UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-Q
☒
QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For
the quarterly period ended March 31, 2024
☐
TRANSITION REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For
the transition period from _________________ to _________________
Commission
file number: 001-14332
NOVELSTEM
INTERNATIONAL CORP.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Florida
65-0385686
(State
or other jurisdiction
of
incorporation or organization)
(I.R.S.
Employer
Identification
No.)
2255
Glades Road , Suite 221A , Boca Raton , FL
33431
(Address of principal executive
offices)
(Zip Code)
Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code
( 410 )
598-9024
Securities
registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title
of each class
Trading
Symbol(s)
Name
of each exchange on which registered
None
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2)
has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule
405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant
was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filed, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company,
or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller
reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ☐
Accelerated filer ☐
Non-accelerated filer ☒
Smaller reporting company ☒
Emerging growth company ☒
If
an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying
with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act ☐
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No
☒
Indicate
the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.
Class
Outstanding
at May 15, 2024
Common Stock, $0.01 par
value per share
46,881,475
NOVELSTEM
INTERNATIONAL CORP.
Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q
for
the Quarterly Period Ended March 31, 2024
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
PAGE
Part I Financial Information
Item 1. Unaudited Condensed Financial Statements:
Condensed Balance Sheets as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023
3
Condensed Statements of Operations for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023
4
Condensed
Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Deficit for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023
5
Condensed Statements of Cash Flows for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023
6
Notes to Condensed Financial Statements
7
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
15
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
18
Item 4. Controls and Procedures
18
Part II Other Information
Item 1. Legal Proceedings
18
Item 1A. Risk Factors
19
Item 6. Exhibits
19
Signatures
20
2
PART
I
ITEM 1.
UNAUDITED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOVELSTEM
INTERNATIONAL CORP.
CONDENSED
BALANCE SHEETS
March
31,
December
31,
As of
March 31,
December 31,
2024
2023
(Unaudited)
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash
$ 5,181
$ 53,063
Accounts receivable, administrative fees
3,000
-
Prepaid expenses
27,855
33,540
Total current assets
36,036
86,603
Investment in Netco Partners
132,358
133,709
Note receivable, NewStem Ltd
500,000
250,000
Investment in NewStem Ltd
1,732,375
1,784,234
Total assets
$ 2,400,769
$ 2,254,546
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable
$ 149,672
$ 54,257
Notes payable
250,000
250,000
Current portion of long-term notes payable, including accrued interest
2,850,916
-
Accrued expenses
45,974
42,223
Total current liabilities
3,296,562
346,480
Long-term liabilities:
Long-term notes payable, including accrued interest, net
810,527
3,324,599
Derivative liability, guarantee
535,000
535,000
Total long-term liabilities
1,345,527
3,859,599
Total liabilities
4,642,089
4,206,079
Commitments and contingencies (see Note 7)
-
-
Shareholders’ deficit:
Common stock, $ .01 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized, 50,316,672 shares issued, and 46,881,475 shares outstanding as of
March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023
468,815
468,815
Additional paid-in capital
290,920,710
290,907,217
Accumulated deficit
( 293,431,091 )
( 293,127,811 )
Treasury stock, at cost, 3,435,197 shares as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023
( 199,754 )
( 199,754 )
Total shareholders’ deficit
( 2,241,320 )
( 1,951,533 )
Total liabilities and shareholders’ deficit
$ 2,400,769
$ 2,254,546
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed financial statements.
3
NOVELSTEM
INTERNATIONAL CORP.
CONDENSED
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(UNAUDITED)
2024
2023
Three Months Ended
March 31,
2024
2023
Administrative fee income
$ 3,000
$ -
Operating expenses:
General and administrative expenses
183,306
164,792
Total operating expenses
183,306
164,792
Loss from operations
( 180,306 )
( 164,792 )
Other expenses:
Gain on derivative instrument
( 25,000 )
-
Interest expense
94,764
7,313
Total other expenses
69,764
7,313
Loss before income taxes
( 250,070 )
( 172,105 )
Provision for income tax
-
-
Loss before equity in net income of equity method investees
( 250,070 )
( 172,105 )
Equity in net loss of equity method investees
( 53,210 )
( 96,716 )
Net loss
$ ( 303,280 )
$ ( 268,821 )
Basic and diluted net loss per share:
Net loss per share - basic and diluted
$ ( 0.01 )
$ ( 0.01 )
Weighted average number of shares outstanding - basic and diluted
46,881,475
46,881,475
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.
4
NOVELSTEM
INTERNATIONAL CORP.
CONDENSED
STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
(UNAUDITED)
For
the Three Months Ended March 31, 2024:
Number of
Common
Additional Paid-In
Accumulated
Number of Treasury
Treasury
Total Shareholders’
Shares
Stock
Capital
Deficit
Shares
Stock
Equity
Balance, January 1, 2024
46,881,475
$ 468,815
$ 290,907,217
$ ( 293,127,811 )
3,435,197
$ ( 199,754 )
$ ( 1,951,533 )
Net loss
-
-
-
( 303,280 )
-
-
( 303,280 )
Stock option compensation
-
-
13,493
-
-
-
13,493
Balance, March 31, 2024
46,881,475
$
468,815
$ 290,920,710
$ ( 293,431,091 )
3,435,197
$ ( 199,754 )
$ ( 2,241,320 )
For
the Three Months Ended March 31, 2023:
Additional
Number of
Total
Number of
Common
Paid-In
Accumulated
Treasury
Treasury
Shareholders’
Shares
Stock
Capital
Deficit
Shares
Stock
Equity
Balance, January 1, 2023
46,881,475
$ 468,815
$ 290,604,327
$ ( 288,940,510 )
3,435,197
$ ( 199,754 )
$ 1,932,878
Balance, value
46,881,475
$ 468,815
$ 290,604,327
$ ( 288,940,510 )
3,435,197
$ ( 199,754 )
$ 1,932,878
Net loss
-
-
-
( 268,821 )
-
-
( 268,821 )
Stock option compensation
-
-
15,077
-
-
-
15,077
Balance, March 31, 2023
46,881,475
$ 468,815
$ 290,619,404
$ ( 289,209,331 )
3,435,197
$ ( 199,754 )
$ 1,679,134
Balance, value
46,881,475
$ 468,815
$ 290,619,404
$ ( 289,209,331 )
3,435,197
$ ( 199,754 )
$ 1,679,134
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed financial statements.
