UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020
☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from ____________ to ____________
Commission File Number 333-150332
COMSOVEREIGN HOLDING CORP.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Nevada | 46-5538504 | |
(State or Other Jurisdiction of | (I.R.S. Employer | |
Incorporation or Organization) | Identification Number) | |
5000 Quorum Drive, STE 400, Dallas, TX | 75254 | |
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) |
(904) 834-4400
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class | Trading symbol(s) |
Name
of each
|
||
Common Stock, par value $.0001 per share | COMS | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC | ||
Warrants to purchase Common Stock | COMSW | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
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 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 every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer”, “accelerated filer”, “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.:
Large accelerated filer ☐ | Accelerated filer ☐ | Non-accelerated filer ☐ | |
Smaller reporting company ☒ | Emerging growth company ☐ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.
Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).
Yes ☐ No ☒
As of June 30, 2020, the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, the aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was $57,404,349 (based on the closing price of the common stock as reported on the OTCQB Market operated by OTC Markets Group of $3.15 per share).
There were 66,308,177 shares of the Registrant’s Common Stock, $0.0001 par value, outstanding as of March 30, 2021.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Information required by Part III (Items 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14) hereof is incorporated by reference to portions of the Registrant’s Proxy Statement for the 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days after the end of the registrant’s fiscal year covered by this report.
COMSOVEREIGN HOLDING CORP.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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As used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the terms “we,” “us,” “our” and the “Company” mean COMSovereign Holding Corp. and its subsidiaries (unless the context indicates a different meaning).
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This report includes forward-looking statements. These statements involve risks known to us, significant uncertainties, and other factors which may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements.
Some of the statements under “Business,” “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and elsewhere in this report constitute “forward-looking statements” that represent our beliefs, projections and predictions about future events. From time to time in the future, we may make additional forward-looking statements in presentations, at conferences, in press releases, in other reports and filings and otherwise. Forward-looking statements are all statements other than statements of historical fact, including statements that refer to plans, intentions, objectives, goals, targets, strategies, hopes, beliefs, projections, prospects, expectations or other characterizations of future events or performance, and assumptions underlying the foregoing. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “will,” “project,” “intend,” “continue,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “expect,” “plan,” “potential,” “opportunity,” “scheduled,” “goal,” “target,” and “future,” variations of such words, and other comparable terminology and similar expressions and references to future periods are often, but not always, used to identify forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the following:
● | our prospects, including our future business, revenues, expenses, net income, earnings per share, gross margins, profitability, cash flows, cash position, liquidity, financial condition and results of operations, backlog of orders and revenue, our targeted growth rate, our goals for future revenues and earnings, and our expectations about realizing the revenues in our backlog and in our sales pipeline; |
● | the potential impact of COVID-19 on our business and results of operations; |
● | the effects on our business, financial condition and results of operations of current and future economic, business, market and regulatory conditions, including the current economic and market conditions and their effects on our customers and their capital spending and ability to finance purchases of our products, services, technologies and systems; |
● | he effects of fluctuations in sales on our business, revenues, expenses, net income, earnings per share, margins, profitability, cash flows, capital expenditures, liquidity, financial condition and results of operations; |
● | our products, services, technologies and systems, including their quality and performance in absolute terms and as compared to competitive alternatives, their benefits to our customers and their ability to meet our customers’ requirements, and our ability to successfully develop and market new products, services, technologies and systems; |
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● | our markets, including our market position and our market share; |
● | our ability to successfully develop, operate, grow and diversify our operations and businesses; |
● | our business plans, strategies, goals and objectives, and our ability to successfully achieve them; |
● | the sufficiency of our capital resources, including our cash and cash equivalents, funds generated from operations, availability of borrowings under our credit and financing arrangements and other capital resources, to meet our future working capital, capital expenditure, lease and debt service and business growth needs; |
● | the value of our assets and businesses, including the revenues, profits and cash flows they are capable of delivering in the future; |
● | the effects on our business operations, financial results, and prospects of business acquisitions, combinations, sales, alliances, ventures and other similar business transactions and relationships; |
● | industry trends and customer preferences and the demand for our products, services, technologies and systems; and |
● | the nature and intensity of our competition, and our ability to successfully compete in our markets. |
These statements are necessarily subjective, are based upon our current plans, intentions, objectives, goals, strategies, beliefs, projections and expectations, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements described in or implied by such statements. Actual results may differ materially from expected results described in our forward-looking statements, including with respect to correct measurement and identification of factors affecting our business or the extent of their likely impact, the accuracy and completeness of the publicly-available information with respect to the factors upon which our business strategy is based, or the success of our business. Furthermore, industry forecasts are likely to be inaccurate, especially over long periods of time.
Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether, or the times by which, our performance or results may be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time those statements are made and management’s belief as of that time with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that may cause actual results, our performance or achievements, or industry results to differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, those discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in this report.
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ITEM 1. | BUSINESS |
Overview
We are a provider of technologically-advanced telecom solutions to network operators, mobile device carriers, governmental units and other enterprises worldwide. We have assembled a portfolio of communications, power and portable infrastructure technologies, capabilities and products that enable the upgrading of latent 3G networks to 4G and 4G-LTE networks and will facilitate the rapid roll out of the 5G and “next-Generation” (“nG”) networks of the future. We focus on novel capabilities, including signal modulations, antennae, software, hardware and firmware technologies that enable increasingly efficient data transmission across the electromagnetic spectrum. Our product solutions are complemented by a broad array of services, including technical support, systems design and integration, and sophisticated research and development programs. While we compete globally on the basis of our innovative technology, the breadth of our product offerings, our high-quality cost-effective customer solutions, and the scale of our global customer base and distribution, our primary focus is on the North American telecom infrastructure and service market. We believe we are in a unique position to rapidly increase our near-term domestic sales as we are among the few U.S.-based providers of telecommunications equipment and services.
We provide the following categories of product offerings and solutions to our customers:
● | Telecom and Network Products and Solutions. We design, develop, market and sell technologically-advanced products for telecom network operators, mobile device carriers and other enterprises, including the following: |
● | Backhaul Telecom Radios. We offer a line of high-capacity packet microwave solutions that drive next-generation IP networks. Our carrier-grade point-to-point packet microwave systems transmit broadband voice, video and data. Our solutions enable service providers, government agencies, enterprises and other organizations to meet their increasing bandwidth requirements rapidly and affordably. The principal application of our product portfolio is wireless network transport, including a range of products ideally suited to support the emergence of underlying small cell networks. Additional solutions include leased-line replacement, last mile fiber extension and enterprise networks. |
● | In-Band Full-Duplex Technologies. We have developed proprietary wireless transmission technologies that alleviate the performance limitations of the principal transmission technologies used by most networks today. Time Division Duplex (TDD) transmission technology used by many communications systems utilizes a single channel for transmission of data alternating between downlink or uplink, which limits capacity/throughput. Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) technologies in the marketplace today use two independent channels for downlink and uplink but require twice the spectrum. Neither TDD nor FDD can simultaneously transmit and receive on a single channel — a limitation that network advancements and 5G will require for optimal performance. In late 2021, we intend to commence offering products incorporating our proprietary In-Band Full-Duplex technologies that simultaneously transmit and receive data on a single channel, which resolves the limitation of current TDD and FDD transmissions by increasing network performance and doubling spectrum efficiency. |
● | Edge Compute Capable Small Cell 4G LTE and 5G Access Radios. We offer Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) frequency and other small cell radios that are designed to connect to other access radios or to connect directly to mobile devices such as mobile phones and other IoT devices. Recently, we developed the world’s first fully-virtualized 5G core network on a microcomputer the size of a credit card, enabling, for the first time, the ability to have the 5G network collocated on the network edge with the small cell communicating with the devices themselves. The small cells support edge-based application hosting and enable third-party service integration. |
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● | Intelligent Batteries and Back-Up Power Solutions. We are developing for the telecom industry a full line of environmentally-friendly, non-volatile advanced intelligent lithium-ion batteries and back-up power units that charge quickly, have a life span approximately five times longer than conventional lead-acid batteries, and can be monitored remotely. We are also currently offering and developing models that provide power for a wide range of applications, including cellular towers and other radio access network (RAN) infrastructures, automobiles, boats, spacecraft and other vehicles. |
● | Tethered Drones and Aerostats. We design, manufacture, sell and provide logistical services for specialized tethered aerial monitoring and communications platforms serving national defense and security customers for use in applications such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (“ISR”) and communications. We focus primarily on a suite of tethered aerostats known as the Winch Aerostat Small Platform (“WASP”), which are principally designed for military and security applications and provide secure and reliable aerial monitoring for extended durations while being tethered to the ground via a high-strength armored tether. Our recently-acquired HoverMast line of quadrotor-tethered drones feature uninterruptible ground-based power, fiber optic communications for cyber immunity, and the ability to operate in GPS-denied environments while delivering dramatically-improved situational awareness and communications capabilities to users. |
We are also developing processes that we believe will significantly advance the state-of-the-art in silicon photonic (SiP) devices for use in advanced data interconnects, communication networks and computing systems. We believe our novel approach will allow us to overcome the limitations of current SiP modulators, dramatically increase computing bandwidth and reduce drive power while offering lower operating costs.
Our engineering and management teams have extensive experience in optical systems and networking, digital signal processing, large-scale application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) design and verification, SiP design and integration, system software development, hardware design, high-speed electronics design and network planning, installation, maintenance and servicing. This broad expertise in a wide range of advanced technologies, methodologies and processes enhances our innovation, design and development capabilities, and has enabled us, and we believe will continue to enable us, to develop and introduce future-generation communications and computing technologies. In the course of our product development cycles, we engage with our customers as they design their current and next-generation network equipment in order to gauge current and future market needs.
Our more than 700 customers include a majority of the leading global telecommunication operators, as well as many data center managers and leading multi-system operators (MSOs), and hundreds of enterprise customers, including many Fortune 500 companies. We have long-standing, direct relationships with our customers and serve them through a direct sales force and a global network of channel partners.
Our Operating Units
Through a series of acquisitions, we and our operating subsidiaries have expanded our service offerings and geographic reach over the past two years. On November 27, 2019, we completed the COMSovereign Acquisition in a stock-for-stock transaction with a total purchase price of approximately $75 million. COMSovereign had been formed in January 2019 and, prior to its acquisition by our Company, had completed five acquisitions of companies with unique products in development for, or then being marketed to, the telecommunications market. As a result of our acquisitions, our Company is comprised of the following principal operating units, each of which was acquired to address a different opportunity or sector of the North American telecom infrastructure and service market:
● | DragonWave-X LLC. DragonWave-X, LLC and its operating subsidiaries, DragonWave Corp. and DragonWave-X Canada, Inc. (collectively, “DragonWave”), are a Dallas-based manufacturer of high-capacity microwave and millimeter wave point-to-point telecom backhaul radio units. DragonWave and its predecessor have been selling telecom backhaul radios since 2012 and its microwave radios have been installed in over 330,000 locations in more than 100 countries worldwide. According to a report of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, as of December 2019, DragonWave was the second largest provider of licensed point-to-point microwave backhaul radios in North America. DragonWave was acquired by COMSovereign in April 2019 prior to the COMSovereign Acquisition. |
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● | Virtual Network Communications Inc. Virtual Network Communications Inc. (“VNC”) is an edge compute focused wireless telecommunications technology developer and equipment manufacturer of both 4G LTE Advanced and 5G capable radio equipment. VNC designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and supports a line of network products for wireless network operators, mobile virtual network operators, cable TV system operators, and government and business enterprises that enable new sources of revenue, and reduce capital and operating expenses. VNC also has developed rapidly deployable, tactical systems that can be combined with the tethered aerostats and drones offered by our Drone Aviation subsidiary and enabled and operated in nearly any location in the world. We acquired VNC in July 2020. |
● | Fastback. Skyline Partners Technology LLC, which does business under the name Fastback Networks (“Fastback”), is a manufacturer of intelligent backhaul radio (IBR) systems that deliver high-performance wireless connectivity to virtually any location, including those challenged by Non-Line of Sight (NLOS) limitations. Fastback’s advanced IBR products allow operators to economically add capacity and density to their macrocells and expand service coverage density with small cells. These solutions also allow operators to both provide temporary cellular and data service utilizing mobile/portable radio systems and provide wireless Ethernet connectivity. We acquired Fastback in January 2021. |
● | Drone Aviation. Lighter Than Air Systems Corp., which does business under the name Drone Aviation (“Drone Aviation”), is based in Jacksonville, Florida and develops and manufactures cost-effective, compact and enhanced tethered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including lighter-than-air aerostats and drones that support surveillance sensors and communications networks. We acquired Drone Aviation in June 2014. |
● | Sky Sapience Ltd. Sky Sapience Ltd. (“SKS”) is an Israeli-based manufacturer of drones with a patented tethered hovering technology that provides long-duration, mobile and all-weather Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities to customers worldwide for both land and marine-based applications. Its innovative technologies include fiber optic tethers that enable secure, high-capacity communications, including support for commercial 4G and 5G wireless networks. SKS’s flagship HoverMast line of quadrotor-tethered drones feature uninterruptible ground-based power, fiber optic communications for cyber immunity, and the ability to operate in GPS-denied environments while delivering dramatically-improved situational awareness and communications capabilities to users. We acquired SKS in March 2021. |
● | InduraPower, Inc. InduraPower Inc. (“InduraPower”) is a Tucson, Arizona-based developer and manufacturer of intelligent batteries and back-up power supplies for network systems and telecom nodes. It also provides power designs and batteries for the aerospace, marine and automotive industries. COMSovereign acquired InduraPower in January 2019 prior to the COMSovereign Acquisition. |
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● | Silver Bullet Technology, Inc. Silver Bullet Technology, Inc. (“Silver Bullet”) is a California-based engineering firm that designs and develops next generation network systems and components, including large-scale network protocol development, software-defined radio systems and wireless network designs. COMSovereign acquired Silver Bullet in March 2019 prior to the COMSovereign Acquisition. |
● | Lextrum, Inc. Lextrum, Inc. (“Lextrum”) is a Tucson, Arizona-based developer of full-duplex wireless technologies and components, including multi-reconfigurable radio frequency (RF) antennae and software programs. This technology enables the doubling of a given spectrum band by allowing simultaneous transmission and receipt of radio signals on the same frequencies. COMSovereign acquired Lextrum in April 2019 prior to the COMSovereign Acquisition. |
● | VEO Photonics, Inc. VEO Photonics, Inc. (“VEO”), based in San Diego, California, is a research and development company innovating SiP technologies for use in copper-to-fiber-to-copper switching, high-speed computing, high-speed ethernet, autonomous vehicle applications, mobile devices and 5G wireless equipment. COMSovereign acquired VEO in January 2019 prior to the COMSovereign Acquisition. |
● | Sovereign Plastics LLC. Sovereign Plastics LLC (“Sovereign Plastics”), based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, operates as the material, component manufacturing and supply chain source for all of our subsidiaries, and also provides plastic and metal components to third-party manufacturers. Its ability to rapidly prototype new product offerings and machine moldings, metals and plastic castings has reduced the production cycle for many of our components from months to days. We acquired the business currently conducted by Sovereign Plastics in March 2020. |
On March 26, 2021, we entered into a Share Exchange Agreement dated as of March 26, 2021 (the “RVision Exchange Agreement”) among our Company, RVision, Inc. (“RVision”), Industrial Security Alliance Partners, Inc. and Halls of Valhalla, LLC pursuant to which, subject to the terms and conditions of the RVision Exchange Agreement, we have agreed to acquire RVision. RVision is a developer of technologically-advanced video and communications products and physical security solutions designed for government and private sector commercial industries. It has been serving governments and the military for nearly two decades with sophisticated, environmentally-rugged optical and infrared cameras, hardened processors, custom tactical video hardware, software solutions, and related communications technologies. It also has developed nano-defractive optics with integrated, artificial intelligence-driven electro-optical sensors and communication network connectivity products for smart city/smart campus applications.
Pursuant to the RVision Exchange Agreement, the aggregate purchase consideration we are obligated to pay for RVision consists of 2,000,000 shares of our common stock, subject to certain working capital adjustments. The RVision Exchange Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and covenants of our Company, on one hand, and RVision, on the other hand, including, among others, covenants by RVision with respect to the operations of RVision during the period between execution of the RVision Exchange Agreement and the closing of the transactions contemplated thereby, and provides that each party will indemnify the other party following the closing for breaches of the warranties and covenants of such party. The closing of our acquisition of RVision is subject to the satisfaction of the closing conditions stated in the RVision Exchange Agreement and there can be no assurance that such conditions will be met or that we will consummate the acquisition of RVision.
Our Industry
We participate in the large and growing global market for connectivity and essential communications infrastructure. This market is being driven by the growth in demand for data-intensive bandwidth and the necessity for reduced latency (the time it takes to send data from one point to another) associated with the continued demand of smartphones, tablets and machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, as well as the proliferation of data centers, big data, cloud-based services, streaming media content and IoT. In addition, video and gaming distribution over the broadband IP network is transforming how content is managed and consumed overall. This increase in data usage and demand is taxing available broadband of many service providers, which requires far more efficient technologies to meet demand. For example, in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic, in certain regions Netflix reduced the quality of videos from high definition to standard definition in order to free up additional bandwidth required by workers performing online functions from their homes.
Today’s cellular networks are predominantly based on 4G technologies. These networks constantly undergo expansion of coverage and densification with additional sites to cater to higher demands for speeds and to make more services available per given area. According to recent publications and as of the fourth quarter 2019, 33 operators across 18 countries, representing 8% of the global mobile connections base (excluding cellular IoT), have launched commercial 5G mobile services, and 77 operators have announced plans to launch 5G services in the coming months. These investments in 5G radio network infrastructure, and consequently, associated wireless data hauling, are expected to gradually increase during the next several years. In order to allocate spectrum resources for 4G and 5G, some operators are shutting down their 2G and/or 3G network (a “network sunset”) in order to re-allocate radio access network frequency bands to 4.5 and 5G services. These market dynamics of network expansion and densification have resulted in higher demand for wireless hauling capacity at increased density, requiring more sophisticated services over the network at far higher volumes than were available in recent years. Such services include the many 5G use cases, which among others, include enhanced mobile broadband, mission critical services, IoT and Industrial IoT, gigabit broadband to homes, multi gigabits services to enterprises and more.
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The term “5G” is misunderstood by most consumers who believe it is simply another layer of technology over the top of current 4G LTE infrastructures. However, this is not the case. While 4G LTE Advanced is a part of a large platform upon which 5G rests, according to many industry studies, significantly more 4G LTE/A will be required before 5G becomes a reality. 5G is an entirely new infrastructure that must be standardized for widespread adoption and must be agile enough to accommodate wireless devices of all kinds, not just cellular smartphones. The 5G enhancements specific to “IoT” will enable the connection of the internet to telemedical devices, gaming, video and television, smart-home devices, such as thermostats, alarms, lighting and garage doors, smartphones, driverless cars and traffic signals, laptops, desktops, Wi-Fi, logistic reporting devices on semi-tractor trucks and trains and a plethora of other use cases. It must do so seamlessly and with a fraction of the current “round-trip” response time of data. This requires that data centers be closer to the network’s “edge” where the devices connect to the wireless small cells. As a result, data centers and many of the other functions will require virtualization and eventually artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms and machine learning to route data requests to these virtualized data centers to keep latency to a minimum.
There are several major trends that we expect to drive network deployments and investment. The GSM Association (“GSMA”), a mobile telecom association to which most large infrastructure participants and mobile carriers are members, nearly mirrors our findings and impressions in its report on the state of mobile internet connectivity. Many of these trends and findings follow.
The Challenges of Connectedness
It is said in business that to remain static is to die. To understand the need for technological advancements and infrastructure growth in the cellular telecommunications industry, one must first understand the market factors driving these changes. In 2018, nearly 300 million people connected to mobile internet data for the first time. This increased the total number of internet connected users to more than 3.5 billion people worldwide. This type of connectivity now drives the global economy as more and more diverse commerce is conducted through wireless data access. However, since lower-income countries and regions have only approximately 40% of their population connected to the internet compared to 75% in high-income regions, these lower income areas are finding it increasingly difficult to raise their social and economic status. Getting these deficient regions (and the approximately 4 billion people inhabiting those regions who are unable to connect to the internet) connected is only one challenge. The other and equally difficult challenge is the density of urban areas in the higher income areas and the sophistication of the electronic communications and computing devices in those areas that require increasingly faster data. We plan to target both challenges by providing economical solutions and infrastructure building blocks to lower-income geographic areas around the world, which we expect we will initially sell through our resellers, distributors and other partners, while leading the world in innovative new technologies to make the realization of 5G and nG a reality.
Evolving Network Architecture and Technology
The pace of change in networking has increased in recent years as consumers and data-driven businesses utilize more bandwidth with increasingly-complex mobile and connected devices. Cellular networks are now experiencing exponential growth in network infrastructures, which is revolutionizing how consumers connect to each other and changing the network architecture needed to support consumer demand. This trend requires better network coverage, greater broadband access, increased capacity and larger data storage capacity.
Our customers are working to transition their networks to become faster, more responsive and more efficient. We believe the following findings will continue to impact our Company and the industry during 2021 and beyond.
(1) | Coverage Gaps Declining: Less than 10% of people globally (approximately 750 million) now have no access to a mobile broadband network as compared to approximately 24% only five years ago. |
(2) | Usage Gaps an Issue: Approximately 3.3 billion people live in areas in which internet coverage exists but do utilize it. In other words, the usage gap is four times greater than the coverage gap. |
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(3) | Affordability: Mobile broadband usage is becoming more affordable across all regions, but its affordability is still short of the desired 2% or less of monthly per capita income. This cost of usage is keeping some users from participating online. There is also a perception in many low-income regions that internet usage will not contribute enough to their security, safety and commerce to warrant the expense. In addition, device cost remains high and thus a barrier to entry. |
(4) | Prevalence of Use: Social media and instant messaging account for the majority of mobile usage. Online calls, news links, YouTube and Vimeo videos, and gaming are the other most prevalent activities. |
(5) | Macro Level: The mobile industry contributed $4 trillion dollars to the global gross domestic product (GDP) last year (or almost 5% of the total GDP). A recent study conducted by Dr. Raul Katz and Fernando Collorda for the International Telecommunication Union, a specialized agency of the United Nations for information and communication technologies, concluded that a 10% increase in mobile broadband connectivity would lead to an increase in GDP of roughly 2% in both developed and underdeveloped regions. |
(6) | Micro Level: Gallup and GSMA polls both found that mobile ownership and internet connectivity is associated with an improvement in people’s lives, as evidenced by increases in net positive emotions and average life evaluations (not the same as longevity). |
Transition from Traditional to the IoT
The IoT wireless dream is evolving from an industry vision toward a tangible, next-generation wireless technology. Many operators have begun early transitions, or perhaps more accurately — are beginning to build a framework, to operable 5G networks and have announced trials and pre-standard deployments of 5G technology. This technology is primarily higher frequency, millimeter wave radios and higher order (more efficient) modulation methods, such as 4096 QAM. The number of 5G-enabled devices is expected to continue to increase during 2021 and accelerate beyond that. The primary benefits of 5G are expected to include:
● | enhanced mobile broadband to support significant improvement in data rates and user experience in both the uplink and downlink; |
● | IoT communications to support the expected billions of connections between machines as well as short bursts of information to other systems; and |
● | low latency, high-reliability to support applications that are critical or are needed in real time, like factory machines, virtual reality and augmentation. |
Wireless operators will need to both acquire and launch new spectrum for 5G, as well as continue their strategy of re-allocation of spectrum from one generation to another. Some of this spectrum will be at much higher frequencies and will use new technologies to deliver exceptional amounts of bandwidth to subscribers. 5G also requires significant fiber infrastructure to connect wireless access points to each other to improve the response time of the network. As wireless operators transition toward 5G, they must also manage the fundamental network deployment issues of site acquisition, power, backhaul and in-building wireless proliferation.
In addition to investment required by wireless operators, the transition to 5G could also spark an investment cycle by cable operators as they upgrade their networks to compete with fixed wireless broadband, which could become a viable alternative to traditional broadband internet access.
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Our Growth Strategy
Under the leadership of our senior management team, we intend to address and exploit the large and growing market for internet connectivity and essential communications infrastructure as we begin to build our sales, marketing and operations groups to support our planned growth while focusing on increasing operating margins through cost control measures. While organic growth will be our primary focus in driving our business forward, we expect acquisitions and select teaming and partnering arrangements with other companies will play a strategic role in strengthening our existing product and service lines and providing cross-selling opportunities. We are pursuing several growth strategies, including:
● | Continue to Innovate and Extend our Technology Leadership. Mobile broadband infrastructure innovations are required to dramatically improve the commercial viability of both the 4G LTE and 5G buildouts. It is well documented that more 4G infrastructure is required for 5G to be viable. However, with the huge increase in radio access network components required for an IoT/5G buildout, relative capital costs must come down to allow data to remain affordable. This requires doing more with less through “innovation.” We expect our continued investments in research and development will enable us to continue to provide innovative products to the marketplace. For example, early next year we expect to demonstrate our initial products incorporating our patented In-Band Full-Duplex technology, which is expected to up to double the efficiency, and as a result, the data throughput, of wireless spectrum channels. We also continue to pursue VEO’s SiP research, discoveries and developments, which we believe will not only eliminate the current log-jam many internet providers and data centers experience by providing significantly greater data speed and throughput in the switch that converts data bits from voltage modulations in the copper used in radios to light modulations that are used in fiber, and vice versa, but will also form the technological basis for the future of chip-to-chip light computing. |
● | Enhance Sales Growth. We intend to generate additional growth opportunities by: |
● | Growing our customer base and geographic markets. We intend to drive new customer growth by expanding our direct sales force focused on the mobile infrastructure markets. The initial focus of our direct sales program will be North America, with foreign sales coming through licensed channel partners and advisory personnel. In addition, we expect to leverage our existing base of resellers and more than 700 existing customers to help proliferate the knowledge globally of our technical superiorities and increase our customer base. |
● | Increasing penetration within existing customers. We plan to continue to increase our product penetration within our existing customer base by expanding the breadth of our product and service offerings to provide for continued cross-selling opportunities. For example, while we believe DragonWave is well known for its microwave backhaul radio products, we have recently added additional millimeter wave frequency designs that can be offered to existing customers, as well as new customers. Similarly, we will seek to cross-sell the back-up power supply units of our InduraPower subsidiary and the rapid deployable networks offered by our Drone Aviation and SKS subsidiaries. |
● | Focus on Innovation to Solve Critical Problems. We plan to build on our legacy of innovation and on our worldwide portfolio of patents and patent applications by continuing to invest in research and development. We expect to focus on expanding the functionality of our backhaul and access equipment products, while investing in capabilities that address new market opportunities. We believe this strategy will enable new high-growth opportunities and allow us to continue to deliver differentiated high-value products and services to our customers. We also intend to utilize our deep industry expertise to offer unique perspectives to solve customers’ challenges. We intend to focus our investment on high-growth markets. |
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● | Become a Preferred Partner to our Customers. We plan to expand our position within the telecom industry by developing and enhancing value-creating partner relationships with our customers, suppliers and distributors, as well as our channel and technology partners. We intend to expand these relationships by innovating, collaborating and selling with our customers. We expect to meet our commitments and maintain our product quality while collaborating with our customers to ensure we are providing solutions to their key network challenges. |
● | Pursue Strategic Relationships. We expect to continue to pursue strategic technology and distribution relationships, alliances and acquisitions that will help us align with the strategic priorities of our customers. We intend to continue to invest in technologies to ensure interoperability across the ecosystems that support our customers’ most critical business processes through our partner programs. We continue to work with current industry partners while exploring a range of new partnerships to expand the products and services we offer. |
● | Grow Revenues and Market Share through Selective Acquisitions. We plan to continue to acquire private companies or technologies that will enhance our earnings and offer complementary products and services or expand our geographic and industry reach. We believe such acquisitions will help us to accelerate our revenue growth, leverage our existing strengths and capture and retain more work in-house as a prime contractor for our customers, thereby contributing to our profitability. We also believe that increased scale will enable us to bid and take on larger contracts. |
● | Increase Operating Margins by Leveraging Operating Efficiencies. We believe that by centralizing administrative functions, consolidating insurance coverage and eliminating redundancies across our newly-acquired businesses, we will be positioned to offer more integrated end-to-end solutions and improve operating margins. We will also seek to reduce our manufacturing costs to increase our margins. For example, in March 2020, we acquired Sovereign Plastics, a supply chain company that will allow us to reduce our costs for metal and plastics used in our product manufacturing by up to 45% for certain products we manufacture, such as battery housings, and allow us to implement a just-in-time supply chain program that will significantly reduce our overall inventory sizes and hold times for those components. |
Our Products
All of our products enhance or directly contribute to the overall telecommunication infrastructure, and fall within the following three product groups:
Micro and Millimeter Microwave Technologies and Products
Through our DragonWave subsidiary, we design, manufacture and sell best-in-class (as defined by power, signal efficiency and range), microwave packet radio equipment for telecommunications and data. In addition to certain 3G legacy equipment that we offer under our Horizon-branded line of backhaul radios, we offer our Harmony-branded line of backhaul radios that are the most data efficient in existence and offer the most powerful, longest-range solution for backhaul in the industry. The Harmony Enhanced and the Harmony MC (for “Multi-Channel”) radios have the following characteristics:
● | Harmony Enhanced: Our Harmony Enhanced radios are high capacity, long reach, multi-service radios operating in the 6-42 gigahertz (GHz) spectrum bands. Each is a compact, all-outdoor radio that allows operators to cost effectively scale their networks with the industry’s leading system gain, highest spectral efficiency and increased capacity that is enabled through 112-megahertz (MHz) channel support, 4096Q AM capability, Bandwidth Accelerator+ and multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO). These capabilities allow our Harmony Enhanced radios to deliver more than two billion bits per second (Gbps) in a single radio, with scalability to four Gbps via MIMO in a single channel. Bandwidth Accelerator+ provides more than two times throughput improvements with the inclusion of header optimization and the industry’s only bulk compression working in tandem. These radios also provide the highest output power in an all-outdoor microwave system, and leverage generative adversarial networks (GAN) technology to increase reach by more than 30%. Additionally, integrated ethernet switching with weighted random early detection (WRED) queuing, E-LINE and E-LAN support and upgradability to MPLS-TP, enables a true all-outdoor installation without the need for an additional access switch. |
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● | Harmony MC: Our Harmony MC radios are high-capacity packet microwave radios that build upon the Harmony Enhanced family of radios by delivering a multi-carrier channel system and doubling the capacity available in a single microwave outdoor unit. Because the radio and modem are integrated into a single highly-compact outdoor unit, Harmony EnhancedMC is a zero-footprint solution that eliminates rack congestion and minimizes colocation space. The ultra-high power increases the overall system gain and allows for deployment of smaller dishes, higher order modulations or increased link availability. Our Harmony MC radios also achieve the highest degree of spectral efficiency (through 4096 QAM and leading system gain) in the marketplace, delivering more capacity per channel with a longer reach than any other all-outdoor microwave system. |
Engineering efforts are underway now with two additional enhancements — full-duplex and transpositional modulation waveforms that will be programmed to significantly enhance the spectral efficiency of our microwave radios, and, we believe, will far exceed our competitor’s offerings. These enhancements have the following characteristics:
● | In-Band Full-Duplex Technology: In late 2021, we expect to demonstrate our first microwave products incorporating our proprietary in-band full-duplex technology that was innovated by our Lextrum subsidiary. This technology, which is useful in almost any wireless communication system, functions by essentially doubling the data throughput on existing antennae by sending and receiving simultaneously on the same frequency. This capability is critical in backhaul networks (tower-to-tower applications) and is a fundamental component of 5G wireless technology if it is to operate most efficiently. Following commercial rollout of this technology in our own products, Lextrum will begin licensing its use to other radio designers and manufacturers, which we believe will generate license and royalty fee revenues commencing in 2021. |
● | Transpositional Modulation Technology: In the late 2021, we also expect to demonstrate our first microwave products incorporating the transpositional modulation (TM) technology. This technology dramatically increases the capacity of an existing network through unique patented engineering and algorithm solutions while not requiring a new standard for integration. Its performance has been shown to increase waveform speed and capacity, and it can be used simultaneously and transparently with existing telecom waveforms with no appreciable interference with any co-existing modulation type. TM technology is the only known form of modulation that allows a single carrier to transmit two or more independent signals simultaneously in the same wave without destroying the integrity of the individual bit streams, thereby enabling transmission of significantly more data than existing modulations. |
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Intelligent Batteries and Back-up Power Solutions
Through our InduraPower subsidiary, we offer and are further developing a line of environmentally-friendly, non-volatile advanced intelligent lithium-ion batteries and back-up power units that charge quickly, have a life span approximately five times longer than conventional lead-acid batteries, can be monitored remotely and can provide power for a wide range of applications, including cellular towers and other RAN infrastructures, as well as automotive, aerospace and marine vehicles. Used in conjunction with our microwave radios, our batteries and back-up power solutions would ensure their seamless operation in the event of a power grid or local electrical failure or interruption. The use of lithium-ion phosphate chemistry in our batteries provides for an approximate 70% reduction in weight and 30% to 40% reduction in size over current lead-acid/ absorbent glass mat (AGM)-driven power supplies.
Tethered Drones and Aerostats
Through our Drone Aviation and SKS subsidiaries, we design, develop, market, sell and provide logistical services for specialized tethered aerial monitoring and communications platforms serving national defense, security, and commercial customers for use in applications including ISR and communications. Through Drone Aviation, we focus primarily on the development of a tethered aerostat known as the WASP, which is principally designed for military and security applications where they provide secure and reliable aerial monitoring for extended durations while being tethered to the ground via a high strength armored tether. Through SKS, we offer our HoverMast line of quadrotor-tethered drones that feature uninterruptible ground-based power, fiber optic communications for cyber immunity, and the ability to operate in GPS-denied environments while delivering dramatically-improved situational awareness and communications capabilities to users. HoverMast is utilized by the Israeli government for border patrol and coastal applications and is also deployed in several international markets.
Our core aerostat products are designed to provide real-time, semi-persistent situational awareness to various military and national security customers such as the U.S. Department of Defense and units of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, such as the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, to improve security at the nation’s ports and borders. The WASP tethered aerostat system provides customers with tactical, highly mobile and cost-effective aerial monitoring and communications capabilities in remote or austere locations where existing infrastructure is lacking or not accessible. Current WASP products include the WASP tactical aerostat and WASP Lite, a rapidly deployable, compact aerostat system. WASP aerostats are either self-contained on a trailer that can be towed by a military all-terrain vehicle (MATV) or mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle (MRAP) or other standard vehicle, operated from the bed of a pickup truck, UTV or mounted to a building rooftop. They are designed to provide semi-persistent, mobile, real-time day/night high-definition video for ISR, detection of improvised explosive devices, border security and other governmental and civilian uses. The HoverMast 100 model system sold by SKS has been mounted in permanent locations, as well as on mobile platforms such as certain long-bed pickup trucks and marine vessels. With its imbedded fiber-optic tether system, the HoverMast offers a myriad of optical sensors, signal collection devices and communication radios and has had a sophisticated mounted airborne radar. We believe all of our Drone and SKS products also can also be utilized for disaster response missions by supporting two-way and cellular communications and acting as a repeater or provider of wireless networking.
Both the WASP and WASP Lite aerostat systems employ a tethered envelope filled with helium gas for lift to carry either a stabilized ISR or communications payload, portable ground control station and a datalink between the ground station and the envelope. Hovering between 500 and 1,500 feet above the ground, the systems provide surveillance and communications capabilities with relatively low acquisition and operating costs. The systems require an operational crew of a minimum of two people, have relatively simple maintenance procedures, and feature quick retrieval and helium top-off for re-inflation. The HoverMast system can deploy and recover the tethered drone unit at heights ranging from 15 feet to 330 feet in minutes.
Our Services
In addition to our products, we offer maintenance and support services, as well as a selection of other professional services. We utilize a multi-tiered support model to deliver services that leverage the capabilities of our own direct resources, channels partners and other third-party organizations.
Our professional services are provided primarily by our Silver Bullet subsidiary, which engineers, designs and develops a broad range of next-generation network systems and system components, including:
● | hardware and software design and development, including ISR, embedded designs, high-speed digital and radio frequency (RF), printed circuit board design, field-programmable gate array (FPGA) and application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) designs; |
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● | large-scale network protocol development and software-defined radio systems; and |
● | wireless communications designs in tactical communication systems, automotive telematics, cellular communication systems, municipal/public networks, security systems, seismic detection and consumer electronics. |
We believe a broad range of services is essential to the successful customer deployment and ongoing support of our products, and we employ remote technical support engineers, spare parts planning and logistics staff and professional services consultants with proven network experience to provide our services.
Customers
We manufacture and sell our portfolio of telecommunications-related products on a global basis to over 700 customers. Our customers include a large percentage of mobile cellular carriers, large international corporations, governments and private network users. Some of the relationships with customers, such as within our DragonWave subsidiary, typically date back many years. We believe our diversified customer base provides us an opportunity to leverage our skills, experience and varied product lines across markets and reduces our exposure to a single end market. Additionally, we believe the diversity of our customer base is an important strength of our Company.
We believe there has been a trend on the part of customers to consolidate their lists of qualified suppliers to companies that have the ability to meet certain technical, quality, delivery and other standards while maintaining competitive prices. We believe we have positioned our offerings and resources to compete effectively in this environment. As an industry participant in the telecommunications microwave backhaul segment, we have established close working relationships with many of our customers on a global basis. These relationships allow us to better anticipate and respond to the needs of these customer when designing new products and technical solutions. By working with customers in developing new products and technologies, we are able to identify and act on trends and leverage knowledge about next-generation technology across our portfolio of products. In addition, we have concentrated our efforts on service, procurement and manufacturing improvements designed to increase product quality and performance and lower product lead-time and cost.
Manufacturing, Suppliers and Vendors
The manufacturing of our microwave radios and other network communications products is outsourced to principally one third-party contract manufacturer, Benchmark Electronics, Inc. (“Benchmark”), a well-established contract manufacturer with expertise in the telecom equipment industry. This approach allows us to reduce our costs as it reduces our manufacturing overhead and inventory and also allows us to adjust quickly to changing customer demand. Benchmark assembles our products using design specifications, quality assurance programs and standards that we establish, and it procures components and assembles our products based on our demand forecasts. These forecasts represent our estimates of future demand for our products based upon historical trends and analysis from our sales and product management functions as adjusted for overall market conditions.
The manufacturing agreement we entered into with Benchmark does not provide for any minimum purchase commitments and had an initial term of two years, which now automatically renews for one-year terms, unless either party gives written notice to the other party not less than 90 days prior to the last day of the applicable term. Additionally, this agreement may be terminated by either party (i) with advance written notice provided to the other party, subject to certain notice period limitations, or (ii) with written notice, subject to applicable cure periods, if the other party has materially breached its obligations under the agreement.
We believe that this contract manufacturing relationship allows us to operate our business efficiently by focusing our internal efforts on the development of our technologies and products, and provides us with substantial scale-up capacity. We regularly test quality on-site at Benchmark’s facility, and we obtain full quality inspection reports. We also maintain a non-disclosure agreement with Benchmark.
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We and our contract manufacturing partner purchase a wide variety of raw materials for the manufacture of our network communications products, including (i) precious metals such as gold, silver and palladium, (ii) aluminum, steel, copper, titanium and metal alloy products and (iii) plastic materials. We also purchase a wide variety of mechanical and electronic components for the manufacturing of such products. Such raw materials and components are generally available throughout the world and are purchased domestically when possible from a variety of suppliers. We are generally not dependent upon any one source for raw materials or components. We do not anticipate any difficulties in obtaining raw materials or components necessary for the production of our network communications products.
However, certain materials and equipment for our Drone Aviation and SKS products are custom made for those products and are available only from a limited number of suppliers. Failure of a supplier could cause delays in delivery of the products if another supplier cannot promptly be found or if the quality of such replacement supplier’s components is inferior or unacceptable. For a discussion of certain risks related to raw materials and components, see “Risk Factors” in this report.
Competition
The telecommunications and mobile broadband markets are highly competitive and rapidly evolving. We compete with domestic and international companies, many of which have substantially greater financial and other resources than we do. We encounter substantial competition in most of our markets, although we believe we have few competitors that compete with us in performance capabilities across all our product lines and markets. Our principal competitors in one or more of our product lines or markets include Ericsson, Nokia, Cambium, Ceragon, Aviat and Huawei. We also compete with internally developed network solutions of certain network equipment manufacturers, including Facebook, Google, AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile. Finally, we face competition from working groups and associations that are the result of joint developments among certain of the competitors listed above. Consolidation in the telecommunications and mobile broadband industry has increased in recent years, and future consolidation could further intensify the competitive pressures that we face.
The principal competitive factors upon which we compete include performance, power consumption, rapid innovation, breadth of product line, availability, product reliability, reputation, level of integration and cost, multi-sourcing and selling price. We believe that we compete effectively by offering higher levels of customer value through high speed, high density, low power consumption, broad integration of wireless radio functions, software intelligence for configuration, control and monitoring, cost-efficiency, ease of deployment and collaborative product design. We cannot be certain we will continue to compete effectively.
We may also face competition from companies that may expand into our industry and introduce additional competitive products. The same standardization that allows for the integration of our products into wireless infrastructure systems carries the side effect of lowing the competitive threshold for new market entrants. Existing and potential customers and strategic partners are also potential competitors. These customers may internally develop or acquire additional competitive products or technologies, selectively, or through consolidation of the companies in our industry, which may cause them to reduce or cease their purchases from us.
Research and Development
We generally implement our product development strategy through product design teams and collaborative initiatives with customers, which can also result in our Company obtaining approved vendor status for our customers’ new products and programs. We focus our research and development efforts primarily on those product areas that we believe have the potential for broad market applications and significant sales within a one–to–three–year period. We seek to have our products become widely accepted within the industry for similar applications and products manufactured by other potential customers, which we believe will provide additional sources of future revenue. By developing application-specific products, we are able to decrease our exposure to standard products, which are more likely to experience greater pricing pressure. At March 15, 2021, our research, development and engineering efforts, which relate to the creation of new and improved products and processes, were supported by approximately 60 employees and consultants, of which 80% were engineers with advanced degrees. Our research and development activities are generally performed by individual operating units of our Company focused on specific markets and product technologies.
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Intellectual Property
Our success and ability to compete depend substantially upon our core technology and intellectual property rights. We generally rely on patent, trademark and copyright laws, trade secret protection and confidentiality agreements to protect our intellectual property rights. In addition, we generally require employees and consultants to execute appropriate nondisclosure and proprietary rights agreements. These agreements acknowledge our exclusive ownership of intellectual property developed for us and require that all proprietary information remain confidential.
We maintain a program designed to identify technology that is appropriate for patent and trade secret protection, and we file patent applications in the United States and, when appropriate, certain other countries for inventions that we consider significant. As of March 15, 2021, we had 87 patents granted in the United States and foreign jurisdictions that expire between 2021 and 2040. As of such date, we also had 22 patent applications pending in the United States and foreign jurisdictions. We also continue to acquire patents through acquisitions or direct prosecution efforts and engage in licensing transactions to secure the right to use third parties’ patents. Although our business is not materially dependent upon any one patent, our patent rights and the products made and sold under our patents, taken as a whole, are a significant element of our business.
In addition to patents, we also possess other intellectual property, including trademarks, know-how, trade secrets, design rights and copyrights. We control access to and use of our software, technology and other proprietary information through internal and external controls, including contractual protections with employees, contractors, customers and partners. Our software is protected by U.S. and international copyright, patent and trade secret laws. Despite our efforts to protect our software, technology and other proprietary information, unauthorized parties may still copy or otherwise obtain and use our software, technology and other proprietary information. In addition, we have expanded our international operations, and effective patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret protection may not be available or may be limited in foreign countries.
Companies in the industry in which we operate frequently are sued or receive informal claims of patent infringement or infringement of other intellectual property rights. We may receive such claims from companies, including from competitors and customers, some of which have substantially more resources and have been developing relevant technology similar to ours. As and if we become more successful, we believe that competitors will be more likely to try to develop products that are similar to ours and that may infringe on our proprietary rights. It may also be more likely that competitors or other third parties will claim that our products infringe their proprietary rights. Successful claims of infringement by a third-party, if any, could result in significant penalties or injunctions that could prevent us from selling some of our products in certain markets, result in settlements or judgments that require payment of significant royalties or damages or require us to expend time and money to develop non-infringing products. We cannot assure you that we do not currently infringe, or that we will not in the future infringe, upon any third-party patents or other proprietary rights, but will not and have never done so intentionally.
Regulation
As our customers operate around the world and, to a limited degree, we rely upon non-U.S. manufacturers to make our products, our business and ability to successfully compete for business in our industry may become dependent upon global, supply, manufacturing and customer relationships that are affected by the trade and tariff policies of each country in which we operate. Increased tariffs on parts and components imposed by the countries in which our product components may be sourced can increase our production costs, and increased tariffs imposed by the countries in which our products are sold can increase the cost of our products to our customers.
Certain of our products and services are subject to export controls, including the Export Administration Regulations of the U.S. Department of Commerce and economic and trade sanctions regulations administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Controls of the U.S. Treasury Department, and similar laws and regulations that apply in other jurisdictions in which we distribute or sell our products and services. Export control and economic sanctions laws and regulations include restrictions and prohibitions on the sale or supply of certain products and services and on the transfer of parts, components and related technical information and know-how to certain countries, regions, governments, persons and entities. U.S. regulators may also impose new restrictions on previously non-controlled emerging or foundational items and technologies for which exports to countries such as China are deemed to present undesirable national security risks. Even without such legislative or regulatory action, we would be prohibited from exporting our products to any foreign recipient if we have knowledge that a violation of U.S. export regulations has occurred, is about to occur or is intended to occur in connection with the item. Different countries may implement their own export control regulatory systems, which can affect the flow of parts, components, finished products and related technologies throughout the supply chain to and from suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and customers.
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In addition, various countries regulate imports of certain products through permitting, licensing and transaction review procedures, and may enact laws that could limit our ability to produce or distribute our products or the ability of our customers to produce or distribute products into which our products are incorporated. The exportation, re-exportation, transfers within foreign countries and importation of our products and the parts, components and technologies necessary to manufacture our products, including by our partners, must comply with these laws and regulations. Among these regulations are rules in the United States and other countries that prohibit companies such as Huawei from supplying products and services for national 5G telecommunications networks. Pursuant to an executive order issued in May 2019, the U.S. government is developing a new regulatory mechanism through which it may block imports into the United States of certain information and communications products and services designed, developed, manufactured or supplied by entities owned by, controlled by or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a foreign adversary where the transaction presents an undue risk to U.S. information and communications technology or services, critical infrastructure or the digital economy of the United States, or other unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons. U.S. government procurement supply chain risk management regulations prohibit U.S. government agencies from directly or indirectly contracting to obtain certain telecommunications and video surveillance equipment, systems or services produced or performed by certain designated Chinese companies, and this prohibition is expected to be extended to prohibit U.S. government agencies from contracting with entities that use such equipment, systems or services, and to prohibit the use of U.S. government grant or loan proceeds to acquire such equipment, systems or services.
We are also subject to various domestic and international anti-corruption laws, such as the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and similar anti-bribery and anti-kickback laws and regulations in other places where we do business. These laws and regulations generally prohibit companies and their intermediaries from offering or making improper payments to governmental, political and certain international organization officials for the purpose of obtaining, retaining or directing business. Our exposure for violating these laws and regulations increases as our international presence expands and as we increase sales and operations in foreign jurisdictions.
In addition, we are subject to, or are expected to facilitate our customers’ compliance with, environmental, health and safety laws and regulations in each of the jurisdictions in which we operate or sell our products. These laws and regulations govern, among other things, the handling and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes, employee health and safety and the use of hazardous materials in, and the recycling of, our products.
Employees
As of December 31, 2020, we employed 109 full-time employees, consisting of 17 employees in research and development, 54 employees in operations, which includes manufacturing, supply chain, quality control and assurance, and 38 employees in executive, sales, general and administrative positions. At such date, we had six part-time employees, consisting of one employee in research and development, four employees in operations, and one employee in executive, sales, general and administrative. We have never had a work stoppage, and none of our employees is represented by a labor organization or under any collective bargaining arrangements. We consider our employee relations to be good. All employees are subject to contractual agreements that specify requirements on confidentiality and restrictions on working for competitors, as well as other standard matters.
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ITEM 1A. | RISK FACTORS |
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. These risks should be considered carefully with the uncertainties described below, and all other information included in this report, before deciding whether to purchase our securities. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to management or that management currently deems immaterial and therefore not referenced herein, may also become material and may harm our business, financial condition or results of operations. The occurrence of any of the following risks could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations. The trading price of our securities could decline due to any of these risks and uncertainties and you may lose part or all of your investment.
Risks Related to Our Business and Industry
Since our recent acquisition of COMSovereign in November 2019, we lack an established operating history on which to evaluate our consolidated business and determine if we will be able to execute our business plan, and we can give no assurance that our operations will result in profits.
While we have conducted our Drone Aviation business operations since 2014, we consummated the acquisition of our COMSovereign subsidiary and its various lines of business, which are diverse and involve a number of different proposed and existing product offerings, in November 2019, and two other operating subsidiaries since that time. As a result, we have a limited operating history as a consolidated company upon which you may evaluate our business and prospects. Our business operations are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties, expenses and difficulties associated with early-stage enterprises. You should consider an investment in our Company in light of these risks, uncertainties, expenses and difficulties. Such risks include:
● | the absence of an operating history in our current business and at our current scale; |
● | our ability to raise capital to develop our business and fund our operations; |
● | expected continual losses for the foreseeable future; |
● | our ability to anticipate and adapt to developing markets; |
● | acceptance by customers; |
● | limited marketing experience; |
● | competition from competitors with substantially greater financial resources and assets; |
● | the ability to identify, attract and retain qualified personnel; |
● | our ability to provide superior customer service; and |
● | reliance on key personnel. |
Because we are subject to these risks, and the other risks discussed below, you may have a difficult time evaluating our business and your investment in our Company.
We incurred net losses in our 2020 and 2019 fiscal years with negative cash flows, and we cannot assure you as to when, or if, we will become profitable and generate positive cash flows.
We experienced net losses from operations in our fiscal years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, and we may continue to incur net losses from operations in the future. On the basis of our audited financial statements included in this report and without giving effect to the operations of our Drone Aviation subsidiary prior to the consummation of the COMSovereign Acquisition on November 27, 2019, as of December 31, 2020, we had a cumulative net loss of approximately $64.6 million since our inception (which included non-cash accounting charges of approximately $32.2 million resulting from stock-based expenses, amortization of our debt discount related to our convertible notes, the change in our right-of-use operating lease asset, depreciation, amortization and income taxes). Such losses have historically required us to seek additional funding through the issuance of debt or equity securities. Our long-term success is dependent upon, among other things, achieving positive cash flows from operations and, if necessary, augmenting such cash flows using external resources to satisfy our cash needs. There can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain additional funding, if needed, on commercially reasonable terms, or of all.
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We expect to continue to incur losses from operations and negative cash flows, which raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.
We anticipate incurring additional losses until such time, if ever, as we can generate significant sales of our DragonWave microwave radios and related products. We will require substantial additional financing to fund our DragonWave operations and to develop and commercialize the technologies of our other operating subsidiaries. These factors raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.
We will seek to obtain additional capital through the sale of debt or equity financings or other arrangements to fund operations; however, there can be no assurance that we will be able to raise needed capital under acceptable terms, if at all. The sale of additional equity may dilute existing stockholders and newly issued shares may contain senior rights and preferences compared to currently outstanding shares of common stock. Issued debt securities may contain covenants and limit our ability to pay dividends or make other distributions to stockholders. If we are unable to obtain such additional financing, future operations would need to be scaled back or discontinued. Due to the uncertainty in our ability to raise capital, we believe that there is substantial doubt in our ability to continue as a going concern.
We may not generate sufficient cash flows to cover our operating expenses.
As noted above, we have incurred recurring losses since inception. Until we can generate significant sales of our DragonWave product lines, we expect to continue to incur losses primarily as a result of costs and expenses related to research and continued development of the technologies of our other operating subsidiaries and our corporate general and administrative expenses. Our operations to date have been funded primarily through sales of our debt and equity securities. As of December 31, 2020, we had negative working capital of approximately $26.6 million and limited available cash. Since December 31, 2020, we have raised net proceeds of approximately $39.7 million from the sale of equity securities and used a portion of such net proceeds to repay $17.1 million of outstanding short-term indebtedness, payables and payroll, including $17.0 million of indebtedness, payables and payroll outstanding at December 31, 2020, and have converted to equity approximately $13.0 million of additional indebtedness and interest, including $12.8 million of indebtedness and interest outstanding at December 31, 2020. After giving effect to such debt conversions and repayments, we believe that our existing cash as of December 31, 2020, and cash generated from operations and from the sale of debt or equity securities since December 31, 2020 will be sufficient to meet our anticipated cash requirements through at least March 31, 2022. This estimate is based upon assumptions that may prove to be incorrect, and we could exhaust our available cash resources sooner as than we currently expect. In the event that we are unable to generate sufficient cash from our operating activities or raise additional funds, we may be required to delay, reduce or severely curtail our operations or otherwise impede our on-going business efforts, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, financial condition and long-term prospects.
We have significant debt and if we are unable to repay our debt when it becomes due, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially harmed.
As of December 31, 2020, we had total undiscounted debt obligations of approximately $19.5 million, excluding accrued interest and forgivable debt under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”). Since December 31, 2020, we paid or converted approximately $18.3 million principal amount of indebtedness and we incurred an additional $18.0 million of indebtedness. Our outstanding indebtedness could have significant effects on our business, such as:
● | limiting our ability to borrow additional amounts to fund working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of our growth strategy and other purposes; |
● | requiring us to dedicate a portion of our cash flows from operations to pay interest on our debt, which would reduce availability of our cash flows to fund working capital, capital expenditures, potential acquisitions, execution of our growth strategy and other general corporate purposes; |
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● | making us more vulnerable to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions, in government regulation and in our business by limiting our ability to plan for and react to changing conditions; and |
● | placing us at a competitive disadvantage compared with our competitors that have less debt. |
We may not be able to generate sufficient cash flows from our operations to repay our indebtedness when it becomes due and to meet our other cash needs. If we are not able to pay our debts as they become due, we will be required to pursue one or more alternative strategies, such as selling assets, refinancing or restructuring our indebtedness or selling additional debt or equity securities. We may not be able to refinance our debt, sell additional debt or equity securities or sell our assets on favorable terms, if at all, and if we must sell our assets, we may negatively affect our ability to generate revenue.
If we are unable to obtain additional funding when needed, our business operations will be harmed, and if we do obtain additional financing, our then-existing shareholders may suffer substantial dilution.
As we take steps in the commercialization and marketing of our technologies, or respond to potential opportunities and/or adverse events, our working capital needs may change. We anticipate that if our cash and cash equivalents are insufficient to satisfy our liquidity requirements, we will require additional funding to sustain our ongoing operations and to continue our research and development activities. We do not have any contracts or commitments for additional funding, and there can be no assurance that financing will be available in amounts or on terms acceptable to us, if at all, if needed. The inability to obtain additional capital will restrict our ability to grow and may reduce our ability to conduct business operations. If we are unable to obtain additional financing to finance a revised growth plan, we will likely be required to curtail such plans or cease our business operations. Any additional equity financing may involve substantial dilution to our then existing shareholders.
Raising capital in the future could cause dilution to our existing shareholders and may restrict our operations or require us to relinquish rights.
In the future, we may seek additional capital through a combination of private and public equity offerings, debt financings and collaborations and strategic and licensing arrangements. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, your ownership interest will be diluted, and the terms may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect your rights as a shareholder. Debt financing, if available, would result in increased fixed payment obligations and may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting our ability to take specific actions such as incurring debt, making capital expenditures or declaring dividends. If we raise additional funds through collaboration or strategic alliance arrangements with third parties, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to our future revenue streams or product candidates on terms that are not favorable to us.
The occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic may negatively affect our operations depending on the severity and longevity of the pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic is currently impacting countries, communities, supply chains and markets as well as the global financial markets. A pandemic typically results in social distancing, travel bans and quarantine, and this may limit access to our facilities, customers, management, support staff and professional advisors. These factors, in turn, may not only impact our operations, financial condition and demand for our goods and services but our overall ability to react timely to mitigate the impact of this event. In addition, it may hamper our efforts to comply with our filing obligations with the SEC. At this time, we cannot predict the impact of COVID-19 on our ability to obtain financing necessary to fund our working capital and other requirements. Depending on the severity and longevity of the COVID-19 pandemic, our business, customers and stockholders may experience a significant negative impact.
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Rapid technological change in our market and/or changes in customer requirements could cause our products to become obsolete or require us to redesign our products, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition.
The market for our products is characterized by rapid technological change, frequent new product introductions and enhancements, uncertain product life cycles, changing customer demands and evolving industry standards, any of which can render existing products obsolete. We believe that our future success will depend in large part on our ability to develop new and effective products in a timely manner and on a cost-effective basis. As a result of the complexities inherent in our products, major new products and product enhancements can require long development and testing periods, which may result in significant delays in the general availability of new releases or significant problems in the implementation of new releases. In addition, if we or our competitors announce or introduce new products our current or future customers may defer or cancel purchases of our products, which could materially adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition. Our failure to develop successfully, on a timely and cost-effective basis, new products or new product enhancements that respond to technological change, evolving industry standards or customer requirements would have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition.
Product development is a long, expensive and uncertain process, and our failure to develop marketable products in our various markets could adversely affect our business, prospects and financial condition.
The development of our technologies and products, particularly for our proposed full-duplex wireless microwave products and our SiP technologies product lines, is a costly, complex and time-consuming process, and the investment in product development often involves a long wait until a return, if any, is achieved on such investment. We continue to make significant investments in research and development relating to our technologies and products. Investments in new technology and processes are inherently speculative. Technical obstacles and challenges we encounter in our research and development process may result in delays in or abandonment of product commercialization, substantially increase the costs of development and negatively affect our results of operations.
We compete with companies that have significantly more resources for their research and development efforts than we have or have received government contracts for the development of new products.
A number of our competitors have received considerable funding from government or government-related sources to develop various technologies or products. Most of these organizations and many of our other competitors have greater financial, technical, manufacturing, marketing and sales resources and capabilities than we do. In addition, with respect to products we are developing for certain markets, we anticipate increasing competition as a result of industry consolidation, which has enabled companies to enhance their competitive position and ability to compete against us. These organizations also compete with us to:
● | attract parties for acquisitions, joint ventures or other collaborations; |
● | license proprietary technology that is competitive with the technology we are developing; |
● | attract funding; and |
● | attract and hire talented and other qualified personal. |
Our competitors may succeed in developing and commercializing products earlier than we do. Our competitors may also develop products or technologies that are superior to those we are developing and render our technology candidates or technologies obsolete or non-competitive. If we cannot successfully compete with new or existing products and technologies, our marketing and sales will suffer and our financial condition would be adversely affected.
