UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
(Mark One)
☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022
OR
☐ 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: 000-50912

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Nevada | 90-1898207 | |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | |
| 205S Bailey Street, Electra, Texas | 76360 | |
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (469) 963-2644
Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None
Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
Common Stock, $0.0001 Par Value Per Share
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. ☐
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the fi ling reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒
As of June 30, 2022, the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, the aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was approximately $23,172,143 based on the closing sale price of $16.99 (as adjusted for the Registrant’s 1-for-60 reverse stock split of its outstanding common stock effective May 12, 2022) on such trading date as reported on the OTCQB. For purposes of calculating the aggregate market value of shares held by non-affiliates, we have assumed that all outstanding shares are held by non-affiliates, except for shares held by each of our executive officers, directors and 5% or greater stockholders. In the case of 5% or greater stockholders, we have not deemed such stockholders to be affiliates unless there are facts and circumstances which would indicate that such stockholders exercise any control over our company, or unless they hold 10% or more of our outstanding common stock. These assumptions should not be deemed to constitute an admission that all executive officers, directors and 5% or greater stockholders are, in fact, affiliates of our company, or that there are not other persons who may be deemed to be affiliates of our company. Further information concerning shareholdings of our officers, directors and principal stockholders is included in Part III, Item 12 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
The number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of equity as of June 9, 2023 is shares of common stock.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
None.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| i |
Cautionary Statement regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This Annual Report on Form 10-K (this “Report”) contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the following words: “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “ongoing,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time the statements are made and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this Report. These factors include:
| ● | estimates of our expenses, future revenue, capital requirements and our needs for additional financing; |
| ● | our business strategy and our recent change in business strategy; |
| ● | our reserves; |
| ● | technology; |
| ● | our cash flows and liquidity; |
| ● | our financial strategy, budget, projections and operating results; |
| ● | oil and natural gas realized prices; |
| ● | timing and amount of future production of oil and natural gas; |
| ● | the availability of oil field labor; |
| ● | the amount, nature and timing of capital expenditures, including future exploration and development costs; |
| ● | drilling of wells; |
| ● | government regulation and taxation of the oil and natural gas industry; |
| ● | changes in, and interpretations and enforcement of, environmental and other laws and other political and regulatory developments; |
| ● | exploitation projects or property acquisitions; |
| ● | costs of exploiting and developing our properties and conducting other operations; |
| ● | general economic conditions in the United States and around the world, including the effect of regional or global health pandemics (such as, for example, the 2019 coronavirus (“COVID-19”)), recent increases in inflation and interest rates, and risks of recessions, including as a result thereof; |
| ● | competition in the oil and natural gas industry; |
| ● | effectiveness of our risk management activities; |
| ● | environmental liabilities; |
| ● | counterparty credit risk; |
| ● | developments in oil-producing and natural gas-producing countries; |
| ● | our future operating results; |
| ● | future acquisition transactions; |
| ● | our estimated future reserves and the present value of such reserves; and |
| ● | other risks described below under “Risk Factors”. |
You should read the matters described in “Risk Factors” and the other cautionary statements made in this Report, and incorporated by reference herein, as being applicable to all related forward-looking statements wherever they appear in this Report. We cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements in this Report will prove to be accurate and therefore prospective investors are encouraged not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Other than as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, even though our situation may change in the future.
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PART I
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Introduction
The information included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes included in “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplemental Data” of this Report.
Our logo and some of our trademarks and tradenames are used in this Report. This Report also includes trademarks, tradenames and service marks that are the property of others. Solely for convenience, trademarks, tradenames and service marks referred to in this Report may appear without the ®, ™ and SM symbols. References to our trademarks, tradenames and service marks are not intended to indicate in any way that we will not assert to the fullest extent under applicable law our rights or the rights of the applicable licensors if any, nor that respective owners to other intellectual property rights will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, their rights thereto. We do not intend the use or display of other companies’ trademarks and trade names to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, any other companies.
The market data and certain other statistical information used throughout this Report are based on independent industry publications, reports by market research firms or other independent sources that we believe to be reliable sources. Industry publications and third-party research, surveys and studies generally indicate that their information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, although they do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of such information, and we have no commissioned any such information. We are responsible for all of the disclosures contained in this Report, and we believe these industry publications and third-party research, surveys and studies are reliable. While we are not aware of any misstatements regarding any third-party information presented in this Report, their estimates, in particular, as they relate to projections, involve numerous assumptions, are subject to risks and uncertainties, and are subject to change based on various factors, including those discussed under the section entitled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 20 of this Report. These and other factors could cause our future performance to differ materially from our assumptions and estimates. Some market and other data included herein, as well as the data of competitors as they relate to American International Holdings Corp., is also based on our good faith estimates.
Effective on May 12, 2022, the Company affected a 1-for-60 reverse stock split of its issued and outstanding common stock by the filing of a Certificate of Amendment to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of Nevada (filed on May 6, 2022 and effective on May 12, 2022)(the “Reverse Stock Split”). The Reverse Stock Split has been retroactively reflected in the disclosures below. Also on May 6, 2022, a Second Amended and Restated designation of the Company’s Series A Preferred Stock was filed and became effective with the Secretary of State of Nevada, whereby, among other things, a 1,000-for-1 forward stock split of the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock of the Company was effected, which has not been retroactively reflected below.
Unless the context requires otherwise, references to the “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our,” “American International”, “AMIH” and “American International Holdings Corp.” refer specifically to American International Holdings Corp. and its consolidated subsidiaries.
In addition, unless the context otherwise requires and for the purposes of this Report only:
● “Exchange Act” refers to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended;
● “SEC” or the “Commission” refers to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission; and
● “Securities Act” refers to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
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Where You Can Find Other Information
We file annual, quarterly, and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and are available for download, free of charge, soon after such reports are filed with or furnished to the SEC, on our website at https://amihcorp.com/investors/. Copies of documents filed by us with the SEC are also available from us without charge, upon oral or written request to our Secretary, who can be contacted at the address and telephone number set forth on the cover page of this Report. Our website address is https://amihcorp.com. The information on, or that may be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference into this Report and should not be considered a part of this Report.
Items 1. and 2. Business and Properties
Corporate History
American International Holdings Corp.
American International Holdings Corp. was organized in 1986 and is incorporated in Nevada. The Company has undergone several name changes and changes of control since its incorporation; however, from 2012 until April 2019, the Company had no operations and nominal assets. Our corporate headquarters is located at 205S Bailey Street, Electra, Texas 76360 and our telephone number is 469-963-2644.
Prior to May 31, 2018, the Company was a 93.2% owned subsidiary of American International Industries, Inc. (“American”, “AMIN”), a company whose securities are traded on the OTCQB market maintained by OTC Markets under the symbol “AMIN”.
Effective on May 31, 2018, the Company issued (a) 71,667 shares of restricted common stock to Mr. Daniel Dror (the Company’s former Chief Executive Officer and President (who resigned from such positions effective on May 31, 2018)); (b) 63,333 shares of restricted common stock to Mr. Robert Holden (who was appointed President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Company on May 31, 2018 and resigned on August 20, 2018); (c) 12,500 shares of restricted common stock to Mr. Everett Bassie (who was appointed as Chief Financial Officer, Secretary, Treasurer and a member of the board of directors of the Company on May 31, 2018, and who has since resigned from all positions with the Company); (d) 12,500 shares of restricted common stock to Mr. Winfred Fields (a consultant to the Company); and (e) 8,333 shares of restricted common stock to Mr. Charles R. Zeller (a then director of the Company), each in consideration for services rendered to the Company.
As a result of the issuance of the shares in May 2018 as discussed above, a change in control occurred. American International Industries, Inc. ownership decreased from 93.2% to 6.4%.
On April 12, 2019, the Company entered into a Share Exchange Agreement (the “2019 Share Exchange Agreement”) with Novopelle Diamond, LLC, a Texas limited liability company (“Novopelle Diamond” and “Novopelle”) and certain unitholders of Novopelle Diamond. Pursuant to the terms of the 2019 Share Exchange Agreement, the Company acquired 100% of the issued and outstanding membership interests of Novopelle Diamond by means of a share exchange with the Novopelle Members in exchange for 300,000 newly issued shares of the common stock of the Company (the “2019 Share Exchange”). As a result of the 2019 Share Exchange, Novopelle became a 100% owned subsidiary of the Company. The closing of the Share Exchange occurred concurrently with the entry into the 2019 Share Exchange Agreement and resulted in a change of control of the Company. As a result of the 2019 Share Exchange, the Company acquired the business of Novopelle Diamond and all of its assets. Novopelle Diamond is a physician supervised, medical spa and wellness clinic that offers a full menu of wellness services including anti-aging, weight loss and skin rejuvenation treatments.
The three unitholders of Novopelle Diamond who received shares pursuant to the 2019 Share Exchange Agreement were (1) Jacob D. Cohen; (2) Esteban Alexander; and (3) Luis Alan Hernandez, who each received six million shares pursuant to the 2019 Share Exchange.
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Concurrent with the 2019 Share Exchange, the Company entered into individual share exchange agreements and promissory notes with each of Daniel Dror, Winfred Fields and former directors Everett Bassie and Charles Zeller (the “AMIH Shareholders”) whereby the AMIH Shareholders agreed to cancel and exchange a total of 81,667 shares of their Company common stock for individual promissory notes with an aggregate principal amount of $350,000 (the “Promissory Notes”). The Promissory Notes had a term of two years and accrue interest at the rate of 10% per annum (payable at maturity) until paid in full by the Company. The current principal balance of the Promissory Notes is approximately $110,000 as of the date of this filing.
As a result of the issuance of the shares in the 2019 Share Exchange and the cancellation of the shares held by the AMIH Shareholders, control of the Company changed to (1) Jacob D. Cohen; (2) Esteban Alexander; and (3) Alan Hernandez, who each then owned 26% of the Company’s common stock following such transactions.
Also effective on April 12, 2019, the directors of the Company changed to Mr. Jacob D. Cohen; Mr. Esteban Alexander; and Mr. Alan Hernandez, who were also each appointed as the Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company (Mr. Cohen); the Chief Operating Officer and Treasurer (Mr. Alexander); and the Chief Marketing Officer and Secretary (Mr. Hernandez). Mr. Bassie resigned as a member of the board of directors of the Company and as the Secretary and Treasurer on April 12, 2019, but remained as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer until his passing on May 21, 2020.
On October 2, 2020, Jacob D. Cohen, the Chief Executive Officer and member of the board of directors of the Company entered into Stock Purchase Agreements with each of (a) Esteban Alexander, the Chief Operating Officer and member of the board of directors of the Company, and (b) Luis Alan Hernandez, the Chief Marketing Officer and member of the board of directors of the Company (collectively, the “Preferred Holders” and the “2020 Stock Purchase Agreements”).
Pursuant to the 2020 Stock Purchase Agreements, Mr. Alexander agreed to sell 116,667 shares of common stock of the Company which he held to Mr. Cohen, which rights to such shares were assigned by Mr. Cohen to Cohen Enterprises, Inc., which entity he controls (“Cohen Enterprises”), in consideration for an aggregate of $1,500 as well as for the amount of services provided by Mr. Cohen to the Company; and Mr. Hernandez agreed to sell 66,667 shares of common stock of the Company which he held to Cohen Enterprises, in consideration for an aggregate of $1,000 as well as for the amount of services provided by Mr. Cohen to the Company. The sales closed on November 5, 2020.
A condition to the 2020 Stock Purchase Agreements was that each of Mr. Alexander and Mr. Hernandez resign as a member of the board of directors of the Company by no later than January 15, 2021, which resignations were effective December 15, 2020.
A further requirement to the terms of the 2020 Stock Purchase Agreements was that each of Mr. Alexander and Mr. Hernandez take such actions necessary and which may be requested from time to time by Mr. Cohen, to affect the cancellation of the one share of Series A Preferred Stock of the Company held by each of them, for no consideration (including, but not limited to, without the required payment by the Company of the $1 redemption price described in the designation of such Series A Preferred Stock).
The shares of Series A Preferred Stock held by Mr. Alexander and Mr. Hernandez were canceled on November 6, 2020. The common shares were also transferred to Mr. Cohen on November 6, 2020, and as such, a change of control occurred on such date, with Mr. Cohen taking over voting control of the Company, and serving between December 15, 2020 and October 19, 2021, as the sole officer and director of the Company. The Company has subsequently appointed new directors and officers.
As a result of COVID-19 and ‘stay-at-home’ and social distancing orders issued in McKinney and The Woodlands, Texas, we had to close both of our then operational MedSpas, VISSIA McKinney and VISSIA Waterway, Inc., effective March 10, 2020. VISSIA Waterway, Inc. reopened effective June 21, 2020 and VISSIA McKinney reopened effective August 8, 2020. Notwithstanding the re-openings, customer traffic and demand at our VISSIA Waterway, Inc. and VISSIA McKinney MedSpa locations failed to rebound to pre-COVID-19 levels due to COVID-19 and the pandemic’s effects on the economy, and because we were unable to predict the length of the pandemic or ultimate outcome thereof, and further due to our limited capital resources, effective on October 25, 2020, we made the decision to close both our VISSIA Waterway, Inc. and VISSIA McKinney locations.
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On September 17, 2019, the Company formed and organized Capitol City Solutions USA, Inc. (“CCS”) in the State of Texas to act as a general contracting and construction company focused on the remodeling, general construction and interior finish of both the Company’s then MedSpa locations (which have since been closed) as well as to market to other commercial real estate projects within the United States. The Company made the decision to cease any further construction-based operations under CCS in July 2021, in order to focus on the subsidiaries that better aligned with the purpose of the Company and its ongoing business plan in the telehealth and wellness space.
On September 23, 2019, the Company formed and organized Legend Nutrition, Inc. (“Legend Nutrition”) in the State of Texas to act as a new brand of retail vitamin and supplement stores to be branded and marketed as Legend Nutrition. October 18, 2019, Legend entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement to acquire all of the assets associated with and related to a retail vitamin, supplements and nutrition store located in McKinney, Texas and previously identified and doing business as “Ideal Nutrition.” As Legend Nutrition’s lease expired in January 2021, the Company made the decision to cease its operations to focus on the subsidiaries that better aligned with the purpose of the Company and its ongoing business plan in the telehealth and wellness space.
On May 15, 2020, the Company acquired a 51% interest in Life Guru, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Life Guru”). Life Guru owns www.LifeGuru.me – a website dedicated to providing an online platform to connect consumers to a variety of mentors, professionals, life coaches and career coaches. The Company ceased operations of Life Guru in October 2022 due to the lack of capital resources required to operate the business.
On April 28, 2020, the Company incorporated a wholly-owned subsidiary, ZipDoctor, Inc. (“ZipDoctor”) in the state of Texas. ZipDoctor launched its online, direct-to-consumer subscription-based telemedicine platform www.ZipDoctor.co in the third quarter of 2020. ZipDoctor provides its customers with unlimited, 24/7 access to board certified physicians and licensed mental and behavioral health counselors and therapists via a newly developed, monthly subscription-based online telemedicine platform. ZipDoctor customers subscribe through the website and are only required to pay a monthly fee, which is determined based on whether they are an individual, a couple, or a family. Due to the lack of capital resources, the Company was unable to market ZipDoctor’s services and in further connection with a decision to pursue a direction in oil and gas, divested of ZipDoctor through a sale to Cosmos Health, Inc. in April 2023.
On January 24, 2022, the Company formed EPIQ Scripts, LLC (“EPIQ Scripts”) in the state of Texas. EPIQ Scripts has been established with the intent of operating as a close-door online mail order pharmacy with a specific target and vision to obtain licenses in all 50 states across the U.S. Due to the lack of capital resources, the Company was unable to continue to finance the operational demands of Epiq Scripts and chose to pursue a direction in oil and gas.
On February 15, 2023, we entered into a Share Exchange Agreement (the “Cycle Exchange Agreement”) with Cycle Energy Corp., a Texas corporation (“Cycle Energy”), and Marble Trital Inc., a New York corporation and sole shareholder of Cycle Energy (the “Cycle Shareholder”). The Cycle Shareholder is beneficially owned and controlled by Mr. Michael McLaren, the Company’s newly appointed Chief Executive Officer.
Pursuant to the Cycle Exchange Agreement, which closed on February 15, 2023 (the “Closing Date”), the Cycle Shareholder exchanged (the “Cycle Exchange”) 100% of the ownership of Cycle Energy in consideration for 1,000,000 shares of the Series A Preferred Stock of the Company (the “New Series A Shares”).
Management’s intent in entering into the 2023 Exchange Agreement was to develop a new business line while maintaining the Company’s existing operations. Management of the Company believes that by bringing Cycle Energy under the Company’s umbrella, the Company will be able to diversify its operations and build a portfolio of core assets that can be strategically leveraged in various ways to accelerate the Company’s overall growth. With the 2023 Exchange Agreement, there will come an expanded vision for the Company.
Cycle Energy is a diversified energy company based in the state of Texas and has three subsidiaries, namely – Cycle Oil and Gas Inc. (“Cycle Oil”), and Cycle Energy Services (“Cycle Services”) and Cycle Energy Technologies (“Cycle Technologies”) all of these are fully described in Current Operations below.
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Conditions to closing the Cycle Exchange included that the Company must have entered into the Cohen Exchange Agreement (defined and discussed below); terminated the employment agreement of Jacob D. Cohen, the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Company; entered into a consulting agreement with Mr. Cohen; and entered into an indemnification agreement with Mr. Cohen, all of which occurred, as discussed below.
Additionally, the Cycle Exchange Agreement required the Company to invite two persons to join its Board of Directors at the recommendation of the Cycle Shareholder following the Closing Date, to fill the vacancies created by the resignation of two of the current members of the Company’s Board of Directors, which change in directors occurred. In addition, the Cycle Exchange Agreement required the Company’s then current officers to resign and new officers of the Company to be appointed at the direction of the Cycle Shareholder in his capacity as the CEO of the Company. Each of which appointments and resignations were completed.
On March 9, 2023, the Company, Cycle Energy and the Cycle Shareholder, entered into an amendment to Cycle Share Exchange Agreement (the “First Amendment”), which amended the Cycle Exchange Agreement to be effective February 15, 2023, instead of December 31, 2022.
Also Further on February 15, 2023, and as a required condition to the closing of the Cycle Exchange Agreement, the Company and Jacob D. Cohen, the then Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, entered into an agreement (the “Cohen Exchange Agreement”), pursuant to which, Mr. Cohen exchanged all 1,000,000 shares of the Series A Preferred Stock of the Company which he held (the “Cohen Series A Shares”), with the Company (which Cohen Series A Shares were then cancelled, prior to being reissued to the Seller as New Series A Shares, as discussed above), for (a) all of the issued and outstanding membership interests held by the Company in Epiq Scripts, LLC, a Texas limited liability company (“Epiq Scripts”)(representing 51% of Epiq Scripts)(the “Epiq Scripts Interests”); (b) all cash payments paid to the Company in the future as a Royalty Payment (as defined in the Royalty Agreement (defined below)) pursuant to that certain Royalty Agreement dated June 30, 2022, by and between Epiq MD, Inc. a Nevada corporation (“Epiq MD”) and the Company (the “Royalty Agreement” and the “Royalty Payments”); (c) all proceeds that the Company receives from any sale of the equity of ZipDoctor, Inc., a Texas corporation (the “ZipDoctor Consideration”); and (d) the rights to all debt owed to the Company from Epiq Scripts, in the amount of approximately $850,000 (the “Epiq Scripts Debt”).
Pursuant to the Cohen Exchange Agreement, the Company also agreed to pay all Royalty Payments to Mr. Cohen within five days of its receipt thereof and that any amount of the Royalty Payments not paid when due will accrue interest at the rate of the lesser of (a) 18% per annum; and (b) the highest rate allowable pursuant to law, until paid in full (as applicable, (a) or (b), the “Default Rate”).
The Cohen Exchange Agreement has an effective date of February 15, 2023, and the transactions contemplated by the Cohen Exchange Agreement closed on February 15, 2023.
Further to the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Cycle Exchange Agreement and the Cohen Exchange Agreement, and effective on the Closing Date, February 15, 2023, the Cycle Shareholder, through ownership of all 1,000 of the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock shares, holds voting control over 60% of the Company’s outstanding voting shares, resulting in a change of control of the Company. Prior to the closing of the Cohen Exchange Agreement, Jacob D. Cohen held 1,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock, which provided him with the voting control over 60% of the Company’s outstanding voting shares. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock held by the Cycle Shareholder are beneficially owned by Michael McLaren, its controlling shareholder owner and officer. As a result, Mr. McLaren, as a result of his control of the Shareholder, obtained control over the Company upon the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Cycle Exchange Agreement, as he obtained voting control over 60% of the Company’s outstanding voting stock due to his ownership of the New Series A Shares.
Further, and as a result of the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Cycle Exchange Agreement and the Cohen Exchange Agreement, the Company has shifted its business to focus to the operation and management of current energy related entities and to further identify oil and gas related opportunities for acquisition.
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General
The Company is an investor, developer and asset manager with diversified assets across the energy supply chain. The Company’s portfolio includes Cycle Energy that currently owns and operates three vertically integrated businesses – Cycle Oil, Cycle Services and Cycle Technologies.
Business Strategy
The Company seeks opportunities to acquire and grow businesses that possess strong brand values and that can generate long-term sustainable free cash flow and attractive returns in order to maximize value for all stakeholders.
The Company intends to continue to grow its business both organically and through identifying acquisition targets over the next 12 months in the overall energy and oil and gas industry, funding permitting. As these opportunities arise, the Company will determine the best method for financing its growth which may include the issuance of additional debt instruments, common stock, preferred stock, or a combination thereof, any one or more of which may cause significant dilution to existing shareholders. The Company requires approximately $5 million to implement its current business strategy for its different subsidiaries and to support potential growth. We expect to raise funds in the future through the sale of debt and/or equity in order to allow us to operate for the next twelve months, and may need to raise further additional capital in order to expedite our growth through acquisitions, none of which are currently planned. There is no assurance that we will be successful in raising such funds and if we do raise funds, this may result in substantial dilution to current investors.
CURRENT OPERATIONS
Business of the smaller reporting company.
Cycle Energy operates from a property in Electra, Texas which the company owns. The property is 3.14 acers with a 1500 square foot shop. The company intends to raise equity to expand the property to a 10,000 square foot clear span building which has 3 bays capable of housing Cycle Energy service rigs and support equipment.
Description on Cycle Energy’s wholly owned subsidiaries
Cycle Oil focuses on acquiring and optimizing underdeveloped oil and gas assets. It employs both internally developed and third party-licensed technologies to increase production, optimize performance and reduce costs.
Current production of Cycle Oil fluctuates between 17 and 30 bpd depending on uptime of certain wells from 16 leases on approximately 2,000 acers. In July 2022, it acquired Triple “S” Gas & Ray Loveless Enterprises in Wichita & Wilbarger counties for a combined purchase price of $US 1,145,000. Cycle Oil has an extensive catalog of workover candidates with over 125 shallow vertical wells producing from the Gunsite & Cisco sand formations and wells range from 300’ to 2000’ deep allowing for quick & inexpensive workovers.
Cycle Oil holds deeper rights on multiple leases and has hired a seasoned geologist in the area to help identify drilling targets such as the K.M.A, Ellenberger and Lower Gunsite. Having access to our own field and environmental equipment as well as enhancement and optimization technologies, gives us a strong advantage over traditional oil and gas players who have to hire field or abandonment services at a substantial premiums to the basic cost model. Given the company’s low operations cost, Cycle Oil is also able to take on distressed assets that larger companies may feel are “not worth the work”.
Cycle Oil has a marketing contract with Oklahoma Petroleum Allies LLC. OPA buys and trucks our product at WTI + Argus – 5.50 this includes the cost of trucking. CIT plans to expand TRRC (Texas Railroad Commission) bond to $250,000 for unlimited licenses and has identified several underdeveloped candidates ranging from 100-500,000 in purchase price.
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Cycle Oil intends to raise both debt and equity capital and to acquire 1-2 undeveloped candidates per year within the following Texas counties subject to available capital and business health.
| ● | Wichita | |
| ● | Wilbarger | |
| ● | Baylor | |
| ● | Young | |
| ● | Archer | |
| ● | Throckmorton | |
| ● | Stephens |
It also intends, subject to funding, to drill a minimum of 5 shallow wells on its Hodges lease which it holds an 87.5% NRI. New drill IP rates expected between 40-50BPD per well.
Cycle holds 16 oil and gas leases with a range 69 to 7.5 average NRI of 79% on existing properties.
Cycle Services supports Cycle Energy’s overall exploration and production efforts with “well services” and “end of life reclamation.” Cycle Services owns and operates a combination of customized service-wireline rigs and HydroVac units. This cutting-edge equipment allows for faster “rig in” and “rig out” times. Overall, Cycle Services equipment and experience combination reduces the amount of time and fuel burned to complete an abandonment or workover.
Cycle Services is innovating a new approach to assist companies with being able to enhance production from existing wells or abandon wells with greater efficiency and lower cost. We pride ourselves on NOT charging by the hour for our services but provide a preferred flat rate for the job at hand. This enables predictable cost budgeting for work over projects.
Our Innovator Rigs are a combo wireline/service rig, and capable of the following
| ● | Able to pull up to (3000m of 2 3/8 tubing), as well as pull pump, rods and other downhole equipment. | |
| ● | Has on board full E line capabilities for plug sets, well logging, cement bond logs, noise/temp logs, perforating and plasma pulse re-frac stimulation services. | |
| ● | Has full Slick-line capabilities for plunger sets/pulls, tubing punches, fishing, tubing plug sets and more. | |
| ● | Has full swabbing capacity to pull 4500lb (2.0m3) load, and work under pressure to 3500+ kpa | |
| ● | Is ideal for abandonments as we are able to pull pumps, rods, and tubing from a well. Set plug, pressure test, dump bail cement and log cement tops, perform noise temp logs for casing vent leaks. Great for remedial cement work. | |
| ● | Is a stand-alone unit which is also capable of lifting and resetting well head shacks and or moving concrete barrier blocks without the need for 3rd party picker truck services to help reduce costs. |
Our modified HydroVac truck has additional capabilities over traditional vac units.
| ● | Able to swab back to the large capacity pressure tank and use it like a test vessel. | |
| ● | Has real time pressure monitoring and control of the tank pressure from the control cab of the innovator rig. | |
| ● | Can reduce well bore pressure to -30 psi vacuum to momentarily enhance inflow to help clean up near well bore fluid saturation. This is especially good for CBM wells. | |
| ● | Able to use vacuum when rigging out to prevent leaks and spills of well bore fluids around the work area. |
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| ● | Has the capability to clean or thaw with hot clean water and high-pressure wash equipment. This is useful for thawing valves and well heads or thawing around a building in order to lift it. No need for 3rd party steamers | |
| ● | Able to offload into production tanks if desired as all fluids are filtered to capture solids prior to going through our high-volume fluid transfer pump. | |
| ● | Able to pressure test well bore and chart the pressure test results for positive verification of good pressure test performed on abandonment plugs or production packers. | |
| ● | Has ultra-high-pressure capabilities to water jet cut off well heads, pilings, flow lines as well as abandon, cut and plug pipelines. |
Cycle Energy Services has a full range of cased hole services and can enter into 3rd party tool supplier arrangements to fill any additional requirements. Our services include:
| ● | Routine Abandonment services |
| ■ | Gauge Ring, setting services, dump bailer, perforating for cement squeeze. |
| ● | Non-routine Abandonment Services (Surface Casing Vent Flow) |
| ■ | Noise-temp and Spectral Noise – HD temp | |
| ■ | Quantum Petrophysics Through-Casing Formation Evaluation | |
| ■ | Cement Bond – Radial Bond Tool (RBL) and Segmented Bond Tool (SBT) |
| ● | Conventional and Tubing Perforating | |
| ● | Pipe recovery and cutting services | |
| ● | Casing Evaluation Tools |
| ■ | Multi-finger Caliper | |
| ■ | Corrosion inspection |
| ● | Production Logging |
Cycle Technologies provides both R&D and existing technology to enable increased production in the field. Cycle Energy’s flagship intellectual property is its mobile Gas to Liquid system. This is used to convert natural gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons into longer-chain hydrocarbons, such as gasoline or diesel fuel.
Additionally, Cycle Energy Technologies has 5 major products under development with an eye to eventually market or license the technologies being developed., as follows:
| ● | Syngas Production: The NT Plasmatron converts any hydrocarbon feedstock into syngas, which is a combination of hydrogen (H2) and Carbon Monoxide (CO). Viable feedstocks include municipal solid waste (MSW), coal, natural gas, tires, sewage, animal waste and agricultural waste. | |
| ● | Electricity Production: |
| ● | The SteamRay high-efficiency rotary engine converts either steam or syngas into electricity. | |
| ● | The Hydrokinetics Propeller converts river or offshore water flows into hydraulic pressure. | |
| ● | The Small Energy Generating System (SEGS) converts that hydraulic pressure into electricity. |
| ● | Liquid Fuel Production: The MultiFuel Gas-to-Liquid Reactor converts syngas into either Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) or an approximate 40/35/25 blend of ULSD, gasoline, and JP8 jet fuel are commercial products with substantial worldwide demand. | |
| ● | Cycle Energy Technologies Hydrogen Generating system for producing 99.999% pure hydrogen—wherever and whenever it is needed—is a technological breakthrough. This low cost, environmentally friendly fuel source could transform the industrial economies and the developing world. |
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| ● | Cycle’s production method solves the problems currently associated with hydrogen production: cost, distribution and purity. This breakthrough will enable high quality hydrogen to be produced cheaply, on demand and using low heat combustion. Because the production method is scalable, Amazonica technology could enable centralized production on an industrial scale. |
On February 23rd, 2023, as part of a settlement package with Mr. McLaren, McLaren acquired the technologies of Xfuels and its predecessors. A settlement agreement for $1,674,096.07 was executed and Mr. McLaren simultaneously sold those assets to Cycle Energy Technologies via Cycle Energy Corp. for a convertible note of the same value bearing 7% interest per annum and a conversion rate of 50% discount on the previous 5 day average closing.
Products
Hydrogen Generator
Xfuels Inc., formerly Amazonica, Corp. filed a provisional patent application number 61970600 for our “Ultra-Pure Hydrogen Generating Device”. On March 28, 2014, the Company filed application number 61972088 for our “Ultra-Pure Hydrogen Generating Device Using Combustion of A Mixture Of Ethanol And Gasoline”. Both patents are provisional. The patent applications were based on ongoing research and development work from the Company’s team of scientists, led by Dr. Gennadiy Petrovich Glazunov, a world-renowned scientist at the Institute of Plasma Physics of the National Science Center of the National Academy of Science, located within the Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology in the Ukraine.
The main objective of the invention is to improve the method of generating ultra-pure hydrogen while both enhancing its productivity and reducing environmental impact associated with the ultra-pure hydrogen production. This particular methodology is capable of producing ultra-pure hydrogen at productivity level previously unachievable. It is a known fact that environmental impact is lower if in the combustion the mixture of gasoline and ethanol is used instead of gasoline alone. However, it was not previously known that the incorporation of ethanol in gasoline yields improvements in pure hydrogen production. According to experimental results disclosed in the filed patent application, the present use of ethanol/gasoline mixture offers not only reduced environmental impact, but also enhances productivity of hydrogen generation by 25-50%. On April 29, 2015, the Company also applied for a provisional patent for “Pure Hydrogen Accumulating and Compressing Device” as they work on the Project had shown to be fruitful in other regards, not yet contemplated.
The abstract of our filing for the Ultra-Pure Hydrogen Generating Device describes the patent as follows:
A device for generating ultra-pure hydrogen comprising a substantially cylindrical palladium tube having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is hermetically sealed with a jointing technique; a collection end; a valve disposed within a hydrogen 5 conductor having two ends, wherein the second end of the palladium tube is hermetically sealed to one end of the hydrogen conductor and the collecting end is connected to the other end of the hydrogen conductor; and a screen opposingly disposed from the flame source and about the substantially cylindrical diffusion-catalytic membrane, the central axis of the screen is disposed substantially parallelly with the 10 central axis of the substantially cylindrical diffusion-catalytic membrane at a distance of about 4 cm.
The abstract of our filing for the Ultra-Pure Hydrogen Generating Device Using Combustion of A Mixture Of Ethanol And Gasoline describes the patent as follows:
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A method for generating ultra-pure hydrogen comprising: (a) providing a substantially cylindrical palladium tube having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is hermetically sealed with a jointing technique, a collection end, and a valve disposed within a hydrogen conductor having two ends, wherein the second end 5 of the palladium tube is hermetically sealed to one end of the hydrogen conductor and the collection end is connected to the other end of the hydrogen conductor; (b) supplying a combustion of a fuel comprising gasoline and ethanol of a concentration, wherein the concentration is a percentage by volume of ethanol within a mixture of ethanol and gasoline; and (c) 10 heating said diffusion-catalytic membrane with said combustion to about 700-800 ºC. In a preferred embodiment, the concentration ranges from about 2.5 to 10 %.
We are currently in discussions with potential joint venture partners in regard to licensing our technology or developing a use specific product for use in oil and gas energy production.
Szego mill
The Szego Grinding Mill is characterized by low energy consumption and a high specific capacity, typically forty times larger than for tumbling mills (expressed in metric tons/h, m3 of mill volume).
The mill is suitable for both wet and dry grinding. Wet, it can handle all consistencies from thin suspensions to thick pastes. Dry, it can be air swept. Wide mill speed variability and independently con- trolled feed rates provide un- precedented grinding flexibility, useful in dealing with tough-to-grind materials. Size reduction from 6 mm (1/4”) down to the ultra-fine (10 microns) range is readily attainable. Grinding can be combined with mixing, leaching, beneficiation, chemical reactions and other processes, in open or closed circuits. Yet, the capital investment for a Szego mill is a mere fraction of that of conventional grinding equipment of comparable capacity.
Proven applications include carbonaceous materials, such as coal, coke and graphite; industrial minerals and technical ceramics, ranging from limestone to lead zirconates; fibrous materials such as cellulose, wood chips and hog fuel; chemicals, food, plastics and metal powders
CET offers in-house test facilities for sub-sieve size analysis, iron contamination, ash analysis and rheological studies. Pilot plant test includes our unique coal and graphite cleaning as well as beneficiation and agglomeration techniques.
On November 17th, 2017, Converde Energy Inc. a subsidiary or Xfuels Inc. was awarded Patent #9809774 B2 “Method Of Separating Solids Using Bio-Oils. The company acquired the patent as a result of Mr. McLarens settlement agreement with Xfuels Inc.
The technology has a wide range of applications not limited to clean coal processing. Other applications include biomass processing for alcohol production, non-hazardous food oil processing from seed hexane is the solvent of choice most oil extraction processes, and hexane is a poisonous solvent. Cycles process can utilize ethyl alcohols as the primary solvent due to the efficiency of the simultaneous grinding and extraction techniques. This makes the process more environmentally friendly as well as residual toxic contaminants are no longer an issue.
We also undertake contract research in powder technology and welcome all applications in various grinding applications.
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DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS:
MEDICAL SPA AND WELLNESS
The Company previously operated three wholly-owned subsidiaries that were in the Medical Spa and Wellness Sector (collectively hereinafter referred to as “MedSpa”, or “VISSIA”), the operations of which were discontinued in October 2020:
| 1. | VISSIA MCKINNEY, LLC (F/K/A NOVOPELLE DIAMOND, LLC) – 100% OWNED |
VISSIA McKinney was a physician supervised, medical spa and wellness clinic that offered a full menu of wellness services including anti-aging, weight loss and skin rejuvenation treatments and was located at 5000 Collin McKinney Parkway, Suite 150, McKinney, Texas 75070.
| 2. | VISSIA WATERWAY, INC. (F/K/A NOVOPELLE WATERWAY, INC.) – 100% OWNED |
VISSIA McKinney was a physician supervised, medical spa and wellness clinic that offered a full menu of wellness services including anti-aging, weight loss and skin rejuvenation treatments and was located at 25 Waterway, Suite 150, The Woodlands, Texas.
| 3. | NOVOPELLE TYLER, INC. – 100% OWNED |
On December 3, 2019, the Company formed and organized Novopelle Tyler, Inc. in the State of Texas with the plan to come to terms on a retail location for a new med spa to be located in Tyler, Texas. The Company no longer intends to open this location and no activity has been performed under this entity to date.
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As a result of COVID-19 and ‘stay-at-home’ and social distancing orders issued in McKinney and The Woodlands, Texas, we had to close both of our then operational MedSpas, VISSIA McKinney and VISSIA Waterway, Inc., effective March 10, 2020, and which resulted in both the loss of income and the loss of substantially all of our MedSpa employees, who had to be let go. VISSIA Waterway, Inc. reopened effective June 21, 2020 and VISSIA McKinney reopened effective August 8, 2020. However, due to the termination of employees associated with the shutdown we were forced to expend resources to attract, hire and train completely new staff for preparation of the re-launchings. Notwithstanding the re-openings, customer traffic and demand at our VISSIA Waterway, Inc. and VISSIA McKinney MedSpa locations failed to rebound to pre-COVID-19 levels due to COVID-19 and the pandemic’s effects on the economy, and because we were unable to predict the length of the pandemic or ultimate outcome thereof, and further due to our limited capital resources, effective on October 25, 2020, we made the decision to close both our VISSIA Waterway, Inc. and VISSIA McKinney locations. Our former MedSpa operations and assets are included under discontinued operations in the statement of operations and balance sheet included herein for the year ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectfully.
| 4. | CAPITOL CITY SOLUTIONS, USA, INC. – 100% OWNED |
On September 17, 2019, the Company formed and organized Capitol City Solutions USA, Inc. (“CCS”) in the State of Texas to act as a general contracting and construction company focused on the remodeling, general construction and interior finish of both the Company’s then MedSpa locations (which have since been closed) as well as to market to other commercial real estate projects within the United States. The Company made the decision to cease any further construction-based operations under CCS in July 2021, in order to focus on the subsidiaries that better aligned with the purpose of the Company and its ongoing business plan in the telehealth and wellness space.
| 5. | LEGEND NUTRITION, INC. – 100% OWNED |
On September 23, 2019, the Company formed and organized Legend Nutrition, Inc. (“Legend Nutrition”) in the State of Texas to act as a new brand of retail vitamin and supplement stores to be branded and marketed as Legend Nutrition. October 18, 2019, Legend entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement to acquire all of the assets associated with and related to a retail vitamin, supplements and nutrition store located in McKinney, Texas and previously identified and doing business as “Ideal Nutrition.” Pursuant to the Asset Purchase Agreement, Legend purchased a variety of assets including software, contracts, bank and merchant accounts, products, inventory, computers, security systems and other intellectual properties. As Legend Nutrition’s lease expired in January 2021, the Company made the decision to cease its operations to focus on the subsidiaries that better aligned with the purpose of the Company and its ongoing business plan in the telehealth and wellness space.
| 6. | LIFE GURU, INC. – 51% OWNED |
On May 15, 2020, the Company acquired a 51% interest in Life Guru, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Life Guru”). Life Guru owns www.LifeGuru.me – a website dedicated to providing an online platform to connect consumers to a variety of mentors, professionals, life coaches and career coaches. The Company ceased operations of Life Guru in October 2022 due to the lack of capital resources required to operate the business.
Recent Restructuring Events
Mangoceuticals Sale
On June 16, 2022, Company entered and closed the transactions contemplated by a Stock Purchase Agreement (the “SPA”), with Cohen Enterprises, Inc. (“Cohen Enterprises”), which entity is owned and controlled by Jacob D. Cohen, the then Chief Executive Officer and President and then and current member of the Board of Directors of the Company. Pursuant to the SPA, which was approved by the Board of Directors (with Mr. Cohen abstaining) and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors, the Company sold 8,000,000 shares of the outstanding common stock of Mangoceuticals, which represented 80% of the then outstanding shares of common stock of Mangoceuticals, to Cohen Enterprises in consideration for $90,000, which was approximately the same amount that had been advanced to Mangoceuticals from the Company through the date of the SPA ($89,200). Cohen Enterprises also acquired the right to be repaid the $90,000 advanced from the Company to Mangoceuticals, from Mangoceuticals, pursuant to the terms of the SPA. As a result of the closing of the SPA, Cohen Enterprises owned 90% of Mangoceuticals (with the remaining 10% of Mangoceuticals being owned by an unrelated third party), and the Company has completely divested its interest in Mangoceuticals.
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EPIQ MD Sale
On July 7, 2022, we entered into a June 30, 2022 Equity Interest Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”), with Alejandro Rodriguez and Pan-American Communications Services, S.A. (collectively, the “Buyers”) and our then wholly-owned subsidiary, EPIQ MD, Inc., a Nevada corporation (“EPIQ MD”).
Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the Company sold 5,000,000 shares of common stock of EPIQ MD (the “Purchased Shares”), representing 100% of the then outstanding common stock of EPIQ MD, to the Buyers for an aggregate of $300,000, consisting of $150,000 of cash paid at closing and a $150,000 secured promissory note entered into on June 30, 2022 (the “Note”). The Purchase Agreement includes customary representations and warranties of the parties, confidentiality obligations of the parties, covenants, closing conditions and indemnification obligations of the parties, subject to certain deductibles. The Company’s aggregate indemnification obligations under the Purchase Agreement are subject to a twelve-month limitation period, a $300,000 liability cap, and a $5,000 deductible, subject in each case to certain exclusions, and the Buyers have the right to offset any indemnification obligation not timely paid by the Company against the payments due pursuant to the Note and the Royalty Agreement (as discussed below).
The transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement closed on July 7, 2022 and effective as of June 30, 2022.
As additional consideration for the sale of the Purchased Shares, the Company and EPIQ MD also entered into a Royalty Agreement dated June 30, 2022 and entered into on July 7, 2022 (the “Royalty Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company is entitled to receive a 2.50% royalty interest, calculated and payable on a quarterly basis, on the gross revenues of EPIQ MD’s telehealth business, beginning on January 1, 2023 and continuing until the earliest to occur of (i) the Company’s receipt of $900,000 in aggregate royalty payments, (ii) EPIQ MD’s exercise of a right of first refusal to buy out the Company’s royalty interest for $900,000 (or another mutually agreed amount) following the Company’s receipt of a bona fide third-party offer to purchase the Company’s royalty interest, and (iii) December 31, 2026. The Royalty Agreement also provides for EPIQ MD to have a right of first refusal to purchase the Company’s rights under the Royalty Agreement, in the event the Company chooses to sell such rights in the future.
The Note had a maturity date of September 30, 2022, and bears no interest unless an event of default occurs. Upon the occurrence of an event of default, the Note bears interest at a default rate of 18% per annum until paid in full. The Note was paid in full on September 29, 2022.
In connection with the Company’s divestment of its interest in EPIQ MD, each of Mr. Rodriguez, and Mr. Verdie Bowen (the CEO and COO, respectively, of EPIQ MD), and certain other employees of the Company, executed separate release and termination agreements with the Company (the “Releases”). Pursuant to the Releases, each of Mr. Rodriguez, and Mr. Bowen terminated their respective Executive Employment Agreements with the Company dated as of January 21, 2021, without any severance or continuing obligations of the Company. Each release and termination agreement contains a mutual release of claims and mutual non-disparagement covenants. The Company agreed that all shares of Company common stock issued to each such releasing party which was previously subject to forfeiture would be deemed fully-earned upon the entry into such Releases. As a result, an aggregate of 83,334 shares of common stock previously subject to forfeiture became fully-vested.
Other than the $40,000 paid to Mr. Cohen at the time of the termination of the Employment Agreement, no material early termination penalties were incurred by the Company.
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Cycle Energy Transactions
On February 15, 2023, we entered into a Share Exchange Agreement (the “Exchange Agreement”) with Cycle Energy Corp., a Texas corporation (“Cycle Energy”), and Marble Trital Inc., the sole shareholder of Cycle Energy (the “Shareholder”). The Shareholder is beneficially owned and controlled by Mr. Michael McLaren, the Company’s newly appointed Chief Executive Officer.
Pursuant to the Exchange Agreement, which closed on February 15, 2023 (the “Closing Date”), the Shareholder exchanged (the “Exchange”) 100% of the ownership of Cycle Energy in consideration for 1,000,000 shares of the Series A Preferred Stock of the Company (the “New Series A Shares”).
Management’s intent in entering into the Exchange Agreement was to develop a new business line while maintaining the Company’s existing operations. Management of the Company believes that by bringing Cycle Energy under the Company’s umbrella, the Company will be able to diversify its operations and build a portfolio of core assets that can be strategically leveraged in various ways to accelerate the Company’s overall growth. With the Exchange Agreement, there will come an expanded vision for the Company.
Cycle Energy is a diversified energy company based in the state of Texas.
Conditions to closing the Exchange included that the Company must have entered into the Cohen Exchange Agreement (defined and discussed below); terminated the employment agreement of Jacob D. Cohen, the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Company; entered into a consulting agreement with Mr. Cohen; and entered into an indemnification agreement with Mr. Cohen, all of which occurred, as discussed below.
Additionally, the Exchange Agreement required the Company to invite two persons to join its Board of Directors at the recommendation of the Shareholder following the Closing Date, to fill the vacancies created by the resignation of two of the current members of the Company’s Board of Directors, which change in directors occurred. In addition, the Exchange Agreement required the Company’s then current officers to resign and new officers of the Company to be appointed at the direction of the Shareholder. Each of which appointments and resignations were completed.
On March 9, 2023, and effective on February 15, 2023, the date of the Exchange Agreement, the Company, Cycle Energy and the Shareholder, entered into a First Amendment to Share Exchange Agreement (the “First Amendment”), which amended the Exchange Agreement to be effective February 15, 2023, instead of December 31, 2022.
Also on February 15, 2023, and as a required condition to the closing of the Exchange Agreement, the Company and Jacob D. Cohen, the then Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, entered into an Exchange Agreement (the “Cohen Exchange Agreement”). Pursuant to the Cohen Exchange Agreement, Mr. Cohen exchanged all 1,000,000 shares of the Series A Preferred Stock of the Company which he held (the “Cohen Series A Shares”), with the Company (which Cohen Series A Shares were then cancelled, prior to being reissued to the Seller as New Series A Shares, as discussed above), for (a) all of the issued and outstanding membership interests held by the Company in Epiq Scripts, LLC, a Texas limited liability company (“Epiq Scripts”)(representing 51% of Epiq Scripts)(the “Epiq Scripts Interests”); (b) all cash payments paid to the Company in the future as a Royalty Payment (as defined in the Royalty Agreement (defined below)) pursuant to that certain Royalty Agreement dated June 30, 2022, by and between Epiq MD, Inc. a Nevada corporation (“Epiq MD”) and the Company (the “Royalty Agreement” and the “Royalty Payments”); (c) all proceeds that the Company receives from any sale of the equity of ZipDoctor, Inc., a Texas corporation (the “Zipdoctor Consideration”), which entity was subsequently sold effective in April 2023 (as discussed below); and (d) the rights to all debt owed to the Company from Epiq Scripts, in the amount of approximately $850,000 (the “Epiq Scripts Debt”).
Pursuant to the Cohen Exchange Agreement, the Company also agreed to pay all Royalty Payments to Mr. Cohen within five days of its receipt thereof and that any amount of the Royalty Payments not paid when due will accrue interest at the rate of the lesser of (a) 18% per annum; and (b) the highest rate allowable pursuant to law, until paid in full (as applicable, (a) or (b), the “Default Rate”).
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The Cohen Exchange Agreement has an effective date of February 15, 2023, and the transactions contemplated by the Cohen Exchange Agreement closed on February 15, 2023.
As a result of the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Exchange Agreement and the Cohen Exchange Agreement, and effective on the Closing Date, February 15, 2023, the Shareholder, through ownership of all 1,000 of the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock shares, holds voting control over 60% of the Company’s outstanding voting shares, resulting in a change of control of the Company. Prior to the closing of the Cohen Exchange Agreement, Jacob D. Cohen held 1,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock, which provided him voting control over 60% of the Company’s outstanding voting shares. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock held by the Shareholder are beneficially owned by Michael McLaren, its controlling shareholder owner and officer. As a result, Mr. McLaren, as a result of his control of the Shareholder, obtained control over the Company upon the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Exchange Agreement, as he obtained voting control over 60% of the Company’s outstanding voting stock due to his ownership of the New Series A Shares.
On February 15, 2023, we and Cycle Energy entered into a Consulting Agreement with Cohen Enterprises, Inc., which is owned by Mr. Cohen (“Cohen Enterprises”). Pursuant to the Consulting Agreement, Cohen Enterprises agreed to provide consulting and general business advisory services as reasonably requested by the Company during the term of the agreement, which was for six months, unless otherwise earlier terminated due to breach of the agreement by either party, and the failure to cure such breach 30 days after written notice thereof. In consideration for agreeing to provide the services under the agreement, the Company agreed to pay $12,500 per month. The agreement contains customary confidentiality, non-solicitation provisions and Company indemnification obligations and further limits Cohen Enterprise’s liability under the agreement to $50,000, except for damages due to fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct.
Effective on February 15, 2023, Jacob D. Cohen terminated his Employment Agreement with the Company dated January 12, 2022, in connection with his resignation as Chief Executive Officer of the Company and in consideration for $40,000.
ZipDoctor Sale
On March 17, 2023, the Company entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement with Cosmos Health Inc. (“Cosmos” and the “SPA”). Pursuant to the SPA, the Company agreed to sell Cosmos 100% of the outstanding shares of common stock of ZipDoctor, Inc., for $150,000. The transactions contemplated by the SPA closed on April 3, 2023. The SPA contained representations and warranties of the parties customary for a transaction of the size and type of the SPA and includes various indemnification obligations of the parties.
Approval for Increase in Authorized Shares, Name Change and Reverse Stock Split
Effective on May 10, 2023, Marble Trital Inc., which entity is beneficially owned by Mr. Michael McLaren, our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, due to his ownership of 100% of Marble Trital Inc. and his position as Chief Executive Officer thereof, the holder of 1,000,000 shares of the Company’s Series A Preferred Stock, representing 292,500,000 voting shares as of such date or 60.0% of the 487,500,000 total voting shares as of such date (the “Majority Shareholder”), executed a written consent in lieu of a special meeting of shareholders (the “Majority Shareholder Consent”), approving the following matters, which had previously been approved by the Board of directors of the Company on April 19, 2023, and had recommended that such matters be presented to the Majority Shareholder for its approval on the same date:
| ● | the approval of the filing of a Certificate of Amendment to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation to affect a name change of the Company from “American International Holdings Corp.” to “Cycle Energy Corp.”; |
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| ● | the filing of a Certificate of Amendment to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation to increase the Company’s authorized number of shares of Common Stock from 195 million shares to one billion 995 million shares; and |
| ● | the grant of discretionary authority for our Board of Directors, without further shareholder approval, to effect a reverse stock split of all of the outstanding common stock of the Company, by the filing of an amendment to our Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of Nevada, in a ratio of between 1-for-10 and 1-for-1,000, with the Company’s Board of Directors having the discretion as to whether or not the reverse split is to be effected, and with the exact exchange ratio of any reverse split to be set at a whole number within the above range as determined by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion, at any time before April 19, 2024. |
In accordance with Rule 14c-2 of the Exchange Act, the corporate actions will be effective no earlier than forty (40) days after the date notice of the internet availability of the Information Statement describing the above is first sent to shareholders, which we expect to be on or approximately June 24, 2023.
Government Regulation
The health care industry is subject to extensive federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to licensure, conduct of operations, ownership of facilities, addition of facilities and services, payment for services and prices for services that are extremely complex and for which, in many instances, the industry does not have the benefit of significant regulatory or judicial interpretation. We will also be subject to regulation regarding sale of our products online and solicitation of clients thereby, as well as through our general contractor business and the licensing and code requirements relating thereto.
COVID-19 Outlook and Discontinued Operations
The outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (“COVID-19”), which was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020, and the related responses by public health and governmental authorities to contain and combat its outbreak and spread has severely impacted the U.S. and world economies, the market for health spa services, nutrition supplements and our other business offerings during the end of the first quarter of 2020, and continuing through the end of 2020 and into 2021. Government mandated ‘stay-at-home’ and similar orders have to date, and may in the future, prevent us from operating. In late 2020, we made the decision to discontinue operations of our VISSIA Waterway, Inc. and VISSIA McKinney MedSpa locations, due to declines in customers and issues staffing such facilities, each as a result of the pandemic. Additionally, our Legend Nutrition store saw a deep decline in sales due to social distancing orders and decreases in customers who are willing to venture out to brick-and-mortar establishments. Legend Nutrition’s lease was up January 31, 2021, and the Company chose to not renew the lease, closed the store, and will not continue in this line of business moving forward. We also decided to cease offering construction services around July 2021.
During the period through December 31, 2022, our operations were limited, and consisted solely of ZipDoctor, Inc., Life Guru, Inc., and EPIQ Scripts, LLC. Since the acquisition of Cycle Energy, our operations have changed to those of Cycle Energy.
Moving forward, economic recessions, including those brought on by the continued COVID-19 outbreak, geopolitical events, including the current military conflict between Russia and the Ukraine, inflationary pressures, or other events, may have a negative effect on the demand for our services and our operating results. Any prolonged disruption to our operations or work force available is likely to have a significant adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flows and ability to meet continuing debt service requirements. All of the above may be exacerbated in the future as the COVID-19 outbreak and the governmental responses thereto continues.
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Employees
As of the date of this Report, we have one full-time employee. Our compensation programs are designed to align the compensation of our employees with performance and to provide the proper incentives to attract, retain and motivate employees to achieve superior results. The structure of our compensation programs balances incentives earnings for both short-term and long-term performance such as incentive bonuses and flexible schedules. The Company believes that its rich culture of inclusion and diversity enables it to create, develop and fully leverage the strength of its workforce to exceed customer expectation and meet its growth objectives. The Company places a high value on diversity and inclusion. We also utilize numerous outside consultants. Our future success will depend partially on our ability to attract, retain and motivate qualified personnel. We are not a party to any collective bargaining agreements and have not experienced any strikes or work stoppages. We consider our relations with our employees to be satisfactory.
Government Regulation – Health Care
The health care industry is subject to extensive federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to licensure, conduct of operations, ownership of facilities, addition of facilities and services, payment for services and prices for services that are extremely complex and for which, in many instances, the industry does not have the benefit of significant regulatory or judicial interpretation. We will also be subject to regulation regarding sale of our products online and solicitation of clients thereby, as well as through our general contractor business and the licensing and code requirements relating thereto.
Government Regulation – Oil and Gas
Regulation of the Oil and Gas Industry
Our businesses are subject to numerous laws and regulations, including those related to oil and gas exploration and production and to the protection of health, environment and safety. New laws have been enacted or are otherwise being considered and regulations are being adopted by various regulatory agencies on a continuing basis. The costs of compliance with these new laws and regulations cannot be broadly appraised until their implementation becomes more defined. However, the current federal administration has begun implementing policies to increase regulation of oil and gas activity with the express purpose of transitioning the economy to lower-carbon sources of energy consistent with the administration’s focus on climate change. This administration’s climate policies have been wide-ranging and have included both legislative and executive branch action to address climate change and provide incentives to accelerate development of renewable resources.
The current administration has issued a number of executive and temporary orders and policy changes that address broad ranging issues including climate change, oil and gas activities on federal lands, infrastructure and environmental justice. These actions have been followed by a number of related regulatory proposals that are in various stages of the rulemaking process including: more stringent and potentially overlapping regulations of emissions from oil and gas activities, expected further expansion of the definition of Waters of the U.S., increased barriers to access to federal lands for oil and gas development, increased protection for endangered species, more stringent permitting requirements for oil and gas facilities, additional disclosures for climate change risks and implementing regulations for provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
We expect these regulatory changes, if finalized, may increase our administrative costs and affect the issuance of permits and/or agency approvals. If permits and approvals are not issued, or if unfavorable restrictions or conditions are imposed on our drilling activities due to these orders or policy changes, we may not be able to conduct our operations as planned. At this time, we do not expect that the proposed or anticipated rulemakings will affect our operations materially differently than they would affect other companies with similar operations, size and financial strength. However, the finalized versions of the proposed rules or new rules could have a material adverse impact on our business individually or collectively, depending on the final terms and timing of implementation.
All of our oil and gas operations are substantially affected by federal, state and local laws and regulations. Failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations can result in substantial penalties. The regulatory burden on the industry increases the cost of doing business and affects profitability. Historically, our compliance costs have not had a material adverse effect on our results of operations; however, we are unable to predict the future costs or impact of compliance.
Additional proposals and proceedings that affect the oil and natural gas industry are regularly considered by Congress, the states, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (the “FERC”) and the courts, and, the State level. We cannot predict when or whether any such proposals may become effective. We do not believe that we would be affected by any such action materially differently than similarly situated competitors.
Regulation Affecting Production
The production of oil and natural gas is subject to United States federal and state laws and regulations, and orders of regulatory bodies under those laws and regulations, governing a wide variety of matters. All of the jurisdictions in which we own or operate producing oil and natural gas properties have statutory provisions regulating the exploration for and production of oil and natural gas, including provisions related to permits for the drilling of wells, bonding requirements to drill or operate wells, the location of wells, the method of drilling and casing wells, the surface use and restoration of properties upon which wells are drilled, sourcing and disposal of water used in the drilling and completion process, and the abandonment of wells. Our operations are also subject to various conservation laws and regulations. These include the regulation of the size of drilling and spacing units or proration units, the number of wells which may be drilled in an area, and the unitization or pooling of oil or natural gas wells, as well as regulations that generally prohibit the venting or flaring of natural gas, and impose certain requirements regarding the ratability or fair apportionment of production from fields and individual wells. These laws and regulations may limit the amount of oil and gas wells we can drill. Moreover, each state generally imposes a production or severance tax with respect to the production and sale of oil, natural gas liquids (NGL)and gas within its jurisdiction.
States do not regulate wellhead prices or engage in other similar direct regulation, but there can be no assurance that they will not do so in the future. The effect of such future regulations may be to limit the amounts of oil and gas that may be produced from our wells, negatively affect the economics of production from these wells or limit the number of locations we can drill.
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The failure to comply with the rules and regulations of oil and natural gas production and related operations can result in substantial penalties. State laws also may prohibit the venting or flaring of natural gas, which may impact rates of production of crude oil and natural gas from our leases. Leases covering state or federal lands often include additional laws, regulations and conditions which can limit the location, timing and number of wells we can drill and impose other requirements on our operations, all of which can increase our costs. Our competitors in the oil and natural gas industry are subject to the same regulatory requirements and restrictions that affect our operations.
Regulation Affecting Sales and Transportation of Commodities
Sales prices of gas, oil, condensate and NGL are not currently regulated and are made at market prices. Although prices of these energy commodities are currently unregulated, the United States Congress historically has been active in their regulation. We cannot predict whether new legislation to regulate oil and gas, or the prices charged for these commodities might be proposed, what proposals, if any, might actually be enacted by the United States Congress or the various state legislatures and what effect, if any, the proposals might have on our operations. Sales of oil and natural gas may be subject to certain state and federal reporting requirements.
The price and terms of service of transportation of the commodities, including access to pipeline transportation capacity, are subject to extensive federal and state regulation. Such regulation may affect the marketing of oil and natural gas produced by the Company, as well as the revenues received for sales of such production. Gathering systems may be subject to state ratable take and common purchaser statutes. Ratable take statutes generally require gatherers to take, without undue discrimination, oil and natural gas production that may be tendered to the gatherer for handling. Similarly, common purchaser statutes generally require gatherers to purchase, or accept for gathering, without undue discrimination as to source of supply or producer. These statutes are designed to prohibit discrimination in favor of one producer over another producer or one source of supply over another source of supply. These statutes may affect whether and to what extent gathering capacity is available for oil and natural gas production, if any, of the drilling program and the cost of such capacity. Further state laws and regulations govern rates and terms of access to intrastate pipeline systems, which may similarly affect market access and cost.
The FERC regulates interstate natural gas pipeline transportation rates and service conditions. The FERC is continually proposing and implementing new rules and regulations affecting interstate transportation. The stated purpose of many of these regulatory changes is to ensure terms and conditions of interstate transportation service are not unduly discriminatory or unduly preferential, to promote competition among the various sectors of the natural gas industry and to promote market transparency. We do not believe that our drilling program will be affected by any such FERC action in a manner materially differently than other similarly situated natural gas producers.
In addition to the regulation of natural gas pipeline transportation, the FERC has additional, jurisdiction over the purchase or sale of gas or the purchase or sale of transportation services subject to the FERC’s jurisdiction pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (“EPAct 2005”). Under the EPAct 2005, it is unlawful for “any entity,” including producers such as us, that are otherwise not subject to FERC’s jurisdiction under the Natural Gas Act of 1938 (“NGA”) to use any deceptive or manipulative device or contrivance in connection with the purchase or sale of gas or the purchase or sale of transportation services subject to regulation by FERC, in contravention of rules prescribed by the FERC. The FERC’s rules implementing this provision make it unlawful, in connection with the purchase or sale of gas subject to the jurisdiction of the FERC, or the purchase or sale of transportation services subject to the jurisdiction of the FERC, for any entity, directly or indirectly, to use or employ any device, scheme or artifice to defraud; to make any untrue statement of material fact or omit to make any such statement necessary to make the statements made not misleading; or to engage in any act or practice that operates as a fraud or deceit upon any person. EPAct 2005 also gives the FERC authority to impose civil penalties for violations of the NGA and the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 up to $1.5 million per day, per violation. The anti-manipulation rule applies to activities of otherwise non-jurisdictional entities to the extent the activities are conducted “in connection with” gas sales, purchases or transportation subject to FERC jurisdiction, which includes the annual reporting requirements under FERC Order No. 704 (defined below).
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In December 2007, the FERC issued a final rule on the annual natural gas transaction reporting requirements, as amended by subsequent orders on rehearing (“Order No. 704”). Under Order No. 704, any market participant, including a producer that engages in certain wholesale sales or purchases of gas that equal or exceed 2.2 trillion BTUs of physical natural gas in the previous calendar year, must annually report such sales and purchases to the FERC on Form No. 552 on May 1 of each year. Form No. 552 contains aggregate volumes of natural gas purchased or sold at wholesale in the prior calendar year to the extent such transactions utilize, contribute to the formation of price indices. Not all types of natural gas sales are required to be reported on Form No. 552. It is the responsibility of the reporting entity to determine which individual transactions should be reported based on the guidance of Order No. 704. Order No. 704 is intended to increase the transparency of the wholesale gas markets and to assist the FERC in monitoring those markets and in detecting market manipulation. We are not currently subject to the requirement to report on Form No. 552, as our sales of oil and natural gas do not rise to the minimum level required for reporting by Order No. 704.
The FERC also regulates rates and terms and conditions of service on interstate transportation of liquids, including oil and NGL, under the Interstate Commerce Act, as it existed on October 1, 1977 (“ICA”). Prices received from the sale of liquids may be affected by the cost of transporting those products to market. The ICA requires that certain interstate liquids pipelines maintain a tariff on file with the FERC. The tariff sets forth the established rates as well as the rules and regulations governing the service. The ICA requires, among other things, that rates and terms and conditions of service on interstate common carrier pipelines be “just and reasonable.” Increases in liquids transportation rates may result in lower revenue and cash flows for the Company. Such pipelines must also provide jurisdictional service in a manner that is not unduly discriminatory or unduly preferential. Shippers have the power to challenge new and existing rates and terms and conditions of service before the FERC.
In addition, due to common carrier regulatory obligations of liquids pipelines, capacity must be prorated among shippers in an equitable manner in the event there are nominations in excess of capacity or new shippers. Therefore, new shippers or increased volume by existing shippers may reduce the capacity available to us. Any prolonged interruption in the operation or curtailment of available capacity of the pipelines that we rely upon for liquids transportation could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. However, we believe that access to liquids pipeline transportation services generally will be available to us to the same extent as to our similarly situated competitors.
Rates for intrastate pipeline transportation of liquids are subject to regulation by state regulatory commissions. The basis for intrastate liquids pipeline regulation, and the degree of regulatory oversight and scrutiny given to intrastate liquids pipeline rates, varies from state to state. We believe that the regulation of liquids pipeline transportation rates will not affect our operations in any way that is materially different from the effects on our similarly situated competitors.
In addition to the FERC’s regulations, we are required to observe anti-market manipulation laws with regard to our physical sales of energy commodities. In November 2009, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) issued regulations pursuant to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, intended to prohibit market manipulation in the petroleum industry. Violators of the regulations face civil penalties of up to $1.3 million per violation per day. In July 2010, Congress passed the Dodd-Frank Act, which incorporated an expansion of the authority of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) to prohibit market manipulation in the markets regulated by the CFTC. This authority, with respect to oil swaps and futures contracts, is similar to the anti-manipulation authority granted to the FTC with respect to oil purchases and sales. In July 2011, the CFTC issued final rules to implement their new anti-manipulation authority. The rules subject violators to a civil penalty of up to the greater of $1.1 million or triple the monetary gain to the person for each violation.
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Regulation of Environmental and Occupational Safety and Health Matters
Our operations are subject to stringent federal, state and local laws and regulations governing occupational safety and health aspects of our operations, the discharge of materials into the environment and environmental protection. Numerous governmental entities, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and analogous state agencies have the power to enforce compliance with these laws and regulations and the permits issued under them, often requiring difficult and costly actions. These laws and regulations may, among other things (i) require the acquisition of permits to conduct drilling and other regulated activities; (ii) restrict the types, quantities and concentration of various substances that can be released into the environment or injected into formations in connection with oil and natural gas drilling and production activities; (iii) limit or prohibit drilling activities on certain lands lying within wilderness, wetlands and other protected areas; (iv) require remedial measures to mitigate pollution from former and ongoing operations, such as requirements to close pits and plug abandoned wells; (v) apply specific health and safety criteria addressing worker protection; and (vi) impose substantial liabilities for pollution resulting from drilling and production operations. Any failure to comply with these laws and regulations may result in the assessment of administrative, civil and criminal penalties, the imposition of corrective or remedial obligations, the occurrence of delays or restrictions in permitting or performance of projects, and the issuance of orders enjoining performance of some or all of our operations.
These laws and regulations may also restrict the rate of oil and natural gas production below the rate that would otherwise be possible. The regulatory burden on the oil and natural gas industry increases the cost of doing business in the industry and consequently affects profitability. The trend in environmental regulation is to place more restrictions and limitations on activities that may affect the environment, and thus any changes in environmental laws and regulations or re-interpretation of enforcement policies that result in more stringent and costly well drilling, construction, completion or water management activities, or waste handling, storage transport, disposal, or remediation requirements could have a material adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations. Moreover, accidental releases or spills may occur in the course of our operations, and we cannot assure you that we will not incur significant costs and liabilities as a result of such releases or spills, including any third-party claims for damage to property, natural resources or persons. Continued compliance with existing requirements is not expected to materially affect us. However, there is no assurance that we will be able to remain in compliance in the future with such existing or any new laws and regulations or that such future compliance will not have a material adverse effect on our business and operating results.
The following is a summary of the more significant existing and proposed environmental and occupational safety and health laws, as amended from time to time, to which our business operations are or may be subject and for which compliance may have a material adverse impact on our capital expenditures, results of operations or financial position.
Hazardous Substances and Wastes
The Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”), and comparable state statutes, regulate the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, disposal and cleanup of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes. Pursuant to rules issued by the EPA, the individual states administer some or all of the provisions of RCRA, sometimes in conjunction with their own, more stringent requirements. Drilling fluids, produced waters, and most of the other wastes associated with the exploration, development, and production of oil or natural gas, if properly handled, are currently exempt from regulation as hazardous waste under RCRA and, instead, are regulated under RCRA’s less stringent non-hazardous waste provisions, state laws or other federal laws. However, it is possible that certain oil and natural gas drilling and production wastes now classified as non-hazardous could be classified as hazardous wastes in the future. Stricter regulation of wastes generated during our operations could result in an increase in our, as well as the oil and natural gas exploration and production industry’s costs to manage and dispose of wastes, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial position.
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In December 2016, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia approved a consent decree between the EPA and a coalition of environmental groups. The consent decree requires the EPA to review and determine whether it will revise the RCRA regulations for exploration and production waste to treat such waste as hazardous waste. In April 2019, the EPA, pursuant to the consent decree, determined that revision of the regulations was not necessary. Information comprising the EPA’s review and decision is contained in a document entitled “Management of Exploration, Development and Production Wastes: Factors Informing a Decision on the Need for Regulatory Action”. The EPA indicated that it will continue to work with states and other organizations to identify areas for continued improvement and to address emerging issues to ensure that exploration, development and production wastes continue to be managed in a manner that is protective of human health and the environment. Environmental groups, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the EPA’s decision and will likely continue to press the issue at the federal and state levels.
The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (“CERCLA”), also known as the Superfund law, and comparable state laws impose joint and several liability, without regard to fault or legality of conduct, on classes of persons who are considered to be responsible for the release of a hazardous substance into the environment. These persons include the current and former owners and operators of the site where the release occurred and anyone who disposed or arranged for the disposal of a hazardous substance released at the site. Under CERCLA, such persons may be subject to joint and several liability for the costs of cleaning up the hazardous substances that have been released into the environment, for damages to natural resources and for the costs of certain health studies. CERCLA also authorizes the EPA and, in some instances, third parties to act in response to threats to the public health or the environment and to seek to recover from the responsible classes of persons the costs they incur. In addition, it is not uncommon for neighboring landowners and other third parties to file claims for personal injury and property damage allegedly caused by the hazardous substances released into the environment. We generate materials in the course of our operations that may be regulated as hazardous substances.
We currently lease or operate properties that have been used for oil and natural gas exploration, production and processing for many years. Although we believe that we have utilized operating and waste disposal practices that were standard in the industry at the time, hazardous substances, wastes, or petroleum hydrocarbons may have been released on, under or from the properties owned or leased by us, or on, under or from other locations, including off-site locations, where such substances have been taken for treatment or disposal. In addition, some of our properties have been operated by third parties or by previous owners or operators whose treatment and disposal of hazardous substances, wastes, or petroleum hydrocarbons was not under our control. These properties and the substances disposed or released on, under or from them may be subject to CERCLA, RCRA and analogous state laws. Under such laws, we could be required to undertake response or corrective measures, which could include removal of previously disposed substances and wastes, cleanup of contaminated property or performance of remedial plugging or pit closure operations to prevent future contamination, the costs of which could be substantial.
Water Discharges
The federal Clean Water Act (“CWA”) and analogous state laws impose strict controls concerning the discharge of pollutants and fill material, including spills and leaks of crude oil and other substances. The CWA also requires approval and/or permits prior to construction, where construction will disturb certain wetlands or other waters of the U.S. (“WOTUS”). The CWA also regulates storm water run-off from crude oil and natural gas facilities and requires storm water discharge permits for certain activities. Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (“SPCC”) requirements of the CWA require appropriate secondary containment, load out controls, piping controls, berms and other measures to help prevent the contamination of navigable waters in the event of a petroleum hydrocarbon spill, rupture or leak.
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Subsurface Injections
In the course of our operations, we produce water in addition to oil and natural gas. Water that is not recycled may be disposed of in disposal wells, which inject the produced water into non-producing subsurface formations. Underground injection operations are regulated pursuant to the Underground Injection Control (“UIC”) program established under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (“SDWA”) and analogous state laws. The UIC program requires permits from the EPA or an analogous state agency for the construction and operation of disposal wells, establishes minimum standards for disposal well operations, and restricts the types and quantities of fluids that may be disposed. A change in UIC disposal well regulations or the inability to obtain permits for new disposal wells in the future may affect our ability to dispose of produced water and ultimately increase the cost of our operations. For example, in response to recent seismic events near belowground disposal wells used for the injection of oil and natural gas-related wastewaters, regulators in some states, have imposed more stringent permitting and operating requirements for produced water disposal wells. Additionally, legal disputes may arise based on allegations that disposal well operations have caused damage to neighboring properties or otherwise violated state or federal rules regulating waste disposal. These developments could result in additional regulation, restriction on the use of injection wells by us or by commercial disposal well vendors whom we may use from time to time to dispose of wastewater, and increased costs of compliance, which could have a material adverse effect on our capital expenditures and operating costs, financial condition, and results of operations.
Air Emissions
Our operations are subject to the Clean Air Act (the “CAA”) and comparable state and local requirements. The CAA contains provisions that may result in the gradual imposition of certain pollution control requirements with respect to air emissions from our operations. The EPA and state governments continue to develop regulations to implement these requirements. We may be required to make certain capital investments in the next several years for air pollution control equipment in connection with maintaining or obtaining operating permits and approvals addressing other air emission-related issues.
In June 2016, the EPA implemented new requirements focused on achieving additional methane and volatile organic compound reductions from the oil and natural gas industry. The rules imposed, among other things, new requirements for leak detection and repair, control requirements for oil well completions, replacement of certain pneumatic pumps and controllers and additional control requirements for gathering, boosting and compressor stations. On November 15, 2021, the EPA published a proposed rule that would update and expand existing requirements for the oil and gas industry, as well as creating significant new requirements and standards for new, modified, and existing oil and gas facilities. The proposed new requirements would include, for example, new standards and emission limitations applicable to storage vessels, well liquids unloading, pneumatic controllers, and flaring of natural gas at both new and existing facilities. In November 2022, the EPA published a supplemental proposal to update, strengthen, and expand the standards proposed in November 2021. The proposed rules for new and modified facilities are estimated to be finalized by the end of 2023, while any standards finalized for existing facilities will require further state rulemaking actions over the next several years before they become applicable and effective.
In November 2022, the BLM published a proposed rule that would regulate venting, flaring and leaks during oil and gas production activities on federal and Indian leases. If finalized as proposed, the rule would limit gas that may be flared royalty-free during well completions, production testing, and emergencies; establish a monthly volume limit on royalty-free flaring due to pipeline capacity constraints, midstream processing failures, or other similar events; require vapor recovery systems on oil tanks; require operators to maintain leak detection and repair (“LDAR”) programs; prohibit the use of certain natural-gas-activated pneumatic controllers and pneumatic diaphragm pumps; and require operators to submit waste minimization plans with applications for permit to drill, among other requirements.
Regulation of GHG Emissions
The EPA has published findings that emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases (“GHGs”) present an endangerment to public health and the environment because such emissions are, according to the EPA, contributing to warming of the earth’s atmosphere and other climatic changes. These findings provide the basis for the EPA to adopt and implement regulations that would restrict emissions of GHGs under existing provisions of the CAA. In June 2010, the EPA began regulating GHG emissions from stationary sources.
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In the past, Congress has considered proposed legislation to reduce emissions of GHGs. On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (“IRA”) was signed into law. The IRA imposes a fee of up to $1,500 per metric ton of methane emitted above specified thresholds from onshore petroleum and natural gas production facilities, natural gas processing facilities, natural gas transmission and compression facilities, and onshore petroleum and natural gas gathering and boosting facilities, among other facilities. The fees will apply to methane emissions after January 1, 2024. We do not anticipate that such fees will have material effect on our financial condition or results of operations. Congress may adopt additional significant legislation in the future to reduce emissions of GHGs.
In April 2021, President Biden announced that the United States would aim to cut its greenhouse gas emissions 50 percent to 52 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. This commitment will be part of the United States’ “nationally determined contribution,” or NDC, to the Paris Climate Agreement. The NDC will commit the United States to a voluntary GHG emission reduction target and outline domestic climate mitigation measures to achieve that target.
Regulation of methane and other GHG emissions associated with oil and natural gas production could impose significant requirements and costs on our operations.
Hydraulic Fracturing Activities
Hydraulic fracturing is an important and common practice that is used to stimulate production of natural gas and/or oil from dense subsurface rock formations. We regularly use hydraulic fracturing as part of our operations. Hydraulic fracturing involves the injection of water, sand or alternative proppant and chemicals under pressure into targeted geological formations to fracture the surrounding rock and stimulate production. Hydraulic fracturing is typically regulated by state oil and natural gas commissions. However, several federal agencies have asserted regulatory authority over certain aspects of the process. For example, in December 2016, the EPA released its final report on the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources, concluding that “water cycle” activities associated with hydraulic fracturing may impact drinking water resources under certain circumstances. Additionally, the EPA published in June 2016 an effluent limitations guideline final rule pursuant to its authority under the SDWA prohibiting the discharge of wastewater from onshore unconventional oil and natural gas extraction facilities to publicly owned wastewater treatment plants; asserted regulatory authority in 2014 under the SDWA over hydraulic fracturing activities involving the use of diesel and issued guidance covering such activities; and issued in 2014 a prepublication of its Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding Toxic Substances Control Act reporting of the chemical substances and mixtures used in hydraulic fracturing. Also, the BLM published a final rule in March 2015 establishing new or more stringent standards for performing hydraulic fracturing on federal and American Indian lands including well casing and wastewater storage requirements and an obligation for exploration and production operators to disclose what chemicals they are using in fracturing activities. However, following years of litigation, the BLM rescinded the rule in December 2017. Additionally, from time to time, legislation has been introduced, but not enacted, in Congress to provide for federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing and to require disclosure of the chemicals used in the fracturing process. In the event that a new, federal level of legal restrictions relating to the hydraulic fracturing process is adopted in areas where we operate, we may incur additional costs to comply with such federal requirements that may be significant in nature, and also could become subject to additional permitting requirements and experience added delays or curtailment in the pursuit of exploration, development, or production activities.
If new or more stringent federal, state or local legal restrictions relating to the hydraulic fracturing process are adopted in areas where we operate, including, for example, on federal and American Indian lands, we could incur potentially significant added costs to comply with such requirements, experience delays or curtailment in the pursuit of exploration, development or production activities, and perhaps even be precluded from drilling wells.
In the event that local or state restrictions or prohibitions are adopted in areas where we conduct operations, that impose more stringent limitations on the production and development of oil and natural gas, including, among other things, the development of increased setback distances, we and similarly situated oil and natural exploration and production operators in the state may incur significant costs to comply with such requirements or may experience delays or curtailment in the pursuit of exploration, development, or production activities, and possibly be limited or precluded in the drilling of wells or in the amounts that we and similarly situated operates are ultimately able to produce from our reserves. Any such increased costs, delays, cessations, restrictions or prohibitions could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, results of operations, financial condition, and liquidity. If new or more stringent federal, state or local legal restrictions relating to the hydraulic fracturing process are adopted in areas where we operate, including, for example, on federal and American Indian lands, we could incur potentially significant added cost to comply with such requirements, experience delays or curtailment in the pursuit of exploration, development or production activities, and perhaps even be precluded from drilling wells.
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Activities on Federal Lands
Oil and natural gas exploration, development and production activities on federal lands, including American Indian lands and lands administered by the BLM, are subject to the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”). NEPA requires federal agencies, including the BLM, to evaluate major agency actions having the potential to significantly impact the environment. In the course of such evaluations, an agency will prepare an Environmental Assessment that assesses the potential direct, indirect and cumulative impacts of a proposed project and, if necessary, will prepare a more detailed Environmental Impact Statement that may be made available for public review and comment. We currently have limited exploration, development and production activities on federal lands, and our future exploration, development and production activities may include leasing and development of federal mineral interests, which will require the acquisition of governmental permits or authorizations that are subject to the requirements of NEPA. This process has the potential to delay or limit, or increase the cost of, the development of oil and natural gas projects. Authorizations under NEPA are also subject to protest, appeal or litigation, any or all of which may delay or halt projects. Moreover, depending on the mitigation strategies recommended in Environmental Assessments or Environmental Impact Statements, we could incur added costs, which may be substantial.
On January 20, 2021, the Acting U.S. Interior Secretary, instituted a moratorium on new oil and gas leases and permits on federal onshore and offshore lands, which a federal court blocked with a preliminary injunction in June 2021, which injunction is being appealed. President Biden subsequently resumed onshore oil and gas lease sales on federal lands effective April 18, 2022. It is currently unclear whether future moratoriums will be imposed, if any, and whether such actions herald the start of a change in federal policies regarding the grant of oil and gas permits on federal lands.
Endangered Species and Migratory Birds Considerations
The federal Endangered Species Act (“ESA”), and comparable state laws were established to protect endangered and threatened species. Pursuant to the ESA, if a species is listed as threatened or endangered, restrictions may be imposed on activities adversely affecting that species or that species’ habitat. Similar protections are offered to migrating birds under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. We may conduct operations on oil and natural gas leases in areas where certain species that are listed as threatened or endangered are known to exist. Moreover, as a result of one or more agreements entered into by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the agency is required to make a determination on listing of numerous species as endangered or threatened under the ESA pursuant to specific timelines. The identification or designation of the lesser prairie chicken as endangered, and previously unprotected species as threatened or endangered, in areas where underlying property operations are conducted, could cause us to incur increased costs arising from species protection measures, time delays or limitations on our exploration and production activities that could have an adverse impact on our ability to develop and produce reserves.
Other
In October 2015, the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (“PHMSA”), proposed to expand its regulations in a number of ways, including increased regulation of gathering lines, even in rural areas, and proposed additional standards to revise safety regulations applicable to onshore gas transmission and gathering pipelines in 2016. In November 2021, the PHMSA issued its final rule extending reporting requirements to all onshore gas gathering operators and applying a set of minimum safety requirements to certain onshore gas gathering pipelines with large diameters and high operating pressures.
