UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 10-K
(Mark One)
☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015
☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from _______ to _______
Commission File No. 000-27688
SURGE COMPONENTS, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Nevada | 11-2602030 | |
(State
or Other Jurisdiction of
|
(I.R.S.
Employer
Identification No.) |
|
95 East Jefryn Boulevard Deer Park, New York |
11729 | |
(Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) | |
(631) 595-1818 | ||
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act:
Title of Each Class to be so Registered: |
Name of each exchange on which registered | |
None | None |
Securities registered under Section 12(g) of the Act:
Common Stock, Par Value $0.001
(Title of Class)
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months, (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files. Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of the registrant’s knowledge, in the definitive proxy or information statement incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or amendment to Form 10-K. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer”, “accelerated filer”, and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large Accelerated Filer | ☐ | Accelerated Filer | ☐ |
Non-accelerated Filer | ☐ | Smaller reporting company | ☒ |
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company) |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒
As of May 31, 2015, the aggregate market value of the issued and outstanding common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant, based upon the closing price of the common stock, was approximately $5.6 million.
The Registrant’s common stock outstanding as of February 26, 2016, was 9,999,125 shares of common stock.
SURGE COMPONENTS, INC.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This report contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this report, including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, business strategy and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.
In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "could," "intends," "target," "projects," "contemplates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other similar words. These statements are only predictions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. We discuss many of the risks in greater detail under the heading "Risk Factors." Also, these forward-looking statements represent our estimates and assumptions only as of the date of the filing of this report. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date of the filing of this report.
This report also contains estimates and other statistical data made by independent parties and by us relating to market size and growth and other industry data. This data involves a number of assumptions and limitations, and investors are cautioned not to give undue weight to such estimates. We have not independently verified the statistical and other industry data generated by independent parties and contained in this report and, accordingly, we cannot guarantee their accuracy or completeness. In addition, projections, assumptions and estimates of our future performance and the future performance of the industries in which we operate are subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors, including those described in “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this report. These and other factors could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the estimates made by the independent parties and by us.
Item 1. | Business. |
References to "we," "us," "our", "our company" and "the company" refer to Surge Components, Inc. ("Surge" or the "Company") and, unless the context indicates otherwise, includes Surge's wholly-owned subsidiaries, Challenge/Surge, Inc. ("Challenge"), and Surge Components, Limited ("Surge Limited”).
We were incorporated under the laws of the State of New York on November 24, 1981, and re-incorporated in Nevada on August 26, 2010. We completed an initial public offering of our securities in 1984 and a second offering in August 1996. Our principal executive offices are located at 95 East Jefryn Boulevard, Deer Park, New York 11729 and our telephone number is (631) 595-1818.
We are a supplier of electronic products and components. These products include capacitors, which are electrical energy storage devices, and discrete components, such as semiconductor rectifiers, transistors and diodes, which are single function low power semiconductor products that are packaged alone as compared to integrated circuits such as microprocessors. The products that we sell are typically utilized in the electronic circuitry of diverse products, including, but not limited to, automobiles, telecomm, audio, cellular telephones, computers, consumer electronics, garage door openers, household appliances, power supplies and security equipment. The products that we sell are sold to both original equipment manufacturers, commonly referred to as OEMs, who incorporate them into their products, and to distributors of the lines of products we sell, who resell these products within their customer base. Surge sells its products through three of the top four distributors for electronic components in the world and also supplies its products to subcontractors who manufacture for their customers. These channels open doors to Surge at customers which Surge may not have access to otherwise. The products that we sell are manufactured predominantly in Asia by approximately sixteen independent manufacturers. We only have one binding long-term supply agreement with one of our manufacturers, Lelon Electronics. We have an agreement to act as the exclusive sales agent utilizing independent sales representative organizations in North America to sell and market the products for one of such manufacturers, Lelon Electronics. When we act as a sales agent, we receive a commission from our supplier who sold the product to the customer that we introduced to our supplier. The amount of the commission is determined on a sale by sale basis depending on the profit margin of the product. Commission revenue totaled $266,525 and $509,273 for the fiscal years ended November 30, 2015 and November 30, 2014, respectively.
Challenge is engaged in the sale of electronic components. In 1999, Challenge began as a division to sell audible components. We have been able to increase the types of products that we sell because some of our suppliers introduced new products, and we also located other products from new suppliers. Our core products include buzzers, speakers, microphones, resonators, alarms, chimes, filters, and discriminators. We now also work with our suppliers to have our suppliers customize many of the products we sell for many customers through the customers’ own designs and those that we work with our suppliers to have our suppliers redesign for them at our suppliers’ factories. We have a design engineer on our staff with more than thirty years experience with these types of products, who works with our suppliers on such redesigns. We are continually looking to expand the line of products that we sell. In 2015, we hired a junior engineer to assist with the introduction of a new micro controller product line. We sell these products through independent representatives that earn a commission on the products we sell. We are also working with local, regional, and national distributors to sell these products to local accounts in every state.
In order for us to grow, we will depend on, among other things, the continued growth of the electronics and semiconductor industries, our ability to withstand intense price competition, our ability to obtain new clients, our ability to retain and attract sales and other personnel in order to expand our marketing capabilities, our ability to secure adequate sources of products, which are in demand on commercially reasonable terms, our success in managing growth, including monitoring an expanded level of operations.
Industry Background
The United States electronics distribution industry is composed of manufacturers, national and international distributors, as well as regional and local distributors. Electronics distributors market numerous products, including active components (such as transistors, microprocessors, integrated circuits and semiconductors), passive components (such as capacitors and audibles), and electro mechanical, interconnect (such as connectors and wire) and computer products. Surge focuses its efforts on the sale of capacitors, discrete components, and audible products.
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The electronics industry has been characterized by intense price cutting and rapid technological changes and development, which could materially adversely affect our future operating results. In addition, the industry has been affected historically by general economic downturns, which have had an adverse economic effect upon manufacturers and end-users of the products that we sell, as well as distributors. Furthermore, the life-cycle of existing electronic products and the timing of new product development and introduction can affect the demand for electronic components, including the products that we sell. Accordingly, any downturn in the electronics industry in general could adversely affect our business and results of operations. There are forces of change such as price cutting, M&A of customers and centralization of purchasing by customers vs. localized, affecting the wholesale distribution industry, including the electronics industry. The industry has experienced a strong move by U.S. manufacturers to design products in the United States, but then shift manufacturing and purchasing to Asia to benefit from this low cost labor region using their own factory or a subcontractor. Surge has responded to this trend by setting up a Hong Kong corporation, Surge Components, Limited, and hiring a sales staff to better position the Company in the Asian markets. Due to rising transportation and employment costs in Asia, we have seen U.S. manufacturers start moving their manufacturing facilities to Mexico to reduce transportation costs and bring manufacturing much closer to home. At this time, however, none of our customers has moved its manufacturing facilities to Mexico.
Products
Surge supplies a wide variety of electronic components (some of which bear our private "Surge" label) which can be broadly divided into two categories—capacitors and discrete components. For Fiscal 2015 and Fiscal 2014, capacitors accounted for approximately 50% and 50% of Surge's sales, respectively, of which approximately 75% for each year was Lelon capacitors (discussed below). Discrete components accounted for Surge's remaining sales in Fiscal 2015 and Fiscal 2014. Capacitors and discrete components can be categorized based on various factors, including function, construction, fabrication and capacity.
We sell, under the name of the manufacturer, Lelon Electronics, aluminum electrolytic capacitors, which are capacitors that store and release energy into a circuit incrementally and are used in various applications, including but not limited to, computers, appliances, automotive, lighting, telecommunications devices and various consumer products. Our sales of products under the Lelon Electronics name accounted for approximately 40% of our total sales (and approximately 75% of our capacitor sales as noted above) in Fiscal 2015.
The principal products sold by Surge under the Surge name (except with respect to capacitors, which the Company also sells under the Lelon Electronics name as noted above) or by Challenge are set forth below.
Capacitors
A capacitor is an electrical energy storage device used in the electronics industry for varied applications, principally as elements of resonant circuits, coupling and bypass applications, blockage of DC current, frequency determining and timing elements, filters and delay-line components. All products are available in traditional leaded as well as surface mount (chip) packages. The product line of capacitors we sell includes:
Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitors- These capacitors, which are Surge's principal product, are storage devices used in power applications to store and release energy as the electronic circuitry demands. They are commonly used in power supplies and can be found in a wide range of consumer electronics products. Our supplier has one of the largest facilities for these products in Taiwan and China. These facilities are fully certified for the International Quality Standard ISO 9001 and QS9000, and TS16949, which means that they meet the strictest requirements established by the automotive industry and adopted throughout the world to ensure that the facility's manufacturing processes, equipment and associated quality control systems will satisfy specific customer requirements. This system is also intended and designed to facilitate clear and thorough record keeping of all quality control and testing information and to ensure clear communication from one department to another about the information (i.e., quality control, production or engineering). This certification permits us to monitor quality control/manufacturing process information and to respond to any customer questions.
Ceramic Capacitors- These capacitors are the least expensive, and are widely used in the electronics industry. They are commonly used to bypass or filter semiconductors in resonant circuits and are found predominantly in a wide range of low cost products including computer, telecom, appliances, games and toys.
Mylar Film Capacitors- These capacitors are frequently used for noise suppression and filtering. They are commonly used in telecommunication and computer products. Surge's suppliers in China have facilities fully certified for all of the above mentioned quality certifications.
Discrete Components
Discrete components, such as semiconductor rectifiers, transistors and diodes, are packaged individually to perform a single or limited function, in contrast to integrated circuits, such as microprocessors and other "chips", which contain from only a few diodes to as many as several million diodes and other elements in a single package, and are usually designed to perform complex tasks. Surge almost exclusively distributes discrete, low power semiconductor components rather than integrated circuits.
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The product line of discrete components we sell includes:
Rectifiers- Low power semiconductor rectifiers are devices that convert alternating current, or AC power, into one directional current, or DC power, by permitting current to flow in one direction only. They tend to be found in most electrical apparatuses, especially those drawing power from an AC wall outlet. All products are available in traditional leaded as well as surface mount (chip) packages. Surge's rectifier suppliers all have the aforementioned certifications, giving us an opportunity to market the products that we sell to the automotive industry.
Transistors- These products send a signal to the circuit for transmission of waves. They are commonly used in applications involving the processing or amplification of electric current and electric signals, including data, television, sound and power. All products are available in traditional leaded as well as surface mount (chip) packages. Surge sells many types of ISO 9002 transistors, including power transistors, designed for large currents to safely dissipate large amounts of power.
Diodes- Diodes are two-lead or surface mount components that allow electric current to flow in only one direction. They are used in a variety of electronic applications, including signal processing and direction of current. All products are available in traditional leaded as well as surface mount (chip) packages. Diodes sold include:
Circuit Protection Devices- Our circuit protection devices include transient voltage suppressors and metal oxide varistors, which protect circuits against switching, lightning surges and other uncontrolled power surges and/or interruptions in circuits. Transient voltage suppressors, which offer a higher level of protection for the circuit, are required in telecommunication products and are typically higher priced products than the metal oxide varistors, which are more economically priced and are used in consumer products. All products are available in traditional leaded as well as surface mount (chip) packages.
Audible Components- These include audible transducers, Piezo buzzers, speakers, and microphones, which produce an audible sound for, and are used in back-up power supplies for computers, alarms, appliances, smoke detectors, automobiles, telephones and other products which produce sounds. Challenge has initiated marketing relationships with certain Asian manufacturers of audible components to sell these products worldwide. All products are available in traditional leaded as well as surface mount (chip) packages.
New Products- We periodically introduce new products, which are intended to complement our existing product lines. These products are ones that are commonly used in the same circuit designs as other of the products that we sell and will further provide a one- stop-shop for the customer. Some of these products are common items used in all applications and others are niche items with a focus towards a particular application. These new products include fuses, printed circuit boards and switches. All products are available in traditional leaded as well as surface mount (chip) versions.
Inventory
In order to adequately service our customers' needs, we believe that it is necessary to maintain large inventories, which makes us more susceptible to price and technology changes. At any given time, we attempt to maintain a one-to-two month inventory on certain products in high demand for customers and at least one month for other products. Our inventory currently contains more than 100 million component units consisting of more than 3,000 different part numbers. The products that we sell range in sales price from less than one cent for a commercial diode to more than $2.00 for high power capacitors and semiconductors. As of November 30, 2015, we maintained inventory valued at $3,199,463.
Because of the experience of our management, including Ira Levy and Steven Lubman, we believe that we know the best prices to buy the products we sell and as a result we generally waive rights to manufacturers' inventory protection agreements (including price protection and inventory return rights), and thereby bear the risk of increases in the prices charged by our manufacturers and decreases in the prices of products held in our inventory or covered by purchase commitments. If prices of components, which we hold in inventory decline, or if new technology is developed that displaces products that we sell, our business could be materially adversely affected. The Company has experienced very little impact from customer design changes and slowdown but this can potentially increase due to economic conditions and customer-specific business conditions. If our customers experience these changes, our business could be adversely affected.
Product Availability
Surge obtains substantially all of its products from manufacturers in Asia, while Challenge historically purchases its products both domestically and from Asia. However, in Fiscal 2015 and Fiscal 2014, Challenge purchased approximately 95% and 93%, respectively, of its products overseas as a result of Challenge's introduction of new product lines. Of the total goods purchased by Surge and Challenge in Fiscal 2015, those foreign manufactured products were supplied from manufacturers in Taiwan (58%), Hong Kong (9%), elsewhere in Asia (29%) and overseas outside of Asia (less than 1%). The Company purchases its products from approximately sixteen different manufacturers.
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Most of the facilities that manufacture products for Surge have obtained International Quality Standard ISO 9002 and other certifications. We typically purchase the products that we sell in United States currency in order to minimize the risk of currency fluctuations. In most cases, Surge utilizes two or more alternative sources of supply for each of its products with one primary and one complementary supplier for each product. Surge's relationships with many of its suppliers date back to the commencement of our import operations in 1983. We have established payment terms with our manufacturers of between 30 and 60 day open account terms.
We only have one agreement with a supplier, Lelon Electronics, which is terminable by either party upon six months notice to the other party. We have an agreement to act as the sales agent in North America for one of our manufacturers, Lelon Electronics. While we believe that we have established close working relationships with our principal manufacturers, our success depends, in large part, on maintaining these relationships and developing new supplier relationships for our existing and future product lines. Because of the lack of long- term contracts, we may not be able to maintain these relationships.
For Fiscal 2015 and Fiscal 2014, one of Surge's vendors, Lelon Electronics, accounted for approximately 56% and 49% of Surge's consolidated purchases. The loss of or a significant disruption in the relationship with Lelon Electronics, which is our major supplier, could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations until a suitable replacement could be obtained.
The Company has a written agreement with Lelon Electronics regarding the supply of inventory for the Company’s customers. The Company purchases products under both the Company’s name and Lelon’s brand name for the Company’s inventory in order to supply the Company’s customers. For the majority of purchases from Lelon Electronics, the Company takes title to the products, houses them in the Company’s warehouse and sells directly to the Company’s customers. There is no right of return on the products purchased from Lelon and the Company accepts all credit risk with regards to sales of these products.
The components business has, from time to time, experienced periods of shortages in product supply, usually as the result of demand exceeding available supply. When these shortages occur, suppliers tend to either increase prices and or reduce the number of units sold to given customers. Should there be shortages in the future, such shortages may benefit our business if we get preferential supply from our manufacturers. It could also have an adverse effect upon our business, in the case that our manufacturers don’t have enough capacity to provide enough components. Conversely, due to poor market demand, there could be an excess of components in the market, causing stronger competition and an erosion of prices. Currently, demand in the industry is down regarding product availability for customers in most market segments.
Marketing and Sales
Surge's sales efforts are directed towards Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) customers in numerous industries where the products that we sell have wide application. Surge currently employs ten sales and marketing personnel, not including two of its executive officers, who are responsible for certain key customer relationships.
We use independent sales representatives or organizations, which often specialize in specific products and areas and have specific knowledge of and contacts in particular markets. As of November 30, 2015, we had representation agreements with approximately 30 sales representative organizations. Sales representative organizations, which are generally paid a 5% commission on net sales, are generally responsible in their respective geographic markets for identifying customers and soliciting customer orders. Pursuant to arrangements with our independent sales representatives, they are permitted to represent other electronics manufacturers, but are generally prohibited from carrying a line of products competitive with the products that we sell. These arrangements can be terminated on written notice by either party or if breached by either party. These organizations normally employ between one and twelve sales representatives. The individual sales representatives employed by the sales organizations generally possess an expertise which enhances the scope of our marketing and sales efforts. This permits us to avoid the significant costs associated with creating a direct marketing network. We have had relationships with certain sales organizations since 1988 and continue to engage new sales organizations as needed. We believe that additional sales organizations and representatives are available to us, if required.
We have initiated a formal national distribution program to attract more distributors to promote the products that we sell. We expect this market segment to contribute significantly to our sales growth over time.
Many customers require their suppliers to have a local presence and Surge's network of independent sales representatives are responsive to these needs. Surge formed a Hong Kong corporation, Surge Components, Limited and hired a regional sales manager to service the Hong Kong/Greater China region customers.
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Other marketing efforts include generation and distribution of catalogs and brochures of the products we sell and attendance at trade shows. We have produced an exhibit for display at electronics trade shows throughout the year. The products that we sell have been exhibited at the electronic distribution show in Las Vegas, and we intend to continue our commitment and focus on the distribution segment of the industry by our visibility at the Electronic Distributor Trade Show. In addition, we have updated our website to make it more informative and user friendly. Our search engines have been improved so that customers can find us more easily and we have developed a new portal system to help with lead management and disbursement.
Customers
The products that we sell are sold to distributors and OEMs in such diverse industries as the automotive, computer, communications, cellular telephones, consumer electronics, garage door openers, security equipment, audio equipment, telecomm products, computer related products, power supply products, utility meters and household appliances industries. We request our distributors to provide point of sales reporting, which enables us to gain knowledge of the breakdown of industries into which the products that we sell are sold. One of our customers, TTI, accounted for 17% of net sales for Fiscal 2015 and 8% of net sales for Fiscal 2014. Our discrete components are often sold to the same clients as our capacitors. These OEM customers typically accept samples for evaluation and, if approved, we work towards procuring the next orders for these items.
Typically, we do not maintain contracts with our customers and generally sell products pursuant to customer purchase orders. Although our customer base has increased, the loss of our largest customers as well as, to a lesser extent, the loss of any other material customer, could have a materially adverse effect on our operations during the short-term until we are able to generate replacement business, although we may not be able to obtain such replacement business. Because of our contracts and good working relationships with our distributors, we offer the OEMs, when purchasing through distributors, extended payment terms, just-in- time deliveries and one-stop shopping for many types of electronic products.
Competition
We conduct business in the highly competitive electronic components industry. We expect this industry to remain competitive. We face intense competition in both our selling efforts and purchasing efforts from the many companies that manufacture or distribute electronic components. Our principal competitors in the sale of capacitors include Nichicon, Panasonic, Illinois Capacitor, NIC, AVX, Murata, Epcos, United Chemicon, Rubycon, Vishay and Kemet. Our principal competitors in the sale of discrete components include Vishay, General Semiconductor Division, General Instrument Corp., OnSemi, Inc., Microsemi Corp., Diodes, Inc. and Littlefuse, and Copper Bussman Division. Our principal competition in the audible business include AVX, Murata, Panasonic, Projects Unlimited, International Components Corp. and Star Micronics. Many of these companies are well established with substantial expertise, and have much greater assets and greater financial, marketing, personnel, and other resources than we do. Many larger competing suppliers also carry product lines which we do not carry. Generally, large semiconductor manufacturers and distributors do not focus their direct selling efforts on small to medium sized OEMs and distributors, which constitute many of our customers. As our customers become larger, and as the market becomes more competitive, our competitors may find it beneficial to focus direct selling efforts on those customers, which could result in our facing increased competition, the loss of customers or pressure on our profit margins. We are finding increased competition from manufacturers located in Asia due to the increased globalization nature of the business. There can be no assurance that we will be able to continue to compete effectively with existing or potential competitors. Other factors that will affect our success in these markets include our continued ability to attract additional experienced marketing, sales and management talent, and our ability to expand our support, training and field service capabilities. Additionally, since the tsunami and earthquake in Japan in 2012, our competitors have established manufacturing facilities in China enabling them to be more competitive by lowering their labor rates and manufacturing costs. Also, as the world continues to become global and customers have easier access to suppliers in Asia, our business could be adversely affected since foreign suppliers are traveling to the United States and interacting with customers more often, where previously they communicated via long-distance. Also, the internet enables customers to meet and interact with suppliers through Google and other search engines which customers had not previously done.
Customer Service
We have customer service employees whose time is dedicated largely to responding to customer inquiries such as price quote requests, delivery status of new or existing purchase orders, changes of existing order dates, quantities, dates, etc. We intend to increase our customer service capabilities, as necessary.
Foreign Trade Regulation
Most products sold by Surge are manufactured in Asia, including such countries as Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong, India, Japan and China. The purchase of goods manufactured in foreign countries is subject to a number of risks, including economic disruptions, transportation delays and interruptions, foreign exchange rate fluctuations, impositions of tariffs and import and export controls, and changes in governmental policies, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. Potential concerns may include drastic devaluation of currencies, loss of supplies and increased competition within the region.
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From time to time, protectionist pressures have influenced United States trade policy concerning the imposition of significant duties or other trade restrictions upon foreign products. We cannot predict whether additional United States customs quotas, duties, taxes or other charges or restrictions will be imposed upon the importation of foreign components in the future or what effect such actions could have on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Our ability to remain competitive with respect to the pricing of imported components could be adversely affected by increases in tariffs or duties, changes in trade treaties, strikes in air or sea transportation, and possible future United States legislation with respect to pricing and import quotas on products from foreign countries. Our ability to remain competitive could also be affected by other governmental actions related to, among other things, anti-dumping legislation and international currency fluctuations. While we do not believe that any of these factors adversely impact our business at the present time, there can be no assurance that these factors will not materially adversely affect us in the future. Any significant disruption in the delivery of merchandise from our suppliers, substantially all of whom are foreign, could have a materially adverse impact on our business and results of operations.
