Item 1A. Risk Factors
ITEM
1A. Risk Factors
You
should carefully consider the risks described below and other information in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including the financial
statements and related notes that appear at the end of this report, before deciding to invest in our securities. These risks should be
considered in conjunction with any other information included herein, including in conjunction with forward-looking statements made herein.
If any of the following risks actually occur, they could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating
results. Additional risks and uncertainties that we do not presently know or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business,
financial condition and operating results. The following discussion of risks is not all-inclusive but is designed to highlight what
we believe are the material factors to consider when evaluating our business and expectations. These factors could cause our future results
to differ materially from our historical results and from expectations reflected in forward-looking statements.
Risks
Related to Our Business
Our
business is sensitive to consumer spending and general economic conditions.
Consumer
purchases of discretionary premium sporting good items, which include all of our products, may be adversely affected by the current COVID-19
(“Coronavirus”) pandemic, as well as economic conditions such as employment levels, wage and salary levels, trends in
consumer confidence and spending, reductions in consumer net worth, interest rates, inflation, the availability of consumer credit and
taxation policies influence on public spending confidence. Recent dramatic downturns in the strength of global stock markets, currencies
and key economies have highlighted many if not all, of these risks.
Consumer
purchases in general may decline during recessions, periods of prolonged declines in the equity markets or housing markets and periods
when disposable income and perceptions of consumer wealth are lower, and these risks may be exacerbated for us due to our focus on discretionary
premium sporting good items. A downturn in the global economy, or in a regional economy in which we have significant sales, could
have a material, adverse effect on consumer purchases of our products, our results of operations and our financial position, and a downturn
adversely affecting our consumer base or travelers could have a disproportionate impact on our business.
There
continues to be a significant and growing volatility and uncertainty in the global economy due to the Coronavirus pandemic affecting
all business sectors and industries. In addition, the on-going uncertainty in Europe (including concerns that certain European countries
may default in payments due on their national debt and concerns regarding the future viability of the European Union and the possible
effects of its unraveling) and any resulting disruption could adversely impact our net sales in Europe and globally unless and until
economic conditions in that region improve and the prospects of national debt defaults in Europe decline. Further or future downturns
may adversely affect traffic at our on-line sales portals (which currently includes our own website www.slingerbag.com ) and could
materially and adversely affect our results of operations, financial position and growth strategy.
Likewise,
the current impasse in U.S.-China trade relations has resulted in import duties for all Slinger products into the U.S.
being increased from the previous standard of 5% to 30%. Our management has taken the view that at this time in the early years
of Slinger’s growth, gaining distribution and share outweighs the immediate margin consideration and has decided to take
the added increase in import tariffs as a margin loss.
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Our
manufacturing takes place in China and, therefore, is susceptible to shutdowns and delays caused by Coronavirus and other diseases and
epidemics. Additionally, we rely on independent manufacturers and suppliers.
As
at the date hereof, our sole manufacturing facilities are located in southern China. Following the outbreak of the Coronavirus our manufacturing
facility was shut down for three months, which caused significant delays in manufacturing and delivery of our products. However, there
may be further outbreaks of Coronavirus and other diseases and epidemics, which may cause further delays and shutdowns. This, in turn,
will negatively affect our revenue and increase our expenses and costs.
We
do not control our independent manufacturers and suppliers or their labor and other business practices. Violations of labor, environmental
or other laws by an independent manufacturer or supplier, or divergence of an independent manufacturer’s or supplier’s labor
or other practices from those generally accepted as ethical or appropriate in the U.S., could disrupt the shipments of our products or
draw negative publicity for us, thereby diminishing the value of our brand, reducing demand for our products and adversely affecting
our net income. Additionally, since we do not manufacture our products, we are subject to risks associated with inventory and product
quality-control.
Further,
we have not historically entered into manufacturing contracts with our manufacturers; instead, we have hired them on an ad hoc
basis. Identifying a suitable manufacturer is an involved process that requires us to become satisfied with the prospective manufacturer’s
quality control, responsiveness and service capabilities, financial stability and labor practices. While we have business continuity
and contingency plans for alternative sourcing, we may be unable, in the event of a significant disruption in our sourcing, to locate
alternative manufacturers or suppliers of comparable quality at an acceptable price, or at all, which could result in product shortages
or decreases in product quality, and adversely affect our net sales, gross margin, net income, customer relationships and our reputation.
We
depend on the strength of the Slinger® brand.
We
expect to derive substantially all of our net sales from sales of Slinger branded products. The reputation and integrity of the Slinger
brand are essential to the success of our business. We believe that our consumers value the status and reputation of the Slinger brand,
and the superior quality, performance, functionality and durability that our brand represents. Building, maintaining and enhancing the
status and reputation of the Slinger brand image is important to expanding our consumer base. Our continued success and growth
depend on our ability to protect and promote the Slinger brand, which, in turn, depends on factors such as the quality, performance,
functionality and durability of our products, our communication activities, including advertising and public relations, and our management
of the consumer experience, including direct interfaces through customer service and warranty repairs. We may decide to make substantial
investments in these areas in order to maintain and enhance our brand, and such investments may not be successful.
Additionally,
in order to expand our reach in the future, we may need to engage with third-party distributors. To the extent those third-party distributors
fail to comply with our operating guidelines, we may not be successful in protecting our brand image. Product defects, product recalls,
counterfeit products and ineffective marketing are among the potential threats to the strength of our brand and to protect our brand’s
status we may need to make substantial expenditures to mitigate the impact of such threats.
Moreover,
if we fail to continue to innovate to ensure that our products are
deemed to achieve superior levels of function, quality and design, or to otherwise be sufficiently distinguishable from our competitors’
products, or if we fail to manage the growth of our on-line sales in a way that protects the high-end nature of our brand, the value
of the Slinger brand may be diluted, and we may not be able to maintain our premium position and pricing or sales volumes, which could
adversely affect our financial performance and business. We believe that maintaining and enhancing our brand image in new markets
where we have limited brand recognition is important to expanding our consumer base. If we are unable to maintain or enhance our brand
in new markets, then our growth strategy could be adversely affected.
The
cost of raw materials, labor or freight could lead to an increase in our cost of sales and cause our results of operations to suffer .
Increasing
costs for raw materials, labor or freight could make our sourcing processes more costly and negatively affect our gross margin and profitability.
