Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis
ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following
discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, and the notes thereto,
and other financial information appearing elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and the audited consolidated financial statements
and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. The following discussion
and analysis compares our consolidated results of operations for the three and six months ended March 31, 2023 (the “2023 Quarter”
and “2023 Period”, respectively) with those for the three and six months ended March 31, 2022 (the “2022 Quarter”
and “2022 Period”, respectively). All dollar amounts and percentages presented herein have been rounded to approximate
values.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements
This report contains “forward-looking
statements”, as such term is used within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements
include, among other things, statements regarding our liquidity, plans on repaying outstanding debt obligations, expectations regarding
the effect of the pandemic and inflation on our business, as well as other statements regarding our future operations, financial condition
and prospects, and business strategies. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by words such as "anticipates,"
"believes," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "projects,"
"will be," "will continue," "will likely result," and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements
are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause our actual results to
differ materially and adversely from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. These risks include the inability to expand our
customer base, loss of additional customers, pricing pressures, lack of success of our sales people, failure to develop products at a
profit, failure to commercialize products that we develop, continued supply chain issues, inability of our design division’s customers
to pay for our services, unanticipated issues with our affiliated sourcing agent, issues at Chinese factories that source our products
as a result of the pandemic or otherwise, and failure to obtain acceptance of our products. No assurance can be given that the actual
results will be consistent with the forward-looking statements. Investors should read carefully the factors described in the “Risk
Factors” section of the Company’s filings with the SEC, including the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended September
30, 2022 for information regarding risk factors that could affect the Company’s results. We undertake no obligation to revise or
publicly release the results of any revision to these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Given these risks and uncertainties,
readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.
Business Overview
Forward Industries, Inc. is a
global design, manufacturing, sourcing and distribution company serving top tier medical and technology customers worldwide. Through the
growth in our design segment, we are able to introduce proprietary products to the market from concepts brought to us from a number of
different sources, both inside and outside the Company.
Our design segment provides hardware
and software product design and engineering services to customers predominantly located in the U.S. Our OEM distribution segment sources
and sells carrying cases and other accessories for medical monitoring and diagnostic kits as well as a variety of other portable electronic
and non-electronic devices to OEMs, or their contract manufacturers worldwide, that either package our products as accessories “in
box” together with their branded product offerings or sell them through their retail distribution channels. Our retail distribution
segment sources and sells smart-enabled furniture, hot tubs and saunas, and various other products through online retailer websites to
customers predominately located in the U.S. and Canada.
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic
continue to impact our business with high capitalized inventory costs for inbound ocean freight, particularly from the Asia-Pacific region,
and expenses associated with outbound ground transportation. We expect to see the benefits of declining ocean freight costs in future
periods. Inflation, in part associated with the pandemic, continues to increase the cost of acquiring and retaining our employees and
acquiring inventory. The instability of transportation costs and future inflation are still largely unknown but are expected to continue
throughout Fiscal 2023.
20
The effects of COVID-19 may further
impact our business in ways we cannot predict, and such impacts could be significant. The current economic conditions may continue to
negatively impact our results of operations, cash flows and financial position in future periods as well as that of our customers, including
their ability to pay for our services and to choose to allocate their budgets to new or existing projects which may or may not require
our services. The long-term financial impact on our business cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. As a result, the effects of
COVID-19 may not be fully reflected in our financial results until future periods.
Until the effects of the pandemic
and associated inflationary impact have fully receded, we expect business conditions to remain challenging. In response to these
challenges, we will continue to focus on those factors that we can control: closely managing and controlling our expenses and inventory
levels; aligning our design and development schedules with demand in a proactive manner to minimize our cash operating costs; pursuing
further improvements in the productivity and effectiveness of our development, selling and administrative activities and, where appropriate,
taking advantage of opportunities to enhance our business growth and strategy.
Variability of Revenues
and Results of Operations
A significant portion of
our revenue is concentrated with several large customers, some of which are the same and some of which change over time. Orders from some
of these customers can be highly variable, with short lead times, which can cause our quarterly revenues, and consequently our results
of operations, to vary over a relatively short period of time.
