Item 1A. Risk Factors
ITEM
1A - RISK FACTORS
An
investment in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the summary of risk factors described below,
together with all of the other information included in this report, before making an investment decision. If any of the following risks
actually occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could suffer. In that case, the trading price of our common
stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment. You also should read the section entitled “Special Note Regarding
Forward Looking Statements” above for a discussion of what types of statements are forward-looking statements, as well as the significance
of such statements in the context of this report. The risk factors below do not address all the risks relating to securities, business
and operations, and financial condition.
12
Risk
Factors Relating to Our Business
We
have a history of losses and negative working capital.
For
the fiscal years ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, we had net losses of $6.7 million and $15.6 million, respectively. We have historically
experienced net losses and until we generate sufficient revenue, we anticipate that we will continue to experience losses in the near
future.
As
of June 30, 2023 and 2022, we had a cash balance of $2.4 million and $485,000, respectively. We expect that our existing cash balances,
credit facilities, and cash resources from operations will be sufficient to fund our existing and planned operations for the next twelve
months. Until such time as we generate sufficient cash to fund our operations, we will need additional capital to continue our operations
thereafter.
We
have relied on equity financings, borrowings under short-term loans with related parties, our credit facilities and/or cash resources
from operating activities to fund our operations. However, there is no guarantee that we will be able to obtain additional funds in the
future or that funds will be available on terms acceptable to us, if at all. Any future financing may result in dilution of the ownership
interests of our stockholders. If such funds are not available on acceptable terms, we may be required to curtail our operations or take
other actions to preserve our cash, which may have a material adverse effect on our future cash flows and results of operations.
We
will need to raise additional capital or financing to continue to execute and expand our business.
While
we expect that our existing cash and additional funding available under our GBC Credit Facility, combined with funds available to us under
our subordinated line of credit and the potential net proceeds from our At-The-Market offering will be sufficient to meet our anticipated
capital resources and to fund our planned operations for the next twelve months, such sources of funding are subject to certain restrictions
and covenants and our ability to sell stock will be impacted by market conditions. If we are unable to meet the conditions provided in
the loan documents, the funds will not be available to us. In addition, should there be any delays in the receipts of key component parts,
due in part to supply chain disruptions, our ability to fulfil the backlog of sales orders will be negatively impacted resulting in
lower availability of cash resources from operations. In that event, we may be required to raise additional capital to support our expanded
operations and execute on our business plan by issuing equity or convertible debt securities. In the event we are required to obtain
additional funds, there is no guarantee that additional funds will be available on a timely basis or on acceptable terms. To the extent
that we raise additional funds by issuing equity or convertible debt securities, our stockholders may experience additional dilution
and such financing may involve restrictive covenants. Newly issued securities may include preferences, superior voting rights, and the
issuance of warrants or other convertible securities that will have additional dilutive effects. We cannot assure that additional funds
will be available when needed from any source or, if available, will be available on terms that are acceptable to us. Further, we may
incur substantial costs in pursuing future capital and/or financing. We may also be required to recognize non-cash expenses in connection
with certain securities we may issue, such as convertible notes and warrants, which will adversely impact our financial condition and
results of operations. Our ability to obtain needed financing may be impaired by such factors as the weakness of capital markets, and
the fact that we have not been profitable, which could impact the availability and cost of future financings. If such funds are not available
when required, management will be required to curtail investments in additional sales and marketing and product development, which may
have a material adverse effect on future cash flows and results of operations.
In
the event of default of the Revolving Note under the GBC Credit Facility, such default could adversely affect our business, financial
condition, results of operations or liquidity.