5
NOVELSTEM
INTERNATIONAL CORP.
CONDENSED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(UNAUDITED)
2024
2023
Three Months Ended
March
31,
2024
2023
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net loss
$ ( 303,280 )
$ ( 268,821 )
Equity in n et
loss of equity method investees
53,210
96,716
Distribution from NetCo Partners
-
7,875
Accretion of discount on note payable
44,398
-
Gain on derivative instrument
( 25,000 )
-
Accrued interest added to long-term notes payable
42,446
7,079
Stock-based compensation
13,493
15,077
Change in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable, administrative fees
( 3,000 )
12,000
Prepaid expenses
5,685
994
Accounts payable
95,415
107,296
Accrued expenses
3,751
( 6,000 )
Net cash used in operating activities
( 72,882 )
( 27,784 )
Cash flows from investing activities:
Loans made
( 250,000 )
-
Net cash used in investing
activities
( 250,000 )
-
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from long term notes
payable
275,000
62,000
Net cash provided by financing
activities
275,000
62,000
Net change in cash
( 47,882 )
34,216
Cash at the beginning of the period
53,063
6,346
Cash at the end of the period
$ 5,181
$ 40,562
Supplemental cash flow information:
Cash paid during the period for:
Interest
$ 441
$ 234
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed financial statements.
6
NOVELSTEM
INTERNATIONAL CORP.
NOTES
TO CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Unaudited)
NOTE
1— NATURE OF OPERATIONS
Description
of Business
NovelStem
International Corp. (“NovelStem” or the “Company”) is a holding company whose principal assets are an approximate
31 % equity interest in NewStem Ltd, an Israeli biotech company (“NewStem”), and a 50 % equity interest in NetCo Partners (“NetCo”).
NovelStem was formerly known as Hollywood Media Corp. The Company was incorporated in the State of Florida on January 22, 1993 and changed
its name to NovelStem International Corp. in September 2018 as a result of its business focus shift from a media business to biotech.
NewStem
focuses on the development and commercialization of diagnostic technology that can predict patients’ anti-cancer drug resistance,
allowing for targeted cancer treatments and the potential to reduce resistance to chemotherapy. NewStem is collaborating with life sciences
companies for the development of drugs and reagents. NetCo is a legacy media business interest which owns “Net Force”, a
book publishing franchise.
Going
Concern, Liquidity and Management’s Plans
Since
inception, the Company has accumulated a deficit of approximately $ 293,000,000 . The accumulated deficit of the Company subsequent to
its business focus shift and name change in September 2018 is approximately $ 6,750,000 which is comprised primarily of allocated losses
from equity method investments and general and administrative costs incurred by the Company.
The
Company will need to obtain additional funds to continue its operations. Management’s plans with regard to these matters include
additional financing and fundraising until its equity investment in NewStem is profitable. Although management continues to pursue these
plans, there is no assurance that the Company will be successful in obtaining sufficient cash from financing on terms acceptable to the
Company, or that NewStem will be able to continue as a going concern and become profitable (see Note 3).
The
Company has in place a finance agreement with two individuals who are shareholders and directors to borrow $ 650,000 and an additional
finance agreement with a shareholder to borrow $ 300,000 for working capital needs (see Note 4). Additionally, the Company entered into
additional finance agreements with unrelated parties in December 2023 and April 2024 to borrow an additional $ 350,000 for working capital
needs and to fund NewStem (see Note 4). As of the date of these financial statements, these borrowings have been fully utilized and the
Company will need to obtain additional funds to continue operations for the next 12 months.
In
view of the matters described above, the Company’s ability to meet financing requirements is dependent upon the ability to complete
additional fundraising or obtain additional financing, and/or monetize its investment in NetCo, along with NewStem continuing as a going
concern. These factors, among others, raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The financial
statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification of recorded asset amounts or amounts and
classification of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue in existence.
NOTE
2— SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis
of Presentation
The
accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted
in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article
10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements.
In the opinion of management, the unaudited condensed financial statements reflect all adjustments, which include only normal recurring
adjustments necessary for the fair statement of the balances and results for the periods presented. Certain information and footnote
disclosures normally included in the Company’s annual financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed
or omitted. These condensed consolidated financial statement results are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the
full fiscal year or any future period.
The
accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements and related disclosures have been prepared with the presumption that users of the
unaudited condensed financial statements have read or have access to the audited financial statements for the preceding fiscal year.
Accordingly, these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Form
10-K, which was filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on April 1, 2024, from which the
Company derived the balance sheet data at December 31, 2023.
7
Certain
information and footnote disclosures normally included in condensed financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed
or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations for interim reporting. The Company believes that the disclosures contained herein are
adequate to make the information presented not misleading. These condensed financial statements should be read in conjunction with the
Company’s Form 10K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 1, 2024 for the years ended December 31, 2023 and
2022.