Critical Accounting Policies
and Estimates
We discussed the material
accounting policies that are critical in making the estimates and judgments in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
September 30, 2022, under the caption “Management’s Discussion and Analysis—Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates”.
There has been no material change in critical accounting policies or estimates during the period covered by this report.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
For information on recent
accounting pronouncements and impacts, see Note 2 to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2023 COMPARED TO THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2022
Consolidated Results
The table below summarizes our consolidated
results of operations for the 2023 Quarter as compared to the 2022 Quarter:
Consolidated Results of Operations
2023 Quarter
2022 Quarter
Change ($)
Change (%)
Revenues, net
$ 10,658,000
$ 10,315,000
$ 343,000
3.3%
Cost of sales
9,146,000
8,063,000
1,083,000
13.4%
Gross profit
1,512,000
2,252,000
(740,000 )
(32.9% )
Sales and marketing expenses
773,000
704,000
69,000
9.8%
General and administrative expenses
1,583,000
1,871,000
(288,000 )
(15.4% )
Loss from operations
(844,000 )
(323,000 )
(521,000 )
161.3%
Other expense, net
27,000
33,000
(6,000 )
(18.2% )
Provision for income taxes
–
–
–
–
Net loss
$ (871,000 )
$ (356,000 )
$ (515,000 )
144.7%
21
The discussion that follows below
provides further details about our results of operations for the 2023 Quarter as compared to the 2022 Quarter.
Net revenues increased in the
design and retail distribution segments but were partially offset by lower revenues in the OEM distribution segment.
Our gross profit decreased across
all segments and our gross margin declined from 21.8% in the 2022 Quarter to 14.2% in the 2023 Quarter, driven by continued pricing pressures
from our customers, high product, importation and logistics costs, additional retail inventory reserves and inflation. Management believes
there will be continued volatility in OEM and retail distribution cost of sales for the remainder of Fiscal 2023.
Sales and marketing expenses
increased in the 2023 Quarter primarily due to sales related severance costs in the OEM distribution segment and higher advertising and
commission expense in the design segment. Sales and marketing as a percentage of revenues increased to 7.3% in the 2023 Quarter from 6.8%
in the 2022 Quarter. If revenues from the retail distribution segment grow to comprise a significantly larger portion of the overall business,
management expects sales and marketing costs, both in total and as a percentage of revenues, to increase in future periods.
General and administrative expenses
decreased in the 2023 Quarter, primarily related to lower bad debt expense in the design segment. Management continues to monitor the
various components of general and administrative expenses and how these costs are affected by inflationary and other factors. We intend
to adjust these costs as needed based on the overall needs of the business.
The decrease in other expense
is primarily due to a decrease in interest expense resulting from a reduction in the amount of debt outstanding.
We generated a net loss
of $871,000 and $356,000 in the 2023 Quarter and 2022 Quarter, respectively. We maintain significant net operating loss carryforwards
and do not recognize a significant income tax expense or benefit as our deferred tax provision is typically offset by a full valuation
allowance on our net deferred tax asset.
Consolidated basic and diluted
loss per share was $0.09 and $0.04 for the 2023 Quarter and the 2022 Quarter, respectively.
Segment Results
The discussion that follows below
provides further details about the results of operations for each segment as compared to the prior year quarter.