The loans
and other obligations of the Company under the GBC Credit Facility are secured by substantially all of our tangible and intangible assets
(including, without limitation, intellectual property) pursuant to the terms of a Loan and Security Agreement with GBC dated July 28,
2023 (the “Agreement”) and an Intellectual Property Security Agreement (the “IP Security Agreement”). The GBC
Credit Facility is evidenced by a revolving note, which matures on July 28, 2025 (the “Maturity Date”), unless extended, modified,
or renewed (the “Revolving Note”). Provided that there is no event of default, the Maturity Date can automatically be extended
for one (1) year period upon payment of a renewal fee for each such extension in the amount of three-quarters of one percent (0.75%) of
the Revolving Loan Commitment, which fee will be due and payable on or before the applicable Maturity Date. The holder of the Revolving
Note is entitled to all of the benefits and security provided for in the Agreement. All Revolving Loans shall be repaid by the Borrower
on the Maturity Date, unless payable sooner pursuant to the provisions of the Agreement. As a secured
party, upon an event of default, GBC will have a first priority right to the collateral granted to them under the Agreement and IP Security
Agreement, and we may lose our ownership interest in the assets pledged as security interest. A loss of our collateral will have a material
adverse effect on our operations, our business and financial condition.
13
Backlog
may not be indicative of future operating results.
Future
revenue for the Company can be influenced by order backlog. Backlog represents the dollar amount of revenues we expect to recognize in
the future from contracts awarded and in progress. Backlog substantially represents new orders. Backlog is not a measure defined by generally
accepted accounting principles and is not a measure of contract profitability. Our methodology for determining backlog may not be comparable
to methodologies used by other companies in determining their backlog amounts. The backlog values we disclose include anticipated revenues
associated with: (1) the original contract amounts; (2) change orders for which we have received written confirmations from the applicable
customers; (3) change orders for which we expect to receive confirmations in the ordinary course of business; and (4) claims that we
have made against customers. In addition, the timing of order placement, size, and customer delivery dates can create unusual fluctuations
in backlog.
We
include unapproved change orders for which we expect to receive confirmations in the ordinary course of business in backlog, generally
to the extent of the lesser of the amount management expects to recover or the associated costs incurred. Any revenue that would represent
profit associated with unapproved change orders is generally excluded from backlog until written confirmation is obtained from the applicable
customer. However, consideration is given to our history with the customer as well as the contractual basis under which we may be operating.
Accordingly, in certain cases based on our historical experience in resolving unapproved change orders with a customer, the associated
profit may be included in backlog. However, if an unapproved change order is under dispute or has been previously rejected by the customer,
the associated amount of revenue is treated as a claim.
For
amounts included in backlog that are attributable to claims, we include unapproved claims in backlog when we have a legal basis to do
so, consider collection to be probable and believe we can reliably estimate the ultimate value. Claims revenue is included in backlog
to the extent of the lesser of the amount management expects to recover or associated costs incurred.
Backlog
may not be indicative of future operating results, and projects in our backlog may be cancelled, modified or otherwise altered by customers.
Our ability to realize revenue from the current backlog is dependent on among other things, the delivery of key parts from our vendors
in a timely manner. We can provide no assurance as to the profitability of our contracts reflected in backlog.
Economic
conditions may adversely affect consumer spending and the overall general health of our customers, which, in turn, may adversely affect
our financial condition, results of operations and cash resources.
Uncertainty
about the current and future global economic conditions may cause our customers to defer purchases or cancel purchase orders for our
products in response to tighter credit, decreased cash availability and weakened consumer confidence. Our financial success is sensitive
to changes in general economic conditions, both globally and nationally. Recessionary economic cycles, higher interest borrowing rates,
higher fuel and other energy costs, inflation, increases in commodity prices, higher levels of unemployment, higher consumer debt levels,
higher tax rates and other changes in tax laws or other economic factors that may affect consumer spending or buying habits could continue
to adversely affect the demand for our products. If credit pressures or other financial difficulties result in insolvency for our customers,
it could adversely impact our financial results. There can be no assurances that government and consumer responses to the disruptions
in the financial markets will restore consumer confidence.
We
are dependent on a few customers for the majority of our net revenues, and our success depends on demand from OEMs and other users of
our battery products.
