Energy Focus, Inc S-3, filed Jun 12, 2023
Energy Focus, Inc (EFOI)
S-3
2023-06-12
View Original
Added on
October 25, 2026
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 12, 2023
Registration No. 333-_____
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
ENERGY FOCUS, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 94-3021850 | |||||||||||||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) | |||||||||||||
32000 Aurora Road, Suite B
Solon, Ohio 44139
(440) 715-1300
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
James R. Warren
Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Energy Focus, Inc.
32000 Aurora Road, Suite B
Solon, Ohio 44139
(440) 715-1300
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
With a copy to:
Michael J. Solecki
Jones Day
North Point
901 Lakeside Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44114-1190
Office: (216) 586-7103
Fax: (216) 579-0212
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box: ¨
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box: x
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 registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box: ¨
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box: ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
Large accelerated filer ☐ | Accelerated filer ☐ | |||||||
| Non-accelerated filer ☐ | Smaller reporting company x | |||||||
| Emerging growth company ☐ | ||||||||
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Exchange Act. ¨
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information 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 it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted. | ||
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED JUNE 12, 2023
PROSPECTUS
ENERGY FOCUS, INC.
8,893,164 Shares of Common Stock
Pursuant to this prospectus, the selling stockholders identified herein are offering on a resale basis an aggregate of 8,893,164 issued and outstanding shares of our common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, or common stock. The outstanding shares of common stock were issued to the selling stockholders in connection with private placements we completed on January 5, 2023, January 10, 2023, January 20, 2023, February 24, 2023, March 28, 2023 and March 30, 2023, or, collectively, the Private Placements. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale by the selling stockholders of the common stock.
The selling stockholders may sell or otherwise dispose of the common stock covered by this prospectus in a number of different ways and at varying prices. We provide more information about how the selling stockholders may sell or otherwise dispose of the common stock covered by this prospectus in the section entitled “Plan of Distribution” on page 15. Discounts, concessions, commissions and similar selling expenses attributable to the sale of common stock covered by this prospectus will be borne by the selling stockholders. We will pay all expenses (other than discounts, concessions, commissions and similar selling expenses) relating to the registration of the common stock with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC.
You should carefully read this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement, together with the documents we incorporate by reference, before you invest in our common stock.
Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “EFOI.” On June 9, 2023, the last reported sale price for our common stock was $0.39 per share.
Investing in our common stock involves substantial risk. Please read “Risk Factors” beginning on page 3 of this prospectus and any risk factors described in any applicable prospectus supplement and in the documents we incorporate by reference.
Neither the SEC nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is .
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Page | ||||||||
| ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS ............................................................................................................. | ||||||||
| SUMMARY .......................................................................................................................................... | ||||||||
| RISK FACTORS .................................................................................................................................. | ||||||||
| SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ...................................... | ||||||||
| USE OF PROCEEDS ........................................................................................................................... | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK .............................................................................................. | ||||||||
| PRIVATE PLACEMENTS OF SHARES OF COMMON STOCK ................................................................................................................................................. | ||||||||
| SELLING STOCKHOLDERS ............................................................................................................. | ||||||||
| PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION ................................................................................................................. | ||||||||
| LEGAL MATTERS .............................................................................................................................. | ||||||||
| EXPERTS ............................................................................................................................................. | ||||||||
| WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ......................................................................... | ||||||||
| INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE .................................................................... | ||||||||
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is a part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, the selling stockholders may sell the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. A prospectus supplement may add to, update or change the information contained in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, together with the information incorporated herein by reference as described under the heading “Information Incorporated by Reference.”
You should rely only on the information that we have provided or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement. We have not authorized, nor has any selling stockholder authorized, any dealer, salesman or other person to give any information or to make any representation other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement. You should not rely upon any information or representation not contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or the accompanying prospectus supplement. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you.
This prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement do not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the registered securities to which they relate, nor do this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement is accurate on any date subsequent to the date set forth on the front of the document or that any information we have incorporated by reference is correct on any date subsequent to the date of the document incorporated by reference, even though this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement is delivered or securities are sold on a later date.
Unless the context otherwise requires, all references to “Energy Focus,” “we,” “us,” “our,” “our company,” or “the Company” in this prospectus refer to Energy Focus, Inc.
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SUMMARY
This summary highlights certain information appearing elsewhere in this prospectus and in the documents we incorporate by reference into this prospectus. The summary is not complete and does not contain all of the information that you should consider before investing in our common stock. After you read this summary, you should read and consider carefully the entire prospectus and any prospectus supplement and the more detailed information and financial statements and related notes that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any prospectus supplement. If you invest in our shares, you are assuming a high degree of risk.
Our Company and Business
Energy Focus, Inc. engages primarily in the design, development, manufacturing, marketing and sale of energy-efficient lighting systems and controls. We develop, market and sell high quality light-emitting diode, or LED, lighting and controls products in the commercial market and military maritime market, or MMM, and began to expand our offerings into the consumer market in the fourth quarter of 2021. Our mission is to enable our customers to run their facilities, offices with greater energy efficiency, productivity, and human health and wellness through advanced LED retrofit solutions. Our goal is to be the human wellness lighting and LED technology and market leader for the most demanding applications where performance, quality, value, environmental impact and health are considered paramount. We specialize in LED lighting retrofit by replacing fluorescent, high-intensity discharge lighting and other types of lamps in institutional buildings for primarily indoor lighting applications with our innovative, high-quality commercial and military-grade tubular LED, or TLED, products, as well as other LED and lighting control products for commercial and consumer applications. We are also evaluating adjacent technologies, including Gallium Nitride, or GaN, based power supplies and additional market opportunities for energy solution products that support sustainability in our existing channels.
