As
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November
18
,
2016
File
No. 333-213579
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
AMENDMENT
NO. 1 to
FORM
S-1
REGISTRATION
STATEMENT UNDER
THE
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC.
(Exact name of
registrant as specified in its charter)
New
York
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4950
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13-3832215
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(State or other
jurisdiction of
incorporation)
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(Primary Standard
Industrial
Classification Code
Number)
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(I.R.S.
Employer
Identification
No.)
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12540
Broadwell Road, Suite 2104
Milton,
GA 30004
Tel:
(404) 539-1147
(Address and
telephone number of registrant’s principal
executive offices
and principal place of business)
Jeffrey
Cosman
12540
Broadwell Road, Suite 2104
Milton,
GA 30004
Tel:
(404) 539-1147
(Name, address and
telephone number of agent for service)
With copies
to:
Joseph
M. Lucosky, Esq.
Scott
E. Linsky, Esq.
Lawrence
Metelitsa, Esq.
Lucosky
Brookman LLP
101
Wood Avenue South, 5th Floor
Woodbridge,
NJ 08830
Tel.
No.: (732) 395-4400
Fax
No.: (732) 395-4401
|
Anthony
J. Marsico, Esq.
Greenberg
Traurig, LLP
200
Park Avenue
New
York, NY 10166
Tel.
No.: (212) 801-9200
Fax
No.: (212) 801-6400
|
Approximate date of
commencement of proposed sale to the public:
As soon as practicable after this Registration
Statement becomes effective.
If any of the
securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a
delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the
Securities Act of 1933, check the following box.
⌧
If this Form is
filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to
Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, please check the
following box and list the Securities Act registration statement
number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same
offering. ◻
If this Form is a
post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the
Securities Act of 1933, check the following box and list the
Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering.
◻
If this Form is a
post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the
Securities Act of 1933, check the following box and list the
Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering.
◻
Indicate by check
mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting
company. See the definitions of large accelerated filer,”
accelerated filer,” and smaller reporting company” in
Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated
filer
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◻
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Non-accelerated
filer
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◻
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Accelerated
filer
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◻
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Smaller reporting
company
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⌧
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CALCULATION
OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title
of Each Class of Securities to be Registered
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Proposed
Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price
(1)
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Amount
of
Registration
Fee
(1)
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Common Stock,
$0.025 par value
(2)(3)
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$
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35,000,000
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$
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3,524.50
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Common Stock
Purchase Warrants
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(4)
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Shares of Common
Stock, $0.025 par value, underlying Common Stock Purchase
Warrants
(2)(5)
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$
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43,750,000
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$
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4,405.63
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Total
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$
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78,750,000
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$
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7,930.13
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(6)
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(1)
Estimated solely
for the purpose of computing the amount of the registration fee
pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the “Securities Act”).
(2)
Pursuant to Rule
416, under the Securities Act the securities being registered
hereunder include such indeterminate number of additional shares of
common stock as may be issued after the date hereof as a result of
stock splits, stock dividends or similar
transactions.
(3)
Includes shares the
underwriters have the option to purchase to cover over-allotments,
if any.
(4)
Estimated solely
for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to
Rule 457(i) under the Securities Act.
(5)
There will be
issued a warrant to purchase one share of common stock for every
one share offered. The warrants are exercisable at a per share
price equal to 125% of the common stock public offering
price.
(6)
Fees in the
amount of $8,150.41 were previously
paid.
The
registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date
or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the
registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states
that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective
in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act or until the
registration statement shall become effective on such date as the
Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may
determine.
The
information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may
be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration
statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
(“SEC”) is effective. This preliminary prospectus is
not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an
offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer
or sale is not permitted.
Shares
of Common Stock
Warrants
to Purchase up
to
Shares of Common Stock
Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc.
We are
offering shares of
our common stock, $0.025 par value per share, and warrants to
purchase up to an aggregate
of
shares of our common stock at a public offering price of $
per share and
$ per warrant.
The shares of our common stock
and warrants are immediately separable and will be issued
separately, but will be purchased together in this offering.
The warrants are exercisable immediately, have an exercise price of
$ per share (
% of the public offering price of the common stock) and expire five
years from the date of issuance.
In
order to obtain NASDAQ listing approval we effected a 1 for 20
reverse split of our common stock on November 3, 2016.
Our common stock is quoted on OTC Markets Group
Inc.’s OTCQB quotation system under the trading symbol
“MRDN”
.
We
have applied
to have our common stock and warrants listed on
The
Nasdaq Capital
Market
under the symbols
“MRDN” and “MRDNW,” respectively. No
assurance can be given that our application will be approved.
On 2016,
the last reported sale price for our common stock on the OTCQB was
$ per
share
after giving pro forma effect to the 1 for
20 reverse stock split of our common stock
.
There is no established public trading market for
the warrants. No assurance can be given that a trading market will
develop for the warrants.
Investing
in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk
Factors” beginning on page
13
of
this prospectus for a discussion of information that should be
considered in connection with an investment in our
securities.
Neither
the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities
commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or
determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any
representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
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$
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$
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$
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Underwriting
discounts and commissions
(1)
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$
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$
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$
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Proceeds to us,
before expenses
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$
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$
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$
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(1)
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Does not include a
non-accountable expense allowance equal to 1% of the gross proceeds
of this offering payable to Joseph Gunnar & Co., LLC, the
representative of the underwriters. See “Underwriting”
for a description of compensation payable to the
underwriters.
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We have granted the
underwriters an option for a period of 45 days from the date of
this prospectus to purchase up to
additional shares of our common stock at a price of
$ per
share and/or additional warrants to purchase up to
shares of our common stock at a price of
$ per
warrant to cover over-allotments.
The underwriters
expect to deliver our shares and warrants to purchasers in the
offering against payment on or
about ,
2016.
Joseph
Gunnar & Co.
The date of this prospectus
is
, 2016
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
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PAGE
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Prospectus
Summary
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1
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Risk
Factors
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13
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Special Note
Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
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27
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Use of
Proceeds
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28
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Market for Common
Equity and Related Stockholder Matters
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29
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Management
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations
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32
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Description of
Business
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45
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Directors,
Executive Officers, Promoters and Control Persons
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55
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Executive
Compensation
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59
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Security Ownership
of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management
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63
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Description of
Capital Stock
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66
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Legal
Matters
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77
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Experts
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77
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Incorporation by
Reference
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77
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Where You Can Find
More Information
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77
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Disclosure of
Commission Position on Indemnification of Securities Act
Liabilities
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Index to Financial
Statements
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II-3
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You
should rely only on information contained in this prospectus. We
have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to
provide you with additional information or information different
from that contained in this prospectus. We are not making an offer
of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction where the
offer is not permitted. The information in this prospectus may only
be accurate as of the date on the front cover of this prospectus
regardless of time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of
our securities.
No person is authorized in connection with this
prospectus to give any information or to make any representations
about us, the common stock hereby or any matter discussed in this
prospectus, other than the information and representations
contained in this prospectus. If any other information or
representation is given or made, such information or representation
may not be relied upon as having been authorized by us or the
underwriters. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell,
or a solicitation of an offer to buy our common stock in any
circumstance under which the offer or solicitation is unlawful.
Neither the delivery of this prospectus nor any distribution of our
common stock and warrants in accordance with this
prospectus shall, under any circumstances, imply that there has
been no change in our affairs since the date of this
prospectus.
PROSPECTUS
SUMMARY
This summary highlights selected information
appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. Because this is only a
summary, it does not contain all of the information you should
consider before investing in our securities. You should read this
prospectus carefully, especially the risks and other information
set forth under the heading “Risk Factors”;
“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations” and our financial
statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus,
before making an investment decision. Our fiscal year end is
December 31 and our fiscal years ended December 31, 2014 and 2015
and our fiscal year ending December 31, 2016 are sometimes referred
to herein as fiscal years 2014, 2015 and 2016, respectively. Some
of the statements made in this prospectus discuss future events and
developments, including our future strategy and our ability to
generate revenue, income and cash flow. These forward-looking
statements involve risks and uncertainties which could cause actual
results to differ materially from those contemplated in these
forward-looking statements. See “Cautionary Note Regarding
Forward-Looking Statements”. Unless otherwise indicated or
the context requires otherwise, the words
“Meridian
Waste Solutions, Inc.,” “Company,”
“we,” “us” and “our” refer to
Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. and its wholly owned
subsidiaries.
This prospectus assumes the over-allotment option of the
underwriters has not been exercised, unless otherwise
indicated.
Unless otherwise indicated, all share amounts and per share amounts
in this prospectus reflect the 1 for 20 reverse stock split of our
outstanding shares of common stock effected on November 3,
2016.
Overview
Meridian Waste
Solutions, Inc. (formerly Brooklyn Cheesecake & Desserts
Company, Inc. hereafter referred to as the “Company” or
“Meridian”) is an integrated provider of non-hazardous
solid waste collection, transfer and disposal services. We
currently have all of our operations in Missouri but are actively
looking to expand our presence across the Midwest, South and East
regions of the United States.
Corporate
Structure:
Customers
Meridian has two
municipal contracts, the first of which accounted for 26% and
27% and the second of which accounted for 18% and 19% of the
long term contracted revenue of Here to Serve Missouri Waste
Division, LLC (“HTS Waste”) for the years ended
December 31, 2015 and 2014 respectively.
Collection Services
Meridian, through
its subsidiaries, provides solid waste collection services to
approximately 65,000 industrial, commercial and residential
customers in the Metropolitan St. Louis, Missouri
area. In 2015, its collection revenue consisted of
approximately 17% from services provided to industrial customers,
13% from services provided to commercial customers and 70% from
services provided to residential customers.
In our commercial
collection operations, we supply our customers with waste
containers of various types and sizes. These containers
are designed so that they can be lifted mechanically and emptied
into a collection truck to be transported to a disposal
facility. By using these containers, we can service most
of our commercial customers with trucks operated by a single
employee. Commercial collection services are generally
performed under service agreements with a duration of one to five
years with possible renewal options. Fees are generally
determined by such considerations as individual market factors,
collection frequency, the type and volume or weight of the waste to
be collected, the distance to the disposal facility and the cost of
disposal.
Residential solid
waste collection services often are performed under contracts with
municipalities, which we generally secure by competitive bid and
which give us exclusive rights to service all or a portion of the
homes in these municipalities. These contracts usually
range in duration from one to five years with possible renewal
options. Generally, the renewal options are automatic
upon the mutual agreement of the municipality and the provider;
however, some agreements provide for mandatory re-bidding.
Alternatively, residential solid waste collection services may be
performed on a subscription basis, in which individual households
or homeowners or similar associations contract directly with
us. In either case, the fees received for residential
collection are based primarily on market factors, frequency and
type of service, the distance to the disposal facility and the cost
of disposal.
Additionally, we
rent waste containers and provide collection services to
construction, demolition and industrial sites. We load
the containers onto our vehicles and transport them with the waste
to either a landfill or a transfer station for
disposal. We refer to this as “roll-off”
collection. Roll-off collection services are generally
performed on a contractual basis. Contract terms tend to
be shorter in length and may vary according to the customers’
underlying projects.
Transfer and Disposal Services
Landfills are the
main depository for solid waste within our
marketplace. Solid waste landfills are built, operated,
and tied to a state permit under stringent federal, state and local
regulations. Currently, solid waste landfills in the
United States must be designed, permitted, operated, closed and
maintained after closure in compliance with federal, state and
local regulations pursuant to Subtitle D of the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, as amended. We do
not operate hazardous waste landfills, which may be subject to even
greater regulations. Operating a solid waste landfill
includes excavating, constructing liners, continually spreading and
compacting waste and covering waste with earth or other inert
material as required, final capping, closure and post-closure
monitoring. The objectives of these operations are to
maintain sanitary conditions, to ensure the best possible use of
the airspace and to prepare the site so that it can ultimately be
used for other end use purposes.
Access to a
disposal facility is a necessity for all solid waste management
companies. While access to disposal facilities owned or
operated by third parties can be obtained, we believe that it is
preferable to internalize the waste streams when
possible. Meridian is targeting further geographic, as
well as operational expansion by focusing on markets with transfer
stations and landfills available for acquisition.
Our transfer
stations allow us to consolidate waste for subsequent transfer in
larger loads, thereby making disposal in our otherwise remote
landfills economically feasible. A transfer station is a
facility located near residential and commercial collection routes
where collection trucks take the solid waste that has been
collected. The waste is unloaded from the collection
trucks and reloaded onto larger transfer trucks for transportation
to a landfill for final disposal. Transfer stations are
generally owned by municipalities, with contracts to operate such
transfer stations awarded based on bids. As an
alternative to operating a transfer station directly, we could
negotiate the use of a transfer station owned by a private party or
operated by a competitor, which may not be as profitable
as operating our own transfer station. In addition to
increasing our ability to internalize the waste that our collection
operations collect, using transfer stations reduces the costs
associated with transporting waste to final disposal sites because
the trucks we use for transfer have a larger capacity than
collection trucks, thus allowing more waste to be transported to
the disposal facility on each trip.
Our
Operating Strengths
We have a proven
and experienced senior management team. Our Chief
Executive Officer, Jeffrey S. Cosman, and President and COO
Walter H. Hall combine over 35 years of experience in the solid
waste industry, including significant experience in
local and regional operations, local
and regional accounting,
mergers & acquisitions,
integration and the development of disposal capacity. Members of
our team have held senior positions at Republic Services, Advanced
Disposal, Southland Waste Services and Browning Ferris
Industries. Our team has experience in the
implementation of strategic
marketplace plans, sales, safety, acquisitions, and coordination of
assets and personnel.
While our senior leadership
team creates and drives our overall growth strategy, we rely on a
decentralized management structure which does not interfere with
local management and may afford us the opportunity to capitalize on
growth and cost reduction at the local level.
Vertically Integrated Operations
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The vertical
integration of our operations allows us to manage the waste stream
from the point of collection through disposal, which we hope will
enable us to maximize profit by controlling costs and gaining
competitive advantages, while still providing high-quality service
to our customers. In the St. Louis market, because we have
integrated our network of collection, transfer and disposal assets,
primarily using our own resources, we generate a steady,
predictable stream of waste volume and capture an incremental
disposal margin. We charge tipping fees to third-party collection
service providers for the use of our transfer stations or
landfills, providing a source of recurring revenue. We believe this
internalization rate provides us with a significant cost advantage
over our competitors, positioning us well to win additional
profitable business through new customer acquisition and municipal
contract awards. We also believe this vertically integrated
structure enables us to quickly and efficiently integrate future
acquisitions of transfer stations, collection operations or
landfills into our current operations.
Landfill and Transfer Station Assets
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We have one active
and strategically located landfill at the core of our integrated
operations which we believe provides us a significant competitive
advantage in Missouri, in that we do not need to use our
competitors’ landfills. Our landfill has substantial
remaining airspace.
The value of our
landfill may be further enhanced by synergies associated with our
vertically integrated operations, including our transfer stations,
which enable us to cover a greater geographic area surrounding the
landfill, and provide competitive advantages in that we would not
need to use our competitors’ landfills. In our experience,
there has generally been shift toward fewer, larger landfills,
resulting in landfills that are generally located farther from
population centers, with waste being transported longer distances
between collection and disposal, typically after consolidation at a
transfer station. With a landfill, transfer stations and collection
services in place, we aim to provide vertically integrated
operations that cover the substantial geographic area surrounding
the landfill.
Acquisition Integration and Municipal Contracts
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Our business model
contemplates our ability to execute and integrate value-enhancing,
tuck-in acquisitions and win new municipal contracts as a core
component of our growth. In the last six months since our
acquisition of Christian Disposal, LLC and assets of Eagle
Ridge Landfill, LLC, we have completed two tuck-in
acquisitions which we believe may improve our margins and cash
flow.
As a management
team, we have experience executing large-scale transactions by
direct association with our historical success at Republic
Services, Advanced Disposal and Browning Ferris
Industries. In addition to significantly expanding
our scale of operations, the acquisitions of Christian Disposal,
LLC and Eagle Ridge Landfill, LLC enhanced our geographic footprint
by providing us with complementary operations throughout the state
of Missouri. This has helped us realize cost efficiencies through
improved internalization by virtue of increased route concentration
and more efficient utilization of our assets.
Finally, our
management team has demonstrated success in municipal contract
bidding, as we currently serve approximately 30 municipalities and
townships via contracts, historical arrangements or subscriptions
with residents.
Long-Term Contracts
We serve
approximately 65,000 residential, commercial and Construction &
Industrial (C&I) customers, with no single customer
representing more than 12% of revenue in 2015. Our municipal
customer relationships are generally supported by contracts ranging
from one to five years in initial duration with subsequent renewal
periods, and we have a regular renewal rate with such customers.
Our standard C&I service agreement is a five-year renewable
agreement. We believe our customer relationships, long-term
contracts and exceptional retention rate provide us with a high
degree of stability as we continue to grow.
We maintain a
central focus on customer service and we pride ourselves on trying
to consistently exceed our customers' expectations. We
believe investing in our customer satisfaction will ultimately
maximize customer loyalty price stability.
Commitment to Safety
The safety of our
employees and customers is extremely important to us and we have a
strong track record of safety and environmental compliance. We
regularly review and assess our policies practices and procedures
in order to create a safer work environment for our employees and
to reduce the frequency of workplace injuries.
Growth of Existing Markets
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We believe that as
the residential population and number of businesses grow in our
existing market, we will see waste volumes increase organically. We
seek to remain active and alert with respect to the changing
landscapes in the communities in which we already provide service
in order obtain long-term contracts for collecting solid waste for
residential collection, collection from municipalities, as well as
collection from small and large commercial and industrial
contracts. Obtaining long-term contracts may enable us to grow
our revenue base at the same rate as the underlying economic growth
in these markets. Furthermore, securing long-term contracts
provides a significant barrier to entry from competitors in these
markets.
Expanding into New Markets
Our operating model
focuses on vertically integrated operations. We continue
to pursue a growth strategy that includes acquiring solid waste
companies that complement our existing business. Our goal is to
create market-specific, vertically integrated operations consisting
of one or more collection operations, transfer stations and
landfills.
As we expand, we
plan to focus our business in the secondary markets where
competition from national service providers is limited. We plan to
start new market development projects in certain disposal-neutral
markets in which we will provide services under exclusive
arrangements with municipal customers, which facilitates
highly-efficient and profitable collection operations. We believe
this strategic focus positions us to maintain significant share
within our target markets, maximize customer retention and benefit
from a higher and more stable pricing environment.
Acquisition and
Integration
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Our revenue model
is based on organic growth of operations, the acquisition of
established operations in new markets as well as being able execute
value-adding, tuck-in acquisitions. We hope to direct
acquisition efforts towards those markets in which we would be able
to provide vertically integrated collection and disposal services
and/or provide waste collection services, pursuant to
contracts that grant exclusivity. Prior to acquisition,
we analyze each prospective target for cost savings through the
elimination of inefficiencies and excesses that are typically
associated with private companies competing in fragmented
industries. We aim to realize synergies from
consolidating businesses into our existing operations, which we
hope will allow us to reduce capital and expense requirements
associated with truck routing, personnel, fleet maintenance,
inventories and back-office administration.
Pursue Additional Exclusive Municipal Contracts
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We intend to devote
significant resources to securing additional municipal contracts.
Our management team is well versed in bidding for municipal
contracts with over 35 years of experience and working knowledge in
the solid waste industry and local service areas in existing and
target markets. We hope to procure and negotiate additional
exclusive municipal contracts, allowing us to maintain stable
recurring revenue but also providing a significant barrier to entry
to our competitors in those markets.
Invest in Strategic Infrastructure
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We will continue to
invest in our infrastructure to support growth and increase our
margins. We will invest resources toward its development and
enhancement in order to increase our disposal capacity. Similarly,
we will continue to evaluate opportunities to maximize the
efficiency of our collection operations.
Risks Related to Our Business
●
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WE ARE SUBJECT TO ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH AND SAFETY LAWS, WHICH
RESTRICT OUR OPERATIONS AND INCREASE OUR COSTS;
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●
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WE MAY BECOME SUBJECT TO ENVIRONMENTAL CLEAN-UP COSTS OR LITIGATION
THAT COULD CURTAIL OUR BUSINESS OPERATIONS AND MATERIALLY DECREASE
OUR EARNINGS;
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●
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OUR BUSINESS IS CAPITAL INTENSIVE, REQUIRING ONGOING CASH OUTLAYS
THAT MAY STRAIN OR CONSUME OUR AVAILABLE CAPITAL AND FORCE US TO
SELL ASSETS, INCUR DEBT, OR SELL EQUITY ON UNFAVORABLE
TERMS;
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●
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THE COMPANY’S FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE OBLIGATIONS SET
FORTH IN THE AGREEMENTS ENTERED INTO WITH GOLDMAN SACHS SPECIALTY
LENDING GROUP, L.P. MAY RESULT IN THE FORECLOSURE OF THE
COMPANY’S OR ITS SUBSIDIARIES’ PLEDGED ASSETS AND OTHER
ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES;
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●
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GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITIES MAY ENACT CLIMATE CHANGE REGULATIONS THAT
COULD INCREASE OUR COSTS TO OPERATE;
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●
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OUR OPERATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH AND SAFETY LAWS
AND REGULATIONS, AS WELL AS CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS THAT MAY RESULT
IN SIGNIFICANT LIABILITIES;
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●
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OUR BUSINESS IS SUBJECT TO OPERATIONAL AND SAFETY RISKS, INCLUDING
THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY TO EMPLOYEES AND OTHERS;
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●
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INCREASES IN THE COSTS OF FUEL MAY REDUCE OUR OPERATING
MARGINS;
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●
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INCREASES IN THE COSTS OF DISPOSAL MAY REDUCE OUR OPERATING
MARGINS;
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●
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INCREASES IN THE COSTS OF LABOR MAY REDUCE OUR OPERATING
MARGINS;
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●
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WE MAY LOSE CONTRACTS THROUGH COMPETITIVE BIDDING, EARLY
TERMINATION OR GOVERNMENTAL ACTION, OR WE MAY HAVE TO SUBSTANTIALLY
LOWER PRICES IN ORDER TO RETAIN CERTAIN CONTRACTS, ANY OF WHICH
WOULD CAUSE OUR REVENUE TO DECLINE;
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●
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EFFORTS BY LABOR UNIONS TO ORGANIZE OUR EMPLOYEES COULD DIVERT
MANAGEMENT ATTENTION AND INCREASE OUR OPERATING
EXPENSES;
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●
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POOR DECISIONS BY OUR REGIONAL AND LOCAL MANAGERS COULD RESULT IN
THE LOSS OF CUSTOMERS OR AN INCREASE IN COSTS, OR ADVERSELY AFFECT
OUR ABILITY TO OBTAIN FUTURE BUSINESS;
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●
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WE ARE DEPENDENT ON OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM AND DEVELOPMENT AND
OPERATIONS PERSONNEL, AND THE LOSS OF ONE OR MORE KEY EMPLOYEES OR
GROUPS COULD HARM OUR BUSINESS AND PREVENT US FROM IMPLEMENTING OUR
BUSINESS PLAN IN A TIMELY MANNER;
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●
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THE CONCENTRATION OF OUR STOCK OWNERSHIP IN OUR MANAGEMENT AND
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER MIGHT RESULT IN ACTIONS THAT WOULD BE
CONSIDERED ADVERSE BY OUR OTHER STOCKHOLDERS;
|
●
|
OUR BUSINESS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGING REGULATIONS REGARDING CORPORATE
GOVERNANCE AND PUBLIC DISCLOSURE THAT HAVE INCREASED BOTH OUR COSTS
AND THE RISK OF NON-COMPLIANCE; AND
|
●
|
WE NEED ADDITIONAL CAPITAL TO DEVELOP OUR BUSINESS.
We are subject to a
number of additional risks which you should be aware of before you
buy our securities in this Offering. These risks are discussed more
fully in the section entitled “Risk Factors” following
this prospectus summary.
|
RECENT
DEVELOPMENTS
2016 Bridge Financings
First 2016 Private Placement
In March 2016, the
Company launched a private placement offering (the “First
2016 Private Placement”) of the Company’s common stock,
par value $0.025 (the “Common Stock”) of up to
$1,600,000, with certain accredited investors in transactions
exempt from registration with the SEC under Regulation D and
Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. On March 23, 2016, the
Company completed its first closing of the First 2016 Private
Placement with accredited investors (the “March 2016
Investors”) and issued an aggregate of 22,321
shares of Common Stock for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company
of $500,000. On April 1, 2016, the Company completed its second
closing of the First 2016 Private Placement with accredited
investors (together, the “April 2016 Investors”) and
issued an aggregate of 31,250 shares of Common Stock
for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $700,000. On April
8, 2016, the Company completed its third closing of the First 2016
Private Placement with an accredited investor (together with the
March 2016 Investors and the April 2016 Investors, the “First
2016 Private Placement Investors”) and issued an aggregate of
17,857 shares of Common Stock for aggregate gross
proceeds to the Company of $400,000, resulting in a full
subscription under the First 2016 Private Placement. Under the
terms of the First 2016 Private Placement, the Company granted the
First 2016 Private Placement Investors certain “true
up” rights, pursuant to which the Company agreed to issue
additional shares of Common Stock to the First 2016 Private
Placement Investors in the event that, prior to the
first anniversary of the applicable subscription agreement under
the First 2016 Private Placement, such First 2016 Private Placement
Investor sells all of its shares of Common Stock purchased under
such subscription agreement and receives less than the full amount
of the purchase price paid under such subscription agreement (the
“True Up Adjustment”). The Company
has subsequently entered into securities exchange agreements with
all of the First 2016 Private Placement Investors as described
below.
Second 2016 Private Placement
In June 2016, the
Company launched a private placement offering (the “Second
2016 Private Placement”) of up to $3,000,000 of the
Company’s restricted Common Stock and warrants to purchase
shares of Common Stock, with certain accredited investors in
transactions exempt from registration with the SEC under Regulation
D and Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. On June 3, 2016, the
Company completed its first closing of the Second 2016 Private
Placement with accredited investors (the “June 2016
Investors”) and issued an aggregate of
16,346
shares of Common Stock and
warrants for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $425,000.
Effective June 13, 2016, the Company amended the terms of the
Second 2016 Private Placement to reduce the per share
subscription price under the Second 2016 Private Placement, and
entered into amended subscription agreements with the June 2016
Investors to reflect such reduced purchase price, resulting in an
issuance to the June 2016 Investors of an additional
2,627
aggregate shares of
Common Stock, together with replacement warrants. On June 13, 2016,
the Company completed its second closing of the Second 2016 Private
Placement with accredited investors (the “Additional June
2016 Investors”) and issued an aggregate of
5,580
shares of
Common Stock and warrants for aggregate gross proceeds to the
Company of $125,000. On June 21, 2016, the Company completed its
third closing of the Second 2016 Private Placement with an
accredited investor (together with the June 2016 Investors and the
Additional June 2016 Investors, the “Second 2016 Private
Placement Investors”) and issued an aggregate of
2,232
shares of Common Stock
and warrants for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of
$50,000. The warrants issued by the Company to the Second 2016
Private Placement Investors provided that, in the event that, for
the period beginning six months from the date of the applicable
subscription agreement under the Second 2016 Private Placement, if
one or more such Second 2016 Private Placement Investors were
to sell all shares of Common Stock purchased in the Second 2016
Private Placement and fail to receive proceeds equal to or in
excess of the aggregate purchase price paid by such Second 2016
Private Placement Investors for such shares, such subscribers could
exercise the warrants issued under the Second 2016 Private
Placement, requiring the Company, at its election, to (i) issue to
such subscriber the number of shares of Common Stock equivalent to
the amount by which such purchase price exceeds such sale proceeds
valued at the average closing price for the Common Stock on the
primary trading market on the three (3) trading days preceding the
date of exercise or (ii) redeem such shortfall amount in cash (the
“Warrant Adjustment”).The Company has
subsequently entered into securities exchange agreements with all
of the Second 2016 Private Placement Investors as described
below.
Series C Offering
In July 2016, the
Company launched a private placement offering (the “Series C
Offering”) of up to $4,000,000 of its newly designated Series
C Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Series C
Preferred Stock”) to certain accredited investors in
transactions exempt from registration with the SEC under Regulation
D and Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. Pursuant to the terms
of its Series C Preferred Stock Certificate of Designations (the
“Series C Designations”), the Company has authorized
for issuance 67,361 shares of Series C Preferred Stock, having a
stated value of equal to $100 per share and a par value of $0.001
per share and providing for dividends at a rate of 8% per annum.
Shares of the Series C Preferred Stock are convertible into shares
of Common Stock at a price of $
12.94
per share (reflecting adjustment to the price of
$
22.40 per share,
pursuant to the reverse stock split effected
November 3, 2016)
. In the event of a Qualified
Offering, as defined in the Series C Designations, the shares of
Series C Preferred Stock will be automatically converted at the
lower of $
12.94
per share (reflecting adjustment to the price of
$
22.40 per share,
pursuant
to the reverse stock split effected November 3, 2016)
or the per share price that reflects a 20% discount to the price of
the Common Stock pursuant to such Qualified Offering. A "Qualified
Offering" is defined as an underwritten offering by the Company
pursuant to which (1) the Company receives aggregate gross proceeds
of at least $20,000,000 in consideration of the purchase of shares
of Common Stock or (2) (a) the Company receives aggregate gross
proceeds of at least $15,000,000 in consideration of the purchase
of shares of Common Stock and (b) the Common Stock becomes listed
on The Nasdaq Capital Market, the New York Stock Exchange, or the
NYSE MKT. The Series C Designations provide for certain
additional shortfall conversions, pursuant to which holders of
Series C Preferred Stock may, subject to certain conditions, be
issued additional shares of Common Stock by the Company. The Series
C Preferred Stock has voting rights on an “as
converted” to Common Stock basis. In no event shall a holder
of Series C Preferred Stock be entitled to make conversions that
would result in beneficial ownership by such holder and its
affiliates of more than 4.99% of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock of the Company; provided, that the foregoing shall not apply
to any person exercising rights pursuant to the Amended and
Restated Warrant or any affiliate or transferee thereof and
provided further that such restrictions may be waived by the holder
upon not less than 61 days’ notice to the Company.
From July 20, 2016
through August 26, 2016, the Company completed closings of the
Series C Offering with certain accredited investors and issued an
aggregate of 12,750 shares of Series C Preferred Stock for
aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $1,275,000.
All holders
of the Company's Series C Preferred Stock have entered into lock-up
agreements restricting their ability to sell or
dispose of any shares of common stock issued upon conversion of the
Series C Preferred Stock for a period of 90 days from the effective
date of this offering.
Securities Exchange Agreements
Effective August
26, 2016, the Company entered into securities exchange agreements
with all of the First 2016 Private Placement Investors and all of
the Second 2016 Private Placement Investors (together, the
“2016 Private Placement Investors”), pursuant to which
the 2016 Private Placement Investors agreed to exchange the shares
of Common Stock and warrants, as applicable, received in the
First 2016 Private Placement or the Second 2016 Private Placement,
as applicable, and all of the rights attached thereto (including,
in the case of the First 2016 Private Placement, the True Up
Adjustment and, in the case of the Second 2016 Private Placement,
the Warrant Adjustment), on a dollar for dollar basis, for an
aggregate of 23,000 shares of Series C Preferred Stock (the
“Series C Exchange”). Following the Series C
Exchange, the 2016 Private Placement Investors no longer hold any
rights under the First 2016 Private Placement or the Second 2016
Private Placement, as applicable, and all Common Stock and
warrants, as applicable, issued thereunder have
been cancelled. The Company did not receive any cash proceeds
from the Series C Exchange.
Effective
October 13, 2016, the Company entered into those certain securities
exchange agreements (the “
Series
B Exchange Agreements
”) by and between the
Company and each holder of the Company’s Series B Preferred
Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “
Series
B Preferred
”), (collectively, the
“
Series
B Holders
” and each, individually, a
“
Series
B Holder
”) to effect the exchange
of all shares of Series B Preferred for shares of Common
Stock.
Pursuant to the
Series B Exchange Agreements, the Company issued to the Series B
Holders an aggregate of 500,001 shares of Common Stock, with each
Series B Holder being issued 166,667 shares of Common Stock,
subject to and in accordance with the terms set forth in the Series
B Exchange Agreements in consideration for the cancellation of all
shares of Series B Preferred owned by the Series B Holders. Upon
cancellation of the Series B Preferred pursuant to the Series B
Exchange Agreements, there are no shares of Series B Preferred
issued and outstanding.
The former Series B
Holders have entered into lock-up agreements restricting their
ability to sell or dispose of any shares of common stock issued
pursuant to the Series B Exchange Agreements for a period of 90
days from the effective date of this
offering.
Second Amendment to Credit and Guaranty Agreement with Goldman
Sachs Specialty Lending Group, L.P
Effective July 19,
2016, the Company, its subsidiaries party thereto, the lenders from
time to time party thereto and Goldman Sachs Specialty Lending
Group, L.P. (“GS”), as administrative agent for the
lenders (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”),
collateral agent, and lead arranger entered into that certain
Second Amendment to Credit and Guaranty Agreement (the
“Second Amendment”) to amend certain terms and
conditions of that certain Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as
of December 22, 2015 (as amended, restated, supplemented or
otherwise modified from time to time, the "Credit
Agreement") by and among the Company, its subsidiaries party
thereto, the lenders from time to time party thereto (the
“Lenders”) and GS, as administrative agent, collateral
agent and lead arranger (in such capacity, the
"Administrative Agent"). Under the Second Amendment, the
Lenders and Administrative Agent provided their
consent to the Company to create and issue the Series C Preferred
Stock in accordance with the Series C Offering and the Series C
Designations in an aggregate amount not to exceed $6,300,000. The
Second Amendment also provided for, among other things, a limited
waiver by the Lenders of certain events of
default due to failures of the Company and its
affiliates to deliver certain financial statements and related
deliverables and to comply with certain financial covenants under
the Credit Agreement.
In connection with
the Second Amendment, effective July 19, 2016, the Company issued
that certain Amended and Restated Purchase Warrant for Common
Shares to GS (the “Amended and Restated Warrant”),
revised to reflect the authorization of the Series C Preferred
Stock and to address issuance of shares thereof, for the purchase
of shares of the Company’s common stock equivalent to a 6.5%
Percentage Interest (as such term is defined in the Amended and
Restated Warrant) at a purchase price equal to $449,563,
exercisable on or before December 22, 2023. The shares issuable
under the Amended and Restated Warrant may be “put” to
the Company for purchase upon the occurrence of certain events,
including payment of 75% or more of the obligations under the
Credit Agreement. The Amended and Restated Warrant grants certain
registration rights, including piggyback registration rights and
demand registration under Form S-3 (for and so long as the Company
is qualified). The Company
intends to
enter
into a Warrant Cancellation and Stock Issuance
Agreement with GS
on the terms
described below.
Waiver and Amendment Letter regarding Credit and Guaranty Agreement
with Goldman Sachs Specialty Lending Group,
L.P.
Effective August 16, 2016,
the Company, its
subsidiaries party thereto, the Lenders party thereto, and the
Administrative Agent entered into that certain Waiver and Amendment
Letter
(the “
Third
Amendment
”) to amend
certain terms and conditions of the Credit
Agreement.
Pursuant to the Third Amendment, Section
2.13(c)(iv) and Section 6.8(e) of the Credit Agreement were amended
to increase the maximum Consolidated Corporate Overhead and a
limited waiver by the Lenders of certain Defaults or Events of
Default due to the Company’s failure to meet requirements
relating to Consolidated Corporate Overhead was
granted.
Fourth Amendment to Credit and Guaranty Agreement with Goldman
Sachs Specialty Lending Group, L.P.
Effective November 11, 2016,
the Company,
its subsidiaries party thereto, the Lenders party thereto, and the
Administrative Agent entered into that certain Fourth Amendment to
Credit and Guaranty Agreement
(the
“
Fourth
Amendment
”) to amend
certain terms and conditions of the Credit
Agreement.
Pursuant to the Fourth Amendment, (i) Section
2.13(c)(iv), Section 6.8(d), Section 6.8(e) and the definitions of
“Availability”, “Consolidated Corporate
Overhead”, and “Leverage Ratio” were amended and
(ii) a limited waiver was provided of certain Defaults or Events of
Default due to the Company’s failure to meet requirements
relating to the Leverage Ratio, the Consolidated Corporate Overhead
and Consolidated Growth Capital
Expenditures.
Warrant Cancellation and Stock Issuance
Agreement
The Company
intends
to enter
into a Warrant Cancellation and Stock Issuance
Agreement (the “Warrant Cancellation Agreement”),with
Goldman Sachs Co. Pursuant to the Warrant Cancellation Agreement,
upon the closing of a “Qualified Offering” as defined
in the Warrant Cancellation Agreement, the Amended and Restated
Warrant
would
be
cancelled and the Company
would
issue
to Goldman, Sachs & Co. restricted shares of Common Stock in
the amount equal to a 6.5% ownership interest in the Company
calculated on a fully-diluted basis, which
would
include
the shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to this
Offering, but
would
exclude
all warrants issued pursuant to this Offering
and all shares underlying such warrants, pursuant to the terms and
conditions of the Warrant Cancellation Agreement. Pursuant to the
Warrant Cancellation Agreement, Goldman, Sachs & Co.
would
enter
into a lock-up agreement, prohibiting the offer for sale, issue,
sale, contract for sale, pledge or other disposition of any of our
common stock or securities convertible into common stock for a
period of 180 days after the date of this prospectus, and no
registration statement for any of our common stock owned by
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
could
be
filed during such lock-up period. In connection with the Warrant
Cancellation Agreement, the Company and Goldman, Sachs & Co.
intend to enter into a Registration Rights Agreement, pursuant to
which Goldman, Sachs & Co. will be granted certain registration
rights with respect to the shares to be issued pursuant to the
Warrant Cancellation Agreement, with such registration rights
intended to be substantially similar to those provided in the
Amended and Restated Warrant, provided that such registration
rights will not be exercisable and will not permit the filing of
any registration statement during the lock-up period to which
Goldman, Sachs & Co. is subject. In the event the public
offering of which this Prospectus is a part does not close prior to
December 31, 2016 or does not result in proceeds to the Company
sufficient to satisfy the definition of Qualified Offering, the
Warrant Cancellation Agreement
would
not
become effective and the Amended and Restated Warrant
would
remain
in full force and effect.
History and Our Corporate Information
The Company was
incorporated in the State of New York on November 12, 1993, under
the name CIP, Inc. On February 1, 1995, the Company filed a
Certificate of Amendment to its Certificate of Incorporation
changing its name to Desserts and Cafes, Inc. On August
17, 1996, the Company filed a Certificate of Amendment to its
Certificate of Incorporation changing its name to William Greenberg
Jr. Desserts and Cafes, Inc. On July 28, 1997, the Company filed a
Certificate of Amendment to its Certificate of Incorporation
changing its name to Creative Bakeries, Inc. On February 18, 2005,
the Company filed a Certificate of Amendment to its Certificate of
Incorporation changing its name to Brooklyn Cheesecake &
Desserts Company, Inc. On March 27, 2015, the Company filed a
Certificate of Amendment to its Certificate of Incorporation
changing its name to Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Our principal
executive office is located at 12540 Broadwell Road, Suite 2104
Milton, GA 30004, and our telephone number is (404) 539-1147. Our
Internet address is
www.mwsinc.com
.
Our web site and the information contained in, or accessible
through, our website will not be deemed to be incorporated by
reference into this prospectus and does not constitute part of this
prospectus.
The Company’s
common stock is currently quoted on the OTCQB under the symbol
“MRDN.” The Company’s common stock was
quoted on the OTC Markets effective February 23, 2005 under
the symbol “BCAK.” Effective March 22, 2006, the
Company changed its symbol to “BCKE.” Effective April
15, 2015, the Company changed its symbol to
“MRDN.”
THE
OFFERING
|
|
Common
stock offered by us
|
________shares
(excluding ________shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of
the warrants being offered in this offering). This prospectus also
relates to the offer and sale of the shares of common stock
underlying the warrants being offered by us.
|
Warrants offered by
us
|
Warrants to
purchase up to an aggregate of ______ shares of our common stock at
an exercise price of $__ per [whole] share [___% of the public
offering price of the common stock]. The warrants will be
exercisable immediately upon issuance and will expire on the
five-year anniversary of the date of issuance. See ["Description of
our Securities—Warrants."]
|
Offering
Price
|
$__ per share
of common stock; $__ per warrant
|
Common
stock outstanding immediately before this offering
|
1,698,569
shares
|
Common
stock to be outstanding immediately after the offering
|
_____ shares
(___ shares if the warrants are exercised in full). If the
underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full, the
total number of shares outstanding immediately after this offering
would be _____ (___ shares if the warrants are exercised in
full).
|
Option
to purchase additional shares
|
We have granted the
underwriters a 45 day option to purchase up to
_____ additional shares of our common stock at a public
offering price of $___ per share and/or warrants to purchase up
to _______ shares of our common stock at a public offering
price of $ per warrant to cover
over-allotments, if any.
|
Use
of proceeds
|
We intend to use
the net proceeds of this offering for capital expenditures, tuck-in
acquisitions, repayment of indebtedness, and working capital. See
“Use of Proceeds.”
|
Risk
factors
|
Investing in our
securities is highly speculative and involves a high degree of
risk. You should carefully consider the information set forth in
the “Risk Factors” section beginning on page 13
before deciding to invest in our securities.
|
Trading
Symbol
|
Our common stock is
currently quoted on the OTCQB under the trading symbol
“MRDN”. We
have
applied
to the
The Nasdaq Capital Market
to
list our common stock under the symbol “MRDN” and our
warrants under the symbol “MRDNW.”
No assurance can be given that our
applications will be approved. In order to obtain listing approval
we effected a 1 for 20 reverse split of our common stock on
November 3, 2016.
|
Lock-up
|
We and our
directors, officers and principal stockholders have agreed with the
underwriters not to offer for sale, issue, sell, contract to sell,
pledge or otherwise dispose of any of our common stock or
securities convertible into common stock for a period of 180 days
after the date of this prospectus, in the case of our directors and
officers, and 90 days after the date of this prospectus, in the
case of our principal stockholders. See “Underwriting”
section on page 68.
|
Unless we indicate
otherwise, all information in this prospectus:
●
|
|
reflects a
1-for-20 reverse stock split of our issued and
outstanding shares of common stock and warrants effected on
November 3, 2016 and the corresponding adjustment of all
common stock prices per share and warrant exercise prices per
share;
|
●
|
|
is
based on 1,698,569 shares of common stock issued and
outstanding as of November 11, 2016;
|
●
|
|
assumes
no exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase up to
an
additional shares
of common stock and/or warrants to purchase up
to additional
shares of common stock to cover over-allotments;
|
●
|
|
excludes
104,314 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise
of outstanding warrants with a weighted average exercise price of
$4.31 per share as of September 30, 2016;
and
|
●
|
|
assumes
the conversion of all outstanding Series C Preferred Stock in the
aggregate principal amount of approximately $3,575,000 for
276,275 shares of common stock at the consummation of
this offering.
|
SUMMARY
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION
The following summary consolidated statements of operations data
for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 have been derived
from our audited consolidated financial statements included
elsewhere in this prospectus. The historical financial data
presented below is not necessarily indicative of our financial
results in future periods. You should read the summary consolidated
financial data in conjunction with those financial statements and
the accompanying notes and “Management’s Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”
Our consolidated financial statements are prepared and presented in
accordance with United States generally accepted accounting
principles, or U.S. GAAP. Our pro forma consolidated financial
statements have been prepared on a basis consistent with our
audited financial statements and include all adjustments,
consisting of normal and recurring adjustments that we consider
necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position and
results of operations as of and for such
periods.
SUMMARY
OPERATING DATA
|
Nine
Months Ended September 30,
2016
(unaudited)
|
Nine
Months Ended September 30,
2015
(unaudited)
|
December 31,
2015
(audited)
|
December 31,
2014
(audited)
|
Total
Revenues
|
$
23,883,663
|
$
9,733,330
|
$
13,506,097
|
$
12,202,076
|
Cost of
Sales
|
$
16,751,439
|
$
7,165,735
|
10,135,604
|
9,059,607
|
Gross
Profit
|
$
7,132,224
|
$
2,567,595
|
3,370,493
|
3,142,469
|
General
and administrative expenses
|
$
5,130,079
|
$
2,539,620
|
17,640,895
|
4,868,540
|
Other income
(expense) net
|
$
(1,751,101
)
|
$
(414,005
)
|
(3,586,991
)
|
(130,457
)
|
Interest income
(expense)
|
$
(3,603,807
)
|
$
(865,934
)
|
(1,374,497
)
|
(532,147
)
|
Net (Loss)
Income
|
$
(14,308,049
)
|
$
(11,309,967
)
|
(19,231,890
)
|
(2,385,679
)
|
Basic & Diluted
Net income (loss) per share:
|
$
(11.91
)
|
$
(19.05
)
|
$
(26,58
)
|
$
(4.79
)
|
Weighted Average
shares outstanding
|
$
1,201,394
|
$
593,638
|
723,429
|
498,171
|
The following table
presents consolidated balance sheets data as of December 31, 2015
on:
|
●
|
a pro forma basis,
giving effect to the sale by us
of shares
of common stock
and warrants
in this offering at an assumed public offering price of
$ per share after
deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated
offering expenses
|
The pro forma as
adjusted information set forth below is illustrative only and will
be adjusted based on the actual public offering price and other
terms of this offering determined at pricing.
|
|
As of September 30, 2016
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Consolidated
Balance Sheet Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash
equivalents
|
|
$
|
1,247,756
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
Working capital
(deficit)
|
|
|
(4,783,161
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
Total
assets
|
|
|
50,221,906
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
52,903,052
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
stockholders’ equity (deficit)
|
|
|
5,326,094
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1)
|
A $1.00 increase or
decrease in the assumed public offering price per share would
increase or decrease our cash and cash equivalents, working
capital, total assets and total stockholders’ equity by
approximately $ ,
assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the
cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting
the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses payable
by us.
|
RISK
FACTORS
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk.
Before deciding whether to invest in our securities, you should
consider carefully the risks described below. You should carefully
consider the risks described herein and the other information in
this prospectus before you decide to invest in our securities. Such
risks and uncertainties are not the only ones we face. Additional
risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we
currently deem immaterial may also affect us. If any of those risks
were to occur, our financial condition, operating results and
prospects, and the market price of our securities would likely
decline and you could lose all or part of your
investment.
Risks
Related to Our Business and Industry
RISKS
RELATED TO OUR COMPANY AND OUR INDUSTRY
WE ARE SUBJECT TO ENVIRONMENTAL AND SAFETY LAWS, WHICH RESTRICT OUR
OPERATIONS AND INCREASE OUR COSTS.
We are subject to
extensive federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to
environmental protection and occupational safety and
health. These include, among other things, laws and
regulations governing the use, treatment, storage and disposal of
wastes and materials, air quality, water quality and the
remediation of contamination associated with the release of
hazardous substances. Our compliance with existing
regulatory requirements is costly, and continued changes in these
regulations could increase our compliance costs. Government laws
and regulations often require us to enhance or replace our
equipment. We are required to obtain and maintain permits that are
subject to strict regulatory requirements and are difficult and
costly to obtain and maintain. We may be unable to
implement price increases sufficient to offset the cost of
complying with these laws and regulations. In addition,
regulatory changes could accelerate or increase expenditures for
closure and post-closure monitoring at solid waste facilities and
obligate us to spend sums over the amounts that we have accrued. In
order to develop, expand or operate a landfill or other waste
management facility, we must have various facility permits and
other governmental approvals, including those relating to zoning,
environmental protection and land use. The permits and approvals
are often difficult, time consuming and costly to obtain and could
contain conditions that limit our operations.
WE MAY BECOME SUBJECT TO ENVIRONMENTAL CLEAN-UP COSTS OR LITIGATION
THAT COULD CURTAIL OUR BUSINESS OPERATIONS AND MATERIALLY DECREASE
OUR EARNINGS.
The Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as
amended, or CERCLA, and analogous state laws provide for the
remediation of contaminated facilities and impose strict joint and
several liability for remediation costs on current and former
owners or operators of a facility at which there has been a release
or a threatened release of a hazardous substance. This
liability is also imposed on persons who arrange for the disposal
of and who transport such substances to the
facility. Hundreds of substances are defined as
hazardous under CERCLA and their presence, even in small amounts,
can result in substantial liability. The expense of
conducting a cleanup can be significant. Notwithstanding
our efforts to comply with applicable regulations and to avoid
transporting and receiving hazardous substances, we may have
liability because these substances may be present in waste
collected by us. The actual costs for these liabilities
could be significantly greater than the amounts that we might be
required to accrue on our financial statements from time to
time.
In addition to the
costs of complying with environmental regulations, we may incur
costs to defend against litigation brought by government agencies
and private parties. As a result, we may be required to
pay fines or our permits and licenses may be modified or
revoked. We may in the future be a defendant in lawsuits
brought by governmental agencies and private parties who assert
claims alleging environmental damage, personal injury, property
damage and/or violations of permits and licenses by
us. A significant judgment against us, the loss of a
significant permit or license or the imposition of a significant
fine could curtail our business operations and may decrease our
earnings.
OUR BUSINESS IS CAPITAL INTENSIVE, REQUIRING ONGOING CASH OUTLAYS
THAT MAY STRAIN OR CONSUME OUR AVAILABLE CAPITAL AND FORCE US TO
SELL ASSETS, INCUR DEBT, OR SELL EQUITY ON UNFAVORABLE
TERMS.
Our ability to
remain competitive, grow and maintain operations largely depends on
our cash flow from operations and access to
capital. Maintaining our existing operations and
expanding them through internal growth or acquisitions requires
large capital expenditures. As we undertake more
acquisitions and further expand our operations, the amount we
expend on capital will increase. These increases in expenditures
may result in lower levels of working capital or require us to
finance working capital deficits. We intend to continue
to fund our cash needs through cash flow from operations, equity
and debt financings and borrowings under our credit facility, if
necessary. However, we may require additional equity or
debt financing to fund our growth.
We do not have
complete control over our future performance because it is subject
to general economic, political, financial, competitive,
legislative, regulatory and other factors. It is
possible that our business may not generate sufficient cash flow
from operations, and we may not otherwise have the capital
resources, to allow us to make necessary capital
expenditures. If this occurs, we may have to sell
assets, restructure our debt or obtain additional equity capital,
which could be dilutive to our stockholders. We may not
be able to take any of the foregoing actions, and we may not be
able to do so on terms favorable to us or our
stockholders.
THE COMPANY’S FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE RESTRICTIVE
COVENANTS AND OTHER OBLIGATIONS UNDER ITS CREDIT
AGREEMENT MAY RESULT IN THE FORECLOSURE OF THE COMPANY’S OR
ITS SUBSIDIARIES’ PLEDGED ASSETS AND OTHER ADVERSE
CONSEQUENCES.
Pursuant to the
Credit Agreement, the Lenders have agreed to extend certain credit
facilities to the Company, in an aggregate amount not to exceed
$55,000,000, consisting of $40,000,000 aggregate principal amount
of Tranche A Term Loans (the “Tranche A Term
Loans”), $10,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Multi-Draw
Term Loans (the “MDTL Term Loans”), and up to
$5,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Revolving
Loans (the “Revolving Loans ” and, together
with the Tranche A Term Loans and the MDTL Term Loans, the
“Loans”). As of September 30, 2016, we had
an outstanding principal balance of $42,150,000 under the Loans,
which is secured by a first position security interest in
substantially all of the Company’s assets in favor of GS, as
collateral agent, for the benefit of the lenders and other secured
parties. The Credit Agreement requires us to comply with a number
of covenants, including restrictive covenants that limit our
ability to, among other things: incur additional indebtedness;
create or permit liens on assets; make investments; and pay
dividends. A breach of any of these covenants or our
inability to comply with the required financial ratios set forth in
the Credit Agreement and related documents or the occurrence of
certain other specified events could result in an event of default
under the Credit Agreement (an “Event of Default”).
Events of Default under the Credit Agreement also include, without
limitation, the Company’s failure to make payments when due,
defaults under other agreements, bankruptcy, changes of control and
termination of a material contract.
Due to our recent failures to comply with
the leverage ratio and certain other covenants required under the
Credit Agreement, we entered into several amendments to the Credit
Agreement, including, most recently, that certain Fourth Amendment
to the Credit Agreement, by and among the parties to the Credit
Agreement, dated as of November 11, 2016 (the “Fourth
Amendment”). Any future Event(s)
of
Default under the Credit Agreement, could
result in the acceleration of all or a substantial portion of our
debt, potential foreclosure on our assets and other adverse
consequences.
If we are
unable to raise significant capital, including in connection with
the public offering of which this Prospectus is a part, we expect
that the lenders under the Credit Agreement will have the right to
exercise these remedies.
THE COMPANY’S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CERTAIN LEVERAGE RATIOS SET
FORTH IN THE CREDIT AGREEMENT HAS HISTORICALLY RESULTED IN, AND MAY
CONTINUE TO RESULT IN, THE COMPANY BEING UNABLE TO DRAW DOWN
ADDITIONAL FUNDS PURSUANT TO THE CREDIT AGREEMENT, AND AS A RESULT,
WE MAY NEED TO SEEK OTHER SOURCES OF CAPITAL, WHICH COULD BE ON
LESS FAVORABLE TERMS .
As
a result of the Company’s failure to comply with the leverage
ratio under the Credit Agreement, the Company is currently able to
draw down additional funds under the Credit Agreement solely as the
result of the execution of the Fourth Amendment. In the future, the
Company will not be able to draw down additional funds pursuant to
the Credit Agreement until such time as either such leverage ratio
complies with the requirements of the Credit Agreement and the
Company can show that it reasonably expects to be in pro forma
compliance with such ratios or the requisite lenders under the
Credit Agreement waive such requirement or otherwise consent to
advance additional funds (the lenders under our Credit Agreement
having no requirement to grant such a consent or waiver and there
can be no assurance that any such consent or waiver would be
forthcoming).
Due to certain unanticipated delays in
integration of landfill operations, including due to flooding in
the St. Louis area in December 2015, the Company has historically
not been able to, and may continue not to be able to, maintain the
leverage ratios set forth in the Credit Agreement. As a result, the
Company will not be able to draw down additional funds pursuant to
the Credit Agreement until such time as such leverage ratios comply
with the requirements of the Credit Agreement.
As a result, the
Company’s ability to maintain leverage ratios under the
Credit Agreement may be beyond the Company’s control. If the
Company is unable to draw down additional funds pursuant to the
Credit Agreement, it may be required to seek other sources of
capital, and such capital may only be available on terms that are
substantially less favorable than the terms of the Credit
Agreement.
WE DEPEND ON A LIMITED NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS FOR OUR
REVENUE.
At this time, the
Company has two municipal contracts that account for 26% and 18% of
our long term contracted revenues for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2015. Because we depend on these customers for a
majority of our revenue, a loss of one of these customers could
materially adversely affect our business and financial condition.
If these principal customers cease using our services, our business
could be materially adversely affected.
GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITIES MAY ENACT CLIMATE CHANGE REGULATIONS THAT
COULD INCREASE OUR COSTS TO OPERATE.
Environmental
advocacy groups and regulatory agencies in the United States have
been focusing considerable attention on the emissions of greenhouse
gases and their potential role in climate
change. Congress has considered recent proposed
legislation directed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and
President Obama has indicated his support of legislation aimed at
reducing greenhouse gases. The EPA has proposed rules to
regulate greenhouse gases, regional initiatives have formed to
control greenhouse gases and certain of the states in which we
operate are contemplating air pollution control regulations that
are more stringent than existing and proposed federal regulations,
in particular the regulation of emissions of greenhouse
gases. The adoption of laws and regulations to implement
controls of greenhouse gases, including the imposition of fees or
taxes, could adversely affect our collection
operations. Changing environmental regulations could
require us to take any number of actions, including the purchase of
emission allowances or installation of additional pollution control
technology, and could make some operations less profitable, which
could adversely affect our results of operations.
OUR OPERATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH AND SAFETY LAWS
AND REGULATIONS, AS WELL AS CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS THAT MAY RESULT
IN SIGNIFICANT LIABILITIES.
We risk incurring
significant environmental liabilities in connection with our use,
treatment, storage, transfer and disposal of waste materials. Under
applicable environmental laws and regulations, we could be liable
if our operations are found to cause environmental damage to our
properties or to the property of other landowners, particularly as
a result of the contamination of air, drinking water or soil. Under
current law, we could also be held liable for damage caused by
conditions that existed before we acquired the assets or operations
involved. This risk is of particular concern as we execute our
growth strategy, partially though acquisitions, because we may be
unsuccessful in identifying and assessing potential liabilities
during our due diligence investigations. Further, the
counterparties in such transactions may be unable to perform their
indemnification obligations owed to us. Additionally, we could be
liable if we arrange for the transportation, disposal or treatment
of hazardous substances that cause environmental contamination, or
if a predecessor owner made such arrangements and, under applicable
law, we are treated as a successor to the prior owner. Any
substantial liability for environmental damage could have a
material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of
operations and cash flows.
OUR BUSINESS IS SUBJECT TO OPERATIONAL AND SAFETY RISKS, INCLUDING
THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY TO EMPLOYEES AND OTHERS.
Providing
environmental and waste management services, including operating
landfills, involves risks such as vehicular accidents and equipment
defects, malfunctions and failures. Additionally, there are risks
associated with waste mass instability and releases of hazardous
materials or odors. There may also be risks presented by the
potential for subsurface chemical reactions causing elevated
landfill temperatures and increased production of leachate,
landfill gas and odors. Any of these risks could potentially result
in injury or death of employees and others, a need to shut down or
reduce operation of facilities, increased operating expense and
exposure to liability for pollution and other environmental damage,
and property damage or destruction.
While we seek to
minimize our exposure to such risks through comprehensive training,
compliance and response and recovery programs, as well as vehicle
and equipment maintenance programs, if we were to incur substantial
liabilities in excess of any applicable insurance, our business,
results of operations and financial condition could be adversely
affected. Any such incidents could also adversely impact our
reputation and reduce the value of our brand. Additionally, a major
operational failure, even if suffered by a competitor, may bring
enhanced scrutiny and regulation of our industry, with a
corresponding increase in operating expense.
INCREASES IN THE COSTS OF FUEL MAY REDUCE OUR OPERATING
MARGINS.
The price and
supply of fuel needed to run our collection vehicles is
unpredictable and fluctuates based on events outside our control,
including geopolitical developments, supply and demand for oil and
gas, actions by OPEC and other oil and gas producers, war and
unrest in oil producing countries, regional production patterns and
environmental concerns. Any significant price
escalations or reductions in the supply could increase our
operating expenses or interrupt or curtail our
operations. Failure to offset all or a portion of any
increased fuel costs through increased fees or charges would reduce
our operating margins.
CHANGES IN INTEREST RATES MAY AFFECT OUR
PROFITABILITY.
Potential future
acquisitions could require us to incur substantial additional
indebtedness in the future, which will increase our interest
expense. Further, to the extent that these borrowings
are subject to variable rates of interest, increases in interest
rates will increase our interest expense, which will affect our
profitability. We bear exposure to, and are primarily
affected by, changes in LIBOR rates.
INCREASES IN THE COSTS OF DISPOSAL MAY REDUCE OUR OPERATING
MARGINS.
In 2015, we
disposed of approximately 100% of the waste that we collect in
landfills operated by others, and, even with our recent
acquisition of a landfill, that rate may not decrease significantly
in the immediate future. We may incur increases in
disposal fees paid to third parties. Failure to pass
these costs on to our customers may reduce our operating
margins. In December 2015, the Company purchased assets
from Eagle Ridge Landfill, LLC as part of its strategy to
internalize a majority of its volume. As of April 2016,
the Company has begun to move its volume away from third party
landfills. Going forward, the Company may not
internalize all of its volume in its own landfill, which may limit
the expected savings it anticipated from the acquisition of assets
of Eagle Ridge Landfill, LLC.
INCREASES IN THE COSTS OF LABOR MAY REDUCE OUR OPERATING
MARGINS.
We compete with
other businesses in our markets for qualified
employees. A shortage of qualified employees would
require us to enhance our wage and benefits packages to compete
more effectively for employees or to hire more expensive temporary
employees. Labor is our second largest operating cost,
and even relatively small increases in labor costs per employee
could materially affect our cost structure. Failure to
attract and retain qualified employees, to control our labor costs,
or to recover any increased labor costs through increased prices we
charge for our services or otherwise offset such increases with
cost savings in other areas may reduce our operating
margins.
INCREASES IN COSTS OF INSURANCE WOULD REDUCE OUR OPERATING
MARGINS.
One of our largest
operating costs is maintaining insurance coverage, including
general liability, automobile physical damage and liability,
property, employment practices, pollution, directors and officers,
fiduciary, workers’ compensation and employer’s
liability coverage, as well as umbrella liability policies to
provide excess coverage over the underlying limits contained in our
primary general liability, automobile liability and
employer’s liability policies. Changes in our
operating experience, such as an increase in accidents or lawsuits
or a catastrophic loss, could cause our insurance costs to increase
significantly or could cause us to be unable to obtain certain
insurance. Increases in insurance costs would reduce our operating
margins. Changes in our industry and perceived risks in
our business could have a similar effect.
WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT INSURANCE COVERAGE TO
COVER THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH OUR OPERATIONS, WHICH COULD RESULT
IN UNINSURED LOSSES THAT WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT OUR FINANCIAL
CONDITION.
Integrated
non-hazardous waste companies are exposed to a variety of risks
that are typically covered by insurance
arrangements. However, we may not be able to maintain
sufficient insurance coverage to cover the risks associated with
our operations for a variety of reasons. Increases in
insurance costs and changes in the insurance markets may, given our
resources, limit the coverage that we are able to maintain or
prevent us from insuring against certain risks. Large or
unexpected losses may exceed our policy limits, adversely affecting
our results of operations, and may result in the termination or
limitation of coverage, exposing us to uninsured losses, thereby
adversely affecting our financial condition.
OUR FAILURE TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE WITH OUR NUMEROUS COMPETITORS,
SOME OF WHOM HAVE GREATER RESOURCES, COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT OUR
ABILITY TO RETAIN EXISTING CUSTOMERS AND OBTAIN FUTURE
BUSINESS.
Because our
industry is highly competitive, we compete with large companies and
municipalities, many of whom have greater financial and operational
resources. The non-hazardous solid waste collection and
disposal industry includes large national, publicly-traded waste
management companies; regional, publicly-held and privately-owned
companies; and numerous small, local, privately-owned
companies. Additionally, many counties and
municipalities operate their own waste collection and disposal
facilities and have competitive advantages not available to private
enterprises. If we are unable to successfully compete against our
competitors, our ability to retain existing customers and obtain
future business could be adversely affected.
WE MAY LOSE CONTRACTS THROUGH COMPETITIVE BIDDING, EARLY
TERMINATION OR GOVERNMENTAL ACTION, OR WE MAY HAVE TO SUBSTANTIALLY
LOWER PRICES IN ORDER TO RETAIN CERTAIN CONTRACTS, ANY OF WHICH
WOULD CAUSE OUR REVENUE TO DECLINE.
We are parties to
contracts with municipalities and other associations and
agencies. Many of these contracts are or will be subject
to competitive bidding. We may not be the successful
bidder, or we may have to substantially lower prices in order to be
the successful bidder. In addition, some of our
customers may terminate their contracts with us before the end of
the contract term. If we were not able to replace
revenue from contracts lost through competitive bidding or early
termination or from lowering prices or from the renegotiation of
existing contracts with other revenue within a reasonable time
period, our revenue could decline.
Municipalities may
annex unincorporated areas within counties where we provide
collection services, and as a result, our customers in annexed
areas may be required to obtain service from competitors who have
been franchised or contracted by the annexing municipalities to
provide those services. Some of the local jurisdictions
in which we currently operate grant exclusive franchises to
collection and disposal companies, others may do so in the future,
and we may enter markets where franchises are granted by certain
municipalities. Unless we are awarded a franchise by
these municipalities, we will lose customers which will cause our
revenue to decline.
We are currently
pursuing through a bidding process the renewal of an agreement to
which we are currently party, for the operation of a transfer
station, scheduled to expire in the fourth quarter of 2016. If we
are not awarded renewal of this agreement, we will be forced to
utilize other transfer stations which would cause our revenue to
decline.
EFFORTS BY LABOR UNIONS TO ORGANIZE OUR EMPLOYEES COULD DIVERT
MANAGEMENT ATTENTION AND INCREASE OUR OPERATING
EXPENSES.
We do not have any
union representation in our operations. Groups of employees
may seek union representation in the future, and the negotiation of
collective bargaining agreements could divert management attention
and result in increased operating expenses and lower net
income. If we are unable to negotiate acceptable
collective bargaining agreements, we might have to wait through
“cooling off” periods, which are often followed by
union-initiated work stoppages, including
strikes. Depending on the type and duration of these
work stoppages, our operating expenses could increase
significantly.
POOR DECISIONS BY OUR REGIONAL AND LOCAL MANAGERS COULD RESULT IN
THE LOSS OF CUSTOMERS OR AN INCREASE IN COSTS, OR ADVERSELY AFFECT
OUR ABILITY TO OBTAIN FUTURE BUSINESS.
We manage our
operations on a decentralized basis. Therefore, regional
and local managers have the authority to make many decisions
concerning their operations without obtaining prior approval from
executive officers. Poor decisions by regional or local
managers could result in the loss of customers or an increase in
costs, or adversely affect our ability to obtain future
business.
WE ARE VULNERABLE TO FACTORS AFFECTING OUR LOCAL MARKETS, WHICH
COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT OUR STOCK PRICE RELATIVE TO OUR
COMPETITORS.
Because the
non-hazardous waste business is local in nature, our business in
one or more regions or local markets may be adversely affected by
events and economic conditions relating to those regions or markets
even if the other regions of the country are not
affected. As a result, our financial performance may not
compare favorably to our competitors with operations in other
regions, and our stock price could be adversely affected by our
inability to compete effectively with our competitors.
SEASONAL FLUCTUATIONS WILL CAUSE OUR BUSINESS AND RESULTS OF
OPERATIONS TO VARY AMONG QUARTERS, WHICH COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT OUR
STOCK PRICE.
Based on historic
trends experienced by the businesses we have acquired, we expect
our operating results to vary seasonally, with revenue typically
lowest in the first quarter, higher in the second and third
quarters, and again lower in the fourth quarter. This
seasonality generally reflects the lower volume of waste during the
winter months. Adverse weather conditions negatively
affect waste collection productivity, resulting in higher labor and
operational costs. The general increase in precipitation
during the winter months increases the weight of collected waste,
resulting in higher disposal costs, as costs are often calculated
on a per ton basis. Because of these factors, we expect
operating income to be generally lower in the winter
months. As a result, our operating results may be
negatively affected by these variations. Additionally,
severe weather during any time of the year can negatively affect
the costs of collection and disposal and may cause temporary
suspensions of our collection services. Long periods of
inclement weather may interfere with collection operations and
reduce the volume of waste generated by our
customers. Any of these conditions can adversely affect
our business and results of operations, which could negatively
affect our stock price.
WE ARE DEPENDENT ON OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM AND DEVELOPMENT AND
OPERATIONS PERSONNEL, AND THE LOSS OF ONE OR MORE KEY EMPLOYEES OR
GROUPS COULD HARM OUR BUSINESS AND PREVENT US FROM IMPLEMENTING OUR
BUSINESS PLAN IN A TIMELY MANNER.
Our success depends
substantially upon the continued services of our executive officers
and other key members of management, particularly our chief
executive officer, Mr. Jeffrey S. Cosman. From time to time, there
may be changes in our executive management team resulting from the
hiring or departure of executives. Such changes in our executive
management team may be disruptive to our business. We are also
substantially dependent on the continued service of our existing
development and operations personnel because of the complexity of
our service and technologies. We have an employment agreement with
Mr. Cosman. We maintain a key person life insurance policy on Mr.
Cosman. The loss of one or more of our key employees or groups
could seriously harm our business.
WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A LACK OF ADEQUATE SEGREGATION OF DUTIES AND
ABSENCE OF AN AUDIT COMMITTEE AS A MATERIAL WEAKNESS IN OUR
INTERNAL CONTROLS, WHICH COULD CAUSE STOCKHOLDERS AND PROSPECTIVE
INVESTORS TO LOSE CONFIDENCE IN THE RELIABILITY OF OUR FINANCIAL
REPORTING.
We currently have
limited segregation of duties among our officers and
employees with respect to the preparation and review of financial
statements, which is a material weakness in internal controls.
If we fail to maintain an effective system of internal controls, we
may not be able to accurately report financial results or prevent
fraud. As a result, current and potential stockholders could lose
confidence in the company's financial reporting that could harm the
trading price of our shares, if a trading market does
develop.
The company has
identified limited segregation as a material weakness in
the company's internal controls. We intend to remedy this
material weakness by hiring additional employees and reallocating
duties among employees, including responsibilities for financial
reporting, as soon as we have available sufficient resources and
personnel. However, until such time, this material weakness will
continue to exist.
WE NEED ADDITIONAL CAPITAL TO DEVELOP OUR BUSINESS.
The development of
our services will require the commitment of substantial resources
to implement our business plan. In addition, substantial
expenditures will be required to enable us to complete projects in
the future. Currently, we have a credit agreement with
certain lenders and Goldman Sachs Specialty Lending
Group, L.P., as administrative agent. However, it is
likely we would need to seek additional financing through
subsequent future private or public offerings of our equity
securities or through strategic partnerships and other arrangements
with corporate partners.
We cannot give you
any assurance that any additional financing will be available to
us, or if available, will be on terms favorable to
us. The sale of additional equity securities will result
in dilution to our stockholders. The occurrence of
indebtedness would result in increased debt service obligations and
could require us to agree to operating and financing covenants that
would restrict our operations. If adequate additional financing is
not available on acceptable terms, we may not be able to implement
our business development plan or continue our business
operations.
RISKS
RELATED TO OWNERSHIP OF OUR SECURITIES
YOU MAY EXPERIENCE DILUTION OF YOUR OWNERSHIP INTEREST BECAUSE OF
THE FUTURE ISSUANCE OF ADDITIONAL SHARES OF OUR COMMON STOCK AND
BECAUSE OF OUR PREFERRED STOCK AND OUTSTANDING
WARRANT.
In the future, we
expect to issue our authorized but previously unissued equity
securities in connection with future financing, resulting in the
dilution of the ownership interests of our present
stockholders. We are currently authorized to issue an
aggregate of 80,000,000 shares of capital stock, which includes
4,861,468 shares of blank check preferred stock, par value $0.001,
for which the designations, rights and preferences may be
established by the Company's Board of Directors (the
"Board").
We may also issue
additional shares of our common stock or other securities that are
convertible into or exercisable for common stock in connection with
hiring or retaining employees or consultants, future acquisitions,
future sales of our securities for capital raising purposes, or for
other business purposes. The future issuance of any such
additional shares of our common stock or other securities may
create downward pressure on the trading price of our common
stock. There can be no assurance that we will not be
required to issue additional shares, warrants or other convertible
securities in the future in conjunction with hiring or retaining
employees or consultants, future acquisitions, future sales of our
securities for capital raising purposes or for other business
purposes, including at a price (or exercise prices) below the price
at which shares of our common stock are trading.
There are currently
0 shares of Series B Preferred Stock
outstanding.
There are
currently 35,750 shares of Series C Preferred Stock
outstanding, which may be converted into an amount of shares of
Common Stock equal to the stated value of the Series C Preferred
Stock, as well as accrued but unpaid declared dividends on such
Series C Preferred Stock, divided by the conversion price of $12.94
per share (reflecting adjustment to the price of $22.40 per share,
pursuant to the reverse stock split effected November 3, 2016),
subject to further adjustments as set forth in the Series C
Designations. Upon a Qualified Offering, the shares of Series C
Preferred Stock will be automatically converted at a conversion
price equal to the lower of $12.94 per share (reflecting adjustment
to the price of $22.40 per share, pursuant to the reverse stock
split effected November 3, 2016) or the per share price that
reflects a 20% discount to the price of the Common Stock pursuant
to such Qualified Offering. Additionally, the Series C
Designations provide for additional shortfall conversions, pursuant
to which holders of Series C Preferred Stock may, subject to
certain conditions, be issued additional shares of Common Stock by
the Company.
In connection with
the Credit Agreement the Company issued in favor of Goldman, Sachs
& Co. a Purchase Warrant for Common Shares, dated December 22,
2015, which was subsequently amended and restated with the Amended
and Restated Warrant. Pursuant to that certain
proposed
Warrant Cancellation and Stock Issuance Agreement (the
“Warrant Cancellation Agreement”), upon the closing of
a “Qualified Offering” as defined in the Warrant
Cancellation Agreement, the Amended and Restated Warrant
would
be
cancelled and the Company
would
issue
to Goldman, Sachs & Co. restricted shares of Common Stock in
the amount equal to a 6.5% ownership interest in the Company
calculated on a fully-diluted basis, which
would
include
the shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to this
Offering, but
would
exclude
all warrants issued pursuant to this Offering and
all shares underlying such warrants, pursuant to the terms and
conditions of the Warrant Cancellation Agreement. Pursuant to the
Warrant Cancellation Agreement, Goldman, Sachs & Co.
would
enter
into a lock-up agreement, prohibiting the offer for sale, issue,
sale, contract for sale, pledge or other disposition of any of our
common stock or securities convertible into common stock for a
period of 180 days after the date of this prospectus, and no
registration statement for any of our common stock owned by
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
could
be
filed during such lock-up period. In connection with the Warrant
Cancellation Agreement, the Company and Goldman, Sachs & Co.
intend to enter into a Registration Rights Agreement, pursuant to
which Goldman, Sachs & Co. will be granted certain registration
rights with respect to the shares to be issued pursuant to the
Warrant Cancellation Agreement, with such registration rights
intended to be substantially similar to those provided in the
Amended and Restated Warrant provided that such registration rights
will not be exercisable and will not permit the filing of any
registration statement during the lock-up period to which Goldman,
Sachs & Co. is subject. In the event the public offering of
which this Prospectus is a part does not close prior to December
31, 2016 or does not result in proceeds to the Company sufficient
to satisfy the definition of Qualified Offering, the Warrant
Cancellation Agreement
would
not
become effective and the Amended and Restated Warrant
would
remain
in full force and effect.
Under any of the
circumstances described above, future issuances or conversions may
depress the market price of our Common Stock, and may impair our
ability to raise additional capital in the financial markets at a
time and price favorable to us. The effect of this dilution may, in
turn, cause the price of our Common Stock to decrease further, both
because of the downward pressure on our stock price that may be
caused by a large number of sales of our shares into the public
market by Goldman, Sachs & Co. or our
preferred holders, and because our other existing stockholders
may, in response, decide to sell additional shares of
our Common Stock, further decreasing our stock price.
IN THE EVENT THAT THE CURRENT OFFERING DOES NOT MEET THE DEFINITION
OF “QUALIFIED OFFERING” PURSUANT TO THE SERIES C
DESIGNATIONS, YOU MAY EXPERIENCE FURTHER DILUTION OF YOUR OWNERSHIP
INTEREST AS A RESULT OF ADDITIONAL SHORTFALL CONVERSIONS UNDER THE
SERIES C DESIGNATIONS.
The Series C
Designations provide for additional shortfall conversions, pursuant
to which holders of Series C Preferred Stock may, subject to
certain conditions, be issued additional shares of Common Stock by
the Company. Specifically, subject to certain conditions, from the
date that is six months from the date of the issuance of the Series
C Preferred Stock to a holder until the date that is
fifteen months from the date of such issuance, if such holder
has exercised its right to optional conversion and has sold all of
the shares of Common Stock issued upon such conversion, resulting
in proceeds to such holder that are less than the amount of the
purchase price paid to the Company by the holder for all such
shares of Series C Preferred Stock, the Company shall issue
additional shares to such holder to cover this shortfall amount, as
further set forth in the Series C Designations.
Although all
outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock will automatically
convert upon the closing of a Qualified Offering, in the event that
the current offering does not meet the definition of Qualified
Offering, by virtue of the aggregate offering price of the
securities hereunder or otherwise, the holders of Series C
Preferred Stock would be able to exercise their rights to
additional shortfall conversions, which would have a dilutive
effect on your stock ownership.
THE MARKET PRICE OF OUR COMMON STOCK IS LIKELY TO BE VOLATILE AND
COULD SUBJECT US TO LITIGATION.
The market price of
our common stock has been and is likely to continue to be subject
to wide fluctuations. Factors affecting the market price of our
common stock include:
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variations in our
operating results, earnings per share, cash flows from operating
activities, deferred revenue, and other financial metrics and
non-financial metrics, and how those results compare to analyst
expectations;
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issuances of new
stock which dilutes earnings per share;
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forward looking
guidance to industry and financial analysts related to future
revenue and earnings per share;
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the net increases
in the number of customers and paying subscriptions, either
independently or as compared with published expectations of
industry, financial or other analysts that cover our
company;
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changes in the
estimates of our operating results or changes in recommendations by
securities analysts that elect to follow our common
stock;
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announcements of
technological innovations, new services or service enhancements,
strategic alliances or significant agreements by us or by our
competitors;
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announcements by us
or by our competitors of mergers or other strategic acquisitions,
or rumors of such transactions involving us or our
competitors;
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announcements of
customer additions and customer cancellations or delays in customer
purchases;
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recruitment or
departure of key personnel; and
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trading activity by
a limited number of stockholders who together beneficially own a
majority of our outstanding common stock.
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In addition, if the
stock market in general experiences uneven investor confidence, the
market price of our common stock could decline for reasons
unrelated to our business, operating results or financial
condition. The market price of our common stock might also decline
in reaction to events that affect other companies within, or
outside, our industries even if these events do not directly affect
us. Some companies that have experienced volatility in the trading
price of their stock have been the subject of securities class
action litigation. If we are to become the subject of such
litigation, it could result in substantial costs and a diversion of
management’s attention and resources.
THE OWNERSHIP BY OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF SERIES A PREFERRED
STOCK WILL LIKELY LIMIT YOUR ABILITY TO INFLUENCE CORPORATE
MATTERS.
Mr. Jeffrey S.
Cosman, our chief executive officer, is the beneficial owner of
100% of the outstanding shares of the Company’s Series A
Preferred Stock. As a result, our chief executive officer would
have significant influence over most matters that require approval
by our stockholders, including the election of directors and
approval of significant corporate transactions, even if other
stockholders oppose them. In addition, Mr. Cosman beneficially owns
approximately 49% of our issued and outstanding common stock. This
concentration of ownership might also have the effect of delaying
or preventing a change of control of our company that other
stockholders may view as beneficial.
THERE IS CURRENTLY ONLY A LIMITED PUBLIC MARKET FOR OUR COMMON
STOCK AND NO PUBLIC MARKET FOR OUR WARRANTS. FAILURE TO DEVELOP OR
MAINTAIN A TRADING MARKET COULD NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE VALUE OF OUR
SECURITIES AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO SELL ANY
SHARES OF OUR COMPANY THAT YOU HOLD.
There is currently
only a limited public market for our common stock and no market for
our warrants. An active public market for our common stock and/or
warrants may not develop or be sustained. Failure to develop or
maintain an active trading market could make it difficult for you
to sell your shares or warrants without depressing the market price
for such securities or recover any part of your investment in us.
Even if an active market for our common stock and warrants does
develop, the market price of such securities may be highly
volatile. In addition to the uncertainties relating to future
operating performance and the profitability of operations, factors
such as variations in interim financial results or various, as yet
unpredictable, factors, many of which are beyond our control, may
have a negative effect on the market price of our
securities.
THERE CAN BE NO ASSURANCES THAT OUR SHARES AND/OR WARRANTS WILL BE
LISTED ON THE NASDAQ CAPITAL MARKET AND, IF THEY ARE,
OUR SHARES MAY BE SUBJECT TO POTENTIAL DELISTING IF WE DO NOT MEET
OR CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THE LISTING REQUIREMENTS OF THE
NASDAQ CAPITAL MARKET.
We have
applied to list the shares of our common stock on The
Nasdaq Capital Market, or Nasdaq; however, no
assurance can be given that out application will be approved. An
approval of our listing application by Nasdaq will be
subject to, among other things, our fulfilling all of the listing
requirements of Nasdaq, which include, among other
things, a bid price of $4.00, $4 million in
stockholders’ equity and $15 million market value of publicly
held shares. We currently do not meet the objective listing
criteria for listing on that exchange and there can be no assurance
as to when we will qualify for such exchange or that we will ever
qualify for such exchange. In addition, Nasdaq has
rules for continued listing, including, without limitation, minimum
market capitalization and other requirements. Failure to maintain
our listing, or de-listing from Nasdaq, would make it
more difficult for shareholders to dispose of our common stock and
more difficult to obtain accurate price quotations on our common
stock. This could have an adverse effect on the price of our common
stock. Our ability to issue additional securities for financing or
other purposes, or otherwise to arrange for any financing we may
need in the future, may also be materially and adversely affected
if our common stock is not traded on a national securities
exchange.
WE ARE SUBJECT TO PENNY STOCK RULES WHICH WILL MAKE THE SHARES OF
OUR COMMON STOCK MORE DIFFICULT TO SELL.
We are currently
subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules because
our shares of common stock sell below $5.00 per
share. Penny stocks generally are equity securities with
a price of less than $5.00 per share. The penny stock
rules require broker-dealers to deliver a standardized risk
disclosure document prepared by the SEC which provides information
about penny stocks and the nature and level of risks in the penny
stock market. The broker-dealer must also provide the
customer with current bid and offer quotations for the penny stock,
the compensation of the broker-dealer and its salesperson, and
monthly account statements showing the market value of each penny
stock held in the customer’s account. The bid and
offer quotations, and the broker-dealer and salesperson
compensation information must be given to the customer orally or in
writing prior to completing the transaction and must be given to
the customer in writing before or with the customer’s
confirmation.
