Realloys Inc S-1/A, filed Nov 5, 2021
Realloys Inc. (ALOY)
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 5, 2021.
Registration No. 333-260065
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
BLACKBOXSTOCKS INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
|
Nevada |
7371 |
45-3598066 |
|
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(Primary Standard Industrial |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
|
5430 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1485 Dallas, Texas 75240 (972) 726-9203 |
||
|
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices) |
||
Gust Kepler
President and Chief Executive Officer
5430 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1485
Dallas, Texas 75240
(972) 726-9203
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
including area code, of agent for service)
Copies to:
|
Jeffrey M. McPhaul, Esq. Winstead PC 2728 N. Harwood Street, Suite 500 Dallas, Texas 75201 |
David E. Danovitch, Esq. Sullivan & Worcester LLP 1633 Broadway New York, New York 10019 (212) 660-3060 |
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
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, 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, 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, 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, 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, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
|
Large accelerated filer ☐ |
Accelerated filer ☐ |
|
Non-accelerated filer ☒ |
Smaller reporting company ☒ |
|
Emerging growth company ☒ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
|
Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered |
Amount to be Registered(1) |
Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share |
Proposed Maximum Offering Price(1)(2) |
Amount of Registration Fee(3) |
|
Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share(1)(4) |
1,645,208 | $6.99 | $11,500,003.92 | $1,066.05 |
(1) Includes additional shares of stock that the underwriters have the option to purchase upon exercise of a 45-day option granted to the underwriters to cover over-allotments, if any.
(2) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).
(3) The fee is calculated by multiplying the aggregate offering amount by 0.0000927, pursuant to Section 6(b) of the Securities Act based on an estimate of the proposed maximum aggregate offering price. The registrant previously paid $1,854 of registration fees in connection with the filing of this registration statement.
(4) Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act, the shares of Common Stock registered hereby also include an indeterminate number of additional shares of Common Stock as may from time to time become issuable by reason of stock splits, distributions, recapitalizations or other similar transactions.
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 of 1933, as amended, or until this Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information contained in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and we are not soliciting offers to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
Subject to Completion, dated November 5, 2021
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS
1,430,616 shares
of Common Stock
Blackboxstocks, Inc., a Nevada corporation (“we,” “us,” “our,” “Blackboxstocks,” or the “Company”) is offering an aggregate of 1,430,616 shares of our common stock, $0.001 par value per share (the “common stock”), based on an assumed initial public offering price of $6.99 per share (based on the closing price of our common stock of $6.99 per share on November 3, 2021), on a firm commitment basis.
Our common stock is quoted on the OTC Pink tier of the OTC Markets Group, Inc. (the “OTC Pink”) under the symbol “BLBX.” As of November 3, 2021, the last sale price of our common stock as reported on OTC Pink was $6.99 per share. There is a limited public trading market for our common stock. We have applied to list our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “BLBX” simultaneously with the closing of this offering. We believe that upon completion of the offering contemplated by this prospectus, we will meet the standards for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market. We cannot guarantee that we will be successful in listing our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market and we will not complete this offering unless we are so listed. No assurance can be given that the trading prices of our common stock on the OTC Pink marketplace will be indicative of the prices of our common stock if our common stock were traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market.
The actual initial public offering price per share of common stock will be determined between us and the underwriters at the time of pricing, in consideration of our historical performance and capital structure, prevailing market conditions, and overall assessment of our business, and may be at a discount to the current market price. Therefore, the assumed initial public offering price used throughout this prospectus may not be indicative of the final initial public offering price.
We are an “emerging growth company” as defined under the federal securities laws and, as such, have elected to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements.
Immediately after this offering, Gust Kepler, who serves as a director, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, will own shares of common stock and preferred stock representing approximately 97.2% of the voting power of our stockholders. As a result, we expect to remain a “controlled company” within the meaning of the corporate governance standards of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) and we will be eligible to utilize certain exemptions from the corporate governance requirements.
Due to recent volatility in the stock market in general, the market price of our common stock has been and may likely be volatile in the future. Such volatility and share price fluctuations are often unrelated to the Company’s operating performance and may adversely affect the market price of the shares of common stock. As a result, you may be unable to sell any shares of common stock that you acquire in this offering at your desired price.
|
Per Share |
Total(1) |
|||
|
Initial public offering price |
$ |
$ |
||
|
Underwriting discounts and commissions(2) |
$ |
$ |
||
|
Proceeds, before expenses, to us |
$ |
$ |
(1) The amount of offering proceeds to us presented in this table does not give effect to any exercise of the: (i) over-allotment option (if any) that we have granted to the underwriters as described below and (ii) the warrant being issued to the representative of the underwriters (the “Representative’s Warrants”) in connection with this offering as described below.
(2) The representative, on behalf of the several underwriters will receive compensation in addition to the underwriting discounts and commissions, including (i) a non-accountable expense allowance equal to 1% of the gross proceeds raised in this offering and (ii) the Representative’s Warrants we have agreed to issue to the representative of the underwriters to purchase up to 85,837 shares of our common stock, assuming an initial public offering price of $6.99 per share. See “Underwriting” beginning on page 62.
The Company has granted the representative, on behalf of the several underwriters, an over-allotment option for a period of 45 days to purchase up to an additional 214,592 shares of common stock (such additional shares of common stock not to exceed, in the aggregate, 15% of the shares of common stock offered hereby), assuming an initial public offering price of $6.99 per share, less the underwriting discounts payable by us, solely to cover over-allotments, if any.
Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. Before buying any shares of common stock, you should carefully read the discussion of material risks of investing in our common stock in “Risk Factors” beginning on page 10 of this prospectus.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed on the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The underwriters expect to deliver the shares of common stock against payment to the investors in this offering on or about _____, 2021.
Alexander Capital, L.P.
Lead Manager
Revere Securities, LLC
The date of this prospectus is , 2021
Neither we, nor the underwriters have authorized anyone to provide you with information other than that contained in this prospectus or any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we have referred you. We and the underwriters take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. This is an offer to sell only in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this prospectus or any free writing prospectus is accurate only as of its date, regardless of its time of delivery or of any sale of shares of our common stock. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.
No action is being taken in any jurisdiction outside the United States to permit a public offering of our common stock or possession or distribution of this prospectus in that jurisdiction. Persons who come into possession of this prospectus in jurisdictions outside the United States are required to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions as to this public offering and the distribution of this prospectus applicable to that jurisdiction.
This prospectus summary highlights certain information appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. As this is a summary, it does not contain all of the information that you should consider in making an investment decision. You should read the entire prospectus carefully, including the information under “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our financial statements and the related notes thereto included in this prospectus, before investing. This prospectus includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. See “Information regarding forward-looking statements.”
In this prospectus, unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” “Blackboxstocks,” or the “Company” refers to Blackboxstocks Inc., a Nevada corporation.
This prospectus includes trademarks, service marks and trade names owned by us or other companies. All trademarks, service marks and trade names included in this prospectus are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, we refer to trademarks, service marks and trade names in this prospectus without the ® or the ™ symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate that we or their respective owners will not fully assert trademark rights under applicable law.
Overview
In addition to the historical information contained herein, the discussion in this prospectus contains certain forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that involve risks and uncertainties. The cautionary statements made in this prospectus should be read as being applicable to all related forward-looking statements whenever they appear in this prospectus. Our actual results could differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed under the section captioned “Risk Factors” on page 10 of this prospectus as well as those cautionary statements and other factors set forth elsewhere herein.
Our corporate information
Our principal office is located at 5430 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1485, Dallas, Texas 75240 and our telephone number is (972) 726-9203. Our common stock is quoted on the OTC Pink under the symbol “BLBX.” Our corporate website is located at http://www.blackboxstocks.com.
Nasdaq Listing Application and Proposed Symbol
We have filed an application to have our common stock listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “BLBX.” No assurance can be given that our application will be approved. If our application is not approved or we otherwise determine that we will not be able to secure the listing of our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market, we will not complete the offering.
Our Business
We are a financial technology and social media hybrid platform offering real-time proprietary analytics and news for stock and options traders of all levels. Our web-based software (the “Blackbox System”) employs “predictive technology” enhanced by artificial intelligence to find volatility and unusual market activity that may result in the rapid change in the price of a stock or option. We continuously scan the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), NASDAQ, Chicago Board Options Exchange (the “CBOE”), and other options markets, analyzing over 8,000 stocks and over 1,000,000 options contracts multiple times per second. We provide our users with a fully interactive social media platform that is integrated into our dashboard, enabling our users to exchange information and ideas quickly and efficiently through a common network. We recently introduced a live screenshare feature that allows our members to broadcast on their own channels to share trading strategies and market insight within the Blackbox community. We employ a subscription based Software as a Service (“SaaS”) business model and maintain a growing base of users that currently spans 42 countries. We intend to develop and market additional products that utilize our technology including but not limited to products targeting traditional retail investors, professionals as well as additional exchanges and markets.
Marketing of the Blackbox System
We launched our Blackbox System web application for domestic use and made it available to subscribers in September 2016. Use of the Blackbox System is sold on a monthly or annual subscription basis to individual consumers through our website at http://www.blackboxstocks.com. We primarily use a combination of digital marketing campaigns and customer referral compensation plans in our advertising program.
Our Competition
We operate in a highly competitive environment. The principal resources necessary for the development of investment software tools and services and knowledgeable personnel to conduct all phases of development and marketing operations are limited. We must compete for such resources with startups, major financial services companies and midsize competitors. Many of these competitors have financial and other resources substantially greater than ours.
We consider our platform unique and do not consider any trading tools or trading analytics software direct competitors of our Company. There are many trading tools on the current market often referred to as “scanners”, that provide features, functions and analytics similar to those of the Blackbox System. There are also many social media platforms that cater to stock traders that serve as real-time informational sources. However, we believe that our Blackbox System is the only platform that has successfully merged a comprehensive analytics system or “scanner” and a social media platform within the same “dashboard” allowing users to view the same real-time data in parallel. Our Blackbox System creates a unique community for traders that can all share the same information and analyze this information on an identical basis in real-time. We also consider our system unique because our predictive algorithms automatically populate alerts for active stocks with high probability of short-term gains. In spite of these factors that differentiate us, we believe the following companies that could be considered competitors due to some like features and retail price point: Trade Ideas, Flow Algo and Trade Alert. Companies with social media platforms dedicated to financial markets include Stock Twits and Wall Street Bets. In addition, there are also numerous companies offering educational services for trading. We believe our system offers users a unique combination of trading analytics combined with education and a social media component.
Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company
As a company with less than $1.0 billion in revenue during our last fiscal year, we qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act, or JOBS Act, enacted in April 2012. An “emerging growth company” may take advantage of reduced reporting requirements that are otherwise applicable to public companies. These provisions include, but are not limited to:
|
● |
being permitted to present only two years of audited financial statements and only two years of related Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in this prospectus; |
|
● |
not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; |
|
● |
reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports, proxy statements and registration statements; and |
|
● |
exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. |
We have elected to take advantage of certain of the reduced disclosure obligations and may elect to take advantage of other reduced reporting requirements in future filings. As a result, the information that we provide to our stockholders may be different than the information you might receive from other public reporting companies in which you hold equity interests.
To the extent that we continue to qualify as a “smaller reporting company,” as such term is defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, after we cease to qualify as an “emerging growth company,” certain of the exemptions available to us as an “emerging growth company” may continue to be available to us as a smaller reporting company, including: (1) not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; (2) scaled executive compensation disclosures; and (3) the ability to provide only two years of audited financial statements, instead of three years.
Recent Developments
2021 Stock Incentive Plan
On August 4, 2021, our Board of Directors and our stockholders approved the adoption of the 2021 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2021 Plan”) which became effective August 31, 2021. We have reserved 750,000 of our outstanding shares of our common stock for issuance under the 2021 Plan. The 2021 Plan allows the Company, under the direction of the Board of Directors or a committee thereof, to make grants of stock options, restricted and unrestricted stock and other stock-based awards to employees, including our executive officers, consultants and directors. This description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the actual terms of the 2021 Plan, a copy of which is attached as Appendix A to the Company’s preliminary Information Statement on Schedule 14C, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 11, 2021.
On August 31, 2021, our Board of Directors granted stock options for the purchase of an aggregate of 597,500 shares of common stock to certain employees and consultants and on September 11, 2021 granted options for an additional 15,000 shares to our independent directors.
New Directors
On September 11, 2021, our Board of Directors appointed Robert Winspear, Andrew Malloy, Ray Balestri and Dalya Sulaiman to serve on our Board of Directors, effective immediately. Mr. Malloy, Mr. Balestri and Ms. Sulaiman were also appointed to serve on our Audit, Compensation, and Nominating and Governance Committees. There are no arrangements or understandings between any of the director appointees and any other person pursuant to which they were appointed as our directors. There are no transactions to which we are a party and in which any of the director appointees have a material interest that are required to be disclosed under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K. None of the director appointees have previously held any position at the Company. Furthermore, no individual director appointee has family relations with any of our other directors or executive officers. See “Management.”
Governance
On September 11, 2021, our Board of Directors established Audit, Compensation, and Nominating and Governance Committees to devote attention to specific subjects and to assist it in the discharge of its responsibilities. See “Management.”
We have also adopted a formal Code of Ethics and Business Conduct applicable to all Board members, officers and employees.
Conversion Rights Agreement
The Company entered into Conversion Rights Agreement (the “Conversion Agreement”) dated effective as of October 14, 2021 with Gust Kepler, who serves as a director, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. The Conversion Agreement limits the rights of the holder(s) of our outstanding shares of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock of the Company (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) to convert such shares into Common Stock (the “Designation Conversion Rights”). Prior to the effective date of the Conversion Agreement, the Designation Conversion Rights permitted the holder of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to convert into shares of Common Stock on a 1-for-1 share basis. Pursuant to the terms of the Conversion Agreement, the Designation Conversion Rights are limited and exercisable based upon the Company reaching the following Market Capitalization thresholds, measured on the last day of each calendar quarter:
|
● |
If the Company’s Market Capitalization is less than $150,000,000, the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock will be convertible into Common Stock on a 5-for-1 share basis; |
|
● |
If the Company’s Market Capitalization is equal to or greater than $150,000,000 but less than $200,000,000, the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock will be convertible into Common Stock on a 3.3-for-1 share basis; |
|
● |
If the Company’s Market Capitalization is equal to or greater than $200,000,000 but less than $250,000,000, the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock will be convertible into Common Stock on a 2.5-for-1 share basis; |
|
● |
If the Company’s Market Capitalization is equal to or greater than $250,000,000 but less than $350,000,000 the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock will be convertible into Common Stock on a 1.75-for-1 share basis; |
|
● |
If the Company’s Market Capitalization is equal to or greater than $350,000,000 the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock will thereafter convertible into Common Stock pursuant to the Designation Conversion Rights (on a 1-for-1 share basis). |
The Conversion Agreement terminates when the last share of Series A Preferred Stock is either converted or the largest Market Capitalization Threshold is met.
|
Common stock offered by the Company |
1,430,616 shares (up to 1,645,208 shares if Alexander Capital L.P., as the representative of the underwriters (the “Representative”) exercises the over-allotment option in full), assuming an initial public offering price of $6.99 per share, which is based on the last closing price of our common stock on November 3, 2021. |
|
Common stock to be outstanding after this offering |
11,955,939 shares (up to 12,170,531 shares if the Representative exercises the over-allotment option in full), assuming an initial public offering price of $6.99 per share, which is based on the last closing price of our common stock on November 3, 2021, and assuming no exercise of the Representative’s Warrants. |
| Assumed initial public offering price | $6.99 per share, which is based on the last closing price of our common stock on November 3, 2021. The actual number of shares of common stock that we will offer will be determined based on the actual initial public offering price. |
|
Over-allotment option to purchase additional shares |
We have granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to 214,592 additional shares of our common stock (15% of the shares of common stock sold in this offering), assuming an initial public offering price of $6.99 per share, solely to cover over-allotments, if any, at the applicable initial public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions. |
|
Use of proceeds |
We estimate that our net proceeds from the sale of 1,430,616 shares of our common stock in this offering will be approximately $8.775 million (based on an assumed initial public offering price of $6.99 per share, which was the last sale price of our common stock as reported on OTC Pink on November 3, 2021) after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option or the Representative’s Warrants offered to the Representative of its designees, in connection with this offering). We intend to use our net proceeds from this offering (including any additional proceeds that we may receive if the underwriters exercises the over-allotment option to purchase additional shares of our common stock), together with our existing cash, to further develop our Blackbox System platform, expand our product offerings, fund marketing efforts to grow our subscriber base, as well as for general and administration expenses and other general corporate purposes. See “Use of Proceeds.” |
|
Proposed Nasdaq symbol |
Our common stock currently trades on the OTC Pink under the symbol “BLBX.” In conjunction with this offering, we have applied to list our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “BLBX.” We anticipate being able to list on Nasdaq upon the completion of this offering; however, we can provide no assurances that we will be approved for such a listing. The listing of our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market is a condition to consummating the offering. |
|
Risk Factors |
Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 10 of this prospectus for a discussion of factors you should carefully consider before deciding to invest in our common stock. |
|
Lock-up |
We and each of our officers and directors and certain holders of 5% or more of our outstanding shares of common stock have agreed, subject to certain exceptions, not to sell, offer, agree to sell, contract to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option to purchase, make any short sale of, or otherwise dispose of or hedge, directly or indirectly, any shares of our capital stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock, for a period of one-hundred eighty (180) days after the date of this prospectus, without the prior written consent of Alexander Capital, L.P. See “Underwriting” for additional information. |
| Transfer Agent and Registrar | Our transfer agent and registrar is Securities Transfer Corporation. |
Unless otherwise indicated, this prospectus reflects and assumes the following:
|
● |
10,525,323 shares of common stock issued and outstanding on November 3, 2021. | |
|
● |
No exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option to purchase additional shares of common stock from us. | |
|
● |
No exercise of outstanding warrants to purchase up to 424,285 shares of our common stock at an average exercise price of $1.63 outstanding on November 3, 2021. | |
|
● |
No exercise of the Representative’s Warrants to purchase up to 85,837 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $8.74 (based on an assumed initial public offering price of $6.99 per share, which was the last sale price of our common stock as reported on OTC Pink on November 3, 2021). | |
|
● |
No conversion of the 3,269,998 shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding on November 3, 2021. | |
| ● | No issuance of 89,000 shares of common stock payable to Winspear Investments LLC upon obtaining listing on the Nasdaq pursuant to our August 11, 2020 letter agreement with Winspear Investments, LLC. | |
|
● |
No additional awards have been issued since November 3, 2021 and no stock options outstanding have been exercised for the purchase of an aggregate of 612,500 shares of common stock awarded under the Company’s 2021 Stock Incentive Plan. |
INFORMATION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus includes forward-looking statements, which involve risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “seek,” “predict,” “continue,” “possible,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “will,” “could,” “would” or “should” or, in each case, their negative, or other variations or comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include all matters that are not historical facts. They appear in a number of places throughout this prospectus and include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs or current expectations concerning, among other things, our service offerings, research and development, commercialization objectives, prospects, strategies, the industry in which we operate and potential collaborations. We derive many of our forward-looking statements from our operating budgets and forecasts, which are based upon many detailed assumptions. While we believe that our assumptions are reasonable, we caution that it is very difficult to predict the impact of known factors, and, of course, it is impossible for us to anticipate all factors that could affect our actual results. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results and may not be accurate indications of when such performance or results will be achieved. In light of these risks and uncertainties, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this prospectus may not occur and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this prospectus. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. We assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information, except to the extent required by applicable laws. If we update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.
You should read this prospectus and the documents that we reference in this prospectus and have filed with the SEC as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part with the understanding that our actual future results, levels of activity, performance and events and circumstances may be materially different from what we expect. All forward-looking statements are based upon information available to us on the date of this prospectus.
By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. We caution you that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that our actual results of operations, financial condition, business and prospects may differ materially from those made in or suggested by the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus. In addition, even if our results of operations, financial condition, business and prospects are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus, those results may not be indicative of results in subsequent periods.
The factors set forth below under “Risk Factors” and other cautionary statements made in this prospectus should be read and understood as being applicable to all related forward-looking statements wherever they appear in this prospectus. The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus represent our judgment as of the date of this prospectus. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on such statements. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason, even if new information becomes available or other events occur in the future. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained above and throughout this prospectus.
You should read this prospectus and the documents that we reference in this prospectus and have filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.
SUMMARY HISTORICAL FINANCIAL DATA
The following tables summarize our financial data for the periods ended on and as of the dates indicated. The statements of income data for each of the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020 and the balance sheets data as of December 31, 2019 and 2020 are derived from our audited financial statements that are included elsewhere in this prospectus. We have derived the unaudited financial data for the six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020 and as of June 30, 2021 from our unaudited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus, which have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America on the same basis as the annual audited financial statements and, in the opinion of management, the unaudited data reflects all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for the fair presentation of the financial information in those statements. You should read this information together with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected in future periods.
Statements of Operations Data:
|
Six Months Ended June 30, |
Year Ended December 31, |
|||||||||||||||
|
2021 |
2020 |
2020 |
2019 |
|||||||||||||
|
Revenue |
$ | 2,953,274 | $ | 1,224,099 | $ | 3,367,563 | $ | 1,062,573 | ||||||||
|
Cost of revenues |
805,352 | 412,510 | 1,201,320 | 695,076 | ||||||||||||
|
Gross margin |
2,147,922 | 811,589 | 2,166,243 | 367,497 | ||||||||||||
|
Operating expenses: |
||||||||||||||||
|
Software development costs |
333,693 | 92,245 | 94,221 | 51,149 | ||||||||||||
|
Selling, general and administrative |
1,222,414 | 665,436 | 1,766,130 | 1,041,769 | ||||||||||||
|
Advertising and marketing |
554,500 | 231,076 | 705,706 | 261,470 | ||||||||||||
|
Depreciation and amortization |
9,705 | 6,828 | 12,884 | 18,142 | ||||||||||||
|
Total operating expenses |
2,120,312 | 995,585 | 2,578,941 | 1,372,530 | ||||||||||||
|
Operating income (loss) |
27,610 |
|
(183,996 | ) | (412,698 |
) |
(1,005,033 |
) |
||||||||
|
Interest expense |
74,295 | 94,760 | 174,083 | 65,090 | ||||||||||||
|
Convertible note financing |
- | 500,469 | 500,469 | 1,240,347 | ||||||||||||
|
Gain on derivative liability |
- | (1,155,485 |
) |
(1,155,718 |
) |
83,766 | ||||||||||
|
Default expense |
- | - | 24,750 | 57,750 | ||||||||||||
|
Amortization of debt discount |
184,096 | 114,853 | 398,629 | 531,452 | ||||||||||||
|
Income (loss) before income taxes |
(230,781 |
) |
236,657 | (354,911 |
) |
(2,983,438 |
) |
|||||||||
|
Net income (loss) |
$ | (230,781 |
) |
$ | 236,657 | $ | (354,911 |
) |
$ | (2,983,438 |
) |
|||||
|
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - Basic |
8,547,758 | 7,950,539 | 8,074,164 | 7,749,695 | ||||||||||||
|
Fully diluted |
8,547,758 | 12,995,455 | 8,074,164 | 7,749,695 | ||||||||||||
|
Net income (loss) per share - Basic |
$ | (0.03 |
) |
$ | 0.03 | $ | (0.04 |
) |
$ | (0.38 |
) |
|||||
|
Fully diluted |
$ | (0.03 |
) |
$ | 0.02 | $ | (0.04 |
) |
$ | (0.38 |
) |
|||||
Balance Sheet Data:
|
As of June 30, |
As of December 31, |
|||||||||||
|
2021 |
2020 |
2019 |
||||||||||
|
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ | 626,490 | $ | 972,825 | $ | 21,172 | ||||||
|
Working capital deficit |
$ | 932,752 | $ | 990,738 | $ | 3,525,306 | ||||||
|
Total assets |
$ | 1,249,245 | $ | 1,157,849 | $ | 280,639 | ||||||
|
Total liabilities |
$ | 2,898,324 | $ | 2,915,603 | $ | 3,618,938 | ||||||
|
Accumulated deficit |
$ | (7,415,599 | ) | $ | (7,184,818 | ) | $ | (6,829,907 | ) | |||
|
Total stockholders’ deficit |
$ | (1,649,079 | ) | $ | (1,757,754 | ) | $ | (3,338,299 | ) | |||
Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully the risks and uncertainties described below, together with all of the other information in this prospectus, including our financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus, before making an investment decision. If any of the following risks are realized, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects would likely be materially and adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you could lose part or all of your investment.
Risks Related to this Offering and Ownership of Our Common Stock
The market price of our common stock may be volatile or may decline regardless of our operating performance, and you may not be able to resell your shares at or above the initial public offering price.
The price for our common stock in the offering will be determined through negotiations between the Representative and us and may vary from the market price of our common stock immediately prior to or following our offering. If you purchase shares of our common stock in our initial public offering, you may not be able to resell those shares at or above the initial public offering price. We cannot assure you that the initial public offering price of our common stock, or the market price following our initial public offering, will equal or exceed the trading price of our stock prior to our initial public offering. The market price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly in response to numerous factors, many of which are beyond our control, including those risks set forth in this prospectus.
Substantial blocks of our total outstanding shares may be sold into the market when “lock-up” or “market standoff” periods end, or upon future debt or equity financings. If there are substantial issuances and sales of shares of our common stock, the price of our common stock could decline.
The price of our common stock could decline if there are substantial sales of our common stock, particularly sales by our directors, executive officers, employees, and significant stockholders, or when there is a large number of shares of our common stock available for sale. After the issuance of 1,430,616 shares of common stock in this offering, without giving effect to any exercise of the over-allotment option provided to the underwriters or the exercise of any of the Representative’s Warrants, we will have 11,955,939 shares of our common stock outstanding, with approximately 4,260,090 of those shares subject to lock up agreements preventing their sale into the market for a period of 180 days (assuming an initial public offering price of $6.99 per share, which is based on the last closing price of our common stock on November 3, 2021). Once those shares are no longer subject to those restrictions, those shares of common stock may be sold freely in the public market upon issuance. The market price of the shares of our common stock could decline as a result of the sale of a substantial number of our shares of common stock in the public market or the perception in the market that the holders of a large number of shares intend to sell their shares.
Additionally, in order to raise additional capital, we may in the future offer additional shares of our common stock or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock that could result in further dilution to investors purchasing our common stock in this offering or result in downward pressure on the price of our common stock. Debt financing, if available, may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting our ability to take certain actions, such as incurring debt, making capital expenditures or declaring dividends. We may sell shares of our common stock or other securities in other offerings at prices that are higher or lower than the prices paid by investors in this offering, and investors purchasing shares or other securities in the future could have rights superior to existing stockholders.
We have broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds from our initial public offering and may not use them effectively.
While we intend to apply a significant amount of the net proceeds we receive from the offering to develop, promote, and market our Blackbox System platform, we cannot specify precisely how much of the offering proceeds will be used for those purposes and how much will be used for other purposes, including general corporate purposes and operating expenses. The failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could harm our business and financial condition. Pending their use, we may invest the net proceeds from our initial public offering in a manner that does not produce income or that loses value.
If you purchase shares of our common stock in our initial public offering, you will experience substantial and immediate dilution.
The assumed initial public offering price of $6.99 per share, which was the last sale price of our common stock as reported on OTC Pink on November 3, 2021, is substantially higher than the pro forma net tangible book value per share of our outstanding common stock upon the completion of this offering. Net tangible book value as of June 30, 2021, was $(1,649,079), or $(0.19) per share based on 8,590,877 of shares our common stock outstanding. After giving effect to our sale of newly issued shares of common stock in this offering, at an assumed initial public offering price of $6.99 per share, and after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value as of June 30, 2021, would have been $7,125,926, or $0.61 per share (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares of our newly issued common stock or exercise of the Representative’s Warrants). This represents an immediate and substantial dilution of $0.80 per share to new investors purchasing common stock in this offering. You will experience additional dilution if we issue awards of common stock to our employees under our 2021 Plan, or if we otherwise issue additional shares of our common stock. For more information, see “Dilution.”
If our listing application for our common stock is not approved by Nasdaq, we will not be able to consummate this offering and will terminate this offering.
An approval of our listing application by Nasdaq will be subject to, among other things, our fulfillment of the following conditions: (i) the offering is completed and closed; and (ii) we have raised a sufficient amount of equity necessary to qualify for the minimum equity requirements necessary to list on the Nasdaq Capital Market. Currently there are two standards for admission by Nasdaq that we are endeavoring to satisfy: either $5 million in stockholders’ equity and $15 million market value of publicly held shares of common stock; or $4 million in stockholders’ equity, $15 million market value of publicly held shares and $50 million market value of publicly listed securities. If we fail to meet the minimum requirements for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market, we will not be able to consummate this offering and will terminate this offering. Failure to have our common stock listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market would make it more difficult for our stockholders to dispose of our common stock and more difficult to obtain accurate price quotations on 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 will need to receive a minimum offering amount of $6 million in order to satisfy the listing conditions to trade our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market.
We may not be able to satisfy listing requirements of Nasdaq or maintain a listing of our common stock on Nasdaq.
Upon our common stock becoming listed on Nasdaq, we will be required to meet certain financial and liquidity criteria to maintain such listing. If we violate Nasdaq listing requirements, our common stock may be delisted. If we fail to meet any of Nasdaq’s listing standards, our common stock may be delisted. In addition, our board of directors may determine that the cost of maintaining our listing on a national securities exchange outweighs the benefits of such listing. A delisting of our common stock from Nasdaq may materially impair our stockholders’ ability to buy and sell our common stock and could have an adverse effect on the market price of, and the efficiency of the trading market for, our common stock. The delisting of our common stock would significantly impair our ability to raise capital and the value of your investment.
If our shares of securities become subject to the penny stock rules, it would become more difficult to trade our shares.
The SEC has adopted rules that regulate broker-dealer practices in connection with transactions in penny stocks. Penny stocks are generally equity securities with a price of less than $5.00, other than securities registered on certain national securities exchanges or authorized for quotation on certain automated quotation systems, provided that current price and volume information with respect to transactions in such securities is provided by the exchange or system. If we do not retain a listing on Nasdaq or another national securities exchange and if the price of our common stock is less than $5.00, our common stock could be deemed a penny stock. The penny stock rules require a broker-dealer, before a transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from those rules, to deliver a standardized risk disclosure document containing specified information. In addition, the penny stock rules require that before effecting any transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from those rules, a broker-dealer must make a special written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for the purchaser and receive (i) the purchaser’s written acknowledgment of the receipt of a risk disclosure statement; (ii) a written agreement to transactions involving penny stocks; and (iii) a signed and dated copy of a written suitability statement. These disclosure requirements may have the effect of reducing the trading activity in the secondary market for our common stock, and therefore stockholders may have difficulty selling their shares.
Our common stock may experience volatility in trading or loss in value as a result of the effects of the coronavirus on the US and global economies.
Uncertainties surrounding the effects of the coronavirus on the US and global economies has resulted in an increase in volatility and violent drops in the value of publicly traded securities. While the price of our common stock has not experienced such volatility or loss in value, we can offer no assurances that the long-term effects on the overall US economy will not negatively affect us in the future.
Fluctuations in our quarterly revenues may cause the price of our common stock to decline.
Our operating results have varied significantly from quarter to quarter in the past, and we expect our operating results to vary from quarter to quarter in the future due to a variety of factors, many of which are outside of our control. Therefore, if revenues are below our expectations, this shortfall is likely to adversely and disproportionately affect our operating results. Accordingly, we may not attain positive operating margins in future quarters. Any of these factors could cause our operating results to be below the expectations of securities analysts and investors, which likely would negatively affect the price of our common stock.
We are a “controlled company” within the meaning of the Nasdaq rules and, as a result, qualify for, and may elect to rely on, exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements that provide protection to the stockholders of companies that are subject to such corporate governance requirements.
Upon completion of this offering, Gust C. Kepler, who serves as a director, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, will continue to beneficially own more than 50% of the voting power for the election of members of our board of directors. As a result, we are and will continue to be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the corporate governance standards of the Nasdaq rules. Under these rules, a listed company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, group or another company is a “controlled company” and may elect not to comply with certain of Nasdaq’s corporate governance requirements.
As a controlled company, we may rely on certain exemptions from the Nasdaq standards that may enable us not to comply with certain Nasdaq corporate governance requirements. As a consequence, in the event that we elect to rely on certain exemptions from the Nasdaq standards provided to “controlled companies,” you will not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of the Nasdaq Capital Market.
We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.
We have never declared or paid cash dividends, and we do not anticipate paying cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Therefore, you should not rely on an investment in our common stock as a source for any future dividend income. Our board of directors has complete discretion as to whether to declare dividends. Even if our board of directors decides to declare and pay dividends, the timing, amount and form of future dividends, if any, will depend on our future results of operations and cash flow, our capital requirements, our financial condition, contractual restrictions and other factors deemed relevant by our board of directors.
Our inability to cause certain affiliates to enter into lock-up agreements could have a negative impact on this offering.
We, our executive officers and directors, and certain significant holders of our outstanding shares of common stock on a fully diluted basis (including shares underlying warrants and convertible securities) have agreed, subject to certain exceptions, not to 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 exercisable for any common stock, whether currently owned or subsequently acquired, without the prior written consent of the underwriter, for a period of one-hundred eighty (180) days from the date of effectiveness of the offering. If we are unable to secure the lock-ups of certain significant stockholders who, as of the date of this prospectus, have not signed their lock-up agreements, those affiliates who have not executed lock-up agreements will have the ability to sell shares of our common stock, which could depress the market price of our common stock and could impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities. We are unable to predict the effect our inability to secure these affiliate lock-ups and the impact of such sales of common stock that they own or exercise of warrants, if any, may have on the prevailing market price of our common stock.
Risks Related to Our Business
If we fail to effectively manage our growth, we may be unable to execute our business plan, adequately address competitive challenges or maintain our corporate culture, and our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be harmed.
Since commencement of our increase advertisement spend in February 2020, we have experienced rapid growth and we continue to rapidly and significantly expand our operations. While we have experienced significant revenue growth in prior periods, it is not necessarily indicative of our future revenue growth. Nevertheless, this expansion increases the complexity of our business and places significant strain on our management, personnel, operations, systems, technical performance, financial resources, and internal financial control and reporting functions. We may not be able to manage growth effectively, which could damage our reputation, limit our growth, and negatively affect our operating results.
In the event of continued growth of our operations, our information technology systems and our internal controls and procedures may not be adequate to support our operations. To effectively manage our growth, we must continue to improve our operational, financial, and management processes and systems and to effectively expand, train, and manage our employee base. As our organization continues to grow and we are required to implement more complex organizational management structures, we may find it increasingly difficult to maintain the benefits of our corporate culture, including our ability to quickly develop and launch new and innovative platform and system enhancements. This could negatively affect our business performance.
We expect to invest heavily in growing our business, which may cause our sales and marketing, research and development, and other margins to decline.
Our historical rate of growth may not be sustainable or indicative of our future rate of growth. We believe that our continued growth in revenue, as well as our ability to improve or maintain margins and profitability, will depend upon, among other factors, our ability to address the challenges, risks, and difficulties described elsewhere in this “Risk Factors” section and the extent to which our various service offerings grow and contribute to our results of operations. We cannot provide assurance that we will be able to successfully manage any such challenges or risks to our future growth. In addition, our customer base may not continue to grow or may decline due to a variety of possible risks, including increased competition, changes in the regulatory landscape, and the maturation of our business. Any of these factors could cause our revenue growth to decline and may adversely affect our margins and profitability. Failure to continue our revenue growth or margin improvement could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. You should not rely on our historical rate of revenue growth as an indication of our future performance.
If we do not continue to attract new subscriber customers, or if existing customers do not renew their subscriptions, or renew on less favorable terms, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
In order to grow our business, we must continually attract new subscribing customers and reduce the level of non-renewals in our business. Our ability to do so depends in large part on the success of our sales and marketing efforts. We may not accurately predict future trends with respect to rates of customer renewals. Our subscribing customer base may decline or fluctuate due to a number of factors, including the prices of our subscriptions, the prices of services offered by our competitors and the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of our solutions. If we are unable to retain and increase sales of our Blackbox System platform to existing subscribing customers or attract new ones for any of the reasons above or for other reasons, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be adversely affected.
In order to achieve consistent levels of profitability, we must increase revenue levels.
For the quarter ended June 30, 2021, we had a net loss of $243,336 and had an accumulated deficit of $7,415,599 as of June 30, 2021, compared to a net income of $193,827 for the quarter ended June 30, 2020 and an accumulated deficit of $7,184,818 at December 31, 2020. We need to increase current revenue levels by increasing paid subscriptions to our Blackbox System platform if we are to maintain consistent profitability. If we are unable to achieve increased revenue levels, losses could continue for the near term and possibly longer, and we may not regain profitability or generate positive cash flow from operations in the future.
We intend to introduce new products and services. There can be no assurance that we will be able to introduce such products and services effectively or profitably.
We intend to expand our product and service offering including the introduction of products and services which employ and expand upon our current proprietary system and technology. These products and services will include applications targeted for investors who are not day traders or swing traders and products designed for professional traders. We expect to introduce these products and services in the first or second quarter of 2022 and spend significant capital on advertising and marketing of the products and services. If we are unable to generate significant revenue from this or other new products and services, we may incur significant operating losses.
We expect to face increasing competition in the market for our platform and services.
