prior written consent; |
|
iv. |
Issuance
of the Merger Shares will also be subject to the continued employment with or engagement by SCI or the surviving corporation of (A)
John Belizaire and (B) at least two of Dipul Patel, Mohammed Larbi Loudiyi, (through ML&K Contractor), and Phillip Ng at the
time that such Merger Shares are earned. If both (A) and (B) cease to be satisfied on or prior to the date that all Merger Shares
are earned (such date, a “Trigger Date”), then “Qualified Projects” for purposes of determining Merger Shares
shall only apply to those Qualified Projects that are in the pipeline as of the Trigger Date. For these purposes, if any such individual’s
employment or service relationship with SCI is terminated without cause, as a result of his death or disability, or with good reason
(as such terms are defined in the employment and consulting agreements), such individual shall be deemed to continue to be employed
or engaged by SCI for these purposes; |
|
|
|
|
v. |
If
SHI or SCI consummates a Change of Control before the fifth anniversary of the date of the closing of the merger, then we will be
obligated to issue all of the unissued Merger Shares (subject to (ii) and (iii) above). The Merger Agreement defines “Change
of Control” as (A) the sale, exchange, transfer, or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of us or SCI,
(B) our failure to continue to own (directly or indirectly) 100% of the outstanding equity securities of SCI and/or the surviving
corporation, or (C) a merger, consolidation, or other transaction in which the holders of SHI’s, SCI’s, or the surviving
corporation’s outstanding voting securities immediately prior to such transaction own, immediately after such transaction,
securities representing less than 50% of the voting power of the corporation or other entity surviving such transaction (excluding
any such transaction principally for bona fide equity financing purposes, so long as, in the case of SHI or SCI (but not the surviving
corporation) such transactions, individually and in the aggregate, do not result in a change in membership of such entity’s
board of directors so that the persons who were members of the board of directors immediately prior to the first such transaction
constitute less than 50% of the board membership at any time after such transaction(s) are consummated). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
a transaction shall not constitute a Change of Control if its sole purpose is to change the state of SHI’s or SCI’s incorporation
or to create a holding company that will be owned in the same proportions by the persons who held SHI’s or SCI’s securities
immediately prior to such transaction; and |
|
|
|
|
vi. |
if
on any of the fifth anniversary of the effective time of the merger, a facility has not become a
Qualified Facility and therefore is not taken into consideration in the calculation of Active MW because any of the elements set
forth in the definition of “Qualified Facility” as defined in the Merger Agreement have not been met for reasons beyond
the reasonable control of SCI’s management team, but SCI’s management team is then actively engaged in the process of
completing and is diligently pursuing the completion of the missing elements, then (A) the target dates set forth above shall be
extended for an additional 90 days, and (B) additional extensions of time may be granted by our Board of Directors (the “Board”)
in its commercially reasonable discretion, in each case for the purpose of enabling SCI’s management team to complete the steps
needed to qualify the facility as a Qualified Facility. |
The
number of Merger Shares is also subject to customary anti-dilution adjustments in the event of any stock split, stock consolidation,
stock dividend, or similar event involving the shares of our common stock. Based on the assessment performed, the fair value of the merger
consideration as of October 29, 2021 was approximately $33.0 million.
Based
on management’s evaluation, management concluded that due to the high volatility of its share price, the low probability of not
achieving the MW targets, and the fact the value associated with meeting the performance measures is not intended to drive the number
of shares to be issued, but rather act as a proxy for and driver of share value, the monetary value of the obligation at inception is
predominantly a function of equity shares. As such, the merger consideration will be treated as equity as ASC 480-10-25-14 is not applicable
since the monetary value of the Merger Shares is not (1) fixed, or (2) dependent on (i) variations in something other than the fair value
of the Company’s equity shares, or (ii) variations inversely related to changes in the fair value of the Company’s equity
shares and is instead exposed to changes in the fair value of the Company’s share price, and as such does not represent a liability
under ASC 480. The economic risks and characteristics of the share consideration are clearly and closely related to a residual equity
interest since the underlying (i.e., the incremental shares of common stock delivered upon achievement of each MW target) will participate
in the increase in value of the common equity of the Company, similar to a call option on common stock. Based on guidance in ASC 815-40-25-7
through 25-35, the share consideration is considered to be indexed to the Company’s stock and meets the additional criteria for
equity classification.
6. Intangible Assets
Intangible
assets consisted of the following as of December 31, 2022:
Schedule
of Intangible Assets
(Dollars in thousands) | |
Intangible Assets | | |
Accumulated
Amortization | | |
Total | |
| |
| | |
| | |
| |
Strategic pipeline contract | |
$ | 46,885 | | |
$ | 10,940 | | |
$ | 35,945 | |
Assembled workforce | |
| 500 | | |
| 117 | | |
| 383 | |
Patents | |
| 110 | | |
| 6 | | |
| 104 | |
Total | |
$ | 47,495 | | |
$ | 11,063 | | |
$ | 36,432 | |
Intangible
assets consisted of the following as of December 31, 2021:
(Dollars in thousands) | |
Intangible Assets | | |
Accumulated
Amortization | | |
Total | |
| |
| | |
| | |
| |
Strategic pipeline contract | |
$ | 46,885 | | |
$ | 1,562 | | |
$ | 45,323 | |
Assembled workforce | |
| 500 | | |
| 17 | | |
| 483 | |
Patents | |
| 33 | | |
| — | | |
| 33 | |
Total | |
$ | 47,418 | | |
$ | 1,579 | | |
$ | 45,839 | |
Amortization
expense for the year ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 was approximately $9.5 million and $1.6 million.
The
strategic pipeline contract relates to supply of a critical input to our digital mining business. The Company has analyzed this
strategic pipeline contract similar to a permit for future benefit. The strategic pipeline contract relates to potential renewable
energy data centers that fit in the alignment of the Company structure to expand operations of the Company’s new focus in
their business.
The
Company expects to record amortization expense of intangible assets over the next five years and thereafter as follows:
Schedule
of Amortization Expense of Intangible Assets
| | |
| |
(Dollars in thousands) | | |
| |
Year ending December 31, | | |
| |
2023 | | |
$ | 9,482 | |
2024 | | |
| 9,482 | |
2025 | | |
| 9,482 | |
2026 | | |
| 7,903 | |
2027 | | |
| 5 | |
Thereafter | | |
| 78 | |
Total | | |
$ | 36,432 | |
7. Income Taxes
Income
tax expense (benefit) for each of the years ended December 31 consists of the following:
Schedule of Income Tax Expense
(Dollars in thousands) | |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
| |
| |
Federal | |
$ | — | | |
$ | — | |
State | |
| 44 | | |
| 3 | |
Deferred | |
| (1,390 | ) | |
| 41 | |
Total | |
$ | (1,346 | ) | |
$ | 44 | |
The
significant components of deferred income tax expense (benefit) from operations for each of the years ended December 31 consists of the
following:
Schedule of Deferred Income Tax Expense
(Dollars in thousands) | |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
| |
| |
Deferred tax (expense) benefit | |
$ | (12,760 | ) | |
$ | (574 | ) |
Net operating loss carry forward | |
| (7,361 | ) | |
| (1,589 | ) |
Valuation allowance | |
| 18,731 | | |
| 2,204 | |
Deferred tax benefit
(expense) | |
$ | (1,390 | ) | |
$ | 41 | |
The
Company’s effective income tax rate from operations differed from the Federal statutory rate for each of the years ended December
31 as follows:
Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate
| |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
Federal statutory tax rate | |
| 21 | % | |
| 21 | % |
Change in valuation allowance | |
| (17 | ) | |
| (35 | ) |
State taxes, net of federal benefit | |
| — | | |
| 1 | |
Expiration of stock option | |
| — | | |
| 2 | |
Loss on extinguishment of debt | |
| (2 | ) | |
| — | |
Change in UTP | |
| — | | |
| 9 | |
Federal tax benefits, R&D | |
| — | | |
| 1 | |
Other deferred Adjustments | |
| (1 | ) | |
| 2 | |
Tax rate | |
| 1 | % | |
| 1 | % |
Deferred
Tax (Liabilities) Assets:
Deferred
tax (liabilities) assets are determined based on the temporary differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and
liabilities as measured by the enacted tax rates. Temporary differences, net operating loss carryforwards and tax credit carryforwards
that give rise to deferred tax assets and liabilities are summarized as follows as of December 31:
Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets
(Dollars in thousands) | |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
| |
| |
Deferred tax assets: | |
| | | |
| | |
Accruals and reserves | |
$ | 251 | | |
$ | 76 | |
Net operating loss | |
| 19,137 | | |
| 11,777 | |
Property, plant and equipment | |
| 10,093 | | |
| — | |
Stock options | |
| 996 | | |
| 278 | |
Research and development tax credit | |
| 174 | | |
| 144 | |
Deferred tax assets | |
| 30,651 | | |
| 12,275 | |
Valuation allowance | |
| (30,651 | ) | |
| (11,921 | ) |
Deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowance | |
| — | | |
| 354 | |
| |
| | | |
| | |
Deferred tax liabilities: | |
| | | |
| | |
Property, plant and equipment | |
| — | | |
| (61 | ) |
Intangibles | |
| (8,886 | ) | |
| (10,570 | ) |
Deferred tax liabilities | |
| (8,886 | ) | |
| (10,631 | ) |
Deferred tax (liabilities) assets | |
$ | (8,886 | ) | |
$ | (10,277 | ) |
In
connection with the strategic contract pipeline acquired in the Soluna Callisto acquisition as further discussed in Note 6, ASC 740-10-25-51
requires the recognition of a deferred tax impact of acquiring an asset in a transaction that is not a business combination when the
amount paid exceeds the tax basis on the acquisition date. As such, the Company is required to adjust the value of the strategic contract
pipeline by approximately $10.9 million and this amount will be amortized over the life of the asset.
Valuation
Allowance:
The
Company believes that the accounting estimate for the valuation of deferred tax assets is a critical accounting estimate because judgment
is required in assessing the likely future tax consequences of events that have been recognized in our financial statements or tax returns.
The Company based the estimate of deferred tax assets and liabilities on current tax laws and rates and, in certain cases, business plans
and other expectations about future outcomes.
As
a result of its assessment in 2022, the Company increased its valuation allowance against its deferred tax assets. The increase in the
valuation allowance caused incremental tax expense of $18.7 million to be recognized in 2022. The increase of the valuation allowance
was based upon the uncertainty surrounding the Company’s projected future taxable income, causing the Company to evaluate what
portion of the Company’s deferred tax assets it believes are more likely than not to be realized. The Company has determined that
it will not generate sufficient levels of pre-tax earnings in the future to realize the deferred tax assets relating to net operating
loss carryforwards and research and development credit carryforwards recorded on the balance sheet as of December 31, 2022.
The
valuation allowance on December 31, 2022 and 2021 was $30.7 million and $11.9 million, respectively. Activity in the valuation allowance
for deferred tax assets is as follows as of December 31:
Schedule of Deferred Tax Asset Valuation Allowance
(Dollars in thousands) | |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
| |
| |
Valuation allowance, beginning of year | |
$ | 11,921 | | |
$ | 9,717 | |
Net operating (loss) income | |
| 7,361 | | |
| 2,179 | |
Property, plant and equipment | |
| 10,093 | | |
| — | |
Stock options | |
| 996 | | |
| — | |
Research and development credit | |
| 30 | | |
| 25 | |
Accrued expenses | |
| 251 | | |
| — | |
Valuation allowance, end of year | |
$ | 30,651 | | |
$ | 11,921 | |
Net
operating losses:
As
of December 31, 2022, the Company has unused Federal net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $89.3 million. Of these, none
will expire in 2022, $52 million will expire between now and 2035, and the remainder being carried forward indefinitely.
The
Company’s and/or its subsidiaries’ ability to utilize their net operating loss carryforwards may be significantly limited
by Section 382 of the IRC of 1986, as amended, if the Company or any of its subsidiaries undergoes an “ownership change”
as a result of changes in the ownership of the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ outstanding stock pursuant to the exercise
of the warrants or otherwise.
Unrecognized
tax benefits:
The
Company has unrecognized tax benefits of $0 and $0 thousand as of December 31, 2022 and 2021.
Additionally,
the Company does not have uncertain tax positions that it expects will increase or decrease within twelve months of this reporting date.
The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions as a component of tax expense. The Company did not recognize
any interest or penalties in 2022 and 2021.
The
Company files income tax returns, including returns for its subsidiaries, with federal and state jurisdictions. The Company is no longer
subject to IRS or state examinations for any periods prior to 2019, although carryforward attributes that were generated prior to 2019
may still be adjusted upon examination by the IRS if they either have been or will be used in a future period.