The Company was founded in 1985 as Fiberstars, Inc., a California corporation, and reincorporated in Delaware in November 2006. In May 2007, Fiberstars, Inc. merged with and became Energy Focus, Inc., also a Delaware corporation. Our principal executive offices are located at 32000 Aurora Road, Suite B, Solon, Ohio 44139. Our telephone number is (440) 715-1300. Our website address is www.energyfocus.com. Information on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not part of this prospectus, other than the documents that we file with the SEC that are specifically incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
Private Placements
On January 17, 2023, the Company entered into a securities purchase agreement, or the Sander Purchase Agreement, with certain of the selling stockholders associated with Sander Electronics, Inc., or Sander Electronics, pursuant to which the Company agreed to issue and sell in a private placement an aggregate of 5,446,252 shares of our common stock. The issuance and sale of the shares of our common stock pursuant to the Sander Purchase Agreement closed on January 20, 2023. Mr. Chiao Chieh (Jay) Huang, one of the selling stockholders, was appointed to the Company’s board of directors as a condition of the Sander Purchase Agreement.
Further, on January 17, 2023, the Company entered into exchange agreements, or the Huang Exchange Agreements, with Ms. Mei Yun (Gina) Huang, a selling stockholder and member of our board of directors, to exchange the approximately $817,000 aggregate outstanding amounts of two short-term promissory notes that the Company previously sold and issued to Ms. Huang on September 16, 2022 and November 9, 2022, respectively, for an aggregate of 1,451,597 shares of common stock. The exchanges pursuant to the Huang Exchange Agreements closed on January 20, 2023.
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Additionally, during the first quarter of 2023, the Company entered into securities purchase agreements, or the First Quarter Private Placement Agreements, with Ms. Huang and Mr. Huang, who are members of the Company’s board of directors and two of the selling stockholders, pursuant to which the Company agreed to sell, in private placements, shares of the Company’s common stock priced at fair market value. The table below sets forth the price, amounts and shares sold pursuant to the First Quarter Private Placement Agreements:
| Director | Date | $ Amount | No. of Shares | ||||||||||||||
| Mei Yun (Gina) Huang | January 5, 2023 | $100,000 | 257,798 | ||||||||||||||
| January 10, 2023 | $150,000 | 325,803 | |||||||||||||||
| February 24, 2023 | $400,000 | 803,212 | |||||||||||||||
| March 30, 2023 | $250,000 | 500,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Chiao Chieh (Jay) Huang | March 28, 2023 | $55,000 | 108,502 | ||||||||||||||
| Total | $955,000 | 1,995,315 | |||||||||||||||
The Sander Purchase Agreement, the Huang Exchange Agreements and the First Quarter Private Placement Agreements are collectively referred to as the Purchase Agreements.
The issuance and sale of the shares of common stock pursuant to the Purchase Agreements were not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and were made pursuant to certain exemptions from registration, including Sections 3(a)(9) and 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and Regulation D promulgated thereunder as applicable.
In connection with the Sander Purchase Agreement, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement, or the Registration Rights Agreement, with certain of the selling stockholders. Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company agreed to file a registration statement on Form S-3 for the resale by such selling stockholders of the outstanding shares of common stock that were issued pursuant to the Sander Purchase Agreement and any securities issued or then issuable in respect of any such shares of common stock, by February 16, 2023. The Company and holders of a majority of the registrable securities subject to the Registration Rights Agreement mutually agreed to extend this filing deadline until June 16, 2023.
We are filing the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, among other reasons, to satisfy our obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement.
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RISK FACTORS
Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider and evaluate the risk factors included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q that we file with the SEC, which are incorporated herein by reference, together with the risk factors and other information contained in or incorporated by reference into the applicable prospectus supplement, before making an investment decision. The occurrence of any of these risks and uncertainties could harm our business, financial condition, results of operations or growth prospects. As a result, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.
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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus and any prospectus supplement contains and incorporates by reference statements that express our opinions, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or projections regarding future events or future results and therefore are, or may be deemed to be, “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms “believes,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “feels,” “seeks,” “forecasts,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could” or “would” 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 any prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference herein and include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs, or current expectations concerning, among other things, our results of operations, financial condition, liquidity, prospects, growth, strategies, capital expenditures, and the industry in which we operate.
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. Although we base these forward-looking statements on assumptions that we believe are reasonable when made in light of information currently available to us, we caution you that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that our actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and industry developments may differ materially from statements made in or suggested by the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement. In addition, even if our results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and industry developments are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, those results or developments may not be indicative of results or developments in subsequent periods.