We face significant competition and we expect such competition to increase. Our industry and the markets we serve are evolving rapidly and becoming increasingly competitive. Larger and more established companies may focus on our markets and could directly compete with us. Smaller companies could also launch new platforms and services that compete with us and that could gain market acceptance quickly. We also expect our existing competitors in the markets to continue to focus on these areas. A number of these companies may have greater financial, technological, and other resources than we do and greater name recognition than us, which may enable them to compete more effectively. Specifically, we believe the following companies to be direct competitors: Trade Ideas, Flow Algo, and Trade Alert. Companies with social media platforms dedicated to financial markets include Stock Twits and Wall Street Bets. Our competitors may announce new products, services, or enhancements that better address changing industry standards or the needs of our customers, such as mobile access. Any such increased competition could cause pricing pressure, loss of market share, or decreased customer engagement, any of which could adversely affect our business and operating results.
While our industry and our business has seen accelerated growth as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has also adversely affected some aspects of our business and could have an adverse effect on our business in the future.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, our business, and the digital financial services industry in general, has seen accelerated growth, but we have also experienced disruptions, such as the impact on the ability of our customer support and operations teams, both internal and third-party, to service customer needs quickly due to longer wait times and the impact on our ability to hire personnel quickly, that could severely impact our business, our services, global currency exchange rates, local and global labor markets, and the global economy.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created and is likely to continue to create significant uncertainty in global financial markets. To date, with travel restrictions and shelter-in-place policies, the demand for digital trading services has increased, and this has driven a significant acceleration in our new customer growth. As the pandemic continues, we may experience volatility in customer demand and delayed customer money transfer decisions, which could materially harm our business, operating results, and overall financial performance.
While we have experienced accelerated growth partially driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, the long-term impact of a volatile or worsening COVID-19 pandemic is impossible to predict and may adversely impact the trading habits of our customers and the operations of our business partners in the future, and may adversely impact our operating results as a result. In addition, while we have rapidly expanded our business and improved our operating results during the COVID-19 pandemic, many of our customers have also suffered negative financial consequences, including wage and job loss, and have thus had less need for or ability to afford our services. There is no guarantee that those customers who have had less need of our service during the COVID-19 pandemic will return to our platform in the future. To the extent that mitigation measures remain in place or are reinstated for significant periods of time, they may adversely affect our business, financial condition, and operating results. In addition, actions that we have taken or may take in the future intended to assist customers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic may negatively impact our operating results. In particular, we have experienced and may continue to experience adverse financial impacts from a number of operational factors, including, but not limited to:
|
● |
Increased cybersecurity and payment fraud risk related to the COVID-19 pandemic, as cybercriminals attempt to profit from stolen or misappropriated data and the disruption in light of increased online banking, e-commerce, and other online activity; and |
|
● |
Increased volume of customer requests for support and regulatory requests for information and support or additional regulatory requirements, which could require additional resources and costs to address. |
These and other factors arising from the COVID-19 pandemic could worsen in countries that have been or are in the future afflicted with COVID-19, each of which could further adversely impact the use of our services by our customers, the ability of our employees to perform work, and our business generally, and could have a material adverse impact on our operating and financial results.
The significant increase in the number of our employees who are working remotely as a result of the pandemic could introduce operational risk, increase cybersecurity risk, strain our business continuity plans, negatively impact productivity, give rise to claims by employees, or otherwise adversely affect our business. Additionally, we may require new or modified processes, procedures, and controls to respond to changes in our business environment. We may take further actions as may be required by government authorities or that we determine are in the best interests of our employees, customers, and business partners. There is no certainty that such measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks posed by COVID-19 or will otherwise be satisfactory to government authorities.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to rapidly evolve. The extent to which the pandemic continues to affect our business will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence. Such developments include the ultimate geographic spread of COVID-19, the distribution and long-term efficacy of vaccines, the effects of more contagious and virulent variants of COVID-19, the duration of the pandemic, travel restrictions and actions taken to contain the pandemic or treat its impact, such as social distancing and quarantines or lock-downs, business closures or business disruptions, and the effectiveness of actions taken to contain and treat the disease.
To the extent the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affects our business, financial condition and results of operations, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in this “Risk Factors” section.
If we are not able to maintain and enhance our reputation and brand recognition, our business, financial conditions and results of operations will be harmed.
We believe that maintaining and enhancing our reputation and brand recognition is critical to our relationships with existing subscribing customers and our ability to attract new subscribing customers. The promotion of our brand may require us to make substantial investments and we anticipate that, as our market becomes increasingly competitive, these marketing initiatives may become increasingly difficult and expensive. Our marketing activities may not be successful or yield increased revenue, and to the extent that these activities yield increased revenue, the increased revenue may not offset the expenses we incur, and our results of operations could be harmed. In addition, any factor that diminishes our reputation or that of our management, including failing to meet the expectations of our customers, could make it substantially more difficult for us to attract new customers. Similarly, because our subscribing customers often act as references for us with prospective new customers, any existing customer that questions the quality of our work or that of our employees could impair our ability to secure additional new customers. If we do not successfully maintain and enhance our reputation and brand recognition with our customers, our business may not grow and we could lose these relationships, which would harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
The estimates of market opportunity and forecasts of market growth included in this prospectus may prove to be inaccurate, and even if the markets in which we compete achieve the forecasted growth, our business may not grow at similar rates, or at all.
Market opportunity estimates and growth forecasts included in this prospectus are subject to significant uncertainty and are based on assumptions and estimates which may not prove to be accurate. The estimates and forecasts included in this prospectus relating to size and expected growth of our target market may prove to be inaccurate. Even if the markets in which we compete meet the size estimates and growth forecasts included in this prospectus, our business may not grow at similar rates, or at all. Our growth is subject to many factors, including our success in implementing our business strategy, which is subject to many risks and uncertainties.
We rely on software-as-a-service, or SaaS, technologies from third parties.
We rely on SaaS technologies from third parties in order to operate critical functions of our business, including financial management services, relationship management services, marketing services and data storage services. Some of our vendor agreements may be unilaterally terminated by the counterparty for convenience. If these services become unavailable due to contract cancellations, extended outages or interruptions, because they are no longer available on commercially reasonable terms or prices, or for any other reason, our expenses could increase, our ability to manage our finances could be interrupted, our processes for managing our offerings and supporting our consumers and partners could be impaired, and our ability to access or save data stored to the cloud may be impaired until equivalent services, if available, are identified, obtained, and implemented, all of which could harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Any restrictions on our use of, or ability to license data, or our failure to license data and integrate third-party technologies, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
We depend upon licenses from third parties for some of the technology and data used in our applications, and for some of the technology platforms upon which these applications are built and operate. We expect that we may need to obtain additional licenses from third parties in the future in connection with the development of our solutions and services. In addition, we obtain a portion of the data that we use from various securities exchanges. We believe that we have all rights necessary to use the data that is incorporated into our solutions and services. However, we cannot assure you that our licenses for information will allow us to use that information for all potential or contemplated applications and solutions.
In the future, data providers could withdraw their data from us or restrict our usage for any reason, including if there is a competitive reason to do so, if legislation is passed restricting the use of the data, or if judicial interpretations are issued restricting use of the data that we currently use in our solutions and services. If a substantial number of data providers were to withdraw or restrict their data and if we are unable to identify and contract with suitable alternative data suppliers and integrate these data sources into our service offerings, our ability to provide solutions and services to our subscribing customers would be materially adversely impacted, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
We also integrate into our proprietary applications and use third-party software to maintain and enhance, among other things, content generation and delivery, and to support our technology infrastructure. Our use of third-party technologies exposes us to increased risks, including, but not limited to, risks associated with the integration of new technology into our solutions, the diversion of our resources from development of our own proprietary technology, and our inability to generate revenue from licensed technology sufficient to offset associated acquisition and maintenance costs. These technologies may not be available to us in the future on commercially reasonable terms or at all and could be difficult to replace once integrated into our own proprietary applications. Most of these licenses can be renewed only by mutual consent and may be terminated if we breach the terms of the license and fail to cure the breach within a specified period of time. Our inability to obtain, maintain, or comply with any of these licenses could delay development until equivalent technology can be identified, licensed, and integrated, which would harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Most of our third-party licenses are non-exclusive and our competitors may obtain the right to use any of the technology covered by these licenses to compete directly with us. If our data suppliers choose to discontinue support of the licensed technology in the future, we might not be able to modify or adapt our own solutions.
Our President and Chief Executive Officer currently exercises voting control over our Company and will continue to have control over our Company after the offering has concluded, and such control may be in conflict to your interests.
As of November 3, 2021, Gust C. Kepler, who serves as a director, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, owns 2,331,668 shares of common stock (and has investment authority on an additional 767 shares) representing approximately 22.2% of the issued and outstanding common stock of the Company. In addition, Mr. Kepler owns 3,269,998 shares of our Series A Preferred Stock (each of which is entitled to 100 votes on all stockholder matters) representing 100% of the issued and outstanding Series A Preferred Stock, collectively representing approximately 97.6% of the voting power of our stockholders (based upon 10,525,323 shares of common and 3,269,998 shares of Series A Preferred Stock issued and outstanding as of November 3, 2021). After the issuance of 1,430,616 shares of common stock in this offering, based on an assumed initial public offering price of $6.99 per share, without giving effect to any exercise of the over-allotment option provided to the underwriters or the exercise of any of the Representative’s Warrants, Mr. Kepler will continue own shares of our outstanding capital stock (including shares of Series A Preferred Stock) representing approximately 97.2% of the voting power of our stockholders. As a result, Mr. Kepler has been able, and will continue after this offering, to exercise control over all matters requiring stockholder approval, including the election of directors and approval of significant corporate transactions, including the details of this offering.
We are dependent on a limited number of key executives and employees, the loss of which could negatively impact our business.
Our business is led by our CEO Gust Kepler and a small group of key employees. The loss of one or more of these executives could negatively impact our business.
Risks Related to Intellectual Property
We may not be able to halt the operations of entities that copy our intellectual property or that aggregate our data as well as data from other companies, including social networks, or copycat online services that may misappropriate our data. These activities could harm our brand and our business.
From time to time, third parties may try to access content or data from our networks through scraping, robots, or other means and use this content and data or combine this content and data with other content and data as part of their services. These activities could degrade our brand, negatively impact our platform and system performance and harm our business. We have employed contractual, technological or legal measures in an attempt to halt unauthorized activities, but these measures may not be successful. In addition, if our customers do not comply with our terms of service, they also may be able to abuse our tools, solutions, and services and provide access to our solutions and content to unauthorized users. We may not be able to detect any or all of these types of activities in a timely manner and, even if we could, technological and legal measures may be insufficient to stop these actions. In some cases, particularly in the case of online services operating from outside of the United States, our available legal remedies may not be adequate to protect our business against such activities. Regardless of whether we can successfully enforce our rights against these parties, any measures that we may take could require us to expend significant financial or other resources.
Third parties may initiate legal proceedings alleging that we are infringing or otherwise violating their intellectual property rights, the outcome of which would be uncertain and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Our commercial success depends on our ability to develop and commercialize our platform, products and services and use our proprietary technology without infringing the intellectual property or proprietary rights of third parties. From time to time, we may be subject to legal proceedings and claims in the ordinary course of business with respect to intellectual property. We are not currently subject to any material claims from third parties asserting infringement of their intellectual property rights.
Intellectual property disputes can be costly to defend and may cause our business, operating results, and financial condition to suffer. Whether merited or not, we have in the past and may in the future face allegations that we, our partners, our licensees, or parties indemnified by us have infringed or otherwise violated the patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property rights of third parties. Such claims may be made by competitors seeking to obtain a competitive advantage or by other parties. Some third parties may be able to sustain the costs of complex litigation more effectively than we can because they have substantially greater resources. Even if resolved in our favor, litigation or other legal proceedings relating to intellectual property claims may cause us to incur significant expenses and could distract our technical and management personnel from their normal responsibilities. In addition, there could be public announcements of the results of hearings, motions, or other interim proceedings or developments, and if securities analysts or investors perceive these results to be negative, it could have a material adverse effect on the price of our common stock. Moreover, any uncertainties resulting from the initiation and continuation of any legal proceedings could have a material adverse effect on our ability to raise the funds necessary to continue our operations. Assertions by third parties that we violate their intellectual property rights could therefore have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Failure to maintain, protect, or enforce our intellectual property rights could harm our business and results of operations.
We pursue the registration of our domain names, trademarks, and service marks in the United States. We also strive to protect our intellectual property rights by relying on federal, state, and common law rights, as well as contractual restrictions. We typically enter into confidentiality and invention assignment agreements with our employees and contractors, and confidentiality agreements with parties with whom we conduct business in order to limit access to, and disclosure and use of, our proprietary information. However, we may not be successful in executing these agreements with every party who has access to our confidential information or contributes to the development of our technology or intellectual property rights. Those agreements that we do execute may be breached, and we may not have adequate remedies for any such breach. These contractual arrangements and the other steps we have taken to protect our intellectual property rights may not prevent the misappropriation or disclosure of our proprietary information nor deter independent development of similar technology or intellectual property by others.
Effective trade secret, patent, copyright, trademark and domain name protection is expensive to obtain, develop and maintain, both in terms of initial and ongoing registration or prosecution requirements and expenses and the costs of defending our rights. We have invested in and may, over time, increase our investment in protecting our intellectual property through patent filings that could be expensive and time-consuming. Our trademarks and other intellectual property rights may be challenged by others or invalidated through administrative process or litigation. We have not yet applied for or obtained any issued patents that provide protection for our technology or products. Moreover, any issued patents we may obtain may not provide us with a competitive advantage and, as with any technology, competitors may be able to develop similar or superior technologies to our own, now or in the future. In addition, due to a recent U.S. Supreme Court case, it has become increasingly difficult to obtain and assert patents relating to software or business methods, as many such patents have been invalidated for being too abstract to constitute patent-eligible subject matter. We do not know whether this will affect our ability to obtain patents on our innovations, or successfully assert any patents we may pursue in litigation or pre-litigation campaigns.
Monitoring unauthorized use of the content on our platform, and our other intellectual property and technology, is difficult and costly. Our efforts to protect our proprietary rights and intellectual property may not have been and may not be adequate to prevent their misappropriation or misuse. Third parties, including our competitors, could be infringing, misappropriating, or otherwise violating our intellectual property rights. We may not be successful in stopping unauthorized use of our content or other intellectual property or technology. Further, we may not have been and may not be able to detect unauthorized use of our technology or intellectual property, or to take appropriate steps to enforce our intellectual property rights. Any inability to meaningfully enforce our intellectual property rights could harm our ability to compete and reduce demand for our solutions and services. Our competitors may also independently develop similar technology. Effective patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret protection may not be available to us in every jurisdiction in which our solutions or technology are hosted or available. Further, legal standards relating to the validity, enforceability, and scope of protection of intellectual property rights are uncertain. The laws in the United States and elsewhere change rapidly, and any future changes could adversely affect us and our intellectual property. Our failure to meaningfully protect our intellectual property rights could result in competitors offering solutions that incorporate our most technologically advanced features, which could reduce demand for our solutions.
We may find it necessary or appropriate to initiate claims or litigation to enforce our intellectual property rights, protect our trade secrets, or determine the validity and scope of intellectual property rights claimed by others. In any lawsuit we bring to enforce our intellectual property rights, a court may refuse to stop the other party from using the technology at issue on grounds that our intellectual property rights do not cover the use or technology in question. Further, in such proceedings, the defendant could counterclaim that our intellectual property is invalid or unenforceable and the court may agree, in which case we could lose valuable intellectual property rights. Litigation is inherently uncertain and any litigation of this nature, regardless of outcome or merit, could result in substantial costs and diversion of management and technical resources, any of which could adversely affect our business and results of operations. If we fail to maintain, protect, and enforce our intellectual property, our business and results of operations may be harmed.
The laws of some foreign countries do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as the laws of the United States. Many companies have encountered significant problems in protecting and defending intellectual property rights in certain foreign jurisdictions. The legal systems of some countries, particularly developing countries, do not favor the enforcement of intellectual property protection. This could make it difficult for us to stop the infringement or misappropriation of our intellectual property rights. Proceedings to enforce our intellectual property in foreign jurisdictions could result in substantial costs and divert our efforts and attention from other aspects of our business. In addition, changes in the law and legal decisions by courts in the United States and foreign countries may affect our ability to obtain adequate protection for our technology and the enforcement of intellectual property.
If our trademarks and trade names are not adequately protected, we may not be able to build name recognition in our markets of interest and our business may be adversely affected.
We believe that our brand is critical to the success of our business, and we plan to utilize trademark registration and other means to protect it. Our business would be harmed if we were unable to protect our brand against infringement and its value was to decrease as a result.
Although we intend to claim trademark rights and file for trademark protection of our “Blackboxstocks” brand name, we may face opposition from other financial technology or media platform companies; our application for a trademark may be denied by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”). The name “Blackbox” is currently being used to market and sell various products and services including SaaS technologies. When a trademark application comes through for the same class as another name that has already applied for registration, in this case Blackbox, the trademark examiner may issue an Office Action, refusing our registration and requiring us to respond to the USPTO regarding how our use of “Blackboxstocks” will not be confused with existing registrants’ use of “Blackbox.” This process would require us to incur additional legal fees every time we are required to respond to the USPTO to defend our registration. In the end, we may not be able to register our mark.
The registered or unregistered trademarks or trade names that we own or license may be challenged, infringed, circumvented, declared generic, lapsed, or determined to be infringing on or dilutive of other marks. We may not be able to protect our rights in these trademarks and trade names, which we need in order to build name recognition with customers and potential partners. In addition, third parties may in the future file for registration of trademarks similar or identical to our trademarks. If they succeed in registering or developing common law rights in such trademarks, and if we are not successful in challenging such third-party rights, we may not be able to use these trademarks to commercialize our technologies or solutions in certain relevant countries. If we are unable to establish name recognition based on our trademarks and trade names, we may not be able to compete effectively and our business may be adversely affected.
If we are unable to protect the confidentiality of our trade secrets, our business and competitive position could be harmed.
We rely heavily on trade secrets and confidentiality agreements to protect our unpatented know-how, technology, and other proprietary information, including our technology platform, and to maintain our competitive position. With respect to our technology platform, we consider trade secrets and know-how to be one of our primary sources of intellectual property. However, trade secrets and know-how can be difficult to protect. We seek to protect these trade secrets and other proprietary technology in part by entering into non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements with parties who have access to them, such as our employees, outside contractors, consultants, advisors, and other third parties. We also enter into confidentiality and invention or patent assignment agreements with our employees and consultants. The confidentiality agreements are designed to protect our proprietary information and, in the case of agreements or clauses containing invention assignment, to grant us ownership of technologies that are developed through a relationship with employees or third parties. We cannot guarantee that we have entered into such agreements with each party that may have or have had access to our trade secrets or proprietary information, including our technology and processes. Despite these efforts, no assurance can be given that the confidentiality agreements we enter into will be effective in controlling access to such proprietary information and trade secrets. The confidentiality agreements on which we rely to protect certain technologies may be breached, may not be adequate to protect our confidential information, trade secrets, and proprietary technologies and may not provide an adequate remedy in the event of unauthorized use or disclosure of our confidential information, trade secrets, or proprietary technology. Further, these agreements do not prevent our competitors or others from independently developing the same or similar technologies and processes, which may allow them to provide a service similar or superior to ours, which could harm our competitive position.
Enforcing a claim that a party illegally disclosed or misappropriated a trade secret is difficult, expensive, and time-consuming, and the outcome is unpredictable. In addition, some courts inside and outside the United States are less willing or unwilling to protect trade secrets. If any of our trade secrets were to be lawfully obtained or independently developed by a competitor or other third party, we would have no right to prevent them from using that technology or information to compete with us. If any of our trade secrets were to be disclosed to or independently developed by a competitor or other third party, it could harm our competitive position, business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects.
If we fail to comply with our obligations under license or technology agreements with third parties, we may be required to pay damages and we could lose license rights that are critical to our business.
We license certain intellectual property, including technologies and software from third parties, that is important to our business, and we may enter into future additional agreements that provide us with licenses to valuable intellectual property or technology. If we fail to comply with any of the obligations under our license agreements, we may be required to pay damages and the licensor may have the right to terminate the license. Termination by the licensor would cause us to lose valuable rights, and could prevent us from selling our solutions and services, or adversely impact our ability to commercialize future solutions and services. Our business would suffer if any current or future licenses terminate, if the licensors fail to abide by the terms of the license, if the licensors fail to enforce licensed patents against infringing third parties, if the licensed intellectual property are found to be invalid or unenforceable, or if we are unable to enter into necessary licenses on acceptable terms. In addition, our rights to certain technologies are licensed to us on a non-exclusive basis. The owners of these non-exclusively licensed technologies are therefore free to license them to third parties, including our competitors, on terms that may be superior to those offered to us, which could place us at a competitive disadvantage. Moreover, our licensors may own or control intellectual property that has not been licensed to us and, as a result, we may be subject to claims, regardless of their merit, that we are infringing or otherwise violating the licensor’s rights. In addition, the agreements under which we license intellectual property or technology from third parties are generally complex, and certain provisions in such agreements may be susceptible to multiple interpretations. The resolution of any contract interpretation disagreement that may arise could narrow what we believe to be the scope of our rights to the relevant intellectual property or technology, or increase what we believe to be our financial or other obligations under the relevant agreement. Any of the foregoing could harm our competitive position, business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects.
If we cannot license rights to use intellectual property on reasonable terms, we may not be able to commercialize new solutions or services in the future.
In the future, we may identify additional third-party intellectual property we may need to license in order to engage in our business, including to develop or commercialize new solutions or services. However, such licenses may not be available on acceptable terms or at all. The licensing or acquisition of third-party intellectual property rights is a competitive area, and several more established companies may pursue strategies to license or acquire third-party intellectual property rights that we may consider attractive or necessary. These established companies may have a competitive advantage over us due to their size, capital resources, and greater development or commercialization capabilities. In addition, companies that perceive us to be a competitor may be unwilling to assign or license rights to us. Even if such licenses are available, we may be required to pay the licensor substantial royalties based on sales of our solutions and services. Such royalties are a component of the cost of our solutions or services and may affect the margins on our solutions and services. In addition, such licenses may be non-exclusive, which could give our competitors access to the same intellectual property licensed to us. If we are unable to enter into the necessary licenses on acceptable terms or at all, if any necessary licenses are subsequently terminated, if our licensors fail to abide by the terms of the licenses, if our licensors fail to prevent infringement by third parties, or if the licensed intellectual property rights are found to be invalid or unenforceable, our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects could be affected. If licenses to third-party intellectual property rights are, or become required for us, to engage in our business, the rights may be non-exclusive, which could give our competitors access to the same technology or intellectual property rights licensed to us. Moreover, we could encounter delays and other obstacles in our attempt to develop alternatives. Defense of any lawsuit or failure to obtain any of these licenses on favorable terms could prevent us from commercializing solutions and services, which could harm our competitive position, business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects.
General Risk Factors
If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, if they adversely change their recommendations regarding our stock, or if our results of operations do not meet their expectations, our stock price and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for our securities will be influenced by the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business (or the absence of such research or reports). If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of our Company or fail to publish reports on us regularly, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline. Moreover, if one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade recommendations regarding our stock, or if our results of operations do not meet their expectations, our stock price could decline and such decline could be material.
We are an “emerging growth company” and our compliance with the reduced reporting and disclosure requirements applicable to “emerging growth companies” may make our common stock less attractive to investors.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act, or the JOBS Act, and we have elected to take advantage of certain exemptions and relief from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies.” These provisions include, but are not limited to: being permitted to have only two years of audited financial statements and only two years of related management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations disclosures; being exempt from compliance with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; being subject to reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements; and not being required to hold nonbinding advisory votes on executive compensation or on any golden parachute payments not previously approved.
In addition, while we are an “emerging growth company,” we will not be required to comply with any new financial accounting standard until such standard is generally applicable to private companies. As a result, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that are not “emerging growth companies” or elect not to avail themselves of this provision.
We may remain an “emerging growth company” until as late as December 31, 2027, the fiscal year-end following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this initial public offering, though we may cease to be an “emerging growth company” earlier under certain circumstances, including if (i) we have more than $1.07 billion in annual revenue in any fiscal year, (ii) we become a “large accelerated filer,” with at least $700 million of equity securities held by non-affiliates as of the end of the second quarter of that fiscal year, or (iii) we issue more than $1.0 billion of non-convertible debt over a three-year period.
The exact implications of the JOBS Act are still subject to interpretations and guidance by the SEC and other regulatory agencies, and we cannot assure you that we will be able to take advantage of all of the benefits of the JOBS Act. In addition, investors may find our common stock less attractive to the extent we rely on the exemptions and relief granted by the JOBS Act. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our stock price may decline or become more volatile.
If we are unable to implement and maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports.
As a public company, we will be required to maintain internal controls over financial reporting and to report any material weaknesses in such internal controls. We are required to furnish a report by management on, among other things, the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. However, our independent registered public accounting firm will not be required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act until the date we are no longer an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act. Accordingly, you will not be able to depend on any attestation concerning our internal control over financial reporting from our independent registered public accounting firm for the foreseeable future.
The process of designing and implementing internal controls over financial reporting is time consuming, costly, and complicated. If during the evaluation and testing process, we identify one or more material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting or determine that existing material weaknesses have not been remediated, our management will be unable to assert that our internal control over financial reporting is effective. Even if our management concludes that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, our independent registered public accounting firm may conclude that there are material weaknesses with respect to our internal controls or the level at which our internal controls are documented, designed, implemented, or reviewed. If we are unable to assert that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, or when required in the future, if our independent registered public accounting firm is unable to express an opinion as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports and the valuation of our common stock could be adversely affected.
Compliance with public reporting requirements have and will continue to affect the Company’s financial resources.
The Company is subject to certain public reporting obligations as required by federal securities laws, regulations and agencies. The compliance with such reporting requirements will require the company to incur significant legal, accounting and other administrative expenses. Additionally, in conjunction with this offering, the Company has applied to list its shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market. If the application is approved, the Company will be subject to additional rules and disclosure obligations as required by Nasdaq, increasing compliance expenses further. The expenses the Company may incur will have a significant impact on the Company’s financial resources and may lead to a decrease in the value and price of our common stock.
We rely on network infrastructure and our ability to maintain and scale our business and maintain competitiveness. Any significant interruptions or delays in service on our apps or websites or any undetected errors or design faults could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We depend on the use of information technologies and systems and our reputation and ability to acquire, retain, and serve our customers are dependent upon the reliable performance of our apps and websites and the underlying network infrastructure. As our operations grow, we must continuously improve and upgrade our systems and infrastructure while maintaining or improving the reliability and integrity of our infrastructure. Our future success also depends on our ability to adapt our systems and infrastructure to meet rapidly evolving consumer trends and demands while continuing to improve the performance, features and reliability of our solutions in response to competitive services and offerings. We expect the use of alternative platforms such as tablets and smartphones will continue to grow and the emergence of niche competitors who may be able to optimize offerings, services, or strategies for such platforms will require new investment in technology. New developments in other areas, such as cloud computing, have made it easier for competition to enter our markets due to lower up-front technology costs. In addition, we may not be able to maintain our existing systems or replace or introduce new technologies and systems as quickly as we would like or in a cost-effective manner. There is also no guarantee that we will possess the financial resources or personnel, for the research, design, and development of new applications or services, or that we will be able to utilize these resources successfully and avoid technological or market obsolescence. Further, there can be no assurance that technological advances by one or more of our competitors or future competitors will not result in our present or future applications and services becoming uncompetitive or obsolete. If we were unable to enhance our offerings and network capabilities to keep pace with rapid technological and regulatory change, or if new technologies emerge that are able to deliver competitive offerings at lower prices, more efficiently, more conveniently, or more securely than our platform offerings, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
We expect to receive net proceeds from this offering of approximately $8,775,000 or approximately $10,101,000 if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, assuming no exercise of the Representative’s Warrants and after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, assuming an initial public offering price of $6.99 per share, which was the last sale price of our common stock as reported on OTC Pink on November 3, 2021.
We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for the continued development of our Blackbox System platform, to promote and market our Blackbox System platform and increase our subscriber base and for general and administration expenses. In addition, we intend to develop and market additional products and services that employ or are complementary to our Blackbox System. We expect to release a new product utilizing the proprietary Blackbox System that target traditional investors that do not necessarily engage in day trading or swing trading. We believe that the market for this type of product is significant and we intend to devote significant resources to advertise and market this product. In addition, we anticipate hiring additional personnel to aid in the development and improvement of our existing and future products and services.
Based on our current operational plans and assumptions, we expect that the net proceeds from this offering, combined with our current cash, will be sufficient to fund operations through fiscal year 2022.
Our expected use of net proceeds from this offering represents our current intentions based upon our present plans and business condition. As of the date of this prospectus, we cannot predict with complete certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds to be received upon the completion of this offering or the actual amounts that we will spend on the uses set forth above.
The amounts and timing of our actual expenditures will depend on numerous factors, including the progress of our development team, the scale achieved by our sales and marketing team, as well as the amount of cash used in our operations. We therefore cannot estimate with certainty the amount of net proceeds to be used for the purposes described above. We may find it necessary or advisable to use the net proceeds for other purposes, and we will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds.
We have not declared any dividends on our common stock and do not anticipate that we will declare or pay any dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. Any future determination to pay cash dividends will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors and will be dependent upon our financial condition, operating results, capital requirements, applicable contractual restrictions, restrictions in our organizational documents, and any other factors that our Board of Directors deems relevant.
The following table sets forth our cash, cash equivalents and capitalization as of June 30, 2021 (a) on an actual basis, (b) on a pro forma basis to give effect to the conversion of 1,730,002 shares of Series A Preferred Stock into Common Stock that occurred during the third quarter of 2021 and (c) on an as adjusted pro forma basis to also give effect to the issuance and sale by us of 1,430,616 shares of our common stock in the offering, and the receipt of the net proceeds from our sale of these shares at an assumed initial public offering price of $6.99 per share, the last sale price of our common stock as reported on OTC Pink on November 3, 2021, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, but excluding any exercise of the over-allotment option provided to the underwriters and any exercise of the Representative’s Warrants.
Pro forma as adjusted cash and cash equivalents, additional paid-in capital, retained earnings, total stockholders’ equity, and total capitalization following the completion of our offering will be adjusted based on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of our offering determined at pricing. You should read this table in conjunction with the sections entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Description of Securities the Company is Offering” and our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.
|
As of June 30, 2021 |
||||||||||||
|
Actual |
Pro Forma |
Pro Forma As Adjusted |
||||||||||
|
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ | 626,490 | $ | 626,490 | $ | 9,401,495 | ||||||
|
Senior secured notes payable |
926,775 | 926,775 | 926,775 | |||||||||
|
Convertible notes payable |
39,868 | 39,868 | 39,868 | |||||||||
|
Other notes payable |
130,200 | 130,200 | 130,200 | |||||||||
| Stockholders’ equity (deficit): | ||||||||||||
| Series A Preferred stock, $0.001 par value per share; authorized shares – 10,000,000 issued and outstanding shares: 5,000,000 actual; 3,269,998, pro forma and pro forma as adjusted | 5,000 | 3,270 | 3,270 | |||||||||
| Common stock, $0.001 par value per share; authorized shares – 100,000,000; actual issued and outstanding 8,590,877; pro forma 10,320,879; pro forma as adjusted – 11,751,495 | 8,591 | 10,321 | 11,752 | |||||||||
|
Additional paid-in capital |
5,752,929 | 5,752,929 | 11,526,504 | |||||||||
|
Accumulated deficit |
(7,415,599 |
) |
(7,415,599 |
) |
(7,415,599 | ) | ||||||
| Total stockholders’ equity (deficit) | $ | (1,649,079 |
) |
$ | (1,649,079 |
) |
$ | 7,125,916 | ||||
The number of shares presented in the table above does not include any of the following:
|
● |
Outstanding warrants to purchase up to 424,285 shares of our common stock at an average exercise price of $1.63 per share; |
|
● |
Representative’s Warrants to purchase up to 85,837 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $8.74, assuming an initial public offering price of $6.99 per share, which was the last sale price of our common stock as reported on OTC Pink on November 3, 2021; |
|
● |
Conversion of the 3,269,998 shares of Series A Preferred Stock which have not yet been converted as reflected in the as adjusted column; |
|
● |
Exercise of stock options for the purchase of an aggregate of 612,500 shares of common stock awarded under the Company’s 2021 Stock Incentive Plan which has 750,000 shares reserved for issuance; | |
| ● | Issuance of 89,000 shares of our common stock to issuable to Winspear Investments LLC upon obtaining listing on the Nasdaq pursuant to our August 11, 2020 letter agreement with Winspear Investments, LLC; and | |
| ● | No exercise of the underwriters of their over-allotment option to purchase additional shares of common stock in this offering. |
If you invest in our common stock in this offering, your ownership interest will be immediately diluted to the extent of the difference between the initial public offering price per share of our common stock and the net tangible book value per share of our common stock after this offering.
Our historical net tangible book value (deficit) as of June 30, 2021, was $(1,649,079), or $(0.19) per share based on 8,590,877 shares of our common stock outstanding. Our historical net tangible book value represents the amount of our total tangible assets (total assets less total intangible assets) less total liabilities. Historical net tangible book value per share represents historical net tangible book value divided by the number of shares of common stock issued and outstanding.
After giving effect to the conversion of 1,730,002 shares of Series A Preferred Stock, our pro forma net tangible book value as of June 30, 2021 would have been $(1,649,079), or $$(0.16) per share of our common stock based on a total of 10,320,879 shares of common stock outstanding. After giving effect to the sale of 1,430,616 shares of common stock in this offering at the assumed initial public offering price of $6.99 per share, which was the last sale price of our common stock as reported on OTC Pink on November 3, 2021, and the application of the net proceeds from this offering, our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value as of June 30, 2021 would have been approximately $7,125,926, or $0.61 per share. This amount represents an immediate increase in pro forma net tangible book value of $0.77 per share of common stock to our existing stockholders before this offering and an immediate and substantial dilution in net tangible book value of $6.38 per share of common stock to new investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering. We determine dilution by subtracting the as pro forma net tangible book value per share of common stock after this offering from the amount of cash that a new investor paid for a share of common stock in this offering. The following table illustrates this dilution, assuming the underwriters do not exercise their option to purchase additional shares of common stock or the exercise of any of the Representative’s Warrants:
|
Assumed public offering price per share of common stock |
$ | 6.99 | ||
|
Historical net tangible book value per share as of June 30, 2021 |
$ | (0.19 | ) | |
|
Increase per share of common stock attributable to the adjustments described above |
$ | 0.03 | ||
| Pro forma net tangible book value per share of common stock prior to this offering | $ | (0.16 | ) | |
| Increase per share of common stock attributable to the shares issued in this offering | $ | 0.77 | ||
|
Pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share of common stock after this offering |
$ | 0.61 | ||
|
Dilution in pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share |
$ | 6.38 |
The following table summarizes, as of June 30, 2021 on a pro forma basis described above, the total number of shares of common stock owned by existing stockholders and to be owned by new investors, the total consideration paid, and the average price per share paid by our existing stockholders and to be paid by new investors in this offering at the assumed initial public offering price of $6.99 per share, which was the last sale price of our common stock as reported on OTC Pink on November 3, 2021, calculated before deduction of estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and assuming no exercise of the Representative’s Warrants.
|
Shares Purchased
|
Total Consideration |
Average |
||||||||||||||||||
|
Number |
Percent |
Amount |
Percent |
Share | ||||||||||||||||
|
Existing Stockholders |
10,320,879 | 87.8 | % | $ | 5,766,520 | 36.6 | % | $ | 0.56 | |||||||||||
|
Investors in the Offering |
1,430,616 | 12.2 | % | 10,000,006 | 63.4 | % | 6.99 | |||||||||||||
|
Total |
11,751,495 | 100 | % | $ | 15,766,526 | 100.0 | % | $ | 1.57 | |||||||||||
To the extent that the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares is exercised or that they exercise their Representative’s Warrants, there will be further dilution to new investors. If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase 214,592 additional shares of common stock in this offering at the assumed initial public offering price of $6.99 per share, after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and based on the other above assumptions, the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering would be $0.71 per share, the incremental increase in the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share to existing stockholders would be $0.87 per share and the dilution to new investors purchasing shares in this offering would be $6.28 per share. If the underwriters were to fully exercise their option to purchase additional shares of our common stock, the percentage of common stock held by existing investors would be 86.3%, and the percentage of shares of common stock held by new investors would be 13.7%.
The foregoing tables and calculations are based on 8,590,877 shares of our common stock outstanding as of June 30, 2021, and except as otherwise indicated, reflects and assumes the following:
|
● |
assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase up to 214,592 additional shares of common stock in this offering, based on an assumed initial offering price of $6.99 per share, or exercise of their Representative’s Warrants; | |
|
● |
assumes no exercise of outstanding warrants to purchase up to 424,285 shares of our Common Stock at an average exercise price of $1.63 per share outstanding on November 3, 2021; | |
|
● |
assumes no conversion of the 3,269,998 outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding on November 3, 2021; | |
|
● |
assumes no exercise of stock options outstanding on November 3, 2021 for the purchase of an aggregate of 612,500 shares of common stock awarded under the Company’s 2021 Stock Incentive Plan which has 750,000 shares reserved for issuance; and | |
| ● | assumes no issuance of 89,000 shares of Common Stock payable to Winspear Investments LLC upon obtaining listing on the Nasdaq pursuant to our August 11, 2020 letter agreement with Winspear Investments, LLC. |
We may choose to raise additional capital due to market conditions or strategic considerations even if we believe we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans. To the extent that additional capital is raised through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the issuance of such securities could result in further dilution to our stockholders.