8. Accrued Liabilities
Accrued
liabilities consist of the following at:
Schedule of Accrued Liabilities
(Dollars in thousands) | |
December 31,
2022 | | |
December 31,
2021 | |
| |
| | |
| |
Salaries, wages and related expenses | |
$ | 178 | | |
$ | 611 | |
Liability to shareholders for previous acquisition | |
| 363 | | |
| 363 | |
Legal, audit, tax and professional fees | |
| 214 | | |
| 363 | |
Sales tax accrual | |
| - | | |
| 248 | |
Development fees | |
| - | | |
| 373 | |
Hosting and utility fees | |
| 626 | | |
| 626 | |
Interest payable | |
| 477 | | |
| - | |
Dividend payable | |
| 243 | | |
| - | |
Construction fees | |
| 590 | | |
| - | |
Other | |
| 30 | | |
| 275 | |
Total | |
$ | 2,721 | | |
$ | 2,859 | |
9.
Debt
Debt consists of the following:
Convertible
Notes Payable
Schedule of Debt
(Dollar
in thousands):
| |
Maturity Date | |
Interest Rate | | |
December 31,
2022 | | |
December 31,
2021 | |
Convertible Note | |
April 25, 2023 | |
| 18 | % | |
$ | 12,254 | | |
$ | 14,927 | |
Less: debt discount | |
| |
| | | |
| - | | |
| 967 | |
Less: discount from issuance of warrants | |
| |
| | | |
| 475 | | |
| 5,747 | |
Less: debt issuance costs | |
| |
| | | |
| 42 | | |
| 1,092 | |
Total convertible notes, net of discount and issuance costs | |
| |
| | | |
$ | 11,737 | | |
$ | 7,121 | |
On
October 25, 2021, pursuant to a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “October SPA”),
the Company issued to certain accredited investors (the “Noteholders”) (i) secured convertible notes in an aggregate principal
amount of $16.3 million for an aggregate purchase price of $15 million (collectively, the “October Secured Notes”), which
were, subject to certain conditions, convertible at any time by the investors, into an aggregate of 1,776,073 shares of the Company’s
common stock, at a price per share of $9.18 and (ii) Class A, Class B and Class C common stock purchase warrants (collectively, the “October
Warrants”) to purchase up to an aggregate of 1,776,073 shares of common stock, at an initial exercise price of $12.50, $15 and
$18 per share, respectively. The October Warrants are legally detachable and can be separately exercised immediately for five years upon
issuance, subject to applicable Nasdaq rules.
The
October Secured Notes, subject to an original issue discount of 8%, had a maturity date (the “Maturity Date”) of October
25, 2022, which was extended to April 25, 2023 pursuant to the Addendum Amendment (as defined below), upon which date the October Secured
Notes shall be payable in full. Commencing on the Maturity Date and also five (5) days after the occurrence of any Event of Default (as
defined in the October Secured Notes), interest on the October Secured Notes will accrue at an interest rate equal to the lesser of 18%
per annum or the maximum rate permitted under applicable law. If any Event of Default or a Fundamental Transaction (as defined in the
October Secured Notes) or a Change of Control (as defined in the October Secured Notes) occurs, the outstanding principal amount of the
October Secured Notes, liquidated damages and other amounts owing in respect thereof through the date of acceleration, will become, at
the Noteholder’s election, immediately due and payable in cash at the Mandatory Default Amount (as defined in the October Secured
Notes). The October Secured Notes may not be prepaid, redeemed or mandatorily converted without the consent of the Noteholders. The obligations
of the Company pursuant to the October Secured Notes are (i) secured to the extent and as provided in the Security Agreement, dated as
of October 25, 2021, by and among the Company, MTI Instruments and SCI, Soluna MC, LLC and Soluna SW, LLC (both of which are wholly owned
subsidiaries of SCI, and together with MTI Instruments and SCI, the “Subsidiary Guarantors”), and Collateral Services LLC
(the “Collateral Agent”), as collateral agent for the Noteholders; and (ii) guaranteed, jointly and severally, by the Subsidiary
Guarantors pursuant to each Subsidiary Guaranty, dated as of October 25, 2021, by and among each Subsidiary Guarantor and the Noteholders
signatory to the October SPA, subject to subsequent modifications pursuant to the Addendum, the Addendum Amendment and the NYDIG Transactions.
On
July 19, 2022, the Company entered into an addendum to the October SPA (the “Addendum”), pursuant to which a portion of the
October Secured Notes would be converted and may be redeemed in three tranches, with each tranche of $1,100,000 required to be converted
into common stock in each case at the then in effect conversion price of the October Secured Notes, with such price, prior to each conversion,
to be reduced (but not increased) to a 20% discount to the 5-day volume weighted average price (“VWAP”) of the Company’s
common stock. In addition, the Noteholders may require the Company to redeem up to $2,200,000 worth of October Secured Notes in connection
with each tranche at a rate of $1.20 for every $1.00 owed, less the amount of October Secured Notes converted during such tranche, not
including the required conversion amount if the Noteholders are unable to convert out of such amount of the October Secured Notes in
each tranche. The Company is also required to deposit up to $1,950,000 in an escrow account in connection with each tranche to satisfy
any redemptions, except with respect to the first tranche as provided in the Addendum Amendment (as defined below). The Addendum also
provides the right for the Company to pause the commencement of the conversion of the second and third tranches each for 45 days in the
event the Company pursues an equity financing. Pursuant to the Addendum, the exercise price of the Class A Warrants and Class B Warrants
and certain other warrants to purchase up to 85,000 shares of common stock issued to the Noteholders on January 13, 2022, was reduced
from $13.26 to $9.50 per share. In addition, the Company agreed to exchange the Class C Warrants for 296,013 shares of common stock,
which exchanges were completed between July 25, 2022 and August 1, 2022.
On
September 13, 2022, the Company and the Noteholders entered into an agreement further amending the Addendum (the “Addendum Amendment”),
which among other matters, extended the Maturity Date of the October Secured Notes by six months to April 25, 2023, and increased the
principal amount of the October Secured Notes by an aggregate of $520,241 for a total outstanding principal amount of $13,006,022. Also
pursuant to the Addendum Amendment, $1.0 million previously deposited by the Company and held in escrow pursuant to the Addendum, was
released back to the Company upon signing of the Addendum Amendment; however, on or before October 17, 2022, the Company (i) must deposit
$1,000,000 into escrow as the Third Deposit, (ii) will not be required to make the second deposit of $1,950,000 pursuant to the Addendum
and the Addendum Agreement, or redeem the first tranche of October Secured Notes. Additionally, the First Reconcile Date was extended
to October 12, 2022. The Company gave notice to the Noteholders on October 10, 2022 that the Company would be conducting an equity
financing This in turn paused the commencement of (a) the Second Conversion and the Second Reconcile Date, and (b) the Third Conversion
and the Third Reconcile Date, in each case, for forty-five (45) Trading Days, each as defined in the Addendum. This also had the effect
of pausing the Company’s requirement to make the Third Deposit of $1,000,000 under the October Purchase Agreement as amended by
the Addendum, for 45 Trading Days. The 45 day trading window opened on December 20, 2022 to allow the Noteholders to apply the
20% discount to the 5-day VWAP of the Company’s stock. In addition, pursuant to the Addendum
Agreement, the Company issued to the Noteholders (i) 430,564 shares of the common stock (“New Shares”) in exchange for the
Class B warrants, (ii) Class D common stock purchase warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 1,000,000 shares of common stock at an
exercise price of $3.50 per share, (iii) Class E common stock purchase warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 1,000,000 shares of
common stock at an exercise price of $4.50 per share, (iv) Class F common stock purchase warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 1,000,000
shares of common stock at an exercise price of $5.50 per share, and (v) Class G common stock purchase warrants to purchase up to an aggregate
of 1,000,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $7.50 per share (together, the “New Warrants”). The New Warrants
are exercisable immediately and have exercise period of 5 years from the issuance date.
Pursuant
to the Addendum, between July 21, 2022 to August 3, 2022, the October Secured Notes with an aggregate principal amount of $1,100,000
converted into 293,350 shares of common stock, at the conversion price of $3.75. Pursuant to the Addendum and Addendum Amendment, the
Company evaluated whether the new addendums qualified as debt modification or debt extinguishment, and based on ASC 470, Debt, the Company
determined the Addendum and Addendum Amendment to fall under Debt Extinguishment and the Company would be required to fair value the
new debt, and in turn write off the existing debt on the books. Based on the Company’s assessment, an extinguishment of debt of
approximately $12.8 million was recorded in July and September of 2022 based on the Addendum and Addendum Amendment, the October Secured
Notes had an aggregate principal amount of approximately $13.0 million and a fair value of approximately $14.1 million outstanding after
the debt extinguishment. The fair value of the New Warrants issued to the Noteholders was approximately $8.6 million and recorded as
part of the loss on extinguishment of debt. The residual fair value of the New Warrants issued to non-lenders was $892 thousand and was
recorded as equity with the offset as debt discount against the residual proceeds, in which $417 thousand has been amortized for the
year ended December 31, 2022. All the original debt issuance costs were written off with the extinguishment of the debt, and with the
Addendum Amendment, the Company had debt issuance costs of approximately $77 thousand in which $35 thousand has been amortized for the
year ended December 31, 2022. As of the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company had to fair value the outstanding debt, in which it
was determined to be approximately $12.3 million of a principal outstanding balance of approximately $13.0 million, in which the change
in valuation compared to September 2022 when the Company had an extinguishment recorded, was recorded as a revaluation gain for the year
ended December 31, 2022.
In
accordance with the most favored nation provision (“MFN Provision”), following the issuance of the December 2022 Shares and
the December 2022 Warrants, we reduced the conversion price of the October Secured Notes to $0.76 per share. We held a special meeting
on March 10, 2023 of our stockholders for the purpose of obtaining stockholder approval a reduction in the conversion price of the October
Secured Notes, subject to a conversion price floor of $0.30 per share, which amount represented the closing price of our Common Stock
on the Nasdaq Stock Market on January 3, 2023, the first trading day of the 2023 fiscal year.
In connection with the December 2022 Offering, we also agreed to amend certain existing warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of: (i) 592,024 shares of our Common Stock at an exercise price of $9.50 per share and an expiration date of October 25, 2026; (ii) 1,000,000 shares of our Common Stock at an exercise price of $3.50 per share and with an expiration date of September 13, 2027; (iii) 1,000,000 shares of our Common Stock at an exercise price of $4.50 per share and with an expiration date of September 13, 2027; (iv) 1,000,000 shares of our Common Stock at an exercise price of $5.50 per share and with an expiration date of September 13, 2027; (v) 1,000,000 shares of our Common Stock at an exercise price of $7.50 per share and an expiration date of September 13, 2027; and (vi) 85,000 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $9.50 and an expiration date of January 14, 2025, held by the Noteholders (collectively, the “Noteholder Warrants”) so that the amended Noteholder Warrant would have an exercise price of $0.76 per share. The Company evaluated the warrant exercise price adjustment from the values noted above to $0.76 noting the total dollar value impact in which the Noteholder Warrant’s new fair value, as a result of the exercise price revision, exceeded the previous warrant instrument was approximately $370 thousand, the Company deemed the change in exercise price was in contemplation with the December 2022 offering, as such was recognized as a deferred cost of the offering against the proceeds.
The events of default stated in the Notice of Acceleration and Repossession defined below with NYDIG Financing constituted a cross-default under the terms of secured convertible notes issued to the Noteholders. In addition to such cross-default, the failure of the Company pursuant to the Addendum dated as of July 19, 2022, to escrow an aggregate amount of $950,000 for the benefit of the Noteholders by December 21, 2022, constituted an event of default under the Notes. Due to the defaults noted, the Company did not enter into the second and third tranche of conversions. As such, beginning on November 30, 2022, the Company has been accruing interest of 18% per annum on the outstanding principal amount due to the default which amounted to $202 thousand as of December 31, 2022. On March 10, 2023, the Company entered into a Second Addendum Amendment with the Noteholders, in which the Company paid approximately $617 thousand through the Company’s restricted escrow accounts and contemporaneously with the payment, the Noteholders waived all existing events of default arising under the convertible notes.
Promissory
Notes
On
February 22, 2022, the Company issued to certain institutional lenders (the “Lenders”) promissory notes in an aggregate principal
amount of $7.6 million for an aggregate purchase price of $7.6 million (collectively, the “First Tranche Notes”). The Notes
were issued as the first tranche of an aggregate financing of $20.0 million. On March 10, 2022, the Company issued to the lenders a second
tranche of an aggregate principal amount of $2.4 million (the “Second Tranche Notes”). On April 13, 2022, the Company issued
to the Lenders a third tranche of promissory notes in an aggregate principal amount of $10.0 million for an aggregate purchase price
of $10.0 million (the “Third Tranche Notes” and, together with the First Tranche Notes and Second Tranche Notes, the “Notes”)
along with Class D common stock purchase warrants (collectively, the “Warrants”) to purchase up to an aggregate of 1,000,000
shares of common stock of the Company, at an exercise price of $11.50 per share. The Warrants were immediately exercisable for two years
upon issuance, subject to applicable Nasdaq rules.