Historically
a majority of our product sales have been generated from a small number of OEMs and customers, including two (2) customers who, on
an aggregate basis, made up 57% of our sales for the year ended June 30, 2023, and four (4) customers who, on an aggregate basis,
made up 69% of our sales for the year ended June 30, 2022. As a result, our success depends on continued demand from this small group of customers and
their willingness to incorporate our battery products in their equipment. The loss of a significant customer would have an adverse
effect on our revenues. There is no assurance that we will be successful in our efforts to convince end users to accept our
products. Our failure to gain acceptance of our products could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results
of operations.
Additionally,
OEMs, their dealers and battery distributors may be subject to changes in demand for their equipment which could significantly affect
our business, financial condition and results of operations.
14
We
do not have long-term contracts with our customers.
We
do not have long-term contracts with our customers. Future agreements with respect to pricing, returns, promotions, among other things,
are subject to periodic negotiation with each customer. No assurance can be given that our customers will continue to do business with
us. The loss of any of our significant customers will have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial
condition and liquidity. In addition, the uncertainty of product orders can make it difficult to forecast our sales and allocate our
resources in a manner consistent with actual sales, and our expense levels are based in part on our expectations of future sales. If
our expectations regarding future sales are inaccurate, we may be unable to reduce costs in a timely manner to adjust for sales shortfalls.
Real
or perceived hazards associated with Lithium-ion battery technology may affect demand for our products.
Press
reports have highlighted situations in which lithium-ion batteries in automobiles and consumer products have caught fire or exploded.
In response, the use and transportation of lithium-ion batteries has been prohibited or restricted in certain circumstances. This publicity
has resulted in a public perception that lithium-ion batteries are dangerous and unpredictable. Although we believe our battery packs
are safe, these perceived hazards may result in customer reluctance to adopt our lithium-ion based technology.
Our
products may experience quality problems from time to time that could result in negative publicity, litigation, product recalls and warranty
claims, which could result in decreased revenues and harm to our brands.
A
catastrophic failure of our battery modules could cause personal or property damages for which we would be potentially liable. Damage
to or the failure of our battery packs to perform to customer specifications could result in unexpected warranty expenses or result in
a product recall, which would be time consuming and expensive. Such circumstances could result in negative publicity or lawsuits filed
against us related to the perceived quality of our products which could harm our brand and decrease demand for our products.
We
may be subject to product liability claims .
If
one of our products were to cause injury to someone or cause property damage, including as a result of product malfunctions, defects,
or improper installation, then we could be exposed to product liability claims. We could incur significant costs and liabilities if we
are sued and if damages are awarded against us. Further, any product liability claim we face could be expensive to defend and could divert
management’s attention. The successful assertion of a product liability claim against us could result in potentially significant
monetary damages, penalties or fines, subject us to adverse publicity, damage our reputation and competitive position, and adversely
affect sales of our products. In addition, product liability claims, injuries, defects, or other problems experienced by other companies
in the solar industry could lead to unfavorable market conditions for the industry as a whole, and may have an adverse effect on our
ability to attract new customers, thus harming our growth and financial performance. Although we carry product liability insurance, it
may be insufficient in amount to cover our claims.
15
Tariffs
could be imposed on lithium-ion batteries or on any other component parts by the United States government or a resulting trade war could
have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
In
2018, the United States government announced tariffs on certain steel and aluminum products imported into the United States, which led
to reciprocal tariffs being imposed by the European Union and other governments on products imported from the United States. The United
States government has implemented tariffs on goods imported from China.
The
lithium-ion battery industry has been subjected to tariffs implemented by the United States government on goods imported from China.
There is an ongoing risk of new or additional tariffs being put in place on lithium-ion batteries or related part. Since all of our lithium-ion
batteries are manufactured in China, current and potential tariffs on lithium-ion batteries imported by us from China could increase
our costs, require us to increase prices to our customers or, if we are unable to do so, result in lower gross margins on the products
sold by us. China has already imposed tariffs on a wide range of American products in retaliation for the American tariffs on steel and
aluminum. Additional tariffs could be imposed by China in response to actual or threatened tariffs on products imported from China. The
imposition of additional tariffs by the United States could trigger the adoption of tariffs by other countries as well. Any resulting
escalation of trade tensions, including a “trade war,” could have a significant adverse effect on world trade and the world
economy, as well as on our results of operations. At this time, we cannot predict how such enacted tariffs will impact our business.