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Crude oil production is subject to many of the same operating hazards and environmental concerns as natural gas production, but is also subject to the risk of crude oil spills. In addition to Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Regulation (“SPCC”) requirements, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (“OPA”) establishes requirements for preparation and EPA approval of Facility Response Plans and subjects owners of facilities to strict joint and several liability for all containment and cleanup costs and certain other damages arising from crude oil spills. Noncompliance with OPA may result in varying civil and criminal penalties and liabilities. Historically, we have not experienced any significant crude oil discharge or crude oil spill problems.
We are also subject to rules regarding worker safety and similar matters promulgated by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) and other governmental authorities. OSHA has established workplace safety standards that provide guidelines for maintaining a safe workplace in light of potential hazards, such as employee exposure to hazardous substances. To this end, OSHA adopted a new rule governing employee exposure to silica, including during hydraulic fracturing activities, in March 2016.
Democratic control of the House, Senate and White House could lead to increased regulatory oversight and increased regulation and legislation, particularly around oil and gas development on federal lands, climate impacts and taxes.
Private Lawsuits
Lawsuits have been filed against other operators in several states, including Colorado, alleging contamination of drinking water as a result of hydraulic fracturing activities. Should private litigation be initiated against us, it could result in injunctions halting our development and production operations, thereby reducing our cashflow from operations, and incurrence of costs and expenses to defend any such litigation.
Related Permits and Authorizations
Many environmental laws require us to obtain permits or other authorizations from state and/or federal agencies before initiating certain drilling, construction, production, operation, or other oil and natural gas activities, and to maintain these permits and compliance with their requirements for on-going operations. These permits are generally subject to protest, appeal, or litigation, which can in certain cases delay or halt projects and cease production or operation of wells, pipelines, and other operations.
We are not able to predict the timing, scope and effect of any currently proposed or future laws or regulations regarding hydraulic fracturing, but the direct and indirect costs of such laws and regulations (if enacted) could materially and adversely affect our business, financial conditions and results of operations.
Global Warming and Climate Change
Various state governments and regional organizations have enacted, or are considering enacting, new legislation and promulgating new regulations governing or restricting the emission of GHG, including from facilities, vehicles and equipment. Legislative and regulatory proposals for restricting GHG emissions or otherwise addressing climate change could require us to incur additional operating costs and could adversely affect demand for the oil and natural gas that we sell or the cost of the equipment and other materials we use. The potential increase in our operating costs could include new or increased costs to obtain permits, operate and maintain our equipment, install new emission controls on our equipment, pay taxes related to our greenhouse gas emissions and administer and manage a greenhouse gas emissions program.
Additionally, the development of a federal renewable energy standard, or the development of additional or more stringent renewable energy standards at the state level could reduce the demand for the oil and gas we produce, thereby adversely impacting our earnings, cash flows and financial position. A cap-and-trade program generally would cap overall greenhouse gas emissions on an economy-wide basis and require major sources of greenhouse gas emissions or major fuel producers to acquire and surrender emission allowances. A federal cap and trade program or expanded use of cap and trade programs at the state level could impose direct costs on us through the purchase of allowances and could impose indirect costs by incentivizing consumers to shift away from fossil fuels. In addition, federal or state carbon taxes could directly increase our costs of operation and similarly incentivize consumers to shift away from fossil fuels.
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In addition, activists concerned about the potential effects of climate change have directed their attention at sources of funding for fossil-fuel energy companies, which has resulted in an increasing number of financial institutions, funds and other sources of capital restricting or eliminating their investment in oil and natural gas activities. Ultimately, this may make it more difficult and expensive for us to secure funding. Members of the investment community have also begun to screen companies such as ours for sustainability performance, including practices related to greenhouse gases and climate change, before investing in our securities. Any efforts to improve our sustainability practices in response to these pressures may increase our costs, and we may be forced to implement technologies that are not economically viable in order to improve our sustainability performance and to meet the specific requirements to perform services for certain customers.
These various legislative, regulatory and other activities addressing greenhouse gas emissions could adversely affect our business, including by imposing reporting obligations on, or limiting emissions of greenhouse gases from, our equipment and operations, which could require us to incur costs to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases associated with our operations. Limitations on greenhouse gas emissions could also adversely affect demand for oil and gas, which could lower the value of our reserves and have a material adverse effect on our profitability, financial condition and liquidity.
Compliance with GHG laws or taxes could significantly increase our costs, reduce demand for fossil energy derived products, impact the cost and availability of capital and increase our exposure to litigation. Such laws and regulations could also increase demand for less carbon intensive energy sources.
Environmental, Social Governance (ESG)
Environmental, social, and corporate governance, also known as ESG, is a framework designed to be embedded into an organization’s strategy that considers the needs and ways in which to generate value for all organizational stakeholders.
The Company strives to remain ESG compliant and has a long history (through Cycle Energy) of working within ESG frameworks in Canada, including working with Indigenous and socially impacted communities.
The Company is also an equal opportunity employer that also maintains a corporate strategy of living wage for all employees and contractors. A living wage is defined as the minimum income necessary for a worker to meet their basic needs.
Insurance
Our oil and gas properties are subject to hazards inherent in the oil and gas industry, such as accidents, blowouts, explosions, implosions, fires and oil spills. These conditions can cause:
| ● | damage to or destruction of property, equipment and the environment; | |
| ● | personal injury or loss of life; and | |
| ● | suspension of operations. |
We maintain insurance coverage that we believe to be customary in the industry against these types of hazards. However, we may not be able to maintain adequate insurance in the future at rates we consider reasonable. In addition, our insurance is subject to coverage limits and some policies exclude coverage for damages resulting from environmental contamination. The occurrence of a significant event or adverse claim in excess of the insurance coverage that we maintain or that is not covered by insurance could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
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Intellectual Property
We rely on a combination of patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret laws in the United States and other jurisdictions as well as confidentiality procedures and contractual provisions to protect our proprietary technology, trade secrets, technical know-how and other proprietary information.
Cycle Energy also has an extensive portfolio of energy technologies including US patent US 9,809,774 B2 Method of Separating Solids Using Bio-oils issued November 7, 2017.
The Company also has a number of technologies in various stages of development.
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
We are subject to various risks and uncertainties in the course of our business. The following summarizes significant risks and uncertainties that may adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. When considering an investment in our securities, you should carefully consider the risk factors included below as well as those matters referenced in the foregoing pages under “Disclosures Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and other information included and incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Summary Risk Factors
Our business is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including those in the section entitled “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Report. These risks include, but are not limited to, the following:
| ● | The future price of oil, natural gas and NGL; |
| ● | Current and future declines in economic activity and recessions, and their effect on the Company, its property, prospects and the supply and demand, and ultimate price of oil and natural gas; |
| ● | The status and availability of oil and natural gas gathering, transportation, and storage facilities owned and operated by third parties; |
| ● | An increase in the differential between the NYMEX or other benchmark prices of oil and natural gas and the wellhead price we receive for our production may adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations; |
| ● | New or amended environmental legislation or regulatory initiatives which could result in increased costs, additional operating restrictions, or delays, or have other adverse effects on us; |
| ● | The effect of future shut-ins of our operated production, should market conditions significantly deteriorate; |
| ● | Our ability to generate sufficient cash flow to meet any future debt service and other obligations due to events beyond our control; |
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| ● | The speculative nature of our oil and gas operations, and general risks associated with the exploration for, and production of oil and gas; including accidents, equipment failures or mechanical problems which may occur while drilling or completing wells or in production activities; operational hazards and unforeseen interruptions for which we may not be adequately insured; the threat and impact of terrorist attacks, cyber-attacks or similar hostilities; declining reserves and production; and losses or costs we may incur as a result of title deficiencies or environmental issues in the properties in which we invest, any one of which may adversely impact our operations; |
| ● | The estimates of the value of our oil and gas properties and accounting in connection therewith; |
| ● | Intense competition in the oil and natural gas industry; |
| ● | Our competitors use of superior technology and data resources that we may be unable to afford or obtain the use of; |
| ● | Changes in the legal and regulatory environment governing the oil and natural gas industry, including new or amended environmental legislation or regulatory initiatives which could result in increased costs, additional operating restrictions, or delays, or have other adverse effects on us; |
| ● | Uncertainties associated with enhanced recovery methods which may result in us not realizing an acceptable return on our investments in such projects or suffering losses; |
| ● | Improvements in or new discoveries of alternative energy technologies that could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations; |
| ● | Future litigation or governmental proceedings which could result in material adverse consequences, including judgments or settlements; |
| ● | The currently sporadic and volatile market for our common stock; |
| ● | Our dependence on the continued involvement of our present management; |
| ● | Our limited operating history; |
| ● | Our need for additional funding to support our operations, repay debt and expand our operations; |
| ● | Disruptions to our operations or liabilities associated with future acquisitions; |
| ● | Our ability to continue as a going concern; |
| ● | Our dependence on our Chief Executive Officer and director, Michael McLaren, and related party transactions affecting the Company; |
| ● | Competition we face; |
| ● | Our ability to maintain our varied operations, and service our indebtedness; |
| ● | Material weaknesses in our controls and procedures; |
| ● | Our ability to obtain and maintain adequate insurance; |
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| ● | Legal challenges and litigation; |
| ● | Dilution caused by the conversion of outstanding notes, conversion of preferred stock, exercise of outstanding warrants, and future fund-raising activities; |
| ● | The price of, volatility in, and lack of robust trading market for, our common stock; and |
| ● | The fact that Mr. McLaren, our Chief Executive Officer, has voting control over the Company. |
Risks Related to our Business.
Since we have a limited operating history, it is difficult for potential investors to evaluate our business.
Our short operating history in the health and wellness industry and oil and gas industry may hinder our ability to successfully meet our objectives, and makes it difficult for potential investors to evaluate our business or prospective operations. As an early-stage company, we are subject to all the risks inherent in the financing, expenditures, operations, complications and delays inherent in a new business. Accordingly, our business and success face risks from uncertainties faced by developing companies in a competitive environment. There can be no assurance that our efforts will be successful or that we will ultimately be able to attain profitability.
We require additional financing, and we may not be able to raise funds on favorable terms or at all, which raises questions about our ability to continue as a going concern.
We had working capital deficit of $4,570,096 as of December 31, 2022. With our current cash on hand, expected revenues, and based on our current average monthly expenses, we currently anticipate the need for additional funding in order to continue our operations at their current levels and to pay the costs associated with being a public company for the next 12 months. We may also require additional funding in the future to expand or complete acquisitions. The most likely source of future funds presently available to us will be through the sale of equity capital (once we are able to increase our authorized but unissued shares of common stock). Any sale of share capital will result in dilution to existing stockholders. Furthermore, we may incur debt in the future, and may not have sufficient funds to repay our future indebtedness or may default on our future debts, jeopardizing our business viability. We have an accumulated deficit of $23,115,376 as of December 31, 2022.
These conditions raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern for the next twelve months. The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America on a going concern basis, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. Accordingly, the financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability of assets and classification of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern. The financial statements included herein also include a going concern footnote from our auditors.
We may not be able to borrow or raise additional capital in the future to meet our needs or to otherwise provide the capital necessary to expand our operations and business, which might result in the value of our common stock decreasing in value or becoming worthless. Additional financing may not be available to us on terms that are acceptable. Consequently, we may not be able to proceed with our intended business plans. Substantial additional funds will still be required if we are to reach our goals that are outlined in this Report. Obtaining additional financing contains risks, including:
| ● | additional equity financing may not be available to us on satisfactory terms and any equity we are able to issue could lead to dilution for current stockholders; |
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| ● | loans or other debt instruments may have terms and/or conditions, such as interest rate, restrictive covenants and control or revocation provisions, which are not acceptable to management or our sole director; | |
| ● | the current environment in capital markets combined with our capital constraints may prevent us from being able to obtain adequate debt financing; and | |
| ● | if we fail to obtain required additional financing to grow our business, we will need to delay or scale back our business plan, reduce our operating costs, or reduce our headcount, each of which would have a material adverse effect on our business, future prospects, and financial condition. |
We have recently changed our primary business focus from the telemedicine, life coaching and wellness, to oil and gas.
During the fiscal year end December 31, 2022, the Company owned and operated ZipDoctor, Inc. and was the majority owner of Epiq Scripts, LLC, which the Company divested in April 2023 and February 2023, respectively. As of the date of this Report, the Company currently is the parent to Cycle Energy Corp., a diversified energy company based in the state of Texas that currently owns and operates three vertically integrated businesses – Cycle Oil and Gas, Cycle Energy Services and Cycle Energy Technologies. As such, our current operations consist primarily of operations within the oil and gas industry, which industries we have only a limited history with. Furthermore, the majority of our revenues for the two years ending December 31, 2020 were generated through our MedSpa, nutrition store and construction services, and as such, our continued ability to generate revenues and support our operations is currently unknown.
We may owe significant amounts to a consultant under the terms of the consulting agreement.
On March 8, 2021, we entered into a Consulting Agreement with KBHS, LLC (“KBHS”), whose Chief Executive Officer is Mr. Kevin Harrington, who was appointed the sole member of our then newly formed Advisory Committee. Pursuant to the Consulting Agreement, KBHS agreed to provide consulting services to the Company as the Company’s Brand Ambassador, including providing endorsement services and advising on marketing, promotions, acquisitions, licensing and business development. KBHS also agreed to up to four webinar appearances on behalf of the Company per year to support the Company’s direct sales efforts. The Consulting Agreement has a term of two years, and can be terminated with ten days prior written notice (subject to applicable cure rights set forth in the Consulting Agreement), in the event we or KBHS breach any term of the agreement, or we fail to pay any amounts due, become subject to any government regulatory investigation, certain lawsuits, claims, actions or take certain other actions during the term of the Consulting Agreement. As consideration for providing the services under the Consulting Agreement, we issued KBHS 25,000 shares of restricted common stock, which vested immediately upon issuance, and agreed to pay KBHS $10,000 per month, a 5% finder’s fee on any new business introduced or developed by KBHS (of which there has been none to date) and 7.5% of the value of any acquisition or merger created or developed exclusively by KBHS, undertaken by the Company, subject to applicable laws. In the event we fail to pay any consideration due under the Consulting Agreement, such amount accrues interest at the rate of 1.5% per month until paid in full.
The requirement to pay the finder’s fees and/or acquisition/merger fee under the agreement could significantly decrease any margin we would otherwise obtain on any transaction, decrease our cash flows, and could prevent us from completing certain transactions in the future, all of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company and its securities.
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Our independent registered public accounting firm has expressed substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.
Our historical financial statements have been prepared under the assumption that we will continue as a going concern. Our independent registered public accounting firm has issued a report on our financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, that included an explanatory paragraph referring to our recurring operating losses and expressing substantial doubt in our ability to continue as a going concern. Our ability to continue as a going concern is dependent upon our ability to obtain additional equity financing or other capital, attain further operating efficiencies, reduce expenditures, and, ultimately, generate revenue. Our financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. However, if adequate funds are not available to us when we need it, we will be required to curtail our operations which would, in turn, further raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. The doubt regarding our potential ability to continue as a going concern may adversely affect our ability to obtain new financing on reasonable terms or at all. Additionally, if we are unable to continue as a going concern, our stockholders may lose some or all of their investment in the Company.
We depend heavily on our Chief Executive Officer, and the loss of his services could harm our business.
Our future business and results of operations depend in significant part upon the continued contributions of our senior management personnel, particularly our Chief Executive Officer and director, Michael McLaren. If we lose his services or if he fails to perform in his current position, or if we are not able to attract and retain skilled personnel as needed, our business could suffer. Significant turnover in our senior management could significantly deplete our institutional knowledge held by our existing senior management team. We depend on the skills and abilities of these key personnel in managing our operations, product development, marketing and sales aspects of our business, any part of which could be harmed by turnover in the future.
We have engaged and may in the future engage, in transactions with related parties and such transactions present possible conflicts of interest.
We have entered, and may continue to enter, into transactions with related parties for financing, corporate, business development and operational services, as detailed herein. Such transactions may not have been entered into on an arm’s-length basis, and we may have achieved more or less favorable terms because such transactions were entered into with our related parties. This could have a material effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. The details of certain of these transactions are set forth under “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions”. Such conflicts could cause an individual in our management to seek to advance his or her economic interests or the economic interests of certain related parties above ours. Further, the appearance of conflicts of interest created by related party transactions could impair the confidence of our investors.
We have identified material weaknesses in our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting. If not remediated, our failure to establish and maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting could result in material misstatements in our financial statements and a failure to meet our reporting and financial obligations, each of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and the trading price of our common stock.
Maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and effective disclosure controls and procedures are necessary for us to produce reliable financial statements. As reported in this Report, we have determined that our disclosure controls and procedures and our internal control over financial reporting were not effective at the reasonable assurance level, primarily due to a lack of segregation of duties in financial reporting, as of December 31, 2022, and continue to be ineffective. Separately, management assessed the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022 and determined that such internal control over financial reporting was not effective as a result of such assessment; and further have not been effective since at least March 31, 2016.
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 the Company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. A control deficiency exists when the design or operation of a control does not allow management or employees, in the normal course of performing their assigned functions, to prevent or detect misstatements on a timely basis.
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We recognized the following deficiencies that we believe to be material weaknesses as of December 31, 2022: (a) the Company has not fully designed, implemented or assessed internal controls over financial reporting and due to the Company being a developing company, management’s assessment and conclusion over internal controls were ineffective this year; (b) we recognized the following deficiencies that we believe to be significant deficiencies: (i) the Company has no formal control process related to the identification and approval of related party transactions; (ii) we do not have written documentation of our internal control policies and procedures. Written documentation of key internal controls over financial reporting is a requirement of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; and (iii) we do not have sufficient segregation of duties within accounting functions, which is a basic internal control. Due to our size and nature, segregation of all conflicting duties may not always be possible and may not be economically feasible. However, to the extent possible, the initiation of transactions, the custody of assets and the recording of transactions should be performed by separate individuals.
Maintaining effective disclosure controls and procedures and effective internal control over financial reporting are necessary for us to produce reliable financial statements and the Company is committed to remediating its material weaknesses in such controls as promptly as possible. However, there can be no assurance as to when these material weaknesses will be remediated or that additional material weaknesses will not arise in the future. Any failure to remediate the material weaknesses, or the development of new material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, could result in material misstatements in our financial statements and cause us to fail to meet our reporting and financial obligations, which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and the trading price of our common stock, and/or result in litigation against us or our management. In addition, even if we are successful in strengthening our controls and procedures, those controls and procedures may not be adequate to prevent or identify irregularities or facilitate the fair presentation of our financial statements or our periodic reports filed with the SEC.
Risks Related to the Oil, NGL and Natural Gas Industry and Our Business
We may not be able to manage successfully the anticipated expansion of our operations.
The uneven pace of our anticipated expansion in facilities, staff and operations may place serious demands on our managerial, technical, financial and other resources. We may be required to make significant investments in our engineering and logistics systems and our financial and management information systems, as well as retaining, motivating and effectively managing our employees. Our failure to manage our growth effectively or to implement our strategy in a timely manner may significantly harm our ability to achieve profitability.
We will need to recruit, train and retain key management and other qualified personnel to successfully expand our business.
Our future success will depend in large part on our ability to recruit and retain experienced research and development, engineering, manufacturing, operating, sales and marketing, customer service and management personnel. We will compete in emerging markets and there are a limited number of people with the appropriate combination of skills needed to provide the services our customers require. If we do not attract such personnel, we may not be able to expand our business. In addition, new employees generally require substantial training, which requires significant resources and management attention. Even if we invest significant resources to recruit, train and retain qualified personnel, we may not be successful in our efforts.
The success of our business depends upon the continuing contributions of our Chief Executive Officer and other key personnel and our ability to attract other employees to expand our business.
We will rely heavily on the services of our Chief Executive Officer, as well as other senior management personnel that we intend to hire. Loss of the services of any of such individuals would adversely impact our operations. In addition, we believe that our technical personnel will represent a significant asset and provide us with a competitive advantage over many of our competitors. We believe that our future success will depend upon our ability to retain these key employees and our ability to attract and retain other skilled financial, engineering, technical and managerial personnel. For example, we presently do not have any directors or officers, other than our CEO, who have experience with preparing disclosure mandated by U.S. securities laws and we will be required to engage such persons, and independent directors, in order to satisfy the initial listing standards of the major exchanges on which we may seek to list our common stock. In addition, if we fail to engage qualified personnel, we may be unable to meet our responsibilities as a public reporting company under the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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Our strategy for the sale of our technology will depend on developing partnerships with OEMs, governments, systems integrators, suppliers and other market channel partners who will incorporate our products into theirs.
Our strategy is to develop and manufacture products and systems for sale to OEMs, governments, systems integrators, suppliers and other market channel partners that have mature sales and distribution networks for their products. Our success may be heavily dependent on our ability to establish and maintain relationships with these partners who will integrate our products developed from our technology into their products and on our ability to find partners who are willing to assume some of the research and development costs and risks associated with our technology. Our performance may, as a result, depend on the success of other companies, and there are no assurances of their success. We can offer no guarantee that OEMs, governments, systems integrators, suppliers and other market channel partners will manufacture appropriate products or, if they do manufacture such products, that they will choose to use our technology as a component. The end products into which our technology will be incorporated will be complex appliances comprising many components and any problems encountered by such third parties in designing, manufacturing or marketing their products, whether or not related to the incorporation of our fuel cell products, could delay sales of our products and adversely affect our financial results. Our ability to sell our products to the OEM markets depends to a significant extent on our partners’ worldwide sales and distribution networks and service capabilities. In addition, some of our agreements with customers and partners require us to provide shared intellectual property rights in certain situations, and there can be no assurance that any future relationships we enter into will not require us to share some of our intellectual property. Any change in the fuel cell, hydrogen or alternative fuel strategies of one of our partners could have a material adverse effect on our business and our future prospects.
In addition, in some cases, our relationships are governed by a non-binding memorandum of understanding or a letter of intent. We cannot provide the assurance that we will be able to successfully negotiate and execute definitive agreements with any of these partners, and failure to do so may effectively terminate the relevant relationship. We also have relationships with third party distributors who also indirectly compete with us. For example, we have targeted industrial gas suppliers as distributors of our hydrogen generators. Because industrial gas suppliers currently sell hydrogen in delivered form, adoption by their customers of our hydrogen generation products could cause them to experience declining demand for delivered hydrogen. For this reason, industrial gas suppliers may be reluctant to purchase our hydrogen generators. In addition, our third party distributors may require us to provide volume price discounts and other allowances, or customize our products, either of which could reduce the potential profitability of these relationships.
We may acquire technologies or companies in the future, and these acquisitions could disrupt our business and dilute our shareholders’ interests.
We may acquire additional technologies or other companies in the future and we cannot provide assurances that we will be able to successfully integrate their operations or that the cost savings we anticipate will be fully realized. Entering into an acquisition or investment entails many risks, any of which could materially harm our business, including: diversion of management’s attention from other business concerns; failure to effectively assimilate the acquired technology, employees or other assets into our business; the loss of key employees from either our current business or the acquired business; and the assumption of significant liabilities of the acquired company.
If we complete additional acquisitions, we may dilute the ownership of current shareholders. In addition, achieving the expected returns and cost savings from our past and future acquisitions will depend in part on our ability to integrate the products and services, technologies, research and development programs, operations, sales and marketing functions, finance, accounting and administrative functions, and other personnel of these businesses into our business in an efficient and effective manner. We cannot ensure we will be able to do so or that the acquired businesses will perform at anticipated levels. If we are unable to successfully integrate acquired businesses, our anticipated revenues may be lower and our operational costs may be higher.
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Risk Factors Related to Our Technology
We have no history of commercializing technology which makes it difficult to evaluate our business.
We have just finalized our acquisition agreement, filed the patents for our technology and are setting in place operations. We have no history of operations in our industry. Our limited operating history makes it difficult for prospective investors to evaluate our business. Therefore, our operations are subject to all of the risks inherent in the initial expenses, challenges, complications and delays frequently encountered in connection with the early stages of any new business, as well as those risks that are specific to the our industry. Investors should evaluate us in light of the problems and uncertainties frequently encountered by companies attempting to develop and market new products, services, and technologies. Despite best efforts, we may never overcome these obstacles.
Our business is dependent upon the implementation of our business plan, as well as our ability to commercialize our technology. There can be no assurance that our efforts will be successful or result in continued revenue or profit.
We may never complete the development of commercially viable hydrogen generation systems for new hydrogen energy applications, and if we fail to do so, we will not be able to meet our business and growth objectives.
Because our technology business and industry are still in the developmental stage, we do not know when or whether we will successfully complete research and development of commercially viable applications. If we do not complete the development of such commercially viable products, we will be unable to meet our business and growth objectives. We expect to face unforeseen challenges, expenses and difficulties as a developing company seeking to design, develop and manufacture new products in each of our targeted markets. Our future success also depends on our ability to effectively market some or all of the products once developed:
| ● | Hydrogen Generation systems for new hydrogen energy applications, improving the method of generating ultra-pure hydrogen while both enhancing its productivity and reducing environmental impact associated with the ultra-pure hydrogen production. |
Rapid technological advances or the adoption of new codes and standards could impair our ability to deliver our technology in a timely manner and, as a result, our revenues would suffer.
While we intend to actively and continuously monitor the developing markets and regulations in markets for our technology, our success depends in large part on our ability to commercialize our technology and once commercialized to keep our products current and compatible with evolving technologies, codes and standards. Unexpected changes in technology or in codes and standards could disrupt the development of our technology and the resultant products and prevent us from meeting deadlines for the delivery of products. If we are unable to keep pace with technological advancements and adapt our technology and the products derived therefrom to new codes and standards in a timely manner, our technology may become uncompetitive or obsolete and our revenues would suffer.
We depend on intellectual property and our failure to protect that intellectual property could adversely affect our future growth and success.
Failure to protect our intellectual property rights may reduce our ability to prevent others from using our technology. We intend to rely on a combination of patent, trade secret, trademark and copyright laws to protect our intellectual property. Patent protection is subject to complex factual and legal criteria that may give rise to uncertainty as to the validity, scope and enforceability of a particular patent. Accordingly, we cannot be assured that any patents owned by us or third party patents licensed to us will not be invalidated, circumvented, challenged, rendered unenforceable, or licensed to others; or any of our pending or future patent applications will be issued with the breadth of protection that we seek, if at all.
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In addition, effective patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret protection may be unavailable, limited, not applied for, or unenforceable in foreign countries.
We also intend to protect our proprietary intellectual property through contracts including, when possible, confidentiality agreements and inventors’ rights agreements with our customers and employees. We cannot be sure that the parties who enter into such agreements with us will not breach them, that we will have adequate remedies for any breach or that such persons or institutions will not assert rights to intellectual property arising out of these relationships. If necessary or desirable, we may seek licenses under the patents or other intellectual property rights of others. However, we cannot be sure we will obtain such licenses or that the terms of any offered licenses will be acceptable to us. Our failure to obtain a license from a third party for intellectual property we use in the future could cause us to incur substantial liabilities and to suspend the manufacture and shipment of products or our use of processes that exploit such intellectual property.
Our involvement in intellectual property litigation could negatively affect our business.
Our future success and competitive position will depend in part on our ability to obtain or maintain the proprietary intellectual property used in our principal products. In order to establish and maintain such a competitive position, we may need to prosecute claims against others who we believe are infringing our rights and defend claims brought by others who believe we are infringing their rights. Our involvement in intellectual property litigation could result in significant expense to us, adversely affect the sale of any products involved or the use or licensing of related intellectual property and divert the efforts of our technical and management personnel from their principal responsibilities, regardless of whether such litigation is resolved in our favor. If we are found to be infringing on the intellectual property rights of others, we may, among other things, be required to: pay substantial damages; cease the development, manufacture, use, sale or importation of products that infringe on such intellectual property rights; discontinue processes incorporating the infringing technology; expend significant resources to develop or acquire non-infringing intellectual property; or obtain licenses to the relevant intellectual property.
We cannot offer any assurance we will prevail in any such intellectual property litigation or, if we were not to prevail in such litigation that licenses to the intellectual property we are found to be infringing on would be available on commercially reasonable terms, if at all. The cost of intellectual property litigation as well as the damages, licensing fees or royalties that we might be required to pay could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial results.
Our products use flammable fuels that are inherently dangerous substances and could subject us to product liabilities.
While it is a key focus of management to develop and manufacture safe and reliable products, our financial results could be materially impacted by accidents involving either our products or those of other fuel cell manufacturers, either because we face claims for damages or because of the potential negative impact on demand for fuel cell products. Our products use hydrogen, which is typically generated from gaseous and liquid fuels, such as propane, natural gas or methanol, in a process known as reforming. While our fuel cell products do not use these fuels in a combustion process, natural gas, propane and other hydrocarbons are flammable fuels that could leak and then combust if ignited by another source. In addition, certain of our OEM partners and customers may experience significant product liability claims. As a supplier of products and systems to these OEMs, we face an inherent business risk of exposure to product liability claims in the event our products, or the equipment into which our products are incorporated, malfunction and result in personal injury or death. We may be named in product liability claims even if there is no evidence our systems or components caused the accidents. Product liability claims could result in significant losses from expenses incurred in defending claims or the award of damages. Since our products have not yet gained widespread market acceptance, any accidents involving our systems, those of other fuel cell products or those used to produce hydrogen could materially impede acceptance of our products. In addition, although our management believes our liability coverage is currently adequate to cover these risks, we may be held responsible for damages beyond the scope of our insurance coverage.
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We may not be able to complete the development of the necessary technology to commercialize our products, which would negatively impact our business and our anticipated growth.
Our success will depend upon our products meeting acceptable cost and performance criteria, and upon their timely introduction into the marketplace. Our product development efforts for pure hydrogen generation may be subject to unanticipated and significant delays, expenses and technical or other problems, as well as the possible lack of funding to complete this development. Our proposed products and technologies may never be successfully developed on a mass commercial scale, and even if developed, they may not perform to commercially acceptable standards. We may experience delays in meeting our development milestones or delays in achieving performance goals relating to efficiency, cost-effectiveness, reliability and service arrangements set by us or our customers. Failure to develop our products for production or significant delays in the development of our products would have a material adverse effect on our relationship with potential customers, cause us to lose business and cause the market price of our common stock to decline.
The products we intend to market may not be accepted by the market .
Our success depends on the acceptance of the products we will market in the marketplace. Market acceptance will depend upon several factors, including (i) the desire of consumers and corporations for the ability to use the products. A number of factors may inhibit acceptance of the products, including (i) the existence of competing products, (ii) our inability to convince consumers that they need to pay for the products and services we offer, (iii) our inability to convince corporations that they need to pay for the products and services we offer or (iv) failure of individuals and corporations to use the products. If the products are not accepted by the market, we may have to curtail our business operations, which could have a material negative effect on operating results and result in a lower stock price.
There is significant competition in our market, which could make it difficult to attract customers, cause us to reduce prices and result in reduced gross margins or loss of market share.
The market for the products and services is highly competitive, dynamic and subject to frequent technological changes. We expect the intensity of competition and the pace of change to either remain the same or increase in the future. A number of companies may offer products that provide the same or greater functionality than our product. We may not be able to maintain our competitive position against current or potential competitors, especially those with significantly greater financial, marketing, service, support, technical and other resources. Competitors with greater resources may be able to undertake more extensive marketing campaigns, adopt more aggressive pricing policies and make more attractive offers to potential employees, distributors, resellers or other strategic partners. We expect additional competition from other established and emerging companies as the market for pure hydrogen products continues to develop.
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We may not be able to compete successfully against current and future competitors.
We will compete, in our current and proposed businesses, with other companies, some of which have far greater marketing and financial resources and experience than we do. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to penetrate this market and be able to compete at a profit. In addition to established competitors, other companies can easily enter our market and compete with us. Effective competition could result in price reductions, reduced margins or have other negative implications, any of which could adversely affect our business and chances for success. Competition is likely to increase significantly as new companies enter the market and current competitors expand their services. Many of these potential competitors are likely to enjoy substantial competitive advantages, including: larger technical staffs, greater name recognition, larger customer bases and substantially greater financial, marketing, technical and other resources. To be competitive, we must respond promptly and effectively to the challenges of technological change, evolving standards and competitors’ innovations by continuing to enhance our services and sales and marketing channels. Any pricing pressures, reduced margins or loss of market share resulting from increased competition or our failure to compete effectively, could seriously damage our business and chances for success
We plan to grow very rapidly, which will place strains on management and other resources.
We plan to grow rapidly and significantly expand our operations. This growth will place a significant strain on management systems and resources. We will not be able to implement our business strategy in a rapidly evolving market without an effective planning and management process, and, to date, we have not implemented sophisticated managerial, operational and financial systems and controls. We may be required to manage multiple relationships with various strategic partners, technology licensors, users, advertisers and other third parties. These requirements will be strained in the event of rapid growth or in the number of third party relationships, and our systems, procedures or controls may not be adequate to support our operations and management may be unable to manage growth effectively. To manage our expected growth, we will be required to significantly improve or replace existing managerial, financial and operational systems, procedures and controls, and to expand, train and manage our intended growing employee base. We will be required to expand our finance, administrative and operations staff. We may be unable to complete in a timely manner the improvements to our systems, procedures and controls necessary to support future operations, management may be unable to hire, train, retain, motivate and manage required personnel and management may be unable to successfully identify, manage and exploit existing and potential market opportunities.
If we do not continually introduce new products or enhance our current technology, it may become obsolete and we may not be able to compete with other companies.
Technology is rapidly evolving. Our ability to compete depends on our ability to develop or license new technologies and products as well as our ability market our current licensed products and our services. We may not be able to keep pace with technological advances and products may become obsolete. In addition, our competitors may develop related or similar products and bring them to market before we do, or do so more successfully, or develop technologies and products more effective than any that we have developed or are developing. If that happens, our business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition may be materially adversely affected.
If we do not succeed in our expansion strategy, we may not achieve the results we project.
Our business strategy is designed to develop and market our technology. Our ability to implement our plans will depend primarily on the success of our continuing research and development, our ability to manufacture and market a finished product, the ability to attract customers and the availability of qualified and cost effective sales personnel. We can give you no assurance that any of our expansion plans will be successful or that we will be able to commercialize our technology.
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Economic conditions could materially adversely affect our business .
Our operations and performance depend to some degree on economic conditions and their impact on levels of consumer spending, which have recently deteriorated significantly in many countries and regions, including the regions in which we operate, and may remain depressed for the foreseeable future. For example, some of the factors that could influence the levels of consumer spending include continuing increases in fuel and other energy costs, conditions in the residential real estate and mortgage markets, labor and healthcare costs, access to credit, consumer confidence and other macroeconomic factors affecting consumer spending behavior. These and other economic factors could have a material adverse effect on demand for our products and on our financial condition and operating results.
Changes in environmental laws and regulations, potential liability for environmental damages and related enforcement actions could adversely impact our operations.
Our business is subject to numerous laws and regulations that govern environmental protection. These laws and regulations have changed frequently in the past and it is reasonable to expect additional changes in the future. Our operations may not comply with future laws and regulations and we may be required to make significant unanticipated capital and operating expenditures. If we fail to comply with applicable environmental laws and regulations, governmental authorities may seek to impose fines and penalties on us or to revoke or deny the issuance or renewal of operating permits and private parties may seek damages from us. Under those circumstances, we might be required to curtail or cease operations, conduct site remediation or other corrective action or pay substantial damage claims. Our business also exposes us to the risk of accidental release of hazardous or flammable materials, such as natural gas and hydrogen, which could result in personal injury or damage to property. Depending on the nature of the claim, we may not have sufficient funds or sufficient insurance, which we intend to obtain to cover the costs incurred in settling environmental damage claims.
Environmental, Social Governance ESG
Environmental, social, and corporate governance, also known as environmental, social, governance, is a framework designed to be embedded into an organization’s strategy that considers the needs and ways in which to generate value for all organizational stakeholders. Cycle Group of Companies strive to remain ESG compliant and has a long history working within ESG frameworks in Canada working with Indigenous and socially impacted communities. Cycle Group of companies is an equal opportunity employer that also maintains a corporate strategy of living wage for all employees and contractors. A living wage is defined as the minimum income necessary for a worker to meet their basic needs.
Declines in oil and, to a lesser extent, NGL and natural gas prices, have in the past, and will continue in the future, to adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations and our ability to meet our capital expenditure obligations or targets and financial commitments.
The price we receive for our oil and, to a lesser extent, natural gas and NGLs, heavily influences our revenue, profitability, cash flows, liquidity, access to capital, present value and quality of our reserves, the nature and scale of our operations and future rate of growth. Oil, NGL and natural gas are commodities and, therefore, their prices are subject to wide fluctuations in response to relatively minor changes in supply and demand. In recent years, the markets for oil and natural gas have been volatile. These markets will likely continue to be volatile in the future. Further, oil prices and natural gas prices do not necessarily fluctuate in direct relation to each other. Because approximately 72% of our estimated proved reserves as of December 31, 2022 were oil, our financial results are more sensitive to movements in oil prices. The price of crude oil has experienced significant volatility over the last five years, with the price per barrel of West Texas Intermediate (“WTI”) crude rising from a low of $42 in June 2017 to a high of $76 in October 2018, then, in 2020, dropping below $20 per barrel due in part to reduced global demand stemming from the global COVID-19 outbreak, and surging to over $120 a barrel in early March 2022, following Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine. A prolonged period of low market prices for oil and natural gas, or further declines in the market prices for oil and natural gas, will likely result in capital expenditures being further curtailed and will adversely affect our business, financial condition and liquidity and our ability to meet obligations, targets or financial commitments and could ultimately lead to restructuring or filing for bankruptcy, which would have a material adverse effect on our stock price and indebtedness. Additionally, lower oil and natural gas prices have, and may in the future, cause, a decline in our stock price. The below table highlights the recent volatility in oil and gas prices by summarizing the high and low daily NYMEX WTI oil spot price and daily NYMEX natural gas Henry Hub spot price for the periods presented:
Daily NYMEX WTI oil spot price (per Bbl) | Daily NYMEX natural gas Henry Hub spot price (per MMBtu) | |||||||||||||||
| High | Low | High | Low | |||||||||||||
| Year ended December 31, 2019 | $ | 66.24 | $ | 46.31 | $ | 4.25 | $ | 1.75 | ||||||||
| Year ended December 31, 2020 | $ | 63.27 | $ | (36.98 | ) | $ | 3.14 | $ | 1.33 | |||||||
| Year ended December 31, 2021 | $ | 85.64 | $ | 47.47 | $ | 23.86 | $ | 2.43 | ||||||||
| Year ended December 31, 2022 | $ | 123.64 | $ | 71.05 | $ | 9.85 | $ | 3.46 | ||||||||
| Quarter ended March 31, 2023 | $ | 81.62 | $ | 66.61 | $ | 3.78 | $ | 1.93 | ||||||||
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We have a limited operating history, have incurred net losses in the past and may incur net losses in the future
We have a limited operating history and are engaged in the initial stages of exploration, development and exploitation of our leasehold acreage and will continue to be so until commencement of substantial production from our oil and natural gas properties, which will depend upon successful drilling results, additional and timely capital funding, and access to suitable infrastructure. Companies in their initial stages of development face substantial business risks and may suffer significant losses. We have generated substantial net losses in the past and may continue to incur net losses as we continue our drilling program. In considering an investment in our common stock, you should consider that there is only limited historical and financial operating information available upon which to base your evaluation of our performance. We had an accumulated deficit of $23,115,376 as of December 31, 2022. Additionally, we may be dependent on obtaining additional debt and/or equity financing to roll-out and scale our planned principal business operations. Management’s plans in regard to these matters consist principally of seeking additional debt and/or equity financing combined with expected cash flows from current oil and gas assets held and additional oil and gas assets that we may acquire. Our efforts may not be successful, and funds may not be available on favorable terms, if at all.
We face challenges and uncertainties in financial planning as a result of the unavailability of historical data and uncertainties regarding the nature, scope and results of our future activities. New companies must develop successful business relationships, establish operating procedures, hire staff, install management information and other systems, establish facilities and obtain licenses, as well as take other measures necessary to conduct their intended business activities. We may not be successful in implementing our business strategies or in completing the development of the infrastructure necessary to conduct our business as planned. In the event that one or more of our drilling programs is not completed or is delayed or terminated, our operating results will be adversely affected and our operations will differ materially from the activities described in this Annual Report and our subsequent periodic reports. As a result of industry factors or factors relating specifically to us, we may have to change our methods of conducting business, which may cause a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. The uncertainty and risks described in this Annual Report may impede our ability to economically find, develop, exploit, and acquire oil and natural gas reserves. As a result, we may not be able to achieve or sustain profitability or positive cash flows provided by our operating activities in the future.
Our industry and the broader US economy have experienced higher than expected inflationary pressures in 2022, related to continued supply chain disruptions, labor shortages and geopolitical instability. Should these conditions persist our business, results of operations and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected.
Year 2022 saw significant increases in the costs of certain services and materials, including steel, sand and fuel, as a result of availability constraints, supply chain disruption, increased demand, labor shortages associated with a fully employed US labor force, high inflation, interest rates and other factors, with supply and demand fundamentals being further aggravated by disruptions in global energy supply caused by multiple geopolitical events, including the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Service and materials costs also increased accordingly through 2022 with general supply chain and inflation issues seen throughout the industry leading to increased operating costs. While the Company is cautiously optimistic that such costs have plateaued and will hold at current levels as we have not seen significant cost increases thus far in 2023, supply chain constraints and inflationary pressures may continue to adversely impact our operating costs and may negatively impact our ability to procure materials and equipment in a timely and cost-effective manner, if at all, which could result in reduced margins and production delays and, as a result, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected.
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The conflict in Ukraine and related price volatility and geopolitical instability could negatively impact our business.
In late February 2022, Russia launched significant military action against Ukraine. The conflict has caused, and could intensify, volatility in natural gas, oil and NGL prices, and the extent and duration of the military action, sanctions and resulting market disruptions could be significant and could potentially have a substantial negative impact on the global economy and/or our business for an unknown period of time. We believe that the increase in crude oil prices during the first half of 2022 was partially due to the impact of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine on the global commodity and financial markets, and in response to economic and trade sanctions that certain countries have imposed on Russia. Any such volatility and disruptions may also magnify the impact of other risks described under “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of this Annual Report.
We have been and may continue to be negatively impacted by inflation.
Increases in inflation have had an adverse effect on us. Current and future inflationary effects may be driven by, among other things, supply chain disruptions and governmental stimulus or fiscal policies, and geopolitical instability, including the ongoing conflict between the Ukraine and Russia. Continuing increases in inflation, have in the past, and could in the future, impact our costs of labor, equipment and services and the margins we are able to realize on our wells, all of which could have an adverse impact on our business, financial position, results of operations and cash flows. Inflation has also resulted in higher interest rates, which in turn raises our cost of debt borrowing.
Economic uncertainty may affect our access to capital and/or increase the costs of such capital.
Global economic conditions continue to be volatile and uncertain due to, among other things, consumer confidence in future economic conditions, fears of recession and trade wars, the price of energy, fluctuating interest rates, the availability and cost of consumer credit, the availability and timing of government stimulus programs, levels of unemployment, increased inflation, and tax rates. These conditions remain unpredictable and create uncertainties about our ability to raise capital in the future. In the event required capital becomes unavailable in the future, or more costly, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
We may not be able to generate sufficient cash flow to meet debt service and other obligations due to events beyond our control.
Our ability to generate cash flows from operations, to make payments on or refinance indebtedness and to fund working capital needs and planned capital expenditures will depend on our future financial performance and our ability to generate cash in the future. Our future financial performance will be affected by a range of economic, financial, competitive, business and other factors that we cannot control, such as general economic, legislative, regulatory and financial conditions in our industry, the economy generally, the price of oil and other risks described below. A significant reduction in operating cash flows resulting from changes in economic, legislative or regulatory conditions, increased competition or other events beyond our control could increase the need for additional or alternative sources of liquidity and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, prospects and our ability to service debt and other obligations. If we are unable to service indebtedness or to fund our other liquidity needs, we may be forced to adopt an alternative strategy that may include actions such as reducing or delaying capital expenditures, selling assets, restructuring or refinancing such indebtedness, seeking additional capital, or any combination of the foregoing. If we raise debt, it would increase our interest expense, leverage and our operating and financial costs. We cannot assure you that any of these alternative strategies could be affected on satisfactory terms, if at all, or that they would yield sufficient funds to make required payments on future potential indebtedness or to fund our other liquidity needs. Reducing or delaying capital expenditures or selling assets could delay future cash flows. In addition, the terms of future debt agreements may restrict us from adopting any of these alternatives. We cannot assure you that our business will generate sufficient cash flows from operations or that future borrowings will be available in an amount sufficient to enable us to pay such indebtedness or to fund our other liquidity needs.
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If for any reason we are unable to meet our debt service and repayment obligations, we may be in default under the terms of the agreements governing such indebtedness, which could allow our creditors at that time to declare such outstanding indebtedness to be due and payable. Under these circumstances, our lenders could compel us to apply all of our available cash to repay our borrowings. In addition, the lenders under our credit facilities or other secured indebtedness could seek to foreclose on any of our assets that are their collateral. If the amounts outstanding under such indebtedness were to be accelerated, or were the subject of foreclosure actions, our assets may not be sufficient to repay in full the money owed to the lenders or to our other debt holders.
Risks Associated with Oil and Gas Industry.
A substantial decline in crude oil and condensate, NGLs and natural gas prices would reduce our operating results and cash flows and could adversely impact the carrying value of our assets.
The markets for crude oil and condensate, NGLs and natural gas have been volatile and are likely to continue to be volatile in the future, causing prices to fluctuate widely. Our revenues and operating results are highly dependent on the prices we receive for our crude oil and condensate, NGLs and natural gas. Many of the factors influencing prices of crude oil and condensate, NGLs and natural gas are beyond our control. These factors include:
| ● | worldwide and domestic supplies of and demand for crude oil and condensate, NGLs and natural gas; |
| ● | the cost of exploring for, developing and producing crude oil and condensate, NGLs and natural gas; |
| ● | the ability of the members of OPEC+ to agree to and maintain production controls; |
| ● | the production levels of non-OPEC countries, including production levels in the shale plays in the United States; |
| ● | the level of drilling, completion and production activities by other exploration and production companies, and variability therein, in response to market conditions; |
| ● | political instability or armed conflict in oil and natural gas producing regions, such as the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine; |
| ● | changes in weather patterns and climate; |
| ● | natural disasters such as hurricanes and tornadoes; |
| ● | the price and availability of alternative and competing forms of energy, such as nuclear, hydroelectric, wind and solar; |
| ● | the effect of conservation efforts; |
| ● | epidemics or pandemics, including COVID-19; |
| ● | technological advances affecting energy consumption and energy supply; |
| ● | domestic and foreign governmental regulations and taxes; and |
| ● | general economic conditions worldwide. |
The long-term effects of these and other factors on the prices of crude oil and condensate, NGLs and natural gas are uncertain. Historical declines in commodity prices have adversely affected our business by:
| ● | reducing the amount of crude oil and condensate, NGLs and natural gas that we can produce economically; |
| ● | reducing our revenues, operating income and cash flows; |
| ● | causing us to reduce our capital expenditures, and delay or postpone some of our capital projects; |
| ● | requiring us to impair the carrying value of our assets; |
| ● | reducing the standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows relating to crude oil and condensate, NGLs and natural gas; and |
| ● | increasing the costs of obtaining capital, such as equity and short- and long-term debt. |
Our operations may be adversely affected by pipeline, rail and other transportation capacity constraints.
The marketability of our production depends in part on the availability, proximity and capacity of gathering and transportation pipeline facilities, rail cars, trucks and vessels. These facilities and equipment may be temporarily unavailable to us due to market conditions, regulatory reasons, mechanical reasons or other factors or conditions, and may not be available to us in the future on terms we consider acceptable, if at all. If any pipelines, rail cars, trucks or vessels become unavailable, we would, to the extent possible, be required to find a suitable alternative to transport our crude oil and condensate, NGLs and natural gas, which could increase the costs and/or reduce the revenues we might obtain from the sale of our production. A pipeline shutdown could also have an impact on safety because it would require the use of additional trucks, rail cars and personnel. In addition, both the cost and availability of pipelines, rail cars, trucks or vessels to transport our production could be adversely impacted by new state or federal regulations relating to transportation of crude oil. Any significant change in market, regulatory or other conditions affecting our access to, or the availability of, these facilities and equipment, including due to our failure or inability to obtain access to these facilities and equipment on terms acceptable to us or at all, could materially and adversely affect our business and, in turn, our financial condition and results of operations.
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Future exploration and drilling results are uncertain and involve substantial costs.
Drilling for crude oil and condensate, NGLs and natural gas involves numerous risks, including the risk that we may not encounter commercially productive reservoirs. The costs of drilling, completing and operating wells are often uncertain, and drilling operations may be curtailed, delayed or canceled as a result of a variety of factors, including:
| ● | unexpected drilling conditions; | |
| ● | title problems; | |
| ● | pressure or irregularities in formations; | |
| ● | equipment failures or accidents; | |
| ● | inflation in exploration and drilling costs; | |
| ● | fires, explosions, blowouts or surface cratering; | |
| ● | lack of, or disruption in, access to pipelines or other transportation methods; and | |
| ● | shortages or delays in the availability of services or delivery of equipment. |
Drilling for and producing oil and natural gas are highly speculative and involve a high degree of risk, with many uncertainties that could adversely affect our business. We have not recorded significant proved reserves, and areas that we decide to drill may not yield oil or natural gas in commercial quantities or at all.
Exploring for and developing hydrocarbon reserves involves a high degree of operational and financial risk, which precludes us from definitively predicting the costs involved and time required to reach certain objectives. Our potential drilling locations are in various stages of evaluation, ranging from locations that are ready to drill, to locations that will require substantial additional interpretation before they can be drilled. The budgeted costs of planning, drilling, completing and operating wells are often exceeded, and such costs can increase significantly due to various complications that may arise during the drilling and operating processes. Before a well is spudded, we may incur significant geological and geophysical (seismic) costs, which are incurred whether a well eventually produces commercial quantities of hydrocarbons or is drilled at all. Exploration wells bear a much greater risk of loss than development wells. The analogies we draw from available data from other wells, more fully explored locations or producing fields may not be applicable to our drilling locations. If our actual drilling and development costs are significantly more than our estimated costs, we may not be able to continue our operations as proposed and could be forced to modify our drilling plans accordingly.
If we decide to drill a certain location, there is a risk that no commercially productive oil or natural gas reservoirs will be found or produced. We may drill or participate in new wells that are not productive. We may drill wells that are productive, but that do not produce sufficient net revenues to return a profit after drilling, operating and other costs. There is no way to predict in advance of drilling and testing whether any particular location will yield oil or natural gas in sufficient quantities to recover exploration, drilling or completion costs or to be economically viable. Even if sufficient amounts of oil or natural gas exist, we may damage the potentially productive hydrocarbon-bearing formation or experience mechanical difficulties while drilling or completing the well, resulting in a reduction in production and reserves from the well or abandonment of the well. Whether a well is ultimately productive and profitable depends on a number of additional factors, including the following:
| ● | general economic and industry conditions, including the prices received for oil and natural gas; | |
| ● | shortages of, or delays in, obtaining equipment, including hydraulic fracturing equipment, and qualified personnel; | |
| ● | potential significant water production which could make a producing well uneconomic; | |
| ● | potential drainage by operators on adjacent properties; |
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| ● | loss of, or damage to, oilfield development and service tools; | |
| ● | problems with title to the underlying properties; | |
| ● | increases in severance taxes; | |
| ● | adverse weather conditions that delay drilling activities or cause producing wells to be shut down; | |
| ● | domestic and foreign governmental regulations; and | |
| ● | proximity to and capacity of transportation facilities. |
If we do not drill productive and profitable wells in the future, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
Our success is dependent on the prices of oil, NGLs and natural gas. Low oil or natural gas prices and the substantial volatility in these prices have adversely affected, and are expected to continue to adversely affect, our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to meet our capital expenditure requirements and financial obligations.
The prices we receive for our oil, NGLs and natural gas heavily influence our revenue, profitability, cash flow available for capital expenditures, access to capital and future rate of growth. Oil, NGLs and natural gas are commodities and, therefore, their prices are subject to wide fluctuations in response to relatively minor changes in supply and demand. Historically, the commodities market has been volatile. For example, the price of crude oil has experienced significant volatility over the last five years, with the price per barrel of West Texas Intermediate (“WTI”) crude rising from a low of $42 in June 2017 to a high of $76 in October 2018, then, in 2020, dropping below $20 per barrel due in part to reduced global demand stemming from the global COVID-19 outbreak, and surging to over $120 a barrel in early March 2022, following Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine. Prices for natural gas and NGLs experienced declines of similar magnitude. An extended period of continued lower oil prices, or additional price declines, will have further adverse effects on us. The prices we receive for our production, and the levels of our production, will continue to depend on numerous factors, including the following:
| ● | the domestic and foreign supply of oil, NGLs and natural gas; | |
| ● | the domestic and foreign demand for oil, NGLs and natural gas; | |
| ● | the prices and availability of competitors’ supplies of oil, NGLs and natural gas; | |
| ● | the actions of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC, and state-controlled oil companies relating to oil price and production controls; | |
| ● | the price and quantity of foreign imports of oil, NGLs and natural gas; | |
| ● | the impact of U.S. dollar exchange rates on oil, NGLs and natural gas prices; | |
| ● | domestic and foreign governmental regulations and taxes; | |
| ● | speculative trading of oil, NGLs and natural gas futures contracts; |
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| ● | localized supply and demand fundamentals, including the availability, proximity and capacity of gathering and transportation systems for natural gas; | |
| ● | the availability of refining capacity; | |
| ● | the prices and availability of alternative fuel sources; | |
| ● | the threat, or perceived threat, or results, of viral pandemics, for example, as experienced with the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021; | |
| ● | weather conditions and natural disasters; | |
| ● | political conditions in or affecting oil, NGLs and natural gas producing regions and/or pipelines, including in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and South America, for example, as experienced with the Russian invasion of the Ukraine in February 2022, which conflict is ongoing; | |
| ● | the continued threat of terrorism and the impact of military action and civil unrest; | |
| ● | public pressure on, and legislative and regulatory interest within, federal, state and local governments to stop, significantly limit or regulate hydraulic fracturing activities; | |
| ● | the level of global oil, NGL and natural gas inventories and exploration and production activity; | |
| ● | authorization of exports from the Unites States of liquefied natural gas; | |
| ● | the impact of energy conservation efforts; | |
| ● | technological advances affecting energy consumption; and | |
| ● | overall worldwide economic conditions. |
Declines in oil, NGL or natural gas prices have not, and will not, only reduce our revenue, but have and will reduce the amount of oil, NGL and natural gas that we can produce economically. Should natural gas, NGL or oil prices decline from current levels and remain there for an extended period of time, we may choose to shut-in our operated wells, delay some or all of our exploration and development plans for our prospects, or to cease exploration or development activities on certain prospects due to the anticipated unfavorable economics from such activities, and, as a result, we may have to make substantial downward adjustments to our estimated proved reserves, each of which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Future conditions might require us to incur impairments or make write-downs in our assets, which would adversely affect our balance sheet and results of operations.
We review our long-lived tangible and intangible assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. In the future we may be required to impair our assets and we would then be required to write-off all or a portion of our costs for such assets. Future significant write-offs would adversely affect our balance sheet and results of operations.
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Declining general economic, business or industry conditions have, and will continue to have, a material adverse effect on our results of operations, liquidity and financial condition, and are expected to continue having a material adverse effect for the foreseeable future.
Concerns over global economic conditions, the duration and effects of future pandemics, and the results thereof, energy costs, geopolitical issues (including, but not limited to the current Ukraine/Russia conflict), inflation, increasing interest rates and the availability and cost of credit have contributed to increased economic uncertainty and diminished expectations for the global economy. These factors, combined with volatile prices of oil and natural gas, and declining business and consumer confidence, have precipitated an economic slowdown, which could expand to a recession or global depression. If the economic climate in the United States or abroad deteriorates, demand for petroleum products could diminish, which could further impact the price at which we can sell our oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids, affect the ability of our vendors, suppliers and customers to continue operations, and ultimately adversely impact our results of operations, liquidity and financial condition to a greater extent that it has already.
Our exploration, development and exploitation projects require substantial capital expenditures that may exceed cash on hand, cash flows from operations and potential borrowings, and we may be unable to obtain needed capital on satisfactory terms, which could adversely affect our future growth.
Our exploration and development activities are capital intensive. We make and expect to continue to make substantial capital expenditures in our business for the development, exploitation, production and acquisition of oil and natural gas reserves. Our cash on hand, our operating cash flows and future potential borrowings may not be adequate to fund our future acquisitions or future capital expenditure requirements. The rate of our future growth may be dependent, at least in part, on our ability to access capital at rates and on terms we determine to be acceptable.
Our cash flows from operations and access to capital are subject to a number of variables, including:
| ● | our estimated proved oil and natural gas reserves; | |
| ● | the amount of oil and natural gas we produce from existing wells; | |
| ● | the prices at which we sell our production; | |
| ● | the costs of developing and producing our oil and natural gas reserves; | |
| ● | our ability to acquire, locate and produce new reserves; | |
| ● | the general state of the economy; | |
| ● | the ability and willingness of banks to lend to us; and | |
| ● | our ability to access the equity and debt capital markets. |
In addition, future events, such as terrorist attacks, wars, threat of wars, or combat peace-keeping missions, financial market disruptions, general economic recessions, oil and natural gas industry recessions, large company bankruptcies, accounting scandals, pandemic diseases, overstated reserves estimates by major public oil companies and disruptions in the financial and capital markets have caused financial institutions, credit rating agencies and the public to more closely review the financial statements, capital structures and earnings of public companies, including energy companies. Such events have constrained the capital available to the energy industry in the past, and such events or similar events could adversely affect our access to funding for our operations in the future.
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If our revenues decrease as a result of lower oil and natural gas prices, operating difficulties, declines in reserves or for any other reason, we may have limited ability to obtain the capital necessary to sustain our operations at current levels, further develop and exploit our current properties or invest in additional exploration opportunities. Alternatively, a significant improvement in oil and natural gas prices or other factors could result in an increase in our capital expenditures, and we may be required to alter or increase our capitalization substantially through the issuance of debt or equity securities, the sale of production payments, the sale or farm out of interests in our assets, the borrowing of funds or otherwise to meet any increase in capital needs. If we are unable to raise additional capital from available sources at acceptable terms, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected. Further, future debt financings may require that a portion of our cash flows provided by operating activities be used for the payment of principal and interest on our debt, thereby reducing our ability to use cash flows to fund working capital, capital expenditures and acquisitions. Debt financing may involve covenants that restrict our business activities. If we succeed in selling additional equity securities to raise funds, at such time the ownership percentage of our existing stockholders would be diluted, and new investors may demand rights, preferences or privileges senior to those of existing stockholders. If we choose to farm-out interests in our prospects, we may lose operating control over such prospects.
Our oil and natural gas reserves are estimated and may not reflect the actual volumes of oil and natural gas we will receive, and significant inaccuracies in these reserve estimates or underlying assumptions will materially affect the quantities and present value of our reserves.
The process of estimating accumulations of oil and natural gas is complex and is not exact, due to numerous inherent uncertainties. The process relies on interpretations of available geological, geophysical, engineering and production data. The extent, quality and reliability of this technical data can vary. The process also requires certain economic assumptions related to, among other things, oil and natural gas prices, drilling and operating expenses, capital expenditures, taxes and availability of funds. The accuracy of a reserves estimate is a function of:
| ● | the quality and quantity of available data; | |
| ● | the interpretation of that data; | |
| ● | the judgment of the persons preparing the estimate; and | |
| ● | the accuracy of the assumptions. |
The accuracy of any estimates of proved reserves generally increases with the length of the production history. Due to the limited production history of our properties, the estimates of future production associated with these properties may be subject to greater variance to actual production than would be the case with properties having a longer production history. As our wells produce over time and more data is available, the estimated proved reserves will be re-determined on at least an annual basis and may be adjusted to reflect new information based upon our actual production history, results of exploration and development, prevailing oil and natural gas prices and other factors.
Actual future production, oil and natural gas prices, revenues, taxes, development expenditures, operating expenses and quantities of recoverable oil and natural gas most likely will vary from our estimates. It is possible that future production declines in our wells may be greater than we have estimated. Any significant variance to our estimates could materially affect the quantities and present value of our reserves.
We may have accidents, equipment failures or mechanical problems while drilling or completing wells or in production activities, which could adversely affect our business.
While we are drilling and completing wells or involved in production activities, we may have accidents or experience equipment failures or mechanical problems in a well that cause us to be unable to drill and complete the well or to continue to produce the well according to our plans. We may also damage a potentially hydrocarbon-bearing formation during drilling and completion operations. Such incidents may result in a reduction of our production and reserves from the well or in abandonment of the well.
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Our operations are subject to operational hazards and unforeseen interruptions for which we may not be adequately insured.
There are numerous operational hazards inherent in oil and natural gas exploration, development, production and gathering, including:
| ● | unusual or unexpected geologic formations; | |
| ● | natural disasters; | |
| ● | adverse weather conditions; | |
| ● | unanticipated pressures; | |
| ● | loss of drilling fluid circulation; | |
| ● | blowouts where oil or natural gas flows uncontrolled at a wellhead; | |
| ● | cratering or collapse of the formation; | |
| ● | pipe or cement leaks, failures or casing collapses; | |
| ● | fires or explosions; | |
| ● | releases of hazardous substances or other waste materials that cause environmental damage; | |
| ● | pressures or irregularities in formations; and | |
| ● | equipment failures or accidents. |
In addition, there is an inherent risk of incurring significant environmental costs and liabilities in the performance of our operations, some of which may be material, due to our handling of petroleum hydrocarbons and wastes, our emissions to air and water, the underground injection or other disposal of our wastes, the use of hydraulic fracturing fluids and historical industry operations and waste disposal practices.
Any of these or other similar occurrences could result in the disruption or impairment of our operations, substantial repair costs, personal injury or loss of human life, significant damage to property, environmental pollution and substantial revenue losses. The location of our wells, gathering systems, pipelines and other facilities near populated areas, including residential areas, commercial business centers and industrial sites, could significantly increase the level of damages resulting from these risks. Insurance against all operational risks is not available to us. We are not fully insured against all risks, including development and completion risks that are generally not recoverable from third parties or insurance. In addition, pollution and environmental risks generally are not fully insurable. With respect to our other non-operated assets, we may elect not to obtain insurance if we believe that the cost of available insurance is excessive relative to the perceived risks presented. Losses could, therefore, occur for uninsurable or uninsured risks or in amounts in excess of existing insurance coverage. Moreover, insurance may not be available in the future at commercially reasonable prices or on commercially reasonable terms. Changes in the insurance markets due to various factors may make it more difficult for us to obtain certain types of coverage in the future. As a result, we may not be able to obtain the levels or types of insurance we would otherwise have obtained prior to these market changes, and the insurance coverage we do obtain may not cover certain hazards or all potential losses that are currently covered and may be subject to large deductibles. Losses and liabilities from uninsured and underinsured events and delays in the payment of insurance proceeds could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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Unless we replace our oil and natural gas reserves, our reserves and production will decline, which will adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The rate of production from our oil and natural gas properties will decline as our reserves are depleted. Our future oil and natural gas reserves and production and, therefore, our income and cash flow, are highly dependent on our success in (a) efficiently developing and exploiting our current reserves on properties owned by us or by other persons or entities and (b) economically finding or acquiring additional oil and natural gas producing properties. In the future, we may have difficulty acquiring new properties. During periods of low oil and/or natural gas prices, it will become more difficult to raise the capital necessary to finance expansion activities. If we are unable to replace our production, our reserves will decrease, and our business, financial condition and results of operations would be adversely affected.
Our strategy includes acquisitions of oil and natural gas properties, and our failure to identify or complete future acquisitions successfully, or not produce projected revenues associated with the future acquisitions could reduce our earnings and hamper our growth.
We may be unable to identify properties for acquisition or to make acquisitions on terms that we consider economically acceptable. There is intense competition for acquisition opportunities in our industry. Competition for acquisitions may increase the cost of, or cause us to refrain from, completing acquisitions. The completion and pursuit of acquisitions may be dependent upon, among other things, our ability to obtain debt and equity financing and, in some cases, regulatory approvals. Our ability to grow through acquisitions will require us to continue to invest in operations, financial and management information systems and to attract, retain, motivate and effectively manage our employees. The inability to manage the integration of acquisitions effectively could reduce our focus on subsequent acquisitions and current operations and could negatively impact our results of operations and growth potential. Our financial position and results of operations may fluctuate significantly from period to period as a result of the completion of significant acquisitions during particular periods. If we are not successful in identifying or acquiring any material property interests, our earnings could be reduced and our growth could be restricted.
We may engage in bidding and negotiating to complete successful acquisitions. We may be required to alter or increase substantially our capitalization to finance these acquisitions through the use of cash on hand, the issuance of debt or equity securities, the sale of production payments, the sale of non-strategic assets, the borrowing of funds or otherwise. If we were to proceed with one or more acquisitions involving the issuance of our common stock, our stockholders would suffer dilution of their interests. Furthermore, our decision to acquire properties that are substantially different in operating or geologic characteristics or geographic locations from areas with which our staff is familiar may impact our productivity in such areas.
We may not be able to produce the projected revenues related to future acquisitions. There are many assumptions related to the projection of the revenues of future acquisitions including, but not limited to, drilling success, oil and natural gas prices, production decline curves and other data. If revenues from future acquisitions do not meet projections, this could adversely affect our business and financial condition.
We may purchase oil and natural gas properties with liabilities or risks that we did not know about or that we did not assess correctly, and, as a result, we could be subject to liabilities that could adversely affect our results of operations.
Before acquiring oil and natural gas properties, we estimate the reserves, future oil and natural gas prices, operating costs, potential environmental liabilities and other factors relating to the properties. However, our review involves many assumptions and estimates, and their accuracy is inherently uncertain. As a result, we may not discover all existing or potential problems associated with the properties we buy. We may not become sufficiently familiar with the properties to assess fully their deficiencies and capabilities. We do not generally perform inspections on every well or property, and we may not be able to observe mechanical and environmental problems even when we conduct an inspection. The seller may not be willing or financially able to give us contractual protection against any identified problems, and we may decide to assume environmental and other liabilities in connection with properties we acquire. If we acquire properties with risks or liabilities we did not know about or that we did not assess correctly, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected as we settle claims and incur cleanup costs related to these liabilities.
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We may incur losses or costs as a result of title deficiencies in the properties in which we invest.
If an examination of the title history of a property that we have purchased reveals an oil and natural gas lease has been purchased in error from a person who is not the owner of the property, our interest would be worthless. In such an instance, the amount paid for such oil and natural gas lease as well as any royalties paid pursuant to the terms of the lease prior to the discovery of the title defect would be lost.
Prior to the drilling of an oil and natural gas well, it is the normal practice in the oil and natural gas industry for the person or company acting as the operator of the well to obtain a preliminary title review of the spacing unit within which the proposed oil and natural gas well is to be drilled to ensure there are no obvious deficiencies in title to the well. Frequently, as a result of such examinations, certain curative work must be done to correct deficiencies in the marketability of the title, and such curative work entails expense. Our failure to cure any title defects may adversely impact our ability in the future to increase production and reserves. In the future, we may suffer a monetary loss from title defects or title failure. Additionally, unproved and unevaluated acreage has greater risk of title defects than developed acreage. If there are any title defects or defects in assignment of leasehold rights in properties in which we hold an interest, we will suffer a financial loss which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The unavailability or high cost of drilling rigs, completion equipment and services, supplies and personnel, including hydraulic fracturing equipment and personnel, could adversely affect our ability to establish and execute exploration and development plans within budget and on a timely basis, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Shortages or the high cost of drilling rigs, completion equipment and services, supplies or personnel could delay or adversely affect our operations. When drilling activity in the United States increases, associated costs typically also increase, including those costs related to drilling rigs, equipment, supplies and personnel and the services and products of other vendors to the industry. These costs may increase, and necessary equipment and services may become unavailable to us at economical prices. Should this increase in costs occur, we may delay drilling activities, which may limit our ability to establish and replace reserves, or we may incur these higher costs, which may negatively affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
In addition, in the past, the demand for hydraulic fracturing services has exceeded the availability of fracturing equipment and crews across the industry and in our operating areas in particular. The accelerated wear and tear of hydraulic fracturing equipment due to its deployment in unconventional oil and natural gas fields characterized by longer lateral lengths and larger numbers of fracturing stages may further amplify this equipment and crew shortage. Although we believe there is currently sufficient supply of hydraulic fracturing services, if demand for fracturing services increases or the supply of fracturing equipment and crews decreases, then higher costs could result and could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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The marketability of our production is dependent upon oil and natural gas gathering and transportation and storage facilities owned and operated by third parties, and the unavailability of satisfactory oil and natural gas transportation arrangements have had a material adverse effect on our revenue in the past and may again in the future.
The unavailability of satisfactory oil and natural gas transportation arrangements has in the past hindered our access to oil and natural gas markets and has delayed production from our wells. The availability of a ready market for our oil and natural gas production depends on a number of factors, including the demand for, and supply of, oil and natural gas and the proximity of reserves to pipelines, terminal facilities and storage facilities. Our ability to market our production depends in substantial part on the availability and capacity of gathering systems, pipelines and processing facilities owned and operated by third parties. Our failure to obtain these services on acceptable terms has in the past, and could in the future, materially harm our business. In the past we have, and in the future, we may be required to, shut-in wells for lack of a market or because of inadequacy or unavailability of pipeline or gathering system capacity. When this occurs, we are unable to realize revenue from those wells until the market for oil and gas increases and/or until production arrangements are made to deliver our production to market. Furthermore, we are obligated to pay shut-in royalties to certain mineral interest owners in order to maintain our leases with respect to certain shut-in wells. We do not expect to purchase firm transportation capacity on third-party facilities. Therefore, we expect the transportation of our production to be generally interruptible in nature and lower in priority to those having firm transportation arrangements.
The disruption of third-party facilities due to maintenance and/or weather could negatively impact our ability to market and deliver our products. The third parties’ control when or if such facilities are restored after disruption, and what prices will be charged for products. Federal and state regulation of oil and natural gas production and transportation, tax and energy policies, changes in supply and demand, pipeline pressures, damage to or destruction of pipelines and general economic conditions could adversely affect our ability to produce, gather and transport oil and natural gas.
An increase in the differential between the NYMEX or other benchmark prices of oil and natural gas and the wellhead price we receive for our production has adversely affected our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The prices that we will receive for our oil and natural gas production sometimes may reflect a discount to the relevant benchmark prices, such as the New York Mercantile Exchange (“NYMEX”), that are used for calculating hedge positions. The difference between the benchmark price and the prices we receive is called a differential. Increases in the differential between the benchmark prices for oil and natural gas and the wellhead price we receive has recently adversely affected, and is anticipated to continue to adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. We do not have, and may not have in the future, any derivative contracts or hedging covering the amount of the basis differentials we experience in respect of our production. As such, we will be exposed to any increase in such differentials.
Competition in the oil and natural gas industry is intense, making it difficult for us to acquire properties, market oil and natural gas and secure trained personnel.
Our ability to acquire additional prospects and to find and develop reserves in the future will depend on our ability to evaluate and select suitable properties and to consummate transactions in a highly competitive environment for acquiring properties, marketing oil and natural gas and securing trained personnel. Also, there is substantial competition for capital available for investment in the oil and natural gas industry. Many of our competitors possess and employ financial, technical and personnel resources substantially greater than ours, and many of our competitors have more established presences in the United States than we have. Those companies may be able to pay more for productive oil and natural gas properties and exploratory prospects and to evaluate, bid for and purchase a greater number of properties and prospects than our financial or personnel resources permit. In addition, other companies may be able to offer better compensation packages to attract and retain qualified personnel than we are able to offer. The cost to attract and retain qualified personnel has increased in recent years due to competition and may increase substantially in the future. We may not be able to compete successfully in the future in acquiring prospective reserves, developing reserves, marketing hydrocarbons, attracting and retaining quality personnel and raising additional capital, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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Our competitors may use superior technology and data resources that we may be unable to afford or that would require a costly investment by us in order to compete with them more effectively.
Our industry is subject to rapid and significant advancements in technology, including the introduction of new products and services using new technologies and databases. As our competitors use or develop new technologies, we may be placed at a competitive disadvantage, and competitive pressures may force us to implement new technologies at a substantial cost. In addition, many of our competitors will have greater financial, technical and personnel resources that allow them to enjoy technological advantages and may in the future allow them to implement new technologies before we can. We cannot be certain that we will be able to implement technologies on a timely basis or at a cost that is acceptable to us. One or more of the technologies that we will use or that we may implement in the future may become obsolete, and we may be adversely affected.
If we do not hedge our exposure to reductions in oil and natural gas prices, we may be subject to significant reductions in prices. Alternatively, we may use oil and natural gas price hedging contracts, which involve credit risk and may limit future revenues from price increases and result in significant fluctuations in our profitability.
In the event that we continue to choose not to hedge our exposure to reductions in oil and natural gas prices by purchasing futures and/or by using other hedging strategies, we may be subject to a significant reduction in prices which could have a material negative impact on our profitability. Alternatively, we may elect to use hedging transactions with respect to a portion of our oil and natural gas production to achieve more predictable cash flow and to reduce our exposure to price fluctuations. While the use of hedging transactions limits the downside risk of price declines, their use also may limit future revenues from price increases. Hedging transactions also involve the risk that the counterparty may be unable to satisfy its obligations.
Uncertainties associated with enhanced recovery methods may result in us not realizing an acceptable return on our investments in such projects.
Production and reserves, if any, attributable to the use of enhanced recovery methods are inherently difficult to predict. If our enhanced recovery methods do not allow for the extraction of crude oil, natural gas, and associated liquids in a manner or to the extent that we anticipate, we may not realize an acceptable return on our investments in such projects. In addition, as proposed legislation and regulatory initiatives relating to hydraulic fracturing become law, the cost of some of these enhanced recovery methods could increase substantially.
Competition for hydraulic fracturing services and water disposal could impede our ability to develop our oil and gas plays.
The unavailability or high cost of high-pressure pumping services (or hydraulic fracturing services), chemicals, proppant, water and water disposal and related services and equipment could limit our ability to execute our exploration and development plans on a timely basis and within our budget. The U.S. oil and natural gas industry is experiencing a growing emphasis on the exploitation and development of shale natural gas and shale oil resource plays, which are dependent on hydraulic fracturing for economically successful development. Hydraulic fracturing in oil and gas plays requires high pressure pumping service crews. A shortage of service crews or proppant, chemical, water or water disposal options, could materially and adversely affect our operations and the timeliness of executing our development plans within our budget.
Our operations are substantially dependent on the availability of water. Restrictions on our ability to obtain water may have an adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Water is an essential component of shale oil and natural gas production during both the drilling and hydraulic fracturing processes. Historically, we have been able to purchase water from local land owners for use in our operations. When drought conditions occur, governmental authorities may restrict the use of water subject to their jurisdiction for hydraulic fracturing to protect local water supplies. If we are unable to obtain water to use in our operations from local sources or dispose of or recycle water used in operations, or if the price of water or water disposal increases significantly, we may be unable to produce oil and natural gas economically, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.
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Improvements in or new discoveries of alternative energy technologies could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Because our operations depend on the demand for oil and used oil, any improvement in or new discoveries of alternative energy technologies (such as wind, solar, geothermal, fuel cells and biofuels) that increase the use of alternative forms of energy and reduce the demand for oil, gas and oil and gas related products could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. We also face competition from competing energy sources, such as renewable energy sources.
Competition due to advances in renewable fuels may lessen the demand for our products and negatively impact our profitability.
Alternatives to petroleum-based products and production methods are continually under development. For example, a number of automotive, industrial and power generation manufacturers are developing alternative clean power systems using fuel cells or clean-burning gaseous fuels that may address increasing worldwide energy costs, the long-term availability of petroleum reserves and environmental concerns, which if successful could lower the demand for oil and gas. If these non-petroleum-based products and oil alternatives continue to expand and gain broad acceptance such that the overall demand for oil and gas is decreased, it could have an adverse effect on our operations and the value of our assets.
Future litigation or governmental proceedings could result in material adverse consequences, including judgments or settlements.
From time to time, we are involved in lawsuits, regulatory inquiries and may be involved in governmental and other legal proceedings arising out of the ordinary course of our business. Many of these matters raise difficult and complicated factual and legal issues and are subject to uncertainties and complexities. The timing of the final resolutions to these types of matters is often uncertain. Additionally, the possible outcomes or resolutions to these matters could include adverse judgments or settlements, either of which could require substantial payments, adversely affecting our results of operations and liquidity.
We may be subject in the normal course of business to judicial, administrative or other third-party proceedings that could interrupt or limit our operations, require expensive remediation, result in adverse judgments, settlements or fines and create negative publicity.
Governmental agencies may, among other things, impose fines or penalties on us relating to the conduct of our business, attempt to revoke or deny renewal of our operating permits, franchises or licenses for violations or alleged violations of environmental laws or regulations or as a result of third-party challenges, require us to install additional pollution control equipment or require us to remediate potential environmental problems relating to any real property that we or our predecessors ever owned, leased or operated or any waste that we or our predecessors ever collected, transported, disposed of or stored. Individuals, citizens groups, trade associations or environmental activists may also bring actions against us in connection with our operations that could interrupt or limit the scope of our business. Any adverse outcome in such proceedings could harm our operations and financial results and create negative publicity, which could damage our reputation, competitive position and stock price. We may also be required to take corrective actions, including, but not limited to, installing additional equipment, which could require us to make substantial capital expenditures. We could also be required to indemnify our employees in connection with any expenses or liabilities that they may incur individually in connection with regulatory action against us. These could result in a material adverse effect on our prospects, business, financial condition and our results of operations.
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Part of our strategy involves drilling in existing or emerging oil and gas plays using some of the latest available horizontal drilling and completion techniques. The results of our planned exploratory drilling in these plays are subject to drilling and completion technique risks, and drilling results may not meet our expectations for reserves or production. As a result, we may incur material write-downs and the value of our undeveloped acreage could decline if drilling results are unsuccessful.
Our operations involve utilizing the latest drilling and completion techniques in order to maximize cumulative recoveries and therefore generate the highest possible returns. The additional risks that we face while drilling horizontally include, but are not limited to, the following:
| ● | drilling wells that are significantly longer and/or deeper than more conventional wells; | |
| ● | landing our wellbore in the desired drilling zone; | |
| ● | staying in the desired drilling zone while drilling horizontally through the formation; | |
| ● | running our casing the entire length of the wellbore; and | |
| ● | being able to run tools and other equipment consistently through the horizontal wellbore. |
Risks that we face while completing our wells include, but are not limited to, the following:
| ● | the ability to fracture stimulate the planned number of stages in a horizontal or lateral well bore; | |
| ● | the ability to run tools the entire length of the wellbore during completion operations; and | |
| ● | the ability to successfully clean out the wellbore after completion of the final fracture stimulation stage. |
The results of our drilling in new or emerging formations will be more uncertain initially than drilling results in areas that are more developed and have a longer history of established production. Newer or emerging formations and areas have limited or no production history and consequently we are less able to predict future drilling results in these areas. Ultimately, the success of these drilling and completion techniques can only be evaluated over time as more wells are drilled and production profiles are established over a sufficiently long time period. If our drilling results are less than anticipated or we are unable to execute our drilling program because of capital constraints, lease expirations, limited access to gathering systems and takeaway capacity, and/or prices for crude oil, natural gas, and NGLs decline, then the return on our investment for a particular project may not be as attractive as we anticipated and we could incur material write-downs of oil and gas properties and the value of our undeveloped acreage could decline in the future.
Prospects that we decide to drill may not yield oil or natural gas in commercially viable quantities.
Our prospects are in various stages of evaluation, ranging from prospects that are currently being drilled to prospects that will require substantial additional seismic data processing and interpretation. There is no way to predict in advance of drilling and testing whether any particular prospect will yield oil or natural gas in sufficient quantities to recover drilling or completion costs or to be economically viable. This risk may be enhanced in our situation, due to the fact that a significant percentage of our reserves is undeveloped. The use of seismic data and other technologies and the study of producing fields in the same area will not enable us to know conclusively prior to drilling whether oil or natural gas will be present or, if present, whether oil or natural gas will be present in commercial quantities. We cannot assure you that the analogies we draw from available data obtained by analyzing other wells, more fully explored prospects or producing fields will be applicable to our drilling prospects.
We are subject to various climate-related risks, including risks related to the transition to a lower-carbon economy and physical risks resulting from climate change.