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with the “Selected financial data” section of this prospectus and our financial statements and the related notes included at the end of this prospectus. This discussion and other parts of this prospectus contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, such as statements of our plans, objectives, expectations and intentions. As a result of many factors, including those factors set forth in the “Risk factors” section of this prospectus, our actual results could differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in the following discussion and analysis.
Overview
We are a financial technology and social media hybrid platform offering real-time proprietary analytics and news for stock and options traders of all levels. Our web-based software employs “predictive technology” enhanced by artificial intelligence to find volatility and unusual market activity that may result in the rapid change in the trading price of a stock or option. Our Blackbox System continuously scans the NASDAQ, NYSE, CBOE, and other options markets, analyzing over 8,000 stocks and up to 1,000,000 options contracts multiple times per second. We also provide our users with a fully interactive social media platform that is integrated into our dashboard, enabling our users to exchange information and ideas quickly and efficiently through a common network. We recently introduced a live audio/video feature that allows our members to broadcast on their own channels to share trade strategies and market insight within the Blackbox community.
We launched our platform for domestic use and made it available to subscribers in September 2016. Subscriptions for the use of the platform are sold on a monthly and/or annual subscription basis to individual consumers through our website at http://www.blackboxstocks.com.
Our principal office is located at 5430 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1485, Dallas, Texas 75240 and our telephone number is (972) 726-9203. Our Common Stock is quoted on the OTC Pink under the symbol “BLBX.” Our corporate website is located at http://www.blackboxstocks.com.
Basis of Presentation of Financial Information
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”), which contemplate continuation of the Company as a going concern, which is dependent upon the Company’s ability to obtain sufficient financing or establish itself as a profitable business. At June 30, 2021, we had an accumulated deficit of $ 7,415,599 and for the three and six months ended June 30, 2021, reported net losses of $243,336 and $230,781, respectively. By contrast, at December 30, 2020, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $7,184,818 and for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020, reported net income of $193,827 and $236,657, respectively.
In November 2020, we executed a Loan Agreement with certain lenders (the “Lenders”) and FVP Servicing LLC, (“FVP”), as agent for the Lenders in connection with the issuance of a Note in the amount of $1,000,000 bearing interest at 12% per annum with an initial maturity of November 12, 2022.
As a result of our debt financing and cash flows from operations, we had a cash balance of $626,490 at June 30, 2021. Management believes that this will be sufficient to fund our operations and service our debt requirements for the next twelve months. In addition, management may continue to raise additional debt or equity capital in order to improve liquidity or finance more aggressive growth or development. Nevertheless, there can be no assurance that we will be able to raise additional capital or on what terms.
The financial statements do not include adjustments relating to the recoverability and realization of assets and classification of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue in operation.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
During the year ended December 31, 2020 and through June 30, 2021, there were several new accounting pronouncements issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”). Each of these pronouncements, as applicable, has been or will be adopted by the Company. Management does not believe the adoption of any of these accounting pronouncements has had or will have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.
All other new accounting pronouncements issued but not yet effective or adopted have been deemed not to be relevant to us, hence are not expected to have any impact once adopted.
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Use of Estimates
The Company’s financial statement preparation requires that management make estimates and assumptions which affect the reporting of assets and liabilities and the related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities in order to report these financial statements in conformity with GAAP. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Cash
Cash includes all highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash and have original maturities at the date of purchase of three months or less.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement, defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, and requires certain disclosures about fair value measurements. In general, fair values of financial instruments are based upon quoted market prices, where available. If such quoted market prices are not available, fair value is based upon internally developed models that primarily use, as inputs, observable market-based parameters. Valuation adjustments may be made to ensure that financial instruments are recorded at fair value. These adjustments may include amounts to reflect counterparty credit quality and the customer’s creditworthiness, among other things, as well as unobservable parameters. Any such valuation adjustments are applied consistently over time.
Derivative Financial Instruments
FASB ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement requires bifurcation of certain embedded derivative instruments, and measurement at their fair value for accounting purposes. A holder redemption feature embedded in the Company’s notes payable requires bifurcation from its host instrument and is accounted for as a freestanding derivative.
Property and Equipment
The Company’s property and equipment is being depreciated on the straight-line basis over an estimated useful life of three years.
Income Taxes
The Company will recognize deferred tax assets and liabilities based on differences between the financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities using the enacted tax rates and laws that are expected to be in effect when the differences are expected to be recovered. The Company provides a valuation allowance for deferred tax assets for which it does not consider realization of such assets to be more likely than not.
Management evaluates the probability of the realization of its deferred income tax assets. Management determined that because the Company has not yet generated taxable income, it is unlikely that a tax benefit will be realized from these operating loss carry forwards. Accordingly, the deferred income tax asset is offset by a full valuation allowance.
In accordance with ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes, the Company recognizes the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be capable of withstanding examination by the taxing authorities based on the technical merits of the position. These standards prescribe a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return.
Earnings or (Loss) Per Share
Basic earnings per share (or loss per share), is computed by dividing the earnings (loss) for the period by the weighted average number of common stock shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per share reflects the potential dilution of securities by including other potentially issuable shares of common stock, including shares issuable upon conversion of convertible securities or exercise of outstanding stock options and warrants, in the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Therefore, because including shares issuable upon conversion of convertible securities and/or exercise of outstanding options and warrants would have an anti-dilutive effect on the loss per share, only the basic earnings (loss) per share is reported in the accompanying financial statements for periods with a reported loss.
Share-Based Payment
Under ASC Topic 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation, all share based payments to employees, including share option grants, are to be recognized in the statement of operations based on their fair values. No share based payments were issued for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.
Revenue Recognition
Revenue is recognized from the sale of subscriptions for the use of the Blackbox System web application, on a monthly or annual basis. Revenue generally is recognized net of allowances for returns and any taxes collected from customers and subsequently remitted to governmental authorities. The performance obligation by the Company is in exchange for the monthly subscription fee, the subscriber is allowed access to the Blackbox System on the website for the calendar month. Revenue related to annual subscriptions is recognized each month with unearned subscriptions reflected as a current liability.
Other Liabilities
The Company planned the development of a future product, a complimentary platform to share its IP protocol with the current Blackbox System on a subscription basis. The future product was not developed and launched. The Company received advance payments totaling $180,000 from a new subscriber group in anticipation of the development of this future product and the amounts were deferred and recorded as other liabilities as of December 31, 2020. In the first quarter 2021 the subscribers agreed to terminate those agreements and convert the $180,000 liability into 92,308 shares of our common stock.
Prepaid Expenses
Prepaid expenses are current assets created when the Company makes payments or incurs an obligation for expenses identified for a future period. These amounts are charged to expense as the services are provided.
Contingencies
Certain conditions may exist as of the date the financial statements are issued, which may result in a loss to the Company but which will only be resolved when one or more future events occur or fail to occur. The Company’s management and legal counsel assess such contingent liabilities, and such assessment inherently involves judgment. In assessing loss contingencies related to legal proceedings that are pending against the Company or unasserted claims that may result in such proceedings, the Company’s legal counsel evaluates the perceived merits of any legal proceedings or unasserted claims as well as the perceived merits of the amount of relief sought or expected to be sought.
If the assessment of a contingency indicates it is probable that a material loss has been incurred and the amount of the liability can be estimated, then the estimated liability would be accrued in the Company’s financial statements. If the assessment indicates that a potential material loss contingency is not probable but is reasonably possible, or is probable but cannot be estimated, then the nature of the contingent liability, together with an estimate of the range of possible loss if determinable and material would be disclosed. Loss contingencies considered to be remote by management are generally not disclosed unless they involve guarantees, in which case the guarantee would be disclosed.
Reclassification
Affiliate referral expenses totaling $121,227 for the year ended December 31, 2019 have been reclassed from cost of revenues to advertising and marketing expense on the statement of operations. In addition, data feed expenses in the aggregate of $79,691 have been reclassed from software development costs as of December 31, 2019 to cost of revenue.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
At June 30, 2021, we had a cash balance of $626,490 and a working capital deficit of $932,752 as compared to a cash balance of $972,825 and a working capital deficit of $990,738 at December 31, 2020. Our cash flows from operations were negative $26,192 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 as compared to a positive $87,680 for the prior year period. For the six months ended June 30, 2021, the net loss was largely offset by amortization of debt discount and debt issuance costs. During the same period, the Company incurred capital expenditures in the amount of $54,507 related primarily to the purchase of new servers. We do not expect this level of capital expenditures to continue for the next twelve months.
Net cash used from financing activities was $265,636 for the six months ended June 30, 2021. This consisted of $403,642 of principal repayments that was partially offset by $138,006 in stock issuances. The Company has only $50,039 in principal payments remaining on its convertible notes payable which will be paid in the third quarter of 2021. Principal payments on our $1,000,000 senior debt (the FPV Note) begin in December of 2021 at $10,000 per month until its maturity in November 2022, which can be extended. As a result of retiring our convertible notes payable, the Company’s debt service requirements will be significantly lower for the next twelve months. We may also issue additional equity or debt in order to improve liquidity or finance growth or development initiatives although there can be no assurance that we will be able to do so or on what terms. If we are successful in completing equity financing, existing stockholders will experience dilution of their interest in our Company.
We believe that the Company has sufficient capital resources to fund current operations and debt service requirements.
Loan Agreement
On November 12, 2020, the Company executed a Loan Agreement with certain Lenders and FVP Servicing LLC, as agent for the Lenders in connection with the issuance of a Note (the FPV Note) in the amount of $1,000,000 bearing interest at 12% per annum with an initial maturity of November 12, 2022. Simultaneously, with the execution of the Loan Agreement, the Company repaid an existing secured note payable in the amount of $100,000 along with accrued interest and certain outstanding trade payables in the amount of $133,880.
Sale of Common Stock and Warrants
During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company received subscriptions for the purchase of 346,533 shares of Common Stock for cash consideration of $407,982. In connection with certain of the sales, warrants to purchase up to 35,259 shares of the Company’s Common Stock at a cash price of $1.95 per share were issued to certain of the subscribers. The Company also issued a warrant for the purchase of 16,667 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $0.61 per share and a warrant for the purchase of 35,935 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $1.95 to its financial advisor as part of their compensation for services rendered.
During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company also issued an aggregate of 104,339 shares of Common Stock, for settlement of debt obligations and services rendered valued at $205,950.
Additional funding is expected to be generated as necessary through equity financing from the sale of our common stock and/or debt. If we are successful in completing equity financing, existing stockholders will experience dilution of their interest in our Company. We do not currently have any financing arranged and we cannot provide investors with any assurance that we will be able to raise sufficient funding from the sale of our Common Stock or debt to fund our plans of operation and ongoing operational expenses.
Results of Operations
Comparison of Years Ended December 31, 2020 and 2019
For the years ending December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company’s revenue totaled $3,367,563 and $1,062,573, respectively, for which its respective costs of revenues totaled $1,201,320 and $695,076. Revenues increased as a result of an expanded subscription base for monthly revenues. The Company’s revenue from subscriptions grew from $1,037,778 in the year ended December 31, 2019 to $3,340,983 in the year ended December 31, 2020, an increase of $2,303,205. Gross margin increased to $2,166,243 or 64.3% of revenues for the year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to gross margin of $367,497 or 34.6% of revenues for the prior year.
For the year ending December 31, 2020, the Company had operating expenses totaling $2,578,941 compared to $1,372,530 for the same period in 2019, an increase of $1,206,411. Operating expenses were 76.6% of revenues for the year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to 129.2% of revenues for the year ended December 31, 2019. Selling general and administrative expenses increased by $724, 361 but decreased as a percentage of sales from 98.0% to 52.4% for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase was primarily due to higher consulting, salary and selling expenses. Advertising and marketing expenses increased by $444,236 to $705,706 for the year ended December 31, 2020 but declined as a percentage of sales to 21.0% as compared to 24.6% for the prior year. In addition, software development costs increased approximately $43,072.
Operating loss for the year ended December 31, 2020 declined by $592,335 to $412,698 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2019 due to substantially higher revenues and gross margin being partially offset by higher operating expenses.
Comparison of Three Months Ended June 30, 2021 and 2020
For the three months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, our revenue was $1,463,606 and $808,848, respectively, an increase of 81%. The $654,758 increase in revenue resulted from growth in our subscriber base which was due to additional marketing and advertising expenditures and continued acceptance of our platform. Cost of revenues for the three months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020 were $409,578 and $242,158, resulting in gross margins of 72% and 70%, respectively. The primary components of cost of revenues include costs related to data and news feed expenses for exchange information which comprise the majority of the costs as well as the costs for program moderators. Costs for online program moderators increased 62% for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 as compared to the 2020 period and comprise the second largest portion of our cost of revenues. We do not expect our gross margins to change significantly from their current level unless we add additional products with different margins or incur unexpected cost increases.
For the three months ended June 30, 2021, operating expenses were $1,171,551 compared to $519,974 for the same period in 2020, an increase of $651,577 or 125%. We experienced significantly higher expenditures in most of our expense categories for the 2021 period. Selling, general and administrative expenses increased from $315,991 for the three months ended June 30, 2020 compared to $615,727 for the three months ended June 30, 2021, an increase of 95%. The increase in selling, general and administrative expenses of $299,736 was the largest dollar value component of the operating expense increase. The primary components of the increase were increases in referral expenses of $37,766, professional and outside consulting services of $68,673, general administrative expenses of $42,842, salary and payroll of $134,491 and financing expense of $13,315. Advertising and marketing expenses increased by $204,456 or 143% from $142,732 in the three months ended June 30, 2020 to $347,188 in the three months ended June 30, 2021. Software development costs also increased significantly by $145,341 or 251% from $57,914 in the three months ended June 30, 2020 as compared to $203,255 in the same period in 2021. The increased software development costs were incurred for improvements to our platform including our online social media component, development of a native application and new product development.
We expect to continue to incur increases in our operating costs for the foreseeable future. Expense increases for advertising and marketing activities should correlate most closely to sales growth, but as seen in the 2021 quarter, will not necessarily be directly correlated. Software development costs were relatively low in the quarter ended June 30, 2020 due to limited capital resources of the Company at that time. We anticipate that software development costs will remain relatively consistent with their current level through the balance of calendar 2021 and that any significant increases will be attributable to new product development.
Loss from operations for the three months ended June 30, 2021 was $117,523 as compared to income from operations of $46,717 for the prior year period due to higher sales and gross margins being offset by increased operating expenses as delineated above. Non-operating expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2021 consisted of interest expense of $33,257 and amortization of debt discount of $92,556 resulting in a net loss for the period of $243,336. Non-operating expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2020 included interest expense of 61,265 and amortization of debt discount of $63,246. In addition, during the 2020 period we also incurred $282,693 of convertible debt expense and a gain on derivative liabilities of $554,315. These non-recurring items more than offset the interest expense and amortization of debt discount to result in net income for the period of $193,827. The amortization of debt discount will decline in the third quarter of 2021 and be eliminated with the retirement of the related debt resulting in net interest expense that should remain consistent at its current levels for the next year.
Comparison of Six Months Ended June 30, 2021 and 2020
For the six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, our revenue was $2,953,274 and $1,224,099, respectively, an increase of 141%. The $1,729,175 increase in revenue resulted from growth in our subscriber base which was due to additional marketing and advertising expenditures and continued acceptance of our platform throughout the year. Relative growth was stronger in the first quarter of 2021 than the second quarter as the first quarter of 2020 was when the Company’s aggressive growth began, as well as significant gains in the first quarter of 2021 which we believe were attributable to unusual market activity in stocks such as Gamestop and AMC which we believe drove short term subscriptions. Cost of revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020 were $805,232 and $412,510 resulting in gross margins of 73% and 66%, respectively. The higher margins in the 2021 period were the result of increased leverage of fixed costs including the fixed cost components of the data and news feed expenses for exchange information which comprise the majority of the costs. Costs for online program moderators increased 74% for the six months ended June 30, 2021 as compared to the 2020 period and comprised the second largest portion of our cost of revenues. As noted above, we do not expect our gross margins to change significantly from their current level unless we add additional products with different margins or incur unexpected cost increases.
For the six months ended June 30, 2021, we incurred operating expenses totaling $2,120,312 compared to $995,585 for the same period in 2020, an increase of $1,124,727 or 113%. We experienced significantly higher expenditures in most of our expense categories for the 2021 period. Selling, general and administrative expenses increased from $665,436 for the six months ended June 30, 2020 to $1,222,414 for the six months ended June 30, 2021, an increase of 84%. The increase in selling, general and administrative expenses of $556,978 was primarily due to increases in referral expenses of $126,404, professional and outside consulting services of $175,245, general administrative expenses of $94,076, and salary and payroll of $225,983, which were partially offset by a decrease in financing expenses of $79,402. Advertising and marketing expenses increased by $323,424 or 140% from $231,076 in the six months ended June 30, 2020 to $554,500 in the six months ended June 30, 2021. Software development costs also significantly increased by $241,448 or 262% from $92,245 in the six months ended June 30, 2020 as compared to $333,693 in same period in 2021. As noted above, the increased software development costs were incurred for improvements to our platform including our online social media component, development of a native application and new product development and were significantly higher in the second quarter of 2021 than in the first quarter.
For the six months ended June 30, 2021, we recorded income from operations of $27,610 as compared to a loss from operations of $183,996 for the six months ended June 30, 2020, an increase of $ 211,606. Gross margin for the six months ended June 30, 2021 of $2,147,922 was $1,336,333 or 165% higher than the same period in 2020, but was partially offset by $1,124,727 in higher operating expenses. Non-operating expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2021 consisted of interest expense of $74,295 and amortization of debt discount of $184,086 resulting in a net loss for the period of $230,781. Non-operating expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2020 included interest expense of $94,760 and amortization of debt discount of $114,853. In addition, the 2020 period also had $500,469 of convertible debt expense and a gain on derivative liabilities of $1,155,485. These non-recurring items more than offset the loss from operations as well as interest expense and amortization of debt discount to result in net income for the period of $236,657.
Off Balance Sheet Arrangements
We do not have any off balance sheet arrangements.
Overview of Business
We have developed a financial technology and social media hybrid platform offering real-time proprietary analytics and news for stock and options traders of all levels combined with a social media element and educational materials. Our web-based software (the “Blackbox System”) employs “predictive technology” enhanced by artificial intelligence to find volatility and unusual market activity that may result in the rapid change in the price of a stock or option. We continuously scan the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), NASDAQ, Chicago Board Options Exchange (the “CBOE”) and other options markets, analyzing over 8,000 stocks and over 1,000,000 options contracts multiple times per second. We provide our subscribing members with a fully interactive social media platform that is integrated into our dashboard, enabling our members to exchange information and ideas quickly and efficiently through a common network. We believe the Blackbox System’s combination of proprietary analytics and broadcast enabled social media connecting traders of all types worldwide on an intuitive, user-friendly system is a unique and disruptive financial technology platform.
We employ a subscription-based Software as a Service (“SaaS”) business model and maintain a growing base of members that spans 42 countries. We currently offer monthly subscriptions to our platform for $99 per month and annual subscriptions for $959 per year.
Our goal is to provide retail investors with the type of sophisticated trading tools that were previously available only to large institutional hedge funds and high-frequency traders together with an interactive community of traders and investors of all levels at an affordable price. We also strive to provide these trading tools in a user-friendly format that does not require complicated configurations by the user. All of our software is web-based and does not require downloads or frequent updates.
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide useful proprietary analytics in a simple and concise format to level the playing field for the average retail investor. We strive to educate our members both within our live trading community and in our scheduled, calendared classes with live instructors. We want every member to feel they are part of a team with the goal of attaining financial literacy. We believe that we are the antithesis of the “trading guru” platforms that feature a trading or investing expert that charges for what are often expensive courses. We do not charge for our classes. We do not upsell our members. All education and community programs are free with the subscription to our platform.
Revenue Model
We generate revenue from a software as a service (or SaaS) model whereby members pay either an annual or monthly fee for a subscription to our platform. We do not currently offer more than one level of subscription with varying levels of features. All members have full access to all of the features on our platform.
Monthly subscriptions are currently priced at $99 and annual subscriptions are currently priced at $959 (a discount of $241). We occasionally offer gift cards and promotional discounts on our annual subscriptions.
Development of the Blackbox System
The Blackbox System was made available for use to subscribing customers worldwide in September 2016. We use a web-based platform focused on providing proprietary analytics and broadcast enabled social media for our community of members. Our product offering is comprised of three key elements: trading analytics, social media interaction and educational programs and resources.
Trading Analytics
Our preconfigured dashboard is designed to be simple and easy to navigate and includes real-time alerts, stock and options scanners, financial news, institutional grade charting, and our proprietary analytics that can be utilized by traders of all levels. Our Blackbox System populates the stock and option data in real time and provides a wide range analytics and tools for traders. We offer many of the standard market tool features used by traders but differentiate our product with an array of unique proprietary features and derived data. These proprietary features are designed to filter out “market noise” and locate the relevant market movers in the stock or option category in real-time.
Standard Features
(Including but not limited to)
|
● |
Real Time Algorithm Driven Stock Alerts |
|
● |
Symbol Specific Alert Criteria |
|
● |
Options Alerts |
|
● |
Options Flow Scanner / Heatmap |
|
● |
Pre-Configured Pre/Post Market Scanners |
|
● |
Stock and Option Volume Ratio Scanner |
|
● |
Volatility Indicator |
|
● |
Dark Pool Alerts and Charting |
Proprietary Features
(Including but not limited to)
|
● |
Real Time NYSE/NASDAQ/OTC Market Data |
|
● |
Real Time OPRA Options Trade Data |
|
● |
Real Time Streaming Market News Feed |
|
● |
Symbol Specific News |
|
● |
Options News and Upgrades/Downgrades |
|
● |
Institutional Grade Charts |
|
● |
Earnings and Dividend Dates |
|
● |
Daily Advancers / Decliners Scanner |
Stock Scanner Configuration
Options Flow Scanner Configuration
In December 2017, we launched our first Options Flow Scanner as a new feature on our platform. Our Options Flow Scanner is designed to monitor and alert our members to unusual activity on the options exchanges. We have created a proprietary options alert system and a proprietary options “heatmap” to allow our members to follow large options purchases in real-time. The heatmap provides our members with a color-coded chart indicating bullish or bearish activity of a security’s option contracts sorted by strike price and expiration date that quickly identifies which direction money is flowing. This has proven to be a very popular feature for our members. We also added a Dark Pool Scanner in 2020. The Dark Pool Scanner monitors, tracks, charts and displays large blocks of stock that are often purchased in dark pools and as a result these orders are not displayed on regular exchanges.
Interactive Dashboard Features
Our dashboard allows our members to interact quickly and seamlessly through our “cashtags”. If a member clicks on a symbol that is mentioned in any of our chat streams, this action will activate the chart on their dashboard as well as all mentions of that stock symbol in chronological order.
Native Mobile App and Push Notifications: Our current native mobile app provides real-time push notifications to our users. We have an intuitive menu for all alerts generated by our system so that our members can select the specific type of alerts that they will to receive.
 |
 |
 |
| Alert Menu for Push Notifications | Stock Alert Push Notifications | Options Flow Push Notifications |
Brokerage Integrations
We have a trading integration with the online brokerage TradeStation. This integration allows our members to execute trades through TradeStation directly from the Blackbox platform. Our members that use this integration feature have access to certain custom tools. One of these tools is a “quick-click” feature that loads our system’s stock and options alerts with two simple clicks, greatly reducing the time it takes for order entry. This feature is especially helpful for the order entry of option contracts, as they are detailed, lengthy, and cumbersome to enter. We partner with the marketing team at TradeStation to create an awareness of this integration feature amongst their userbase.
Education
We offer all members full access to our curriculum of classes, orientations, and live market sessions. These education programs are all free to our members with either monthly or annual subscriptions. Our curriculum includes classes for beginners, intermediate level, as well as advanced traders. We believe education is vital to increasing the probability of our members long term success in the markets. We have many regularly calendared live webinars, Q&A sessions, as well as recorded classes. In addition to our regularly calendared classes, we often feature ad hoc classes taught by seasoned members of our community. The educators of these classes often specialize in specific market sectors or trading strategies. Classes and webinar events offered to our members include but are not limited to:
|
● |
Trading with Charlie and Maria (Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays 9:15am – 10:30am EST) |
|
● |
Blackbox Orientation (Monday 5:00pm – 7:00pm EST) |
|
● |
Tuesday and Thursday Q&A (Tuesdays/Thursdays 4:00pm – 5:00pm EST) |
|
● |
Blackbox Bootcamp Part I ~Basics of Stocks and Options (Twice Weekly) |
|
● |
Blackbox Bootcamp Part II ~The BBS Trading System (Twice Weekly) |
|
● |
Understanding Options Flow (Thursdays 7:00pm – 9:00pm EST) |
|
● |
Technical Analysis 101 (Mondays 8:00pm – 9:00pm EST) |
|
● |
Dark Pool Basics (Thursdays 5:00pm – 6:00pm EST) |
In addition to our internal curriculum, we have partnered with the Options Industry Council (OIC), a nonprofit organization funded by the OCC with the mission of providing the investing public a better understanding of the options markets. Classes taught by the OIC to our members include but are not limited to:
|
● |
The Greeks Part I |
|
● |
The Greeks Part II |
|
● |
Implied Volatility |
|
● |
Short Term Options Explained |
|
● |
Options Pricing Explained |
One of the most attractive aspects of our education program is that the classes are taught by members of our community. The student members who take these are often familiar with the instructor from following them in live trading channels on our platform. We believe this familiarity often brings an element of authenticity and heightened engagement increasing the success of these educational endeavors as well as adding to the community aspect of our platform.
 |
 |
 |
|
Teresa Arthur Intro to Stocks and Options |
Mike Downey Options Flow Specialist |
Mel Stone Dark Pool Specialist |
The Blackbox Advantage
A principal component to our platform is the flexibility to provide members intuitive yet powerful technical analytics that scale with user knowledge. Our preconfigured dashboard defaults to a general setting that is designed to be easy for new members to navigate. Within this same dashboard we provide a multitude of toggles and filters for more sophisticated traders to allow them to implement custom features for their more advanced trading strategies. Most importantly, our live community consisting of thousands of traders creates a real-time community curated support system whereby seasoned traders often mentor newer members. We believe this is one of the primary strengths and differentiators of our platform. Although we offer a complete curriculum of scheduled classes weekly, the live interaction amongst our members proves to be invaluable. We believe this is due to the level of excitement created when new members can watch seasoned members of the community making trades in real time and providing an accompanying narrative. In addition to the educational component, the community element of our platform harnesses a powerful dynamic that can be described as “the best of man and machine”. Our powerful algorithm technology scans the NYSE, NASDAQ, CBOE and other options exchanges to find market volatility and anomalies and displays them on a common dashboard shared across the globe. With thousands of eyes on this data, our members can quickly interact and form a consensus on the trading opportunity at hand.
Our Market Opportunity
The global COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 created a unique environment for online companies. Further, the financial stimulus coupled with a large portion of the population confined to their homes created a freshly financed captive audience for trading tools like ours. Although our initial 2020 growth trajectory began before the pandemic and resulting lockdowns, the COVID-19 pandemic allowed us to greatly increase our audience and grow our user base on a global level. In early 2021, as the lockdowns eased and people began going back to the workplace, the phenomenon commonly known as meme stock mania swept the U.S. markets. More than 10 million new brokerage accounts were opened by individuals in 2020 — more than ever in one year, according to Devin Ryan, an analyst at JMP Securities. This newfound interest in the market was very positive for us as our user base grew rapidly in the first quarter of 2021. This rapid acquisition of new members also gave us valuable insight into the areas of our platform that needed significant improvement. We have implemented new technology to allow us to onboard new members and scale with less friction. We also prepared to pivot knowing that many of these recently acquired members would ultimately have to return to the workplace. We made augmenting the current broadcast features on our social media platform, as well as creating a native mobile app to send real-time push alerts, priority development initiatives. Both development initiatives are intended to cater to the trader that works during market hours and cannot stare at a screen for prolonged periods of time. The push alerts mobile and the audio broadcast on mobile allow members to stay tuned to important market developments and circumvent internet firewalls in the workplace.
It is difficult to quantify the number of people that can be classified as day traders, since the term is somewhat ambiguous, especially since there has been a large influx of self-directed investors in 2020 and 2021. The two types of traders often overlap and separating these demographics can be difficult. Recent data suggest the following size for this growing market:
|
● |
20%: One in 5 people in the U.S. invested in stocks, or mutual funds, in the final three months of 2020, up from 15% in the second quarter, a Conference Board survey showed. Harry Robertson, Business Insider, Feb 10, 2021 |
|
● |
31 YEARS: The median age of user of Robinhood, one of the original commission-free online brokerages. More young adults are joining. Apex Clearing, which helps facilitate trades for brokerages, told Reuters around 1 million of new accounts it opened last year belonged to Gen Z investors, with an average age of 19. John McCrank, Reuters Jan 29, 2021 |
|
● |
~$15.5 TRILLION: Total client assets at two of the top retail-focused brokerages. Fidelity Investments had $8.8 trillion in customer assets at the end of the third quarter, up from $8.3 trillion at the end of 2019. Schwab had $6.69 trillion in client assets as of Dec. 31, and 29.6 million brokerage accounts, up 66% and 140%, respectively, from a year earlier. John McCrank, Reuters Jan 29, 2021 |
Recent Technology and Development Initiatives
We continually upgrade our platform to provide the best user experience and maximum value for our members. Many of the new features or improvements to our existing features are suggested by our members. Much of our platform is community curated and we take pride in collaborating with and implementing the suggestions from our members that use our system every day.
Improvement to Broadcast Enabled Social Media Component of our Platform
Our social media component of the Blackbox System includes chat and audio broadcast capabilities that we believe are critical to our platform. We currently use a third-party application to facilitate certain aspects of this feature on our platform. Recent rapid growth in our userbase has demonstrated that this third-party application while stable and scalable, is not efficient for us or our members. A third-party app does not allow for a single authentication process with our platform which requires us to direct our members that wish to join certain high traffic areas or rooms in our social community to download this third-party app. This is a very frictional and inefficient part of our onboarding process and requires manual assistance by our onboarding team. We believe this cumbersome portion of our platform negatively impacts our ability to scale. In addition, we prefer not to be reliant upon a third party for such a critical aspect of our user experience. As a result, in early 2021, we began a major development initiative to augment our audio broadcast capability for the “rooms” feature on our platform. This new broadcast enabled audio and chat system will allow for single authentication and be fully integrated with the existing robust social media system on our platform. We expect to release this new system update in the fourth quarter of 2021. We believe this is a significant improvement to our platform and will greatly improve our ability to scale rapidly and efficiently while simultaneously eliminating our reliance on a third-party application.
Development of Native Applications for iOS and Android
We currently have fully functional native applications for iOS and Android devices in development and expect to release them in October of 2021. Currently, a fully functional version of our platform is available only through our website. We introduced an initial iOS and Android application in February of 2021 offering only a push notification menu and a series of alert logs for our mobile members. Despite the limited capabilities, this new app has been a very popular feature, and extremely valuable to our userbase. This app was especially useful for the many new members that joined when they worked from home during the COVID lockdowns and recently returned to the workplace. When released, we believe that virtually every feature of our current desktop platform will be available as a native application on iOS and Android devices. We believe the addition of this fully functional native app will enable us to reach a wider customer base and improve our member engagement.
We believe that these two technological developments to the Blackbox System and platform will be major milestones for our company. Although we have experienced significant growth and received positive feedback from our members, we believe adding these new technology sets in parallel will be significant drivers of future growth.
Trading Integrations with Additional Online Brokerages
Our trading integration feature with TradeStation has been well received by the many members on our platform that have accounts with this brokerage. We are currently in discussions with other major online brokerage platforms to develop and implement similar technology. These integrations are designed to reduce the amount of time between when a potential stock or option is identified on our dashboard and the subsequent order entry of that stock or option contract. We believe our current integration with TradeStation greatly reduces the amount of time it takes to execute a trade, particularly when trading options contracts, which can be lengthy and cumbersome to enter manually.
New Products
We intend to leverage our existing financial technology platform and data resources for the creation of new and unique products to serve our existing subscribers, as well as address a broader market. We currently have a vast array of derived data that we believe will be extremely useful to self-directed investors as well the day traders and swing traders that we currently cater to. We believe the self-directed investor demographic is significantly larger than that of day traders and swing traders and presents an enormous opportunity for our growth.
Blackbox Pro
We do not currently market to persons or entities deemed by the exchanges as “professional traders.” A professional trader is generally defined by the exchanges as a person that:
|
● |
Is registered or qualified with: the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, any state securities agency, any securities exchange or association, or any commodities or futures contract market or association. |
|
● |
Is engaged as an "investment advisor" as that term is defined in Section 201(11) of the Investment Advisor's Act of 1940 (whether or not registered or qualified under that Act). |
|
● |
Is employed by a bank or another organization that is exempt from registration under Federal and/or state securities laws to perform functions that would require him or her to be so registered or qualified if he or she were to perform such functions for an organization not so exempt. |
The exchanges charge a substantial premium for their data to users who meet the criteria described above. In addition to the higher rates, the onboarding and subsequent approval process by these exchanges is cumbersome and not easily accomplished solely through an online process. We are currently working with our data provider and the individual exchanges to develop a streamlined digital onboarding process. We believe this will allow us to expand our reach to the "financial professional" market that we do not currently service. We believe our existing platform’s features will be well received by investment professionals once we are able to mitigate regulatory and pricing hurdles.
Portfolio Management Product
We are currently developing a new product in the form of a mobile app for iOS and Android that will provide real-time portfolio alerts for a broad demographic of investors. Many of these alerts are a product of derived data currently generated on the Blackbox platform. This app will be designed to integrate with online brokerage platforms and allow the user to import their current stock positions and stocks on their watchlist into our app. We believe these alerts will be extremely useful for portfolio management, loss mitigation, and other investment strategies. We plan to provide extensive menu options to allow the user to customize this application to their specific needs. This will be a stand-alone product and we plan to target all self-directed retail investors, not just day traders or swing traders allowing the Company to address a much broader segment of the market. We expect to release this product in the first half of 2022.
Cryptocurrency Analytics Platform
We are currently working on a quotation system and trading integration partnership that will allow our members to trade crypto currency through the “Blackbox Cryptos” platform. This new platform will include the same interactive social media component we provide to members of our current Blackbox platform. We expect to release this product in 2022. The overall market capitalization of crypto assets grew from less than $500 million to $782 billion between December 31, 2012 and December 31, 2020, representing a compound annual growth rate (or CAGR) of over 150% according to public information released by Coinbase Global, Inc. and incorporated in its SEC filings. We believe the explosive growth of this asset class combined with its technology focused investor base create a powerful opportunity for our financial technology and social media hybrid platform to provide a unique and disruptive tool to this market.
Additional Exchanges in Major Markets
We plan to expand into other markets and create products similar to our Blackbox System that provide proprietary analytics for people trading on other major exchanges in the world. Exchanges we are exploring include the Indian Stock markets (BSE and NSE), Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE), Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), Brasilian BOVESPA, Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FWB) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE). We are also exploring expansion into China with focus on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE) and the mainland Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE). We expect such expansion to be consummated in 2022 or 2023. We believe the number of traders in China and India represent significant growth opportunities for us.
While all of these exchanges utilize their national language, we believe they use substantially similar technology protocols making it relatively seamless for us to replicate our system in any of these markets. Members of the Company’s management team have prior experience developing trading platforms in multiple markets, including but not limited to the LSE, Tokyo Stock Exchange and Brasilian BOVESPA. We have extensive experience working with global data providers that provide real-time market data for any of these exchanges. Our algorithms are designed to import these feeds and process the raw data necessary to produce our proprietary analytics.
Lifestyle, Culture and Community
Blackbox is not just a trading tool and analytics provider. We are a lifestyle, a culture, and a community. We have a robust community of members spanning 42 countries that share the common goal becoming, and then creating successful traders. Our highly interactive social media platform fosters a team environment where our seasoned members often mentor the newer members. In previous years we created promotional apparel for trade shows and other marketing events. We soon began receiving repeated requests for this apparel from our members who saw these items online. Last year we opened an online store so our members could purchase our t-shirts, hoodies, hats, and other items bearing the Blackbox logo. Although the revenue from this merchandise is not significant. this enthusiastic representation of our brand provides a very effective form of marketing for our Company. Our members voluntary take photos of themselves in our apparel, both in their hometowns, and often while traveling the world. These photos posted on social media serve as effective method of marketing at little or no cost to the Company. They embody the trader lifestyle, financial independence, and the fierce loyalty of our members and clearly demonstrate the diverse nature and team-oriented philosophy of our member demographic.
   |
||
   |
Marketing of the Blackbox System
We launched our Blackbox System and platform for use in the United States and made it available to subscribers in September 2016. Use of the platform is sold on a monthly or annual subscription basis to individual consumers through our website at http://www.blackboxstocks.com. We believe our Blackbox System subscriptions are priced competitively with similar web-based trading tools. We primarily use a combination of digital marketing campaigns and customer referral compensation plans in our advertising program. Our digital advertising efforts are comprised of display and video ads, along with banner and text ads across multiple search and social platforms. We also utilize targeted email marketing and a strategic global marketing campaign for brand awareness. We believe that this form of advertising has been and will continue to be effective in attracting subscribers. We continuously monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of specific social media platforms and allocate marketing funds accordingly. We also promote our subscriptions through an established compensated customer referral program. We offer certain subscribers the right to promote the Blackbox System and receive referral fees for subscribers generated from such subscribers’ effort. Generally, we pay referring subscribers $25 for each subscription generated and $25 for each month the subscriber continues their subscription. We incurred $272,908 and $121,227 in customer referral expenditures in each of the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $126,404 for the six months ended June 30, 2021. We expect to continue utilizing the customer referral sales program as it has proven to be an extremely efficient form of advertising. Our advertising and marketing expense was $705,706 and $261,470 for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $554,500 for the six months ended June 30, 2021. We intend to continue to deploy a significant amount of marketing funds on both digital campaigns and customer referral programs in the future. In addition, we may also utilize television and radio advertising.