Government Regulation
Various laws and regulations relating to safe working conditions, including the Occupational Safety and Health Act, are applicable to our company. We believe we are in substantial compliance with all material federal, state and local laws and regulations regarding safe working conditions. We believe that the cost of compliance with such governmental regulations is not material.
We are subject to the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which generally prohibits United States companies from engaging in bribery or other prohibited payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. Foreign companies, including some that may compete with us, are not subject to these prohibitions. If our employees or other agents are found to have engaged in such practices, we could suffer severe penalties and other consequences that may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. To the Company’s knowledge, none of our employees or other agents have engaged in such practices.
Environmental and Regulatory Compliance
We are subject to various environmental laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment, including those governing the handling and management of certain chemicals used in electronic components.
We do not believe that compliance with these laws and regulations will have a material adverse effect on our capital expenditures, earnings, or competitive position.
Patents, Trademarks and Proprietary Information
With respect to the products that we sell, we have no patents, trademarks or copyrights registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office or in any state. Additionally to the best of our knowledge the manufacturers of the products that we sell do not have patents, trademarks or copyrights registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Officer or in any state. We rely on the know-how, experience and capabilities of our management personnel. Although we believe that the products do not and will not infringe patents or trademarks, or violate proprietary rights of others, it is possible that infringement of existing or future patents, trademarks or proprietary rights of others may occur. In the event that the products that we sell infringe proprietary rights of others, these products may have to be modified or redesigned by the manufacturer of these products. However, there can be no assurance that any infringing products will be able to be modified or redesigned in a way that does not infringe on the proprietary rights of others, which could have a material adverse effect upon our operations. In addition, there can be no assurance that we will have the financial or other resources necessary to enforce or defend a patent infringement or proprietary rights violation action. Moreover, if the products we sell infringe patents, trademarks or proprietary rights of others, we could, under certain circumstances, become liable for damages, which also could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Backlog
As of November 30, 2015, our backlog was approximately $5,762,331, as compared with $6,353,521 at November 30, 2014. Substantially all backlog is expected to be shipped by us within 90 to 180 days. Year to year comparisons of backlog are not necessarily indicative of future operating results.
Employees
As of November 30, 2015, Surge and Challenge employed 33 persons, two of whom are employed in executive capacities, ten are engaged in sales, three in engineering, three in purchasing, three in administrative capacities, five in customer service, two in accounting and five in warehousing. None of our employees is covered by a collective bargaining agreement, and we consider our relationship with our employees to be good.
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Item 1A. | Risk Factors |
An investment in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. An investor should carefully consider the risks described below as well as other information contained in this annual report on Form 10-K. If any of the following risks actually occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected, the value of our common stock could decline, and an investor may lose all or part of his or her investment.
Risks Related to our Business
We have an agreement with only one of our suppliers and we depend on a limited number of suppliers
We have an agreement with only one of our suppliers (Lelon Electronics), which agreement is terminable by either party upon notice to the other party. Lelon Electronics accounted for approximately 56% and 49% of the Company’s consolidated purchases. We also act as the exclusive sales agent in North America for Lelon Electronics. While we believe that we have established close working relationships with our principal suppliers, our success depends, in large part, on maintaining these relationships and developing new supplier relationships for our existing and future product lines. There is no assurance that we will be able to maintain these relationships. While we believe that there are alternative semiconductor and capacitor suppliers whose replacement products may be acceptable to our customers, the loss of, or a significant disruption in the relationship with, one or more of our major suppliers would likely have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
We need to maintain large inventories in order to succeed and as a result, price fluctuations could harm us.
In order to adequately service our customers, we believe that it is necessary to maintain a large inventory of products. Accordingly, we attempt to maintain a one-to-two month inventory of those products which we supply to our customers. As a result of our strategic inventory purchasing policies, under which we order products to obtain preferential pricing, we generally waive the right to manufacturers' inventory protection agreements (including price protection and inventory return rights). As a result, we bear the risk of increases in the prices charged by our manufacturers to the Company and decreases in the prices we are able to charge our customers. If prices of components which we hold in inventory decline or if new technology is developed that displaces products which we sell, our business could be materially adversely affected. Typically the Company has experienced very little impact from customer design changes and slowdown but this can potentially increase due to economic conditions and specific customers business conditions. If our customers experience these changes, our business could be adversely affected.
Our operations would be adverse effected if we lose certain of our customers.
For Fiscal 2015, approximately 17% of our net sales were derived from sales to one customer. Although our customer base has increased, the loss of our largest customers as well as, to a lesser extent, the loss of any other material customer, would be expected to have a materially adverse effect on our operations until we are able to generate replacement business, although we may not be able to obtain such replacement business.
We may not be able to compete against large competitors who have better resources.
We face intense competition, in both our selling efforts and purchasing efforts, from the many companies that manufacture or distribute electronic components and semiconductors. Our principal competitors in the sale of capacitors include Nichicon, Panasonic, Illinois Capacitor, NIC, AVX, Murata, Epcos, United Chemicon, Rubycon, Vishay and Kemet, General Semiconductor Division, General Instrument Corp., OnSemi, Inc., Microsemi Corp., Diodes, Inc. and Littlefuse, and Copper Bussman Division. Many of these companies are well established with substantial expertise, and have much greater assets and greater financial, marketing, personnel, and other resources than we do. Many larger competing suppliers also carry product lines which we do not carry. Generally, large semiconductor manufacturers and distributors do not focus their direct selling efforts on small to medium sized OEMs and distributors, which constitute most of our customers. As our customers become larger, however, our competitors may find it beneficial to focus direct selling efforts on those customers, which could result in our facing increased competition, the loss of customers or pressure on our profit margins. There can be no assurance that we will be able to continue to compete effectively with existing or potential competitors.
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Our business will be adversely affected if there is a shortage of components.
The components business has, from time to time, experienced periods of extreme shortages in product supply, generally as the result of demand exceeding available supply. When these shortages occur, suppliers tend to either increase prices or reduce the number of units sold to customers. We believe that because of our large inventory and our relationships with our manufacturers, we have not been adversely affected by shortages in certain discrete semiconductor components. However, in the future shortages may have an adverse effect upon our business especially if we were to reduce inventory to cut costs and reduce risks of obsolescence.
Our success depends on key personnel whose continued service is not guaranteed.
Our continued success and our ability to manage anticipated future growth depend, in large part, upon the efforts of key personnel, particularly Ira Levy and Steven Lubman, our chief executive officer and vice president, respectively, who have extensive industry knowledge and relationships and exercise substantial influence over our operations. The loss of services of one or both of these individuals, or our inability to attract and retain highly qualified personnel, could adversely affect our business, and weaken our relationships with suppliers, business partners, and industry personnel, which could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, cash flow and trading price of our common stock.
Our business is subject to risks from trade regulation and foreign economic conditions.
Approximately 97% of the total goods which we purchased in Fiscal 2015 were manufactured in foreign countries, with the majority purchased from Taiwan (58%), Hong Kong (9%), elsewhere in Asia (29%) and outside of Asia (less than 1%). These purchases subject us to a number of risks, including economic disruptions, transportation delays and interruptions, foreign exchange rate fluctuations, imposition of tariffs and import and export controls and changes in governmental policies, any of which could have a materially adverse effect on our business and results of operations. Potential concerns may include drastic devaluation of currencies, loss of supplies and increased competition within the region.
The ability to remain competitive with respect to the pricing of imported components could be adversely affected by increases in tariffs or duties, changes in trade treaties, strikes in air or sea transportation, and possible future United States legislation with respect to pricing and import quotas on products from foreign countries. For example, it is possible that political or economic developments in China, or with respect to the United States' relationship with China, could have an adverse effect on our business. Our ability to remain competitive could also be affected by other governmental actions related to, among other things, anti-dumping legislation and international currency fluctuations. While we do not believe that any of these factors have adversely impacted our business in the past, there can be no assurance that these factors will not materially adversely affect us in the future. Because the China internal consumption market is depressed, this will increase competition, as there is now a smaller market potential target. Therefore, we believe certain of our competitors will reduce their pricing to capture more market share.
Electronics industry cyclicality may adversely affect our operations.
The electronics industry has been affected historically by general economic downturns, which have had an adverse economic effect upon manufacturers and end-users of capacitors and semiconductors. In addition, the life-cycle of existing electronic products and the timing of new product developments and introductions can affect demand for semiconductor components. Any downturns in the electronics distribution industry could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
Our products are not protected by patents, trademarks and proprietary information.
We have no patents, trademarks or copyrights registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office or in any state. We rely on the know-how, experience and capabilities of our management personnel. Therefore, without trademark and copyright protection, we have no protection from other parties attempting to offer similar services. Although we believe that the products that we sell do not and will not infringe patents or trademarks, or violate proprietary rights of others, it is possible that infringement of existing or future patents, trademarks or proprietary rights of others may occur. In the event that the products that we sell infringe proprietary rights of others, the manufactures of the products that we sell may be required to modify the design of the products that we sell, change the name of these products and/or obtain a license. There can be no assurance that the manufactures will be able to modify or redesign the products in a way that does not infringe on the proprietary rights of others. Our failure to do any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect upon our operations. In addition, there can be no assurance that we will have the financial or other resources necessary to enforce or defend a patent infringement or proprietary rights violation action. Moreover, if the products that we sell infringe patents, trademarks or proprietary rights of others, we could, under certain circumstances, become liable for damages, which also could have a material adverse effect on our business.
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Failure to comply with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act could subject us to penalties and other adverse consequences.
We are subject to the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which generally prohibits United States companies from engaging in bribery or other prohibited payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. Foreign companies, including some that may compete with us, are not subject to these prohibitions. To our knowledge, none of our employees or other agents have engaged in such practices. However, if our employees or other agents are found to have engaged in such practices, we could suffer severe penalties and other consequences that may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Risks Related to our Common Stock
Our common stock is quoted on the OTCQB, which may limit the liquidity and price of our common stock more than if our common stock were listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market or another national exchange.
Our securities are currently quoted on the OTCQB, an inter-dealer electronic quotation and trading system or equity securities. Quotation of our securities on the OTCQB may limit the liquidity and price of our securities more than if our securities were listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market or another national exchange. Some investors may perceive our securities to be less attractive because they are traded in the over-the-counter market. In addition, as an OTCQB listed company, we do not attract the extensive analyst coverage that accompanies companies listed on national exchanges. Further, institutional and other investors may have investment guidelines that restrict or prohibit investing in securities traded on the OTCQB. These factors may have an adverse impact on the trading and price of our common stock.
The market price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly in response to the following factors, most of which are beyond our control:
● | variations in our quarterly operating results; | |
● | changes in general economic conditions; | |
● | changes in market valuations of similar companies; | |
● | announcements by us or our competitors of significant new contracts, acquisitions, strategic partnerships or joint ventures, or capital commitments; | |
● | loss of a major supplier or customer; and | |
● | the addition or loss of key managerial and collaborative personnel. |
Any such fluctuations may adversely affect the market price of our common stock, regardless of our actual operating performance. As a result, stockholders may be unable to sell their shares, or may be forced to sell them at a loss.
The application of the “penny stock” rules could adversely affect the market price of our common stock and increase an investor’s transaction costs to sell those shares.
Rule 3a51-1 of the Exchange Act defines “penny stock,” in part, as any equity security that has a market price of less than $5.00 per share or an exercise price of less than $5.00 per share, subject to certain exceptions. For any transaction involving a penny stock, unless exempt, Rule 15g-9 of the Exchange Act requires that a broker or dealer:
● | approve a person’s account for transactions in penny stocks; and | |
● | receive from the investor a written agreement to the transaction, setting forth the identity and quantity of the penny stock to be purchased. |
In order to approve a person’s account for transactions in penny stocks, the broker or dealer must:
● | obtain financial information and investment experience and objectives of the person; and | |
● | make a reasonable determination that the transactions in penny stocks are suitable for that person and the person has sufficient knowledge and experience in financial matters to be capable of evaluating the risks of transactions in penny stocks. |
The broker or dealer must also deliver, prior to any transaction in a penny stock, a disclosure schedule prescribed by the SEC relating to the penny stock market, which:
● | sets forth the basis on which the broker or dealer made the suitability determination; and | |
● | that the broker or dealer received a signed, written agreement from the investor prior to the transaction. |
Generally, brokers may be less willing to execute transactions in securities subject to the “penny stock” rules. This may make it more difficult for investors to dispose of our common stock and cause a decline in the market value of our stock.
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As an issuer of “penny stock,” the protection provided by the federal securities laws relating to forward looking statements does not apply to us.
Although federal securities laws provide a safe harbor for forward-looking statements made by a public company that files reports under the federal securities laws, this safe harbor is not available to issuers of penny stocks. As a result, the Company will not have the benefit of this safe harbor protection in the event of any legal action based upon a claim that the material provided by the Company contained a material misstatement of fact or was misleading in any material respect because of the Company’s failure to include any statements necessary to make the statements not misleading. Such an action could hurt our financial condition.
The market price for our common stock is particularly volatile given our status as a relatively unknown company with a small and thinly traded public float which could lead to wide fluctuations in our share price. Investors may be unable to sell their common stock at or above your purchase price, which may result in substantial losses to investors.
The market for our common stock is characterized by significant price volatility when compared to seasoned issuers, and we expect that our share price will continue to be more volatile than a seasoned issuer for the indefinite future. The volatility in our share price is attributable to a number of factors. First, as noted above, our common stock is sporadically and thinly traded. As a consequence of this lack of liquidity, the trading of relatively small quantities of shares by our shareholders may disproportionately influence the price of those shares in either direction. The price for our shares could, for example, decline precipitously in the event that a large number of our shares of common stock are sold on the market without commensurate demand, as compared to a seasoned issuer which could better absorb those sales without adverse impact on its share price. Secondly, investors may consider us a speculative or risky investment due to the uncertainty of future market acceptance for our potential products. As a consequence of this enhanced risk, more risk-adverse investors may, under the fear of losing all or most of their investment in the event of negative news or lack of progress, be more inclined to sell their shares on the market more quickly and at greater discounts than would be the case with the stock of a seasoned issuer. Many of these factors are beyond our control and may decrease the market price of our common stock, regardless of our operating performance. We cannot make any predictions or projections as to the prevailing market price for our common stock at any time, including whether our common stock will sustain its current market price, or the effect that the sale or the availability shares for sale at any time will have on the prevailing market price.
We have not paid dividends on our common stock in the past and do not expect to pay dividends for the foreseeable future. Any return on investment may be limited to the value of our common stock.
No cash dividends have been paid on the Company’s common stock. We expect that any income received from operations will be devoted to our future operations and growth. The Company does not expect to pay cash dividends on its common stock in the near future. Payment of dividends would depend upon our profitability at the time, cash available for those dividends, and other factors as the Company’s board of directors may consider relevant. In addition, we may not pay dividends on our common stock until we have paid the dividends in arrears for our preferred stock. If the Company does not pay dividends, the Company’s common stock may be less valuable because a return on an investor’s investment will only occur if the Company’s stock price appreciates.
The rights of the holders of common stock have been impaired by the issuance of preferred stock and may be further impaired by the potential future issuance of preferred stock.
We are authorized to issue up to 5,000,000 shares of blank check preferred stock of which 260,000 shares have been designated as Non-Voting Redeemable Convertible Series A Preferred Stock, of which no shares are issued and outstanding, 200,000 shares have been designated Voting Redeemable Convertible Series B Preferred Stock, of which no shares are issued and outstanding, and 100,000 shares have been designated Non-Voting Redeemable Convertible Series C Preferred Stock (“Series C Preferred Stock”), of which 10,000 shares are issued and outstanding. Holders of the Series C Preferred Stock are entitled to receive, upon liquidation, payment of $5.00 per share of Series C Preferred Stock prior to any payment to common shareholders. Holders of Series C Preferred Stock are entitled to cumulative dividends, if and when declared by the board of directors, at the rate of $0.50 per share per annum, prior to payment of dividends to common shareholders.
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Furthermore, our board of directors has the right, without stockholder approval, to issue additional preferred stock with voting, dividend, conversion, liquidation or other rights which could adversely affect the voting power and equity interest of the holders of common stock, which could be issued with the right to more than one vote per share, and could be utilized as a method of discouraging, delaying or preventing a change of control. The possible negative impact on takeover attempts could adversely affect the price of our common stock. Although we have no present intention to issue any additional shares of preferred stock or to create any additional series of preferred stock, we may issue such shares in the future.
We have a staggered board of directors, which could delay or prevent a change of control that may favor shareholders.
Our Board of Directors is divided into three classes and our Board members are elected for terms that are staggered. This could discourage the efforts by others to obtain control of the Company. The possible negative impact on takeover attempts could adversely affect the price of our common stock.
Item 1B. | Unresolved Staff Comments |
Not applicable.
Item 2. | Properties. |
Our executive offices and warehouse facilities are located at 95 Jefryn Boulevard, Deer Park, New York, 11729. We lease our facilities from Great American Realty of Jefryn Blvd., LLC ("Great American"), an entity owned equally by Ira Levy, Surge's president, Steven Lubman, Surge's vice president and one of its former directors, Mark Siegel. Our lease is through September 30, 2020 and our monthly rent is $14,334. Our monthly rent will increase over the 10 year term, reaching $15,516 in the final year. We occupy approximately 23,250 square feet of office space and warehouse space. The rental rate is typical for the type and location of Surge’s and Challenge’s facilities.
In June 2015, the Company entered into a lease to rent office space in Hong Kong for two years. Annual rental payments are approximately $58,461.
Item 3. | Legal Proceedings. |
There are no legal proceedings to which the Company or any of its property is the subject.
Item 4. | Mine Safety Disclosures. |
Not applicable.
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Item 5. | Market For Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities |
Shares of our common stock are quoted on the OTCQB market maintained by OTC Markets Group under the symbol “SPRS”. Trading in our common stock is limited.
For the periods indicated, the following table sets forth the high and low bid prices per share of our common stock. These prices represent inter-dealer quotations without retail markup, markdown, or commission and may not necessarily represent actual transactions.
Fiscal Quarter | High | Low | ||||||
2014 First Quarter | $ | 0.93 | $ | 0.73 | ||||
2014 Second Quarter | $ | 0.90 | $ | 0.71 | ||||
2014 Third Quarter | $ | 0.88 | $ | 0.79 | ||||
2014 Fourth Quarter | $ | 0.90 | $ | 0.74 | ||||
2015 First Quarter | $ | 0.93 | $ | 0.82 | ||||
2015 Second Quarter | $ | 0.90 | $ | 0.69 | ||||
2015 Third Quarter | $ | 1.00 | $ | 0.71 | ||||
2015 Fourth Quarter | $ | 0.86 | $ | 0.71 |
As of the date of the filing of this report, there are issued and outstanding 9,999,125 shares of common stock.
As of the date of the filing of this report, there are approximately 201 holders of record of our common stock.
Dividends
We have not declared any cash dividends on our common stock since inception and do not anticipate paying such dividends in the foreseeable future. We plan to retain any future earnings for use in our business operations.
Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers
Share repurchase activity during the three months ended November 30, 2015 was as follows:
Periods |
Total Number
of Shares Purchased |
Average
Price Paid Per Share |
Total Number
of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs |
Approximate
Dollar Value of Shares That May Yet Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs (1) |
||||||||||||
September 1, 2015 to September 30, 2015: | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||
October 1, 2015 to October 31, 2015: | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||
November 1, 2015 to November 30, 2015: | - | - | - | $ | 500,000 | |||||||||||
Total | $ | 500,000 |
(1) | In November 2015, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized a program to repurchase up to $500,000 of the Company’s common stock. The Company’s share repurchase program does not obligate it to acquire any specific number of shares. Under the program, shares may be repurchased in privately negotiated and/or open market transactions, including under plans complying with Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act. |
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Equity Compensation Plan Information
The following table provides information as of November 30, 2015 with respect to the shares of common stock that may be issued under our existing equity compensation plans:
Plan Category |
Number of
securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights (a) |
Weighted-
average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights (b) |
Number of
securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in column (a)) (c) |
|||||||||
Equity compensation plan approved by security holders (1) | 2,035,438 | $ | 0.85 | 1,864,562 | ||||||||
Equity compensation plan not yet approved by security holders | - | - | - | |||||||||
Total | 2,035,438 | $ | 0.85 | 1,864,562 |
(1) | Represents the Company's 2010 Incentive Stock Plan and the Company’s 2015 Incentive Stock Plan. There are currently no outstanding options, warrants or rights issued pursuant to the Company’s 2015 Incentive Stock Plan. |
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Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.
None.
Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers
None.
Item 6. | Selected Financial Data |
We are a smaller reporting company and therefore, we are not required to provide information required by this Item of Form 10-K.
Item 7. | Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations |
This report contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained herein, including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, business strategy and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.
In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "could," "intends," "target," "projects," "contemplates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other similar words. These statements are only predictions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. We discuss many of the risks in greater detail under the heading "Risk Factors." Also, these forward-looking statements represent our estimates and assumptions only as of the date of the filing of this report. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date of the filing of this report.
