VVPR VivoPower International PLC

ITEM 3. KEY INFORMATION

A. Selected Financial Data

Our historical consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with IFRS and are presented in U.S. dollars. The selected historical consolidated financial information set forth below has been derived from, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, our historical consolidated financial statements for the periods presented. Historical information as of and for the year ended June 30, 2022, for the year ended June 30, 2021, and for the year ended June 30, 2020, is derived from, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, our consolidated financial statements. The financial statements have been audited by PKF Littlejohn LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm. You should read the information presented below in conjunction with those audited consolidated financial statements, the notes thereto and the discussion under “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects” included elsewhere in this Annual Report.

B. Capitalization and Indebtedness

Not applicable.

C. Reasons for the Offer and Use of Proceeds

Not applicable.

D. Risk Factors

An investment in our shares involves a high degree of risk and our business faces significant risk and uncertainty. You should carefully consider the following information, together with the other information in this Annual Report and in other documents we file with or furnish to the SEC, before deciding to invest in or maintain an investment in any of our securities. Our business, as well as our financial condition or results of operations could be materially and adversely affected by any of these risks, as well as other risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or not currently considered material. The market price of our shares could decline as a result of any of these risks or uncertainties, and you could lose all or part of your investment.  

Risks related to our business and operations

Our operational and financial results may vary significantly from period to period due to fluctuations in our operating costs and other factors. 

With our new SES strategy, including electric vehicles and electrical services to the solar power market, our potential growth trajectory has significantly changed. In order to facilitate this potential growth, we will need to make significant investments of both an operational expenditure and a capital expenditure nature.

We may not be profitable from period to period because we do not know the rate at which our revenue will grow, if it will grow at all, and we do not know the rate at which we will incur expenses . If we do achieve profitability, we may not be able to sustain or increase profitability on a quarterly or annual basis. Our revenue and operating results are difficult to predict and may vary significantly from period to period .

We expect our period to period financial results to vary based on our operating costs, which we anticipate will fluctuate as the pace at which we continue to design, develop and manufacture new products and to increase production capacity by expanding our current manufacturing facilities and adding future facilities may change. Additionally, our revenues from period to period may fluctuate as we introduce existing products to new markets for the first time and as we develop and introduce new products. Moreover, our financial results may not meet expectations of equity research analysts, ratings agencies or investors, who may focus on short-term financial results. Accordingly, the trading price of our stock could decline substantially, either suddenly or over time.

Sustained losses could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. 

If we fail to meet changing customer demands, we may lose customers and our sales could suffer. 

The industry in which we operate changes rapidly. Changes in our customers’ requirements result in new and more demanding technologies, product specifications and sizes, and manufacturing processes. Our ability to remain competitive will depend upon our ability to develop technologically advanced products and processes. We must continue to meet the increasingly sophisticated requirements of our customers on a cost-effective basis. We cannot be certain that we will be able to successfully introduce, market and cost-effectively source any new products, or that we will be able to develop new or enhanced products and processes that satisfy customer needs or achieve market acceptance. Any resulting loss of customers could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. 

We face competition in the markets, industries and business segments in which we operate, which could adversely affect our business, operating results, financial condition and future prospects. 

We face competition in each of the business segments and jurisdictions in which we operate. Some of our competitors (i) have more financial, technological, engineering and manufacturing resources than we do to develop products, services and solutions that may compete favorably against our products; (ii) are developing or are currently producing products, services and solutions based on new technologies that may ultimately have costs similar to or lower than ours; (iii) have government-backed financial resources or parent companies with greater depths of resources than are available to us; (iv) have access to a lower cost of capital than we do; (v) have stronger distribution partnerships and channels than we do, enabling access to larger customer bases; and (vi) may have longer operating histories, greater name and brand recognition and greater economies of scale than we do. 

In addition, new competitors or alliances among existing competitors could emerge and rapidly acquire significant market share, adversely impacting our business in the process.

We expect that our competitors will continuously innovate to improve their ability to deliver products, services and solutions to meet customer demands. Should we fail to compete effectively, this could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Our inability to protect our intellectual property could adversely affect our business. We may also be subject to intellectual property rights claims by third parties, which are extremely costly to defend, could require us to pay significant damages and could limit our ability to use certain technologies.

Any failure to protect our proprietary rights adequately could result in our competitors offering similar renewable technology services more quickly than anticipated, potentially resulting in the loss of some of our competitive advantage and a decrease in our revenue which would adversely affect our business prospects, financial condition and operating results. Our success depends, at least in part, on our ability to protect our core technology and intellectual property. We rely on intellectual property laws, primarily a combination of copyright and trade secret laws in the U.S., U.K., Europe, United Arab Emirates and Australia, as well as license agreements and other contractual provisions, to protect our proprietary technology and brand. We cannot be certain our agreements and other contractual provisions will not be breached, including a breach involving the use or disclosure of our trade secrets or know-how, or that adequate remedies will be available in the event of any breach. In addition, our trade secrets may otherwise become known or lose trade secret protection.

We cannot be certain our products and our business do not or will not violate the intellectual property rights of a third party. Third parties, including our competitors, may own patents or other intellectual property rights that cover aspects of our technology or business methods. Such parties may claim we have misappropriated, misused, violated or infringed upon third-party intellectual property rights and if we gain greater recognition in the market, we face a higher risk of being the subject of claims we have violated others' intellectual property rights. Any claim we violated a third party's intellectual property rights, whether with or without merit, could be time-consuming, expensive to settle or litigate and could divert our management's attention and other resources, all of which could adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. If we do not successfully settle or defend an intellectual property claim, we could be liable for significant monetary damages and could be prohibited from continuing to use certain technology, business methods, content or brands. To avoid a prohibition, we could seek a license from third parties, which could require us to pay significant royalties, increasing our operating expenses. If a license is not available at all or not available on commercially reasonable terms, we may be required to develop or license a non-violating alternative, either of which could adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

Our brand and reputation are key assets of our business, and if our brand or reputation is damaged, our business and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

If we fail to deliver our renewable products or critical power services within planned timelines and contracted obligations, or our products and services do not perform as anticipated, or if we materially damage any of our clients’ properties, or cancel projects, our brand name and reputation could be significantly impaired. If customers or potential customers have or develop a less favorable view of our brand or reputation, for the reasons stated above or for any other reason, it could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Our future business depends in part on our ability to make strategic acquisitions, investments and divestitures and to establish and maintain strategic relationships, and our failure to do so could have a material and adverse effect on our market penetration and revenue growth.

We frequently look for and evaluate opportunities to acquire other businesses, make strategic investments or establish strategic relationships with third parties to improve our market position or expand our products and services. When market conditions permit and opportunities arise, we may also consider divesting part of our current business to focus management attention and improve our operating efficiency. Investments, strategic acquisitions and relationships with third parties could subject us to a number of risks, including risks associated with integrating their personnel, operations, services, internal controls and financial reporting into our operations as well as the loss of control of operations that are material to our business. If we divest any material part of our business, we may not be able to benefit from our investment and experience associated with that part of the business and may be subject to intensified concentration risks with less flexibility to respond to market fluctuations. Moreover, it could be expensive to make strategic acquisitions, investments, divestitures and establish and maintain relationships, and we may be subject to the risk of non-performance by a counterparty, which may in turn lead to monetary losses that materially and adversely affect our business. We cannot assure you that we will be able to successfully make strategic acquisitions and investments and successfully integrate them into our operations or make strategic divestitures or establish strategic relationships with third parties that will prove to be effective for our business. Our inability to do so could materially and adversely affect our market penetration, our revenue growth and our profitability.

Additionally, any acquisition involves potential risks, including, among other things:

Our insurance coverage strategy may not be adequate to protect us from all business risks.

We may be subject, in the ordinary course of business, to losses resulting from products liability, accidents, acts of God and other claims against us, for which we may have no insurance coverage. Additionally, the policies that we do have may include significant deductibles or self-insured retentions, policy limitations and exclusions, and we cannot be certain that our insurance coverage will be sufficient to cover all future losses or claims against us. A loss that is uninsured or which exceeds policy limits may require us to pay substantial amounts, which may harm our business, operating results and financial condition.

Our operations may be adversely affected by failure to maintain or renegotiate distribution, supply, manufacturing or license agreements on favorable terms

We have distribution, supply, manufacturing and license agreements for our businesses. These agreements vary depending on the particular business, but tend to be for a fixed number of years. There can be no assurance that our businesses will be able to renegotiate rights on favorable terms when these agreements expire or that they will not be terminated. Failure to renew these agreements on favorable terms, or any disputes with distributors of our businesses’ products or suppliers of materials, could have an adverse impact on our business and financial results.

We may incur unexpected warranty and performance guarantee claims that could materially and adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations. 