We believe that important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties outlined in the “Risk Factors” incorporated by reference into this prospectus from our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and contained in or incorporated by reference into any prospectus supplement and other matters described herein generally. Some of these factors include:
•our need for and ability to obtain additional financing in the near term, on acceptable terms or at all, to continue our operations;
•our ability to regain and maintain compliance with the continued listing standards of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, or Nasdaq;
•our ability to refinance or extend maturing debt on acceptable terms or at all;
•our ability to continue as a going concern for a reasonable period of time;
•our ability to realize synergies with our strategic investor;
•instability in the U.S. and global economies and business interruptions experienced by us, our customers and our suppliers, particularly in light of supply chain constraints and other long-term impacts of the coronavirus, or COVID-19, pandemic;
•the competitiveness and market acceptance of our LED lighting and control technologies and products;
•our ability to compete effectively against companies with lower prices or cost structures, greater resources, or more rapid development capabilities, and new competitors in our target markets;
•our ability to extend our product portfolio into new applications and end markets;
•our ability to increase demand in our targeted markets and to manage sales cycles that are difficult to predict and may span several quarters;
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•the timing of large customer orders, significant expenses and fluctuations between demand and capacity as we manage inventory and invest in growth opportunities;
•our ability to successfully scale our network of sales representatives, agents, distributors and other channel partners to compete with the sales reach of larger, established competitors;
•our ability to implement plans to increase sales and control expenses;
•our reliance on a limited number of customers for a significant portion of our revenue, and our ability to maintain or grow such sales levels;
•our ability to add new customers to reduce customer concentration;
•our ability to attract and retain a new chief financial officer;
•our ability to manage the size of our workforce while continuing to attract, develop and retain qualified personnel, and to do so in a timely manner;
•our ability to diversify our reliance on a limited number of third-party suppliers and development partners, our ability to manage third-party product development and obtain critical components and finished products on acceptable terms and of acceptable quality despite ongoing global supply chain challenges, and the impact of our fluctuating demand on the stability of such suppliers;
•our ability to timely, efficiently and cost-effectively transport products from our third-party suppliers by ocean marine and other logistics channels despite global supply chain and logistics disruptions;
•the impact of any type of legal inquiry, claim or dispute;
•the macro-economic conditions, including rising interest rates and recessionary trends, in the United States and in other markets in which we operate or secure products, which could affect our ability to obtain raw materials, component parts, freight, energy, labor, and sourced finished goods in a timely and cost-effective manner;
•our dependence on military maritime customers and on the levels and timing of government funding available to such customers, as well as the funding resources of our other customers in the public sector and commercial markets;
•business interruptions resulting from geopolitical actions such as war and terrorism, natural disasters, including earthquakes, typhoons, floods and fires, or from health epidemics or pandemics or other contagious outbreaks;
•our ability to respond to new lighting and control technologies and market trends;
•our ability to fulfill our warranty obligations with safe and reliable products;
•any delays we may encounter in making new products available or fulfilling customer specifications;
•any flaws or defects in our products or in the manner in which they are used or installed;
•our ability to protect our intellectual property rights and other confidential information, and manage infringement claims by others;
•our compliance with government contracting laws and regulations, through both direct and indirect sale channels, as well as other laws, such as those relating to the environment and health and safety;
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•risks inherent in international markets, such as economic and political uncertainty, changing regulatory and tax requirements and currency fluctuations, including tariffs and other potential barriers to international trade; and
•our ability to maintain effective internal controls and otherwise comply with our obligations as a public company.
In light of the foregoing, we caution you not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement that we make in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement speaks only as of the date of such statement, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement or to publicly announce the results of any revision to any of those statements to reflect future events or developments, except as required by law. Comparisons of results for current and any prior periods are not intended to express any future trends or indications of future performance, unless specifically expressed as such, and should only be viewed as historical data. Furthermore, new risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and it is impossible for us to predict those events or how they may affect us.
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USE OF PROCEEDS
We will not receive any of the proceeds from any sale or other disposition of the common stock covered by this prospectus. All proceeds from the sale of the common stock will be paid directly to the selling stockholders.
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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
The following is a brief description of our common stock and, to the extent the rights of the Series A Preferred Stock may materially limit or qualify the rights evidenced by our common stock, we describe our Series A Preferred Stock. This description of the terms of our common stock does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable provisions of Delaware General Corporation Law, or the DGCL, and the full text of our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws.
General
Our certificate of incorporation provides that we may issue up to 55,000,000 shares of stock comprised of the following:
•50,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share; and
•5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share.
Common Stock
Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share on all matters to be voted upon by stockholders. In accordance with Delaware law, the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares represented and voting at a duly held meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the stockholders. The shares of common stock have no pre-emptive rights, no redemption or sinking fund provisions, and are not liable for further call or assessment.
Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends when and as declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available for dividends. We have not declared or paid any cash dividends and we do not anticipate paying cash dividends in the foreseeable future.
Upon a liquidation of the Company, our creditors and holders of our preferred stock with preferential liquidation rights will be paid before any distribution to holders of our common stock. The holders of common stock would be entitled to receive a pro rata distribution per share of any excess amount.
Preferred Stock
Our certificate of incorporation empowers our board of directors to issue up to 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock from time to time in one or more series. Our board of directors may fix the designation, privileges, preferences and rights and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions of those shares, including dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, redemption rights, terms of sinking funds, liquidation preferences and the number of shares constituting any additional series or the designation of the series. Terms selected could decrease the amount of earnings and assets available for distribution to holders of our common stock or adversely affect the rights and power, including voting rights, of the holders of our common stock without any further vote or action by the stockholders. The rights of holders of common stock will be subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of any preferred stock that may be issued by us in the future. The issuance of preferred stock could have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control of us or make removal of management more difficult. Additionally, the issuance of preferred stock may have the effect of decreasing the market price of our common stock, and may adversely affect the voting and other rights of the holders of common stock.
Our board of directors has designated 3,300,000 shares of our preferred stock as Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, which have the following rights, preference and privileges in relation to our common stock.
Rank. The Series A Preferred Stock ranks senior to our common stock with respect to the payment of dividends and distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company.
Conversion. Any holder of Series A Preferred Stock has the right by written election to the Company to convert all or any portion of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock held by such holder into an
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aggregate number of shares of our common stock initially on a one-for-one basis (as adjusted for any stock splits, stock dividends, recapitalizations or similar transaction with respect to our common stock). After taking into account the 1-for-5 reverse stock split of our common stock on June 11, 2020, each share of Series A Preferred Stock is convertible into 0.20 of a share of common stock.
Dividends. If we pay a dividend or distribution on our common stock, we will simultaneously declare and pay a dividend on the Series A Preferred Stock on a pro rata basis with our common stock determined on an as-converted basis assuming all shares of Series A Preferred had been converted into common stock as of immediately prior to the record date of the applicable dividend (or if no record date is fixed, the date as of which the record holders of our common stock entitled to such dividends are to be determined).
Voting. Each holder of outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock is entitled to vote with holders of outstanding shares of our common stock, voting together as a single class, with respect to any and all matters presented to the stockholders of the Company for their action or consideration, except as provided by law. In any such vote, each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to a number of votes equal to 55.37% of the number of shares of common stock into which such share of Series A Preferred Stock is convertible. As a result, each share of Series A Preferred Stock is entitled to 0.11074 votes on each matter to be voted on by the stockholders of the Company.