Industry Partners and Relationships
We have several arrangements and agreements with financial industry partners that encompass marketing partnerships, educational resources and licenses. We believe our relationship with large well-known brokerage firms enhance our credibility and provide added value to our members. Among these partnerships are marketing agreements with TD Ameritrade, E*TRADE and TastyTrade whereby these firms provide us with a referral fee for new accounts that we bring to them as well as offering our members discounted commissions on options trades. The referral fees are not currently material to our revenue but we believe the that our initial relationship with these firms is significant and provides us with an opportunity to expand these relationships to bring greater value to our members.
We signed an API Partnership Agreement with TradeStation on November 14, 2019 for the integration of our platform with TradeStation. This integration allows our users to trade directly from our platform. TradeStation advertises our platform to 140,000 users through its webinars and in their internal app store. We believe the ability to enable our members to execute trades with third party brokers without having to leave our platform is particularly valuable to options traders who are able to execute more complicated orders without having to re-enter option contract information on another platform.
Industry partnerships such as the one we have with Options Industry Council, a non-profit entity funded by the Options Clearing Corp. also help provide our members with added educational benefits.
Data Suppliers
We contract with data suppliers and aggregators to provide our subscribers real time access to most major newswires, historical charting data and the real time m stock and options data that drive the backend algorithms. We currently maintain servers connected with our stock and options data provider. We plan to build an Amazon Web Services (AWS) network as a backup in the fourth quarter of 2021.
Intellectual Property
We rely on a combination of trademark and copyright laws, trade secrets, confidentiality provisions and other contractual provisions to protect our proprietary rights, which are primarily our brand names, product coding and marks. As of the date of this prospectus, the Company has not yet registered any trademarks, copyrights or other intellectual property associated with our business.
Government Regulation and Approvals
We offer our subscribing customers a trading tool and not a trading platform, broker dealer or exchange, and therefore we do not believe we are subject to regulatory oversight by the SEC, FINRA or other financial regulatory agencies. We are not aware of any governmental regulations or approvals required for the marketing or use of our Blackbox System or the services provided.
Competition
We operate in a highly competitive environment. Although, we believe that our Blackbox System is the only platform that has successfully merged a comprehensive analytics system or “scanner” and a social media platform within the same “dashboard” allowing members to view the same real-time data in parallel, there are a number of companies that offer one or more features that are similar to or attempt to address the same market as we do. These competitors have financial and other resources that are significantly greater than ours. The greatest amount of competition exists within products that provide trading analytics often referred to as “scanners”. We compete with these entities based on a number of factors including price, ease of use, standard features and proprietary features (if applicable). Ultimately, we believe the primary factor used in evaluating the trading analytics by any platform is the user’s ability to derive actionable information from that platform. This is where we believe our proprietary features differentiate the Blackbox System.
In addition to these technical tools, there are also a number of social media platforms that provide forums for traders and investors at little or no cost. The integration of our social media component within our platform creates a community that we believe is significantly superior to stand alone social media sites. Our members are able to interact and discuss ideas while viewing the same dashboard as opposed to having to switch back and forth between applications.
The final component to our platform is education. There are numerous standalone investment and trading applications, books, seminars and courses offered at many different price points. These products compete based on price, perceived value, level of sophistication and reputation among other factors. We offer our courses at no additional charge to our subscribers. In addition, we believe that our social media community provides our more experienced traders the opportunity to mentor newer traders which in turn contributes to the community environment we have developed.
In spite of these factors that differentiate us, we believe the following companies may be considered competitors due to similar product features and retail price points: Trade Ideas, Flow Algo and Trade Alert. Companies with social media platforms dedicated to financial markets include Stock Twits and Wall Street Bets.
Employees
As of November 3, 2021, the Company has 12 full-time employees and one part-time employee. We also currently have 15 contract workers that primarily serve as team traders on our Blackbox System platform or developers.
None of our employees are represented by a labor organization, and we are not a party to any collective bargaining agreement. We have not experienced any work stoppages and consider our relations with our employees to be good.
We believe that our future success will depend in part on our continued ability to hire, motivate and retain qualified management, sales, marketing, and technical personnel. To date, we have not experienced significant difficulties in attracting or retaining qualified employees.
Properties
We do not own any real estate or other physical properties. Our principal office is located at 5430 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1485, Dallas, Texas 75240 in office space leased from Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America. During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 we incurred $59,597 and $54,631, respectively, in office rental expense. Future minimum rental payments under the extended lease are $61,800 in 2021 and $46,863 in 2022.
We believe that the existing facilities at November 3, 2021, will be adequate to meet our operational requirements through 2022. We believe that all such facilities are adequately covered by appropriate property insurance.
Legal Proceedings
There are currently no material pending legal or governmental proceedings, other than ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any of their property is the subject.
Directors and Executive Officers
The following table sets forth the names, ages and positions of our executive officers and directors as of November 3, 2021. All directors of our Company hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders or until their successors have been elected and qualified. The executive officers of our Company are appointed by our Board of Directors and hold office until their death, resignation or removal from office.
|
Name |
Age |
Position(s) Held |
|
Gust Kepler |
56 |
Director, President, Chief Executive Officer |
|
Robert Winspear |
56 |
Director, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary |
|
Eric Pharis |
46 |
Chief Operating Officer |
|
Andrew Malloy* |
63 |
Director (1) (2) (3) |
|
Ray Balestri* |
61 |
Director (1) (2) (3) |
|
Dalya Sulaiman* |
55 |
Director (1) (2) (3) |
* Independent Director as defined by Nasdaq Rule 5605(a)(2).
(1) Member of the Compensation Committee.
(2) Member of the Audit Committee.
(3) Member of the Nominating and Governance Committee.
Executive Officers
Gust Kepler, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Kepler was appointed to serve as a director and our President and Chief Executive Officer on December 1, 2015. Mr. Kepler also serves as the President of G2 International, Inc. (“G2”). G2 is a consulting firm with expertise in investment banking founded by Mr. Kepler in 2002. G2’s primary focus is taking private companies public and providing advice regarding capitalization, strategic planning and investor relations. Prior to founding G2, Mr. Kepler founded Parallax Entertainment, Inc. (“Parallax”) in 1996. Parallax was an independent record label, online promotional vehicle and e-commerce solution for musicians on the Internet. Mr. Kepler managed all aspects of the label including A&R, production, marketing and distribution. In 2000, Mr. Kepler successfully completed a direct public offering for the company and Parallax subsequently became a publicly traded company on the OTC Bulletin Board. Mr. Kepler was also the cofounder of Glance Toys, Ltd. (“Glance Toys”) which was formed in 1990. Glance Toys designed, manufactured and marketed products classified in junior sporting goods category. Products included foam balls, flying discs and beach products, some of which received patents. Glance Toy’s products were sold nationally in prominent chains such as Wal-Mart, Target, Toys R Us, 7-Eleven, and numerous other well-known retailers.
Robert Winspear, Director, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary. Mr. Winspear was appointed as a Director and our Chief Financial Officer and Secretary on September 11, 2021. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Winspear had been the President of Winspear Investments LLC, a Dallas based private investment firm specializing in lower middle market transactions, since 2002. Winspear Investments has made investments in a wide range of industries including banking, real estate, distribution, supply chain management, mega yacht marinas and hedge funds. Mr. Winspear was Vice President, Secretary and Chief Financial Officer of Excel Corporation, a credit card processing company (formerly EXCC:OTC) from May of 2014 to June of 2017. Mr. Winspear is on the board of directors of Alpha Financial Technologies/EAM Corporation, located in Dallas, Texas and VII Peaks Co-Optivist Income BDC II, Inc. an investment management company located in Orinda, California. Mr. Winspear earned a BBA and a MPA from the University of Texas at Austin.
Eric Pharis, Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Pharis is a founder of Blackboxstocks and was appointed Chief Operating Officer on September 11, 2021. Mr. Pharis has been working in quantitative finance for over 20 years. Prior to founding the Company with Mr. Kepler, Mr. Pharis worked in the proprietary trading operations of Daytek Securities, a pioneer in the area of electronic and algorithm trading, and also founded high frequency trading firm Blackbox Karma in 2005 as well as quantBrasil, a fully quantitative, computer driven hedge fund in Brazil launched in 2012 and EDM Operators, a commodities trading company using automated software based on news events launched in 2014. Mr. Pharis directs the development of the Company’s proprietary algorithms as well as data analysis. Mr. Pharis earned a bachelor of mechanical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and a master of operations research with a certificate in financial engineering from Cornell University.
Non-Employee Directors
Andrew Malloy, Director. Mr. Malloy was appointed to serve as a director on September 11, 2021. He has been CEO of ATMalloy & Partners, a family office consulting firm, since 2018 and Co-CIO of 754 Fifth Avenue Associates LLC, a single family office since 1993. Mr. Malloy has over 35 years of experience in the alternative investment industry as both a principal, seed investor, and consultant to, Hedge Funds, Private Equity, ETF, FinTech, Digital assets, Venture Capital, and Early-Stage Angel Investing platforms and funds. Mr. Malloy sits on numerous advisory boards and earned a BA from Villanova University.
Ray Balestri, Director. Mr. Balestri was appointed to serve as a director on September 11, 2021. Mr. Balestri has been a partner with Bell Nunnally since 2009 and has over 30 years’ experience as a corporate attorney. His practice focuses on assisting businesses with a wide variety of matters, including mergers and acquisitions, business sales and spin-offs, private placements, private equity and venture capital investments, C-level employment agreements and employee equity plans, and general corporate counseling in a broad array of industries. In addition to his legal experience Mr. Balestri has significant investment experience in a wide variety of private companies with over 40 holdings through his family investment partnership. Mr. Balestri earned a B.S. in mathematics from the University of Illinois and a J.D. from Harvard University.
Dalya Sulaiman, Director. Ms Sulaiman was appointed to serve as a director on September 11, 2021. Ms. Sulaiman has been founder and CEO of Dalya Imar Insaat, a construction company based in Istanbul Turkey since 2008. In addition to her role at Dalya Imar Insaat, Ms. Sulaiman serves as a consultant to Tepe Construction (a family-owned construction company) on industrial and commercial construction projects globally and represents certain food and beverage brands expanding into new markets. Ms. Sulaiman also manages other real estate investments for MAM Abramenko as well as brand management. Ms. Sulaiman graduated from Texas Christian University with a BBA.
Director Independence
Each of Messrs. Malloy, Balestri and Ms. Sulaiman are “independent” members of our board of directors as “independence” is defined in Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5605(a)(2).
Family Relationships
There are no family relationships between any director or officer of the Company and any other such person.
Board Role in Risk Oversight and Management
The Board has an active role in the oversight and management of the Company’s risks and carries out its role directly and through Board committees. The Board’s direct role in the Company’s risk management process includes regular or periodic receipt and discussion of reports from management and the Company’s outside counsel and advisers on areas of material risk to the Company, including operational, strategic, financial, legal and regulatory risks.
The Board has also delegated the oversight and management of certain risks to the Audit and Compensation Committees of the Board. The Audit Committee is responsible for the oversight of Company risks relating to accounting matters, financial reporting and related party transactions. To satisfy these oversight responsibilities, the Audit Committee will regularly meet with, receive and discuss reports from the Chief Financial Officer, the Company’s independent registered public accountant, and the Company’s outside counsel. The Compensation Committee is responsible for the oversight of risks relating to the Company’s compensation and benefit programs. To satisfy these oversight responsibilities, the Compensation Committee will regularly meet with, receive and discuss reports from the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer to understand the financial, human resources and stockholder implications of compensation and benefit decisions.
The Board has also addressed risk through the adoption of corporate policies. The Board has adopted a Code of Ethics and Business Conduct that is designed to ensure that directors, officers and employees of the Company are aware of their legal and ethical responsibilities and conduct the Company’s business in a consistently legal and ethical manner.
The Company has not adopted any practices or policies regarding the ability of our employees (including officers) or Directors, or any of their designees, to purchase financial instruments (including prepaid variable forward contracts, equity swaps, collars, and exchange funds), or otherwise engage in transactions, that hedge or offset, or are designed to hedge or offset, any decrease in the market value of our common stock either granted to the employee or director by the Company as part of the compensation of the employee or director; or held, directly or indirectly, by the employee or director.
Committees
The Board has established Audit, Compensation, and Nominating and Governance Committees to devote attention to specific subjects and to assist it in the discharge of its responsibilities. The functions of the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, and the Nominating and Governance Committee are described below.
Audit Committee
We have a separately designated standing Audit Committee established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. The Audit Committee’s responsibilities include, among other things: (i) selecting and retaining an independent registered public accounting firm to act as our independent auditors, setting the compensation for our independent auditors, overseeing the work done by our independent auditors and terminating our independent auditors, if necessary, (ii) periodically evaluating the qualifications, performance and independence of our independent auditors, (iii) pre-approving all auditing and permitted non-audit services to be provided by our independent auditors, (iv) reviewing with management and our independent auditors our annual audited financial statements and our quarterly reports prior to filing such reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, including the results of our independent auditors’ review of our quarterly financial statements, and (v) reviewing with management and our independent auditors significant financial reporting issues and judgments made in connection with the preparation of our financial statements. The Audit Committee also prepares the Audit Committee report that is required to be included in our annual proxy statement pursuant to the rules of the SEC. We have adopted an Audit Committee charter which can be found on our investor website at www.blackboxstocks.com.
The Audit Committee is composed of Andrew Malloy (Chairman), Ray Balestri and Dalya Sulaiman. The Audit Committee was newly formed on September 11, 2021 in order for us to meet our corporate governance requirements for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market and has not yet met formally. Under the applicable rules and regulations of the Nasdaq Capital Market, each member of must be considered independent in accordance with Nasdaq Rule 5605(c)(2)(A)(i) and (ii) and Rule 10A-3(b)(1) under the Exchange Act. The Board has determined that each of the members is “independent” as that term is defined under applicable NASDAQ and SEC rules. The Audit Committee has at least one financial expert (as defined by 407 (d)(5)(ii) of Regulation S-K). Andrew Malloy is currently the Audit Committee financial expert.
Compensation Committee
The Compensation Committee is composed of Ray Balestri (Chairman), Andrew Malloy and Dalya Sulaiman, each of whom is an independent director, as defined by Nasdaq Rule 5605(a)(2). The Compensation Committee was newly formed on September 11, 2021 in order for us to meet our corporate governance requirements for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market and has not yet met formally. The Compensation Committee is empowered to advise management and make recommendations to the Board with respect to the compensation and other employment benefits of executive officers, key employees and directors of the Company. The Compensation Committee also administers the Company’s stock incentive plan for officers, directors, employees and consultants. The Compensation Committee is authorized, among other powers, to determine from time to time the individuals to whom options shall be granted, the number of shares to be covered by each option and the time or times at which options shall be granted pursuant to the stock incentive plan. We have adopted a Compensation Committee charter which can be found on our investor website at www.blackboxstocks.com.
Nominating and Governance Committee
The Nominating and Governance Committee is composed of Ray Balestri (Chairman), Andrew Malloy and Dalya Sulaiman, each of whom is an independent director, as defined by Nasdaq Rule 5605(a)(2). The Nominating and Governance Committee was newly formed on September 11, 2021 in order for us to meet our corporate governance requirements for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market and is not expected to meet formally until sometime in 2022. We have adopted a Nominating and Governance Committee charter which can be found on our investor website at www.blackboxstocks.com.
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
We have adopted a formal Code of Ethics and Business Conduct applicable to all Board members, officers and employees. Our Code of Ethics and Business Conduct can be found on our website at www.blackboxstocks.com.
EXECUTIVE AND DIRECTOR COMPENSATION
Executive Compensation
The following table sets forth all compensation for the last two fiscal years awarded to, earned by or paid our chief executive officer and our only other compensated executive officer serving during the last completed fiscal year (collectively, the “Named Executives”):
Summary Compensation Table
|
Name and Principal Position |
Year |
Salary |
All other Compensation (1) ($) |
Total ($) |
|||||||||
|
Gust Kepler, Director, President and Chief |
2020 |
$ | 12,000 | $ | 11,120 | (2) | $ | 23,120 | |||||
| Executive Officer |
2019 |
$ | 12,000 | $ | -- | $ | 12,000 | ||||||
|
Eric Pharis, Chief Operating Officer |
2020 |
$ | 21,250 | $ | -- | $ | 21,250 | ||||||
|
2019 |
$ | -- | $ | -- | |||||||||
(1) Other than the remuneration discussed above, during the periods described we had no retirement, pension, profit sharing, stock option or similar program for the benefit of the officers, directors or employees of the Company.
(2) Reflects cash bonus payment.
Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table
Gust Kepler, a director and our President and Chief Executive Officer is paid an annual salary of $12,000. Mr. Kepler was paid a discretionary cash bonus of $11,120 in 2020. All compensation was paid in cash pursuant to standard Company payroll practices.
Eric Pharis was appointed to serve as our Chief Operating Officer on September 11, 2021. Mr. Pharis’ salary is $102,000 per year beginning in October 2020. Prior to October 2020, Mr. Pharis was engaged by the Company as an independent contractor during which time he was paid $4,500 per month. During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company also engaged the services of EDM Operators (“EDM”), which is owned by Mr. Pharis and stockholder David Kyle, for application development services of the Company’s Blackbox System technology. During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, EDM was paid $40,200 and $13,500 for services, respectively.
Employment Agreements
The Company has not entered into any other employment agreement or consulting agreement with any Named Executive officer or director of the Company providing for compensation and all serve at the discretion of our Board of Directors.
2021 Equity Incentive Plan
On August 4, 2021, our Board of Directors and our stockholders approved the adoption of the 2021 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2021 Plan”) and it became effective August 31, 2021. We have reserved 750,000 of our outstanding shares of our common stock for issuance under the 2021 Plan. Participation in the 2021 Plan will continue until all of the benefits to which the participants are entitled have been paid in full.
Description of Awards under the 2021 Plan
Under the 2021 Plan, the Board of Directors, the Compensation Committee or such other committee appointed by the Board of Directors (the “Plan Administrator”), which will administer the plan, may award to eligible employees, directors and consultants non-qualified stock options, restricted shares or any other award the Plan Administrator deems appropriate.
Stock Options
The Plan Administrator has discretion to award nonqualified stock options, or NQSOs, which are not intended to comply with Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code. The exercise price of an option may not be less than the fair market value of the underlying shares of common stock on the date of grant.
Restricted Shares
The Plan Administrator may impose restrictions and conditions as to awards of restricted shares of common stock as it deems advisable. As specified in the relevant award agreement, restrictions may include a requirement that participants pay a stipulated purchase price for each share of restricted stock, restrictions based upon the achievement of specific performance goals, time-based restrictions on vesting following the attainment of the performance goals and/or restrictions under applicable federal or state securities laws.
Change in Control
In the event of a change in control, as defined in the 2021 Plan, generally all options granted under the 2021 Plan will vest and become immediately exercisable; and restriction periods and other restrictions imposed on restricted stock will lapse.
Stock Option Plans
We intend to file one or more registration statements on Form S-8 under the Securities Act to register our shares issued or reserved for issuance under the 2021 Plan. We expect to file the first such registration statement soon after the date of this prospectus and such registration statement will automatically become effective upon filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Accordingly, shares registered under such registration statement will be available for sale in the open market, unless such shares are subject to vesting restrictions with us or the lock-up restrictions described above. As of the date of this prospectus, we estimate that such registration statement on Form S-8 will cover 750,000 shares.
Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year End
We have granted a total of 612,500 shares under the 2021 Plan during 2021. The Company did not grant options to acquire shares of common stock to the Named Executives during fiscal years 2019 and 2020. Also, the Company did not grant any stock awards or non-equity incentive plan units during fiscal years 2019 and 2020 under any other equity incentive plan.
Compensation of Directors
Prior to 2021, we have not paid compensation to Company directors for their service on our board. Subject to the completion of this offering, our independent board members will be compensated for their service on the board. Our directors will each be paid an annual cash retainer of or in equity incentives valued at $30,000 per year and receive an option grant of 5,000 shares of our common stock.
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company engaged the services of EDM Operators (“EDM”), which is owned by Company stockholders Eric Pharis and David Kyle, for application development services of the Company’s Blackbox System technology. During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, EDM was paid $40,200 and $13,500 for services, respectively.
G2 International, Inc. (“G2”), which does business as IPA Tech Group (“IPA”), is a company wholly owned by Gust C. Kepler, a Director, President, Chief Executive Officer, and the Company’s controlling stockholder. As of June 30, 2021, the Company has a prepaid balance of $36,700 for public relations and marketing services with G2/IPA. These funds are reserved in anticipation of a future campaign after the completion of this offering.
Robert Winspear was appointed to serve as our Chief Financial Officer and Secretary on September 11, 2021. Mr. Winspear’s salary is $200,000 per year beginning on September 11, 2021 and Mr. Winspear was granted a warrant to purchase 100,000 shares of common stock which vests ratably over 36 months. On August 11, 2020 we entered into a letter agreement with Winspear Investments, LLC (“Winspear”), pursuant to which the Company retained Winspear to provide strategic advisory services for financial and business matters. Winspear is 100% owned by our Chief Financial Officer, Robert Winspear, and his wife. The agreement provides for a minimum three-month term and that Winspear would be compensated with the grant of 20,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at inception and an additional 5,000 shares per month for the initial term and an additional grant of 3,000 shares per month thereafter. As of September 30, 2021, a total of 59,000 shares of common stock have been issued and an additional 9,000 shares of common stock are due to Winspear. The monthly stock compensation of 3,000 shares terminated when Mr. Winspear was appointed Chief Financial Officer. The agreement also provides that Winspear shall be granted 80,000 shares of common stock if the Company achieves a listing with NASDAQ.
The Company entered into Conversion Rights Agreement dated effective as of October 14, 2021 with Gust C. Kepler, who serves as a director, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, The Conversion Agreement limits the rights of the holder(s) of our outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock to convert such shares into Common Stock (the “Designation Conversion Rights”). See “Description of Securities that the Company is Offering – Preferred Stock.”
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of our Common Stock and Series A Preferred Stock as of November 3, 2021, unless otherwise indicated, by: (1) each person known to us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of each class of our capital stock; (2) each director of the Company; (3) the Company’s current executive officers and (4) all current directors and executive officers as a group. To the best of our knowledge, each of the persons named in the table below as beneficially owning the shares set forth therein has sole voting power and sole investment power with respect to such shares, unless otherwise indicated. Applicable percentages are based upon 10,525,323 shares of Common Stock and 3,269,998 shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding as of November 3, 2021. The percentage of class beneficially owned after the offering is based on an issuance of 1,430,616 shares of common stock by the Company in the offering, and does not take into account any shares issuable upon exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option.
|
Name of Beneficial Owner or Group |
Amount and Nature of Beneficial Ownership Prior to the Offering(1) |
Percent of Class (%) Prior to the Offering |
Shares To Be Sold In The Offering |
Amount and Nature of Beneficial Ownership After the Offering |
Percent of Class (%) After The Offering |
|||||||||||||||
|
Common Stock |
||||||||||||||||||||
|
Gust Kepler(2)(3) |
2,332,435 | 22.2 | 0 | 2,332,435 | 19.5 | |||||||||||||||
|
Eric Pharis(2) |
791,615 | 7.0 | 0 | 791,615 | 6.6 | |||||||||||||||
|
Robert Winspear (2)(4) |
76,333 | * | 0 | 156,333 | 1.1 | |||||||||||||||
|
Andrew Malloy(2)(5) |
1,250 | * | 0 | 1,250 | * | |||||||||||||||
|
Ray Balestri(2)(5)(6) |
32,762 | * | 0 | 52,762 | * | |||||||||||||||
|
Dalya Sulaiman(2)(5) |
112,361 | 1.1 | 0 | 112,361 | * | |||||||||||||||
|
All directors and executive officers as a group (6 persons) (2) |
3,346,756 | 31.8 | 0 | 3,446,756 | 28.8 | |||||||||||||||
|
David Kyle (2) |
833,334 | 7.9 | 0 | 833,334 | 7.0 | |||||||||||||||
|
Stephen Chiang (7) |
1,000,000 | 9.5 | 0 | 1,000,000 | 8.4 | |||||||||||||||
|
Series A Preferred Stock |
||||||||||||||||||||
|
Gust Kepler(2) |
3,269,998 | 100 | 0 | 3,269,998 | 100 | |||||||||||||||
|
All directors and executive officers as a group (6 persons) (2) |
3,269,998 | 100 | 0 | 3,269,998 | 100 | |||||||||||||||
* Represents beneficial ownership of less than 1% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock.
(1) Beneficial ownership is calculated in accordance with the rules of the SEC in accordance with Rule 13d-3(d)(1) of the Exchange Act. In computing the number of shares beneficially owned by a person and the percentage ownership of that person, shares of common stock subject to options or warrants held by that person that are currently exercisable or will become exercisable within 60 days following November 3, 2021 are deemed outstanding. However, these shares are not deemed outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. Unless otherwise indicated in the footnotes to this table, the persons and entities named in the table have sole voting and sole investment power with respect to all shares beneficially owned, subject to community property laws where applicable.
(3) Includes 767 shares owned by Judy Children Inheritance Trust for which Mr. Kepler serves as trustee. Excludes 3,269,998 shares of Series A Preferred Stock held by Mr. Kepler (separately noted in the table) which may be converted on a 5-for-1 share ratio (for a total of 653,999 shares of common stock) based upon the Company’s Market current market Capitalization and the limitations provided for in our Conversion Agreement with Mr. Kepler. Each share of Series A Preferred Stock held by Mr. Kepler is entitled to 100 votes on all stockholder matters, and along with the common stock held by Mr. Kepler collectively represents approximately 26.7% of our issued and outstanding capital stock and approximately 97.6% of the voting power of our stockholders.
(4) Includes 59,000 shares owned by Winspear Investments LLC which is 100% owned by Mr. Winspear and his wife. An additional 9,000 shares are due to Winspear Investments LLC as of September 11, 2021 and 80,000 shares will be due upon the completion of this offering pursuant to a consulting agreement with the Company. Also includes 8,333 shares underlying a warrant exercisable by Mr. Winspear for 100,000 shares that vest over 36 months.
(5) Includes 1,250 shares underlying options that are exercisable within 60 days of the date of this prospectus resulting from an option granted to each of Mr. Malloy, Mr. Balestri and Ms. Sulaiman to purchase 5,000 shares of Common Stock under the 2021 Equity Incentive Plan which vest ratably over twelve months. Excludes the remaining 3,750 unvested shares underlying each option granted to each of Mr. Malloy, Mr. Balestri and Ms. Sulaiman that are not exercisable within 60 days.
(6) Includes 30,000 shares held by Balestri Family Investments LP and 1,512 shares of restricted stock granted in lieu of the retainer for non-employee directors that becomes unrestricted within 60 days and 20,000 shares Mr. Balestri intends to purchase in the offering.
(7) Mr. Chiang’s address is 8 Kitchener Link, City Square Residences #21-14, Singapore 207226.
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES THAT THE COMPANY IS OFFERING
The following description is intended as a summary of our Articles of Incorporation (which we refer to as our “charter”) and our bylaws, each of which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, and to the applicable provisions of the Nevada Revised Statutes (“NRS”). Because the following is only a summary, it does not contain all of the information that may be important to you. For a complete description, you should refer to our charter and bylaws.
Authorized Capital Stock
Our authorized capital stock consists of 100,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share.
Common Stock
Each share of common stock entitles a stockholder to one vote on all matters upon which stockholders are permitted to vote. No stockholder has any preemptive right or other similar right to purchase or subscribe for any additional securities issued by us, and no stockholder has any right to convert the common stock into other securities. No shares of common stock are subject to redemption or any sinking fund provisions. All the outstanding shares of our common stock are fully paid and non-assessable. Subject to the rights of the holders of the preferred stock, if any, our stockholders of common stock are entitled to dividends when, as and if declared by our board from funds legally available therefore and, upon liquidation, to a pro-rata share in any distribution to stockholders. We do not anticipate declaring or paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future.
Preferred Stock
Pursuant to our charter, as amended, our board has the authority, without further stockholder approval, to provide for the issuance of up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, in one or more series and to determine the dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, rights in terms of redemption, liquidation preferences, the number of shares constituting any such series and the designation of such series. Our board has the power to afford preferences, powers and rights (including voting rights) to the holders of any preferred stock preferences, such rights and preferences being senior to the rights of holders of common stock.
Of the 10,000,000 shares of authorized preferred stock, 5,000,000 shares are designated Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, of which 3,269,998 are currently outstanding. As designated, each holder of Series A Preferred Stock is entitled to 100 votes, for each share held of record on the applicable record date on all matters presented for a vote of the stockholders of the Company, including, without limitation, the election of directors. Each share of Series A Preferred Stock is convertible into one share of Common Stock. Shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect to dividend rights and rights on liquidation, winding up and dissolution of the Company, pari passu with our common stock.
As of November 3, 2021, Gust C. Kepler, who serves as a director, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, owns all 3,269,998 shares of our Series A Preferred Stock representing 100% of the issued and outstanding Series A Preferred Stock, collectively representing approximately 97.6% of the voting power of our stockholders (based upon 10,320,879 shares of common and 3,269,998 shares of Series A Stock issued and outstanding as of November 3, 2021). As a result, Mr. Kepler is able to exercise control over all matters requiring stockholder approval, including the election of directors and approval of significant corporate transactions, including a change in control of our Company.
The Company entered into Conversion Rights Agreement (the “Conversion Agreement”) dated effective as of October 14, 2021 with Gust C. Kepler, who serves as a director, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, The Conversion Agreement limits the rights of the holder(s) of our outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock to convert such shares into Common Stock (the “Designation Conversion Rights”). Prior to the effective date of the Conversion Agreement, the Designation Conversion Rights permitted the holder of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to convert into shares of Common Stock on a 1-for-1 share basis. Pursuant to the terms of the Conversion Agreement, the Designation Conversion Rights are limited and exercisable based upon the Company reaching the following Market Capitalization thresholds, measured on the last day of each calendar quarter:
|
● |
If the Company’s Market Capitalization is less than $150,000,000, the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock will be convertible into Common Stock on a 5-for-1 share basis; |
|
● |
If the Company’s Market Capitalization is equal to or greater than $150,000,000 but less than $200,000,000, the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock will be convertible into Common Stock on a 3.3-for-1 share basis; |
|
● |
If the Company’s Market Capitalization is equal to or greater than $200,000,000 but less than $250,000,000, the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock will be convertible into Common Stock on a 2.5-for-1 share basis; |
|
● |
If the Company’s Market Capitalization is equal to or greater than $250,000,000 but less than $350,000,000 the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock will be convertible into Common Stock on a 1.75-for-1 share basis; |
|
● |
If the Company’s Market Capitalization is equal to or greater than $350,000,000 the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock will thereafter convertible into Common Stock pursuant to the Designation Conversion Rights (on a 1-for-1 share basis). |
The Conversion Agreement terminates when the last share of Series A Preferred Stock is either converted or the largest Market Capitalization Threshold is met.
Although we have no present intention to designate and/or issue any additional shares of preferred stock, the designation and issuance of shares of additional preferred stock, or the designation and issuance of rights to purchase such shares, may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company.
Provisions Having A Possible Anti-Takeover Effect
Our charter, as amended to date, and bylaws contain certain provisions that are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our board and in the policies formulated by our board and to discourage certain types of transactions which may involve an actual or threatened change of our control. Our board is authorized to adopt, alter, amend and repeal our bylaws or to adopt new bylaws. In addition, our board has the authority, without further action by our stockholders, to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of our preferred stock in one or more series and to fix the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions thereof. Of the 10,000,000 shares of authorized preferred stock, 5,000,000 shares are designated Series A Preferred Stock, of which 3,269,998 are currently outstanding. As designated, each holder of Series A Preferred Stock is entitled to 100 votes, for each share held of record on the applicable record date on all matters presented for a vote of the stockholders of the Company, including, without limitation, the election of directors. The issuance of our preferred stock or additional shares of common stock could adversely affect the voting power of the holders of common stock and could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in our control.
Anti-Takeover Effects of Nevada Law
Business Combination
The “business combination” provisions of Sections 78.411 to 78.444, inclusive, of the Nevada Revised Statutes, or the NRS, generally prohibit a Nevada corporation with at least 200 stockholders from engaging in various “combination” transactions with any interested stockholder for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder, unless the transaction is approved by the board of directors prior to the date the interested stockholder obtained such status; and extends beyond the expiration of the three-year period, unless:
|
● |
the transaction was approved by the board of directors prior to the person becoming an interested stockholder or is later approved by a majority of the voting power held by disinterested stockholders, or |
|
● |
if the consideration to be paid by the interested stockholder is at least equal to the highest of: (a) the highest price per share paid by the interested stockholder within the three years immediately preceding the date of the announcement of the combination or in the transaction in which it became an interested stockholder, whichever is higher, (b) the market value per share of common stock on the date of announcement of the combination and the date the interested stockholder acquired the shares, whichever is higher, or (c) for holders of preferred stock, the highest liquidation value of the preferred stock, if it is higher. |
A “combination” is generally defined to include mergers or consolidations or any sale, lease exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition, in one transaction or a series of transactions, with an “interested stockholder” having: (a) an aggregate market value equal to 5% or more of the aggregate market value of the assets of the corporation, (b) an aggregate market value equal to 5% or more of the aggregate market value of all outstanding shares of the corporation, (c) 10% or more of the earning power or net income of the corporation, and (d) certain other transactions with an interested stockholder or an affiliate or associate of an interested stockholder.
In general, an “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns (or within three years, did own) 10% or more of a corporation’s voting stock. The statute could prohibit or delay mergers or other takeover or change in control attempts and, accordingly, may discourage attempts to acquire the Company even though such a transaction may offer our stockholders the opportunity to sell their stock at a price above the prevailing market price.
Control Share Acquisition
The “control share” provisions of Sections 78.378 to 78.3793, inclusive, of the NRS apply to “issuing corporations,” which are Nevada corporations with at least 200 stockholders, including at least 100 stockholders of record who are Nevada residents, and which conduct business directly or indirectly in Nevada. The control share statute prohibits an acquirer, under certain circumstances, from voting its shares of a target corporation’s stock after crossing certain ownership threshold percentages, unless the acquirer obtains approval of the target corporation’s disinterested stockholders. The statute specifies three thresholds: one-fifth or more but less than one-third, one-third but less than a majority, and a majority or more, of the outstanding voting power. Generally, once an acquirer crosses one of the above thresholds, those shares in an offer or acquisition and acquired within 90 days thereof become “control shares” and such control shares are deprived of the right to vote until disinterested stockholders restore the right. These provisions also provide that if control shares are accorded full voting rights and the acquiring person has acquired a majority or more of all voting power, all other stockholders who do not vote in favor of authorizing voting rights to the control shares are entitled to demand payment for the fair value of their shares in accordance with statutory procedures established for dissenters’ rights.
A corporation may elect to not be governed by, or “opt out” of, the control share provisions by making an election in its articles of incorporation or bylaws, provided that the opt-out election must be in place on the tenth day following the date an acquiring person has acquired a controlling interest, that is, crossing any of the three thresholds described above. Our Articles of Incorporation, as amended provide that we have opted out of and will not be subject the control share statutes.
Stock Exchange Listing
Our common stock is currently listed on the OTC Pink under the symbol “BLBX.” In conjunction with this offering, we have applied to list our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market, under the symbol “BLBX.”
Transfer Agent and Registrar
Our transfer agent and registrar is Securities Transfer Corporation, 2901 N. Dallas Parkway, Suite 380, Plano, Texas 75093. Its telephone number is (469) 633-0101.
Alexander Capital, L.P. is acting as the book running manager of the offering, and we intend to enter into an underwriting agreement with them as representative of the underwriters. 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 will severally agree to purchase, at the initial public offering price less the underwriting discounts set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, the number of shares of common stock listed next to its name in the following table:
|
Name of Underwriter |
Number of Shares |
|||
|
Alexander Capital, L.P. |
||||
|
Total |
||||
The underwriters will commit to purchase all the shares of common stock offered by us other than those covered by the option to purchase additional shares described below, if they purchase any shares. 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 will be subject to customary conditions, representations and warranties contained in the underwriting agreement, such as receipt by the underwriters of officers’ certificates and legal opinions.
We intend to agree to indemnify the underwriters against specified liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make in respect thereof.
The underwriters are offering the shares of common stock, 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 specified in the underwriting agreement. The underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel or modify offers to the public and to reject orders in whole or in part.
Over-allotment Option
We intend to grant 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 of common stock (15% of the shares sold in this offering) from us. If the underwriters exercise all or part of this option, it will purchase shares covered by the option at the initial public offering price per share that appears on the cover page of this prospectus, less the underwriting discounts and commissions. If this option is exercised in full, the total offering proceeds will be $____ and the total net proceeds, before expenses, to us will be $_____.
Discount
The following table shows the initial public offering price, underwriting discount and proceeds, before expenses, to us. The information assumes either no exercise or full exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option.
|
Per Share |
Total Allotment |
Total Allotment |
||||||||||
|
Initial public offering price |
$ | |||||||||||
|
Underwriting discount (8.25%) |
$ | |||||||||||
|
Proceeds, before expenses, to us |
$ | |||||||||||
The underwriters propose to offer the shares offered by us to the public at the initial public offering price per share set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. In addition, the underwriters may offer some of the shares to other securities dealers at such price less a concession of $____ per share. If all of the shares offered by us are not sold at the initial public offering price per share, the underwriters may change the offering price per share and other selling terms by means of a supplement to this prospectus.
