Public companies are required to disclose risks that can affect the business and impact the stock. These disclosures are known as “Risk Factors”. Companies disclose these risks in their yearly (Form 10-K), quarterly earnings (Form 10-Q), or “foreign private issuer” reports (Form 20-F). Risk factors show the challenges a company faces. Investors can consider the worst-case scenarios before making an investment. TipRanks’ Risk Analysis categorizes risks based on proprietary classification algorithms and machine learning.

Evolving Systems disclosed 35 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Evolving Systems reported the most risks in the “Finance & Corporate” category.

Risk Overview Q4, 2021

Risk Distribution

66% Finance & Corporate

9% Tech & Innovation

9% Legal & Regulatory

9% Production

6% Ability to Sell

3% Macro & Political

Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy

This chart displays the stock's most recent risk distribution according to category. TipRanks has identified 6 major categories: Finance & corporate, legal & regulatory, macro & political, production, tech & innovation, and ability to sell.

Risk Change Over Time

S&P500 Average

Sector Average

Risks removed

Risks added

Risks changed

Evolving Systems Risk Factors

New Risk (0)

Risk Changed (0)

Risk Removed (0)

No changes from previous report

The chart shows the number of risks a company has disclosed. You can compare this to the sector average or S&P 500 average.

The quarters shown in the chart are according to the calendar year (January to December). Businesses set their own financial calendar, known as a fiscal year. For example, Walmart ends their financial year at the end of January to accommodate the holiday season.

Risk Highlights Q4, 2021

Main Risk Category

Finance & Corporate

With 23 Risks

Finance & Corporate

With 23 Risks

Number of Disclosed Risks

-18

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 31

-18

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 31

Recent Changes

20Risks added

38Risks removed

1Risks changed

Since Dec 2021

20Risks added

38Risks removed

1Risks changed

Since Dec 2021

Number of Risk Changed

-2

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 3

-2

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 3

See the risk highlights of Evolving Systems in the last period.

Risk Word Cloud

The most common phrases about risk factors from the most recent report. Larger texts indicate more widely used phrases.

Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 35

Finance & Corporate

Total Risks: 23/35 (66%)Above Sector Average

Share Price & Shareholder Rights7 | 20.0%

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1

Added

We may issue additional shares of common stock or other securities to complete business combinations or under employee incentive plans. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our stockholders and likely present other risks.

Our certificate of incorporation authorizes our Board of Directors to issue shares of our common stock or preferred stock, from time to time, in their business judgment, up to the amount of our then-authorized capitalization. We may issue a substantial number of additional shares of our common stock, and may issue shares of our preferred stock, in order to complete business combinations, raise additional capital, or under employee incentive plans. These issuances: - may significantly dilute stockholders' equity interests;- may subordinate the rights of holders of shares of our common stock if shares of preferred stock are issued with rights senior to those afforded our common stock;- could cause a change in control if a substantial number of shares of our common stock are issued; and - may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our common stock.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2

Added

The trading price of the shares of our common stock has been and is likely to continue to be highly volatile, and purchasers of our common stock could incur substantial losses.

Our stock price has been and will likely continue to be volatile for the foreseeable future. The stock market in general and the market for technology companies in particular have experienced extreme volatility that has often been unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. As a result of this volatility, investors may not be able to sell their common stock at or above the price they paid. In addition, in the past, stockholders have initiated class action lawsuits against companies following periods of volatility in the market prices of these companies. Such litigation and any litigation that may be instituted against us, our officers and/or our directors in the future, could cause us to incur substantial costs and divert management's attention and resources, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3

Added

If we fail to satisfy applicable listing standards, including compliance with the minimum market value of listed securities requirement, our common stock may be delisted from the NASDAQ Capital Market.

On December 9, 2021, we received a letter from the NASDAQ regarding the Equity Purchase Agreement and the two Software Purchase Agreements entered into by the Company pursuant to which we sold all of our assets. The staff requested certain information from the Company regarding its on-going business. We provided a response to the staff on January 7, 2022. We received a follow up request from the NASDAQ for additional information and we provided a response to the staff on February 15, 2022. There can be no assurances, that we will be successful in maintaining compliance with the continued listing requirements and maintaining the listing of our common stock on the NASDAQ Capital Market. Delisting from the NASDAQ could adversely affect our ability to raise additional financing through the public or private sale of equity securities, would significantly affect the ability of investors to trade our securities and would negatively affect the value and liquidity of our common stock. Delisting could also have other negative results, including the potential loss of confidence by employees, the loss of institutional investor interest and fewer business development opportunities. If our common stock is delisted by the NASDAQ the price of our common stock may decline and our common stock may be eligible to trade on the OTC Markets, another over-the-counter quotation system where an investor may find it more difficult to dispose of their common stock or obtain accurate quotations as to the market value of our common stock. Further, if we are delisted, we would incur additional costs under requirements of state "blue sky" laws in connection with any sales of our securities. These requirements could severely limit the market liquidity of our common stock and the ability of our stockholders to sell our common stock in the secondary market.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4