Equity
Investments
Investee
companies that are not consolidated, but over which the Company exercises significant influence, are accounted for under the equity method
of accounting. Whether or not the Company exercises significant influence with respect to an investee depends on an evaluation of several
factors, including, among others, representation on the investee company’s board of directors and ownership level, which is generally
a 20% to 50% interest in the voting securities of the investee company. Under the equity method of accounting, an investee company’s
accounts are not reflected within the Company’s balance sheets or statements of operations; however, the Company’s share
of the earnings or losses of the investee company is reflected in the caption “Equity in net income (loss) of investee company”
in the statements of operations. The Company’s carrying value in an equity method investee company is reflected in the caption
“Investment in investee company’ in the Company’s balance sheets.
The
Company reviews equity investments for impairment on an annual basis, or earlier if events or changes in circumstances indicate that
the carrying amounts might not be recoverable.
The
Company holds a minority investment in an entity, NewStem, which is accounted for pursuant to the equity method of accounting. Additionally,
the Company is a 50 % partner in NetCo (which is accounted for pursuant to the equity method of accounting). See Note 3.
Derivative
Financial Instruments
The
Company has in place a financial instrument, in the form of a note payable, with an identified embedded derivative in the form of a guarantee.
The identified embedded derivative has been bifurcated and accounted for separately. Such derivative financial instruments are measured
at fair value at each financial statement reporting date. If the fair value of a financial liability (the derivative) exceeds the proceeds
received for the issuance of a hybrid instrument in an arms length transaction with no rights or privileges that require separate accounting
recognition as an asset identified, then the embedded derivative is recorded at fair value with the excess of fair value over proceeds
recognized as a loss in earnings. During the three months ended March 31, 2024, the Company recognized a gain on derivative financial
instruments of $ 25,000 . Proceeds from the note payable are shown as cash from financing instruments and the gain on derivative instrument
is included as an adjustment to reconcile loss to net cash used in operating activities in the statements of cash flows for the three
months ended March 31, 2024.
Basic
and Diluted Net Loss Per Share
Basic
net loss per share is computed by dividing the net loss by the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period, excluding
treasury stock. Diluted net loss per share is computed by dividing the net loss by the weighted average number of shares outstanding
plus the dilutive potential of common shares which would result from the exercise of stock options and warrants. The dilutive effects
of stock options and warrants are excluded from the computation of diluted net income (loss) per share if the effect of doing so would
be antidilutive.
The
following data represents the amounts used in computing earnings per share and the effect on loss and the weighted average number of
shares of dilutive potential common stock (unaudited):
SCHEDULE OF WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF SHARES OF DILUTIVE
Three Months Ended March 31,
2024
2023
Net loss attributable to common shareholders
$ ( 303,280 )
$ ( 268,821 )
Weighted average shares outstanding:
-Basic
46,881,475
46,881,475
Add: Warrants
-
-
Add: Stock options
-
-
-Diluted
46,881,475
46,881,475
Basic and diluted net loss per share
$ ( 0.01 )
$ ( 0.01 )
8
Options
and warrants excluded from the computation of earnings per share:
SCHEDULE
OF WARRANTS AND STOCK OPTIONS
2024
2023
Three Months Ended March 31,
2024
2023
Warrants
3,000,000
3,000,000
Stock options
5,760,000
5,760,000
Anti-dilutive securities
5,760,000
5,760,000
NOTE
3— EQUITY METHOD INVESTMENTS
Investment
in NewStem
In
2018, the Company entered into a Share Purchase Agreement with NewStem and other related parties to provide aggregate funding of up to
$ 4,000,000 to NewStem. This funding was to be provided through the sale of up to 50,000 common shares of NewStem to the Company representing
33 % of New Stem’s outstanding shares. In 2018, the Company purchased 25,000 shares of NewStem for $ 2,000,000 acquiring an ownership
interest of 20 %. The Company made additional investments in 2019 and 2020 purchasing 12,500 shares each year for a $ 1,000,000 investment
each year. NewStem sold and issued shares to third party investors in 2021, 2022 and 2023 resulting in the Company recognizing a gain
on dilution of equity method investment. These transactions resulted in the Company having an ownership interest of 30.51 % as of March
31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.
The
Company accounts for its investment in NewStem under the equity method. As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the carrying
value of the investment in NewStem exceeded its portion of the underlying net assets of NewStem by approximately $ 1,655,000
and $ 1,800,000 ,
respectively. The excess relates to identified intangible assets including license agreements, specialized work force (goodwill) and
two separate projects of in process research and development (“IPR&D”) related to stem cell-based diagnostics and
therapeutics for cancer chemotherapies.
The
Company assesses its investment in NewStem for impairment on an annual basis or more frequently if indicators of impairment exist.
During the three months ended March 31, 2024, the Company recorded a reimbursement due to NewStem of
approximately $ 36,000 (included in accounts payable in the accompanying balance sheet) for audit related costs. During the three
months ended March 31, 2023, the Company reimbursed NewStem for audit related costs of approximately $ 37,000 .
As
disclosed in Note 8, the Company is in negotiations to acquire the remainder of NewStem in exchange for shares of Company stock. In anticipation
of this transaction, the Company advanced $ 250,000 to NewStem in December 2023 and an additional $ 250,000 in March 2024. The related
note agreement bears no interest and is payable on December 30, 2024 . The agreement provides for discharge of the note upon the closing
of the anticipated acquisition transaction. This note receivable has been presented as a noncurrent asset along with the investment
in NewStem in the accompanying balance sheets. The second advance on the note was not received and recorded by NewStem until April 2024 and therefore is not reflected
in the schedule of financial position of NewStem presented below.
