Perfect Moment Ltd. 10-K

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below, together with all of the other information contained in this Annual Report, including the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto, before making a decision to invest in our common stock. These risks and uncertainties are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are unaware of, or that we currently believe are not material, may also become important factors that affect us. If any of the following risks occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be materially and adversely affected. In that event, the price of our common stock could decline, and you could lose part or all of your investment. You should not interpret our disclosure of any of the following risks to imply that such risks have not already materialized. Risk Factors Summary Our business is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties. These risks include, but are not limited to, the following: ● Our history of losses and the substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern, which could cause our stockholders to lose some or all of their investment in us. ● Our business depends on our strong brand, and if we are not able to maintain and enhance our brand we may be unable to sell our products, which would adversely affect our business. ● Our business partially depends on our wholesale partners, and our failure to maintain and further develop our relationships with our wholesale partners could harm our business. ● A downturn in the global economy will likely affect customer purchases of discretionary items, which could materially harm our sales, profitability and financial condition. ● Our financial performance is subject to significant seasonality and variability, which could significantly impact our cash flow and cause the price of our common stock to decline. ● We currently do not operate Perfect Moment owned physical retail stores. Our plans to open Perfect Moment owned physical retail stores are dependent on a variety of factors, including store locations being available for lease and the stores being economically viable to operate. 12 ● Our limited operating experience and limited brand recognition in new international markets may limit our expansion and cause our business and growth to suffer. ● Our success is substantially dependent on the service of certain members of our board of directors and senior management. ● We may rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our Hong Kong subsidiary to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have. In the future, funds may not be available to fund operations or for other use outside of Hong Kong, due to interventions in, or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on, our ability or our Hong Kong subsidiary by the PRC government to transfer cash. Any limitation on the ability of our Hong Kong subsidiary to make payments to us could have a material adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business and might materially decrease the value of our common stock. ● Recently, the PRC government initiated a series of regulatory actions and statements to regulate business operations in certain areas in mainland China with little or no advance notice. In the future, we may be subject to PRC laws and regulations related to the current business operations of our Hong Kong operating subsidiary and any changes in such laws and regulations and interpretations may impair its ability to operate profitably, which could result in a material negative impact on its operations and/or the value of the securities we are registering for sale. ● The fluctuating cost of raw materials could increase our cost of goods sold and cause our results of operations and financial condition to suffer. ● Our business is reliant on a limited number of third-party manufacturers and raw material suppliers. ● Our ability to deliver our products to the market and to meet customer expectations could be harmed if we encounter problems with our distribution system. ● It may be difficult for overseas shareholders and/or regulators to conduct investigations or collect evidence within the territory of China, including Hong Kong. ● Data security breaches and other cyber security events could result in disruption to our operations or financial losses and could negatively affect our reputation, credibility and business. ● The PRC laws and regulations and the enforcement of such that apply or are to be applied to Hong Kong can change quickly with little or no advance notice. As a result, the Hong Kong legal system embodies uncertainties which could limit the availability of legal protections, which could result in a material change in PMA’s operations and/or the value of the securities we are registering for sale. ● Our fabrics and manufacturing technology generally are not patented and can be imitated by our competitors. If our competitors sell products similar to ours at lower prices, our net revenue and profitability could suffer. ● Our share price may be volatile, and you may be unable to sell your shares at or above the price at which you purchased them. Risks Related to Our Business, Our Brand, Our Products and Our Industry We have a history of losses, expect to continue to incur losses in the near term and may not achieve or sustain profitability in the future, and as a result, our management has identified and our auditors reported that there is a substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. For the fiscal years ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, our operating loss was $7,675 and $8,625, respectively. We intend to rely on debt and equity financing for working capital until positive cash flows from operations can be achieved, which may never occur. These matters raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. On February 12, 2024, we consummated the initial public offering of our common stock for aggregate net proceeds of $6,009, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses. Based upon our current operating plan and assumptions, we expect that the net proceeds from the initial public offering and our existing cash balances and expected cash flows from operations, alongside the continuance of our existing financing arrangements, and the automatic conversion of the outstanding balance of the Notes upon the closing of the initial public offering will be sufficient to fund our operations for at least the next 12 months, excluding financing to support production (i.e. timing of working capital). However, our operating plan may change, and our assumptions may prove to be wrong, as a result of many factors currently unknown to us, and we could use our available capital resources sooner than we expect. We may need to seek additional funds sooner than planned, through public or private equity or debt financings or other third-party funding or a combination of these approaches. Even if we believe we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans, we may seek additional capital if market conditions are favorable or based upon specific strategic considerations. 13 Any additional capital-raising efforts may divert our management’s attention from the operation of our business. In addition, we cannot guarantee that future financing will be available in sufficient amounts or on terms acceptable to us, if at all. If we are unable to obtain sufficient amounts of additional capital, when and if we require it, we may be required to reduce the scope of our operations, which could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations. Our consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of these uncertainties. The report of our independent registered public accounting firm that accompanies our audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2024 and March 31, 2023 contains a going concern explanatory paragraph in which such firm stated that there is substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. Our consolidated financial statements contained in this report do not include any adjustments that might result if we are unable to continue as a going concern. If we are unable to continue as a going concern, holders of our securities might lose their entire investment. Although based upon our current operating plan and assumptions, we expect that the net proceeds from our initial public offering and our existing cash balances and expected cash flows from operations, alongside the continuance of our existing financing arrangements, and the automatic conversion of the outstanding balance of the Notes upon the closing of the initial public offering will be sufficient to fund our operations for at least the next 12 months, excluding financing to support production (i.e. timing of working capital), the doubts raised relating to our ability to continue as a going concern may make our shares an unattractive investment for potential investors. These factors, among others, may make it difficult to raise any additional capital and may cause us to be unable to continue to operate our business. Our business depends on our strong brand, and if we are not able to maintain and enhance our brand we may be unable to sell our products, which would adversely affect our business. The Perfect Moment name and brand image are integral to the growth of our business, and to the implementation of our strategies for expanding our business. We believe that the brand image we have developed has significantly contributed to the success of our business and is critical to maintaining and expanding our customer base. Maintaining and enhancing our brand will depend largely on the success of our marketing and merchandising efforts and our ability to provide a consistent, high-quality product and customer experience. Maintaining and enhancing our brand may require us to make substantial investments in areas such as product design, store openings and operations, marketing, ecommerce, community relations and employee training, and these investments may not be successful. We anticipate that, as our business continues to expand into new markets and new product categories and as the market becomes increasingly competitive, maintaining and enhancing our brand may become difficult and expensive. Conversely, as we penetrate these new markets and our brand becomes more widely available, it could potentially detract from the appeal stemming from the scarcity of our brand. Our brand may also be adversely affected if our public image or reputation is tarnished by negative publicity. In addition, ineffective marketing, product diversion to unauthorized distribution channels, product defects, counterfeit products, unfair labor practices, and failure to protect the intellectual property rights in our brand are some of the potential threats to the strength of our brand, and those and other factors could rapidly and severely diminish consumer confidence in us. Maintaining and enhancing our brand will depend largely on our ability to be a leader in affordable luxury skiwear, outerwear and activewear and to continue to offer a range of high-quality products to our customers, which we may not execute successfully. Any of these factors could harm our sales, profitability or financial condition. A key element of our growth strategy is the expansion of our product offerings into new product categories. We may be unsuccessful in designing products that meet our customers’ expectations for our brand or that are attractive to new customers. If we are unable to anticipate customer preferences or industry changes, or if we are unable to modify our products on a timely basis or expand effectively into new product categories, we may lose customers. As we expand into new geographic markets, consumers in these new markets may be less compelled by our brand image and may not be willing to pay a higher price to purchase our products as compared to traditional outerwear. More generally, our results of operations would suffer if our investments and innovations do not anticipate the needs of our customers, are not appropriately timed with market opportunities or are not effectively brought to market. 14 We continue to focus on our direct-to-consumer channel, which may be costly and could materially harm our sales, profitability and financial condition. Our business operates on a multi-channel distribution model, which includes distributing products on a wholesale basis for resale by others and online by us. Focusing on our ecommerce platform is essential to our future strategy. This strategy has and will continue to require significant investment in cross-functional operations and management focus, along with investment in supporting technologies. If we are unable to provide a convenient and consistent experience for our customers, our ability to compete and our results of operations could be adversely affected. In addition, if our ecommerce platform does not appeal to our customers, reliably function as designed, or maintain the privacy of customer data, or if we are unable to consistently meet our brand promise to our customers, we may experience a loss of customer confidence or lost sales, or be exposed to fraudulent purchases, which could adversely affect our reputation and results of operations. A downturn in the global economy will likely affect customer purchases of discretionary items, which could materially impact our sales, profitability and financial condition. Many factors affect the level of consumer spending for discretionary items including performance luxury outerwear. These factors include general economic conditions, interest and tax rates, the availability of consumer credit, disposable consumer income, unemployment and consumer confidence in future economic conditions. Consumer purchases of discretionary items, such as our performance luxury outerwear, tend to decline during recessionary periods when disposable income is lower. During our history, we have experienced recessionary periods, but we cannot predict the effect of future recessionary periods on our sales and profitability. A downturn in the economy in markets in which we sell our products may materially harm our sales, profitability and financial condition. If periods of decreased consumer spending persist, our sales could decrease, and our financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected. We operate in a highly competitive market and the size and resources of some of our competitors may allow them to compete more effectively than we