Unless the context provides otherwise, when we refer to the “Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us” in this Form 10-K, we are referring to Global Digital Solutions, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries.
History
Effective as of March 23, 2004, Creative Beauty Supply, Inc., ("Creative"), a New Jersey corporation that was incorporated on August 28, 1995, acquired Global Digital Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Global”). The merger was treated as a recapitalization of Global. Creative changed its name to Global Digital Solutions, Inc. We disposed of our pre-merger assets and liabilities and succeeded to the business of Global. Although Creative was the legal acquiror, Global became the accounting acquiror of the Company for financial statement purposes. On January 8, 2004, Global had acquired Pacific ComTel, Inc., a company that provided structured cabling design, installation and maintenance for leading information technology companies, federal, state and local government, major businesses, educational institutions, and telecommunication companies.
Our mission was to target the United States government contract marketplace for audio and video services. The U.S. government and commercial marketplaces have budgeted over the long term to upgrade existing telephony, computer, and outsourcing systems across the spectrum of communications, security, and services marketplace segments. Due to significant capital constraints, we wound down the majority of our operations in June of 2005, but continued to operate a small operations team in Northern California.
Change in business direction
On May 1, 2012, with support from our major shareholders, we made the decision to wind down our operations in the telecommunications area and refocus our efforts in the area of small arms manufacturing, knowledge-based and culturally attuned social consulting and security-related solutions in unsettled areas as discussed below.
We changed our fiscal year end from June 30 to December 31, in June 2009.
On August 6, 2013, we filed a Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation to increase the number of our authorized shares of capital stock from 110,000,000 shares to 185,000,000 shares, divided into two classes: 175,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $.001 per share (the “common stock”), and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $.001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”).
Emerging Growth Company
We are an "emerging growth company" as that term is used in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 and, as such, have elected to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements report and future filings.
As a company with less than $1.0 billion in revenue during our most recently completed fiscal year, we qualify as an "emerging growth company" as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, which we refer to as the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. As an emerging growth company, we may take advantage of specified reduced disclosure and other requirements that are otherwise applicable, in general, to public companies that are not emerging growth companies. These provisions include:
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Reduced disclosure about our executive compensation arrangements;
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No non-binding shareholder advisory votes on executive compensation or golden parachute arrangements;
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Exemption from the auditor attestation requirement in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting; and
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Reduced disclosure of financial information in this Form 10-K, including two years of audited financial information.
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We may take advantage of these exemptions for up to five years or such earlier time that we are no longer an emerging growth company. We would cease to be an emerging growth company if we have more than $1.0 billion in annual revenues as of the end of a fiscal year, if we are deemed to be a large-accelerated filer under the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, or if we issue more than $1.0 billion of non-convertible debt over a three-year-period.
The JOBS Act permits an emerging growth company to take advantage of an extended transition period to comply with new or revised accounting standards applicable to public companies. We are choosing to "opt out" of this provision.
Acquisition and Disposition of Bronco Communications, LLC
On January 1, 2012, we acquired a 51% stake in Bronco Communications, LLC, (“Bronco”) a Nevada-California regional telecommunications subcontractor located in Folsom, CA in consideration for 4,289,029 shares of our restricted common stock valued at $0.035 per share, or $150,116, the fair market value of our common stock on the date the agreement was made. One of our directors and executive officer owns a 10% membership interest in Bronco. On October 15, 2012, we entered into an Amendment to the Purchase Agreement, in which we agreed to relinquish control of Bronco to its minority shareholders effective as of January 1, 2013, in consideration for the assumption of Bronco’s liabilities. Thus, as of January 1, 2013, we no longer held any interest in Bronco. The foregoing description of the acquisition and disposition of Bronco does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the (i) Purchase Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 2.1 hereto, and (ii) the Amendment to Purchase Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 2.2 hereto, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Formation of subsidiaries
In December 2012 we incorporated GDSI Florida LLC, and in January 2013 we incorporated Global Digital Solutions, LLC, both Florida limited liability companies. In November 2013, we incorporated GDSI Acquisition Corporation, a Delaware corporation. We pay administrative expense for our Florida office through GDSI Florida LLC; it has no other business operations. We do not conduct any business through Global Digital Solutions LLC or GDSI Acquisition Corporation at this time.
Other Proposed Acquisitions
Set forth below is information concerning several proposed acquisitions. The Company does not intend or undertake to update the information set forth below in respect of any such transaction unless and until a more definitive and/or binding arrangement is entered into by the Company in respect of any such transaction, and subject to any obligations of confidentiality which may be undertaken by the Company with respect thereto.
The Freedom Group Proposal.
We submitted a non-binding proposal, dated January 27, 2014, for the acquisition of Remington Outdoor Company, Inc., also known as Freedom Group, Inc. (“Freedom”). We received no response to such proposal and, by its terms, it expired on February 17, 2014. In order to facilitate discussions, we revised our proposal by leaving certain basic terms open for future negotiations and submitted a revised non-binding proposal, dated March 10, 2014. Under the proposal, the Company would offer consideration valued at eight times the 2013 consolidated EBITDA of Freedom and its specified subsidiaries less long term indebtedness. The Company estimates such EBITDA at $237.5 million and such long- term indebtedness at $818 million, which would result in total consideration of $1.082 billion. Such amount would be subject to determination and adjustment as described in the proposal. Freedom has estimated that its net sales for 2013 will be in the range of $1.250 billion to $1.275 billion and that its adjusted EBITDA will be in the range of $235 million to $240 million.
Freedom describes itself as the world's leading innovator, designer, manufacturer and marketer of firearms, ammunition and related products for the hunting, shooting sports, law enforcement and military markets. It indicates that, as one of the largest manufacturers in the world of firearms and ammunition, it has some of the most globally recognized brands including Remington®, Bushmaster® Firearms, DPMS/Panther Arms™, Marlin®, H&R®, The Parker Gun™, Mountain Khakis®, Advanced Armament Corp. ®, Dakota Arms®, Para™ USA and Barnes® Bullets. Additional information concerning Freedom is available on its website at
http://www.freedom-group.com
. Information on that website shall not be deemed to be incorporated in, or to be a part of, this report.