In addition, the
penny stock rules require that prior to a transaction the broker
dealer must make a special written determination that the penny
stock is a suitable investment for the purchaser and receive the
purchaser’s written agreement to the
transaction. The penny stock rules are burdensome and
may reduce purchases of any offerings and reduce the trading
activity for shares of our common stock. As long as our
shares of common stock are subject to the penny stock rules, the
holders of such shares of common stock may find it more difficult
to sell their securities.
Although we
have conducted a reverse stock split to increase the
price per share of our common stock such that it would not be
subject to the “penny stock” rules, and we have
applied to list our common stock and warrants on The
Nasdaq Capital Markets, no assurance can be given that
the share price of our common stock will improve following the
reverse stock split, or that our common stock will be ever be
listed on The Nasdaq Capital Markets or any other
exchange, such that our stock will no longer be subject to these
rules.
A DTC “CHILL” ON THE ELECTRONIC CLEARING OF TRADES IN
OUR SECURITIES IN THE FUTURE MAY AFFECT THE LIQUIDITY OF OUR STOCK
AND OUR ABILITY TO RAISE CAPITAL.
Because our common
stock may, from time to time, be considered a “penny
stock,” there is a risk that the Depository Trust Company
(DTC) may place a “chill” on the electronic clearing of
trades in our securities. This may lead some brokerage firms to be
unwilling to accept certificates and/or electronic deposits of our
stock and other securities and also some may not accept trades in
our securities altogether. A future DTC chill would affect the
liquidity of our securities and make it difficult to purchase or
sell our securities in the open market. It may also have
an adverse effect on our ability to raise capital because investors
may be unable to easily resell our securities into the market. Our
inability to raise capital on terms acceptable to us, if at all,
could have a material and adverse effect on our business and
operations.
THERE MAY BE RESTRICTIONS ON YOUR ABILITY TO RESELL SHARES OF
COMMON STOCK UNDER RULE 144.
Currently, Rule 144
under the Securities Act permits the public resale of securities
under certain conditions after a six or twelve month holding period
by the seller, including requirements with respect to the manner of
sale, sales volume restrictions, filing requirements and a
requirement that certain information about the issuer is publicly
available. At the time that stockholders intend to resell their
shares under Rule 144, there can be no assurances that we will be
subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) or, if so,
current in our reporting requirements under the Exchange Act, in
order for stockholders to be eligible to rely on Rule 144 at such
time. In addition to the foregoing requirements of Rule 144 under
the Federal securities laws, the various state securities laws may
impose further restrictions on the ability of a holder to sell or
transfer the shares of Common Stock.
SALES OF OUR CURRENTLY ISSUED AND OUTSTANDING STOCK MAY BECOME
FREELY TRADABLE PURSUANT TO RULE 144 AND MAY DILUTE THE MARKET FOR
YOUR SHARES AND HAVE A DEPRESSIVE EFFECT ON THE PRICE OF THE SHARES
OF OUR COMMON STOCK
A substantial
majority of our outstanding shares of common stock are
“restricted securities” within the meaning of Rule 144
under the Securities Act. As restricted shares, these
shares may be resold only pursuant to an effective registration
statement or under the requirements of Rule 144 or other applicable
exemptions from registration under the Act and as required under
applicable state securities laws. Rule 144 provides in
essence that an Affiliate (as such term is defined in Rule
144(a)(1)) of an issuer who has held restricted securities for a
period of at least six months (one year after filing Form 10
information with the SEC for shell companies and former shell
companies) may, under certain conditions, sell every three months,
in brokerage transactions, a number of shares that does not exceed
the greater of 1% of a company’s outstanding shares of common
stock or the average weekly trading volume during the four calendar
weeks prior to the sale (the four calendar week rule does not apply
to companies quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board). Rule 144
also permits, under certain circumstances, the sale of securities,
without any limitation, by a person who is not an Affiliate of the
Company and who has satisfied a one-year holding period. A sale
under Rule 144 or under any other exemption from the Act, if
available, or pursuant to subsequent registrations of our shares of
common stock, may have a depressive effect upon the price of our
shares of common stock in any active market that may
develop.
POSSIBLE ADVERSE EFFECT OF ISSUANCE OF PREFERRED STOCK
Our Restated
Certificate of Incorporation authorizes the issuance of 5,000,000
shares of preferred stock, of which 4,861,468 shares are
available for issuance, with designations, rights and preferences
as determined from time to time by the Board. As a result of the
foregoing, the Board can issue, without further shareholder
approval, Preferred Stock with dividend, liquidation, conversion,
voting or other rights that could adversely affect the voting power
or other rights of the holders of Common Stock. The
issuance of Preferred Stock could, under certain circumstances,
discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of the
Company.
WE DO NOT EXPECT TO PAY DIVIDENDS ON OUR COMMON STOCK AND INVESTORS
SHOULD NOT BUY OUR COMMON STOCK EXPECTING TO RECEIVE
DIVIDENDS.
We have not paid
any dividends on our common stock in the past, and do not
anticipate that we will declare or pay any dividends on our common
stock in the foreseeable future. Consequently, investors
will only realize an economic gain on their investment in our
common stock if the price appreciates. Investors should
not purchase our common stock expecting to receive cash dividends.
Because we do not pay dividends on our common stock, and there may
be limited trading, investors may not have any manner to liquidate
or receive any payment on their investment. Therefore,
our failure to pay dividends may cause investors to not see any
return on investment even if we are successful in our business
operations. In addition, holders of our Series B Preferred
Stock are entitled to dividends at a rate of 12% of their original
issue price per share per annum, which dividends are payable prior
and in preference to any payment of dividend on our common stock,
and holders of our Series C Preferred Stock are entitled to
dividends at a rate of 8% per annum. Because we do not pay
dividends on our common stock, we may have trouble raising
additional funds, which could affect our ability to expand our
business operations.
IF THE COMPANY WERE TO DISSOLVE OR WIND-UP, HOLDERS OF OUR COMMON
STOCK WOULD NOT RECEIVE A LIQUIDATION PREFERENCE.
If we were to
wind-up or dissolve our company and liquidate and distribute our
assets, our common stockholders would share in our assets only
after we satisfy any amounts we owe to our creditors and preferred
equity holders. Our Series C Preferred Stock holders are
entitled to receive, in the event of any liquidation, dissolution
or winding up of the Company, immediately prior and in preference
to any distribution to the holders of the Company’s other
equity securities, a liquidation preference calculated based
on $22.40 per share of common stock plus all accrued and unpaid
dividends. If our liquidation or dissolution were
attributable to our inability to profitably operate our business,
then it is likely that we would have material liabilities at the
time of liquidation or dissolution. Accordingly, we may
not have sufficient assets available after the payment of our
creditors and preferred equity holders to enable you to receive any
liquidation distribution with respect to any common stock you
hold.
RISKS
RELATED TO THE OFFERING
INVESTORS IN THIS OFFERING WILL EXPERIENCE IMMEDIATE AND
SUBSTANTIAL DILUTION IN NET TANGIBLE BOOK VALUE.
The public offering
price will be substantially higher than the net tangible book value
per share of our outstanding shares of common stock. As a result,
investors in this offering will incur immediate dilution of
$ per share, based on the assumed public
offering price of
$ per share.
Investors in this offering will pay a price per share that
substantially exceeds the book value of our assets after
subtracting our liabilities. See “Dilution” for a more
complete description of how the value of your investment will be
diluted upon the completion of this offering.
OUR STOCK MAY BE THINLY TRADED.
Our common stock
has been thinly traded, meaning there has been a low volume of
buyers and sellers of the shares. We went public without the
typical initial public offering procedures which usually include a
large selling group of broker-dealers who may provide market
support after going public. Thus, we will be required to undertake
efforts to develop market recognition and support for our shares of
common stock in the public market. The price and trading volume of
our registered common stock cannot be assured. The numbers of
institutions or persons interested in purchasing our registered
common stock at or near ask prices at any given time may be
relatively small or non-existent. This situation may be
attributable to a number of factors, including the fact that we are
a small company which is relatively unknown to stock analysts,
stock brokers, institutional investors and others in the investment
community that generate or influence sales volume. Even if we came
to the attention of such persons, they tend to be risk-averse and
would be reluctant to follow an unproven company such as ours or
purchase or recommend the purchase of our shares until such time as
we became more seasoned and viable. As a consequence, there may be
periods of several days, weeks or months when trading activity in
our shares is minimal or non-existent, as compared to a seasoned
issuer which has a large and steady volume of trading activity that
will generally support continuous sales without an adverse effect
on share price.
Although, we
have applied
for listing of
our common stock and warrants on The
Nasdaq Capital Market
, no
assurance can be given that our application will be approved. We
currently do not meet the objective listing criteria for listing on
that exchange and there can be no assurance as to when we will
qualify for such exchanges or that we will ever qualify for such
exchanges. We would also need to meet the corporate governance and
independent director and audit committee standards of the
The Nasdaq Capital
Market.
We do not satisfy such standards at this
time.
YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RESELL YOUR WARRANTS
There is no
established trading market for the warrants being offered in this
offering, and an active market may not develop. As a result, you
may not be able to resell your warrants. If your warrants cannot be
resold, you will have to depend upon any appreciation in the value
of our common stock over the exercise price of the warrants in
order to realize a return on your investment in the
warrants.
INVESTORS WILL HAVE NO RIGHTS AS A COMMON STOCKHOLDER WITH RESPECT
TO THEIR WARRANTS UNTIL THEY EXERCISE THEIR WARRANTS AND ACQUIRE
OUR COMMON STOCK
Until you acquire
shares of our common stock upon exercise of your warrants, you will
have no rights with respect to the shares of our common stock
underlying such warrants. Upon exercise of your warrants, you will
be entitled to exercise the rights of a common stockholder only as
to matters for which the record date occurs after the exercise
date.
The warrants do not
confer any rights of common stock ownership on their holders, such
as voting rights or the right to receive dividends, but rather
merely represent the right to acquire shares of common stock at a
fixed price for a limited period of time. Specifically,
commencing on the date of issuance, holders of the warrants may
exercise their right to acquire the common stock and pay an
exercise price of $ per share, prior to five years
from the date of issuance, after which date any unexercised
warrants will expire and have no further
value. Moreover, following this offering, the market
value of the warrants is uncertain and there can be no assurance
that the market value of the warrants will equal or exceed their
public offering price. There can be no assurance that
the market price of the common stock will ever equal or exceed the
exercise price of the warrants, and consequently, whether it will
ever be profitable for holders of the warrants to exercise the
warrants.
WE MAY NEED ADDITIONAL CAPITAL, AND THE SALE OF ADDITIONAL SHARES
OR EQUITY OR DEBT SECURITIES COULD RESULT IN ADDITIONAL DILUTION TO
OUR STOCKHOLDERS.
We believe that our current cash and cash used in
operations, together with the net proceeds from this offering, will
be sufficient to meet our anticipated cash needs for the next
twelve (12) months. We may, however, require additional cash
resources due to changed business conditions or other future
developments. If these resources are insufficient to satisfy our
cash requirements, we may seek to sell additional equity or debt
securities or obtain one or more credit facilities. The sale of
additional equity securities could result in additional dilution to
our stockholders. The incurrence of indebtedness would result in
increased debt service obligations and could result in operating
and financing covenants that would restrict our operations. It is
uncertain whether financing will be available in amounts or on
terms acceptable to us, if at all.
WE HAVE BROAD DISCRETION IN THE USE OF THE NET PROCEEDS FROM THIS
OFFERING AND MAY NOT USE THEM EFFECTIVELY.
Our management will
have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds,
including for any of the purposes described in the section of this
prospectus entitled “Use of Proceeds.” The failure by
our management to apply these funds effectively could harm our
business.
SALES OF A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF SHARES OF OUR COMMON STOCK
FOLLOWING THIS OFFERING MAY ADVERSELY AFFECT THE MARKET PRICE OF
OUR COMMON STOCK AND THE ISSUANCE OF ADDITIONAL SHARES WILL DILUTE
ALL OTHER STOCKHOLDERS.
Sales of a
substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public
market or otherwise following this offering, or the perception that
such sales could occur, could adversely affect the market price of
our common stock. After completion of this offering at an assumed
offering price of
$ per
share, our existing stockholders will own
approximately % of our common stock assuming
there is no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment
option.
After completion of
this offering at an assumed offering price of
$ per
share there will
be shares
of our common stock outstanding. In addition, our certificate of
incorporation, as amended, permits the issuance of up to
approximately additional
shares of common stock after the completion of this offering. Thus,
we have the ability to issue substantial amounts of common stock in
the future, which would dilute the percentage ownership held by the
investors who purchase shares of our common stock in this
offering.
We and our
officers, directors and certain stockholders have agreed, subject
to customary exceptions, not to, without the prior written consent
of Joseph Gunnar & Co., LLC, the representative of the
underwriters, during the period ending 180 days from the date of
this offering in the case of our directors and officers and 90 days
from the date of this offering in the case of our stockholders who
beneficially own more than 5% of our common stock, directly or
indirectly, offer to sell, sell, pledge or otherwise transfer or
dispose of any of shares of our common stock, enter into any swap
or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another any of
the economic benefits or risks of ownership of shares of our common
stock, make any demand for or exercise any right or cause to be
filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto,
with respect to the registration of any shares of common stock or
securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for
common stock or any other securities of the Company or publicly
disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing.
After the lock-up
agreements with our principal stockholders pertaining to this
offering expire 90 days from the date of this offering unless
waived earlier by the representative, up to
759,364
of the shares that had
been locked up will be eligible for future sale in the public
market. After the lock-up agreements with our directors and
officers pertaining to this offering expire 180 days from the date
of this offering unless waived earlier by the managing underwriter,
up to
668,383
of
the shares (net of any shares also restricted by lock-up
agreements with our principal stockholders) that had been locked up
will be eligible for future sale in the public market. Sales of a
significant number of these shares of common stock in the public
market could reduce the market price of the common stock.
RISKS
RELATED TO OUR REVERSE STOCK SPLIT
WE
HAVE EFFECTED
A REVERSE STOCK
SPLIT OF OUR OUTSTANDING COMMON STOCK PRIOR TO THIS OFFERING;
HOWEVER, THE REVERSE STOCK SPLIT MAY NOT INCREASE OUR STOCK PRICE
SUFFICIENTLY AND WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO LIST OUR COMMON STOCK AND
WARRANTS ON THE
NASDAQ CAPITAL MARKET
,
IN
WHICH CASE THIS OFFERING MAY NOT BE COMPLETED.
We expect that the
reverse stock split of our outstanding common stock will increase
the market price of our common stock so that we will be able to
meet the minimum bid price requirement of the Listing Rules of The
Nasdaq Capital
Market
; 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 sufficiently for us to be in compliance with the
minimum bid price requirement. If we are unable meet the minimum
bid price requirement, we may be unable to list our shares and
warrants on The
Nasdaq Capital
Market
, in which case this offering may not be
completed.
EVEN IF THE REVERSE STOCK
SPLIT ACHIEVES THE REQUISITE INCREASE IN THE MARKET PRICE OF OUR
COMMON STOCK, WE CANNOT ASSURE YOU THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE
TO COMPLY WITH THE MINIMUM BID PRICE REQUIREMENT OF
THE
NASDAQ CAPITAL
MARKET
.
Even if the reverse
stock split achieves the requisite increase in the market price of
our common stock to be in compliance with the minimum bid price of
The
Nasdaq Capital
Market
, there can be no assurance that the market
price of our common stock following the reverse stock split will
remain at the level required for continuing compliance with that
requirement. It is not uncommon for the market price of a
company’s common stock to decline in the period following a
reverse stock split. If the market price of our common stock
declines following the effectuation of a reverse stock split, the
percentage decline may be greater than would occur in the absence
of a reverse stock split. In any event, other factors unrelated to
the number of shares of our common stock outstanding, such as
negative financial or operational results, could adversely affect
the market price of our common stock and jeopardize our ability to
meet or maintain The
Nasdaq Capital Market’s
minimum bid price requirement. In addition to specific listing and
maintenance standards,
The
Nasdaq Capital Market
has
broad discretionary authority over the initial and continued
listing of securities, which it could exercise with respect to the
listing of our common stock.
EVEN IF THE REVERSE STOCK
SPLIT INCREASES THE MARKET PRICE OF OUR COMMON STOCK, THERE CAN BE
NO ASSURANCE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO COMPLY WITH OTHER CONTINUED
LISTING STANDARDS OF THE
NASDAQ CAPITAL
MARKET
.
Even if the market
price of our common stock increases sufficiently so that we comply
with the minimum bid price requirement, we cannot assure you that
we will be able to comply with the other standards that we are
required to meet in order to maintain a listing of our common stock
on The
Nasdaq Capital
Market.
Our failure to meet these requirements may
result in our common stock being delisted from The
Nasdaq Capital Market
,
irrespective of our compliance with the minimum bid price
requirement.
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 outstanding
following the reverse stock split, especially if the market price
of our common stock does not increase as a result of the reverse
stock split. In addition, the reverse stock split
has increased
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 effecting such sales.
FOLLOWING THE REVERSE STOCK SPLIT, THE RESULTING MARKET PRICE OF
OUR COMMON STOCK MAY NOT ATTRACT NEW INVESTORS, INCLUDING
INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS, AND MAY NOT SATISFY THE INVESTING
REQUIREMENTS OF THOSE INVESTORS. CONSEQUENTLY, THE TRADING
LIQUIDITY OF OUR COMMON STOCK MAY NOT IMPROVE.
Although we believe
that a higher market price of our common stock may help generate
greater or broader investor interest, there can be no assurance
that the reverse stock split will result in a share price that will
attract new investors, including institutional investors. In
addition, there can be no assurance that the market price of our
common stock will satisfy the investing requirements of those
investors. As a result, the trading liquidity of our common stock
may not necessarily improve.
The foregoing list
is not all-inclusive. There can be no assurance that we have
correctly identified and appropriately assessed all factors
affecting our business or that the publicly available and other
information with respect to these matters is complete and correct.
Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or
that we currently believe to be immaterial may also adversely
affect us. These developments could have material adverse effects
on our business, financial condition, results of operations and
liquidity. For these reasons, the reader is cautioned not to place
undue reliance on our forward-looking statements.
SPECIAL
NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus
contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements
present our current expectations or forecasts of future events. You
can identify these statements by the fact that they do not relate
strictly to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements
involve risks and uncertainties and include statements regarding,
among other things, our projected revenue growth and profitability,
our growth strategies and opportunity, anticipated trends in our
market and our anticipated needs for working capital. They are
generally identifiable by use of the words “may,”
“will,” “should,” “anticipate,”
“estimate,” “plans,”
“potential,” “projects,”
“continuing,” “ongoing,”
“expects,” “management believes,” “we
believe,” “we intend” or the negative of these
words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology.
These statements may be found under the sections entitled
“Prospectus Summary,” “Risk Factors,”
“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations” and
“Business,” as well as in this prospectus generally. In
particular, these include statements relating to future actions,
prospective products, market acceptance, future performance or
results of current and anticipated products, sales efforts,
expenses, and the outcome of contingencies such as legal
proceedings and financial results.
Examples of
forward-looking statements in this prospectus include, but are not
limited to, our expectations regarding our business strategy,
business prospects, operating results, operating expenses, working
capital, liquidity and capital expenditure requirements. Important
assumptions relating to the forward-looking statements include,
among others, assumptions regarding demand for our products and
services, the cost, terms and availability of components, pricing
levels, the timing and cost of capital expenditures, competitive
conditions and general economic conditions. These statements are
based on our management’s expectations, beliefs and
assumptions concerning future events affecting us, which in turn
are based on currently available information. These assumptions
could prove inaccurate. Although we believe that the estimates and
projections reflected in the forward-looking statements are
reasonable, our expectations may prove to be
incorrect.
Important factors
that could cause actual results to differ materially from the
results and events anticipated or implied by such forward-looking
statements include, but are not limited to:
• increased
levels of competition;
• changes
in political, economic or regulatory conditions generally and in
the markets in which we
operate;
• our
relationships with our key customers;
• adverse
conditions in the industries in which our customers
operate;
• our
ability to retain and attract senior management and other key
employees; or
• other
risks, including those described in the “Risk Factors”
discussion of this prospectus.
We operate in a
very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge
from time to time. It is not possible for us to predict all of
those risks, nor can we assess the impact of all of those risks on
our business or the extent to which any factor may cause actual
results to differ materially from those contained in any
forward-looking statement. The forward-looking statements in this
prospectus are based on assumptions management believes are
reasonable. However, due to the uncertainties associated with
forward-looking statements, you should not place undue reliance on
any forward-looking statements. Further, forward-looking statements
speak only as of the date they are made, and unless required by
law, we expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to
publicly update any of them in light of new information, future
events, or otherwise.
USE
OF PROCEEDS
We estimate that
the net proceeds from the sale of the common stock and warrants in
the offering will be approximately
$ million, after deducting the
underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering
expenses, or $ million if
the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in
full.
We currently expect
to use the net proceeds of this offering primarily for the
following purposes:
|
●
|
approximately
$5,000,000 for capital expenditures;
|
|
●
|
approximately
$5,000,0000 for tuck-in acquisitions;
|
|
●
|
approximately
$25,000,000 for the repayment of certain debt and other
obligations; and
|
|
●
|
the remainder for
working capital and other general corporate purposes.
|
The
use of approximately $25,000,000 of the proceeds for the repayment
of debt includes repayment of amounts outstanding under (i) the
existing Credit Agreement and (ii) the Convertible Promissory Note
issued in favor of Timothy Drury on December 22, 2015 having a
principal amount of $1,250,000 (the "Convertible Note"). Such debt
under the Credit Agreement has a maturity date of December 22, 2020
with interest paid monthly at an annual rate of approximately 9%
(subject to variation based on changes in LIBOR or another
underlying reference rate). In addition, there is a commitment fee
paid monthly on the unused Multi-Draw Term Loan commitments and
Revolving Commitments at an annual rate of 0.5%.
Under
the Convertible Note, beginning in the quarter ending December 31,
2016, unpaid principal balance and all accrued and unpaid
interest shall be paid in sixteen (16) equal quarterly installments
of principal and accrued interest with the final payment of
principal and interest, if not sooner paid, due on December 31,
2020, with interest on the outstanding unpaid principal balance
thereof at the rate of eight percent (8%) per annum compounded on
the last day of each calendar quarter from the date of the
Convertible Note.
The proceeds of
such indebtedness under the Credit Agreement were applied as
follows:
|
●
|
$13,008,108 for the
acquisition of Christian Disposal, LLC;
|
|
●
|
$
9,163,487
for the purchase of
certain assets of Eagle Ridge Assets, LLC;
|
|
●
|
$11,417,179 for
repayment of indebtedness to Praesidian Capital Opportunity Fund
III, LP and Praesidian Capital Opportunity Fund III-A, LP
(collectively, “Praesidian”); and
|
|
●
|
approximately
$3,000,000 for capital expenditures.
|
The
Convertible Note was issued as
partial
consideration in the acquisition of
Christian
Disposal, LLC.
We believe that the
expected net proceeds from this offering and our existing cash and
cash equivalents, together with interest thereon, will be
sufficient to fund our operations for at least the next twelve
months, although we cannot assure you that this will
occur.
The amount and
timing of our actual expenditures will depend on numerous factors,
including the status of our development efforts, sales and
marketing activities and the amount of cash generated or used by
our operations. We may find it necessary or advisable to use
portions of the proceeds for other purposes, and we will have broad
discretion and flexibility in the application of the net proceeds.
Pending these uses, the proceeds will be invested in short-term
bank deposits.
MARKET FOR
COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED SHAREHOLDER MATTERS
Market
and Other Information
The
Company's common stock is currently quoted on the OTCQB under the
symbol “MRDN.” The Company's common stock
was quoted on the OTC Markets effective February 23, 2005
under the symbol “BCAK.” Effective March 22, 2006,
the Company changed its symbol to “BCKE.” Effective
April 15, 2015, the Company changed its symbol to
“MRDN.”
We
have applied to The Nasdaq Capital Market
to list our common stock under the symbol “MRDN” and
our warrants under the symbol “MRDNW.”
Immediately
following the offering, we expect to have one class of common stock
outstanding and one class of preferred stock
outstanding.
As of
November 15, 2016, there were approximately 46
registered holders of record of our common stock, and the last
reported sale price of our common stock on the OTCQB was
$13.50 per share.
On November
3, 2016, the Company effected a 1-for-20 reverse
split.
The
following table sets forth the high and low sales price of our
common stock on the OTCQB for the most recent fiscal quarter. These
prices are based on inter-dealer bid and asked prices, without
markup, markdown, commissions, or adjustments and may not represent
actual transactions.
The share
values reflected below have been adjusted to give effect to the
1-for-20 reverse split which we implemented on November 3,
2016.
Period
|
|
Low
|
Fiscal
Year 2016:
|
|
|
First
Quarter
|
$
36.00
|
$
20.40
|
Second
Quarter
|
39.00
|
20.00
|
Third
Quarter
|
30.00
|
16.00
|
Fourth
Quarter (through November 15, 2016)
|
13.50
|
10.20
|
|
|
|
Fiscal
Year 2015:
|
|
|
First
Quarter
|
$
36.00
|
$
26.00
|
Second
Quarter
|
32.00
|
20.40
|
Third
Quarter
|
22.20
|
11.00
|
Fourth
Quarter
|
20.00
|
6.00
|
|
|
|
Fiscal
Year 2014:
|
|
|
First
Quarter
|
$
12.00
|
$
12.00
|
Second
Quarter
|
12.00
|
12.00
|
Third
Quarter
|
12.00
|
12.00
|
Fourth
Quarter
|
27.60
|
27.60
|
Dividend Policy
To date, we have
not paid any dividends on our common stock and do not anticipate
paying any such dividends in the foreseeable future. The
declaration and payment of dividends on the common stock is at the
discretion of our board of directors and will depend on, among
other things, our operating results, financial condition, capital
requirements, contractual restrictions or such other factors as our
board of directors may deem relevant. We currently expect to use
all available funds to finance the future development and expansion
of our business and do not anticipate paying dividends on our
common stock in the foreseeable future.
CAPITALIZATION
The following table
sets forth our consolidated cash and capitalization as of
September 30, 2016. Such information is set forth on
the following basis:
●
on a pro forma
basis to give effect to the assumed conversion of 35,750 shares of
Series C Preferred Stock into an aggregate of 276,275
shares of our common stock (assuming a conversion price of
$2.94 per share) at or prior to completion of this
offering;
●
on a pro forma
basis, giving effect to the events described above and the sale of
the securities in this offering at an assumed public offering price
of $ per
share after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and
other estimated offering expenses.
The pro forma
information below is illustrative only and our capitalization
following the completion of this offering will be adjusted based on
the actual public offering price and other terms of this offering
determined at pricing. You should read this table together with
“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations” and our audited and
unaudited consolidated financial statements and the related notes
appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.
|
|
As
of September 30, 2016
|
|
|
|
Actual
|
|
|
Pro Forma
|
|
|
Pro
Forma
As
Adjusted
|
|
Cash and cash
equivalents
|
|
$
|
1,247,756
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
indebtedness
|
|
|
52,903,052
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stockholders’
equity (deficit):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Series B Preferred
stock, $0.001 par value: 71,120 shares authorized; 0
shares outstanding and 0 shares outstanding
pro
forma
|
|
|
71
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common Stock,
$0.025 par value; 75,000,000 shares authorized;
1,194,051 shares
outstanding
shares
and
outstanding pro forma
|
|
|
29,851
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Additional paid-in
capital
|
|
|
36,955,896
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accumulated
deficit
|
|
|
(42,127,665
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accumulated other
comprehensive loss
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
stockholders’ equity (deficit)
|
|
|
(5,326,097
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
____________
(1)
A $1.00 increase or
decrease in the assumed public offering price per share would
increase or decrease our pro forma cash, additional paid-in
capital, total stockholders’ equity (deficit) and total
capitalization by approximately $______ assuming the number of
shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this
prospectus, remains the same and after deducting the underwriting
discount and estimated offering expenses payable by
us.
DILUTION
If you invest in
our securities, your investment will be diluted immediately to the
extent of the difference between the public offering price per
share of common stock you pay in this offering, and the pro forma
net tangible book value per share of common stock immediately after
this offering.
Net
tangible book value (deficit) represents the amount of our total
tangible assets reduced by our total liabilities. Tangible assets
equal our total assets less intangible assets. Pro forma net
tangible book value per share represents our pro forma net tangible
book value divided by the number of shares of common stock
outstanding.
As of
September 30, 2016, our actual net tangible deficit
value was $ and our net
tangible book deficit per share was
$ . As of
September 30, 2016, our pro forma net tangible book
deficit value was $ and
our net tangible book deficit per share was
$ , after giving
effect to the conversion of our outstanding shares of Series C
Preferred Stock into 276,275 shares of our
common stock. The calculation of net tangible book value assumes
the conversion of Series C Preferred Stock into common stock at a
conversion price of $12.94 per share.
After
giving effect to (i) the sale
of shares
and warrants to
acquire shares
in this offering at the assumed public offering price of
$ per share and
$ per warrant, (ii) after
deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other
estimated offering expenses payable by us, our pro forma net
tangible book value (deficit) as of September 30, 2016
would have been $ , or
$ per share. This
represents an immediate increase in pro forma net tangible book
value (deficit) of $ per
share to existing stockholders and immediate dilution of
$ per share to investors
purchasing shares in the offering.
The following table
illustrates the per share dilution to investors purchasing shares
in the offering:
|
|
As
of
September 30,
2016
|
|
|
Pro Forma
|
|
Assumed public
offering price per share
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net tangible book
value per share as of September 30, 2016
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
Increase in pro
forma net tangible book value per share attributable to new
investors
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
Pro forma net
tangible book value per share after giving effect to this
offering
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dilution in net
tangible book value per share to new investors
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The information
above assumes that the underwriters do not exercise their
over-allotment option. If the underwriters’ overallotment
option is exercised, our pro forma net tangible book value
following the offering will be $ per
share, and the dilution to new investors in the offering will be
$ per share.
A $1.00 increase or
decrease in the assumed public offering price per share would
increase or decrease our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book
value after this offering by approximately
$ , and dilution per share to new
investors by approximately $ for an
increase of $1.00, or $( ) for a
decrease of $1.00, after deducting the underwriting discount and
estimated offering expenses payable by us.
MANAGEMENT’S
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL
CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following discussion and analysis of the
financial condition and results of our operations should be read in
conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the
notes to those statements appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.
This discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements
reflecting our managementís current expectations that involve
risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Our actual results and the
timing of events may differ materially from those described in or
implied by these forward-looking statements due to a number of
factors, including those discussed below and elsewhere in this
prospectus particularly on page 13 entitled “Risk
Factors”.
The share and
per share numbers in the following discussion reflect the 1-for-20
reverse stock split that we effected on November 4,
2016.
Executive
Overview
General Overview of Our Business
The platform
operation of the Company is our subsidiary Here To Serve Missouri
Waste Division, LLC (“HTS Waste”). HTS Waste
is in the business of collection of non-hazardous solid
waste. Our revenue is generated primarily by collection
services provided to residential customers. The
following table reflects the total revenue of Meridian Waste
Services, LLC (“Predecessor”) for the years ending
December 31, 2013, the combined revenues for HTS Waste and the
Predecessor for the year ended December 31, 2014, and for the year
ended December 31, 2015 (dollars in thousands):
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2013
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
%
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
increase
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
increase
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
Increase
|
|
Revenue
|
|
|
13,506
|
|
|
|
11
|
%
|
|
|
12,202
|
|
|
|
8
|
%
|
|
|
11,350
|
|
|
|
11
|
%
|
As our revenues
continue to grow in this existing market, we plan to increase the
rate of this growth by expanding the collection business into the
commercial arena as well as increasing our presence in the
“roll-off” business. Roll-off service is the
hauling and disposal of large waste containers (typically between
10 and 40 cubic yards) that are loaded on to and off of the
collection vehicle.
The following
discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with the
financial statements, the related notes thereto and the pro forma
financials included in this registration statement on
Form S-1.
Results of Operations
Three Months Ended September 30, 2016 and
September 30, 2015
Summary
of Statements of Operations for the Three Months Ended
September 30, 2016 and 2015:
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
$
8,389,326
|
$
3,382,221
|
Gross
profit
|
$
2,423,766
|
$
879,342
|
Operating
expenses
|
$
5,513,566
|
$
2,272,039
|
Other expenses,
net
|
$
501,149
|
$
37,367
|
Net
loss
|
$
3,753,949
|
$
1,430,064
|
Basic net loss per
share
|
$
2.96
|
$
2.22
|
Revenue
The Company’s
revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2016 was
$8,389,326, a 148% increase over the three months ended September
30, 2015 of $3,382,221. This increase is due to the continued
growth of HTS Waste and the acquisitions of Christian Disposal and
Eagle Ridge. Christian Disposal revenue for the three months ended
September 30, 2016 was approximately $3,600,000 and Eagle Ridge
revenue for the same period was approximately
$1,000,000.
Gross
Profit
Gross profit
percentage for the three months ended September 30, 2016 is 29%.
This is an increase of approximately 3% from the three months ended
September 30, 2015. The increase is due to efficiencies of
operations. The Company is utilizing the synergies of its recent
acquisitions, such as creating density in some of its routes, which
creates cost savings. In addition, there was a decrease in landfill
costs as the company began internalizing its
waste.
Operating
Expenses
Operating expenses
were $5,513,566, or 66% of revenue, for the three months ended
September 30, 2016 as compared to $2,272,039, or 67% of revenue,
for the three months ended September 30, 2015. The high level of
operating expenses in both periods is due to recurring costs of
operations, including professional fees, compensation and general
and administrative expenses, including insurance and rental expense
and certain other incremental items relating to the acquisitions in
December 2015, primarily including payments to third party
professionals for accounting and valuation services. The increase
in operating expenses from the three months ended September 30,
2016 as compared to the three months ended September 30, 2015, is
primarily attributable to increased compensation and related
expense and the acquisition of Christian Disposal and Eagle Ridge
in December of 2015.
Other expenses
Other expense for
the three months ended September 30, 2016, was $501,149, as
compared to $37,367 for the three months ended September 30, 2015.
The change is attributable to an approximate increase in interest
expense of $770,000 and increase in unrealized gain on change in
fair value of derivative liability of $386,000. The increase in the
interest expense was due primarily to our increase in debt of
approximately $30,000,000.
Net Loss
Net loss for three
months ended September 30, 2016, was $3,753,949 or loss per share
of $2.96, as compared to $1,430,064 or loss per share of $2.22, for
the three months ended September 30,
2015.
Results of Operations
Summary
of Statements of Operations for the Nine Months Ended September 30,
2016 and 2015:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
$
23,883,663
|
$
9,733,330
|
Gross
profit
|
$
7,132,224
|
$
2,567,595
|
Operating
expenses
|
$
19,544,172
|
$
13,463,557
|
Other expenses,
net
|
$
1,751,101
|
$
414,005
|
Net
loss
|
$
14,308,049
|
$
11,309,967
|
Basic net loss per
share
|
$
11.91
|
$
19.05
|
Revenue
The Company's
revenue for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 was
$23,883,663, a 145% increase over the nine months ended September
30, 2015 of $9,733,330. This increase is due to the continued
growth of HTS Waste
and the
acquisitions of Christian Disposal and Eagle
Ridge.
Gross
Profit
Gross profit
percentage for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 is 30%.
This is an increase of approximately 4% from the nine months ended
September 30, 2015. The increase is due to efficiencies of
operations. The Company is utilizing the synergies of its recent
acquisitions, such as creating density in some of its routes, which
creates cost savings. In addition, there was a decrease in landfill
costs as the Company began internalizing its
waste.
Operating
Expenses
Operating expenses
were $19,544,172, or 82% of revenue, for the nine months ended
September 30, 2016, as compared to $13,463,557, or 138% of revenue,
for the nine months ended September 30, 2015. The high level of
operating expenses in both periods is due to recurring costs of
operations, including professional fees, compensation and general
and administrative expenses, including insurance and rental expense
and certain other incremental items relating to the acquisitions in
December 2015, primarily including payments to third party
professionals for accounting and valuation services. The 56%
decrease in operating expenses as a percent of revenue is primarily
attributable to significant stock based compensation issued to
certain employees and vendors during the three months ended June
30, 2015. For the nine months ended September 30, 2016 stock-based
compensation was 39% of total revenue, as compared to 78% for the
nine months ended September 30, 2015.
Other expenses
Other expense for
the nine months ended September 30, 2016, was $1,751,101, as
compared to $414,005 for the nine months ended September 30, 2015.
The change is attributable to an approximate increase in interest
expense of $2,700,000 and increase in gain on contingent liability
of $1,000,000. Lastly, there was an increase in unrealized gain on
change in fair value of derivative liability of $500,000 for the
nine months ended September 30, 2016 as compared to the nine months
ended September 30, 2015.
Net Loss
Net loss for nine
months ended September 30, 2016, was $14,308,049 or loss per share
of $11.91, as compared to $11,309,967 or loss per share of $19.05,
for the nine months ended September 30, 2015.
Results of Operations
Fiscal Year 2015 Compared to Fiscal Year 2014
Summary
of Statements of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2015
and 2014:
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
$
13,506,097
|
$
12,202,076
|
Gross
profit
|
$
3,370,493
|
$
3,142,469
|
Operating
expenses
|
$
17,640,895
|
$
4,868,540
|
Other
expenses
|
$
4,961,488
|
$
659,608
|
Net
loss
|
$
19,231,890
|
$
2,385,679
|
Basic net loss per
share
|
$
26.60
|
$
5.40
|
Revenue
The
Company's revenue for the year ended December 31, 2015 was
$13,506,000, an 11% increase over the annualized 2014 revenue of
$12,202,000. This increase is due to the continued
growth of HTS Waste, the acquisitions of Christian Disposal and
Eagle Ridge, and the expansion into other service product
lines.
Gross
Profit
Gross
profit percentage for the year ending December 31, 2015 is
25%. This is consistent with the seven and one-half
months ending December 31, 2014 and relatively consistent with the
gross profit percentage of the Predecessor, MWS. The
small amount of decrease from the Predecessor is due to an increase
in depreciation expense included in cost of sales and an increase
in disposal cost. The increase in depreciation expense
is due to the application of “push-down” accounting
adjusting the value of depreciable property to fair value on May
15, 2014 and the addition of new equipment.
Operating
Expenses
Selling, general
and administrative expenses were $17,641,000, or 131% of revenue,
for the year ended December 31, 2015. This is a significant
increase over the level of selling, general and administrative
expenses for the seven and one-half months ending December 31, 2014
and that of the Predecessor. This is largely due to significant
incentive packages awarded to certain employees and vendors and
certain other one-time expenses in connection with the acquisitions
and reorganization of the Company. In addition, as discussed above,
the increase is related to the use of “push-down”
accounting related to the business combinations which occurred in
May 2014 and December 2015.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
The
following table summarizes total current assets, liabilities and
working capital at September 30, 2016, compared to
December 31, 2015:
|
|
|
|
Current
Assets
|
$
5,938,358
|
$
4,917,587
|
$
1,020,771
|
Current
Liabilities
|
$
10,721,519
|
$
10,788,838
|
$
67,319
|
Working capital
(Deficit)
|
$
(4,783,161
)
|
$
(5,871,251
)
|
$
(1,088,090
)
|
The
change in working capital (deficit) is due primarily to the
following changes to current assets and current liabilities.
The increase in short term investments of
approximately $2,000,000 offset by a decrease in cash of
approximately $1,500,000. Accounts Receivable and
other assets increased by approximately $500,000.
Contingent liability decreased by $1,000,000 offset by
an increase of approximately $900,000 in accounts
payable and accrued expenses.
Short-term
investments increased due to the Company needing to collateralize a
letter of credit for a performance bond. Cash decreased primarily
because of the acquisition of equipment. Accounts receivable
increased due to increased sales. The contingent liability decrease
is the result of the loss of a potential renewal as part of the
Christian Disposal acquisition. Accounts payable and
accrued expenses increased as a result of increased
sales.
At
September 30, 2016, we had a working capital deficit
of $4,783,161, as compared to a working capital deficit of
$5,871,251, at December 31, 2015, a decrease of
$1,088,090. This lack of liquidity is mitigated by the
Company's ability to generate positive cash flow from operating
activities. In the nine months ended September
30, 2016, cash generated from operating activities, was
approximately $600,000. In addition, as of
September 30, 2016, the Company had approximately
$1,200,000 in cash and cash equivalents and $1,953,000
in short-term investments to cover its short term cash
requirements. Further, the Company has approximately
$12,850,000 of borrowing capacity on its
multidraw term loans and revolving commitments with
Goldman Sachs
Specialty Lending Group, L.P.
as discussed
below.
The
Company purchased approximately $5 million of
equipment while increasing long term debt by approximately
$2,400,000 during the nine months ended
September 30, 2016. The increase in debt was due to
the Company borrowing on its revolving credit facility
with Goldman Sachs Specialty Lending Group, L.P. as
discussed below. Liquidity is the ability of a company to generate
funds to support its current and future operations, satisfy its
obligations, and otherwise operate on an ongoing
basis.
As of September 30,
2016 and at certain times thereafter, the Company was in violation
of covenants within its credit agreement with Goldman Sachs
Specialty Lending Group, L.P. The lenders party thereto, Goldman
Sachs Specialty Lending Group, L.P., as administrative agent, and
the Company and its affiliates entered into a waiver and amendment
letter on November 11, 2016 whereby certain covenant violations
were waived and the Company is now in compliance. The Company is
currently in compliance with all covenants under the Credit
Agreement. Should the Company have violations in the future that
are not waived, it could materially affect the Company's operations
and ability to fund future
operations.
Our
primary uses of cash have been for working capital purposes to
support our operations and our efforts to become a reporting
company with the SEC. All funds received have been expended in the
furtherance of growing our business operations, establishing our
brand and making sure our work is completed with efficiency and of
the highest quality. The following trends are reasonably likely to
result in a material decrease in our liquidity over the near to
long term:
o
An increase in
working capital requirements to finance additional marketing
efforts,
o
Increases in
advertising, public relations and sales promotions for existing
customers and to attract new customers as the company expands,
and
o
The cost of being a
public company.
We are
not aware of any known trends or any known demands, commitments or
events that will result in our liquidity increasing or decreasing
in any material way. We are not aware of any matters that would
have an impact on future operations.
During
the 3 months ending September 30, 2015, the Company eliminated its
Credit Facility with Comerica Bank (see Debt Restructuring with
Praesidian Capital Opportunity Fund III, LP below). In December
2015, the Company subsequently refinanced its debt with Praesidian
in connection with the acquisitions of Christian Disposal and Eagle
Ridge (see Goldman Sachs Credit Agreement below).
We
believe that our cash requirements over the next 12 months will be
approximately $1,000,000. In order to fund future growth and
expansion through acquisitions and capital expenditures, the
Company may be required to raise capital through the sale of its
securities. We expect cash, short-term
investments, cash flow from operations and access to capital
markets to continue to be sufficient to fund our
operations.
In
order to fund future expansion through acquisitions and capital
expenditures, the Company may raise additional capital through the
sale of its securities on the public market.
Debt Restructuring with Praesidian Capital Opportunity Fund III,
LP
On
August 6, 2015, the Company entered into a financing agreement with
Praesidian Capital Opportunity Fund III, LP whereby the Comerica
facilities described below and other short term bridge financing
were paid. Total proceeds from this financing were used to
eliminate this debt.
Goldman Sachs Credit Agreement
On
December 22, 2015, in connection with the closing of acquisitions
of Christian Disposal, LLC and certain assets of Eagle Ridge
Landfill, LLC, the Company was extended certain credit facilities
by certain lenders, consisting of $40,000,000
aggregate principal amount of Tranche A Term Loans, $10,000,000
aggregate principal amount of commitments to make Multi-Draw Term
Loans and up to $5,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Revolving
Commitments. During the three months ended March 31, 2016, the
Company borrowed $2,150,000 in relation to the Revolving
Commitments. At June 30, 2016, the Company had a total outstanding
balance of $42,900,000 consisting of the Tranche A Term Loan and
draw of the Revolving Commitments. The loans are secured by liens
on substantially all of the assets of the Company and its
subsidiaries. The debt has a maturity date of December 22, 2020
with interest paid monthly at an annual rate of approximately 9%
(subject to variation based on changes in LIBOR or another
underlying reference rate). In addition, there is a commitment fee
paid monthly on the unused Multi-Draw Term Loan commitments and
Revolving Commitments at an annual rate of 0.5%.
The
proceeds of the loans were used to partially fund the acquisitions
referenced above and refinance existing debt with Praesidian, among
other things. The Company re-paid in full and terminated its
agreements with Praesidian which effected the cancellation of
certain warrants that the Company issued to Fund III for the
purchase of 46,592 shares of the Company's common
stock and to Fund III-A for the purchase of 18,060
shares of the Company's common stock. In consideration for the
cancellation of the Praesidian Warrants, the Company issued to
Praesidian Capital Opportunity Fund III, LP, 57,653
shares of common stock and issued to Praesidian Capital Opportunity
Fund III-A, LP, 22,348 shares of common stock. Due to
the early termination of the notes and cancellation of the
warrants, the Company recorded a loss on extinguishment of debt of
$1,899,161 in the year ended December 31, 2015.
In
addition, in connection with the credit agreement, the Company
issued warrants to Goldman, Sachs & Co. for the purchase of
shares of the Company's common stock equivalent to a 6.5%
Percentage Interest at a purchase price equal to $449,553,
exercisable on or before December 22, 2023. The warrants grant the
holder certain other rights, including registration rights,
preemptive rights for certain capital raises, board observation
rights and indemnification. See discussion of warrants in
"Description of Capital Stock" below.
The
parties to the Credit Agreement have entered into certain
amendments to the Credit Agreement, described in the Recent
Developments section herein, which provided, among other things,
limited waivers by the lenders of certain failures of the Company
and its affiliates to deliver certain financial statements and
related deliverables and to comply with certain financial covenants
under the Credit Agreement, and which amended the terms of the
Credit Agreement to address such
failures.
2016 Bridge Financings
First 2016 Private Placement
In March 2016, the
Company launched a private placement offering (the “First
2016 Private Placement”) of the Company's common stock, par
value $0.025 of up to $1,600,000, with certain accredited investors
in transactions exempt from registration with the SEC under
Regulation D and Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. On March
23, 2016, the Company completed its first closing of the First 2016
Private Placement with accredited investors (the “March 2016
Investors”) and issued an aggregate of 22,321
shares of Common Stock for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company
of $500,000. On April 1, 2016, the Company completed its second
closing of the First 2016 Private Placement with accredited
investors (together, the “April 2016 Investors”) and
issued an aggregate of 31,250 shares of Common Stock
for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $700,000. On April
8, 2016, the Company completed its third closing of the First 2016
Private Placement with an accredited investor (together with the
March 2016 Investors and the April 2016 Investors, the “First
2016 Private Placement Investors”) and issued an aggregate of
17,857 shares of Common Stock for aggregate gross
proceeds to the Company of $400,000, resulting in a full
subscription under the First 2016 Private Placement. Under the
terms of the First 2016 Private Placement, the Company granted the
First 2016 Private Placement Investors certain “true
up” rights, pursuant to which the Company agreed to issue
additional shares of Common Stock to the First 2016 Private
Placement Investors in the event that, prior to the
first anniversary of the applicable subscription agreement under
the First 2016 Private Placement, such First 2016 Private Placement
Investor sells all of its shares of Common Stock purchased under
such subscription agreement and receives less than the full amount
of the purchase price paid under such subscription agreement (the
“True Up Adjustment”).
Second 2016 Private
Placement
In June 2016, the
Company launched a private placement offering (the “Second
2016 Private Placement”) of up to $3,000,000 of the Company's
restricted Common Stock and warrants to purchase shares of Common
Stock, with certain accredited investors in transactions exempt
from registration with the SEC under Regulation D and Section
4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. On June 3, 2016, the Company
completed its first closing of the Second 2016 Private Placement
with accredited investors (the “June 2016 Investors”)
and issued an aggregate of 16,346 shares of Common
Stock and warrants for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of
$425,000. Effective June 13, 2016, the Company amended the terms of
the Second 2016 Private Placement to reduce the per share
subscription price under the Second 2016 Private Placement, and
entered into amended subscription agreements with the June 2016
Investors to reflect such reduced purchase price, resulting in an
issuance to the June 2016 Investors of an additional
2,627 aggregate shares of Common Stock, together with
replacement warrants. On June 13, 2016, the Company completed its
second closing of the Second 2016 Private Placement with accredited
investors (the “Additional June 2016 Investors”) and
issued an aggregate of 5,580 shares of Common Stock
and warrants for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of
$125,000. On June 21, 2016, the Company completed its third closing
of the Second 2016 Private Placement with an accredited investor
(together with the June 2016 Investors and the Additional June 2016
Investors, the “Second 2016 Private Placement
Investors”) and issued an aggregate of 2,232
shares of Common Stock and warrants for aggregate gross proceeds to
the Company of $50,000. The warrants issued by the Company to the
Second 2016 Private Placement Investors provided that, in the event
that, for the period beginning six months from the date of the
applicable subscription agreement under the Second 2016 Private
Placement, if one or more such Second 2016 Private Placement
Investors were to sell all shares of Common Stock purchased in the
Second 2016 Private Placement and fail to receive proceeds equal to
or in excess of the aggregate purchase price paid by such Second
2016 Private Placement Investors for such shares, such subscribers
could exercise the warrants issued under the Second 2016 Private
Placement, requiring the Company, at its election, to (i) issue to
such subscriber the number of shares of Common Stock equivalent to
the amount by which such purchase price exceeds such sale proceeds
valued at the average closing price for the Common Stock on the
primary trading market on the three (3) trading days preceding the
date of exercise or (ii) redeem such shortfall amount in cash (the
“Warrant Adjustment”).
Series C Offering
In July 2016, the
Company launched a private placement offering (the “Series C
Offering”) of up to $4,000,000 of its newly designated Series
C Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Series C
Preferred Stock”) to certain accredited investors in
transactions exempt from registration with the SEC under Regulation
D and Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. Pursuant to the terms
of its Series C Preferred Stock Certificate of Designations (the
“Series C Designations”), the Company has authorized
for issuance 67,361 shares of Series C Preferred Stock, having a
stated value of equal to $100 per share and a par value of $0.001
per share and providing for dividends at a rate of 8% per annum.
Shares of the Series C Preferred Stock are convertible into shares
of Common Stock at a price of $
12.94
per share (reflecting adjustment to the price of
$
22.40 per share,
pursuant
to the reverse stock split effected November 3,
2016)
. In the event of a Qualified Offering, as
defined in the Series C Designations, the shares of Series C
Preferred Stock will be automatically converted at the lower of
$
12.94
per share (reflecting adjustment to the price of
$
22.40 per share,
pursuant
to the reverse stock split effected November 3,
2016)
, or the per share price that
reflects a 20% discount to the price of the Common Stock pursuant
to such Qualified Offering. A "Qualified Offering" is defined as an
underwritten offering by the Company pursuant to which (1) the
Company receives aggregate gross proceeds of at least $20,000,000
in consideration of the purchase of shares of Common Stock or (2)
(a) the Company receives aggregate gross proceeds of at least
$15,000,000 in consideration of the purchase of shares of Common
Stock and (b) the Common Stock becomes listed on The Nasdaq Capital
Market, the New York Stock Exchange, or the NYSE MKT. The
Series C Designations provide for certain additional shortfall
conversions, pursuant to which holders of Series C Preferred Stock
may, subject to certain conditions, be issued additional shares of
Common Stock by the Company. The Series C Preferred Stock has
voting rights on an “as converted” to Common Stock
basis. In no event shall a holder of Series C Preferred
Stock be entitled to make conversions that would result in
beneficial ownership by such holder and its affiliates of more than
4.99% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company;
provided, that the foregoing shall not apply to any person
exercising rights pursuant to the Amended and Restated Warrant or
any affiliate or transferee thereof and provided further that such
restrictions may be waived by the holder upon not less than 61 days
notice to the Company.
From July 20, 2016
through August 26, 2016, the Company completed closings of the
Series C Offering with certain accredited investors and issued an
aggregate of 12,750 shares of Series C Preferred Stock for
aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $1,275,000.
Securities Exchange Agreements
Effective August
26, 2016, the Company entered into securities exchange agreements
with all of the First 2016 Private Placement Investors and all of
the Second 2016 Private Placement Investors (together, the
“2016 Private Placement Investors”), pursuant to which
the 2016 Private Placement Investors agreed to exchange the shares
of Common Stock and warrants, as applicable, received in the
First 2016 Private Placement or the Second 2016 Private Placement,
as applicable, and all of the rights attached thereto (including,
in the case of the First 2016 Private Placement, the True Up
Adjustment and, in the case of the Second 2016 Private Placement,
the Warrant Adjustment), on a dollar for dollar basis, for an
aggregate of 23,000 shares of Series C Preferred Stock (the
“Series C Exchange”). Following the Series C
Exchange, the 2016 Private Placement Investors no longer hold any
rights under the First 2016 Private Placement or the Second 2016
Private Placement, as applicable, and all Common Stock and
warrants, as applicable, issued thereunder have
been cancelled. The Company did not receive any cash proceeds
from the Series C Exchange.
Effective
October 13, 2016, the Company entered into those certain securities
exchange agreements (the “
Series
B Exchange Agreements
”) by and between the
Company and each holder of the Company's Series B Preferred Stock,
par value $0.001 per share (the “
Series
B Preferred
”), (collectively, the
“
Series
B Holders
” and each, individually, a
“
Series
B Holder
”) to effect the exchange
of all shares of Series B Preferred for shares of Common
Stock.
Pursuant to the Series B Exchange
Agreements, the Company issued to the Series B Holders an aggregate
of 500,001 shares of Common Stock, with each Series B Holder being
issued 166,667 shares of Common Stock, subject to and in accordance
with the terms set forth in the Series B Exchange Agreements in
consideration for the cancellation of all shares of Series B
Preferred owned by the Series B Holders. Upon cancellation of the
Series B Preferred pursuant to the Series B Exchange Agreements,
there are no shares of Series B Preferred issued and
outstanding.
Inflation and Seasonality
Based on our
industry and our historic trends, we expect our operations to vary
seasonally. Typically, revenue will be highest in the second and
third calendar quarters and lowest in the first and fourth calendar
quarters. These seasonal variations result in fluctuations in waste
volumes due to weather conditions and general economic activity. We
also expect that our operating expenses may be higher during the
winter months due to periodic adverse weather conditions that can
slow the collection of waste, resulting in higher labor and
operational costs.
Critical Accounting Policies
Basis of
Consolidation
The consolidated
financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2016 include
the operations of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries,
Here To Serve Missouri Waste Division, LLC, Meridian Land Company,
LLC, Here to Serve Technology, LLC and Christian Disposal, LLC. The
following two subsidiaries of the Company, Here To Serve Georgia
Waste Division, LLC and Here to Serve Technology, LLC, a Georgia
Limited Liability Company had no operations during the
period.
All significant
intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in
consolidation.
Impairment of long-lived
assets
The Company
periodically reviews its long-lived assets for impairment whenever
events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying
amount of the assets may not be fully recoverable. The Company
recognizes an impairment loss when the sum of expected undiscounted
future cash flows is less that the carrying amount of the asset.
The amount of impairment is measured as the difference between the
asset’s estimated fair value and its book value.
Use of Estimates
Management
estimates and judgments are an integral part of consolidated
financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States of America
(GAAP). We believe that the critical accounting policies described
in this section address the more significant estimates required of
management when preparing our consolidated financial statements in
accordance with GAAP. We consider an accounting estimate critical
if changes in the estimate may have a material impact on our
financial condition or results of operations. We believe that the
accounting estimates employed are appropriate and resulting
balances are reasonable; however, actual results could differ from
the original estimates, requiring adjustment to these balances in
future periods.
Accounts
Receivable
Accounts receivable
are recorded at management’s estimate of net realizable
value.
At December 31, 2015
and 2014 the Company had approximately $2,326,000 and $660,000 of
gross trade receivables, respectively.
Our reported balance
of accounts receivable, net of the allowance for doubtful accounts,
represents our estimate of the amount that ultimately will be
realized in cash. We review the adequacy and adjust our allowance
for doubtful accounts on an ongoing basis, using historical payment
trends and the age of the receivables and knowledge of our
individual customers. However, if the financial condition of our
customers were to deteriorate, additional allowances may be
required.
Revenue
Recognition
The Company follows
the guidance of ASC 605 for revenue recognition. In general, the
Company records revenue when persuasive evidence of an arrangement
exists, services have been rendered or product delivery has
occurred, the sales price to the customer is fixed or determinable
and collectability is reasonably assured.
We generally
provide services under contracts with municipalities or individual
customers. Municipal and commercial contracts are generally
long-term and often have renewal options. Advance billings are
recorded as deferred revenue, and revenue is recognized over the
period services are provided. We recognize revenue when all four of
the following criteria are met:
●
|
Persuasive evidence
of an arrangement exists such as a service agreement with a
municipality, a hauling customer or a disposal
customer;
|
●
|
Services have been
performed such as the collection and hauling of waste;
|
●
|
The price of the
services provided to the customer is fixed or determinable;
and
|
●
|
Collectability is
reasonably assured.
|
Intangible Assets
Intangible assets
that are subject to amortization are reviewed for potential
impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate that carrying
amounts may not be recoverable. Assets not subject to amortization
are tested for impairment at least annually.
Goodwill
Goodwill is the
excess of our purchase cost over the fair value of the net assets
of acquired businesses. We do not amortize goodwill, but as
discussed in the Intangible Assets section above, we assess our
goodwill for impairment at least annually.
Landfill
Accounting
Capitalized landfill
costs
Cost basis of
landfill assets — We capitalize various costs that we incur
to make a landfill ready to accept waste. These costs generally
include expenditures for land (including the landfill footprint and
required landfill buffer property); permitting; excavation; liner
material and installation; landfill leachate collection systems;
landfill gas collection systems; environmental monitoring equipment
for groundwater and landfill gas; and directly related engineering,
capitalized interest, on-site road construction and other capital
infrastructure costs. The cost basis of our landfill assets also
includes asset retirement costs, which represent estimates of
future costs associated with landfill final capping, closure and
post-closure activities. These costs are discussed
below.
Final capping,
closure and post-closure costs — Following is a description
of our asset retirement activities and our related
accounting:
●
|
Final capping
— Involves the installation of flexible membrane liners and
geosynthetic clay liners, drainage and compacted soil layers and
topsoil over areas of a landfill where total airspace capacity has
been consumed. Final capping asset retirement obligations are
recorded on a units-of-consumption basis as airspace is consumed
related to the specific final capping event with a corresponding
increase in the landfill asset. The final capping is accounted for
as a discrete obligation and recorded as an asset and a liability
based on estimates of the discounted cash flows and capacity
associated with the final capping.
|
●
|
Closure —
Includes the construction of the final portion of methane gas
collection systems (when required), demobilization and routine
maintenance costs. These are costs incurred after the site ceases
to accept waste, but before the landfill is certified as closed by
the applicable state regulatory agency. These costs are recorded as
an asset retirement obligation as airspace is consumed over the
life of the landfill with a corresponding increase in the landfill
asset. Closure obligations are recorded over the life of the
landfill based on estimates of the discounted cash flows associated
with performing closure activities.
|
●
|
Post-closure
— Involves the maintenance and monitoring of a landfill site
that has been certified closed by the applicable regulatory agency.
Generally, we are required to maintain and monitor landfill sites
for a 30-year period. These maintenance and monitoring costs are
recorded as an asset retirement obligation as airspace is consumed
over the life of the landfill with a corresponding increase in the
landfill asset. Post-closure obligations are recorded over the life
of the landfill based on estimates of the discounted cash flows
associated with performing post-closure activities.
|
We develop our
estimates of these obligations using input from our operations
personnel, engineers and accountants. Our estimates are based on
our interpretation of current requirements and proposed regulatory
changes and are intended to approximate fair value. Absent quoted
market prices, the estimate of fair value is based on the best
available information, including the results of present value
techniques. In many cases, we contract with third parties to
fulfill our obligations for final capping, closure and post
closure. We use historical experience, professional engineering
judgment and quoted and actual prices paid for similar work to
determine the fair value of these obligations. We are required to
recognize these obligations at market prices whether we plan to
contract with third parties or perform the work ourselves. In those
instances where we perform the work with internal resources, the
incremental profit margin realized is recognized as a component of
operating income when the work is performed.
Once we have
determined the final capping, closure and post-closure costs, we
inflate those costs to the expected time of payment and discount
those expected future costs back to present value. During the year
ended December 31, 2015 we inflated these costs in current dollars
until the expected time of payment using an inflation rate of 2.5%.
We discounted these costs to present value using the
credit-adjusted, risk-free rate effective at the time an obligation
is incurred, consistent with the expected cash flow approach. Any
changes in expectations that result in an upward revision to the
estimated cash flows are treated as a new liability and discounted
at the current rate while downward revisions are discounted at the
historical weighted average rate of the recorded obligation. As a
result, the credit-adjusted, risk-free discount rate used to
calculate the present value of an obligation is specific to each
individual asset retirement obligation. The weighted average rate
applicable to our long-term asset retirement obligations at
December 31, 2015 is approximately 8.5%.
We record the
estimated fair value of final capping, closure and post-closure
liabilities for our landfills based on the capacity consumed
through the current period. The fair value of final capping
obligations is developed based on our estimates of the airspace
consumed to date for the final capping. The fair value of closure
and post-closure obligations is developed based on our estimates of
the airspace consumed to date for the entire landfill and the
expected timing of each closure and post-closure activity. Because
these obligations are measured at estimated fair value using
present value techniques, changes in the estimated cost or timing
of future final capping, closure and post-closure activities could
result in a material change in these liabilities, related assets
and results of operations. We assess the appropriateness of the
estimates used to develop our recorded balances annually, or more
often if significant facts change.
Changes in
inflation rates or the estimated costs, timing or extent of future
final capping, closure and post-closure activities typically result
in both (i) a current adjustment to the recorded liability and
landfill asset and (ii) a change in liability and asset amounts to
be recorded prospectively over either the remaining capacity of the
related discrete final capping or the remaining permitted and
expansion airspace (as defined below) of the landfill. Any changes
related to the capitalized and future cost of the landfill assets
are then recognized in accordance with our amortization policy,
which would generally result in amortization expense being
recognized prospectively over the remaining capacity of the final
capping or the remaining permitted and expansion airspace of the
landfill, as appropriate. Changes in such estimates associated with
airspace that has been fully utilized result in an adjustment to
the recorded liability and landfill assets with an immediate
corresponding adjustment to landfill airspace amortization
expense.
●
|
Remaining permitted
airspace — Our engineers, in consultation with third-party
engineering consultants and surveyors, are responsible for
determining remaining permitted airspace at our landfills. The
remaining permitted airspace is determined by an annual survey,
which is used to compare the existing landfill topography to the
expected final landfill topography.
|
●
|
Expansion airspace
— We also include currently unpermitted expansion airspace in
our estimate of remaining permitted and expansion airspace in
certain circumstances. First, to include airspace associated with
an expansion effort, we must generally expect the initial expansion
permit application to be submitted within one year and the final
expansion permit to be received within five years. Second, we must
believe that obtaining the expansion permit is likely, considering
the following criteria:
|
o
|
Personnel are
actively working on the expansion of an existing landfill,
including efforts to obtain land use and local, state or provincial
approvals;
|
o
|
We have a legal
right to use or obtain land to be included in the expansion
plan;
|
o
|
There are no
significant known technical, legal, community, business, or
political restrictions or similar issues that could negatively
affect the success of such expansion; and
|
o
|
Financial analysis
has been completed based on conceptual design, and the results
demonstrate that the expansion meets the Company’s criteria
for investment.
|
For unpermitted
airspace to be initially included in our estimate of remaining
permitted and expansion airspace, the expansion effort must meet
all of the criteria listed above. These criteria are evaluated by
our field-based engineers, accountants, managers and others to
identify potential obstacles to obtaining the permits. Once the
unpermitted airspace is included, our policy provides that airspace
may continue to be included in remaining permitted and expansion
airspace even if certain of these criteria are no longer met as
long as we continue to believe we will ultimately obtain the
permit, based on the facts and circumstances of a specific
landfill.
When we include the
expansion airspace in our calculations of remaining permitted and
expansion airspace, we also include the projected costs for
development, as well as the projected asset retirement costs
related to the final capping, closure and post-closure of the
expansion in the amortization basis of the landfill.
Once the remaining
permitted and expansion airspace is determined in cubic yards, an
airspace utilization factor (“AUF”) is established to
calculate the remaining permitted and expansion capacity in tons.
The AUF is established using the measured density obtained from
previous annual surveys and is then adjusted to account for future
settlement. The amount of settlement that is forecasted will take
into account several site-specific factors including current and
projected mix of waste type, initial and projected waste density,
estimated number of years of life remaining, depth of underlying
waste, anticipated access to moisture through precipitation or
recirculation of landfill leachate, and operating practices. In
addition, the initial selection of the AUF is subject to a
subsequent multi-level review by our engineering group, and the AUF
used is reviewed on a periodic basis and revised as necessary. Our
historical experience generally indicates that the impact of
settlement at a landfill is greater later in the life of the
landfill when the waste placed at the landfill approaches its
highest point under the permit requirements.
After determining
the costs and remaining permitted and expansion capacity at our
landfill, we determine the per ton rates that will be expensed as
waste is received and deposited at the landfill by dividing the
costs by the corresponding number of tons. We calculate per ton
amortization rates for the landfill for assets associated with each
final capping, for assets related to closure and post-closure
activities and for all other costs capitalized or to be capitalized
in the future. These rates per ton are updated annually, or more
often, as significant facts change.
It is possible that
actual results, including the amount of costs incurred, the timing
of final capping, closure and post-closure activities, our airspace
utilization or the success of our expansion efforts could
ultimately turn out to be significantly different from our
estimates and assumptions. To the extent that such estimates, or
related assumptions, prove to be significantly different than
actual results, lower profitability may be experienced due to
higher amortization rates or higher expenses; or higher
profitability may result if the opposite occurs. Most
significantly, if it is determined that expansion capacity should
no longer be considered in calculating the recoverability of a
landfill asset, we may be required to recognize an asset impairment
or incur significantly higher amortization expense. If at any time
management makes the decision to abandon the expansion effort, the
capitalized costs related to the expansion effort are expensed
immediately.
Derivative
Instruments
The Company enters
into financing arrangements that consist of freestanding derivative
instruments or are hybrid instruments that contain embedded
derivative features. The Company accounts for these arrangements in
accordance with Accounting Standards Codification topic 815,
Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
(“ASC 815”) as well as related interpretations of this
standard. In accordance with this standard, derivative instruments
are recognized as either assets or liabilities in the balance sheet
and are measured at fair values with gains or losses recognized in
earnings. Embedded derivatives that are not clearly and closely
related to the host contract are bifurcated and are recognized at
fair value with changes in fair value recognized as either a gain
or loss in earnings. The Company determines the fair value of
derivative instruments and hybrid instruments based on available
market data using appropriate valuation models, considering the
rights and obligations of each instrument.
The Company
estimates fair values of derivative financial instruments using
various techniques (and combinations thereof) that are considered
consistent with the objective measuring fair values. In selecting
the appropriate technique, the Company considers, among other
factors, the nature of the instrument, the market risks that it
embodies and the expected means of settlement. For less complex
derivative instruments, such as freestanding warrants, the Company
generally uses the Black Scholes model, adjusted for the effect of
dilution, because it embodies all of the requisite assumptions
(including trading volatility, estimated terms, dilution and risk
free rates) necessary to fair value these instruments. Estimating
fair values of derivative financial instruments requires the
development of significant and subjective estimates that may, and
are likely to, change over the duration of the instrument with
related changes in internal and external market factors. In
addition, option-based techniques (such as Black-Scholes model) are
highly volatile and sensitive to changes in the trading market
price of our common stock. Since derivative financial instruments
are initially and subsequently carried at fair value, our income
(expense) going forward will reflect the volatility in these
estimates and assumption changes. Under the terms of this
accounting standard, increases in the trading price of the
Company’s common stock and increases in fair value during a
given financial quarter result in the application of non-cash
derivative loss. Conversely, decreases in the trading price of the
Company’s common stock and decreases in trading fair value
during a given financial quarter result in the application of
non-cash derivative gain.
Deferred Revenue
The Company records
deferred revenue for customers that were billed in advance of
services. The balance in deferred revenue represents amounts billed
in October, November and December for services that will be
provided during January, February and March.
Stock-Based
Compensation
Stock-based
compensation is accounted for at fair value in accordance with ASC
Topic 718. To date, the Company has not adopted a stock option plan
and has not granted any stock options.
Stock-based
compensation is accounted for based on the requirements of the
Share-Based Payment Topic of ASC 718 which requires recognition in
the consolidated financial statements of the cost of employee and
director services received in exchange for an award of equity
instruments over the period the employee or director is required to
perform the services in exchange for the award (presumptively, the
vesting period). The ASC also require measurement of the cost of
employee and director services received in exchange for an award
based on the grant-date fair value of the award.
Pursuant to ASC
Topic 505-50, for share based payments to consultants and other
third-parties, compensation expense is determined at the
“measurement date.” The expense is recognized over the
service period of the award. Until the measurement date is reached,
the total amount of compensation expense remains uncertain. The
Company initially records compensation expense based on the fair
value of the award at the reporting date. During the six months
ended June 30, 2016 the Company has warrants outstanding with an
estimated fair value of $2,700,000. In addition, the Company issued
restricted shares during the six months ended, June 30, 2016 with
an estimated value of approximately $6,300,000.
Off-Balance Sheet
Arrangements
There were no
off-balance sheet arrangements during the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2015 and 2014, or the fiscal quarters ended June 30,
2016 or March 31,
2016
, that have or are
reasonably likely to have a current or future effect on our
financial condition, changes in financial condition, revenues or
expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or
capital resources that is material to our interests.
DESCRIPTION
OF BUSINESS
History
Meridian Waste
Solutions, Inc. (formerly known as Brooklyn Cheesecake &
Desserts Company, Inc.) (the “Company”) was
incorporated in November 1993 in New York. Prior to
October 17, 2014, the Company derived revenue by licensing its
trademarks to a third party (the “Legacy
Business”).
On October 17,
2014, the Company entered into that certain Membership Interest
Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) by and
among Here to Serve Holding Corp., a Delaware corporation, as
seller (“Here to Serve”), the Company, as parent,
Brooklyn Cheesecake & Dessert Acquisition Corp., a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Company, as buyer (the “Acquisition
Corp.”), the Chief Executive Officer of the Company (the
“Company Executive”), the majority shareholder of the
Company (the “Company Majority Shareholder”) and
certain shareholders of Here to Serve (the “Here to Serve
Shareholders”), pursuant to which the Acquisition Corp
acquired from Here to Serve all of Here to Serve’s right,
title and interest in and to (i) 100% of the membership interests
of Here to Serve – Missouri Waste Division, LLC d/b/a
Meridian Waste, a Missouri limited liability company (“HTS
Waste”); (ii) 100% of the membership interests of Here to
Serve Technology, LLC, a Georgia limited liability company
(“HTS Tech”); and (iii) 100% of the membership
interests of Here to Serve Georgia Waste Division, LLC, a Georgia
limited liability company (“HTS Waste Georgia”, and
together with HTS Waste and HTS Tech, collectively, the
“Membership Interests”). As consideration
for the Membership Interests, on October 31, 2014 (the
“Closing Date”) (i) the Company issued to Here to
Serve 452,707 shares of the Company’s common
stock (the “HTS Common Stock”); (ii) the Company
issued to the holder of Class A Preferred Stock of Here to Serve
(“Here to Serve’s Class A Preferred Stock”) 51
shares of the Company’s Series A Preferred Stock (the
“Series A Preferred Stock”); (iii) the Company issued
to the holder of Class B Preferred Stock of Here to Serve
(“Here to Serve’s Class B Preferred Stock”) an
aggregate of 71,120 shares of the Company’s Series B
Preferred Stock (the “Series B Preferred Stock,”
together with the HTS Common Stock and the Series A Preferred
Stock, the “Purchase Price Shares”); and
(iv) the Company shall assume certain assumed liabilities (the
“Initial Consideration”).
As further
consideration, on the Closing Date of the transaction
contemplated under the Purchase Agreement, (i) in satisfaction of
all accounts payable and shareholder loans, Here to Serve paid to
the Company Majority Shareholder $70,000 and (ii) Here to Serve
purchased from the Company Majority Shareholder 230,000 shares of
the Company’s common stock for a purchase price of
$11,500. Pursuant to the Purchase
Agreement, to the extent Purchase Price Shares are issued to
individual shareholders of Here to Serve at or upon closing of the
Purchase Agreement: (i) shares of common stock of Here to Serve
held by the individuals listed on Schedule 2.2 of the Purchase
Agreement valued at $2,564,374.95 will be cancelled in accordance
with such Schedule 2.2; (ii) 50,000 shares of Here to
Serve’s Class A Preferred Stock valued at $1,000 will be
cancelled; and (iii) 71,120 shares of Here to Serve’s Class B
Preferred Stock valued at $7,121,000 will be cancelled (the
“Additional Consideration”).
The closing of the
Purchase Agreement resulted in a change of control of the Company
and the Legacy Business was spun out to a shareholder in connection
with the same.
On March 27, 2015, the Company filed a
Certificate of Amendment of the Certificate of Incorporation to
change the name of the Company from Brooklyn Cheesecake &
Desserts Company, Inc. to Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. (the
“Name Change”). On April 15, 2015, the Company received
approval from FINRA for the Name Change and to change its
stock symbol from BCKE to MRDN.
Overview
Meridian Waste
Solutions, Inc. is an integrated provider of non-hazardous solid
waste collection, transfer and disposal services. We currently have
all of our operations in Missouri but are aggressively looking to
expand our presence across the Midwest, South and East regions of
the United States.
Corporate
Structure
Here to Serve – Missouri Waste Division, LLC d/b/a Meridian
Waste
HTS Waste is a
non-hazardous solid waste management company providing collection
services for approximately 45,000 commercial, industrial and
residential customers in Missouri. We own one collection operation
based out of Bridgeton, Missouri. Approximately 100% of HTS
Waste’s 2015 revenue was from collection, utilizing over 60
collection vehicles.
Here To Serve began
non-hazardous waste collection operations in May 2014 upon the
acquisition of nearly all of the assets from Meridian Waste
Services, LLC that in turn became the core of our operations. From
our formation through today, we have begun to create the
infrastructure needed to expand our operations through acquisitions
and market development opportunities.
Christian Disposal, LLC; FWCD
Effective December
22, 2015, the Company consummated the closing of the Amended and
Restated Membership Interest Purchase Agreement, dated October 16,
2015, by and among the Company, Timothy M. Drury, Christian
Disposal LLC (“Christian Disposal”), FWCD, LLC
(“FWCD”), Missouri Waste and Georgia Waste; as amended
by that certain First Amendment thereto, dated December 4, 2015,
pursuant to which Christian Disposal became a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Company in exchange for: (i) Thirteen Million
Dollars ($13,000,000), subject to working capital adjustment, (ii)
87,500 shares of the Company’s Common Stock,
(iii) a Convertible Promissory Note in the amount of One Million
Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($1,250,000), bearing interest
at 8% per annum and (iv) an additional purchase price of Two
Million Dollars ($2,000,000), due upon completion of an extension
under a certain contract to which Christian Disposal is party (the
"Additional Purchase Price"), each payable to the former
stockholders of Christian Disposal. The Company expects that the
Additional Purchase Price will not become due, as it presently
appears that an extension will not be granted in connection with
the relevant contract.
Christian Disposal,
along with its subsidiary, FWCD, LLC, is a non-hazardous solid
waste management company providing collection and transfer services
for approximately 35,000 commercial, industrial and residential
customers in Missouri. Christian Disposal’s collection
operation is based out of Winfield, Missouri. Along with
operations in Winfield, Christian Disposal operates two transfer
stations, in the O’Fallon, Missouri and St. Peters, Missouri
and own one transfer station, in Winfield,
Missouri. Approximately 100% of Christian Disposal and
FWCD’s 2015 revenue was from collection and transfer,
utilizing over 35 collection vehicles.
Christian Disposal
began non-hazardous waste collection operations in 1978. Our
acquisition of Christian Disposal is a key element of our strategy
to create the vertically integrated infrastructure needed to expand
our operations.
Meridian Land Company, LLC (Assets of Eagle Ridge Landfill &
Hauling)
Effective December
22, 2015, Meridian Land Company, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of
the Company, consummated the closing of that certain Asset Purchase
Agreement, dated November 13, 2015, by and between Meridian Land
Company, LLC and Eagle Ridge Landfill, LLC (“Eagle”),
as amended by that certain Amendment to Asset Purchase Agreement,
dated December 18, 2015, to which the Company and WCA Waste
Corporation are also party, pursuant to which the Company, through
Meridian Land Company, LLC, purchased from Eagle, a landfill in
Pike County, Missouri (the “Eagle Ridge Landfill”) and
substantially all of the assets used by Eagle related to the Eagle
Ridge Landfill, including certain debts, in exchange for $9,506,500
in cash, subject to a working capital adjustment.
The Eagle Ridge
Landfill is currently permitted to accept municipal solid
waste. The Eagle Ridge Landfill is located in Bowling
Green, Missouri. Meridian Land Company currently owns
265 acres at Eagle Ridge with 56.7 acres permitted and constructed
to receive waste.
In addition to the
Eagle Ridge Landfill, the Company operates, through Meridian Land
Company, hauling operations in Bowling Green, Missouri, servicing
commercial, residential and roll off customers in this
market. The Company will be looking to expand its
footprint in the market through an aggressive sales and marketing
strategy, as well as through additional acquisitions.
Customers
Meridian has two
municipal contracts, the first of which accounted for 26% and
27%, and the second of which accounted for 18% and 19%,
respectively, of HTS Waste’s long-term contracted revenue for
the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 respectively.
Collection Services
Meridian, through
its subsidiaries, provides solid waste collection services to
approximately 65,000 industrial, commercial and residential
customers in the Metropolitan St. Louis, Missouri
area. In 2015, its collection revenue consisted of
approximately 17% from services provided to industrial customers,
13% from services provided to commercial customers and 70% from
services provided to residential customers.
In our commercial
collection operations, we supply our customers with waste
containers of various types and sizes. These containers
are designed so that they can be lifted mechanically and emptied
into a collection truck to be transported to a disposal
facility. By using these containers, we can service most
of our commercial customers with trucks operated by a single
employee. Commercial collection services are generally
performed under service agreements with a duration of one to five
years with possible renewal options. Fees are generally
determined by such considerations as individual market factors,
collection frequency, the type of equipment we furnish, the type
and volume or weight of the waste to be collected, the distance to
the disposal facility and the cost of disposal.
Residential solid
waste collection services often are performed under contracts with
municipalities, which we generally secure by competitive bid and
which give us exclusive rights to service all or a portion of the
homes in these municipalities. These contracts usually
range in duration from one to five years with possible renewal
options. Generally, the renewal options are automatic
upon the mutual agreement of the municipality and the provider;
however, some agreements provide for mandatory re-bidding.
Alternatively, residential solid waste collection services may be
performed on a subscription basis, in which individual households
or homeowners’ or similar associations contract directly with
us. In either case, the fees received for residential
collection are based primarily on market factors, frequency and
type of service, the distance to the disposal facility and the cost
of disposal.
Additionally, we
rent waste containers and provide collection services to
construction, demolition and industrial sites. We load
the containers onto our vehicles and transport them with the waste
to either a landfill or a transfer station for
disposal. We refer to this as “roll-off”
collection. Roll-off collection services are generally
performed on a contractual basis. Contract terms tend to
be shorter in length, in some cases having terms of only six
months, and may vary according to the customers’ underlying
projects.
Transfer and Disposal Services
Landfills are the
main depository for solid waste in the United
States. Solid waste landfills are built, operated, and
tied to a state permit under stringent federal, state and local
regulations. Currently, solid waste landfills in the
United States must be designed, permitted, operated, closed and
maintained after closure in compliance with federal, state and
local regulations pursuant to Subtitle D of the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, as amended. We do
not operate hazardous waste landfills, which may be subject to even
greater regulations. Operating a solid waste landfill
includes excavating, constructing liners, continually spreading and
compacting waste and covering waste with earth or other inert
material as required, final capping, closure and post-closure
monitoring. The objectives of these operations are to
maintain sanitary conditions, to ensure the best possible use of
the airspace and to prepare the site so that it can ultimately be
used for other end use purposes.
Access to a
disposal facility is a necessity for all solid waste management
companies. While access to disposal facilities owned or
operated by third parties can be obtained, we believe that it is
preferable to internalize the waste streams when
possible. Meridian is targeting further geographic, as
well as operational expansion by focusing on markets with transfer
stations and landfills available for acquisition.
Our transfer
stations allow us to consolidate waste for subsequent transfer in
larger loads, thereby making disposal in our otherwise remote
landfills economically feasible. A transfer station is a
facility located near residential and commercial collection routes
where collection trucks take the solid waste that has been
collected. The waste is unloaded from the collection
trucks and reloaded onto larger transfer trucks for transportation
to a landfill for final disposal. Transfer stations are
generally owned by municipalities, with contracts to operate such
transfer stations awarded based on bids. As an
alternative to operating a transfer station directly, we could
negotiate the use of a transfer station owned by a private party or
operated by a competitor, which may not be as profitable as
operating our own transfer station. In addition to increasing our
ability to internalize the waste that our collection operations
collect, using transfer stations reduces the costs associated with
transporting waste to final disposal sites because the trucks we
use for transfer have a larger capacity than collection trucks,
thus allowing more waste to be transported to the disposal facility
on each trip.