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Successful technical development of our products does not guarantee successful commercialization.
Even if we successfully complete the technical development for one or all of our product development programs, we may still fail to develop a commercially successful product for a number of reasons, including, among others, the following:
● | failure to obtain the required regulatory approvals for their use; |
● | prohibitive production costs; |
● | competing products; |
● | lack of innovation of the product; |
● | continuing technological changes in the market rendering the product obsolete; |
● | failure to scale-up our operations sufficiently to satisfy demand for our products; |
● | ineffective distribution and marketing; |
● | lack of sufficient cooperation from our partners; and |
● | demonstrations of the products not aligning with or meeting customer needs. |
Although we have sold our DragonWave and VNC radios and our WASP aerostat systems and various other aerostat ISR systems and components, our success in the market for the products we develop will depend largely on our ability to prove our products’ capabilities. Upon demonstration, our products may not have the capabilities they were designed to have or that we believed they would have. Furthermore, even if we do successfully demonstrate our products’ capabilities, potential customers may be more comfortable doing business with a larger, more established, more proven company than ours. Moreover, competing products may prevent us from gaining wide market acceptance of our products. We may not achieve significant revenue from new product investments for a number of years, if at all.
Product quality problems, defects, errors or vulnerabilities in our products could harm our reputation and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
We may experience quality control problems in our manufacturing operations or the manufacturing operations of our contract manufacturers. We produce highly-complex products that incorporate advanced technologies and that we believe to be state-of-the-art for our industry. Despite our testing prior to their release, our products may contain undetected defects or errors, including design, contract manufacturing or supplier quality issues, especially when first introduced or when new versions are released. Product defects or errors in the future could affect the performance of our products and could delay the development or release of new products or new versions of products. In addition, undetected quality problems may prompt unexpected product returns and adversely affect warranty costs. Allegations of unsatisfactory performance could cause us to lose revenue or market share, damage our reputation in the market and with customers, and increase our warranty costs and related returns, which could negatively impact our gross margins, cause us to incur substantial costs in redesigning the products, cause us to lose significant customers, subject us to liability for damages or divert our resources from other tasks, any one of which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
If we lose our rights to use software we currently license from third parties, we could be forced to seek alternative technology, which could increase our operating expenses and could adversely affect our ability to compete.
We license certain software used in our products from third parties, generally on a non-exclusive basis. The termination of any of these licenses, or the failure of the licensors to adequately maintain or update their software, could delay our ability to ship our products while we seek to implement alternative technology offered by other sources and could require significant unplanned investments on our part if we are forced to develop alternative technology internally. In addition, alternative technology may not be available to us on commercially reasonable terms from other sources. In the future, it may be necessary or desirable to obtain other third-party licenses relating to one or more of our products or relating to current or future technologies to enhance our product offerings. There is a risk that we will not be able to obtain licensing rights to the needed technology on commercially reasonable terms, or at all.
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If sufficient radio spectrum is not allocated for use by our products or if we fail to obtain regulatory approval for our products, our ability to market our products may be restricted.
Radio communications are subject to significant regulation in North America, Europe, India and other jurisdictions in which we sell our products. Generally, our products must conform to a variety of national and international standards and requirements established to avoid interference among users of radio frequencies and to permit the interconnections of telecommunications equipment. In addition, our products are affected by the allocation and licensing (by auction or other means) of radio spectrum by governmental authorities. Such governmental authorities may not allocate or license sufficient radio spectrum for use by prospective customers of our products. Historically, in many developed countries, the lack of availability of commercial radio spectrum or the failure by governments to license that spectrum has inhibited the growth of wireless telecommunications networks.
In order to sell our products in any given jurisdiction, we must obtain regulatory approval for our products. Each jurisdiction in which we market our products has its own rules relating to such approval. Products that support emerging wireless telecommunications services can be marketed in a jurisdiction only if permitted by suitable radio spectrum allocations and regulations, and the process of establishing new regulations is complex and lengthy.
Any failure by regulatory authorities to allocate suitable and sufficient radio spectrum to potential customers in a timely manner could adversely and materially impact demand for our products and may result in the delay or loss of potential orders for our products. In addition, any failure by us to obtain or maintain the proper regulatory approvals for our products could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We are dependent upon our resellers in certain jurisdictions to provide localized support and other local services which assist us in avoiding certain costs and investments.
By selling our products in certain markets through resellers, we are able to avoid certain costs relating to operating in those markets, including but not limited to local support costs, costs of maintaining a local legal entity, administration costs and logistics. If we choose or are required to sell direct in these markets (due to customer preference, termination of a reseller relationship or other reasons), the cost advantages described will no longer be available to us, which could result in an increase in our operating costs.
If critical components or raw materials used to manufacture our products become scarce or unavailable, then we may incur delays in manufacturing and delivery of our products, which could damage our business.
We and the contract manufacturers of our products rely on a limited number of suppliers for the raw materials and hardware components necessary to manufacture our products. We do not have any long-term agreements with any of our suppliers that obligate them to continue to sell their materials or products to us. Our reliance on these suppliers involves significant risks and uncertainties as to whether our suppliers will provide an adequate supply of required raw materials, component parts, and products. Lead-times for limited-source materials and components can be as long as six months, vary significantly and depend on factors such as the specific supplier, contract terms and demand for a component at a given time. From time to time, shortages in allocations of components have resulted in delays in filling orders. Shortages and delays in obtaining components in the future could impede our ability to meet customer orders. In addition, as the demand for these components and other products increases, it is likely that the price for these components will increase. If we or our contract manufacturers are unable to obtain the raw materials, including certain electrical components used in our telecom products or the helium gas used in our aerostat products to provide lift, and component parts in the quantities and the quality we require on a timely basis and at acceptable prices, we may not be able to deliver our products on a timely or cost-effective basis, which could cause our customers to terminate their contracts with us, increase our costs and materially harm our business, results of operations, and financial condition. Furthermore, if our suppliers or the suppliers of our contract manufacturers are unable or unwilling to supply the raw materials or components, we or our contract manufacturers require, we will be forced to locate alternative suppliers and possibly redesign our products to accommodate components from alternative suppliers. This would likely cause significant delays in manufacturing and shipping our products to customers and could materially harm our business.
Our dependence and exposure on component suppliers are heightened when we introduce new products. New products frequently include components that we do not use in other product lines. When we introduce new products, we must secure reliable sources of supply for those products at volumes that will be dictated by end-customer demand. Demand is often difficult to predict until the new product is better established. Constraints in our supply chain can slow the progress of new product rollouts, adversely affecting our business, results of operations and financial condition.
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Our future profitability may depend on achieving cost reductions from increasing manufacturing quantities of our products. Failing to achieve such reductions in manufacturing costs could materially affect our business.
We have limited experience manufacturing certain of our products, particularly our tethered aerostat and drone products and our DragonWave and VNC microwave radio products, in high volumes and do not know whether or when we will be able to develop efficient, low-cost manufacturing capabilities and processes that will enable us to manufacture our products in large quantities while maintaining our quality, speed, price, engineering and design standards. Our inability to develop such manufacturing processes and capabilities could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. We expect our suppliers to experience an increase in demand for their products, and we may not have reliable access to supplies that we require and may not be able to purchase such materials or components at cost effective prices. There is no assurance that we will obtain any material labor and machinery cost reductions associated with higher production levels, and failure to achieve these cost reductions could adversely impact our business and financial results.
We rely primarily upon one outsourced manufacturer for manufacturing our DragonWave microwave radios and related components and we are exposed to the risk that this manufacturer will not be able to satisfy our manufacturing needs on a timely basis.
We do not have any internal manufacturing capabilities to produce our DragonWave microwave radios and related components and we rely upon a single outsourced manufacturer to manufacture such products. Substantially all of our microwave radio products are currently manufactured by Benchmark Electronics, Inc. See “Description of the Business — Manufacturing, Suppliers and Vendors.” Our ability to ship DragonWave’s products to our customers could be delayed or interrupted as a result of a variety of factors relating to our outsourced manufacturer, including:
● | our outsourced manufacturer not being obligated to manufacture our products on a long-term basis in any specific quantity or at any specific price; |
● | early termination of, or failure to renew, contractual arrangements; |
● | our failure to effectively manage our outsourced manufacturer relationship; |
● | our outsourced manufacturer experiencing delays, disruptions or quality control problems in its manufacturing operations; |
● | lead-times for required materials and components varying significantly and being dependent on factors such as the specific supplier, contract terms and the demand for each component at a given time; |
● | underestimating our requirements, resulting in our outsourced manufacturer having inadequate materials and components required to produce our products, or overestimating our requirements, resulting in charges assessed by the outsourced manufacturers or liabilities for excess inventory, each of which could negatively affect our gross margins; |
● | the possible absence of adequate capacity and reduced control over component availability, quality assurances, delivery schedules, manufacturing yields and costs; and |
● | our outsourced manufacturer experiencing financial instability which could affect its ability to manufacture or deliver our products. |
Although we believe that our outsourced manufacturer has sufficient economic incentive to perform our manufacturing, the resources devoted to these activities by it are not within our control, and there can be no assurance that manufacturing problems will not occur in the future. Insufficient supply or an interruption or stoppage of supply from our outsourced manufacturer or our inability to obtain additional manufacturers when and if needed, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
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If any of our outsourced manufacturers are unable or unwilling to continue manufacturing our products in required volumes and quality levels, we will have to identify, qualify, select and implement acceptable alternative manufacturers, which would likely be time consuming and costly. In addition, an alternate source may not be available to us or may not be in a position to satisfy our production requirements at commercially reasonable prices and quality. Therefore, any significant interruption in manufacturing would result in us being unable to deliver the affected products to meet our customer orders, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Our potential customers for our DragonWave radios and our Drone Aviation aerostat and drone products are likely to include U.S. Government or Government-related entities that are subject to appropriations by Congress. Reduced funding for defense procurement and research and development programs would likely adversely impact our ability to generate revenues.
We anticipate that the majority of our revenue to be derived from our aerostats products and a substantial percentage of our revenue to be derived from our DragonWave radio product sales, at least in the foreseeable future, will come from U.S. Government and Government-related entities, including the U.S. Department of Defense and other departments and agencies. Government programs in which we may seek to participate, and contracts for tethered aerostats and drones or microwave radios, must compete with other programs for consideration during Congress’ budget and appropriations hearings, and may be affected by changes not only in political power and appointments but also general economic conditions and other factors beyond our control. A government closure based on a failure of Congress to agree on federal appropriations or the uncertainty surrounding a continuing resolution may result in termination or delay of federal funding opportunities we are pursuing. Reductions, extensions or terminations in a program in which we are seeking to participate or overall defense or other spending could adversely affect our ability to generate revenues and realize any profits. We cannot predict whether potential changes in security, defense, communications and intelligence priorities will afford opportunities for our business in terms of research and development or product contracts, but any reduction in government spending on such programs could negatively impact our ability to generate revenues. In addition, our ability to participate in U.S. Government programs may be affected by the adoption of new laws or regulations relating to government contracting or changes in existing laws or regulations, changes in political or public support for security and defense programs, and uncertainties associated with the current global threat environment and other geo-political matters.
Opportunities for expanded uses of our drone products in the United States are limited by federal laws and rulemaking.
The drone products we design and manufacture for use within the United States are limited by federal laws and rulemaking, including the commercial drone regulations (Part 107) adopted by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (the “FAA”) at the end of August 2016. Our ability to design, manufacture and release new products for use in the United States will be limited by federal law and regulations, which can be slow and subject to delays based on political turnover and disruptions in federal funding, among other reasons. The Part 107 rules limit the altitude, available airspace and weight of a drone and also the certification of remote pilots that can operate a drone for commercial purposes in the United States. We, or our customers, may seek waivers from the Part 107 rules for expanded operations; however, the processing of waivers is lengthy and uncertain. Political limits on the ability to issue new regulations could slow the growth of the aerostat and tethered drone market.
Some of our products may be subject to governmental regulations pertaining to exportation, which may limit the markets in which we can sell some of our products.
International sales of certain of our products, including our tethered aerostat and drone products, may be subject to U.S. laws, regulations and policies like the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and other export laws and regulations and may be subject to first obtaining licenses, clearances or authorizations from various regulatory entities. If we are not allowed to export our products or the clearance process is burdensome, our ability to generate revenue would be adversely affected. The failure to comply with any of these regulations could adversely affect our ability to conduct our business and generate revenues, as well as increase our operating costs.
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Economic conditions in the U.S. and worldwide could adversely affect our revenues.
Our revenues and operating results depend on the overall demand for our technologies and services. If the U.S. and worldwide economies weaken, either alone or in tandem with other factors beyond our control (including war, political unrest, pandemic, shifts in market demand for our services, actions by competitors or other causes), we may not be able to maintain or expand the growth of our revenue.
Sales to customers outside the United States or with international operations expose us to risks inherent in international sales.
During the year ended December 31, 2020 and fiscal 2019, on a pro forma basis giving effect to the COMSovereign Acquisition as if such acquisition had occurred on January 10, 2019, approximately 18% and 15%, respectively, of our revenues were derived from sales outside of the United States. While our near-term focus is on the North American telecom and infrastructure and service market, a key element of our growth strategy is to expand our worldwide customer base and our international operations, initially through agreements with third-party resellers, distributors and other partners that can market and sell our products in foreign jurisdictions. Supporting our distributors operating in international markets may require significant resources and management attention and may subject us to regulatory, economic and political risks that are different from those in the United States. While our DragonWave subsidiary has limited operating experience in some international markets, we cannot assure you that our expansion efforts into other international markets will be successful. Our experience in the United States and other international markets in which we already have a presence may not be relevant to our ability to expand in other international markets. Our international expansion efforts may not be successful in creating further demand for our products outside of the United States or in effectively selling our products in the international markets we enter. In addition, we face risks in doing business internationally that could adversely affect our business, including:
● | the need and expense to localize and adapt our products for specific countries, including translation into foreign languages, and ensuring that our products enable our customers to comply with local telecommunications industry laws and regulations, some of which are frequently changing; |
● | data privacy laws which require that customer data be stored and processed in a designated territory; |
● | difficulties in staffing and managing foreign operations, including employee laws and regulations; |
● | different pricing environments, longer sales cycles and longer accounts receivable payment cycles, and collections issues; |
● | new and different sources of competition; |
● | weaker protection for intellectual property and other legal rights than in the United States and practical difficulties in enforcing intellectual property and other rights outside of the United States; |
● | laws and business practices favoring local competitors; |
● | compliance challenges related to the complexity of multiple, conflicting and changing governmental laws and regulations, including employment, tax, privacy and data protection, and anti-bribery laws and regulations; |
● | increased financial accounting and reporting burdens and complexities; |
● | restrictions on the transfer of funds; |
● | our ability to repatriate funds from abroad without adverse tax consequences; |
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● | adverse tax consequences, including the potential for required withholding taxes; |
● | fluctuations in the exchange rates of foreign currency in which our foreign revenues or expenses may be denominated; |
● | changes in trade relations and trade policy, including the status of trade relations between the United States and China, and the implementation of or changes to trade sanctions, tariffs, and embargoes; |
● | public health crises, such as epidemics and pandemics, including COVID-19; and |
● | unstable regional and economic political conditions in the markets in which we operate. |
Any of the foregoing factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition. Some of our business partners also have international operations and are subject to the risks described above. Even if we are able to successfully manage the risks of international operations, our business may be adversely affected if our business partners are not able to successfully manage these risks, which could adversely affect our business.
We intend to pursue strategic transactions in the future, which could be difficult to implement, disrupt our business or change our business profile significantly.
We intend to continue to pursue potential strategic transactions, which could involve acquisitions of businesses or assets, joint ventures or investments in businesses, products or technologies that expand, complement or otherwise relate to our current or future business. We also intend to consider, from time to time, opportunities to engage in joint ventures or other business collaborations with third parties to address particular market segments. However, we may be unable to find suitable acquisition candidates or other suitable partners or products or may be unable to complete acquisitions or strategic transactions on favorable terms, if at all. For example, while the historical financial and operating performance or an acquisition or joint venture partner are among the criteria we evaluate in determining which acquisition or joint venture targets to pursue, there can be no assurance that any business or assets we acquire or contract with will continue to perform in accordance with past practices or will achieve financial or operating results that are consistent with or exceed past results. Any such failure could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.
In addition, any completed acquisition or other transaction may not result in the intended benefits for other reasons and any completed acquisition or other transaction will create or involve a number of other risks such as, among others:
● | the need to integrate and manage the businesses and products acquired with our own business and products; |
● | additional demands on our resources, systems, procedures and controls; |
● | disruption of our ongoing business; and |
● | diversion of management’s attention from other business concerns. |
● | Moreover, these transactions could involve: |
● | substantial investment of funds or financings by issuance of debt or equity securities that could result in dilution to our stockholders, impact our ability to service our debt within scheduled repayment terms or include covenants or other restrictions that would impede our ability to manage our operations; |
● | substantial investment with respect to technology transfers and operational integration; and |
● | the acquisition or disposition of product lines or businesses. |
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Also, such activities could result in one-time charges and expenses and have the potential to either dilute the interests of existing stockholders or result in the issuance of or assumption of debt.
Such acquisitions, investments, joint ventures or other business collaborations may involve significant commitments of financial and other resources of our Company. Any such activity may not be successful in generating revenue, income or other returns to us, and the resources committed to such activities will not be available to us for other purposes. Moreover, if we are unable to access capital markets on acceptable terms or at all, we may not be able to consummate acquisitions or may have to do so on the basis of a less than optimal capital structure. Our inability to (i) take advantage of growth opportunities for our business or for our products or (ii) address risks associated with acquisitions or investments in businesses may negatively affect our operating results. Additionally, any impairment of goodwill or other intangible assets acquired in an acquisition or in an investment or charges to earnings associated with any acquisition or investment activity may materially reduce our earnings. These future acquisitions or joint ventures may not result in their anticipated benefits, and we may not be able to properly integrate acquired products, technologies or businesses with our existing products and operations or combine personnel and cultures. Failure to do so could deprive us of the intended benefits of those acquisitions.
We may be unable to successfully integrate our recent and future acquisitions, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
In November 2019, we acquired the business and operations of COMSovereign, which itself had acquired five companies in 2019, including VEO and InduraPower in January 2019 and DragonWave, Lextrum and Silver Bullet in March 2019. In addition, we completed the acquisition of the business and operations of Fast Plastic Parts, LLC in March 2020, the acquisition of VNC in July 2020, the acquisition of Fastback in January 2021, and the acquisition of SKS in February 2021. The operation and management of recent acquisitions, or any of our future acquisitions, may adversely affect our existing results of operations or we may not be able to effectively manage any growth resulting from these transactions. Before we acquired them, these companies operated independently of one another. Until we establish centralized financial, management information and other administrative systems, we will rely on the separate systems of these companies, including their financial reporting systems.
Our success will depend, in part, on the extent to which we are able to merge these functions, eliminate the unnecessary duplication of other functions and otherwise integrate these companies (and any additional businesses with which we may combine in the future) into a cohesive, efficient enterprise. This integration process may entail significant costs and delays could occur. Our failure to integrate the operations of these companies successfully could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. To the extent that any acquisition results in additional goodwill, it will reduce our tangible net worth, which might adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, as well as our credit and bonding capacity.
If we fail to protect our intellectual property rights, we could lose our ability to compete in the marketplace.
Our intellectual property and proprietary rights are important to our ability to remain competitive and for the success of our products and our business. Patent protection can be limited and not all intellectual property is or can be patented. We rely on a combination of patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret laws as well as confidentiality agreements and procedures, non-competition agreements and other contractual provisions to protect our intellectual property, other proprietary rights and our brand. We have little protection when we must rely on trade secrets and nondisclosure agreements. Our intellectual property rights may be challenged, invalidated or circumvented by third parties. We may not be able to prevent the unauthorized disclosure or use of our technical knowledge or other trade secrets by employees or competitors. Furthermore, our competitors may independently develop technologies and products that are substantially equivalent or superior to our technologies and/or products, which could result in decreased revenues for us. Moreover, the laws of foreign countries may not protect our intellectual property rights to the same extent as the laws of the U.S. Litigation may be necessary to enforce our intellectual property rights, which could result in substantial costs to us and substantial diversion of management’s attention. If we do not adequately protect our intellectual property, our competitors could use it to enhance their products. Our inability to adequately protect our intellectual property rights could adversely affect our business and financial condition and the value of our brand and other intangible assets.
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If we fail to protect our intellectual property rights, our ability to pursue the development of our technologies and products would be negatively affected.
Our success will depend in part on our ability to obtain patents and maintain adequate protection of our intellectual property and technologies. Some foreign countries lack rules and methods for defending intellectual property rights and do not protect proprietary rights to the same extent as the United States. We have numerous issued patents, and have filed several additional patent applications, outside the United States, and many companies have had difficulty protecting their proprietary rights in foreign countries. We may not be able to prevent misappropriation of our proprietary rights.
The patent process is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties and there can be no assurance that we will be successful in protecting our technologies by obtaining and enforcing patents. These risks and uncertainties include the following:
● | patents that may be issued or licensed may be challenged, invalidated, or circumvented, or otherwise may not provide any competitive advantage; |
● | our competitors, many of which have substantially greater resources than us and many of which have made significant investments in competing technologies, may seek, or may already have obtained, patents that will limit, interfere with, or eliminate our ability to make, use, and license our technologies either in the United States or in international markets; |
● | there may be significant pressure on the United States government and other international governmental bodies to limit the scope of patent protection both inside and outside the United States for technologies that prove successful as a matter of public policy regarding security concerns; |
● | countries other than the United States may have less restrictive patent laws than those upheld by United States courts, allowing foreign competitors the ability to exploit these laws to create, develop, and market competing products. |
Moreover, any patents issued to us may not provide us with meaningful protection, or others may challenge, circumvent or narrow our patents. Third parties may also independently develop technologies similar to ours or design around any patents on our technologies.
In addition, the United States Patent and Trademark Office and patent offices in other jurisdictions have often required that patent applications concerning software inventions be limited or narrowed substantially to cover only the specific innovations exemplified in the patent application, thereby limiting the scope of protection against competitive challenges. Thus, even if we or our licensors are able to obtain patents, the patents may be substantially narrower than anticipated.
Our success depends on our patents, patent applications, patents that may be licensed exclusively to us, and other patents to which we may obtain assignment or licenses. We may not be aware, however, of all patents, published applications, or published literature that may affect our business by blocking our ability to commercialize our products, preventing the patentability of products or services by us or our licensors, or covering the same or similar technologies that may invalidate our patents, limit the scope of our future patent claims or adversely affect our ability to market our products and services.
In addition to patents, we rely on a combination of trade secrets, confidentiality, nondisclosure and other contractual provisions, and security measures to protect our confidential and proprietary information. These measures may not adequately protect our trade secrets or other proprietary information. If they do not adequately protect our rights, third parties could use our technology, and we could lose any competitive advantage we may have. In addition, others may independently develop similar proprietary information or techniques or otherwise gain access to our trade secrets, which could impair any competitive advantage we may have.
Patent protection and other intellectual property protection are crucial to the success of our business and prospects, and there is a substantial risk that such protections will prove inadequate.
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Other companies may claim that we infringe their intellectual property, which could materially increase our costs and harm our ability to generate future revenue and profit.
We do not believe our product technologies infringe the proprietary rights of any third-party, but claims of infringement are becoming increasingly common and third parties may assert infringement claims against us. It may be difficult or impossible to identify, prior to receipt of notice from a third-party, the trade secrets, patent position or other intellectual property rights of a third-party, either in the United States or in foreign jurisdictions. Any such assertion may result in litigation or may require us to obtain a license for or otherwise restrict our use of the intellectual property rights of third parties. If we are required to obtain licenses to use any third-party technology, we would have to pay royalties, which may significantly reduce any profit on our products. In addition, any such litigation could be expensive and disruptive to our ability to generate revenue or enter into new market opportunities. If any of our products are found to infringe other parties’ proprietary rights and we are unable to come to terms regarding a license with such parties, we may be forced to modify our products to make them non-infringing or to cease production of such products altogether.
Security breaches, including cybersecurity incidents and other disruptions could compromise our information, expose us to liability and harm our reputation and business.
In the ordinary course of our business, we collect and store sensitive data, including intellectual property, personal information, our proprietary business information and that of our customers, suppliers and business partners, and personally identifiable information of our customers and employees in our data centers and on our networks. The secure maintenance and transmission of this information is critical to our operations and business strategy. We rely on commercially available systems, software, tools and monitoring to provide security for processing, transmission and storage of confidential information. Computer hackers may attempt to penetrate our computer systems and, if successful, misappropriate personal or confidential business information. In addition, an associate, contractor, or other third-party with whom we do business may attempt to circumvent our security measures in order to obtain such information and may purposefully or inadvertently cause a breach involving such information. Despite the security measures we have in place and any additional measures we may implement in the future to safeguard our systems and to mitigate potential security risks, our facilities and systems, and those of our third-party service providers, could be vulnerable to security breaches. Any such compromise of our data security and access, public disclosure, or loss of personal or confidential business information could result in legal claims or proceedings, liability under laws that protect the privacy of personal information, regulatory penalties, disruption of our operations, damage to our reputation, loss of our customers’ willingness to transact business with us, and subject us to additional costs and liabilities which could materially adversely affect our business.
We do not carry insurance against all potential risks and losses, and our insurance might be inadequate to cover all of our losses or liabilities or may not be available on commercially reasonable terms.
We have limited, and potentially insufficient, insurance coverage for expenses and losses that may arise in connection with the quality of our products, property damage, work-related accidents and occupational illnesses, natural disasters and environmental contamination. In addition, we have no insurance coverage for loss of profits or other losses caused by the death or incapacitation of our senior management. As a result, losses or liabilities arising from these or other such events could increase our costs and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
We intend to reevaluate the purchase of insurance, policy limits and terms annually or when circumstances warrant from time to time. Future insurance coverage for our industry could increase in cost and may include higher deductibles or retentions than we could obtain now. In addition, some forms of insurance may become unavailable in the future or unavailable on terms that we believe are economically acceptable. No assurance can be given that we will be able to maintain insurance in the future at rates that we consider reasonable, and we may elect to continue to maintain minimal or no insurance coverage. We may not be able to secure additional insurance or bonding that might be required by new governmental regulations. This may cause us to restrict our operations in certain jurisdictions, which might severely impact our financial position. The occurrence of a significant event, not fully insured against, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
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The nature of our business involves significant risks and uncertainties that may not be covered by insurance or indemnity.
We develop and sell products where insurance or indemnification may not be available, including:
● | designing and developing products using advanced and unproven technologies and tethered aerostats and drones in intelligence and homeland security applications that are intended to operate in high demand, high risk situations; and |
● | designing and developing products to collect, distribute and analyze various types of information. |
Failure of certain of our products could result in loss of life or property damage. Certain products may raise questions with respect to issues of civil liberties, intellectual property, trespass, conversion and similar concepts, which may raise new legal issues. Indemnification to cover potential claims or liabilities resulting from a failure of technologies developed or deployed may be available in certain circumstances, but not in others. We are not able to maintain insurance to protect against all operational risks and uncertainties. Substantial claims resulting from an accident, failure of our product, or liability arising from our products in excess of any indemnity or insurance coverage (or for which indemnity or insurance is not available or was not obtained) could harm our financial condition, cash flows, and operating results. Any accident, even if fully covered or insured, could negatively affect our reputation among our customers and the public, and make it more difficult for us to compete effectively.
There may be health and safety risks relating to wireless products.
Our wireless communications products emit electromagnetic radiation. In recent years, there has been publicity regarding, and increased public attention with respect to, the potentially negative direct and indirect health and safety effects of electromagnetic emissions from cellular telephones and other wireless equipment sources, including allegations that these emissions may cause cancer. Health and safety issues related to our products may arise that could lead to litigation or other actions against us or to additional regulation of our products. We may be required to modify our technology and may not be able to do so. We may also be required to pay damages that may reduce our profitability and adversely affect our financial condition. Even if these concerns prove to be baseless, the resulting negative publicity could affect our ability to market our products and, in turn, could harm our business and results of operations.
If a successful product liability claim were made against us, our business could be seriously harmed.
Our agreements with our customers typically, although not always, contain provisions designed to limit our exposure to potential product liability claims. Despite this, it is possible that these limitations of liability provisions may not be effective as a result of existing or future laws or unfavorable judicial decisions. We have not experienced a material product liability claim to date; however, the sale and support of our products may entail the risk of those claims, which are likely to be substantial in light of the use of our products in critical applications. A successful product liability claim could result in significant monetary liability to us and could seriously harm our business.
Misuse of our drone products or unmanned products manufactured by other companies could result in injury, damage and/or negative press that could depress the market for unmanned systems.
If any of our drone products are misused by our customers or their designees, or by the operators of other unmanned systems, in violation of the new commercial drone regulations (Part 107) adopted by the FAA or other federal, state or local regulations, such misuse could result in injuries to the operators or bystanders, damage to property and/or negative press that could result in a reduction in the market for aerostats or tethered drones in the future. The FAA, the press and the public have been closely monitoring the growth of unmanned systems in the United States. For instance, the FAA regularly publishes reports of drone sightings and reported drone strikes of manned aircraft. One or more incidents involving unmanned systems that results in injury or death of individuals, or damaged property could result in negative press that could put at risk current and future growth.
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Our tethered aerostat and drone business and operations are subject to the risks of hurricanes, tropical storms, and other natural disasters.
The corporate headquarters and manufacturing operations of our tethered aerostat and drone business operations are located in Jacksonville, Florida, where major hurricanes, tropical storms, and other severe weather conditions have occurred. A significant natural disaster, such as a hurricane, tropical storm, or other severe weather storm could severely affect our ability to conduct normal business operations for that product line, and as a result, our future operating results could be materially and adversely affected.
If we are unable to recruit and retain key management, technical and sales personnel, our business would be negatively affected.
For our business to be successful, we need to attract and retain highly-qualified technical, management and sales personnel. The failure to recruit additional key personnel when needed with specific qualifications and on acceptable terms or to retain good relationships with our partners might impede our ability to continue to develop, commercialize and sell our products. To the extent the demand for skilled personnel exceeds supply, we could experience higher labor, recruiting and training costs in order to attract and retain such employees. The loss of any members of our management team may also delay or impair achievement of our business objectives and result in business disruptions due to the time needed for their replacements to be recruited and become familiar with our business. We face competition for qualified personnel from other companies with significantly more resources available to them and thus may not be able to attract the level of personnel needed for our business to succeed.
If we are required to reclassify independent contractors as employees, we may incur additional costs and taxes which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
We engage a significant number of independent contractors in our operations, particularly in our research and development efforts, for whom we do not pay or withhold any federal, state or provincial employment tax. There are a number of different tests used in determining whether an individual is an employee or an independent contractor and such tests generally take into account multiple factors. There can be no assurance that legislative, judicial or regulatory (including tax) authorities will not introduce proposals or assert interpretations of existing rules and regulations that would change, or at least challenge, the classification of our independent contractors. Although we believe we have properly classified our independent contractors, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service or other U.S. federal or state authorities or similar authorities of a foreign government may determine that we have misclassified our independent contractors for employment tax or other purposes and, as a result, seek additional taxes from us or attempt to impose fines and penalties. If we are required to pay employer taxes or pay federal withholding with respect to prior periods with respect to or on behalf of our independent contractors, our operating costs will increase, which could adversely impact our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
We have identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, and we cannot assure you that additional material weaknesses or significant deficiencies will not occur in the future. If our internal control over financial reporting or our disclosure controls and procedures are not effective, we may not be able to accurately report our financial results or prevent fraud, which may cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information and may lead to a decline in our stock price.
We have historically had a small internal accounting and finance staff with limited financial accounting systems. This lack of adequate accounting resources has resulted in the identification of material weaknesses in our internal controls over financial reporting. A “material weakness” is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. In connection with the audit of our financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, our management team identified material weaknesses relating to, among other matters:
● | While improvements were made in the segregation of duties and controls over cash and accounts payable, we did not effectively segregate certain accounting duties due to the small size of our accounting staff; |
● | a lack of timely reconciliations of the account balances affected by the improperly recorded or omitted transactions; and |
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● | there is a lack of documented and tested internal controls to meet the requirements of Section 404(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
We have taken steps, and plan to continue to take additional steps, to seek to remediate these material weaknesses and to improve our financial reporting systems and to implement new policies, procedures and controls. If we do not successfully remediate the material weaknesses described above, or if other material weaknesses or other deficiencies arise in the future, we may be unable to accurately report our financial results on a timely basis, which could cause our reported financial results to be materially misstated and require restatement which could result in the loss of investor confidence, delisting and/or cause the market price of our common stock to decline.
Risks Relating to our Common Stock
Our stock price may be volatile, which could result in substantial losses to investors and litigation.
In addition to changes to market prices based on our results of operations and the factors discussed elsewhere in this “Risk Factors” section, the market price of and trading volume for our common stock may change for a variety of other reasons, not necessarily related to our actual operating performance. The capital markets have experienced extreme volatility that has often been unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. These broad market fluctuations may adversely affect the trading price of our common stock. In addition, the average daily trading volume of the securities of small companies can be very low, which may contribute to future volatility. Factors that could cause the market price of our common stock to fluctuate significantly include:
● | the results of operating and financial performance and prospects of other companies in our industry; |
● | strategic actions by us or our competitors, such as acquisitions or restructurings; |
● | announcements of innovations, increased service capabilities, new or terminated customers or new, amended or terminated contracts by our competitors; |
● | the public’s reaction to our press releases, other public announcements, and filings with the SEC; |
● | lack of securities analyst coverage or speculation in the press or investment community about us or market opportunities in the telecommunications services and staffing industry; |
● | changes in government policies in the United States and, as our international business increases, in other foreign countries; |
● | changes in earnings estimates or recommendations by securities or research analysts who track our common stock or failure of our actual results of operations to meet those expectations; |
● | market and industry perception of our success, or lack thereof, in pursuing our growth strategy; |
● | changes in accounting standards, policies, guidance, interpretations or principles; |
● | any lawsuit involving us, our services or our products; |
● | arrival and departure of key personnel; |
● | sales of common stock by us, our investors or members of our management team; and |
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● | changes in general market, economic and political conditions in the United States and global economies or financial markets, including those resulting from natural or man-made disasters. |
Any of these factors, as well as broader market and industry factors, may result in large and sudden changes in the trading volume of our common stock and could seriously harm the market price of our common stock, regardless of our operating performance. This may prevent you from being able to sell your shares at or above the price you paid for your shares of our common stock, if at all. In addition, following periods of volatility in the market price of a company’s securities, stockholders often institute securities class action litigation against that company. Our involvement in any class action suit or other legal proceeding could divert our senior management’s attention and could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
We have never declared or paid cash dividends on our common stock, and we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future.
We currently intend to retain future earnings, if any, to fund the development and growth of our business. Any future determination to pay cash dividends will be dependent upon our financial condition, operating results, capital requirements, applicable contractual restrictions and other such factors as our board of directors may deem relevant.
The sale or availability for sale of substantial amounts of our common stock could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.
Sales of substantial amounts of shares of our common stock, or the perception that these sales could occur, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock and could impair our future ability to raise capital through common stock offerings. Our executive officers and directors beneficially own, collectively, a substantial percentage of our outstanding common stock. If one or more of them were to sell a substantial portion of the shares they hold, it could cause our stock price to decline. In addition, as of March 15, 2021, we had outstanding options and warrants to purchase an aggregate of 11,989,318 shares of our common stock at a weighted-average exercise price of $3.46 per share and convertible notes totaling $11.2 million with a conversion price of $5.22 per share of common stock. The sale in the public markets of shares issuable upon exercise of options or warrants or upon conversion of convertible debt could adversely affect the price of shares of our common stock. Any issuance of our common stock that is not made solely to then-existing stockholders proportionate to their interests, such as in the case of a stock dividend or stock split, will result in dilution to each stockholder.
At March 15, 2021, our directors and executive officers owned or controlled approximately 33% of our outstanding common stock, which may limit your ability to propose new management or influence the overall direction of the business; this concentration of control may also discourage potential takeovers that could otherwise provide a premium to you.
At March 15, 2021, our executive officers and directors beneficially owned or controlled approximately 33% of our outstanding common stock. These persons will have the ability to substantially influence all matters submitted to our stockholders for approval and to substantially influence or control our management and affairs, including extraordinary transactions such as mergers and other changes of corporate control, and going private transactions.
We cannot assure you that we will be able to continue to comply with Nasdaq’s listing standards.
Our common stock commenced trading on Nasdaq on January 22, 2021. To be so listed, we were required to meet the current Nasdaq listing standards, including the minimum bid price requirement, which we met by implementing a 1-for-3 reverse stock split of our outstanding common stock on January 21, 2021. There can be no assurance that the market price of our common stock will remain at the level required for continuing compliance with the minimum bid price requirement of Nasdaq. It is not uncommon for the market price of a company’s common stock to decline in the period following a reverse stock split. If the market price of our common stock declines, given our recent reverse stock split, the percentage decline may be greater than would occur in the absence of such reverse stock split. In addition, other factors unrelated to the number of shares of our common stock outstanding, such as negative financial or operational results, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock and jeopardize our ability to meet or maintain Nasdaq’s minimum bid price requirement. If we fail to comply with the minimum bid price requirement, our securities could be delisted.
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We may need to raise additional capital in the future. Additional capital may not be available to us on reasonable terms, if at all, when or as we require. If we issue additional shares of our common stock or other securities that may be convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, our common stock, our existing stockholders would experience further dilution and could trigger anti-dilution provisions in outstanding warrants.
Assuming we meet our current operating budget, we do not expect to need capital in the short-term. However, we may need to raise additional capital in the future. Future financings may involve the issuance of debt, equity and/or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our equity securities. These financings may not be available to us on reasonable terms or at all when and as we require funding. If we are able to consummate such financings, the trading price of our common stock could be adversely affected and/or the terms of such financings may adversely affect the interests of our existing stockholders. Any failure to obtain additional working capital when required would have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition and may result in a decline in our stock price. Any issuances of our common stock, preferred stock, or securities such as warrants or notes that are convertible into, exercisable or exchangeable for, our capital stock, would have a dilutive effect on the voting and economic interest of our existing stockholders.
Our officers and directors are entitled to indemnification from us for liabilities under our articles of incorporation, which could be costly to us and may discourage the exercise of stockholder rights.
Our articles of incorporation provide that we possess and may exercise all powers of indemnification of our officers, directors, employees, agents and other persons and our bylaws also require us to indemnify our officers and directors as permitted under the provisions of the Nevada Revised Statutes (“NRS”). We also have contractual indemnification obligations under our agreements with our directors and officers. The foregoing indemnification obligations could result in our Company incurring substantial expenditures to cover the cost of settlement or damage awards against directors and officers. These provisions and resultant costs may also discourage our Company from bringing a lawsuit against directors, officers and employees for breaches of their fiduciary duties, and may similarly discourage the filing of derivative litigation by our stockholders against our directors, officers and employees even though such actions, if successful, might otherwise benefit our Company and stockholders.
Our bylaws and Nevada law may discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of our Company or changes in our management, which could have the result of depressing the trading price of our common stock.
Certain anti-takeover provisions of Nevada law could have the effect of delaying or preventing a third-party from acquiring us, even if the acquisition arguably could benefit our stockholders.
Nevada’s “combinations with interested stockholders” statutes, NRS 78.411 through 78.444, inclusive, prohibit specified types of business “combinations” between certain Nevada corporations and any person deemed to be an “interested stockholder” for two years after such person first becomes an “interested stockholder” unless the corporation’s board of directors approves the combination, or the transaction by which such person becomes an “interested stockholder”, in advance, or unless the combination is approved by the board of directors and sixty percent of the corporation’s voting power not beneficially owned by the interested stockholder, its affiliates and associates. Further, in the absence of prior approval certain restrictions may apply even after such two-year period. However, these statutes do not apply to any combination of a corporation and an interested stockholder after the expiration of four years after the person first became an interested stockholder. For purposes of these statutes, an “interested stockholder” is any person who is (1) the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of ten percent or more of the voting power of the outstanding voting shares of the corporation, or (2) an affiliate or associate of the corporation and at any time within the two previous years was the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of ten percent or more of the voting power of the then outstanding shares of the corporation. The definition of the term “combination” is sufficiently broad to cover most significant transactions between a corporation and an “interested stockholder.” These statutes generally apply to Nevada corporations with 200 or more stockholders of record. However, a Nevada corporation may elect in its articles of incorporation not to be governed by these particular laws, but if such election is not made in the corporation’s original articles of incorporation, the amendment (1) must be approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of stock representing a majority of the outstanding voting power of the corporation not beneficially owned by interested stockholders or their affiliates and associates, and (2) is not effective until 18 months after the vote approving the amendment and does not apply to any combination with a person who first became an interested stockholder on or before the effective date of the amendment. We did not make such an election in our original articles of incorporation and have not amended our articles of incorporation to so elect.
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Nevada’s “acquisition of controlling interest” statutes, NRS 78.378 through 78.3793, inclusive, contain provisions governing the acquisition of a controlling interest in certain Nevada corporations. These “control share” laws provide generally that any person that acquires a “controlling interest” in certain Nevada corporations may be denied voting rights, unless a majority of the disinterested stockholders of the corporation elects to restore such voting rights. Our bylaws provide that these statutes do not apply to us or any acquisition of our common stock. Absent such provision in our bylaws, these laws would apply to us as of a particular date if we were to have 200 or more stockholders of record (at least 100 of whom have addresses in Nevada appearing on our stock ledger at all times during the 90 days immediately preceding that date) and do business in the State of Nevada directly or through an affiliated corporation, unless our articles of incorporation or bylaws in effect on the tenth day after the acquisition of a controlling interest provide otherwise. These laws provide that a person acquires a “controlling interest” whenever a person acquires shares of a subject corporation that, but for the application of these provisions of the NRS, would enable that person to exercise (1) one fifth or more, but less than one third, (2) one third or more, but less than a majority or (3) a majority or more, of all of the voting power of the corporation in the election of directors. Once an acquirer crosses one of these thresholds, shares which it acquired in the transaction taking it over the threshold and within the 90 days immediately preceding the date when the acquiring person acquired or offered to acquire a controlling interest become “control shares” to which the voting restrictions described above apply.
Various provisions of our bylaws may delay, defer or prevent a tender offer or takeover attempt of us that a stockholder might consider in his or her best interest. Our bylaws may be adopted, amended or repealed by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of our outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote for the election of directors, and except as provided by Nevada law, our board of directors shall have the power to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws by a vote of not less than a majority of our directors. The interests of these stockholders and directors may not be consistent with your interests, and they may make changes to the bylaws that are not in line with your concerns.
Nevada law also provides that directors may resist a change or potential change in control if the directors determine that the change is opposed to, or not in the best interests of, the corporation. The existence of the foregoing provisions and other potential anti-takeover measures could limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock. They could also deter potential acquirers of our Company, thereby reducing the likelihood that you could receive a premium for your common stock in an acquisition.
If equity research analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, or if they issue unfavorable commentary or downgrade our common stock, the market price of our common stock will likely decline.
The trading market for our common stock will rely in part on the research and reports that equity research analysts, over whom we have no control, publish about us and our business. We may never obtain research coverage by securities and industry analysts. If no securities or industry analysts commence coverage of our Company, the market price for our common stock could decline. In the event we obtain securities or industry analyst coverage, the market price of our common stock could decline if one or more equity analysts downgrade our common stock or if those analysts issue unfavorable commentary, even if it is inaccurate, or cease publishing reports about us or our business.
Our articles of incorporation allow for our board of directors to create new series of preferred stock without further approval by our stockholders, which could adversely affect the rights of the holders of our common stock.
Our board of directors has the authority to fix and determine the relative rights and preferences of our preferred stock. Currently our board of directors has the authority to designate and issue up to 100,000,000 shares of our “blank check” preferred stock without further stockholder approval. As a result, our board of directors could authorize the issuance of a series of preferred stock that would grant to holders the preferred right to our assets upon liquidation, the right to receive dividend payments before dividends are distributed to the holders of common stock and the right to the redemption of the shares, together with a premium, prior to the redemption of our common stock. In addition, our board of directors could authorize the issuance of a series of preferred stock that has greater voting power than our common stock or that is convertible into our common stock, which could decrease the relative voting power of our common stock or result in dilution to our existing stockholders.
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ITEM 1B. | UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS |
As a Smaller Reporting Company as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act and in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K, we are electing scaled disclosure reporting obligations and therefore are not required to provide the information requested by this Item 1B.
ITEM 2. | PROPERTIES. |
Our principal executive offices are located in Dallas, Texas in segregated offices comprising an aggregate of approximately 15,289 square feet. We occupy our executive offices under a 63-month lease that expires in July 2025. In addition, our subsidiaries lease property in Jacksonville, Florida (Drone Aviation Executive Offices), Holly Hill, Florida (Drone Aviation Manufacturing Facility), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (DragonWave), Tucson, Arizona (InduraPower), Chantilly, Virginia (VNC), San Diego, California (VEO), Boulder, Colorado (Fastback), Colorado Springs, Colorado (Sovereign Plastics) and Yokneam, Israel (SKS). We believe our existing facilities are adequate to meet our current requirements.
On January 29, 2021, we completed the acquisition of a 140,000-square-foot building on 12.7 acres in Tucson, Arizona for a purchase price of approximately $6.125 million, of which approximately $2.2 million was paid in cash and the balance was paid with the net proceeds of a $5.3 million term loan that matures in January 2022. We intend to use this facility for manufacturing and office space for our DragonWave, VNC, Drone Aviation, InduraPower and Lextrum subsidiaries.
ITEM 3. | LEGAL PROCEEDINGS |
From time to time, we may become involved in various lawsuits and legal proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of business. Neither our Company nor any of our subsidiaries currently is a party to any legal proceeding that, individually or in the aggregate, is material to our Company as a whole, except as follows.
On May 22, 2020, Michael Powell, a former employee of DragonWave Corp., filed suit against DragonWave-X, LLC, DragonWave-X, Inc., Transform-X, Inc., COMSovereign Corp., and our Company in the Pima County Arizona Superior Court, Case No. C20202216. On December 7, 2020, Mr. Powell filed his first amended complaint against DragonWave Corp., Transform-X, Inc., and our Company. Mr. Powell has alleged that he entered into an employment agreement with DragonWave in July 2018, was terminated without cause in May 2019, and claims he is owed approximately $182,000 in wages and $50,000 in bonuses. Mr. Powell is seeking approximately $697,000 in treble damages, punitive damages, consequential damages, interest and attorneys’ fees and costs. On January 4, 2021, we filed an answer and counterclaim. We dispute Mr. Powell’s allegations and we intend to vigorously defend the lawsuit.
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. |
Market Information for Common Stock
Prior to January 22, 2021, our common stock traded under the ticker symbol “COMS” on the OTCQB tier of the OTC Markets, Inc. On January 22, 2021, our common stock commenced trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol “COMS.”
Holders
As of December 31, 2020, there were approximately 398 stockholders of record, according to the records of our transfer agent, and an unknown number of additional holders of common stock held in ‘street name’.
Dividends
We have not declared any common stock dividends to date. We have no present intention of paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future, as we intend to use earnings, if any, to generate growth. The payment by us of dividends, if any, in the future, is within the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon, among other things, our earnings, capital requirements and financial condition, as well as other relevant factors. There are no material restrictions in our Articles of Incorporation, as amended, or Bylaws that restrict us from declaring dividends.
ITEM 6. | SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA |
As a Smaller Reporting Company as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act and in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K, we are electing scaled disclosure reporting obligations and therefore are not required to provide the information requested by this Item 6.
ITEM 7. | MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS. |
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes thereto included elsewhere in this report. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed below. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those identified below and those discussed in the section titled “Risk Factors” included elsewhere in this report. All share and per share amounts presented herein have been restated to reflect the implementation of the 1-for-3 reverse stock split effected on January 21, 2021 as if it had occurred at the beginning of the earliest period presented.
Business Overview
We are a provider of technologically-advanced telecom solutions to network operators, mobile device carriers, governmental units and other enterprises worldwide. We have assembled a portfolio of communications, power and niche technologies, capabilities and products that enable the upgrading of latent 3G networks to 4G and 4G-LTE networks and will facilitate the rapid roll out of the 5G and “next-Generation” (“nG”) networks of the future. We focus on special capabilities, including signal modulations, antennae, software, hardware and firmware technologies that enable increasingly efficient data transmission across the electromagnetic spectrum. Our product solutions are complemented by a broad array of services, including technical support, systems design and integration, and sophisticated research and development programs. While we compete globally on the basis of our innovative technology, the breadth of our product offerings, our high-quality cost-effective customer solutions, and the scale of our global customer base and distribution, our primary focus is on the North American telecom infrastructure and service market. We believe we are in a unique position to rapidly increase our near-term domestic sales as we are among the few U.S.-based providers of telecommunications equipment and services.
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Corporate History
We were incorporated in Nevada on April 17, 2014, as a wholly owned subsidiary of MacroSolve, Inc., an Oklahoma corporation (“MacroSolve”), and effective April 30, 2014, in order to consolidate our operations into an entity incorporated in Nevada, MacroSolve merged with and into us. On June 3, 2014, we acquired Drone Aviation Corp. through a share exchange transaction, and on March 26, 2015, Drone Aviation Corp. merged with and into us. As a result of the share exchange and merger with Drone Aviation Corp., we acquired Drone Aviation Corp.’s subsidiary, Lighter Than Air Systems Corp., which does business under the name Drone Aviation.
On November 27, 2019, we completed the COMSovereign Acquisition in a stock-for-stock transaction with a total purchase price of approximately $75 million. The COMSovereign Acquisition was treated as a reverse merger for accounting purposes under U.S. GAAP with COMSovereign as the accounting acquirer and our Company as the accounting acquiree. As a result, our audited consolidated financial statements included in this report are those of COMSovereign from the date of its incorporation (January 10, 2019) through December 31, 2019. The operations of our pre-acquisition business, which consisted primarily of the operations of Drone Aviation, are included in our consolidated operating results only from the date of acquisition of COMSovereign, November 27, 2019.
COMSovereign Corp. was incorporated in the state of Delaware on January 10, 2019 and commenced operations through a series of acquisitions.
On January 31, 2019, COMSovereign acquired the capital stock of VEO, a San Diego, California-based research and development company innovating SiP technologies for use in copper-to-fiber-to-copper switching, high-speed computing, high-speed ethernet, autonomous vehicle applications, mobile devices and 5G wireless equipment.
On January 31, 2019, COMSovereign acquired the capital stock of InduraPower, a Tucson, Arizona-based developer and manufacturer of intelligent batteries and back-up power supplies for network systems and telecom nodes. It also provides power designs and batteries for the aerospace, marine and automotive industries.
On March 4, 2019, COMSovereign acquired the capital stock of Silver Bullet, a California-based engineering firm that designs and develops next generation network systems and components, including large scale network protocol development, software-defined radio systems and wireless network designs.
On April 1, 2019, COMSovereign acquired the equity securities of DragonWave, a Dallas-based manufacturer of high-capacity microwave and millimeter point-to-point telecom backhaul radio units. DragonWave and its predecessor have been selling telecom backhaul radios since 2012 and its microwave radios have been installed in over 330,000 locations in more than 100 countries worldwide. According to a report by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, as of December 2019, DragonWave was the second largest provider of licensed point-to-point microwave backhaul radios in North America.
On April 1, 2019, COMSovereign acquired the capital stock of Lextrum, a Tucson, Arizona-based developer of full-duplex wireless technologies and components, including multi-reconfigurable RF antennae and software programs. This technology enables the doubling of a given spectrum band by allowing simultaneous transmission and receipt of radio signals on the same frequencies.
On November 30, 2019, following our acquisition of COMSovereign, we changed our corporate name to COMSovereign Holding Corp.
On March 6, 2020, our newly-formed subsidiary, Sovereign Plastics, acquired substantially all of the assets of a Colorado Springs, Colorado-based manufacturer of plastic and metal components to third-party manufacturers. We acquired our Sovereign Plastics business to increase our operating margins by reducing the manufacturing and production costs of our telecom products. Sovereign Plastics will also primarily operate as the material, component manufacturing and supply chain source for all of our subsidiaries. We do not expect the revenues of Sovereign Plastics from sales to third parties to be material.
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On July 6, 2020, we acquired the equity securities of VNC, an edge centric wireless telecommunications technology developer and equipment manufacturer of both 4G LTE Advanced and 5G capable radio equipment. VNC designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and supports a line of network products for wireless network operators, mobile virtual network operators, cable TV system operators, and government and business enterprises that enable new sources of revenue, and reduce capital and operating expenses. VNC also has developed rapidly deployable, tactical systems that can be combined with the tethered aerostats and drones offered by our Drone Aviation subsidiary and enabled and operated in nearly any location in the world.
On January 29, 2021, we acquired Fastback, a manufacturer of intelligent backhaul radio (IBR) systems that deliver high-performance wireless connectivity to virtually any location, including those challenged by Non-Line of Sight (NLOS) limitations. Fastback’s advanced IBR products allow operators to economically add capacity and density to their macrocells and expand service coverage density with small cells. These solutions also allow operators to both provide temporary cellular and data service utilizing mobile/portable radio systems and provide wireless Ethernet connectivity.
On February 25, 2021, we acquired SKS, an Israeli-based company with tethered hovering technology that provides long-duration, mobile and all-weather Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (“ISR”) capabilities to customers worldwide for both land and marine based applications. Its innovative technologies include fiber optic tethers that enable secure, high-capacity communications, including support for commercial 4G and 5G wireless networks. SKS’s flagship HoverMast line of quadrotor-tethered drones feature uninterruptible ground-based power, fiber optic communications for cyber immunity, and the ability to operate in GPS-denied environments while delivering dramatically-improved situational awareness and communications capabilities to users. HoverMast is utilized by the Israeli government for border patrol and coastal applications and is also deployed in several international markets.
On March 26, 2021, we entered into the RVision Exchange Agreement pursuant to which, subject to the terms and conditions of the RVision Exchange Agreement, we have agreed to acquire RVision in consideration of 2,000,000 shares of our common stock, subject to certain working capital adjustments. The RVision Exchange Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and covenants of the parties and is subject to the satisfaction of the closing conditions stated therein. RVision is a developer of technologically-advanced video and communications products and physical security solutions designed for government and private sector commercial industries. It has been serving governments and the military for nearly two decades with sophisticated, environmentally-rugged optical and infrared cameras, hardened processors, custom tactical video hardware, software solutions, and related communications technologies.
Each of our subsidiaries was acquired, and RVision will be acquired, to address a different opportunity or sector within the North American telecom infrastructure and service market.
Principle of Consolidation
Our consolidated financial statements included in this report include our accounts and those of our subsidiaries: Drone AFS Corp. and Lighter Than Air Systems Corp. (from the date of consummation of the COMSovereign Acquisition), and DragonWave, Lextrum, Silver Bullet, VEO, InduraPower, Sovereign Plastics and VNC from their respective dates of acquisition. These consolidated financial statements do not include the accounts of Fastback and SKS as they were acquired subsequent to the respective balance sheet dates.
Segment Information
Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 280, Segment Reporting, establishes standards for reporting information about operating segments. Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise about which separate financial information is available that is evaluated regularly by the chief operating decision maker, or decision-making group, in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance. Our chief operating decision maker is our Chief Executive Officer, who currently reviews the financial performance and the results of operations of our operating subsidiaries on a consolidated basis when making decisions about allocating resources and assessing performance of our Company. Accordingly, we currently consider ourselves to be in a single reporting segment for reporting purposes focused on the North American development, manufacturing and production of products and services for the telecom infrastructure market.
As we are still in the early stages of developing our Company, we have historically managed our subsidiaries within this single operating segment and do not assess the performance of our product lines or geographic regions or other measures of income or expense, such as product expense, operating income or net income. Each of our subsidiaries is operated under the same senior management of our Company, and we view the operations of our subsidiaries as a whole for making business decisions. Employees of one subsidiary, particularly mechanical engineers, are often called upon to assist in the operations of another subsidiary. As the development of our Company matures and we move toward full scale production with increased marketing efforts, we will continue to evaluate additional segment disclosure requirements.
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Significant Components of Our Results of Operations
Revenues
Our revenues are generated primarily from the sale of our products, which consist primarily of backhaul telecom radios and tethered aerostats and drones. At contract inception, we assess the goods and services promised in the contract with customers and identify a performance obligation for each. To determine the performance obligation, we consider all products and services promised in the contract regardless of whether they are explicitly stated or implied by customary business practices. The timing of satisfaction of the performance obligation is not subject to significant judgment. We measure revenue as the amount of consideration expected to be received in exchange for transferring goods and services. We generally recognize product revenues at the time of shipment, provided that all other revenue recognition criteria have been met.
We expect our revenues for the year ending December 31, 2021 (“fiscal 2021”) to materially exceed those of fiscal 2019 and 2020, primarily due to our availability of working capital, including from a portion of the net proceeds of the equity offerings we completed in 2021, for the purchase of parts and components and the manufacturing of products, primarily those of DragonWave, in quantities that greatly exceed the quantities that we were able to manufacture in 2019 and 2020. Additionally, we expect to commence commercial production of new products in 2021 that we have previously produced in only limited quantities or as prototypes, including, among others, intelligent battery back-up power solutions for the telecom, aerospace and transportation industries and airborne high-bandwidth, LTE-Advanced and 5G aerostats.
During the year ended December 31, 2020 and fiscal 2019, on a pro forma basis giving effect to the COMSovereign Acquisition as if such acquisition had occurred on January 10, 2019, approximately 18% and 15%, respectively, of our revenues were derived from sales outside of the United States. While our near-term focus is on the North American telecom and infrastructure and service market, a key element of our growth strategy is to expand our worldwide customer base and our international operations, initially through agreements with third-party resellers, distributors and other partners that can market and sell our products in foreign jurisdictions. We expect that over the short term our percentage of sales outside the United States may increase as we build up our domestic sales and service teams. Notwithstanding such percentage increase, we expect the sales of tethered aerostats and drones will primarily be to the domestic market customers, primarily to the U.S. government and its agencies, even if such systems are for integration into foreign locations.
Cost of Goods Sold and Gross Profit
Our cost of goods sold is comprised primarily of the costs of manufacturing products, procuring finished goods from our third-party manufacturers, third-party logistics and warehousing provider costs, shipping and handling costs and warranty costs. We presently outsource the manufacturing of DragonWave’s microwave products to a single third-party manufacturer, Benchmark, which manufactures our products from its facilities. Cost of goods sold also includes costs associated with supply operations, including personnel-related costs, provision for excess and obsolete inventory, third-party license costs and third-party costs related to the services we provide. Additionally, cost of goods sold does not include any depreciation and amortization expenses as we separate depreciation and amortization expense into its own category within operating expenses.
Gross profit has been and will continue to be affected by various factors, including changes in our supply chain and evolving product mix. The margin profile of our current products and future products will vary depending on operating performance, features, materials, manufacturer and supply chain. Gross margin will vary as a function of changes in pricing due to competitive pressure, our third-party manufacturing, our production costs, costs of shipping and logistics, provision for excess and obsolete inventory and other factors. We expect our gross margins will fluctuate from period to period depending on the interplay of these various factors.
