Item 1A. Risk Factors
ITEM
1A. RISK FACTORS
Investing
in our shares involves a high degree of risk and dilution. Our business operations, financial condition, results of operations, and stock
price may be affected by a number of factors. In addition to the other information in this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Form 10-K”),
the following factors and the information contained under “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” should be considered
in evaluating our company and our businesses. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only risks we face. Additional
risks and uncertainties that are presently unknown or are currently deemed immaterial may also impair our business operations. If any
of the events or circumstances described in the following risks or elsewhere in this Form 10-K occur, our business, financial condition
and results of operations could suffer and the trading price of our shares of common stock could decline.
Litigation
Risks
The
Company ’ s business and operation could be negatively affected by any material litigation involving the Company or
its subsidiaries.
USCF
LLC, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary, is currently the subject of class action litigation. See “Note 15. Commitments and Contingencies” to our consolidated financial statements included in this Form 10-K.
Estimating
an amount or range of possible losses resulting from litigation proceedings is inherently difficult and requires an extensive degree
of judgment, particularly where the matters involve indeterminate claims for monetary damages, are in the early stages of proceedings,
and are subject to appeal. In addition, because most legal proceedings are resolved over extended periods of time, potential losses are
subject to change due to, among other things, new developments, changes in legal strategy, the outcome of intermediate procedural and
substantive rulings and other parties’ settlement posture and their evaluation of the strength or weakness of their case against
us. For these reasons, we are currently unable to predict the ultimate timing or outcome of, or reasonably estimate the possible losses
or a range of possible losses resulting from, the matters described in “Item 3. Legal Proceedings” of this Form 10-K and
“Note 15. Commitments and Contingencies” to our consolidated financial statements included in this
Form 10-K. In light of the inherent uncertainties involved in such matters, an adverse outcome in this litigation could materially adversely
affect our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows in any particular reporting period.
Litigation
could result in substantial costs and divert management’s attention and resources from our business. Additionally, litigation could
give rise to perceived uncertainties as to our future, adversely affect our relationships with investors in our funds, customers and
vendors and make it more difficult to attract and retain qualified personnel. Also, a company subject to litigation may be required to
incur significant legal fees and other expenses related to any litigation. Our financial services subsidiaries carry general corporate
liability, errors and omissions, and cybersecurity risk insurance in the event of litigation actions.
Risks
Related to our Business, Operations and Structure
We
have incurred net losses during fiscal 2026 and 2025. We have paused further development of our Fintech app for the U.S. and U.K. markets.
We
have incurred a net loss of $4.4 million and $5.8 million in fiscal 2026 and 2025, respectively. We have working capital of approximately
$12.3 million as of June 30, 2026, compared to working capital of $11.6 million as of June 30, 2025, an increase of 6%. Since 2019 and
through June 30, 2026, we have invested $19.5 million in the development of our Fintech app for the U.S. and U.K. markets. Due to its
limited acceptance, we paused further development of the Fintech app in the U.S. effective March 31, 2025 and in the U.K. effective June
30, 2026. In the event we are able to raise additional financing or to license the app to a third party, we may continue the development
of the Fintech app, although there can be no assurance we will be able to do so.
We
are a holding company, and our only material assets are our cash in hand, equity and other interests in our operating subsidiaries, and
our other investments. As a result, our principal sources of cash flow are distributions from our subsidiaries. Our subsidiaries may
be limited by law and by contract from making distributions to us.
As
a holding company, our assets are cash and cash equivalents, equity interests in our subsidiaries and our other investments.
The
principal sources of our cash flow consist of distributions, loans or other payments from our subsidiaries. Thus, our ability to
finance future acquisitions or develop new projects is dependent on the ability of our subsidiaries to generate sufficient net
income and cash flows to make upstream cash distributions to us. Our subsidiaries are separate legal entities, and although they may
be wholly owned or controlled by us, they have no obligation to make any funds available to us, whether in the form of loans,
dividends, distributions or otherwise. The ability of our subsidiaries to distribute cash to us is and will remain subject to, among
other things, restrictions contained in each subsidiary’s financing agreements, the availability of sufficient funds and
applicable laws and regulatory restrictions.
Claims
of creditors of our subsidiaries generally will have priority with respect to the assets of those subsidiaries over our claims and
the claims of our creditors and stockholders. To the extent our cash flow is dependent on our subsidiaries’ ability to make
distributions to us, this dependence could materially limit our ability to grow, pursue business opportunities or make acquisitions
that could be benefit our businesses.
We
are dependent on certain key personnel, the loss of which may adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations.
Major
capital allocation decisions and investment decisions are made by Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Nicholas
Gerber, with consultation from key personnel, our board, from our management team and the executive management teams from our subsidiaries.
The executive management teams that lead the Company and our subsidiaries are also highly experienced and possess extensive skills in
their respective industries. If Mr. Gerber were to become unavailable, there could be a material adverse impact on our operations. However,
the Company’s Board of Directors have the power and authority to fill a vacancy left by Mr. Gerber. The ability to retain key personnel
is important to our success and future growth. Competition for these professionals can be intense, and we may not be able to retain and
motivate our existing officers and senior employees and continue to compensate such individuals competitively. The unexpected loss of
the services of one or more of these individuals could have a detrimental effect on our operations and negatively impact our financial
condition or results of operations of our businesses and could hinder the ability of our business and our subsidiaries to effectively
compete in the various industries in which we operate.
We
need qualified personnel to manage and operate our subsidiaries.
Our
decentralized business model requires that we retain qualified and competent managers to continue day-to-day operations of our subsidiaries
and continue business operations in a changing political, business or regulatory environment. Our subsidiaries require qualified and
competent personnel to execute their business plans and continue servicing their clients, suppliers and other stakeholders. Our inability
to attract and retain qualified personnel to operate our business subsidiaries could negatively impact our operating results and our
overall financial condition that is important to our success and future growth.