We will pay the out-of-pocket accountable expenses of the underwriters in connection with this offering. The underwriting agreement, however, provides that in the event the offering is terminated, any advance expense deposits paid to the underwriters will be returned to the extent that offering expenses are not actually incurred in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(C).
We intend to agree to pay the underwriters’ non-accountable expenses allowance equal to 1% of the initial public offering price of the shares (excluding shares that we may sell to the underwriters to cover over-allotments). We also intend to agree to pay the underwriters’ expenses relating to the offering, including (a) all filing fees incurred in clearing this offering with FINRA; (b) fees, expenses and disbursements relating to background checks of our officers and directors; (c) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration, qualification or exemption of securities offered under the securities laws of foreign jurisdictions designated by the underwriters; (d) stock transfer and/or stamp taxes, if any, payable upon the transfer of shares of our common stock to the underwriters; (e) the costs associated with bound volumes of the initial public offering materials as well as Lucite cube mementos; (f) the cost associated with the underwriter’s use of book-building and compliance software for the offering, (g) the underwriters’ actual accountable road show expenses for the offering; and (h) up to $75,000 for the fees of the underwriters’ counsel; provided, the maximum amount we have agreed to pay the underwriters for items (b), (e), (f), (g) and (h) above is $175,000. We have agreed to pay an expense deposit of $25,000, the “Advance,” to the representative, which will be applied against the out-of-pocket accountable expenses that will be payable by us to the underwriters in connection with this offering. Any portion of the Advance will be returned to us in the event it is not actually incurred.
We estimate that the total expenses of the offering payable by us, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions, 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.
Representative’s Warrants
We have agreed to issue to the Representative or its designees Representative’s Warrants to purchase up to a total of 6% of the shares of common stock sold in this offering (excluding the shares sold through the exercise of the over-allotment option). The Representative’s Warrants are expected to be exercisable at $ per share (125% of the initial public offering price of $____ per share) commencing on a date which is 180 days from the date of the commencement of sales of the shares offered under this prospectus (the “Commencement Date”) and expiring on a date which is no more than five (5) years from the Commencement Date in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(G). The Representative’s Warrants have been deemed compensation by FINRA and are therefore subject to a 180-day lock-up pursuant to Rule 5110(g)(1) of FINRA. The underwriters (or their permitted assignees under the Rule) will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge, or hypothecate these warrants or the securities underlying these warrants, nor will it engage in any hedging, short sale, derivative, put, or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of the warrants or the underlying securities for a period of one year from the Commencement Date. In addition, the Representative’s Warrants provide for “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to the shares underlying the warrants, exercisable in certain cases for a period of no more than seven (7) years from the Commencement Date and limits the number of shares issuable upon exercise of such warrant to 4.99%/9.99% of the Company’s outstanding shares of common stock, as applicable, pursuant to the terms of such warrant. We will bear all fees and expenses attendant to registering the securities issuable on exercise of the Representative’s Warrants other than underwriting commissions incurred and payable by the holders. The exercise price and number of shares issuable upon exercise of the Representative’s Warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a stock dividend, extraordinary cash dividend or our recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation.
Lock-Up Agreements
Our officers and directors and certain holders of 5% or more of our shares of outstanding common stock intend to agree to be subject to a lock-up for 180 days following the date of closing of the offering pursuant to this prospectus. This means that, during the lock-up period, these persons may not offer for sale, contract to sell, sell, distribute, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of our common stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, shares of our common stock, subject to certain customary exceptions. We also intend to agree, in the underwriting agreement, to lock-up restrictions on the issuance and sale of any shares of our common stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, shares of our common stock for 180 days following the date of closing of the offering pursuant to this prospectus, subject to certain customary exceptions, without the consent of the representative. The representative may, in its sole discretion and without notice, waive the terms of any of these lock-up agreements.
Electronic Offer, Sale and Distribution of Shares
A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the websites maintained by the underwriters, if any, participating in this offering and the underwriters participating in this offering may distribute prospectuses electronically. The underwriters may agree to allocate a number of shares for sale to its online brokerage account holders. Internet distributions will be allocated by the underwriters that will make internet distributions on the same basis as other allocations. Other than the prospectus in electronic format, the information on these 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 the underwriters in their capacity as underwriters, 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 shares 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 shares while the offering is in progress. |
|
● |
Over-allotment transactions involve sales by the underwriters of shares in excess of the number of shares the 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 shares over-allotted by the underwriters is not greater than the number of shares that they may purchase in the over-allotment option. In a naked short position, the number of shares involved is greater than the number of shares in the over-allotment option. The underwriters may close out any short position by exercising their over-allotment option and/or purchasing shares in the open market. |
|
● |
Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of shares in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions. In determining the source of shares to close out the short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared with the price at which they may purchase shares through exercise of the over- allotment option. If the underwriters sell more shares 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 shares 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 shares in the open market that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering. |
|
● |
Penalty bids permits the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the shares 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 shares of Common Stock or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our shares of Common Stock. As a result, the price of our Common Stock or warrants 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 Common Stock. These transactions may be effected on 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, the underwriters may engage in passive market making transactions in our Common Stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act, during a period before the commencement of offers or sales of the shares 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.
Indemnification
We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters and selected dealers against certain liabilities, including certain liabilities arising under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments that the underwriters or selected dealers may be required to make for these liabilities.
Other Relationships
The underwriters and their affiliates have in the past and may in the future provide various investment banking, commercial banking and other financial services for us and our affiliates for which they have received or may in the future receive customary fees. However, except as disclosed in this prospectus, we have no present arrangements with 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 an initial 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.
Winstead, PC will pass upon the validity of the shares of common stock offered hereby for us. Certain legal matters in connection with this offering will be passed on for the underwriters by Sullivan & Worcester LLP.
The financial statements as of December 31, 2019 and 2020 included in this prospectus have been so included in reliance on the report of Turner, Stone & Company, L.L.P., an independent registered public accounting firm, given on 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 of our common stock being offered by this prospectus. This prospectus, which constitutes part of that registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement or the exhibits and schedules that are part of the registration statement. Some items included in the registration statement are omitted from the prospectus in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information with respect to us and the common stock offered in this prospectus, we refer you to the registration statement and the accompanying exhibits and schedules filed therewith. Statements contained in this prospectus regarding the contents of any contract or any other document that is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement are not necessarily complete, and each such statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the full text of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement.
A copy of the registration statement and the accompanying exhibits and any other document we file may be inspected without charge at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549 and copies of all or any part of the registration statement may be obtained from that office upon the payment of the fees prescribed by the SEC. The public may obtain information on the operation of the public reference facilities in Washington, D.C. by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. Our filings with the SEC are available to the public from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
Upon the completion of this offering, we will be subject to the information and periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and, in accordance therewith, we will file proxy statements, periodic information and other information with the SEC. All documents filed with the SEC are available for inspection and copying at the public reference room and website of the SEC referred to above. We maintain a website at www.blackboxstocks.com. You may access our reports, proxy statements and other information free of charge at this website as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. The information contained in, or that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference and is not a part of this prospectus.
BLACKBOXSTOCKS, INC.
Financial Statements for the Three and Six Months Ended June 30, 2021 (unaudited)
Balance Sheets as of June 30, 2021 (Unaudited) and December 31, 2020
Statements of Operations for the Three and Six Months Ended June 30, 2021 and 2020 (Unaudited)
Statement of Stockholders’ Deficit for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2021 and 2020 (Unaudited)
Statements of Cash Flows for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2021 and 2020 (Unaudited)
Notes to Financial Statements
Financial Statements for the Years Ended December 31, 2020 and 2019
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2020 and 2019
Statements of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2020 and 2019
Statement of Stockholders’ Deficit for the Years Ended December 31, 2020 and 2019
Statements of Cash Flows for the for the Years Ended December 31, 2020 and 2019
Notes to Financial Statements
Balance Sheets
As of June 30, 2021 (Unaudited) and December 31, 2020
|
June 30, |
December 31, |
|||||||
|
2021 |
2020 |
|||||||
|
Assets |
||||||||
|
Current assets: |
||||||||
|
Cash |
$ | 626,490 | $ | 972,825 | ||||
|
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $68,589 at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively |
31,184 | 17,990 | ||||||
|
Inventory |
22,856 | 17,661 | ||||||
|
Total current assets |
680,530 | 1,008,476 | ||||||
|
Property and equipment: |
||||||||
|
Office, computer and related equipment, net of depreciation of $71,666 and $61,961 at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively |
50,484 | 5,682 | ||||||
|
Right of use lease, net of amortization of $123,269 and $97,725 at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively |
425,830 | 62,348 | ||||||
|
Total property and equipment |
476,314 | 68,030 | ||||||
|
Long term assets: |
||||||||
|
Prepaid expenses |
55,701 | 44,643 | ||||||
|
Prepaid expenses, related party (Note 5) |
36,700 | 36,700 | ||||||
|
Total long term assets |
92,401 | 81,343 | ||||||
|
Total Assets |
$ | 1,249,245 | $ | 1,157,849 | ||||
|
Liabilities and Stockholders' Deficit |
||||||||
|
Current liabilities: |
||||||||
|
Accounts payable |
$ | 438,789 | $ | 352,545 | ||||
|
Accrued interest |
6,206 | 10,425 | ||||||
|
Unearned subscriptions |
926,169 | 1,016,157 | ||||||
|
Lease liability right of use, current |
62,050 | 40,473 | ||||||
|
Other liabilities |
- | 180,000 | ||||||
|
Senior secured note payable, current |
10,000 | 10,000 | ||||||
|
Convertible notes payable, net of discount of $10,171 and $194,267 at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively (Note 6) |
39,868 | 257,150 | ||||||
|
Notes payable (Note 6) |
130,200 | 131,605 | ||||||
|
Notes payable, related party (Note 6) |
- | 859 | ||||||
|
Total current liabilities |
1,613,282 | 1,999,214 | ||||||
|
Long term liabilities: |
||||||||
|
Senior secured note payable, long term, net of debt issuance costs of $73,225 and $99,852 at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively |
916,775 | 890,148 | ||||||
|
Lease liability right of use, long term |
368,267 | 26,241 | ||||||
|
Total long term liabilities |
1,285,042 | 916,389 | ||||||
|
Commitments and contingencies (Note 7) |
||||||||
|
Stockholders' Deficit: |
||||||||
|
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value, 5,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively |
- | - | ||||||
|
Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value, 5,000,000 shares authorized; 5,000,000 issued and outstanding at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively |
5,000 | 5,000 | ||||||
|
Common stock, $0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized: 8,590,877 and 8,410,386 issued and outstanding at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively |
8,591 | 8,410 | ||||||
|
Common stock, subscribed |
- | 12,500 | ||||||
|
Additional paid in capital |
5,752,929 | 5,401,154 | ||||||
|
Accumulated deficit |
(7,415,599 | ) | (7,184,818 | ) | ||||
|
Total Stockholders' Deficit |
(1,649,079 | ) | (1,757,754 | ) | ||||
|
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Deficit |
$ | 1,249,245 | $ | 1,157,849 | ||||
Statements of Operations
For the Three and Six Months Ended June 30, 2021 and 2020
(Unaudited)
|
For the three months ended June 30, |
For the six months ended June 30, |
|||||||||||||||
|
2021 |
2020 |
2021 |
2020 |
|||||||||||||
|
Revenue: |
||||||||||||||||
|
Subscriptions |
$ | 1,460,376 | $ | 801,048 | $ | 2,946,173 | $ | 1,212,849 | ||||||||
|
Other revenues |
3,230 | 7,800 | 7,101 | 11,250 | ||||||||||||
|
Total revenues |
1,463,606 | 808,848 | 2,953,274 | 1,224,099 | ||||||||||||
|
Cost of revenues |
409,578 | 242,158 | 805,352 | 412,510 | ||||||||||||
|
Gross margin |
1,054,028 | 566,690 | 2,147,922 | 811,589 | ||||||||||||
|
Operating expenses: |
||||||||||||||||
|
Software development costs |
203,255 | 57,914 | 333,693 | 92,245 | ||||||||||||
|
Selling, general and administrative |
615,727 | 315,991 | 1,222,414 | 665,436 | ||||||||||||
|
Advertising and marketing |
347,188 | 142,732 | 554,500 | 231,076 | ||||||||||||
|
Depreciation and amortization |
5,381 | 3,337 | 9,705 | 6,828 | ||||||||||||
|
Total operating expenses |
1,171,551 | 519,974 | 2,120,312 | 995,585 | ||||||||||||
|
Operating income (loss) |
(117,523 | ) | 46,716 | 27,610 | (183,996 | ) | ||||||||||
|
Interest expense |
33,257 | 61,265 | 74,295 | 94,760 | ||||||||||||
|
Convertible note financing |
- | 282,693 | - | 500,469 | ||||||||||||
|
Gain on derivative liability |
- | (554,315 | ) | - | (1,155,485 | ) | ||||||||||
|
Default expense |
- | - | - | 24,750 | ||||||||||||
|
Amortization of debt discount |
92,556 | 63,246 | 184,096 | 114,853 | ||||||||||||
|
Income (loss) before income taxes |
(243,336 | ) | 193,827 | (230,781 | ) | 236,657 | ||||||||||
|
Income taxes |
- | - | - | - | ||||||||||||
|
Net income (loss) |
$ | (243,336 | ) | $ | 193,827 | $ | (230,781 | ) | $ | 236,657 | ||||||
|
Weighted average number of common |
||||||||||||||||
|
shares outstanding - basic |
8,581,448 | 7,958,231 | 8,547,758 | 7,950,539 | ||||||||||||
|
shares outstanding - fully diluted |
8,581,448 | 13,450,090 | 8,547,758 | 12,995,459 | ||||||||||||
|
Net loss per share - basic |
$ | (0.03 | ) | $ | 0.02 | $ | (0.03 | ) | $ | 0.03 | ||||||
|
Net income per share - fully diluted |
$ | 0.02 | $ | 0.02 | ||||||||||||
Statement of Stockholders’ Deficit
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2021 and 2020
(Unaudited)
| Series A |
Common |
Additional |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Preferred Stock |
Preferred Stock |
Common Stock |
Stock |
Paid-in |
Accumulated |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Shares |
Amount |
Shares |
Amount |
Shares |
Amount |
Subscribed |
Capital |
Deficit |
Total |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Balance at December 31, 2019 |
5,000,000 | $ | 5,000 | - | - | 7,908,231 | $ | 7,908 | $ | 35,060 | $ | 3,443,640 | $ | (6,829,907 | ) | $ | (3,338,299 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Issuance of shares in settlement of expenses |
- | - | - | - | 50,005 | 50 | - | 99,950 | - | 100,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Warrants issued for amendment of convertible notes payable |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | 282,693 | - | 282,693 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Net income |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 236,657 | 236,657 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Balance at June 30, 2020 |
5,000,000 | $ | 5,000 | - | - | 7,958,236 | $ | 7,958 | $ | 35,060 | $ | 3,826,283 | $ | (6,593,250 | ) | $ | (2,718,949 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Balance at December 31, 2020 |
5,000,000 | $ | 5,000 | - | - | 8,410,386 | $ | 8,410 | $ | 12,500 | $ | 5,401,154 | $ | (7,184,818 | ) | $ | (1,757,754 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Issuance of shares for cash |
- | - | - | - | 70,772 | 71 | - | 137,935 | - | 138,006 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Issuance of subscribed shares |
- | - | - | - | 6,411 | 6 | (12,500 | ) | 12,494 | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Issuance of shares in settlement of liabilities |
- | - | - | - | 103,308 | 104 | - | 201,346 | - | 201,450 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Net loss |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | (230,781 | ) | (230,781 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Balance at June 30, 2021 |
5,000,000 | $ | 5,000 | - | - | 8,590,877 | $ | 8,591 | $ | - | $ | 5,752,929 | $ | (7,415,599 | ) | $ | (1,649,079 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Statements of Cash Flows
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2021 and 2020
(Unaudited)
|
June 30, |
||||||||
|
2021 |
2020 |
|||||||
|
Cash flows from operating activities |
||||||||
|
Net income (loss) |
$ | (230,781 | ) | $ | 236,657 | |||
|
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: |
||||||||
|
Depreciation and amortization expense |
9,705 | 6,828 | ||||||
|
Amortization of note discount |
184,096 | 114,853 | ||||||
|
Amortization of debt issuance costs |
26,628 | - | ||||||
|
Shares issued in settlement of financing costs |
- | 100,000 | ||||||
|
Shares issued in settlement of services |
21,450 | - | ||||||
|
Expenses paid by lender |
- | 6,030 | ||||||
|
Convertible note financing |
- | 500,469 | ||||||
|
Change in fair value of derivative liability |
- | (1,155,485 | ) | |||||
|
Convertible note default expense |
- | 24,750 | ||||||
|
Right of use lease expense |
120 | 1,350 | ||||||
|
Changes in operating assets and liabilities: |
||||||||
|
Accounts receivable |
(13,194 | ) | (7,655 | ) | ||||
|
Inventory |
(5,195 | ) | - | |||||
|
Prepaid expenses |
(11,058 | ) | - | |||||
|
Accounts payable |
86,244 | 22,514 | ||||||
|
Accrued interest |
(4,219 | ) | 69,637 | |||||
|
Accrued interest, related party |
- | 7,280 | ||||||
|
Unearned subscriptions |
(89,988 | ) | 160,452 | |||||
|
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities |
(26,192 | ) | 87,680 | |||||
|
Cash flows from investing activities |
||||||||
|
Purchases of property and equipment |
(54,507 | ) | - | |||||
|
Net cash used in investing activities |
(54,507 | ) | - | |||||
|
Cash flows from financing activities |
||||||||
|
Common stock issued for cash |
150,506 | - | ||||||
|
Common stock subscribed |
(12,500 | ) | - | |||||
|
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable |
- | 127,100 | ||||||
|
Proceeds from issuance of convertible notes payable |
- | 100,000 | ||||||
|
Proceeds from Payroll Protection Program |
- | 130,200 | ||||||
|
Principal payments on notes payable |
(1,405 | ) | (233,800 | ) | ||||
|
Principal payments on convertible notes payable |
(401,378 | ) | - | |||||
|
Principal payments on notes payable, related parties |
(859 | ) | (78,246 | ) | ||||
|
Cash advances from related parties |
- | 5,000 | ||||||
|
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities |
(265,636 | ) | 50,254 | |||||
|
Net increase (decrease) in cash |
(346,335 | ) | 137,934 | |||||
|
Cash - beginning of year |
972,825 | 21,172 | ||||||
|
Cash - end of period |
$ | 626,490 | $ | 159,106 | ||||
|
Supplemental disclosures |
||||||||
|
Interest paid |
$ | 78,502 | $ | - | ||||
|
Income taxes paid |
$ | - | $ | - | ||||
|
Non-cash investing and financing activities: |
||||||||
|
Repayment of note in exchange for note payable |
$ | - | $ | (39,370 | ) | |||
|
Common stock issued in settlement of accrued liabilities |
$ | 180,000 | $ | - | ||||
|
Discount on notes payable |
$ | - | $ | 69,500 | ||||
|
Repayment of note payable, related party in exchange for advances |
$ | - | $ | 4,823 | ||||
Notes to Financial Statements
For the Three and Six Months Ended June 30, 2021 and 2020
1. Organization
Blackboxstocks Inc. was incorporated on October 4, 2011 under the laws of the State of Nevada under the name SMSA Ballinger Acquisition Corp. to effect the reincorporation of Senior Management Services of Heritage Oaks at Ballinger, Inc., a Texas corporation, mandated by a Plan of Reorganization confirmed by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code.
The Company changed its name to Blackboxstocks, Inc. and began operating as a financial technology and social media platform in March 2016. The platform offers real-time proprietary analytics and news for stock and options traders of all levels. The Company believes its web-based software employs “predictive technology” enhanced by artificial intelligence to find volatility and unusual market activity that may result in the rapid change in the price of a stock or option. The software continuously scans the NASDAQ, New York Stock Exchange, CBOE, and other options markets, analyzing over 8,000 stocks and up to 1,000,000 options contracts multiple times per second. The Company also provides users with a fully interactive social media platform that is integrated into our dashboard, enabling users to exchange information and ideas quickly and efficiently through a common network. Recently, the Company also introduced a live audio/video feature that allows members to broadcast on their own channels to share trade strategies and market insight within the community. The platform was initially made available to subscribers in September 2016. Subscriptions for the use of the platform are sold on a monthly and/or annual subscription basis to individual consumers through the Company website at http://www.blackboxstocks.com.
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
The accompanying interim unaudited financial statements and footnotes of Blackboxstocks Inc. have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and the instructions to Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, these unaudited consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring adjustments, considered necessary for a fair presentation of the results of the interim periods, but are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations to be anticipated for the full year ending December 31, 2021. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in assumption of the continuation of the Company as a going concern, which is dependent upon the Company's ability to obtain sufficient financing or establish itself as a profitable business. At June 30, 2021, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $7,415,599, and for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 the Company incurred net losses of $354,911 and $2,983,438, respectively. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 6, the Company executed a Loan Agreement with certain lenders (the “Lenders”) and FVP Servicing LLC, (“FVP”), as agent for the Lenders in connection with the issuance of a Note in the amount of $1,000,000 bearing interest at 12% per annum with an initial maturity of November 12, 2022. Simultaneously, with the execution of the Loan Agreement, the Company repaid an existing secured note payable in the amount of $100,000 along with accrued interest, and certain outstanding trade payables in the amount of $133,880. In addition, the Company granted the Lender a security interest in substantially all of its assets. As a result of this financing and the cash flows from operations, the Company had a cash balance of $626,490 at June 30, 2021. Management believes that this will be sufficient to fund its operations and service its debt for the next twelve months. In addition, management may continue to raise additional debt or equity capital in order to improve liquidity or finance more aggressive growth or development. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to raise additional capital or on what terms.
The financial statements do not include adjustments relating to the recoverability and realization of assets and classification of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue in operation.
Use of Estimates - The Company’s financial statement preparation requires that management make estimates and assumptions which affect the reporting of assets and liabilities and the related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities in order to report these financial statements in conformity with GAAP. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Cash - Cash includes all highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash and have original maturities at the date of purchase of three months or less.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements - During the six months ended June 30, 2021 there were several new accounting pronouncements issued by the FASB. Each of the pronouncements, as applicable, has been or will be adopted by the Company. Management does not believe the adoption of any of these accounting pronouncements has had or will have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.
Earnings or (Loss) Per Share - Basic earnings per share (or loss per share), is computed by dividing the earnings (loss) for the period by the weighted average number of common stock shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per share reflects the potential dilution of securities by including other potentially issuable shares of common stock, including shares issuable upon conversion of convertible securities or exercise of outstanding stock options and warrants, in the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period.
Revenue Recognition - Revenue is recognized from the sale of subscriptions for the use of the Blackbox System web application, on a monthly or annual basis. Revenue generally is recognized net of allowances for returns and any taxes collected from customers and subsequently remitted to governmental authorities. The performance obligation by the Company is in exchange for the monthly subscription fee, the subscriber is allowed access to the Blackbox System on the website for the calendar month. Revenue related to annual subscriptions is recognized each month with unearned subscriptions reflected as a current liability.
Reclassification - Affiliate referral expenses totaling $92,943 as of June 30, 2020 have been reclassed from cost of operations to selling, general and administrative expenses on the statement of operations.
3. Stockholders’ Deficit
The Company has authorized 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock at $0.001 par value, 5,000,000 of which are designated as “Series A Convertible Preferred Stock” at $0.001 par value and 100,000,000 authorized shares of common stock at $0.001 par value (“Common Stock”).
Shares of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock do not accumulate dividends, have no liquidation preferences and are convertible into shares of Common Stock on a one-for-one basis. Additionally, each share entitles the holder to 100 votes and, with respect to dividend and liquidation rights, the shares rank pari passu with the Company’s Common Stock. Until May 27, 2021 all shares were held by Gust C. Kepler, Director, Chief Executive Officer, President and Chief Financial Officer (“Mr. Kepler”). On May 27, 2021 Mr. Kepler sold and transferred 1,130,002 shares of the Series A Convertible Preferred Stock and as of June 30, 2021 he holds 3,869,998 shares.
During the six months ended June 30, 2021 the Company exchanged a liability of $180,000 for the purchase of a Simple Agreement for Future Tokens into 92,308 shares of Common Stock at $1.95 per share.
During the six months ended June 30, 2021 the Company sold 70,772 shares of Common Stock to third parties for $138,006 and issued 6,411 shares of Common Stock previously subscribed for $12,500.
4. Warrants to Purchase Common Stock
Costs attributable to the issuance of warrants to purchase common stock are measured at fair value at the date of issuance and offset with a corresponding increase in ‘Additional Paid in Capital’ at the time of issuance. The fair value cost is computed utilizing the Black-Scholes model and assuming volatility based on U.S. Treasury yield rates for a similar period. The cost of these warrants was not recognized in the financial statements because they were granted in connection with raising capital for the Company. When the options or warrants are exercised, the receipt of consideration will be reported as an increase in stockholders’ equity.
Concurrently with the execution of certain securities purchase agreements, the Company issued warrants to purchase Common Stock. Each warrant is exercisable for a period of one to five years from the date of the securities purchase agreement. The fair value cost at the date of issuance of these warrants was $639,194.
In conjunction with the issuance of convertible notes payable as described in Note 6, a warrant for the purchase of up to 115,385 shares of common Stock exercisable for a one-year period was issued at an exercise price of $0.01 per share and another warrant for the purchase of up to 360,000 shares of Common Stock exercisable for a five-year period was issued at an exercise price of $1.00 per share. During the year ended December 31, 2020, the warrants for the purchase of 115,385 shares of Common Stock were exercised at $0.01 and as of June 30, 2021, there are warrants for the purchase of up to 479,554 shares of Common Stock outstanding.
|
Number of Shares |
Exercise Price |
Weighted Average Remaining Life (in year) |
|||||||||||
|
Warrants as of December 31, 2019 |
84,295 | $1.95 | 4.53 | ||||||||||
|
Issued during 2020 |
- | $0.01 | - | $1.95 | |||||||||
|
Exercise during 2020 |
(115,385 | ) | $0.01 | ||||||||||
|
Warrants as of December 31, 2020 |
479,554 | $0.97 | |||||||||||
| Warrants as of June 30, 2021 | 479,554 | $0.97 | 7.95 | ||||||||||
5. Related Party Transactions
G2 International, Inc. (“G2”), which does business as IPA Tech Group (“IPA”), is a company wholly owned by Mr. Kepler. As of June 30, 2021 and 2020 the Company had a prepaid balance of $36,700 for public relations and marketing services with G2/IPA. These funds are reserved in anticipation of a future campaign to move the Company’s stock to listing on a national exchange.
6. Debt
A summary of the Company’s debt at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, by counterparty, is as follows:
|
Loan Description |
6/30/2021 |
12/31/2020 |
||||||
|
$1,000,000 12% Senior secured note due November 12 2022 |
$ | 1,000,000 | $ | 1,000,000 | ||||
|
$130,200 loan bearing interest at 1% per annum maturing May 1, 2022 issued under the Payroll Protection Program |
130,200 | 130,200 | ||||||
|
$108,000 related party note payable due November 30, 2020 |
-- | 859 | ||||||
|
$385,000 8% convertible note payable due July 2021 |
35,220 | 318,012 | ||||||
|
$165,000 8% convertible note payable due July 2021 |
14,819 | 133,405 | ||||||
|
Miscellaneous equipment loans |
-- | 1,405 | ||||||
| 1,180,239 | 1,583,881 | |||||||
|
Less unamortized discount and debt issuance costs |
(83,396 | ) | (294,119 | ) | ||||
|
Total notes payable |
$ | 1,096,843 | $ | 1,289,762 | ||||
|
Current portion of long-term debt |
180,068 | 399,614 | ||||||
|
Long-term portion |
$ | 916,775 | $ | 890,148 | ||||
Notes Payable
On May 1, 2020, pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Program under the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) the Company was awarded a loan of $130,200. The loan carries an interest rate of 1% and matures on May 1, 2022. The Company may apply for loan forgiveness following SBA guidelines and a portion or all of the loan may be forgiven.
On November 12, 2020, the Company executed a Loan Agreement with certain Lenders (“the Lenders”) and FVP Servicing LLC, as agent for the Lenders in connection with the issuance of a Note in the amount of $1,000,000 bearing interest at 12% per annum with an initial maturity of November 12, 2022. Simultaneously, with the execution of the Loan Agreement, the Company also entered into an agreement with an affiliate of FVP to provide certain credit and debit card processing services for the Company, which services will continue for a period of one year after the loan is repaid and contains a right of first refusal to continue to provide such services in the future subject to certain limitations. Mr. Kepler executed a guaranty in favor of FVP in connection with the loan. Proceeds from the loan were used to repay the existing senior secured loan balance of $100,000 along with accrued interest, certain outstanding trade payables in the amount of $133,880 and for general working capital purposes. In addition, the Company granted the Lender a security interest in substantially all of its assets.
Notes Payable, related party
On December 6, 2018, Mr. Kepler, advanced $108,000 to the Company for payment to a third party note holder in exchange for an unsecured promissory note. During the six months ended June 30, 2021 and year ended December 31, 2020 the Company repaid $859 and $107,141, respectively, reducing the balance due as of June 30, 2021 to $0.
Convertible Notes Payable
On May 21, 2019, the Company issued an 8% Fixed Convertible Promissory Note payable to a third party with a face value of $385,000, which included an original issue discount of 10% on the investment amount. On July 17, 2019, the Company issued another 8% Fixed Convertible Promissory Note with a face value of $165,000 which also included am original discount of 10% on the investment amount. The two notes contain substantially identical terms. The Company recorded the value of the notes conversion feature in the amount of $342,308 at inception. The Company defaulted on the notes and incurred default fees of $57,750 and $24,750 for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively which amounts were added to the principal balance.
On July 10, 2020, the Company entered into Forbearance and Note Settlement Agreements (“Agreements”) with the holders of the 8% Fixed Convertible Promissory Notes agreeing to take no further action to avail themselves of the remedies of default defined in the Notes. The Agreements stipulate the Company remit payment of all accrued interest and principal outstanding beginning on July 20, 2020 for thirteen agreed upon payments and until the note is repaid in full. Upon execution of these Agreements, effectively extinguishing the above-described notes, the Company recognized a cancellation of the derivative liability previously related to the conversion feature of $522,065. As additional consideration for the Agreements, the holders were issued warrants to purchase up to 360,000 shares of the Company’s Common Stock at a price of $1.00 per share, exercisable beginning January 10, 2021 and expiring on July 10, 2025. The fair value of the warrants at the date of issuance was $371,243, and was reflected in paid in capital and the related debt discount is being amortized over the term of the Agreements.
7. Commitments and Contingencies
On August 11, 2020 the Company entered into a letter agreement with Winspear Investments, LLC (“Winspear”), pursuant to which the Company retained Winspear to provide strategic advisory services for financial and business matters. The agreement provided for a minimum three-month term and that Winspear would be compensated with the grant of 20,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at inception and an additional 5,000 shares per month for the initial term. In the event Winspear continues to provide services, Winspear shall be compensated an additional grant of 3,000 shares per month for a total of twelve-months and such grants shall not exceed an aggregate issuance of 71,000 shares. The agreement also provides that Winspear shall be granted 80,000 shares if the Company achieves a listing with NASDAQ. The total shares issuable under the agreement shall not be less than a minimum of 35,000 and not exceed a maximum of 151,000 shares. As of June 30, 2021 59,000 common shares have been issued.
On February 22, 2021 the Company amended its lease with Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (“TIAA”) to expand its space by approximately 847 square feet for a total of 2,685 square feet and extended the expiration date to September 30, 2025.
On April 14, 2021, the Company amended its lease with TIAA extending the lease expiration until September 30, 2028. The table below shows the future lease payment obligations.
|
Year ended |
Amount |
|||
|
2021 |
44,357 | |||
|
2022 |
88,792 | |||
|
2023 |
87,934 | |||
|
2024 |
89,948 | |||
|
2025 |
91,122 | |||
|
2026 and thereafter |
260,781 | |||
The Company is not currently a defendant in any material litigation or any threatened litigation that could have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements.
8. Subsequent Events
On July 9 and July 14, 2021 holders of 1,130,002 of the Company’s Series A Convertible Preferred Shares converted their Series A Convertible Preferred Shares into 1,130,002 shares of the Company’s Common Stock.
On August 11, 2021, the Company filed an information statement with the SEC disclosing that the Company had created the 2021 Blackboxstocks, Inc. Incentive Stock Plan (the “Plan”). The Plan provides for the grant of stock options and restricted stock grants to employees, directors and certain non-employee consultants. The Plan shall be administered by the Company’s board of directors or a committee thereof. 750,000 shares of the common stock are reserved for issuance under the plan.
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Stockholders’ and Sole Director of Blackboxstocks Inc.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of Blackboxstocks Inc. (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 and the related statements of operations, stockholders’ deficit and cash flows for the years then ended, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures include examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ Turner, Stone & Company, L.L.P.
Dallas, Texas
March 31, 2021
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2015.
Balance Sheets
December 31, 2020 and 2019
|
December 31, |
||||||||
|
2020 |
2019 |
|||||||
|
Assets |
||||||||
|
Current assets: |
||||||||
|
Cash |
$ | 972,825 | $ | 21,172 | ||||
|
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $68,589 at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively |
17,990 | 5,745 | ||||||
|
Inventory |
17,661 | - | ||||||
|
Total current assets |
1,008,476 | 26,917 | ||||||
|
Property and equipment: |
||||||||
|
Office, computer and related equipment, net of depreciation of $46,679 and $39,526 at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively |
3,772 | 9,626 | ||||||
|
Domain name, net of amortization of $15,282 and $9,551 at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively |
1,910 | 7,641 | ||||||
|
Right of use lease, net of amortization of $97,725 and $51,009 at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively |
62,348 | 109,064 | ||||||
|
Total property and equipment |
68,030 | 126,331 | ||||||
|
Long term assets: |
||||||||
|
Advances receivable, related parties (Note 5) |
- | 9,823 | ||||||
|
Prepaid expenses |
44,643 | 80,868 | ||||||
|
Prepaid expenses, related party (Note 5) |
36,700 | 36,700 | ||||||
|
Total long term assets |
81,343 | 127,391 | ||||||
|
Total Assets |
$ | 1,157,849 | $ | 280,639 | ||||
|
Liabilities and Stockholders' Deficit |
||||||||
|
Current liabilities: |
||||||||
|
Accounts payable |
$ | 352,545 | $ | 632,287 | ||||
|
Accrued interest |
10,425 | 42,566 | ||||||
|
Accrued interest, related party |
- | 16,680 | ||||||
|
Unearned subscriptions |
1,016,157 | 189,007 | ||||||
|
Lease liability right of use, current |
40,473 | 46,124 | ||||||
|
Other liabilities |
180,000 | 180,000 | ||||||
|
Senior secured note payable, current |
10,000 | - | ||||||
|
Convertible notes payable, net of discount of $194,267 and $13,859 at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively (Note 6) |
257,150 | 593,891 | ||||||
|
Notes payable, net of note discount of $0 and $38,294 at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively (Note 6) |
131,605 | 218,138 | ||||||
|
Notes payable, related party (Note 6) |
859 | 228,000 | ||||||
|
Derivative liability |
- | 1,405,530 | ||||||
|
Total current liabilities |
1,999,214 | 3,552,223 | ||||||
|
Long term liabilities: |
||||||||
|
Senior secured note payable, long term, net of debt issuance costs of $99,852 at December 31, 2020 |
890,148 | - | ||||||
|
Lease liability right of use, long term |
26,241 | 66,715 | ||||||
|
Total long term liabilities |
916,389 | 66,715 | ||||||
|
Commitments and contingencies (Note 8) |
||||||||
|
Stockholders' Deficit: |
||||||||
|
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value, 5,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively |
- | - | ||||||
|
Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value, 5,000,000 shares authorized; 5,000,000 issued and outstanding at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively |
5,000 | 5,000 | ||||||
|
Common stock, $0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized: 8,410,386 and 7,908,231 issued and outstanding at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively |
8,410 | 7,908 | ||||||
|
Common stock, subscribed |
12,500 | 35,060 | ||||||
|
Additional paid in capital |
5,401,154 | 3,443,640 | ||||||
|
Accumulated deficit |
(7,184,818 | ) | (6,829,907 | ) | ||||
|
Total Stockholders' Deficit |
(1,757,754 | ) | (3,338,299 | ) | ||||
|
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Deficit |
$ | 1,157,849 | $ | 280,639 | ||||
The accompanying footnotes are an integral part of these financial statements.