Overview
The Company operates with two sales groups, Surge Components (“Surge”) and Challenge Electronics (“Challenge”). Surge is a supplier of electronic products and components. These products include capacitors, which are electrical energy storage devices, and discrete semiconductor components, such as rectifiers, transistors and diodes, which are single function low power semiconductor products that are packaged alone as compared to integrated circuits such as microprocessors. The products sold by Surge are typically utilized in the electronic circuitry of diverse products, including, but not limited to, automobiles, audio products, temperature control products, lighting products, energy related products, computer related products, various types of consumer products, garage door openers, household appliances, power supplies and security equipment. These products are sold to both original equipment manufacturers, commonly referred to as OEMs, who incorporate them into their products, and to distributors of the lines of products we sell, who resell these products within their customer base. These products are manufactured predominantly in Asia by approximately sixteen independent manufacturers. We act as the master distribution agent utilizing independent sales representative organizations in North America to sell and market the products for one such manufacturer pursuant to a written agreement. When we act as a sales agent, our supplier who sold the product to the customer that we introduced to our supplier pays us a commission. The amount of the commission is determined on a sale by sale basis depending on the profit margin of the product. Commission revenue totaled $266,525 and $509,273 for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015 and November 30, 2014 respectively.
Challenge is engaged in the sale of electronic components. In 1999, Challenge began as a division to sell audible components. We have been able to increase the types of products that we sell because some of our suppliers introduced new products, and we also located other products from new suppliers. Our core products include buzzers, speakers, microphones, resonators, alarms, chimes, filters, and discriminators. We now also work with our suppliers to have our suppliers customize many of the products we sell for many customers through the customers’ own designs and those that we work with our suppliers to have our suppliers redesign for them at our suppliers’ factories. We have a design engineer on our staff with more than thirty years experience with these types of products, who works with our suppliers on such redesigns. We are continually looking to expand the line of products that we sell. In 2015, we hired a junior engineer to assist with the introduction of a new micro controller product line. We sell these products through independent representatives that earn a commission on the products we sell. We are also working with local, regional, and national distributors to sell these products to local accounts in every state.
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The Company has a Hong Kong office to effectively handle the transfer business from United States customers purchasing and manufacturing in Asia after designing the products in the United States. This office has strengthened the Company’s global position, improving our capabilities and service to our customer base.
The electronic components industry has changed, from one of strong demand to now one of reduced demand. This reduced demand can be attributed to a slowdown in global growth as well as a slowdown in the forecast of retail sales in North America. Management expects 2016 to continue with the reduced demand for components that it experienced in 2015. Due to this worldwide reduction in demand, the Company could feel the effects of potentially reduced demand for its products.
In order for us to grow, we will depend on, among other things, the continued growth of the electronics and semiconductor industries, our ability to withstand intense price competition, our ability to obtain new customers, our ability to retain and attract sales and other personnel in order to expand our marketing capabilities, our ability to secure adequate sources of products, which are in demand on commercially reasonable terms, our success in managing growth, including monitoring an expanded level of operations and controlling costs, and the availability of adequate financing.
Critical Accounting Policies
Accounts Receivable
The allowance for doubtful accounts is based on the Company’s assessment of the collectability of specific customer accounts and an assessment of international, political and economic risk as well as the aging of the accounts receivable. If there is a change in actual defaults from the Company’s historical experience, the Company’s estimates of recoverability of amounts due could be affected and the Company would adjust the allowance accordingly.
Revenue Recognition
Revenue is recognized when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred, the price is fixed and determinable, collectability is reasonably assured and title and risk of loss have been transferred to the customer. This occurs when product is shipped from the Company's warehouse. For direct shipments from our suppliers to our customer, revenue is recognized when product is shipped from the Company’s supplier. The Company acts as a sales agent for certain customers buying direct from one of its suppliers. The Company reports these commissions as revenues in the period earned.
The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers and maintains reserves for potential credit losses.
Inventory Valuation
Inventories are recorded at the lower of cost or market. Write-downs of inventories to market value are based on stock rotation, historical sales requirements and obsolescence as well as in the changes in the backlog. Reserves required for obsolescence were not material in any of the periods in the financial statements presented. If market conditions are less favorable than those projected by management, additional write-downs of inventories could be required. For example, each additional 1% of obsolete inventory would reduce operating income by approximately $32,000.
The Company does not have price protection agreements with any of its vendors and assumes the risk of changes in the prices of its products. The Company does not believe there to be a significant risk with regards to the lack of price protection agreements as many of its inventory items are purchased to fulfill purchase orders received.
Income Taxes
We have made a number of estimates and assumptions relating to the reporting of a deferred income tax asset to prepare our financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. These estimates have a significant impact on our valuation allowance relating to deferred income taxes. Our estimates could materially impact the financial statements.
Results of Operations
Consolidated net sales for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015 increased by $2,516,468 or 9.2%, to $29,734,493 as compared to net sales of $27,218,025 for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2014. We largely attribute the increase in net sales to an increase in business with new customers as well as new business with existing customers.
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Our gross profit for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015 increased by $757,493 to $7,433,736, or 11.3%, as compared to $6,676,243 for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2014. Gross margin as a percentage of net sales increased to 25% for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015 compared to 24.5% for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2014. The Company attributes the increase in gross profit to the increase in sales and the increase in gross margin as a percentage of sales for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015. We attribute the increase in gross margin as a percentage of sales to the fact that the Company wrote off approximately $31,000 of obsolete inventory in Fiscal 2015 as compared to $236,000 of obsolete inventory in Fiscal 2014. This inventory was a combination of old inventory as well as recent inventory where customers either discontinued use due to slowdown in production or changes in design. Frequently customers will evaluate their inventory at the end of the third quarter and if they assess their inventory to be too high they will either cancel their orders with the Company or push delivery dates back. The Company does business with Electronic Manufacturing Service (EMS) subcontractor customers who manufacture the products for other customers who do not have their own manufacturing operations. The Company has agreements to provide periodic cost reductions through rebates in the amount of up to 5%. This reduction only affects future shipments of products, and does not affect any of the customers’ existing orders. This obligation can have a negative impact on our profit margins. Even though this rebate can impact the Company’s gross profit margin, these subcontractor customers represent very significant potential growth for the Company, because they may help the Company to become an approved supplier at the customers they manufacture for, and they purchase our components for these customers. It would be very difficult for the Company to gain business at these customers without the help of the EMS companies.
Selling and shipping expenses for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015 was $2,394,331, an increase of $44,241, or 1.9%, as compared to $2,350,090 for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2014. Specifically the increase is due to increases in salespersons’ salaries, advertising, and selling expenses such as printing, entertainment, travel and freight, offset by a decrease in commissions, auto expenses, messenger and delivery and shipping expenses.
General and administrative expenses for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015 was $3,902,358, an increase of $337,946, or 9.5%, as compared to $3,564,412 for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2014. The increase is due to the hiring of additional employees and increased costs for office expense, general insurance and consulting expense, as well as increases in officers’ salary, professional fees, and public company expenses and partially offset by decreases in promotional expenses, telephone expenses, maintenance expenses and bank charges.
Depreciation expense for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015 was $39,766, a decrease of $9,111 or 18.6%, as compared to $48,877 for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2014. The decrease is due to assets becoming fully depreciated during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015.
Investment income for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015 was $8,832, compared to $4,849 for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2014. We attribute the increase of $3,983, or 82.1%, to additional cash being placed in several money market accounts during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015.
Income taxes for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015 was $241,228, a decrease of $37,921 or 13.6% as compared to a tax expense of $279,149 for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2014. The decrease is a result of management’s revised estimate of future taxable income and the related impact on the reported deferred tax. This change in the valuation allowance is based on management estimates of future taxable income. The degree of variability inherent in the estimates of future taxable income is significant and subject to change in the near term. The Company reviews its estimates of future taxable income in each reporting period and adjustments to the valuation allowance are reflected in the current operations.
As a result of the foregoing, net income for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015 was $864,885, compared to net income of $438,564 for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2014.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of November 30, 2015 we had cash of $7,169,118, and working capital of $11,080,178. We believe that our working capital levels are adequate to meet our operating requirements during the next twelve months.
During the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015, we had net cash flow from operating activities of $910,345, as compared to net cash flow from operating activities of $1,945,039 for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2014. The decrease in cash flow from operating activities resulted from a decrease in cash provided by inventory, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses, as partially offset by an increase in cash provided by prepaid expenses and net income.
We had net cash flow used in investing activities of $59,538 for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015, as compared to net cash flow used in investing activities of $58,568 for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2014. We attribute the increase to the Company purchasing new equipment during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015.
We had net cash flow provided by financing activities totaling $143,750 during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015 resulting from the proceeds from the exercise of stock options. There were no cash flows from financing activities during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2014.
As a result of the foregoing, the Company had a net increase in cash of $994,557 for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015, as compared to a net increase in cash of $1,886,471 for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2014.
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We will continue to evaluate opportunities to use any excess cash generated by our operations, including investing in acquisitions, expanding our business and repurchasing our common stock as approved by our Board of Directors and existing contracts while maintaining sufficient liquidity to support our operational needs and fund future strategic growth opportunities. In November 2015, the Board of Directors authorized the Company to purchase up to $500,000 of shares of common stock in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions. The Company has not repurchased any shares to date pursuant to such authority.
The table below sets forth our contractual obligations, including long-term debt, operating leases and other long-term obligations, as of November 30, 2015:
Payments due | ||||||||||||||||||||
0 – 12 | 13 – 36 | 37 – 60 | More than | |||||||||||||||||
Contractual Obligations | Total | Months | Months | Months | 60 Months | |||||||||||||||
Long-term debt | $ | - | $ | -- | $ | -- | $ | -- | $ | -- | ||||||||||
Operating leases | $ | 954,150 | 231,041 | 384,813 | 338,296 | -- | ||||||||||||||
Total obligations | $ | 954,150 | $ | 231,041 | $ | 384,813 | $ | 338,296 | $ | -- |
Inflation
In the past two fiscal years, inflation has not had a significant impact on our business. However, any significant increase in inflation and interest rates could have a significant effect on the economy in general and, thereby, could affect our future operating results.
Off Balance Sheet Arrangements
We do not have any off balance sheet arrangements.
Item 7A. | Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk. |
We are a smaller reporting company and therefore, we are not required to provide information required by this Item of Form 10-K.
Item 8. | Financial Statements and Supplementary Information |
Our financial statements, together with the independent registered public accounting firm's report of Seligson & Giannattasio, LLP, begin on page F-1, immediately after the signature page.
Item 9. | Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure. |
None .
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Item 9A. | Controls and Procedures. |
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures.
We maintain "disclosure controls and procedures," as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in Securities and Exchange Commission rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. In designing and evaluating our disclosure controls and procedures, management recognized that disclosure controls and procedures, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the disclosure controls and procedures are met. Additionally, in designing disclosure controls and procedures, our management was required to apply its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible disclosure controls and procedures. The design of any disclosure controls and procedures also is based in part upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions.
As of November 30, 2015 we carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures. Based on this evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective.
Management’s Report of Internal Control over Financial Reporting.
We are responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting in accordance with Exchange Act Rule 13a-15. With the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, our management conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of November 30, 2015 based on the criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on this evaluation, management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of November 30, 2015. A control system, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within the Company have been detected.
Changes in Internal Controls.
During the quarter ended November 30, 2015, there were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting identified in connection with the evaluation required by paragraph (d) of Rule 13a-15 or Rule 15d-15 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Item 9B. | Other Information |
None.
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Item 10. | Directors, Executive Officers, and Corporate Governance. |
Our board of directors is classified into three classes, with the term of office of one class expiring each year. The term of Class A directors expires at the Company’s annual meeting of shareholders to be held in 2016, the term of Class B directors expires at the Company’s annual meeting of shareholders to be held in 2018, and the term of office of Class C directors expires at the Company’s annual meeting of shareholders to be held in 2017. Our executive officers and directors, and their ages, positions and offices with us are as follows:
Name | Age | Position | ||
Ira Levy | 59 | Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, President and Class A Director | ||
Steven J. Lubman | 60 | Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Class A Director | ||
Alan Plafker* | 57 | Class B Director, Member of Compensation Committee, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and Audit Committee | ||
David Siegel | 90 | Class B Director | ||
Lawrence Chariton* | 58 | Class C Director, Member of Compensation Committee, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and Audit Committee | ||
Gary Jacobs* | 58 | Class C Director, Member of Compensation Committee, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and Audit Committee |
* Independent director
Ira Levy has served as President, Chief Executive Officer and a director of Surge Components since its inception in November 1981, and as Chief Financial Officer since March 2010. From 1976 to 1981, Mr. Levy was employed by Capar Components Corp., an importer and supplier of capacitor and resistor products.
Steven J. Lubman has served as Surge Components’ Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and a director since our inception in November 1981. From 1975 to 1981, Mr. Lubman was employed by Capar Components, Inc.
Alan Plafker has served as a director since June 2001. Since July 2000, Mr. Plafker has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Member Brokerage Service LLC, a credit union service organization owned by Melrose Credit Union, and also serves as director of business services for the credit union. Mr. Plafker has more than 30 years of management experience in the insurance and credit union industries. He is a New York State licensed insurance agent and broker. Mr. Plafker has earned certification as a Certified Professional Insurance Agent from the AIMS Society and earned the CIC designation from the Society of Certified Insurance Counselors. He has also earned the CUBLP (Credit Union Business Lending Professional) designation from the CUNA Business Lending Certification Institute. In addition, he is a past President and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Professional Insurance Agents Association of New York State, and currently serves as Treasurer and as a member of the Board of Directors for the New York Independent Livery Drivers Benefit Fund, a New York State benefit fund providing injury benefits for livery drivers, to comply with the Workers’ Compensation Board regulations. Mr. Plafker received a Bachelor’s degree in business administration from Adelphi University.
David Siegel has served as a director since 1983, as well as Chairman of the Board from 1983 to February 2000. Mr. Siegel has served on the boards of directors of a number of public companies in the electronics industry. He was a director and member of the Corporate Governance and Special Committees of Nu Horizons, Inc., a distributor of electronic components, until its acquisition in January 2011 by Arrow Electronics, Inc. Mr. Siegel was a member of the Board of Directors of Kent Electronics Corporation for over ten years and helped Kent Electronics complete a successful sale of the company to Avnet, Inc. in 2001. Mr. Siegel also served on the Board of Directors of Diplomat Electronics Inc. and Quantech Electronics Corporation. Mr. Siegel served on the board of directors of Micronetics, Inc. from April 1987 to June 2012, a publicly traded manufacturer of microwave and radio frequency (RF) components, until its acquisition by Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. David Siegel is the father-in-law of Ira Levy.
Lawrence Chariton has served as a director since 2001. Since May 2008, he has served as a consultant to Great American Jewelry, a retail jewelry firm. He served previously for 32 years as Chief Operating Officer of Linda Shop Jewelry a retail jewelry firm. Mr. Chariton previously served as a member of the Board of Directors of New Island Hospital in Bethpage, New York from 2009 to 2013 and subsequently served as a member of the Board of Directors of St Joseph Hospital from February 2007 to December 2010. He served on the Board of Directors of Jewish National Fund of Long Island. Mr. Chariton has a Bachelors degree in Accounting from Hofstra University.
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Gary M. Jacobs has served as a director since July 2003. Since October 2014, Mr. Jacobs has served as President of Bar Bakers, LLC, a commercial food manufacturer of nutritional bars, cookies and other baked goods. From March 2011 to October 2014, he served as a consultant to several companies, providing advisory services in the areas of turn-around and financial and operational efficiencies. Mr. Jacobs served as the Chief Financial Officer of Chem Rx from June 2008 until March 2011. From May 2005 to June 2008, Mr. Jacobs was the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Gold Force International, Ltd., a supplier of gold, silver and pearl jewelry to U.S. retail chains, and Karat Platinum LLC, a developer of an alternative to platinum. From July 2003 to April 2005, Mr. Jacobs served as President of The Innovative Companies, LLC, a supplier of natural stone. From October 2001 to February 2003, Mr. Jacobs served as Executive Vice President of Operations and Corporate Secretary of The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., a food and personal care products company. Mr. Jacobs also served as Executive Vice President of Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. from September 1998 to October 2001. Prior to that, Mr. Jacobs was the Chief Financial Officer of Graham Field Health Products, Inc., a manufacturing and distribution company. Mr. Jacobs served for 13 years as a member of the audit staff of Ernst & Young LLP, where he attained the position of senior manager. He is a certified public accountant and holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration in Accounting from Adelphi University.
The Company believes that each of its directors has the experience, qualifications, attributes and skills that enable them to make a positive contribution to our board for the following reasons:
Both Mr. Levy and Mr. Lubman have been in the electronic components business for over 30 years and have a vast knowledge of this business. Mr. Levy’s and Mr. Lubman’s experience in and knowledge of the electronics components business led to the conclusion that Mr. Levy and Mr. Lubman should serve on the Company’s board given the Company’s business and structure. Their knowledge of our business enables them to bring keen insight to the board.
Alan Plafker has been an executive in the insurance industry for over 20 years and is knowledgeable in financial matters, including reviewing financial statements. Mr. Plafker’s experience in the insurance industry and knowledge of financial matters led to the conclusion that he should serve on the Company’s board, given the Company’s business and structure.
David Siegel has served on the boards of other public companies and is very familiar with the required public filings that a public company must make and as a result he is able to easily communicate with the company’s advisors, including their attorneys. Mr. Siegel’s experience on the board of directors of other public companies and his ability to communicate with the Company’s advisers led to the conclusion that he should serve on the Company’s board, given the Company’s business and structure.
Lawrence Chariton experience as a sales manager of a jewelry store gives him experience in running a small business like ours. Mr. Chariton’s experience running a small business led to the conclusion that he should serve on the Company’s board, given the Company’s business and structure.
Gary Jacobs’s experience as a certified public accountant and Chief Financial Officer makes him extremely qualified to review and discuss the Company’s financial results and to make recommendations regarding the Company’s financial position. Mr. Jacobs’s experience as a certified public accountant and Chief Financial Officer led to the conclusion that he should serve on the Company’s board, given the Company’s business and structure.
Board Leadership Structure and Role in Risk Oversight
Although we have not adopted a formal policy on whether the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer positions should be separate or combined, we have traditionally determined that it is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders to combine these roles. Mr. Levy has served as our Chairman since November 1981. Due to the small size of the Company, we believe it is currently most effective to have the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer positions combined.
Our board of directors is primarily responsible for overseeing our risk management processes on behalf of our board of directors. The board of directors receives and reviews periodic reports from management, auditors, legal counsel, and others, as considered appropriate regarding our company’s assessment of risks. The board of directors focuses on the most significant risks facing our company and our company’s general risk management strategy, and also ensures that risks undertaken by our Company are consistent with the board’s appetite for risk. While the board oversees our company’s risk management, management is responsible for day-to-day risk management processes. We believe this division of responsibilities is the most effective approach for addressing the risks facing our company and that our board leadership structure supports this approach.
Board Meetings
During the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015, the Board held 5 formal meetings and otherwise acted by unanimous written consent. We have no written policy regarding director attendance at annual meetings of stockholders. Our last annual meeting of stockholders was held on November 24, 2015 and all of our directors attended such meeting.
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Audit Committee
The audit committee consists of the following three members: Gary Jacobs, Alan Plafker and Lawrence Chariton. Mr. Jacobs serves as the chairman of the audit committee. The Company’s board of directors has determined that Gary Jacobs is the audit committee financial expert and chairman of the committee. The audit committee members are “independent” as that term is defined under the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules. During the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015, the Audit Committee held 4 formal meetings.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
The nominating and corporate governance committee consists of the following three members: Gary Jacobs, Alan Plafker and Lawrence Chariton. Mr. Jacobs serves as the chairman of the nominating and corporate governance committee. During the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee held one formal meeting.
Compensation Committee
The compensation committee consists of the following three members: Gary Jacobs, Alan Plafker and Lawrence Chariton. Mr. Jacobs serves as the chairman of the compensation committee. During the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015, the Compensation Committee held 4 formal meetings.
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires that our officers and directors, and persons who own more than ten percent of a registered class of our equity securities, file reports of ownership and changes in ownership with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Officers, directors and persons owning more than ten percent of such securities are required by Commission regulation to file with the Commission and furnish the Company with copies of all reports required under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act. To our knowledge, based solely upon our review of the copies of such reports furnished to us, during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015, all Section 16(a) filing requirements applicable to our officers, directors and greater than 10% beneficial owners were complied with the exception of one late Form 4 for each of Messrs. Chariton, Jacobs, Plafker, Siegel and Tofias.
Code of Ethics
We have adopted a corporate Code of Ethics. The text of our Code of Ethics, which applies to our employees, officers and directors, is posted in the “Investor Relations” section of our website at www.surgecomponents.com. A copy of our Code of Conduct and Ethics is also available in print, free of charge, upon written request to 95 East Jefryn Boulevard, Deer Park, New York 11729, Attention: Ira Levy.
Changes in Nominating Procedures
None.
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Item 11. | Executive Compensation. |
The following table sets forth information regarding compensation paid to our executive officers for the years ended November 30, 2015 and November 30, 2014:
All Other | ||||||||||||||||||
Name and Position | Year | Salary | Bonus | Compensation ($) | Total | |||||||||||||
Ira Levy | 2015 | $ | 275,000 | $ | 137,500 | $ | 49,888 | (1) | $ | 462,388 | ||||||||
President CEO and CFO | 2014 | $ | 225,000 | $ | 112,000 | $ | 49,683 | (1) | $ | 386,683 | ||||||||
Steven J. Lubman | 2015 | $ | 225,000 | $ | 100,000 | $ | 42,199 | (1) | $ | 367,199 | ||||||||
Vice President and Secretary | 2014 | $ | 225,000 | $ | 100,000 | $ | 57,291 | (1) | $ | 382,291 |
(1) | Includes payments for medical insurance, automobile allowance and insurance and life insurance. |
Employment Agreements
In February 2016, the Company entered into revised employment agreements (the “Levy Agreement” and the “Lubman Agreement”, individually, and collectively, the “Employment Agreements”) with Ira Levy and Steven Lubman (the “Executives”), respectively, which provides the Executives with a base salary of $275,000 and $225,000, respectively (“Base Salary”). The Executives shall receive an annual bonus as shall be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) or the compensation committee of the Board (the “Compensation Committee”), as applicable, in its sole discretion, based upon criteria to be established in its sole discretion. The Executives shall also be entitled to receive additional cash, equity or other compensation or benefits in consideration for their services to the Company, at such times and in such amounts as shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Board or the Compensation Committee. In addition, the Executives shall be entitled to receive grants of stock options, stock and/or any other equity incentive awards available to senior executives, under the Company’s equity incentive plans, at such times and in such amounts as shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Board or the Compensation Committee.