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Errors or failures in the execution,
processing or oversight of investment transactions in our ETP business could adversely affect our overall business, financial condition
and results of operations on a consolidated basis.
Our ETP business depends on our personnel,
systems, processes and controls to execute, process, monitor and report investment transactions accurately and on a timely basis. From
time to time, errors may occur, and have occurred, in connection with these activities. Such errors may include failures to execute transactions,
delays in executing transactions, transactions executed on incorrect terms or in incorrect amounts or securities, allocation or settlement
errors, and failures to timely identify, classify, escalate or remediate trading errors.
Trading and other operational errors may result
from human error, inadequate or ineffective processes or controls, failures in supervision or communication, technology or systems failures,
inaccurate or incomplete information, or failures by third-party service providers. In certain circumstances, an error may not be identified
promptly or may initially be characterized as ordinary trading or market activity, such as execution slippage, which could delay escalation,
investigation or remediation.
We, through our ETP business, may be required
to reimburse a fund, client or other party for losses resulting from a trading or operational error, and the amount of any such loss
may be affected by market movements occurring before an error is identified and corrected. Such errors also could adversely affect investment
performance or tracking results, cause us to incur additional operational or remediation costs, result in inaccurate books, records or
reports, or give rise to disputes, regulatory inquiries or examinations, enforcement actions, litigation or other liabilities.
We maintain, and continue to develop and enhance,
policies, procedures and controls designed to prevent, identify, escalate and remediate trading and operational errors; however, these
measures may not prevent or timely detect all errors. Any significant error, a series of errors, or a material failure in our related
controls or supervisory processes could harm our clients or funds, damage our reputation and adversely affect our business, financial
condition and results of operations.
Abnormally
wide bid/ask spreads and market disruptions that halt or disrupt trading or create extreme volatility could undermine investor confidence
in the ETP investment structure and limit investor acceptance of ETPs.
ETFs
trade on exchanges in market transactions that generally approximate the value of the referenced assets or underlying portfolio of securities
held by the particular ETF. Trading involves risks including the potential lack of an active market for fund shares, abnormally wide
bid/ask spreads (the difference between the prices at which shares of an ETF can be bought and sold) that can exist for a variety of
reasons and losses from trading. These risks can be exacerbated during periods when there is low demand for an ETF, when the markets
in the underlying investments are closed, when markets conditions are extremely volatile or when trading is disrupted. This could result
in limited growth or a reduction in the overall ETF market and result in our revenue not growing as rapidly as it has in the recent past
or even in a reduction of revenue.
We
derive a substantial portion of our revenues from our USCF Investments subsidiary and, as a result, our operating results are particularly
exposed to investor sentiment toward investing in the ETFs sponsored by USCF and advised by USCF Advisers.
For
the years ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, 83% and 73% of our revenues, respectively, were derived from USCF Investments operations, which
consists of the management of ETFs by USCF and USCF Advisers. As a result, our operating results are particularly exposed to the performance
of these funds and our ability to maintain the assets under management of these funds, as well as investor sentiment toward investing
in the funds’ strategies. If the assets under management in these funds were to decline, either because of declining market values
or net outflows from these funds, our revenues would be adversely affected.
We
rely on third party suppliers, and our business may be affected by interruption of supplies or increases in product costs.
Gourmet
Foods obtains most food related products and services from third party suppliers. Gourmet Foods typically does not have long-term
contracts with suppliers. Although Gourmet Foods’ purchasing volume can provide leverage when dealing with suppliers,
suppliers may not provide the foodservice products and supplies Gourmet Foods needs in the quantities and at the time and prices
requested. Gourmet Foods does not control the actual production of most of the products it sells. This means Gourmet Foods is also
subject to delays caused by interruption in production and increases in product costs based on conditions outside its control. These
conditions include work slowdowns, work interruptions, strikes or other job actions by employees of suppliers; severe weather; crop
conditions; product recalls; transportation interruptions; unavailability of fuel or increases in fuel costs; competitive demands;
and natural disasters, terrorist attacks or other catastrophic events (including, but not limited to, the outbreak of food-borne
illnesses in the United States). Gourmet Foods’ inability to obtain adequate supplies of food service and related products
because of any of these or other factors could mean that Gourmet Foods could not fulfill its obligations to its customers and, as a
result, customers may turn to other distributors.
Product
recalls or other product liability claims could materially and adversely affect us.
Selling
products for human consumption or use involves inherent legal and other risks, including product contamination, spoilage, product tampering,
allergens, or other adulteration. We could in the future be required to recall products due to suspected or confirmed product contamination,
adulteration, product mislabeling or misbranding, tampering, undeclared allergens, or other deficiencies. Product recalls or market withdrawals
could result in significant losses due to their costs, the destruction of product inventory, and lost sales due to the unavailability
of the product for a period of time.
Adverse
attention about these types of concerns, whether or not valid, may damage our reputation, discourage consumers from buying our products,
or cause production and delivery disruptions that could negatively impact our net sales and financial condition.
We
may also suffer losses if our products or operations violate applicable laws or regulations, or if our products cause injury, illness,
or death. In addition, our marketing could face claims of false or deceptive advertising or other criticism. A significant product liability
or other legal judgment or a related regulatory enforcement action against us, or a significant product recall, may materially and adversely
affect our reputation and profitability. Moreover, even if a product liability or fraud claim is unsuccessful, has no merit, or is not
pursued to conclusion, the negative publicity surrounding assertions against our products or processes could materially and adversely
affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.