Statements of Operations
For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019
|
December 31, |
||||||||
|
2020 |
2019 |
|||||||
|
Revenue: |
||||||||
|
Subscriptions |
$ | 3,340,983 | $ | 1,037,778 | ||||
|
Other revenues |
23,850 | 24,795 | ||||||
|
Merchandise sales |
2,730 | - | ||||||
|
Total revenues |
3,367,563 | 1,062,573 | ||||||
|
Cost of revenues |
1,201,320 | 695,076 | ||||||
|
Gross margin |
2,166,243 | 367,497 | ||||||
|
Operating expenses: |
||||||||
|
Software development costs |
94,221 | 51,149 | ||||||
|
Selling, general and administrative |
1,766,130 | 1,041,769 | ||||||
|
Advertising and marketing |
705,706 | 261,470 | ||||||
|
Depreciation and amortization |
12,884 | 18,142 | ||||||
|
Total operating expenses |
2,578,941 | 1,372,530 | ||||||
|
Operating loss |
(412,698 | ) | (1,005,033 | ) | ||||
|
Interest expense |
174,083 | 65,090 | ||||||
|
Convertible note financing |
500,469 | 1,240,347 | ||||||
|
Loss (gain) on derivative liability |
(1,155,718 | ) | 83,766 | |||||
|
Default expense |
24,750 | 57,750 | ||||||
|
Amortization of debt discount |
398,629 | 531,452 | ||||||
|
Loss before income taxes |
(354,911 | ) | (2,983,438 | ) | ||||
|
Income taxes |
- | - | ||||||
|
Net loss |
$ | (354,911 | ) | $ | (2,983,438 | ) | ||
|
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - basic |
8,074,164 | 7,749,695 | ||||||
|
Net loss per share - basic |
$ | (0.04 | ) | $ | (0.38 | ) | ||
The accompanying footnotes are an integral part of these financial statements.
Statement of Stockholders' Deficit
For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019
|
Series A Preferred Stock |
Preferred Stock |
Common Stock |
Common Stock |
Additional Paid-in |
Accumulated |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Shares |
Amount |
Shares |
Amount |
Shares |
Amount |
Subscribed |
Capital |
Deficit |
Total |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Balance at December 31, 2018 |
5,000,000 | $ | 5,000 | - | $ | - | 7,678,047 | $ | 7,678 | $ | 144,060 | $ | 2,543,264 | $ | (3,846,469 | ) | $ | (1,146,467 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||
|
Issuance of shares for cash |
- | - | - | - | 216,354 | 216 | (109,000 | ) | 430,081 | - | 321,297 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Issuance of shares in settlement of accrued expenses |
- | - | - | - | 13,830 | 14 | - | 127,986 | - | 128,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Imputed discount on convertible notes payable (Note 6) |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | 342,309 | - | 342,309 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Net loss |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | (2,983,438 | ) | (2,983,438 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Balance at December 31, 2019 |
5,000,000 | $ | 5,000 | - | - | 7,908,231 | $ | 7,908 | $ | 35,060 | $ | 3,443,640 | $ | (6,829,907 | ) | $ | (3,338,299 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Issuance of shares for cash, net of fees |
- | - | - | - | 346,533 | 347 | - | 430,195 | - | 430,542 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Subscription of shares cancelled |
- | - | - | - | - | - | (22,560 | ) | - | - | (22,560 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Issuance of shares pursuant to convertible note payables |
- | - | - | - | 51,283 | 51 | - | 145,472 | - | 145,523 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Issuance of shares in settlement of expenses |
- | - | - | - | 56,339 | 56 | - | 112,294 | - | 112,350 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Issuance of shares in exchange for services |
- | - | - | - | 48,000 | 48 | - | 93,552 | - | 93,600 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Convertible note forbearance extinguishment of derivative liability |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | 522,065 | - | 522,065 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Warrants issued for amendment of convertible notes payable |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | 653,936 | - | 653,936 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Net loss |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | (354,911 | ) | (354,911 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Balance at December 31, 2020 |
5,000,000 | $ | 5,000 | - | - | 8,410,386 | $ | 8,410 | $ | 12,500 | $ | 5,401,154 | $ | (7,184,818 | ) | $ | (1,757,754 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
The accompanying footnotes are an integral part of these financial statements.
Statements of Cash Flows
For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019
|
December 31, |
||||||||
|
2020 |
2019 |
|||||||
|
Cash flows from operating activities |
||||||||
|
Net loss |
$ | (354,911 | ) | $ | (2,983,438 | ) | ||
|
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities: |
||||||||
|
Depreciation and amortization expense |
12,884 | 18,142 | ||||||
|
Amortization of note discount |
398,629 | 531,452 | ||||||
|
Shares issued in settlement of financing costs |
105,850 | - | ||||||
|
Shares issued in settlement of services |
100,100 | - | ||||||
|
Expenses paid by lender |
6,030 | 27,385 | ||||||
|
Convertible note financing |
500,469 | 1,240,347 | ||||||
|
Change in fair value of derivative liability |
(1,155,718 | ) | 83,766 | |||||
|
Convertible note default expense |
24,750 | 57,750 | ||||||
|
Financing cost |
- | 26,396 | ||||||
|
Right of use lease expense |
591 | - | ||||||
|
Changes in operating assets and liabilities: |
||||||||
|
Accounts receivable |
(12,245 | ) | (2,026 | ) | ||||
|
Inventory |
(17,661 | ) | - | |||||
|
Prepaid expenses |
36,225 | 26,778 | ||||||
|
Accounts payable |
(279,742 | ) | 107,151 | |||||
|
Accrued interest |
(32,141 | ) | 41,732 | |||||
|
Accrued interest, related party |
(16,680 | ) | 14,600 | |||||
|
Unearned subscriptions |
827,150 | 98,973 | ||||||
|
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities |
143,580 | (710,992 | ) | |||||
|
Cash flows from investing activities |
||||||||
|
Cash repayments from related parties |
9,823 | - | ||||||
|
Purchases of property and equipment |
(1,299 | ) | (1,587 | ) | ||||
|
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities |
8,524 | (1,587 | ) | |||||
|
Cash flows from financing activities |
||||||||
|
Common stock issued for cash |
430,542 | 321,297 | ||||||
|
Common stock subscribed |
(22,560 | ) | - | |||||
|
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable |
1,127,100 | 251,455 | ||||||
|
Debt issuance costs |
(99,852 | ) | - | |||||
|
Proceeds from issuance of convertible notes payable |
100,000 | 473,725 | ||||||
|
Proceeds from Payroll Protection Program Loan |
130,200 | - | ||||||
|
Principal payments on notes payable |
(457,657 | ) | (294,522 | ) | ||||
|
Principal payments on convertible notes payable |
(181,083 | ) | - | |||||
|
Principal payments on notes payable, related parties |
(227,141 | ) | - | |||||
|
Cash advances from related parties |
- | 109,342 | ||||||
|
Cash repayments to related parties |
- | (155,547 | ) | |||||
|
Net cash provided by financing activities |
799,549 | 705,750 | ||||||
|
Net increase (decrease) in cash |
951,653 | (6,829 | ) | |||||
|
Cash - beginning of year |
21,172 | 28,001 | ||||||
|
Cash - end of year |
$ | 972,825 | $ | 21,172 | ||||
|
Supplemental disclosures |
||||||||
|
Interest paid |
$ | 186,516 | $ | 2,000 | ||||
|
Income taxes paid |
$ | - | $ | - | ||||
|
Non-cash investing and financing activities: |
||||||||
|
Repayment of note in exchange for note payable |
$ | (39,370 | ) | $ | - | |||
|
Common stock issued in settlement of accrued expenses |
$ | - | $ | 128,000 | ||||
|
Common stock issued in settlement of convertible notes payable |
$ | 100,000 | $ | - | ||||
|
Lease, right of use and liability |
$ | - | $ | 160,073 | ||||
|
Discount on notes payable |
$ | 69,500 | $ | - | ||||
|
Discount on convertible notes payable |
$ | - | $ | 342,309 | ||||
|
Debt discount on convertible notes payable |
$ | - | $ | 131,417 | ||||
|
Financing costs on funding agreements |
$ | - | $ | 84,445 | ||||
|
Repayment of note payable, related party in exchange for advances |
$ | 2,933 | $ | - | ||||
|
Issuance of warrants for forbearance agreements |
$ | 371,243 | $ | - | ||||
The accompanying footnotes are an integral part of these financial statements.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
For the Years Ended December 31, 2020 and 2019
1. ORGANIZATION
Blackboxstocks Inc. (the “Company”) was incorporated on October 4, 2011 under the laws of the State of Nevada under the name SMSA Ballinger Acquisition Corp. to effect the reincorporation of Senior Management Services of Heritage Oaks at Ballinger, Inc., a Texas corporation, mandated by a Plan of Reorganization confirmed by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code.
The Company changed its name to Blackboxstocks, Inc. and began operating as a financial technology and social media platform in March 2016. The platform offers real-time proprietary analytics and news for stock and options traders of all levels. The Company believes its web-based software employs “predictive technology” enhanced by artificial intelligence to find volatility and unusual market activity that may result in the rapid change in the price of a stock or option. The software continuously scans the NASDAQ, New York Stock Exchange, CBOE, and other options markets, analyzing over 8,000 stocks and up to 1,000,000 options contracts multiple times per second. The Company also provides users with a fully interactive social media platform that is integrated into our dashboard, enabling users to exchange information and ideas quickly and efficiently through a common network. Recently, the Company also introduced a live audio/video feature that allows members to broadcast on their own channels to share trade strategies and market insight within the community. The platform was initially made available to subscribers in September 2016. Subscriptions for the use of the platform are sold on a monthly and/or annual subscription basis to individual consumers through the Company website at http://www.blackboxstocks.com.
2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of Presentation. The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”).
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in assumption of the continuation of the Company as a going concern, which is dependent upon the Company's ability to obtain sufficient financing or establish itself as a profitable business. At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $7,184,818 and $6,829,907, respectively, and for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 the Company incurred net losses of $354,911and $2,983,438, respectively. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 6, the Company executed a Loan Agreement with certain lenders (the “Lenders”) and FVP Servicing LLC, (“FVP”), as agent for the Lenders in connection with the issuance of a Note in the amount of $1,000,000 bearing interest at 12% per annum with an initial maturity of November 12, 2022. Simultaneously, with the execution of the Loan Agreement, the Company repaid an existing secured note payable in the amount of $100,000 along with accrued interest, and certain outstanding trade payables in the amount of $133,880. In addition, the Company granted the Lender a security interest in substantially all of its assets. As a result of this financing and the cash flows from operations, the Company had a cash balance of $972,825 at December 31, 2020. Management believes that this will be sufficient to fund its operations and service its debt for the next twelve months. In addition, management may continue to raise additional debt or equity capital in order to improve liquidity or finance more aggressive growth or development. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to raise additional capital or on what terms.
The financial statements do not include adjustments relating to the recoverability and realization of assets and classification of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue in operation.
Use of Estimates. The Company’s financial statement preparation requires that management make estimates and assumptions which affect the reporting of assets and liabilities and the related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities in order to report these financial statements in conformity with GAAP. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Cash. Cash includes all highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash and have original maturities at the date of purchase of three months or less.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments. The Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement, defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value in accordance with GAAP, and requires certain disclosures about fair value measurements. In general, fair values of financial instruments are based upon quoted market prices, where available. If such quoted market prices are not available, fair value is based upon internally developed models that primarily use, as inputs, observable market-based parameters. Valuation adjustments may be made to ensure that financial instruments are recorded at fair value. These adjustments may include amounts to reflect counterparty credit quality and the customer’s creditworthiness, among other things, as well as unobservable parameters. Any such valuation adjustments are applied consistently over time.
Derivative Financial Instruments. FASB ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement requires bifurcation of certain embedded derivative instruments, and measurement at their fair value for accounting purposes. A holder redemption feature embedded in the Company’s notes payable requires bifurcation from its host instrument and is accounted for as a freestanding derivative.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements. During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 there were several new accounting pronouncements issued by the FASB. Each of the other pronouncements, as applicable, has been or will be adopted by the Company. Management does not believe the adoption of any of these accounting pronouncements has had or will have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.
Property and Equipment. The Company’s property and equipment is being depreciated on the straight-line basis over an estimated useful life of three years.
Income Taxes. The Company will recognize deferred tax assets and liabilities based on differences between the financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities using the enacted tax rates and laws that are expected to be in effect when the differences are expected to be recovered. The Company provides a valuation allowance for deferred tax assets for which it does not consider realization of such assets to be more likely than not.
Management evaluates the probability of the realization of its deferred income tax assets. Management determined that because the Company has not yet generated taxable income, it is unlikely that a tax benefit will be realized from these operating loss carry forwards. Accordingly, the deferred income tax asset is offset by a full valuation allowance.
In accordance with ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes, the Company recognizes the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be capable of withstanding examination by the taxing authorities based on the technical merits of the position. These standards prescribe a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return.
Earnings or (Loss) Per Share. Basic earnings per share (or loss per share), is computed by dividing the earnings (loss) for the period by the weighted average number of common stock shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per share reflects the potential dilution of securities by including other potentially issuable shares of common stock, including shares issuable upon conversion of convertible securities or exercise of outstanding stock options and warrants, in the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Therefore, because including shares issuable upon conversion of convertible securities and/or exercise of outstanding options and warrants would have an anti-dilutive effect on the loss per share, only the basic earnings (loss) per share is reported in the accompanying financial statements for period of loss.
Share-Based Payment. Under ASC Topic 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation, all share based payments to employees, including share option grants, are to be recognized in the statement of operations based on their fair values. No share-based payments were issued for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.
Revenue Recognition. Revenue is recognized from the sale of subscriptions for the use of the Blackbox System web application, on a monthly or annual basis. Revenue generally is recognized net of allowances for returns and any taxes collected from customers and subsequently remitted to governmental authorities. The performance obligation by the Company is in exchange for the monthly subscription fee, the subscriber is allowed access to the Blackbox System on the website for the calendar month. Revenue related to annual subscriptions is recognized each month with unearned subscriptions reflected as a current liability.
Other Liabilities. The Company planned the development of a future product, a complimentary platform to share its IP protocol with the current Blackbox System on a subscription basis. The future product was not developed and launched. The Company received advance payments from a new subscriber group in anticipation of the development of this future product and the amounts were deferred and in the first quarter 2021 the subscribers agreed to terminate those agreements. As of December 31, 2020, the Company has received $180,000 from this future subscriber group.
Software Development Costs. Blackboxstocks is engaged in the development of its proprietary Blackbox System technology, a proprietary algorithm driven system, through a combination of in-house system analysts and outside contractors. Under the guidelines of ASC Topic 985, Software, the cost of the Company’s Blackbox System was expensed during development and the Blackbox System software for use in the United States, reached technical feasibility in August 2016, became marketable and was made available to subscribers beginning September 1, 2016. Subsequent to that time, in accordance with ASC Topic 985 these costs are expensed.
Prepaid Expenses. Prepaid expenses are current assets created when the Company makes payments or incurs an obligation for expenses identified for a future period. These amounts are charged to expense as the services are provided.
Contingencies. Certain conditions may exist as of the date the financial statements are issued, which may result in a loss to the Company but which will only be resolved when one or more future events occur or fail to occur. The Company’s management and legal counsel assess such contingent liabilities, and such assessment inherently involves judgment. In assessing loss contingencies related to legal proceedings that are pending against the Company or unasserted claims that may result in such proceedings, the Company’s legal counsel evaluates the perceived merits of any legal proceedings or unasserted claims as well as the perceived merits of the amount of relief sought or expected to be sought.
If the assessment of a contingency indicates it is probable that a material loss has been incurred and the amount of the liability can be estimated, then the estimated liability would be accrued in the Company’s financial statements.
If the assessment indicates that a potential material loss contingency is not probable but is reasonably possible, or is probable but cannot be estimated, then the nature of the contingent liability, together with an estimate of the range of possible loss if determinable and material would be disclosed. Loss contingencies considered to be remote by management are generally not disclosed unless they involve guarantees, in which case the guarantee would be disclosed.
Reclassification. Affiliate referral expenses totaling $121,227 for the year ended December 31, 2019 have been reclassed from cost of revenues to advertising and marketing expense on the statement of operations. Also data feed expenses in the aggregate of $79,691 have been reclassed from software development costs as of December 31, 2019 to cost of revenue.
3. STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
The Company has authorized 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock at $0.001 par value, 5,000,000 of which are designated as “Series A Convertible Preferred Stock” at $0.001 par value and 100,000,000 authorized shares of common stock at $0.001 par value (“Common Stock”).
Shares of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock do not accumulate dividends, have no liquidation preferences and are convertible into shares of Common Stock on a one-for-one basis. Additionally, each share entitles the holder to 100 votes and, with respect to dividend and liquidation rights, the shares rank pari passu with the Company’s Common Stock. All shares are held by Gust C. Kepler, Director, Chief Executive Officer, President and Chief Financial Officer (“Mr. Kepler”).
On January 28, 2020 the Company issued 50,000 shares of its Common Stock at a value of $2.00 to a third party in conjunction with the financing arrangement executed on January 27, 2020 (Note 6).
On July 6, 2020, warrants to purchase 115,385 shares of Common Stock, issued in conjunction with Amended Convertible Promissory Notes, as described in Note 6, were exercised at $0.01 per share for aggregate cash consideration of $1,154.
On August 28, 2020 the Company issued 3,334 shares of its Common Stock at a value of $1.95 per share to a third party in settlement of services provided for marketing and advertising.
During the year ended December 31, 2020 the Company issued 48,000 shares of its Common Stock at a value of $1.95 per share to a third party in conjunction with a consulting services agreement (Note 8).
During the year ended December 31, 2020 the Company sold 70,514 shares of Common Stock and Warrants, exercisable for a period of 5 years, to purchase 35,259 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $1.95 per share, to third parties for aggregate consideration of $137,501.
During the year ended December 31, 2020 the Company sold 160,634 shares of Common Stock to third parties for $313,236 less equity placement fees of $21,349.
During the year ended December 31, 2020 holders of convertible promissory notes with an aggregate face value of $100,000 and a related derivative liability of $45,523, elected to convert the notes into 51,283 shares of the Company’s Common Stock.
On October 7, 2020 the Company repaid $35,060 to a third party to cancel a previous unexecuted subscription for 35,200 shares of Common Stock dated May 24, 2018, which shares were not issued.
4. WARRANTS TO PURCHASE COMMON STOCK
Costs attributable to the issuance of stock options and share purchase warrants are measured at fair value at the date of issuance and offset with a corresponding increase in ‘Additional Paid in Capital’ at the time of issuance. The fair value cost is computed utilizing the Black-Scholes model and assuming volatility based on U.S. Treasury yield rates for a similar period. The cost of these warrants was not recognized in the financial statements because they were granted in connection with raising capital for the Company. When the options or warrants are exercised, the receipt of consideration will be reported as an increase in stockholders’ equity.
Concurrently with the execution of certain securities purchase agreements, the Company issued warrants to purchase Common Stock. Each warrant is exercisable for a period of five years from the date of the securities purchase agreement at an exercise price of $1.95 per share (Note 3). The fair value cost at the date of issuance of these warrants was $639,194.
In conjunction with the issuance of convertible notes payable as described in Note 6, a warrant for the purchase of up to 115,385 shares of common Stock exercisable for a one-year period was issued at an exercise price of $0.01 per share and another warrant for the purchase of up to 360,000 shares of Common Stock exercisable for a five-year period was issued at an exercise price of $1.00 per share. During the year ended December 31, 2020, the warrants for the purchase of 115,385 shares of Common Stock were exercised at $0.01 and as of December 31, 2020, there are warrants for the purchase of up to 476,348 shares of Common Stock outstanding.
|
Number of Shares |
Exercise Price |
Weighted Average Remaining Life (in years) |
||||||||
|
Warrants as of December 31, 2018 |
- | - | ||||||||
|
Issued during 2019 |
84,295 | $1.95 | ||||||||
|
Warrants as of December 31, 2019 |
84,295 | $0.01 | - | 1.95 | 4.53 | |||||
|
Issued during 2020 |
510,644 | $1.95 | ||||||||
|
Exercised during 2020 |
(115,385 |
) |
$0.01 | |||||||
|
Warrants as of December 31, 2020 |
479,554 | $0.97 | 9.05 | |||||||
5. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
As of January 1, 2020, the Company was owed $9,823 from Gust C. Kepler. During the year ended December 31, 2020 Mr. Kepler repaid the advance.
During the year ended December 31, 2019 the Company advanced $1,500 to its VP/Director of Operations and the balance remains outstanding, is unsecured and bears no interest.
During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company engaged the services of EDM Operators, (“EDM”), whose two stockholders are Company stockholders. During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, EDM was paid $40,200 and $13,500 for services, respectively.
G2 International, Inc. (“G2”), which does business as IPA Tech Group (“IPA”), is a company wholly owned by Gust C. Kepler, a Director, President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of the Company, and the Company’s controlling stockholder. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company had a prepaid balance of $36,700 for public relations and marketing services with G2/IPA. These funds are reserved in anticipation of a future campaign to move the Company’s stock to listing on a national exchange.
6. DEBT
A summary of the Company’s debt at December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, by counterparty, is as follows:
|
Balance |
||||||||
|
Loan Description |
12/31/2020 |
12/31/2019 |
||||||
|
$1,000,000 12% Senior secured note due November 12 2022 |
$ | 1,000,000 | $ | - | ||||
|
$200,000 Senior secured note bearing interest at 12% per annum due November 18, 2018 guaranteed by Mr. Kepler |
- | 100,000 | ||||||
|
$170,000 Quasi-factoring financing with daily payments of $292-1035 maturing June -August 18, 2020 |
- | 152,013 | ||||||
|
$130,200 loan bearing interest at 1% per annum maturing May 1, 2022 issued under the Payroll Protection Program |
130,200 | - | ||||||
|
$120,000 Related party note payable bearing interest at 12% per annum due May 1, 2024 |
- | 120,000 | ||||||
|
$108,000 Related party note payable due November 30, 2020 |
859 | 108,000 | ||||||
|
$385,000 8% convertible note payable due July 2021 |
318,012 | 442,750 | ||||||
|
$165,000 8% convertible note payable due July 2021 |
133,405 | 165,000 | ||||||
|
Miscellaneous equipment loans |
1,405 | 4,419 | ||||||
| 1,583,881 | 1,092,182 | |||||||
|
Less unamortized discount and debt issuance costs |
(294,119 | ) | (52,153 | ) | ||||
|
Total notes payable |
$ | 1,289,762 | $ | 1,040,029 | ||||
| Current portion of long-term debt | 399,614 | 1,040,029 | ||||||
|
Long-term portion |
$ | 890,148 | $ | 0 | ||||
Notes Payable
On August 8, 2018 a third party advanced $200,000 to the Company in exchange for a secured promissory note, bearing interest at the rate of 12% per annum with a maturity date of November 20, 2018. The note is secured by a Security Agreement providing for a continuing lien and first priority security interest in the assets of the Company and by a personal Guaranty Agreement with Gust Kepler, a Director, President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of the Company, and the Company’s controlling stockholder. On December 6, 2018, Mr. Kepler made a payment on the note in the amount of $100,000 plus accrued interest of $8,000 for an aggregate of $108,000. This note was repaid on November 12, 2020.
On September 13, 2019 a third party advanced $90,000 to the Company in exchange for quasi-factoring financing arrangements to be repaid in daily installments of $490, through August 18, 2020. The related note discount of $27,000 was amortized as interest expense over the term of the agreement.
In October 2019 third parties advanced $80,000 to the Company in exchange for quasi-factoring financing arrangements to be repaid in daily installments of $761 through June 2020. Approximately $39,000 of this funding was settled with proceeds of the January 27, 2020 financing described in a later paragraph. The related note discount of $31,600 was amortized as interest expense over the term of the agreement.
During the year ended December 31, 2020 the Company entered into quasi-factoring financing arrangements in the amounts of $35,000 and $207,000 that were repaid in daily installments. The related discounts of $12,500 and $57,000 were amortized as interest expense over the term of the agreements and were fully repaid during the year ended December 31, 2020.
On May 1, 2020, pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Program under the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) the Company was awarded a loan of $130,200. The loan carries an interest rate of 1% and matures on May 1, 2022. The Company may apply for loan forgiveness following SBA guidelines and a portion or all of the loan may be forgiven.
On November 12, 2020, the Company executed a Loan Agreement with certain Lenders (“the Lenders”) and FVP Servicing LLC, as agent for the Lenders in connection with the issuance of a Note in the amount of $1,000,000 bearing interest at 12% per annum with an initial maturity of November 12, 2022. Simultaneously, with the execution of the Loan Agreement, the Company also entered into an agreement with an affiliate of FVP to provide certain credit and debit card processing services for the Company, which services will continue for a period of one year after the loan is repaid and contains a right of first refusal to continue to provide such services in the future subject to certain limitations. Mr. Kepler executed a guaranty in favor of FVP in connection with the loan. Proceeds from the loan were used to repay the existing senior secured loan balance of $100,000 along with accrued interest, certain outstanding trade payables in the amount of $133,880 and for general working capital purposes. In addition, the Company granted the Lender a security interest in substantially all of its assets.
Notes Payable, related party
On November 9, 2018, Mr. Kepler, advanced $120,000 to the Company in exchange for a promissory note bearing interest at 12% per annum for a ninety-day period, maturing on January 28, 2019. On November 17, 2020 the note and accrued interest of $29,680 was paid in full.
On December 6, 2018, Mr. Kepler, advanced $108,000 to the Company for payment to a third party note holder in exchange for an unsecured promissory note. During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company repaid $107,141 in principal, reducing the balance due as of December 31, 2020 to $859.
Convertible Notes Payable
On May 21, 2019, the Company issued an 8% Fixed Convertible Promissory Note payable to a third party with a face value of $385,000, which included an original issue discount of 10% on the investment amount. On July 17, 2019, the Company issued another 8% Fixed Convertible Promissory Note with a face value of $165,000 which also included am original discount of 10% on the investment amount. The two notes contain substantially identical terms. The Company recorded the value of the notes’ conversion feature in the amount of $342,308 at inception. The Company defaulted on the notes and recorded default fees of $57,750 and $24,750 for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively, which amounts were added to the principal balance.
On July 10, 2020, the Company entered into Forbearance and Note Settlement Agreements (“Agreements”) with the holders of the 8% Fixed Convertible Promissory Notes agreeing to take no further action to avail themselves of the remedies of default defined in the Notes. The Agreements stipulated that the Company remit payment of all accrued interest and principal outstanding beginning on July 20, 2020 for thirteen agreed upon payments and until the note is repaid in full. Upon execution of these Agreements, effectively extinguishing the above-described notes, the Company recognized a cancellation of the derivative liability previously related to the conversion feature of $522,065. As additional consideration for the Agreements, the holders were issued warrants to purchase up to 360,000 shares of the Company’s Common Stock at a price of $1.00 per share, exercisable beginning January 10, 2021 and expiring on July 10, 2025. The fair value of the warrants at the date of issuance was $371,243, and was reflected in paid in capital and the related debt discount is being amortized over the term of the Agreements.
On March 23, 2020 third parties advanced $75,000 and $25,000 to the Company in exchange for Convertible Promissory Notes, bearing interest at 52% per annum to be paid monthly in arrears beginning April 30, 2020, secured by the Company’s assets, with rights to convert into the Company’s Common Stock at $0.60, and maturing on March 25, 2021. On June 23, 2020 the Company amended the notes changing the provision for conversion into the Company’s Common Stock from $0.60 to $1.95. Additional consideration for the amended and restated notes included the issuance of warrants for the purchase of up to 115,385 shares of common stock at a price of $0.01. On July 6, 2020 the holders exercised their warrants. On November 12, 2020 the holders of these notes elected to convert the obligations in the aggregate principal amount of $100,000 into 51,282 shares of Common Stock.
7. DERIVATIVE LIABILITIES
During the year ended December 31, 2020, notes payable in the principal amount of $100,000 were issued as convertible debt and qualified as derivative liabilities and were retired. As of December 31, 2019, the aggregate fair value of the outstanding derivative liability for notes issued during 2019 using the Black-Scholes option pricing model used the following key assumptions:
|
Volatility |
356.33 | % | ||
|
Risk-free interest rate |
1.52 | % | ||
|
Expected dividends |
- | |||
|
Expected term (in years) |
.5 |
The Company determines the fair values of its financial instruments based on the fair value hierarchy, which requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. The following three levels of inputs may be used to measure fair value:
Level 1 inputs utilize unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access;
Level 2 inputs utilize other-than-quoted prices that are observable, either directly or indirectly and include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, and inputs such as interest rates and yield curves that are observable at commonly quoted intervals; and
Level 3 inputs are unobservable and are typically based on our own assumptions, including situations where there is little, if any, market activity.
The following table presents the Company’s liabilities that were measured and recognized at fair value as of December 31, 2020:
|
Level 1 |
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
||||||||||
|
Balance January 1, 2019 |
- | - | - | |||||||||
|
Additions |
- | - | $ | 1,321,764 | ||||||||
|
Change in Fair Value |
- | - | 83,766 | |||||||||
|
Balance at December 31, 2019 |
$ | - | $ | - | $ | 1,405,530 | ||||||
|
Additions |
- | - | 317,776 | |||||||||
|
Amendments |
- | - | (224,066 | ) | ||||||||
|
Retirements |
- | - | (567,588 | ) | ||||||||
|
Change in Fair Value |
- | - | (931,652 | ) | ||||||||
|
Balance at December 31, 2020 |
$ | - | $ | - | $ | - | ||||||
8. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
On August 28, 2017, the Company acquired and was assigned all right, title and interest in an office lease with Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America for approximately 1,502 square feet of office space at 5430 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, Texas. On September 19, 2017 the Company amended the lease to expand its space by approximately 336 square feet for a total of 1,838 square feet and extended the expiration date to September 30, 2022. On January 1, 2019 the Company adopted ASC 842 requiring this lease to be recorded as an asset and corresponding liability on its balance sheet. The Company records rent expense associated with this lease on the straight-line basis in conjunction with the terms of the underlying lease. During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 we incurred $59,597 and $54,631, respectively, in office rental expense. Future minimum rental payments under the extended lease for years ending December 31, are:
|
2021 |
61,800 | |||
|
2022 |
46,863 |
On August 11, 2020 the Company entered into a letter agreement with Winspear Investments, LLC (“Winspear”), pursuant to which the Company retained Winspear to provide strategic advisory services for financial and business matters. The agreement provides for a minimum three-month term and that Winspear would be compensated with the grant of 20,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at inception and an additional 5,000 shares per month for the initial term. In the event Winspear continues to provide services, Winspear shall be compensated an additional grant of 3,000 shares per month for a total of twelve-months and such grants shall not exceed an aggregate issuance of 71,000 shares. The agreement also provides that Winspear shall be granted 80,000 shares if the Company achieves a listing with NASDAQ. The total shares issuable under the agreement shall not be less than a minimum of 35,000 and not exceed a maximum of 151,000 shares. As of December 31. 2020 48,000 common shares have been issued.
The Company is not currently a defendant in any material litigation or any threatened litigation that could have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements.
9. INCOME TAXES
The Company has established deferred tax assets and liabilities for the recognition of future deductions or taxable amounts and operating loss carry forwards. Deferred federal income tax expense or benefit is recognized as a result of the change in the deferred tax asset or liability during the year using the currently enacted tax laws and rates that apply to the period in which they are expected to affect taxable income. Valuation allowances are established, if necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to the amounts that will more likely than not be realized.
During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, a reconciliation of income tax expense at the statutory rate of 21 % to income tax expense at the Company’s effective tax rate is as follows:
|
2020 |
2019 |
|||||||
|
Income tax benefit at statutory rate |
$ | 75,000 | $ | 627,000 | ||||
|
Permanent differences |
233,000 | (21,000 |
) |
|||||
|
Change in valuation allowance |
(308,000 |
) |
(606,000 |
) |
||||
|
Provision for federal income taxes |
$ | - | $ | - | ||||
At December 31, 2020, the Company had approximately $5,551,000, of unused net operating loss carry forwards. Unused net operating loss carry forwards may provide future tax benefits, although there can be no assurance that these net operating losses will be realized in the future. The tax benefits of these loss carryforward have been fully offset by a valuation allowance. These losses may be used to offset future taxable income and, if not fully utilized, expire in the year 2038.
10. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
On August 8, 2020 the Company entered into a subscription agreement to sell 12,821 shares of Common Stock and a Warrant, exercisable for a period of 5 years, to purchase 6,411 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $1.95 per share, to a third party, for aggregate consideration of $25,001. On January 4, 2021 the subscription agreement was amended to sell 6,411 shares of Common Stock and issue the Warrant to purchase 3,206 shares of Common Stock at the same exercise prices as the original agreement, for aggregate consideration of $12,500.
In January 2021 the Company entered into several subscription agreements to sell an aggregate of 43,591 shares of Common Stock at $1.95 per share, to third parties, for aggregate consideration of $85,002.
On January 28, 2021 the Company exchanged a liability of $130,000 for the purchase of a Simple Agreement for Future Tokens for 66,667 shares of Common Stock valued at $1.95 per share and on February 21, 2021 exchanged an additional $50,000 for 25,641 shares of Common Stock under a similar arrangement.
PROSPECTUS
1,430,616
Shares of Common Stock
Alexander Capital, L.P.
Lead Manager
Revere Securities, LLC
, 2021
Through and including (the 25th day after the date of this prospectus), all dealers effecting transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to a dealer’s obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as an underwriter and with respect to an unsold allotment or subscription.
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution
The following table sets forth the costs and expenses, other than the underwriting discounts and commissions, payable in connection with the sale of common stock being registered. All amounts shown are estimates, except the Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) filing fee and the Exchange listing fee.
|
Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee |
$ | 1,066 | ||
|
FINRA filing fee |
3,500 | |||
|
Exchange listing fee |
25,000 | |||
|
Legal fees and expenses |
180,000 | |||
|
Accountants’ fees and expenses |
20,000 | |||
|
Underwriter’s non accountable expenses |
115,000 | |||
|
Miscellaneous |
90,434 | |||
|
Total |
$ | 450,000 |
Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
Nevada Law
Section 78.7502 of the Nevada Revised Statutes permits a corporation to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, except an action by or in the right of the corporation, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee, or agent of another corporation, partnership joint venture, trust, or other enterprise, against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the action, suit or proceeding if he: (a) is not liable pursuant to Nevada Revised Statute 78.138, or (b) acted in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful.
In addition, Section 78.7502 of the Nevada Revised Statutes permits a corporation to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending, or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee, or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise against expenses, including amounts paid in settlement and attorneys’ fees actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or settlement of the action or suit if he: (a) is not liable pursuant to Nevada Revised Statute 78.138; or (b) acted in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation.
To the extent that a director, officer, employee, or agent of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit, or proceeding referred to above, or in defense of any claim, issue, or matter, the corporation is required to indemnify him against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense.
Section 78.751 of the Nevada Revised Statutes provides that such indemnification may also include payment by the Company of expenses incurred in defending a civil or criminal action or proceeding in advance of the final disposition of such action or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by the person indemnified to repay such payment if he shall be ultimately found not to be entitled to indemnification under Section 78.751 of the Nevada Revised Statutes. Indemnification may be provided even though the person to be indemnified is no longer a director, officer, employee, or agent of the Company or such other entities.
Section 78.752 of the Nevada Revised Statutes allows a corporation to purchase and maintain insurance or make other financial arrangements on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee, or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise for any liability asserted against him and liability and expenses incurred by him in his capacity as a director, officer, employee, or agent, or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the corporation has the authority to indemnify him against such liability and expenses.
Other financial arrangements made by the Company pursuant to Section 78.752 of the Nevada Revised Statutes may include the following:
(a) the creation of a trust fund;
(b) the establishment of a program of self-insurance;
(c) the securing of its obligations of indemnification by granting a security interest or other lien on any assets of the corporation; and
(d) the establishment of a letter of credit, guaranty or surety.
No financial arrangement made pursuant to Section 78.752 may provide protection for a person adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction, after exhaustion of all appeals, to be liable for intentional misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation of law, except with respect to the advancement of expenses of indemnification ordered by a court.
Any discretionary indemnification pursuant to Section 78.7502 of the Nevada Revised Statutes, unless ordered by a court or advanced pursuant to an undertaking to repay the amount if it is determined by a court that the indemnified party is not entitled to be indemnified by the corporation, may be made by the corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the director, officer, employee, or agent is proper in the circumstances. The determination must be made:
(a) by the stockholders;
(b) by the board of directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the action, suit, or proceeding;
(c) if a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the action, suit, or proceeding so orders, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or
(d) if a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the action, suit, or proceeding cannot be obtained, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion.
Subsection 7 of Section 78.138 of the Nevada Revised Statutes provides that, subject to certain very limited statutory exceptions, a director or officer is not individually liable to the corporation or its stockholders or creditors for any damages as a result of any act or failure to act in his or her capacity as a director or officer, unless it is proven that the act or failure to act constituted a breach of his or her fiduciary duties as a director or officer and such breach of those duties involved intentional misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation of law. The statutory standard of liability established by Section 78.138 controls even if there is a provision in the corporation’s articles of incorporation unless a provision in the corporation’s articles of incorporation provides for greater individual liability.
Charter Provisions and Other Arrangements
Pursuant to the provisions of Nevada Revised Statutes, we have adopted indemnification provisions in our Articles of Incorporation, as amended, with respect to our officers and directors which state that, among other things, each person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or who is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the action, suit or proceeding, to the full extent permitted by the Nevada Revised Statutes as such statutes may be amended from time to time.
We also intend to purchase directors and officer’s liability insurance in order to limit our exposure to liability of indemnification of directors and officers.
The form of Underwriting Agreement, to be filed as Exhibit 1.1 hereto, provides for indemnification by the underwriters of us and our officers who sign this Registration Statement and directors for specified liabilities, including matters arising under the Securities Act.
Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
The following list sets forth information regarding all unregistered securities sold by us since January 1, 2018.
During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company issued 33,000 shares of Common Stock at a cash price of $1.00 per share for a total of $33,000.
During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company issued 30,833 shares of Common Stock at a cash price of $3.00 per share for a total of $92,500 and 3,333 shares of Common Stock for an aggregate cash price of $6,500 for subscriptions received during the year ended December 31, 2018.