NewStem
is in the development stage and has incurred losses since its inception and has generated only minimal revenues under a licensing agreement.
NewStem will need to obtain additional funds to continue its operations. NewStem management’s plans with regard to these matters
include continued development, marketing and licensing of its products, as well as seeking additional financing arrangements. Although
management continues to pursue these plans, there is no assurance that the Company will be successful in obtaining sufficient cash from
sales, licensing or financing on terms acceptable to the Company. NewStem obtained additional funding of approximately $ 1,450,000 in
April 2022 through the sale of shares of ordinary stock. NewStem’s management has adopted a cost reduction plan in order to adjust
future operation expenses to its cash balance. In October 2023, the NewStem board of directors unanimously resolved to dismiss most employees
which occurred in December 2023.
The
aforementioned events indicate significant difficulties to continue as a concern. Additionally, Israel declared a state of war in October
2023 which resulted in a decrease in Israel’s economic and business activity. The security situation in Israel led to a disruption
in the chain of supply and production, a decrease in the volume of national transportation, and a shortage in manpower as well as a decrease
in the value of financial assets. As a result of the movement and work restrictions, NewStem began operating on a limited scale. Additionally,
the situation has brought further difficulties in management’s efforts to seek additional financing.
The
following table represents the Company’s investment in NewStem:
SCHEDULE
OF INVESTMENTS
2024
2023
Three Months
Ended March 31, 2024
Year Ended December 31, 2023
(Unaudited)
Investment in NewStem, beginning
$ 1,784,234
$ 2,090,286
Allocation of net loss from NewStem, Ltd.
( 51,859 )
( 342,191 )
Gain on dilution of equity method investment
-
36,139
Distribution from NetCo
Investment in NewStem, ending
$ 1,732,375
$ 1,784,234
9
The
results of operations of the Company’s investment in NewStem is summarized below (unaudited):
SCHEDULE
OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL POSITION INVESTMENT
2024
2023
Three Months Ended March 31,
2024
2023
Condensed income statement information:
Net revenues
$ -
$ 95,000
Gross margin
$ -
$ 84,000
Net loss
$ ( 170,000 )
$ ( 342,000 )
Company’s allocation of net loss from NewStem, Ltd.
$ ( 51,859 )
$ ( 104,591 )
The
financial position of the Company’s investment in NewStem is summarized below:
2024
2023
As of
March 31,
December 31,
2024
2023
(Unaudited)
Condensed balance sheet information:
Current assets
$ 246,000
$ 353,000
Non-current assets
$ 6,000
$ 9,000
Current liabilities
$ 86,000
$ 284,000
Non-current liabilities
$ 250,000
$ -
Investment
in NetCo
NovelStem
owns a 50 % interest in NetCo, a joint venture that owns the Net Force publishing franchise. The Company accounts for its investment in
NetCo under the equity method and recognizes nominal royalties and administrative fees from this arrangement. The Company assesses its
investment in NetCo for impairment on an annual basis or more frequently if indicators of impairment exist.
The
following table represents the Company’s investment in NetCo:
SCHEDULE
OF INVESTMENTS
Three Months Ended March 31, 2024
Year Ended December 31, 2023
(Unaudited)
Investment in NetCo, beginning
$ 133,709
$ 137,011
Allocation of net income (loss) from NetCo
( 1,351 )
3,573
Distribution from NetCo
-
( 6,875 )
Investment in NetCo, ending
$ 132,358
$ 133,709
The
results of operations of the Company’s investment in NetCo is summarized below (unaudited):
SCHEDULE
OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL POSITION INVESTMENT
2024
2023
Three Months Ended March 31,
2024
2023
Condensed income statement information:
Net sales
$ 373
$ 15,750
Gross margin
$ 373
$ 15,750
Net income
$ ( 2,702 )
$ 15,750
Company’s allocation of net income from NetCo
$ ( 1,351 )
$ 7,875
The
financial position of the Company’s investment in NetCo is summarized below:
2024
2023
As of
March 31,
December 31,
2024
2023
(Unaudited)
Condensed balance sheet information:
Current assets
$ 2,042
$ 1,820
Non-current assets
$ 272,799
$ 272,799
Current liabilities
$ 3,249
$ 325
Non-current liabilities
$ -
$ -
10
NOTE
4— NOTES PAYABLE
In
December 2023, the Company entered into two short term notes payable with unrelated parties, Hewlett Fund and AIGH Investment
Partners, LLC. The notes are for $ 125,000 each, for a total of $ 250,000 in borrowings utilized for the funding of NewStem. The notes
bear interest at 12 % per annum and mature December 21, 2024 , at which time all principal and accrued interest are due and payable.
The note agreements include a provision whereby, in the event of a capital raise transaction by the Company, the note holders would
be entitled to participate in the transaction in an amount equal to 133% of the amounts owed on the note agreements at the closing
of the transaction. Interest expense related to these notes was $ 7,479 for the three months ended March 31, 2024.
Long-term
notes payable are summarized as follows:
SCHEDULE
OF LONG TERM NOTES PAYABLE
As of
March 31,
December 31,
2024
2023
(Unaudited)
Notes payable related parties:
Notes payable director and Executive Chairman
$ 650,000
$ 400,000
Accrued interest added to note balance
54,314
43,588
Total notes payable director and Executive Chairman
704,314
443,588
Note payable shareholder, principal amount
300,000
275,000
Less unamortized discount
( 193,787 )
( 213,185 )
Total note payable shareholder
106,213
61,815
Note payable, litigation funding agreement:
Note payable Omni Bridgeway (Fund 4) Invt. 3 L.P.