In
the past, we have expanded our business internationally. This expansion subjects us to increased operational, regulatory, financial and
other risks.
We
face increased operational, regulatory, financial, compliance, reputational and foreign exchange rate risks as a result of our international
expansion. The failure of our compliance and internal control systems to properly mitigate such additional risks, or of our operating
infrastructure to support such expansion, could result in operational failures and regulatory fines or sanctions. If our international
products and operations experience any negative consequences or are perceived negatively in non-U.S. markets, it may also harm our reputation
in other markets, including the U.S. market.
Our
risk management policies and procedures, and those of our third-party vendors upon which we rely, may not be fully effective in identifying
or mitigating risk exposure, including employee misconduct. If our policies and procedures do not adequately protect us from exposure
to these risks, we may incur losses that would adversely affect our financial condition, reputation and market share.
We
have developed risk management policies and procedures and we continue to refine them as we conduct our business. Many of our procedures
involve oversight of third-party vendors that provide us with critical services. Our policies and procedures to identify, monitor and
manage risks may not be fully effective in mitigating our risk exposure.
These
risks are difficult to detect in advance and deter, and could harm our business, results of operations or financial condition. If our
policies and procedures do not adequately protect us from exposure and our exposure is not adequately covered by insurance or other risk-shifting
tools, we may incur losses that would adversely affect our financial condition and could cause a reduction in our revenues as investors
in our products shift their investments to the products of our competitors.
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We
rely on trademarks, trade secrets, and other forms of intellectual property protections, which may not be adequate to protect us from
misappropriation or infringement of our intellectual property.
We
rely on a combination of trademark, trade secret and other intellectual property laws in the U.S. and foreign jurisdictions in which
we operate our businesses. We have applied for registration of a limited number of trademarks in the U.S. and in certain other countries,
some of which have been registered or issued. We cannot guarantee that our applications will be approved by the applicable governmental
authorities, or that third parties will not seek to oppose or otherwise challenge our registrations or applications. We also rely on
unregistered proprietary rights, including common law trademark protection. Third parties may use trademarks identical or confusingly
similar to ours, or independently develop trade secrets or know-how similar or equivalent to ours. If our proprietary information is
divulged to third parties, including our competitors, or our intellectual property rights are otherwise misappropriated or infringed,
our business could be harmed or adversely affected.
Our
financial condition and results of operations could suffer if there is an impairment of goodwill or intangible assets.
We
are required to test intangible assets with indefinite lives, including goodwill, annually or, in certain instances, more frequently,
and may be required to record impairment charges, which would reduce any earnings or increase any loss for the period in which the impairment
was determined to have occurred. Our goodwill impairment analysis is sensitive to changes in key assumptions used in our analysis. If
the assumptions used in our analysis are not realized, it is possible that an impairment charge may need to be recorded in the future.
We cannot accurately predict the amount and timing of any impairment of goodwill or other intangible assets. However, any such impairment
would have an adverse effect on our results of operations.
During
fiscal year 2026, we recorded an impairment loss of $2.7 million related to goodwill and other intangible assets in our financial services
business in the U.K. which had been suffering from increased losses resulting from the departure of a former executive and increased
costs of running the business. The impairment loss of $2.7 million included goodwill of $2.0 million and indefinite and finite lived
intangible assets totaling $0.7 million relating to brand name and customer relations. We determined the fair value of the reporting
unit using multiple methods including discounted cash flows and pricing of comparable companies. As of June 30, 2026, the total recorded
value of our goodwill and intangible assets was zero excluding amounts classified as held for sale.
We
may face double taxation on certain income earned by our non-U.S. subsidiaries.
Under
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“Code”), provisions governing the taxation of income earned by “controlled
foreign corporations,” most or all of the income earned by our non-U.S. subsidiaries will be subject to U.S. federal income tax
in the year earned, even if not distributed to Marygold and even if fully taxed in the foreign countries in which those subsidiaries
are organized or operate. Although the Code provides for foreign tax credit relief with respect to the foreign income taxes imposed on
such income, that relief is limited in several respects that could have the effect of subjecting the same income to both U.S. and foreign
income taxation.
Legal,
Compliance and Regulatory Risks
Our
business is subject to extensive government regulation and oversight. Our failure to comply with extensive, complex, overlapping, and
frequently changing rules, regulations, and legal interpretations could materially harm our business.
Our
business is subject to complex and changing laws, rules, regulations, policies, and legal interpretations in the markets in which we
operate, including, but not limited to, those governing and enforcing: banking, credit, deposit taking, cross-border and domestic money
transmission, prepaid access, foreign currency exchange, privacy and data protection, data governance, cybersecurity, banking secrecy,
digital payments and cryptocurrency, payment services (including payment processing and settlement services), fraud detection, consumer
protection, antitrust and competition, economic and trade sanctions, anti-money laundering, and counter-terrorist financing. As we, through
our subsidiaries, introduce new products and services and expand into new markets, including through acquisitions, we may become subject
to additional regulations, restrictions, and licensing requirements.
Any
failure or perceived failure to comply with existing or new laws, regulations, or orders of any government authority (including changes
to or expansion of their interpretation) may subject us to significant fines, penalties, criminal and civil lawsuits, forfeiture of significant
assets, and enforcement actions in one or more jurisdictions; result in additional compliance and licensure requirements; cause us to
lose existing licenses or prevent or delay us from obtaining additional licenses that may be required for our business; increase regulatory
scrutiny of our business; divert management’s time and attention from our business; restrict our operations; lead to increased
friction for customers; force us to make changes to our business practices, products or operations; require us to engage in remediation
activities; or delay planned transactions, product launches or improvements. Any of the foregoing could, individually or in the aggregate,
harm our reputation, damage our brands and business, and adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
We
have implemented policies and procedures designed to help ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations, but there can be no
assurance that our employees, contractors, and agents will not violate such laws and regulations.