During the year ended December 31, 2019 the Company issued 3,334 shares of Common Stock for an aggregate cash price of $10,000 for subscriptions received during the year ended December 31, 2018.
On April 10, 2019 the Company sold 51,282 shares of Common Stock and a Warrant, exercisable for a period of 5 years, to purchase 33,333 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $1.95 per share, to a third party for aggregate consideration of $100,000.
On May 7, 2019 the Company sold 25,641 shares of Common Stock to a third party at a price of $1.95 per share, for aggregate consideration of $50,000.
On May 22, 2019 the Company sold 12,821 shares of Common Stock and a Warrant, exercisable for a period of 5 years, to purchase 6,410 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $1.95 per share to a third party for aggregate consideration of $25,000.
On June 4, 2019 the Company sold 51,282 shares of Common Stock and a Warrant, exercisable for a period of 5 years, to purchase 25,641 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $1.95 per share, to a third party for aggregate consideration of $100,000.
On August 29, 2019 the Company sold 12,821 shares of Common Stock and a Warrant, exercisable for a period of 5 years, to purchase 6,411 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $1.95 per share, to a third party for aggregate consideration of $25,000.
On November 27, 2019 the Company sold 25,000 shares of Common Stock and a Warrant, exercisable for a period of 5 years, to purchase 12,500 of shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $1.95 per share, to a third party for aggregate consideration of $48,750.
On January 28, 2020 the Company issued 50,000 shares of its Common Stock at a value of $2.00 to a third party in conjunction with the financing arrangement executed on January 27, 2020.
On July 6, 2020, warrants to purchase 115,385 shares of Common Stock, issued in conjunction with Amended Convertible Promissory Notes were exercised at $0.01 per share for aggregate cash consideration of $1,154.
On August 28, 2020 the Company issued 3,334 shares of its Common Stock at a value of $1.95 per share to a third party in settlement of services provided for marketing and advertising.
On November 25, 2020, the Company also issued a warrant for the purchase of 16,667 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $0.61 per share and a warrant for the purchase of 35,935 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $1.95 to its financial advisor as part of their compensation for services rendered. The warrants are exercisable for a period of five years.
During the year ended December 31, 2020 the Company issued 48,000 shares of its Common Stock at a value of $1.95 per share to Winspear Investments LLC in conjunction with a consulting services agreement.
During the year ended December 31, 2020 the Company sold 70,514 shares of Common Stock and Warrants, exercisable for a period of 5 years, to purchase 35,259 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $1.95 per share, to third parties for aggregate consideration of $137,501.
During the year ended December 31, 2020 the Company sold 160,634 shares of Common Stock to third parties for $313,236.
During the year ended December 31, 2020 holders of convertible promissory notes with an aggregate face value of $100,000 and a related derivative liability of $45,523, elected to convert the notes into 51,283 shares of the Company’s Common Stock.
On January 4, 2021 we sold 12,821 shares of Common Stock at $1.95 per share to a third party for $25,001.
On January 25, 2021 we sold 25,641 shares of Common Stock at $1.95 per share to a third party for $50,000.
On January 28, 2021 we converted previously received payments of $130,000 for the purchase of a Simple Agreement for Future Tokens into 66,667 shares of Common Stock.
On February 3, 2021 we entered into a subscription agreement to sell 5,129 shares of Common Stock at $1.95 per share to a third party for $10,002.
On February 3, 2021 we entered into a subscription agreement to sell 12,821 shares of Common Stock at $1.95 per share to a third party, for $25,001.
On February 8, 2021 we entered into a subscription agreement to sell 5,129 shares of Common Stock at $1.95 per share, to a third party, for $10,002.
On March 11, 2021 we sold 9,231 shares of Common Stock at $1.95 per share to a third party for $18,000.
On March 16, 2021 we converted previously received payments of $50,000 for the purchase of a Simple Agreement for Future Tokens into 25,641 shares of Common Stock.
On June 16, 2021 we issued 11,000 shares of Common Stock valued at $1.95 per share, to Winspear Investments, LLC, in connection with a consulting services agreement.
On August 31, 2021, our Board of Directors granted stock options for the purchase of an aggregate of 597,500 shares of common stock to certain employees and consultants and on September 11, 2021 granted options on an additional 15,000 shares to our independent directors under the terms of our 2021 Stock Incentive Plan.
On September 11, 2021, we issued a warrant to Robert Winspear for the purchase of 100,000 shares of our Common Stock at an exercise price of $1.95 per share. The warrant vests ratably over 36 months and has a term of ten years.
The securities described above were privately offered and sold in reliance upon exemptions from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) under the Securities Act. We reasonably believed that each of the purchasers of such securities had access to information concerning its operations and financial condition, were acquiring the securities for their own account and not with a view to the distribution thereof, and each investor qualified as an "accredited investor" as such term is defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act. Furthermore, no "general solicitation" was made by the Company with respect to sale of any of the securities. At the time of their issuance, the securities described above were deemed to be restricted securities for purposes of the Securities Act and the documentation representing the securities bear legends and/or non-transfer provisions to that effect.
|
Item 16. |
Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules. |
|
(a) |
Exhibits |
The following exhibits are filed as part of this Registration Statement:
|
Exhibit |
Description |
|
1.1 |
|
|
3.1 |
|
|
3.2 |
|
|
3.3 |
|
|
3.4 |
|
|
3.5 |
|
|
4.1 |
|
4.2 |
Form of Warrant for the Purchase of Common Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on May 28, 2019) |
|
4.3 |
|
|
4.4 |
|
|
4.5 |
|
|
5.1 |
|
|
10.1 |
|
|
10.2 |
|
|
10.3 |
|
|
10.4 |
|
|
10.5 |
|
|
10.9 |
|
|
10.10 |
|
|
10.11 |
Letter agreement dated August 11, 2021 between Winspear Investments, LLC and Blackboxstocks, Inc.* |
|
10.12 |
|
| 10.13 | Conversion Rights Agreement dated effective as of October 14, 2021 between Blackboxstocks Inc and Gust Kepler (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on October 14, 2021). |
|
23.1 |
|
|
23.2 |
|
|
24.1 |
Power of Attorney (included on the signature page to this Registration Statement)* |
|
101.1 |
Interactive data files pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T** |
* Previously filed.
** Filed herewith.
Item 17. Undertakings
(a) 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 increases 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) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:
(i) If the registrant is relying on Rule 430B:
(A) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and
(B) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. 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 effective date, 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 effective date; or
(ii) If the registrant is subject to Rule 430C, 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.
(5) 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) To provide to the underwriters at the closing specified in the underwriting agreements certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriters to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.
(B) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 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 Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 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 of whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
(C) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:
(1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, 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 shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.
(2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus 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.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement on Form S-1 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on November 5, 2021.
|
BLACKBOXSTOCKS INC. |
||
|
By: |
/s/ Gust Kepler |
|
|
Gust Kepler |
||
|
President and Chief Executive Officer |
||
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement on Form S-1 has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
|
Signatures |
Title |
Date |
||
| /s/ Gust Kepler |
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director |
November 5, 2021 | ||
|
Gust Kepler |
(Principal Executive Officer) |
|||
| /s/ Robert Winspear |
Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Director (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
November 5, 2021 | ||
|
Robert Winspear |
||||
| * |
Director |
November 5, 2021 | ||
|
Andrew Malloy |
| * |
Director |
November 5, 2021 | ||
|
Ray Balestri |
||||
| * | ||||
|
Dalya Sulaiman |
Director |
November 5, 2021 | ||
| *By: /s/ Gust Kepler | ||||
| Gust Kepler | ||||
| Attorney-in-Fact |
Exhibit 1.1
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
by and between
BLACKBOXSTOCKS INC.
and
ALEXANDER CAPITAL, L.P.,
as Representative of the Several Underwriters
BLACKBOXSTOCKS INC.
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
November [__], 2021
Alexander Capital, L.P.
As Representative of the several Underwriters named on Schedule 1 attached hereto
c/o Alexander Capital, L.P.
17 State Street, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned, Blackboxstocks Inc., a company incorporated under the laws of the State of Nevada (the “Company”), hereby confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with Alexander Capital, L.P., as the representative of the several underwriters named in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Representative” and such other underwriters being collectively called the “Underwriters” or, individually, an “Underwriter”) as follows:
1. Purchase and Sale of Shares.
1.1 Firm Shares.
1.1.1 Nature and Purchase of Firm Shares.
(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 (the “Firm Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”).
(ii) The Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase from the Company the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule 1 attached hereto and made a part hereof at a purchase price of $[●] per share (91.75% of the per Firm Share offering price). The Firm Shares are to be offered initially to the public at the offering price set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus (as defined in Section 2.1.1 hereof).
1.1.2 Shares Payment and Delivery.
(i) Delivery and payment for the Firm Shares shall be made at 10:00 a.m., Eastern time, on the third (3rd) Business Day following the effective date (the “Effective Date”) of the Registration Statement (as defined in Section 2.1.1 below) (i.e., the 2nd trading day after the initial day of trading on the Exchange (as defined in Section 2.2 below) (or the fourth (4th) Business Day following the Effective Date if the Registration Statement is declared effective after 4:01 p.m., Eastern time) (i.e., the 3rd trading day after the initial day of trading on the Exchange) or at such other time as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, at the offices of Sullivan & Worcester LLP, 1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10019 (“Representative Counsel”), or at such other place (or remotely by 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 Shares is called the “Closing Date.”
(ii) Payment for the Firm Shares 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 Shares (or through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”)) for the account of the Underwriters. The Firm Shares 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 Shares except upon tender of payment by the Representative for all of the Firm Shares. 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 Shares. For the purposes of covering any over-allotments in connection with the distribution and sale of the Firm Shares, the Company hereby grants to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to [●] additional shares of Common Stock, representing fifteen percent (15%) of the Firm Shares sold in the offering, from the Company (the “Over-allotment Option”). Such [●] additional shares of Common Stock, the net proceeds of which will be deposited with the Company’s account, are hereinafter referred to as “Option Shares.” 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 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Option Shares are hereinafter referred to together as the “Public Securities.” The offering and sale of the Public Securities is hereinafter 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 Shares within 45 days after the Effective Date. The Underwriters shall not be under any obligation to purchase any Option Shares 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 electronic transmission setting forth the number of Option Shares to be purchased and the date and time for delivery of and payment for the Option Shares (the “Option Closing Date”), which shall not be later than five (5) 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 other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative. If such delivery and payment for the Option Shares 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 Shares, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (i) the Company shall become obligated to sell to the Underwriters the number of Option Shares 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 Shares then being purchased as set forth in Schedule 1 opposite the name of such Underwriter.
1.2.3 Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Option Shares 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 to the Representative of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters) representing the Option Shares (or through the facilities of DTC) for the account of the Underwriters. The Option Shares 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 Shares except upon tender of payment by the Representative for applicable Option Shares. 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 Shares and Option Shares.
1.3 Representative’s Warrants.
1.3.1 Purchase Warrants. The Company hereby agrees to issue and sell to the Representative (and/or its designee(s)) on the Closing Date a warrant, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Representative’s Warrants”) for the purchase of an aggregate of up to [●] shares of Common Stock, representing 6% of the Firm Shares (excluding the Option Shares), for an aggregate purchase price of $100.00. The Representative’s Warrants shall be exercisable upon issuance, in whole or in part, commencing on a date which is 180 days after the commencement of sales of the Company’s securities in connection with the Offering (the “Commencement Date”) and shall be exercisable until the five-year anniversary of the Commencement Date at an initial exercise price per share of Common Stock of $[●], which is equal to 125% of the initial public offering price of the Firm Shares. The Representative’s Warrants and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise thereof are hereinafter referred to together as the “Representative’s Securities.” The Representative understands and agrees that there are significant restrictions pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 against transferring the Representative’s Warrants and the underlying shares of Common Stock during the one hundred eighty (180) days after the Commencement Date, and by its acceptance thereof, it shall agree that it will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate the Representative’s Warrants, or any portion thereof, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of such securities for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the Commencement Date to anyone other than (i) an Underwriter or a selected dealer in connection with the Offering, or (ii) a bona fide officer or partner of the Representative or of any such Underwriter or selected dealer; and only if any such transferee agrees to the foregoing lock-up restrictions.
1.3.2 Delivery. Delivery of the Representative’s Warrants shall be made on the Closing Date and shall be issued in the name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing.
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. 333-260065), 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 [●], 2021, 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 5:00 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 (the “Bona Fide Electronic Road Show”))
“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 the Pricing Prospectus and the information included on Schedule 2-A hereto, all considered together.
2.1.2 Pursuant to the Exchange Act. The Company has filed with the Commission a Form 8-A (File Number [____]) providing for the registration pursuant to Section 12(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), of the shares of Common Stock. The registration of the shares of Common Stock under the Exchange Act has been declared effective by the Commission on or prior to the date hereof. The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the shares of Common Stock under the Exchange Act, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration.
2.2 Stock Exchange Listing. The shares of Common Stock have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market (the “Exchange”) subject only to official notice of issuance, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, delisting the shares of Common Stock from the Exchange, nor has the Company received any notification that the Exchange is contemplating terminating 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, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(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 does not conflict in any material respect 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 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 disclosure contained in the “Underwriting” section of the Prospectus (the “Underwriters’ Information”).
(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. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, 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 except for such defaults that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change (as defined below). To 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 or taxes, except for such violations that would not reasonably be expected to result in any change or development that, singularly or in the aggregate, would involve a 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”).
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.
2.5 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 to the Company’s knowledge, a Material Adverse Change; and (ii) there have been no material transactions entered into by the Company not in the ordinary course of business, other than as contemplated pursuant to this Agreement.
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, other than securities issued pursuant to the Company’s existing equity incentive plans or shares issuable upon the exercise of then outstanding options, warrants and convertible securities, which in each case were disclosed in the Prospectus, Pricing Disclosure Package or the Registration Statement, 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, Turner, Stone & Company, L.L.P. (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. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, 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 Financial Statements, etc. The financial statements, including the notes thereto and supporting schedules, if any, included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, fairly in all material respects 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 any supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects 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 in all material respects 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) the Company has not 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, other than in the course of business, any grants under any stock compensation plan, and (d) there has not been any Material Adverse Change in the Company’s long-term or short-term debt.
2.8 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.
2.9 Valid Issuance of Securities, etc.
2.9.1 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.
2.9.2 Securities Sold Pursuant to this Agreement. The Public Securities and Representative’s Securities 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 Public Securities and Representative’s 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 Public Securities and Representative’s Securities has been duly and validly taken. The Public Securities and Representative’s 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 Representative’s Warrants has been duly and validly taken; the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Representative’s 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 Representative’s Warrants, such 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.
2.10 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.
2.11 Validity and Binding Effect of Agreements. This Agreement and the Representative’s Warrants have been duly and validly authorized by the Company, and, 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.
2.12 No Conflicts, etc. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the Representative’s Warrants 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 in any material respect 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 material 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 articles of incorporation (as the same may be amended or restated from time to time, the “Charter”) or the bylaws of the Company (the “Bylaws”); or (iii) violate any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any Governmental Entity as of the date hereof; except in the cases of clause (iii) above, for such breaches, conflicts or defaults that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.13 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 Bylaws, or corresponding governing documents, as applicable. The Company is not in violation of any franchise, license, permit, applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment or decree of any Governmental Entity, except for such violations that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.14 Corporate Power; Licenses; Consents.
2.14.1 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 (“Permits”) of and from any Governmental Entity that it needs as of the date hereof to conduct its business purpose as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except for such Permits the absence of which would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change.
2.14.2 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 Representative’s Warrants 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”).
2.15 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 stockholders as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as well as in the Lock-Up Agreements (as defined in Section 2.24 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 or incorrect in any material respect.
2.16 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 or in connection with the Company’s listing application for the listing of the Public Securities on the Exchange, which individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change.
2.17 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 Nevada 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.
2.18 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, 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 reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.19 Transactions Affecting Disclosure to FINRA.
2.19.1 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 stockholders that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by FINRA.
2.19.2 Payments Within Twelve (12) Months. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) in connection with the Offering 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.
2.19.3 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.
2.19.4 FINRA Affiliation. (i) No officer or director of the Company, and to the knowledge of the Company (ii) no beneficial owner of 5% or more of any class of the Company’s securities and (iii) no 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). The parties acknowledge and understand that in spite of diligent efforts by the Company to obtain a FINRA questionnaire from Stephen Chiang, a foreign person who is known to be a beneficial owner of 5% or more of the Company’s common stock, to verify the representation in this section 2.19.4, Mr. Chiang has been unresponsive.
2.19.5 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.
2.20 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any other person acting on behalf of the Company, 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 Entity 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 caused 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.
2.21 Compliance with OFAC. None of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any other person acting on behalf of the Company, 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 knowingly, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the Offering hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any 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.
2.22 Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company are and have been conducted at all times in compliance in all material respects 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.
2.23 Officers’ Certificate. Any certificate signed by any duly authorized officer of the Company and delivered to the Representative or to Representative Counsel shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
2.24 Lock-Up Agreements. Schedule 3 hereto contains a complete and accurate list of the Company’s officers, directors and 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) that will be subject to a Lock-Up Agreement (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 B (the “Lock-Up Agreement”), prior to the execution of this Agreement.
2.25 Subsidiaries. The Company does not have any direct or indirect subsidiaries.
2.26 Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or related party transactions involving the Company 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 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.
2.28 Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance. Upon consummation of the Offering, the Company will design and implement internal controls in accordance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Upon such design and implementation, the Company will comply with the Disclosure, Compliance, and Accounting Controls in all material respects with Rule 13a-15 or 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations, and such controls and procedures, when implemented, will be 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, as applicable.
2.29 Accounting Controls. The Company maintains systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined under Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations) that comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act applicable to the Company and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, its 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’s 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.
2.30 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.
2.31 No Labor Disputes. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent.
2.32 Intellectual Property Rights. The Company 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 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 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 (other than license or similar fees described or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus). The Company has not received any notice alleging any such infringement, fee or conflict with asserted Intellectual Property Rights of others. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and 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 referred to in this Section 2.32, 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 referred to in this Section 2.32, 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 referred to in this Section 2.32, 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 knowingly being used by the Company in material violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of their respective officers, directors or employees, or otherwise in material violation of the rights of any persons.
2.33 Taxes. The Company has filed all material 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. The Company has paid all material taxes (as hereinafter defined) shown as due on such returns that were filed and has paid all material taxes imposed on or assessed against the Company. 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 material 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 material 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, 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. The term “material 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, other than those taxes, the failure of which to have paid, would not result in a Material Adverse Change. The term “material returns” means all returns, declarations, reports, statements and other documents required to be filed in respect to taxes, other than those returns, the failure of which to have filed, would not result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.34 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.
2.35 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 (any such noncompliance being referred to as “nonmaterial noncompliance” for the purposes of this Section 2.35); (B) has not received any warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or notice from any other Governmental Entity alleging or asserting material 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 material 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 Entity 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 Entity or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding that if brought would result in a Material Adverse Change; (E) has not received notice that any Governmental Entity 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 Entity is considering such action; (F) has filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications and records, as required by any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, and records, were complete and correct in all material respects on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission), except where the failure to file, obtain, maintain or submit would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; and (G) has not, either voluntarily or involuntarily, initiated, conducted, or issued or caused to be initiated, conducted or issued, any recall, market withdrawal or replacement, safety alert, post-sale warning, or other notice or action relating to the alleged lack of safety or any alleged product defect or violation and, to the Company’s knowledge, no third party has initiated, conducted or intends to initiate any such notice or action.
2.36 Environmental Matters.
2.36.1 The business and operations of the Company, have been and are being conducted in compliance with all applicable laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, licenses, permits, approvals, plans, authorizations or requirements relating to occupational safety and health, or pollution, or protection of health or the environment (including, without limitation, those relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of pollutants, contaminants or hazardous or toxic substances, materials or wastes into ambient air, surface water, groundwater or land, or relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of chemical substances, pollutants, contaminants or hazardous or toxic substances, materials or wastes, whether solid, gaseous or liquid in nature) of any governmental department, commission, board, bureau, agency or instrumentality of the United States, any state or political subdivision thereof, or to the knowledge of the Company, any foreign jurisdiction (“Environmental Laws”), and all applicable judicial or administrative agency or regulatory decrees, awards, judgments and orders relating thereto, except where the failure to be in such compliance would not be reasonably expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Change; and the Company has not received any notice from any governmental instrumentality or any third party alleging any material violation thereof or liability thereunder (including, without limitation, liability for costs of investigating or remediating sites containing hazardous substances and/or damages to natural resources).
2.36.2 There has been no storage, generation, transportation, use, handling, treatment, Release or threat of Release of Hazardous Materials (as defined below) by or caused by the Company (or, to the knowledge of the Company, any other entity (including any predecessor) for whose acts or omissions the Company is or could reasonably be expected to be liable) at, on, under or from any property or facility now or previously owned, operated or leased by the Company, or at, on, under or from any other property or facility, in violation of any Environmental Laws or in a manner or amount or to a location that could reasonably be expected to result in any liability under any Environmental Law, except for any violation or liability which would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Change. “Hazardous Materials” means any material, chemical, substance, waste, pollutant, contaminant, compound, mixture, or constituent thereof, in any form or amount, including petroleum (including crude oil or any fraction thereof) and petroleum products, natural gas liquids, asbestos and asbestos containing materials, naturally occurring radioactive materials, brine, and drilling mud, regulated or which can give rise to liability under any Environmental Law. “Release” means any spilling, leaking, seepage, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, disposing, depositing, dispersing, or migrating in, into or through the environment, or in, into from or through any building or structure.
2.37 Ineligible Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Securities Act Regulations) of the Public Securities, and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.
2.38 Real and Personal Property. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has 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, 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; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and the Company has not received any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.
2.39 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 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.
2.40 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 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.
2.41 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.
2.42 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.
2.43 Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not (i) alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communications, other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the written consent of the Representative and with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act and (ii) authorized anyone other than the Representative to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act. The Company confirms that the Representative has been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications other than those listed on Schedule 2-B hereto. “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees as follows:
3.1 Amendments to Registration Statement. 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, 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. 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, the Company, subject to Section 3.2.2, shall comply in all material respects 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 and Representative’s 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 and Representative’s 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 reasonably 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 commercially reasonable 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. 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, the Company shall comply in all material respects 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 Representative Counsel 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 commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the registration of the shares of Common Stock under the Exchange Act. The Company shall not deregister the shares of Common Stock 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.
3.2.5 Testing-the-Waters Communications. If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication 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 shall promptly notify the Representative and shall promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such 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 Representative Counsel, 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, upon request and 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 Events Requiring Notice to the Representative. The Company shall notify the Representative promptly and confirm the notice in writing: (i) of the issuance by any state securities commission of any proceedings for the suspension of the qualification of the Public Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (ii) of the mailing and delivery to the Commission for filing of any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus; (iii) of the receipt of any comments or request for any additional information from the Commission; and (iv) 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.
3.6 Review of Financial Statements. For a period of three (3) 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 commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the listing of the shares of Common Stock (including the Public Securities) on the Exchange for at least three (3) years from the date of this Agreement.
3.8 Reports to the Representative.
3.8.1 Periodic Reports, etc. For a period of not less than one (1) year 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 Current Report on Form 8-K 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 3.8.1.
3.8.2 Transfer Agent; Transfer Sheets. For a period of one (1) year 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. Securities Transfer Corporation is acceptable to the Representative to act as Transfer Agent for the shares of Common Stock.
3.9 Payment of Expenses
3.9.1 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 shares of Common Stock to be sold in the Offering (including the Over-allotment Shares) 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 Public Securities on the Exchange and 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; (e) all fees, expenses and disbursements, if any, 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, as applicable; (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 of preparing, printing and delivering certificates representing the Public Securities; (i) fees and expenses of the transfer agent for the shares of Common Stock; (j) stock transfer and/or stamp taxes, if any, payable upon the transfer of securities from the Company to the Underwriters; (k) the cost associated with the Underwriter’s use of book-building and compliance software for the Offering; (l) the costs associated with one set of bound volumes of the public offering materials as well as commemorative lucite mementos, 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) the fees and expenses of the Representative Counsel not to exceed $75,000; and (p) the Underwriter’s actual accountable “road show” expenses for the Offering; provided, that the maximum amount that the Company shall pay for items (d), (k), (l), (o) and (p) and shall be $175,000. 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, other than amounts already advanced to the Representative as of the date of this Underwriting Agreement. The Company previously paid the Representative an advance in the amount of $25,000 to be applied towards accountable expenses due and payable to the Representative.
3.9.2 Non-accountable Expenses. The Company further agrees that, in addition to the expenses payable pursuant to Section 3.9.1, 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 Shares (excluding the Option Shares), less the Advance (as such term is defined in Section 8.3 hereof), provided, however, that in the event that the Offering is terminated, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters pursuant to Section 8.3 hereof.
3.10 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.
3.11 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 (15th) full calendar month following the date of this Agreement, an earnings statement (which need not be certified by 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.
3.12 Stabilization. Neither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, directors or stockholders (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.
3.13 Internal Controls. The Company shall use its best efforts to maintain a system of internal accounting controls for itself 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.
3.14 Accountants. As of the date of this Agreement, the Company has retained an independent registered public accounting firm reasonably acceptable to the Representative, and the Company shall continue to retain an 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.
3.15 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).
3.16 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.
3.17 Company Lock-Up Agreements.
3.17.1 Restriction on Sale 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 one hundred and eighty (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; or (ii) complete any offering of debt securities of the Company (other than debt securities convertible into shares of Common Stock of the Company); or (iii) 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) or (ii) 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 3.17.1 shall not apply to (i) the shares of Common Stock to be sold hereunder, (ii) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of a stock option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof, of which the Representative has been advised in writing, (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, (iv) the issuance by the Company of 89,000 shares of Common Stock to Winspear Investments LLC pursuant to an existing agreement with the Company or (v) the filing of a registration statement on Form S-8 with the Commission.
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 3.17.1 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; provided, however, that this extension of the Lock-Up Period shall not apply to the extent that FINRA has amended or repealed NASD Rule 2711(f)(4), or has otherwise provided written interpretive guidance regarding such rule, in each case, so as to eliminate the prohibition of any broker, dealer, or member of a national securities association from publishing or distributing any research report, with respect to the securities of an Emerging Growth Company prior to or after the expiration of any agreement between the broker, dealer, or member of a national securities association and the Emerging Growth Company or its stockholders that restricts or prohibits the sale of securities held by the Emerging Growth Company or its stockholders after the initial public offering date.
3.17.2 Restriction on Continuous Offerings. Notwithstanding the restrictions contained in Section 3.17.1, 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.
3.18 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 2.24 hereof for an officer or director of the Company and provides 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 C hereto through a major news service at least two (2) Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver.
3.19 Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable 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.
3.20 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 use its commercially reasonable efforts to 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.
3.21 Emerging Growth Company Status. The Company shall promptly notify the Representative if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of the Public Securities within the meaning of the Securities Act and (ii) fifteen (15) days following the completion of the Lock-Up Period.
4. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Public 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 the Representative, 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, the Company’s shares of Common Stock, including the Firm Shares, shall have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance. On the first Option Closing Date (if any), the Company’s shares of Common Stock, including the Option Shares, 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 Opinions of Counsel. On the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinions of Winstead PC, counsel to the Company, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representative, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit D.
4.2.2 Option Closing Date Opinions of Counsel. On the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion of counsel listed in Section 4.2.1, 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 counsel in their opinion delivered on the Closing Date.
4.3 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.
4.4 Comfort Letters.
4.4.1 Cold Comfort Letter. Prior to the Closing Date 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.
4.4.2 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.
4.5 Officers’ Certificates.
4.5.1 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 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 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 their knowledge, after reasonable inquiry, 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.
4.5.2 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; and (iii) as to the incumbency of the officers of the Company. The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.
4.6 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 the Company’s knowledge, 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.
4.7 Delivery of Agreements.
4.7.1 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.
4.7.2 Representative’s Warrants. On the Closing Date, the Company shall have delivered to the Representative executed copies of the Representative’s Warrants.
4.8 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 reasonably require 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 and the Representative’s Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and Representative Counsel.
5. Indemnification.
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 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 documented and 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, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (i) the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication (as from time to time each may be amended and supplemented); (ii) 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 (iii) 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 and Representative’s 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. With respect to any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Pricing Disclosure Package, the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 5.1.1 shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter Indemnified Party to the extent that any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense of such Underwriter Indemnified Party results from the fact that a copy of the Prospectus was not given or sent to the person asserting any such loss, liability, claim or damage at or prior to the written confirmation of sale of the Public Securities to such person as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and if the untrue statement or omission has been corrected in the Prospectus, unless such failure to deliver the Prospectus was a result of non-compliance by the Company with its obligations under Section 3.3 hereof.
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 reasonable approval of such Underwriter Indemnified Party) and payment of actual expenses. 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 such Underwriter Indemnified Party unless (i) the employment of such counsel at the expense of the Company shall have been authorized in writing by the Company in connection with the defense of such action, or (ii) the Company shall not have employed counsel to have charge of the defense of such action, or (iii) such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that there may be defenses available to it or them which are different from or additional to those available to the Company (in which case the Company shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events the reasonable fees and expenses of not more than one additional firm of attorneys selected by the Underwriter Indemnified Party (in addition to local counsel) shall be borne by the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if any Underwriter Indemnified Party shall assume the defense of such action as provided above, the Company shall have the right to approve the terms of any settlement of such action, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.
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 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 to promptly 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 or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication.
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 of the Public Securities, 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 Public 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 with respect to the shares of the Common Stock purchased under this Agreement, 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, all documented and reasonably incurred 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 with respect to the Offering of the Public Securities 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. Defaults.
6.1 Default by an Underwriter.
6.1.1 Default Not Exceeding 10% of Firm Shares or Option Shares. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall default in its or their obligations to purchase the Firm Shares or the Option Shares, if the Over-allotment Option is exercised hereunder, and if the number of the Firm Shares or Option Shares with respect to which such default relates does not exceed in the aggregate 10% of the number of Firm Shares or Option Shares that all Underwriters have agreed to purchase hereunder, then such Firm Shares or Option Shares to which the default relates shall be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder.
6.1.2 Default Exceeding 10% of Firm Shares or Option Shares. In the event that the default addressed in Section 6.1 relates to more than 10% of the Firm Shares or Option Shares, the Representative may in its discretion arrange for themselves or for another party or parties to purchase such Firm Shares or Option Shares 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 Shares or Option Shares, the Representative does not arrange for the purchase of such Firm Shares or Option Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of one (1) Business Day within which to procure another party or parties reasonably satisfactory to the Representative to purchase said Firm Shares or Option Shares on such terms. In the event that neither the Representative nor the Company arrange for the purchase of the Firm Shares or Option Shares to which a default relates as provided in this Section 6, this Agreement will automatically be terminated by the Representative or the Company without liability on the part of the Company (except as provided in Sections 3.8 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 Shares, this Agreement will not terminate as to the Firm Shares; 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.
6.1.3 Postponement of Closing Date. In the event that the Firm Shares or Option Shares 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, the Representative 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 shares of Common Stock.
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 its Public 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 (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), for a period ending at 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the first (1st) Business Day following the forty-fifth (45th) day after the Closing Date, other than normal and customary releases issued in the ordinary course of the Company’s business.
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 the Representative’s reasonable 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 the Representative’s reasonable opinion, make it inadvisable to proceed with the delivery of the Firm Shares or Option Shares; 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 reasonable 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; or (ix) if any other event listed in the Engagement Agreement occurs which grants the Representative the right not to proceed with the Offering.
8.3 Expenses. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, except in the case of a default by the Underwriters, pursuant to Section 6.1.2 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 an aggregate of $175,000, inclusive of any 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. Miscellaneous.
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 or email with confirmation and shall be deemed given when so delivered or faxed or emailed with confirmation or if mailed, two (2) days after such mailing.
If to the Representative:
Alexander Capital, L.P.
17 State Street, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Attention: Jonathan Gazdak, Managing Director
Email: jgazdak@alexandercapitallp.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Sullivan & Worcester LLP
1633 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
Attn: David E. Danovitch, Esq.
Email: ddanovitch@sullivanlaw.com
If to the Company:
Blackboxstocks Inc.
5430 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1485
Dallas, Texas 75240
Attention: Gust Kepler, President and Chief Executive Officer
Email: gust@blackboxstocks.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Winstead PC
2728 N. Harwood Street, Suite 500
Dallas, Texas 75201
Attention: Jeffrey M. McPhaul, Esq.
Email: jmcphaul@winstead.com
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 the Representative, dated June 1, 2021 (the “Engagement Agreement”), shall remain in full force and effect, except for the right of first refusal set forth in Section II(e)(3) of the Engagement Agreement, which shall be terminated, and provided that, in the event of any conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the Engagement Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall control.
9.5 Binding Effect. This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the Representative, the Underwriters, the Company, 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 Agreement shall constitute a binding agreement between us.
|
|
Very truly yours, |
|
|
| BLACKBOXSTOCKS INC. | |||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By: |
|
|
|
|
|
Gust Kepler |
|
|
|
|
President and 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:
ALEXANDER CAPITAL, L.P.
By:
Jonathan Gazdak
Managing Director
[Blackboxstocks Inc. – Underwriting Agreement Signature Page]
SCHEDULE 1
|
Underwriter |
Total Number of Firm Shares to be Purchased |
Number of Additional Shares to be Purchased if the Over-Allotment Option is Fully Exercised |
|
|
Alexander Capital, L.P. |
[●] |
[●] |
|
|
[____] |
[●] |
[●] |
|
|
TOTAL |
[●] |
[●] |
SCHEDULE 2-A
Pricing Information
Number of Firm Shares: [●]
Number of Option Shares: [●]
Public Offering Price per Share: $[●]
Underwriting Discount per Share: $[●]
Underwriting Non-accountable expense allowance per Share: $[●]
Proceeds to Company per Share (before expenses): $[●]
SCHEDULE 2-B
Written Testing-the-Waters Communications
None.
SCHEDULE 3
List of Lock-Up Parties
|
Directors & Officers: |
|
Gust Kepler |
|
Robert Winspear |
|
Eric Pharis |
|
Andrew Malloy |
|
Ray Balestri |
|
Dalya Sulaiman |
|
Stockholders: |
|
David Kyle |
EXHIBIT A
Form of Representative’s Warrant
EXHIBIT B
Form of Lock-Up Agreement
[__], 2021
Alexander Capital, L.P., as Representative
17 State Street
New York, New York 10004
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that you, as representative (the “Representative”) of the several Underwriters (as defined below), propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Blackboxstocks Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), providing for the initial public offering (the “Initial Public Offering”) by the several underwriters named in [ ] of the Underwriting Agreement of shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Shares”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.
To induce the Representative to continue its efforts in connection with the Initial Public Offering, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representative, the undersigned will not, during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending 180 days after the date of the final prospectus (the “Prospectus”) relating to the Initial Public Offering (the “Lock-Up Period”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, grant, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Shares, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition (collectively, the “Lock-Up Securities”); (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Lock-Up Securities, in cash or otherwise; (3) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any Lock-Up Securities; or (4) publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge or disposition, or to enter into any transaction, swap, hedge or other arrangement relating to any Lock-Up Securities.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the conditions below, the undersigned may transfer Lock-Up Securities without the prior written consent of the Representative in connection with (a) transactions relating to Lock-Up Securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the Initial Public Offering; (b) transfers of Lock-Up Securities as a bona fide gift or gifts or for estate planning purposes, by will, other testamentary document or intestacy or to a family member or trust for the benefit of a family member (for purposes of this lock-up agreement, “family member” means any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin); (c) transfers of Lock-Up Securities to a charity or educational institution; (d) if the undersigned, directly or indirectly, controls a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity, any transfers of Lock-Up Securities to any shareholder, partner or member of, or owner of similar equity interests in, the undersigned, as the case may be, (e) if required by the terms of a qualified domestic relations order, divorce settlement, divorce decree, separation agreement or court order, (f) transfers to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, or if the undersigned is a trust, to a trustor or beneficiary of the trust or to the estate of a beneficiary of such trust, (g) transfers to a nominee or custodian of a person or entity to whom a disposition or transfer would be permissible under clauses (b), (d), (e) or (f) above, (h) transfers to the Company from an employee or other service provider of the Company upon death, disability or termination of employment or service, in each case, of such employee or other service provider, (i) transfers to the Company in connection with the vesting, settlement, or exercise of restricted stock units, options, warrants or other rights to purchase shares of Common Stock (including, in each case, by way of “net” or “cashless” exercise), including for the payment of exercise price and tax and remittance payments due as a result of the vesting, settlement, or exercise of such restricted stock units, options, warrants or rights, provided that any such shares of Common Stock received upon such exercise, vesting or settlement shall be subject to the terms of this Lock-up Agreement, and provided further that any such restricted stock units, options, warrants or rights are held by the undersigned pursuant to an agreement or equity awards granted under a stock incentive plan or other equity award plan, each such agreement or plan which is described in the [Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus], and (j) transfers pursuant to a bona fide third-party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction that is approved by the Board of Directors of the Company and made to all holders of the Company’s capital stock involving a Change of Control (as defined below) of the Company (for purposes hereof, “Change of Control” shall mean the transfer (whether by tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, to a person or group of affiliated persons, of shares of capital stock if, after such transfer, such person or group of affiliated persons would hold at least a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Company (or the surviving entity)); provided that in the event that such tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction is not completed, the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities shall remain subject to the provisions of this Lock-up Agreement; provided that in the case of any transfer pursuant to the foregoing clauses (b), (c), (d) or (g), if applicable, (i) any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value and (ii) each transferee shall sign and deliver to the Representative a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of this lock-up agreement. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities except in compliance with this lock-up agreement.