In connection with our products and services, we may provide various system warranties and/or performance guarantees. While we generally are able to pass through manufacturer warranties we receive from our suppliers to our customers, in some circumstances, our warranty period may exceed the manufacturer’s warranty period or the manufacturer warranties may not otherwise fully compensate for losses associated with customer claims pursuant to a warranty or performance guarantee we provided. For example, most manufacturer warranties exclude many losses that may result from a system component’s failure or defect, such as the cost of de-installation, re-installation, shipping, lost electricity, lost renewable energy credits or other solar incentives, personal injury, property damage, and other losses. In addition, in the event we seek recourse through manufacturer warranties, we will also be dependent on the creditworthiness and continued existence of these suppliers. These risks are exacerbated in the event such manufacturers cease operations or fail to honor their warranties.

As a result, warranty or other performance guarantee claims against us that exceed reserves could cause us to incur substantial expense to repair or replace defective products. Warranty reserves include management’s best estimates of the projected costs to repair or to replace items under warranty, which are based on actual claims incurred to date and an estimate of the nature, frequency and costs of future claims. Such estimates are inherently uncertain and subject to change based on our historical or projected experience. Significant repair and replacement costs could materially and negatively impact our financial condition or results of operations, as well divert employee time to remedying such issues. In addition, quality issues can have various other ramifications, including delays in the recognition of revenue, loss of revenue, loss of future sales opportunities, increased costs associated with repairing or replacing products, and a negative impact on our reputation, any of which could also adversely affect our business or operating results. 

Our new group SES strategy, including electric vehicles and electrical services to the solar power industry market, may not be successful, could disrupt our existing operations and increase costs, decrease profitability and reduce cash flows across the group.

Prior to the Tembo acquisition, our core businesses were primarily the provision of critical power solutions to a diverse range of government, commercial and industrial customers throughout Australia and the development, construction, and sale of photovoltaic (“PV”) solar projects in Australia and the U.S.

Following the Tembo acquisition, we have pivoted our strategy to focus on delivering end-to-end sustainable energy solutions to corporate customers (including electric vehicles and electrical services to the solar power industry market,) to help them accelerate achievement of their net zero carbon goals. These include existing customers of our critical power solutions business, particularly those in hard to decarbonize sectors such as the mining, infrastructure and utilities sectors. As part of this strategy, we have also divested of the non-solar operations of JA Martin in July 2022

There can be no assurance that the new SES strategy will succeed, especially as it is a new business model. For example, there may not be enough customers who engage us to deliver full end-to-end SES solutions to drive the growth that our management is targeting. We may not be able to perfect solutions that meet the expectations of customers and we may be surpassed by competitors with better technologies. We may not be able to scale up Tembo appropriately or sufficiently integrate it with our existing business operations.

The new SES strategy may transform our growth trajectory but in doing so it will involve significant investment and place strain on our financial and management resources, as well as our business and compliance systems, people and processes. We may not be able to scale up our systems, hire enough people and upgrade our processes effectively so as to realize this growth. If we fail to achieve the targeted growth upon which our investments are made, this could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Any of the above could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Our ability to scale up Tembo, our commercial electric vehicle (“EV”) segment is dependent on securing new business opportunities, meeting the requirements of customers and the timely delivery of orders across different market sectors. 

We plan to expand significantly in the commercial electric vehicle market, providing light electric vehicles (“LEV”) with a key focus initially on servicing LEV customers in the mining, infrastructure and utilities sectors. As we look to develop these opportunities and secure orders, we will incur increased operational expenditures and capital expenditures that may impact our profitability and cash flows. 

We will continue to be engaged in product innovation with Tembo as we look to introduce new products, including LEV conversion kits with a longer range and/or greater payload capacity. To the extent that such innovation does not successfully meet regulatory requirements, quality and safety standards and/or customer expectations more generally, future sales could be impaired.

Following the acquisition of Tembo, we signed distribution agreements with a number of partners in North America, Australia, the Middle East and Europe to sell Tembo LEV conversion kits. In addition, we signed a binding letter of intent and a design services agreement to partner with Toyota Motor Corporation Australia (“TMCA”) to provide electrification solutions for the Toyota Landcruiser model, with a focus initially on off-road applications in Australia. If Tembo is not able to meet the technical specifications, quality and safety standards of our customers and partners, this will have a material adverse effect on Tembo’s brand, reputation, revenue and future prospects. Furthermore, if Tembo is unable to fulfill product delivery volumes in accordance with timelines agreed with our customers and partners, this could have a material adverse effect on future sales, operating results and the financial condition of the business.

The future growth and success of Tembo is dependent upon acceptance of its zero-emission specialist battery-electric off-road vehicle kits amongst key target customers in the mining, infrastructure and utilities sectors.

Our strategy for Tembo is to focus its vehicle fleet electrification efforts on the ruggedized, customized and off-road segments of the electric vehicle market including for the mining, infrastructure and utilities sectors. This market is relatively new, rapidly evolving, and characterized by rapidly changing technologies, new competitors, evolving government regulation and industry standards, frequent new vehicle announcements and changing consumer demands and behaviors. If this market does not develop as we expect or develops more slowly than we expect, our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects will be materially adversely affected.

Factors that may influence the market acceptance of new zero-emission vehicles and the conversion of existing vehicles to zero-emission electric vehicles include:

The influence of any of the factors described above may cause current or potential customers not to purchase Tembo’s electric vehicles, which would materially adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.

Tembo faces certain operational risks as it seeks to scale up its assembly and delivery capabilities and if it fails to execute properly, this will expose us to material losses and compromise our cash flows.

The Tembo business faces operational risks as a maker of battery-electric ruggedized and off-road vehicles embarking on a scale up of its assembly and delivery capabilities. These risks include:

Constant innovation and product development is required for Tembo to ensure it remains competitive and relevant.

Tembo operates in a market that is relatively new, rapidly evolving, and characterized by rapidly changing technologies, new competitors, evolving government regulation and industry standards, frequent new vehicle announcements and changing consumer demands and behaviors. In order to stay competitive and relevant, it needs to continuously innovate and invest in product development and new technologies.

In particular, we are in the process of developing a next generation 72kWh battery kit. Our ability to execute on the research, development and design of this battery kit within the intended time and budget is key to deliver to our distribution partners and customers in accordance with our existing and upcoming agreements and to grow revenues at Tembo.

If Tembo fails to innovate and evolve to meet customer demands and stay ahead of competing technologies and companies, it may become obsolete or non-competitive. This would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

If the Tembo business does not perform in line with our expectations, we may be required to write-down the carrying value of our investment, including goodwill and intangible assets.

Under IFRS, we are required to test the carrying value of long-term assets or cash-generating units for impairment at least annually and more frequently if we have reason to believe that our expectations for the future cash flows generated by these assets may no longer be valid. If the results of operations and cash flows generated by Tembo are not in line with our expectations, we may be required to write-down the carrying value of the investment. Any write-down could materially affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The market value of our investment in our SES assets may decrease, which may cause us to take accounting charges or to incur losses if we decide to sell them following a decline in their values. 

The fair market value of investments we have made in our U.S. solar projects may decline. The fair market values of the investments we have made or may make in the future may increase or decrease depending on a number of factors, many of which are beyond our control, including the general economic and market conditions affecting the renewable energy industry, wholesale electricity prices, expectations of future market electricity prices, unforeseen development delays, unfavorable project development costs, prohibitive deposit requirements by power offtakers and utilities for interconnection, and long-term interest rates.

Any deterioration in the market values of our investments could cause us to record impairment charges in our financial statements, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. If we sell any of our investments when prices for such investments have fallen, the sale may be at less than the investments’ carrying value on our financial statements, which could result in a loss, which could also have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We have a limited operating track record in the development and sale of SES solutions under our new business model and, as a result, we may not be successful developing and scaling up this business segment profitably. 

The SES business segment aims to deliver solutions that combine electrification of customers’ light commercial vehicles; the design, development, construction and electrification of renewable energy powered sites that address customers’ critical power requirements (which will typically involve a solar power system, microgrid and charging stations); and the reuse or recycling of batteries from fleets of electric vehicles once the batteries reach the end of their useful life for vehicle applications.

We have experience in developing, financing and building solar power systems including two utility scale solar projects to date in the U.S., totaling 91 MW-DC, as well as building 10 utility and large industrial solar projects in Australia totaling 684 MW-DC. We also acquired, operated and sold 84 operating distributed generation solar systems in Australia. However, we have limited experience and track record in combining this experience to develop and offer a complete SES solution with electric vehicles, renewable microgrids, battery recycling and reuse and we are still in the process of developing such capabilities. As of June 30, 2022, we had completed a feasibility study for one SES project in the United Kingdom.

Should we fail to appropriately scale up the SES business segment, we may incur operating losses that reduce our cash flows and have a material adverse effect on our financial condition.