Our
Operating Strengths
We have a proven
and experienced senior management team. Our Chief
Executive Officer, Jeffrey S. Cosman, and President and
COO Walter H. Hall, Jr. combine over 35 years
of experience in the solid waste industry, including
significant experience in
local and regional operations, local
and regional accounting,
mergers & acquisitions,
integration and the development of disposal capacity. Members of
our team have held senior positions at Republic Services, Advanced
Disposal, Southland Waste Services and Browning Ferris
Industries. Our team has a proven track record
with
development and
implementation of strategic marketplace plans, sales, safety,
acquisitions, and coordination of assets and
personnel.
While our senior leadership team
creates and drives our overall growth strategy, we rely on a
decentralized management structure which does not interfere with
local management and may afford us the opportunity to capitalize on
growth and cost reduction at the local level.
Vertically Integrated Operations
|
The vertical
integration of our operations allows us to manage the waste stream
from the point of collection through disposal, which we hope will
enable us to maximize profit by controlling costs and gaining
competitive advantages, while still providing high-quality service
to our customers. In the St. Louis market, because we have
integrated our network of collection, transfer and disposal assets,
primarily using our own resources, we generate a steady,
predictable stream of waste volume and capture an incremental
disposal margin. We charge tipping fees to third-party collection
service providers for the use of our transfer stations or
landfills, providing a source of recurring revenue. We believe this
internalization rate provides us with a significant cost advantage
over our competitors, positioning us well to win additional
profitable business through new customer acquisition and municipal
contract awards. We also believe this vertically integrated
structure enables us to quickly and efficiently integrate future
acquisitions of transfer stations, collection operations or
landfills into our current operations.
Landfill and Transfer Station Assets
|
We have one active
and strategically located landfill at the core of our integrated
operations which we believe provides us a significant competitive
advantage in Missouri, in that we do not need to use our
competitors’ landfills. Our landfill has substantial
remaining airspace.
The value of our
landfill may be further enhanced by synergies associated with our
vertically integrated operations, including our transfer stations,
which enable us to cover a greater geographic area surrounding the
landfill, and provide competitive advantages in that we would not
need to use our competitors’ landfills. In our experience
there has generally been a shift towards fewer, larger landfills,
which has resulted in landfills that are generally located
farther from population centers, with waste being transported
longer distances between collection and disposal, typically after
consolidation at a transfer station. With a landfill, transfer
stations and collection services in place, we aim to provide
vertically integrated operations that cover the substantial
geographic area surrounding the landfill.
Acquisition Integration and Municipal Contracts
|
Our business model
contemplates our ability to execute and integrate value-enhancing,
tuck-in acquisitions and win new municipal contracts as a core
component of our growth. In the last six months since our
acquisition of Christian Disposal and the Eagle Ridge Landfill we
have completed two tuck-in acquisitions which we believe will
improve our margins and improve cash flow.
As a management
team, we have experience executing large-scale transactions by
direct association with our historical success at Republic
Services, Advanced Disposal and Browning Ferris
Industries. In addition to significantly expanding
our scale of operations, the acquisitions of Christian Disposal and
Eagle Ridge Landfill enhanced our geographic footprint by providing
us with complementary operations throughout the state of Missouri.
This has helped us realize cost efficiencies through improved
internalization by virtue of increased route concentration and more
efficient utilization of our assets.
Finally, our
management team has demonstrated success in municipal contract
bidding, as we currently serve approximately 30 municipalities and
townships via contracts, historical arrangements or subscriptions
with residents.
We serve
approximately 65,000 residential, commercial and Construction and
Industrial customers, with no single customer representing more
than 12% of revenue in 2015. Our municipal customer relationships
are generally supported by contracts ranging from three to seven
years in initial duration with subsequent renewal periods, and we
have a historical renewal rate of 100% with such customers. Our
standard C&I service agreement is a five-year renewable
agreement. We believe our customer relationships, long-term
contracts and exceptional retention rate provide us with a high
degree of stability as we continue to grow.
We maintain a
central focus on customer service and we pride ourselves on trying
to consistently exceed our customers' expectations. We
believe investing in our customers' satisfaction will ultimately
maximize customer loyalty price stability.
Commitment to Safety
The safety of our
employees and customers is extremely important to us and we have a
strong track record of safety and environmental compliance. We
constantly review and assess our policies practices and procedures
in order to create a safer work environment for our employees and
to reduce the frequency of workplace injuries.
Growth of Existing Markets
|
We believe that as
the residential population and number of businesses grow in our
existing market, we will see waste volumes increase organically. We
seek to remain active and alert with respect to the changing
landscapes in the communities in which we already provide service
in order obtain long-term contracts for collecting solid waste for
residential collection, collection from municipalities, as well as
collection from small and large commercial and industrial
contracts. Obtaining long-term contracts may enable us to grow our
revenue base at the same rate as the underlying economic growth in
these markets. Furthermore, securing long-term contracts provides a
significant barrier to entry from competitors in these
markets.
Expanding into New Markets
Our operating model
focuses on vertically integrated operations. We continue
to pursue a growth strategy that includes acquiring solid waste
companies that complement our existing business. Our goal is to
create market-specific, vertically integrated operations consisting
of one or more collection operations, transfer stations and
landfills.
As we expand, we
plan to focus our business in the secondary markets where
competition from national service providers is limited. We plan to
start new market development projects in certain disposal-neutral
markets in which we will provide services under exclusive
arrangements with municipal customers, which facilitates
highly-efficient and profitable collection operations and lower
capital requirements. We believe this strategic focus positions us
to maintain significant share within our target markets, maximize
customer retention and benefit from a higher and more stable
pricing environment.
Acquisition and
Integration
|
Our revenue model
is based on organic growth of operations, the acquisition of
established operations in new markets as well as being able execute
value-adding, tuck-in acquisitions. We hope to direct acquisition
efforts towards those markets in which we would be able to provide
vertically integrated collection and disposal services
and/or provide waste collection services, pursuant to
contracts that grant exclusivity. Prior to acquisition,
we analyze each prospective target for cost savings through the
elimination of inefficiencies and excesses that are typically
associated with private companies competing in fragmented
industries. We aim to realize synergies from
consolidating businesses into our existing operations, which we
hope will allow us to reduce capital and expense requirements
associated with truck routing, personnel, fleet maintenance,
inventories and back-office administration.
Pursue Additional Exclusive Municipal Contracts
|
We intend to devote
significant resources to securing additional municipal contracts.
Our management team is well versed in bidding for municipal
contracts with over 35 years of experience and working
knowledge in the solid waste industry and local service areas in
existing and target markets. We hope to procure and negotiate
additional exclusive municipal contracts, allowing us to maintain
stable recurring revenue but also providing a significant barrier
to entry to our competitors in those markets.
Invest in Strategic Infrastructure
|
We will continue to
invest in our infrastructure to support growth and increase our
margins. Given the long remaining life of our existing landfill, we
will invest resources toward its development and enhancement in
order to increase our disposal capacity. Similarly, we will
continue to evaluate opportunities to maximize the efficiency of
our collection operations.
Waste
Industry Overview
The
non-hazardous solid waste industry can be divided into the
following three categories: collection, transfer and disposal
services. In our management’s experience,
companies engaging in collection and/or transfer operations of
solid waste typically have lower margins than those performing
disposal service operations. By vertically integrating
collection, transfer and disposal operations, operators seek to
capture significant waste volumes and improve operating
margins.
During the past
four decades, our industry has experienced periods of substantial
consolidation activity; however, we believe significant
fragmentation remains. We believe that there are two
primary factors that lead to consolidation:
●
|
Stringent industry
regulations have caused operating and capital costs to rise, with
many local industry participants finding these costs difficult to
bear and deciding to either close their operations or sell them to
larger operators; and
|
●
|
Larger operators
are increasingly pursuing economies of scale by vertically
integrating their operations or by utilizing their facility, asset
and management infrastructure over larger volumes and, accordingly,
larger solid waste collection and disposal companies aim to become
more cost-effective and competitive by controlling a larger waste
stream and by gaining access to significant financial resources to
make acquisitions.
|
Competition
The solid waste
collection and disposal industry is highly competitive and,
following consolidation, remains fragmented, and requires
substantial labor and capital resources. The industry
presently includes large, publicly-held, national waste companies
such as Republic Services, Inc. and Waste Management, Inc., as well
as numerous other public and privately-held waste
companies. Our existing market and certain of the
markets in which we will likely compete are served by one or more
of these companies, as well as by numerous privately-held regional
and local solid waste companies of varying sizes and resources,
some of which have accumulated substantial goodwill in their
markets. We also compete with operators of alternative
disposal facilities and with counties, municipalities and solid
waste districts that maintain their own waste collection and
disposal operations. Public sector operations may have
financial advantages over us because of potential access to user
fees and similar charges, tax revenues and tax-exempt
financing.
We compete for
collection based primarily on geographic location and the price and
quality of our services. From time to time, our
competitors may reduce the price of their services in an effort to
expand their market share or service areas or to win competitively
bid municipal contracts. These practices may cause us to
reduce the price of our services or, if we elect not to do so, to
lose business.
Our management has
observed significant consolidation in the solid waste collection
and disposal industry, and, as a result of this perceived
consolidation, we encounter competition in our efforts to acquire
landfills, transfer stations and collection
operations. Competition exists not only for collection,
transfer and disposal volume but also for acquisition
candidates. We generally compete for acquisition
candidates with large, publicly-held waste management companies,
private equity backed firms as well as numerous privately-held
regional and local solid waste companies of varying sizes and
resources. Competition in the disposal industry may also
be affected by the increasing national emphasis on recycling and
other waste reduction programs, which may reduce the volume of
waste deposited in landfills. Accordingly, it may become
uneconomical for us to make further acquisitions or we may be
unable to locate or acquire suitable acquisition candidates at
price levels and on terms and conditions that we consider
appropriate, particularly in markets we do not already
serve.
Sales
and Marketing
We focus our
marketing efforts on increasing and extending business with
existing customers, as well as increasing our new customer
base. Our sales and marketing strategy is to provide
prompt, high quality, comprehensive solid waste collection to our
customers at competitive prices. We target potential
customers of all sizes, from small quantity generators to large
companies and municipalities. Because the waste
collection and disposal business is a highly localized business,
most of our marketing activity is local in
nature.
Government
Contracts
We are party to
contracts with municipalities and other associations and
agencies. Many of these contracts are or will be subject
to competitive bidding. We may not be the successful
bidder, or we may have to substantially lower prices in order to be
the successful bidder. In addition, some of our
customers may have the right to terminate their contracts with us
before the end of the contract term.
Municipalities may
annex unincorporated areas within counties where we provide
collection services, and as a result, our customers in annexed
areas may be required to obtain service from competitors who have
been franchised or contracted by the annexing municipalities to
provide those services. Some of the local jurisdictions
in which we currently operate grant exclusive franchises to
collection and disposal companies, others may do so in the future,
and we may enter markets where franchises are granted by certain
municipalities, thereby reducing the potential market opportunity
for us.
Regulation
Our business is
subject to extensive and evolving federal, state and local
environmental, health, safety and transportation laws and
regulations. These laws and regulations are administered
by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, and various
other federal, state and local environmental, zoning, air, water,
transportation, land use, health and safety
agencies. Many of these agencies regularly inspect our
operations to monitor compliance with these laws and
regulations. Governmental agencies have the authority to
enforce compliance with these laws and regulations and to obtain
injunctions or impose civil or criminal penalties in cases of
violations. We believe that regulation of the waste
industry will continue to evolve, and we will adapt to future legal
and regulatory requirements to ensure compliance.
The bond for our
landfill is approximately $7.4 million, with premiums in the
approximate amount of $250,000.
Our operations are
subject to extensive regulation, principally under the federal
statutes described below.
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of
1976, as amended, or RCRA.
RCRA regulates the
handling, transportation and disposal of hazardous and
non-hazardous wastes and delegates authority to states to develop
programs to ensure the safe disposal of solid wastes. On
October 9, 1991, the EPA promulgated Solid Waste Disposal Facility
Criteria for non-hazardous solid waste landfills under Subtitle D
of RCRA. Subtitle D includes location standards,
facility design and operating criteria, closure and post-closure
requirements, financial assurance standards and groundwater
monitoring, as well as corrective action standards, many of which
had not commonly been in place or enforced at
landfills. Subtitle D applies to all solid waste
landfill cells that received waste after October 9, 1991, and, with
limited exceptions, required all landfills to meet these
requirements by October 9, 1993. All states in which we operate
have EPA-approved programs which implemented at least the minimum
requirements of Subtitle D and in some states even more stringent
requirements.
The Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, or
CERCLA.
CERCLA, which is also known as Superfund,
addresses problems created by the release or threatened release of
hazardous substances (as defined in CERCLA) into the
environment. CERCLA’s primary mechanism for
achieving remediation of such problems is to impose strict joint
and several liability for cleanup of disposal sites on current
owners and operators of the site, former site owners and operators
at the time of disposal and parties who arranged for disposal at
the facility (
i.e.
,
generators of the waste and transporters who select the disposal
site). The costs of a CERCLA cleanup can be
substantial. In addition to ordering remediation work to
be undertaken, federal or state agencies can perform remediation
work themselves and seek reimbursement of their costs from
potentially liable parties, and may record liens to enforce their
cost recovery claims. Beyond cleanup costs, federal and state
agencies may also assert claims for damages to natural resources,
like groundwater aquifers, surface water bodies and ecosystems.
Liability under CERCLA is not dependent on the existence or
intentional disposal of “hazardous wastes” (as defined
under RCRA), but can also be based upon the release or threatened
release, even as a result of lawful, unintentional and
non-negligent action, of any one of the more than 700
“hazardous substances” listed by the EPA, even in
minute amounts.
The Federal Water Pollution Control Act of
1972, as amended, or the Clean Water Act.
This
act establishes rules regulating the discharge of pollutants into
streams and other waters of the United States (as defined in the
Clean Water Act) from a variety of sources, including solid waste
disposal sites. If wastewater or stormwater from
our transfer stations may be discharged into surface waters,
the Clean Water Act requires us to apply for and obtain discharge
permits, conduct sampling and monitoring and, under certain
circumstances, reduce the quantity of pollutants in those
discharges. In 1990, the EPA issued additional rules
under the Clean Water Act, which establish standards for management
of storm water runoff from landfills and which require landfills
that receive, or in the past received, industrial waste to obtain
storm water discharge permits. In addition, if a
landfill or transfer station discharges wastewater through a sewage
system to a publicly-owned treatment works, the facility must
comply with discharge limits imposed by the treatment
works. Also, if development of a landfill may alter or
affect “wetlands,” the owner may have to obtain a
permit and undertake certain mitigation measures before development
may begin. This requirement is likely to affect the
construction or expansion of many solid waste disposal
sites.
The Clean Air Act of 1970, as amended, or the
Clean Air Act.
The Clean Air Act provides for
increased federal, state and local regulation of the emission of
air pollutants. The EPA has applied the Clean Air Act to
solid waste landfills and vehicles with heavy duty engines, such as
waste collection vehicles. Additionally, in March 1996,
the EPA adopted New Source Performance Standards and Emission
Guidelines (the “Emission Guidelines”) for municipal
solid waste landfills to control emissions of landfill
gases. These regulations impose limits on air emissions
from solid waste landfills. The Emission Guidelines
impose two sets of emissions standards, one of which is applicable
to all solid waste landfills for which construction, reconstruction
or modification was commenced before May 30, 1991. The
other applies to all municipal solid waste landfills for which
construction, reconstruction or modification was commenced on or
after May 30, 1991. These guidelines, combined with the
new permitting programs established under the Clean Air Act, could
subject solid waste landfills to significant permitting
requirements and, in some instances, require installation of gas
recovery systems to reduce emissions to allowable
limits. The EPA also regulates the emission of hazardous
air pollutants from municipal landfills and has promulgated
regulations that require measures to monitor and reduce such
emissions.
Climate Change
. A variety of
regulatory developments, proposals or requirements have been
introduced that are focused on restricting the emission of carbon
dioxide, methane and other gases known as greenhouse
gases. Congress has considered legislation directed at
reducing greenhouse gas emissions. There has been
support in various regions of the country for legislation that
requires reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and some states
have already adopted legislation addressing greenhouse gas
emissions from various sources. In 2007, the U.S.
Supreme Court held in Massachusetts, et al. v. EPA that greenhouse
gases are an “air pollutant” under the federal Clean
Air Act and, thus, subject to future regulation. In a
move toward regulating greenhouse gases, on December 15, 2009, the
EPA published its findings that emission of carbon dioxide, methane
and other greenhouse gases present an endangerment to human health
and the environment because greenhouse gases are, according to EPA,
contributing to climate change. On October 30, 2009, the
EPA published the greenhouse gas reporting final rule,
effective December 29, 2009, which establishes a new comprehensive
scheme requiring certain specified industries as well as operators
of stationary sources emitting more than established annual
thresholds of carbon dioxide-equivalent greenhouse gases to
inventory and report their greenhouse gas emissions
annually. Municipal solid waste landfills are subject to
the rule. In 2009, the EPA also proposed regulations that
would require a reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases from
motor vehicles. According to the EPA, the final motor vehicle
greenhouse gas standards will trigger construction and operating
permit requirements for stationary sources that exceed
potential-to-emit (PTE) thresholds for regulated pollutants.
As a result, the EPA has proposed to tailor these programs such
that only large stationary sources, such as electric generating
units, cement production facilities, and petroleum refineries will
be required to have air permits that authorize greenhouse gas
emissions.
The Occupational Safety and Health Act of
1970, as amended, or OSHA.
OSHA establishes
certain employer responsibilities, including maintenance of a
workplace free of recognized hazards likely to cause death or
serious injury, compliance with standards promulgated by the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration and various record
keeping, disclosure and procedural requirements. Various
standards, including standards for notices of hazards, safety in
excavation and demolition work and the handling of asbestos, may
apply to our operations.
Flow Control/Interstate Waste
Restrictions.
Certain permits and approvals, as
well as certain state and local regulations, may limit a landfill
or transfer station to accepting waste that originates from
specified geographic areas, restrict the importation of
out-of-state waste or wastes originating outside the local
jurisdiction or otherwise discriminate against non-local
waste. From time to time, federal legislation is
proposed that would allow some local flow control
restrictions. Although no such federal legislation has
been enacted to date, if such federal legislation should be enacted
in the future, states in which we use landfills could limit or
prohibit the importation of out-of-state waste or direct that
wastes be handled at specified facilities. These restrictions
could also result in higher disposal costs for our collection
operations. If we were unable to pass such higher costs
through to our customers, our business, financial condition and
operating results could be adversely affected.
State and Local
Regulation.
Each state in which we now operate or
may operate in the future has laws and regulations governing the
generation, storage, treatment, handling, transportation and
disposal of solid waste, occupational safety and health, water and
air pollution and, in most cases, the siting, design, operation,
maintenance, closure and post-closure maintenance of landfills and
transfer stations. State and local permits and approval
for these operations may be required and may be subject to periodic
renewal, modification or revocation by the issuing
agencies. In addition, many states have adopted statutes
comparable to, and in some cases more stringent than,
CERCLA. These statutes impose requirements for
investigation and cleanup of contaminated sites and liability for
costs and damages associated with such sites, and some provide for
the imposition of liens on property owned by responsible
parties. Furthermore, many municipalities also have
ordinances, local laws and regulations affecting our
operations. These include zoning and health measures
that limit solid waste management activities to specified sites or
activities, flow control provisions that direct or restrict the
delivery of solid wastes to specific facilities, laws that grant
the right to establish franchises for collection services and then
put such franchises out for bid and bans or other restrictions on
the movement of solid wastes into a municipality.
Certain state and
local jurisdictions may also seek to enforce flow control
restrictions through local legislation or
contractually. In certain cases, we may elect not to
challenge such restrictions. These restrictions could
reduce the volume of waste going to landfills in certain areas,
which may adversely affect our ability to operate our landfills at
their full capacity and/or reduce the prices that we can charge for
landfill disposal services. These restrictions may also
result in higher disposal costs for our collection
operations. If we were unable to pass such higher costs
through to our customers, our business, financial condition and
operating results could be adversely affected.
Permits or other
land use approvals with respect to a landfill, as well as state or
local laws and regulations, may specify the quantity of waste that
may be accepted at the landfill during a given time period and/or
specify the types of waste that may be accepted at the
landfill. Once an operating permit for a landfill is
obtained, it must generally be renewed periodically.
There has been an
increasing trend at the state and local level to mandate and
encourage waste reduction and recycling and to prohibit or restrict
the disposal in landfills of certain types of solid wastes, such as
construction and demolition debris, yard wastes, food waste,
beverage containers, unshredded tires, lead-acid batteries, paper,
cardboard and household appliances.
Many states and
local jurisdictions have enacted “bad boy” laws that
allow the agencies that have jurisdiction over waste services
contracts or permits to deny or revoke these contracts or permits
based on the applicant’s or permit holder’s compliance
history. Some states and local jurisdictions go further
and consider the compliance history of the parent, subsidiaries or
affiliated companies, in addition to that of the applicant or
permit holder. These laws authorize the agencies to make
determinations of an applicant’s or permit holder’s
fitness to be awarded a contract to operate and to deny or revoke a
contract or permit because of unfitness unless there is a showing
that the applicant or permit holder has been rehabilitated through
the adoption of various operating policies and procedures put in
place to assure future compliance with applicable laws and
regulations.
Some state and
local authorities enforce certain federal laws in addition to state
and local laws and regulations. For example, in some states, RCRA,
OSHA, parts of the Clean Air Act and parts of the Clean Water Act
are enforced by local or state authorities instead of the EPA, and
in some states those laws are enforced jointly by state or local
and federal authorities.
Public Utility
Regulation.
In many states, public authorities
regulate the rates that landfill operators may
charge.
Seasonality
Based on our
industry and our historic trends, we expect our operations to vary
seasonally. Typically, revenue will be highest in the
second and third calendar quarters and lowest in the first and
fourth calendar quarters. These seasonal variations
result in fluctuations in waste volumes due to weather conditions
and general economic activity. We also expect that our
operating expenses may be higher during the winter months due to
periodic adverse weather conditions that can slow the collection of
waste, resulting in higher labor and operational
costs.
Employees
As of
November 11, 2016, we have approximately 180 full-time
employees. None of our employees are represented by a
labor union. We have not experienced any work stoppages and we
believe that our relations with our employees are
good.
Properties
Our principal
executive office is located at 12540 Broadwell Road, Suite 2104,
Milton, Georgia and is an approximately 3,500 sq. ft. office space
rented at a rate of $2,600 per month. We also lease approximately
8,500 sq. ft. of office space rented at a rate of $23,000 per month
in Bridgeton, Missouri. It is our belief that such space is
adequate for our immediate office needs. Additional space may be
required as we expand our business activities, but we do not
foresee any significant difficulties in obtaining additional office
facilities if deemed necessary.
Our principal
property and equipment is comprised of land, a landfill, buildings,
vehicles and equipment in the State of Missouri. In addition, we
lease real property and own a landfill. These properties are
sufficient to meet the Company’s current operational needs;
however, the Company is exploring the potential acquisition and/or
leasing of additional properties pursuant to its growth
strategies.
Legal
Proceedings
There are no
material proceedings to which any director or officer, or any
associate of any such director or officer, is a party that is
adverse to our Company or any of our subsidiaries or has a material
interest adverse to our Company or any of our subsidiaries. No
director or executive officer has been a director or executive
officer of any business which has filed a bankruptcy petition or
had a bankruptcy petition filed against it during the past ten
years. No current director or executive officer has been convicted
of a criminal offense or is the subject of a pending criminal
proceeding during the past ten years. No current director or
executive officer has been the subject of any order, judgment or
decree of any court permanently or temporarily enjoining, barring,
suspending or otherwise limiting his involvement in any type of
business, securities or banking activities during the past ten
years. No current director or officer has been found by a court to
have violated a federal or state securities or commodities law
during the past ten years.
In addition, there
are no material proceedings to which any affiliate of our Company,
or any owner of record or beneficially of more than five percent of
any class of voting securities of our Company, is a party that is
adverse to our Company or any of our subsidiaries or has a material
interest adverse to our Company or any of our subsidiaries. We are
not currently involved in any litigation that we believe could have
a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of
operations.
However, from time
to time, we may become involved in various lawsuits and legal
proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of business.
Litigation is subject to inherent uncertainties, and an adverse
result in these or other matters may arise from time to time that
may harm our business.
DIRECTORS,
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, PROMOTERS AND CONTROL PERSONS
Directors and Executive Officers
The following table
and text sets forth the names and ages of all our directors and
executive officers and our key management personnel as of
November 1, 2016. All of our directors serve until the
next annual meeting of stockholders and until their successors are
elected and qualified, or until their earlier death, retirement,
resignation or removal. Executive officers serve at the discretion
of the Board of Directors, and are elected or appointed to serve
until the next Board of Directors meeting following the annual
meeting of stockholders, and until their successors are elected and
qualified, or until their earlier death, resignation or removal.
Also provided is a brief description of the business experience of
each director and executive officer and the key management
personnel during the past five years and an indication of
directorships held by each director in other companies subject to
the reporting requirements under the Federal securities
laws.
Name
|
|
Age
|
|
Position
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jeffrey
Cosman (1)
|
|
45
|
|
Chief
Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board of Directors
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Walter
H. Hall (2)
|
|
58
|
|
President, Chief
Operating Officer, Director
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas J. Cowee
(3)
|
|
59
|
|
Director, Audit
Committee Chair
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jackson Davis
(4)
|
|
44
|
|
Director,
Nominating Committee Chair
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joseph Ardagna
(5)
|
|
55
|
|
Director,
Compensation Committee Chair
|
|
(1)
Jeffrey
Cosman was appointed Chief Executive Officer and Director on
October 31, 2014. Mr. Cosman was confirmed as the Chairman of the
Board on February 10, 2016.
(2)
Walter
H. Hall was appointed President, Chief Operating Officer, and a
member of the Board of Directors on March 11, 2016.
(3)
Thomas J. Cowee was
appointed as a member of the Board of Directors and Audit Committee
Chair on November 1, 2016.
(4)
Jackson Davis was
appointed as a member of the Board of Directors and Nominating
Committee Chair on
November 1,
2016.
(5)
Joseph Ardagna was
appointed as a member of the Board of Directors and Compensation
Committee Chair on
November 1,
2016.
All directors hold
office until the next annual meeting of shareholders and until
their successors are elected and qualified.
Officers are
appointed by the Board of Directors and serve at the discretion of
the Board.
Jeffrey S. Cosman, age 45, Chief Executive Officer,
Director
Jeffrey S.
Cosman
combines over 10
years’ experience in the solid waste industry, which includes
local operations, local and regional accounting and corporate
finance. Mr. Cosman has served as the Chief Executive
Officer and a Director of the Company since October 31, 2014, and
has managed the operations of Here to Serve - Missouri Waste
Division, LLC and Here to Serve - Georgia Waste Division, LLC since
May 2014. In 2012, Mr. Cosman purchased Rosewood Communication
Supply, a warehouse centric telecom parts and supplies distributor.
In 2010, Mr. Cosman shifted his career focus back to the solid
waste industry, founding, in 2010, Legacy Waste Solutions, LLC, a
compressed natural gas consulting business. Prior to
that, in the early 2000’s, Mr. Cosman became involved in
start-up technology in the medical device industry, following his
work at Republic Services from February 1996 until February 1999,
where, in his role in Corporate Finance, Mr. Cosman assisted due
diligence of acquisitions, provided accounting guidance in over 168
transactions totaling $1.6 Billion in annualized
revenue, supported corporate controllers in monthly reporting
and assisted in the preparation of a registration statement for
Republic Services. From 1993 through 1996, Mr. Cosman had a career
in professional baseball with the New York Mets’ minor league
organization. In addition, Mr. Cosman has experience in
mobile-based app development, medical device sales leadership and
capital raising. Mr. Cosman holds a B.B.A. in Managerial Finance
and Banking and Finance, and a Bachelors of Accountancy from the
University of Mississippi. The Board of Directors believes
that Mr. Cosman’s “ground up” experience in the
solid waste industry, together with his background in related
fields, as well as finance, will support the Company’s growth
plans as it moves forward in implementing its transition into the
waste industry.
Mr. Cosman is the
majority shareholder in Here To Serve Holding Corp, an OTC Markets
company based in Milton, Georgia. Mr. Cosman has
approximately 65% of the outstanding shares of Here To Serve
Holding Corp. The Company does not have an arrangement
with Here To Serve or Mr. Cosman for past, current or future
services to be performed between Here To Serve and Meridian Waste
Solutions, Inc. Mr. Cosman may in the future consult from time to
time with Here To Serve on matters that do not conflict with the
operation of the Company. Mr. Cosman spends several hours a month
on Here To Serve.
Additionally, Mr.
Cosman has a minority equity interest in Rush The Puck, LLC. The
Company does not have an arrangement with Rush The Puck, LLC or Mr.
Cosman for past, current or future services to be performed between
Rush The Puck LLC and Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Mr. Cosman
spends approximately one hour per week on Rush The Puck,
LLC.
Walter H. Hall, age 58, President, Chief Operating Officer,
Director
Walter H. Hall, age
58, brings 25 years of management experience in the waste industry.
Most recently Mr. Hall served as Chief Operating Officer for
Advanced Disposal Services, Inc., from 2001 through 2014, where he
had direct responsibility for profit and loss decisions,
development and implementation of strategic marketplace plans,
sales, safety, acquisitions, and coordination of assets and
personnel for a company having operations in multiple states with
annual revenues in excess of $1 billion. Prior to that, Mr. Hall
held positions as President and General Manager with Southland
Waste Systems and Southland Waste Systems of Georgia, respectively,
following six years with Browning Ferris Industries as
District Manager and Regional Operations Manager. Mr. Hall has
an undergraduate degree from Mississippi College. The Board of
Directors believes that Mr. Hall’s extensive and directly
applicable experience within the waste industry makes him ideally
qualified to help lead the Company towards continued
growth.
Thomas J. Cowee, age 59, Director, Audit Committee
Chair
Thomas J. Cowee,
age 59, has 37 years of experience in the environmental industry,
including 15 years as a Chief Financial Officer. After retiring
from Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd in December 2012, Mr. Cowee
began serving as a board director for companies and is currently
serving as a director for Enviro Group, LLC and STC Investors, LLC,
both privately owned environmental companies, positions he has held
since 2015. Enviro Group, LLC is a hazardous trucking and transfer
company, and STC Investors, LLC is primarily a refinery services
and trucking company. Previously Mr. Cowee served as a director on
the board of Rizzo Group, LLC, a privately owned solid waste
collection, transfer and recycling business from 2014 to 2016,
until sold. Mr. Cowee was Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer of Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd, from 2005 to 2012.
Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd, was a publicly traded solid waste
collection, transfer, recycling and landfill business, with
operations in the United States and Canada. Mr. Cowee joined IESI
Corporation in 1997 as its Chief Financial Officer and in 2000 was
appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer until
IESI Corporation was acquired by Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd in
2005. From 1995 to 1997, he was Assistant Corporate Controller of
USA Waste Services, Inc., and from 1979 to 1995 he held various
field accounting positions with Waste Management Inc. Mr. Cowee has
a B.Sc. in accounting from The Ohio State University. Mr. Cowee is
qualified to serve on our Board of Directors because of his
e
xtensive experience in the
environmental and waste industry, including serving as a
director
.
Jackson Davis, age 44, Director, Nominating Committee
Chair
Jackson Davis, age
44, has more than 20 years of experience in technology and
technology leadership, previously holding roles with software
development companies providing mobile infrastructure management
and wholesale financing solutions. Mr. Davis holds a BSBA in
Decision Science with concentration in Management Information
Systems from East Carolina University and has extensive experience
in guiding organizational business strategy to propel improvement
and maximum impact, while focusing on cost-efficiency and
productivity. He is currently Director of Financial and Business
Services Applications for Cox Enterprises a leading communications,
media, and automotive services company with revenues of $18
billion. Prior to Joining Cox Enterprises in July of 2016; Mr.
Davis held various roles at Cox Communications, most recently being
Director of Corporate Business Systems, from August 2002 through
July 2016. Mr. Davis is qualified to serve on our Board of
Directors because of his
extensive
experience in the fields of technology and infrastructure
management
.
Joseph Ardagna, age 55, Director, Compensation Committee
Chair
Joseph Ardagna, age
55, brings 30 years of experience of managing businesses in the
restaurant industry. Mr. Ardagna is currently an owner/operator of
Peace, Love and Pizza, a chain of pizza restaurants in Atlanta,
founded in December 2012. Mr. Ardagna is responsible for all
aspects of the business including overseeing the operation of four
pizza restaurants and the construction of a new store scheduled to
open in February 2017. Prior to that, from 1990 until 2012, Mr.
Ardagna owned and operated Taco Mac Restaurants, a 28-restaurant
chain in Atlanta and the Carolinas having approximately $90 million
in yearly sales at such time, as one of the two founding partners
responsible for managing the business, where he oversaw all aspects
of the business, including finance, legal, compensation, site
selection, design and development, licensing and brand development.
Mr. Ardagna sold a majority of his interest in Taco Mac Restaurants
to a private equity group in 2012, but currently still sits on its
board of directors. In 2013, Mr. Ardagna started a new venture in
the restaurant industry in Atlanta and currently oversees the
operation of four pizza restaurants and the construction of a new
store scheduled to open in February 2017. Mr. Ardagna has an
undergraduate degree from Bowdoin College in 1984 and serves on the
Board of Trustees at the New Hampton School in New Hampshire. Mr.
Ardagna is qualified to serve on our Board of Directors because his
extensive business
experience
.
Board
Composition and Director Independence
As of
the date of this prospectus, our board of directors consists of
five members: Mr. Jeffrey Cosman, Mr. Walter Hall,
Mr. Thomas J. Cowee, Mr. Jackson Davis and Mr. Joe
Ardagna. The directors will serve until our next annual
meeting and until their successors are duly elected and
qualified.
The Company
defines “independent” as that term is defined in Rule
5605(a)(2) of the Nasdaq listing standards. In making the
determination of whether a member of the board is independent, our
board considers, among other things, transactions and relationships
between each director and his immediate family and the Company,
including those reported under the caption “Related Party
Transactions”. The purpose of this review is to determine
whether any such relationships or transactions are material and,
therefore, inconsistent with a determination that the directors are
independent. On the basis of such review and its understanding of
such relationships and transactions, our board affirmatively
determined that Mr. Cowee, Mr. Davis and Mr. Ardagna
are qualified as independent.
Board
Committees
Our
board of directors has establish an audit committee, a
nominating and corporate governance committee, and a compensation
committee. Each committee has its own charter, which
is available on our website at
www.mwsinc.com.
Information contained on our website is not incorporated herein by
reference. Each of the board committees has the
composition and responsibilities described below.
Members
will serve on these committees until their resignation or until
otherwise determined by our Board of Directors.
Audit Committee
We
have a separately-designated standing Audit Committee established
in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended (the “Exchange Act”). The Audit Committee
consists of Mr. Cowee, Mr. Davis and Mr.
Ardagna, each of whom qualifies as “independent”
within the meaning of Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act and the
Nasdaq Stock Market Rules. Mr. Thomas J. Cowee
has been appointed as the Chair of the Audit Committee, effective
November 1, 2016. Our board has determined that Mr.
Cowee is currently qualified as an “audit committee
financial expert”, as such term is defined in Item 407(d)(5)
of Regulation S-K.
The
Audit Committee oversees our accounting and financial
reporting processes and oversees the audit of our financial
statements and the effectiveness of our internal control over
financial reporting. The specific functions of this Audit Committee
include, without limitation:
●
selecting and
recommending to our board of directors the appointment of an
independent registered public accounting firm and overseeing the
engagement of such firm;
●
approving the fees
to be paid to the independent registered public accounting
firm;
●
helping to ensure
the independence of the independent registered public accounting
firm;
●
overseeing the
integrity of our financial statements;
●
preparing an audit
committee report as required by the SEC to be included in our
annual proxy statement;
●
resolving any
disagreements between management and the auditors regarding
financial reporting;
●
reviewing with
management and the independent auditors any correspondence with
regulators and any published reports that raise material issues
regarding the Company’s accounting
policies;
●
reviewing and
approving all related-party transactions; and
●
overseeing
compliance with legal and regulatory
requirements.
Compensation Committee
We have a
stand-alone Compensation Committee, which consists of Mr.
Ardagna, Mr. Davis and Mr. Cowee, each of whom is
“independent” within the meaning of the
Nasdaq Stock Market Rules. In addition, each member of
our Compensation Committee qualifies as a
“non-employee director” under Rule 16b-3 of the
Exchange Act. Our Compensation Committee
assiststhe board of directors in the discharge
of its responsibilities relating to the compensation of the board
of directors and our executive officers. Mr. Ardagna has been
appointed as the Chair of the Compensation Committee, effective
November 1, 2016.
The Compensation
Committee’s compensation-related responsibilities include,
without limitation:
●
reviewing and
approving on an annual basis the corporate goals and objectives
with respect to compensation for our Chief Executive
Officer;
●
reviewing,
approving and recommending to our board of directors on an annual
basis the evaluation process and compensation structure for our
other executive officers;
●
providing oversight
of management’s decisions concerning the performance and
compensation of other company officers, employees, consultants and
advisors;
●
reviewing our
incentive compensation and other equity-based plans and
recommending changes in such plans to our board of directors as
needed, and exercising all the authority of our board of directors
with respect to the administration of such
plans;
●
reviewing and
recommending to our board of directors the compensation of
independent directors, including incentive and equity-based
compensation; and
●
selecting,
retaining and terminating such compensation consultants, outside
counsel or other advisors as it deems necessary or
appropriate.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
We
have a stand-alone Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee,
which consists of
Mr. Cowee, Mr.
Davis and Mr. Ardagna
, each of whom is
“independent” within the meaning of the
Nasdaq Stock Market Rules. The purpose of the
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is to
recommend to the board nominees for election as directors and
persons to be elected to fill any vacancies on the board, develop
and recommend a set of corporate governance principles and oversee
the performance of the board. Mr. Davis has been appointed as
the Chair of the Nominating Committee, effective November 1,
2016.
The
Committee’s responsibilities will include:
●
recommending to the
board of directors nominees for election as directors at any
meeting of stockholders and nominees to fill vacancies on the
board;
●
considering
candidates proposed by stockholders in accordance with the
requirements in the Committee charter;
●
overseeing the
administration of the Company’s code of business conduct and
ethics;
●
reviewing with the
entire board of directors, on an annual basis, the requisite skills
and criteria for board candidates and the composition of the board
as a whole;
●
the authority to
retain search firms to assist in identifying board candidates,
approve the terms of the search firm’s engagement, and cause
the Company to pay the engaged search firm’s engagement
fee;
●
recommending to the
board of directors on an annual basis the directors to be appointed
to each committee of the board of directors;
●
overseeing an
annual self-evaluation of the board of directors and its committees
to determine whether it and its committees are functioning
effectively; and
●
developing and
recommending to the board a set of corporate governance guidelines
applicable to the Company.
The Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee may delegate any of its
responsibilities to subcommittees as it deems appropriate. The
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is
authorized to retain independent legal and other advisors, and
conduct or authorize investigations into any matter within the
scope of its duties.
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
We have adopted a
code of business conduct and ethics applicable to our principal
executive, financial and accounting officers and all persons
performing similar functions. A copy of that code is available on
our corporate website at
www.mwsinc.com
. We expect
that any amendments to such code, or any waivers of its
requirements, will be disclosed on our website.
EXECUTIVE
COMPENSATION
Summary
Compensation Table
The following
Summary Compensation Table sets forth all compensation earned, in
all capacities, during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2015 and
2014 by each of the executive officers.
Name
and Principal Position
|
|
Year
|
|
Salary
($)
|
|
|
Stock
Awards ($)
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jeffrey Cosman (1)
(2)
|
|
2015
|
|
$
|
500,000
|
|
|
$
|
7,216,180
|
(3)
|
|
$
|
7,716,180
|
|
Chief Executive
Officer, Director
|
|
2014
|
|
$
|
574,017
|
|
|
$
|
0
|
|
|
$
|
574,017
|
|
Anthony Merante
(1)
|
|
2015
|
|
|
--
|
|
|
|
--
|
|
|
|
--
|
|
former Chief
Executive Officer, former Chief Financial Officer, former
Director
|
|
2014
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
Walter H. Hall,
Jr.
|
|
2015
|
|
|
--
|
|
|
|
--
|
|
|
|
--
|
|
President, Chief
Operating Officer, Director (4)
|
|
2014
|
|
|
--
|
|
|
|
--
|
|
|
|
--
|
|
(1)
|
Anthony Merante,
former Director, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer,
Principal Accounting Officer and Corporate Secretary resigned from
all positions effective as of October 31, 2014.
|
(2)
|
Effective October
31, 2014, Jeffrey S. Cosman was appointed Chief Executive
Officer of the Company and Director. All of Mr. Cosman’s
salary was accrued for 2014; $187,500 of Mr. Cosman’s salary
was accrued for 2015.
|
(3)
|
Mr. Cosman received
279,543 shares of Common Stock, having a grant date
fair market value of $1.29 per share.
|
(4)
|
Mr. Hall was
appointed President, Chief Operating Officer and Director on March
11, 2016.
|
Option
Grants
We did not grant
any options to any of our executive officers during the years ended
December 31, 2015 and 2014.
Compensation
of Directors
At this time, our
directors do not receive a fee for physical attendance at each
meeting of the Board of Directors or a committee
thereof.
Securities
Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plan
Effective March 10, 2016, the Board
approved, authorized and adopted the 2016 Equity and Incentive Plan
(the “Plan”) and certain forms of ancillary agreements
to be used in connection with the issuance of stock and/or options
pursuant to the Plan (the “Plan Agreements”). The Plan
provides for the issuance of up to 375,000 shares of
common stock, par value $0.025 per share, of the Company through
the grant of non-qualified options (the “Non-qualified
Options”), incentive options (the “Incentive
Options” and together with the Non-qualified Options, the
“Options”) and restricted stock (the “Restricted
Stock”) to directors, officers, consultants, attorneys,
advisors and employees.
Equity
Compensation Plan Information
Plan
Category
|
|
Number
of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options,
warrants and rights
(a)
|
|
|
Weighted-average
exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights
compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in column
(a))
(b)
|
|
|
Number
of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity
compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in column
(a))
(c)
|
|
Equity compensation
plans approved by security holders
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
E Equity
compensation plans not approved by security holders
|
|
|
212,654
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
375,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
212,654
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
375,000
|
|
Compensation-Setting
Process
During 2015, our
board of directors was responsible for overseeing our executive
compensation program, establishing our executive compensation
philosophy, and determining specific executive compensation,
including cash and equity. Upon effectiveness of the registration
statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we intend to
establish our Compensation Committee, which will consist of three
independent directors. Unless otherwise stated, the discussion and
analysis below is based on decisions by the board of
directors.
During 2015, our
board of directors considered one or more of the following factors
when setting executive compensation, as further explained in the
discussions of each compensation element below:
●
the experiences and
individual knowledge of the members of our board of directors
regarding executive compensation, as we believe this approach helps
us to compete in hiring and retaining the best possible talent
while at the same time maintaining a reasonable and responsible
cost structure;
●
corporate and/or
individual performance, as we believe this encourages our executive
officers to focus on achieving our business
objectives;
●
the
executive’s existing equity award and stock holdings;
and
●
internal pay equity
of the compensation paid to one executive officer as compared to
another — that is, that the compensation paid to each
executive should reflect the importance of his or her role to the
company as compared to the roles of the other executive officers,
while at the same time providing a certain amount of parity to
promote teamwork.
With our transition
to being a company listed on Nasdaq, our compensation
program following this offering may, over time, vary significantly
from our historical practices. For example, we expect that
following this offering, in setting executive compensation, the new
compensation committee may review and consider, in addition to the
items above, factors such as the achievement of predefined
milestones, tax deductibility of compensation, the total
compensation that may become payable to executive officers in
various hypothetical scenarios, the performance of our common stock
and compensation levels at public peer companies.
Executive
Compensation Program Components
Base
Salary
We provide base
salary as a fixed source of compensation for our executive
officers, allowing them a degree of certainty when having a
meaningful portion of their compensation “at risk” in
the form of equity awards covering the shares of a company for
whose shares there has been limited liquidity to date. The board of
directors recognizes the importance of base salaries as an element
of compensation that helps to attract highly qualified executive
talent.
Base salaries for
our executive officers were established primarily based on
individual negotiations with the executive officers when they
joined us and reflect the scope of their anticipated
responsibilities, the individual experience they bring, the board
members’ experiences and knowledge in compensating similarly
situated individuals at other companies, our then-current cash
constraints, and a general sense of internal pay equity among our
executive officers.
The board does not
apply specific formulas in determining base salary increases. In
determining base salaries for 2015 for our continuing named
executive officers, no adjustments were made to the base salaries
of any of our named executive officers as the board determined, in
their independent judgment and without reliance on any survey data,
that existing base salaries, taken together with other elements of
compensation, provided sufficient fixed compensation for retention
purposes.
Employment
Contracts, Termination of Employment and Change in Control
Arrangements
Jeffrey Cosman - Employment Agreement, Director Agreement and
Restricted Stock Agreement
On March 11, 2016, the Company entered
into an employment agreement with Mr. Cosman (the “Cosman
Employment Agreement”). Mr. Cosman is currently the Chief
Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the
Company, and prior to the execution and delivery of the Cosman
Employment Agreement, terms of Mr. Cosman’s employment were
governed by that certain previous employment agreement assumed by
the Company in connection with the Company’s purchase of
certain membership interests owned by such previous employer on
October 17, 2014. The Cosman Employment Agreement has an initial
term from March 11, 2016 through December 31, 2017, and the term
will automatically renew for one (1) year periods unless
otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms therein. Mr.
Cosman will receive a base salary of $525,000 and Mr.
Cosman’s compensation will increase by 5% on January 1 of
each year. Mr. Cosman may also receive a cash bonus based on the
Company’s performance relative to its annual target
performance, as well as an annual equity bonus in the form of
restricted common stock, in accordance with the Company’s
2016 Equity and Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) and subject
to the restrictions contained therein, equivalent to 6% of the
value of all acquisitions by the Company or its subsidiaries of
substantially all the assets of existing businesses or of
controlling interests in existing business entities and equity or
debt financings during the preceding
year.
Upon any termination of Mr.
Cosman’s employment with the Company, except for a
termination for Cause (as such term is defined therein), Mr. Cosman
shall be entitled to a severance payment equal to the greater of
(i) five years’ worth of the then--existing base salary and
(ii) the last year’s bonus.
On March 11, 2016, the Company entered
into a director agreement with the Company’s Chairman of the
Board and Chief Executive Officer, Jeffrey Cosman, as amended by
the First Amendment to Director Agreement entered into by the
parties on April 13, 2016 (the “Cosman Director
Agreement”).
On March 11, 2016,
the Company entered into a restricted stock agreement with Mr.
Cosman (the “Cosman Restricted Stock Agreement”),
pursuant to which 212,654 shares of the Company's
common stock, subject to certain restrictions set forth in the
Cosman Restricted Stock Agreement, were issued to Mr. Cosman
pursuant to the Cosman Employment Agreement and the
Plan.
Walter H. Hall, Jr. - Director Agreement and Employment
Agreement
On March 11, 2016, the Company entered
into a director agreement with Mr. Walter H. Hall, Jr., as amended
by the First Amendment to Director Agreement entered into by the
parties on April 13, 2016 (the “Hall Director
Agreement”), concurrent with Mr. Hall’s appointment to
the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”)
effective March 11, 2016 (the “Effective
Date”).
On March 11, 2016, the Company entered
into an executive employment agreement with Mr. Hall (the
“Hall Employment Agreement”). Under the Hall Employment
Agreement, Mr. Hall shall serve as the President and Chief
Operating Officer of the Company for an initial term of thirty-six
(36) months, with automatic renewal for one (1) year periods
thereafter, unless otherwise terminated pursuant to the terms
contained therein. Mr. Hall will receive a base salary of $300,000
beginning upon the Company’s closing of acquisitions in the
aggregate amount of $35,000,000 from the date the Hall Employment
Agreement is executed. Mr. Hall may also receive an annual bonus of
up to $175,000, or such larger amount approved by the Board, as
well as an annual equity bonus (in the form of restricted common
stock, in accordance with the Plan and subject to the restrictions
contained therein) equivalent to 2% of the value of all
acquisitions by the Company or its subsidiaries of substantially
all the assets of existing businesses or of controlling interests
in existing business entities and equity or debt financings during
the preceding year. Additionally, Mr. Hall received
100,000 restricted shares of the Company’s
common stock upon the execution of the Hall Employment
Agreement.
Thomas J. Cowee Director Agreement
On November 1, 2016, the Company entered into a director agreement
with Thomas J. Cowee (the “Cowee Director Agreement”).
Under the Cowee Director Agreement, Mr. Cowee shall serve as
Director for an initial term to last until the next annual
stockholders meeting, unless otherwise ending pursuant to the
terms contained therein. Mr. Cowee will receive a monthly cash
stipend of $1,500 for his service as a Director, which shall
increase to $2,000 per month for as long as he serves as a chair of
either the Audit Committee, Compensation Committee or Nominating
Committee. Mr. Cowee may also receive additional cash stipends for
attending meetings of the Board and committee meeting, whether
in-person or telephonically. Additionally, Mr. Cowee was issued One
Thousand (1,000) shares of the Company's common stock upon the
execution of the Cowee Director Agreement, and, upon the last day
of each fiscal quarter commencing in the quarter when the Cowee
Director Agreement became effective, the number of shares of the
Company's common stock equivalent to $7,500, as determined based on
the average closing price on the three trading days immediately
preceding the last day of such quarter. Mr. Cowee also received,
upon execution of the Cowee Director Agreement, a non-qualified
stock option to purchase up to Three Thousand Seven Hundred
Fifty-six (3,756) shares of the Company's common stock at an
exercise price per share equal to $20.00, which shall be
exercisable for a period of five years and vest in equal amounts
over a period of three years at the rate of Three Hundred Thirteen
(313) shares per fiscal quarter at the end of such quarter,
commencing in the quarter in which the Cowee Director Agreement
became effective, and pro-rated for the number of days the Mr.
Cowee serves on the Board during the fiscal
quarter.
Jackson Davis Director Agreement and Non-Qualified Stock Options
Agreement
On November 1, 2016, the Company entered into a director agreement
with Jackson Davis (the “Davis Director Agreement”).
Under the Davis Director Agreement, Mr. Davis shall serve as
Director for an initial term to last until the next annual
stockholders meeting, unless otherwise ending pursuant to the
terms contained therein. Mr. Davis will receive a monthly cash
stipend of $1,500 for his service as a Director, which shall
increase to $2,000 per month for as long as he serves as a chair of
either the Audit Committee, Compensation Committee or Nominating
Committee. Mr. Davis may also receive additional cash stipends for
attending meetings of the Board and committee meeting, whether
in-person or telephonically. Additionally, Mr. Davis was issued One
Thousand (1,000) shares of the Company's common stock upon the
execution of the Davis Director Agreement, and, upon the last day
of each fiscal quarter commencing in the quarter when the Davis
Director Agreement became effective, the number of shares of the
Company's common stock equivalent to $7,500, as determined based on
the average closing price on the three trading days immediately
preceding the last day of such quarter. Mr. Davis also received,
upon execution of the Davis Director Agreement, a non-qualified
stock option to purchase up to Three Thousand Seven Hundred
Fifty-six (3,756) shares of the Company's common stock at an
exercise price per share equal to $20.00, which shall be
exercisable for a period of five years and vest in equal amounts
over a period of three years at the rate of Three Hundred Thirteen
(313) shares per fiscal quarter at the end of such quarter,
commencing in the quarter in which the Davis Director Agreement
became effective, and pro-rated for the number of days the Mr.
Davis serves on the Board during the fiscal
quarter.
Joseph Ardagna Director Agreement and
Non-Qualified Stock Options Agreement
On November, 2016, the Company entered into a director agreement
with Joseph Ardagna (the “Ardagna Director Agreement”).
Under the Ardagna Director Agreement, Mr. Ardagna shall serve as
Director for an initial term to last until the next annual
stockholders meeting, unless otherwise ending pursuant to the
terms contained therein. Mr. Ardagna will receive a monthly cash
stipend of $1,500 for his service as a Director, which shall
increase to $2,000 per month for as long as he serves as a chair of
either the Audit Committee, Compensation Committee or Nominating
Committee. Mr. Ardagna may also receive additional cash stipends
for attending meetings of the Board and committee meeting, whether
in-person or telephonically. Additionally, Mr. Ardagna was issued
One Thousand (10,000) shares of the Company's common stock upon the
execution of the Ardagna Director Agreement, and, upon the last day
of each fiscal quarter commencing in the quarter when the Ardagna
Director Agreement became effective, the number of shares of the
Company's common stock equivalent to $7,500, as determined based on
the average closing price on the three trading days immediately
preceding the last day of such quarter. Mr. Ardagna also received,
upon execution of the Ardagna Director Agreement, a non-qualified
stock option to purchase up to Three Thousand Seven Hundred
Fifty-six (3,756) shares of the Company's common stock at an
exercise price per share equal to $20.00, which shall be
exercisable for a period of five years and vest in equal amounts
over a period of three years at the rate of Three Hundred Thirteen
(313) shares per fiscal quarter at the end of such quarter,
commencing in the quarter in which the Ardagna Director Agreement
became effective, and pro-rated for the number of days the Mr.
Ardagna serves on the Board during the fiscal
quarter.
SECURITY
OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
The following table
sets forth, as of November 11, 2016, certain
information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our common
stock by each shareholder known by us to be the beneficial owner of
more than 5% of our Common Stock and by each of our current
directors and executive officers. Each person has sole voting and
investment power with respect to the shares of Common Stock, except
as otherwise indicated.
This table is
prepared based on information supplied to us by the listed security
holders, any Schedules 13D or 13G and Forms 3 and 4, and other
public documents filed with the SEC.
Under the rules of
the Securities and Exchange Commission, a person is deemed to be a
beneficial owner of a security if that person has or shares voting
power, which includes the power to vote or direct the voting of the
security, or investment power, which includes the power to vote or
direct the voting of the security. The person is also deemed to be
a beneficial owner of any security of which that person has a right
to acquire beneficial ownership within 60 days. Under the
Securities and Exchange Commission rules, more than one person may
be deemed to be a beneficial owner of the same securities, and a
person may be deemed to be a beneficial owner of securities as to
which he or she may not have any pecuniary beneficial
interest.
Shares of Common
Stock which an individual or group has a right to acquire within 60
days pursuant to the exercise or conversion of options are deemed
to be outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage
ownership of such individual or group, but are not deemed to be
outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership
of any other person shown in the table below.
Shareholder
|
Common Stock Owned Beneficially
|
|
Series A Preferred Stock Owned Beneficially
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jeffrey
Cosman, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, Chairman
|
568,083
(3)
|
33.44
%(3)
|
51
|
100
%
|
12540
Broadwell Road, Suite 2104
|
|
|
|
|
Milton,
GA 30004
|
|
|
|
|
Walter
H. Hall
|
100,000
|
5.89
%
|
|
0
%
|
12540
Broadwell Road, Suite 2104
|
|
|
|
|
Milton,
GA 30004
|
|
|
|
|
Joseph
Ardagna
|
1,000
|
*
%
|
|
0
%
|
12540
Broadwell Road, Suite 2104
|
|
|
|
|
Milton,
GA 30004
|
|
|
|
|
Jackson
Davis
|
1,000
|
*
%
|
|
0
%
|
12540
Broadwell Road, Suite 2104
|
|
|
|
|
Milton,
GA 30004
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas
Cowee
|
1,000
|
*
%
|
|
0
%
|
12540
Broadwell Road, Suite 2104
|
|
|
|
|
Milton,
GA 30004
|
|
|
|
|
All directors and officers as a group (5
persons)
|
671,083
(3)
|
39.51
%(3)
|
51
|
100
%
|
5%
or greater shareholders
|
|
|
|
|
CC2G
Holdings, LLC
|
200,306
|
11.79
%
|
0
|
0
%
|
651
Sunbridge Drive
|
|
|
|
|
Chesterfield,
MO 63017
|
|
|
|
|
The
Reich Family Trust
|
200,306
|
11.79
%
|
0
|
0
%
|
4721
Butler Crossing Court
|
|
|
|
|
Saint
Louis MO 63128
|
|
|
|
|
Charles
E. Barcom
|
200,306
|
11.79
%
|
0
|
0
%
|
1920
Briarfield Drive
|
|
|
|
|
Lake
St. Louis, MO 63367
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
|
143,726
(4)
|
7.80
%(4)
|
0
|
0
|
200
West Street
|
|
|
|
|
New
York, NY 10282
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,415,727
|
76.85%
|
51
|
100
|
______________
(1)
Based
on a total of 1,698,569 shares of common stock outstanding as of
November 11, 2016, except as otherwise
indicated.
(2)
Based
on a total of 51 shares of Series A Preferred outstanding as of
November 11, 2016.
(3)
Includes 166,140
shares of the common stock of the Company issued to Here to Serve
Holding Corp. Mr. Cosman is the Chief Executive Officer and
Director of Here to Serve Holding Corp. and, accordingly, has sole
voting power and sole dispositive power over such 166,140 shares.
This amount does not include 212,654 shares of restricted stock
issued to Mr. Cosman, which has not yet vested.
(4)
Assumes full
exercise of Amended and Restated Purchase Warrant for Common Shares
dated July 19, 2016, calculated on a fully-diluted basis, assuming
outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock.
There are no
arrangements, known to the Company, including any pledge by any
person of securities of the Company, the operation of which may at
a subsequent date result in a change in control of the
Company.
Changes
in Control
We are not aware of
any arrangements that may result in changes in control” as
that term is defined by the provisions of Item 403(c) of Regulation
S-K.
CERTAIN
RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
None of our officers, directors,
proposed director nominees, beneficial owners of more than 10% of
our shares of common stock, or any relative or spouse of any of the
foregoing persons, or any relative of such spouse who has the same
house as such person or who is a director or officer of any parent
or subsidiary of our Company, has any direct or indirect material
interest in any transaction to which we are a party since our
incorporation or in any proposed transaction to which we are
proposed to be a party. In the event a related party transaction is
proposed, such transaction will be presented to our board of
directors for consideration and approval. Any such transaction will
require approval by a majority of the disinterested directors and
such transactions will be on terms no less favorable than those
available to disinterested third parties. The Company does not
believe that the provisions of Item 404(c) of Regulation S-K apply
to our chief executive officer, Mr. Cosman, as a control person of
the Company because the Company is not a shell company and Mr.
Cosman is not part of a group, consisting of two or more persons
that agree to act together for the purpose of acquiring, holding,
voting or disposing of equity securities of the
Company.
Any future
transactions or loans between us and our officers, directors,
principal stockholders or affiliates will be on terms no less
favorable to us than could be obtained from an unaffiliated third
party, and will be approved by a majority of disinterested
directors.
DESCRIPTION
OF CAPITAL STOCK
General
Our authorized
capital stock consists of 75,000,000 shares of common stock, par
value of $0.025 per share, and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock,
par value of $0.001 per share. As of November 11, 2016
there were 1,698,569 shares of our common stock issued
and outstanding held by 42 holders of record. We currently have (i)
51 shares of Series A Preferred Stock authorized of which 51 shares
of Series A Preferred Stock are issued and outstanding; (ii) 71,120
shares of Series B Preferred Stock authorized of which 0
shares of Series B Preferred Stock are issued and
outstanding; (iii) 67,361 shares of Series C Preferred Stock
authorized of which 35,750 shares of Series C Preferred Stock are
issued and outstanding; and (iv) 4,861,468 shares of undesignated
“blank check” preferred stock.
Common
Stock
Each share of our
common stock entitles its holder to one vote in the election of
each director and on all other matters voted on generally by our
stockholders. No share of our common stock affords any cumulative
voting rights. This means that the holders of a majority of the
voting power of the shares voting for the election of directors can
elect all directors to be elected if they choose to do
so.
Holders of our
common stock will be entitled to dividends in such amounts and at
such times as our Board of Directors in its discretion may declare
out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends. We
currently do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on the common
stock in the foreseeable future. Any future dividends will be paid
at the discretion of our Board of Directors after taking into
account various factors, including:
|
●
|
general business
conditions;
|
|
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industry
practice;
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our financial
condition and performance;
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our future
prospects;
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our cash needs and
capital investment plans;
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our obligations to
holders of any preferred stock we may issue;
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income tax
consequences; and
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the restrictions
New York and other applicable laws and our credit arrangements may
impose, from time to time.
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If we liquidate or
dissolve our business, the holders of our common stock will share
ratably in all our assets that are available for distribution to
our stockholders after our creditors are paid in full and the
holders of all series of our outstanding preferred stock, if any,
receive their liquidation preferences in full.
Our common stock
has no preemptive rights and is not convertible or redeemable or
entitled to the benefits of any sinking or repurchase
fund.
Warrants
Offered Hereby
The following summary of certain terms and provisions of the
warrants offered hereby is not complete and is subject to, and
qualified in its entirety by, the provisions of the form of the
warrant, which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement
of which this prospectus is a part of. Prospective investors should
carefully review the terms and provisions set forth in the form of
warrant.
Exercisability
. The warrants
are exercisable immediately upon issuance and at any time up to the
date that is five years from the date of issuance. The warrants
will be exercisable, at the option of each holder, in whole or in
part, by delivering to us a duly executed exercise notice
accompanied by payment in full for the number of shares of our
common stock purchased upon such exercise (except in the case of a
cashless exercise as discussed below). Unless otherwise specified
in the warrant, the holder will not have the right to exercise any
portion of the warrant if the holder (together with its affiliates)
would beneficially own in excess of 4.99% of the
number of shares of our common stock outstanding immediately after
giving effect to the exercise, as such percentage ownership is
determined in accordance with the terms of the
warrants.
Cashless Exercise
. In the
event that a registration statement covering shares of common stock
underlying the warrants, or an exemption from registration, is not
available for the resale of such shares of common stock underlying
the warrants, the holder may, in its sole discretion, exercise the
warrant in whole or in part and, in lieu of making the cash payment
otherwise contemplated to be made to us upon such exercise in
payment of the aggregate exercise price, elect instead to receive
upon such exercise the net number of shares of common stock
determined according to the formula set forth in the warrant. In no
event shall we be required to make any cash payments or net cash
settlement to the registered holder in lieu of issuance of common
stock underlying the warrants.
Certain Adjustments
. The exercise price
and the number of shares of common stock purchasable upon the
exercise of the warrants are subject to adjustment upon the
occurrence of specific events, including stock dividends, stock
splits, combinations and reclassifications of our common
stock.
Transferability
. Subject to applicable
laws, the warrants may be transferred at the option of the holders
upon surrender of the warrants to us together with the appropriate
instruments of transfer.
Warrant Agent and Exchange Listing
. The
warrants will be issued in registered form under a warrant agency
agreement between Issuer Direct Corporation, as
warrant agent, and us.
Fundamental
Transactions
. If, at any time while the warrants
are outstanding, (1) we consolidate or merge with or into another
corporation and we are not the surviving corporation, (2) we sell,
lease, license, assign, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of
all or substantially all of our assets, (3) any purchase offer,
tender offer or exchange offer (whether by us or another individual
or entity) is completed pursuant to which holders of our shares of
common stock are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares
of common stock for other securities, cash or property and has been
accepted by the holders of 50% or more of our outstanding shares of
common stock, (4) we effect any reclassification or
recapitalization of our shares of common stock or any compulsory
share exchange pursuant to which our shares of common stock are
converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property,
or (5) we consummate a stock or share purchase agreement or other
business combination with another person or entity whereby such
other person or entity acquires more than 50% of our outstanding
shares of common stock, each a “Fundamental
Transaction,” then upon any subsequent exercise of the
warrants, the holder thereof will have the right to receive the
same amount and kind of securities, cash or property as it would
have been entitled to receive upon the occurrence of such
Fundamental Transaction if it had been, immediately prior to such
Fundamental Transaction, the holder of the number of warrant shares
then issuable upon exercise of the warrant, and any additional
consideration payable as part of the Fundamental
Transaction.
Rights as a
Stockholder
. Except as otherwise provided in the
warrants or by virtue of such holder’s ownership of shares of
our common stock, the holder of a warrant does not have the rights
or privileges of a holder of our common stock, including any voting
rights, until the holder exercises the warrant.
Governing Law
. The warrants
and the warrant agency agreement are governed by New
York law.
Preferred
Stock
General
The Company has
5,000,000 authorized shares of preferred stock par value $0.001 per
share, which have three classes. The Series A Preferred Stock has
51 shares issued and outstanding, the Series B Preferred Stock has
0 shares issued and outstanding and the Series C
Preferred Stock has 12,750 shares issued and
outstanding.
Our Board has the
authority, within the limitations and restrictions in our
certificate of incorporation, to issue shares of preferred stock in
one or more series and to fix the rights, preferences, privileges
and restrictions thereof, including dividend rights, dividend
rates, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption,
redemption prices, liquidation preferences and the number of shares
constituting any series or the designation of any series, without
further vote or action by the stockholders. The issuance of shares
of preferred stock may have the effect of delaying, deferring or
preventing a change in our control without further action by the
stockholders. The issuance of shares of preferred stock with voting
and conversion rights may adversely affect the voting power of the
holders of our common stock. In some circumstances, this issuance
could have the effect of decreasing the market price of our common
stock.
Undesignated
preferred stock may enable our Board to render more difficult or to
discourage an attempt to obtain control of our company by means of
a tender offer, proxy contest, merger or otherwise, and thereby to
protect the continuity of our management. The issuance of shares of
preferred stock may adversely affect the rights of our common
stockholders. For example, any shares of preferred stock issued may
rank prior to the common stock as to dividend rights, liquidation
preference or both, may have full or limited voting rights and may
be convertible into shares of common stock. As a result, the
issuance of shares of preferred stock, or the issuance of rights to
purchase shares of preferred stock, may discourage an unsolicited
acquisition proposal or bids for our common stock or may otherwise
adversely affect the market price of our common stock or any
existing preferred stock.
Series A Preferred Stock
Each share of the
Series A Preferred Stock has no conversion rights, is senior to any
other class or series of capital stock of the Company and special
voting rights. Each one (1) share of Series A Preferred Stock shall
have voting rights equal to (x) 0.019607 multiplied by the total
issued and outstanding Common Stock eligible to vote at the time of
the respective vote (the “Numerator”), divided by
(y) 0.49, Minus (z) the Numerator.
Series B Preferred Stock
Holders of the
Series B Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive when and if
declared by the Board of Directors cumulative dividends at a rate
of twelve percent (12%) of the Original Issue Price. In
the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the
Company, either voluntary or involuntary, the holders of Series B
Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, immediately prior and
in preference to any distribution to holders of the Company’s
common stock, an amount per share equal to the sum of $100.00 and
any accrued and unpaid dividends of the Series B Preferred
Stock. Each share of Series B Preferred Stock may be
converted at the option of the holder into the Company’s
common stock. The shares shall be converted using the
“Conversion Formula” set forth in the Series B
Preferred Stock Certificate of Designations, which is equal to the
Original Issue Price divided by 75% of the average closing bid
price of the Common Stock for the five (5) consecutive trading days
ending on the trading day of the receipt by the Company of the
applicable notice of conversion. In no event shall a holder of
Series B Preferred Stock be entitled to make conversions that would
result in beneficial ownership by such holder and its affiliates of
more than 9.99% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the
Company. The Series B Preferred Stock may be redeemed at the
Company’s option, in whole or in part, at any time and from
time to time, at a redemption price per share equal to $100 per
share, plus any accrued and unpaid dividends on the shares to be
redeemed; provided, however, that if there are any accrued yearly
dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock which have not been paid
or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set apart,
the Company may not redeem any shares of Series B Preferred Stock
unless all then outstanding shares of such stock are so
redeemed.
There are
currently no shares of Series B Preferred Stock
outstanding.
Series C Preferred Stock
Holders
of the Series C Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive
dividends out of any assets legally available at a rate of eight
percent (8%) per share per annum, payable quarterly. In the event
of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the
Company, either voluntary or involuntary, the holders of
the Series C Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive,
immediately prior and in preference to any distribution to the
holders of the Company's other equity securities, including the
Common Stock, Series A Preferred Stock, and Series B Preferred
Stock, a liquidation preference equal to $22.40 per
share plus all accrued and unpaid dividends of the Series C
Preferred Stock. Each share of Series B Preferred Stock may be
converted at the option of the holder into an amount of shares of
Common Stock equal to the stated value of the Series C Preferred
Stock, as well as accrued but unpaid declared dividends on such
Series C Preferred Stock, divided by the conversion price
of $
12.94
per share (reflecting adjustment to the price of $22.40 per share,
pursuant to the reverse stock split effected November 3, 2016),
subject to further
adjustments as set forth in the
Series C Designations. Upon a Qualified Offering, the shares of
Series C Preferred Stock will be automatically converted at a
conversion price equal to the lower of
$
12.94 per share (reflecting adjustment to the
price of $
22.40 per share, subject to
adjustment,
pursuant to the reverse
stock split effected November 3, 2016),
or the
per share price that reflects a 20% discount to the price of the
Common Stock pursuant to such Qualified Offering.
Additionally, the Series C Designations provide for additional
shortfall conversions, pursuant to which holders of Series C
Preferred Stock may, subject to certain conditions, be issued
additional shares of Common Stock by the Company. In no event
shall a holder of Series C Preferred Stock be entitled to make
conversions that would result in beneficial ownership by such
holder and its affiliates of more than 4.99% of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock of the Company; provided, that the foregoing
shall not apply to any person exercising rights pursuant to the
Amended and Restated Warrant or any affiliate or transferee thereof
and provided further that such restrictions may be waived by the
holder upon not less than 61 daysí notice to the
Company.
Goldman, Sachs
& Co. Warrant; Warrant Cancellation and Stock Issuance
Agreement
The
Company has outstanding the Amended and Restated Warrant issued to
Goldman, Sachs & Co. for the purchase of (i)
shares of the Company's common stock equivalent to a 6.5% of the
total number of outstanding shares of the Company's common stock on
a fully-diluted basis and (ii) shares of the Company's Series C
Preferred Stock equivalent to a 6.5% of the total number of
outstanding shares of the Company's Series C Preferred Stock,
exercisable on or before December 22, 2023.
Pursuant to that
certain
proposed
Warrant Cancellation and Stock Issuance Agreement, upon the closing
of the offering of which this Prospectus is a part, the Amended and
Restated Warrant
would
be
cancelled and the Company
would
issue
to Goldman, Sachs & Co. restricted shares of Common Stock in
the amount equal to a 6.5% ownership interest in the Company
calculated on a fully-diluted basis, which
would
include
the shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to this
Offering, but
would
exclude
all warrants issued pursuant to this Offering and
all shares underlying such warrants, pursuant to the terms and
conditions of the Warrant Cancellation and Stock Issuance
Agreement. In connection with
such
proposed
Warrant Cancellation and Stock Issuance Agreement,
the Company and Goldman, Sachs & Co. will enter into that
certain Registration Rights Agreement, pursuant to which Goldman,
Sachs & Co. will be granted certain registration rights with
respect to the shares to be issued pursuant to the Warrant
Cancellation and Stock Issuance Agreement.
Pursuant
to the Warrant Cancellation Agreement, Goldman, Sachs & Co.
would
enter
into a lock-up agreement, prohibiting the offer for sale, issue,
sale, contract for sale, pledge or other disposition of any of our
common stock or securities convertible into common stock for a
period of 180 days after the date of this prospectus, and no
registration statement for any of our common stock owned by
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
would
be
filed during such lock-up period (the “Lock-up
Period”).
It is anticipated
that the rights granted to Goldman, Sachs & Co. pursuant to the
Registration Rights Agreement, to be delivered in connection with
the Warrant Cancellation and Stock Issuance Agreement, will
include:
●
demand
registration rights, providing that the holder may demand that the
Company file registration statements, including a shelf
registration statement (if the Company is eligible at such time to
utilize a shelf registration for such shares) at any
time;
●
piggyback
registration rights, providing that the holder be given notice of a
proposed registration of Equity Securities in connection with an
underwritten public offering of such Equity Securities and upon
request of holder, the Company shall cause such shares to be
registered;
●
preemptive rights
to participate pro rata in raises of senior capital (including
Equity Securities, indebtedness, debt securities other than shares
of Common Stock (or Equity Securities convertible or exercisable or
exchangeable (directly or indirectly) for Common Stock) or first
lien indebtedness for borrowed money;
●
information rights
and the right to appoint a non-voting observer to the Company's
Board of Directors; and
●
indemnification
rights; provided, however, that such rights will not be exercisable
during the Lock-up Period.
Options
There are no
options currently outstanding.
UNDERWRITING
Joseph Gunnar &
Co., LLC is acting as representative of the underwriters of this
offering. We have entered into an underwriting agreement
dated ,
2016 with the representative. Subject to the terms and conditions
of the underwriting agreement, we have agreed to sell to each
underwriter named below, and each underwriter named below has
severally agreed to purchase from us, at the public offering price
less the underwriting discounts set forth on the cover page of this
prospectus, the number of shares of common stock and warrants
listed next to its name in the following table:
Name
of Underwriter
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Number
of Shares
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Number
of Warrants
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Joseph Gunnar &
Co., LLC
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Total
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The underwriters
are committed to purchase all the shares of common stock and
warrants offered by us other than those covered by the option to
purchase additional shares and warrants described below, if they
purchase any shares and warrants. The obligations of the
underwriters may be terminated upon the occurrence of certain
events specified in the underwriting agreement. Furthermore,
pursuant to the underwriting agreement, the underwriters’
obligations are subject to customary conditions, representations
and warranties contained in the underwriting agreement, such as
receipt by the underwriters of officers’ certificates and
legal opinions.
The underwriters
are offering the shares of common stock and warrants, subject to
prior sale, when, as and if issued to and accepted by them, subject
to approval of legal matters by their counsel, and other
conditions. The underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel
or modify offers to the public and to reject orders in whole or in
part.
The underwriters
propose to offer the shares and warrants offered by us to the
public at the public offering price set forth on the cover of the
prospectus. In addition, the underwriters may offer some of the
shares and warrants to other securities dealers at such price less
a concession of $__ per share.
Over-Allotment
Option
We have granted the
underwriters an over-allotment option. This option, which is
exercisable for up to 45 days after the date of this prospectus,
permits the underwriters to purchase a maximum
of additional
shares (15% of the shares sold in this offering), and/or warrants
to purchase an
additional shares
(15% of the warrants sold in this offering) from us to cover
over-allotments, if any. If the underwriters exercise all or a part
of this option, they will purchase shares and/or warrants covered
by the option at the public offering price per share that appears
on the cover page of this prospectus, less the underwriting
discount. If this option is exercised in full, the total price to
the public will be $ and
the total net proceeds, before expenses, to us will be
$ .
Discount
The following table
shows the public offering price, underwriting discounts and
proceeds, before expenses, to us. The information assumes either no
exercise or full exercise by the underwriters of their
over-allotment option.
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Total
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Per
Share
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Per
Warrant
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Without
Over-Allotment
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With
Over-Allotment
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Public offering
price
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$
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$
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$
|
|
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$
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Underwriting
discount
|
|
$
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|
|
|
$
|
|
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$
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$
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Proceeds, before
other expenses, to us
|
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$
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$
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$
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$
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Non-accountable
expense allowance (1%)(1)
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$
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$
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$
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$
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(1)
We have agreed to
pay a non-accountable expense allowance to the underwriters equal
to 1% of the gross proceeds received in this offering; provided,
however, the expense allowance of 1% is not payable with respect to
the shares sold upon exercise of the underwriters’
over-allotment option.
We are required to
pay an expense deposit of $50,000 to the representative for
out-of-pocket-accountable expenses, which will be applied against
accountable expenses (in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(c))
that will be paid by us to the underwriters in connection with this
offering. The underwriting agreement, however, provides that in the
event the offering is terminated, the $50,000 expense deposit paid
to the representative will be returned to the extent such
out-of-pocket accountable expenses are not actually incurred in
accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(C). In addition, we have
agreed to pay to the representative a non-accountable expense
allowance equal to 1% of the aggregate gross proceeds of this
offering; provided, however, the expense allowance of 1% is not
payable with respect to the shares sold upon exercise of the
underwritersí over-allotment option. We have also agreed to
reimburse the representative for fees and expenses of legal counsel
to the representative in an amount not to exceed $75,000, fees and
expenses related to the use of book building, prospectus tracking
and compliance software for the offering in the amount of $29,500,
up to $15,000 for background checks of our officers and
directors, up to $2,500 for the costs associated with bound
volumes of the public offering materials as well as commemorative
mementos, and out-of-pocket fees and expenses of the representative
for marketing and roadshows for the offering not to exceed
$20,000.
We estimate that
the total expenses of the offering payable by us, excluding the
total underwriting discount, will be approximately
$ .
Discretionary
Accounts
The underwriters do
not intend to confirm sales of the securities offered hereby to any
accounts over which they have discretionary authority.
Lock-Up
Agreements
Pursuant to certain
“lock-up” agreements, we, our executive officers and
directors, and certain of our stockholders, have agreed not to,
without the prior written consent of the representative, offer,
sell, assign, transfer, pledge, contract to sell, or otherwise
dispose of or announce the intention to otherwise dispose of, or
enter into any swap, hedge or similar agreement or arrangement that
transfers, in whole or in part, the economic risk of ownership of,
directly or indirectly, engage in any short selling of any common
stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable
for any common stock, whether currently owned or subsequently
acquired, for a period of 180 days from the date of this
prospectus, in the case of our directors and officers, and 90 days
from the date of this prospectus, in the case of our principal
stockholders.
Right
of First Refusal
Subject to certain
conditions, we have granted the representatives of the underwriters
in the offering, for a period of 24 months after the effective date
of this prospectus, a right of first refusal to act as sole and
exclusive investment banker, book-runner, financial advisor,
underwriter and/or placement agent, at the representative’s
sole and exclusive discretion, for each and every future public or
private equity or debt offering, including all equity linked
financings during such 24 month period, on terms customary to the
representative.
Indemnification
We have agreed to
indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including
liabilities under the Securities Act, and to contribute to payments
that the underwriters may be required to make for these
liabilities.
Electronic
Offer, Sale and Distribution of Shares
A prospectus in
electronic format may be made available on the websites maintained
by one or more underwriters or selling group members, if any,
participating in this offering and one or more of the underwriters
participating in this offering may distribute prospectuses
electronically. The representative may agree to allocate a number
of shares and warrants to underwriters and selling group members
for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Internet
distributions will be allocated by the underwriters and selling
group members that will make internet distributions on the same
basis as other allocations. Other than the prospectus in electronic
format, the information on the underwriters’ websites is not
part of, nor incorporated by reference into, this prospectus or the
registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, has
not been approved or endorsed by us or any underwriter in its
capacity as underwriter, and should not be relied upon by
investors.
Stabilization
In connection with
this offering, the underwriters may engage in stabilizing
transactions, over-allotment transactions, syndicate-covering
transactions, penalty bids and purchases to cover positions created
by short sales.
●
Stabilizing
transactions permit bids to purchase securities so long as the
stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum, and are engaged
in for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the
market price of the securities while the offering is in
progress.
●
Over-allotment
transactions involve sales by the underwriters of securities in
excess of the number of securities that underwriters are obligated
to purchase. This creates a syndicate short position which may be
either a covered short position or a naked short position. In a
covered short position, the number of securities over-allotted by
the underwriters is not greater than the number of securities that
they may purchase in the over-allotment option. In a naked short
position, the number of securities involved is greater than the
number of securities in the over-allotment option. The underwriters
may close out any short position by exercising their over-allotment
option and/or purchasing securities in the open
market.
●
Syndicate covering
transactions involve purchases of securities in the open market
after the distribution has been completed in order to cover
syndicate short positions. In determining the source of securities
to close out the short position, the underwriters will consider,
among other things, the price of securities available for purchase
in the open market as compared with the price at which they may
purchase securities through exercise of the over-allotment option.
If the underwriters sell more securities than could be covered by
exercise of the over-allotment option and, therefore, have a naked
short position, the position can be closed out only by buying
securities in the open market. A naked short position is more
likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that after
pricing there could be downward pressure on the price of the
securities in the open market that could adversely affect investors
who purchase in the offering.
●
Penalty bids permit
the representative to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate
member when the securities originally sold by that syndicate member
are purchased in stabilizing or syndicate covering transactions to
cover syndicate short positions.
These stabilizing
transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids may
have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our
securities or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price
of our securities. As a result, the price of our securities in the
open market may be higher than it would otherwise be in the absence
of these transactions. Neither we nor the underwriters make any
representation or prediction as to the effect that the transactions
described above may have on the price of our securities. These
transactions may be effected on the The Nasdaq Capital
Market, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise and, if
commenced, may be discontinued at any time.
Passive
Market Making
In connection with
this offering, underwriters and selling group members may engage in
passive market making transactions in our common stock on the
The Nasdaq Capital Market or on the OTCQB in
accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act,
during a period before the commencement of offers or sales of the
securities and extending through the completion of the
distribution. A passive market maker must display its bid at a
price not in excess of the highest independent bid of that
security. However, if all independent bids are lowered below the
passive market maker’s bid, then that bid must then be
lowered when specified purchase limits are exceeded.
Other
Relationships
From time to time,
certain of the underwriters and their affiliates have provided, and
may provide in the future, various advisory, investment and
commercial banking and other services to us in the ordinary course
of business, for which they have received and may continue to
receive customary fees and commissions. However, except as
disclosed in this prospectus, we have no present arrangements with
any of the underwriters for any further services.