The following is a summary of potential climate-related risks that could adversely affect us:
Policy and Legal Risks. Policy risks include actions that seek to lessen activities that contribute to adverse effects of climate change or to promote adaptation to climate change, such as the enactment of climate change-related regulations, policies and initiatives addressing alternative energy requirements, new fuel consumption standards, energy conservation and emissions reductions measures or responsible energy development, among other measures. Policy actions also may include restrictions or bans on oil and gas activities, like the January 2021 Presidential and Secretarial orders, and the potential banning of hydraulic fracturing, which could lead to write-downs or impairments of our assets. Legal risks include potential lawsuits claiming, among other things, failure to mitigate impacts of climate change, failure to adapt to climate change and the insufficiency of disclosure around material financial risks. For instance, government entities and other groups have filed lawsuits in several states seeking to hold a wide variety of companies that produce fossil fuels liable for the alleged impacts of the greenhouse gas emissions and other alleged harm attributable to those fuels. The lawsuits allege damages as a result of global warming and the plaintiffs are seeking unspecified damages and abatement under various theories..
Market Risks. Markets could be affected by climate change through shifts in supply and demand for certain commodities, including oil and gas and other products dependent on oil and gas. Lower demand for our oil and gas production, or lower demand for products that use oil and gas as fuel sources or increased demand for lower-emission or more efficient products and services, could result in lower prices and lower revenues. Market risk also may take the form of limited access to capital as investors shift investments to industries and alternative energy industries that may be, or be perceived to be, less carbon-intensive. In addition, certain investment advisers, banks and sovereign wealth, pension and endowment funds recently have been promoting divestment of investments in fossil fuel companies and pressuring lenders to limit funding to companies engaged in the extraction, production and sale of oil and gas. Some banks and asset managers have made climate-related pledges for various initiatives, such as stopping the financing of Arctic drilling and coal companies. These initiatives by activists and banks could interfere with our business activities, operations and ability to access capital. Institutional lenders who provide financing to energy companies such as ours have also become more attentive to sustainable lending practices, and some may elect not to provide traditional energy producers or companies that support such producers with funding.
Technology Risks. Technological improvements or innovations that support the transition to a lower-carbon economic system may have a significant impact on us. The development and use of emerging technologies in renewable energy, battery storage, and energy efficiency may lower demand for oil and gas, resulting in lower prices and revenues. In addition, many automobile manufacturers have announced plans to shift production from internal combustion engine to electric powered vehicles, and some states and foreign countries have announced bans on sales of internal combustion engine vehicles beginning as early as 2025, which would reduce demand for oil.
Reputation Risk. Climate change is a potential source of reputational risk, which is tied to changing customer or community perceptions of an organization’s contribution to, or detraction from, the transition to a lower-carbon economy. These changing perceptions could lower demand for our oil and gas production, resulting in lower prices and lower revenues as consumers avoid carbon-intensive industries, and could also pressure banks and investment managers to shift investments and reduce lending as described above.
Physical Risks. Potential physical risks resulting from climate change may be event driven (including increased severity of extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, winter storms, droughts or floods) or longer-term shifts in climate patterns that may cause sea level rise or chronic heat waves. Potential physical risks may cause direct damage to assets and indirect impacts such as supply or distribution chain disruption and also could include changes in water or other raw material availability, sourcing, pricing and quality, which could impact drilling and completions operations. These physical risks could adversely affect or delay demand for oil or natural gas, cause increased costs, production disruptions and lower revenues and substantially increase the cost or limit the availability of insurance.
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Volatility in seasonal temperatures. The market for natural gas is generally improved by periods of colder weather and impaired by periods of warmer weather, so any changes in climate could affect the market for the fuels that we produce. As a result, if there is an overall trend of warmer temperatures, it would be expected to have an adverse effect on our business.
Efforts by governments, international bodies, businesses and consumers to reduce GHGs and otherwise mitigate the effects of climate change are ongoing. The nature of these efforts and their effects on our business are inherently unpredictable and subject to change. However, actions taken by private parties in anticipation of, or to facilitate, a transition to a lower-GHG economy will affect us as well. For example, our cost of capital may increase if lenders or other market participants decline to invest in fossil fuel-related companies for regulatory or reputational reasons. Similarly, increased demand for low-carbon or renewable energy sources from consumers could reduce the demand for, and the price of, the products we produce. Technological changes, such as developments in renewable energy and low-carbon transportation, could also adversely affect demand for our products.
Regulatory and Reporting Risks
New or amended environmental legislation or regulatory initiatives could result in increased costs, additional operating restrictions, or delays, or have other adverse effects on us.
The environmental laws and regulations to which we are subject change frequently, often to become more burdensome and/or to increase the risk that we will be subject to significant liabilities. New or amended federal, state, or local laws or implementing regulations or orders imposing new environmental obligations on, or otherwise limiting, our operations could make it more difficult and more expensive to complete oil and natural gas wells, increase our costs of compliance and doing business, delay or prevent the development of resources (especially from shale formations that are not commercial without the use of hydraulic fracturing), or alter the demand for and consumption of our products. Any such outcome could have a material and adverse impact on our cash flows and results of operations.
The Federal Government previously instituted a moratorium on new oil and gas leases and permits on federal onshore and offshore lands, which may have a material adverse effect on the Company and its results of operations.
On January 20, 2021, the Acting U.S. Interior Secretary, instituted a moratorium on new oil and gas leases and permits on federal onshore and offshore lands, which a federal court blocked with a preliminary injunction in June 2021, which injunction is being appealed. President Biden subsequently announced that his administration will resume onshore oil and gas lease sales on federal lands effective April 18, 2022. A total of approximately 26% of the Company’s acreage in New Mexico and 1% of the Company’s acreage in Colorado are located on federal lands. It is currently unclear whether the moratorium will be reinstated, or whether such moratorium is the start of a change in federal policies regarding the grant of oil and gas permits on federal lands. The moratorium does not affect the Company, as the Company has no plans to drill new wells on any leases held on federal lands; however, if such prior moratorium was to become permanent, or the federal government in the future were to grant less permits on federal lands, make such permitting process more difficult, costly, or to institute more stringent rules relating to such permitting process, it could have a material adverse effect on the value of the Company’s leases and/or its ability to undertake oil and gas operations on such the portion of its leases on federal lands.
SEC rules could limit our ability to book additional proved undeveloped reserves (“PUDs”) in the future.
SEC rules require that, subject to limited exceptions, PUDs may only be booked if they relate to wells scheduled to be drilled within five years after the date of booking. This requirement has limited and may continue to limit our ability to book additional PUDs as we pursue our drilling program. Moreover, we may be required to write down our PUDs if we do not drill or plan on delaying those wells within the required five-year timeframe.
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Proposed changes to U.S. tax laws, if adopted, could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.
From time to time, legislative proposals are made that would, if enacted, result in the elimination of the immediate deduction for intangible drilling and development costs, the elimination of the deduction from income for domestic production activities relating to oil and gas exploration and development, the repeal of the percentage depletion allowance for oil and gas properties, and an extension of the amortization period for certain geological and geophysical expenditures. Such changes, if adopted, or other similar changes that reduce or eliminate deductions currently available with respect to oil and gas exploration and development, could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.
We may incur substantial costs to comply with the various federal, state, and local laws and regulations that affect our oil and natural gas operations, including as a result of the actions of third parties.
We are affected significantly by a substantial number of governmental regulations relating to, among other things, the release or disposal of materials into the environment, health and safety, land use, and other matters. A summary of the principal environmental rules and regulations to which we are currently subject is set forth in “Part I” - “Item 1. Business”. Compliance with such laws and regulations often increases our cost of doing business and thereby decreases our profitability. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations may result in the assessment of administrative, civil, and criminal penalties, the incurrence of investigatory or remedial obligations, or the issuance of cease and desist orders.
The environmental laws and regulations to which we are subject may, among other things:
| ● | require us to apply for and receive a permit before drilling commences or certain associated facilities are developed; | |
| ● | restrict the types, quantities, and concentrations of substances that can be released into the environment in connection with drilling, hydraulic fracturing, and production activities; | |
| ● | limit or prohibit drilling activities on certain lands lying within wilderness, wetlands and other “waters of the United States,” threatened and endangered species habitat, and other protected areas; | |
| ● | require remedial measures to mitigate pollution from former operations, such as plugging abandoned wells; | |
| ● | require us to add procedures and/or staff in order to comply with applicable laws and regulations; and | |
| ● | impose substantial liabilities for pollution resulting from our operations. |
In addition, we could face liability under applicable environmental laws and regulations as a result of the activities of previous owners of our properties or other third parties. For example, over the years, we have owned or leased numerous properties for oil and natural gas activities upon which petroleum hydrocarbons or other materials may have been released by us or by predecessor property owners or lessees who were not under our control. Under applicable environmental laws and regulations, including The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act - otherwise known as CERCLA or Superfund, and state laws, we could be held liable for the removal or remediation of previously released materials or property contamination at such locations, or at third-party locations to which we have sent waste, regardless of our fault, whether we were responsible for the release or whether the operations at the time of the release were lawful.
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Compliance with, or liabilities associated with violations of or remediation obligations under, environmental laws and regulations could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
We are subject to the reporting requirements of federal securities laws, which are expensive and subject us to potential liability.
We are a public reporting company in the United States and, accordingly, subject to the information and reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and other federal securities laws, and the compliance obligations of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The costs of preparing and filing annual and quarterly reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC and furnishing audited reports to stockholders causes our expenses to be higher than they would be if we remained a privately-held company. We could also be subject to sanctions or deregistration if we fail to keep up with or run afoul of our reporting obligations.
Our compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and SEC rules concerning internal controls is time consuming, difficult and costly.
Because we are a reporting company with the SEC, we must comply with Sarbanes-Oxley Act and SEC rules concerning internal controls. It is time consuming, difficult and costly for us to develop and implement the internal controls and reporting procedures required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. In order to expand our operations, we will need to hire additional financial reporting, internal control, and other finance staff in order to develop and implement appropriate internal controls and reporting procedures.
Risks Related to Our Common Stock and Securities
The issuance of common stock upon conversion of our outstanding Series A Convertible Preferred Stock will cause immediate and substantial dilution to existing shareholders.
As of the date of this Report, we have 1,000,000 outstanding shares of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock (“Series A Preferred Stock”), all of which were held by Michael McLaren, the Chief Executive Officer and director of the Company. Each holder of Series A Preferred Stock may, at its option, convert its shares of Series A Preferred Stock (each a “Series A Conversion”) into that number of shares of common stock equal to the holder’s pro rata share of all Series A Preferred Stock then issued and outstanding, multiplied by (i) 60%, minus the aggregate percentage of the Company’s outstanding common stock previously converted by holders of the Series A Preferred Stock, through such applicable date (the “Remaining Percentage”)(for example, if prior to the applicable date of determination, shares of Series A Preferred Stock have been converted into 3% of the outstanding shares of common stock as of such date of determination, the Remaining Percentage would be 57%), multiplied by (ii) the outstanding shares of our common stock as of the applicable date of determination, divided by 0.40, divided by (iii) the total number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock then outstanding. No individual conversion by any individual holder shall be in an amount greater than 9.99% of the outstanding common stock of the Company on the date on which the holder delivers notice of such conversion to the Company (the “Individual Conversion Limitation”). The result of the above, is that such Series A Preferred Stock is convertible into 60% of the Company’s outstanding common stock (on a post-conversion basis, i.e., 150% of the Company’s outstanding common stock on a pre-conversion basis) currently. For example, based on 195,000,000 total outstanding shares of common stock, the Series A Preferred Stock has the right to convert into = 195,000,000 shares, divided by 0.40 = 487,500,000 shares, multiplied by 60% = 292,500,000 total shares of common stock (which is also the total voting rights associated with the Series A Preferred Stock).
No individual conversion by any individual holder shall be in an amount greater than 9.99% of the outstanding common stock of the Company on the date on which the holder delivers notice of such conversion to the Company (the “Individual Conversion Limitation”). The result of the above, is that such Series A Preferred Stock is convertible into 60% of the Company’s outstanding common stock (on a post-conversion basis, i.e., 150% of the Company’s outstanding common stock on a pre-conversion basis) currently. The conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock into common stock of the Company will cause substantial dilution to the then holders of our common stock.
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For so long as any shares of the Series A Preferred Stock remain issued and outstanding, the holders thereof, voting separately as a class, shall have the right to vote on all shareholder matters (including, but not limited to at every meeting of the stockholders of the Company and upon any action taken by stockholders of the Company with or without a meeting) equal to the Remaining Percentage of the total vote (the “Total Series A Vote”). For example, if there are 195,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock issued and outstanding at the time of a shareholder vote, and the Remaining Percentage is 60%, the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class, will have the right to vote an aggregate of 292,500,000 shares, out of a total number of 487,500,000 shares voting. All Series A Shares shall vote together with the common stock on all shareholder matters as its own voting class.
Shareholders who hold unregistered shares of our common stock will be subject to resale restrictions pursuant to Rule 144, if and when available, due to the fact that we are deemed to be a former “shell company”.
Pursuant to Rule 144 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Rule 144”), a “shell company” is defined as a company that has no or nominal operations; and, either no or nominal assets; assets consisting solely of cash and cash equivalents; or assets consisting of any amount of cash and cash equivalents and nominal other assets. While we do not believe that we are currently a “shell company”, we were previously a “shell company” and as such are deemed to be a former “shell company” pursuant to Rule 144, and as such, sales of our securities pursuant to Rule 144 may not be able to be made if we are not subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, and have filed all of our required periodic reports for at least the previous one year period prior to any sale pursuant to Rule 144; and a period of at least twelve months has elapsed from the date “Form 10 information” has been filed with the Commission reflecting the Company’s status as a non-“shell company” (which Form 10 information was filed by the Company in August 2019). Although to date we have complied with the requirement of Rule 144 as related to “shell companies”, our status as a former “shell company” could prevent us from raising additional funds, engaging consultants, and using our securities to pay for any acquisitions in the future (although none are currently planned).
We have various outstanding convertible notes which are convertible into shares of our common stock at a discount to market.
As of December 31, 2022, we owed approximately $2,134,146 under various convertible promissory notes and as of the date of this Report we owe approximately $1,794,745 under various convertible promissory notes, many of which are in default. The conversion prices of the convertible notes are based on a discount to the market value of our common stock, subject in many cases to adjustments to the conversion prices upon defaults and anti-dilution and other rights which may result in such conversion prices declining (see also See also “Note 10 – Derivative Liabilities”, to the notes to financial statements included herein under “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data”). While no conversion of the notes can occur until we increase our authorized but unissued shares of common stock (or affect the planned reverse stock split), we expect additional conversions and sales to begin occurring shortly after we are able to increase our authorized but unissued shares of common stock. As a result, any conversion of the convertible notes and sale of shares of common stock issuable in connection with the conversion thereof may cause the value of our common stock to decline in value, as described in greater detail under the Risk Factors below.
The issuance and sale of common stock upon conversion of the convertible notes may depress the market price of our common stock.
If sequential conversions of the convertible notes and sales of such converted shares take place, the price of our common stock may decline, and as a result, the holders of the convertible notes will be entitled to receive an increasing number of shares in connection with conversions, which shares could then be sold in the market, triggering further price declines and conversions for even larger numbers of shares, to the detriment of our investors. The shares of common stock which the convertible notes are convertible into may be sold without restriction pursuant to Rule 144. As a result, the sale of these shares may adversely affect the market price, if any, of our common stock.
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In addition, the common stock issuable upon conversion of the convertible notes may represent overhang that may also adversely affect the market price of our common stock. Overhang occurs when there is a greater supply of a company’s stock in the market than there is demand for that stock. When this happens the price of the company’s stock will decrease, and any additional shares which shareholders attempt to sell in the market will only further decrease the share price. The convertible notes will be convertible into shares of our common stock at a discount to market as described above, and such discount to market provides the holders with the ability to sell their common stock at or below market and still make a profit. In the event of such overhang, the note holders will have an incentive to sell their common stock as quickly as possible. If the share volume of our common stock cannot absorb the discounted shares, then the value of our common stock will likely decrease. Notwithstanding the above, we hope to repay the convertible notes in full before any conversions take place.
The issuance of common stock upon conversion of our outstanding convertible notes will cause immediate and substantial dilution.
The issuance of common stock upon conversion of the convertible notes will result in immediate and substantial dilution to the interests of other stockholders since the holders of the convertible notes may ultimately receive and sell the full number of shares issuable in connection with the conversion of such convertible notes. Although certain of the convertible notes may not be converted if such conversion would cause the holders thereof to own more than 4.99% or 9.99% of our outstanding common stock, this restriction does not prevent the holders of the convertible notes subject to such restrictions from converting some of their holdings, selling those shares, and then converting the rest of its holdings, while still staying below the 4.99%/9.99% limit. In this way, the holders of the convertible notes could sell more than any applicable ownership limit while never actually holding more shares than the applicable limits allow. If the holders of the convertible notes choose to do this, it will cause substantial dilution to the then holders of our common stock.
We currently have no authorized but unissued shares of common stock.
We have authorized capital stock consisting of 195,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share. As of the date of this filing, we had 195,000,000 shares of common stock outstanding and no shares of common stock available for future issuance. However, effective on May 10, 2023, our majority shareholder approved the filing of a Certificate of Amendment to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation to increase the Company’s authorized number of shares of Common Stock from 195 million shares to one billion 995 million shares, which cannot be effective until any earlier than June 24, 2023. In the short term we believe that the cap on our outstanding shares may be a positive as it will limit the future dilution to existing shareholders as a result of the conversion of outstanding convertible notes; however, in the long term, until such time as we are able to increase our authorized shares of common stock, we anticipate that such limit may negatively affect our ability to undertake transactions which may be accretive to shareholder value. For example, until such time as our authorized shares of common stock are increased, we will not be able to use our common stock as consideration for any acquisitions. Furthermore, we will not be able to sell equity or convertible debt to raise funding or issue share-based compensation to officers, directors, employees, or consultants. All of the above may negatively affect our revenues and results of operations and cause the value of our common stock to decline in value or become worthless.
The issuance of common stock upon the increase in our authorized shares will cause immediate and substantial dilution.
Following the increase in our authorized but unissued shares of common stock as discussed above, we expect to issue an additional significant number of shares of common stock in consideration for compensation, upon conversion of outstanding convertible securities, and for other consideration as approved by the Board of Directors of the Company. Such issuances are expected to result in immediate and substantial dilution to the interests of other stockholders.
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The issuance and sale of common stock upon conversion of our outstanding Series A Preferred Stock may depress the market price of our common stock.
If conversions of our outstanding Series A Preferred Stock and sales of such converted shares take place, the price of our common stock may decline. In addition, the common stock issuable upon conversion of our outstanding Series A Preferred Stock may represent overhang that may also adversely affect the market price of our common stock. Overhang occurs when there is a greater supply of a company’s stock in the market than there is demand for that stock. When this happens the price of the company’s stock will decrease, and any additional shares which shareholders attempt to sell in the market will only further decrease the share price. If the share volume of our common stock cannot absorb converted shares sold by the holder of the Series A Preferred Stock, then the value of our common stock will likely decrease.
The continuously adjustable conversion price feature of the convertible notes could require us to issue a substantially greater number of shares, which may adversely affect the market price of our common stock and cause dilution to our existing stockholders.
Our existing stockholders will experience substantial dilution upon any conversion of the convertible notes. The convertible notes are convertible into shares of common stock at a conversion price equal to a discount to the market value of our common stock as described above. As a result, the number of shares issuable could prove to be significantly greater in the event of a decrease in the trading price of our common stock, which decrease would cause substantial dilution to our existing stockholders. As sequential conversions and sales take place, the price of our common stock may decline, and if so, the holders of the convertible notes would be entitled to receive an increasing number of shares, which could then be sold, triggering further price declines and conversions for even larger numbers of shares, which would cause additional dilution to our existing stockholders and would likely cause the value of our common stock to decline.
We could face significant penalties for our failure to comply with the terms of our outstanding convertible notes.
Our various convertible notes contain positive and negative covenants and customary events of default including requiring us in many cases to timely file SEC reports. In the event we fail to timely file our SEC reports in the future, or any other events of defaults occur under the notes, we could face significant penalties and/or liquidated damages and/or the conversion price of such notes could be adjusted downward significantly, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition, or cause any investment in the Company to decline in value or become worthless.
Certain of our outstanding warrants to purchase shares of common stock and convertible note contain anti-dilution rights and favored nation rights, and certain of our securities purchase agreements include favored nations rights.
We have outstanding warrants to purchase 387,560 shares of common stock which were originally granted with exercise prices at $0.004 per share, include anti-dilution and favored nations rights. Pursuant to such rights, subject to certain exceptions, in the event we issued securities below the then exercise price, the exercise price of the warrants is reduced to the lower of such dilutive issuance or the volume weighted average price (VWAP) of our common stock on the next trading day following the first public disclosure of such dilutive issuance, subject to certain exceptions which may reduce such exercise price further in certain cases, including the issuance of units. Certain of these warrants also include anti-dilution rights which provides for a reduction of the exercise price to match the price per share of any dilutive issuance made while the warrant is outstanding, subject to certain exceptions.
Pursuant to the Greentree Financial Group, Inc. (“GreenTree”) convertible note, if at any time while the note is outstanding, the Company grants, issues or sells any common stock, options to purchase common stock, securities convertible into common stock or rights relating to common stock (the “Purchase Rights”) to any person, entity, association, or other organization other than GreenTree, at a price per share less than the conversion price then in effect, then the conversion price is automatically reduced to match the price per share of the Purchase Rights.
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If in the future we issue securities at prices less than the warrant exercise price or note conversion price, the exercise price of the warrants and conversion price of the notes will be reduced to such lower amount. Certain of such warrants also include favored nations provisions which could be triggered in the future and could materially change the terms of the warrants. In the event any anti-dilution or favored nations provisions of the warrants or convertible note are triggered, it may cause the terms of such warrants or convertible note to be materially amended in favor of the holders thereof, cause significant dilution to existing shareholders, and otherwise have a material adverse effect on the Company.
Our outstanding convertible promissory notes include favored nations rights.
All of our outstanding convertible promissory notes include provisions which provide that, so long as such notes are outstanding, upon any issuance by the Company (or under certain notes, any of its subsidiaries) of any security, or amendment to a security that was originally issued, with any term that the holder of such note reasonably believes is more favorable to the holder of such security or with a term in favor of the holder of such security that the holder reasonably believes was not similarly provided to the holder in such note, then at the option of the holder, such term may become part of the holder’s notes. The types of terms contained in another security that may be more favorable to the holder of such security include, but are not limited to, terms addressing prepayment rate, interest rates, and original issue discounts. Such favored nations provisions could be triggered in the future and could materially change the terms of the notes. In the event any favored nations provisions of the notes are triggered, it may cause the terms of such notes to be materially amended in favor of the holders thereof, cause significant dilution to existing shareholders, and otherwise have a material adverse effect on the Company.
The issuance and sale of common stock upon exercise of warrants may cause substantial dilution to existing stockholders and may also depress the market price of our common stock.
As of the date of this Report, we had a total of 387,560 warrants outstanding, of which a) 120,834 warrants have an exercise price of $0.004 per share and mature on January 6, 2026, b) 44,502 warrants have an exercise price of $0.004 per share and mature on June 24, 2026, and c) 222,224 warrants mature between November 23, 2026 and December 2, 2026 and have an exercise price equal to either i) in the event of the Company’s listing on a national exchange by May 23, 2022, at a price equal to 120% of the offering price upon uplisting, or ii) $0.004 per share. The warrants contain provisions limiting each holder’s ability to exercise the warrants if such exercise would cause the holder’s (or any affiliate of any such holder) holdings in the Company to exceed 9.99% of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares of common stock (4.99% in connection with the Warrants). The ownership limitation does not prevent such holder from exercising some of the warrants, selling those shares, and then exercising the rest of the warrants, while still staying below the 9.99% limit (4.99% in connection with the Warrants). In this way, the holders of the warrants could sell more than this limit while never actually holding more shares than this limit allows. If the holders of the warrants choose to do this, it will cause substantial dilution to the then holders of our common stock.
If exercises of the warrants and sales of such shares issuable upon exercise thereof take place, the price of our common stock may decline. In addition, the common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants may represent overhang that may also adversely affect the market price of our common stock. Overhang occurs when there is a greater supply of a company’s stock in the market than there is demand for that stock. When this happens the price of the company’s stock will decrease, and any additional shares which shareholders attempt to sell in the market will only further decrease the share price. If the share volume of our common stock cannot absorb shares sold by the warrant holders, then the value of our common stock will likely decrease.
We currently owe a significant amount of money under our outstanding convertible notes.
As of the date of this Report, we owe approximately $1,794,745 under outstanding convertible and non-convertible promissory notes. We do not have sufficient funds to repay such notes and if we are unable to raise additional funds in the future to repay such amounts, which may not be available on favorable terms, if at all, such failure could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations and cause any investment in the Company to decline in value or become worthless.
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We have established preferred stock which can be designated by the Company’s Board of Directors without shareholder approval and the board has established Series A Preferred Stock, which gives the holders majority voting power over the Company.
The Company has 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock authorized. The shares of preferred stock of the Company may be issued from time to time in one or more series, each of which shall have a distinctive designation or title as shall be determined by the board of directors of the Company prior to the issuance of any shares thereof. The preferred stock shall have such voting powers, full or limited, or no voting powers, and such preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights and such qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof as adopted by the board of directors. As discussed above under “The issuance of common stock upon conversion of our outstanding Series A Convertible Preferred Stock will cause immediate and substantial dilution to existing shareholders”, we have 1,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding.
Because the board of directors is able to designate the powers and preferences of the preferred stock without the vote of a majority of the Company’s shareholders, shareholders of the Company will have no control over what designations and preferences the Company’s preferred stock will have. The issuance of shares of preferred stock or the rights associated therewith, could cause substantial dilution to our existing shareholders. Additionally, the dilutive effect of any preferred stock which we may issue may be exacerbated given the fact that such preferred stock may have voting rights and/or other rights or preferences which could provide the preferred shareholders with substantial voting control over us and/or give those holders the power to prevent or cause a change in control, even if that change in control might benefit our shareholders (similar to the Series A Preferred Stock). As a result, the issuance of shares of preferred stock may cause the value of our securities to decrease.
Stockholders may be diluted significantly through our efforts to obtain financing and satisfy obligations through the issuance of additional shares of our common stock.
We have no committed source of financing. Wherever possible, our board of directors will attempt to use non-cash consideration to satisfy obligations. In many instances, we believe that the non-cash consideration will consist of restricted shares of our common stock. Our board of directors has authority, without action or vote of the stockholders, to issue all or part of the authorized but unissued shares of common stock and designate series of preferred stock. In addition, if a trading market develops for our common stock, we may attempt to raise capital by selling shares of our common stock (or convertible securities), possibly at a discount to market. These actions will result in dilution of the ownership interests of existing stockholders, may further dilute common stock book value, and that dilution may be material. Such issuances may also serve to enhance existing management’s ability to maintain control of the Company because the shares may be issued to parties or entities committed to supporting existing management.
We are currently not in compliance with the continued quotation standards of the OTCQB market and there is no guarantee that we will be able to comply with the OTCQB market continued quotation standards in the future.
For our common stock to be quoted on the OTCQB market, we must, among other things, (a) file our periodic reports with the SEC; and (b) maintain a minimum bid price of $0.01 per share as of the close of the business day at least one time per 30 consecutive calendar days. We are not currently in compliance with these continued quotation standards as we did not timely file this Annual Report, have not timely filed our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, and do not currently comply with the minimum bid price requirement. The OTCQB market has provided us an extension until June 2, 2023, to file this Annual Report and until June 25, 2023, to cure our failure to comply with the bid price deficiency. We were not able to file the Annual Report within that time requirement and do not expect to be able to comply with the bid price deficiency by June 25, 2023. If our common stock is removed from the OTCQB market, our common stock will trade on the OTC Pink market and it may be difficult to sell your shares of common stock if you desire or need to sell them. Quotation of our common stock on the OTC Pink market may severely limit the market liquidity of our common stock and the ability of our shareholders to sell our common stock in the secondary market. If our common stock is delisted from the OTCQB market, an investor may find it more difficult to sell our securities or obtain accurate quotations as to the market value of our securities.
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We currently have a sporadic and volatile market for our common stock, and the market for our common stock may remain sporadic and volatile in the future.
We currently have a highly sporadic and volatile market for our common stock, which market is anticipated to remain volatile in the future. Factors that could affect our stock price or result in fluctuations in the market price or trading volume of our common stock include:
| ● | our actual or anticipated operating and financial performance and drilling locations, including reserves estimates; | |
| ● | quarterly variations in the rate of growth of our financial indicators, such as net income per share, net income and cash flows, or those of companies that are perceived to be similar to us; | |
| ● | changes in revenue, cash flows or earnings estimates or publication of reports by equity research analysts; | |
| ● | speculation in the press or investment community; | |
| ● | public reaction to our press releases, announcements and filings with the SEC; | |
| ● | sales of our common stock by us or other stockholders, or the perception that such sales may occur; | |
| ● | the limited amount of our freely tradable common stock available in the public marketplace; | |
| ● | general financial market conditions and oil and natural gas industry market conditions, including fluctuations in commodity prices; | |
| ● | the realization of any of the risk factors presented in this Annual Report; | |
| ● | the recruitment or departure of key personnel; | |
| ● | commencement of, or involvement in, litigation; | |
| ● | the prices of oil and natural gas; | |
| ● | the success of our exploration and development operations, and the marketing of any oil and natural gas we produce; | |
| ● | changes in market valuations of companies similar to ours; and | |
| ● | domestic and international economic, health, legal and regulatory factors unrelated to our performance. |
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Our stock price may be impacted by factors that are unrelated or disproportionate to our operating performance. The stock markets in general 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. Additionally, general economic, political and market conditions, such as recessions, interest rates or international currency fluctuations may adversely affect the market price of our common stock. Due to the volume of our shares which trade, we believe that our stock prices (bid, ask and closing prices) may not be related to our actual value, and not reflect the actual value of our common stock. Stockholders and potential investors in our common stock should exercise caution before making an investment in us.
Additionally, as a result of the potential illiquidity and sporadic trading of our common stock, investors may not be interested in owning our common stock because of the inability to acquire or sell a substantial block of our common stock at one time. This may have an adverse effect on the market price of our common stock. In addition, a stockholder may not be able to borrow funds using our common stock as collateral because lenders may be unwilling to accept the pledge of securities having such a limited market. We cannot assure you that an active trading market for our common stock will develop or, if one develops, be sustained.
Our common stock is currently subject to penny stock rules, which may make it more difficult for our stockholders to sell their common stock.
Broker-dealer practices in connection with transactions in “penny stocks” are regulated by certain penny stock rules adopted by the SEC. Penny stocks generally are equity securities with a price of less than $5.00 per share. The penny stock rules require a broker-dealer, prior to a purchase or sale of a penny stock not otherwise exempt from the rules, to deliver to the customer a standardized risk disclosure document that provides information about penny stocks and the risks in the penny stock market. The broker-dealer also must provide the customer with current bid and offer quotations for the penny stock, the compensation of the broker-dealer and its salesperson in the transaction, and monthly account statements showing the market value of each penny stock held in the customer’s account. In addition, the penny stock rules generally require that prior to a transaction in a penny stock the broker-dealer make a special written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for the purchaser and receive the purchaser’s written agreement to the transaction. These disclosure requirements may have the effect of reducing the level of trading activity in the secondary market for a stock that becomes subject to the penny stock rules.
Our Chief Executive Officer and director holds majority voting control over the Company.
Our Chief Executive Officer and director, Michael McLaren, beneficially owns 60% of our voting stock pursuant to his ownership of the 1,000 outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, which gives him control over approximately 60% of our voting securities. For so long as any shares of the Series A Preferred Stock remain issued and outstanding, the holders thereof, voting separately as a class, shall have the right to vote on all shareholder matters (including, but not limited to at every meeting of the stockholders of the Company and upon any action taken by stockholders of the Company with or without a meeting) equal to the Remaining Percentage of the total vote (the “Total Series A Vote”). For example, if there are 195,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock issued and outstanding at the time of a shareholder vote, and the Remaining Percentage is 60%, the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class, will have the right to vote an aggregate of 292,500,000 shares, out of a total number of 487,500,000 shares voting. All Series A Shares shall vote together with the common stock on all shareholder matters as its own voting class. Additionally, so long as Series A Preferred Stock is outstanding, the Company shall not, without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66-2/3% of all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class (i) amend, alter or repeal any provision of the Articles of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Company so as to adversely affect the designations, preferences, limitations and relative rights of the Series A Preferred Stock, (ii) effect any reclassification of the Series A Preferred Stock, (iii) designate any additional series of preferred stock, the designation of which adversely effects the rights, privileges, preferences or limitations of the Series A Preferred Stock; or (iv) amend, alter or repeal any provision of the Series A Designation (except in connection with certain non-material technical amendments).
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As a result, Mr. McLaren has the ability to influence matters affecting our stockholders and will therefore exercise control in determining the outcome of all corporate transactions or other matters, including the election of directors, mergers, consolidations, the sale of all or substantially all of our assets, and also the power to prevent or cause a change in control. Any investor who purchases shares will be a minority stockholder and as such will have little to no say in the direction of the Company and the election of directors. Additionally, it will be difficult if not impossible for investors to remove Mr. McLaren as a director, which will mean he will remain in control of who serves as officers of the Company as well as whether any changes are made in the board of directors. As a potential investor in the Company, you should keep in mind that even if you own shares of the Company’s common stock and wish to vote them at annual or special stockholder meetings, your shares will likely have little effect on the outcome of corporate decisions. Because Mr. McLaren controls such vote, investors may find it difficult to replace our management if they disagree with the way our business is being operated. Additionally, the interests of Mr. McLaren may differ from the interests of the other stockholders and thus result in corporate decisions that are averse to other stockholders.
We currently have limited operations and may not generate significant revenues or be profitable in the future.
Our current operations consist solely of oil and gas exploration. and oil and gas services We may not be successful in our planned operations in the future and can make no assurances that we will be able to generate significant revenues in the future, that we will have sufficient funding to support our operations and pay our expenses, or that we will ever become profitable. In the event we are unable to generate revenues and/or support our operations, we will be forced to curtail and/or abandon our current business plan and any investment in the Company could become worthless.
Risks Related to the Planned Reverse Stock Split
Effective on May 10, 2023, Marble Trital Inc., which entity is beneficially owned by Mr. Michael McLaren, our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, due to his ownership of 100% of Marble Trital Inc. and his position as Chief Executive Officer thereof, the holder of 1,000,000 shares of the Company’s Series A Preferred Stock, representing 292,500,000 voting shares as of such date or 60.0% of the 487,500,000 total voting shares as of such date (the “Majority Shareholder”), executed a written consent in lieu of a special meeting of shareholders (the “Majority Shareholder Consent”), approving the following matters, which had previously been approved by the Board of directors of the Company on April 19, 2023, and had recommended that such matters be presented to the Majority Shareholder for its approval on the same date:
| ● | the approval of the filing of a Certificate of Amendment to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation to affect a name change of the Company from “American International Holdings Corp.” to “Cycle Energy Corp.”; |
| ● | the filing of a Certificate of Amendment to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation to increase the Company’s authorized number of shares of Common Stock from 195 million shares to one billion 995 million shares; and |
| ● | the grant of discretionary authority for our Board of Directors, without further shareholder approval, to effect a reverse stock split of all of the outstanding common stock of the Company, by the filing of an amendment to our Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of Nevada, in a ratio of between 1-for-10 and 1-for-1,000, with the Company’s Board of Directors having the discretion as to whether or not the reverse split is to be effected, and with the exact exchange ratio of any reverse split to be set at a whole number within the above range as determined by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion, at any time before April 19, 2024. |
In accordance with Rule 14c-2 of the Exchange Act, the corporate actions will be effective no earlier than forty (40) days after the date notice of the internet availability of the Information Statement describing the above is first sent to shareholders, which we expect to be on or approximately June 24, 2023.
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Notwithstanding such approval, the reverse stock split is subject to approval of the final reverse ratio by the Board of Directors of the Company and approval thereof by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA), which approval has not been received yet, and may not be received on a timely basis, if all.
We anticipate effecting a reverse stock split of our outstanding common stock in the future.
We expect that the reverse stock split will increase the market price of our common stock; however, the effect of a reverse stock split upon the market price of our common stock cannot be predicted with certainty, and the results of reverse stock splits by companies in similar circumstances have been varied. It is possible that the market price of our common stock following the reverse stock split will not increase in the ratio of the split, or if it does, that such price will be not be sustained.
The reverse stock split may decrease the liquidity of the shares of our common stock.
The liquidity of the shares of our common stock may be affected adversely by the reverse stock split given the reduced number of shares that will be outstanding following the reverse stock split. In addition, the reverse stock split may increase the number of stockholders who own odd lots (less than 100 shares) of our common stock, creating the potential for such stockholders to experience an increase in the cost of selling their shares and greater difficulty affecting such sales.
The reverse stock split may not increase our stock price over the long-term.
The principal purpose of the reverse stock split is to increase the per-share market price of our common stock. It cannot be assured, however, that the reverse stock split will accomplish this objective for any meaningful period. While it is expected that the reduction in the number of outstanding shares of common stock will proportionally increase the market price of the Company’s common stock, it cannot be assured that the reverse stock split will increase the market price of our common stock by a multiple of the proposed reverse stock split ratio, or result in any permanent or sustained increase in the market price of our common stock, which is dependent upon many factors, including our business and financial performance, general market conditions, and prospects for future success.
General Risk Factors
We will continue to incur increased costs as a result of being a reporting company, and given our limited capital resources, such additional costs may have an adverse impact on our profitability.
We are an SEC reporting company. The rules and regulations under the Exchange Act require reporting companies to provide periodic reports with interactive data files, which require that we engage legal, accounting and auditing professionals, and eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) and EDGAR (Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval) service providers. The engagement of such services can be costly, and we may continue to incur additional losses, which may adversely affect our ability to continue as a going concern. In addition, the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002, as well as a variety of related rules implemented by the SEC, have required changes in corporate governance practices and generally increased the disclosure requirements of public companies. For example, as a result of being a reporting company, we are required to file periodic and current reports and other information with the SEC and we have adopted policies regarding disclosure controls and procedures and regularly evaluate those controls and procedures.
The additional costs we continue to incur in connection with becoming a reporting company (expected to be approximately a hundred thousand dollars per year) will continue to further stretch our limited capital resources. Due to our limited resources, we have to allocate resources away from other productive uses in order to continue to comply with our obligations as an SEC reporting company. Further, there is no guarantee that we will have sufficient resources to continue to meet our reporting and filing obligations with the SEC as they come due.
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Our acquisitions may expose us to unknown liabilities.
Because we have acquired, and expect generally to acquire, all (or a majority of) the outstanding securities of certain of our acquisition targets, our investment in those companies is or will be subject to all of their liabilities other than their respective debts which we paid or will pay at the time of the acquisitions. If there are unknown liabilities or other obligations, our business could be materially affected. We may also experience issues relating to internal controls over financial reporting that could affect our ability to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, or that could affect our ability to comply with other applicable laws.
We may have difficulty obtaining future funding sources, if needed, and we may have to accept terms that would adversely affect stockholders.
We will need to raise funds from additional financings in the future to complete our business plan and may need to raise additional funding in the future to support our operations. We have no commitments for any financing and any financing commitments may result in dilution to our existing stockholders. We may have difficulty obtaining additional funding, and we may have to accept terms that would adversely affect our stockholders. For example, the terms of any future financings may impose restrictions on our right to declare dividends or on the manner in which we conduct our business. Additionally, we may raise funding by issuing additional convertible notes, which if converted into shares of our common stock would dilute our then stockholders’ interests. Lending institutions or private investors may impose restrictions on a future decision by us to make capital expenditures, acquisitions or significant asset sales. If we are unable to raise additional funds, we may be forced to curtail or even abandon our business plan.
If we make any acquisitions, they may disrupt or have a negative impact on our business.
If we make acquisitions in the future, funding permitting, which may not be available on favorable terms, if at all, we could have difficulty integrating the acquired company’s assets, personnel and operations with our own. We do not anticipate that any acquisitions or mergers we may enter into in the future would result in a change of control of the Company. In addition, the key personnel of the acquired business may not be willing to work for us. We cannot predict the effect expansion may have on our core business. Regardless of whether we are successful in making an acquisition, the negotiations could disrupt our ongoing business, distract our management and employees and increase our expenses. In addition to the risks described above, acquisitions are accompanied by a number of inherent risks, including, without limitation, the following:
| ● | the difficulty of integrating acquired products, services or operations; |
| ● | the potential disruption of the ongoing businesses and distraction of our management and the management of acquired companies; |
| ● | difficulties in maintaining uniform standards, controls, procedures and policies; |
| ● | the potential impairment of relationships with employees and customers as a result of any integration of new management personnel; |
| ● | the potential inability or failure to achieve additional sales and enhance our customer base through cross-marketing of the products to new and existing customers; |
| ● | the effect of any government regulations which relate to the business acquired; |
| ● | potential unknown liabilities associated with acquired businesses or product lines, or the need to spend significant amounts to retool, reposition or modify the marketing and sales of acquired products or operations, or the defense of any litigation, whether or not successful, resulting from actions of the acquired company prior to our acquisition; and |
| ● | potential expenses under the labor, environmental and other laws of various jurisdictions. |
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Our business could be severely impaired if and to the extent that we are unable to succeed in addressing any of these risks or other problems encountered in connection with an acquisition, many of which cannot be presently identified. These risks and problems could disrupt our ongoing business, distract our management and employees, increase our expenses and adversely affect our results of operations.
Current global financial conditions have been characterized by increased volatility which could negatively impact our business, prospects, liquidity and financial condition.
Current global financial conditions and recent market events have been characterized by increased volatility and the resulting tightening of the credit and capital markets has reduced the amount of available liquidity and overall economic activity. We cannot guarantee that debt or equity financing, the ability to borrow funds or cash generated by operations will be available or sufficient to meet or satisfy our initiatives, objectives or requirements. Our inability to access sufficient amounts of capital on terms acceptable to us for our operations will negatively impact our business, prospects, liquidity and financial condition.
Our ability to service our indebtedness will depend on our ability to generate cash in the future.
Our ability to make payments on our indebtedness will depend on our ability to generate cash in the future. Our ability to generate cash is subject to general economic and market conditions and financial, competitive, legislative, regulatory and other factors that are beyond our control. Our business may not generate sufficient cash to fund our working capital requirements, capital expenditure, debt service and other liquidity needs, which could result in our inability to comply with financial and other covenants contained in our debt agreements, our being unable to repay or pay interest on our indebtedness, and our inability to fund our other liquidity needs. If we are unable to service our debt obligations, fund our other liquidity needs and maintain compliance with our financial and other covenants, we could be forced to curtail our operations, our creditors could accelerate our indebtedness and exercise other remedies and we could be required to pursue one or more alternative strategies, such as selling assets or refinancing or restructuring our indebtedness. However, such alternatives may not be feasible or adequate.
We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends.
We presently do not anticipate that we will pay any dividends on any of our capital stock in the foreseeable future. The payment of dividends, if any, would be contingent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements, and general financial condition. The payment of any dividends will be within the discretion of our board of directors. We presently intend to retain all earnings, if any, to implement our business plan; accordingly, we do not anticipate the declaration of any dividends in the foreseeable future.
The Company does not insure against all potential losses, which could result in significant financial exposure.
The Company does not have commercial insurance or third-party indemnities to fully cover all operational risks or potential liability in the event of a significant incident or series of incidents causing catastrophic loss. As a result, the Company is, to a substantial extent, self-insured for such events. The Company relies on existing liquidity, financial resources and borrowing capacity to meet short-term obligations that would arise from such an event or series of events. The occurrence of a significant incident, series of events, or unforeseen liability for which the Company is self-insured, not fully insured or for which insurance recovery is significantly delayed could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations or financial condition.
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Increasing attention to environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) matters may impact our business.
Increasing attention to ESG matters, including those related to climate change and sustainability, increasing societal, investor and legislative pressure on companies to address ESG matters, may result in increased costs, reduced profits, increased investigations and litigation or threats thereof, negative impacts on our stock price and access to capital markets, and damage to our reputation. Increasing attention to climate change, for example, may result in demand shifts for hydrocarbon and additional governmental investigations and private litigation, or threats thereof, against the Company. In addition, organizations that provide information to investors on corporate governance and related matters have developed ratings processes for evaluating companies on their approach to ESG matters, including climate change and climate-related risks. Such ratings are used by some investors to inform their investment and voting decisions. Also, some stakeholders, including but not limited to sovereign wealth, pension, and endowment funds, have been divesting and promoting divestment of or screening out of fossil fuel equities and urging lenders to limit funding to companies engaged in the extraction of fossil fuel reserves. Unfavorable ESG ratings and investment community divestment initiatives, among other actions, may lead to negative investor sentiment toward the Company and to the diversion of investment to other industries, which could have a negative impact on our stock price and our access to and costs of capital. Additionally, evolving expectations on various ESG matters, including biodiversity, waste and water, may increase costs, require changes in how we operate and lead to negative stakeholder sentiment.
Global economic conditions could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and growth.
Adverse macroeconomic conditions, including inflation, slower growth or recession, new or increased tariffs, changes to fiscal and monetary policy, tighter credit, higher interest rates, high unemployment and currency fluctuations could materially adversely affect our operations, expenses, access to capital and the market for oil and gas. In addition, uncertainty about, or a decline in, global or regional economic conditions could have a significant impact on our expected funding sources, suppliers and partners. A downturn in the economic environment could also lead to limitations on our ability to issue new debt; reduced liquidity; and declines in the fair value of our financial instruments. These and other economic factors could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and growth.
We may be adversely affected by climate change or by legal, regulatory or market responses to such change.
The long-term effects of climate change are difficult to predict; however, such effects may be widespread. Impacts from climate change may include physical risks (such as rising sea levels or frequency and severity of extreme weather conditions), social and human effects (such as population dislocations or harm to health and well-being), compliance costs and transition risks (such as regulatory or technology changes) and other adverse effects. The effects of climate change could increase the cost of certain products, commodities and energy (including utilities), which in turn may impact our ability to procure goods or services required for the operation of our business. Climate change could also lead to increased costs as a result of physical damage to or destruction of our facilities, equipment and business interruption due to weather events that may be attributable to climate change. These events and impacts could materially adversely affect our business operations, financial position or results of operation.
We might be adversely impacted by changes in accounting standards.
Our consolidated financial statements are subject to the application of U.S. GAAP, which periodically is revised or reinterpreted. From time to time, we are required to adopt new or revised accounting standards issued by recognized authoritative bodies, including the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) and the SEC. It is possible that future accounting standards may require changes to the accounting treatment in our consolidated financial statements and may require us to make significant changes to our financial systems. Such changes might have a materially adverse impact on our financial position or results of operations.
General Risks
Our sector and the broader U.S. economy experienced higher than expected inflationary pressures in 2022 related to continued supply chain disruptions, labor shortages and geopolitical instability. Should these conditions persist, it may impact our ability to procure materials and equipment on a cost-effective basis, or at all, and, as a result, our business, results of operations and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected.
Throughout 2022, we experienced significant increases in the costs of certain materials, including steel, sand and fuel, as a result of availability constraints, supply chain disruption, increased demand, labor shortages associated with a fully employed US labor force, inflation and other factors. Though we incorporated inflationary factors into our 2022 business plan, inflation outpaced those original assumptions and, while we have incorporated inflationary factors into our 2023 business plan, inflation may outpace those assumptions. These challenges are due in large measure to increased demand for oil and gas production driven by the continued economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and more broadly, systemic underinvestment in global oil and gas development. These supply and demand fundamentals have been further aggravated by disruptions in global energy supply caused by multiple geopolitical events, including the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. We continue to undertake actions and implement plans to strengthen our supply chain to address these pressures and protect the requisite access to commodities and services. Nevertheless, we expect for the foreseeable future to experience supply chain constraints and may continue to experience inflationary pressure on our cost structure. These supply chain constraints and inflationary pressures may continue to adversely impact our cost of operations and if we are unable to manage our global supply chain, it may impact our ability to procure materials and equipment in a timely and cost-effective manner, if at all, which could result in reduced margins and production delays and, as a result, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected.
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We are subject to income- and non-income-based taxes in the United States under federal, state, and local jurisdictions and in the foreign jurisdictions in which we operate. Tax laws, regulations and administrative practices in various jurisdictions may be subject to significant change, with or without advance notice, due to economic, political and other conditions, and significant judgment is required in evaluating and estimating our provision and accruals for these taxes. Our tax liabilities could be affected by numerous factors, such as changes in tax, accounting and other laws, regulations, administrative practices, principles and interpretations, the mix and level of earnings in a given taxing jurisdiction or our ownership or capital structure. For example, on August 16, 2022, the United States enacted the IRA, which is highly complex, subject to interpretation, and contains significant changes to U.S. tax law including, but not limited to, a 15% corporate book minimum tax and a 1% excise tax on stock repurchases. The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the IRS are expected to release further regulations and interpretive guidance implementing the legislation contained in the IRA, but the details and timing of such regulations are subject to uncertainty at this time. The tax provisions of the IRA which may apply to us are generally effective in 2023 or later and therefore tax impacts to us in 2022 were immaterial. However, it is possible that the enactment of changes in the U.S. corporate tax system, including in connection with the IRA, could have a material effect on our consolidated cash taxes in the future.
Outbreaks of communicable diseases, such as COVID-19, have adversely affected and may continue to adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Global or national health concerns, including a widespread outbreak of contagious disease, can, among other impacts, negatively impact the global economy, reduce demand and pricing for crude oil, NGLs and natural gas, lead to operational disruptions and limit our ability to execute on our business plan, any of which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Furthermore, uncertainty regarding the impact of any outbreak of contagious disease could lead to increased volatility in crude oil, NGLs and natural gas prices.
For example, the novel coronavirus global pandemic, known as COVID-19, had a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations in 2020. The early effects of COVID-19 included a substantial decline in demand for crude oil, condensate, NGLs, natural gas and other petroleum hydrocarbons, along with a corresponding deterioration in prices. While demand for crude oil, condensate, NGLs, natural gas and other petroleum hydrocarbons significantly recovered as the COVID-19 pandemic evolved, we are unable to predict the future impact of COVID-19 (including the emergence, contagiousness and threat of new and different strains), or a widespread outbreak of another contagious disease, on overall economic activity and the demand for, and pricing of, our products. COVID-19, or a widespread outbreak of another contagious disease, could have a negative impact on our operations; impact the ability of our counterparties to perform their obligations; result in voluntary and involuntary curtailments, delays or cancellations of certain drilling activities; impair the quantity or value of our reserves; result in transportation and storage capacity constraints; cause shortages of key personnel, including employees, contractors and subcontractors; interrupt global supply chains; increase impairments and associated charges to our earnings; impact our cash on hand, uses of cash and cause a decrease to our financial flexibility and liquidity. In addition, the risks associated with COVID-19 impacted, and COVID-19, or a widespread outbreak of another contagious disease, may in the future impact our workforce and the way we meet our business objectives, and such impact may be material. The extent to which the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic will impact our business and our financial results will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted.
Our business could be negatively impacted by cyberattacks targeting our computer and telecommunications systems and infrastructure or targeting those of our third-party service providers.
Our business, like other companies in the oil and gas industry, has become increasingly dependent on digital technologies, including technologies that are managed by third-party service providers or other providers of goods or services to our industry on whom we directly or indirectly rely on to help us collect, host or process information. Such technologies are integrated into our business operations and used as a part of our production and distribution systems in the U.S. and abroad, including those systems used to transport production to market, to enable communications and to provide a host of other support services for our business. Accordingly, our use of the internet and other public networks for communications, services and storage, including “cloud” computing, exposes us and our users to cybersecurity risks.
Changes in U.S. and international tax rules and regulations, or interpretations thereof, may materially and adversely affect our cash flows, results of operations and financial condition.
There is no guarantee that our security measures will provide absolute security. We may not be able to anticipate, detect or prevent cyberattacks, particularly because the methodologies used by attackers change frequently or may not be recognized until launched, and because attackers are increasingly using techniques designed to circumvent controls and avoid detection. We and our third-party service providers may therefore be vulnerable to security events that are beyond our control, and we may be the target of cyber-attacks, as well as physical attacks, which could result in the unauthorized access to our information systems or data, the data of our customers and our employees or significant disruption to our business. These attacks could adversely impact our business operations, our revenue and profits, our ability to comply with legal, contractual and regulatory requirements, our reputation and goodwill, as well as result in legal risk, enforcement actions and litigation. Our information systems and related infrastructure have experienced attempted and actual instances of unauthorized access in the past, but we have not suffered any losses or breaches which had a material effect on our business, operations or reputation relating to such attacks; however, there is no assurance that we will not suffer such losses or breaches in the future.
As cyberattacks continue to evolve, we may be required to expend significant additional resources to respond to cyberattacks, to continue to modify or enhance our protective measures, or to investigate and remediate any information systems and related infrastructure security vulnerabilities. Additionally, the continuing and evolving threat of cybersecurity attacks has resulted in evolving legal and compliance matters, including increased regulatory focus on prevention, which could require us to expend significant additional resources to meet such requirements. We may also be subject to regulatory investigations or litigation relating from cybersecurity issues.
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Our business may be materially adversely affected by negative publicity.
From time to time, political and public sentiment with respect to, or impacts by, the oil and gas industry may result in adverse press coverage and other adverse public statements affecting our business. Additionally, though we believe we can achieve our voluntary company targets and goals, any failure to realize or perception of failure to realize voluntary targets or long-term goals, including GHG emissions targets and other environmental objectives, could lead to adverse press coverage and other adverse public statements affecting the Company. Adverse press coverage and other adverse statements, whether or not driven by political or public sentiment, may also result in investigations by regulators, legislators and law enforcement officials or in legal claims.
Our operations are subject to business interruptions and casualty losses. We do not insure against all potential losses and therefore we could be seriously harmed by unexpected liabilities and increased costs.
Our United States and International operations are subject to unplanned occurrences, including blowouts, explosions, fires, loss of well control, spills, tornadoes, hurricanes and other adverse weather, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions or nuclear or other disasters, labor disputes and accidents. These same risks can be applied to the third parties that transport our products from our facilities. A prolonged disruption in the ability of any pipelines, rail cars, trucks or vessels to transport our production could contribute to a business interruption or increase costs.
Our operations are also subject to the additional hazards of pollution, releases of toxic gas and other environmental hazards and risks. These hazards could result in serious personal injury or loss of human life, significant damage to property and equipment, environmental pollution, impairment of operations and substantial losses to us. Various hazards have adversely affected us in the past, and damages resulting from a catastrophic occurrence in the future involving us or any of our assets or operations may result in our being named as a defendant in one or more lawsuits asserting potentially large claims or in our being assessed potentially substantial fines by governmental authorities. We maintain insurance against many, but not all, potential losses or liabilities arising from operating hazards in amounts that we believe to be prudent. Uninsured losses and liabilities arising from operating hazards could reduce the funds available to us for capital, exploration and investment spending and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Historically, we have maintained insurance coverage for physical damage including at times resulting business interruption to our major onshore and offshore facilities, with significant self-insured retentions. In the future, we may not be able to maintain or obtain insurance of the type and amount we desire at reasonable rates. As a result of market conditions, premiums and deductibles for our insurance policies will change over time and could escalate. In some instances, certain insurance could become unavailable or available only for reduced amounts of coverage.
Litigation by private plaintiffs or government officials or entities could adversely affect our performance.
We currently are defending litigation and anticipate that we will be required to defend new litigation in the future. The subject matter of such litigation may include releases of hazardous substances from our facilities, privacy laws, contract disputes, title disputes, royalty disputes or any other laws or regulations that apply to our operations. In some cases, the plaintiff or plaintiffs seek alleged damages involving large classes of potential litigants and may allege damages relating to extended periods of time or other alleged facts and circumstances. If we are not able to successfully defend such claims, they may result in substantial liability. We do not have insurance covering all of these potential liabilities. In addition to substantial liability, litigation may also seek injunctive relief which could have an adverse effect on our future operations.
For all of the foregoing reasons and others set forth herein, an investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk.
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.
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ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
Cycle Energy owns 3.14 acres of land located at 205S Bailey Street, Electra, Texas 76360. It has a 1,500 square foot shop built on it that is being used for its operations.
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
In the ordinary course of business, the Company may become a party to lawsuits involving various matters. The impact and outcome of litigation, if any, is subject to inherent uncertainties, and an adverse result in these or other matters may arise from time to time that may harm its business.
Such current litigation or other legal proceedings are described in, and incorporated by reference in, this “Item 3. Legal Proceedings” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K from, “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in “Note 14. Commitments and Contingencies”. The Company believes the ultimate resolution of any such current proceeding will not have a material adverse effect on our continued financial position, results of operations or cash flows. However, assessment of the current litigation or other legal claims could change in light of the discovery of facts not presently known to the Company or by judges, juries or other finders of fact, which are not in accord with management’s evaluation of the possible liability or outcome of such litigation or claims.
Additionally, the outcome of litigation is inherently uncertain. If one or more legal matters were resolved against the Company in a reporting period for amounts in excess of management’s expectations, the Company’s financial condition and operating results for that reporting period could be materially adversely affected.
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not applicable.
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PART II
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED SHAREHOLDER MATTERS, AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
Market Information
Our common stock is quoted on the OTCQB Market maintained by OTC Markets Group Inc. under the symbol “AMIH”. At present, there is a limited market for our common stock. The OTC Market is a network of security dealers who buy and sell stock. The dealers are connected by a computer network that provides information on current “bids” and “asks”, as well as volume information. The following table sets forth the range of high and low sales prices for our common stock for each of the periods indicated as reported by the OTCQB Market. These quotations reflect inter-dealer prices, without retail mark-up, mark-down or commission and may not necessarily represent actual transactions.
Effective on May 12, 2022, the Company affected a 1-for-60 reverse stock split of its issued and outstanding common stock by the filing of a Certificate of Amendment to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of Nevada (filed on May 6, 2022 and effective on May 12, 2022)(the “Reverse Stock Split”). The Reverse Stock Split has been retroactively reflected in the disclosures below.
| Fiscal 2022 | Fiscal 2021 | |||||||||||||||
| High | Low | High | Low | |||||||||||||
| First Quarter ended March 31(1) | $ | 5.04 | 2.40 | 34.80 | $ | 8.47 | ||||||||||
| Second Quarter ended June 30 | $ | 2.76 | 0.20 | 13.20 | $ | 6.06 | ||||||||||
| Third Quarter ended September 30 | $ | 0.26 | 0.02 | 7.80 | $ | 3.02 | ||||||||||
| Fourth Quarter ended December 31 | $ | 0.04 | 0.004 | 7.20 | $ | 3.00 | ||||||||||
As of May 22, 2023, our shares of common stock were held by approximately 248 stockholders of record.
Dividends
We have never paid any cash dividends on our common stock. We currently anticipate that we will retain all future earnings for use in our business. Consequently, we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. The payment of dividends in the future will depend upon our results of operations, as well as our short-term and long-term cash availability, working capital, working capital needs, and other factors as determined by our board of directors. Currently, except as may be provided by applicable laws, there are no contractual or other restrictions on our ability to pay dividends if we were to decide to declare and pay them.
Description of Capital Stock
Our authorized capital stock consists of 195,000,000 shares of common stock with a $0.0001 par value per share, and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock with a $0.0001 par value per share. As of the date of this Report, we have designated 1,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock and 2,000,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock. As of the date of this Report, there are 195,000,000 shares of common stock issued and outstanding, 1,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock issued and outstanding and no shares of Series B Preferred Stock issued and outstanding. The following is a summary of the material provisions of the common stock and preferred stock provided for in our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. For additional details about our capital stock, please refer to our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws.
Common Stock
Voting Rights. Each share of our common stock is entitled to one vote on all stockholder matters. Shares of our common stock do not possess any cumulative voting rights.
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Except for the election of directors, if a quorum is present, an action on a matter is approved if it receives the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the shares of capital stock present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the matter, unless otherwise required by applicable law, Nevada law, our Articles of Incorporation, as amended or Bylaws, as amended. The election of directors will be determined by a plurality of the votes cast in respect of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote, meaning that the nominees with the greatest number of votes cast, even if less than a majority, will be elected. The rights, preferences and privileges of holders of common stock are subject to, and may be impacted by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of preferred stock that we have designated or may designate and issue in the future.
Dividend Rights. Each share of our common stock is entitled to equal dividends and distributions per share with respect to the common stock when, as and if declared by our board of directors, subject to any preferential or other rights of any outstanding preferred stock.
Liquidation and Dissolution Rights. Upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, our common stock will be entitled to receive pro rata on a share-for-share basis, the assets available for distribution to the stockholders after payment of liabilities and payment of preferential and other amounts, if any, payable on any outstanding preferred stock.
Fully Paid Status. All outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
Other Matters. No holder of any shares of our common stock has a preemptive right to subscribe for any of our securities, nor are any shares of our common stock subject to redemption or convertible into other securities.
Preferred Stock
On May 18, 2020, the board of directors of the Company approved the filing of (a) an Amended and Restated Certificate of Designation of the Company’s Series A Preferred Stock (the “Series A Preferred Stock” and the “Series A Designation”); and (b) an Amended and Restated Certificate of Designation of the Company’s Series B Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Series B Preferred Stock” and the “Series B Designation”), with the Secretary of State of Nevada, which designations were filed with, and became effective with, the Secretary of State of Nevada on the same date. On May 6, 2022, a Second Amended and Restated designation of the Company’s Series A Preferred Stock was filed and became effective with the Secretary of State of Nevada, whereby, among other things, a 1,000-for-1 forward stock split of the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock of the Company was effected, which has not been retroactively reflected below. The Series A Designation designated three shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the Series B Designation designated 2,000,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock. On May 18, 2023, the Company filed a Certificate of Correction with the Secretary of State of Nevada, to its Certificate of Designations of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock.
Series A Preferred Stock
Dividend Rights. The New Series A Shares do not accrue dividends.
Liquidation Preference. The New Series A Shares have no liquidation preference.
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Conversion Rights. Each holder of Series A Preferred Stock may, at its option, convert its shares of Series A Preferred Stock (each a “Series A Conversion”) into that number of shares of common stock equal to the holder’s pro rata share of all Series A Preferred Stock then issued and outstanding, multiplied by (i) 60%, minus the aggregate percentage of the Company’s outstanding common stock previously converted by holders of the Series A Preferred Stock, through such applicable date (the “Remaining Percentage”)(for example, if prior to the applicable date of determination, shares of Series A Preferred Stock have been converted into 3% of the outstanding shares of common stock as of such date of determination, the Remaining Percentage would be 57%), multiplied by (ii) the outstanding shares of our common stock as of the applicable date of determination, divided by 0.40, divided by (iii) the total number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock then outstanding. No individual conversion by any individual holder shall be in an amount greater than 9.99% of the outstanding common stock of the Company on the date on which the holder delivers notice of such conversion to the Company (the “Individual Conversion Limitation”). The result of the above, is that such Series A Preferred Stock is convertible into 60% of the Company’s outstanding common stock (on a post-conversion basis, i.e., 150% of the Company’s outstanding common stock on a pre-conversion basis) currently.
For example, based on 195,000,000 total outstanding shares of common stock, the Series A Preferred Stock has the right to convert into = 195,000,000 shares, divided by 0.40 = 487,500,000 shares, multiplied by 60% = 292,500,000 total shares of common stock (which is also the total voting rights associated with the Series A Preferred Stock).
Voting Rights. For so long as any shares of the Series A Preferred Stock remain issued and outstanding, the holders thereof, voting separately as a class, shall have the right to vote on all shareholder matters (including, but not limited to at every meeting of the stockholders of the Company and upon any action taken by stockholders of the Company with or without a meeting) equal to the Remaining Percentage of the total vote (the “Total Series A Vote”). For example, if there are 195,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock issued and outstanding at the time of a shareholder vote, and the Remaining Percentage is 60%, the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class, will have the right to vote an aggregate of 292,500,000 shares, out of a total number of 487,500,000 shares voting. All Series A Shares shall vote together with the common stock on all shareholder matters as its own voting class.
Additionally, so long as Series A Preferred Stock is outstanding, the Company shall not, without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66-2/3% of all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class (i) amend, alter or repeal any provision of the Articles of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Company so as to adversely affect the designations, preferences, limitations and relative rights of the Series A Preferred Stock, (ii) effect any reclassification of the Series A Preferred Stock, (iii) designate any additional series of preferred stock, the designation of which adversely effects the rights, privileges, preferences or limitations of the Series A Preferred Stock; or (iv) amend, alter or repeal any provision of the Series A Designation (except in connection with certain non-material technical amendments).
Redemption Rights. The New Series A Shares have no redemption rights.
Protective Provisions. Subject to the rights of series of preferred stock which may from time to time come into existence, so long as any shares of Series A Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Company cannot without first obtaining the approval (by written consent, as provided by law) of the holders of a majority of the then outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting together as a class:
(a) Issue any additional shares of Series A Preferred Stock after the original issuance of shares of Series A Preferred Stock;
(b) Increase or decrease the total number of authorized or designated shares of Series A Preferred Stock;
(c) Effect an exchange, reclassification, or cancellation of all or a part of the Series A Preferred Stock;
(d) Effect an exchange, or create a right of exchange, of all or part of the shares of another class of shares into shares of Series A Preferred Stock; or
(e) Alter or change the rights, preferences or privileges of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock so as to affect adversely the shares of such series, including the rights set forth in the Second Amended and Restated Designation.
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Transfer Restrictions. Each holder of New Series A Shares is prohibited from Transferring any shares of Series A Preferred Stock. “Transfer” means directly or indirectly (a) offering for sale, selling, pledging, hypothecating, transferring, assigning or otherwise disposing of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the sale, pledge, hypothecation, transfer, assignment or other disposition at any time) (including, without limitation, by operation of law); or (b) entering into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the benefits or risks of ownership of the applicable securities, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of securities or other securities, in cash or otherwise.
A total of 1,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock are currently outstanding.
Series B Convertible Preferred Stock
The Series B Designation provides for the Series B Preferred Stock to have the following rights:
Dividend Rights. The Series B Preferred Stock does not accrue any dividends, but the Series B Preferred Stock holders are entitled to share in dividends paid to the holders of the Company’s common stock to the same extent that such holders would have received such dividends had they converted the Series B Preferred Stock into common stock pursuant to the conversion rights discussed below.
Liquidation Preference. In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, either voluntary or involuntary (each a “Liquidation Event”), the holders of Series B Preferred Stock are entitled to receive pari passu with any distribution of any of the assets of the Company to the holders of the Company’s common stock, but not prior to any holders of senior securities (which include holders of capital leases, other preferred stock and debt holders, and banks or others, which hold priority liquidation preferences over the assets of the Company), which holders of the senior securities have priority to the distribution of any assets of the Company, an amount per share for each share of Series B Preferred Stock held by them equal to $1.00 per share.
Conversion Rights. Each share of Series B Preferred Stock may be converted, at the option of the holder thereof, into that number of shares of common stock of the Company as equals $1.00 divided by 90% of the average of the volume weighted average prices (“VWAP”) of the Company’s common, for the five trading days immediately preceding the date the notice of conversion is received, with any remainder rounded to the hundredths place. Notwithstanding the above, at no time may the Series B Preferred Stock be converted into shares of our common stock by any holder, if such conversion would result in such holder thereof and its affiliates owning an aggregate of in excess of 4.999% of the then outstanding shares of our common stock, which amount may be increased to 9.999% on a per holder basis, upon 61 days’ prior written notice.
Voting Rights. The Series B Preferred Stock has no voting rights on general corporate matters, provided that the Series B Designation does contain customary protective provisions restricting the Company’s ability to undertake any of the following without the approval of a majority in interest of such shares of Series B Preferred Stock:
(a) Increase or decrease (other than by redemption or conversion) the total number of authorized shares of Series B Preferred Stock;
(b) Re-issue any shares of Series B Preferred Stock converted pursuant to the terms of the Series B Designation;
(c) Issue any shares of Series B Preferred Stock other than pursuant to the SPA;
(d) Alter or change the rights, preferences or privileges of the shares of Series B Preferred Stock so as to affect adversely the shares of such series; or
(e) Amend or waive any provision of the Company’s Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws relative to the Series B Preferred Stock so as to affect adversely the shares of Series B Preferred Stock in any material respect as compared to holders of other series of shares.
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Redemption Rights. The Series B Preferred Stock has no redemption rights.
No shares of Series B Preferred Stock are currently outstanding.
Anti-Takeover Provisions Under the Nevada Revised Statutes
Business Combinations
Sections 78.411 to 78.444 of the Nevada revised statutes (the “NRS”) prohibit a Nevada corporation from engaging in a “combination” with an “interested stockholder” for three years following the date that such person becomes an interested stockholder and places certain restrictions on such combinations even after the expiration of the three-year period. With certain exceptions, an interested stockholder is a person or group that owns 10% or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting power (including stock with respect to which the person has voting rights and any rights to acquire stock pursuant to an option, warrant, agreement, arrangement, or understanding or upon the exercise of conversion or exchange rights) or is an affiliate or associate of the corporation and was the owner of 10% or more of such voting stock at any time within the previous three years.
A Nevada corporation may elect not to be governed by Sections 78.411 to 78.444 by a provision in its Articles of Incorporation. We do not have such a provision in our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, pursuant to which we have elected to opt out of Sections 78.411 to 78.444; therefore, these sections apply to us.
Control Shares
Nevada law also seeks to impede “unfriendly” corporate takeovers by providing in Sections 78.378 to 78.3793 of the NRS that an “acquiring person” shall only obtain voting rights in the “control shares” purchased by such person to the extent approved by the other stockholders at a meeting. With certain exceptions, an acquiring person is one who acquires or offers to acquire a “controlling interest” in the corporation, defined as one-fifth or more of the voting power. Control shares include not only shares acquired or offered to be acquired in connection with the acquisition of a controlling interest, but also all shares acquired by the acquiring person within the preceding 90 days. The statute covers not only the acquiring person but also any persons acting in association with the acquiring person. The NRS control share statutes only apply to issuers that have 200 or more stockholders of record, at least 100 of whom have had addresses in Nevada appearing on the stock ledger of the corporation at all times during the 90 days immediately preceding such date; and whom do business in Nevada directly or through an affiliated corporation.
A Nevada corporation may elect to opt out of the provisions of Sections 78.378 to 78.3793 of the NRS. We do not have a provision in our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation pursuant to which we have elected to opt out of Sections 78.378 to 78.3793; therefore, these sections do apply to us, subject to the above exceptions.
Removal of Directors
Section 78.335 of the NRS provides that 2/3rds of the voting power of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company are required to remove a Director from office. As such, it may be more difficult for stockholders to remove Directors due to the fact the NRS requires greater than majority approval of the stockholders for such removal.
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Anti-Takeover Effects of Our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws
The following provisions of our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws could have the effect of delaying or discouraging another party from acquiring control of us and could encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with our board of directors:
| ● | no cumulative voting in the election of directors, which limits the ability of minority stockholders to elect director candidates; |
| ● | the right of our board of directors to elect a director to fill a vacancy created by the expansion of the board of directors or the resignation, death or removal of a director, with our stockholders only allowed to fill such a vacancy if not filled by the board; |
| ● | the ability of our board of directors to alter our Bylaws without obtaining stockholder approval; and |
| ● | the requirement that a special meeting of stockholders may be called only by the board of directors, the Chairman of the Board, the President or a committee of the board of directors duly designated and whose powers and authority include the power to call meetings may call special meetings of the Company. |
Listing
Our common stock is quoted on the OTCQB Market under the symbol “AMIH”.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, 6201 15th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11219. Its telephone number is (800) 937-5449.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
There have been no sales of unregistered securities during the quarter ended December 31, 2022 and from the period from January 1, 2023, to the filing date of this report, which have not previously been disclosed in a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or in a Current Report on Form 8-K, except as discussed below:
From January 5, 2023 through February 8, 2023, the Company converted a total of $488,924 of its outstanding convertible debt into 119,398,125 shares of common stock and at various prices per share of common stock ranging from $0.0063 to $0.0023 per share.
On March 1, 2023, the Company entered into a Service Agreement with Greentree Financial Group, Inc. (“GreenTree”) whereby GreenTree agreed to provide the Company with assistance of its financial reporting and statement preparations for the year ended December 31, 2022 and the three quarters ended March 31, 2023, June 30, 2023 and September 30, 2023, as well as in connection with the preparation of the Company’s 2022 US corporate income tax returns (the “Service Agreement”). The Service Agreement commenced on March 1, 2023 and ends on December 31, 2023. In consideration for the services provided under the Service Agreement, the Company agreed to pay GreenTree $120,000 of which $20,000 is to be paid in cash and the remaining $100,000 to be paid through the issuance of a Convertible Promissory Note (the “GreenTree Note”). The GreenTree Note had an effective date of March 1, 2023, has a term of one year, accrues interest at the rate of 12% per annum, and converts into common stock at the option of GreenTree at the lower of a) $0.01 per share and b) 50% of the lowest trading prices of the Company’s common stock on the primary trading market for the common stock for the last twenty (20) trading days immediately prior to but not including the conversion date. The Company may, at its option, at any time and from time to time, prepay all or any part of the principal balance of the GreenTree Service Note before the maturity date, with a penalty or premium equal to 20% of the sum of any outstanding principal and any interest accrued as of the prepayment date provided that the Company provide GreenTree fifteen (15) days’ advanced written notice of its intent to prepay. The GreenTree Note includes a 4.9% beneficial ownership limitation preventing the conversion of the note into common stock if upon such conversion GreenTree would beneficially own more than 4.9% of the Company’s then outstanding common stock, which may be increased to up to 9.9% with not less than 61 days prior written notice. We agreed to pay $1,500 of GreenTree’s costs in connection with each conversion of the GreenTree Note. If at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any common stock, options to purchase common stock, securities convertible into common stock or rights relating to common stock (the “Purchase Rights”) to any person, entity, association, or other organization other than GreenTree, at a price per share less than the conversion price then in effect, then the conversion price is automatically reduced to match the price per share of the Purchase Rights. The GreenTree Note contains customary events of default.
* * * * * * *
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The issuances described above, except as otherwise disclosed, or set forth below, were exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2), Rule 506 of Regulation D and/or Regulation S of the Securities Act, since the foregoing issuances and grants did not involve a public offering, the recipients took the securities for investment and not resale, we took take appropriate measures to restrict transfer, and the recipients were (a) “accredited investors”; (b) had access to similar documentation and information as would be required in a Registration Statement under the Securities Act; or (c) were non U.S. persons. The securities are subject to transfer restrictions, and the certificates evidencing the securities contain an appropriate legend stating that such securities have not been registered under the Securities Act and may not be offered or sold absent registration or pursuant to an exemption therefrom. The securities were not registered under the Securities Act and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws.
We claim an exemption from registration afforded by Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, for the above conversions, as the securities were exchanged by the Company with its existing security holders exclusively in transactions where no commission or other remuneration was paid or given directly or indirectly for soliciting such exchange.
Purchases of Equity Securities by The Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers
None.
ITEM 6. [RESERVED]
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included elsewhere in this Report. The following discussion contains forward-looking statements regarding future events and the future results of the Company that are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections about the industry in which the Company operates and the beliefs and assumptions of the management of the Company. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “targets,” “goals,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” variations of such words, and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are only predictions and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual results may differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed elsewhere in this Report, particularly under “Risk Factors,” and in other reports we file with the SEC. All references to years relate to the calendar year ended December 31 of the particular year. See also “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements”, above. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason, except as required by law.
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Plan of Operations
The Company intends to continue to grow its business both organically and by identifying acquisition targets over the next twelve months in the energy and oil and gas industry. As these opportunities arise, the Company will determine the best method for financing its growth, which may include the issuance of additional debt instruments, common stock, preferred stock, or a combination thereof, any of which may cause significant dilution to existing shareholders. We expect to raise funds in the future through the sale of debt and/or equity in order to allow us to operate for the next twelve months, and may need to raise further additional capital in order to expedite our growth through acquisitions, none of which are currently planned.
Introduction
Our Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (MD&A) is provided in addition to the accompanying consolidated financial statements and notes to assist readers in understanding our results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows. MD&A is organized as follows:
| ● | Results of Operations. An analysis of our financial results comparing the years ended December 31, 2022, and 2021. |
| ● | Liquidity and Capital Resources. A discussion of our financial condition, including descriptions of balance sheet information and cash flows. |
| ● | Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates. Critical accounting policies and estimates that we believe are important to understanding the assumptions and judgments incorporated in our reported financial results and forecasts. |
All references to years relate to the fiscal year ended December 31 of the particular year.
This information should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes included in “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplemental Data” of this Report.
Results of Operations
Revenues
We had revenues of $61,899 and $20,169 for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The increase in revenues in 2022 was due primarily to an increase in activity in our pharmacy operations, which have since been terminated. We recognized revenues in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification “ASC” Topic 606. A five-step process has been designed for the individual or pool of contracts to keep financial statements focused on this principle. Revenues from fixed-price and cost-plus contracts are recognized on the percentage of completion method, whereby revenues on long-term contracts were recorded on the basis of the Company’s estimates of the percentage of completion of contracts based on the ratio of actual cost incurred to total estimated costs. This cost-to-cost method was used because management considered it to be the best available measure of progress on these contacts. Revenues from cost-plus-fee contracts were recognized on the basis of costs incurred during the period plus the fee earned, measured on the cost-to-cost method. Revenues from time-and-material and rate chart contracts were recognized currently as work is performed.
Cost of Revenues
We had cost of revenues of $6,320 and $39,738, during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Cost of revenues include all direct material, sub-contractor, labor and certain other direct costs, as well as those indirect costs related to contract performance, such as indirect labor and fringe benefits.
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Operating Expenses
General and administrative expenses were $2,484,057 and $6,975,654 during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The decrease in 2022 was due primarily to a reduction in stock-based compensation by the amount of $3,730,766 for services rendered, to $452,624 for the year ended December 31, 2022 as compared to $4,183,390 for the year ended December 31, 2021, and an increase of $2,762 in general professional expenses and consulting services, to $416,834 for the year ended December 31, 2022, as compared to $414,072 for the year ended December 31, 2021, as the Company’s overall business expenses declined due to a lack of financial and capital resources.
Other Expenses
During the years ended December 31, 2022, and 2021, we incurred interest expense of $324,024 and $184,589, respectively.
Amortization of debt discount was $2,577,706 and $1,958,298 during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
We had a gain of $2,095,796 and a loss of $1,071,028 during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, due to change in derivative liabilities. See also “Note 10 – Derivative Liabilities”, in the notes to consolidated financial statements included in “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplemental Data” of this Report, for a more detailed discussion of gain (loss) in derivative liabilities which is non-cash.
We had a settlement gain of $47,232 for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to a settlement loss of $61,859 for the year ended December 31, 2021, each in connection with debt settlements that occurred during the respective periods.
We had a gain on disposition of subsidiaries of $323,262 and $0 for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, in connection with sale of Mangoceuticals, Inc. and Epiq MD, Inc.
Discontinued operations
During 2021, the Company decided to discontinue the operation of its VISSIA McKinney, VISSIA Waterway, Legend Nutrition, Capitol City Solutions USA, Inc. subsidiaries. VISSIA McKinney, VISSIA Waterway, Legend Nutrition, Capitol City Solutions USA, Inc. have been presented as discontinued operations in the accompanying consolidated financial statements and are summarized below:
| The Years Ended December 31, | ||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | |||||||
| Revenue | $ | - | $ | 2,530 | ||||
| Cost of revenue | - | - | ||||||
| Gross profit | - | 2,530 | ||||||
| Operating expenses | (14,199 | ) | (57,660 | ) | ||||
| Loss from operations | (14,199 | ) | (55,130 | ) | ||||
| Other income (expenses) | - | 299,716 | ||||||
| Gain(loss) from discontinued operations | (14,199 | ) | 244,586 | |||||
| As of | ||||||||
| December 31, 2022 | December 31, 2021 | |||||||
| Assets of discontinued operations – current | $ | - | $ | - | ||||
| Assets of discontinued operations - intangible | $ | - | $ |
- | ||||
| Assets of discontinued operations - non-current | $ | - | $ | 14,199 | ||||
| Net liabilities of discontinued operations | $ | 4,948 | $ | 112,199 | ||||
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Net Loss
We had a net loss of $2,863,918, or $0.36 per share from continuing operations and $14,199 or $0.00 per share from discontinued operations during the year ended December 31, 2022, totaling an aggregate of $2,878,117 or $0.36 per share in total net loss. We had a net loss of $10,225,497, or $8.19 per share from continuing operations and a gain of $244,586 or $0.20 per share from discontinued operations during the year ended December 31, 2021, for a total net loss of $9,980,911 or $8.19 per share. The decrease in net loss in 2022 was primarily attributable to the decrease in non-cash expenses in connection with stock-based compensation, amortization of debt discount, the change in derivative values associated with outstanding convertible debt, settlement loss in connection with the common shares issued for notes settlement, and the decrease in gross profit and revenues, each as discussed above.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company had total assets of $343,335 and $1,231,445, respectively, including $0 and $14,199 of assets of discontinued operations, respectively. The main reason for the decrease in total assets as of December 31, 2022, compared to December 31, 2021, was due to a $1,012,852 decrease in cash, which was mainly due to the Company’s operating activities.