Our Australian critical power services workforce and our Netherlands electric vehicle workforce may become unionized, resulting in higher costs of operations and reduced labor efficiency.

A small number of our critical power services workforce is currently unionized. The critical power services business in Australia represents the largest proportion of our workforce. This part of our business operates in the Hunter Valley region of Australia whose economy is predominately driven by the mining industry and many businesses in the area are unionized. In periods of strong growth and activity in the mining sector, such as has been experienced over the past five years, the labor market usually becomes extremely competitive, which may entice our workforce to seek collective bargaining through union representation. Unionization of our critical power services workforce could result in additional costs for industrial relations, legal and consulting services, higher labor rates, new requirements for additional employment benefits, more restrictive overtime rules, and less flexible work scheduling, all of which could result in a significant increase in the cost of labor and the requirement for additional labor to maintain existing productivity.

Our Netherlands workforce for our electric vehicles business segment is currently not unionized. However, as we grow that workforce, some of the expanded workforce may be unionized.

Should such increased unionization occur, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operation.

Development and sales of our solar projects may be delayed or may not be fully realized, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

In the U.S., we have a portfolio of 12 utility-scale solar projects under development, representing total electricity generating capacity of approximately 1.3 terawatt-hours per year. In the U.K., the Company has one project that it anticipates developing in the near-term. These projects are at varying stages of development and will take many months or even years to complete and sell. The successful development and sale of these projects is subject to a range of risks and uncertainties, including risks and uncertainties relating to economic and market conditions, political and regulatory conditions, and business and other factors beyond our control.

In addition, the attractiveness of these projects to potential purchasers is subject to numerous risks, including: (i) unfavorable changes in forecast construction costs; (ii) engineering or design problems; (iii) problems with obtaining permits, licenses, approvals or property rights necessary or desirable to consummate the projects; (iv) interconnection or transmission related issues; (v) environmental issues; (vi) force majeure events; (vii) access to project financing (including debt, equity or tax credits) on insufficiently attractive terms; and (viii) inability to secure off-takers, including pursuant to power purchase agreements (“PPA”). Failure to secure off-takers on terms favorable to us, or at all, may render projects economically unviable. Even if we are able to secure off-takers, we may experience extended delays in entering into PPAs for some of our solar power projects. Any delay in entering into PPAs may adversely affect our ability to secure the cash flows generated by such projects and impact the economics of those projects. Furthermore, any PPAs may be subject to price adjustments over time. If the price under any of our solar project PPAs is reduced below a level that makes a project economically viable, our financial conditions, cash flows and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

Accordingly, the actual amount of proceeds from sales realized and the actual periods during which these proceeds are realized may vary substantially from our plans and projections. Our inability to realize some or all of the cash from the sale of solar projects could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows and create a risk that we will not be able to continue as a going concern.

We may lose our foreign private issuer status, which would then require us to comply with the Exchange Act’s domestic reporting regime and cause us to incur additional legal, accounting and other expenses.

In order to maintain our current status as a foreign private issuer, either (1) a majority of our ordinary shares must be either directly or indirectly owned of record by non-residents of the United States or (2) (a) a majority of our executive officers or directors must not be U.S. citizens or residents, (b) more than 50 percent of our assets cannot be located in the U.S. and (c) our business must be administered principally outside the U.S. If we lost this status, we would be required to comply with the Exchange Act reporting and other requirements applicable to U.S. domestic issuers, which are more detailed and extensive than the requirements for foreign private issuers. We may also be required to make changes in our corporate governance practices in accordance with various SEC rules and the Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”) listing standards. Further, we would be required to comply with U.S. GAAP, as opposed to IFRS, in the preparation and issuance of our financial statements for historical and current periods. The regulatory and compliance costs to us under U.S. securities laws if we are required to comply with the reporting requirements applicable to a U.S. domestic issuer may be higher than the cost we would incur as a foreign private issuer. As a result, we expect that a loss of foreign private issuer status would increase our legal and financial compliance costs.

Risks related to raising of capital and financing

If we continue to experience losses and we are not able to raise additional financing on sufficiently attractive terms to provide the financing to grow the revenue streams of the Company to become profit making, or generate cash through sales of assets, we may not have sufficient liquidity to sustain our operations and to continue as a going concern.

We experienced a loss of $21.6 million, $8.0 million and $5.1 million for the years ended June 30, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively. If we are unable to generate sufficient revenue from the operation of our businesses, grow our electric vehicle sales, and generate sales of SES projects, or if we are unable to reduce our expenses sufficiently, we may continue to experience substantial losses.

The accompanying consolidated financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis and do not include any adjustments that result from uncertainty about our ability to continue as a going concern. However, if losses continue, and if we are unable raise additional financing on sufficiently attractive terms or generate cash through sales of solar projects or other material assets or other means, then we may not have sufficient liquidity to sustain our operations and may not be able to continue as a going concern.

We expect to require additional financing to execute our strategy to operate and grow our business and additional requisite funding may not be available to us when we need or want it.

Our operations and our future plans for expansion are capital intensive requiring significant investment in operational expenditures and capital expenditures to realize the growth potential of our electric vehicle, critical power services, sustainable energy solutions and solar development businesses. In addition, we are subject to substantial and ongoing administrative and related expenses required to operate and grow a public company. Together these items impose substantial requirements on our cash flow and the specific timing of cash inflows and outflows may fluctuate substantially from period to period. As a result, we expect to require some combination of additional financing options in order to execute our strategy and meet the operating cash flow requirements necessary to operate and grow our business. We may need or want to raise additional funds through the issuance of equity, equity-related or debt securities or through obtaining credit from financial institutions to fund, together with our principal sources of liquidity, the costs of developing and manufacturing our current or future products, to pay any significant unplanned or accelerated expenses or for new significant strategic investments, or to refinance our significant consolidated indebtedness, even if not required to do so by the terms of such indebtedness. We may not be able to obtain the additional or requisite funding on favorable terms when required, or at all, in order to execute our strategic development plans or to meet our cash flow needs. Our inability to obtain funding or engage in strategic transactions could have a material adverse effect on our business, our strategic development plan for future growth, our financial condition, and our results of operations. 

We may not be able to generate sufficient cash flow to service all our indebtedness, any additional debt we may incur and our other ongoing liquidity needs, and we may be forced to take other actions to satisfy our obligations under our indebtedness or any additional debt we may incur, which may not be successful.

As of June 30, 2022, we had an aggregate of $28.6 million in debt obligations. Our ability to make scheduled payments on or to refinance our debt obligations and to fund our ongoing liquidity needs depends on our financial condition and operating performance, which is subject to prevailing economic and competitive conditions and to certain financial, business and other factors beyond our control. There can be no assurance that we will maintain a level of cash flow from operating activities or that future borrowings will be available to us in an amount or on terms sufficient to permit us to pay the principal and interest on our indebtedness. If our cash flow and capital resources are insufficient to fund our debt service obligations, we may be forced to reduce or delay investments and capital expenditures, sell material assets, or to seek additional capital or restructure or refinance our indebtedness. These alternative measures may not be successful and may not permit us to meet our scheduled debt service obligations.

We could also face substantial liquidity problems and might be required to dispose of material assets or operations to meet our debt service and other obligations or risk not being able to continue as a going concern. In addition, we may be able to incur additional indebtedness in the future. If new indebtedness is added to our current debt levels, the related risks that we now face could intensify. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects.

If we fail to adequately manage our planned growth, our overall business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

We had a forward order book of $6.2 million as of June 30, 2022, for our critical power services segment, representing 30% of the $21.0 million revenue generated by this segment (on a continuing basis) for the year ended June 30, 2022. In addition, we have also secured potential commitments in our electric vehicles segment to deliver 6,609 electric vehicle conversion kits over the next 5 years. We are targeting significant growth across our businesses over the next 5 years, underpinned by strong industry tailwinds including the electrification of fleet vehicles, the adoption and acceleration of net zero carbon goals by corporate customers, and growth of the renewable and infrastructure sectors in our key geographic markets.

We expect that this significant growth in activity will place significant stress on our operations, management, employee base and ability to meet working capital requirements sufficient to support this growth over the next 12 to 36 months. Any failure to address the needs of our growing business successfully could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition.

We may be unable to obtain favorable financing from our vendors and suppliers, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations and prospects.

In addition to obtaining financing from certain financial parties, we have also historically utilized financing from our vendors and suppliers through customary trade payables or account payables. At times, we have increased the number of days’ payables outstanding. There can be no assurance that our vendors and suppliers will continue to allow us to maintain existing or planned payables balances, and if we were forced to reduce our payables balances below our planned level without obtaining alternative financing, our inability to fund our operations would materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. We could also face substantial liquidity problems and might be required to dispose of material assets or enter into economically unfavorable financing arrangements to meet creditor demands or risk not being able to continue as a going concern.

