ITEM
1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS
General
We
design
and sell proprietary surgical loupes and headlight systems to the dental,
medical and veterinary markets and have quickly captured a leading position
in
the dental hygiene market segment. Through our exclusive arrangements with
component manufacturers based in Asia and, in combination with our U.S. assembly
and testing facilities, we can provide top quality loupes and light systems
directly to end-users and our distributor partners at substantially lower prices
than our competitors
.
Since
our
inception in 1999, we have rapidly established a significant base of operations
characterized by an entrepreneurial sprit, steady sales growth, the deployment
of a top-notch dedicated sales force, the implementation of a strategic branding
program, the initiation of an aggressive web presence through the introduction
of a new e-commerce online storefront and continued product development
activities. We are poised for continued growth due to the development and launch
of several new product lines during 2007 and through the development of global
distributor relationships. By offering end-users their choice of flip-up or
through-the-lens surgical loupes, class-leading headlights, or a package of
both, we are able to sell to a greater proportion of the market, and to also
offer a better and more complete solution to our customers.
We
pride
ourselves on listening to customer needs within our core markets, and then
being
responsive and aggressive in the development of new product designs. This
interactive process has established us as a trailblazer in a previously stagnant
industry. For example, our major competitors have been forced to bring new
frame
designs to market as a response to our launch of the SV Sport Frame in the
first
quarter of fiscal year 2007. This was also the case with our LED light systems.
SheerVision, with the introduction of the FireFly LED
™
and
FireFly Infinity
™
,
is now
recognized as the “first to market” leader in the dental illumination industry.
We continue to raise the bar, placing our competitors in the undesirable
position of imitation as opposed to innovation.
Growth
Strategy
Our
objective is to become the leading designer and global marketer of high quality,
value-priced surgical loupes, light systems and related products and services
for the dental, medical, and veterinary markets. In order to achieve this
objective, we have developed and continue to pursue the following
strategies:
·
Expansion
of Market Share in International Markets
We
have
recently experienced significant acceptance of our branded products in the
international marketplace. We have developed a program to rapidly sign and
support international distributors who will sell SheerVision-branded products,
using a turnkey approach referred to as the International Distributor Program
("
IDP
").
The
IDP provides sales, marketing, and training tools to enable us to expand our
distributor base worldwide. We believe that our value-priced products align
well
with the needs of many international markets that are not directly or indirectly
serviced by us. This expectation is driven by the overwhelming number of
inquiries that were generated while exhibiting at the International Dental
Show
in April 2007 in Cologne, Germany. The International Dental Show provided a
forum to both solicit new distributors and introduce new products to existing
distributors. We recently signed an agreement with a major U.S. dental company,
which will act as our global retailer given its strong relationships with dental
distributors in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. This new relationship is
expected to add distributors into the SheerVision distributor network, which
in
turn is expected to produce significant sales volume. We plan to continue to
seek out new distribution partners and broaden our outreach to a significant
number of authorized distributors.
·
Launch
an Aggressive Initiative to Capture Domestic
Distributors
The
introduction of our portable LED illumination systems has provided an
opportunity to pursue distributors within the United States. Both the original
FireFly LED™ and the new FireFly Infinity™ headlight systems can be mounted on
any of our competitors’ loupes currently sold in the US dental market. This
flexible mounting ability opens up a potentially lucrative domestic market.
We
are marketing this product both directly to the consumer as well as through
distributor networks, which will expedite this introduction to the US market.
Identifying and initiating domestic distributor relationships will be a major
focus during fiscal year 2008.
·
Build
Upon Sales Momentum in OEM Markets
A
benefit
of our research and development efforts has been the development of innovative
products that would benefit companies in complementary markets as either stand
alone products or as part of larger systems. These products would be sold under
our customers’ brand names in each of these applications as either un-adapted or
customized products. We will continue to seek new partners in both domestic
and
international markets that can benefit from the technologies we have developed
as we proceed into fiscal year 2008.
·
Expansion
of our Product Lines to Achieve our Goal of Becoming a Full Service Optical
and
Illumination Company
With
the
introduction of our new SureFit "through-the-lens" (TTL) loupe system, we can
now offer this state of the art TTL technology in addition to our current award
winning flip-up design. Our new proprietary SureFit TTL Loupes™ alignment
system also enables customers to order our TTLs through our online store,
providing a significant competitive edge. We also announced the launch of our
line of Signature 4.0x and 5.0x Flip-Up Prism Loupes in September 2007. These
high-magnification loupes will allow us greater penetration in several dental
and surgical market segments. We were also successful with the launch of the
new
FireFly Infinity™ headlight system during fiscal year 2007. This new LED-based
headlight system provides us with a significant technological innovation that
places us one step ahead of our competitors. The system provides a light beam
with almost twice the intensity as our original FireFly LED™ and compares very
favorably against tethered fiber optic lighting systems. Our launch of the
FireFly FlipFilter™ accessory, which prevents the curing of dental composite
materials due to the high light intensity of the Infinity, has also exceeded
our
expectations. We continue to invest in the development of new product designs
in
order to create industry leadership in this key market segment.
·
Dramatically
Heighten Brand Awareness Through a Highly Visible Online
Presence
Since
launching our newly redesigned website www.sheervision.com in August 2006,
we
have increased online sales volume in fiscal year 2007 by over 800% over
our volume that occurred during fiscal year 2006. We anticipate that online
revenues will become a significant portion of overall sales as marketing and
technical initiatives are implemented in order to increase site visitor traffic
and to encourage online purchases.