The
exercise of the Warrants is subject to beneficial ownership limitations such that the Lenders may not exercise the Warrants to the extent
that such exercise would result in each of the Lenders being the beneficial owner in excess of 4.99% of the number of shares of the common
stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of common stock issuable upon such exercise, which beneficial
ownership limitation may be increased or decreased up to 9.99% upon notice to the Company, provided that any increase in such limitation
will not be effective until 61 days following notice to the Company.
The
total fair value of the Warrants, as of the issuance date, was $5.32 million and is recorded as equity with the offset recorded as a
debt discount against the net proceeds. The proceeds of $20.0 million were allocated between the Promissory Notes and the Warrants,
in which the discount related to the warrants is being amortized based on the straight-line method through the date of Maturity. None
of the Warrants have been exercised and exchanged for the Company’s common stock as of December 31, 2022.
On
April 29, 2022, the Company issued in a registered direct offering 1,142,857 shares of Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock,
par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) to the Lenders, at an offering price of $17.50
per share, the same price as the public offering price of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in the underwritten public offering
completed concurrently, in full satisfaction of the Company’s obligations under the outstanding Notes in an aggregate amount of
$20 million. As of December 31, 2022, the entire principal and interest for the promissory notes had been fully paid and satisfied.
NYDIG
Financing
Schedule
of Financing Debt
| |
Maturity Dates | |
Interest Rate | |
December 31, 2022 | |
NYDIG Loans #1-11 | |
April
25, 2023 thru January 25, 2027* | |
12% thru 15 | % |
$ | 14,387 | |
| |
| |
| |
| | |
Loans Payable | |
April 25, 2023 thru January 25, 2027* | |
12% thru 15 | % |
$ | 14,387 | |
| |
| |
| |
| | |
Less: principal payments | |
| |
| |
| 3,841 | |
Less: debt issuance costs | |
| |
| |
| - | |
Total outstanding debt | |
| |
| |
$ | 10,546 | |
* | | Due
to event of default- the entire NYDIG Financing became current, see note below. |
On
December 30, 2021, Soluna MC Borrowing 2021-1 LLC (the “Borrower”), an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Company entered
into a Master Equipment Finance Agreement (the “Master Agreement”) with NYDIG ABL LLC (“NYDIG”) as lender, servicer
and collateral agent (the “NYDIG facility”). The Master Agreement outlined the framework for a financing up to approximately
$14.4 million in aggregate equipment financing. Subsequently, the parties negotiated the specific terms of each equipment financing transaction
as well as the terms upon which the Noteholders would consent to the transactions contemplated by the Master Agreement.
On
January 14, 2022, the Borrower effected an initial drawdown under the Master Agreement in the aggregate principal amount of approximately
$4.6 million that bore interest at 14% and was to be repaid over 24 months. On January 26, 2022, the Borrower had a subsequent drawdown
of $9.8 million. As part of the transactions contemplated under the Master Agreement, (i) the Company’s indirect wholly owned subsidiary,
Soluna MC LLC, formerly EcoChain Block LLC (“Guarantor”), which is the owner of 100% of the equity interests of Borrower,
executed a Guaranty Agreement in favor of NYDIG, as lender, dated as of December 30, 2021 (the “Guaranty Agreement”), (ii)
Borrower has granted a lien on, and security interest in, all of its assets to NYDIG, as collateral agent, (iii) Guarantor entered into
an equipment financing arrangement on assets purchased with the borrowed funds, (iv) Borrower would borrow from NYDIG the loans as forth
in certain loan schedules (the “Specified Loans”), and (v) Borrower had executed a Digital Asset Account Control Agreement
(the “ACA Wallet Agreement”) with NYDIG, as collateral agent and secured party, and NYDIG Trust Company LLC, as custodian,
dated as of December 30, 2021, as well as such other agreements related to the foregoing as mutually agreed (collectively, the “NYDIG
Transactions”).
In
connection with the NYDIG Transactions, on January 13, 2022, the Company entered into a Consent and Waiver Agreement, dated as of January
13, 2022 (the “Consent”), with the Noteholders, in connection with the October SPA, pursuant to which the Noteholders agreed
to waive any lien on, and security interest in, certain assets, provided various contingencies
are fulfilled, and each Noteholder who acquired October Secured Notes having a principal amount of not less than $3,000,000 agreed to
waive its rights under Section 4.17 of the October SPA to participate in Subsequent Financings (as defined in the October SPA) with respect
to the NYDIG Transactions and any additional loans under the MEFA that only finance the purchase of equipment from NYDIG, in order to
consent to the NYDIG Transactions. Pursuant to the Consent, the Noteholders also waived the current requirement of the October SPA and
the other transaction documents (collectively, the “SPA Documents”) that the Borrower become an Additional Debtor (as defined
in the Security Agreement) and execute an Additional Debtor Joinder (as defined in the Security Agreement) for so long as the Specified
Loans were outstanding, and NYDIG would not have entered into a subordination or intercreditor agreement with respect to the Guaranty.
Further, pursuant to the Consent, the Noteholders waived the right to accelerate the Maturity Date of the October Secured Notes and the
right to charge a default rate of interest on such Notes, in each case, with respect to certain changes in names of, and jurisdiction
of incorporation, of the Debtors (as defined in the SPA Documents), which waiver would not waive any other Event of Default (as defined
in any of the SPA Documents), known or unknown, as of the date of Consent.
Promptly
after the date of the Consent, the Company issued warrants to purchase up to 85,000 shares of common stock to the Noteholder holding
the largest outstanding principal amount of October Secured Notes as of the date of the Consent. Such warrants were substantially in
form similar to the other warrants held by the Noteholders. Such warrants were exercisable for three years from the date of the Consent
at an exercise price of $9.50 per share. On December 5, 2022, the exercise price of the warrants were reduced to an exercise price of
$0.76 per share, effective with the closing of the Securities Purchase Agreement Offering on December 5, 2022.
The
Company, through the Borrower, was required to make average monthly principal and interest payments to NYDIG of approximately $730 thousand
on initial drawdown in aggregate principal amount of approximately $4.6 million bearing interest at 14%, and a subsequent drawdown of
$9.8 million.
On
December 20, 2022, the Borrower received a Notice of Acceleration and Repossession (the “NYDIG Notice”) from NYDIG with respect
to the Master Agreement, by and between Borrower and NYDIG. The obligations of Borrower under the Master Agreement and reflected in the
NYDIG Notice are ring-fenced to Borrower and its direct parent company, Soluna MC LLC. The Company is not a party to any guaranty, collateral
agreement or other support agreement with or for the benefit of NYDIG. Borrower has entered into a dialogue with NYDIG to resolve the
matters set forth in the NYDIG Notice.
The
NYDIG Notice states that (a) Borrower failed to observe or perform certain covenants, conditions or agreements contained in the Master
Agreement and such failure continued unremedied for a period of ten days after Borrower’s knowledge of such breach, which resulted
in an event of default under the Master Agreement, and (b) Borrower defaulted under the guaranty, collateral agreement, or other support
agreement, which resulted in an event of default under the Master Agreement. In addition, the NYDIG Notice states that Borrower failed
to pay certain payments of principal and interest under the Master Agreement when due, which failure also constituted an event of default
under the Master Agreement. As a result of the foregoing events of default, and pursuant to the Master Agreement, NYDIG (x) declared
the principal amount of all loans due and owing under the Master Agreement and all accompanying Loan Documents (as defined in the Master
Agreement) to be due and immediately payable, (y) imposed a default rate of interest on any outstanding principal amount of each loan
(together with all then unpaid interest accruing thereon) and all other obligations under the Master Agreement and the Loan Documents,
and (z) demanded the return of all equipment subject to the Master Agreement and the Loan Documents. As such, the
principal balance of $10.5 million became due immediately and the Borrower was to bear interest, at a rate per annum equal to 2.0% plus
the rate per annum otherwise applicable to such obligations set forth in the Master Agreement. Also, as the Company was not able to obtain
a waiver, the outstanding deferred financing costs were written off. As
of December 31, 2022, the Borrower had incurred accrued interest and penalty of approximately $274
thousand. On February 23, 2023 NYDIG proceeded
to foreclose on all of the collateral securing the MEFA, and repossessed the collateralized assets that totaled approximately $3.5 million.
See Note 20 for further discussion on the NYDIG repossession. Additionally, NDYIG has stated its intention to pursue SCI, the parent
company of Guarantor, under a piercing of the corporate veil claim relating to Defendants’ debts and liabilities under the loan
documents. SCI denies any such liability and has filed a complaint for a declaratory judgment against NYDIG in the Eighth Judicial District
Court in Clark County, Nevada on March 16, 2023 seeking a declaratory judgment as to such matter.
Line
of Credit with KeyBank
On
September 15, 2021, the Company entered into a $1.0 million unsecured line of credit with KeyBank National Association (“KeyBank”),
that will, among other things, allow the Company to request loans and to use the proceeds of such loans for working capital and other
general corporate purposes (the “KeyBank facility”). The line of credit bears interest at a rate of Prime + 0.75% per annum
(8.25% interest rate as of December 31, 2022). Accrued interest is due monthly and principal is due in full following KeyBank’s
demand. As of December 31, 2021, the entire line of credit of $1.0 million was drawn and outstanding. As of December 31, 2022, $650 thousand
of outstanding balance has been paid down; therefore $350 thousand of the amount drawn under the line of credit remained outstanding.
The Company has been repaying weekly principal on the KeyBank facility each week since the beginning of September 2022. The Company does
not plan to draw down on the line of credit in the foreseeable future. In addition, future drawdowns may require pre-approval by KeyBank.
10.
Stockholders’ Equity
Preferred
Stock
The
Company has two series of preferred stock outstanding: the Series A Preferred Stock, with
a $25.00
liquidation preference; and the Series
B Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, with a stated
value equal to $100.00
(the “Series
B Preferred Stock”). As of December 31, 2022 and
December 31, 2021, there were 3,061,245
and 1,252,299
shares of Series A Preferred Stock issued and
outstanding, respectively, and as of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021 there was 62,500
and 0 shares of Series B Preferred Stock issued and outstanding, respectively.
Series
B Preferred Stock
On
July 19, 2022, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “Series B SPA”) with an accredited investor
(the “Series B Investor”) pursuant to which the Company sold to the Series B Investor 62,500 shares of Series B Preferred
Stock, for a purchase price of $5,000,000. The shares of Series B Preferred Stock are initially convertible, subject to certain conditions,
into 1,155,268 shares of common stock, at a price per share of $5.41 per share, a 20% premium to the closing price of the common stock
on July 18, 2022, subject to adjustment as set forth in the Certificate of Designations of Preferences, Rights and Limitations for the
Series B Preferred Stock (“Series B Certificate of Designations”).
In
addition, on July 19, 2022, the Company issued to the Series B Investor common stock purchase warrants (the “Series B Warrants”)
to purchase up to an aggregate of 1,000,000 shares of common stock at an initial exercise price of $10.00 per share. The Series B Investor
is entitled to exercise the Series B Warrants at any time on or after the date that is 180
days following the issue date and on or prior to January 19, 2028. On the closing date of the next public offering of the common stock
or other securities, the exercise price of the Series B Warrants is to adjust to a price
equal to the lower of (a) the exercise price then in effect, or (b) the price of the warrants issued in the Company’s next public
offering, or if no warrants are issued in the Company’s next public offering, 110% of the price per share of the common stock issued
in the Company’s next public offering. In addition, upon the Series B Closing, the Series B Investor delivered to the Company for
cancellation an outstanding warrant to acquire 1,000,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share previously issued
on April 13, 2022, in connection with the Notes.
Common
Stock
The
Company has one class of common stock, par value $0.001 per share. Each share of the Company’s common stock is entitled to one
vote on all matters submitted to stockholders. As of December 31, 2022, and December 31, 2021, there were 18,694,206 and 13,754,206 shares
of common stock issued and outstanding, respectively.
Dividends
Pursuant
to the Certificate of Designations, Preferences and Rights of 9.0% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock of the Company, dividends,
when, as and if declared by the Board (or a duly authorized committee of the Board), will be payable monthly in arrears on the final
day of each month, beginning August 31, 2021. During the year ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Board declared and paid the Company
aggregate dividends on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock of approximately $3.9 million and $630 thousand, respectively. The Board
of Directors had not declared any Series A Preferred Stock dividends beginning October 2022 through the date of this report, as such
the Company has accumulated approximately $1.7 million of dividends in arrears on the Series A Preferred Stock through December 31, 2022.
The
Company’s Series B Preferred Stock includes a 10% accruing dividend compounded daily for 12 months from the original issue date
of July 20, 2022 that may be paid in cash or stock at the Company’s option at the earlier of (i) the date the Series B Preferred
Stock is converted, or (ii) the Series B Dividend Termination Date. As of December 31, 2022, the Company has accrued $236 thousand for
dividend payable for the Series B preferred stock.