Tariffs on components imported by us from China could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
We
are dependent on a limited number of suppliers for our battery cells, and the inability of these suppliers to continue to deliver, or
their refusal to deliver, our battery cells at prices and volumes acceptable to us would have a material adverse effect on our business,
prospects and operating results.
We
do not manufacture the battery cells used in our energy storage packs. Our battery cells, which are an integral part of our battery products
and systems, are sourced from a limited number of manufacturers located in China. While we obtain components for our products and systems
from multiple sources whenever possible, we have spent a great deal of time in developing and testing our battery cells that we receive
from our suppliers. We refer to the battery cell suppliers as our “limited source suppliers.” Additionally,
our operations are materially dependent upon the continued market acceptance and quality of these manufacturers’ products and their
ability to continue to manufacture products that are competitive and that comply with laws relating to environmental and efficiency standards.
Our inability to obtain products from one or more of these suppliers or a decline in market acceptance of these suppliers’ products
could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. From time to time we have experienced
shortages, allocations and discontinuances of certain components and products, resulting in delays in filling orders. Qualifying new
suppliers to compensate for such shortages may be time-consuming and costly. In addition, we may have to recertify our UL Listings for
the battery cells from new suppliers, which in turn has led to delays in product acceptance. Similar delays may occur in the future.
Furthermore, the performance of the components from our suppliers as incorporated in our products may not meet the quality requirements
of our customers.
To
date, we have no qualified alternative sources for our battery cells although we research and assess cells from other suppliers on an
ongoing basis. We generally do not maintain long-term agreements with our limited source suppliers. While we believe that we will be
able to establish additional supplier relationships for our battery cells, we may be unable to do so in the short term or at all at prices,
quality or costs that are favorable to us.
Changes
in business conditions, wars, regulatory requirements, economic conditions and cycles, governmental changes, pandemic, and other factors
beyond our control could also affect our suppliers’ ability to deliver components to us on a timely basis or cause us to terminate
our relationship with them and require us to find replacements, which we may have difficulty doing. Furthermore, if we experience significant
increased demand, or need to replace our existing suppliers, there can be no assurance that additional supplies of component parts will
be available when required on terms that are favorable to us, at all, or that any supplier would allocate sufficient supplies to us in
order to meet our requirements or fill our orders in a timely manner. In the past, we have replaced certain suppliers because of their
failure to provide components that met our quality control standards. The loss of any limited source supplier or the disruption in the
supply of components from these suppliers could lead to delays in the deliveries of our battery products and systems to our customers,
which could hurt our relationships with our customers and also materially adversely affect our business, prospects and operating results.
16
Increases
in costs, disruption of supply or shortage of raw materials, in particular lithium-ion phosphate cells, could harm our business.
We
may experience increases in the costs, or a sustained interruption in the supply or shortage, of raw materials. Any such cost increase
or supply interruption could materially negatively impact our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results. For instance,
we are exposed to multiple risks relating to price fluctuations for lithium-iron phosphate cells.
These
risks include:
●
the
inability or unwillingness of battery manufacturers to supply the number of lithium-iron phosphate cells required to support our
sales as demand for such rechargeable battery cells increases;
●
disruption
in the supply of cells due to quality issues or recalls by the battery cell manufacturers; and
●
an
increase in the cost of raw materials, such as iron and phosphate, used in lithium-iron phosphate cells.
Our
success depends on our ability to develop new products and capabilities that respond to customer demand, industry trends or actions by
our competitors and failure to do so may cause us to lose our competitiveness in the battery industry and may cause our profits to decline.