Labor costs at our independent manufacturers’ sites have been increasing and it is unlikely that these increases will abate. Wage
and price inflation in our source countries could cause unanticipated price increases, which may be significant. Such price increases
by our independent manufacturers could be rapid in the absence of manufacturing contracts. Energy costs have fluctuated dramatically
in the past and may fluctuate in the future. Rising energy costs may increase our costs of transporting our products for distribution
and the costs of products that we source from independent suppliers. Further, many of our products are made of materials, such as high
impact plastics, plastic-injected molded parts, and lightweight high tensile strength metals, that are either petroleum-based or require
energy to construct and transport. Costs for transportation of such materials have been increasing as the price of petroleum increases.
Our independent suppliers and manufacturers may attempt to pass these cost increases on to us, and our relationships with them may be
harmed or lost if we refuse to pay such increases, which could lead to product shortages. If we pay such increases, we may not be able
to offset them through increases in our pricing and other means, which could adversely affect our ability to maintain our targeted gross
margins. If we attempt to pass the increases on to consumers, our sales may be adversely affected.
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Failure
to adequately protect our intellectual property and curb the sale of counterfeit merchandise could injure our brand and negatively
affect our sales.
Our
trademarks, copyrights, patents, designs and other intellectual property rights are important to our success and our competitive position.
We devote significant resources to the registration and protection of our trademarks and patents. In spite of our efforts, counterfeiting
and design copies may still occur. If we are unsuccessful in challenging the usurpation of these rights by third parties, this
could adversely affect our future sales, financial condition and results of operations. Our efforts to enforce our intellectual property
rights can potentially be met with defenses and counterclaims attacking the validity and enforceability of our intellectual property
rights. Unplanned increases in legal fees and other costs associated with protecting our intellectual property rights could result in
higher operating expenses. Additionally, legal regimes outside the U.S., particularly those in Asia, including China, may not
always protect intellectual property rights to the same degree as U.S. laws, or the time required to enforce our intellectual property
rights under these legal regimes may be lengthy and delay our recovery.
We
may become subject to claims for remuneration or royalties for assigned service invention rights by our employees, which could result
in litigation and adversely affect our business.
A
significant portion of our intellectual property has been developed by our employees, or outside consultants in the course of their employment
or retention with us. Under the Israeli Patent Law, 5727-1967, or the Patent Law, inventions conceived by an employee during the scope
of his or her employment with a company are regarded as “service inventions.” The Israeli Compensation and Royalties Committee,
or the Committee, a body constituted under the Patent Law, has previously held, in certain cases, that employees may be entitled to remuneration
for service inventions that they develop during their service for a company despite their explicit waiver of such right. Therefore, although
we enter into agreements with all of our employees pursuant to which they waive their right to special remuneration for service inventions
created in the scope of their employment or engagement and agree that any such inventions are owned exclusively by us, we may face claims
by employees demanding remuneration beyond their regular salary and benefits.
We
face risks associated with operating in international markets.
We
operate in a global marketplace and international sales growth is a key element of our growth strategy. We are subject to risks
associated with our international operations, including, but not limited to:
●
Foreign
currency exchange rates, including GBP;
●
Economic
or governmental instability in foreign markets in which we operate or in those countries from which we source our merchandise;
●
Unexpected
changes in laws, regulatory requirements, taxes or trade laws;
●
Increases
in the cost of transporting goods globally;
●
Acts
of war, terrorist attacks, outbreaks of contagious disease and other events over which we have no control; and
●
Changes
in foreign or domestic legal and regulatory requirements resulting in the imposition of new or more onerous trade restrictions, tariffs,
duties, taxes, embargoes, exchange or other government controls.
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Any
of these risks could have an adverse impact on our results of operations, financial position or growth strategy. Furthermore, some of
our international operations are conducted in parts of the world that experience corruption to some degree. Although we have policies
and procedures in place that are designed to promote legal and regulatory compliance (including with respect to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt
Practices Act and the United Kingdom Bribery Act 2010), our employees and wholesalers could take actions that violate applicable anti-corruption
laws or regulations. Violations of these laws, or allegations of such violations, could have an adverse impact on our reputation, our
results of operations or our financial position.
Foreign
exchange movements may also negatively affect the relative purchasing power of foreign tourists and result in declines in travel volumes
or their willingness to purchase discretionary premium goods, such as our products, while traveling, which would adversely affect our
net sales. We do not currently use the derivative markets to hedge foreign currency fluctuations.
Our
results of operations are subject to seasonal and quarterly fluctuations, which could adversely affect the market price of our common
stock.
Our
quarterly results of operations may fluctuate significantly as a result of a variety of factors, including, but not limited to:
●
Changes
in the number of our points of distribution;
●
Weather
trends;
●
Changes
in our merchandise mix; and
●
The
timing of new product introductions.
The
growth of our business depends on the successful execution of our growth strategy, including our efforts to expand internationally by
growing our e-commerce business.
Our
current growth strategy depends on our ability to continue to expand geographically in a number of international regions including Asia,
Europe, North America, China, Japan, South Korea, Middle East, India, South Africa and Australia. This growth strategy is
contingent upon our ability to continually introduce our products to new markets. The implementation of higher tariffs, quotas or other
restrictive trade policies in any international regions in which we seek to operate could adversely affect our ability to commence new
international operations, which could have an adverse impact on our growth strategy. Further, consumer demand behavior, as well as tastes
and purchasing trends, may differ in various countries and, as a result, sales of our products may not be, or may take time to become,
successful, and gross margins on those net sales may not be in line with what we currently experience. Our ability to execute our international
growth strategy, especially where we are not yet established, depends on our ability to understand regional market demographics,
and we may not be able to do so. If we are unable to expand our business internationally, our growth strategy and our financial
results could be materially adversely affected.
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If
we are unable to respond effectively to changes in market trends and consumer preferences, our market share, net sales and profitability
could be adversely affected.
The
success of our business depends on our ability to identify the key product and market trends and bring products to market in a timely
manner that satisfy the current preferences of a broad range of consumers (either by enhancing existing products or by developing new
product offerings). Consumer preferences differ across and within different parts of the world, and shift over time in response to changing
aesthetics and economic circumstances. We believe that our success in developing products that are innovative and that meet our consumers’
functional needs is an important factor in our image as a premium brand, and in our ability to charge premium prices. We may not be able
to anticipate or respond to changes in consumer preferences, and, even if we do anticipate and respond to such changes, we may not be
able to bring to market in a timely manner enhanced or new products that meet these changing preferences. If we fail to anticipate or
respond to changes in consumer preferences or fail to bring products to market in a timely manner that satisfy new preferences, our market
share and our net sales and profitability could be adversely affected.