If we are unable to enter into new financing agreements when needed, or upon desirable terms, or if any of our current financing partners discontinue or materially change our financing terms, we may be unable to finance our operations and development projects or our borrowing costs could increase, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We continue to require working capital and credit facilities to fund the growth of our critical power services businesses, and we may require additional working capital and credit facilities to fund the growth of the electric vehicles business and the up-front costs associated with the development and sale of sustainable energy solutions projects. Without access to sufficient and appropriate financing, or if such financing is not available at desirable rates or on terms we deem appropriate, we would be unable to grow our business. Our ability to obtain financing in the future depends on banks’ and other financing sources’ continued confidence in our business model and the industries in which we operate as a whole. In addition, wholesale regulatory changes within financial services markets within specific jurisdictions in which we operate can affect the availability of financing for our businesses resulting from capital availability in the market and appetite of the market for certain industries, risks, or businesses. Changes to our business, the business of our lenders, or the financing market in a region or as a whole could result in us being unable to obtain new financing or maintain existing credit facilities. Failure to obtain necessary financing to fund our operations would materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. To date, we have obtained financing for our business from a limited number of financial parties. If any of these financial parties decided not to continue financing our business or to materially change the terms under which they are willing to provide financing, we could be required to identify new financial parties and negotiate new financing documentation. The process of identifying new financing partners and agreeing on all relevant business and legal terms could be lengthy and could require us to reduce the rate of growth of our business until such new financing arrangements were in place. In addition, there can be no assurance that the terms of the financing provided by a new financial party would compare favorably with the terms available from our current financing partners. In any such case, our borrowing costs could increase, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. 

We are a holding company whose material assets consist of our holdings in our subsidiaries, upon whom we are dependent for distributions.

We are a holding company whose material assets consists of our holdings in our subsidiaries. We do not have independent sources of revenue generation. Although we intend to cause our subsidiaries to make distributions to us in an amount necessary to cover our obligations, expenses, taxes and any dividends we may declare, if one or more of our operating subsidiaries became restricted from making distributions under the provisions of any debt or other agreements or applicable laws to which it is subject, or is otherwise unable to make such distributions, it could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and liquidity.

Risks related to ownership of our Ordinary Shares

The trading price of our Ordinary Shares is highly volatile and likely to continue to be so, presenting litigation risks.

The trading price of our Ordinary Shares has been highly volatile and will likely continue to be subject to wide fluctuations in response to various factors, most of which are beyond our control. Our Ordinary Shares have experienced an intra-day trading high of $7.35 per share and a low of $1.02 per share during FY2022.

The stock market in general, and the market for technology-oriented companies in particular, has experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of those companies. Furthermore, short sellers and activists may seek to sensationalize selected news about companies, including ours, so as to influence supply and demand for the Ordinary Shares, further influencing volatility in its market price. Public perception and other factors outside of our control may additionally impact our stock price.

Following periods of volatility in the overall market and our share price, there is a risk that securities class action litigation may be filed against us. While we would defend any such actions vigorously, any judgement against us or any future stockholder litigation could result in substantial costs and a diversion of our management’s attention and resources.

We may issue additional securities in the future, which may result in dilution to our shareholders.

We are not restricted from issuing additional Ordinary Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares. Because we anticipate we will need to raise additional capital to operate and/or expand our business, we expect to conduct equity offerings in the future.

There is no limit on the number of Ordinary Shares we may issue under our articles of association, however the directors’ authority to allot Ordinary Shares is limited to the extent authorized by the shareholders of the Company. On December 18, 2020 at an extraordinary general meeting, the shareholders authorized the Company to allot shares in the Company and to grant rights to subscribe for, or to convert any security into, shares in the Company up to an aggregate nominal value of $180,000, such authority to expire on December 18, 2025, and the shareholders waived all and any pre-emption rights in respect of the same. To the extent we conduct additional equity offerings, additional Ordinary Shares will be issued, which may result in dilution to our shareholders. The Ordinary Shares underlying our securities may be eligible for public resale in the future, either pursuant to registration or an exemption from registration. Sales of substantial numbers of shares in the public market could adversely affect the market price of our Ordinary Shares. In addition, issuances of a substantial number of shares will reduce the equity interest of our existing investors and could cause a change in control of our Company.

We do not intend to pay any dividends on our Ordinary Shares at this time.

We have not paid any cash dividends on our Ordinary Shares to date. The payment of cash dividends on our Ordinary Shares in the future will be dependent upon our revenue and earnings, if any, capital requirements, and general financial condition, as well as the limitations on dividends and distributions that exist under the applicable laws and regulations of England and Wales and will be within the discretion of our board of directors. It is the present intention of our board of directors to retain all earnings, if any, for use in our business operations and, accordingly, our board of directors does not anticipate declaring any dividends on our Ordinary Shares in the foreseeable future. As a result, any gain you will realize on our Ordinary Shares will result solely from the appreciation of such shares.

We cannot assure you that our Ordinary Shares will always trade in an active and liquid public market. In addition, at times trading in our ordinary shares on Nasdaq has been highly volatile with significant fluctuations in price and trading volume, and such volatility and fluctuations may continue to occur in the future. Low liquidity, high volatility, declines in our stock price or a potential delisting of our Ordinary Shares may have a negative effect on our ability to raise capital on attractive terms or at all and may have a material adverse effect on our operations.

The market price of our Ordinary Shares may be influenced by many factors, many of which are beyond our control, including those described above in “Risks related to our business and operations.” As a result of these and other factors, investors in our Ordinary Shares may not be able to resell their shares at or above the price they paid for such shares or at all. The market price of our Ordinary Shares has frequently been highly volatile and has fluctuated in a wide range. The liquidity of our Ordinary Shares as reflected in daily trading volume on Nasdaq has usually been low. As of August 31, 2022, the trading price of our Ordinary Shares on Nasdaq was $1.05 per share. At certain points in the past year, the trading price of our Ordinary Shares on Nasdaq has fallen to a minimum of $1.02 per share, and has also traded to a maximum of $7.35 per share. If the trading price of our Ordinary Shares was to fall below $1.00 for a sustained period, we may not be able to meet Nasdaq’s continued listing standards in the future. Low liquidity, high volatility, declines in our stock price or potential delisting of our Ordinary Shares may have a material adverse effect on our ability to raise capital on attractive terms or at all and a material adverse effect on our operations. 

As a foreign private issuer whose shares are listed on Nasdaq, we may follow certain home country corporate governance practices instead of certain Nasdaq requirements.

As a foreign private issuer whose shares are listed on the Nasdaq, we are permitted to follow certain home country corporate governance practices instead of certain requirements of Nasdaq. Among other things, as a foreign private issuer we may follow home country practice with regard to the composition of the board of directors, director nomination procedure, and quorum at shareholders’ meetings. In addition, we may follow our home country law, instead of Nasdaq rules, which require that we obtain shareholder approval for certain dilutive events such as for the establishment or amendment of certain equity based compensation plans, an issuance that will result in a change of control of the company, certain transactions other than a public offering involving issuances of a 20% or more interest in the company, and certain acquisitions of the stock or assets of another company. Accordingly, our shareholders may not be afforded the same protection as provided under Nasdaq’s corporate governance rules.

Future sales of our Ordinary Shares may depress our share price.

Future sales of substantial amounts of our Ordinary Shares in the public market, or the perception that these sales could occur, could adversely affect the price of our Ordinary Shares and could impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional shares. Furthermore, the market price of our Ordinary Shares could drop significantly if our executive officers, directors, or certain large shareholders sell their shares, or are perceived by the market as intending to sell them.

The market price of our shares may be significantly and negatively affected by factors that are not in our control.

The market price of our shares may vary significantly and may be significantly and negatively affected by factors that we do not control. Some of these factors include: variance and volatility in global markets for equity and other assets; changes in legal, regulatory or tax-related requirements of governmental authorities, stock exchanges, or other regulatory or quasi-regulatory bodies; the performance of our competitors; and the general availability and terms of corporate and project financing.

Our largest shareholder has substantial influence over us and its interests may conflict with or differ from interests of other shareholders.

Our largest shareholder AWN (collectively with its affiliates and subsidiaries, the “Significant Shareholder”) owned approximately 47.5% of our outstanding Ordinary Shares as at June 30, 2022. Accordingly, the Significant Shareholder exerts substantial influence over the election of our directors, the approval of significant corporate transactions such as mergers, tender offers, and the sale of all or substantially all of our assets, the adoption of equity compensation plans, and all other matters requiring shareholder approval. The interests of the Significant Shareholder could conflict with or differ from interests of other shareholders. For example, the concentration of ownership held by the Significant Shareholder could delay, defer, or prevent a change of control of the Company or impede a merger, takeover, or other business combination, which other shareholders may view favorably.