Segment Results of Operations
OEM
Distribution
Retail Distribution
Design
Corporate Expenses
Consolidated
2023 Quarter revenues
$ 4,057,000
$ 919,000
$ 5,682,000
$ –
$ 10,658,000
2022 Quarter revenues
4,676,000
649,000
4,990,000
–
10,315,000
Change
$ (619,000 )
$ 270,000
$ 692,000
$ –
$ 343,000
2023 Quarter operating income/(loss)
$ 28,000
$ (736,000 )
$ 531,000
$ (667,000 )
$ (844,000 )
2022 Quarter operating income/(loss)
326,000
(356,000 )
389,000
(682,000 )
(323,000 )
Change
$ (298,000 )
$ (380,000 )
$ 142,000
$ 15,000
$ (521,000 )
22
OEM Distribution Segment
The decrease in net revenues
in the OEM distribution segment resulted from lower sales volume from diabetic customers, which was partially offset by increased revenue
from other OEM customers. As consumer demand increases for diabetic testing products which require no carrying case, we expect diabetic
product sales to continue to represent a smaller portion of our OEM distribution revenue. In March 2023, a contract with one of our major
diabetic customers expired. Due to increased pricing pressures, we did not extend our contract with this customer. Revenue from this customer
represented approximately 12% of our consolidated net revenues in both the 2023 Quarter and 2022 Quarter. We expect the loss of this customer
to cause a significant decline in OEM distribution segment revenues in future periods.
The following tables set
forth revenues by product line of our OEM distribution segment customers for the periods indicated:
OEM Revenues by Product Line
2023 Quarter
2022 Quarter
Change ($)
Change (%)
Diabetic products
$ 3,374,000
$ 4,159,000
$ (785,000 )
(18.9% )
Other products
683,000
517,000
166,000
32.1%
Total net revenues
$ 4,057,000
$ 4,676,000
$ (619,000 )
(13.2% )
Diabetic Product Revenues
Our OEM distribution segment
manufactures to the order of, and sells carrying cases for, blood glucose diagnostic kits directly to OEMs (or their contract manufacturers).
The OEM customer or its contract manufacturer packages our carry cases “in box” as a custom accessory for the OEM’s
blood glucose testing and monitoring kits, or to a lesser extent, sells them through their retail distribution channels.
Revenues from diabetic
products decreased due to lower volumes from one major customer in the 2023 Quarter resulting from lower demand and the loss of one product
to a competitor. These decreases were partially offset by an increase in volumes from another customer that was timing related. As mentioned
above, management believes that revenues from diabetic customers will decline in future periods. Revenues from diabetic products represented
83% of net revenues for the OEM distribution segment in the 2023 Quarter compared to 89% in the 2022 Quarter.
Other Product Revenues
Our OEM distribution segment
also sources and sells cases and protective solutions for a diverse array of portable electronic and non-electronic products (such as
sporting and recreational products, bar code scanners, GPS devices, tablets and firearms) on a made-to-order basis that are customized
to fit the products sold by our OEM customers.
Revenues from other products
increased due to higher sales volume with some existing customers, which was partially offset by lower sales volume from some other customers.
We will continue to focus on our sales and sales support teams in our continued efforts to expand and diversify our other products customer
base.
Operating Income
Operating income for the
OEM distribution segment decreased and operating income margin decreased from 7.0% in the 2022 Quarter to 0.7% in the 2023 Quarter, driven
by lower gross margins due to lower revenues and a shift in the mix of revenue, coupled with sales related severance costs. While diabetic
revenues decreased overall, the decrease was mostly from more profitable products, thus driving overall gross margins down. The cost of
importing all products from China has increased and both the diabetic and other OEM product lines have experienced pricing pressures from
customers.
23
Considering the loss of
a significant diabetic customer, management reduced its OEM distribution segment sales and marketing personnel in March 2023 and is currently
assessing the terms of its sourcing agreement with Forward China, which is scheduled to expire on October 22, 2023 (See Note 8 to the
condensed consolidated financial statements). Effective April 1, 2023, the Company and Forward China agreed to reduce the fixed portion
of the sourcing fee from $100,000 to $83,333 per month for the remaining term of the sourcing agreement, which is expected to result in
cash savings of $100,000 for the remainder of the 2023 fiscal year. The Company and Forward China have begun negotiations on a new sourcing
agreement. While we believe a new agreement will be reached, we cannot provide any assurances that we will be successful.
If an agreement cannot be reached, which could have a significant impact on the Company’s operations, we will look at other alternatives
for our OEM and retail distribution businesses prior to the expiration of the agreement. Management is planning to further evaluate the
OEM distribution segment cost structure and implement additional cost cutting initiatives as deemed necessary.