The Company estimates that there are 166,989 shares of common stock of Freedom outstanding. On this basis, the consideration per share offered in the transaction would be cash in the amount of $4,479.67 plus 1,000 shares of the Company’s common stock. Total consideration would be approximately $750 million in cash and 160 million shares of the Company’s common stock.
The proposal is subject to various conditions, including (1) satisfactory completion of due diligence by the Company, (2) mutual agreement on the terms of an acquisition agreement, (3) successful completion by the Company of equity and debt offerings to provide necessary funding for the transaction, (4) receipt of required governmental and other third party approvals and (5) other customary conditions.
The Company has not received a response to this proposal. However, the Company intends to continue efforts to enter into discussions with a view to moving forward with this proposal. As indicated above, the Company is not able to predict the likelihood of completion of this transaction or of any other transaction involving Freedom.
Private Company 1 Letter of Intent.
We entered into a non-binding letter of intent with a private company (“PC1”), in Q4 2013, under which we would acquire PC1 at a price, to be paid in cash, equal to six times PC1’s 2013 EBITDA, determined as described in the letter of intent, and subject to adjustment based on the audited financial statements of PC1 for 2013. PC1’s unaudited revenue for 2013 was approximately $30 million and unaudited EBITDA was approximately $2.6 million. Based on the Company’s estimate of the EBITDA determined pursuant to the letter of intent, the purchase price would be $15.62 million.
PC1 is involved in the supply of military and law enforcement equipment. The PC1 acquisition was subject to satisfactory completion of due diligence by the Company, which the Company recently completed. It is also subject to completion of a satisfactory acquisition agreement and other customary conditions. As indicated above, the Company is not able to predict the likelihood of completion of this transaction or of any other transaction involving PC1.
Private Company 2 Letter of Intent.
We also entered into a non-binding letter of intent with another private company (“PC2”), in Q4 2013, under which the Company would initially acquire 80% of the outstanding shares of PC2 for a purchase price, payable partly in cash and partly in shares of the Company, based on a ten times multiple of the EBITDA of PC2 for specified fiscal years, to be determined, and subject to adjustment, as described in the letter of intent.
PC2 offers product technology and development services in various industries, including military, aerospace, alternative energy and aviation, among others. PC2 had unaudited revenue of approximately $25 million in 2013 and unaudited EBITDA of approximately $4.5 million in 2013. Based on the Company’s estimate of the EBITDA of PC2 for the applicable period, an initial payment of $30 million would be made at the closing, of which $24 million would be paid in cash and $6 million in shares of common stock of the Company, valued at $1 per share for this purpose. Additional payments of up to $5 million each would be made on the first and second anniversaries of the closing, subject to specified EBITDA targets, which would be paid 80% in cash and 20% in shares of the Company, valued at $1 per share.
On the fourth anniversary of the closing, the shareholders of PC2 would have the right to put the remaining 20% of their shares in PC2 to the Company, at a purchase price per share equal to ten times the EBITDA per share of PC2 for the preceding three fiscal years, to be paid 50% in cash and 50% in shares of common stock of the Company. For this purpose, the shares of the Company would be valued at the weighted average closing price for the 20 trading days preceding the date of determination.
For any shares of the Company issued in the transaction, the Company would provide to the sellers a guarantee as to the minimum market price of the shares for the two years following receipt, and such shares would be subject to restrictions on transfer for twelve months following receipt.
Following completion of the acquisition, as long as the selling shareholders continue to hold 20% of the shares of PC2, they would be entitled to designate two of the three members of the board of PC2.
The PC2 acquisition is subject to satisfactory completion of due diligence by both parties, which is currently in progress, completion of a satisfactory acquisition agreement and other customary conditions. As indicated above, the Company is not able to predict the likelihood of completion of this transaction or of any other transaction involving PC2.
On March 21, 2014 we received a letter from Midtown Partners & Company, LLC (“Midtown”) stating that Midtown is “highly confident” of its ability to arrange debt and equity financing for the two private company proposed acquisitions outlined above, subject to certain conditions, including: (i) satisfactory market conditions and no material adverse change in the business or prospects of the Company; (ii) satisfactory completion of Midtown’s due diligence on the Company, and (iii) approval from Midtown’s internal committees.
Airtronic USA, Inc.
On October 22, 2012, we entered into an Agreement of Merger and Plan of Reorganization (“Merger Agreement”) to acquire 70% of Airtronic USA, Inc. (“Airtronic”), a debtor in possession under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in a case pending in the US Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division (the “Court”) once Airtronic successfully reorganized and emerged from bankruptcy (the “Merger”).
Contemporaneously, on October 22, 2012, we entered into a Debtor In Possession Note Purchase Agreement (“Bridge Loan”) with Airtronic. We agreed to lend Airtronic a maximum of $2,000,000, with an initial advance of $750,000 evidenced by an 8¼% Secured Promissory Note made by Airtronic in favor of the Company (the “Original Note”) and a Security Agreement pledging all of Airtronic’s assets. As of December 31, 2012 we had not advanced any funds to Airtronic under the Bridge Loan and Original Note. The Original Note bears interest at 8¼% per annum, and, unless an event of default shall have previously occurred and be continuing, the full amount of principal and accrued interest under the note shall be due and payable on the consummation of Airtronic’s plan of reorganization. In March 2013, the Company and Airtronic amended the Bridge Loan to provide for a maximum advance of up to $700,000 in accordance with draws submitted by Airtronic and approved by the Company in accordance with the budget set forth in the amendment. On June 26, 2013, we agreed to a second modification of the Bridge Loan agreement with Airtronic, and agreed to loan Airtronic up to an additional $550,000 under the Bridge Loan. On August 5, 2013, we entered into the Second Bridge Loan Modification and Ratification Agreement, received a new 8¼% secured promissory note in principal amount of $550,000 (the “Second Note”), and entered into a Security Agreement with the CEO of Airtronic, which granted a security interest in certain intellectual property for patent-pending applications and trademarks that were registered in the CEO’s name. On October 10, 2013, we entered into a third modification of the Bridge Loan Agreement, and agreed to loan Airtronic up to an additional $200,000. On October 10, 2013, we entered into the Third Bridge Loan Modification and Ratification Agreement, and received a new 8¼% secured promissory note for $200,000 (the “Third Note”).