can, resulting in a loss of our market share and a decrease in our revenue and profitability. The market for premium outerwear is highly fragmented. We compete against a wide range of brands and retailers. Many of our competitors have significant competitive advantages, including larger and broader customer bases, more established relationships with a broader set of suppliers, greater brand recognition, greater financial resources, more established research and development processes, a longer history of store development, greater marketing resources, more established distribution processes, and other resources which we do not have. Our competitors may be able to achieve and maintain brand affinity and market share more quickly and effectively than we can. Many of our competitors have more established and diversified marketing programs, including with respect to promotion of their brands through traditional forms of advertising, such as print media and television commercials, and through celebrity endorsements, and have substantial resources to devote to such efforts. Our competitors may also create and maintain brand affinity using traditional forms of advertising more quickly than we can. Our competitors may also be able to increase sales in their new and existing markets faster than we can by emphasizing different distribution channels than we can, such as catalog sales or an extensive retail network, and many of our competitors have substantial resources to devote toward increasing sales in such ways. Use of social media and influencers may adversely affect our reputation or subject us to fines or other penalties. We use third-party social media platforms as, among other things, marketing tools. For example, we maintain Instagram, Facebook (Meta), Pinterest and TikTok accounts. We also maintain relationships with thousands of social media influencers and engage in collaborations. As existing ecommerce and social media platforms continue to rapidly evolve and new platforms develop, we must continue to maintain a presence on these platforms and establish presences on new or emerging social media platforms. If we are unable to cost-effectively use social media platforms as marketing tools or if the social media platforms we use change their policies or algorithms, we may not be able to fully optimize such platforms, and our ability to maintain and acquire consumers and our financial condition may suffer. Furthermore, as laws and regulations and public opinion rapidly evolve to govern the use of these platforms and devices, the failure by us, our employees, our network of social media influencers, our sponsors or third parties acting at our direction to abide by applicable laws and regulations in the use of these platforms and devices or otherwise could subject us to regulatory investigations, class action lawsuits, liability, fines or other penalties and have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. 15 In addition, an increase in the use of social media influencers for product promotion and marketing may cause an increase in the burden on us to monitor compliance of the content they post, and increase the risk that such content could contain problematic product or marketing claims in violation of applicable laws and regulations. For example, in some cases, the Federal Trade Commission has sought enforcement action where an endorsement has failed to clearly and conspicuously disclose a financial relationship or material connection between an influencer and an advertiser. We do not control the content that our influencers post, and if we were held responsible for any false, misleading or otherwise unlawful content of their posts or their actions, we could be fined or subjected to other monetary liabilities or forced to alter our practices, which could have an adverse impact on our business. Negative commentary regarding us, our products or influencers and other third parties who are affiliated with us may also be posted on social media platforms and may be adverse to our reputation or business. Influencers with whom we maintain relationships could engage in behavior or use their platforms to communicate directly with our consumers in a manner that reflects poorly on our brand and may be attributed to us or otherwise adversely affect us. It is not possible to prevent such behavior, and the precautions we take to detect this activity may not be effective in all cases. Our target consumers often value readily available information and often act on such information without further investigation and without regard to its accuracy. The harm may be immediate, without affording us an opportunity for redress or correction. Our current and future products may experience quality problems from time to time that can result in negative publicity, litigation, product recalls and warranty claims, which could result in decreased revenue and operating margin, and harm to our brand. We have occasionally received, and may in the future receive, shipments of products that fail to comply with our technical specifications or that fail to conform to our quality control standards. We have also received, and may in the future receive, products that are otherwise unacceptable to us or our customers. Under these circumstances, unless we are able to obtain replacement products in a timely manner, we risk the loss of revenue resulting from the inability to sell those products and related increased administrative and shipping costs. Additionally, if the unacceptability of our products is not discovered until after such products are sold, our customers could lose confidence in our products or we could face a product recall and our results of operations could suffer and our business, reputation, and brand could be harmed. There can be no assurance we will be able to detect, prevent, or fix all defects that may affect our products. Failure to detect, prevent, or fix defects, or the occurrence of real or perceived quality, health or safety problems or material defects in our current and future products, could result in a variety of consequences, including a greater number of product returns than expected from customers and our wholesale partners, litigation, product recalls, and credit, warranty or other claims, among others, which could harm our brand, sales, profitability and financial condition. Each Perfect Moment clothing product has a warranty against defects with reasonable use, for the expected lifetime of the product. Because of this comprehensive warranty, quality problems could lead to increased warranty costs, and divert the attention of our manufacturing facilities. Such problems could hurt our luxury brand image, which is critical to maintaining and expanding our business. Any negative publicity or lawsuits filed against us related to the perceived quality and safety of our products could harm our brand and decrease demand for our products. 16 If we are unable to manage our operations at our current size or to manage any future growth effectively, our growth may be slowed. We have expanded our operations for many years and plan to continue our expansion efforts. In order to support growth, of which there can be no assurance, we will be required to continue to expand our sales and marketing, product development, manufacturing and distribution functions, to upgrade our management information systems and other processes, and to obtain more space for our expanding administrative support and other personnel. Continued or fluctuating growth could strain our resources, and we could experience operating difficulties, including difficulties in hiring, training and managing an increasing number of employees and manufacturing capacity to produce our products, and delays in production and shipments. These difficulties may result in the erosion of our brand image, divert the attention of management and key employees and impact financial and results of operations. In order to continue to expand our direct-to-consumer channel, we expect to add selling, general and administrative expenses to our cost base. These costs, which include capital assets, lease commitments and headcount, could result in decreased margins if we are unable to drive commensurate direct-to-consumer revenue growth. Our financial performance is subject to significant seasonality and variability, which could cause the price of our common stock to decline. Our business is affected by a number of factors common to our industry and by other factors specific to our business model, which drive seasonality and variability. Historically, key metrics, including those related to our growth, profitability and financial condition, have fluctuated significantly across fiscal periods. Consumer purchases of Women, Men and Kids skiwear and outerwear, which are the Perfect Moment core categories, are concentrated in the Fall/Winter season. As a result, a large proportion of our direct-to-consumer revenue is recognized in the third and fourth fiscal quarter. Our wholesale revenue is weighted earlier in the second and third fiscal quarters, when most orders are shipped to wholesale partners. At the consolidated level, our net revenue is concentrated in the second, third and fourth fiscal quarters, while our operating costs are more evenly distributed throughout the year. In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, the second, third and fourth fiscal quarters represented 96% of total net revenue. Working capital requirements typically increase throughout the first, second and early third quarters as overheads continue to be incurred and inventory builds to support our peak shipping and selling periods in the second and third quarters. Cash provided by operating activities is typically highest in the fourth quarter following the significant inflows associated with our peak selling season. Historical results, especially comparisons across fiscal quarters, should not be considered indicative of the results to be expected for any future periods. In addition to the seasonality of demand for our products, our financial performance is influenced by a number of factors which are difficult to predict and variable in nature. These include input cost volatility, the timing of consumer purchases and wholesale deliveries which very often shift between fiscal quarters, demand forecast accuracy, inventory availability and the evolution of our channel mix, as well as external trends in weather and discretionary consumer spending. A number of other factors which are difficult to predict could also affect the seasonality or variability of our financial performance. Therefore, you should not rely on the results of a single fiscal quarter as an indication of our annual results or future performance. Our sales and profitability may decline as a result of increasing product costs and decreasing selling prices. Our business is subject to significant pressure on costs and pricing caused by many factors, including intense competition, constrained sourcing capacity and related inflationary pressure, pressure from consumers to reduce the prices we charge for our products, and changes in consumer demand. These factors may cause us to experience increased costs, reduce our prices to consumers or experience reduced sales in response to increased prices, any of which could cause our operating margin to decline if we are unable to offset these factors with reductions in operating costs and could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Our success depends on our ability to identify and originate product trends as well as to anticipate and react to changing consumer demands in a timely manner. All of our products are subject to changing consumer preferences that cannot be predicted with certainty. If we are unable to introduce new products or novel technologies in a timely manner or our new products or technologies are not accepted by our customers, our competitors may introduce similar products in a timelier fashion, which could hurt our goal to be viewed as a leader in affordable luxury skiwear and activewear. Our new products may not receive consumer acceptance as consumer preferences could shift rapidly to different types of athletic apparel or away from these types of products altogether, and our future success depends in part on our ability to anticipate and respond to these changes. If we are unable to anticipate consumer preferences and successfully develop and introduce new, innovative, and differentiated products, we may not be able to maintain or increase our sales and profitability. Even if we are successful in anticipating consumer preferences, our ability to adequately react to and address those preferences will in part depend upon our continued ability to develop and introduce innovative, high-quality products. Our failure to effectively introduce new products that are accepted by consumers could result in a decrease in net revenue and excess inventory levels, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition. 