HNO International, Inc. 10-Q

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS The following risk factor disclosures should be read in conjunction with the risk factors described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 2023 and subsequent periodic filings with the SEC. We are supplementing the risk factors previously disclosed in such filings to include the following updated risk factors: Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks described below, as well as the other information in this Quarterly Report, including our financial statements and the related notes thereto and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” as well as any additional risk factors that may be described in our other filings with the SEC from time to time, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year ended October 31, 2023, before deciding whether to invest in our securities. The occurrence of any of the risks, the events or developments described below could harm our business, financial condition, operating results, and growth prospects. In such an event, the market price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial also may impair our business operations. You should consider carefully the risks and uncertainties summarized and set forth in detail below and elsewhere in this Annual Report before you decide to invest in our common stock. You are unlikely to be able to exercise effective remedies or collect judgments against BF Borgers relating to their work as our independent registered public accounting firm. BF Borgers CPA PC (“ BF Borgers ”) served as our independent registered public accounting firm from 2022 to 2024 and audited the consolidated financial statements contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the years ended October 30, 2023 and 2022. On May 3, 2024, the SEC entered an order instituting settled administrative and cease-and-desist proceedings against BF Borgers, permanently barring BF Borgers from appearing or practicing before the Commission as an accountant (the “ Order ”). In light of the Order, we dismissed BF Borgers as our independent registered public accounting firm on May 6, 2024. We have no ability to ascertain whether BF Borgers will survive or that adequate assets will be available to satisfy any claims against it. As a result, you may not be able to exercise effective remedies or collection judgements against BF Borgers. You may also be unable to seek remedies against BF Borgers under applicable securities laws for any untrue statement of a material fact contained in our past financial statements audited by BF Borgers or any omission of a material fact required to be stated in those financial statements. Also, it is unknown if any assets would be available from BF Borgers to satisfy any claims. We may incur material expenses or delays in financings or SEC filings due to the dismissal of BF Borgers and our stock price and access to the capital markets may be affected. As a public company, we are required to file with the SEC financial statements that are audited or reviewed, as applicable, by an independent registered public accountant. Our access to the capital markets and our ability to make timely filings with the SEC will depend on having financial statements audited or reviewed again by a new independent registered public accounting firm. In addition, because the SEC found that BF Borgers deliberately failed to conduct audits and quarterly reviews in accordance with applicable PCAOB standards and fraudulently issued audit reports, we will not be able to rely on BF Borgers to provide other information or documents that would customarily be received by us or underwriters in connection with financings or other transactions, including consents and “comfort” letters. As a result, we may encounter delays, additional expense and other difficulties in future financings. Any resulting delay in accessing or inability to access the public capital markets could be disruptive to our operations and could affect the price and liquidity of our securities. Any negative news about the proceedings against BF Borgers may also adversely affect investor confidence in companies that were previous clients of BF Borgers. All of these factors could materially and adversely affect the market price of our common stock and our ability to access the capital markets. 24