MEXCO ENERGY CORP 10-K

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS There are many factors that affect our business and results of operations, some of which are beyond our control. The following is a description of some of the important factors that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position, liquidity and results of operations. Some of the following risks relate principally to the industry in which we operate and to our business. Other risks relate principally to the securities markets and ownership of our common stock. RISKS RELATED TO OUR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY Volatility of oil and gas prices significantly affects our results and profitability. Prices for oil and natural gas fluctuate widely. We cannot predict future oil and natural gas prices with any certainty. Historically, the markets for oil and gas have been volatile, and they are likely to continue to be volatile. Factors that can cause price fluctuations include the level of global demand for petroleum products; foreign supply and pricing of oil and gas; the ability of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (“OPEC”) to set and maintain oil price and production controls; nature and extent of governmental regulation and taxation, including environmental regulations; level of domestic and international exploration, drilling and production activity; the cost of exploring for, producing and delivering oil and gas; speculative trading in crude oil and natural gas derivative contracts; availability, proximity and capacity of oil and gas pipelines and other transportation facilities; weather conditions; the price and availability of alternative fuels; technological advances affecting energy consumption; national and international pandemics like the COVID-19; and, overall political and economic conditions in oil producing countries. Increases and decreases in prices also affect the amount of cash flow available for capital expenditures and our ability to borrow money or raise additional capital. The amount we can borrow from banks may be subject to redetermination based on changes in prices. In addition, we may have ceiling test writedowns when prices decline. Lower prices may also reduce the amount of crude oil and natural gas that can be produced economically. Thus, we may experience material increases or decreases in reserve quantities solely as a result of price changes and not as a result of drilling or well performance. 9 Changes in oil and gas prices impact both estimated future net revenue and the estimated quantity of proved reserves. Any reduction in reserves, including reductions due to price fluctuations, can reduce the borrowing base under our credit facility and adversely affect the amount of cash flow available for capital expenditures and our ability to obtain additional capital for our exploration and development activities. Oil and natural gas prices do not necessarily fluctuate in direct relationship to each other. Lower prices or lack of storage may have an adverse affect on our financial condition due to reduction of our revenues, operating income and cash flows; curtailment or shut-in of our production due to lack of transportation or storage capacity; cause certain properties in our portfolio to become economically unviable; and, limit our financial condition, liquidity, and/or ability to finance planned capital expenditures and operations. Our results of operations may be negatively impacted by current global events such as the coronavirus outbreak. In December 2019, a novel strain of the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) surfaced and spread around the world, including to the United States. In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, and the President of the United States declared the COVID-19 outbreak a national emergency. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the global economy, disrupted global supply chains and created significant volatility and disruption in the financial and commodity markets. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in travel restrictions, business closures and the institution of quarantining and other restrictions on movement in many communities. As a result, there has been a significant reduction in demand for and prices of oil and natural gas. As of the first quarter of calendar year 2021, prices have recovered to pre-pandemic levels, due in part to the accessibility of vaccines, reopening of states after the lockdown, and optimism about the economic recovery. The continued spread of COVID-19, including vaccine-resistant strains, or repeated deterioration in oil and natural gas prices could result in additional adverse impacts on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows and financial position. The ability or willingness of OPEC and other oil exporting nations to set and maintain production levels has a significant impact on oil and natural gas commodity prices. OPEC is an intergovernmental organization that seeks to manage the price and supply of oil on the global energy market. OPEC and certain other oil exporting nations have previously agreed to take measures, including production cuts, to support crude oil prices. A dispute between OPEC and Russia over production cuts resulted in a decision by Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf members of OPEC to increase production. In April 2020, OPEC and Russia agreed to certain production cuts. If these cuts are effected, however, they may not offset near-term demand loss attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic and the related economic slowdown. In response to an oversupply of crude oil and corresponding low prices, there has been a significant decline in drilling by U.S. producers starting in mid-March 2020, but domestic supply has continued to exceed demand, which has led to significant operational stress with respect to capacity limitations associated with storage, pipeline and refining infrastructure. As storage capacity becomes fully subscribed, operators may be forced to curtail some portion or all production. Therefore, the impact cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. Volatility due to OPEC actions and other factors affecting the global supply and demand of oil and natural gas may continue. Governmental actions and political instability may negatively affect drilling and production levels. The production of oil and natural gas is subject to regulation under a wide range of local, state and federal statutes, rules, orders and regulations. Federal, state