17 Our business and results of operations could be materially harmed if we are unable to accurately forecast customer demand for our products. Our ability to forecast accurately has become increasingly important as we have expanded our direct-to-consumer channel globally and could be affected by many factors outside of our control, including an increase or decrease in consumer demand for our products or for products of our competitors, our failure to accurately forecast consumer acceptance of new products, product introductions by competitors, unanticipated changes in general market conditions and, therefore, consumer spending in the sector and weakening of economic conditions or consumer confidence in future economic conditions. In our wholesale channel, a majority of orders delivered in a given fiscal year are received in the prior fiscal year, enabling us to manufacture inventory relative to a defined order book. In the direct-to-consumer channel, we manufacture according to our forecasts of consumer demand. If we overestimate the demand for our products, we could face inventory levels in excess of demand, which could result in inventory write-downs or write-offs and the sale of excess inventory at discounted prices, which would harm our gross margins and our brand management efforts. The impact of overestimation is expected to increase as a larger portion of our sales comes through our direct-to-consumer channel, and as we expand our product offerings. If we underestimate the demand for our products, we may not be able to produce products to meet our wholesale partner requirements, and this could result in delays in the shipment of our products and our failure to satisfy demand, as well as damage to our reputation and wholesale partner relationships. Overall, failures to accurately predict the level of demand for our products could harm our profitability and financial condition. Our plans to improve and expand our product offerings may not be successful, and implementation of these plans may divert our operational, managerial and administrative resources, which could harm our competitive position and reduce our net revenue and profitability. In addition to our global expansion plans, we are growing our business by expanding our product offerings outside performance luxury outerwear, including an expanded winter and summer collection, knitwear, activewear and accessories. The principal risks to our ability to successfully carry out our plans to expand our product offering include: ● the success of new products and new product lines will depend on market demand and there is a risk that new products and new product lines will not deliver expected results, which could negatively impact our future sales and results of operations; ● if our expanded product offerings fail to maintain and enhance our distinctive brand identity, our brand image may be diminished and our sales may decrease; ● implementation of these plans may divert management’s attention from other aspects of our business and place a strain on our management, operational and financial resources, as well as our information systems; and ● incorporation of novel materials or features into our products may not be accepted by our customers or may be considered inferior to similar products offered by our competitors. We also may fail to create adequate brand awareness around new product offerings. In addition, our ability to successfully carry out our plans to expand our product offerings may be affected by economic and competitive conditions, changes in consumer spending patterns and changes in consumer preferences and styles. These plans could be abandoned, could cost more than anticipated and could divert resources from other areas of our business, any of which could negatively impact our competitive position and reduce our net revenue and profitability. 18 We currently do not operate Perfect Moment owned physical retail stores. Our plans to open Perfect Moment owned physical retail stores are dependent on a variety of factors, including store locations being available for lease and the stores being economically viable to operate. One of our growth strategies is to own and operate Perfect Moment owned physical retail stores. Our revenue and profit forecasts beginning with fiscal year ending March 31, 2027 include the opening of directly operated retail stores that will need to be leased, staffed, replenished with inventory and operated profitably. In addition, the stores will need to be furnished with the appropriate fittings. As this will be a new selling channel for Perfect Moment, sourcing locations introduces the risk that leases might not be available or be more expensive than our estimates. The initial capital expenditure and ongoing costs and complexities of operating a store, such as staffing and energy costs, could be higher than our forecasts, leading to lower profitability or losses. Brands often see a halo impact on their other revenue channels (for example, online channels) when operating physical stores. However, there is a risk that new stores will cannibalize sales from these channels, which could harm our future business and results of operations. Our limited operating experience and limited brand recognition in new international markets may limit our expansion and cause our business and growth to suffer. Our future growth partially depends on our geographical expansion, starting with establishing a presence in China. We have limited experience with regulatory environments and market practices internationally, and we may not be able to penetrate or successfully operate in any new market. In connection with our expansion efforts we may encounter obstacles we did not face in our current markets, including cultural and linguistic differences, differences in regulatory environments, labor practices and market practices, difficulties in keeping abreast of market, business and technical developments, and foreign customer tastes and preferences. We may also encounter difficulty expanding into new international markets because of limited brand recognition leading to delayed acceptance of our luxury products by customers in these new international markets. Our failure to develop our business in new international markets or disappointing growth outside of existing markets could harm our future business and results of operations. If we fail to attract new customers, we may not be able to increase sales. Our success depends, in part, on our ability to attract new customers. In order to expand our customer base, we must appeal to and attract consumers who identify with our brand and products. We have made significant investments in enhancing our brand and attracting new customers. We expect to continue to make significant investments to promote our current products to new customers and new products to current and new customers, including through our ecommerce platform. Such marketing investments can be expensive and may not result in increased sales. Further, as our brand becomes more widely known, we may not attract new customers as we have in the past. If we are unable to attract new customers, we may not be able to increase our sales. We partially depend on our wholesale partners to display and present our products to customers in their wholesale channel, and our failure to maintain and further develop our relationships with our wholesale partners could harm our business. We sell our products in our wholesale channel either directly or indirectly, through distributors and to wholesale partners. Our wholesale partners service customers by stocking and displaying our products and explaining our product attributes. Our relationships with these partners are important to the authenticity of our brand and the marketing programs we continue to deploy. Our failure to maintain these relationships with our wholesale partners or financial difficulties experienced by these wholesale partners could harm our business. Our sales depend, in part, on wholesale partners effectively displaying our products, including providing attractive space in their online or physical stores or marketing campaigns, including shop-in-shops, and training their sales personnel to sell our products. If our wholesale partners reduce or terminate those activities, we may experience reduced sales of our products, resulting in lower revenue and gross margins, which would harm our profitability and financial condition. If we lose any of our wholesale partners, or if they reduce their purchases of our existing or new products, or their number of stores or operations are reduced, or they promote products of our competitors over ours, or they suffer financial difficulty or insolvency, our sales would be harmed. The recent decline in the overall retail sector, including ongoing disruptions related to COVID-19, has been challenging for our wholesale partners. Such conditions, among other things, have resulted, and in the future may result, in financial difficulties leading to restructurings, bankruptcies, liquidations and other unfavorable events for our wholesale partners and may cause such partners to reduce or discontinue orders of our products or be unable to pay us for products they have purchased from us. This has caused us to negotiate shortened payment terms and reduce credit limits in certain cases. If the overall retail environment continues to decline or if one or more of our wholesale partners is unable or unwilling to meet our payment terms, our business and results of operations could be harmed. 19 We rely on payment cards to receive payments and are subject to payment-related risks. For our direct-to-consumer sales, we accept a variety of payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards and mobile payment methods. Accordingly, we are, and will continue to be, subject to significant and evolving regulations and compliance requirements relating to payment card processing. This includes laws governing the collection, processing and storage of sensitive consumer information, as well as industry requirements such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (“PCI-DSS”). These laws and obligations may require us to implement enhanced authentication and payment processes that could result in increased costs and liability and reduce the ease of use of certain payment methods. For certain payment methods, including credit and debit cards, we pay interchange and other fees, which may increase over time. We rely on independent service providers for payment processing, including credit and debit cards. If these independent service providers become unwilling or unable to provide these services to us or if the cost of using these providers increases, our business could be harmed. We are also subject to payment card association operating rules and agreements, including PCI-DSS, certification requirements and rules governing electronic funds transfers, which could change or be reinterpreted to make it difficult or impossible for us to comply. If we fail to comply with these rules or requirements, or if our data security systems are breached or compromised, we may be liable for losses incurred by card issuing banks or consumers, subject to fines and higher transaction fees, lose our ability to accept credit or debit card payments from our consumers, or process electronic fund transfers or facilitate other types of payments. Any failure to comply could significantly harm our brand, reputation, business, and results of operations. Our success is substantially dependent on the service of certain members of our board or directors and senior management. The loss of the services of our senior management could make it more difficult to successfully operate our business and achieve our business goals. We also may be unable to retain existing management, or technical, sales and client support personnel that are critical to our success, which could result in harm to our customer and employee relationships, loss of key information, expertise or know-how and unanticipated recruitment and training costs. We have not obtained key man life insurance policies on any members of our senior management team. As a result, we would not be protected against the associated financial loss if we were to lose the services of members of our senior management team. We face various risks related to health epidemics, pandemics and similar outbreaks, which may adversely affect our business. Our global operations, and those of the third parties upon whom we rely, have been, and could be in the future, adversely affected by health epidemics, pandemics and similar outbreaks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite our efforts, and the efforts of third parties upon whom we rely, to manage these matters, their ultimate effects also depend on factors beyond our knowledge or control, including the duration, severity and recurrence of any outbreak and actions taken to contain its spread and mitigate its public health effects. Health epidemics, pandemics and similar outbreaks may adversely affect our business, including by resulting in (i) significant volatility in demand for our products and services, (ii) changes in consumer behavior and preferences, (iii) disruptions of our manufacturing and supply chain operations, (iv) limitations on our employees’ ability to work and travel and (v) changes to economic or political conditions in markets in which we operate. We are subject to many hazards and operational risks that can disrupt our business, some of which may not be insured or fully covered by insurance. Our operations are subject to many hazards and operational risks inherent to our business, including general business risks, product liability, product recall and damage to third parties. Our insurance coverage may be inadequate to cover our liabilities related to such hazards or operational risks. In addition, we may not be able to maintain adequate insurance in the future at rates we consider reasonable and commercially justifiable, and insurance may not continue to be available on terms as favorable as our current arrangements. The occurrence of a significant uninsured claim, or a claim in excess of the insurance coverage limits maintained by us could harm our business, results of operations and financial condition. 