Anti-Takeover Effects of Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws
Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws contain certain provisions that are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our Board of Directors and that may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a future takeover or change in control of the Company unless that takeover or change in control is approved by our Board of Directors. These provisions include:
Action by Written Consent. Our bylaws provide that stockholder action can be taken only at an annual or special meeting of stockholders and cannot be taken by written consent in lieu of a meeting.
Advance Notice Procedures. Our bylaws establish an advance notice procedure for stockholder proposals to be brought before an annual meeting of our stockholders, including proposed nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors. Stockholders at an annual meeting are only able to consider proposals or nominations specified in the notice of meeting or brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or by a stockholder who was a stockholder of record on the record date for the meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has given our Secretary timely written notice, in accordance with our bylaws, of the stockholder’s intention to bring that business before the meeting. Although the bylaws do not give the Board of Directors the power to approve or disapprove stockholder nominations of candidates or proposals regarding other business to be conducted at a special or annual meeting, the bylaws may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the proper procedures are not followed or may discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect its own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of the Company.
Authorized but Unissued Shares. Our authorized but unissued shares of common stock and preferred stock are available for future issuance without stockholder approval. These additional shares may be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future public offerings to raise additional capital, corporate acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of common stock and preferred stock could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of a majority of our common stock by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.
Delaware Anti-Takeover Statute
We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL regulating corporate takeovers. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging, under certain circumstances, in a business combination with an interested stockholder for a period of three years following the date the person became an interested stockholder unless:
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•prior to the date of the transaction, our board of directors approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;
•upon completion of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, calculated as provided under Section 203; or
•at or subsequent to the date of the transaction, the business combination is approved by our board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder.
Generally, a business combination includes a merger, asset or stock sale, or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. An interested stockholder is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns or, within three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder status did own, 15% or more of a corporation’s outstanding voting stock. We expect the existence of this provision to have an anti-takeover effect with respect to transactions our board of directors does not approve in advance. We also anticipate that Section 203 may also discourage attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares of common stock held by stockholders.
The provisions of Delaware law and the provisions of our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws could have the effect of discouraging others from attempting hostile takeovers and, as a consequence, they might also inhibit temporary fluctuations in the market price of our common stock that often result from actual or rumored hostile takeover attempts. These provisions might also have the effect of preventing changes in our management. It is possible that these provisions could make it more difficult to accomplish transactions that stockholders might otherwise deem to be in their best interests.
Limitations on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors
Our certificate of incorporation limits the liability of our directors to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, and our bylaws provide that we will indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by such law.
Listing
Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “EFOI.”
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, P.O. Box 1342, Brentwood, New York 11717.
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PRIVATE PLACEMENTS OF SHARES OF COMMON STOCK
On January 17, 2023, the Company entered into the Sander Purchase Agreement with certain of the selling stockholders associated with Sander Electronics, pursuant to which the Company agreed to issue and sell in a private placement an aggregate of 5,446,252 shares of our common stock. The issuance and sale of the shares of our common stock pursuant to the Sander Purchase Agreement closed on January 20, 2023. Mr. Chiao Chieh (Jay) Huang, one of the selling stockholders, was appointed to the Company’s board of directors as a condition of the Sander Purchase Agreement.
Further, on January 17, 2023, the Company entered into the Huang Exchange Agreements with Ms. Mei Yun (Gina) Huang, a selling stockholder and member of our board of directors, to exchange the approximately $817,000 aggregate outstanding amounts of two short-term promissory notes that the Company previously sold and issued to Ms. Huang on September 16, 2022 and November 9, 2022, respectively, for an aggregate of 1,451,597 shares of common stock. The exchanges pursuant to the Huang Exchange Agreements closed on January 20, 2023.
Additionally, during the first quarter of 2023, the Company entered into the First Quarter Private Placement Agreements with Ms. Huang and Mr. Huang, who are members of the Company’s board of directors and two of the selling stockholders, pursuant to which the Company agreed to sell, in private placements, shares of the Company’s common stock priced at fair market value. The table below sets forth the price, amounts and shares sold pursuant to the First Quarter Private Placement Agreements:
| Director | Date | $ Amount | No. of Shares | ||||||||||||||
| Mei Yun (Gina) Huang | January 5, 2023 | $100,000 | 257,798 | ||||||||||||||
| January 10, 2023 | $150,000 | 325,803 | |||||||||||||||
| February 24, 2023 | $400,000 | 803,212 | |||||||||||||||
| March 30, 2023 | $250,000 | 500,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Chiao Chieh (Jay) Huang | March 28, 2023 | $55,000 | 108,502 | ||||||||||||||
| Total | $955,000 | 1,995,315 | |||||||||||||||
The issuance and sale of the shares of common stock pursuant to the Purchase Agreements were not registered under the Securities Act and were made pursuant to certain exemptions from registration, including Sections 3(a)(9) and 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and Regulation D promulgated thereunder, as applicable.
In connection with the Sander Purchase Agreement, the Company entered into the Registration Rights Agreement with certain of the selling stockholders. Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company agreed to file a registration statement on Form S-3 for the resale by such selling stockholders of the outstanding shares of common stock that were issued pursuant to the Sander Purchase Agreement and any securities issued or then issuable in respect of any such shares of common stock, by February 16, 2023. The Company and holders of a majority of the registrable securities subject to the Registration Rights Agreement mutually agreed to extend this filing deadline until June 16, 2023.
We are filing the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, among other reasons, to satisfy our obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement.
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SELLING STOCKHOLDERS
The common stock being offered by the selling stockholders pursuant to this prospectus are those previously issued to the selling stockholders pursuant to the Purchase Agreements. For additional information regarding the issuances of those shares of common stock, see “Private Placements of Shares of Common Stock” above. We are registering the shares of common stock in order to permit the selling stockholders to offer the shares for resale from time to time. None of the selling stockholders or any persons who have control over the selling stockholders have had any material relationship with us within the past three years, except for (i) the beneficial ownership of securities of the Company, including the shares of common stock covered hereby, and (ii) as follows:
•Ms. Mei Yun (Gina) Huang has been a member of the Company’s board of directors since January 24, 2020.