Operating Expenses
We classify our operating expense as research and development, sales and marketing, and general and administrative. Personnel costs are the primary component of each of these operating expense categories, which consist of cash-based personnel costs, such as salaries, sales commissions, benefits and bonuses. Additionally, we separate depreciation and amortization expense into its own category.
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Research and Development
In addition to personnel-related costs, research and development expense consists of costs associated with the design, development and certification of our products. We generally recognize research and development expense as incurred. Development costs incurred prior to establishment of technological feasibility are expensed as incurred. We expect our research and development costs to continue to increase as we develop new products and modify existing products to meet the changes within the telecom landscape.
Sales and Marketing
In addition to personnel costs for sales, marketing, service and product management personnel, sales and marketing expense consists of the expenses associated with our training programs, trade shows, marketing programs, promotional materials, demonstration equipment, national and local regulatory approvals of our products, travel, entertainment and recruiting. We expect sales and marketing expense to continue to increase in absolute dollars as we increase the size of our sales, marketing, service and product management organization in support of our investment in our growth opportunities, whether through the development and rollout of new or modified products or through acquisitions. We expect our sales and marketing expense to increase materially in the year ending December 31, 2021 as we ramp up our sales and marketing efforts to correspond to our increased production efforts relating to certain of our telecom products.
General and Administrative
In addition to personnel costs, general and administrative expense consists of professional fees, such as legal, audit, accounting, information technology and consulting fees; share-based compensation; and facilities and other supporting overhead costs. We expect general and administrative expense to increase in absolute dollars as we continue to expand our product offerings and expand into new markets. During fiscal 2020, we incurred, and during fiscal 2021 we expect to continue to incur, increases in supporting overhead costs, professional fees, transfer agent fees and expenses; development costs and other expenses related to operating as a public company.
Depreciation and Amortization
Depreciation and amortization expense consists of depreciation related to fixed assets such as test equipment, research and development equipment, computer hardware, production fixtures and leasehold improvements, as well as amortization related to definite-lived intangibles.
Interest Expense
Interest expense is comprised of interest expense associated with our secured notes payable, notes payable and senior convertible debentures. The amortization of debt discounts is also recorded as part of interest expense. As many of our debt instruments, were past due at various times during fiscal 2020 and, as a result, were accruing interest at increased interest rates, and as we have been able to refinance our debt or issue equity to reduce our outstanding debt in the first quarter of fiscal 2021, our interest expense is expected to decrease in fiscal 2021 due to lower interest rates on our debt or lower debt balances.
Provision for Income Taxes
Current and deferred income tax expense or benefit in any given period will depend upon a number of events and circumstances, one of which is the income tax net income or loss from operations for the period which is usually different from the U.S. GAAP net income from operations for the period due to differences in tax laws and timing differences. See Note 16 — Income Taxes in the Notes to our financial statements included elsewhere in this report for a reconciliation on U.S. GAAP income or loss and tax income or loss. Management assesses our deferred tax assets in each reporting period, and if it is determined that it is not more likely than not to be realized, we will record a change in our valuation allowance in that period.
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Results of Operations
Year
Ended December 31, |
January 10,
2019 (Inception) to December 31, |
|||||||
(Amounts in US$’s, except share data) | 2020 | 2019 | ||||||
Revenue | $ | 9,426,836 | $ | 4,712,212 | ||||
Cost of Goods Sold | 4,595,961 | 2,990,716 | ||||||
Gross Profit | 4,830,875 | 1,721,496 | ||||||
Operating Expenses | ||||||||
Research and development (1) | 2,012,689 | 174,257 | ||||||
Sales and marketing (1) | 24,049 | 6,222 | ||||||
General and administrative (1) | 17,484,764 | 14,325,078 | ||||||
Depreciation and amortization | 12,531,452 | 7,567,184 | ||||||
Gain on the sale of assets | (663 | ) | (98,410 | ) | ||||
Total Operating Expenses | 32,052,291 | 21,974,331 | ||||||
Net Operating Loss | (27,221,416 | ) | (20,252,835 | ) | ||||
Other Income (Expense) | ||||||||
Interest expense | (11,309,143 | ) | (8,399,663 | ) | ||||
Other income (expense) | (1,368,837 | ) | (147,430 | ) | ||||
Loss on extinguishment of debt | (15,818 | ) | (434,774 | ) | ||||
Loss on conversion of debt | — | (2,640,000 | ) | |||||
Foreign currency transaction gain (loss) | (74,764 | ) | 191,547 | |||||
Interest income | 2,114 | — | ||||||
Total Other Expenses | (12,766,448 | ) | (11,430,320 | ) | ||||
Net Loss Before Income Taxes | (39,987,864 | ) | (31,683,155 | ) | ||||
Deferred Tax Benefit | 2,906,400 | 4,137,900 | ||||||
Net Loss | $ | (37,81,464 | ) | $ | (27,545,255 | ) | ||
Loss per common share: | ||||||||
Basic | $ | (0.82 | ) | $ | (1.70 | ) | ||
Diluted | $ | (0.82 | ) | $ | (1.70 | ) | ||
Weighted-average shares outstanding: | ||||||||
Basic | 45,293,697 | 16,238,036 | ||||||
Diluted | 45,293,697 | 16,238,036 |
(1) | These are exclusive of depreciation and amortization |
Year Ended December 31, 2020 Compared to January 10, 2019 (inception) to December 31, 2019
From the date of its incorporation (January 10, 2019) until the date of its first acquisition, as described above, COMSovereign had no business operations. COMSovereign’s entire activity after its inception date through the date of consummation of the COMSovereign Acquisition was limited to the evaluation of and consummation of business acquisition transactions as well as preparatory actions, including manufacturing line readiness and subsidiary integration actions, which impeded the ability of DragonWave to have products manufactured and shipped during the period. For the period January 10, 2019 (Inception) to December 31, 2019, COMSovereign generated only nominal revenues.
Total Revenues
For the year ended December 31, 2020, total revenues increased $4,714,624, or 100%, which were derived primarily from a full year of revenue from mobile network backhaul products, the acquisition of Sovereign Plastics and VNC, the test-market sale of certain high-performance after-market models of our intelligent batteries, and to a lesser extent, from a full year of revenue of our Drone Aviation aerostat products and accessories, which were included in our operating results after November 27, 2019, the date of the COMSovereign Acquisition.
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Cost of Goods Sold and Gross Profit
For the year ended December 31, 2020, cost of goods sold increased $1,605,245, or 54%, which primarily consisted of the increases in payments to our contact manufacturer for the production of our mobile network backhaul products and the materials, parts and labor associated with the manufacturing of our intelligent batteries and plastics, all due directly related to our increase in revenues.
Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2020 increased $3,109,379 with a gross profit margin of 51% compared to 37% for the period January 10, 2019 (Inception) to December 31, 2019. These changes in gross profit margin resulted primarily from the increased gross profit margin of DragonWave during the year and the inclusion of a full year of operating results for Drone Aviation and most of the year for Sovereign Plastics, which were acquired on November 27, 2019 and March 6, 2020, respectively. As described above, for fiscal 2019, COMSovereign generated only nominal revenues. DragonWave’s sales and gross profit margin increased following the preparatory actions performed in 2019, including manufacturing line readiness and subsidiary integration actions.
Research and Development Expense
For the year ended December 31, 2020, research and development expenses increased $1,838,432, or 1,055%. This increase resulted from multiple new technology integration efforts across our subsidiaries, including expenses related to additional contracted engineering services teams and a large conversion of inventory into customer testing.
Sales and Marketing Expense
For the year ended December 31, 2020, sales and marketing expenses increased $17,827, or 287% which primarily consisted of increases in payroll and related costs.
General and Administrative Expense
For the year ended December 31, 2020, general and administrative expenses increased $3,159,686, or 22%. This increase primarily consisted of increases in payroll and related costs of $4,469,161, bad debt expense of $905,680, rent of $784,729, share-based compensation expense of $454,518 and insurance expense of $ $250,996, which were partially offset by decreases to overhead totaling $334,166 and miscellaneous and professional fees totaling $3,448,317. These increases were due primarily to higher head count, a one-time event bad debt expense, and changes to operations that included additional facilities. The decreases primarily consisted of decreases in administrative activities brought about by adjusting the operations of our subsidiaries, costs related to acquisitions, and legal, accounting and compliance expenses for first year public company costs.
Depreciation and Amortization
For the year ended December 31, 2020, depreciation and amortization increased $4,964,268, or 66%, due to the commencement of depreciation on test equipment, research and development equipment, computer hardware, production fixtures and leasehold improvements. This increase was driven primarily through the realization of full periods of depreciation and amortization for acquisitions that occurred during 2019 as well as additional acquisitions in the current year.
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Other Expense
For the year ended December 31, 2020, total other expenses increased $1,336,128, or 12%. This increase primarily consisted of an increase of $2,909,480 in interest expense due primarily to the acceleration in the amortization of debt discounts on our outstanding debt, an increase in other expense of $1,221,407 due primarily to the occurrence of various default penalties on outstanding indebtedness, and an increase in foreign currency loss of $266,311 due to standard currency fluctuations, which were partially offset by a decrease of $418,956 in losses on extinguishment of debt and decrease of $2,640,000 in loss on conversion of debt, both due to the reduction of the quantitiy of extinguishments and conversions of debt instruments as compared to the prior year.
Provision for Income Taxes
For the year ended December 31, 2020, deferred tax benefit decreased $1,231,500, or 30%, primarily as a result of changes in the valuation allowance for deferred tax assets driven by the effect of deferred tax liabilities on acquisitions that occurred during 2020.
Net Loss
For the year ended December 31, 2020, we had net loss of $37,081,464 compared to a net loss of $27,545,255 for the period January 10, 2019 (Inception) to December 31, 2019, related to the items described above.
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Liquidity and Capital Resources
Liquidity is the ability of an enterprise to generate adequate amounts of cash to meet its needs for cash requirements. As of December 31, 2020, we had $730,502 in cash compared to $812,452 at December 31, 2019, a decrease of $81,950. As of December 31, 2020, we had $787,333 in accounts receivable compared to $2,168,659 at December 31, 2019, a decrease of $1,381,326 resulting from increased collections for 2020.
As of December 31, 2020, we had total current assets of $7,681,210 and total current liabilities of $34,262,263, or negative working capital of $26,581,053, compared to total current assets of $8,665,369 and total current liabilities of $15,142,599, or negative working capital of $6,477,230 at December 31, 2019. This is a decline of $20,103,823 over the working capital balance at the end of 2019.
Since December 31, 2020, we incurred an additional $18.0 million of indebtedness, repaid an aggregate of $7.6 million of indebtedness outstanding as of December 31, 2020, including accrued interest thereon, and converted $12.8 million aggregate principal amount of promissory notes outstanding as of December 31, 2020, including accrued interest thereon, to shares of our common stock at a weighted average conversion price of $4.10 per share.
After giving effect to such additional debt issuances, repayments and conversions, as of December 31, 2020, we had undiscounted obligations relating to the payment of indebtedness and past due payroll, accrued liabilities, and accounts payable, exclusive of interest, due and payable on or prior to December 31, 2021 as follows:
● |
$10,144,622 related to payroll, accrued liabilities and accounts payable that were past due; |
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● | $5,904,158 related to secured notes payable that were past due; |
● | $7,766,037 related to notes payable that were past due; |
● | $84,000 related to senior debentures that were past due; |
● | $2,612,376 related to convertible notes that were past due; |
● | $1,250,000 related to senior convertible debentures that were past due; |
● | $1,723,341 related to indebtedness that is due in the first quarter of 2021; |
● | $23,641 related to indebtedness that is due in the second quarter of 2021; |
● | $23,956 related to indebtedness that is due in the third quarter of 2021; and |
● | $24,276 related to indebtedness that is due in the fourth quarter of 2021. |
In January and February 2021, we completed two public offerings of our equity securities in which we received aggregate net proceeds of $39.7 million, after payment of all offering expenses. We applied approximately $7.6 million of such net proceeds to repay debt and interest and approximately $9.4 million to pay accounts payable and accrued liabilities and payroll costs outstanding at December 31, 2020. In addition, we converted or exchanged debt and interest for equity totaling approximately $12.8 million. As a result, our remaining indebtedness that is payable on or prior to December 31, 2021 that was outstanding at December 31, 2020 is approximately $4.5 million and is made up primarily of accounts payable, accrued liabilities, and debt that is not past due.
We anticipate meeting our cash obligations on our remaining indebtedness that is payable on or prior to December 31, 2021 from the net proceeds of our public offerings in January and February of 2021, earnings from operations, including, in particular, the operations of DragonWave, VNC and Drone Aviation, and possibly from the proceeds of additional indebtedness or equity raises.
Our future capital requirements for our operations will depend on many factors, including the profitability of our businesses, the number and cash requirements of other acquisition candidates that we pursue, and the costs of our operations. We have been investing in research and development in anticipation of increasing revenue opportunities in our cellular network solutions business, which has contributed to our losses from operations.
We plan to generate positive cash flow from our recently-completed acquisitions to address some of our liquidity needs. However, to execute our business plan, service our existing indebtedness, finance our proposed acquisitions and implement our business strategy, we anticipate that we may need to obtain additional financing from time to time and may choose to raise additional funds through public or private equity or debt financings, a bank line of credit, borrowings from affiliates or other arrangements. We cannot be sure that any additional funding, if needed, will be available on terms favorable to us or at all. Furthermore, any additional capital raised through the sale of equity or equity-linked securities may dilute our current stockholders’ ownership in us and could also result in a decrease in the market price of our common stock. The terms of those securities issued by us in future capital transactions may be more favorable to new investors and may include the issuance of warrants or other derivative securities, which may have a further dilutive effect. Furthermore, any debt financing, if available, may subject us to restrictive covenants and significant interest costs. There can be no assurance that we will be able to raise additional capital, when needed, to continue operations in their current form. The report of our independent registered public accountants on our financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2020, stated that our losses, negative cash flows from operations, limited capital resources and accumulated deficit raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.
We had capital expenditures of $176,697 for the year ended December 31, 2020 and of $87,038 in fiscal 2019. We expect our capital expenditures for next 12 months will be consistent with our prior spending. These capital expenditures will be primarily utilized for equipment needed to generate revenue and for office equipment. We expect to fund such capital expenditures out of our working capital.
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Line of Credit and Debt Agreements
Line of Credit
In 2017, we issued a promissory note (the “CNB Note”) to City National Bank of Florida (“CNB”) in the principal amount of $2,000,000. Through various amendments, the CNB Note had a maturity date of August 2, 2020 and allowed for a CNB line of credit with advances that could have been requested until the maturity date of August 2, 2020 so long as no event of default existed under the CNB Note or certain other events.
The CNB Note bore an interest rate equal to the average of the interest rates per annum at which U.S. dollars were offered in the London Interbank Borrowing Market (“LIBOR”) for a 30-day period (the “Index”) plus 2.9 percentage points over the Index. A late charge of 5.0% of any monthly payment not received by CNB within 10 calendar days after its due date would have been charged. Prepayment of the CNB Note was allowed at any time without penalty. In the event of a default, the interest rate would increase to the highest lawful rate. As of December 31, 2019, the interest rate on the CNB Note is 4.6% per annum.
We and our former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Jay Nussbaum, were obligated to maintain a minimum average annual balance of $1,600,000 in the aggregate with CNB. In the event we did not maintain this account balance, CNB could charge us a fee equal to 2% of the deficiency as additional interest under the CNB Note. The CNB Note was personally guaranteed by Mr. Nussbaum and his estate, who along with us were obligated to maintain an aggregate unencumbered liquidity of no less than $6,000,000. In addition, the CNB Note was secured by all of Drone Aviation’s accounts, inventory and equipment along with an assignment of a $120,000 bank account that we maintained at CNB. As of December 31, 2019, $2,000,000 was drawn against the CNB line of credit.
As discussed below, on March 19, 2020, we issued a promissory note to the estate of Mr. Nussbaum in the principal amount of $2,007,971, the proceeds of which, were used to repay the balance of the CNB Note.
Secured Notes Payable
In August 2016, InduraPower issued a promissory note not to exceed the principal amount of $550,000 bearing interest at 8.5% per annum with a maturity date of August 31, 2018. InduraPower could draw funds under the note through February 28, 2017. Interest on this note was payable monthly and the full principal balance was due at maturity. On September 11, 2019, the note was amended and both parties agreed that the outstanding balance of $813,709 would be due on February 28, 2020. This promissory note was secured by substantially all of the assets of InduraPower. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $788,709 was outstanding under this note. This promissory note was past due and accrued interest at an increased default rate of 12.5% per annum. This note, and all related accrued interest, was repaid in January 2021.
In August 2016, InduraPower issued a promissory note in the principal amount of $450,000 that bears interest at 9.0% per annum and matures on March 1, 2022. Accrued interest only payments were due monthly beginning October 1, 2016 through March 1, 2017. Monthly payments of $9,341 for interest and principal are due on this note for the following 60 consecutive months. This promissory note is secured by all assets, certain real estate and cash accounts of InduraPower and is guaranteed by certain officers of InduraPower. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $150,710 was outstanding under this note. This promissory note was past due and accrued interest at an increased default rate of 18.0% per annum. See Note 10 — Debt Agreements in the Notes to our consolidated financial statements for December 31, 2020 included elsewhere in this report.
In August 2016, InduraPower issued a promissory note in the principal amount of $50,000 with an interest rate of 7.9% per annum and a maturity date of September 1, 2021. Beginning April 1, 2017, equal monthly payments of $1,011 for interest and principal are due on the note for 60 consecutive months. This promissory note is secured by business equipment, certain real estate and cash accounts of InduraPower and is guaranteed by certain officers of InduraPower. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $10,790 was outstanding under this note. This promissory note was past due and accrued interest at an increased default rate of 18.0% per annum. See Note 10 — Debt Agreements in the Notes to our consolidated financial statements for December 31, 2020 included elsewhere in this report.
In November 2019, DragonWave entered into a secured loan agreement with an individual lender pursuant to which DragonWave received a $2,000,000 loan that bears interest at the rate of 9% per annum and matures on November 26, 2021. Accrued interest is calculated on a compound basis and is payable semi-annually in May and November of each year. Principal is due in full at maturity but can be prepaid in full or in part without penalty. The loan is secured by all of the assets of DragonWave and is guaranteed by COMSovereign. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $2,000,000 was outstanding under this note. In January 2021, a total of $1,000,000 of principal of this note, plus all related accrued interest and charges, was extinguished in exchange for shares of common stock and warrants to purchase shares of common stock.
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On February 26, 2020, we entered into a $600,000 secured business loan from TVT Capital, LLC bearing interest at 78.99% per annum which matured on December 26, 2020. The proceeds of such loan were used to pay past due payroll, accounts payable and notes payable. Principal and interest payments of $19,429 were due weekly. The loan was secured by our assets. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $75,219 was outstanding under this note. This note was paid off subsequent to December 31, 2020 in accordance with our normal operating procedures.
In connection with the acquisition of the business by Sovereign Plastics on March 6, 2020, we assumed a secured loan with FirstBank in the principal amount of $979,381 bearing interest at 5% per annum and with a maturity date of June 1, 2020. On August 5, 2020, the maturity date of this loan was extended to September 15, 2020, with a single payment of all unpaid principal and accrued interest then due, and the interest rate was increased to 36% per annum for any principal balance remaining unpaid past the extended maturity date. The loan was secured by certain assets of Sovereign Plastics. This loan was subject to covenants, whereby Sovereign Plastics was required to meet certain financial and non-financial covenants at the end of each fiscal year. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $855,120 was past due under this loan. This loan, plus all related accrued interest, was repaid in January 2021.
On March 19, 2020, we entered into a secured loan agreement in the amount of $2,007,971 bearing interest at 5% per annum with a maturity date of August 31, 2020. Interest payments of $8,428 were due monthly, with the full principal amount due at maturity. On August 5, 2020, the maturity date of this loan was extended to October 15, 2020. The loan was secured by certain intellectual property assets of our Company. The proceeds of the loan were used to repay the balance of the CNB Note (revolving line of credit) that was entered into in 2017. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $2,007,971 was outstanding under this loan. In January 2021, this loan, plus all related accrued interest, was extinguished in exchange for shares of common stock and warrants to purchase shares of common stock.
In connection with the acquisition of the business by Sovereign Plastics on March 6, 2020:
● |
we assumed an equipment financing loan with an aggregate principal balance of $64,865, which is secured by the related equipment, bearing interest at 8.5% per annum. Monthly principal and interest payments of approximately $1,680 were due over the term. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate amount of principal of $57,146 was outstanding and past due under this loan. This loan, plus all related accrued interest, was repaid in January 2021. |
● |
We assumed an equipment financing loan with an aggregate principal balance of $95,810, which is secured by the related equipment, bearing interest at 6.7% per annum. Monthly principal and interest payments of approximately $2,361 were due over the term. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate amount of principal of $83,851 was outstanding and past due under this loan. This loan, plus all related accrued interest, was repaid in January 2021. |
● |
we assumed an equipment financing loan with an aggregate principal balance of $43,957, which is secured by the related equipment, bearing interest at 6.7% per annum. Monthly principal and interest payments of approximately $1,063 were due over the term. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate amount of principal of $38,732 was outstanding and past due under this loan. This loan, plus all related accrued interest, was repaid in January 2021. |
On December 8, 2020, we entered into a secured loan agreement pursuant to which we received a loan in the amount of $1,000,000 that was evidenced by a promissory note in the principal amount of $1,100,000, including $100,000 of original issue discount, that bore interest at the rate of 10% per annum and matured on January 6, 2021. Interest and principal were payable in full at maturity. The loan was guaranteed by VNC and was secured by our equity in VNC, substantially all of the assets of VNC and certain intellectual property assets of our Company. As additional consideration for such loan, Daniel L. Hodges, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, transferred to the lender 16,667 shares of common stock. The proceeds of the loan were used for working capital purposes, including the acquisition of certain inventory As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $1,100,000 was outstanding under this loan. In January 2021, $350,000 of this loan, plus all accrued interest, was extinguished in exchange for shares of common stock and warrants to purchase shares of common stock. The remaining $750,000 principal amount of this loan was fully repaid during January 2021.
On January 15, 2021, in connection with the acquisition of our new manufacturing facility in Tucson, Arizona, our wholly-owned subsidiary, AZCOMS LLC (“AZCOMS”), the purchaser of such facility, entered into a secured loan agreement pursuant to which it received a loan in the amount of up to $5,355,000 that bears interest on the outstanding loan balance at the greater of (i) 8% per annum or (ii) 6.75% per annum in excess of the 1-month LIBOR rate, and matures on January 15, 2022. At the closing of the loan, the lender withheld $513,000 of the loan amount as an interest reserve. In addition, $875,000 of the loan amount was withheld and may be disbursed at later dates to pay for lender-approved improvements to the property secured by the loan. Interest is payable monthly. The loan is due in full at maturity. Upon an event of default, the interest rate on the loan will increase by an additional 5.00% per annum, and the outstanding principal amount of the loan, accrued interest thereon and fees may become due on demand. Upon the maturity date or earlier date upon which the unpaid balance of the loan may become immediately payable due to acceleration, and on any prepayments of the loan, AZCOMS will owe an exit fee equal to the greater of (a) $53,850, or (b) 1.00% of the unpaid loan balance and all unpaid accrued interest and fees. Subject to certain terms and conditions and upon payment of a fee, AZCOMS may request a six-month extension of the maturity date. The loan is secured by the land, building and certain other assets of AZCOMS and is guaranteed by our Company and by our Chief Executive Officer, Daniel L. Hodges. In addition, all rights to leases and rent related to the land and building assets have been assigned to the lender for potential non-performance by AZCOMS of its obligations under the loan. This loan is subject to certain financial and non-financial covenants on the part of AZCOMS at the end of each fiscal quarter and fiscal year.
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Notes Payable
In connection with its acquisition of DragonWave and Lextrum in April 2019, COMSovereign assumed the obligations of the seller of a promissory note in the principal amount of $500,000 bearing interest at 12.0% per annum with a maturity date of October 17, 2017. On October 1, 2019, the maturity date was extended until December 31, 2020 and the interest rate was reduced to 10% per annum. All unpaid accrued interest from October 2017 through September 30, 2019 was converted into 50,000 shares of common stock of COMSovereign. Accrued interest and the full principal balance were due at maturity. On April 30, 2020, we also issued 4,832 shares of common stock in lieu of an aggregate cash interest payment payable by COMSovereign through December 31, 2019 on this outstanding note payable. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $500,000 was outstanding and past due under this note. In January 2021, this note, plus all related accrued interest, was extinguished in exchange for shares of common stock and warrants to purchase shares of common stock.
In connection with its acquisition of DragonWave and Lextrum in April 2019, COMSovereign assumed the obligations of the seller of a promissory note in the principal amount of $175,000 that bore interest at the rate of 15% per annum and was due on November 30, 2017. The interest rate increased to 18% per annum when the note became past due. On October 1, 2019, COMSovereign amended the promissory note to extend the maturity date to September 30, 2020 and to change the interest rate to 10% per annum. Both parties to the note also agreed to convert all unpaid accrued interest into 3,334 shares of common stock of COMSovereign. Accrued interest and principal were due and payable at maturity. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $175,000 was outstanding and past due under this note. This note, plus all related accrued interest, was repaid in January 2021.
In October 2017, DragonWave issued a 90-day promissory note in the principal amount of $4,400,000 and received proceeds of $4,000,000. Through several amendments, accrued interest was charged at the rate of 8% per annum, payment terms were amended and the maturity date was extended to February 28, 2019. On September 3, 2019, the promissory note was increased to $5,000,000 as all unpaid accrued interest was added to the principal balance. Additionally, the maturity date was extended to March 30, 2020 and the interest rate was changed to 10% per annum. Under this new amendment, principal and interest payments were due and payable monthly. On April 21, 2020, the maturity date of this note was extended to August 31, 2020, the interest rate was increased to 12% per annum, and we issued to the lender 33,334 shares of our common stock that have been treated as debt issuance costs. On August 5, 2020, $1,500,000 principal amount of this note was extinguished in exchange for 333,334 shares of common stock with a fair value of $4.53 per share. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $3,500,000 was outstanding and past due under this note. In January 2021, this note, plus all related accrued interest, was extinguished in exchange for shares of common stock and warrants to purchase shares of common stock.
On November 7, 2019, COMSovereign issued several promissory notes in the aggregate principal amount of $450,100 that bore interest at 133% per annum which matured on December 6, 2019. An aggregate principal amount of $200,100 was owed to three related parties out of the $450,100 promissory notes. Accrued interest and principal were due and payable at maturity. We repaid $250,000 of the aggregate principal amount of these promissory notes during the first quarter of 2020. An additional $133,400 of the aggregate principal amount of these promissory notes, along with accrued interest and associated late fee penalties of $51,516, was fully extinguished on August 5, 2020 in exchange for 41,093 shares of common stock with a fair value of $4.53 per share. As of December 31, 2020, the remaining aggregate principal amount of $66,700 was outstanding and past due under these notes. This note, plus all related accrued interest, was repaid in January 2021.
On March 5, 2020, we issued a promissory note for consideration totaling $446,000 in the principal amount of $500,000 that matured on November 30, 2020. Additionally, in lieu of interest, we issued to the lender 16,667 shares of our common stock. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $500,000 was outstanding and past due under this note. In January 2021, this note, plus all related accrued interest, was extinguished in exchange for shares of common stock and warrants to purchase shares of common stock.
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In connection with the acquisition of the business by Sovereign Plastics on March 6, 2020:
● | we entered into several promissory notes with the sellers in the aggregate principal amount of $409,586 that did not bear interest and had a maturity date of June 30, 2020 and monthly principal payments. As of December 31, 2020, the aggregate amount of $379,588 was outstanding and past due under these notes. These notes, plus all related accrued interest, was repaid in January 2021. |
● | we agreed to pay an aggregate of $165,986 to the sellers on or before June 30, 2020. The agreement was not interest bearing. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate amount of $165,986 was outstanding and past due under this note. This loan, plus all related accrued interest, was repaid in January 2021. |
● | we assumed a note payable in the amount of $86,866 bearing interest at 3% per annum and with a maturity date of February 16, 2023. Monthly payments in the amount of $3,773 for principal and interest are due over the term. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $83,309 was outstanding and past due under this note. This note was brought current in January 2021. |
On May 29, 2020, we issued a promissory note in the principal amount of $290,000 with an original issue discount of $40,000 and a maturity date of December 31, 2020. The full $290,000 balance was due at maturity, with interest accruing at a rate of 12% per annum for any principal balance remaining unpaid past the maturity date. As of December 31, 2020, the aggregate principal amount of $290,000 was outstanding and past due under this note. In January 2021, this note, plus all related accrued interest, was extinguished in exchange for shares of common stock and warrants to purchase shares of common stock.
Between July 2, 2020 and August 21, 2020, we borrowed an aggregate of $1,200,000 from accredited investors and issued to such investors promissory notes evidencing such loans. The principal amounts of the notes are between $50,000 and $200,000. The notes bear interest at a rate of 15% to 18% and have maturity dates between October 13, 2020 and November 30, 2020. As additional consideration for such loans, Daniel L. Hodges, the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, transferred to such investors an aggregate of 96,634 shares of common stock. As of December 31, 2020, the aggregate principal amount of $1,200,000 was outstanding and past due under these notes. On July 29, 2020, we sold 30,614 shares of common stock at a price of $3.00 per share to one of the accredited investors. In January 2021, $750,000 of these notes, plus all related accrued interest, was extinguished in exchange for shares of common stock and warrants to purchase shares of common stock. Also in January 2021, the remaining aggregate principal balance of $350,000, plus all related accrued interest, was paid.
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Between November 4, 2020 and November 24, 2020, we borrowed an aggregate of $550,000 from accredited investors and issued to such investors promissory notes evidencing such loans. The principal amounts of the notes were between $50,000 and $100,000. The loans bore interest at a rate of 15% and had maturity dates between January 31, 2021 and February 23, 2021. As additional consideration for such loans, Daniel L. Hodges, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, guaranteed the notes and transferred to such investors an aggregate of 38,334 shares of common stock. $500,000 principal amount of these notes and accrued interest thereon was converted to shares of common stock in January 2021.The remaining note in the principal amount of $50,000 was repaid in February 2021.
On July 1, 2020, we borrowed $50,000 from Mr. Brent Davies, a director of our Company, and issued to Mr. Davies a promissory note evidencing such loan that bore interest at 4.8% and matured on November 30, 2020. As of December 31, 2020, $50,000 plus accrued interest was outstanding under the loan. This loan, plus all related accrued interest, was repaid in January 2021.
During 2019, TM made loans to DragonWave in the aggregate principal amount of $1,292,953 to embed TM’s modulation technology within DragonWave’s Harmony line of radios. These loans bore interest at 5% per annum and matured on December 31, 2020. Interest and principal was due at maturity. These loans were converted to shares of common stock on October 1, 2020.
On August 5, 2019, Mr. Hodges and his wife loaned DragonWave $200,000 at an interest rate of 5.0% per annum with a maturity date of December 31, 2020. Interest was payable monthly while the full principal balance was due at maturity. As of December 31, 2020, $200,000 plus accrued interest was outstanding under the loan. This loan, plus all related accrued interest, was repaid in January 2021.
Between October 15, 2020 and December 28, 2020, we borrowed an aggregate of $600,000 from a related party and issued promissory notes evidencing such loans. The principal amounts of the notes were between $100,000 and $350,000, and such notes bore interest at 10% per annum and were due between January 14, 2021 and March 28, 2021. These notes, plus all related accrued interest, were repaid in January 2021.
Between November 13, 2020 and December 24, 2020, we borrowed an aggregate of $160,000 from a member of our board of directors and issued promissory notes evidencing such loans. The principal amounts of the notes were between $40,000 and $120,000, and such notes bore interest at 8% per annum and were due between February 12, 2021 and March 23, 2021. In January 2021, this note, plus all related accrued interest, was extinguished in exchange for shares of common stock and warrants to purchase shares of common stock.
In connection with our acquisition of Fastback on January 29, 2021, we issued to the sellers $1,500,000 aggregate principal amount of term promissory notes. The individual principal amounts of the notes ranged from $1,500 to $393,484. These notes bore interest at the rate of 10% per annum and matured on the earlier of (i) January 1, 2022, (ii) the date on which an aggregate of $6,000,000 worth of products and services were sold following the acquisition date by (A) Fastback or (B) our Company and our subsidiaries (other than Fastback) to certain specified Fastback customers, or (iii) the date on which we issued and sold shares of our common stock or debt securities to investors in a bona-fide arms-length financing transaction for aggregate consideration of at least $12,000,000. Interest was payable in cash semiannually in arrears on each June 1 and December 1, commencing on June 1, 2021, and on the maturity date. Upon an event of default, the interest rate would have automatically increased to 15% per annum compounded semiannually. These notes matured on February 10, 2021 upon our closing of a public offering of our common stock in which we received gross proceeds of $27.6 million. However, the representative of the Fastback sellers has requested that we withhold payment of principal and interest on these notes until a dispute among such sellers can be resolved. As payment was withheld at the request of the sellers’ representative, no event of default has occurred and interest has been accrued only through the maturity date.
Senior Debentures
In connection with its acquisition of DragonWave and Lextrum in April 2019, COMSovereign assumed the obligations of the seller of $100,000 aggregate principal amount of 8% Senior Convertible Debentures of the seller that bore interest at the rate of 8% per annum and matured on December 31, 2019. Interest was payable semi-annually in cash or, at the seller’s option, in shares of the seller’s common stock at the conversion price that was equal to the lesser of (1) $24.00 or (2) 80% of the common stock price offered under the next equity offering. As of December 31, 2019, an aggregate principal amount of $100,000 was outstanding under these debentures. On April 30, 2020, these debentures were modified to remove the conversion feature and provide for the settlement of these debentures only in cash. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $84,000 was outstanding under these debentures. This debenture, plus all related accrued interest, was repaid in January 2021.
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Convertible Notes Payable
On July 7, 2020, we sold a convertible promissory note in the principal amount of $285,714 with an original issue discount of $35,714 that bore interest at the rate of 12.5% per annum, and warrants to purchase an additional 52,910 shares of common stock. Warrants to purchase up to 9,260 shares of common stock were also issued to an unrelated third-party as a placement fee for the transaction. In connection with this note, we recognized a Beneficial Conversion Feature (“BCF”) of $139,810, a debt discount of $50,128 associated with the issuance of warrants to the note holder, and debt issuance costs of $35,539, which were all recorded as debt discounts. On July 28, 2020, we defaulted on this note under the related Registration Rights Agreement by not filing a registration statement within 90 days of the initial April 29, 2020 note origination date. As a result, the aggregate principal balance increased by $88,423, which was composed of an $86,339 penalty payment-in-kind and a $2,084 interest payment-in-kind, representing 130% of the outstanding principal and accrued interest balance on the default date. In addition, the interest rate was increased to 24% per annum, and the note and accrued interest was due on-demand. During the three and year ended September 30, 2020, $261,191 of the amounts recorded as debt discounts were amortized and recognized in interest expense in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. As of December 31, 2020, the note was in default and due on demand and an aggregate principal amount of $374,137 was outstanding under this note. In January 2021, this note, plus all accrued interest, was converted into shares of common stock.
On August 21, 2020, we sold a $1,700,000 aggregate principal amount convertible promissory note with an original issue discount of $200,000 that bore interest at the rate of 5.0% per annum and matured on November 20, 2020. Accrued interest and principal were due on the maturity date. Additionally, as additional consideration for the loan, we issued to the lender 133,334 shares of our common stock. We also issued to an unrelated third-party as a placement fee for the transaction warrants to purchase up to 17,857 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $8.40 per share at any time on or prior to August 21, 2025. As of December 31, 2020, the aggregate principal amount of $1,700,000 was outstanding under the loan. This note, plus all related accrued interest, was repaid in January 2021.
In connection with our acquisition of Fastback on January 29, 2021, we issued to the sellers $11,150,000 aggregate principal amount of convertible promissory notes. The individual principal amounts of the notes ranged from $5,575 to $5,575,000. These notes initially bear interest at the rate of 1.01% per annum, which is to be adjusted to the prime rate as published by the Wall Street Journal on each annual anniversary of the issuance date, and mature on January 29, 2026. Interest is payable in cash annually in arrears on each January 1. Commencing on January 29, 2022, the principal and accrued interest on these notes may be converted in full to shares of our common stock at a conversion price of $5.22 per share, subject to adjustment. Upon an event of default, the interest rate will automatically increase to 15% per annum compounded annually, and all unpaid principal and accrued interest may become due on demand. Upon maturity, the interest rate will automatically increase to 15% per annum compounded annually on any unpaid principal.
Senior Convertible Debentures
On September 24, 2019, COMSovereign sold $250,000 aggregate principal amount of 10% Senior Convertible Debentures that bore interest at the rate of 10% per annum and was scheduled to mature on December 31, 2021. Interest was paid semi-annually in arrears in June and December of each year in cash or, at COMSovereign’s option, in shares of common stock at the conversion price that was equal to the lesser of (1) $7.50 or (2) a future effective price per share of any common stock sold. Upon an event of default, the interest rate would have automatically increased to 15% per annum. As of December 31, 2019, an aggregate principal amount of $250,000 was outstanding under these debentures. On April 30, 2020, these debentures were amended to provide for the conversion of the debentures into shares of our common stock instead of COMSovereign’s common stock. Additionally, the conversion price was changed from $7.50 per share to $2.27 per share. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $250,000 was outstanding under these debentures. In January 2021, this debenture, plus all related interest, was converted into shares of common stock.
On July 2, 2020, we sold $1,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 9% Senior Convertible Debentures to an accredited investor that bore interest at the rate of 9% per annum and had a maturity date of September 30, 2020. On September 30, 2020, the maturity date of these debentures was extended to November 30, 2020. Accrued interest and principal were due on the maturity date, with interest paid in cash or, at our option, in shares of common stock at the conversion price of $3.00 per share. Upon an event of default, the interest rate would have automatically increased to 15% per annum. The debentures were convertible into shares of common stock at a conversion price of $3.00 per share. We also issued warrants to purchase 33,334 shares of common stock that are exercisable for a purchase price of $3.00 per share, at any time on or prior to the earlier of December 31, 2022 or the second anniversary of our consummation of a public offering of our common stock in connection with an up-listing of the common stock to a national securities exchange, which occurred on January 26, 2021. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $1,000,000 was outstanding under these debentures. In January 2021, principal of $900,000 related to this debenture was converted into shares of common stock. Also in January 2021, the remaining principal amount of $100,000, plus all accrued interest, was extinguished in exchange for common stock and warrants to purchase common stock.
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Paycheck Protection Program of the CARES Act
Between April 30 and May 26, 2020, six of our subsidiaries received loan proceeds in the aggregate amount of $455,184 under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). The PPP loan has a maturity of two years and an interest rate of 1% per annum. The PPP, established as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”), provides for loans to qualifying businesses for amounts up to 2.5 times the average monthly payroll expenses of the qualifying business. The loans and accrued interest are forgivable pursuant to section 1106 of the CARES Act, after a period of up to 24 weeks, as long as the borrower uses the loan proceeds for eligible purposes, including payroll, benefits, rent and utilities, and maintains its payroll levels. The amount of loan forgiveness shall be calculated in accordance with the requirements of the PPP, including the provisions of Section 1106 of the CARES Act, although no more than 40 percent of the amount forgiven can be attributable to non-payroll costs. Further, the amount of loan forgiveness will be reduced if the borrower terminates employees or reduces salaries during the period of up to 24 weeks. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate amount of principal of $455,184 was outstanding under these loans.
In connection with the VNC acquisition on July 6, 2020, we assumed a PPP loan in the principal amount of $24,028 bearing interest at 1% per annum and with a maturity date of May 14, 2022. Terms are consistent with our other PPP loans. As of December, 2020, an aggregate amount of principal of $24,028 was outstanding under this loan.
On August 11, 2020, one of our subsidiaries received loan proceeds in the aggregate amount of $103,659 under the PPP. The PPP loan has a maturity of five years and an interest rate of 1% per annum. Terms are consistent with our other PPP loans. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate amount of principal of $103,659 was outstanding under this loan.
Sources and Uses of Cash
(Amounts in US$’s) |
For the
Year Ended December 31, 2020 |
January 10,
2019 (Inception) to December 31, 2019 |
||||||
Cash flows used in operating activities | $ | (6,020,305 | ) | $ | (6,853,247 | ) | ||
Cash flows (used in) provided by investing activities | (3,322,534 | ) | 2,838,235 | |||||
Cash flows provided by financing activities | 9,237,506 | 4,850,847 | ||||||
Effect of exchange rates on cash | 23,383 | (23,383 | ) | |||||
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents | $ | (81,950 | ) | $ | 812,452 |
Operating Activities
For the year ended December 31, 2020, net cash used in operating activities was $6,020,305. Net cash used in operating activities primarily consisted of the net operating loss of $37,081,464 and the effect of deferred income taxes of $2,906,400, which was offset by depreciation and amortization of $12,531,452, amortized discounts and debt issuance costs on our outstanding debt of $8,936,632, other noncash charges of $3,110,031 and bad debt expense of $1,007,715. Additionally, working capital changes provided $8,366,574 in cash during the period.
For fiscal 2019, cash used in operating activities was $6,853,247. Net cash used in operating activities primarily consisted of the net operating loss of $27,545,255 and the effect of deferred income taxes of $4,137,900, which were offset by depreciation and amortization of $7,567,184, amortized discounts and debt issuance costs on our outstanding debt of $8,458,341, loss on conversion of debt of $2,640,000, and other noncash charges of $919,105. Additionally, working capital changes provided $4,908,914 in cash during the period.
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Investing Activities
For the year ended December 31, 2020, net cash used in investing activities was $3,322,534. Investing activities primarily consisted of the acquisition of the net assets of Sovereign Plastics and VNC for a purchase prices of $829,347 and $18,832,383, respectively. The purchase price of the assets of Sovereign Plastics included cash paid on the closing date of $253,773 and short-term debt incurred to the sellers of $575,574. The purchase price of VNC included cash paid on the settlement date of $2,892,727, shares with values at the acquisition date of $11,855,592, warrants and options with values at the acquisition date of $3,832,817 and a note receivable of $251,247.
For fiscal 2019, net cash provided by investing activities was $2,838,235. Investing activities primarily consisted of cash from the acquisitions of VEO, InduraPower, Silver Bullet, DragonWave and Lextrum.
Financing Activities
For the year ended December 31, 2020, financing activities provided cash of $9,237,506. Financing activities primarily consisted of $12,337,781 of proceeds from the issuance of debt, which was offset by the repayment of $2,000,000 on the line of credit and the repayment of $1,090,862 of debt.
For fiscal 2019, cash provided by financing activities was $4,850,847. Financing activities primarily consisted of proceeds of debt of $6,734,170, which was offset by the repayment of $1,808,323 of debt.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We do not have any off-balance sheet arrangements that have had or are reasonably likely to have a current or future material effect on our financial condition, changes in financial condition, revenues, expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
See Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies in the Notes to our financial statements included elsewhere in this report for our evaluation of accounting standards not yet adopted.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
The following is not intended to be a comprehensive list of our accounting policies or estimates. Our significant accounting policies are more fully described in Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies in the Notes. In preparing our financial statements and accounting for the underlying transactions and balances, we apply our accounting policies and estimates as disclosed in the Notes. We consider the policies and estimates discussed below as critical to an understanding of our financial statements because their application places the most significant demands on our judgment, with financial reporting results dependent on estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain and may change in subsequent periods. Specific risks for these critical accounting estimates are described in the following paragraphs. Preparation of our financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of our financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results may differ from those estimates.
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Besides estimates that meet the “critical” accounting estimate criteria, we make many other accounting estimates in preparing our financial statements and related disclosures. All estimates, whether or not deemed critical, affect reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses as well as disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities. Estimates are based on experience and other information available prior to the issuance of the financial statements. Materially different results can occur as circumstances change and additional information becomes known, including for estimates that we do not deem “critical.”
Accounts Receivable and Credit Policies
Trade accounts receivable consist of amounts due from the sale of our products and services. Such accounts receivable are uncollateralized customer obligations due under normal trade terms requiring payment within 30 to 45 days of receipt of the invoice. We provide an allowance for doubtful accounts equal to the estimated uncollectible amounts based on historical collection experience and a review of the current status of trade accounts receivable. As of December 31, 2020, we characterized $1,686,731 as uncollectible.
Beneficial Conversion Features and Warrants
We evaluate the conversion feature of convertible debt instruments to determine whether the conversion feature is beneficial as described in ASC 470-30, Debt with Conversion and Other Options. We record a beneficial conversion feature (“BCF”) related to the issuance of convertible debt that has conversion features at fixed or adjustable rates that are in-the-money when issued and record the relative fair value of any warrants issued with those instruments. The BCF for the convertible instruments is recognized and measured by allocating a portion of the proceeds to the warrants and as a reduction to the carrying amount of the convertible instrument equal to the intrinsic value of the conversion features, both of which are credited to additional paid-in capital. We calculate the fair value of warrants with the convertible instruments using the Black-Scholes valuation model. The Black-Scholes valuation model requires various inputs such as the annualized volatility of our stock, stock price and annual risk-free rate of return. As COMSovereign was a private company for most of 2019, in determining the BCF related to the convertible debt of COMSovereign and its subsidiaries in fiscal 2019, we had to rely on factors outside the public markets for the inputs. If different inputs were used or different judgments were made, the results could have a material adverse effect on our financial statements.
Under these guidelines, we first allocate the value of the proceeds received from a convertible debt transaction between the convertible debt instrument and any other detachable instruments included in the transaction (such as warrants) on a relative fair value basis. A BCF is then measured as the intrinsic value of the conversion option at the commitment date, representing the difference between the effective conversion price and our stock price on the commitment date multiplied by the number of shares into which the debt instrument is convertible. The allocated value of the BCF and warrants are recorded as a debt discount and accreted over the expected term of the convertible debt as interest expense. If the intrinsic value of the BCF is greater than the proceeds allocated to the convertible debt instrument, the amount of the discount assigned to the BCF is limited to the amount of the proceeds allocated to the convertible debt instrument.
Revenue Recognition
In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09 (Topic 606), Revenue from Contracts with Customers. Topic 606 supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in Topic 605, Revenue Recognition and requires entities to recognize revenues when control of the promised goods or services is transferred to customers at an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. The principles in the standard are applied in five steps: 1) identify the contract(s) with a customer; 2) identify the performance obligations in the contract; 3) determine the transaction price; 4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and 5) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. We adopted Topic 606 as of January 10, 2019 (date of inception).
Our revenue recognition policies are consistent with this five-step framework. Understanding the complex terms of agreements and determining the appropriate time, amount and method to recognize revenue for each transaction requires judgment. These significant judgments include: (1) determining what point in time or what measure of progress depicts the transfer of control to the customer; (2) applying the series guidance to certain performance obligations satisfied over time; and (3) estimating how and when contingencies, or other forms of variable consideration, will impact the timing and amount of recognition of revenue. The timing and revenue recognition in a period could vary if different judgments were made.
53
Long-Lived Assets and Goodwill
We account for long-lived assets in accordance with the provisions of ASC 360-10-35, Property, Plant and Equipment, Impairment or Disposal of Long-lived Assets. This accounting standard requires that long-lived assets be reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to future undiscounted net cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If the carrying amount of an asset exceeds its estimated future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized by the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds the fair value of the asset.
We account for goodwill and intangible assets in accordance with ASC 350, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other. Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price of an entity over the estimated fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. ASC 350 requires that goodwill and other intangibles with indefinite lives be tested for impairment annually or on an interim basis if events or circumstances indicate that the fair value of an asset has decreased below its carrying value. During the fourth quarter of 2020, the Company adopted ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. This guidance simplifies the accounting for goodwill impairment by removing Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test, which requires a hypothetical purchase price allocation. Goodwill impairment will now be the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill. The adoption of this standard had no material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Our acquisitions require the application of purchase accounting, which results in tangible and identifiable intangible assets and liabilities of the acquired entity being recorded at fair value. The difference between the purchase price and the fair value of net assets acquired is recorded as goodwill. We are responsible for determining the valuation of assets and liabilities and for the allocation of purchase price to assets acquired and liabilities assumed.
Assumptions must be made in determining fair values, particularly where observable market values do not exist. Assumptions may include discount rates, growth rates, cost of capital, tax rates and remaining useful lives. These assumptions can have a significant impact on the value of identifiable assets and accordingly can impact the value of goodwill recorded. Different assumptions could result in different values being attributed to assets and liabilities. Since these values impact the amount of annual depreciation and amortization expense, different assumptions could also impact our statement of operations and could impact the results of future asset impairment reviews. Due to the many variables inherent in the estimation of a business’s fair value and the relative size of our goodwill, if different assumptions and estimates were used, it could have an adverse effect on our impairment analysis.
Share-Based Compensation
We account for share-based compensation costs in accordance with ASC 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation. ASC 718 requires companies to measure the cost of awards of equity instruments, including stock options and restricted stock awards, based on the grant-date fair value of the award and to recognize it as compensation expense over the employee’s requisite service period or the non-employee’s vesting period. An employee’s requisite service period is the period of time over which an employee must provide service in exchange for an award under a share-based payment arrangement and generally is presumed to be the vesting period.
In determining the grant date fair value of share-based awards, we must estimate the expected volatility, forfeitures and performance attributes. Since share-based compensation expense can be material to our financial condition, different assumptions and estimates could have a material adverse effect on our financial statements.
54
ITEM 7A. | QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK |
As a Smaller Reporting Company as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act and in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K, we are electing scaled disclosure reporting obligations and therefore are not required to provide the information requested by this Item 7A.
ITEM 8. | FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA. |
Our Consolidated Financial Statements and supplementary data are on pages F-1 through F-61.
ITEM 9. | CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES. |
None.
ITEM 9A. | CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES. |
(a) Evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures.
We maintain disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15I and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports that we file with SEC under the Exchange Act is recorded, processes, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, to allow for timely decisions regarding required disclosures.
We are continuing to grow and evolve. During 2020, we acquired two different companies and continue to acquire companies. Our growth and the absorption of acquired companies increases the strain on our limited staff and our accounting systems. Additionally, operations do not yet generate enough cash to fund operations causing management to rely on financing activities to maintain the level of operations and funding needed for anticipated growth. In combination, these activities put stress on our overall controls and procedures.
We carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, consisting of our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act). Based on that evaluation, our principal executive officer and principal financial officer concluded that, as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report, our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed in reports filed under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the required time periods and is accumulated and communicated to our management, consisting of our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. As such, material weaknesses identified below were discovered:
● | While improvements were made in the segregation of duties and controls over cash and accounts payable, we did not effectively segregate certain accounting duties due to the small size of our accounting staff; |
● | a lack of timely reconciliations of the account balances affected by the improperly recorded or omitted transactions; and |
● | there is a lack of documented and tested internal controls to meet the requirements of Section 404(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
Our management, consisting of our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, do not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures or our internal controls will prevent all error or fraud. 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. Furthermore, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Due to 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, have been detected. In addition, as conditions change over time, so too may the effectiveness of internal controls. However, management believes that the financial statements included in this Annual Report fairly present, in all material respects, our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows for the period presented.
55
(b) Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting.
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act. Our internal control over financial reporting is designed to ensure that material information regarding our operations is made available to management and the Board of Directors to provide them reasonable assurance that the published financial statements are fairly presented. There are limitations inherent in any internal control, such as the possibility of human error and the circumvention or overriding of controls. As a result, even effective internal controls can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement preparation. As conditions change over time so too may the effectiveness of internal controls.
Our management, consisting of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has evaluated our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020 based on the 2013 Internal Control – Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (“COSO”) of the Treadway Commission. Based on this assessment, and taking into account the operating structure of our Company, as well as the two acquisitions by our Company and the five acquisitions completed by our subsidiary, COMSovereign Corp., as a privately-held company in fiscal 2019, management identified the material weaknesses with respect to deficiencies in our financial closing and reporting procedures identified above. Management believes this is due to a lack of resources. Management intends to add accounting personnel, operating staff, and utilize consultants, where appropriate. In addition, Management intends to invest in more sophisticated accounting and finance systems in order to improve our internal and external reporting procedures and internal controls, subject to available capital. Until we have adequate resources to address these issues, any material weaknesses may materially adversely affect our ability to accurately report our financial condition and results of operations in the future in a timely and reliable manner. In addition, although we continually review and evaluate internal control systems to allow management to report on the sufficiency of our internal controls, we cannot assure you that we will not discover additional weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting. Any such additional weakness or failure to remediate the existing weakness could materially adversely affect our financial condition or ability to comply with applicable financial reporting requirements and the requirements of our various financing agreements.
As a result of the current business acquisitions and continued efforts to integrate prior acquisitions and our reverse merger completed during 2019, there were significant changes to our internal control over financial reporting during our fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 that materially affected our internal control over financial reporting that resulted in the material weaknesses identified above. Also described above are management’s plans to address those material weaknesses.
This Annual Report does not include an attestation report of our independent registered public accounting firm regarding internal control over financial reporting. Management’s report was not subject to attestation by our independent registered public accounting firm pursuant to rules of the SEC that permit us to provide only management’s report in this Annual Report.
ITEM 9B. | OTHER INFORMATION. |
None.
56
ITEM 10. | DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE. |
The information required by Item 10 is incorporated by reference to our Proxy Statement for our 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days from the end of our 2020 fiscal year. The information under the heading “Executive Officers” in Part I of this Form 10-K is also incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 11. | EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION. |
The information required by Item 11 is incorporated by reference to our Proxy Statement for our 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days from the end of our 2020 fiscal year.
ITEM 12. | SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS. |
The information required by Item 12 is incorporated by reference to our Proxy Statement for our 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days from the end of our 2020 fiscal year.
ITEM 13. | CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE. |
The information required by Item 13 is incorporated by reference to our Proxy Statement for our 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days from the end of our 2020 fiscal year.
ITEM 14. | PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES. |
The information required by Item 14 is incorporated by reference to our Proxy Statement for our 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days from the end of our 2020 fiscal year.
57
ITEM 15. | EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES. |
(F) | (a) | The following documents are filed as a part of this report or incorporated herein by reference: |
(1) | Our Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto begin on page F-1 of this report immediately after the signature page. |
Index to Financial Statements: | ||
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm | F-2 | |
Consolidated Balance Sheets | F-6 | |
Consolidated Statements of Operations | F-7 | |
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss | F-8 | |
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity | F-9 | |
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows | F-11 | |
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements | F-12 – F-61 |
(2) | Financial Statement Schedules: All schedules have been omitted because the required information is included in the Consolidated Financial Statements or the Notes thereto, or because it is not required. |
(3) | Exhibits: |
58
59
60
# | Indicates management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement. |
* | Filed herewith. |
† | Portions of this exhibit have been redacted in compliance with Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K. Schedules, exhibits and similar supporting attachments to this exhibit are omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. We agree to furnish a supplemental copy of any omitted schedule or similar attachment to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request. |
ITEM 16. | FORM 10-K SUMMARY |
None.
61
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.
COMSOVEREIGN HOLDING CORP. | ||
By: | /s/ Daniel L. Hodges | |
Daniel L. Hodges | ||
Chief Executive Officer | ||
Date: March 30,2021 | ||
By: | /s/ Martin R. Wade III | |
Martin R. Wade III | ||
Chief Financial Officer | ||
(Principal Financial and
Accounting Officer) |
||
Date: March 30, 2021 |
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 their capacities and on the dates indicated.
Name | Position | Date | ||
/s/ Daniel L. Hodges | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer | March 30, 2021 | ||
Daniel L. Hodges | (Principal Executive Officer) | |||
/s/ Martin R. Wade III | Chief Financial Officer | March 30, 2021 | ||
Martin R. Wade III | (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | |||
/s/ John E. Howell | Director | March 30, 2021 | ||
John E. Howell | ||||
/s/ David Aguilar | Director | March 30, 2021 | ||
David Aguilar | ||||
/s/ Richard J. Berman | Director | March 30, 2021 | ||
Richard J. Berman | ||||
/s/ Brent M. Davies | Director | March 30, 2021 | ||
Brent M. Davies | ||||
/s/ Kay Kapoor | Director | March 30, 2021 | ||
Kay Kapoor | ||||
/s/ James A. Marks | Director | March 30, 2021 | ||
James A. Marks |
62
COMSOVEREIGN HOLDING CORP.
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Index to Consolidated Financial Statements
F-1
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
COMSovereign Holding Corp.
Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of COMSovereign Holding Corp. (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive loss, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2020 and for the period from January 10, 2019 (inception) through December 31, 2019 and the related notes (collectively, the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 and the consolidated results of its operations and its cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2020 and for the period from January 10, 2019 (inception) through December 31, 2019, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
Going Concern
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 4 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company has experienced losses, negative cash flows from operations, has limited capital resources, and an accumulated deficit. These matters raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 4. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Basis for Opinion
These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting 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.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Critical Audit Matters
The critical audit matters communicated below are matters arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that are material to the consolidated financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of the critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matters below, providing separate opinions on the critical audit matters or on the accounts or disclosures to which they relate.
F-2
Share Based Compensation – Refer to Note 14 to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Critical Audit Matter Description
The Company issues stock options to employees. Management uses the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to estimate the fair value of its stock options. The Black-Scholes option-pricing model involves the use of significant estimates, including the following:
● | Expected dividend yield; |
● | Risk-free interest rate; |
● | Expected share price volatility; and |
● | Expected life of the award. |
Given the significant estimates involved in determining the fair value of stock options, the related audit effort in evaluating management’s estimates in determining the fair value of stock options was extensive and required a high degree of auditor judgment.
How the Critical Audit Matter was Addressed in the Audit
We obtained an understanding over the Company’s process to estimate the fair value of stock options, including how the Company develops each of the estimates required to utilize the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. We applied the following audit procedures related to testing the Company’s estimates utilized in the Black-Scholes option-pricing model:
● | We performed a look-back at the Company’s previously issued dividends, noting there were none. We inquired with management of the Company who informed us that no future dividends were currently anticipated. |
● | We compared the Company’s risk-free interest rate used to the comparable United States treasury yield for a term comparable to the stock options’ expected term. |
● | Because the Company does not have historical share price values prior to its merger with Drone Aviation, Inc. in November 2019, we recalculated the average volatility of three peer companies selected by management, and their individual historical share price volatility for a term comparable to the stock options’ expected term, and the average volatility for those three peer companies. We also evaluated those peer companies for relevance to the expected future operations of the Company. |
● | We recalculated the expected term of stock options granted to employees and nonemployee directors using the simplified method, whereby, the expected term equals the average of the vesting term and the original contractual term of the option. |
Accounting for Complex Debt Transactions—Refer to Note 10 to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Critical Audit Matter Description
During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company refinanced a revolving line of credit in connection with the acquisition of a business and amended several note agreements for payment and maturity terms. Management determined whether to account for the refinance and other amended notes as a debt modification or a debt extinguishment. Management follows the guidance of Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 470-50, Debt Modifications and Extinguishments. Per the guidance, management determines if the modified terms of the refinance are considered substantially different, defined as the present value of the remaining cash flows after modification differ by at least 10% of those prior to the modification.