The Employment Agreements will remain in effect until terminated by either the Company or the Executive. In the event an Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company for Cause (as defined in the Employment Agreements), or if an Executive resigns other than for Good Reason (as defined in the Employment Agreements), he shall be entitled to receive (i) any earned but unpaid salary, all vested equity, and any earned but unpaid bonus awards through the date of termination, and (ii) reimbursement for any unreimbursed business expenses incurred by him in accordance with the Company’s policy prior to the date of termination.
In the event an Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company other than for Cause or if an Executive resigns for Good Reason, including a Change of Control (as defined in the Employment Agreements), such Executive shall be entitled to any earned but unpaid salary, all vested equity, and any earned but unpaid bonus awards through the date of termination. Such Executive will also be paid an additional thirty-six months of annual compensation equal to the average of his base salary and bonus for the three calendar years prior to the date of termination, payable in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll practice over a 52-week period. The Company shall also (i) accelerate the vesting on any of the Executive’s unvested stock options, restricted stock grants or other equity incentive awards; and (ii) reimburse the Executive for any unreimbursed business expenses incurred by him in accordance with the Company’s policy prior to the date of termination.
In the event an Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company upon death or disability, the Executive or his estate shall be entitled to receive his salary then in effect along with all other fringe benefits (including, without limitation, family medical benefits) for a period of one year following the date of such termination. In addition, the Executive or his estate shall have the right to exercise any unexercised and vested options for a period of ninety days following the date of termination and to receive payment for any accrued but unpaid vacation time.
The Employment Agreements contain customary non-competition and non-solicitation provisions that extend to one year after the date of termination of the Executives’ employment with the Company. The Executives also agreed to customary terms regarding confidentiality and ownership of product ideas.
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Director Compensation for Year Ending November 30, 2015
The following table summarizes the compensation for our non-employee board of directors for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015. All compensation paid to our employee directors is included under the summary compensation table above.
Name | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | Stock Awards ($) | Option Awards ($) | All Other Compensation ($) | Total ($) | |||||||||||||||
Alan Plafker | 30,000 | - | 3,983 | - | 33,983 | |||||||||||||||
David Siegel | 30,000 | - | 3,983 | - | 33,983 | |||||||||||||||
Lawrence Chariton | 30,000 | - | 3,983 | - | 33,983 | |||||||||||||||
Gary Jacobs | 42,000 | - | 7,965 | - | 49,965 |
Outstanding Equity Awards at November 30, 2015
Name | Number of securities underlying options (#) | Equity Incentive Plan Awards: Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Unearned Options (#) |
Option
Exercise Price ($) |
Option
Expiration Date |
||||||||||
Ira Levy | - | 50,000 | (1) | 0.82 | November 2018 | |||||||||
Steven Lubman | - | 25,000 | (2) | 0.82 | November 2018 | |||||||||
Ira Levy | - | 62,500 | (3) | 0.80 | April 2018 | |||||||||
Steven Lubman | - | 45,938 | (4) | 0.80 | April 2018 |
(1) | 50,000 options were issued on November 27, 2013 and vested immediately. |
(2) | 25,000 options were issued on November 27, 2013 and vested immediately. |
(3) | 62,500 options were issued on April 10, 2014 and vested immediately. |
(4) | 45,938 options were issued on April 10, 2014 and vested immediately. |
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Item 12. | Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management. |
Under Rule 13d-3, a beneficial owner of a security includes any person who, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship, or otherwise has or shares: (i) voting power, which includes the power to vote, or to direct the voting of shares; and (ii) investment power, which includes the power to dispose or direct the disposition of shares. Certain shares may be deemed to be beneficially owned by more than one person (if, for example, persons share the power to vote or the power to dispose of the shares). In addition, shares are deemed to be beneficially owned by a person if the person has the right to acquire the shares (for example, upon exercise of an option) within 60 days of the date as of which the information is provided. In computing the percentage ownership of any person, the amount of shares outstanding is deemed to include the amount of shares beneficially owned by such person (and only such person) by reason of these acquisition rights.
The following table sets forth as of February 19, 2016, information regarding the beneficial ownership of our common stock by: (i) each person known by the Company to be the beneficial owner of than five percent of the outstanding shares of common stock, (ii) each of our directors and officers and (iii) all officers and directors, as a group:
Amount and Nature | Percentage of | |||||||
of Common | Common | |||||||
Name and address of | Stock Beneficially | Stock Beneficially | ||||||
Beneficial Owner (1) | Owned | Owned (2) | ||||||
Ira Levy | 1,053,868 | (5)(6) | 10.45 | % | ||||
Steven J. Lubman | 870,938 | (4)(7) | 8.65 | % | ||||
Lawrence Chariton | 178,703 | (4)(8) | 1.78 | % | ||||
Alan Plafker | 50,000 | (4)(8) | * | |||||
David Siegel | 142,000 | (4)(8) | 1.41 | % | ||||
Gary Jacobs | 162,000 | (3)(4)(9) | 1.60 | % | ||||
All directors and executive officers as a group (6 persons) | 2,457,509 | 23.84 | % | |||||
Michael Tofias | ||||||||
325 North End Avenue, Apt. 25B | ||||||||
New York, NY 10282 | 1,568,123 | 15.68 | % | |||||
Brad Rexroad | ||||||||
970 Reserve Drive, Suite 126 | ||||||||
Roseville, CA 95678 | 585,385 | 5.58 | % |
* | Less than 1% |
(1) | Except as otherwise indicated, the address of each beneficial owner is c/o Surge Components, Inc., 95 East Jefryn Boulevard, Deer Park, NY 11729. |
(2) | Applicable percentage ownership is based on 9,999,125 shares of common stock outstanding as of February 26, 2016. |
(3) | Includes 50,000 shares issuable upon exercise of options with an exercise price of $0.51, which are exercisable within 60 days. |
(4) | Includes 25,000 shares issuable upon exercise of options with an exercise price of $0.82, which are exercisable within 60 days. |
(5) | Includes 50,000 shares issuable upon exercise of options with an exercise price of $0.82. which are exercisable within 60 days. |
(6) | Includes 62,500 shares issuable upon exercise of options with an exercise price of $0.80, which are exercisable within 60 days. |
(7) | Includes 45,938 shares issuable upon exercise of options with an exercise price of $0.80, which are exercisable within 60 days. |
(8) | Includes 25,000 shares issuable upon exercise of options with an exercise price of $0.87, which are exercisable within 60 days. |
(9) | Includes 50,000 shares issuable upon exercise of options with an exercise price of $0.87, which are exercisable within 60 days. |
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Item 13. | Certain Relationships And Related Transactions, and Director Independence. |
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions
Surge and Challenge each lease their current executive offices from Great American Realty of Jefryn Blvd., LLC, an entity owned equally by Ira Levy, our Chief Executive Officer, and President and Steven Lubman, our Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer and one other individual who is not an executive officer or director of the Company. Our lease is through September 2020 and our annual rent payments were approximately $250,026 and $249,538 for fiscal 2015 and 2014, respectively.
Director Independence
Lawrence Chariton, Alan Plafker, and Gary Jacobs are independent directors as that term is defined under the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules.
Item 14. | Principal Accounting Fees And Services |
Audit Fees
Audit Fees represent the aggregate fees for professional services for the audit of our annual financial statements and review of financial statements included in our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or services that are normally provided in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements for those fiscal years. For the years ended November 30, 2015 and 2014, we paid Seligson & Giannattasio, LLP $151,000 and $151,000, respectively.
Audit-Related Fees
For the years ended November 30, 2015 and 2014, we paid Seligson & Giannattasio, LLP $0 and $0, respectively, for audit-related services.
Tax Fees
For the years ended November 30, 2015 and 2014, we paid Seligson & Giannattasio, LLP $12,000 and $12,000, respectively, for tax related services.
All Other Fees
For the years ended November 30, 2015 and 2014, we paid Seligson & Giannattasio, LLP $0 and $0, respectively, for all other services.
The audit committee on an annual basis reviews audit and non-audit services performed by the independent registered public accounting firm. All audit and non-audit services are pre-approved by the audit committee, which considers, among other things, the possible effect of the performance of such services on the auditors' independence. The audit committee has considered the role of Seligson & Giannattasio, LLP in providing services to us for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2015 and has concluded that such services are compatible with Seligson & Giannattasio, LLP’s independence as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm.
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Item 15. | Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules. |
The following documents are filed as a part of this report or incorporated herein by reference: |
1. | Our Consolidated Financial Statements commencing on page F-1 of this Annual Report. |
2. | Exhibits: |
The following documents are included as exhibits to this Annual Report:
Exhibit Number | Description | |
3.1 | Articles of Incorporation of Surge Components, Inc. (filed as exhibit to Form 8-K filed on September 16, 2010 and incorporated herein by reference) | |
3.2 | Amended and Restated By-Laws of Surge Components, Inc. (filed as exhibit to Form 8-K filed on February 24, 2016 and incorporated herein by reference) | |
3.3 | Certificate of Correction of Surge Components, Inc. (filed as exhibit to Form 10-K filed on February 27, 2015 and incorporated herein by reference) | |
10.1 | Lease between Surge Components and Great American Realty of 95 Jefryn BLVD., LLC (filed as exhibit to Amendment No. 1 to Form 10 filed on August 20, 2010 and incorporated herein by reference) | |
10.2 | Lease between Challenge Electronics and Great American Realty of 95 Jefryn BLVD., LLC (filed as exhibit to Amendment No. 1 to Form 10 filed on August 20, 2010 and incorporated herein by reference) | |
10.3 | Employment Agreement between Surge Components, Inc. and Ira Levy (filed as exhibit to Form 8-K filed on February 24, 2016 and incorporated herein by reference) | |
10.4 | Employment Agreement between Surge Components Inc. and Steven Lubman (filed as exhibit to Form 8-K filed on February 24, 2016 and incorporated herein by reference) | |
10.5 | Tenancy Agreement between Surge Components, Inc. and Sam Cheong Stove Parts Co. Ltd (filed as exhibit to Amendment No. 3 to Form 10 filed on January 11, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference) | |
10.6 | Declaration of Trust (filed as exhibit to Amendment No. 1 to Form 10 filed on August 20, 2010 and incorporated herein by reference) | |
10.7 | 2010 Incentive Stock Plan (filed as exhibit to Amendment No. 2 to Form 10 filed on November 4, 2010 and incorporated herein by reference) | |
10.8 | 2015 Incentive Stock Plan | |
10.9 | Lease Agreement, dated October 1, 2010, between Great American Realty of Jefryn Boulevard, LLC and Surge Components, Inc. (filed as exhibit to Amendment No. 2 to Form 10 filed on November 4, 2010 and incorporated herein by reference) | |
10.10 | Lease Agreement, dated October 1, 2010, between Great American Realty of Jefryn Boulevard, LLC and Challenge Electronics, Inc. (filed as exhibit to Amendment No. 2 to Form 10 filed on November 4, 2010 and incorporated herein by reference) | |
10.11 | Agreement, dated March 18, 1999 between Surge Components, Inc. and Future Electronics Incorporated (filed as exhibit to Amendment No. 3 to Form 10 filed on January 11, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference) | |
10.12 | Addendum A, dated March 18, 1999, between Surge Components, Inc. and Future Electronics (filed as exhibit to Amendment No. 3 to Form 10 filed on January 11, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference) | |
10.13 | Agreement, dated October 21, 2009, between Challenge Electronics, Inc. and Cam RPC Electronics (filed as exhibit to Amendment No. 3 to Form 10 filed on January 11, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference) | |
10.14 | Agreement, dated October 21, 2009, between Challenge Electronics, Inc. and Nu-Way Electronics (filed as exhibit to Amendment No. 3 to Form 10 filed on January 11, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference) |
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10.15 | Agreement, dated October 19, 2009 between Challenge Electronics, Inc. and Aesco Electronics (filed as exhibit to Amendment No. 3 to Form 10 filed on January 11, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference) | |
10.16 | Agreement, dated May 5, 2009, between Challenge Electronics, Inc. and TLC Electronics, Inc. (filed as exhibit to Amendment No. 3 to Form 10 filed on January 11, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference) | |
10.17 | Distributor Agreement, dated August 14, 2012, between Surge Components, Inc. and TTI, Inc. (filed as exhibit to Form 10-K filed on February 28, 2013 and incorporated herein by reference) | |
10.18 | Sole Agent Agreement, dated January 1, 2007, between Surge Components, Inc. and Lelon Electronics (filed as exhibit to Form 10-K filed on February 28, 2012 and incorporated herein by reference) | |
10.19 | Master Distributor Agreement, dated February 7, 2011, between Surge Components, Inc. and Avnet, Inc. (filed as exhibit to Form 10-K filed on February 28, 2012 and incorporated herein by reference) | |
10.20 | First Amendment to Master Distributor Agreement, dated February 17, 2011, between Surge Components, Inc. and Avnet, Inc. (filed as exhibit to Form 10-K filed on February 28, 2012 and incorporated herein by reference) | |
10.21 | Rental Agreement with Adcock Investment Company Limited dated May 5, 2013 (filed as exhibit to Form 10-Q filed on July 15, 2013 and incorporated herein by reference) | |
21.1 | Subsidiaries (filed as exhibit to Amendment No. 1 to Form 10 filed on August 20, 2010 and incorporated herein by reference) | |
31 | Certification of principal executive officer and principal financial officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. | |
32 | Certification of principal executive officer and principal financial officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. | |
101.INS | XBRL Instance Document | |
101.SCH | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document | |
101.CAL | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document | |
101.DEF | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document | |
101.LAB | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document | |
101.PRE | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document |
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Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
SURGE COMPONENTS, INC | ||
Date: February 26, 2016 | By: | /s/ Ira Levy |
Ira Levy | ||
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
/s/ Ira Levy | ||||
Ira Levy | February 26, 2016 | |||
Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chairman of the Board (Principal Executive Officer, Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) | ||||
/s/ Steven J. Lubman | ||||
Steven J. Lubman | February 26, 2016 | |||
Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Director | ||||
/s/ Alan Plafker | ||||
Alan Plafker | February 26, 2016 | |||
Director | ||||
/s/ David Siegel | ||||
David Siegel | February 26, 2016 | |||
Director | ||||
/s/ Lawrence Chariton | ||||
Lawrence Chariton | February 26, 2016 | |||
Director | ||||
/s/ Gary M. Jacobs | ||||
Gary M. Jacobs | February 26, 2016 | |||
Director |
28 |
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To The Board of Directors and Stockholders of
Surge Components, Inc.
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Surge Components, Inc. and subsidiaries as of November 30, 2015 and 2014 and the related consolidated statements of income, changes in shareholders' equity and cash flows for each of the years in the two year period ended November 30, 2015. Surge Components, Inc. and subsidiaries management is responsible for these consolidated financial statements. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. The company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. Our audit included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of Surge Components, Inc. and subsidiaries as of November 30, 2015 and 2014 and the consolidated results of their operations and their consolidated cash flows for each of the years in the two year period ended November 30, 2015 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
/s/ Seligson & Giannattasio, LLP
White Plains, New York
February 26, 2016
F- 1 |
SURGE COMPONENTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Consolidated Balance Sheets
November 30, | November 30, | |||||||
2015 | 2014 | |||||||
ASSETS | ||||||||
Current assets: | ||||||||
Cash | $ | 7,169,118 | $ | 6,174,561 | ||||
Accounts receivable - net of allowance for
doubtful accounts of $127,531 and $93,765 |
|
|
4,693,749 |
|
|
|
4,433,994 |
|
Inventory, net | 3,199,463 | 3,258,156 | ||||||
Prepaid expenses and income taxes | 131,522 | 233,275 | ||||||
Deferred income taxes | 249,533 | 295,873 | ||||||
Total current assets | 15,443,385 | 14,395,859 | ||||||
Fixed assets – net of accumulated depreciation and amortization of $2,154,182 and $2,114,416 | 104,738 | 84,966 | ||||||
Deferred income taxes | 748,597 | 887,620 | ||||||
Other assets | 13,384 | 11,652 | ||||||
Total assets | $ | 16,310,104 | $ | 15,380,097 |
See notes to consolidated financial statements
F- 2 |
SURGE COMPONENTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Continued)
November 30, | November 30, | |||||||
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY | 2015 | 2014 | ||||||
Current liabilities: | ||||||||
Accounts payable | $ | 3,261,763 | $ | 3,288,798 | ||||
Accrued expenses and taxes | 572,487 | 785,002 | ||||||
Accrued salaries | 528,957 | 556,805 | ||||||
Total current liabilities | 4,363,207 | 4,630,605 | ||||||
Deferred rent | 41,955 | 40,564 | ||||||
Total liabilities | 4,405,162 | 4,671,169 | ||||||
Commitments and contingencies | ||||||||
Shareholders' equity | ||||||||
Preferred stock - $.001 par value stock, 5,000,000 shares authorized: | ||||||||
Series A – 260,000 shares authorized, none outstanding, non-voting, convertible, redeemable. | ||||||||
Series B – 200,000 shares authorized, none outstanding, voting, convertible, redeemable. | ||||||||
Series C–100,000 shares authorized, 10,000 and 23,700 shares issued and outstanding, redeemable, convertible, and a liquidation preference of $5 per share | 10 | 24 | ||||||
Common stock - $.001 par value stock, 75,000,000 shares authorized, 9,999,125 and 9,080,012 shares issued and outstanding | 9,999 | 9,080 | ||||||
Additional paid-in capital | 23,529,729 | 23,192,405 | ||||||
Accumulated deficit | (11,634,796 | ) | (12,492,581 | ) | ||||
Total shareholders' equity | 11,904,942 | 10,708,928 | ||||||
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity | $ | 16,310,104 | $ | 15,380,097 |
See notes to consolidated financial statements.
F- 3 |
SURGE COMPONENTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Consolidated Statements of Operations
Year Ended
November 30, |
||||||||
2015 | 2014 | |||||||
Net sales | $ | 29,734,493 | $ | 27,218,025 | ||||
Cost of goods sold | 22,300,757 | 20,541,782 | ||||||
Gross profit | 7,433,736 | 6,676,243 | ||||||
Operating expenses: | ||||||||
Selling and shipping expenses | 2,394,331 | 2,350,090 | ||||||
General and administrative expenses | 3,902,358 | 3,564,412 | ||||||
Depreciation and amortization | 39,766 | 48,877 | ||||||
Total operating expenses | 6,336,455 | 5,963,379 | ||||||
Income before other income and income taxes | 1,097,281 | 712,864 | ||||||
Other income: | ||||||||
Investment income | 8,832 | 4,849 | ||||||
Other income | 8,832 | 4,849 | ||||||
Income before income taxes | 1,106,113 | 717,713 | ||||||
Income taxes | 241,228 | 279,149 | ||||||
Net income | $ | 864,885 | $ | 438,564 | ||||
Dividends on preferred stock | 7,100 | 11,850 | ||||||
Net income available to common shareholders | $ | 857,785 | $ | 426,714 | ||||
Net income per share available to common shareholders: | ||||||||
Basic | $ | .09 | $ | .05 | ||||
Diluted | $ | .09 | $ | .04 | ||||
Weighted Shares Outstanding: | ||||||||
Basic | 9,641,542 | 9,062,642 | ||||||
Diluted | 9,759,575 | 9,705,861 |
See notes to consolidated financial statements.
F- 4 |
SURGE COMPONENTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity
Years ended November 30, 2015 and 2014
Additional | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Series C Preferred | Common | Paid-In | Accumulated | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shares | Amount | Shares | Amount | Capital | Deficit | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Balance – November 30, 2013 | 23,700 | $ | 24 | 9,060,012 | $ | 9,060 | $ | 23,153,177 | $ | (12,919,295 | ) | $ | 10,242,966 | |||||||||||||||
Preferred stock dividends | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | (11,850 | ) | (11,850 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of options | -- | -- | -- | -- | 39,248 | -- | 39,248 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of common shares | -- | -- | 20,000 | 20 | (20 | ) | -- | -- | ||||||||||||||||||||
Net Income | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 438,564 | 438,564 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Balance – November 30, 2014 | 23,700 | 24 | 9,080,012 | 9,080 | 23,192,405 | (12,492,581 | ) | 10,708,928 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Preferred stock dividends | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | (7,100 | ) | (7,100 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of options | -- | -- | -- | -- | 34,913 | -- | 34,913 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Exercise of options | -- | -- | 575,000 | 575 | 143,175 | -- | 143,750 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of shares for conversion of accrued interest | -- | -- | 113,803 | 114 | 102,286 | -- | 102,400 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of shares as compensation | -- | -- | 78,310 | 78 | 57,088 | -- | 57,166 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of common shares | (13,700 | ) | (14 | ) | 152,000 | 152 | (138 | ) | -- | -- | ||||||||||||||||||
Net income | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 864,885 | 864,885 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Balance – November 30, 2015 | 10,000 | $ | 10 | 9,999,125 | $ | 9,999 | $ | 23,529,729 | $ | (11,634,796 | ) | $ | 11,904,942 |
See notes to consolidated financial statements.