Offer
Restrictions Outside the United States
Other than in the
United States, no action has been taken by us or the underwriters
that would permit a public offering of the securities offered by
this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose
is required. The securities offered by this prospectus may not be
offered or sold, directly or indirectly, nor may this prospectus or
any other offering material or advertisements in connection with
the offer and sale of any such securities be distributed or
published in any jurisdiction, except under circumstances that will
result in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of
that jurisdiction. Persons into whose possession this prospectus
comes are advised to inform themselves about and to observe any
restrictions relating to the offering and the distribution of this
prospectus. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or
a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities offered by this
prospectus in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or a
solicitation is unlawful.
Australia
This prospectus is
not a disclosure document under Chapter 6D of the Australian
Corporations Act, has not been lodged with the Australian
Securities and Investments Commission and does not purport to
include the information required of a disclosure document under
Chapter 6D of the Australian Corporations Act. Accordingly, (i) the
offer of the securities under this prospectus is only made to
persons to whom it is lawful to offer the securities without
disclosure under Chapter 6D of the Australian Corporations Act
under one or more exemptions set out in section 708 of the
Australian Corporations Act, (ii) this prospectus is made available
in Australia only to those persons as set forth in clause (i)
above, and (iii) the offeree must be sent a notice stating in
substance that by accepting this offer, the offeree represents that
the offeree is such a person as set forth in clause (i) above, and,
unless permitted under the Australian Corporations Act, agrees not
to sell or offer for sale within Australia any of the securities
sold to the offeree within 12 months after its transfer to the
offeree under this prospectus.
China
The information in
this document does not constitute a public offer of the securities,
whether by way of sale or subscription, in the People’s
Republic of China (excluding, for purposes of this paragraph, Hong
Kong Special Administrative Region, Macau Special Administrative
Region and Taiwan). The securities may not be offered or sold
directly or indirectly in the PRC to legal or natural persons other
than directly to “qualified domestic institutional
investors.”
European
Economic Area — Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and
Netherlands
The information in
this document has been prepared on the basis that all offers of
common stock and warrants will be made pursuant to an exemption
under the Directive 2003/71/EC (“Prospectus
Directive”), as implemented in Member States of the European
Economic Area (each, a “Relevant Member State”), from
the requirement to produce a prospectus for offers of
securities.
An offer to the
public of common stock and warrants has not been made, and may not
be made, in a Relevant Member State except pursuant to one of the
following exemptions under the Prospectus Directive as implemented
in that Relevant Member State:
(a)
to legal entities
that are authorized or regulated to operate in the financial
markets or, if not so authorized or regulated, whose corporate
purpose is solely to invest in securities;
(b)
to any legal entity
that has two or more of (i) an average of at least 250 employees
during its last fiscal year; (ii) a total balance sheet of more
than €43,000,000 (as shown on its last annual unconsolidated
or consolidated financial statements) and (iii) an annual net
turnover of more than €50,000,000 (as shown on its last
annual unconsolidated or consolidated financial
statements);
(c)
to fewer than 100
natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors within the
meaning of Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive) subject to
obtaining the prior consent of the Company or any underwriter for
any such offer; or
(d)
in any other
circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus
Directive, provided that no such offer of common stock and warrants
shall result in a requirement for the publication by the Company of
a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus
Directive.
France
This document is
not being distributed in the context of a public offering of
financial securities (
offre au
public de titres financiers
) in France within the meaning of
Article L.411-1 of the French Monetary and Financial Code
(
Code monétaire et
financier)
and Articles 211-1 et seq. of the General
Regulation of the French
Autorité des
marchés financiers
(“AMF”). The common stock and warrants have not been
offered or sold and will not be offered or sold, directly or
indirectly, to the public in France.
This document and
any other offering material relating to the common stock and
warrants have not been, and will not be, submitted to the AMF for
approval in France and, accordingly, may not be distributed or
caused to distributed, directly or indirectly, to the public in
France.
Such offers, sales
and distributions have been and shall only be made in France to (i)
qualified investors (
investisseurs
qualifiés
) acting for their own account, as defined in
and in accordance with Articles L.411-2-II-2° and D.411-1 to
D.411-3, D. 744-1, D.754-1 and D.764-1 of the French Monetary and
Financial Code and any implementing regulation and/or (ii) a
restricted number of non-qualified investors (
cercle restreint d’investisseurs non-
qualifiés
) acting for their own account, as defined in
and in accordance with Articles L.411-2-II-2° and D.411-4,
D.744-1, D.754-1 and D.764-1 of the French Monetary and Financial
Code and any implementing regulation.
Pursuant to Article
211-3 of the General Regulation of the AMF, investors in France are
informed that the common stock and warrants cannot be distributed
(directly or indirectly) to the public by the investors otherwise
than in accordance with Articles L.411-1, L.411-2, L.412-1 and
L.621-8 to L.621-8-3 of the French Monetary and Financial
Code.
Ireland
The information in
this document does not constitute a prospectus under any Irish laws
or regulations and this document has not been filed with or
approved by any Irish regulatory authority as the information has
not been prepared in the context of a public offering of securities
in Ireland within the meaning of the Irish Prospectus (Directive
2003/71/EC) Regulations 2005 (the “Prospectus
Regulations”). The common stock and warrants have not been
offered or sold, and will not be offered, sold or delivered
directly or indirectly in Ireland by way of a public offering,
except to (i) qualified investors as defined in Regulation 2(l) of
the Prospectus Regulations and (ii) fewer than 100 natural or legal
persons who are not qualified investors.
Israel
The common stock
and warrants offered by this prospectus have not been approved or
disapproved by the Israeli Securities Authority (ISA), nor have
such common stock and warrants been registered for sale in Israel.
The common stock and warrants may not be offered or sold, directly
or indirectly, to the public in Israel, absent the publication of a
prospectus. The ISA has not issued permits, approvals or licenses
in connection with the offering or publishing the prospectus; nor
has it authenticated the details included herein, confirmed their
reliability or completeness, or rendered an opinion as to the
quality of the common stock and warrants being offered. Any resale
in Israel, directly or indirectly, to the public of the common
stock and warrants offered by this prospectus is subject to
restrictions on transferability and must be effected only in
compliance with the Israeli securities laws and
regulations.
Italy
The offering of the
securities in the Republic of Italy has not been authorized by the
Italian Securities and Exchange Commission (
Commissione Nazionale per le Societá la
Borsa, “CONSOB”
) pursuant to the Italian
securities legislation and, accordingly, no offering material
relating to the common stock and warrants may be distributed in
Italy and such securities may not be offered or sold in Italy in a
public offer within the meaning of Article 1.1(t) of Legislative
Decree No. 58 of 24 February 1998 (“Decree No. 58”),
other than:
●
to Italian
qualified investors, as defined in Article 100 of Decree no. 58 by
reference to Article 34-ter of CONSOB Regulation no. 11971 of 14
May 1999 (“Regulation no. 1197l”) as amended
(“Qualified Investors”); and
●
in other
circumstances that are exempt from the rules on public offer
pursuant to Article 100 of Decree No. 58 and Article 34-ter of
Regulation No. 11971 as amended.
Any offer, sale or
delivery of the common stock and warrants or distribution of any
offer document relating to the common stock and warrants in Italy
(excluding placements where a Qualified Investor solicits an offer
from the issuer) under the paragraphs above must be:
●
made by investment
firms, banks or financial intermediaries permitted to conduct such
activities in Italy in accordance with Legislative Decree No. 385
of 1 September 1993 (as amended), Decree No. 58, CONSOB Regulation
No. 16190 of 29 October 2007 and any other applicable laws;
and
●
in compliance with
all relevant Italian securities, tax and exchange controls and any
other applicable laws.
Any subsequent
distribution of the securities in Italy must be made in compliance
with the public offer and prospectus requirement rules provided
under Decree No. 58 and the Regulation No. 11971 as amended, unless
an exception from those rules applies. Failure to comply with such
rules may result in the sale of such common stock and warrants
being declared null and void and in the liability of the entity
transferring the common stock and warrants for any damages suffered
by the investors.
Japan
The common stock
and warrants have not been and will not be registered under Article
4, paragraph 1 of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of
Japan (Law No. 25 of 1948), as amended (the “FIEL”)
pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements
applicable to a private placement of securities to Qualified
Institutional Investors (as defined in and in accordance with
Article 2, paragraph 3 of the FIEL and the regulations promulgated
thereunder). Accordingly, the common stock and warrants may not be
offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the
benefit of, any resident of Japan other than Qualified
Institutional Investors. Any Qualified Institutional Investor who
acquires common stock and warrants may not resell them to any
person in Japan that is not a Qualified Institutional Investor, and
acquisition by any such person of common stock and warrants is
conditional upon the execution of an agreement to that
effect.
Portugal
This document is
not being distributed in the context of a public offer of financial
securities (
oferta pública de
valores mobiliários
) in Portugal, within the meaning of
Article 109 of the Portuguese Securities Code (
Código dos Valores
Mobiliários
). The common stock and warrants have not
been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold, directly or
indirectly, to the public in Portugal. This document and any other
offering material relating to the common stock and warrants have
not been, and will not be, submitted to the Portuguese Securities
Market Commission (
Comissão
do Mercado de Valores Mobiliários
) for approval in
Portugal and, accordingly, may not be distributed or caused to
distributed, directly or indirectly, to the public in Portugal,
other than under circumstances that are deemed not to qualify as a
public offer under the Portuguese Securities Code. Such offers,
sales and distributions of common stock and warrants in Portugal
are limited to persons who are “qualified investors”
(as defined in the Portuguese Securities Code). Only such investors
may receive this document and they may not distribute it or the
information contained in it to any other person.
Sweden
This document has
not been, and will not be, registered with or approved by
Finansinspektionen
(the
Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority). Accordingly, this
document may not be made available, nor may the common stock and
warrants be offered for sale in Sweden, other than under
circumstances that are deemed not to require a prospectus under the
Swedish Financial Instruments Trading Act (1991:980) (
Sw. lag
(1991:980)
om handel med finansiella instrument
).
Any offering of securities in Sweden is limited to persons who are
“qualified investors” (as defined in the Financial
Instruments Trading Act). Only such investors may receive this
document and they may not distribute it or the information
contained in it to any other person.
Switzerland
The common stock
and warrants may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will
not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (“SIX”) or on
any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in
Switzerland. This document has been prepared without regard to the
disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or
art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure
standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX
Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or
regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this document
nor any other offering material relating to the securities may be
publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in
Switzerland.
Neither this
document nor any other offering material relating to the common
stock and warrants have been or will be filed with or approved by
any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this document will
not be filed with, and the offer of common stock and warrants will
not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory
Authority (FINMA).
This document is
personal to the recipient only and not for general circulation in
Switzerland.
United
Arab Emirates
Neither this
document nor the common stock and warrants have been approved,
disapproved or passed on in any way by the Central Bank of the
United Arab Emirates or any other governmental authority in the
United Arab Emirates, nor have we received authorization or
licensing from the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates or any
other governmental authority in the United Arab Emirates to market
or sell the common stock and warrants within the United Arab
Emirates. This document does not constitute and may not be used for
the purpose of an offer or invitation. No services relating to the
common stock and warrants, including the receipt of applications
and/or the allotment or redemption of such shares, may be rendered
within the United Arab Emirates by us.
No offer or
invitation to subscribe for common stock and warrants is valid or
permitted in the Dubai International Financial Centre.
United
Kingdom
Neither the
information in this document nor any other document relating to the
offer has been delivered for approval to the Financial Services
Authority in the United Kingdom and no prospectus (within the
meaning of section 85 of the Financial Services and Markets Act
2000, as amended (“FSMA”)) has been published or is
intended to be published in respect of the common stock and
warrants. This document is issued on a confidential basis to
“qualified investors” (within the meaning of section
86(7) of FSMA) in the United Kingdom, and the common stock and
warrants may not be offered or sold in the United Kingdom by means
of this document, any accompanying letter or any other document,
except in circumstances which do not require the publication of a
prospectus pursuant to section 86(1) FSMA. This document should not
be distributed, published or reproduced, in whole or in part, nor
may its contents be disclosed by recipients to any other person in
the United Kingdom.
Any invitation or
inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of
section 21 of FSMA) received in connection with the issue or sale
of the common stock and warrants has only been
communicated or caused to be communicated and will only be
communicated or caused to be communicated in the United Kingdom in
circumstances in which section 21(1) of FSMA does not apply to the
Company.
In the United
Kingdom, this document is being distributed only to, and is
directed at, persons (i) who have professional experience in
matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5)
(investment professionals) of the Financial Services and Markets
Act 2000 (Financial Promotions) Order 2005 (“FPO”),
(ii) who fall within the categories of persons referred to in
Article 49(2)(a) to (d) (high net worth companies, unincorporated
associations, etc.) of the FPO or (iii) to whom it may otherwise be
lawfully communicated (together “relevant persons”).
The investments to which this document relates are available only
to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to purchase will be
engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a
relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of
its contents.
Transfer
Agent
Our stock transfer
agent is Issuer Direct Corporation, 500 Perimeter Park Drive,
Morrisville, NC 27560.
LEGAL
MATTERS
The validity of the
securities offered hereby has been passed upon for us by Lucosky
Brookman LLP. Certain legal matters in connection with this
offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by Greenberg
Traurig, LLP, New York, New York.
EXPERTS
The financial
statements of the Company included in this prospectus and in the
registration statement have been audited by D’Arelli
Pruzansky, P.A. Certified Public Accountants, to the extent and for
the period set forth in their report appearing elsewhere herein and
in the registration statement, and are included in reliance upon
such report given upon the authority of said firm as experts in
auditing and accounting.
WHERE
YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed with
the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities
Act with respect to the shares offered hereby. This prospectus,
which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not
contain all of the information in the registration statement and
the exhibits of the registration statement. For further information
with respect to us and the securities being offered under this
prospectus, we refer you to the registration statement, including
the exhibits and schedules thereto.
You may read and
copy the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part
at the SEC’s Public Reference Room, which is located at 100 F
Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can request copies of the
registration statement by writing to the SEC and paying a fee for
the copying cost. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for more
information about the operation of the SEC’s Public Reference
Room. In addition, the SEC maintains an Internet web site, which is
located at
www.sec.gov
,
which contains reports, proxy and information statements and other
information regarding issuers that file electronically with the
SEC. You may access the registration statement of which this
prospectus is a part at the SEC’s Internet web site. We are
subject to the information reporting requirements of the Exchange
Act, and we will file reports, proxy statements and other
information with the SEC.
INCORPORATION
BY REFERENCE
We incorporate by
reference all documents subsequently filed by us with the SEC
pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 until all of the securities that may be
offered by this prospectus are sold. We are not, however,
incorporating by reference any documents or portions thereof,
whether specifically listed above or filed in the future, that are
not deemed “filed” with the SEC. Any statements
contained in this prospectus, in an amendment hereto or in a
document incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be
modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the
extent that a statement contained herein or in any subsequently
filed document that is also incorporated by reference herein
modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or
superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or
superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.
We will provide
without charge to each person to whom this prospectus is delivered,
including any beneficial owner, upon written or oral request of
such person, a copy of any or all of the documents that have been
or that may be incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
Exhibits to the filings will not be sent, however, unless those
exhibits have been specifically incorporated by reference in this
prospectus.
You can obtain any
of the filings incorporated by reference into this prospectus
through us or from the SEC through the SEC’s website at
http://www.sec.gov
. We will
provide, without charge, to each person, including any beneficial
owner, to whom a copy of this prospectus is delivered, upon written
or oral request of such person, a copy of any or all of the reports
and documents referred to above which have been or may be
incorporated by reference into this prospectus. You should direct
requests for those documents to:
Meridian Waste
Solutions, Inc.
12540 Broadwell
Road, Suite 2104
Milton, GA
30004
Our reports and
documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus may also
be found in the “Investors Relations” section of our
website at
http://www.mwsinc.com
. Our
website and the information contained in it or connected to it
shall not be deemed to be incorporated into this prospectus or any
registration statement of which it forms a part.
INDEX
TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
September 30, 2016
(unaudited)
|
|
PAGE
|
|
Balance
Sheets
|
|
|
F-2
|
|
Statements of
Operations
|
|
|
F-3
|
|
Statements of Cash
Flows
|
|
|
F-5
|
|
Notes to Financial
Statements
|
|
|
F-6 to
F-24
|
|
December
31, 2015
(Audited)
|
|
PAGE
|
|
|
|
|
|
Report of
Independent Registered Public Accoutant Consolidated Financial
Statements
|
|
|
F-25
|
|
Consolidated
Balance Sheets
|
|
|
F-26
|
|
Consolidated
Statements of Operations
|
|
|
F-27
|
|
Consolidated
Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity
|
|
|
F-2
8
|
|
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows
|
|
|
F-2
9
|
|
Notes to the
Consolidated Financial Statements
|
|
|
F-30
to F-64
|
|
December
31, 2014
(Audited)
|
|
PAGE
|
|
Reports of
Independent Registered Public Accountant
|
|
|
F-65
|
|
Consolidated
Balance Sheets
|
|
|
F-6
7
|
|
Consolidated
Statements of Operations
|
|
|
F-6
8
|
|
Consolidated
Statements of Changes in Shareholders' Equity
(Deficit)
|
|
|
F-6
9
|
|
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows
|
|
|
F-70
|
|
Notes to the
Consolidated Financial Statements
|
|
|
F-71
to F-85
|
|
MERIDIAN WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 AND DECEMBER 31, 2015
Assets
|
September
30, 2016
(UNAUDITED)
|
December
31, 2015
(UNAUDITED)
|
Current
assets:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
|
$
1,247,756
|
$
2,729,795
|
Short-term investments
- Restricted
|
1,952,805
|
-
|
Accounts receivable,
net of allowance
|
2,197,701
|
1,707,818
|
Prepaid
expenses
|
444,176
|
427,615
|
Other current
assets
|
95,920
|
52,359
|
|
|
|
Total current
assets
|
5,938,358
|
4,917,587
|
|
|
|
Property, plant and
equipment, at cost net of accumulated
depreciation
|
16,931,444
|
14,433,740
|
|
|
|
Assets held for
sale
|
395,000
|
-
|
|
|
|
Other
assets:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment in related
party affiliate
|
362,080
|
364,185
|
Deposits
|
11,454
|
10,954
|
Goodwill
|
7,234,420
|
7,479,642
|
Landfill assets, net of
accumulated amortization
|
3,526,506
|
3,393,476
|
Customer list, net of
accumulated amortization
|
15,673,879
|
19,500,362
|
Non-compete, net of
accumulated amortization
|
124,949
|
155,699
|
Website, net of
accumulated amortization
|
23,816
|
10,904
|
|
|
|
Total other
assets
|
26,957,104
|
30,915,222
|
|
|
|
Total
assets
|
$
50,221,906
|
$
50,266,549
|
|
|
|
Liabilities
and Shareholders' (Deficit)
Equity
|
|
|
Current
liabilities:
|
|
|
Accounts
payable
|
$
2,588,904
|
$
1,988,050
|
Accrued
expenses
|
598,859
|
280,069
|
Notes payable, related
party
|
359,891
|
359,891
|
Deferred
compensation
|
778,044
|
996,380
|
Deferred
revenue
|
3,394,204
|
2,912,264
|
Convertible notes due
related parties, includes put premiums
|
11,850
|
15,065
|
Contingent
liability
|
-
|
1,000,000
|
Derivative
liabilities
|
2,650,589
|
2,820,000
|
Current portion -
long-term debt
|
339,178
|
417,119
|
|
|
|
Total current
liabilities
|
10,721,519
|
10,788,838
|
|
|
|
Long-term
liabilities:
|
|
|
Asset retirement
obligation
|
337,930
|
200,252
|
Deferred tax
liability
|
145,000
|
-
|
Long-term debt, net of
current
|
41,698,603
|
39,170,796
|
|
|
|
Total long-term
liabilities
|
42,181,533
|
39,371,048
|
|
|
|
Total
liabilities
|
52,903,052
|
50,159,886
|
|
|
|
Preferred Series C
stock redeemable, cumulative, stated value $100 per share, par
value $.001, 67,361 shares authorized, 35,750 and 0 shares issued
and outstanding, respectively
|
2,644,951
|
-
|
|
|
|
Shareholders' (deficit)
equity:
|
|
|
Preferred Series A
stock, par value $.001, 51 shares authorized, issued and
outstanding
|
-
|
-
|
Preferred Series B
stock, par value $.001, 71,210 shares authorized, issued and
outstanding
|
71
|
71
|
Common stock, par value
$.025, 75,000,000 shares authorized, 1,194,051 and 1,051,933 shares
issued and 1,182,551 and 1,040,433 shares outstanding,
respectively
|
29,851
|
26,298
|
Treasury stock, at
cost, 11,500 shares
|
(224,250
)
|
(224,250
)
|
Additional paid in
capital
|
36,995,896
|
28,124,160
|
Accumulated
deficit
|
(42,127,665
)
|
(27,819,616
)
|
|
|
|
Total shareholders'
(deficit) equity
|
(5,326,097
)
|
106,663
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities and
shareholders' (deficit) equity
|
$
50,221,906
|
$
50,266,549
|
See notes to
condensed consolidated financial
statements
MERIDIAN WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 AND SEPTEMBER 30,
2015
|
|
|
SEPTEMBER
30, 2016 (UNAUDITED)
|
SEPTEMBER
30, 2015 (UNAUDITED)
|
Revenue
|
|
|
Services
|
$
23,883,663
|
$
9,733,330
|
|
|
|
Cost
of sales and services
|
|
|
Cost
of sales and services
|
14,288,853
|
5,989,174
|
Depreciation
|
2,462,586
|
1,176,561
|
|
|
|
Total
cost of sales and services
|
16,751,439
|
7,165,735
|
|
|
|
Gross
Profit
|
7,132,224
|
2,567,595
|
|
|
|
Expenses
|
|
|
Bad
debt expense
|
168,508
|
2,738
|
Compensation
and related expense
|
10,113,985
|
8,706,809
|
Depreciation
and amortization
|
2,876,333
|
2,214,390
|
Impairment
expense
|
1,255,267
|
-
|
Selling,
general and administrative
|
5,130,079
|
2,539,620
|
|
|
|
Total
expenses
|
19,544,172
|
13,463,557
|
|
|
|
Other
income (expenses):
|
|
|
Miscellaneous
income (loss)
|
(9,090
)
|
20,635
|
Gain
on disposal of assets
|
3,053
|
43,433
|
Unrealized
gain on interest rate swap
|
-
|
40,958
|
Unrealized
gain on change in fair value of derivative
liability
|
853,031
|
346,963
|
Loss
from proportionate share of equity method
investment
|
(2,105
)
|
-
|
Unrealized
gain on investment
|
547
|
-
|
Gain
on contingent liability
|
1,000,000
|
-
|
Interest
income
|
7,270
|
-
|
Interest
expense
|
(3,603,807
)
|
(865,994
)
|
|
|
|
Total
other expenses
|
(1,751,101
)
|
(414,005
)
|
|
|
|
Loss
before income taxes
|
(14,163,049
)
|
(11,309,967
)
|
|
|
|
Provision
for income taxes
|
(145,000
)
|
-
|
|
|
|
Net
loss
|
$
(14,308,049
)
|
$
(11,309,967
)
|
|
|
|
Basic
net loss per share
|
$
(11.91
)
|
$
(19.05
)
|
|
|
|
Weighted
average number of shares outstanding
|
|
|
(Basic
and Diluted)
|
1,201,394
|
593,638
|
See notes to condensed consolidated financial
statements
MERIDIAN WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 AND SEPTEMBER 30,
2015
|
|
|
SEPTEMBER
30, 2016 (UNAUDITED)
|
SEPTEMBER
30, 2015 (UNAUDITED)
|
Revenue
|
|
|
Services
|
$
8,389,326
|
$
3,382,221
|
|
|
|
Cost
of sales and services
|
|
|
Cost
of sales and services
|
5,070,322
|
2,104,701
|
Depreciation
|
895,238
|
398,178
|
|
|
|
Total
cost of sales and services
|
5,965,560
|
2,502,879
|
|
|
|
Gross
Profit
|
2,423,766
|
879,342
|
|
|
|
Expenses
|
|
|
Bad
debt expense
|
112,950
|
-
|
Compensation
and related expense
|
3,117,396
|
326,404
|
Depreciation
and amortization
|
937,841
|
759,865
|
Selling,
general and administrative
|
1,345,379
|
1,185,770
|
|
|
|
Total
expenses
|
5,513,566
|
2,272,039
|
|
|
|
Other
income (expenses):
|
|
|
Miscellaneous
income (loss)
|
(11,354
)
|
2,612
|
Gain
on disposal of assets
|
-
|
37,183
|
Unrealized
gain on interest rate swap
|
-
|
30,584
|
Unrealized
gain on change in fair value of derivative
liability
|
733,031
|
346,963
|
Unrealized
gain on investment
|
547
|
-
|
Interest
income
|
844
|
-
|
Interest
expense
|
(1,224,217
)
|
(454,709
)
|
|
|
|
Total
other expenses
|
(501,149
)
|
(37,367
)
|
|
|
|
Loss
before income taxes
|
(3,590,949
)
|
(1,430,064
)
|
|
|
|
Provision
for income taxes
|
(145,000
)
|
-
|
|
|
|
Net
loss
|
$
(3,735,949
)
|
$
(1,430,064
)
|
|
|
|
Basic
net loss per share
|
$
(2.96
)
|
$
(2.22
)
|
|
|
|
(Basic
and Diluted)
|
1,261,085
|
644,193
|
See notes to
condensed consolidated financial
statements
MERIDIAN WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 AND SEPTEMBER 30,
2015
|
|
|
SEPTEMBER
30, 2016 (UNAUDITED)
|
SEPTEMBER
30, 2015 (UNAUDITED)
|
|
|
|
Cash flows from
operating activities:
|
|
|
Net
loss
|
$
(14,308,049
)
|
$
(11,309,967
)
|
Adjustments to
reconcile net loss to net cash (used in)
provided
|
|
|
from operating
activities:
|
|
|
Depreciation and
amortization
|
5,338,919
|
3,363,230
|
Interest accretion on
landfill liabilities
|
125,809
|
-
|
Amortization of
capitalized loan fees & debt
discount
|
416,128
|
27,720
|
Unrealized gain on swap
agreement
|
-
|
(40,958
)
|
Unrealized (gain) loss
on derivatives
|
(853,031
)
|
(346,963
)
|
Stock issued to vendors
for services
|
778,985
|
242,970
|
Stock issued to
employees as incentive compensation
|
8,071,045
|
7,356,180
|
Impairment
expense
|
1,255,267
|
-
|
Gain on contigent
liability
|
(1,000,000
)
|
-
|
Loss from proportionate
share of equity investment
|
2,105
|
-
|
Loss on disposal of
equipment
|
3,053
|
(43,433
)
|
|
|
|
Changes in working
capital items net of acquisitions:
|
|
|
Accounts receivable,
net of allowance
|
(489,884
)
|
(722
)
|
Prepaid expenses and
other current assets
|
(60,122
)
|
177,483
|
Deposits
|
(500
)
|
-
|
Accounts payable and
accrued expenses
|
916,432
|
469,319
|
Deferred
compensation
|
(218,336
)
|
381,167
|
Deferred
revenue
|
481,940
|
87,567
|
Deferred tax
liability
|
145,000
|
-
|
Other current
liabilities
|
-
|
11,807
|
Net cash provided from
operating activities
|
604,761
|
375,400
|
|
|
|
Cash flows from
investing activities:
|
|
|
Landfill
additions
|
(350,699
)
|
-
|
Acquisition of
property, plant and equipment
|
(5,397,521
)
|
(1,022,968
)
|
Purchases of short-term
investments
|
(1,952,805
)
|
-
|
True up related to
acquisition
|
245,222
|
-
|
Proceeds from sale of
property, plant and equipment
|
46,975
|
85,987
|
Net cash used in
investing activities
|
(7,408,828
)
|
(936,981
)
|
|
|
|
Cash flows from
financing activities:
|
|
|
Draw on revolver
loan
|
2,150,000
|
12,258,645
|
Proceeds from issuance
of common stock, net of placement fees of
$143,750
|
2,156,250
|
-
|
Proceeds from issuance
of Series C Preferred Stock, net of placement fees of
$79,688
|
1,195,312
|
-
|
Principal payments on
notes payable
|
(179,534
)
|
(11,567,429
)
|
Net cash provided from
financing activities
|
5,322,028
|
691,216
|
|
|
|
Net change in
cash
|
(1,482,039
)
|
129,635
|
|
|
|
Beginning
cash
|
2,729,795
|
438,907
|
|
|
|
Ending
cash
|
$
1,247,756
|
$
568,542
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
Disclosures of Cash Flow
Information:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash paid for
interest
|
$
3,050,001
|
$
404,691
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
Non-Cash Investing and Financing
Information:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Retirement of common
stock and related top off provision through the issuance
of
|
|
|
Preferred Stock C (and
related derivative
liability)
|
$
2,673,480
|
$
-
|
Disposition of
capitalized software in exchange for equal value of equity in
acquiring entity
|
$
-
|
$
434,532
|
Common shares
issued to placement agent
|
$
58,250
|
$
-
|
See notes to condensed consolidated financial
statements
NOTE
1 - NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND ORGANIZATION
Basis of Presentation
The
accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements of
Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively
called the "Company") included herein have been prepared by the
Company, without audit, pursuant to the rules and regulations of
the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC"). The unaudited
condensed consolidated financial statements do not include all of
the information and footnotes required by US GAAP for complete
financial statements. The unaudited condensed consolidated
financial statements should be read in conjunction with the annual
consolidated financial statements and notes for the year ended
December 31, 2015 included in our Annual Report on Form 10K
for the Company as filed with the SEC. The consolidated balance
sheet at December 31, 2015 contained herein was derived from
audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures
included in the Form 10-K for Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc., and
applicable under accounting principles generally accepted in the
United States of America. Certain information and footnote
disclosures normally included in our annual financial statements
prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States of America, but not required for
interim reporting purposes, have been omitted or
condensed.
In
the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal
recurring items) necessary for a fair presentation of the unaudited
condensed financial statements as of September 30, 2016, and the
results of operations and cash flows for the three and nine months
ended September 30, 2016 have been made. The results of operations
for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 are not
necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for a full
year.
Reverse Stock Split
On November 2,
2016, the Company effected a reverse stock split of the
Company’s common stock whereby each 20 shares of common stock
was replaced with one share of common stock. The par value and the
number of authorized shares of the common stock were not adjusted.
All common share and per share amounts for all periods presented in
these financial statements have been adjusted retroactively to
reflect the reverse stock split. The quantity of common stock
equivalents and the conversion and exercise ratios were adjusted
for the effect of the reverse stock split.
Basis of Consolidation
The
condensed consolidated financial statements for the nine months
ended September 30, 2016 include the operations of the Company and
its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Here To Serve Missouri Waste
Division, LLC, Meridian Land Company, LLC, Here to Serve
Technology, LLC, Here To Serve Georgia Waste Division, LLC,
Brooklyn Cheesecake & Dessert Acquisition Corp, Meridian Waste
Missouri, LLC and Christian Disposal, LLC. The following two
subsidiaries of the Company, Here To Serve Georgia Waste Division,
LLC and Here to Serve Technology, LLC ("HTST"), a Georgia Limited
Liability Company had no operations during the period. The
condensed consolidated financial statements for the nine months
ended September 30, 2015 include the operations of the Company and
its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Here To Serve Missouri Waste
Division, LLC, Here To Serve Georgia Waste Division, LLC, Brooklyn
Cheesecake & Acquisition Corp., and Here to Serve Technology,
LLC, a Georgia Limited Liability Company.
All
significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been
eliminated in consolidation.
Meridian
Waste Solutions, Inc. (the “Company” or
“Meridian”) is currently operating under four separate
Limited Liability Companies:
(1)
Here To Serve Missouri Waste Division, LLC (“HTSMWD”),
a Missouri Limited Liability Company;
(2)
Here To Serve Georgia Waste Division, LLC (“HTSGWD”), a
Georgia Limited Liability Company;
(3)
Meridian Land Company, LLC (“MLC”), a Georgia Limited
Liability Company;
(4)
Christian Disposal, LLC and subsidiary (“CD”), a
Missouri Limited Liability Company.
On
January 7, 2015, in an effort to give investors a more concentrated
presence in the waste industry the Company sold the assets of HTST
to Mobile Science Technologies, Inc., a Georgia corporation (MSTI),
a related party due to being owned and managed by some of the
shareholders of the Company. On this date HTST ceased operations
and became a dormant Limited Liability Company (“LLC”).
Currently, Meridian is formalizing plans to dissolve HTST, in which
this LLC will cease to exist.
In
2014, HTSMWD purchased the assets of a large solid waste disposal
company in the St. Louis, MO market. This acquisition is considered
the platform company for future acquisitions in the solid waste
disposal industry. HTSGWD was created to facilitate expansion in
this industry throughout the Southeast.
The
Company is primarily in the business of residential and commercial
waste disposal and hauling and has contracts with various cities
and municipalities. The majority of the Company’s customers
are located in the St. Louis metropolitan and surrounding
areas.
NOTE
1 - NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND ORGANIZATION
(CONTINUED)
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As
of September 30, 2016, the Company had negative working capital of
$4,783,161. This lack of liquidity is mitigated by the
Company’s ability to generate positive cash flow from
operating activities. In the nine months ended September 30, 2016,
cash generated from operating activities, was approximately
$600,000. In addition, as of September 30, 2016, the Company had
approximately $1,200,000 in cash to cover its short term cash
requirements. Further, the Company has approximately $12,850,000 of
borrowing capacity on its multi-draw term loans and revolving
commitments.
See
note 5, under the heading Goldman Sachs Credit
Agreement.
NOTE 2 - SUMMARY OF
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The
Company considers all highly liquid investments with original
maturities of three months or less to be cash
equivalents.
At
September 30, 2016 and 2015 the Company had no cash
equivalents.
Short-term
investments consist of investments that have a remaining maturity
of less than one year as of the date of the balance
sheet.
Short-term Investments
Management
determines the appropriate classification of short-term investments
at the time of purchase and evaluates such designation as of each
balance sheet date. All short-term investments to date have been
classified as held-to-maturity and carried at amortized cost, which
approximates fair market value, on our Consolidated Balance Sheet.
Our short-term investments’ contractual maturities occur
before March 31, 2017. The short-term investment of $1,952,805 is
currently restricted as this amount is collateralizing a letter of
credit needed for our performance bond. The letter of credit
expires in February of 2017, and the cash is restricted until
then.
NOTE 2 - SUMMARY OF
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The
Company’s financial instruments consist of cash and cash
equivalents, short term investments accounts receivable, account
payable, accrued expenses, and notes payable. The carrying amount
of these financial instruments approximates fair value due either
to length of maturity or interest rates that approximate prevailing
market rates unless otherwise disclosed in these consolidated
financial statements.
Derivative Instruments
The
Company enters into financing arrangements that consist of
freestanding derivative instruments or are hybrid instruments that
contain embedded derivative features. The Company accounts for
these arrangements in accordance with Accounting Standards
Codification topic 815, Accounting for Derivative Instruments and
Hedging Activities (“ASC 815”) as well as related
interpretations of this standard. In accordance with this standard,
derivative instruments are recognized as either assets or
liabilities in the balance sheet and are measured at fair values
with gains or losses recognized in earnings. Embedded derivatives
that are not clearly and closely related to the host contract are
bifurcated and are recognized at fair value with changes in fair
value recognized as either a gain or loss in earnings. The Company
determines the fair value of derivative instruments and hybrid
instruments based on available market data using appropriate
valuation models, considering of the rights and obligations of each
instrument.
The
Company estimates fair values of derivative financial instruments
using various techniques (and combinations thereof) that are
considered consistent with the objective measuring fair values. In
selecting the appropriate technique, the Company considers, among
other factors, the nature of the instrument, the market risks that
it embodies and the expected means of settlement. The Company uses
a Monte Carlo simulation put option Black-Scholes Merton model. For
less complex derivative instruments, such as freestanding warrants,
the Company generally use the Black Scholes model, adjusted for the
effect of dilution, because it embodies all of the requisite
assumptions (including trading volatility, estimated terms,
dilution and risk free rates) necessary to fair value these
instruments. Estimating fair values of derivative financial
instruments requires the development of significant and subjective
estimates that may, and are likely to, change over the duration of
the instrument with related changes in internal and external market
factors. In addition, option-based techniques (such as
Black-Scholes model) are highly volatile and sensitive to changes
in the trading market price of our common stock. Since derivative
financial instruments are initially and subsequently carried at
fair values, our income (expense) going forward will reflect the
volatility in these estimates and assumption changes. Under the
terms of this accounting standard, increases in the trading price
of the Company’s common stock and increases in fair value
during a given financial quarter result in the application of
non-cash derivative loss. Conversely, decreases in the trading
price of the Company’s common stock and decreases in trading
fair value during a given financial quarter result in the
application of non-cash derivative gain.
See Notes 5 and 6
under the heading "Derivative Liabilities" for a description and
valuation of the Company's derivative
instruments.
Impairment of long-lived assets
The
Company periodically reviews its long-lived assets for impairment
whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the
carrying amount of the assets may not be fully recoverable. The
Company recognizes an impairment loss when the sum of expected
undiscounted future cash flows is less that the carrying amount of
the asset. The amount of impairment is measured as the difference
between the asset’s estimated fair value and its book value.
During the nine months ended September 30, 2016, the Company
experienced impairment expense of its customer lists, see note 4.
No other impairments were noted during the nine months ended
September 30, 2016, and September 30, 2015.
Income Taxes
The
Company accounts for income taxes pursuant to the provisions of ASC
740-10, “Accounting for Income Taxes,” which requires,
among other things, an asset and liability approach to calculating
deferred income taxes. The asset and liability approach requires
the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the
expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between
the carrying amounts and the tax bases of assets and liabilities. A
valuation allowance is provided to offset any net deferred tax
assets for which management believes it is more likely than not
that the net deferred asset will not be realized. The Company does
have deferred tax liabilities related to its intangible assets,
which were $145,000 as of September 30, 2016.
The
Company follows the provisions of the ASC 740 -10 related to,
Accounting for Uncertain Income Tax Positions. When tax returns are
filed, it is highly certain that some positions taken would be
sustained upon examination by the taxing authorities, while others
are subject to uncertainty about the merits of the position taken
or the amount of the position that would be ultimately sustained.
In accordance with the guidance of ASC 740-10, the benefit of a tax
position is recognized in the financial statements in the period
during which, based on all available evidence, management believes
it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained upon
examination, including the resolution of appeals or litigation
processes, if any. Tax positions taken are not offset or aggregated
with other positions.
NOTE 2 - SUMMARY OF
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
Tax
positions that meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold
are measured as the largest amount of tax benefit that is more than
50 percent likely of being realized upon settlement with the
applicable taxing authority. The portion of the benefits associated
with tax positions taken that exceeds the amount measured as
described above should be reflected as a liability for uncertain
tax benefits in the accompanying balance sheet along with any
associated interest and penalties that would be payable to the
taxing authorities upon examination. The Company believes its tax
positions are all highly certain of being upheld upon examination.
As such, the Company has not recorded a liability for uncertain tax
benefits.
As
of September 30, 2016, tax years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and
2013 are still potentially subject to audit by the taxing
authorities.
Use of Estimates
Management
estimates and judgments are an integral part of consolidated
financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States of America
(GAAP). We believe that the critical accounting policies described
in this section address the more significant estimates required of
management when preparing our consolidated financial statements in
accordance with GAAP. We consider an accounting estimate critical
if changes in the estimate may have a material impact on our
financial condition or results of operations. We believe that the
accounting estimates employed are appropriate and resulting
balances are reasonable; however, actual results could differ from
the original estimates, requiring adjustment to these balances in
future periods.
Reclassification
Certain
reclassifications have been made to previously reported amounts to
conform to 2016 amounts. The reclassifications had no impact on
previously reported results of operations or stockholders’
deficit. The changes were as a result of loan fees being shown net
of long term debt, which was retrospectively applied, $1,416,697 of
net loans were reclassified in the December 31, 2015 balance sheet
to be shown net against long-term debt. This is a result of the
Company's adoption of ASU 2015-03.
Accounts Receivable
Accounts
receivable are recorded at management’s estimate of net
realizable value. At September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 the
Company had approximately $2,368,000 and $2,326,000 of gross trade
receivables, respectively.
Our
reported balance of accounts receivable, net of the allowance for
doubtful accounts, represents our estimate of the amount that
ultimately will be realized in cash. We review the adequacy and
adjust our allowance for doubtful accounts on an ongoing basis,
using historical payment trends and the age of the receivables and
knowledge of our individual customers. However, if the financial
condition of our customers were to deteriorate, additional
allowances may be required. At September 30, 2016 and December 31,
2015 the Company had approximately $170,000 and $618,000 recorded
for the allowance for doubtful accounts,
respectively.
Property, plant and equipment
The
cost of property, plant, and equipment is depreciated over the
estimated useful lives of the related assets utilizing the
straight-line method of depreciation. The cost of leasehold
improvements is depreciated (amortized) over the lesser of the
length of the related leases or the estimated useful lives of the
assets. Ordinary repairs and maintenance are expensed when incurred
and major repairs will be capitalized and expensed if it benefits
future periods.
Intangible Assets
Intangible
assets that are subject to amortization are reviewed for potential
impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate that carrying
amounts may not be recoverable. Intangible assets not subject to
amortization are tested for impairment at least annually. The
Company has intangible assets related to its purchase of Meridian
Waste Services, LLC, Christian Disposal LLC and Eagle Ridge
Landfill, LLC.
NOTE 2 - SUMMARY OF
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
Investment in Related Party Affiliate
The
Company has an investment in a privately held corporation in the
mobile apps industry. As the Company exercises significant
influence on this entity, this investment is recorded using the
equity method of accounting. The Company monitors this investment
for impairment and makes appropriate reductions in the carrying
value if the Company determines that an impairment charge is
required based primarily on the financial condition and near-term
prospect of this entity.
Goodwill
Goodwill
is the excess of our purchase cost over the fair value of the net
assets of acquired businesses. We do not amortize goodwill, but as
discussed in the impairment of long lived assets section above, we
assess our goodwill for impairment at least
annually.
Website Development Costs
The
Company accounts for website development costs in accordance with
Accounting Standards Codification 350-50 “Website Development
Costs”. Accordingly, all costs incurred in the planning stage
are expensed as incurred, costs incurred in the website application
and infrastructure development stage that meet specific criteria
are capitalized and costs incurred in the day to day operation of
the website are expensed as incurred.
Landfill Accounting
Capitalized landfill costs
Cost
basis of landfill assets — We capitalize various costs that
we incur to make a landfill ready to accept waste. These costs
generally include expenditures for land (including the landfill
footprint and required landfill buffer property); permitting;
excavation; liner material and installation; landfill leachate
collection systems; landfill gas collection systems; environmental
monitoring equipment for groundwater and landfill gas; and directly
related engineering, capitalized interest, on-site road
construction and other capital infrastructure costs. The cost basis
of our landfill assets also includes asset retirement costs, which
represent estimates of future costs associated with landfill final
capping, closure and post-closure activities. These costs are
discussed below.
Final
capping, closure and post-closure costs — Following is a
description of our asset retirement activities and our related
accounting:
●
Final
capping — Involves the installation of flexible membrane
liners and geosynthetic clay liners, drainage and compacted soil
layers and topsoil over areas of a landfill where total airspace
capacity has been consumed. Final capping asset retirement
obligations are recorded on a units-of-consumption basis as
airspace is consumed related to the specific final capping event
with a corresponding increase in the landfill asset. The final
capping is accounted for as a discrete obligation and recorded as
an asset and a liability based on estimates of the discounted cash
flows and capacity associated with the final
capping.
●
Closure
— Includes the construction of the final portion of methane
gas collection systems (when required), demobilization and routine
maintenance costs. These are costs incurred after the site ceases
to accept waste, but before the landfill is certified as closed by
the applicable state regulatory agency. These costs are recorded as
an asset retirement obligation as airspace is consumed over the
life of the landfill with a corresponding increase in the landfill
asset. Closure obligations are recorded over the life of the
landfill based on estimates of the discounted cash flows associated
with performing closure activities.
●
Post-closure
— Involves the maintenance and monitoring of a landfill site
that has been certified closed by the applicable regulatory agency.
Generally, we are required to maintain and monitor landfill sites
for a 30-year period. These maintenance and monitoring costs are
recorded as an asset retirement obligation as airspace is consumed
over the life of the landfill with a corresponding increase in the
landfill asset. Post-closure obligations are recorded over the life
of the landfill based on estimates of the discounted cash flows
associated with performing post-closure
activities.
NOTE 2 - SUMMARY OF
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
We
develop our estimates of these obligations using input from our
operations personnel, engineers and accountants. Our estimates are
based on our interpretation of current requirements and proposed
regulatory changes and are intended to approximate fair value.
Absent quoted market prices, the estimate of fair value is based on
the best available information, including the results of present
value techniques. In many cases, we contract with third parties to
fulfill our obligations for final capping, closure and post
closure. We use historical experience, professional engineering
judgment and quoted and actual prices paid for similar work to
determine the fair value of these obligations. We are required to
recognize these obligations at market prices whether we plan to
contract with third parties or perform the work ourselves. In those
instances where we perform the work with internal resources, the
incremental profit margin realized is recognized as a component of
operating income when the work is performed.
Once
we have determined the final capping, closure and post-closure
costs, we inflate those costs to the expected time of payment and
discount those expected future costs back to present value. During
the nine months ended September 30, 2016 we inflated these costs in
current dollars until the expected time of payment using an
inflation rate of 2.5%. Accretion expense was approximately
$126,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. We
discounted these costs to present value using the credit-adjusted,
risk-free rate effective at the time an obligation is incurred,
consistent with the expected cash flow approach. Any changes in
expectations that result in an upward revision to the estimated
cash flows are treated as a new liability and discounted at the
current rate while downward revisions are discounted at the
historical weighted average rate of the recorded obligation. As a
result, the credit adjusted, risk-free discount rate used to
calculate the present value of an obligation is specific to each
individual asset retirement obligation. The weighted average rate
applicable to our long-term asset retirement obligations at
September 30, 2016 is approximately 8.5%.
We
record the estimated fair value of final capping, closure and
post-closure liabilities for our landfill based on the capacity
consumed through the current period. The fair value of final
capping obligations is developed based on our estimates of the
airspace consumed to date for the final capping. The fair value of
closure and post-closure obligations is developed based on our
estimates of the airspace consumed to date for the entire landfill
and the expected timing of each closure and post-closure activity.
Because these obligations are measured at estimated fair value
using present value techniques, changes in the estimated cost or
timing of future final capping, closure and post-closure activities
could result in a material change in these liabilities, related
assets and results of operations. We assess the appropriateness of
the estimates used to develop our recorded balances annually, or
more often if significant facts change.
Changes
in inflation rates or the estimated costs, timing or extent of
future final capping, closure and post-closure activities typically
result in both (i) a current adjustment to the recorded liability
and landfill asset and (ii) a change in liability and asset amounts
to be recorded prospectively over either the remaining capacity of
the related discrete final capping or the remaining permitted and
expansion airspace (as defined below) of the landfill. Any changes
related to the capitalized and future cost of the landfill assets
are then recognized in accordance with our amortization policy,
which would generally result in amortization expense being
recognized prospectively over the remaining capacity of the final
capping or the remaining permitted and expansion airspace of the
landfill, as appropriate. Changes in such estimates associated with
airspace that has been fully utilized result in an adjustment to
the recorded liability and landfill assets with an immediate
corresponding adjustment to landfill airspace amortization
expense.
Interest accretion
on final capping, closure and post-closure liabilities is recorded
using the effective interest method and is recorded as final
capping, closure and post-closure expense, which is included in
“operating” expenses within our Consolidated Statements
of Operations
Amortization of
Landfill Assets - The amortizable basis of a landfill includes (i)
amounts previously expended and capitalized; (ii) capitalized
landfill final capping, closure and post-closure costs, (iii)
projections of future purchase and development costs required to
develop the landfill site to its remaining permitted and expansion
capacity and (iv) projected asset retirement costs related to
landfill final capping, closure and post-closure
activities.
Amortization is
recorded on a units-of-consumption basis, applying expense as a
rate per ton. The rate per ton is calculated by dividing each
component of the amortizable basis of a landfill by the number of
tons needed to fill the corresponding asset’s
airspace.
●
Remaining
permitted airspace — Our management team, in consultation
with third-party engineering consultants and surveyors, are
responsible for determining remaining permitted airspace at our
landfills. The remaining permitted airspace is determined by an
annual survey, which is used to compare the existing landfill
topography to the expected final landfill
topography.
●
Expansion airspace — We also include currently
unpermitted expansion airspace in our estimate of remaining
permitted and expansion airspace in certain circumstances. First,
to include airspace associated with an expansion effort, we must
generally expect the initial expansion permit application to be
submitted within one year and the
final expansion permit to be received within five
years. Second, we must believe that obtaining the expansion permit
is likely, considering the following
criteria:
NOTE 2 - SUMMARY OF
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
o
Personnel
are actively working on the expansion of an existing landfill,
including efforts to obtain land use and local, state or provincial
approvals;
o
We
have a legal right to use or obtain land to be included in the
expansion plan;
o
There
are no significant known technical, legal, community, business, or
political restrictions or similar issues that could negatively
affect the success of such expansion; and
o
Financial
analysis has been completed based on conceptual design, and the
results demonstrate that the expansion meets the Company’s
criteria for investment.
For
unpermitted airspace to be initially included in our estimate of
remaining permitted and expansion airspace, the expansion effort
must meet all of the criteria listed above. These criteria are
evaluated by our field-based engineers, accountants, managers and
others to identify potential obstacles to obtaining the permits.
Once the unpermitted airspace is included, our policy provides that
airspace may continue to be included in remaining permitted and
expansion airspace even if certain of these criteria are no longer
met as long as we continue to believe we will ultimately obtain the
permit, based on the facts and circumstances of a specific
landfill.
When
we include the expansion airspace in our calculations of remaining
permitted and expansion airspace, we also include the projected
costs for development, as well as the projected asset retirement
costs related to the final capping, closure and post-closure of the
expansion in the amortization basis of the
landfill.
Once
the remaining permitted and expansion airspace is determined in
cubic yards, an airspace utilization factor (“AUF”) is
established to calculate the remaining permitted and expansion
capacity in tons. The AUF is established using the measured density
obtained from previous annual surveys and is then adjusted to
account for future settlement. The amount of settlement that is
forecasted will take into account several site-specific factors
including current and projected mix of waste type, initial and
projected waste density, estimated number of years of life
remaining, depth of underlying waste, anticipated access to
moisture through precipitation or recirculation of landfill
leachate, and operating practices. In addition, the initial
selection of the AUF is subject to a subsequent multi-level review
by our engineering group, and the AUF used is reviewed on a
periodic basis and revised as necessary. Our historical experience
generally indicates that the impact of settlement at a landfill is
greater later in the life of the landfill when the waste placed at
the landfill approaches its highest point under the permit
requirements.
After
determining the costs and remaining permitted and expansion
capacity at each of our landfill, we determine the per ton rates
that will be expensed as waste is received and deposited at the
landfill by dividing the costs by the corresponding number of tons.
We calculate per ton amortization rates for the landfill for assets
associated with each final capping, for assets related to closure
and post-closure activities and for all other costs capitalized or
to be capitalized in the future. These rates per ton are updated
annually, or more often, as significant facts
change.
It
is possible that actual results, including the amount of costs
incurred, the timing of final capping, closure and post-closure
activities, our airspace utilization or the success of our
expansion efforts could ultimately turn out to be significantly
different from our estimates and assumptions. To the extent that
such estimates, or related assumptions, prove to be significantly
different than actual results, lower profitability may be
experienced due to higher amortization rates or higher expenses; or
higher profitability may result if the opposite occurs. Most
significantly, if it is determined that expansion capacity should
no longer be considered in calculating the recoverability of a
landfill asset, we may be required to recognize an asset impairment
or incur significantly higher amortization expense. If at any time
management makes the decision to abandon the expansion effort, the
capitalized costs related to the expansion effort are expensed
immediately.
NOTE 2 - SUMMARY OF
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
For
the nine months ended September 30, 2016 the Company operations
related to its landfill assets and liability are presented in the
tables below:
|
Nine
Months Ended
September
30, 2016
(UNAUDITED)
|
Year
Ended
December
31, 2015
(UNAUDITED)
|
|
|
|
Landfill Assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginning
Balance
|
$
3,393,476
|
$
3,396,519
|
Capital
Additions
|
350,699
|
-
|
Amortization
of landfill assets
|
(229,538
)
|
(3,043
)
|
Asset
retirement adjustments
|
11,869
|
-
|
|
$
3,526,506
|
$
3,393,476
|
|
|
|
Landfill Asset Retirement Obligation
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginning
Balance
|
$
200,252
|
$
196,519
|
Obligations
incurred and capitalized
|
11,869
|
-
|
Obligations
settled
|
-
|
-
|
Interest
accretion
|
125,809
|
3,733
|
Revisions
in estimates and interest rate assumption
|
-
|
-
|
|
$
337,930
|
$
200,252
|
Revenue Recognition
The Company recognizes revenue when persuasive
evidence of arrangement exists, services have been provided, the
seller’s price to the buyer is fixed or determinable, and
collection is reasonably assured. The majority of the
Company’s revenues are generated from the fees charged for
waste collection, transfer, disposal and recycling. The fees
charged for our services are generally defined in service
agreements and vary based on contract-specific terms such as
frequency of service, weight, volume and the general market factors
influencing a region’s rate.
For example, revenue
typically is recognized as waste is collected, or tons are received
at our landfills and transfer stations.
Deferred Revenue
The
Company records deferred revenue for customers that were billed in
advance of services. The balance in deferred revenue represents
amounts billed in July, August and September for services that will
be provided during October, November and
December.
Cost of Services
Cost
of services include all employment costs associated with waste
collection, transfer and disposal, damage claims, landfill costs,
personal property taxes associated with collection vehicles and
other direct cost of the collection and disposal
process.
Concentrations
The
Company maintains its cash and cash equivalents in bank deposit
accounts, which could, at times, exceed federally insured limits.
The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts;
however, amounts in excess of the federally insured limit may be at
risk if the bank experiences financial difficulties. The Company
places its cash with high credit quality financial institutions.
The Company’s accounts at these institutions are insured by
the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) up to
$250,000.
Financial
instruments which also potentially subject the Company to
concentrations of credit risk consist principally of trade accounts
receivable; however, concentrations of credit risk with respect to
trade accounts receivables are limited due to generally short
payment terms.
NOTE 2 - SUMMARY OF
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
For
the nine months ended September 30, 2016, the Company had one
contract that accounted for approximately 11% of the Company's
revenue. For the nine months ended September 30, 2015, the Company
had two contracts that accounted for approximately 49% of the
Company's revenue, collectively.
Basic Income (Loss) Per Share
Basic
income (loss) per share is calculated by dividing the
Company’s net loss applicable to common shareholders by the
weighted average number of common shares during the period. Diluted
earnings per share is calculated by dividing the Company’s
net income (loss) available to common shareholders by the diluted
weighted average number of shares outstanding during the year. The
diluted weighted average number of shares outstanding is the basic
weighted number of shares adjusted for any potentially dilutive
debt or equity. At September 30, 2016 the Company had one
convertible note outstanding that is convertible into common
shares. Additionally, the Company issued stock warrants for 104,314
common shares. These are not presented in the consensed
consolidated statement of operations since the Company incurred a
loss and the effect of these shares is
anti-dilutive.
At
September 30, 2016, and December 31, 2015 the Company had a series
of convertible notes and warrants outstanding that could be
converted into approximately, 175,023 and 127,428 common shares,
respectively. These are not presented in the condensed consolidated
statements of operations since the Company incurred a loss and the
effect of these shares is anti- dilutive.
For
the nine months ended September 30, 2016, the Company had 70,709 of
weighted-average common shares relating to the convertible debt,
under the if-converted method, however, these shares are not
dilutive because the Company recorded a loss during the fiscal
year.
Stock-Based Compensation
Stock-based
compensation is accounted for at fair value in accordance with ASC
Topic 718.
Stock-based
compensation is accounted for based on the requirements of the
Share-Based Payment Topic of ASC 718 which requires recognition in
the consolidated financial statements of the cost of employee and
director services received in exchange for an award of equity
instruments over the period the employee or director is required to
perform the services in exchange for the award (presumptively, the
vesting period). The ASC also require measurement of the cost of
employee and director services received in exchange for an award
based on the grant-date fair value of the
award.
Pursuant
to ASC Topic 505-50, for share based payments to consultants and
other third-parties, compensation expense is determined at the
“measurement date.” The expense is recognized over the
service period of the award. Until the measurement date is reached,
the total amount of compensation expense remains uncertain. The
Company initially records compensation expense based on the fair
value of the award at the reporting date.
The
Company recorded stock based compensation expense of $8,850,030 and
$7,599,150 during the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and
2015, respectively, which is included in compensation and related
expense on the statement of operations.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
ASU 2016-09
“Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements
to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting.” Several aspects
of the accounting for share-based payment award transactions are
simplified, including: (a) income tax consequences; (b)
classification of awards as either equity or liabilities; and (c)
classification on the statement of cash flows. The amendments are
effective for public companies for annual periods beginning after
December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods.
For private companies, the amendments are effective for annual
periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods
within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018. Early
adoption is permitted for any interim or annual
period.
ASU 2016-02
“Leases (Topic 842).” Among other things, in the
amendments in ASU 2016-02, lessees will be required to recognize
the following for all leases (with the exception of short-term
leases) at the commencement date:
-A lease liability,
which is a lessee‘s obligation to make lease payments arising
from a lease, measured on a discounted basis;
and
-A right-of-use
asset, which is an asset that represents the lessee’s right
to use, or control the use of, a specified asset for the lease
term.
NOTE 2 - SUMMARY OF
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
Under the new
guidance, lessor accounting is largely unchanged. Certain targeted
improvements were made to align, where necessary, lessor accounting
with the lessee accounting model and Topic 606, Revenue from
Contracts with Customers.
Effective for
Public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December
15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years
(i.e., January 1, 2019, for a calendar year entity). Nonpublic
business entities should apply the amendments for fiscal years
beginning after December 15, 2019 (i.e., January 1, 2020, for a
calendar year entity), and interim periods within fiscal years
beginning after December 15, 2020. Early application is permitted
for all public business entities and all nonpublic business
entities upon issuance. Lessees (for capital and operating leases)
and lessors (for sales-type, direct financing, and operating
leases) must apply a modified retrospective transition approach for
leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the
earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements.
The modified retrospective approach would not require any
transition accounting for leases that expired before the earliest
comparative period presented. Lessees and lessors may not apply a
full retrospective transition approach.
ASU 2015-17
“Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of
Deferred Taxes.” The amendments in ASU 2015-17 eliminates the
current requirement for organizations to present deferred tax
liabilities and assets as current and noncurrent in a classified
balance sheet. Instead, organizations will be required to classify
all deferred tax assets and liabilities as
noncurrent.
Effective for
public business entities for financial statements issued for annual
periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods
within those annual periods. For all other entities, the amendments
are effective for financial statements issued for annual periods
beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within
annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018. The amendments
may be applied prospectively to all deferred tax liabilities and
assets or retrospectively to all periods
presented.
ASU 2014-15
“Presentation of Financial Statements—Going Concern
(Subtopic 205-40): Disclosure of Uncertainties about an
Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern.” The
amendments in ASU 2014-15 are intended to define management’s
responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about
an organization’s ability to continue as a going concern and
to provide related footnote disclosures. Under GAAP, financial
statements are prepared under the presumption that the reporting
organization will continue to operate as a going concern, except in
limited circumstances. The going concern basis of accounting is
critical to financial reporting because it establishes the
fundamental basis for measuring and classifying assets and
liabilities. Currently, GAAP lacks guidance about
management’s responsibility to evaluate whether there is
substantial doubt about the organization’s ability to
continue as a going concern or to provide related footnote
disclosures. This ASU provides guidance to an organization’s
management, with principles and definitions that are intended to
reduce diversity in the timing and content of disclosures that are
commonly provided by organizations today in the financial statement
footnotes.
Effective for
annual periods ending after December 15, 2016, and interim periods
within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Early
application is permitted for annual or interim reporting periods
for which the financial statements have not previously been
issued.
Statement of Cash Flows -
In August
2016, the FASB issued amended authoritative guidance associated
with the classification of certain cash receipts and cash payments
on the statement of cash flows. The amended guidance addresses
specific cash flow issues with the objective of reducing existing
diversity in practice. The amended guidance is effective for the
Company on January 1, 2018, with early adoption
permitted.
Revenue Recognition
- In May 2014, the
FASB issued amended authoritative guidance associated with revenue
recognition. The amended guidance requires companies to recognize
revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to
customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the
entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or
services. Additionally, the amendments will require enhanced
qualitative and quantitative disclosures regarding customer
contracts. The amended guidance associated with revenue recognition
is effective for the Company on January 1, 2018. The amended
guidance may be applied retrospectively for all periods presented
or retrospectively with the cumulative effect of initially applying
the amended guidance recognized at the date of initial
adoption.
The Company is
currently assessing the potential impact of the above recent
accounting pronouncements.
NOTE
3 – PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
The
following is a summary of property, plant, and equipment—at
cost, less accumulated depreciation:
|
September
30, 2016
(UNAUDITED)
|
December 31, 2015
(UNAUDITED)
|
Land
|
$
1,590,000
|
$
1,690,000
|
Buildings
& Building Improvements
|
397,156
|
692,156
|
Furniture
& office equipment
|
386,382
|
258,702
|
Containers
|
6,799,566
|
4,453,386
|
Trucks,
Machinery, & Equipment
|
12,844,481
|
9,948,686
|
|
|
|
Total
cost
|
22,017,585
|
17,042,930
|
|
|
|
Less
accumulated depreciation
|
(5,086,141
)
|
(2,609,190
)
|
|
|
|
Net
property and Equipment
|
$
16,931,444
|
$
14,433,740
|
As of September 30,
2016, the Company has $395,000 of land and building which are held
for sale and not included in amounts noted above. These held for
sale assets were not depreciated during the nine
months ended September 30, 2016
.
Depreciation expense for the nine
months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015
was $2,505,329 and $1,224,871, respectively.
NOTE 4 - INTANGIBLE
ASSETS AND ACQUISITION
Christian Disposal Acquisition
On
December 22, 2015, the Company, in order to expand into new markets
and maximize the rate of waste internalization, acquired 100% of
the membership interests of Christian Disposal LLC pursuant to that
certain Amended and Restated Membership Interest Purchase
Agreement, dated October 16, 2015, as amended by that certain First
Amendment thereto, dated December 4, 2015.
Eagle Ridge Landfill, LLC and Eagle Ridge Hauling
Business
On
December 22, 2015, the Company, in order to expand into new markets
and maximize the rate of waste internalization, consummated the
closing of the certain Asset Purchase Agreement dated November 13,
2015, by and between the Company and Eagle Ridge Landfill, LLC, as
amended by the certain Amendment to Asset Purchase Agreement, dated
December 18, 2015, to which the Company and WCA Waste Corporation
are also party. Pursuant to the Eagle Ridge Purchase Agreement,
Meridian Land acquired a landfill located in Pike County, Missouri
and certain assets, rights, and properties related to such business
of Eagle Ridge, including certain debts.
In
the nine months ended September 30, 2016, customer lists include
the intangible assets related to customer relationships acquired
through the acquisition of Christian Disposal and Eagle Ridge with
a cost basis of $10,180,000. The customer list intangible assets
are amortized over their useful life which ranged from 5 to 20
years. Amortization expense, excluding amortization of landfill
assets of $232,581, amounted to $2,833,590 and $2,138,359 for the
nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 respectively. In June
of 2016 the Company recorded $1,255,269 of impairment expense
against the customer relationships due to the non-renewal of a
Christian operating agreement. The Company also wrote off through
miscellaneous income the $1,000,000 contingent liability that was
recorded in connection with the loss of the potential
renewal.
NOTE 5 - NOTES
PAYABLE AND CONVERTIBLE NOTES
The Company had the
following long-term debt:
|
September
30, 2016
(UNAUDITED)
|
December 31, 2015
(UNAUDITED)
|
|
|
|
Goldman
Sachs - Tranche A Term Loan - LIBOR Interest
|
$
40,000,000
|
$
40,000,000
|
Goldman
Sachs – Revolver
|
2,150,000
|
-
|
Goldman
Sachs – MDTL
|
-
|
-
|
Convertible
Notes Payable
|
1,250,000
|
1,250,000
|
Capitalized
lease - financing company, secured by equipment
|
15,898
|
37,096
|
Equipment
loans
|
300,053
|
395,119
|
Notes
payable to seller of Meridian, subordinated
debt
|
1,475,000
|
1,475,000
|
Less: debt issuance
cost/fees
|
(1,253,319
)
|
(1,416,697
)
|
Less:
debt discount
|
(1,899,851
)
|
(2,152,603
)
|
Total debt
|
42,037,781
|
39,587,915
|
Less:
current portion
|
(339,178
)
|
(417,119
)
|
Long term debt less current portion
|
$
41,698,603
|
$
39,170,796
|
Goldman Sachs Credit Agreement
On December 22,
2015, in connection with the closing of acquisitions of Christian
Disposal, LLC and certain assets of Eagle Ridge Landfill, LLC, the
Company was extended certain credit facilities by certain lenders
under a credit agreement among the Company, certain of its
affiliates, the lenders party thereto and Goldman Sachs Specialty
Lending Group, L.P., as administrative agent, collateral agent and
lead arranger, consisting of $40,000,000 aggregate principal amount
of Tranche A Term Loans, $10,000,000 aggregate principal amount of
commitments to make Multi-Draw Term Loans and up to $5,000,000
aggregate principal amount of Revolving Commitments. During the
nine months ended September 30, 2016, the Company borrowed
$2,150,000 in relation to the Revolving Commitments. At September
30, 2016, the Company had a total outstanding balance of
$42,150,000 consisting of the Tranche A Term Loan and draw of the
Revolving Commitments. The loans are secured by liens on
substantially all of the assets of the Company and its
subsidiaries. The debt has a maturity date of December 22, 2020
with interest paid monthly at an annual rate of approximately 9%
(subject to variation based on changes in LIBOR or another
underlying reference rate). In addition, there is a commitment fee
paid monthly on the Multi-Draw Term Loans and Revolving Commitments
at an annual rate of 0.5%. The Company has adopted ASU 2015-03 and
is showing loan fees net of long-term debt on the balance
sheet.
As of September 30, 2016 and at certain times
thereafter, the Company was in violation of covanants within its
credit agreement with Goldman, Sachs & Co. The lenders and
agents and the Company and its affiliates entered into a waiver and
amendment letter on November 11, 2016 whereby the covenant
violations were waived. The next measurement date of all covenants
is December 31, 2016. Should the Company have violations in the
future that are not waived, it could materially effect the
Company's operations and ability to fund future
operations.
NOTE 5 - NOTES
PAYABLE AND CONVERTIBLE NOTES (CONTINUED)
In
addition, in connection with the credit agreement, the Company
issued warrants to Goldman, Sachs
& Co.
for the purchase of shares of the Company’s
common stock equivalent to a 6.5% Percentage Interest at a purchase
price equal to $449,553, exercisable on or before December 22,
2023. The warrants grant the holder certain other rights, including
registration rights, preemptive rights for certain capital raises,
board observation rights and indemnification. Due to the put
feature contained in the agreement, a derivative liability was
recorded for the warrant.
The Company’s
derivative warrant instrument related to
Goldman,
Sachs
& Co.
has been measured at fair value at
September 30, 2016, using the Black-Scholes model. The liability is
revalued at each reporting period and changes in fair value are
recognized currently in the consolidated statement of operations.
Upon the initial recording of the derivative warrant at fair value
the instrument was bifurcated and the Company recorded a debt
discount of $2,160,000. This debt discount is being amortized as
interest expense using the effective interest rate method over the
life of the note, which is 5 years. At September 30, 2016 the
balance of the debt discount is $1,899,851. The Company incurred
$1,446,515 of issuance cost related to obtaining the notes. These
costs are being amortized over the life of the notes using the
effective interest rate method. At September 30, 2016, the
unamortized balance of the costs was
$1,253,319.
The key inputs used
in the September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 fair value
calculations were as follows:
|
|
|
|
Purchase
Price
|
$
450,000
|
Time
to expiration
|
12/22/
2023
|
Risk-free
interest rate
|
1.43
%
|
Estimated
volatility
|
60
%
|
Dividend
|
0
%
|
Stock
price on September 30, 2016
|
$
0.88
|
Expected
forfeiture rate
|
0
%
|
The change in the
market value for the period ending September 30, 2016 is as
follows:
Fair
value of warrants @ December 31, 2015
|
$
2,820,000
|
|
|
Unrealized
gain on derivative liability
|
(1,280,000
)
|
|
|
Fair
value of warrants @ September 30, 2016
|
$
1,540,000
|
Convertible Notes Payable
In
2015, as part of the purchase price consideration of the Christian
Disposal acquisition, the Company issued a convertible promissory
note to seller in the amount of $1,250,000. The note bears interest
at 8% and matures on December 31, 2020. The seller may convert all
or any part of the outstanding and unpaid amount of this note into
fully paid and non-assessable common stock in accordance with the
agreement.
Subordinated Debt
In
connection with the acquisition with Meridian Waste Services, LLC
on May 15, 2014, notes payable to the sellers of Meridian issued
five-year term subordinated debt loans paying interest at 8%. At
September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, the balance on these
loans was $1,475,000 and $1,475,000,
respectively.
The
debt payable to Comerica at December 31, 2015 and the Equipment
loans at December 31, 2015 were the debt of Here to Serve- Missouri
Waste Division, LLC, a subsidiary of the
Company.
Equipment Loans
During
the year ended December 31, 2015, the Company entered into four
long-term loan agreements in connection with the purchase of
equipment with rates between 4% and 5%. In May of 2016 one of these
equipment loans was paid in full. At September 30, 2016, the
balance of the remaining three loans was
$300,054.
NOTE 5 - NOTES
PAYABLE AND CONVERTIBLE NOTES (CONTINUED)
Other Debts
Convertible notes due related parties
In
2015, approximately $225,000 of the issued promissory notes were
converted into approximately 461,000 shares at the contractual
conversion price. At September 30, 2016 the Company had $11,850
remaining in convertible notes with an annual interest rate of 6%
to related parties, which includes $1,850 in accrued interest and
is included in current liabilities on the consolidated balance
sheet. The note is no longer convertible as of September 30, 2016
as maturity date has passed. The Company and management have agreed
that principal and all accrued interest will be paid back to the
related party in the fourth quarter of 2016.
Notes Payable, related party
At
December 31, 2014 the Company had a short term, non-interest
bearing note payable of $150,000 which was incurred in connection
with the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement discussed above.
The Company also had a loan from Here to Serve Holding Corp. due to
expenses paid by Here to Serve on behalf of the Company prior to
the recapitalization. This loan totaled $376,585 bringing total
notes payable to $526,585. In 2015, the short term, non-interest
bearing note was paid off, and at September 30, 2016, the
Company’s loan from Here to Serve Holding Corp. was $359,891,
and is included in current liabilities on the consolidated balance
sheet.
Total interest
expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 was
$1,224,217 and $3,603,807, respectively. Amortization of debt
discount was $86,913 and $252,751, respectively. Amortization of
capitalized loan fees was $56,156 and $163,377, respectively.
Interest expense on debt was $1,081,148 and $3,187,679,
respectively.
NOTE
6- SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Common Stock
The
Company has authorized 75,000,000 shares of $0.025 par value common
stock. At September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 there were
1,194,051 and 1,051,933 shares issued and
outstanding.
Treasury Stock
During
2014, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized a stock
repurchase of 11,500 shares of its common stock for approximately
$230,000 at an average price of $20.00 per share. At September 30,
2016 and December 31, 2015 the Company holds 11,500 shares of its
common stock in its treasury.
Preferred Stock
The
Company has authorized 5,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, for
which three classes have been designated to date. Series A has 51
and 51 shares issued and outstanding, Series B has 71,210 and
71,210 shares issued and outstanding and series C has 35,750 and 0
shares issued and outstanding, as of September 30, 2016 and
December 31, 2015, respectively.
Each
share of Series A Preferred Stock has no conversion rights, is
senior to any other class or series of capital stock of the Company
and has special voting rights. Each one (1) share of Series A
Preferred Stock shall have voting rights equal to (x) 0.019607
multiplied by the total issued and outstanding Common Stock
eligible to vote at the time of the respective vote (the
“Numerator”), divided by (y) 0.49, minus (z) the
Numerator.
Holders
of Series B Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive when and
if declared by the Board of Directors cumulative dividends at the
rate of twelve percent (12%) of the Original Issue Price. In the
event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company,
either voluntary or involuntary, the holders of Series B Preferred
Stock shall be entitled to receive, immediately prior and in
preference to any distribution to holders of the Company’s
common stock, an amount per share equal to the sum of $100.00 and
any accrued and unpaid dividends of the Series B Preferred Stock.
Each share of Series B Preferred Stock may be converted at the
option of the holder into the Company’s Common stock. The
shares shall be converted using the “Conversion
Formula”: divide the Original Issue Price by 75% of the
average closing bid price of the Common Stock for the five (5)
consecutive trading days ending on the trading day of the receipt
by the Company of the notice of conversion.
At
September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, the Company’s
Series B Preferred Stock dividends in arrears on the 12% cumulative
preferred stock were approximately $1,673,000 ($23.50 per share)
and $1,033,000 ($14.50 per share),
respectively.
NOTE
6- SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (CONTINUED)
Series C
The Company has
authorized for issuance up to 67,361 shares of Series C Preferred
Stock (“Series C”). Each share of Series C: (a) has a
stated value of equal to $100 per share; (b) has a par value of
$0.001 per share; (c) accrues fixed rate dividends at a rate of
eight percent per annum; (d) are convertible at the option of the
holder into 89.28 shares of common Stock (conversion price of
$22.40 per share based off stated value of $100); (e) votes on an
‘as converted’ basis; (f) has liquidation (including
deemed liquidations related to certain fundamental transactions)
privileges of $22.40 per share. The Series C will expire 15 months
after issuance.
Further, in the
event of a Qualified Offering, the shares of Series C Preferred
Stock will be automatically converted at the lower of $22.40 per
share or the per share price that reflects a 20% discount to the
price of the Common Stock pursuant to such Qualified Offering. A
"Qualified Offering" is defined as an underwritten offering by the
Company pursuant to which (1) the Company receives aggregate gross
proceeds of at least $20,000,000 in consideration of the purchase
of shares of Common Stock or (2) (a) the Company receives aggregate
gross proceeds of at least $15,000,000 in consideration of the
purchase of shares of Common Stock and (b) the Common Stock becomes
listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market, the New York Stock Exchange,
or the NYSE MKT.
In addition, if
after six months from the date of the issuance until the expiration
date, the holder converts a Series C security to common stock and
sells such common stock for total proceeds that do not equal or
exceed such holder’s purchase price, the Company is obligated
to issue additional shares of common stock in an amount sufficient
such that, when sold and the net proceeds are added to the net
proceeds of the initial sale, the holder shall have received funds
equal to that of the holder’s initial purchase price
(“Shortfall Provision”).
The Company
evaluated the Series C in accordance with ASC 815 –
Derivatives and Hedging, to discern whether any feature(s) required
bifurcation and derivative accounting. The Company noted the
Shortfall Provision has variable settlement based upon an item
(initial purchase price) that is not an input into a fixed for
fixed price model, thus such provision is not considered indexed to
the Company’s stock. Accordingly, the Shortfall Provision was
bifurcated and accounted for as a derivative liability. In
addition, given the Series C has deemed liquidation privileges that
could require redemption outside the control of the issuer, the
Series C is classified within the mezzanine section of the
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet.
Third Quarter
Series C Offering
During the three
months ended September 30, 2016, the Company sold 12,750 shares of
Series C for gross proceeds of $1.275 million. These proceeds were
allocated between the Shortfall Provision derivative liability
($310,000) and the host Series C instrument ($965,000). After such
allocation, the Company noted that the Series C had a beneficial
conversion feature of $265,000 which was recognized as a deemed
dividend.
Also during the
three months ended September 30, 2016, the Company issued 23,000
shares of Series C to repurchase the 2,053,573 shares of common
stock and related short fall provision derivative issued in June
2016. Given the transaction was predominantly the repurchase of
common stock that was immediately retired, the Company accounted
for this as a treasury stock transaction. The Series C was recorded
at a fair value of $2.3 million ($620,000 of which was allocated to
the Shortfall Provision), the top off provision (which was $246,000
at the time of exchange) was written off, and a beneficial
conversion feature of $373,000 was recognized immediately as a
deemed dividend.
Derivative
Footnote
As noted above, the
common stock issuance during June 2016 included a top off provision
that was extinguished in August 2016. Such provision was valued
using an intrinsic measurement and such value was $246,000 at the
time of extinguishment.
In addition, the
Series C included a Shortfall Provision that required bifurcation
and to be accounted for as a derivative liability. The fair value
of the Shortfall Provision was calculated using a Monte Carlo
simulated put option Black Scholes Merton Model. The cumulative
fair values at respective date of issuances and September 30, 2016
were $930,000 and $1.1 million, respectively. The key assumptions
used in the model at inception and at September 30, 2016 are as
follows:
|
|
Inception
|
|
9/30/2016
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock
Price
|
|
$0.00
- $3.00
|
|
$0.00
- $1.76
|
Exercise
Price
|
|
$1.12
|
|
$1.12
|
Term
|
|
.5
years
|
|
0.3
to 0.42 years
|
Risk
Free Interest Rate
|
|
.39%
- .47%
|
|
0.29%
|
Volatility
|
|
60%
|
|
60%
|
Dividend
Rate
|
|
0%
|
|
0%
|
NOTE
6- SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (CONTINUED)
The roll forward of
the Shortfall Provision derivative liability is as
follows
Balance
– June 30, 2016
|
$
-
|
Issuances
of Series C
|
930,048
|
Fair
Value Adjustment
|
180,541
|
Balance
– September 30, 2016
|
$
1,110,589
|
Common Stock Transactions
During
the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and the year ended
December 31, 2015, the Company issued, 244,788 and 553,762 shares
of common stock, respectively. The fair values of the shares of
common stock were based on the quoted trading price on the date of
issuance. Of the 244,788 shares issued for the nine months ended
September 30, 2016, the Company:
1.
Issued
25,859 of these shares were issued to vendors for services rendered
generating a professional fees expense of
$778,985;
2.
Issued
115,000 of these shares to officers and employees as incentive
compensation resulting in compensation expense of
$3,550,000;
3.
Issued
102,679 shares of common stock as part of a private placement
offering to accredited investors for aggregate gross proceeds to
the Company of $2,342,500. The Company capitalized certain issuance
costs associated with this offering of approximately $264,000,
including the fair value of approximately 1,800 common shares
issued to the placement agent. These common shares include a
top-off provision. Specifically, if a subscriber were to sell the
common shares within a 1 year period from the subscription
agreement and such sales proceeds do not equal the investment
amount of the subscriber, a warrant will vest. The Company
accounted for this top-off provision as a separate liability with a
fair value of 0 at June 30, 2016. In August of 2016 these 102,679
common shares were exchanged on a dollar for dollar basis for
23,000 shares of preferred stock, series C. This exchange was
recorded as a capital transaction. The 102,679 common shares were
retired in August of 2016.
The
Company has issued and outstanding warrants of 104,314 common
shares, as adjusted, with the current exercise price of $4.31, as
adjusted, expiring December 31, 2023.
There were no
outstanding warrants at September 30, 2015. A summary of the status
of the Company's outstanding stock warrants for the period ended
September 30, 2016 is as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
Outstanding -
December 31, 2015
|
83,678
|
-
|
$
449,518
|
-
|
Granted
-
Goldman,
Sachs
& Co.
|
20,636
|
$
4.31
|
-
|
-
|
Forfeited
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Exercised
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Outstanding,
September 30, 2016
|
104,314
|
$
4.31
|
$
449,518
|
|
Warrants
exercisable at September 30, 2016
|
104,314
|
|
|
|
NOTE
7 - FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT
ASC
Topic 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy, giving the highest
priority to quoted prices in active markets and the lowest priority
to unobservable data and requires disclosures for assets and
liabilities measured at fair value based on their level in the
hierarchy. Also, ASC Topic 820 provides clarification that in
circumstances, in which a quoted price in an active market for the
identical liabilities is not available, a reporting entity is
required to measure fair value using one or more of the techniques
provided for in this update.
The
standard describes a fair value hierarchy based on three levels of
input, of which the first two are considered observable and the
last unobservable, that may be used to measure fair value, which
are the following:
Level 1
- Quoted prices in active markets for
identical assets and liabilities.
Level 2
- Input other than Level 1 that are
observable, either directly or indirectly, such as quoted prices
for similar assets of liabilities; quoted prices in markets that
are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be
corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full
term of the asset or liabilities.
Level 3
- Unobservable inputs that are
supported by little or no market activity and that are significant
to the fair value of the assets or
liabilities.
Our
assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair
value measurement in its entirety requires judgment, and considers
factors specific to the asset or liability.