We
may be unable to appeal to new consumers while maintaining the loyalty of our core consumers.
Part
of our growth strategy is to introduce new consumers, including younger consumers, to the Slinger brand. If we are unable to attract
new consumers, including younger consumers, our business and results of operations may be adversely affected as our core consumers’
age increases and levels of travel and purchasing frequency decrease. Initiatives and strategies intended to position our brand to appeal
to new and younger consumers may not appeal to our core consumers and may diminish the appeal of our brand to our core consumers, resulting
in reduced core consumer loyalty. If we are unable to successfully appeal to new and younger consumers while maintaining our brand’s
premium image with our core consumers, then our net sales and our brand image may be adversely affected.
Fluctuations
in our tax obligations and effective tax rate may have a negative effect on our operating results.
We
may be subject to income taxes in multiple jurisdictions. We record tax expense based on our estimates of future payments, which include
reserves for uncertain tax provisions in multiple tax jurisdictions. At any one time, many tax years may be subject to audit by various
taxing jurisdictions. The results of these audits and negotiations with taxing authorities may affect the ultimate settlement of these
issues. As a result, we expect that throughout the year there could be ongoing variability in our quarterly tax rates as events occur
and exposures are evaluated. Further, our effective tax rate in a given financial period may be materially impacted by changes in mix
and level of earnings or by changes to existing accounting rules or regulations. In addition, tax legislation enacted in the future could
negatively impact our current or future tax structure and effective tax rates.
Our
business could suffer if we are unable to maintain our website or manage our inventory effectively.
We
employ a distribution strategy that is heavily dependent upon our website and third-party distributors’ e-commerce websites. The
effectiveness of our e-commerce strategy depends on our ability to manage our inventory and our distribution processes effectively so
as to ensure that our products are available in sufficient quantities and thereby prevent lost sales. If we are not able to maintain
our e-commerce channels, or if we are not able to effectively manage our inventory, we could experience a decline in net sales, as well
as excess inventories for some products and missed opportunities for other products. In addition, the failure to deliver our products
to customers in accordance with our delivery schedules could damage our relationship with these customers and lead to negative feedback
being posted on e-commerce sites. Consequently, our net sales, profitability and the implementation of our growth strategy could be adversely
affected.
We
plan to use cash provided by operating activities to fund our expanding business and execute our growth strategy and may require additional
capital, which may not be available to us.
We
expect our business to rely on net cash provided by our future operating activities as our primary source of liquidity. To support our
business and execute our growth strategy as planned, we will need to generate significant amounts of cash from operations in order to
purchase inventory, pay personnel, invest in research and development, and pay for the increased costs associated with operating as a
public company. If our business does not generate cash flow from operating activities sufficient to fund these activities, and if sufficient
funds are not otherwise available to us, we will need to seek additional capital, through debt or equity financings, to fund our growth.
Conditions in the credit markets (such as availability of finance and fluctuations in interest rates) may make it difficult for us to
obtain such financing on attractive terms or even at all. Additional debt financing that we may undertake, may be expensive and might
impose on us covenants that restrict our operations and strategic initiatives, including limitations on our ability to incur liens or
additional debt, pay dividends, repurchase our capital stock, make investments and engage in merger, consolidation and asset sale transactions.
Equity financings may be on terms that are dilutive or potentially dilutive to our shareholders, and the prices at which new investors
would be willing to purchase our equity securities may be lower than the price per share of our common stock. The holders of new securities
may also have rights, preferences or privileges that are senior to those of existing holders of common stock. If new sources of financing
are required, but are unattractive, insufficient or unavailable, then we will be required to modify our growth and operating plans based
on available funding, if any, which would inhibit our growth and could harm our business.
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Our
extended supply chain requires long lead times and relies heavily on manufacturers in Asia.
We
rely heavily on manufacturers in Asia, which requires long lead times to get goods to markets. The long lead times will require
us to carry extra inventory to avoid out-of-stock scenarios. In the event of a decline in demand for our products, due to general economic
conditions or other factors, we may be forced to liquidate this extra inventory at lower margins or at a loss. In addition, as
a result of these long lead times, design decisions are required to be made several months or as early as a year and a half before the
goods are delivered. Consumers’ tastes can change between the time a product is designed and the time it takes to get to market.
If the designs are not popular with consumers, it could also result in the need to liquidate the inventories at lower margins
or at a loss, which would adversely affect our results of operations.
We
depend on existing members of management and key employees to implement key elements in our strategy for growth, and the failure to retain
them or to attract appropriately qualified new personnel could affect our ability to implement our growth strategy successfully.
The
successful implementation of our growth strategy depends in part on our ability to retain our experienced management team and key employees
and on our ability to attract appropriately qualified new personnel. For instance, our chief executive officer has extensive experience
running branded sporting goods as well as retail-oriented businesses. The loss of any key member of our management team or other key
employees could hinder or delay our ability to implement our growth strategy effectively. Further, if we are unable to attract appropriately
qualified new personnel as we expand over the next few years, we may not be successful in implementing our growth strategy. In either
instance, our profitability and financial performance could be adversely affected.
Under
applicable employment laws, we may not be able to enforce covenants not to compete.
We
generally enter into non-competition agreements as part of our employment agreements with our employees. These agreements generally prohibit
our employees, if they cease working for us, from competing directly with us or working for our competitors or clients for a limited
period. We may be unable to enforce these agreements under the laws of the jurisdictions in which our employees work and it may be difficult
for us to restrict our competitors from benefitting from the expertise our former employees or consultants developed while working for
us.
For
example, some labor courts have required employers seeking to enforce non-compete undertakings of a former employee to demonstrate that
the competitive activities of the former employee will harm one of a limited number of material interests of the employer, which
have been recognized by the courts as justification for the enforcement of non-compete undertakings, such as the protection of a company’s
trade secrets or other intellectual property.
We
do not employ traditional advertising channels, and if we fail to adequately market our brand through product introductions and other
means of promotion, our business could be adversely affected.
Our
marketing strategy depends on our ability to promote our brand’s message by using online advertising and social media to promote
new product introductions in a cost-effective manner and possibly from time to time the use of newspapers and magazines. We do not employ
traditional advertising channels such as billboards, television and radio. If our marketing efforts are not successful at attracting
new consumers and increasing purchasing frequency by our existing consumers, there may be no cost-effective marketing channels available
to us for the promotion of our brand. If we increase our spending on advertising, or initiate spending on traditional advertising, our
expenses will rise, and our advertising efforts may not be successful. In addition, if we are unable to successfully and cost-effectively
employ advertising channels to promote our brand to new consumers and new markets, our growth strategy may be adversely affected.