Retail Distribution Segment
The increase in net revenues
in the 2023 Quarter was driven by higher sales volumes and additional product offerings with existing retailers, and, to a lesser extent,
business from new retailers, which was partially offset by price reductions on certain products. As inflation continues to increase the
cost of products and constrain consumer spending, profitability continues to be challenging in the retail segment. We plan to focus our
sales and sales support teams on efforts to match our product offerings with consumer demand, sell off slow-moving inventory to reduce
storage and other inventory holding costs, strategically increase the volume of revenue from more profitable products, attempt to negotiate
lower costing for these products, and expand these product offerings through additional retailer websites.
The cost of importation,
storage, and other logistics services, coupled with additional inventory reserves, outpaced revenue leading to a decline in gross margin
from the 2022 Quarter to the 2023 Quarter. This was partially offset by slightly lower sales and marketing expenses driven by a reduction
in commission expense resulting from a change in the mix of revenue. The operating loss margin increased from 54.9% in the 2022 Quarter
to 80.1% in the 2023 Quarter. Management continues to evaluate plans to reduce costs in efforts to improve operating results in the retail
distribution segment, including the consolidation of warehouse facilities and selling off slow-moving inventory to reduce storage costs.
Design Segment
The increase in net revenues
in the design segment was primarily driven by an increase in revenue from one major customer, coupled with an increase in projects from
new and other existing customers, which was partially offset by declines in revenues from certain prior year customers.
Operating income for the
design segment increased and operating income margin increased from 7.8% in the 2022 Quarter to 9.3% in 2023 Quarter. The impact of better
utilization, increased billing rates and lower general and administrative expenses, driven by lower bad debt expense, was partially offset
by higher direct labor costs, driven by inflationary pressures, and slightly higher sales and marketing expenses.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2023 COMPARED TO THE SIX MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2022
Consolidated Results
The table below summarizes our consolidated
results of operations for the 2023 Period as compared to the 2022 Period:
Consolidated Results of Operations
2023 Period
2022 Period
Change ($)
Change (%)
Revenues, net
$ 21,468,000
$ 21,928,000
$ (460,000 )
(2.1% )
Cost of sales
18,037,000
17,057,000
980,000
5.7%
Gross profit
3,431,000
4,871,000
(1,440,000 )
(29.6% )
Sales and marketing expenses
1,464,000
1,442,000
22,000
1.5%
General and administrative expenses
3,278,000
3,538,000
(260,000 )
(7.3% )
Loss from operations
(1,311,000 )
(109,000 )
(1,202,000 )
1102.8%
Other (income)/expense, net
(10,000 )
67,000
(77,000 )
(114.9% )
Provision for income taxes
–
–
–
–
Net loss
$ (1,301,000 )
$ (176,000 )
$ (1,125,000 )
639.2%
24
The discussion that follows below
provides further details about our results of operations for the 2023 Period as compared to the 2022 Period.
Net revenues declined in the
OEM and retail distribution segments but were partially offset by higher revenues in the design segment.
Our gross profit decreased across
all segments and our gross margin declined from 22.2% in the 2022 Period to 16.0% in the 2023 Period, driven by continued pricing pressures
from our customers, high product, importation and logistics costs, additional retail inventory reserves and inflation. Management believes
there will be continued volatility in OEM and retail distribution cost of sales for the remainder of Fiscal 2023.
Sales and marketing expenses
increased slightly in the 2023 Period as sales related severance costs in the OEM distribution segment and higher advertising and commission
expenses in the design segment were partially offset by lower retail sales commissions resulting from a change in the mix of revenue.
Sales and marketing as a percentage of revenues increased slightly from 6.6% in the 2022 Period to 6.8% in the 2023 Period. If revenues
from the retail distribution segment grow to comprise a significantly larger portion of the overall business, management expects sales
and marketing costs, both in total and as a percentage of revenues, to increase in future periods.