•Ms. Huang was a holder of two short-term promissory notes issued and sold by the Company in September and November 2022, respectively, with an aggregate principal amount of $800,000. All outstanding amounts thereon, approximately $817,000 in the aggregate, were exchanged for shares of common stock pursuant to the Huang Exchange Agreements, upon which exchanges the notes were retired in full.
•Mr. Chiao Chieh (Jay) Huang was a holder of certain short-term promissory notes issued and sold by the Company during October 2022 to December 2022 with an aggregate principal amount of $600,000. All outstanding amounts thereon, approximately $607,000 in the aggregate, were exchanged as part of the consideration for the Sander Purchase Agreement, upon which exchanges the notes were retired in full.
•Pursuant to the Sander Purchase Agreement, the Company’s board of directors appointed Mr. Huang as a director of the Company, effective on January 23, 2023. Mr. Huang is not related to Ms. Huang.
Except as otherwise described below, based on the information provided to us by the selling stockholders, none of the selling stockholders is a broker-dealer or an affiliate of a broker-dealer.
The table below lists the selling stockholders and other information regarding the beneficial ownership of the shares of common stock by each of the selling stockholders. The second column lists the number of shares of common stock beneficially owned by each selling stockholder, based on its ownership of the shares of common stock, as of June 9, 2023.
The third column lists the shares of common stock being offered by this prospectus by the selling stockholders. This prospectus generally covers the resale of the shares of common stock issued to the selling stockholders in the “Private Placements of Shares of Common Stock” described above. The fourth column assumes the sale of all of the shares offered by the selling stockholders pursuant to this prospectus.
The selling stockholders may sell all, some or none of their shares in this offering. See “Plan of Distribution.”
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| Name of Selling Stockholder | Number of Shares of Common Stock Owned Prior to Offering | Maximum Number of Shares of Common Stock to be Sold Pursuant to this Prospectus | Shares of Common Stock Owned After Offering | |||||||||||||||||
| Number | Percentage of Outstanding Common Stock(1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| HUANG, MEI YUN (GINA) | (2) | 3,720,242 | 3,338,410 | 381,832 | 1.98% | |||||||||||||||
| 黃教傑 HUANG, CHIAO CHIEH (JAY) | (3) | 2,359,497 | 2,359,497 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 鄭麗珠 CHENG, LEE CHU | (3) | 1,996,805 | 1,996,805 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| SANDER ELECTRONICS | (3) | 299,520 | 299,520 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 黃教強 HUANG, CHIAO-CHIANG | (3) | 199,680 | 199,680 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 林庭瑜 LIN, TINGYU | (3) | 100,212 | 100,212 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| RADMAN, SLAYKO | (3) | 39,936 | 39,936 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 冉以琳 JAN, YI-LIN | (3) | 9,984 | 9,984 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 吳佳倩 GOTANCI, YVETTE TIU | (3) | 9,984 | 9,984 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 游淑華 YU, SHU-HUA | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 黃彥能 HUANG, YEN-NENG | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 黃思綺 HUANG, SSU-CHI | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 劉承鴻 LIU, CHENG-HUNG | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 徐華紳 HSU, HUA-SHEN | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 黃教哲 HUANG, CHIAO-CHE | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 蔡婷如 TSAI, TING JU | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 游育如 YU, YU-JU | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 徐惠娟 HSU, HUI-CHUAN | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 林天佑LIN, TIEN-YU | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 陳東宏 CHEN, TUNG-HUNG | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 林玉堂 LIN, YUTANG | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 黃教俊 HUANG, CHIAO-CHUN | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 蔡鴻文 TSAI, HUNG-WEN | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 謝志暉 HSIEH, CHIH-HUI | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 鍾富榮 CHONG, FOO-WING | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 江靜宜 CHIANG, CHING-YI | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 黃教勝 HUANG, CHIAO-SHENG | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 江淑芳 CHIANG, SHU FANG | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 吳煥文 WU, HUAN-WEN | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 劉美慧 LIU, MEI-HUI | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 韓雲 HAN, YUN | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| SU, CHUN CHIEH | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 陳金富 CHEN, KIN-FU | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 黃教豪 HUANG, CHIAO-HO | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| 許光正 HSU, KUANG-CHENG | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| MEYER, LARRY | (3) | 19,968 | 19,968 | — | —% | |||||||||||||||
| Total | 9,274,996 | 8,893,164 | 381,832 | 1.98% | ||||||||||||||||
___________________
(1) Percentages are based on 19,243,610 shares of common stock outstanding on June 9, 2023.
(2) Beneficial ownership includes (i) 1,886,813 shares of common stock issued in connection with the closing of the First Quarter Private Placements, which are directly owned by Ms. Huang, (ii) 1,451,597 shares of common stock issued in connection with the Huang Exchange Agreements, which are directly owned by Ms. Huang, and (iii) 381,832 shares of common stock held by Brilliant Start Enterprise, Inc. or Jag International Ltd., which are controlled affiliates of Ms. Huang, or by Ms. Huang personally. Ms. Huang disclaims beneficial ownership over the
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shares of common stock listed except to the extent of her pecuniary interest therein. The principal business address of Ms. Huang is 32000 Aurora Road, Suite B, Solon Ohio 44139.
(3) Beneficial ownership includes the aggregate of 5,446,252 shares of common stock issued in connection with the Sander Purchase Agreement. The shares of common stock are directly owned by each respective selling stockholder who disclaim beneficial ownership over the securities listed except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein. The principal business address for purchasers involved in the Sander Purchase Agreement (with the exception of Larry Meyer) is 3F., No. 153, Ligong St., Beitou Dist., Taipei City, 112019 , Taiwan. The principal business address for Larry Meyer is 9040 La Serena Drive, Fair Oaks, CA 75628.