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 lock-up agreement 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.
If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, the undersigned further agrees that the foregoing provisions shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed Shares the undersigned may purchase in the Initial Public Offering.
The Representative agrees that, at least three (3) business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of Lock-Up Securities, the Representative will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver; and the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two (2) business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by the Representative hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two (2) business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer of Lock-Up Securities not for consideration and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this lock-up agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of such transfer.
No provision in this lock-up agreement shall be deemed to restrict or prohibit the exercise, exchange or conversion by the undersigned of any securities exercisable or exchangeable for or convertible into Shares, as applicable; provided that the undersigned does not transfer the Shares acquired on such exercise, exchange or conversion during the Lock-Up Period, unless otherwise permitted pursuant to the terms of this lock-up agreement. In addition, no provision herein shall be deemed to restrict or prohibit the entry into or modification of a so-called “10b5-1” plan at any time (other than the entry into or modification of such a plan in such a manner as to cause the sale of any Lock-Up Securities within the Lock-Up Period).
The undersigned understands that the Company and the Representative are relying upon this lock-up agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Initial Public Offering. The undersigned further understands that this lock-up agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns. The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this lock-up agreement and that this lock-up agreement has been duly authorized (if the undersigned is not a natural person) and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the undersigned, enforceable in accordance with its terms. Upon request, the undersigned hereby agrees to execute any additional documents necessary in connection with the enforcement hereof.
The undersigned understands that, if the Underwriting Agreement is not executed by December 1, 2021, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Shares to be sold thereunder, then this lock-up agreement shall be void and of no further force or effect.
Whether or not the Initial Public Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. The Initial Public Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the Representative.
This agreement and any matters related to this lock-up agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to principles of conflict of laws that would result in the application of any law other than the laws of the State of New York. The undersigned agrees that any suit or proceeding arising in respect of this lock-up agreement will be tried exclusively in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York or, if that court does not have subject matter jurisdiction, in any state court located in the City and County of New York and the undersigned agrees to submit to the jurisdiction of, and to venue in, such courts.
Delivery of a signed copy of this lock-up agreement by facsimile or e-mail/.pdf transmission shall be as effective as the delivery of the original hereof.
[Signature page follows]
|
Very truly yours, |
||||
|
(Name - Please Print) |
||||
|
(Signature) |
||||
|
(Name of Signatory, in the case of entities - Please Print) |
||||
|
(Title of Signatory, in the case of entities - Please Print) |
||||
|
Address: |
||||
EXHIBIT C
Form of Press Release
Blackboxstocks Inc.
[Date]
Blackboxstocks Inc. (the “Company”) announced today that Alexander Capital, L.P., acting as representative for the underwriters in the Company’s initial public offering of _______ shares of the Company’s common stock, is [waiving] [releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to _________ shares of the Company’s common stock held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver] [release] will take effect on _________, 20___, and the shares may be sold on or after such date.
This press release is not an offer or sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer or sale is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Exhibit 4.5
Form of Representative’s Warrant Agreement
THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THIS PURCHASE WARRANT BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT SELL, TRANSFER OR ASSIGN THIS PURCHASE WARRANT EXCEPT AS HEREIN PROVIDED AND THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THIS PURCHASE WARRANT AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT SELL, TRANSFER, ASSIGN, PLEDGE OR HYPOTHECATE THIS PURCHASE WARRANT OR CAUSE IT TO BE THE SUBJECT OF ANY HEDGING, SHORT SALE, DERIVATIVE, PUT, OR CALL TRANSACTION THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE EFFECTIVE ECONOMIC DISPOSITION OF THE PURCHASE WARRANT BY ANY PERSON FOR A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR FOLLOWING THE COMMENCEMENT DATE (DEFINED BELOW) TO ANYONE OTHER THAN (I) ALEXANDER CAPITAL, L.P. OR AN UNDERWRITER OR A SELECTED DEALER IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING, OR (II) A BONA FIDE OFFICER OR PARTNER OF ALEXANDER CAPITAL, L.P. OR OF ANY SUCH UNDERWRITER OR SELECTED DEALER AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH FINRA RULE 5110(E)(2).
THIS PURCHASE WARRANT IS NOT EXERCISABLE PRIOR TO [●][DATE THAT IS 180 DAYS FROM THE COMMENCEMENT DATE] VOID AFTER 5:00 P.M., EASTERN TIME, [●], 202[6][DATE THAT IS FIVE YEARS FROM THE COMMENCEMENT DATE].
COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT
For the Purchase of Up To [ ] Shares of Common Stock
of
BLACKBOXSTOCKS INC.
THIS CERTIFIES THAT, in consideration of funds duly paid by or on behalf of [__________] (“Holder”), as registered owner of this Common Stock Purchase Warrant (this “Purchase Warrant”), to Blackboxstocks Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), Holder is entitled, at any time or from time to time from [●], [DATE THAT IS 180 DAYS FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF SALES OF THE COMPANY’ SECURITIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING] (the “Commencement Date”), and at or before 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, [●], 202[6] [DATE THAT IS FIVE YEARS FROM THE COMMENCEMENT DATE] (the “Expiration Date”), but not thereafter, to subscribe for, purchase and receive, in whole or in part, up to [ ] shares1 (the “Shares”) of common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), subject to adjustment as provided in Section 5 hereof. If the Expiration Date is a day on which banking institutions are authorized by law to close, then this Purchase Warrant may be exercised on the next succeeding day which is not such a day in accordance with the terms herein. During the period ending on the Expiration Date, the Company agrees not to take any action that would terminate this Purchase Warrant. This Purchase Warrant is initially exercisable at [$●]2 per Share; provided, however, that upon the occurrence of any of the events specified in Section 5 hereof, the rights granted by this Purchase Warrant, including the exercise price per Share and the number of Shares to be received upon such exercise, shall be adjusted as therein specified. This Purchase Warrant is being issued pursuant to the certain Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”), dated [____], 2021, by and among the Company, the Representative and other underwriters named therein, providing for the public offering (the “Offering”) of shares of Common Stock. The term “Exercise Price” shall mean the initial exercise price or the adjusted exercise price, as applicable. Initially capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings given to those terms in the Underwriting Agreement.
1 6% of the aggregate shares of Common Stock sold in the Offering.
2 125% of the price of the shares of Common Stock offered to investors in connection with the Offering.
1. Exercise.
1.1 Exercise Form. In order to exercise this Purchase Warrant, the exercise form attached hereto (the “Notice of Exercise”) must be duly executed and completed and delivered to the Company, together with this Purchase Warrant and payment of the Exercise Price for the Shares being purchased payable in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Company or by certified check or official bank check. If the subscription rights represented hereby shall not be exercised at or before 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the Expiration Date, this Purchase Warrant shall become and be void without further force or effect, and all rights represented hereby shall cease and expire.
1.2 Cashless Exercise. If at any time after one hundred eighty (180) days after the Commencement Date there is no effective registration statement registering or no current prospectus available for the resale of the Shares by the Holder, then in lieu of exercising this Purchase Warrant by payment of cash or check payable to the order of the Company pursuant to Section 1.1 above, Holder may elect to receive the number of Shares equal to the value of this Purchase Warrant (or the portion thereof being exercised), by surrender of this Purchase Warrant to the Company, together with the exercise form attached hereto, in which event the Company shall issue to Holder, Shares in accordance with the following formula:
|
X = |
Y(A-B) |
|
A |
Where,
X = The number of Shares to be issued to Holder;
Y = The number of Shares for which the Purchase Warrant is being exercised;
A = The fair market value of one Share; and
B = The Exercise Price.
For purposes of this Section 1.2, the fair market value of a Share is defined as follows:
(i) if the Company’s Common Stock is traded on a securities exchange, the fair market value shall be deemed to be the closing price on such exchange on the Trading Day (as defined below) immediately prior to the date the exercise form is submitted to the Company in connection with the exercise of the Purchase Warrant; or
(ii) if the Company’s Common Stock is actively traded over-the-counter, the fair market value shall be deemed to be the closing bid price on the Trading Day immediately prior to the date the exercise form is submitted to the Company in connection with the exercise of the Purchase Warrant; or
(iii) if there is no active public market, the value shall be the fair market value thereof, as determined in good faith by the Company’s Board of Directors.
As used herein and below, “Trading Day” means a day on which the principal Trading Market or if applicable, the OTCQB or OTCQX Markets operated by OTC Markets Group, Inc., or any similar over the counter market is open for trading; and “Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the New York Stock Exchange or any successors to any of the foregoing.
1.3 Legend. Each certificate for the securities purchased under this Purchase Warrant shall bear a legend substantially in the form as follows unless such securities have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”):
“The securities represented by this certificate have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or applicable state law. Neither the securities nor any interest therein may be offered for sale, sold or otherwise transferred except pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, or pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act and applicable state law which, in the opinion of counsel to the Company, is available.”
1.4 No Obligation to Net Cash Settle. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Purchase Warrant, in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the exercise of the Purchase Warrant. The holder of the Purchase Warrant will not be entitled to exercise the purchase option unless it exercises such Purchase Warrant pursuant to the cashless exercise right or a registration statement is effective, or an exemption from the registration requirements is available at such time and, if the Holder is not able to exercise the Purchase Warrant, the Purchase Warrant will expire worthless.
1.5 Mechanics of Exercise.
(i) Delivery of Shares Upon Exercise. The Company shall cause the Shares purchased hereunder to be transmitted by Securities Transfer Corporation (the “Transfer Agent”) to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system (“DWAC”) if the Company is then a participant in such system and either (A) there is an effective registration statement permitting the issuance of the Shares to or resale of the Shares by the Holder or (B) the Shares are eligible for resale by the Holder without volume or manner-of-sale limitations pursuant to Rule 144 (assuming cashless exercise of the Purchase Warrants), and otherwise by physical delivery of a certificate, registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the address specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise by the date that is the earliest of (i) two (2) Trading Days after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise, provided that payment of the aggregate Exercise Price (other than in the instance of a cashless exercise) is received by the Company by such date, (ii) one (1) Trading Day after delivery of the aggregate Exercise Price to the Company and (iii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period (as defined below) after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise (such date, the “Warrant Share Delivery Date”). Upon delivery of the Notice of Exercise, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record of the Shares with respect to which this Purchase Warrant has been exercised, irrespective of the date of delivery of the Shares, provided that payment of the aggregate Exercise Price (other than in the case of a cashless exercise) is received within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period following delivery of the Notice of Exercise. The Company agrees to maintain a transfer agent that is a participant in the FAST program so long as this Purchase Warrant remains outstanding and exercisable. As used herein, “Standard Settlement Period” means the standard settlement period, expressed in a number of Trading Days, on the Company’s primary Trading Market with respect to the Common Stock as in effect on the date of delivery of the Notice of Exercise.
(ii) Delivery of New Warrants Upon Exercise. If this Purchase Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the request of a Holder and upon surrender of this Purchase Warrant certificate, at the time of delivery of the Shares, deliver to the Holder a new Purchase Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder to purchase the unpurchased Shares called for by this Purchase Warrant, which new Purchase Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with this Purchase Warrant.
(iii) Rescission Rights. If the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder the Shares pursuant to Section 1.5(i) hereof by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise.
(iv) Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Shares Upon Exercise. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder the Shares in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(d)(i) above pursuant to an exercise on or before the Warrant Share Delivery Date (other than any such failure that is solely due to any action or inaction by the Holder with respect to such exercise), and if after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Shares which the Holder 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 Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of 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 Purchase Warrant and equivalent number of 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 shares of Common Stock that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder purchases Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of shares of Common Stock 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. 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 a Holder’s right 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 shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.
(v) No Fractional Shares or Scrip. No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this Purchase Warrant. As to any fraction of a share which the Holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such exercise, the Company shall, at its election, either pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Exercise Price or round up to the next whole share.
(vi) Charges, Taxes and Expenses. Issuance of Shares shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in respect of the issuance of such Shares, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company, and such Shares shall be issued in the name of the Holder or in such name or names as may be directed by the Holder; provided, however, that in the event that Shares are to be issued in a name other than the name of the Holder, this Purchase Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be accompanied by the assignment form attached hereto (the “Assignment Form”) duly executed by the Holder and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto. The Company shall pay all Transfer Agent fees required for same-day processing of any Notice of Exercise.
(vii) Closing of Books. The Company will not close its stockholder books or records in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this Purchase Warrant, pursuant to the terms hereof.
1.6 Holder’s Exercise Limitations. The Company shall not effect any exercise of this Purchase Warrant, and a Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Purchase Warrant, pursuant to Section 1 hereof or otherwise, to the extent that after giving effect to such issuance after exercise as set forth on the applicable Notice of Exercise, the Holder (together with the Holder’s Affiliates (as defined below), and any other Persons (as defined below) acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the Holder’s Affiliates (such Persons, “Attribution Parties”)), would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below). For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Holder and its Affiliates and Attribution Parties shall include the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of shares of Common Stock which would be issuable upon (i) exercise of the remaining, nonexercised portion of this Purchase Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties and (ii) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or nonconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any other Common Stock Equivalents (as defined below)) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 1.6, 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 the Company is not representing to the Holder that such calculation is in compliance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the Holder is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith. To the extent that the limitation contained in this Section 1.6 applies, the determination of whether this Purchase Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Purchase Warrant is exercisable shall be in the sole discretion of the Holder, and the submission of a Notice of Exercise shall be deemed to be the Holder’s determination of whether this Purchase Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Purchase Warrant is exercisable, in each case subject to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the Company shall have no obligation to verify or confirm the accuracy of such determination. 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 1.6, in determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, a Holder 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 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “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 Transfer Agent setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. Upon the written or oral request of a Holder, the Company shall within one Trading Day confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Purchase Warrant, by the Holder or its Affiliates or Attribution Parties since the date as of which such number of outstanding shares of Common Stock was reported. The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be [4.99/9.99]% of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant. The Holder, upon notice to the Company, may increase or decrease the Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this Section 1.6, provided that the Beneficial Ownership Limitation in no event exceeds 9.99% of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant held by the Holder and the provisions of this Section 1.6 shall continue to apply. Any increase in the Beneficial Ownership Limitation will not be effective until the 61st day after such notice is delivered to the Company. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 1.6 to correct this paragraph (or any portion hereof) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended Beneficial Ownership Limitation herein contained or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitations contained in this paragraph shall apply to a successor holder of this Purchase Warrant. As used herein, “Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act; “Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.
2. Transfer.
2.1 General Restrictions. The registered Holder of this Purchase Warrant agrees by his, her or its acceptance hereof, that such Holder will not: (a) sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate this Purchase Warrant for a period of one year following the Commencement Date to anyone other than: (i) Alexander Capital, L.P. (“Alexander Capital”) or another underwriter or a selected dealer participating in the Offering, or (ii) a bona fide officer or partner of Alexander Capital or of any such underwriter or selected dealer, in each case in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1), or (b) cause this Purchase Warrant or the securities issuable hereunder to be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of this Purchase Warrant or the securities hereunder, except as provided for in FINRA Rule 5110(e)(2). On and or after the Commencement Date, or the date on which this Purchase Warrant was initially issued by the Company, as applicable, transfers of the Purchase Warrant and/or the underlying Shares to others may be made subject to compliance with or exemptions from applicable securities laws, including Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act. In order to make any permitted assignment, the Holder must deliver to the Company the Assignment Form duly executed and completed, together with this Purchase Warrant and payment of all transfer taxes, if any, payable in connection therewith. The Company shall within five (5) Business Days transfer this Purchase Warrant on the books of the Company and shall execute and deliver a new purchase warrants or purchase warrants of like tenor to the appropriate assignee(s) expressly evidencing the right to purchase the aggregate number of Shares purchasable hereunder or such portion of such number as shall be contemplated by any such assignment.
2.2 Restrictions Imposed by the Securities Act. The securities evidenced by this Purchase Warrant shall not be transferred unless and until: (i) the Company has received the opinion of counsel for the Holder that the securities may be transferred pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, the availability of which is established to the reasonable satisfaction of the Company (the Company hereby agreeing that the opinion of Sullivan & Worcester LLP shall be deemed satisfactory evidence of the availability of an exemption), or (ii) a registration statement or a post-effective amendment to such registration statement relating to the offer and sale of such securities has been filed by the Company and declared effective by the Commission and compliance with applicable state securities law has been established.
3. Registration Rights.
3.1 “Piggy-Back” Registration.
3.1.1 Grant of Right. The Holder, along with the holders of all of the other Representative’s Warrants (as such term is defined in the Underwriting Agreement) shall have the right, for a period of no more than seven (7) years after the Commencement Date in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8)(D), to include any portion of the Shares underlying this Purchase Warrant and the shares of Common Stock underlying all of the other Representative’s Warrants (collectively, the “Registrable Securities”) as part of any other registration of securities filed by the Company (other than in connection with a transaction contemplated by Rule 145(a) promulgated under the Securities Act or pursuant to Form S-8 or any equivalent form); provided, however, that if, solely in connection with any primary underwritten public offering for the account of the Company, the managing underwriter(s) thereof shall, in its reasonable discretion, impose a limitation on the number of shares of Common Stock which may be included in the registration statement because, in such underwriter(s)’ judgment, marketing or other factors dictate such limitation is necessary to facilitate public distribution, then the Company shall be obligated to include in such registration statement only such limited portion of the Registrable Securities with respect to which the Holder and the holders of the other Representative’s Warrants have requested inclusion thereunder as the underwriter shall reasonably permit. Any exclusion of Registrable Securities shall be made pro rata among the Holder and the holders of the other Representative’s Warrants seeking to include Registrable Securities in proportion to the number of Registrable Securities sought to be included by the holder and the holders of the other Representative’s Warrants; provided, however, that the Company shall not exclude any Registrable Securities unless the Company has first excluded all outstanding securities, the holders of which are not entitled to inclusion of such securities in such registration statement or are not entitled to pro rata inclusion with the Registrable Securities.
3.1.2 Terms. The Company shall bear all fees and expenses attendant to registering the Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 3.1.1 hereof, but the Holder and the holders of the other Representative’s Warrants shall pay any and all underwriting commissions and the expenses of any legal counsel selected by the Holder and the holders of the other Representative Warrants to represent them in connection with the sale of the Registrable Securities. In the event of such a proposed registration, the Company shall furnish the then holders of outstanding Registrable Securities with not less than thirty (30) days written notice prior to the proposed date of filing of such registration statement. Such notice to such holders shall continue to be given for each registration statement filed by the Company until such time as all of the Registrable Securities have been sold by the Holder and the holders of the other Representative Warrants. The holders of the Registrable Securities shall exercise the “piggy-back” rights provided for herein by giving written notice within ten (10) days of the receipt of the Company’s notice of its intention to file a registration statement. Except as otherwise provided in this Purchase Warrant, there shall be no limit on the number of times the Holder may request registration under this Section 3.1.2; provided, however, that such registration rights shall terminate upon on the seventh anniversary of the Commencement Date.
3.2 General Terms.
3.2.1 Indemnification. The Company shall indemnify the Holder(s) of the Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to any registration statement hereunder and each person, if any, who controls such Holders within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act, against all loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (including all reasonable attorneys’ fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any claim whatsoever) to which any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, arising from such registration statement but only to the same extent and with the same effect as the provisions pursuant to which the Company has agreed to indemnify the Underwriters contained in Section 5.1 of the Underwriting Agreement between the Underwriters and the Company, dated as of [______], 2021. The Holder(s) of the Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to such registration statement, and their successors and assigns, shall severally, and not jointly, indemnify the Company and its affiliates, against all loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (including all reasonable attorneys’ fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any claim whatsoever) to which they may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, arising from information furnished by or on behalf of such Holders, or their successors or assigns, in writing, for specific inclusion in such registration statement to the same extent and with the same effect as the provisions contained in Section 5.2 of the Underwriting Agreement pursuant to which the Underwriters have agreed to indemnify the Company.
3.2.2 Exercise of Purchase Warrant. Nothing contained in this Purchase Warrant shall be construed as requiring the Holder to exercise this Purchase Warrant prior to or after the initial filing of any registration statement or the effectiveness thereof.
3.2.3 Documents Delivered to Holders. The Company shall furnish to each Holder participating in any underwritten offerings and to each underwriter of any such offering, a signed counterpart, addressed to such Holder and underwriter, of: (i) an opinion of counsel to the Company, dated the effective date of such registration statement (and an opinion dated the date of the closing under any underwriting agreement related thereto), and (ii) a “cold comfort” letter dated the effective date of such registration statement (and a letter dated the date of the closing under the underwriting agreement) signed by the independent registered public accounting firm which has issued a report on the Company’s financial statements included in such registration statement, in each case covering substantially the same matters with respect to such registration statement (and the prospectus included therein) and, in the case of such accountants’ letter, with respect to events subsequent to the date of such financial statements, as are customarily covered in opinions of issuer’s counsel and in accountants’ letters delivered to underwriters in underwritten public offerings of securities. The Company shall also deliver promptly to each Holder participating in the underwritten offering requesting the correspondence and memoranda described below and to the managing underwriter copies of all correspondence between the Commission and the Company, its counsel or auditors and all memoranda relating to discussions with the Commission or its staff with respect to the registration statement and permit each Holder and underwriter to do such investigation, upon reasonable advance notice, with respect to information contained in or omitted from the registration statement as it deems reasonably necessary to comply with applicable securities laws or rules of FINRA. Such investigation shall include access to books, records and properties and opportunities to discuss the business of the Company with its officers and independent auditors, all to such reasonable extent and at such reasonable times as any such Holder shall reasonably request.
3.2.4 Underwriting Agreement. In the event the Company shall enter into an underwriting agreement with any managing underwriter(s), if any, selected by the Company with respect to the Registrable Securities that are being registered pursuant to this Section 3, which managing underwriter shall be reasonably satisfactory to the holders of at least 51% of the Registerable Securities, such agreement shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Company and such managing underwriters, and shall contain such representations, warranties and covenants by the Company and such other terms as are customarily contained in agreements of that type used by the managing underwriter. The Holders shall be parties to any underwriting agreement relating to an underwritten sale of their Registrable Securities and may, at their option, require that any or all the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company to or for the benefit of such underwriters shall also be made to and for the benefit of such Holders. Such Holders shall not be required to make any representations or warranties to or agreements with the Company or the underwriters except as they may relate to such Holders, their Shares and their intended methods of distribution.
3.2.5 Documents to be Delivered by Holder(s). Each of the Holder(s) participating in any of the foregoing offerings shall furnish to the Company a completed and executed questionnaire provided by the Company requesting information customarily sought of selling security holders.
3.2.6 Damages. Should the registration or the effectiveness thereof required by Section 3.1 hereof be delayed by the Company or the Company otherwise fails to comply with such provisions, the Holder(s) shall, in addition to any other legal or other relief available to the Holder(s), be entitled to seek specific performance or other equitable (including injunctive) relief against the threatened breach of such provisions or the continuation of any such breach, without the necessity of proving actual damages and without the necessity of posting bond or other security.
4. New Purchase Warrants to be Issued.
4.1 Partial Exercise or Transfer. Subject to the restrictions in Section 2 hereof, this Purchase Warrant may be exercised or assigned in whole or in part. In the event of the exercise or assignment hereof in part only, upon surrender of this Purchase Warrant for cancellation, together with the duly executed exercise or assignment form and funds sufficient to pay any Exercise Price and/or transfer tax if exercised pursuant to Section 1.1 hereof, the Company shall cause to be delivered to the Holder without charge a new Purchase Warrant of like tenor to this Purchase Warrant in the name of the Holder evidencing the right of the Holder to purchase the number of Shares purchasable hereunder as to which this Purchase Warrant has not been exercised or assigned.
4.2 Lost Certificate. Upon receipt by the Company of evidence satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Purchase Warrant and of reasonably satisfactory indemnification or the posting of a bond, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Purchase Warrant of like tenor and date. Any such new Purchase Warrant executed and delivered as a result of such loss, theft, mutilation or destruction shall constitute a substitute contractual obligation on the part of the Company.
5. Adjustments.
5.1 Adjustments to Exercise Price and Number of Securities. The Exercise Price and the number of Shares underlying this Purchase Warrant shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as hereinafter set forth:
5.1.1 Share Dividends; Stock Splits. If, after the date hereof, and subject to the provisions of Section 5.3 below, the number of outstanding Shares is increased by a stock dividend payable in Shares or by a stock split of shares of Common Stock or other capital stock of the Company, or other similar event, then, on the effective day thereof, the number of Shares purchasable hereunder shall be increased in proportion to such increase in outstanding shares, and the Exercise Price shall be proportionately decreased.
5.1.2 Aggregation of Shares. If, after the date hereof, and subject to the provisions of Section 5.3 below, the number of outstanding Shares is decreased by a consolidation, combination or reclassification of shares of Common Stock or other capital stock of the Company, or other similar event, then, on the effective date thereof, the number of Shares purchasable hereunder shall be decreased in proportion to such decrease in outstanding shares, and the Exercise Price shall be proportionately increased.
5.1.3 Replacement of Securities upon Reorganization, etc. In case of any reclassification or reorganization of the outstanding shares of Common Stock or other capital stock of the Company, other than a change covered by Section 5.1.1 or 5.1.2 hereof or that solely affects the par value of such Shares, or in the case of any share reconstruction or amalgamation or consolidation of the Company with or into another corporation or other entity (other than a consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation in which the Company is the continuing corporation and that does not result in any reclassification or reorganization of the Company’s outstanding shares), or in the case of any sale or conveyance to another corporation or entity of the property of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety in connection with which the Company is dissolved, the Holder of this Purchase Warrant shall have the right thereafter (until the expiration of the right of exercise of this Purchase Warrant) to receive upon the exercise hereof, for the same aggregate Exercise Price payable hereunder immediately prior to such event, the kind and amount of shares of stock or other securities or property (including cash) receivable upon such reclassification, reorganization, share reconstruction or amalgamation, or consolidation, or upon a dissolution following any such sale or transfer, by a Holder of the number of Shares of the Company obtainable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant immediately prior to such event; and if any reclassification also results in a change in Shares covered by Section 5.1.1 or 5.1.2 hereof, then such adjustment shall be made pursuant to Sections 5.1.1, 5.1.2 hereof and this Section 5.1.3. The provisions of this Section 5.1.3 shall similarly apply to successive reclassifications, reorganizations, share reconstructions or amalgamations, or consolidations, sales or other transfers.
5.1.4 Changes in Form of Purchase Warrant. This form of Purchase Warrant need not be changed because of any change pursuant to this Section 5.1, and Purchase Warrants issued after such change may state the same Exercise Price and the same number of Shares as are stated in the Purchase Warrants initially issued to the Holder. The acceptance by any Holder of the issuance of new Purchase Warrants reflecting a required or permissive change shall not be deemed to waive any rights to an adjustment occurring after the Commencement Date or the computation thereof.
5.2 Substitute Purchase Warrant. In case of any consolidation of the Company with, or share reconstruction or amalgamation of the Company with or into, another corporation or other entity (other than a consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation which does not result in any reclassification or change of the outstanding Shares), the corporation or other entity formed by such consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation shall execute and deliver to the Holder a supplemental Purchase Warrant providing that the holder of each Purchase Warrant then outstanding or to be outstanding shall have the right thereafter (until the stated expiration of such Purchase Warrant) to receive, upon exercise of such Purchase Warrant, the kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities and property receivable upon such consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation, by a holder of the number of Shares of the Company for which such Purchase Warrant might have been exercised immediately prior to such consolidation, share reconstruction or amalgamation, sale or transfer. Such supplemental Purchase Warrant shall provide for adjustments which shall be identical to the adjustments provided for in this Section 5. The above provision of this Section 5.2 shall similarly apply to successive consolidations or share reconstructions or amalgamations.
5.3 Elimination of Fractional Interests. The Company shall not be required to issue certificates representing fractions of Shares upon the exercise of this Purchase Warrant, nor shall it be required to issue scrip or pay cash in lieu of any fractional interests, it being the intent of the parties that all fractional interests shall be eliminated by rounding any fraction up or down, as the case may be, to the nearest whole number of Shares or other securities, properties or rights.
6. Reservation and Listing. The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized Shares, solely for the purpose of issuance upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant, such number of Shares or other securities, properties or rights as shall be issuable upon the exercise thereof. The Company covenants and agrees that, upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant and payment of the Exercise Price therefor, in accordance with the terms hereby, all Shares and other securities issuable upon such exercise shall be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and not subject to preemptive rights of any stockholder. As long as this Purchase Warrant shall be outstanding, the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause all Shares issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant to be listed (subject to official notice of issuance) on all national securities exchanges (or, if applicable, on the OTC Bulletin Board or any successor trading market) on which the shares of Common Stock issued to the public in the Offering may then be listed and/or quoted.
7. Certain Notice Requirements.
7.1 Holder’s Right to Receive Notice. Nothing herein shall be construed as conferring upon the Holders the right to vote or consent or to receive notice as a stockholder for the election of directors or any other matter, or as having any rights whatsoever as a stockholder of the Company. If, however, at any time prior to the expiration of this Purchase Warrant and their exercise, any of the events described in Section 7.2 below shall occur, then, in one or more of said events, the Company shall give written notice of such event at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date fixed as a record date or the date of closing the transfer books for the determination of the stockholders entitled to such dividend, distribution, conversion or exchange of securities or subscription rights, or entitled to vote on such proposed dissolution, liquidation, winding up or sale. Such notice shall specify such record date or the date of the closing of the transfer books, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall deliver to each Holder a copy of each notice given to the other stockholders of the Company at the same time and in the same manner that such notice is given to the stockholders.
7.2 Events Requiring Notice. The Company shall be required to give the notice described in this Section 7 upon one or more of the following events: (i) if the Company shall take a record of the holders of its shares of Common Stock for the purpose of entitling them to receive a dividend or distribution payable otherwise than in cash, or a cash dividend or distribution payable otherwise than out of retained earnings, as indicated by the accounting treatment of such dividend or distribution on the books of the Company, (ii) the Company shall offer to all the holders of its shares of Common Stock any additional shares of capital stock of the Company or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company, or any option, right or warrant to subscribe therefor, or (iii) a dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Company (other than in connection with a consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation) or a sale of all or substantially all of its property, assets and business shall be proposed.
7.3 Notice of Change in Exercise Price. The Company shall, promptly after an event requiring a change in the Exercise Price pursuant to Section 5 hereof, send notice to the Holders of such event and change (“Price Notice”). The Price Notice shall describe the event causing the change and the method of calculating same and shall be certified as being true and accurate by the Company’s Chief Financial Officer.
7.4 Transmittal of Notices. All notices, requests, consents and other communications under this Purchase Warrant shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly made when hand delivered, or mailed by express mail or private courier service: (i) if to the registered Holder of this Purchase Warrant, to the address of such Holder as shown on the books of the Company, or (ii) if to the Company, to following address or to such other address as the Company may designate by notice to the Holders:
If to the Holder:
Alexander Capital, L.P.
17 State Street, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Attention: Jonathan Gazdak, Managing Director
Email: jgazdak@alexandercapitallp.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Sullivan & Worcester LLP
1633 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
Attn: David E. Danovitch, Esq.
Email: ddanovitch@sullivanlaw.com
If to the Company:
Blackboxstocks Inc.
5430 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1485
Dallas, Texas 75240
Attention: Gust Kepler, President and Chief Executive Officer
Email: gust@blackboxstocks.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Winstead PC
2728 N. Harwood Street, Suite 500
Dallas, Texas 75201
Attention: Jeffrey M. McPhaul, Esq.
Email: jmcphaul@winstead.com
8. Miscellaneous.
8.1 Amendments. The Company and Alexander Capital may from time to time supplement or amend this Purchase Warrant without the approval of any of the Holders in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision contained herein that may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, or to make any other provisions in regard to matters or questions arising hereunder that the Company and Alexander Capital may deem necessary or desirable and that the Company and Alexander Capital deem shall not adversely affect the interest of the Holders. All other modifications or amendments shall require the written consent of and be signed by the party against whom enforcement of the modification or amendment is sought.
8.2 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 Purchase Warrant.
8.3 Entire Agreement. This Purchase Warrant (together with the Underwriting Agreement and the other agreements and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Purchase Warrant and the Offering) constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
8.4 Binding Effect. This Purchase Warrant shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon, the Holder and the Company and their permitted assignees, respective successors, legal representative 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 Purchase Warrant or any provisions herein contained.
8.5 Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Trial by Jury. This Purchase Warrant 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 Purchase Warrant 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 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 7 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 and the Holder agree 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 the Holder hereby irrevocably waive, 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.
8.6 Waiver, etc. The failure of the Company or the Holder to at any time enforce any of the provisions of this Purchase Warrant shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way affect the validity of this Purchase Warrant or any provision hereof or the right of the Company or any Holder to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Purchase Warrant. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Purchase Warrant 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.
8.7 Execution in Counterparts. This Purchase Warrant 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. Such counterparts may be delivered by facsimile transmission or other electronic transmission.
[Signature Page Follows]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Purchase Warrant to be signed by its duly authorized officer as of the ______ day of ________________, 2021.
|
|
BLACKBOXSTOCKS INC. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By: |
|
|
|
|
|
Name: Gust Kepler |
|
|
|
|
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer |
|
[Form to be used to exercise Purchase Warrant]
Date: _______________, 20___
The undersigned hereby elects irrevocably to exercise the Purchase Warrant for shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Shares”), of Blackboxstocks Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and hereby makes payment of $ (at the rate of $[●] per Share) in payment of the Exercise Price pursuant thereto. Please issue the Shares as to which this Purchase Warrant is exercised in accordance with the instructions given below and, if applicable, a new Purchase Warrant representing the number of Shares for which this Purchase Warrant has not been exercised.
or
The undersigned hereby elects irrevocably to convert its right to purchase ___ Shares of the Company under the Purchase Warrant for ______ Shares, as determined in accordance with the following formula:
|
X = |
Y(A-B) |
|
A |
Where,
X = The number of Shares to be issued to Holder;
Y = The number of Shares for which the Purchase Warrant is being exercised;
A = The fair market value of one Share which is equal to $_____; and
B = The Exercise Price which is equal to $______ per share
The undersigned agrees and acknowledges that the calculation set forth above is subject to confirmation by the Company and any disagreement with respect to the calculation shall be resolved by the Company in its sole discretion.
Please issue the Shares as to which this Purchase Warrant is exercised in accordance with the instructions given below and, if applicable, a new Purchase Warrant representing the number of Shares for which this Purchase Warrant has not been exercised.
Signature
Signature Guaranteed
[Form to be used to assign Purchase Warrant]
ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered Holder to effect a transfer of the within Purchase Warrant):
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, __________________ does hereby sell, assign and transfer unto
|
Name: |
||
|
(Please Print) |
||
|
Address: |
||
|
(Please Print) |
||
|
Phone Number: |
||
|
Email Address: |
the right to purchase shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of Blackboxstocks Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), evidenced by the Purchase Warrant and does hereby authorize the Company to transfer such right to _________ on the books of the Company.
Dated: __________, 20__
Signature
Signature Guaranteed
NOTICE: The signature to this form must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the within Purchase Warrant without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever, and must be guaranteed by a bank, other than a savings bank, or by a trust company or by a firm having membership on a registered national securities exchange.
Exhibit 5.1
|
500 Winstead Building 2728 N. Harwood Street Dallas, Texas 75201 |
214.745.5400 office 214.745.5390 fax winstead.com |
November 5, 2021
Blackboxstocks, Inc.
5430 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1485
Dallas, Texas 75240
Re: Registration Statement on Form S-1
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as legal counsel to Blackboxstocks, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the registration statement on Form S-1 filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on November 5, 2021 (File No. 333-260065), as amended (the “Registration Statement”), under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Registration Statement relates to the registration of 1,645,208 shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share, (the “Shares”) (including 214,592 shares subject to the underwriters’ over-allotment option described in the Registration Statement). We understand that the Shares are proposed to be sold pursuant to an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) to be entered into between the Company and Alexander Capital, LP, as the representative of the underwriters named therein.
In connection with rendering the opinion set forth below, we have examined and relied upon originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of instruments, documents, and records which we deemed relevant and necessary for the purpose of rendering our opinion set forth below. In such examination, we have assumed the following: (a) the authenticity of original documents and the genuineness of all signatures, (b) the conformity to the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies, (c) the representations of officers and employees are correct as to questions of fact, (d) the Registration Statement has been declared effective pursuant to the Securities Act and (e) a pricing committee of the board of directors will have taken action necessary to set the sale price of the Shares.
Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares to be issued and sold by the Company have been duly authorized and, when such Shares are issued and paid for in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
Our opinion is limited to the federal laws of the United States and Chapter 78 of the Nevada Revised Statutes. The opinion expressed herein is given as of this date, and we do not undertake to supplement this opinion with respect to any events or changes occurring subsequent to the date hereof.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, and we further consent to the use of our name under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement and the prospectus that forms a part thereof. In giving these consents, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
|
|
Very truly yours, |
|
|
| /s/ Winstead PC | |||
Exhibit 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the use of our report dated March 31, 2021, in the Registration Statement (No. 333-260065) on Form S-1 and related Prospectus of Blackboxstocks Inc. dated November 5, 2021.
We also consent to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement.
/s/ Turner, Stone & Company, L.L.P.
Dallas, Texas
November 5, 2021
|
Turner, Stone & Company, L.L.P. Accountants and Consultants
12700 Park Central Drive, Suite 1400 Dallas, Texas 75251 Telephone: 972-239-1660 ⁄ Facsimile: 972-239-1665 Toll Free: 877-853-4195 Web site: turnerstone.com |
 |