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We
are subject to the rules and regulation of the NYSE American stock exchange and are required to comply with certain continued exchange
listing standards and requirements or be subject to delisting.
Our
common stock is currently listed on and subject to the rules and regulations of, the NYSE American, LLC stock exchange (“NYSE American”).
As a result, the Company is required to comply with certain continuing listing standards to continue to trade its stock on the NYSE American.
For example, in the event our shares of common stock trade at a low price and for a substantial period of time determined by NYSE American,
the Company may be notified to take certain action to regain compliance with such listing requirement, which may include effecting a
reverse stock split within a reasonable time or face the possibility of having its stock delisted by NYSE American. Also, we must be
current in our SEC reporting obligations. If the Company fails to meet one or a combination of such continued listing standards, the
NYSE American may seek to delist the Company’s shares. Action taken by the NYSE American to delist our stock may adversely impact
the trading price and trading volume of our shares and adversely affect the Company’s ability raise additional equity or equity
linked financing. There can be no assurance we will continue to meet all of the NYSE American’s continued listing requirements.
We
incur substantial costs to operate as a public reporting company as required by the Securities Exchange Commission.
We
incur substantial legal, financial, accounting and other costs and expenses to operate as a public reporting company. We believe that
these costs are a disproportionately larger percentage of our revenues than they are for larger companies. In addition, the rules and
regulations of the SEC impose significant requirements on public reporting companies, including ongoing disclosure obligations and mandatory
corporate governance practices. Our senior management and other personnel need to devote a substantial amount of time and resources to
ensure ongoing compliance with SEC requirements to maintain its status as a public reporting company. There can be no assurance that
the Company will continue to have sufficient resources in the future to maintain its public company status.
As
a public reporting company, we are subject to rules and regulations established from time to time by the SEC and Public Company Accounting
Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) regarding our internal control over financial reporting. If we fail to establish and maintain effective
internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures, we may not be able to accurately report our financial
results or report them in a timely manner. Investor confidence in the price of our stock may be adversely affected if we are unable to
comply with such rules and regulations.
As
a public reporting company under the Securities Exchange Act, we are subject to the rules and regulations established from time to time
by the SEC and the PCAOB. These rules and regulations require, among other things, that we establish and periodically evaluate procedures
with respect to our internal control over financial reporting. In addition, as a public company we are required to document and test
our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Sarbanes-Oxley Act”)
so that our management can certify as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, which requires us to document
and test our internal control over financial reporting.
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Our
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Accounting Officer (“certifying officers”) are responsible for establishing and maintaining
our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Securities Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e) and Rule 15d-15(e)).
Our
certifying officers designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed
under their supervision, to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports we file or submit under the Securities
Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified by the SEC’s rules and forms, and
is made known to management (including the certifying officers) by others within the company, including our subsidiaries. We regularly
evaluate the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure
controls quarterly in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and annually in our Annual Reports on Form 10-K. In completing such reporting,
we disclose, as appropriate, any significant change in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during our most recent
fiscal period that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Also,
as a public company, we are subject to rules adopted by the SEC pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which require us to
include in our annual report on Form 10-K our management’s report on, and assessment of the effectiveness of, our internal control
over financial reporting (“management’s report”). If we fail to achieve and maintain the adequacy of our disclosure
control or internal control over financial reporting, there is a risk that we will not comply with all of the requirements imposed by
Section 404. Moreover, effective internal control over financial reporting, particularly that relate to revenue recognition, is necessary
for us to produce reliable financial reports and is important in helping to prevent financial fraud. Any of these possible outcomes could
result in an adverse reaction in the financial marketplace due to a loss in investor confidence in the reliability of our financial statements,
which ultimately could harm our business and could negatively impact on the market price of our common stock. Investor confidence and
the price of our common stock may be adversely affected if we are unable to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
We
are a “smaller reporting company” within the meaning of the Securities Act and Securities Exchange Act and we intend to take
advantage of certain exemptions from disclosure requirements available to smaller reporting companies which could make our securities
less attractive to investors and may make it more difficult to compare our performance with that of other public companies.
We
are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage
of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We
will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (i) the market value of the shares of common stock
held by non-affiliates exceeds $250 million as of the prior December 31, and (ii) our annual revenue exceeded $100 million during such
completed fiscal year or the market value of the shares of common stock held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior December
31. To the extent we take advantage of such reduced disclosure obligations, it may also make comparison of our financial statements with
other public companies difficult or impossible.
Our
UK financial advisory business is dependent on a key employee, and the loss of this employee could disrupt our ability to provide regulated
investment advisory services in the United Kingdom.
Our
UK subsidiary is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (the “FCA”) to provide certain investment advisory
services. We currently depend on a single employee who is qualified and certified to provide investment advice to clients on behalf of
our UK subsidiary. Under applicable FCA requirements, individuals performing certain investment advisory functions must satisfy applicable
qualification, competency and fitness and propriety requirements and, where applicable, be certified by the authorized firm to perform
such functions.
If
this employee were to become unavailable for any reason or otherwise become unable or ineligible to perform these functions, we may be
unable to continue providing some or all of our regulated investment advisory services in the United Kingdom until we identify, hire
and appropriately qualify and certify a replacement. We cannot assure you that we would be able to identify or retain a suitably qualified
replacement on a timely basis or at all. Any resulting interruption in our UK investment advisory services could adversely affect our
relationships with clients, result in the loss of business, increase our regulatory, compliance and personnel costs, subject us to regulatory
scrutiny or action, or harm our reputation. Although our UK investment advisory business currently represents an immaterial portion of
our consolidated revenues and results of operations, any prolonged disruption or related regulatory consequences could adversely affect
our business and reputation.