The following table sets forth the liabilities at
September 30
, 2016 and 2015
,
which is recorded on the balance sheet at fair value on a recurring
basis by level within the fair value hierarchy. As required, these
are classified based on the lowest level of input that is
significant to the fair value
measurement:
|
|
Fair Value Measurements at Reporting Date
Using
|
|
December 31,
2015
(UNAUDITED)
|
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical
Assets
(Level 1)
|
Significant Other Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)
|
Significant Unobservable Inputs
(Level 3)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Derivative
liability
|
$
2,820,000
|
$
-
|
$
-
|
$
2,820,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock
settled debt
|
12,500
|
10,000
|
-
|
2,500
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
2,832,500
|
$
10,000
|
$
-
|
$
2,822,500
|
|
|
Fair Value Measurements
at Reporting Date Using
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Derivative
liability – stock warrants
|
$
1,540,000
|
-
|
-
|
$
1,540,000
|
Derivative
liability – Series C Preferred Stock
|
1,110,589
|
-
|
-
|
1,110,589
|
|
$
2,650,589
|
-
|
-
|
$
2,650,589
|
NOTE 8 -
LEASES
The Company’s has entered into
non-cancellable leases for its office, warehouse facilities and
some equipment. These lease agreements commence on various dates
from September 1, 2010 to December 2015 and all expires on or
before December, 2023. Future minimum lease payments at
September 30, 2016
are as
follows:
2016
|
$
154,941
|
2017
|
530,551
|
2018
|
250,497
|
2019
|
178,303
|
2020
|
138,700
|
Thereafter
|
151,200
|
Total
|
$
1,404,192
|
The Company has also entered into various other
leases on a month to month basis for machinery and equipment. Rent
expense amounted to $409,007
and $222,869
for the nine
months ended September 30,
2016 and 2015
,
respectively.
NOTE
9 - BONDING
In connection with normal business activities of a
company in the solid waste disposal industry, Meridian may be
required to acquire a performance bond. As part of the
Company’s December 22, 2015 acquisitions of Christian
Disposal, LLC and Eagle Ridge Landfill, LLC, Meridian acquired a
performance bond in the approximate amount of $7,400,000 with
annual expenses of $221,000. For the nine
months ended
September 30, 2016
, the Company had
approximately $141,000 of expenses related to this performance bond
and for the nine
months ended September 30, 2015
, the Company was not required to obtain a
performance bond.
Note
10 - LITIGATION
The
Company is involved in various lawsuits related to the operations
of its subsidiaries which arise in the normal course of business.
Management believes that it has adequate insurance coverage and/or
has appropriately accrued for the settlement of these claims. If
applicable, claims that exceed amounts accrued and/or that are
covered by insurance, management believes they are without merit
and intends to vigorously defend and resolve with no material
impact on financial condition.
NOTE
11 - RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Sale of Capitalized Software
On
January 7, 2015, in an effort to give investors a more concentrated
presence in the waste industry the Company sold the capitalized
software assets of Here to Serve Technology, LLC (HTST) to Mobile
Science Technologies, Inc., a Georgia corporation (MSTI), a related
party due to being owned by some of the shareholders of the
Company. No gain or loss was recognized on this transaction as the
Company received equity equal to book value ($434,532) of the
capitalized software in the exchange. This represents approximately
15% of the equity of MSTI and is reflected in the accompanying
balance sheet as “investment in related party
affiliate”. The Company's investment of 15% of the common
stock of MSTI is accounted for under the equity method because the
company exercises significant influence over its operating and
financial activities. Significant influence is exercised because
both Companies have a Board Member in common. Accordingly, the
investment in MSTI is carried at cost, adjusted for the Company's
proportionate share of earnings or losses.
The
following presents unaudited summary financial information for
MSTI. Such summary financial information has been provided herein
based upon the individual significance of this unconsolidated
equity method investment to the consolidated financial information
of the Company.
NOTE
11 - RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (CONTINUED)
Following
is a summary of financial position and results of operations of
MSTI:
Summary
of Statements of Financial Condition
|
|
|
|
Assets
|
|
Current
assets
|
$
3,609
|
Noncurrent
assets
|
2,877,313
|
Total
assets
|
2,880,922
|
|
|
Liabilities and
Equity
|
|
Current
liabilities
|
236,562
|
Noncurrent
liabilities
|
-
|
Equity
|
2,644,360
|
Total
liabilities and equity
|
$
2,880,922
|
|
|
Summary
of Statements of Operations
|
|
|
|
Revenues
|
$
177
|
Expense
|
16,410
|
Net
loss
|
$
(16,233
)
|
The Company recorded losses from its investment in
MSTI, accounted for under the equity method, of approximately
$2,100 for the nine
months ended September 30,
2016
. The charge reflected the
Company’s share of MSTI losses recorded in that period. While
the Company has ongoing agreements with MSTI relating to the use of
MSTI's software technology, the Company has no obligation to
otherwise support the activities of
MSTI.
NOTE
12 – EQUITY AND INCENTIVE PLANS
Effective
March 10, 2016, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of
the Company approved, authorized and adopted the 2016 Equity and
Incentive Plan (the “ Plan”) and certain forms of
ancillary agreements to be used in connection with the issuance of
stock and/or options pursuant to the Plan (the “Plan
Agreements”). The Plan provides for the issuance of up to
7,500,000 shares of common stock, par value $.025 per share (the
“Common Stock”), of the Company through the grant of
nonqualified options (the “Non-qualified options”),
incentive options (the “Incentive Options” and together
with the Non-qualified Options, the “Options”) and
restricted stock (the “Restricted Stock”) to directors,
officers, consultants, attorneys, advisors and
employees.
On
March 11, 2016, the Company entered into a restricted stock
agreement with Mr. Jeff Cosman, CEO, (the “Cosman Restricted
Stock Agreement”), pursuant to which 212,654 shares of the
Company's common stock, subject to certain restrictions set forth
in the Cosman Restricted Stock Agreement, were issued to Mr. Cosman
pursuant to the Cosman Employment Agreement and the
Plan.
The
entire 212,654 shares fully cliff vests on January 1, 2017 if
continuous employment and the Company reaches certain performance
goals. As of September 30, 2016, the Company has recognized
approximately $4,500,000 in compensation expense of a potential
total expense of $6,592,000. The total expense of $6,592,265 is
being expensed ratably from the original agreement date of March
11, 2016 to the end date of January 1, 2017.
NOTE
13 – SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
Series B Securities Exchange Agreements
Effective October 13, 2016, the
Company entered into those certain securities exchange agreements
(the “
Series
B Exchange Agreements
”) by and between the
Company and each holder of the Company’s Series B Preferred
Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “
Series
B Preferred
”), (collectively, the
“Series B
Holders
”
and each, individually, a “Series B
Holder
”)
to effect the exchange of all shares of Series B Preferred for
shares of Common Stock.
Pursuant to the Series B Exchange
Agreements, the Company agreed to issue to the Series B Holders a
total of 500,001 shares of Common Stock, with each Series B Holder
being issued 166,667 shares of Common Stock, subject to and in
accordance with the terms set forth in the Series B Exchange
Agreements in consideration for the cancellation of all shares of
Series B Preferred owned by the Series B Holders. Upon cancellation
of the Series B Preferred pursuant to the Series B Exchange
Agreements, there are no shares of Series B Preferred issued and
outstanding.
REPORT
OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of
Directors and Shareholders
Meridian Waste
Solutions, Inc.
We have audited the
accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Meridian Waste
Solutions, Inc. and Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2015 and 2014
and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in
shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for the year ended
December 31, 2015 and for the Period from January 1, 2014 to May
15, 2014 (the “Predecessor Company”) and from the
Period from Acquisition May 16, 2014 to December 31, 2014 (the
“Successor Company”). These consolidated financial
statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our
responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated
financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our
audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require
that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance
about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. The Company is not required to have, nor were we
engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial
reporting. Our audit included consideration of internal control
over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures
that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose
of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company's
internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly we express
no such opinion. An audit includes examining, on a test basis,
evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial
statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting
principles used and significant estimates made by management, as
well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We
believe that our audits provide a
reasonable
basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the
consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly,
in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of
Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. and Subsidiaries at December 31,
2015 and 2014 and the results of their operations and their cash
flows for the year ended December 31, 2015 and for the Period from
January 1, 2014 to May 15, 2014 (the “Predecessor
Company”) and from the Period from Acquisition May 16, 2014
to December 31, 2014 (the “Successor Company”), in
conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the
United States of America.
|
|
/s/ D’Arelli
Pruzansky, P.A.
|
|
|
|
Certified Public Accountants
|
|
|
|
|
|
Coconut Creek,
Florida
April 13,
2016
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE SHEETS
DECEMBER
31, 2015 AND 2014
Assets
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2014
|
|
Current
assets:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
|
|
$
|
2,729,795
|
|
|
$
|
438,907
|
|
Accounts
receivable, net of allowance
|
|
|
1,707,818
|
|
|
|
588,479
|
|
Prepaid
expenses
|
|
|
427,615
|
|
|
|
221,999
|
|
Other current
assets
|
|
|
52,359
|
|
|
|
41,852
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total current
assets
|
|
|
4,917,587
|
|
|
|
1,291,237
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Property, plant and
equipment, at cost net of accumulated depreciation
|
|
|
14,433,740
|
|
|
|
7,654,765
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other
assets:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment in
related party affiliate
|
|
|
364,185
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Deposits
|
|
|
10,954
|
|
|
|
8,303
|
|
Capitalized
software
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
434,532
|
|
Loan fees, net of
accumulated amortization
|
|
|
1,416,697
|
|
|
|
39,365
|
|
Goodwill
|
|
|
7,479,642
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Landfill assets,
net of accumulated amortization
|
|
|
3,393,476
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Customer list, net
of accumulated amortization
|
|
|
19,500,362
|
|
|
|
12,139,792
|
|
Non-compete, net of
accumulated amortization
|
|
|
155,699
|
|
|
|
130,000
|
|
Website, net of
accumulated amortization
|
|
|
10,904
|
|
|
|
13,688
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total other
assets
|
|
|
32,331,919
|
|
|
|
12,765,680
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
assets
|
|
$
|
51,683,246
|
|
|
$
|
21,711,682
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current
liabilities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts
payable
|
|
$
|
1,988,050
|
|
|
$
|
449,840
|
|
Accrued
expenses
|
|
|
280,069
|
|
|
|
67,365
|
|
Notes payable,
related party
|
|
|
359,891
|
|
|
|
526,585
|
|
Deferred
compensation
|
|
|
996,380
|
|
|
|
729,000
|
|
Deferred
revenue
|
|
|
2,912,264
|
|
|
|
1,929,882
|
|
Convertible notes
due related parties, includes put premiums
|
|
|
15,065
|
|
|
|
302,083
|
|
Operating line of
credit and capital expenditure line of credit
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
1,675,160
|
|
Contingent
liability
|
|
|
1,000,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Derivative
liability - stock warrants
|
|
|
2,820,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Current portion -
long term debt
|
|
|
417,119
|
|
|
|
1,357,143
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total current
liabilities
|
|
|
10,788,838
|
|
|
|
7,037,058
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long term
liabilities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Derivative
liability - interest rate swap
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
40,958
|
|
Asset retirement
obligation
|
|
|
200,252
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Long term debt, net
of current
|
|
|
40,587,493
|
|
|
|
8,826,190
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total long term
liabilities
|
|
|
40,787,745
|
|
|
|
8,867,148
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
liabilities
|
|
|
51,576,583
|
|
|
|
15,904,206
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shareholders'
equity:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Preferred Series A
stock, par value $.001, 51 shares authorized, issued and
outstanding
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Preferred Series B
stock, par value $.001, 71,210 shares authorized, issued and
outstanding
|
|
|
71
|
|
|
|
71
|
|
Common stock, par
value $.025, 75,000,000 shares authorized, 21,038,650 and 9,963,618
share issued and outstanding, respectively
|
|
|
525,966
|
|
|
|
249,085
|
|
Treasury stock, at
cost
|
|
|
(224,250
|
)
|
|
|
(224,250
|
)
|
Additional paid in
capital
|
|
|
27,624,492
|
|
|
|
14,370,296
|
|
Accumulated
deficit
|
|
|
(27,819,616
|
)
|
|
|
(8,587,726
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total shareholders'
equity
|
|
|
106,663
|
|
|
|
5,807,476
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities
and shareholders' equity
|
|
$
|
51,683,246
|
|
|
$
|
21,711,682
|
|
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
FOR
THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2015 AND 2014
|
|
|
|
|
Successor
|
|
|
Predecessor
|
|
|
|
Year
Ended December 31, 2015
|
|
|
Period
from Acquisition May 16, 2014 to December 31, 2014
|
|
|
Period
from January 1, 2014 to May 15, 2014
|
|
Revenue
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Software
sales
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
1,864
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
Services
|
|
|
13,506,097
|
|
|
|
7,951,607
|
|
|
|
4,248,605
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
revenue
|
|
|
13,506,097
|
|
|
|
7,953,471
|
|
|
|
4,248,605
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost of sales and
services
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost of sales and
services
|
|
|
8,521,379
|
|
|
|
5,019,286
|
|
|
|
2,603,280
|
|
Depreciation
|
|
|
1,614,225
|
|
|
|
932,526
|
|
|
|
504,515
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total cost of sales
and services
|
|
|
10,135,604
|
|
|
|
5,951,812
|
|
|
|
3,107,795
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
Profit
|
|
|
3,370,493
|
|
|
|
2,001,659
|
|
|
|
1,140,810
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expenses
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bad debt
expense
|
|
|
37,467
|
|
|
|
98,381
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Compensation and
related expense
|
|
|
9,107,497
|
|
|
|
751,398
|
|
|
|
213,391
|
|
Depreciation and
amortization
|
|
|
2,940,724
|
|
|
|
1,932,459
|
|
|
|
5,748
|
|
Selling, general
and administrative
|
|
|
5,555,207
|
|
|
|
1,397,570
|
|
|
|
469,593
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
expenses
|
|
|
17,640,895
|
|
|
|
4,179,808
|
|
|
|
688,732
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other income
(expenses):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Miscellaneous
income
|
|
|
27,623
|
|
|
|
1,331
|
|
|
|
2,996
|
|
Loss on disposal of
assets
|
|
|
(21,851
|
)
|
|
|
(20,830
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
Unrealized gain
(loss) on interest rate swap
|
|
|
40,958
|
|
|
|
(40,958
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
Unrealized loss on
change in fair value of derivative liability
|
|
|
(1,664,213
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Loss on
extinguishment of debt
|
|
|
(1,899,161
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Loss from
proportionate share of equity investment
|
|
|
(70,347
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Recapitalization
expense
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(70,000
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
Interest
expense
|
|
|
(1,374,497
|
)
|
|
|
(348,136
|
)
|
|
|
(184,011
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total other income
(expenses)
|
|
|
(4,961,488
|
)
|
|
|
(478,593
|
)
|
|
|
(181,015
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net (loss)
income
|
|
$
|
(19,231,890
|
)
|
|
$
|
(2,656,742
|
)
|
|
$
|
271,063
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic net loss per
share
|
|
$
|
(1.33
|
)
|
|
$
|
(0.27
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average
number of shares outstanding
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Basic and
Diluted)
|
|
|
14,468,576
|
|
|
|
9,963,418
|
|
|
|
|
|
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
FOR
THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2015 AND 2014
|
|
Common
Shares
|
|
|
Common
Stock, Par
|
|
|
Preferred
Series A Shares
|
|
|
Preferred
Series A Stock, Par
|
|
|
Preferred
Series B Shares
|
|
|
Preferred
Series B Stock, Par
|
|
|
Treasury
Stock
|
|
|
Additional
Paid in Capital
|
|
|
Members'
Equity
|
|
|
Accumulated
Deficit
|
|
|
Total
|
|
Predecessor
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance at December
31, 2013
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
1,539,738
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
1,539,738
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income, from
January 1 to
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 15,
2014
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
271,063
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
271,063
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Members'
distributions, from
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
January 1 to May
15, 2014
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(585,000
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(585,000
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance at May 15,
2014
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
1,225,801
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
1,225,801
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Successor
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance at May 16,
2014
|
|
|
9,054,134
|
|
|
$
|
226,353
|
|
|
|
51
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
71,210
|
|
|
$
|
71
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
12,992,347
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
(5,930,984
|
)
|
|
$
|
7,287,787.0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recapitalization
of
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
the
Company
|
|
|
1,139,284
|
|
|
|
28,482
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(28,482
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Treasury stock
purchased
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
as part of
recapitalization
|
|
|
(230,000
|
)
|
|
|
(5,750
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(224,250
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(230,000
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common stock issued
for conversion of related party debt
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
1,406,431
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
1,406,431
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
loss
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2,656,742
|
)
|
|
|
(2,656,742
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance
at December 31, 2014
|
|
|
9,963,418
|
|
|
$
|
249,085
|
|
|
|
51
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
71,210
|
|
|
$
|
71
|
|
|
$
|
(224,250
|
)
|
|
$
|
14,370,296
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
(8,587,726
|
)
|
|
$
|
5,807,476
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common stock
exchanged for services
|
|
|
1,573,550
|
|
|
$
|
39,339
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
791,631
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
830,970
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common stock issued
for compensation
|
|
|
5,690,843
|
|
|
|
142,271
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
7,213,909
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
7,356,180
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common stock issued
for conversion of related party debt
|
|
|
460,839
|
|
|
|
11,521
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
307,406
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
318,927
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common stock issued
in connection with Membership Purchase
|
|
|
1,750,000
|
|
|
|
43,750
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
2,581,250
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
2,625,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common stock issued
in connection with cancellation of Praesidian warrants
|
|
|
1,600,000
|
|
|
|
40,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
2,360,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
2,400,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
loss
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(19,231,890
|
)
|
|
|
(19,231,890
|
)
|
Balance
December 31, 2015
|
|
|
21,038,650
|
|
|
$
|
525,966
|
|
|
|
51
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
71,210
|
|
|
$
|
71
|
|
|
$
|
(224,250
|
)
|
|
$
|
27,624,492
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
(27,819,616
|
)
|
|
$
|
106,663
|
|
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
FOR
THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2015 AND 2014
|
|
|
|
|
Successor
|
|
|
Predecessor
|
|
|
|
Year
Ended December 31, 2015
|
|
|
Period
from Acquisition May 16, 2014 to December 31, 2014
|
|
|
Period
from January 1, 2014 to May 15, 2014
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash flows from
operating activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net (loss)
income
|
|
$
|
(19,231,890
|
)
|
|
$
|
(2,656,742
|
)
|
|
$
|
271,063
|
|
Adjustments to
reconcile net income to net cash (used in) provided
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
from operating
activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Depreciation and
amortization
|
|
|
4,554,949
|
|
|
|
2,864,985
|
|
|
|
510,263
|
|
Unrealized gain on
swap agreement
|
|
|
(40,958
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Unrealized loss on
derivatives
|
|
|
1,664,213
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Stock issued to
vendors for services
|
|
|
830,970
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Stock issued to
employees as incentive compensation
|
|
|
7,356,180
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Loss on
extinguishment of debt
|
|
|
1,899,161
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Loss from
proportionate share of equity investment
|
|
|
70,347
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Loss on disposal of
equipment
|
|
|
21,851
|
|
|
|
20,830
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Changes in working
capital items net of acquisitions:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts
receivable, net of allowance
|
|
|
325,322
|
|
|
|
43,843
|
|
|
|
(153,443
|
)
|
Prepaid expenses
and other current assets
|
|
|
(71,247
|
)
|
|
|
(140,307
|
)
|
|
|
66,176
|
|
Due to Here to
Serve Holding Corp.
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
376,585
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Deposits
|
|
|
(2,651
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Accounts payable
and accrued expenses
|
|
|
642,797
|
|
|
|
431,328
|
|
|
|
133,219
|
|
Deferred
compensation
|
|
|
267,380
|
|
|
|
243,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Deferred
revenue
|
|
|
(112,361
|
)
|
|
|
51,778
|
|
|
|
(32,360
|
)
|
Derivative
liability
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
40,958
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Other current
liabilities
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
932,135
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash (used in)
provided from operating activities
|
|
|
(1,825,937
|
)
|
|
|
2,208,392
|
|
|
|
794,918
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash flows from
investing activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash portion paid
for acquisition
|
|
|
(22,667,862
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Purchased
capitalized software
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(60,512
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
Acquisition of
property, plant and equipment
|
|
|
(1,280,011
|
)
|
|
|
(1,407,251
|
)
|
|
|
(170,886
|
)
|
Purchased
software
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(13,920
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
Proceeds from sale
of property, plant and equipment
|
|
|
79,737
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash used in
investing activities
|
|
|
(23,868,136
|
)
|
|
|
(1,481,682
|
)
|
|
|
(170,886
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash flows from
financing activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Repayments)
borrowings on notes due related parties
|
|
|
(134,785
|
)
|
|
|
123,333
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Member
distributions
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(585,000
|
)
|
Proceeds from
loans
|
|
|
52,207,716
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Payments for
purchase of treasury stock
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(230,000
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
Increase in
capitalized loan fees
|
|
|
(1,395,903
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Principle payments
on notes payable
|
|
|
(21,016,907
|
)
|
|
|
(791,667
|
)
|
|
|
(449,499
|
)
|
(Repayments on)
proceeds from line of credit
|
|
|
(1,675,160
|
)
|
|
|
590,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash provided
from (used in) financing activities
|
|
|
27,984,961
|
|
|
|
(308,334
|
)
|
|
|
(1,034,499
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net change in
cash
|
|
|
2,290,888
|
|
|
|
418,376
|
|
|
|
(410,467
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginning
cash
|
|
|
438,907
|
|
|
|
20,531
|
|
|
|
1,461,372
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ending
cash
|
|
$
|
2,729,795
|
|
|
$
|
438,907
|
|
|
$
|
1,050,905
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental Disclosures of Cash Flow Information:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash paid for
interest
|
|
$
|
1,374,497
|
|
|
$
|
348,136
|
|
|
$
|
52,559
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental Non-Cash Investing and Financing
Information:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock as
consideration in acquisition
|
|
$
|
2,625,000
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
Stock for
cancellation of warrants
|
|
$
|
2,400,000
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
Stock in exchange
for forgiveness of debt
|
|
$
|
318,927
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
Contingent
liability in conjunction with acquisition
|
|
$
|
1,000,000
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
Debt forgiveness by
related party in connection with recapitalization
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
1,406,431
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
Convertible
promissory note issued for acquisition
|
|
$
|
1,250,000
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
Note 1 - NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND
ORGANIZATION
Meridian Waste
Solutions, Inc. (formerly Brooklyn Cheesecake and Desserts Company,
Inc.) (the “Company” or “Meridian”) is
currently operating under five separate Limited Liability
Companies:
(1) Here To Serve
Missouri Waste Division, LLC (“HTSMWD”), a Missouri
Limited Liability Company;
(2) Here To Serve
Georgia Waste Division, LLC (“HTSGWD”), a Georgia
Limited Liability Company;
(3) Meridian Land
Company, LLC (“MLC”), a Georgia Limited Liability
Company;
(4) Here to Serve
Technology, LLC (“HTST”), a Georgia Limited Liability
Company; and
(5) Christian
Disposal, LLC and subsidiary (“CD”), a Missouri Limited
Liability Company.
On January 7, 2015,
in an effort to give investors a more concentrated presence in the
waste industry the Company sold the assets of HTST to Mobile
Science Technologies, Inc., a Georgia corporation (MSTI), a related
party due to being owned and managed by some of the shareholders of
the Company. On this date HTST ceased operations and became a
dormant Limited Liability Company (“LLC”). Currently,
Meridian is formalizing plans to dissolve HTST, in which this LLC
will cease to exist.
In 2014, HTSMWD
purchased the assets of a large solid waste disposal company in the
St. Louis, MO market. This acquisition is considered the platform
company for future acquisitions in the solid waste disposal
industry. HTSGWD was created to facilitate expansion in this
industry throughout the Southeast.
The Company is
primarily in the business of residential and commercial waste
disposal and hauling and has contracts with various cities and
municipalities. The majority of the Company’s customers are
located in the St. Louis metropolitan and surrounding
areas.
Acquisition of Christian Disposal, LLC
and Eagle Ridge Landfill, LLC
On December 22,
2015, Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. and subsidiaries (the
“Company”) completed its acquisition of Christian
Disposal LLC, and subsidiary (“Christian Purchase
Agreement”). Pursuant to the Christian Purchase Agreement,
the Company acquired 100% of the membership interests of Christian
Disposal, which is integrated into the operations of the Company;
refer to intangible assets and acquisition footnote
below.
Simultaneous with
the closing thereof, Christian Disposal LLC, and subsidiary,
entered into a Lease Agreement, in which, the Company leased 4551
Commerce Avenue, High Ridge, Missouri, for a five-year term at a
monthly rent of $6,500. Additionally, the Company entered into an
employment agreement with an executive employee for a term of five
years.
Concurrently, the
Company completed an asset purchase agreement with WCA Waste
Corporation (the “Eagle Purchase Agreement”). The
Company acquired all of the assets of Eagle Ridge Landfill, LLC
(“ERL”), its rights and properties related to such
business of ERL, which includes certain assets and operations of
the Eagle Ridge Hauling Business (“ERH”) and certain
debts, which is now operating under Meridian Land Company, LLC.
Refer to intangible assets and acquisition footnote
below.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
Note 1 - NATURE OF
OPERATIONS AND ORGANIZATION (CONTINUED)
Recapitalization
On October 17, 2014
Here to Serve Missouri Waste Division, LLC, (HTSMWD) a Missouri
Limited Liability Company, which is the historical business,
entered into a Share Exchange Agreement with the Company and the
sole member of HTSMWD whereby the Company agreed to acquire the
membership interest of HTSMWD, HTST and HTSGWD in exchange for
9,054,134 shares of the Company’s common stock. This
transaction was closed on October 17, 2014 and HTSMWD became
wholly-owned by the Company. The Company is deemed to have issued
1,139,284 shares of common stock which represents the outstanding
common shares of the Company just prior to the closing of the
transaction.
At closing, the
Company issued 9,054,134 shares of its common stock to the sole
member of HTSMWD and the shareholders of the sole member who
obtained approximately 90% control and management control of the
Company. The transaction was accounted for as a reverse acquisition
and recapitalization of HTSMWD, HTST and HTSGWD whereby HTSMWD is
considered the acquirer for accounting purposes. The consolidated
financial statements after the acquisition include the balance
sheets of both companies and HTST and HTSGWD at historical cost,
the historical results of HTSMWD, HTST and HTSGWD. All share and
per share information in the accompanying consolidated financial
statements and footnotes has been retroactively restated to reflect
the recapitalization (see Explanation of Membership Interest
Purchase Agreement below).
Acquisition of Here to Serve Holding
Corporation
On October 17,
2014, (the “Execution Date”), Meridian Waste Solutions,
Inc. entered into that certain Membership Interest Purchase
Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) by and among Here
to Serve Holding Corp., a Delaware corporation, as seller
(“Here to Serve”), the Company, as parent, Brooklyn
Cheesecake & Dessert Acquisition Corp., a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Company, as buyer (the “Acquisition
Corp.”), the Chief Executive Officer of the Company (the
“Company Executive”), the majority shareholder of the
Company (the “Company Majority Shareholder”) and
certain shareholders of Seller (the “Seller
Shareholders”), pursuant to which the Acquisition Corp shall
acquire from Here to Serve all of Here to Serve’s right,
title and interest in and to:
I.
100% of the
membership interests of Here to Serve – Missouri Waste
Division, LLC d/b/a Meridian Waste, a Missouri limited liability
company (“HTS Waste”);
II.
100% of the
membership interests of Here to Serve Technology, LLC, a Georgia
limited liability company (“HTS Tech”);
and
III.
100% of the
membership interests of Here to Serve - Georgia Waste Division,
LLC, a Georgia limited liability company (“HTS Waste
Georgia”, and together with HTS Waste and HTS Tech,
collectively, the “Membership Interests”). As
consideration for the Membership Interests:
i.
the Company shall
issue to Here to Serve 9,054,134 shares of the Company’s
common stock, (the “Common Stock”);
ii.
the Company shall
issue to the holder of Class A Preferred Stock of Here to Serve
(“Here to Serve’s Class A Preferred Stock”) 51
shares of the Company’s to-be-designated Class A Preferred
Stock (the “Class A Preferred Stock”), which Class A
Preferred Stock shall have the rights and preferences as described
in the Purchase Agreement.
iii.
the Company shall
issue to the holder of Class B Preferred Stock of Here to Serve
(Here to Serve’s Class B Preferred Stock”) an aggregate
of 71,120 shares of the Company’s to-be-designated Class B
Preferred Stock (the “Class B Preferred Stock”), (the
Common Stock, the Class A Preferred Stock and the Class B Preferred
Stock are referred to as the “Purchase Price Shares;”),
and
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
Note 1 - NATURE OF
OPERATIONS AND ORGANIZATION (CONTINUED)
iv.
the Company shall
assume certain assumed liabilities (the “Initial
Consideration”).
As further
consideration, at the closing of the transaction contemplated under
the Purchase Agreement:
a.
in satisfaction of
all accounts payable and shareholder loans, Here to Serve will pay
to Company Majority Shareholder $70,000 and
b.
the Company
purchased from the then Company Majority Shareholder 230,000 shares
of the Company’s common stock for a purchase price of
$230,000. Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, to the extent
Purchase Price Shares are issued to individual shareholders of Here
to Serve at or upon closing of the Purchase
Agreement:
a.
shares of common
stock of Here to Serve held by the individuals will be
cancelled
b.
1,000,000 shares of
Here to Serve’s Class A Preferred Stock will be cancelled;
and
c.
71,120 shares of
Here to Serve’s Class B Preferred Stock will be cancelled
(the “Additional Consideration”).
On October 17,
2014, the directors and majority shareholders of the Company
approved the Purchase Agreement and the transactions contemplated
under the Purchase Agreement. The directors of Here to Serve and
the Here to Serve Shareholders approved the Purchase Agreement and
the transactions contemplated thereunder. This closing of the
Purchase Agreement results in a change of control of the Company
and the Company changed its business plan to that of
HTSMWD.
Change in Reporting
Entity
The merger of Here
to Serve Holding Corp. (Here to Serve), a Delaware Corporation, and
Meridian Waste Services, LLC became effective May 15, 2014. The
merger was accounted for by the Company using business combination
accounting. Under this method, the purchase price paid by the
acquirer is allocated to the assets acquired and liabilities
assumed as of the acquisition date based on the fair value. By the
application of “pushdown” accounting, our assets,
liabilities and equity were accordingly adjusted to fair value on
May 15, 2014. Determining the fair value of certain assets and
liabilities assumed is judgmental in nature and often involves the
use of significant estimates and assumptions.
At the time of
merger Here to Serve was a company with nominal operations whereas
Meridian Waste Services, LLC consisted of the active and
carry-forward business. Accordingly Meridian Waste Services, LLC is
deemed to be the predecessor entity and as such is presented as the
comparable financial statements. As such our financial statements
are presented in two distinct periods to indicate the application
of two different basis of accounting. Periods prior to May 15, 2014
are identified herein as “Predecessor,” while periods
subsequent to the Here to Serve merger are identified as
“Successor.” As a result of the change in basis of
accounting from historical cost to reflect the Here to
Serve’s purchase cost, the financial statements for
Predecessor periods are not comparable to those of Successor
periods.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 2 - SUMMARY OF
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Accounting Basis
The Company uses
the accrual basis of accounting and accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”
accounting).
Basis of
Consolidation
The consolidated
financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2015 include
the operations of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries,
Here To Serve Missouri Waste Division, LLC, Meridian Land Company,
LLC, Here to Serve Technology, LLC and Christian Disposal, LLC. The
following two subsidiaries of the Company, Here To Serve Georgia
Waste Division, LLC and Here to Serve Technology, LLC, a Georgia
Limited Liability Company had no operations during the
period.
The consolidated
financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2014 include
the operations of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries,
Here To Serve Missouri Waste Division, LLC and Here To Serve
Technology, LLC. The following subsidiary of the Company, Here To
Serve Georgia Waste Division, LLC had no operations during the
period.
All significant
intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in
consolidation.
Cash and Cash
Equivalents
The Company
considers all highly liquid investments with maturities of three
months or less to be cash equivalents.
Fair Value of Financial
Instruments
The Company’s
financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents,
accounts receivable, account payable, accrued expenses, and notes
payable. The carrying amount of these financial instruments
approximates fair value due either to length of maturity or
interest rates that approximate prevailing market rates unless
otherwise disclosed in these consolidated financial
statements.
Derivative
Instruments
The Company enters
into financing arrangements that consist of freestanding derivative
instruments or are hybrid instruments that contain embedded
derivative features. The Company accounts for these arrangements in
accordance with Accounting Standards Codification topic 815,
Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
(“ASC 815”) as well as related interpretations of this
standard. In accordance with this standard, derivative instruments
are recognized as either assets or liabilities in the balance sheet
and are measured at fair values with gains or losses recognized in
earnings. Embedded derivatives that are not clearly and closely
related to the host contract are bifurcated and are recognized at
fair value with changes in fair value recognized as either a gain
or loss in earnings. The Company determines the fair value of
derivative instruments and hybrid instruments based on available
market data using appropriate valuation models, considering all of
the rights and obligations of each instrument.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 2 - SUMMARY OF
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
The Company
estimates fair values of derivative financial instruments using
various techniques (and combinations thereof) that are considered
consistent with the objective measuring fair values. In selecting
the appropriate technique, the Company considers, among other
factors, the nature of the instrument, the market risks that it
embodies and the expected means of settlement. For less complex
derivative instruments, such as freestanding warrants, the Company
generally use the Black-Scholes model, adjusted for the effect of
dilution, because it embodies all of the requisite assumptions
(including trading volatility, estimated terms, dilution and risk
free rates) necessary to fair value these instruments. Estimating
fair values of derivative financial instruments requires the
development of significant and subjective estimates that may, and
are likely to, change over the duration of the instrument with
related changes in internal and external market factors. In
addition, option-based techniques (such as Black-Scholes model) are
highly volatile and sensitive to changes in the trading market
price of our common stock. Since derivative financial instruments
are initially and subsequently carried at fair values, our income
(expense) going forward will reflect the volatility in these
estimates and assumption changes. Under the terms of this
accounting standard, increases in the trading price of the
Company’s common stock and increases in fair value during a
given financial quarter result in the application of non-cash
derivative expense. Conversely, decreases in the trading price of
the Company’s common stock and decreases in trading fair
value during a given financial quarter result in the application of
non-cash derivative income.
Impairment of long-lived
assets
The Company
periodically reviews its long-lived assets for impairment whenever
events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying
amount of the assets may not be fully recoverable. The Company
recognizes an impairment loss when the sum of expected undiscounted
future cash flows is less that the carrying amount of the asset.
The amount of impairment is measured as the difference between the
asset’s estimated fair value and its book value. During the
year ending December 31, 2015, the Company experienced no losses
due to impairment.
Income Taxes
The Company
accounts for income taxes pursuant to the provisions of ASC 740-10,
“Accounting for Income Taxes,” which requires, among
other things, an asset and liability approach to calculating
deferred income taxes. The asset and liability approach requires
the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the
expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between
the carrying amounts and the tax bases of assets and liabilities. A
valuation allowance is provided to offset any net deferred tax
assets for which management believes it is more likely than not
that the net deferred asset will not be realized.
The Company follows
the provisions of the ASC 740 -10 related to, Accounting for
Uncertain Income Tax Positions. When tax returns are filed, it is
highly certain that some positions taken would be sustained upon
examination by the taxing authorities, while others are subject to
uncertainty about the merits of the position taken or the amount of
the position that would be ultimately sustained. In accordance with
the guidance of ASC 740-10, the benefit of a tax position is
recognized in the financial statements in the period during which,
based on all available evidence, management believes it is more
likely than not that the position will be sustained upon
examination, including the resolution of appeals or litigation
processes, if any. Tax positions taken are not offset or aggregated
with other positions. Tax positions that meet the
more-likely-than-not recognition threshold are measured as the
largest amount of tax benefit that is more than 50 percent likely
of being realized upon settlement with the applicable taxing
authority. The portion of the benefits associated with tax
positions taken that exceeds the amount measured as described above
should be reflected as a liability for uncertain tax benefits in
the accompanying balance sheet along with any associated interest
and penalties that would be payable to the taxing authorities upon
examination. The Company believes its tax positions are all highly
certain of being upheld upon examination. As such, the Company has
not recorded a liability for uncertain tax benefits.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 2 - SUMMARY OF
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
The Company
analyzes its tax positions by utilizing ASC 740-10-25 Definition of
Settlement, which provides guidance on how an entity should
determine whether a tax position is effectively settled for the
purpose of recognizing previously unrecognized tax benefits and
provides that a tax position can be effectively settled upon the
completion of an examination by a taxing authority without being
legally extinguished. For tax positions considered effectively
settled, an entity would recognize the full amount of tax benefit,
even if the tax position is not considered more likely than not to
be sustained based solely on the basis of its technical merits and
the statute of limitations remains open. As of December 31, 2015,
tax years ended December 31, 2014, 2013, 2012 are still potentially
subject to audit by the taxing authorities.
Use of Estimates
Management
estimates and judgments are an integral part of consolidated
financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States of America
(GAAP). We believe that the critical accounting policies described
in this section address the more significant estimates required of
management when preparing our consolidated financial statements in
accordance with GAAP. We consider an accounting estimate critical
if changes in the estimate may have a material impact on our
financial condition or results of operations. We believe that the
accounting estimates employed are appropriate and resulting
balances are reasonable; however, actual results could differ from
the original estimates, requiring adjustment to these balances in
future periods.
Accounts
Receivable
Accounts receivable
are recorded at management’s estimate of net realizable
value. At December 31, 2015 and 2014 the Company had approximately
$2,326,000 and $660,000 of gross trade receivables,
respectively.
Our reported
balance of accounts receivable, net of the allowance for doubtful
accounts, represents our estimate of the amount that ultimately
will be realized in cash. We review the adequacy and adjust our
allowance for doubtful accounts on an ongoing basis, using
historical payment trends and the age of the receivables and
knowledge of our individual customers. However, if the financial
condition of our customers were to deteriorate, additional
allowances may be required. At December 31, 2015 and 2014 the
Company had approximately $618,000 and $71,000 recorded for the
allowance for doubtful accounts, respectively.
Advertising costs
Advertising costs,
except for costs associated with direct-response advertising, are
charged to operations when incurred. The costs of direct-response
advertising are capitalized and amortized over the period during
which future benefits are expected to be received. The Company did
not capitalize any advertising for the years ended December 31,
2015 and 2014, respectively. Advertising expenses were
approximately $79,000 and $65,000 for the years ended December 31,
2015 and 2014, respectively.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 2 - SUMMARY OF
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
Property, plant and
equipment
The cost of
property, plant, and equipment is depreciated over the estimated
useful lives of the related assets utilizing the straight-line
method of depreciation. The cost of leasehold improvements is
depreciated (amortized) over the lesser of the length of the
related leases or the estimated useful lives of the assets.
Ordinary repairs and maintenance are expensed when incurred and
major repairs will be capitalized and expensed if it benefits
future periods.
Intangible Assets
Intangible assets
that are subject to amortization are reviewed for potential
impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate that carrying
amounts may not be recoverable. Assets not subject to amortization
are tested for impairment at least annually. The Company has
intangible assets related to its purchase of Meridian
Waste
Services, LLC,
Christian Disposal LLC and Eagle Ridge Landfill, LLC, which are
further discussed in the notes below.
During 2015 and
2014, the Company assessed its intangible assets, based on
estimated future cash flows and concluded that the carrying amount
of its intangible assets did not exceed its fair
value.
Investment in Related Party
Affiliate
The Company has an
investment in a privately held corporation in the mobile apps
industry. As the Company exercises significant influence on this
entity, this investment is recorded using the equity method of
accounting. The Company monitors this investment for impairment and
makes appropriate reductions in the carrying value if the Company
determines that an impairment charge is required based primarily on
the financial condition and near-term prospect of this
entity.
Goodwill
Goodwill is the
excess of our purchase cost over the fair value of the net assets
of acquired businesses. We do not amortize goodwill, but as
discussed in the impairment of long lived assets section above, we
assess our goodwill for impairment at least annually.
Capitalized
Software
The Company
acquired a software product that is under further development. This
asset was being amortized over a three to five year period using
the straight-line method of depreciation for book purposes
beginning when the software is completed.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 2 - SUMMARY OF
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
Capitalized Software -
Continued
The Company
capitalizes internal software development costs subsequent to
establishing technological feasibility of a software application in
accordance with guidelines established by “ASC
985-20-25” Accounting for the costs of Computer Software to
Be Sold, Leased or Otherwise Marketed, requiring certain software
development costs to be capitalized upon the establishment of
technological feasibility. The establishment of technological
feasibility and the ongoing assessment of the recoverability of
these costs require considerable judgement by management with
respect to certain external factors such as anticipated future
revenue, estimated economic life and changes in software and
hardware technologies. Amortization of the capitalized software
development costs begins when the product is available for general
release to customers. Capitalized costs are amortized over the
remaining estimated economic life of the product. For the year
ended December 31, 2014, the Company has capitalized costs
associated with the development of several mobile science
technology products and mobile apps that has not been placed into
service. In 2015, the Company sold the software to a related party.
Refer to the related party note below for further
discussion.
Website Development
Costs
The Company
accounts for website development costs in accordance with
Accounting Standards Codification 350-50 “Website Development
Costs”. Accordingly, all costs incurred in the planning stage
are expensed as incurred, costs incurred in the website application
and infrastructure development stage that meet specific criteria
are capitalized and costs incurred in the day to day operation of
the website are expensed as incurred.
Landfill
Accounting
Capitalized landfill
costs
Cost basis of
landfill assets — We capitalize various costs that we incur
to make a landfill ready to accept waste. These costs generally
include expenditures for land (including the landfill footprint and
required landfill buffer property); permitting; excavation; liner
material and installation; landfill leachate collection systems;
landfill gas collection systems; environmental monitoring equipment
for groundwater and landfill gas; and directly related engineering,
capitalized interest, on-site road construction and other capital
infrastructure costs. The cost basis of our landfill assets also
includes asset retirement costs, which represent estimates of
future costs associated with landfill final capping, closure and
post-closure activities. These costs are discussed
below.
Final capping,
closure and post-closure costs — Following is a description
of our asset retirement activities and our related
accounting:
·
Final capping
— Involves the installation of flexible membrane liners and
geosynthetic clay liners, drainage and compacted soil layers and
topsoil over areas of a landfill where total airspace capacity has
been consumed. Final capping asset retirement obligations are
recorded on a units-of-consumption basis as airspace is consumed
related to the specific final capping event with a corresponding
increase in the landfill asset. The final capping is accounted for
as a discrete obligation and recorded as an asset and a liability
based on estimates of the discounted cash flows and capacity
associated with the final capping.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
·
Closure —
Includes the construction of the final portion of methane gas
collection systems (when required), demobilization and routine
maintenance costs. These are costs incurred after the site ceases
to accept waste, but before the landfill is certified as closed by
the applicable state regulatory agency. These costs are recorded as
an asset retirement obligation as airspace is consumed over the
life of the landfill with a corresponding increase in the landfill
asset. Closure obligations are recorded over the life of the
landfill based on estimates of the discounted cash flows associated
with performing closure activities.
·
Post-closure
— Involves the maintenance and monitoring of a landfill site
that has been certified closed by the applicable regulatory agency.
Generally, we are required to maintain and monitor landfill sites
for a 30-year period. These maintenance and monitoring costs are
recorded as an asset retirement obligation as airspace is consumed
over the life of the landfill with a corresponding increase in the
landfill asset. Post-closure obligations are recorded over the life
of the landfill based on estimates of the discounted cash flows
associated with performing post-closure
activities.
We develop our
estimates of these obligations using input from our operations
personnel, engineers and accountants. Our estimates are based on
our interpretation of current requirements and proposed regulatory
changes and are intended to approximate fair value. Absent quoted
market prices, the estimate of fair value is based on the best
available information, including the results of present value
techniques. In many cases, we contract with third parties to
fulfill our obligations for final capping, closure and post
closure. We use historical experience, professional engineering
judgment and quoted and actual prices paid for similar work to
determine the fair value of these obligations. We are required to
recognize these obligations at market prices whether we plan to
contract with third parties or perform the work ourselves. In those
instances where we perform the work with internal resources, the
incremental profit margin realized is recognized as a component of
operating income when the work is performed.
Once we have
determined the final capping, closure and post-closure costs, we
inflate those costs to the expected time of payment and discount
those expected future costs back to present value. During the year
ended December 31, 2015 we inflated these costs in current dollars
until the expected time of payment using an inflation rate of 2.5%.
We discounted these costs to present value using the
credit-adjusted, risk-free rate effective at the time an obligation
is incurred, consistent with the expected cash flow approach. Any
changes in expectations that result in an upward revision to the
estimated cash flows are treated as a new liability and discounted
at the current rate while downward revisions are discounted at the
historical weighted average rate of the recorded obligation. As a
result, the credit-adjusted, risk-free discount rate used to
calculate the present value of an obligation is specific to each
individual asset retirement obligation. The weighted average rate
applicable to our long-term asset retirement obligations at
December 31, 2015 is approximately 8.5%.
We record the
estimated fair value of final capping, closure and post-closure
liabilities for our landfills based on the capacity consumed
through the current period. The fair value of final capping
obligations is developed based on our estimates of the airspace
consumed to date for the final capping. The fair value of closure
and post-closure obligations is developed based on our estimates of
the airspace consumed to date for the entire landfill and the
expected timing of each closure and post-closure activity. Because
these obligations are measured at estimated fair value using
present value techniques, changes in the estimated cost or timing
of future final capping, closure and post-closure activities could
result in a material change in these liabilities, related assets
and results of operations. We assess the appropriateness of the
estimates used to develop our recorded balances annually, or more
often if significant facts change.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 2 - SUMMARY OF
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
·
Remaining permitted
airspace — Our engineers, in consultation with third-party
engineering consultants and surveyors, are responsible for
determining remaining permitted airspace at our landfills. The
remaining permitted airspace is determined by an annual survey,
which is used to compare the existing landfill topography to the
expected final landfill topography.
·
Expansion airspace
— We also include currently unpermitted expansion airspace in
our estimate of remaining permitted and expansion airspace in
certain circumstances. First, to include airspace associated with
an expansion effort, we must generally expect the initial expansion
permit application to be submitted within one year and the final
expansion permit to be received within five years. Second, we must
believe that obtaining the expansion permit is likely, considering
the following criteria:
o
Personnel are
actively working on the expansion of an existing landfill,
including efforts to obtain land use and local, state or provincial
approvals;
o
We have a legal
right to use or obtain land to be included in the expansion
plan;
o
There are no
significant known technical, legal, community, business, or
political restrictions or similar issues that could negatively
affect the success of such expansion; and
o
Financial analysis
has been completed based on conceptual design, and the results
demonstrate that the expansion meets the Company’s criteria
for investment.
For unpermitted
airspace to be initially included in our estimate of remaining
permitted and expansion airspace, the expansion effort must meet
all of the criteria listed above. These criteria are evaluated by
our field-based engineers, accountants, managers and others to
identify potential obstacles to obtaining the permits. Once the
unpermitted airspace is included, our policy provides that airspace
may continue to be included in remaining permitted and expansion
airspace even if certain of these criteria are no longer met as
long as we continue to believe we will ultimately obtain the
permit, based on the facts and circumstances of a specific
landfill.
When we include the
expansion airspace in our calculations of remaining permitted and
expansion airspace, we also include the projected costs for
development, as well as the projected asset retirement costs
related to the final capping, closure and post-closure of the
expansion in the amortization basis of the landfill.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 2 - SUMMARY OF
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
Once the remaining
permitted and expansion airspace is determined in cubic yards, an
airspace utilization factor (“AUF”) is established to
calculate the remaining permitted and expansion capacity in tons.
The AUF is established using the measured density obtained from
previous annual surveys and is then adjusted to account for future
settlement. The amount of settlement that is forecasted will take
into account several site-specific factors including current and
projected mix of waste type, initial and projected waste density,
estimated number of years of life remaining, depth of underlying
waste, anticipated access to moisture through precipitation or
recirculation of landfill leachate, and operating practices. In
addition, the initial selection of the AUF is subject to a
subsequent multi-level review by our engineering group, and the AUF
used is reviewed on a periodic basis and revised as necessary. Our
historical experience generally indicates that the impact of
settlement at a landfill is greater later in the life of the
landfill when the waste placed at the landfill approaches its
highest point under the permit requirements.
After determining
the costs and remaining permitted and expansion capacity at each of
our landfill, we determine the per ton rates that will be expensed
as waste is received and deposited at the landfill by dividing the
costs by the corresponding number of tons. We calculate per ton
amortization rates for the landfill for assets associated with each
final capping, for assets related to closure and post-closure
activities and for all other costs capitalized or to be capitalized
in the future. These rates per ton are updated annually, or more
often, as significant facts change.
It is possible that
actual results, including the amount of costs incurred, the timing
of final capping, closure and post-closure activities, our airspace
utilization or the success of our expansion efforts could
ultimately turn out to be significantly different from our
estimates and assumptions. To the extent that such estimates, or
related assumptions, prove to be significantly different than
actual results, lower profitability may be experienced due to
higher amortization rates or higher expenses; or higher
profitability may result if the opposite occurs. Most
significantly, if it is determined that expansion capacity should
no longer be considered in calculating the recoverability of a
landfill asset, we may be required to recognize an asset impairment
or incur significantly higher amortization expense. If at any time
management makes the decision to abandon the expansion effort, the
capitalized costs related to the expansion effort are expensed
immediately.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 2 - SUMMARY OF
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
For the year ended
December 31, 2015 the Company operations related to its landfill
assets and liability are presented in the tables
below:
Landfill Assets
|
|
Year Ended December 31, 2015
|
|
January 1, 2015,
Beginning Balance
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
Capital additions
(Landfill acquired on December 22, 2015)
|
|
|
3,396,519
|
|
Amortization of
landfill assets
|
|
|
(3,043
|
)
|
Asset retirement
adjustments
|
|
|
-
|
|
December 31, 2015,
Ending Balance
|
|
$
|
3,393,476
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Landfill Liability
|
|
|
|
|
January 1, 2015,
Beginning Balance
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
Obligations
incurred and capitalized (Landfill acquired on December 22,
2015)
|
|
|
196,519
|
|
Obligations
settled
|
|
|
-
|
|
Interest
accretion
|
|
|
3,733
|
|
Revisions in
estimates and interest rate assumption
|
|
|
-
|
|
Acquisition,
divestures and other adjustments
|
|
|
-
|
|
December 31, 2015,
Ending Balance
|
|
$
|
200,252
|
|
Revenue
Recognition
The Company
recognizes revenue when there is persuasive evidence that services
have been provided and a collection is reasonably assured. The
majority of the Company’s revenues are generated from the
fees charged for waste collection, transfer, disposal and
recycling. The fees charged for our services are generally defined
in service agreements and vary based on contract-specific terms
such as frequency of service, weight, volume and the general market
factors influencing a region’s rate.
Deferred Revenue
The Company records
deferred revenue for customers that were billed in advance of
services. The balance in deferred revenue represents amounts billed
in October, November and December for services that will be
provided during January, February and March.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 2 - SUMMARY OF
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
Cost of Services
Cost of services
include all employment costs associated with waste collection,
transfer and disposal, damage claims, landfill costs, personal
property taxes associated with collection vehicles and other direct
cost of the collection and disposal process.
Concentrations
The Company
maintains its cash and cash equivalents in bank deposit accounts,
which could, at times, exceed federally insured limits. The Company
has not experienced any losses in such accounts; however, amounts
in excess of the federally insured limit may be at risk if the bank
experiences financial difficulties. The Company places its cash
with high credit quality financial institutions. The
Company’s accounts at these institutions are insured by the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) up to
$250,000.
Financial
instruments which also potentially subject the Company to
concentrations of credit risk consist principally of trade accounts
receivable; however, concentrations of credit risk with respect to
trade accounts receivables are limited due to generally short
payment terms.
The Company has two
contracts that account for a large portion of the Company’s
revenue. During the year ended December 31, 2015, these contracts
accounted for approximately 44% of the Company’s revenues and
less than 5% of the Company’s accounts receivable balance at
December 31, 2015. During the year ended December 31, 2014, the
Company had two customers that accounted for approximately 46% of
the Company’s revenues and approximately 53% of the
Company’s accounts receivable balance at December 31, 2014.
The Company did not have any other customers that represented a
significant portion of the Company’s revenue or account
receivables for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014,
respectively.
Basic Income (Loss) Per
Share
Basic income (loss)
per share is calculated by dividing the Company’s net loss
applicable to common shareholders by the weighted average number of
common shares during the period. Diluted earnings per share is
calculated by dividing the Company’s net income (loss)
available to common shareholders by the diluted weighted average
number of shares outstanding during the year. The diluted weighted
average number of shares outstanding is the basic weighted number
of shares adjusted for any potentially dilutive debt or equity. At
December 31, 2015 the Company had two convertible notes outstanding
that is not convertible into common stock until June 2016.
Additionally, the Company issued stock warrants for 1,673,559
common shares.
For the year ended
December 31, 2015, the Company had 1,673,559 of weighted-average
common shares relating to the convertible debt, under the
if-converted method, however, these shares are not dilutive because
the Company recorded a loss during the fiscal year.
At December 31,
2015, and 2014 the Company had a series of convertible notes and
warrants outstanding that could be converted into approximately,
2,548,559 and 291,047 common shares, respectively. These are not
presented in the consolidated statements of operations since the
company incurred a loss and the effect of these shares is anti-
dilutive.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 2 - SUMMARY OF
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
Stock-Based
Compensation
Stock-based
compensation is accounted for at fair value in accordance with ASC
Topic 718. To date, the Company has not adopted a stock option plan
and has not granted any stock options.
Stock-based
compensation is accounted for based on the requirements of the
Share-Based Payment Topic of ASC 718 which requires recognition in
the consolidated financial statements of the cost of employee and
director services received in exchange for an award of equity
instruments over the period the employee or director is required to
perform the services in exchange for the award (presumptively, the
vesting period). The ASC also require measurement of the cost of
employee and director services received in exchange for an award
based on the grant-date fair value of the award.
Pursuant to ASC
Topic 505-50, for share based payments to consultants and other
third-parties, compensation expense is determined at the
“measurement date.” The expense is recognized over the
service period of the award. Until the measurement date is reached,
the total amount of compensation expense remains uncertain. The
Company initially records compensation expense based on the fair
value of the award at the reporting date.
The Company
recorded stock based compensation expense of $7,356,000 and
$339,000 during the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014,
respectively.
Recent Accounting
Pronouncements
The Company does
not expect the adoption of recently issued accounting
pronouncements to have a significant impact on the Company’s
results of operations, financial position or cash
flow.
NOTE 3 –
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
The following is a
summary of property, plant, and equipment—at cost, less
accumulated depreciation:
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2014
|
|
Land
|
|
$
|
1,690,000
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
Building &
Improvements
|
|
|
692,156
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Furniture &
Office Equipment
|
|
|
258,702
|
|
|
|
240,102
|
|
Containers
|
|
|
4,453,386
|
|
|
|
2,847,205
|
|
Truck, Machinery
& Equipment
|
|
|
9,948,686
|
|
|
|
5,523,773
|
|
Total
Cost
|
|
|
17,042,930
|
|
|
|
8,611,080
|
|
Less accumulated
depreciation
|
|
|
(2,609,190
|
)
|
|
|
(956,315
|
)
|
Net property, plant
and Equipment
|
|
$
|
14,433,740
|
|
|
$
|
7,654,765
|
|
As of December 31,
2015 the Company has $395,000 of land and building which are held
for sale and included in amounts noted above. These held for sale
assets were not depreciated during the year ending December 31,
2015. Depreciation expense for the years ended December 31, 2015
and 2014 was $1,683,000 and $965,000, respectively.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 3 –
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT (CONTINUED)
During 2015 and
2014, the Company assessed these long-term assets, based on
estimated future cash flows and concluded that the carrying amount
of its long-term assets did not exceed its fair value, therefore
the Company did not record any impairment loss on these
assets.
NOTE 4 - INTANGIBLE
ASSETS AND ACQUISITION
Christian Disposal
Acquisition
On December 22,
2015, the Company, in order to expand into new markets and maximize
the rate of waste internalization, acquired 100% of the membership
interests of Christian Disposal LLC pursuant to that certain
Amended and Restated Membership Interest Purchase Agreement, dated
October 16, 2015, as amended by that certain First Amendment
thereto, dated December 4, 2015.
The acquisition was
accounted for by the Company using acquisition method under
business combination accounting. Under this method, the purchase
price paid by the acquirer is allocated to the assets acquired and
liabilities assumed as of the acquisition date based on the fair
value. By the application of “push-down” accounting,
our assets, liabilities and equity were accordingly adjusted to
fair value on December 22, 2015. Determining the fair value of
certain assets and liabilities assumed is judgmental in nature and
often involves the use of significant estimates and
assumptions.
The purchase of
Christian Disposal, LLC included the acquisition of assets of
$20,035,847 and liabilities of $2,152,738. The aggregate purchase
price consisted of the following:
Cash
consideration
|
|
$
|
13,008,109
|
|
Restricted stock
consideration
|
|
|
2,625,000
|
|
Convertible
Promissory Note
|
|
|
1,250,000
|
|
Contingent
additional purchase price
|
|
|
1,000,000
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
17,883,109
|
|
As noted in the
table above, the purchase price could be increased by a maximum
amount of $2,000,000 depending upon the extension of certain
contracts to which Christian Disposal, LLC is a party. At December
31, 2015, the fair value of the additional purchase price was
determined to be $1,000,000. Also, the Company issued 1,750,000
restricted shares of common stock as consideration which was valued
at market at the date of the closing.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 4 - INTANGIBLE
ASSETS AND ACQUISITION (CONTINUED)
The following table
summarizes the estimated fair value of Christian Disposal LLC, and
subsidiary, assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the date of
acquisition:
Cash
|
|
$
|
197,173
|
|
Accounts
receivable
|
|
|
974,538
|
|
Prepaid
expense
|
|
|
84,196
|
|
Other current
assets
|
|
|
53,810
|
|
Customer lists
intangible assets
|
|
|
8,180,000
|
|
Non-competition
agreement intangible asset
|
|
|
56,000
|
|
Goodwill
|
|
|
5,849,332
|
|
Property, plant,
and equipment
|
|
|
4,640,798
|
|
Account
payable
|
|
|
(1,001,721
|
)
|
Deferred
revenue
|
|
|
(1,007,525
|
)
|
Accrued
expenses
|
|
|
(106,396
|
)
|
Capital
lease
|
|
|
(37,096
|
)
|
Total
|
|
$
|
17,883,109
|
|
Eagle Ridge Landfill, LLC and Hauling
Acquisition
On December 22,
2015, the Company, in order to expand into new markets and maximize
the rate of waste internalization, consummated the closing of the
certain Asset Purchase Agreement dated November 13, 2015, by and
between the Company and Eagle Ridge Landfill, LLC, as amended by
the certain Amendment to Asset Purchase Agreement, dated December
18, 2015, to which the Company and WCA Waste Corporation are also
party. Pursuant to the Eagle Ridge Purchase Agreement, Meridian
Land acquired a landfill located in Pike County, Missouri and
certain assets, rights, and properties related to such business of
Eagle Ridge, including certain debts.
The acquisition was
accounted for by the Company using business combination accounting.
Under this method, the purchase price paid by the acquirer is
allocated to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the
acquisition date based on the fair value. By the application of
“push-down” accounting, our assets, liabilities and
equity were accordingly adjusted to fair value on December 22,
2015. Determining the fair value of certain assets and liabilities
assumed is judgmental in nature and often involves the use of
significant estimates and assumptions.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 4 - INTANGIBLE
ASSETS AND ACQUISITION (CONTINUED)
The purchase of
Eagle Ridge Landfill, LLC and certain assets included the
acquisition of assets of $9,947,224 and liabilities of $283,737.
The aggregate purchase price consisted of a cash consideration of
$9,663,487.
The following table
summarizes the estimated fair value of Eagle Ridge Landfill LLC.,
assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the date of
acquisition:
Cash
|
|
$
|
470
|
|
Accounts
receivable
|
|
|
272,480
|
|
Prepaid
expense
|
|
|
6,870
|
|
Customer lists
intangible assets
|
|
|
2,000,000
|
|
Landfill permit
(including ARO)
|
|
|
3,396,519
|
|
Goodwill
|
|
|
1,630,310
|
|
Land
|
|
|
1,550,000
|
|
Property, Plant,
and Equipment
|
|
|
1,090,575
|
|
Deferred
revenue
|
|
|
(87,218
|
)
|
Asset retirement
obligation - permits
|
|
|
(196,519
|
)
|
Total
|
|
$
|
9,663,487
|
|
The following
unaudited pro forma consolidated results of operations have been
prepared as if the acquisitions of Christian Disposal and Eagle
Ridge occurred at January 1, 2014:
|
|
|
|
|
Successor
|
|
|
Predecessor
|
|
|
|
Year
Ended December 31, 2015
|
|
|
Period
from Acquisition May 16, 2014 to December 31, 2014
|
|
|
Period
from January 1, 2014 to May 15, 2014
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
Revenue
|
|
$
|
28,861,001
|
|
|
$
|
17,872,328
|
|
|
$
|
10,199,328
|
|
Net (loss)
income
|
|
|
(17,763,377
|
)
|
|
|
(1,581,195
|
)
|
|
|
916,391
|
|
Basic net loss per
share
|
|
$
|
(1.23
|
)
|
|
$
|
(0.16
|
)
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
Meridian Waste Services, LLC
Acquisition
In 2014, the
Company, in order to establish a presence in the solid waste
disposal industry, entered into an asset purchase agreement by and
among the Company, HTSMWD, Meridian Waste Services, LLC
(“MWS”) and the members of MWS, pursuant to which
HTSMWD acquired certain assets and lia
bilities of MWS, in
exchange for $11,115,000 cash, 13,191,667 shares of Class A Common
Stock of HTSHC and 71,210 shares of Series B Cumulative Convertible
Preferred Stock of HTSHC.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 4 - INTANGIBLE
ASSETS AND ACQUISITION (CONTINUED)
The acquisition was
accounted for by the Company using the acquisition method under
business combination accounting. Under this method, the purchase
price paid by the acquirer is allocated to the assets acquired and
liabilities assumed as of the acquisition date based on the fair
value. By the application of “push-down” accounting,
our assets, liabilities and equity were accordingly adjusted to
fair value on May 15, 2014. Determining the fair value of certain
assets and liabilities assumed is judgmental in nature and often
involves the use of significant estimates and
assumptions.
The purchase of MWS
included the acquisition of assets of $22,175,706 and liabilities
of $2,075,956. The aggregate purchase price consisted of the
following:
Cash
consideration
|
|
$
|
11,000,000
|
|
Estimated value of
common stock issued to sellers
|
|
|
1,978,750
|
|
Estimated value of
preferred stock issued to sellers
|
|
|
7,121,000
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
20,099,750
|
|
The following table
summarizes the estimated fair value of MWS assets acquired and
liabilities assumed at the date of acquisition:
Accounts
receivable
|
|
$
|
632,322
|
|
Prepaid
expenses
|
|
|
123,544
|
|
Deposits
|
|
|
8,303
|
|
Containers
|
|
|
2,710,671
|
|
Furniture and
equipment
|
|
|
299,450
|
|
Trucks
|
|
|
4,243,964
|
|
Customer
lists
|
|
|
14,007,452
|
|
Non-compete
agreement
|
|
|
150,000
|
|
Accounts payable
and accrued expenses
|
|
|
(54,387
|
)
|
Notes
payable
|
|
|
(143,464
|
)
|
Deferred
revenue
|
|
|
(1,878,105
|
)
|
Total
|
|
$
|
20,099,750
|
|
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 4 - INTANGIBLE
ASSETS AND ACQUISITION (CONTINUED)
The following
tables set forth the intangible assets, both acquired and
developed, including accumulated amortization for the years ended
December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014:
|
December
31, 2015
|
|
|
Remaining
|
|
|
|
|
Accumulated
|
|
|
Net
Carrying
|
|
|
Useful
Life
|
|
Cost
|
|
|
Amortization
|
|
|
Value
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Customer
lists
|
13.7
years
|
|
$
|
24,187,452
|
|
|
$
|
4,687,090
|
|
|
$
|
19,500,362
|
|
Non compete
agreement
|
4.2
years
|
|
|
206,000
|
|
|
|
50,301
|
|
|
|
155,699
|
|
Website
|
3.9
years
|
|
|
13,920
|
|
|
|
3,016
|
|
|
|
10,904
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
24,407,372
|
|
|
$
|
4,740,407
|
|
|
$
|
19,666,965
|
|
|
December
31, 2014
|
|
|
Remaining
|
|
|
|
|
Accumulated
|
|
|
Net
Carrying
|
|
|
Useful
Life
|
|
Cost
|
|
|
Amortization
|
|
|
Value
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capitalized
software
|
5.0
years
|
|
$
|
434,532
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
434,532
|
|
Customer
list
|
4.5
years
|
|
|
14,007,452
|
|
|
|
1,867,660
|
|
|
|
12,139,792
|
|
Loan
fees
|
4.5
years
|
|
|
50,613
|
|
|
|
11,248
|
|
|
|
39,365
|
|
Non compete
agreement
|
4.5
years
|
|
|
150,000
|
|
|
|
20,000
|
|
|
|
130,000
|
|
Website
|
4.9
years
|
|
|
13,920
|
|
|
|
232
|
|
|
|
13,688
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
14,656,517
|
|
|
$
|
1,899,140
|
|
|
$
|
12,757,377
|
|
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 4 - INTANGIBLE
ASSETS AND ACQUISITION (CONTINUED)
In the year ended
December 31, 2015, customer lists include the intangible assets
related to customer relationships acquired through the acquisition
of Christian Disposal and Eagle Ridge with a cost basis of
$10,180,000. The customer list intangible assets are amortized over
their useful life which ranged from 5 to 20 years. Amortization
expense, excluding amortization of landfill assets of $3,043,
amounted to $2,869,385 and $1,899,140 for the period ending
December 31, 2015 and 2014 respectively.
NOTE 5 - NOTES
PAYABLE AND CONVERTIBLE NOTES
The Company had the
following long-term debt:
|
|
December
31, 2015
|
|
|
December
31, 2014
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Debt payable to
Comerica Bank, senior debt
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
8,708,333
|
|
Debt payable to
Praesidian Capital Opportunity Fund III, senior lender
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Debt payable to
Praesidian Capital Opportunity Fund III-A, senior
lender
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Goldman Sachs -
Tranche A Term Loan - LIBOR Interest
|
|
|
40,000,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Goldman Sachs -
Revolver
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Goldman Sachs -
MDTL
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Convertible Notes
Payable
|
|
|
1,250,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Capitalized lease -
financing company, secured by equipment,
|
|
|
37,097
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equipment
loans
|
|
|
395,118
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Notes payable to
seller of Meridian, subordinated debt
|
|
|
1,475,000
|
|
|
|
1,475,000
|
|
Less: debt
discount
|
|
|
(2,152,603
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
Total
debt
|
|
|
41,004,611
|
|
|
|
10,183,333
|
|
Less: current
portion
|
|
|
(417,119
|
)
|
|
|
(1,357,143
|
)
|
Long
term debt less current portion
|
|
$
|
40,587,493
|
|
|
$
|
8,826,190
|
|
Convertible Notes
Payable
The Company issued
two promissory notes to related parties during the year ended
December 31, 2014. These notes totaled $125,000 and are generally
convertible into common stock of the Company at discounts of 20% to
25% of the lowest average trading prices for the stock during
periods five to one day prior to the conversion date. These notes
bear interest at 10% to 12%, are unsecured, and mature within one
year of the date issued. The notes were issued to provide working
capital for the Company. These notes are considered a stock settled
debt in accordance with ASC 480 since any future stock issued upon
conversion will have a fixed monetary value. Due to the conversion
feature included in the notes, the Company has recorded a premium
on the notes totaling $31,250 as of December 31, 2014. This amount
has been charged to interest expense by the Company.
In 2015, as part of
the purchase price consideration of the Christian Disposal
acquisition, the Company issued a convertible promissory note to
seller in the amount of $1,250,000. The note bears interest at 8%
and matures on December 31, 2020. The seller may convert all or any
part of the outstanding and unpaid amount of this note into fully
paid and non-assessable common stock in accordance with the
agreement.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 5 - NOTES
PAYABLE AND CONVERTIBLE NOTES (CONTINUED)
In previous periods
the Company issued two other notes to other related parties. These
notes totaled $110,000 and are generally convertible into common
stock of the Company at discounts of 20% to 25% of the lowest
average trading prices for the stock during periods five to one day
prior to the conversion date. These notes bear interest at 10% to
12%, are unsecured, and mature within one year of the date issued.
The notes were issued to provide working capital for the Company.
These notes are considered a stock settled debt in accordance with
ASC 480 since any future stock issued upon conversion will have a
fixed monetary value. Due to the conversion feature included in the
notes, the Company has recorded a premium on the notes totaling
$35,833 as of December 31, 2014. This amount has been charged to
interest expense by the Company.
In 2015,
approximately $225,000 of the issued promissory notes were
converted into approximately 461,000 shares at the contractual
conversion price. At December 31, 2015 the Company had $12,500
remaining in convertible notes to related parties, which includes
$2,500 in put premiums.
Notes Payable
At December 31,
2014 the Company had a short term, non-interest bearing note
payable of $150,000 which was incurred in connection with the
Membership Interest Purchase Agreement discussed above. The Company
also had a loan from Here to Serve Holding Corp. due to expenses
paid by Here to Serve on behalf of the Company prior to the
recapitalization. This loan totaled $376,585 bringing total notes
payable to $526,585. In 2015, the short term, non-interest bearing
note was paid off, and at December 31, 2015, the Company’s
loan from Here to Serve Holding Corp. was $359,891.
Praesidian Notes
Payable
On August 6, 2015,
the Company refinanced its long-term debt payable to Comerica Bank.
Proceeds from notes issued by the Company to Praesidian Capital
Opportunity Fund III, LP and Praesidian Capital Opportunity Fund
III-A, LP (together referred to as Praesidian) were $10,845,000.
These funds were distributed as follows:
Payoff of short
term bridge financing
|
|
$
|
432,938
|
|
Payoff of lines of
credit with Commerica Bank
|
|
|
1,745,799
|
|
Payoff of senior
debt to Comerica Bank
|
|
|
7,953,433
|
|
Refinancing
fees
|
|
|
712,830
|
|
|
|
$
|
10,845,000
|
|
The Company’s
Senior Secured Loan with Comerica Bank had an interest rate of
LIBOR plus 4.25% with a two-year term based on a seven-year
amortization schedule. In addition, the Company had a working
capital line of credit with Comerica Bank of $1,250,000 at 4.75% of
which the Company had drawn down $1,185,081 and $1,085,160 as of
August 6, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively. There was CAPEX
line of credit of $750,000, of which the Company had drawn down
$560,718 and $590,000 as of August 6, 2015 and December 31, 2014,
respectively; again at 4.75% interest. As noted above, these debts
were paid off from the proceeds received from
Praesidian.
The debt to
Praesidian had a maturity date of August 6, 2020 with interest paid
monthly at an annual rate of 14%. In addition to the 14% interest
rate, the Company issued to Praesidian warrants to purchase
1,293,022 shares of Common Stock of the Company.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 5 - NOTES
PAYABLE AND CONVERTIBLE NOTES (CONTINUED)
Goldman Sachs Credit
Agreement
On December 22, 2015, in connection with the
closing of acquisitions of Christian Disposal, LLC and certain
assets of Eagle Ridge Landfill, LLC, the Company was extended
certain credit facilities by certain lenders under a credit
agreement among the Company, certain of its affiliates, the lenders
party thereto and Goldman Sachs
Specialty Lending Group, L.P., as administrative
agent, collateral agent and lead arranger, consisting of
$40,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Tranche A Term Loans,
$10,000,000 aggregate principal amount of commitments to make
Multi-Draw Term Loans and up to $5,000,000 aggregate principal
amount of Revolving Commitments. The loans are secured by liens on
substantially all of the assets of the Company and its
subsidiaries. The debt has a maturity date of December 22, 2020
with interest paid monthly at an annual rate of approximately 9%
(subject to variation based on changes in LIBOR or another
underlyingreference rate). In addition, there is a commitment fee
paid monthly on the Multi-Draw Term Loans and Revolving Commitments
at an annual rate of 0.5%. The Company has adopted ASU 2015-03 and
is showing loan fees net of long-term debt on the balance
sheet.
The proceeds of the
loans were used to partially fund the acquisitions referenced above
and refinance existing debt with Praesidian, among other things.
The funds to payoff the Praesidian notes were distributed as
follows:
Aggregate
outstanding principal balance of the Notes
|
|
$
|
10,845,043
|
|
Aggregate accrued
but unpaid interest on the Notes
|
|
|
82,844
|
|
Prepayment
Premium1
|
|
|
325,351
|
|
Accrued
PIK
|
|
|
9,941
|
|
Tax
Liability
|
|
|
150,000
|
|
Accrued but unpaid
fees and expenses
|
|
|
4,000
|
|
Payoff
Amount
|
|
$
|
11,417,179
|
|
The Company re-paid
in full and terminated its agreements with Praesidian which
effected the cancellation of certain warrants that the Company
issued to Fund III for the purchase of 931,826 shares of the
Company’s common stock and to Fund III-A for the purchase of
361,196 shares of the Company’s common stock. In
consideration for the cancellation of the Praesidian Warrants, the
Company issued to Praesidian Capital Opportunity Fund III, LP,
1,153,052 shares of common stock and issued to Praesidian Capital
Opportunity Fund III-A, LP, 446,948 shares of common stock. Due to
the early termination of the notes and cancellation of the
warrants, the Company recorded a loss on extinguishment of debt of
$1,899,161 in the year ended December 31, 2015.
In addition, in
connection with the credit agreement, the Company issued warrants
to Goldman, Sachs & Co. for the
purchase of shares of the Company’s common stock equivalent
to a 6.5% Percentage Interest at a purchase price equal to
$449,553, exercisable on or before December 22, 2023. The warrants
grant the holder certain other rights, including registration
rights, preemptive rights for certain capital raises, board
observation rights and indemnification. See discussion of warrants
below.
Subordinated Debt
In connection with
the acquisition with Meridian Waste Services, LLC on May 15, 2014,
notes payable to the sellers of Meridian issued five-year term
subordinated debt loans paying interest at 8%. At December 31, 2015
and December 31, 2014, the balance on these loans was $1,475,000
and $1,475,000, respectively.
The debt payable to
Comerica at December 31, 2014 and the Equipment loans at December
31, 2015 were the debt of Here to Serve- Missouri Waste Division,
LLC, a subsidiary of the Company.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 5 - NOTES
PAYABLE AND CONVERTIBLE NOTES (CONTINUED)
Equipment Loans
Finally, during the
year ended December 31, 2015, the Company entered into four
long-term loan agreements in connection with the purchase of
equipment with rates between 4% and 5%. At December 31, 2015, the
balance of these four loans was $425,149.
Derivative Liability -
Warrants
As indicated above,
the Company issued warrants to Praesidian
and
Goldman, Sachs
& Co.
to purchase shares of common stock. Due to
the put features contained in the agreements, derivative
liabilities were recorded for the warrants.
The Company’s
derivative warrant instruments related to Praesidian have been
measured at fair value at the date of cancellation, December 22,
2015, using the Black-Scholes model. The Back-Scholes model
requires six basic data inputs: the exercise or strike price, time
to expiration, the risk free interest rate, the current stock
price, the estimated volatility of the stock price in the future
and the dividend rate. The key inputs used in the December 22, 2015
fair value calculations were as follows:
|
|
December
22, 2015
|
|
Current exercise
price
|
|
$
|
0.025
|
|
Time to
expiration
|
|
8/6/2016
|
|
Risk-free interest
rate
|
|
|
0.33
|
%
|
Estimated
volatility
|
|
|
230
|
%
|
Dividend
|
|
|
0
|
%
|
Stock price on
December 22, 2015
|
|
$
|
1.50
|
|
Expected forfeiture
rate
|
|
|
0
|
%
|
The Company’s
derivative warrant instruments related to
Goldman, Sachs
& Co.
have been measured at fair value at the
date of issuance December 22, 2015 and December 31, 2015, using the
Black-Scholes model. The liability is revalued at each reporting
period and changes in fair value are recognized currently in the
consolidated statement of operations.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 5 - NOTES
PAYABLE AND CONVERTIBLE NOTES (CONTINUED)
The key inputs used
in the December 22, and December 31, 2015 fair value calculations
were as follows:
|
|
December
22, 2015
|
|
Purchase
Price
|
|
$
|
450,000
|
|
Time to
expiration
|
|
12/22/2023
|
|
Risk-free interest
rate
|
|
|
2.11
|
%
|
Estimated
volatility
|
|
|
45
|
%
|
Dividend
|
|
|
0
|
%
|
Stock price on
December 22, 2015
|
|
$
|
1.50
|
|
Expected forfeiture
rate
|
|
|
0
|
%
|
|
|
December
31, 2015
|
|
Purchase
Price
|
|
$
|
450,000
|
|
Time to
expiration
|
|
12/22/2023
|
|
Risk-free interest
rate
|
|
|
2.15
|
%
|
Estimated
volatility
|
|
|
45
|
%
|
Dividend
|
|
|
0
|
%
|
Stock price on
December 31, 2015
|
|
$
|
1.90
|
|
Expected forfeiture
rate
|
|
|
0
|
%
|
The change in the
market value for the period ending December 31, 2015 is as
follows:
Fair value of
warrants @ December 31, 2014
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Issuance of
Praesdian warrants @ August 6, 2015
|
|
|
904,427
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unrealized loss on
derivative liability
|
|
|
1,004,213
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cancellation of
Praesidian warrants @ December 22, 2015
|
|
|
(1,908,640
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Issuance of Goldman
warrants @ December 22, 2015
|
|
|
2,160,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unrealized loss on
derivative liability
|
|
|
660,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fair value of
warrants @ December 31, 2015
|
|
$
|
2,820,000
|
|
Derivative Liability – Interest
Rate Swap
The Company
sometimes borrows at variable rates and uses interest rate swaps as
cash flow hedges of future interest payments, which have the
economic effect of converting borrowings from floating rates to
fixed rates. The interest rate swaps allow the Company to raise
long-term borrowings at floating rates and swap them into fixed
rates that are lower than those available if it borrowed at fixed
rates directly. Under the interest rate swaps, the Company agrees
with other parties to exchange, at specified intervals, the
difference between fixed contract rates and floating rate interest
amounts calculated by reference to the agreed notional principal
amounts.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 5 - NOTES
PAYABLE AND CONVERTIBLE NOTES (CONTINUED)
At December 31,
2014, the Company had $5,414,634 of non-amortizing variable rate
debt outstanding with interest payments due on a monthly basis. The
note accrues interest at the 1-month LIBOR plus 4.25%. In order to
hedge interest rate risk, the Company entered into an interest rate
swap for a notional amount of $5,414,634 at fixed rate of 4.75%.
Under the swap agreement, the Company pays the fixed rate on the
$5,414,634 notional amount on a monthly basis, and receives the
1-month LIBOR plus 4.25% on a monthly basis. Payments are settled
on a net basis, and the Company has effectively converted its
variable-rate debt into fixed-rate debt with an effective interest
rate of 4.75%. As discussed above, the debts to Comerica were paid
off from the funding received from Praesidian. The net settlement
amount of the interest rate swap as of December 31, 2015 and
December 31, 2014 was $0 and $40,958, respectively.
NOTE 6-
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Common Stock
The Company has
authorized 75,000,000 shares of $0.025 par common stock. At
December 31, 2015 and 2014 there were 21,038,650 and 9,963,418
shares issued and outstanding.
Treasury Stock
During 2014, the
Company’s Board of Directors authorized a stock repurchase of
230,000 shares of its common stock for approximately $230,000 at an
average price of $1.00 per share. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014
the Company holds 230,000 shares of its common stock in its
treasury.
Preferred Stock
The Company has
authorized 5,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, for which two
classes have been designated to date. Series A has 51 shares issued
and outstanding and Series B has 71,210 shares issued and
outstanding as of December 31, 2015 and 2014,
respectively.
Each share of
Series A Preferred Stock has no conversion rights, is senior to any
other class or series of capital stock of the Company and special
voting rights. Each one (1) share of Series A Preferred Stock shall
have voting rights equal to (x) 0.019607 multiplied by the total
issued and outstanding Common Stock eligible to vote at the time of
the respective vote (the “Numerator”), divided by (y)
0.49, minus (z) the Numerator.
Holders of Series B
Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive when and if declared
by the Board of Directors cumulative dividends at the rate of
twelve percent (12%) of the Original Issue Price. In the event of
any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, either
voluntary or involuntary, the holders of Series B Preferred Stock
shall be entitled to receive, immediately prior and in preference
to any distribution to holders of the Company’s common stock,
an amount per share equal to the sum of $100.00 and any accrued and
unpaid dividends of the Series B Preferred Stock. Each share of
Series B Preferred Stock may be converted at the option of the
holder into the Company’s Common stock. The shares shall be
converted using the “Conversion Formula”: divide the
Original Issue Price by 75% of the average closing bid price of the
Common Stock for the five (5) consecutive trading days ending on
the trading day of the receipt by the Company of the notice of
conversion.
At December 31,
2015 and 2014, the Company’s Series B Preferred Stock
dividends in arrears on the 12% cumulative preferred stock were
approximately $1,033,000 ($14.50 per share) and $2.50 ($2.50 per
share), respectively.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 6-
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (CONTINUED)
Common Stock
Transactions
During the years
ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company issued, 11,075,232
and 9,054,134 shares of common stock, respectively. The fair values
of the shares of common stock were based on the quoted trading
price on the date of issuance. Of the 11.1 million shares issued
for year ending December 31, 2015, the Company:
1.
Issued 1,573,550 of
these shares were issued to vendors for services generating a
professional fees expense of $830,970;
2.
Issued 5,690,843 of
these shares to officers and employees as incentive compensation
resulting in compensation expense of
$7,356,180;
3.