As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company had total liabilities of $4,820,674 and $5,100,557, respectively, which consisted of accounts payable, accrued interest and accrued compensation in the amount of $344,388 and $252,194, respectively, convertible notes payable (net of discount) and loans payable to related parties and non-related parties (net of discount) in the amounts of $2,596,563 and 594,892 as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, and derivative liabilities of $1,837,008 and $4,141,272, respectively. We also had $4,948 and $112,199 of net liabilities related to discontinued operations. The Company had a total stockholders’ deficit of $4,477,339 and $3,869,112 as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
During the year ended December 31, 2022, net cash used in operating activities was $1,737,250, compared to net cash used in operating activities of $2,211,762 for the year ended December 31, 2021. Negative cash flows during the year ended December 31, 2022, were due primarily to the net loss of $2,863,918 and change in derivative liabilities of $2,290,489, partially offset by non-cash expenses, including stock-based compensation of $452,624, amortization of debt discount of $2,577,706, and derivative expense of $460,960. Comparatively, negative cash flows during the year ended December 31, 2021, were due primarily to the net loss of $10,225,497, partially offset by non-cash expenses, including stock-based compensation of $4,334,857 and amortization of debt discount of $1,958,298.
During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, we had cash provided by investing activities of $314,173 and $10,000, respectively. The net cash provided by investing activities in each year was solely attributable to capital expenditures for and disposal of property and equipment.
During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, net cash flows provided by financing activities were $410,225 and $3,386,335, respectively, primarily attributable to the reduction of proceeds from notes payable to related parties and non-related parties during the respective periods. We had proceeds of $417,758 from non-related party borrowings in the year ended December 31, 2022, compared to proceeds of $141,928 from related party borrowings and proceeds of $3,738,999 from non-related party borrowings in the year ended December 31, 2021. We made repayments of $2,000 on related party borrowings and repayments of $0 on non-related party borrowings in the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to repayments of $427,500 on non-related party borrowings and repayments of $141,928 on related party borrowings in the year ended December 31, 2021. We had proceeds of $0 from sales of stock in 2021, which was $100,000 in 2021.
We had cash of $196,955 and a working capital deficit of $4,570,096 as of December 31, 2022. On the short-term basis, we will be required to raise a significant amount of additional funds over the next 12 months to sustain operations and pay outstanding liabilities. On a long-term basis, we will potentially need to raise capital to grow and develop our business.
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On September 27, 2021, October 29, 2021, November 2, 2021, and November 12, 2021, Jacob Cohen, our Chief Executive Officer, advanced the Company, $50,000, $15,000, $10,000, and $40,000, respectively, which loans are payable upon demand and not bearing interest. These amounts were repaid in November 2021.
It is likely that we will require significant additional financing within the next 12 months and if we are unable to raise the needed funds on an acceptable basis, we may be forced to cease or curtail operations.
On March 1, 2023, the Company entered into a Service Agreement with Greentree Financial Group, Inc. (“GreenTree”) whereby GreenTree agreed to provide the Company with assistance of its financial reporting and statement preparations for the year ended December 31, 2022 and the three quarters ended March 31, 2023, June 30, 2023 and September 30, 2023, as well as in connection with the preparation of the Company’s 2022 US corporate income tax returns (the “Service Agreement”). The Service Agreement commenced on March 1, 2023 and ends on December 31, 2023. In consideration for the services provided under the Service Agreement, the Company agreed to pay GreenTree $120,000 of which $20,000 is to be paid in cash and the remaining $100,000 to be paid through the issuance of a Convertible Promissory Note (the “GreenTree Note”). The GreenTree Note had an effective date of March 1, 2023, has a term of one year, accrues interest at the rate of 12% per annum, and converts into common stock at the option of GreenTree at the lower of a) $0.01 per share and b) 50% of the lowest trading prices of the Company’s common stock on the primary trading market for the common stock for the last twenty (20) trading days immediately prior to but not including the conversion date. The Company may, at its option, at any time and from time to time, prepay all or any part of the principal balance of the GreenTree Service Note before the maturity date, with a penalty or premium equal to 20% of the sum of any outstanding principal and any interest accrued as of the prepayment date provided that the Company provide GreenTree fifteen (15) days’ advanced written notice of its intent to prepay. The GreenTree Note includes a 4.9% beneficial ownership limitation preventing the conversion of the note into common stock if upon such conversion GreenTree would beneficially own more than 4.9% of the Company’s then outstanding common stock, which may be increased to up to 9.9% with not less than 61 days prior written notice. We agreed to pay $1,500 of GreenTree’s costs in connection with each conversion of the GreenTree Note. If at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any common stock, options to purchase common stock, securities convertible into common stock or rights relating to common stock (the “Purchase Rights”) to any person, entity, association, or other organization other than GreenTree, at a price per share less than the conversion price then in effect, then the conversion price is automatically reduced to match the price per share of the Purchase Rights. The GreenTree Note contains customary events of default.
On May 9, 2023, we entered into a Secured Promissory Note in favor of The Loev Law Firm, PC, our outside securities counsel, which evidenced $40,000 owed to such law firm in consideration for legal services rendered and agreed to be rendered. The note is due on May 28, 2023, together with interest at the rate of 6% per annum, which increases to 15% per annum upon the occurrence of an event of default. The note is personally guaranteed by Michael McLaren, our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, and secured by an oil and gas property located in Wichita County, Texas and a deed of trust thereon. The note includes customary covenants and events of default.
Additional information regarding the Company’s (a) accrued compensation for related parties can be found in “Note 6 – Accrued Compensation for Related Parties”; (b) notes payable can be found in “Note 7 – Notes Payable”; (c) related party loans can be found in “Note 8 – Loans from Related Parties”; and (d) derivative liabilities can be found in “Note 10 – Derivative Liabilities”; in the notes to unconsolidated financial statements included in “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplemental Data” of this Report.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Our discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based upon our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses. See “Note 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” to the audited financial statements included in “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplemental Data”, of this Report.
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Revenue Recognition
The Company generates its revenue from monthly membership subscriptions. Revenue is recognized at the time of delivery and includes a delivery fee for each delivery or a subscription fee on a monthly basis for memberships. Under Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09 (Topic 606) “Revenue from Contracts with Customers”, revenue from contracts with customers is measured based on the consideration specified in the contract with the customer, and excludes any sales incentives and amounts collected on behalf of third parties. A performance obligation is a promise in a contract to transfer a distinct good or service to a customer and is the unit of account under Topic 606. The Company’s contracts with its customers do not include multiple performance obligations. The Company recognizes revenue when a performance obligation is satisfied by transferring control over a product or service to a customer. The amount of revenue recognized reflects the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for such products or services.
ZipDoctor, Inc: The base monthly subscription fees range from $25.00-$45.00 per month and is dependent on the number of family members included in the plan. The customer gains immediate access to the telemedicine platform upon completing the enrollment process and making the first month’s payment, at which point the Company recognizes the revenue from that customer. Billing commences on the day that the customer is enrolled for the Company’s services and is continued to be billed on the calendar day of each calendar month, in accordance with the original date of enrollment.
Customer’s may cancel their subscription at any time provided that they provide the Company with thirty (30) days advanced written notice of cancellation with no cancellation fees charged to the customer. In the event a subscriber provides a notice of cancellation within the membership period, the customer will be billed on their regular billing date at an amount adjusted to reflect an amount due until the cancellation date.
For avoidance of doubt, if a subscriber is billed $25.00 on the 1st of the month and cancels on the 15th, the subscriber will be billed on the 1st of the following month at a prorated rate through the 15th, or at a rate of $12.50.
Fair value of financial instruments
The Company measures its financial and non-financial assets and liabilities, as well as makes related disclosures, in accordance with FASB ASC. 820, Fair Value Measurement, which provides guidance with respect to valuation techniques to be utilized in the determination of fair value of assets and liabilities. Approaches include, (i) the market approach (comparable market prices), (ii) the income approach (present value of future income or cash flow), and (iii) the cost approach (cost to replace the service capacity of an asset or replacement cost). ASC 820 utilizes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three broad levels. The following is a brief description of those three levels:
Level 1: Observable inputs such as quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2: Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable, either directly or indirectly. These include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets and quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active.
Level 3: Unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions, such as valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable.
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Our financial instruments include cash, accounts receivable, other receivable, inventories, accounts payable, accrued liabilities, convertible note payable, and derivative liabilities.
The carrying values of the Company’s cash, accounts receivable, other receivable, inventories, accounts payable, and accrued liabilities approximate their fair value due to their short-term nature.
The Company’s convertible notes payable are measured at amortized cost.
The derivative liabilities are stated at their fair value as a level 3 measurement. The Company used the Lattice Model to determine the fair values of these derivative liabilities. See “Note 10 – Derivative Liabilities” of the financial statements included herein, for the Company’s assumptions used in determining the fair value of these financial instruments.
Convertible note payable
The Company accounts for convertible notes payable in accordance with the Under Financial Accounting Standard Board (“FASB”) ASC No. 815, Derivatives and Hedging, since the conversion feature is not indexed to the Company’s stock and can’t be classified in equity. The Company allocates the proceeds received from convertible notes payable between the liability component and conversion feature component. The conversion feature that is considered embedded derivative liabilities has been recorded at their fair value as its fair value can be separated from the convertible note and its conversion is independent of the underlying note value. The Company has also recorded the resulting discount on debt related to the conversion feature and is amortizing the discount using the effective interest rate method over the life of the debt instruments.
Derivative liabilities
The Company accounts for derivative liabilities in accordance with the FASB ASC No. 815, Derivatives and Hedging. ASC 815 requires companies to recognize all derivative liabilities in the balance sheet at fair value, and marks it to market at each reporting date with the resulting gains or losses shown in the Statement of Operations.
Stock based compensation
The Company recognizes compensation costs to employees under FASB ASC “Compensation - Stock Compensation”. Under ASC 718, companies are required to measure the compensation costs of share-based compensation arrangements based on the grant-date fair value and recognize the costs in the financial statements over the period during which employees are required to provide services. Share-based compensation arrangements include stock options and warrants. As such, compensation cost is measured on the date of grant at their fair value. Such compensation amounts, if any, are amortized over the respective vesting periods of the option grant.
On July 27, 2018, the inception date, the Company adopted ASU No. 2018-07 “Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting.” These amendments expand the scope of Topic 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation (which currently only includes share-based payments to employees) to include share-based payments issued to nonemployees for goods or services. Consequently, the accounting for share-based payments to nonemployees and employees will be substantially aligned.
ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Pursuant to Item 305(e) of Regulation S-K (§ 229.305(e)), the Company is not required to provide the information required by this Item as it is a “smaller reporting company,” as defined by Rule 229.10(f)(1).
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ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS CORP.
TABLE OF CONTENTS TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
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Your Vision Our Focus

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Board of Directors and Shareholders
American International Holdings Corp.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheet of American International Holdings Corp. as of December 31, 2022, and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ deficit, and cash flows for the year then ended, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of American International Holdings Corp. as of December 31, 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Going Concern
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming that the entity will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 13 to the financial statements, the entity has suffered recurring losses from inception, has a working capital deficit, and has an equity deficiency that raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 13. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the entity’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit. 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 American International Holdings Corp. in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. American International Holdings Corp. is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit 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 entity’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Turner, Stone & Company, L.L.P. Accountants and Consultants 12700 Park Central Drive, Suite 1400 Dallas, Texas 75251 Telephone: 972-239-1660 ⁄ Facsimile: 972-239-1665 Toll Free: 877-853-4195 Web site: turnerstone.com |
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ACCOUNTANTS AND AUDITORS |
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Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the 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 financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides 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 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 financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the 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.
Critical Audit Matter Description
As disclosed in Note 10 to the financial statements, the Company had various debt instruments which included conversion features which require separate accounting. Management evaluated the required accounting, significant estimates, and judgements around the valuation for these derivatives. These derivatives were initially measured at fair value and have subsequently been remeasured to fair value at each reporting period.
There is no current observable market for these types of features and, as such, the Company determined the fair value of the derivatives using a Monte Carlo pricing model to measure the fair value of the derivatives. As a result, a high degree of auditor judgment and effort was required in performing audit procedures to evaluate the conclusions reached by management as well as the inputs to the Company’s pricing model.
How the Critical Audit Matter Was Addressed in the Audit
Our principal audit procedures performed to address this critical audit matter included the following:
| - | We obtained an understanding of the controls and processes surrounding the evaluation, initial measurement, and revaluation of the derivatives. | |
| - | We evaluated management’s assessment and the conclusions reached to ensure these instruments were recorded in accordance with the relevant accounting guidance. | |
| - | We evaluated the fair value of the derivatives that included testing the valuation models and assumptions utilized by management. We reviewed and tested the fair value model used, significant assumptions, and underlying data used in the model. | |
| - | Engaged a specialist to assist in our evaluation of the Company’s pricing model and related inputs to the pricing model. |
/s/ Turner, Stone & Company, L.L.P.
We have served as American International Holdings Corp. ‘s auditor since 2023.
Dallas Texas
June 9, 2023
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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of American International Holdings Corp.,
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of American International Holdings Corp. (the Company) as of December 31, 2021, and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ deficit, and cash flows for the year then ended, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2021, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Going Concern
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 13 to the financial statements, the Company has suffered net losses from continuing and discontinued operations, which raises substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans regarding those matters are discussed in Note 13. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audit. 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 and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the 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 audit, 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 audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the 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 financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and the significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
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Critical Audit Matters
The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the 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 financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which they relate.
As discussed in Note 7, the Company borrows funds through the use of convertible notes payable that contain a conversion price that may be fixed or fluctuates with the stock price.
Auditing management’s estimates of the fair value of the derivative liability involves significant judgements and estimates given the embedded conversion features of the notes.
To evaluate the appropriateness of the fluctuation of the conversion price, the embedded conversion feature requires bifurcation from the host contract and is recorded as a liability subject to market adjustments as of each reporting period. Significant judgment is exercised by the Company in determining derivative liability values for these convertible note agreements, including the use of a specialist engaged by management.
We evaluated management’s conclusions regarding their derivative liability and reviewed support for the significant inputs used in the valuation model, as well as assessing the model for reasonableness.
| /s/ M&K CPAS, PLLC | |
| M&K CPAS, PLLC | |
| We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2015 | |
| Houston, Texas | |
| March 29, 2022 |
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American International Holdings Corp.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
| December 31, 2022 | December 31, 2021 | |||||||
| ASSETS | ||||||||
| CURRENT ASSETS: | ||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 196,955 | $ | 1,209,807 | ||||
| Inventory | 12,838 | 3,840 | ||||||
| Prepaid expenses | 13,368 | |||||||
| TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS | 223,161 | 1,213,647 | ||||||
| NON-CURRENT ASSETS | ||||||||
| Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $12,698 | 89,660 | |||||||
| Right-of-use asset - operating lease | 26,022 | |||||||
| Rent deposits | 4,492 | 3,599 | ||||||
| Assets of discontinued operations | 14,199 | |||||||
| TOTAL NON-CURRENT ASSETS | 120,174 | 17,798 | ||||||
| TOTAL ASSETS | $ | 343,335 | $ | 1,231,445 | ||||
| LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT | ||||||||
| CURRENT LIABILITIES | ||||||||
| Accounts payable and accrued liabilities | $ | 37,816 | $ | 54,918 | ||||
| Accrued interest payable | 196,571 | 93,776 | ||||||
| Accrued compensation - related parties | 110,000 | 103,500 | ||||||
| Deferred revenue - related parties | 11,745 | |||||||
| Right-of-use liability - operating lease | 26,022 | |||||||
| Convertible notes payable, net of debt discount of $201,784 and $2,479,023 | 2,134,147 | 396,419 | ||||||
| Loans payable to related parties | 360,000 | 123,473 | ||||||
| Loans payable | 75,000 | 75,000 | ||||||
| Derivative liabilities | 1,837,008 | 4,141,272 | ||||||
| Liabilities of discontinued operations | 4,948 | 112,199 | ||||||
| TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES | 4,793,257 | 5,100,557 | ||||||
| LONG-TERM LIABILITIES | ||||||||
| Loans payable | 27,417 | |||||||
| TOTAL LONG-TERM LIABILITIES | 27,417 | |||||||
| TOTAL LIABILITIES | 4,820,674 | 5,100,557 | ||||||
| COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (NOTE 13) | ||||||||
| STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT | ||||||||
| Preferred stock, (par value $, shares authorized, of which shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively) | 100 | 100 | ||||||
| Common stock (par value $, shares authorized, of which and shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively) | 7,560 | 140 | ||||||
| Treasury stock, at cost | (3,894 | ) | (3,894 | ) | ||||
| Common stock payable | ||||||||
| Additional paid in capital | 18,937,581 | 16,675,111 | ||||||
| Accumulated deficit | (23,115,376 | ) | (20,540,569 | ) | ||||
| TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT ATTRIBUTABLE TO AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS CORP | (4,174,029 | ) | (3,869,112 | ) | ||||
| Non-controlling interest | (303,310 | ) | ||||||
| TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT | (4,477,339 | ) | (3,869,112 | ) | ||||
| TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT | $ | 343,335 | $ | 1,231,445 | ||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
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American International Holdings Corp.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
| For The Year Ended | ||||||||
| December 31, 2022 | December 31, 2021 | |||||||
| Revenues | ||||||||
| Revenues | $ | 61,899 | $ | 20,169 | ||||
| Cost of revenues | 6,320 | 39,738 | ||||||
| Gross profit (loss) | 55,579 | (19,569 | ) | |||||
| Operating expenses | ||||||||
| General and administrative expenses | 2,484,055 | 6,975,654 | ||||||
| Total operating expenses | 2,484,055 | 6,975,654 | ||||||
| Loss from operations | (2,428,476 | ) | (6,995,223 | ) | ||||
| Other income (expenses) | ||||||||
| Amortization of debt discount | (2,577,706 | ) | (1,958,298 | ) | ||||
| Change in derivative liabilities | 2,095,796 | (1,071,028 | ) | |||||
| Forgiveness of loan | 45,500 | |||||||
| Gain on disposition of subsidiaries | 323,260 | |||||||
| Interest expense | (324,024 | ) | (184,589 | ) | ||||
| Settlement income (loss) | 47,232 | (61,859 | ) | |||||
| Total other expense, net | (435,442 | ) | (3,230,274 | ) | ||||
| Loss before income taxes | (2,863,918 | ) | (10,225,497 | ) | ||||
| Income taxes | ||||||||
| Net loss from continuing operations | $ | (2,863,918 | ) | $ | (10,225,497 | ) | ||
| Discontinued operations: | ||||||||
| (Loss) gain from discontinued operations | (14,199 | ) | 244,586 | |||||
| Net income (loss) from discontinued operations | (14,199 | ) | 244,586 | |||||
| Net loss attributed to non-controlling interest | (303,310 | ) | ||||||
| Net loss attributed to American International Holdings Corp | $ | (2,574,807 | ) | $ | (9,980,911 | ) | ||
| Basic loss per share | ||||||||
| Continuing operations | $ | (0.36 | ) | $ | (8.19 | ) | ||
| Discontinued operations | $ | (0.00 | ) | $ | 0.20 | |||
| Diluted loss per share | ||||||||
| Continuing operations | $ | (0.36 | ) | $ | (8.15 | ) | ||
| Discontinued operations | $ | (0.00 | ) | $ | 0.19 | |||
| Weighted average number of shares outstanding | ||||||||
| Basic | 7,895,907 | 1,248,752 | ||||||
| Diluted | 7,895,907 | 1,255,193 | ||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
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American International Holdings Corp.
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Deficit
For the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
| Additional | Retained Earnings | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preferred Stock A | Preferred Stock B | Common Stock | Paid-in |
Accumulated | Noncontrolling | Treasury | Stockholders’ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shares | Amount | Shares | Amount | Shares | Amount | Capital | (Deficit) | Interest | Stock | (Deficit) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Balance, December 31, 2020 | 1,000,000 | $ | 100 | $ | 917,781 | $ | 92 | $ | 9,172,353 | $ | (10,559,658 | ) | $ | $ | (3,894 | ) | $ | (1,391,007 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Imputed interest | - | - | - | 1,979 | 1,979 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reclassification of derivative liabilities due to note conversion | - | - | - | 1,116,122 | 1,116,122 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issuance of Series B preferred shares for In Process Research and Development | - | 500,000 | 50 | - | 601,802 | 601,852 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issuance of common shares for Series B preferred shares conversion | - | (500,000 | ) | (50 | ) | 34,294 | 3 | 47 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issuance of common shares under private placement | - | - | 3,333 | 100,000 | 100,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issuance of common shares for note conversion and settlement | - | - | 209,086 | 22 | 1,228,449 | 1,228,471 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issuance of shares for services - related parties | - | - | 108,333 | 11 | 2,510,639 | 2,510,650 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issuance of shares for services | - | - | 122,778 | 12 | 1,824,195 | 1,824,207 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issuance of common shares for debt settlement | - | - | 11,813 | 1 | 119,524 | 119,525 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net loss | - | - | - | (9,980,911 | ) | (9,980,911 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance, December 31, 2021 | 1,000,000 | $ | 100 | $ | 1,407,418 | $ | 141 | $ | 16,675,110 | $ | (20,540,569 | ) | $ | $ | (3,894 | ) | $ | (3,869,112 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reclassification of derivative liabilities due to note conversion | - | - | - | 474,735 | 474,735 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issuance of common shares for note conversion and settlement | - | - | 66,409,998 | 6,641 | 1,249,442 | 1,256,083 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issuance of shares for service - related partis | - | - | 6,023,717 | 602 | 108,922 | 109,524 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issuance of shares for service | - | - | 1,738,768 | 174 | 313,176 | 313,350 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Loan settlement - related parties | - | - | - | 14,106 | 14,106 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gain on disposition of subsidiary - related parties | - | - | - | 102,092 | 102,092 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rounding up shares due to reverse split | - | - | 21,974 | 2 | (2 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net loss | - | - | - | (2,574,807 | ) | (303,310 | ) | (2,878,117 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance, December 31, 2022 | 1,000,000 | $ | 100 | $ | 75,601,875 | $ | 7,560 | $ | 18,937,581 | $ | (23,115,376 | ) | $ | (303,310 | ) | $ | (3,894 | ) | $ | (4,477,339 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
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American International Holdings Corp.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
| For the Year Ended | ||||||||
| December 31, 2022 | December 31, 2021 | |||||||
| CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES: | ||||||||
| Net loss | $ | (2,863,918 | ) | $ | (10,225,497 | ) | ||
| Net income (loss) from discontinued operations | (14,199 | ) | 244,586 | |||||
| Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: | ||||||||
| Amortization of debt discount | 2,577,706 | 1,958,298 | ||||||
| Change in derivative liabilities | (2,290,489 | ) | (2,469,697 | ) | ||||
| Depreciation | 12,698 | |||||||
| Derivatives expenses | 460,960 | 3,540,725 | ||||||
| Forgiveness of loan | (45,500 | ) | ||||||
| Imputed interest expense | 1,979 | |||||||
| Interest expense | ||||||||
| Gain(Loss) on disposal | (323,262 | ) | 3,800 | |||||
| (Gain) loss on loans settlement | 58,059 | |||||||
| Stock issued for services rendered | 452,624 | 4,334,857 | ||||||
| Stock issued for in process research and development | 601,852 | |||||||
| (Increase) decrease in operating assets: | ||||||||
| Inventory | (8,998 | ) | (3,840 | ) | ||||
| Prepaid expenses | (13,368 | ) | 3,333 | |||||
| Rent deposits | (4,492 | ) | (3,599 | ) | ||||
| (Decrease) increase in operating liabilities: | ||||||||
| Accounts payable and accrued liabilities | 27,721 | 40,342 | ||||||
| Accrued interest payable | 324,025 | 77,295 | ||||||
| Accrued compensation - related parties | 6,500 | (5,500 | ) | |||||
| Deferred revenue - related parties | 11,745 | |||||||
| NET CASH USED IN OPERATING ACTIVITIES OF CONTINUING OPERATIONS | (1,644,747 | ) | (1,888,507 | ) | ||||
| NET CASH USED IN OPERATING ACTIVITIES OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS | (93,003 | ) | (323,256 | ) | ||||
| NET CASH USED IN OPERATING ACTIVITIES | (1,737,750 | ) | (2,211,763 | ) | ||||
| CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES: | ||||||||
| Capital expenditures for property and equipment | (69,457 | ) | ||||||
| Net cash inflow from disposition of Mangoceuticals, Inc. | 85,753 | |||||||
| Net cash inflow from disposition of EPIQ MD, Inc. | 298,377 | |||||||
| NET CASH PROVIDED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES OF CONTINUING OPERATIONS | 314,673 | |||||||
| NET CASH PROVIDED BY USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS | 10,000 | |||||||
| NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS | 314,673 | 10,000 | ||||||
| CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES: | ||||||||
| Proceeds from borrowings - related parties | 141,928 | |||||||
| Repayment of borrowings - related parties | (2,000 | ) | (141,928 | ) | ||||
| Proceeds from borrowings | 417,758 | 3,738,999 | ||||||
| (Repayment) of borrowings | (427,500 | ) | ||||||
| (Repayment) of note payable | (5,483 | ) | ||||||
| Proceeds from sales of stock | 100,000 | |||||||
| NET CASH PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES OF CONTINUING OPERATIONS | 410,275 | 3,411,499 | ||||||
| NET CASH USED IN FINANCING ACTIVITIES OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS | (50 | ) | (25,164 | ) | ||||
| NET CASH PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES | 410,225 | 3,386,335 | ||||||
| NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS | (1,012,852 | ) | 1,184,572 | |||||
| CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS: | ||||||||
| Beginning of year | 1,209,807 | 25,235 | ||||||
| End of year | $ | 196,955 | $ | 1,209,807 | ||||
| Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information: | ||||||||
| Cash paid for income taxes | $ | $ | ||||||
| Cash paid for interest | $ | $ | 106,677 | |||||
| Non-cash transactions: | ||||||||
| Common shares issued for notes conversion | $ | 1,226,334 | $ | 1,228,471 | ||||
| Common shares issued for loan settlement | $ | $ | 111,466 | |||||
| Discounts on convertible notes | $ | $ | (3,756,000 | ) | ||||
| Initial debt discount | $ | 400,799 | $ | |||||
| Adoption of ASC 842 | $ | 69,439 | $ | |||||
| Settlement of derivative liabilities | $ | 474,735 | $ | 1,116,122 | ||||
| Gain on disposition of Mangoceuticals, Inc. | $ | 102,092 | $ | |||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
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AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS CORP.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Year Ended December 31, 2022
Note 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Organization, Ownership and Business
On April 28, 2020, American International Holdings Corp. (“AMIH” or the “Company”) incorporated a wholly-owned subsidiary, ZipDoctor, Inc. (“ZipDoctor”) in the State of Texas. ZipDoctor provides its customers with unlimited, 24/7 access to board certified physicians and licensed mental and behavioral health counselors and therapists via a newly developed, monthly subscription based online telemedicine platform. ZipDoctor was launched in August 2020 and on May 15, 2021, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “SPA”) with Global Career Networks Inc, a Delaware corporation (the “GCN”), the sole owner of Life Guru, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Life Guru”). Pursuant to the SPA, the Company acquired a 51% interest in Life Guru from GCN. As consideration for the purchase of the 51% ownership interest in Life Guru, the Company issued to GCN shares of its then newly designated Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, which had an agreed upon value of $500,000 ($ per share), and agreed to issue GCN up to an additional shares of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock (with an agreed upon value of $) upon reaching certain milestones, of which shares of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock were issued and which the other shares of contingently issuable shares are no longer issuable. The shares were subsequently converted into post-reverse stock split shares of common stock.
On October 23, 2020, the Company incorporated a wholly-owned subsidiary, EPIQ MD, Inc. (“EPIQ MD”) in the state of Nevada. EPIQ MD is a direct-to-consumer, telemedicine and healthcare company targeting Americans who are uninsured or underinsured. The EPIQ MD service offering is a convergence of primary care telemedicine, preventative care services and wellness programs – under the EPIQ MD brand and on a single platform. EPIQ MD markets and sells its services direct to end-use consumers, as well as through business-to-business “B2B” efforts, by focusing on employers in the targeted industries. We divested our interest in EPIC MD in July 2022 to a related party, see Note 16 below for further details.
On October 7, 2021, the Company incorporated a wholly-owned subsidiary, Mangoceuticals, Inc. (“Mangoceuticals”) in the state of Texas with the intent of focusing on developing, marketing and selling a variety of men’s wellness products and services via a telemedicine platform. In June 2022, as discussed below, we divested our interest in Mangoceuticals to a related party, see Note 16 below for details.
On January 24, 2022, the Company formed EPIQ Scripts, LLC (“EPIQ Scripts”) in the state of Texas. EPIQ Scripts was established with the intent of operating as a close-door online mail order pharmacy with a specific target and vision to obtain licenses in all 50 states across the U.S. EPIQ Scripts also planned to seek to become accredited with the most respected and highly recognized authorities in the industry, such as Utilization Review Accreditation Commission “URAC”, Legit Script, Accreditation Commission for Health Care “ACHC”, and National Association of Boards of Pharmacy “NABP” Digital Pharmacy. EPIQ Scripts also intended to obtain in-network contracts with all major Pharmacy Benefit Managers “PBM” and insurance payors. The Company owned 51% of EPIQ Scripts.
As of the date of this Report, our operations are limited, and consist mainly of ZipDoctor, Life Guru, and EPIQ Scripts (51% owned).
Effective on May 12, 2022, the Company affected a 1-for-60 reverse stock split of its issued and outstanding common stock by the filing of a Certificate of Amendment to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of Nevada (filed on May 6, 2022 and effective on May 12, 2022) (the “Reverse Stock Split”). The Reverse Stock Split has been retroactively reflected throughout the consolidated financial statements. Also on May 6, 2022, a Second Amended and Restated designation of the Company’s Series A Preferred Stock was filed and became effective with the Secretary of State of Nevada, whereby, among other things, a 1,000-for-1 forward stock split of the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock of the Company was effected, which has also been retroactively reflected throughout the consolidated financial statements.
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Principles of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of AMIH and its wholly-owned subsidiaries: VISSIA McKinney, LLC (f/k/a Novopelle Diamond, LLC), VISSIA Waterway, Inc. (f/k/a Novopelle Waterway, Inc.), Legend Nutrition, Inc., Capitol City Solutions USA, Inc. EPIQ MD (through the date of deconsolidation), Life Guru, ZipDoctor, and Epiq Scripts.
VISSIA Waterway, Inc., VISSIA McKinney LLC and Legend Nutrition (collectively referred to as “Discontinued Subsidiaries”) have been presented as discontinued operations in the accompanying consolidated financial statements, see Note 15 for further details.
All material intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.
Reclassifications
Certain reclassifications have been made to amounts in prior year to conform to the current year presentation. All reclassifications have been applied consistently to the periods presented.
Cash Equivalents
Highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less are considered cash equivalents. There are no cash equivalents at December 31, 2022 and 2021.
The Company maintains the majority of its cash accounts at a commercial bank. The total cash balance is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) up to $250,000 per commercial bank. From time to time, cash in deposit accounts may exceed the FDIC limits, the excess would be at risk of loss for purposes of the consolidated statements of cash flows.
Inventory
Inventory consists of finished goods purchased, which are valued at the lower of cost or market value, with cost being determined on the first-in, first-out method. The Company periodically reviews historical sales activity to determine potentially obsolete items and also evaluates the impact of any anticipated changes in future demand. There were no finished goods inventory items as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 from discontinuing operations. The Company had $12,838 and $3,840 inventory from continuing operations as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. No allowance was necessary as of December 31, 2022 and 2021.
We compute net income (loss) per share in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 260, Earnings per Share. ASC 260 requires presentation of both basic and diluted earnings per share “EPS” on the face of the consolidated statement of operations. Basic EPS is computed by dividing net income (loss) available to common shareholders (numerator) by the weighted average number of shares outstanding (denominator) during the period. Diluted EPS gives effect to all dilutive potential common shares outstanding during the period using the treasury stock method and convertible preferred stock using the if-converted method. In computing Diluted EPS, the average stock price for the period is used in determining the number of shares assumed to be purchased from the exercise of stock options or warrants. Diluted EPS excludes all dilutive potential shares if their effect is anti-dilutive. There were no dilutive securities for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.
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Property and Equipment, Depreciation, Amortization and Long-Lived Assets
Long-lived assets include:
Property and Equipment – Assets acquired in the normal course of business are recorded at original cost and may be adjusted for any additional significant improvements after purchase. We depreciate the cost evenly over the assets’ estimated useful lives from the date on which they become fully operational and after taking into account their estimated residual values:
| Depreciable life | Residual value | |||||
| Machinery and equipment | 5 years | 0 | % | |||
| Furniture and fixture | 7 years | 0 | % | |||
| Computer and software | 3 years | 0 | % | |||
Upon retirement or sale, the cost of the assets disposed of and the related accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts, with any resultant gain or loss being recognized as a component of other income or expense.
Identifiable intangible assets – These assets are recorded at acquisition cost. Intangible assets with finite lives are amortized evenly over their estimated useful lives.
At least annually, we review all long-lived assets for impairment. When necessary, we record changes for impairments of long-lived assets for the amount by which the present value of future cash flows, or some other fair value measure, is less than the carrying value of these assets.
If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, we measure the possible goodwill impairment based upon an allocation of the estimate of fair value of the reporting unit to all of the underlying assets and liabilities of the reporting unit, including any previously unrecognized intangible assets (Step Two Analysis). The excess of the fair value of a reporting unit over the amounts assigned to its assets and liabilities (“carrying amount”) is the implied fair value of goodwill.
Goodwill and indefinite-lived brands are not amortized, but are evaluated for impairment annually or when indicators of a potential impairment are present. Our impairment testing of goodwill is performed separately from our impairment testing of indefinite-lived intangibles. The annual evaluation for impairment of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangibles is based on valuation models that incorporate assumptions and internal projections of expected future cash flows and operating plans. The Company believes such assumptions are also comparable to those that would be used by other marketplace participants.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The Company measures its financial and non-financial assets and liabilities, as well as makes related disclosures, in accordance with FASB ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement (“ASC 820”), which provides guidance with respect to valuation techniques to be utilized in the determination of fair value of assets and liabilities. Approaches include, (i) the market approach (comparable market prices), (ii) the income approach (present value of future income or cash flow), and (iii) the cost approach (cost to replace the service capacity of an asset or replacement cost). ASC 820 utilizes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three broad levels. The following is a brief description of those three levels:
Level 1: Observable inputs such as quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2: Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable, either directly or indirectly. These include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets and quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active.
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Level 3: Unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions, such as valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable.
Our financial instruments include cash and cash equivalents, inventory, prepaid expenses and rent deposits, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, accrued interest payable, accrued compensation -related parties, convertible note payable, loans payable, loans payable – related parties and derivative liabilities.
The Company’s convertible notes payable are measured at amortized cost. The derivative liabilities are stated at their fair value as a level 3 measurement. The Company used the Monte Carlo model to determine the fair values of these derivative liabilities.
Convertible Notes Payable
The Company accounts for convertible notes payable in accordance with the FASB ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging, since the conversion feature is not indexed to the Company’s stock and it cannot be classified in equity. The Company allocates the proceeds received from convertible notes payable between the liability component and conversion feature component. The conversion feature that is considered embedded derivative liabilities has been recorded at fair value as its fair value can be separated from the convertible note and its conversion is independent of the underlying note value. The Company has also recorded the resulting discount on debt related to the conversion feature and is amortizing the discount using the effective interest rate method over the life of the debt instruments.
Derivative Liabilities
The Company accounts for derivative liabilities in accordance with the FASB ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging (“ASC 815”). ASC 815 requires companies to recognize all derivative liabilities in the balance sheet at fair value, and marks it to market at each reporting date with the resulting gains or losses shown in the Statement of Operations.
Management’s Estimates and Assumptions
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“US GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses. Actual results could differ from these estimates.
Concentration and Risks
The Company’s operations are subject to risks including financial, operational, regulatory and other risks including the potential risk of business failure.
For the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company had revenue from continuing operations which were derived from a single customer or a few major customers, with one customer making up 77% of the total revenue.
Revenue Recognition
The Company generates its revenue from monthly membership subscriptions. Revenue is recognized at the time of delivery and includes a delivery fee for each delivery or a subscription fee on a monthly basis for memberships. Under Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09 (Topic 606) Revenue from Contracts with Customers, revenue from contracts with customers is measured based on the consideration specified in the contract with the customer, and excludes any sales incentives and amounts collected on behalf of third parties. A performance obligation is a promise in a contract to transfer a distinct good or service to a customer and is the unit of account under Topic 606. The Company’s contracts with its customers do not include multiple performance obligations. The Company recognizes revenue when a performance obligation is satisfied by transferring control over a product or service to a customer. The amount of revenue recognized reflects the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for such products or services.
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The Company’s subsidiaries, EPIQ MD and ZipDoctor both provided its customers with access to its telemedicine platform where customers have unlimited access to start a doctor visit 24/7. The customers pay a flat fee per month for use of the platform and is not dependent on the frequency of the doctor visits. Each doctor visit is included in the monthly subscription fee.
EPIQ MD: The base monthly subscription fees range from $24.95-$49.95 per month and is dependent on the number of family members included in the plan. Customers can choose to add additional services, such as Epiq Paws and Epiq Lux, ranging from an additional $4.95-$9.95 per month.
The customer gains immediate access to the telemedicine platform upon completing the enrollment process and making the first month’s payment. Billing commences on the day that the customer is enrolled for the Company’s services and is continued to be billed on the same calendar day of each following calendar month, in accordance with the original date of enrollment.
Costs of revenue include the amounts the Company pays its technology provider and its doctors network, which the Company pays a 3rd party vendor a fixed amount on a per customer basis.
Customers may cancel their subscription at any time providing that they provide the Company with thirty (30) days advanced written notice of cancellation with no cancellation fees charged to the customer. In the event a subscriber provides a notice of cancellation within the membership period, the customer will be billed on their regular billing date at an amount adjusted to reflect an amount due until the cancellation date.
For avoidance of doubt, if a subscriber is billed $29.95 on the 1st of the month and cancels on the 15th, the subscriber will be billed on the 1st of the following month at a prorated rate through the 15th, or at a rate of $14.97.
ZipDoctor: The base monthly subscription fees range from $25.00-$45.00 per month and is dependent on the number of family members included in the plan.
The customer gains immediate access to the telemedicine platform upon completing the enrollment process and making the first month’s payment. Billing commences on the day that the customer is enrolled for the Company’s services and is continued to be billed on the same calendar day of each following calendar month, in accordance with the original date of enrollment.
Costs of revenue include the amounts the Company pays its technology provider and its doctors network, which the Company pays a 3rd party vendor a fixed amount on a per customer basis.
Customers may cancel their subscription at any time provided that they provide the Company with thirty (30) days advanced written notice of cancellation with no cancellation fees charged to the customer. In the event a subscriber provides a notice of cancellation within the membership period, the customer will be billed on their regular billing date at an amount adjusted to reflect an amount due until the cancellation date.
For avoidance of doubt, if a subscriber is billed $25.00 on the 1st of the month and cancels on the 15th, the subscriber will be billed on the 1st of the following month at a prorated rate through the 15th, or at a rate of $12.50.
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LEGEND NUTRITION – DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS
The Company recognizes revenue in according with ASC Topic 606. The underlying principle is that the Company recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods and services to customers in an amount that they expect to be entitled to in the exchange for goods and services provided.
The Company’s discontinued subsidiary, Legend Nutrition, Inc., operated a retail store in which it sold nutritional and wellness related products. Legend’s business was solely based on the sale of retail products and did not offer any non-tangible services.
Revenue for the entire product line sold was recognized when the customer purchased and had control of the product, even if the terms included a right of return. Legend accounted for any discounts and concessions at the time of sale and accounted for returns and refunds when Legend received the product back in its possession where in some instances, if the product was unused, would be returned to Legend’s inventory or, if used, would be discarded.
Costs of revenue included the amounts that Legend paid its wholesalers and distributors and recognized the cost of revenue when the products were sold and transferred to the possession of the customer. The cost of revenue was deducted from Legend’s open inventory balance upon sale.
Stock Based Compensation
The Company recognizes compensation costs to employees under FASB ASC 718 Compensation - Stock Compensation (“ASC 718”). Under ASC 718, companies are required to measure the compensation costs of share-based compensation arrangements based on the grant-date fair value and recognize the costs in the consolidated financial statements over the period during which employees are required to provide services. Share based compensation arrangements include stock options and warrants. As such, compensation cost is measured on the date of grant at their fair value. Such compensation amounts, if any, are amortized over the respective vesting periods of the option grant.
On July 27, 2018, the inception date, the Company adopted ASU No. 2018-07 Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting. These amendments expand the scope of ASC 718 (which currently only includes share-based payments to employees) to include share-based payments issued to nonemployees for goods or services. Consequently, the accounting for share-based payments to nonemployees and employees will be substantially aligned.
Income Taxes
The Company is a taxable entity and recognizes deferred tax assets and liabilities for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the consolidated financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to be in effect when the temporary differences reverse. The effect on the deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the year that includes the enactment date of the rate change. A valuation allowance is used to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be realized.
Related Parties
The Company follows subtopic 850-10 of the FASB ASC for the identification of related parties and disclosure of related party transactions.
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Pursuant to Section 850-10-20 the related parties include a. affiliates of the Company; b. Entities for which investments in their equity securities would be required, absent the election of the fair value option under the Fair Value Option Subsection of Section 825–10–15, to be accounted for by the equity method by the investing entity; c. trusts for the benefit of employees, such as pension and profit-sharing trusts that are managed by or under the trusteeship of management; d. principal owners of the Company; e. management of the Company; f. 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; and g. Other parties that can significantly influence the management or operating policies of the transacting parties or that have 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.
The consolidated financial statements shall include disclosures of material related party transactions, other than compensation arrangements, expense allowances, and other similar items in the ordinary course of business. However, disclosure of transactions that are eliminated in the preparation of consolidated or combined financial statements is not required in those statements. The disclosures shall include: a. the nature of the relationship(s) involved; b. a description of the transactions, including transactions to which no amounts or nominal amounts were ascribed, for each of the periods for which income statements are presented, and such other information deemed necessary to an understanding of the effects of the transactions on the financial statements; c. the dollar amounts of transactions for each of the periods for which income statements are presented and the effects of any change in the method of establishing the terms from that used in the preceding period; and d. amounts due from or to related parties as of the date of each balance sheet presented and, if not otherwise apparent, the terms and manner of settlement. Material related party transactions have been identified in Note 6 and Note 8 in the consolidated financial statements.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the FASB or other standard setting bodies that are adopted by the Company as of the specified effective date. Unless otherwise discussed, the Company believes that the effect of recently issued standards that are not yet effective will not have a material effect on its consolidated financial position or results of operations upon adoption.
In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, Debt – Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging – Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815 – 40) (“ASU 2020-06”). ASU 2020-06 simplifies the accounting for certain financial instruments with characteristics of liabilities and equity, including convertible instruments and contracts on an entity’s own equity. The ASU is part of the FASB’s simplification initiative, which aims to reduce unnecessary complexity in U.S. GAAP. The ASU’s amendments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2020-06 on its consolidated financial statements.
Note 2 – Property and Equipment
Property and equipment from continuing operations were as follows at December 31, 2022 and 2021:
| December 31, 2022 | December 31, 2021 | |||||||
| Equipment | $ | 57,642 | $ | |||||
| Furniture & fixtures | 44,716 | |||||||
| 102,358 | ||||||||
| Less: accumulated depreciation | (12,698 | ) | ||||||
| Net property and equipment | 89,660 | |||||||
Property and equipment from discontinued operations were as follows at December 31, 2022 and 2021:
| December 31, 2022 | December 31, 2021 | |||||||
| Leasehold improvements | $ | 4,262 | $ | 4,262 | ||||
| Furniture & fixtures | 18,830 | 18,830 | ||||||
| 23,092 | 23,092 | |||||||
| Less: accumulated depreciation | (11,165 | ) | (8,893 | ) | ||||
| Less: disposals | (11,927 | ) | ||||||
| Net property and equipment | 14,199 | |||||||
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Depreciation expense from continuing operations for the years ended December 31, 2022, and 2021 was $12,698 and nil, respectively. Depreciation expense from discontinued operations for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 was $2,272 and $8,893, respectively. There were also disposals of $11,927, during 2022.
Note 3 – Other Assets
On May 15, 2020, the Company executed a securities purchase agreement (“SPA”) with Global Career Networks Inc, a Delaware corporation (the “Seller”), the sole owner of Life Guru, pursuant to which the Company purchased from the Seller, a 51% interest in the capital stock of Life Guru, representing an aggregate of 2,040 shares of Life Guru’s common stock. LifeGuru owns and operates the LifeGuru.me website which is currently in development. In consideration for the purchase, the Company agreed to issue the Seller shares of the Company’s Series B Preferred Stock at closing, which occurred on May 15, 2020. An additional up to Series B Preferred Stock shares were to be issuable to the Seller upon the following milestones, provided that such milestones were met prior to the earlier of (i) one (1) year after closing; and (ii) thirty (30) days after the Company has provided the Seller written notice of a breach by the Seller of any provision of the SPA, which breach has not been reasonably cured within such thirty (30) day period (such earlier date of (i) and (ii):
| (a) | Series B Preferred Stock shares upon completion of the fully operational LifeGuru.me website; |
| (b) | Series B Preferred Stock shares upon such time as 300 coaches have signed up at LifeGuru.me; and |
| (c) | Series B Preferred Stock shares upon such time as 1,000 coaches have signed up at LifeGuru.me. |
The fair value of shares of the Company’s Series B Preferred Stock issued at closing, valued on such grant date was $605,488, which equaled the market price per common share on the grant multiplied by the equivalent number of common shares which would be issuable upon conversion of Series B Preferred Stock.
The Company did not recognize any liabilities related to the milestone shares due to the uncertainty surrounding such milestones.
During the first quarter of 2021, the Company issued Series B Preferred Stock shares for reaching the second milestone (milestone (b)). The fair value of shares of the Company’s Series B Preferred Stock issued at closing, valued on such grant date was $601,852, which equaled the market price per common share on the grant multiplied by the equivalent number of common shares which would be issuable upon conversion of Series B Preferred Stock. This amount was expensed as in process research and development.
Since more than one year has elapsed since closing, the right of the Seller to earn the milestone shares set forth in (a) and (c) above has expired.
Since the asset is not substantiating a future cash flow, the Company determined an impairment adjustment was necessary for the periods presented. Investment in Life Guru of $ was impaired in full during the fourth quarter of 2020.
The % owned subsidiary is a consolidated entity which requires the presentation of noncontrolling interest in the consolidated statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2022. As there was minimal activity for the entity as of December 31, 2021, and minimal assets and liabilities, no noncontrolling interest was presented at December 31, 2021.
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Note 4 – Capital Lease
On June 17, 2020, the Company entered into an agreement with a vendor to purchase equipment used in its spa operations. Pursuant to the agreement, the Company agreed to pay a total amount of $44,722 in 24 installments, or $1,819 per month plus tax. The outstanding balance of this capital lease was $0 as of December 31, 2021.
On July 14, 2020, the Company entered into an agreement with a vendor to purchase equipment used in its spa operations. Pursuant to the agreement, the Company agreed to pay a total amount of $44,722 in 24 installments, or $1,819 per month plus tax. The outstanding balance of this capital lease was $0 as of December 31, 2021.
Note 5 – Operating Right-of-Use Lease Liability
On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASC No. 2016-2, Leases (Topic 842), as amended, which supersedes the lease accounting guidance under Topic 840, and generally requires lessees to recognize operating and financing lease liabilities and corresponding right-of-use (ROU) assets on the consolidated balance sheet and to provide enhanced disclosure surrounding the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leasing arrangements.
As of December 31, 2022, the Company had one leasing agreements subject to ASC 842.
Location 1 – EPIQ Scripts
On February 15, 2022, the Company recognized an operating right-of-use asset in the amount of $69,439 and an operating lease liability in the amount of $69,439 in connection with Location 1. The lease term is seventeen (17) months and expires in July 2023.
The following is a schedule, by year, of maturities of lease liabilities as of December 31, 2022:
| 2023 | $ | 28,747 | ||
| Total undiscounted cash flow | 28,747 | |||
| Less imputed interest (8%) | (2,725 | ) | ||
| Present value of lease liabilities | 26,022 |
The operating lease right-of-use asset net balance at December 31, 2022 related to this location was $26,022.
Note 6 – Accrued Compensation for Related Parties
At December 31, 2022 and 2021, accrued compensation was $110,000 and $103,500, respectively, representing cash compensation due to the Company’s executive officers for services rendered.
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Note 7 – Convertible Notes Payable
Convertible notes payable represents the following at December 31, 2022 and 2021:
| December 31, 2022 | December 31, 2021 | |||||||
| Note payable to an individual dated July 8, 2019 for $40,000, with interest at 8% per annum and due on July 8, 2020. The Note is currently past due. | $ | 40,000 | $ | 40,000 | ||||
| Note payable of $53,000 dated August 5, 2020 for cash of $53,000, with interest at 8% per annum and due on November 5, 2021. The annual interest rate will increase to 22% if in default. The Note is a convertible promissory note. The conversion price equals 61% of the lowest daily volume weighted average price (VWAP) for the common stock during the ten (10) trading day period prior to the conversion date, representing a discount rate of 39%. The note, accrued interest and early payment penalty totaling $70,736 was paid during the year ended December 31, 2021. | 53,000 | |||||||
| Less: Repayment | (53,000 | ) | ||||||
| Note payable of $105,000 dated August 11, 2020 for cash of $100,000, net of original issue discount of $5,000, with one-time interest charge of 8% payable and due on May 11, 2021. The outstanding balance of the Note will be increase by 135% if in default. The Note is a convertible promissory note. The conversion price equals the lower of $0.50 per share or 60% of the lowest daily volume weighted average price (VWAP) for the common stock during the ten (10) trading day period prior to the conversion date, representing a discount rate of 40%. The note and accrued interest totaling $111,466 was settled by the issuance of common shares of the Company and $50,000 in cash. The note and accrued interest were converted at $0.1614 per share and settled with additional shares valued at $ per shares. Accordingly, the Company recorded a loss on loan settlement of $58,059 during the year ended December 31, 2021. | $ | 105,000 | ||||||
| Less: Repayment | -105,000 | |||||||
| Note payable of $53,000 dated September 14, 2020 for cash of $53,000, with interest at 8% per annum and due on December 14, 2021. The annual interest rate will increase to 22% if in default. The Note is a convertible promissory note. The conversion price equals 61% of the lowest daily volume weighted average price (VWAP) for the common stock during the ten (10) trading day period prior to the conversion date, representing a discount rate of 39%. The note, accrued interest and early payment penalty totaling $70,736 was paid during the year ended December 31, 2021. | $ | 53,000 | ||||||
| Less: Repayment | -53,000 | |||||||
| Note payable of $56,750 dated October 12, 2020, for cash of $52,750, with interest at 8% per annum and due on October 12, 2021. The annual interest rate will increase to 24% if in default. The Note is a convertible promissory note. The conversion price equals the lessor of $0.50 per share or 60% of the lowest daily volume weighted average price (VWAP) for the common stock during the ten (10) trading day period prior to the conversion date, representing a discount rate of 40%. The Note and accrued interest totaling $56,750 was converted into common shares of the Company within the terms of the note during the year ended December 31, 2021. | $ | 56,750 | ||||||
| Less: Repayment | -56,750 | |||||||
| Note payable of $138,000 dated November 13, 2020 for cash of $138,000, with interest at 8% per annum and due on November 13, 2021. The annual interest rate will increase to 18% if in default. The Note is a convertible promissory note. The conversion price equals 61% of the lowest daily volume weighted average price (VWAP) for the common stock during the ten (10) trading day period prior to the conversion date, representing a discount rate of 39%. The note, accrued interest and early payment penalty totaling $183,483 was paid during the year ended December 31, 2021. | $ | 138,000 | ||||||
| Less: Repayment | -138,000 | |||||||
| Note payable of $83,500 dated December 2, 2020 for cash of $83,500, with interest at 8% per annum and due on March 2, 2022. The annual interest rate will increase to 22% if in default. The Note is a convertible promissory note. The conversion price equals 61% of the lowest daily volume weighted average price (VWAP) for the common stock during the ten (10) trading day period prior to the conversion date, representing a discount rate of 39%. The note, accrued interest and early payment penalty totaling $104,527 was paid during the year ended December, 2021. | $ | 83,500 | ||||||
| Less: Repayment | -83,500 | |||||||
| Note payable of $425,000 dated January 6, 2021 for cash of $400,000, with interest at 6% per annum and due on January 7, 2022. The annual interest rate will increase to 15% if in default. The Note is a convertible promissory note. The conversion price equals the lessor of $0.50 or 75% of the lowest daily volume weighted average price (VWAP) for the common stock during the seven (7) trading day period prior to the conversion date, representing a discount rate of 25%. The note and accrued interest totaling $437,359 was converted into common shares of the Company within the terms of the note during the year ended December 31, 2021. | $ | 425,000 | ||||||
| Less: Conversion | -425,000 | |||||||
| Note payable of $425,000 dated January 6, 2021 for cash of $400,000, with interest at 6% per annum and due on January 7, 2022. The annual interest rate will increase to 15% if in default. The Note is a convertible promissory note. The conversion price equals the lessor of $0.50 or 75% of the lowest daily volume weighted average price (VWAP) for the common stock during the seven (7) trading day period prior to the conversion date, representing a discount rate of 25%. The note and accrued interest totaling $437,297 was converted into common shares of the Company within the terms of the note during the year ended December 31, 2021. | $ | 425,000 | ||||||
| Less: Conversion | -425,000 | |||||||
| Note payable of $300,000 dated March 30, 2021 for cash of $282,000, with interest at 6% per annum and due on March 30, 2022. The annual interest rate will increase to 15% if in default. The Note is a convertible promissory note. The conversion price equals the lessor of $0.2437 or 75% of the lowest daily volume weighted average price (VWAP) for the common stock during the seven (7) trading day period prior to the conversion date, representing a discount rate of 25%. The note is in default. | $ | 300,000 | 300,000 | |||||
| Note payable of $300,000 dated March 30, 2021 for cash of $282,000, with interest at 6% per annum and due on March 30, 2022. The annual interest rate will increase to 15% if in default. The Note is a convertible promissory note. The conversion price equals the lessor of $0.2437 or 75% of the lowest daily volume weighted average price (VWAP) for the common stock during the seven (7) trading day period prior to the conversion date, representing a discount rate of 25%. A partial conversion of the Note and accrued interest totaling $51,116 was converted into common shares of the Company within the terms of the note during the year ended December 31, 2021. The note and accrued interest totaling $174,280 was converted into common shares of the Company within the terms of the note during the year ended December 31, 2022. The Note is currently in default. | $ | 250,000 | 300,000 | |||||
| Less: Conversion | -139,000 | -50,000 | ||||||
| 111,000 | 250,000 | |||||||
| Note payable of $265,958 dated June 24, 2021 for cash of $250,000, with interest at 6% per annum and due on June 24, 2022. The annual interest rate will increase to 15% if in default. The Note is a convertible promissory note. The conversion price equals the lessor of $0.2437 or 75% of the lowest daily volume weighted average price (VWAP) for the common stock during the seven (7) trading day period prior to the conversion date, representing a discount rate of 25%. A partial conversion of the Note totaling $118,668 was converted into common shares of the Company within the terms of the note during the year ended December 31, 2021. The note and accrued interest totaling $190,000 was converted into common shares of the Company within the terms of the note during the year ended December 31, 2022. The Note is currently in default. | $ | 147,290 | 265,958 | |||||
| Less: Conversion | -84,602 | -118,668 | ||||||
| 62,688 | 147,290 | |||||||
| Note payable of $271,958 dated June 24, 2021 for cash of $256,000, with interest at 6% per annum and due on June 24, 2022. The annual interest rate will increase to 15% if in default. The Note is a convertible promissory note. The conversion price equals the lessor of $0.2437 or 75% of the lowest daily volume weighted average price (VWAP) for the common stock during the seven (7) trading day period prior to the conversion date, representing a discount rate of 25%. A partial conversion of the Note and accrued interest totaling $140,000 was converted into common shares of the Company within the terms of the note during the year ended December 31, 2021. The note and accrued interest totaling $143,865 was converted into common shares of the Company within the terms of the note during the year ended December 31, 2022. | $ | 138,152 | 271,958 | |||||
| Less: Conversion | (138,152 | ) | (133,806 | ) | ||||
| 138,152 | ||||||||
| On September 24, 2021, the Company had a short-term advance payable in the amount of $50,000 to an unrelated party, with no interest and due on demand. The short-term advance was paid in full on December 1, 2021. | $ | 50,000 | ||||||
| Less: Repayment | -50,000 | |||||||
| Note payable of $750,000 dated November 22, 2021 for cash of $750,000, with interest at 10% per annum and due on June 24, 2022. The annual interest rate will increase to 16% or the maximum amount permitted by law if in default. The Note is a convertible promissory note. The conversion price equals the lessor of $0.075 or 80% of the offering price per share of Common Stock at which the Uplist Offering is made. The note and accrued interest totaling $240,710 was converted into common shares of the Company within the terms of the note during the year ended December 31, 2022. The Note is currently in default. | $ | 750,000 | 750,000 | |||||
| Less: Conversion | -157,473 | |||||||
| 592,527 | 750,000 | |||||||
| Note payable of $500,000 dated November 30, 2021 for cash of $5000,000, with interest at 10% per annum and due on November 30, 2022. The annual interest rate will increase to 16% or the maximum amount permitted by law if in default. The Note is a convertible promissory note. The conversion price equals the lessor of $0.075 or 80% of the offering price per share of Common Stock at which the Uplist Offering is made. The note and accrued interest totaling $342,801 was converted into common shares of the Company within the terms of the note during the year ended December 31, 2022. The Note is currently in default. | $ | 500,000 | 500,000 | |||||
| Less: Conversion | -269,244 | |||||||
| 230,756 | 500,000 | |||||||
| Note payable of $250,000 dated December 1, 2021 for cash of $250,000, with interest at 10% per annum and due on December 1, 2022. The annual interest rate will increase to 16% or the maximum amount permitted by law if in default. The Note is a convertible promissory note. The conversion price equals the lessor of $0.075 or 80% of the offering price per share of Common Stock at which the Uplist Offering is made. The note and accrued interest totaling $40,800 was converted into common shares of the Company within the terms of the note during the year ended December 31, 2022. The Note is currently in default. | $ | 250,000 | 250,000 | |||||
| Less: Conversion | -40,800 | |||||||
| 209,200 | 250,000 | |||||||
| Note payable of $500,000 dated December 2, 2021 for cash of $500,000, with interest at 10% per annum and due on December 2, 2022. The annual interest rate will increase to 16% or the maximum amount permitted by law if in default. The Note is a convertible promissory note. The conversion price equals the lessor of $0.075 or 80% of the offering price per share of Common Stock at which the Uplist Offering is made. The note and accrued interest totaling $99,775 was converted into common shares of the Company within the terms of the note during the year ended December 31, 2022. The Note is currently in default. | $ | 500,000 | 500,000 | |||||
| Less: Conversion | -49,515 | |||||||
| 450,485 | 500,000 | |||||||
| Note payable of $137,500 dated May 13, 2022 for cash of $128,450, with interest at 6% per annum and due on May 13, 2023. In connection with the original issue discount promissory note the Company recorded an original issue discount (OID) of $9,050 which is to be amortized over the term of the note and derivative liabilities of $55,323. The annual interest rate will increase to 22% upon the occurrence of an event of default. The Note is a convertible promissory note. The conversion price equals 75% of the lowest daily VWAP of the Common Stock during the seven (7) consecutive trading day period prior to conversion. The note and accrued interest totaling $128,950 was converted into common shares of the Company within the terms of the note during the year ended December 31, 2022. | $ | 137,500 | ||||||
| Less: Conversion | -128,950 | |||||||
| 8,550 | ||||||||
| Note payable of $88,775 dated June 16, 2022 for cash of $85,775, with interest at 6% per annum and due on May 13, 2023. In connection with the original issue discount promissory note the Company recorded OID of $3,000 which is to be amortized over the term of the note and derivative liabilities of $38,713. The annual interest rate will increase to 22% upon the occurrence of an event of default. The Note is a convertible promissory note. The conversion price equals 75% of the lowest daily VWAP of the Common Stock during the seven (7) consecutive trading day period prior to conversion. | $ | 88,775 | ||||||
| Note payable of $62,250 dated August 29, 2022 for cash of $56,025, with interest at 12% per annum and due on May 13, 2023. In connection with the original issue discount promissory note the Company recorded OID of $6,225 which is to be amortized over the term of the note and derivative liabilities of $23,543. The annual interest rate will increase to 16% upon the occurrence of an event of default. The Note is a convertible promissory note. The conversion price equals $0.04, subject to adjustment. | $ | 62,250 | ||||||
| Note payable of $62,250 dated September 13, 2022 for cash of $56,025, with interest at 12% per annum and due on September 13, 2023. In connection with the original issue discount promissory note the Company recorded OID of $6,250 which is to be amortized over the term of the note and derivative liabilities of $10,748. The annual interest rate will increase to 16% upon the occurrence of an event of default. The Note is a convertible promissory note. The conversion price equals $0.04, subject to adjustment. | $ | 62,250 | ||||||
| Note payable of $59,400 dated October 3, 2022 for cash of $55,000, with interest at 6% per annum and due on October 3, 2023. In connection with the original issue discount promissory note the Company recorded OID of $4,400 which is to be amortized over the term of the note. The annual interest rate will increase to 22% upon the occurrence of an event of default. The Note is a convertible promissory note. The conversion price equals 75% of the lowest daily VWAP of the common stock during the 7 consecutive trading day, subject to adjustment. | $ | 59,400 | ||||||
| Note payable of $58,050 dated November 29, 2022 for cash of $53,750, with interest at 6% per annum and due on November 29, 2023. In connection with the original issue discount promissory note the Company recorded OID of $4,300 which is to be amortized over the term of the note. The annual interest rate will increase to 22% upon the occurrence of an event of default. The Note is a convertible promissory note. The conversion price equals 75% of the lowest daily VWAP of the common stock during the 7 consecutive trading day, subject to adjustment. | $ | 58,050 | ||||||
| Total | $ | 2,335,931 | 5,410,884 | |||||
| Less: unamortized discount | -201,784 | (2,479,023 | ) | |||||
| Total | $ | 2,134,147 | 471,419 | |||||
| Short term convertible notes, net of discount of $201,784 and $2,479,023 | $ | 2,134,147 | 396,419 | |||||
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Note 8 – Loans Payable
Notes payable represents the following at December 31, 2022 and 2021:
Note 9 – Loans from Related Parties
Notes payable from related parties represents the following at December 31, 2022 and 2021:
| December 31, 2022 | December 31, 2021 | |||||||
| On April 12, 2019, the Company entered into individual share exchange agreements and promissory notes with each of Daniel Dror, Winfred Fields and former Directors Everett Bassie and Charles Zeller (the “AMIH Shareholders”), whereby the AMIH Shareholders agreed to cancel and exchange a total of shares of their AMIH common stock. The Company issued individual promissory notes with an aggregate principal amount of $350,000 (the “Promissory Notes”) for cancellation of the common shares. The Promissory Notes have a term of two years and accrue interest at the rate of 10% per annum until paid in full by the Company. The Note and accrued interest totaling $280,108 was settled by the issuance of common shares of the Company. The shares were valued at $ and $ per share based on the market price at the settlement date. Accordingly, the Company recorded a loss on loan settlement of $758,601 during the year ended December 31, 2020. These notes are currently in default. | $ | 110,000 | $ | 110,000 | ||||
| Short-term note payable in the amount of $13,473 to Kemah Development Texas, LP, a company owned by Dror Family Trust, a related party. The Company settled this note payable of $13,473 and accrued interest of $2,633 with a payment of $2,000 in cash on May 23, 2022. | 13,473 | 13,473 | ||||||
| Less payments / settlements | (13,473 | ) | - | |||||
| - | 13,473 | |||||||
| On December 28, 2022, the Company received an advance in the amount of $250,000 from a former Director, due on demand for 0% interest. | 250,000 | - | ||||||
| Total | $ | 360,000 | $ | 123,473 |
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Note 10 – Derivative Liabilities
Notes that are convertible at a discount to market are considered embedded derivatives.
Under FASB, U.S. GAAP, ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging, requires that all derivative financial instruments be recorded on the balance sheet at fair value. Fair values for exchange traded securities and derivatives are based on quoted market prices. Where market prices are not readily available, fair values are determined using market-based pricing models incorporating readily observable market data and requiring judgment and estimates.
The Company’s convertible note has been evaluated with respect to the terms and conditions of the conversion features contained in the note to determine whether they represent embedded or freestanding derivative instruments under the provisions of ASC 815. The Company determined that the conversion features contained in the notes totaled $633,920 and represent an embedded derivative instrument that meets the requirements for liability classification under ASC 815. As a result, the fair value of the derivative financial instrument in the note is reflected in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as a liability. The fair value of the derivative financial instrument of the convertible note was measured using the Monte Carlo model at the inception date of the note and will do so again on each subsequent consolidated balance sheet date. Any changes in the fair value of the derivative financial instruments are recorded as non-operating, non-cash income or expense at each consolidated balance sheet date. The derivative liabilities will be reclassified into additional paid in capital upon conversion.
The Convertible Note derivatives were valued as of December 31, 2021, at issuance, at conversion and at December 31, 2022 as set forth in the table below.
| Derivative liabilities as of December 31, 2020 | $ | 517,366 | ||
| Initial derivative liabilities at new note issuance | 7,209,723 | |||
| Initial loss | ||||
| Conversion | (1,116,124 | ) | ||
| Mark to market changes | (2,469,693 | ) | ||
| Derivative liabilities as of December 31, 2021 | $ | 4,141,272 | ||
| Initial derivative liabilities at new note issuance | 460,960 | |||
| Initial loss | ||||
| Conversion | (474,735 | ) | ||
| Mark to market changes | (2,290,489 | ) | ||
| Derivative liabilities as of December 31, 2022 | $ | 1,837,008 |
As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company had derivative liabilities of $1,837,008 and $4,141,272, respectively, and recorded changes in derivative liabilities in the amount of $2,290,489 and $2,469,693 during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
The following assumptions were used for the valuation of the derivative liability related to the Notes:
| - | The stock price would fluctuate with the Company’s projected volatility; | |
| - | The projected volatility curve from an annualized analysis for each valuation period was based on the historical volatility of the Company and the term remaining for each note ranged from 62.08% through 389.85% at issuance, conversion, and quarters ends; | |
| - | The Company would not redeem the notes; | |
| - | An event of default adjusting the interest rate would occur initially 0% of the time for all notes with increases 1% per month to a maximum of 100% with the corresponding penalty; | |
| - | The Company would raise capital quarterly at market, which could trigger a reset event; and | |
| - | The Holder would convert the note monthly if the Company was not in default. |
| 106 |
Note 11 – Income Taxes
On December 22, 2017, the U.S. enacted the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Act”), which significantly changed U.S. tax law. The Act lowered the Company’s U.S. statutory federal income tax rate from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018, while also imposing a deemed repatriation tax on previously deferred foreign income.
The Act also created a new minimum tax on certain future foreign earnings. The impact of the Act increased the Company’s deferred tax asset related to the Company’s net operating loss by approximately $23,115,376 and increased the Company’s valuation allowance by the same amount resulting in no impact to the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
We record tax positions as liabilities in accordance with ASC 740 and adjust these liabilities when our judgement changes as a result of the evaluation of new information not previously available. Because of the complexity of some of these uncertainties, the ultimate resolution may result in a payment that is materially different from our current estimate of the recognized tax benefit liabilities. These differences will be reflected as increases or decreases to income tax expense in the period in which new information is available. As of December 31, 2022, and 2021, we have not recorded any uncertain tax positions in our financial statements.
The effective US federal income corporate tax rates for 2022 and 2021 are 21%.
The Company has net operating loss carry forwards of approximately $23,115,376 at December 31, 2022 that do not expire. However, utilization of these losses may be limited pursuant to Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code due to a recapitalization in 2007 and subsequent stock issuances.
The Company has a deferred tax asset as shown in the following:
| Year Ending December 31, 2022 | Year Ending December 31, 2021 | |||||||
| Deferred Tax Asset | 4,853,809 | 9,980,911 | ||||||
| Valuation Allowance | (4,853,809 | ) | (9,980,911 | ) | ||||
| Net Deferred Tax Asset | $ | $ | ||||||
Note 12 – Capital Stock
Preferred Stock
The Company is authorized to issue up to shares of preferred stock, $ par value, of which shares were designated as Series A Convertible Preferred Stock and were designated as Series B Preferred stock, the balance of shares of preferred stock were undesignated as of December 31, 2022 and 2021.
The holders of Series A Preferred Stock have no dividend rights or liquidation preference. Each holder of Series A Preferred Stock may, at its option, convert its shares of Series A Preferred Stock into that number of shares of common stock equal to the holder’s pro rata share of all Series A Preferred Stock then issued and outstanding, multiplied by (i) 60%, minus the aggregate percentage of the Company’s outstanding common stock previously converted by holders of the Series A Preferred Stock, through such applicable date (the “Remaining Percentage”), multiplied by (ii) the outstanding shares of common stock as of the applicable date of determination, divided by 0.40, divided by (iii) the total number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock then outstanding. No individual conversion by any individual holder shall be in an amount greater than 9.99% of the outstanding common stock of the Company on the date on which the holder delivers notice of such conversion to the Company (the “Individual Conversion Limitation”). The result of the above, is that such Series A Preferred Stock is convertible into 60% of the Company’s outstanding common stock (on a post-conversion basis, i.e., 150% of the Company’s outstanding common stock on a pre-conversion basis) currently.
| 107 |
For so long as any shares of the Series A Preferred Stock remain issued and outstanding, the holders thereof, voting separately as a class, shall have the right to vote on all shareholder matters (including, but not limited to at every meeting of the stockholders of the Company and upon any action taken by stockholders of the Company with or without a meeting) equal to the Remaining Percentage of the total vote. All Series A Shares vote together with the common stock on all shareholder matters as its own voting class.
Additionally, so long as Series A Preferred Stock is outstanding, the Company shall not, without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66-2/3% of all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class (i) amend, alter or repeal any provision of the Articles of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Company so as to adversely affect the designations, preferences, limitations and relative rights of the Series A Preferred Stock, (ii) effect any reclassification of the Series A Preferred Stock, (iii) designate any additional series of preferred stock, the designation of which adversely effects the rights, privileges, preferences or limitations of the Series A Preferred Stock; or (iv) amend, alter or repeal any provision of the Series A Designation (except in connection with certain non-material technical amendments).
The holders of Series B Preferred Stock have the same dividend rights as common stockholders on a fully converted basis, are entitled to receive pari passu with any distribution of any of the assets of the Company to the holders of the Company’s common stock, but not prior to any holders of senior securities. Each share of Series B Preferred Stock may be converted, at the option of the holder thereof, into that number of shares of common stock of the Company as equals $1.00 divided by 90% of the average of the volume weighted average prices (“VWAP”) of the Company’s common stock, for the five trading days immediately preceding the date the notice of conversion is received, subject to the limit of 4.999% of the Company’s outstanding shares of common stock. The holders of Series B Preferred Stock have no voting rights.
In the first quarter of 2021, the Company issued shares of Series B Preferred Shares to a third party for services related to research and development. The shares were subsequently converted into post-reverse stock split shares of common stock. The shares were valued at $601,582.
The Company had million post-forward split shares of Series A Preferred Stock and shares of Series B Preferred Stock issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2022.
Common Stock
The Company is authorized to issue up to shares of common stock, $ par value, of which post-reverse stock split shares were issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2022 and post-reverse stock split common stock shares were issued and outstanding at December 31, 2021.
During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company issued post-reverse stock split shares of the Company’s common stock in consideration for services performed by employees, directors and non-employee consultants. The shares were valued at $422,874 based on the market price on the date of agreement.
In the first quarter of 2022, the Company issued post-reverse stock split common shares to investors in exchange for $204,805 of principal and accrued interest owed under the terms and conditions of convertible notes as issued.
In the second quarter of 2022, the Company issued common shares to investors in exchange for $69,476 of principal and accrued interest owed under the terms and conditions of convertible notes as issued.
In the third quarter of 2022, the Company issued common shares to investors in exchange for $201,639 of principal and accrued interest owed under the terms and conditions of convertible notes as issued.
| 108 |
In the fourth quarter of 2022, the Company issued common shares to investors in exchange for $780,103 of principal and accrued interest owed under the terms and conditions of convertible notes as issued.
In the year of 2022, the Company issued common shares in consideration for services performed by employees and non-employee consultants. The shares were valued at $42,300 based on the market price on the date of agreements.
Note 13 – Going Concern
These consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern, which contemplates the realization of assets and the discharge of liabilities in the normal course of business for the foreseeable future.
As reflected in the accompanying consolidated financial statements, the Company has a net loss from continuing operations of $2,863,918 and $10,225,497 for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, a net loss from discontinued operation of $14,199 and a gain from discontinued operation of $244,586 for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, and an accumulated deficit of $23,115,376 as of December 31, 2022. The ability to continue as a going concern is dependent upon the Company generating profitable operations in the future and/or to obtain the necessary financing to meet its obligations and repay its liabilities arising from normal business operations when they come due. These consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability and reclassification of recorded asset amounts, or amounts and classifications of liabilities that might result from this uncertainty. There can be no assurance that the Company will become commercially viable without additional financing, the availability and terms of which are uncertain. If the Company cannot secure necessary capital when needed on commercially reasonable terms, its business, condition (financial and otherwise) and commercial viability may be harmed. Although management believes that it will be able to successfully execute its business plan, which includes third party financing and the raising of capital to meet the Company’s future liquidity needs, there can be no assurances in this regard. These matters raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.
Note 14 – Commitments and Contingencies
In the ordinary course of business, the Company may become a party to lawsuits involving various matters. The impact and outcome of litigation, if any, is subject to inherent uncertainties, and an adverse result in these or other matters may arise from time to time that may harm its business. The Company believes the ultimate resolution of any such current proceeding will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
Robert Holden vs AMIH
On October 14, 2019, Robert Holden, the Company’s former CEO, filed a Petition and Application for Temporary Restraining Order in the District Court of Harris County, Texas, against the Company stating that the Company is blocking Mr. Holden’s legal right to trade his shares in the open market and further attempting to stake his claim that he maintains his rights to the shares he received in connection with his acceptance as CEO of the Company on or around May 31, 2018. The Company is maintaining the position that Mr. Holden does not have the right to those shares as he was in breach of his obligation to convey a digital marketing business to the Company and subsequently resigned from the Company shortly thereafter, on or around August 15, 2018 and that he procured the shares through fraud. On November 11, 2019, the Company issued a response with a Motion to Dismiss Under the Texas Citizen’s Participation Act “TCPA” citing that any declaratory judgment and breach of contract claims be dismissed unless Mr. Holden can, through “clear and specific evidence”, establish a prima facie case for each essential element of his claims.
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After an attempt to remand the case to federal court, the Company filed an amended notice of submission for its TCPA motion for submission on May 18, 2020, whereby Holden failed to respond to the motion in a timely manner. On May 18, 2020, the Company filed a response in support of its motion to dismiss under the TCPA, which was denied on June 3, 2020. Immediately thereafter, on June 4, 2020, the Company filed a notice of accelerated interlocutory appeal to appeal the denial of the motion to dismiss under the TCPA and the trial court’s failure to rule on the Company’s objection to the timeliness of Holden’s response. Ultimately, the Court of Appeals ruled that the TCPA did not apply to Holden’s action. This ruling does not imply that Holden’s claims have merit, but only that they are not subject to expedited dismissal. The Company sought review from the Texas Supreme Court, but it was denied. The outcome of this action, and the ultimate outcome of the lawsuit is currently unknown at this time, provided that the Company intends to vehemently defend itself against the claims made in the lawsuit.
AMIH vs. Winfred Fields
On November 11, 2019, the Company filed an original petition and jury demand against Winfred Fields, a shareholder, in the 458th Judicial District Court of Fort Bend County seeking damages related to breach of contract and fraud related charges. The Company executed an exchange agreement with Mr. Fields on or around April 12, 2019 whereby Mr. Fields was required to tender to the Company a total of of the shares of the Company’s common stock that Mr. Fields then owned (the “Exchanged Shares”) in exchange for a promissory note with a maturity date of April 12, 2021 payable in the amount of $42,500 (the “Fields Note”) (see also “Note 8 – Loans from Related Parties”). The Exchange Agreement required that Mr. Fields immediately return the stock certificates for the Exchanged Shares to the Company or its designated agent for immediate cancellation and for Mr. Fields to retain the remaining shares. Mr. Fields agreed in the Exchange Agreement that these shares would not become unrestricted until such time as Mr. Fields received an opinion of counsel satisfactory to the Company that the shares were not restricted for trade under SEC regulations. After executing the Exchange Agreement, Mr. Fields—rather than return the Exchanged Shares or obtain said opinion of counsel—attempted to deposit and trade the Exchanged Shares and the restricted shares, which was a direct violation of the Exchange Agreement. The Company asserts that Mr. Fields knowingly, willingly and fraudulently attempted to deposit and trade the Exchanged Shares and is seeking damages and equitable relief. Upon several attempts to serve Mr. Fields, service was perfected on or around February 3, 2020. On March 2, 2020, Mr. Fields filed a response generally denying all claims. On May 22, 2020, the Company filed its first request for production and request for disclosure and discovery insisting that Mr. Fields produce all documentation related to the fraudulent transaction and is awaiting a response to these requested discovery items. The outcome of this action is currently unknown at this time. In November 2019, the Company recovered shares from Mr. Fields which were cancelled in 2019. Mr. Fields twice moved for summary judgment, once against the Company’s claims, and once in favor of his own claims. However, the court denied his motions. The Company has moved for summary judgment on its claims and against Mr. Fields’ claims and a hearing is currently set for June 5, 2023.
Asher Park, LLC vs. Novopelle Tyler
On August 11, 2021, Asher Park, LLC (“Asher Park”) filed a petition against the Company and its subsidiary, Novopelle Tyler, Inc. (“Novopelle Tyler”) in the 241st Judicial District Court of Smith County, Texas seeking to recover damages in the amount of $66,651 against that commercial lease and commercial lease guaranty agreement that was signed between the parties on or around January 8, 2020 to occupy retail premises located at 1058 Asher Way, Suite 100, in Tyler, Texas. As this commercial lease was executed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and due to the uncertainty of the effects on retail establishments during the pandemic, Novopelle Tyler never officially took possession of the retail premise. On September 23, 2021, the Company and Novopelle Tyler filed an Original Answer and Affirmative Defense denying the allegations made by Asher Park.
On January 26, 2022, Novopelle Tyler and the Company entered into a Settlement Agreement & Mutual Release with Asher Park whereby Novopelle Tyler and on February 1, 2022, the Company paid Asher Park a total of $35,000 in full and final settlement of all of the Asher Park’s claims. Accordingly, Asher Park, in consideration for the execution of the Settlement Agreement dismissed the lawsuit against both Novopelle Tyler and the Company.
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Stanley Tate d/b/a Triangle Cabinets vs. Capitol City Solutions USA, Inc.
On September 10, 2021, Stanley Tate d/b/a Triangle Cabinets (“Tate”), a materials supplier and subcontractor that was hired by the Company’s subsidiary, Capitol City Solutions USA, Inc. “CCS”, filed a petition against the Company, CCS, and CCS’s construction client, PC Gateway, LLC (“PC Gateway”) in the 136th Judicial District Court of Jefferson County, Texas seeking payment in the amount of $77,681 for services Tate claimed to provide CCS and PC Gateway. The Company and CCS were not officially served until on or around October 21, 2021. On October 25, 2021, the Company and CCS filed an Original Answer denying the allegations made by Tate as Tate had failed to provide the services in which they were hired to perform and demanding strict proof by a preponderance of credible evidence. On December 29, 2021, Tate dismissed all claims against both the Company and CCS.
Capitol City Solutions USA, Inc. vs. Peak Living, LLC and PC Gateway, LLC
On November 1, 2021, the CCS, filed a petition against PC Gateway and Peak Living, LLC (“Peak Living”) in the 58th Judicial District Court of Jefferson County Texas demanding the payment of the final invoice as delivered to Peak Living in the amount of $2,069,908 representing the balance as owed to CCS for substantial supplemental charges (including but not limited to dehumidifiers, various material cost and labor increases, code compliance costs, and additional profit and overhead). Throughout the term of a project completed by CCS for Peak Living, Peak Living instructed CCS to perform additional work beyond the original scope of the contracted agreement and fully understood that CCS expected to be compensated at the fair market value for the additional labor and materials. In addition to seeking actual and statutory damages, CCS is seeking to recover attorney’s fees, prejudgment and post judgment interest, costs of court and has further placed a constitutional lien on the PC Gateway property, known as Gateway Village, located at 2825 12th Street, Beaumont, Texas, 77705 and which is the subject of the lawsuit. Based on information received through the discovery process, CCS entered into a Settlement Agreement and Release with Peak Living on March 29, 2022, whereby CCS agreed to dismiss Peak Living of all claims under the lawsuit.