Sales of large blocks of our stock may result in the reduction in the market price of our stock and make it more difficult to raise funds in the future.

If our stockholders sell substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market, the market price of our common stock could fall. The perception among investors that such sales will occur could also produce this effect. We currently have several stockholders who own large percentages of our stock. To the extent we continue to have one or more stockholders who own a large percentage of our stock and those stockholders chose to liquidate their holdings, it may have a dramatic impact on the market price of our stock. These factors also could make it more difficult to raise funds through future offerings of common stock.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5

Certain provisions of our charter documents, employment arrangements and Delaware law may discourage, delay or prevent an acquisition of us, even if an acquisition would be beneficial to our stockholders, and may prevent attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management.

Provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws, as well as provisions of Delaware law, could make it difficult for a third party to acquire us, even if doing so would benefit our stockholders. In addition, these provisions, which make it more difficult for stockholders to replace members of our board of directors, may frustrate or prevent attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management because our board of directors is responsible for appointing the members of our management team. These provisions include the following: - our stockholders cannot take action by written consent;- we have advance notice requirements for nominations for election to the Board of Directors or for proposing matters that can be acted upon at stockholder meetings;- our stockholders can only remove directors without cause by super majority vote; and - our stockholders can only amend our bylaws or certain Board of Directors-related provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation by a super majority vote. In addition, we are subject to the anti-takeover provisions of Section 203 of Delaware General Corporation Law, which prohibit us from engaging in a "business combination" with an "interested stockholder" for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder, unless the business combination is approved in the prescribed manner. The application of Section 203 and certain provisions of our restated certificate of incorporation may have the effect of delaying or preventing changes in control of our management, which could adversely affect the market price of our common stock by discouraging or preventing takeover attempts that might result in the payment of a premium price to our stockholders. Certain of our named executive officers have entered into agreements with us that contain a change in control provision. These agreements generally provide for acceleration on vesting of stock awards. The acceleration of vesting of stock awards upon a change in control may be viewed as an anti-takeover measure and may have the effect of discouraging a merger proposal, tender offer or other attempt to gain control of us. Our Stock Incentive Plans provide for acceleration of vesting of stock awards under certain changes in control. As noted above, the acceleration on vesting of stock awards upon a change in control may be viewed as an anti-takeover measure. All of the above factors could adversely affect the market price of our common stock by discouraging or preventing takeover attempts that might result in the payment of a premium price to our stockholders.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 6

The concentration of our stock ownership will likely limit your ability to influence corporate matters, including the ability to influence the outcome of director elections and other matters requiring stockholder approval.

Our executive officers, directors and the holders of more than 5% of our outstanding common stock, in the aggregate, beneficially own 41% of our common stock. As a result, these stockholders, acting together, will have significant influence over all matters that require approval by our stockholders, including the election of directors and approval of significant corporate transactions. Corporate actions might be taken even if other stockholders oppose them. This concentration of ownership might also have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of our company that other stockholders may view as beneficial.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 7

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our stock price and trading volume could decline.

The trading market for our common stock will depend in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. If one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade our common stock or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our common stock price would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of us or fail to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our common stock could decrease, which might cause our common stock price and trading volume to decline.

Accounting & Financial Operations8 | 22.9%

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1

Our disclosure controls and procedures may not prevent or detect all errors or acts of fraud.

We are subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. We designed our disclosure controls and procedures to reasonably assure that information we must disclose in reports we file or submit under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management, and recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC. We believe that any disclosure controls and procedures or internal controls and procedures, no matter how well-conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty, and that breakdowns can occur because of simple error or mistake. For example, our directors or executive officers could inadvertently fail to disclose a new relationship or arrangement causing us to fail to make any related party transaction disclosures. Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people or by an unauthorized override of the controls. Accordingly, because of the inherent limitations in our control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected. In addition, we do not have a risk management program or processes or procedures for identifying and addressing risks to our business in other areas.