and local statutes and regulations require permits for drilling operations, drilling bonds and reports concerning operations. The trend in oil and natural gas regulation has been to increase regulatory restrictions and limitations on such activities. Any changes in, or more stringent enforcement of, these laws and regulations may result in delays or restrictions in permitting or development of projects or more stringent or costly construction, drilling, water management or completion activities or waste handling, storage, transport, remediation, or disposal emission or discharge requirements which could have a material adverse effect on the Company. For example, on January 20, 2021, the Biden Administration placed a 60-day moratorium on new oil and gas leasing and drilling permits on federal land, and on January 27, 2021, the Department of Interior acting pursuant to a Presidential Executive Order suspended the federal oil and gas leasing program indefinitely. However, earlier this month, a federal judge issued an order temporarily blocking the moratorium. 10 The Biden Administration has also announced that it intends to review the Trump Administration’s 2017 repeal of the 2015 rule regulating hydraulic fracturing activities in federal land under the Presidential Executive Order on Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis. Lower oil and gas prices and other factors may cause us to record ceiling test writedowns. Lower oil and gas prices increase the risk of ceiling limitation write-downs. We use the full cost method to account for oil and gas operations. Accordingly, we capitalize the cost to acquire, explore for and develop crude oil and natural gas properties. Under the full cost accounting rules, the net capitalized cost of crude oil and natural gas properties may not exceed a “ceiling limit” which is based upon the present value of estimated future net cash flows from proved reserves, discounted at 10% plus the lower of cost or fair market value of unproved properties. If net capitalized costs of oil and natural gas properties exceed the ceiling limit, we must charge the amount of the excess against earnings. This is called a “ceiling test writedown.” Under the accounting rules, we are required to perform a ceiling test each quarter. A ceiling test writedown does not impact cash flow from operating activities, but does reduce stockholders’ equity and earnings. The risk that we will be required to write down the carrying value of oil and natural gas properties increases when oil and natural gas prices are low. We incurred impairment charges during fiscal 2016 and may incur additional impairment charges in the future, particularly if commodity prices decline, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations for the periods in which such charges are taken. There were no ceiling test impairments on our oil and gas properties during fiscal 2021 and 2020. We must replace reserves we produce. Our future success depends upon our ability to find, develop or acquire additional, economically recoverable oil and gas reserves. Our proved reserves will generally decline as reserves are depleted, except to the extent that we can find, develop or acquire replacement reserves. One offset to the obvious benefits afforded by higher product prices especially for small to mid-cap companies in this industry, is that quality domestic oil and gas reserves are hard to find. Approximately 32% and 50% of our total estimated net proved reserves at March 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, were undeveloped, and those reserves may not ultimately be developed. Recovery of undeveloped reserves requires significant capital expenditures and successful drilling. Our reserve data assumes that we can and will make these expenditures and conduct these operations successfully. These assumptions, however, may not prove correct. If we or the outside operators of our properties choose not to spend the capital to develop these reserves, or if we are not able to successfully develop these reserves, we will be required to write-off these reserves. Any such write-offs of our reserves could reduce our ability to borrow money and could reduce the value of our common stock. Information concerning our reserves and future net revenues estimates is inherently uncertain. Estimates of oil and gas reserves, by necessity, are projections based on engineering data, and there are uncertainties inherent in the interpretation of such data as well as the projection of future rates of production and the timing of development expenditures. Reserve engineering is a subjective process of estimating underground accumulations of oil and gas that are difficult to measure. Estimates of economically recoverable oil and gas reserves and of future net cash flows depend upon a number of variable factors and assumptions, such as future production, oil and gas prices, operating costs, development costs and remedial costs, all of which may vary considerably from actual results. As a result, estimates of the economically recoverable quantities of oil and gas and of future net cash flows expected therefrom may vary substantially. As required by the SEC, the estimated discounted future net cash flows from proved reserves are based on a twelve month un-weighted first-day-of-the-month average oil and gas prices for the twelve months prior to the date of the report. Actual future prices and costs may be materially higher or lower. 11 An increase in the differential between NYMEX and the reference or regional index price used to price our oil and gas would reduce our cash flow from operations. Our oil and gas is priced in the local markets where it is produced based on local or regional supply and demand factors. The prices we receive for our oil and gas are typically lower than the relevant benchmark prices, such as The New York Mercantile Exchange (“NYMEX”). The difference between the benchmark price and the price we receive is called a differential. Numerous factors may influence local pricing, such as refinery capacity, pipeline capacity and specifications, upsets in the midstream or downstream sectors of the industry, trade restrictions and governmental regulations. Additionally, insufficient pipeline capacity, lack of demand in any given operating area or other factors may cause the differential to increase in a particular area compared with other producing areas. During fiscal 2021, differentials averaged $0.93 per Bbl of oil and $0.13 per Mcf of gas. Increases in the differential between the benchmark prices for oil and gas and the