Losses
or unauthorized access to or releases of confidential information, including personal information, could subject us to significant reputational,
financial, legal and operational consequences.
Our
businesses require us to use and store confidential information, including personal information, with respect to our customers and employees
and also requires us to share confidential information with suppliers and other third parties. We rely on suppliers that are also exposed
to ransomware and other malicious attacks that can disrupt business operations. Although we take steps to secure confidential information
that is provided to or accessible by third parties working on our behalf, such measures may not always be effective and losses or unauthorized
access to or releases of confidential information may occur. Such incidents and other malicious attacks could materially adversely affect
our business, reputation, results of operations and financial condition.
We
have implemented systems and processes intended to secure our information technology systems and prevent unauthorized access to or loss
of sensitive data, and mitigate the impact of unauthorized access, including through the use of encryption and authentication technologies
and we continue to undertake regular reviews of our IT infrastructure and have investigated improved software and hardware cyber threat
protection solutions. These measures cannot provide absolute security, and losses or unauthorized access to or releases of confidential
information may occur and could materially adversely affect our business, reputation, results of operations and financial condition.
Risks
Related to Our Controlled Company Election and Status
We
are a “ controlled company ” within the meaning of the NYSE American rules and rely on exemptions
from various corporate governance requirements that provide protection to stockholders of other companies.
We
are a “controlled company” as defined in section 801(a) of the NYSE American Company Guide because more than 50% of the combined
voting power of all of our voting stock is beneficially owned or controlled by Messrs. Gerber and Schoenberger. Under the NYSE American
rules, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by another person or group of persons acting together is a controlled
company and may elect not to comply with certain NYSE American corporate governance requirements, including the requirements that:
●
a
majority of a listed company’s board of directors consist of independent directors;
●
board
of directors’ nominations must be selected by either a nominating committee comprised of independent directors or by a majority
of independent directors and that a listed company adopt a written charter or board resolutions addressing the nomination process;
●
the
compensation of a listed company’s chief executive officer and other executive officers be determined, or recommended to the
board for determination, either by a compensation committee that is composed entirely of independent directors or by a majority of
the independent directors on its board with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities.
These
independence standards are intended to ensure that directors who meet those standards are free of any conflicting interest that could
influence their actions as directors.
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The
Company may elect in the future to use certain of these controlled company exemptions and the Company may continue to use all or some
of these exemptions in the future for so long as the Company is a controlled company. Although we may rely on NYSE American’s controlled
company exemptions in the future, we currently have a board comprised of a majority of independent directors, our audit committee, nomination
and governance committee and compensation committees are comprised solely of independent directors. If the makeup of one or more of our
board, audit, nomination and governance committee or compensation committee changes such that we no longer comply with the independence
standard of the NYSE American guidelines, then our stockholders may not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies
that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of the NYSE American rules.
The
Company’s CEO, through family trusts, controls a significant percentage of our common stock, and may exert significant control
over matters subject to stockholder approval as well as heightened voting power at the board level, preventing other stockholders and
new investors from influencing significant corporate decisions.
Mr.
Nicholas D. Gerber, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and Chairman of the Board of the Company, is the beneficial
owner of 18,751,125 shares of our common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), representing approximately
43.6% of our total issued and outstanding Common Stock (giving effect to the conversion of all shares of our Series B Preferred Stock) .
Mr. Gerber’s Common Stock is held by the Nicholas and Melinda Gerber Living Trust (the “Gerber Trust”), of which Nicholas
Gerber and Melinda Gerber are the trustees. As such, the Gerber Trust and Mr. Gerber share power to vote or to direct the voting of the
shares and share power to dispose or to direct the disposition of Common Stock beneficially owned or controlled by Mr. Gerber.
Mr.
Scott Schoenberger is a member of the Board of Directors of the Company. Mr. Schoenberger’s shares of Common Stock are held by
the Schoenberger Family Trust (the “Schoenberger Trust”). Mr. Schoenberger serves as the sole trustee of the Schoenberger
Trust. As such, the Schoenberger Trust and Mr. Schoenberger share power to vote or to direct the vote of the shares and share power to
dispose or to direct the disposition of these shares. Shares of our Common Stock held by Schoenberger Trust total 4,697,993 shares, representing
10.9% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (giving effect to the conversion of all Series B Preferred Stock).
Additionally,
pursuant to a voting agreement (“Voting Agreement”), the Gerber Trust and Schoenberger Trust will continue to vote all shares
of our voting stock owned by them to elect each of Messrs. Gerber and Schoenberger to the Board along with other designees mutually agreed
upon. By virtue of the Voting Agreement, Messrs. Gerber and Schoenberger are entitled to an aggregate of 23,449,118 votes or 54.6% of
all votes for the election of directors submitted to our stockholders for their approval.
In
addition, pursuant to the Company’s Bylaws, Directors have voting power equivalent to their percentage of total share ownership,
multiplied by the number of directors then on the Board of Directors, rounded to the nearest whole number, with no director holding less
than one vote. As a result of Messrs. Gerber and Schoenberger’s ownership of Company shares, Messrs. Gerber and Schoenberger have
a relatively higher number of votes relative to other directors, in proportion to their ownership interests in the Company.
General
Business Risks
Our
business and financial performance may be adversely affected by information systems interruptions, cybersecurity attacks or other disruptions
which could have a material adverse effect on our business and results from operations.