20 Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure We may rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our Hong Kong subsidiary to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have. In the future, funds may not be available to fund operations or for other use outside of Hong Kong, due to interventions in, or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on, our ability or our Hong Kong subsidiary by the PRC government to transfer cash. Any limitation on the ability of our Hong Kong subsidiary to make payments to us could have a material adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business and might materially decrease the value of our common stock. We are a holding company incorporated in Delaware, and we may rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our Hong Kong subsidiary for our cash and financing requirements, including the funds necessary to pay dividends and other cash distributions to our shareholders and service any debt we may incur. If PMA incurs debt on its own behalf in the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict its ability to pay dividends or make other distributions to us. Under the current practice of the Inland Revenue Department of Hong Kong, no tax is payable in Hong Kong in respect of dividends paid by us. The PRC laws and regulations do not currently have any material impact on transfers of cash from Perfect Moment Ltd. to PMA or from PMA to Perfect Moment Ltd., our shareholders and U.S. investors. However, the Chinese government may, in the future, impose restrictions or limitations on our ability to transfer money out of Hong Kong, to distribute earnings and pay dividends to and from the other entities within our organization, or to reinvest in our business outside of Hong Kong. Such restrictions and limitations, if imposed in the future, may delay or hinder the expansion of our business to outside of Hong Kong and may affect our ability to receive funds from our operating subsidiary in Hong Kong. The promulgation of new laws or regulations, or the new interpretation of existing laws and regulations, in each case, that restrict or otherwise unfavorably impact the ability or way we conduct our business, could require us to change certain aspects of our business to ensure compliance, which could decrease demand for our services, reduce revenues, increase costs, require us to obtain more licenses, permits, approvals or certificates, or subject us to additional liabilities. To the extent any new or more stringent measures are required to be implemented, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected and such measured could materially decrease the value of our common stock. Recently, the PRC government initiated a series of regulatory actions and statements to regulate business operations in certain areas in mainland China with little or no advance notice. In the future, we may be subject to PRC laws and regulations related to the current business operations of our Hong Kong operating subsidiary and any changes in such laws and regulations and interpretations may impair its ability to operate profitably, which could result in a material negative impact on its operations and/or the value of the securities we are registering for sale. Although we have direct ownership of our operating entities in Hong Kong and currently do not have or intend to have any subsidiary or any contractual arrangement to establish a variable interest entity structure with any entity in mainland China, we are still subject to certain legal and operational risks associated with one of our operating subsidiaries, PMA, being based in Hong Kong and having all of its operations to date in Hong Kong. Additionally, the legal and operational risks associated in mainland China may also apply to operations in Hong Kong, and we face the risks and uncertainties associated with the complex and evolving PRC laws and regulations and as to whether and how the recent PRC government statements and regulatory developments. In the event that we or our Hong Kong subsidiary were to become subject to PRC laws and regulations, we could incur material costs to ensure compliance, and we or our Hong Kong subsidiary might be subject to fines, and/or no longer be permitted to continue business operations as presently conducted. Risks Related to Our Supply Chain We rely on a limited number of third-party suppliers to provide high quality raw materials. Our products require high quality raw materials, including down, softshell, wool, neoprene, and cotton. We do not manufacture our products or the raw materials for them and rely instead on suppliers. Many of the specialty fabrics used in our products are technically advanced textile products developed and manufactured by third parties and may be available, in the short-term, from only one or a limited number of sources. We have no long-term contracts with any of our suppliers or manufacturers for the production and supply of our raw materials and products, and we compete with other companies for fabrics, other raw materials, and production. 21 We work with a group of approximately 11 vendors that manufacture our products, 8 of which produced products in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, the largest single manufacturer, Everich Garments Group Ltd., produced approximately 75% of our products and substantially all of our products were manufactured in China. We work with a group of approximately 3 suppliers to provide the fabrics for our products. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, the largest single supplier, Toray International Inc., produced approximately 63% of the fabric for our products. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, approximately 63% of our fabrics originated from Japan and 37% from China. We also source other raw materials which are used in our products, including items such as content labels, elastics, buttons, clasps and drawcords from suppliers located predominantly in the Asia Pacific region. The price of raw materials depends on a wide variety of factors largely beyond the control of the Company. A shortage, delay or interruption of supply for any reason, including delays caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, could negatively impact our ability to fulfill orders and have an adverse impact on our financial results. In addition, while our suppliers, in turn, source from a number of sub-suppliers, we rely on a very small number of direct suppliers for certain raw materials. As a result, any disruption to these relationships could have an adverse effect on our business. Events that adversely affect our suppliers could impair our ability to obtain inventory in the quantities and at the quality that we require. Such events include difficulties or problems with our suppliers’ businesses, finances, labor relations, ability to import raw materials, costs, production, insurance and reputation, as well as natural disasters, public health emergencies or other catastrophic occurrences. Our supply of fabrics and raw materials, for example, could be disrupted by the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, especially in Asia, and the related government and private sector responsive actions such as border closures, restrictions on product shipments, and travel restrictions. A significant slowdown in the retail industry as a whole may also result in bankruptcies or permanent closures of some of our suppliers and third-party vendors. Furthermore, there can be no assurance that our suppliers will continue to provide fabrics and raw materials or provide products that are consistent with our standards. More generally, if we need to replace an existing supplier, additional supplies or additional manufacturing capacity may not be available when required on terms that are acceptable to us, or at all, and any new supplier may not meet our strict quality requirements. In the event we are required to find new sources of supply, we may encounter delays in production, inconsistencies in quality and added costs as a result of the time it takes to train our suppliers and manufacturers in our methods, products and quality control standards. Any delays, interruption or increased costs in the supply of our raw materials could have an adverse effect on our ability to meet customer demand for our products and result in lower revenue and profitability both in the short and long-term. If our independent manufacturers or our suppliers fail to use ethical business practices and fail to comply with changing laws and regulations or our applicable guidelines, our brand image could be harmed due to negative publicity. Our core values, which include developing the highest quality products while operating with integrity, are an important component of our brand image, which makes our reputation sensitive to allegations of unethical or improper business practices, whether real or perceived. We do not control our suppliers and manufacturers or their business practices. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee their compliance with our guidelines or the law. A lack of compliance could lead to reduced sales or recalls or damage to our brand or cause us to seek alternative suppliers, which could increase our costs and result in delayed delivery of our products, product shortages or other disruptions of our operations. In addition, many of our products include materials that are heavily regulated in many jurisdictions. Certain jurisdictions in which we sell have various regulations related to manufacturing processes and the chemical content of our products, including their component parts. Monitoring compliance by our manufacturers and suppliers is complicated, and we are reliant on their compliance reporting in order to comply with regulations applicable to our products. This is further complicated by the fact that expectations of ethical business practices continually evolve and may be substantially more demanding than applicable legal requirements. Ethical business practices are also driven in part by legal developments and by diverse groups active in publicizing and organizing public responses to perceived ethical shortcomings. Accordingly, we cannot predict how such regulations or expectations might develop in the future and cannot be certain that our guidelines or current practices would satisfy all parties who are active in monitoring our products or other business practices worldwide. 22 Labor-related matters, including labor disputes, relating to our suppliers may adversely affect our operations. Potential labor disputes at independent factories where our goods are produced, shipping ports, or transportation carriers create risks for our business, particularly if a dispute results in work slowdowns, lockouts, strikes or other disruptions during our peak manufacturing, shipping and selling seasons. Any potential labor dispute could materially affect our costs, decrease our sales, harm our reputation or otherwise negatively affect our sales, profitability or financial condition. Further, the risks to our business due to a pandemic or other public health emergency, such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, include risks to worker health and safety, prolonged restrictive measures put in place in order to control the crisis and limitations on travel, which may result in temporary shortages of staff or unavailability of certain workers with key expertise or knowledge of our business and, impact on productivity. The operations of many of our suppliers are subject to additional risks that are beyond our control. Almost all of our suppliers are located outside of North America and the United Kingdom, and as a result, we are subject to risks associated with doing business outside of these regions, including: ● the impact of health conditions, including COVID-19, and related government and private sector responsive actions, and other changes in local economic conditions in countries where our suppliers or manufacturers are located; ● political unrest, terrorism, labor disputes, and economic instability resulting in the disruption of trade from foreign countries in which our products are manufactured; ● fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; ● the imposition of new laws and regulations, including those relating to labor conditions, quality and safety standards, imports, duties, taxes and other charges on imports, as well as trade restrictions and restrictions on currency exchange or the transfer of funds; ● reduced protection for intellectual property rights, including trademark protection, in some countries, particularly in the PRC; and ● disruptions or delays in shipments whether due to port congestion, labor disputes, product regulations and/or inspections or other factors, natural disasters or health pandemics, or other transportation disruptions. These and other factors beyond our control could interrupt our suppliers’ production in offshore facilities, influence the ability of our suppliers to export our products cost-effectively or at all and inhibit our suppliers’ ability to procure certain materials, any of which could harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations. The fluctuating cost of raw materials could increase our cost of goods sold and cause our results of operations and financial condition to suffer. The fabrics used to make our products include synthetic fabrics whose raw materials include petroleum-based products. Our products also include silver and natural fibers, including cotton. Our costs for raw materials are affected by, among other things, weather, consumer demand, speculation on the commodities market, the relative valuations and fluctuations of the currencies of producer versus consumer countries, and other factors that are generally unpredictable and beyond our control. Increases in the cost of raw materials, including petroleum or the prices we pay for silver and our cotton yarn and cotton-based textiles, could have a material adverse effect on our cost of goods sold, results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows. Additionally, increasing costs of labor, freight and energy could increase our and our suppliers’ cost of goods. If our suppliers are affected by increases in their costs of labor, freight and energy, they may attempt to pass these cost increases on to us. If we pay such increases, we may not be able to offset them through increases in our pricing, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. 