Note 15 – Discontinued Operations
During 2021, the Company decided to discontinue the operation of its VISSIA McKinney, VISSIA Waterway, Legend Nutrition, Capitol City Solutions USA, Inc. subsidiaries. VISSIA McKinney, VISSIA Waterway, Legend Nutrition, Capitol City Solutions USA, Inc. have been presented as discontinued operations in the accompanying consolidated financial statements and are summarized below:
| The Years Ended December 31, | ||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | |||||||
| Revenue | $ | $ | 2,530 | |||||
| Cost of revenue | ||||||||
| Gross profit | 2,530 | |||||||
| Operating expenses | (14,199 | ) | (57,660 | ) | ||||
| Loss from operations | (14,199 | ) | (55,130 | ) | ||||
| Other income (expenses) | 299,716 | |||||||
| Gain (Loss) from discontinued operations | $ | (14,199 | ) | $ | 244,586 | |||
| As of | ||||||||
| December 31, 2022 | December 31, 2021 | |||||||
| Assets of discontinued operations - current | $ | $ | ||||||
| Assets of discontinued operations - intangible | $ | $ | ||||||
| Assets of discontinued operations - non-current | $ | $ | 14,199 | |||||
| Net liabilities of discontinued operations | $ | 4,948 | $ | 112,199 | ||||
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Note 16 – Disposition of Subsidiaries
On June 16, 2022, the Company entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement with Cohen Enterprises, Inc., which entity is owned by Jacob D. Cohen, our Chief Executive Officer and director (buyer) to sell buyer all shares of common stock of Mangoceuticals, Inc. (which represented 80% of the then outstanding shares of common stock of Mangoceuticals, Inc.) which the Company then held for $90,000 in cash paid at closing. Pursuant to the Stock Purchase Agreement, the disposition of Mangoceuticals, Inc generated net cash proceeds of $85,753, release of accounts payable and accrued expenses of $16,339 and resulted in a gain of $102,094. This transaction is considered as a related party transaction in accordance with ASC 850.
On June 30, 2022, the Company entered into an Equity Interest Purchase Agreement with Alejandro Rodriguez and Pan-American Communications Services S.A. (buyers) to sell buyers all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of Epiq MD which the Company then held (representing 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of Epiq MD) for an aggregate amount of $300,000, consisting of $150,000 of cash paid at closing and a $150,000 subsequent payment. Pursuant to the Equity Interest Purchase Agreement, the disposition of Epiq MD generated net cash outflow of $2,123, increase in other receivable of $300,000, loss on security deposit of $3,599, release of accounts payable and accrued expenses of $28,484 and resulted in a gain of $323,262.
Note 17 – Subsequent Events
Events that occur after the balance sheet date but before the financial statements were available to be issued must be evaluated for recognition or disclosure. The effects of subsequent events that provide evidence about conditions that existed at the balance sheet date are recognized in the accompanying financial statements. Subsequent events, which provide evidence about conditions that existed after the balance sheet date, require disclosure in the accompanying notes. Other than those listed below, the Company is not aware of any other subsequent events that should be reported herein.
From January 5, 2023 through February 8, 2023, the Company converted a total of $488,924 of its outstanding convertible debt into shares of common stock and at various prices per share of common stock ranging from $ to $. per share.
On February 15, 2023, we entered into a Share Exchange Agreement (the “Exchange Agreement”) with Cycle Energy Corp., a Texas corporation (“Cycle Energy”), and Marble Trital Inc., the sole shareholder of Cycle Energy (the “Shareholder”). The Shareholder is beneficially owned and controlled by Mr. Michael McLaren, the Company’s newly appointed Chief Executive Officer. Pursuant to the Exchange Agreement, which closed on February 15, 2023 (the “Closing Date”), the Shareholder exchanged (the “Exchange”) 100% of the ownership of Cycle Energy in consideration for shares of the Series A Preferred Stock of the Company (the “New Series A Shares”).
Management’s intent in entering into the Exchange Agreement was to develop a new business line while maintaining the Company’s existing operations. Management of the Company believes that by bringing Cycle Energy under the Company’s umbrella, the Company will be able to diversify its operations and build a portfolio of core assets that can be strategically leveraged in various ways to accelerate the Company’s overall growth. With the Exchange Agreement, there will come an expanded vision for the Company. Cycle Energy is a diversified energy company based in the state of Texas.
Conditions to closing the Exchange included that the Company must have entered into the Cohen Exchange Agreement (defined and discussed below); terminated the employment agreement of Jacob D. Cohen, the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Company; entered into a consulting agreement with Mr. Cohen; and entered into an indemnification agreement with Mr. Cohen, all of which occurred, as discussed below.
Additionally, the Exchange Agreement required the Company to invite two persons to join its Board of Directors at the recommendation of the Shareholder following the Closing Date, to fill the vacancies created by the resignation of two of the current members of the Company’s Board of Directors, which change in directors occurred. In addition, the Exchange Agreement required the Company’s then current officers to resign and new officers of the Company to be appointed at the direction of the Shareholder. Each of which appointments and resignations were completed.
On March 9, 2023, and effective on February 15, 2023, the date of the Exchange Agreement, the Company, Cycle Energy and the Shareholder, entered into a First Amendment to Share Exchange Agreement (the “First Amendment”), which amended the Exchange Agreement to be effective February 15, 2023, instead of December 31, 2022.
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Also on February 15, 2023, and as a required condition to the closing of the Exchange Agreement, the Company and Jacob D. Cohen, the then Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, entered into an Exchange Agreement (the “Cohen Exchange Agreement”). Pursuant to the Cohen Exchange Agreement, Mr. Cohen exchanged all shares of the Series A Preferred Stock of the Company which he held (the “Cohen Series A Shares”), with the Company (which Cohen Series A Shares were then cancelled, prior to being reissued to the Seller as New Series A Shares, as discussed above), for (a) all of the issued and outstanding membership interests held by the Company in Epiq Scripts, LLC, a Texas limited liability company (“Epiq Scripts”)(representing 51% of Epiq Scripts)(the “Epiq Scripts Interests”); (b) all cash payments paid to the Company in the future as a Royalty Payment (as defined in the Royalty Agreement (defined below)) pursuant to that certain Royalty Agreement dated June 30, 2022, by and between Epiq MD, Inc. a Nevada corporation (“Epiq MD”) and the Company (the “Royalty Agreement” and the “Royalty Payments”); (c) all proceeds that the Company receives from any sale of the equity of ZipDoctor, Inc., a Texas corporation (the “ZipDoctor Consideration”); and (d) the rights to all debt owed to the Company from Epiq Scripts, in the amount of approximately $850,000 (the “Epiq Scripts Debt”).
Pursuant to the Cohen Exchange Agreement, the Company also agreed to pay all Royalty Payments to Mr. Cohen within five days of its receipt thereof and that any amount of the Royalty Payments not paid when due will accrue interest at the rate of the lesser of (a) 18% per annum; and (b) the highest rate allowable pursuant to law, until paid in full (as applicable, (a) or (b), the “Default Rate”).
The Cohen Exchange Agreement has an effective date of February 15, 2023, and the transactions contemplated by the Cohen Exchange Agreement closed on February 15, 2023. As a result of the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Exchange Agreement and the Cohen Exchange Agreement, and effective on the Closing Date, February 15, 2023, the Shareholder, through ownership of all 1,000 of the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock shares, holds voting control over 60% of the Company’s outstanding voting shares, resulting in a change of control of the Company. Prior to the closing of the Cohen Exchange Agreement, Jacob D. Cohen held 1,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock, which provided him voting control over 60% of the Company’s outstanding voting shares. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock held by the Shareholder are beneficially owned by Michael McLaren, its controlling shareholder owner and officer. As a result, Mr. McLaren, as a result of his control of the Shareholder, obtained control over the Company upon the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Exchange Agreement, as he obtained voting control over 60% of the Company’s outstanding voting stock due to his ownership of the New Series A Shares.
On March 1, 2023, the Company entered into a Service Agreement with Greentree Financial Group, Inc. (“GreenTree”) whereby GreenTree agreed to provide the Company with assistance of its financial reporting and statement preparations for the year ended December 31, 2022 and the three quarters ended March 31, 2023, June 30, 2023 and September 30, 2023, as well as in connection with the preparation of the Company’s 2022 US corporate income tax returns (the “Service Agreement”). The Service Agreement commenced on March 1, 2023 and ends on December 31, 2023. In consideration for the services provided under the Service Agreement, the Company agreed to pay GreenTree $120,000 of which $20,000 is to be paid in cash and the remaining $100,000 to be paid through the issuance of a Convertible Promissory Note (the “GreenTree Note”). The GreenTree Note had an effective date of March 1, 2023, has a term of one year, accrues interest at the rate of 12% per annum, and converts into common stock at the option of GreenTree at the lower of a) $ per share and b) 50% of the lowest trading prices of the Company’s common stock on the primary trading market for the common stock for the last twenty (20) trading days immediately prior to but not including the conversion date. The Company may, at its option, at any time and from time to time, prepay all or any part of the principal balance of the GreenTree Service Note before the maturity date, with a penalty or premium equal to 20% of the sum of any outstanding principal and any interest accrued as of the prepayment date provided that the Company provide GreenTree fifteen (15) days’ advanced written notice of its intent to prepay. The GreenTree Note includes a 4.9% beneficial ownership limitation preventing the conversion of the note into common stock if upon such conversion GreenTree would beneficially own more than 4.9% of the Company’s then outstanding common stock, which may be increased to up to 9.9% with not less than 61 days prior written notice. We agreed to pay $1,500 of GreenTree’s costs in connection with each conversion of the GreenTree Note. If at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any common stock, options to purchase common stock, securities convertible into common stock or rights relating to common stock (the “Purchase Rights”) to any person, entity, association, or other organization other than GreenTree, at a price per share less than the conversion price then in effect, then the conversion price is automatically reduced to match the price per share of the Purchase Rights. The GreenTree Note contains customary events of default.
On March 17, 2023, the Company entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement with Cosmos Health Inc. (“Cosmos” and the “SPA”). Pursuant to the SPA, the Company agreed to sell Cosmos 100% of the outstanding shares of common stock of ZipDoctor, Inc., for $. The transactions contemplated by the SPA closed on April 3, 2023. The SPA contained representations and warranties of the parties customary for a transaction of the size and type of the SPA, and includes various indemnification obligations of the parties.
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ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
None.
ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
We have established and maintain a system of disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the Commission and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) and Chief Financial Officer (principal financial/accounting officer), to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosures.
Management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act) as of the end of the period covered by this Report, December 31, 2022. As of December 31, 2022, based on the evaluation of these disclosure controls and procedures, and in light of the material weakness we found in our internal controls over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022 (as described in greater detail below), our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act, is recorded properly, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the Commission and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer , as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosures.
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 such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act. Under the supervision and with the participation of management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the framework in Internal Control — Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the - Commission (2013 Framework) (the “COSO Framework”). Based on this evaluation under the COSO Framework, management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of December 31, 2022, due to the deficiencies disclosed below.
This annual report does not include an attestation report of our registered public accounting firm regarding internal control over financial reporting. Management’s report was not subject to attestation by our registered public accounting firm pursuant to rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission that permit smaller reporting companies to provide only management’s report in this annual report.
The Company recognizes the following weaknesses and deficiencies of the Company as of December 31, 2022:
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We recognized the following deficiencies that we believe to be material weaknesses:
| - | The Company has not fully designed, implemented or assessed internal controls over financial reporting. Due to the Company being a developing company, management’s assessment and conclusion over internal controls were ineffective this year. |
| - | We recognized the following deficiencies that we believe to be significant deficiencies: |
| - | The Company has no formal control process related to the identification and approval of related party transactions. |
| - | We do not have written documentation of our internal control policies and procedures. Written documentation of key internal controls over financial reporting is a requirement of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. |
| - | We do not have sufficient segregation of duties within accounting functions, which is a basic internal control. Due to our size and nature, segregation of all conflicting duties may not always be possible and may not be economically feasible. However, to the extent possible, the initiation of transactions, the custody of assets and the recording of transactions should be performed by separate individuals. |
Inherent Limitations over Internal Controls
The Company’s internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). The Company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that:
| (i) | pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the Company’s assets; | |
| (ii) | provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and that the Company’s receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of the Company’s management and directors; and | |
| (iii) | provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. |
Management, including the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, does not expect that the Company’s internal controls will prevent or detect all errors and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Further, 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. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of internal controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, have been detected. Also, any evaluation of the effectiveness of controls in future periods are subject to the risk that those internal controls may become inadequate because of changes in business conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There has not been any change in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the year ended December 31, 2022, that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
On March 17, 2023, the Company entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement with Cosmos Health Inc. (“Cosmos” and the “SPA”). Pursuant to the SPA, the Company agreed to sell Cosmos 100% of the outstanding shares of common stock of ZipDoctor, Inc., for $150,000. The transactions contemplated by the SPA closed on April 3, 2023. The SPA contained representations and warranties of the parties customary for a transaction of the size and type of the SPA, and includes various indemnification obligations of the parties.
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On March 1, 2023, the Company entered into a Service Agreement with Greentree Financial Group, Inc. (“GreenTree”) whereby GreenTree agreed to provide the Company with assistance of its financial reporting and statement preparations for the year ended December 31, 2022 and the three quarters ended March 31, 2023, June 30, 2023 and September 30, 2023, as well as in connection with the preparation of the Company’s 2022 US corporate income tax returns (the “Service Agreement”). The Service Agreement commenced on March 1, 2023 and ends on December 31, 2023. In consideration for the services provided under the Service Agreement, the Company agreed to pay GreenTree $120,000 of which $20,000 is to be paid in cash and the remaining $100,000 to be paid through the issuance of a Convertible Promissory Note (the “GreenTree Note”). The GreenTree Note had an effective date of March 1, 2023, has a term of one year, accrues interest at the rate of 12% per annum, and converts into common stock at the option of GreenTree at the lower of a) $0.01 per share and b) 50% of the lowest trading prices of the Company’s common stock on the primary trading market for the common stock for the last twenty (20) trading days immediately prior to but not including the conversion date. The Company may, at its option, at any time and from time to time, prepay all or any part of the principal balance of the GreenTree Service Note before the maturity date, with a penalty or premium equal to 20% of the sum of any outstanding principal and any interest accrued as of the prepayment date provided that the Company provide GreenTree fifteen (15) days’ advanced written notice of its intent to prepay. The GreenTree Note includes a 4.9% beneficial ownership limitation preventing the conversion of the note into common stock if upon such conversion GreenTree would beneficially own more than 4.9% of the Company’s then outstanding common stock, which may be increased to up to 9.9% with not less than 61 days prior written notice. We agreed to pay $1,500 of GreenTree’s costs in connection with each conversion of the GreenTree Note. If at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any common stock, options to purchase common stock, securities convertible into common stock or rights relating to common stock (the “Purchase Rights”) to any person, entity, association, or other organization other than GreenTree, at a price per share less than the conversion price then in effect, then the conversion price is automatically reduced to match the price per share of the Purchase Rights. The GreenTree Note contains customary events of default.
On May 9, 2023, we entered into a Secured Promissory Note in favor of The Loev Law Firm, PC, our outside securities counsel, which evidenced $40,000 owed to such law firm in consideration for legal services rendered and agreed to be rendered. The note is due on May 28, 2023, together with interest at the rate of 6% per annum, which increases to 15% per annum upon the occurrence of an event of default. The note is personally guaranteed by Michael McLaren, our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, and secured by an oil and gas property located in Wichita County, Texas and a deed of trust thereon. The note includes customary covenants and events of default.
As disclosed in greater detail in the Definitive Information Statement on Schedule 14A, effective on May 10, 2023, Marble Trital Inc., which entity is beneficially owned by Mr. Michael McLaren, our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, due to his ownership of 100% of Marble Trital Inc. and his position as Chief Executive Officer thereof, the holder of 1,000,000 shares of the Company’s Series A Preferred Stock, representing 292,500,000 voting shares as of such date or 60.0% of the 487,500,000 total voting shares as of such date (the “Majority Shareholder”), executed a written consent in lieu of a special meeting of shareholders (the “Majority Shareholder Consent”), approving the following matters, which had previously been approved by the Board of directors of the Company on April 19, 2023, and had recommended that such matters be presented to the Majority Shareholder for its approval on the same date:
| ● | the approval of the filing of a Certificate of Amendment to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation to affect a name change of the Company from “American International Holdings Corp.” to “Cycle Energy Corp.”; |
| ● | the filing of a Certificate of Amendment to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation to increase the Company’s authorized number of shares of Common Stock from 195 million shares to one billion 995 million shares; and |
| ● | the grant of discretionary authority for our Board of Directors, without further shareholder approval, to effect a reverse stock split of all of the outstanding common stock of the Company, by the filing of an amendment to our Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of Nevada, in a ratio of between 1-for-10 and 1-for-1,000, with the Company’s Board of Directors having the discretion as to whether or not the reverse split is to be effected, and with the exact exchange ratio of any reverse split to be set at a whole number within the above range as determined by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion, at any time before April 19, 2024. |
The Board of Directors of the Company did not solicit proxies for the annual meeting or the vote. There were no broker non-votes, no votes were withheld, and no votes were voted against or abstained, in connection with any of the corporate actions described above, as only the Majority Shareholder voted.
In accordance with Rule 14c-2 of the Exchange Act, the corporate actions will be effective no earlier than forty (40) days after the date notice of the internet availability of such Information Statement materials is first sent to shareholders, which we expect to be on or approximately June 24, 2023.
ITEM 9C. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS
Not applicable.
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PART III
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
The following table sets forth the name, age and position of each director and executive officer of the Company.
| Name | Position | Age | Date First Appointed as Director | |||
| Michael McLaren | Chief Executive Officer, President, and Chairman | 59 | March 2023 | |||
| James Pendergast | Chief Financial Officer | 62 | — | |||
| Jacob D. Cohen | Director | 44 | April 2019 | |||
| Peter “Casey” Jensen | Director | 48 | October 2021 | |||
| Gary Giles | Director | 74 | March 2023 |
Our directors are elected annually (or as often as we hold meetings of stockholders) and will hold office until our next annual meeting of the stockholders and until their successors are elected and qualified. Officers will hold their positions at the pleasure of the Board of Directors, absent any employment agreement. Our officers and directors may receive compensation as determined by us from time to time by vote of the Board of Directors. Such compensation might be in the form of stock options or other equity. Directors may be reimbursed by the Company for expenses incurred in attending meetings of the board of directors. Vacancies in the Board are filled by majority vote of the remaining directors.
The following is biographical information on the members of our Board of Directors:
Michael McLaren, Chief Executive Officer, President, and Chairman
Mr. McLaren has served as Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of the Company since March 2023. Mr. McLaren has served as President, director and member of the Audit and Compensation Committee of Cycle Energy Corp., an energy company, since September 2015. From September 2015 to January 2018 and October 2018 to January 2023, Mr. McLaren served as Chief Executive Officer and member of the Audit and Compensation Committee of Xfuels, Inc. (OTC PINK: XFLS) (“Xfuels”), an energy company. From February 2004 to March 2017, Mr. McLaren served as President of Coverde Inc., an oil and gas company. Mr. McLaren received a Batchelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree in Physics from The University of British Columbia. Mr. McLaren is a resident of Texas.
On February 22, 2023, Mr. McLaren and Xfuels agreed to the terms of a Settlement Agreement and Undertaking with the Alberta Securities Commission (“ASC” and the “Settlement”). The Settlement settled certain allegations made by the ASC that Xfuels and Mr. McLaren had breached Alberta securities laws for failure to comply with the terms of a Cease Trade Order (CTO), issued by the ASC against Xfuels, which Mr. McLaren then served as Chief Executive Officer and director of, as a result of Xfuels failing to make certain filings required by Alberta securities laws. Pursuant to the Settlement, Xfuels agreed to pay the ASC a monetary settlement of $20,000 Canadian; and cancel all shares issued by Xfuels to Mr. McLaren and his family members between April 2020 and March 2022, without paying any consideration, by no later than March 31, 2023, which shares have been cancelled to date. Also pursuant to the Settlement, Mr. McLaren agree to resign all positions he had as a director or officer of any reporting issuer (which definition requires among other things, that such issuer be an OTC issuer whose business is directed or administered in or from Alberta, Canada, which carries out promotional activities in or from Alberta, Canada or who has distributed securities to a person or company resident in Alberta, Canada before the issuer was assigned a ticker symbol), including Xfuels; be prohibited from acting as a director or officer, or both, of any reporting issuer (discussed above) for a period of two years from the date of the Settlement, subject to certain other requirements; and that he pursue and complete training in best practices for public company governance and disclosure, as approved by the Executive Director of the ASC. The terms of the Settlement have been complied with to date, except for the training program requirement, which Mr. McLaren plans to begin in May 2023. The Settlement has no effect on Mr. McLaren’s ability to serve as an officer or director of the Company for so long as the Company is not directed or administered in or from Alberta, Canada, or unless the Company carries out promotional activities in or from Alberta, Canada, neither of which are contemplated.
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James Pendergast, Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Pendergast has served as a consultant to Xfuels, Inc., an oil and gas company, since April 2022. Since April 2016, Mr. Pendergast has also served as Chief Operating Officer of MGO Technologies Ltd., which is in the construction industry. From September 2013 to November 2015, Mr. Pendergast served as Chief Financial Officer of Paramount Structures Ltd., a construction company. From July 20211 to June 2013, he served as Chief Executive Officer of FP Genetics Inc., which is in the farm seed genetics industry. Prior to that, from November 2006 to May 2011, he served as Chief Financial Officer of Parkland Agri Services Ltd., which is in the crop input supply (seed, fertilizer and chemical) industry. Mr. Pendergast received a bachelor’s degree (with honors) from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario and a Master of Business Administration degree from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.
Jacob D. Cohen, Director
Jacob Cohen is a serial entrepreneur, corporate finance and executive management professional with over 20 years of investment banking and capital markets experience having started and growing multiple companies in various industry sectors including marketing, advertising, healthcare, IT and financial services. Prior to founding the Company, Mr. Cohen was the co-founder and managing partner of several boutique investment bank and strategic advisory firms where he advised both early and later stage companies in raising capital in the form of debt and/or equity and in both private and public markets.
Prior to his experiences in investment banking, Mr. Cohen served as the Chief Financial Officer of The Renewed Group, Inc., a manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer of eco-friendly and sustainable apparel primarily made from recycled textiles and under the brand name REUSE JEANS from 2010 through the end of 2013. Further, Mr. Cohen served from 2008 through 2010 as Executive Vice President and Controller of Metiscan, Inc., a publicly traded company, and as the President and Chief Executive Officer of one of its subsidiaries, Shoreline Employment Services, Inc. During his tenure at Metiscan, Mr. Cohen was instrumental in restructuring, reorganizing and operating the company and its five subsidiaries, and successfully raised over $8 million in equity financing for growth capital. Mr. Cohen also spearheaded the company’s financial audit process and managed its various filings with the SEC.
From 2007 through 2008, Mr. Cohen served as the Chief Operating Officer of Artfest International, which he assisted in taking public at the end of 2007. Throughout his career, Mr. Cohen was involved in starting many new ventures, including The AdvertEyes Network, a digital signage advertising company where he served as founder and CEO. Other positions include investment advisor and institutional equity research analyst for Solomon Advisors and Huberman Financial, securities broker-dealers, from 2003 through 2005, and investment banker for Allegiance Capital, a middle market investment bank specializing on mergers and acquisitions, from 2005-2007. Mr. Cohen holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Economics and Finance from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts.
Mr. Cohen has served as Chief Executive Officer of Mangoceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:MGRX) since October 2021, as a director of Mangoceuticals, Inc. from October 2021 to present, and as Chairman of Mangoceuticals, Inc. from September 2022 to present. Mr. Cohen served as Chief Executive Officer of the Company from October 2021 to March 2023 and has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Company since October 2021. Mr. Cohen has served as Chief Executive Officer of Ronin Equity Partners, Inc., a private investment company, since August 2016. Mr. Cohen also serves the Chief Executive Officer of Cohen Enterprises, Inc., a private investment company, which position he has held since November 2013. Since February 15, 2023, Mr. Cohen has owned 51% of and controlled, Epiq Scripts, LLC. Mr. Cohen has served as the co-Manager of Epiq Scripts since January 2022.
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Peter “Casey” Jensen, Director
Peter “Casey” Jensen was appointed as a director of the Company effective October 19, 2021.
Since September 2019, Mr. Jensen has served as Managing Partner at PHX Global, LLC providing executive management and international business advisory services. Mr. Jensen worked as a registered investment adviser from December 2018 through October 2019, at Madison Avenue Securities, LLC/EFC Wealth Management. In February 2013, Mr. Jensen co-founded JPM Capital, a boutique Investment Bank and Strategic Advisory firm, where he worked until July 2018, and where he assisted in successfully closing over 160 investments in public companies. While serving as Managing Partner at JPM, Mr. Jensen invested in healthcare start-ups, and he was able to manage investments from seed stage to profitability. From February 2013 through December 2016, Mr. Jensen served as a partner and investment advisor at Anubis Capital Advisors, Inc.
From 2000 to 2010, Mr. Jensen worked in investor education and owned a stock brokerage where he managed approximately $100 million in assets for high net worth and institutional investors. Also, during this period, Mr. Jensen formed Trindax Capital, LLC, an investment firm focused on commodities and commercial real estate, where he served as CEO. In 2010, Mr. Jensen combined his experience in commercial finance and investments, and entered private equity. Mr. Jensen became a Managing Director Heartland Capital Markets, where he co-managed a variety of private equity investments in both seed and growth stage companies from February 2010 to January 2013.
In addition to being a former Registered Investment Adviser, Mr. Jensen has passed Series 3, 7, 24, 63 and 65 FINRA examinations.
Gary Giles, Director
Mr. Giles has served as the President and as a director of G&F Oil, an oil and gas production company, since 1982. Mr. Giles received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering, and a Master of Business Administration degree, from Southern Methodist University.
Corporate Governance
The Company promotes accountability for adherence to honest and ethical conduct; endeavors to provide full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure in reports and documents that the Company files with the SEC and in other public communications made by the Company; and strives to be compliant with applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations.
Board Leadership Structure
Our board of directors has the responsibility for selecting the appropriate leadership structure for the Company. In making leadership structure determinations, the board of directors considers many factors, including the specific needs of the business and what is in the best interests of the Company’s stockholders. Our Chief Executive Officer, Mr. McLaren, currently serves as Chairman of the board of directors. The board of directors believes that this leadership structure is the most effective and efficient for the Company at this time. Mr. McLaren possesses detailed and in-depth knowledge of the issues, opportunities, and challenges facing the Company. The Board believes that its programs for overseeing risk, as described below, would be effective under a variety of leadership frameworks and therefore do not materially affect its choice of structure.
Risk Oversight
Effective risk oversight is an important priority of the board of directors. Because risks are considered in virtually every business decision, the board of directors discusses risk throughout the year generally or in connection with specific proposed actions. The board of directors’ approach to risk oversight includes understanding the critical risks in the Company’s business and strategy, evaluating the Company’s risk management processes, allocating responsibilities for risk oversight, and fostering an appropriate culture of integrity and compliance with legal responsibilities. The directors exercise direct oversight of strategic risks to the Company.
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Family Relationships
None of our directors are related by blood, marriage, or adoption to any other director, executive officer, or other key employees.
Arrangements between Officers and Directors
To our knowledge, there is no arrangement or understanding between any of our officers and any other person, including directors, pursuant to which the officer was selected to serve as an officer, except that the February 2023 Exchange Agreement with Cycle Energy required the Company to invite two persons to join its Board of Directors at the recommendation of the Shareholder following the Closing Date, to fill the vacancies created by the resignation of two of the current members of the Company’s Board of Directors, which change in directors occurred, pursuant to which Lorraine D’ Alessio and Dr. Kenny Meyers, resigned as members of the Board of Directors effective March 9, 2023 and effective as of the same date, Mr. Michael McLaren and Mr. Gary Giles, were appointed as directors of the Company.
In addition, the Exchange Agreement required the Company’s then current officers to resign and new officers of the Company to be appointed at the direction of the Shareholder. As a result, effective on March 9, 2023, pursuant to the terms of the Exchange Agreement, Mr. Jacob D. Cohen, the then Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company, resigned as Chief Executive Officer, President and Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial/Accounting Officer of the Company, the Board of Directors appointed Mr. Michael McLaren as Chief Executive Officer, President and Principal Executive Officer of the Company and Mr. James Pendergast as the Chief Financial Officer and Principal Financial/Accounting Officer of the Company, each to hold such positions until their death, resignation, retirement, removal or disqualification, or until their successors shall have been elected and qualified.
Other Directorships
No directors of the Company are also directors of issuers with a class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act (or which otherwise are required to file periodic reports under the Exchange Act), except for Jacob D. Cohen who serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mangoceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:MGRX).
Involvement in Certain Legal Proceedings
None of our executive officers or directors has been involved in any of the following events during the past ten years (except as disclosed above under their individual bios):
(1) any bankruptcy petition filed by or against any business of which such person was a general partner or executive officer either at the time of the bankruptcy or within two years prior to that time;
(2) any conviction in a criminal proceeding or being a named subject to a pending criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations and minor offenses);
(3) being subject to any order, judgment, or decree, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any court of competent jurisdiction, permanently or temporarily enjoining, barring, suspending or otherwise limiting his involvement in any type of business, securities or banking activities;
(4) being found by a court of competent jurisdiction (in a civil action), the SEC or the Commodities Futures Trading Commission to have violated a federal or state securities or commodities law;
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(5) being the subject of, or a party to, any Federal or State judicial or administrative order, judgment, decree, or finding, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, relating to an alleged violation of (i) any Federal or State securities or commodities law or regulation; (ii) any law or regulation respecting financial institutions or insurance companies, including, but not limited to, a temporary or permanent injunction, order of disgorgement or restitution, civil money penalty or temporary or permanent cease-and-desist order, or removal or prohibition order, or (iii) any law or regulation prohibiting mail or wire fraud or fraud in connection with any business entity; or
(6) being the subject of, or a party to, any sanction or order, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any self- regulatory organization (as defined in Section 3(a)(26) of the Exchange Act), any registered entity (as defined in Section (1)(a)(40) of the Commodity Exchange Act), or any equivalent exchange, association, entity, or organization that has disciplinary authority over its members or persons associated with a member.
Board of Directors and Committee Meetings
During the fiscal years that ended on December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Board held no meetings, but took various actions via written consent of the board of directors.
Committees of the Board
Board Committee Membership
| Independent | Audit Committee | |||
| Michael McLaren(1) | ||||
| Jacob D. Cohen | ||||
| Peter “Casey” Jensen | X | C | ||
| Gary Giles | X |
(1) Chairman of Board of Directors.
C - Chairman of Committee.
M - Member.
Audit Committee
The Audit Committee, which is comprised exclusively of independent directors, has been established by the Board to oversee our accounting and financial reporting processes and the audits of our financial statements.
The Board has selected the members of the Audit Committee based on the Board’s determination that the members are financially literate and qualified to monitor the performance of management and the independent auditors and to monitor our disclosures so that our disclosures fairly present our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The Board has also determined that Mr. Jensen, is an “audit committee financial expert” (as defined in the SEC rules) because he has the following attributes: (i) an understanding of generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and financial statements; (ii) the ability to assess the general application of such principles in connection with accounting for estimates, accruals and reserves; (iii) experience analyzing and evaluating financial statements that present a breadth and level of complexity of accounting issues that are generally comparable to the breadth and complexity of issues that can reasonably be expected to be raised by our financial statements; (iv) an understanding of internal control over financial reporting; and (v) an understanding of audit committee functions. Mr. Jensen has acquired these attributes as a result of his significant experience serving on the board of directors of various private and public companies and as an investor and founder of a private equity firm.
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The Audit Committee has the sole authority, at its discretion and at our expense, to retain, compensate, evaluate and terminate our independent auditors and to review, as it deems appropriate, the scope of our annual audits, our accounting policies and reporting practices, our system of internal controls, our compliance with policies regarding business conduct and other matters. In addition, the Audit Committee has the authority, at its discretion and at our expense, to retain special legal, accounting or other advisors to advise the Audit Committee.
Other Committees
Our Company currently does not have nominating or compensation committees or committees performing similar functions, nor does our Company have a written nominating or compensation committee charter. Our directors believe that it is not necessary to have such committees, at this time, because the functions of such committees can be adequately performed by our board of directors.
Our Company does not have any defined policy or procedural requirements for stockholders to submit recommendations or nominations for directors. Our directors believe that, given the stage of our development, a specific nominating policy would be premature and of little assistance until our business operations develop to a more advanced level. Our Company does not currently have any specific or minimum criteria for the election of nominees to the board of directors and we do not have any specific process or procedure for evaluating such nominees. The board of directors will assess all candidates, whether submitted by management or stockholders, and make recommendations for election or appointment.
Corporate Governance
The Company promotes accountability for adherence to honest and ethical conduct and strives to be compliant with applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations.
Our Audit Committee is responsible for reviewing and making recommendations concerning the selection of outside auditors, reviewing the scope, results and effectiveness of the annual audit of the Company’s financial statements and other services provided by the Company’s independent public accountants. The Audit Committee reviews the Company’s internal accounting controls, practices and policies.
Director Independence
Our common stock is currently quoted on the OTCQB Market maintained by OTC Markets. The OTCQB Market does not require us to have independent members of our board of directors. Notwithstanding that, our board of directors has determined that Peter “Casey” Jensen and Gary Giles are “independent” pursuant to the rules of the NASDAQ Capital Market.
As described above, we do not currently have a separately designated nominating or compensation committee.
Stockholder Communications with the Board
Our stockholders and other interested parties may communicate with members of the Board by submitting such communications in writing to our Corporate Secretary at 205S Bailey Street, Electra, Texas 76360, who, upon receipt of any communication other than one that is clearly marked “Confidential,” will note the date the communication was received, open the communication, make a copy of it for our files and promptly forward the communication to the director(s) to whom it is addressed. Upon receipt of any communication that is clearly marked “Confidential,” our Corporate Secretary will not open the communication, but will note the date the communication was received and promptly forward the communication to the director(s) to whom it is addressed. If the correspondence is not addressed to any particular Board member or members, the communication will be forwarded to a Board member to bring to the attention of the Board.
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Code of Ethics
On June 24, 2020, our board of directors adopted a Code of Ethical Business Conduct (“Code of Ethics”) that applies to all of our directors, officers and employees. The Code of Ethics will be available for review in print, without charge, to any stockholder who requests a copy by writing to us at 205S Bailey Street, Electra, Texas 76360, Attention: Investor Relations. Each of our directors, employees and officers are required to comply with the Code of Ethics.
We intend to disclose any amendments to our Code of Ethics and any waivers with respect to our Code of Ethics granted to our principal executive officer, our principal financial officer, or any of our other employees performing similar functions on our website at amihcorp.com within four business days after the amendment or waiver. In such case, the disclosure regarding the amendment or waiver will remain available on our website for at least 12 months after the initial disclosure. There have been no waivers granted with respect to our Code of Ethics to any such officers or employees.
Policy on Equity Ownership
The Company does not have a policy on equity ownership at this time.
Policy Against Hedging
The Company recognizes that hedging against losses in Company shares may disturb the alignment between stockholders and executives that equity awards are intended to build. Accordingly, the Company discourages ‘short sales’ of the Company’s securities by officers, directors and employees.
Compensation Recovery and Clawback Policies
Other than legal requirements under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), we currently do not have any policies in place in the event of misconduct that results in a financial restatement that would have reduced a previously paid incentive amount, we can recoup those improper payments from our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, our CEO and CFO may be subject to clawbacks in the event of a restatement. Thus, the Board has not deemed any additional recoupment policies to be necessary. We will continue to monitor regulations and trends in this area.
Whistleblower Protection Policy
The Company adopted a Whistleblower Protection Policy (“Whistleblower Policy”) that applies to all of its directors, officers, employees, consultants, contractors and agents of the Company. The Whistleblower Policy has been reviewed and approved by the Board.
Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports
Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our executive officers and directors and persons who beneficially own more than 10% of our common stock to file reports of their ownership of, and transactions in, our common stock with the SEC and to furnish us with copies of the reports they file. Based solely upon our review of the Section 16(a) filings that have been made by our directors and executive officers, we believe that for the year ended December 31, 2022, all Section 16(a) filings were timely filed, except that Jacob D. Cohen, our former Chief Executive Officer and current director failed to timely report three transactions and as a result two Form 4 filing were not timely made.
ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The following table sets forth information concerning the compensation of (i) all individuals serving as our principal executive officer or acting in a similar capacity during the last completed fiscal year (“PEO”), regardless of compensation level; (ii) our two most highly compensated executive officers other than the PEO who were serving as executive officers at the end of the last completed fiscal year, if any; and (iii) up to two additional individuals for whom disclosure would have been provided pursuant to paragraph (ii) but for the fact that the individual was not serving as an executive officer at the end of the last completed fiscal year (collectively, the “Named Executive Officers”).
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Name and Principal Position | Fiscal Year Ended December 31 | Salary ($) | Bonus ($) | Stock Award (s) * | Option Awards * | All Other Compensation (5) | Total | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Jacob D. Cohen, Former President and CEO(a) | 2022 | $ | 173,500 | (1) | — | $ | 24,000 | (2) | $ | — | $ | 18,000 | (4) | $ | 215,500 | |||||||||||||
| 2021 | $ | 150,000 | — | $ | 950,000 | (3) | — | 18,000 | (4) | $ | 1,118,000 | |||||||||||||||||
Craig A. Hewitt Former CFO (b) | 2022 | $ | 2,740 | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | 2,740 | ||||||||||||||||
| Alejandro Rodriguez, CEO, EPIQ MD, Inc.(c) | 2022 | $ | 60,000 | $ | $ | $ | $ | 60,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | $ | 115,000 | — | $ | 1,520,000 | (5) | $ | — | — | $ | 1,635,000 | |||||||||||||||||
| Verdie Bowen, COO, EPIQ MD, Inc.(c) | 2022 | $ | 30,000 | $ | $ | $ | $ | 30,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | $ | 60,000 | — | $ | 570,000 | (6) | $ | — | — | $ | 630,000 | |||||||||||||||||
Does not include perquisites and other personal benefits, or property, unless the aggregate amount of such compensation is more than $10,000. No executive officer earned any non-equity incentive plan compensation or nonqualified deferred compensation during the periods reported above. There have been no changes in the Company’s compensation policies since December 31, 2022.
* The fair value of stock issued for services computed in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 on the date of grant. The fair value of options granted computed in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 on the date of grant.
(b) On and effective on May 19, 2022, Dr. Craig A. Hewitt resigned as Chief Financial Officer and Principal Financial/Accounting Officer of the Company). Dr. Hewitt had served as Chief Financial Officer and Principal Financial/Accounting Officer since March 30, 2022.
(c) Effective on July 7, 2022, in connection with the Company’s divestment of its interest in Epiq MD, each of Messrs. Rodriguez and Bowen, who had been party to separate Executive Employment Agreements with the Company since January 21, 2021, executed separate agreements terminating their employment with the Company and containing a mutual release of claims and a mutual non-disparagement agreement.
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(1) $60,000 has been accrued to Mr. Cohen, which remains unpaid as of the date of this Report.
(2) Represents the value of 6,000,000 shares of common stock issued on December 30, 2022, valued at $0.004 per share, in consideration for services rendered.
(3) Represents the value of 41,667 shares of common stock issued on January 22, 2021, valued at $22.80 per share, in consideration for services rendered.
(4) Represents an automobile allowance of $1,500 per month pursuant to the terms of Mr. Cohen’s employment agreement.
(5) Represents the value of 66,667 shares of common stock issued on January 22, 2021, valued at $22.80 per share, in consideration for services rendered.
(6) Represents the value of 25,000 shares of common stock issued on January 22, 2021, valued at $22.80 per share, in consideration for services rendered.
Employment Agreements
Employment Agreement of Jacob D. Cohen, Former Chief Executive Officer (Terminated)
Effective on January 12, 2022, the Company entered into a new employment agreement with Mr. Cohen, which replaced and superseded the Executive Employment Agreement (the “New Employment Agreement”).
The New Employment Agreement, which provided for Mr. Cohen to continue to serve as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, had a three-year term expiring January 12, 2025, provided that the New Employment Agreement automatically extended for additional one year terms thereafter in the event neither party provides the other at least 60 days prior notice of their intention not to renew the terms of the agreement. The New Employment Agreement also requires the Board, subject to certain exceptions, to nominate Mr. Cohen to serve on the Board at each stockholders’ meeting which occurs during the term of the New Employment Agreement and to serve as the Chairman of the Board.
Pursuant to the terms of the New Employment Agreement, Mr. Cohen’s annual compensation package included (1) a base salary of $180,000 per year, subject to automatic $60,000 annual increases beginning December 31, 2022 and on each December 31 thereafter, along with such other increases as may be determined in the sole discretion of the Board from time to time (the “Base Salary”); (2) a yearly incentive bonus (“Incentive Bonus”) equal to 10% of the net income of the Company and its current and existing and subsequently acquired or organized subsidiaries, determined annually on a consolidated basis by the Company’s independent accounting firm; and (3) an award of 83,333 restricted shares of the Company’s common stock as a signing bonus in consideration of Mr. Cohen entering into the New Employment Agreement. Mr. Cohen may also receive additional bonuses awarded from time to time in the discretion of the Board and/or Compensation Committee (if any) in cash, stock or other equity consideration, and the Board of Directors may also increase Mr. Cohen’s salary from time to time, with or without amending the New Employment Agreement, in its discretion. Mr. Cohen is also paid an automobile allowance of $1,500 per month during the term of the New Employment Agreement and is eligible to participate in our stock option plan and other benefit plans.
The agreement prohibited Mr. Cohen from competing against us during the term of the agreement and for a period of twelve months after the termination of the agreement in any state and any other geographic area in which we or our Subsidiaries provide Restricted Services or Restricted Products, directly or indirectly, during the twelve months preceding the date of the termination of the agreement. “Restricted Services” means any online, direct-to-consumer subscription-based telemedicine or life-coaching platform, and any other services that we or our subsidiaries have provided or are researching, developing, performing and/or providing at any time during the two years immediately preceding the date of termination, or which Mr. Cohen has obtained any trade secret or other confidential information about at any time during the two years immediately preceding the date of termination of the agreement. “Restricted Products” means pharmaceutical drugs and other healthcare products and any other product, that we or our subsidiaries have provided or are researching, developing, manufacturing, distributing, purchasing, selling and/or providing at any time during the two years immediately preceding the date the agreement is terminated, or which Mr. Cohen obtained any trade secret or other confidential information in connection with at any time during the two years immediately preceding the date of termination of the agreement.
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The agreement contained standard assignment of inventions, indemnification and confidentiality provisions.
Effective on February 15, 2023, Jacob D. Cohen terminated his Employment Agreement with the Company dated January 12, 2022, in connection with his resignation as Chief Executive Officer of the Company and in consideration for $40,000.
Employment Agreement of Dr. Craig Hewitt, Chief Financial Officer (Terminated)
On February 11, 2022, and to become effective the day after the filing of this Report, the Company entered into a Confidential Employment Offer Letter and Summary of Terms and Conditions with Dr. Craig Hewitt (the “Employment Agreement”).
Pursuant to the Employment Agreement, Dr. Hewitt agreed to serve as Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) of the Company. In consideration for performing services, which required that Dr. Hewitt allocate his full business efforts to the Company, the Company agreed to pay Dr. Hewitt a starting salary of $48,000 per year, which was to be increased to $120,000 if the Company achieved a successful uplisting to a national exchange (NASDAQ or NYSE).
Dr. Hewitt’s employment agreement was terminated effective May 19, 2022
Employment Agreement of Alejandro Rodriguez, Chief Executive Officer of EPIQ MD, Inc. (Terminated)
On January 21, 2021, we entered into an Executive Employment Agreement with Alejandro Rodriguez, pursuant to which Mr. Rodriguez agreed to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of EPIQ MD, Inc. (“EPIQ MD”), a newly formed wholly-owned Texas subsidiary of the Company. The agreement had an initial term of three years, beginning on January 1, 2021, provided that the agreement automatically extended for additional one-year terms thereafter in the event neither party provides the other at least 60 days prior notice of their intention not to renew the terms of the agreement.
Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, Mr. Rodriguez’s annual compensation package included annual base compensation of $90,000 for the first three months, which increased to an annual base salary of $120,000 commencing April 1, 2021, throughout the initial term of the agreement, provided that the annual salary increased to $240,000 upon Mr. Rodriguez and EPIQ MD achieving the First Performance Benchmarks (defined below), and increases to $500,000 upon achieving the Second Performance Benchmark (defined below).
Mr. Rodriguez’s employment agreement was terminated effective June 30, 2022.
Employment Agreement of Verdie Bowen, President and Chief Operating Officer of EPIQ MD, Inc. (Terminated)
On January 21, 2021, we entered into an Executive Employment Agreement with Verdie Bowen, pursuant to which Mr. Bowen agreed to serve as the President and Chief Operating Officer of EPIQ MD. The agreement had an initial term of three years, beginning on January 1, 2021, provided that the agreement automatically extended for additional one-year terms thereafter in the event neither party provides the other at least 60 days prior notice of their intention not to renew the terms of the agreement.
Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, Mr. Bowen’s annual compensation package included base annual compensation of $60,000 for the first three months, which increased to an annual base salary of $120,000 commencing April 1, 2021 throughout the initial term of the agreement, provided that the annual increased to $240,000 upon Mr. Bowen and EPIQ MD achieving 10,000 active customers.
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Mr. Bowen’s employment agreement was terminated effective June 30, 2022.
Consulting and Service Agreements
On March 8, 2021, we entered into a Consulting Agreement with KBHS, LLC (“KBHS”), whose Chief Executive Officer is Mr. Kevin Harrington, who has been appointed as the sole member of our Advisory Board.
Pursuant to the Consulting Agreement, KBHS agreed to provide consulting services to the Company as the Company’s Brand Ambassador, including providing endorsement services and advising on marketing, promotions, acquisitions, licensing and business development. KBHS also agreed to up to four webinar appearances on behalf of the Company per year to support the Company’s direct sales efforts. The Consulting Agreement has a term of two years, and can be terminated with ten days prior written notice (subject to applicable cure rights set forth in the Consulting Agreement), in the event we or KBHS breach any term of the agreement, or we fail to pay any amounts due, become subject to any government regulatory investigation, certain lawsuits, claims, actions or take certain other actions during the term of the Consulting Agreement.
As consideration for providing the services under the Consulting Agreement, we agreed to issue KBHS 1.5 million shares of restricted common stock, which vest immediately upon issuance, to pay KBHS $10,000 per month, and agreed to pay KBHS a 5% finder’s fee on any new business introduced or developed by KBHS and 7.5% of the value of any acquisition or merger created or developed exclusively by KBHS, undertaken by the Company, subject to applicable laws. In the event we fail to pay any consideration due under the Consulting Agreement, such amount accrues interest at the rate of 1.5% per month until paid in full. As of the date of this Report, no payments have been made under the Consulting Agreement.
On February 15, 2023, we and Cycle Energy entered into a Consulting Agreement with Cohen Enterprises, Inc., which is owned by Mr. Cohen (“Cohen Enterprises”). Pursuant to the Consulting Agreement, Cohen Enterprises agreed to provide consulting and general business advisory services as reasonably requested by the Company during the term of the agreement, which was for six months, unless otherwise earlier terminated due to breach of the agreement by either party, and the failure to cure such breach 30 days after written notice thereof. In consideration for agreeing to provide the services under the agreement, the Company agreed to pay $12,500 per month. The agreement contains customary confidentiality, non-solicitation provisions and Company indemnification obligations and further limits Cohen Enterprise’s liability under the agreement to $50,000, except for damages due to fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct.
On March 1, 2023, the Company entered into a Service Agreement with Greentree Financial Group, Inc. (“GreenTree”) whereby GreenTree agreed to provide the Company with assistance of its financial reporting and statement preparations for the year ended December 31, 2022 and the three quarters ended March 31, 2023, June 30, 2023 and September 30, 2023, as well as in connection with the preparation of the Company’s 2022 US corporate income tax returns (the “Service Agreement”). The Service Agreement commenced on March 1, 2023 and ends on December 31, 2023. In consideration for the services provided under the Service Agreement, the Company agreed to pay GreenTree $120,000 of which $20,000 is to be paid in cash and the remaining $100,000 to be paid through the issuance of a Convertible Promissory Note (the “GreenTree Note”). The GreenTree Note had an effective date of March 1, 2023, has a term of one year, accrues interest at the rate of 12% per annum, and converts into common stock at the option of GreenTree at the lower of a) $0.01 per share and b) 50% of the lowest trading prices of the Company’s common stock on the primary trading market for the common stock for the last twenty (20) trading days immediately prior to but not including the conversion date. The Company may, at its option, at any time and from time to time, prepay all or any part of the principal balance of the GreenTree Service Note before the maturity date, with a penalty or premium equal to 20% of the sum of any outstanding principal and any interest accrued as of the prepayment date provided that the Company provide GreenTree fifteen (15) days’ advanced written notice of its intent to prepay. The GreenTree Note includes a 4.9% beneficial ownership limitation preventing the conversion of the note into common stock if upon such conversion GreenTree would beneficially own more than 4.9% of the Company’s then outstanding common stock, which may be increased to up to 9.9% with not less than 61 days prior written notice. We agreed to pay $1,500 of GreenTree’s costs in connection with each conversion of the GreenTree Note. If at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any common stock, options to purchase common stock, securities convertible into common stock or rights relating to common stock (the “Purchase Rights”) to any person, entity, association, or other organization other than GreenTree, at a price per share less than the conversion price then in effect, then the conversion price is automatically reduced to match the price per share of the Purchase Rights. The GreenTree Note contains customary events of default.
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Director Summary Compensation Table
We grant our Board members options from time to time as consideration for their services to the Board. Our executive officers who are directors are not paid any consideration for their service to the Board separate from the consideration they are paid as executive officers of the Company, as shown above.
The following table sets forth summary information concerning the compensation we paid to non-executive directors during the year ended December 31, 2022:
| Name (1) | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | Option Awards ($)(1) | All Other Compensation ($) | Total ($) | ||||||||||||
| Peter “Casey” Jensen | $ | — | $ | 7,500 | $ | — | $ | 7,500 | ||||||||
| Lorraine D’Alessio | $ | — | $ | 7,500 | $ | — | $ | 7,500 | ||||||||
| Dr. Kenny Myers | $ | — | $ | 7,500 | $ | — | $ | 7,500 | ||||||||
* The table above does not include the amount of any expense reimbursements paid to the above directors. No directors received any Stock Awards, Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation, Change in Pension Value and Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Earnings during the period presented. Does not include perquisites and other personal benefits, or property, unless the aggregate amount of such compensation is more than $10,000.
(1) Represents the fair value of the grant of certain options to purchase shares of our common stock calculated in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718.
Outstanding Option Equity Awards at 2022 Fiscal Year End
There were no unvested stock or option awards outstanding at year end held by executive officers.
ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED SHAREHOLDER MATTERS
The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of June 9, 2023 (the “Date of Determination”) by (i) each Named Executive Officer, as such term is defined in “Executive Compensation”, (ii) each member of our board of directors, (iii) each person deemed to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent (5%) of our common stock or preferred stock, and (iv) all of our executive officers and directors as a group. Unless otherwise indicated, each person named in the following table is assumed to have sole voting power and investment power with respect to all shares of our stock listed as owned by such person. The address of each person is deemed to be the address of the Company unless otherwise noted.
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Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC and includes voting and/or investing power with respect to securities. These rules generally provide that shares of common stock subject to options, warrants or other convertible securities that are currently exercisable or convertible, or exercisable or convertible within 60 days of the Date of Determination, are deemed to be outstanding and to be beneficially owned by the person or group holding such options, warrants or other convertible securities for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of such person or group, but are not treated as outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person or group. The percentages are based upon 195,000,000 shares of our common stock outstanding as of the Date of Determination.
To our knowledge, except as indicated in the footnotes to this table and pursuant to applicable community property laws, as of the Date of Determination, (a) the persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock shown as beneficially owned by them, subject to applicable community property laws; and (b) no person owns more than 5% of our common or preferred stock. Unless otherwise indicated, the address for each of the officers or directors listed in the table below is 205S Bailey Street, Electra, Texas 76360.
| Name and Address of Beneficial Owner | Common Shares Beneficially Owned | Common Ownership Percentage | Series A Preferred Stock Shares Beneficially Owned | Series A Preferred Stock Percentage (1) | Total Voting Percentage (2) | |||||||||||||||
| Officers and Directors | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Michael McLaren(3) | — | — | 1,000,000 | 100 | % | 60.0 | % | |||||||||||||
| Jacob D. Cohen(4) | 458,333 | * | — | — | * | |||||||||||||||
| James Pendergast | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| Gary Giles | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| Peter “Casey” Jensen | 6,902 | * | — | — | * | |||||||||||||||
| Verdie Bowen | 25,000 | * | ||||||||||||||||||
| Alejandro Rodriguez | 66,667 | * | ||||||||||||||||||
| Dr. Craig Hewitt | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| All officers and directors as a group (six persons) | 27,914,112 | * | 1,000,000 | 100 | % | 60.1 | % | |||||||||||||
| Greater than 5% Shareholders | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Cavalry Fund I LP(5) | 21,426,193 | (6) | 9.9 | % | — | — | % | 4.4 | % | |||||||||||
| L1 Capital Global Opportunities Master Fund(7) | 21,426,193 | (8) | 9.99 | % | — | — | % | 4.4 | % | |||||||||||
* Less than 1%.
(1) The Series A Preferred Stock currently has the right, voting in aggregate, to vote on all shareholder matters equal to sixty percent (60%) of the total vote. The Series A Preferred Stock is also currently convertible into 60% of the Company’s total outstanding common stock following such conversion (i.e., 150% of the Company’s outstanding common stock on a pre-conversion basis), subject to the Individual Conversion Limitation, discussed above.
(2) Based on 487,500,000 total voting shares, including 195,000,000 shares voted by our common stockholders and 292,500,000 voting shares voted by our Series A Preferred Stock holder, Marble Trital Inc. (see also footnote 1).
(3) The shares of common stock held in the name of Marble Trital Inc., are beneficially owned by Mr. Michael McLaren due to his ownership of 100% of Marble Trital Inc. and his position as Chief Executive Officer thereof.
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(4) The shares of common stock are held in the name of Cohen Enterprises, Inc., which shares Mr. Cohen is deemed to beneficially own due to his ownership of 100% of Cohen Enterprises and his position as President thereof.
(5) Address: 82 E. Allendale Rd., Ste 5B, Saddle River, NJ 07458. Cavalry Fund I Management LLC, the investment manager of Cavalry Fund I LP, has voting and investment power over these securities. Thomas Walsh is the managing member of Cavalry Fund I Management LLC, which is the general partner of Cavalry Fund I LP. Thomas Walsh disclaims beneficial ownership over these securities. Based solely on the Schedule 13G/A filed by Cavalry Fund I LP on February 13, 2023, which we do not know or have reason to believe is not complete or accurate and on which we are relying pursuant to applicable SEC regulations.
(6) Represents shares of common stock issuable upon partial conversion of a 6% original issue discount secured convertible note. Excludes additional shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the convertible note due to a 9.9% beneficial ownership blocker provision and excludes shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of a common stock purchase warrant. The warrant is subject to a 4.9% beneficial ownership limitation. See also Footnote (5) above.
(7) Address: 161A Shedden Road, 1 Artillery Court, PO Box 10085, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands KY1-1001. David Feldman and Joel Arber are the Directors of L1 Capital Global Opportunities Master Fund Ltd. As such, L1 Capital Global Opportunities Master Fund Ltd, Mr. Feldman and Mr. Arber may be deemed to beneficially own the shares of the Company held by L1 Capital Global Opportunities Master Fund. To the extent Mr. Feldman and Mr. Arber are deemed to beneficially own such shares, Mr. Feldman and Mr. Arber disclaim beneficial ownership of these securities for all other purposes. Based solely on the Schedule 13G/A filed by L1 Capital Global Opportunities Master Fund on February 9, 2023, which we do not know or have reason to believe is not complete or accurate and on which we are relying pursuant to applicable SEC regulations.
(8) Represents 220,781 shares outstanding of common stock (per the Schedule 13G/A referenced in footnote (7), above) and shares of common stock issuable upon partial conversion of a 6% original issue discount secured convertible note. Excludes additional shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the convertible note due to a 9.99% beneficial ownership blocker provision and excludes shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of a common stock purchase warrant. The warrant is subject to a 9.99% beneficial ownership limitation. See also Footnote (7) above.
Change of Control
The Company is not aware of any arrangements which may at a subsequent date result in a change of control of the Company.
Equity Compensation Plan Information
The following table sets forth information, as of December 31, 2021, with respect to our compensation plans under which common stock is authorized for issuance.
| Plan Category | Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights | Weighted- average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights | Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in column (a)) | |||||||||
| (a) | (b) | (c) | ||||||||||
| Equity compensation plans approved by security holders (1) | - | $ | - | 107,750 | ||||||||
| Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders (2) | - | - | - | |||||||||
| Total | - | $ | $ | 107,750 | ||||||||
(1) Represents shares available for awards under the Company’s 2021 Equity Incentive Plan.
(2) Represents shares available for awards under the Company’s 2019 Stock Option and Incentive Plan.
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2019 Stock Option Plan
On July 5, 2019, the board of directors adopted and approved a 2019 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (the “2019 Plan”). The 2019 Plan is intended to promote the interests of the Company by providing eligible persons with the opportunity to acquire a proprietary interest, or otherwise increase their proprietary interest, in the Company as an incentive for them to remain in the service of the Company. The maximum number of shares available to be issued under the 2019 Plan is currently 107,750 shares, subject to adjustments for any stock splits, stock dividends or other specified adjustments which may take place in the future. The Company has issued 58,917 shares of common stock under the 2019 Plan as of the date of this Report.
The 2019 Plan is administered by the Company’s board of directors. Persons eligible to participate in the 2019 Plan must: (i) be a natural person, (ii) provide bona fide services to the Company, and (iii) provide services to the Company that services are not in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction, and do not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the registrant’s securities. All grants under the 2019 Plan are intended to comply with the requirements under Internal Revenue Code Section 409A and activities under the 2019 Plan will be administered accordingly.
Options granted under the 2019 Plan are evidenced by agreement between the recipient and the Company, subject to the following general provisions:(i) a recipient of employee stock option may not exercise any options which would cause him/her/it to hold more than 4.9% of the Company’s issued and outstanding common or voting stock, unless such limitation is waived by providing 61 days’ written notice to the Company, but in no event may exercise options that would cause such recipient to hold more than 9.9% of the Company’s issued and outstanding common or voting stock; and (ii) the term of stock options shall be limited to a maximum of two years, unless otherwise approved by the board of directors.
2021 Stock Option Plan
Effective on July 30, 2021, the majority shareholders approved the adoption of the American International Holdings Corp. 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2021 Plan”), which in accordance with Rule 14c-2 of the Exchange Act, became effective on September 13, 2021, forty days after the date the information statement disclosing the adoption of such 2021 Plan was first made available to shareholders.
The 2021 Plan provides an opportunity for any employee, officer, director, or consultant of the Company, subject to limitations provided by federal or state securities laws, to receive (i) incentive stock options (to eligible employees only); (ii) nonqualified stock options; (iii) restricted stock; (iv) stock awards; (v) shares in performance of services; or (vi) any combination of the foregoing. In making such determinations, the Board of Directors may take into account the nature of the services rendered by such person, his or her present and potential contribution to the Company’s success, and such other factors as the Board of Directors in its discretion shall deem relevant.
Subject to adjustment in connection with the payment of a stock dividend, a stock split or subdivision or combination of the shares of common stock, or a reorganization or reclassification of the Company’s common stock, the aggregate number of shares of common stock which may be issued pursuant to awards under the 2021 Plan is the sum of (i) 11,100,000 shares, and (ii) an annual increase on April 1st of each calendar year, beginning in 2022 and ending in 2031, in each case subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the compensation committee of the Company (if any) on or prior to the applicable date, equal to the lesser of (A) five percent (5%) of the total shares of common stock of the Company outstanding on the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year; (B) 10,000,000 shares of common stock; and (C) such smaller number of shares as determined by the Board of Directors or compensation committee of the of the Company (if any)(the “Share Limit”), also known as an “evergreen” provision. Notwithstanding the foregoing, shares added to the Share Limit are available for issuance as incentive stock options only to the extent that making such shares available for issuance as incentive stock options would not cause any incentive stock option to cease to qualify as such. In the event that the Board of Directors or the compensation committee (if any) does not take action to affirmatively approve an increase in the Share Limit on or prior to the applicable date provided for under the plan, the Share Limit remains at its then current level. Notwithstanding the above, no more than 90,000,000 incentive stock options may be granted pursuant to the terms of the 2021 Plan.
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ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS; AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
Except as discussed below or otherwise disclosed above under “Item 11. Executive Compensation” or “Note 8 – Loans to Related Parties” to the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements included herein under “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data”, which information is incorporated by reference where applicable in this “Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions; And Director Independence” section, the following sets forth a summary of all transactions since the beginning of the fiscal year of 2021, or any currently proposed transaction, in which the Company was to be a participant and the amount involved exceeded or exceeds the lesser of $120,000 or one percent of the average of the Company’s total assets at the fiscal years end for 2022 and 2021, and in which any related person had or will have a direct or indirect material interest (other than compensation described above under “Item 11. Executive Compensation”). We believe the terms obtained or consideration that we paid or received, as applicable, in connection with the transactions described below were comparable to terms available or the amounts that would be paid or received, as applicable, in arm’s-length transactions.
Loans from Related Parties
As of December 31, 2021, the short-term note payable to Kemah Development Texas, LP, a company owned by Dror Family Trust, a former related party totaled $13,473. On May 23, 2022, the Company entered into a settlement agreement with Kemah Development Texas, LP to settle the entire balance of $13,473 in exchange for $2,000 in cash.
On September 27, 2021, October 29, 2021, November 2, 2021, and November 12, 2021, Jacob Cohen, our Chief Executive Officer, advanced the Company, $50,000, $15,000, $10,000, and $40,000, respectively, which loans are payable upon demand and not bearing interest. These amounts were repaid in November, 2021.
On December 28, 2022, the Company received an advance in the amount of $250,000 from a former Director, due on demand for 0% interest. The principal balance as of December 31, 2022 was $250,000.
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Long-Term Debt to Related Parties
On April 12, 2019, the Company entered into individual share exchange agreements and promissory notes with each of Daniel Dror, Winfred Fields and former Directors Everett Bassie and Charles Zeller (the “AMIH Shareholders”), whereby the AMIH Shareholders agreed to cancel and exchange a total of 98,333 shares of their AMIH common stock. The Company issued individual promissory notes with an aggregate principal amount of $350,000 (the “Promissory Notes”) for cancellation of the 98,333 common shares. The Promissory Notes have a term of two years and accrue interest at the rate of 10% per annum until paid in full by the Company. The Note and accrued interest totaling $280,108 was settled by the issuance of 57,942 common shares of the Company. The shares were valued at $16.20 and $18.60 per share based on the market price at the settlement date. Accordingly, the Company recorded a loss on loan settlement of $758,601 during the year ended December 31, 2020. These notes are currently in default. The principal balance on the note as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 was $110,000. The Company accrued $18,956 and $29,956 of interest on these notes during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
The Company incurred long term debt in the amount of $37,027 during the year ended December 31, 2019 to purchase equipment used in its operations. The total purchase price was $37,027, with the Company making a down payment in the amount of $3,000. The note is due in monthly payments of $1,258.50, including interest at 8%, due in September 2021. Due to the Company’s discontinued operations of its MedSpas, the equipment was returned in the third quarter of 2020. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the balance of the note was $0.
At December 31, 2022, accrued compensation was $110,000, representing $60,000 as owed to Jacob Cohen, the Company’s CEO and $25,000 owed to each of Alan Hernandez and Esteban Alexander, the Company’s former officers and directors. The total balance as of December 31, 2021 was $103,500.
Additional Transactions
On July 5, 2019, our board of directors adopted and approved our 2019 Stock Option and Incentive Plan. The Plan is intended to promote the interests of our Company by providing eligible person with the opportunity to acquire a proprietary interest, or otherwise increase their proprietary interest, in the Company as an incentive for them to remain in the service of the Company. The maximum number of shares available to be issued under the Plan is currently 10,000,000 shares, subject to adjustments for any stock splits, stock dividends or other specified adjustments which may take place in the future. The Company issued a total of 2,535,000 shares to eligible persons under the Plan and recorded a total $2,193,550 as Stock Based Compensation against these issuances for the year ended December 31, 2021. The Company issued a total of 13,139,129 shares to eligible persons under the Plan and recorded a total $344,250 as Stock Based Compensation against these issuances for the year ended December 31, 2022.
On May 20, 2020, the Company issued one share of its newly designated shares of Series A Preferred Stock (the rights associated with such Series A Preferred Stock are described in greater detail under “Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters, and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities—Description of Capital Stock—Preferred Stock—Series A Preferred Stock”), to each of the three members of its then board of directors, (1) Jacob D. Cohen, (2) Esteban Alexander and (3) Alan Hernandez, in consideration for services rendered to the Company as members of the board of directors. Such shares of Series A Preferred Stock vote in aggregate sixty percent (60%) of the total vote on all shareholder matters, voting separately as a class, as discussed in greater detail under “Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters, and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities—Description of Capital Stock—Preferred Stock—Series B Convertible Preferred Stock”. Notwithstanding such voting rights, no change in control of the Company was deemed to have occurred in connection with the issuance since Messrs. Cohen, Alexander and Hernandez, own in aggregate 68% of the Company’s outstanding common stock and therefore controlled the Company prior to such issuance.
On October 2, 2020, Jacob D. Cohen, the Chief Executive Officer and member of the board of directors of the Company entered into Stock Purchase Agreements with each of (a) Esteban Alexander, the Chief Operating Officer and member of the board of directors of the Company, and (b) Luis Alan Hernandez, the Chief Marketing Officer and member of the board of directors of the Company (collectively, the “Preferred Holders” and the “Stock Purchase Agreements”).
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Pursuant to the Stock Purchase Agreements, Mr. Alexander agreed to sell 7,000,000 shares of common stock of the Company which he held to Mr. Cohen, which rights to such shares were assigned by Mr. Cohen to Cohen Enterprises, Inc., which entity he controls (“Cohen Enterprises”), in consideration for an aggregate of $1,500 as well as for the amount of services provided by Mr. Cohen to the Company; and Mr. Hernandez agreed to sell 4,000,000 shares of common stock of the Company which he held to Cohen Enterprises, in consideration for an aggregate of $1,000 as well as for the amount of services provided by Mr. Cohen to the Company. The sales closed on November 5, 2020.
One of the reasons that Mr. Alexander and Mr. Hernandez agreed to the terms of the Stock Purchase Agreements (including the sale of the shares of common stock of the Company at below market value), is because (a) each of Mr. Cohen, Mr. Alexander, and Mr. Hernandez were all appointed as officers and directors of the Company at the same time in April 2019, with the intention that such persons would provide a relatively equal amount of services to the Company in the roles as officers and directors thereof; (b) since such appointment date Mr. Cohen has been required to provide a disproportionate amount of services to the Company; and (c) each of Mr. Alexander and Mr. Hernandez desired to provide additional consideration to Mr. Cohen for such disproportionate level of service.
A condition to the Stock Purchase Agreements was that each of Mr. Alexander and Mr. Hernandez resign as a member of the board of directors of the Company by no later than January 15, 2021, which resignations were effective December 15, 2020.
A further requirement to the terms of the Stock Purchase Agreements was that each of Mr. Alexander and Mr. Hernandez take such actions necessary and which may be requested from time to time by Mr. Cohen, to affect the cancellation of the one share of Series A Preferred Stock of the Company held by each of them, for no consideration (including, but not limited to, without the required payment by the Company of the $1 redemption price described in the designation of such Series A Preferred Stock).
The shares of Series A Preferred Stock held by Mr. Alexander and Mr. Hernandez were canceled on November 6, 2020. The common shares were also transferred to Mr. Cohen on November 6, 2020, and as such, a change of control occurred on such date, with Mr. Cohen taking over voting control of the Company.
In January 2021, the Company issued Mr. Cohen an aggregate of 2.5 million shares of common stock in consideration for services rendered.
On January 12, 2022, the Company issued an award of 5,000,000 restricted shares of the Company’s common stock as a signing bonus in consideration of Mr. Cohen entering into his new Employment Agreement with the Company.
On December 30, 2022, the Company issued 6,000,000 restricted shares of the Company’s common stock to Jacob D. Cohen, its then Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, in consideration for services rendered.
Restructuring Transactions
Mangoceuticals Sale
On June 16, 2022, Company entered and closed the transactions contemplated by a Stock Purchase Agreement (the “SPA”), with Cohen Enterprises, Inc. (“Cohen Enterprises”), which entity is owned and controlled by Jacob D. Cohen, the then Chief Executive Officer and President and then and current member of the Board of Directors of the Company. Pursuant to the SPA, which was approved by the Board of Directors (with Mr. Cohen abstaining) and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors, the Company sold 8,000,000 shares of the outstanding common stock of Mangoceuticals, which represented 80% of the then outstanding shares of common stock of Mangoceuticals, to Cohen Enterprises in consideration for $90,000, which was approximately the same amount that had been advanced to Mangoceuticals from the Company through the date of the SPA ($89,200). Cohen Enterprises also acquired the right to be repaid the $90,000 advanced from the Company to Mangoceuticals, from Mangoceuticals, pursuant to the terms of the SPA. As a result of the closing of the SPA, Cohen Enterprises owned 90% of Mangoceuticals (with the remaining 10% of Mangoceuticals being owned by an unrelated third party), and the Company has completely divested its interest in Mangoceuticals.
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EPIQ MD Sale
On July 7, 2022, we entered into a June 30, 2022 Equity Interest Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”), with Alejandro Rodriguez and Pan-American Communications Services, S.A. (collectively, the “Buyers”) and our then wholly-owned subsidiary, EPIQ MD, Inc., a Nevada corporation (“EPIQ MD”).
Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the Company sold 5,000,000 shares of common stock of EPIQ MD (the “Purchased Shares”), representing 100% of the then outstanding common stock of EPIQ MD, to the Buyers for an aggregate of $300,000, consisting of $150,000 of cash paid at closing and a $150,000 secured promissory note entered into on June 30, 2022 (the “Note”). The Purchase Agreement includes customary representations and warranties of the parties, confidentiality obligations of the parties, covenants, closing conditions and indemnification obligations of the parties, subject to certain deductibles. The Company’s aggregate indemnification obligations under the Purchase Agreement are subject to a twelve-month limitation period, a $300,000 liability cap, and a $5,000 deductible, subject in each case to certain exclusions, and the Buyers have the right to offset any indemnification obligation not timely paid by the Company against the payments due pursuant to the Note and the Royalty Agreement (as discussed below).
The transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement closed on July 7, 2022 and effective as of June 30, 2022.
As additional consideration for the sale of the Purchased Shares, the Company and EPIQ MD also entered into a Royalty Agreement dated June 30, 2022 and entered into on July 7, 2022 (the “Royalty Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company is entitled to receive a 2.50% royalty interest, calculated and payable on a quarterly basis, on the gross revenues of EPIQ MD’s telehealth business, beginning on January 1, 2023 and continuing until the earliest to occur of (i) the Company’s receipt of $900,000 in aggregate royalty payments, (ii) EPIQ MD’s exercise of a right of first refusal to buy out the Company’s royalty interest for $900,000 (or another mutually agreed amount) following the Company’s receipt of a bona fide third-party offer to purchase the Company’s royalty interest, and (iii) December 31, 2026. The Royalty Agreement also provides for EPIQ MD to have a right of first refusal to purchase the Company’s rights under the Royalty Agreement, in the event the Company chooses to sell such rights in the future.
The Note had a maturity date of September 30, 2022, and bears no interest unless an event of default occurs. Upon the occurrence of an event of default, the Note bears interest at a default rate of 18% per annum until paid in full. The Note was paid in full on September 29, 2022.
In connection with the Company’s divestment of its interest in EPIQ MD, each of Mr. Rodriguez, and Mr. Verdie Bowen (the CEO and COO, respectively, of EPIQ MD), and certain other employees of the Company, executed separate release and termination agreements with the Company (the “Releases”). Pursuant to the Releases, each of Mr. Rodriguez, and Mr. Bowen terminated their respective Executive Employment Agreements with the Company dated as of January 21, 2021, without any severance or continuing obligations of the Company. Each release and termination agreement contains a mutual release of claims and mutual non-disparagement covenants. The Company agreed that all shares of Company common stock issued to each such releasing party which was previously subject to forfeiture would be deemed fully-earned upon the entry into such Releases. As a result, an aggregate of 83,334 shares of common stock previously subject to forfeiture became fully-vested.
Other than the $40,000 paid to Mr. Cohen at the time of the termination of the Employment Agreement, no material early termination penalties were incurred by the Company.
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Cycle Energy Transactions
On February 15, 2023, we entered into a Share Exchange Agreement (the “Exchange Agreement”) with Cycle Energy Corp., a Texas corporation (“Cycle Energy”), and Marble Trital Inc., the sole shareholder of Cycle Energy (the “Shareholder”). The Shareholder is beneficially owned and controlled by Mr. Michael McLaren, the Company’s newly appointed Chief Executive Officer.
Pursuant to the Exchange Agreement, which closed on February 15, 2023 (the “Closing Date”), the Shareholder exchanged (the “Exchange”) 100% of the ownership of Cycle Energy in consideration for 1,000,000 shares of the Series A Preferred Stock of the Company (the “New Series A Shares”).
Conditions to closing the Exchange included that the Company must have entered into the Cohen Exchange Agreement (defined and discussed below); terminated the employment agreement of Jacob D. Cohen, the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Company; entered into a consulting agreement with Mr. Cohen; and entered into an indemnification agreement with Mr. Cohen, all of which occurred, as discussed below.
Additionally, the Exchange Agreement required the Company to invite two persons to join its Board of Directors at the recommendation of the Shareholder following the Closing Date, to fill the vacancies created by the resignation of two of the current members of the Company’s Board of Directors, which change in directors occurred. In addition, the Exchange Agreement required the Company’s then current officers to resign and new officers of the Company to be appointed at the direction of the Shareholder. Each of which appointments and resignations were completed.
Also on February 15, 2023, and as a required condition to the closing of the Exchange Agreement, the Company and Jacob D. Cohen, the then Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, entered into an Exchange Agreement (the “Cohen Exchange Agreement”). Pursuant to the Cohen Exchange Agreement, Mr. Cohen exchanged all 1,000,000 shares of the Series A Preferred Stock of the Company which he held (the “Cohen Series A Shares”), with the Company (which Cohen Series A Shares were then cancelled, prior to being reissued to the Seller as New Series A Shares, as discussed above), for (a) all of the issued and outstanding membership interests held by the Company in Epiq Scripts, LLC, a Texas limited liability company (“Epiq Scripts”)(representing 51% of Epiq Scripts)(the “Epiq Scripts Interests”); (b) all cash payments paid to the Company in the future as a Royalty Payment (as defined in the Royalty Agreement (defined below)) pursuant to that certain Royalty Agreement dated June 30, 2022, by and between Epiq MD, Inc. a Nevada corporation (“Epiq MD”) and the Company (the “Royalty Agreement” and the “Royalty Payments”); (c) all proceeds that the Company receives from any sale of the equity of ZipDoctor, Inc., a Texas corporation (the “ZipDoctor Consideration”), which entity was subsequently sold effective in April 2023 (as discussed below); and (d) the rights to all debt owed to the Company from Epiq Scripts, in the amount of approximately $850,000 (the “Epiq Scripts Debt”).
Pursuant to the Cohen Exchange Agreement, the Company also agreed to pay all Royalty Payments to Mr. Cohen within five days of its receipt thereof and that any amount of the Royalty Payments not paid when due will accrue interest at the rate of the lesser of (a) 18% per annum; and (b) the highest rate allowable pursuant to law, until paid in full (as applicable, (a) or (b), the “Default Rate”).
The Cohen Exchange Agreement has an effective date of February 15, 2023, and the transactions contemplated by the Cohen Exchange Agreement closed on February 15, 2023.
As a result of the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Exchange Agreement and the Cohen Exchange Agreement, and effective on the Closing Date, February 15, 2023, the Shareholder, through ownership of all 1,000 of the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock shares, holds voting control over 60% of the Company’s outstanding voting shares, resulting in a change of control of the Company. Prior to the closing of the Cohen Exchange Agreement, Jacob D. Cohen held 1,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock, which provided him voting control over 60% of the Company’s outstanding voting shares. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock held by the Shareholder are beneficially owned by Michael McLaren, its controlling shareholder owner and officer. As a result, Mr. McLaren, as a result of his control of the Shareholder, obtained control over the Company upon the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Exchange Agreement, as he obtained voting control over 60% of the Company’s outstanding voting stock due to his ownership of the New Series A Shares.
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On February 15, 2023, we and Cycle Energy entered into a Consulting Agreement with Cohen Enterprises, Inc., which is owned by Mr. Cohen (“Cohen Enterprises”). Pursuant to the Consulting Agreement, Cohen Enterprises agreed to provide consulting and general business advisory services as reasonably requested by the Company during the term of the agreement, which was for six months, unless otherwise earlier terminated due to breach of the agreement by either party, and the failure to cure such breach 30 days after written notice thereof. In consideration for agreeing to provide the services under the agreement, the Company agreed to pay $12,500 per month. The agreement contains customary confidentiality, non-solicitation provisions and Company indemnification obligations and further limits Cohen Enterprise’s liability under the agreement to $50,000, except for damages due to fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct.
Effective on February 15, 2023, Jacob D. Cohen terminated his Employment Agreement with the Company dated January 12, 2022, in connection with his resignation as Chief Executive Officer of the Company and in consideration for $40,000.
ZipDoctor Sale
On March 17, 2023, the Company entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement with Cosmos Health Inc. (“Cosmos” and the “SPA”). Pursuant to the SPA, the Company agreed to sell Cosmos 100% of the outstanding shares of common stock of ZipDoctor, Inc., for $150,000. The transactions contemplated by the SPA closed on April 3, 2023. The SPA contained representations and warranties of the parties customary for a transaction of the size and type of the SPA, and includes various indemnification obligations of the parties.
Review, Approval and Ratification of Related Party Transactions
The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company is tasked with reviewing and approving any issues relating to conflicts of interests and all related party transactions of the Company (“Related Party Transactions”). The Audit Committee, in undertaking such review and will analyze the following factors, in addition to any other factors the Audit Committee deems appropriate, in determining whether to approve a Related Party Transaction: (1) the fairness of the terms for the Company (including fairness from a financial point of view); (2) the materiality of the transaction; (3) bids / terms for such transaction from unrelated parties; (4) the structure of the transaction; (5) the policies, rules and regulations of the U.S. federal and state securities laws; (6) the policies of the Committee; and (7) interests of each related party in the transaction.
The Audit Committee will only approve a Related Party Transaction if the Audit Committee determines that the terms of the Related Party Transaction are beneficial and fair (including fair from a financial point of view) to the Company and are lawful under the laws of the United States. In the event multiple members of the Audit Committee are deemed a related party, the Related Party Transaction will be considered by the disinterested members of the Board of Directors in place of the Committee.
In addition, our Code of Ethics (described above under “Code of Ethics”), which is applicable to all of our employees, officers and directors, requires that all employees, officers and directors avoid any conflict, or the appearance of a conflict, between an individual’s personal interests and our interests.
Director Independence
Our common stock is currently quoted on the OTCQB Market maintained by OTC Markets. The OTCQB Market does not require us to have independent members of our board of directors. Notwithstanding that, our board of directors has determined that Peter “Casey” Jensen and Gary Giles are “independent” pursuant to the rules of the NASDAQ Capital Market.
As described above, we do not currently have a separately designated nominating or compensation committee.
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ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANTS FEES AND SERVICES
Independent Public Accountants
Our independent public accounting firm is Turner, Stone & Company, L.L.P., 12700 Park Central Drive, Suite 1400, Dallas, Texas 75251, PCAOB Auditor ID 76.
On March 31, 2023, the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors approved the dismissal of M&K CPA’s, PLLC as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, effective March 31, 2023. M&K CPA’s PLLC, audited the Company’s financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.
On March 31, 2023, the Audit Committee approved the appointment of Turner, Stone & Company, L.L.P. as the Company’s new independent registered public accounting firm for the year ended December 31, 2022, effective upon the dismissal of M&K CPA’s PLLC as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm.
Principal Accounting Fees
The following table presents the fees for professional audit services rendered by Turner, Stone & Company, L.L.P. (who was engaged effective March 31, 2023) and M&K CPAs, PLLC for the audit of the Company’s annual financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, and fees billed for other services rendered by Turner, Stone & Company, L.L.P. and M&K CPAs, PLLC during those years. All of the services described below were approved by the board of directors.