On October 2, 2013, Airtronic’s amended plan of reorganization (the “Plan”) was confirmed by the Court, but the Plan was never substantially consummated and has now been terminated. Under the terms of the Plan, Airtronic needed to close the Merger with the Company within 60 days following the confirmation date, i.e., on or before December 2, 2013, to obtain the funds necessary to pay its creditors in accordance with the Plan. Nevertheless, Airtronic refused to close the Merger with the Company on or before December 2, 2013, and as a result the Plan terminated and the reorganized Airtronic re-vested in the bankruptcy estate of Airtronic as debtor in possession.
On December 5, 2013, the Company filed a motion with the Court to declare the Original Note, the Second Note and the Third Note to be in default. A supplemental motion was filed with the Court on January 6, 2014. On February 23, 2014, Airtronic filed a modified plan of reorganization (“Modified Plan”) that provides, among other things, for the full repayment of the Original Note, the Second Note and the Third Note together with all accrued interest thereon, subject to confirmation of the Modified Plan. On March 3, 2014, a creditor of Airtronic, Airtronic Acquisition, LLC, filed a separate proposed plan of reorganization (“The AAC Plan”). The AAC Plan also provides, among other things, for the full repayment of the Original Note, the Second Note and the Third Note together with all accrued interest thereon, subject to confirmation of the AAC Plan On March 26, 2014, the Court approved an order fixing the time for filing, acceptance or rejection of the proposed plans of reorganization, and set April 28, 2014 as the date for the hearing to confirm either the Modified Plan or the AAC Plan. The Company is not able to predict the likelihood of confirmation of either the Modified Plan or the AAC Plan or of any other transaction involving Airtronic.
Convertible Note Payable
In December 2012, we entered into a Promissory Note Purchase Agreement, under which the Investor loaned us $750,000 evidenced by our secured promissory note (the “Note”) and a Security Agreement with an Investor (“Investor”) to lend us $750,000. The Note bears interest at 8¼%, is secured by all of our assets and had a maturity date of May 1, 2013. In connection with the transaction, we issued to the Investor a warrant to acquire 3,000,000 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $0.15, exercisable for a period of three years (the “Warrant”).
On May 6, 2013, the Company and the Investor entered into an amendment (the “Amendment”) with the Investor, which:
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Extended the Note’s maturity date to July 1, 2013;
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Provided that on or before the maturity date, we may elect to convert the Note into 3,000,000 shares of our common stock at a conversion price of $0.25; and
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Reduced the exercise price of the Warrant from $0.15 to $0.10.
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On July 1, 2013, the Investor converted the Note into 3,000,000 shares of our restricted common stock. On December 18, 2013, the Investor partially exercised the Warrant and we issued 1,250,000 shares of our restricted common stock in consideration for $125,000.
Private Placements
Between January 1, and December 31, 2013, we sold 5,634,000 shares of our common stock in private placements to accredited investors for gross proceeds of $2,011,100.
Changes to the Board of Directors and Executive Officers
On August 12, 2013, our Board of Directors (the “Board”) approved the appointments of Richard J. Sullivan, Arthur F. Noterman and Stephanie C. Sullivan to serve on our Board. William J. Delgado continues to serve as a director. In addition, effective as of August 12, 2013, the Board appointed the following to serve as our officers in
the capacities set forth next to their names:
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Title
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President, Chief Executive Officer and Assistant Secretary
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William J. Delgado
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Executive Vice President
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David A. Loppert
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Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary
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Our Board presently consists of four members. The number may be fixed from time to time by the Board or our stockholders, and after the acquisition of Airtronic it is expected to consist of 5 persons. A vacancy on our Board and may be filled by the vote of a majority of the directors holding office. All directors hold office for one-year terms until the election and qualification of their successors. Officers are appointed by the Board and serve at the discretion of the Board.
Advisory Board
Our advisory board consists of the following individuals:
Edwin J. Wang
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Chairman, Advisory Board
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Jennifer S. Carroll (1)
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Senior Advisor
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Senator Scott P. Brown
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Senior Advisor
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Matthew K. Kelley
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Senior Advisor
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(1) - If the acquisition of one or more of the companies with whom we have entered into LOIs is completed, we expect that Ms. Carroll will be appointed Chief Operating Officer. Ms. Carroll was until recently the Lt. Governor of the State of Florida, has served in the military, and has significant managerial experience.
Executive Offices
Our executive officers are located at 777 South Flagler Drive, Suite 800 West, West Palm Beach, FL 33410 and our telephone number is 561-515-6163.
Patents, Trademarks, and Licenses
We do not own any patents or trademarks and we have not entered into any license agreements.
Environmental Laws and Regulation
In the future we expect that we will be subject to various federal, state, local, provincial and foreign laws and regulations governing the protection of human health and the environment. In 2013, we did not make any significant capital expenditures for equipment required by environmental laws and regulations.
Available Information
The Company’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to reports filed pursuant to Sections 13(a) and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”), are filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Such reports and other information filed by the Company with the SEC are available free of charge on the Company’s website at
www.gdsi.co
when such reports are available on the SEC website. The public may read and copy any materials filed by the Company with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Room 1580, Washington, DC 20549. The public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC at
www.sec.gov
. The contents of these websites are not incorporated into this filing or any registration statement that incorporates this Form 10-K by reference. Further, the Company’s references to the URLs for these websites are intended to be inactive textual references only.