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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Each selling stockholder and any of their assignees and successors-in-interest may, from time to time, sell any or all of their shares of common stock covered hereby on The Nasdaq Capital Market or any other stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the common stock is traded or in private transactions. These sales may be at fixed or negotiated prices. A selling stockholder may use any one or more of the following methods when selling shares of common stock:
•ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker‑dealer solicits purchasers;
•block trades in which the broker‑dealer will attempt to sell the shares as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction;
•purchases by a broker‑dealer as principal and resale by the broker‑dealer for its account;
•an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange;
•privately negotiated transactions;
•settlement of short sales;
•in transactions through broker‑dealers that agree with the selling stockholders to sell a specified number of such shares of common stock at a stipulated price per share;
•through the writing or settlement of options or other hedging transactions, whether through an options exchange or otherwise;
•a combination of any such methods of sale; or
•any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.
The selling stockholders may also sell shares of common stock under Rule 144 or any other exemption from registration under the Securities Act, if available, rather than under this prospectus.
Broker‑dealers engaged by the selling stockholders may arrange for other brokers‑dealers to participate in sales. Broker‑dealers may receive commissions or discounts from the selling stockholders (or, if any broker‑dealer acts as agent for the purchaser of shares of common stock, from the purchaser) in amounts to be negotiated, but, except as set forth in a supplement to this prospectus, in the case of an agency transaction not in excess of a customary brokerage commission in compliance with Rule 2121 of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA; and in the case of a principal transaction, a markup or markdown in compliance with FINRA Rule 2121.
In connection with the sale of the shares of common stock covered by this prospectus or interests therein, the selling stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions, which may in turn engage in short sales of the shares of common stock in the course of hedging the positions they assume. The selling stockholders may also sell shares of common stock short and deliver these shares to close out their short positions, or loan the shares to broker-dealers that in turn may sell these shares. The selling stockholders may also enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions or create one or more derivative securities which require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of shares of common stock covered by this prospectus, which shares such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction).
The selling stockholders and any broker-dealers or agents that are involved in selling the shares of common stock covered hereby may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act in connection with such sales. In such event, any commissions received by such broker-dealers or agents and any profit on the resale of the shares purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the
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Securities Act. Each selling stockholder has informed the Company that it does not have any written or oral agreement or understanding, directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute the shares of common stock.
The Company is required to pay certain fees and expenses incurred by the Company incident to the registration of the shares of common stock covered hereby. The Company has agreed to indemnify the selling stockholders against certain losses, claims, damages and liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
We agreed to keep the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part effective until the earlier of (i) the date on which the shares of common stock covered hereby may be resold by the selling stockholders without registration and without regard to any volume or manner-of-sale limitations by reason of Rule 144, without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information under Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any other rule of similar effect or (ii) all of the shares of common stock covered hereby have been sold pursuant to this prospectus or Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any other rule of similar effect. The shares of common stock will be sold only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers if required under applicable state securities laws. In addition, in certain states, the shares of common stock covered hereby may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the applicable state or an exemption from the registration or qualification requirement is available and is complied with.
Under applicable rules and regulations under the Exchange Act, any person engaged in the distribution of the shares of common stock covered hereby may not simultaneously engage in market making activities with respect to the common stock for the applicable restricted period, as defined in Regulation M, prior to the commencement of the distribution. In addition, the selling stockholders will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, including Regulation M, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of the common stock by the selling stockholders or any other person. We will make copies of this prospectus available to the selling stockholders and have informed them of the need to deliver a copy of this prospectus to each purchaser at or prior to the time of the sale (including by compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act).
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LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the shares of common stock offered hereby will be passed upon for us by James R. Warren, the Company’s Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 and for the years then ended incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in the registration statement have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of GBQ Partners, LLC, an independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated herein by reference, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting. The report on the consolidated financial statements contains an explanatory paragraph regarding the Company's ability to continue as a going concern.
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act that registers the shares of our common stock covered by this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and the exhibits thereto. For further information with respect to us and our common stock, you should refer to the registration statement and the exhibits filed as a part of the registration statement. Statements contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus concerning the contents of any contract or any other document are not necessarily complete. If a contract or document has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement or one of our filings with the SEC that is incorporated by reference into the registration statement, we refer you to the copy of the contract or document that has been filed. Each statement contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus relating to a contract or document filed as an exhibit is qualified in all respects by the filed exhibit.
We are subject to the informational reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. We file reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available over the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
We make available, free of charge, on our website at www.energyfocus.com, our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports and statements as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with the SEC. The contents of our website are not part of this prospectus, and the reference to our website does not constitute incorporation by reference into this prospectus of the information contained on or through that site, other than documents we file with the SEC that are specifically incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
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INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus the information in documents we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus, and information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. Any statement contained in any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in or omitted from this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement, or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein, modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.
We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future documents that we file with the SEC (excluding any portion of such documents that are furnished and not filed with the SEC) under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (1) after the date of the initial filing of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement and (2) after the date of this prospectus until the offering of the securities is terminated:
•our Annual Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on March 23, 2023;
•our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for quarterly period ended March 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on May 11, 2023;
•our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 6, 2023, January 11, 2023, January 23, 2023, (Item 1.01, Item 2.03, Item 3.02, Item 5.02 and Item 9.01 (Exhibits 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 and 10.5) only), February 23, 2023, February 24, 2023, February 28, 2023, and April 3, 2023; and
•the description of our common stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A, registering our common stock under Section 12(b) under the Exchange Act, filed with the SEC on July 29, 2014, as updated by the description of our common stock contained in Exhibit 4.1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 and any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.
You may request a copy of these filings, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address: Energy Focus, Inc., 32000 Aurora Road, Suite B, Solon, Ohio 44139; telephone number (440) 715-1300.