Turner, Stone & Company, L.L.P.
| 2022 | 2021 | |||||||
| Audit fees (1) | $ | — | $ | — | ||||
| Audit-related fees (2) | $ | — | $ | — | ||||
| Tax fees (3) | $ | — | $ | — | ||||
| All other fees | $ | — | $ | — | ||||
M&K CPAs, PLLC
| 2022 | 2021 | |||||||
| Audit fees (1) | $ | 38,000 | $ | 36,000 | ||||
| Audit-related fees (2) | $ | — | $ | — | ||||
| Tax fees (3) | $ | — | $ | — | ||||
| All other fees | $ | — | $ | — | ||||
(1) Audit fees consist of audit and review services, consents and review of documents filed with the SEC.
(2) Audit-related fees consist of assistance and discussion concerning financial accounting and reporting standards and other accounting issues.
(3) Tax fees consist of preparation of federal and state tax returns, review of quarterly estimated tax payments, and consultation concerning tax compliance issues.
It is the policy of our board of directors that all services to be provided by our independent registered public accounting firm, including audit services and permitted audit-related and non-audit services, must be pre-approved by our board of directors. Our board of directors pre-approved all services, audit and non-audit related, provided to us by Turner, Stone & Company, L.L.P. and M&K CPAs, PLLC for 2022 and 2021.
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PART IV
ITEM 15. EXHIBIT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
(a) Documents filed as part of this Annual Report:
The following is an index of the financial statements, schedules and exhibits included in this Form 10-K or incorporated herein by reference.
| (1) | All Financial Statements |
Index to Consolidated Financial Statements
| (2) | Consolidated Financial Statement Schedules |
Except as provided above, all financial statement schedules have been omitted, since the required information is not applicable or is not present in amounts sufficient to require submission of the schedule, or because the information required is included in the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in this Form 10-K.
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| 140 |
| 141 |
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| 143 |
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| * | Filed herewith. |
| ** | Furnished herewith. |
| *** | Indicates management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement. |
# Certain schedules and exhibits have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(a)(5) of Regulation S-K. A copy of any omitted schedule or Exhibit will be furnished supplementally to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request; provided, however that American International Holdings Corp. may request confidential treatment pursuant to Rule 24b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, for any schedule or Exhibit so furnished.
£ Certain portions of this Exhibit has been omitted in accordance with Regulation S-K Item 601 because they are both (i) not material to investors and (ii) the type of information that American International Holdings Corp. customarily and actually treats as private or confidential, and have been marked with ‘‘[***]’’ to indicate where omissions have been made. American International Holdings Corp. agrees to furnish supplementally an unredacted copy of the Exhibit to the SEC upon its request.
ITEM 16. FORM 10-K SUMMARY
None.
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SIGNATURES
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.
American International Holdings Corp.
| By | /s/ Michael McLaren | |
| Michael McLaren | ||
Chief Executive Officer, President and Director (Principal Executive Officer) |
||
| June 9, 2023 |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| Signature | Title | Date | ||
| /s/ Michael McLaren | Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman (Director) | June 9, 2023 | ||
| Michael McLaren | (Principal Executive Officer) | |||
| /s/ James Pendergast | Chief Financial Officer | June 9, 2023 | ||
| James Pendergast | (Principal Financial/Accounting Officer) | |||
| /s/ Peter “Casey” Jensen | Director | June 9, 2023 | ||
| Peter “Casey” Jensen | ||||
| /s/ Jacob D. Cohen | Director | June 9, 2023 | ||
| Jacob D. Cohen | ||||
| /s/ Gary Giles | Director | June 9, 2023 | ||
| Gary Giles |
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Exhibit 10.51
STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT
This Stock Purchase Agreement (this “Agreement”), dated as of March 17, 2023, is entered into between by and among Cosmos Health Inc., a Nevada corporation (“Buyer”) and American International Holding Corp., a Nevada Corporation (“Seller”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Seller owns all of the issued and outstanding shares (the “Shares”) of ZipDoctor, Inc., a Texas corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Seller (the “Company”);
WHEREAS, the Seller wishes to sell to Buyer, and Buyer wishes to purchase from the Seller, the Shares, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
The following terms have the meanings specified or referred to in this Article I:
“Action” means any claim, action, cause of action, demand, lawsuit, arbitration, inquiry, audit, notice of violation, proceeding, litigation, citation, summons, subpoena or investigation of any nature, civil, criminal, administrative, regulatory or otherwise, whether at law or in equity.
“Affiliate” of a Person means any other Person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person. The term “control” (including the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
“Business Day” means any day except Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which commercial banks located in New York, New York are authorized or required by Law to be closed for business.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Contracts” means all contracts, leases, deeds, mortgages, licenses, instruments, notes, commitments, undertakings, indentures, joint ventures and all other agreements, commitments and legally binding arrangements, whether written or oral.
“Disclosure Schedules” means the Disclosure Schedules delivered by the Company and Sellers and Buyer concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement.
“Encumbrance” means any charge, claim, community property interest, pledge, condition, equitable interest, lien (statutory or other), option, security interest, mortgage, easement, encroachment, right of way, right of first refusal, or restriction of any kind, including any restriction on use, voting, transfer, receipt of income or exercise of any other attribute of ownership.
“Environmental Claim” means any Action, Governmental Order, lien, fine, penalty, or, as to each, any settlement or judgment arising therefrom, by or from any Person alleging liability of whatever kind or nature (including liability or responsibility for the costs of enforcement proceedings, investigations, cleanup, governmental response, removal or remediation, natural resources damages, property damages, personal injuries, medical monitoring, penalties, contribution, indemnification and injunctive relief) arising out of, based on or resulting from: (a) the presence, Release of, or exposure to, any Hazardous Materials; or (b) any actual or alleged non-compliance with any Environmental Law or term or condition of any Environmental Permit.
“Environmental Law” means any applicable Law, and any Governmental Order or binding agreement with any Governmental Authority: (a) relating to pollution (or the cleanup thereof) or the protection of natural resources, endangered or threatened species, human health or safety, or the environment (including ambient air, soil, surface water or groundwater, or subsurface strata); or (b) concerning the presence of, exposure to, or the management, manufacture, use, containment, storage, recycling, reclamation, reuse, treatment, generation, discharge, transportation, processing, production, disposal or remediation of any Hazardous Materials.
“Environmental Notice” means any written directive, notice of violation or infraction, or notice respecting any Environmental Claim relating to actual or alleged non-compliance with any Environmental Law or any term or condition of any Environmental Permit.
“Environmental Permit” means any Permit, letter, clearance, consent, waiver, closure, exemption, decision or other action required under or issued, granted, given, authorized by or made pursuant to Environmental Law.
“GAAP” means United States generally accepted accounting principles in effect from time to time.
“Governmental Authority” means any federal, state, local or foreign government or political subdivision thereof, or any agency or instrumentality of such government or political subdivision, or any self-regulated organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority or quasi-governmental authority (to the extent that the rules, regulations or orders of such organization or authority have the force of Law), or any arbitrator, court or tribunal of competent jurisdiction.
“Governmental Order” means any order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, stipulation, determination or award entered by or with any Governmental Authority.
“Hazardous Materials” means: (a) any material, substance, chemical, waste, product, derivative, compound, mixture, solid, liquid, mineral or gas, in each case, whether naturally occurring or manmade, that is hazardous, acutely hazardous, toxic, or words of similar import or regulatory effect under Environmental Laws; and (b) any petroleum or petroleum-derived products, radon, radioactive materials or wastes, asbestos in any form, lead or lead-containing materials, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, and polychlorinated biphenyls.
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“Indebtedness of the Company” shall mean current debt of the Company (other than trade payables incurred in the ordinary course of business, which trade payables shall include all amounts outstanding under the Company’s credit cards as of the Closing Date).
“Knowledge” means the actual or constructive knowledge of any director or executive officer of Seller or the Company.
“Law” means any statute, law, ordinance, regulation, rule, code, order, constitution, treaty, common law, judgment, decree, other requirement or rule of law of any Governmental Authority.
“Losses” means losses, damages, liabilities, deficiencies, Actions, judgments, interest, awards, penalties, fines, costs or expenses of whatever kind, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and the cost of enforcing any right to indemnification hereunder and the cost of pursuing any insurance providers; provided, however, that “Losses” shall not include punitive damages, except in the case of fraud or to the extent actually awarded to a Governmental Authority or other third party.
“Material Adverse Effect” means any event, occurrence, fact, condition or change that is, or could reasonably be expected to become, individually or in the aggregate, materially adverse to (a) the business, results of operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or assets of the Company, or (b) the ability of Sellers to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby on a timely basis.
“Permits” means all permits, licenses, franchises, approvals, authorizations, registrations, certificates, variances and similar rights obtained, or required to be obtained, from Governmental Authorities.
“Person” means an individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, Governmental Authority, unincorporated organization, trust, association or other entity.
“Post-Closing Tax Period” means any taxable period beginning after the Closing Date and, with respect to any taxable period beginning before and ending after the Closing Date, the portion of such taxable period beginning after the Closing Date.
“Pre-Closing Tax Period” means any taxable period ending on or before the Closing Date and, with respect to any taxable period beginning before and ending after the Closing Date, the portion of such taxable period ending on and including the Closing Date.
“Pre-Closing Taxes” means Taxes of the Company for any Pre-Closing Tax Period.
“Real Property” means the real property owned, leased or subleased by the Company, together with all buildings, structures and facilities located thereon.
“Release” means any actual or threatened release, spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, abandonment, disposing or allowing to escape or migrate into or through the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air (indoor or outdoor), surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata or within any building, structure, facility or fixture).
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“Representative” means, with respect to any Person, any and all directors, officers, employees, consultants, financial advisors, counsel, accountants and other agents of such Person.
“Sellers’ Accountants” means the accountant of the Company.
“Taxes” means all federal, state, local, foreign and other income, gross receipts, sales, use, production, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, registration, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, unemployment, estimated, excise, severance, environmental, stamp, occupation, premium, property (real or personal), real property gains, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments or charges of any kind whatsoever, together with any interest, additions or penalties with respect thereto and any interest in respect of such additions or penalties.
“Tax Return” means any return, declaration, report, claim for refund, information return or statement or other document relating to Taxes, including any schedule or attachment thereto, and including any amendment thereof.
“Transaction Documents” means this Agreement and any other documents required pursuant to the Non-Binding Summary of Terms to Purchase ZipDoctor, Inc. concluded between the Buyer and the Seller on January 20, 2023, superseding the previous version signed by the parties on September 25, 2022, and otherwise as may be reasonably required by the Buyer.
ARTICLE II
PURCHASE AND SALE
Section 2.01 Purchase and Sale. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, at the Closing, Seller shall sell to Buyer, and Buyer shall purchase from Seller, all the issued and outstanding Shares of the Company, free and clear of all Encumbrances, for the consideration specified in Section 2.02.
Section 2.02 Purchase Price. The purchase price for the Shares purchased by Buyer pursuant to Section 2.01 is $150,000.00 (One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars) paid in cash to such bank account of Seller as notified to Buyer in writing prior to Closing (the “Purchase Price”);
Section 2.03 Transactions to be Effected at the Closing.
(a) At the Closing, Buyer shall deliver to Seller:
(i) the Cash Consideration, or proof of payment of Cash Consideration;
(ii) the Transaction Documents and all other agreements, documents, instruments or certificates required to be delivered by Buyer at or prior to the Closing pursuant to Section 7.03 of this Agreement;
(b) At the Closing, Seller shall deliver to Buyer:
(i) An executed copy of the Stock Power and Assignment of Uncertificated Shares in the form of Exhibit A hereto;
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(ii) the Transaction Documents and all other agreements, documents, instruments or certificates required to be delivered by Seller and the Company at or prior to the Closing pursuant to Section 7.02 of this Agreement.
(iii) The Seller shall furnish to the Buyer on or before the Closing Date true and complete copies of the unaudited balance sheet of the Company as of December 31, 2022, and the related statements of operations and cash flows for the year then ended (the “Financial Statements”), setting forth in each case in comparative form the corresponding figures for the corresponding dates and periods of the previous fiscal year, together with reports of auditors thereon.
(iv) The Seller hereby agrees to deliver to Buyer within 30 days of the date hereof those due diligence items (“Due Diligence Items”) requested by Buyer or set forth herein. Buyer shall have until the receipt of all Due Diligence Items, completion of the Financial Statements and thirty (30) days thereafter (“Due Diligence Period”) to review and to approve the Due Diligence Items and any other information or documentation it acquires, including, but not limited to the Financial Statements. If Buyer, in its sole discretion, does not approve any of the Due Diligence Items or any of the information provided to Buyer pursuant to this section or any information or documentation it otherwise acquires at any time prior to the expiration of the Due Diligence Period, Buyer, at its option, may terminate this Agreement by written notice to Seller delivered at any time prior to the expiration of the Due Diligence Period, whereupon this Agreement shall become null and void and of no further force and effect and the parties hereto shall have no further obligation to one another. However, in lieu of such immediate termination of this Agreement, Buyer may at its option notify the Seller in writing of those matters as to which it has reasonable concerns and extend the Due Diligence Period as to those items only for a period of an additional thirty (30) days in order to give the parties the opportunity to resolve such concerns. Buyer’s failure to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 2.03 shall not affect Buyer’s right to require the satisfaction of all conditions to closing set forth in this Agreement.
(c) Post-closing Operation of the Company and the Buyer. Subject to the terms of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents, subsequent to the Closing, Buyer shall have sole discretion with regard to all matters relating to the operation of the Company.
Section 2.04 Closing. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the closing of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the “Closing”) shall take place no later than two Business Days after the last of the conditions to Closing set forth in Article VII have been satisfied or waived (other than conditions which, by their nature, are to be satisfied on the Closing Date), remotely by the electronic exchange of documents, or at such other time or on such other date or at such other place as the parties may mutually agree upon in writing but in any event no later than April 3, 2023 (the day on which the Closing takes place being the “Closing Date”).
Section 2.05 Withholding Tax. To the extent required by law, Buyer shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the Purchase Price all Taxes that Buyer may be required to deduct and withhold under any provision of Tax Law. All such withheld amounts shall be treated as delivered to the Seller hereunder.
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ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLER AND THE COMPANY
Except as set forth in the correspondingly numbered section of the Disclosure Schedules, Seller represents and warrants to Buyer that the statements contained in this Article III are true and correct as of the date hereof.
Section 3.01 Authority of Seller. Seller has full power and authority to enter into this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents to which Seller is a party, to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. The execution and delivery by Seller of this Agreement and any other Transaction Document to which Seller is a party, the performance by Seller of its obligations hereunder and thereunder and the consummation by Seller of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by Seller. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by Seller, and (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by Buyer) this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of Seller enforceable against Seller in accordance with its terms. When each other Transaction Document to which Seller is or will be a party has been duly executed and delivered by Seller (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by each other party thereto), such Transaction Document will constitute a legal and binding obligation of Seller enforceable against it in accordance with its terms. Seller has the legal capacity to enter into this Agreement.
Section 3.02 Organization, Authority and Qualification of the Company. The Company is a company duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of Texas. The Company has full corporate power and authority to own, operate or lease the properties and assets now owned, operated or leased by it and to carry on its business as it has been and is currently conducted. Section 3.02 of the Disclosure Schedules sets forth each jurisdiction in which the Company is licensed or qualified to do business, and the Company is duly licensed or qualified to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the properties owned or leased by it or the operation of its business as currently conducted makes such licensing or qualification necessary. The execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement and any other Transaction Document to which the Company is a party, the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all requisite corporate action on the part of the Company. When each other Transaction Document to which the Company is or will be a party has been duly executed and delivered by the Company (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by each other party thereto), such Transaction Document will constitute a legal and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.
Section 3.03 No Sanctions. Neither Seller nor Company (i) are or will become a person whose property or interests in property are blocked or subject to blocking pursuant to Section 1 of Executive Order 13224 of September 23, 2001 Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions with Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit or Support Terrorism (66 Fed. Reg. 49079(2001), (ii) are or will engage in any dealings or transactions prohibited by Section 2 of such executive order, or (iii) are or will otherwise become a person on the list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons or subject to the limitations or prohibitions under any other Office of Foreign Asset Control regulation or executive order.
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Section 3.04 Capitalization.
(a) The capitalization of the Company is described on Schedule 3.04 hereto setting forth the authorized and issued and outstanding classes of capital stock. All of the Shares have been duly authorized, are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. The Shares are owned of record and beneficially by Seller, free and clear of all Encumbrances. Upon consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and at Closing, Buyer shall own all of the Shares, free and clear of all Encumbrances.
(b) All of the Shares were issued in compliance with applicable Laws. None of the Shares were issued in violation of any agreement, arrangement or commitment to which Seller or the Company are a party or are subject to or in violation of any preemptive or similar rights of any Person.
(c) There are no outstanding or authorized options, warrants, convertible securities or other rights, agreements, arrangements or commitments of any character relating to the capital stock of the Company, or obligating Seller or the Company to issue or sell any shares of capital stock of, or any other interest in, the Company. The Company does not have outstanding or authorized any stock appreciation, phantom stock, profit participation or similar rights. There are no voting trusts, stockholder agreements, proxies or other agreements or understandings in effect with respect to the voting or transfer of any of the Shares.
Section 3.05 No Subsidiaries. The Company, except as set forth in Schedule 3.04, does not own, or have any interest in any shares or have an ownership interest in any other Person.
Section 3.06 No Conflicts; Consents. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.06 hereof, the execution, delivery and performance by Seller of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents to which it or the Company is a party, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, do not and will not: (a) conflict with or result in a violation or breach of, or default under, any provision of the certificate of incorporation, by-laws or other organizational documents of the Company; (b) conflict with or result in a violation or breach of any provision of any Law or Governmental Order applicable to Seller or the Company; (c) does not require the consent, notice or other action by any Person under, conflict with, result in a violation or breach of, constitute a default or an event that, with or without notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default under, result in the acceleration of or create in any party the right to accelerate, terminate, modify or cancel any Contract to which Seller or the Company is a party or by which Seller or the Company is bound or to which any of their respective properties and assets are subject (including any Material Contract) or any Permit affecting the properties, assets or business of the Company; or (d) result in the creation or imposition of any Encumbrance on any properties or assets of the Company. No consent, approval, Permit, Governmental Order, declaration or filing with, or notice to, any Governmental Authority is required by or with respect to Seller or the Company in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, except with respect to any Buyer’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
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Section 3.07 Financial Statements. Complete copies of the Company’s Unaudited Financial Statements consisting of the balance sheet of the Company as of December 31 in each of the years 2020, 2021 and 2022 and the related statements of income and retained earnings, stockholders’ equity and cash flow for the years then ended (the “Unaudited Financial Statements”), and Unaudited Financial Statements consisting of the balance sheet of the Company as at December 31, 2022 and the related statements of income and retained earnings, stockholders’ equity and cash flow for the three-month period then ended (the “Interim Financial Statements” and together with the Unaudited Financial Statements, the “Financial Statements”) have been delivered to Buyer. The Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the period involved, subject, in the case of the Interim Financial Statements, to normal and recurring year-end adjustments (the effect of which will not be materially adverse) and the absence of notes (that, if presented, would not differ materially from those presented in the Unaudited Financial Statements). The Financial Statements are based on the books and records of the Company, and fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the Company as of the respective dates they were prepared and the results of the operations of the Company for the periods indicated. The balance sheet of the Company as of December 31, 2022 is referred to herein as the “Balance Sheet” and the date thereof as the “Balance Sheet Date.” The Company maintains a standard system of accounting established and administered in accordance with GAAP.
Section 3.08 Undisclosed Liabilities. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.07, the Company has no liabilities, obligations or commitments of any nature whatsoever, asserted or unasserted, known or unknown, absolute or contingent, accrued or unaccrued, matured or unmatured or otherwise (“Liabilities”), except (a) those which are adequately reflected or reserved against in the Balance Sheet as of the Balance Sheet Date, and (b) those which have been incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice since the Balance Sheet Date and which are not, individually or in the aggregate, material in amount.
Section 3.09 Absence of Certain Changes, Events and Conditions. Since the Balance Sheet Date, and other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice or as set forth on Schedule 3.08, there has not been, with respect to the Company, any:
(a) event, occurrence or development that has had, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect;
(b) amendment of the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of the Company;
(c) split, combination or reclassification of any shares of capital stock of the Company;
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(d) issuance, sale or other disposition of any of capital stock of the Company, or grant of any options, warrants or other rights to purchase or obtain (including upon conversion, exchange or exercise) any of the capital stock of the Company;
(e) declaration or payment of any dividends or distributions on or in respect of any of the capital stock of the Company or redemption, purchase or acquisition of the capital stock of the Company;
(f) material change in any method of accounting or accounting practice of the Company, except as required by GAAP or as disclosed in the notes to the Financial Statements;
(g) material change in the Company’s cash management practices and its policies, practices and procedures with respect to collection of accounts receivable, establishment of reserves for uncollectible accounts, accrual of accounts receivable, inventory control, prepayment of expenses, payment of trade accounts payable, accrual of other expenses, deferral of revenue and acceptance of customer deposits;
(h) entry into any Contract that would constitute a Material Contract;
(i) incurrence, assumption or guarantee of any indebtedness for borrowed money except unsecured current obligations and Liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;
(j) transfer, assignment, sale or other disposition of any of the assets shown or reflected in the Balance Sheet since the Balance Sheet Date or cancellation of any debts or entitlements;
(k) transfer, assignment or grant of any license or sublicense of any material rights under or with respect to any Intellectual Property;
(l) material damage, destruction or loss (whether or not covered by insurance) to its property;
(m) any capital investment in, or any loan to, any other Person;
(n) acceleration, termination, material modification to or cancellation of any material Contract (including, but not limited to, any Material Contract) to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;
(o) any material capital expenditures;
(p) imposition of any Encumbrance upon any of the properties, capital stock or assets, tangible or intangible of the Company;
(q) (i) grant of any bonuses, whether monetary or otherwise, or increase in any wages, salary, severance, pension or other compensation or benefits in respect of its employees, officers, directors, independent contractors or consultants, other than as provided for in any written agreements or required by applicable Law, (ii) material change in the terms of employment for any employee or any termination of any employees, or (iii) action to accelerate the vesting or payment of any compensation or benefit for any employee, officer, director, independent contractor or consultant;
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(r) the adoption, modification or termination of any: (i) employment, severance, retention or other agreement with any current or former employee, officer, director, independent contractor or consultant, (ii) Benefit Plan or (iii) collective bargaining or other agreement with a Union, in each case whether written or oral;
(s) any loan to (or forgiveness of any loan to), or entry into any other transaction with, any of the stockholders, directors, officers and employees of the Company;
(t) entry into a new line of business or abandonment or discontinuance of existing lines of business;
(u) adoption of any plan of merger, consolidation, reorganization, liquidation or dissolution or filing of a petition in bankruptcy under any provisions of federal or state bankruptcy Law or consent to the filing of any bankruptcy petition against the Company under any similar Law;
(v) purchase, lease or other acquisition of the right to own, use or lease any property or assets for an amount in excess of $10,000, individually (in the case of a lease, per annum) or $25,000 in the aggregate (in the case of a lease, for the entire term of the lease, not including any option term), except for purchases of inventory or supplies in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;
(w) acquisition by merger or consolidation with, or by purchase of a substantial portion of the assets or stock of, or by any other manner, any business or any Person or any division thereof;
(x) action by the Company to make, change or rescind any Tax election, amend any Tax Return or take any position on any Tax Return, take any action, omit to take any action or enter into any other transaction that would have the effect of increasing the Tax liability or reducing any Tax asset of Buyer in respect of any Post-Closing Tax Period; or
(y) any Contract to do any of the foregoing, or any action or omission that would result in any of the foregoing.
Section 3.10 Material Contracts.
(a) Section 3.10(a) of the Disclosure Schedules lists each of the following Contracts of the Company (such Contracts, together with all Contracts concerning the occupancy, management or operation of any Real Property (including without limitation, brokerage contracts) listed or otherwise disclosed in Section 3.11(b) of the Disclosure Schedules and all Contracts relating to Intellectual Property set forth in Section 3.12(d) and Section 3.12(f) of the Disclosure Schedules, being “Material Contracts”):
(i) involving aggregate consideration in excess of $15,000 and which, in each case, cannot be cancelled by the Company without penalty or without more than 90 days’ notice;
(ii) all Contracts that require the Company to purchase its total requirements of any product or service from a third party or that contain “take or pay” provisions;
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(iii) all Contracts that provide for the indemnification by the Company of any Person or the assumption of any Tax, environmental or other Liability of any Person;
(iv) all Contracts that relate to the acquisition or disposition of any business, a material amount of stock or assets of any other Person or any real property (whether by merger, sale of stock, sale of assets or otherwise);
(v) all broker, distributor, dealer, manufacturer’s representative, franchise, agency, sales promotion, market research, marketing consulting and advertising Contracts to which the Company is a party;
(vi) all employment agreements and Contracts with independent contractors or consultants (or similar arrangements) to which the Company is a party and which are not cancellable without material penalty or without more than 90 days’ notice;
(vii) except for Contracts relating to trade receivables, all Contracts relating to indebtedness (including, without limitation, guarantees) of the Company;
(viii) all Contracts with any Governmental Authority to which the Company is a party;
(ix) all Contracts that limit or purport to limit the ability of the Company to compete in any line of business or with any Person or in any geographic area or during any period of time;
(x) any Contracts to which the Company is a party that provide for any joint venture, partnership or similar arrangement by the Company;
(xi) all Contracts between or among the Company on the one hand and Seller or any Affiliate of Seller (other than the Company) on the other hand;
(xii) all collective bargaining agreements or Contracts with any Union to which the Company is a party; and
(xiii) any other Contract that is material to the Company and not previously disclosed pursuant to this Section 3.10.
(b) Each Material Contract is valid and binding on the Company in accordance with its terms and is in full force and effect. None of the Company or, to Seller’s Knowledge, any other party thereto is in breach of or default under (or is alleged to be in breach of or default under) in any material respect, or has provided or received any notice of any intention to terminate, any Material Contract. No event or circumstance has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute an event of default under any Material Contract or result in a termination thereof or would cause or permit the acceleration or other changes of any right or obligation or the loss of any benefit thereunder. Complete and correct copies of each Material Contract (including all modifications, amendments and supplements thereto and waivers thereunder) have been made available to Buyer.
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Section 3.11 Title to Assets.
(a) The Company has good and valid (and, in the case of owned Real Property, good and marketable fee simple) title to, or a valid leasehold interest in, all Real Property and personal property and other assets reflected in the Unaudited Financial Statements or acquired after the Balance Sheet Date, other than properties and assets sold or otherwise disposed of in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice since the Balance Sheet Date. All such properties and assets (including leasehold interests) are free and clear of Encumbrances except for the following (collectively referred to as “Permitted Encumbrances”):
(i) those items set forth in Section 3.11(a) of the Disclosure Schedules;
(ii) liens for Taxes not yet due and payable or being contested in good faith by appropriate procedures and for which there are adequate accruals or reserves on the Balance Sheet;
(iii) mechanics, carriers’, workmen’s, repairmen’s or other like liens arising or incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice or amounts that are not delinquent and which are not, individually or in the aggregate, material to the business of the Company;
(iv) easements, rights of way, zoning ordinances and other similar encumbrances affecting Real Property which are not, individually or in the aggregate, material to the business of the Company; or
(v) other than with respect to owned Real Property, liens arising under original purchase price conditional sales contracts and equipment leases with third parties entered into in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice which are not, individually or in the aggregate, material to the business of the Company.
(b) Section 3.11(b) of the Disclosure Schedules lists (i) the street address of each parcel of Real Property; (ii) if such property is leased or subleased by the Company, the landlord under the lease, the rental amount currently being paid, and the expiration of the term of such lease or sublease for each leased or subleased property; and (iii) the current use of such property. With respect to owned Real Property, Seller has delivered or made available to Buyer true, complete and correct copies of the deeds and other instruments (as recorded) by which the Company acquired such Real Property, and copies of all title insurance policies, opinions, abstracts and surveys in the possession of Seller or the Company and relating to the Real Property. With respect to leased Real Property, Seller has delivered or made available to Buyer true, complete and correct copies of any leases affecting the Real Property. The Company is not a sublessor or grantor under any sublease or other instrument granting to any other Person any right to the possession, lease, occupancy or enjoyment of any leased Real Property. The use and operation of the Real Property in the conduct of the Company’s business does not violate in any material respect any Law, covenant, condition, restriction, easement, license, permit or agreement. No material improvements constituting a part of the Real Property encroach on real property owned or leased by a Person other than the Company. There are no Actions pending nor, to the Seller’s Knowledge, threatened against or affecting the Real Property or any portion thereof or interest therein in the nature or in lieu of condemnation or eminent domain proceedings.
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Section 3.12 Intellectual Property.
(a) “Company Intellectual Property” means all of the following intellectual property that is owned by the Company and that in which the Company holds exclusive or non-exclusive rights or interests granted by license from other Persons, including the Seller (“Licensed Intellectual Property”):
(i) trademarks, service marks, trade names, brand names, logos, trade dress and other proprietary indicia of goods and services, whether registered or unregistered, and all registrations and applications for registration of such trademarks, including intent-to-use applications, all issuances, extensions and renewals of such registrations and applications and the goodwill connected with the use of and symbolized by any of the foregoing;
(ii) internet domain names, whether or not trademarks, registered in any top- level domain by any authorized private registrar or Governmental Authority;
(iii) original works of authorship in any medium of expression, whether or not published, all copyrights (whether registered or unregistered), all registrations and applications for registration of such copyrights, and all issuances, extensions and renewals of such registrations and applications;
(iv) confidential information, formulas, designs, devices, technology, know- how, research and development, inventions, methods, processes, compositions and other trade secrets, whether or not patentable; and
(v) patented and patentable designs and inventions, all design, plant and utility patents, letters patent, utility models, pending patent applications and provisional applications and all issuances, divisions, continuations, continuations-in-part, reissues, extensions, reexaminations and renewals of such patents and applications.
(b) Section 3.12(b) of the Disclosure Schedules lists all Company Intellectual Property that is either (i) subject to any issuance, registration, application or other filing by, to or with any Governmental Authority or authorized private registrar in any jurisdiction (collectively, “Intellectual Property Registrations”), including registered trademarks, domain names and copyrights, issued and reissued patents and pending applications for any of the foregoing; or (ii) used in or necessary for the Company’s current or planned business or operations. All required filings and fees related to the Intellectual Property Registrations of the Company have been timely filed with and paid to the relevant Governmental Authorities and authorized registrars, and all Intellectual Property Registrations of the Company are otherwise in good standing. Seller has provided Buyer with true and complete copies of file histories, documents, certificates, office actions, correspondence and other materials related to all Intellectual Property Registrations of the Company.
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(c) Except as set forth in Section 3.12(c) of the Disclosure Schedules, the Company owns, exclusively or jointly with other Persons, all right, title and interest in and to the Company Intellectual Property, free and clear of Encumbrances. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company has entered into binding, written agreements with every current and former employee of the Company, and with every current and former independent contractor, whereby such employees and independent contractors (i) assign to the Company any ownership interest and right they may have in the Company Intellectual Property; and (ii) acknowledge the Company’s exclusive ownership of all Company Intellectual Property. Seller has provided Buyer with true and complete copies of all such agreements. The Company is in full compliance with all legal requirements applicable to the Company Intellectual Property and the Company’s ownership and use thereof.
(d) Section 3.12(d) of the Disclosure Schedules lists all licenses, sublicenses and other agreements whereby the Company is granted rights, interests and authority, whether on an exclusive or non-exclusive basis, with respect to any Licensed Intellectual Property that is used in or necessary for the Company’s current or planned business or operations. Seller has provided Buyer with true and complete copies of all such agreements. All such agreements are valid, binding and enforceable between the Company and the other parties thereto, and the Company and such other parties are in full compliance with the terms and conditions of such agreements.
(e) The Company Intellectual Property and Licensed Intellectual Property as currently or formerly owned, licensed or used by the Company or proposed to be used, and the Company’s conduct of its business as currently and formerly conducted and proposed to be conducted have not, do not and will not infringe, violate or misappropriate the Intellectual Property of any Person. Neither Seller nor the Company has received any communication, and no Action has been instituted, settled or, to Seller’s Knowledge, threatened that alleges any such infringement, violation or misappropriation, and none of the Company Intellectual Property are subject to any outstanding Governmental Order.
(f) Section 3.12(f) of the Disclosure Schedules lists all licenses, sublicenses and other agreements pursuant to which the Company grants rights or authority to any Person with respect to any Company Intellectual Property or Licensed Intellectual Property. Seller has provided Buyer with true and complete copies of all such agreements. All such agreements are valid, binding and enforceable between the Company and the other parties thereto, and the Company and such other parties are in full compliance with the terms and conditions of such agreements. No Person has infringed, violated or misappropriated, or is infringing, violating or misappropriating, any Company Intellectual Property.
Section 3.13 Inventory. As of the date hereof the inventory of the Company shall be described in Schedule 3.13 at the location described therein and at least three (3) days prior closing, the Sellers shall provide an independently certified updated inventory list to the Buyer.
Section 3.14 Accounts Receivable. The accounts receivable reflected on the Interim Balance Sheet and the accounts receivable arising after the date thereof (a) have arisen from bona fide transactions entered into by the Company involving the sale of goods or the rendering of services in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; (b) constitute only valid, undisputed claims of the Company not subject to claims of set-off or other defenses or counterclaims other than normal cash discounts accrued in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; and (c) subject to a reserve for bad debts shown on the Interim Balance Sheet or, with respect to accounts receivable arising after the Interim Balance Sheet Date, on the accounting records of the Company, are to the Seller’s Knowledge collectible in full. The reserve for bad debts shown on the Interim Balance Sheet or, with respect to accounts receivable arising after the Balance Sheet Date, on the accounting records of the Company have been determined in accordance with GAAP, consistently applied, subject to normal year-end adjustments and the absence of disclosures normally made in footnotes.
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Section 3.15 Customers. Section 3.15 of the Disclosure Schedules sets forth (i) each customer who has paid aggregate consideration to the Company for goods or services rendered in an amount greater than or equal to $50,000 for each of the two most recent fiscal years (collectively, the “Material Customers”); and (ii) the amount of consideration paid by each Material Customer during such periods. Except as set forth in Section 3.155 of the Disclosure Schedules, the Company have not received any notice, and has no reason to believe, that any of their Material Customers has ceased, or intends to cease after the Closing, to use their respective goods or services or to otherwise terminate or materially reduce its relationship with the Company.
Section 3.16 Insurance. Section 3.166 of the Disclosure Schedules sets forth a true and complete list of all current policies or binders of fire, liability, product liability, umbrella liability, real and personal property, workers’ compensation, vehicular, directors’ and officers’ liability, fiduciary liability and other casualty and property insurance maintained by Seller and the Company and relating to the assets, business, operations, employees, officers and directors of the Company (collectively, the “Insurance Policies”) and true and complete copies of such Insurance Policies have been made available to Buyer. Such Insurance Policies are in full force and effect and shall remain in full force and effect following the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Sellers or the Company have not received any written notice of cancellation of, premium increase with respect to, or alteration of coverage under, any of such Insurance Policies. All premiums due on such Insurance Policies have either been paid or, if due and payable prior to Closing, will be paid prior to Closing in accordance with the payment terms of each Insurance Policy. The Insurance Policies do not provide for any retrospective premium adjustment or other experience-based liability on the part of the Company. All such Insurance Policies (a) are valid and binding in accordance with their terms; (b) are provided by carriers who are financially solvent; and (c) have not been subject to any lapse in coverage. Except as set forth on Section 3.166 of the Disclosure Schedules, there are no claims related to the business of the Company pending under any such Insurance Policies as to which coverage has been questioned, denied or disputed or in respect of which there is an outstanding reservation of rights. Seller and the Company are not in default under, or have otherwise failed to comply with, in any material respect, any provision contained in any such Insurance Policy. The Insurance Policies are of the type and in the amounts customarily carried by Persons conducting a business similar to the Company and are sufficient for compliance with all applicable Laws and Contracts to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.
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Section 3.17 Legal Proceedings; Governmental Orders.
(a) There are no Actions pending or, to Seller’s Knowledge, threatened (a) against or by the Company affecting any of its properties or assets; or (b) against or by the Company or Seller or any of their Affiliates that challenges or seeks to prevent, enjoin or otherwise delay the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. No event has occurred or circumstances exist that may give rise to, or serve as a basis for, any such Action.
(b) There are no outstanding Governmental Orders and no unsatisfied judgments, penalties or awards against or affecting the Company or any of its properties or assets.
Section 3.18 Compliance With Laws; Permits.
(a) To the Seller’s Knowledge, subject to any filings required pursuant to the transaction contemplated by this Agreement, the Company has complied, and are now complying, with all Laws applicable to it or its business, properties or assets.
(b) All Permits required for the Company to conduct its business have been obtained by the Company and are valid and in full force and effect. All fees and charges with respect to such Permits as of the date hereof have been paid in full. Section 3.18(b) of the Disclosure Schedules lists all current Permits issued to the Company, including the names of the Permits and their respective dates of issuance and expiration. No event has occurred that, with or without notice or lapse of time or both, would reasonably be expected to result in the revocation, suspension, lapse or limitation of any Permit set forth in Section 3.18(b) of the Disclosure Schedules.
Section 3.19 Environmental Matters.
(a) The Company is currently and has been in compliance with all Environmental Laws and has not, and Seller and the Company have not, received from any Person any: (i) Environmental Notice or Environmental Claim; or (ii) written request for information pursuant to Environmental Law, which, in each case, either remains pending or unresolved, or is the source of ongoing obligations or requirements as of the Closing Date.
(b) The Company has obtained and is in material compliance with all Environmental Permits (each of which is disclosed in Section 3.19(b) of the Disclosure Schedules) necessary for the ownership, lease, operation or use of the business or assets of the Company, and all such Environmental Permits are in full force and effect and shall be maintained in full force and effect by the Company through the Closing Date in accordance with Environmental Law, and neither Seller nor the Company is aware of any condition, event or circumstance that might prevent or impede, after the Closing Date, the ownership, lease, operation or use of the business or assets of the Company as currently carried out. With respect to any such Environmental Permits, Seller and the Company have undertaken, or will undertake prior to the Closing Date, all measures necessary to facilitate transferability of the same, and neither the Company nor Seller is aware of any condition, event or circumstance that might prevent or impede the transferability of the same, nor have they received any Environmental Notice or written communication regarding any material adverse change in the status or terms and conditions of the same.
(c) Neither the Company nor Seller has retained or assumed, by contract or operation of Law, any liabilities or obligations of third parties under Environmental Law.
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Section 3.20 Employee Benefit Matters.
(a) Section 3.20(a) of the Disclosure Schedules contains a true and complete list of each pension, benefit, retirement, compensation, profit-sharing, deferred compensation, incentive, performance award, phantom equity, stock or stock-based, change in control, retention, severance, vacation, paid time off, fringe-benefit and other similar agreement, plan, policy, program or arrangement (and any amendments thereto), in each case whether or not reduced to writing and whether funded or unfunded, including each “employee benefit plan”, which is or has been maintained, sponsored, contributed to, or required to be contributed to by the Company for the benefit of any current or former employee, officer, director, retiree, independent contractor or consultant of the Company or any spouse or dependent of such individual, or under which the Company has or may have any Liability, or with respect to which Buyer or any of its Affiliates would reasonably be expected to have any Liability, contingent or otherwise (as listed on Section 3.20(a) of the Disclosure Schedules, each, a “Benefit Plan”).
(b) With respect to each Benefit Plan, Seller has made available to Buyer accurate, current and complete copies of each of the following: (i) where the Benefit Plan has been reduced to writing, the plan document together with all amendments; (ii) where the Benefit Plan has not been reduced to writing, a written summary of all material plan terms; (iii) where applicable, copies of any trust agreements or other funding arrangements, custodial agreements, insurance policies and contracts, administration agreements and similar agreements, and investment management or investment advisory agreements, now in effect or required in the future as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or otherwise; and (iv) copies of any summary plan descriptions, summaries of material modifications, employee handbooks and any other written communications (or a description of any oral communications) relating to any Benefit Plan.
(c) Each Benefit Plan has been established, administered and maintained in accordance with its terms and in compliance with all applicable Laws. All benefits, contributions and premiums relating to each Benefit Plan have been timely paid in accordance with the terms of such Benefit Plan and all applicable Laws and accounting principles, and all benefits accrued under any unfunded Benefit Plan have been paid, accrued or otherwise adequately reserved to the extent required by, and in accordance with, GAAP.
(d) Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates has (i) incurred or reasonably expects to incur, either directly or indirectly, any material Liability relating to employee benefit plans; (ii) failed to timely pay premiums; (iii) withdrawn from any Benefit Plan.
(e) Except as required by applicable Law, no provision of any Benefit Plan or collective bargaining agreement could reasonably be expected to result in any limitation on Buyer or any of its Affiliates from amending or terminating any Benefit Plan. The Company has no commitment or obligation and has not made any representations to any employee, officer, director, independent contractor or consultant, whether or not legally binding, to adopt, amend or modify any Benefit Plan or any collective bargaining agreement, in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or otherwise.
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(f) no Benefit Plan provides post-termination or retiree welfare benefits to any individual for any reason, and neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates has any Liability to provide post-termination or retiree welfare benefits to any individual or ever represented, promised or contracted to any individual that such individual would be provided with post-termination or retiree welfare benefits.
(g) There is no pending or, to Seller’s Knowledge, threatened Action relating to a Benefit Plan (other than routine claims for benefits), and no Benefit Plan has within the three years prior to the date hereof been the subject of an examination or audit by a Governmental Authority or the subject of an application or filing under or is a participant in, an amnesty, voluntary compliance, self-correction or similar program sponsored by any Governmental Authority.
(h) There has been no amendment to, announcement by Seller or the Company or any of their Affiliates relating to, or change in employee participation or coverage under, any Benefit Plan or collective bargaining agreement that would increase the annual expense of maintaining such plan above the level of the expense incurred for the most recently completed fiscal year with respect to any director, officer, employee, independent contractor or consultant, as applicable. Neither the Seller nor the Company, nor any of their Affiliates has any commitment or obligation or has made any representations to any director, officer, employee, independent contractor or consultant, whether or not legally binding, to adopt, amend or modify any Benefit Plan or any collective bargaining agreement.
(i) Each Benefit Plan has been operated in compliance with such section and all applicable regulatory guidance (including notices, rulings and proposed and final regulations).
(j) Each individual who is classified by the Company as an independent contractor has been properly classified for purposes of participation and benefit accrual under each Benefit Plan.
(k) Neither the execution of this Agreement nor any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will (either alone or upon the occurrence of any additional or subsequent events): (i) entitle any current or former director, officer, employee, independent contractor or consultant of the Company to severance pay or any other payment; (ii) accelerate the time of payment, funding or vesting, or increase the amount of compensation due to any such individual; (iii) limit or restrict the rights of the Company to merge, amend or terminate any Benefit Plan; or (iv) increase the amount payable under or result in any other material obligation pursuant to any Benefit Plan.
Section 3.21 Employment Matters.
(a) Section 3.21(a) of the Disclosure Schedules contains a list of all persons who the Company reasonably believe shall be employees, independent contractors or consultants of the Company as of the Closing Date, and sets forth for each such individual the following: (i) name; (ii) title or position (including whether full or part time); (iii) hire date; (iv) current annual base compensation rate; (v) commission, bonus or other incentive-based compensation; and (vi) a description of the fringe benefits provided to each such individual as of the date hereof. As of the date hereof, all compensation, including wages, commissions and bonuses, payable to employees, independent contractors or consultants of the Company for services performed on or prior to the date hereof have been paid in full (or accrued in full on the Balance Sheet) and there are no outstanding agreements, understandings or commitments of the Company with respect to any compensation, commissions or bonuses.
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(b) The Company is not, and has never been, a party to, bound by, or negotiating any collective bargaining agreement or other Contract with a union, works council or labor organization (collectively, “Union”), and there is not, and has never been, any Union representing or purporting to represent any employee of the Company, and, no Union or group of employees is seeking or has sought to organize employees for the purpose of collective bargaining. There has never been, nor has there been any threat of, any strike, slowdown, work stoppage, lockout, concerted refusal to work overtime or other similar labor disruption or dispute affecting the Company or any of its employees. The Company has no duty to bargain with any Union.
(c) The Company is and has been in compliance in all material respects with all applicable Laws pertaining to employment and employment practices, including all Laws relating to labor relations, equal employment opportunities, fair employment practices, employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, reasonable accommodation, disability rights or benefits, immigration, wages, hours, overtime compensation, child labor, hiring, promotion and termination of employees, working conditions, meal and break periods, privacy, health and safety, workers’ compensation, leaves of absence and unemployment insurance. All individuals characterized and treated by the Company as independent contractors or consultants are properly treated as independent contractors under all applicable Laws. There are no Actions against the Company pending, or to the Seller’s Knowledge, threatened to be brought or filed, by or with any Governmental Authority or arbitrator in connection with the employment of any current or former applicant, employee, consultant, volunteer, intern or independent contractor of the Company, including, without limitation, any claim relating to unfair labor practices, employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, equal pay, wage and hours or any other employment related matter arising under applicable Laws.
Section 3.22 Taxes.
(a) All Tax Returns required to be filed on or before the Closing Date by the Company have been, or will be, timely filed. Such Tax Returns are, or will be, true, complete and correct in all respects. All Taxes due and owing by the Company (whether or not shown on any Tax Return) have been, or will be, timely paid.
(b) The Company has withheld and paid each Tax required to have been withheld and paid in connection with amounts paid or owing to any employee, independent contractor, creditor, customer, shareholder or other party, and complied with all information reporting and backup withholding provisions of applicable Law.
(c) No claim has been made by any taxing authority in any jurisdiction where the Company does not file Tax Returns that it is, or may be, subject to Tax by that jurisdiction.
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(d) No extensions or waivers of statutes of limitations have been given or requested with respect to any Taxes of the Company.
(e) The amount of the Company’s Liability for unpaid Taxes for all periods ending on or before December 31, 2022, does not, in the aggregate, exceed the amount of accruals for Taxes (excluding reserves for deferred Taxes) reflected on the Financial Statements. The amount of the Company’s Liability for unpaid Taxes for all periods following the end of the recent period covered by the Financial Statements shall not, in the aggregate, exceed the amount of accruals for Taxes (excluding reserves for deferred Taxes) as adjusted for the passage of time in accordance with the past custom and practice of the Company (and which accruals shall not exceed comparable amounts incurred in similar periods in prior years).
(f) Section 3.22(f) of the Disclosure Schedules sets forth:
(i) the taxable years of the Company as to which the applicable statutes of limitations on the assessment and collection of Taxes have not expired;
(ii) those years for which examinations by the taxing authorities have been completed; and
(iii) those taxable years for which examinations by taxing authorities are presently being conducted.
(g) All deficiencies asserted, or assessments made, against the Company as a result of any examinations by any taxing authority have been fully paid.
(h) The Company is not a party to any Action by any taxing authority. There are no pending or threatened Actions by any taxing authority.
(i) Seller has delivered to Buyer copies of all Tax Returns, examination reports, and statements of deficiencies assessed against, or agreed to by, the Company for all Tax periods ending December 31, 2022.
(j) There are no Encumbrances for Taxes (other than for current Taxes not yet due and payable) upon the assets of the Company.
(k) The Company is not a party to, or bound by, any Tax indemnity, Tax-sharing or Tax allocation agreement.
(l) The Company is not a party to, or bound by, any closing agreement or offer in compromise with any taxing authority.
(m) No private letter rulings, technical advice memoranda or similar agreement or rulings have been requested, entered into or issued by any taxing authority with respect to the Company.
(n) The Company has not been a member of an affiliated, combined, consolidated or unitary Tax group for Tax purposes.
(o) The Company has not agreed to make, nor are they required to make, any adjustment by reason of a change in accounting method or otherwise. The Company has not taken any action that is not in accordance with past practice that could defer a Liability for Taxes of the Company from any Pre-Closing Tax Period to any Post-Closing Tax Period.
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(p) Section 3.22(p) of the Disclosure Schedules sets forth all foreign jurisdictions in which the Company is subject to Tax, is engaged in business or have a permanent establishment.
(q) None of the assets of the Company are property that the Company is required to treat as being owned by any other person pursuant to the so-called “safe harbor lease” provisions of former Section 168(f)(8) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended.
Section 3.23 Books and Records. The minute book and stock record book of the Company, all of which have been made available to Buyer, are complete and correct and have been maintained in accordance with sound business practices. The minute book of the Company contains accurate and complete records of all meetings, and actions taken by written consent of, the stockholders, the board of directors and any committees of the board of directors of the Company, and no meeting, or action taken by written consent, of any such stockholders, board of directors or committee has been held for which minutes have not been prepared and are not contained in such minute book. At the Closing, all of those books and records will be in the possession of the Company.
Section 3.24 Brokers. No broker, finder or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage, finder’s or other fee or commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Transaction Document based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of Seller or the Company.
Section 3.25 Investment Representations.
(a) Seller satisfies the requirements of Regulation D of the Securities Act.
(b) Seller has substantial experience in evaluating and investing in companies similar to the Buyer so that it is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of its Stock Consideration in the Buyer and has the capacity to protect their own interests.
Section 3.26 Full Disclosure. No representation or warranty by Seller in this Agreement and no statement contained in the Disclosure Schedules to this Agreement or any certificate or other document furnished or to be furnished to Buyer pursuant to this Agreement contains any untrue statement of a material fact, or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements contained therein, in light of the circumstances in which they are made, not misleading. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Seller shall be entitled to update the disclosure schedule for any material event or information occurs or Seller obtains knowledge of prior to the Closing Date.
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ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER
Buyer represents and warrants to Seller that the statements contained in this Article IV are true and correct as of the date hereof.
Section 4.01 Organization, Authority and Qualification of Buyer. Buyer is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the state of Nevada and has full corporate power and authority to own, operate or lease the properties and assets now owned, operated or leased by it and to carry on its business as it has been and is currently conducted. The execution and delivery by Buyer of this Agreement and any other Transaction Document to which Buyer is a party, the performance by Buyer of its obligations hereunder and thereunder and the consummation by Buyer of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all requisite corporate action on the part of Buyer. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by Buyer, and (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by Buyer) this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of Buyer enforceable against Buyer in accordance with its terms. When each other Transaction Document to which Buyer is or will be a party has been duly executed and delivered by Buyer (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by each other party thereto), such Transaction Document will constitute a legal and binding obligation of Buyer enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.
ARTICLE V
COVENANTS
Section 5.01 Conduct of Business Prior to the Closing. From the date hereof until the Closing, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement or consented to in writing by Buyer (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), Seller shall, and shall cause the Company to, (x) conduct their business in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; and (y) use reasonable best efforts to maintain and preserve intact their current organization, business and franchise and to preserve the rights, franchises, goodwill and relationships of their employees, customers, lenders, suppliers, regulators and others having business relationships with them. Without limiting the foregoing, from the date hereof until the Closing Date, Seller shall:
(a) cause the Company to preserve and maintain all of its respective Permits;
(b) cause the Company to pay its respective debts, Taxes and other obligations when due;
(c) cause the Company to maintain the properties and assets owned, operated or used by the Company in the same condition as they were on the date of this Agreement, subject to reasonable wear and tear;
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(d) cause the Company to continue in full force and effect without modification all Insurance Policies, except as required by applicable Law;
(e) cause the Company to defend and protect its properties and assets from infringement or usurpation;
(f) cause the Company to perform all of their obligations under all Contracts relating to or affecting its properties, assets or business;
(g) cause the Company to maintain its books and records in accordance with past practice;
(h) cause the Company to comply in all material respects with all applicable Laws; and
(i) cause the Company not to take or permit any action that would cause any of the changes, events or conditions described in Section 3.09 to occur.
Section 5.02 Access to Information. From the date hereof until the Closing, Seller shall, subject to any non-disclosure and confidentiality requirements, cause the Company to, (a) afford Buyer and its Representatives reasonable and free access to during regular business hours and the right to inspect all of the Real Property, properties, assets, premises, books and records, Contracts and other documents and data related to the Company; (b) furnish Buyer and its Representatives with such financial, operating and other data and information related to the Company as Buyer or any of its Representatives may reasonably request; and (c) instruct the Company to cooperate with Buyer in its investigation of the Company. Any investigation pursuant to this Section 5.02 shall be conducted in such manner as not to interfere unreasonably with the conduct of the business of Seller or the Company. No investigation by Buyer or other information received by Buyer shall operate as a waiver or otherwise affect any representation, warranty or agreement given or made by Seller in this Agreement.
Section 5.03 No Solicitation of Other Bids.
(a) Seller shall not, and shall not authorize or permit any of its Affiliates (including the Company) or any of its Representatives to, directly or indirectly, (i) encourage, solicit, initiate, facilitate or continue inquiries regarding an Acquisition Proposal; (ii) enter into discussions or negotiations with, or provide any information to, any Person concerning a possible Acquisition Proposal; or (iii) enter into any agreements or other instruments (whether or not binding) regarding an Acquisition Proposal. Seller shall immediately cease and cause to be terminated, and shall cause its Affiliates (including the Company) and all of their Representatives to immediately cease and cause to be terminated, all existing discussions or negotiations with any Persons conducted heretofore with respect to, or that could lead to, an Acquisition Proposal. For purposes hereof, “Acquisition Proposal” shall mean any inquiry, proposal or offer from any Person (other than Buyer or any of its Affiliates) concerning (i) a merger, consolidation, liquidation, recapitalization, share exchange or other business combination transaction involving the Company; (ii) the issuance or acquisition of shares of capital stock or other equity securities of the Company; or (iii) the sale, lease, exchange or other disposition of any significant portion of the Company’s properties or assets.
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(b) In addition to the other obligations under this Section 5.03, Seller shall promptly (and in any event within three Business Days after receipt thereof by Seller or its Representatives) advise Buyer orally and in writing of any Acquisition Proposal, any request for information with respect to any Acquisition Proposal, or any inquiry with respect to or which could reasonably be expected to result in an Acquisition Proposal, the material terms and conditions of such request, Acquisition Proposal or inquiry, and the identity of the Person making the same.
(c) Seller agrees that the rights and remedies for noncompliance with this Section 5.03 shall include having such provision specifically enforced by any court having equity jurisdiction, it being acknowledged and agreed that any such breach or threatened breach shall cause irreparable injury to Buyer and that money damages would not provide an adequate remedy to Buyer.
Section 5.04 Notice of Certain Events.
(a) From the date hereof until the Closing, Seller shall promptly notify Buyer in writing of:
(i) any fact, circumstance, event or action the existence, occurrence or taking of which (A) has had, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, (B) has resulted in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, any representation or warranty made by Seller hereunder not being true and correct or (C) has resulted in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, the failure of any of the conditions set forth in Section 7.02 to be satisfied;
(ii) any notice or other communication from any Person alleging that the consent of such Person is or may be required in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
(iii) any notice or other communication from any Governmental Authority in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and
(iv) any Actions commenced or, to Seller’s Knowledge, threatened against, relating to or involving or otherwise affecting Seller or the Company that, if pending on the date of this Agreement, would have been required to have been disclosed pursuant to Section 3.17 or that relates to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(b) Buyer’s receipt of information pursuant to this Section 5.04 shall not operate as a waiver or otherwise affect any representation, warranty or agreement given or made by Seller in this Agreement and shall not be deemed to amend or supplement the Disclosure Schedules.
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Section 5.05 Confidentiality. From and after the Closing, Seller shall, and shall cause its Affiliates to, hold, and shall use their reasonable best efforts to cause their respective Representatives to hold, in confidence any and all information, whether written or oral, concerning the Company, except to the extent that Seller can show that such information (a) is generally available to and known by the public through no fault of Seller, any of its Affiliates or its respective Representatives; or (b) is lawfully acquired by Seller, any of its Affiliates or its respective Representatives from and after the Closing from sources which are not prohibited from disclosing such information by a legal, contractual or fiduciary obligation. If Seller or any of its Affiliates or its respective Representatives are compelled to disclose any information by judicial or administrative process or by other requirements of Law, Seller shall promptly notify Buyer in writing and shall disclose only that portion of such information which Seller is advised by its counsel in writing is legally required to be disclosed, provided that Seller shall use reasonable best efforts to obtain an appropriate protective order or other reasonable assurance that confidential treatment will be accorded such information.
Section 5.06 Governmental Approvals and Consents
(a) Each party hereto shall, as promptly as possible, (i) make, or cause or be made, all filings and submissions required under any Law applicable to such party or any of its Affiliates; and (ii) use reasonable best efforts to obtain, or cause to be obtained, all consents, authorizations, orders and approvals from all Governmental Authorities that may be or become necessary for its execution and delivery of this Agreement and the performance of its obligations pursuant to this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents. Each party shall cooperate fully with the other parties and their Affiliates in promptly seeking to obtain all such consents, authorizations, orders and approvals. The parties hereto shall not willfully take any action that will have the effect of delaying, impairing or impeding the receipt of any required consents, authorizations, orders and approvals.
(b) Seller and Buyer shall use reasonable best efforts to give all notices to, and obtain all consents from, all third parties that are described in Section 3.06 of the Disclosure Schedules, if any.
(c) Without limiting the generality of the parties’ undertakings pursuant to subsections
(a) and (b) above, each of the parties hereto shall use all reasonable best efforts to:
(i) respond to any inquiries by any Governmental Authority regarding antitrust or other matters with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any agreement or document contemplated hereby;
(ii) avoid the imposition of any order or the taking of any action that would restrain, alter or enjoin the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any agreement or document contemplated hereby; and
(iii) in the event any Governmental Order adversely affecting the ability of the parties to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any agreement or document contemplated hereby has been issued, to have such Governmental Order vacated or lifted.
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(d) All analyses, appearances, meetings, discussions, presentations, memoranda, briefs, filings, arguments, and proposals made by or on behalf of either party before any Governmental Authority or the staff or regulators of any Governmental Authority, in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder (but, for the avoidance of doubt, not including any interactions between Seller or the Company with Governmental Authorities in the ordinary course of business, any disclosure which is not permitted by Law or any disclosure containing confidential information) shall be disclosed to the other party hereunder in advance of any filing, submission or attendance, it being the intent that the parties will consult and cooperate with one another, and consider in good faith the views of one another, in connection with any such analyses, appearances, meetings, discussions, presentations, memoranda, briefs, filings, arguments, and proposals. Each party shall give notice to the other party with respect to any meeting, discussion, appearance or contact with any Governmental Authority or the staff or regulators of any Governmental Authority, with such notice being sufficient to provide the other party with the opportunity to attend and participate in such meeting, discussion, appearance or contact.
(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 5.056 shall require, or be construed to require, Buyer or any of its Affiliates to agree to (i) sell, hold, divest, discontinue or limit, before or after the Closing Date, any assets, businesses or interests of Buyer or any of its respective Affiliates; (ii) any conditions relating to, or changes or restrictions in, the operations of any such assets, businesses or interests which, in either case, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or materially and adversely impact the economic or business benefits to Buyer of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; or (iii) any material modification or waiver of the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
Section 5.07 Books and Records.
(a) In order to facilitate the resolution of any claims made against or incurred by Seller prior to the Closing, or for any other reasonable purpose, for a period of three (3) years after the Closing, Buyer shall retain the books and records (including personnel files) of the Company relating to periods prior to the Closing in a manner reasonably consistent with the prior practices of the Company.
(b) In order to facilitate the resolution of any claims made by or against or incurred by Buyer or the Company after the Closing, or for any other reasonable purpose, for a period of three (3) years following the Closing, Seller shall:
(i) retain the books and records (including personnel files) of Seller which relate to the Company and its operations for periods prior to the Closing; and
(ii) upon reasonable notice, afford the Representatives of Buyer reasonable access (including the right to make, at Buyer’s expense, photocopies), during normal business hours, to such books and records;
provided, however, that any books and records related to Tax matters shall be retained pursuant to the periods set forth in Article VI.
(c) Neither Buyer nor Seller shall be obligated to provide the other party with access to any books or records (including personnel files) pursuant to this Section 5.07 where such access would violate any Law.
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Section 5.08 Closing Conditions From the date hereof until the Closing, each party hereto shall, and Seller shall cause the Company to, use reasonable best efforts to take such actions as are necessary to expeditiously satisfy the closing conditions set forth in Article VII hereof.
Section 5.09 Public Announcements. Unless otherwise required by applicable Law (based upon the reasonable advice of counsel), no party to this Agreement shall make any public announcements in respect of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or otherwise communicate with any news media without the prior written consent of the other party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), and the parties shall cooperate as to the timing and contents of any such announcement.
Section 5.10 Further Assurances. Following the Closing, each of the parties hereto shall, and shall cause their respective Affiliates to, execute and deliver such additional documents, instruments, conveyances and assurances and take such further actions as may be reasonably required to carry out the provisions hereof and give effect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
ARTICLE VI
TAX MATTERS
Section 6.01 Tax Covenants.
(a) Without the prior written consent of Buyer, Seller (and, prior to the Closing, the Company and its Affiliates and its respective Representatives) shall not, to the extent it may affect, or relate to, the Company, make, change or rescind any Tax election, amend any Tax Return or take any position on any Tax Return, take any action, omit to take any action or enter into any other transaction that would have the effect of increasing the Tax liability or reducing any Tax asset of Buyer or the Company in respect of any Post-Closing Tax Period. Seller agrees that Buyer is to have no liability for any Tax resulting from any action of Seller and the Company, their Affiliates or any of their respective Representatives, and agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Buyer (and, after the Closing Date, the Company) against any such Tax or reduction of any Tax asset.
(b) All transfer, documentary, sales, use, stamp, registration, value added and other such Taxes and fees (including any penalties and interest) incurred in connection with this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents (including any real property transfer Tax and any other similar Tax) shall be borne and paid by Seller when due. Seller shall, at its own expense, timely file any Tax Return or other document with respect to such Taxes or fees (and Buyer shall cooperate with respect thereto as necessary).
(c) Buyer shall prepare, or cause to be prepared, all Tax Returns required to be filed by the Company after the Closing Date with respect to a Pre-Closing Tax Period. Any such Tax Return shall be prepared in a manner consistent with past practice (unless otherwise required by Law) and without a change of any election or any accounting method.
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Section 6.02 Termination of Existing Tax Sharing Agreements. Any and all existing Tax sharing agreements (whether written or not) binding upon the Company shall be terminated as of the Closing Date. After such date neither the Company nor Seller nor any of Seller’s Affiliates or their respective Representatives shall have any further rights or liabilities thereunder.
Section 6.03 Tax Indemnification. Except in connection with Section 2.05, Seller shall indemnify the Company, Buyer, and each Buyer Indemnitee and hold them harmless from and against (a) any Loss attributable to any material breach of or inaccuracy in any representation or warranty made in Article III; (b) any Loss attributable to any breach or violation of, or failure to fully perform, any covenant, agreement, undertaking or obligation in Article VI; (c) all Taxes of the Company or relating to the business of the Company for all Pre-Closing Tax Periods; (d) all Taxes of any member of an affiliated, consolidated, combined or unitary group of which the Company (or any predecessor of the Company) is or was a member on or prior to the Closing Date; and (e) any and all Taxes of any person imposed on the Company arising under the principles of transferee or successor liability or by contract, relating to an event or transaction occurring before the Closing Date.
Section 6.04 Straddle Period. In the case of Taxes that are payable with respect to a taxable period that begins before and ends after the Closing Date (each such period, a “Straddle Period”), the portion of any such Taxes that are treated as Pre-Closing Taxes for purposes of this Agreement shall be:
(a) in the case of Taxes based upon, or related to, income or receipts, deemed equal to the amount which would be payable if the taxable year ended with the Closing Date; and
(b) in the case of other Taxes, deemed to be the amount of such Taxes for the entire period multiplied by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of days in the period ending on the Closing Date and the denominator of which is the number of days in the entire period.
Section 6.05 Contests. Buyer agrees to give written notice to Seller of the receipt of any written notice by the Company, Buyer or any of Buyer’s Affiliates which involves the assertion of any claim, or the commencement of any Action, in respect of which an indemnity may be sought by Buyer pursuant to this Article VI (a “Tax Claim”); provided, that failure to comply with this provision shall not affect Buyer’s right to indemnification hereunder. Buyer shall control the contest or resolution of any Tax Claim; provided, however, that Buyer shall obtain the prior written consent of Seller (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) before entering into any settlement of a claim or ceasing to defend such claim; and, provided further, that Seller shall be entitled to participate in the defense of such claim and to employ counsel of its choice for such purpose, the fees and expenses of which separate counsel shall be borne solely by Seller.
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Section 6.06 Cooperation and Exchange of Information. Seller and Buyer shall provide each other with such cooperation and information as either of them reasonably may request of the other in filing any Tax Return pursuant to this Article VI or in connection with any audit or other proceeding in respect of Taxes of the Company. Such cooperation and information shall include providing copies of relevant Tax Returns or portions thereof, together with accompanying schedules, related work papers and documents relating to rulings or other determinations by tax authorities. The Buyer shall retain all Tax Returns, schedules and work papers, records and other documents in its possession relating to Tax matters of the Company for any taxable period beginning before the Closing Date until the expiration of the statute of limitations of the taxable periods to which such Tax Returns and other documents relate, without regard to extensions except to the extent notified by the other party in writing of such extensions for the respective Tax periods. Prior to transferring, destroying or discarding any Tax Returns, schedules and work papers, records and other documents in its possession relating to Tax matters of the Company for any taxable period beginning before the Closing Date, Buyer shall provide the other party with reasonable written notice and offer the other party the opportunity to take custody of such materials.
Section 6.07 Tax Treatment of Indemnification Payments. Any indemnification payments pursuant to this Article VI shall be treated as an adjustment to the Purchase Price by the parties for Tax purposes, unless otherwise required by Law.
Section 6.08 Survival. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the provisions of Section 3.22 and this Article VI shall survive for the full period of all applicable statutes of limitations (giving effect to any waiver, mitigation or extension thereof) plus 60 days.
Section 6.09 Overlap. To the extent that any obligation or responsibility pursuant to Article VIII may overlap with an obligation or responsibility pursuant to this Article VI, the provisions of this Article VI shall govern.
ARTICLE VII
CONDITIONS TO CLOSING
Section 7.01 Conditions to Obligations of All Parties. The obligations of each party to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be subject to the fulfillment, at or prior to the Closing, of each of the following conditions:
(a) No Governmental Authority shall have enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any Governmental Order which is in effect and has the effect of making the transactions contemplated by this Agreement illegal, otherwise restraining or prohibiting consummation of such transactions or causing any of the transactions contemplated hereunder to be rescinded following completion thereof.
Section 7.02 Conditions to Obligations of Buyer. The obligations of Buyer to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be subject to the fulfillment or Buyer’s waiver, at or prior to the Closing, of each of the following conditions:
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(a) The representations and warranties of Seller contained in this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents and any certificate or other writing delivered pursuant hereto shall be true and correct in all respects (in the case of any representation or warranty qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect) or in all material respects (in the case of any representation or warranty not qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect) on and as of the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as though made at and as of such date (except those representations and warranties that address matters only as of a specified date, the accuracy of which shall be determined as of that specified date in all respects).
(b) Seller and the Company shall have duly performed and complied in all material respects with all agreements, covenants and conditions required by this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents to be performed or complied with by them prior to or on the Closing Date, including, but not limited to, delivery of the Financial Statements and satisfaction of all Due Diligence Items.
(c) No Action shall have been commenced against Buyer, Seller or the Company which would prevent the Closing. No injunction or restraining order shall have been issued by any Governmental Authority, and be in effect, which restrains or prohibits any transaction contemplated hereby.
(d) All approvals, consents and waivers that are listed on Section 3.066 of the Disclosure Schedules shall have been received, and executed counterparts thereof shall have been delivered to Buyer at or prior to the Closing.
(e) From the date of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Effect, nor shall any event or events have occurred that, individually or in the aggregate, with or without the lapse of time, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(f) The Transaction Documents (other than this Agreement) shall have been executed and delivered by the parties thereto and true and complete copies thereof shall have been delivered to Buyer.
(g) Indebtedness of the Company shall be no more than $1,000.
(h) The Transaction Documents (other than this Agreement) shall have been executed and delivered by the parties thereto and true and complete copies thereof shall have been delivered to Buyer.
(i) Buyer shall have received a certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary (or equivalent officer) of the Company certifying (i) that attached thereto are true and complete copies of the Company’s organizational documents; (ii) that attached thereto are true and complete and duly certified copies of the relevant company registry extracts for the Company; (iii) that attached thereto are true and complete copies of all resolutions adopted by the board of directors of the Company authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, and that all such resolutions are in full force and effect and are all the resolutions adopted in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby; (iv) the names and signatures of the officers of the Company authorized to sign this Agreement.
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(j) Seller shall have delivered resignation letters from all current officers and directors of the Company effective as of the Closing Date.
(k) Seller shall have delivered, or caused to be delivered, to Buyer an executed copy of the Stock Power and Assignment of Uncertificated Shares in the form of Exhibit A hereto.
(l) Seller shall have delivered to Buyer such other documents or instruments as Buyer reasonably requests and are reasonably necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(m) Seller shall have delivered to Buyer evidence (in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Buyer) that the Company’s and Seller’s legal counsel, investment bankers and other agents and representatives have been paid in full, and that the Company has no liability (including any indemnification obligations) to any of the Company’s or Seller’s legal counsel, investment bankers, agents or representatives.
Section 7.03 Conditions to Obligations of Seller and the Company. The obligations of Seller and the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be subject to the fulfillment of Seller’s and the Company’s waiver, at or prior to the Closing, of each of the following conditions:
(a) The representations and warranties of Buyer contained in this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents and any certificate or other writing delivered pursuant hereto shall be true and correct in all respects (in the case of any representation or warranty qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect) or in all material respects (in the case of any representation or warranty not qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect) on and as of the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as though made at and as of such date (except those representations and warranties that address matters only as of a specified date, the accuracy of which shall be determined as of that specified date in all respects). The representations and warranties of Buyer contained in Section 4.01 shall be true and correct in all respects on and as of the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as though made at and as of such date.
(b) Buyer shall have duly performed and complied in all material respects with all agreements, covenants and conditions required by this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents to be performed or complied with by it prior to or on the Closing Date; provided, that, with respect to agreements, covenants and conditions that are qualified by materiality, Buyer shall have performed such agreements, covenants and conditions, as so qualified, in all respects.
(c) No injunction or restraining order shall have been issued by any Governmental Authority, and be in effect, which restrains or prohibits any material transaction contemplated hereby.
(d) The Transaction Documents (other than this Agreement) shall have been executed and delivered by the parties thereto and true and complete copies thereof shall have been delivered to Seller.
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(e) Seller shall have received a certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary (or equivalent officer) of Buyer certifying that attached thereto are true and complete copies of all resolutions adopted by the board of directors of Buyer authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and that all such resolutions are in full force and effect and are all the resolutions adopted in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.
(f) Buyer shall have delivered to Seller the Purchase Price.
(g) Buyer shall have delivered to Seller such other documents or instruments as Sellers reasonably request and are reasonably necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 8.01 Survival. Subject to the limitations and other provisions of this Agreement, the representations and warranties contained herein (other than any representations or warranties contained in Section 3.22 which are subject to Article VI) shall survive the Closing and shall remain in full force and effect until the date that is three (3) years from the Closing Date; provided, that the representations and warranties in Section 3.01, Section 3.04, Section 3.19, Section 3.24, shall survive indefinitely and the representations and warranties in Section 3.20 shall survive for the full period of all applicable statutes of limitations (giving effect to any waiver, mitigation or extension thereof). All covenants and agreements of the parties contained herein (other than any covenants or agreements contained in Article VI which are subject to Article VI) shall survive the Closing indefinitely or for the period explicitly specified therein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any claims asserted in good faith with reasonable specificity (to the extent known at such time) and in writing by notice from the non-breaching party to the breaching party prior to the expiration date of the applicable survival period shall not thereafter be barred by the expiration of the relevant representation or warranty and such claims shall survive until finally resolved.
Section 8.02 Indemnification by Seller. Subject to the other terms and conditions of this Article VIII, Seller shall indemnify, jointly and severally, and defend each of Buyer and the Company (collectively, the “Buyer Indemnitees”) against, and shall hold each of them harmless from and against, and shall pay and reimburse each of them for, any and all Losses incurred or sustained by, or imposed upon, the Buyer Indemnitees based upon, arising out of, with respect to or by reason of:
(a) any inaccuracy in or breach of any of the representations or warranties of Seller contained in this Agreement or in any certificate or instrument delivered by or on behalf of Seller or the Company pursuant to this Agreement (other than in respect of Section 3.22, it being understood that the sole remedy for any such inaccuracy in or breach thereof shall be pursuant to Article VI), as of the date such representation or warranty was made or as if such representation or warranty was made on and as of the Closing Date (except for representations and warranties that expressly relate to a specified date, the inaccuracy in or breach of which will be determined with reference to such specified date); or
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(b) any breach or non-fulfillment of any covenant, agreement or obligation to be performed by Seller pursuant to this Agreement (other than any breach or violation of, or failure to fully perform, any covenant, agreement, undertaking or obligation in Article VI, it being understood that the sole remedy for any such breach, violation or failure shall be pursuant to Article VI).
Section 8.03 Indemnification By Buyer. Subject to the other terms and conditions of this Article VIII, Buyer shall indemnify and defend Seller and its respective Representatives (collectively, the “Seller Indemnitees”) against, and shall hold each of them harmless from and against, and shall pay and reimburse each of them for, any and all Losses incurred or sustained by, or imposed upon, the Seller Indemnitees based upon, arising out of, with respect to or by reason of:
(a) any inaccuracy in or breach of any of the representations or warranties of Buyer contained in this Agreement or in any certificate or instrument delivered by or on behalf of Buyer pursuant to this Agreement, as of the date such representation or warranty was made or as if such representation or warranty was made on and as of the Closing Date (except for representations and warranties that expressly relate to a specified date, the inaccuracy in or breach of which will be determined with reference to such specified date); or
(b) any breach or non-fulfillment of any covenant, agreement or obligation to be performed by Buyer pursuant to this Agreement (other than Article VI, it being understood that the sole remedy for any such breach thereof shall be pursuant to Article VI).
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Section 8.04 Indemnification Procedures. The party making a claim under this Article VIII is referred to as the “Indemnified Party”, and the party against whom such claims are asserted under this Article VIII is referred to as the “Indemnifying Party”.
(a) Third Party Claims. If any Indemnified Party receives notice of the assertion or commencement of any Action made or brought by any Person who is not a party to this Agreement or an Affiliate of a party to this Agreement or a Representative of the foregoing (a “Third Party Claim”) against such Indemnified Party with respect to which the Indemnifying Party is obligated to provide indemnification under this Agreement, the Indemnified Party shall give the Indemnifying Party reasonably prompt written notice thereof, but in any event not later than 30 calendar days after receipt of such notice of such Third Party Claim. The failure to give such prompt written notice shall not, however, relieve the Indemnifying Party of its indemnification obligations, except and only to the extent that the Indemnifying Party forfeits rights or defenses by reason of such failure. Such notice by the Indemnified Party shall describe the Third Party Claim in reasonable detail, shall include copies of all material written evidence thereof and shall indicate the estimated amount, if reasonably practicable, of the Loss that has been or may be sustained by the Indemnified Party. The Indemnifying Party shall have the right to participate in, or by giving written notice to the Indemnified Party, to assume the defense of any Third Party Claim at the Indemnifying Party’s expense and by the Indemnifying Party’s own counsel, and the Indemnified Party shall cooperate in good faith in such defense; provided, that if the Indemnifying Party is the Seller, such Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to defend or direct the defense of any such Third Party Claim that (x) is asserted directly by or on behalf of a Person that is a supplier or customer of the Company, or (y) seeks an injunction or other equitable relief against the Indemnified Party. In the event that the Indemnifying Party assumes the defense of any Third Party Claim, subject to Section 8.04(b), it shall have the right to take such action as it deems necessary to avoid, dispute, defend, appeal or make counterclaims pertaining to any such Third Party Claim in the name and on behalf of the Indemnified Party. The Indemnified Party shall have the right to participate in the defense of any Third Party Claim with counsel selected by it subject to the Indemnifying Party’s right to control the defense thereof. The fees and disbursements of such counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnified Party, provided, that if in the reasonable opinion of counsel to the Indemnified Party, (A) there are legal defenses available to an Indemnified Party that are different from or additional to those available to the Indemnifying Party; or (B) there exists a conflict of interest between the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party that cannot be waived, the Indemnifying Party shall be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to the Indemnified Party in each jurisdiction for which the Indemnified Party determines counsel is required. If the Indemnifying Party elects not to compromise or defend such Third Party Claim, fails to promptly notify the Indemnified Party in writing of its election to defend as provided in this Agreement, or fails to diligently prosecute the defense of such Third Party Claim, the Indemnified Party may, subject to Section 8.04(b), pay, compromise, defend such Third Party Claim and seek indemnification for any and all Losses based upon, arising from or relating to such Third Party Claim. Seller and Buyer shall cooperate with each other in all reasonable respects in connection with the defense of any Third Party Claim, including making available (subject to the provisions of Section 5.05) records relating to such Third Party Claim and furnishing, without expense (other than reimbursement of actual out-of-pocket expenses) to the defending party, management employees of the non-defending party as may be reasonably necessary for the preparation of the defense of such Third Party Claim.
(b) Settlement of Third Party Claims. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Indemnifying Party shall not enter into settlement of any Third Party Claim without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, except as provided in this Section 8.04(b). If a firm offer is made to settle a Third Party Claim without leading to liability or the creation of a financial or other obligation on the part of the Indemnified Party and provides, in customary form, for the unconditional release of each Indemnified Party from all liabilities and obligations in connection with such Third Party Claim and the Indemnifying Party desires to accept and agree to such offer, the Indemnifying Party shall give written notice to that effect to the Indemnified Party. If the Indemnified Party fails to consent to such firm offer within ten days after its receipt of such notice, the Indemnified Party may continue to contest or defend such Third Party Claim and in such event, the maximum liability of the Indemnifying Party as to such Third Party Claim shall not exceed the amount of such settlement offer. If the Indemnified Party fails to consent to such firm offer and also fails to assume defense of such Third Party Claim, the Indemnifying Party may settle the Third Party Claim upon the terms set forth in such firm offer to settle such Third Party Claim. If the Indemnified Party has assumed the defense pursuant to Section 8.04(a), it shall not agree to any settlement without the written consent of the Indemnifying Party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed).
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(c) Direct Claims. Any Action by an Indemnified Party on account of a Loss which does not result from a Third Party Claim (a “Direct Claim”) shall be asserted by the Indemnified Party giving the Indemnifying Party reasonably prompt written notice thereof, but in any event not later than 30 days after the Indemnified Party becomes aware of such Direct Claim. The failure to give such prompt written notice shall not, however, relieve the Indemnifying Party of its indemnification obligations, except and only to the extent that the Indemnifying Party forfeits rights or defenses by reason of such failure. Such notice by the Indemnified Party shall describe the Direct Claim in reasonable detail, shall include copies of all material written evidence thereof and shall indicate the estimated amount, if reasonably practicable, of the Loss that has been or may be sustained by the Indemnified Party. The Indemnifying Party shall have 30 days after its receipt of such notice to respond in writing to such Direct Claim. The Indemnified Party shall allow the Indemnifying Party and its professional advisors to investigate the matter or circumstance alleged to give rise to the Direct Claim, and whether and to what extent any amount is payable in respect of the Direct Claim and the Indemnified Party shall assist the Indemnifying Party’s investigation by giving such information and assistance (including access to the Company’s premises and personnel and the right to examine and copy any accounts, documents or records) as the Indemnifying Party or any of its professional advisors may reasonably request. If the Indemnifying Party does not so respond within such 30 day period, the Indemnifying Party shall be deemed to have rejected such claim, in which case the Indemnified Party shall be free to pursue such remedies as may be available to the Indemnified Party on the terms and subject to the provisions of this Agreement.
(d) Tax Claims. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the control of any claim, assertion, event or proceeding in respect of Taxes of the Company (including, but not limited to, any such claim in respect of a breach of the representations and warranties in Section 3.22 hereof or any breach or violation of or failure to fully perform any covenant, agreement, undertaking or obligation in Article VI) shall be governed exclusively by Article VI hereof.
Section 8.05 Payments. Once a Loss is agreed to by the Indemnifying Party or finally adjudicated to be payable pursuant to this Article VIII, the Indemnifying Party shall satisfy its obligations within 15 Business Days of such final, non-appealable adjudication by wire transfer of immediately available funds. The parties hereto agree that should an Indemnifying Party not make full payment of any such obligations within such 15 Business Day period, any amount payable shall accrue interest from and including the date of agreement of the Indemnifying Party or final, non-appealable adjudication to but excluding the date such payment has been made at a rate per annum equal to the prime rate as published in the Wall Street Journal. Such interest shall be calculated daily on the basis of a 365 day year and the actual number of days elapsed, without compounding.
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Section 8.06 Tax Treatment of Indemnification Payments. All indemnification payments made under this Agreement shall be treated by the parties as an adjustment to the Purchase Price for Tax purposes, unless otherwise required by Law.