2,819,196
2,819,196
Accrued interest added to agreement balance
31,720
-
Total note payable, litigation funding agreement
2,850,916
2,819,196
Total notes payable
3,661,443
3,324,599
Less current portion
( 2,850,916 )
-
Long-term notes payable
$ 810,527
$ 3,324,599
In
May 2022, the Company entered into note agreements with two individuals who are related parties to borrow up to $ 600,000 for working
capital needs. The agreements were amended in March 2024 to increase the total borrowing to $ 650,000 and extend the maturity date. The
agreements provide for interest at a rate of 8 % per annum through November 11, 2022, at which time the interest rate increased to 10 %
per annum for subsequent advances. The agreements mature September 1, 2025 . The Company received advances of $ 650,000 and $ 400,000 , respectively,
pursuant to these agreements through March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.
On
May 5, 2023, the Company entered into a long term note payable with a shareholder for $ 300,000 in financing to be funded $ 150,000 at
inception and $ 150,000 in October 2023. This note bears interest at zero percent ( 0 %) and matures on May 5, 2025 . The note includes a
guarantee which has been identified as an embedded derivative with a fair value of a liability of $ 535,000 at March 31, 2024 and December
31, 2023 which is reported separately on the balance sheet. The fair value of the note exceeds the proceeds, and the note has been discounted
at inception so that the net liability is the fair value of the derivative. Accretion of the note discount of $ 44,398 has been reflected
as part of interest expense in the statement of operations for three months ended March 31, 2024.
Note
Payable, Litigation Funding Agreement
On
February 11, 2022, the Company entered into a nonrecourse litigation funding agreement (the “Agreement”) with Omni Bridgeway
(Fund 4) Invt. 3 L.P. (“Omni”) related to an arbitration proceeding disclosed in Note 7. The Agreement provides for Omni
to fund all costs related to the arbitration up to $ 1,000,000 in exchange for an assignment of a certain portion of rights to and interest
in claims related to this arbitration. The agreement provides for specific calculations of the portion of any claims collected to be
received by Omni with the remainder collectible by the Company. Additionally, the agreement provides for repayment of funded costs pursuant
to the same multiple calculations in the event of a favorable outcome that does not include the collection of claims.
11
During
July 2023, the arbitration was settled with a partially favorable outcome for the Company. As a result of the ruling disclosed in Note
7, the liability became probable and reasonably estimable, and the Company has recorded the full liability due to Omni as of December
31, 2023. This liability consists of expenses funded by Omni of $ 933,065 , including $ 310,000 advanced for working capital, and related
fees or investment return to Omni calculated as contractual multiples of funding totaling $ 1,886,131 as of December 31, 2023 for a total
liability of $ 2,819,196 . This agreement bears interest at 5 % per annum beginning January 2024 and is payable on January 10, 2025 .
NOTE
5— EQUITY
(a)
General
At
March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company had issued and outstanding 46,881,475 shares of its common stock, par value $ 0.01 per
share. Holders of outstanding common stock are entitled to receive dividends when, as and if declared by the Board and to share ratably
in the assets of the Company legally available for distribution in the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company.
(b)
Summary Employee Option Information
The
Company’s stock option plan provides for the grant to officers, directors, third party contractors and other future key employees
of options to purchase shares of common stock. The purchase price may be paid in cash or, if the option is “in-the-money”,
it is automatically exercised “net”. In a net exercise of an option, the Company does not require a payment of the exercise
price of the option from the optionee but reduces the number of shares of common stock issued upon the exercise of the option by the
smallest number of whole shares that has an aggregate fair market value equal to or in excess of the aggregate exercise price for the
option shares covered by the option exercised. Each option is exercisable to one share of the Company’s common stock. Most options
expire within six years from the date of the grant and generally vest on the first anniversary date of their issuance. Pursuant to the
Equity Incentive Plan the Company’s board of directors approved on November 12, 2018, an aggregate of 5,760,000 options have been
issued to directors and investor relations professionals as of March 31, 2024. An additional 600,000 options were issued to directors
on April 1, 2024.
The
Company utilized the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to estimate fair value, utilizing the following assumptions for the options issued during the three months ended March 31, 2023 (all in weighted averages):
SCHEDULE
OF FAIR VALUE OF OPTION USING VALUATION ASSUMPTIONS
Risk-free interest rate
3.5 %
Expected term of options, in years
4.00
Expected annual volatility
191.1 %
Expected dividend yield
0 %
Determined weighted average grant date fair value per option
$ 0.19
The
expected term of the options represents an estimate of the length of time until the expected date of exercising the options. Options
granted have a maximum life of 7 years. With respect to determining expected exercise behavior, the Company has grouped its option grants
into certain groups to track exercise behavior and establish historical rates. The Company estimated volatility by considering historical
stock volatility over the expected term of the option. The risk-free interest rates are based on the U.S. Treasury yields for a period
consistent with the expected term. The dividend yield of 0 % is based on the Company’s history and expectation of dividend payout.
The Company has not paid and does not anticipate paying dividends in the near future.
12
(c)
Summary Option Information
A
summary of the Company’s option plans for the three months ended March 31, 2024, is presented below (unaudited):
SCHEDULE
OF STOCK OPTION ACTIVITIES
Number
Weighted
of
Average
Options
Exercise
(in shares)
Price
Outstanding, December 31, 2023
5,760,000
$ 0.14
Granted
-
-
Outstanding, March 31, 2024
5,760,000
$ 0.14
Exercisable, March 31, 2024
5,760,000
$ 0.14
Stock-based
compensation expense was approximately $ 13,000 and $ 15,000 in the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
The
total compensation cost related to non-vested awards not yet recognized was approximately $ 67,000 as of March 31, 2023. As of March 31,
2023, 360,000 options were unvested. These options vested during March 2024.