Employees
As of December 31, 2013, we employed four full-time employees. We also use professionals on an as-needed basis. We have no collective bargaining agreements and believe our relations with our employees are good.
Our operations could be affected by various risks, many of which are beyond our control. Based on current information, we believe that the following identifies the most significant risks that could affect our business. Investors should carefully consider the following risk factors, together with all of the information included in this Form 10-K, in evaluating our company, our business and our prospects.
Risks Relating to Our Business
There is substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.
Our independent registered public accounting firm has issued an opinion on our December 31, 2013, financial statements that states that the financial statements were prepared assuming we will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 1 to the financial statements, we had a net loss of $9,297,253 for the year ended December 31, 2013, and used net cash of $983,345 for operating activities. Additionally, at December 31, 2013, we had an accumulated deficit of $16,858,375. These matters raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. Our plan in regards to these matters is also described in Note 1 to our financial statements. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Our future is dependent on our ability to meet our financing requirements, and complete other identified and unidentified acquisitions. If we fail for any reason, we might not be able to continue as a going concern.
We have a limited operating history and may continue to incur losses.
There can be no assurance that our business will be profitable in the future. We may continue to incur losses and negative cash flows from operations. This would have a material adverse affect on our financial condition.
We will need additional financing to fully implement our business plan, and we cannot assure you that we will be successful in obtaining such financing or in continuing our operations.
We previously focused our efforts on developing our business in the communications sector. We are now focusing our efforts on developing our business in the areas of small arms manufacturing and distribution, knowledge-based and culturally attuned social consulting and security-related solutions in unsettled areas. We have entered into non-binding Letters of Intent (“LOI”) with two private companies in this area of business, but there can be no assurance that we will successfully close either of these transactions, or that additional public or private financing, including debt or equity financing, will be available as needed, or, if available, on terms favorable to us to close the transactions. Any additional equity financing may be dilutive to our stockholders and holders of such additional equity securities may have rights, preferences or privileges that are senior to those of our existing common or preferred stock. Furthermore, debt financing, if available, will require payment of interest and may involve restrictive covenants that could impose limitations on our operating flexibility. Our failure to successfully obtain additional future funding may jeopardize our ability to continue our business and operations.
While part of our strategy is to pursue strategic acquisitions, we may not be able to identify businesses that we can acquire on acceptable terms, we may not be able to obtain necessary financing or may face risks due to additional indebtedness, and our acquisition strategy may incur significant costs or expose us to substantial risks inherent in the acquired business’s operations.
Our strategy of pursuing strategic acquisitions may be negatively impacted by several risks, including the following:
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We may not successfully identify companies that have complementary product lines or technological competencies or that can diversify our revenue or enhance our ability to implement our business strategy.
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We may not successfully acquire companies if we fail to obtain financing, or to negotiate the acquisition on acceptable terms, or for other related reasons.
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We may incur additional expenses due to acquisition due diligence, including legal, accounting, consulting and other professional fees and disbursements. Such additional expenses may be material, will likely not be reimbursed and would increase the aggregate cost of any acquisition.
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Any acquired business will expose us to the acquired company’s liabilities and to risks inherent to its industry. We may not be able to ascertain or assess all of the significant risks.
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We may require additional financing in connection with any future acquisition. Such financing may adversely impact, or be restricted by, our capital structure.
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Achieving the anticipated potential benefits of a strategic acquisition will depend in part on the successful integration of the operations, administrative infrastructures and personnel of the acquired company or companies in a timely and efficient manner. Some of the challenges involved in such an integration include:
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demonstrating to the customers of the acquired company that the consolidation will not result in adverse changes in quality, customer service standards or business focus;
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preserving important relationships of the acquired company;
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coordinating sales and marketing efforts to effectively communicate the expanded capabilities of the combined company; and
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coordinating the supply chains.
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Any integration is expected to be complex, time-consuming and expensive and may harm the newly-consolidated company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
New federal and state laws and regulations may restrict our ability in the future to sell the products that potential acquisition targets currently sell into the domestic commercial market, which could materially adversely affect our future revenues.
Since December 2012, there has been an extremely sharp increase in political and public support for new “gun control” laws and regulations in the United States. Some proposed legislation, including legislation that has been introduced and is under active consideration in Congress and in state legislatures, would ban and/or restrict the sale of military and law enforcement firearms, in their current configurations, into the commercial market, either throughout the United States or in particular states. It is also possible that the President of the United States could issue Executive Orders that would adversely affect our ability to sell, or customers’ ability to purchase, our products. The political environment for enactment of new “gun control” measures at the federal, state and local level is evolving rapidly and additional significant change in the domestic legal and regulatory environment during 2014 is likely.
In light of the uncertain and evolving political, legal and regulatory environment, it is not clear what measures might be necessary in order to redesign products to comply with applicable law, nor whether it will even be possible in every instance to do so. To the extent that redesigns of products are possible, we may need to spend significant amounts of capital in order to effectuate such redesigns and may incur associated sales, marketing, legal and administrative costs in connection with the introduction of new models. Furthermore, there is no assurance that customers will accept redesigned product.
A substantial decline in the domestic commercial market for any of these reasons would have a material adverse effect on the businesses we acquire.
We depend upon our senior management and our business may be adversely affected if we cannot retain them.
Our success depends upon our ability to attract and retain experienced senior management with specialized industry and technical knowledge and/or industry relationships. On August 12, 2013, Richard J. Sullivan was appointed Chairman and CEO of the Company and David A. Loppert was appointed CFO. Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Loppert have significant experience as CEO and CFO, respectively, of public companies. Once the acquisition of one or more of the companies with whom we have entered into LOI’s is completed, we expect that Jennifer Carroll will be appointed COO. Ms. Carroll was until recently the Lt. Governor of the State of Florida, has served in the military, and has significant managerial experience. We might not be able to find or replace qualified individuals to fill the slots of senior management that we anticipate if their services do not become available to us or are no longer available to us; accordingly the inability to fill, or the loss of critical members of our anticipated senior management team could have a material adverse effect on our ability to effectively pursue our business and acquisition strategy. We do not have key-man life insurance policies covering any of our employees at this time.