The Company also entered into several secured and unsecured notes payable that included beneficial conversion features, incentive shares and warrants for which the values were estimated and recorded using their relative fair values in accordance with ASC 470-20, Debt with Conversion and Other Options. Management used the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to estimate the fair value of the warrants issued with the convertible notes, limited to a relative fair value based upon the percentage of its fair value to the total fair value including the fair value of the convertible note. The Black-Scholes option-pricing model involves the use of significant estimates, including the following:
● | Risk-free interest rate; |
● | Expected share price volatility; |
● | Expected dividend yield; and |
● | Contractual life of the award. |
F-3
Given the significant estimates involved in determining the total debt discounts resulting from the relative fair value of the warrants and beneficial conversion features, as well as determining whether the debt refinance was a debt modification or debt extinguishment, the related audit effort in evaluating both management’s estimates in determining the total debt discount and the determination of whether the refinance and other changes made the debt agreements a debt modification or debt extinguishment was extensive and required a high degree of auditor judgment.
How the Critical Audit Matter was Addressed in the Audit
We obtained an understanding over the Company’s process to determine whether a debt refinance and term amendments are a debt modification or debt extinguishment. We reviewed the guidance in ASC 470-50 and management’s calculation of the present value of the cash flows prior to and after the debt modification. We also recalculated the change in the present value of the remaining cash flows after the debt modification for each of the modified notes to determine if management applied the correct accounting treatment.
Additionally, we obtained an understanding over the Company’s process to estimate the debt discounts, resulting from the relative fair value of the warrants and beneficial conversion features, including how the Company develops each of the estimates required utilizing the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. We applied the following audit procedures related to testing the Company’s estimates utilized in the Black-Scholes option-pricing model:
● | We performed a look-back of the Company’s previously issued dividends, noting there were none. We inquired with management of the Company who informed us that no future dividends were currently anticipated. |
● | We compared the Company’s risk-free interest rate used to the comparable United States Treasury yield for a term comparable to the warrants’ remaining contractual term. |
● | Because the Company does not have historical share price values prior to its merger with Drone Aviation, Inc. in November 2019, we recalculated the average volatility of three peer companies selected by management, and their individual historical share price volatility for a term comparable to the stock warrants’ expected term, and the average volatility for those three peer companies. We also evaluated those peer companies for relevance to the expected future operations of the Company. |
● | We agreed the remaining contractual term of the warrants to the term within the revised convertible note. |
We also reviewed management’s relative fair value calculation used to determine the total debt discounts and agreed all inputs as follows:
● | We agreed the proceeds of the notes to the convertible note agreements. |
● | We agreed the fair value of the warrants to the fair value calculated using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. |
● | We agreed the conversion price to the convertible note agreement and recalculated the intrinsic value of the beneficial conversion features. |
Acquisition Accounting and Fair Value Allocation of Purchase Price - Refer to Note 3 to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Critical Audit Matter Description
As described in Note 3 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company completed the acquisition of Fast Plastic Parts, LLC and Spring Creek Manufacturing, Inc. (“FPSC”) on March 6, 2020 for a total purchase price of $829,347. The Company also completed the acquisition of Virtual Network Communications, Inc. (“VNC”) on July 6, 2020 for a total purchase price of $18,832,383.
The Company applied the acquisition method of accounting for business combinations to account for both acquisitions. Accordingly, the assets acquired and liabilities assumed were recorded at their acquisition date fair values. Any excess of the purchase price over amounts allocated to assets acquired, including identifiable intangible assets and liabilities assumed, was recorded as goodwill.
Auditing the Company’s accounting for the acquisitions was complex due to the significant estimation uncertainty in determining the fair value of the identified intangible assets related to customer relationships, technology, trade name and licenses. The significant estimation uncertainty was primarily due to the sensitivity of the respective fair values to underlying assumptions about the future performance of the acquired businesses. The significant assumptions used to estimate the value of the intangible assets included revenue growth rates, which are forward-looking and could be affected by future economic and market conditions.
We have identified the valuation of the intangible assets from these acquisitions as a critical audit matter because auditing the fair value involved significant auditor judgment and increased audit effort because of the extent of estimation required by management.
F-4
How the Critical Audit Matter was Addressed in the Audit
We applied the following audit procedures related to testing the Company’s estimates and approach utilized to determine the fair value of the acquired intangible assets:
● | Obtained a copy of the Company’s independent appraisal of the fair value of the acquired intangible assets that was used by management to determine the fair values, and assessed the qualifications of the specialist. |
● | Evaluated the valuation approach used by the Company’s third-party valuation specialist to calculate the fair value of intangible assets. |
● | Evaluated the key assumptions used in the discounted cash flow analysis used to value the intangible assets, including projected revenue and expenses, discount rates, attrition rates, and hypothetical royalty rates. |
● | Lastly, we tested the completeness and accuracy of data inputs provided by management and utilized in the calculation by comparing the data to source documents and external information sources. |
Impairment of Goodwill and Long-lived Assets – Refer to Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Critical Audit Matter Description
As reflected in the Company’s consolidated financial statements at December 31, 2020, the Company’s goodwill was $64,898,222 and the net carrying amount of intangible assets was $53,187,714. As disclosed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, goodwill and long-lived intangible assets are tested for impairment at least annually or more frequently if indicators of impairment require the performance of an interim impairment assessment. As a result of these assessments, management concluded that there was no impairment to goodwill or to the Company’s intangible assets and other long-lived assets during the year ended December 31, 2020.
Auditing management’s impairment tests of goodwill and long-lived assets was complex and highly judgmental due to the significant measurement uncertainty in determining the fair values of the reporting units and long-lived assets. In particular, the fair value estimates of the reporting units were sensitive to changes in significant assumptions such as discount rates, revenue growth rates, operating margins, estimated spending on capital expenditures, and terminal growth rates. These assumptions are affected by expected future market or economic conditions, including the impact of COVID-19.
How the Critical Audit Matter was Addressed in the Audit
We obtained a copy of the Company’s independent appraisals of the fair value of the Company’s reporting units that were used by management to determine their fair values, in accordance with ASC 350 (Intangibles – Goodwill and Other) and assessed the qualifications of the specialist.
To test the fair values of the reporting units, our audit procedures included:
● | We obtained an understanding of the Company’s process to evaluate goodwill and long-lived assets for impairment and related controls. |
● | We evaluated management’s assessment that there were no indicators of impairment. This assessment included consideration that current year losses were not indicative of future expected results and that future results were not expected to produce continuing losses. |
● | We assessed the valuation methodologies and tested the reasonableness of significant assumptions and underlying data used by management and the third-party valuation specialist, including forecasted revenue and discount rates. |
● | Lastly, we compared managements’ summary of the fair value of the reporting units to the market capitalization of the Company, noting that the market capitalization exceeded the combined fair value of the reporting units, and that both of these metrics exceeded the carrying value of the reporting units. As such, we concurred with management that there was no impairment of goodwill or long-lived assets. |
/s/ HASKELL & WHITE LLP
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2019.
Irvine, California
March 30, 2021
F-5
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
December 31, | ||||||||
(Amounts in US$’s, except share data) | 2020 | 2019 | ||||||
ASSETS | ||||||||
Current Assets | ||||||||
Cash | $ | 730,502 | $ | 812,452 | ||||
Accounts receivable, net | 787,333 | 2,168,659 | ||||||
Receivables – related party | — | 1,595 | ||||||
Inventory, net | 4,538,432 | 4,671,396 | ||||||
Prepaid and deferred expenses | 1,473,111 | 916,729 | ||||||
Other current assets | 151,832 | 94,538 | ||||||
Total Current Assets | 7,681,210 | 8,665,369 | ||||||
Property and equipment, net | 2,286,466 | 1,458,106 | ||||||
Operating lease right-of-use assets | 2,725,462 | 2,199,682 | ||||||
Finance lease right-of-use-assets | 67,692 | — | ||||||
Intangible assets, net | 53,187,714 | 51,277,482 | ||||||
Goodwill | 64,898,222 | 56,386,796 | ||||||
Other assets – long term | 30,413 | — | ||||||
Total Assets | $ | 130,877,179 | $ | 119,987,435 | ||||
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY | ||||||||
Current Liabilities | ||||||||
Accounts payable | $ | 5,582,532 | $ | 2,245,704 | ||||
Accrued interest | 2,028,569 | 306,445 | ||||||
Accrued liabilities | 1,649,003 | 1,383,008 | ||||||
Accrued liabilities – related party | 30,000 | 461,254 | ||||||
Accrued payroll | 3,992,454 | 1,050,703 | ||||||
Contract liabilities, current | 721,220 | 149,923 | ||||||
Accrued warranty liability | 185,415 | 195,138 | ||||||
Operating lease liabilities, current | 676,019 | 467,979 | ||||||
Finance lease liabilities, current | 46,345 | — | ||||||
Line of credit | — | 2,000,000 | ||||||
Notes payable – related party | 1,010,000 | 1,492,953 | ||||||
Current portion of long-term debt, net of unamortized discounts and debt issuance costs | 18,340,706 | 5,389,492 | ||||||
Total Current Liabilities | 34,262,263 | 15,142,599 | ||||||
Debt – long term | 706,293 | — | ||||||
Contract liabilities – long term | 143,082 | 152,892 | ||||||
Operating lease liabilities – long term | 2,208,978 | 1,744,569 | ||||||
Finance lease liabilities – long term | 8,891 | — | ||||||
Total Liabilities | 37,329,507 | 17,040,060 | ||||||
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Note 17) | ||||||||
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY | ||||||||
Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively | — | — | ||||||
Common stock, $0.0001 par value, 300,000,000 shares authorized, 49,444,689 and 42,775,415 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively | 14,833 | 12,833 | ||||||
Additional paid-in capital | 158,209,558 | 130,553,180 | ||||||
Accumulated deficit | (64,626,719 | ) | (27,545,255 | ) | ||||
Accumulated other comprehensive loss | — | (23,383 | ) | |||||
Treasury stock, at cost, 33,334 shares as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively | (50,000 | ) | (50,000 | ) | ||||
Total Stockholders’ Equity | 93,547,672 | 102,947,375 | ||||||
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity | $ | 130,877,179 | $ | 119,987,435 |
See Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
F-6
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
Year Ended
December 31, |
January 10,
2019 (Inception) to December 31, |
|||||||
(Amounts in US$’s, except share data) | 2020 | 2019 | ||||||
Revenue | $ | 9,426,836 | $ | 4,712,212 | ||||
Cost of Goods Sold | 4,595,961 | 2,990,716 | ||||||
Gross Profit | 4,830,875 | 1,721,496 | ||||||
Operating Expenses | ||||||||
Research and development (1) | 2,012,689 | 174,257 | ||||||
Sales and marketing (1) | 24,049 | 6,222 | ||||||
General and administrative (1) | 17,484,764 | 14,325,078 | ||||||
Depreciation and amortization | 12,531,452 | 7,567,184 | ||||||
Gain on the sale of assets | (663 | ) | (98,410 | ) | ||||
Total Operating Expenses | 32,052,291 | 21,974,331 | ||||||
Net Operating Loss | (27,221,416 | ) | (20,252,835 | ) | ||||
Other Income (Expense) | ||||||||
Interest expense | (11,309,143 | ) | (8,399,663 | ) | ||||
Other income (expense) | (1,368,837 | ) | (147,430 | ) | ||||
Loss on extinguishment of debt | (15,818 | ) | (434,774 | ) | ||||
Loss on conversion of debt | — | (2,640,000 | ) | |||||
Foreign currency transaction gain (loss) | (74,764 | ) | 191,547 | |||||
Interest income | 2,114 | — | ||||||
Total Other Expenses | (12,766,448 | ) | (11,430,320 | ) | ||||
Net Loss Before Income Taxes | (39,987,864 | ) | (31,683,155 | ) | ||||
Deferred Tax Benefit | 2,906,400 | 4,137,900 | ||||||
Net Loss | $ | (37,081,464 | ) | $ | (27,545,255 | ) | ||
Loss per common share: | ||||||||
Basic | $ | (0.82 | ) | $ | (1.70 | ) | ||
Diluted | $ | (0.82 | ) | $ | (1.70 | ) | ||
Weighted-average shares outstanding: | ||||||||
Basic | 45,293,697 | 16,238,036 | ||||||
Diluted | 45,293,697 | 16,238,036 |
(1) | These are exclusive of depreciation and amortization |
See Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
F-7
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE LOSS
Year Ended December 31, |
January 10,
2019 (Inception) to December 31, |
|||||||
(Amounts in US$’s) | 2020 | 2019 | ||||||
Net Loss | $ | (37,081,464 | ) | $ | (27,545,255 | ) | ||
Other Comprehensive Income: | ||||||||
Foreign currency translation adjustment | 23,383 | (23,383 | ) | |||||
Total Comprehensive Loss | $ | (37,058,081 | ) | $ | (27,568,638 | ) |
See Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
F-8
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
(Amounts in US$’s, except | Preferred Stock | Common Stock |
Additional
Paid-In |
Accumulated
Other Comprehensive |
Treasury | Accumulated |
Total
Stockholders’ |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
share data) | Shares | Amount | Shares | Amount | Capital | Loss | Stock | Deficit | Equity | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
December 31, 2019 | — | $ | — | 42,775,415 | $ | 12,833 | $ | 130,553,180 | $ | (23,383 | ) | $ | (50,000 | ) | $ | (27,545,255 | ) | $ | 102,947,375 | |||||||||||||||||
Issuance of common stock for Virtual Network Communications Inc. acquisition | — | — | 3,912,737 | 1,174 | 11,854,418 | — | — | — | 11,855,592 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of options for Virtual Network Communications Inc. acquisition | — | — | — | — | 2,239,950 | — | — | — | 2,239,950 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of warrants for Virtual Network Communications Inc. acquisition | — | — | — | — | 1,592,867 | — | — | — | 1,592,867 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of common stock for extinguishment of debt and interest | — | — | 759,377 | 227 | 3,953,808 | — | — | — | 3,954,035 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of common stock for conversion of debt, interest and penalty | — | — | 788,185 | 236 | 2,319,969 | — | — | — | 2,320,205 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of common stock for debt issue costs | — | — | 150,001 | 45 | 1,396,955 | — | — | — | 1,397,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Beneficial conversion feature | — | — | — | — | 795,999 | — | — | — | 795,999 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Share-based compensation | — | — | 633,334 | 190 | 712,584 | — | — | — | 712,774 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Non-cash contribution from Chief Executive Officer | — | — | — | — | 881,126 | — | — | — | 881,126 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Common stock issued for cash | — | — | 63,948 | 19 | 331,823 | — | — | — | 331,842 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of common stock as vendor compensation | — | — | 81,562 | 25 | 330,096 | — | — | — | 330,121 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of common stock for settlement of accounts payable | — | — | 55,032 | 17 | 193,143 | — | — | — | 193,160 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of warrants for debt issue costs | — | — | — | — | 297,726 | — | — | — | 297,726 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of common stock for payment of accrued interest | — | — | 7,066 | 2 | 38,362 | — | — | — | 38,364 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of warrants as vendor compensation | — | — | — | — | 24,782 | — | — | — | 24,782 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of common stock for exercise of warrants | — | — | 94,510 | 28 | 2,807 | — | — | — | 2,835 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of common stock as a settlement | — | — | 100,000 | 30 | 689,970 | — | — | — | 690,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of common stock for cashless exercise of warrants | — | — | 16,667 | 5 | (5 | ) | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of common stock for cashless exercise of options | — | — | 5,041 | 2 | (2 | ) | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Effect of rounding from reverse stock split | — | — | 1,814 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net loss | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | (37,081,464 | ) | (37,081,464 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other comprehensive gain | — | — | — | — | — | 23,383 | — | — | 23,383 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
December 31, 2020 | — | $ | — | 49,444,689 | $ | 14,833 | $ | 158,209,558 | $ | — | $ | (50,000 | ) | $ | (64,626,719 | ) | $ | 93,547,672 |
F-9
COMSOVEREIGN HOLDING CORP.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
(Amounts in US$’s, except | Preferred Stock | Common Stock |
Additional
Paid-In |
Accumulated
Other Comprehensive |
Treasury | Accumulated |
Total
Stockholders’ |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
share data) | Shares | Amount | Shares | Amount | Capital | Loss | Stock | Deficit | Equity | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
January 10, 2019 (Inception) | — | $ | — | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | ||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of founder shares at inception | — | — | 9,296,667 | 2,789 | — | — | — | — | 2,789 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of preferred stock for VEO acquisition | 1,500,000 | 150 | — | — | 13,214,850 | — | — | — | 13,215,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of preferred stock for InduraPower, Inc. acquisition | 800,000 | 80 | — | — | 7,047,920 | — | — | — | 7,048,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of preferred stock for Silver Bullet Technology, Inc. acquisition | 300,000 | 30 | — | — | 2,642,970 | — | — | — | 2,643,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of common stock for DragonWave-X LLC and Lextrum, Inc. acquisitions | — | — | 4,412,382 | 1,324 | 58,242,132 | — | — | — | 58,243,456 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Common stock issued for cash | — | — | 166,667 | 50 | 4,950 | — | — | — | 5,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of common stock issued for cashless exercise of warrants | — | — | 1,124,167 | 337 | 33,388 | — | — | — | 33,725 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of common stock for conversion of senior convertible debentures | — | — | 366,667 | 110 | 3,752,388 | — | — | — | 3,752,498 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of common stock for conversion of debt | — | — | 53,334 | 16 | 703,984 | — | — | — | 704,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of warrants as vendor compensation | — | — | — | — | 4,074,330 | — | — | — | 4,074,330 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of warrants in conjunction with debt agreements | — | — | — | — | 3,138,667 | — | — | — | 3,138,667 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of common stock for debt issue costs | — | — | 411,714 | 123 | 7,805,489 | — | — | — | 7,805,612 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of common stock as vendor compensation | — | — | 40,000 | 12 | 525,290 | — | — | — | 525,302 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Share-based compensation | — | — | 15,220 | 5 | 258,256 | — | — | — | 258,261 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Beneficial conversion feature | — | — | — | — | 855,549 | — | — | — | 855,549 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Conversion of preferred stock | (2,600,000 | ) | (260 | ) | 866,667 | 260 | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Conversion of COMSovereign Corp. stock at 0.8902 into Drone Aviation Holding Corp. stock | — | — | 14,913,183 | 4,474 | (4,474 | ) | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Merger with Drone Aviation Holding Corp. | — | — | 11,108,747 | 3,333 | 28,257,491 | — | (50,000 | ) | — | 28,210,824 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net loss | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | (27,545,255 | ) | (27,545,255 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other comprehensive loss | — | — | — | — | — | (23,383 | ) | — | — | (23,383 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
December 31, 2019 | — | $ | — | 42,775,415 | $ | 12,833 | $ | 130,553,180 | $ | (23,383 | ) | $ | (50,000 | ) | $ | (27,545,255 | ) | $ | 102,947,375 |
See Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
F-10
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Amounts in US$’s) |
Year Ended
December 31, 2020 |
January 10,
2019 (Inception) to December 31, 2019 |
||||||
Cash flows from operating activities: | ||||||||
Net loss | $ | (37,081,464 | ) | $ | (27,545,255 | ) | ||
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: | ||||||||
Depreciation | 1,107,400 | 623,884 | ||||||
Amortization | 11,409,768 | 6,943,300 | ||||||
Amortization of financing lease right-of-use asset | 14,284 | — | ||||||
Share-based compensation | 712,774 | 258,261 | ||||||
Deferred income taxes | (2,906,400 | ) | (4,137,900 | ) | ||||
Amortization of debt discounts and debt issuance costs | 8,936,632 | 8,458,341 | ||||||
Operating lease expense | 626,655 | 135,542 | ||||||
Bad debt expense | 1,007,715 | — | ||||||
Gain on the sale of assets | (663 | ) | (98,410 | ) | ||||
Paid-in-kind penalties and interest | 723,984 | — | ||||||
Loss on extinguishment of debt | 15,818 | 434,774 | ||||||
Settlement paid in common stock | 690,000 | — | ||||||
Loss on conversion of debt | — | 2,640,000 | ||||||
Other, net | 356,618 | 525,302 | ||||||
Changes in assets and liabilities: | ||||||||
Accounts receivable | 373,611 | (26,992 | ) | |||||
Receivables-related party | 1,595 | (4,876,258 | ) | |||||
Inventory | 382,728 | (1,136,012 | ) | |||||
Prepaids | (173,840 | ) | (767,355 | ) | ||||
Other current assets | (305,706 | ) | (93,289 | ) | ||||
Other non-current assets | (30,413 | ) | — | |||||
Accounts payable | 3,524,988 | (1,141,823 | ) | |||||
Accrued liabilities | (365,495 | ) | 2,295,273 | |||||
Accrued interest | 2,032,715 | 1,109,252 | ||||||
(Repayments)/advances from related party | (141,286 | ) | 9,826,112 | |||||
Contract liabilities | 561,487 | — | ||||||
Operating lease liabilities | (425,838 | ) | (123,534 | ) | ||||
Other current liabilities | 2,932,028 | (156,460 | ) | |||||
Net cash (used in) operating activities | (6,020,305 | ) | (6,853,247 | ) | ||||
Cash flows from investing activities: | ||||||||
Business acquisitions | (3,146,500 | ) | 2,925,273 | |||||
Purchases of property and equipment | (176,697 | ) | (87,038 | ) | ||||
Proceeds from disposal of property and equipment | 663 | — | ||||||
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities | (3,322,534 | ) | 2,838,235 | |||||
Cash flows from financing activities: | ||||||||
Principal payment on finance lease | (28,455 | ) | — | |||||
Proceeds from issuance of related party note | 2,710,000 | 485,000 | ||||||
Payment on line of credit | (2,000,000 | ) | — | |||||
Proceeds from sale of common stock | 331,842 | 5,000 | ||||||
Proceeds from issuance of debt | 9,627,781 | 6,249,170 | ||||||
Proceeds from issuance of warrant | 200 | — | ||||||
Debt issuance costs | (313,000 | ) | (80,000 | ) | ||||
Repayment of debt | (1,090,862 | ) | (1,808,323 | ) | ||||
Net cash provided by financing activities | 9,237,506 | 4,850,847 | ||||||
Effect of exchange rates on cash | 23,383 | (23,383 | ) | |||||
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents | (81,950 | ) | 812,452 | |||||
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period | 812,452 | — | ||||||
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period | $ | 730,502 | $ | 812,452 | ||||
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information: | ||||||||
Cash paid during the period: | ||||||||
Taxes | $ | — | $ | — | ||||
Interest | 395,911 | — | ||||||
Non-cash investing and financing activities: | ||||||||
Issuance of common stock for Virtual Network Communications, Inc. acquisition | 11,855,592 | — | ||||||
Issuance of options for Virtual Network Communications Inc. acquisition | 2,239,950 | — | ||||||
Issuance of warrants for Virtual Network Communications Inc. acquisition | 1,592,867 | — | ||||||
Issuance of preferred stock for VEO acquisition | — | 13,215,000 | ||||||
Issuance of preferred stock for InduraPower, Inc. acquisition | — | 7,048,000 | ||||||
Issuance of preferred stock for Silver Bullet Technology, Inc. acquisition | — | 2,643,000 | ||||||
Issuance of common stock for Lextrum, Inc. acquisition | — | 16,162,064 | ||||||
Issuance of common stock for DragonWave-X LLC acquisition | — | 42,081,392 | ||||||
Issuance of common stock for extinguishment of debt | 2,343,400 | — | ||||||
Issuance of common stock for conversion of related party note | 1,900,000 | — | ||||||
Issuance of common stock as debt issuance costs | 1,397,000 | 7,805,612 | ||||||
Issuance of common stock in exchange of related party note and related interest and penalty | 1,292,953 | — | ||||||
Contribution from Chief Executive Officer of common stock as debt issuance costs | 881,126 | — | ||||||
Beneficial conversion feature | 795,999 | 855,549 | ||||||
Debt incurred to sellers for Fast Plastics Parts LLC and Spring Creek Manufacturing, Inc. acquisition | 575,574 | — | ||||||
Deferral of unpaid offering costs | 408,871 | |||||||
Issuance of common stock to settle interest and penalty | 383,215 | — | ||||||
Issuance of common stock as vendor compensation | 330,121 | — | ||||||
Issuance of warrants in conjunction with debt agreements | 297,726 | 3,138,667 | ||||||
Issuance of common stock for conversion of debt | 285,714 | 704,000 | ||||||
Settlement of VNC notes receivable and interest in connection with the acquisition | 251,247 | — | ||||||
Recognition of operating lease right-of-use asset and liability | 239,019 | — | ||||||
Issuance of common stock as settlement of accounts payable | 193,160 | — | ||||||
Recognition of operating lease right-of-use asset and liability rent abatement | 188,790 | — | ||||||
Recognition of finance lease right-of-use asset and liability | 63,967 | — | ||||||
Reclassification of prepaid rent to operating lease right-of-use asset | 54,148 | — | ||||||
Issuance of warrants as vendor compensation | 24,782 | 4,074,330 | ||||||
Issuance of common stock for cashless exercise of warrants or options | 7 | 33,725 | ||||||
Issuance of common stock for conversion of senior convertible debentures | — | 3,725,498 | ||||||
Recognition of operating right-of-use asset and liability | — | 2,335,224 | ||||||
Issuance of founder shares at inception | — | 2,789 |
See Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statement
F-11
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Year Ended December 31, 2020 and the Period from January 10, 2019 (Inception) to December 31, 2019
1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION
Description of Business
COMSovereign Holding Corp. (“the “Company”), formerly known as Drone Aviation Holding Corp., is a provider of technologically-advanced telecom solutions to network operators, mobile device carriers, governmental units and other enterprises worldwide. The Company has assembled a portfolio of communications, power and portable infrastructure technologies, capabilities and products that enable the upgrading of latent 3G networks to 4G and 4G-LTE networks and will facilitate the rapid rollout of the 5G and “next-Generation” (“nG”) networks of the future. The Company focuses on novel capabilities, including signal modulations, antennae, software, hardware and firmware technologies that enable increasingly efficient data transmission across the radio-frequency spectrum. The Company’s product solutions are complemented by a broad array of services including technical support, systems design and integration, and sophisticated research and development programs. The Company competes globally on the basis of its innovative technology, broad product offerings, high-quality and cost-effective customer solutions, as well as the scale of its global customer base and distribution. In addition, the Company believes it is in a unique position to rapidly increase its near-term domestic sales as it is among the few U.S.-based providers of telecommunications equipment and services.
Acquisition of COMSovereign Corp.
The Company was incorporated under the laws of the State of Nevada on April 17, 2014. On November 27, 2019, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of November 27, 2019 (the “Merger Agreement”) with COMSovereign Corp., a Delaware corporation (“COMSovereign”), and DACS Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“Merger Sub”). The Merger Agreement provided for the merger of Merger Sub with and into COMSovereign (hereafter referred to as the “COMSovereign Acquisition”). As a result of the COMSovereign Acquisition, Merger Sub ceased to exist, and COMSovereign became the surviving corporation and a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. Additionally, the former stockholders of COMSovereign (the “COMSovereign Stockholders”) received a direct equity ownership and controlling equity interest in the Company. For each share of COMSovereign common stock, the stockholder received 5.6706 shares of the Company’s common stock. The COMSovereign Acquisition was completed on November 27, 2019. On December 10, 2019, the Company changed its name from Drone Aviation Holding Corp. to COMSovereign Holding Corp.
The COMSovereign Acquisition was accounted for as a reverse merger with COMSovereign acquiring the assets of the Company, and the net assets, including other intangible assets, of the Company prior to the COMSovereign Acquisition being recorded at fair value with the excess purchase price allocated to goodwill. As a result of the completion of the COMSovereign Acquisition, these consolidated financial statements include (1) the assets and liabilities of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, including COMSovereign and its subsidiaries, as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, (2) the historical operations of COMSovereign from inception (January 10, 2019) to the date of consummation of the COMSovereign Acquisition, and (3) and the operations of the Company and its subsidiaries from the date of completion of the COMSovereign Acquisition (November 27, 2019) forward.
F-12
Corporate History of COMSovereign
COMSovereign was incorporated in the state of Delaware on January 10, 2019. From the date of incorporation until the date of its first acquisition, as described below, COMSovereign had no business operations.
On January 12, 2019, two founding members of COMSovereign each acquired 2,000,000 shares of common stock at a value of $0.0001 per share of common stock with no cash paid to COMSovereign and no services required.
On January 20, 2019, the same two founding members of COMSovereign each acquired an additional 2,000,000 shares of common stock at a value of $0.0001 per share of common stock with no cash paid to COMSovereign and no services required.
On January 22, 2019, an additional 11 founding members of COMSovereign acquired an aggregate of 1,096,667 shares of common stock at a value of $0.0001 per share of common stock with no cash paid to COMSovereign and no services required.
On January 23, 2019, one of the additional 11 founding members acquired an additional 166,667 shares of common stock at a value of $0.0001 per share of common stock with no cash paid to COMSovereign and no services required.
On January 29, 2019, an additional founding member of COMSovereign acquired 33,334 shares of common stock at a value of $0.0001 per share of common stock with no cash paid to COMSovereign and no services required.
On January 31, 2019, COMSovereign acquired the capital stock of VEO, a California corporation (“VEO”). VEO is a research and development company innovating silicon photonic (“SiP”) technologies for use in copper-to-fiber-to-copper switching, high-speed computing, high-speed ethernet, autonomous vehicle applications, mobile devices and 5G wireless equipment. In connection with the purchase of VEO, COMSovereign issued 500,000 unregistered shares of Series A Redeemable Convertible Preferred stock (“Preferred Series A”) to Dr. Chen K. Sun, who is also a founding member of COMSovereign.
On January 31, 2019, COMSovereign acquired the capital stock of InduraPower Inc. (“InduraPower”). InduraPower is a manufacturer of intelligent batteries and back-up power supplies for network systems and telecom nodes. It also provides power designs and batteries for aerospace, marine and automotive industries. In connection with the purchase of InduraPower, COMSovereign issued an aggregate of 266,667 unregistered Preferred Series A shares. Of those 266,667 shares, 229,600 Preferred Series A shares were issued to Sergei Begliarov, who is a founding member of COMSovereign and who became the Chief Executive Officer of InduraPower, and the balance was distributed to four other shareholders.
On March 4, 2019, COMSovereign acquired the capital stock of Silver Bullet Technology, Inc. (“Silver Bullet”). Silver Bullet is an engineering firm that designs and develops next generation network systems and components, including large-scale network protocol development, software-defined radio-systems and wireless network designs. In connection with the purchase of Silver Bullet, COMSovereign issued 100,000 unregistered Preferred Series A shares to Dr. Dustin McIntire, who is a founding member of COMSovereign and who became the Company’s Chief Technology Officer.
F-13
On April 1, 2019, COMSovereign acquired the equity securities of DragonWave-X, LLC and its operating subsidiaries, DragonWave Corp. and DragonWave-X Canada, Inc. (collectively, “DragonWave”), a Dallas-based manufacturer of high-capacity microwave and millimeter wave point-to-point telecom backhaul radio units. DragonWave and its predecessor have been selling telecom backhaul radios since 2012 and its microwave radios have been installed in over 330,000 locations in more than 100 countries worldwide. According to a report by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, as of December 2019, DragonWave was the second largest provider of licensed point-to-point microwave backhaul radios in North America.
On April 1, 2019, COMSovereign acquired the capital stock of Lextrum Inc. (“Lextrum”), a Tucson, Arizona-based developer of in band full-duplex wireless technologies and components, including multi-reconfigurable RF antennae and software programs. Lextrum’s duplexing technology enables capacity doubling in a given spectrum band by allowing simultaneous transmission and receipt of radio signals on the same frequencies.
In connection with the purchase of DragonWave and Lextrum, COMSovereign issued an aggregate of 13,237,149 shares of common stock to the shareholders of the parent company of DragonWave and Lextrum. Included in those shareholders were Daniel L. Hodges, the Chairman of the parent company, and John E. Howell, the Director and Chief Executive Officer of the parent company. In accordance with the subsections of ASC 805-50, Business Combinations, Transactions Between Entities Under Common Control, the Company noted common control did not exist based on either voting interests or qualitative factors; therefore, the Company concluded that the transaction was considered at arms-length and accounted for the transaction based on ASC 805, Business Combinations.
On November 15, 2019, the 866,667 outstanding shares of Preferred Series A were exchanged for an aggregate of 866,667 shares of COMSovereign’s common stock.
On March 6, 2020, the Company’s newly-formed subsidiary, Sovereign Plastics LLC (“Sovereign Plastics”), acquired substantially all of the assets of a Colorado Springs, Colorado-based manufacturer of plastics and metal components to third-party manufacturers. The consideration paid was the purchase price of $829,347, representing cash paid on the closing date of $253,773 and short-term debt incurred to the sellers of $575,574. The Company acquired its Sovereign Plastics business to increase its operating margins by reducing the manufacturing and production costs of its telecom products. Sovereign Plastics will also primarily operate as the material, component manufacturing and supply chain source for all of the Company’s subsidiaries. The Company does not expect the revenues of Sovereign Plastics from sales to third parties to be material in the future.
On July 6, 2020, the Company completed its acquisition (the “VNC Acquisition”) of Virtual Network Communications Inc., a Virginia corporation (“VNC”), pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization dated as of May 21, 2020 (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, CHC Merger Sub 7, Inc. and VNC Acquisition LLC, VNC and Mohan Tammisetti, solely in his capacity as the representative of the security holders of VNC. In connection with the VNC Acquisition, the final adjusted total purchase price consideration amounted to $18,832,383, representing (i) cash paid on the closing date of $2,892,727, (ii) 3,912,737 shares of the Company’s common stock with a fair value of $11,855,592 or $3.03 per share, of which an aggregate of 1,333,334 shares is being held in an escrow fund for purposes of satisfying any post-closing indemnification claims of the former VNC security holders under the Merger Agreement, (iii) options to purchase an aggregate 841,837 shares of the Company’s common stock with a fair value of $2,239,950, (iv) warrants to purchase an aggregate 578,763 shares of the Company’s common stock with a fair value of $1,592,867, and (v) settlement of a note receivable and related interest receivable pre-existing relationship in the amount of $251,247. VNC is an edge compute focused wireless telecommunications technology developer and equipment manufacturer of both 4G LTE Advanced and 5G capable radio equipment. VNC designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and supports a line of network products for wireless network operators, mobile virtual network operators, cable TV system operators, and government and business enterprises that enable new sources of revenue, and reduce capital and operating expenses. VNC is reinventing how wireless networks service mission-critical communications for Public Safety, Homeland Security, Department of Defense and commercial Private Network users. We envision the future of virtualized micro networks blanketing the globe without expensive terrestrial based radio towers and building installation. VNC’s patented technology virtualizes entire LTE Advanced and 5G core and radio solutions. VNC’s products eliminate much of the costly backbone equipment of telecom networks. VNC also has developed rapidly deployable, tactical systems that can be combined with the tethered aerostats and drones, including from COMSovereign’s Drone Aviation subsidiary, enabling operating in nearly any location in the world.
Each of the Company’s subsidiaries was acquired to address a different opportunity or segment within the North American telecom infrastructure and service market.
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements of the Company were prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. The historical information is not necessarily indicative of the Company’s future results of operations, financial position or cash flows.
As described in Note 13 – Shareholders’ Equity, effective January 21, 2021, the Company enacted a 1-for-3 reverse stock split (the “Split”) of the Company’s common stock. The consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes give effect to the Split as if it occurred at the beginning of the first period presented.
F-14
Principle of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements as of, and for the year ended December 31, 2020 and as of, and for the period from January 10, 2019 (inception) to December 31, 2019 (“fiscal 2019”) include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries: Drone AFS Corp., Lighter Than Air Systems Corp., DragonWave, Lextrum, Silver Bullet, VEO, InduraPower, Sovereign Plastics and VNC. All intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents are represented by operating accounts or money market accounts maintained with insured financial institutions, including all short-term, highly-liquid investments with maturities of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. The Company had no cash equivalents as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.
Accounts Receivable and Credit Policies
Trade accounts receivable consist of amounts due from the sale of the Company’s products and services. Such accounts receivable are uncollateralized customer obligations due under normal trade terms requiring payment within 30 to 45 days of receipt of the invoice. The Company provides an allowance for doubtful accounts equal to the estimated uncollectible amounts based on historical collection experience and a review of the current status of trade accounts receivable. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company characterized $1,686,731 and $690,830, respectively, as uncollectible.
Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash and trade accounts receivables. The Company places its cash with high-credit-quality financial institutions. At times, such cash may be in excess of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insurance coverage limit of $250,000 per depositor. As a result, there could be a concentration of credit risk related to amounts on deposit in excess of FDIC insurance coverage. The Company has not experienced any losses due to these excess deposits and believes the risk is not significant. With respect to trade receivables, management routinely assesses the financial strength of its customers and, as a consequence, believes that the receivable credit risk exposure is limited.
F-15
Related Parties
The Company accounts for related party transactions in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 850, Related Party Disclosures. A party is considered to be related to the Company if the party directly or indirectly or through one or more intermediaries’ controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the Company. Related parties also include principal owners of the Company, its management, members of the immediate families of principal owners of the Company and its management and other parties with which the Company may deal if one party controls or can significantly influence the management or operating policies of the other to an extent that one of the transacting parties might be prevented from fully pursuing its own separate interests. A party which can significantly influence the management or operating policies of the transacting parties or if it has an ownership interest in one of the transacting parties and can significantly influence the other to an extent that one or more of the transacting parties might be prevented from fully pursuing its own separate interests is also a related party.
Inventory
Inventory is valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value (“NRV”). The cost of inventory is calculated on a standard cost basis, which approximates weighted average actual cost. NRV is determined as the market value for finished goods, replacement cost for raw materials and finished goods market value less cost to complete for work in progress inventory. The Company regularly reviews inventory quantities on hand and records an impairment for excess and obsolete inventory, when necessary, based on factors including its estimated forecast of product demand, the stage of the product life cycle and production requirements for the units in question. Indirect manufacturing costs and direct labor expenses are allocated systematically to the total production inventory.
Property and Equipment, net
Property and equipment are stated at cost when acquired. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the related assets as follows:
Asset Type | Useful Life | |
Shop machinery and equipment | 3-5 years | |
Computers and electronics | 2 years | |
Office furniture and fixtures | 3 – 5 years | |
Leasehold improvements | Shorter of remaining lease term or 5 years |
Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred, whereas expenditures for major renewals and betterments that extend the useful lives of property and equipment are capitalized.
Long-Lived Assets and Goodwill
The Company accounts for long-lived assets in accordance with the provisions of ASC 360-10-35, Property, Plant and Equipment, Impairment or Disposal of Long-lived Assets. This accounting standard requires that long-lived assets be reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to future undiscounted net cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If the carrying amount of an asset exceeds its estimated future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized by the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds the fair value of the asset.
F-16
The Company accounts for goodwill and intangible assets in accordance with ASC 350, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other. Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price of an entity over the estimated fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. ASC 350 requires that goodwill and other intangibles with indefinite lives be tested for impairment annually or on an interim basis if events or circumstances indicate that the fair value of an asset has decreased below its carrying value. During the fourth quarter of 2020, the Company adopted ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. This guidance simplifies the accounting for goodwill impairment by removing Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test, which requires a hypothetical purchase price allocation. Goodwill impairment will now be the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill. The adoption of this standard had no material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements. During fiscal 2020 and 2019, the Company recorded no impairments. At December 31, 2020, one reporting unit was identified with a zero or negative carrying value of net assets. Goodwill allocated to that reporting unit totaled $47,926 at December 31, 2020.
Beneficial Conversion Features and Warrants
The Company evaluates the conversion feature of convertible debt instruments to determine whether the conversion feature was beneficial as described in ASC 470-30, Debt with Conversion and Other Options. The Company records a beneficial conversion feature (“BCF”) related to the issuance of convertible debt that has conversion features at fixed or adjustable rates that are in-the-money when issued and records the relative fair value of any warrants issued with those instruments. The BCF for the convertible instruments is recognized and measured by allocating a portion of the proceeds to the warrants and as a reduction to the carrying amount of the convertible instrument equal to the intrinsic value of the conversion features, both of which are credited to additional paid-in capital. The Company calculates the fair value of warrants with the convertible instruments using the Black-Scholes valuation model.
Under these guidelines, the Company first allocates the value of the proceeds received from a convertible debt transaction between the convertible debt instrument and any other detachable instruments included in the transaction (such as warrants) on a relative fair value basis. A BCF is then measured as the intrinsic value of the conversion option at the commitment date, representing the difference between the effective conversion price and the Company’s stock price on the commitment date multiplied by the number of shares into which the debt instrument is convertible. The allocated value of the BCF and warrants are recorded as a debt discount and accreted over the expected term of the convertible debt as interest expense. If the intrinsic value of the BCF is greater than the proceeds allocated to the convertible debt instrument, the amount of the discount assigned to the BCF is limited to the amount of the proceeds allocated to the convertible debt instrument.
Fair Value Measurements
Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (exit price). ASC 820 established a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (level 1 measurement) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (level 3 measurement) as follows:
Level 1 – Observable inputs that reflect quoted prices are available in active markets for identical assets or liabilities as of the reporting date. Active markets are those in which transactions for the asset or liability occur in sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis.
Level 2 – Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability and market corroborated inputs.
Level 3 – Unobservable inputs for which there is little, if any, market activity for the asset or liability being measured. These inputs may be used with standard pricing models or other valuation or internally-developed methodologies that result in management’s best estimate of fair value.
F-17
The Company utilizes fair value measurements primarily in conjunction with the valuation of assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination. In addition, certain nonfinancial assets and liabilities are to be measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis in accordance with applicable GAAP. In general, nonfinancial assets including goodwill, other intangible assets and property and equipment are measured at fair value when there is an indication of impairment and are recorded at fair value only when an impairment is recognized. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company had not recorded any impairment related to such assets and had no other material nonfinancial assets or liabilities requiring adjustments or write-downs to their current fair value.
As allowed by applicable FASB guidance, the Company has elected not to apply the fair value option for financial assets and liabilities to any of its currently eligible financial assets or liabilities. The Company’s financial instruments consist of cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable and notes payable. The Company has determined that the book value of its outstanding financial instruments as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, approximated their fair value due to their short-term nature.
Debt Discounts
The Company records debt discounts as a deduction from the carrying amount of the related indebtedness on its Consolidated Balance Sheet with the respective debt discount amortized in interest expense on its Consolidated Statement of Operations. In connection with the issuance of certain notes payable and senior convertible debentures, the Company, or its subsidiaries, issued warrants to purchase shares of its common stock and has BCFs. See Note 10 – Debt Agreements and Note 14 – Share-Based Compensation. The warrants are exercisable at various exercise prices per share. The Company evaluated the terms of these warrants at issuance and concluded that they should be treated as equity. The fair value of the warrants was determined by using the Black-Scholes model and was recorded as a debt discount offsetting the carrying value of the debt obligation in the Consolidated Balance Sheet.
As described above under Beneficial Conversion Features and Warrants, the Company first allocates the value of the proceeds received from a convertible debt transaction between the convertible debt instrument and any other detachable instruments included in the transaction (such as warrants) on a relative fair value basis. A BCF is then measured as the intrinsic value of the conversion option at the commitment date, representing the difference between the effective conversion price and the Company’s stock price on the commitment date multiplied by the number of shares into which the debt instrument is convertible. The allocated value of the BCF and warrants are recorded as a debt discount and accreted over the expected term of the convertible debt as interest expense. If the intrinsic value of the BCF is greater than the proceeds allocated to the convertible debt instrument, the amount of the discount assigned to the BCF is limited to the amount of the proceeds allocated to the convertible debt instrument.
F-18
Debt Issuance Costs
The Company presents debt issuance costs as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the related indebtedness on its Consolidated Balance Sheet and amortizes these costs over the term of the related debt liability using the straight-line method, which approximates the effective interest method. Amortization is recorded in interest expense on the Consolidated Statement of Operations.
Foreign Currency Translation
The Company’s operations and balances denominated in foreign currencies, including those of its foreign Canadian subsidiary, DragonWave, that are primarily a direct and integral component or extension of the Company’s operations, are translated into U.S. dollars (“USD”) using the following: monetary assets and liabilities are translated at the period end exchange rate; non-monetary assets are translated at the historical exchange rate; and revenue and expense items are translated at the average exchange rate and records the translation adjustments in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are included in foreign currency transaction gain (loss) in the Consolidated Statement of Operations.
Revenue Recognition
Starting at January 10, 2019 (date of inception), the Company accounts for revenue from contracts with customers in accordance with ASU No. 2017-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers and a series of related accounting standard updates (collectively referred to as “Topic 606”). This guidance sets forth a five-step revenue recognition model which replaced the prior revenue recognition guidance in its entirety and is intended to eliminate numerous industry-specific pieces of revenue recognition guidance and to require more detailed disclosures. The five steps of the revenue recognition model are: (1) identify the contract(s) with a customer; (2) identify the performance obligations in the contract; (3) determine the transaction price; (4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (5) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation.
At contract inception, the Company assesses the goods and services promised in the contract with customers and identifies a performance obligation for each. To determine the performance obligation, the Company considers all products and services promised in the contract regardless of whether they are explicitly stated or implied by customary business practices. The timing of satisfaction of the performance obligation is not subject to significant judgment. The Company measures revenue as the amount of consideration expected to be received in exchange for transferring goods and services. Revenue is recognized net of any taxes collected from customers that are subsequently remitted to governmental authorities.
Management has determined that it has the following performance obligations related to its products and services: equipment, software license, extended warranty, training, installation and consulting service. Revenue from equipment, software license, training and installation are all recognized at a point in time when control of the goods is transferred to the customer, generally occurring upon shipment or delivery dependent upon the terms of the underlying contract, or services is completed. Revenue from extended warranties is recognized over time using an input method that results in a straight-line basis recognition over the warranty period, as the contract usually provides the customer equal benefit throughout the warranty period. Revenue from consulting services is recognized over time using an input method of labor hours expensed, as it directly measures the efforts toward satisfying the performance obligation.
F-19
For contracts with customers that contain multiple performance obligations, the Company accounts for the promised performance obligations separately as individual performance obligations if they are distinct. In determining whether performance obligations meet the criteria for being distinct, the Company considers a number of factors, including the degree of interrelation and interdependence between obligations and whether or not the good or service significantly modifies or transforms another good or service in the contract. After identifying the separate performance obligations, the transaction price is allocated to the separate performance obligations on a relative standalone selling price basis. The Company generally determines the standalone selling prices based on the prices charged to customers. Judgment may be used to determine the standalone selling prices for items that are not sold separately, including taking into consideration either historical pricing practices or an adjusted market assessment. Unsatisfied and partially unsatisfied performance obligations as of the end of the reporting period primarily consist of products and services for which customer purchase orders have been accepted and that are in the process of being delivered.
Transaction price is calculated as the selling price less any variable consideration, consisting of rebates and discounts. Discounts provided to customers are known at contract inception. Rebates are calculated on the “expected value” method where the Company (1) estimates the probability of each rebate amount which could be earned by the distributor, (2) multiplies each estimated amount by its assigned probability factor, and (3) calculates a final sum of each of the probability-weighted amounts calculated in step (2). The sum calculated in step (3) is the rebate amount, which along with discounts reduces the amount of revenue recognized.
The Company has elected to account for shipping and handling activities that occur after the customer has obtained control of a good as a fulfillment cost rather than as an additional promised service. As a result, the Company accrues the costs of shipping and handling when the related revenue is recognized. Costs incurred for shipping and handling are included in costs of goods sold on the Consolidated Statement of Operations. Amounts billed to a customer for shipping and handling are reported as revenue on the Consolidated Statement of Operations.
The Company provides limited warranties for products sold to customers, typically for 13 months, covering product defects. Such limited warranties are not sold separately and do not provide customers with a service in addition to assurance of compliance with agreed-upon specifications. Accordingly, these types of limited warranties are not considered to be separate performance obligations. In accordance with applicable guidance, the expected cost of the limited warranties is recorded as accrued warranty liability on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. Optional extended warranties are sold to customers and include additional support services.
The Company records contract assets when it has a right to consideration and records accounts receivable when it has an unconditional right to consideration. The Company records contract liabilities when cash payments are received (or unconditional rights to receive cash) in advance of fulfilling its performance obligations. When the services have been performed or the goods delivered, revenue will be recognized, and contract liabilities will be reduced.
The Company does not disclose the value of unsatisfied performance obligations for contracts with an original expected length of one year or less. The majority of the Company’s performance obligations in its contracts with customers relate to contracts with durations of less than one year. The transaction price allocated to unsatisfied performance obligations included in contracts with durations of more than 12 months is reflected in contract liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet.
Applying a practical expedient, the Company recognizes the incremental costs of obtaining contracts, which primarily consist of sales commissions, as expense when incurred if the amortization period of the assets that otherwise would have been recognized is one year or less. If the service period, inclusive of any anticipated renewal, is longer than a year, the incremental direct costs are capitalized and amortized over the period of benefit. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, there were no such capitalized costs.
The Company also applies the practical expedient not to adjust the promised amount of consideration for the effects of a financing component if the Company expects, at contract inception, that the period between when the Company transfers a good or service to the customer and when the customer pays for the good or service will be one year or less. During fiscal 2020 and 2019, there were no such financing components.
Research and Development
Research costs are expensed as incurred. Development costs are expensed as incurred unless they meet generally accepted accounting criteria for deferral and amortization. Development costs incurred prior to establishment of technological feasibility do not meet these criteria and are expensed as incurred.
F-20
Share-Based Compensation
The Company accounts for share-based compensation costs in accordance with ASC 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation. ASC 718 requires companies to measure the cost of awards of equity instruments, including stock options and restricted stock awards, based on the grant-date fair value of the award and to recognize it as compensation expense over the employee’s requisite service period or the non-employee’s vesting period. An employee’s requisite service period is the period of time over which an employee must provide service in exchange for an award under a share-based payment arrangement and generally is presumed to be the vesting period.
Beginning in 2020, for employee awards, the Company elected to utilize the simplified method of estimating the expected life of options as allowed by U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) 107. The Company believes this to be a better estimate of the expected life given the lack of historical information. For nonemployee awards, the Company will utilize the stated term of the award. Forfeitures will be accounted for as they occur for both employee and nonemployee awards. Upon exercise or conversion of any share-based payment transaction, the Company will issue shares, generally as new issuances.
Share-based compensation for employees and non-employees is recorded in the Consolidated Statement of Operations as a component of general and administrative expense with a corresponding increase to additional paid-in capital in shareholders’ equity.
Leases
Effective in the first quarter of 2019, the Company adopted ASU No. 2016-02, Leases and a series of related Accounting Standards Updates that followed (collectively referred to as “Topic 842”). Topic 842 requires organizations to recognize right-of-use (“ROU”) lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and to disclose key information about leasing arrangements. The classification criteria for distinguishing between finance leases and operating leases are substantially similar to the classification criteria for distinguishing between capital leases and operating leases in the previous lease guidance. The FASB retained the distinction between finance leases and operating leases, leaving the effect of leases in the statement of comprehensive income and the statement of cash flows largely unchanged from previous U.S. GAAP. The Company utilized the transition method allowed under ASU 2018-11 in which an entity initially applies the new lease standard at the adoption date and recognizes a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption, if any.
The Company determines, at contract inception, whether or not an arrangement contains a lease and evaluates the contract for classification as an operating or finance lease. For all leases, ROU assets and lease liabilities are recognized based on the present value of lease payments, including annual rent increases, over the lease term at commencement date. If the Company’s lease does not provide an implicit rate in the contract, the Company uses its incremental, secured borrowing rate based on lease term information available as of the adoption date or lease commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. Any renewal periods are considered in the analysis of each lease to the extent that the Company considers them to be reasonably certain of being exercised.
Costs associated with operating leases are recorded as a single lease cost on a straight-line basis over the life of the lease. The single lease cost includes the cost of amortizing the operating lease ROU asset and accretion expense related to the operating lease liability and is included in general and administrative expenses on the consolidated statement of operations. Costs associated with finance leases are recorded by amortizing the finance lease ROU asset, which is recorded as amortization on the consolidated statement of operations, and the accretion of the finance lease liability, recognized as interest expense on the Consolidated Statement of Operations.
For all leases with a term of 12 months or less, the Company has elected the practical expedient to not recognize ROU assets and lease liabilities.
See Note 16 — Leases for more information related to the Company’s leases.
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes utilizing ASC 740, Income Taxes. ASC 740 requires the measurement of deferred tax assets for deductible temporary differences and operating loss carry forwards and of deferred tax liabilities for taxable temporary differences. Measurement of current and deferred tax liabilities and assets is based on provisions of enacted tax law. The effects of future changes in tax laws or rates are not included in the measurement. The Company recognizes the amount of taxes payable or refundable for the current year and recognizes deferred tax liabilities and assets for the expected future tax consequences of events and transactions that have been recognized in the Company’s financial statements or tax returns. At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company has recorded a 100% valuation allowance against net deferred tax assets due to the uncertainty of their ultimate realization. Valuation allowances are established when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized.
F-21
The Company also follows the guidance for accounting for income tax uncertainties. In accounting for uncertainty in income taxes, the Company recognizes the financial statement benefit of a tax position only after determining that the relevant tax authority would more likely than not sustain the position following an audit. For tax positions meeting the more likely than not threshold, the amount recognized in the consolidated financial statements is the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement with the relevant tax authority. No liability for unrecognized tax benefits was recorded as of December 31, 2020 and 2019. If the Company has to recognize any interest or penalties associated with its tax positions or returns, any interest or penalties will be recorded as income tax expense in the Consolidated Statement of Operations.
Earnings or Loss per Share
The Company accounts for earnings or loss per share pursuant to ASC 260, Earnings Per Share, which requires disclosure on the financial statements of “basic” and “diluted” earnings (loss) per share. Basic earnings (loss) per share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings (loss) per share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding plus common stock equivalents (if dilutive) related to stock options, restricted stock awards and warrants for each period.
There were no adjustments to net loss, the numerator, for purposes of computing basic earnings per share. The following table sets out the computation of basic and diluted income (loss) per share:
Year Ended
December 31, |
January 10,
2019 (Inception) to December 31, |
|||||||
(Amounts in US$’s, except share data) | 2020 | 2019 | ||||||
Numerator: | ||||||||
Net Loss | $ | (37,081,464 | ) | $ | (27,545,255 | ) | ||
Numerator for basic earnings per share – loss available to common shareholders | $ | (37,081,464 | ) | $ | (27,545,255 | ) | ||
Denominator: | ||||||||
Denominator for basic earnings per share – weighted average common shares outstanding | 45,293,697 | 16,238,036 | ||||||
Dilutive effect of warrants and options | — | — | ||||||
Denominator for diluted earnings per share – weighted average common shares outstanding and assumed conversions | 45,293,697 | 16,238,036 | ||||||
Basic loss per common share | $ | (0.82 | ) | $ | (1.70 | ) | ||
Diluted loss per common share | $ | (0.82 | ) | $ | (1.70 | ) |
Potential common shares issuable to employees, non-employees and directors upon exercise or conversion of shares are excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per common share when the effect would be anti-dilutive. All potential common shares are dilutive in periods of net loss available to common shareholders. Stock options and warrants are anti-dilutive when the exercise price of these instruments is greater than the average market price of the Company’s common stock for the period (out-of-the-money), regardless of whether the Company is in a period of net loss available to common shareholders. The following weighted-average potential common shares were excluded from the diluted loss per common share as their effect was anti-dilutive as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively: stock options of 2,967,762 and 279,160, unvested restricted stock units of 349,997 and 52,031, and warrants of 477,160 and 16,166.
Subsequent to December 31, 2020, the Company completed two public offerings, during which the Company issued a total of 9,832,296 shares of common stock and warrants to purchase an aggregate of 4,913,832 shares of common stock. In February 2021, the Company completed an acquisition and issued 2,555,209 shares of common stock as partial consideration. Additionally, in January and February 2021, the Company compensated vendors with shares of common stock totaling 219,000 shares issued and issued restricted awards to a member of the Board of Directors totaling 66,667 restricted shares. See Note 19 – Subsequent Events for details regarding the subsequent public offerings. In addition, and also subsequent to December 31, 2020, the Company converted or exchanged certain debt resulting in an issuance of 3,331,755 shares of the Company’s common stock and warrants to purchase 2,751,556 shares of common stock. See Note 10 – Debt Agreements for details regarding the subsequent conversions and exchanges.
Reportable Segments
U.S. GAAP establishes standards for reporting financial and descriptive information about a company’s reportable segments. Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise about which separate financial information is available that is evaluated regularly by the chief operating decision maker, or decision-making group, in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance. The chief operating decision maker is the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, who currently reviews the financial performance and the results of operations of our operating subsidiaries on a consolidated basis when making decisions about allocating resources and assessing performance of the Company. Accordingly, the Company currently considers itself to be in a single reporting segment for reporting purposes focused on the North American development, manufacturing and production of products and services for the telecom infrastructure market.
As it is still in the early stages of development, the Company historically managed its subsidiaries within this single operating segment and do not assess the performance of our product lines or geographic regions or other measures of income or expense, such as product expense, operating income or net income. Each of the subsidiaries is operated under the same senior management of the Company, and the Company views the operations of its subsidiaries as a whole for making business decisions. Employees of one subsidiary, particularly mechanical engineers, are often called upon to assist in the operations of another subsidiary. As the development of the Company matures and it move toward full scale production with increased marketing efforts, the Company will continue to evaluate additional segment disclosure requirements.
F-22
Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted
In August 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2020-06, Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity. This guidance simplifies the accounting for certain convertible instruments and contracts in an entity’s own equity. As a smaller reporting entity, this standard will become effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, including interim periods within those years. The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact ASU 2020-06 will have on the Consolidated Financial Statements.
In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848). This guidance provides optional guidance related to reference rate reform, which provides practical expedients for contract modifications and certain hedging relationships associated with the transition from reference rates that are expected to be discontinued. This guidance is applicable for borrowing instruments that use LIBOR as a reference rate and is effective upon issuance through December 31, 2022. The Company has performed a preliminary evaluation of the potential impact of this ASU and it is not expected to have a material effect on the Consolidated Financial Statements.
In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740). This guidance simplifies the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles and also simplifies areas such as franchise taxes, step-up in tax basis goodwill, separate entity financial statements and interim recognition of enactment of tax laws and rate changes. ASU 2019-12 will be effective for the Company in the fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020 and for interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021. The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact that adopting this ASU will have on the Consolidated Financial Statements.
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (ASU 2016-13) and also issued subsequent amendments to the initial guidance: ASU 2018-19, ASU 2019-04, ASU 2019-05 and ASU 2019-11 (collectively, Topic 326). Topic 326 requires measurement and recognition of expected credit losses for financial assets held. This standard will become effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2022 and earlier adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact the adoption of this ASU will have on the Consolidated Financial Statements.