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Failure
to protect confidential information of our consumers and our network against security breaches or failure to comply with privacy and
security laws and regulations could damage our reputation, brand and business.
A
significant challenge to e-commerce and communications, including the operation of our website, is the secure transmission of confidential
information over public networks. Our failure to prevent security breaches could damage our reputation and brand and substantially harm
our business and results of operations. On our website, a majority of the sales are billed to our consumers’ credit card accounts
directly, orders are shipped to a consumer’s address, and consumers log on using their email address. In such transactions, maintaining
complete security for the transmission of confidential information on our website, such as consumers’ credit card numbers and expiration
dates, personal information and billing addresses, is essential to maintaining consumer confidence. In addition, we hold certain private
information about our consumers, such as their names, addresses, phone numbers and browsing and purchasing records. We rely on encryption
and authentication technology licensed from third parties to effect the secure transmission of confidential information, including credit
card numbers. Advances in computer capabilities, new discoveries in the field of cryptography or other developments may result in a compromise
or breach of the technology used by us to protect consumer transaction data. In addition, any party who is able to illicitly obtain a
user’s password could potentially access the user’s transaction data or personal information. We may not be able to prevent
third parties, such as hackers or criminal organizations, from stealing information provided by our consumers to us through our website.
In addition, our third-party merchants and delivery service providers may violate their confidentiality obligations and disclose information
about our consumers. Any compromise of our security or material violation of a non-disclosure obligation could damage our reputation
and brand and expose us to a risk of loss or litigation and possible liability, which could substantially harm our business and
results of operations. In addition, anyone who is able to circumvent our security measures could misappropriate proprietary information
or cause interruptions in our operations.
For
as long as we are an “emerging growth company,” we will not be required to comply with certain reporting requirements that
apply to other publicly reporting companies. We cannot predict whether the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth
companies will make our common shares less attractive to investors.
We
are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act. For as long as we continue to be an emerging growth company,
we may choose to take advantage of certain exemptions from reporting requirements applicable to other publicly reporting companies that
are not emerging growth companies. These include: (i) not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements for the
assessment of our internal controls over financial reporting provided by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act, (ii) not being required to comply with any requirements adopted by the PCAOB requiring mandatory audit firm rotation
or a supplement to the auditor’s report in which the auditor would be required to provide additional information about the audit
and the financial statements of the issuer, (iii) not being required to comply with any new audit rules adopted by the PCAOB after April
5, 2012 unless the SEC determines otherwise, (iv) not being required to provide certain disclosure regarding executive compensation required
of larger publicly reporting companies, and (v) not being required to hold a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation or seek
shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. We could be an emerging growth company for up to five
years from the end of our current fiscal year, although, if the market value of our common shares that is held by non-affiliates
exceeds $700 million as of any October 31 before the end of that five-year period, we would cease to be an emerging growth company
as of the following April 30. We cannot predict if investors will find our common shares less attractive if we choose to
rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common shares less attractive as a result of any choices to reduce future
disclosure, there may be a less active trading market for our shares and our share price may be more volatile. Further, as a result of
these scaled regulatory requirements, our disclosure may be more limited than that of other publicly reporting companies and you may
not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of such companies.
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Our
product development company and chief marketing officer are located in Israel and, therefore, our business, financial condition and results
of operation may be adversely affected by political, economic and military instability in Israel.
We
operate our Slinger business in Israel under Slinger Bag Ltd. We have also engaged an Israeli product development company to assist in
the development of our current and future products and our chief marketing officer resides in Israel. Accordingly, political, economic
and military conditions in Israel directly affect our business.
Political,
economic and military conditions in Israel may directly affect our business. Since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948,
a number of armed conflicts have taken place between Israel and its neighboring countries, Hamas and Hezbollah. In addition, several
countries, principally in the Middle East, restrict doing business with Israel, and additional countries may impose restrictions on doing
business with Israel and Israeli companies whether as a result of hostilities in the region or otherwise. Any hostilities involving Israel,
terrorist activities, political instability or violence in the region or the interruption or curtailment of trade or transport between
Israel and its trading partners could adversely affect our operations and results of operations and adversely affect the market price
of our shares.
Our
commercial insurance does not cover losses that may occur as a result of an event associated with the security situation in the Middle
East. Although the Israeli government is currently committed to covering the reinstatement value of direct damages that are caused by
terrorist attacks or acts of war, there can be no assurance that this government coverage will be maintained, or if maintained, will
be sufficient to compensate us fully for damages incurred. Any losses or damages incurred by us could have a material adverse effect
on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Further,
our operations could be disrupted by the obligations of our employees to perform military service. Our chief marketing officer is subject
to the obligation to perform reserve military duty. In response to increased tension and hostilities in the region, there have been,
at times, call-ups of military reservists, and it is possible that there will be additional call-ups in the future. Our operations could
be disrupted by the absence of these employees due to military service. Such disruption could harm our business and operating results.
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Popular
uprisings in various countries in the Middle East and North Africa are affecting the political stability of those countries. Such instability
may lead to deterioration in the political and trade relationships that exist between the State of Israel and these countries. Furthermore,
several countries, principally in the Middle East, restrict doing business with Israel and companies with an Israeli presence, and additional
countries may impose restrictions on doing business with Israel and Israeli companies if hostilities in the region continue or intensify.
Such restrictions may seriously limit our ability to sell our products to customers in those countries.
Risks
Related to Ownership of Our Shares
There
is currently limited liquidity of shares of our common stock.
Shares
of our common stock do not trade on a regular basis. Failure to develop or maintain a trading market could negatively affect its value
and make it difficult or impossible for you to sell your shares. Even if a market for common stock does develop, the market price of
common stock may be highly volatile. In addition to the uncertainties relating to future operating performance and the profitability
of operations, factors such as variations in interim financial results or various, as yet unpredictable, factors, many of which are beyond
our control, may have a negative effect on the market price of our common stock. The liquidity of the shares of our common stock may
also be affected adversely by a reverse stock split given the reduced number of shares that will be outstanding following a reverse stock
split, especially if the market price of our common stock does not increase as a result of the reverse stock split.
Our
stock price may be volatile, or may decline regardless of our operating performance, and you could lose all or part of your investment
as a result.