If we are unable to manage future growth, our business may be negatively affected.
We are continuing to pursue a strategy of rapid growth, and plan to expand significantly our capability and devote substantial resources to our marketing, sales, administrative, operational, financial and other systems and resources. Such expansion will place significant demands on our marketing, sales, administrative, operational, financial and management information systems, controls and procedures. Accordingly, our performance and profitability will depend on the ability of our officers and key employees to:
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manage our business and our subsidiaries as a cohesive enterprise;
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manage expansion through the timely implementation and maintenance of appropriate administrative, operational, financial and management information systems, controls and procedures;
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add internal capacity, facilities and third-party sourcing arrangements as and when needed;
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maintain service quality controls; and
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attract, train, retain, motivate and manage effectively our employees.
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There can be no assurance that we will integrate and manage successfully new systems, controls and procedures for our business, or that our systems, controls, procedures, facilities and personnel, even if successfully integrated, will be adequate to support our projected future operations. Any failure to implement and maintain such systems, controls and procedures, add internal capacity, facilities and third-party sourcing arrangements or attract, train, retain, motivate and manage effectively our employees could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, we may incur substantial expenses identifying, investigating and developing appropriate products and services in the small arms business markets. There can be no assurance that any expenditures incurred in identifying, investigating and developing such products and services will ever be recouped.
We will need additional capital to fund ongoing operations, future acquisitions, and to respond to business opportunities, challenges, acquisitions or unforeseen circumstances. If such capital is not available to us, our business, operating results and financial condition may be harmed.
At December 31, 2013, we had $509,224 cash on hand. Our limited operating history makes it difficult to accurately forecast revenues and expenses, and in conjunction with other Risk Factors, raises substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. Since January 1, 2013, we have closed on a loan, various private placements and warrant exercises and have received gross proceeds of $3,186,100. We will continue to seek equity financing to provide funding for operations but there is no assurance that we will be successful in these efforts. If we are not successful in raising additional equity capital or generate sufficient cash flows to meet our obligations as they come due, we may not be able to complete the acquisition of Airtronic, and/or fully fund our ambitious growth plans. We may then be required to reduce our overhead expenses by the reduction of headcount and other available measures.
We may face strong competition from larger, established companies.
We likely will face intense competition from other companies that provide the same or similar small arms manufacturing and distribution services, knowledge-based and culturally attuned social consulting and security-related solutions we expect to provide, virtually all of whom can be expected to have longer operating histories, greater name recognition, larger installed customer bases and significantly more financial resources, R&D facilities and manufacturing and marketing experience than we have. There can be no assurance that developments by our potential competitors will not render our existing and future products or services obsolete. In addition, we expect to face competition from new entrants into the arms business, knowledge-based and culturally attuned social consulting business, and security-related solutions business. As the demand for products and services grows and new markets are exploited, we expect that competition will become more intense, as current and future competitors begin to offer an increasing number of diversified products and services. We may not have sufficient resources to maintain our research and development, marketing, sales and customer support efforts on a competitive basis. Additionally, we may not be able to make the technological advances necessary to maintain a competitive advantage with respect to our products and services. Increased competition could result in price reductions, fewer product orders, obsolete technology and reduced operating margins, any of which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
If we are unable to keep up with technological developments, our business could be negatively affected.
If we are successful in acquiring the companies we have entered into LOI’s with, the markets for our anticipated products and services are expected to be characterized by rapid technological change and be highly competitive with respect to timely innovations. Accordingly, we believe that our ability to succeed in the sale of our products and services will depend significantly upon the technological quality of our products and services relative to those of our competitors, and our ability to continue to develop and introduce new and enhanced products and services at competitive prices and in a timely and cost-effective manner. In order to develop such new products and services, we will depend upon close relationships with those companies, existing customers and our ability to continue to develop and introduce new and enhanced products and services at competitive prices and in a timely and cost-effective manner. There can be no assurance that we will be able to develop and market our new products and services successfully or respond effectively to technological changes or new product and service offerings of our potential competitors in the arms business. We may not be able to develop the required technologies, products and services on a cost-effective and timely basis, and any inability to do so could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may not be able to protect intellectual property that we expect to acquire, which could adversely affect our business.
The companies that we expect to acquire rely on patent, trademark, trade secret and copyright protection to protect their technology. We believe that technological leadership can be achieved through additional factors such as the technological and creative skills of our personnel, new product developments, frequent product enhancements, name recognition and reliable product maintenance. Nevertheless, our ability to compete effectively depends in part on our ability to develop and maintain proprietary aspects of our technology, such as patents. We may not secure future patents; and patents that we may secure may become invalid or may not provide meaningful protection for our product innovations. In addition, the laws of some foreign countries do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as the United States. Furthermore, there can be no assurance that competitors will not independently develop similar products, "reverse engineer" our products, or, if patents are issued to us, design around such patents. We also expect to rely upon a combination of copyright, trademark, trade secret and other intellectual property laws to protect our proprietary rights by entering into confidentiality agreements with our employees, consultants and vendors, and by controlling access to and distribution of our technology, documentation and other proprietary information. There can be no assurance, however, that the steps to be taken by us will not be challenged, invalidated or circumvented, or that the rights granted thereunder will provide a competitive advantage to us. Any such circumstance could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. While we are not currently engaged in any intellectual property litigation or proceedings, there can be no assurance that we will not become so involved in the future or that our products do not infringe any intellectual property or other proprietary right of any third party. Such litigation could result in substantial costs, the diversion of resources and personnel, and subject us to significant liabilities to third parties, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We may not be able to protect our trade names and domain names.