Our
success will depend on our ability to develop new products and capabilities that respond to customer demand, industry trends or actions
by our competitors. There is no assurance that we will be able to successfully develop new products and capabilities that adequately
respond to these forces. In addition, changes in legislative, regulatory or industry requirements or in competitive technologies may
render certain of our products obsolete or less attractive. If we are unable to offer products and capabilities that satisfy customer
demand, respond adequately to changes in industry trends or legislative changes and maintain our competitive position in our markets,
our financial condition and results of operations would be materially and adversely affected .
The
research and development of new products and technologies is costly and time consuming, and there are no assurances that our research
and development efforts will be either successful or completed within anticipated timeframes, if at all. Our failure to technologically
evolve and/or develop new or enhanced products may cause us to lose competitiveness in the battery market. In addition, in order to compete
effectively in the renewable battery industry, we must be able to launch new products to meet our customers’ demands in a timely
manner. However, we cannot provide assurance that we will be able to install and certify any equipment needed to produce new products
in a timely manner, or that the transitioning of our manufacturing facility and resources to full production under any new product programs
will not impact production rates or other operational efficiency measures at our manufacturing facility. In addition, new product introductions
and applications are risky, and may suffer from a lack of market acceptance, delays in related product development and failure of new
products to operate properly. Any failure by us to successfully launch new products, or a failure by us to meet our customers criteria
in order to accept such products, could adversely affect our results.
Our
business will be adversely affected if we are unable to protect our intellectual property rights from unauthorized use or infringement
by third parties.
Any
failure to protect our intellectual proprietary rights could result in our competitors offering similar products, 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. To accomplish this, we rely on a combination of patents, patent applications, trade secrets, including know-how, employee and
third-party nondisclosure agreements, copyright laws, trademarks, intellectual property licenses and other contractual rights to establish
and protect our proprietary rights in our technology.
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The
protections provided by patent laws will be important to our future opportunities. However, such patents and agreements and various other
measures we take to protect our intellectual property from use by others may not be effective for various reasons, including the following:
●
the
patents we have been granted may be challenged, invalidated or circumvented because of the pre-existence of similar patented or unpatented
intellectual property rights or for other reasons;
●
the
costs associated with enforcing patents, confidentiality and invention agreements or other intellectual property rights may make
aggressive enforcement impracticable; and
●
existing
and future competitors may independently develop similar technology and/or duplicate our systems in a way that circumvents our patents.
Our
patent applications may not result in issued patents, which may have a material adverse effect on our ability to prevent others from
commercially exploiting products similar to ours.
We
cannot be certain that we are the first creator of inventions covered by pending patent applications or the first to file patent applications
on these inventions, nor can we be certain that our pending patent applications will result in issued patents or that any of our issued
patents will afford protection against a competitor. In addition, patent applications that we intend to file in foreign countries are
subject to laws, rules and procedures that differ from those of the United States, and thus we cannot be certain that foreign patent
applications related to issue United States patents will be issued. Furthermore, if these patent applications issue, some foreign countries
provide significantly less effective patent enforcement than in the United States.
The
status of patents involves complex legal and factual questions and the breadth of claims allowed is uncertain. As a result, we cannot
be certain that the patent applications that we file will result in patents being issued, or that our patents and any patents that may
be issued to us in the near future will afford protection against competitors with similar technology. In addition, patents issued to
us may be infringed upon or designed around by others and others may obtain patents that we need to license or design around, either
of which would increase costs and may adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results.
We
rely on trade secret protections through confidentiality agreements with our employees, customers and other parties; the breach of such
agreements could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
We
rely on trade secrets, which we seek to protect, in part, through confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements with our employees, customers
and other parties. There can be no assurance that these agreements will not be breached, that we would have adequate remedies for any
such breach or that our trade secrets will not otherwise become known to or independently developed by competitors. To the extent that
consultants, key employees or other third parties apply technological information independently developed by them or by others to our
proposed projects, disputes may arise as to the proprietary rights to such information that may not be resolved in our favor. We may
be involved from time to time in litigation to determine the enforceability, scope and validity of our proprietary rights. Any such litigation
could result in substantial cost and diversion of effort by our management and technical personnel.