wellhead price we receive could significantly reduce our revenues and our cash flow from operations. Drilling and operating activities are high risk activities that subject us to a variety of factors that we cannot control. These factors include availability of workover and drilling rigs, well blowouts, cratering, explosions, fires, formations with abnormal pressures, pollution, releases of toxic gases and other environmental hazards and risks. Any of these operating hazards could result in substantial losses to us. In addition, we incur the risk that no commercially productive reservoirs will be encountered, and there is no assurance that we will recover all or any portion of our investment in wells drilled or re-entered. Acquisitions are subject to the risks and uncertainties of evaluating reserves and potential liabilities and may be disruptive and difficult to integrate into our business. We plan to continue growing our reserves through acquisitions. Acquired properties can be subject to significant unknown liabilities. Prior to completing an acquisition, it is generally not feasible to conduct a detailed review of each individual property to be acquired in an acquisition. Even a detailed review or inspection of each property may not reveal all existing or potential liabilities associated with owning or operating the property. Moreover, some potential liabilities, such as environmental liabilities related to groundwater contamination, may not be discovered even when a review or inspection is performed. Our initial reserve estimates for acquired properties may be inaccurate. Downward adjustments to our estimated proved reserves, including reserves added through acquisitions, could require us to write down the carrying value of our oil and gas properties, which would reduce our earnings and our stockholders’ equity. In addition, we may have to assume cleanup or reclamation obligations or other unanticipated liabilities in connection with these acquisitions. The scope and cost of these obligations may ultimately be materially greater than estimated at the time of the acquisition. We may not be able to fund the capital expenditures that will be required for us to increase reserves and production. We must make capital expenditures to develop our existing reserves and to discover new reserves. Historically, we have used our cash flow from operations and borrowings under our credit facility to fund our capital expenditures, however, lower oil and gas prices may prevent these options. Volatility in oil and gas prices, the timing of our drilling programs and drilling results will affect our cash flow from operations. Lower prices and/or lower production will also decrease revenues and cash flow, thus reducing the amount of financial resources available to meet our capital requirements, including reducing the amount available to pursue our drilling opportunities. The borrowing base under our credit facility will be determined from time to time by the lender. Reductions in estimates of oil and gas reserves could result in a reduction in the borrowing base, which would reduce the amount of financial resources available under the credit facility to meet our capital requirements. Such a reduction could be the result of lower commodity prices and/or production, inability to drill or unfavorable drilling results, changes in oil and gas reserve engineering, the lender’s inability to agree to an adequate borrowing base or adverse changes in the lender’s practices regarding estimation of reserves. If cash flow from operations or our borrowing base decrease for any reason, our ability to undertake exploration and development activities could be adversely affected. As a result, our ability to replace production may be limited. Our identified drilling locations are scheduled out over several years, making them susceptible to uncertainties that could materially alter the occurrence or timing of their drilling. Our management and outside operators have specifically identified and scheduled drilling locations as an estimation of our future multi-year drilling activities on our existing acreage. These drilling locations represent a significant part of our growth strategy. Our ability to drill and develop these locations depends on a number of uncertainties, including crude oil and natural gas prices, the availability of capital, costs, drilling results, regulatory approvals and other factors. If future drilling results in these projects do not establish sufficient reserves to achieve an economic return, we may curtail drilling in these projects. Because of these uncertainties, we do not know if the numerous potential drilling locations we have identified will ever be drilled or if we will be able to produce crude oil or natural gas from these or any other potential drilling locations. 12 Our business depends on oil and natural gas transportation facilities which are owned by others. The marketability of our production depends in part on the availability, proximity and capacity of natural gas gathering systems, pipelines and processing facilities. Federal and state regulation of oil and gas production and transportation, tax and energy policies, changes in supply and demand and general economic conditions could all affect our ability to produce and market our oil and gas. We have limited control over activities on properties we do not operate, which could reduce our production and revenues. All of our business activities are conducted through joint operating or other agreements under which we own working and royalty interests in natural gas and oil properties in which we do not operate. As a result, we have a limited ability to exercise influence over normal operating procedures, expenditures or future development of underlying properties and their associated costs. The failure of an operator of our wells to adequately perform operations could reduce our revenues and production. The oil and gas industry is highly competitive. Competition for oil and gas reserve acquisitions is significant. We may compete with major oil and gas companies, other independent oil and gas companies and individual producers and operators, some of which have financial and personnel resources substantially in excess of those available to us. As a result, we may be placed at a competitive disadvantage. Our ability to acquire and develop additional properties in the future will depend upon our ability to select and acquire suitable producing properties and prospects for future development activities. In addition, the oil and gas industry as a whole