You
should consider an investment in our common shares to be risky, and you should invest in our common shares only if you
can withstand a significant loss and wide fluctuation in the market value of your investment. The market price of our common shares
could be subject to significant fluctuations in response to the factors described in this section and other factors, many of which are
beyond our control. Among the factors that could affect our stock price are:
●
Actual
or anticipated variations in our quarterly and annual operating results or those of companies perceived to be similar to us;
●
Weather
conditions, particularly during holiday shopping periods;
●
Changes
in expectations as to our future financial performance, including financial estimates by securities analysts and investors, or differences
between our actual results and those expected by investors and securities analysts;
●
Fluctuations
in the market valuations of companies perceived by investors to be comparable to us;
●
The
public’s response to our or our competitors’ filings with the SEC or announcements regarding new products or services,
enhancements, significant contracts, acquisitions, strategic investments, litigation, restructurings or other significant matters;
●
Speculation
about our business in the press or the investment community;
●
Future
sales of our shares;
●
Actions
by our competitors;
●
Additions
or departures of members of our senior management or other key personnel; and
●
The
passage of legislation or other regulatory developments affecting us or our industry.
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In
addition, the securities markets have experienced significant price and volume fluctuations that have affected and continue to affect
market price of equity securities of many companies. These fluctuations have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating
performance of particular companies. These broad market fluctuations, as well as general economic, systemic, political and market conditions,
such as recessions, loss of investor confidence, interest rate changes, or international currency fluctuations, may negatively affect
the market price of our shares.
If
any of the foregoing occurs, it could cause our stock price to fall and may expose us to securities class action litigation that, even
if unsuccessful, could be costly to defend and a distraction to management.
The
trading market for our common shares will be influenced by the research and reports that equity research analysts publish about
us and our business. The price of our common shares could decline if one or more securities analysts downgrade our common
shares or if those analysts issue a sell recommendation or other unfavorable commentary or cease publishing reports about us or our business.
If one or more of the analysts who elect to cover us downgrade our common shares, our share price could decline rapidly. If one
or more of these analysts cease coverage of us, we could lose visibility in the market, which in turn could cause our common share
price and trading volume to decline.
We
do not intend to pay dividends on our common shares.
We
intend to retain all of our earnings, if any, for the foreseeable future to finance the operation and expansion of our business and do
not anticipate paying cash dividends. Any future determination to pay dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors,
subject to compliance with applicable law and any contractual provisions, and will depend on, among other factors, our results of operations,
financial condition, capital requirements and other factors that our board of directors deems relevant. As a result, you should expect
to receive a return on your investment in our common shares only if the market price of the common shares increases, which
may never occur.
Future
sales, or the perception of future sales, of our common stock may depress the price of our common stock.
As
of July 31, 2021, we have 29,979,573 outstanding common shares.
Of these shares, 6,562,001 shares are in the public float or are eligible for re-sale under Rule 144. All remaining common
shares outstanding are “restricted securities” within the meaning of Rule 144. Additional sales of our common shares in the
public market after the date hereof, or the perception that these sales could occur, could cause the market price of our common shares
to decline.
Risks
relating to our business
Our
products face intense competition.
Slinger
is a consumer products company and the relative popularity of tennis and various sports and fitness activities and changing design trends
affect the demand for our products. The athletic equipment industry is highly competitive both in the U.S. and worldwide. We compete
internationally with a significant number of athletic and sports equipment companies and large companies having diversified lines of
athletic and sports equipment. We also compete with other companies for the production capacity of independent manufacturers that
produce our products. Our online digital e-commerce operations compete with brand wholesalers or specialist retailers.
Product
offerings, technologies, marketing expenditures (including expenditures for advertising and endorsements), pricing, costs of production,
customer service, digital commerce platforms and social media presence are areas of intense competition. This, in addition to rapid changes
in technology and consumer preferences in the markets for athletic and sports equipment, constitute significant risk factors in our operations.
In addition, the competitive nature of retail including shifts in the ways in which consumers are shopping, and the rising trend of digital
commerce, constitutes a risk factor implicating our online and wholesale operations. If we do not adequately and timely anticipate and
respond to our competitors, our costs may increase or the consumer demand for our products may decline significantly.
We
rely on technical innovation and high-quality products to compete in the market for our products.
Research
and development plays a key role in technical innovation. We rely upon specialists in the fields of engineering, industrial design, sustainability
and related fields, as well as other experts to develop and test cutting-edge performance products. While we strive to produce products
that help to enhance player performance, if we fail to introduce technical innovation in our products, consumer demand for our products
could decline, and if we experience problems with the quality of our products, we may incur substantial expense to remedy the problems.
25
Failure
to continue to obtain or maintain high-quality endorsers of our products could harm our business.
We
establish relationships with professional athletes, as well as other public figures such as teaching pros and influencers, to develop,
evaluate and promote our products, as well as establish product authenticity with consumers. However, as competition in our industry
has increased, the costs associated with establishing and retaining such sponsorships and other relationships have increased. If we are
unable to maintain our current associations with professional athletes, or other public figures, or to do so at a reasonable cost, we
could lose the high visibility or on-field authenticity associated with our products, and we may be required to modify and substantially
increase our marketing investments. As a result, our brands, net revenues, expenses and profitability could be harmed. Furthermore, if
certain endorsers were to stop using our products contrary to their endorsement agreements, our business could be adversely affected.
In addition, actions taken by athletes or other endorsers, associated with our products that harm the reputations of those athletes or
endorsers, could also seriously harm our brand image with consumers and, as a result, could have an adverse effect on our sales and financial
condition. In addition, poor performance by our endorsers, a failure to continue to correctly identify future athletes, public figures
or sports organizations, to use and endorse our products or a failure to enter into cost-effective endorsement arrangements with prominent
athletes, public figures, and sports organizations could adversely affect our brand, sales and profitability.
Our
business may be affected by seasonality, which could result in fluctuations in our operating results.
We
expect to experience moderate fluctuations in aggregate sales volume during the year. We expect revenues in the first and fourth fiscal
quarters to exceed those in the second and third fiscal quarters. However, the mix of product sales may vary considerably from time to
time as a result of changes in seasonal and geographic demand for tennis and other sports equipment and in connection with the timing
of significant sporting events, such as any Grand Slam tennis tournament and, over time, other sports competitions. In addition, our
customers may cancel orders, change delivery schedules or change the mix of products ordered with minimal notice. As a result, we may
not be able to accurately predict our quarterly sales. Accordingly, our results of operations are likely to fluctuate significantly from
period to period. This seasonality, along with other factors that are beyond our control, including general economic conditions, changes
in consumer preferences, weather conditions, availability of import quotas, transportation disruptions and currency exchange rate fluctuations,
could adversely affect our business and cause our results of operations to fluctuate. Our operating margins are also sensitive to a number
of additional factors that are beyond our control, including manufacturing and transportation costs, shifts in product sales mix and
geographic sales trends, all of which we expect to continue. Results of operations in any period should not be considered indicative
of the results to be expected for any future period.