In addition, our Significant Shareholder is our largest creditor, having provided us with a shareholder loan on a secured basis, and also some short-term loans. As of June 30, 2022, the balance of these shareholder loan was $25.4 million. Our Significant Shareholder has the ability to exert rights that are customary for a secured first ranking loan if we are in breach of covenants or otherwise default on the loans. Any exertion of such rights may adversely affect the value of our share price.

The rights of our shareholders may differ from the rights typically offered to shareholders of a U.S. corporation.

We are incorporated under English law. The rights of holders of our Ordinary Shares are governed by English law, including the provisions of the Companies Act 2006, and by our Articles of Association. These rights differ in certain respects from the rights of shareholders in typical U.S. corporations. Pursuant to the Companies Act 2006, before rights to subscribe for shares are granted, the directors must have in place the relevant shareholder authorities to allot the shares. In addition, shareholders are required to disapply pre-emption rights in respect of shares to be allotted as a result of such rights to subscribe. There is no requirement to seek such authority where awards are made pursuant to an “employees’ share scheme” however, where awards are made to non-employees those will not be made pursuant to an employees’ share scheme. The Company will however take steps to seek ratification in relation to the allotment. See “Issued Share Capital—Differences in Corporate Law”, for a description of the principal differences between the provisions of the Companies Act 2006 applicable to us and, for example, the Delaware General Corporation Law relating to shareholders’ rights and protections.

Risks related to climate, economic and geopolitical factors

We face risks related to natural disasters, health epidemics, such as COVID-19, and other catastrophes, which could significantly disrupt our operations or compromise our business continuity.

Our business could be materially and adversely affected by natural disasters or other catastrophes, such as earthquakes, fire, floods, hail, windstorms, severe weather conditions, environmental accidents, power loss, communications failures, explosions, terrorist attacks as well as epidemics and pandemics, including but not limited to outbreaks of avian influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, Zika virus, Ebola virus, the 2019 novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) and other similar public health emergencies.

Our business has been materially adversely affected by COVID-19 across the key markets where we have operations, including the U.K., Australia, the Netherlands, and the U.S., and this may continue depending on the policies introduced and enforced by relevant federal, state and local governments. Due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, authorities in our key markets and globally took various emergency measures, including implementing travel bans, closing factories and businesses, and imposing quarantine restrictions and lockdowns. These measures prevented many of our employees from going to work, which has adversely impacted our business operations. If any of our employees is suspected of having contracted any contagious disease, we may, under certain circumstances, be required to quarantine those employees and the affected areas of our operations. As a result, we may have to temporarily suspend part or all of our facilities. Furthermore, authorities may impose additional restrictions on travel and transportation and implement other preventative measures in affected regions to deal with the catastrophe or emergency, which may lead to supply chain and logistics disruption, the temporary closure of our facilities and declining economic activity at large. A prolonged outbreak of any health pandemic or other adverse public health developments could have a material adverse effect on our business operations. 

Pandemic-related lockdowns and border closures have also caused supply chain and logistics disruption, including exacerbated port congestion and intermittent supplier shutdowns and delays, resulting in additional expenses to expedite delivery of critical parts. Similarly, increased demand for personal electronics has created a shortfall of microchip supply, and it is yet unknown how we may be impacted in the short and medium term. Further supply chain and logistics disruption due to COVID-19 could have a material adverse effect on our business operations.

COVID-19 has also caused delays in fulfilment of customer orders and contracted projects, which adversely affect our revenues. The extent to which the COVID-19 may persist to impact our ability to effectively operate continues to be highly uncertain. While restrictions imposed in response to the pandemic have gradually eased recently, the long-term economic impact of the pandemic is still uncertain and the rate of economic recovery could vary significantly between and even within markets. To the extent that lockdowns, restrictions and border controls are implemented in response to new waves of contagion from COVID-19 or to any other novel global public health threats or fear thereof, there is significant risk that our revenues, operating results and financial condition will be further compromised.

General economic conditions, including levels of inflation and official interest rates in different jurisdictions in which we operate, could adversely impact demand for our solutions, products and services.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the escalating military conflict in the region has, among other things, resulted in elevated geopolitical instability and economic volatility. The economic volatility attributable to COVID-19 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is part of and contributing to a larger trend of rising inflation around the globe, which may have a significant adverse effect on economic activity and VivoPower’s business.

COVID-19 lockdowns have resulted in supply chain blockages globally which in turn has resulted in cost inflation pressures. To the extent that we are unable to fully pass on any increases in input costs including materials and labor, this will adversely affect our profit margins, cash flows and ultimately our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Market interest rates are rising in the countries in which we operate, and any further increase in interest rates may have a material adverse impact on our businesses. For example, customers and investors would apply a higher discount rate in their decision making and this may compromise our ability to sell SES projects and adversely impact the value of our solar projects and other assets. To the extent we are unable to mitigate these risks, there could be a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

The demand for our solutions, products and services is influenced by macroeconomic factors such as global economic conditions, demand for electricity, and supply and prices of other energy products, such as oil, coal and natural gas. Economic slowdowns, global, regional or local recessions or depressions could lead to eroded confidence from our customers and decreased spending more generally, which in turn could reduce demand for the Company’s products. Unfavorable economic conditions could also negatively impact the Company’s customers, distributors, suppliers, and financial counterparties, who may experience cash flow problems, increased credit defaults or other financial issues, in turn affecting our business, results of operations and financial condition.

The demand for our solutions, products and services is also affected by microeconomic factors, such as government regulations and policies concerning the electric vehicle industry, the electric utility industry and the renewable energy industry and more broadly, the environment and carbon emissions.

Our growth and profitability depend on the demand for and the prices of our solutions, products and services, which are underpinned by the relative cost of renewable energy, in particular solar power. If we experience negative macroeconomic and microeconomic conditions, our business, results of operations and financial condition may be materially adversely affected.

Commodity prices (particularly for natural gas and coal) could impact the economic viability of our businesses, in particular SES and Solar Development.

Traditional forms of electricity generation using commodities such as natural gas and coal provide a source of competition for renewable energy, including solar power. Commodity prices are inherently volatile and from time-to-time traditional forms of generation can be cheaper and more competitive than renewable power. Increased competition caused by prolonged low commodity prices for traditional forms of generation could adversely impact the economic viability of our SES and Solar Development business units. This has the potential to negatively impact our ability to achieve our earnings or cash flow targets, which could have a consequential material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Our operations span multiple markets and jurisdictions, exposing us to numerous legal, political, operational, foreign currency exchange and other risks that could negatively affect our operations and profitability.

With operations in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and Australia, we are exposed to various financial, political and economic factors. Our customers and suppliers are also located in various countries across the world. We are subject to regulation in all of the jurisdictions in which we operate. Compliance with a variety of laws may require additional costs for sufficient controlling mechanisms or legal advice. Difficulties with enforcement of agreements and receivables in foreign legal systems may result in loss of revenue, depreciations, and lower cash flows. Changes in regulatory requirements may cause, among other things, expensive production reorganizations. Decision-making processes may become more complex, requiring more management resources. Trade wars, imposition of tariffs and export controls caused by geopolitical developments may impede supply chains and customer deliveries. In addition, the circulation of goods which are vital to our business success due to our international orientation has been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We continue to explore expansion of our international operations in certain markets where we currently operate and in selected new or developing markets. New markets and developing markets can present many risks including the actions and decisions of local and national authorities and regulators, the imposition of limits on foreign ownership of local companies, changes in laws (including tax laws and regulations) as well as their application or interpretation, civil disturbances and political instability, difficulties in protecting intellectual property, fluctuations in the value of the local currency, restrictions that prevent us from transferring funds from these operations out of the countries in which they operate or converting local currencies we hold into U.S. dollars, British Pounds or other currencies, as well as other adverse actions by governmental authorities and regulators, such as the retroactive application of new requirements on our current and prior activities or operations. Additionally, evaluating or entering into a developing market may require considerable time from management, as well as start-up expenses for market development before any significant revenues and earnings are generated. Engaging with foreign representatives and consultants may be vital for the success of our operations in certain countries and hence create a significant dependency on their abilities. Operations in new markets may achieve low margins or may be unprofitable, and expansion in existing markets may be affected by local political, economic and market conditions. As we continue to operate our business internationally, our success will depend, in part, on our ability to anticipate and effectively manage these and other related risks. The impact of any one or more of these or other factors could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. 

We generate revenues and incur costs in a number of currencies. Changes in economic or political conditions in any of the countries in which we operate could result in exchange rate movement, new currency or exchange controls or other restrictions being imposed on our operations or expropriation. Because our financial results are reported in U.S. dollars, if we generate revenue or earnings in other currencies, the translation of those results into U.S. dollars can result in a significant increase or decrease in the amount of those revenues or earnings.