(d)
Warrants
The
Company has issued warrants at exercise prices equal to or greater than the market value of the Company’s common stock at the date
of issuance. A summary of warrant activity follows (unaudited):
SUMMARY
OF WARRANTS ACTIVITY
Number of
Weighted
shares
Average
underlying
Exercise
warrants
Price
Outstanding, December 31, 2023
3,000,000
$ 0.12
Granted
-
-
Exercised
-
-
Forfeited or expired
-
-
Outstanding, March 31, 2024
3,000,000
$ 0.12
The
warrant agreements were amended on May 12, 2023 to extend the expiration date to June 28, 2025 . The warrants outstanding at March 31,
2024 have a weighted average remaining contractual life of approximately one year and three months.
13
NOTE
6— INCOME TAXES
The
Company’s income tax provision differs from the expense that would result from applying statutory rates to income (loss) before
taxes. A reconciliation of the provision (benefit) for income taxes with amounts determined by applying the statutory U.S. federal income
tax rate to income before income taxes is as follows (unaudited):
SCHEDULE
OF INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX
2024
2023
Three Months Ended March 31,
2024
2023
Computed tax at the federal statutory rate of 21 %
$ ( 63,689 )
$ ( 56,452 )
State income taxes, net of federal income tax benefit
( 13,178 )
( 11,680 )
Change in federal valuation allowance
85,164
87,972
Foreign rate differential
( 8,297 )
( 19,840 )
Total provision for income tax
$ -
$ -
NOTE
7— COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
The
Company was the claimant in an arbitration proceeding against their 50 % partner in NetCo. The Company initiated the arbitration proceeding
in an effort to maximize the total potential value to be derived from fully utilizing the NetCo intellectual property across publishing,
entertainment, digital media, merchandising and other ancillary markets. Arbitration hearings were held at the end of July 2022. Arbitration
proceedings for the joint owners of NetCo concluded during 2022 and the arbitrator rendered a decision in July 2023. The arbitrator ruled
against the Company on certain key issues of the arbitration and in the Company’s favor on two key issues of the arbitration.
The
Arbitrator ruled in NovelStem’s favor on the issue of contract interpretation of the Netco Partners JV Agreement. The Arbitrator
also found that the Company’s joint venture partner failed to use “reasonable, good faith efforts” to license and exploit
the Net Force concept, in breach of its contractual obligations under the Netco Partners’ Joint Venture Agreement. The Arbitrator
confirmed NovelStem’s contractual right to use Tom Clancy’s name as a possessory credit in the Net Force title (Tom Clancy’s
Net Force).
As
a result of this ruling, the costs related to the litigation funding agreement disclosed in Note 4 were recognized and a total liability
of $ 2,819,196 was recorded.
NOTE
8— SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
The
Company evaluated subsequent events through the date these financial statements were available to be issued and filed with the SEC.
During
the fourth quarter of 2023, the Company entered into negotiations with NewStem stockholders for the acquisition of the shares not held
by the Company. The negotiations are ongoing for the transaction in which the Company would acquire all outstanding shares in exchange
for shares of NovelStem stock. Company management anticipates the transaction to conclude in the second quarter of 2024. In anticipation
of the Company acquiring the remaining ownership of NewStem, the Company has loaned $ 500,000
to NewStem to ensure continuing operations. See
Note 3.
An
additional 600,000 options were issued to directors on April 1, 2024 pursuant to the Company’s Equity Incentive Plan.
In
April 2024, the Company borrowed $ 100,000 from unrelated parties pursuant to convertible debt agreements. These agreements bear interest
at 10 % per annum and mature December 30, 2025 . The unpaid principal balance of these notes and any accrued interest may be converted
into shares of the Company’s common stock at a conversion price of $ 0.13 per share.
14
NOVELSTEM
INTERNATIONAL CORP.
ITEM
2.
MANAGEMENT’S
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Statements
in the following discussion and throughout this Form 10-Q that are not historical in nature are “forward-looking statements.”
You can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,”
“may,” “will,” “should,” “intend,” “believe,” and similar expressions. Although
we believe the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements are inherently subject to risk
and we can give no assurances that our expectations will prove to be correct. Actual results could differ from those described in this
Form 10-Q because of numerous factors, many of which are beyond our control. We undertake no obligation to update these forward-looking
statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this Form 10-Q or to reflect actual outcomes.
Overview
We
are a development stage company and reported net losses of approximately $303,000 and $269,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2024
and 2023, respectively. We had current assets of approximately $36,000 and current liabilities of $3,297,000 as of March 31, 2024. As
of December 31, 2023, our current assets and current liabilities were approximately $87,000 and $346,000, respectively. The significant
increase in current liabilities is primarily due to the litigation funding agreement liability classification changing from noncurrent
to current in January 2024.
We
have prepared our financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2024 assuming that we will continue as a going concern. Our
continuation as a going concern is dependent upon NewStem’s ability to successfully develop and commercialize its products, improving
our profitability and the continuing financial support from our shareholders as well as obtaining additional outside funding. Our sources
of capital in the past have included the sale of equity securities, which include common stock sold in private transactions, large alternative
minimum tax refunds, and related party debt as well as debt from unrelated parties.