We
may be adversely affected by the financial health of our customers.
We
extend credit to our tennis wholesale and tennis specialist retail customers based on an assessment of a customer’s financial condition,
generally without requiring collateral. To assist in the scheduling of production and the shipping of our products, we offer our distributor
partners the opportunity to place orders three months ahead of delivery under our direct ship ordering program. These advance orders
may be canceled under certain conditions, and the risk of cancellation may increase when dealing with financially unstable distribution
partners struggling with economic uncertainty. In the past, some sports customers have experienced financial difficulties up to and including
bankruptcies. Such future events would have an adverse effect on our sales, our ability to collect on receivables and our financial condition.
When the retail economy weakens or as consumer behavior shifts, retailers may be more cautious with orders. A slowing or changing economy
in our key markets could adversely affect the financial health of our customers, which in turn could have an adverse effect on our results
of operations and financial condition. In addition, product sales are dependent in part on high quality merchandising and an appealing
retail environment to attract consumers, which requires continuing investments by retailers. Retailers that experience financial difficulties
may fail to make such investments or delay them, resulting in lower sales and orders for our products.
26
Failure
to accurately forecast consumer demand could lead to excess inventories or inventory shortages, which could result in decreased operating
margins, reduced cash flows and harm to our business.
To
meet anticipated demand for our products, we purchase products from manufacturers outside of our direct ship ordering program and in
advance of customer orders, which we hold in inventory and resell to customers. There is a risk we may be unable to sell excess products
ordered from manufacturers. Inventory levels in excess of customer demand may result in inventory write-downs, and the sale of excess
inventory at discounted prices could significantly impair our brand image and have an adverse effect on our operating results, financial
condition and cash flows. Conversely, if we underestimate consumer demand for our products or if our manufacturers fail to supply products
we require at the time we need them, we may experience inventory shortages. Inventory shortages might delay shipments to customers, negatively
impact retailer, distributor and consumer relationships and diminish brand loyalty. The difficulty in forecasting demand also makes it
difficult to estimate our future results of operations, financial condition and cash flows from period to period. A failure to accurately
predict the level of demand for our products could adversely affect our net revenues and net income, and we are unlikely to forecast
such effects with any certainty in advance.
Consolidation
of retailers or concentration of retail market share among a few retailers may increase and concentrate our credit risk and impair our
ability to sell products.
The
sports equipment retail markets in some countries are dominated by a few large athletic equipment retailers with many stores. These retailers
have in the past increased their market share by expanding through acquisitions and construction of additional stores. These situations
concentrate our credit risk with a relatively small number of retailers, and, if any of these retailers were to experience a shortage
of liquidity or consumer behavior shifts away from traditional retail, it would increase the risk that their outstanding payables to
us may not be paid. In addition, increasing market share concentration among one or a few retailers in a particular country or region
increases the risk that if any one of them substantially reduces their purchases of our products, we may be unable to find a sufficient
number of other retail outlets for our products to sustain the same level of sales and revenues.
If
the technology-based systems that give our consumers the ability to shop with us online do not function effectively, our operating results,
as well as our ability to grow our digital commerce business globally, could be materially adversely affected.
Many
of our consumers shop with us through our digital platforms. Increasingly, consumers are using mobile-based devices and applications
to shop online with us and with our competitors and to do comparison shopping. We are increasingly using social media and proprietary
mobile applications to interact with our consumers and as a means to enhance their shopping experience. Any failure on our part to provide
attractive, effective, reliable, user-friendly digital commerce 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 digital commerce and other sales, harm our reputation with consumers, have a material adverse impact on the growth of our
digital commerce business globally and could have a material adverse impact on our business and results of operations. Risks specific
to our digital commerce business also include liability for online content. Our failure to successfully respond to these risks might
adversely affect sales in our digital commerce business, as well as damage our reputation and brands. Many
factors unique to e-commerce operations, some of which are beyond our control, pose risks and uncertainties. Risks include, but are not
limited to credit card fraud or data mismanagement.
27
We
are subject to data security and privacy risks that could negatively affect our results, operations or reputation.
In
addition to our own sensitive and proprietary business information, we handle transactional and personal information about our customers
and users of our digital experiences, which include online distribution channels and product engagement, adaptive products and personal
fitness applications. Hackers and data thieves are increasingly sophisticated and operate social engineering, such as phishing, and large-scale,
complex automated attacks that can evade detection for long periods of time. Any breach of our or our service providers’ network,
or other vendor systems, may result in the loss of confidential business and financial data, misappropriation of our consumers’,
users’ or employees’ personal information or a disruption of our business. Any of these outcomes could have a material adverse
effect on our business, including unwanted media attention, impairment of our consumer and customer relationships, damage to our reputation;
resulting in lost sales and consumers, fines, lawsuits, or significant legal and remediation expenses. We also may need to expend significant
resources to protect against, respond to and/or redress problems caused by any breach. In addition, we must comply with increasingly
complex and rigorous regulatory standards enacted to protect business and personal data in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere.
Failure
of our contractors or our licensees’ contractors to comply with local laws and other standards could harm our business.
We
work with contractors outside of the U.S. to manufacture our products. We require the contractors that directly manufacture our
products and our licensees that make products using our intellectual property (including, indirectly, their contract manufacturers) to
comply with environmental, health and safety standards for the benefit of workers. We also require these contractors to comply with applicable
standards for product safety. Notwithstanding their contractual obligations, from time-to-time contractors may not comply with
such standards or applicable local law or our licensees may fail to enforce such standards or applicable local law on their contractors.
Significant or continuing noncompliance with such standards and laws by one or more contractors could harm our reputation or result in
a product recall and, as a result, could have an adverse effect on our sales and financial condition. Negative publicity regarding production
methods, alleged practices or workplace or related conditions of any of our suppliers, manufacturers or licensees could adversely affect
our brand image and sales and force us to locate alternative suppliers, manufacturers or licenses.
Our
international operations involve inherent risks which could result in harm to our business.
All
of our equipment is manufactured outside of the U.S. with a large volume of our products being also sold outside of the U.S.