F- 5 |
SURGE COMPONENTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
Year Ended
November 30, |
||||||||
2015 | 2014 | |||||||
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES: | ||||||||
Net income | $ | 864,885 | $ | 438,564 | ||||
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating | ||||||||
activities: | ||||||||
Depreciation and amortization | 39,766 | 48,877 | ||||||
Stock compensation expense | 92,079 | 39,248 | ||||||
Deferred income taxes | 185,363 | 273,114 | ||||||
Allowance for doubtful accounts | 33,766 | 33,765 | ||||||
CHANGES IN OPERATING ASSETS AND LIABILITIES: | ||||||||
Accounts receivable | (293,521 | ) | 495,626 | |||||
Inventory | 58,693 | 414,407 | ||||||
Prepaid expenses and income taxes | 101,753 | 8,421 | ||||||
Other assets | (1,732 | ) | - | |||||
Accounts payable | (27,034 | ) | (40,978 | ) | ||||
Deferred rent | 1,391 | 4,709 | ||||||
Accrued expenses | (145,064 | ) | 229,286 | |||||
NET CASH FLOWS PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES | 910,345 | 1,945,039 | ||||||
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES: | ||||||||
Acquisition of fixed assets | (59,538 | ) | (58,568 | ) | ||||
NET CASH FLOWS USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES | (59,538 | ) | (58,568 | ) |
F- 6 |
SURGE COMPONENTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Consolidated Statements Of Cash Flows
(Continued)
Year Ended
November 30, |
||||||||
2015 | 2014 | |||||||
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES: | ||||||||
Proceeds from exercising stock options | $ | 143,750 | $ | - | ||||
NET CASH FLOWS PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES | 143,750 | - | ||||||
NET CHANGE IN CASH | 994,557 | 1,886,471 | ||||||
CASH AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD | 6,174,561 | 4,288,090 | ||||||
CASH AT END OF PERIOD | $ | 7,169,118 | $ | 6,174,561 | ||||
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION: | ||||||||
Income taxes paid | $ | 55,865 | $ | 77,600 | ||||
Interest paid | $ | - | $ | - | ||||
NONCASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES: | ||||||||
Accrued dividends on preferred stock | $ | 7,100 | $ | 11,850 |
See notes to consolidated financial statements.
F- 7 |
SURGE COMPONENTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
NOTE A – ORGANIZATION, DESCRIPTION OF COMPANY'S BUSINESS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION
Surge Components, Inc. (“Surge”) was incorporated in the State of New York and commenced operations on November 24, 1981 as an importer of electronic products, primarily capacitors and discrete semi-conductors selling to customers located principally throughout North America. On June 24, 1988, Surge formed Challenge/Surge Inc. (“Challenge”), a wholly-owned subsidiary to engage in the sale of electronic component products and sounding devices from established brand manufacturers to customers located principally throughout North America.
In May 2002, Surge and an officer of Surge founded and became sole owners of Surge Components, Limited (“Surge Limited”), a Hong Kong corporation. Under current Hong Kong law, Surge Limited is required to have at least two shareholders. Surge owns 999 shares of the outstanding common stock and the officer of Surge owns 1 share of the outstanding common stock. The officer of Surge has assigned his rights regarding his 1 share to Surge. Surge Limited started doing business in July 2002. Surge Limited operations have been consolidated with the Company. Surge Limited is responsible for the sale of Surge’s products to customers located in Asia.
On August 31, 2010, the Company changed its corporate domicile by merging into a newly-formed corporation, Surge Components, Inc. (Nevada), which was formed in the State of Nevada for that purpose. Surge Components Inc. is the surviving entity. The number of common stock shares authorized for issuance was increased to 75,000,000 shares.
NOTE B – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
(1) Principles of Consolidation :
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Surge, Challenge, and Surge Limited (collectively the “Company”). All material intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
(2) Accounts Receivable:
Trade accounts receivable are recorded at the net invoice value and are not interest bearing. The Company considers receivables past due based on the payment terms. The Company reviews its exposure to amounts receivable and reserves specific amounts if collectability is no longer reasonably assured. The Company also reserves a percentage of its trade receivable balance based on collection history and current economic trends that might impact the level of future credit losses. The Company re-evaluates such reserves on a regular basis and adjusts its reserves as needed. Based on the Company’s operating history and customer base, bad debts to date have not been material.
(3) Revenue Recognition :
Revenue is recognized for products sold by the Company when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred, the price is fixed and determinable, collectability is reasonably assured and title and risk of loss have been transferred to the customer. This occurs when product is shipped from the Company's warehouse.
For direct shipments, revenue is recognized when product is shipped from the Company’s supplier. The Company has a long term supply agreement with one of our suppliers. The Company purchases the merchandise from the supplier and has the supplier directly ship to the customer through a freight forwarder. Title passes to customer upon the merchandise being received by a freight forwarder. Direct shipments were approximately $3,930,000 and $3,920,000 for the years ended November 30, 2015 and November 30, 2014 respectively.
The Company also acts as a sales agent to certain customers in North America for one of its suppliers. The Company reports these commissions as revenues in the period earned. Commission revenue totaled $266,525 and $509,273 for the years ended November 30, 2015 and November 30, 2014 respectively.
The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers and maintains reserves for potential credit losses.
F- 8 |
SURGE COMPONENTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
NOTE B – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)
(3) Revenue Recognition (continued) :
The Company and its subsidiaries currently have agreements with several distributors. There are no provisions for the granting of price concessions in any of the agreements. Revenues under these distribution agreements were approximately $9,331,000 and $7,019,000 for the years ended November 30, 2015 and November 30, 2014 respectively.
(4) Inventories :
Inventories, which consist solely of products held for resale, are stated at the lower of cost (first-in, first-out method) or market. Products are included in inventory when the Company obtains title and risk of loss on the products, primarily when shipped from the supplier. Inventory in transit principally from foreign suppliers at November 30, 2015 approximated $1,613,000. The Company, at November 30, 2015, has a reserve against slow moving and obsolete inventory of $295,000. From time to time the Company’s products are subject to legislation from various authorities on environmental matters.
(5) Depreciation and Amortization :
Fixed assets are recorded at cost. Depreciation is generally calculated on a straight line method and amortization of leasehold improvements is provided for on the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the various assets as follows:
Furniture, fixtures and equipment | 5 - 7 years |
Computer equipment | 5 years |
Leasehold Improvements | Estimated useful life or lease term, whichever is shorter |
Maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred while renewals and betterments are capitalized.
F- 9 |
SURGE COMPONENTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
NOTE B – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)
(6) Concentration of Credit Risk :
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist principally of accounts receivable. The Company maintains substantially all of its cash balances in a limited number of financial institutions. At November 30, 2015 and November 30, 2014, the Company's uninsured cash balances totaled approximately $3,988,761 and $2,994,000, respectively.
(7) Income Taxes :
The Company's deferred income taxes arise primarily from the differences in the recording of net operating losses, allowances for bad debts, inventory reserves and depreciation expense for financial reporting and income tax purposes. A valuation allowance is provided when it has been determined to be more likely than not that the likelihood of the realization of deferred tax assets will not be realized. See Note G.
The Company follows the provisions of the Accounting Standards Codification topic, ASC 740, “Income Taxes” (ASC 740). There have been no unrecognized tax benefits and, accordingly, there has been no effect on the Company’s financial condition or results of operations as a result of ASC 740.
The Company files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and various state and foreign jurisdictions. The Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal tax examinations for years before fiscal years ending November 30, 2011, and state tax examinations for years before fiscal years ending November 30, 2010. Management does not believe there will be any material changes in our unrecognized tax positions over the next twelve months.
The Company’s policy is to recognize interest and penalties accrued on any unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income expense. As of the date of adoption of ASC 740, there was no accrued interest or penalties associated with any unrecognized benefits, nor was any interest expense recognized during the years ended November 30, 2015 and November 30, 2014.
F- 10 |
SURGE COMPONENTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
NOTE B – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)
(8) Cash Equivalents :
The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.
(9) Use of Estimates :
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
(10) Marketing and promotional costs:
Marketing and promotional costs are expensed as incurred and have not been material to date. The Company has contractual arrangements with several of its distributors which provide for cooperative advertising rights to the distributor as a percentage of sales. Cooperative advertising is reflected as a reduction in revenues and has not been material to date.
(11) Fair Value of Financial Instruments :
The carrying amount of cash balances, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses approximate their fair value based on the nature of those items. Estimated fair values of financial instruments are determined using available market information and appropriate valuation methodologies. Considerable judgment is required to interpret the market data used to develop the estimates of fair value, and accordingly, the estimates are not necessarily indicative of the amounts that could be realized in a current market exchange.
F- 11 |
SURGE COMPONENTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
NOTE B – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)
(12) Shipping Costs
The Company classifies shipping costs as a component of selling expenses. Shipping costs totaled $8,664 and $11,357 for the years ended November 30, 2015 and November 30, 2014 respectively.
(13) Earnings Per Share
Basic earnings per share includes no dilution and is computed by dividing net income available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. The difference between reported basic and diluted weighted-average common shares results from the assumption that all dilutive stock options and convertible preferred stock exercised into common stock. Total potentially dilutive shares excluded from diluted weighted shares outstanding at November 30, 2015 and November 30, 2014 totaled 518,405 and 560,220, respectively.
(14) Stock Based Compensation
Stock Based Compensation to Employees
The Company accounts for its stock-based compensation for employees in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 718. The Company recognizes in the statement of operations the grant-date fair value of stock options and other equity-based compensation issued to employees and non-employees over the related vesting period.
Stock Based Compensation to Other than Employees
The Company accounts for equity instruments issued in exchange for the receipt of goods or services from other than employees in accordance with ASC 718. Costs are measured at the estimated fair market value of the consideration received or the estimated fair value of the equity instruments issued, whichever is more reliably determinable. The value of equity instruments issued for consideration other than employee services is determined on the earlier of a performance commitment or completion of performance by the provider of goods or services. In the case of equity instruments issued to consultants, the fair value of the equity instrument is recognized over the term of the consulting agreement.
F- 12 |
SURGE COMPONENTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
NOTE C - FIXED ASSETS
Fixed assets consist of the following:
November 30, | November 30, | |||||||
2015 | 2014 | |||||||
Furniture and Fixtures | $ | 327,971 | $ | 322,586 | ||||
Leasehold Improvements | 956,637 | 940,204 | ||||||
Computer Equipment | 974,312 | 936,592 | ||||||
Less-Accumulated Depreciation | (2,154,182 | ) | (2,114,416 | ) | ||||
Net Fixed Assets | $ | 104,738 | $ | 84,966 |
Depreciation and amortization expense for the years ended November 30, 2015 and November 30, 2014 was $39,766 and $48,877, respectively.
NOTE D - ACCRUED EXPENSES
Accrued expenses consist of the following:
November 30, | November 30, | |||||||
2015 | 2014 | |||||||
Commissions | $ | 276,724 | $ | 263,796 | ||||
Preferred Stock Dividends | 124,069 | 200,557 | ||||||
Interest | - | 102,399 | ||||||
Other accrued expenses | 171,694 | 218,250 | ||||||
$ | 572,487 | $ | 785,002 |
In March 2000, the Company completed a $7,000,000 private placement of convertible notes. The face value of the notes was converted into common stock in July 2001 pursuant to the automatic conversion provisions of the notes. However, approval by holders of the notes was required to convert the interest accrued on the notes to common stock. The accrued interest set forth in the Company’s financial statements relates to the portion of the accrued interest for which note holder approval was not obtained and therefore not converted into common stock. No additional interest accrues on these amounts and none of the accrued interest was repaid during any of the periods presented. In February 2015, the Company issued 113,803 shares of common stock to the holders of the Notes at a conversion rate of $0.90 per share.
NOTE E – RETIREMENT PLAN
In June 1997, the Company adopted a qualified 401(k) retirement plan for all full-time employees who are twenty-one years of age and have completed twelve months of service. The plan allows total employee contributions of up to fifteen percent (15%) of the eligible employee’s salary through salary reduction. The Company makes a matching contribution of twenty percent (20%) of each employee’s contribution for each dollar of employee deferral up to five percent (5%) of the employee’s salary. Net assets for the plan, as estimated by Union Central, Inc., which maintains the plan’s records, were approximately $1,092,000 at November 30, 2015. Pension expense for the years ended November 30, 2015 and November 30, 2014 was $2,287 and $11,222, respectively.
F- 13 |
SURGE COMPONENTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
NOTE F – SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
[1] Preferred Stock :
In February 1996, the Company amended its Certificate of Incorporation to authorize the issuance of 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series. In August 2010, the number of preferred shares authorized for issuance was increased to 5,000,000 shares.
In January 2000, the Company authorized 260,000 shares of preferred stock as Non-Voting Redeemable Convertible Series A Preferred Stock (“Series A Preferred”). None of the Series A preferred stock is outstanding as of November 30, 2015.
In November 2000, the Company authorized 200,000 shares of preferred stock as Voting Redeemable Convertible Series B Preferred Stock (“Series B Preferred”). None of the Series B Preferred Stock is outstanding as of November 30, 2015.
In November 2000, the Company authorized 100,000 shares of preferred stock as Non-Voting Redeemable Convertible Series C Preferred Stock (“Series C Preferred”). Each share of Series C Preferred is automatically convertible into 10 shares of our common stock upon shareholder approval. If the Series C Preferred were converted into common stock on or before April 15, 2001, these shares were entitled to cumulative dividends at the rate of $.50 per share per annum commencing April 15, 2001 payable on June 30 and December 31 of each year. In November 2000, 70,000 shares of the Series C Preferred were issued in payment of financial consulting services to its investment banker and a shareholder of the Company. In April 2001, 8,000 shares of the Series C Preferred were repurchased and cancelled.
In April 2002, in connection with a Mutual Release, Settlement, Standstill and Non-Disparagement Agreement among other provisions, certain investors transferred back to the Company 252,000 shares of common stock, 19,300 shares of Series C preferred stock, and certain warrants, in exchange for $225,000. These repurchased shares were cancelled.
In February 2006, the Company settled with a shareholder to repurchase 10,000 shares of Series C Preferred plus accrued dividends for $50,000.
Pursuant to exchange agreements dated as of March 14, 2011, 9,000 shares of Series C Preferred were returned to the Company for cancellation in exchange for 112,500 shares of common stock.
In October 2014, 2,000 shares of Series C Preferred were converted into 20,000 shares of common stock.
In April 2015, the Company entered into a settlement agreement with a shareholder pursuant to which 7,500 shares of Series C Preferred were returned to the Company for cancellation in exchange for 110,000 shares of common stock plus $65,000 for accrued dividends and legal fees and expenses.
In July 2015, 4,200 shares of Series C Preferred were exchanged for 42,000 shares of common stock and $29,838 in accrued dividends.
Dividends aggregating $124,069 have not been paid for the semi-annual periods ended December 31, 2001 through the semi-annual payment due June 30, 2015. The Company has accrued these dividends. At November 30, 2015, there are 10,000 shares of Series C Preferred issued and outstanding.
F- 14 |
SURGE COMPONENTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
NOTE F – SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (Continued)
[2] 2010 Incentive Stock Plan
In March 2010, the Company adopted, and in April 2010 the shareholders ratified, the 2010 Incentive Stock Plan (“2010 Stock Plan”). The 2010 Stock Plan provides for the grant of options to officers, employees, directors or consultants to the Company to purchase an aggregate of 1,500,000 common shares.
Activity in the 2010 Stock Plan for the year ended November 30, 2015 is summarized as follows:
Weighted | ||||||||
Average | ||||||||
Shares |
Exercise
Price |
|||||||
Options outstanding December 1, 2014 | 986,438 | $ | 0.50 | |||||
Options issued in the year ended November 30, 2015 | 125,000 | $ | 0.87 | |||||
Options exercised in the year ended November 30, 2015 | (575,000 | ) | $ | 0.25 | ||||
Options cancelled in the year ended November 30, 2015 | (1,000 | ) | $ | 1.15 | ||||
Options outstanding at November 30, 2015 | 535,438 | $ | 0.85 | |||||
Options exercisable at November 30, 2015 | 535,438 | $ | .085 |
[3] 2015 Incentive Stock Plan
In November 2015, the Company adopted and the shareholders ratified, the 2015 Incentive Stock Plan (“2015 Stock Plan”). The 2015 Stock Plan provides for the grant of options to officers, employees, directors or consultants to the Company to purchase an aggregate of 1,500,000 common shares.
There was no activity in the 2015 Stock Plan for the year ended November 30, 2015.
Stock Compensation
On February 25, 2011, the Company granted stock options to employees to purchase 85,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price of $1.15, the value of the common stock on the date of the grant. These options vest over a three year period and expire in ten years. The fair values of these stock options are estimated at the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following weighted-average assumptions: expected volatility of 60% (based on stock volatility of public company industry peers); average risk-free interest rate of 3.42% (the ten year treasury note rate on the date of the grant); initial expected life of 10 years (based on the term of the options); no expected dividend yield; and amortized over the vesting period.
In July 2012, the Company granted a stock option to one non-officer director to purchase 50,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.51, the market price of the common stock on the date of the grant. This option vested immediately and expires in five years. The fair value of this stock option is estimated at the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following weighted-average assumptions: expected volatility of 35% (based on stock volatility of public company industry peers); average risk-free interest rate of 0.67% (the five year treasury note rate on the date of the grant); initial expected life of 5 years (based on the term of the options) and no expected dividend yield.
In November 2013, the Company granted a stock option to one employee-director and all non-employee directors to purchase 25,000 shares of common stock, and one employee-director to purchase 50,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.82, the market price of the common stock on the date of the grant. This option vested immediately and expires in five years. The fair value of this stock option is estimated at the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following weighted-average assumptions: expected volatility of 18% (based on the Company’s historical stock volatility); average risk-free interest rate of 1.36% (the five year treasury note rate on the date of the grant); initial expected life of 5 years (based on the term of the options) and no expected dividend yield.
F- 15 |
SURGE COMPONENTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
NOTE F – SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (Continued)
Stock Compensation (Continued)
In April 2014, the Company granted a stock option to (a) one employee-director to purchase 62,500 shares of common stock, and (b) one employee-director to purchase 45,938 shares of common stock, at an exercise price of $.80 per share, the market price of the common stock on the date of the grant. These options vest immediately and expire five years from the grant date. The fair value of these stock options are estimated at the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following weighted-average assumptions: expected volatility of 20% (based on the Company’s historical stock volatility); average risk-free interest rate of 1.65% (the five year treasury note rate on the date of the grant); initial expected life of 5 years (based on the term of the options) and no expected dividend yield.
In March 2015, the Company awarded one employee director 48,530 shares of its common stock and another employee director 29,780 shares of its common stock as part of their 2014 bonus. The Company recorded a cost of $57,166 relating to the issuance of these shares. In February 2015, one non-employee director exercised an option to acquire 25,000 shares of common stock for $0.25 per share. In April 2015, two employee directors each exercised options to acquire 250,000shares for $0.25 per share. Also in April 2015, two non-employee directors each exercised options to acquire 25,000 shares of common stock for $0.25 per share.
In July 2015, the Company granted stock options to (a) three non-employee directors to each purchase 25,000 shares of common stock, and (b) one non-employee-director to purchase 50,000 shares of common stock, at an exercise price of $.87 per share, the market price of the common stock on the date of the grant. These options vest immediately and expire five years from the grant date. The Company recorded a cost of $19,913 related to the granting of these options. The fair value of these stock options are estimated at the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following weighted-average assumptions: expected volatility of 17% (based on the Company’s historical stock volatility); average risk-free interest rate of 1.55% (the five year treasury note rate on the date of the grant); initial expected life of 5 years (based on the term of the options) and no expected dividend yield.
The intrinsic value of the exercisable options at November 30, 2015 totaled $12,500. At November 30, 2015 the weighted average remaining life of the stock options is 2.57 years. At November 30, 2015, there was no unrecognized compensation cost related to the stock options granted under the plan.
F- 16 |
SURGE COMPONENTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
NOTE F – SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (Continued)
[4] Authorized Repurchase :
In November 2015, the Board of Directors authorized the Company to purchase up to $500,000 of common stock in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions. The Company has not repurchased any shares to date pursuant to such authority.
[5] Compensation of Directors
In May 2010, the Company issued 12,000 shares of its common stock to each non-employee director as compensation for services on the Board of Directors. These shares were valued at $0.18 per share, the closing price of the common stock on the over-the-counter market. Starting April 1, 2012, the amount directors each receive for their services on the Board of Directors was increased from $200 a month to $2,000 a month. In May 2010, options were granted to each non-employee director to purchase 25,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.25 per share. In July 2012, a stock option was granted to one non-employee director to purchase 50,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.51. (See Note F[2] for disclosure on the valuation and terms of these options). In May 2012, one non-employee director exercised an option and acquired 25,000 shares of common stock for $0.25 per share. In November 2013, each non-employee director was granted an option to purchase 25,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.82 per share. Starting December 1, 2013 the compensation for each non-employee director was increased to $2,500 per month (and $3,500 per month for a non-employee director that serves as the chairman of more than two committees of the Board of Directors). In February 2015, one non-employee director exercised an option and acquired 25,000 shares of common stock for $0.25 per share. In April 2015, two non-employee directors exercised options and acquired 25,000 shares each of common stock for $0.25 per share. In July 2015, options were granted to three non-employee directors each to purchase 25,000 shares of common stock and one non-employee director to purchase 50,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.87 per share.
NOTE G – INCOME TAXES
Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amount of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes using the enacted tax rates in effect in the years in which the differences are expected to reverse.