23 If we encounter problems with our distribution system, our ability to deliver our products to the market and to meet customer expectations could be harmed. We rely on our distribution facilities for substantially all of our product distribution. Our distribution facilities include computer controlled and automated equipment, which means their operations may be subject to a number of risks related to security or computer viruses, the proper operation of software and hardware, electronic or power interruptions, or other system failures. In addition, our operations could also be interrupted by labor difficulties, extreme or severe weather conditions or by floods, fires, or other natural disasters near our distribution centers. If we encounter problems with our distribution system, our ability to meet customer expectations, manage inventory, complete sales, and achieve objectives for operating efficiencies could be harmed. Increasing labor costs and other factors associated with the production of our products in China could increase the costs to produce our products. Substantially all of our products are produced in China and increases in the costs of labor and other costs of doing business in the countries in this area could significantly increase our costs to produce our products and could have a negative impact on our operations and earnings. Factors that could negatively affect our business include labor shortages and increases in labor costs, difficulties and additional costs in transporting products manufactured from these countries to our distribution centers and significant revaluation of the currencies used in these countries, which may result in an increase in the cost of producing products. Also, the imposition of trade sanctions or other regulations against products imported by us from, or the loss of “normal trade relations” status with any country in which our products are manufactured, could significantly increase our cost of products and harm our business. Risks Related to Doing Business in Hong Kong It may be difficult for overseas shareholders and/or regulators to conduct investigations or collect evidence within the territory of China, including Hong Kong. Shareholder claims or regulatory investigations that are common in the United States generally are difficult to pursue as a matter of law or practicality in China. For example, in China, there are significant legal and other obstacles to providing information needed for regulatory investigations or litigation initiated outside China. Although the authorities in China may establish a regulatory cooperation mechanism with the securities regulatory authorities of another country or region to implement cross-border supervision and administration, such cooperation with the securities regulatory authorities in the Unities States may not be efficient in the absence of mutual and practical cooperation mechanism. Furthermore, according to Article 177 of the PRC Securities Law (“Article 177”), which became effective in March 2020, no overseas securities regulator is allowed to directly conduct investigations or evidence collection activities within the territory of the mainland China. While detailed interpretation of or implementation rules under Article 177 have yet to be promulgated, the inability for an overseas securities regulator to directly conduct investigations or evidence collection activities within mainland China may further increase difficulties faced by you in protecting your interests. The PRC laws and regulations and the enforcement of such that apply or are to be applied to Hong Kong can change quickly with little or no advance notice. As a result, the Hong Kong legal system embodies uncertainties which could limit the availability of legal protections, which could result in a material change in PMA’s operations and/or the value of the securities we are registering for sale. As one of the conditions for the handover of the sovereignty of Hong Kong to China, China accepted conditions such as Hong Kong’s Basic Law (the “Basic Law”). The Basic Law ensured Hong Kong will retain its own currency (the Hong Kong Dollar), legal system, parliamentary system and people’s rights and freedom for fifty years from 1997. This agreement has given Hong Kong the freedom to function with a high degree of autonomy. The Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong is responsible for its own domestic affairs including, but not limited to, the judiciary and courts of last resort, immigration and customs, public finance, currencies and extradition. Hong Kong continues using the English common law system. 24 However, if the PRC attempts to alter its agreement to allow Hong Kong to function autonomously, this could potentially impact Hong Kong’s common law legal system and may in turn bring about uncertainty in, for example, the enforcement of our contractual rights. This could, in turn, materially and adversely affect our Hong Kong operating subsidiary’s business and operations. Additionally, intellectual property rights and confidentiality protections in Hong Kong may not be as effective as in the United States or other countries. Accordingly, we cannot predict the effect of future developments in the Hong Kong legal system, including the promulgation of new laws, changes to existing laws or the interpretation or enforcement thereof, or the preemption of local regulations by national laws. These uncertainties could limit the legal protections available to us, including the ability to enforce agreements with the customers. There are some political risks associated with conducting business in Hong Kong. Any adverse economic, social and/or political conditions, material social unrest, strike, riot, civil disturbance or disobedience, as well as significant natural disasters, may affect the market and may adversely affect the business operations of PMA. Hong Kong is a special administrative region of the PRC and the basic policies of the PRC regarding Hong Kong are reflected in the Basic Law, namely, Hong Kong’s constitutional document, which provides Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy and executive, legislative and independent judicial powers, including that of final adjudication under the principle of “one country, two systems. However, there is no assurance that there will not be any changes in the economic, political and legal environment in Hong Kong in the future. Any change of such political arrangements may pose an immediate threat to the stability of the economy in Hong Kong, thereby directly and adversely affecting our results of operations and financial positions. Under the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong is exclusively in charge of its internal affairs and external relations, while the government of the PRC is responsible for its foreign affairs and defense. As a separate customs territory, Hong Kong maintains and develops relations with foreign states and regions. Based on certain recent development including the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region issued by the Standing Committee of the PRC National People’s Congress in June 2020, the U.S. State Department has indicated that the United States no longer considers Hong Kong to have significant autonomy from China and President Trump signed an executive order and Hong Kong Autonomy Act (“HKAA”) to remove Hong Kong’s preferential trade status and to authorize the U.S. administration to impose blocking sanctions against individuals and entities who are determined to have materially contributed to the erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy. The United States may impose the same tariffs and other trade restrictions on exports from Hong Kong that it places on goods from mainland China. These and other recent actions may represent an escalation in political and trade tensions involving the U.S., China and Hong Kong, which could potentially harm our business. Our revenue is susceptible to the ongoing incidents or factors which affect the stability of the social, economic and political conditions in Hong Kong. Any drastic events may adversely affect our Hong Kong operating subsidiary’s business operations. Such adverse events may include changes in economic conditions and regulatory environment, social and/or political conditions, civil disturbance or disobedience, as well as significant natural disasters. Given the relatively small geographical size of Hong Kong, any of such incidents may have a widespread effect on our Hong Kong operating subsidiary’s business operations, which could in turn adversely and materially affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. It is difficult to predict the full impact of the HKAA on Hong Kong and companies with operations in Hong Kong like us. Furthermore, legislative or administrative actions in respect of China-U.S. relations could cause investor uncertainty for affected issuers, including us, and the market price of our common stock could be adversely affected. 25 Risks Related to Information Security and Technology Our marketing programs, ecommerce initiatives and use of customer information are governed by an evolving set of laws and enforcement trends and unfavorable changes in those laws or trends, or our failure to comply with existing or future laws, could substantially harm our business and results of operations. We collect, process, maintain and use data, including sensitive information on individuals, available to us through online activities and other customer interactions in our business. Our current and future marketing programs may depend on our ability to collect, maintain and use this information, and our ability to do so is subject to evolving and increasingly demanding international, U.S., U.K., European and other laws and enforcement trends. We are subject to laws and regulations such as the European Union’s General Data Privacy Regulation (“GDPR”), the United Kingdom’s General Data Privacy Regulation (“UK-GDPR”) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”). These regulations require companies to satisfy new requirements regarding the handling of personal and sensitive data, including its use, protection, and the ability of persons whose data is stored to correct or delete such data about themselves. Failure to comply with GDPR and UK-GDPR requirements could result in penalties of up to four percent of worldwide revenue. The GDPR, UK-GDPR, CCPA, and other similar laws and regulations, as well as any associated inquiries or investigations or any other government actions, may be costly to comply with, increase our operating costs, require significant management time and attention, and subject us to remedies that may harm our business, including fines, negative publicity, or demands or orders that we modify or cease existing business practices. We strive to comply with all applicable laws and other legal obligations relating to privacy, data protection and customer protection, including those relating to the use of data for marketing purposes. It is possible, however, that these requirements may be interpreted and applied in a manner that is inconsistent from one jurisdiction to another, may conflict with other rules, may conflict with our practices or fail to be observed by our employees or business partners. If so, we may suffer damage to our reputation and be subject to proceedings or actions against us by governmental entities or others. Any such proceeding or action could hurt our reputation, force us to spend significant amounts to defend our practices, distract our management or otherwise have an adverse effect on our business. Certain of our marketing practices rely upon e-mail to communicate with consumers on our behalf. We may face risk if our use of e-mail is found to violate the applicable law. We post our privacy policy and practices concerning the use and disclosure of user data on our websites. Any failure by us to comply with our posted privacy policy or other privacy-related laws and regulations could result in proceedings which could potentially harm our business. In addition, as data privacy and marketing laws change, we may incur additional costs to ensure we remain in compliance. If applicable data privacy and marketing laws become more restrictive at the international, federal or state levels, our compliance costs may increase, our ability to effectively engage customers via personalized marketing may decrease, our investment in our ecommerce platform may not be fully realized, our opportunities for growth may be curtailed by our compliance burden and our potential reputational harm or liability for security breaches may increase. Disruption of our information technology systems or unexpected network interruption could disrupt our business. Many of our customers shop with us through our ecommerce website. Increasingly, customers are using tablets and smart phones to shop online with us and with our competitors and to do comparison shopping. We are increasingly using social media and proprietary mobile apps to interact with our customers and as a means to enhance their shopping experience. Any failure on our part to provide attractive, effective, reliable, user-friendly ecommerce platforms that offer a wide assortment of merchandise with rapid delivery options and that continually meet the changing expectations of online shoppers could place us at a competitive disadvantage, result in the loss of ecommerce and other sales, harm our reputation with customers, have a material adverse impact on the growth of our ecommerce business globally and could have a material adverse impact on our business and results of operations. We are increasingly dependent on information technology systems and third-parties to operate our ecommerce websites, process transactions, process and handle inventory, producing, selling and shipping goods on a timely basis and maintain cost-efficient operations. We rely on a number of third parties to help us effectively manage these systems. The failure of our information technology systems to operate properly or effectively, problems with transitioning to upgraded or replacement systems, or difficulty in integrating new systems, could adversely affect our business. In addition, we have a global ecommerce website, with the ability to localize content internationally. Our information technology systems, website and operations of third parties on whom we rely may encounter damage or disruption or slowdown caused by a failure to successfully upgrade systems, system failures, viruses, computer “hackers”, natural disasters or other causes. These could cause information, including data related to customer orders, to be lost or delayed which could, especially if the disruption or slowdown occurred during the holiday season, result in delays in the delivery of products to our customers or lost sales, which could reduce demand for our products and cause our sales to decline. For example, we implemented a work-from-home policy due to the COVID-19 pandemic for our workforce. This increase in working remotely could increase our cyber security risk, create data accessibility concerns, and make us more susceptible to communication disruptions, any of which could adversely impact our business operations. In addition, if changes in technology cause our information systems to become obsolete, or if our information systems are inadequate to handle our growth, we could lose customers. We have limited back-up systems and redundancies, and our information technology systems and websites have experienced system failures and electrical outages in the past which have disrupted our operations. Any significant disruption in our information technology systems or websites could harm our reputation and credibility and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. 