Reservation
of Shares
The
Company had reserved shares of common stock for future issuance as follows as of December 31, 2022:
Schedule
of Reserved Shares of Common Stock for Future Issuance
| |
| | |
Stock options outstanding | |
| 1,309,789 | |
Restricted stock units outstanding | |
| 830,590 | |
Warrants outstanding | |
| 9,902,232 | |
Common stock available for future equity awards or issuance of options | |
| 114,725 | |
Number of common shares reserved | |
| 12,157,336 | |
Placement
Agent Agreements
On
September 13, 2022, the Company entered into a placement agent agreement with Univest Securities LLC (“Univest”) in which
all of the 486,309 outstanding warrants held with Univest which were earned through previous equity offerings would be revised to a new
exercise price value of $4.33 per warrant.
Additionally, on
December 2, 2022, the Company entered into an additional placement agency agreement with, pursuant to which Univest agreed to serve
as the exclusive placement agent for the Company on a reasonable best-efforts basis in connection with the December Offering.
Pursuant to the additional Placement Agency Agreement, the Company agreed to pay to Univest (i) a fee in shares of Common Stock
equal to 7%
of the Shares issued and sold in the Offering (excluding any securities that may be issued pursuant to the Options or upon exercise
of the Warrants) (the “Placement Agent Shares”), (ii) 431,014
restricted shares of Common Stock in relation to Univest’s role in the underwritten offering that closed on October 26, 2022
(the “October Shares”), and (iii) an additional fee of warrants to purchase the number of shares of Common
Stock equal to 7%
of the number of Shares issued and sold in the December Offering (excluding any securities that may be issued pursuant to the
Options or upon exercise of the Warrants) in the form substantially similar as the Warrants (the “Placement Agent
Warrants”, and together with the Placement Agent Shares and the October Shares, the “Placement Agent
Securities”), each such issuance to Univest (and/or its designees) subject to and upon obtaining the appropriate
approval by stockholders required by the applicable rules and regulations of the Nasdaq. As of December 31, 2022, the Company had
approximately $300 thousand in consideration for the Placement Agent Shares as
a deferred cost of the offerings against the proceeds, in which such amounts are charged through equity. Approval by the
shareholders took place during a Special Shareholder meeting on March 10, 2023; therefore the shares and warrants were issued
subsequent to year-end.
11. Retirement Plan
The
Company maintains a voluntary savings and retirement plan under IRC Section 401(k) covering substantially all employees. Employees must
complete six months of service and have attained the age of twenty-one prior to becoming eligible for participation in the plan. The
Company plan allows eligible employees to contribute a percentage of their compensation on a pre-tax basis and the Company matches employee
contributions, on a discretionary basis, currently in an amount equal to 100% of the first 3% and 50% of the next 2% of the employee’s
salary, subject to annual tax deduction limitations. Effective January 1, 2017, Company matching contributions are vested immediately.
Company matching contributions were $177 thousand, which $19 thousand related to discontinued operations, and $99 thousand, which includes
$81 thousand related to discontinued operations for 2022 and 2021, respectively. The Company may also make additional discretionary contributions
in amounts as determined by management and the Board of Directors. There were no additional discretionary contributions by the Company
for the years 2022 or 2021.
12. Net (loss) income per Share
The
following table sets forth the reconciliation of the numerators and denominators of the basic and diluted per share computations for
continuing operations for the years ended December 31:
Schedule
of Basic and Diluted Per Share Computations for Continuing Operations
(Dollars in thousands, except shares) | |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
| |
| | |
| |
Numerator: | |
| | | |
| | |
Net loss from continuing operations | |
$ | (107,016 | ) | |
$ | (6,388 | ) |
Net income from discontinued operations | |
| 7,921 | | |
| 1,127 | |
Net loss | |
$ | (99,095 | ) | |
$ | (5,261 | ) |
Less: Preferred Dividend | |
| (4,088 | ) | |
| (630 | ) |
Balance | |
$ | (103,183 | ) | |
$ | (5,891 | ) |
Denominator: | |
| | | |
| | |
Basic and Diluted EPS: | |
| | | |
| | |
Common shares outstanding, beginning of period | |
| 11,840,242 | | |
| 9,734,607 | |
Weighted average common shares issued during the period | |
| 3,142,268 | | |
| 2,105,635 | |
Denominator for basic earnings per common shares — | |
| | | |
| | |
Weighted average common shares | |
| 14,982,510 | | |
| 11,840,242 | |
The
Company notes as continuing operations was in a net loss for fiscal year 2022 and 2021, as such basic and diluted EPS is the same balance
as continuing operations acts as the control amount in which would cause antidilution. Not included in the computation of earnings per
share, assuming dilution, for the year ended December 31, 2022, were options to purchase 1,309,789 shares of the Company’s common
stock, 830,590 nonvested restricted stock units, 9,902,232 outstanding warrants not exercised, and shares of common stock issuable upon
the conversion of a portion of the October Secured Notes pursuant to the Addendum, as discussed in Note 9. These potentially dilutive
items were excluded because the calculation of incremental shares resulted in an anti-dilutive effect.
Not
included in the computation of earnings per share, assuming dilution, for the year ended December 31, 2021, were options to purchase
991,550 shares of the Company’s common stock, 160,473 nonvested restricted stock units, 2,193,512 outstanding warrants not exercised,
and 1,626,073 shares of convertible notes outstanding. These potentially dilutive items were excluded because the calculation of incremental
shares resulted in an anti-dilutive effect.
13. Stock Based Compensation
Stock-based
incentive awards are provided to employees and directors under the terms of the Company’s 2012 Equity Incentive Plan (the 2012
Plan), which was amended and restated as of October 20, 2016, 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (the 2014 Plan), and the 2021 Equity Incentive
Plan, which was amended and restated effective as of October 29, 2021 and May 27, 2022, respectively, (collectively, the Plans). Awards
under the Plans have generally included at-the-money options and restricted stock grants.
The
2012 Plan was adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors on April 14, 2012, and approved by its stockholders on June 14, 2012.
The 2012 Plan was amended and restated by the Board of Directors effective October 20, 2016. The October 2016 amendment allowed for the
award agreement, or another agreement entered into between the Company and the award grantee to vary the method of exercise of options
issued under the 2012 Plan and an agreement entered into between the Company and the award grantee to vary the provisions governing expiration
of options or other awards under the 2012 Plan following termination of the award recipient. The 2012 Plan provides an initial aggregate
number of 600,000 shares of common stock that may be awarded or issued. The number of shares that may be awarded under the 2012 Plan
and awards outstanding may be subject to adjustment on account of any recapitalization, reclassification, stock split, reverse stock
split and other dilutive changes in our common stock. Under the 2012 Plan, the Board of Directors is authorized to issue stock options
(incentive and nonqualified), stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units and other stock-based awards to employees,
officers, directors, consultants and advisors of the Company and its subsidiaries. Incentive stock options may only be granted to employees
of the Company and its subsidiaries.
The
2014 Plan was adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors on March 12, 2014, and approved by its stockholders on June 11, 2014.
The 2014 Plan provides an initial aggregate number of 500,000 shares of common stock that may be awarded or issued. The number of shares
that may be awarded under the 2014 Plan and awards outstanding may be subject to adjustment on account of any stock dividend, spin-off,
stock split, reverse stock split, split-up, recapitalization, reclassification, reorganization, combination or exchange of shares, merger,
consolidation, liquidation, business combination, exchange of shares or the like. Under the 2014 Plan, the Board-appointed administrator
of the 2014 Plan is authorized to issue stock options (incentive and nonqualified), stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted
stock units, phantom stock, performance awards and other stock-based awards to employees, officers and directors of, and other individuals
providing bona fide services to or for, the Company or any affiliate of the Company. Incentive stock options may only be granted to employees
of the Company and its subsidiaries.
The
Company’s 2021 Plan was adopted by the Board on February 12, 2021, and approved by the stockholders on March 25, 2021. The 2021
Plan was amended and restated effective as of October 29, 2021, and May 27, 2022, respectively. The 2021 Plan authorizes the Company
to issue shares of common stock upon the exercise of stock options, the grant of restricted stock awards, and the conversion of restricted
stock units (collectively, the “Awards”). The Compensation Committee has full authority, subject to the terms of the 2021
Plan, to interpret the 2021 Plan and establish rules and regulations for the proper administration of the 2021 Plan. Subject to certain
adjustments as provided in the 2021 Plan, the maximum aggregate number of shares of the Company’s common stock that may be issued
under the 2021 Plan (i) pursuant to the exercise of options, (ii) as shares or restricted stock and (iii) in settlement of RSUs shall
be limited to (A) during the Company’s fiscal year ending December 31, 2021 (the “2021 Fiscal Year”), 1,460,191 Shares,
(B) for the period from January 1, 2022 to June 30, 2022, fifteen percent (15%) of the number of Shares outstanding on January 3, 2022,
which was the first trading day of 2022, and (C) beginning with the third quarter of the Company’s fiscal year ending December
31, 2022 (the “2022 Fiscal Year”), fifteen percent (15%) of the number of Shares outstanding as of the first trading day
of each quarter, net of any Shares awarded in the previous quarter(s). Subject to certain adjustments as provided in the 2021 Plan, (i)
shares subject to the 2021 Plan shall include shares reverted back to the Company pursuant the 2021 Plan in a prior year or quarter,
as applicable, as provided herein and (ii) the number of shares that may be issued under the 2021 Plan may never be less than the number
of shares that are then outstanding under (or available to settle existing) Awards. For purposes of determining the number of shares
available under the 2021 Plan, shares withheld by the Company to satisfy applicable tax withholding or exercise price obligations pursuant
to the 2021 Plan shall be deemed issued under this Plan. In the event that, prior to the date on which the 2021 Plan shall terminate,
any Award granted under the 2021 Plan expires unexercised or unvested or is terminated, surrendered, or cancelled without the delivery
of shares of common stock, or any Awards are forfeited back to the Company, then the shares of common stock subject to such Award may
be made available for subsequent Awards under the terms of the 2021 Plan.
During
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, the Company granted options to purchase 539,064
shares of the Company’s common stock under
the 2021 Plan, of which all were vested as of December 31, 2022 with an exercise price of $0.95
per share, based on the closing market price
plus 25%
of the Company’s common stock on the date
of the grant. Using a Black-Scholes Option Pricing Model, the weighted average fair value of these options was $0.59
per share and was estimated at the date of grant.
During
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, the Company did not award shares of restricted common stock under the 2021 Plan.
During
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, the Company awarded 725,433 restricted stock units under the 2021 Plan, valued at $1.12 through
$10.85 per share based on the closing market price of the Company’s common stock on the date of the grant, with a weighted average
fair value of $7.22 per share. 306,500 shares of common stock shall vest as follows: 37% vesting 12 months from the date of the grant,
33% vesting 24 months from the date of the grant, and 30% vesting 36 months from the date of the grant, in each case subject to the reporting
person remaining in the service of the Company on each such vesting date. 195,003 shares of common stock shall vest as follows: 25% of
such restricted stock units shall vest on the first anniversary, and the remaining shares shall vest ratably over the succeeding 36-month
period, with (1/36) of such vesting on the last day of each such calendar month. 177,000 shares of common stock shall vest 50% on December
1, 2023, and 50% on December 1, 2024. 46,498 shares of common stock are performance-based awards that will vest in the following year
in January 2023 based on approval of the Board based on achievement of key performance objectives. The remaining 432 shares of common
stock are performance-based awards that were granted and vested during January 2022 as approved by the Board based on the achievement
of key performance objectives during the prior year.
During
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, the Company granted options to purchase 716,200 shares of the Company’s common stock under
the 2021 Plan, of which 186,200 shares immediately vested with an exercise price of $7.52 per share, based on the closing price plus
10% of the Company’s common stock on the date of the grant. The remaining 530,000 shares will vest in equal installments of 33
1/3% on each of the three anniversaries of the date of the grant. The weighted exercise price of these options is $7.08 per share and
was based on the closing market price of the Company’s common stock on the dates of grant. Using a Black-Scholes Option Pricing
Model, the weighted average fair value of these options was $5.04 per share and was estimated at the date of grant.
During
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, the Company awarded 201,926 shares of restricted common stock under the 2021 Plan, 47,500 shares
of valued at $11.10 per share and 154,426 shares valued at $12.23 per share based on the closing market price of the Company’s
common stock on the date of the award. 47,500 of the shares will be restricted for one year, with the entire award vesting on the first
anniversary of the award date. For the remaining 154,426 shares, 33 1/3% of the shares will vest on the first anniversary of the award
date, and the remaining shares shall vest ratably over the succeeding 24-month period, with (1/24) of such remaining shares vesting on
the last day of each calendar month.