Foreign exchange rates have seen significant fluctuation in recent years, and significant increases in the value of the U.S. dollar relative to foreign currencies could have a material adverse effect on the Group’s reported financial results.

Seasonal variations in demand linked to construction cycles and weather conditions may influence our results of operations and severe weather, including extreme weather conditions associated with climate change, may negatively affect our operations.

Our business is subject to seasonal variations in demand linked to weather conditions. The demand for our solutions, products and services from some countries may also be subject to significant seasonality due to adverse weather conditions. Furthermore, extreme weather conditions such as hurricanes, droughts, heat waves, fires, winter storms and other severe weather events associated with climate change could cause these seasonal fluctuations to be more pronounced. Seasonal variations could adversely affect our results of operations and make them more volatile and unpredictable.

Destruction caused by severe weather events, such as hurricanes, flooding, tornados, severe thunderstorms, snow and ice storms, can result in lost operating revenues due to outages, property damage including downed transmission and distribution lines, and additional and unexpected expenses to mitigate storm damage, any of which may have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

A deterioration or other negative change in economic or financial conditions in the countries in which we operate or in the global financial markets could have a material adverse effect on our business or results of operations.

Our business depends on the availability of third-party financing on attractive terms. If a deterioration, volatility, or other negative changes occurred in economic or financial conditions, either in the countries in which we operate or in the global financial markets in general, our access to such financing, or the terms on which we are able to access such financing, could be significantly and negatively affected. Financial markets are subject to periods of substantial volatility and such volatility is difficult or impossible to predict in advance.

If we are unable to secure third party financing on commercially viable terms, this could have a material adverse impact our business, prospects, operating results and financial condition.

Risks related to information systems, internal controls, cybersecurity, record keeping and reporting

Our operations depend on proper performance of various information technology systems.

The majority of our operational steps are covered by complex information technology (“IT”) systems and Enterprise-Resource-Planning (“ERP”) systems such as Netsuite. We rely on integrated IT systems, in particular for purposes of production planning, scheduling, control and quality assurance, recording our order intake, sales volumes and distribution, and maintaining our accounting systems. In addition, new IT systems are implemented continuously across our Group.

Our IT systems may fail for a number of reasons in the future. Rapid growth of our business, fire, lightning, flooding, earthquake or other natural disasters, technological or human error or other events may cause disruptions. In addition, we may be the subject of cyber-attacks in the future, and we cannot ensure entirely that our IT security will successfully prevent such hacks, denial of service attacks, data theft or other cyber-attacks. Our back-up systems may fail to fully protect us against the effects of such events. Consequently, any failure of our IT systems could lead to difficulties meeting customers’ demands, delays in delivery, less effective hedging or accounting or risk management failures. Moreover, confidential or private information, including third-party information, may be leaked, stolen, or manipulated or compromised in other ways. In this event, we may also be subject to contractual penalties or claims for damages, administrative fines or other sanctions under secrecy, confidentiality, or data protection laws and regulations. Our insurance may not adequately cover potential damages which may reduce our customer base and ultimately result in lower revenue.

If we are unable to maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting or effective disclosure controls and procedures, or if material weaknesses in our internal controls over financial reporting or in our disclosure controls and procedures develop, it could negatively affect the reliability or timeliness of our financial reporting and result in a reduction of the price of our Ordinary Shares or have other adverse consequences.

There can be no assurance that our internal controls or our disclosure controls and procedures will provide adequate control over our financial reporting and disclosures and enable us to comply with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. In addition, carrying out our growth plan may require our controls and procedures to become more complex and may exert additional resource requirements in order for such controls and procedures to be effective. Any material weaknesses in our internal controls over financial reporting, or in our disclosure controls and procedures, may negatively affect the reliability or timeliness of our financial reporting and could result in a decrease in the price of our Ordinary Shares, limit our access to capital markets, harm our liquidity or have other adverse consequences.

The accounting treatment for many aspects of our business is complex and any changes to the accounting interpretations or accounting rules governing our business could have a material adverse effect on our reported results of operations and financial results. 

The accounting treatment for many aspects of our business is complex, and our future results could be adversely affected by changes in the accounting treatment applicable to our business. In particular, any changes to the accounting rules regarding the following matters may require us to change the manner in which we operate and finance our business: 

Security breaches, cyber-attacks, loss of data and other disruptions could compromise sensitive information related to our business or prevent us from accessing critical information and expose us to liability, which could adversely affect our business and our reputation.

In the ordinary course of our business, we collect and store sensitive data, intellectual property and proprietary business information owned or controlled by ourselves or our customers. This data encompasses a wide variety of business-critical information including research and development information, commercial information, and business and financial information. We face four primary risks relative to protecting this critical information: loss of access; inappropriate disclosure; inappropriate modification; and inadequate monitoring of our controls over the first three risks.

The secure processing, storage, maintenance, and transmission of this critical information is vital to our operations and business strategy, and we devote significant resources to protecting such information. Although we take measures to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access or disclosure, our information technology and infrastructure may be vulnerable to attacks by hackers or viruses, breaches, interruptions due to employee error, malfeasance, lapses in compliance with privacy and security mandates, or other disruptions. Any such breach or interruption could compromise our networks and the information stored there could be accessed by unauthorized parties, publicly disclosed, lost, or stolen.

Any such security breach or interruption, as well as any action by us or our employees or contractors that might be inconsistent with the rapidly evolving data privacy and security laws and regulations applicable within the United States and elsewhere where we conduct business, could result in enforcement actions by U.S. states, the U.S. federal government or foreign governments, liability or sanctions under data privacy laws that protect personally identifiable information, regulatory penalties, other legal proceedings such as but not limited to private litigation, the incurrence of significant remediation costs, disruptions to our development programs, business operations and collaborations, diversion of management efforts and damage to our reputation, which could harm our business and operations. Because of the rapidly moving nature of technology and the increasing sophistication of cybersecurity threats, our measures to prevent, respond to and minimize such risks may be unsuccessful.

In addition, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union adopted a comprehensive general data privacy regulation, or GDPR, in 2016 to replace the current European Union Data Protection Directive and related country specific legislation. The GDPR took effect in May 2018 and governs the collection and use of personal data in the European Union. The GDPR, which is wide-ranging in scope, will impose several requirements relating to the consent of the individuals to whom the personal data relates, the information provided to the individuals, the security and confidentiality of the personal data, data breach notification and the use of third-party processors in connection with the processing of the personal data. The GDPR also imposes strict rules on the transfer of personal data out of the European Union to the United States, enhances enforcement authority and imposes large penalties for noncompliance, including the potential for fines of up to €20 million or 4% of the annual global revenues of the infringer, whichever is greater. While we have taken steps to comply with the GDPR, including such as reviewing our security procedures and entering into data processing agreements with relevant contractors, we cannot assure you that our efforts to remain in compliance will be fully successful.

Further, unauthorized access, loss or dissemination of sensitive information could also disrupt our operations, including our ability to conduct research and development activities, process and prepare company financial information, manage various general and administrative aspects of our business and damage our reputation, any of which could adversely affect our reputation and our business. In addition, there can be no assurance that we will promptly detect any such disruption or security breach, if at all. To the extent that any disruption or security breach were to result in a loss of or damage to our data or applications, or inappropriate disclosure of confidential or proprietary information, we could incur liability and the further development of our products could be delayed.

We make estimates and assumptions in connection with the preparation of our consolidated financial statements, and any changes to those estimates and assumptions could have a material adverse effect on our reported results of operations.

In connection with the preparation of our consolidated financial statements included in Item 17. Financial Statements of this Annual Report, we use certain estimates and assumptions, which are more fully described in Notes 2 and 3 of the financial statements filed as part of this Annual Report, starting on page F-1. The estimates and assumptions we use in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable, the results of which form the basis for making judgements about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Changes in accounting estimates are reasonably likely to occur from period to period. Accordingly, actual results could differ significantly from our estimates. While we believe that these estimates and assumptions are reasonable under the circumstances, they are subject to significant uncertainties, some of which are beyond our control. Should any of these estimates and assumptions change or prove to have been incorrect, it could have a material adverse effect on our financial statement presentation, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, any of which could cause our stock price to decline.

We currently report our financial results under IFRS, which differs in certain significant respects from U.S. GAAP.

We report our financial statements under IFRS. There have been and there may in the future certain significant differences between IFRS and U.S. GAAP, including but not limited to differences related to revenue recognition, share-based compensation expense, income tax, impairment of long-lived assets and earnings per share. As a result, our financial information and reported earnings for historical or future periods could be significantly different if they were prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. As a result, you may not be able to meaningfully compare our financial statements under IFRS with those companies that prepare financial statements under U.S. GAAP.

Risks related to regulations and governance

Regulations and policies governing the electric utility industry, as well as changes to these regulations and policies, may adversely affect demand for our solutions, projects and services and materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and/or financial condition. 