Issued 460,839
shares of common stock, due to the conversion of related party
debt. Per the convertible note agreement, the shares were converted
at 75% of the closing bid price on the date of conversion. The
value of the debt and accrued interest converted was
$318,927;
4.
Issued 1,750,000
shares as part of the acquisition of Christian Disposal LLC, these
shares were record as part of the purchased price consideration as
noted above. These share were valued at market as of the date of
the acquisition; and,
5.
Issued 1,600,000
shares of common stock, due to the cancellation of Praesidian
warrants. As part of this extinguishment of debt the company
recorded a loss of approximately, $1.8 million.
For fiscal year
ended December 31, 2014, the Company acquired the membership
interest of HTSMWD, HTST and HTSGWD in exchange for 9,054,134
shares of the Company’s common stock. This transaction was
closed on October 17, 2014 and HTSMWD became wholly-owned by the
Company. The Company is deemed to have issued 1,139,284 shares of
common stock which represents the outstanding common shares of the
Company just prior to the closing of the transaction.
The Company has
issued and outstanding warrants of 1,673,559 common shares, as
adjusted, with the current exercise price of $0.269, as adjusted,
expiring December 31, 2023. A summary of the status of the
Company’s outstanding common stock warrants as of December
31, 2015 and 2014, with changes during the years ending on those
dates are as follows:
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 6-
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (CONTINUED)
|
|
Number
of
Shares
|
|
|
Average
Exercise Price
|
|
|
If
Exercised
|
|
|
Expiration
Date
|
|
Outstanding,
January 1, 2014
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Granted
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Forfeited
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Exercised
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Outstanding,
December 31, 2014
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Granted -
Praesidian
|
|
|
1,293,022
|
|
|
$
|
0.025
|
|
|
$
|
32,326
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Forfeited/Cancellation
- Praesidian
|
|
|
(1,293,022
|
)
|
|
$
|
0.025
|
|
|
|
(32,326
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
Granted - Goldman
Sachs
|
|
|
1,673,559
|
|
|
$
|
0.269
|
|
|
|
449,518
|
|
|
December 31,
2023
|
|
Forfeited/Cancellation
- Goldman Sachs
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Exercised
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Outstanding,
December 31, 2015
|
|
|
1,673,559
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
449,518
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Warrants
exercisable at December 31, 2015
|
|
|
1,673,559
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NOTE 7 - INCOME
TAXES
The Company
accounts for income taxes in accordance with Accounting Standards
Codification (ASC-740) “Accounting for Income Taxes”,
which requires an asset and liability approach to financial
accounting and reporting for income taxes. Deferred income tax
assets and liabilities are computed annually for differences
between the financial statement and income tax basis of assets and
liabilities that will result in taxable or deductible amounts in
the future based on enacted tax laws and rates applicable to the
periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable
income.
The Company had a
net operating loss carry forward of approximately $12.3 million at
December 31, 2015 and had no Federal or State income tax
obligations. The Company had no significant tax effects resulting
from the temporary differences that give rise to deferred tax
assets and deferred tax liabilities for the years ended December
31, 2015 and 2014 other than net operating losses.
The Company’s
loss carry forward of approximately $12.3 may offset future taxable
income through tax year 2035. However, in accordance with IRC
Section 382, the availability and utilization of the losses may be
severely limited since the business combination that occurred on
October 17, 2014 triggered the IRC Section 382
limitations.
Prior to October
17, 2014, the date of the reverse acquisition transaction discussed
in Note 1 above, the operating entities were owned by unrelated
third party partners/members, and as limited liability companies,
the operating companies’ losses for the period January 1,
2014 to October 17,2014 flowed through to such partners/members.
Therefore, as there were no tax allocation arrangements with the
previous partners/members, the Company has not recorded in these
financials statements any current or deferred income tax expense,
income tax liabilities or deferred tax assets/liabilities relating
to such pre-acquisition activity (losses).
The table below
summarizes the differences between the Company’s effective
tax rate and the statutory federal rate of 34% as follows for the
periods ended December 31, 2015 and 2014:
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 7 - INCOME
TAXES (CONTINUED)
|
|
Years
Ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2014
|
|
Computed "expected"
benefit
|
|
$
|
(6,538,843
|
)
|
|
$
|
(773,000
|
)
|
Effect of state
income taxes, net of federal benefit
|
|
|
(769,276
|
)
|
|
|
(136,000
|
)
|
Effect of change in
tax rates
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(280,760
|
)
|
Pre-acquisition
losses
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
640,000
|
|
Stock based compensation and other permanent
differences
|
|
|
4,577,831
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Increase in
valution allowance
|
|
|
2,730,288
|
|
|
|
549,760
|
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
Deferred tax assets
and liabilities are provided for significant income and expense
items recognized in different year for tax and financial reporting
purposes. The Components of the net deferred tax assets for the
years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 were as
follows:
|
|
Years
Ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2014
|
|
Net operating loss
carry forward
|
|
$
|
4,686,288
|
|
|
$
|
1,956,000
|
|
Less: Valuation
allowance
|
|
|
(4,686,288
|
)
|
|
|
(1,956,000
|
)
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
The valuation
allowance was increased by approximately $2,730,288 and $550,000
during the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014.
NOTE 8 - FAIR VALUE
MEASUREMENT
ASC Topic 820
establishes a fair value hierarchy, giving the highest priority to
quoted prices in active markets and the lowest priority to
unobservable data and requires disclosures for assets and
liabilities measured at fair value based on their level in the
hierarchy. Also, ASC Topic 820 provides clarification that in
circumstances, in which a quoted price in an active market for the
identical liabilities is not available, a reporting entity is
required to measure fair value using one or more of the techniques
provided for in this update.
The standard
describes a fair value hierarchy based on three levels of input, of
which the first two are considered observable and the last
unobservable, that may be used to measure fair value, which are the
following:
Level 1
- Quoted prices in
active markets for identical assets and liabilities.
Level 2
- Input other than
Level 1 that are observable, either directly or indirectly, such as
quoted prices for similar assets of liabilities; quoted prices in
markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or
can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the
full term of the asset or liabilities.
Level 3
- Unobservable inputs
that are supported by little or no market activity and that are
significant to the fair value of the assets or
liabilities.
Our assessment of
the significance of a particular input to the fair value
measurement in its entirety requires judgment, and considers
factors specific to the asset or liability.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 8 - FAIR VALUE
MEASUREMENT (CONTINUED)
The following table
sets forth the liabilities at December 31, 2015 and 2014, which is
recorded on the balance sheet at fair value on a recurring basis by
level within the fair value hierarchy. As required, these are
classified based on the lowest level of input that is significant
to the fair value measurement:
|
|
|
|
|
Fair
Value Measurements at Reporting Date Using
|
|
|
|
December
31, 2015
|
|
|
Quoted
Prices in
Active
Markets for
Identical
Assets
(Level
1)
|
|
|
Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level
2)
|
|
|
Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level
3)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Derivative
liability
|
|
$
|
2,820,000
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
2,820,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock settled debt
premium
|
|
|
12,500
|
|
|
|
10,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
2,500
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
2,832,500
|
|
|
$
|
10,000
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
2,822,500
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fair
Value Measurements at Reporting Date Using
|
|
|
|
December
31, 2014
|
|
|
Quoted
Prices in
Active
Markets for
Identical
Assets
(Level
1)
|
|
|
Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level
2)
|
|
|
Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level
3)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest Rate
Swap
|
|
$
|
40,958
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
40,958
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock settled
debt
|
|
|
308,083
|
|
|
|
235,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
67,083
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
349,041
|
|
|
$
|
235,000
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
108,041
|
|
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 9 -
LEASES
The Company’s
has entered into non-cancellable leases for its office, warehouse
facilities and some equipment. These lease agreements commence on
various dates from September 1, 2010 to December 2015 and all
expires on or before December, 2020. Future minimum lease payments
at December 31, 2015 are as follows:
2016
|
|
$
|
442,408
|
|
2017
|
|
|
448,408
|
|
2018
|
|
|
164,493
|
|
2019
|
|
|
111,103
|
|
2020
|
|
|
71,500
|
|
Thereafter
|
|
|
-
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
1,237,912
|
|
The Company has
also entered into various other leases on a month to month basis
for machinery and equipment. Rent expense amounted to $320,154 and
$177,801 for the year ended December 31, 2015 and 2014,
respectively.
NOTE 10 –
BONDING
In connection with
normal business activities of a company in the solid waste disposal
industry, Meridian may be required to acquire a performance bond.
As part of the Company’s December 22, 2015 acquisitions of
Christian Disposal, LLC and Eagle Ridge Landfill, LLC, Meridian
acquired a performance bond in the approximate amount of $7,400,000
with annual expenses of $221,000. For fiscal year ended December
31, 2015, the Company had approximately $6,000 of expenses related
to this performance bond and for fiscal year ended December 31,
2014, the Company was not required to obtain a performance
bond.
NOTE 11 -
EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT
Pursuant to the
Christian Disposal, LLC and subsidiary purchase, the company has
entered into an employment contract with its Area Vice President of
Business Development and Marketing through 2020 that provides for a
minimum annual salary, cash and stock option bonuses. At December
31, 2015, the total commitment, excluding incentives, was
approximately $1,500,000.
Note 12 -
LITIGATION
The Company is
involved in various lawsuits related to the operations of its
subsidiaries. Management believes that it has adequate insurance
coverage and/or has appropriately accrued for the settlement of
these claims. If applicable, claims that exceed amounts accrued
and/or that are covered by insurance, management believes they are
without merit and intends to vigorously defend and resolve with no
material impact on financial condition.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 13 –
RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Sale of Capitalized
Software
On January 7, 2015,
in an effort to give investors a more concentrated presence in the
waste industry the Company sold the capitalized software assets of
Here to Serve Technology, LLC (HTST) to Mobile Science
Technologies, Inc., a Georgia corporation (MSTI), a related party
due to being owned by some of the shareholders of the Company. No
gain or loss was recognized on this transaction as the Company
received equity equal to book value ($434,532) of the capitalized
software in the exchange. This represents approximately 15% of the
equity of MSTI and is reflected in the accompanying balance sheet
as “investment in related party affiliate”. The
Company's investment of 15% of the common stock of MSTI is
accounted for under the equity method because the company exercises
significant influence, over its operating and financial activities.
Significant influence is exercised because both Companies have a
Board Member in common. Accordingly, the investment in MSTI is
carried at cost, adjusted for the Company's proportionate share of
earnings or losses.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 13 –
RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (CONTINUED)
The following
presents unaudited summary financial information for MSTI. Such
summary financial information has been provided herein based upon
the individual significance of this unconsolidated equity
investment to the consolidated financial information of the
Company.
Following is a
summary of financial position and results of operations of
MSTI:
Summary of Statements of Financial Condition
|
|
2015
|
|
|
|
(UNAUDITED)
|
|
Assets
|
|
|
|
Current
assets
|
|
$
|
4,481
|
|
Noncurrent
assets
|
|
|
2,869,553
|
|
Total
assets
|
|
$
|
2,874,034
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities and
Equity
|
|
Current
liabilities
|
|
$
|
213,264
|
|
Noncurrent
liabilities
|
|
|
-
|
|
Equity
|
|
|
2,660,770
|
|
Total liabilities
and equity
|
|
$
|
2,874,034
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Summary of Statements of Operations
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
$
|
1,364
|
|
Expense
|
|
|
470,342
|
|
Net
loss
|
|
$
|
(468,978
|
)
|
The Company
recorded losses from its investment in MSTI, accounted for under
the equity method, of approximately $70,000 during fiscal year
ended 2015. The charge reflected the Company’s share of MSTI
losses recorded in that period, as well as the write-down of the
investment and the write-off of certain receivables. While the
Company has ongoing agreements with MSTI relating to the use of
MSTI's software technology, the Company has no obligation to
otherwise support the activities of MSTI. As of December 31, 2015,
the Company has $133,000 in prepaid expenses related to
MSTI.
NOTE 14 -
SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
EQUITY AND INCENTIVE
PLAN
Effective March 10,
2016, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the
Company approved, authorized and adopted the 2016 Equity and
Incentive Plan (the “ Plan”) and certain forms of
ancillary agreements to be used in connection with the issuance of
stock and/or options pursuant to the Plan (the “Plan
Agreements”). The Plan provides for the issuance of up to
7,500,000 shares of common stock, par value $.025 per share (the
“Common Stock”), of the Company through the grant of
non-qualified options (the “Non-qualified options”),
incentive options (the “Incentive Options” and together
with the Non-qualified Options, the “Options”) and
restricted stock (the “Restricted Stock”) to directors,
officers, consultants, attorneys, advisors and
employees.
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 14 -
SUBSEQUENT EVENTS (CONTINUED)
The Plan shall be
administered by a committee consisting of two or more independent,
non-employee and outside directors (the “Committee”).
In the absence of such a Committee, the Board shall administer the
Plan. The Plan is currently being administered by the
Board.
Options are subject
to the following conditions:
(i)
The Committee
determines the strike price of Incentive Options at the time the
Incentive Options are granted. The assigned strike price must be no
less than 100% of the Fair Market Value (as defined in the Plan) of
the Company’s Common Stock. In the event that the recipient
is a Ten Percent Owner (as defined in the Plan), the strike price
must be no less than 110% of the Fair Market Value of the
Company.
(ii)
The strike price of
each Non-qualified Option will be at least 100% of the Fair Market
Value of such share of the Company’s Common Stock on the date
the Non-qualified Option is granted, unless the Committee, in its
sole and absolute discretion, elects to set the strike price of
such Non-qualified Option below Fair Market
Value.
(iii)
The Committee fixes
the term of Options, provided that Options may not be exercisable
more than ten years from the date the Option is granted, and
provided further that Incentive Options granted to a Ten Percent
Owner may not be exercisable more than five years from the date the
Incentive Option is granted.
(iv)
The Committee may
designate the vesting period of Options. In the event that the
Committee does not designate a vesting period for Options, the
Options will vest in equal amounts on each fiscal quarter of the
Company through the five (5) year anniversary of the date on which
the Options were granted. The vesting period accelerates upon the
consummation of a Sale Event (as defined in the
Plan).
(v)
Options are not
transferable and Options are exercisable only by the Options’
recipient, except upon the recipient’s
death.
(vi)
Incentive Options
may not be issued in an amount or manner where the amount of
Incentive Options exercisable in one year entitles the holder to
Common Stock of the Company with an aggregate Fair Market value of
greater than $100,000.
Awards of
Restricted Stock are subject to the following
conditions:
(i)
The Committee
grants Restricted Stock Options and determines the restrictions on
each Restricted Stock Award (as defined in the Plan). Upon the
grant of a Restricted Stock Award and the payment of any applicable
purchase price, grantee is considered the record owner of the
Restricted Stock and entitled to vote the Restricted Stock if such
Restricted Stock is entitled to voting rights.
(ii)
Restricted Stock
may not be delivered to the grantee until the Restricted Stock has
vested.
(iii)
Restricted Stock
may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise
encumbered or disposed of except as provided in the Plan or in the
Award Agreement (as defined in the Plan).
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
NOTE 14 -
SUBSEQUENT EVENTS (CONTINUED)
Jeffrey Cosman -
Employment Agreement, Director Agreement and Restricted Stock
Agreement
On March 11, 2016,
the Company entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Cosman
(the “Cosman Employment Agreement”). Mr. Cosman is
currently the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of
Directors of the Company and prior to the execution and delivery of
the Cosman Employment Agreement, terms of Mr. Cosman’s
employment were governed by that certain previous employment
agreement assumed by the Company in connection with the
Company’s purchase of certain membership interests owned by
such previous employer on October 17, 2014. The Cosman Employment
Agreement has an initial term from March 11, 2016 through December
31, 2017 and the term will automatically renew for one (1) year
periods unless otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms
therein. Mr. Cosman will receive a base salary of $525,000 and Mr.
Cosman’s compensation will increase by 5% on January 1 of
each year. Mr. Cosman may also receive a cash bonus based on the
Company’s performance relative to its annual target
performance, as well as an annual equity bonus in the form of
restricted common stock, in accordance with the Company’s
2016 Equity and Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) and subject
to the restrictions contained therein, equivalent to 6% of the
value of all acquisitions by the Company or its subsidiaries of
substantially all the assets of existing businesses or of
controlling interests in existing business entities and equity or
debt financings during the preceding year. Upon any termination of
Mr. Cosman’s employment with the Company, except for a
termination for Cause, Mr. Cosman shall be entitled to a severance
payment equal to the greater of (i) five years’ worth of the
then existing base salary and (ii) the last year’s
bonus.
On March 11, 2016,
the Company entered into a director agreement with the
Company’s Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer,
Jeffrey Cosman, as amended by the First Amendment to Director
Agreement entered into by the parties on April 13, 2016 (the
"Cosman Director Agreement").
On March 11, 2016,
the Company entered into a restricted stock agreement with Mr.
Cosman (the “Cosman Restricted Stock Agreement”),
pursuant to which 4,253,074 shares of the Company's common stock,
subject to certain restrictions set forth in the Cosman Restricted
Stock Agreement, were issued to Mr. Cosman pursuant to the Cosman
Employment Agreement and the Plan.
Walter H. Hall, Jr.
- Director Agreement and Employment Agreement
On March 11, 2016,
the Company entered into a director agreement with Mr. Walter H.
Hall, Jr., as amended by the First Amendment to Director Agreement
entered into by the parties on April 13, 2016 (the “Hall
Director Agreement”), concurrent with Mr. Hall’s
appointment to the Board of Directors of the Company (the
“Board”) effective March 11, 2016 (the “Effective
Date”).
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015
AND 2014
On March 11, 2016,
the Company entered into an executive employment agreement with Mr.
Hall (the “Hall Employment Agreement”). Mr. Hall will
have the title of President and Chief Operating Officer. The Hall
Employment Agreement has an initial term of thirty-six (36) months
and the term will automatically renew for one (1) year periods,
unless otherwise terminated pursuant to the terms contained
therein. Mr. Hall will receive a base salary of $300,000 beginning
upon the Company’s closing of acquisitions in the aggregate
amount of $35,000,000 from the date the Hall Employment Agreement
is executed. Mr. Hall may also receive an annual bonus of up to
$175,000, or such larger amount approved by the Board, as well as
an annual equity bonus (in the form of restricted common stock, in
accordance with the Plan and subject to the restrictions contained
therein) equivalent to 2% of the value of all acquisitions by the
Company or its subsidiaries of substantially all the assets of
existing businesses or of controlling interests in existing
business entities and equity or debt financings during the
preceding year. Additionally, Mr. Hall received two million
(2,000,000) restricted shares of the Company’s common stock
upon the execution of the Hall Employment Agreement
EQUITY SUBSCRIPTION
AGREEMENT
On April 8, 2016,
the Company completed the final closing (the “the
Closing”) of a private placement offering to accredited
investors (the “Offering”) of up to $1,600,000 of the
Company’s restricted common stock, par value $0.025 per
share.
In connection with
the Closing, the Company entered into definitive subscription
agreements (the “Subscription Agreements”) with five
(5) accredited investors (the “Investors”) and issued
an aggregate of 1,428,573 shares of Common Stock for aggregate
gross proceeds to the Company of $1,600,000.
The Subscription
Agreements provide that the Company shall issue additional shares
of Common Stock in the event that, prior to the first anniversary
of the Subscription Agreement, such Investor sells all of the
Common Stock purchased under the Subscription Agreement and
receives less than the full amount of the purchase price paid under
the Subscription Agreement, and the Subscription Agreements contain
typical representations and warranties.
REPORT
OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To The Board of
Directors and Shareholders
Meridian Waste
Solutions, Inc.
We have audited the
accompanying balance sheet of Meridian Waste Services, LLC (the
“Predecessor Company”) as of December 31, 2013 and the
related statements of operations, changes in members’ equity,
and cash flows for the period from January 1, 2014 to May 15, 2014
and for the year ended December 31, 2013. These financial
statements are the responsibility of the Predecessor Company's
management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these
financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our
audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require
that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance
about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. The Company is not required to have, nor were we
engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial
reporting. Our audit included consideration of internal control
over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures
that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose
of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company's
internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly we express
no such opinion. An audit includes examining, on a test basis,
evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial
statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting
principles used and significant estimates made by management, as
well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We
believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our
opinion.
In our opinion, the
financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all
material respects, the financial position of Predecessor Company as
of December 31, 2013 and the results of their operations and their
cash flows for the period from January 1, 2014 to May 15, 2014 and
for the year ended December 31, 2013 in conformity with accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States of
America.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
s/ D’Arelli
Pruzansky, P.A.
|
|
|
|
Certified Public
Accountants
|
|
|
|
|
|
Boca Raton,
Florida
April 13,
2015
Report of Independent Registered
Public Accounting Firm
To The Board of
Directors and Shareholders
Meridian Waste
Solutions, Inc.
We have audited the
accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Meridian Waste
Solutions, Inc. and Subsidiaries (formerly Brooklyn Cheesecake and
Desserts Company, Inc.) (the “Successor Company”) as of
December 31, 2014, and the related consolidated statements of
operations, changes in stockholders' deficit, and cash flows for
the period from May 16, 2014 to December 31, 2014. These
consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the
Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion
on these consolidated financial statements based on our
audit.
We conducted our
audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require
that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance
about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. The Company is not required to have, nor were we
engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial
reporting. Our audit included consideration of internal control
over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures
that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purposes
of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the
Successor’s Company’s internal control over financial
reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit
includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the
amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also
includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant
estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall
financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits
provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the
consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly,
in all material respects, the financial position of Successor
Company as of December 31, 2014, and the results of its operations
and cash flows for the period from May 16, 2014 to December 31,
2014, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted
in the United States of America.
As discussed in
Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements, in connection with
the acquisition of Meridian Waste Services, LLC by Here to Serve
Holding Corp. a new basis of accounting was established as of May
15, 2014.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
s/ D’Arelli
Pruzansky, P.A.
|
|
|
|
Certified Public
Accountants
|
|
|
|
|
Boca Raton,
Florida
April 13,
2015
Meridian
Waste Solutions, Inc.
Balance
Sheet
|
|
Successor
|
|
|
Predecessor
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December
31,
|
|
|
December
31,
|
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2013
|
|
ASSETS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current
Assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
|
|
$
|
438,907
|
|
|
$
|
1,461,372
|
|
Accounts
receivable, trade, net
|
|
|
588,479
|
|
|
|
440,570
|
|
Employee
advance
|
|
|
37
|
|
|
|
2,000
|
|
Prepaid
expenses
|
|
|
221,999
|
|
|
|
75,000
|
|
Other current
assets
|
|
|
41,815
|
|
|
|
189,521
|
|
Total Current
Assets
|
|
|
1,291,237
|
|
|
|
2,168,463
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Property and
Equipment, net of accumulated
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
depreciation of
$956,315 and $7,780,233 respectively
|
|
|
7,654,765
|
|
|
|
4,810,603
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other
Assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loan to
member
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
50,000
|
|
Capitalized
software
|
|
|
434,532
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Customer list, net
of accumulated
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
amortization of
$1,867,660
|
|
|
12,139,792
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Deposits
|
|
|
8,303
|
|
|
|
8,303
|
|
Loan fees, net of
accumulated
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
amortization of
$11,247
|
|
|
39,365
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Non-compete, net of
accumulated
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
amortization of
$20,000
|
|
|
130,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Website, net of
accumlated amortization of $232
|
|
|
13,688
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Other
Assets
|
|
|
12,765,680
|
|
|
|
58,303
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL
ASSETS
|
|
$
|
21,711,682
|
|
|
$
|
7,037,369
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LIABILITIES
& SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current
Liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts
payable
|
|
$
|
449,840
|
|
|
$
|
239,739
|
|
Accrued
expenses
|
|
|
67,365
|
|
|
|
94,620
|
|
Notes
payable
|
|
|
526,585
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Deferred
compensation
|
|
|
729,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Deferred
revenue
|
|
|
1,929,882
|
|
|
|
1,910,465
|
|
Convertible notes
due related parties, includes put premiums
|
|
|
302,083
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Operating line of
credit and capital expenditure line of credit
|
|
|
1,675,160
|
|
|
|
50,000
|
|
Current portion -
long term debt
|
|
|
1,357,143
|
|
|
|
1,211,299
|
|
Total Current
Liabilities
|
|
|
7,037,058
|
|
|
|
3,506,123
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Derivative
liability - interest rate swap
|
|
|
40,958
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long-term notes
payable
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less: current
portion - long term debt
|
|
|
8,826,190
|
|
|
|
1,991,508
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
Liabilities
|
|
|
15,904,206
|
|
|
|
5,497,631
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shareholders'
Equity (Deficit)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Members'
equity
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
1,539,738
|
|
Preferred Series A
stock, par value $.001, 51 shares authorized, issued and
outstanding
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Preferred Series B
stock, par value $.001, 71,210 shares authorized, issued and
outstanding
|
|
|
71
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Common stock, par
value $.025, 75,000,000 shares authorized, 9,963,418 shares issued
and outstanding
|
|
|
249,085
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Treasury stock, at
cost (230,000 shares)
|
|
|
(224,250
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
Additional paid in
capital
|
|
|
14,370,296
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Accumulated
deficit
|
|
|
(8,587,726
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
Total Shareholders'
Equity
|
|
|
5,807,476
|
|
|
|
1,539,738
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
|
|
$
|
21,711,682
|
|
|
$
|
7,037,369
|
|
See accompanying footnotes to financial
statements
Meridian
Waste Solutions, Inc.
Statement
of Operations
|
|
Successor
|
|
|
Predecessor
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Period
from
|
|
|
Period
from
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Acquisition
|
|
|
January
1,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
May
16, 2014 to
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
Year
Ended
|
|
|
|
December
31,
|
|
|
to
May 15,
|
|
|
December
31,
|
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2013
|
|
Income
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Software
sales
|
|
$
|
1,864
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
Services
|
|
|
7,951,607
|
|
|
|
4,248,605
|
|
|
|
11,349,872
|
|
Total
Revenue
|
|
|
7,953,471
|
|
|
|
4,248,605
|
|
|
|
11,349,872
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost of
Sales/Services
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost of
Sales/Services
|
|
|
5,019,286
|
|
|
|
2,603,280
|
|
|
|
6,968,847
|
|
Depreciation
|
|
|
932,526
|
|
|
|
504,515
|
|
|
|
1,411,440
|
|
Total Cost of
Sales/Services
|
|
|
5,951,812
|
|
|
|
3,107,795
|
|
|
|
8,380,287
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
Profit
|
|
|
2,001,659
|
|
|
|
1,140,810
|
|
|
|
2,969,585
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expenses
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bad debt
expense
|
|
|
98,381
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
42,508
|
|
Compensation and
related expense
|
|
|
751,398
|
|
|
|
213,391
|
|
|
|
703,688
|
|
Depreciation and
amortization
|
|
|
1,932,459
|
|
|
|
5,748
|
|
|
|
13,537
|
|
Selling, general
and administrative
|
|
|
1,397,570
|
|
|
|
469,593
|
|
|
|
826,888
|
|
Total
Expenses
|
|
|
4,179,808
|
|
|
|
688,732
|
|
|
|
1,586,621
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other Income
(Expenses):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Miscellaneous
income (loss)
|
|
|
1,331
|
|
|
|
2,996
|
|
|
|
6,995
|
|
Interest
income
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Gain (loss) on
disposal of assets
|
|
|
(20,830
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(6,250
|
)
|
Unrealized (loss)
on interest rate swap
|
|
|
(40,958
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss on bad
loans
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(403
|
)
|
Recapitalization
expense
|
|
|
(70,000
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest
expense
|
|
|
(348,136
|
)
|
|
|
(184,011
|
)
|
|
|
(146,659
|
)
|
Total Other
Expenses
|
|
|
(478,593
|
)
|
|
|
(181,015
|
)
|
|
|
(146,317
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Income (Loss)
before income taxes
|
|
|
(2,656,742
|
)
|
|
|
271,063
|
|
|
|
1,236,647
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income tax
expense
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Income
(Loss)
|
|
$
|
(2,656,742
|
)
|
|
$
|
271,063
|
|
|
$
|
1,236,647
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic Net Loss Per
Share
|
|
|
(0.27
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted Average
Number of Shares Outstanding
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Basic and
Diluted)
|
|
|
9,963,418
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See accompanying footnotes to financial
statements
Meridian
Waste Solutions, Inc.
Statement
of Changes in Shareholders' Equity (Deficit)
For
The Year Ended December 31, 2014
|
|
Common
Shares
|
|
|
Common
Stock, Par
|
|
|
Preferred
Series A Shares
|
|
|
Preferred
Series A Stock, Par
|
|
|
Preferred
Series B Shares
|
|
|
Preferred
Series B Stock, Par
|
|
|
Treasury
Stock
|
|
|
Additional
Paid in Capital
|
|
|
Members'
Equity
|
|
|
Accumulated
Deficit
|
|
|
Total
|
|
Predecessor
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance at December
31, 2012
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
1,278,091
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
1,278,091
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income
(loss)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
1,236,647
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
1,236,647
|
|
Members'
distributions
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(975,000
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(975,000
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance at December
31, 2013
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
1,539,738
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
1,539,738
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income, January
1, 2014 - May 15, 2014
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
271,063
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
271,063
|
|
Members'
distributions, January 1, 2014 - May 15, 2014
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(585,000
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(585,000
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance at May 15,
2014
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
1,225,801
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
1,225,801
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Successor
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance at May 16,
2014
|
|
|
9,054,134
|
|
|
$
|
226,353
|
|
|
|
51
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
71,210
|
|
|
$
|
71
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
12,992,347
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
(5,930,984
|
)
|
|
$
|
7,287,786
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recapitalization of
the Company
|
|
|
1,139,284
|
|
|
|
28,482
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(28,482
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Treasury stock
purchased as part of recapitalization
|
|
|
(230,000
|
)
|
|
|
(5,750
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(224,250
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(230,000
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capital contributed
by related party through foregiveness of debt in connection with
recapitalization
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
1,406,431
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
1,406,431
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
loss
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2,656,742
|
)
|
|
|
(2,656,741
|
)
|
Balance December
31, 2014
|
|
|
9,963,418
|
|
|
$
|
249,085
|
|
|
|
51
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
71,210
|
|
|
$
|
71
|
|
|
$
|
(224,250
|
)
|
|
$
|
14,370,296
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
(8,587,726
|
)
|
|
$
|
5,807,476
|
|
See accompanying footnotes to financial
statements
Meridian
Waste Solutions, Inc.
Statement
of Cash Flows
|
|
Successor
|
|
|
Predecessor
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Period
from
|
|
|
Period
from
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Acquisition
|
|
|
January
1,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
May
16, 2014 to
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
Year
Ended
|
|
|
|
December
31,
|
|
|
to
May 15,
|
|
|
December
31,
|
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2013
|
|
OPERATING
ACTIVITIES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income (loss)
from operations
|
|
$
|
(2,656,742
|
)
|
|
$
|
271,063
|
|
|
$
|
1,236,647
|
|
Adjustment to
reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating
activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Depreciation &
Amortization
|
|
|
2,864,985
|
|
|
|
510,263
|
|
|
|
1,424,979
|
|
(Gain) Loss on sale
of asset
|
|
|
20,830
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
6,250
|
|
Changes in working
capital items:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts
receivable
|
|
|
43,843
|
|
|
|
(153,443
|
)
|
|
|
(96,609
|
)
|
Employee
advance/other receivables
|
|
|
(38
|
)
|
|
|
200
|
|
|
|
(126,798
|
)
|
Prepaid
expenses
|
|
|
(140,270
|
)
|
|
|
65,976
|
|
|
|
(72,240
|
)
|
Due to Here to
Serve Holding Corp.
|
|
|
376,585
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Accounts payable
& accrued expenses
|
|
|
431,328
|
|
|
|
133,219
|
|
|
|
103,102
|
|
Increase in
deferred compensation
|
|
|
243,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Deferred
revenue
|
|
|
51,778
|
|
|
|
(32,360
|
)
|
|
|
165,887
|
|
Derivative
liability
|
|
|
40,958
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Other current
liabilities
|
|
|
932,135
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
25,000
|
|
Cash flow from
operating activities
|
|
|
2,208,392
|
|
|
|
794,918
|
|
|
|
2,666,218
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
INVESTING
ACTIVITIES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proceeds from sale
of fixed assets
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
12,415
|
|
Purchased
capitalized software
|
|
|
(60,512
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Purchased
equipment
|
|
|
(1,407,251
|
)
|
|
|
(170,886
|
)
|
|
|
(2,058,359
|
)
|
Purchased
software
|
|
|
(13,920
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Cash flow from
investing activities
|
|
|
(1,481,682
|
)
|
|
|
(170,886
|
)
|
|
|
(2,045,944
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FINANCING
ACTIVITIES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proceeds from notes
due related parties
|
|
|
123,333
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Member
distributions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(585,000
|
)
|
|
|
(975,000
|
)
|
Loan from
member
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
25,000
|
|
Payments for
purchase of treasury stock
|
|
|
(230,000
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Principle payments
on notes payable
|
|
|
(791,667
|
)
|
|
|
(449,499
|
)
|
|
|
(1,208,210
|
)
|
Proceeds from CAPEX
line of credti
|
|
|
590,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
1,352,752
|
|
Cash flow from
financing activities
|
|
|
(308,334
|
)
|
|
|
(1,034,499
|
)
|
|
|
(805,458
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net change in
cash
|
|
|
418,376
|
|
|
|
(410,467
|
)
|
|
|
(185,184
|
)
|
Beginning
cash
|
|
|
20,531
|
|
|
|
1,461,372
|
|
|
|
1,646,556
|
|
Ending
Cash
|
|
$
|
438,907
|
|
|
$
|
1,050,905
|
|
|
$
|
1,461,372
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
disclosure of cash flow information:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash paid for
interest
|
|
$
|
348,136
|
|
|
$
|
52,559
|
|
|
$
|
146,659
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
Non-Cash Investing and Financing Information:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Debt foregiveness
by related party in connection with recapitalization
|
|
$
|
1,406,431
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
See accompanying footnotes to financial
statements
MERIDIAN WASTE
SOLUTIONS, INC.
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31,
2014
NOTE
1 – NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND ORGANIZATION
Nature of Operations
Meridian Waste
Solutions, Inc. (formerly Brooklyn Cheesecake and Desserts Company,
Inc.) (the “Company”) is currently operating under
three separate Limited Liability Companies; Here To Serve Missouri
Waste Division, LLC (“HTSMWD”), a Missouri Limited
Liability Company, Here To Serve Technology Division, LLC
(“HTST), a Georgia Limited Liability Company and Here To
Serve Georgia Waste Division, LLC (“HTSGWD”), a Georgia
Limited Liability Company.
In 2014, HTSMWD
purchased the assets of a large solid waste disposal company in the
St. Louis, MO market. See
Explanation of Change in Accounting
Basis
below. This acquisition is considered the platform
company for future acquisitions in the solid waste disposal
industry. HTSGWD was created to facilitate expansion in this
industry throughout the Southeast. The Company is primarily in the
business of residential and commercial waste hauling and has
contracts with various cities and municipalities. The majority of
the Company’s customers are located in the St. Louis
metropolitan area.
Through
acquisitions and restructuring, HTST has repositioned the
Company’s presence in the software development industry. By
acquiring products developed for the mobile app market and by
shifting the focus of future development, HTST is anticipating
significant expansion into this growing business
segment.
Organization
Recapitalization
On October 17, 2014
Here to Serve Missouri Waste Division, LLC, (HTSMWD) a Missouri
Limited Liability Company, which is the historical business,
entered into a Share Exchange Agreement with the Company and the
sole member of HTSMWD whereby the Company agreed to acquire the
membership interest of HTSMWD, HTST and HTSGWD in exchange for
9,054,134 shares of the Company’s common stock. This
transaction was closed on October 17, 2014 and HTSMWD became
wholly-owned by the Company. The Company is deemed to have issued
1,139,284 shares of common stock which represents the outstanding
common shares of the Company just prior to the closing of the
transaction.
At closing, the
Company issued 9,054,134 shares of its common stock to the sole
member of HTSMWD and the shareholders of the sole member who
obtained approximately 90% control and management control of the
Company. The transaction was accounted for as a reverse acquisition
and recapitalization of HTSMWD, HTST and HTSGWD whereby HTSMWD is
considered the acquirer for accounting purposes. The consolidated
financial statements after the acquisition include the
balance
MERIDIAN WASTE
SOLUTIONS, INC.
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31,
2014
NOTE
1 – NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND ORGANIZATION
(CONTINUED)
sheets of both
companies and HTST and HTSGWD at historical cost, the historical
results of HTSMWD, HTST and HTSGWD. All share and per share
information in the accompanying consolidated financial statements
and footnotes has been retroactively restated to reflect the
recapitalization (see
Explanation
of Membership Interest Purchase Agreement
below).
Explanation of Membership
Interest Purchase Agreement
On October 17,
2014, (the “Execution Date”), Meridian Waste Solutions,
Inc. entered into that certain Membership Interest Purchase
Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) by and among Here
to Serve Holding Corp., a Delaware corporation, as seller
(“Here to Serve”), the Company, as parent, Brooklyn
Cheesecake & Dessert Acquisition Corp., a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Company, as buyer (the “Acquisition
Corp.”), the Chief Executive Officer of the Company (the
“Company Executive”), the majority shareholder of the
Company (the “Company Majority Shareholder”) and
certain shareholders of Seller (the “Seller
Shareholders”), pursuant to which the Acquisition Corp shall
acquire from Here to Serve all of Here to Serve’s right,
title and interest in and to (i) 100% of the membership interests
of Here to Serve – Missouri Waste Division, LLC d/b/a
Meridian Waste, a Missouri limited liability company (“HTS
Waste”); (ii) 100% of the membership interests of Here to
Serve Technology, LLC, a Georgia limited liability company
(“HTS Tech”); and (iii) 100% of the membership
interests of Here to Serve – Georgia Waste Division, LLC, a
Georgia limited liability company (“HTS Waste Georgia”,
and together with HTS Waste and HTS Tech, collectively, the
“Membership Interests”). As consideration for the
Membership Interests, (i) the Company shall issue to Here to Serve
9,054,134 shares of the Company’s common stock, (the
“Common Stock”); (ii) the Company shall issue to the
holder of Class A Preferred Stock of Here to Serve (“Here to
Serve’s Class A Preferred Stock”) 51 shares of the
Company’s to-be-designated Class A Preferred Stock (the
“Class A Preferred Stock”), which Class A Preferred
Stock shall have the rights and preferences as described in the
Purchase Agreement. See Note 6 below; (iii) the Company shall issue
to the holder of Class B Preferred Stock of Here to Serve (Here to
Serve’s Class B Preferred Stock”) an aggregate of
71,120 shares of the Company’s to-be-designated Class B
Preferred Stock (the “Class B Preferred Stock”), (the
Common Stock, the Class A Preferred Stock and the Class B Preferred
Stock are referred to as the “Purchase Price Shares;”),
and (iv) the Company shall assume certain assumed liabilities (the
“Initial Consideration”).
As further
consideration, at the closing of the transaction contemplated under
the Purchase Agreement, (i) in satisfaction of all accounts payable
and shareholder loans, Here to Serve will pay to Company Majority
Shareholder $70,000 and (ii) the Company purchased from the then
Company Majority Shareholder 230,000 shares of the Company’s
common stock for a purchase price of $230,000. Pursuant to the
Purchase Agreement, to the extent Purchase Price Shares are issued
to individual shareholders of Here to Serve at or upon closing of
the Purchase Agreement: (i) shares of common stock of Here to Serve
held by the individuals will be
MERIDIAN WASTE
SOLUTIONS, INC.
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31,
2014
NOTE
1 – NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND ORGANIZATION
(CONTINUED)
cancelled (ii)
1,000,000 shares of Here to Serve’s Class A Preferred Stock
will be cancelled; and (iii) 71,120 shares of Here to Serve’s
Class B Preferred Stock will be cancelled (the “Additional
Consideration”).
On October 17,
2014, the directors and majority shareholders of the Company
approved the Purchase Agreement and the transactions contemplated
under the Purchase Agreement. The directors of Here to Serve and
the Here to Serve Shareholders approved the Purchase Agreement and
the transactions contemplated thereunder. This closing of the
Purchase
Agreement results
in a change of control of the Company and the Company changed its
business plan to that of HTSMWD.
Explanation of Change in
Accounting Basis
The merger of Here
to Serve Holding Corp. (Here to Serve), a Delaware Corporation, and
Meridian Waste Services, LLC became effective May 15, 2014. The
merger was accounted for by Here to Serve using business
combination accounting. Under this method, the purchase price paid
by the acquirer is allocated to the assets acquired and liabilities
assumed as of the acquisition date based on the fair value. By the
application of “push-down” accounting, our assets,
liabilities and equity were accordingly adjusted to fair value on
May 15, 2014. Determining the fair value of certain assets and
liabilities assumed is judgmental in nature and often involves the
use of significant estimates and assumptions.
At the time of
merger Here to Serve was a company with nominal operations whereas
Meridian Waste Services, LLC consisted of the active and
carry-forward business. Accordingly Meridian Waste Services, LLC is
deemed to be the predecessor entity and as such is presented as the
comparable financial statements. As such our financial statements
are presented in two distinct periods to indicate the application
of two different basis of accounting. Periods prior to May 15, 2014
are identified herein as “Predecessor,” while periods
subsequent to the Here to Serve merger are identified as
“Successor.” As a result of the change in basis of
accounting from historical cost to reflect the Here to
Serve’s purchase cost, the financial statements for
Predecessor periods are not comparable to those of Successor
periods.
Also, see Note 4
– Acquisition below.
NOTE
2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Accounting Basis
The Company uses
the accrual basis of accounting and accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”
accounting).
MERIDIAN WASTE
SOLUTIONS, INC.
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31,
2014
NOTE
2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
(CONTINUED)
Basis of
Consolidation
The consolidated
financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2014 include
the operations of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries,
Here To Serve Missouri Waste Division, LLC and Here To Serve
Technology, LLC. The third subsidiary of the Company, Here To Serve
Georgia Waste Division, LLC had no operations during the
period.
All significant
intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in
consolidation.
Reclassifications
Certain accounts
and financial statement captions in the prior periods have been
reclassified to conform to the current period consolidated
financial statements.
Cash and Cash
Equivalents
The Company
considers all highly liquid investments with maturities of three
months or less to be cash equivalents.
Fair Value of Financial
Instruments
The Company’s
financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents,
accounts payable, other liabilities, accrued interest, notes
payable, and an amount due to a related party. The carrying amount
of these financial instruments approximates fair value due either
to length of maturity or interest rates that approximate prevailing
market rates unless otherwise disclosed in these consolidated
financial statements.
Impairment of long-lived
assets
The Company
periodically reviews its long-lived assets for impairment whenever
events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying
amount of the assets may not be fully recoverable. The Company
recognizes an impairment loss when the sum of expected undiscounted
future cash flows is less that the carrying amount of the asset.
The amount of impairment is measured as the difference between the
asset’s estimated fair value and its book value. During the
year ending December 31, 2014, the Company experienced no losses
due to impairment.
MERIDIAN WASTE
SOLUTIONS, INC.
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31,
2014
NOTE
2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
(CONTINUED)
Income Taxes
The Company
accounts for income taxes pursuant to the provisions of ASC 740-10,
“Accounting for Income Taxes,” which requires, among
other things, an asset and liability approach to calculating
deferred income taxes. The asset and liability approach requires
the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the
expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between
the carrying amounts and the tax bases of assets and liabilities. A
valuation allowance is provided to offset any net deferred tax
assets for which management believes it is more likely than not
that the net deferred asset will not be realized.
The Company follows
the provisions of the ASC 740 -10 related to,
Accounting for Uncertain Income Tax
Positions.
When tax returns are filed, it is highly certain
that some positions taken would be sustained upon examination by
the taxing authorities, while others are subject to uncertainty
about the merits of the position taken or the amount of the
position that would be ultimately sustained. In accordance with the
guidance of ASC 740-10, the benefit of a tax position is recognized
in the financial statements in the period during which, based on
all available evidence, management believes it is more likely than
not that the position will be sustained upon examination, including
the resolution of appeals or litigation processes, if any. Tax
positions taken are not offset or aggregated with other positions.
Tax positions that meet the more-likely-than-not recognition
threshold are measured as the largest amount of tax benefit that is
more than 50 percent likely of being realized upon settlement with
the applicable taxing authority. The portion of the benefits
associated with tax positions taken that exceeds the amount
measured as described above should be reflected as a liability for
uncertain tax benefits in the accompanying balance sheet along with
any associated interest and penalties that would be payable to the
taxing authorities upon examination. The Company believes its tax
positions are all highly certain of being upheld upon examination.
As such, the Company has not recorded a liability for uncertain tax
benefits.
The Company has
adopted ASC 740-10-25
Definition
of Settlement,
which provides guidance on how an entity
should determine whether a tax position is effectively settled for
the purpose of recognizing previously unrecognized tax benefits and
provides that a tax position can be effectively settled upon the
completion of an examination by a taxing authority without being
legally extinguished. For tax positions considered effectively
settled, an entity would recognize the full amount of tax benefit,
even if the tax position is not considered more likely than not to
be sustained based solely on the basis of its technical merits and
the statute of limitations remains open. As of December 31, 2014,
tax years ended December 31, 2013, 2012, 2011 are still potentially
subject to audit by the taxing authorities.
MERIDIAN WASTE
SOLUTIONS, INC.
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31,
2014
NOTE
2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
(CONTINUED)
Use of Estimates
The preparation of
consolidated financial statements in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles requires management to make
estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of
assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and
liabilities at the date the consolidated financial statements and
the reported amount of revenues and expenses during the reporting
period. Actual results could differ from those
estimates.
Accounts
Receivable
At December 31,
2014 the Company had $659,646 of gross trade receivables. Here to
Serve – Missouri Waste Division, LLC, primarily owns these
trade receivables. At December 31, 2013, Meridian Waste Services,
LLC, Predecessor had $483,078 of gross trade
receivables.
Allowance for Doubtful
Accounts
The Company
provides an allowance for doubtful accounts equal to the estimated
collection losses that will be incurred in collection of
receivables related to residential customers and commercial project
invoices. The estimated losses are based on managements’
evaluation of outstanding accounts receivable at the end of the
accounting period. At December 31, 2014, an allowance of $71,167
was recorded. At December 31, 2013, Meridian Waste Services, LLC,
Predecessor had an allowance of $42,509.
Intangible Assets
Intangible assets
consist of assets acquired and costs incurred in connection with
the development of the Company’s capitalized software. See
note below. The Company also has intangible assets related to the
purchase of Meridian Waste Services, LLC. See Note 4 below. These
intangibles are amortized over periods between 3 and 5
years.
Capitalized
Software
The company
acquired a software product that is under further development. This
asset will be amortized over a three to five year period using the
straight-line method of depreciation for book purposes beginning
when the software is completed.
The company
capitalizes internal software development costs subsequent to
establishing technological feasibility of a software application in
accordance with guidelines established by “ASC
985-20-25” Accounting for the Costs of Computer Software to
Be Sold, Leased or Otherwise Marketed, requiring certain software
development costs to be capitalized upon the establishment of
technological feasibility. The establishment of technological
feasibility and the ongoing assessment of the recoverability of
these costs require considerable judgement by management with
respect to certain external factors such as anticipated future
revenue, estimated economic life and changes in software and
hardware technologies. Amortization of the capitalized software
development costs begins when the product is available for general
release to customers. Capitalized costs are amortized over the
remaining estimated economic life of the product. For the year
ended December 31, 2014, the Company has capitalized costs
associated with the development of several mobile science
technology products and mobile apps that has not been placed into
service.
MERIDIAN WASTE
SOLUTIONS, INC.
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31,
2014
NOTE
2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
(CONTINUED)
Website Development
Costs
The Company
accounts for website development costs in accordance with
Accounting Standards Codification 350-50 “Website Development
Costs”. Accordingly, all costs incurred in the planning stage
are expensed as incurred, costs incurred in the website application
and infrastructure development stage that meet
specific criteria
are capitalized and costs incurred in the day to day operation of
the website are expensed as incurred.
Revenue
Recognition
The Company
recognizes revenue when there is persuasive evidence of that an
arrangement exists, the revenue is fixed or determinable, the
products are fully delivered or services have been provided and
collection is reasonably assured.
The majority of the
Company’s revenues are generated from the fees charged for
waste collection, transfer, disposal and recycling. The fees
charged for our services are generally defined in service
agreements and vary based on contract-specific terms such as
frequency of service, weight, volume and the general market factors
influencing a region’s rate.
Deferred
Revenue
The Company’s
Missouri Waste Division bills one month in advance for the
following three months. The balance in deferred revenue represents
amounts billed in October, November and December for services that
will be provided during January, February and March.
Cost of Services
Cost of services
include all employment costs associated with waste collection,
transfer and disposal, damage claims, landfill costs, personal
property taxes associated with collection vehicles and other direct
cost of the collection and disposal process.
Concentration of Credit
Risks
The Company
maintains its cash and cash equivalents in bank deposit accounts,
which could, at times, exceed federally insured limits. The Company
has not experienced any losses in such accounts; however, amounts
in excess of the federally insured limit may be at risk if the bank
experiences financial difficulties. The Company places its cash
with high credit quality financial institutions. The
Company’s accounts at these institutions are insured by the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) up to
$250,000.
Financial
instruments which also potentially subject the Company to
concentrations of credit risk consist principally of trade accounts
receivable; however, concentrations of credit risk with respect to
trade accounts receivables is limited due to generally short
payment terms.
The Company’s
subsidiary, HTSMWD has two municipal contracts that account for a
large portion of the Company’s long-term contracted revenue.
One contract accounted for 27% and 32% and the other accounted for
19% and 21% of HTS Waste’s long-term contracted revenue for
the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013
respectively.
Basic Income (Loss) Per
Share
Basic income (loss)
per share is calculated by dividing the Company’s net loss
applicable to common shareholders by the weighted average number of
common shares during the period. A diluted earnings per share is
calculated by dividing the Company’s net income available to
common shareholders by the diluted weighted average number of
shares outstanding during the year. The diluted weighted average
number of shares outstanding is the basic weighted number of shares
adjusted for any potentially dilutive debt or equity. At December
31, 2014 the Company had a series of convertible notes outstanding
that could be converted into approximately 291,047 common shares.
These are not presented in the statement of operations since the
company incurred a loss and the effect of these shares is anti-
dilutive.
Stock-Based
Compensation
Stock-based
compensation is accounted for at fair value in accordance with ASC
Topic 718. To date, the Company has not adopted a stock option plan
and has not granted any stock options.
Stock-based
compensation is accounted for based on the requirements of the
Share-Based Payment Topic of ASC 718 which requires recognition in
the consolidated financial
MERIDIAN WASTE
SOLUTIONS, INC.
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31,
2014
NOTE
2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
(CONTINUED)
statements of the
cost of employee and director services received in exchange for an
award of equity instruments over the period the employee or
director is required to perform the services in exchange for the
award (presumptively, the vesting period). The ASC also require
measurement of the cost of employee and director services received
in exchange for an award based on the grant-date fair value of the
award.
Pursuant to ASC
Topic 505-50, for share based payments to consultants and other
third-parties, compensation expense is determined at the
“measurement date.” The expense is recognized over the
service period of the award. Until the measurement date is reached,
the total amount of compensation expense remains uncertain. The
Company initially records compensation expense based on the fair
value of the award at the reporting date. The Company recorded
stock based compensation expense of $338,860 and $0 during the
years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
Recent Accounting
Pronouncements
The Company does
not expect the adoption of recently issued accounting
pronouncements to have a significant impact on the Company’s
results of operations, financial position or cash
flow.
NOTE
3 – PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT
Property and
equipment, including purchased and developed software is recorded
at cost. The Company has depreciated or amortized these assets
using the straight-line method over the useful lives of the asset.
The useful lives are estimated to be between 2 and 7
years.
Property and
equipment consisted of the following:
|
|
Successor
|
|
|
Predecessor
|
|
|
|
Dec.
31, 2014
|
|
|
Dec.
31, 2013
|
|
Furniture &
office equipment
|
|
$
|
240,102
|
|
|
$
|
134,780
|
|
Containers
|
|
|
2,847,205
|
|
|
|
3,568,631
|
|
Trucks
|
|
|
5,523,773
|
|
|
|
8,887,425
|
|
Total
Property and Equipment
|
|
|
8,611,080
|
|
|
|
12,590,836
|
|
Less: Accumulated
Depreciation
|
|
|
(956,315
|
)
|
|
|
7,780,233
|
|
Net Property and Equipment
|
|
$
|
7,654,765
|
|
|
$
|
4,810,603
|
|
Depreciation
Expense for December 31, 2014 and 2013 was $965,846 and $1,424,979,
respectively.
MERIDIAN WASTE
SOLUTIONS, INC.
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31,
2014
NOTE
4 – INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND ACQUISITION
On May 15, 2014,
the Company, in order to establish a presence in the solid waste
disposal industry, entered into an asset purchase agreement by and
among the Company, HTSMWD, Meridian Waste Services, LLC
(“MWS”) and the members of MWS, pursuant to which
HTSMWD acquired certain assets and liabilities of MWS, in exchange
for $11,115,000 cash, 13,191,667 shares of Class A Common Stock of
HTSHC and 71,210 shares of Series B Cumulative Convertible
Preferred Stock of HTSHC.
The merger was
accounted for by Here to Serve using business combination
accounting. Under this method, the purchase price paid by the
acquirer is allocated to the assets acquired and liabilities
assumed as of the acquisition date based on the fair value. By the
application of “push-down” accounting, our assets,
liabilities and equity were accordingly adjusted to fair value on
May 15, 2014. Determining the fair value of certain assets and
liabilities assumed is judgmental in nature and often involves the
use of significant estimates and assumptions.
The purchase of MWS
included the acquisition of assets of $22,290,706 and liabilities
of $2,075,956. The aggregate purchase price consisted of the
following:
Cash
|
|
$
|
11,115,000
|
|
Estimated value of
common stock issued to sellers
|
|
|
1,978,750
|
|
Estimated value of
preferred stock issued to sellers
|
|
|
7,121,000
|
|
|
|
$
|
20,214,750
|
|
The following table
summarizes the estimated fair value of MWS assets acquired and
liabilities assumed at the date of acquisition:
Accounts
receivable
|
|
$
|
632,322
|
|
Prepaid
expenses
|
|
|
123,544
|
|
Deposits
|
|
|
8,303
|
|
Containers
|
|
|
2,710,671
|
|
Furniture and
equipment
|
|
|
414,450
|
|
Trucks
|
|
|
4,243,964
|
|
Customer
lists
|
|
|
14,007,452
|
|
Non-compete
agreement
|
|
|
150,000
|
|
Accounts payable
and accrued expenses
|
|
|
(54,387
|
)
|
Notes
payable
|
|
|
(143,464
|
)
|
Deferred
revenue
|
|
|
(1,878,105
|
)
|
|
|
$
|
20,214,750
|
|
Intangible
Assets
The following table
sets forth the intangible assets, both acquired and developed,
including accumulated amortization:
MERIDIAN WASTE
SOLUTIONS, INC.
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31,
2014
NOTE
4 – INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND ACQUISITION
(CONTINUED)
|
December
31, 2014
|
|
|
Remaining
|
|
|
|
|
Accumulated
|
|
|
Net
Carrying
|
|
|
Useful
Life
|
|
Cost
|
|
|
Amortization
|
|
|
Value
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capitalized
software
|
5.0
years
|
|
$
|
434,532
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
434,532
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Customer
list
|
4.5
years
|
|
|
14,007,452
|
|
|
|
1,867,660
|
|
|
|
12,139,792
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loan
fees
|
4.5
years
|
|
|
50,613
|
|
|
|
11,248
|
|
|
|
39,365
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non compete
agreement
|
4.5
years
|
|
|
150,000
|
|
|
|
20,000
|
|
|
|
130,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Website
|
2.9
years
|
|
|
13,920
|
|
|
|
232
|
|
|
|
13,688
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
14,656,517
|
|
|
$
|
1,899,140
|
|
|
$
|
12,757,377
|
|
Amortization
expense amounted to $1,899,140 for the period ending December 31,
2014. There was no amortization expense for the periods ending May
15, 2014 and December 31, 2013.
NOTE
5 – NOTES PAYABLE AND CONVERTIBLE NOTES
The Company issued
two promissory notes to related parties during the year ended
December 31, 2014. These notes totaled $125,000 and are generally
convertible into common stock of the Company at discounts of 20 %
to 25% of the lowest average trading prices for the stock during
periods five to one day prior to the conversion date. These notes
bears interest at 10% to 12%, are unsecured, and matures within one
year of the date issued. The notes were issued to provide working
capital for the Company. These notes are considered a stock settled
debt in accordance with ASC 480 since any future stock issued upon
conversion will have a fixed monetary value. Due to the conversion
feature included in the notes, the Company has recorded a premium
on the notes totaling $31,250 as of December 31, 2014. This amount
has been charged to interest expense by the Company.
In previous periods
the Company issued two other notes to other related parties. These
notes totaled $110,000 and are generally convertible into common
stock of the Company at discounts of 20% to 25% of the lowest
average trading prices for the stock during periods five to one day
prior to the conversion date. These notes bear interest at 10% to
12%, are unsecured, and mature within one year of the date issued.
The notes were issued to provide working capital for the Company.
These notes are considered a stock settled debt in accordance with
ASC 480 since any future stock issued upon conversion will have a
fixed monetary value. Due to the conversion feature included in the
notes, the Company has
MERIDIAN WASTE
SOLUTIONS, INC.
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31,
2014
NOTE
5 – NOTES PAYABLE AND CONVERTIBLE NOTES
(CONTINUED)
recorded a premium
on the notes totaling $35,833 as of December 31, 2014. This amount
has been charged to interest expense by the Company.
At December 31,
2014 the Company had $302,083 in convertible notes to related
parties which includes $67,083 in put premiums.
At December 31,
2014 the Company had a short term, non-interest bearing note
payable of $150,000 which was incurred in connection with the
Membership Interest Purchase
Agreement
discussed above. The Company also had a loan from
Here to Serve Holding Corp. due to expenses paid by Here to Serve
on behalf of the Company prior to the recapitalization. This loan
totaled $376,585 bringing total notes payable to
$526,585.
At December 31,
2014, Here To Serve – Missouri Waste Division, LLC, a
subsidiary of the Company, had $10,183,333 in Debt, of which
$1,357,143 is current and $8,826,190 is long term. $1,475,000 were
notes Payable to the Sellers of Meridian as subordinated debt and
$8,708,333 in Long Term Debt payable to Comerica Bank, the
Company’s Senior Lender. At close, the notes payable to the
sellers were five-year term subordinated debt loans paying interest
at 8%. The Company’s Senior Secured Loan has an interest rate
LIBOR plus 4.25% with a two-year term based on a seven-year
amortization schedule. In addition, the Company has a working
capital line of credit of $1,250,000 at 4.75% of which the Company
has drawn down $1,085,160 as of December 31, 2014. Finally, there
is CAPEX line of credit of $750,000, of which the Company has drawn
down $590,000 as of December 31, 2014; again at 4.75%
interest.
The Company
sometimes borrow at variable rates and uses interest rate swaps as
cash flow hedges of future interest payments, which have the
economic effect of converting borrowings from floating rates to
fixed rates. The interest rate swaps allow the Company to raise
long-term borrowings at floating rates and swap them into fixed
rates that are lower than those available if it borrowed at fixed
rates directly. Under the interest rate swaps, the Company agrees
with other parties to exchange, at specified intervals, the
difference between fixed contract rates and floating rate interest
amounts calculated by reference to the agreed notional principal
amounts.
At December 31,
2014, the Company has $5,634,146 of non-amortizing variable rate
debt outstanding with interest payments due on a monthly basis. The
note accrues interest at the 1-month LIBOR plus 4.25%. In order to
hedge interest rate risk, the Company entered into an interest rate
swap for a notional amount of $5,634,146 at fixed rate of 4.75%.
Under the swap agreement, the Company pays the fixed rate on the
$5,634,146 notional amount on a monthly basis, and receives the
1-month LIBOR plus 4.25% on a monthly basis. Payments are settled
on a net basis, and the Company has effectively converted its
variable-rate debt into fixed-rate debt with an effective interest
rate of 4.75%. As of December 31, 2013, the net settlement amount
of the interest rate swap was $40,958.
MERIDIAN WASTE
SOLUTIONS, INC.
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31,
2014
NOTE
5 – NOTES PAYABLE AND CONVERTIBLE NOTES
(CONTINUED)
At December 31,
2013, Meridian Waste Services, LLC (Predecessor) had $3,202,807 in
Debt, of which $1,211,299 was current and $1,991,508 was long term.
This debt was comprised of various notes with maturity dates
between one and three years and bearing interest between 4% and 6%.
All of this Predecessor debt was paid as a result of the
acquisition described in Note 1 above.
NOTE
6 – STOCK HOLDERS’ EQUITY
The Company has
75,000,000 shares of common stock authorized with a par value of
$0.025 and 71,261 shares of Preferred stock with a par value of
$0.001. As of December 31, 2014 there are 9,963,418 common shares
outstanding and 71,261 of Preferred shares outstanding. There are
two classes of Preferred stock, Series A and Series B.
There are 51 shares
of Series A Preferred stock issued and outstanding as of December
31, 2014. Series A stock has no conversion rights, is senior to any
other class or series of capital stock of the Company and special
voting rights. Each one (1) share of Series A Preferred Stock shall
have voting rights equal to (x) 0.019607 multiplied by the total
issued and outstanding Common Stock eligible to vote at the time of
the respective vote (the “Numerator”), divided by (y)
0.49, Minus (z) the Numerator.
There are 71,210
shares of Series B Preferred Stock issued and outstanding as of
December 31, 2014. Holders of Series B Preferred stock shall be
entitled to receive when, as and if declared by the Board of
Directors cumulative dividends at the rate of twelve percent (12%)
of the Original Issue Price. In the event of any liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company, either voluntary or
involuntary, the holders of Series B Preferred stock shall be
entitled to receive, immediately prior and in preference to any
distribution to holders of the Company’s common stock, an
amount per share equal to the sum of $100.00 and any accrued and
unpaid dividends of the Series B Preferred Stock. Each share of
Series B Preferred Stock may be converted at the option of the
holder into the Company’s Common stock. The shares shall be
converted using the “Conversion Formula”: divide the
Original Issue Price by 75% of the average closing bid price of the
Common Stock for the five (5) consecutive trading days ending on
the trading day of the receipt by the Company of the notice of
conversion.
NOTE
7 – COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
The Company has
leased office space at 12540 Broadwell Rd., Suite 1203 Milton, GA
30004.
NOTE
8 – INCOME TAXES
The Company
accounts for income taxes in accordance with Statement of Financial
Accounting Standards (ASC 740) “Accounting for Income
Taxes”, which requires an asset and liability approach to
financial accounting and reporting for income taxes. Deferred
income tax assets and liabilities are computed annually for
differences between the financial statement and income tax basis of
assets and liabilities that will result in taxable or
MERIDIAN WASTE
SOLUTIONS, INC.
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31,
2014
NOTE
8 – INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED)
deductible amounts
in the future based on enacted tax laws and rates applicable to the
periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable
income.
The Company had a
net operating loss carry forward of approximately $4.9 million at
December 31, 2014 and had no Federal or State income tax
obligations. The Company had no significant tax effects resulting
from the temporary differences that give rise to deferred tax
assets and deferred tax liabilities for the year ended December 31,
2014 other than net operating losses.
The Company’s
loss carry forward of approximately $4.9 million may offset future
taxable income through tax year 2034. However, in accordance with
IRC Section 382, the availability and utilization of the losses may
be severely limited since the business combination that occurred on
October 17, 2014 triggered the IRC Section 382
limitations.
Prior to October
17, 2014, the date of the reverse acquisition transaction discussed
in Note 1 above, the operating entities were owned by unrelated
third party partners/members, and as limited liability companies,
the operating companies’ losses for the period January 1,
2014 to October 17,2014 flowed through to such partners/members.
Therefore, as there were no tax allocation arrangements with the
previous partners/members, the Company has not recorded in these
financials statements any current or deferred income tax expense,
income tax liabilities or deferred tax assets/liabilities relating
to such pre-acquisition activity (losses).
The table below
summarizes the differences between the Company’s effective
tax rate and the statutory federal rate of 34% as follows for the
periods ended December 31, 2014 and 2013:
|
|
Years
Ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2013
|
|
Computed "expected"
benefit
|
|
$
|
(773,000
|
)
|
|
$
|
(3,490
|
)
|
Effect of state
income taxes, net of federal benefit
|
|
|
(136,000
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
Effect of change in
tax rates
|
|
|
(280,760
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
Pre-acquisition
losses
|
|
|
640,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Increase in
valution allowance
|
|
|
549,760
|
|
|
|
3,490
|
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
Deferred tax assets
and liabilities are provided for significant income and expense
items recognized in different year for tax and financial reporting
purposes. The Components of the net deferred tax assets for the
years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 were as
follows:
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2013
|
|
Net operating loss
carry forward
|
|
$
|
1,956,000
|
|
|
$
|
1,406,240
|
|
Less: Valuation
allowance
|
|
|
(1,956,000
|
)
|
|
|
(1,406,240
|
)
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
MERIDIAN WASTE
SOLUTIONS, INC.
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31,
2014
NOTE
8 – INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED)
The valuation
allowance was increased by $549,760 during the year ended December
31, 2014.
NOTE
9 – FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT
The Company has
adopted new guidance under ASC Topic 820, effective January 1,
2009. New authoritative accounting guidance (ASC Topic 820-10-15)
under ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement and Disclosures,
delayed the effective date of ASC Topic 820-10 for all
non-financial
assets and non-financial liabilities, except those that are
recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements
on a recurring basis, until 2009.
ASC Topic 820
establishes a fair value hierarchy, giving the highest priority to
quoted prices in active markets and the lowest priority to
unobservable data and requires disclosures for assets and
liabilities measured at fair value based on their level in the
hierarchy. Further new authoritative accounting guidance (ASU No.
2009-05) under ASC Topic 820, provides clarification that in
circumstances in which a quoted price in an active market for
the
identical
liabilities is not available, a reporting entity is required to
measure fair value using one or more of the techniques provided for
in this update.
The standard
describes a fair value hierarchy based on three levels of input, of
which the first two are considered observable and the last
unobservable, that may be used to measure fair value, which are the
following:
Level 1
– Quoted prices
in active markets for identical assets and
liabilities.
Level 2
– Input other
than Level 1 that are observable, either directly or indirectly,
such as quoted prices for similar assets of liabilities; quoted
prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are
observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for
substantially the full term of the asset or
liabilities.
Level 3
– Unobservable
inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that
are significant to the fair value of the assets or
liabilities.
Our assessment of
the significance of a particular input to the fair value
measurement in its entirety requires judgment, and considers
factors specific to the asset or liability.
The following table
sets forth the liabilities at December 31, 2014, which is recorded
on the balance sheet at fair value on a recurring basis by level
within the fair value hierarchy. As required, these are classified
based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair
value measurement:
MERIDIAN WASTE
SOLUTIONS, INC.
NOTES TO THE
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31,
2014
NOTE
9 – FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT (CONTINUED)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fair
Value Measurements at Reporting Date Using
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Quoted
Prices in
|
|
|
Significant
Other
|
|
|
Significant
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Active
Markets for
|
|
|
Observable
|
|
|
Unobservable
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Identical
Assets
|
|
|
Inputs
|
|
|
Inputs
|
|
Description
|
|
12/31/2014
|
|
|
(Level
1)
|
|
|
(Level
2)
|
|
|
(Level
3)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest rate
swap
|
|
$
|
40,958
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
40,958
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock settled
debt
|
|
|
308,083
|
|
|
|
235,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
67,083
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
349,041
|
|
|
$
|
235,000
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
108,041
|
|
NOTE
10 – LEASES
The Company’s
subsidiary Here to Serve Missouri Waste Division, LLC leases its
office and warehouse facilities. The lease agreement commenced
September 1, 2010 and expires
August 30, 2017.
This lease was assigned to the Company when the subsidiary
purchased Meridian Waste Services, LLC on May 16, 2014. Future
minimum lease payments at December 31, 2014 are as
follows:
2015
|
|
$
|
271,915
|
|
2016
|
|
|
277,915
|
|
2017
|
|
|
283,915
|
|
Thereafter
|
|
|
-
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
833,745
|
|
Rent expense
amounted to $177,801 for the year ended December 31,
2014.
NOTE
11 – BONDING
In connection with
its normal activities, the Company may be required to acquire a
Performance bond on contracts with customers. There were not any
performance bonds required for the year ended December 31,
2014.
NOTE
12 – SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
In accordance with
ASC 855-10, the Company has analyzed its operations subsequent to
December 31, 2014 through the date these financial statements were
issued and has determined that the following would be included as
subsequent events.
Spinoff of Here to Serve
Technology, LLC
On January 7, 2015,
in an effort to give investors a more concentrated presence in the
waste industry the Company sold the capitalized software assets of
Here to Serve Technology, LLC to Mobile Science Technologies, Inc.,
a Georgia corporation (MSTI), a related party due to being owned by
some of the shareholders of the Company. No gain or loss was
recognized on this transaction as the Company received equity equal
to book value ($434,532)of the capitalized software in the
exchange. This represents approximately 15% of the equity of MSTI.
It is management’s expectations that the spinoff will benefit
investors by strengthening the Company by becoming more streamlined
in the waste industry and maintaining the financial growth
potential of the investment in MSTI.
Issuance of Common
Stock
During January,
2015, the Company issued 1,164,393 shares of common stock. These
shares were issued to employees, employees of subsidiaries and
outside vendors for services. The value of these shares was
determined to be $1,630,150 using the securities closing price
($1.40) on January 2, 2015.
Shares
of Common Stock
Warrants
to Purchase up to Shares
of Common Stock
_______________________
PROSPECTUS
_______________________
Joseph
Gunnar & Co.
2016
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN
PROSPECTUS
Item
13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution
The following table
sets forth the costs and expenses, other than underwriting
discounts and commissions, to be paid by the Registrant in
connection with the issuance and distribution of the common stock
and warrants being registered. All amounts other than the SEC
registration fees and FINRA fees are estimates.
SEC Registration
Fees
|
|
$
|
8,150
|
|
FINRA
Fees
|
|
|
[•]
|
*
|
NYSE MKT Listing
Fee
|
|
|
[•]
|
*
|
Printing and
Engraving Expenses
|
|
|
[•]
|
*
|
Legal Fees and
Expenses
|
|
|
[•]
|
*
|
Accounting Fees and
Expenses
|
|
|
[•]
|
*
|
Transfer Agent
Fees
|
|
|
[•]
|
*
|
Miscellaneous
|
|
|
[•]
|
*
|
Total
|
|
$
|
[•]
|
|
____________
* Estimated
expenses not presently known.
Item
14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
New
York Law
The NYBCL permits a
corporation to indemnify its current and former directors
and officers against expenses, judgments, fines and
amounts paid in connection with a legal proceeding. To be
indemnified, the person must have acted in good faith and in a
manner the person reasonably believed to be in, and not opposed to,
the best interests of the corporation. With respect to any criminal
action or proceeding, the person must not have had reasonable cause
to believe the conduct was unlawful.
Our Charter and
By-laws provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by the NYBCL,
we will indemnify our present and future directors
and officers against all expenses actually and reasonably
incurred by them as a result of their being threatened with or
otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding (other than an
action commenced on our own behalf) by virtue of the fact that they
are or were one of our officers or
directors.
Our by-laws also
provide that we may purchase and maintain insurance to indemnify us
for any obligation we incur as a result of the indemnification
of directors and officers, or to indemnify directors
and officers, pursuant to our by-laws and in accordance with
the NYBCL.
In addition to the
provisions of our Charter and By-laws providing
for indemnification of directors and officers, we
have entered into an employment agreement with Jeffrey Cosman, our
Chief Executive Officer, which provides for us to indemnify
Mr. Cosman against all expenses actually and reasonably incurred by
him as a result of his being threatened with or otherwise involved
in any action, suit or proceeding by virtue of the fact that he is
or was one of our officers.
Insofar as
indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be permitted to officers, directors or persons
controlling us pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been
informed that in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is
against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is
therefore unenforceable.
Item
15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
During the last
three completed fiscal years and to date in the current fiscal
year, we sold the following unregistered securities:
On October 31,
2014, the Company issued 9,054,134 shares of restricted Common
Stock to Here to Serve Holding Corp. as consideration for the
Company’s purchase of certain limited liability company
pursuant to that certain Membership Interest Purchase
Agreement.
On January 2, 2015,
the Board issued 20,000 shares of restricted Common Stock to two
employees (10,000 shares each) as payment of a bonus.
On January 2, 2015,
the Board issued 100,000 shares of restricted Common Stock in
consideration of legal services.
On January 2, 2015,
the Board issued 100,000 shares of restricted Common Stock to a
consultant in consideration of accounting services.
On January 2, 2015,
the Board issued 53,550 shares of restricted Common Stock to an
employee as payment of accrued salary and bonus earned in
connection with providing information technology
services.
On January 2, 2015,
the Board issued 890,843 shares of restricted Common Stock to an
officer as payment of compensation.
On January 27,
2015, the Board issued 200,833 shares of Common Stock pursuant to
the conversion under a convertible note.
On May 28, 2015,
the Board issued 4,700,000 shares of restricted Common Stock to an
officer as repayment of funds previously advanced and other
consideration.
On October 2, 2015,
the Board issued 1,000,000 shares of restricted Common Stock in
consideration of investment banking and advisory
services.
On October 2, 2015,
the Board issued 250,000 shares of restricted Common Stock in
consideration of legal services.
On October 2, 2015,
the Board issued 150,000 shares of restricted Common Stock to an
employee as payment of accrued salary and bonus earned in
connection with providing information technology
services.
On October 13,
2015, the Board issued 260,006 shares of Common Stock pursuant to
the conversion under a convertible note.
On December 22,
2015, the Board issued 1,750,000 shares of Common Stock to the
Seller of Christian Disposal, LLC as consideration pursuant to the
Christian Purchase Agreement.
On December 22,
2015, the Board issued a Purchase Warrant for Common Stock to
Goldman, Sachs & Co. in connection with the Credit
Agreement.
On December 29,
2015, the Board issued 1,600,000 shares of Common Stock as
consideration pursuant to Warrant Cancellation and Stock Issuance
Agreement.
On March 7, 2016,
the Board issued 500,000 shares of restricted Common Stock in
consideration of legal services.
On March 11, 2016,
the Board issued 2,000,000 shares of restricted Common Stock to an
officer of the Company, pursuant to the terms of an employment
agreement entered into with such officer as of such
date.
From March 23, 2016
through April 8, 2016, the Board issued an aggregate of 1,428,573
shares of restricted Common Stock pursuant to subscriptions by five
accredited investors under a private placement offering of such
shares at the price of $1.12 per share.
From March 23, 2016
through April 8, 2016, the Board issued an aggregate of 25,000
shares of restricted Common Stock to the Company’s placement
agent and/or its designees, pursuant to subscriptions under a
private placement offering during such period.
From June 3,
2016 through June 29, 2016, the Board issued an aggregate
of 625,000 shares of restricted Common Stock, together with
common stock purchase warrants, pursuant to subscriptions
by seven accredited investors under a private placement
offering of such shares at the price of $1.12 per
share.
From June 3,
2016 through June 29, 2016, the Board issued an aggregate
of 10,937 shares of restricted Common Stock to the
Company’s placement agent and/or its designees, pursuant to
subscription under a private placement offering during such
period.
On July 5, 2016, the Company issued 300,000 shares of
restricted Common Stock to an employee.
From July 20, 2016
through August 22, 2016, the Board issued an aggregate of 12,750
shares of Series C Preferred Stock, pursuant to
subscriptions by
four accredited investors under a private placement offering of
such shares at the price of $100 per share.
From July 20, 2016
through August 22, 2016, the Board issued an aggregate of 19,922
shares of restricted Common Stock to the Company’s placement
agent and/or its designees, pursuant to subscriptions under a
private placement offering during such period.
On August 11, 2016, the Board issued 15,000
restricted shares of the Company
’
s
common stock to an employee pursuant to an employment
agreement.
Effective
August 26, 2016, the Board issued an aggregate of 23,000 shares of
Series C Preferred Stock to nine accredited investors in
consideration of cancelation of an aggregate of 102,679 shares of
Common Stock, pursuant to a Securities Exchange Agreement with each
such investor.
Effective
October 13, 2016, the Board issued an aggregate of 500,000 shares
of Common Stock to three stockholders in consideration of
cancelation of all 71,120 shares of Series B Preferred Stock issued
and outstanding, pursuant to a Securities Exchange Agreement with
each such stockholder.
The securities
issued pursuant to the above offerings were not registered under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities
Act”), but qualified for exemption under Section 4(a)(2) of
the Securities Act and/or Regulation D. The securities were exempt
from registration under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act
because the issuance of such securities by the Company did not
involve a “public offering,” as defined in Section
4(a)(2) of the Securities Act, due to the insubstantial number of
persons involved in the transaction, size of the offering, manner
of the offering and number of securities offered. The Company did
not undertake an offering in which it sold a high number of
securities to a high number of investors. In addition, these
shareholders had the necessary investment intent as required by
Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act since they agreed to, and
received, share certificates bearing a legend stating that such
securities are restricted pursuant to Rule 144 of the Securities
Act. This restriction ensures that these securities would not be
immediately redistributed into the market and therefore not be part
of a “public offering.” Based on an analysis of the
above factors, the Company has met the requirements to qualify for
exemption under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.
EXHIBITS
AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
The following
Exhibits are filed as part of this report.
Exhibit No.
|
|
Description
|
1.1*
|
|
Form of
Underwriting Agreement
|
|
|
|
2.1
|
|
Purchase Agreement
dated October 17, 2014 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit
10.1 to the Brooklyn Cheesecake & Desserts Company, Inc.
Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on October 22,
2014)
|
|
|
|
3.1
|
|
Restated
Certificate of Incorporation of Brooklyn Cheesecake & Deserts
Company, Inc. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to
the Brooklyn Cheesecake & Desserts Company, Inc. Current Report
on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on December 15, 2014)
|
|
|
|
3.2
|
|
Certificate of
Incorporation of Brooklyn Cheesecake & Dessert Acquisition
Corp. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.12 to the
Brooklyn Cheesecake & Desserts Company, Inc. Current Report on
Form 8-K filed with the SEC on December 15, 2014)
|
|
|
|
3.3
|
|
Certificate of
Amendment of the Certificate of Incorporation of Brooklyn
Cheesecake and Desserts Company, Inc. (incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Brooklyn Cheesecake & Desserts
Company, Inc. Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on
April 15, 2015)
|
|
|
|
3.4
|
|
Amended and
Restated By-laws of Brooklyn Cheesecake & Deserts Company, Inc.
(incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Brooklyn
Cheesecake & Desserts Company, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K
filed with the SEC on December 15, 2014)
|
|
|
|
3.5
|
|
By-Laws of Brooklyn
Cheesecake & Dessert Acquisition Corp. (incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 3.21 to the Brooklyn Cheesecake & Desserts
Company, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on
December 15, 2014)
|
3.6
|
|
Certificate of
Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation (incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc.
Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on July 25,
2016)
|
|
|
|
4.1
|
|
First Amendment to
Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of March 9, 2016, entered
into by and among Here to Serve – Missouri Waste Division,
LLC, Here to Serve – Georgia Waste Division, LLC, Brooklyn
Cheesecake & Desserts Acquisition Corp., Meridian Land Company,
LLC, Christian Disposal, LLC, and FWCD, LLC, Meridian Waste
Solutions, Inc. (“Holdings”) and certain subsidiaries
of Holdings, as Guarantors, the Lenders party hereto from time to
time and Goldman Sachs Specialty Lending Group, L.P., as
Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, and Lead Arranger
(incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Meridian
Waste Solutions, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC
on March 15, 2016)
|
|
|
|
4.2
|
|
Credit and Guaranty
Agreement, dated as of December 22, 2015, entered into by and among
Here to Serve – Missouri Waste Division, LLC, Here to Serve
– Georgia Waste Division, LLC, Brooklyn Cheesecake &
Desserts Acquisition Corp., Meridian Land Company, LLC, Christian
Disposal, LLC, and FWCD, LLC, Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc.
(“Holdings”) and certain subsidiaries of Holdings, as
Guarantors, the Lenders party thereto from time to time and Goldman
Sachs Specialty Lending Group, L.P., as Administrative Agent,
Collateral Agent, and Lead Arranger (incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc.
Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on December 29,
2015)
|
|
|
|
4.3
|
|
Tranche A Term Loan
Note, issued in favor of Goldman Sachs Specialty Lending Holdings,
Inc., in the principal amount of $40,000,000, dated December 22,
2015 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the
Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K filed
with the SEC on December 29, 2015)
|
|
|
|
4.4
|
|
MDTL Note, issued
in favor of Goldman Sachs Specialty Lending Holdings, Inc., in the
principal amount of $10,000,000, dated December 22, 2015
(incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Meridian
Waste Solutions, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC
on December 29, 2015)
|
|
|
|
4.5
|
|
Revolving Loan
Note, issued in favor of Goldman Sachs Specialty Lending Holdings,
Inc., in the principal amount of $5,000,000, dated December 22,
2015 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.4 to the
Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K filed
with the SEC on December 29, 2015)
|
|
|
|
4.6
|
|
Purchase Warrant
for Common Shares issued in favor of Goldman, Sachs & Co.,
dated December 22, 2015 (incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 4.5 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Current Report on
Form 8-K filed with the SEC on December 29, 2015)
|
|
|
|
4.7
|
|
Pledge and Security
Agreement between the grantors party thereto and Goldman Sachs
Specialty Lending Group, L.P., dated December 22, 2015
(incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.6 to the Meridian
Waste Solutions, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC
on December 29, 2015)
|
|
|
|
4.8
|
|
Note and Warrant
Purchase Agreement and Security Agreement, by and among Meridian
Waste Solutions, Inc., Here to Serve - Missouri Waste Division,
LLC, Here to Serve - Georgia Waste Division, LLC, Meridian Land
Company, LLC, certain subsidiaries of the Company, the purchasers
from time to time party thereto and Praesidian Capital Opportunity
Fund III, LP, dated August 6, 2015 (incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc.