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PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
ITEM 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
The table below itemizes the expenses payable by the registrant in connection with the registration and issuance of the securities being registered hereunder, other than underwriting discounts and commissions. All amounts except the Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee are estimated.
| Securities and Exchange Commission Registration Fee | $ | 386.62 | |||||||||
| Legal Fees and Expenses | * | ||||||||||
| Accounting Fees and Expenses | * | ||||||||||
| Miscellaneous | * | ||||||||||
| Total | $ | * | |||||||||
______________________
* Fees and expenses (other than the SEC registration fee to be paid upon the filing of this registration statement) will depend on the number and nature of any offerings of securities made pursuant to this registration statement, and cannot be estimated at this time. An estimate of the aggregate expenses in connection with the distribution of securities being offered will be included in any applicable prospectus supplement.
ITEM 15. Indemnification of Officers and Directors.
General Corporation Law
We are incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware. Section 145 (“Section 145”) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (the “General Corporation Law”), among other things, provides that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any persons who were, are or are threatened to be made, parties to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of such corporation), by reason of the fact that such person is or was an officer, director, employee or agent of such corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, provided such person acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was illegal. A Delaware corporation may indemnify any persons who are, were or are threatened to be made, a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation by reasons of the fact that such person was a director, officer, employee or agent of such corporation or enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit, provided such person acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests, provided that no indemnification is permitted without approval of the Court of Chancery or the court in which such suit is brought if the officer, director, employee or agent is adjudged to be liable to the corporation. Where an officer, director, employee or agent is successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action referred to above, the corporation must indemnify him against the expenses which such officer or director has actually and reasonably incurred.
Section 145 further authorizes a corporation to purchase and maintain insurance 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 or enterprise, against any liability
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asserted against him and incurred by him in any such capacity, arising out of his status as such, whether or not the corporation would otherwise have the power to indemnify him under Section 145.
Section 102 of the General Corporation Law permits a corporation to eliminate the personal liability of directors of a corporation to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for a breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except where the director breached his duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock repurchase in violation of Delaware corporate law or obtained an improper personal benefit.
Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws
Article XI and Article XII of our certificate of incorporation (the “Certificate”) provides that the liability of our officers and directors shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by the General Corporation Law. Under the General Corporation Law, the directors have a fiduciary duty to us which is not eliminated by these provisions of the Certificate and, in appropriate circumstances, equitable remedies such as injunctive or other forms of non-monetary relief will remain available to us. These provisions also do not affect the directors’ responsibilities under any other laws, such as the federal securities laws or state or federal environmental laws.
Article VI of our bylaws provides that we shall 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 proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by us or in our right), by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of us, or is or was a director or officer of us serving at our request 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 reasonable incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding.
Article VI of our bylaws further provides that in the event a director or officer has to bring suit against us for indemnification and is successful, we will pay such director’s or officer’s expenses of prosecuting such claim; that indemnification provided for by the bylaws shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the indemnified party may be entitled; and that we may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of a director or officer against any liability asserted such officer or director and incurred by such officer or director in such capacity, whether or not we would have the power to indemnify such director or office against such expense or liability under the General Corporation Law.
Liability Insurance
Our directors and officers are covered under directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by us, insuring such persons against various liabilities.
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ITEM 16. Exhibits.
| Exhibit Number | Description of Document | ||||||||||
| Certificate of Incorporation of Energy Focus, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Appendix A to the Registrant’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed May 1, 2006). | |||||||||||
Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of Energy Focus, Inc. filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on June 21, 2010 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed March 24, 2020). | |||||||||||
Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of Energy Focus, Inc. filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on October 9, 2012 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed March 24, 2020). | |||||||||||
| Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of Energy Focus, Inc. filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on October 28, 2013 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.4 to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed March 24, 2020). | |||||||||||
| Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of Energy Focus, Inc. filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on July 16, 2014 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on July 16, 2014). | |||||||||||
Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of Energy Focus, Inc. filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on July 24, 2015 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on July 27, 2015). | |||||||||||
Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of Energy Focus, Inc. filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on January 15, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.7 to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed March 24, 2020). | |||||||||||
Certificate of Designation of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock of Energy Focus, Inc. filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on March 29, 2019 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on April 1, 2019). | |||||||||||
Amendment to the Certificate of Designation of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock of Energy Focus, Inc. filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on May 30, 2019 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 30, 2019). | |||||||||||
| Amendment to the Certificate of Designation of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock of Energy Focus, Inc. filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on January 15, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.10 to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed March 24, 2020). | |||||||||||
Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of Energy Focus, Inc. filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on June 11, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on June 11, 2020). | |||||||||||
Certificate of Ownership and Merger, Merging Energy Focus, Inc., a Delaware corporation, into Fiberstars, Inc., a Delaware corporation, filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on May 4, 2007 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on May 10, 2007). | |||||||||||
Bylaws of Energy Focus, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 18, 2020). | |||||||||||
| Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of January 5, 2023, between the Company and Mei Yun (Gina) Huang (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January 11, 2023). | |||||||||||
| Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of January 10, 2023, between the Company and Mei Yun (Gina) Huang (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January 11, 2023). | |||||||||||
Form of Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of January 17, 2023, between the Company and each purchaser named in the signature pages thereto (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January 23, 2023). | |||||||||||
| Form of Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of January 17, 2023, between the Company and each purchaser named in the signature pages thereto (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January 23, 2023). | |||||||||||
| Form of Exchange Agreement, dated January 17, 2023, between the Company and Mei Yun (Gina) Huang (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January 23, 2023). | |||||||||||
| Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of February 24, 2023, between the Company and Mei Yun (Gina) Huang (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on February 28, 2023). | |||||||||||
| Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 28, 2023, between the Company and Chiao Chieh (Jay) Huang (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on May 11, 2023). | |||||||||||
| Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 30, 2023, between the Company and Mei Yun (Gina) Huang (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.11 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on May 11, 2023). | |||||||||||
| Opinion of James R. Warren, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. | |||||||||||
| Consent of James R. Warren, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary (included in Exhibit 5.1). | |||||||||||
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Consent of GBQ Partners, LLC, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. | |||||||||||
Power of Attorney. | |||||||||||
| Filing Fee Table. | |||||||||||
_____________________________
* Certain schedules and exhibits to this agreement have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(a)(5) of Regulation S-K. A copy of any omitted schedule or exhibit will be furnished to the SEC upon request.