The market for electricity generation is heavily influenced by local country factors including federal, state and local government regulations and policies concerning the electric utility industry, as well as policies promulgated by public utility commissions and electric utilities. These regulations and policies govern, among other matters, electricity pricing and the technical interconnection of distributed electricity generation to the grid. The regulations and policies also regulate net metering in the U.S., which relates to the ability to offset utility-generated electricity consumption by feeding electricity produced by onsite renewable energy sources, such as solar energy, back into the grid. Purchases of renewable energy, including solar power, by customers could be deterred by these regulations and policies, which could result in a significant reduction in the potential demand for our sustainable energy solutions. Changes in consumer electricity tariffs or peak hour pricing policies of utilities, including the introduction of fixed price policies, could also reduce or eliminate the cost savings derived from sustainable energy solutions and, as a result, reduce customer demand for our systems. Any such decrease in customer demand could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results operations.

Regulations and policies governing electric vehicles may materially adversely affect the adoption of electric vehicles and hence the demand for and/or financial viability of our electric vehicle business.

Electric vehicle sales are subject to foreign, federal, state and local laws, rules, regulations and policies which affect both demand and supply. These include incentives for purchase as well as manufacturing. Should these incentives be removed or reduced, the demand and/or supply of electric vehicles may decline. In addition, each jurisdiction will have their own laws, rules and regulations in relation to on road usage of electric vehicles, including homologation requirements.

Electric vehicles are also subject to industry specific laws, rules and regulations for use in different industries. For example, there are specific mining regulations which define certain technical and safety requirements that must be met in order for electric vehicles to be eligible for use on mine sites. Road use of our electric vehicles will also require adhering to local laws and regulations in order to be operated on public roads.

These laws, rules and regulations may adversely affect the technical and economic viability of our Tembo LEV products and solutions which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Regulations and policies governing solar power project development, installation and energy generation may adversely affect demand for solutions, products and services including SES, Critical Power and Solar Development. 

Our SES, Critical Power and Solar Development segments each have revenue generating elements that involve solar power project and systems development, installation and/or generation. Hence, each of these business segments are impacted by regulations and policies that affect solar power project development, installation and generation.

Energy and electricity markets are influenced by foreign, federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations. These laws, rules and regulations, which differ across jurisdictions may affect electricity pricing and electricity generation and could have a substantial impact on the relative cost and attractiveness of renewable energy, including solar power compared to other forms of energy generation. Furthermore, there may be rules introduced to curtail the generation and/or supply of renewable power generation so as to reduce the effects of power intermittency, which adversely affects the economic viability of solar power projects and systems.

In addition, the financial viability and attractiveness of projects which comprise of renewable power generation heavily depends on equipment prices which are affected by laws, rules and regulations. For example, trade and local content laws, rules and regulations, such as tariffs on solar panels, can increase the pricing of solar equipment, thereby raising the cost of developing solar projects and reducing the savings and returns achievable by off-takers and investors, and also potentially reducing profit margins on projects. These and any other tariffs or similar taxes or duties may increase the cost of solar power project and systems development, thereby reducing their economic appeal.

Furthermore, the installation of solar power equipment is subject to a broad range of federal, state, local and foreign regulations relating to trade, construction, safety, environmental protection, utility interconnection and metering, and related matters. Any new regulations or policies in this regard may result in significant additional cost of solar power project and systems installation, thereby reducing their economic appeal.

In some cases, the economic viability of a solar project and/or system will depend on securing a power purchase agreement (“PPA”). Such PPAs are typically subject to approval by the relevant regulatory authority in the local market. There can be no assurance that any such approval will be obtained, and in certain markets, the regulatory bodies have recently demonstrated a heightened level of scrutiny on solar PPAs that have been brought for approval. If the required approval is not obtained for any particular solar PPA, the PPA counterparty may exercise its right to terminate such agreement, and we may lose invested development capital, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Changes to our tax liabilities or changes to tax requirements in the jurisdictions in which we operate could significantly and negatively affect our profitability. 

We are subject to income taxes and potential tax examinations in various jurisdictions, and taxing authorities may disagree with our interpretations of U.S. and foreign tax laws and may assess additional taxes. The taxes ultimately paid upon resolution of such examinations could be materially different from the amounts previously included in our income tax provision, which could have a material impact on our profitability and cash flow. Moreover, changes to our operating structure, losses of tax holidays, changes in the mix of earnings in countries with tax holidays or differing statutory tax rates, changes in tax laws, and the discovery of new information in the course of our tax return preparation process could each have a negative impact on our tax burden and therefore our financial condition. Changes in tax laws or regulations or interpretations may also increase tax uncertainty and adversely affect our results of operations. Any increase in corporation or other tax rates to which the Company is exposed or adverse changes in the basis of calculation could result in the Company paying higher taxes and could have an adverse impact on the Company’s cash flows, financial condition, and results of operations.

Changes in, or any failure to comply with, privacy laws, regulations, and standards may adversely affect our business.

The regulatory framework for privacy and security issues worldwide is rapidly evolving and is likely to remain uncertain for the foreseeable future. Governmental bodies around the world have adopted, and may in the future adopt, laws and regulations affecting data privacy. Industry organizations also regularly adopt and advocate for new standards in this area. In addition to government regulation, privacy advocates and industry groups may propose new and different self-regulatory standards that apply to us. Any changes in such laws, regulations or standards may result in increased costs to our operations, and any failure by us to comply with such laws, regulations and standards may have a significant and negative impact on our business or reputation.

As a foreign private issuer under the rules and regulations of the SEC, we are exempt from a number of rules under U.S. securities laws that apply to U.S.-based issuers and are permitted to file less information with the SEC than such companies.

We are a “foreign private issuer” under the rules and regulations of the SEC. As a result, we are not subject to all of the disclosure requirements applicable to U.S.-based issuers. For example, we are exempt from certain rules under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), that impose disclosure and procedural requirements related to the solicitation of proxies, consents or authorizations applicable to securities registered under the Exchange Act. In addition, we are not required to file periodic reports and consolidated financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S.-based public companies. As a result, there may be less publicly available information concerning our Company than there is for U.S.-based public companies. Furthermore, our officers and directors are exempt from the reporting and “short-swing” profit recovery provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and related rules. 

U.S. holders of our shares could be subject to material adverse tax consequences if we are considered a “passive foreign investment company” for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

We do not believe that we are a passive foreign investment company (a “PFIC”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and we do not expect to become a PFIC. However, the determination of whether we are a currently, or may become in the future, a PFIC, depends on the particular facts and circumstances (such as the valuation of our assets, including goodwill and other intangible assets) and may also be affected by the application of the PFIC rules, which are subject to differing interpretations. Because that factual determination is made annually after the end of each taxable year, there can be no assurance that we will not be considered a PFIC for the current taxable year or any future taxable years.

If we are a PFIC, U.S. holders of our Ordinary Shares would be subject to adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences, such as ineligibility for any preferred tax rates on capital gains or on actual or deemed dividends, interest charges on certain taxes treated as deferred, and additional reporting requirements under U.S. federal income tax laws and regulations. A U.S. holder of our Ordinary Shares may be able to mitigate some of the adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences described above with respect to owning the Ordinary Shares s if we are classified as a PFIC, provided that such U.S. investor is eligible to make, and validly makes, a “mark-to-market” election. In certain circumstances a U.S. Holder can make a “qualified electing fund” election to mitigate some of the adverse tax consequences described with respect to an ownership interest in a PFIC by including in income its share of the PFIC’s income on a current basis. However, we do not currently intend to prepare or provide the information that would enable a U.S. Holder to make a qualified electing fund election.

Investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding all aspects of the application of the PFIC rules to our Ordinary Shares. For more information related to classification as a PFIC, see Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations -- Passive Foreign Investment Company Considerations.

U.S. investors may have difficulty enforcing civil liabilities against our Company, our directors or members of senior management and the experts named in this Annual Report.

Most of our directors and the experts named in this Annual Report are non-residents of the United States, and all or a substantial portion of the assets of such persons are located outside the United States. As a result, it may not be possible to serve process on such persons or us in the United States or to enforce judgements obtained in U.S. courts against them or us based on civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States. There may be doubt as to whether the courts of England and Wales would accept jurisdiction over and enforce certain civil liabilities under U.S. securities laws in original actions or enforce judgements of U.S. courts based upon these civil liability provisions. In addition, awards of punitive damages in actions brought in the United States or elsewhere are likely to be unenforceable in England and Wales (an award for monetary damages under the U.S. securities laws may be considered punitive if it does not seek to compensate the claimant for loss or damage suffered and appears to be intended to punish the defendant). The enforceability of any judgement in England and Wales will depend on a number of criteria, including public policy, as well as the laws and treaties in effect at the time. The United States and the U.K. do not currently have any treaties providing for recognition and enforcement of judgements (other than arbitration awards) in civil and commercial matters.