3. BUSINESS ACQUISITIONS
The Company’s acquisitions are accounted for such that the assets acquired and liabilities assumed are recognized at their acquisition date fair values, with any excess of the consideration transferred over the estimated fair values of the identifiable net assets acquired recorded as goodwill.
For fiscal 2020 and 2019, the Company recorded the following acquisitions:
VEO
On January 31, 2019, COMSovereign entered a stock-for-stock exchange with the stockholder of VEO. At the effective date of the acquisition, all of the outstanding capital stock of VEO that was issued and outstanding at such time was exchanged for 500,000 unregistered Preferred Series A shares of COMSovereign.
Purchase consideration has been evaluated based on the business enterprise valuation of VEO. The shares of Preferred Series A issued to acquire VEO were valued at $26.43 per share (non-marketable basis).
VEO Purchase Price
(Amounts in US$’s, except share data) | Consideration | |||
Number of Preferred Series A paid | 500.000 | |||
Per share value | $ | 26.43 | ||
Purchase price | $ | 13,215,000 |
F-23
The allocation of the total purchase price to the tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed by COMSovereign based on the estimated fair values as of January 31, 2019 was as follows:
(Amounts in US$’s) | Fair Value | |||
Cash | $ | 55,261 | ||
Fixed and other long-term assets | 4,000 | |||
Assumed liabilities | (40,531 | ) | ||
Intangible assets and goodwill: | ||||
Technology | 6,410,000 | |||
Goodwill | 6,786,270 | |||
Total Consideration | $ | 13,215,000 |
InduraPower, Inc.
On January 31, 2019, COMSovereign entered a stock-for-stock exchange with the stockholders of InduraPower. At the effective date of the acquisition, all of the outstanding capital stock of InduraPower that was issued and outstanding at such time was exchanged for 266.667 unregistered shares of Preferred Series A of COMSovereign.
Purchase consideration has been evaluated based on the business enterprise valuation of InduraPower. The shares of Preferred Series A issued to acquire InduraPower were valued at $26.43 per share (non-marketable basis).
InduraPower Purchase Price
(Amounts in US$’s, except share data) | Consideration | |||
Number of Preferred Series A shares paid | 266.667 | |||
Per share value | $ | 26.43 | ||
Purchase price | $ | 7,048,000 | * |
* | - difference due to rounding related to the Split |
The allocation of the total purchase price to the tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed by COMSovereign based on the estimated fair values as of January 31, 2019 was as follows:
(Amounts in US$’s) | Fair Value | |||
Cash | $ | 18,791 | ||
Debt-free net working capital (excluding cash) | 263,459 | |||
Fixed and other long-term assets | 97,384 | |||
Assumed liabilities | (1,240,097 | ) | ||
Intangible assets and goodwill: | ||||
Technology | 1,000,000 | |||
Goodwill | 6,908,463 | |||
Total Consideration | $ | 7,048,000 |
Silver Bullet Technology, Inc.
On March 4, 2019, COMSovereign entered a stock-for-stock exchange with the stockholder of Silver Bullet. At the effective date of the acquisition, all of the outstanding capital stock of Silver Bullet that was issued and outstanding at such time was exchanged for 100,000 unregistered shares of Preferred Series A of COMSovereign.
F-24
Purchase consideration has been evaluated based on the business enterprise valuation of Silver Bullet. The shares of Preferred Series A issued to acquire Silver Bullet were valued at $26.43 per share (non-marketable basis).
Silver Bullet Purchase Price
(Amounts in US$’s, except share data) | Consideration | |||
Number of Preferred Series A shares paid | 100,000 | |||
Per share value | $ | 26.43 | ||
Purchase price | $ | 2,643,000 |
The allocation of the total purchase price to the tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed by COMSovereign based on the estimated fair values as of March 4, 2019 was as follows:
(Amounts in US$’s) | Fair Value | |||
Cash | $ | 273,290 | ||
Debt-free net working capital (excluding cash) | 103,537 | |||
Fixed and other long-term assets | 21,000 | |||
Liabilities assumed | (84,382 | ) | ||
Intangible assets and goodwill: | ||||
Technology | 210,000 | |||
Trade name | 200,000 | |||
Customer relationships | 400,000 | |||
Goodwill | 1,519,555 | |||
Total Consideration | $ | 2,643,000 |
DragonWave-X LLC and Lextrum, Inc.
On April 1, 2019, COMSovereign entered into a stock-for-stock exchange with the owner of DragonWave and Lextrum. At the effective date of the acquisition, all of the equity interests of DragonWave and Lextrum were exchanged for an aggregate of 4,412,383 shares of COMSovereign’s restricted common stock.
Purchase consideration has been evaluated based on the business enterprise valuation of DragonWave and Lextrum. The shares of common stock issued to acquire DragonWave and Lextrum were valued at $13.20 per share (non-marketable basis).
DragonWave and Lextrum Purchase Price
(Amounts in US$’s, except share data) | Consideration | |||
Number of common stock shares paid | 4,412,383 | |||
Per share value | $ | 13.20 | ||
Purchase price | $ | 58,243,456 | ||
DragonWave | $ | 42,081,392 | ||
Lextrum | $ | 16,162,064 |
F-25
DragonWave
The allocation of the total purchase price to the tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed by COMSovereign based on the estimated fair values as of April 1, 2019 was as follows:
(Amounts in US$’s) | Fair Value | |||
Cash | $ | 1,274,072 | ||
Debt-free net working capital (excluding cash) | (1,099,194 | ) | ||
Note payable | (5,690,000 | ) | ||
Fixed and other long-term assets | 2,455,714 | |||
Intangible assets: | ||||
Technology | 13,750,000 | |||
Trade name | 4,210,000 | |||
Customer relationships | 13,080,000 | |||
Goodwill | 14,100,800 | |||
Total Consideration | $ | 42,081,392 |
Lextrum
The allocation of the total purchase price to the acquired tangible and intangible assets and liabilities assumed by COMSovereign based on the estimated fair values as of April 1, 2019 was as follows:
(Amounts in US$’s) | Fair Value | |||
Cash | $ | 8,105 | ||
Debt-free net working capital (excluding cash) | (103,611 | ) | ||
Fixed and other long-term assets | — | |||
Intangible assets: | ||||
Technology | 11,430,000 | |||
Goodwill | 4,827,570 | |||
Total Consideration | $ | 16,162,064 |
Historical Drone Aviation Holding Corp
On November 27, 2019, the Company completed the COMSovereign Acquisition in a stock for stock transaction that was treated as a reverse merger for accounting purposes under U.S. GAAP with COMSovereign as the accounting acquiror and the Company as the accounting acquiree.
The allocation of the total purchase price to Drone Aviation Holding Corp’s acquired tangible and intangible assets and assumed liabilities based on the estimated fair values as of November 27, 2019 was as follows:
(Amounts in US$’s) | Fair Value | |||
Working capital | $ | 2,399,800 | ||
Other assets | 220,672 | |||
Intangible assets and goodwill: | ||||
Intellectual property | 3,729,537 | |||
Trade name | 1,233,204 | |||
Customer relationships | 1,630,792 | |||
Noncompete | 937,249 | |||
Goodwill | 18,106,237 | |||
Total Consideration | $ | 28,257,491 |
F-26
Fast Plastic Parts, LLC and Spring Creek Manufacturing, Inc. Acquisition
On March 6, 2020, Sovereign Plastics completed the acquisition of the net assets of Fast Plastic Parts, LLC and 100% of the shares of common stock of Spring Creek Manufacturing, Inc. The consideration paid was the purchase price of $829,347, representing cash paid on the closing date of $253,773 and short-term debt incurred to the sellers of $575,574. Based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the acquired business occupies a 23,300-square-foot manufacturing facility that houses a full-production machine shop, a comprehensive line of state-of-the-art plastic injection molding machinery, as well as light-assembly fulfilment and packaging lines serving customers 24x7. To finance the cash paid on the closing date and a portion of the short-term debt incurred, the Company entered into a new promissory note with an unaffiliated lender in the principal amount of $500,000 for proceeds of $446,000 that matured on November 30, 2020 and issued 16,667 shares of common stock. See Note 10 for further discussion of the promissory note. The Company expensed acquisition-related costs of $35,254 in the year ended December 31, 2020, which is included in general and administrative expenses on the Company’s Consolidated Statement of Operations.
The Company has accounted for the purchase using the acquisition method of accounting for business combinations under ASC 805. Accordingly, the purchase price has been allocated to the underlying assets and liabilities in proportion to their respective fair values. The excess of the consideration transferred over the estimated fair values of the net assets acquired was recorded as goodwill. The acquired assets and assumed liabilities were subject to adjustment during a measurement period subsequent to the acquisition date, not to exceed one-year as permitted under U.S. GAAP. During the fourth quarter, the Company finalized the determination of the fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the acquisition date, as set forth below.
(Amounts in US$’s) | Amounts Recognized as of Acquisition Date | Measurement Period Adjustments (1) | Fair Value | |||||||||
Inventory | $ | 168,106 | $ | (76,069 | ) | $ | 92,037 | |||||
Prepaid expenses | 66,575 | (51,575 | ) | 15,000 | ||||||||
Property & equipment | 1,365,319 | 393,744 | 1,759,063 | |||||||||
Operating lease right-of-use-assets | 1,048,058 | — | 1,048,058 | |||||||||
Finance lease right-of-use assets | 18,009 | — | 18,009 | |||||||||
Intangible assets: | ||||||||||||
Customer relationships | 500,226 | (290,226 | ) | 210,000 | ||||||||
Trade name | — | 10,000 | 10,000 | |||||||||
Goodwill | — | 47,926 | 47,926 | |||||||||
Total assets | 3,166,293 | 33,800 | 3,200,093 | |||||||||
Current portion of long-term debt | 1,270,879 | — | 1,270,879 | |||||||||
Operating lease liabilities, current | 166,919 | — | 166,919 | |||||||||
Finance lease liabilities, current | 6,578 | — | 6,578 | |||||||||
Operating lease liabilities, net of current portion | 881,139 | — | 881,139 | |||||||||
Finance lease liabilities, net of current portion | 11,431 | — | 11,431 | |||||||||
Deferred tax liability - noncurrent | — | 33,800 | 33,800 | |||||||||
Total purchase consideration | $ | 829,347 | $ | — | $ | 829,347 |
(1) | The measurement period adjustments reflect changes in the estimated fair values of certain assets and liabilities, related to the finalization of the third-party valuation analysis, working capital, and deferred income taxes. The change to the provisional amount of property & equipment resulted in an increase in depreciation expense and accumulated depreciation of $99,350, of which $66,703 relates to a previous reporting period. In addition, the change to the provisional amount of intangible assets resulted in a decrease in amortization expense and accumulated amortization of $52,045, of which $36,617 relates to a previous reporting period. The measurement period adjustments were recorded to reflect new information obtained about facts and circumstances existing as of the acquisition date and did not result from intervening events subsequent to the acquisition date. |
F-27
Virtual Network Communications, Inc.
On July 6, 2020, the Company completed its acquisition (the “VNC Acquisition”) of Virtual Network Communications Inc., a Virginia corporation (“VNC”), pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization dated as of May 21, 2020 (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, CHC Merger Sub 7, Inc. and VNC Acquisition LLC, VNC and Mohan Tammisetti, solely in his capacity as the representative of the security holders of VNC. VNC is an edge centric wireless telecommunications technology developer and equipment manufacturer of both 4G LTE Advanced and 5G capable radio equipment. VNC designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and supports a line of network products for wireless network operators, mobile virtual network operators, cable TV system operators, and government and business enterprises that enable new sources of revenue, and reduce capital and operating expenses.
In connection with the VNC Acquisition, the final adjusted total purchase price consideration amounted to $18,832,383, representing (i) cash paid on the closing date of $2,892,727, (ii) 3,912,737 shares of the Company’s common stock with a fair value of $11,855,592 or $3.03 per share, of which an aggregate of 1,333,334 shares is being held in an escrow fund for purposes of satisfying any post-closing indemnification claims of the former VNC security holders under the Merger Agreement, (iii) options to purchase an aggregate 841,837 shares of the Company’s common stock with a fair value of $2,239,950, (iv) warrants to purchase an aggregate 578,763 shares of the Company’s common stock with a fair value of $1,592,867, and (v) settlement of a note receivable and related interest receivable pre-existing relationship in the amount of $251,247. The Company expensed acquisition-related costs of $156,605 in the year ended December 31, 2020 and $9,244 in the year ended December 31, 2019, which is included in general and administrative expenses on the Company’s Consolidated Statement of Operations.
The Company has accounted for the purchase using the acquisition method of accounting for business combinations under ASC 805. Accordingly, the purchase price has been allocated to the underlying assets and liabilities in proportion to their respective fair values. The excess of the consideration transferred over the estimated fair values of the net assets acquired was recorded as goodwill. The acquired assets and assumed liabilities were subject to adjustment during a measurement period subsequent to the acquisition date, not to exceed one-year as permitted under U.S. GAAP. During the fourth quarter, the Company finalized the determination of the fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the acquisition date, as set forth below.
(Amounts in US$’s) | Amounts Recognized as of Acquisition Date | Measurement Period Adjustments (1) | Fair Value | |||||||||
Inventory | $ | 157,727 | $ | — | $ | 157,727 | ||||||
Prepaid expenses | 15,000 | (2,181 | ) | 12,819 | ||||||||
Intangible assets: | ||||||||||||
Technology | 23,992 | 6,526,008 | 6,550,000 | |||||||||
Customer relationships | — | 5,880,000 | 5,880,000 | |||||||||
Trade name | — | 320,000 | 320,000 | |||||||||
Licenses | 410,000 | (60,000 | ) | 350,000 | ||||||||
Goodwill | 19,151,331 | (10,687,831 | ) | 8,463,500 | ||||||||
Total assets | 19,758,050 | 1,975,996 | 21,734,046 | |||||||||
Accounts payable | 5,000 | — | 5,000 | |||||||||
Accrued interest | 35 | — | 35 | |||||||||
Long-term debt | 24,028 | — | 24,028 | |||||||||
Deferred tax liability - noncurrent | — | 2,872,600 | 2,872,600 | |||||||||
Total purchase consideration | $ | 19,728,987 | $ | (896,604 | ) | $ | 18,832,383 |
(1) | The measurement period adjustments reflect changes in the estimated fair values of certain assets and liabilities, related to the finalization of the third-party valuation analysis and deferred income taxes, which analysis also included the valuation of the non-cash purchase consideration resulting in a decrease in the total purchase consideration of $896,604. The change to the provisional amount of intangible assets resulted in an increase in amortization expense and accumulated amortization of $993,064, of which $479,981 relates to a previous reporting period. The measurement period adjustments were recorded to reflect new information obtained about facts and circumstances existing as of the acquisition date and did not result from intervening events subsequent to the acquisition date. |
F-28
4. GOING CONCERN
U.S. GAAP requires management to assess a company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year from the financial statement issuance and to provide related note disclosures in certain circumstances.
The accompanying consolidated financial statements and notes have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern. For the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company generated negative cash flows from operations of $6,020,305 and had an accumulated deficit of $64,626,719 and negative working capital of $26,581,053.
Management anticipates that the Company will be dependent, for the near future, on additional investment capital to fund growth initiatives. The Company intends to position itself so that it will be able to raise additional funds through the capital markets, issuance of debt, and/or securing lines of credit. The Company has completed two public offerings subsequent to December 31, 2020 and has received gross proceeds of approximately $45.0 million, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses. See Note 19 – Subsequent Events for further information.
The Company’s fiscal operating results, accumulated deficit and negative working capital, among other factors, raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The Company will continue to pursue the actions outlined above, as well as work towards increasing revenue and operating cash flows to meet its future liquidity requirements. However, there can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in any capital-raising efforts that it may undertake, and the failure of the Company to raise additional capital could adversely affect its future operations and viability.
5. INVENTORY
Inventory consisted of the following as of December 31, 2020 and 2019:
(Amounts in US$’s) |
December 31,
2020 |
December 31,
2019 |
||||||
Raw materials | $ | 1,765,398 | $ | 1,041,256 | ||||
Work in progress | 461,188 | 1,566,147 | ||||||
Finished goods | 3,305,020 | 3,060,518 | ||||||
Total inventory | 5,531,606 | 5,667,921 | ||||||
Reserve | (993,174 | ) | (996,525 | ) | ||||
Total inventory, net | $ | 4,538,432 | $ | 4,671,396 |
6. PREPAID AND DEFERRED EXPENSES
Prepaid expenses consisted of the following as of December 31, 2020 and 2019:
(Amounts in US$’s) |
December 31,
2020 |
December 31,
2019 |
||||||
Prepaid rent and security deposit | $ | 732,270 | $ | 873,617 | ||||
Deferred offering expenses | 569,281 | — | ||||||
Prepaid products and services | 171,560 | 43,112 | ||||||
$ | 1,473,111 | $ | 916,729 |
Prepaids and deferred expenses includes cash paid in advance for rent and security deposits, products and services and certain deferred expenses to be deferred in accordance with Staff Accounting Bulletin Topic 5.A, as codified in ASC 340. These deferred expenses are specific incremental costs directly attributable to a proposed or actual offering of securities which are properly be deferred and charged against the gross proceeds of the offering. See Note 19 – Subsequent Events for details regarding the subsequent public offerings.
F-29
7. PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET
Property and equipment, net consisted of the following as of December 31, 2020 and 2019:
(Amounts in US$’s) |
December 31,
2020 |
December 31,
2019 |
||||||
Shop machinery and equipment | $ | 9,960,626 | $ | 8,100,667 | ||||
Computers and electronics | 575,452 | 558,561 | ||||||
Office furniture and fixtures | 348,142 | 341,214 | ||||||
Leasehold improvements | 274,314 | 222,332 | ||||||
11,158,534 | 9,222,774 | |||||||
Less – accumulated depreciation | (8,872,068 | ) | (7,764,668 | ) | ||||
$ | 2,286,466 | $ | 1,458,106 |
For the year ended December 31, 2020 and the period from Inception through December 31, 2019, the Company invested $176,697 and $87,038, respectively, in capital expenditures.
The Company recognized $1,107,400 and $623,884, respectively, of depreciation expense for the year ended December 31, 2020 and fiscal 2019.
8. GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS
The following table sets forth the changes in the carrying amount of goodwill for fiscal 2020 and 2019:
(Amounts in US$’s) | Total | |||
Balance at January 10, 2019 (inception) | $ | — | ||
2019 Acquisitions | 56,386,796 | |||
Balance at December 31, 2019 | $ | 56,386,796 | ||
2020 Acquisitions | 8,511,426 | |||
Balance at December 31, 2020 | $ | 64,898,222 |
The following table sets forth the gross carrying amounts and accumulated amortization of the Company’s intangible assets as of December 31, 2020 and 2019:
(Amounts in US$’s) |
Gross
Carrying Amount |
Accumulated
Amortization |
Net
Carrying Amount |
|||||||||
Definite-lived intangible assets: | ||||||||||||
Trade names | $ | 5,643,204 | $ | (489,222 | ) | $ | 5,153,982 | |||||
Licenses | — | — | — | |||||||||
Technology | 32,800,000 | (4,308,333 | ) | 28,491,667 | ||||||||
Customer relationships | 15,110,792 | (2,054,894 | ) | 13,055,898 | ||||||||
Intellectual property | 3,729,537 | (51,799 | ) | 3,677,738 | ||||||||
Noncompete | 937,249 | (39,052 | ) | 898,197 | ||||||||
Total definite-lived intangible assets at December 31, 2019 | $ | 58,220,782 | $ | (6,943,300 | ) | $ | 51,277,482 | |||||
Trade names | $ | 5,973,204 | $ | (1,349,698 | ) | $ | 4,623,506 | |||||
Licenses | 350,000 | (33,871 | ) | 316,129 | ||||||||
Technology | 39,350,000 | (10,303,516 | ) | 29,046,484 | ||||||||
Customer relationships | 21,200,792 | (5,484,917 | ) | 15,715,875 | ||||||||
Intellectual property | 3,729,537 | (673,389 | ) | 3,056,148 | ||||||||
Noncompete | 937,249 | (507,677 | ) | 429,572 | ||||||||
Total definite-lived intangible assets at December 31, 2020 | $ | 71,540,782 | $ | (18,353,068 | ) | $ | 53,187,714 |
F-30
Amortization expense of intangible assets was $11,409,768 and $6,943,300, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2020 and fiscal 2019. The Company’s amortization is based on no residual value using the straight-line amortization method as it best represents the benefit of the intangible assets. The following table sets forth the weighted-average amortization period, in total and by major intangible asset class:
Asset Class | Weighted-Average Amortization period | ||
Trade names | 6.8 years | ||
Licenses | 5.0 years | ||
Technology | 6.0 years | ||
Customer relationships | 5.7 years | ||
Intellectual property | 6.0 years | ||
Noncompete | 2.0 years | ||
All Intangible assets | 5.9 years |
As of December 31, 2020, assuming no additional amortizable intangible assets, the expected amortization expense for the unamortized acquired intangible assets for the next five years and thereafter was as follows:
(Amounts in US$’s) | Estimated | |||
2021 | 12,436,826 | |||
2022 | 12,007,253 | |||
2023 | 11,952,916 | |||
2024 | 9,842,359 | |||
2025 | 4,481,091 | |||
2026 | 1,670,789 | |||
2027 | 784,000 | |||
2028 | 12,480 |
9. REVOLVING LINE OF CREDIT AND NOTE PAYABLE
Revolving Line of Credit
In 2017, the Company issued a promissory note (the “CNB Note”) to City National Bank of Florida (“CNB”) in the principal amount of $2,000,000, with a maturity date of August 2, 2018. In 2018, the maturity date of the CNB Note was extended to August 2, 2019. On August 29, 2019, the maturity date of the CNB Note was extended to August 2, 2020. The August 2019 modification was evaluated and it was determined that it did not qualify as an extinguishment of debt. The CNB Note allows for a CNB line of credit with advances that may be requested by the Company until the maturity date of August 2, 2020 so long as no event of default exists under the CNB Note or certain other events.
The CNB Note bears an interest rate equal to the average of the interest rates per annum at which U.S. Dollars are offered in the London Interbank Borrowing Market (“LIBOR”) for a 30-day period (the “Index”) plus 2.9% over the Index. The Company will pay to CNB a late charge of 5.0% of any monthly payment not received by CNB within 10 calendar days after its due date. The Company may prepay the CNB Note at any time without penalty. In the event of a default, the interest rate will increase to the highest lawful rate. As of December 31, 2019, the interest rate on the CNB Note is 4.6% per annum.
Under the terms of the CNB Note, the Company is obligated to maintain its primary operating account with CNB with a minimum average annual balance of $1,600,000. In the event the Company does not maintain this account balance, CNB may charge the Company a fee equal to 2% of the deficiency as additional interest under the CNB Note. Management believes that it was in compliance at all times during 2020 and 2019 with this covenant and was never charged the 2% deficiency fee. The CNB Note is personally guaranteed by the Company’s former Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Jay H. Nussbaum and his estate (“Guarantors”). The Company and the Guarantors are obligated to maintain aggregate unencumbered liquidity of no less than $6,000,000 in accounts with recognized financial institutions or licensed brokerage firms during the term of the CNB Note. Management believes that it was in compliance at all times during 2020 and 2019 with this covenant. In addition, the CNB Note is secured by all of the Company’s accounts, inventory and equipment, along with an assignment of a $120,000 bank account the Company maintains at CNB. The Company maintained the $120,000 bank account as of December 31, 2019. As of December 31, 2019, $2,000,000 had been drawn against the CNB line of credit. On March 19, 2020, the Company entered into a secured loan agreement with an unrelated party, the proceeds of which were used to pay off the CNB Note. See Note 10 – Debt Agreements for further information.
Indemnification Agreement
On August 3, 2017, the Company entered into an Indemnification Agreement with Mr. Nussbaum in order to indemnify and defend him to the fullest extent permitted by law for any claim, expense or obligation which might arise as a result of his guarantee of the CNB Note.
F-31
10. DEBT AGREEMENTS
Long-term debt consisted of the following as of December 31, 2020 and 2019:
December 31, 2020 | December 31, 2019 | |||||||||||||||||
(Amounts in US$’s) |
Maturity
Date |
Amount
Outstanding |
Interest
Rate |
Amount
Outstanding |
Interest
Rate |
|||||||||||||
Secured Notes Payable | ||||||||||||||||||
Secured note payable* | February 28, 2020 | $ | 788,709 | 12.5 | % | $ | 788,709 | 8.5 | % | |||||||||
Secured note payable* | March 1, 2022 | 150,710 | 9.0 | % | 224,288 | 9.0 | % | |||||||||||
Secured note payable* | September 1, 2021 | 10,790 | 7.9 | % | 21,571 | 7.9 | % | |||||||||||
Secured note payable* | November 26, 2021 | 2,000,000 | 15.0 | % | 2,000,000 | 9.0 | % | |||||||||||
Secured note payable* | December 26, 2020 | 75,219 | 78.99 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||
Secured note payable* | September 15, 2020 | 855,120 | 36.0 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||
Secured note payable* | October 15, 2020 | 2,007,971 | 18.0 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||
Equipment financing loan* | November 9, 2023 | 57,146 | 8.5 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||
Equipment financing loan* | December 19, 2023 | 83,851 | 6.7 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||
Equipment financing loan* | January 17, 2024 | 38,732 | 6.7 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||
Secured note payable | January 6, 2021 | 1,100,000 | 10.0 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||
Total secured notes payable | 7,168,248 | 3,034,568 | ||||||||||||||||
Notes Payable | ||||||||||||||||||
Equipment financing loan | September 15, 2020 | — | — | 3,828 | 8.8 | % | ||||||||||||
Note payable | July 9, 2019 | — | — | 200,000 | 18.0 | % | ||||||||||||
Note payable | September 1, 2019 | — | — | 200,000 | 18.0 | % | ||||||||||||
Note payable* | September 30, 2020 | 500,000 | 15.0 | % | 500,000 | 10.0 | % | |||||||||||
Note payable* | September 30, 2020 | 175,000 | 15.0 | % | 175,000 | 10.0 | % | |||||||||||
Note payable* | August 31, 2020 | 3,500,000 | 18.0 | % | 5,000,000 | 10.0 | % | |||||||||||
Note payable | July 9, 2019 | — | — | 200,000 | 18.0 | % | ||||||||||||
Notes payable* | December 6, 2019 | 66,700 | 18.0 | % | 450,100 | 18.0 | % | |||||||||||
Note payable* | November 30, 2020 | 500,000 | 15.0 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||
Notes payable* | June 30, 2020 | 379,588 | 0.0 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||
Notes payable* | June 30, 2020 | 165,986 | 0.0 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||
Note payable* | February 16, 2023 | 83,309 | 3.0 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||
Note payable* | September 30, 2020 | 290,000 | 12.0 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||
Notes Payable* | October 13, 2020 through November 30, 2020 | 1,200,000 | 18.0 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||
Notes Payable* | January 31, 2021 through February 23, 2021 | 550,000 | 18.0 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||
PPP loans |
April 30, 2022 through
May 26, 2022 |
455,184 | 1.0 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||
PPP loan | May 14, 2022 | 24,028 | 1.0 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||
PPP loan | August 11, 2025 | 103,659 | 1.0 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||
Total notes payable | 7,993,454 | 6,728,928 | ||||||||||||||||
Senior Debentures | ||||||||||||||||||
Senior debenture* | December 31, 2019 | 84,000 | 15.0 | % | 100,000 | 15.0 | % | |||||||||||
Total senior debentures | 84,000 | 100,000 | ||||||||||||||||
Convertible Notes Payable | ||||||||||||||||||
Convertible note payable* | January 29, 2021 | 374,137 | 24.0 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||
Convertible note payable* | November 20, 2020 | 2,238,239 | 24.0 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||
Total convertible notes payable | 2,612,376 | — | — | |||||||||||||||
Senior Convertible Debentures | ||||||||||||||||||
Senior convertible debenture | December 31, 2019 | — | — | 25,000 | 15.0 | % | ||||||||||||
Senior convertible debenture | December 31, 2021 | 250,000 | 15.0 | % | 250,000 | 10.0 | % | |||||||||||
Senior convertible debenture | November 30, 2020 | 1,000,000 | 15.0 | % | — | — | ||||||||||||
Total senior convertible debentures | 1,250,000 | 275,000 | ||||||||||||||||
Total long-term debt | 19,108,078 | 10,138,496 | ||||||||||||||||
Less unamortized discounts and debt issuance costs | (61,079 | ) | (4,749,004 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Total long-term debt, less discounts and debt issuance costs | 19,046,999 | 5,389,492 | ||||||||||||||||
Less current portion of long-term debt | (18,340,706 | ) | (5,389,492 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Debt classified as long-term debt | $ | 706,293 | $ | — |
* | Note is in default. Refer to further discussion below. |
F-32
Secured Notes Payable
In August 2016, InduraPower entered into a promissory note not to exceed the principal amount of $550,000 bearing interest at 8.5% per annum with a maturity date of August 31, 2018. InduraPower could draw funds under the note through February 28, 2017. Interest on this note was payable monthly and the full principal balance was due at maturity. On September 11, 2019, the note was amended with both parties agreeing that the outstanding balance of $813,709 would be due on February 28, 2020. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, an aggregate principal amount of $788,709 was outstanding under this note. This promissory note was past due and accruing interest at an increased default rate of 12.5% per annum. This promissory note is secured by substantially all of the assets of InduraPower. The aggregate principal amount of this note was fully repaid during the first quarter of fiscal 2021.
In August 2016, InduraPower entered into a promissory note in the principal amount of $450,000 that bears interest at 9.0% per annum and matures on March 1, 2022. Interest-only payments were due monthly beginning October 1, 2016 through March 1, 2017. Monthly payments of $9,341 for interest and principal were due on this note for the following 60 consecutive months. This promissory note is currently past due. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, an aggregate principal amount of $150,710 and $224,288, respectively, was outstanding under this note. This promissory note is secured by all assets, certain real estate and cash accounts of InduraPower, and is guaranteed by certain officers of InduraPower. This promissory note is subjected to clauses, whereby InduraPower is required to meet certain financial and non-financial terms. InduraPower did not fulfill the requirements to maintain a balance of at least $155,159 at J.P. Morgan while the promissory note is outstanding and maintain a debt service coverage ratio of at least 1.25. Due to this breach of clauses for those covenants, the promissory note holder is contractually entitled to request immediate repayment of the outstanding promissory note, and/or increase the interest rate up to an additional 18% per annum. The outstanding balance is presented as a current liability as of December 31, 2020 and 2019. The promissory note holder had not requested early repayment of the loan as of the date when these financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors.
In August 2016, InduraPower entered into a promissory note in the principal amount of $50,000 with an interest rate of 7.9% per annum and a maturity date of September 1, 2021. Beginning April 1, 2017, equal monthly payments of $1,011 for interest and principal are due on the note for 60 consecutive months. This promissory note is currently past due. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, an aggregate principal amount of $10,790 and $21,571, respectively, was outstanding under this note. This promissory note is secured by business equipment, certain real estate and cash accounts of InduraPower and is guaranteed by certain officers of InduraPower. This promissory note is subjected to clauses, whereby InduraPower is required to meet certain financial and non-financial terms. InduraPower did not fulfil the requirements to maintain a balance of at least $155,159 at J.P. Morgan while the promissory note is outstanding and maintain a debt service coverage ratio of at least 1.25. Due to this breach of clauses for those covenants, the promissory note holder is contractually entitled to request immediate repayment of the outstanding promissory note, and/or increase the interest rate up to an additional 18% per annum. The promissory note holder had not requested early repayment of the loan as of the date when these financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors.
In November 2019, DragonWave entered into a secured loan agreement with an individual lender pursuant to which DragonWave received a $2,000,000 loan bearing interest at the rate of 9.0% per annum and matures on November 26, 2021. Upon an event of default, the interest rate shall automatically increase to 15% per annum on any unpaid principal and interest, compounded monthly, and all unpaid principal and accrued interest become due on-demand. A late charge of 5% will be charged for any balance overdue by more than 10 days. Accrued interest is calculated on a compound basis and is payable semi-annually in May and November of each year. Principal is due in full at maturity but can be prepaid in full or in part without penalty. The loan is secured by all of the assets of DragonWave and is guaranteed by COMSovereign. The debt issuance costs were the result of the issuance of 350,000 shares of common stock of the Company and a cash payment of $80,000. The Company defaulted on this loan during the current fiscal year, causing the interest rate to increase to a monthly compounded rate of 15% per annum, a late charge of 5% to be incurred, and the loan and accrued interest to become due on-demand. Amounts recorded as debt discounts and issuance costs were fully amortized and recognized in interest expense during the current fiscal year, as a result of the loan becoming due on-demand from the default event. For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, $4,523,333 and $196,667 of these costs were amortized and recognized in interest expense in the Consolidated Statements of Operations, respectively. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, there were $0 and $4,523,333 of debt discounts and issuance costs remaining, respectively. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, an aggregate principal amount of $2,000,000 was outstanding under this loan. On January 26, 2021, $1,000,000 of the principal amount of this loan and all accrued interest with a combined total of $1,227,043, was fully extinguished at the rate of $4.15 per unit, as defined in our public offering and disclosed in Note 19- Subsequent Events, resulting in the issuance of 295,674 shares of issued common stock of the Company, along with warrants to purchase up to 295,674 shares of common stock that are exercisable for a purchase price of $4.50 per share at any time on or prior to January 26, 2026.
On February 26, 2020, the Company entered into a $600,000 secured business loan bearing interest at 78.99% per annum which matured on December 26, 2020. Principal and interest payments of $19,429 were due weekly. The loan was secured by the assets of the Company. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $75,219 was outstanding and past due under this loan. The aggregate principal amount of this loan was fully repaid during the first quarter of fiscal 2021.
In connection with the acquisition of the business by Sovereign Plastics on March 6, 2020, the Company assumed a secured loan with FirstBank in the principal amount of $979,381 bearing interest at 5% per annum and with a maturity date of June 1, 2020. On August 5, 2020, the maturity date of this loan was extended to September 15, 2020, with a single payment of all unpaid principal and accrued interest then due, and the interest rate was increased to 36% per annum for any principal balance remaining unpaid past the extended maturity date. The loan was secured by certain assets of Sovereign Plastics. This loan was subjected to covenants, whereby Sovereign Plastics was required to meet certain financial and non-financial covenants at the end of each fiscal year. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $855,120 was outstanding and past due under this loan. The aggregate principal amount of this loan was fully repaid during the first quarter of fiscal 2021.
F-33
On March 19, 2020, the Company entered into a secured loan agreement in the amount of $2,007,971 bearing interest at 5% per annum with a maturity date of August 31, 2020. On August 5, 2020, the maturity date of this loan was extended to October 15, 2020. Upon maturity, the interest rate automatically increased to 18% per annum, and a late charge of 5% was charged for any balance overdue by more than 10 days. Interest payments of $8,428 were due monthly, with the full principal amount due at maturity. The loan was secured by certain intellectual property assets of the Company. The proceeds of the loan were used to repay the balance of the CNB Note (revolving line of credit) that was entered into in 2017. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $2,007,971 was outstanding and past due under this loan. On January 26, 2021, the aggregate principal amount of this loan and accrued interest with a combined total of $2,250,255, was fully extinguished at the rate of $4.15 per unit, as defined in our public offering and disclosed in Note 19- Subsequent Events, plus a 10,000 unit conversion bonus, resulting in the issuance of 552,231 shares of issued common stock of the Company, along with warrants to purchase up to 552,231 shares of common stock that are exercisable for a purchase price of $4.50 per share at any time on or prior to January 26, 2026.
In connection with the acquisition of the business by Sovereign Plastics on March 6, 2020, the Company:
● | assumed an equipment financing loan with an aggregate principal balance of $64,865, which is secured by the related equipment, bearing interest at 8.5% per annum. Monthly principal and interest payments of approximately $1,680 are due over the term. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate amount of principal of $57,146 was outstanding and past due under this loan. However, there are no penalties associated with this default. The aggregate principal amount of this loan was fully repaid during the first quarter of fiscal 2021. |
● | assumed an equipment financing loan with an aggregate principal balance of $95,810, which is secured by the related equipment, bearing interest at 6.7% per annum. Monthly principal and interest payments of approximately $2,361 are due over the term. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate amount of principal of $83,851 was outstanding and past due under this loan. However, there are no penalties associated with this default. The aggregate principal amount of this loan was fully repaid during the first quarter of fiscal 2021. |
● | assumed an equipment financing loan with an aggregate principal balance of $43,957, which is secured by the related equipment, bearing interest at 6.7% per annum. Monthly principal and interest payments of approximately $1,063 are due over the term. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate amount of principal of $38,732 was outstanding and past due under this loan. However, there are no penalties associated with this default. The aggregate principal amount of this loan was fully repaid during the first quarter of fiscal 2021. |
On December 8, 2020, the Company entered into a secured loan agreement in the aggregate principal amount of $1,100,000 with an original issue discount of $100,000, that bears interest at the rate of 10% per annum and matures on January 6, 2021. Upon an event of default, the interest rate shall automatically increase to 36% per annum on any unpaid principal, or the maximum amount permitted by applicable law, compounded monthly, and all unpaid principal and accrued interest may become due on-demand. Accrued interest and principal are due in full on the maturity date. A late charge of 10% may be charged for any balance not paid when due. The loan is guaranteed by VNC and is secured by the Company’s equity interest in VNC, all of the assets of VNC and certain intellectual property assets of the Company. Daniel L. Hodges, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, transferred a total of 23,334 shares of his personally owned, issued and outstanding common stock of the Company to the lender and brokers, as part of this transaction. The shares had a total fair value of $142,800. The Company accounted for this as a contribution from Mr. Hodges, with $102,000 assigned as debt discounts for additional consideration to the lender, and $40,800 assigned as debt issuance costs to the brokers. The Company incurred debt issuance costs to the placement agent of this transaction in the amount of $50,000. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, $232,221 of the debt discounts and issuance costs were amortized and recognized in interest expense in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. As of December 31, 2020, there were $60,579 of debt discounts and issuance costs remaining. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $1,100,000 was outstanding under this loan. On January 26, 2021, $350,000 of the principal amount of this loan and accrued interest with a combined total of $495,584, was fully extinguished at the rate of $4.15 per unit, as defined in our public offering and disclosed in Note 19- Subsequent Events, resulting in the issuance of 119,418 shares of issued common stock of the Company, along with warrants to purchase up to 119,418 shares of common stock that are exercisable for a purchase price of $4.50 per share at any time on or prior to January 26, 2026. The remaining $750,000 principal amount of this loan was fully repaid during the first quarter of 2021.
Notes Payable
InduraPower had a financing loan for certain of its equipment that bore interest at 8.775% per annum and was due on September 15, 2020. Principal and interest payments of $1,872 were due quarterly. As of December 31, 2019, an aggregate principal amount of $3,828 was outstanding under this loan. The aggregate principal amount of this loan was fully repaid during the third quarter of fiscal 2020.
In September 2017, COMSovereign entered into a promissory note in the principal amount of $137,500 that bore interest at a rate of 12% per annum and was due on October 17, 2017. The note was repaid during fiscal year 2019. On June 10, 2019, COMSovereign entered into a new promissory note with the same lender for $200,000 with an original issue discount of $6,000 and a maturity date of July 9, 2019. The full $200,000 balance was due at maturity. Since this note was not repaid upon maturity, subsequent interest was accrued at an increased rate of 18% per annum. Additionally, on August 14, 2019, COMSovereign borrowed from the same lender an additional $200,000 promissory note that matured on September 1, 2019. As this note was not repaid upon maturity, subsequent interest was accrued at an increased rate of 18% per annum. As of December 31, 2019, an aggregate principal amount of $400,000 was outstanding under these notes. On August 5, 2020, the aggregate principal amount of these note and accrued interest in the amount of $488,520 was fully extinguished in exchange for 108,560 shares of issued common stock of the Company with a fair value of $4.53 per share.
F-34
In connection with its acquisition of DragonWave and Lextrum in April 2019, COMSovereign assumed the obligations of the seller on a promissory note in the principal amount of $500,000 bearing interest at 12.0% per annum with a maturity date of October 17, 2017. On October 1, 2019, the maturity date was extended until September 30, 2020 and the interest rate was reduced to 10% per annum. All unpaid accrued interest from October 2017 through September 30, 2019 was converted into 50,000 shares of common stock of COMSovereign. On April 21, 2020, all unpaid accrued interest from October 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019 was converted into 4,832 shares of issued common stock of the Company. Accrued interest and the full principal balance were due at maturity. Upon maturity, the interest rate increased to 15% per annum for any balance overdue by more than 5 days. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, an aggregate principal amount of $500,000 was outstanding under this note, and was past due at December 31, 2020. On January 26, 2021, the aggregate principal amount of this note and accrued interest with a combined total of $561,592, was fully extinguished at the rate of $4.15 per unit, as defined in our public offering and disclosed in Note 19- Subsequent Events, resulting in the issuance of 135,324 shares of issued common stock of the Company, along with warrants to purchase up to 135,324 shares of common stock that are exercisable for a purchase price of $4.50 per share at any time on or prior to January 26, 2026.
In connection with its acquisition of DragonWave and Lextrum in April 2019, COMSovereign assumed the obligations of the seller of a promissory note in the principal amount of $175,000 bearing interest at the rate of 15% per annum and was due on November 30, 2017. The interest rate increased to 18% per annum when the note became past due. On October 1, 2019, COMSovereign amended the promissory note to extend the maturity date to September 30, 2020 and to change the interest rate to 10% per annum. Both parties to the note also agreed to convert all unpaid accrued interest into 3,334 shares of common stock of COMSovereign, valued at $44,000. Accrued interest and principal were due and payable at maturity. Upon maturity, the interest rate increased to 15% per annum for any balance overdue by more than 5 days. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, an aggregate principal amount of $175,000 was outstanding under this note, and was past due at December 31, 2020. The aggregate principal amount of this note was fully repaid during the first quarter of fiscal 2021.
In October 2017, DragonWave entered into a 90-day promissory note in the principal amount of $4,400,000 and received proceeds of $4,000,000. In January 2018, the promissory note was amended to accrue interest at the rate of 8% per annum and to extend the maturity date another 90 days. In August 2018, the maturity date was extended to December 31, 2018 with new payment terms. In September 2018, the maturity date was extended to February 28, 2019 with new payment terms. In October 2018, DragonWave amended the promissory note to clarify the payment of interest. On September 3, 2019, the promissory note was increased to $5,000,000 as all unpaid accrued interest was added to the principal balance. Additionally, the maturity date was extended to March 30, 2020 and the interest rate was changed to 10% per annum. Under this new amendment, interest payments were due and payable monthly. On April 21, 2020, the maturity date of this note was extended to August 31, 2020, the interest rate was increased to 12% per annum, and the Company provided to the lender 33,334 fully paid and non-assessable shares of its common stock that have been treated as debt issuance costs. On August 5, 2020, $1,500,000 principal amount of this note was extinguished in exchange for 333,334 shares of common stock of the Company with a fair value of $4.53 per share. This loan was past due at December 31, 2020. However, there are no penalties associated with this default. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, an aggregate principal amount of $3,500,000 and $5,000,000, respectively, was outstanding under this note. On January 26, 2021, the aggregate principal amount of this note and accrued interest with a combined total of $4,211,069, was fully extinguished at the rate of $4.15 per unit, as defined in our public offering and disclosed in Note 19- Subsequent Events, resulting in the issuance of 1,014,716 shares of issued common stock of the Company, along with warrants to purchase up to 1,014,716 shares of common stock that are exercisable for a purchase price of $4.50 per share at any time on or prior to January 26, 2026.
On June 10, 2019, COMSovereign entered into a promissory note in the principal amount of $200,000 with an original issue discount of $6,000 and a maturity date of July 9, 2019. The full $200,000 balance was due at maturity. Since this note was not repaid and was past due, interest was being accrued at an increased rate of 18% per annum. As of December 31, 2019, an aggregate principal amount of $200,000 was outstanding under this note. On August 5, 2020, the aggregate principal amount of this note and accrued interest in the amount of $245,172 was fully extinguished in exchange for 54,483 shares of issued common stock of the Company with a fair value of $4.53 per share.
In September 2019, DragonWave entered into a $5,250,000 promissory note that was not fully funded and was guaranteed by COMSovereign. DragonWave received $3,485,000 in proceeds. As incentive to enter into the promissory note, the noteholder was issued 166,667 shares of COMSovereign’s common stock for the total purchase price of $13.20 per share, or $2,200,000, of which only $5,000 was paid in cash. The noteholder was later granted detachable warrants to purchase an aggregate of 814,167 shares of COMSovereign’s common stock at a price of $0.03 per share. As of December 31, 2019, DragonWave had repaid the principal amount in full along with all accrued interest, and the warrants had been converted into 814,167 shares of COMSovereign’s common stock at an exercise price of $0.03 per share or noncash proceeds $24,425.
On November 7, 2019, COMSovereign entered into several promissory notes in the aggregate principal amount of $450,100 that bore an effective interest rate at 133% per annum due to a single payment incentive, which matured on December 6, 2019. An aggregate principal amount of $200,100 was owed to three related parties out of the $450,100 promissory notes. Accrued interest and principal were due and payable at maturity. These notes are currently past due, and the Company is using an interest rate of 18% per annum to accrue interest on these notes. The Company repaid $250,000 of the aggregate principal amount of this promissory note during the first quarter of the 2020. An additional $133,400 of the aggregate principal amount of this promissory note, along with accrued interest and associated late fee penalties of $51,516, was fully extinguished on August 5, 2020 in exchange for 41,093 shares of issued common stock of the Company with a fair value of $4.53 per share. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the aggregate principal amount of $66,700 and $450,100, respectively, was outstanding and past due under these notes. The aggregate principal amount of these notes was fully repaid during the first quarter of fiscal 2021.
F-35
On March 5, 2020, the Company sold a promissory note in the principal amount of $500,000 that matured on November 30, 2020 for a purchase price of $446,000. Additionally, in lieu of interest, the Company issued to the lender 16,667 shares of its common stock with a fair value of $57,000, which was recognized as a debt discount and amortized to interest expense over the term of the note. Any principal balance remaining unpaid past the maturity date accrued interest at a rate of 15% per annum. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $500,000 was outstanding and past due under this note. On January 26, 2021, the aggregate principal amount of this note and accrued interest with a combined total of $511,712, was fully extinguished at the rate of $4.15 per unit, as defined in our public offering and disclosed in Note 19- Subsequent Events, resulting in the issuance of 123,305 shares of issued common stock of the Company, along with warrants to purchase up to 123,305 shares of common stock that are exercisable for a purchase price of $4.50 per share at any time on or prior to January 26, 2026.
In connection with the acquisition of the business by Sovereign Plastics on March 6, 2020, the Company:
● | entered into several promissory notes with the sellers in the aggregate principal amount of $409,586 that do not bear interest and with a maturity date of June 30, 2020 and monthly principal payments. As of December 31, 2020, the aggregate amount of $379,588 was outstanding and past due under these notes. However, there are no penalties associated with this default. The aggregate principal amount of these notes was fully repaid during the first quarter of fiscal 2021. |
● | agreed to pay an aggregate of $165,987 to the sellers on or before June 30, 2020. The agreement was not interest bearing. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate amount of $165,986 was outstanding and past due under these notes. However, there are no penalties associated with this default. The aggregate principal amount of these notes was fully repaid during the first quarter of fiscal 2021. |
● | assumed a note payable in the amount of $86,866 bearing interest at 3% per annum and with a maturity date of February 16, 2023. Monthly payments in the amount of $3,773 for principal and interest are due over the term. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $83,309 was outstanding and past due under this note. However, there are no penalties associated with this default and amounts due were current as of the filing date of this Form 10-K. |
On May 29, 2020, the Company entered into a promissory note in the principal amount of $290,000 with an original issue discount of $40,000 and a maturity date of September 30, 2020. The full $290,000 balance was due at maturity, with interest accruing at a rate of 12% per annum for any principal balance remaining unpaid past the maturity date. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $290,000 was outstanding and past due under this note. On January 26, 2021, the aggregate principal amount of this note, a 10% principal bonus, and accrued interest with a combined total of $330,250, was fully extinguished at the rate of $4.15 per unit, as defined in our public offering and disclosed in Note 19- Subsequent Events, resulting in the issuance of 79,579 shares of issued common stock of the Company, along with warrants to purchase up to 79,579 shares of common stock that are exercisable for a purchase price of $4.50 per share at any time on or prior to January 26, 2026.
F-36
Between July 2, 2020 and August 21, 2020, the Company borrowed an aggregate of $1,200,000 from accredited investors and issued to such investors promissory notes evidencing such loans. The principal amounts of the notes were between $50,000 and $200,000. The notes had maturity dates between October 13, 2020 and November 30, 2020 bearing interest at a rate of 15% per annum, with interest accruing at an annually compounded rate of 18% per annum for any principal balance remaining unpaid past the maturity date. Daniel L. Hodges, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, transferred a total of 96,634 shares of his personally owned, issued and outstanding common stock of the Company to the accredited investors and brokers, as part of this transaction. The shares had a total fair value of $478,726. The Company accounted for this as a contribution from Mr. Hodges, with $398,540 assigned as debt discounts for additional consideration to the accredited investors, and $80,186 assigned as debt issuance costs to the brokers. The Company incurred additional debt issuance costs to the brokers of this transaction in the amount of $21,000. The amounts recorded as debt discounts and issuance costs were fully amortized and recognized in interest expense during the current fiscal year. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $1,200,000 was outstanding and past due under these notes. On January 26, 2021, $750,000 of the aggregate principal amount of these notes, a 10% principal bonus, and accrued interest with a combined total of $885,995, was fully extinguished at the rate of $4.15 per unit, as defined in our public offering and disclosed in Note 19- Subsequent Events, resulting in the issuance of 213,496 shares of issued common stock of the Company, along with warrants to purchase up to 213,496 shares of common stock that are exercisable for a purchase price of $4.50 per share at any time on or prior to January 26, 2026. The remaining $450,000 aggregate principal amount of these notes was fully repaid during the first quarter of fiscal 2021.
Between November 4, 2020 and November 24, 2020, the Company borrowed an aggregate of $550,000 from accredited investors and issued to such investors promissory notes evidencing such loans. The principal amounts of the notes were between $50,000 and $100,000. The notes have maturity dates between January 31, 2021 and February 23, 2021 bearing interest at a rate of 15% per annum, with interest accruing at an annually compounded rate of 18% per annum for any principal balance remaining unpaid past the maturity date. Daniel L. Hodges, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, transferred a total of 38,334 shares of his personally owned, issued and outstanding common stock of the Company to the accredited investors, as part of this transaction. The Company accounted for this as a contribution from Mr. Hodges, with the total fair value of the shares of $259,600 assigned as debt discounts for additional consideration to the accredited investors. The Company defaulted on these notes during the 2020 fiscal year, causing the interest rate to increase to an annually compounded rate of 18% per annum, and the note and accrued interest to become due on-demand. The amounts recorded as debt discounts were fully amortized and recognized in interest expense during the 2020 fiscal year, as a result of the notes becoming due on-demand from the default event. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $550,000 was outstanding under these notes. On January 26, 2021, $500,000 of the aggregate principal amount of these notes, a 10% principal bonus, and accrued interest with a combined total of $565,740, was fully extinguished at the rate of $4.15 per unit, as defined in our public offering and disclosed in Note 19- Subsequent Events, resulting in the issuance of 136,324 shares of issued common stock of the Company, along with warrants to purchase up to 136,324 shares of common stock that are exercisable for a purchase price of $4.50 per share at any time on or prior to January 26, 2026. The remaining $50,000 aggregate principal amount of these notes was fully repaid during the first quarter of fiscal 2021.
Between April 30 and May 26, 2020, six of the Company’s subsidiaries received loan proceeds in the aggregate amount of $455,184 under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). The PPP loan has a maturity of 2 years and an interest rate of 1% per annum. The PPP, established as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”), provides for loans to qualifying businesses for amounts up to 2.5 times of the average monthly payroll expenses of the qualifying business. The loans and accrued interest are forgivable pursuant to section 1106 of the CARES Act, after a period of up to 24 weeks, as long as the borrower uses the loan proceeds for eligible purposes, including payroll, benefits, rent and utilities, and maintains its payroll levels. The amount of loan forgiveness shall be calculated in accordance with the requirements of the PPP, including the provisions of Section 1106 of the CARES Act, although no more than 40 percent of the amount forgiven can be attributable to non-payroll costs. Further, the amount of loan forgiveness will be reduced if the borrower terminates employees or reduces salaries during the period of up to 24 weeks. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate amount of principal of $455,184 was outstanding under these loans.
In connection with the VNC acquisition on July 6, 2020, the Company assumed a PPP loan in the principal amount of $24,028 bearing interest at 1% per annum and with a maturity date of May 14, 2022. Terms are consistent with the Company’s other PPP loans. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate amount of principal amount of $24,028 was outstanding under this loan.
On August 11, 2020, one of the Company’s subsidiaries received loan proceeds in the aggregate amount of $103,659 under the PPP. The PPP loan has a maturity of 5 years and an interest rate of 1% per annum. Terms are consistent with the Company’s other PPP loans. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $103,659 was outstanding under this loan.
Senior Debentures
In connection with its acquisition of DragonWave and Lextrum in April 2019, COMSovereign assumed the obligations of the seller of $100,000 aggregate principal amount of 8% Senior Convertible Debentures of the seller that bore interest at the rate of 8% per annum and matured on December 31, 2019. Interest was payable semi-annually in cash or, at the seller’s option, in shares of the seller’s common stock at the conversion price that was equal to the lesser of (1) $24.00 or (2) 80% of the common stock price offered under the next equity offering. On April 30, 2020, these debentures were modified to remove the conversion feature and only have settlement through cash. These debentures are past due and interest accrues at a rate of 15% per annum. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, an aggregate principal amount of $84,000 and $100,000, respectively, was outstanding under these debentures. The aggregate principal amount of this debenture was fully repaid during the first quarter of fiscal 2021.
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Convertible Notes Payable
On April, 29, 2020, the Company sold a convertible promissory note in the principal amount of $285,714 with an original issue discount of $35,714 that bore interest at a rate of 12.5% per annum and matures on January 29, 2021. Accrued interest and principal are due on the maturity date. Upon maturity, the interest rate would have automatically increased to 18% per annum or the maximum amount permitted by applicable law on any unpaid principal and accrued interest. The Company also issued warrants to purchase 52,910 shares of common stock that are exercisable for a purchase price of $2.97 per share at any time on or prior to April 29, 2025. Warrants to purchase up to 9,260 shares of common stock, at an exercise price of 110% of the initial conversion price of the notes (i.e., an exercise price of $2.97), at any time on or prior to April 29, 2025, were also issued to an unrelated third-party as a placement fee for the transaction. In connection with this note, the Company recognized a BCF of $114,904, a debt discount of $44,944 associated with the issuance of warrants to the note holder, and debt issuance costs of $39,333, which were all recorded as debt discounts. On July 28, 2020, the Company defaulted on this note under the related Registration Rights Agreement by not filing a registration statement within 90 days of the note origination date. As a result, the aggregate principal balance increased by $97,322, which was composed of an $88,393 penalty payment-in-kind and an $8,929 interest payment-in-kind, representing 130% of the outstanding principal and accrued interest balance on the default date. In addition, the interest rate was increased to 24% per annum, and the note and accrued interest was due on-demand. On September 29, 2020, the note holder converted the full principal of $383,306 and all accrued interest of $16,087 into 147,824 shares of common stock of the Company. During the year ending December 31, 2020, all amounts recorded as debt discounts totaling $234,895 were amortized and recognized in interest expense in the consolidated statement of operations.
On July 7, 2020, the Company sold to the same investor as the April 29, 2020 note an additional convertible promissory note in the principal amount of $285,714 with an original issue discount of $35,714 that bears interest at a rate of 12.5% per annum, and warrants to purchase an additional 52,910 shares of common stock. Warrants to purchase up to 9,260 shares of common stock, were also issued to an unrelated third-party as a placement fee for the transaction. Terms and maturities are similar to the April 29, 2020 note and warrants. In connection with this note, the Company recognized a BCF of $139,810, a debt discount of $50,128 associated with the issuance of warrants to the note holder, and debt issuance costs of $35,539, which were all recorded as debt discounts. On July 28, 2020, the Company defaulted on this note under the related Registration Rights Agreement by not filing a registration statement within 90 days of the initial April 29, 2020 note origination date. As a result, the aggregate principal balance increased by $88,423, which was composed of an $86,339 penalty payment-in-kind and a $2,084 interest payment-in-kind, representing 130% of the outstanding principal and accrued interest balance on the default date. In addition, the interest rate was increased to 24% per annum, and the note and accrued interest is due on-demand. During the year ended December 31, 2020, all amounts recorded as debt discounts totaling $261,191 were amortized and recognized in interest expense in the consolidated statement of operations. As of December 31, 2020, there were $0 of debt discounts remaining as a result of the note becoming due on-demand from the default event, and an aggregate principal amount of $374,137 was outstanding under this note. On January 22, 2021, the note holder converted the full principal of $374,137 and all accrued interest of $44,398 into 155,013 shares of common stock of the Company.
On August 21, 2020, the Company sold a convertible promissory note in the principal amount of $1,700,000 with an original issue discount of $200,000 that bears interest at a rate of 5.0% per annum and matured on November 20, 2020. Accrued interest and principal are due on the maturity date. Upon maturity, the interest rate shall automatically increase to the lesser of 18% per annum or the maximum amount permitted by applicable law on any unpaid principal and accrued interest. Upon a default event, a penalty will be incurred of 130% of the outstanding principal and accrued interest balance on the default date, the interest rate will increase to 24% per annum, and the note and accrued interest will become due on-demand. Following the maturity date, the note is convertible into shares of common stock at a conversion price equal to 65% of the lowest volume weighted average price of the common stock during the 20 consecutive trading days immediately preceding the conversion date, which the Company recognized as a BCF of $160,000. As additional consideration for the loan, the Company issued to the lender 133,334 shares of common stock at a fair value of $10.05 per share. Warrants to purchase up to 17,857 shares of common stock that are exercisable for a purchase price of $8.40 per share at any time on or prior to August 20, 2025, were also issued to an unrelated third-party as a placement fee for the transaction. In connection with this note, the Company recognized a debt discount of $1,340,000 associated with the issuance of shares to the note holder, and debt issuance costs of $231,149, which were all recorded as debt discounts. On November 21, 2020, the Company defaulted on this note by not repaying the principal and accrued interest by the maturity date, which resulted in the aggregate principal balance increasing by $538,239, which was composed of an $516,517 penalty payment-in-kind and a $21,722 interest payment-in-kind, representing 130% of the outstanding principal and accrued interest balance on the default date. In addition, the interest rate was increased to 24% per annum. During the year ended December 31, 2020, all amounts recorded as debt discounts totaling $1,931,149 were amortized and recognized in interest expense in the consolidated statement of operations. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $2,238,239 was outstanding and past due under this note. The aggregate principal amount of this note was fully repaid during the first quarter of fiscal 2021.