The Company’s deferred income taxes are comprised of the following:
November 30, | November 30, | |||||||
2015 | 2014 | |||||||
Deferred Tax Assets | ||||||||
Net operating loss | $ | 4,095,388 | $ | 4,366,694 | ||||
Allowance for bad debts | 39,296 | 29,317 | ||||||
Inventory | 100,017 | 120,219 | ||||||
Deferred Rent | 16,756 | 16,201 | ||||||
Depreciation | 156,272 | 170,131 | ||||||
Total deferred tax assets | 4,407,729 | 4,702,562 | ||||||
Valuation allowance | (3,409,599 | ) | (3,519,069 | ) | ||||
Deferred Tax Assets | $ | 998,130 | $ | 1,183,493 |
The valuation allowance for the deferred tax assets relates principally to the uncertainty of the utilization of deferred tax assets and was calculated in accordance with the provisions of ASC 740, which requires that a valuation allowance be established or maintained when it is “more likely than not” that all or a portion of deferred tax assets will not be realized. The valuation allowance decreased by approximately $109,000 during the year ended November 30, 2015. This valuation is based on management estimates of future taxable income. Although the degree of variability inherent in the estimates of future taxable income is significant and subject to change in the near term, management believes, that the estimate is adequate. The estimated valuation allowance is continually reviewed and as adjustments to the allowance become necessary, such adjustments are reflected in the current operations.
F- 17 |
SURGE COMPONENTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
NOTE G – INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED)
The Company's income tax expense consists of the following:
Years Ended | ||||||||
November 30,
2015 |
November 30,
2014 |
|||||||
Current: |
||||||||
Federal | $ | 12,602 | $ | - | ||||
States | 42,263 | 6,035 | ||||||
55,865 | 6,035 | |||||||
Deferred: | ||||||||
Federal | 146,434 | 215,760 | ||||||
States | 38,929 | 57,354 | ||||||
185,363 | 273,114 | |||||||
Provision for income taxes | $ | 241,228 | $ | 279,149 |
The Company files a consolidated income tax return with its wholly-owned subsidiaries and has net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $10,250,000 for federal and state purposes, which expire through 2020. A reconciliation of the difference between the expected income tax rate using the statutory federal tax rate and the Company's effective rate is as follows:
Years ended | ||||||||
November 30, | November 30, | |||||||
2015 | 2014 | |||||||
U.S Federal Income tax statutory rate | 34 | % | 34 | % | ||||
Valuation allowance | (19 | )% | 2 | % | ||||
State income taxes | 7 | % | 3 | % | ||||
Other | - | - | ||||||
Effective tax rate | 22 | % | 39 | % |
F- 18 |
SURGE COMPONENTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
NOTE H– RENTAL COMMITMENTS
The Company leases its office and warehouse space through 2020 from a corporation that is controlled by officers/shareholders of the Company (“Related Company”). Annual minimum rental payments to the Related Company approximated $169,000 for the year ended November 30, 2015, and increase at the rate of three per cent per annum throughout the lease term.
Pursuant to the lease, rent expense charged to operations differs from rent paid because of scheduled rent increases. Accordingly, the Company has recorded deferred rent. Rent expense is calculated by allocating to rental payments, including those attributable to scheduled rent increases, on a straight line basis, over the lease term.
In June 2015, the Company renewed its lease to rent office space and a warehouse in Hong Kong for two years. Annual minimum rental payments for this space are approximately $58,500.
The Company’s future minimum rental commitments at November 30, 2015 are as follows:
Twelve Months Ended | ||||
November 30, | ||||
2016 | $ | 231,041 | ||
2017 | $ | 205,261 | ||
2018 | $ | 179,552 | ||
2019 | $ | 183,142 | ||
2020 | $ | 155,154 | ||
2021 & thereafter | $ | - | ||
$ | 954,150 |
Net rental expense for the years ended November 30, 2015 and November 30, 2014 were $306,263 and $306,078 respectively, of which $250,026 and $249,538 respectively, was paid to the Related Company.
F- 19 |
SURGE COMPONENTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
NOTE I – EMPLOYMENT AND OTHER AGREEMENTS
In February 2016, the Company entered into revised employment agreements with two officers of the Company. Pursuant to these agreements, the base salary for one officer is $275,000 and the base salary for the other officer is $225,000. The agreements continue until terminated by either party.
The Company’s compensation committee may award these officers with bonuses and will review the base salary amounts for each of the officers on an annual basis to determine if any changes to the base salary need to be made. Pursuant to the employment agreements, the officers are prohibited from engaging in activities which are competitive with those of the Company during the employment and for one year following termination. If the agreement is terminated for other than cause, the officer would be entitled to any and all base salary, accrued but unused vacation, all vested equity, and bonus amounts payable to the officer through the date of termination. He would also be paid an additional thirty-six months of annual compensation equal to the average of his base salary and bonus for the three calendar years prior to the date of termination, payable in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll practice over a 52-week period.
NOTE J– MAJOR CUSTOMERS
The Company had one customer who accounted for 17% of net sales for year ended November 30, 2015 and one customer who accounted for 14% of net sales for the year ended November 30, 2014. The Company had one customer who accounted for 10% of accounts receivable at November 30, 2015 and one customer who accounted for 11% of accounts receivable at November 30, 2014.
NOTE K- MAJOR SUPPLIERS
During the years ended November 30, 2015 and November 30, 2014 there was one foreign supplier accounting for 56% and 49% of total inventory purchased.
The Company purchases substantially all of its products overseas. For the year ended November 30, 2015, the Company purchased 58% of its products from Taiwan, 9% from Hong Kong, 29% from elsewhere in Asia and less than 1% overseas outside of Asia. The Company purchases the balance of its products in the United States.
NOTE L - EXPORT SALES
The Company’s export sales were as follows:
Year Ended | ||||||||
November 30, | November 30, | |||||||
2015 | 2014 | |||||||
Canada | 3,354,552 | 2,491,789 | ||||||
China | 6,274,876 | 5,136,612 | ||||||
Other Asian Countries | 1,059,075 | 938,771 | ||||||
South America | 462,202 | 563,388 | ||||||
Europe | 1,107,043 | 1,006,986 |
Revenues are attributed to countries based on location of customer.
F-20
Exhibit 10.8
SURGE COMPONENTS, INC.
2015 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
1. Purpose . The purpose of the Surge Components, Inc. 2015 Equity Incentive Plan is to provide a means through which the Company and its Affiliates may attract and retain key personnel and to provide a means whereby directors, officers, managers, employees, consultants and advisors of the Company and its Affiliates can acquire and maintain an equity interest in the Company, or be paid incentive compensation, which may (but need not) be measured by reference to the value of Common Shares, thereby strengthening their commitment to the welfare of the Company and its Affiliates and aligning their interests with those of the Company’s stockholders.
2. Definitions . The following definitions shall be applicable throughout this Plan:
(a) “ Affiliate ” means (i) any person or entity that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Company and/or (ii) to the extent provided by the Committee, any person or entity in which the Company has a significant interest as determined by the Committee in its discretion. The term “control” (including, with correlative meaning, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as applied to any person or entity, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such person or entity, whether through the ownership of voting or other securities, by contract or otherwise.
(b) “ Award ” means, individually or collectively, any Incentive Stock Option, Nonqualified Stock Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, Stock Bonus Award and Performance Compensation Award granted under this Plan.
(c) “ Award Agreement ” means an agreement made and delivered in accordance with Section 15(a) of this Agreement evidencing the grant of an Award hereunder.
(d) “ Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(e) “ Business Combination ” has the meaning given such term in the definition of “Change in Control.”
(f) “ Business Day ” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in New York City are authorized or obligated by federal law or executive order to be closed.
(g) “ Cause ” means, in the case of a particular Award, unless the applicable Award Agreement states otherwise, (i) the Company or an Affiliate having “cause” to terminate a Participant’s employment or service, as defined in any employment or consulting agreement or similar document or policy between the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate in effect at the time of such termination or (ii) in the absence of any such employment or consulting agreement, document or policy (or the absence of any definition of “Cause” contained therein), (A) a continuing material breach or material default (including, without limitation, any material dereliction of duty) by Participant of any agreement between the Participant and the Company, except for any such breach or default which is caused by the physical disability of the Participant (as determined by a neutral physician), or a continuing failure by the Participant to follow the direction of a duly authorized representative of the Company; (B) gross negligence, willful misfeasance or breach of fiduciary duty by the Participant ; (C) th e commission by the Participant of an act of fraud, embezzlement or any felony or other crime of dishonesty in connection with the Participant’s duties; or (D) conviction of the Participant of a felony or any other crime that would materially and adversely affect: (i) the business reputation of the Company or (ii) the performance of the Participant ’s duties to the Company. Any determination of whether Cause exists shall be made by the Committee in its sole discretion.
(h) “ Change in Control ” shall, in the case of a particular Award, unless the applicable Award Agreement states otherwise or contains a different definition of “Change in Control,” be deemed to occur upon:
(i) An acquisition (whether directly from the Company or otherwise) of any voting securities of the Company (the “ Voting Securities ”) by any “Person” (as the term person is used for purposes of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”)), immediately after which such Person has “Beneficial Ownership” (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding Voting Securities.
(ii) The individuals who constitute the members of the Board cease, by reason of a financing, merger, combination, acquisition, takeover or other non-ordinary course transaction affecting the Company, to constitute at least fifty-one percent (51%) of the members of the Board; or
(iii) Approval by the Board and, if required, stockholders of the Company of, or execution by the Company of any definitive agreement with respect to, or the consummation of (it being understood that the mere execution of a term sheet, memorandum of understanding or other non-binding document shall not constitute a Change of Control):
(A) A merger, consolidation or reorganization involving the Company, where either or both of the events described in clauses (i) or (ii) above would be the result;
(B) A liquidation or dissolution of or appointment of a receiver, rehabilitator, conservator or similar person for, or the filing by a third party of an involuntary bankruptcy against, the Company; provided, however, that to the extent necessary to comply with Section 409A of the Code, the occurrence of an event described in this subsection (B) shall not trigger the settlement or payment of any Award granted under this Plan that constitutes non-exempt “deferred compensation” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code; or
(C) An agreement for the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to any Person (other than a transfer to a subsidiary of the Company).
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(i) “ Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any successor thereto. References in this Plan to any section of the Code shall be deemed to include any regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section, and any amendments or successor provisions to such section, regulations or guidance.
(j) “ Committee ” means a committee of at least two people as the Board may appoint to administer this Plan or, if no such committee has been appointed by the Board, the Board. Unless altered by an action of the Board, the Committee shall be the Compensation Committee of the Board.
(k) “ Common Shares ” means the common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (and any stock or other securities into which such common shares may be converted or into which they may be exchanged).
(l) “ Company ” means Surge Components, Inc., a Nevada corporation, together with its successors and assigns.
(m) “ Date of Grant ” means the date on which the granting of an Award is authorized, or such other date as may be specified in such authorization.
(n) “ Disability ” means a “permanent and total” disability incurred by a Participant while in the employ of the Company or an Affiliate. For this purpose, a permanent and total disability shall mean that the Participant is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months.
(o) “ Effective Date ” means the date as of which this Plan is adopted by the Board, subject to Section 3 of this Plan.
(p) “ Eligible Director ” means a person who is (i) a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, and (ii) an “outside director” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.
(q) “ Eligible Person ” means any (i) individual employed by the Company or an Affiliate; provided , however , that no such employee covered by a collective bargaining agreement shall be an Eligible Person unless and to the extent that such eligibility is set forth in such collective bargaining agreement or in an agreement or instrument relating thereto; (ii) director of the Company or an Affiliate; or (iii) consultant or advisor to the Company or an Affiliate, provided that if the Securities Act applies such persons must be eligible to be offered securities registrable on Form S-8 under the Securities Act.
(r) “ Exchange Act ” has the meaning given such term in the definition of “Change in Control,” and any reference in this Plan to any section of (or rule promulgated under) the Exchange Act shall be deemed to include any rules, regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section or rule, and any amendments or successor provisions to such section, rules, regulations or guidance.
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(s) “ Exercise Price ” has the meaning given such term in Section 7(b) of this Plan.
(t) “ Fair Market Value ”, unless otherwise provided by the Committee in accordance with all applicable laws, rules regulations and standards, means, on a given date, (i) if the Stock is listed on a securities exchange, the closing sales price on the principal such exchange on such date or, in the absence of reported sales on such date, the closing sales price on the immediately preceding date on which sales were reported, or (ii) if the Stock is not listed on a securities exchange, the mean between the bid and offered prices as quoted by the applicable interdealer quotation system for such date, provided that if the Stock is not quoted on an interdealer quotation system or it is determined that the fair market value is not properly reflected by such quotations, Fair Market Value will be determined by such other method as the Committee determines in good faith to be reasonable and in compliance with Section 409A of the Code.
(u) “ Immediate Family Members ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 15(b) of this Plan.
(v) “ Incentive Stock Option ” means an Option that is designated by the Committee as an incentive stock option as described in Section 422 of the Code and otherwise meets the requirements set forth in this Plan.
(w) “ Indemnifiable Person ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(e) of this Plan.
(x) “ Negative Discretion ” shall mean the discretion authorized by this Plan to be applied by the Committee to eliminate or reduce the size of a Performance Compensation Award consistent with Section 162(m) of the Code.
(y) “ Nonqualified Stock Option ” means an Option that is not designated by the Committee as an Incentive Stock Option.
(z) “ Option ” means an Award granted under Section 7 of this Plan.
(aa) “ Option Period ” has the meaning given such term in Section 7(c) of this Plan.
(bb) “ Outstanding Company Common Shares ” has the meaning given such term in the definition of “Change in Control.”
(cc) “ Outstanding Company Voting Securities ” has the meaning given such term in the definition of “Change in Control.”
(dd) “ Participant ” means an Eligible Person who has been selected by the Committee to participate in this Plan and to receive an Award pursuant to Section 6 of this Plan.
(ee) “ Performance Compensation Award ” shall mean any Award designated by the Committee as a Performance Compensation Award pursuant to Section 11 of this Plan.
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(ff) “ Performance Criteria ” shall mean the criterion or criteria that the Committee shall select for purposes of establishing the Performance Goal(s) for a Performance Period with respect to any Performance Compensation Award under this Plan.
(gg) “ Performance Formula ” shall mean, for a Performance Period, the one or more objective formulae applied against the relevant Performance Goal to determine, with regard to the Performance Compensation Award of a particular Participant, whether all, some portion but less than all, or none of the Performance Compensation Award has been earned for the Performance Period.
(hh) “ Performance Goals ” shall mean, for a Performance Period, the one or more goals established by the Committee for the Performance Period based upon the Performance Criteria .
(ii) “ Performance Period ” shall mean the one or more periods of time, as the Committee may select, over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured for the purpose of determining a Participant’s right to, and the payment of, a Performance Compensation Award.
(jj) “ Permitted Transferee ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 15(b) of this Plan.
(kk) “ Person ” has the meaning given such term in the definition of “Change in Control.”
(ll) “ Plan ” means this Surge Components, Inc. 2015 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time.
(mm) “ Retirement ” means the fulfillment of each of the following conditions: (i) the Participant is good standing with the Company as determined by the Committee; (ii) (A) the voluntary termination by a Participant of such Participant’s employment or service to the Company and (B) that at the time of such voluntary termination, the sum of: (1) the Participant’s age (calculated to the nearest month, with any resulting fraction of a year being calculated as the number of months in the year divided by 12) and (2) the Participant’s years of employment or service with the Company (calculated to the nearest month, with any resulting fraction of a year being calculated as the number of months in the year divided by 12) equals at least 62 (provided that, in any case, the foregoing shall only be applicable if, at the time of Retirement, the Participant shall be at least 55 years of age and shall have been employed by or served with the Company for no less than five years).
(nn) “ Restricted Period ” means the period of time determined by the Committee during which an Award is subject to restrictions or, as applicable, the period of time within which performance is measured for purposes of determining whether an Award has been earned.
(oo) “ Restricted Stock Unit ” means an unfunded and unsecured promise to deliver Common Shares, cash, other securities or other property, subject to certain restrictions (including, without limitation, a requirement that the Participant remain continuously employed or provide continuous services for a specified period of time), granted under Section 9 of this Plan.
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(pp) “ Restricted Stock ” means Common Shares, subject to certain specified restrictions (including, without limitation, a requirement that the Participant remain continuously employed or provide continuous services for a specified period of time), granted under Section 9 of this Plan.
(qq) “ SAR Period ” has the meaning given such term in Section 8(c) of this Plan.
(rr) “ Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any successor thereto. Reference in this Plan to any section of the Securities Act shall be deemed to include any rules, regulations or other official interpretative guidance under such section, and any amendments or successor provisions to such section, rules, regulations or guidance.
(ss) “ Stock Appreciation Right ” or “ SAR ” means an Award granted under Section 8 of this Plan which meets all of the requirements of Section 1.409A-1(b)(5)(i)(B) of the Treasury Regulations.
(tt) “ Stock Bonus Award ” means an Award granted under Section 10 of this Plan.
(uu) “ Strike Price ” means, except as otherwise provided by the Committee in the case of Substitute Awards, (i) in the case of a SAR granted in tandem with an Option, the Exercise Price of the related Option, or (ii) in the case of a SAR granted independent of an Option, the Fair Market Value on the Date of Grant.
(vv) “ Subsidiary ” means, with respect to any specified Person:
(i) any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Outstanding Company Voting Securities (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency and after giving effect to any voting agreement or stockholders’ agreement that effectively transfers voting power) is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination thereof); and
(ii) any partnership or limited liability company (or any comparable foreign entity) (a) the sole general partner or managing member (or functional equivalent thereof) or the managing general partner of which is such Person or Subsidiary of such Person or (b) the only general partners or managing members (or functional equivalents thereof) of which are that Person or one or more Subsidiaries of that Person (or any combination thereof).
(ww) “ Substitute Award ” has the meaning given such term in Section 5(e).
(xx) “ Treasury Regulations ” means any regulations, whether proposed, temporary or final, promulgated by the U.S. Department of Treasury under the Code, and any successor provisions.
3. Effective Date; Duration . The Plan shall be effective as of the Effective Date, subject to approval by the stockholders of the Company, which approval shall be within twelve (12) months after the date this Plan is adopted by the Board. The expiration date of this Plan, on and after which date no Awards may be granted hereunder, shall be the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date; provided , however , that such expiration shall not affect Awards then outstanding, and the terms and conditions of this Plan shall continue to apply to such Awards.
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4. Administration .
(a) The Committee shall administer this Plan. To the extent required to comply with the provisions of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act (if the Board is not acting as the Committee under this Plan) or necessary to obtain the exception for performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code, as applicable, it is intended that each member of the Committee shall, at the time he takes any action with respect to an Award under this Plan, be an Eligible Director. However, the fact that a Committee member shall fail to qualify as an Eligible Director shall not invalidate any Award granted by the Committee that is otherwise validly granted under this Plan. The acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present or acts approved in writing by a majority of the Committee shall be deemed the acts of the Committee. Whether a quorum is present shall be determined based on the Committee’s charter as approved by the Board.
(b) Subject to the provisions of this Plan and applicable law, the Committee shall have the sole and plenary authority, in addition to other express powers and authorizations conferred on the Committee by this Plan and its charter, to: (i) designate Participants; (ii) determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to a Participant; (iii) determine the number of Common Shares to be covered by, or with respect to which payments, rights, or other matters are to be calculated in connection with, Awards; (iv) determine the terms and conditions of any Award; (v) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances Awards may be settled or exercised in cash, Common Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property, or canceled, forfeited, or suspended and the method or methods by which Awards may be settled, exercised, canceled, forfeited, or suspended; (vi) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances the delivery of cash, Common Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award; (vii) interpret, administer, reconcile any inconsistency in, settle any controversy regarding, correct any defect in and/or complete any omission in this Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to, or Award granted under, this Plan; (viii) establish, amend, suspend, or waive any rules and regulations and appoint such agents as the Committee shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of this Plan; (ix) accelerate the vesting or exercisability of, payment for or lapse of restrictions on, Awards; and (x) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of this Plan.
(c) The Committee may, by resolution, expressly delegate to a special committee consisting of one or more directors who may but need not be officers of the Company the authority, within specified parameters as to the number and types of Awards, to (i) designate officers and/or employees of the Company or any of its Affiliates to be recipients of Awards under the Plan, and (ii) to determine the number of such Awards to be received by any such Participants; provided, however, that such delegation of duties and responsibilities may not be made with respect to grants of Awards to persons (i) subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act or (ii) who are, or who are reasonably expected to be, “covered employees” for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code. The acts of such delegates shall be treated as acts of the Board, and such delegates shall report regularly to the Board and the Committee regarding the delegated duties and responsibilities and any Awards granted.
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(d) Unless otherwise expressly provided in this Plan, all designations, determinations, interpretations, and other decisions under or with respect to this Plan or any Award or any documents evidencing Awards granted pursuant to this Plan shall be within the sole discretion of the Committee, may be made at any time and shall be final, conclusive and binding upon all persons or entities, including, without limitation, the Company, any Affiliate, any Participant, any holder or beneficiary of any Award, and any stockholder of the Company.
(e) No member of the Board, the Committee, delegate of the Committee or any employee, advisor or agent of the Company or the Board or the Committee (each such person, an “ Indemnifiable Person ”) shall be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or any determination made in good faith with respect to this Plan or any Award hereunder. Each Indemnifiable Person shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against and from (and the Company shall pay or reimburse on demand for) any loss, cost, liability, or expense (including attorneys’ fees) that may be imposed upon or incurred by such Indemnifiable Person in connection with or resulting from any action, suit or proceeding to which such Indemnifiable Person may be a party or in which such Indemnifiable Person may be involved by reason of any action taken or omitted to be taken under this Plan or any Award Agreement and against and from any and all amounts paid by such Indemnifiable Person with the Company’s approval, in settlement thereof, or paid by such Indemnifiable Person in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit or proceeding against such Indemnifiable Person, provided , that the Company shall have the right, at its own expense, to assume and defend any such action, suit or proceeding and once the Company gives notice of its intent to assume the defense, the Company shall have sole control over such defense with counsel of the Company’s choice. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be available to an Indemnifiable Person to the extent that a final judgment or other final adjudication (in either case not subject to further appeal) binding upon such Indemnifiable Person determines that the acts or omissions of such Indemnifiable Person giving rise to the indemnification claim resulted from such Indemnifiable Person’s bad faith, fraud or willful criminal act or omission or that such right of indemnification is otherwise prohibited by law or by the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such Indemnifiable Persons may be entitled under the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any other power that the Company may have to indemnify such Indemnifiable Persons or hold them harmless.