We may not be able to protect our trade names and domain names against all infringers, which could decrease the value of our brand name and proprietary rights. We currently hold the Internet domain name "www.gdsi.co" and we use GDSI as a trade name. Domain names generally are regulated by Internet regulatory bodies and are subject to change and may be superseded, in some cases, by laws, rules and regulations governing the registration of trade names and trademarks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and certain other common law rights. If the domain registrars are changed, new ones are created or we are deemed to be infringing upon another's trade name or trademark, we could be unable to prevent third parties from acquiring or using, as the case may be, our domain name, trade names or trademarks, which could adversely affect our brand name and other proprietary rights.
The effects of the sequester may adversely impact our business, operating results or financial condition.
The sequester and its associated cutbacks in the military and support services has resulted in furloughs and delays in processing and approving of foreign orders that are approved by the United States Department of Defense. This, coupled with continuing changes in economic conditions, including declining consumer confidence, concerns about inflation or deflation, the threat of a continuing recession, increases in the rates of default and bankruptcy and extreme volatility in the credit and equity markets, may lead our customers to cease doing business with us or to reduce or delay that business or their payments to us, and our results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected by these actions. These challenging economic conditions also may result in:
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increased competition for less spending;
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pricing pressure that may adversely affect revenue;
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difficulty forecasting, budgeting and planning due to limited visibility into the spending plans of current or prospective customers; or
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customer financial difficulty and increased risk of doubtful accounts receivable.
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We are unable to predict the duration and severity of the sequester and its adverse economic impact on conditions in the U.S. and other countries.
We expect a number of factors to cause our operating results to fluctuate on a quarterly and annual basis, which may make it difficult to predict our future performance.
Our revenues and operating results could vary significantly from quarter to quarter and year-to-year because of a variety of factors, many of which are outside of our control. As a result, comparing our operating results on a period-to-period basis may not be meaningful. In addition to other risk factors discussed in this section, factors that may contribute to the variability of our quarterly and annual results include:
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our ability to accurately forecast revenues and appropriately plan our expenses;
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the impact of worldwide economic conditions, including the resulting effect on consumer spending;
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our ability to maintain an adequate rate of growth;
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our ability to effectively manage our growth;
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our ability to attract new customers;
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our ability to successfully enter new markets and manage our expansion;
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the effects of increased competition in our business;
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our ability to keep pace with changes in technology and our competitors;
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our ability to successfully manage any future acquisitions of businesses, solutions or technologies;
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the success of our marketing efforts;
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changes in consumer behavior and any related impact on the advertising industry;
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interruptions in service and any related impact on our reputation;
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the attraction and retention of qualified employees and key personnel;
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our ability to protect our intellectual property;
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costs associated with defending intellectual property infringement and other claims;
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the effects of natural or man-made catastrophic events;
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the effectiveness of our internal controls; and
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changes in government regulation affecting our business.
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As a result of these and other factors, the results of any prior quarterly or annual periods should not be relied upon as indications of our future operating performance, and any unfavorable changes in these or other factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operation.
Growth may place significant demands on our management and our infrastructure.
We plan for substantial growth in our business, and this growth would place significant demands on our management and our operational and financial infrastructure. If our operations grow in size, scope and complexity, we will need to improve and upgrade our systems and infrastructure to meet customer demand. The expansion of our systems and infrastructure will require us to commit substantial financial, operational and technical resources in advance of an increase in the volume of business, with no assurance that the volume of business will increase. Continued growth could also strain our ability to maintain reliable service levels for our customers and meet their expected delivery schedules, develop and improve our operational, financial and management controls, enhance our reporting systems and procedures and recruit, train and retain highly skilled personnel.
Managing our growth will require significant expenditures and allocation of valuable management resources. If we fail to achieve the necessary level of efficiency in our organization as it grows, our business, operating results and financial condition would be harmed.
Confidentiality agreements with employees and others may not adequately prevent disclosure of trade secrets and other proprietary information.
In order to protect our proprietary technology and processes, we will rely in part on confidentiality agreements with our employees, customers, potential customers, independent contractors and other advisors. These agreements may not effectively prevent disclosure of confidential information and may not provide an adequate remedy in the event of unauthorized disclosure of confidential information. In addition, others may independently discover trade secrets and proprietary information, and in such cases we could not assert any trade secret rights against such parties. Costly and time-consuming litigation could be necessary to enforce and determine the scope of our proprietary rights, and failure to obtain or maintain trade secret protection could adversely affect our competitive business position.
We will continue to incur increased costs as a result of being a public reporting company and our management expects to devote substantial time to public reporting company compliance programs.
As a public reporting company, we will incur significant legal, insurance, accounting and other expenses that we would not incur as a non-reporting public company. We expect to invest resources to comply with evolving laws, regulations and standards, and this investment will result in increased general and administrative expenses and may divert management's time and attention from product development activities. If our efforts to comply with new laws, regulations and standards differ from the activities intended by regulatory or governing bodies due to ambiguities related to practice, regulatory authorities may initiate legal proceedings against us and our business may be harmed. We maintain directors' and officers' insurance coverage, which increases our insurance cost. In the future, it may be more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance, and we may be required to accept reduced coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain coverage. These factors could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified members of our board of directors, particularly to serve on our audit committee and compensation committee, and qualified executive officers.
In addition, in order to comply with the requirements of being a public reporting company, we may need to undertake various actions, including implementing new internal controls and procedures and hiring new accounting or internal audit staff. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires that we maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting. We are continuing to develop and refine our disclosure controls and other procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission's rules and forms, and that information required to be disclosed in reports under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to our principal executive and financial officers. Any failure to develop or maintain effective controls could adversely affect the results of periodic management evaluations. In the event that we are not able to demonstrate compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, that our internal control over financial reporting is perceived as inadequate, or that we are unable to produce timely or accurate financial statements, investors may lose confidence in our operating results and the price of our ordinary shares could decline.