General and administrative expenses
decreased in the 2023 Period, primarily related to lower bad debt expense in the design segment. Management continues to monitor the various
components of general and administrative expenses and how these costs are affected by inflationary and other factors. We intend to adjust
these costs as needed based on the overall needs of the business.
We recorded net other income
of $10,000 in the 2023 Period compared to net other expense of $67,000 in the 2022 Period. The variance is due to fair value adjustments
of $40,000 in the 2023 Period to reduce to the fair value of the earnout consideration related to the Kablooe acquisition, $18,000 of
net duty drawback income received in the 2023 Period, foreign currency fluctuations and a decrease in interest expense resulting from
a reduction in the amount of debt outstanding.
We generated a net loss
of $1,301,000 and $176,000 in the 2023 Period and 2022 Period, respectively. We maintain significant net operating loss carryforwards
and do not recognize a significant income tax expense or benefit as our deferred tax provision is typically offset by a full valuation
allowance on our net deferred tax asset.
Consolidated basic and diluted
loss per share was $0.13 and $0.02 for the 2023 Period and the 2022 Period, respectively.
Segment Results
The discussion that follows below
provides further details about the results of operations for each segment as compared to the prior year period.
Segment Results of Operations
OEM
Distribution
Retail Distribution
Design
Corporate Expenses
Consolidated
2023 Period revenues
$ 8,434,000
$ 1,976,000
$ 11,058,000
$ –
$ 21,468,000
2022 Period revenues
9,917,000
2,041,000
9,970,000
–
21,928,000
Change
$ (1,483,000 )
$ (65,000 )
$ 1,088,000
$ –
$ (460,000 )
2023 Period operating income/(loss)
$ 140,000
$ (1,062,000 )
$ 963,000
$ (1,352,000 )
$ (1,311,000 )
2022 Period operating income/(loss)
823,000
(584,000 )
974,000
(1,322,000 )
(109,000 )
Change
$ (683,000 )
$ (478,000 )
$ (11,000 )
$ (30,000 )
$ (1,202,000 )
25
OEM Distribution Segment
Net revenues in the OEM
distribution segment decreased from lower sales volume from both diabetic customers as well as other OEM customers. As consumer demand
increases for diabetic testing products which require no carrying case, we expect diabetic product sales to continue to represent a smaller
portion of our OEM distribution revenue. In March 2023, a contract with one of our major diabetic customers expired. Due to increased
pricing pressures, we did not extend our contract with this customer. Revenue from this customer represented approximately 12% of our
consolidated net revenues in both the 2023 Period and 2022 Period. We expect the loss of this customer to cause a significant decline
in OEM distribution segment revenues in future periods.
The following tables set
forth revenues by product line of our OEM distribution segment customers for the periods indicated:
OEM Revenues by Product Line
2023 Period
2022 Period
Change ($)
Change (%)
Diabetic products
$ 7,359,000
$ 8,393,000
$ (1,034,000 )
(12.3% )
Other products
1,075,000
1,524,000
(449,000 )
(29.5% )
Total net revenues
$ 8,434,000
$ 9,917,000
$ (1,483,000 )
(15.0% )
Diabetic Product Revenues
Our OEM distribution segment
manufactures to the order of, and sells carrying cases for, blood glucose diagnostic kits directly to OEMs (or their contract manufacturers).
The OEM customer or its contract manufacturer packages our carry cases “in box” as a custom accessory for the OEM’s
blood glucose testing and monitoring kits, or to a lesser extent, sells them through their retail distribution channels.
Revenues from diabetic
products decreased due to lower demand from one major customer and the loss of one product to a competitor. These decreases were partially
offset by an increase in demand from another customer, which was timing related. As mentioned above, management believes that revenues
from diabetic customers will decline in future periods. Revenues from diabetic products represented 87% of net revenues for the OEM distribution
segment in the 2023 Period compared to 85% in the 2022 Period.
Other Product Revenues
Our OEM distribution segment
also sources and sells cases and protective solutions for a diverse array of portable electronic and non-electronic products (such as
sporting and recreational products, bar code scanners, GPS devices, tablets and firearms) on a made-to-order basis that are customized
to fit the products sold by our OEM customers.