(f) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Plan, the Board may, in its sole discretion, at any time and from time to time, grant Awards and administer this Plan with respect to such Awards. In any such case, the Board shall have all the authority granted to the Committee under this Plan.
5. Grant of Awards; Shares Subject to this Plan; Limitations .
(a) The Committee may, from time to time, grant Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Stock Bonus Awards and/or Performance Compensation Awards to one or more Eligible Persons.
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(b) Subject to Section 12 of this Plan, the Committee is authorized to deliver under this Plan an aggregate of One Million Five Hundred Thousand (1,500,000) Common Shares.
(c) Common Shares underlying Awards under this Plan that are forfeited, cancelled, expire unexercised, or are settled in cash shall be available again for Awards under this Plan at the same ratio at which they were previously granted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following Common Shares shall not be available again for Awards under the Plan: (i) shares tendered or held back upon the exercise of an Option or settlement of an Award to cover the Exercise Price of an Award; (ii) shares that are used or withheld to satisfy tax obligations of the Participant; and (iii) shares subject to a Stock Appreciation Right that are not issued in connection with the stock settlement of the SAR upon exercise thereof.
(d) Common Shares delivered by the Company in settlement of Awards may be authorized and unissued shares, shares held in the treasury of the Company, shares purchased on the open market or by private purchase, or a combination of the foregoing.
(e) Subject to compliance with Section 1.409A-3(f) of the Treasury Regulations, Awards may, in the sole discretion of the Committee, be granted under this Plan in assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted by an entity acquired by the Company or with which the Company combines (“ Substitute Awards ”). The number of Common Shares underlying any Substitute Awards shall be counted against the aggregate number of Common Shares available for Awards under this Plan.
(f) Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary (but subject to adjustment as provided in Section 12), the Committee shall not grant to any one Eligible Person in any one calendar year Awards (i) for more than 5,000,000 Common Shares in the aggregate or (ii) payable in cash in an amount exceeding $2,000,000 in the aggregate.
6. Eligibility . Participation shall be limited to Eligible Persons who have entered into an Award Agreement or who have received written notification from the Committee, or from a person designated by the Committee, that they have been selected to participate in this Plan.
7. Options .
(a) Generally . Each Option granted under this Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement (whether in paper or electronic medium (including email or the posting on a web site maintained by the Company or a third party under contract with the Company)). Each Option so granted shall be subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 7, and to such other conditions not inconsistent with this Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award Agreement. All Options granted under this Plan shall be Nonqualified Stock Options unless the applicable Award Agreement expressly states that the Option is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option. Notwithstanding any designation of an Option, to the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of Common Shares with respect to which Options designated as Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by any Participant during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company or any Subsidiary) exceeds $100,000, such excess Options shall be treated as Nonqualified Stock Options. Incentive Stock Options shall be granted only to Eligible Persons who are employees of the Company and its Affiliates, and no Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to any Eligible Person who is ineligible to receive an Incentive Stock Option under the Code. No Option shall be treated as an Incentive Stock Option unless this Plan has been approved by the stockholders of the Company in a manner intended to comply with the stockholder approval requirements of Section 422(b)(1) of the Code, provided that any Option intended to be an Incentive Stock Option shall not fail to be effective solely on account of a failure to obtain such approval, but rather such Option shall be treated as a Nonqualified Stock Option unless and until such approval is obtained. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option, the terms and conditions of such grant shall be subject to and comply with such rules as may be prescribed by Section 422 of the Code. If for any reason an Option intended to be an Incentive Stock Option (or any portion thereof) shall not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option, then, to the extent of such nonqualification, such Option or portion thereof shall be regarded as a Nonqualified Stock Option appropriately granted under this Plan.
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(b) Exercise Price . The exercise price (“ Exercise Price ”) per Common Share for each Option shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such share determined as of the Date of Grant; provided, however , that in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to an employee who, at the time of the grant of such Option, owns shares representing more than 10% of the voting power of all classes of shares of the Company or any Affiliate, the Exercise Price per share shall not be less than 110% of the Fair Market Value per share on the Date of Grant; and, provided further, that notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, the Exercise Price shall not be less than the par value per Common Share.
(c) Vesting and Expiration . Options shall vest and become exercisable in such manner and on such date or dates determined by the Committee and as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, and shall expire after such period, not to exceed ten (10) years from the Date of Grant, as may be determined by the Committee (the “ Option Period ”); provided , however , that the Option Period shall not exceed five (5) years from the Date of Grant in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Participant who on the Date of Grant owns shares representing more than 10% of the voting power of all classes of shares of the Company or any Affiliate; and, provided , further , that notwithstanding any vesting dates set by the Committee, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, accelerate the exercisability of any Option, which acceleration shall not affect the terms and conditions of such Option other than with respect to exercisability. Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in an Award Agreement:
(i) an Option shall vest and become exercisable with respect to 100% of the Common Shares subject to such Option on the third (3 rd ) anniversary of the Date of Grant;
(ii) the unvested portion of an Option shall expire upon termination of employment or service of the Participant granted the Option, and the vested portion of such Option shall remain exercisable for:
(A) one year following termination of employment or service by reason of such Participant’s death or Disability (with the determination of Disability to be made by the Committee on a case by case basis), but not later than the expiration of the Option Period;
(B) for directors, officers and employees of the Company only, for the remainder of the Option Period following termination of employment or service by reason of such Participant’s Retirement (it being understood that any Incentive Stock Option held by the Participant shall be treated as a Nonqualified Stock Option if exercise is not undertaken within 90 days of the date of Retirement);
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(C) 90 calendar days following termination of employment or service for any reason other than such Participant’s death, Disability or Retirement, and other than such Participant’s termination of employment or service for Cause, but not later than the expiration of the Option Period; and
(iii) both the unvested and the vested portion of an Option shall immediately expire upon the termination of the Participant’s employment or service by the Company for Cause, unless the Company, in its discretion, determines otherwise.
(d) Method of Exercise and Form of Payment . No Common Shares shall be delivered pursuant to any exercise of an Option until payment in full of the Exercise Price therefor is received by the Company and the Participant has paid to the Company an amount equal to any federal, state, local and non-U.S. income and employment taxes required to be withheld. Options that have become exercisable may be exercised by delivery of written or electronic notice of exercise to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Award Agreement accompanied by payment of the Exercise Price. The Exercise Price shall be payable (i) in cash, check (subject to collection), cash equivalent and/or vested Common Shares valued at the Fair Market Value at the time the Option is exercised (including, pursuant to procedures approved by the Committee, by means of attestation of ownership of a sufficient number of Common Shares in lieu of actual delivery of such shares to the Company); provided , however, that such Common Shares are not subject to any pledge or other security interest and; (ii) by such other method as the Committee may permit in accordance with applicable law, in its sole discretion, including without limitation: (A) in other property having a fair market value (as determined by the Committee in its discretion) on the date of exercise equal to the Exercise Price or (B) if there is a public market for the Common Shares at such time, by means of a broker-assisted “cashless exercise” pursuant to which the Company is delivered a copy of irrevocable instructions to a stockbroker to sell the Common Shares otherwise deliverable upon the exercise of the Option and to deliver promptly to the Company an amount equal to the Exercise Price or (C) by a “net exercise” method whereby the Company withholds from the delivery of the Common Shares for which the Option was exercised that number of Common Shares having a Fair Market Value equal to the aggregate Exercise Price for the Common Shares for which the Option was exercised. Any fractional Common Shares shall be settled in cash.
(e) Notification upon Disqualifying Disposition of an Incentive Stock Option . Each Participant awarded an Incentive Stock Option under this Plan shall notify the Company in writing immediately after the date he makes a disqualifying disposition of any Common Shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of such Incentive Stock Option. A disqualifying disposition is any disposition (including, without limitation, any sale) of such Common Shares before the later of (A) two years after the Date of Grant of the Incentive Stock Option or (B) one year after the date of exercise of the Incentive Stock Option. The Company may, if determined by the Committee and in accordance with procedures established by the Committee, retain possession of any Common Shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option as agent for the applicable Participant until the end of the period described in the preceding sentence.
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(f) Compliance with Laws, etc . Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall a Participant be permitted to exercise an Option in a manner that the Committee determines would violate the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, if applicable, or any other applicable law or the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission or the applicable rules and regulations of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the securities of the Company are listed or traded.
8. Stock Appreciation Rights .
(a) Generally . Each SAR granted under this Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement (whether in paper or electronic medium (including email or the posting on a web site maintained by the Company or a third party under contract with the Company)). Each SAR so granted shall be subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 8, and to such other conditions not inconsistent with this Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award Agreement. Any Option granted under this Plan may include tandem SARs. The Committee also may award SARs to Eligible Persons independent of any Option.
(b) Exercise Price. The Exercise Price per Common Share for each Option shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such share determined as of the Date of Grant.
(c) Vesting and Expiration . A SAR granted in connection with an Option shall become exercisable and shall expire according to the same vesting schedule and expiration provisions as the corresponding Option. A SAR granted independent of an Option shall vest and become exercisable and shall expire in such manner and on such date or dates determined by the Committee and shall expire after such period, not to exceed ten years, as may be determined by the Committee (the “ SAR Period ”); provided, however , that notwithstanding any vesting dates set by the Committee, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, accelerate the exercisability of any SAR, which acceleration shall not affect the terms and conditions of such SAR other than with respect to exercisability. Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in an Award Agreement:
(i) a SAR shall vest and become exercisable with respect to 100% of the Common Shares subject to such SAR on the third anniversary of the Date of Grant;
(ii) the unvested portion of a SAR shall expire upon termination of employment or service of the Participant granted the SAR, and the vested portion of such SAR shall remain exercisable for:
(A) one year following termination of employment or service by reason of such Participant’s death or Disability (with the determination of Disability to be made by the Committee on a case by case basis), but not later than the expiration of the SARPeriod;
(B) for directors, officers and employees of the Company only, for the remainder of the SAR Period following termination of employment or service by reason of such Participant’s Retirement;
(C) 90 calendar days following termination of employment or service for any reason other than such Participant’s death, Disability or Retirement, and other than such Participant’s termination of employment or service for Cause, but not later than the expiration of the SAR Period; and
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(iii) both the unvested and the vested portion of a SAR shall expire immediately upon the termination of the Participant’s employment or service by the Company for Cause.
(d) Method of Exercise . SARs that have become exercisable may be exercised by delivery of written or electronic notice of exercise to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Award, specifying the number of SARs to be exercised and the date on which such SARs were awarded. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if on the last day of the Option Period (or in the case of a SAR independent of an option, the SAR Period), the Fair Market Value exceeds the Strike Price, the Participant has not exercised the SAR or the corresponding Option (if applicable), and neither the SAR nor the corresponding Option (if applicable) has expired, such SAR shall be deemed to have been exercised by the Participant on such last day and the Company shall make the appropriate payment therefor.
(e) Payment . Upon the exercise of a SAR, the Company shall pay to the Participant an amount equal to the number of shares subject to the SAR that are being exercised multiplied by the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of one Common Share on the exercise date over the Strike Price, less an amount equal to any federal, state, local and non-U.S. income and employment taxes required to be withheld. The Company shall pay such amount in cash, in Common Shares valued at fair market value, or any combination thereof, as determined by the Committee. Any fractional Common Share shall be settled in cash.
9. Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units .
(a) Generally . Each grant of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement (whether in paper or electronic medium (including email or the posting on a web site maintained by the Company or a third party under contract with the Company)). Each such grant shall be subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 9, and to such other conditions not inconsistent with this Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award Agreement. Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall be subject to such restrictions on transferability and other restrictions as the Committee may impose (including, for example, limitations on the right to vote Restricted Stock or the right to receive dividends on the Restricted Stock). These restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times, under such circumstances, in such installments, upon the satisfaction of Performance Goals or otherwise, as the Committee determines at the time of the grant of an Award or thereafter. Except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, a Participant shall have none of the rights of a stockholder with respect to Restricted Stock Units until such time as Common Shares are paid in settlement of such Awards.
(b) Restricted Accounts; Escrow or Similar Arrangement . Upon the grant of Restricted Stock, a book entry in a restricted account shall be established in the Participant’s name at the Company’s transfer agent and, if the Committee determines that the Restricted Stock shall be held by the Company or in escrow rather than held in such restricted account pending the release of the applicable restrictions, the Committee may require the Participant to additionally execute and deliver to the Company (i) an escrow agreement satisfactory to the Committee, if applicable, and (ii) the appropriate share power (endorsed in blank) with respect to the Restricted Stock covered by such agreement. If a Participant shall fail to execute an agreement evidencing an Award of Restricted Stock and, if applicable, an escrow agreement and blank share power within the amount of time specified by the Committee, the Award shall be null and void ab initio . Subject to the restrictions set forth in this Section 9 and the applicable Award Agreement, the Participant generally shall have the rights and privileges of a stockholder as to such Restricted Stock, including without limitation the right to vote such Restricted Stock and the right to receive dividends, if applicable. To the extent shares of Restricted Stock are forfeited, any share certificates issued to the Participant evidencing such shares shall be returned to the Company, and all rights of the Participant to such shares and as a stockholder with respect thereto shall terminate without further obligation on the part of the Company.
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(c) Vesting; Acceleration of Lapse of Restrictions . Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in an Award Agreement: (i) the Restricted Period shall lapse with respect to 100% of the Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units on the third (3 rd ) anniversary of the Date of Grant; and (ii) the unvested portion of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall terminate and be forfeited upon termination of employment or service of the Participant granted the applicable Award.
(d) Delivery of Restricted Stock and Settlement of Restricted Stock Units . (i) Upon the expiration of the Restricted Period with respect to any shares of Restricted Stock, the restrictions set forth in the applicable shall be of no further force or effect with respect to such shares, except as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. If an escrow arrangement is used, upon such expiration, the Company shall deliver to the Participant, or his beneficiary, without charge, the share certificate evidencing the shares of Restricted Stock that have not then been forfeited and with respect to which the Restricted Period has expired (rounded down to the nearest full share). Dividends, if any, that may have been withheld by the Committee and attributable to any particular share of Restricted Stock shall be distributed to the Participant in cash or, at the sole discretion of the Committee, in shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such dividends, upon the release of restrictions on such share and, if such share is forfeited, the Participant shall have no right to such dividends (except as otherwise set forth by the Committee in the applicable Award Agreement).
(ii) Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in an Award Agreement, upon the expiration of the Restricted Period with respect to any outstanding Restricted Stock Units, the Company shall deliver to the Participant, or his beneficiary, without charge, one Common Share for each such outstanding Restricted Stock Unit; provided , however , that the Committee may, in its sole discretion and subject to the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, elect to (i) pay cash or part cash and part Common Share in lieu of delivering only Common Shares in respect of such Restricted Stock Units or (ii) defer the delivery of Common Shares (or cash or part Common Shares and part cash, as the case may be) beyond the expiration of the Restricted Period if such delivery would result in a violation of applicable law until such time as is no longer the case. If a cash payment is made in lieu of delivering Common Shares, the amount of such payment shall be equal to the Fair Market Value of the Common Shares as of the date on which the Restricted Period lapsed with respect to such Restricted Stock Units, less an amount equal to any federal, state, local and non-U.S. income and employment taxes required to be withheld.
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10. Stock Bonus Awards . The Committee may issue unrestricted Common Shares, or other Awards denominated in Common Shares, under this Plan to Eligible Persons, either alone or in tandem with other awards, in such amounts as the Committee shall from time to time in its sole discretion determine. Each Stock Bonus Award granted under this Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement (whether in paper or electronic medium (including email or the posting on a web site maintained by the Company or a third party under contract with the Company)). Each Stock Bonus Award so granted shall be subject to such conditions not inconsistent with this Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award Agreement.
11. Performance Compensation Awards .
(a) Generally . The provisions of the Plan are intended to enable Options and Stock Appreciation Rights granted hereunder to certain Eligible Persons to qualify for an exemption under Section 162(m) of the Code. The Committee shall have the authority, at the time of grant of any Award described in Sections 7 through 10 of this Plan, to designate any other Award as a Performance Compensation Award intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code. The Committee shall have the authority to make an award of a cash bonus to any Participant and designate such Award as a Performance Compensation Award intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code.
(b) Discretion of Committee with Respect to Performance Compensation Awards . With regard to a particular Performance Period, the Committee shall have sole discretion to select the length of such Performance Period, the type(s) of Performance Compensation Awards to be issued, the Performance Criteria that will be used to establish the Performance Goal(s), the kind(s) and/or level(s) of the Performance Goals(s) that is (are) to apply and the Performance Formula. Within the first 90 calendar days of a Performance Period (or, if longer or shorter, within the maximum period allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code, if applicable), the Committee shall, with regard to the Performance Compensation Awards to be issued for such Performance Period, exercise its discretion with respect to each of the matters enumerated in the immediately preceding sentence and record the same in writing.
(c) Performance Criteria . The Performance Criteria that will be used to establish the Performance Goal(s) shall be based on the attainment of specific levels of performance of the Company and/or one or more Affiliates, divisions or operational units, or any combination of the foregoing, as determined by the Committee, which criteria will be based on one or more of the following business criteria: (i) revenue; (ii) sales; (iii) profit (net profit, gross profit, operating profit, economic profit, profit margins or other corporate profit measures); (iv) earnings (EBIT, EBITDA, earnings per share, or other corporate earnings measures); (v) net income (before or after taxes, operating income or other income measures); (vi) cash (cash flow, cash generation or other cash measures); (vii) stock price or performance; (viii) total stockholder return (stock price appreciation plus reinvested dividends divided by beginning share price); (ix) economic value added; (x) return measures (including, but not limited to, return on assets, capital, equity, investments or sales, and cash flow return on assets, capital, equity, or sales); (xi) market share; (xii) improvements in capital structure; (xiii) expenses (expense management, expense ratio, expense efficiency ratios or other expense measures); (xiv) business expansion or consolidation (acquisitions and divestitures); (xv) internal rate of return or increase in net present value; (xvi) working capital targets relating to inventory and/or accounts receivable; (xvii) inventory management; (xviii) service or product delivery or quality; (xix) customer satisfaction; (xx) employee retention; (xxi) safety standards; (xxii) productivity measures; (xxiii) cost reduction measures; and/or (xxiv) strategic plan development and implementation. Any one or more of the Performance Criteria adopted by the Committee may be used on an absolute or relative basis to measure the performance of the Company and/or one or more Affiliates as a whole or any business unit(s) of the Company and/or one or more Affiliates or any combination thereof, as the Committee may deem appropriate, or any of the above Performance Criteria may be compared to the performance of a selected group of comparison companies, or a published or special index that the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate, or as compared to various stock market indices. The Committee also has the authority to provide for accelerated vesting of any Award based on the achievement of Performance Goals pursuant to the Performance Criteria specified in this paragraph. To the extent required under Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee shall, within the first 90 calendar days of a Performance Period (or, if longer or shorter, within the maximum period allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code), define in an objective fashion the manner of calculating the Performance Criteria it selects to use for such Performance Period and thereafter promptly communicate such Performance Criteria to the Participant.
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(d) Modification of Performance Goal(s) . In the event that applicable tax and/or securities laws change to permit Committee discretion to alter the governing Performance Criteria without obtaining stockholder approval of such alterations, the Committee shall have sole discretion to make such alterations without obtaining stockholder approval. The Committee is authorized at any time during the first 90 calendar days of a Performance Period (or, if longer or shorter, within the maximum period allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code, if applicable), or at any time thereafter to the extent the exercise of such authority at such time would not cause the Performance Compensation Awards granted to any Participant for such Performance Period to fail to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code, in its sole discretion, to adjust or modify the calculation of a Performance Goal for such Performance Period, based on and in order to appropriately reflect the following events: (i) asset write-downs; (ii) litigation or claim judgments or settlements; (iii) the effect of changes in tax laws, accounting principles, or other laws or regulatory rules affecting reported results; (iv) any reorganization and restructuring programs; (v) extraordinary nonrecurring items as described in Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 30 (or any successor pronouncement thereto) and/or in management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations appearing in the Company’s annual report to stockholders for the applicable year; (vi) acquisitions or divestitures; (vii) any other specific unusual or nonrecurring events, or objectively determinable category thereof; (viii) foreign exchange gains and losses; and (ix) a change in the Company’s fiscal year.
(e) Payment of Performance Compensation Awards .
(i) Condition to Receipt of Payment . Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, a Participant must be employed by the Company on the last day of a Performance Period to be eligible for payment in respect of a Performance Compensation Award for such Performance Period.
(ii) Limitation . A Participant shall be eligible to receive payment in respect of a Performance Compensation Award only to the extent that: (A) the Performance Goals for such period are achieved; and (B) all or some of the portion of such Participant’s Performance Compensation Award has been earned for the Performance Period based on the application of the Performance Formula to such achieved Performance Goals.
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(iii) Certification . Following the completion of a Performance Period, the Committee shall review and certify in writing whether, and to what extent, the Performance Goals for the Performance Period have been achieved and, if so, calculate and certify in writing that amount of the Performance Compensation Awards earned for the period based upon the Performance Formula. The Committee shall then determine the amount of each Participant’s Performance Compensation Award actually payable for the Performance Period and, in so doing, may apply Negative Discretion.