As discussed below, because we are an emerging growth company, we are exempt from the auditor attestation requirement of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, but that does not preclude us from complying with certain of these rules, which require management to certify financial and other information in our quarterly and annual reports and provide an annual management report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting commencing with our second annual report. This assessment will need to include the disclosure of any material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting identified by our management or our independent registered public accounting firm. We have begun the costly and challenging process of implementing the system and processing documentation needed to comply with such requirements.
We may not be able to complete our evaluation, testing and any required remediation in a timely fashion.
Our independent registered public accounting firm will not be required to formally attest to effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting until the later of our second annual report or the first annual report required to be filed with the Commission following the date we are no longer an "emerging growth company" as defined in the JOBS Act. We cannot assure you that there will not be material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in our internal controls in the future.
Risks Related to our Common and Preferred Stock
We are eligible to be treated as an "emerging growth company" as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, and we cannot be certain if the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies will make our common stock 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 take advantage of exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies, including (1) not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley, (2) reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in this Form 10-K and our other periodic reports, and registration and proxy statements and (3) exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. In addition, as an emerging growth company, we are only required to provide two years of audited financial statements. We could be an emerging growth company for up to five years, although circumstances could cause us to lose that status earlier, including if the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates exceeds $700.0 million as of any June 30 before that time (i.e., we become a large accelerated filer) or if we have total annual gross revenue of $1.0 billion or more during any fiscal year before that time, in which cases we would no longer be an emerging growth company as of the following December 31 or, if we issue more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during any three-year period before that time, we would cease to be an emerging growth company immediately. Even after we no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, we may still qualify as a "smaller reporting company" which would allow us to take advantage of many of the same exemptions from disclosure requirements, including not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements. We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive because we may 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.
Under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies can also delay adopting new or revised accounting standards until such time as those standards apply to private companies. We have irrevocably elected not to avail ourselves of this extended transition period and, as a result, we will adopt new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for other public companies that are not emerging growth companies.
We may be unable to register for resale all of the shares of common stock sold in private placements, in which case purchasers in the private placements will need to rely on an exemption from the registration requirements in order to sell such shares.
In connection with our various private placements, we are obligated to include all such common stock sold in our next “resale” registration statement with the SEC. Nevertheless, it is possible that the SEC may not permit us to register all of such shares of common stock for resale. In certain circumstances, the SEC may take the view that the private placements require us to register the resale of the securities as a primary offering. Investors should be aware of the existence of risks that interpretive positions taken with respect to Rule 415, or similar rules or regulations including those that may be adopted subsequent to the date of this report, that could impede the manner in which the common stock may be registered or our ability to register the common stock for resale at all or the trading in our securities. If we are unable to register some or all of the common stock, or if shares previously registered are not deemed to be freely tradable, such shares would only be able to be sold pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act, such as Rule 144.
We have not paid dividends in the past and do not expect to pay dividends in the foreseeable future. Any return on investment may be limited to the value of our common stock.
We have never paid cash dividends on our common stock and do not anticipate doing so in the foreseeable future. The payment of dividends on our common stock will depend on earnings, financial condition and other business and economic factors affecting us at such time as our board of directors may consider relevant. If we do not pay dividends, our common stock may be less valuable because a return on your investment will only occur if our stock price appreciates.
There is currently a limited liquid trading market for our common stock and we cannot ensure that one will ever develop or be sustained.
To date there has been a nominal liquid trading market for our common stock. We cannot predict how liquid the market for our common stock might become. Our common stock is quoted for trading on the OTCQB Marketplace (“OTCQB”). As soon as is practicable, we anticipate applying for listing of our common stock on either the American Stock Exchange, The Nasdaq Capital Market or other national securities exchange, assuming that we can satisfy the initial listing standards for such exchange. We currently do not satisfy the initial listing standards, and cannot ensure that we will be able to satisfy such listing standards or that our common stock will be accepted for listing on any such exchange. Should we fail to satisfy the initial listing standards of such exchanges, or our common stock is otherwise rejected for listing and remains listed on the OTCQB or suspended from the OTCQB, the trading price of our common stock could suffer and the trading market for our common stock may be less liquid and our common stock price may be subject to increased volatility.
Furthermore, for companies whose securities are traded in the OTCQB, it is more difficult (1) to obtain accurate quotations, (2) to obtain coverage for significant news events because major wire services generally do not publish press releases about such companies, and (3) to obtain needed capital.
Our common stock may be deemed a "penny stock," which would make it more difficult for our investors to sell their shares.
Our common stock may be subject to the "penny stock" rules adopted under Section 15(g) of the Exchange Act. The penny stock rules generally apply to companies whose common stock is not listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market or other national securities exchange and trades at less than $4.00 per share, other than companies that have had average revenue of at least $6,000,000 for the last three years or that have tangible net worth of at least $5,000,000 ($2,000,000 if the company has been operating for three or more years). These rules require, among other things, that brokers who trade penny stock to persons other than "established customers" complete certain documentation, make suitability inquiries of investors and provide investors with certain information concerning trading in the security, including a risk disclosure document and quote information under certain circumstances. Many brokers have decided not to trade penny stocks because of the requirements of the penny stock rules and, as a result, the number of broker-dealers willing to act as market makers in such securities is limited. If we remain subject to the penny stock rules for any significant period, it could have an adverse effect on the market, if any, for our securities. If our securities are subject to the penny stock rules, investors will find it more difficult to dispose of our securities.
Offers or availability for sale of a substantial number of shares of our common stock may cause the price of our common stock to decline.