During
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, the Company awarded 160,473 restricted stock units under the 2021 Plan, valued ranging from
$11.10-$16.61 per share based on the closing market price of the Company’s common stock on the date of the grant. For 15,000 restricted
stock units, 33 1/3% of such restricted stock units will vest on each of the first three anniversaries of the date of the grant. For
121,822 restricted stock units, 25% of the grant shares shall vest on the first anniversary of the effective time, and the remaining
75% shall vest over the succeeding 36-month period, with (1/36) of such remaining grant shares vest on the last day of the calendar month.
For 14,782 shares, 25% of such restricted stock units shall vest after six months of the award, and the remaining shares shall vest ratably
over the succeeding 36-month period, with (1/36) of such vesting on the last day of each such calendar month. For 8,869 shares, they
are performance-based awards that will vest in the following year in January based on approval of the Board of Directors based on achievement
of key performance objectives.
In
connection with the sale of shares of common stock to Brookstone, the Company entered into an Option Exercise and Stock Transfer Restriction
Agreement (collectively, the Option and Transfer Agreements) with its Chief Executive Officer, its Chief Financial Officer and each of
its non-employee directors (collectively, the Insiders). The Option and Transfer Agreements amend the stock option grant agreements between
the Company and each Insider with respect to an option granted under and modify the terms of any option to purchase common stock held
by each such Insider (collectively, Options) granted under, the Plans. The Option and Transfer Agreements restrict the aggregate amount
of shares of common stock for which the Insiders may exercise Options during calendar years 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, and provide for
a modified procedure for exercising Options in order to ensure the limit on the aggregate amount of Options that may be exercised in
any such year is not exceeded. Such amendments and modifications also operate to, except with respect to the termination of Options in
connection with an Insider’s termination of employment or service in connection with misconduct as described in the Option and
Transfer Agreements, (i) remove all references to an expiration of the exercisability of such Options within a special, delineated time
period following the termination of service to or employment by the Company, and (ii) provide that all vested Options are exercisable
by the Insider until default expiration under the applicable Plan (i.e., ten years from the date of grant). If an Option and Transfer
Agreement is terminated, the limitations on Option exercises described above will terminate, but the exercisability of the Insider’s
vested Options until default expiration under the applicable Plan and stock option agreement (i.e., ten years from the date of grant)
will survive indefinitely.
Stock-based
compensation expense for the years ended December 31, 2022, and 2021 was generated from stock option and restricted stock awards. Stock
options are awards that allow holders to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock at a fixed price. Certain options granted
may be fully or partially exercisable immediately, may vest on other than a four-year schedule or vest upon attainment of specific performance
criteria. Restricted stock awards generally vest one to three years after the date of grant, although certain awards may vest immediately
or vest upon attainment of specific performance criteria. Option exercise prices are generally equivalent to the closing market value
price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. Unexercised options generally terminate ten years after date of grant.
The
following table presents the weighted-average assumptions used for options granted under the 2021 Plan:
Schedule of Weighted Average for Options Granted
| |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
Option term (years) | |
| 4.95 | | |
| 4.04 | |
Volatility | |
| 110.21 | % | |
| 108.33 | % |
Unvested forfeiture rate | |
| 0.00 | % | |
| 0.18 | % |
Risk-free interest rate | |
| 3.93 | % | |
| 0.84 | % |
Dividend yield | |
| 0.00 | % | |
| 0.00 | % |
Weighted-average fair value per option granted | |
$ | 0.59 | | |
$ | 5.04 | |
No
options were granted under the 2014 Plan and the 2012 Plan for the years ended December 31, 2022, and 2021, respectively.
Share-based
compensation expense recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations is based on awards ultimately expected to vest, therefore,
awards are reduced for estimated forfeitures. The accounting standard requires forfeitures to be estimated at the time of grant and revised,
if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates.
Total
share-based compensation expense, related to the Company’s share-based awards, recognized for the years ended December 31, was
included within the representative group comprised as follows:
Schedule of Share Based Compensation Expense
| |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
(Dollars in thousands) | |
| | | |
| | |
Cost of cryptocurrency revenue | |
$ | 67 | | |
$ | 3 | |
General and administrative | |
| 3,785 | | |
| 1,938 | |
Share-based compensation expense | |
$ | 3,852 | | |
$ | 1,941 | |
Total
unrecognized compensation costs related to non-vested stock options as of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021 is approximately $1.0
million and $1.9 million, respectively, and is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average remaining vesting period of approximately
1.36 years and 2.34 years, respectively.
Presented
below is a summary of the Company’s stock option activity for the Plans for the years ended December 31:
Summary of Stock Option Activity
| |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
Shares under option, beginning | |
| 991,550 | | |
| 398,750 | |
Granted | |
| 539,064 | | |
| 716,200 | |
Exercised | |
| (177,425 | ) | |
| (123,400 | ) |
Forfeited | |
| (10,750 | ) | |
| — | |
Expired/canceled | |
| (32,650 | ) | |
| — | |
Shares under option, ending | |
| 1,309,789 | | |
| 991,550 | |
Options exercisable | |
| 953,956 | | |
| 385,800 | |
Remaining shares available for granting of options | |
| 114,725 | | |
| 392,717 | |
The
weighted average exercise price for the Company’s stock option activity for the Plans is as follows for each of the years ended
December 31:
| |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
Shares under option, beginning | |
$ | 5.44 | | |
$ | 0.87 | |
Granted | |
$ | 0.95 | | |
$ | 7.20 | |
Exercised | |
$ | 0.86 | | |
$ | 0.83 | |
Forfeited | |
$ | 10.39 | | |
$ | — | |
Expired/canceled | |
$ | 7.84 | | |
$ | — | |
Shares under option, ending | |
$ | 4.11 | | |
$ | 5.44 | |
Options exercisable, ending | |
$ | 3.13 | | |
$ | 4.10 | |
The
following table summarizes information for options outstanding and exercisable for the Plans as of December 31, 2022:
Summary
of Option Outstanding and Exercisable
Outstanding | | |
Exercisable | |
| | |
| | |
Weighted Average | | |
Weighted | | |
| | |
Weighted Average | | |
Weighted | |
| | |
| | |
Remaining | | |
Average | | |
| | |
Remaining | | |
Average | |
Exercise
Price Range | | |
Number | | |
Contractual Life | | |
Exercise
Price | | |
Number | | |
Contractual Life | | |
Exercise Price | |
$ | 0.70 - $6.83 | | |
| 635,189 | | |
| 4.87 | | |
$ | 0.95 | | |
| 622,689 | | |
| 4.82 | | |
$ | 0.95 | |
$ | 6.84 - $11.00 | | |
| 659,600 | | |
| 5.64 | | |
$ | 7.00 | | |
| 326,267 | | |
| 4.90 | | |
$ | 7.17 | |
$ | 11.00 - $11.10 | | |
| 15,000 | | |
| 8.23 | | |
$ | 11.10 | | |
| 5,000 | | |
| 8.23 | | |
$ | 11.10 | |
| | | |
| 1,309,789 | | |
| 5.30 | | |
$ | 4.11 | | |
| 953,956 | | |
| 4.87 | | |
$ | 3.13 | |
The
aggregate intrinsic value (i.e., the difference between the closing stock price and the price to be paid by the option holder to exercise
the option) is $0 for the Company’s outstanding options and $0 for the exercisable options as of December 31, 2022. The amounts
are based on the Company’s closing stock price of $0.26 as of December 31, 2022.
Non-vested
restricted stock activity is as follows for the year ended December 31:
Summary
of Non Vested Restricted Stock
| |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
Non-vested restricted stock balance, beginning January 1 | |
| 405,367 | | |
| 80,930 | |
Non-vested restricted stock granted | |
| 725,433 | | |
| 362,399 | |
Vested restricted stock | |
| — | | |
| — | |
Non-vested restricted stock exercised | |
| (193,249 | ) | |
| (37,962 | ) |
Non-vested restricted stock forfeited/expired | |
| (106,961 | ) | |
| — | |
Non-vested restricted stock balance, ending December 31 | |
| 830,590 | | |
| 405,367 | |
The
weighted average fair value price for the Company’s restricted stock activity for the Plans is as follows for each of the years
ended December 31:
Summary
of Weighted Average Fair Value Price Restricted Stock Activity
| |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
Restricted stock, beginning | |
$ | 11.28 | | |
$ | 1.48 | |
Granted | |
$ | 7.22 | | |
$ | 12.43 | |
Exercised | |
$ | 9.81 | | |
$ | 1.34 | |
Forfeited/ expired | |
$ | 9.42 | | |
$ | — | |
Restricted stock, ending | |
$ | 8.36 | | |
$ | 11.28 | |
As
of December 31, 2022 and 2021 there was approximately $4.8 million and $3.1 million, respectively of unrecognized compensation cost related
to restricted stock plans. This cost is expected to be recognized over a remaining period of 2.37 years and 3.18 years, respectively.
Stock
Warrants:
The
following is a summary of common stock warrant activity during the year ended December 31, 2021.
Summary
of Common Stock Warrant Activity
| |
Number of Warrant
Shares | | |
Weighted Average Exercise
Price ($) | |
Balance, December 31, 2020 | |
| — | | |
$ | — | |
Granted | |
| 2,775,122 | | |
| 12.67 | |
Exercised | |
| (581,610 | ) | |
| 8.24 | |
Forfeited/ Expired | |
| — | | |
| — | |
Balance, December 31, 2021 | |
| 2,193,512 | | |
$ | 13.85 | |
The
following is a summary of common stock warrant activity during the year ended December 31, 2022.
| |
Number of Warrant
Shares | | |
Weighted Average Exercise
Price ($) | |
Balance, December 31, 2021 | |
| 2,193,512 | | |
$ | 13.85 | |
Granted | |
| 8,987,269 | | |
| 2.31 | |
Exercised | |
| (94,500 | ) | |
| 8.24 | |
Forfeited/ Expired | |
| (1,184,049 | ) | |
| 9.50 | |
Balance, December 31, 2022 | |
| 9,902,232 | | |
$ | 2.29 | |
As
of December 31, 2022, the outstanding warrants have a weighted average remaining term of 3.99 years.
14. Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments:
Leases
The
Company determines whether an arrangement is a lease at inception. The Company has operating leases for certain manufacturing, laboratory,
office facilities and certain equipment. The leases have remaining lease terms of less than one year to less than five years. Our lease
agreements do not contain any material residual value guarantees or material restrictive covenants. As of December 31, 2022 and December
31, 2021, the Company has no assets recorded under finance leases.
Lease
expense for these leases is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. For the twelve months ended December 31, total lease
costs are comprised of the following:
Summary of Lease Expense Recognized
on Straight-line Basis Over Lease Term
| |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
(Dollars in thousands) | |
| | |
| |
| |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
Operating lease cost | |
$ | 202 | | |
$ | 169 | |
Short-term lease cost | |
| — | | |
| — | |
Total net lease cost | |
$ | 202 | | |
$ | 169 | |
Short-term
leases are leases having a term of twelve months or less. The Company recognizes short-term leases on a straight-line basis and does
not record a related lease asset or liability for such leases.
Supplemental
cash flows information related to leases for the twelve months ended December 31 was as follows:
Summary of Cash Flow Information Related to Leases
| |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
(Dollars in thousands) | |
| | |
| |
| |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities: | |
| | | |
| | |
Operating cash flows from operating leases | |
$ | 197 | | |
$ | 156 | |
| |
| | | |
| | |
Non-Cash Activity Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations: | |
| | | |
| | |
Operating leases | |
$ | 20 | | |
$ | 131 | |
Supplemental
balance sheet information for the twelve months ended December 31 was as follows:
Summary of Balance Sheets Information
| |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
(Dollars in thousands, except lease term and discount rate) | |
| | |
| |
| |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
Operating leases: | |
| | | |
| | |
Operating lease ROU asset | |
$ | 233 | | |
$ | 405 | |
| |
| | | |
| | |
Current operating lease liabilities | |
$ | 161 | | |
$ | 184 | |
Non-current operating lease liabilities | |
| 84 | | |
| 237 | |
Total operating lease liabilities | |
$ | 245 | | |
$ | 421 | |
| |
| | | |
| | |
Operating leases: | |
| | | |
| | |
ROU assets | |
$ | 655 | | |
$ | 635 | |
Asset lease expense | |
| (422 | ) | |
| (230 | ) |
ROU assets, net | |
$ | 233 | | |
$ | 405 | |
| |
| | | |
| | |
Weighted Average Remaining Lease Term (in years): | |
| | | |
| | |
Operating leases | |
| 1.5 | | |
| 2.38 | |
| |
| | | |
| | |
Weighted Average Discount Rate: | |
| | | |
| | |
Operating leases | |
| 3.83 | % | |
| 3.83 | % |
Maturities
of operating lease liabilities are as follows for the year ending December 31:
Summary of Maturities Operating Lease
Liabilities
| |
2022 | |
(Dollars in thousands) | |
| |
| |
2022 | |
2023 | |
$ | 168 | |
2024 | |
| 85 | |
2025 | |
| - | |
Total lease payments | |
| 253 | |
Less: imputed interest | |
| (8 | ) |
Total lease obligations | |
| 245 | |
Less: current obligations | |
| 161 | |
Long-term lease obligations | |
$ | 84 | |
Contingencies:
Spring Lane Capital Contingency
The Company has a potential contingency associated with an agreement with Spring Lane of up to $250 thousand which
would be reduced by a proportion of funding received from Spring Lane up to the $35.0 million aggregate contribution cap. The Company
considers the probability of a payment for the contingency to be remote.