Senior Convertible Debentures
In connection with its acquisition of DragonWave and Lextrum in April 2019, COMSovereign assumed the obligations of the seller of $25,000 aggregate principal amount of 8% Senior Convertible Debentures of the seller that bore interest at the rate of 8% per annum and matured on December 31, 2019. Interest was payable semi-annually in cash or, at the seller’s option, in shares of the seller’s common stock at the conversion price that was equal to the lesser of (1) $24.00 or (2) 80% of the common stock price offered under the next equity offering. These debentures were past due and interest accrued at a rate of 15% per annum. The aggregate principal amount of $25,000 under these debentures was fully repaid during the first quarter of fiscal 2020.
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On September 24, 2019, COMSovereign sold $250,000 aggregate principal amount of 10% Senior Convertible Debentures that bear interest at a rate of 10% per annum and mature on December 31, 2021. Interest is paid semi-annually in arrears in June and December of each year in cash or, at COMSovereign’s option, in shares of common stock at the conversion price that is equal to the lesser of (1) $7.50 or (2) a future effective price per share of any common stock sold by COMSovereign. Upon an event of default, the interest rate shall automatically increase to 15% per annum. In connection with these debentures, COMSovereign recognized a BCF of $69,000 and a debt discount of $181,000 associated with the issuance of warrants, both of which were recorded as debt discounts. On April 21, 2020, all unpaid accrued interest through December 31, 2019 was converted into 2,234 shares of issued common stock of the Company. Also on April 21, 2020, all the outstanding warrants were exercised at $0.03 per share into 94,510 issued shares of the Company’s common stock, resulting in full recognition in interest expense of the remaining debt discount of approximately $139,000 associated with the issuance of warrants. On April 30, 2020, these debentures were amended to provide for the conversion of the debentures into shares of the Company’s common stock instead of COMSovereign’s common stock. Additionally, the conversion price was changed from $7.50 per share to $2.268 per share. The Company defaulted on these debentures during the current fiscal year, causing the interest rate to increase to 15% per annum, and the debentures and accrued interest to become due on-demand. Amounts recorded as debt discounts were fully amortized and recognized in interest expense during the current fiscal year, as a result of the debentures becoming due on-demand from the default event. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, there were $0 and $225,000 of debt discounts remaining, respectively. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, an aggregate principal amount of $250,000 was outstanding under these debentures. On January 26, 2021, the holder of these debentures converted the full principal of $250,000 and all accrued interest of $33,921 into 125,186 shares of common stock of the Company.
On July 2, 2020, the Company sold $1,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 9% Senior Convertible Debentures to an accredited investor bearing interest at a rate of 9% per annum and a maturity date of September 30, 2020. During the third quarter of the current fiscal year, the maturity date of these debentures was extended to November 30, 2020. Accrued interest and principal were due on the maturity date, with interest paid in cash or, at the Company’s option, in shares of common stock at the conversion price of $3.00 per share. Upon an event of default, the interest rate shall automatically increase to 15% per annum. The debentures are convertible into shares of the Company’s common stock at a conversion price of $3.00 per share. The Company also issued warrants to purchase 33,334 shares of common stock that are exercisable for a purchase price of $3.00 per share, at any time on or prior to the earlier of December 31, 2022 or the second anniversary of the Company’s consummation of a public offering of its common stock in connection with an up-listing of the common stock to a national securities exchange. In connection with these debentures, the Company recognized a BCF of $131,477 and a debt discount of $31,477 associated with the issuance of warrants, both of which were recorded as debt discounts. During year ended December 31, 2020, the entire $162,954 of the costs recorded as debt discounts were fully amortized and recognized in interest expense in the consolidated statement of operations. As of December 31, 2020, an aggregate principal amount of $1,000,000 was outstanding and past due under these debentures. On January 26, 2021, the holder of these debentures converted the principal amount of $900,000 into 300,000 shares of common stock of the Company. The remaining principal amount $100,000 and accrued interest with a combined total of $160,568, was fully extinguished on January 26, 2021 at the rate of $4.15 per unit, as defined in our public offering and disclosed in Note 19- Subsequent Events, resulting in the issuance of, along with warrants to purchase up to 38,713 shares of common stock that are exercisable for a purchase price of $4.50 per share at any time on or prior to January 26, 2026.
Certain agreements governing the secured notes payable, notes payable, senior debentures, convertible notes payable, and senior convertible debentures contain customary covenants, such as debt service coverage ratios, limitations on liens, dispositions, mergers, entry into other lines of business, investments and the incurrence of additional indebtedness.
All debt agreements are subject to customary events of default. If an event of default occurs with respect to the debt agreements and is continuing, the lenders may accelerate the applicable amounts due. The Company is in default on several debt agreements, and has accrued the proper penalties or disclosed any additional contingencies that resulted from the default.
Future maturities contractually required by the Company under long-term debt obligations are as follows for the years ending December 31:
(Amounts in US$’s) | Total | |||
2021 | $ | 18,401,785 | ||
2022 | 544,305 | |||
2023 | 57,272 | |||
2024 | 1,057 | |||
2025 | 103,659 | |||
Thereafter | — | |||
Total | $ | 19,108,078 |
See Note 19 – Subsequent Events for details regarding additional debt incurred after December 31, 2020.
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11. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Throughout 2020, the Executive Officers and the members of the Board of Directors elected to not receive salaries and Board fees to which they are entitled through the Company’s compensation program until such time the cash position of the Company improved. Amounts outstanding at December 31, 2020 totaled approximately $1.4 million. Subsequent to December 31, 2020, the Company completed two public offerings and approximately $1.2 million of this amount was paid. See Note 19 – Subsequent Events for details regarding the subsequent public offerings.
Receivable – Related Party
As of December 31, 2019, the receivables – related party balance was $1,595, which represented amounts owed by Dr. Dustin McIntire, the Company’s Chief Technology Officer, for personal charges he incurred using his company credit card.
Accrued Liabilities – Related Party
As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the accrued liabilities – related party balance was $30,000 and $461,254, respectively, which represented amounts owed to various contractors, officers and employees of the Company as described below.
In August 2016, InduraPower entered into a promissory note in the principal amount of $50,000 that bears interest at 7.785% per annum and matures on September 1, 2021. At the same time, InduraPower also entered into a promissory note in the principal amount of $450,000 with the same lender that bears interest at 9.0% per annum and matures on March 1, 2022. A requirement of the promissory notes is to maintain a balance of at least $155,159 at J.P. Morgan while the promissory notes are outstanding. Sergei Begliarov, Chief Executive Officer of InduraPower, provided cash of $153,761 to comply with the requirements of the promissory notes. The amount was recorded in accrued liabilities – related party and $153,761 was outstanding as of December 31, 2019. These transactions are not considered related party activity during 2020.
During 2019, Sergei Begliarov paid $71,199 of expenses on behalf of InduraPower. During 2019, Mr. Hodges, paid $6,588 of expenses on behalf of InduraPower. These amounts were recorded in accrued liabilities – related party and had balances outstanding aggregating to $77,787 as of December 31, 2019. These transactions are not considered related party activity during 2020.
Mr. Hodges is also the founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TM Technologies, Inc. (“TM”). Mr. Hodges also controls TM by virtue of his ownership and control of a majority of the outstanding equity securities of TM. In addition, Mr. Kevin Sherlock, the Company’s General Counsel, is also a director of TM. Additionally, in 2019, TM paid $29,300 of expenses on behalf of InduraPower and this amount was recorded in accrued liabilities – related party as of December 31, 2019. These transactions are not considered related party activity during 2020.
During 2018 and 2019, Daniel L. Hodges paid $29,120 of rent on behalf of Lextrum. This amount was recorded in accrued liabilities – related party as of December 2019. These transactions are not considered related party activity during 2020.
On November 10, 2017, the Company and Global Security Innovative Strategies, LLC (“GSIS”), a company in which David Aguilar, a member of the Company’s Board of Directors, is a principal, entered in an agreement (the “GSIS Agreement”) pursuant to which GSIS agreed to provide business development support and general consulting services for sales opportunities with U.S. government agencies and other identified prospects and consulting support services for the Company. The GSIS Agreement had an initial term of six months beginning on November 1, 2017. On September 26, 2018, the parties amended the GSIS Agreement to extend the period of service through September 2019 with monthly automatic renewals thereafter. The Company also agreed to issue an option to purchase 100,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at a strike price of $1.00, or $100,000. This option immediately vested and terminates on September 26, 2022. Pursuant to the GSIS Agreement, GSIS is paid a fee of $10,000 per month. In addition, GSIS is paid for the expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its duties under the GSIS Agreement. Either party may terminate or renew the GSIS Agreement at any time, for any reason or no reason, upon at least 30 days’ notice to the other party. GSIS was owed $30,000 and $23,036 for normal monthly retainers and expenses incurred as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. These amounts were recorded in accrued liabilities – related party as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
On March 21, 2019, concurrent with the resignation of Kevin Hess, the Company’s former Chief Technology Officer, the Company and Cognitive Carbon Corporation (“CCC”), entered into an agreement pursuant to which CCC agreed to provide Chief Technology Officer services, sales and marketing services and outsourced software and platform development services which are to be provided personally by Kevin Hess or third-party development firms of his choosing for outsourced development. CCC will receive $19,750 per month for one year for the Chief Technology Officer services and potential bonuses and an amount up to $120,000 for outsourced software and platform development. Felicia Hess, and employee of the Company, who is married to Kevin Hess, is the President and a director of CCC. Amounts outstanding and payable to CCC in accrued liabilities – related party totaled $148,250 as of December 31, 2019. These transactions are not considered related party activity during 2020.
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Notes Payable – Related Party
As of October 2019, TM had advanced amounts to the Company totaling $1,292,953 for general expenses and to simulate and test emplacement of the modulation technology within one of DragonWave’s Harmony line radios. As of October 31, 2019, this amount was formalized into a note with a stated interest payment of $54,000. Interest and principal was due at initial maturity, August 31, 2020. No payment was made as of maturity and a default penalty was accrued in other liabilities totaling $67,348 in accordance with the agreement. Effective September 30, 2020, this note was amended to extend the maturity date to December 31, 2020. As of December 31, 2019, $1,292,953 plus accrued interest and penalty was outstanding under this loan. On October 1, 2020, the Company entered into an agreement with TM to exchange the aggregate principal, interest and penalties outstanding with a combined total of $1,414,301, in full for 188,574 common shares of the Company with a fair value of $7.50 per share.
On August 5, 2019, Mr. Hodges and his wife, loaned DragonWave $200,000 at an interest rate of 5.0% per annum and an 18.0% default interest rate with a maturity date of December 31, 2020. Interest was payable monthly while the full principal balance was due at maturity. This loan is currently past due and is accruing interest at an increased default rate of 18.0% per annum. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, $200,000 plus accrued interest was outstanding under the loan. The aggregate principal amount of this note was fully repaid during the subsequent first quarter of fiscal year 2021.
On July 1, 2020, Mr. Brent Davies, who is on the Company’s Board of Directors and Audit Committee, loaned the Company $50,000 at an interest rate of 4.80% per annum with an original maturity date of August 31, 2020. This note was amended to extend the maturity date to November 30, 2020. Interest and the full principal balance are due at maturity. This loan is currently past due and is accruing interest at an increased default rate of 18.0% per annum. As of December 31, 2020, $50,000 plus accrued interest was outstanding under the loan. The aggregate principal amount of this note was fully repaid during the subsequent first quarter of fiscal year 2021.
On July 2, 2020, the Company sold $1,900,000 aggregate principal amount of 9% Convertible Debentures to Dr. Dustin McIntire, the Company’s Chief Technology Officer, that bore interest at a rate of 9% per annum and matured on September 30, 2020. Dr. McIntire was also granted warrants to purchase an aggregate of 63,334 shares of the Company’s common stock at a price of $3.00 per share. The Company recorded the warrants as a discount to the debt in the amount of $59,806. The Company also recorded $249,806 for the BCF associated with the debentures. On August 19, 2020, Dr. McIntire converted the full principal amount of such debentures and accrued interest into 640,360 shares of the Company’s common stock.
Between October 15, 2020 and December 28, 2020, we borrowed an aggregate of $600,000 from Dr. McIntire and issued promissory notes evidencing such loans. The principal amounts of the notes are between $100,000 and $350,000, and such notes bear interest at 10% per annum and are due between January 14, 2021 and March 28, 2021. The aggregate principal amount of these notes was fully repaid during the subsequent first quarter of fiscal year 2021.
Between November 13, 2020 and December 24, 2020, we borrowed an aggregate of $160,000 from Richard J. Berman, a member of the Board of Directors, and issued promissory notes evidencing such loans. The principal amounts of the notes were between $40,000 and $120,000, and such notes bore interest at 8% per annum and were due between February 12, 2021 and March 23, 2021. On January 14, 2021, we and Mr. Berman agreed to convert such promissory notes, and all accrued interest thereon, into 42,776 shares of common stock and warrants to purchase 42,776 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $4.50 per share. On January 26, 2021, the aggregate principal amount of this note, a 10% principal bonus, and all accrued interest with a combined total of $177,517, was fully extinguished at the rate of $4.15 per unit, as defined in our public offering and disclosed in Note 19- Subsequent Events, resulting in the issuance of 42,776 shares of issued common stock of the Company, along with warrants to purchase up to 42,776 shares of common stock that are exercisable for a purchase price of $4.50 per share at any time on or prior to January 26, 2026.
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12. REVENUE
The following table is a summary of the Company’s timing of revenue recognition for the year ended December 31, 2020 and the period January 10, 2019 (Inception) to December 31, 2019:
Year Ended
December 31, |
January 10,
2019 (Inception) to December 31, |
|||||||
(Amounts in US$’s) | 2020 | 2019 | ||||||
Timing of revenue recognition: | ||||||||
Services and products transferred at a point in time | $ | 8,815,731 | $ | 2,803,026 | ||||
Services and products transferred over time | 611,105 | 1,909,186 | ||||||
Total revenue | $ | 9,426,836 | $ | 4,712,212 |
The Company disaggregates revenue by source and geographic destination to depict how the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows are affected by economic factors.
Revenue by source consisted of the following for the year ended December 31, 2020 and the period January 10, 2019 (Inception) to December 31, 2019:
Year Ended
December 31, |
January 10,
2019 (Inception) to December 31, |
|||||||
(Amounts in US$’s) | 2020 | 2019 | ||||||
Revenue by products and services: | ||||||||
Products | $ | 7,562,251 | $ | 2,702,410 | ||||
Services | 1,864,585 | 2,009,802 | ||||||
Total revenue | $ | 9,426,836 | $ | 4,712,212 |
Revenue by geographic destination consisted of the following for the year ended December 31, 2020 and the period January 10, 2019 (Inception) to December 31, 2019:
Year Ended
December 31, |
January 10,
2019 (Inception) to December 31, |
|||||||
(Amounts in US$’s) | 2020 | 2019 | ||||||
Revenue by geography: | ||||||||
North America | $ | 8,577,006 | $ | 3,476,977 | ||||
International | 849,830 | 1,235,235 | ||||||
Total revenue | $ | 9,426,836 | $ | 4,712,212 |
Contract Balances
The Company records contract assets when it has a right to consideration and records accounts receivable when it has an unconditional right to consideration. Contract liabilities consist of cash payments received (or unconditional rights to receive cash) in advance of fulfilling performance obligations. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company did not have a material contract assets balance.
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The following table is a summary of the Company’s opening and closing balances of contract liabilities related to contracts with customers.
(Amounts in US$’s) | Total | |||
Balance at January 10, 2019 (Inception) | $ | — | ||
Increase | 302,815 | |||
Balance at December 31, 2019 | $ | 302,815 | ||
Increase | 561,487 | |||
Balance at December 31, 2020 | $ | 864,302 |
The increase in contract liabilities during the year ended December 31, 2020 and the period January 10, 2019 (Inception) to December 31, 2019 was primarily due to invoiced amounts that did not yet meet the revenue recognition criteria, which for the year ended December 31, 2020, was partially offset by the revenue recognition criteria being met for previously deferred revenue. The amount of revenue recognized for the year ended December 31, 2020 and the period January 10, 2019 (Inception) to December 31, 2019 that was included in the prior period contract liability balance was approximately $149,923 and $0, respectively. This revenue consisted of services provided to customers who had been invoiced prior to the year ended December 31, 2020.
See Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies for the Company’s policies on revenue recognition.
13. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
On May 26, 2020, the board of directors of the Company and stockholders holding a majority of the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock approved resolutions authorizing the board of directors to effect the Split of the Company’s common stock at an exchange ratio of up to 1-for-3, with the board of directors retaining the discretion as to whether to implement the Split. On December 16, 2020, the Company’s board of directors approved a ratio for the Split of 1-for-3 subject to such registration statement being declared effective by the U.S. SEC. On January 21, 2021, the Company’s first planned registration statement and the Split became effective and closed on January 26, 2021. The consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes give effect to this Split as if it occurred at the beginning of the first period presented.
The Company filed an additional registration statement that became effective on February 10, 2021 and closed on February 12, 2021.
See Note 19 – Subsequent Events for details regarding the subsequent public offerings.
COMSovereign had 5,000,000 Preferred Series A shares authorized for issuance and as of March 4, 2019 had 866,667 Preferred Series A shares issued and outstanding. All the Preferred Series A shares issued were for the acquisitions of VEO, InduraPower and Silver Bullet during fiscal 2019. On November 15, 2019, each Preferred Series A share was converted into one common share of COMSovereign. After the conversion, the Preferred Series A shares ceased to exist and were no longer authorized for issuance.
As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company had 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock authorized for issuance, none of which were issued and outstanding.
As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company had 300,000,000 shares of common stock authorized for issuance and 49,444,689 and 42,775,415 shares of common stock issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
F-43
On September 4, 2019, the Company entered into a Redemption Agreement with Robert Guerra, a former director of the Company, pursuant to which 33,334 shares of common stock were redeemed for $1.50 per share, or an aggregate of $50,000. These redeemed shares were recorded as treasury stock on the Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.
Dividends
The Company did not pay dividends to holders of its common stock during fiscal 2020 or 2019. The determination to pay dividends on common stock will be at the discretion of the Board of Directors and will depend on applicable laws and the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, cash requirements, prospects and such other factors as the Board of Directors may deem relevant. In addition, current or future loan agreements may restrict the Company’s ability to pay dividends. The Company does not anticipate declaring or paying any cash dividends on common stock in the foreseeable future.
Consulting Agreements and Settlements with Vendors
On January 31, 2020, the Company entered into an agreement with a consultant to amend an existing consulting agreement between the consultant and the Company to allow the consultant to elect to take from 50% to 100% of its compensation in the form of common stock of the Company. Common stock to be issued to the consultant will be paid on a quarterly basis. On March 12, 2020, the Company issued 55,032 shares of its common stock in satisfaction of $106,238 that was owed by Lextrum to the consultant for services previously rendered. The fair value on the issue date of the 55,032 shares of common stock was $193,160. The Company booked the difference between the fair value of the shares issued and the amount owed by Lextrum to the consultant as general and administrative expense in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. On August 8, 2020 and October 27, 2020, an aggregate of 25,661 shares of its common stock, with a fair value of an aggregate of $96,116, were issued in conjunction with services performed in the first, second and third quarters of 2020. An additional 8,169 shares of its common stock, with a fair value of $49,012, are recorded at December 31, 2020 as unissued shares, as discussed below, for services rendered for the fourth quarter of 2020.
On May 15, 2020, the Company entered into an agreement with a consultant that requires the payment of 18,334 shares of the its common stock, with a fair value of $49,500, at the inception of the contract with no performance condition. These shares of common stock were issued on August 26, 2020.
On June 12, 2020, the Company entered into an agreement with a consultant that requires payment of $5,000 to be paid in shares of its common stock, as well as warrants to purchase 1,334 shares of its common stock per month. Six months of warrants were issued at the inception of the contract with no performance conditions. On October 6, 2020 the Company issued 5,255 shares of its common stock, with a fair value of $19,861, for services rendered for the third quarter of 2020. This consulting agreement was terminated in October of 2020.
On August 8, 2020, the Company settled outstanding accounts payable to a vendor by issuing 27,280 shares of its common stock, with a fair value of $102,424. These shares were issued October 6, 2020.
F-44
On December 9, 2020, the Company entered into an agreement with a consultant that required the payment of 5,000 shares of its common stock with a fair value of $30,750 at the inception of the contract with the obligation to perform services in the future. These shares of common stock were issued on December 14, 2020. As of December 31, 2020, 6,375 of these shares of common stock have vested and expense totaling $13,069 has been recognized, through satisfaction of the performance obligation. The remainder of the shares vested subsequent to year end.
On November 9, 2020, the Company entered into a Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release with a prior lender to avoid potential litigation that required the payment of 300,000 shares of its common stock with a fair value of $690,000 at the agreement date. The expense related to this settlement has been recorded as Other Expense in the Consolidated Statement of Operations.
Subscription Agreement
On July 16, 2020, the Company entered into a stock subscription agreement to sell 19,903 shares of its common stock for a total of $59,707. These shares were issued on August 25, 2020.
On September 28, 2020, the Company entered into a stock subscription agreement to sell 10,772 shares of its common stock for a total of $32,134. These shares were issued on August 25, 2020.
On September 28, 2020, the Company entered into a stock subscription agreement to sell 33,334 shares of its common stock for a total of $240,000. These shares were issued on October 9, 2020.
Unissued Shares
As of December 31, 2020, the Company had an agreement in place for which shares of its common stock were required to be issued as compensation to a vendor, although shares had not been administratively issued. This agreement has met the equity classification requirements and a corresponding increase to additional paid in capital has been recorded. Upon their issuance, the par value of these shares will be reclassified into common stock and the shares entered as outstanding. If these shares had been issued on of December 31, 2020, no material change in EPS would have been noted. Unissued shares as of December 31, 2020 totaled 8,169 shares and were issued subsequent to that date.
F-45
14. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION
The Company accounts for share-based compensation in accordance with ASC 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation. ASC 718 requires companies to measure the cost of employee and non-employee services received in exchange for an award of equity instruments, including stock options and warrants, based on the grant-date fair value of the award and to recognize it as compensation expense over the period the employee and non-employee is required to provide service in exchange for the award, usually the vesting period.
Share-based compensation for employees and non-employees is recorded in the Consolidated Statement of Operations as a component of general and administrative expense with a corresponding increase to additional paid-in capital in shareholders’ equity. For employee awards, the Company elected to utilize the simplified method of estimating the expected life of options as allowed by SAB 107. The Company believes this to be a better estimate of the expected life given the lack of historical information. For nonemployee awards, the Company will utilize the stated term of the award. Forfeitures will be accounted for as they occur for both employee and nonemployee awards. Upon exercise or conversion of any share-based payment transaction, the Company will issue shares, generally as new issuances.
As described in Note 13 – Shareholders’ Equity, effective January 21, 2021, the Company enacted the Split of the Company’s common stock. As a result, the Company has given effect to the Split as if it occurred at the beginning of the first period presented for all share-based compensation.
Stock Awards
In January 2019, Daniel L. Hodges, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of COMSovereign at such time, and John E. Howell, President of COMSovereign at such time, each acquired 4,000,000 shares of common stock of COMSovereign at a value of $0.0001 per share of common stock with no cash paid to COMSovereign and no services required.
On January 22, 2019, three members of the Board of Directors of COMSovereign and an executive officer of COMSovereign acquired an aggregate of 716,667 shares of common stock of COMSovereign at a value of $0.0001 per share of common stock with no cash paid to COMSovereign and no services required. Additionally, four executive officers of InduraPower, Lextrum and VEO acquired an aggregate of 166,667 shares of common stock of COMSovereign at a value of $0.0001 per share of common stock with no cash paid to COMSovereign and no services required.
2020 Long-Term Incentive Plan
On April 22, 2020, the Company’s Board of Directors adopted the 2020 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “2020 Plan”) which was approved by the stockholders on or about May 6, 2020. Employees, officers, directors and consultants that provide services to the Company or one of its subsidiaries may be selected to receive awards under the 2020 Plan. Awards under the 2020 Plan may be in the form of incentive or nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, stock bonuses, restricted stock, stock units and other forms of awards including cash awards and performance-based awards.
A total of 3,333,334 shares of the Company’s common stock are authorized for issuance with respect to awards granted under the 2020 Plan. Any shares subject to awards that are not paid, delivered or exercised before they expire or are cancelled or terminated, or fail to vest, as well as shares used to pay the purchase or exercise price of awards or related tax withholding obligations, will become available for other award grants under the 2020 Plan. As of December 31, 2020, 908,502 options have been issued under the 2020 Plan, of which 33,334 were forfeited. Any shares forfeited are available for re-issuance. A total of 2,458,165 shares authorized under the 2020 Plan remained available for award purposes.
The 2020 Plan will terminate on May 1, 2030. The maximum term of options, stock appreciation rights and other rights to acquire common stock under the 2020 Plan is ten years after the initial date of the award.
F-46
Stock Options
The following options were issued by the Company, outside of any equity plan, prior to the COMSovereign Acquisition with the attributes described below to purchase the Company’s common stock (amounts in US$’s, except share data):
Grant Date | Underlying Shares | Option Price | Full Vesting Date | Expiration Date | ||||||||
January 9, 2017 | 33,334 | $ | 8.70 | January 9, 2019 | January 7, 2021 | |||||||
August 3, 2017 | 1,710,000 | $ | 1.50 | August 3, 2017 | August 3, 2021 | |||||||
November 9, 2017 | 666,667 | $ | 1.50 | November 9, 2017 | November 9, 2021 | |||||||
December 13, 2017 | 66,667 | $ | 3.00 | November 13, 2019 | December 13, 2021 | |||||||
March 28, 2018 | 33,334 | $ | 3.00 | March 28, 2020 | March 28, 2022 | |||||||
May 16, 2018 | 110,000 | $ | 3.00 | May 16, 2018 | May 16, 2022 | |||||||
May 16, 2018 | 43,334 | $ | 3.00 | May 16, 2020 | May 16, 2022 | |||||||
September 26, 2018 | 2,000,000 | $ | 1.95 | December 21, 2018 | September 26, 2022 |
All of the above options were outstanding as of January 10, 2019.
On March 20, 2019, the Company granted options outside of any equity plan to two employees and one non-employee for the purchase of an aggregate of 60,001 shares of the Company’s common stock. All the options have an exercise price of $3.18 per share and expire on March 20, 2023. During Q4 of 2019, 16,667 of these options were forfeited and the remainder vested with the change of control event. Under the Black-Scholes option pricing model, the fair value of these options on the date of grant was estimated to be $123,130.
On July 6, 2020, the Company issued replacement options for outstanding VNC options in conjunction with the acquisition of VNC. These options are outside of any equity plan and are for the purchase of an aggregate 841,837 shares of the Company’s common stock. These options have an exercise price ranging from $0.1497 – $0.8646 per share, vested immediately, and expire July 6, 2025. The fair value of these options on the grant date was estimated to be $2,239,950.
Also on July 6, 2020, the Company issued options to two employees as share-based compensation under the Company’s 2020 Long-Term Incentive Plan for the purchase of an aggregate of 66,668 shares of the common stock. These options expire on July 6, 2025, have an exercise price of $3.24 per share, and half of these options vest six months from the date of issuance and the remainder vest 12 months from the date of issuance. The fair value of these options on the grant date was estimated to be $59,000. Of these, 33,334 options with a weighted average grant date fair value of $0.885 were forfeited during the third quarter of 2020 and 33,334 remain outstanding and unvested as of December 31, 2020.
All options issued during fiscal years 2019 and 2020 have been valued utilizing the Black-Scholes pricing model using the assumptions listed below. The weighted average grant date fair value of all options issued during the year ended December 31, 2020 was $2.55 per share and during the period January 10, 2019 (inception) through December 31, 2019 was $2.04 per share. The weighted average grant date fair value of the 33,334 unvested options as of December 31, 2020 was $0.885 per share. The weighted average grant date fair value of the 33,334 options that were forfeited during the year ended December 31, 2020 was $0.885 per share.
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The following table summarizes the assumptions used to estimate the fair value of stock options granted during fiscal 2020 and 2019:
2020 | 2019 | |||
Expected dividend yield | 0% | 0% | ||
Expected volatility | 38.17% | 90% | ||
Risk-free interest rate | 0.205–0.310% | 2.40-2.47% | ||
Expected life of options | 3.250-05.00 years | 4.0 years |
The following table represents stock option activity of COMSovereign and the Company as of and for the year ended December 31, 2020 and the period January 10, 2019 (Inception) to December 31, 2019:
Number of
Options |
Weighted-
Average Exercise Price per Share |
Weighted-
Average Contractual Life in Years |
Aggregate
Intrinsic Value |
|||||||||||||
Outstanding – December 31, 2019 | 2,898,347 | $ | 1.90 | 1.92 | $ | 2,264,770 | ||||||||||
Exercisable – December 31, 2019 | 2,898,347 | $ | 1.90 | 1.92 | $ | 2,264,770 | ||||||||||
Granted | 908,505 | 0.77 | ||||||||||||||
Exercised | (6,668 | ) | 1.50 | |||||||||||||
Cancelled or Expired | (366,669 | ) | 2.01 | |||||||||||||
Outstanding – December 31, 2020 | 3,433,515 | $ | 1.59 | 2.01 | $ | 15,220,798 | ||||||||||
Exercisable – December 31, 2020 | 3,400,181 | $ | 1.58 | 1.99 | $ | 15,128,796 |
Number of
Options |
Weighted-
Average Exercise Price per Share |
Weighted-
Average Contractual Life in Years |
Aggregate
Intrinsic Value |
|||||||||||||
Outstanding – January 10, 2019 | 4,663,350 | $ | 1.83 | 2.41 | $ | — | ||||||||||
Granted | 60,001 | 3.18 | ||||||||||||||
Exercised | (1,750,001 | ) | 1.70 | |||||||||||||
Cancelled or Expired | (75,003 | ) | 2.86 | |||||||||||||
Outstanding – December 31, 2019 | 2,898,347 | $ | 1.90 | 1.92 | $ | 2,264,770 | ||||||||||
Exercisable – December 31, 2019 | 2,898,347 | $ | 1.90 | 1.92 | $ | 2,264,770 |
F-48
Total recognized compensation expense related to the Company’s stock options was $12,290 and $157,441 for fiscal 2020 and 2019, respectively. All options granted by the Company prior to the change of control resulting from the completion of the COMSovereign Acquisition on November 27, 2019 vested immediately upon the change of control. The Company did not record any compensation expense for the period from November 27, 2019, the date of the COMSovereign Acquisition, to December 31, 2019. Compensation expense related to stock options is recorded in share-based compensation expense, a component of general and administrative expenses, in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. For year ended December 31, 2020 the Company has $17,210 of unrecognized compensation expense related to options. For the period January 10, 2019 (Inception) to December 31, 2019, there was no unrecognized compensation expense related to stock options.
Restricted Stock Awards
On March 25, 2019, COMSovereign’s Board of Directors granted an aggregate of 26,667 Restricted Stock Awards (“RSAs”) to a non-employee for consulting services, of which 20,000 RSAs immediately vested and 6,667 RSAs vested upon the change in control of COMSovereign in connection with the COMSovereign Acquisition. The grant date fair value of these RSAs was $13.20 per share of common stock for a total value of $352,000 recognized in share-based compensation expense.
On November 12, 2019, the Company’s Board of Directors granted an aggregate of 766,667 RSAs to eight employees. The RSAs vested upon the change of control upon the completion of the COMSovereign Acquisition on November 27, 2019. The Company recorded $1,495,000 in share-based compensation expense related to these RSAs during fiscal 2019, prior to the COMSovereign Acquisition. No compensation expense was recognized for the period November 27, 2019, the date of the COMSovereign Acquisition, through December 31, 2019.
On November 14, 2019, COMSovereign’s Board of Directors granted an aggregate of 13,334 RSAs to a non-employee for consulting services that vested immediately, with a grant date fair value of $13.20 per share of common stock for a total value of $176,000 recognized in share-based compensation expense during fiscal 2019.
On November 19, 2019, COMSovereign’s Board of Directors granted an aggregate of 90,267 RSAs to noteholders, employees, non-employees and an officer that vested immediately, with a grant date fair value of $13.20 per share of common stock for a total value of $1,191,520 recognized in share-based compensation expense during fiscal 2019.
On November 19, 2019, COMSovereign’s Board of Directors granted an aggregate of 8,000 RSAs to three executives of DragonWave and Silver Bullet, with a grant date fair value of $13.20 per share of common stock for a total value of $105,600 recognized in share-based compensation during fiscal 2019.
On November 27, 2019, COMSovereign’s Board of Directors granted an aggregate of 16,667 RSAs that immediately vested to a non-employee for assistance in negotiating a secured loan agreement on COMSovereign’s behalf, with a grant date fair value of $13.20 per share of common stock for a total value of $220,000 recognized in share-based compensation during fiscal 2019.
On December 2, 2019, the Company’s Board of Directors granted an aggregate of 633,334 RSAs to nine officers and directors at a grant date fair value of $2.46 per share. The vesting period for these RSAs is as follows: 283,334 vest on the one-year anniversary of the grant date; 283,334 vest on the two-year anniversary of the original grant date; and 66,667 vest on the three-year anniversary of the original grant date. The Company recognized $700,484 in share-based compensation expense for these RSAs during fiscal 2020 and $54,667 during fiscal 2019 which was recognized after the COMSovereign Acquisition.
There were no RSAs that were forfeited in the year ended December 31, 2020 or the period of January 10, 2019 (Inception) through December 31, 2019. For the year ended December 31, 2020 and the period of January 10, 2019 (Inception) through December 31, 2019, the Company recognized a total of $700,484 and $258,256, respectively, of compensation expense related to all RSAs which was recorded as share-based compensation expense, a component of general and administrative expenses, in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. Unrecognized compensation cost for RSAs totaled $802,947 and $ 1,503,431 as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. See Note 1 – Description of Business and Basis of Presentation for information about the shares issued in connection with the formation of COMSovereign.
Warrants
The following warrants, were issued by the Company prior to the COMSovereign Acquisition with the attributes described below to purchase the Company’s common stock (amounts in US$’s, except share data):
Issuance Date | Warrants Issued | Exercise Price | Full Vesting Date | Expiration Date | ||||||||
November 20, 2015 | 23,334 | $ | 15.00 | November 20, 2015 | November 20, 2020 | |||||||
April 27, 2016 | 20,000 | $ | 8.73 | April 27, 2016 | April 27, 2019 | |||||||
August 3, 2017 | 10,000 | $ | 1.50 | August 3, 2017 | August 3, 2021 | |||||||
August 3, 2017 | 666,667 | $ | 1.50 | August 3, 2017 | August 3, 2022 | |||||||
November 9, 2017 | 6,667 | $ | 1.50 | November 9, 2017 | November 9, 2021 | |||||||
September 26, 2018 | 33,334 | $ | 3.00 | September 26, 2018 | September 26, 2022 |
F-49
During the third quarter of 2019, COMSovereign issued eight warrants to purchase an aggregate of 33,334 shares of COMSovereign’s common stock. The warrants were issued in conjunction with the sale of the COMSovereign’s 9% Senior Convertible Debentures. The warrants had an exercise price of $15.00 per share and an expiration date of December 31, 2021. Prior to conversion of the related debentures, COMSovereign cancelled warrants to purchase 26,667 shares of common stock at $15.00 per share, and reissued warrants to purchase 37,500 shares of common stock at $4.50 per share. COMSovereign valued the new warrants at $250,835 using the Black-Scholes pricing model, which is included in interest expense on the Consolidated Statement of Operations. Warrants to purchase all 44,167 shares of common stock were exercised in November 2019 prior to the COMSovereign Acquisition.
On September 24, 2019, COMSovereign issued a warrant to purchase 50,000 shares of the COMSovereign’s common stock, which was converted into the ability to purchase 94,510 shares of the Company’s common stock as a result of the COMSovereign Merger. The warrant was issued in conjunction with the sale of COMSovereign’s 10% Senior Convertible Debentures. The warrant has an exercise price of $0.03 per share and an expiration date of December 31, 2021. No warrants were exercised during fiscal 2019. On April 21, 2020, these warrants were exercised and exchanged for 94,510 shares of the Company’s common stock.
During September 2019, COMSovereign issued two warrants to purchase 666,667 shares of COMSovereign’s common stock. The warrants were issued in conjunction with the sale by COMSovereign of a promissory note. The warrants had an exercise price of $0.03 per share and an expiration date of December 31, 2021. Warrants to purchase the full 666,667 shares of COMSovereign’s common stock were exercised in November 2019 prior to the COMSovereign Acquisition.
On October 15, 2019, COMSovereign issued a warrant to purchase 147,500 shares of COMSovereign’s common stock. The warrant was issued in conjunction with the sale by COMSovereign of a promissory note. The warrant had an exercise price of $0.03 per share and an expiration date of December 31, 2021. Warrants to purchase the full 147,500 shares of COMSovereign’s common stock were exercised in November 2019 prior to the COMSovereign Acquisition.
On November 26, 2019, COMSovereign issued warrants to purchase 310,000 shares of COMSovereign’s common stock to non-employees for consulting services in connection with the COMSovereign Acquisition. The warrants had an exercise price of $0.03 per share and an expiration date of November 26, 2024. Warrants to purchase the full 310,000 shares of COMSovereign’s common stock were exercised on November 27, 2019.
On April 13, 2020, the Company issued warrants to purchase an aggregate of 33,342 shares of the Company’s common stock. The warrants were issued as compensation to a vendor and had no vesting requirements. The warrants have an exercise price of $3.60 per share and an expiration date of April 12, 2025. None of these warrants were exercised during the year ended December 31, 2020.
On April 29, 2020, the Company issued a warrant to purchase 52,910 shares of the Company’s common stock. The warrant was issued in conjunction with the sale of the Company’s 12.5% OID Convertible Note and had no vesting requirements. The warrant has an exercise price of $2.97 per share and an expiration date of April 29, 2025. In connection with this transaction and as a placement fee to an unrelated third-party, the Company also issued warrants to purchase an aggregate of 9,262 shares of the Company’s common stock. The warrants have an exercise price of $2.97 per share and an expiration date of April 29, 2025. None of these warrants were exercised during the year ended December 31, 2020.
On June 8, 2020, the Company issued warrants to purchase an aggregate of 8,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price of $3.00 per share to a vendor in conjunction with a consulting agreement. These warrants expire on June 7, 2023. None of these warrants were exercised during the year ended December 31, 2020.
On July 6, 2020, and in conjunction with the acquisition of VNC, the Company issued replacement warrants for outstanding VNC warrants to purchase an aggregate of 578,763 shares of the Company’s common stock. The warrants have an exercise price of ranging from $0.1497 to $0.7212 per share and an expiration date of July 6, 2025. 18,572 of these warrants were exercised during the year ended December 31, 2020.
F-50
On July 7, 2020, the Company issued warrants to purchase an aggregate of 96,668 shares of the Company’s common stock. The warrants were issued as part of a convertible debenture offering with no vesting requirement, have an exercise price of $3.00 per share, and expire on December 31, 2022. None of these warrants were exercised during the year ended December 31, 2020.
On July 7, 2020, the Company issued a warrant to purchase 52,910 shares of the Company’s common stock. The warrant was issued in conjunction with the sale of the Company’s 12.5% OID Convertible Note and had no vesting requirements. The warrant has an exercise price of $2.97 per share and an expiration date of April 29, 2025. In connection with this transaction and as a placement fee to an unrelated third-party, the Company also issued warrants to purchase an aggregate of 9,262 shares of the Company’s common stock. The warrants have an exercise price of $2.97 per share and an expiration date of April 29, 2025. None of these warrants were exercised during the year ended December 31, 2020.
On August 21, 2020, the Company issued a warrant to purchase an aggregate of 17,866 shares of the Company’s common stock in conjunction with the sale of the Company’s 13.33% OID Convertible Note. These warrants were issued as payment of a placement fee to an unrelated third-party and had no vesting requirements. The warrant has an exercise price of $8.40 per share and an expiration date of August 20, 2025. None of these warrants were exercised during the year ended December 31, 2020.
The following table summarizes the assumptions used to estimate the fair value of the warrants granted during fiscal 2019:
2020 | 2019 | |||
Expected dividend yield | 0% | 0% | ||
Expected volatility | 36.96-41.55% | 32-33% | ||
Risk-free interest rate | 0.19-0.44% | 1.38-1.82% | ||
Contractual life of warrants |
2.5-5.0 years | 2.27-3.0 years |
Under the Black-Scholes option pricing model, the fair value of the warrants issued during fiscal years 2020 and 2019, was estimated at $2,061,368 and $3,138,667 or $2.40 and $12.69 per share on the dates of grants, respectively. Warrants issued in conjunction with the issuance of indebtedness are recorded as debt discounts. See Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Note 10 – Debt Agreements. Warrants issued in conjunction with an acquisition is accounted for as purchase price consideration. See Note 3 – Business Acquisitions.
The following tables represents warrant activity for the year ended December 31, 2020 and the period from January 10, 2019 (Inception) to December 31, 2019:
Number of
Warrants |
Weighted-
Average Exercise Price |
Weighted-
Average Remaining Contractual Life in Years |
Aggregate
Intrinsic Value |
|||||||||||||
Outstanding – December 31, 2019 | 167,846 | $ | 2.85 | 1.96 | $ | 258,332 | ||||||||||
Exercisable – December 31, 2019 | 167,846 | $ | 2.85 | 1.96 | $ | 258,332 | ||||||||||
Granted | 858,983 | 1.39 | ||||||||||||||
Exercised | (113,080 | ) | 0.14 | |||||||||||||
Forfeited or Expired | (23,334 | ) | 15.00 | |||||||||||||
Outstanding – December 31, 2020 | 890,415 | $ | 1.46 | 4.02 | $ | 4,083,357 | ||||||||||
Exercisable – December 31, 2020 | 890,415 | 1.46 | 4.02 | 4,083,357 |
Number of Warrants |
Weighted-Average Exercise
Price |
Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual
Life in Years |
Aggregate Intrinsic Value | |||||||||||||
Outstanding – January 10, 2019 | 760,005 | $ | 2.17 | 3.44 | $ | — | ||||||||||
Exercisable – January 10, 2019 | 760,005 | $ | 2.17 | 3.44 | $ | — | ||||||||||
Granted | 1,289,511 | 0.50 | ||||||||||||||
Exercised | (1,824,165 | ) | 0.67 | |||||||||||||
Forfeited or Expired | (57,505 | ) | 10,56 | |||||||||||||
Outstanding – December 31, 2019 | 167,846 | $ | 2.85 | 1.96 | $ | 258,332 | ||||||||||
Exercisable – December 31, 2019 | 167,846 | $ | 2.85 | 1.96 | $ | 258,332 |
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15. INCOME TAXES
Deferred taxes are provided on the liability method whereby deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for deductible temporary differences and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards and deferred tax liabilities are recognized for taxable temporary differences. Temporary differences are the differences between the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and their tax bases. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are adjusted for the effects of changes in tax law and rates on the date of enactment. The Tax Cut and Jobs Act was enacted on December 22, 2017, which reduced the U.S. corporate statutory income tax rate from 35% to 21% beginning January 1, 2018.
Net deferred tax liabilities consisted of the following as of December 31, 2020 and 2019:
December 31 | ||||||||
(Amounts in US$’s) | 2020 | 2019 | ||||||
Deferred tax assets: | ||||||||
Share-based compensation | $ | 14,500 | $ | 13,700 | ||||
Inventory reserve | 164,600 | 137,000 | ||||||
Allowance for bad debt | 421,700 | 172,700 | ||||||
Net operating loss carryover | 19,037,000 | 11,867,800 | ||||||
Foreign losses | 4,836,400 | 4,130,000 | ||||||
General business credits | 256,400 | 256,400 | ||||||
Total deferred tax assets | 24,730,600 | 16,577,600 | ||||||
Deferred tax liabilities: | ||||||||
Depreciation | (381,600 | ) | (43,000 | ) | ||||
Amortization | (13,156,300 | ) | (12,771,800 | ) | ||||
Total deferred tax liabilities | (13,537,900 | ) | (12,814,800 | ) | ||||
Valuation allowance: | (11,192,700 | ) | (3,762,800 | ) | ||||
Net deferred tax assets (liabilities) | $ | — | $ | — |
The income tax provision differs from the amount of income tax determined by applying the U.S. federal income tax rate to income (loss) from continuing operations before tax for fiscal 2019 due to the following:
December 31, 2020 | December 31, 2019 | |||||||||||||||
US$’s | Rates | US$’s | Rates | |||||||||||||
Income tax benefit at statutory federal income tax rate | $ | 8,397,400 | 21.00 | % | $ | 6,653,400 | 21.00 | % | ||||||||
State tax expense, net of federal benefit | 1,599,500 | 4.00 | % | 1,267,300 | 4.00 | % | ||||||||||
Permanent items | 233,700 | 0.58 | % | (20,000 | ) | (0.06 | )% | |||||||||
Other | 105,700 | 0.26 | % | — | — | % | ||||||||||
Valuation allowance | (7,429,900 | ) | (18.58 | ) | (3,762,800 | ) | (11.88 | )% | ||||||||
Income tax benefit | $ | 2,906,400 | (7.27 | )% | $ | 4,137,900 | 13.06 | % |
As of December 31, 2020, the Company had domestic net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $76,148,000, of which approximately $13,615,000 was generated pre-2018 that may be carried forward 20 years to offset against future taxable income from the year 2018 through 2038, and approximately $62,533,000 that may offset future taxable income with no definite expiration date.
Due to the change in the ownership provisions of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, net operating loss carryforwards for federal income tax reporting purposes are subject to annual limitations. Should a change in ownership occur, net operating loss carryforwards may be limited as to use in future years.
The Company records uncertain tax positions in accordance with ASC 740, Income Taxes, on the basis of a two-step process in which (1) the Company determines whether it is more likely than not that the tax positions will be sustained on the basis of the technical merits of the position and (2) for those tax positions that meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, the Company recognizes the largest amount of tax benefit that is more than 50% likely to be realized upon the ultimate settlement with the related tax authority. The Company did not record any liabilities related to uncertain tax positions as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.
The Company records valuation allowances to reduce its deferred tax assets to an amount it believes is more likely than not to be realized. In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers all positive and negative evidence to determine whether future taxable income will be generated during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. As a result, the Company recorded a valuation allowance on the portion of the deferred tax assets, including current year losses, deemed not to have enough sources of income to utilize the future benefits.
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16. LEASES
Operating Leases
The impact of ASU 2016-02 on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet beginning January 10, 2019 was from the recognition of the present value of the remaining payments on the remaining lease term totaling $116,876 of ROU assets and $116,876 lease liabilities for operating leases. The Company elected the practical expedient under ASU 2018-11, which allows the Company to apply the transition provision for Topic 842 at the Company’s adoption date. Therefore, the Company recognized and measured leases existing at January 10, 2019 (inception date). In addition, the Company elected the optional practical expedient permitted under the transition guidance which allows the Company to carry forward the historical accounting treatment for existing leases upon adoption. No impact was recorded to the Consolidated Statement of Operations or beginning retained earnings resulting from the adoption of Topic 842.
The Company has operating leases for office, manufacturing and warehouse space, along with office equipment. Amounts recognized as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 for operating leases were as follows:
(Amounts in US$’s) |
December 31,
2020 |
December 31,
2019 |
||||||
Operating lease ROU assets | $ | 2,725,462 | $ | 2,199,682 | ||||
Operating lease liability | $ | 2,884,997 | $ | 2,212,548 |
On January 10, 2019, the Company had one operating lease for office space with a right-of-use asset and lease liability recognized for $116,876. The lease is for 5,533 square feet of office space with monthly payments ranging from $6,316 to $6,464 and an incremental borrowing rate of 5.90%, which expired July 31, 2020. On August 14, 2020, the Company amended this lease, to extend the term for an additional 36-months through July 31, 2023. A right-of-use asset and lease liability for $161,328 was recorded on the commencement date of August 1, 2020. Monthly payments range from $4,786 to $5,078 over the extended lease term. The lease did not include an implicit rate of return; therefore, the Company used an incremental borrowing rate. The lease agreement has no renewal option.
On March 1, 2019, the Company entered into a 37-month lease for 2,390 square feet of office space. A right-of-use asset and lease liability for $72,887 was recorded, with monthly payments ranging from $2,091 to $2,189 per month through March 2022. The lease did not include an implicit rate of return, so the Company used an incremental borrowing rate of 5.5%.
On June 1, 2018, InduraPower entered into a one-year lease on its executive office located at 1668 S. Research Loop in Tucson, Arizona. InduraPower leases 7,432 square feet of a business park. On February 1, 2019, the date InduraPower was acquired, there were five months remaining on the original lease. On June 7, 2019, InduraPower entered into a two-year lease renewal. A right-of-use asset and lease liability for $140,210 was recorded, with monthly payments ranging from $5,351 to $5,717 per month until June 2021. The lease did not include an implicit rate of return; therefore, the Company used the average interest rate of InduraPower’s debt financings, which is 8.46%. The lease does not have a renewal option.
On June 1, 2019, VEO entered into a five-year lease on its executive office located at 10509 Vista Sorrento Parkway in San Diego, California. VEO leases 3,031 square feet of a business park. A right-of-use asset and lease liability for $376,998 was recorded, with monthly payments ranging from $6,800 to $7,654 per month until May 2024. The lease did not include an implicit rate of return and VEO did not have any outstanding debt financing. Therefore, the Company used the average rate of the first two outstanding leases mentioned above, which is 5.70%. The lease has a renewal option of two additional periods of five years each.
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On June 12, 2019, DragonWave entered into a two-year lease on office space located at 362 Terry Fox Drive, Ottawa Canada. DragonWave leases 13,541 square feet of a business park with monthly payments of CAD 10,708. The lease was recorded with a right-of-use asset and lease liability of $170,343. The lease is effective as of July 1, 2019 through June 2021. DragonWave used a 15% interest rate and there is no renewal option.
On December 13, 2019, the Company entered into a 63-month lease on its executive office located at 5000 Quorum Drive, Dallas, TX 75254. The Company is leasing 15,289 square feet of a business park. The lease began on April 1, 2020 and will expire on July 31, 2025. A right-of-use asset and lease liability for $1,540,142 was recorded on December 13, 2019. Monthly payments will range from $27,074 to $29,622 during the life of the lease. The lease did not include an implicit rate of return; therefore, the Company used the average rate of the first two outstanding leases mentioned above, which is 5.70%. The lease has a renewal option of two additional periods of five years each. The renewal periods were not included in the analysis of the right-to-use asset and lease liability as the Company does not consider them to be reasonably certain of being exercised, as comparable locations could generally be identified for comparable lease rates, without the Company incurring significant costs. During 2020, the Company recognized three months of rent abatement, applied a portion of a security deposit balance towards two months of future rent for this lease, and also applied its unused tenant improvement allowance towards future rent, resulting in a reduction of the right-of-use asset and lease liability by $188,623. Recognition of the security deposit balance towards two months of future rent also resulted in an increase of the right-of-use asset by $54,148.
As part of the acquisition of the business of Sovereign Plastics transaction on March 6, 2020, the Company assumed a lease for 23,300 square feet of flexible office space with a remaining term of approximately 62 months that will expire on May 30, 2025. A right-of-use asset and lease liability for $1,048,058 was recorded on March 6, 2020. Monthly payments range from $17,600 to $20,903 during the life of the lease. The lease did not include an implicit rate of return; therefore, the Company used an incremental borrowing rate based on other leases with similar terms. The lease agreement has no renewal option.
On September 17, 2020, the Company entered into a 63-month lease of office equipment. The lease commenced on September 29, 2020 and will expire on December 29, 2025. A right-of-use asset and lease liability for $23,898 was recorded on the commencement date of September 29, 2020. Monthly payments are $529 during the life of the lease, excluding a lease incentive of $1,750 payable at lease commencement. The lease did not include an implicit rate of return; therefore, the Company used an incremental borrowing rate. The renewal periods were not included in the analysis of the right-to-use asset and lease liability as the Company does not consider them to be reasonably certain of being exercised, as comparable equipment could generally be identified for comparable lease rates, without the Company incurring significant costs. In December 2020, the lessor provided a concession that deferred payment and extended the expiration date for 1 ½ months, resulting in a reduction of the right-of-use asset and lease liability by $167 and lease expiration date of January 15, 2026.
On November 11, 2020, the Company entered into a 12 ½-month lease for 2,335 square feet of office space. The lease commenced on November 15, 2020 and will expire on November 30, 2021. A right-of-use asset and lease liability for $53,793 was recorded on the commencement date of November 15, 2020. Monthly payments are $4,865 during the life of the lease, excluding a 1-month rent abatement. The lease did not include an implicit rate of return; therefore, the Company used an incremental borrowing rate. The lease agreement has no renewal option.
Other information related to the Company’s operating leases are as follows:
Year Ended
December 31, |
January 10,
2019 (Inception) to December 31, |
|||||||
(Amounts in US$’s) | 2020 | 2019 | ||||||
Operating lease ROU Asset – Beginning Balance | $ | 2,199,682 | $ | 116,876 | ||||
Increase | 1,341,225 | 2,300,580 | ||||||
Decrease | (188,790 | ) | — | |||||
Amortization | (626,655 | ) | (217,774 | ) | ||||
Operating lease ROU Asset – Ending Balance | $ | 2,725,462 | $ | 2,199,682 | ||||
Operating lease liability – Beginning Balance | $ | 2,212,548 | $ | 116,876 | ||||
Increase | 1,287,077 | 2,300,580 | ||||||
Decrease | (188,790 | ) | — | |||||
Amortization | (425,838 | ) | (204,908 | ) | ||||
Operating lease liability – Ending Balance | $ | 2,884,997 | $ | 2,212,548 | ||||
Operating lease liability – short term | $ | 676,019 | $ | 467,979 | ||||
Operating lease liability – long term | 2,208,978 | 1,744,569 | ||||||
Operating lease liability – total | $ | 2,884,997 | $ | 2,212,548 | ||||
Operating lease cost | $ | 770,630 | $ | 166,345 | ||||
Variable lease cost | $ | 7,101 | — | |||||
Short-term lease cost | $ | 158,533 | $ | 6,231 | ||||
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities: | ||||||||
Operating cash flows from operating leases | $ | 590,490 | $ | 138,670 |
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The following table presents the weighted-average remaining lease term and weighted average discount rates related to the Company’s operating leases as of December 31, 2020 and 2019:
(Amounts in US$’s) |
December 31,
2020 |
December 31,
2019 |
||||||
Weighted average remaining lease term | 4.19 years | 4.56 years | ||||||
Weighted average discount rate | 5.95 | % | 6.50 | % |
The table below reconciles the fixed component of the undiscounted cash flows for each of the first five years and the total remaining years to the lease liabilities recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2020:
(Amounts in US$’s) | Operating Leases | |||
2021 | $ | 819,481 | ||
2022 | 699,255 | |||
2023 | 713,647 | |||
2024 | 641,648 | |||
2025 | 377,459 | |||
Thereafter | 529 | |||
Total minimum lease payments | 3,252,019 | |||
Less: effect of discounting | (367,022 | ) | ||
Present value of future minimum lease payments | 2,884,997 | |||
Less: current obligations under leases | (676,019 | ) | ||
Long-term lease obligations | $ | 2,208,978 |
Finance Leases
There were no finance leases on the Company’s books and records as of and for the period of January 10, 2019 (Inception) through December 31, 2019.
As part of the acquisition of the business of Sovereign Plastics transaction on March 6, 2020, the Company assumed a finance lease for certain equipment with a remaining term of approximately 20 months. The finance lease includes a bargain purchase option of $1 for the equipment at the end of the term on October 1, 2021. A right-of-use asset and lease liability for $18,009 was recorded on March 6, 2020. Monthly payments are $964.76 during the life of the lease, excluding the bargain purchase option. The lease did not include an implicit rate of return; therefore, the Company used an incremental borrowing rate.
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On June 11, 2020, the Company entered into a 24-month finance lease for certain equipment. The finance lease includes a bargain purchase option of $1 for the equipment at the end of the term on June 11, 2022. A right-of-use asset and lease liability for $35,562 was recorded on June 11, 2020. Monthly payments are $1,481.69 during the life of the lease, excluding the bargain purchase option. The lease included an implicit rate of return.
On July 19, 2020, the Company entered into a 12-month finance lease for certain equipment, with a commencement date of August 6, 2020. The finance lease transfers ownership of the equipment to the Company at the end of the term on August 6, 2021. A right-of-use asset and lease liability for $28,405 was recorded on August 6, 2020. Monthly payments range from $2,473 to $2,498.66 during the life of the lease. The lease did not include an implicit rate of return; therefore, the Company used an incremental borrowing rate.
Other information related to the Company’s finance leases are as follows:
(Amounts in US$’s) |
Year Ended December 31,
2020 |
|||
Finance lease ROU Asset – Beginning Balance | $ | — | ||
Increase | 81,976 | |||
Amortization | (14,284 | ) | ||
Finance lease ROU Asset – Ending Balance | $ | 67,692 | ||
Finance lease liability – Beginning Balance | $ | — | ||
Increase | 81,976 | |||
Interest accretion | 1,715 | |||
Payment | (28,455 | ) | ||
Finance lease liability – Ending Balance | $ | 55,236 | ||
Finance lease liability – short term | $ | 46,345 | ||
Finance lease liability – long term | 8,891 | |||
Finance lease liability – total | $ | 55,236 |
The following table presents the weighted-average remaining lease term and weighted average discount rates related to the Company’s finance leases as of December 31, 2020:
(Amounts in US$’s) |
December 31,
2020 |
|||
Weighted average remaining lease term | 1.10 years | |||
Weighted average discount rate | 3.91 | % |
The table below reconciles the fixed component of the undiscounted cash flows for each of the first five years and the total remaining years to the finance lease liabilities recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2020:
(Amounts in US$’s) | Finance Leases | |||
2021 | $ | 47,213 | ||
2022 | 8,891 | |||
Total minimum lease payments | 56,104 | |||
Less: effect of discounting | (868 | ) | ||
Present value of future minimum lease payments | 55,236 | |||
Less: current obligations under leases | (46,345 | ) | ||
Long-term lease obligations | $ | 8,891 |
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17. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
From time to time, the Company may become involved in various lawsuits and legal proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of business. Management does not believe that after the final disposition any of these matters is likely to have a material adverse impact on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows, except as follows.