Section 8.07 Effect of Investigation. The representations, warranties and covenants of the Indemnifying Party, and the Indemnified Party’s right to indemnification with respect thereto, shall not be affected or deemed waived by reason of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Indemnified Party (including by any of its Representatives) or by reason of the fact that the Indemnified Party or any of its Representatives knew or should have known that any such representation or warranty is, was or might be inaccurate or by reason of the Indemnified Party’s waiver of any condition set forth in Section 7.02 or Section 7.03, as the case may be.
Section 8.08 Exclusive Remedies. Subject to this Article VIII and Section 10.11, the parties acknowledge and agree that their sole and exclusive remedy with respect to any and all claims (other than claims arising from fraud, criminal activity or willful misconduct on the part of a party hereto in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement) for any breach of any representation, warranty, covenant, agreement or obligation set forth herein or otherwise relating to the subject matter of this Agreement, shall be pursuant to the indemnification provisions set forth in Article VI and this Article VIII. In furtherance of the foregoing, each party hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted under Law, any and all rights, claims and causes of action for any breach of any representation, warranty, covenant, agreement or obligation set forth herein or otherwise relating to the subject matter of this Agreement it may have against the other parties hereto and their Affiliates and each of their respective Representatives arising under or based upon any Law, except pursuant to the indemnification provisions set forth in Article VI and this Article
VIII. Nothing in this Section 8.08 shall limit any Person’s right to seek and obtain any equitable relief to which any Person shall be entitled or to seek any remedy on account of any party’s fraudulent, criminal or intentional misconduct.
ARTICLE IX
TERMINATION
Section 9.01 Termination. This Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the Closing:
| (a) | by the mutual written consent of Seller and Buyer; | |
| (b) | by Buyer by written notice to Seller if: |
(i) Buyer is not then in material breach of any provision of this Agreement and there has been a material breach, inaccuracy in or failure to perform any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement made by Seller pursuant to this Agreement that would give rise to the failure of any of the conditions specified in Article VII and such breach, inaccuracy or failure has not been cured by Seller within ten (10) days of Seller’s receipt of written notice of such breach from Buyer; or
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(ii) any of the conditions set forth in Section 7.01 or Section 7.02 shall not have been, or if it becomes apparent that any of such conditions will not be, fulfilled by the Closing Date, unless such failure shall be due to the failure of Buyer to perform or comply with any of the covenants, agreements or conditions hereof to be performed or complied with by it prior to the Closing;
(iii) in the event any Due Diligence Item is not approved by the Buyer, or in case that a PCAOB auditor cannot provide an approved opinion.
| (c) | by Seller by written notice to Buyer if: |
(i) Seller is not then in material breach of any provision of this Agreement and there has been a breach, inaccuracy in or failure to perform any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement made by Buyer pursuant to this Agreement that would give rise to the failure of any of the conditions specified in Article VII and such breach, inaccuracy or failure has not been cured by Buyer within ten days of Buyer’s receipt of written notice of such breach from Seller; or
(ii) any of the conditions set forth in Section 7.01 or Section 7.03 shall not have been, or if it becomes apparent that any of such conditions will not be, fulfilled by the Closing Date, unless such failure shall be due to the failure of Seller to perform or comply with any of the covenants, agreements or conditions hereof to be performed or complied with by them prior to the Closing; or
(d) by Buyer or Seller in the event that (i) there shall be any Law that makes consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement illegal or otherwise prohibited or (ii) any Governmental Authority shall have issued a Governmental Order restraining or enjoining the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and such Governmental Order shall have become final and non-appealable.
Section 9.02 Effect of Termination. In the event of the termination of this Agreement in accordance with this Article, this Agreement shall forthwith become void and there shall be no liability on the part of any party hereto except:
(a) as set forth in this Article IX and Section 5.05 and Article X hereof; and
(b) that nothing herein shall relieve any party hereto from liability for any willful breach of any provision hereof.
ARTICLE X
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 10.01 Expenses. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all costs and expenses, including, without limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel, financial advisors and accountants, incurred in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the party incurring such costs and expenses, whether or not the Closing shall have occurred.
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Section 10.02 Notices. All notices, requests, consents, claims, demands, waivers and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given (a) when delivered by hand (with written confirmation of receipt); (b) when received by the addressee if sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier (receipt requested); (c) on the date sent by facsimile or e-mail of a PDF document (with confirmation of transmission) if sent during normal business hours of the recipient, and on the next Business Day if sent after normal business hours of the recipient or (d) on the third day after the date mailed, by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid. Such communications must be sent to the respective parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section 10.02):
| If to Buyer: | Cosmos Health Inc. |
| 141 West Jackson Blvd. | |
| Suite 4236 | |
| Chicago, IL 56064 | |
| Attn: Grigorios Siokas |
e-mail: greg.ceo@cosmoshealthinc.com
| with a copy to: | Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP |
| 605 Third Avenue, 34th Floor | |
| New York, New York 10158 | |
| Facsimile: 212-286-1884 |
Email: ehl@dhclegal.com
| Attn: Elliot Lutzker |
| If to Seller: | American International Holdings Corp |
| 4131 North Central Expressway, Suite 900 | |
| Dallas, Texas 75204 |
Email: jacob@amihcorp.com
| Attn: Jacob Cohen, Director |
Section 10.03 Interpretation. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) the words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”; (b) the word “or” is not exclusive; and (c) the words “herein,” “hereof,” “hereby,” “hereto” and “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole. Unless the context otherwise requires, references herein: (x) to Articles, Sections, Disclosure Schedules and Exhibits mean the Articles and Sections of, and Disclosure Schedules and Exhibits attached to, this Agreement; (y) to an agreement, instrument or other document means such agreement, instrument or other document as amended, supplemented and modified from time to time to the extent permitted by the provisions thereof and (z) to a statute means such statute as amended from time to time and includes any successor legislation thereto and any regulations promulgated thereunder. This Agreement shall be construed without regard to any presumption or rule requiring construction or interpretation against the party drafting an instrument or causing any instrument to be drafted. The Disclosure Schedules and Exhibits referred to herein shall be construed with, and as an integral part of, this Agreement to the same extent as if they were set forth verbatim herein.
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Section 10.04 Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement.
Section 10.05 Severability. If any term or provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other term or provision of this Agreement or invalidate or render unenforceable such term or provision in any other jurisdiction. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in a mutually acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated hereby be consummated as originally contemplated to the greatest extent possible.
Section 10.06 Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the other Transaction Documents constitute the sole and entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement with respect to the subject matter contained herein and therein, and supersede all prior and contemporaneous understandings and agreements, both written and oral, with respect to such subject matter. In the event of any inconsistency between the statements in the body of this Agreement and those in the other Transaction Documents, the Exhibits and Disclosure Schedules (other than an exception expressly set forth as such in the Disclosure Schedules), the statements in the body of this Agreement will control.
Section 10.07 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns. No party may assign its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the other parties, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; provided, however, that prior to the Closing Date, Buyer may, without the prior written consent of Seller, assign all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to one or more of its direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries. No assignment shall relieve the assigning party of any of its obligations hereunder.
Section 10.08 No Third-party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is for the sole benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns and nothing herein, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other Person or entity any legal or equitable right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement.
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Section 10.09 Amendment and Modification; Waiver. This Agreement may only be amended, modified or supplemented by an agreement in writing signed by each party hereto. No waiver by any party of any of the provisions hereof shall be effective unless explicitly set forth in writing and signed by the party so waiving. No waiver by any party shall operate or be construed as a waiver in respect of any failure, breach or default not expressly identified by such written waiver, whether of a similar or different character, and whether occurring before or after that waiver. No failure to exercise, or delay in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege arising from this Agreement shall operate or be construed as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege.
Section 10.10 Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial.
(a) This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule.
(b) ANY LEGAL SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR BASED UPON THIS AGREEMENT, THE OTHER TRANSACTION DOCUMENTS OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY MAY BE INSTITUTED IN THE FEDERAL COURTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA OR THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK IN EACH CASE LOCATED IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK AND COUNTY OF NEW YORK, AND EACH PARTY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS IN ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING. SERVICE OF PROCESS, SUMMONS, NOTICE OR OTHER DOCUMENT BY MAIL TO SUCH PARTY’S ADDRESS SET FORTH HEREIN SHALL BE EFFECTIVE SERVICE OF PROCESS FOR ANY SUIT, ACTION OR OTHER PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT. THE PARTIES IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVE ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY SUIT, ACTION OR ANY PROCEEDING IN SUCH COURTS AND IRREVOCABLY WAIVE AND AGREE NOT TO PLEAD OR CLAIM IN ANY SUCH COURT THAT ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM.
(c) EACH PARTY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ANY CONTROVERSY WHICH MAY ARISE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT OR THE OTHER TRANSACTION DOCUMENTS IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES AND, THEREFORE, EACH SUCH PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LEGAL ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, THE OTHER TRANSACTION DOCUMENTS OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY. EACH PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT CERTIFIES AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT (A) NO REPRESENTATIVE OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER IN THE EVENT OF A LEGAL ACTION, (B) SUCH PARTY HAS CONSIDERED THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS WAIVER, (C) SUCH PARTY MAKES THIS WAIVER VOLUNTARILY, AND (D) SUCH PARTY HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 10.10(c).
Section 10.11 Specific Performance. The parties agree that irreparable damage would occur if any provision of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with the terms hereof and that the parties shall be entitled to specific performance of the terms hereof, in addition to any other remedy to which they are entitled at law or in equity.
Section 10.12 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall be deemed to be one and the same agreement. A signed copy of this Agreement delivered by facsimile, e-mail or other means of electronic transmission shall be deemed to have the same legal effect as delivery of an original signed copy of this Agreement.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the date first written above individually or by their respective duly authorized officer (as the case may be).
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EXHIBIT A
[SEE ATTACHED STOCK POWER AND ASSIGNMENT OF
UNCERTIFICATED SHARES]
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STOCK POWER AND ASSIGNMENT OF
UNCERTIFICATED SHARES
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, executed this _17_th day of March, 2023, American International Holdings Corp. (the “Assignor”) hereby sells, assigns, and transfers unto Cosmos Holdings, Inc., 100 shares of the common stock of ZipDoctor, Inc., a Texas corporation (the “Company”) along with any and all appurtenant rights thereto (the “Shares”) and Assignor does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint the Secretary or other appropriate officers of the Assignor as its attorney-in-fact with full power to transfer said Shares on the books and records of the Assignor with full power of substitution in the premises. Such Shares are not represented by certificates, are held in book entry form and stand in the undersigned’s name on the books and records of the Assignor.
| American International Holdings Corp. | ||
| By: | ||
| Its: Director | ||
| Printed Name: Jacob Cohen | ||
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Exhibit 10.52
SECURED PROMISSORY NOTE
| $40,000 | Effective May 09, 2023 |
NOW THEREFORE FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, American International Holdings Corp., a Nevada corporation (the “Maker”), hereby promises to pay to the order of The Loev Law Firm, PC, a Texas professional corporation (the “Holder”), Forty Thousand dollars ($40,000) (the “Principal”), plus Interest thereon, as discussed below, in lawful money of the United States of America, which shall be legal tender, bearing interest and payable as provided herein. The amounts owed hereunder by the Maker are secured by the terms of that certain Deed of Trust (defined below), dated on or around the date hereof, by Maker, as Grantor, to Holder, and the personal guaranty of the Guarantor (defined below), pursuant to the Guaranty (defined below), dated on or around the date hereof.
1. Effective Date. This Secured Promissory Note (this “Note” or “Promissory Note”) entered into on May [9], 2023 (the “Effective Date”). This Note evidences amounts owed by Maker to Holder as of the Effective Date, in consideration for past legal services performed on behalf of the Maker and legal fees associated with the final preparation and drafting for filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) of the Maker’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A (the preliminary version of which was filed with the SEC on April 6, 2023 (the “Proxy Statement”)), and the submission to FINRA of a corporate action notification form in connection with the reverse stock split described in the Proxy Statement.
2. Defined Terms. Certain capitalized terms used below have the meanings given to such terms in Section 16.
3. Interest. The Principal amount of this Note shall accrue interest based on the Standard Interest Rate, compounded at the end of each calendar month and on the Maturity Date (“Standard Interest”). If not paid in full on the Maturity Date and/or if an Event of Default occurs hereunder, the Principal and Accrued Interest shall accrue interest at the Default Interest Rate, compounded monthly (at the end of each calendar month), until paid in full (“Default Interest” and together with Standard Interest, “Interest”). All computations of Interest shall be made on the basis of twelve 30-day months and where applicable, for the actual number of days elapsed. All Accrued Interest shall be paid on the Maturity Date.
4. Maturity Date. The “Maturity Date” of this Note shall be the earlier of( a) May 28, 2023; and (b) the date that the Holder has provided Maker written notice of an Acceleration (or if applicable, the date the amount due hereunder is automatically subject to Acceleration).
5. Prepayments. This Note may be prepaid in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, without premium or penalty (each a “Prepayment”).
Page 1 of 11 Secured Promissory Note |
6. Application of Payments. Unless an Event of Default under this Note has occurred and is continuing, all payments made by Maker under this Note will be applied: (i) first, to late charges, costs of collection or enforcement, and similar amounts due, if any, under the Note; (ii) second, to Accrued Interest that is due and payable under this Note, if any; and (iii) third, the remainder to Principal due and payable under this Note. If an Event of Default under this Note has occurred and is continuing, all payments made by Maker under this Note will be applied to the sums due under this Note in any order or combination that Holder may determine, in its sole discretion. Holder’s records shall be conclusive evidence, absent manifest error, of the amount outstanding under this Note at any time.
7. Payments Due on Non-Business Days. If any payment of Principal or Interest on this Note shall become due on a non-Business Day, such payment shall be made on the preceding Business Day.
8. No Impairment of Obligations of Maker. No provision of this Note shall alter or impair the obligation of Maker to pay the Principal of and Interest on this Note at the times, places and rates, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.
9. Maximum Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Note or any other agreement entered into in connection herewith, whether now existing or hereafter arising and whether written or oral, it is agreed that the aggregate of all Interest and any other charges constituting interest, or adjudicated as constituting interest, and contracted for, chargeable or receivable under this Note or otherwise in connection with this loan transaction, shall under no circumstances exceed the Maximum Rate.
10. Representations and Warranties of Maker. The Maker represents and warrants to Holder as of the date of this Note, as follows:
(a) The Maker is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the state of its jurisdiction of organization and has the requisite power and authority, and the legal right, to own, lease and operate its properties and assets and to conduct its business as it is now being conducted.
(b) The Maker has the power and authority, and the legal right, to execute and deliver the Transaction Documents and to perform its obligations thereunder.
(c) No consent or authorization of, filing with, notice to or other act by, or in respect of, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is required in order for the Maker to execute, deliver, or perform any of its obligations under the Transaction Documents, except for consents previously obtained and any filings with Governmental Authorities which may be made after the date of this Note.
(d) The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and the consummation by the Maker of the transactions contemplated thereby do not and will not (a) violate any provision of the Maker’s Governing Documents; (b) violate any law or order applicable to the Maker or by which any of its properties or assets may be bound; or (c) constitute a default under any Material Agreement by which the Maker may be bound.
Page 2 of 11 Secured Promissory Note |
(e) The execution and delivery by the Maker of the Transaction Documents (i) are within the Maker’s power and authority, and (ii) have been duly authorized by all necessary action.
(f) The Transaction Documents are a legally binding obligation of the Maker, enforceable against the Maker in accordance with the terms thereof, except to the extent that (i) such enforceability is limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws relating to or affecting generally the enforcement of creditors’ rights, and (ii) the availability of the remedy of specific performance or injunctive or other equitable relief is subject to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefore may be brought.
(g) Maker has no Knowledge of any current Event of Default (as defined below) under this Note or any matter which with the passing of time could become an Event of Default.
(h) No litigation, action, investigation, event, or proceeding is pending or, to Maker’s Knowledge is threatened, by any Person or Governmental Authority against the Maker.
11. Affirmative Covenants of Maker. Until all amounts outstanding in this Note have been paid in full, the Maker shall:
(a) (i) Preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its corporate existence and (ii) take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business; except in each case where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Comply with (i) all of the terms and provisions of its organizational documents; (ii) its obligations under the Transaction Documents; and (iii) all laws and orders applicable to it and its business; except in each case where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(c) Promptly execute and deliver such further instruments and do or cause to be done such further acts as may be reasonably necessary or advisable, upon advice of counsel to the Maker, to carry out the intent and purpose of the Transaction Documents.
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12. Events of Defaults. If an Event of Default (as defined herein) occurs (unless all Events of Default have been cured or waived by Holder in writing), the Principal and Accrued Interest under this Note shall accrue Interest at the Default Interest Rate, (a) Holder may, by written notice to the Maker, declare the Principal amount then outstanding of, and the Accrued Interest, if any, and all other amounts payable on, this Note to be immediately due and payable, if an Event of Default is triggered by any section below other than any of Sections (g)(ii) through (vi), and (b) if the Event of Default is triggered by any of Sections (g)(ii) through (vi) below, the Principal amount then outstanding of, and the Accrued Interest, if any, and all other amounts payable on, this Note, shall be immediately due and payable (as applicable (a) or (b), an “Acceleration”), and/or the Holder may take any action provided for below or as applicable, to enforce the Security Interest or Guaranty. The following events and/or any other Events of Default defined elsewhere in this Note are “Events of Default” under this Note:
(a) the Maker shall fail to pay, when and as due, the Principal or Interest, payable hereunder or under any other promissory note pursuant to which Maker owes amounts to Holder, and such failure shall not have been cured within seven (7) days following the written notice thereof from the Holder to the Maker; or
(b) the Maker shall have breached in any material respect any term, condition or covenant in the Transaction Documents, and, with respect to breaches capable of being cured, such breach shall not have been cured within ten (10) Business Days following the written notice thereof from the Holder to the Maker, as applicable; or
(c) any material representation or warranty of the Maker made herein or the other Transaction Documents or in any agreement, statement or certificate given in writing pursuant hereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall be false or misleading in any material respect as of the date made; or
(d) any money judgment, writ or similar final process shall be entered or filed against Maker or any subsidiary of Maker or any of its/their property for more than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000), which shall remain unvacated, unbonded or unstayed for a period of ten (10) calendar days; or
(e) the Maker shall have received a notice of default, which remains uncured for a period of more than ten (10) Business Days, on the payment of any one or more debts or obligations aggregating in excess of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000) beyond any applicable grace period; or
(f) the occurrence of a Material Adverse Effect which is not cured by the Maker within five (5) Business Days; or
(g) the Maker shall: (i) make an assignment for the benefit of creditors, file a petition in bankruptcy, petition or apply to any tribunal for the appointment of a custodian, receiver or a trustee for it or a substantial portion of its assets; (ii) commence any proceeding under any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, readjustment of debt, dissolution or liquidation or statute of any jurisdiction, whether now or hereafter in effect; (iii) have filed against it any such petition or application in which an order for relief is entered or which remains undismissed for a period of sixty (60) days or more; (iv) indicate its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any such petition, application, proceeding or order for relief or the appointment of a custodian, receiver or trustee for it or a substantial portion of its assets; or (v) suffer any such custodianship, receivership or trusteeship to continue undischarged for a period of sixty (60) days or more; or
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(h) the winding up, dissolution or liquidation of Maker; or
(i) the death of the Guarantor; or
(j) the Maker shall take any action authorizing, or in furtherance of, any of the foregoing.
13. Notice of Event of Default. Maker shall provide the Holder prompt written notice of Maker’s Knowledge of any Event of Default hereunder, which notice shall be provided no later than 24 hours after Maker’s Knowledge of such Event of Default.
14. Rights Upon the Occurrence of an Event of Default. In case any one or more Events of Default shall occur and be continuing, Holder may proceed to protect and enforce its rights by an action at law, suit in equity or other appropriate proceeding, whether for the specific performance of any agreement contained herein or for an injunction against a violation of any of the terms hereof, or in aid of the exercise of any power granted hereby or thereby or by law or otherwise, including, but not limited to the enforcement of the security interest described in and evidenced by the Deed of Trust (the “Security Interest”) and/or the guaranty set forth in the Guaranty. In case of a default in the payment of any Principal of or premium, if any, or Interest on this Note, the Maker will pay to Holder such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the reasonable cost and expenses of collection, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees, expenses and disbursements. No course of dealing and no delay on the part of Holder in exercising any right, power or remedy shall operate as a waiver thereof or otherwise prejudice Holder’s rights, powers or remedies. No right, power or remedy conferred by this Note upon Holder shall be exclusive of any other right, power or remedy referred to herein or in any Transaction Document or now or hereafter available at law, in equity, by statute or otherwise. Holder shall also have such other rights as described herein and in the Transaction Documents.
15. Maximum Rate. If from any circumstance any holder of this Note shall ever receive Interest or any other charges constituting interest, or adjudicated as constituting interest, the amount, if any, which would exceed the Maximum Rate shall be applied to the reduction of the Principal amount owing on this Note, and not to the payment of Interest; or if such excessive interest exceeds the unpaid balance of Principal hereof, the amount of such excessive interest that exceeds the unpaid balance of Principal hereof shall be refunded to Maker. In determining whether or not the interest paid or payable exceeds the Maximum Rate, to the extent permitted by applicable law (i) any non-Principal payment shall be characterized as an expense, fee or premium rather than as Interest; and (ii) all Interest at any time contracted for, charged, received or preserved in connection herewith shall be amortized, prorated, allocated and spread in equal parts during the period of the full stated term of this Note.
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16. Definitions. Unless otherwise required by the context in which a defined term appears, or otherwise set forth, the following terms shall have the meanings specified in this Section 16. Terms that are defined in other Sections of this Note shall have the meanings given to such terms in those Sections.
(a) “Accrued Interest” means any and all accrued and unpaid Interest on this Note.
(b) “Business Day” means any day except Saturday, Sunday or any day on which banks are authorized by law to be closed in the state of Texas.
(c) “Deed of Trust” means that certain Deed of Trust, Security Agreement, Assignment of Leases, Assignment of Rents, and Financing Statement, dated on or around the date hereof, by Maker as Grantor, to Holder, as such may be amended from time to time.
(d) “Default Interest Rate” means the rate of fifteen percent (15%) per annum.
(e) “Governmental Authority” means the government of any nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether at the national, state, territorial, provincial, municipal or any other level, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of, or pertaining to, government.
(f) “Governing Documents” of an entity means the (i) articles or certificate of incorporation or association, certificate of formation, articles of organization or certificate of limited partnership or similar instrument under which an entity is formed; and (ii) the other documents or agreements, including bylaws, partnership agreements of partnerships, operating agreements of limited liability companies, or similar documents, adopted by the entity to govern the formation and internal affairs of the entity.
(g) “Guarantor” means Michael McLaren, an individual, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Maker.
(h) “Guaranty, means that certain Guaranty, dated on or around the date hereof, provided by Guarantor to Holder, as such may be amended from time to time.
(i) “Knowledge” means the actual knowledge of the Principal Persons of the referenced party or any knowledge which should have been obtained by any of the Principal Persons of such party upon reasonable investigation and inquiry.
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(j) “Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent), operations, condition (financial or otherwise) of the Maker; (b) the validity or enforceability of this Note, the Security Interest or the guaranty set forth in the Guaranty; (c) the rights or remedies of the Holder hereunder or under any other Transaction Document; or (d) the Maker’s ability to perform any of its material obligations hereunder.
(k) “Material Agreement” means each agreement, contract or understanding to which the Maker is a party, which has an aggregate value, relates to aggregate possible payments, aggregate possible liability to the Maker to the counterparty, or an aggregate value of services to be rendered by the Maker or the counterparty, in each case during the term (including any possible extension terms called for in such agreement, contract or understanding) in excess of $10,000.
(l) “Maximum Rate” shall mean the maximum rate of interest allowed by applicable federal or state law.
(m) “Person” means any individual, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, limited or general partnership, unincorporated organization, Governmental Authority or other entity.
(n) “Principal Persons” means any officer, director, owner, key employee or other Person with primary management or supervisory responsibilities with respect to a party, or any other Person.
(o) “Standard Interest Rate” means six percent (6%) per annum.
(p) “Transaction Documents” mean this Note, the Deed of Trust and the Guaranty.
17. Waiver of Demand and Presentment. Except as provided herein, Maker and any sureties, guarantors and endorsers of this Note jointly and severally waive demand, presentment, notice of nonpayment or dishonor, notice of intent to accelerate, notice of acceleration, diligence in collecting, grace, notice and protest, and consent to all extensions without notice for any period or periods of time and partial payments, before or after maturity, without prejudice to the Holder. The Holder shall similarly have the right to deal in anyway, at any time, with one or more of the foregoing parties without notice to any other party, and to grant any such party any extensions of time for payment of any of said indebtedness, or to grant any other indulgences or forbearance whatsoever, without notice to any other party and without in any way affecting the personal liability of any party hereunder. If any efforts are made to collect or enforce this Note or any installment due hereunder, the undersigned agrees to pay all collection costs and fees, including reasonable attorney’s fees.
18. Confirmation of Security Interest. The amount of the Principal and Accrued Interest due hereunder, as well as all other fees and costs and the amount of principal and accrued interest hereunder is secured by the Security Interest granted pursuant to the Deed of Trust and guaranteed by the Guarantor pursuant to the terms of the Guaranty. The entry by the Maker into the Deed of Trust and the Guarantor into the Guaranty are each an integral term and condition of this Note.
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19. Counterparts, Effect of Facsimile, Emailed and Photocopied Signatures. This Note and any signed agreement or instrument entered into in connection with this Note, the Transaction Documents, and any amendments hereto or thereto, may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument. Any such counterpart, to the extent delivered by means of a facsimile machine or by .pdf, .tif, .gif, .jpeg or similar attachment to electronic mail (email) or downloaded from a website or data room (any such delivery, an “Electronic Delivery”) shall be treated in all manner and respects as an original executed counterpart and shall be considered to have the same binding legal effect as if it were the original signed version thereof delivered in person. At the request of any party, each other party shall re execute the original form of this Note and deliver such form to all other parties. No party shall raise the use of Electronic Delivery to deliver a signature or the fact that any signature or agreement or instrument was transmitted or communicated through the use of Electronic Delivery as a defense to the formation of a contract, and each such party forever waives any such defense, except to the extent such defense relates to lack of authenticity.
20. Governing Law; Venue and Waiver of Jury Trial. It is the intention of the parties hereto that the terms and provisions of this Note are to be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Texas. The parties hereby consent and agree that, in any actions predicated upon this Note, venue is properly laid in Texas and that the Circuit Court in and for Harris County, Texas, shall have full subject matter and personal jurisdiction over the parties to determine all issues arising out of or in connection with the execution and enforcement of this Note. AS A SPECIFICALLY BARGAINED INDUCEMENT FOR EACH OF THE PARTIES TO ENTER INTO THIS NOTE (EACH PARTY HAVING HAD OPPORTUNITY TO CONSULT COUNSEL), EACH PARTY EXPRESSLY WAIVES THE RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LAWSUIT OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO OR ARISING IN ANY WAY FROM THIS NOTE.
21. Successors and Assigns. This Note shall be binding upon the Maker, and Maker’s heirs, executors, administrators, successors and permitted assigns and inure to the benefit of the Holder named herein and Holder’s respective successors and assigns. Each holder of this Note, by accepting the same, agrees to and shall be bound by all of the provisions of this Note. Holder may assign this Note or any of its rights, interests or obligations to this Note without the prior written approval of Maker, but with written notice to, the Maker. The term “Maker” as used herein in every instance shall include the Maker’s successors, legal representatives and assigns, including all subsequent grantees, either voluntarily by act of the Maker or involuntarily by operation of law and shall denote the singular and/or plural and the masculine and/or feminine and natural and/or artificial persons, whenever and wherever the contexts so requires or properly applies. The term “Holder” as used herein in every instance shall include the Holder’s successors, legal representatives and assigns, as well as all subsequent assignees and endorsees of this Note, either voluntarily by act of the parties or involuntarily by operation of law, subject where applicable to applicable law and restrictions on this Note set forth on the cover page hereof.
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Captions and paragraph headings in this Note are for convenience only and shall not affect its interpretation.
22. Attorneys’ Fees. Anything else in this Note to the contrary notwithstanding, in any action arising out of this Note, the prevailing party shall be entitled to collect from the non-prevailing party all of its attorneys’ fees. For the purposes of this Note, the party who receives or is awarded a substantial portion of the damages or claims sought in any proceeding shall be deemed the “prevailing” party and attorneys’ fees shall mean the reasonable fees charged by an attorney or a law firm for legal services and the services of any legal assistants, and costs of litigation, including, but not limited to, fees and costs at trial and appellate levels.
23. Severability. In the event any one or more of the provisions contained in this Note shall for any reason be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision hereof, and this Note shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein.
24. Amendments and Modifications. This Note may not be changed orally, but only by an agreement in writing, signed by the party against whom enforcement of any waiver, change, modification or discharge is sought.
25. Entire Agreement. The Transaction Documents constitute the entire agreement of the parties regarding the matters contemplated herein and therein, or related thereto, and supersede all prior and contemporaneous agreements, and understandings of the parties in connection therewith.
26. Construction. Wherever the context hereof shall so require, the singular shall include the plural, the masculine gender shall include the feminine gender and the neuter and vice versa. The headings, captions and arrangements used in this Note are for convenience only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Note.
27. Notices. All notices, approvals, consents, requests, and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be delivered (i) by personal delivery, or (ii) by national overnight courier service, or (iii) by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, or (iv) via facsimile transmission, with confirmed receipt, or (v) via email. Notice shall be effective upon receipt except for notice via fax (as discussed above) or email, which shall be effective only when the recipient, by return or reply email or notice delivered by other method provided for in this Section 27, acknowledges having received that email (with an automatic “read receipt” or similar notice not constituting an acknowledgement of an email receipt for purposes of this Section 27, but which acknowledgement of acceptance shall include cases where recipient ‘replies’ to such prior email, including the body of the prior email in such ‘reply’). Such notices shall be sent to the parties at the addresses on the signature page below, subject to notice of changes thereof from any party with at least ten (10) Business Days’ notice to the other party. Rejection or other refusal to accept or the inability to deliver because of changed address of which no notice was given shall be deemed to be receipt of the notice as of the date of such rejection, refusal or inability to deliver.
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28. Failure or Indulgence Not Waiver. No failure or delay on the part of Holder hereof in the exercise of any power, right or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such power, right or privilege preclude other or further exercise thereof or of any other right, power or privilege. All rights and remedies existing hereunder are cumulative to, and not exclusive of, any rights or remedies otherwise available.
29. Review of Documents; Acknowledgements. The parties each hereby acknowledge, and represent and warrant, that (a) such party has consulted with legal counsel of his own choice and has reviewed this Note with its legal counsel, (b) such party has reviewed this Note and fully understands the effects thereof and all terms and provisions contained herein, (c) such party has executed this Note of his/her own free will and volition, and (d) this Note shall be construed as if jointly drafted by the parties. The recitals contained in this Note shall be construed to be part of the operative terms and provisions of this Note.
30. Further Assurances. The parties hereto agree to execute and deliver all such further documents, agreements and instruments and take such other and further action as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes and intent of this Note.
31. Remedies. The remedies provided in this Note and the other Transaction Documents to the Holder shall be cumulative and in addition to all other remedies available under this Note, at law or in equity (including a decree of specific performance and/or other injunctive relief), and nothing herein shall limit the right of the Holder to pursue actual damages for any failure by the Maker to comply with the terms of this Note. The Maker acknowledges that a breach by it of its obligations hereunder could cause irreparable harm to the Holder and that the remedy at law for any such breach may be inadequate. The Maker agrees that, in the event of any such breach or threatened breach, the holder of this Note could seek, in addition to all other available remedies, an injunction restraining any breach, without the need to post any bond or other security.
[Remainder of page left intentionally blank. Signature page follows.]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Maker and Holder have duly executed this Secured Promissory Note on May 10, 2023, with an Effective Date as provided above.
| “Maker” | ||
| American International Holdings Corp. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | Michael McLaren | |
| Title: | CEO | |
| Address for Notice: | ||
| Attn: | Michael McLaren | |
|
205 S Bailey Street Electra Texas 76360 | ||
| Email: | mike@amihcorp.com | |
| Fax: | 1-940-217-2371 | |
| “Holder” | ||
| The Loev Law Firm, PC | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| Address for Notice: | ||
| The Loev Law Firm, PC | ||
| Attn: | David M. Loev | |
| 6300 West Loop South, Suite 280 | ||
| Bellaire, Texas 77401 | ||
| Phone: | (713) 524-4110 | |
| Fax: | (713) 524-4122 | |
| Email: | dloev@loevlaw.com | |
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Exhibit 10.53
GUARANTY
This Guaranty (the “Guaranty”) is made as of May 9, 2023, by Michael McLaren, an individual (“Guarantor”), in favor of The Loev Law Firm, PC, a Texas professional corporation (“Creditor”).
RECITALS
A. Guarantor is the Chief Executive Officer and majority voting shareholder of American International Holdings Corp., a Nevada corporation (the “Maker”).
B. The Maker has entered into a Secured Promissory Note with the Creditor, dated on or around the date hereof, whereas the Maker has agreed that it owes $40,000 to the Creditor in consideration for legal services rendered (the “Note”).
C. Guarantor has agreed to guaranty the amounts due under the Note, as additional security therefore and Guarantor will substantially benefit, directly or indirectly, from the Note and the terms and conditions thereof, due to his relation to Maker, including, as majority voting shareholder thereof.
D. It is a condition precedent to Creditor agreeing to the terms of the Note, that Guarantor execute and deliver to Creditor a guaranty in the form hereof.
AGREEMENTS
In consideration of the recitals and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, Guarantor hereby agrees with Creditor as follows:
1. Definitions. In addition to the other terms defined throughout this Guaranty, when used in this Guaranty, capitalized terms shall have the meanings specified in the Note and as follows:
1.1. “Event of Default” shall mean the failure of Maker to (a) pay any amounts due under the Note when due; (b) any violation, breach or failure to comply with any term, condition, covenant and agreement of this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents by the Maker; and/or (c) the occurrence of any Event of Default under the Note or other Transaction Documents.
1.2. “Guaranty” shall mean this Guaranty, as the same shall be amended from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof.
1.3. “Law” shall mean any federal, state, local or other law, rule, regulation or governmental requirement of any kind, and the rules, regulations, interpretations and orders promulgated thereunder.
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1.4. “Obligations” shall mean the principal of, and interest on, the Note (as such may be increased from time to time) and any renewal, extension or refinancing thereof and all of the Maker’s obligations under the Note.
1.5. “Person” shall mean and include an individual, partnership, corporation, trust, unincorporated association and any unit, department or agency of government.
1.6. “Transaction Documents” has the meaning given to such term in the Note.
| 2. | The Guaranty. |
2.1. The Guaranty. Guarantor, for himself, his successors and assigns, hereby unconditionally and absolutely guarantees to Creditor the full and complete payment and performance when due (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) of each of the Obligations. This is a guaranty of payment and performance and not of collection.
| 2.2. | Waivers and Consents. |
2.2.1. Guarantor acknowledges that the obligations undertaken herein involve the guaranty of obligations of a Person other than Guarantor and, in full recognition of that fact, Guarantor consents and agrees that Creditor may, at any time and from time to time, without notice or demand, and without affecting the enforceability or continuing effectiveness hereof: (i) supplement, modify, amend, extend, renew, accelerate or otherwise change the time for payment or the other terms of the Obligations or any part thereof, including without limitation any increase or decrease of the principal amount thereof or the rate(s) of interest thereon; (ii) supplement, modify, amend or waive, or enter into or give any agreement, approval or consent with respect to, the Obligations or any part thereof, or any of the Transaction Documents or any additional security or guaranties, or any condition, covenant, default, remedy, right, representation or term thereof or thereunder; (iii) accept new or additional instruments, documents or agreements in exchange for or relative to any of the Transaction Documents or the Obligations or any part thereof; (iv) accept partial payments on the Obligations; (v) receive and hold additional security or guaranties for the Obligations or any part thereof; (vi) release, reconvey, terminate, waive, abandon, fail to perfect, subordinate, exchange, substitute, transfer and/or enforce any security or guaranties, and apply any security and direct the order or manner of sale thereof as Creditor in its sole and absolute discretion may determine; (vii) release any Person from any personal liability with respect to the Obligations or any part thereof; (viii) settle, release on terms satisfactory to Creditor or by operation of applicable Law or otherwise,liquidate or enforce any Obligations and any security or guaranty in any manner, consent to the transfer of any security and bid and purchase at any sale; and/or (ix) consent to the merger, change or any other restructuring or termination of the corporate existence of Maker or any other Person, and correspondingly restructure the Obligations, and any such merger, change, restructuring or termination shall not affect the liability of Guarantor or the continuing effectiveness hereof, or the enforceability hereof with respect to all or any part of the Obligations.
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2.2.2. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, Creditor may enforce this Guaranty independently of any other remedy, guaranty or security Creditor at any time may have or hold in connection with the Obligations, and it shall not be necessary for Creditor to marshal assets in favor of Maker, any other guarantor of the Obligations or any other Person or to proceed upon or against and/or exhaust any security or remedy before proceeding to enforce this Guaranty. Guarantor expressly waives any right to require Creditor to marshal assets in favor of Maker or any other Person or to proceed against Maker or any other guarantor of the Obligations or any collateral provided by any Person, and agrees that Creditor may proceed against any obligor and/or the collateral in such order as it shall determine in its sole and absolute discretion. Creditor may file a separate action or actions against Guarantor, whether action is brought or prosecuted with respect to any security or against any other Person, or whether any other Person is joined in any such action or actions. Guarantor agrees that Creditor and Maker may deal with each other in connection with the Obligations or otherwise, or alter any contracts or agreements now or hereafter existing between them, in any manner whatsoever, all without in any way altering or affecting the security of this Guaranty.
2.2.3. The rights of Creditor hereunder shall be reinstated and revived, and the enforceability of this Guaranty shall continue, with respect to any amount at any time paid on account of the Obligations which thereafter shall be required to be restored or returned by Creditor upon the bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of any Person, all as though such amount had not been paid. The rights of Creditor created or granted herein and the enforceability of this Guaranty shall remain effective at all times to guarantee the full amount of all the Obligations even though the Obligations, including any part thereof or any other security or guaranty therefor, may be or hereafter may become invalid or otherwise unenforceable as against Maker or any other guarantor of the Obligations and whether or not Maker or any other guarantor of the Obligations shall have any personal liability with respect thereto.
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2.2.4. To the extent permitted by applicable law, Guarantor expressly waives any and all defenses now or hereafter arising or asserted by reason of: (i) any disability or other defense of Maker or any other guarantor for the Obligations with respect to the Obligations (other than full payment and performance of all of the Obligations); (ii) the unenforceability or invalidity of any security for or guaranty of the Obligations or the lack of perfection or continuing perfection or failure of priority of any security for the Obligations; (iii) the cessation for any cause whatsoever of the liability of Maker or any other guarantor of the Obligations (other than by reason of the full payment and performance of all Obligations); (iv) any failure of Creditor to marshal assets in favor of Maker or any other Person; (v) any failure of Creditor to give notice of sale or other disposition of collateral to Maker or any other Person or any defect in any notice that may be given in connection with any sale or disposition of collateral; (vi) any failure of Creditor to comply with applicable Laws in connection with the sale or other disposition of any collateral or other security for any Obligation, including, without limitation, any failure of Creditor to conduct a commercially reasonable sale or other disposition of any collateral or other security for any Obligation; (vii) any act or omission of Creditor or others that directly or indirectly results in or aids the discharge or release of Maker or any other guarantor of the Obligations, or of any security or guaranty therefor by operation of Law or otherwise; (viii) any Law which provides that the obligation of a surety or guarantor must neither be larger in amount nor in other respects more burdensome than that of the principal or which reduces a surety’s or guarantor’s obligation in proportion to the principal obligation; (ix) any failure of Creditor to file or enforce a claim in any bankruptcy or other proceeding with respect to any Person; (x) the election by Creditor, in any bankruptcy proceeding of any Person, of the application or non-application of Section 1111(b)(2) of the United States Bankruptcy Code; (xi) any extension of credit or the grant of any lien under Section 364 of the United States Bankruptcy Code; (xii) any use of collateral under Section 363 of the United States Bankruptcy Code; (xiii) any agreement or stipulation with respect to the provision of adequate protection in any bankruptcy proceeding of any Person; (xiv) the avoidance of any lien or security interest in favor of Creditor for any reason; (xv) any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, arrangement, readjustment of debt, liquidation or dissolution proceeding commenced by or against any Person, including without limitation any discharge of, or bar or stay against collecting, all or any of the Obligations (or any interest thereon) in or as a result of any such proceeding; or (xvi) any action taken by Creditor that is authorized by this Section or any other provision of any Transaction Document. Until all of the Obligations have been paid in full, Guarantor expressly waives all presentments, demands for payment or performance, notices of nonpayment or nonperformance, protests, notices of protest, notices of dishonor and all other notices or demands of any kind or nature whatsoever with respect to the Obligations, and all notices of acceptance of this Guaranty or of the existence, creation or incurrence of new or additional Obligations.
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2.3. Condition of Maker. Guarantor represents and warrants to Creditor that he has established adequate means of obtaining from Maker, on a continuing basis, financial and other information pertaining to the business, operations and condition (financial and otherwise) of Maker and his assets and properties. Guarantor hereby expressly waives and relinquishes any duty on the part of Creditor (should any such duty exist) to disclose to Guarantor any matter, fact or thing related to the business, operations or condition (financial or otherwise) of Maker or its assets or properties, whether now known or hereafter known by Creditor during the life of this Guaranty. With respect to any of the Obligations, Creditor need not inquire into the powers of Maker or agents acting or purporting to act on its behalf, and all Obligations made or created in good faith reliance upon the professed exercise of such powers shall be guaranteed hereby.
2.4. Continuing Guaranty. This is a continuing guaranty and shall remain in full force and effect as to all of the Obligations until all amounts owing by Maker to Creditor on the Obligations shall have been paid in full.
2.5. Subrogation; Subordination. Guarantor expressly waives any claim for reimbursement, contribution, indemnity or subrogation which Guarantor may have against Maker as a guarantor of the Obligations and any other legal or equitable claim against Maker arising out of the payment of the Obligations by Guarantor or from the proceeds of any collateral for this Guaranty, until all amounts owing to Creditor under the Obligations shall have been paid in full and all commitments to lend have been terminated or expired. In furtherance, and not in limitation, of the foregoing waiver, until all amounts owing to Creditor under the Obligations shall have been paid in full, Guarantor hereby agrees that no payment by Guarantor pursuant to this Guaranty shall constitute Guarantor a creditor of Maker. Until all amounts owing to Creditor under the Obligations shall have been paid in full, Guarantor shall not seek any reimbursement from Maker in respect of payments made by Guarantor in connection with this Guaranty, or in respect of amounts realized by Creditor in connection with any collateral for the Obligations, and Guarantor expressly waives any right to enforce any remedy that Creditor now has or hereafter may have against any other Person and waives the benefit of, or any right to participate in, any collateral now or hereafter held by Creditor. No claim which any Guarantor may have against any other guarantor of any of the Obligations or against Maker, to the extent not waived pursuant to this Section, shall be enforced nor any payment accepted until the Obligations are paid in full and all such payments are not subject to any right of recovery.
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2.6. Guarantee is Independent and Absolute. The obligations of Guarantor hereunder are independent of the obligations of Maker and of any other Person who may become liable with respect to the Obligations. Guarantor is jointly and severally liable with Maker and with any other guarantor for the full and timely payment and performance of all of the Obligations. Guarantor expressly agrees that a separate action or actions may be brought and prosecuted against Guarantor (or any other guarantor), whether or not any action is brought against Maker, any other guarantor, or any other person for any Obligations guaranteed hereby and whether or not Maker, any other guarantor, or any other persons are joined in any action against Guarantor. Guarantor further agrees that Creditor shall have no obligation to proceed against any security for the Obligations prior to enforcing this Guaranty against Guarantor, and that Creditor may pursue or omit to pursue any and all rights and remedies Creditor has against any person or with respect to any security in any order or simultaneously or in any other manner. All rights of Creditor and all obligations of Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional irrespective of (a) any lack of validity or enforceability of the Transaction Documents, and (b) any other circumstances which might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of the Maker in respect of, the Obligations, until full payment thereof.
3. Representations and Warranties of Guarantor. Guarantor hereby represents and warrants to Creditor as follows:
3.1. Authorization. The making, execution, delivery and performance of this Guaranty, and compliance with its terms, have, to the extent necessary, been duly authorized by all necessary action of Guarantor.
3.2. Enforceability. This Guaranty is the legal, valid and binding obligation of Guarantor, enforceable against Guarantor in accordance with its terms.
3.3. Absence of Conflicting Obligations. The making, execution, delivery and performance of this Guaranty, and compliance with its terms, do not violate any existing provision of Law and any agreement or instrument to which Guarantor is a party or by which it or any of its assets is bound.
3.4. Consideration for Guaranty. Guarantor acknowledges and agrees with Creditor that but for the execution and delivery of this Guaranty by Guarantor, Creditor would not have entered into the Note. Guarantor acknowledges and agrees that the Note will result in significant benefit to Guarantor.
| 4. | Covenants of the Guarantor. |
4.1. Actions by Guarantor. Guarantor shall not take or permit any act, or omit to take any act that would: (a) cause Maker to breach any of the Obligations; (b) impair the ability of Maker to perform any of the Obligations; or (c) cause an Event of Default under the Note.
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4.2. Reporting Requirements. Guarantor shall furnish, or cause to be furnished, to Creditor such information respecting the business, assets and financial condition of Guarantor as Creditor may reasonably request.
| 5. | Miscellaneous. |
5.1. Expenses and Attorneys’ Fees. Guarantor shall pay all reasonable fees and expenses incurred by Creditor, including the reasonable fees of counsel, in connection with the protection or enforcement of its rights under this Guaranty, including without limitation the protection and enforcement of such rights in any bankruptcy, reorganization or insolvency proceeding involving Maker or Guarantor, both before and after judgment.
5.2. Revocation. This is a continuing guaranty and shall remain in full force and effect until Creditor receives written notice of revocation signed by Guarantor. Upon revocation by written notice, this Guaranty shall continue in full force and effect as to all Obligations contracted for or incurred before revocation, and as to them Creditor shall have the rights provided by this Guaranty as if no revocation had occurred. Any renewal, extension, or increase in the interest rate(s) of any such Obligation, whether made before or after revocation, shall constitute an Obligation contracted for or incurred before revocation. Obligations contracted for or incurred before revocation shall also include credit extended after revocation pursuant to commitments made before revocation.
5.3. Assignability; Successors. Guarantor’s rights and liabilities under this Guaranty are not assignable or delegable, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of Creditor. The provisions of this Guaranty shall be binding upon Guarantor, its successors and permitted assigns and shall inure to the benefit of Creditor, its successors and assigns.
5.4. Survival. All agreements, representations and warranties made herein or in any document delivered pursuant to this Guaranty shall survive the execution and delivery of this Guaranty and the delivery of any such document.
5.5. Governing Law. This Guaranty and the documents issued pursuant to this Guaranty shall be governed by, and construed and interpreted in accordance with, the Laws of the State of Texas applicable to contracts made and wholly performed within such state.
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5.6. Counterparts. This Guaranty and any signed agreement or instrument entered into in connection with this Guaranty, and any amendments hereto or thereto, may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument. Any such counterpart, to the extent delivered by means of a facsimile machine or by .pdf, .tif, .gif, .jpeg or similar attachment to electronic mail (email) or downloaded from a website or data room mail (any such delivery, an “Electronic Delivery”) shall be treated in all manner and respects as an original executed counterpart and shall be considered to have the same binding legal effect as if it were the original signed version thereof delivered in person. At the request of any party, each other party shall re execute the original form of this Guaranty and deliver such form to all other parties. No party shall raise the use of Electronic Delivery to deliver a signature or the fact that any signature or agreement or instrument was transmitted or communicated through the use of Electronic Delivery as a defense to the formation of a contract, and each such party forever waives any such defense, except to the extent such defense relates to lack of authenticity.
5.7. Notices. All notices, approvals, consents, requests, and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be delivered (i) by personal delivery, or (ii) by national overnight courier service, or (iii) by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, or (iv) via facsimile transmission, with confirmed receipt, or (v) via email. Notice shall be effective upon receipt except for notice via fax (as discussed above) or email, which shall be effective only when the recipient, by return or reply email or notice delivered by other method provided for in this Section 5.7, acknowledges having received that email (with an automatic “read receipt” or similar notice not constituting an acknowledgement of an email receipt for purposes of this Section 5.7, but which acknowledgement of acceptance shall include cases where recipient ‘replies’ to such prior email, including the body of the prior email in such ‘reply’). Such notices shall be sent to the applicable party or parties at the address specified on the signature page hereof, subject to notice of changes thereof from any party with at least ten (10) business days’ notice to the other parties. Rejection or other refusal to accept or the inability to deliver because of changed address of which no notice was given shall be deemed to be receipt of the notice as of the date of such rejection, refusal or inability to deliver.
5.8. Amendment. No amendment of this Guaranty shall be effective unless in writing and signed by Guarantor and Creditor.
5.9. Authority to Enter Into Guaranty. Each of the parties to this Guaranty hereby represents and warrants that it is duly authorized and empowered to execute, deliver and perform this Guaranty and that such action does not conflict with or violate any provision of Law, regulation, policy, contract, deed of trust or other instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound and that this Guaranty constitutes a valid and binding obligation of it enforceable in accordance with its terms. Assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery of this Guaranty by the parties hereto and thereto, this Guaranty constitutes, the legal, valid and binding obligation of the parties enforceable against each party in accordance with its terms, except as such enforcement may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and general equitable principles.
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5.10. Severability. Any provision of this Guaranty which is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions of this Guaranty in such jurisdiction or affecting the validity or enforceability of any provision in any other jurisdiction.
5.11. Taxes. If any transfer or documentary taxes, assessments or charges levied by any governmental authority shall be payable by reason of the execution, delivery or recording of this Guaranty, Guarantor shall pay all such taxes, assessments and charges, including interest and penalties, and hereby indemnifies Creditor against any liability therefor.
5.12. Rules of Construction. Interpretation of this Guaranty shall be governed by the following rules of construction: (a) words in the singular shall be held to include the plural and vice versa, and words of one gender shall be held to include the other gender as the context requires; (b) references to the terms Article, Section, paragraph and Exhibit are references to the Articles, Sections, paragraphs and Exhibits to this Guaranty unless otherwise specified; (c) the terms “hereof”, “herein”, “hereby”, “hereto”, and derivative or similar words refer to this entire Guaranty, including the Exhibits hereto; (d) references to “$” shall mean U.S. dollars; (e) the word “including” and words of similar import when used in this Guaranty shall mean “including without limitation,” unless otherwise specified; (f) references to “written” or “in writing” include in electronic form; (g) the headings contained in this Guaranty are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Guaranty; (h) the parties hereto have each participated in the negotiation and drafting of this Guaranty and if an ambiguity or question of interpretation should arise, this Guaranty shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties hereto and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or burdening any party by virtue of the authorship of any of the provisions in any of this Guaranty; (i) a reference to any Person includes such Person’s successors and permitted assigns; (j) any reference to “days” means calendar days unless business days are expressly specified; and (k) when calculating the period of time before which, within which or following which any act is to be done or step taken pursuant to this Guaranty, the date that is the reference date in calculating such period shall be excluded and, if the last day of such period is not a business day, the period shall end on the next succeeding business day.
5.13. WAIVER OF RIGHT TO JURY TRIAL. GUARANTOR ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ANY CONTROVERSY WHICH MAY ARISE UNDER THIS GUARANTY WOULD BE BASED UPON DIFFICULT AND COMPLEX ISSUES AND, THEREFORE, GUARANTOR AGREES THAT ANY LAWSUIT ARISING OUT OF ANY SUCH CONTROVERSY SHALL BE TRIED IN A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION BY A JUDGE SITTING WITHOUT A JURY.
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5.14. SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION; SERVICE OF PROCESS. AS A MATERIAL INDUCEMENT TO LENDER TO ENTER INTO THIS TRANSACTION:
THE GUARANTOR AGREES THAT ALL ACTIONS OR PROCEEDINGS IN ANY MANNER RELATING TO OR ARISING OUT OF THIS GUARANTY OR THE OTHER DOCUMENTS EXECUTED IN CONNECTION HEREWITH MAY BE BROUGHT ONLY IN COURTS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS LOCATED IN HARRIS COUNTY AND THE GUARANTOR CONSENTS TO THE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS. THE GUARANTOR WAIVES ANY OBJECTION IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE VENUE OF ANY SUCH COURT AND ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO CLAIM THAT ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IS IN AN INCONVENIENT COURT; AND
Guarantor consents to the service of process in any such action or proceeding by certified mail sent to the address specified in Section 5.7.
Nothing contained herein shall affect the right of Creditor to serve process in any other manner permitted by law or to commence an action or proceeding in any other jurisdiction.
[Remainder of page left intentionally blank. Signature page follows.]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Guaranty as of the day and year first above written.
| “Guarantor” | ||
| Michael McLaren | ||
| Address for Notice: | ||
|
205 S Bailey Street Electra Texas 76360 |
||
| Emai: mikem@cyclenrgy.com | ||
| Acceptance By Creditor: | |
| The Loev Law Firm, PC | |
| David M. Loev | |
| Managing Partner |
| Address for Notice: | ||
| The Loev Law Firm, PC | ||
| Attn: | David M. Loev | |
| 6300 West Loop South, Suite 280 | ||
| Bellaire, Texas 77401 | ||
| Phone: | (713) 524-4110 | |
| Fax: | (713) 524-4122 | |
| Email: | dloev@loevlaw.com | |
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Exhibit 10.54
After Recording Return To:
Timothy J. Henderson, Esq.
6300 West Loop South, Suite 280
Bellaire, Texas 77401
DEED OF TRUST, SECURITY AGREEMENT, ASSIGNMENT OF LEASES,
ASSIGNMENT OF RENTS, AND FINANCING STATEMENT
THIS DEED OF TRUST, SECURITY AGREEMENT, ASSIGNMENT OF LEASES, ASSIGNMENT
OF RENTS, AND FINANCING STATEMENT (as amended, modified or restated from time to time, this “Deed of Trust”) is made on the date stated below by Grantor in favor of Trustee, for the benefit of Beneficiary, who are identified and whose addresses are stated below. By signing this Deed of Trust, Grantor agrees to the terms and conditions and makes the covenants stated in this Deed of Trust.
| “EFFECTIVE DATE” | MAY 10, 2023 |
| “GRANTOR” | CYCLE ENERGY SERVICES, INC. |
205S Bailey Street Electra, Texas 76360 |
| “BENEFICIARY” | THE LOEV LAW FIRM, PC |
6300 West Loop South, Suite 280
Bellaire (Harris County), Texas 77401
Attn: David M. Loev
| “TRUSTEE” | TIMOTHY J. HENDERSON, ESQ. |
6300 West Loop South, Suite 280
Bellaire, Texas 77401
| “NOTE” | That certain SECURED PROMISSORY NOTE dated as of even date herewith, in the original principal amount of FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS AND NO CENTS ($40,000), executed by American International Holdings Corp., the 100% owner of Grantor, and payable to Beneficiary in accordance with the terms and conditions stated therein (as the same may be amended, modified or restated from time to time, the “Note”). |
| “LAND”The | land described in Exhibit A attached hereto and made a part hereof for all purposes. |
ARTICLE I
SECURITY
1.01 CONVEYANCE IN TRUST. For value received, the receipt and sufficiency of which Grantor acknowledges, and to secure the payment of the Indebtedness described in Section 2.01 and performance of the covenants and agreements of Grantor stated in this Deed of Trust and in the Loan Documents, Grantor conveys the Property described in Section 1.02, including without limitation, the Land, to the Trustee in trust, with power of sale, TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the Property, together with the rights, privileges, and appurtenances thereto belonging unto the Trustee and the Trustee’s substitutes or successors forever. Grantor binds itself and its heirs, executors, administrators, personal representatives, successors, and assigns to WARRANT AND FOREVER DEFEND the Property unto the Trustee, and the Trustee’s substitutes or successors and assigns, against the claim or claims of all persons claiming or to claim the same or any part thereof.
Deed of Trust – Page 1 Cycle Energy Services, Inc. and The Loev Law Firm, PC |
1.02 PROPERTY. The Property covered by this Deed of Trust includes the Land and the following items described in this Section 1.02, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by Grantor, all of which, including replacements and additions thereto, shall be deemed to be and remain a part of the Property covered by this Deed of Trust, and all rights, hereditaments and appurtenances pertaining thereto, all of which are referred to as the “Property”:
(a) Any and all buildings, improvements (including, but not limited to, roads, curbs, gutters, public utilities, and drainage systems), and tenements now or hereafter attached to or placed, erected, constructed, or developed on the Land (the “Improvements”);
(b) All equipment, fixtures, furnishings, inventory, and articles of personal property (the “Personalty”) now or hereafter attached to or used in or about the Improvements or that are necessary or useful for the complete and comfortable use and occupancy of the Improvements for the purposes for which they were or are to be attached, placed, erected, constructed or developed, or which Personalty is or may be used in or related to the planning, development, financing or operation of the Improvements, and all renewals of or replacements or substitutions for any of the foregoing, whether or not the same are or shall be attached to the Land or Improvements;
(c) All water and water rights, timber, crops, and mineral interest pertaining to the Land;
(d) All building materials and equipment now or hereafter delivered to and intended to be installed in or on the Land or the Improvements;
(e) All plans and specifications for the Improvements and for any future development of or construction on the Land and all contracts and subcontracts relating to the construction of the Improvements on the Land;
(f) All rights (but not Grantor’s obligations) under any contracts relating to the Land, the Improvements or the Personalty;
(g) All deposits (including tenant security deposits), bank accounts, funds, deeds of trust, notes or chattel paper arising from or by virtue of any transactions related to the Land, the Improvements or the Personalty;
(h) All rights (but not Grantor’s obligations) under any documents, contract rights, accounts, commitments, construction contracts (and all payment and performance bonds, statutory or otherwise, issued by any surety in connection with any such construction contracts, and the proceeds of such bonds), architectural contracts, engineering contracts, and general intangibles (including without limitation trademarks, trade names, and symbols) arising from or by virtue of any transactions related to the Land, the Improvements, or the Personalty;
(i) All permits, licenses, franchises, certificates, and other rights and privileges now owned or held or hereafter obtained in connection with the Land, the Improvements, or the Personalty;
(j) All development rights, utility commitments, water and wastewater taps, living unit equivalents, capital improvement project contracts, utility construction agreements with any governmental authority, including municipal utility districts, or with any utility companies (and all refunds and reimbursements thereunder) relating to the Land or the Improvements;
(k) All proceeds arising from or by virtue of the sale, lease or other disposition of the Land, the Improvements, or the Personalty;
(l) All proceeds (including premium refunds) of each policy of insurance relating to the Land, the Improvements, or the Personalty;
(m) All proceeds from the taking of any of the Land, the Improvements, the Personalty or any rights appurtenant thereto by right of eminent domain or by private or other purchase in lieu thereof, including change of grade of streets, curb cuts or other rights of access, for any public or quasi-public use under any law;
Deed of Trust – Page 2 Cycle Energy Services, Inc. and The Loev Law Firm, PC |
(n) All right, title, and interest in and to all streets, roads, public places, easements, and rights-of-way, existing or proposed, public or private, adjacent to or used in connection with, belonging or pertaining to the Land;
(o) All of the Lease, rents, royalties, bonuses, issues, profits, revenues, or other benefits of the Land, the Improvements, or the Personalty, including without limitation cash or securities deposited pursuant to Lease to secure performance by the tenants of their obligations thereunder;
(p) All consumer goods located in, on, or about the Land or the Improvements or used in connection with the use or operation thereof; however, neither the term “consumer goods” nor the term “Personalty” includes clothing, furniture, appliances, linens, china, crockery, kitchenware, or personal effects used primarily for personal, family, or household purposes;
(q) All other interest of every kind and character that Grantor now has or at any time hereafter acquires in and to the Land, Improvements, and Personalty and all property that is used or useful in connection therewith, including rights of ingress and egress and all reversionary rights or interests of Grantor with respect to such property and all of Grantor’s rights (but not Grantor’s obligations) under any covenants, conditions, and restrictions for the Land, as the same may be amended from time to time, including Grantor’s rights, title, and interests thereunder as declarant or developer, if applicable; and
(r) All products and proceeds of the Personalty described in this Section 1.02 (the Personalty and other personal property described in this Section 1.02 being sometimes collectively referred to as the “Personal Property”).
ARTICLE II
INDEBTEDNESS AND PAYMENTS
2.01 INDEBTEDNESS. The indebtedness secured by this Deed of Trust (the “Indebtedness”) shall mean and include the following:
(a) (i) all indebtedness, obligations and liabilities of Grantor to Beneficiary of any kind or character, now existing or hereafter arising, whether direct, indirect, related, unrelated, fixed, contingent, liquidated, unliquidated, joint, several or joint and several, and regardless of whether such indebtedness, obligations and liabilities may, prior to their acquisition by Beneficiary, be or have been payable to or in favor of a third party and subsequently acquired by Beneficiary (it being contemplated that Beneficiary may make such acquisitions from third parties), including without limitation all indebtedness, obligations and liabilities of Grantor to Beneficiary now existing or hereafter arising under (1) the Note, this Deed of Trust, the other Loan Documents or any draft, acceptance, guaranty, endorsement, letter of credit, assignment, purchase, overdraft, discount or indemnity agreement, or (2) otherwise, (ii) all accrued but unpaid interest on any of the indebtedness described in (i) above, (iii) all obligations of Grantor and any Guarantor to Beneficiary under the Loan Documents, (iv) all costs and expenses incurred by Beneficiary in connection with the collection and administration of all or any part of the indebtedness and obligations described in (i), (ii) and (iii) above or the protection or preservation of, or realization upon, the collateral securing all or any part of such indebtedness and obligations, including without limitation all reasonable attorneys’ fees and (v) all renewals, extensions, modifications and rearrangements of the indebtedness and obligations described in (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv).
(b) Any payment made by Beneficiary with respect to any first lien holder.
(c) Grantor and Beneficiary contemplate that Beneficiary will, from time to time, engage in various transactions and that from time to time other circumstances may arise, in which Grantor becomes obligated to Beneficiary. Grantor understands that some of those transactions and circumstances may be of a type that is very different from the loan transaction evidenced in part by the Note and the circumstances connected therewith. Grantor desires and intends that Beneficiary engage in all such transactions, and deal generally with Grantor with the assurance that any and all indebtedness and obligations now owed, and that may hereafter become owing, to Beneficiary from Grantor, will be secured by the liens arising hereunder. Therefore, the conveyance made by this Deed of Trust, in addition to being made to secure payment of the Note, is also made in trust to secure and enforce the payment of all other indebtedness and obligations of Grantor to Beneficiary whether presently existing, or in any manner or means hereafter incurred by Grantor, and evidenced in any manner whatsoever, either by notes, advances, overdrafts, bookkeeping entries, guaranty agreements, liens or security interest, deeds of trust, or any other method or means including any renewal and extension of the Note, or of any part of any present or future indebtedness or other obligations, of Grantor and including any further loans and advances made by Beneficiary to Grantor. The fact of repayment of all Indebtedness, and performance of all other obligations, of Grantor, to Beneficiary shall not terminate the lien arising hereunder unless the same be released by Beneficiary at the request of Grantor; but otherwise it shall remain in full force and effect to secure all future advances, indebtedness and other obligations, regardless of any additional security that may be taken as to any past or future indebtedness or other obligations. In no event shall this conveyance secure payment of any installment loan or any open-end line of credit established under the Texas Finance Code.
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2.02 OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS. The term “Loan Documents” as used herein means this Deed of Trust, the Note, the guaranty provided in connection with the Note, and the other agreements, instruments and documents evidencing, securing, governing, guaranteeing or pertaining to the Note. This Deed of Trust shall also secure the performance of all obligations and covenants of Grantor under this Deed of Trust and the other Loan Documents.
2.03 PAYMENT OF PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST. Grantor shall promptly pay when due the principal of and interest on the indebtedness evidenced by the Note, and prepayment and late charges provided in the Note and all other sums secured by this Deed of Trust.
2.04 APPLICATION OF PAYMENTS. Unless applicable law provides otherwise, all payments received by Beneficiary from Grantor under the Note or this Deed of Trust shall be applied by Beneficiary in the following order of priority: (a) amounts payable to Beneficiary by Grantor under this Deed of Trust; (b) sums payable to Beneficiary under the Note, to be applied to principal or interest as provided in any other Loan Document, if no such provision, as Beneficiary may determine in its discretion; and (c) any other sums secured by this Deed of Trust in such order as Beneficiary, at Beneficiary’s option, may determine.
2.05 GUARANTOR. The term “Guarantor” shall include any person, company, or entity obligated to pay or guaranteeing collection of all or any portion of the Indebtedness, directly, or indirectly.
2.06 SUBROGATION TO EXISTING LIENS; VENDOR’S LIEN. To the extent that proceeds of the Note are used to pay indebtedness secured by any outstanding lien, security interest, charge or prior encumbrance against the Property, such proceeds have been advanced by Beneficiary at Grantor’s request, and Beneficiary shall be subrogated to any and all rights, security interests and liens owned by any owner or holder of such outstanding liens, security interests, charges or encumbrances, however remote, irrespective of whether said liens, security interests, charges or encumbrances are released, and all of the same are recognized as valid and subsisting and are renewed and continued and merged herein to secure the secured indebtedness, but the terms and provisions of this Deed of Trust shall govern and control the manner and terms of enforcement of the liens, security interests, charges and encumbrances to which Beneficiary is subrogated hereunder. It is expressly understood that, in consideration of the payment of such indebtedness by Beneficiary, Grantor hereby waives and releases all demands and causes of action for offsets and payments in connection with the said indebtedness. If all or any portion of the proceeds of the Indebtedness evidenced by the Note or of any other secured indebtedness has been advanced for the purpose of paying the purchase price for all or a part of the Property, no vendor’s lien is waived; and Beneficiary shall have, and is hereby granted, a vendor’s lien on the Property as cumulative additional security for the secured indebtedness. Beneficiary may foreclose under this Deed of Trust or under the vendor’s lien without waiving the other or may foreclose under both.
ARTICLE III
SECURITY AGREEMENT
3.01 UNIFORM COMMERCIAL CODE SECURITY AGREEMENT. This Deed of Trust is also intended to be a security agreement between Grantor, as debtor, and Beneficiary, as secured party, pursuant to the Code for any of the items specified above as part of the Property which, under applicable law, may be subject to a security interest pursuant to the Code, and Grantor hereby grants Beneficiary a security interest in all such items. Grantor shall pay all costs of filing any financing statement and any extensions, renewals, amendments, and releases thereof and shall pay all reasonable costs and expenses of any record searches for financing statements Beneficiary may reasonably require. Without the prior written consent of Beneficiary, Grantor shall not create or suffer to be created pursuant to the Code any other security interest in said items, including replacements and additions thereto. Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, including the covenants to pay when due all sums secured by this Deed of Trust, Beneficiary shall have the remedies of a secured party under the Code and, at Beneficiary’s option, may also invoke the remedies provided in this Deed of Trust as to such items. In exercising any remedies, Beneficiary may proceed against the items of real property and any items of personal property specified above as part of the property separately or together and in any order whatsoever, without in any way affecting the availability of Beneficiary’s remedies under the Code or of the remedies provided in this Deed of Trust.
Deed of Trust – Page 4 Cycle Energy Services, Inc. and The Loev Law Firm, PC |
3.02 NOTICES OF CHANGES. Grantor shall give advance notice in writing to Beneficiary of any proposed change in Grantor’s name or jurisdiction in which Grantor is organized, and shall execute and deliver to Beneficiary, prior to or concurrently with the occurrence of any such change, all additional financing statements that Beneficiary may require to establish and maintain the validity and priority of Beneficiary’s security interest with respect to any of the Property.
3.03 FIXTURES. Some of the items of the Property are goods that are or are to become fixtures related to the Land. Grantor and Beneficiary intend that, as to those goods, this Deed of Trust shall be effective as a financing statement filed as a fixture filing from the date of its filing for record in the real estate records of the county in which the Property is situated. Information concerning the security interest created by this Deed of Trust may be obtained from Beneficiary, as secured party, at Beneficiary’s address stated above. The mailing address of the Grantor, as debtor, is as stated above.
ARTICLE IV
ASSIGNMENT OF LEASES
4.01 ASSIGNMENT OF LEASES. Grantor assigns to Beneficiary, and grants to Beneficiary a security interest in, all of Grantor’s rights, but not Grantor’s obligations, under existing and future leases, including subleases, and any and all extensions, renewals, modifications, and replacements of such leases, upon any part of the Property (collectively, the “Leases”). Prior to an Event of Default, Grantor shall have the right, without joinder of Beneficiary, to enforce the Leases, unless Beneficiary directs otherwise.
4.02 WARRANTIES CONCERNING LEASE AND RENTS. Grantor represents and warrants that:
(a) Grantor has good title to the Leases hereby assigned (if any) and authority to assign them, and no other person or entity has any right, title or interest therein;
(b) All existing Leases (if any) are valid, unmodified and in full force and effect, except as indicated herein and no default exists thereunder;
(c) Unless otherwise provided herein, no Rents or other sums owing under the Leases have been or will be assigned, mortgaged or pledged;
(d) No Rents have been or will be anticipated, waived, released, discounted, set off or compromised; and
(e) Except as indicated in the Leases (if any), Grantor has not received any funds or deposits from any tenant that has not already been applied to the payment of accrued Rents.
4.03 GRANTOR’S COVENANTS OF PERFORMANCE. Grantor covenants to:
(a) Perform all of its obligations under the Leases (if any) and give prompt notice to Beneficiary of any failure to do so;
(b) Give immediate notice to Beneficiary of any notice Grantor receives from any tenant or subtenant under any Leases (if any), specifying any claimed default by any party under such Leases;
(c) Enforce the tenant’s obligations under the Leases (if any);
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(d) Defend, at Grantor’s expense, any proceeding pertaining to the Leases (if any), including, if Beneficiary so requests, any such proceeding to which Beneficiary is a party;
(e) Not permit the termination, assignment amendment or modification of any existing Lease (if any) without the prior written consent of Beneficiary; and
(f) Neither create nor permit any encumbrance upon Grantor’s interest as landlord of the Leases (if any), except this Deed of Trust and any other encumbrances permitted by this Deed of Trust.
4.04 PRIOR APPROVAL FOR ACTIONS AFFECTING LEASES. Grantor shall not, without the prior written consent of Beneficiary (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld):
(a) Receive or collect Rents under any Lease more than one month in advance;
(b) Encumber or assign future Rents;
(c) Waive or release any obligation of any tenant under the Leases; or
(d) Cancel, terminate or materially modify any of the Leases (if any), cause, permit or accept any cancellation, termination or surrender of any of the Leases (if any), or commence any proceedings for dispossession of any tenant under any of the Leases (if any).
4.05 ATTORNMENT OF TENANTS. All future Leases of the Property shall specifically provide: (a) that such Leases are subordinate to this Deed of Trust; (b) that the tenant attorns to Beneficiary, such attornment to be effective upon Beneficiary’s acquisition of title to the Property; (c) that the tenant agrees to execute such further evidences of attornment as Beneficiary may from time to time request; (d) that the attornment of the tenant shall not be terminated by foreclosure; and (e) that Beneficiary may, at Beneficiary’s option, accept or reject such attornments.
4.06 SETTLEMENT FOR TERMINATION. Grantor agrees that no settlement for damages for termination of any of the Leases under the Federal Bankruptcy Code, or under any other federal, state, or local statute, shall be made without the prior written consent of Beneficiary, and any check in payment of such damages shall be made payable to both Grantor and Beneficiary. Grantor hereby assigns any such payment to Beneficiary, to be applied to the Indebtedness as Beneficiary may elect, and Grantor agrees to endorse any check for payment to the order of Beneficiary.
4.07 BENEFICIARY IN POSSESSION. Beneficiary’s acceptance of this assignment shall not, prior to entry upon and taking possession of the Property by Beneficiary, be deemed to constitute Beneficiary a mortgagee in possession, nor obligate Beneficiary to appear in or defend any proceeding relating to any of the Leases (if any) or to the Property, take any action hereunder, expend any money, incur any expenses, or perform any obligation or liability under the Leases (if any), or assume any obligation for any deposits delivered to Grantor by any tenant and not delivered to Beneficiary. Beneficiary shall not be liable for any injury or damage to person or property in or about the Property.
4.08 APPOINTMENT OF ATTORNEY. Grantor hereby appoints Beneficiary its attorney-in-fact, coupled with an interest, empowering Beneficiary to subordinate any Leases to this Deed of Trust.
4.09 INDEMNIFICATION; HOLD HARMLESS. Grantor hereby indemnifies and holds Beneficiary harmless from all liability, damage, or expense incurred by Beneficiary from any claims under the Leases, including without limitation any claims by Grantor with respect to Rents paid directly to Beneficiary after an Event of Default and claims by tenants for security deposits or for rental payments more than one (1) month in advance and not delivered to Beneficiary. All amounts indemnified against hereunder, including reasonable attorneys fees, if paid by Beneficiary shall bear interest at the Maximum Lawful Rate, shall be payable to Grantor immediately without demand, and shall be secured by this Deed of Trust.
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4.10 RECORDS. Upon request by Beneficiary, Grantor shall deliver to Beneficiary executed originals of all Leases and copies of all records relating thereto.
4.11 MERGER. There shall be no merger of the leasehold estates, created by the Leases, with the fee estate of the Land without the prior written consent of Beneficiary.
4.12 RIGHT TO RELY. Grantor authorizes and directs the tenants under the Leases to pay Rents to Beneficiary upon written demand by Beneficiary, without further consent of Grantor and regardless of whether Beneficiary has taken possession of any other portion of the Property, and the tenants may rely upon any written statement by Beneficiary to the tenants.
ARTICLE V
ASSIGNMENT OF RENTS
5.01 ASSIGNMENT OF RENTS. As part of the consideration for the Indebtedness, and for other valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which Grantor acknowledges, Grantor hereby assigns and transfers to Beneficiary all rents, issues, income, receipts, and profits from the Property, and all security deposits and other security therefor, and any other property defined as “rents” under Chapter 64 of the Texas Property Code (collectively, the “Rents”), including those now due, or to become due by virtue of any Lease or other agreement for the occupancy or use of all or part of the Property, regardless of to whom the Rents are payable. Grantor authorizes Beneficiary or Beneficiary’s agents to collect the Rents and directs each tenant of the Property to pay such Rents to Beneficiary or Beneficiary’s agents; provided, however, that prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default, Grantor shall collect and receive all Rents as trustee for the benefit of Beneficiary and Grantor, to apply the Rents so collected to the sums secured by this Deed of Trust in the order provided in Section 2.04 with the balance, so long as no such Event of Default has occurred, to the account of Grantor.
5.02 EVENT OF DEFAULT. Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, and without the necessity of Beneficiary entering upon and taking and maintaining full control of the Property in person, by agent or by a court- appointed receiver, Beneficiary shall immediately be entitled to possession of all the Rents specified in this Article V as the same become due and payable, including without limitation Rents then due and unpaid, and all such Rents shall immediately upon delivery of such notice be held by Grantor as trustee for the benefit of Beneficiary only; provided, however, that the written notice by Beneficiary to Grantor of the breach by Grantor shall contain a statement that Beneficiary exercises its rights to such Rents. Grantor agrees that, commencing upon delivery of such written notice of an Event of Default by Beneficiary to Grantor, each tenant of the Property shall make such Rents payable to and pay such Rents to Beneficiary or Beneficiary’s agents on Beneficiary’s written demand to each tenant therefor, delivered to each tenant personally, by mail or by delivering such demand to each rental unit, without any liability on the part of any tenant to inquire further as to the existence of an Event of Default.
5.03 GRANTOR’S COVENANTS. Grantor covenants that Grantor has not executed any prior assignment of the Rents or any portion thereof, that Grantor has not performed, and will not perform, any acts and has not executed, and will not execute, any Deed of Trust which would prevent Beneficiary from exercising its rights under this Article V and that at the time of execution of this Deed of Trust there has been no anticipation or prepayment of any of the Rents for more than THIRTY (30) days prior to the due dates of such Rents. Grantor covenants that Grantor will not hereafter collect or accept payment of any Rents more than THIRTY (30) days prior to the due dates of such Rents without prior written consent of Beneficiary, Grantor further covenants that Grantor will execute and deliver to Beneficiary such further assignments of Rents as Beneficiary may from time to time request.
5.04 APPOINTMENT OF RECEIVER; POSSESSION OF THE PROPERTY. Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, Beneficiary may in person, by agent or by a court-appointed receiver, regardless of the adequacy of Beneficiary’s security, enter upon and take and maintain full control of the Property in order to perform all acts necessary and appropriate for the operation and maintenance thereof, including without limitation the execution, cancellation or modification of Leases, the collection of Rents, the making of repairs to the Property, and the execution or termination of contracts providing for the management or maintenance of the Property, all on such terms as are deemed best to protect the security of this Deed of Trust. In the event Beneficiary elects to seek the appointment of a receiver for the Property upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, Grantor consents to the appointment of such receiver. Beneficiary or the receiver shall be entitled to receive a reasonable fee for so managing the Property.
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5.05 APPLICATION OF RENTS. All Rents collected subsequent to the occurrence of an Event of Default shall be applied first to the costs, if any, of taking control of and managing the Property and collecting the Rents, including without limitation attorneys’ fees, receiver’s fees, premiums on receiver’s bonds, costs of repairs to the Property, premiums on insurance policies, taxes, assessments, and other charges on the Property, and to the costs of discharging any obligation or liability of Grantor as landlord of the Property, and then to the sums secured by this Deed of Trust. Beneficiary or the receiver shall have access to the books and records used in the operation and maintenance of the Property and shall be liable to account only for those Rents actually received. Beneficiary shall not be liable to Grantor, anyone claiming under or through Grantor or anyone having an interest in the Property by reason of anything done or left undone by Beneficiary under this Article V.
5.06 INSUFFICIENT RENTS. If Rents are not sufficient to meet the costs, if any, of taking control of and managing the Property and collecting the Rents, any funds expended by Beneficiary for such purposes shall become Indebtedness of Grantor to Beneficiary secured by this Deed of Trust. Unless Beneficiary and Grantor agree in writing to other terms of payment, such amounts shall be payable upon notice from Beneficiary to Grantor requesting payment thereof and shall bear interest from the date of disbursement at the rate stated in the Note, unless payment of such interest at such rate would be contrary to applicable law, in which event such amounts shall bear interest at the highest non-usurious rate which may be collected from Grantor under applicable law.
5.07 NO WAIVER; TERM. Any entering upon and taking and maintaining of control of the Property by Beneficiary or the receiver and any application of Rents as provided herein shall not cure or waive any default hereunder or invalidate any other right or remedy of Beneficiary under applicable law or provided herein. This assignment of the Rents shall terminate at such time as this Deed of Trust ceases to secure the Indebtedness held by Beneficiary.
ARTICLE VI
GRANTOR’S REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES, COVENANTS, AND AGREEMENTS
Grantor covenants, warrants, represents to and agrees with Beneficiary as follows:
6.01 PAYMENT AND PERFORMANCE. Grantor shall make all payments on the Indebtedness when due and shall punctually and properly perform all of Grantor’s covenants, obligations and liabilities under this Deed of Trust and the other Loan Documents.
6.02 TITLE TO PROPERTY AND LIENS OF THIS DEED OF TRUST. Grantor has good and indefeasible title to the Land and the Improvements and good and marketable title to the Personal Property, free and clear of any liens, charges, encumbrances, security interests, and adverse claims whatsoever, except for the matters, if any, set forth on Exhibit B to the mortgagee title insurance to the extent the same are valid and subsisting and affect the Property (the “Permitted Encumbrances”). If the interest of Beneficiary in the Property or any part thereof shall be endangered or shall be attacked, directly or indirectly, Grantor authorizes Beneficiary, at Grantor’s expense, to take all necessary and proper steps for the defense of such interest, including the employment of attorneys, the prosecution or defense of litigation, and the compromise or discharge of claims made against such interest.
6.03 TITLE INSURANCE. Grantor shall, at its sole cost and expense, obtain and maintain mortgagee title insurance (in the form of a commitment, binder, or policy as Beneficiary may require) in form acceptable to Beneficiary in an amount equal to the amount of the Note.