We
depend upon information technology, infrastructure, including network, hardware and software systems to conduct our businesses. Despite
our implementation of security measures, there are numerous and evolving risks to cybersecurity and privacy, including risks originating
from intentional acts of criminal hackers, nation states and competitors, intentional and unintentional acts or omissions of customers,
vendors, contractors, employees and other third parties that may result in damage, breakdown, or interruption from computer viruses,
ransomware, malware, phishing, social engineering, fraudulent inducement, electronic fraud, wire fraud, human error or malfeasance, unauthorized
access, natural disasters, and telecommunications and electrical failures. Each of our businesses directly or indirectly store, collect
and transmit sensitive data, including intellectual property, confidential information, proprietary business information, customer or
personal data. The secure processing of such data, maintenance, and transmission of such data is important to our operations. We face
increased cybersecurity risks due to our reliance on internet technology. We may not be able to anticipate all types of security threats
or be able to implement security measures effective against all such threats or implement preventive measures effective against all such
threats. The techniques used by cybercriminals change frequently and may not be recognized until launched and can originate from a wide
variety of sources, as discussed above. Even if identified, we may not be able to adequately investigate or remediate incidents or breaches
due to attacks increasingly using tools and techniques that are designed to circumvent controls, to avoid detection, and to remove or
obfuscate forensic evidence. Accordingly, our data protection efforts and related security measures may not be adequate to protect against
highly targeted sophisticated cyber-attacks, or other improper disclosures of confidential and/or sensitive information. Additionally,
we may have access to confidential or other sensitive information of our customers. suppliers, or services providers which despite our
efforts to protect, may be vulnerable to security breaches, theft, or improper disclosure any of which could have a material adverse
effect on our competitive position, results of operations, cash flows or financial condition. The increase in personnel working remotely
during and after the recent pandemic has increased the risk for our and our vendors and suppliers’ security breaches and incidents.
If a security breach or other incident results in the unauthorized access to or use, disclosure, release, or other processing of confidential
or proprietary information, we could incur liability and it may be necessary to notify persons, governmental authorities, supervisory
bodies, the media and other parties pursuant to privacy and security laws. Any such access, disclosure or other loss of information could
result in legal claims, proceedings, liability under laws that protect the privacy of personal information of our employees or others,
and any such event could disrupt our operations, damage our reputation, and cause loss of confidence in us. Our contracts with our customers,
suppliers, or services providers may not contain limitation of liability and there can be no assurance that limitations of liability
in our contracts are sufficient to protect us from liabilities, damages, or claims related to privacy, data protection, or data security.
Further, we can give no assurance that our insurance coverage will be adequate or sufficient to cover the financial, legal, business
or reputational losses that may result from an interruption or breach of our systems, that such coverage will continue to be available
on commercially reasonable terms or at all, or that such coverage will pay future claims. Any of these risks could materially affect
our consolidated results of operations and financial condition.
Future
acquisitions or business opportunities could involve unknown risks that could harm our business and adversely affect our financial condition
and results of operations.
We
are a holding company that owns interests in a number of different businesses. We have in the past, and may in the future, acquire businesses
that involve unknown risks, some of which may be particular to the industry in which the investment or acquisition targets operate, including
risks in industries with which we are not familiar or experienced. There can be no assurance our due diligence investigations will identify
every matter that could have a material adverse effect on us or the entities that we may acquire. We may be unable to adequately address
the financial, legal and operational risks raised by such investments or acquisitions, especially if we are unfamiliar with the relevant
industry, which can lead to significant losses on material investments. The realization of any unknown risks could expose us to unanticipated
costs and liabilities and prevent or limit us from realizing the projected benefits of the investments or acquisitions, which could adversely
affect our financial condition and liquidity. In addition, our financial condition, results of operations and the ability to service
our debt may be adversely impacted depending on the specific risks applicable to any business we invest in or acquire and our ability
to address those risks.
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We
could consume resources in researching acquisitions and dispositions, business opportunities or financings and capital market transactions
that are not consummated, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or invest in another business.
We
are a holding company in the business of owning and operating profitable businesses. Our business model also encompasses researching
and investigating new acquisitions and business opportunities which may include disposal of subsidiaries to support the growth of our
Company. With each new contemplated acquisition or business opportunity, there are resources that must be allocated towards acquisition
or engaging in a new business opportunity such as, the negotiation, drafting and execution of relevant agreements, disclosure documents
and other instruments with respect to such transaction and may require substantial management time and attention and substantial costs
for financial advisors, accountants, attorneys and other advisors. If a decision is made not to consummate a specific acquisition, business
opportunity or financing and capital market transaction, the costs incurred up to that point for the proposed transaction likely would
not be recoverable. Furthermore, even if an agreement is reached relating to a specific acquisition, investment target or financing,
we may fail to consummate the investment or acquisition for any number of reasons, including those beyond our control. Any such event
could consume significant management time and result in a loss to us of the related costs incurred, which could adversely affect our
financial position and our ability to consummate other acquisitions and investments.
We
may not accurately predict revenue streams while we consume capital resources in acquiring new business opportunities or financings and
capital market transactions or maintaining current capital investments which could materially and adversely impact our ability to meet
operating expenses and capital requirements.
We
are a holding company with a focus on investment management. Our Marygold U.S. subsidiary launched its Fintech app in June 2023 and
paused its operations and offering to the public as of March 31, 2025. Similarly, our Marygold UK subsidiary launched a narrower
Fintech app in the U.K. in March 2025 and paused its operations and offering to the public as of June 30, 2026. The Fintech industry
is heavily populated by well-financed competitors with extensive capital resources to fund marketing campaigns or competing Fintech
apps. Our resources to fund our business objectives and ongoing operations are dependent on those of our subsidiaries. If we decide
to resume capital investments in our Fintech subsidiaries, there can be no assurance of success or revenue generation. Our ability
to predict revenue generation from our subsidiaries may not be accurate from time to time. Any effort to restart our Fintech
subsidiaries could have a detrimental effect on our operations and negatively affect our financial condition or results of
operations if our projections are inaccurate, and could hinder the ability of our businesses and subsidiaries to compete effectively
in the industries in which they operate.