Legal
We
are subject to legal proceedings, claims and liabilities which arise in the ordinary course of business. When applicable, we accrue for
losses associated with legal claims when such losses are probable and can be reasonably estimated. These accruals are adjusted as additional
information becomes available or circumstances change. Legal fees are charged to expense as they are incurred.
The
Company has been named as a party in the December 19, 2019 United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) Demand Letter
regarding the Malta Rocket Fuel Area Superfund Site (Site) located in Malta and Stillwater, New York in connection with an alleged release
of hazardous materials into the environment. The EPA is seeking reimbursement of response costs from all named parties in the amount
of approximately $358,000 plus interest in connection with the investigation and disposal activities associated with the various drum
caches discovered at the Site, issuance of the Explanation of Significant Differences (“ESD”) of the Site, and implementation
of the work contemplated by the ESD. The Company considers the likelihood of a material adverse outcome to be remote and does not currently
anticipate that any expense or liability it may incur as a result of these matters in the future will be material to the Company’s
financial condition.
NYDIG
filed a complaint against a subsidiary of Company, Soluna MC Borrowing 2021-1, LLC (“Borrower”) and Soluna MC, LLC, as
Guarantor (“Guarantor”), and together with Borrower, (“Defendants”) in Marshall Circuit Court of the
Commonwealth of Kentucky on December 29, 2022 regarding a series of loans made by NYDIG to Borrower pursuant to a master equipment
finance agreement that were secured by certain assets of Borrower and guaranteed by Guarantor pursuant to a written guaranty
agreement executed by Guarantor. The Court issued on February 15, 2023 an agreed order granting NYDIG’s motion for writ of
possession which, among other things, ordered parties to provide NYDIG access to the collateral described therein and preserved the
rights of NYDIG to pursue a deficiency judgment against the Defendants. Also on February 15, 2023, the Defendants filed their answer
and affirmative defenses in this proceeding. The Defendants believe that NYDIG has liquidated some of the collateral securing the
loans and anticipate that NYDIG will complete the liquidation of collateral and continue to prosecute the complaint to obtain a
judgment against the Defendants. Additionally, NDYIG has stated its intention to pursue SCI, the parent company of Guarantor, under
a piercing of the corporate veil claim relating to Defendants’ debts and liabilities under the loan documents. SCI denies any
such liability and has filed a complaint for a declaratory judgment against NYDIG in the Eighth Judicial District Court in Clark
County, Nevada on March 16, 2023 seeking a declaratory judgment as to such matter.
15.
Related Party Transactions
MeOH
Power, Inc.
On
December 18, 2013, MeOH Power, Inc. and the Company executed a Senior Demand Promissory Note (the “Note”) in the amount of
$380 thousand to secure the intercompany amounts due to the Company from MeOH Power, Inc. upon the deconsolidation of MeOH Power, Inc.
Interest accrues on the Note at the Prime Rate in effect on the first business day of the month, as published in the Wall Street Journal.
At the Company’s option, all or part of the principal and interest due on this Note may be converted to shares of common stock
of MeOH Power, Inc. at a rate of $0.07 per share. Interest began accruing on January 1, 2014. The Company recorded a full allowance against
the Note. As of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, $341 thousand and $329 thousand, respectively, of principal and interest are
available to convert into shares of common stock of MeOH Power, Inc. Any adjustments to the allowance are recorded as miscellaneous expense
during the period incurred.
Legal
Services
During
the years ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company incurred $22 thousand and $19 thousand, respectively, to Couch White,
LLP for legal services associated with contract review. A partner at Couch White, LLP is an immediate family member of one of our Directors.
HEL
Transactions
On
January 8, 2020, the Company formed SCI as a wholly-owned subsidiary to pursue a new business line focused on cryptocurrency and the
blockchain ecosystem. In connection with this new business line, SCI established a facility to mine cryptocurrencies and integrate with
the blockchain network. Pursuant to an Operating and Management Agreement dated January 13, 2020, by and between SCI and HEL, HEL assisted
the Company, and later SCI, in developing, and is now operating, the cryptocurrency mining facility. The Operating and Management Agreement
required, among other things, that HEL provide project sourcing services to SCI, including acquisition negotiations and establishing
an operating model, investments/financing timeline, and a project development path, as well as developmental and operational services,
as directed by SCI, with respect to the applicable cryptocurrency mining facility in exchange for SCI’s payment to HEL of a one-time
management fee ranging from $65,000 to $350,000 and profit-based success payments in the event that SCI achieved explicit profitability
thresholds. These agreements also provided that once aggregate earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization of the
applicable mine exceeded the total amount of funding provided by SCI to HEL (whether pursuant to the applicable agreement or otherwise)
for the purposes of creating, developing, assembling, and constructing the mine, HEL was entitled to ongoing success payments of 20.0%
of the earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization of the mine. $237 thousand of payments were made for fiscal year
2021, as certain thresholds pursuant to the Operating and Management Agreement were achieved.
Pursuant
to the Operating and Management Agreement, during the developmental phase of the cryptocurrency mining facility, which ended on March
14, 2020, HEL gathered and analyzed information with respect to SCI’s cryptocurrency mining efforts and produced budgets, financial
models, and technical and operational plans, including a detailed business plan, that it delivered to SCI in March 2020 (the “Deliverables”),
all of which was designed to assist with the efficient implementation of a cryptocurrency mine. The agreement provided that, following
SCI’s acceptance of the Deliverables, which occurred on March 23, 2020, HEL, on behalf of SCI, would commence operations of the
cryptocurrency mine in a manner that would allow SCI to mine and sell cryptocurrency. In that regard, on May 21, 2020, SCI acquired the
intellectual property of GigaWatt, Inc. (“GigaWatt”) and certain other property and rights of GigaWatt associated with GigaWatt’s
operation of a crypto-mining operation located in Washington State. The acquired assets formed the beginning of SCI’s cryptocurrency
mining operation. SCI sells all cryptocurrency it mines for U.S. dollars and is not in the business of accumulating cryptocurrency on
the Company’s balance sheet for speculative gains. On October 22, 2020, SCI loaned HEL $112 thousand to acquire additional assets
from the bankruptcy trustee for GigaWatt’s assets. On the same day, HEL transferred title of the assets to SCI, which under the
terms thereof paid off the note.
On
November 19, 2020, SCI and HEL entered into a second Operating and Management Agreement related to a potential location for a cryptocurrency
mine in the southeast United States. In accordance with the terms of the agreement, which are consistent with the first Operating and
Management Agreement noted above, HEL was entitled to ongoing success payments of 20.0% of the earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation
and amortization of the mine. SCI paid HEL $221 thousand for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 related to the one-time fees.
On
December 1, 2020, SCI and HEL entered into a third Operating and Management Agreement with respect to a potential location for a cryptocurrency
mine in the Southwestern United States. In accordance with the terms of the agreement, which are consistent with the first Operating
and Management agreement noted above, HEL is entitled to ongoing success payments of 20.0% of the earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation
and amortization of the mine. SCI did not make any payments in 2021 as this target location did not meet the business requirements to
continue pursuing the potential acquisition, and as a result SCI did not make any further payments to HEL under this agreement.
On
February 8, 2021, SCI and HEL entered into a fourth Operating and Management Agreement related to a potential location for a cryptocurrency
mine in the Southeast United States. In accordance with the terms of the agreement, which are consistent with the first Operating and
Management agreement noted above, HEL is entitled to ongoing success payments of 20.0% of the earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation
and amortization of the mine. SCI paid HEL $544 thousand for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 in relation to the one-time fees.
For
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, the Company paid $245 thousand in expense reimbursements and other related fees in addition
to the Operating and Management payments.
Each
Operating and Management Agreement, all of which were terminated effective November 5, 2021, pursuant to the Termination Agreement, among
other things, required that HEL provide project sourcing services to SCI, including acquisition negotiations and establishing an operating
model, investments/financing timeline, and project development path. The Company made one final payment to HEL in the first quarter of
2022 of $50 thousand to settle all final Operating and Management Agreements.
Simultaneously
with entering into the initial Operating and Management Agreement with HEL, the Company, pursuant to a purchase agreement it entered
into with HEL, made a strategic investment in HEL by purchasing 158,730 Class A Preferred Shares of HEL for an aggregate purchase price
of $500 thousand on January 13, 2020. After acceptance of the Deliverables, as required by the terms of the purchase agreement, on March
23, 2020, the Company purchased an additional 79,365 Class A Preferred Shares of HEL for an aggregate purchase price of $250 thousand.
The Company also has the right, but not the obligation, to purchase additional equity securities of HEL and its subsidiaries (including
additional Class A Preferred Shares of HEL) if HEL secured certain levels or types of project financing with respect to its own wind
power generation facilities. Each preferred share may be converted at any time and without payment of additional consideration, into
Common shares. The Company additionally entered into a Side Letter Agreement, dated January 13, 2020, with HEL Technologies Investment
I, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company that owns, on a fully diluted basis, 57.9% of HEL and is controlled by a Brookstone Partners-affiliated
director of the Company. The Side Letter Agreement provides for the transfer to the Company, without the payment of any consideration
by the Company, of additional Class A Preferred Shares of HEL in the event HEL issues additional equity below agreed-upon valuation thresholds.
As
discussed above, on October 29, 2021, we completed the Soluna Callisto acquisition pursuant to the Merger Agreement. The purpose of the
transaction was for SCI to acquire substantially all of the assets (other than those assets physically located in Morocco) formerly held
by HEL, which assets consisted of SCI’s existing pipeline of certain cryptocurrency mining projects that HEL previously transferred
to SCI, which was formed expressly for this purpose, and to provide SCI with the opportunity to directly employ or retain the services
of four individuals whose services it had retained through HEL prior to the merger. As a result of the merger, each share of common stock
of Soluna Callisto issued and outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the merger, other than shares owned by the Company
or any of our subsidiaries, was cancelled and converted into the right to receive a proportionate share of the Merger Consideration.
In
connection with the Soluna Callisto acquisition, effective as of October 29, 2021, upon and subject to the terms and conditions of the
Termination Agreement, on November 5, 2021: (1) the existing Operating and Management Agreements between HEL and SCI were terminated
in all respects; and (2)(A) SCI paid HEL $725,000, (B) SHI issued to HEL the Termination Shares, and (C) HEL and SHI entered into an
Amended and Restated Contingent Rights Agreement that, among other things, amended the existing Contingent Rights Agreement by and between
HEL and SHI, dated January 13, 2020, to provide SHI the right to invest directly in certain cryptocurrency mining opportunities being
pursued by HEL. SHI filed a registration statement with the SEC to register the resale of the Termination Shares on February 14, 2022.
Please
see Note 5 for additional information regarding the Soluna Callisto acquisition and related transactions.
Several
of HEL’s equity holders are affiliated with Brookstone Partners, the investment firm that holds an equity interest in the Company
through Brookstone Partners Acquisition XXIV, LLC. The Company’s two Brookstone-affiliated directors also serve as directors and,
in one case, as an officer, of HEL and also have ownership interest in HEL. In light of these relationships, the various transactions
by and between the Company and SCI, on the one hand, and HEL, on the other hand, were negotiated on behalf of the Company and SCI via
an independent investment committee of the Board and separate legal representation. The transactions were subsequently unanimously approved
by both the independent investment committee and the full Board.
Five
of the Company’s directors have various affiliations with HEL.
Michael
Toporek, the Chief Executive Officer and a director of the Company, owns (i) 90% of the equity of Soluna Technologies Investment I, LLC,
which owns 57.9% of HEL and (ii) 100% of the equity of MJT Park Investors, Inc., which owns 3.1% of HEL, in each case, on a fully-diluted
basis. Mr. Toporek does not own directly, or indirectly, any equity interest in Tera Joule, LLC, which owns 9.2% of HEL; however, as
a result of his 100% ownership of Brookstone IAC, Inc., which is the manager of Tera Joule, LLC, he has dispositive power over the equity
interests that Tera Joule owns in HEL.
In
addition, one of the Company’s directors, Matthew E. Lipman, serves as a director and currently acting as President of HEL. Mr.