(iv) Use of Negative Discretion . In determining the actual amount of an individual Participant’s Performance Compensation Award for a Performance Period, the Committee may reduce or eliminate the amount of the Performance Compensation Award earned under the Performance Formula in the Performance Period through the use of Negative Discretion if, in its sole judgment, such reduction or elimination is appropriate. The Committee shall not have the discretion, except as is otherwise provided in this Plan, to (A) grant or provide payment in respect of Performance Compensation Awards for a Performance Period if the Performance Goals for such Performance Period have not been attained; or (B) increase a Performance Compensation Award above the applicable limitations set forth in Section 5 of this Plan.
(f) Timing of Award Payments . Performance Compensation Awards granted for a Performance Period shall be paid to Participants as soon as administratively practicable following completion of the certifications required by this Section 11, but in no event later than two-and-one-half months following the end of the fiscal year during which the Performance Period is completed in order to comply with the short-term deferral rules under Section 1.409A-1(b)(4) of the Treasury Regulations. Notwithstanding the foregoing, payment of a Performance Compensation Award may be delayed, as permitted by Section 1.409A-2(b)(7)(i) of the Treasury Regulations, to the extent that the Company reasonably anticipates that if such payment were made as scheduled, the Company’s tax deduction with respect to such payment would not be permitted due to the application of Section 162(m) of the Code.
12. Changes in Capital Structure and Similar Events . In the event of (a) any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Common Shares, other securities or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, amalgamation, consolidation, split-up, split-off, combination, repurchase or exchange of Common Shares or other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants or other rights to acquire Common Shares or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event (including, without limitation, a Change in Control) that affects the Common Shares, or (b) unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, a Change in Control) affecting the Company, any Affiliate, or the financial statements of the Company or any Affiliate, or changes in applicable rules, rulings, regulations or other requirements of any governmental body or securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system, accounting principles or law, such that in either case an adjustment is determined by the Committee in its sole discretion to be necessary or appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of rights, then the Committee shall make any such adjustments that are equitable, including without limitation any or all of the following:
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(i) adjusting any or all of (A) the number of Common Shares or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or other property) that may be delivered in respect of Awards or with respect to which Awards may be granted under this Plan (including, without limitation, adjusting any or all of the limitations under Section 5 of this Plan) and (B) the terms of any outstanding Award, including, without limitation, (1) the number of Common Shares or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or other property) subject to outstanding Awards or to which outstanding Awards relate, (2) the Exercise Price or Strike Price with respect to any Award or (3) any applicable performance measures (including, without limitation, Performance Criteria and Performance Goals);
(ii) providing for a substitution or assumption of Awards, accelerating the exercisability of, lapse of restrictions on, or termination of, Awards or providing for a period of time for exercise prior to the occurrence of such event; and
(iii) subject to the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, canceling any one or more outstanding Awards and causing to be paid to the holders thereof, in cash, Common Shares, other securities or other property, or any combination thereof, the value of such Awards, if any, as determined by the Committee (which if applicable may be based upon the price per Common Share received or to be received by other stockholders of the Company in such event), including without limitation, in the case of an outstanding Option or SAR, a cash payment in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the fair market value (as of a date specified by the Committee) of the Common Shares subject to such Option or SAR over the aggregate Exercise Price or Strike Price of such Option or SAR, respectively (it being understood that, in such event, any Option or SAR having a per share Exercise Price or Strike Price equal to, or in excess of, the fair market value of a Common Share subject thereto may be canceled and terminated without any payment or consideration therefor); provided , however , that in the case of any “equity restructuring” (within the meaning of the Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123 (revised 2004) or ASC Topic 718, or any successor thereto), the Committee shall make an equitable or proportionate adjustment to outstanding Awards to reflect such equity restructuring. Any adjustment in Incentive Stock Options under this Section 12 (other than any cancellation of Incentive Stock Options) shall be made only to the extent not constituting a “modification” within the meaning of Section 424(h)(3) of the Code, and any adjustments under this Section 12 shall be made in a manner that does not adversely affect the exemption provided pursuant to Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act. The Company shall give each Participant notice of an adjustment hereunder and, upon notice, such adjustment shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes.
13. Effect of Change in Control. Except to the extent otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, in the event of a Change in Control, notwithstanding any provision of this Plan to the contrary, with respect to all or any portion of a particular outstanding Award or Awards:
(a) all of the then outstanding Options and SARs shall immediately vest and become immediately exercisable as of a time prior to the Change in Control;
(b) the Restricted Period shall expire as of a time prior to the Change in Control (including without limitation a waiver of any applicable Performance Goals);
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(c) Performance Periods in effect on the date the Change in Control occurs shall end on such date, and the Committee shall (i) determine the extent to which Performance Goals with respect to each such Performance Period have been met based upon such audited or unaudited financial information or other information then available as it deems relevant and (ii) cause the Participant to receive partial or full payment of Awards for each such Performance Period based upon the Committee’s determination of the degree of attainment of the Performance Goals, or assuming that the applicable “target” levels of performance have been attained or on such other basis determined by the Committee.
To the extent practicable, any actions taken by the Committee under the immediately preceding clauses (a) through (c) shall occur in a manner and at a time which allows affected Participants the ability to participate in the Change in Control transactions with respect to the Common Shares subject to their Awards.
14. Amendments and Termination .
(a) Amendment and Termination of this Plan . The Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate this Plan or any portion thereof at any time; provided , that (i) no amendment to the definition of Eligible Person in Section 2(q), Section 5(b), Section 11(c) or Section 14(b) (to the extent required by the proviso in such Section 14(b)) shall be made without stockholder approval and (ii) no such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuation or termination shall be made without stockholder approval if such approval is necessary to comply with any tax or regulatory requirement applicable to this Plan (including, without limitation, as necessary to comply with any rules or requirements of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Common Shares may be listed or quoted or to prevent the Company from being denied a tax deduction under Section 162(m) of the Code); and, provided , further , that any such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant or any holder or beneficiary of any Award theretofore granted shall not to that extent be effective without the prior written consent of the affected Participant, holder or beneficiary.
(c) Amendment of Award Agreements . The Committee may, to the extent consistent with the terms of any applicable Award Agreement, waive any conditions or rights under, amend any terms of, or alter, suspend, discontinue, cancel or terminate, any Award theretofore granted or the associated Award Agreement, prospectively or retroactively; provided, however that any such waiver, amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, cancellation or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant with respect to any Award theretofore granted shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of the affected Participant; and, provided , further , that without stockholder approval, except as otherwise permitted under Section 12 of this Plan, (i) no amendment or modification may reduce the Exercise Price of any Option or the Strike Price of any SAR, (ii) the Committee may not cancel any outstanding Option or SAR and replace it with a new Option or SAR, another Award or cash or take any action that would have the effect of treating such Award as a new Award for tax or accounting purposes and (iii) the Committee may not take any other action that is considered a “repricing” for purposes of the stockholder approval rules of the applicable securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Common Shares are listed or quoted.
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15. General .
(a) Award Agreements . Each Award under this Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement, which shall be delivered to the Participant (whether in paper or electronic medium (including email or the posting on a web site maintained by the Company or a third party under contract with the Company)) and shall specify the terms and conditions of the Award and any rules applicable thereto, including without limitation, the effect on such Award of the death, Disability or termination of employment or service of a Participant, or of such other events as may be determined by the Committee. The Company’s failure to specify any term of any Award in any particular Award Agreement shall not invalidate such term, provided such terms was duly adopted by the Board or the Committee.
(b) Nontransferability; Trading Restrictions .
(i) Each Award shall be exercisable only by a Participant during the Participant’s lifetime, or, if permissible under applicable law, by the Participant’s legal guardian or representative. No Award may be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by a Participant other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable against the Company or an Affiliate; provided that the designation of a beneficiary shall not constitute an assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance.
(ii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, permit Awards (other than Incentive Stock Options) to be transferred by a Participant, with or without consideration, subject to such rules as the Committee may adopt consistent with any applicable Award Agreement to preserve the purposes of this Plan, to: (A) any person who is a “family member” of the Participant, as such term is used in the instructions to Form S-8 under the Securities Act (collectively, the “ Immediate Family Members ”); (B) a trust solely for the benefit of the Participant and his or her Immediate Family Members; or (C) a partnership or limited liability company whose only partners or stockholders are the Participant and his or her Immediate Family Members; or (D) any other transferee as may be approved either (I) by the Board or the Committee in its sole discretion, or (II) as provided in the applicable Award Agreement (each transferee described in clauses (A), (B) (C) and (D) above is hereinafter referred to as a “ Permitted Transferee ”); provided, that the Participant gives the Committee advance written notice describing the terms and conditions of the proposed transfer and the Committee notifies the Participant in writing that such a transfer would comply with the requirements of this Plan.
(iii) The terms of any Award transferred in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence shall apply to the Permitted Transferee and any reference in this Plan, or in any applicable Award Agreement, to a Participant shall be deemed to refer to the Permitted Transferee, except that (A) Permitted Transferees shall not be entitled to transfer any Award, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution; (B) Permitted Transferees shall not be entitled to exercise any transferred Option unless there shall be in effect a registration statement on an appropriate form covering the Common Shares to be acquired pursuant to the exercise of such Option if the Committee determines, consistent with any applicable Award Agreement, that such a registration statement is necessary or appropriate; (C) the Committee or the Company shall not be required to provide any notice to a Permitted Transferee, whether or not such notice is or would otherwise have been required to be given to the Participant under this Plan or otherwise; and (D) the consequences of the termination of the Participant’s employment by, or services to, the Company or an Affiliate under the terms of this Plan and the applicable Award Agreement shall continue to be applied with respect to the Participant, including, without limitation, that an Option shall be exercisable by the Permitted Transferee only to the extent, and for the periods, specified in this Plan and the applicable Award Agreement.
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(iv) The Committee shall have the right, either on an Award-by-Award basis or as a matter of policy for all Awards or one or more classes of Awards, to condition the delivery of vested Common Shares received in connection with such Award on the Participant’s agreement to such restrictions as the Committee may determine.
(c) Tax Withholding .
(i) A Participant shall be required to pay to the Company or any Affiliate, or the Company or any Affiliate shall have the right and is hereby authorized to withhold, from any cash, Common Shares, other securities or other property deliverable under any Award or from any compensation or other amounts owing to a Participant, the amount (in cash, Common Shares, other securities or other property) of any required withholding taxes in respect of an Award, its exercise, or any payment or transfer under an Award or under this Plan and to take such other action as may be necessary in the opinion of the Committee or the Company to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such withholding and taxes.
(ii) Without limiting the generality of clause (i) above, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, permit a Participant to satisfy, in whole or in part, the foregoing withholding liability by (A) the delivery of Common Shares (which are not subject to any pledge or other security interest) owned by the Participant having a fair market value equal to such withholding liability or (B) having the Company withhold from the number of Common Shares otherwise issuable or deliverable pursuant to the exercise or settlement of the Award a number of shares with a fair market value equal to such withholding liability (but no more than the minimum required statutory withholding liability).
(d) No Claim to Awards; No Rights to Continued Employment; Waiver . No employee of the Company or an Affiliate, or other person, shall have any claim or right to be granted an Award under this Plan or, having been selected for the grant of an Award, to be selected for a grant of any other Award. There is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Participants or holders or beneficiaries of Awards. The terms and conditions of Awards and the Committee’s determinations and interpretations with respect thereto need not be the same with respect to each Participant and may be made selectively among Participants, whether or not such Participants are similarly situated. Neither this Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as giving any Participant any right to be retained in the employ or service of the Company or an Affiliate, nor shall it be construed as giving any Participant any rights to continued service on the Board. The Company or any of its Affiliates may at any time dismiss a Participant from employment or discontinue any consulting relationship, free from any liability or any claim under this Plan, unless otherwise expressly provided in this Plan or any Award Agreement. By accepting an Award under this Plan, a Participant shall thereby be deemed to have waived any claim to continued exercise or vesting of an Award or to damages or severance entitlement related to non-continuation of the Award beyond the period provided under this Plan or any Award Agreement, notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in any written employment contract or other agreement between the Company and its Affiliates and the Participant, whether any such agreement is executed before, on or after the Date of Grant.
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(e) International Participants . With respect to Participants who reside or work outside of the United States of America and who are not (and who are not expected to be) “covered employees” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee may in its sole discretion amend the terms of this Plan or outstanding Awards (or establish a sub-plan) with respect to such Participants in order to conform such terms with the requirements of local law or to obtain more favorable tax or other treatment for a Participant, the Company or its Affiliates.
(f) Designation and Change of Beneficiary . Each Participant may file with the Committee a written designation of one or more persons as the beneficiary(ies) who shall be entitled to receive the amounts payable with respect to an Award, if any, due under this Plan upon his or her death. A Participant may, from time to time, revoke or change his or her beneficiary designation without the consent of any prior beneficiary by filing a new designation with the Committee. The last such designation filed with the Committee shall be controlling; provided , however , that no designation, or change or revocation thereof, shall be effective unless received by the Committee prior to the Participant’s death, and in no event shall it be effective as of a date prior to such receipt. If no beneficiary designation is filed by a Participant, the beneficiary shall be deemed to be his or her spouse or, if the Participant is unmarried at the time of death, his or her estate. Upon the occurrence of a Participant’s divorce (as evidenced by a final order or decree of divorce), any spousal designation previously given by such Participant shall automatically terminate.
(g) Termination of Employment/Service . Unless determined otherwise by the Committee at any point following such event: (i) neither a temporary absence from employment or service due to illness, vacation or leave of absence nor a transfer from employment or service with the Company to employment or service with an Affiliate (or vice-versa) shall be considered a termination of employment or service with the Company or an Affiliate; and (ii) if a Participant’s employment with the Company and its Affiliates terminates, but such Participant continues to provide services to the Company and its Affiliates in a non-employee capacity (or vice-versa), such change in status shall not be considered a termination of employment with the Company or an Affiliate.
(h) No Rights as a Stockholder . Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Plan or any Award Agreement, no person shall be entitled to the privileges of ownership in respect of Common Shares that are subject to Awards hereunder until such shares have been issued or delivered to that person.
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(i) Government and Other Regulations .
(i) The obligation of the Company to settle Awards in Common Shares or other consideration shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by governmental agencies as may be required. Notwithstanding any terms or conditions of any Award to the contrary, the Company shall be under no obligation to offer to sell or to sell, and shall be prohibited from offering to sell or selling, any Common Shares pursuant to an Award unless such shares have been properly registered for sale pursuant to the Securities Act with the Securities and Exchange Commission or unless the Company has received an opinion of counsel, satisfactory to the Company, that such shares may be offered or sold without such registration pursuant to an available exemption therefrom and the terms and conditions of such exemption have been fully complied with. The Company shall be under no obligation to register for sale under the Securities Act any of the Common Shares to be offered or sold under this Plan. The Committee shall have the authority to provide that all certificates for Common Shares or other securities of the Company or any Affiliate delivered under this Plan shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under this Plan, the applicable Award Agreement, the federal securities laws, or the rules, regulations and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system upon which such shares or other securities are then listed or quoted and any other applicable federal, state, local or non-U.S. laws, and, without limiting the generality of Section 9 of this Plan, the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions. Notwithstanding any provision in this Plan to the contrary, the Committee reserves the right to add any additional terms or provisions to any Award granted under this Plan that it in its sole discretion deems necessary or advisable in order that such Award complies with the legal requirements of any governmental entity to whose jurisdiction the Award is subject.
(ii) The Committee may cancel an Award or any portion thereof if it determines, in its sole discretion, that legal or contractual restrictions and/or blockage and/or other market considerations would make the Company’s acquisition of Common Shares from the public markets, the Company’s issuance of Common Shares to the Participant, the Participant’s acquisition of Common Shares from the Company and/or the Participant’s sale of Common Shares to the public markets, illegal, impracticable or inadvisable. If the Committee determines to cancel all or any portion of an Award in accordance with the foregoing, unless doing so would violate Section 409A of the Code, the Company shall pay to the Participant an amount equal to the excess of (A) the aggregate fair market value of the Common Shares subject to such Award or portion thereof canceled (determined as of the applicable exercise date, or the date that the shares would have been vested or delivered, as applicable), over (B) the aggregate Exercise Price or Strike Price (in the case of an Option or SAR, respectively) or any amount payable as a condition of delivery of Common Shares (in the case of any other Award). Such amount shall be delivered to the Participant as soon as practicable following the cancellation of such Award or portion thereof. The Committee shall have the discretion to consider and take action to mitigate the tax consequence to the Participant in cancelling an Award in accordance with this clause.
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(j) Payments to Persons Other Than Participants . If the Committee shall find that any person to whom any amount is payable under this Plan is unable to care for his affairs because of illness or accident, or is a minor, or has died, then any payment due to such person or his estate (unless a prior claim therefor has been made by a duly appointed legal representative) may, if the Committee so directs the Company, be paid to his spouse, child, relative, an institution maintaining or having custody of such person, or any other person deemed by the Committee to be a proper recipient on behalf of such person otherwise entitled to payment. Any such payment shall be a complete discharge of the liability of the Committee and the Company therefor.
(k) Nonexclusivity of this Plan . Neither the adoption of this Plan by the Board nor the submission of this Plan to the stockholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board to adopt such other incentive arrangements as it may deem desirable, including, without limitation, the granting of stock options or other equity-based awards otherwise than under this Plan, and such arrangements may be either applicable generally or only in specific cases.
(l) No Trust or Fund Created . Neither this Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company or any Affiliate, on the one hand, and a Participant or other person or entity, on the other hand. No provision of this Plan or any Award shall require the Company, for the purpose of satisfying any obligations under this Plan, to purchase assets or place any assets in a trust or other entity to which contributions are made or otherwise to segregate any assets, nor shall the Company maintain separate bank accounts, books, records or other evidence of the existence of a segregated or separately maintained or administered fund for such purposes. Participants shall have no rights under this Plan other than as general unsecured creditors of the Company, except that insofar as they may have become entitled to payment of additional compensation by performance of services, they shall have the same rights as other employees under general law.
(m) Reliance on Reports . Each member of the Committee and each member of the Board shall be fully justified in acting or failing to act, as the case may be, and shall not be liable for having so acted or failed to act in good faith, in reliance upon any report made by the independent public accountant of the Company and its Affiliates and/or any other information furnished in connection with this Plan by any agent of the Company or the Committee or the Board, other than himself.
(n) Relationship to Other Benefits . No payment under this Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, profit sharing, group insurance or other benefit plan of the Company except as otherwise specifically provided in such other plan.
(o) Governing Law . The Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Nevada, without giving effect to the conflict of laws provisions.
(p) Severability . If any provision of this Plan or any Award or Award Agreement is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or as to any person or entity or Award, or would disqualify this Plan or any Award under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to the applicable laws in the manner that most closely reflects the original intent of the Award or the Plan, or if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of this Plan or the Award, such provision shall be construed or deemed stricken as to such jurisdiction, person or entity or Award and the remainder of this Plan and any such Award shall remain in full force and effect.
(q) Obligations Binding on Successors . The obligations of the Company under this Plan shall be binding upon any successor corporation or organization resulting from the merger, amalgamation, consolidation or other reorganization of the Company, or upon any successor corporation or organization succeeding to substantially all of the assets and business of the Company.
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(r) Code Section 162(m) Approval . If so determined by the Committee, the provisions of this Plan regarding Performance Compensation Awards shall be disclosed and reapproved by stockholders no later than the first stockholder meeting that occurs in the fifth year following the year in which stockholders previously approved such provisions, in each case in order for certain Awards granted after such time to be exempt from the deduction limitations of Section 162(m) of the Code. Nothing in this clause, however, shall affect the validity of Awards granted after such time if such stockholder approval has not been obtained.
(s) Expenses; Gender; Titles and Headings . The expenses of administering this Plan shall be borne by the Company and its Affiliates. Masculine pronouns and other words of masculine gender shall refer to both men and women. The titles and headings of the sections in this Plan are for convenience of reference only, and in the event of any conflict, the text of this Plan, rather than such titles or headings shall control.
(t) Other Agreements . Notwithstanding the above, the Committee may require, as a condition to the grant of and/or the receipt of Common Shares under an Award, that the Participant execute lock-up, stockholder or other agreements, as it may determine in its sole and absolute discretion.
(u) Section 409A . The Plan and all Awards granted hereunder are intended to comply with, or otherwise be exempt from, the requirements of Section 409A of the Code. The Plan and all Awards granted under this Plan shall be administered, interpreted, and construed in a manner consistent with Section 409A of the Code to the extent necessary to avoid the imposition of additional taxes under Section 409A(a)(1)(B) of the Code. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, in no event shall the Committee exercise its discretion to accelerate the payment or settlement of an Award where such payment or settlement constitutes deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code unless, and solely to the extent that, such accelerated payment or settlement is permissible under Section 1.409A-3(j)(4) of the Treasury Regulations. If a Participant is a “specified employee” (within the meaning of Section 1.409A-1(i) of the Treasury Regulations) at any time during the twelve (12)-month period ending on the date of his termination of employment, and any Award hereunder subject to the requirements of Section 409A of the Code is to be satisfied on account of the Participant’s termination of employment, satisfaction of such Award shall be suspended until the date that is six (6) months after the date of such termination of employment.
(v) Payments . Participants shall be required to pay, to the extent required by applicable law, any amounts required to receive Common Shares under any Award made under this Plan.
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Exhibit 31.1
CERTIFICATION OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER
AND PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL OFFICER
PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE
SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
I, Ira Levy, certify that:
1. I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Surge Components, Inc.;
2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4. The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:
(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
(b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
(c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
(d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5. The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
(a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
(b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.
Date: February 26, 2016 | By: | /s/ Ira Levy |
Ira Levy | ||
Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer) |
EXHIBIT 32.1
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
In connection with the Annual Report of Surge Components, Inc. (the "Company") on Form 10-K for the year ended November 30, 2015 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the "Report"), I, Ira Levy, Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer and principal financial officer) of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:
(1) | The Report fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and | |
(2) | The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company. |
Date: February 26, 2016 | By: | /s/ Ira Levy |
Ira Levy | ||
Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer) |