Accordingly, we are subject to the risks generally associated with global trade and doing business abroad, which include foreign
laws and regulations, varying consumer preferences across geographic regions, political unrest, disruptions or delays in cross-border
shipments and changes in economic conditions in countries in which our products are manufactured or where we sell products. This includes,
for example, the uncertainty surrounding the effect of Brexit, including changes to the legal and regulatory framework that apply to
the United Kingdom and its relationship with the European Union, as well as new and proposed changes affecting tax laws and trade policy
in the U.S. and elsewhere as further described in other risks in this section. The U.S. presidential administration has indicated
a focus on policy reforms that discourage U.S. corporations from outsourcing manufacturing and production activities to foreign jurisdictions,
including through tariffs or penalties on goods manufactured outside the U.S., which may require us to change the way we conduct business
and adversely affect our results of operations. The administration has also targeted the specific practices of certain U.S. multinational
corporations in public statements which, if directed at us, could harm our reputation or otherwise negatively impact our business.
We
could be subject to changes in tax rates, adoption of new tax laws, additional tax liabilities or increased volatility in our effective
tax rate.
We
are subject to the tax laws in the U.S. and numerous foreign jurisdictions. Current economic and political conditions make tax
laws and regulations, or their interpretation and application, in any jurisdiction subject to significant change. On December 22, 2017,
the U.S. enacted the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”), which includes a number of significant changes to previous U.S.
tax laws that impact us, including provisions for a one-time transition tax on deemed repatriation of undistributed foreign earnings,
and a reduction in the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, among other changes. The Tax
Act also transitions U.S. international taxation from a worldwide system to a modified territorial system and includes base erosion prevention
measures on non-U.S. earnings, which has the effect of subjecting certain earnings of our foreign subsidiaries to U.S. taxation.
We
earn a substantial portion of our income in foreign countries and are subject to the tax laws of those jurisdictions. There have been
proposals to reform foreign tax laws that could significantly impact how U.S. multinational corporations are taxed on foreign earnings.
Although we cannot predict whether or in what form these proposals will pass, several of the proposals considered, if enacted into law,
could have an adverse impact on our income tax expense and cash flows.
28
Portions
of our operations are subject to a reduced tax rate or are free of tax under various tax holidays and rulings. We also utilize tax rulings
and other agreements to obtain certainty in treatment of certain tax matters. These holidays and rulings expire in whole or in part from
time to time and may be extended when certain conditions are met or terminated if certain conditions are not met. The impact of any changes
in conditions would be the loss of certainty in treatment thus potentially impacting our effective income tax rate.
We
may also be subject to the examination of our tax returns by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and other tax
authorities. We regularly assess the likelihood of an adverse outcome resulting from these examinations to determine the adequacy of
our provision for income taxes. Although we believe our tax provisions are adequate, the final determination of tax audits and any related
disputes could be materially different from our historical income tax provisions and accruals. The results of audits or related disputes
could have an adverse effect on our financial statements for the period or periods for which the applicable final determinations are
made. For example, we and our subsidiaries are also engaged in a number of intercompany transactions across multiple tax jurisdictions.
Although we believe we have clearly reflected the economics of these transactions and the proper local transfer pricing documentation
is in place, tax authorities may propose and sustain adjustments that could result in changes that may impact our mix of earnings in
countries with differing statutory tax rates.
Our
products are subject to risks associated with overseas sourcing, manufacturing and financing.
The
principal materials used in our products (e.g., injection molded plastics, polyester, electrical motors, remote controls) are available
in countries where our manufacturing takes place. Our products are dependent upon the ability of our unaffiliated contract manufacturers
to locate, train, employ and retain adequate personnel. Slinger contractors and suppliers buy raw materials and are subject to wage rates
that are oftentimes regulated by the governments of the countries in which our products are manufactured.
There
could be a significant disruption in the supply of raw materials from current sources or, in the event of a disruption, our contract
manufacturers might not be able to locate alternative suppliers of materials of comparable quality at an acceptable price or at all.
Further, our unaffiliated contract manufacturers have experienced and may continue to experience in the future, unexpected increases
in work wages, whether government mandated or otherwise and increases in compliance costs due to governmental regulation concerning certain
metals used in the manufacturing of our products. In addition, we cannot be certain that our unaffiliated manufacturers will be able
to fill our orders in a timely manner. If we experience significant increases in demand, or reductions in the availability of materials,
or need to replace an existing manufacturer, there can be no assurance additional supplies of raw materials or additional manufacturing
capacity will be available when required on terms acceptable to us, or at all, or that any supplier or manufacturer would allocate sufficient
capacity to us in order to meet our requirements. In addition, even if we are able to expand existing or find new manufacturing or sources
of materials, we may encounter delays in production and added costs as a result of the time it takes to train suppliers and manufacturers
in our methods, products, quality control standards and labor, health and safety standards. Any delays, interruption or increased costs
in labor or wages, or the supply of materials or manufacture of our products could have an adverse effect on our ability to meet retail
customer and consumer demand for our products and result in lower revenues and net income both in the short- and long-term.
Because
independent manufacturers make all of our products outside of our principal sales markets, our products must be transported by third
parties over large geographic distances. Delays in the shipment or delivery of our products due to the availability of transportation,
work stoppages, port strikes, infrastructure congestion or other factors, and costs and delays associated with consolidating or transitioning
between manufacturers, could adversely impact our financial performance. In addition, manufacturing delays or unexpected demand for our
products may require us to use faster, but more expensive, transportation methods such as air freight, which could adversely affect our
profit margins. The cost of oil is a significant component in manufacturing and transportation costs, so increases in the price of petroleum
products can adversely affect our profit margins. Changes in U.S. trade policies, including new and potential changes to import tariffs
and existing trade policies and agreements, could also have a significant impact on our activities in foreign jurisdictions, and could
adversely affect our results of operations.
29
We
rely significantly on information technology to operate our business, including our supply chain and retail operations, and any failure,
inadequacy or interruption of that technology could harm our ability to effectively operate our business.