Revenues from other products
decreased due to lower sales volume with several existing customers, partially driven by the delayed rollout of certain customer product
lines and reduced demand from some customers. We will continue to focus on our sales and sales support teams in our continued efforts
to expand and diversify our other products customer base.
Operating Income
Operating income for the
OEM distribution segment decreased and operating income margin decreased from 8.3% in the 2022 Period to 1.7% in the 2023 Period, driven
by lower gross margins due to lower revenues and a shift in the mix of revenue. While revenues decreased in both diabetic and other products,
the decrease in diabetic revenue was mostly from more profitable products, thus driving overall gross margins down. The cost of importing
all products from China has increased and both the diabetic and other OEM product lines have experienced pricing pressures from customers.
Sales related severance costs had a lesser impact in the 2023 Period as they were mostly offset by savings in other sales related expenses.
26
Considering the loss of
a significant diabetic customer, management reduced its OEM distribution sales and marketing personnel in March 2023 and is currently
assessing the terms of its sourcing agreement with Forward China, which is scheduled to expire on October 22, 2023 (See Note 8 to the
condensed consolidated financial statements). Effective April 1, 2023, the Company and Forward China agreed to reduce the fixed portion
of the sourcing fee from $100,000 to $83,333 per month for the remaining term of the sourcing agreement, which is expected to result in
cash savings of $100,000 for the remainder of Fiscal 2023. The Company and Forward China have begun negotiations on a new sourcing agreement.
While we believe a new agreement will be reached, we cannot provide any assurances that we will be successful. If an agreement cannot
be reached, which could have a significant impact on the Company’s operations, we will look at other alternatives for our OEM and
retail distribution businesses prior to the expiration of the agreement. Management is planning to further evaluate the OEM distribution
segment cost structure and implement additional cost cutting initiatives as deemed necessary.
Retail Distribution Segment
Net revenues decreased
slightly in the 2023 Period as lower sales volumes and price reductions on certain products were mostly offset by higher sales volumes
and additional product offerings with other retailers, and, to a lesser extent, business with new retailers. As inflation continues to
increase the cost of products and constrain consumer spending, profitability continues to be challenging in the retail segment. We plan
to focus our sales and sales support teams on efforts to match our product offerings with consumer demand, sell off slow-moving inventory
to reduce storage and other inventory holding costs, strategically increase the volume of revenue from more profitable products, attempt
to negotiate lower costing for these products, and expand these product offerings through additional retailer websites.
The cost of importation,
storage and other logistics services, coupled with additional inventory reserves, outpaced revenue leading to a decline in gross margin
from the 2022 Period to the 2023 Period. This was partially offset by lower sales and marketing expenses driven by a reduction in commission
expense resulting from a change in the mix of revenue. The operating loss margin increased from 28.6% in the 2022 Period to 53.7% in the
2023 Period. Management continues to evaluate plans to reduce costs in efforts to improve operating results in the retail distribution
segment including the consolidation of warehouse facilities and selling off slow-moving inventory to reduce storage costs.
Design Segment
The increase in net revenues
in the design segment was driven by an increase in revenue from one major customer, coupled with an increase in projects from new and
existing customers, which was partially offset by declines in revenues from certain prior year customers.