also competes with other industries in supplying the energy and fuel requirements of industrial, commercial and individual consumers. The price and availability of alternative energy sources could adversely affect our revenue. The market for our oil, gas and natural gas liquids production depends on factors beyond our control, including domestic and foreign political conditions, the overall level of supply of and demand for oil, gas and natural gas liquids, the price of imports of oil and gas, weather conditions, the price and availability of alternative fuels, the proximity and capacity of gas pipelines and other transportation facilities and overall economic conditions. We may not be insured against all of the operating hazards to which our business is exposed. Our operations are subject to all the risks inherent in the exploration for, and development and production of oil and gas including blowouts, fires and other casualties. We maintain insurance coverage customary for operations of a similar nature, but losses could arise from uninsured risks or in amounts in excess of existing insurance coverage. Certain U.S. federal income tax deductions currently available with respect to crude oil and natural gas exploration and development may be eliminated as a result of proposed legislation. Legislation previously has been proposed that would, if enacted into law, make significant changes to U. S. federal income tax laws, including the elimination of certain key U.S. federal income tax incentives currently available to crude oil and natural gas exploration and production companies. These changes include, but are not limited to: (1) the repeal of the percentage depletion allowance for crude oil and natural gas properties, (2) the elimination of current deductions for intangible drilling and development costs, (3) the elimination of the deduction for certain U.S. domestic production activities, and (4) an extension of the amortization period for certain geological and geophysical expenditures. It is unclear whether any such changes will be enacted and, if enacted, how soon any such changes could become effective. The passage of this type of legislation or any other similar changes in U.S. federal income tax laws could eliminate or postpone certain tax deductions that are currently available with respect to crude oil and natural gas exploration and development, and any such change could have an adverse effect on the value of an investment in our Common Stock as well as our financial position, results of operations and cash flows. 13 In March 2020, the President of the United States signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”), to stabilize the economy during the coronavirus pandemic. The CARES Act temporarily suspends and modifies certain tax laws established by the 2017 tax reform law known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, including, but not limited to, modifications to net operating loss limitations, business interest limitations and alternative minimum tax. The CARES Act did not have a material impact on the Company’s current year provision and the Company’s consolidated financial statements. A terrorist or cyber-attack or armed conflict could harm our business by decreasing our revenues and increasing our costs. Terrorist activities, anti-terrorist efforts, cyber-attacks and other armed conflicts involving the United States may adversely affect the United States and global economies and could prevent us from meeting our financial and other obligations. If any of these events occur or escalate, the resulting political instability and societal disruption could reduce overall demand for oil and natural gas, potentially putting downward pressure on demand for our production and causing a reduction in our revenue. Oil and natural gas related facilities could be direct targets of terrorist attacks, and our operations could be adversely impacted if significant infrastructure or facilities used for the production, transportation, processing or marketing of oil and natural gas production are destroyed or damaged. Our reliance on information technology, including those hosted by third parties, exposes us to cyber security risks that could affect our business, financial condition or reputation and increase compliance challenges. We rely on information technology systems, including internet sites, computer software, data hosting facilities and other hardware and platforms, some of which are hosted by third parties, to assist in conducting our business. Our information technology systems, as well as those of third parties we use in our operations, may be vulnerable to a variety of evolving cybersecurity risks, such as those involving unauthorized access or control, denial-of-service attacks, malicious software, data privacy breaches by employees, insiders or others with authorized access, cyber or phishing-attacks, ransomware, malware, social engineering, physical breaches or other actions. These cybersecurity threat actors, whether internal or external to us, are becoming more sophisticated and coordinated in their attempts to access the Company’s information technology systems and data, including the information technology systems of cloud providers and other third parties with whom the Company conducts business. Although we have implemented information technology controls and systems that are designed to protect information and mitigate the risk of data loss and other cybersecurity risks, such measures cannot entirely eliminate cybersecurity threats, and the enhanced controls we have installed may be breached. If our information technology systems cease to function properly or our cybersecurity is breached, we could suffer disruptions to our normal operations. A cyber-attack involving our information systems and related infrastructure, or that of our business associates, could negatively impact our operations in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to, the following: ● Unauthorized access to seismic data, reserves information, strategic information, or other sensitive or proprietary information could have a negative impact on our ability to compete for oil and natural gas resources; ● A cyber-attack on a vendor or service provider could result in supply chain disruptions which could delay or halt our major development projects; ● A cyber-attack on third-party gathering, pipeline, or rail transportation systems could delay or prevent our outside operators from transporting and marketing production, resulting in a loss of revenues; ● A cyber-attack which halts activities