NewStem
is a development stage Israeli biotech limited liability company focused on pioneering intellectual property related to haploid human
embryonic stem cells for the development of personalized diagnostics and therapeutics for genetic and epigenetic diseases. NewStem has
incurred losses related to in process research and development since inception and the Company records our percentage allocation of these
net losses as incurred. We have included the condensed financial statements of NewStem as an exhibit to this Form 10-Q.
RESULTS
OF OPERATIONS
The
following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our financial statements
and the related notes thereto and other financial information appearing elsewhere in this Form 10-Q. In the discussion below, general
and administrative expenses are referred to as “G&A expenses”.
Three Months Ended March 31,
2024
2023
Change
Administrative fee income
$ 3,000
$ -
$ 3,000
Operating expenses:
G&A expenses
183,306
164,792
(18,514 )
Total operating expenses
183,306
164,792
(18,514 )
Loss from operations
(180,306 )
(164,792 )
(15,514 )
Other expenses:
Gain on derivative instrument
(25,000 )
-
(25,000 )
Interest expense
94,764
7,313
87,451
Total other expenses
69,764
7,313
62,451
Net loss before equity in net
loss of equity method investees
(250,070 )
(172,105 )
(77,965 )
Equity in net loss of equity method investees
(53,210 )
(96,716 )
43,506
Net loss
$ (303,280 )
$ (268,821 )
$ (34,459 )
We
are a holding company whose primary assets are our ownership of equity interests in NewStem and NetCo. We conduct no other business and
as a result, we have no revenue or cost of revenue. We do charge annual administrative fees to an affiliated entity.
The
Company incurs G&A expenses primarily related to professional fees, insurance and stock based compensation. We incurred G&A expenses
of approximately $183,000 and $165,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Specifically, professional fees
increased by approximately $22,000 in the three months ended March 31, 2024 as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2023. Primarily due to an increase in audit fees and general counsel legal fees. Other miscellaneous G&A expenses decreased
by approximately $2,000.
15
Stock
compensation expense, included in G&A expenses, decreased by approximately $2,000 in the three months ended March 31, 2024 as compared
to the three months ended March 31, 2023 due to a smaller number of options awarded in the current period as compared to the prior period.
Interest
expense increased by approximately $87,000 in the three months ended March 31, 2024 as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2023
due to the increased debt incurred through March 31, 2024.
The
Company has recorded no income tax expense as we have incurred operating losses and all deferred tax assets are fully offset by an income
tax valuation allowance.
We
reported net losses from equity method investees in all periods presented. The net losses reported for the three months ended March 31,
2024 included a loss from NetCo of $1,351 and a loss from NewStem of $51,859. The net losses reported for the three months ended March
31, 2023 included net income of $7,875 from NetCo which was offset by net loss of $104,591 from NewStem.
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
We
have not paid dividends on our common stock since our name change and business focus shift in 2018. Our present policy is to apply cash
to investments in product development at NewStem, acquisitions or expansion; consequently, we do not expect to pay dividends on common
stock in the foreseeable future.
We
expect to continue to incur greater expenses in the near future as we expand our business, including funding NewStem, or enter into strategic
partnerships. We also expect our G&A expenses to increase as we expand our administrative staff and add infrastructure.
The
Company will need to obtain additional funds to continue its operations. Management’s plans with regard to these matters include
additional financing and fundraising until our equity investment in NewStem is profitable. Although management continues to pursue these
plans, there is no assurance that the Company will be successful in obtaining sufficient cash from financing on terms acceptable to the
Company, or that NewStem will become profitable.
In
May 2022, the Company entered into note agreements with Jan Loeb, our Executive Chairman and Jerry Wolasky, a member of the Board,
to borrow up to an aggregate of $600,000 for working capital needs. The note agreements were amended in March 2024 to increase the
total borrowing to $650,000 and extend the maturity date. The agreements provide for interest at a rate of 8% per annum, increased
to 10% per annum for advances subsequent to November 11, 2022, and mature September 1, 2025. As of the date of this Quarterly
Report, the full amount of $650,000 has been funded pursuant to these agreements.
During
the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company entered into a note agreement with a shareholder to borrow $300,000 for continued working
capital. This note bears interest at zero percent (0%) and matures on May 5, 2025. The note includes a guarantee which has been identified
as an embedded derivative with a fair value of a liability of $535,000 at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.
16
In
December 2023, the Company entered into two short term notes payable with unrelated parties for a total of $250,000 in borrowings utilized
for the funding of NewStem. The notes bear interest at 12% per annum and mature December 21, 2024, at which time all principal and accrued
interest are due and payable. The note agreements include a provision whereby, in the event of a capital raise transaction by the Company,
the note holders would be entitled to participate in the transaction in an amount equal to 133% of the amounts owed on the note agreements
at the closing of the transaction.
In
April 2024, the Company borrowed $100,000 from unrelated parties pursuant to convertible debt agreements. These agreements bear interest
at $10% per annum and mature December 30, 2025. The unpaid principal balance of these notes and any accrued interest may be converted
into shares of the Company’s common stock at a conversion price of $0.13 per share.
Net
Cash Used In Operating Activities.
For
the three months ended March 31, 2024, net cash used in operating activities was approximately $73,000, which consisted primarily of
a net loss of approximately $303,000, offset by noncash equity in loss of equity method investees of approximately $53,000, accretion
of discount on notes payable of approximately $44,000, stock based compensation of approximately $14,000 and interest added to notes
payable of approximately $42,000 and reduced by gain on derivative instrument of $25,000. Additionally, cash was used in operations related
to an increase in current assets of approximately $3,000 and an increase in accrued liabilities and other payables of approximately $95,000.