26 Data security breaches and other cyber security events could result in disruption to our operations or financial losses and could negatively affect our reputation, credibility and business. As with other companies, we are subject to risks associated with data security breaches and other cyber security events. We collect, process, maintain and use personal information relating to our customers, employees and job-applicants and rely on third parties for the operation of our ecommerce site and for the various social media tools and websites we use as part of our marketing strategy. Any attempted or actual unauthorized disclosure of personally identifiable information regarding our employees, customers or website visitors could harm our reputation and credibility, reduce our ecommerce sales, impair our ability to attract website visitors, reduce our ability to attract and retain customers and could result in litigation against us or the imposition of significant fines or penalties. Attacks may be targeted at us, our vendors or customers, or others who have entrusted us with information. Our on-line activities, including our ecommerce websites, also may be subject to denial of service or other forms of cyber-attacks. While we have taken measures we believe are reasonable to protect against those types of attacks, those measures may not adequately protect our on-line activities from such attacks. If a denial-of-service attack or other cyber event were to affect our ecommerce sites or other information technology systems, our business could be disrupted, we may lose sales or valuable data, and our reputation may be adversely affected. Additionally, new and evolving data protection legislation such as the GDPR impose new requirements such as shorter notification timeframes that could increase the risks associated with data security breaches. We have procedures and technology in place designed to safeguard our customers’ debit and credit cards and our customers’ and employees’ other personal information, and we continue to devote significant resources to network security, backup and disaster recovery, and other security measures. Nevertheless, these security measures cannot provide absolute security or guarantee that we will be successful in preventing or responding to every such breach or disruption. Recently, data security breaches suffered by well-known companies and institutions have attracted a substantial amount of media attention, prompting new foreign, federal, provincial and state laws and legislative proposals addressing data privacy and security, as well as increased data protection obligations imposed on merchants by credit card issuers. As a result, we may become subject to more extensive requirements to protect the customer information that we process in connection with the purchase of our products, resulting in increased compliance costs. Actual or anticipated attacks may cause us to incur increasing costs including costs to deploy additional personnel and protection technologies, train employees and engage third party experts and consultants. Advances in computer capabilities, new technological discoveries or other developments may result in the technology used by us to protect transaction or other data being breached or compromised. Measures we implement to protect against cyber-attacks may also have the potential to impact our customers’ shopping experience or decrease activity on our websites by making them more difficult to use. Data and security breaches can also occur as a result of non-technical issues including intentional or inadvertent breach by employees or persons with whom we have commercial relationships that result in the unauthorized release of personal or confidential information. Any compromise or breach of our security could result in a violation of applicable privacy and other laws, significant legal and financial exposure and damage to our brand and reputation or other harm to our business. Risks Related to Environmental, Social and Governance Issues Climate change, and related legislative and regulatory responses to climate change, may adversely impact our business. There is increasing concern that a gradual rise in global average temperatures due to increased concentration of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will cause significant changes in weather patterns around the globe, an increase in the frequency, severity and duration of extreme weather conditions and natural disasters, and water scarcity and poor water quality. A significant portion of our business is highly dependent on cold-weather seasons and patterns to generate consumer demand for our products. Consumer demand for our products may be negatively affected to the extent global weather patterns trend warmer, reducing typical patterns of cold-weather events or increasing weather volatility, which could have an adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. `These events could also adversely impact the cultivation of cotton, which is a key resource in the production of our products, disrupt the operation of our supply chain and the productivity of our contract manufacturers, increase our production costs, impose capacity restraints and impact the types of apparel products that consumers purchase. 27 These events could also compound adverse economic conditions and impact consumer confidence and discretionary spending. As a result, the effects of climate change could have a long-term adverse impact on our business and results of operations. In many countries, governmental bodies are enacting new or additional legislation and regulations to reduce or mitigate the potential impacts of climate change. If we, our suppliers or our contract manufacturers are required to comply with these laws and regulations, or if we choose to take voluntary steps to reduce or mitigate our impact on climate change, we may experience increases in energy, production, transportation and raw material costs, capital expenditures or insurance premiums and deductibles, which could adversely impact our operations. Inconsistency of legislation and regulations among jurisdictions may also affect the costs of compliance with such laws and regulations. Any assessment of the potential impact of future climate change legislation, regulations or industry standards, as well as any international treaties and accords, is uncertain given the wide scope of potential regulatory change in the countries in which we operate. Increased scrutiny from investors and others regarding our environmental, social, governance or sustainability responsibilities could result in additional costs or risks and adversely impact our reputation, employee retention and willingness of customers and suppliers to do business with us. Investor advocacy groups, certain institutional investors, investment funds, other market participants, stockholders and customers have focused increasingly on the environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) or “sustainability” practices of companies. These parties have placed increased importance on the implications of the social cost of their investments. If our ESG practices do not meet investor or other industry stakeholder expectations and standards, which continue to evolve, our brand, reputation and employee retention may be negatively impacted based on an assessment of our ESG practices. Any sustainability report that we publish or other sustainability disclosure we make may include our policies and practices on a variety of social and ethical matters, including corporate governance, environmental compliance, employee health and safety practices, human capital management, product quality, supply chain management and workforce inclusion and diversity. It is possible that stakeholders may not be satisfied with our ESG practices or the speed of their adoption. We could also incur additional costs and require additional resources to monitor, report and comply with various ESG practices. Also, our failure, or perceived failure, to meet the standards included in any sustainability disclosure could negatively impact our reputation, employee retention and the willingness of our customers and suppliers to do business with us. Risks Related to Global Economic, Political and Regulatory Conditions An economic recession, depression, downturn or economic or political uncertainty in our key markets may adversely affect consumer discretionary spending and demand for our products. Many of our products may be considered discretionary items for consumers. Uncertain or challenging global economic and political conditions could impact our performance, including our ability to successfully expand internationally. Some of the factors that may influence consumer spending on discretionary items include general economic conditions (particularly those in North America), high levels of unemployment, health pandemics (such as the impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic, including reduced store traffic and widespread temporary closures of retail locations), higher consumer debt levels, reductions in net worth based on market declines and uncertainty, home foreclosures and reductions in home values, fluctuating interest and foreign currency rates and credit availability, government austerity measures, fluctuating fuel and other energy costs, fluctuating commodity prices, tax rates and general uncertainty regarding the overall future economic environment. To date, COVID-19 and related restrictions and mitigation measures have negatively impacted the global economy and created significant volatility and disruption of financial markets. Political unrest could also negatively impact our customers and employees, reduce consumer spending and adversely impact our business and results of operations. As global economic conditions continue to be volatile or economic uncertainty remains, trends in consumer discretionary spending also remain unpredictable and subject to reductions due to credit constraints and uncertainties about the future. Unfavorable economic conditions may lead consumers to delay or reduce purchases of our products. Consumer demand for our products may not reach our targets, or may decline, when there is an economic downturn or economic uncertainty in our key markets, particularly in North America. China is a target growth market for us, although consumer demand for our products there may also be impacted by unfavorable economic conditions in China. Our sensitivity to economic cycles and any related fluctuation in consumer demand may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition. 28 We may be unable to source and sell our merchandise profitably or at all if new trade restrictions are imposed or existing restrictions become more burdensome. The countries in which our products are produced or sold have imposed and may impose additional quotas, duties, tariffs or other restrictions or regulations, or may adversely adjust prevailing quota, duty or tariff levels. The results of any audits or related disputes regarding these restrictions or regulations could have an adverse effect on our consolidated financial statements for the period or periods for which the applicable final determinations are made. Countries impose, modify and remove tariffs and other trade restrictions in response to a diverse array of factors, including global and national economic and political conditions, which make it impossible for us to predict future developments regarding tariffs and other trade restrictions. Trade restrictions, including tariffs, quotas, embargoes, safeguards and customs restrictions, could increase the cost or reduce the supply of products available to us, could increase shipping times or may require us to modify our supply chain organization or other current business practices, any of which could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations. We are dependent on international trade agreements and regulations. Adverse changes in, or withdrawal from, trade agreements or political relationships between the United States and the PRC, Canada or other countries where we sell or source our products, could negatively impact our results of operations or cash flows. Any tariffs imposed between the United States and the PRC could increase the costs of our products. General geopolitical instability and the responses to it, such as the possibility of sanctions, trade restrictions and changes in tariffs, including recent sanctions against the PRC, tariffs imposed by the United States and the PRC and the possibility of additional tariffs or other trade restrictions between the United States and Mexico, could adversely impact our business. It is possible that further tariffs may be introduced or increased. Such changes could adversely impact our business and could increase the costs of sourcing our products from the PRC or could require us to source more of our products from other countries. There could be changes in economic conditions in the United Kingdom or European Union (“EU”), including due to the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU, foreign exchange rates and consumer markets. Our business could be adversely affected by these changes, including by additional duties on the importation of our products into the United Kingdom from the EU and as a result of shipping delays or congestion. Changes in tax laws or unanticipated tax liabilities could adversely affect our effective income tax rate and profitability. We are subject to the income tax laws of the United States, the United Kingdom and several other foreign jurisdictions. Our effective income tax rates could be unfavorably impacted by a number of factors, including changes in the mix of earnings amongst countries with differing statutory tax rates, changes in the valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities, changes in tax laws, new tax interpretations and guidance, the outcome of income tax audits in various jurisdictions around the world and any repatriation of unremitted earnings for which we have not previously accrued applicable U.S. income taxes and foreign withholding taxes. We and our subsidiaries engage in a number of intercompany transactions across multiple tax jurisdictions and the profit allocation and transfer pricing terms and conditions may be scrutinized by local tax authorities during an audit and any resulting changes may impact our mix of earnings in countries with differing statutory tax rates. Current economic and political conditions make tax rules in any jurisdiction, including the United States and the United Kingdom, subject to significant change. Changes in applicable U.S., U.K. or other foreign tax laws and regulations, or their interpretation and application, including the possibility of retroactive effect, could affect our income tax expense and profitability. 