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6.04 INSURANCE. Grantor shall promptly obtain and deliver to Beneficiary insurance policies with premiums paid providing extended coverage for all Improvements and other Property against damage by fire and lightning and against such other risks as Beneficiary may require with a deductible not to exceed ONE PERCENT (1.00%) of the amount of the Policy which shall be equal to the full replacement cost of all Improvements located on the Property, and in any event not less than the amount of the Indebtedness, and with provision that (a) each of said policies shall not be terminated, reduced or limited regardless of any breach of the representations and agreements set forth therein, and (b) no such policy shall be canceled, endorsed or amended to any extent unless the issuer thereof shall have first given Beneficiary at least THIRTY (30) days’ prior written notice. In case Grantor fails to furnish such policies, Beneficiary, at Beneficiary’s option, may procure such insurance at Grantor’s expense. All renewal and substitute policies of insurance shall be delivered to the office of Beneficiary, premiums paid, at least TEN (10) days before expiration of the insurance protection to be replaced by such renewal or substituted policies. In case of loss, Beneficiary, at Beneficiary’s option, shall be entitled to receive and retain the proceeds of the insurance policies, applying the same toward payment of the Indebtedness, taxes or other sums due and owing by Grantor in connection with the Property in such manner as Beneficiary may elect, or at Beneficiary’s option, Beneficiary may pay the same over wholly or in part to Grantor for the repair of said Improvements or for the erection of new Improvements in their place, or for any other purpose satisfactory to Beneficiary, but Beneficiary shall not be obligated to see to the proper application of any amounts so paid to Grantor. If Beneficiary elects to allow such payments to Grantor, disbursement shall be on such terms subject to such conditions as Beneficiary may specify. Regardless of whether any insurance proceeds are sufficient to pay the costs of repair and restoration of the Property, provided that Beneficiary has paid such proceeds to Grantor, Grantor shall promptly commence and carry out the repair, replacement, restoration and rebuilding of any and all of the Improvements damaged or destroyed so as to return same, to the extent practicable, to the same condition as immediately prior to such damage to or destruction thereof. Grantor shall not permit or carry on any activity within or relating to the Property that is prohibited by the terms of any insurance policy covering any part of the Property or which permits cancellation of or increase in the premium payable for any insurance policy covering any part of the Property. Furthermore, for any portion of the Property situated in an area having special flood hazards (as defined in the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, as amended from time to time, or any similar legislation), Grantor shall provide flood insurance satisfactory to Beneficiary in an amount equal to the replacement cost of the Improvements or the maximum amount of flood insurance available, whichever is the lesser.
6.05 TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS. Grantor shall pay all taxes and assessments against or affecting the Property as the same become due and payable, and, upon request by Beneficiary, Grantor shall deliver to Beneficiary such evidence of the payment thereof as Beneficiary may require. If Grantor fails to do so, Beneficiary may pay them, together with all costs and penalties thereon, at Grantor’s expense; provided, however, that Grantor may in good faith, in lieu of paying such taxes and assessments as they become due and payable, by appropriate proceedings, contest their validity. Pending such contest, Grantor shall not be deemed in default under this Deed of Trust because of such nonpayment if: (a) prior to delinquency of the asserted tax or assessment, Grantor furnishes Beneficiary an indemnity bond secured by a deposit in cash or other security acceptable to Beneficiary, or with a surety acceptable to Beneficiary, in the amount of the tax or assessment being contested by Grantor plus a reasonable additional sum to pay all costs, interest and penalties that may be imposed or incurred in connection therewith, conditioned that such tax or assessment, with interest, cost and penalties, be paid as herein stipulated; and (b) Grantor promptly pays any amount adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be due with all costs, penalties and interest thereon, on or before the date such judgment becomes final. In any event, the tax, assessment, penalties, interest, and costs shall be paid prior to the date on which any writ or order is issued under which the Property or any part of the Property may be sold in satisfaction thereof.
6.06 TAX AND INSURANCE ESCROW. During the existence of an Event of Default, Grantor agrees to establish reserve accounts for real estate taxes, insurance premiums, and other impositions as may be reasonably requested by Beneficiary from time to time.
6.07 CONDEMNATION.
(a) Grantor assigns to Beneficiary all judgments, decrees, and awards for injury or damage, direct or consequential, to the Property, and all awards pursuant to proceedings for condemnation or other taking, whether direct or indirect, of the Property or any part of the Property. Beneficiary may apply any condemnation proceeds to the Indebtedness in such manner as Beneficiary may elect. Grantor shall promptly notify Beneficiary of any action or proceeding (or threatened action or proceeding) relating to any condemnation or other taking, whether direct or indirect, of all or any part of the Property. Grantor shall, unless otherwise directed by Beneficiary in writing, file or defend its claim under any such action and prosecute the same with due diligence to its final disposition and shall cause any awards or settlements to be paid over to Beneficiary for disposition pursuant to the terms of this Deed of Trust. Grantor authorizes Beneficiary, at Beneficiary’s option, as attorney-in-fact for Grantor, to commence, appear in, and prosecute, in Beneficiary’s or Grantor’s name, any action or proceeding relating to any condemnation or other taking of the Property, whether direct or indirect, and to settle or compromise any claim in connection with such condemnation or other taking. The proceeds of any award, payment, or claim for damages, direct or consequential, in connection with any condemnation or other taking, whether direct or indirect, of the Property, or part thereof, or for conveyances in lieu of condemnation, are hereby assigned to and shall be paid to Beneficiary. Beneficiary shall be entitled to participate in, control, and be represented by attorneys of Beneficiary’s own choice in any such action. Grantor shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to Beneficiary such instruments as may be requested by it from time to time to permit such participation.
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(b) Grantor authorizes Beneficiary to apply such awards, payments, proceeds, or damages, after the deduction of Beneficiary’s expenses incurred in the collection of such amounts, at Beneficiary’s option, to restoration or repair of the Property, or to payment of the sums secured by this Deed of Trust, whether or not then due, in the order of application set forth in Section 2.04, with the balance, if any, to Grantor.
(c) In the event Beneficiary, as a result of any such judgment, decree, or award, reasonably believes that the payment or performance of any obligation secured by this Deed of Trust is impaired, Beneficiary may, without notice, declare all of the Indebtedness immediately due and payable.
6.08 TAXES ON NOTE OR DEED OF TRUST. If at any time any law shall be enacted imposing or authorizing the imposition of any tax upon this Deed of Trust, or upon any rights, title, liens, or security interests created by this Deed of Trust, or upon the Note, or any part of the Indebtedness, Grantor shall immediately pay all such taxes; provided that, if it is unlawful for Grantor to pay such taxes, Grantor shall prepay the Note in full without penalty within THIRTY (30) days after demand therefor by Beneficiary.
6.09 STATEMENTS BY GRANTOR. At the request of Beneficiary, Grantor shall furnish promptly a written statement or affidavit, in such form as may be required by Beneficiary, stating the unpaid balance of the Note, the date to which interest has been paid and that there are no offsets or defenses against full payment of the Note and performance of the terms of the Loan Documents, or, if there are such offsets or defenses, specifying them.
6.10 REPAIR, WASTE, ALTERATIONS, ETC. Grantor shall keep every part of the Property in good operating order, repair, and condition and shall not commit or permit any waste thereof. Grantor shall make promptly all repairs, renewals, and replacements necessary to such end. Grantor shall discharge all claims for labor performed and material furnished therefor, and shall not suffer any lien of mechanics or materialmen to attach to any part of the Property. Grantor shall have the right to contest in good faith the validity of any such mechanic’s or materialman’s lien, provided Grantor shall first furnish Beneficiary a bond or other security satisfactory to Beneficiary in such amount as Beneficiary shall reasonably require, but not more than ONE HUNDRED TWENTY PERCENT (120.00%) of the amount of the claim, and provided further that Grantor shall thereafter diligently proceed to cause such lien to be removed and discharged. If Grantor shall fail to discharge any such lien, then, in addition to any other right or remedy of Beneficiary, Beneficiary may, but shall not be obligated to, discharge the lien, either by paying the amount claimed to be due, or by procuring the discharge of such lien by depositing in court a bond for the amount claimed, or otherwise giving security for such claim, or by taking such action as may be prescribed by law. Grantor shall guard every part of the Property from removal, destruction, and damage, and shall not do or suffer to be done any act whereby the value of any part of the property may be lessened. Grantor or any tenant or other person shall not materially alter the Property without the prior written consent of Beneficiary.
6.11 NO DRILLING OR EXPLORATION. Without the prior written consent of Beneficiary, there shall be no drilling or exploring for or extraction, removal, or production of minerals from the surface or subsurface of the Land. The term “minerals” as used in this Deed of Trust shall include without limitation oil, gas, casinghead gas, coal, lignite, hydrocarbons, methane, carbon dioxide, helium, uranium and all other natural elements, compounds and substances, including sand and gravel.
6.12 COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS. Grantor, the Property, and Grantor’s use of the Property shall comply with all laws, rules, ordinances, regulations, covenants conditions, restrictions, orders and decrees of any governmental authority or court applicable to Grantor or the Property and its use, and Grantor shall pay all fees or charges of any kind in connection therewith. Grantor shall not initiate, participate in, or acquiesce in a change in the zoning classification of the Property without Beneficiary’s prior written consent.
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6.13 CERTAIN REPORTS AND INFORMATION. Grantor shall promptly deliver such information concerning Grantor, any Guarantor, the Tenant, and the Property as Beneficiary may request.
6.14 HOLD HARMLESS. Grantor shall defend, at Grantor’s own cost and expense, and hold Beneficiary harmless from, any proceeding or claim in any way relating to the Property or the Loan Documents. All costs and expenses incurred by Beneficiary in protecting its interest under this Deed of Trust, including all court costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, shall be borne by Grantor. The provisions of this Section shall survive the payment in full of the Indebtedness and the release of this Deed of Trust as to events occurring and causes of action arising before such payment and release.
6.15 FURTHER ASSURANCES. Grantor, upon the request of Beneficiary, shall execute, acknowledge, deliver, and record such further instruments and do such further acts as may be necessary, desirable, or proper to carry out the purposes of this Deed of Trust or the other Loan Documents and to subject to the liens and security interests created by this Deed of Trust or the other Loan Documents any Property intended to be covered by this Deed of Trust and the other Loan Documents pursuant to their terms, including without limitation any renewals, additions, substitutions, replacements, improvements, or appurtenances to the Property.
6.16 RECORDING AND FILING. Grantor shall cause this Deed of Trust and the other recordable Loan Documents and all amendments, supplements, extensions, and substitutions thereof to be recorded, filed, re-recorded, and refiled in such manner and in such places as Beneficiary shall reasonably request. Grantor shall pay all such recording, filing, re-recording, and re-filing fees, title insurance premiums, and other charges.
6.17 PAYMENT OF DEBTS. Grantor shall promptly pay when due all obligations regarding the ownership and operation of the Property, except any such obligations which are being diligently contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and as to which Grantor, if requested by Beneficiary, shall have furnished to Beneficiary security satisfactory to Beneficiary.
6.18 INSPECTION. Beneficiary may make or cause to be made reasonable entries upon and inspection of the Property.
6.19 PROTECTION OF BENEFICIARY’S SECURITY.
(a) If Grantor fails to perform the covenants and agreements contained in this Deed of Trust, or any action or proceeding is commenced which affects the Property or title thereto or the interest of Beneficiary therein, including without limitation eminent domain, insolvency, code enforcement, or arrangements or proceedings involving a bankrupt or decedent, Beneficiary, at Beneficiary’s option may make such appearances, disburse such sums and take such action as Beneficiary deems necessary, in its sole discretion, to protect Beneficiary’s interest, including without limitation, (i) disbursement of attorneys’ fees, (ii) entry upon the Property to make repairs, and (iii) procurement of satisfactory insurance as provided herein.
(b) Any amounts disbursed by Beneficiary pursuant to this Section with interest thereon, shall become additional indebtedness of Grantor secured by this Deed of Trust. Unless Grantor and Beneficiary agree to other terms of payment, such amounts shall be immediately due and payable and shall bear interest from the date of disbursement at the rate stated in the Note unless collection from Grantor of interest at such rate would be contrary to applicable law, in which event such amounts shall bear interest at the highest non-usurious rate which may be collected from Grantor under applicable law. Grantor covenants and agrees that Beneficiary shall be subrogated to the lien of any mortgage or other lien discharged, in whole or in part, by the Indebtedness. Nothing contained in this Section shall require Beneficiary to incur any expense or take any action under this Deed of Trust.
6.20 SUBORDINATE DEED OF TRUST. Grantor shall not, without the prior written consent of Beneficiary, grant any lien, security interest, or other encumbrance (a “Subordinate Deed of Trust”) covering any of the Property. If Beneficiary consents to a Subordinate Deed of Trust or if the foregoing prohibition is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable, any such Subordinate Deed of Trust shall contain express covenants to the effect that:
(a) The Subordinate Deed of Trust is unconditionally subordinate to this Deed of Trust;
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(b) If any action (whether judicial or pursuant to a power of sale) shall be instituted to foreclose or otherwise enforce the Subordinate Deed of Trust, no tenant of any of the Leases shall be named as a party defendant, and no action shall be taken that would terminate any occupancy or tenancy without the prior written consent of Beneficiary;
(c) Rents, if collected by or for the holder of the Subordinate Deed of Trust, shall be applied first to the payment of the Indebtedness then due and expenses incurred in the ownership, operation, and maintenance of the Property in such order as Beneficiary may determine, prior to being applied to any indebtedness secured by the Subordinate Deed of Trust; and
(d) Written notice of default under the Subordinate Deed of Trust and written notice of the commencement of any action (whether judicial or pursuant to a power of sale) to foreclose or otherwise enforce the Subordinate Deed of Trust shall be given to Beneficiary with or immediately after the occurrence of any such default or commencement.
6.21 LIENS. Grantor shall promptly discharge any lien which has, or may have, priority over or equality with, the lien of this Deed of Trust, and Grantor shall pay, when due, the claims of all person supplying labor or materials to or in connection with the Property. Without Beneficiary’s prior written permission, Grantor shall not allow any lien inferior to this Deed of Trust to be perfected against the Property.
6.22 BUSINESS USE. Grantor warrants and represents to Beneficiary that the proceeds of the Note will be used solely for business or commercial purposes, and in no way will the proceeds be used for personal, family or household purposes.
6.23 NON-HOMESTEAD. GRANTOR WARRANTS AND REPRESENTS TO BENEFICIARY THAT THE PROPERTY IS NOT THE BUSINESS OR RESIDENTIAL HOMESTEAD OF GRANTOR OR ANY OTHER PERSON, EXCEPT AS SET FORTH ON EXHIBIT C.
6.24 APPRAISAL. Beneficiary may at its option obtain at Grantor’s expense an appraisal of the Property or any part thereof by a third-party appraiser selected and instructed by Beneficiary. The costs of each such appraisal shall be payable by Grantor to Beneficiary on demand (which obligation Grantor hereby promises to pay). Such appraisal shall be obtained as often as deemed necessary by Beneficiary or as required by any law or regulation applicable to Beneficiary or loans of the type evidenced by the Note. Each such appraiser and appraisal shall be satisfactory to Beneficiary. The costs of each such appraisal obtained pursuant to this Section shall be payable by Grantor to Beneficiary on demand (which obligation Grantor hereby promises to pay) and shall be a part of an obligation of Grantor to Beneficiary secured by this Deed of Trust, unless prohibited by applicable law. Grantor agrees to cooperate fully with Beneficiary, Beneficiary’s agents, and any appraiser selected by Beneficiary in connection with any appraisal desired or required pursuant to this Section.
6.25 BENEFIT. Grantor confirms that it will receive significant benefit from the Note, due to Grantor’s status as wholly-owned subsidiary of American International Holdings Corp., and that Beneficiary would not have entered into the Note but for Grantor entering into this Deed of Trust.
ARTICLE VII
EVENTS OF DEFAULT
The occurrence of an Event of Default under the Note shall be an Event of Default hereunder.
ARTICLE VIII
DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
8.01 ACCELERATION AND WAIVER OF NOTICES. Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, Beneficiary, at Beneficiary’s option, may declare all of the sums secured by this Deed of Trust to be immediately due and payable without further demand and may invoke the power of sale and any other remedies permitted by applicable law or provided herein. Grantor acknowledges that the power of sale granted to Beneficiary may be exercised by Beneficiary without prior judicial hearing. Grantor and each Guarantor (by the execution and delivery of Guarantor’s guaranty), surety, and endorser of all or any part of the Indebtedness expressly waive all presentations for payment, notices of intention to accelerate maturity, notices of acceleration of maturity, notices of intention to demand payment, demands for payment, protests, and notices of protest.
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8.02 NOTICE OF SALE. Notice of sale of all or part of the Property by the Trustee shall be given by posting written notice thereof at the courthouse door (or other area in the courthouse as may be designated for such public notices) of the county in which the sale is to be made, and by filing a copy of the notice in the office of the county clerk of the county in which the sale is to be made, at least TWENTY-ONE (21) days preceding the date of the sale, and if the Property to be sold is in more than one county a notice shall be posted at the courthouse door (or other area in the courthouse as may be designated for such public notices) and filed with the county clerk of each county in which the Property to be sold is situated or as otherwise required by the Texas Property Code. If the Property to be sold is in more than one county, the notice shall designate the county in which the Property is to be sold. In addition, Beneficiary shall, at least TWENTY-ONE (21) days preceding the date of sale, serve written notice of the proposed sale by certified mail on Grantor and each person obligated to pay the Indebtedness secured hereby according to the Beneficiary’s records. Service of such notice shall be completed upon deposit of the notice, enclosed in a postpaid wrapper, properly addressed to such person at the most recent address as shown by the records of Beneficiary, in a post office or official depository under the care and custody of the United States postal service. The affidavit of any person having knowledge of the facts to the effect that such service was completed shall be prima facie evidence of the fact of service. Any notice that is required or permitted to be given to Grantor may be addressed to Grantor at Grantor’s address as stated above. Any notice that is to be given by certified mail to any other person may, if no address for such other person is shown by records of Beneficiary, be addressed to such other person at the address of Grantor as is shown by the records of Beneficiary. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section notice of such sale given in accordance with the requirements of the applicable laws of the State of Texas in effect at the time of such sale shall constitute sufficient notice of such sale. The Trustee or his successor or substitute may appoint or delegate any one or more persons as agent to perform any act or acts necessary or incident to any sale held by Trustee, including the posting of notices and the conduct of sale, but in the name and on behalf of Trustee, his successor or substitute Trustee thereafter appointed may complete the sale and the conveyance of the Property pursuant thereto as if such notice had been given by the successor or substitute Trustee conducting the sale.
8.03 TRUSTEE’S SALE. Beneficiary may require the Trustee to sell all or part of the Property, at public auction, to the highest bidder, for cash, at the county courthouse of the county in Texas in which the Property or any part thereof is situated, or if the Property is located in more than one county such sale or sales may be made at the courthouse in any county in which the Property is situated. All sales shall take place at such area of the courthouse as shall be properly designated from time to time by the commissioners court (or, if not so designated by the commissioners court, as such other area in the courthouse as may be provided in the notice of sale hereinafter described) of the specified county, between the hours of 10:00 o’clock a.m. and 4:00 o’clock p.m. (the commencement of such sale to occur within three hours following the time designated in the above described notice of sale as the earliest time at which such sale shall occur, if required by applicable law) on the first Tuesday of any month, after giving notice of the time, place and terms of said sale (including the earliest time at which such sale shall occur) and of the Property to be sold in the manner hereinafter described. To the extent permitted by applicable law, any sale may be adjourned by announcement at the time and place appointed for such sale without further notice except as may be required by law. Trustee may sell all or any portion of the Property, together or in lots or parcels. In no event shall Trustee be required to exhibit, present or display at any such sale any of the Personal Property to be sold at such sale, Beneficiary may bid and become the purchaser of all or any part of the Property at any trustee’s or foreclosure sale hereunder, and the amount of Beneficiary’s successful bid may be credited on the Indebtedness. In the event any sale hereunder is not completed or is defective in the opinion of Beneficiary, such sale shall not exhaust the power of sale hereunder, and Beneficiary shall have the right to cause a subsequent sale or sales to be made hereunder.
8.04 PARTIAL SALES. The sale by Trustee of less than the whole of the Property shall not exhaust the power of sale herein granted, and Trustee is specifically empowered to make successive sales under such power until the whole of the Property shall be sold; and if the proceeds of such sale of less than the whole of the Property shall be less than the aggregate of the Indebtedness and the expenses thereof, this Deed of Trust and the lien, security interest and assignment hereof shall remain in full force and effect as to the unsold portion of the Property just as though no sale had been made; provided, however, that Grantor shall never have any right to require the sale of less than the whole of the Property, but Beneficiary shall have the right, at its sole election, to request Trustee to sell less than the whole of the Property. If there is a default on the payment of any installment on the Note or any portion of the Indebtedness, and Beneficiary elects not to accelerate the unpaid balance of the Note or Indebtedness, Beneficiary shall have the option to proceed with foreclosure in satisfaction of such unpaid installment or other amount either through judicial proceedings or by directing Trustee to proceed as if under a full foreclosure, conducting the sale as herein provided without declaring the entire Indebtedness due. It is agreed that such sale, if so made, shall not in any manner affect the unmatured part of the Indebtedness, but as to such unmatured part this Deed of Trust shall remain in full force and effect as though no sale had been made under the provisions of this Section. Several sales may be made hereunder without exhausting the right of sale for any unmatured part of the Indebtedness.
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8.05 FORECLOSURE OF ALL PROPERTY. The Land, Improvements, and Personal Property may be sold in one or more public sales pursuant to the Texas Property Code and the Code. Grantor shall assemble the Personal Property and make it available to Beneficiary upon Beneficiary’s written request. Grantor and all persons obligated to pay the Indebtedness agree that notice of sale of the Property provided pursuant to Section 8.02 above and pursuant to the Texas Property Code is and shall constitute commercially reasonable notice of the sale of the Property or any part of the Property. Beneficiary shall also be entitled to foreclose its security interests against the Personal Property in accordance with any other rights and remedies Beneficiary may have as a secured party under the Code.
8.06 TRUSTEE’S DEED. Trustee shall deliver to the purchaser a Trustee’s deed and such other assignments and documents of transfer and sale as Trustee may deem necessary conveying the Property so sold in fee simple with covenants of general warranty. Grantor covenants and agrees to defend generally the purchaser’s title to the Property against all claims and demands. At any such sale (a) Grantor hereby agrees, in its behalf and in behalf of Grantor’s heirs, executors, administrators, successors, personal representatives and assigns, that any and all recitals made in any deed of conveyance given by Trustee with respect to the identity of Beneficiary, the occurrence or existence of any default, the acceleration of the maturity of any of the Indebtedness, the request to sell, the notice of sale, the giving of notice to all persons legally entitled thereto, the time, the place, terms and manner of sale, and receipt, distribution and application of the money realized therefrom, or the due and proper appointment of a substitute Trustee, and, without being limited by the foregoing, with respect to any other act or thing having been duly done by Beneficiary or by Trustee hereunder, shall be taken by all courts of law and equity as prima facie evidence that the statements or recitals state facts and are without further question to be so accepted, and Grantor hereby ratifies and confirms every act that Trustee or any substitute Trustee hereunder may lawfully do in the premises by virtue hereof, and (b) the purchaser may disaffirm any easement granted, subdivision plat filed, or rental, lease or other contract made in violation of any provision or this Deed of Trust, and may take immediate possession of the Property free from, and despite the terms of, such grant of easement, subdivision plat, or rental, lease or other contract.
8.07 PROCEEDS OF SALE. Trustee shall apply the proceeds of the sale in the following order: (a) to all reasonable costs and expenses of the sale, including but not limited to, reasonable Trustee’s fees and attorneys’ fees and costs of title evidence; (b) to all sums secured by this Deed of Trust in such order as Beneficiary, in Beneficiary’s sole discretion, directs; and (c) the excess, if any, to the person or persons legally entitled thereto.
8.08 POSSESSION AFTER SALE. Grantor or any person holding possession of the Property through Grantor shall immediately surrender possession of the Property to the purchaser at such sale upon the purchaser’s written demand. If possession is not surrendered upon the purchaser’s written demand, Grantor or such person shall be a tenant at sufferance and may be removed by writ of possession or by an action for forcible entry and detainer.
8.09 COSTS AND EXPENSES. Beneficiary shall be entitled to collect all costs and expenses incurred in pursuing such remedies, including but not limited to, attorneys’ fees and costs of documentary evidence, abstracts, and title reports.
8.10 SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE. Beneficiary, at Beneficiary’s option, with or without cause, may from time to time remove Trustee and appoint a successor trustee to any Trustee appointed hereunder by an instrument recorded in the county in which this Deed of Trust is recorded. Without conveyance of the Property, the successor trustee shall succeed to all title, power, and duties conferred upon the Trustee by this Deed of Trust and by applicable law.
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8.11 REMEDIES CUMULATIVE. Each remedy provided in this Deed of Trust is distinct and cumulative to all other rights or remedies under this Deed of Trust or afforded by law or equity, and may by exercised concurrently, independently, or successively, in any order whatsoever.
8.12 FORBEARANCE BY BENEFICIARY NOT A WAIVER. Any forbearance by Beneficiary in exercising any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise afforded by applicable law, shall not be a waiver of or preclude the exercise of any right or remedy. The acceptance by Beneficiary of payment of any sum secured by this Deed of Trust after the due date of such payment shall not be a waiver of Beneficiary’s right to either require prompt payment when due of all other sums so secured or to declare a default for failure to make prompt payment. The procurement of insurance or the payment of taxes or other liens or charges by Beneficiary shall not be a waiver of Beneficiary’s right to accelerate the maturity of the Indebtedness, nor shall Beneficiary’s receipts of any awards, proceeds or damages under this Deed of Trust operate to cure or waive Grantor’s default in payment of sums secured by this Deed of Trust.
8.13 WAIVER OF DEFICIENCY STATUTE. In the event an interest in any of the Property is foreclosed upon pursuant to a judicial or non-judicial foreclosure sale, Grantor agrees as follows: notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 51.003, 51.004, and 51.005 of the Texas Property Code (as the same may be amended from time to time), and to the extent permitted by law, Grantor agrees that Beneficiary shall be entitled to seek a deficiency judgment from Grantor and any other party obligated on the Note equal to the difference between the amount owing on the Note and the amount for which the Property was sold pursuant to judicial or non-judicial foreclosure sale. Grantor expressly recognizes that this Section constitutes a waiver of the above-cited provisions of the Texas Property Code which would otherwise permit Grantor and other persons against whom recovery of deficiencies is sought or Guarantor independently (even absent the initiation of deficiency proceedings against them) to present competent evidence of the fair market value of the Property as of the date of the foreclosure sale and offset against any deficiency the amount by which the foreclosure sale price is determined to be less than such fair market value. Grantor further recognizes and agrees that this waiver creates an irrefutable presumption that the foreclosure sale price is equal to the fair market value of the Property for purposes of calculating deficiencies owed by Grantor, Guarantor, and others against whom recovery of a deficiency is sought.
8.14 WAIVER OF MARSHALLING. Notwithstanding the existence of any other security interests in the Property held by Beneficiary or by any other party, Beneficiary shall have the right to determine the order in which any or all portions of the Indebtedness are satisfied from the proceeds realized upon the exercise of the remedies provided herein. Grantor, any party who consents to this Deed of Trust, and any party who now or hereafter acquires a security interest in the Property and who has actual or constructive notice of this Deed of Trust and Beneficiary’s rights and interests under this Deed of Trust, hereby waive any and all right to require the marshalling of assets in connection with the exercise of any of the remedies permitted by applicable law or provided by this Deed of Trust.
ARTICLE IX
ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH, AND SAFETY MATTERS
9.01 DEFINITIONS. For the purposes of this Deed of Trust, Grantor, Beneficiary, and Trustee agree that, unless the context otherwise specifies or requires, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) “Environmental Claim” means any investigative, enforcement, cleanup, removal, containment, remedial, or other governmental or regulatory action at any time threatened, instituted, or completed pursuant to any Governmental Requirements against Grantor or against or with respect to the Property or its use, and any claim threatened or made by any person against Grantor or against or with respect to the Property or its use relating to damage, contribution, cost recovery, compensation, or injury resulting from any alleged breach or violation of any Governmental Requirements.
(b) “Environmental Condition” means any condition, circumstances, or matter related to or connected with the Property or Grantor’s ownership and use of the Property which is covered by any Governmental Requirements.
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(c) “Governmental Requirements” means any and all laws, statutes, ordinances, rules regulations, orders, or determinations of any governmental authority, whether federal, state, county, city, or otherwise pertaining to health, safety, or the environment in effect in any and all jurisdictions in which Grantor conducts business or where the Property is located, including without limitation: (i) the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. § 6901 et seq.) as amended from time to time including without limitation as amended by the Used Oil Recycling Act of 1980, the Solid Waste Disposal Act Amendments of 1980, and the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984 (“RCRA”), and regulations promulgated thereunder; (ii) the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. § 9601 et seq.) as amended from time to time, including without limitation as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (“CERCLA”), and regulations promulgated thereunder; (iii) the Toxic Substances Control Act (15 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq.), as amended from time to time; (iv) the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.) as amended from time to time (“ADA”), and all regulations and guidelines promulgated pursuant to the ADA, and all other similar laws, including without limitation the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, the Texas Architectural Barriers Statute of 1978, and the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1958, and all as amended from time to time and including all regulations promulgated pursuant to any one or more of them; (v) the Endangered Species Act (15 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq.) as amended from time to time; (vi) laws, statutes, ordinances, rules, regulations, orders, or determinations relating to wetlands, including without limitation those set forth in the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq.) as amended from time to time; (vii) the Texas Water Code, as amended from time to time; and (viii) the Texas Solid Waste Disposal Act (Tex. Health & Safety Code Ann. § 361.001-361.345), as amended from time to time.
(d) “Hazardous Materials” means (i) any “hazardous waste” as defined by RCRA, and regulations promulgated thereunder; (ii) any “hazardous substance” as defined by CERCLA, and regulations promulgated thereunder; (iii) any toxic substance as defined under or regulated by the Toxic Substances Control Act; (iv) asbestos, polyclorinated biphenyls, radon, or explosive or radioactive materials; (v) underground and above ground storage tanks, whether empty, filled or partially filled with any substance, including without limitation any petroleum product or any other “hazardous substance;” (vi) any substance the presence of which on the Property is prohibited by any Governmental Requirements; and (vii) any other substance which by any Governmental Requirement requires special handling or notification of any federal, state, or local governmental entity in its collection, storage, treatment, or disposal.
(e) “Hazardous Materials Contamination” means the contamination (whether presently existing or hereafter occurring) of any improvements, facilities, soil, groundwater, air, or other elements on or of the Property by Hazardous Materials, or the contamination of the buildings, facilities, soil, groundwater, air, or other elements on or of any other property as a result of Hazardous Materials at any time (whether before or after the date of this Deed of Trust) emanating from the Property.
9.02 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. Grantor represents and warrants to Beneficiary that:
(a) Grantor has obtained all necessary permits, licenses, and authorizations for the Property and Grantor’s use of the Property, including without limitation all necessary permits, licenses, and authorizations for Grantor’s intended development of the Property, construction of the Improvements, or any other improvements to or construction on the Property, if applicable; and
(b) The Property is in compliance with all Governmental Requirements, and Grantor’s intended use of the Property will comply with all Governmental Requirements; and
(c) Not in limitation of the foregoing, that: (i) no Hazardous Materials are now located on the Property, and neither Grantor nor, to the best of Grantor’s knowledge and belief after due inquiry, any other person has ever caused or permitted any Hazardous Materials to be placed, held, located, or disposed of on, under, or at the Property or any part thereof; (ii) no part of the Property is being used or to the best of Grantor’s knowledge and belief after due inquiry, has been used at any previous time for the disposal, storage, treatment, processing, or other handling of Hazardous Materials, nor is any part of the Property affected by any Hazardous Materials contamination; (iii) to the best of Grantor’s knowledge and belief after due inquiry, no property adjoining the Property is being used, or has ever been used at any previous time, for the disposal, storage, treatment, processing, or other handling of Hazardous Materials, nor is any other properly adjoining the Property affected by Hazardous Materials Contamination; (iv) to the best of Grantor’s knowledge and belief after due inquiry, no investigation, administrative order, consent order and agreement, litigation, or settlement with respect to Hazardous Materials or Hazardous Materials Contamination is proposed, threatened, anticipated or in existence with respect to the Property; and (v) to the best of Grantor’s knowledge and belief after due inquiry, the Property is not currently on and has never been on any federal or state “Superfund” or “Superlien” list.
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9.03 GRANTOR’S COVENANTS. Grantor agrees to (a) give notice to Beneficiary immediately upon Grantor’s acquiring knowledge of the presence of any Hazardous Materials on the Property or of any Hazardous Materials Contamination with a full description thereof; (b) give notice to Beneficiary immediately upon Grantor’s acquiring knowledge of any Environmental Claim; (c) comply at all times with any Governmental Requirements applicable to the Property; (d) require all employees, agents, or representatives of Grantor, all tenants and their agents and employees, and all contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, or other persons performing or involved in the construction or maintenance of the Property and Improvements to comply at all times with all Governmental Requirements; (e) provide Beneficiary with satisfactory evidence of such compliance with Governmental Requirements; and (f) provide Beneficiary, within THIRTY (30) days after demand by Beneficiary, with a bond, letter of credit, or similar financial assurance evidencing to Beneficiary’s satisfaction that the necessary funds are available to pay the cost of complying with any Governmental Requirements, including without limitation removal, treatment and disposal of Hazardous Materials on the Property or Hazardous Materials Contamination to the Property and discharge of any assessments or liens which may be established on or against the Property as a result thereof.
9.04 SITE ASSESSMENTS. Beneficiary (by its officers, employees, and agents) at any time and from time to time, either prior to or after the occurrence of an Event of Default, may contract for the services of persons (the “Site Reviewers”) to perform site assessments (“Site Assessments”) on the Property for the purpose of determining whether there exists on the Property any Environmental Condition which could reasonably be expected to result in a violation of any Governmental Requirements or in an Environmental Claim. The Site Assessments may be performed at any time upon reasonable notice to Grantor, and under reasonable conditions established by Grantor which do not impede the performance of the Site Assessments. The Site Reviewers are authorized to enter upon the Property for such purposes. The Site Reviewers are further authorized to perform both above and below the ground testing for environmental damage or the presence of Hazardous Materials on the Property and such other tests on the Property as may be necessary to conduct the Site Assessments in the reasonable opinion of the Site Reviewers. Grantor will supply to the Site Reviewers such historical and operational information regarding the Property as may be reasonably requested by the Site Reviewers to facilitate the Site Assessments and will make available for meetings with the Site Reviewers appropriate personnel having knowledge of such matters. On request, Beneficiary shall make the results of such Site Assessments fully available to Grantor, which (prior to an Event of Default hereunder) may, at Grantor’s election, participate under reasonable procedures in the direction of such Site Assessments and the description of tasks of the Site Reviewers. The cost of performing such Site Assessments shall be paid by Grantor upon demand of Beneficiary and any such obligations shall be Indebtedness secured by this Deed of Trust.
9.05 INDEMNIFICATION. GRANTOR, FOR VALUABLE CONSIDERATION WHICH GRANTOR ACKNOWLEDGES RECEIVING, SHALL DEFEND, INDEMNIFY, AND HOLD HARMLESS BENEFICIARY AND TRUSTEE FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL LIABILITIES (INCLUDING STRICT LIABILITY AND INCLUDING, WITH REGARD TO SITE ASSESSMENTS, BENEFICIARY’S OWN NEGLIGENCE), ACTIONS, DEMAND, PENALTIES, LOSSES, COSTS, OR EXPENSES (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND EXPENSES, AND REMEDIAL COSTS), SUITS, COSTS OF ANY SETTLEMENT OR JUDGMENT AND CLAIMS OF ANY AND EVERY KIND WHATSOEVER WHICH MAY NOW OR IN THE FUTURE (WHETHER BEFORE OR AFTER THE RELEASE OF THIS DEED OF TRUST) BE PAID, INCURRED, OR SUFFERED BY OR ASSERTED AGAINST BENEFICIARY OR TRUSTEE BY ANY PERSON OR ENTITY OR GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY FOR, WITH RESPECT TO, OR AS A DIRECT OR INDIRECT RESULT OF AND VIOLATION OR BREACH OF ANY GOVERNMENTAL REQUIREMENTS OR ANY ENVIRONMENTAL CLAIM, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT CAUSED BY OR WITHIN THE CONTROL OF GRANTOR, BENEFICIARY OR TRUSTEE. THE REPRESENTATIONS, COVENANTS, WARRANTIES, AND INDEMNIFICATION CONTAINED IN THIS ARTICLE IX SHALL SURVIVE THE RELEASE OF THIS DEED OF TRUST.
9.06 BENEFICIARY’S RIGHTS. Beneficiary shall have the right, but not the obligation, prior or subsequent to an Event of Default, without in any way limiting Beneficiary’s other rights and remedies under this Deed of Trust, to enter onto the Property or to take such other actions as it deems necessary or advisable to clean up, remove, resolve,
or minimize the impact of, or otherwise deal with, any Environmental Condition on the Property following receipt of any notice from any person or entity asserting the existence of any Environmental Condition pertaining to the Property or any part thereof which if true, could result in an order, suit, imposition of a lien on the Property, or other action and/or which, in Beneficiary’s sole opinion, could jeopardize Beneficiary’s security under this Deed of Trust. All costs and expenses paid or incurred by Beneficiary in the exercise of any such rights shall be Indebtedness secured by this Deed of Trust and shall be payable by Grantor upon demand.
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9.07 NO WAIVER. Notwithstanding any provision in this Article IX or elsewhere in this Deed of Trust, or any rights or remedies granted by this Deed of Trust, Beneficiary does not waive and expressly reserves all rights and benefits now or hereafter accruing to or available to Beneficiary under the ‘security interest exception’ set forth in 40 C.F.R. § 300.1100. No action taken by Beneficiary pursuant to this Deed of Trust or any other Loan Document shall be deemed or construed to be a waiver or relinquishment of any rights or benefits under the “secured creditor exemption” or “secured party exemption” under CERCLA.
ARTICLE X
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
10.01 RELEASE. Upon payment of all sums and the performance of all obligations secured by this Deed of Trust, Beneficiary shall release this Deed of Trust. Grantor shall pay Beneficiary’s reasonable costs incurred in releasing this Deed of Trust.
10.02 GRANTOR AND LIEN NOT RELEASED. From time to time, Beneficiary may, at Beneficiary’s option, without giving notice to or obtaining the consent of Grantor, Grantor’s successors or assigns or any junior lienholder or Guarantor, without liability on Beneficiary’s part and notwithstanding the existence of an Event of Default, extend the time for payment of the Indebtedness or any part thereof, reduce the payments thereon, release anyone liable on any of the Indebtedness, accept a renewal note or notes therefor, modify the terms and time of payment of the Indebtedness, release from the liens of this Deed of Trust any part of the Property, take or release other or additional security, reconvey any part of the Property, consent to any map or plan of the Property, consent to the granting of any easement, join in any extension or subordination agreement, and agree in writing with Grantor to modify the rate of interest or period of amortization of the Note or change the amount of the installments payable thereunder. Any actions taken by Beneficiary pursuant to the terms of this Section shall not affect the obligation of Grantor or Grantor’s successors or assigns to pay the sums secured by this Deed of Trust and to observe the covenants of Grantor contained herein, shall not affect the guaranty of any person, corporation, partnership, or other entity for payment of the Indebtedness or any part thereof, and shall not affect the liens or priority of liens of this Deed of Trust on the Property. Grantor shall pay Beneficiary a reasonable charge, together with such title insurance premiums and attorneys’ fees as may be incurred at Beneficiary’s option, for any such action if taken at Grantor’s request.
10.03 NOTICE. Except for any notice required under applicable law to be given in another manner, (a) any notice to Grantor provided for in the Deed of Trust or in the Note shall be given by mailing such notice by United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to Grantor at Grantor’s address stated in this Deed of Trust or at such other address as Grantor may designate by notice to Beneficiary as provided herein, and (b) any notice to Beneficiary shall be given by United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to Beneficiary at Beneficiary’s address stated in this Deed of Trust or to such other address as Beneficiary may designate by notice to Grantor as provided herein. Any notice provided for in this Deed of Trust or in the Note shall be deemed to have been given to Grantor or Beneficiary when given in the manner designated herein, but actual notice, however given or received, shall always be effective.
10.04 SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS BOUND. The covenants and agreements herein contained shall bind, and the rights hereunder shall inure to, the respective successors and assigns of Beneficiary and Grantor.
10.05 JOINT AND SEVERAL LIABILITY. All covenants and agreements of Grantor (if more than one) shall be joint and several.
10.06 AGENTS. In exercising any rights hereunder or taking any actions provided for herein, Beneficiary may act through its employees, agents or independent contractors as authorized by Beneficiary.
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10.07 GOVERNING LAW. THIS DEED OF TRUST SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE APPLICABLE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA APPLICABLE TO TRANSACTIONS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
10.08 SEVERABILITY. In the event that any provision of this Deed of Trust or the Note conflicts with applicable law, such conflict shall not affect other provisions of this Deed of Trust or the Note which can be given effect without the conflicting provisions, and to this end the provisions of this Deed of Trust and the Note are declared to be severable.
10.09 USURY DISCLAIMER. The term “Maximum Lawful Rate” means the maximum rate of interest and the term “Maximum Lawful Amount” means the maximum amount of interest that is permissible under applicable state or federal law for the type of loan evidenced by the Note and the other Loan Documents. Beneficiary does not intend to contract for, charge or receive more than the Maximum Lawful Rate or Maximum Lawful Amount permitted by applicable state or federal law, and to prevent such an occurrence Beneficiary and Grantor agree that all amounts of interest, whenever contracted for, charged or received by Beneficiary, with respect to the loan of money evidenced by the Note or with respect to any other amount payable under this Deed of Trust or any of the other Loan Documents (“Interest”), shall be spread, prorated or allocated over the full period of time the Note is unpaid, including the period of any renewal or extension of the Note. If demand for payment of the Note is made by Beneficiary prior to the full stated term, the total amount of interest contracted for, charged or received to the time of such demand shall be spread, prorated or allocated along with any interest thereafter accruing over the full period of time that the Note thereafter remains unpaid for the purpose of determining if such Interest exceeds the Maximum Lawful Amount. At maturity (including maturity due to Beneficiary’s acceleration of the Note) or on earlier final payment of the Note, Beneficiary shall compute the total amount of interest that has been contracted for, charged or received by Beneficiary or payable by Grantor under the Note and compare such amount to the Maximum Lawful Amount that could have been contracted for, charged or received by Beneficiary. If such computation reflects that the total amount of interest that has been contracted for, charged or received by Beneficiary or payable by Grantor exceeds the Maximum Lawful Amount, then Beneficiary shall apply such excess to the reduction of the principal balance and not to the payment of interest; or if such excess interest exceeds the unpaid principal balance, such excess shall be refunded to Grantor. This provision concerning the crediting or refund or excess Interest shall control and take precedence over other agreements between Grantor and Beneficiary so that under no circumstances shall the total interest contracted for, charged or received by Beneficiary exceed the Maximum Lawful Amount.
10.10 PARTIAL INVALIDITY. In the event any portion of the sums intended to be secured by this Deed of Trust cannot be lawfully secured hereby, payments in reduction of such sums shall be applied first to those portions not secured hereby.
10.11 CAPTIONS. The captions and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Deed of Trust are for convenience only and are not to be used to interpret or define the terms and provisions of this Deed of Trust.
10.12 DEFINITIONS. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined in this Deed of Trust shall have the meanings attributed to such terms in the Texas Business & Commerce Code (the “Code”) and the Note, as applicable, provided that in the event there is any inconsistency or conflict between a definition set forth in the Code and the Note, the definition set forth in the Note shall apply. All references to dollar amounts shall mean amounts in lawful money of the United States of America.
10.13 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. GRANTOR AND BENEFICIARY EACH WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING TO ENFORCE OR DEFEND ANY RIGHTS (i) UNDER THIS DEED OF TRUST OR ANY RELATED DOCUMENT OR UNDER ANY AMENDMENT, INSTRUMENT, DOCUMENT OR AGREEMENT WHICH MAY IN THE FUTURE BE DELIVERED IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR ANY RELATED DOCUMENT OR (ii) ARISING FROM ANY BANKING RELATIONSHIP EXISTING IN CONNECTION HEREWITH, AND AGREES THAT ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING WILL BE TRIED BEFORE A COURT AND NOT BEFORE A JURY. GRANTOR AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT ASSERT ANY CLAIM AGAINST BENEFICIARY OR ANY OTHER PERSON INDEMNIFIED UNDER THIS DEED OF TRUST ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY FOR SPECIAL, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES.
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10.14 FACT ACT CERTIFICATION. Grantor hereby acknowledges that Beneficiary may report information about the Indebtedness of Grantor to credit bureaus. Late payments, missed payments or other defaults on the Indebtedness may be reflected in Grantor’s credit report.
10.15 INCORPORATION OF NOTICE OF FINAL AGREEMENT. It is the intention of Grantor, Guarantor and Beneficiary that the following NOTICE OF FINAL AGREEMENT be incorporated by reference into each of the Loan Documents (as the same may be amended, modified or restated from time to time). Grantor, Guarantor and Beneficiary warrant and represent that the entire agreement made and existing by or among Grantor, Guarantor and Beneficiary with respect to the Indebtedness is and shall be contained within the Loan Documents, and that no agreements or promises exist or shall exist by or among, Grantor, Guarantor and Beneficiary that are not reflected in the Loan Documents.
NOTICE OF FINAL AGREEMENT
THIS DEED OF TRUST AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARTIES, AND THE SAME MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES.
NOTICE OF INDEMNIFICATION
GRANTOR HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THIS DEED OF TRUST CONTAINS CERTAIN INDEMNIFICATION PROVISIONS (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THOSE CONTAINED IN SECTIONS 4.09 AND 9.05 HEREOF) WHICH, IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, COULD INCLUDE AN INDEMNIFICATION BY GRANTOR OF BENEFICIARY FROM CLAIMS OR LOSSES ARISING AS A RESULT OF BENEFICIARY’S OWN NEGLIGENCE.
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Deed of Trust – Page 20 Cycle Energy Services, Inc. and The Loev Law Firm, PC |
EXECUTED as of the date of the acknowledgements below, but to be effective as of the Effective Date.
| GRANTOR: | ||
| Cycle Energy Services, Inc. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | Michael McLaren | |
| Title: | CEO | |
STATE OF TEXAS §
COUNTY OF HARRIS §
This instrument was acknowledged before me on May 12, 2023, by Michael McLaren, the CEO of Cycle Energy Services, Inc., a Texas corporation on behalf of such entity.
[SEAL]
Notary Public, State of Texas
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EXHIBIT A
LEGAL DESCRIPTION

EXHIBIT B
PERMITTED ENCUMBRANCES
None.
EXHIBIT C
EXCEPTIONS TO NON-HOMESTEAD CONFIRMATION
None.
Exhibit 10.55
|
Greentree Financial Group, Inc. |
FL Office
1000 S. Pine Island Road, Suite 210 Plantation, Florida 33324 Tel: 954-424-2345 Fax:954-424-2230
NC Office
19720 Jetton Road, 3rd Floor Cornelius, NC 28301 Tel: 704-892-8733 Fax:704-892-6487 |
March 1, 2023
PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
American International Holdings Corp.
4131 N. Central Expressway, Suite 900
Dallas, TX 75204
Attn: Jacob D. Cohen – Director
Dear Mr. Cohen:
This service agreement (“Agreement”) confirms the terms and conditions of the engagement of Greentree Financial Group, Inc. (“Greentree”) by American International Holdings Corp., a Nevada Corporation (the “Company”) to render certain professional services to the Company.
1. Services. Greentree agrees to perform the following services:
| (a) | Assist the Company with compliance filings for the year ended December 31, 2022, and the three quarters ended March 31, 2023, June 30, 2023, and September 30, 2023 (Note: The Company will prepare initial set of Financials for each of the subsidiaries and Greentree will help with the consolidation structure and entries as well as assist with footnotes in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“US GAAP”)). | |
| (b) | Review and advise the Company on the documents and accounting systems relating to its finances and transactions, with the purpose of bringing such documents and systems into compliance with US GAAP or disclosures required by US Securities and Exchange Commission. | |
| (c) | Provide necessary consulting services and support as a liaison for the Company to third- party service providers, including coordination amongst the Company and their related attorneys, CPAs and the transfer agent. | |
| (d) | Preparation of the 2022 US Corporate income tax returns (consolidated) for the Company. |
| Client initials:____ |
| www.gtfinancial.com |
|
Greentree Financial Group, Inc.
|
FL Office
1000 S. Pine Island Road, Suite 210 Plantation, Florida 33324 Tel: 954-424-2345 Fax:954-424-2230
NC Office
19720 Jetton Road, 3rd Floor Cornelius, NC 28301 Tel: 704-892-8733 Fax:704-892-6487 |
2. Fees. The Company agrees to pay Greentree for its services an upfront professional service fee (“Service Fee”) of $120,000, of which $20,000 shall be paid in cash during the Term, payable as follow. Greentree may elect to fund its $100,000 Service Fee through the issuance of a Promissory Note in favor of Greentree upon signing this Agreement (See Exhibit B) (the “Promissory Note”), in which case the $100,000 Service Fee shall be treated as paid in full upon Greentree’s receipt of the Promissory Note and all obligations of the Company to pay the Service Fee shall be considered satisfied.
| (a) | A payment of $10,000 shall be made in cash via wire upon signing this Agreement; | |
| (b) | A payment of $10,000 shall be made in cash via wire on or before March 31, 2023; |
Note:
| i. | Service Fee shall be deemed fully earned upon signing this Agreement. |
| ii. | In addition to any fees that may be payable to Greentree under this Agreement, the Company agrees to reimburse Greentree, upon request made from time to time, for its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with Greentree’s activities under this Agreement, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of its legal counsel. All such fees, expenses and costs will be billed at any time by Greentree and are payable by the Company when invoiced. Upon expiration of the Agreement any unreimbursed fees and expenses will be immediately due and payable. |
3. Term. The term of this Agreement shall commence on signing of this Agreement and end on December 31, 2023 (the “Term”). This Agreement may be renewed upon mutual written agreement of the parties hereto. This agreement may be terminated by the Company prior to its expiration or services being rendered with 45 days prior written notice to Greentree. Any obligation pursuant to this Paragraph 3, and pursuant to Paragraphs 2 (payment of fees), 4 (indemnification), 5 (matters relating to engagement), 7 (governing law); 8 (attorney fees) and 11 (miscellaneous) hereof, shall survive the termination or expiration of this Agreement. As stated in the foregoing sentence, the parties specifically agree that in the event the Company terminates this Agreement prior to expiration of the Term, the full Service Fee shall become immediately due and payable.
| Client initials:____ |
| www.gtfinancial.com |
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Greentree Financial Group, Inc.
|
FL Office
1000 S. Pine Island Road, Suite 210 Plantation, Florida 33324 Tel: 954-424-2345 Fax:954-424-2230
NC Office
19720 Jetton Road, 3rd Floor Cornelius, NC 28301 Tel: 704-892-8733 Fax:704-892-6487 |
4. Indemnification. In addition to the payment of fees and reimbursement of fees and expenses provided for above, the Company agrees to indemnify Greentree and its affiliates with regard to the matters contemplated herein, as set forth in Exhibit A, attached hereto, which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
5. Matters Relating to Engagement. The Company acknowledges that Greentree has been retained solely to provide the services set forth in this Agreement.
In rendering such services, Greentree shall act as an independent contractor, and any duties of Greentree arising out of its engagement hereunder shall be owed solely to the Company. The Company further acknowledges that Greentree may perform certain of the services described herein through one or more of its affiliates.
The Company acknowledges that Greentree is a consulting firm that is engaged in providing consulting services. The Company acknowledges and agrees that in connection with the performance of Greentree’s services hereunder (or any other services) that neither Greentree nor any of its employees will be providing the Company with legal, tax or accounting advice or guidance (and no advice or guidance provided by Greentree or its employees to the Company should be construed as such) and that neither Greentree nor its employees hold itself or themselves out to be advisors as to legal, tax, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. Greentree may retain attorneys and accountants that are for Greentree’s benefit, and Greentree may recommend a particular law firm or accounting firm to be engaged by the Company and may pay the legal expenses or accounting expenses associated with that referral on behalf of the Company, after full disclosure to the Company and the Company’s consent that Greentree make such payment on its behalf. However, Greentree makes no recommendation as to the outcome of such referrals. The Company shall consult with its own legal, tax, accounting and other advisors concerning all matters and advice rendered by Greentree to the Company, and the Company shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the risks, benefits and suitability of the advice and guidance given by Greentree to the Company. Neither Greentree nor its employees shall have any responsibility or liability whatsoever to the Company or its affiliates with respect thereto.
| Client initials:____ |
| www.gtfinancial.com |
|
Greentree Financial Group, Inc.
|
FL Office
1000 S. Pine Island Road, Suite 210 Plantation, Florida 33324 Tel: 954-424-2345 Fax:954-424-2230
NC Office
19720 Jetton Road, 3rd Floor Cornelius, NC 28301 Tel: 704-892-8733 Fax:704-892-6487 |
The Company recognizes and confirms that in performing its duties pursuant to this Agreement, Greentree will be using and relying on data, material, and other information furnished by the Company, a third party provider, or their respective employees and representatives (“the Information”). The Company will cooperate with Greentree and will furnish Greentree with all Information concerning the Company and any financial information or organizational or transactional information which Greentree deems appropriate, and Company will provide Greentree with access to the Company’s officers, directors, employees, independent accountants and legal counsel for the purpose of performing Greentree’s obligations pursuant to this Agreement.
The Company hereby agrees and represents that all Information furnished to Greentree pursuant to this Agreement shall be accurate and complete in all material respects at the time provided, and that, if the Information becomes materially inaccurate, incomplete or misleading during the term of Greentree’s engagement hereunder, the Company shall promptly advise Greentree in writing. Accordingly, Greentree assumes no responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the Information. In rendering its services, Greentree will be using and relying upon the Information without independent verification evaluation thereof.
6. Representations and Warranties by Greentree. Greentree, by its acceptance of the Promissory Note, represents and warrants to Company as follows:
(a) Greentree is acquiring the Promissory Note with the intent to hold as an investment and not with a view of distribution.
(b) Greentree is an “accredited investor” within the definition contained in Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and is acquiring the Promissory Note for its own account, for investment, and not with a view to, or for sale in connection with, the distribution thereof or of any interest therein. Greentree has adequate net worth and means of providing for its current needs and contingencies and is able to sustain a complete loss of the investment in the Promissory Note, and has no need for liquidity in such investment. Greentree, itself or through its officers, employees or agents, has sufficient knowledge and experience in financial and business matters to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment such as an investment in the Promissory Note, and Greentree, either alone or through its officers, employees or agents, has evaluated the merits and risks of the investment in the Promissory Note.
| Client initials:____ |
| www.gtfinancial.com |
|
Greentree Financial Group, Inc.
|
FL Office
1000 S. Pine Island Road, Suite 210 Plantation, Florida 33324 Tel: 954-424-2345 Fax:954-424-2230
NC Office
19720 Jetton Road, 3rd Floor Cornelius, NC 28301 Tel: 704-892-8733 Fax:704-892-6487 |
(c) Greentree acknowledges and agrees that it is acquiring the Promissory Note hereunder based upon its own inspection, examination and determination with respect thereto as to all matters, and without reliance upon any express or implied representations or warranties of any nature, whether in writing, orally or otherwise, made by or on behalf of or imputed to the Company.
(d) Greentree has no contract, arrangement or understanding with any broker, finder, investment bank, financial intermediary or similar agent with respect to any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(e) Greentree understands that in lieu of this Promissory Note, Greentree has the right to receive an up-front cash payment prior to Greentree rendering services to the Company pursuant to the Advisory Agreement. It is further acknowledged and agreed that the value of the Promissory Note, at any given time, could be less than the value of the Service Fee had Greentree elected an up-front payment, and Greentree accepts the investment risk associated therewith.
7. Governing Law and Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to conflict of laws provisions. All disputes arising out of or in connection with this agreement, or in respect of any legal relationship associated with or derived from this agreement, shall only be heard in any competent court residing in Broward County Florida. Company agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any manner provided by law. The Company further waives any objection to venue in any such action or proceeding on the basis of inconvenient forum. The Company agrees that any action on or proceeding brought against the Greentree shall only be brought in such courts.
8. Attorney Fees. In the event Greentree hereof shall refer this Agreement to an attorney to enforce the terms hereof, the Company agrees to pay all the costs and expenses incurred in attempting or effecting the enforcement of the Greentree’s rights, including reasonable attorney’s fees, whether or not suit is instituted.
9. No Brokers. The Company represents and warrants to Greentree that there are no brokers, representatives or other persons which have an interest in compensation due to Greentree from any services contemplated herein.
| Client initials:____ |
| www.gtfinancial.com |
|
Greentree Financial Group, Inc.
|
FL Office
1000 S. Pine Island Road, Suite 210 Plantation, Florida 33324 Tel: 954-424-2345 Fax:954-424-2230
NC Office
19720 Jetton Road, 3rd Floor Cornelius, NC 28301 Tel: 704-892-8733 Fax:704-892-6487 |
10. Authorization. The Company and Greentree represent and warrant that each has all requisite power and authority, and all necessary authorizations, to enter into and carry out the terms and provisions of this Agreement and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement does not breach or conflict with any agreement, document or instrument (including contracts, wills, agreements, records and wire receipts, etc.) to which it is a party or bound.
11. Miscellaneous. This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding and agreement between the Company and Greentree with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior understandings or agreements between the parties with respect thereto, whether oral or written, express or implied. Any amendments or modifications must be executed in writing by both parties. This Agreement and all rights, liabilities and obligations hereunder shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of each party’s successors but may not be assigned without the prior written approval of the other party. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a statute, rule, regulation, decision of a tribunal or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby and, to this extent, the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to be severable. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but such counterparts shall, together, constitute only one instrument. The descriptive headings of the Paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth our agreement by signing below in the space provided and returning this Agreement to Greentree for execution, which shall constitute a binding agreement as of the date first above written.
Thank you. We look forward to a mutually rewarding relationship.
| GREENTREE FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. | AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS CORP. | |||
| By: | By: | |||
| Name: | R. Chris Cottone | Name: | Jacob D. Cohen | |
| Title: | Vice President | Title: | Director | |
| Client initials:____ |
| www.gtfinancial.com |
|
Greentree Financial Group, Inc.
|
FL Office
1000 S. Pine Island Road, Suite 210 Plantation, Florida 33324 Tel: 954-424-2345 Fax:954-424-2230
NC Office
19720 Jetton Road, 3rd Floor Cornelius, NC 28301 Tel: 704-892-8733 Fax:704-892-6487 |
EXHIBIT A: INDEMNIFICATION
The Company agrees to indemnify Greentree, its employees, directors, officers, agents, affiliates, and each person, if any, who controls it within the meaning of either Section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933 (each such person, including Greentree is referred to as “Indemnified Party”) from and against any losses, claims, damages and liabilities, joint or several (including all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by an Indemnified Party in connection with the preparation for or defense of any threatened or pending claim, action or proceeding, whether or not resulting in any liability) (“Damages”), to which such Indemnified Party, in connection with providing its services or arising out of its engagement hereunder, may become subject under any applicable Federal or state law or otherwise, including but not limited to liability or loss (i) caused by or arising out of an untrue statement or an alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact necessary in order to make a statement not misleading in light of the circumstances under which it was made, (ii) caused by or arising out of any act or failure to act, or (iii) arising out of Greentree’s engagement or the rendering by any Indemnified Party of its services under this Agreement; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable to the Indemnified Party hereunder to the extent that any Damages are found in a final non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Indemnified Party seeking indemnification hereunder.
These indemnification provisions shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have to any Indemnified Party.
If for any reason, other than a final non-appealable judgment finding an Indemnified Party liable for Damages for its gross negligence or willful misconduct the foregoing indemnity is unavailable to an Indemnified Party or insufficient to hold an Indemnified Party harmless, then the Company shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Party as a result of such Damages in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits received by the Company and its shareholders on the one hand and the Indemnified Party on the other, but also the relative fault of the Company and the Indemnified Party as well as any relevant equitable considerations.
| Client initials:____ |
| www.gtfinancial.com |
|
Greentree Financial Group, Inc.
|
FL Office
1000 S. Pine Island Road, Suite 210 Plantation, Florida 33324 Tel: 954-424-2345 Fax:954-424-2230
NC Office
19720 Jetton Road, 3rd Floor Cornelius, NC 28301 Tel: 704-892-8733 Fax:704-892-6487 |
Promptly after receipt by the Indemnified Party of notice of any claim or of the commencement of any action in respect of which indemnity may be sought, the Indemnified Party will notify the Company in writing of the receipt or commencement thereof and the Company shall have the right to assume the defense of such claim or action (including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the payment of fees and expenses of such counsel), provided that the Indemnified Party shall have the right to control its defense if, in the opinion of its counsel, the Indemnified Party’s defense is unique or separate to it as the case may be, as opposed to a defense pertaining to the Company. In any event, the Indemnified Party shall have the right to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Company, at the Company’s sole expense, to represent it in any claim or action in respect of which indemnity may be sought and agrees to cooperate with the Company and the Company’s counsel in the defense of such claim or action. In the event that the Company does not promptly assume the defense of a claim or action, the Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ counsel to defend such claim or action. Any obligation pursuant to this Annex shall survive the termination or expiration of the Agreement
*******
AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS CORP.
| By: | ||
| Name: | Jacob D. Cohen | |
| Title: | Director |
AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED
DATE: MARCH 1, 2023
| Client initials:____ |
| www.gtfinancial.com |
Exhibit 10.56
Exhibit B
THESE SECURITIES AND THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THEY CONVERT HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS AND COMPANY RESTRICTIONS.
CONVERTIBLE PROMISSORY NOTE
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS CORP., a Nevada corporation, its successors and assigns (the “Company”) promises to pay to the order of Greentree Financial Group, Inc., a Florida corporation (“Holder”), in immediately available funds, the aggregate principal amount set forth below (the “Principal Amount”), plus all accrued interest thereon, in accordance with the terms of this Convertible Promissory Note (“Note”).
| EFFECTIVE DATE: | March 1, 2023 | |
| PRINCIPAL AMOUNT: | $100,000 | |
| MATURITY DATE: | March 1, 2024 |
| 1. | INCORPORATION. This Note is being issued pursuant to the terms of that certain Financial Advisory Agreement, dated as of March 1, 2023 by and between the Company and the Holder (the “Advisory Agreement”). If not otherwise defined herein, all capitalized terms herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Advisory Agreement. Further, all of the terms, representations, warranties, agreements, covenants and conditions set forth in the Advisory Agreement are incorporated herein by reference. To the extent that there is a conflict between any condition, term or provision of this Note and the Advisory Agreement, the conditions, terms, and provisions set forth herein shall specifically supersede the conflicting conditions, provisions and/or terms in the Advisory Agreement. |
| 2. | PAYMENT. All outstanding principal shall be due one year from the Effective Date (“Maturity Date”). If at the Maturity Date all or a portion of the Note has not been converted into common stock of the Company, the Company shall have three (3) days after the Maturity Date to deliver payment of the balance of the Note to the Holder. Payment shall be made at Holder’s address at 1000 S. Pine Island Road, Suite 210, Plantation, FL 33324, or as otherwise directed by Holder. |
| 3. | INTEREST. Interest shall accrue on the unpaid principal balance of this Note at the annual rate of twelve percent (12%) until the entire Principal Amount is paid in full. Interest shall not be compounded and shall be computed on the basis of a three hundred sixty (360) day year comprised of twelve (12) months of thirty (30) days each, with any calculation based upon a partial month of less than thirty (30) days based on actual days lapsed. The Company will make interest payments quarterly, with the first interest payment due three (3) months from the Effective Date hereof and on each 3 months from such date until all interest and outstanding principal is paid in full. |
| Initial:_____ |
| 1 of 7 |
| 4. | PREPAYMENT. The Company may, at its option, at any time and from time to time, prepay all or any part of the principal balance of this Note before the Maturity Date, with a penalty or premium equal to 20% of the sum of any outstanding Principal and any interest accrued as of the prepayment date; provided, that it shall provide Holder with fifteen (15) days’ advanced written notice of its intent to prepay this Note. Holder shall have the option to elect to convert this Note per the terms of this Note and the Advisory Agreement at any time prior to the Company’s prepayment. Any partial prepayments would be applied to accrued interest balance first. |
| 5. | REORGANIZATION. In case of any consolidation or merger of the Company with or into any other corporation, entity or person, or any other corporate reorganization, in which the Company shall not be the continuing or surviving entity of such consolidation, merger or reorganization (any such transaction being hereinafter referred to as a “Reorganization”), then, in each case, the Holder of this Note, on conversion hereof at any time after the consummation or effective date of such Reorganization (the “Reorganization Date”), shall receive, in lieu of the shares of stock or other securities at any time issuable upon the conversion of this Note issuable on such conversion prior to the Reorganization Date, the stock and other securities and property (including cash) to which such Holder would have been entitled upon the Reorganization Date if such Holder had converted this Note immediately prior thereto. The Company shall ensure that the surviving entity in any Reorganization specifically assumes the Company’s obligations under this Note and the Advisory Agreement. |
| 6. | CONVERSION. |
| a) | Upon written notice (“Conversion Notice”), at any time or from time to time, six (6) months after the Closing, the Holder at its sole option, may convert the outstanding Principal Amount of this Note, or any portion of the Principal Amount hereof, and any accrued interest, in whole or in part, into shares of the common stock of the Company (the “Common Stock”). Any amount so converted will be converted into common stock of the Company at a conversion price equal to $0.01 per share or 50% of the lowest trading prices on the primary trading market on which the Company’s Common Stock is quoted for the last twenty (20) trading days immediately prior to but not including the Conversion Date, whichever is lower (the “Conversion Price”). Notwithstanding any other provision of this Note, the Holder may not convert this Note if such conversion would cause Holder’s beneficial ownership (as defined by Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) of the Company to exceed 4.9% of its total issued and outstanding common or voting shares. Upon not less than sixty-one (61) days advance written notice, at any time or from time to time, the Holder at its sole discretion, may waive this 4.9% conversion limit. However, the Holder agrees not to convert this Note if such conversion would cause Holder’s beneficial ownership (as defined by Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) of the Company to exceed 9.9% of its total issued and outstanding common or voting shares. Any common shares converted under this Note need to be delivered to the Holder within three (3) business days of the receipt of Conversion Notice. |
| 7. | CONVERSION COST. The Company agrees to reimburse the Holder’s certificate processing cost by adding $1,500 to the Principal for each note conversion effected by Holder. |
| Initial:_____ |
| 2 of 7 |
| 8. | COMMON SHARE ISSUANCE. Upon receipt by the Company of a written request from Holder to convert any amount due under any Note, subject to any limitations on conversion contained in any Note, the Company shall have three (3) business days (“Delivery Date”) to request issuance of the shares of Common Stock rightfully listed in such request. If the Company fails to timely deliver the shares through willful failure or deliberate hindrance, the Company shall pay to Holder in immediately available funds $1,000.00 per day past the Delivery Date that the shares are actually issued. Any amounts due under this Section shall be paid by the fifth (5th) day of the month following the month in which they accrued or, at the option of Holder, may be added to the principal under any Note. The Company agrees that the right to convert the Notes is a valuable right to Holder and a material consideration of it entering this Agreement. The parties agree that it would be impracticable and extremely difficult to ascertain the amount of actual damages caused by a failure of the Company to timely deliver shares as required hereby. Therefore, the parties agree that the foregoing liquidated damages provision represents reasonable compensation for the loss which would be incurred by the Holder due to any such breach. The parties agree that this Section is not intended to in any way limit Holder’s right to pursue other remedies, including actual damages and/or equitable relief. |
| 9. | ADJUSTMENTS. |
| a) | In case the Company shall at any time prior to the conversion of the Note, or the maturity of the Note, whichever first occurs, effect a recapitalization or reclassification of such character that its Common Stock shall be changed into or become exchangeable for a larger number of shares, then, then the Conversion Price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect any such event. There shall be no adjustment to the Conversion Price of the Promissory Note in the event of a reverse stock split or other reduction in the Company’s shares. |
| b) | If at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any Common Stock, options to purchase Common Stock, securities convertible into Common Stock or rights relating to Common Stock (the “Purchase Rights”) to any person, entity, association, or other organization other than the Holder, at a price per share less than the Conversion Price, then the Conversion Price hereof shall be proportionately reduced to match the price per share of the Purchase Rights. For purposes of clarification, if the Company sells Common Stock at $0.005 per share at any time after the date hereof, and if $0.005 is lower than 50% of the lowest trading prices on the primary trading market on which the Company’s Common Stock is quoted for the last twenty (20) trading days immediately prior to but not including the Conversion Date, then the Conversion Price of Holder’s Converted Shares would be adjusted to $0.005. |
| 10. | DEFAULT. The occurrence of any one of the following events shall constitute an Event of Default: |
| a) | The non-payment, when due or upon demand, of any principal or interest pursuant to this Note; |
| b) | The material breach of any representation or warranty in the Advisory Agreement; |
| c) | The breach of any material covenant or undertaking herein or therein the Advisory Agreement; |
| Initial:_____ |
| 3 of 7 |
| d) | The commencement by the Company of any voluntary proceeding under any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency, readjustment of debt, receivership, dissolution, or liquidation law or statute of any jurisdiction, whether now or hereafter in effect; or the adjudication of the Company as insolvent or bankrupt by a decree of a court of competent jurisdiction; or the petition or application by the Company for, acquiescence in, or consent by the Company to, the appointment of any receiver or trustee for the Company or for all or a substantial part of the property of the Company; or the assignment by the Company for the benefit of creditors; or the written admission of the Company of its inability to pay its debts as they mature; |
| e) | The commencement against the Company of any proceeding relating to the Company under any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency, adjustment of debt, receivership, dissolution or liquidation law or statute of any jurisdiction, whether now or hereafter in effect, provided, however, that the commencement of such a proceeding shall not constitute an Event of Default unless the Company consents to the same or admits in writing the material allegations of same, or said proceeding shall remain undismissed for 20 days; or the issuance of any order, judgment or decree for the appointment of a receiver or trustee for the Company or for all or a substantial part of the property of the Company, which order, judgment or decree remains undismissed for 20 days; or a warrant of attachment, execution, or similar process shall be issued against any substantial part of the property of the Company; |
| f) | The Company liquidates, transfers, sells or assigns substantially all of its assets or elects to wind down its operations or dissolve; |
| g) | The Company fails to maintain irrevocable TA instruction or file with the Company’s transfer agent; |
| h) | Company fails to maintain DTC or DWAC eligibility; |
| i) | The Company fails to deliver the Holder the shares of Common Stock rightfully listed in the Conversion Notice within three (3) business days provide however that if the Company gives timely instructions to issues to its transfer agent, this shall not apply; |
| j) | The Company defaults on any other debt or warrant agreement exceeding a value of $50,000; |
| k) | The Company breaches any other agreement it has with Holder or his assigns; |
| l) | The Company interferes with Holder’s or its assigns’ efforts to remove the restrictive legend from the Common Stock issued as a result of conversion of the Note when Holder or his assign has provided an attorney opinion letter opining that the shares are eligible to have the legend removed pursuant to Rule 144 or otherwise. |
| Initial:_____ |
| 4 of 7 |
There will be no cure period available for the Event of Default as defined in Section 10(d) and 10(e); Upon the occurrence of any Event of Default, and provided such Event of Default as defined in Section 10(a) through 10(c), and 10(f) through 10(l), has not been cured by the Company within five (5) business days after the occurrence of such Event of Default (except a payment default of any interest, principal and/or other amount when due, of which no cure period is available), the Holder, may, by written notice to the Company, declare all or any portion of the unpaid Principal Amount due to Holder, together with all accrued interest thereon, immediately due and payable (without advanced notice as may otherwise by required hereunder); provided that upon the occurrence of an Event of Default as set forth in paragraph (d) or paragraph (e) hereof, all or any portion of the unpaid Principal Amount due to Holder, together with all accrued interest thereon, shall immediately become due and payable without any such notice. Holder shall also have all other remedies available under law and equity. There shall be a default charge equal to 20% of the sum of any unpaid principal plus any interest accrued as of the default date.
In the event that Holder at its sole discretion elects to allow the Company to continue with repayment of the principal and interest on this Note after an Event of Default, the interest rate on the unpaid principal of this Note will change to 20% or the highest interest rate currently allowable under Nevada law for loans of this amount (the “Default Interest Rate”). In the event of any changes under Nevada law relating to the increases or decreases of allowable interest rates, this Note will be changed to the highest amount allowable under Nevada law without notification or further ratification. As of the date of Default or any Event of Default, assuming the Holder allows reinstatement or continuation of this Note, the Default Interest Rate shall become the new rate of interest on this Note.
Any payments that the Holder allows under this section shall be made through a wire transfer of funds or Certified Check.
Upon the occurrence of any Event of Default, the Holder at any time, at its sole discretion, may elect to immediately (without prior notice) convert the outstanding Principal Amount of this Note, or any portion of the Principal Amount hereof, and any accrued interest, in whole or in part, into shares of the Common Stock, according to the terms of this Note.
| 11. | NOTICE. Any and all notices, demands, advance requests or other communications required or desired to be given hereunder by any party shall be in writing and shall be validly given or made to another party if (i) personally served, (ii) sent by email on the date such email is sent (provided confirmation of such email being sent is provided upon request) (iii) deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or (iv) by facsimile with confirmation receipt. Notice hereunder is to be given as follows: |
If to the Company:
4131 N. Central Expressway, Suite 900
Dallas, TX 75204
Attn: Jacob D. Cohen
If to the Holder:
Greentree Financial Group, Inc.
1000 S. Pine Island Road, Suite 210
Plantation, Florida 33324
Attn: R. Chris Cottone
| Initial:_____ |
| 5 of 7 |
| 12. | REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES BY HOLDER. Holder, by its acceptance of this Note, represents and warrants to Company as follows: |
(a) Holder is acquiring the Security with the intent to hold as an investment and not with a view of distribution.
(b) Holder is an “accredited investor” within the definition contained in Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and is acquiring the Security for its own account, for investment, and not with a view to, or for sale in connection with, the distribution thereof or of any interest therein. Holder has adequate net worth and means of providing for its current needs and contingencies and is able to sustain a complete loss of the investment in the Security, and has no need for liquidity in such investment. Holder, itself or through its officers, employees or agents, has sufficient knowledge and experience in financial and business matters to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment such as an investment in the Securities, and Holder, either alone or through its officers, employees or agents, has evaluated the merits and risks of the investment in the Security.
(c) Holder acknowledges and agrees that it is purchasing the Security hereunder based upon its own inspection, examination and determination with respect thereto as to all matters, and without reliance upon any express or implied representations or warranties of any nature, whether in writing, orally or otherwise, made by or on behalf of or imputed to the Company.
(d) Holder has no contract, arrangement or understanding with any broker, finder, investment bank, financial intermediary or similar agent with respect to any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(e) Holder understands that in lieu of this Note, Holder has the right to receive an up-front cash payment prior to Holder rendering services to the Company pursuant to the Advisory Agreement. By acceptance of this Note, Holder agrees that it will loan the Company its services fee and close out the Company’s account receivable with the Holder and hold only such interests in the Company as granted by this Note and the other securities into which it may be converted. It is further acknowledged and agreed that the value of this Note, or the securities into which it may be converted, at any given time, could be less than the value of the service fee had Holder elected an up-front payment, and Holder accepts the investment risk associated therewith.
| 13. | SUCCESSION AND ASSIGNABILITY. This Note shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns. The Holder may assign any of his or its rights, interests, or obligations hereunder on his or its own discretion without further approval from the Company. |
| 14. | GOVERNING LAW AND CONSENT TO JURISDICTION. This Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Nevada, without regard to conflict of law provisions. All disputes arising out of or in connection with this Note, or in respect of any legal relationship associated with or derived from this Note, shall only be heard in any competent court residing in Clark County, Nevada. The Company agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any manner provided by law. The Company further waives any objection to venue in any such action or proceeding on the basis of inconvenient forum. The Company agrees that any action on or proceeding brought against the Holder shall only be brought in such courts. |
| Initial:_____ |
| 6 of 7 |
| 15. | ATTORNEYS FEES. In the event the Holder hereof shall refer this Note to an attorney to enforce the terms hereof, the Company agrees to pay all the costs and expenses incurred in attempting or effecting the enforcement of the Holder’s rights, including reasonable attorney’s fees, whether or not suit is instituted. |
| 16. | CONFORMITY WITHLAW. It is the intention of the Company and of the Holder to conform strictly to applicable usury and similar laws. Accordingly, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Note, it is agreed that the aggregate of all charges which constitute interest under applicable usury and similar laws that are contracted for, chargeable or receivable under or in respect of this Note, shall under no circumstances exceed the maximum amount of interest permitted by such laws, and any excess, whether occasioned by acceleration or maturity of this Note or otherwise, shall be canceled automatically, and if theretofore paid, shall be either refunded to the Company or credited on the Principal Amount of this Note. |
| 17. | SEVERABILITY. If any portion of this Note is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable, such portion shall be deemed severed from this Note, and the remaining part shall remain in full force and effect as if no such invalid or unenforceable provisions had been a part of this Note. |
| 18. | WAIVER. Holder shall not be deemed to have waived any rights under this Note unless such waiver is given in a dated writing signed by Holder. No delay or omission on the part of Holder in exercising any right pursuant to this Note shall operate as a waiver of such right or any other right. A waiver by Holder of any provision of this Note or of any rights against any individual, entity or collateral shall not prejudice or constitute a waiver of strict compliance of any other provision of this Note by any other individual or entity. No prior waiver by Holder or course of dealing between Holder and any individual or entity collectively constituting the Company shall constitute a waiver of any rights of Holder or of any obligations pursuant to this Note. |
| 19. | This Note and the Advisory Agreement constitute the entire agreement between the parties relating to the subject matter hereof, and may not be altered or amended except by written agreement signed by the parties. |
In witness whereof, the below parties signed and sealed this Note as of above date written.
| AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS CORP. | ||
| (“COMPANY”) | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | Jacob D. Cohen | |
| Title: | Director | |
| GREENTREE FINANCIAL GROUP INC. | ||
| (“HOLDER”) | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | R. Chris Cottone | |
| Title: | Vice President | |
| Initial:_____ |
| 7 of 7 |
Exhibit 21.1
Subsidiaries
| Name | State of Formation | Type of Entity | Percent Owned | |||
| VISSIA McKinney, LLC (f/k/a Novopelle Diamond, LLC) | Texas | Limited Liability Company | 100% | |||
| VISSIA Waterway, Inc. (f/k/a Novopelle Waterway, Inc.) | Texas | Corporation | 100% | |||
| Capitol City Solutions USA, Inc. | Texas | Corporation | 100% | |||
| Legend Nutrition, Inc. | Texas | Corporation | 100% | |||
| Novopelle Tyler, Inc. | Texas | Corporation | 100% | |||
| Cycle Energy Corp. | Texas | Corporation | 100% |
Exhibit 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statements of American International Holdings Corp. (the “Company”) on Form S-8 (File No. 333-236882), of our report dated June 9, 2023, with respect our audits of the consolidated financial statements of the Company as of December 31, 2022, and for the year ended December 31, 2022, which report is included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2022.
| /s/ Turner, Stone & Company, L.L.P. | |
| Turner, Stone & Company, L.L.P. | |
| Dallas, Texas |
Exhibit 23.2
We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statements of American International Holdings Corp. (the “Company”) on Form S-8 (File No. 333-236882), of our of our report dated March 29, 2022, with respect our audits of the consolidated financial statements of the Company as of December 31, 2021, and for the year ended December 31, 2021, which report is included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2022.
| /s/ M&K CPAS, PLLC | |
| www.mkacpas.com | |
| Houston, Texas | |
June 9, 2023 |
Exhibit 31.1
CERTIFICATIONS
I, Michael McLaren, certify that:
1. I have reviewed this annual report of American International Holdings Corp. on Form 10-K;
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. I am responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:
(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
(b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
(c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
(d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5. I have disclosed, based on my most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
(a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
(b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.
Date: June 9, 2023
| /s/ Michael McLaren | |
| Michael McLaren | |
| Chief Executive Officer | |
| (Principal Accounting/Financial Officer) |
Exhibit 31.2
CERTIFICATIONS
I, James Pendergast, certify that:
1. I have reviewed this annual report of American International Holdings Corp. on Form 10-K;
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. I am responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:
(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
(b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
(c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
(d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5. I have disclosed, based on my most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
(a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
(b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.
Date: June 9, 2023
| /s/ James Pendergast | |
| James Pendergast | |
| Chief Financial Officer | |
| (Principal Accounting/Financial Officer) |
Exhibit 32.1
CERTIFICATION OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER
PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
I, Michael McLaren, certify pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that the Annual Report on Form 10-K of American International Holdings Corp. for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and that information contained in such Annual Report on Form 10-K fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of American International Holdings Corp. at the dates and for the periods indicated.
Date: June 9, 2023
| By: | /s/ Michael McLaren | |
| Name: | Michael McLaren | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) |
Exhibit 32.2
CERTIFICATIONS OF PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL OFFICER
PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
I, James Pendergast, certify pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that the Annual Report on Form 10-K of American International Holdings Corp. for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and that information contained in such Annual Report on Form 10-K fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of American International Holdings Corp. at the dates and for the periods indicated.
Date: June 9, 2023
| By: | /s/ James Pendergast | |
| Name: | James Pendergast | |
| Title: | Chief Financial Officer (Principal Accounting/Financial Officer) |