Our
business depends substantially on the continuing efforts of the members of our senior management team, and our business may be severely
disrupted if we lose their services.
We
believe that our success is largely dependent upon the continued service of the members of our senior management team, who are critical
to establishing our corporate strategies and focus, overseeing the execution of our business strategy and ensuring our continued growth.
Our continued success will depend on our ability to attract and retain a qualified and competent management team in order to manage our
existing operations and support our expansion plans. Although we are not aware of any change, if any of the members of our senior management
team are unable or unwilling to continue in their present positions, we may not be able to replace them readily. Therefore, our business
may be severely disrupted, and we may incur additional expenses to recruit and retain their replacement. In addition, if any of the members
of our senior management team joins a competitor or forms a competing company, we may lose some of our customers.
If
we are forced to implement workforce reductions, our staff resources will be stretched making our ability to comply with legal and regulatory
requirements as a public company difficult.
There
can be no assurance that our management team will be able to implement and affect programs and policies in an effective and timely manner
especially if subject to workforce reductions, that adequately respond to increased legal, regulatory compliance and reporting requirements
imposed by such laws and regulations. Our failure to comply with such laws and regulations could lead to the imposition of fines and
penalties and further result in the deterioration of our business.
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Compliance
with changing regulations concerning corporate governance and public disclosure may result in additional expenses.
There
have been changing laws, regulations and standards relating to corporate governance and public disclosure, including the (Sarbanes-Oxley)
Act of 2002, new regulations promulgated by the SEC and rules promulgated by the national securities exchanges. These new or changed
laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying interpretations in many cases due to their lack of specificity, and, as a result,
their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidance is provided by regulatory and governing bodies, which could result
in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and higher costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to disclosure and governance
practices. As a result, our efforts to comply with evolving laws, regulations and standards are likely to continue to result in increased
general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management time and attention from revenue-generating activities to compliance
activities. Members of our Board of Directors and our chief executive officer and chief financial officer could face an increased risk
of personal liability in connection with the performance of their duties. As a result, we may have difficulty attracting and retaining
qualified directors and executive officers, which could harm our business. If the actions we take in our efforts to comply with new or
changed laws, regulations and standards differ from the actions intended by regulatory or governing bodies, we could be subject to liability
under applicable laws or our reputation may be harmed.
In
addition, Sarbanes-Oxley specifically requires, among other things, that we maintain effective internal controls for financial reporting
and disclosure of controls and procedures. In particular, we must perform system and process evaluation and testing of our internal controls
over financial reporting to allow management to report on the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting, as required
by Section 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley. Our testing, or the subsequent testing by our independent registered public accounting firm, when required,
may reveal deficiencies in our internal controls over financial reporting that are deemed to be material weaknesses. Our compliance with
Section 404 will require that we incur substantial accounting expense and expend significant management efforts. We currently do not
have an internal audit group, and we may need to hire additional accounting and financial staff with appropriate public company experience
and technical accounting knowledge. Moreover, if we are not able to comply with the requirements of Section 404 in a timely manner, or
if we or our independent registered public accounting firm identifies deficiencies in our internal controls over financial reporting
that are deemed to be material weaknesses, the market price of our stock could decline, and we could be subject to sanctions or investigations
by the SEC or other regulatory authorities, which would require additional financial and management resources.
We
have identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting. If we are unable to remediate these material weaknesses,
or if we identify additional material weaknesses in the future or otherwise fail to maintain an effective system of internal controls,
we may not be able to accurately or timely report our financial condition or results of operations, which may adversely affect our business
and stock price.
Based
on management’s evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of June 30, 2023, we identified material weaknesses in
our internal controls over financial reporting. The material weaknesses were based on our ineffective oversight of our internal control
over financial reporting and lack of sufficient personnel resources with technical accounting expertise related to certain aspects of
the financial reporting process. Until such time as we could have additional resources with such level of technical accounting expertise,
management intends to implement measures designed to improve our internal control over financial
reporting to remediate material weaknesses, including the use of third-party consultants and accounting experts.