·
Continue
to be a Strong Presence in Industry Tradeshows
Since
the
introduction of our new light products at tradeshows, sales for the new FireFly
Infinity™ light have comprised more than half of our sales. These strong sales
continue to validate our research and development efforts which focus on
introducing new and innovative, market driven products. This participation
has
assisted in our goal to be in touch with constantly changing customer
preferences and competitor actions. We plan to focus additional resources on
the
remaining major domestic shows through 2008 to meet consumer demand and plan
to
continue this strategy in successive years.
·
Continue
to Fortify our Dedicated Sales Force
As
the
only loupe company in the dental industry with a dental hygiene division sales
team, we have become recognized as the leading provider of surgical loupes
in
this market niche. This sales force along with our general sales force has
helped us make significant inroads in the dental, surgical and veterinary
markets.
During
this fiscal year we introduced many new products including: SureFit TTL™ loupes,
a type of loupe which is highly preferred by many surgical and dental
professionals, Signature Prism Loupes that provide 4.0x and 5.0x levels of
magnification and are preferred by professionals for several types of medical
procedures, the Firefly Infinity™ LED head light system, the FireFly
FlipFilter™, which prevents the curing of dental composites, the SV Sport Frame,
a fashionable frame for mounting both Flip-Up and TTL loupes that is available
in eight vibrant colors, and two designer loupe carrying cases. The introduction
of these new products has contributed to our continued year-on-year increase
in
sales. With the continued success of these products and the addition of new
products currently in our pipeline, management is encouraged with our progress
towards the goal of reaching profitability.
We
continue to grow our sales volume by developing new product offerings and by
rapidly expanding our distribution network domestically, internationally, and
online. Through the development of the SureFit TTL Loupes™, the FireFly
Infinity™ LED, the FireFly FlipFilter™, and others, we have broadened our appeal
to our dental, surgical and veterinary market segments. The eCommerce-powered
web store has provided us with a cost-effective platform to sell products and
to
communicate with customers. With the launch of our International Distributor
Program (IDP) we have already increased our reach by successfully expanding
our
international distribution network in several new countries. International
distributors provide us with distribution channels that have the potential
to
grow rapidly in a highly cost-effective manner. International distributors
are
being attracted to us and we are in a position to offer a wide assortment of
innovative products which can be resold at strong margins while still offering
the end-user a highly competitive price. We plan to continue these
growth-oriented efforts as we continue to build our sales and product
offerings.
Surgical
& Dental Loupes
Although
dental offices have used some form of magnification for decades, the need for
surgical loupes and light sources in the regular practice of everyday dentistry
is rapidly becoming the standard of practice for all dental professionals,
including dental hygienists. The visual aspects of magnification may appear
to
be the primary benefit, but there are significant ergonomic benefits to the
use
of surgical loupes. Many medical careers have been cut short due to the effects
of chronic neck and back pain, a condition that can be minimized or eliminated
through the use of surgical loupes.
Regular
magnifying glasses create a larger but flatter image and therefore do not give
the user any depth of field. To solve this problem, medical professionals use
special "loupes" that provide a three-dimensional image. These loupes are either
Galilean (compound) loupes, which range in price from $800 to $1,200 or
Panoramic (prism) loupes, which generally cost $1,200 to $1,800 a pair.
SheerVision Galilean products range in price from $650 to $900 and Prism
products from $1,000 to $1,200.
Criteria
for Selection of Surgical & Dental Loupes
Based
upon our market experiences, we believe that the factors that are important
in
the selection of compound loupes include the following:
|
·
|
Brand
reputation and loyalty;
|
|
·
|
Magnification/Clarity.
Top quality optics are critical in this
regard;
|
|
·
|
Field-of-View.
A
wide field of vision is better than a smaller
one;
|
|
·
|
Depth-of-Field
.
An extended depth of field is preferable;
|
|
·
|
Weight
of Surgical Loupes.
Lighter surgical loupes are often preferable to heavier
loupes;
|
|
·
|
Ability
to offer a Flip-Up or Through-the-Lens (TTL) loupe option
(to
appeal to either customer preference);
|
|
·
|
Value.
Price combined with quality is a driver of brand choice in the
marketplace; and
|
|
·
|
Ability
to offer a frame style that suits customer preference
(for
quality, protection capability, weight, and
style).
|
Light
Systems
As
surgical loupes allow the area under view to become more magnified, they tend
to
require additional light
or
illumination. Illumination can be added to surgical loupes in either a head
mount (headband) or a direct mount on the frame of the surgical loupes. One
of
the key benefits of this illumination is to provide clinicians with shadow-free
images. With the introduction of a superior quality portable LED light sources,
we are able to provide the next generation of illumination products to
practitioners that currently use magnification.
Criteria
for Selection of Light Systems
Based
on
our market experience, factors that are important in the selection of light
sources are:
|
·
|
Brand
reputation and company
support;
|
|
·
|
Portability
.
A
portable light system allows for maximum movement and flexibility.
End
users are no longer tethered to a light
box.
|
|
·
|
LED.
A
portable light source with an LED bulb is the brightest, whitest
light on
the market. It is also economical in that it eliminates bulb replacement
common with fiber optic light
sources.
|
|
·
|
Compact.
The light source should be small to save valuable counter
space.
|
|
·
|
Mounting
Options.
The light source should mount on either a headband or directly to
the
loupe. The unit should be mountable onto loupes from all major competing
manufacturers to appeal to the widest possible user
base.
|
|
·
|
Composite
Filter.
The light source should have the ability to prevent the curing of
dental
composite materials.
|
|
·
|
Lightweight.
A
good portable light should have a small, lightweight battery pack
and the
headlight should be sleek and worn
seamlessly.
|
|
·
|
Value.