29 Our failure to comply with trade and other regulations could lead to investigations or actions by government regulators and negative publicity. The labeling, distribution, importation, marketing and sale of our products are subject to extensive regulation by various federal agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Product Safety Commission and state attorneys general in the United States, as well as by various other federal, state, local and international regulatory authorities in the countries in which our products are distributed or sold. If we fail to comply with any of these regulations, we could become subject to enforcement actions or the imposition of significant penalties or claims, which could harm our results of operations or our ability to conduct our business. In addition, any audits and inspections by governmental agencies related to these matters could result in significant settlement amounts, damages, fines or other penalties, divert financial and management resources and result in significant legal fees. An unfavorable outcome of any particular proceeding could have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, the adoption of new regulations or changes in the interpretation of existing regulations may result in significant compliance costs or discontinuation of product sales and could impair the marketing of our products, resulting in significant loss of net revenue. Our international operations are also subject to compliance with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the “FCPA”) and other anti-bribery laws applicable to our operations. In many countries, particularly in those with developing economies, it may be a local custom that businesses operating in such countries engage in business practices that are prohibited by the FCPA or other U.S. and international laws and regulations applicable to us. Although we have implemented procedures designed to ensure compliance with the FCPA and similar laws, some of our employees, agents or other partners, as well as those companies to which we outsource certain of our business operations, could take actions in violation of our policies. Any such violation could have a material and adverse effect on our business. Because a significant portion of our net revenue and expenses are generated in countries other than the United States, fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates have affected our results of operations and may continue to do so in the future. The functional currency of our foreign subsidiaries is generally the applicable local currency. Our consolidated financial statements are presented in U.S. dollars. Therefore, the net revenue, expenses, assets and liabilities of our foreign subsidiaries are translated from their functional currencies into U.S. dollars. Fluctuations in the value of the U.S. dollar affect the reported amounts of net revenue, expenses, assets and liabilities. Foreign exchange differences which arise on translation of our foreign subsidiaries’ balance sheets into U.S. dollars are recorded as a foreign currency translation adjustment in accumulated other comprehensive income or loss within stockholders’ equity. We also have exposure to changes in foreign exchange rates associated with transactions which are undertaken by our subsidiaries in currencies other than their functional currency. Such transactions include intercompany transactions and inventory purchases denominated in currencies other than the functional currency of the purchasing entity. As a result, we have been impacted by changes in exchange rates and may be impacted for the foreseeable future. The potential impact of currency fluctuation increases as our international expansion increases. We are exposed to credit-related losses in the event of nonperformance by the counterparties to forward currency contracts used in our hedging strategies. Risks Related to Intellectual Property Our fabrics and manufacturing technology generally are not patented and can be imitated by our competitors. If our competitors sell products similar to ours at lower prices, our net revenue and profitability could suffer. The intellectual property rights in the technology, fabrics and processes used to manufacture our products generally are owned or controlled by our suppliers and are generally not unique to us. Our ability to obtain intellectual property protection for our products is therefore limited and we do not generally own patents or hold exclusive intellectual property rights in the technology, fabrics or processes underlying our products. As a result, our current and future competitors are able to manufacture and sell products with performance characteristics, fabrics and styling similar to our products. Because many of our competitors have significantly greater financial, distribution, marketing and other resources than we do, they may be able to manufacture and sell products based on our fabrics and manufacturing technology at lower prices than we can. If our competitors sell products similar to ours at lower prices, our net revenue and profitability could suffer. 30 If we are unable to establish and protect our trademarks and other intellectual property rights, counterfeiters may produce copies of our products and such counterfeit products could damage our brand image. We currently rely on a combination of copyright, trademark, trade dress and unfair competition laws, as well as confidentiality procedures and licensing arrangements, to establish and protect our intellectual property rights. The steps we take to protect our intellectual property rights may not be adequate to prevent infringement of these rights by others, including imitation of our products and misappropriation of our brand. In addition, intellectual property protection may be unavailable or limited in some foreign countries where laws or law enforcement practices may not protect our intellectual property rights as fully as in the United States, and it may be more difficult for us to successfully challenge the use of our intellectual property rights by other parties in these countries. We expect that there is a high likelihood that counterfeit products or other products infringing on our intellectual property rights will continue to emerge, seeking to benefit from the consumer demand for Perfect Moment products. These counterfeit products do not provide the functionality of our products and we believe they are of substantially lower quality, and if customers are not able to differentiate between our products and counterfeit products, this could damage our brand image. In order to protect our brand, we devote significant resources to the registration and protection of our trademarks and to anti-counterfeiting efforts worldwide. We actively pursue entities involved in the trafficking and sale of counterfeit merchandise through legal action or other appropriate measures. In spite of our efforts, counterfeiting still occurs and, if we are unsuccessful in challenging a third-party’s rights related to trademark, copyright or other intellectual property rights, this could adversely affect our future sales, financial condition and results of operations. We cannot guarantee that the actions we have taken to curb counterfeiting and protect our intellectual property will be adequate to protect the brand and prevent counterfeiting in the future or that we will be able to identify and pursue all counterfeiters who may seek to benefit from our brand. Our trademarks and other proprietary rights could potentially conflict with the rights of others and we may be prevented from selling some of our products. Our success depends in large part on our brand image. We believe that our trademarks and other proprietary rights have significant value and are important to identifying and differentiating our products from those of our competitors and creating and sustaining demand for our products. We have applied for and obtained some United States, United Kingdom and foreign trademark registrations, and will continue to evaluate the registration of additional trademarks as appropriate. However, some or all of these pending trademark applications may not be approved by the applicable governmental authorities. Moreover, even if the applications are approved, third parties may seek to oppose or otherwise challenge these registrations. Additionally, we may face obstacles as we expand our product line and the geographic scope of our sales and marketing. Third parties may assert intellectual property claims against us, particularly as we expand our business and the number of products we offer. Our defense of any claim, regardless of its merit, could be expensive and time consuming and could divert management resources. Successful infringement claims against us could result in significant monetary liability or prevent us from selling some of our products. In addition, resolution of claims may require us to redesign our products, license rights from third parties, or cease using those rights altogether. Any of these events could harm our business and cause our results of operations, liquidity and financial condition to suffer. Risks Related to Legal and Governance Matters We are subject to periodic claims, litigation, legal proceedings and audits that could result in unexpected expenses and could ultimately be resolved against us. Our business requires compliance with many laws and regulations, including labor and employment, sales and other taxes, customs and consumer protection laws and ordinances that regulate retailers generally and/or govern the importation, promotion and sale of merchandise, and the operation of stores and warehouse facilities. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations could subject us to lawsuits and other proceedings, and could also lead to damage awards, fines and penalties. The outcome of some of these legal proceedings, audits and other contingencies could require us to take, or refrain from taking, actions that could harm our operations or require us to pay substantial amounts of money, harming our financial condition. In addition, from time to time, we are involved in litigation and other proceedings, including matters related to product liability claims, stockholder class action and derivative claims, commercial disputes and intellectual property, as well as trade, regulatory, employment and other claims related to our business. For example, on December 20, 2023, Aspen Skiing Company, LLC filed a complaint against the Company in the United Stated District Court for the District of Colorado, alleging, among other things, trademark infringement, false association, false endorsement, unfair competition and deceptive trade practices by the Company. See Note 17 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report. 31 We have in the past and may become involved in legal proceedings or audits, including government and agency investigations, and consumer, employment, tort and other litigation. Any of these proceedings could result in significant settlement amounts, damages, fines or other penalties, divert financial and management resources and result in significant legal fees. An unfavorable outcome of any particular proceeding could exceed the limits of our insurance policies or the carriers may decline to fund such final settlements and/or judgments and could have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, any proceeding could negatively impact our reputation among our customers and our brand image. Our business could be negatively affected as a result of actions of activist stockholders or others. We may be subject to actions or proposals from stockholders or others that may not align with our business strategies or the interests of our other stockholders. Responding to such actions can be costly and time-consuming, disrupt our business and operations and divert the attention of our board of directors, management and employees from the pursuit of our business strategies. Such activities could interfere with our ability to execute our strategic plan. Activist stockholders or others may create perceived uncertainties as to the future direction of our business or strategy which may be exploited by our competitors and may make it more difficult to attract and retain qualified personnel and potential customers, and may affect our relationships with current customers, vendors, investors and other third parties. In addition, a proxy contest for the election of directors at our annual meeting would require us to incur significant legal fees and proxy solicitation expenses and require significant time and attention by management and our board of directors. The perceived uncertainties as to our future direction also could affect the market price and volatility of our securities. Anti-takeover provisions in our charter documents and under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware could make an acquisition of us more difficult and may prevent attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our management. Provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our bylaws may delay or prevent an acquisition of us or a change in our management. These provisions impact the ability of the board of directors to issue preferred stock without stockholder approval. In addition, because we are incorporated in Delaware, we are governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), which prohibits stockholders owning in excess of 15% of our outstanding voting stock from merging or combining with us for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person acquired more than 15% of our outstanding voting stock, unless the merger or combination is approved in a prescribed manner. Although we believe these provisions collectively will provide for an opportunity to receive higher bids by requiring potential acquirers to negotiate with our board of directors, they would apply even if the offer may be considered beneficial by some stockholders. In addition, these provisions may frustrate or prevent any attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove then-current management by making it more difficult for stockholders to replace members of the board of directors, which is responsible for appointing the members of management. Anti-takeover provisions in our charter documents could discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of us and may affect the trading price of our common stock. Our corporate documents and the DGCL contain provisions that may enable our board of directors to resist a change in control of us even if a change in control were to be considered favorable by our stockholders. These provisions: ● require a 66 and 2/3% stockholder vote to remove directors, who may only be removed for cause; ● authorize our board of directors to issue “blank check” preferred stock and to determine the rights and preferences of those shares, which may be senior to our common stock, without prior stockholder approval; ● establish advance notice requirements for nominating directors and proposing matters to be voted on by stockholders at stockholders’ meetings; 32 ● prohibit our stockholders from calling a special meeting and prohibit stockholders from acting by written consent; ● require a 66 and 2/3% stockholder vote to effect certain amendments to our certificate of incorporation and bylaws; and ● prohibit cumulative voting in the election of directors, which limits the ability of minority stockholders to elect director candidates. These provisions could discourage, delay or prevent a transaction involving a change in control. These provisions could also discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult for stockholders to elect directors of their choosing and cause us to take other corporate actions our stockholders desire. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation designates the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees or agents. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, unless we consent in writing to an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the sole and exclusive forum for any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers, employees or agents to us or our stockholders, any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated bylaws or any action asserting a claim that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each case subject to the Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants therein and the claim not being one which is vested in the exclusive jurisdiction of a court or forum other than the Court of Chancery or for which the Court of Chancery does not have subject matter jurisdiction. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that state and federal courts will have concurrent jurisdiction for actions arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the exclusive forum provision will not apply to suits brought to enforce duties and liabilities created by the Exchange Act or any other claims for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. Any person purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any shares of our common stock shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to this provision of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. This choice of forum provision may limit our stockholders’ ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees or agents, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and our directors, officers, employees and agents even though an action, if successful, might benefit our stockholders. Stockholders who do bring a claim in the Court of Chancery could face additional litigation costs in pursuing any such claim, particularly if they do not reside in or near Delaware. The Court of Chancery may also reach different judgments or results than would other courts, including courts where a stockholder considering an action may be located or would otherwise choose to bring the action, and such judgments or results may be more favorable to us than to our stockholders. Alternatively, if a court were to find this provision of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation inapplicable to, or unenforceable in respect of, one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. Risks Related to Ownership of Our Common Stock We are an emerging growth company and we cannot be certain if the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies will make our common stock less attractive to investors. For as long as we continue to be an emerging growth company, we intend to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies including, but not limited to, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive because we will rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our stock price may be more volatile. 33 We will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest of (i) the end of the fiscal year in which the market value of our common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter after we have been a reporting company in the United States for at least 12 months, (ii) the end of the fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenue of $1.07 billion or more during such fiscal year, (iii) the date on which we issue more than $1 billion in non-convertible debt in a three-year period or (iv) February 7, 2029. If we are unable to implement and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports and the market price of our common stock may be negatively affected. As a public company, we will be required to maintain internal control over financial reporting for the year ending March 31, 2025 and to report any material weaknesses in such internal control. Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) requires that we evaluate and determine the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting and, beginning with our annual report for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, provide a management report on the internal controls over financial reporting, which must be attested to by our independent registered public accounting firm to the extent we decide not to avail ourselves of the exemption provided to an emerging growth company, as defined by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act. If we have a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting, we may not detect errors on a timely basis and our consolidated financial statements may be materially misstated. If we identify material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, if we are unable to comply with the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in a timely manner, if we are unable to assert that our internal control over financial reporting are effective, or if our independent registered public accounting firm is unable to express an opinion as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, if and when required, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports and the market price of our common stock could be negatively affected, and we could become subject to investigations by the stock exchange on which our securities are listed, the SEC, or other regulatory authorities, which could require additional financial and management resources. Because we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our capital stock in the foreseeable future, capital appreciation of our common stock, if any, will be your sole source of gain. We have never declared or paid cash dividends on our capital stock. We currently intend to retain all of our future earnings, if any, to finance the growth and development of our business. In addition, the terms of any future financing agreements may preclude us from paying dividends. As a result, capital appreciation, if any, of our common stock will be an investor’s sole source of gain for the foreseeable future. We may require additional capital to support business growth, and this capital might not be available on acceptable terms, if at all. On February 12, 2024, we consummated the initial public offering of our common stock for aggregate approximate net proceeds of $6,009, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses. Based upon our current operating plan and assumptions, we expect that the net proceeds from the initial public offering and our existing cash balances and expected cash flows from operations, alongside the continuance of our existing financing arrangements, and the automatic conversion of the outstanding balance of the Notes upon the closing of the initial public offering will be sufficient to fund our operations for at least the next 12 months, excluding financing to support production (i.e. timing of working capital). However, our operating plan may change, and our assumptions may prove to be wrong, as a result of many factors currently unknown to us, and we could use our available capital resources sooner than we expect. We may need to seek additional funds sooner than planned, through public or private equity or debt financings or other third-party funding or a combination of these approaches. Even if we believe we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans, we may seek additional capital if market conditions are favorable or based upon specific strategic considerations. 34 Any additional capital-raising efforts may divert our management’s attention from the operation of our business. In addition, we cannot guarantee that future financing will be available in sufficient amounts or on terms acceptable to us, if at all. If we are unable to obtain sufficient amounts of additional capital, when and if we require it, we may be required to reduce the scope of our planned development, which could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations. If we raise additional capital through further issuances of equity or convertible debt securities, our existing stockholders could suffer significant dilution, and any new equity securities we issue could have rights, preferences and privileges superior to those of holders of our common stock. Any debt financing secured by us in the future could involve restrictive covenants relating to our capital raising activities and other financial and operational matters, which may make it more difficult for us to obtain additional capital and to pursue business opportunities, including potential acquisitions. If we are unable to obtain adequate financing or financing on terms satisfactory to us, when and if we require it, our ability to continue to support our business growth, and to respond to business challenges could be significantly impaired. Future sales and issuances of our common stock or rights to purchase common stock, including pursuant to our 2021 Equity Incentive Plan, could result in additional dilution of the percentage ownership of our stockholders. We expect that significant additional capital will be needed in the future to continue our planned operations. To raise capital, we may sell substantial amounts of common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for common stock. These future issuances of common stock or common stock-related securities, together with the exercise of outstanding options and any additional shares issued in connection with acquisitions, if any, may result in material dilution to our investors. Such sales may also result in material dilution to our existing stockholders, and new investors could gain rights, preferences and privileges senior to those of holders of our common stock. Pursuant to the 2021 Plan, the plan administrator is authorized to grant equity-based incentive awards to our directors, executive officers and other employees and service providers. As of June 26, 2024, there were 1,705,207 shares of common stock reserved for issuance in connection with outstanding awards granted under the 2021 Plan and 2,519,750 shares of common stock were available for future issuance under the 2021 Plan. Future equity incentive grants and issuances of common stock under awards outstanding under the 2021 Plan may result in dilution to our stockholders. We will incur increased costs as a result of being a public company. We will face increased legal, accounting, administrative and other costs and expenses as a public company that we did not incur as a private company. In addition, costs have been incurred in the years ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 in preparation of becoming a public company. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act, including the requirements of Section 404, as well as new rules and regulations subsequently implemented by the SEC and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board impose additional reporting and other obligations on public companies. We expect that compliance with these public company requirements will increase our costs and make some activities more time-consuming. A number of those requirements will require us to carry out activities we have not done previously. For example, we will adopt new internal controls and disclosure controls and procedures. In addition, we will incur additional expense associated with our SEC reporting requirements. Furthermore, if we identify an issue in complying with those requirements (for example, if we or our accountants identify a material weakness or significant deficiency in our internal control over financial reporting), we could incur additional costs rectifying those issues, and the existence of those issues could adversely affect us, our reputation or investor perceptions of us. We also expect that it will be difficult and expensive to obtain director officer liability insurance, and we may be required to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. As a result, it may be more difficult for us to attract and train qualified people to serve on our board of directors or as executive officers. Advocacy efforts by stockholders and third parties may also prompt even more changes in corporate governance and reporting requirements. We expect that the additional reporting and other obligations imposed on us by these rules and regulations will increase our legal and financial compliance costs and administrative fees significantly. These increased costs will require us to divert a significant amount of money that we could otherwise use to expand our business and achieve our strategic objectives. 35 If securities or industry analysts do not publish or cease publishing research or reports about us, our business or our market, or if they change their recommendations regarding our common stock adversely, the price and trading volume of our common stock could decline. The trading market for our common stock is influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts publish about us, our business, our market or our competitors. If any of the analysts who cover us or may cover us in the future change their recommendation regarding our common stock adversely, or provide more favorable relative recommendations about our competitors, the price of our common stock would likely decline. If any analyst who covers us or may cover us in the future were to cease coverage of our company or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause the price or trading volume of our common stock to decline.