We
are committed to remediating our material weakness. However, there can be no assurance as to when this material weakness will be remediated
or that additional material weaknesses will not arise in the future. If we are unable to maintain effective internal control over financial
reporting, our ability to record, process and report financial information timely and accurately could be adversely affected and could
result in a material misstatement in our financial statements, which could subject us to litigation or investigations, require management
resources, increase our expenses, negatively affect investor confidence in our financial statements and adversely impact the trading
price of our common stock.
We
may face significant costs relating to environmental regulations for the storage and shipment of our lithium-ion battery packs.
Federal,
state, and local regulations impose significant environmental requirements on the manufacture, storage, transportation, and disposal
of various components of advanced energy storage systems. Although we believe that our operations are in material compliance with applicable
environmental regulations, there can be no assurance that changes in such laws and regulations will not impose costly compliance requirements
on us or otherwise subject us to future liabilities. Moreover, Federal, state, and local governments may enact additional regulations
relating to the manufacture, storage, transportation, and disposal of components of advanced energy storage systems. Compliance with
such additional regulations could require us to devote significant time and resources and could adversely affect demand for our products.
There can be no assurance that additional or modified regulations relating to the manufacture, storage, transportation, and disposal
of components of advanced energy systems will not be imposed.
Natural
disasters, public health crises, political crises and other catastrophic events or other events outside of our control may damage our
sole facility or the facilities of third parties on which we depend, and could impact consumer spending.
Our
sole production facility is located in southern California near major geologic faults that have experienced earthquakes in the past.
An earthquake or other natural disaster or power shortages or outages could disrupt our operations or impair critical systems. Any of
these disruptions or other events outside of our control could affect our business negatively, harming our operating results. In addition,
if our sole facility, or the facilities of our suppliers, third-party service providers or customers, is affected by natural disasters,
such as earthquakes, tsunamis, power shortages or outages, floods or monsoons, public health crises, such as pandemics and epidemics,
political crises, such as terrorism, war, political instability or other conflict, or other events outside of our control, our business
and operating results could suffer. Moreover, these types of events could negatively impact consumer spending in the impacted regions
or, depending upon the severity, globally, which could adversely impact our operating results. Similar disasters occurring at our vendors’
manufacturing facilities could impact our reputation and our consumers’ perception of our brands.
19
Security
breaches, loss of data and other disruptions could compromise sensitive information related to our business, prevent us from accessing
critical information or expose us to liability, which could adversely affect our business and our reputation.
We
utilize information technology systems and networks to process, transmit and store electronic information in connection with our business
activities. As the use of digital technologies has increased, cyber incidents, including deliberate attacks and attempts to gain unauthorized
access to computer systems and networks and divert financial resources, have increased in frequency and sophistication. These threats
pose a risk to the security of our systems and networks and the confidentiality, availability and integrity of our data, all of which
are vital to our operations and business strategy. There can be no assurance we will succeed in preventing cyber-attacks or successfully
mitigating their effects.
Despite
implementing security measures, any of the internal computer systems belonging to us or our suppliers are vulnerable to damage from computer
viruses, unauthorized access, natural disasters, terrorism, war, and telecommunication and electrical failure. Any system failure, accident,
security breach or data breach that causes interruptions could result in a material disruption of our product development programs. Further,
our information technology and other internal infrastructure systems, including firewalls, servers, leased lines and connection to the
Internet, face the risk of systemic failure, which could disrupt our operations. If any disruption or security breach results in a loss
or damage to our data or applications, or inappropriate disclosure of confidential or proprietary information, we may incur resulting
liability, and competitive position may be adversely affected, and the further development of our products may be delayed. Furthermore,
we may incur additional costs to remedy the damage caused by these disruptions or security breaches.
Risks
Related to Our Common Stock and Market
The
market price of our common stock could become volatile, or our trading volume become weak, either of which could lead to the price of
our stock being depressed at a time when you may want to sell.