If our stockholders sell substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market, including shares issued in our private placements upon the effectiveness of the registration statement we expect to file, or upon the expiration of any statutory holding period, under Rule 144, or issued upon the exercise of outstanding options or warrants, it could create a circumstance commonly referred to as an "overhang" and in anticipation of which the market price of our common stock could fall. The existence of an overhang, whether or not sales have occurred or are occurring, also could make more difficult our ability to raise additional financing through the sale of equity or equity-related securities in the future at a time and price that we deem reasonable or appropriate. The shares of common stock sold in our private placements will be freely tradable upon the earlier of: (i) effectiveness of a registration statement covering such shares, or (ii) the date on which such shares may be sold without registration pursuant to Rule 144 (or other applicable exemption) under the Securities Act.
Investor Relations Activities, Nominal “Float” and Supply and Demand Factors May Affect the Price of our Stock.
We expect to utilize various techniques such as non-deal road shows and investor relations campaigns in order to create investor awareness for the Company. These campaigns may include personal, video and telephone conferences with investors and prospective investors in which our business practices are described. We have and we will continue to provide compensation to investor relations firms and pay for newsletters, websites, mailings and email campaigns that are produced by third-parties based upon publicly-available information concerning the Company. We will not be responsible for the content of analyst reports and other writings and communications by investor relations firms not authored by the Company or from publicly available information. We do not intend to review or approve the content of such analysts’ reports or other materials based upon analysts’ own research or methods. Investor relations firms should generally disclose when they are compensated for their efforts, but whether such disclosure is made or complete is not under our control.
The SEC and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) enforce various statutes and regulations intended to prevent manipulative or deceptive devices in connection with the purchase or sale of any security and carefully scrutinize trading patterns and company news and other communications for false or misleading information, particularly in cases where the hallmarks of “pump and dump” activities may exist, such as rapid share price increases or decreases. The Company and its shareholders may be subjected to enhanced regulatory scrutiny due to the relatively small number of holders who own the registered shares of the Company’s common stock publicly available for resale, and the limited trading markets in which such shares may be offered or sold which have often been associated with improper activities concerning penny-stocks, such as the OTCQB Marketplace. Until such time as the common stock sold in the private placements are registered and until such time as the restricted shares of the Company are registered or available for resale under Rule 144, there will continue to be a large percentage of shares held by a relatively small number of investors, many of whom acquired such shares in privately negotiated purchase and sale transactions, that will constitute the entire available trading market. The Supreme Court has stated that manipulative action is a term of art connoting intentional or willful conduct designed to deceive or defraud investors by controlling or artificially affecting the price of securities. Often times, manipulation is associated by regulators with forces that upset the supply and demand factors that would normally determine trading prices. The supply of Company common stock for sale has been and may continue to be limited for an indeterminate amount of time, which could result in higher bids, asks or sales prices than would otherwise exist. Securities regulators have often cited thinly-traded markets, small numbers of holders, and awareness campaigns as components of their claims of price manipulation and other violations of law when combined with manipulative trading, such as wash sales, matched orders or other manipulative trading timed to coincide with false or touting press releases. There can be no assurance that the Company’s or third-parties’ activities, or the small number of potential sellers or small percentage of stock in the “float,” or determinations by purchasers or holders as to when or under what circumstances or at what prices they may be willing to buy or sell stock will not artificially impact (or would be claimed by regulators to have affected) the normal supply and demand factors that determine the price of the stock.
We may apply the proceeds of private placements to uses that ultimately do not improve our operating results or increase the value of your investment.
We have used and intend to use the net proceeds from private placements for general working capital purposes. Our management has and will have broad discretion in how we use these proceeds. These proceeds could be applied in ways that do not ultimately improve our operating results or otherwise increase the value of the investment in shares of our common stock sold.
Because our current directors and executive officers are among our largest stockholders, they can exert significant control over our business and affairs and have actual or potential interests that may depart from those of subscribers in our private placements.
Our current directors and executive officers own or control approximately 38% of our issued and outstanding shares of common stock. Additionally, the holdings of our directors and executive officers may increase in the future upon vesting or other maturation of exercise rights under any of the restricted stock grants, options or warrants they may hold or in the future be granted or if they otherwise acquire additional shares of our common stock. The interests of such persons may differ from the interests of our other stockholders. As a result, in addition to their board seats and offices, such persons may have significant influence over and may control corporate actions requiring stockholder approval, irrespective of how the Company's other stockholders may vote, including the following actions:
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to elect or defeat the election of our directors;
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to amend or prevent amendment of our Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws;
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to effect or prevent a transaction, sale of assets or other corporate transaction; and
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to control the outcome of any other matter submitted to our stockholders for vote.
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Such persons' stock ownership may discourage a potential acquirer from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of the Company, which in turn could reduce our stock price or prevent our stockholders from realizing a premium over our stock price.
Exercise of warrants may have a dilutive effect on our common stock.
If the price per share of our common stock at the time of exercise of any options, or any other convertible securities is in excess of the various exercise or conversion prices of such convertible securities, exercise or conversion of such convertible securities would have a dilutive effect on our common stock. As of December 31, 2013, we had outstanding warrants to acquire 4,250,000 shares of our common stock at exercise prices ranging from $0.10 to $1.00. Further, any additional financing that we secure may require the granting of rights, preferences or privileges senior to those of our common stock and which result in additional dilution of the existing ownership interests of our common stockholders
Our certificate of incorporation allows for our board to create new series of preferred stock without further approval by our stockholders, which could adversely affect the rights of the holders of our common stock.
Our board of directors has the authority to fix and determine the relative rights and preferences of preferred stock. Our board of directors also has the authority to issue preferred stock without further stockholder approval. As a result, our board of directors could authorize the issuance of a series of preferred stock that would grant to holders a preferred right to our assets upon liquidation, the right to receive dividend payments before dividends are distributed to the holders of common stock and the right to the redemption of the shares, together with a premium, prior to the redemption of our common stock. In addition, our board of directors could authorize the issuance of a series of preferred stock that has greater voting power than our common stock or that is convertible into our common stock, which could decrease the relative voting power of our common stock or result in dilution to our existing stockholders.