As an “emerging growth company” under the Jump Start Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), we are permitted to rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements, which could make our Ordinary Shares less attractive to investors.

We qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act. For as long as we are deemed an emerging growth company, we may be exempt from certain reporting and other regulatory requirements that are applicable to other U.S. public companies. Subject to certain conditions set forth in the JOBS Act, if we choose to rely on such exemptions, we may not be required to, among other things: (i) provide an auditor’s attestation report on our system of internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; (ii) provide all of the compensation disclosure that may be required of non-emerging growth public companies under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act; (iii) comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”) regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements (auditor discussion and analysis); or (iv) disclose certain executive compensation-related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of our chief executive officer’s compensation to median employee compensation. We may take advantage of these provisions until the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the date of the first sale of our common equity securities pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act or such earlier time that we cease to be an emerging growth company. We cannot predict if investors will view our ordinary shares as less attractive because we may rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our ordinary shares to be less attractive, there may be a less active trading market for our ordinary shares, which could materially and adversely affect the price and the liquidity of our ordinary shares.

Changes in U.S. federal income tax policy, including in relation to investment tax credits, may affect the appetite of investors for renewable project investments that are eligible for such credits and could therefore have a negative impact on the economic viability of our U.S. solar development projects.

Among other factors, the economic viability of our solar development projects in the United States may depend upon U.S. federal income tax rates as well as the investment tax credit regime under Section 48 of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”). The federal income tax reform enacted under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 included a substantial reduction to the federal income corporate tax rate which reduced the economic value of federal investment tax credits. Any future changes in taxation policy, including in relation to investment tax credits may have a negative impact on the economic viability of our U.S. solar development projects, all other things being equal.

From time to time, we may become involved in costly and time-consuming litigation and other regulatory proceedings which require significant attention from our management.

In addition to potential litigation related to defending our intellectual property rights, we may be named as a defendant from time to time in other lawsuits and regulatory actions relating to our business, some of which may claim significant damages.

For example, as discussed further in “Item 8. Financial Information – A. Consolidated Statements and Other Financial Information - Legal Proceedings,” on February 26, 2018, the Company’s former Chief Executive Officer, Phillip Comberg, filed a legal claim alleging the Company committed a repudiatory breach of his service agreement in connection with the termination of his employment on October 4, 2017. On April 9, 2018, the Company filed a defense and counterclaim, denying that a repudiatory breach was committed by the Company and denying the other claims asserted by Mr. Comberg, claiming that Mr. Comberg was terminated for cause. On November 26, 2018, the Company agreed to a settlement of the counterclaims against Mr. Comberg for an undisclosed amount. After aborted attempts at settlement, the matter was heard in the U.K. High Court, with judgement ruled in September 2020. The Company was successful in defending the majority of the claims, with a total of £0.62 million ($0.90 million) of the claims being settled in favor of Mr. Comberg. However final costs and interest awarded to him were $1.76 million. Of the remaining provision as at June 30, 2021 of $0.5 million for unpaid costs, $0.4 million was spent in the year ended June 30, 2022, resulting in a $0.1 million release of the remaining unutilized provision.

On May 31, 2022 the William Q. Richards Estate filed a complaint alleging the Company improperly included 495 acres of land owned by the William Q. Richards Estate in the reinvestment zone of the tax abatement agreements executed on March 14, 2022 between Cottle County, Texas and the Company’s subsidiaries Innovative Solar 144, LLC and Innovative Solar 145, LLC. The complaint requested the Cause of Action to nullify and/or declare the tax abatement agreements void. The William Q. Richards Estate filed an amended complaint on August 18, 2022, further detailing their claims and requesting unspecified damages. The Company will file a defense in September 2022, denying each of the Causes of Action and claims stated in the complaint. The Company expects to be successful in its defense, accordingly no provision has been recorded as at June 30, 2022 in relation to this matter.

In addition to the foregoing litigation, we may be subject in the future to, or may file ourselves, claims, lawsuits or arbitration proceedings related to matters in tort or under contracts, employment matters, securities class action lawsuits, whistleblower matters, tax authority examinations or other lawsuits, regulatory actions or government inquiries and investigations. Due to the inherent uncertainties of litigation and regulatory proceedings, we cannot accurately predict the ultimate outcome of any such proceedings. An unfavorable outcome could have a material adverse impact on our business and financial condition, results of operations or cash flows or limit our ability to engage in certain of our business activities. In addition, regardless of the outcome of any litigation or regulatory proceedings, such proceedings are often expensive, lengthy, disruptive to normal business operations and require significant attention from our management.

We are subject to the U.K. Bribery Act, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) and other anti-corruption laws, as well as export control laws, import and customs laws, trade and economic sanctions laws and other laws governing our operations.

Our operations are subject to anti-corruption laws, including the U.K. Bribery Act 2010, or the Bribery Act, the FCPA, the U.S. domestic bribery statute contained in 18 U.S.C. §201, the U.S. Travel Act, and other anti-corruption laws that apply in countries where we do business. The Bribery Act, the FCPA and these other laws generally prohibit us and our employees and intermediaries from authorizing, promising, offering, or providing, directly or indirectly, improper or prohibited payments, or anything else of value, to government officials or other persons to obtain or retain business or gain some other business advantage.

Under the Bribery Act, we may also be liable for failing to prevent a person associated with us from committing a bribery offense. We, and those acting on our behalf, operate in a number of jurisdictions that pose a high risk of potential Bribery Act or FCPA violations, and we participate in collaborations and relationships with third parties whose corrupt or illegal activities could potentially subject us to liability under the Bribery Act, FCPA or local anticorruption laws, even if we do not explicitly authorize or have actual knowledge of such activities. In addition, we cannot predict the nature, scope or effect of future regulatory requirements to which our international operations might be subject or the manner in which existing laws might be administered or interpreted. Furthermore, compliance with the Bribery Act, the FCPA and these other laws is expensive and difficult, particularly in countries in which corruption is a recognized problem.

We are also subject to other laws and regulations governing our international operations, including regulations administered by the governments of the United States and the U.K., and authorities in the European Union, including applicable export control regulations, economic sanctions and embargoes on certain countries and persons, anti-money laundering laws, import and customs requirements and currency exchange regulations, collectively referred to as Trade Control laws.

There is no assurance that we will be completely effective in ensuring our compliance with all applicable anti-corruption laws, including the Bribery Act, the FCPA or other legal requirements, including Trade Control laws. If we are not in compliance with the Bribery Act, the FCPA and other anti-corruption laws or Trade Control laws, we may be subject to criminal and civil penalties, disgorgement and other sanctions and remedial measures, and legal expenses, which could have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity. Likewise, any investigation of any potential violations of the Bribery Act, the FCPA, other anti-corruption laws or Trade Control laws by United States, U.K. or other authorities could also have an adverse impact on our reputation, our business, results of operations and financial condition. Further, the failure to comply with laws governing international business practices may result in substantial civil and criminal penalties and suspension or debarment from government contracting.

Any such violation, even if prohibited by our policies, could subject us and such persons to criminal and/or civil penalties or other sanctions, which could have a material adverse effect on our reputation and results of operations.

Risks related to attracting and retaining talent 

Our future success depends on our ability to retain our chief executive officer and other key executives.

We are highly dependent on Kevin Chin, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and other principal members of our management team. Although we have formal employment agreements with each of our executive officers, these agreements do not prevent our executives from terminating their employment with us. We do not maintain “key person” insurance on any of our executive officers. The unplanned loss of the services of any of these persons could materially impact our business and results of operations.

The success of our Company is heavily dependent on the continuing services of key personnel as well as the recruitment and retention of additional personnel.

Our industry is characterized by intense competition for personnel, particularly technically skilled personnel. The success of our Company is highly dependent on the contributions of executives and other key personnel, and if we were to lose the contributions of any such personnel, it could have a negative impact on our business and results of operations.

Moreover, our growth plan will require us to hire additional personnel in the future. If we are not able to attract and retain such personnel, our ability to realize our growth objectives will be compromised. For Tembo in particular, given its potential growth trajectory, there is a need to hire a significant number of additional personnel including embedded engineers, software engineers, mechanical engineers and electrical engineers. Tembo’s current location in the Netherlands may not have a sufficiently deep pool of talent in this regard and/or Tembo may face competition for talent from other companies in the region. There can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully recruit the employees we need to achieve our business objectives.

In addition, talented employees may choose to leave the Company because of competing companies offering better remuneration packages. When talented employees leave, we may have difficulty replacing them and our business may suffer. While we strive to maintain our competitiveness in the marketplace, there can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully retain the employees that we need to achieve our business objectives.

The loss of one or more of our key management or operating personnel, or the failure to attract and retain additional key personnel, could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.