We
are heavily dependent on information technology systems and networks, including the Internet and third-party services (“Information
Technology Systems”), across our supply chain, including product design, production, forecasting, ordering, manufacturing, transportation,
sales and distribution, as well as for processing financial information for external and internal reporting purposes, retail operations
and other business activities. Information Technology Systems are critical to many of our operating activities and our business processes
and they may be negatively impacted by any service interruption or shutdown. For example, our ability to effectively manage and maintain
our inventory and to ship products to customers on a timely basis depends significantly on the reliability of these Information Technology
Systems. We have implemented Information Technology Systems in all of the geographical regions in which we operate. Our work to integrate,
secure and enhance these systems and related processes in our global operations is ongoing and Slinger will continue to invest in these
efforts. The failure of these systems to operate effectively, including as a result of security breaches, viruses, hackers, malware,
natural disasters, vendor business interruptions or other causes, or failure to properly maintain, protect, repair or upgrade systems,
or problems with transitioning to upgraded or replacement systems could cause delays in product fulfillment and reduced efficiency of
our operations, could require significant capital investments to remediate the problem which may not be sufficient to cover all eventualities,
and may have an adverse effect on our reputation, results of operations and financial condition.
We
also use Information Technology Systems to process financial information and results of operations for internal reporting purposes and
to comply with regulatory financial reporting, legal and tax requirements. If Information Technology Systems suffer severe damage, disruption
or shutdown and our business continuity plans, or those of our vendors, do not effectively resolve the issues in a timely manner, we
could experience delays in reporting our financial results, which could result in lost revenues and profits, as well as reputational
damage. Furthermore, we depend on Information Technology Systems and personal data collection for digital marketing, digital commerce,
consumer engagement and the marketing and use of our digital products and services. We also rely on our ability to engage in electronic
communications throughout the world between and among our employees as well as with other third parties, including customers, suppliers,
vendors and consumers. Any interruption in Information Technology Systems may impede our ability to engage in the digital space and result
in lost revenues, damage to our reputation, and loss of users.
Our
financial results may be adversely affected if substantial investments in businesses and operations fail to produce expected returns.
From
time to time, we may invest in technology, business infrastructure, new businesses, product offering and manufacturing innovation and
expansion of existing businesses, such as our digital commerce operations, which require substantial cash investments and management
attention. We believe cost-effective investments are essential to business growth and profitability; however, significant investments
are subject to typical risks and uncertainties inherent in developing a new business or expanding an existing business. The failure of
any significant investment to provide expected returns or profitability could have a material adverse effect on our financial results
and divert management attention from more profitable business operations.
30
We
are subject to a complex array of laws and regulations, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results
of operations.
As
a global business, we are subject to and must comply with extensive laws and regulations in the U.S. and other jurisdictions in which
we have operations and distribution channels. If we or our employees, agents, suppliers, and other partners fail to comply with any of
these laws or regulations, such failure could subject us to fines, sanctions or other penalties that could negatively affect our reputation,
business, financial condition and results of operations. We may be involved in various types of claims, lawsuits, regulatory proceedings
and government investigations relating to our business, our products and the actions of our employees and representatives, including
contractual and employment relationships, product liability, antitrust, trademark rights and a variety of other matters. It is not possible
to predict with certainty the outcome of any such legal or regulatory proceedings or investigations, and we could in the future incur
judgments, fines or penalties, or enter into settlements of lawsuits and claims that could have a material adverse effect on our business,
financial condition and results of operations and negatively impact our reputation. The global nature of our business means legal and
compliance risks, such as anti-bribery, anti-corruption, fraud, trade, environmental, competition, privacy and other regulatory matters,
will continue to exist and additional legal proceedings and other contingencies will arise from time to time, which could adversely affect
us. In addition, the adoption of new laws or regulations, or changes in the interpretation of existing laws or regulations, may result
in significant unanticipated legal and reputational risks. Any current or future legal or regulatory proceedings could divert management’s
attention from our operations and result in substantial legal fees.
The
sale of a large number of shares of common stock by our principal shareholder could depress the market price of our common stock.
As
of July 31, 2021, Yonah Kalfa beneficially owned approximately 67% of our common stock outstanding. The shares may
become available for resale, subject to the requirements of the U.S. securities laws. The sale or prospect of a sale of a substantial
number of these shares could have an adverse effect on the market price of our common stock.
If
we fail to remain current on our reporting requirements, we could be removed from the OTC Bulletin Board, which would limit the ability
of broker-dealers to sell our securities in the secondary market.
Companies
trading on the Over the Counter (OTC) Bulletin Board must be reporting issuers under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, and must be current in their reports under Section 13, in order to maintain price quotation privileges on the OTC Bulletin
Board. As a result, the market liquidity for our securities could be severely adversely affected by limiting the ability of broker-dealers
to sell our securities and the ability of shareholders to sell their securities in the secondary market. In addition, we may be
unable to get relisted on the OTC Bulletin Board, which may have an adverse material effect on the Company.
Our
common stock is considered a “penny stock,” any investment in our shares is considered to be a high-risk investment and
is subject to restrictions on marketability.
Our
common stock is considered a “penny stock” because it is quoted on the OTCQB and it trades for less than $5.00 per share.
The OTCQB is generally regarded as a less efficient trading market than the NASDAQ Capital or Global Markets or the New York Stock Exchange.
The SEC has rules that regulate broker-dealer practices in connection with transactions in “penny stocks.” Penny stocks generally
are equity securities with a price of less than $5.00 per share (other than securities registered on certain national securities exchanges
or quoted on the NASDAQ system, provided that current price and volume information with respect to transactions in such securities is
provided by the exchange or system). The penny stock rules require a broker-dealer, prior to a transaction in a penny stock not otherwise
exempt from those rules, to deliver a standardized risk disclosure document prepared by the SEC, which specifies information about penny
stocks and the nature and significance of risks of the penny stock market. The broker-dealer also must provide the customer with bid
and offer quotations for the penny stock, the compensation of the broker-dealer and any salesperson in the transaction, and monthly account
statements indicating the market value of each penny stock held in the customer’s account. In addition, the penny stock rules require
that, prior to effecting a transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from those rules, the broker-dealer must make a special
written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for the purchaser and receive the purchaser’s written agreement
to the transaction. These disclosure requirements may have the effect of reducing the trading activity in the secondary market for our
common stock. Since our common stock is subject to the regulations applicable to penny stocks, the market liquidity for our common stock
could be adversely affected because the regulations on penny stocks could limit the ability of broker-dealers to sell our common stock
and thus your ability to sell our common stock in the secondary market in the future. We can provide no assurance that our common stock
will be quoted or listed on the OTCQB, NASDAQ or any exchange, even if eligible in the future.
31
ITEM
1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
Not applicable
to smaller reporting companies.
ITEM
2. PROPERTIES
As
of the date of this report, we do not own any properties. The Company does lease some office space under short-term leases
with terms under a year.
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.