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 16,
2015)
|
4.9
|
|
Note A, issued in
favor of Praesidiant Capital Opportunity Fund III, LP, in the
principal amount of $2,644,812.57, dated August 6, 2015
(incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Meridian
Waste Solutions, Inc. Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the
SEC on November 16, 2015)
|
|
|
|
4.10
|
|
Note A, issued in
favor of Praesidian Capital Opportunity Fund III-a, LP, in the
principal amount of $1,025,187.43, dated August 6,
2015 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the
Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed
with the SEC on November 16, 2015)
|
|
|
|
4.11
|
|
Note B, issued in
favor of Praesidian Capital Opportunity Fund III, LP, in the
principal amount of $5,170,716.68, dated August 6, 2015
(incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.4 to the Meridian
Waste Solutions, Inc. Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the
SEC on November 16, 2015)
|
|
|
|
4.12
|
|
Note B, issued in
favor of Praesidian Capital Opportunity Fund III-a, LP, in the
principal amount of $2,004,283.32, dated August 6,
2015 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.5 to the
Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed
with the SEC on November 16, 2015)
|
|
|
|
4.13
|
|
Warrant issued in
favor of Praesidian Capital Opportunity Fund III, LP, dated August
6, 2015 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.6 to
the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q
filed with the SEC on November 16, 2015)
|
|
|
|
4.14
|
|
Warrant issued in
favor of Praesidian Capital Opportunity Fund III-a, LP, dated
August 6, 2015 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit
4.7 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q filed with the SEC on November 16, 2015)
|
|
|
|
4.15
|
|
Warrant
Cancellation and Stock Issuance Agreement made and entered into as
of December 22, 2015, by and among Praesidian Capital Opportunity
Fund III, LP, Praesidian Capital Opportunity Fund III-A, LP, and
Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. (incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 4.15 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc.
Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on December 29,
2015)
|
|
|
|
4.16
|
|
Convertible
Promissory Note, issued in favor of Timothy Drury, in the principal
amount of $1,250,000, dated December 22, 2015 (incorporated herein
by reference to Exhibit 4.16 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc.
Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on December 29,
2015)
|
|
|
|
4.17
|
|
Form of Warrant
(incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Meridian
Waste Solutions, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC
on June 9, 2016)
|
|
|
|
4.18
|
|
Second Amendment to
Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of July 19, 2016, entered
into by and among Here to Serve – Missouri Waste Division,
LLC, Here to Serve – Georgia Waste Division, LLC, Brooklyn
Cheesecake & Desserts Acquisition Corp., Meridian Land Company,
LLC, Christian Disposal, LLC, and FWCD, LLC, Meridian Waste
Solutions, Inc. (“Holdings”) and certain subsidiaries
of Holdings, as Guarantors, the Lenders party hereto from time to
time and Goldman Sachs Specialty Lending Group, L.P., as
Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, and Lead Arranger
(incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Meridian
Waste Solutions, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC
on July 25, 2016)
|
|
|
|
4.19
|
|
Amended and
Restated Purchase Warrant for Common Shares issued in favor of
Goldman, Sachs & Co., dated July 19, 2016 (incorporated herein
by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc.
Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on July 25,
2016)
|
|
|
|
4.20*
|
|
Form of Warrant
Agency Agreement by and between Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. and
Issuer Direct Corporation and Form of Warrant
Certificate
|
|
|
|
4.21
|
|
Waiver and Amendment Letter,
dated as of August 16, 2016, entered into by and among Here to
Serve
–
Missouri Waste
Division, LLC, Here to Serve
–
Georgia Waste
Division, LLC, Brooklyn Cheesecake & Desserts Acquisition
Corp., Meridian Land Company, LLC, Christian Disposal, LLC, and
FWCD, LLC, Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. (
“
Holdings
”
)
and Goldman Sachs Specialty Lending Group, L.P., as administrative
agent for the Lenders, Collateral Agent, and Lead Arranger
(incorporated herein
by reference to Exhibit 4.4 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc.
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 15,
2016)
|
|
|
|
4.22
|
|
Fourth Amendment to Credit and
Guaranty Agreement, dated as of November 11, 2016, entered into by
and among Here to Serve
–
Missouri
Waste Division, LLC, Here to Serve
–
Georgia Waste
Division, LLC, Brooklyn Cheesecake & Desserts Acquisition
Corp., Meridian Land Company, LLC, Christian Disposal, LLC, and
FWCD, LLC, Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. (
“
Holdings
”
)
and certain subsidiaries of Holdings, the Lenders party thereto
from time to time and Goldman Sachs Specialty Lending Group, L.P.,
as administrative agent for the Lenders, Collateral Agent, and Lead
Arranger
(incorporated herein
by reference to Exhibit 4.5 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc.
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 15,
2016)
|
|
|
|
4.23*
|
|
Form of
Warrant Cancellation and Stock
Issuance
Agreement by and between Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. and
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
|
5.1†
|
|
Opinion of Lucosky
Brookman LLP
|
|
|
|
10.1
|
|
Employment
Agreement by and between Here to Serve Holding Corp. and Jeffrey S.
Cosman dated January 1, 2014 (incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC
on November 5, 2014)
|
|
|
|
10.2
|
|
2004 Stock
Incentive Plan (incorporated herein by reference to Appendix B of
the Definitive 14A filed with the SEC on July 15,
2004)
|
10.3
|
|
Credit Agreement
(incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Brooklyn
Cheesecake & Desserts Company, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K
filed with the SEC on February 17, 2015)
|
|
|
|
10.4
|
|
Solid Waste
Municipal Contract by and between the City of Wildwood, Missouri,
and Meridian Waste Services LLC (incorporated herein by reference
to Exhibit 10.4 to the Brooklyn Cheesecake & Desserts Company,
Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on February 17,
2015)
|
|
|
|
10.5
|
|
Solid Waste
Municipal Contract by and between the City of Florissant, Missouri,
and Meridian Waste Services LLC (incorporated herein by reference
to Exhibit 10.5 to the Brooklyn Cheesecake & Desserts Company,
Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on February 17,
2015)
|
|
|
|
10.6
|
|
Form of
Subscription Agreement (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit
10.1 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Current Report on Form
8-K filed with the SEC on March 29, 2016)
|
|
|
|
10.7
|
|
Employment
Agreement, dated March 11, 2016, by and between the Company and
Jeffrey Cosman (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to
the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K filed
with the SEC on March 17, 2016)
|
|
|
|
10.8
|
|
Form of Director
Agreement (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the
Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K filed
with the SEC on March 17, 2016)
|
|
|
|
10.9
|
|
Executive
Employment Agreement, dated March 11, 2016, by and between the
Company and Walter Hall (incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 10.3 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Current Report
on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 17, 2016)
|
|
|
|
10.10
|
|
Meridian Waste
Solutions, Inc, 2016 Equity and Incentive Plan (incorporated herein
by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc.
Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 16,
2016)
|
|
|
|
10.11
|
|
Form of Restricted
Stock Agreement (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2
to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K
filed with the SEC on March 16, 2016)
|
|
|
|
10.12
|
|
Form of
Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement (Non-Employee) (incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Meridian Waste
Solutions, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on
March 16, 2016)
|
|
|
|
10.13
|
|
Form of
Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement (Employee) (incorporated herein
by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc.
Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 16,
2016)
|
|
|
|
10.14
|
|
Form of Incentive
Stock Option Agreement (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit
10.5 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Current Report on Form
8-K filed with the SEC on March 16, 2016)
|
|
|
|
10.15
|
|
Amended and
Restated Membership Interest Purchase Agreement made and entered
into as of October 16, 2015, by and among Timothy M. Drury;
Christian Disposal LLC; FWCD, LLC; Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc.;
Here to Serve Missouri Waste Division, LLC; and Here to Serve
Georgia Waste Division, LLC(incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 10.1 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Current Report
on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on October 22, 2015)
|
10.16
|
|
First Amendment to
Amended and Restated Membership Interest Purchase Agreement by and
among Timothy M. Drury; Christian Disposal LLC; FWCD, LLC; Meridian
Waste Solutions, Inc.; Here to Serve Missouri Waste Division, LLC;
and Here to Serve Georgia Waste Division, LLC, dated December 4,
2015 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the
Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on December 9,
2015)
|
10.31
|
|
Form
of Securities Exchange Agreement (incorporated herein by reference
to Exhibit 10.1 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Current
Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on October 18,
2016)
|
|
|
|
10.32
|
|
Form
of Securities Exchange Agreement (incorporated herein by reference
to Exhibit 10.2 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Current
Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 1,
2016)
|
|
|
|
10.33
|
|
Form
of Securities Exchange Agreement (incorporated herein by reference
to Exhibit 10.3 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Current
Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 1,
2016)
|
10.17
|
|
Lease Agreement,
dated December 22, 2015, by and between 4551 Commerce Holdings LLC
and Christian Disposal, LLC (incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 10.3 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Current Report
on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on December 29, 2015)
|
|
|
|
10.18
|
|
Employment
Agreement, dated December 22, 2015, by and among Christian
Disposal, LLC, Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. and Patrick
McLaughlin (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the
Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K filed
with the SEC on December 29, 2015)
|
|
|
|
10.19
|
|
Asset Purchase
Agreement made and entered into as of November 13, 2015, by and
between Meridian Land Company, LLC and Eagle Ridge Landfill, LLC
(incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Current
Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on November 18,
2015)
|
|
|
|
10.20
|
|
First Amendment to
Asset Purchase Agreement by and among Meridian Land Company, LLC,
Eagle Ridge Landfill, LLC, Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc., and WCA
Waste Corporation, dated December 18, 2015 (incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to the Meridian Waste
Solutions, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on
December 29, 2015)
|
|
|
|
10.21
|
|
Membership Interest
Purchase Agreement, dated as of February 12, 2015 (incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Meridian Waste
Solutions, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on
March 2, 2015)
|
|
|
|
10.22
|
|
Form of Business
Loan and Security Agreement, dated February 17, 2015, as amended
(incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Meridian
Waste Solutions, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC
on March 2, 2015)
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10.23
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Form of Business
Loan and Security Agreement, dated February 19, 2015, as
amended (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to
the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K filed
with the SEC on March 2, 2015)
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10.24
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Pledge Agreement by
and among Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc., the pledgors party
thereto and Praesidian Capital Opportunity Fund III, LP, dated
August 6, 2015 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to
the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q
filed with the SEC on November 16, 2015)
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10.25
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Form of First
Amendment to Director Agreement dated April 13, 2016 (incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 10.27 to the Meridian Waste
Solutions, Inc. Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on
April 14, 2016)
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10.26
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Form of
Subscription Agreement (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit
10.1 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Current Report on Form
8-K filed with the SEC on March 29, 2016)
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10.27
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Form of
Subscription Agreement (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit
10.1 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Current Report on Form
8-K filed with the SEC on June 9, 2016)
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10.28
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Form of First
Amendment to Subscription Agreement (incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc.
Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on June 17,
2016)
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10.29
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Form of
Subscription Agreement (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit
10.3 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Current Report on Form
8-K filed with the SEC on June 17, 2016)
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10.30
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Form of Securities
Purchase Agreement (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit
10.1 to the Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Current Report on Form
8-K filed with the SEC on July 25, 2016)
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Consent of
D’Arelli Pruzansky, P.A
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24.1†
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Consent of Lucosky
Brookman LLP (reference is made to Exhibit 5.1)
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† To be filed
by amendment
*Filed herewith
(b)
Financial statement schedules.
All schedules have
been omitted because either they are not required, are not
applicable or the information is otherwise set forth in the
financial statements and related notes thereto.
Item
17. Undertakings
The undersigned
registrant hereby undertakes:
(1)
To file, during any
period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective
amendment to this registration statement:
(i)
To include any
prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of
1933;
(ii)
To reflect in the
prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of
the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective
amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the
registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase
or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar
value of securities offered would not exceed that which was
registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the
estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of
prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in
the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more
than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth
in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the
effective registration statement;
(iii)
To include any
material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material
change to such information in the registration
statement;
(2)
That for the
purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of
1933 each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein,
and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to
be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3)
To remove from
registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the
securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination
of the offering.
(4)
[Intentionally Omitted]
(5)
For the
purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933
to any purchaser, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as
part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other
than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than
prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be
part of and included in the registration statement as of the date
it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no
statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is
part of the registration statement or made in a document
incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the
registration statement or prospectus that is part of the
registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of
contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any
statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus
that was part of the registration statement or made in any such
document immediately prior to such date of first use.
(6)
That, for
the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the
Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution
of the securities: The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a
primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant
pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the
underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser,
if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of
any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant
will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer
or sell such securities to such purchaser:
(i)
Any preliminary
prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to
the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule
424;
(ii)
Any free writing
prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the
undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned
registrant;
(iii)
The portion of any
other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing
material information about the undersigned registrant or its
securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant;
and
(iv)
Any other
communication that is an offer in the offering made by the
undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
(6)
The undersigned
Registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriters at the
closing specified in the underwriting agreement certificates in
such denominations and registered in such names as required by the
underwriters to permit prompt delivery to each
purchaser.
(7)
Insofar as
indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of
the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise,
the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the
Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that
a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than
the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a
director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the
successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted
by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with
the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the
opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling
precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the
question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by
the final adjudication of such issue.
(i)
The undersigned
Registrant hereby undertakes that it will:
(1)
for determining any
liability under the Securities Act, treat the information omitted
from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration
statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of
prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or
(4), or 497(h) under the Securities Act as part of this
registration statement as of the time the SEC declared it
effective.
(ii)
for determining any
liability under the Securities Act, treat each post-effective
amendment that contains a form of prospectus as a new registration
statement for the securities offered in the registration statement,
and that offering of the securities at that time as the initial
bona fide offering of those securities.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the
requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant has duly
caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in the City of Milton,
State of Georgia, on
November 18,
201
6
.
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MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC.
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By:
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/s/
Jeffrey
Cosman
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Name: Jeffrey
Cosman
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Title: Chief
Executive Officer
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(Principal
Executive Officer)
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(Principal Financial Officer)
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(Principal
Accounting Officer)
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POWER OF ATTORNEY:
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS that each individual whose
signature appears below constitutes and appoints Jeffrey S. Cosman
, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents with full power
of substitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any
and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including
post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to
sign any registration statement for the same offering covered by
the Registration Statement that is to be effective upon filing
pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act, and
all post-effective amendments thereto, and to file the same, with
all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith,
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite
and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all
intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person,
hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and
agents or any of them, or his, her or their substitute or
substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done or by virtue
hereof.
Pursuant to the
requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration
Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated:
Signature
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Title
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Date
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/s/
Jeffrey
Cosman
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Chief Executive
Officer, Chairman
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November 18,
2016
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Jeffrey
Cosman
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/s/
Walter H. Hall,
Jr.
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President, Chief
Operating Officer, Director
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November 18,
2016
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Walter H. Hall,
Jr.
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/s/
Thomas
Cowee
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Director
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November 18,
2016
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Thomas
Cowee
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/s/
Jackson Davis,
Jr.
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Director
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November 18,
2016
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Jackson Davis,
Jr.
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/s/ Joseph
Ardagna
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Director
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November 18,
2016
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Joseph
Ardagna
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II-10
Exhibit
1.1
UNDERWRITING
AGREEMENT
between
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC.
and
JOSEPH
GUNNAR & CO., LLC
as
Representative of the Several Underwriters
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC.
New
York, New York
[●],
2016
Joseph
Gunnar & Co., LLC
As
Representative of the several Underwriters named on Schedule 1
attached hereto
30
Broad Street, 11th Fl
New
York, NY 10004
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
The
undersigned, Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc., a corporation formed
under the laws of the State of New York (collectively with its
subsidiaries and affiliates, including, without limitation, all
entities disclosed or described in the Registration Statement (as
hereinafter defined) as being subsidiaries or affiliates of
Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc., the “
Company
”), hereby confirms its
agreement (this “
Agreement
”) with Joseph Gunnar
& Co., LLC. (hereinafter referred to as “you”
(including its correlatives) or the “
Representative
”) and with the
other underwriters named on
Schedule 1
hereto for which the
Representative is acting as representative (the Representative and
such other underwriters being collectively called the
“
Underwriters
”
or, individually, an “
Underwriter
”) as
follows:
1.
Purchase and Sale of
Securities
.
1.1
Firm Securities
.
1.1.1.
Nature
and Purchase of Firm Securities
.
(i)
On the basis of the
representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the
terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue
and sell to the several Underwriters, an aggregate of [●]
shares (each, a “
Firm
Share
” and collectively, the “
Firm Shares
”) of the
Company’s common stock, par value $0.025 per share (the
“
Common Stock
”).
For every one Firm Share issued and sold by the Company, the
Company shall issue and sell to the several Underwriters one
warrant to purchase one share of Common Stock at an exercise price
of $[●] per share (125.0% of the public offering price per
Firm Share in the Offering) (each, a “
Warrant
” and collectively, the
“
Warrants
”), or
an aggregate of [●] Warrants to purchase an aggregate of
[●] shares of Common Stock (the “
Firm Warrants
” and together with
the Firm Shares, the “
Firm
Securities
”). The Firm Shares and the Firm Warrants
will be purchased separately and will be separately tradable
immediately upon issuance.
(ii)
The
Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase from the
Company the number of Firm Shares and Firm Warrants set forth
opposite their respective names on
Schedule 1
attached hereto and
made a part hereof at purchase prices of $[●] per Firm Share
(93% of the per Firm Share public offering price) and $[●]
per Firm Warrant (93% of the per Firm Warrant public offering
price). The Firm Securities are to be offered initially to the
public at the offering prices set forth on the cover page of the
Prospectus (as defined in Section 2.1.1 hereof).
1.1.2.
Firm
Securities Payment and Delivery
.
(i)
Delivery and
payment for the Firm Securities shall be made at 10:00 a.m.,
Eastern time, on the third (3
rd
) Business Day
following the effective date (the “
Effective Date
”) of the
Registration Statement (as defined in Section 2.1.1 below) (or the
fourth (4
th
) Business Day
following the Effective Date if the Registration Statement is
declared effective after 4:01 p.m., Eastern time) or at such
earlier time as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the
Company, at the offices of Greenberg Traurig, LLP, The MetLife
Building, 200 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10166 (“
Representative Counsel
”), or at
such other place (or remotely by facsimile or other electronic
transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the
Company. The hour and date of delivery and payment for the Firm
Securities is called the “
Closing Date
.”
(ii)
Payment
for the Firm Securities shall be made on the Closing Date by wire
transfer in Federal (same day) funds, payable to the order of the
Company upon delivery of the certificates (in form and substance
satisfactory to the Underwriters) representing the Firm Securities
(or through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company
(“
DTC
”)) for the
account of the Underwriters. The Firm Securities shall be
registered in such name or names and in such authorized
denominations as the Representative may request in writing at least
two (2) full Business Days prior to the Closing Date. The Company
shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Firm Securities
except upon tender of payment by the Representative for all of the
Firm Securities. The term “
Business Day
” means any day other
than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which
banking institutions are authorized or obligated by law to close in
New York, New York.
1.2
Over-allotment
Option
.
1.2.1.
Option
Securities
. The Company hereby grants to the Underwriters an
option (the “
Over-allotment
Option
”) to purchase up to an additional [●]
shares of Common Stock, representing up to fifteen percent (15%) of
the Firm Shares sold in the offering (the “
Option Shares
”), and/or [●]
Warrants to purchase an additional [●] shares of Common
Stock, representing up to 15% of the Firm Warrants sold in the
Offering (the “
Option
Warrants
”), in each case for the purpose of covering
over-allotments of such securities, if any. The Over-allotment
Option is, at the Underwriters’ sole discretion, for Option
Shares and Option Warrants together, solely Option Shares, solely
Option Warrants, or any combination thereof (each, an
“
Option
Security
” and collectively, the “
Option Securities
”). The Firm
Securities and the Option Securities are collectively referred to
as the “
Securities
.” The Securities, the
shares of Common Stock underlying the Firm Warrants, and the shares
of Common Stock underlying the Option Warrants are referred to
herein collectively as the “
Public Securities
.” The Firm
Securities shall be issued directly by the Company and shall have
the rights and privileges described in the Registration Statement,
the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus referred to
below. The Firm Warrants shall be issued pursuant to, and shall
have the rights and privileges set forth in, a warrant agreement,
dated on or before the Closing Date, between the Company and Issuer
Direct Corporation, as warrant agent (the “
Warrant Agreement
”). The offering
and sale of the Public Securities is herein referred to as the
“
Offering
.”
1.2.2.
Exercise
of Option
. The Over-allotment Option granted pursuant to
Section 1.2.1 hereof may be exercised by the Representative as to
all (at any time) or any part (from time to time) of the Option
Securities within 45 days after the Effective Date. The purchase
price to be paid per Option Share shall be equal to the price per
Firm Share set forth in Section 1.1.1(ii) hereof. The purchase
price to be paid per Option Warrant shall be equal to the price per
Firm Warrant set forth in Section 1.1.1(ii) hereof. The
Underwriters shall not be under any obligation to purchase any
Option Securities prior to the exercise of the Over-allotment
Option. The Over-allotment Option granted hereby may be exercised
by the giving of oral notice to the Company from the
Representative, which must be confirmed in writing by overnight
mail or facsimile or other electronic transmission setting forth
the number of Option Securities to be purchased and the date and
time for delivery of and payment for the Option Securities (the
“
Option Closing
Date
”), which shall not be later than two (2) full
Business Days after the date of the notice or such other time as
shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative, at the
offices of Representative Counsel or at such other place (including
remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmission) as shall be
agreed upon by the Company and the Representative. If such delivery
and payment for the Option Securities does not occur on the Closing
Date, the Option Closing Date will be as set forth in the notice.
Upon exercise of the Over-allotment Option with respect to all or
any portion of the Option Securities, subject to the terms and
conditions set forth herein, (i) the Company shall become obligated
to sell to the Underwriters the number of Option Securities
specified in such notice and (ii) each of the Underwriters, acting
severally and not jointly, shall purchase that portion of the total
number of Option Securities then being purchased that the number of
Firm Securities as set forth in
Schedule 1
opposite the name of
such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Securities,
subject, in each case, to such adjustments as the Representative,
in its sole discretion, shall determine.
1.2.3.
Payment
and Delivery
. Payment for the Option Securities shall be
made on the Option Closing Date by wire transfer in Federal (same
day) funds, payable to the order of the Company upon delivery of
the certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the
Underwriters) representing the Option Securities (or through the
facilities of DTC) for the account of the Underwriters. The Option
Securities shall be registered in such name or names and in such
authorized denominations as the Representative may request in
writing at least two (2) full Business Days prior to the Option
Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver
the Option Securities except upon tender of payment by the
Representative for applicable Option Securities. The Option Closing
Date may be simultaneous with, but not earlier than, the Closing
Date; and in the event that such time and date are simultaneous
with the Closing Date, the term “
Closing Date
” shall refer to the
time and date of delivery of the Firm Securities and Option
Securities.
2.
Representations and Warranties of the
Company
. The Company represents and warrants to the
Underwriters as of the Applicable Time (as defined below), as of
the Closing Date and as of the Option Closing Date, if any, as
follows:
2.1
Filing
of Registration Statement
.
2.1.1.
Pursuant
to the Securities Act
. The Company has filed with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission (the “
Commission
”) a registration
statement, and an amendment or amendments thereto, on Form S-1
(File No. 333-213579), including any related prospectus or
prospectuses, for the registration of the Public Securities under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “
Securities Act
”), which
registration statement and amendment or amendments have been
prepared by the Company in all material respects in conformity with
the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act (the
“
Securities Act
Regulations
”) and will contain all material statements
that are required to be stated therein in accordance with the
Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Except as the
context may otherwise require, such registration statement, as
amended, on file with the Commission at the time the registration
statement became effective (including the Preliminary Prospectus
included in the registration statement, financial statements,
schedules, exhibits and all other documents filed as a part thereof
or incorporated therein and all information deemed to be a part
thereof as of the Effective Date pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule
430A of the Securities Act Regulations (the “
Rule 430A Information
”)), is
referred to herein as the “
Registration Statement
.” If the
Company files any registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) of
the Securities Act Regulations, then after such filing, the term
“Registration Statement” shall include such
registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b). The
Registration Statement has been declared effective by the
Commission on the date hereof.
Each
prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement, and each prospectus that omitted the Rule 430A
Information that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the
execution and delivery of this Agreement, is herein called a
“
Preliminary
Prospectus
.” The Preliminary Prospectus, subject to
completion, dated [●], 2016, that was included in the
Registration Statement immediately prior to the Applicable Time is
hereinafter called the “
Pricing Prospectus
.” The final
prospectus in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use
in the Offering is hereinafter called the “
Prospectus
.” Any reference to the
“most recent Preliminary Prospectus” shall be deemed to
refer to the latest Preliminary Prospectus included in the
Registration Statement.
“
Applicable Time
” means [TIME]
[a.m./p.m.], Eastern time, on the date of this
Agreement.
“
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
”
means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined
in Rule 433 of the Securities Act Regulations (“
Rule 433
”), including without
limitation any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in
Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations) relating to the Public
Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the
Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a
written communication” within the meaning of Rule
433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the
Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of
the Public Securities or of the Offering that does not reflect the
final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed
with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form
retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule
433(g).
“
Issuer General Use Free Writing
Prospectus
” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors
(other than a “
bona
fide
electronic road show,” as defined in Rule 433),
as evidenced by its being specified in
Schedule 2-B
hereto.
“
Issuer Limited Use Free Writing
Prospectus
” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing
Prospectus.
“
Pricing Disclosure Package
” means
any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus issued at or prior
to the Applicable Time, the Pricing Prospectus and the information
included on
Schedule
2-A
hereto, all considered together.
2.1.2.
Pursuant
to the Exchange Act
. The Common Stock and the Warrants are
registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended (the “
Exchange Act
”). The Company has
taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of,
terminating the registration of the Common Stock or the Warrants
under the Exchange Act, nor has the Company received any
notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating
either such registration.
2.2
Stock Exchange Listing
. Each of
the Common Stock and the Warrants has been approved for listing on
The NASDAQ Capital Market (the “
Exchange
”), and the Company has
taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of,
delisting either the Common Stock or the Warrants from the
Exchange, nor has the Company received any notification that the
Exchange is contemplating terminating either such listing except as
described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus.
2.3
No Stop Orders, etc
. Neither
the Commission nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any state
regulatory authority has issued any order preventing or suspending
the use of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus
or the Prospectus or has instituted or, to the Company’s
knowledge, threatened to institute, any proceedings with respect to
such an order. The Company has complied with each request (if any)
from the Commission for additional information.
2.4
Disclosures in Registration
Statement
.
2.4.1.
Compliance
with Securities Act and 10b-5 Representation
.
(i)
Each of the
Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at
the time it became effective, complied in all material respects
with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act
Regulations. Each Preliminary Prospectus, including the prospectus
filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or
as part of any amendment or supplement thereto, and the Prospectus,
at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all
material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and
the Securities Act Regulations. Each Preliminary Prospectus
delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this
Offering
and
the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically
transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to
EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation
S-T.
(ii)
Neither
the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its
effective time, as of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Date or
at any Option Closing Date (if any), contained, contains or will
contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or
will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided,
however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to
statements made or statements omitted in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company with
respect to the Underwriters by the Representative expressly for use
in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the
Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto. The
parties acknowledge and agree that such information provided by or
on behalf of any Underwriter consists solely of the following
disclosure contained in the “Underwriting” section of
the Prospectus: (i) the table showing the number of securities to
be purchased by each Underwriter, (ii) the fourth full paragraph
under the caption “Underwriting”, and (iii) the section
titled “Discretionary Accounts” under the caption
“Underwriting” (the “
Underwriters’
Information
”).
(iii)
The
Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, at the
Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date (if any), did not, does
not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading; and each Issuer Limited Use Free
Writing Prospectus hereto does not conflict with the information
contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, and each such
Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and
taken together with the Pricing Prospectus as of the Applicable
Time, did not include an untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this
representation and warranty shall not apply to statements made or
statements omitted in reliance upon and in conformity with the
Underwriters’ Information; and
(iv)
Neither
the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including
any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date, at the time of any
filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing
Date or at any Option Closing Date, included, includes or will
include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or
will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this
representation and warranty shall not apply to
the Underwriters’ Information.
2.4.2.
Disclosure
of Agreements
. The agreements and documents described in the
Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus conform in all material respects to the descriptions
thereof contained therein and there are no agreements or other
documents required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act
Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement, the
Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or to be filed with
the Commission as exhibits to the Registration Statement, that have
not been so described or filed. Each agreement or other instrument
(however characterized or described) to which the Company is a
party or by which it is or may be bound or affected and
(i) that is referred to in the Registration Statement, the
Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or (ii) is
material to the Company’s business, has been duly authorized
and validly executed by the Company, is in full force and effect in
all material respects and is enforceable against the Company and,
to the Company’s knowledge, the other parties thereto, in
accordance with its terms, except (x) as such enforceability
may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar
laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (y) as
enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may
be limited under the federal and state securities laws, and
(z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and
other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable
defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any
proceeding therefor may be brought. None of such agreements or
instruments has been assigned by the Company, and neither the
Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party is
in default thereunder and, to the Company’s knowledge, no
event has occurred that, with the lapse of time or the giving of
notice, or both, would constitute a default thereunder. To the best
of the Company’s knowledge, performance by the Company of the
material provisions of such agreements or instruments will not
result in a violation of any existing applicable law, rule,
regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental agency or
court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or
any of its assets or businesses (each, a “
Governmental Entity
”), including,
without limitation, those relating to environmental laws and
regulations.
2.4.3.
Prior
Securities Transactions
. No securities of the Company have
been sold by the Company or by or on behalf of, or for the benefit
of, any person or persons controlling, controlled by or under
common control with the Company, except as disclosed in the
Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the
Preliminary Prospectus.
2.4.4.
Regulations
.
The disclosures in the Registration Statement, the Pricing
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus concerning the effects of
federal, state, local and all foreign regulation on the Offering
and the Company’s business as currently contemplated are
correct in all material respects and no other such regulations are
required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which are not so
disclosed.
2.4.5.
No
Other Distribution of Offering Materials.
The Company has
not, directly or indirectly, distributed and will not distribute
any offering material in connection with the Offering other than
any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and other materials, if
any, permitted under the Securities Act and consistent with Section
3.2 below.
2.5
Changes After Dates in Registration
Statement
.
2.5.1.
No
Material Adverse Change
. Since the respective dates as of
which information is given in the Registration Statement, the
Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as otherwise
specifically stated therein: (i) there has been no material
adverse change in the financial position or results of operations
of the Company, nor any change or development that, singularly or
in the aggregate, would involve a material adverse change or a
prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the condition
(financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, assets
or prospects of the Company (a “
Material Adverse Change
”);
(ii) there have been no material transactions entered into by
the Company, other than as contemplated pursuant to this Agreement;
and (iii) no officer or director of the Company has resigned
from any position with the Company.
2.5.2.
Recent
Securities Transactions, etc
. Subsequent to the respective
dates as of which information is given in the Registration
Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and
except as may otherwise be indicated or contemplated herein or
disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not: (i) issued
any securities or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or
contingent, for borrowed money; or (ii) declared or paid any
dividend or made any other distribution on or in respect to its
capital stock.
2.6
Independent Accountants
. To the
knowledge of the Company, D’Arelli Pruzansky, P.A., Certified
Public Accountants (the “
Auditor
”), whose report is filed
with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement, the
Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is an independent
registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act
and the Securities Act Regulations and the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board. The Auditor has not, during the periods
covered by the financial statements included in the Registration
Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus,
provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is
used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act.
2.7
Disclosures in Commission
Filings
. Since January 1, 2011, to the Company’s
knowledge, (i) none of the Company’s filings with the
Commission contained any untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading; and (ii) the Company has made all
filings with the Commission required under the Exchange Act and the
rules and regulations promulgated of the Commission promulgated
thereunder (the “
Exchange Act
Regulations
”). Since October 22, 2014, (i) none of the
Company’s filings with the Commission contained any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and
(ii) the Company has made all filings with the Commission required
under the Exchange Act Regulations.
2.8
Financial Statements, etc
. The
financial statements, including the notes thereto and supporting
schedules included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, fairly present the financial
position and the results of operations of the Company at the dates
and for the periods to which they apply; and such financial
statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally
accepted accounting principles (“
GAAP
”), consistently applied
throughout the periods involved (provided that unaudited interim
financial statements are subject to year-end audit adjustments that
are not expected to be material in the aggregate and do not contain
all footnotes required by GAAP); and the supporting schedules
included in the Registration Statement present fairly the
information required to be stated therein. Except as included
therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements are
required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing
Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the Securities Act or
the Securities Act Regulations. The pro forma and pro forma as
adjusted financial information and the related notes, if any,
included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus have been properly compiled and prepared
in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities
Act and the Securities Act Regulations and present fairly the
information shown therein, and the assumptions used in the
preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein
are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and
circumstances referred to therein. All disclosures contained in the
Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the
Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as
such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the
Commission), if any, comply with Regulation G of the Exchange Act
and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, to the extent
applicable. Each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus discloses all material
off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations
(including contingent obligations), and other relationships of the
Company with unconsolidated entities or other persons that may have
a material current or future effect on the Company’s
financial condition, changes in financial condition, results of
operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources, or
significant components of revenues or expenses.
Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement,
the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (a) neither the
Company nor any of its direct and indirect subsidiaries, including
each entity disclosed or described in the Registration Statement,
the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as being a
subsidiary of the Company (each, a “
Subsidiary
” and, collectively, the
“
Subsidiaries
”), has incurred any material liabilities or
obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material
transactions other than in the ordinary course of business, (b) the
Company has not declared or paid any dividends or made any
distribution of any kind with respect to its capital stock, (c)
there has not been any change in the capital stock of the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries
, or,
other than in the course of business, any grants under any stock
compensation pla
n, and (d) there has
not been any material adverse change in the Company’s
long-term or short-term debt.
2.9
Authorized Capital; Options,
etc
. The Company had, at the date or dates indicated in the
Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, the duly authorized, issued and outstanding
capitalization as set forth therein. Based on the assumptions
stated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus, the Company will have on the Closing
Date the adjusted stock capitalization set forth therein. Except as
set forth in, or contemplated by, the Registration Statement, the
Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, on the Effective
Date, as of the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date and any
Option Closing Date, there will be no stock options, warrants, or
other rights to purchase or otherwise acquire any authorized, but
unissued shares of Common Stock of the Company or any security
convertible or exercisable into shares of Common Stock of the
Company, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell shares of
Common Stock or any such options, warrants, rights or convertible
securities.
2.10
Valid
Issuance of Securities, etc.
2.10.1.
Outstanding
Securities
. All issued and outstanding securities of the
Company issued prior to the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement have been duly authorized and validly issued and are
fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof have no rights
of rescission with respect thereto, and are not subject to personal
liability by reason of being such holders; and none of such
securities were issued in violation of the preemptive rights of any
holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual
rights granted by the Company. The authorized shares of Common
Stock conform in all material respects to all statements relating
thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The offers and sales of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock were at all relevant times
either registered under the Securities Act and the applicable state
securities or “blue sky” laws or, based in part on the
representations and warranties of the purchasers of such shares,
exempt from such registration requirements.
The description of the Company’s stock
option, stock bonus and other stock plans or arrangements, and the
options or other rights granted thereunder, as described in the
Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, accurately and fairly present, in all material
respects, the information required to be shown with respect to such
plans, arrangements, options and rights.
2.10.2.
Securities
Sold Pursuant to this Agreement
. The Firm Shares and Option
Shares have been duly authorized for issuance and sale and, when
issued and paid for, will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable; the holders thereof are not and will not be subject
to personal liability by reason of being such holders; the
Securities are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights
of any holders of any security of the Company or similar
contractual rights granted by the Company; and all corporate action
required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of
the Firm Shares and the Option Shares has been duly and validly
taken. The Public Securities conform in all material respects to
all statements with respect thereto contained in the Registration
Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. All
corporate action required to be taken for the authorization,
issuance and sale of the Warrants has been duly and validly taken;
the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants
have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance by all
necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and when paid
for and issued in accordance with the Warrants and the Warrant
Agreement, the underlying shares of Common Stock will be validly
issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof are not
and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being
such holders; and such shares of Common Stock are not and will not
be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any security
of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the
Company.
2.11
Registration
Rights of Third Parties
. Except as set forth in the
Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, no holders of any securities of the Company or any
rights exercisable for or convertible or exchangeable into
securities of the Company have the right to require the Company to
register any such securities of the Company under the Securities
Act or to include any such securities in a registration statement
to be filed by the Company.
2.12
Validity
and Binding Effect of Agreements
. This Agreement, the
Warrant Agreement and the Warrants have been duly and validly
authorized by the Company, and the Warrant Agreement and the
Warrants, when executed and delivered, will constitute, the valid
and binding agreements of the Company, enforceable against the
Company in accordance with their respective terms, except:
(i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting
creditors’ rights generally; (ii) as enforceability of
any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under
the federal and state securities laws; and (iii) that the
remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of
equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to
the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor
may be brought.
2.13
No
Conflicts, etc
. The execution, delivery and performance by
the Company of this Agreement and the Warrant Agreement and all
ancillary documents, the consummation by the Company of the
transactions herein and therein contemplated and the compliance by
the Company with the terms hereof and thereof do not and will not,
with or without the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both:
(i) result in a material breach of, or conflict with any of
the terms and provisions of, or constitute a material default
under, or result in the creation, modification, termination or
imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or
assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of any agreement or
instrument to which the Company is a party; (ii) result in any
violation of the provisions of the Company’s Certificate of
Incorporation (as the same may be amended or restated from time to
time, the “
Charter
”) or the by-laws of the
Company; or (iii) violate any existing applicable law, rule,
regulation, judgment, order or decree of any Governmental Entity as
of the date hereof.
2.14
No
Defaults; Violations
. No material default exists in the due
performance and observance of any term, covenant or condition of
any material license, contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust,
note, loan or credit agreement, or any other agreement or
instrument evidencing an obligation for borrowed money, or any
other material agreement or instrument to which the Company is a
party or by which the Company may be bound or to which any of the
properties or assets of the Company is subject. The Company is not
in violation of any term or provision of its Charter or by-laws, or
in violation of any franchise, license, permit, applicable law,
rule, regulation, judgment or decree of any Governmental
Entity.
2.15
Corporate
Power; Licenses; Consents
.
2.15.1.
Conduct
of Business
. Except as described in the Registration
Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the
Company has all requisite corporate power and authority, and has
all necessary authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses,
certificates and permits of and from all governmental regulatory
officials and bodies that it needs as of the date hereof to conduct
its business purpose in all material respects as described in the
Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus.
2.15.2.
Transactions
Contemplated Herein
. The Company has all corporate power and
authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out the
provisions and conditions hereof, and all consents, authorizations,
approvals and orders required in connection therewith have been
obtained. No consent, authorization or order of, and no filing
with, any court, government agency or other body is required for
the valid issuance, sale and delivery of the Public Securities and
the consummation of the transactions and agreements contemplated by
this Agreement and the Warrant Agreement and as contemplated by the
Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, except with respect to applicable federal and state
securities laws and the rules and regulations of the Financial
Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“
FINRA
”).
2.16
D&O
Questionnaires
. To the Company’s knowledge, all
information contained in the questionnaires (the
“
Questionnaires
”)
completed by each of the Company’s directors and officers
immediately prior to the Offering (the “
Insiders
”) as supplemented by all
information concerning the Company’s directors, officers and
principal shareholders as described in the Registration Statement,
the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as well as in
the Lock-Up Agreement (as defined in Section 2.25 below), provided
to the Underwriters, is true and correct in all material respects
and the Company has not become aware of any information which would
cause the information disclosed in the Questionnaires to become
materially inaccurate and incorrect.
2.17
Litigation;
Governmental Proceedings
. There is no action, suit,
proceeding, inquiry, arbitration, investigation, litigation or
governmental proceeding pending or, to the Company’s
knowledge, threatened against, or involving the Company or, to the
Company’s knowledge, any executive officer or director which
has not been disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which is required to be
disclosed.
2.18
Good
Standing
. The Company has been duly organized and is validly
existing as a corporation and is in good standing under the laws of
the State of New York as of the date hereof, and is duly qualified
to do business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction
in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of
business requires such qualification, except where the failure to
qualify, singularly or in the aggregate, would not have or
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Change.
2.19
Insurance
.
The Company carries or is entitled to the benefits of insurance,
with reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks
which the Company believes are adequate, including, but not limited
to, directors and officers insurance coverage at least equal to
$5,000,000 and the Company has included each Underwriter as an
additional insured party to the directors and officers insurance
coverage and all such insurance is in full force and effect. The
Company has no reason to believe that it will not be able (i) to
renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies
expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar
institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its
business as now conducted and at a cost that would not result in a
Material Adverse Change.
2.20
Transactions
Affecting Disclosure to FINRA
.
2.20.1.
Finder’s
Fees
. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the
Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no claims,
payments, arrangements, agreements or understandings relating to
the payment of a finder’s, consulting or origination fee by
the Company or any Insider with respect to the sale of the Public
Securities hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or
understandings of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge,
any of its shareholders that may affect the Underwriters’
compensation, as determined by FINRA.
2.20.2.
Payments
Within Twelve (12) Months
. Except as described in the
Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the
Prospectus or the Company’s periodic reports on Forms 8-K
filed with the Securities and Exchange Comission on March 29,
2016, April 12, 2016, January 12, 2016, June 9, 2016, June 17,
2016, July 25, 2016 and September 1, 2016, the Company has
not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or
otherwise) to: (i) any person, as a finder’s fee,
consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person
raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company
persons who raised or provided capital to the Company; (ii) any
FINRA member; or (iii) any person or entity that has any
direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA
member, within the twelve (12) months prior to the Effective Date,
other than the payment to the Underwriters as provided hereunder in
connection with the Offering.
2.20.3.
Use
of Proceeds
. None of the net proceeds of the Offering will
be paid by the Company to any participating FINRA member or its
affiliates, except as specifically authorized herein.
2.20.4.
FINRA
Affiliation
. There is no (i) officer or director of the
Company, (ii) beneficial owner of 5% or more of any class of the
Company's securities or (iii) beneficial owner of the Company's
unregistered equity securities which were acquired during the
180-day period immediately preceding the filing of the Registration
Statement that is an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA
member participating in the Offering (as determined in accordance
with the rules and regulations of FINRA).
2.20.5.
Information
.
All information provided by the Company in its FINRA questionnaire
to Representative Counsel specifically for use by Representative
Counsel in connection with its Public Offering System filings (and
related disclosure) with FINRA is true, correct and complete in all
material respects.
2.21
Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act
. None of the Company and its
Subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any director,
officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company and its
Subsidiaries or any other person acting on behalf of the Company
and its Subsidiaries, has, directly or indirectly, given or agreed
to give any money, gift or similar benefit (other than legal price
concessions to customers in the ordinary course of business) to any
customer, supplier, employee or agent of a customer or supplier, or
official or employee of any governmental agency or instrumentality
of any government (domestic or foreign) or any political party or
candidate for office (domestic or foreign) or other person who was,
is, or may be in a position to help or hinder the business of the
Company (or assist it in connection with any actual or proposed
transaction) that (i) might subject the Company to any damage
or penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental litigation or
proceeding, (ii) if not given in the past, might have had a
Material Adverse Change or (iii) if not continued in the
future, might adversely affect the assets, business, operations or
prospects of the Company. The Company has taken reasonable steps to
ensure that its accounting controls and procedures are sufficient
to cause the Company to comply in all material respects with the
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.
2.22
Compliance
with OFAC
. None of the Company and its Subsidiaries or, to
the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent,
employee or affiliate of the Company and its Subsidiaries or any
other person acting on behalf of the Company and its Subsidiaries,
is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the
Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the
Treasury (“
OFAC
”), and the Company will not,
directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the Offering hereunder,
or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to
any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity,
for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently
subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
2.23
Money
Laundering Laws
. The operations of the Company and its
Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance
with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements
of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as
amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the
rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules,
regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any
Governmental Entity (collectively, the “
Money Laundering Laws
”); and no
action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity
involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is
pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company,
threatened.
2.24
Officers’
Certificate
. Any certificate signed by any duly authorized
officer of the Company and delivered to you or to Representative
Counsel shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the
Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered
thereby.
2.25
Lock-Up
Agreements.
Schedule 3
hereto contains a
complete and accurate list of the Company’s officers,
directors, each owner of at least 5% of the Company’s
outstanding shares of Common Stock (or securities convertible or
exercisable into shares of Common Stock) and such other parties as
mutually agreed upon by the Company and the Representative
(collectively, the “
Lock-Up
Parties
”). The Company has caused each of the Lock-Up
Parties to deliver to the Representative an executed Lock-Up
Agreement, in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit A
(the
“
Lock-Up
Agreement
”), prior to the execution of this
Agreement.
2.26
Subsidiaries
.
All direct and indirect Subsidiaries of the Company are duly
organized and in good standing under the laws of the place of
organization or incorporation, and each Subsidiary is in good
standing in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of
property or the conduct of business requires such qualification,
except where the failure to qualify would not have a material
adverse effect on the assets, business or operations of the Company
taken as a whole. The Company’s ownership and control of each
Subsidiary is as described in the Registration Statement, the
Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
2.27
Related
Party Transactions
.
2.27.1
Business Relationships
. There
are no business relationships or related party transactions
involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any other
person required to be described in the Registration Statement, the
Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that have not been
described as required.
2.27.2
No Relationships with Customers and
Suppliers
. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists
between or among the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on the one
hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or
suppliers of the Company, its Subsidiaries or any of the
Company’s affiliates, on the other hand, which is required to
be described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus
or a document incorporated by reference therein and which is not so
described.
2.27.3
No Unconsolidated Entities
.
There are no transactions, arrangements or other relationships
between and/or among the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or
affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities
Act) and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to,
any structured finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity
that could reasonably be expected to materially affect the
Company’s liquidity or the availability of or requirements
for its capital resources required to be described in the Pricing
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or a document incorporated by
reference therein which have not been described as
required.
2.27.4
No Loans or Advances to
Affiliates
. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except
normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of
business) or guarantees or indebtedness by the Company to or for
the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company or
any of their respective family members, except as disclosed in the
Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus.
2.28
Board
of Directors
. The Board of Directors of the Company is
comprised of the persons set forth under the heading of the Pricing
Prospectus and the Prospectus captioned “Management.”
The qualifications of the persons serving as board members and the
overall composition of the board comply with the Exchange
Act,
the
Exchange Act Regulations, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the
rules promulgated thereunder (the “
Sarbanes-Oxley Act
”) applicable to
the Company and the listing rules of the Exchange. At least one
member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the
Company qualifies as an “audit committee financial
expert,” as such term is defined under Regulation S-K and the
listing rules of the Exchange. In addition, at least a majority of
the persons serving on the Board of Directors qualify as
“independent,” as defined under the listing rules of
the Exchange.
2.29
Sarbanes-Oxley
Compliance
.
2.29.1.
Disclosure
Controls
. The Company has developed and currently maintains
disclosure controls and procedures that will comply with Rule
13a-15 or 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations, and such
controls and procedures are effective to ensure that all material
information concerning the Company will be made known on a timely
basis to the individuals responsible for the preparation of the
Company’s Exchange Act filings and other public disclosure
documents.
2.29.2.
Compliance
.
The Company is, or at the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date
will be, in material compliance with the provisions of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act applicable to it, and has implemented or will
implement such programs and taken reasonable steps to ensure the
Company’s future compliance (not later than the relevant
statutory and regulatory deadlines therefor) with all of the
material provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
2.30
Accounting
Controls
. The Company and its Subsidiaries maintain systems
of “internal control over financial reporting” (as
defined under Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act
Regulations) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act
and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their
respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or
persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable
assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the
preparation of financial statements for external purposes in
accordance with GAAP, including, but not limited to, internal
accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that
(i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s
general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded
as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in
conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii)
access to assets is permitted only in accordance with
management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the
recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing
assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with
respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the Registration
Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the
Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal
controls. The Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of
the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all
significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or
operation of internal controls over financial reporting which are
known to the Company’s management and that have adversely
affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the
Company’ ability to record, process, summarize and report
financial information; and (ii) any fraud known to the
Company’s management, whether or not material, that involves
management or other employees who have a significant role in the
Company’s internal controls over financial
reporting.
2.31
No
Investment Company Status
. The Company is not and, after
giving effect to the Offering and the application of the proceeds
thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be, required to
register as an “investment company,” as defined in the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
2.32
No
Labor Disputes
. No labor
dispute
with the employees of the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the
Company, is imminent. The Company is not aware that any key
employee or significant group of employees of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries plans to terminate employment with the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries.
2.33
Intellectual
Property Rights
. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries
owns or possesses or has valid rights to use all patents, patent
applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark
registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses,
inventions, trade secrets and similar rights (“
Intellectual Property Rights
”)
necessary for the conduct of the business of the Company and its
Subsidiaries as currently carried on and as described in the
Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus. To the knowledge of the Company, no action or use by
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries necessary for the conduct of
its business as currently carried on and as described in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus will involve or give rise
to any infringement of, or license or similar fees for, any
Intellectual Property Rights of others. Neither the Company nor any
of its Subsidiaries has received any notice alleging any such
infringement, fee or conflict with asserted Intellectual Property
Rights of others. Except as would not reasonably be expected to
result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse
Change (A) to the knowledge of the Company, there is no
infringement, misappropriation or violation by third parties of any
of the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company; (B) there
is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened
action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the rights
of the Company in or to any such Intellectual Property Rights, and
the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable
basis for any such claim, that would, individually or in the
aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.33,
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (C)
the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company and, to the
knowledge of the Company, the Intellectual Property Rights licensed
to the Company have not been adjudged by a court of competent
jurisdiction invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, and
there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge,
threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging
the validity or scope of any such Intellectual Property Rights, and
the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable
basis for any such claim that would, individually or in the
aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.33,
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (D)
there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge,
threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the
Company infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates any
Intellectual Property Rights or other proprietary rights of others,
the Company has not received any written notice of such claim and
the Company is unaware of any other facts which would form a
reasonable basis for any such claim that would, individually or in
the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.33,
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; and
(E) to the Company’s knowledge, no employee of the Company is
in or has ever been in violation in any material respect of any
term of any employment contract, patent disclosure agreement,
invention assignment agreement, non-competition agreement,
non-solicitation agreement, nondisclosure agreement or any
restrictive covenant to or with a former employer where the basis
of such violation relates to such employee’s employment with
the Company, or actions undertaken by the employee while employed
with the Company and could reasonably be expected to result,
individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change. To
the Company’s knowledge, all material technical information
developed by and belonging to the Company which has not been
patented has been kept confidential. The Company is not a party to
or bound by any options, licenses or agreements with respect to the
Intellectual Property Rights of any other person or entity that are
required to be set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and are not described
therein. The Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus contain in all material respects the same
description of the matters set forth in the preceding sentence.
None of the technology employed by the Company has been obtained or
is being used by the Company in violation of any contractual
obligation binding on the Company or, to the Company’s
knowledge, any of its officers, directors or employees, or
otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons.
2.34
Taxes
.
Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has filed all returns (as
hereinafter defined) required to be filed with taxing authorities
prior to the date hereof or has duly obtained extensions of time
for the filing thereof. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries
has paid all taxes (as hereinafter defined) shown as due on such
returns that were filed and has paid all taxes imposed on or
assessed against the Company or such respective Subsidiary. The
provisions for taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial
statements filed with or as part of the Registration Statement are
sufficient for all accrued and unpaid taxes, whether or not
disputed, and for all periods to and including the dates of such
consolidated financial statements. Except as disclosed in writing
to the Underwriters, (i) no issues have been raised (and are
currently pending) by any taxing authority in connection with any
of the returns or taxes asserted as due from the Company or its
Subsidiaries, and (ii) no waivers of statutes of limitation with
respect to the returns or collection of taxes have been given by or
requested from the Company or its Subsidiaries. There are no tax
liens against the assets, properties or business of the Company.
The term “taxes” means all federal, state, local,
foreign and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales,
use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease,
service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise,
severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits,
customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments or charges of any
kind whatever, together with any interest and any penalties,
additions to tax or additional amounts with respect thereto. The
term “returns” means all returns, declarations,
reports, statements and other documents required to be filed in
respect to taxes.
2.35
ERISA
Compliance
. The Company and any “employee benefit
plan” (as defined under the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published
interpretations thereunder (collectively, “
ERISA
”)) established or maintained
by the Company or its “ERISA Affiliates” (as defined
below) are in compliance in all material respects with ERISA.
“
ERISA
Affiliate
” means, with respect to the Company, any
member of any group of organizations described in Sections
414(b),(c),(m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended, and the regulations and published interpretations
thereunder (the “
Code
”) of which the Company is a
member. No “reportable event” (as defined under ERISA)
has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any
“employee benefit plan” established or maintained by
the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates. No “employee
benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company or any
of its ERISA Affiliates, if such “employee benefit
plan” were terminated, would have any “amount of
unfunded benefit liabilities” (as defined under ERISA).
Neither the Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has incurred or
reasonably expects to incur any material liability under (i) Title
IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any
“employee benefit plan” or (ii) Sections 412, 4971,
4975 or 4980B of the Code. Each “employee benefit plan”
established or maintained by the Company or any of its ERISA
Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of
the Code is so qualified and, to the knowledge of the Company,
nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, which
would cause the loss of such qualification.
2.36
Compliance
with Laws
. The Company: (A) is and at all times has been in
compliance with all statutes, rules, or regulations applicable to
the ownership, testing, development, manufacture, packaging,
processing, use, distribution, marketing, labeling, promotion,
sale, offer for sale, storage, import, export or disposal of any
product manufactured or distributed by the Company
(“
Applicable
Laws
”), except as could not, individually or in the
aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Change; (B) has not received any
warning
letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or notice from any
governmental authority alleging or asserting noncompliance with any
Applicable Laws or any licenses, certificates, approvals,
clearances, authorizations, permits and supplements or amendments
thereto required by any such Applicable Laws (“
Authorizations
”);(C) possesses all
material Authorizations and such Authorizations are valid and in
full force and effect and are not in material violation of any term
of any such Authorizations; (D) has not received notice of any
claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement,
investigation, arbitration or other action from any governmental
authority or third party alleging that any product operation or
activity is in violation of any Applicable Laws or Authorizations
and has no knowledge that any such governmental authority or third
party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration,
action, suit, investigation or proceeding; (E) has not received
notice that any governmental authority has taken, is taking or
intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any
Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such governmental
authority is considering such action; and (F) has filed, obtained,
maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms,
notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements
or amendments as required by any Applicable Laws or Authorizations
and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications,
records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were
complete and correct on the date filed (or were corrected or
supplemented by a subsequent submission).
2.37
Reserved
.
2.38
Environmental
Laws
. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance
with all foreign, federal, state and local rules, laws and
regulations relating to the use, treatment, storage and disposal of
hazardous or toxic substances or waste and protection of health and
safety or the environment which are applicable to their businesses
(“
Environmental
Laws
”), except where the failure to comply would not,
singularly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse
Change. There has been no storage, generation,
transportation, handling, treatment, disposal, discharge, emission,
or other release of any kind of toxic or other wastes or other
hazardous substances by, due to, or caused by the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries (or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other
entity for whose acts or omissions the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is or may otherwise be liable) upon any of the
property now or previously owned or leased by the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries, or upon any other property, in violation of any
law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree
or permit or which would, under any law, statute, ordinance, rule
(including rule of common law), regulation, order, judgment, decree
or permit, give rise to any liability, except for any violation or
liability which would not have, singularly or in the aggregate with
all such violations and liabilities, a Material Adverse Change; and
there has been no disposal, discharge, emission or other release of
any kind onto such property or into the environment surrounding
such property of any toxic or other wastes or other hazardous
substances with respect to which the Company has knowledge, except
for any such disposal, discharge, emission, or other release of any
kind which would not have, singularly or in the aggregate with all
such discharges and other releases, a Material Adverse Change.
In the ordinary course of business, the Company and its
Subsidiaries conduct periodic reviews of the effect of
Environmental Laws on their business and assets, in the course of
which they identify and evaluate associated costs and liabilities
(including, without limitation, any capital or operating
expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or
compliance with Environmental Laws or governmental permits issued
thereunder, any related constraints on operating activities and any
potential liabilities to third parties). On the basis of such
reviews, the Company and its Subsidiaries have reasonably concluded
that such associated costs and liabilities would not have,
singularly or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse
Change.
2.39
Real
Property
. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement,
the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and
each of its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee
simple to, or have valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all
items of real or personal property which are material to the
business of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, in
each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security
interests, claims and defects that do not, singly or in the
aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not
interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such
property by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; and all of the
leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and
its Subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries holds properties described in
the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company
nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of any material claim of
any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of
the Company or any Subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases
mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the
Company or such Subsidiary to the continued possession of the
leased or subleased premises under any such lease or
sublease.
2.40
Contracts
Affecting Capital
. There are no transactions, arrangements
or other relationships between and/or among the Company, any of its
affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities
Act Regulations) and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not
limited to, any structured finance, special purpose or limited
purpose entity that could reasonably be expected to materially
affect the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’
liquidity or the availability of or requirements for their capital
resources required to be described or incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus which have not been described or incorporated by
reference as required.
2.41
Loans
to Directors or Officers
. There are no outstanding loans,
advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the
ordinary course of business) or guarantees or indebtedness by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries to or for the benefit of any of
the officers or directors of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries
or any of their respective family members, except as disclosed in
the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus.
2.42
Smaller
Reporting Company
. As of the time of filing of the
Registration Statement, the Company was a “smaller reporting
company,” as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act
Regulations.
2.43
Industry
Data
. The statistical and market-related data included
in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources
that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable
and accurate or represent the Company’s good faith estimates
that are made on the basis of data derived from such
sources.
2.44
Reverse
Stock Split
. The Company has taken all necessary corporate
action to effectuate a reverse stock split of its shares of Common
Stock on the basis of one (1) such share for each twenty (20)
issued and outstanding shares thereof (the “
Reverse Stock Split
”), which
Reverse Stock Split became effective on November 3,
2016.
2.45
Margin
Securities
. The Company owns no “margin
securities” as that term is defined in Regulation U of the
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the
“
Federal Reserve
Board
”), and none of the proceeds of Offering will be
used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of purchasing or
carrying any margin security, for the purpose of reducing or
retiring any indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase
or carry any margin security or for any other purpose which might
cause any of the shares of Common Stock to be considered a
“purpose credit” within the meanings of Regulation T, U
or X of the Federal Reserve Board.
2.46
Forward-Looking
Statements
. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning
of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the
Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing
Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed
without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good
faith.
2.47
Integration
.
Neither the Company, nor any of its affiliates, nor any person
acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any
offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any
security, under circumstances that would cause the Offering to be
integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of the
Securities Act that would require the registration of any such
securities under the Securities Act.
2.48
Confidentiality
and Non-Competitions
. To the Company’s knowledge, no
director, officer, key employee or consultant of the Company is
subject to any confidentiality, non-disclosure, non-competition
agreement or non-solicitation agreement with any employer or prior
employer that could reasonably be expected to materially affect his
ability to be and act in his respective capacity of the Company or
be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.49
Minute
Books
. The minute books of the Company have been made
available to the Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters, and
such books (i) contain a complete summary of all meetings and
actions of the board of directors (including each board committee)
and stockholders of the Company (or analogous governing bodies and
interest holders, as applicable), and each of its Subsidiaries
since the time of its respective incorporation or organization
through the date of the latest meeting and action, and (ii)
accurately in all material respects reflect all transactions
referred to in such minutes. There are no material transactions,
agreements, dispositions or other actions of the Company that are
not properly approved and/or accurately and fairly recorded in the
minute books of the Company, as applicable.
2.50
Stabilization
.
Neither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees,
directors or stockholders (without the consent of the
Representative) has taken, directly or indirectly, any action
designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be
expected to cause or result in, under Regulation M of the Exchange
Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of
any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Public Securities.
3.
Covenants of the Company
. The
Company covenants and agrees as follows:
3.1
Amendments to Registration
Statement
. The Company shall deliver to the Representative,
prior to filing, any amendment or supplement to the Registration
Statement or Prospectus proposed to be filed after the Effective
Date and not file any such amendment or supplement to which the
Representative shall reasonably object in writing.
3.2
Federal Securities
Laws
.
3.2.1.
Compliance
.
The Company, subject to Section 3.2.2, shall comply with the
requirements of Rule 430A of the Securities Act Regulations, and
will notify the Representative promptly, and confirm the notice in
writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the
Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or
supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed; (ii) of
the receipt of any comments from the Commission; (iii) of any
request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration
Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for
additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission
of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order
preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or
the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the
Public Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of
the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such
purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or
8(e) of the Securities Act concerning the Registration Statement
and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding
under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the
Offering of the Public Securities. The Company shall effect all
filings required under Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act
Regulations, in the manner and within the time period required by
Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and shall take
such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the
form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was
received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was
not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company shall use
its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order,
prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to
obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible
moment.
3.2.2.
Continued
Compliance
. The Company shall comply with the Securities
Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act and the
Exchange Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the
distribution of the Public Securities as contemplated in this
Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus
relating to the Public Securities is (or, but for the exception
afforded by Rule 172 of the Securities Act Regulations
(“
Rule 172
”),
would be) required by the Securities Act to be delivered in
connection with sales of the Public Securities, any event shall
occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is
necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for
the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order
that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading; (ii) amend or supplement the Pricing
Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the Pricing
Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not
include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not
misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time
it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration
Statement or amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or
the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the
requirements of the Securities Act or the Securities Act
Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the
Representative notice of such event; (B) prepare any amendment
or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or
omission or to make the Registration Statement, the Pricing
Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements
and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or
use, furnish the Representative with copies of any such amendment
or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such
amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file
or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative
or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object. The
Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of
such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably
request. The Company has given the Representative notice of any
filings made pursuant to the Exchange Act or the Exchange Act
Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time. The
Company shall give the Representative notice of its intention to
make any such filing from the Applicable Time until the later of
the Closing Date and the exercise in full or expiration of the
Over-allotment Option specified in Section 1.2 hereof and will
furnish the Representative with copies of the related document(s) a
reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the
case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which
the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably
object.
3.2.3.
Exchange
Act Registration
. For a period of three (3) years after the
date of this Agreement, the Company shall use its best efforts to
maintain the registration of each of the Common Stock and the
Warrants under the Exchange Act. The Company shall not deregister
any of the Common Stock or the Warrants under the Exchange Act
without the prior written consent of the
Representative.
3.2.4.
Free
Writing Prospectuses
. The Company agrees that, unless it
obtains the prior written consent of the Representative, it shall
not make any offer relating to the Public Securities that would
constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would
otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a
portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the
Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that
the Representative shall be deemed to have consented to each Issuer
General Use Free Writing Prospectus hereto and any “road show
that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule
433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Representative. The
Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat
each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented
to, by the Underwriters as an “issuer free writing
prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied
and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with
respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where
required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following
issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or
occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the
information contained in the Registration Statement or included or
would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or
would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at
that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly
notify the Underwriters and will promptly amend or supplement, at
its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate
or correct such conflict, untrue statement or
omission.
3.3
Delivery to the Underwriters of
Registration Statements
. The Company has delivered or made
available or shall deliver or make available to the Representative
and counsel for the Representative, without charge, signed copies
of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each
amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith) and signed
copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also
deliver to the Underwriters, without charge, a conformed copy of
the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment
thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies
of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished
to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically
transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to
EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation
S-T.
3.4
Delivery to the Underwriters of
Prospectuses
. The Company has delivered or made available or
will deliver or make available to each Underwriter, without charge,
as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus as such Underwriter
reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of
such copies for purposes permitted by the Securities Act. The
Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during
the period when a prospectus relating to the Public Securities is
(or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required
to be delivered under the Securities Act, such number of copies of
the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may
reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or
supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical
to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the
Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by
Regulation S-T.
3.5
Effectiveness and Events Requiring
Notice to the Representative
. The Company shall use its best
efforts to cause the Registration Statement to remain effective
with a current prospectus for at least nine (9) months after the
Applicable Time and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts
to cause the Registration Statement to remain effective until such
time as all of the Warrants have been exercised or terminated, and
shall notify the Representative immediately and confirm the notice
in writing: (i) of the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement and any amendment thereto; (ii) of the issuance by
the Commission of any stop order or of the initiation, or the
threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iii) of the
issuance by any state securities commission of any proceedings for
the suspension of the qualification of the Common Stock, Warrants
and Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the
initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose;
(iv) of the mailing and delivery to the Commission for filing
of any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or
Prospectus; (v) of the receipt of any comments or request for
any additional information from the Commission; and (vi) of
the happening of any event during the period described in this
Section 3.5 that, in the judgment of the Company, makes any
statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement,
the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus untrue or that
requires the making of any changes in (a) the Registration
Statement in order to make the statements therein not misleading,
or (b) in the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order
to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading. If the Commission or any
state securities commission shall enter a stop order or suspend
such qualification at any time, the Company shall make every
reasonable effort to obtain promptly the lifting of such
order.
3.6
Review of Financial Statements.
For a period of five (5) years after the date of this Agreement,
the Company, at its expense, shall cause its regularly engaged
independent registered public accounting firm to review (but not
audit) the Company’s financial statements for each of the
three fiscal quarters immediately preceding the announcement of any
quarterly financial information.
3.7
Listing
. The Company shall use
its reasonable best efforts to maintain the listing of each of the
Common Stock and the Warrants (including the Public Securities) on
the Exchange for at least three years from the date of this
Agreement.
3.8
Financial Public Relations
Firm
. As of the Effective Date, the Company shall have
retained a financial public relations firm reasonably acceptable to
the Representative and the Company, which shall initially be
Equisolve, Inc., which firm is experienced in assisting issuers in
initial public offerings of securities and in their relations with
their security holders, and shall retain such firm or another firm
reasonably acceptable to the Representative for a period of not
less than two (2) years after the Effective Date.
3.9
Reports to the
Representative
.
3.9.1.
Periodic
Reports, etc
. For a period of three (3) years after the date
of this Agreement, the Company shall furnish or make available to
the Representative copies of such financial statements and other
periodic and special reports as the Company from time to time
furnishes generally to holders of any class of its securities and
also promptly furnish to the Representative: (i) a copy of each
periodic report the Company shall be required to file with the
Commission under the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations;
(ii) a copy of every press release and every news item and article
with respect to the Company or its affairs which was released by
the Company; (iii) a copy of each Form 8-K prepared and filed by
the Company; (iv) five copies of each registration statement filed
by the Company under the Securities Act; and (v) such additional
documents and information with respect to the Company and the
affairs of any future subsidiaries of the Company as the
Representative may from time to time reasonably request; provided
the Representative shall sign, if requested by the Company, a
Regulation FD compliant confidentiality agreement which is
reasonably acceptable to the Representative and Representative
Counsel in connection with the Representative’s receipt of
such information. Documents filed with the Commission pursuant to
its EDGAR system shall be deemed to have been delivered to the
Representative pursuant to this Section 3.9.1.
3.9.2.
Transfer
Agent; Transfer Sheets
. For a period of three (3) years
after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall retain a
transfer agent and registrar acceptable to the Representative
(the “
Transfer
Agent
”) and shall furnish to the Representative at the
Company’s sole cost and expense such transfer sheets of the
Company’s securities as the Representative may reasonably
request, including the daily and monthly consolidated transfer
sheets of the Transfer Agent and DTC. Issuer Direct Corporation is
acceptable to the Representative to act as Transfer Agent for the
shares of Common Stock.
3.9.3.
Warrant
Agent
. For so long as the Warrants are outstanding, the
Company shall retain a warrant agent for the Warrants reasonably
acceptable to the Representative (the “
Warrant Agent
”). Issuer Direct
Corporation is acceptable to the Representative to act as Warrant
Agent for the Warrants.
3.9.4.
Trading
Reports
. During such time as the Public Securities are
listed on the Exchange, the Company shall provide to the
Representative, at the Company’s expense, such reports
published by Exchange relating to price trading of the Public
Securities, as the Representative shall reasonably
request.
3.10
Payment
of Expenses
3.10.1.
General
Expenses Related to the Offering
. The Company hereby agrees
to pay on each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if
any, to the extent not paid at the Closing Date, all expenses
incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under
this Agreement, including, but not limited to: (a) all filing fees
and communication expenses relating to the registration of the
Securities with the Commission; (b) all Public Filing System filing
fees associated with the review of the Offering by FINRA; (c) all
fees and expenses relating to the listing of such Common Stock and
Warrants on the Exchange and on such other stock exchanges as the
Company and the Representative together determine; (d) all fees,
expenses and disbursements relating to background checks of the
Company’s officers and directors in an amount not to exceed
$15,000 in the aggregate; (e) all fees, expenses and disbursements
relating to the registration or qualification of the Public
Securities under the “blue sky” securities laws of such
states and other jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably
designate (including, without limitation, all filing and
registration fees, it being agreed that if the Offering is
commenced on the The NASDAQ Global Market, The NASDAQ Global Select
Market or the New York Stock Exchange, the Company shall make a
payment of $5,000 to such counsel at Closing, or if the Offering is
commenced on The NASDAQ Capital Market, the NYSE MKT or the
Over-The-Counter Bulletin Board, the Company shall make a payment
of $15,000 to such counsel upon the commencement of “blue
sky” work by such counsel and an additional $5,000 at
Closing); (f) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the
registration, qualification or exemption of the Public Securities
under the securities laws of such foreign jurisdictions as the
Representative may reasonably designate; (g) the costs of all
mailing and printing of the underwriting documents (including,
without limitation, the Underwriting Agreement, any Blue Sky
Surveys and, if appropriate, any Agreement Among Underwriters,
Selected Dealers’ Agreement, Underwriters’
Questionnaire and Power of Attorney), Registration Statements,
Prospectuses and all amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto
and as many preliminary and final Prospectuses as the
Representative may reasonably deem necessary; (h) the costs and
expenses of a public relations firm; (i) the costs of preparing,
printing and delivering certificates representing the Public
Securities; (j) fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent and the
Warrant Agent; (k) stock transfer and/or stamp taxes, if any,
payable upon the transfer of securities from the Company to the
Underwriters; (l) up to $2,500 for the costs associated with bound
volumes of the public offering materials as well as commemorative
mementos and lucite tombstones, each of which the Company or its
designee shall provide within a reasonable time after the Closing
Date in such quantities as the Representative may reasonably
request; (m) the fees and expenses of the Company’s
accountants; (n) the fees and expenses of the Company’s legal
counsel and other agents and representatives; (o) fees and expenses
of the Representative’s legal counsel not to exceed $75,000;
(p) $29,500 for cost associated with the Underwriter’s use of
Ipreo’s book-building, prospectus tracking and compliance
software for the Offering; and (q) up to $20,000 of the
Underwriters’ actual accountable “road show”
expenses for the Offering. The Representative may deduct from the
net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company on the Closing
Date, or the Option Closing Date, if any, the expenses set forth
herein to be paid by the Company to the Underwriters, less the
Advance (as such term is defined in Section 8.3
hereof).
3.10.2.
Non-accountable
Expenses
. The Company further agrees that, in addition to
the expenses payable pursuant to Section 3.10.1, on the Closing
Date it shall pay to the Representative, by deduction from the net
proceeds of the Offering contemplated herein, a non-accountable
expense allowance equal to one percent (1%) of the gross proceeds
received by the Company from the sale of the Firm Securities
(excluding the Option Securities), provided, however, that in the
event that the Offering is terminated, the Company agrees to
reimburse the Underwriters pursuant to Section 8.3
hereof.
3.11
Application
of Net Proceeds
. The Company shall apply the net proceeds
from the Offering received by it in a manner consistent with the
application thereof described under the caption “Use of
Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Pricing
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
3.12
Delivery
of Earnings Statements to Security Holders
. The Company
shall make generally available to its security holders as soon as
practicable, but not later than the first day of the fifteenth
(15
th
)
full calendar month following the date of this Agreement, an
earnings statement (which need not be certified by an independent
registered public accounting firm unless required by the Securities
Act or the Securities Act Regulations, but which shall satisfy the
provisions of Rule 158(a) under Section 11(a) of the Securities
Act) covering a period of at least twelve (12) consecutive months
beginning after the date of this Agreement.
3.13
Stabilization
.
Neither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees,
directors or shareholders (without the consent of the
Representative) has taken or shall take, directly or indirectly,
any action designed to or that has constituted or that might
reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under Regulation M of
the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of
the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or
resale of the Public Securities.
3.14
Internal
Controls
. The Company shall maintain a system of internal
accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances
that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with
management’s general or specific authorization;
(ii) transactions are recorded as necessary in order to permit
preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and to
maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is
permitted only in accordance with management’s general or
specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability
for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals
and appropriate action is taken with respect to any
differences.
3.15
Accountants
.
As of the date of this Agreement, the Company shall retain an
independent registered public accounting firm reasonably acceptable
to the Representative, and the Company shall continue to retain a
nationally recognized independent registered public accounting firm
for a period of at least three (3) years after the date of this
Agreement. The Representative acknowledges that the Auditor is
acceptable to the Representative.
3.16
FINRA
.
The Company shall advise the Representative (who shall make an
appropriate filing with FINRA) if it is or becomes aware that (i)
any officer or director of the Company, (ii) any beneficial owner
of 5% or more of any class of the Company's securities or (iii) any
beneficial owner of the Company's unregistered equity securities
which were acquired during the 180 days immediately preceding the
filing of the Registration Statement is or becomes an affiliate or
associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering
(as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of
FINRA).
3.17
No
Fiduciary Duties
. The Company acknowledges and agrees that
the Underwriters’ responsibility to the Company is solely
contractual in nature and that none of the Underwriters or their
affiliates or any selling agent shall be deemed to be acting in a
fiduciary capacity, or otherwise owes any fiduciary duty to the
Company or any of its affiliates in connection with the Offering
and the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
3.18
Company
Lock-Up Agreements
.
3.18.1.
Restriction
on Sales of Capital Stock
. The Company, on behalf of itself
and any successor entity, agrees that, without the prior written
consent of the Representative, it will not, for a period of 180
days after the date of this Agreement (the “
Lock-Up Period
”), (i) offer,
pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to
purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any
option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer
or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of capital stock
of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or
exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company; (ii) file
or cause to be filed any registration statement with the Commission
relating to the offering of any shares of capital stock of the
Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or
exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company; (iii)
complete any offering of debt securities of the Company, other than
entering into a line of credit with a traditional bank or (iv)
enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another,
in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership
of capital stock of the Company, whether any such transaction
described in clause (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) above is to be settled
by delivery of shares of capital stock of the Company or such other
securities, in cash or otherwise.
The
restrictions contained in this Section 3.18.1 shall not apply to
(i) the Public Securities to be sold hereunder (including the
underlying shares of Common Stock and Warrants and the filing of an
amendment to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (if available)
to register the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of
Warrants), (ii) the issuance by the Company of securities pursuant
to any documents, agreements or securities existing or outstanding
as of the Closing Date, or (iii) the issuance by the Company of
stock options or shares of capital stock of the Company under any
equity compensation plan of the Company, provided that in each of
(ii) and (iii) above, the underlying shares shall be restricted
from sale during the entire Lock-Up Period.
Notwithstanding the
foregoing, if (i) during the last 17 days of the Lock-Up Period,
the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a
material event relating to the Company occurs, or (ii) prior to the
expiration of the Lock-Up Period, the Company announces that it
will release earnings results or becomes aware that material news
or a material event will occur during the 16-day period beginning
on the last day of the Lock-Up Period, the restrictions imposed by
this Section 3.18.1 shall continue to apply until the expiration of
the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release
or the occurrence of such material news or material event, as
applicable, unless the Representative waives, in writing, such
extension.
3.18.2.
Restriction
on Continuous Offerings
. Notwithstanding the restrictions
contained in Section 3.18.1, the Company, on behalf of itself and
any successor entity, agrees that, without the prior written
consent of the Representative, it will not, for a period of 12
months after the date of this Agreement, directly or indirectly in
any “at-the-market” or continuous equity transaction,
offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or
otherwise dispose of shares of capital stock of the Company or any
securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for
shares of capital stock of the Company.
3.19
Release
of D&O Lock-up Period
. If the Representative, in its
sole discretion, agrees to release or waive the restrictions set
forth in the Lock-Up Agreements described in Section 2.25 hereof
for an officer or director of the Company and provide the Company
with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three (3)
Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver,
the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a
press release substantially in the form of
Exhibit B
hereto through a
major news service at least two (2) Business Days before the
effective date of the release or waiver.
3.20
Blue
Sky Qualifications
. The Company shall use its best efforts,
in cooperation with the Underwriters, if necessary, to qualify the
Public Securities for offering and sale under the applicable
securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or
foreign) as the Representative may designate and to maintain such
qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the
distribution of the Public Securities; provided, however, that the
Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to
service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a
dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so
qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing
business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so
subject.
3.21
Reporting
Requirements
. The Company, during the period when a
prospectus relating to the Public Securities is (or, but for the
exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered
under the Securities Act, will file all documents required to be
filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the
time periods required by the Exchange Act and Exchange Act
Regulations. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of
proceeds from the issuance of the Public Securities as may be
required under Rule 463 under the Securities Act
Regulations.
3.22
Press
Releases
. Prior to the Closing Date and any Option Closing
Date, the Company shall not issue any press release or other
communication directly or indirectly or hold any press conference
with respect to the Company, its condition, financial or otherwise,
or earnings, business affairs or business prospects (except for
routine oral marketing communications in the ordinary course of
business and consistent with the past practices of the Company and
of which the Representative is notified), without the prior written
consent of the Representative, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld, unless in the judgment of the Company and
its counsel, and after notification to the Representative, such
press release or communication is required by law.
3.23
Sarbanes-Oxley
.
The Company shall at all times comply with all applicable
provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in effect from time to
time.
3.24
IRS
Forms
. The Company shall deliver to each Underwriter (or its
agent), prior to or at the Closing Date, a properly completed and
executed Internal Revenue Service (“
IRS
”) Form W-9 or an IRS Form W-8,
as appropriate, together with all required attachments to such
form.
4.
Conditions of Underwriters’
Obligations
. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase
and pay for the Securities, as provided herein, shall be subject to
(i) the continuing accuracy of the representations and warranties
of the Company as of the date hereof and as of each of the Closing
Date and the Option Closing Date, if any; (ii) the accuracy of the
statements of officers of the Company made pursuant to the
provisions hereof; (iii) the performance by the Company of its
obligations hereunder; and (iv) the following
conditions:
4.1
Regulatory
Matters
.
4.1.1.
Effectiveness
of Registration Statement; Rule 430A Information
. The
Registration Statement has become effective not later than 5:00
p.m., Eastern time, on the date of this Agreement or such later
date and time as shall be consented to in writing by you, and, at
each of the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the
Securities Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no
proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are
pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated by the
Commission. The Company has complied with each request (if any)
from the Commission for additional information. The Prospectus
containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the
Commission in the manner and within the time frame required by Rule
424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)) or a post-effective
amendment providing such information shall have been filed with,
and declared effective by, the Commission in accordance with the
requirements of Rule 430A.
4.1.2.
FINRA
Clearance
. On or before the date of this Agreement, the
Representative shall have received clearance from FINRA as to the
amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Underwriters as
described in the Registration Statement.
4.1.3.
Exchange
Stock Market Clearance
. On the Closing Date, each of the
Company’s Common Stock and the Warrants (including the shares
of Common Stock underlying the Option Securities and the Warrants
underlying the Option Securities) shall have been approved for
listing on the Exchange, subject only to official notice of
issuance. On the first Option Closing Date (if any), each of the
Company’s Common Stock and the Warrants (including the Common
Stock underlying the Option Securities and the Warrants underlying
such Option Securities) shall have been approved for listing on the
Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance.
4.2
Company Counsel
Matters
.
4.2.1.
Closing
Date Opinion of Counsel
. On the Closing Date, the
Representative shall have received the favorable opinion of Lucosky
Brookman LLP, counsel to the Company, dated the Closing Date and
addressed to the Representative, substantially in the form of
Exhibit C
attached
hereto.
4.2.2.
Option
Closing Date Opinions of Counsel
. On the Option Closing
Date, if any, the Representative shall have received the favorable
opinions of Lucosky Brookman LLP, dated the Option Closing Date,
addressed to the Representative and in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, confirming as of the
Option Closing Date, the statements made by such counsels in their
respective opinions delivered on the Closing Date.
4.2.3.
Reliance
.