Price combined with quality is a driver of brand choice in the
marketplace.
|
Our
Product Offerings
We
offer
2.5x, 3.0x, 3.5x, 4.0x and 5.0x magnification surgical loupes, as well as
double-x models (2.5xx and 3.0xx) with an ultra-lightweight design for added
all-day comfort. The ultra-light loupes are available in either a Flip-Up or
“through-the-lens” (TTL) design. All loupes can be mounted on either a
light-weight titanium frame or a fashionable sports frame available in eight
vibrant colors. Additional designer carrying cases for the loupes are also
available. We also currently offer two portable headlight systems: the Original
FireFly LED
™
,
and the
FireFly Infinity
™
LED.
Both light sources are available with the FireFly FlipFilter™, a patent pending
accessory that is of great use to our customers in the dental profession.
Through our offering of loupes and headlight systems, we are often able to
sell
a package of both to provide a complete and cost effective solution to the
user.
We believe that the key selling points of these products are brand name and
reputation, high quality, value-based price, and attentive customer service.
In
addition, we offer an unlimited lifetime warranty against defects in materials
and workmanship on all working parts of our loupes, a program unmatched by
any
major surgical loupe supplier.
The
Advantages of Our Products and Services
When
we
entered the market, there was no competition for a quality surgical loupe at
an
affordable price. We designed our own products and entered into an exclusive
manufacturing relationship to produce cost effective surgical loupes. As a
result, we are able to sell our surgical loupes for $650 to $900, a significant
savings to the end user and a distinct competitive advantage over other similar
products.
Our
surgical loupes are being used in private dental practices, clinical settings,
college campuses, and medical institutions throughout the United States. Our
surgical loupes are also endorsed by an independent non-profit dental education
and product testing foundation and were featured in the foundation's 2005
Buyer's Guide. Our surgical loupes were also featured in “Dental Lab Products”
2005 Buyer's Guide “Best of the Best” Offering as well as being listed in the
2006 edition of Dentistry Today’s Top 100 Products. They are also sold
internationally through distributors located in Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom,
Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Australia, Saudi Arabia, India, and Taiwan.
Our
new
Through-the-Lens (TTL) technology opens new markets where customers have a
preference for this type of loupe. Estimated market preference for TTL loupes
is
50% compared with 50% for the Flip-Up type loupes that we have traditionally
offered. We are the first major U.S. company to offer a TTL loupe with a
manufacturer-direct domestic sales model. We can offer this state of the art
TTL
technology mounted in either our new fashion sports frame or our designer
titanium frame. With the introduction of our proprietary SureFit TTL™ alignment
system, customers are now able to order our TTL loupes through our online store
or by telephone, providing us with a significant competitive advantage because
an on-site sales call is not required to complete the transaction.
Our
recently introduced prism loupes will help to open new markets for us with
a
market introduction that began during the third and fourth quarters of fiscal
year 2007. This new product line has greatly expanded our offering to the
surgery marketplace beyond what we previously had in place. This introduction
has helped us bring our distinctive business model to this large well
established market.
The
SheerVision SV Sport Frame provides a product advantage when compared with
some
of our competitors who currently do not provide a similar alternative for their
loupe optics. This is a product for the fashion conscious user, featuring a
wrap-around sports frame available in eight vibrant colors and accommodating
both the Flip-Up and TTL loupes. Both of our FireFly light systems can also
be
fitted to this frame. Several major competitors appear to have been forced
into
launching sport-type frame designs during fiscal year 2007. We believe that
the
durability of some of these designs is lacking. Also, some of our competitors’
models do not support the installation of prescription lenses often requiring
their customers to pay a significantly greater price for their designs.
Our
FireFly line of light systems offers the latest in LED light projection
technologies designed as a completely portable product coupled with value
pricing. The FireFly LED™ produces a beam measured at 2,400 foot candles. The
FireFly Infinity™ is twice as bright as many headlights with 5,000 foot candles
of light and the FireFly Infinity™ outperforms many tethered fiber-optic lights
without their high maintenance costs. Benefits include shadow-free illumination,
superior light uniformity, and all day comfort at a great value over light
sources based on fiber optic technology. Both FireFly models can be mounted
to
the major brands of loupes currently in use, and can also be mounted to a
SheerVision headband.
There
are
hundreds of accredited dental hygiene schools in the U.S. and Canada. In
addition, industry experts believe that of the 155,000 practicing hygienists
in
the U.S., 15% to 18% are currently using surgical loupes in their practices.
We
identified this largely untapped market in 2003 and initiated a sales and
marketing strategy geared towards it. We were able to design and bring to market
- in less than one year - a new, ultra-light surgical loupe that has become
our
best seller in the dental hygiene market.
Our
offerings of high quality yet affordable loupes are particularly desirable
to
price-sensitive dental hygiene practitioners. Most of our competitors focus
on
the high-end dentist and physician markets, including practicing professionals
and medical/dental schools. Although these markets are highly competitive and
more heavily penetrated, there are always selling opportunities for a high
quality, low cost provider such as us. We believe that, to date, our products'
price points are unmatched in the marketplace when coupled with their
exceptional quality.
Finally,
we believe that the international market represents a huge ongoing opportunity.
There are over 680,000 practicing dentists internationally, approximately 30%
of
whom are currently using dental loupes. We believe that our ability to
differentiate ourselves from our competitors by offering a unique combination
of
quality and price enables us to be an effective participant in any
dental/medical market segment. The major factors driving our success in the
United States appear to apply in English-speaking international markets. As
English has become the leading language of the worldwide business and medical
communities, our ability to market to these groups grows. We have processed
orders from over twenty major countries because our product and service
advantages coupled with our direct sales model is well-suited to the needs
of
international customers through our e-commerce enabled website and telephone
call center. Our growing sales and brand name recognition has also attracted
numerous inquires from volume purchasers in international markets. The
introduction process in international markets is rather long, but we continue
to
develop strong relationships in a number of countries and are currently working
with distributors in Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Portugal,
Greece, Australia, Saudi Arabia, India, and Taiwan.