On January 17, 2020, Arrow Electronics, Inc. (“Arrow”) filed suit against DragonWave and the Company in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado, Case No. 1:20-cv-00149-NRN. Arrow alleged that in November and December 2018, DragonWave took delivery of merchandise from Arrow worth approximately $124,000 and ordered additional merchandise from Arrow worth approximately $520,000, but that DragonWave defaulted in December 2018 on its obligations to pay Arrow. Arrow further alleged that in November 2019, Arrow, DragonWave entered into a forbearance agreement acknowledging indebtedness to Arrow of approximately $124,000, plus an additional commitment to purchase inventory of $520,000 plus fees of $10,000, to be paid in certain installments. On June 12, 2020, Arrow and DragonWave entered into a settlement agreement whereby DragonWave was obligated to pay Arrow $503,500 on or before August 15, 2020, DragonWave-X gave a consent judgment to Arrow in the amount of $503,000, and the Company guaranteed DragonWave-X’s payment to Arrow. The consent judgment against DragonWave-X was entered on June 15, 2020. Also on June 15, 2020 the Company was dismissed from the case. On August 14, 2020, Arrow and DragonWave entered into an amendment to the June 12, 2020 settlement agreement whereby DragonWave was obligated to pay Arrow $200,000 on or before August 17, 2020 and $313,000 on or before September 18, 2020. On August 18, 2020, the $200,000 was paid to Arrow. On September 28, 2020, Arrow and DragonWave entered into an amendment to the June 12, 2020, settlement agreement whereby DragonWave was obligated to pay Arrow a remaining balance of $323,500 on or before November 6, 2020. On December 1, 2020, Arrow filed suit against DragonWave, Daniel L. Hodges, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and the Company in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado, Case No. 1:20-cv-03532-NYW. In its complaint, Arrow alleges that the Company and DragonWave breached the June 12, 2020 settlement agreement, as amended, by failing to pay the remaining balance due, and that Mr. Hodges breached his personal guaranty. Arrow sought damages of approximately $340,000. On December 3, 2020, we, DragonWave and Mr. Hodges provided waivers of service of process in the case. As of December 31, 2020, these amounts remain unpaid. In February 2021, the Company paid $374,410 in full settlement and received inventory valued at approximately $283,500.
On February 7, 2020, DragonWave agreed to repurchase inventory held by Tessco Technologies Incorporated (“Tessco”), one of DragonWave’s customers and note holders. Upon receipt of the inventory, which is valued at $121,482, DragonWave agreed to reimburse Tessco $56,766, representing the balance due after making the initial payment of $60,000. The return of inventory and payment to Tessco of $56,776 was required by February 28, 2020 but has not yet been made. On June 5, 2020, Tessco filed a complaint for confessed judgment against DragonWave in the Circuit Court for Baltimore, Maryland, Case No. 5539212, for approximately $60,000, which it claims is the reimbursement amount. On June 8, 2020, Tessco obtained an order entering judgement against DragonWave. The judgment was satisfied, and on August 26, 2020, Tessco filed a notice of satisfaction of judgment.
On May 22, 2020, Michael Powell, a former employee, filed suit against DragonWave-X, LLC, DragonWave-X, Inc., Transform-X, Inc., COMSovereign Corp, and the Company in the Pima County Arizona Superior Court, Case No. C20202216. On December 7, 2020, Mr. Powell filed his first amended complaint against DragonWave Corp., COMSovereign Holding Corp., and Transform-X, Inc. Mr. Powell has alleged that he entered into an employment agreement with DragonWave-X, Inc. in July 2018, was terminated without cause in May 2019, and claims he is owed approximately $182,000 in wages and $50,000 in bonuses. Mr. Powell is seeking approximately $697,000 in treble damages, punitive damages, consequential damages, interest and attorneys’ fees and costs. The Company disputes Mr. Powell’s allegations and it intends to vigorously defend the lawsuit.
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On December 1, 2020, Arrow filed suit against Elitise, LLC, the research and development arm of the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary InduraPower, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Case No. 1:20-cv-10045. In its complaint, Arrow alleges that Elitise breached an August 19, 2016 secured promissory note and a September 11, 2019 forbearance agreement. The outstanding principal under this promissory note has been included in our balance sheet as a current portion of long-term debt. See Note 10 - Debt Agreements for detail on the promissory note. In such action, Arrow was seeking damages of approximately of up to $950,000. On December 3, 2020, Elitise provided a waiver of service of process in the case. In February 2021, the Company reached and paid a settlement on this matter totaling $900,000.
In December 2020, the Company entered into two software licensing agreements with vendors for software to be utilized in products moving into production in 2021 with an option for a separate annual maintenance agreement, which was elected for 2021. Upon receipt of the source code in 2021, the Company is required to pay a total of approximately $1.7 million under these licensing agreements and an additional $0.3 million for the maintenance agreement. The elected maintenance agreement will expire December 31, 2021, and will be re-evaluated near expiration.
18. CONCENTRATIONS
Financial instruments, which potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk, consist primarily of trade accounts receivable. The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers and generally does not require collateral related to its trade accounts receivable. At December 31, 2020 and 2019, accounts receivable from customers over 10% of Company’s trade accounts receivable comprised 33% and 84%, respectively of the Company’s total trade accounts receivable, and none of this balance has been characterized as uncollectible as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.
A single customer accounted for more than 10% of the Company’s revenues for 2020. This customer accounted for approximately 17% of the Company’s total revenue for the year ended December 31, 2020.
19. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
Management evaluated for subsequent events requiring disclosure within the financial statements through the date of the filing of this report and noted the following items.
Corporate Acquisitions
On August 24, 2020, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization dated as of August 24, 2020 (the “FN Merger Agreement”) among the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary, CHC Merger Sub 8, LLC, Skyline Partners Technology LLC, a Colorado limited liability company that does business under the name Fastback Networks (“Fastback”), and John Helson, solely in his capacity as the representative of the security holders of Fastback, pursuant to which, subject to the terms and conditions of the FN Merger Agreement, the Company has agreed to acquire Fastback.
On January 29, 2021, the Company completed the acquisition of Fastback for a purchase price that included the payment of approximately $1.32 million in cash and, as described below, the issuance of $1.5 million aggregate principal amount of term notes and $11.15 million aggregate principal amount of convertible notes that are convertible into common stock of the Company at a conversion price of $5.22 per share, subject to adjustment.
On February 25, 2021, the Company entered into a Share Purchase Agreement dated as of February 25, 2021 (the “Purchase Agreement”) by and among the Company, Sky Sapience Ltd., a company organized under the laws of the State of Israel (“SKS”), certain of the shareholders of SKS, and Neuberger, Quinn, Gielen, Rubin & Gibber P.A., solely in its capacity as the Shareholders’ Representative (as defined therein), pursuant to which, subject to the terms and conditions of the Purchase Agreement, the Company purchased or agreed to purchase all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of SKS and SKS will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company.
Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, on the closing date, the Company paid approximately $2.7 million to repay in full an outstanding third-party secured loan to SKS. In addition, the Company agreed to issue to the shareholders of SKS, the holders of outstanding options or warrants of SKS and certain other entities with which SKS had contractual obligations an aggregate of 2,555,209 shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share, in consideration of the purchase of all outstanding shares of SKS and the cancellation of such outstanding options, warrants and contractual obligations. The total preliminary purchase price consideration amounted to approximately $13 million, subject to working capital and other post-closing adjustments.
On March 26, 2021, the Company entered into a Share Exchange Agreement dated as of March 26, 2021 (the “RVision Exchange Agreement”) among the Company, RVision, Inc. (“RVision”), Industrial Security Alliance Partners, Inc. and Halls of Valhalla, LLC pursuant to which, subject to the terms and conditions of the RVision Exchange Agreement, the Company has agreed to acquire RVision.
Pursuant to the RVision Exchange Agreement, the aggregate purchase consideration the Company is obligated to pay for RVision consists of 2,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, with an initial estimated fair value of approximately $5.6 million, subject to certain working capital adjustments. The RVision Exchange Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and covenants of the Company, on one hand, and RVision, on the other hand, including, among others, covenants by RVision with respect to the operations of RVision during the period between execution of the RVision Exchange Agreement and the closing of the transactions contemplated thereby, and provides that each party will indemnify the other party following the closing for breaches of the warranties and covenants of such party. The closing of the acquisition of RVision is subject to the satisfaction of the closing conditions stated in the RVision Exchange Agreement and there can be no assurance that such conditions will be met or that the Company will consummate the acquisition of RVision.
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Capital Acquisitions
On January 29, 2021, the Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, AZCOMS LLC (“AZCOMS”), completed the acquisition of a 140,000-square-foot building on 12.7 acres in Tucson, Arizona for a purchase price of approximately $6.125 million, of which approximately $2.2 million was paid in cash and the balance was paid with the net proceeds of the $5.3 million term loan described below. The Company intend to use this facility for manufacturing, shipping and office space.
Debt Agreements
As of December 31, 2020, the Company had total undiscounted debt obligations of approximately $19.1 million of total long-term debt and $1.0 million of notes payable – related party. Since December 31, 2020, the Company paid or converted/exchanged for common stock, approximately $18.3 million of principal related to these obligations. See Note 10 - Debt Agreements for detail.
Secured Notes Payable
On January 15, 2021, in connection with its acquisition of the new manufacturing facility in Tucson, Arizona, AZCOMS entered into a secured loan agreement pursuant to which it received a loan in the amount of up to $5,355,000 that bears interest on the outstanding loan balance at the greater of (i) 8% per annum or (ii) 6.75% per annum in excess of the 1-month LIBOR rate, and matures on January 15, 2022. At the closing of the loan, the lender withheld $513,000 of the loan amount as an interest reserve. In addition, $875,000 of the loan amount was withheld and may be disbursed at later dates to pay for lender-approved improvements to the property secured by the loan. Interest is payable monthly. The loan is due in full at maturity. Upon an event of default, the interest rate on the loan will increase by an additional 5.00% per annum, and the outstanding principal amount of the loan, accrued interest thereon and fees may become due on-demand. Upon the maturity date or earlier date upon which the unpaid balance of the loan may become immediately payable due to acceleration, and on any prepayments of the loan, AZCOMS will owe an exit fee equal to the greater of (a) $53,850, or (b) 1.00% of the unpaid loan balance and all unpaid accrued interest and fees. Subject to certain terms and conditions and upon payment of a fee, AZCOMS may request a six-month extension of the maturity date. The loan is secured by the land, building and certain other assets of AZCOMS and is guaranteed by the Company and Daniel L. Hodges, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. In addition, all rights to leases and rent related to the land and building assets have been assigned to the lender for potential non-performance by AZCOMS of its obligations under the loan. This loan is subject to certain financial and non-financial covenants on the part of AZCOMS at the end of each fiscal quarter and fiscal year.
Notes Payable
In connection with its acquisition of Fastback on January 29, 2021, the Company issued to the sellers $1,500,000 aggregate principal amount of term promissory notes. The individual principal amounts of the notes ranged from $1,500 to $393,484. These notes bear interest at the rate of 10% per annum and mature on the earlier of (i) January 1, 2022, (ii) the date on which an aggregate of $6,000,000 worth of products and services are sold following the acquisition date by (A) Fastback or (B) the Company and its subsidiaries (other than Fastback) to certain specified Fastback customers, or (iii) the date on which the Company issues and sells shares of its common stock or debt securities to investors in a bona-fide arms-length financing transaction for aggregate consideration of at least $12,000,000. Interest is payable in cash semi-annually in arrears on each June 1 and December 1, commencing on June 1, 2021, and on the maturity date. Upon an event of default, the interest rate will automatically increase to 15% per annum compounded semi-annually, and all unpaid principal and accrued interest may become due on-demand. Principal and any unpaid accrued interest are due on the maturity date. Upon maturity, the interest rate will automatically increase to 15% per annum compounded semi-annually on any unpaid principal. These notes matured on February 10, 2021 upon the Company’s closing of a public offering, as discussed below. However, the representative of the Fastback sellers has requested that the Company withhold payment of principal and interest on these notes until a dispute among such sellers can be resolved. As payment was withheld at the request of the sellers’ representative, no event of default has occurred and interest has been accrued only through the maturity date.
Convertible Notes Payable
In connection with its acquisition of Fastback on January 29, 2021, the Company issued to the sellers $11,150,000 aggregate principal amount of convertible promissory notes. The individual principal amounts of the notes ranged from $5,575 to $5,575,000. These notes initially bear interest at the rate of 1.01% per annum, which is to be adjusted to the prime rate as published by the Wall Street Journal on each annual anniversary of the issuance date, and mature on January 29, 2026. Interest is payable in cash annually in arrears on each January 1. Commencing on January 29, 2022, the outstanding principal and accrued interest on these notes may be converted in full to shares of the Company’s common stock at a conversion price of $5.22 per share, subject to adjustment. Upon an event of default, the interest rate will automatically increase to 15% per annum compounded annually, and all unpaid principal and accrued interest may become due on-demand. Principal and any unpaid accrued interest are due on the maturity date. Upon maturity, the interest rate will automatically increase to 15% per annum compounded annually on any unpaid principal.
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Capital and Equity Transactions
Public Offerings
On January 26, 2021 (the “First Offering Closing Date”), the Company sold an aggregate of 3,855,422 units at a price to the public of $4.15 per unit (the “First Offering”), each unit consisting of one share of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, and a warrant to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price of $4.50 per share (the “First Offering Warrants”), pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, dated as of January 21, 2021 (the “First Offering Underwriting Agreement”), between the Company and the representative (the “Representative”) of the several underwriters named in the Underwriting Agreement. In addition, pursuant to the First Offering Underwriting Agreement, the Company granted the Representative a 45-day option to purchase up to 578,312 additional shares of Common Stock, and/or 578,312 additional Warrants, to cover over-allotments in connection with the First Offering, which the Representative partially exercised to purchase 578,312 Warrants on the First Offering Closing Date.
The common stock and the warrants of the First Offering were offered and sold to the public pursuant to the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-248490), filed by the Company with the SEC under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), on August 28, 2020, as amended, and which became effective on January 21, 2021.
On the First Offering Closing Date, the Company received gross proceeds of approximately $16,000,000, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions of eight percent (8%) of the gross proceeds and estimated offering expenses.
On January 27, 2021, the Representative exercised its over-allotment option for the First Offering to purchase 329,815 additional shares of common stock, which closed on January 29, 2021. The Company received gross proceeds of approximately $1,365,000 before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions of eight percent (8%) of the gross proceeds.
Pursuant to the First Offering Underwriting Agreement, the Company also agreed to issue to the Representative warrants (the “Representative’s First Offering Warrants”) to purchase up to a total of 154,216 shares of common stock (4% of the shares of common stock sold in the First Offering). The Representative’s First Offering Warrants are exercisable at $5.1875 per share of Common Stock and have a term of five years. The Representative’s First Offering Warrants are subject to a lock-up for 180 days from the commencement of sales in the First Offering, including a mandatory lock-up period in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(e), and will be non-exercisable for six (6) months after January 21, 2021.
The total expenses of the First Offering are approximately $2.7 million, which included the underwriting discounts and commissions and the Representative’s reimbursable expenses relating to the First Offering. As part of this offering, the Company also issued 100,000 warrants to purchase the Company’s common stock at $4.15 per share to compensate a vendor for certain offering costs.
The issuance date fair value of all of the warrants issued in the First Offering, using the Black-Scholes Option-Pricing model was estimated to be $1.597 per share for a total of $7,080,673. The issuance date fair value of all the warrants issued to a vendor to pay offering costs related to the First Offering, using the Black-Scholes Option-Pricing model was estimated to be $1.703 per share for a total of $170,300. The issuance date fair value of all the warrants issued to the Representative in conjunction with the First Offering, using the Black-Scholes Option-Pricing model was estimated to be $1.376 per share for a total of $212,201.
On February 10, 2021 (the “Second Offering Closing Date”), the Company sold an aggregate of 5,647,059 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, at a price to the public of $4.25 per share (the “Second Offering”), pursuant to a Second Offering Underwriting Agreement, dated as of February 10, 2021 (the “Second Offering Underwriting Agreement”), between the Company the Representative of the several underwriters named in the Second Offering Underwriting Agreement. In addition, pursuant to the Second Offering Underwriting Agreement, the Company granted the Representative a 45-day option to purchase up to 847,058 additional shares of common stock to cover over-allotments in connection with the Second Offering, which the Representative exercised in full on February 11, 2021.
F-60
The common stock was offered and sold to the public pursuant to the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-252780), filed by the Company with the SEC under the Securities Act, on February 5, 2021, and the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-252974), filed by the Company with the SEC under Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act on February 10, 2021, each of which became effective on February 10, 2021.
The Company received gross proceeds of approximately $27,600,000, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions of eight percent (8%) of the gross proceeds and estimated offering expenses.
Pursuant to the Second Offering Underwriting Agreement, the Company also agreed to issue to the Representative warrants (the “Representative’s Second Offering Warrants”) to purchase up to a total of 225,882 shares of common stock (4% of the shares of common stock sold in the Second Offering), of which warrants to purchase 198,776 shares of common stock were registered under the Securities Act and warrants to purchase 27,106 shares of common stock were issued in a private placement to the Representative. The Representative’s Second Offering Warrants are exercisable at $5.3125 per share of common stock and have a term of five years. The Representative’s Second Offering Warrants are subject to a lock-up for 180 days from the commencement of sales in the Second Offering, including a mandatory lock-up period in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(e), and will be non-exercisable for six (6) months after February 10, 2021.
The total expenses of the Second Offering are approximately $2.6 million, which included the underwriting discounts and commissions and the Representative’s reimbursable expenses relating to the Second Offering.
The issuance date fair value of all the warrants issued to the Representative in conjunction with the Second Offering, using the Black-Scholes Option-Pricing model was estimated to be $1.918 per share for a total of $433,242.
Restricted Stock Awards
On January 26, 2021, the Company’s Board of Directors granted 66,667 RSAs to a new director at a grant date fair value of $4.50 per share. These RSAs vest pro rata annually on the anniversary of the director’s appointment over two years.
Options
On January 9, 2021, 3,334 options were exercised at an exercise price of $0.1497 per share.
Consulting Agreements and Settlements with Vendors
On February 12, 2021, the Company issued 10,000 shares of common stock to a vendor as partial compensation. These shares had a fair value as of the grant date of $5.09 per share of common stock for a total of $50,899.
On February 26, 2021, the Company issued 209,000 shares of common stock to three vendors as partial compensation. These shares had a fair value as of the grant date of $5.18 per share of common stock for a total of $1,082.620.
F-61
Exhibit 3.1
Business Number
E0206102014-0
Filing Number
20211177160
Filed On
01/20/2021 15:51:54 PM
CERTIFICATE OF
AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
OF
COMSOVEREIGN HOLDING CORP.
a Nevada Corporation
January 20, 2021
Pursuant to the provisions of the Nevada Revised Statutes 78.390 and 78.403, the undersigned officer of COMSovereign Holding Corp (previously Drone Aviation Holding Corp.), a Nevada corporation, does hereby certify as follows:
A. The board of directors of the corporation has duly adopted resolutions proposing to amend and restate the articles of incorporation of the corporation as set forth below, declaring such amendment and restatement to be advisable and in the best interests of the corporation.
B. The amendment and restatement of the articles of incorporation as set forth below has been approved the holders of a majority of the voting power of the stockholders of the corporation, which is sufficient for approval thereof.
This certificate sets forth the text of the articles of incorporation of the corporation as amended and restated in their entirety to this date as follows:
AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
OF
COMSOVEREIGN HOLDING CORP.
a Nevada Corporation
ARTICLE I
NAME
The name of the corporation is COMSovereign Holding Corp. (the “Corporation”).
ARTICLE II
RESIDENT AGENT AND REGISTERED OFFICE
The name of the Corporation’s resident agent for service of process is Registered Agent Solutions, Inc., whose registered office for service of process is located at 4625 West Nevso Drive Suite 2, Las Vegas, NV 89103.
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ARTICLE III
CAPITAL STOCK
3.01 Authorized Capital Stock. The total number of shares of stock this Corporation is authorized to issue shall be four hundred million (400,000,000) shares, par value $.0001 per share. This stock shall be divided into two classes to be designated as “Common Stock” and “Blank Check Preferred Stock” (“Preferred Stock”).
3.02 Common Stock The total number of authorized shares of Common Stock shall be three hundred million (300,000,000).
Upon the effectiveness of this Certificate of Amendment, (the “Effective Time”), each share of the Common Stock, issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, will be automatically reclassified as and converted into 0.3333 of a share of Common Stock; provided, however, that no fractional shares shall be issued to stockholders as a result of the foregoing reclassification and that in lieu thereof, the Corporation shall, after aggregating all fractions of a share to which a holder would otherwise be entitled, round any resulting fractional shares up to the nearest whole share. Any stock certificate that, immediately prior to the Effective Time, represented shares of Common Stock will, from and after the Effective Time, automatically and without the necessity of presenting the same for exchange, represent the number of shares of Common Stock as equals the product obtained by multiplying the number of shares of Common Stock represented by such certificate immediately prior to the Effective Time by 0.3333, but giving effect to the rounding of fractional shares provided for in the immediately preceding sentence.
3.03 Blank Check Preferred Stock The total number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock shall be one hundred million (100,000,000) shares. The board of directors shall have the authority to authorize the issuance of the Preferred Stock from time to time in one or more classes or series, and to state in the resolution or resolutions from time to time adopted providing for the issuance thereof the following:
(a) Whether or not the class or series shall have voting rights, full or limited, the nature and qualifications, limitations and restrictions on those rights, or whether the class or series will be without voting rights;
(c) The number of shares to constitute the class or series and the designation thereof;
(d) The preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, if any, and the qualifications, limitations, or restrictions thereof; if any, with respect to any class or series;
(e) Whether or not the shares of any class or series shall be redeemable and if redeemable, the redemption price or prices, and the time or times at which, and the terms and conditions upon which, such shares shall be redeemable and the manner of redemption;
(f) Whether or not the shares of a class or series shall be subject to the operation of retirement or sinking funds to be applied to the purchase or redemption of such shares for retirement, and if such retirement or sinking funds be established, the amount and the terms and provisions thereof;
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(g) The dividend rate, whether dividends are payable in cash, stock of the Corporation, or other property, the conditions upon which and the times when such dividends are payable, the preference to or the relation to the payment of dividends payable on any other class or classes or series of stock, whether or not such dividend shall be cumulative or noncumulative, and if cumulative, the date or dates from which such dividends shall accumulate;
(h) The preferences, if any, and the amounts thereof which the holders of any class or series thereof are entitled to receive upon the voluntary or involuntary dissolution of, or upon any distribution of assets of, the Corporation;
(i) Whether or not the shares of any class or series are convertible into, or exchangeable for, the shares of any other class or classes or of any other series of the same or any other class or classes of stock of the Corporation and the conversion price or prices or ratio or ratios or the rate or rates at which such exchange may be made, with such adjustments, if any, as shall be stated and expressed or provided for in such resolution or resolutions; and
(j) Such other rights and provisions with respect to any class or series as may to the board of directors seem advisable.
The shares of each class or series of the Preferred Stock may vary from the shares of any other class or series thereof in any respect. The Board of Directors may increase the number of shares of the Preferred Stock designated for any existing class or series by a resolution adding to such class or series authorized and unissued shares of the Preferred Stock not designated for any existing class or series of the Preferred Stock and the shares so subtracted shall become authorized, unissued and undesignated shares of the Preferred Stock.
ARTICLE IV
DIRECTORS
The number of directors comprising the board of directors shall be fixed and may be increased or decreased from time to time in the manner provided in the bylaws of the Corporation, except that at no time shall there be less than one director.
ARTICLE V
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the Nevada Corporation Act.
ARTICLE VI
DIRECTORS’ AND OFFICERS’ LIABILITY
The individual liability of the directors and officers of the Corporation is hereby eliminated to the fullest extent permitted by the Nevada Corporation Act, as the same may be amended and supplemented. Any repeal or modification of this Article by the stockholders of the Corporation shall be prospective only, and shall not adversely affect any limitation on the personal liability of a director or officer of the Corporation for acts or omissions prior to such repeal or modification.
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ARTICLE VII
INDEMNITY
Every person who was or is a party to, or is threatened to be made a party to, or is involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he, or a person of whom he is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director or officer of another corporation, or as its representative in a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall be indemnified and held harmless to the fullest extent legally permissible under the laws of the State of Nevada from time to time against all expenses, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by him in connection therewith. Such right of indemnification shall be a contract right which may be enforced in any manner desired by such person. The expenses of officers and directors incurred in defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding must be paid by the Corporation as they are incurred and in advance of the final disposition of the action, suit or proceeding, upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director or officer to repay the amount if it is ultimately determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that he is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation. Such right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other right which such directors, officers or representatives may have or hereafter acquire, and, without limiting the generality of such statement, they shall be entitled to their respective rights of indemnification under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders, provision of law, or otherwise, as well as their rights under this Article.
Without limiting the application of the foregoing, the board of directors may adopt bylaws from time to time with respect to indemnification, to provide at all times the fullest indemnification permitted by the laws of the State of Nevada, and may cause the Corporation to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as director or officer of another corporation, or as its representative in a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprises against any liability asserted against such person and incurred in any such capacity or arising out of such status, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person.
The indemnification provided in this Article shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent, and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such person.
IN WITNESS HEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Certificate of Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation as of January 20, 2021.
By: | /s/ Daniel L. Hodges | |
Name: | Daniel L. Hodges | |
Title: | CEO |
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Exhibit 10.50
SHARE EXCHANGE AGREEMENT
THIS SHARE EXCHANGE AGREEMENT (“Agreement”), dated as of March 26, 2021 is by and among COMSovereign Holding Corp., a Nevada corporation (the “Purchaser”), RVision, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and each of Industrial Security Alliance Partners, Inc., a Nevada corporation and Halls of Valhalla, LLC, a Nevada limited liability company, individually a “Shareholder” and collectively the “Shareholders”).
RECITALS
A. Whereas, Company is engaged in the business of developing and providing optical and communication technology solutions and products for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance requirements in commercial and military applications.
B. The Company has 6,000,000 shares of common stock issued and outstanding (the “Company Shares”) all of which are held by the Shareholders as follows:
Shareholder Name | Shares | Percent | ||||||
Industrial Security Alliance Partners, Inc. | 3,750,000 | 62.50 | % | |||||
Valls of Valhalla, LLC | 2,250,000 | 37.50 | % | |||||
TOTAL | 6,000,000 | 100.00 | % |
C. The Shareholders have agreed to transfer the Company Shares to the Purchaser in exchange for an aggregate of 2,000,000 newly issued shares of shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, of the Purchaser (the “Purchaser Shares”), based on a price of $2.79 per share, subject to adjustment as set forth herein.
D. The exchange of the Company Shares for the Purchaser Shares is intended to constitute a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), or such other tax free reorganization or restructuring provisions as may be available under the Code.
E. The Board of Directors of each of the Purchaser and the Company, and the Shareholders have determined that it is desirable to effect this plan of reorganization and share exchange, upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth.
AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the Recitals and the respective covenants, agreements, conditions, representations and warranties hereinafter contained, and intending to be legally bound hereby, Purchaser, and the Shareholder hereby agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS. Unless otherwise defined below in this Section 1, the various capitalized terms used in this Agreement shall have the definitions ascribed to them herein.
“Acquired Business” means the business operated by the Company up to the Closing Date, including without limitation all customer contracts, intellectual property, tax loss carryforwards, inventory, designs and all other assets tangible and intangible of the Company.
“Agreement” means this Share Exchange Agreement.
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“Benefit Plans” means any pension plan, profit sharing plan, bonus plan, incentive compensation plan, stock ownership plan, stock purchase plan, stock option plan, stock appreciation plan, employee benefit plan, employee benefit policy, retirement plan, deferred compensation plan or agreement, cafeteria plan, dependent care plan, fringe benefit program, employee insurance plan, severance plan or agreement, change in control plan or agreement, employment agreement (other than the Employment Agreements), disability plan, health care plan, sick leave plan, death benefit plan, multi-employer pension or welfare benefit plan, or any other plan or program to provide retirement income, fringe benefits or other benefits to former or current employees.
“Claim” means an action, suit, proceeding, demand, claim or counterclaim or legal, administrative or arbitral proceeding or investigation.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Company Shares” means collectively, all of the issued and outstanding shares of the Common Stock as set forth in Section 3.2(d)(i).
“Contract” means all agreements, whether oral or written and whether express or implied (whether legally binding or not), including contracts, contract rights, promises, commitments, undertakings, customer accounts, orders, leases, guarantees, warranties and representations and franchises to which Company is a party.
“Copyrights” means all copyrights (whether or not registered), Moral Rights, and all registrations and applications for registration thereof, as well as rights to renew copyrights, in each case that are licensed by Company and/or otherwise used in the Acquired Business as currently operated.
“Environmental Claim” means any claim, action, cause of action, investigation or notice by any person or entity alleging liability (including, without limitation, liability for investigatory costs, cleanup costs, governmental response costs, natural resources damages, property damages, personal injuries, or penalties) arising out of, based on or resulting from (i) the presence, or release into the environment, of any Material of Environmental Concern at any location, or (ii) any violation, or alleged violation, of any Environmental Laws.
“Environmental Laws” means all Laws relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, ground water, land surface or subsurface strata), including, without limitation, Laws relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of Materials of Environmental Concern, or to the generation, manufacture, processing, handling, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Materials of Environmental Concern.
“ERISA” shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
“ERISA Affiliate” means a Person aggregated with another Person as a single employer under any of Sections 414(b), 414(c), 414(m), or 414(o) of the Code.
“Existing Plans” means the existing health care, disability, fringe and other Benefit Plans of the Company in place as of the Closing Date.
“Financial Statements” means the unaudited annual financial statements (balance sheets statements of income and retained earnings, statement of cash flow and supplementary statements, together with footnotes) for the Company for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020, and shall mean annual year-end Financial Statements and Interim Financial Statements, collectively.
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“GAAP” means United States generally accepted accounting principles.
“Governmental Authorities” means all agencies, authorities, bodies, boards, commissions, courts, instrumentalities, legislatures and offices of any nature whatsoever of any government, quasi-governmental unit or political subdivision, whether foreign, federal, state, county, district, municipality, city or otherwise (each, a “Governmental Authority”).
“Indebtedness” means all liabilities or obligations of the relevant Person, whether primary or secondary or absolute or contingent: (a) for borrowed money; (b) evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures, guaranties or similar obligations; (c) under leases which in accordance with GAAP constitute capital leases; (d) secured by liens on any assets of that Person; or (e) resulting from cash, book or bank overdrafts.
“Intellectual Property” means all (i) Patents, (ii) Know-how, (iii) Trademarks, (iv) Copyrights, (v) Software Programs (including but not limited to “off-the-shelf” shrink-wrap and click-wrap software programs), in each case that are licensed by Company and/or otherwise used in the Acquired Business as currently operated, and (vi) all other intellectual property rights and industrial property rights (of every kind and nature throughout the universe and however designated), whether arising by operation of law, contract, license or otherwise, in each case that are licensed by Company and/or otherwise used in the Acquired Business as currently operated.
“Intellectual Property Rights” means, collectively, any and all known or hereafter known tangible and intangible rights under patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret laws, and any other intellectual property, industrial property and proprietary rights worldwide, of every kind and nature throughout the universe, however designated, whether arising by operation of law, contract, license or otherwise.
“Interim Financial Statements” means the unaudited, internally prepared financial statements (balance sheet and statement of income) for the Company for the period beginning January 1, 2020 through March 15, 2020.
“Know-how” means any and all product specifications, processes, methods, product designs, plans, trade secrets, ideas, concepts, inventions, manufacturing, engineering and other manuals and drawings, physical and analytical, safety, quality control, technical information, data, research records, all promotional literature, customer and supplier lists and similar data and information, which, in each case, are licensed to or owned by Company and/or otherwise used in the Acquired Business as currently operated; and any and all other confidential or proprietary technical and business information which are licensed to or owned by Company and/or otherwise used in the Acquired Business as currently operated.
“Knowledge of each Shareholder” means, with respect to a given matter, the actual Knowledge of each Shareholder, or any officer of Company, or the knowledge that the Shareholder, or any officer of Company, should possess in the exercise of reasonable diligence and investigation with respect to the matter.
“Liability” means any direct or indirect indebtedness, liability, assessment, expense, claim, loss, damage, deficiency, obligation or responsibility, known or unknown, disputed or undisputed, joint or several, vested or unvested, executory or not, fixed or unfixed, choate or inchoate, liquidated or unliquidated, secured or unsecured, determinable or undeterminable, accrued or unaccrued, absolute or not, actual or potential, contingent or otherwise (including but not limited to any liability under any guarantees, letters of credit, performance credits or with respect to insurance loss accruals).
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“Law” means any federal, state, local, foreign, provincial or other governmental law, rule or regulation of any kind, and any and all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Liens” means (i) liens arising in the ordinary course of the business by operation of law for amounts not yet due in favor of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, landlords and materialmen and (ii) liens for Taxes which are not yet due or payable.
“Leased Real Estate” means the real property subject to the Real Estate Leases, including all buildings, structures, improvements and fixtures thereon.
“Material Adverse Effect” means any material adverse change in or effect upon (a) the financial condition, assets, liabilities, or operations of (x) the Company taken as a whole, (y) the Acquired Business of the Company and the Company assets (taken as a whole), or (b) the ability of the Shareholder to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement, provided that none of the following shall be deemed to constitute, and none of the following shall be taken into account in determining whether there has been, a Material Adverse Effect: any adverse change, event, development, or effect arising from or relating to (i) general business or economic conditions, including such conditions which affect the Acquired Business industry generally (provided they do not have a materially disproportionate effect on the Company, as a whole), (ii) national or international political or social conditions, (iii) financial, banking or securities markets (including any disruption thereof and any decline in the price of any security or any market index), (iv) changes in United States generally accepted accounting principles, or (v) changes in law, rules, regulations, orders or other binding directives issued by any governmental authority, provided they do not have a materially disproportionate effect on the Company.
“Materials of Environmental Concern” means any substance or material that is on the date hereof or on the Closing Date prohibited, controlled or regulated by any governmental authority under any Environmental Laws, including, without limitation, chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum, petroleum derivatives or other hydrocarbons, petroleum products, dangerous substances, designated substances, controlled products or subject waste, all as defined in or pursuant to any Environmental Laws.
“Moral Rights” means, collectively, rights to claim authorship of a work, to object to or prevent any modification of a work, to withdraw from circulation or control the publication or distribution of a work, and any similar rights, whether existing under judicial or statutory law of any country or jurisdiction worldwide, or under any treaty or similar legal authority, regardless of whether such right is called or generally referred to as a “moral right.”
“Owned Real Estate” means the real property, if any, titled in the name of the Company, together with all buildings, structures, improvements and fixtures thereon and all rights pertaining thereto.
“Patents” means all patents, patent disclosures and patent applications (including, without limitation, all reissues, divisions, continuations, continuations-in-part, renewals, re-examinations and extensions of the foregoing) owned by or licensed to Company and/or otherwise used in the Acquired Business as currently operated.
“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
“Permitted Liens” means: (i) with respect to Licensed Intellectual Property, the rights held by the applicable licensors thereof.
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“Person” means any individual, corporation, joint venture, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, syndicate, trust, association, entity or government or political subdivision, agency or instrumentality of a government.
“Piggy-Back Shares” means the 1,000,000 Purchaser Shares which have piggy-back registration rights as set forth in Section 5.2.
“Purchaser Shares” means the shares of the Purchaser's common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, issued to the Shareholders, in exchange or all of the Company Shares as set forth in Section 2.1 as adjusted pursuant to Section 2.2.
“Real Estate Leases” means the real estate leases, subleases and other occupancy agreements to which the Company is a party listed separately as set forth on Schedule 3.10(a).
“Registrable Shares” means the 1,000,000 Purchaser Shares to be registered for resale as set forth in Section 5.1.
“Software Programs” means all of the Company’s computer software programs, products and services included in the Intellectual Property, including all program code, databases and documentation, without regard to form of media or storage.
“Taxes” means: (1) any and all taxes, fees, levies, duties, tariffs, imposts and other charges of any kind, imposed by any Governmental Authority or taxing authority, including taxes or other charges on, measured by, or with respect to income, franchise, windfall or other profits, gross receipts, property, sales, use, capital stock, payroll, employment, social security, workers’ compensation, unemployment compensation or net worth; taxes or other charges in the nature of excise, withholding, ad valorem, stamp, transfer, value-added or gains taxes; license, registration and documentation fees; and customers’ duties, tariffs and similar charges; (2) any Liability for the payment of any amounts of the type described in (1) as a result of being a member of an affiliated, combined, consolidated or unitary group for any taxable period; (3) any Liability for the payment of amounts of the type described in (1) or (2) as a result of being a transferee of, or a successor in interest to, any Person or as a result of an express or implied obligation to indemnify any Person; and (4) any and all interest, penalties, additions to tax and additional amounts imposed in connection with or with respect to any amounts described in (1), (2) or (3).
“Tax Return” means any return, report, statement, form or other documentation (including any additional or supporting material and any amendments or supplements) filed or maintained, or required to be filed or maintained, with respect to or in connection with the calculation, determination, assessment or collection of any Taxes.
“Trademarks” means (i) trademarks, service marks, trade names, trade dress, labels, logos and all other names and slogans used exclusively with any products or embodying associated goodwill of the Acquired Business related to such products, whether or not registered, and any applications or registrations therefor, and (ii) any associated goodwill incident thereto; in each case owned by or licensed to Company and/or otherwise used in the Acquired Business as currently operated.
“Working Capital” means, as of any date of determination, the current assets of the Company at such date of determination minus their aggregate current liabilities on a consolidated basis at such date of determination, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP on a basis consistent with the most recent financial statements of the Company.
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2. | EXCHANGE OF SHARES. |
2.1 Exchange by the Shareholders. Subject to and upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, at the Closing (as defined in Section 2.3), the Shareholders shall sell, transfer, convey, assign and deliver to the Purchaser all of the Company Shares free and clear of all Liens in exchange for 2,000,000 shares of the Purchaser’s common stock, based on a per share rate of $2.79 per share. The Purchaser Shares shall be issued to the Shareholders, on a pro rata basis, in the amounts and to the each Shareholder, as follows:
Shareholder Name |
Registrable Shares |
Piggy-Back Shares |
Total | Percent | ||||||||||||
Industrial Security Alliance Partners, Inc. | 625,000 | 625,000 | 1,250,000 | 62.50 | % | |||||||||||
Halls of Valhalla, LLC | 375,000 | 375,000 | 750,000 | 37.50 | % | |||||||||||
Total Purchaser Shares | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 2,000,000 | 100.00 | % |
2.2 Adjustment to Purchaser Shares for Working Capital. The total number of Purchaser Shares to be issued in exchange for the Company Shares, will be adjusted on the date of closing. To the extent that the Working Capital on the Closing Date is negative, the number of Purchaser Shares to be issued shall be reduced by the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the amount of the negative Working Capital by (ii) $2.79, rounded up to the nearest whole share. To the extent that the Working Capital on the Closing Date is positive, the number of Purchaser Shares to be issued shall be increased by the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the amount of the positive Working Capital by (ii) $2.79, rounded up to the nearest whole share. Any adjustment to the Purchaser shares shall be allocated equally between Registrable Shares and Piggy-Back Shares, and issued to the Shareholders pro rata in accordance with the percentages shown in the table above.
2.3 Closing. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the sale and purchase of the Company Shares contemplated hereby (the “Closing”) shall take place at the offices of Pryor Cashman LLP, 7 Times Square, New York, New York 10036 within three (3) days of the satisfaction (or waiver, as applicable), of the conditions to Closing set forth in Sections 6 and 7 hereof, or at such other time, date or place as the parties hereto may mutually agree upon in writing, or remotely by exchanging executed counterparts of this Agreement and the other agreements, instruments, certificates and other documents to be entered into, or delivered, in connection herewith or therewith (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”), and delivery of the Purchaser Shares. The time and date of the Closing are herein referred to as the “Closing Date,” and the term “Closing Date” shall include the date on which the transactions contemplated hereunder are consummated.
2.4 Deliveries by Purchaser to the Shareholders. At the Closing, Purchaser (or its designee) shall deliver or cause to be delivered each of the following:
(a) the Purchaser issue and cause to be delivered to each Shareholders the Purchaser Shares (as adjusted pursuant to Section 2.2) in book-entry form, on a pro rata basis, as set forth in Section 2.1 above, and deliver to each Shareholder an account statement reflect the issuance of said Purchaser Shares;
(b) the executed Employment Agreements substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, containing mutually agreeable terms and conditions of employment for each of Brian M. Kelly and Ernest Cammer III;
(c) the counter-signed Non-Compete Agreements in a form attached hereto as Exhibit B; and
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(d) all other documents necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Shareholders, to effectuate the exchange of shares at the Closing in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
2.5 Deliveries by the Shareholders and Others. At Closing, the Company and the Shareholders shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Purchaser (or its designee) each of the following:
(a) all stock certificates representing the Company Shares duly endorsed or accompanied by stock powers duly executed in blank, with any required transfer stamps affixed thereto, and otherwise in proper form for transfer, as shall be necessary to vest in Purchaser full, complete, good and marketable title to such Company Shares free and clear of all Liens, claims and encumbrances of any kind whatsoever, all such documents to be in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for Purchaser;
(b) the executed Employment Agreements substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, containing mutually agreeable terms and conditions of employment for each of Brian M. Kelly and Ernest Cammer III;
(c) the counter-signed Non-Compete Agreements executed by each Shareholder in a form attached hereto as Exhibit B;
(d) a certificate of the Secretary of the Company certifying as to the names and signatures of the officers of the Company authorized to sign this Agreement and the documents to be delivered hereunder.
(e) the Resolutions of all of the Shareholders and the Directors of Company certified by the Secretary of Company as having been duly and validly adopted and as being in full force and effect on the date hereof authorizing the execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement and other Transaction Documents, and authorizing the performance by the Compoany of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby;
(f) a certificate of the Secretary (or equivalent officer) of each entity Shareholder certifying as to (ii) the names and signatures of the officers or applicable persons of each entity Shareholder authorized to sign this Agreement and the documents to be delivered hereunder;
(g) the resolutions of the Board of Directors or applicable management body of each entity Shareholder, certified by the Secretary (or equivalent officer) of each entity Shareholder certifying as having been duly and validly adopted and as being in full force and effect on the date hereof, authorizing the execution and delivery by each entity Shareholder of this Agreement and other Transaction Documents, and authorizing the performance by each entity Shareholder of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby;
(h) a copy of the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws of Company, together with all amendments and supplements thereto, certified by the Secretary of the Company as being true and complete and current in all material respects;
(i) a Certificate of Good Standing of the Company dated no earlier than five (5) calendar days prior to the Closing Date, certifying respectively (i) that Company is in good standing in the State of Nevada and is qualified to do business in the State of Nevada; (ii) that Company is qualified to do business in all of the other states in which Company then does business, primarily California;
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(j) a duly executed certificate of Shareholder described in Section 8.2 hereof;
(k) duly executed written consents from each of the parties to each of the Significant Contracts referred to in Section 3.13 and set forth on Schedule 3.13, attached hereto, to the extent such consent is required pursuant to the terms thereof, in such form as Purchaser shall in the exercise of reasonable discretion determine (collectively, the “Consents”);
(l) the original corporate record books and stock record books of the Company;
(m) constructive possession of all originals and copies of all agreements, instruments, documents, deeds, books, records, files and other data and information within the possession of the Company or Shareholder pertaining to the Company and the Acquired Business (collectively, the “Records”); provided, however, that for the avoidance of doubt Shareholder may retain (i) copies of any Tax Returns and copies of Records relating thereto, (ii) copies of all Records that the Shareholder is reasonably likely to need for complying with the requirements of applicable Law or contractual commitments, and (iii) copies of any Records that in the reasonable opinion of Shareholder will be or could reasonably be expected to be required in connection with the performance of Shareholder’s obligations hereunder;
(n) to the extent the Purchaser provides each Shareholder with a list of designees prior to the Closing, evidence satisfactory to the Purchaser that such Purchaser designees are the only authorized signatories with respect to the Company’s various accounts, credit lines, safe deposit boxes or vaults set forth or required to be set forth in Schedule 3.18 hereto; and
(o) all other documents necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of Purchaser, to effectuate delivery of the Company Shares at the Closing, free and clear of all Liens (other than Permitted Liens), in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
2.6 Further Assurances. In addition to the actions, documents and instruments specifically required to be taken or delivered hereby, prior to and after the Closing and without further consideration, each party shall execute, acknowledge and deliver such other assignments, transfers, consents and other documents and instruments and take such other actions as any party or its/his counsel may reasonably request to complete and perfect the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE SHAREHOLDER. Each Shareholder represents and warrants to Purchaser that the following representations and warranties are true and correct in all material respects on the date hereof and will be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Closing Date, except as modified by the schedules attached hereto:
3.1 Ownership of Company Shares; Authority; Consents.
(a) Ownership. Each Shareholder is the sole owner of, and has good and marketable title to, the Company Shares set forth in Recital B above, free and clear of all liens, claims and encumbrances, and has full legal title and power and the authorizations and approvals necessary to sell, transfer and deliver such shares of the Company Shares to Purchaser. The Shareholders have not granted a currently effective power of attorney or proxy to any Person with respect to all or any portion of the Company Shares. Upon delivery of the certificates for the shares of Company Shares by the Shareholders pursuant to this Agreement, Purchaser will acquire good and marketable title to all such shares of Company Shares, free and clear of all liens, claims and encumbrances.
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(b) Authority. Each Shareholder has all requisite power and authority to enter into this Agreement, and the related agreements referred to herein, and to carry out such Shareholder’s obligations hereunder. The execution and delivery by each Shareholder of this Agreement and the other documents and instruments to be executed and delivered by each Shareholder pursuant hereto and the consummation by the Shareholders of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby has been duly authorized by each Shareholder. This Agreement and the related agreements, documents and instruments referred to herein have been duly executed and delivered by each Shareholder and constitute the valid and legally binding obligations of each Shareholder, enforceable against such Shareholder in accordance with their respective terms.
(c) Consents. No consent, approval, authorization or order of any court, governmental agency or body is required for the consummation by each Shareholder of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except those set forth in Schedule 3.1(c) or Schedule 3.13, attached hereto. Except as disclosed on Schedule 3.1(c) or Schedule 3.13, the execution, delivery and performance by the Company and the each Shareholder of this Agreement, and the consummation by the Company and each Shareholder of the transactions contemplated hereby, does not and will not, with or without the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, require the consent of any third party under any contract, agreement, lease or license to which the Company or each Shareholder is a party.
3.2 Corporate Matters.
(a) Organization and Qualification; Power. The Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the State of Nevada. The Company is duly qualified and/or licensed, as the case may be, and in good standing in each of the jurisdictions listed on Schedule 3.2(a) attached hereto, which are the only jurisdictions where the nature of its activities or the character of the properties owned, leased or operated by it require such qualification or licensing. The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate all of its properties and assets and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted.
(b) Subsidiaries. The Company has no subsidiaries and does not own any stock, limited liability company interests or other equity interests in any Person.
(c) Compliance; Binding Effect. Except as provided on Schedule 3.2(c), the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the related agreements, documents and instruments referred to herein, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, will not: (i) violate any provision of the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company; (ii) constitute a default under, or constitute an event which with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both would become a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge, pledge, security interest or other encumbrance upon any of the assets of the Company under, or create any rights of termination, cancellation, purchase, or acceleration in any Person under, any mortgage, lien, lease, agreement or other instrument or obligation to which the Company is a party or by which the Company or its assets are bound; or (iii) violate or conflict with any Law, order, writ, injunction, judgment, arbitration award, decree or other restriction of any kind or character to which the Company or its assets are subject or bound.
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(d) Capitalization of the Company; Ownership of Common Stock.
(i) The entire authorized capital stock of the Company consists of Ten Million (10,000,000) shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Company Common Stock”), of which Six Million (6,000,000) shares are issued and outstanding. The Shareholders are collectively owners of record of 100% issued and outstanding shares of Company as set forth in Recital B, and such Shareholders are the only owners of any equity interest in the Company. All of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned of record by the Shareholders as set forth in Recital B, free and clear of all liens, claims, encumbrances and restrictions whatsoever. The Company has complied with, and is in material compliance with, all applicable securities Laws, including without limitation with respect to the issuance, sale and/or the repurchase of any Company Shares.
(ii) There are no outstanding options, warrants, conversion rights or other rights to subscribe for or purchase, or other contracts with respect to, any capital stock of the Company pursuant to which the Company is or may become obligated to issue or redeem or exchange any shares of the Company’s capital stock.
(iii) The stock register of the Company accurately records: (i) the name of each Person owning shares of capital stock of the Company and (ii) the certificate number of each certificate evidencing shares of capital stock issued by the Company, the number of shares evidenced by each such certificate, the date of issuance thereof and, in the case of cancellation, the date of cancellation.
(e) Articles of Incorporation; Bylaws; Minute Books; Records. The Company has heretofore delivered to Purchaser true and complete copies of the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Company, as amended and in effect on the date of this Agreement. The minute books of the Company which heretofore have been provided to Purchaser for examination contain complete and accurate records of all written corporate action taken by the board of directors and stockholders of the Company through the date hereof, and completely and accurately reflect all transactions in the shares of capital stock of the Company. The accounting books and records of the Company are complete and correct and are maintained in a manner consistent with past practice. The officers and directors of the Company as of the date of this Agreement are as set forth in Schedule 3.2(e) attached hereto.
3.3 Authority; Validity. The execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement and the other documents and instruments to be executed and delivered by the Company pursuant hereto and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by the Company. Other than instruments required pursuant to this Agreement, no further corporate act or proceeding on the part of the Company is necessary to authorize this Agreement or the other documents and instruments to be executed and delivered by the Company pursuant hereto or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. This Agreement and the related agreements, documents and instruments referred to herein to which the Company is a party have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and constitute the valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms.
3.4 Financial. The Company previously furnished to Purchaser materially true and correct copies of the Company’s Financial Statements and Interim Financial Statements. The Financial Statements and Interim Financial Statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied through the applicable periods involved (except that the Interim Financial Statements are subject to normal year-end adjustments and do not include footnotes), and present fairly the financial condition of the Company as of the respective dates of such Financial Statements and the results of operations for the respective periods then ended. Since December 31, 2020, there has been no change in the accounting methods or practices of the Company, no change in the Company’s policies with respect to depreciation or amortization including useful lives of assets or rates for depreciation or amortization, and no change in the Company’s policies with respect to pricing inventory or capitalizing costs.
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3.5 Absence of Changes.
(a) Except as set forth in Schedule 3.5 attached hereto, and except as disclosed in the Financial Statements, since December 31, 2020, there has been no (i) adverse change in the business, property or condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations of the Company, either individually or taken as a whole, from that shown in the Financial Statements, (ii) damage, destruction or loss (whether or not covered by insurance) which singly or in the aggregate adversely affects the Company’s assets or the business or financial condition of the Company, (iii) commitment to increase or effected increase in either the rate of compensation or the actual compensation payable or to become payable by the Company to any of its officers or employees over the amount paid for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, (iv) new contract, agreement, license or transaction or termination of any previously existing contract, agreement or license other than in the ordinary course of business, (v) actual or, to the Knowledge of each Shareholder, threatened labor trouble or strike affecting the Company, (vi) cancellation or other written termination of a relationship with the Company, or written notice to the Company of a future cancellation or other termination of a relationship with the Company, by any single supplier or customer of the Company who accounted for more than 2% of the Company’s purchases or sales, determined by reference to the Company’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, (vii) commitment for, declaration, setting aside, or payment of any dividend or other distribution in respect of any of the Company’s capital stock, or (viii) transaction or transactions by the Company outside the ordinary course of business.
(b) Except as set forth in Schedule 3.5, since December 31, 2020 there has been no direct or indirect redemption, purchase or other acquisition by the Company of any shares of its capital stock.
(c) Except as set forth in Schedule 3.5, since March 15, 2021, the Company has not granted or permitted any increase in the compensation payable or to become payable to any of the Company’s officers or employees, or granted or permitted any increase in the benefits under any bonus, insurance, pension or other benefit plan, payment or arrangement made to, for or with any such employees or officers (including without limitation any sale bonus or stay bonus to employees with respect to the transactions contemplated herein).
3.6 Absence of Undisclosed Liability. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.6 attached hereto, or as disclosed on the Financial Statements, there are no liabilities or obligations of any kind whatsoever, whether direct, indirect, accrued, contingent or absolute, and whether or not determined or determinable (other than the liabilities of the Company set forth on the Financials Statements), to which the Company or the Acquired Business will be subject following consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, and there is no existing claim, condition, situation or set of circumstances which could reasonably be expected to result in any such liability or obligation.
3.7 Powers of Attorney. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.7 attached hereto, there are no employees or agents of the Company who hold powers of attorney to act with respect to the Company, its assets or the Acquired Business.
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3.8 Litigation. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.8 attached hereto, the Company is not bound by any order, judgment, stipulation or consent decree of any court or governmental agency affecting its assets, or limiting or affecting its operations; there is no suit, action, or legal, administrative, arbitration or other proceeding or governmental investigation pending or, to the Knowledge of each Shareholder, threatened in writing that could adversely affect the business, financial condition or assets of the Company; there are no labor strikes, filed grievances or other labor troubles pending or, to the Knowledge of each Shareholder, threatened against the Company, and there is no pending arbitration proceeding arising out of any union agreement to which the Company is or was a party; there are not currently pending or, to the Knowledge of each Shareholder, threatened against the Company any investigations of charges or complaints, and there are no outstanding uncorrected or unresolved citations, charges, complaints, orders or judgments, issued or made by any governmental agency, or by a court, with respect to its application or enforcement of the Laws relating to the Company’s business operations, environmental protection, labor relations, employee safety and health, wages, hours and other labor standards, and fair employment; and no judgment or pending or, to the Knowledge of each Shareholder, threatened claim exists under any applicable worker’s compensation Law by reason of employment of the employees of the Company that is not fully covered by worker’s compensation insurance.
3.9 Licenses; Compliance With Laws and Regulations.
(a) Governmental Licenses. The Company has all governmental licenses and permits necessary to conduct its business, and such licenses and permits are in full force and effect and listed on Schedule 3.9(a). Except as set forth in Schedule 3.9(a), no violations are or have been recorded and remain outstanding in respect of such licenses or permits and no proceeding looking toward the revocation or limitation of any of them is pending or threatened to the Knowledge or Shareholder. Set forth in attached Schedule 3.9(a) is a complete list of all inspection reports, complaints, citations and notices of violations or alleged violations received by the Company within the period of two (2) years prior to the date hereof from any governmental agency having jurisdiction over the Company or its business.
(b) Compliance With Laws and Regulations. Except as provided in Schedule 3.9(b), the Company is in compliance with all applicable Laws relating to the operation of its business and its products, the Leased Real Estate, and its other assets, including, without limitation, all zoning, building, fire, plumbing, product, health and safety Laws including applicable product, safety and consumer protection specifications, guidelines and standards, and no notice has been served upon it claiming violation of any of the foregoing. Except as provided in Schedule 3.10(e), the Leased Real Estate and all buildings and improvements situated thereon, and the use thereof by the Company, complies with all Laws, easements and restrictions, if any.
3.10 Title to and Condition of Property.
(a) Real Property Used. All of the Leased Real Estate of the Company is described on Schedule 3.10(a), and all such Leased Real Estate constitutes all real property used by the Company in the Acquired Business. The Company does not own any Owned Real Estate.
(b) Title. Except for the Permitted Liens and ordinary Liens, the Company owns good and marketable title to, and has undisputed possession of, all of its assets and properties, free and clear of all options, adverse claims, restrictions, tenancies, debts, claims, security interests, defects of title, mortgages, liens, pledges, charges or encumbrances of any nature whatsoever.
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(c) Condition; Sufficiency. The assets of the Company (together with the Leased Real Estate) constitute all of the property relating to or used or held for use in connection with the Acquired Business on this date, and comprise all property necessary for the continued conduct of the Acquired Business after the Closing by the Company as conducted prior to the Closing by the Company. To the Knowledge of each Shareholder, subject only to ordinary wear and tear, the assets of the Company are usable and used in the Acquired Business, have been well maintained and are in good operating condition and repair. Since December 31, 2020, no such asset essential to the operation of the Acquired Business has been destroyed, diverted by the Company to other uses, or otherwise disposed of by the Company without having been adequately replaced.
(d) Insurance. The Company, the Acquired Business, the Leased Real Estate, and all of the Company’s assets have been and are insured, and will be insured through the Closing Date, in the amounts and against the risks set forth in Schedule 3.10(d) attached hereto. The Company is not in default with respect to any provision contained in any insurance policy for the Company and has not failed to give notice or present any claim under any such policy in due and timely fashion. During the last two years, the Company has not had any insurance policy or coverage thereunder cancelled, withdrawn or not renewed by the insurer. The Company has not received notice of and the Shareholder are not aware of any cancellation or threat of cancellation of such insurance. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.10(d), no property damage, personal injury or products liability claims have been made, or are pending, against the Company that are not fully covered by insurance (except to the extent of co-insurance and deductibles reflected in the applicable insurance policies).
(e) Leased Real Estate. There are no commenced, or to the Knowledge of each Shareholder, planned public improvements related to the Leased Real Estate which may result in special assessments or area wide charges for which the Company would be responsible as lessee of the Leased Real Estate, or which might otherwise adversely affect such Leased Real Estate; no governmental agency or court order has been issued requiring repairs, alterations or correction of any existing conditions of the Leased Real Estate; there is no pending or, to the Knowledge of each Shareholder, planned or contemplated condemnation or similar action or change in any zoning or building ordinance affecting the Leased Real Estate; to the Knowledge of each Shareholder there are no structural or mechanical defects in the Leased Real Estate, including adequacy and quality of well and sanitary disposal systems or defects which are reasonably likely to result in the discharge of pollutants into the environment; to the Knowledge of each Shareholder there is no violation of or nonconformance with any Law requiring or calling attention to the need for any work, repairs, construction, alteration or installation affecting the Leased Real Estate; to the Knowledge of each Shareholder all buildings and other improvements situated on the Leased Real Estate are located within the boundary lines thereof and any applicable setback lines without overlap; and to the Knowledge of each Shareholder no part of the Leased Real Estate is located within a flood or lakeshore erosion hazard area. All of the Leased Real Estate has rights of access to public roads.