Lipman does not directly own any equity interest in Tera Joule, LLC, which owns 9.2% of HEL; however, as a result of his position as
a director and officer of Brookstone IAC, Inc., which is the manager of Tera Joule, LLC, he has dispositive power over the equity interests
that Tera Joule owns in HEL. As a result, the approximate dollar value of the amount of Mr. Toporek’s and Mr. Lipman’s interest
in the Company’s transactions with HEL for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $0 and $0.
John
Belizaire and John Bottomley, who were elected to the Board upon the effective time of SCI’s acquisition of Soluna Callisto, serve
as directors of HEL. In addition, Mr. Belizaire is the beneficial owner of 1,317,567 shares of common stock of HEL and 102,380 Class
Seed Preferred shares, which are convertible into 86,763 shares of common stock of HEL. These interests give Mr. Belizaire an ownership
of 10.54% in HEL. Mr. Belizaire also owns an interest in HEL indirectly through his 5.0139% interest of Tera Joule, LLC’s 965,945
Class Seed Preferred shares, which are convertible into 818,596 shares of common stock of HEL. Mr. Bottomley is the beneficial owner
of 96,189, or approximately 0.72%, of the outstanding shares of common stock of HEL.
Finally,
William P. Phelan, Chairman of the Board, served as an observer on HEL’s board of directors on behalf of the Company through March
2021.
The
Company’s investment in HEL was initially carried at the cost of investment and was $750
thousand. Based on evaluation of projections for the Company’s investment in HEL, the Company fully impaired the equity
investment of $750
thousand as of December 31, 2022, writing it down to $0.
The
Company owned approximately 1.79% of HEL, calculated on a converted fully-diluted basis, as of December 31, 2022. The Company may enter
into additional transactions with HEL in the future.
16. Discontinued Operations-Held for Sale
As
described in Note 1, the Company entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement with Purchaser, pursuant to which the Company sold on April
11, 2022 all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of its wholly-owned subsidiary, MTI Instruments for approximately
$9.0 million in cash, net of transaction costs. As of December 31, 2022, our Instrumentation business segment was classified as discontinued
operations in our financial statements for all periods presented. The Company incurred approximately a $7.5 million pretax gain on sale
of MTI Instruments for the year ended December 31, 2022. The Company’s consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements
of operations report discontinued operations separate from continuing operations. The Company’s consolidated statements of equity
and statements of cash flows combine continuing and discontinued operations.
Set
forth below are the results of the discontinued operations:
Schedule
of Results of Discontinued Operations
(Dollars in thousands) | |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
| |
| |
Product revenue | |
$ | 1,799 | | |
$ | 7,147 | |
Cost of sales | |
| 728 | | |
| 2,358 | |
Research and development | |
| 398 | | |
| 1,525 | |
Selling, general, and administrative | |
| 573 | | |
| 2,198 | |
Other income, net | |
| - | | |
| 21 | |
Income from discontinued operations before the gain on disposal and income taxes | |
| 100 | | |
| 1,087 | |
Pretax gain on sale of MTI Instruments | |
| 7,751 | | |
| - | |
Income tax benefit | |
| 70 | | |
| 40 | |
Net income from discontinued operations | |
$ | 7,921 | | |
$ | 1,127 | |
The
following table summarizes information about assets and liabilities from discontinued operations held for sale as of December 31, 2022
and December 31, 2021:
(Dollars
in thousands)
| |
December 31, | | |
December 31, | |
| |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
Assets held for sale from discontinued operations: | |
| | | |
| | |
Accounts receivable | |
$ | - | | |
$ | 1,189 | |
Inventories | |
| - | | |
| 964 | |
Prepaid expenses and other current assets | |
| - | | |
| 54 | |
Property, plant and equipment, net | |
| - | | |
| 92 | |
Deferred tax assets, net | |
| - | | |
| 101 | |
Operating lease right-of-use assets | |
| - | | |
| 628 | |
Total Assets held for sale from discontinued operations | |
$ | - | | |
$ | 3,028 | |
| |
| | | |
| | |
Liabilities held for sale from discontinued operations: | |
| | | |
| | |
Accounts payable | |
$ | - | | |
$ | 136 | |
Accrued liabilities | |
| - | | |
| 479 | |
Operating lease liability | |
| - | | |
| 628 | |
| |
| | | |
| | |
Total Liabilities held for sale from discontinued operations | |
$ | - | | |
$ | 1,243 | |
17.
MTI Instruments Sale
As
described in Note 1, the Company entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement with Purchaser, pursuant to which the Company sold on April
11, 2022 all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of our wholly-owned subsidiary, MTI Instruments for an all-cash purchase
price of $10.75 million, subject to working capital and certain other adjustments as set forth in the Stock Purchase Agreement. The purchase
price did not include specified debt of MTI Instruments, which is the responsibility of the Company. This debt was transferred to the
Purchaser at the date of Sale and is included in the closing balance sheet as shown below, which resulted in a reduction in the consideration
payable to the Company.
The
following table presents the gain associated with the Sale.
(Dollars
in thousands)
Schedule
of Gain on Sale
| |
As of April 11, | |
| |
2022 | |
Consideration received | |
$ | 10,750 | |
Plus: closing cash | |
| 1 | |
Less: transaction costs | |
| (908 | ) |
Less: closing indebtedness | |
| (483 | ) |
Plus: new working capital adjustments | |
| 19 | |
Adjusted consideration received | |
| 9,379 | |
| |
| | |
Cash | |
| 1 | |
Accounts receivable, net | |
| 1,119 | |
Inventories | |
| 888 | |
Prepaid expense and other current assets | |
| 42 | |
Operating lease right-of-use assets | |
| 579 | |
Deferred tax assets | |
| 171 | |
Property, plant and equipment, net | |
| 76 | |
Total assets | |
| 2,876 | |
| |
| | |
Accounts payable | |
| 122 | |
Accrued liabilities | |
| 547 | |
Operating lease liability | |
| 579 | |
Total liabilities | |
| 1,248 | |
| |
| | |
Net assets transferred | |
| 1,628 | |
| |
| | |
Gain on sale | |
$ | 7,751 | |
18.
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITY
On
January 26, 2022, DVSL was created in order to construct, own, operate and maintain variable data centers in order to support the
mining of cryptocurrency assets, batch processing and other non-crypto related activities (collectively, the “Project”).
On May 3, 2022, SCI entered into a Bilateral Master Contribution Agreement (the “Bilateral Contribution Agreement”) with
Spring Lane Capital, pursuant to which Spring Lane agreed, pursuant to the terms and conditions of such agreement, to make one or more
capital contributions to, and in exchange for equity in, SCI or one of its subsidiaries up to an aggregate amount of $35
million to fund certain projects to develop green data centers co-located with renewable energy assets (the “Spring Lane
Commitment”). We anticipate that these capital contributions, once deployed into the projects, will help develop up to three
behind-the-meter (BTM) projects designed to convert wasted renewable energy into clean computing services such as Bitcoin mining and
artificial intelligence. The Bilateral Contribution Agreement outlines the framework for the Spring Lane Commitment; however,
neither we nor Spring Lane are obligated to complete any projects under such agreement and any actual capital contributions are
subject to various conditions precedent, including the receipt of requisite lender and other consents, acceptance by Spring Lane of
specific projects and negotiations of agreements regarding those projects, including milestones and structure. In partial
consideration of the amendment to the October Secured Notes discussed above, the investors agreed to release certain collateral
covered by their security agreement to permit the Company to proceed forward with the initial phase of Project Dorothy, which we
expect to be partially funded by Spring Lane, which the Company expects to complete in the near future.
On
August 5, 2022, the Company entered into a Contribution Agreement (the “Dorothy Contribution Agreement”) with Spring
Lane, Soluna DV Devco, LLC (“Devco”), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of SCI,
and DVSL an entity formed in order to further the Company’s development for the first 25 MW of Project Dorothy, (each, a
“Party” and, together, the “Parties”). Pursuant
to the Dorothy Contribution Agreement, the Company committed to a capital contribution of up to approximately $26.3
million to DVSL (the “Company Commitment”), and on August 5, 2022, the Company was deemed to have contributed
approximately $8.1 million, through payment of capital expenditures and development costs made on behalf of DVSL by the Company
prior to August 5, 2022. Further under the Agreement, Spring Lane committed to a capital contribution of up to $12.5
million to DVSL (the “Spring Lane Dorothy Commitment”), and as of December 31, 2022, Spring Lane contributed
approximately $4.8
million. Under the Dorothy Contribution Agreement, the Company and Spring Lane have committed to make subsequent
contributions, up to their respective Company Commitment and Spring Lane Dorothy Commitment amounts, on a pro rata basis, upon
receipt of a contribution request from DVSL, as set forth in the Dorothy Contribution Agreement and subject to the satisfaction of
certain conditions described therein. The proceeds of any subsequent commitments will be applied to pay project costs in accordance
with the project budget.
In
exchange for their contributions, the Company and Spring Lane were issued 67.8% and 32.2% of the Class B Membership Interests in DVSL,
respectively, and were admitted as Class B members of DVSL. Further pursuant to the Agreement, DVSL issued 100% of its Class A Membership
Interests to Devco. The Dorothy Contribution Agreement contains customary indemnification provisions, liquidation provisions and governance
provisions with respect to DVSL. The Parties also entered into an Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of DVSL providing
for the governance of DVSL.
Soluna
evaluated this legal entity under ASC 810, Consolidations and based on the following factors, determined that DVSL is a variable
interest entity that should be consolidated into Soluna, with a non-controlling interest recorded to account for Spring Lane’s
equity ownership of the Company. Soluna has a variable interest in DVSL. The entity was designed by Soluna to create an entity for outside
investors to invest in specific projects. The creation of this entity resulted in Soluna, through its equity interest in DVSL, absorbing
operational risk that the entity was created to create and distribute, resulting in Soluna having a variable interest in DVSL.
DVSL
is a variable interest entity of Soluna due to DVSL being structured with non-substantive voting rights. This is due to two factors being
met as outlined in ASC 810-10-15-14 that require the Variable Interest Entity model to be followed.
|
a. |
The
voting rights of Soluna are not proportional to their obligation to absorb the expected losses of the legal entity. Soluna gave Spring
Lane veto rights over significant decisions, which results in Soluna having fewer voting rights than their obligation to absorb the
expected losses of the legal entity. |
|
|
|
|
b. |
Substantially
all of DVSL’s activities are conducted on behalf of Soluna, who has disproportionally fewer voting rights. |
Also,
Soluna is the primary beneficiary due to having the power to direct the activities of DVSL that most significantly impact the performance
of the Company due to its role as the manager handling the day-to-day activities of DVSL as well as majority ownership of Class B Units
and has the obligation to absorb losses or gains of DVSL that could be significant to Soluna.
Accordingly,
the accounts of DVSL are consolidated in the accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements.
The
carrying amount of the VIE’s assets and liabilities was as follows:
Schedule
of Variable Interest Entities of Assets and Liabilities
| |
December 31,
2022 | | |
December 31,
2021 | |
| |
| | |
| |
Current assets: | |
| | | |
| | |
Cash and cash equivalents | |
$ | 15 | | |
$ | - | |
Other receivable-current | |
| 247 | | |
| - | |
Total current assets | |
| 262 | | |
| - | |
| |
| | | |
| | |
Property, plant, and equipment | |
| 13,673 | | |
| - | |
Total assets | |
$ | 13,935 | | |
$ | - | |
| |
| | | |
| | |
Current liabilities: | |
| | | |
| | |
Due from – intercompany | |
$ | 241 | | |
$ | - | |
Total current liabilities | |
| 241 | | |
| - | |
| |
| | | |
| | |
Total liabilities | |
$ | 241 | | |
$ | - | |
The
summarized operating results of the VIE’s are as follows:
Schedule
of Variable Interest Entities of Operations
| |
| | |
| |
| |
For the year ended | |
| |
December 31,
| | |
December 31,
| |
| |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
| |
| | |
| |
Cost of Sales | |
$ | 55 | | |
$ | - | |
General and administrative expense | |
| 1,127 | | |
| - | |
Net loss | |
$ | 1,182 | | |
$ | - | |
Subsequent
to year-end, based on a Purchase and Sales agreement defined in Note 20, and for the sum of approximately $7.5 million, the
Company’s ownership in DVSL was reduced from 67.8%
to 15%;
see Footnote 20 for further details.
The
Company applies ASC 280, Segment Reporting, in determining its reportable segments. As of December 31, 2022, the Company had
two reportable segments in Continuing Operations: Cryptocurrency Mining and Data Center Hosting. The Company notes that previously
there was an additional segment: Test and Measurement Instrumentation, however as discussed in Notes 1, 16, and 17, the Company sold
MTI Instruments in April 2022, and therefore classified this segment as discontinued operations. The guidance requires that segment
disclosures present the measure(s) used by the Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”) to decide how to allocate
resources and for purposes of assessing such segments’ performance. The Company’s CODM is comprised of several members
of its executive management team who use revenue and cost of revenues of both reporting segments to assess the performance of the
business of our reportable operating segments.