Our
common stock is being traded on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “FLUX.” We cannot predict the extent to which
investor interest in our common stock will lead to the development of an active trading market on that stock exchange or any other exchange
in the future. An active market for our common stock may never develop. We cannot assure you that the volume of trading in shares of
our common stock will increase in the future. The trading price of our common stock has experienced volatility and is likely to continue
to be highly volatile in response to numerous factors, many of which are beyond our control, including, without limitation, the following:
●
our
earnings releases, actual or anticipated changes in our earnings, fluctuations in our operating results or our failure to meet the
expectations of financial market analysts and investors;
●
changes
in financial estimates by securities analysts, if any, who might cover our stock;
●
speculation
about our business in the press or the investment community;
●
significant
developments relating to our relationships with our customers or suppliers;
●
stock
market price and volume fluctuations of other publicly traded companies and, in particular, those that are in our industry;
●
customer
demand for our products;
●
investor
perceptions of our industry in general and our Company in particular;
●
general
economic conditions and trends;
●
announcements
by us or our competitors of new products, significant acquisitions, strategic partnerships or divestitures;
●
changes
in accounting standards, policies, guidance, interpretation or principles;
●
loss
of external funding sources;
●
sales
of our common stock, including sales by our directors, officers or significant stockholders; and
●
additions
or departures of key personnel.
The
trading price and volume of our common stock may impact your ability to sell your shares of common stock, causing you to lose all or
part of your investment.
20
The
ownership of our stock is highly concentrated in our management, and we have one controlling stockholder.
As of September 8,
2023, our directors and executive officers, and their respective affiliates beneficially owned approximately 28.5% of our outstanding
common stock, including common stock underlying options, and warrants that were exercisable or convertible or which would become exercisable
or convertible within 60 days. Michael Johnson, our director and sole director of Esenjay Investments LLC (“Essenjay”), beneficially
owns approximately 26.7% of such outstanding common stock. As a result of their ownership, our directors and executive officers and their
respective affiliates collectively, and Esenjay, individually, are able to significantly influence all matters requiring stockholder
approval, including the election of directors and approval of significant corporate transactions. This concentration of ownership may
also have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control.
We
do not intend to pay dividends on shares of our common stock for the foreseeable future.
We
have never declared or paid any cash dividends on shares of our common stock. We intend to retain any future earnings to fund the operation
and expansion of our business and, therefore, we do not anticipate paying cash dividends on shares of our common stock in the foreseeable
future.
Although
our common stock is listed on The NASDAQ Capital Market, there can be no assurance that we will be able to comply with continued listing
standards of The NASDAQ Capital Market.
Although
our common stock is listed on The NASDAQ Capital Market, we cannot assure you that we will be able to continue to comply with the minimum
bid price requirement, stockholder equity requirement and the other standards that we are required to meet in order to maintain a listing
of our common stock on The NASDAQ Capital Market. Our failure to continue to meet these requirements may result in our common stock being
delisted from The NASDAQ Capital Market. There can be no assurance that our common stock will continue to trade on The Nasdaq Capital
Market or trade on the over-the counter markets or any public market in the future. In the event our common stock is delisted, our stock
price and market liquidity of our stock will be adversely affected which will impact your ability to sell your securities in the market.
Preferred
Stock may be issued under our Articles of Incorporation which may have superior rights to our common stock.
Our
Articles of Incorporation authorize the issuance of up to 500,000 shares of preferred stock. The preferred stock may be issued in one
or more series, the terms of which may be determined at the time of issuance. These terms may include voting rights including the right
to vote as a series on particular matters, preferences as to dividends and liquidation, conversion rights, redemption rights and sinking
fund provisions. In addition, these voting, conversion and exchange rights of preferred stock could negatively affect the voting power
or other rights of our common stockholders. The issuance of any preferred stock could diminish the rights of holders of our common stock,
or delay or prevent a change of control of our Company, and therefore could reduce the value of such common stock.
21
ITEM
1B - UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.
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.