Sales
and Marketing
We
believe advertising and marketing will continue to be our key areas of strategic
investment. In September 2006, we initiated a direct mail campaign targeted
at
the practicing dentist, dental school, practicing hygienist and hygiene school
markets, with the goal of expanding our sales of loupes and lights. We plan
to
continue the rollout of our direct mail, SEM, and trade advertising campaigns
to
accelerate growth. In addition to the direct mail campaign discussed above,
we
have placed full-page advertisements in seven major dental and dental hygiene
publications. The SheerVision FireFly LED
™
received
a positive evaluation in the January 2007 issue of the highly regarded Clinical
Research Associates (CRA) Newsletter. We have also increased our library of
marketing materials to use in future direct and indirect marketing and sales
efforts. We also increased our online marketing efforts in the areas of SEM
and
online advertising. We believe that our online marketing program will allow
us
to extend our reach into new markets beyond our traditional medical, dental,
and
veterinary marketplaces in the United States.
As
part
of our marketing initiatives, we have developed a branding campaign to reinforce
recognition of our unique business model, products, services, and technologies.
The SheerVision brand has been reinforced by the publicity received by the
company becoming a publicly traded company, and through its direct mail and
advertising initiatives. On June 20, 2006 we were granted federal registration
of the trademark SheerVision® by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
As a result, we believe that the SheerVision brand is now positioned among
the
top tier brands within the industry.
In
May
2007, we launched our International Distributor Program (IDP) to expand our
network of distributors operating in specific international markets. We believe
that these international distributors have found that SheerVision products
are
of exceptional value in worldwide markets due to their quality and advanced
technology. IDP distributors purchase SheerVision surgical loupes and light
systems and then re-sell them using their local expertise in sales and
marketing. We have developed a marketing program to support our international
distribution partners which includes advertising materials, sales collateral,
sales training, and sales training aides.
We
have a
dedicated outside sales staff of professionals covering the U.S. and Canada.
Sales representatives make presentations to dental and dental hygiene schools,
call on individual dental offices, and participate in local professional
organization events and meetings. To date, we are the only company in our
industry with a separate dental hygiene division comprised exclusively of
registered dental hygienists. All have advanced degrees, and clinical and
teaching experience, enabling them to speak with authority during sales
presentations. In addition, we exhibit at over 70 trade shows each year,
undertake numerous direct marketing campaigns, contribute articles to trade
magazines and oversee an aggressive online marketing program.
OEM
Operations
In
addition to manufacturing and offering surgical loupes under our own brand
name,
we offer our surgical loupes as an OEM for major companies. During fiscal year
2007, we partnered with a large OEM customer for a private-label loupe product
being sold in the Japanese marketplace. We believe that by offering our products
directly, as well as through major companies, we were able to gain market share
not only by focusing on cost and quality conscious consumers, but also by
focusing on brand name conscious consumers.
Manufacturing
Our
contract manufacturers supply proprietary company-designed surgical loupe and
light system components on an exclusive basis. An inventory of loupes and light
systems is maintained at our offices in order to ensure rapid order processing
and fulfillment. Production capacity is adequate to support a level of sales
approximately twice the current level, and there are alternate sources of supply
of the raw materials needed to produce surgical loupes and light systems. We
believe that the quality of our products is a principal driver of purchasing
decisions, and our third party manufacturers to conduct rigorous quality testing
on a regular basis. We currently own and operate computer controlled assembly
equipment to build customized loupe/headlight products and have key personnel
assigned to perform production staging, final unit assembly, quality control,
and shipping procedures.
Competition
The
surgical loupe and portable headlight market is characterized by a number of
participants, each dominant in one or more market segments. In each market
segment, we compete with established manufacturers of surgical loupes and other
specialty optical products, including Designs for Vision, Orascoptic (part
of
Danaher), and Surgitel. Due to our strategic investments in product development
and branding, we believe that we are now recognized as one of the leading brands
in the market. This was further demonstrated as several major competitors appear
to have been forced into launching sports-type frame designs during fiscal
year
2007 after the introduction of our SV Sport Frame. Overall, we believe that
competition is principally based upon the following three key areas:
|
o
|
Brand
reputation and loyalty;
|
|
o
|
Product
quality, support, and durability;
|
|
·
|
Surgical
& Dental Loupes Product Attributes
Including:
|
|
o
|
Magnification/Clarity
.
Top quality optics are critical in this
regard;
|
|
o
|
Field-of-View
.
A
wide field of vision is better than a smaller
one;
|
|
o
|
Depth-of-Field
.
An extended depth of field is preferable;
and
|
|
o
|
Weight
.
Lighter loupes are generally preferable to heavier
loupes.
|
|
·
|
Portable
Headlight System Product Attributes
Including:
|
|
o
|
Portability
.
A
portable light system allows for maximum movement and flexibility.
End
users are no longer tethered to a light
box.
|
|
o
|
LED.
A
portable light source with an LED bulb is the brightest, whitest
light on
the market. It is also economical in that it eliminates bulb replacement
common with fiber optic light
sources.
|
|
o
|
Lightweight.
A
good portable light should have a small, lightweight battery pack
and the
headlight should be sleek and worn seamlessly
.
|
|
o
|
Value.
Price combined with quality is a driver of brand choice in the
marketplace;
|
|
o
|
Mounting
Options.
The light source should mount on either a headband or directly to
the
loupes. The unit should be able to be mounted onto loupes from all
major
competing manufacturers to appeal to the widest possible user
base.
|
We
believe that we compete favorably in the dental, dental hygiene, surgical,
and
veterinary markets on the basis of these criteria and are rapidly expanding
our
products in other markets as well.
We
have a
number of valuable trade secrets that have demonstrated their effectiveness
as
significant barriers to competition. They relate to products, proprietary
manufacturing processes, and sales and marketing techniques. We have filed
a
domestic patent application for one of the components to our product offerings
and are evaluating the possibility of filing further patent
applications
for
components and/or products under development.
Research
and Development
We
are
committed to an ongoing program of research and development to maintain our
reputation for cutting-edge products that meet the evolving needs of the market.
We conduct research and development activities to design and develop products
that will enhance our competitive marketing position. Our newly developed
products include a fully portable LED light system, a non-curing flip filter,
a
through-the-lens loupe, a high-magnification prism loupe, a wrap around sports
frame, and fashionable loupe accessories. The FireFly LED™ and FireFly Infinity™
light systems have become best sellers in the dental market and contributed
significantly to our rapid expansion into that market niche during fiscal year
2007.
We
have
also forged a strategic alliance with a domestic company which provides us
advanced product design and manufacturing development. This alliance, which
we
anticipate continuing into the foreseeable future, enables us to design and
bring to market new products and enhancements to existing product lines rapidly.
Government
Regulation
Our
products are classified as Class I Non-Invasive Medical Devices and, as such,
there is no requirement to obtain FDA approval. We have nonetheless registered
with the FDA on a voluntary basis and also have CE certifications for
international sales.
Employees
As
of
October 31, 2007, we had employed 17 individuals and engaged the services of
several consultants. Of our employees, 6 were engaged in sales and marketing,
4
in customer service/inside sales, 3 in quality control and production, and
4 in
executive/administrative functions.
Our
Background
SheerVision,
Inc., a Delaware corporation, was incorporated as “Escalator, Inc.” on April 17,
1986. On June 3, 1986, Lone Pine Resources, Inc. was merged with us through
a
reverse merger whereby the shareholders of Lone Pine Resources, Inc. received
an
equal number of shares in Escalator, Inc. Lone Pine Resources, Inc. was
incorporated under the laws of Utah on June 23, 1983.
In
the
past, we conducted operations through three wholly-owned subsidiaries, Escalator
Securities, Inc., Escalator Investments, Inc., and Frank Communications Corp.,
each a Pennsylvania corporation. Escalator Investments, Inc. was incorporated
in
the State of Pennsylvania on August 15, 1984 and conducted financial planning
activities through approximately 1992 as a Registered Investment Advisor under
the Investment Advisors Act of 1940. Since 1992, Escalator Investments, Inc.
has
had no operations. Escalator Securities, Inc. was incorporated in the State
of
Pennsylvania on August 22, 1985, and conducted business as a registered
broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the
Pennsylvania Securities Act of 1972 until 1997. On December 31, 1997, Escalator
Securities, Inc. was closed by the NASD. Since this date, Escalator Securities,
Inc. has had no operations. In July 1990, we acquired Frank Communications
Corp., a Pennsylvania corporation incorporated on May 30, 1989, which was in
the
business of financial public relations. In consideration of this acquisition,
we
paid $1,000. Frank Communications Corp. has no operations. On June 30, 1997,
we
transferred our holdings in Escalator Securities, Inc. to Escalator Investments,
Inc. pursuant to the terms of an Agreement and Plan of Spinoff. The shareholders
of Escalator, Inc. received all of the outstanding stock of Escalator
Investments, Inc. and Escalator Securities, Inc., which then ceased being our
wholly-owned subsidiaries.
On
April
22, 1998, we changed our name to Nu Electric Corporation. On June 30, 1999,
we
acquired Clean Water Technologies, Inc. (“
Clean
Water
”),
a
Florida corporation, through an agreement and plan of merger whereby all of
the
outstanding and issued shares of Clean Water were exchanged for shares of Nu
Electric. Pursuant to this agreement, we acquired all of the assets of the
business of Clean Water. On September 21, 2000, we acquired Zorax, Inc.
(“
Zorax
”),
a
Florida corporation, through an agreement and plan of merger whereby all of
the
issued and outstanding shares of Zorax were exchanged for shares of Nu Electric.
Pursuant to this agreement, we acquired all of the assets of Zorax. On April
4,
2005, we eliminated our Zorax subsidiary.
On
April
2, 2002, we changed our name to Clean Water Technologies, Inc.
On
March
27, 2006, we entered into a Share Exchange and Reorganization Agreement (the
“
Exchange
Agreement
”)
with
SheerVision, Inc., a California corporation (including its predecessor,
“
Sheervision-CA
”)
and
Suzanne Lewsadder and Jeffrey Lewsadder, our Chief Executive Officer and
President, respectively, and the beneficial holders of all of the outstanding
capital stock of SheerVision-CA, which set forth the terms and conditions of
our
business combination with SheerVision-CA in which all shareholders of
SheerVision-CA exchanged all of the outstanding and issued capital stock of
SheerVision-CA for an aggregate of 9,525,137 shares of our common stock,
representing 95% of the outstanding common stock immediately after giving effect
to such transaction. As a result of this transaction, SheerVision-CA became
our
wholly-owned subsidiary and the shareholders of SheerVision-CA became our
controlling stockholders.
On
June
15, 2006, we changed our name to SheerVision, Inc. We have not been a party
to
any bankruptcy, receivership or similar proceeding. Since such date, except
as
described herein, we have not been involved in any material reclassification,
merger, consolidation, purchase or sale of a significant amount of assets not
in
the ordinary course of business.
ITEM
1A. RISK FACTORS
Our
business, prospects, financial condition, and results of operations may be
materially and adversely affected due to any of the following risks. The trading
of our common stock could decline due to any of these risks. Some of the
statements in “Risk Factors” are forward looking statements. See “Special Note
Regarding Forward Looking Statements.”
Risks
Related To Our Business
As
we have a limited operating history, investors may not have a sufficient history
on which to base an investment decision.
A
lthough
we were incorporated in April 1986, our recently acquired operating subsidiary
SheerVision-CA commenced operations in 1999. Accordingly, we may be deemed
to
have a limited operating history. Investors must consider the risks and
difficulties frequently encountered by early stage companies, particularly
in
rapidly evolving markets such as the medical optical industry. Such risks
include:
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need
for acceptance of products;
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·
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ability
to anticipate and adapt to a competitive market and rapid technological
developments;
|
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·
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amount
and timing of operating costs and capital expenditures relating to
expansion of our business, operations, and infrastructure;
and
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dependence
upon key personnel.
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We
cannot
be certain that our strategy will be successful or that we will successfully
address these risks. If we do not successfully address these risks, our
business, prospects, financial condition, and results of operations could be
materially and adversely affected. Information regarding all of our past
operations can be found in our reports and registration statements that have
been previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Our
ability to continue as a going concern may be dependent on raising additional
capital, which we may not be able to do on favorable terms, or at
all.
Although
we believe that our existing cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to
support our current operations through May 31, 2008, we will have to raise
additional capital to support our current operations and fund our sales and
marketing and research and development programs. We can provide no assurance
that additional funding will be available on a timely basis, on terms acceptable
to us, or at all. If we are unsuccessful in raising additional funding, our
business may not continue as a going concern. Even if we do find additional
funding sources, we may be required to issue securities with greater rights
than
those currently possessed by holders of our common stock. We may also be
required to take other actions that may lessen the value of our common stock
or
dilute our common stockholders, including borrowing money on terms that are
not
favorable to us or issuing additional equity securities. If we experience
difficulties raising money in the future, our business and liquidity will be
materially adversely affected.
We
have a limited history of profitability and, consequently, cannot predict
whether we will become profitable.
Although
SheerVision-CA commenced operations in 1999, it has recorded profits
inconsistently to date as it has endeavored to expand its business, product
line, and operations. Our net income (losses) for the years ended August 31,
2007, 2006 and 2005 were $(905,286), $(2,349,374) and $21,006 respectively.
Moreover, we will need to increase significantly our operating expenses to
implement our business plan. As a result of the foregoing factors, we could
incur
significant losses on a quarterly and annual basis for the foreseeable future.
Our ability to generate revenue and profits in the long term will depend
primarily upon the successful implementation of our business plan. We can
provide no assurance that we will be successful in implementing our business
plan or that we will generate sufficient revenue to achieve
profitability.
Our
financial results may fluctuate from period to period as a result of several
factors which could adversely affect our stock price.
Our
operating results may fluctuate significantly in the future as a result of
a
variety of factors, many of which are outside our control. As a result of our
limited operating history, we believe that period to period comparisons of
our
operating results may not be a good indication of our future performance. It
is
possible that our future operating results may be below the expectations of
investors or market analysts. If this occurs, our stock price may decline.
Factors that will affect our financial results include:
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the
amount and timing of capital expenditures and other costs relating
to the
implementation of our business plan, including acquisitions of, and
investments in, competing or complementary companies or
technologies;
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the
introduction of new products by our
competitors;
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pricing
changes in the surgical loupe and light systems manufacturing or
assembly
industries;
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technical
difficulties with respect to the use of our
products;
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regulatory
changes; and
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general
economic conditions and economic conditions specific to our
industry.
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As
a
strategic response to changes in the competitive environment, we may from time
to time make certain pricing, service, or marketing decisions or acquisitions
that could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial
condition, and results of operations.
We
have limited manufacturing facilities and are largely dependent upon third
parties to manufacture our products.
We
have
limited manufacturing facilities and expertise and have entered into
manufacturing arrangements with third parties to manufacture our products.
Accordingly, our ability to commercialize our products is partially dependent
on
our relationships with our third party contract manufacturers and their ability
to manufacture our products on a timely basis in accordance with our
specifications. While we believe that there are numerous other third party
manufacturers capable of manufacturing our products, should we not be able
to
continue to obtain contract manufacturing on commercially reasonable terms,
or
obtain our products rapidly when needed, we may experience difficulty
commercializing them. Any of such events may materially, adversely affect our
business, prospects, financial condition, and results of operations.
We
are dependent on key members of management.
Our
performance is substantially dependent on our key executive officers - Suzanne
Lewsadder and Jeffrey Lewsadder, our Chief Executive Officer and President,
respectively - for sales and marketing, research and development, manufacturing,
and intellectual property protection and licensing. Although these officers
are
our major stockholders, there can be no assurance they will continue to serve
as
our officers or directors. The inability to retain and continue to attract
and
retain qualified management and staff could significantly delay and may prevent
the achievement of our research, development and business objectives, and could
have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial conditions,
and results of operations. See “
Management
- Employment Agreement.
”
The
industry in which we operate is highly competitive.
Numerous
well-known companies, which have substantially greater capital, research and
development capabilities and experience than we have, are presently engaged
in
the surgical loupe market. By virtue of having or introducing competitive
products on the market before us, these entities may gain a competitive
advantage. Future technological developments may render some or all of our
current or future products noncompetitive or obsolete, and we may not be able
to
make the enhancements to our products necessary to compete successfully with
newly emerging technologies. If we are unable to successfully compete in our
chosen markets, our business prospects, financial condition, and results of
operations would be materially adversely affected.
As
the ownership of our voting securities is concentrated in our founders,
executive officers, and directors, such individuals control us.
As
of
October 31, 2007, Suzanne Lewsadder and Jeffrey Lewsadder, our Chief Executive
Officer and President, respectively, beneficially own approximately 72.6% of
our
outstanding common stock. Accordingly, these individuals will be able to elect
our directors and control the outcome of virtually all important stockholder
decisions and may make such decisions in their own interest, which may not
be in
the best interests of other stockholders.
We
may, in the ordinary course of business, be subject to claims of infringement
of
third party intellectual property rights and we could suffer significant
litigation costs, licensing expenses or be prevented from selling our
products.
Intellectual
property rights are uncertain and involve complex legal and factual questions.
We may be unknowingly infringing upon the intellectual property rights of others
and may be liable for that infringement, which could result in significant
liability for us. If we do infringe upon the intellectual property rights of
others, we could be forced to either seek a license to those intellectual
property rights or alter our products so that they no longer infringe. A license
could be very expensive to obtain or may not be available at all. Similarly,
changing our products or processes to avoid infringing upon the rights of others
may be costly or impractical. Litigation or other proceedings could require
us
to spend significant time and money and could otherwise adversely affect our
business.
On
January 10, 2007, a complaint was filed in the United States District Court
Central District of California by Martin Hogan Pty, Ltd. which is currently
brought against us and our Chief Executive Officer and President. Plaintiff,
a
former supplier of frames of ours, alleges copyright and trade dress
infringement in its frames and is seeking damages as well as permanent
injunctive relief. On June 19, 2007, the Court issued an order which, among
other things, denied plaintiff’s motion for a preliminary injunction, dismissed
the plaintiff’s state law claims and denied our motion to stay the proceedings.
On July 10, 2007, the plaintiff filed an amended complaint and on August 17,
2007, we filed a motion to dismiss the plaintiff’s state law and trade dress
infringement claims in its amended complaint. We intend to continue vigorously
defending ourselves in this action and based on our understanding of the
relevant facts and circumstances and the denial of the plaintiff’s preliminary
injunction, we believe that we have meritorious defenses.
In
addition,
on June 25, 2007, General Scientific Corporation initiated a “Section 337”
complaint against us with the International Trade Commission (“
ITC
”)
alleging the unlawful importation and sale in the United States of certain
magnifying loupe products which allegedly infringe certain of the complainant's
patents. The complainant seeks a permanent exclusion order prohibiting entry
into the United States of the purportedly infringing products together with
a
cease and desist order prohibiting us from selling the purportedly infringing
products in the United States. On July 26 2007, the ITC instituted an
investigation into actions based on the complainant’s allegations. On August 17
2007, we answered the complaint by denying the allegations and asserting various
defenses and on October 29, 2007 we filed a motion for summary determination
of
non-infringement which on November 26, 2007 was denied.
Though
we
view the claims as completely frivolous and without merit, we are currently
in
negotiations with the complainant to settle this action.
Our
failure to protect our intellectual property could have an adverse affect on
us.
We
rely
on trademark, patent and trade secrets to protect our intellectual property.
We
cannot be sure that these intellectual property rights can be successfully
asserted in the future or will not be invalidated, circumvented, or challenged.
Our failure to protect our proprietary information and any successful
intellectual property challenges or infringement proceedings against us could
have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition
and results of operations.
Our
failure to maintain and develop our brand names could adversely affect our
revenues.
We
believe that maintaining and developing our brand names, including the trademark
“
SheerVision
®”,
are
critical to our success. The importance of our name recognition may increase
as
our products gain market acceptance and as we enter additional markets. We
are
incurring substantial expenditures to create and maintain brand name recognition
and loyalty. If our brand building strategy is unsuccessful, we may be unable
to
increase our future revenues or expand our products and services. Such events
would have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial
condition and results of operations.
Any
inability by us to respond to changes in consumer demands in a timely manner
could materially adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition,
and results of operations.
Our
success depends on our ability to identify, originate and define product trends
in our markets, as well as to anticipate, gauge and react to changing consumer
demands in a timely manner. Our products must appeal to a broad range of
consumers whose preferences cannot be predicted with certainty and are subject
to periodic change. We may not be able to meet changing consumer demands in
the
future. If we misjudge the market for our products, we may be faced with
significant excess inventories for some products and missed opportunities for
other products. Either of such events could have a material adverse effect
on
our business, prospects, financial condition, and results of operations.
Risks
Related To Our Common Stock
As
the market price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly, this may
make
it difficult for you to sell your shares of common stock when you want or at
prices you find attractive.
The
price
of our common stock is quoted on the OTCBB and constantly changes. In recent
years, the stock market in general has experienced extreme price and volume
fluctuations. We expect that the market price of our common stock will continue
to fluctuate. These fluctuations may result from a variety of factors, many
of
which are beyond our control. These factors include:
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quarterly
variations in our operating
results;
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operating
results that vary from the expectations of management, securities
analysts
and investors;
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changes
in expectations as to our business, prospects, financial condition,
and
results of operations;
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announcements
by us, our partners or our competitors regarding material
developments;
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the
operating and securities price performance of other companies that
investors believe are comparable to
us;
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future
sales of our equity or equity-related
securities;
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changes
in general conditions in our industry and in the economy, the financial
markets and the domestic or international political
situation;
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fluctuations
in oil and gas prices;
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departures
of key personnel; and
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regulatory
considerations.
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As
a
result of these fluctuations, our shareholders may experience difficulty selling
shares of our common stock when desired or at acceptable prices.
Future
sales of common stock or the issuance of securities senior to our common stock
or convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable for, common stock could
adversely affect the trading price of our common stock and our ability to raise
funds in new equity offerings.
Future
sales of substantial amounts of our common stock or other equity-related
securities in the public market or privately, or the perception that such sales
could occur, could adversely affect prevailing trading prices of our common
stock and could impair our ability to raise capital through future offerings
of
equity or other equity-related securities. We can make no prediction as to
the
effect, if any, that future sales of shares of common stock or equity-related
securities, or the availability of shares of common stock for future sale,
will
have on the trading price of our common stock.
Our
common stock is deemed to be a “penny stock,” which may make it more difficult
for investors to sell their shares due to suitability
requirements.
The
SEC
has adopted regulations that generally define “penny stock” to be an equity
security that has a market price of less than $5.00 per share, subject to
specific exemptions. The market price of
our
common
stock is currently less than $5.00 per share and therefore is a “penny stock”
according to SEC rules. This designation requires any broker or dealer selling
these securities to disclose certain information concerning the transaction,
obtain a written agreement from the purchaser and determine that the purchaser
is reasonably suitable to purchase the securities. These rules may restrict
the
ability of brokers or dealers to sell
our
c
ommon
stock and may affect the ability of investors to sell their shares.
Future
sales of our common stock by our existing stockholders could adversely affect
our stock price.
The
market price of our common stock could decline as a result of sales of a large
number of shares of our common stock in the market, or the perception that
these
sales could occur. These sales also might make it more difficult for us to
sell
equity securities in the future at a time and at a price that we deem
appropriate. As of October 31, 2007, we have outstanding 12,693,523 shares
of
common stock. Of these shares, 3,168,386 shares are freely tradeable. Giving
effect to the exercise in full of our outstanding warrants and conversion in
full of our outstanding Series A Preferred Stock, at October 31, 2007, we would
have outstanding 17,183,035 shares of common stock. Of these shares, 7,657,898
shares would be freely tradeable. This leaves 9,525,137 shares eligible for
sale
in the public market, the vast majority of which are beneficially owned by
Suzanne Lewsadder and Jeffrey Lewsadder, our Chief Executive Officer and
President, respectively.
Some
of
our warrant holders, holding warrants exercisable for approximately 977,279
shares of common stock, have the right, subject to a number of conditions and
limitations, to include their shares in registration statements relating to
our
securities. By exercising their registration rights and causing a large number
of shares to be registered and sold in the public market, these holders may
cause the market price of the common stock to fall. In addition, any demand
to
include these shares in our registration statements could adversely effect
our
ability to raise needed capital.
We
do not expect to pay cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable
future.
We
have
not declared or paid any cash dividends on our common stock and do not expect
to
do so in the foreseeable future. As a result, investors may have to sell their
shares of our common stock to realize their investment. We currently intend
to
retain all future earnings for use in the operation of our business and to
fund
future growth. In addition, the terms of our Series A Preferred Stock limit
our
ability to pay dividends. If this prohibition were to be waived, our ability
to
pay future cash dividends on our common stock would depend upon our results
of
operations, financial condition, cash requirements, the availability of a
surplus and other factors.
We
are subject to anti-takeover provisions that could affect the price of our
common stock.
Some
provisions of our certificate of incorporation, as amended, our by-laws, and
laws of the State of Delaware could make it more difficult for a third party
to
acquire us, even if doing so might be beneficial to our stockholders.
We
are
subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation
Law
(“
Section
203
”).
Section 203 provides, with certain exceptions, that a Delaware corporation
may
not engage in any of a broad range of business combinations with a person or
an
affiliate, or an associate of such person, who is an "interested stockholder"
for a period of three years from the date that such person became an interested
stockholder unless: (i) the transaction resulting in a person becoming an
interested stockholder, or the business combination, is approved by the board
of
directors of the corporation before the person becomes an interested
stockholder; (ii) the interested stockholder acquired 85% or more of the
outstanding voting stock of the corporation in the same transaction that makes
such person an interested stockholder (excluding shares owned by persons who
are
both officers and directors of the corporation, and the shares held by certain
employee stock ownership plans); or (iii) on or after the date the person
becomes an interested stockholder, the business combination is approved by
the
corporation's board of directors and by the holders of at least 66-2/3% of
the
corporations outstanding voting stock at an annual or special meeting, excluding
the shares owned by the interested stockholder. Under Section 203, an
“interested stockholder” is defined as any person who is: (i) the owner of 15%
or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation or (ii) an affiliate
or associate of the corporation and who was the owner of 15% or more of the
outstanding voting stock of the corporation at any time within the three-year
period immediately prior to the date on which it is sought to be determined
whether such person is an interested stockholder.
A
corporation may, at its option, exclude itself from coverage of Section 203
by
amending its certificate of incorporation or bylaws, by action of its
stockholders, to exempt itself from coverage, provided that such certificate
of
incorporation amendment or bylaw shall not become effective until 12 months
after the date it is adopted. We have not adopted such an amendment to our
Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws.
In
addition, our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as
amended, authorizes our board of directors to issue up to 10,000,000 shares
of
preferred stock, which may be issued in one or more series, the terms of which
may be determined at the time of issuance by the board without further action
by
stockholders, and may include voting rights (including the right to vote as
a
series on particular matters), preferences as to dividends and liquidation,
conversion and redemption rights and sinking fund provisions. The issuance
of
any such preferred stock could materially adversely affect the rights of holders
of shares of our common stock and, therefore, could reduce the price of our
common stock. In addition, specific rights granted to future holders of
preferred stock could be used to restrict our ability to merge with, or sell
our
assets to, a third party. The ability of our board of directors to issue
preferred stock could have the effect of rendering more difficult, delaying,
discouraging, preventing, or rendering more costly an acquisition or a change
in
control of us thereby preserving control of by the current controlling
stockholders.