We
may fail to effectively integrate the businesses we acquire.
Historically,
a portion of our growth has come through acquisitions. If we are unable to integrate acquired businesses successfully or realize anticipated
synergies in a timely manner, our business and results of operations may be adversely affected. Integrating acquired businesses may be
more difficult in a region or market where we have limited expertise. A significant expansion of our business and operations, in terms
of geography or magnitude, could strain our administrative and/or operational resources. Significant acquisitions may also require incurring
debt. This could increase our interest expense and make it difficult for us to obtain financing for other significant acquisitions or
capital investments in the future.
COVID-19
Risk
The
Company may be impacted by certain continuing aftereffects from the economic disruption imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 has
resulted in numerous deaths, travel restrictions, closed international borders, enhanced health screenings at ports of entry and elsewhere,
disruption of and delays in healthcare service preparation and delivery, prolonged quarantines and the imposition of both local and more
widespread “work from home” measures, cancellations, supply chain disruptions, and lower consumer demand, as well as general
concern and uncertainty. The extent to which COVID-19 will continue to affect the Company and its’ service providers will depend
on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information that may emerge concerning the
severity of COVID-19 and the actions taken to contain COVID-19. Given the significant economic and financial market disruptions associated
with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company’s results of operations could be adversely impacted.
Our
business may be impacted by political events, new tariffs, war, terrorism, public health issues, natural disasters and other circumstances
that are not within our control.
War,
terrorism, geopolitical uncertainties, imposition of tariffs on our suppliers or our products, public health issues, and other business
interruptions have caused and could cause damage or disruption to international commerce and the global economy, and thus could have
a material adverse effect on us, our suppliers, and manufacturing vendors. Our business operations are subject to interruption by natural
disasters, fire, power shortages, nuclear power plant accidents, terrorist attacks, and other hostile acts, labor disputes, public health
issues, and other events beyond our control. Such events could decrease demand for our products, make our products more expensive for
our customers or more expensive to produce, make it difficult or impossible for us to make and deliver products or services to our customers,
or to receive products from our suppliers, and create delays and inefficiencies in our supply chain. If major public health issues, including
pandemics, arise, we could be adversely affected by more stringent employee travel restrictions, additional limitations in freight services,
governmental actions limiting the movement of products between regions, delays in production ramps of new products, and disruptions in
the operations of our vendors and suppliers. In the event of a natural disaster, we could incur significant losses, require substantial
recovery time and experience significant expenditures in order to resume operations.
Our
intellectual property may not be adequately protected.
We
seek to protect our intellectual property rights through patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secret laws, confidentiality agreements,
and licensing arrangements, but we cannot ensure that we will be able to adequately protect our technology from misappropriation or infringement.
We cannot ensure that our existing intellectual property rights will not be invalidated, circumvented, challenged, or rendered unenforceable.
Our
competitors may successfully challenge the validity of our patents, design non-infringing products, or deliberately infringe our patents.
There can be no assurance that other companies are not investigating or developing other similar technologies. In addition, our intellectual
property rights may not provide a competitive advantage to us or ensure that our products and technology will be adequately covered by
our patents and other intellectual property. Any of these factors or the expiration, termination, or invalidity of one or more of our
patents may have a material adverse effect on our business.
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Risks
Related to Ownership of Our Shares
Our
stock price may change significantly, and you may not be able to sell your shares of our common stock at or above the price you paid
or at all, and you could lose all or part of your investment as a result.
The
stock market may routinely experience periods of large or extreme volatility. In some instances, this volatility is unrelated or disproportionate
to the operating performance of particular companies. The market price of our shares of common stock could be subject to wide fluctuations
in response to many risk factors and many beyond our control, including:
●
results
of operations that vary from the expectations of securities analysts and investors
●
changes
in expectations as to our industries’ future financial performance, including financial estimates and investment recommendations
by securities analysts and investors, and
●
the
publication of new or updated research reports by securities analysts;
●
the
public’s response to press releases or other public announcements by us or third parties, including our filings with the SEC;
●
changes
in our senior management or other key personnel;
●
results
and timing of the registration and launch of new ETF products;
●
share
price and volume fluctuations attributable to inconsistent trading volume levels of our shares;
●
litigation
or regulatory action regarding our products or services, including litigation related to our investment advisory services and ETFs;
●
disputes
or other developments related to our proprietary rights, including patents, litigation matters, and our ability to obtain, maintain,
defend or enforce proprietary rights relating to our products or technologies;
●
sales
of our shares by us, our insiders, or other stockholders;
●
actual
or anticipated fluctuations in our competitors’ operating results or changes in their growth rates;
●
in
the event our cash flows are insufficient to fund our operations, our ability to raise additional financing, including in connection
with new ETF development and launch or the acquisition of additional
businesses;
●
changes
in general economic or market conditions or trends in our industries or markets; future issuances or sales or purchases of our common
stock or other securities.
Furthermore,
the U.S. stock markets have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have affected and continue to affect the market prices
of equity securities of many companies. These fluctuations often have been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance
of those companies. These broad market and industry fluctuations, as well as general economic, political, and market conditions such
as recessions, interest rate changes, or international currency fluctuations, may negatively impact the market price of shares of our
common stock. In addition, such fluctuations could subject us to securities class action litigation, which could result in substantial
costs and divert our management’s attention from other business concerns, which could potentially harm our business. Also, because
we are a controlled company, there is a limited market for our common stock, and we cannot assure our stockholders that a trading market
will develop or persist.
Additionally,
selling short is a technique used by a stockholder to take advantage of an anticipated decline in the price of a security. A significant
number of short sales or a large volume of other sales within a relatively short period of time can create downward pressure on the market
price of a security. Holders of our securities could, therefore, experience a decline in the value of their investment as a result of
short sales of our common stock.
If
securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our share price
and trading volume could decline.
The
trading market for our shares depends, in part, on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or
our business. There can be no assurance that analysts will cover us or provide favorable coverage. If one or more analysts downgrade
our shares or change their opinion of our share price our share price may decline. In addition, if one or more analysts cease coverage
of us or fails to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which could cause our share price
or trading volume to decline.
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Current
stock holdings may be diluted if we make future equity issuances or if outstanding options are exercised for shares of our common stock.
“Dilution”
refers to the reduction in the voting effect and proportionate ownership interest of a given number of shares of common stock as the
total number of shares increases. Our issuance of additional stock, convertible preferred stock, or convertible debt may result in dilution
to the interests of shareholders and may also result in the reduction of your stock price. The sale of a substantial number of shares
into the market, or even the perception that sales could occur, could depress the price of our common stock. Also, the exercise of options
or other rights may result in additional dilution.
The
holders of outstanding options, warrants and convertible securities or derivatives, if any, have the opportunity to profit from a rise
in the market price of our shares, if any, without assuming the risk of ownership, with a resulting dilution in the interests of other
stockholders. We may find it more difficult to raise additional equity capital if it should be needed for our business while the options,
warrants and convertible securities are outstanding.
Future
sales, or the potential for future sales, of our shares could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.
We
reserve the right to make future offers and sales, either public or private, of our securities including shares of common stock or preferred
stock, or securities convertible into, or exercisable for, our common stock. There can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully
complete any such future offerings; however, in the event that any such future sales of securities are effected, your pro rata ownership
interest may be reduced to the extent of any such issuances and, to the extent any such sales are effected at consideration which is
less than that paid by you, you may experience dilution. Moreover, to the extent we issue shares of restricted stock, stock appreciation
rights, options or warrants to purchase our common stock in the future and those shares of restricted stock, options or warrants are
exercised or as the shares of restricted stock vest, our stockholders may experience further dilution. Holders of shares of our common
stock have no preemptive rights that entitle such holders to purchase their pro rata share of any offering of shares of any class or
series and, therefore, such sales or offerings could result in increased dilution to our stockholders.
Shares
to be issued in future equity offerings could cause the market price of our common stock to decline and could have an adverse effect
on our earnings per share. In addition, future sales of our common stock or other securities in the public markets, or the perception
that these sales may occur, could cause the market price of our common stock to decline, and could materially impair our ability to raise
capital through the sale of additional securities.
The
market price of our common stock could decline due to sales, or the announcements of proposed sales, of a large number of common stock
in the market, including sales of common stock by our large stockholders, or the perception that these sales could occur. These sales
or the perception that these sales could occur could also depress the market price of our common stock and impair our ability to raise
capital through the sale of additional equity securities or make it more difficult or impossible for us to sell equity securities in
the future at a time and price that we deem appropriate. We cannot predict the effect that future sales of common stock or other equity-related
securities would have on the market price of our common stock.
Our
Board of Directors may issue shares of preferred stock without stockholder approval.
Our
articles of incorporation authorize the issuance of up to 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, of which 13,302 shares of Series B Preferred
Stock are issued and outstanding. Our Board of Directors may, without shareholder approval, issue one or more new series of preferred
stock with rights which could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of outstanding shares of our common stock.
In addition, the issuance of shares of preferred stock may have the effect of rendering more difficult or discouraging, an acquisition
or change of control of the Company. Although we do not have any current plans to issue any additional shares of preferred stock, we
may do so in the future.
Future
sales of our shares by our existing stockholders may cause our stock price to fall.
The
market price of our shares could decline as a result of sales by our existing stockholders of our shares in the market or the perception
that these sales could occur. These sales might also make it more difficult for us to conduct an equity or equity-based financing at
a time and price that we deem appropriate and thus inhibit our ability to raise additional capital when it is needed.
Because
we have not and do not intend to pay cash dividends, our stockholders receive no current income from holding our stock.
We
have paid no cash dividends on our capital stock to date and we currently intend to retain our future earnings, if any, to fund the development
and growth of our business. We currently expect to retain earnings for use in the operation and expansion of our business, and therefore
do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. As a result, capital appreciation, if any, of our Common Stock
could be the sole source of gain for our stockholders for the foreseeable future.
Risks
Related to our Equity and Debt Financing
In
addition to the net proceeds we received from our equity and debt financings in the past two years, we may need to raise additional equity
or debt financing to fund ongoing operations, invest in acquisitions, and for working capital purposes.
As of June 30, 2026, we have
invested $19.5 million in the development of our Fintech app. However, as of June 30, 2026, we paused Fintech app operations in the
US and UK indefinitely. Although expenses have been curtailed significantly by the closure of the US and UK
Fintech apps, there may be a need to fund ongoing operations for continuing expenses in the US and UK beyond our ability to fund
from consolidated operating income. Further, negative economic events could hinder the ability of our businesses to effectively
compete in the various industries in which we operate which may create a need to raise additional financing in the future. There can
be no assurance we will be able to raise such additional financing or upon terms that are acceptable to us. Any failure to raise
additional financing as and when needed could have a negative impact on our financial condition and on our ability to further
support our current and future business plans and strategies.
Additional
risks and uncertainties that are presently unknown or are currently deemed immaterial may also impair our business operations. These
risk factors should be read in connection with the other information included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and our financial statements and the related notes.
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