For
the three months ended March 31, 2023, net cash used in operating activities was approximately $28,000, which consisted primarily of
a net loss of approximately $269,000, offset by noncash equity in loss of equity method investees of approximately $97,000 and distributions
from equity method investees of approximately $8,000, stock based compensation of approximately $15,000 and interest added to notes payable
of approximately $7,000. Additionally, cash was used in operations related to an increase in current assets of approximately $13,000
and an increase in accrued liabilities and other payables of approximately $101,000.
Net
Cash Used In Investing Activities.
During
the three months ended March 31, 2024, $250,000 was loaned to NewStem in an investing activity. For the three months ended March 31,
2023, no net cash was used in investing activities.
Net
Cash Provided By Financing Activities.
For
the three months ended March 31, 2024, net cash provided by financing activities was $275,000, consisting of long-term borrowings from
two directors and a significant stockholder totaling $275,000.
For
the three months ended March 31, 2023, net cash provided by financing activities was $62,000, consisting of long-term borrowings from
two directors.
17
ITEM
3.
QUANTITATIVE
AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURE ABOUT MARKET RISK
This
section is not applicable.
ITEM
4.
CONTROLS
AND PROCEDURES
Our
Principal Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer conducted an evaluation of our controls and procedures. We have identified material
weaknesses in our internal control and procedures and internal control over financial reporting. If not remediated, our failure to establish
and maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting could result in material misstatements
in our financial statements and a failure to meet our reporting and financial obligations, each of which could have a material adverse
effect on our financial condition and the trading price of our common stock.
Maintaining
effective internal control over financial reporting and effective disclosure controls and procedures are necessary for us to produce
reliable financial statements. We have re-evaluated our internal control over financial reporting and our disclosure controls and procedures
and concluded that they were not effective as of March 31, 2024 and we concluded there was a material weakness in the design of our internal
control over financial reporting as it relates to insufficient resources to employ proper segregation of duties over the processing of
transactions and financial reporting.
A
material weakness is defined as a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that
there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or
detected on a timely basis.
Changes
in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
There
was no change in our internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) during
the period covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over
financial reporting.
PART
II
ITEM
1.
LEGAL
PROCEEDINGS
As
noted above, NetCo owns all rights to the “Tom Clancy’s Net Force” intellectual property in all media, including film,
television, and video games. As part of the joint venture, NetCo has published more than a dozen books and had an ABC miniseries.
After
Tom Clancy passed away in 2013, his estate and business partners refused to cooperate in exploiting the intellectual property. After
trying to amicably resolve the dispute, the Company initiated arbitration proceedings with the American Arbitration Association. The
Company’s arbitration demand asserted claims for breach of the joint venture agreement and breach of fiduciary duty. Both claims
arise from C.P. Group’s failure to make reasonable, good faith efforts to exploit the full array of media rights relating to Net
Force. The Company’s goal is to maximize the total potential value of the NetCo intellectual property across video games, streaming,
digital media, merchandising and other ancillary markets. The Company believes that the value of the intellectual property is significant.
18
The
arbitration evidentiary hearing concluded on October 20, 2022, and the arbitrator ordered the parties to submit post-hearing briefs.
Final briefs were filed in January 2023. The Arbitrator ruled in the Company’s favor on two key issues of the arbitration and ruled
against the Company in other key issues.
The
Arbitrator ruled in NovelStem’s favor on the issue of contract interpretation of the Netco Partners JV Agreement. The Arbitrator
also found that the Company’s joint venture partner failed to use “reasonable, good faith efforts” to license and exploit
the Net Force concept, in breach of its contractual obligations under the Netco Partners’ Joint Venture Agreement. The Arbitrator
confirmed NovelStem’s contractual right to use Tom Clancy’s name as a possessory credit in the Net Force title (Tom Clancy’s
Net Force). However, the arbitrator did not award any damages to the Company and did not cede operating control of the joint venture
to the Company as requested. As such, the Company continues to struggle to maximize the potential of the NetCo asset.
To
fund efforts to maximize the value of NetCo, NovelStem has secured non-recourse litigation funding. As a result of this ruling, the costs
related to the litigation funding agreement were recognized. All costs related to the litigation and the related litigation funding agreement
were recorded by the Company for a total liability of $2,819,196.
ITEM
1A.
RISK
FACTORS
We
are a smaller reporting company as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act and are not required to provide the information under this
item.
ITEM
2.
UNREGISTERED
SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS
(a)
Not
applicable.
(b)
Not
applicable.
(c)
Not
applicable.
ITEM
3.
DEFAULTS
UPON SENIOR SECURITIES
Not
applicable.
ITEM
4.
MINE
SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not
applicable.
ITEM
5.
OTHER
INFORMATION
None.
ITEM
6.
EXHIBITS
#31.1
Certification of Principal Executive Officer and Executive Chairman pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
#31.2
Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
#32.1
Certification of Principal Executive Officer and Executive Chairman pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
#32.2
Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
#33.1
Condensed Financial Statements of NewStem Ltd. As of and for the three months ended March 31, 2024
#101.1
The following financial statements from NovelStem International Corp.’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2024, filed on
May 15, 2025, formatted in XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language): (i) Condensed Balance Sheets, (ii) Condensed Statements of
Operations, (iii) Condensed Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity, (iv) Condensed Statements of Cash Flows and (v) Notes
to Condensed Financial Statements, tagged as blocks of text.
104
Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).
#
This
exhibit is filed or furnished herewith.
19
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
NOVELSTEM
INTERNATIONAL CORP.
Date:
May 15, 2024
By:
/s/
Jan Loeb
Name:
Jan
Loeb
Title:
Executive
Chairman
20
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.