In rendering such opinions, such counsel may rely: (i) as to
matters involving the application of laws other than the laws of
the United States and jurisdictions in which they are admitted, to
the extent such counsel deems proper and to the extent specified in
such opinion, if at all, upon an opinion or opinions (in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative) of other
counsel reasonably acceptable to the Representative, familiar with
the applicable laws; and (ii) as to matters of fact, to the
extent they deem proper, on certificates or other written
statements of officers of the Company and officers of departments
of various jurisdictions having custody of documents respecting the
corporate existence or good standing of the Company, provided that
copies of any such statements or certificates shall be delivered to
Representative Counsel if requested. The opinion of Lucosky
Brookman LLP shall include a statement to the effect that it may be
relied upon by Representative Counsel in its opinion delivered to
the Underwriters.
4.3
Comfort Letters
.
4.3.1.
Cold
Comfort Letter
. At the time this Agreement is executed the
Representative shall have received a cold comfort letter containing
statements and information of the type customarily included in
accountants’ comfort letters with respect to the financial
statements and certain financial information contained in the
Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, addressed to the Representative and in form and
substance satisfactory in all respects to the Representative and to
the Auditor, dated as of the date of this Agreement.
4.3.2.
Bring-down
Comfort Letter
. At each of the Closing Date and the Option
Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received from
the Auditor a letter, dated as of the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as applicable, to the effect that the Auditor
reaffirms the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to
Section 4.3.1, except that the specified date referred to shall be
a date not more than three (3) business days prior to the Closing
Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable.
4.4
Officers’
Certificates
.
4.4.1.
Officers’
Certificate
. The Company shall have furnished to the
Representative a certificate, dated the Closing Date and any Option
Closing Date (if such date is other than the Closing Date), of its
Chief Executive Officer, its President and its Chief Financial
Officer stating that (i) such officers have carefully examined the
Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and, in their opinion,
the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, as of the
Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing
Date if such date is other than the Closing Date) did not include
any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading, and the Pricing Disclosure
Package, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date (or
any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing
Date), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as of its date and as of
the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other
than the Closing Date), the Prospectus and each amendment or
supplement thereto, as of the respective date thereof and as of the
Closing Date, did not include any untrue statement of a material
fact and did not omit to state a material fact necessary in order
to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
in which they were made, not misleading, (ii) since the effective
date of the Registration Statement, no event has occurred which
should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the
Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the
Prospectus, (iii) to the best of their knowledge after reasonable
investigation, as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date
if such date is other than the Closing Date), the representations
and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and
correct and the Company has complied with all agreements and
satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied
hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date (or any Option Closing
Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), and (iv) there
has not been, subsequent to the date of the most recent audited
financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the
Pricing Disclosure Package, any material adverse change in the
financial position or results of operations of the Company, or any
change or development that, singularly or in the aggregate, would
involve a material adverse change or a prospective material adverse
change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise),
results of operations, business, assets or prospects of the
Company, except as set forth in the Prospectus.
4.4.2.
Secretary’s
Certificate
. At each of the Closing Date and the Option
Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received a
certificate of the Company signed by the Secretary of the Company,
dated the Closing Date or the Option Date, as the case may be,
respectively, certifying: (i) that each of the Charter and
Bylaws is true and complete, has not been modified and is in full
force and effect; (ii) that the resolutions of the
Company’s Board of Directors relating to the Offering are in
full force and effect and have not been modified; (iii) as to the
accuracy and completeness of all correspondence between the Company
or its counsel and the Commission; and (iv) as to the
incumbency of the officers of the Company. The documents referred
to in such certificate shall be attached to such
certificate.
4.5
No Material Changes
. Prior to
and on each of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if
any: (i) there shall have been no material adverse change or
development involving a prospective material adverse change in the
condition or prospects or the business activities, financial or
otherwise, of the Company from the latest dates as of which such
condition is set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (ii) no action, suit or
proceeding, at law or in equity, shall have been pending or
threatened against the Company or any Insider before or by any
court or federal or state commission, board or other administrative
agency wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding may
materially adversely affect the business, operations, prospects or
financial condition or income of the Company, except as set forth
in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus; (iii) no stop order shall have been issued
under the Securities Act and no proceedings therefor shall have
been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and (iv) the
Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto shall contain
all material statements which are required to be stated therein in
accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act
Regulations and shall conform in all material respects to the
requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act
Regulations, and neither the Registration Statement, the Pricing
Disclosure Package nor the Prospectus nor any amendment or
supplement thereto shall contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
4.6
No Material Misstatement or
Omission
. The Underwriters shall not have discovered and
disclosed to the Company on or prior to the Closing Date and any
Option Closing Date that the Registration Statement or any
amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of a
fact which, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, is
material or omits to state any fact which, in the opinion of such
counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein or is
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or that
the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment
or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of fact which,
in the opinion of such counsel, is material or omits to state any
fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is
necessary in order to make the statements, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
4.7
Corporate Proceedings
. All
corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the
authorization, form and validity of each of this Agreement, the
Warrant Agreement, the Public Securities, the Registration
Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, each Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus, if any, and the Prospectus and all other legal matters
relating to this Agreement, the Warrant Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby shall be reasonably
satisfactory in all material respects to counsel for the
Underwriters, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel
all documents and information that they may reasonably request to
enable them to pass upon such matters.
4.8
Delivery of Lock-Up Agreements
.
On or before the date of this Agreement, the Company shall have
delivered to the Representative executed copies of the Lock-Up
Agreements from each of the persons listed in
Schedule 3
hereto.
4.9
Additional Documents
. At the
Closing Date and at each Option Closing Date (if any)
Representative Counsel shall have been furnished with such
documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of
enabling Representative Counsel to deliver an opinion to the
Underwriters, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the
representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the
conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the
Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Public
Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and
substance to the Representative and Representative
Counsel.
4.10
Reverse
Stock Split
. The Reverse Stock Split shall be
effective.
4.11
Warrant
Cancellation Agreement
. The Company shall have entered into,
and delivered to the Representative an executed copy of, that
certain Warrant Cancellation Agreement between the Company and
Goldman, Sachs & Co., dated as of November __, 2016 (together
with all exhibits and schedules thereto, the “Warrant
Cancellation Agreement”) and such Warrant Cancellation
Agreement shall be in full force and effect as of the date hereof
and shall constitute the legally binding obligation of the parties
thereto, enforceable against the parties thereto in accordance with
its terms.
5.1
Indemnification of the
Underwriters
.
5.1.1.
General
.
Subject to the conditions set forth below, the Company agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates and
each of its and their respective directors, officers, members,
employees, representatives, partners, shareholders, affiliates,
counsel, and agents and each person, if any, who controls any such
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act
or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (collectively the
“
Underwriter Indemnified
Parties
,” and each an “
Underwriter Indemnified Party
”),
against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense
whatsoever (including but not limited to any and all legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or
defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any
claim whatsoever, whether arising out of any action between any of
the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and the Company or between any
of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and any third party, or
otherwise) to which they or any of them may become subject under
the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any other statute or at
common law or otherwise or under the laws of foreign countries (a
“
Claim
”), (i)
arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in (A) the Registration
Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus, or in any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus (as from time to time each may be amended and
supplemented); (B) any materials or information provided to
investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection
with the marketing of the Offering, including any “road
show” or investor presentations made to investors by the
Company (whether in person or electronically); or (C) any
application or other document or written communication (in this
Section 5, collectively called “application”) executed
by the Company or based upon written information furnished by the
Company in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Public
Securities under the securities laws thereof or filed with the
Commission, any state securities commission or agency, the Exchange
or any other national securities exchange; or the omission or
alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light
of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading,
unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in
conformity with, the Underwriters’ Information or (ii)
otherwise arising in connection with or allegedly in connection
with the Offering. The Company also agrees that it will reimburse
each Underwriter Indemnified Party for all fees and expenses
(including but not limited to any and all legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending
against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim
whatsoever, whether arising out of any action between any of the
Underwriter Indemnified Parties and the Company or between any of
the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and any third party, or
otherwise) (collectively, the “
Expenses
”), and further agrees
wherever and whenever possible to advance payment of Expenses as
they are incurred by an Underwriter Indemnified Party in
investigating, preparing, pursuing or defending any
Claim.
5.1.2.
Procedure
.
If
any action is brought against an Underwriter Indemnified Party in
respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Company
pursuant to Section 5.1.1, such Underwriter Indemnified Party shall
promptly notify the Company in writing of the institution of such
action and the Company shall assume the defense of such action,
including the employment and fees of counsel (subject to the
approval of such Underwriter Indemnified Party) and payment of
actual expenses if an Underwriter Indemnified Party requests that
the Company do so. Such Underwriter Indemnified Party shall have
the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, but
the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of
the Company, and shall be advanced by the Company. The Company
shall not be liable for any settlement of any action effected
without its consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld). In
addition, the Company shall not, without the prior written consent
of the Underwriters, settle, compromise or consent to the entry of
any judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any pending or
threatened action in respect of which advancement, reimbursement,
indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or
not such Underwriter Indemnified Party is a party thereto) unless
such settlement, compromise, consent or termination (i) includes an
unconditional release of each Underwriter Indemnified Party,
acceptable to such Underwriter Indemnified Party, from all
liabilities, expenses and claims arising out of such action for
which indemnification or contribution may be sought and (ii) does
not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability
or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any Underwriter Indemnified
Party.
5.2
Indemnification of the Company
.
Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who
signed the Registration Statement and persons who control the
Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or
Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all loss, liability,
claim, damage and expense described in the foregoing indemnity from
the Company to the several Underwriters, as incurred, but only with
respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue
statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement, any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or in any
application, in reliance upon, and in strict conformity with, the
Underwriters’ Information. In case any action shall be
brought against the Company or any other person so indemnified
based on any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement,
the Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto or any application, and in respect of which
indemnity may be sought against any Underwriter, such Underwriter
shall have the rights and duties given to the Company, and the
Company and each other person so indemnified shall have the rights
and duties given to the several Underwriters by the provisions of
Section 5.1.2. The Company agrees promptly to notify the
Representative of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings
against the Company or any of its officers, directors or any
person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act,
in connection with the issuance and sale of the Public Securities
or in connection with the Registration Statement, the Pricing
Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus.
5.3
Contribution
.
5.3.1.
Contribution
Rights
. If the indemnification provided for in this Section
5 shall for any reason be unavailable to or insufficient to hold
harmless an indemnified party under Section 5.1 or 5.2 in respect
of any loss, claim, damage or liability, or any action in respect
thereof, referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall,
in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the
amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of
such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect
thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect
the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and
the Underwriters, on the other, from the Offering, or (ii) if the
allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by
applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not
only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also
the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the
Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the statements or
omissions that resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability,
or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the
Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with
respect to such Offering shall be deemed to be in the same
proportion as the total net proceeds from the Offering of the
Securities purchased under this Agreement (before deducting
expenses) received by the Company, as set forth in the table on the
cover page of the Prospectus, on the one hand, and the total
underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters
in connection with the Offering, as set forth in the table on the
cover page of the Prospectus, on the other hand. The relative fault
shall be determined by reference to whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission
to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the
Company or the Underwriters, the intent of the parties and their
relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the
Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if
contributions pursuant to this Section 5.3.1 were to be determined
by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as
one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation
that does not take into account the equitable considerations
referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified
party as a result of the loss, claim, damage or liability, or
action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 5.3.1
shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 5.3.1, any
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified
party in connection with investigating or defending any such action
or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5.3.1 in
no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount
in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts
and commissions received by such Underwriter in connection with the
Offering exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter
has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of
Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation.
5.3.2.
Contribution
Procedure
. Within fifteen (15) days after receipt by any
party to this Agreement (or its representative) of notice of the
commencement of any action, suit or proceeding, such party will, if
a claim for contribution in respect thereof is to be made against
another party (“
contributing
party
”), notify the contributing party of the
commencement thereof, but the failure to so notify the contributing
party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to
any other party other than for contribution hereunder. In case any
such action, suit or proceeding is brought against any party, and
such party notifies a contributing party or its representative of
the commencement thereof within the aforesaid 15 days, the
contributing party will be entitled to participate therein with the
notifying party and any other contributing party similarly
notified. Any such contributing party shall not be liable to any
party seeking contribution on account of any settlement of any
claim, action or proceeding affected by such party seeking
contribution on account of any settlement of any claim, action or
proceeding affected by such party seeking contribution without the
written consent of such contributing party. The contribution
provisions contained in this Section 5.3.2 are intended to
supersede, to the extent permitted by law, any right to
contribution under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or
otherwise available. Each Underwriter’s obligations to
contribute pursuant to this Section 5.3 are several and not
joint.
6.
Default by an
Underwriter
.
6.1
Default Not Exceeding 10% of Firm
Securities or Option Securities
. If any Underwriter or
Underwriters shall default in its or their obligations to purchase
the Firm Securities or the Option Securities, if the Over-allotment
Option is exercised hereunder, and if the number of the Firm
Securities or Option Securities with respect to which such default
relates does not exceed in the aggregate 10% of the number of Firm
Securities or Option Securities that all Underwriters have agreed
to purchase hereunder, then such Firm Securities or Option
Securities to which the default relates shall be purchased by the
non-defaulting Underwriters in proportion to their respective
commitments hereunder.
6.2
Default Exceeding 10% of Firm
Securities or Option Securities
. In the event that the
default addressed in Section 6.1 relates to more than 10% of the
Firm Securities or Option Securities, you may in your discretion
arrange for yourself or for another party or parties to purchase
such Firm Securities or Option Securities to which such default
relates on the terms contained herein. If, within one (1) Business
Day after such default relating to more than 10% of the Firm
Securities or Option Securities, you do not arrange for the
purchase of such Firm Securities or Option Securities, then the
Company shall be entitled to a further period of one (1) Business
Day within which to procure another party or parties satisfactory
to you to purchase said Firm Securities or Option Securities on
such terms. In the event that neither you nor the Company arrange
for the purchase of the Firm Securities or Option Securities to
which a default relates as provided in this Section 6, this
Agreement will automatically be terminated by you or the Company
without liability on the part of the Company (except as provided in
Sections 3.9 and 5 hereof) or the several Underwriters (except as
provided in Section 5 hereof); provided, however, that if such
default occurs with respect to the Option Securities, this
Agreement will not terminate as to the Firm Securities; and
provided, further, that nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting
Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the other Underwriters and
to the Company for damages occasioned by its default
hereunder
.
6.3
Postponement of Closing Date
.
In the event that the Firm Securities or Option Securities to which
the default relates are to be purchased by the non-defaulting
Underwriters, or are to be purchased by another party or parties as
aforesaid, you or the Company shall have the right to postpone the
Closing Date or Option Closing Date for a reasonable period, but
not in any event exceeding five (5) Business Days, in order to
effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the
Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the
Prospectus or in any other documents and arrangements, and the
Company agrees to file promptly any amendment to the Registration
Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that in
the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter may thereby be made
necessary. The term “
Underwriter
” as used in this
Agreement shall include any party substituted under this Section 6
with like effect as if it had originally been a party to this
Agreement with respect to such Securities.
7.
Additional
Covenants
.
7.1
Board Composition and Board
Designations
. The Company shall ensure that: (i) the
qualifications of the persons serving as members of the Board of
Directors and the overall composition of the Board comply with the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act, with the Exchange Act and with the listing
rules of the Exchange or any other national securities exchange, as
the case may be, in the event the Company seeks to have any of its
securities listed on another exchange or quoted on an automated
quotation system, and (ii) if applicable, at least one member
of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors qualifies as an
“audit committee financial expert,” as such term is
defined under Regulation S-K and the listing rules of the
Exchange.
7.2
Prohibition on Press Releases and
Public Announcements
. The Company shall not issue press
releases or engage in any other publicity, without the
Representative’s prior written consent, for a period ending
at 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the first (1
st
) Business Day
following the forty-fifth (45
th
) day after the
Closing Date, other than normal and customary releases issued in
the ordinary course of the Company’s business.
7.3
Right of First Refusal
.
Provided that the Firm Shares are sold in accordance with the terms
of this Agreement, the Representative shall have an irrevocable
right of first refusal (the “
Right of First Refusal
”), for a
period of twenty-four (24) months after the Effective Date, to act
as sole and exclusive investment banker, sole and exclusive
book-runner, sole and exclusive financial advisor, sole and
exclusive underwriter and/or sole and exclusive placement agent, at
the Representative’s sole and exclusive discretion, for each
and every future public or private equity or debt offering,
including all equity linked financings (each, a “
Subject Transaction
”), during such
twenty-four (24) month period, of the Company, or any successor to
or subsidiary of the Company, on terms and conditions customary to
the Representative for such Subject Transactions. For the avoidance
of any doubt, the Company shall not retain, engage or solicit any
additional investment banker, book-runner, financial advisor,
underwriter and/or placement agent in a Subject Transaction without
the express written consent of the Representative.
The
Company shall notify the Representative of its intention to pursue
a Subject Transaction, including the material terms thereof, by
providing written notice thereof by registered mail or overnight
courier service addressed to the Representative. If the
Representative fails to exercise its Right of First Refusal with
respect to any Subject Transaction within ten (10) Business Days
after the mailing of such written notice, then the Representative
shall have no further claim or right with respect to the Subject
Transaction. The Representative may elect, in its sole and absolute
discretion, not to exercise its Right of First Refusal with respect
to any Subject Transaction; provided that any such election by the
Representative shall not adversely affect the
Representative’s Right of First Refusal with respect to any
other Subject Transaction during the twenty-four (24) month period
agreed to above.
8.
Effective Date of this Agreement and
Termination Thereof
.
8.1
Effective Date
. This Agreement
shall become effective when both the Company and the Representative
have executed the same and delivered counterparts of such
signatures to the other party.
8.2
Termination
. The Representative
shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time prior
to any Closing Date, (i) if any domestic or international
event or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, or in your
opinion will in the immediate future materially disrupt, general
securities markets in the United States; or (ii) if trading on
the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC shall
have been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum
prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for
prices for securities shall have been required by FINRA or by order
of the Commission or any other government authority having
jurisdiction; or (iii) if the United States shall have become
involved in a new war or an increase in major hostilities; or
(iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by a New York
State or federal authority; or (v) if a moratorium on foreign
exchange trading has been declared which materially adversely
impacts the United States securities markets; or (vi) if the
Company shall have sustained a material loss by fire, flood,
accident, hurricane, earthquake, theft, sabotage or other calamity
or malicious act which, whether or not such loss shall have been
insured, will, in your opinion, make it inadvisable to proceed with
the delivery of the Firm Securities or Option Securities; or
(vii) if the Company is in material breach of any of its
representations, warranties or covenants hereunder; or
(viii) if the Representative shall have become aware after the
date hereof of such a material adverse change in the conditions or
prospects of the Company, or such adverse material change in
general market conditions as in the Representative’s judgment
would make it impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale
and/or delivery of the Public Securities or to enforce contracts
made by the Underwriters for the sale of the Public
Securities.
8.3
Expenses
. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Agreement, except in the case of a
default by the Underwriters, pursuant to Section 6.2 above, in the
event that this Agreement shall not be carried out for any reason
whatsoever, within the time specified herein or any extensions
thereof pursuant to the terms herein, the Company shall be
obligated to pay to the Underwriters their actual and accountable
out-of-pocket expenses related to the transactions contemplated
herein then due and payable (including the fees and disbursements
of Representative Counsel) up to $300,000, inclusive of the $50,000
advance for accountable expenses previously paid by the Company to
the Representative (the “
Advance
”) and upon demand the
Company shall pay the full amount thereof to the Representative on
behalf of the Underwriters;
provided, however, that such expense
cap in no way limits or impairs the indemnification and
contribution provisions of this Agreement
. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, any advance received by the Representative will be
reimbursed to the Company to the extent not actually incurred in
compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(C).
8.4
Indemnification
.
Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained in this Agreement,
any election hereunder or any termination of this Agreement, and
whether or not this Agreement is otherwise carried out, the
provisions of Section 5 shall remain in full force and effect and
shall not be in any way affected by, such election or termination
or failure to carry out the terms of this Agreement or any part
hereof.
8.5
Representations, Warranties,
Agreements to Survive
. All representations, warranties and
agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of
officers of the Company submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain
operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any
investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its
Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any
Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling
the Company or (ii) delivery of and payment for the Public
Securities.
9.1
Notices
. All communications
hereunder, except as herein otherwise specifically provided, shall
be in writing and shall be mailed (registered or certified mail,
return receipt requested), personally delivered or sent by
facsimile transmission and confirmed and shall be deemed given when
so delivered or faxed and confirmed or if mailed, two (2) days
after such mailing.
If to
the Representative:
Joseph
Gunnar & Co., LLC
30
Broad Street, 11th Fl
New
York, NY 10004
Attn:
Mr. Eric Lord, Head of Investment
Banking/Underwritings
with a
copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Greenberg Traurig,
LLP
The
MetLife Building
200
Park Avenue
New
York, NY 10166
Attn:
Anthony J. Marsico, Esq.
Fax
No.: (212) 805-9362
If to
the Company:
Meridian Waste
Solutions, Inc.
12540
Broadwell Road, Suite 2104
Milton,
GA 30004
Attention: Jeffrey
Cosman
Fax
No:
with a
copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Lucosky
Brookman LLP
101
Wood Avenue South, 5
th
Floor
Woodbridge, New
Jersey 08830
Attention: Joseph
M. Lucosky, Esq.
Fax No:
(732) 395-4401
9.2
Headings
. The headings
contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience of
reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or
interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this
Agreement.
9.3
Amendment
. This Agreement may
only be amended by a written instrument executed by each of the
parties hereto.
9.4
Entire Agreement
. This
Agreement (together with the other agreements and documents being
delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement)
constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect
to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and supersedes all prior
agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written,
with respect to the subject matter hereof. Notwithstanding anything
to the contrary set forth herein, it is understood and agreed by
the parties hereto that all other terms and conditions of that
certain engagement letter between the Company and Joseph Gunnar
& Co., LLC., dated April 7, 2016, as the same may be amended,
shall remain in full force and effect.
9.5
Binding Effect
. This Agreement
shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the
Representative, the Underwriters, the Company and the controlling
persons, directors and officers referred to in Section 5 hereof,
and their respective successors, legal representatives, heirs and
assigns, and no other person shall have or be construed to have any
legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or
by virtue of this Agreement or any provisions herein contained. The
term “successors and assigns” shall not include a
purchaser, in its capacity as such, of securities from any of the
Underwriters.
9.6
Governing Law; Consent to
Jurisdiction; Trial by Jury
. This Agreement shall be
governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws
of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflict of laws
principles thereof. The Company hereby agrees that any action,
proceeding or claim against it arising out of, or relating in any
way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the New York
Supreme Court, County of New York, or in the United States District
Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably
submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be
exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such
exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an
inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be served upon
the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by
registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage
prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 9.1
hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be
legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or
claim. The Company agrees that the prevailing party(ies) in any
such action shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies)
all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating
to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the
preparation therefor. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent
permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and
affiliates) and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives,
to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all
right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or
relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated
hereby.
9.7
Execution in Counterparts
. This
Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the
different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which
shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together
shall constitute one and the same agreement, and shall become
effective when one or more counterparts has been signed by each of
the parties hereto and delivered to each of the other parties
hereto. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by
facsimile or email/pdf transmission shall constitute valid and
sufficient delivery thereof.
9.8
Waiver, etc
. The failure of any
of the parties hereto to at any time enforce any of the provisions
of this Agreement shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver
of any such provision, nor to in any way effect the validity of
this Agreement or any provision hereof or the right of any of the
parties hereto to thereafter enforce each and every provision of
this Agreement. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or
non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be
effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the
party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver
is sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or
non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any
other or subsequent breach, non-compliance or
non-fulfillment.
[Signature Page
Follows]
If the
foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the
Underwriters and the Company, please so indicate in the space
provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall
constitute a binding agreement between us.
|
Very truly
yours,
|
|
|
|
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MERIDIAN WASTE
SOLUTIONS, INC.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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By:
|
/s/
|
|
|
|
Name:
Jeffrey
Cosman
|
|
|
|
Title:
Chief
Executive Officer
|
|
Confirmed as of the
date first written above mentioned, on behalf of itself and as
Representative of the several Underwriters named on
Schedule 1
hereto:
JOSEPH
GUNNAR & CO., LLC.
By:
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Name:
Eric Lord
|
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Title:
Head of Investment
Banking/Underwritings
|
SCHEDULE 1
Underwriter
|
|
Total Number ofFirm Shares to
bePurchased
|
|
Number of Additional Shares to be Purchased if Over-Allotment
Option is Fully
Exercised
|
|
Number of Firm Warrants to be
Purchased
|
|
Number of Additional Warrants to be Purchased if Over-Allotment
Option is Fully
Exercised
|
Joseph
Gunnar & Co., LLC…
|
|
|
|
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TOTAL…………….
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SCHEDULE 2-A
Pricing Information
Number
of Firm Shares: [
●
]
Number
of Firm Warrants: [
●
]
Number
of Option Shares: [
●
]
Number
of Option Warrants: [
●
]
Warrant
exercise price: $[
●
]
Public
Offering Price per Share: $[
●
]
Underwriting
Discount per Share: $[
●
]
Proceeds to Company
per Share (before non-accountable expense allowance and other
expenses): $[
●
]
Underwriting
Non-accountable expense allowance per Share: $[
●
]
Public
Offering Price per Warrant: $[
●
]
Underwriting
Discount per Warrant: $[
●
]
Underwriting
Non-accountable expense allowance per Warrant: $[
●
]
Proceeds
to Company per Warrant (before non-accountable expense allowance
and other expenses): $[
●
]
SCHEDULE 2-B
Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses
[None.]
SCHEDULE 3
List of Lock-Up Parties
●
Praesidian Capital
Opportunity Fund III, LP
●
Praesidian Capital
Opportunity Fund III-A, LP
●
Praesidian Capital
Opportunity Management III, LLC
●
Praesidian Capital
Opportunity Management III-A, LLC
●
[All holders of
Series C Preferred Stock]
Exhibit
4.20
WARRANT AGENT AGREEMENT
WARRANT AGENT AGREEMENT (this “
Warrant
Agreement
”) dated as of
_________, 2016 (the “
Issuance
Date
”) between Meridian
Waste Solutions, Inc., a company incorporated under the laws of the
State of New York (the “
Company
”),
and Issuer Direct Corporation (the “
Warrant
Agent
”).
WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of that certain Underwriting
Agreement (“
Underwriting
Agreement
”), dated
_________, 2016, by and among the Company and Joseph Gunnar &
Co., LLC, as representative of the underwriters set forth therein,
the Company is engaged in a public offering (the
“
Offering
”)
of up to _________ shares (the “
Shares
”)
of common stock, par value $0.025 per share (the
“
Common
Stock
”) of the Company
and up to _________ Warrants (the “
Warrants
”)
to purchase shares of Common Stock (the “
Warrant
Shares
”), including
Shares and Warrants issuable pursuant to the underwriters’
over-allotment option;
WHEREAS, the Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “
Commission
”)
a Registration Statement, No. 333-213579, on Form S-1 (as the same
may be amended from time to time, the “
Registration
Statement
”), for the
registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
“
Securities
Act
”), of the Shares,
Warrants and Warrant Shares, and such Registration Statement was
declared effective on _______, 2016;
WHEREAS, the Company desires the Warrant Agent to act on behalf of
the Company, and the Warrant Agent is willing to so act, in
accordance with the terms set forth in this Warrant Agreement in
connection with the issuance, registration, transfer, exchange and
exercise of the Warrants;
WHEREAS, the Company desires to provide for the provisions of the
Warrants, the terms upon which they shall be issued and exercised,
and the respective rights, limitation of rights, and immunities of
the Company, the Warrant Agent, and the holders of the Warrants;
and
WHEREAS, all acts and things have been done and performed which are
necessary to make the Warrants the valid, binding and legal
obligations of the Company, and to authorize the execution and
delivery of this Warrant Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements herein
contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1.
Appointment of Warrant
Agent
. The Company hereby
appoints the Warrant Agent to act as agent for the Company with
respect to the Warrants, and the Warrant Agent hereby accepts such
appointment and agrees to perform the same in accordance with the
express terms and conditions set forth in this Warrant Agreement
(and no implied terms or conditions).
2.
Warrants
.
2.1
Form of
Warrants
. The Warrants shall be
registered securities and may be initially evidenced by a global
certificate (“
Global
Certificate
”) in the form
of
Annex
A
to this Warrant
Agreement, which shall be deposited on behalf of the Company with a
custodian for The Depository Trust Company
(“
DTC
”) and registered in the name of Cede &
Co., a nominee of DTC. If DTC subsequently ceases to make its
book-entry settlement system available for the Warrants, the
Company may instruct the Warrant Agent regarding making other
arrangements for book-entry settlement. In the event that the
Warrants are not eligible for, or it is no longer necessary to have
the Warrants available in, book-entry form, the Company may
instruct the Warrant Agent to provide written instructions to DTC
to deliver to the Warrant Agent for cancellation the Global
Certificate, and the Company shall instruct the Warrant Agent to
deliver to DTC separate certificates evidencing Warrants
(“
Definitive
Certificates
” and,
together with the Global Certificate, “
Warrant
Certificates
”) registered
as requested through the DTC system.
2.2.
Issuance and
Registration of Warrants
.
2.2.1.
Warrant
Register
. The Warrant Agent
shall maintain books (“
Warrant
Register
”) for the
registration of original issuance and the registration of transfer
of the Warrants.
2.2.2.
Issuance of
Warrants
. Upon the initial
issuance of the Warrants, the Warrant Agent may issue the Global
Certificate or deliver the Warrants in the DTC book-entry
settlement system in accordance with written instructions delivered
to the Warrant Agent by the Company. Ownership of security
entitlements in the Warrants shall be shown on, and the transfer of
such ownership shall be effected through, records maintained (i) by
DTC and (ii) by institutions that have accounts with DTC (each, a
“
Participant
”).
2.2.3.
Beneficial Owner;
Holder
. Prior to due
presentment for registration of transfer of any Warrant, the
Company and the Warrant Agent may deem and treat the person in
whose name that Warrant shall be registered on the Warrant Register
(the “
Holder
”)
as the absolute owner of such Warrant for purposes of any exercise
thereof, and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor
the Warrant Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the
Company, the Warrant Agent or any agent of the Company or the
Warrant Agent from giving effect to any written certification,
proxy or other authorization furnished by DTC governing the
exercise of the rights of a holder of a beneficial interest in any
Warrant. The rights of beneficial owners in a Warrant evidenced by
the Global Certificate shall be exercised by the Holder or a
Participant through the DTC system, except to the extent set forth
herein or in the Global Certificate.
2.2.4.
Execution
.
The Warrant Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company
by any authorized officer of the Company (an
“
Authorized
Officer
”), which need not
be the same authorized signatory for all of the Warrant
Certificates, either manually or by facsimile signature. The
Warrant Certificates shall be countersigned by an authorized
signatory of the Warrant Agent, which need not be the same
signatory for all of the Warrant Certificates, and no Warrant
Certificate shall be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned.
In case any Authorized Officer of the Company that signed any of
the Warrant Certificates ceases to be an Authorized Officer of the
Company before countersignature by the Warrant Agent and issuance
and delivery by the Company, such Warrant Certificates,
nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Warrant Agent, issued and
delivered with the same force and effect as though the person who
signed such Warrant Certificates had not ceased to be such officer
of the Company; and any Warrant Certificate may be signed on behalf
of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the
execution of such Warrant Certificate, shall be an Authorized
Officer of the Company authorized to sign such Warrant Certificate,
although at the date of the execution of this Warrant Agreement any
such person was not such an Authorized Officer.
2.2.5.
Registration of
Transfer
. At any time at or
prior to the Expiration Date (as defined below), a transfer of any
Warrants may be registered and any Warrant Certificate or Warrant
Certificates may be split up, combined or exchanged for another
Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates evidencing the same
number of Warrants as the Warrant Certificate or Warrant
Certificates surrendered. Any Holder desiring to register the
transfer of Warrants or to split up, combine or exchange any
Warrant Certificate shall make such request in writing delivered to
the Warrant Agent, and shall surrender to the Warrant Agent the
Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates evidencing the Warrants
the transfer of which is to be registered or that is or are to be
split up, combined or exchanged and, in the case of registration of
transfer, shall provide a signature guarantee. Thereupon, the
Warrant Agent shall countersign and deliver to the person entitled
thereto a Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates, as the case
may be, as so requested. The Company and the Warrant Agent may
require payment, by the Holder requesting a registration of
transfer of Warrants or a split-up, combination or exchange of a
Warrant Certificate (but, for purposes of clarity, not upon the
exercise of the Warrants and issuance of Warrant Shares to the
Holder), of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental
charge that may be imposed in connection with such registration of
transfer, split-up, combination or exchange, together with
reimbursement to the Company and the Warrant Agent of all
reasonable expenses incidental thereto.
2.2.6.
Loss, Theft and
Mutilation of Warrant Certificates
. Upon receipt by the Company and the Warrant
Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss,
theft, destruction or mutilation of a Warrant Certificate, and, in
case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security in
customary form and amount, and reimbursement to the Company and the
Warrant Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and
upon surrender to the Warrant Agent and cancellation of the Warrant
Certificate if mutilated, the Warrant Agent shall, on behalf of the
Company, countersign and deliver a new Warrant Certificate of like
tenor to the Holder in lieu of the Warrant Certificate so lost,
stolen, destroyed or mutilated. The Warrant Agent may charge the
Holder an administrative fee for processing the replacement of lost
Warrant Certificates, which shall be charged only once in instances
where a single surety bond obtained covers multiple certificates.
The Warrant Agent may receive compensation from the surety
companies or surety agents for administrative services provided to
them.
2.2.7.
Proxies
.
The Holder of a Warrant may grant proxies or otherwise authorize
any person, including the Participants and beneficial holders that
may own interests through the Participants, to take any action that
a Holder is entitled to take under this Agreement or the
Warrants;
provided
,
however
,
that at all times that Warrants are evidenced by a Global
Certificate, exercise of those Warrants shall be effected on their
behalf by Participants through DTC in accordance the procedures
administered by DTC.
3.
Terms and Exercise of
Warrants
.
3.1.
Exercise
Price
. Each Warrant shall
entitle the Holder, subject to the provisions of the applicable
Warrant Certificate and of this Warrant Agreement, to purchase from
the Company the number of shares of Common Stock stated therein, at
the price of $____ per whole share, subject to the subsequent
adjustments provided in Section 4 hereof. The term
“
Exercise
Price
” as used in this
Warrant Agreement refers to the price per share at which shares of
Common Stock may be purchased at the time a Warrant is
exercised.
3.2.
Duration of
Warrants
. Warrants may be
exercised only during the period (“
Exercise
Period
”) commencing on
the Issuance Date and terminating at 5:00 P.M., New York City time
(the “
close of
business
”) on ______,
2021
(“
Expiration
Date
”). Each Warrant not
exercised on or before the Expiration Date shall become void, and
all rights thereunder and all rights in respect thereof under this
Warrant Agreement shall cease at the close of business on the
Expiration Date.
3.3.
Exercise of
Warrants
.
3.3.1.
Exercise and
Payment
.
(a) Subject to the provisions of this Warrant
Agreement, a Holder (or a Participant acting on behalf of a Holder
in accordance with DTC procedures) may exercise Warrants by
delivering to the Warrant Agent, (i) not later than 5:00 P.M., New
York City time, on any business day during the Exercise
Period
(such date, the
“Date of Exercise”),
an
election to purchase the Warrant Shares underlying the Warrants to
be exercised (A) in the form included in Annex B to this Warrant
Agreement or (B) via an electronic warrant exercise through the DTC
system (each, an “Election to Purchase”)
(ii) within one
(1)
business day the Date of Exercise,
Warrants to be exercised by
(A)
surrender of the Warrant Certificate evidencing the Warrants to the
Warrant Agent at its office designated for such purpose or (B)
delivery of the Warrants to an account of the Warrant Agent at DTC
designated for such purpose in writing by the Warrant Agent to DTC
from time to time,
and
(iii)
within one (1) business day of the Date of Exercise, the Deposit
Amount
for each Warrant to be exercised
(and, if applicable, any taxes or charges due in
connection with the exercise of such Warrants)
, in lawful
money of the United
States of America
by (A) certified or official bank check payable to
___________[Company or Issuer Direct] (B) bank wire transfer in
immediately available funds to:
[Company
or Issuer Direct]
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
(b)
Any person
so designated by the Holder to receive Warrant Shares shall be
deemed to have become holder of record of such Warrant Shares as of
the time that the Holder shall have delivered to the Warrant Agent
(or instructed its
a
Participant acting on behalf of a Holder
in accordance with DTC procedures) an
appropriately completed and duly signed form of Election to
Purchase; provided that the Holder delivers the Deposit Amount by
the date that is one (1) Trading Day after the Date of Exercise. If
the Holder delivers a Form of Election to Purchase but fails,
within one Trading Day after the Date of Exercise, to deliver the
Aggregate Exercise Price, then the Holder shall only be deemed to
be the holder of record of the Warrant Shares upon delivery of the
Aggregate Exercise Price, so long as such Aggregate Exercise Price
is delivered within three (3) Trading Days of the Date of
Exercise.
If the Warrants are
received or deemed to be received after the Expiration Date, the
exercise thereof will be null and void and any funds delivered to
the Company will be returned to the Holder or Participant, as the
case may be, as soon as practicable. In no event will interest
accrue on any funds deposited with the Company in respect of an
exercise or attempted exercise of Warrants.
(c) [
RESERVED
].
(d)
If less than all the Warrants evidenced by a surrendered Warrant
Certificate are exercised, the Warrant Agent shall split up the
surrendered Warrant Certificate and return to the Holder a Warrant
Certificate evidencing the Warrants that were not
exercised.
3.3.2.
Issuance of Warrant
Shares
. (a) The Warrant Agent
shall, by 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Trading Day
following the Date of Exercise of any Warrant, advise the Company,
the transfer agent and registrar for the Company’s Common
Stock, in respect of (i) the number of Warrant Shares indicated on
the Election to Purchase as issuable upon such exercise with
respect to such exercised Warrants, (ii) the instructions of the
Holder or Participant, as the case may be, provided to the Warrant
Agent with respect to the delivery of the Warrant Shares and the
number of Warrants that remain outstanding after such exercise and
(iii) such other information as the Company or such transfer agent
and registrar shall reasonably request.
(b) The Company shall, by no later than 5:00 P.M., New York City
time, on the third Trading Day following the Date of Exercise of
any Warrant and the clearance of the funds in payment of the
Exercise Price (such date and time, the “
Delivery
Time
”), cause its
registrar to electronically transmit the Warrant Shares
issuable upon that exercise to DTC by crediting the account of DTC
or of the Participant, as the case may be, through its Deposit
Withdrawal Agent Commission system.
3.3.3.
Valid
Issuance
. All Warrant Shares
issued by the Company upon the proper exercise of a Warrant in
conformity with this Warrant Agreement shall be validly issued,
fully paid and non-assessable.
3.3.4.
No Fractional
Exercise
. No fractional Warrant
Shares will be issued upon the exercise of the Warrant. If, by
reason of any adjustment made pursuant to Section 4, a Holder would
be entitled, upon the exercise of such Warrant, to receive a
fractional interest in a share, the Company shall, upon such
exercise, round up or down, as applicable, to the nearest whole
number the number of Warrant Shares to be issued to such
Holder.
3.3.5
No Transfer
Taxes
. The Company shall not be
required to pay any stamp or other tax or governmental charge
required to be paid in connection with any transfer involved in the
issue of the Warrant Shares upon the exercise of Warrants; and in
the event that any such transfer is involved, the Company shall not
be required to issue or deliver any Warrant Shares until such tax
or other charge shall have been paid or it has been established to
the Company’s satisfaction that no such tax or other charge
is due.
3.3.6
Date of
Issuance
. The Company will
treat an exercising Holder as a beneficial owner of the Warrant
Shares as of the Date of Exercise, except that, if the Date of
Exercise is a date when the stock transfer books of the Company are
closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the holder of
such shares at the open of business on the next succeeding date on
which the stock transfer books are open.
3.3.7
Restrictive Legend
Events; Cashless Exercise Under Certain
Circumstances
.
(i) The Company shall use it reasonable best efforts to maintain
the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and the current
status of the prospectus included therein or to file and maintain
the effectiveness of another registration statement and another
current prospectus covering the Warrants and the Warrant Shares at
any time that the Warrants are exercisable. The Company shall
provide to the Warrant Agent and each Holder prompt written notice
of any time that the Company is unable to deliver the Warrant
Shares via DTC transfer or otherwise without restrictive legend
because (A) the Commission has issued a stop order with respect to
the Registration Statement, (B) the Commission otherwise has
suspended or withdrawn the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement, either temporarily or permanently, (C) the Company has
suspended or withdrawn the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement, either temporarily or permanently, (D) the prospectus
contained in the Registration Statement is not available for the
issuance of the Warrant Shares to the Holder or (E) otherwise (each
a “
Restrictive Legend
Event
”). To the extent
that the Warrants cannot be exercised as a result of a Restrictive
Legend Event or a Restrictive Legend Event occurs after a Holder
has exercised Warrants in accordance with the terms of the Warrants
but prior to the delivery of the Warrant Shares, the Company shall,
at the election of the Holder, which shall be given within five (5)
days of receipt of such notice of the Restrictive Legend Event,
either (A) rescind the previously submitted Election to Purchase
and the Company shall return all consideration paid by registered
holder for such shares upon such rescission or (B) treat the
attempted exercise as a cashless exercise as described in paragraph
(ii) below and refund the cash portion of the exercise price to the
Holder.
(ii) If a Restrictive Legend Event has occurred, the Warrant shall
only be exercisable on a cashless basis. Notwithstanding anything
herein to the contrary, the Company shall not be required to make
any cash payments or net cash settlement to the Holder in lieu of
delivery of the Warrant Shares. Upon a “cashless
exercise”, the Holder shall be entitled to receive the number
of Warrant Shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (A-B)
(X) by (A), where:
(A)
= the last VWAP
immediately preceding the
Date of
Exercise giving rise to the applicable “cashless
exercise”, as set forth in the applicable Election to
Purchase (to clarify, the “last VWAP” will be the last
VWAP as calculated over an entire Trading Day such that, in the
event that this Warrant is exercised at a time that the Trading
Market is open, the prior Trading Day’s VWAP shall be used in
this calculation
(B)
= the Exercise
Price of the Warrant, as adjusted as set forth herein;
and
(X)
= the number of
Warrant Shares that would be issuable upon exercise of the
Warrant
in accordance with
the terms of the Warrant if such exercise were by means of a
cash
exercise rather
than a cashless exercise.
If the Warrant Shares are issued in such a cashless exercise, the
Company acknowledges and agrees that, in accordance with Section
3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, the Warrant Shares shall take on the
registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised and the
Company agrees not to take any position contrary thereto. Upon
receipt of an Election to Purchase for a cashless exercise, the
Warrant Agent will promptly deliver a copy of the Election to
Purchase to the Company to confirm the number of Warrant Shares
issuable in connection with the cashless exercise. The Company
shall calculate and transmit to the Warrant Agent in a written
notice, and the Warrant Agent shall have no duty, responsibility or
obligation under this section to calculate, the number of Warrant
Shares issuable in connection with any cashless exercise. The
Warrant Agent shall be entitled to rely conclusively on any such
written notice provided by the Company, and the Warrant Agent shall
not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken
by it in accordance with such written instructions or pursuant to
this Warrant Agreement.
3.3.8
Disputes
.
In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the Exercise
Price or the arithmetic calculation of the number of Warrant Shares
issuable in connection with any exercise, the Company shall
promptly deliver to the Holder the number of Warrant Shares that
are not disputed.
3.3.9
Compensation for
Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Warrant Shares Upon
Exercise
. In addition to any
other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause
the Warrant Agent to deliver the Warrant Shares to the Holder
pursuant to Section 3.3.2 on or before 5:00 p.m. (New York City
time) on or before the Delivery Time, and if after such date the
beneficial owner is required by its broker to purchase (in an open
market transaction or otherwise) or the beneficial owner’s
brokerage firm otherwise purchases, Warrant Shares to deliver in
satisfaction of a sale by the beneficial owner of the Warrant
Shares, which the beneficial owner anticipated receiving upon such
exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay
in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the
beneficial owner’s total purchase price (including brokerage
commissions, if any) for the Warrant Shares so purchased exceeds
(y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Warrant
Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in
connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which
the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was
executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the
portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares, for
which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise
shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of
Warrant Shares, that would have been issued had the Company timely
complied with its delivery obligations. For example, if the
beneficial owner purchases Common Stock having a total purchase
price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted
exercise of Warrant Shares with an aggregate sale price giving rise
to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the
immediately preceding sentence, the Company shall be required to
pay the Holder $1,000 for the benefit of the beneficial owner. The
Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the
amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon
request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss.
Nothing herein shall limit right of a Holder to pursue any other
remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including,
without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or
injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to
timely deliver Warrant Shares upon exercise of Warrants as required
pursuant to the terms of this Warrant
Agreement.
3.3.10
Beneficial Ownership
Limitation
. A Holder shall not
have the right to exercise any Warrants to the extent that after
giving effect to the issuance of Warrant Shares after exercise as
set forth on the applicable Election to Purchase, such Holder or a
person holding through such Holder (together with such
Holder’s or person’s Affiliates (as defined in Rule 405
under the Securities Act), and any other persons acting as a group
together with that Holder or person or any of that Holder’s
or person’s Affiliates), would beneficially own in excess of
4.99% (“
Beneficial Ownership
Limitation
”) of the
Company’s Common Stock. For purposes of the foregoing
sentence, the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned
by a person shall include the number of Warrant Shares that would
be owned by that person issuable upon exercise of the Warrants with
respect to which such determination is being made, but shall
exclude the number of shares of Common Stock (i) which would be
issuable upon exercise of the remaining, non-exercised Warrants
beneficially owned by that person or any of its Affiliates and (ii)
underlying any other securities of the Company held by such Holder
or its Affiliates that are exercisable or convertible into Common
Stock and subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise that is
analogous to the limitation contained in this Section 3.3.10.
Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this
Section 3.3.10, beneficial ownership shall be calculated in
accordance with Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the “
Exchange
Act
”) and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the
Holder that neither the Warrant Agent nor the Company is
representing to the Holder that such calculation is in compliance
with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the Holder or beneficial
owner is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed
in accordance therewith. To the extent that the limitation
contained in this Section 3.3.10 applies, the determination of
whether a Warrant is exercisable and of the number of Warrants that
are exercisable shall be in the sole discretion of the Holder, and
the submission of an Election to Purchase shall be deemed to be the
Holder’s determination of whether such Warrant is exercisable
and of the number of Warrants that are exercisable, and neither the
Warrant Agent nor the Company shall have any obligation to verify
or confirm the accuracy of such determination and neither of them
shall have any liability for any error made by the Holder or any
other person. In addition, a determination as to any group status
as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with
Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 3.3.10, in
determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, a
Holder or other person may rely on the number of outstanding shares
of Common Stock as reflected in (A) the Company’s most recent
periodic or annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, as the case may be, (B) a more recent public
announcement by the Company or (C) a more recent written notice by
the Company or the Company’s transfer agent setting forth the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. For any reason at any
time, upon the written or oral request of a person that represents
that it is or is acting on behalf of a Holder, the Company shall,
within two (2) Trading Days, confirm orally or in writing or by
e-mail to that person the number of shares of Common Stock then
outstanding. Upon delivery of a written notice to the Company, the
Holder may from time to time increase or decrease the Beneficial
Ownership Limitation to any other percentage not in excess of 9.99%
as specified in such notice, provided that any increase in the
Beneficial Ownership Limitation will not be effective until the
sixty-first (61
st
)
day after such notice is delivered to the Company and any such
increase or decrease will apply only to the Holder and its
Affiliates and not to any other holder of Warrants. The provisions
of this Section 3.3.10 shall be construed and implemented in a
manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this
Section 3.3.10 to correct this subsection (or any portion hereof)
which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended beneficial
ownership limitation herein contained.
4.
Adjustments
.
4.1
Adjustment upon
Subdivisions or Combinations
.
If the Company at any time after the Issuance Date subdivides (by
any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, reorganization,
scheme, arrangement or otherwise) its outstanding shares of Common
Stock into a greater number of shares, the Exercise Price in effect
immediately prior to such subdivision will be proportionately
reduced and the number of Warrant Shares will be proportionately
increased. If the Company at any time after the Issuance Date
combines (by any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization,
reorganization, scheme, arrangement or otherwise) its outstanding
shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the
Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such combination will
be proportionately increased and the number of Warrant Shares will
be proportionately decreased. Any adjustment under this Section 4.1
shall become effective at the close of business on the date the
subdivision or combination becomes effective. The Company shall
promptly notify Warrant Agent of any such adjustment and give
specific instructions to Warrant Agent with respect to any
adjustments to the warrant register.
4.2
Adjustment for Other
Distributions.
In the
event the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a
dividend or distribution to all holders of Common Stock of any
evidences of indebtedness or assets or subscription rights, options
or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 4.1 or other
dividends paid out of retained earnings), then in each such case
the Holder will, upon the exercise of Warrants, be entitled to
receive, in addition to the number of Warrant Shares issuable
thereupon, and without payment of any additional consideration
therefor, the amount of such dividend or distribution, as
applicable, which such Holder would have held on the date of such
exercise had such Holder been the holder of record of such Warrant
Shares as of the date on which holders of Common Stock became
entitled to receive such dividend or distribution. Such adjustment
shall be made whenever any such distribution is made and shall
become effective immediately after the record date mentioned
above.
4.3.
Reclassification,
Consolidation, Purchase, Combination, Sale or
Conveyance
. If, at any time
while the Warrants are outstanding, (i) the Company, directly or
indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger
or consolidation of the Company with or into another person, (ii)
the Company, directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease,
license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of
all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of
related transactions, (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase
offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or
another person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Common
Stock are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for
other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the
holders of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock (not
including any Common Stock held by the other person or other
persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the
other persons making, such purchase offer, tender offer or exchange
offer), (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more
related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization
or recapitalization of the Common Stock or any compulsory share
exchange pursuant to which the Common Stock is effectively
converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property,
or (v) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related
transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or
other business combination (including, without limitation, a
reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of
arrangement) with another person whereby such other person acquires
more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (not
including any shares of Common Stock held by the other person or
other persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with
the other persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase
agreement or other business combination) (each a
“
Fundamental
Transaction
”), then, upon
any subsequent exercise of a Warrant, each Holder shall have the
right to receive, for each Warrant Share that would have been
issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of
such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in
Section 3.3.10 on the exercise of the Warrants), the same amount
and kind of securities, cash or property, if any, of the successor
or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving
corporation, and any additional consideration (the
“
Alternate
Consideration
”)
receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder
of the number of shares of Common Stock for which each Warrant is
exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction
(without regard to any limitation in Section 3.3.10 on the exercise
of the Warrants). For purposes of any such exercise, the
determination of the Exercise Price shall be appropriately adjusted
to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of
Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one share of Common
Stock in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Company shall
apportion the Exercise Price among the Alternate Consideration in a
reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different
components of the Alternate Consideration. If holders of Common
Stock are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property
to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall
be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration that
such Holder receives upon any exercise of each Warrant following
such Fundamental Transaction. The Company shall cause any successor
entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the
survivor (the “
Successor
Entity
”) and for which
stockholders received any equity securities of the Successor Entity
and for which stockholders received any equity securities of the
Successor Entity, to assume in writing all of the obligations of
the Company under this Warrant Agreement in accordance with the
provisions of this Section 4.3 pursuant to written agreements and
shall, upon the written request of such Holder, deliver to such
Holder in exchange for the applicable Warrants created by this
Warrant Agreement a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a
written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to
the Warrants which are exercisable for a corresponding number of
shares of capital stock of such Successor Entity (or its parent
entity), if any, plus any Alternate Consideration, receivable as a
result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of
shares of Common Stock for which the Warrants are exercisable
immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an
exercise price which applies the Exercise Price hereunder to such
shares of capital stock, if any, plus any Alternate Consideration
(but taking into account the relative value of the shares of Common
Stock pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of
such shares of capital stock plus Alternative Consideration after
that Fundamental Transaction for the purpose of protecting the
economic value of such Warrant immediately prior to the
consummation of such Fundamental Transaction). Upon the occurrence
of any such Fundamental Transaction the Successor Entity shall
succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date
of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Warrant
Agreement and the Warrants referring to the “Company”
shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise
every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the
obligations of the Company under this Warrant Agreement and the
Warrants with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been
named as the Company herein and therein.
The Company shall instruct the Warrant Agent in writing to mail by
first class mail, postage prepaid, to each Holder, written notice
of the execution of any such amendment, supplement or agreement
with the Successor Entity. Any supplemented or amended agreement
entered into by the successor corporation or transferee shall
provide for adjustments, which shall be as nearly equivalent as may
be practicable to the adjustments provided for in this Section 4.3.
The Warrant Agent shall have no duty, responsibility or obligation
to determine the correctness of any provisions contained in such
agreement or such notice, including but not limited to any
provisions relating either to the kind or amount of securities or
other property receivable upon exercise of warrants or with respect
to the method employed and provided therein for any adjustments,
and shall be entitled to rely conclusively for all purposes upon
the provisions contained in any such agreement. The provisions of
this Section 4.3 shall similarly apply to successive
reclassifications, changes, consolidations, mergers, sales and
conveyances of the kind described above.
4.4. [
RESERVED
].
4.5
Other
Events
. If any event occurs of
the type contemplated by the provisions of Section 4.1 or 4.2 but
not expressly provided for by such provisions (including, without
limitation, the granting of stock appreciation rights, Adjustment
Rights, phantom stock rights or other rights with equity features
to all holders of Common Stock for no consideration), then the
Company's Board of Directors will, at its discretion and in good
faith, make an adjustment in the Exercise Price and the number of
Warrant Shares or designate such additional consideration to be
deemed issuable upon exercise of a Warrant, so as to protect the
rights of the registered Holder. No adjustment to the Exercise
Price will be made pursuant to more than one sub-section of this
Section 4 in connection with a single issuance.
4.6.
Notices of Changes in
Warrant
. Upon every adjustment
of the Exercise Price or the number of Warrant Shares issuable upon
exercise of a Warrant, the Company shall give written notice
thereof to the Warrant Agent, which notice shall state the Exercise
Price resulting from such adjustment and the increase or decrease,
if any, in the number of Warrant Shares purchasable at such price
upon the exercise of a Warrant, setting forth in reasonable detail
the method of calculation and the facts upon which such calculation
is based. Upon the occurrence of any event specified in Sections
4.1 or 4.2, then, in any such event, the Company shall give written
notice to each Holder, at the last address set forth for such
holder in the Warrant Register, as of the record date or the
effective date of the event. Failure to give such notice, or any
defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of such
event. The Warrant Agent shall be entitled to rely conclusively on,
and shall be fully protected in relying on, any certificate, notice
or instructions provided by the Company with respect to any
adjustment of the Exercise Price or the number of shares issuable
upon exercise of a Warrant, or any related matter, and the Warrant
Agent shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted
to be taken by it in accordance with any such certificate, notice
or instructions or pursuant to this Warrant Agreement. The Warrant
Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any such adjustment
unless and until it shall have received written notice thereof from
the Company.
5.
Restrictive Legends;
Fractional Warrants
.
In the event that a Warrant Certificate surrendered for transfer
bears a restrictive legend, the Warrant Agent shall not register
that transfer until the Warrant Agent has received an opinion of
counsel for the Company stating that such transfer may be made and
indicating whether the Warrants must also bear a restrictive legend
upon that transfer. The Warrant Agent shall not be required to
effect any registration of transfer or exchange which will result
in the transfer of or delivery of a Warrant Certificate for a
fraction of a Warrant.
6. [
RESERVED
].
7.
Other Provisions
Relating to Rights of Holders of Warrants
.
7.1.
No Rights as
Stockholder
. Except as
otherwise specifically provided herein, a Holder, solely in its
capacity as a holder of Warrants, shall not be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed the holder of share capital of the
Company for any purpose, nor shall anything contained in this
Warrant Agreement be construed to confer upon a Holder, solely in
its capacity as the registered holder of Warrants, any of the
rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote, give
or withhold consent to any corporate action (whether any
reorganization, issue of stock, reclassification of share capital,
consolidation, merger, conveyance or otherwise), receive notice of
meetings, receive dividends or subscription rights or rights to
participate in new issues of shares, or otherwise, prior to the
issuance to the Holder of the Warrant Shares which it is then
entitled to receive upon the due exercise of
Warrants.
7.2.
Reservation of Common
Stock
. The Company shall at all
times reserve and keep available a number of its authorized but
unissued shares of Common Stock that will be sufficient to permit
the exercise in full of all outstanding Warrants issued pursuant to
this Warrant Agreement.
8.
Concerning the Warrant
Agent and Other Matters
.
8.1. Any instructions given to the Warrant Agent orally, as
permitted by any provision of this Warrant Agreement, shall be
confirmed in writing by the Company as soon as practicable. The
Warrant Agent shall not be liable or responsible and shall be fully
authorized and protected for acting, or failing to act, in
accordance with any oral instructions which do not conform with the
written confirmation received in accordance with this Section
8.1.
8.2. (a) Whether or not any Warrants are exercised, for the Warrant
Agent’s services as agent for the Company hereunder, the
Company shall pay to the Warrant Agent such fees as may be
separately agreed between the Company and Warrant Agent and the
Warrant Agent’s out of pocket expenses in connection with
this Warrant Agreement, including, without limitation, the fees and
expenses of the Warrant Agent’s counsel. While the Warrant
Agent endeavors to maintain out-of-pocket charges (both internal
and external) at competitive rates, these charges may not reflect
actual out-of-pocket costs, and may include handling charges to
cover internal processing and use of the Warrant Agent’s
billing systems.
(b)
All amounts owed by the Company to the Warrant Agent under this
Warrant Agreement are due within 30 days of the invoice date.
Delinquent payments are subject to a late payment charge of one and
one-half percent (1.5%) per month commencing 45 days from the
invoice date. The Company agrees to reimburse the Warrant Agent for
any attorney’s fees and any other costs associated with
collecting delinquent payments.
(c)
No provision of this Warrant Agreement shall require Warrant Agent
to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial
liability in the performance of any of its duties under this
Warrant Agreement or in the exercise of its rights.
8.3
As agent for the
Company hereunder the Warrant Agent
:
(a)
shall have no duties or obligations other than those specifically
set forth herein or as may subsequently be agreed to in writing by
the Warrant Agent and the Company;
(b)
shall be regarded as making no representations and having no
responsibilities as to the validity, sufficiency, value, or
genuineness of the Warrants or any Warrant Shares;
(c)
shall not be obligated to take any legal action hereunder; if,
however, the Warrant Agent determines to take any legal action
hereunder, and where the taking of such action might, in its
judgment, subject or expose it to any expense or liability it shall
not be required to act unless it has been furnished with an
indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it;
(d)
may rely on and shall be fully authorized and protected in acting
or failing to act upon any certificate, instrument, opinion,
notice, letter, telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or other
document or security delivered to the Warrant Agent and believed by
it to be genuine and to have been signed by the proper party or
parties;
(e)
shall not be liable or responsible for any recital or statement
contained in the Registration Statement or any other documents
relating thereto;
(f)
shall not be liable or responsible for any failure on the part of
the Company to comply with any of its covenants and obligations
relating to the Warrants, including without limitation obligations
under applicable securities laws;
(g)
may rely on and shall be fully authorized and protected in acting
or failing to act upon the written, telephonic or oral instructions
with respect to any matter relating to its duties as Warrant Agent
covered by this Warrant Agreement (or supplementing or qualifying
any such actions) of officers of the Company, and is hereby
authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the
performance of its duties hereunder from the Company or counsel to
the Company, and may apply to the Company, for advice or
instructions in connection with the Warrant Agent’s duties
hereunder, and the Warrant Agent shall not be liable for any delay
in acting while waiting for those instructions; any applications by
the Warrant Agent for written instructions from the Company may, at
the option of the Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed
to be taken or omitted by the Warrant Agent under this Warrant
Agreement and the date on or after which such action shall be taken
or such omission shall be effective; the Warrant Agent shall not be
liable for any action taken by, or omission of, the Warrant Agent
in accordance with a proposal included in such application on or
after the date specified in such application (which date shall not
be less than five business days after the date such application is
sent to the Company, unless the Company shall have consented in
writing to any earlier date) unless prior to taking any such
action, the Warrant Agent shall have received written instructions
in response to such application specifying the action to be taken
or omitted;
(h)
may consult with counsel satisfactory to the Warrant Agent,
including its in-house counsel, and the advice of such counsel
shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect
of any action taken, suffered, or omitted by it hereunder in good
faith and in accordance with the advice of such
counsel;
(i)
may perform any of its duties hereunder either directly or by or
through nominees, correspondents, designees, or subagents, and it
shall not be liable or responsible for any misconduct or negligence
on the part of any nominee, correspondent, designee, or subagent
appointed with reasonable care by it in connection with this
Warrant Agreement;
(j)
is not authorized, and shall have no obligation, to pay any
brokers, dealers, or soliciting fees to any person and
(k)
shall not be required hereunder to comply with the laws or
regulations of any country other than the United States of America
or any political subdivision thereof.
8.4. (a) In the absence of gross negligence or willful or illegal
misconduct on its part, the Warrant Agent shall not be liable for
any action taken, suffered, or omitted by it or for any error of
judgment made by it in the performance of its duties under this
Warrant Agreement. Anything in this Warrant Agreement to the
contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall Warrant Agent be liable
for special, indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive losses
or damages of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to
lost profits), even if the Warrant Agent has been advised of the
possibility of such losses or damages and regardless of the form of
action. Any liability of the Warrant Agent will be limited in the
aggregate to the amount of fees paid by the Company hereunder. The
Warrant Agent shall not be liable for any failures, delays or
losses, arising directly or indirectly out of conditions beyond its
reasonable control including, but not limited to, acts of
government, exchange or market ruling, suspension of trading, work
stoppages or labor disputes, fires, civil disobedience, riots,
rebellions, storms, electrical or mechanical failure, computer
hardware or software failure, communications facilities failures
including telephone failure, war, terrorism, insurrection,
earthquakes, floods, acts of God or similar
occurrences.
(b)
In the event any question or dispute arises with respect to the
proper interpretation of the Warrants or the Warrant Agent’s
duties under this Warrant Agreement or the rights of the Company or
of any Holder, the Warrant Agent shall not be required to act and
shall not be held liable or responsible for its refusal to act
until the question or dispute has been judicially settled (and, if
appropriate, it may file a suit in interpleader or for a
declaratory judgment for such purpose) by final judgment rendered
by a court of competent jurisdiction, binding on all persons
interested in the matter which is no longer subject to review or
appeal, or settled by a written document in form and substance
satisfactory to Warrant Agent and executed by the Company and each
such Holder. In addition, the Warrant Agent may require for such
purpose, but shall not be obligated to require, the execution of
such written settlement by all the Holders and all other persons
that may have an interest in the settlement.
8.5. The Company covenants to indemnify the Warrant Agent and hold
it harmless from and against any loss, liability, claim or expense
(“
Loss
”)
arising out of or in connection with the Warrant Agent’s
duties under this Warrant Agreement, including the costs and
expenses of defending itself against any Loss, unless such Loss
shall have been determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to
be a result of the Warrant Agent’s gross negligence or
willful misconduct.
8.6. Unless terminated earlier by the parties hereto, this
Agreement shall terminate 90 days after the earlier of the
Expiration Date and the date on which no Warrants remain
outstanding (the “
Termination
Date
”). On the business
day following the Termination Date, the Agent shall deliver to the
Company any entitlements, if any, held by the Warrant Agent under
this Warrant Agreement. The Agent’s right to be reimbursed
for fees, charges and out-of-pocket expenses as provided in this
Section 8 shall survive the termination of this Warrant
Agreement.
8.7. If any provision of this Warrant Agreement shall be held
illegal, invalid, or unenforceable by any court, this Warrant
Agreement shall be construed and enforced as if such provision had
not been contained herein and shall be deemed an Agreement among
the parties to it to the full extent permitted by applicable
law.
8.8. The Company represents and warrants that (a) it is duly
incorporated and validly existing under the laws of its
jurisdiction of incorporation, (b) the offer and sale of the
Warrants and the execution, delivery and performance of all
transactions contemplated thereby (including this Warrant
Agreement) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate
action and will not result in a breach of or constitute a default
under the articles of association, bylaws or any similar document
of the Company or any indenture, agreement or instrument to which
it is a party or is bound, (c) this Warrant Agreement has been duly
executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes the legal,
valid, binding and enforceable obligation of the Company, (d) the
Warrants will comply in all material respects with all applicable
requirements of law and (e) to the best of its knowledge, there is
no litigation pending or threatened as of the date hereof in
connection with the offering of the Warrants.
8.9. In the event of inconsistency between this Warrant Agreement
and the descriptions in the Registration Statement, as they may
from time to time be amended, the terms of this Warrant Agreement
shall control.
8.10. Set forth in
Annex
C
hereto is a list of the
names and specimen signatures of the persons authorized to act for
the Company under this Warrant Agreement (the
“
Authorized
Representatives
”). The
Company shall, from time to time, certify to you the names and
signatures of any other persons authorized to act for the Company
under this Warrant Agreement.
8.11. Except as expressly set forth elsewhere in this Warrant
Agreement, all notices, instructions and communications under this
Agreement shall be in writing, shall be effective upon receipt and
shall be addressed, if to the Company, to its address set forth
beneath its signature to this Agreement, or, if to the Warrant
Agent, to [Issuer Direct Corporation,
500 Perimeter Park
Drive, Morrisville, NC 27560]
, or to
such other address of which a party hereto has notified the other
party.
8.12. (a) This Warrant Agreement shall be governed by and construed
in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. All actions
and proceedings relating to or arising from, directly or
indirectly, this Warrant Agreement may be litigated in courts
located within the Borough of Manhattan in the City and State of
New York. The Company hereby submits to the personal jurisdiction
of such courts and consents that any service of process may be made
by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, directed
to the Company at its address last specified for notices hereunder.
Each of the parties hereto hereby waives the right to a trial by
jury in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this
Warrant Agreement.
(b)
This Warrant Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding
upon the successors and assigns of the parties hereto. This Warrant
Agreement may not be assigned, or otherwise transferred, in whole
or in part, by either party without the prior written consent of
the other party, which the other party will not unreasonably
withhold, condition or delay; except that (i) consent is not
required for an assignment or delegation of duties by Warrant Agent
to any affiliate of Warrant Agent and (ii) any reorganization,
merger, consolidation, sale of assets or other form of business
combination by Warrant Agent or the Company shall not be deemed to
constitute an assignment of this Warrant Agreement.
(c)
No provision of this Warrant Agreement may be amended, modified or
waived, except in a written document signed by both parties. The
Company and the Warrant Agent may amend or supplement this Warrant
Agreement without the consent of any Holder for the purpose of
curing any ambiguity, or curing, correcting or supplementing any
defective provision contained herein or adding or changing any
other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under
this Agreement as the parties may deem necessary or desirable and
that the parties determine, in good faith, shall not adversely
affect the interest of the Holders. All other amendments
and supplements shall require the vote or written consent of
Holders of at least 50.1% of the then outstanding Warrants,
provided that adjustments may be made to the Warrant terms and
rights in accordance with Section 4 without the consent of the
Holders.
8.13
Payment of
Taxes
. The Company will from
time to time promptly pay all taxes and charges that may be imposed
upon the Company or the Warrant Agent in respect of the issuance or
delivery of Warrant Shares upon the exercise of Warrants, but the
Company may require the Holders to pay any transfer taxes in
respect of the Warrants or such shares. The Warrant Agent may
refrain from registering any transfer of Warrants or any delivery
of any Warrant Shares unless or until the persons requesting the
registration or issuance shall have paid to the Warrant Agent for
the account of the Company the amount of such tax or charge, if
any, or shall have established to the reasonable satisfaction of
the Company and the Warrant Agent that such tax or charge, if any,
has been paid.
8.14
Resignation of Warrant
Agent
.
8.14.1.
Appointment of
Successor Warrant Agent
. The
Warrant Agent, or any successor to it hereafter appointed, may
resign its duties and be discharged from all further duties and
liabilities hereunder after giving thirty (30) days’ notice
in writing to the Company, or such shorter period of time agreed to
by the Company. The Company may terminate the services of the
Warrant Agent, or any successor Warrant Agent, after giving thirty
(30) days’ notice in writing to the Warrant Agent or
successor Warrant Agent, or such shorter period of time as agreed.
If the office of the Warrant Agent becomes vacant by resignation,
termination or incapacity to act or otherwise, the Company shall
appoint in writing a successor Warrant Agent in place of the
Warrant Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment
within a period of 30 days after it has been notified in writing of
such resignation or incapacity by the Warrant Agent, then the
Warrant Agent or any Holder may apply to any court of competent
jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Warrant Agent at
the Company’s cost. Pending appointment of a successor to
such Warrant Agent, either by the Company or by such a court, the
duties of the Warrant Agent shall be carried out by the Company.
Any successor Warrant Agent (but not including the initial Warrant
Agent), whether appointed by the Company or by such court, shall be
a person organized and existing under the laws of any state of the
United States of America, in good standing, and authorized under
such laws to exercise corporate trust powers and subject to
supervision or examination by federal or state authority. After
appointment, any successor Warrant Agent shall be vested with all
the authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations
of its predecessor Warrant Agent with like effect as if originally
named as Warrant Agent hereunder, without any further act or deed,
and except for executing and delivering documents as provided in
the sentence that follows, the predecessor Warrant Agent shall have
no further duties, obligations, responsibilities or liabilities
hereunder, but shall be entitled to all rights that survive the
termination of this Warrant Agreement and the resignation or
removal of the Warrant Agent, including but not limited to its
right to indemnity hereunder. If for any reason it becomes
necessary or appropriate or at the request of the Company, the
predecessor Warrant Agent shall execute and deliver, at the expense
of the Company, an instrument transferring to such successor
Warrant Agent all the authority, powers, and rights of such
predecessor Warrant Agent hereunder; and upon request of any
successor Warrant Agent the Company shall make, execute,
acknowledge, and deliver any and all instruments in writing for
more fully and effectually vesting in and confirming to such
successor Warrant Agent all such authority, powers, rights,
immunities, duties, and obligations.
8.14.2.
Notice of Successor
Warrant Agent
. In the event a
successor Warrant Agent shall be appointed, the Company shall give
notice thereof to the predecessor Warrant Agent and the transfer
agent for the Common Stock not later than the effective date of any
such appointment.
8.14.3.
Merger or
Consolidation of Warrant Agent
.
Any person into which the Warrant Agent may be merged or converted
or with which it may be consolidated or any person resulting from
any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Warrant Agent
shall be a party or any person succeeding to the shareowner
services business of the Warrant Agent or any successor Warrant
Agent shall be the successor Warrant Agent under this Warrant
Agreement, without any further act or deed. For purposes of this
Warrant Agreement, “person” shall mean any individual,
firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint
venture, association, trust or other entity, and shall include any
successor (by merger or otherwise) thereof or
thereto.
9.
Miscellaneous
Provisions
.
9.1.
Persons Having Rights
under this Warrant Agreement
.
Nothing in this Warrant Agreement expressed and nothing that may be
implied from any of the provisions hereof is intended, or shall be
construed, to confer upon, or give to, any person or corporation
other than the parties hereto and the Holders any right, remedy, or
claim under or by reason of this Warrant Agreement or of any
covenant, condition, stipulation, promise, or agreement
hereof.
9.2.
Examination of the
Warrant Agreement
. A copy of
this Warrant Agreement shall be available at all reasonable times
at the office of the Warrant Agent designated for such purpose for
inspection by any Holder. Prior to such inspection, the Warrant
Agent may require any such holder to provide reasonable evidence of
its interest in the Warrants.
9.3.
Counterparts
.
This Warrant Agreement may be executed in any number of original,
facsimile or electronic counterparts and each of such counterparts
shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such
counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same
instrument.
9.4.
Effect of
Headings
. The Section headings
herein are for convenience only and are not part of this Warrant
Agreement and shall not affect the interpretation
thereof.
10.
Certain
Definitions
.
As used herein, the following terms shall have the following
meanings:
(i) “
Adjustment
Right
” means any right
granted with respect to any securities issued in connection with,
or with respect to, any issuance, sale or delivery (or deemed
issuance, sale or delivery in accordance with Section 4) of Common
Stock (other than rights of the type described in Section 4.2 and
4.3 hereof) that could result in a decrease in the net
consideration received by the Company in connection with, or with
respect to, such securities (including, without limitation, any
cash settlement rights, cash adjustment or other similar rights)
but excluding anti-dilution and other similar rights (including
pursuant to Section 4.4 of this Agreement).
(ii) “
Approved Stock
Plan
” means any employee
benefit plan which has been approved by the board of directors of
the Company prior to or subsequent to the date hereof pursuant to
which Common Stock and options to purchase Common Stock may be
issued to any employee, consultant, officer or director or other
service provider for services provided to the Company in their
capacity as such.
(iii) “
Convertible
Securities
” means any
notes, rights, warrants or other securities (other than Options)
that are at any time and under any circumstances, directly or
indirectly, convertible into, exercisable or exchangeable for, or
which otherwise entitles the holder thereof to acquire, shares of
Common Stock.
(iv). “
Excluded
Securities
” means (1)
Common Stock or options or other rights to purchase Common Stock or
other awards issued to directors, officers, employees, consultants
or other service providers of the Company in their capacity as such
pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan, provided that (A) all such
issuances (taking into account the Common Stock issuable upon
exercise of such options) after the date hereof pursuant to this
clause (i) do not, in the aggregate, exceed more than 30% of the
Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the date
hereof; provided however, that such issuances to consultants or
other service providers do not, in each instance in the aggregate,
exceed more than 5% of the Common Stock issued and outstanding
immediately prior to the date hereof, and (B) the exercise price of
any such options is not lowered, none of such options are amended
to increase the number of shares issuable thereunder in each case
other than pursuant to the terms hereof (including any
anti-dilution provisions contained therein) and none of the terms
or conditions of any such options are otherwise materially changed
in any manner that adversely affects any of the holders of
Warrants; (2) Common Stock issued upon the conversion or exercise
of Convertible Securities (other than options or other rights to
purchase Common Stock issued pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan
that are covered by clause (i) above) issued prior to the date
hereof, provided that the conversion price of any such Convertible
Securities (other than options or other rights to purchase Common
Stock issued pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan that are covered by
clause (1) above) is not lowered through the amendment or waiver of
such Convertible Security, none of such Convertible Securities
(other than options or other rights to purchase Common Stock issued
pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan that are covered by clause (1)
above) are amended to increase the number of shares issuable
thereunder and none of the terms or conditions of any such
Convertible Securities (other than options or other rights to
purchase Common Stock issued pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan
that are covered by clause (1) above) are otherwise materially
changed in any manner that adversely affects any of the holders of
Warrants; (3) Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants;
and (4) securities issuable in connection with strategic license
agreements, other partnering arrangements or acquisitions or
mergers where the purchaser or acquirer of the securities in such
issuance solely consists of (A) either (x) the actual participants
in such strategic license, strategic alliance, strategic
partnership or other partnering arrangements, (y) the actual owners
of such assets or securities acquired in such acquisition or merger
or (z) the stockholders, partners or members of the foregoing
persons or entities and (B) number or amount of securities issued
to such person or entity by the Company shall not be
disproportionate (as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company) to either (x) the fair market value of
such person’s or entity’s actual contribution to such
strategic alliance or strategic partnership or (y) the proportional
ownership of such assets or securities to be acquired by the
Company, as applicable; provided, that, notwithstanding the
foregoing, such purchaser or acquirer of the securities in such
issuance shall not include any person regularly engaged in the
business of buying or selling securities.
(v) [
RESERVED
].
(vi) [
RESERVED
]
(vii) “
Options
”
means any rights, warrants or options to subscribe for or purchase
Common Stock or Convertible Securities.
(viii) [
RESERVED
].
(ix) “
Trading
Day
” means any day on
which the Common Stock is traded on the Trading Market, or, if the
Trading Market is not the principal trading market for the Common
Stock, then on the principal securities exchange or securities
market in the United States on which the Common Stock is then
traded, provided that “Trading Day” shall not include
any day on which the Common Stock is are scheduled to trade on such
exchange or market for less than 4.5 hours or any day that the
Common Stock is suspended from trading during the final hour of
trading on such exchange or market (or if such exchange or market
does not designate in advance the closing time of trading on such
exchange or market, then during the hour ending at 4:00 P.M., New
York City time).
(x) “
Trading
Market
” means NYSE MKT,
the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq
Global Select Market or the New York Stock
Exchange.
(xi) “
VWAP
”
means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the
following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then
listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted
average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest
preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is
then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a
Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New
York City time)), (b) the volume weighted average price of the
Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the
OTC Bulletin Board, (c) if the Common Stock are not then listed or
quoted for trading on the OTC Bulletin Board and if prices for the
Common Stock are then reported in the OTCQB maintained by OTC
Markets Group, Inc. (or a similar organization or agency succeeding
to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price
per share of Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases,
the fair market value of the Common Stock as determined by an
independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Company, the
fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the
Company.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, this Warrant Agent Agreement has been duly
executed by the parties hereto as of the day and year first above
written.
MERIDIAN WASTE
SOLUTIONS, INC.
By:
_______________________________________
Name:
Title:
Address
for notices:
12540
Broadwell Road, Suite 2104
Milton,
GA 30004
Attention: Jeffrey
Cosman
Telephone: (404)
539-1147
Facsimile:
E-mail:
Issuer
Direct Corporation
As
Warrant Agent
By:
_______________________________________
Name:
Title:
Annex A Form of Warrant Certificates
Annex B Election to Purchase
Annex C Authorized Representatives
ANNEX
A
[TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GLOBAL CERTIFICATE]
[UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK
CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO ISSUER OR ITS AGENT FOR
REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE, OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE
ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH
OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC
(AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER
ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY
TRANSFER, PLEDGE, OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR
TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF,
CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.]
MERIDIAN WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC.
WARRANT CERTIFICATE
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER ______, 20__
This certifies that the person whose name and
address appears below, or registered assigns, is the registered
owner of the number of Warrants set forth below. Each Warrant
entitles its registered holder to purchase from Meridian Waste
Solutions, Inc., a company incorporated under the laws of the State
of New York (the “
Company
”), at any time prior to 5:00 P.M. (New York
City time) on ________, 20__, one share of common stock, par value
$0.025 per share, of the Company (each, a
“
Warrant
Share
” and collectively,
the “
Warrant
Shares
”), at an exercise
price of $___ per share, subject to possible adjustments as
provided in the Warrant Agreement (as defined
below).
This
Warrant Certificate, with or without other Warrant Certificates,
upon surrender at the designated office of the Warrant Agent, may
be exchanged for another Warrant Certificate or Warrant
Certificates evidencing the same number of Warrants as the Warrant
Certificate or Warrant Certificates surrendered. A transfer of the
Warrants evidenced hereby may be registered upon surrender of this
Warrant Certificate at the designated office of the Warrant Agent
by the registered holder in person or by a duly authorized
attorney, properly endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments of
transfer, a signature guarantee, and such other and further
documentation as the Warrant Agent may reasonably request and duly
stamped as may be required by the laws of the State of New York and
of the United States of America.
The terms and conditions of the Warrants and the
rights and obligations of the holder of this Warrant Certificate
are set forth in the Warrant Agent Agreement dated as of _______,
2016 (the “
Warrant
Agreement
”) between the
Company and Issuer Direct Corporation (the
“
Warrant
Agent
”). A copy of the
Warrant Agreement is available for inspection during business hours
at the office of the Warrant Agent.
This
Warrant Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by an authorized
signatory of the Warrant Agent.
WITNESS
the facsimile signature of a proper officer of the
Company.
MERIDIAN WASTE
SOLUTIONS, INC.
By:
_______________________________________
Name:
Title:
Dated: ____________, 2016
Countersigned:
Issuer Direct Corporation,
As Warrant Agent
By:
_______________________________________
Name:
Title:
PLEASE DETACH HERE
——————————————————————————————————————
Certificate No.:_________ Number of
Warrants:__________
WARRANT CUSIP NO.: ___________
|
MERIDIAN
WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC.
|
|
|
|
|
[Name & Address of Holder]
|
, Warrant Agent
|
|
|
|
|
|
By Mail:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
By
hand or overnight courier:
|
|
|
|
|
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ANNEX
B
[Form of Election to Purchase]
(To Be Executed Upon Exercise Of Warrants not evidenced by a Global
Certificate)
The
undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise the right,
represented by Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate, to
receive
Warrant Shares and herewith tenders payment for such Warrant Shares
to the order of ___________, in the amount of $
in accordance with the terms hereof.
OR
[In
cases where cashless exercise is permitted under the Warrant
Agreement] — The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to
exercise the right, represented by Warrants evidenced by this
Warrant Certificate, to receive
Warrant Shares (before giving effect to the cashless exercise
provisions) and herewith agrees to make payment therefor pursuant
to the cashless exercise provisions of the Warrant Agreement, all
on the terms and the conditions specified in the Warrant Agent
Agreement.
The
undersigned requests that a certificate for such Warrant Shares be
registered in the name of
,
whose address is
and that such certificate be delivered to
,
whose address is
.
If the number of Warrants being exercised hereby is less than all
the Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate, the undersigned
requests that a new Warrant Certificate representing the remaining
unexercised Warrants be registered in the name of
,
whose address is
,
and that such Warrant Certificate be delivered to
whose
address is
.
|
|
Signature
|
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|
|
Date:
|
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Signature
Guaranteed
|
Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor
institution” meeting the requirements of the Warrant Agent,
which requirements include membership or participation in the
Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“STAMP”) or
such other “signature guarantee program” as may be
determined by the Warrant Agent in addition to, or in substitution
for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended.
ANNEX C
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES