Item 4. Controls and Procedures
Item 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Definition and Limitations of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) are designed to reasonably ensure that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed under the Exchange Act is (i) recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms and (ii) accumulated and communicated to management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosures.
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
The management of the Company, under the supervision and with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in the Exchange Act), as of December 31, 2022. Based on such evaluation, our principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that, as of the end of such period, the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were not effective to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is (i) recorded, processed, summarized and reported, on a timely basis, and (ii) accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosures due to the material weaknesses identified in our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022.
Previously Reported Material Weakness on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
In the Annual Report Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 filed with the SEC on July 1, 2022, management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of March 31, 2022. In the evaluation, management identified material weaknesses in the following:
a) Internal controls related to our financial close and reporting process;
b) Information and communication controls; and
c) Insufficient complement of corporate personnel with appropriate levels of accounting and controls knowledge and experience commensurate with our financial reporting requirements to appropriately analyze, record and disclose accounting matters completely and accurately.
As a result of this evaluation, management extensively used outside consultants who possessed the appropriate levels of accounting and controls knowledge.
Remediation . Following identification of this control deficiency, management has implemented modifications to better ensure that the Company has appropriate and timely reviews on all financial reporting analysis. In addition, as we continue to evaluate and work to improve our internal control over financial reporting, management may determine to take additional measures to address control deficiencies or determine to modify our remediation plan. Management will test and evaluate the implementation of these modifications to ascertain whether they are designed and operating effectively to provide reasonable assurance that they will prevent or detect a material misstatement in the Company’s financial statements.
36
The steps we took to address the deficiencies identified included:
●
we hired a new Chief Financial Officer;
●
we hired a new Executive Vice President (“EVP”) Finance & Accounting;
●
we have restructured accounting processes and revised organizational structures to enhance accurate accounting and appropriate financial reporting;
●
we have hired additional experienced accounting personnel in the corporate office to enhance the application of accounting standards and our financial closing and reporting process;
●
we have engaged external advisors to provide financial accounting and reporting assistance;
●
we have enhanced information and communication processes through information technology solutions to ensure that information needed for financial reporting is accurate, complete, relevant and reliable, and communicated in a timely manner; and
●
we have engaged external advisors to evaluate and document the design and operating effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting and assist with the remediation and implementation of our internal control function.
As noted above, we believe that, as a result of management’s in-depth review of its accounting processes, and the additional procedures management has implemented, there are no material inaccuracies or omissions of material fact in this Form 10-Q and, to the best of our knowledge, we believe that the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-Q fairly present in all material respects our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows in conformity with GAAP.
We and our Board treat the controls surrounding, and the integrity of, our financial statements with the utmost priority. Management is committed to the planning and implementation of remediation efforts to address control deficiencies and any other identified areas of risk. These remediation efforts are intended to both address the identified material weakness and to enhance our overall financial control environment. We are committed to maintaining a strong internal control environment, and we believe the measures described above will strengthen our internal control over financial reporting and remediate the material weakness we have identified. Our remediation efforts have begun, and we will continue to devote significant time and attention to these remedial efforts. As we continue to evaluate and work to improve our internal control over financial reporting, management may determine to take additional measures to strengthen controls or to modify the remediation plan described above, which may require additional implementation time.
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
There have been no changes, other than our remediation efforts discussed above, in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting during the three months ended December 31, 2022 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
37
PART II. OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
None.
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
There have been no material changes to the Risk Factors disclosed in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 and Item 1A of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2022.
ITEM 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS
None.
ITEM 3. DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES
None.
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not Applicable.
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.