Operating income for the
design segment decreased and operating income margin decreased from 9.8% in the 2022 Period to 8.7% in 2023 Period. The impact of higher
direct labor costs driven by inflationary pressures, coupled with higher sales and marketing expenses, was slightly offset by better utilization
and increased billing rates and lower general and administrative expenses, driven by lower bad debt expense.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL
RESOURCES
Our primary source of liquidity
is our operations. The primary demand on our working capital has historically been (i) operating losses, (ii) repayment of debt obligations,
and (iii) any increases in accounts receivable and inventories arising in the ordinary course of business. Historically, our sources of
liquidity have been adequate to satisfy working capital requirements arising in the ordinary course of business. At March 31, 2023, our
working capital was $3,066,000 compared to $4,359,000 at September 30, 2022, the decrease primarily due to higher payables and lower inventories,
partially offset by higher accounts receivable balances. At April 30, 2023, we had approximately $2,800,000 cash on hand and $1,300,000
available under our line of credit with a bank which was renewed in March 2023 and matures May 31, 2024. Considering the loss of a significant
OEM distribution segment customer (see Note 5 to the condensed consolidated financial statements), which led to the April 2023 reduction
in the sourcing fee to Forward China, and the continued retail distribution segment operating losses, management reduced its OEM segment
sales and marketing personnel in March 2023 and is planning to further evaluate the Company’s OEM and retail cost structure and
implement additional cost cutting initiatives as deemed necessary.
27
Forward China, our largest
vendor and an entity owned by our Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, holds a $1,600,000 promissory note (the “FC
Note”) issued by us which matures on December 31, 2024 (see Note 8 to the condensed consolidated financial statements). The balance
of the FC Note was reduced to $1,300,000 after we made principal payments of $300,000 through March 31, 2023. We made additional principal
payments on this note of $50,000 subsequent to March 31, 2023. Although the FC Note has been extended on multiple occasions to assist
us with our liquidity position, we plan on funding the repayment at maturity using existing cash balances and/or obtaining an additional
credit facility as deemed necessary. Additionally, Forward China has extended payment terms on our outstanding payables due to them when
necessary. At March 31, 2023, our accounts payable due to Forward China was $8,977,000. We can provide no assurance that (i) Forward China
will extend the FC Note again if we request an extension, (ii) Forward China will continue to extend payment terms on outstanding payables
when we need them, or (iii) any additional credit facility will be available on terms acceptable to us or at all.
We anticipate that our
liquidity and financial resources for the 12 months following the date of this report will be adequate to manage our operating and financial
requirements. If we have the opportunity to make a strategic acquisition (as we have in the past with the acquisitions of IPS and Kablooe)
or an investment in a product or partnership, we may require additional capital beyond our current cash balance to fund the opportunity.
If we seek to raise additional capital, there is no assurance that we will be able to raise funds on terms that are acceptable to us or
at all. In the current environment of rising interest rates, any future borrowing is expected to result in higher interest expense.
Although we do not anticipate
the need to purchase additional material capital assets in order to carry out our business, it may be necessary for us to purchase equipment
and other capital assets in the future, depending on need.
Cash Flows
During the 2023 Period
and 2022 Period, our sources and uses of cash were as follows:
Operating
Activities
During the 2023 Period,
cash used in operating activities of $50,000 resulted from a net loss of $1,301,000, an increase in accounts receivable of $686,000, a
decrease in accrued expenses and other current liabilities of $196,000, a decrease in deferred income of $272,000 and the net change in
other operating assets and liabilities of $78,000, partially offset by a decrease in inventories of $880,000, an increase in accounts
payable and amounts due to Forward China of $1,404,000 and non-cash expenses of $199,000 related to fair value adjustments, depreciation,
amortization, share-based compensation and bad debt expense.
During the 2022 Period, cash
provided by operating activities of $360,000 primarily resulted from an increase in accounts payable, accrued expenses and amounts due
to Forward China of $1,836,000, and increase in deferred income of $433,000 and non-cash expenses of $321,000 for depreciation, amortization,
share-based compensation and bad debt expense, partially offset by an operating loss of $109,000, an increase in inventories of $1,835,000,
a decrease in prepaid expenses and other current assets of $255,000 and the net change in other operating assets and liabilities of $31,000.
Investing
Activities
Cash used in investing
activities in the 2023 Period and the 2022 Period of $70,000 and $130,000, respectively, resulted from purchases of property and equipment.
Financing
Activities
Cash used in financing activities
in the 2023 Period and the 2022 Period of $100,000 consisted of principal payments on the promissory note held by Forward China.
28
Related Party Transactions
For information on related
party transactions and their financial impact, see Note 8 to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contained herein.
ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Not applicable.
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