at a power generation facility or refinery using natural gas as feed stock could have a significant impact on the natural gas market, resulting in reduced demand for our production, lower natural gas prices, and reduced revenues; ● A deliberate corruption of our financial or operating data could result in events of non-compliance which could then lead to regulatory fines or penalties; and 14 All of the above could negatively impact our operational and financial results. Additionally, certain cyber incidents, such as surveillance, may remain undetected for an extended period. As cyber threats continue to evolve, we may be required to expend significant additional resources to continue to modify or enhance our protective measures or to investigate and remediate any information security vulnerabilities. Additionally, the growth of cyber-attacks has resulted in evolving legal and compliance matters which impose significant costs that are likely to increase over time. The loss of our chief executive officer or other key personnel could adversely impact our ability to execute our business strategy. We depend, and will continue to depend in the foreseeable future, upon the continued services of our Chief Executive Officer, Nicholas C. Taylor, our President and Chief Financial Officer, Tamala L. McComic, and other key personnel, who have extensive experience and expertise in evaluating and analyzing producing oil and gas properties and drilling prospects, maximizing production from oil and gas properties and developing and executing acquisitions and financing. As of March 31, 2021, we do not have key-man insurance on the lives of Mr. Taylor and Ms. McComic. The unexpected loss of the services of one or more of these individuals could, therefore, significantly and adversely affect our operations. We may be affected by one substantial shareholder. Nicholas C. Taylor beneficially owns approximately 46% of the outstanding shares of our common stock. Mr. Taylor is also our Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. As a result, Mr. Taylor has significant influence in matters voted on by our shareholders, including the election of our Board members. Mr. Taylor participates in all facets of our business and has a significant impact on both our business strategy and daily operations. The retirement, incapacity or death of Mr. Taylor, or any change in the power to vote shares beneficially owned by Mr. Taylor, could result in negative market or industry perception and could have an adverse effect on our business. RISKS RELATED TO OUR COMMON STOCK We may issue additional shares of common stock in the future, which could cause dilution to all shareholders. We may seek to raise additional equity capital in the future. Any issuance of additional shares of our common stock will dilute the percentage ownership interest of all shareholders and may dilute the book value per share of our common stock. We have not and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. We have paid no cash dividends on our common stock to date and it is not anticipated that any will be paid to holders of our common stock in the foreseeable future. The terms of our existing credit facility restricts the payment of dividends without the prior written consent of the lenders. We currently intend to retain all future earnings to fund the development and growth of our business. Any payment of future dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on, among other things, our earnings, financial condition, capital requirements, level of indebtedness, statutory and contractual restrictions applying to the payment of dividends and other considerations that our board of directors deems relevant. Stockholders must rely on sales of their common stock after price appreciation, which may never occur, as the only way to realize a return on their investment. Control by our executive officers and directors may limit your ability to influence the outcome of matters requiring stockholder approval and could discourage our potential acquisition by third parties. As of March 31, 2021, our executive officers and directors beneficially owned approximately 51% of our common stock. These stockholders, if acting together, would be able to influence significantly all matters requiring approval by our stockholders, including the election of our board of directors and the approval of mergers or other business combination transactions. The price of our common stock has been volatile and could continue to fluctuate substantially. Mexco common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange’s NYSE American. The market price of our common stock has and could continue to experience volatility due to reasons unrelated to our operating performance. These reasons include: supply and demand for oil and natural gas; political conditions in oil and natural gas producing regions; demand for our common stock and limited trading volume; investor perception of our industry; fluctuations in commodity prices; variations in our results of operations; legislative or regulatory changes; general trends in the oil and natural gas industry; market conditions and analysts’ estimates; and, other events in the oil and gas industry. 15 Many of these factors are beyond our control, and we cannot predict their potential effects on the price of our common stock. We cannot assure you that the market price of our common stock will not fluctuate or decline significantly in the future. In addition, the stock markets in general can experience considerable price and volume fluctuations. Failure of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting could harm its business and financial results. The management of Mexco is responsible for establishing and maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting. Internal control over financial reporting is a process to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting for external purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. Internal control over financial reporting includes maintaining records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect Mexco’s transactions; providing reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary for preparation of the financial statements; providing reasonable assurance that receipts and expenditures are made in accordance with management authorization; and providing reasonable assurance that unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements would be prevented or detected on a timely basis. ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS None.