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ITEM 17. Undertakings.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:
(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective Registration Statement; and
(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;
provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i), (1)(ii) and (1)(iii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, 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 to any purchaser:
(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 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 the 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.
(5) The undersigned hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement 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.
(6) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers, and
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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 Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer, or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Solon, State of Ohio, on June 12, 2023.
ENERGY FOCUS, INC.
| By: | /s/ Lesley A. Matt | |||||||
Name: Lesley A. Matt
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated below.
| Signatures | Titles | Date | ||||||||||||
| /s/ Lesley A. Matt | Chief Executive Officer (principal executive, financial and accounting officer) | June 12, 2023 | ||||||||||||
| Lesley A. Matt | ||||||||||||||
| * | Director and Chairman | June 12, 2023 | ||||||||||||
| Chiao Chieh (Jay) Huang | ||||||||||||||
| * | Director and Lead Independent Director | June 12, 2023 | ||||||||||||
| Stephen Socolof | ||||||||||||||
| * | Director | June 12, 2023 | ||||||||||||
| Wen-Jeng Chang | ||||||||||||||
| * | Director | June 12, 2023 | ||||||||||||
| Jennifer Y. Cheng | ||||||||||||||
| * | Director | June 12, 2023 | ||||||||||||
| K.R. “Kaj” den Daas | ||||||||||||||
| * | Director | June 12, 2023 | ||||||||||||
| Mei Yun (Gina) Huang | ||||||||||||||
| * | Director | June 12, 2023 | ||||||||||||
| Brian Lagarto | ||||||||||||||
| * | Director | June 12, 2023 | ||||||||||||
| Jeffery Parker | ||||||||||||||
_______________________________________________
* The undersigned, by signing her name hereto, does sign and execute this Registration Statement on Form S-3 pursuant to the Powers of Attorney executed by the above-named directors of the Registrant, which are being filed herewith on behalf of such directors.
| By: | /s/ Lesley A. Matt | June 12, 2023 | ||||||
| Lesley A. Matt, Attorney-in-Fact | ||||||||
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Exhibit 5.1| June 12, 2023 | ||||||||
Energy Focus, Inc.
32000 Aurora Road, Suite B
Solon, Ohio 44139
Re: Registration Statement on Form S-3 Filed by Energy Focus, Inc.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I have acted as counsel for Energy Focus, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the registration for resale from time to time by certain of the Company’s stockholders (the "Selling Stockholders") of an aggregate of 8,893,164 shares (the "Shares") of the Company's common stock, par value $0.0001 per share ("Common Stock"), issued to the Selling Stockholders by the Company in connection with private placements completed on January 5, 2023, January 10, 2023, January 20, 2023, February 24, 2023, March 28, 2023 and March 30, 2023, as contemplated by the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 to which this opinion is filed as an exhibit (as the same may be amended from time to time, the "Registration Statement"). The Shares may be offered and sold from time to time pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act").
In connection with the opinion expressed herein, I have examined such documents, records and matters of law as I have deemed relevant or necessary for purposes of such opinions. Based on the foregoing, and subject to the further assumptions, qualifications and limitations set forth herein, I am of the opinion that the Shares are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
The opinion set forth above is subject to the following limitations, qualifications and assumptions:
As to facts material to the opinion and assumptions expressed herein, I have relied upon oral or written statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others. The opinion expressed herein is limited to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as currently in effect, and I express no opinion as to the effect of the laws of any other jurisdiction on the opinion expressed herein.
I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the reference to my name under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus constituting a part of such Registration Statement. In giving such consent, I do not thereby admit that I am included in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder.
Very truly yours,
/s/ James R. Warren
32000 Aurora Road, Solon, OH 44139 • www.energyfocus.com • 800.327.7877
Exhibit 23.2
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Energy Focus, Inc.
Solon, Ohio
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus constituting a part of this Registration Statement of our report dated March 23, 2023, relating to the consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule of Energy Focus, Inc., appearing in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022. Our report contains an explanatory paragraph regarding the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.
We also consent to the reference to us under the caption “Experts” in the Prospectus.
/s/ GBQ Partners, LLC
Columbus, Ohio
June 12, 2023
Exhibit 24.1
ENERGY FOCUS, INC.
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each of the undersigned officers and directors of Energy Focus, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Registrant”), hereby constitutes and appoints Lesley A. Matt and James R. Warren, and each of them, his true and lawful attorney or attorneys-in-fact, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for each of the undersigned and in the name, place and stead of each of the undersigned, to sign and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) one or more Registration Statements on Form S-3 relating to the registration of certain equity securities of the Registrant for the benefit of certain shareholders of the Registrant, with any and all amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto, including pre‑effective and post‑effective amendments or supplements and Registration Statements filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act, with full power and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever required, necessary or desirable to be done in the premises, hereby ratifying and approving the act of said attorneys and any of them and any such substitute.
This Power of Attorney may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original with respect to the person executing it.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have hereunto set their hands as of the 12th day of June, 2023.
| /s/ Chiao Chieh (Jay) Huang | /s/ Stephen Socolof | |||||||
| Chiao Chieh (Jay) Huang | Stephen Socolof | |||||||
| Director and Chairman of the Board | Director and Lead Independent Director | |||||||
| /s/ Wen-Jeng Chang | /s/ Jennifer Y. Cheng | |||||||
| Wen-Jeng Chang | Jennifer Y. Cheng | |||||||
| Director | Director | |||||||
| /s/ K.R. "Kaj" den Daas | /s/ Mei Yun (Gina) Huang | |||||||
| K.R. "Kaj" den Daas | Mei Yun (Gina) Huang | |||||||
| Director | Director | |||||||
| /s/ Brian Lagarto | /s/ Jeffery Parker | |||||||
| Brian Lagarto | Jeffery Parker | |||||||
| Director | Director | |||||||