3.11 Taxes and Tax Returns.
(a) Except as set forth on Schedule 3.11:
(i) The Company has timely filed or timely requested extensions to file those Tax Returns that are currently due for all taxable periods ending on or before December 31, 2020 and all such Tax Returns are true, correct and complete. Copies of all such Tax Returns for the periods beginning on or after January 1, 2018 and ending December 31, 2020, and have been given to the Purchaser;
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(ii) The Company has paid to the appropriate Governmental Authority, or has established, in accordance with GAAP and consistent with past practice, accruals that are reflected on the Company’s financial statements (as provided to the Purchaser hereunder) for the payment of all Taxes imposed on the Company or for which the Company could be liable, whether to taxing authorities or to other persons (pursuant to a tax sharing agreement or otherwise) for all taxable periods beginning on or before the Closing Date;
(iii) Except for the 2020 IRS Form 1120, no extension of time has been requested or granted for the Company to file any Tax Return that has not yet been filed or to pay any Tax that has not yet been paid;
(iv) The Company has not received notice of a determination by a Governmental Authority that Income Taxes are owed by the Company (such determination to be referred to as a “Tax Deficiency”) that has not been resolved as of the date of Closing and, to the Company’s Knowledge, no Tax Deficiency is proposed or threatened;
(v) All Tax Deficiencies have been paid or finally settled and all amounts determined by settlement to be owed have been paid;
(vi) Except in the case of the Federal Payroll Tax Liabilities incurred by the Company prior to March 20, 2021, (the “Payroll Taxes Due”), a Lien for ad valorem property taxes not yet due and payable, there is no unpaid Tax (a) that constitutes a Lien upon any of the assets of the Company or (b) for which the Purchaser would be liable under applicable Law by reason of having acquired the Company Shares;
(vii) There are no presently outstanding waivers or extensions or requests for waiver or extension of the time within which a Tax Deficiency may be asserted or assessed;
(viii) No issue has been raised in any examination, investigation, audit, Claim or proceeding relating to Taxes (a “Tax Audit”) which, by application of similar principles to any past, present or future period, would result in a Tax Deficiency for such period and no Claim has ever been made by a Governmental Authority in a jurisdiction where the Company does not file Tax Returns that it is or may be subject to taxation by that jurisdiction;
(ix) There are no pending or, to each of the Shareholders’ Knowledge, threatened, Tax Audits of the Company;
(x) To each of the Shareholder’s Knowledge, there are no requests for rulings in respect of any Tax pending between the Company and any Governmental Authority;
(xi) To each of the Shareholder’s Knowledge, except for the Payroll Taxes Due, the Company has complied with all applicable Laws in all material respects relating to the withholding and payment of Taxes and has timely withheld and paid to the proper Governmental Authorities all amounts required to have been withheld and paid in connection with amounts paid or owing to any employee, independent contractor, creditor or shareholder;
(xii) To each of the Shareholder’s Knowledge, the Company has disclosed on its federal income Tax Returns all positions taken therein that could give rise to a substantial understatement of federal income Tax within the meaning of Section 6662 of the Code;
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(xiii) To each of the Shareholder’s Knowledge, none of the assets of the Company is property that it is required to be treated as being owned by any other person pursuant to the “safe harbor lease” provisions of former Section 168(f)(8) of the Code;
(xiv) None of the assets of the Company directly or indirectly secures any debt, the interest on which is tax-exempt under Section 103(a) of the Code;
(xv) None of the assets of the Company is “tax-exempt use property” within the meaning of Section 168(h) of the Code;
(xvi) The Company does not have, and has not had, a permanent establishment in any foreign country, as defined in any applicable tax treaty or convention between the United States and such foreign country; and
(xvii) The Company is not a party to any Tax allocation or Tax sharing agreement.
(b) Schedule 3.11 contains: (1) a schedule of the filing dates of all Tax Returns required to be filed by the Company; (2) a description of all past Tax Audits involving the Company; and (3) a list of the states, territories and jurisdictions (whether foreign or domestic) to which any Tax is properly payable by the Company. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.11, to Shareholder’s Knowledge, the Company has retained all supporting and backup papers, receipts, spreadsheets and other information reasonably necessary for: (A) the preparation of all Tax Returns that have not yet been filed; and (B) the defense of all Tax Audits involving taxable periods either ending on or during the six years prior to the Closing Date or from which there are unutilized net operating loss, capital loss or investment tax credit carryovers.
(c) To each of Shareholder’s Knowledge, the Company has collected and remitted to the appropriate Governmental Authority all sales and use or similar Taxes required to have been collected, including any interest and any penalty, addition to tax or additional amount unpaid, and has been furnished properly completed exemption certificates for all exempt transactions. To each of Shareholder’s Knowledge, the Company has collected and/or remitted to the appropriate Governmental Authority all property Taxes, customs duties, fees, and assessments which are other than in the nature of income taxes or charge of any kind whatsoever (including Taxes assessed to real property and water and sewer rents relating thereto), including any interest and any penalty, addition to tax or additional amount unpaid.
3.12 No Proceedings. Except as otherwise set forth in Schedule 3.12, neither the Company nor either Shareholder has received written notice or is aware that any suit, action, inquiry or other proceeding is pending or, to the Knowledge of either Shareholder, threatened before any Governmental Authority seeking to restrain the Company or either Shareholder or prohibit its or her entry into this Agreement or prohibit the Closing, or seeking damages against the Company or any of its properties as a result of the consummation of this Agreement.
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3.13 Contracts and Commitments.
(a) Significant Contracts. Neither the Company nor either Shareholder is a party to, and are not in any way obligated under, (i) any agreement, contract or commitment containing any covenant limiting the freedom of the Company to engage in any line of business or compete with any Person; (ii) any contract, agreement or commitment with the Company’s present or past officers, employees, agents, consultants or advisors that is not cancelable by the Company on notice of not longer than thirty (30) days and without liability, penalty or premium; (iii) any contract, agreement or commitment relating to the disposition of assets of the Company, other than in the ordinary course of business; (iv) any agreement requiring the consent of any other person to the transfer or the sale by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or to a change in control with respect to the Company; (v) any lease of, or agreement to purchase or sell, any capital asset; (vi) any management, consulting, personal service, agency or other contract which provides for rendition of services or for any commission, bonus, incentive, consulting or additional compensation; (vii) any agreement or note evidencing any Indebtedness; (viii) any license, other than licenses for off-the-shelf software applications; (ix) any agreement with an agent, dealer, distributor, sales representative or franchisee; (x) any agreement for the storage, transportation, treatment or disposal of any Materials of Environmental Concern; (xi) any agreement restricting the right of the Company to use or disclose any information in its possession; (xii) any partnership, joint venture or similar relationship; (xiii) any open purchase order by the Company to any vendor, or from any customer of the Company, which involves an amount in excess of $25,000; (xiv) any other agreement which involves an amount in excess of $25,000, or is not in the ordinary course of business of the Company; or (xv) any agreement with any third party for the manufacture of the Company’s products.
(b) Consents; Renewals; Defaults. The Company has not received any notice or other written information indicating (i) that any Contracts will not be renewed upon expiration or (ii) that with respect to any Contract requiring consent as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the party whose consent is required will not give that consent. The Company is not in default under any of the Contracts, and there has not occurred any event which with the lapse of time or giving of notice or both would constitute such a default by the Company. The Shareholder the Contracts are valid and binding in accordance with their respective terms and are in full force and effect without any default, waiver or indulgence thereunder by the Company, or, to the Knowledge of each Shareholder, by any other party thereto.
3.14 Intellectual Property, Copyrights, Patents, Trademarks and Trade Names. Schedule 3.14 sets forth a true and correct listing of all intellectual property, patents, trade names, trademarks, service marks, common-law trademarks, copyrights (registered and common-law), and domain names, and all registrations and applications for any of the foregoing, owned, possessed, licensed or used by the Company or otherwise used in the Acquired Business. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.14, the Company owns the entire right, title and interest in and to the items listed on Schedule 3.14, and such items are not subject to any pending or, to the Knowledge of each Shareholder, threatened litigation or other adverse claims. To the Knowledge of each Shareholder such items do not violate any Intellectual Property Rights of any other Person. There have been no written claims or assertions by any other Person of infringement of any of such items by the Company. None of the items listed on Schedule 3.14 is invalid or unenforceable, and all filings required to keep such items effective and enforceable have been made by the Company. The Company has not infringed, misappropriated or otherwise conflicted with, and the operation of the Acquired Business as currently conducted will not infringe, misappropriate or otherwise conflict with, any Intellectual Property Rights of any Person, and the Company has not received notice of any claims alleging any of the foregoing. The Company owns and possesses, or has a valid and enforceable right to use, all Intellectual Property Rights used in the operation of the Acquired Business as presently conducted.
3.15 Environmental Matters. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.15
(a) The Company is and has been in material compliance with all Environmental Laws and has not received any communication (written or oral), whether from a governmental authority, citizens group, employee or otherwise, that alleges that the Company is not in compliance with applicable Environmental Laws, and to the Knowledge of each Shareholder there are no present circumstances that may prevent or interfere with such compliance in the future.
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(b) There is no Environmental Claim pending or, to the Knowledge of each Shareholder, threatened against the Company, or against any Person whose liability for any Environmental Claim the Company has or may have retained or assumed either contractually or operation of law.
(c) The Company has not caused any past or present actions, activities, circumstances, conditions, events or incidents, including, without limitation, the release, emission, discharge, presence, or disposal of any Material of Environmental Concern, that could form the basis of any Environmental Claim against the Company or any Person whose liability for any Environmental Claim the Company has or may have retained or assumed either contractually or by operation of Law. To the Knowledge of each Shareholder, no Person has caused any past or present actions, activities, circumstances, conditions, events or incidents, including, without limitation, the release, emission, discharge, presence, or disposal of any Material of Environmental Concern, that could form the basis of any Environmental Claim against the Company or any Person whose liability for any Environmental Claim the Company has or may have retained or assumed either contractually or by operation of Law.
(d) Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing, (i) the Company has not stored, disposed or arranged for the disposal of Materials of Environmental Concern on all off site and on site locations, (ii) to the Knowledge of each Shareholder, there are no underground storage tanks located on property at any time owned or leased by the Company, (iii) to the Knowledge of each Shareholder, there is no asbestos contained in or forming part of the Leased Real Estate or any building, building component, structure or office space owned or leased by the Company, and (iv) to the Knowledge of each Shareholder, no polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB’s) are used or stored at the Leased Real Estate or any property owned, leased or used by the Company.
3.16 Computer Systems. To the Knowledge of each Shareholder and other than the normal rotation of older computer hardware, software and equipment that have not been disposed of, all of the computer hardware and software systems, and all equipment including imbedded microprocessors, owned, leased or used by the Company (including, without limitation, those related to equipment, manufacturing processes, quality control activities, accounting and bookkeeping records and record keeping activities, environmental, HVAC and other facility controls, and security and communications systems) are fully operational and are operating properly as designed.
3.17 Transactions with Affiliates. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.17 hereto, since January 1, 2021, the Company has not, directly or indirectly, purchased, leased from or otherwise acquired any property or obtained any services from, or sold, leased to or otherwise disposed of any property or furnished any services to, or otherwise dealt with, in the ordinary course of business or otherwise, a Shareholder or any other Person which, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Company.
3.18 Bank Accounts. Schedule 3.18 attached hereto contains a complete list of each bank, financial institution and brokerage company in which the Company has an account, together with the type of account and the names of all persons authorized to draw thereon or have access thereto.
3.19 No Pending Transactions. Except for this Agreement, neither the Company nor either Shareholder is a party to or is bound by any agreement, undertaking or commitment: (a) to merge or consolidate the Company with, or to have the Company acquire all or substantially all of the properties and assets of, any other Person; (b) to sell, lease or exchange all or substantially all of the Company’s properties and assets to any other Person; (c) to sell or exchange all or substantially all of the capital stock of the Company to any other Person; or (d) to reorganize the Company.
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3.20 Indebtedness; Investments.
(a) Except as disclosed in Schedule 3.20 attached hereto, the Company does not have any Indebtedness.
(b) Except as disclosed in Schedule 3.20, the Company does not own, or have any right or obligation to acquire, any Investment.
3.21 Product Warranties. Disclosed on Schedule 3.21 to this Agreement is a true and accurate list of all of the forms of product warranty or guaranty now in effect or outstanding with respect to products sold or leased by the Company and all of the forms of product warranty or guaranty which have been issued by the Company during the past three years.
3.22 Warranty Claims and Customer Complaints. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.22, there are no existing or, to the Knowledge of each Shareholder, threatened claims or customer complaints against the Company (i) for or related to any alleged defective product or (ii) for or related to any product which alleges failure to meet any service or product warranties of the Company or any applicable standard or specification of any contract or purchase order for such product or any applicable foreign, federal, state or local Law, in either case which involve costs to the Company in excess of $5,000 or which in the aggregate for all claims and customer complaints against the Company exceed $25,000. Schedule 3.22 accurately describes all such claims or customer complaints (exceeding the dollar thresholds set forth in the previous sentence) received by the Company during the past two years, including, with respect to each such claim or customer complaint, a description of (i) the nature of the claim or customer complaint and (ii) the date of the claim or customer complaint.
3.23 Employees.
(a) The Company is in compliance with all applicable Laws respecting labor and employment, applicant and employee background checking, immigration, discrimination in employment, terms and conditions of employment, wages, hours and occupational safety and health and employment practices, and is not engaged in any unfair labor practice. There are no outstanding claims against the Company for any payment to any trust or other fund or to any governmental entity, with respect to unemployment compensation benefits, social security or other benefits or obligations for employees other than routine payments to be made in the ordinary course. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.23, there are no pending claims against the Company under any workers compensation plan or policy or for long term disability. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.23, there is not currently, and there has not been in the past three years, any legal proceeding against the Company based on actual or alleged wrongful termination, unlawful or unfair dismissal, or race, age, sex, disability or other harassment or discrimination. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.23, to the Knowledge of each Shareholder, there are not currently, and there have not been in the past three years, any activities or proceedings of any labor union to organize any employees of the Company. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.23, none of the managers or corporate staff departments’ heads of the Company have given written notice to the Company within the past six months that any such employee intends to terminate his or her employment with the Company.
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(b) Schedule 3.23 contains a complete and accurate list of the following information for each employee of the Company, including each employee on leave of absence or layoff status: name; job title; and the current and the prior year’s compensation or remuneration (including any bonus). Except as set forth on Schedule 3.23, the Company has not made any promises for the payment of any bonuses, backpay or other remuneration to any employees, contractors or other Persons in any way related to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(c) The Company is not a party to, and is not negotiating, any collective bargaining or other labor union contract or employment agreements with its employees or with any organization representing any of its employees, and is not bound by any other agreement with a labor organization; the Company does not have any agreements, arrangements or commitments that contain any severance or termination pay or liabilities or obligations for any bonus, deferred compensation, pension, profit sharing or retirement arrangement with any employee or former employee, and the Company is not presently paying any pension, deferred compensation or retirement allowance to any former employee.
3.24 Benefit Plans.
(a) Each of the Existing Plans is listed on Schedule 3.24 hereto, and except for such Existing Plans, the Company does not maintain any Benefit Plan. The Shareholder has delivered to Purchaser true and correct copies of each of the Existing Plans for which written documentation exists, together with copies of any summary plan or similar description thereof and the most recent actuarial reports, reviewed financial statements and Form 5500 and schedules, if any, with respect thereto. Each of the Existing Plans is in compliance in all respects with applicable Law, including without limitation, the Code and ERISA, and any Benefit Plan terminated by the Company during the five-year period ending with the date of this Agreement was in compliance with such Law and was terminated in compliance with such Law. All of the Existing Plans which are intended to meet the requirements of Section 301(a) of the Code have been determined by the Internal Revenue Service to be “qualified” within the meaning of Section 301(a) of the Code or timely application has been made therefor, and there are no facts Known to either Shareholder which would adversely affect the qualified status of such Existing Plans. The Company is not in default in any respect in performing its obligations under any of the Existing Plans, and all contributions, payments, liabilities or obligations under any Existing Plans that are required to have been paid on or before the date hereof have been paid or that are required to have been accrued on the date hereof on the books of account of the Company by GAAP applied consistently with the past practice of the Company for year-end financial statements have been so accrued.
(b) With respect to each Existing Plan, all reports required under ERISA or any other applicable Law or regulation to be filed by or on behalf of such Plan with the relevant governmental authority the failure of which to file could reasonably result in liability to the Company have been duly filed and all such reports are true and correct as of the date given.
(c) Neither the Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates nor any Existing Plan has engaged in a “prohibited transaction” (as such term is defined in Section 3975 of the Code and Sections 306 and 308 of ERISA), which would subject the Company (after giving effect to any exemption) or any Existing Plan to the tax or penalty on prohibited transactions imposed by Section 3975 of the Code, Section 502 of ERISA or any other liability.
(d) No Existing Plan has been terminated, nor has any “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Section 312(a) of the Code) been incurred (without regard to any waiver granted under Section 312 of the Code), and no funding waiver from the Internal Revenue Service has been received or requested with respect to any Existing Plan and neither the Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates failed to make any contributions or to pay any amounts due and owing as required by Section 312 of the Code, Section 302 of ERISA or the terms of any Existing Plan prior to the due date of such contribution under Section 312 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, nor has there been any reportable event or any event requiring disclosure under Section 3031(c)(3)(C), 3063(a) or 3068(f) of ERISA with respect to any Existing Plan.
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(e) The value of the assets of each Existing Plan which is a “defined benefit” plan (as defined in Section 3(35) of ERISA) equaled or exceeded the present value of the “benefit liabilities” (as defined in Section 3001(a)(16) of ERISA) of each such plan as of the end of the preceding plan year, using the plan’s actuarial assumptions as in effect for such plan year.
(f) There are no claims (other than claims for benefits in the normal course), actions or lawsuits asserted or instituted against, and there are no pending or to the Knowledge of each Shareholder threatened litigation or claims against, the assets of any Existing Plan or against any fiduciary of such Existing Plan with respect to the operation of such Existing Plan, which, if adversely determined, could have an adverse effect on the business, operations, properties, assets or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company.
(g) Except as specified otherwise in Schedule 3.24 attached to this Agreement, each of the Existing Plans can be terminated by the Company within a period of 30 days following the Closing Date without payment of any additional compensation or amount or the additional vesting or acceleration of any benefits under any of such plans, and none of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall result in the acceleration of any payments under any Existing Plan.
(h) Neither the Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has incurred (a) any liability to the PBGC (other than routine claims and premium payments), (b) any withdrawal liability (and no event has occurred which, with the giving of notice under Section 3219 of ERISA, would result in such liability) under Section 3201 of ERISA as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal (within the meaning of Section 3203 or 3205 of ERISA) from a multiemployer plan described in Section 3(37) of ERISA or (c) any liability under ERISA Section 3062 to the PBGC, or to a trustee appointed under Section 3032 of ERISA.
(i) Neither the Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates nor any organization to which the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates is a successor or parent corporation (as described in Section 3069(a) of ERISA) has engaged in a transaction described in Section 3069 of ERISA.
(j) The Company does not maintain and has not established any “welfare benefit plan” (within the meaning of Section 3(1) of ERISA), other than those listed on Schedule 3.24 to this Agreement, which provides for continuing benefits or coverage for any participant or any beneficiary of a participant after such participant’s termination of employment except as may be required by the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended (“COBRA”), and the regulations thereunder.
(k) The Company and each of its ERISA Affiliates maintaining a “welfare benefit plan” (within the meaning Section 3(1) of ERISA) has complied with all applicable notice and continuation coverage requirements of COBRA and the regulations thereunder such that there would not result any tax, penalty or liability to the Company.
(l) Neither the Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has any liability as a successor of any other organization to any Benefit Plan (or beneficiary, sponsor, trustee or fiduciary of such plan) pursuant to successor liability rules of Title IV of ERISA or federal common law. (m) Except as set forth in
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3.25 Multi-Employer Plans. Neither the Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates contributes, is required to contribute or since inception has contributed, to any multiemployer plan within the meaning of Section 3(37) of ERISA.
3.26 Benefit Claims. No person has asserted any claim under which the Company has any liability under any Benefit Plan maintained by the Company or to which the Company is a party, or under any worker’s compensation or similar Law, which is not fully covered by insurance maintained with unaffiliated, financially sound, reputable insurers or, if not insured, for which an adequate reserve is not reflected on the Financial Statements.
3.27 Absence of Certain Changes.
(a) Except as otherwise set forth in Schedule 3.27(a) hereto and excluding any event or circumstance generally affecting the industries in which the Company operates without specifically affecting the Company, to the Knowledge of each Shareholder, since March 15, 2021, there has not been:
(i) any event, circumstance or change that had or is reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect;
(ii) any damage, destruction or loss (whether or not covered by insurance) that had or is reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect; or
(iii) any adverse change in the Company’s sales patterns, relationships with dealers or agents, pricing policies (to customers), accounts receivable, required reserves, risk fees, accounts payable, prospects or backlog that had or is reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Except as otherwise set forth in Schedule 3.27(b) hereto or as otherwise contemplated by this Agreement, since December 31, 2020, the Company has not done any of the following:
(i) merged into or with or consolidated with, or acquired the business or assets of, any Person;
(ii) purchased any securities of any Person;
(iii) created, incurred, assumed, guaranteed or otherwise become liable or obligated with respect to any indebtedness, or made any loan or advance to, or any investment in, any Person, except in each case in the ordinary course of business;
(iv) made or changed any Tax election, changed any annual Tax accounting period, adopted or changed any method of Tax accounting, filed any amended Tax Return, entered into any closing agreement, settled any Tax claim or assessment, surrendered any right to claim a Tax refund, offset or other reduction in Tax liability, consented to any extension or waiver of the limitations period applicable to any Tax claim or assessment or took or omitted to take any other action related to Taxes;
(v) entered into, amended or terminated any material Contract;
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(vi) sold, transferred, leased, mortgaged, encumbered or otherwise disposed of, or agreed to sell, transfer, lease, mortgage, encumber or otherwise dispose of, any Properties except (A) in the ordinary course of business, or (B) pursuant to any Contract specified in Schedule 3.13(a);
(vii) settled any claim or litigation, or filed any motions, orders, briefs or settlement agreements in any proceeding before any Governmental Authority or any arbitrator;
(viii) incurred or approved, or entered into any Contract to make, any expenditures in excess of $25,000 (other than those arising in the ordinary course of business or those required pursuant to any Contract specified in Schedule 3.13(a));
(ix) maintained its books of account other than in the usual, regular and ordinary manner and on a basis consistent with prior periods (including with respect to accruals) or made any change in any of its accounting methods or practices that would be required to be disclosed under GAAP (including with respect to accruals);
(x) made any material change, whether written or oral, to any Contract with any of the supplier or customer of the Company who accounted for more than 2% of the Company’s purchases or sales, determined by reference to the Company’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2019;
(xi) adopted any Plan or Benefit Program or Agreement, or granted any increase in, or made any change to, the compensation payable or to become payable to directors, officers or employees other than in the ordinary course of business;
(xii) suffered any extraordinary losses or waived any rights of material value;
(xiii) made any payment to any Affiliate (other than with respect to any employment arrangement with any such Affiliate) or forgiven any indebtedness for borrowed money due or owing from any Affiliate to the Company;
(xiv) (A) provided discounts on pricing or receivables other than in the ordinary course, (B) modified the accounting for or funding of reserves or (C) changed in any material respect the Company’s practices in connection with the marketing, performance or pricing of its products or services;
(xv) engaged in any one or more activities or transactions with an Affiliate outside the ordinary course of business;
(xvi) declared, set aside or paid any dividends, or made any distributions or other payments in respect of its equity securities, or repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired any such securities;
(xvii) amended the Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws of the Company;
(xviii) issued any shares of capital stock or other securities, or granted, or entered into any agreement to grant, any options, convertible rights, other rights, warrants, calls or agreements relating to its capital stock or other securities; or
(xix) committed to do any of the foregoing.
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3.28 Broker’s and Finder’s Fees. No broker, finder, agent, representative or similar intermediary has acted as a broker for or on behalf of the the Company or either Shareholder in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, and no broker, finder, agent or similar intermediary is entitled to a brokerage commission, finder’s fee, advisory fee or other like payment (each, a “Broker’s Fee”) in connection herewith, based on any agreement or understanding with the Company or either Shareholder or any action taken by the Company or either Shareholder. Any such Broker’s Fee based on any agreement or understanding with the Company or either Shareholder or any action taken by the Company or either Shareholder which may be due in connection with the purchase and sale contemplated by this Agreement will be borne by each Shareholder.
3.29 Own Account. Each Shareholder acknowledges that the Purchaser Shares are being acquired solely for each Shareholder’s own account and not as a nominee for any other party, for investment, not with a view toward distribution or resale, and each Shareholder agrees that such Shareholder will not offer, sell, or otherwise dispose of the Purchaser Shares except under circumstances that will not result in a violation of the Securities Act or any state or foreign securities laws.
3.30 Securities Laws. Subject to Section 5.1 and 5.2, each Shareholder understands and acknowledges that the Purchaser Shares to be issued to each Shareholder hereunder are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933 or qualified under applicable state securities laws on the ground that the issuance contemplated will be exempt from the registration and qualification requirements thereof, and that the Purchaser’s reliance on such exemption is predicated on the each of the Shareholder’s representations set forth herein. The Purchaser Shares shall bear a restricted legend that such shares are subject to this Agreement, have not been registered, and are restricted securities as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, in addition to any other legend required under applicable securities laws.
3.31 Disclosure. No representation or warranty by each of the Shareholders in this Agreement, and no statement, certificate or schedule furnished or to be furnished by or on behalf of the Company or by either Shareholder pursuant to this Agreement, or any document or certificate delivered to Purchaser pursuant to this Agreement or in connection with actions contemplated hereby, contains or shall contain any untrue statement of material fact or omits or shall omit a material fact necessary to make the statements contained therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading.
4. | REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PURCHASER. |
Purchaser represents and warrants to the Shareholders, that the following representations and warranties are true and correct in all material respects on the date hereof and will be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Closing Date:
4.1 Authority. Purchaser has full power and authority to enter into this Agreement. Purchaser and its members, officers and directors have taken all action necessary to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the completion of the transactions contemplated hereby and the execution and delivery of any and all instruments necessary or appropriate to effectuate fully the terms and conditions of this Agreement. This Agreement has been properly executed and delivered by Purchaser and (assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Shareholders) constitutes the valid and legally binding obligation of Purchaser, and is enforceable against Purchaser in accordance with its terms.
4.2 No Conflict. Neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement nor the carrying out of the transactions contemplated hereby will result in any violation, termination or modification of, or conflict with, the articles of organization, certificate of incorporation or by-laws of Purchaser or any of the contracts or other instruments to which Purchaser is a party, or of any judgment, decree or order applicable to Purchaser.
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4.3 Broker’s and Finder’s Fees. No broker, finder, agent, representative or similar intermediary has acted as a broker for or on behalf of the Purchaser in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, and no broker, finder, agent or similar intermediary is entitled to a Broker’s Fee in connection herewith, based on any agreement or understanding with Purchaser or any action taken by Purchaser. Any such Broker’s Fee based on any agreement or understanding with Purchaser or any action taken by Purchaser which may be due in connection with the purchase and sale contemplated by this Agreement will be borne by the Purchaser who has entered into the agreement to pay.
4.4 Litigation. There are no Claims pending or, to the knowledge of Purchaser, threatened against Purchaser which seek to enjoin or rescind the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or otherwise prevent Purchaser from complying with the terms and provisions of this Agreement.
4.5 Limitation on Warranties. Purchaser has no knowledge that (a) any of the representations and warranties of Shareholder in this Agreement and the Schedules are not true and correct in all material respects or (b) there are any material errors in, or material omissions from, the Schedules.
5. | OTHER AGREEMENTS. |
5.1 Registration of Registrable Shares. The Purchaser will prepare and file a Registration Statement, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), on Form S-1, within thirty (30) days after the Closing, covering the resale of all Registrable Shares set forth in Section 2.1. The Company shall use reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to be declared effective under the Securities Act as soon as possible but, shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep the Registration Statement continuously effective during the entire Effectiveness Period. “Effectiveness Period" for the purposes of any Registration Statement required to be filed pursuant to this Agreement, means the period commencing on the Effective Date of such Registration Statement and ending on the earliest to occur of (a) the date that all of the Registrable Shares covered by such Registration Statement have been publicly sold by the Shareholders of the Registrable Shares included therein, or (b) such time as all of the Registrable Shares covered by such Registration Statement may be freely distributed, sold or otherwise disposed of by the Shareholders without registration under the Securities Act pursuant to Rule 144 (or any similar provision then in force) promulgated under the Securities Act, as determined by counsel to the Purchaser pursuant to a written opinion letter to such effect, addressed and acceptable to the Purchaser's transfer agent and the affected Shareholders. The Purchaser shall bear all fees and expenses attendant to the registration of the Registrable Shares pursuant to this Section 5.1.
5.2 Piggy-Back Registration. For a period of no more than 1 year from the Closing, Purchaser agrees to include the Piggy-Back Shares as part of Registration Statement on Form S-1 for other securities filed by the Purchaser to raise funds, provided, however, that if, solely in connection with any primary underwritten public offering for the account of the Purchaser, the managing underwriter(s) thereof shall, in its reasonable discretion, impose a limitation on the number of Purchaser Shares which may be included in the Registration Statement because, in such underwriter's judgment, marketing or other factors dictate such limitation is necessary to facilitate public distribution, then the Company shall be obligated to include in such Registration Statement only such limited portion of the Purchaser Shares as the underwriter shall reasonably permit.
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5.3 Rule 144 Opinion. Notwithstanding the above, at such time as any of the Purchaser Shares which are not covered by an effective Registration Statements, may (i) be sold without registration under the Securities Act pursuant to Rule 144 (or any similar provision then in force), or (ii) are eligible to have the restrictive legend removed, the Purchaser agrees to provide, at the Purchasers costs, at the request of such Shareholder, such legal opinion, as may be required by the Purchaser’s transfer agent, or such broker dealer of the Shareholder.
5.4 Bonus Payment. The Purchaser agrees that in the event that the Company generates more than $6,000,000 of gross revenues that is actually received by the Company during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021, Purchaser shall pay to the Shareholders proportionally based on the shareholders’ respective percentages set forth in Recital B, an amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the amount of gross revenue in excess of $6,000,000.
6. | INDEMNIFICATION AND SURVIVAL. |
6.1 Indemnification by the Shareholder. Subject to the other provisions of this Section 6, for a period of one (1) year after the Closing (the "Indemnification Period"), each Shareholder, severally and not jointly, hereby covenants and agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Purchaser and its respective successors and assigns, at all times from and after the date of Closing, against and in respect of any and all demands, Claims, causes of action, administrative orders and notices, losses, costs, fines, liabilities, penalties, interest, damages and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable attorney fees and expenses) (“Losses”), resulting from, in connection with or arising out of:
(a) any misrepresentation, breach of warranty or breach or non-fulfillment of any agreement or covenant on the part of the Shareholder under this Agreement, or from any inaccuracy or misrepresentation in or omission from any certificate or other instrument or document furnished or to be furnished by or on behalf of the Shareholder at Closing;
(b) all Claims, assessments, judgments, costs, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses of any nature incident to any of the matters indemnified against pursuant to this Section 6.1, including, without limitation, all such costs and expenses incurred in the defense thereof or in the enforcement of any rights of the Purchaser hereunder.
6.2 Indemnification by Purchaser. The Purchaser hereby covenants and agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Shareholder and their respective successors and assigns, at all times from and after the date of Closing against and in respect of any and all Losses resulting from, in connection with or arising out of:
(a) any misrepresentation, breach of warranty or breach or non-fulfillment of any agreement or covenant on the part of the Purchaser under this Agreement or from any inaccuracy or misrepresentation in or omission from any certificate or other instrument or document furnished or to be furnished by or on behalf of Purchaser at Closing;
(b) all Claims, assessments, judgments, costs, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses of any nature incident to any of the matters indemnified against pursuant to this Section 6.2, including, without limitation, all such costs and expenses incurred in the defense thereof or in the enforcement of any rights of the Shareholder hereunder; and/or
(c) the operation or ownership of the Acquired Business after the Closing, except to the extent the Purchaser is indemnified pursuant to Section 6.1 hereof.
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6.3 Notice and Defense.
(a) If at any time a party entitled to indemnification hereunder (the “Indemnitee”) shall receive notice from any third party of any asserted Loss claimed to give rise to indemnification hereunder, the Indemnitee shall promptly give notice thereof (“Claims Notice”) to the party obligated to provide indemnification (the “Indemnitor”) of such Loss. The Claims Notice shall set forth a brief description of the Loss, in reasonable detail, and, if known or reasonably estimable, the amount of the Loss that has been or may be suffered by the Indemnitee. The failure of the Indemnitee to give a Claims Notice promptly shall not waive or otherwise affect the Indemnitor’s obligations with respect thereto, except to the extent that the Indemnitor is prejudiced as a result of such failure (or to the extent the associated claim is barred by another provision hereof regarding any survival period). All indemnity claims by the Indemnitee shall be bona fide. Any claim for indemnification with respect to any of such matters which is not asserted by a notice given as herein provided specifically identifying the particular breach underlying such claim and the reasonable detail of facts and Losses relating thereto within the specified periods of survival may not be pursued until and unless properly made, and if regarding a representation or warranty, within the applicable survival period as set forth in Section 6.1. Thereafter, the Indemnitor shall have, at its election, the right to compromise or defend any such matter at the Indemnitor’s sole cost and expense through counsel chosen by the Indemnitor and approved by the Indemnitee (which approval shall not unreasonably be withheld); provided, however, that (i) Indemnitor provides evidence reasonably satisfactory to Indemnitee that Indemnitor has the financial wherewithal to satisfy and discharge the Loss in full, and (ii) any such compromise or defense shall be conducted in a manner which is reasonable and not contrary to the Indemnitee’s interests, and the Indemnitee shall in all events have a right to veto any such compromise or defense which is unreasonable or which would jeopardize in any material respect any assets or business of the Indemnitee or any of its affiliates or increase the potential liability of, or create a new liability for, the Indemnitee or any of its affiliates and, provided further that the Indemnitor shall in all events indemnify the Indemnitee and its affiliates against any damage resulting from the manner in which such matter is compromised or defended, including any failure to pay any such claim while such litigation is pending. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Indemnitor receives a firm offer to settle a third-party Claim, and the Indemnitor desires to accept such offer, the Indemnitor will give written notice to the Indemnitee to that effect. In the event that the Indemnitor does so undertake to compromise and defend a claim, the Indemnitor shall notify the Indemnitee of its intention to do so. Each party agrees in all cases to use commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate with the defending party and its counsel in the compromise of or defending of any such liabilities or claims. In addition, the nondefending party shall at all times be entitled to monitor such defense through the appointment, at its own cost and expense, of advisory counsel of its own choosing.
(b) In the event any Indemnitee should have an indemnity claim against any Indemnitor hereunder which does not involve a third-party Claim, the Indemnitee shall transmit to the Indemnitor a Claims Notice. The Indemnitor shall have fifteen (15) business days after receipt of any such Claims Notice in which to object in writing to the claim or claims made by Indemnitee in such Claims Notice, which written objection (the “Objection Notice”) shall state, in reasonable detail, the basis for Indemnitor’s objection. In the event that Indemnitor does deliver an Objection Notice with respect to any claim or claims made in any Claims Notice, the Indemnitor and the Indemnitee shall, within the fifteen (15) day period beginning as of the date of the receipt by Indemnitee of the Objection Notice, attempt in good faith to agree upon the proper resolutions of each of such claims. If the parties should so agree, a written memorandum setting forth such agreement shall be prepared and signed by both parties. If no agreement can be reached after good faith negotiations within such 15-day negotiating period (or such extended period as the Indemnitor and the Indemnitee shall mutually agree upon in writing), the parties may pursue their remedies at law (subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement).
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6.4 Indemnification Limits and Restrictions.
(a) De Minimis. No indemnification shall be payable by the Shareholders with respect to any indemnity claim under clause (i) of Section 6 with respect to any individual Loss (or series of related Losses arising out of the same or substantially similar circumstances) which is (or, for such a series, are in the aggregate) less than Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000.00) (the “De Minimis Amount”); provided, however, that, in each case subject to the other terms of this Section 6, if such Loss (or Losses) exceeds the De Minimis Amount, then all of such indemnification shall be payable for the entire amount of such Loss (or Losses), including the portion that is less than the De Minimis Amount, provided that the aggregate amount of all claims for Losses that are indemnifiable by the Shareholders, shall not exceed the Indemnification Cap (as the defined and calculated below), as of the date of an indemnifiable claim.
(b) For the purpose of this Section 6, the Indemnification Cap at the closing shall be equal to (i) the number of Purchaser Shares, as adjusted pursuant to Section 2.2, issued and delivered to the Shareholders at closing, divided by (ii) $2.79 per share. The Indemnification Cap shall be proportionally reduced and burn off at the rate 1/6 per month over the last 6 month period of the Indemnification Period. Assuming the issuance of 2,000,000 shares of COMS, and a Closing on March 31, 2021, the Indemnification Cap, as adjusted would be as follows:
Date Commencing | Indemnification Cap | |||
At 3/31/21 Closing | $ | 5,580,000 | ||
11/1/2021 to 11/30/2021 | $ | 4,650,000 | ||
12/1/2021 to 12/31/2021 | $ | 3,720,000 | ||
1/1/2022 to 1/31/2022 | $ | 2,790,000 | ||
2/1/2022 to 2/28/2022 | $ | 1,860,000 | ||
3/1/2022 to 3/31/2022 | $ | 930,000 | ||
After 3/31/2022 | $ | - |
(c) Any indemnification payable by the Shareholders hereunder may be paid and satisfied by the Shareholder tendering and delivering such number of Purchaser Shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the amount of such indemnification payable by (ii) the then current closing price of the Purchaser’s shares as reported on the NASDAQ, as of the date such indemnification is deemed payable, but in no event less than $2.79 per share.
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Losses shall not include (i) consequential, special or punitive damages or (ii) fees and expenses of more than one counsel with respect to any indemnified claim or claims arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances unless counsel to the Indemnitee has provided a written opinion to the Indemnitor stating that legal conflict of interest requires that the Indemnitor have separate counsel.
(e) If the amount of Losses, at any time subsequent to the making of an indemnification payment therefor, is reduced by recovery, settlement or otherwise under or pursuant to any insurance coverage, or pursuant to any claim, recovery, settlement or payment by or against any other Person, in each case, which is actually received by the Indemnitee, the amount of such reduction, less any costs, expenses, premiums or taxes incurred in connection therewith, will promptly be repaid by the Indemnitee to the Indemnitor, net of any costs or expenses incurred in connection with collecting such amount; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not (i) require an Indemnitee Party to proceed or seek action or recovery from any such third party as a requirement hereunder or as a condition to seeking or recovering indemnification from any Indemnitee hereunder, or (ii) be construed or interpreted as a guaranty of any level or amount of insurance recovery with respect to any Losses hereunder or as a requirement to maintain any insurance or to make any claim for insurance or under any indemnity, contribution or similar agreement as a condition to any indemnification hereunder.
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6.5 Subrogation. After any indemnification payment is made to Purchaser pursuant to this Section 6, Shareholder shall, to the extent of such payment and to the extent permitted by applicable law and applicable contracts, be subrogated to all rights (if any) of the Purchaser against any third party in connection with the Losses to which such payment relates. Without limiting the generality of the preceding sentence, Purchaser shall execute, upon the written request of the Indemnitor, any instrument reasonably necessary to evidence such subrogation rights.
6.6 Survival. All representations and warranties of Shareholder, Company and Purchaser under this Agreement will survive the Closing until, and will expire at 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, that date which is twelve (12) months from the Closing Date (the “Survival Date”); provided, however, that the Purchaser’s rights to bring a claim under Section 6.1(a) shall survive indefinitely with respect to the representations and warranties contained in Sections 3.1(a) “Ownership”, Section 3.1(b) “Authority”, Section 3.2 “Corporate Matters”, and Section 3.3 “Authority and Validity”. All covenants requiring performance prior to Closing shall expire on the Closing Date and all covenants requiring performance by any party after the Closing shall survive the Closing in accordance with their terms and claims for breach therefor may be made at any time until the expiration of the statute of limitations applicable to such claims. If a Claim Notice is delivered before the expiration of the applicable survival period, the matters that are the subject of such Claim Notice shall survive until such indemnity claim is finally resolved. Any Claim Notice resulting from any alleged breach or inaccuracy of any representation or warranty herein must be asserted in writing which contains specific facts, allegations and amounts sought by an Indemnitee to the Indemnitor prior to the Survival Date.
6.7 Exclusive Remedy. The indemnification given by the parties under this Agreement shall be the parties’ sole and exclusive remedy, each against the other, with respect to all matters of any kind or nature whatsoever respecting this Agreement and the transactions hereunder.
7. | CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATIONS OF THE SHAREHOLDERS. |
The obligations of the each Shareholder under this Agreement a are subject to the fulfillment (or, at the option of each Shareholder, the waiver) at or prior to the Closing Date of each of the following conditions:
7.1 Delivery of the Purchaser Shares and Purchaser Deliveries. The Purchaser shall have issued and delivered the Purchaser Shares and all documents and instruments as set forth in Section 2.4 of this Agreement.
7.2 Accuracy of Representations and Warranties. Each of the representations and warranties of the Purchaser contained herein and in any other agreements or instruments provided for herein shall have been true and correct in all material respects on the date hereof. Purchaser shall deliver to Shareholder a certificate to such effect at the Closing as to the representations and warranties of the Purchaser.
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7.3 No Action or Proceeding. No claim, action, suit, investigation or other court proceeding shall be pending or threatened before any court or governmental agency which presents a risk of the restraint or prohibition of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the obtaining of material damages or other relief in connection therewith.
7.4 Consents and Actions; Contracts. All requisite regulatory and/or other consents and approvals of third parties, including but not limited to those set forth on Schedule 3.1(c) or Schedule 3.13, attached hereto, shall have been obtained and completed.
7.5 Other Evidence. The Purchaser shall have furnished to Shareholder such further certificates and documents evidencing its due action in accordance with this Agreement as Shareholder shall reasonably request.
8. | CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATIONS OF PURCHASER. |
The obligations of Purchaser to proceed to Closing under this Agreement are subject to the fulfillment (or, at the option of Purchaser, the waiver) at or prior to the Closing Date of each of the following conditions:
8.1 Delivery of Company Shares and Shareholder Deliveries. The Shareholders shall have delivered the certificates, and documents and instruments as set forth in Section 2.5 of this Agreement.
8.2 Accuracy of Representations and Warranties. Each of the representations and warranties of the Shareholder contained herein and in any other agreements or instruments provided for herein shall have been true and correct in all material respects on the date hereof. Shareholder shall deliver to Purchaser a certificate to such effect at the Closing as to the representations and warranties of the Shareholder.
8.3 No Action or Proceeding. No claim, action, suit, investigation or other court proceeding shall be pending or threatened before any court or governmental agency which presents a risk of the restraint or prohibition of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the obtaining of material damages or other relief in connection therewith.
8.4 Consents and Actions; Contracts. All requisite regulatory and/or other consents and approvals of third parties, including but not limited to those set forth on Schedule 3.13 attached hereto, shall have been obtained and completed. The Shareholder shall have provided Purchaser with evidence satisfactory to Purchaser in its reasonable discretion that (i) there are no applicable rights of first refusal, rights of first negotiation, rights of first offer or similar rights of any kind that would require Shareholder to provide any third party with notice, an opportunity to discuss, consent, negotiate or to engage in any of the transactions contemplated hereby prior to consummation by Shareholder; or (ii) that any and all such rights have been waived by the party possessing such rights.
8.5 Resignations. Resignations of all directors and officers of the Company.
8.6 Other Evidence. The Shareholder shall have furnished to Purchaser such further certificates and documents evidencing her due action in accordance with this Agreement as Purchaser shall reasonably request.
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9. | MISCELLANEOUS. |
9.1 Expenses. Each party to this Agreement shall pay all of its own closing costs and other expenses relating hereto, including fees and disbursements of its counsel and accountants, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated.
9.2 Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder or in connection herewith shall be in writing and delivered as follows:
If to the Purchaser, to:
COMSovereign Holding Corp.
5000 Quorum Drive, Suite 400
Dallas, TX 75254
Attention: Daniel Hodges
Email: DHodges@COMSovereign.com
with a copy to:
Pryor Cashman LLP
7 Times Square
New York, NY 10036
Attention: Eric M. Hellige
Email: ehellige@pryorcashman.com
If to the Shareholders, to:
Industrial Security Alliance Partners, Inc.
10350 Science Center Drive
Bldg. G14-Suite 100
San Diego, CA 92121
Attn: Brian Kelly
Email: bmk@isapusa.com
Halls of Valhalla, LLC
10655 Park Run Drive, Suite 130
Las Vegas, NV 89144
Attn: David A. Sundling, Jr.
Email: sundlingc@gmail.com
If to the Company, to:
Chachas Laws Group P.C.
11682 El Camino Real, Suite 110
San Diego, CA 92130
Attn: George Chachas
Email: gchachas@chachaslaw.com
Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, all notices, requests, instructions and demands which may be given by any party hereto to any other party in the course of the transactions herein contemplated shall be in writing and shall be served by expedited overnight commercial carrier. Service of such notices, demands and requests shall be presumed to have occurred on the date that is one (1) day after the date upon which the item was delivered to the expedited overnight commercial carrier, provided the item was properly addressed, all postage and shipping charges were prepaid by the sender and the commercial carrier issued a dated receipt to the sender acknowledging the commercial carrier’s receipt of the item. All such notices, demands and requests shall be addressed as set forth above. Any party may change the address at which it is to receive notice by like written notice to all other parties hereunder.
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9.3 Entire Agreement. This Agreement (including the exhibits hereto and the lists, schedules and documents delivered pursuant hereto, which are a part hereof) is intended by the parties to and does constitute the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. This Agreement supersedes any and all prior understandings, written or oral, between the parties, and this Agreement may be amended, modified, waived, discharged or terminated only by an instrument in writing signed by the party against which enforcement of the amendment, modification, waiver, discharge or termination is sought.
9.4 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall be declared by any court of competent jurisdiction illegal, void or unenforceable, the other provisions shall not be effected, but shall remain in full force and effect.
9.5 Modification and Amendment. This Agreement may not be modified or amended except by an instrument in writing duly executed by the parties hereto, and no waiver of compliance of any provision or condition hereof and no consent provided for herein shall be effective unless evidenced by an instrument in writing duly executed by the party hereto seeking to be charged with such waiver or consent.
9.6 Time of the Essence. Time is of the essence in every provision of this Agreement where time is a factor.
9.7 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Exclusive Venue.
(a) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Nevada exclusive of the choice of law rules thereof.
(b) Exclusive Venue. The parties hereto agree that exclusive venue for any litigation, action or proceeding arising from or relating to this Agreement shall lie in the Nevada Supreme Court, or, if federal diversity jurisdiction then exists, in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada and each of the parties hereto expressly waives any right to contest such venue for any reason whatsoever.
(c) Waiver of Trial By Jury. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO EXPRESSLY WAIVES THE RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY WITH RESPECT TO ANY LITIGATION, ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT.
9.8 Specific Performance. The parties hereto recognize that if the Shareholders or the Purchaser, do not perform under the provisions of this Agreement or any other agreements or instruments provided for in this Agreement, then monetary damages alone would not be adequate to compensate the Purchaser or Shareholders for their injury. The Purchaser and each Shareholder shall therefore be entitled, in addition to any remedies that may be available at law or in equity including, without limitation, monetary damages, to obtain specific performance of the obligations of the Shareholders or Purchaser as applicable. If any action is brought by the Purchaser or a Shareholder, to specifically enforce this Agreement or any other agreements or instruments provided for herein, the Shareholders and the Purchaser shall waive the defense that there is an adequate remedy at law.
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9.9 Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, legatees, beneficiaries, personal representatives and other legal representatives and assigns, as the case may be. This Agreement may not be assigned by any party hereto without the prior written consent of each other party hereto; provided, however, that each party may assign its rights and obligations hereunder to any affiliate of such party.
9.10 Enumerations and Headings. The enumerations and headings contained in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall in no way be held or deemed to define, limit, describe, explain, modify, amplify or add to the interpretation, construction or meaning of any provision or the scope or intent of this Agreement, or in any way effect this Agreement.
9.11 Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, all of which taken together shall be deemed to constitute one original Agreement. This Agreement may be executed by delivery of a facsimile or .pdf copy of an executed signature page with the same force and effect as the delivery of an originally executed signature page. In the event any party delivers a facsimile or .pdf copy of a signature page to this Agreement, such party shall deliver an originally executed signature page at any time thereafter upon request; provided, however, that the failure to deliver any such originally executed signature page shall not affect the validity of the signature page delivered by facsimile or .pdf, which has and shall continue to have the same force and effect as the originally executed signature page.
9.12 Disclosure. The parties hereto will consult with each other and reach mutual agreement before issuing any press release or otherwise making any statement or disclosure, oral or written, with respect to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby; provided, however, that each party will be permitted to make, without the agreement of the other, such disclosures to the public or to governmental entities as that party’s counsel reasonably deems necessary to maintain compliance with applicable laws. Except as provided above, the existence and/or contents of this Agreement shall not be disclosed by the Shareholder without the Purchaser’s prior written consent.
9.13 Confidentiality. Except as required by law or to carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the “Transactions”), neither the Shareholder nor the Purchaser, nor the employees, attorneys, accountants and other agents and representatives of any of the foregoing (collectively, “Representatives”) will disclose or use any Confidential Information (as defined below), whether already furnished or to be furnished in the future to any party hereto or their Representatives in any manner other than in connection with the evaluation and negotiation of the transactions proposed in this Agreement once executed and delivered; except to the extent that disclosure is required by law. For purposes of this Agreement, “Confidential Information” means the existence and terms of this Agreement and any information regarding Purchaser, Shareholder, their affiliates or the Transactions. Confidential Information does not include information that a party to this Agreement can demonstrate (i) is generally available to or known by the public other than as a result of improper disclosure; (ii) is obtained by the disclosing party from a source other than the other party or its Representatives; or (iii) was in the possession of the other party prior to the date hereof other than as a result of improper disclosure and was obtained other than in connection with consideration of the transactions set forth in this Agreement, provided that such source was not bound by a duty of confidentiality with respect to such information. Upon the written request of any party, the other party will promptly return any Confidential Information in its possession or in the possession of its Representatives.
9.14 Rules of Usage. In this Agreement, unless a clear intention appears otherwise: (a) the singular number includes the plural number and vice versa; (b) reference to any Person includes such Person’s successors and assigns but, if applicable, only if such successors and assigns are not prohibited by this Agreement, and reference to a Person in a particular capacity excludes such Person in any other capacity or individually; (c) reference to any gender includes each other gender; (d) reference to any agreement, document or instrument means such agreement, document or instrument as amended or modified and in effect from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof; (e) reference to any law means such law as amended, modified, codified, replaced or reenacted, in whole or in part, and in effect from time to time, including rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; (f) ”hereunder,” “hereof,” “hereto,” and words of similar import shall be deemed references to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular section or other provision hereof; (g) ”including” (and with correlative meaning “include”) means including without limiting the generality of any description preceding such term; (h) ”or” is used in the inclusive sense of “and/or”; (i) with respect to the determination of any period of time, “from” means “from and including” and “to” means “to but excluding”; (j) references to documents, instruments or agreements shall be deemed to refer as well to all addenda, schedules or amendments thereto; and (k) section references shall be deemed to refer to all subsections thereof, unless otherwise expressly indicated.
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9.15 Release. In consideration of the issuance and deliver of the Purchaser Shares and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, effective on the Closing Date, each Shareholder hereby irrevocably and unconditionally, fully and forever acquits, releases and discharges and agrees to hold harmless the Company and the Purchaser, their respective Affiliates, and their respective stockholders, members, managers, officers, directors, employees, agents, representatives, successors and assigns from any and all present claims, actions, causes of action, suits, charges, complaints, promises, damages, judgments, liabilities or obligations of any kind whatsoever in law or in equity which each Shareholder and their Affiliates, heirs, beneficiaries, successors and assigns in any capacity can, shall or may have against the Company or its Affiliates, with respect to the Company’s ownership or use of its Properties or operation of the Acquired Business prior to the Closing; provided, however, that this release does not release the Purchaser or the Company from any obligation to the Shareholders (i) under this Agreement or (ii) relating to any rights to exculpation, indemnification and/or the advancement of expenses under this Agreement or any Company governing documents, or pursuant to any contract, applicable law or otherwise, for claims arising prior to the Closing Date, and such rights to exculpation, indemnification and/or advancement of expenses shall continue in full force and effect and shall be enforceable against the Company and the Purchaser (the “Corporate Indemnification Rights”), provided that such Corporate Indemnification Rights shall not apply to, and no such exculpation, indemnification or advancement of expenses shall apply to, any claim brought by the Purchaser or the Company under this Agreement.
10. | POST CLOSING AGREEMENTS |
10.1 Certain Financial Statement Matters. The following provisions shall govern the allocation of responsibility as between Purchaser and Company, on the one hand, and the Shareholders, on the other hand, related to the Company’s Financial Statement Matters, including but not limited to accounting practices, Audits and accounting reviews following the Closing:
(a) the Shareholders’ final date of operations of the Company for Financial Statement Matters, pursuant to this Agreement shall be March 31, 2021 and Purchaser’s first day of operations of the Company for Financial Statement matters, pursuant to this Agreement shall be April 1, 2021.
(b) the Shareholders’ (at their cost and expense) shall prepare and file, or cause to be prepared and filed, all Financial Statement accounting reviews for the Company for all periods beginning January 1, 2021 and ending on March 31, 2021 and deliverable on the Closing Date.
10.2 Further Accommodations. In case at any time after the Closing any further action is necessary, appropriate or convenient to carry out the purposes of this Agreement, each of the Parties will take such further action as any other Party reasonably may request, all at the sole cost and expense of the requesting Party.
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10.3 Certain Tax Matters. The following provisions shall govern the allocation of responsibility as between Purchaser and Company, on the one hand, and Shareholder, on the other hand, for certain tax matters following the Closing.
(a) Income Tax Returns. The Shareholders (at their cost and expense) shall prepare and file, or cause to be prepared and filed, all Income Tax Returns for the Company for all periods beginning January 1, 2020 and ending on December 31, 2020 which are to be filed by the Closing Date, or otherwise in a timely manner by April 15, 2021. The Shareholders will continue to follow the historic tax accounting methods and practices of the Company with respect to all such Income Tax Returns, except to the extent otherwise required by applicable Law (unless such change is required as a result of Purchaser’s actions or elections). The Shareholders shall permit Purchaser to review and comment on each such Income Tax Return and other material Tax Return described in the preceding sentence prior to filing. The Shareholders shall make changes, reasonably requested by the Purchaser, to such Income Tax Returns to the extent such changes are consistent with the Company’s past Tax practice and permitted by applicable Law.
(b) Amendments of Tax Returns. Except as otherwise required under applicable Tax Law, permitted in this Section 10.3 or in settlement of a Tax Proceeding, Purchaser shall not file, nor cause to be filed, any amended Tax Return relating to the 2020 fiscal year tax period without the written consent of the Shareholders, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned.
(c) Cooperation on Tax Matters. The Shareholders and Purchaser shall (i) each provide the other, and Purchaser shall cause Company to provide each Shareholder with such assistance as may reasonably be requested by any of them or their professional advisors in connection with the preparation of any Income Tax Return or the audit or other examination by any taxing authority, or judicial or administrative proceedings, relating to liability for Income Taxes for which the Shareholders may possibly be responsible under this Agreement, (ii) each retain and provide the other, and Purchaser shall cause Company to retain and provide Shareholders, with any records or other information in the possession of such Party or its professional advisors or other representative(s) which may be relevant to such Income Tax Return, audit or examination, proceeding or determination, and (iii) each provide the other with any final determination of any such audit or examination, proceeding or determination that affects any amount required to be shown on any Income Tax Return of Company for any period ending on or prior to the Closing Date. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Purchaser shall retain, and shall cause Company to retain, and the Shareholders shall retain until the applicable statutes of limitations (including any extensions) have expired, copies of all Income Tax Returns, supporting work schedules and other records or information (to the extent such items are the possession of such Party or its professional advisors or other representative(s)) which may be relevant to such Income Tax Returns for all tax periods or portions thereof ending on, before or including the Closing Date and shall not destroy or otherwise dispose of any such records without first providing the other Party with a reasonable opportunity to review and copy the same.
[Signatures Follow]
Page 34
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Share Exchange Agreement under seal on the date first above written.
PURCHASER: | |||
COMSOVEREIGN HOLDING CORP. | |||
By: | /s/ Daniel L. Hodges | ||
Name: | Daniel L. Hodges | ||
Title: | CEO | ||
COMPANY: | |||
RVISION, INC. | |||
By: | /s/ Brian M. Kelly | ||
Name: | Brian M. Kelly | ||
Title: | President | ||
SHAREHOLDERS: | |||
INDUSTRIAL SECURITY ALLIANCE PARTNERS, INC. | |||
By: | /s/ Brian M. Kelly | ||
Name: | Brian M. Kelly | ||
Title: | President | ||
HALLS OF VALHALLA, LLC | |||
By: | /s/ David A. Sundling, Jr. | ||
Name: | David A. Sundling, Jr. | ||
Title: | President |
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Exhibit 21
Direct or indirect subsidiaries of COMSovereign Holding Corp., with jurisdiction of incorporation or formation:
● | AZCOMS, LLC, an Arizona limited liability company. | |
● | Dragonwave Corp., a Delaware corporation. |
● | Dragonwave-X Canada, Inc., a British Columbia Canada corporation |
● | Dragonwave-X, LLC, an Arizona limited liability company. |
● | Drone AFS Corp., a Nevada corporation. |
● | ComSovereign Corp., a Delaware corporation. |
● | Elitise LLC, an Arizona limited liability company. | |
● | Fast Plastic Parts LLC, a Colorado limited liability company. |
● | InduraPower, Inc., a Delaware corporation. |
● | Lextrum, Inc., a California corporation. |
● | Lighter Than Air Systems Corp., d/b/a Drone Aviation Corp, a Florida corporation. |
● | Silver Bullet Technology, Inc., a Delaware corporation. |
● | Silver Bullet Technology, LLC, a Delaware LLC. | |
● | Sky Sapience Ltd., an Israeli company. | |
● | Skyline Partners Technology, LLC, a Colorado limited liability company. | |
● | Sovereign Engineering LLC, an Arizona limited liability company. |
● | Sovereign Plastics, LLC, a Colorado limited liability company. |
● | Spring Creek Manufacturing, Inc. a Colorado corporation. | |
● | Virtual Netcom LLC, a Virginia limited liability company. |
● | VEO Photonics, Inc., a California corporation. |
Exhibit 31.1
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
I, Daniel L. Hodges certify that:
(1) | I have reviewed this Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 of COMSovereign Holding Corp. (the “Registrant”); |
(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 the 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 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. |
Dated: March 30, 2021 | By: | /s/ Daniel L. Hodges |
Daniel L. Hodges | ||
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer | ||
(Principal Executive Officer) |
Exhibit 31.2
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
I, Martin R. Wade III certify that:
(1) | I have reviewed this Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 of COMSovereign Holding Corp. (the “Registrant”); |
(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 the 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 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. |
Dated: March 30, 2021 | By: | /s/ Martin R. Wade III |
Martin R. Wade III | ||
Chief Financial Officer | ||
(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 on Form 10-K of COMSovereign Holding Corp. (the “Company”) for the year ended December 31, 2020, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Daniel L. Hodges, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, hereby certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that, to my knowledge:
(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 as of, and for, the periods presented in the Report. |
Dated: March 30, 2021 | By: | /s/ Daniel L. Hodges |
Daniel L. Hodges | ||
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer | ||
(Principal Executive Officer) |
Exhibit 32.2
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 on Form 10-K of COMSovereign Holding Corp. (the “Company”) for the year ended December 31, 2020, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Martin R. Wade III, Chief Financial Officer of the Company, hereby certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that, to my knowledge:
(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 as of, and for, the periods presented in the Report. |
Dated: March 30, 2021 | By: | /s/ Martin R. Wade III |
Martin R. Wade III | ||
Chief Financial Officer | ||
(Principal Financial Officer) |