No
operating segments have been aggregated to form the reportable segments. The Company does not allocate all assets to the reporting segments
as these are managed on an entity-wide basis. Therefore, the Company does not separately disclose the total assets of its reportable
operating segments.
The
Cryptocurrency Mining segment generates revenue from the cryptocurrency the Company earns through its mining activities. The Data Center
Hosting segment generated revenue from contracts for the provision/consumption of electricity and operation of the data center from the
Company’s high performance computing facility that was located in Calvert City, Kentucky, known as Project Marie. As of February 28, 2023, this facility had been closed.
For
the year ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, approximately 5%
and 34%
of the Company’s cryptocurrency mining revenue was generated from Project Edith (data center located in Wenatchee,
Washington), 41%
and 41%
from Project Marie, and 54%
and 25%
from Project Sophie (data center located in Murray, Kentucky), respectively. 100%
of the Company’s data center hosting revenue was generated from Project Marie from hosting with customers for the years ended
December 31, 2022 and 2021.
The
Company evaluates performance based on profit or loss from operations before income taxes, accounting changes, items management does
not deem relevant to segment performance, and interest income and expense. Inter-segment sales and expenses are not significant. Non-cash
items of depreciation and amortization are included within both costs of sales and selling, general and administrative expenses.
The
following table details revenue and cost of revenues for the Company’s reportable segments for years ended December 31, 2022 and
2021, and reconciles to net loss on the consolidated statements of operations:
Schedule
of Segment Reporting Information
| |
| | |
| |
(Dollars in thousands) | |
Years
Ended December 31, | |
| |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
Reportable segment revenue: | |
| | | |
| | |
Cryptocurrency mining revenue | |
$ | 24,409 | | |
$ | 10,932 | |
Data hosting revenue | |
| 4,138 | | |
| 3,413 | |
Total segment and consolidated revenue | |
| 28,547 | | |
| 14,345 | |
Reportable segment cost of revenue: | |
| | | |
| | |
Cost of cryptocurrency mining revenue, inclusive of depreciation | |
| 32,989 | | |
| 5,626 | |
Cost of data hosting revenue | |
| 3,517 | | |
| 2,444 | |
Total segment and consolidated cost of revenues | |
| 36,506 | | |
| 8,070 | |
Reconciling items: | |
| | | |
| | |
General and administrative expenses | |
| 28,709 | | |
| 10,751 | |
Impairment on fixed assets | |
| 47,372 | | |
| - | |
Impairment on equity investment | |
| 750 | | |
| - | |
Interest expense | |
| 8,375 | | |
| 1,879 | |
Loss on debt extinguishment and revaluation | |
| 11,130 | | |
| - | |
Loss on sale of fixed assets | |
| 4,089 | | |
| - | |
Other income, net | |
| (22 | ) | |
| (11 | ) |
Net loss from continuing operations | |
| (107,016 | ) | |
| (6,388 | ) |
Income before income tax from discontinued operations (including gain on sale of MTI Instruments of $ $7,751 for the year ended December 31, 2022) | |
| 7,921 | | |
| 1,087 | |
Net income from discontinued operations | |
| 7,921 | | |
| 1,127 | |
Net loss | |
| (99,095 | ) | |
| (5,261 | ) |
(Less) Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest | |
| 380 | | |
| - | |
Net loss attributable to Soluna Holdings, Inc. | |
$ | (98,715 | ) | |
$ | (5,261 | ) |
| |
| | | |
| | |
Capital expenditures | |
| 63,684 | | |
| 45,792 | |
Depreciation and amortization | |
| 28,214 | | |
| 3,703 | |
20.
Subsequent Events
NYDIG
Notice and Repossession of Collateralized Assets
As
previously disclosed in Footnotes 9 and 14, on December 20, 2022, Soluna MC Borrowing 2021-1 LLC (“Borrower”), an
indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Soluna Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”), received a Notice of Acceleration and
Repossession (the “NYDIG Notice”) from NYDIG ABL LLC (“NYDIG”) with respect to the Master Equipment Finance
Agreement, dated as of December 30, 2021 (the “MEFA”), by and between Borrower and NYDIG. The assets which secure the
MEFA represent substantially all of the Company’s mining assets at the site and certain of the operating assets of Project
Marie, a 20 MW facility located in Kentucky. The obligations of Borrower under the MEFA and reflected in the NYDIG Notice are
ring-fenced to Borrower and its direct parent company, Soluna MC LLC. The Company is not a party to any guaranty, collateral
agreement or other support agreement with or for the benefit of NYDIG. The approximate aggregate principal and interest outstanding
under the MEFA as of December 20, 2022, were $10.8
million. According to NYDIG’s analysis of the value of the equipment, NYDIG asserts a recent market value of this
equipment at approximately $3.8
million.
On February 23, 2023, NYDIG proceeded to foreclose on all of the collateral securing the MEFA, which resulted in
a reportable disposition of all of the Company’s mining assets at the site and certain of the operating assets of Project Marie.
Additionally, NDYIG has stated its intention to pursue SCI,
the parent company of Guarantor, under a piercing of the corporate veil claim relating to Defendants’ debts and liabilities under
the loan documents. SCI denies any such liability and has filed a complaint for a declaratory judgment against NYDIG in the Eighth Judicial
District Court in Clark County, Nevada on March 16, 2023 seeking a declaratory judgment as to such matter. In a related development, also
on February 23, 2023, the Borrower received a notice of termination of the Management and Hosting Services Agreement with CC Metals and
Alloys, LLC. As a result of this action and certain other characteristics of the facility, the Company elected to shut down the Marie
facility. The Company believes it will maximize its profits and return on assets by concentrating its personnel and capital on its Dorothy
Facility.
With
the notice of termination of the Management and Hosting Services from CCMA, the Company notes that this event triggered the
impairment of the remaining fixed assets at the Marie facility. Based on the closure of operations on Project Marie, the Company
performed an impairment analysis and determined that approximately $2.4
million of equipment and leasehold approvements associated with Project Marie that were not attached with the repossession of NYDIG
collateralized assets were impaired as of year-end.
Promissory Notes
The
Company has issued six promissory notes to certain holders totaling an aggregate principal balance of $900 thousand in which were
issued in $300 thousand increments on January 13, 2023, February 3, 2023, and February 10, 2023. Each of the promissory notes accrue
at an interest rate of 15% per annum, and each note matures within nine months subsequent its issuance. On March 24, 2023, the
Company issued to the holders of the promissory notes on January 13, 2023, 1,337,916 shares of common stock in satisfaction of the
repayment of $300 thousand in principal plus accrued and unpaid interest and other charges thereon, at the same price per share as
the agreed upon share price conversion rate noted in relation to the December 5, 2022 SPA amendment on February 9, 2023, and
approved during the Special Shareholders Meeting on March 10, 2023.
Project
Dorothy Definitive Agreements
On
March 2, 2023, Soluna DV Services, LLC, a Nevada limited liability company (“ServeCo”) and an indirect wholly-owned
subsidiary of Soluna Holdings, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), entered into a series of agreements with
(a) Briscoe Wind Farm, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Briscoe”), (b) Golden Spread Electric Cooperative,
Inc., a Texas cooperative corporation (“GSEC”), and (c) Lighthouse Electric Cooperative, Inc., a Texas cooperative
corporation (“LHEC”). All the agreements were effective as of February 24, 2023 (the “Effective Date”).
The Company has been developing a modular data center in phases (the “Dorothy Facility”). The two phases of the Dorothy
Facility will have a peak demand of 50 megawatts, and if, upon mutual agreement, all four phases are completed, the data center will
have an estimated peak demand of 150 megawatts. The Dorothy Facility will be located next to, and supplied energy from, Briscoe’s
150-megawatt wind farm located at or near Briscoe and Floyd Counties, Texas (the “Briscoe Wind Farm”). Under the agreements,
LHEC and GSEC will supply the Dorothy Facility with energy from the Briscoe Wind Farm and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (“ERCOT”)
market.
ServeCo
and LHEC entered into an Agreement for Electric Service to Soluna DV Services, LLC (the “Retail Agreement”) for resale
of energy supplied from the Briscoe Wind Farm and the ERCOT market delivered by GSEC for service to the energy load of the Dorothy Facility.
As noted above, GSEC has by separate agreement arranged to purchase power at wholesale from Briscoe or to deliver and purchase power
from the ERCOT market to serve LHEC with electric power and energy for resale to ServeCo for service to the Dorothy Facility. The initial
term of the Retail Agreement is five years, with up to five extension terms of one year each unless terminated by LHEC or ServeCo.
ServeCo
and Briscoe also entered into a Cooperation Agreement (the “Cooperation Agreement”), pursuant to which Briscoe and
ServeCo agreed to certain rights, obligations, and restrictions with respect to the real property of the Dorothy Facility and the construction,
interconnection, permitting, operation, maintenance, removal, and decommissioning of the Dorothy Facility and applicable credit support.
Soluna DV ComputeCo, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company and Soluna DVSL
ComputeCo, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company became parties to the Cooperation
Agreement by each entering into a Joinder Agreement on the Effective Date. Unless terminated sooner in accordance with its terms, the
term of the Cooperation Agreement is from the Effective Date until the expiration or termination of the Power Purchase Agreement, by
and between Briscoe and GSEC, dated as of the Effective Date (the “PPA”).
ServeCo,
Briscoe, LHEC, and GSEC also entered into a Performance and Net Energy Security Agreement (the “PSA”), pursuant to
which ServeCo will provide certain credit support to LHEC in connection with its obligations under the Retail Agreement and the other
transaction agreements. The PSA is effective on the Effective Date and will remain in effect for 18 months following the later of the
termination of the Retail Agreement or the termination of the PPA.
On
the Effective Date, ServeCo and Alice Fay Grabbe (“Owner”) entered into a Lease Agreement (the “Lease”)
to lease certain real property located in Briscoe County, Texas for the Dorothy Facility. Unless terminated sooner in accordance with
its terms, the initial term of the Lease is five years. The initial term of the Lease will automatically extend for five additional one-year
periods, unless terminated by ServeCo or Owner.
Spring
Lane Contribution and Change in Ownership in Soluna DVSL ComputeCo.
On March 10, 2023, the Company
along with Soluna DV Devco, LLC, a Nevada limited liability company (“Devco”), and Soluna DVSL ComputeCo, LLC, a Delaware
limited liability company (the “Project Company”) entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement (the “Purchase
and Sale Agreement”) with Soluna SLC Fund I Projects Holdco, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Spring Lane”)
that is wholly owned indirectly by Spring Lane Management LLC. The Project Company is constructing a modular data center with a peak demand
of 25 megawatts (the “Dorothy Phase 1A Facility”).
Under a series of transactions in February 2023 and March 2023, culminating in the March
10, 2023 Purchase and Sale Agreement, the Company sold to Spring Lane certain Class B Membership Interests for a purchase price of
$7,500,000 (the
“Sale”). After giving effect to the Sale, the Company owned 6,790,537 Class
B Membership Interests (constituting 14.6% of
the Class B Membership Interests) and Spring Lane owns 39,791,988 Class
B Membership Interests (constituting 85.4% of
the Class B Membership Interests). The cash portion of the purchase price paid by Spring Lane to the Company was $5,770,065,
which represented the purchase price of $7,500,000 less
the Company’s pro rata share of certain contributions funded entirely by Spring Lane in the earlier portion of this series of
transactions occurring during February 2023 and March 2023. As a further part of these transactions, the parties agreed that from
Jan. 1, 2023 onwards, Soluna would bear only 14.6% of
the costs relating to the construction and operation of the Dorothy Phase 1A Facility, compared to its 67.8% share
until that time, including during the calendar year 2022. After
Spring Lane Capital realizes an 18% Internal Rate of Return hurdle on its investments, the Company retains the right to 50% of the
profits on Soluna DVSL ComputeCo. In connection with the Spring Lane transactions and agreements, Soluna DV Services, LLC. will be
providing the operations and maintenance services to Soluna DVSL ComputeCo, LLC. Soluna DV Services, LLC expects to receive a
margin of 20% for services rendered.
Concurrently
with the Sale, the Company, Spring Lane, Devco and the Project Company entered into (a) the Fourth Amended and Restated Limited Liability
Company Agreement of the Project Company, dated as of March 10, 2023 (the “Fourth A&R LLCA”), an amendment and
restatement of the Third Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of the Project Company dated as of March 3, 2023, and
(b) the Amended and Restated Contribution Agreement, dated as of March 10, 2023 (the “A&R Contribution Agreement”),
an amendment and restatement of the Contribution Agreement dated as of August 5, 2022. The Fourth A&R LLCA provides for certain updates
in respect of Spring Lane’s majority ownership. The A&R Contribution Agreement reflects updated pro rata member funding percentages
as a result of the Sale as well as updated contribution caps for each of the Company and Spring Lane.