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 2

Requirements associated with being a public company will increase our costs significantly, as well as divert significant company resources and management attention.

We are subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, or the other rules and regulations of the SEC, or any securities exchange relating to public companies. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, or Sarbanes-Oxley, as well as rules subsequently adopted by the SEC, and The Nasdaq Capital Market to implement provisions of Sarbanes-Oxley, impose significant requirements on public companies, including requiring establishment and maintenance of effective disclosure and financial controls and changes in corporate governance practices. Further, pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, the SEC has adopted additional rules and regulations in these areas, such as mandatory "say on pay" voting requirements. Stockholder activism, the current political environment and the current high level of government intervention and regulatory reform may lead to substantial new regulations and disclosure obligations, which may lead to additional compliance costs and impact the manner in which we operate our business in ways we cannot currently anticipate. Compliance with the various reporting and other requirements applicable to public companies requires considerable time and attention of management. We cannot assure you that we will satisfy our obligations as a public company on a timely basis. We expect the rules and regulations applicable to public companies to substantially increase our legal and financial compliance costs and to make some activities more time-consuming and costly. If these requirements divert the attention of our management and personnel from other business concerns, they could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. The increased costs will decrease our net income or increase our net loss and may require us to reduce costs in other areas of our business or increase the prices of our products or services. In addition, as a public company, it may be more difficult or more costly for us to obtain certain types of insurance, including directors' and officers' liability insurance, and we may be forced to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. The impact of these events could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified personnel to serve on our board of directors, our board committees or as executive officers.

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 3

We suspended our dividends in 2016 and we may not pay dividends in the future.

In June 2016, our Board of Directors suspended our quarterly dividends. Any decision to pay dividends in the future and the amount of any dividend we may declare will depend on general business conditions, the impact of such payment on our financial statements.

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 4

Added

We are exposed to risk if we cannot maintain or adhere to our internal controls and procedures.

We have established and continue to maintain, assess, and update our internal controls and procedures regarding our business operations and financial reporting. Our internal controls and procedures are designed to provide reasonable assurances regarding our business operations and financial reporting. However, because of the inherent limitations in this process, internal controls and procedures may not prevent or detect all errors or misstatements. To the extent our internal controls are inadequate or not adhered to by our employees, our business, financial condition, and operating results could be materially adversely affected. As reported elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we experienced a material weakness in our internal control related to our presentation and classification for the disposition of assets. We cannot assure you that additional significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting will not be identified in the future. If we are not able to maintain internal controls and procedures in a timely manner, or without adequate compliance, we may be unable to accurately or timely report our financial results or prevent fraud and may be subject to sanctions or investigations by regulatory authorities such as the SEC or Nasdaq. Any such action or restatement of prior period financial results as a result could harm our business or investors' confidence in the Company and could cause our stock price to fall.

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 5

Added

Subsequent to an acquisition or business combination, we may be required to take write-downs or write-offs, incur restructuring costs, and incur impairment or other charges that could have a significant negative effect on our financial condition, results of operations, and share price, which could cause stockholders to lose some or all of their investments.

Even if we conduct extensive due diligence on a target business with which we combine or an asset which we acquire, we cannot assure stockholders that this diligence will identify all material issues that may be present with respect to a particular target business or asset, that it would be possible to uncover all material issues through a customary and reasonable amount of due diligence, or that factors outside of the target business and outside of our control will not later arise. As a result of these factors, we may be forced to later write-down or write-off assets, restructure our operations, or incur impairment or other charges that could result in our reporting losses. Even if our due diligence successfully identifies certain risks, unexpected risks may arise, and previously known risks may materialize in a manner not consistent with our preliminary risk analysis. Even though these charges may be non-cash items, and therefore will not have an immediate impact on our liquidity, the fact that we report charges of this nature could contribute to negative market perceptions about us or our securities. In addition, charges of this nature may cause us to violate net worth or other covenants to which we may be subject as a result of assuming pre-existing debt held by a target business or associated with a target asset, or by virtue of our obtaining debt financing in connection with our future operations. Accordingly, stockholders could suffer a significant reduction in the value of their shares.

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 6

Added

We expect operating losses and cannot be certain of our future profitability.

We have accumulated a net deficit through December 31, 2021, of approximately $61.1 million. We expect to incur losses in the foreseeable future as we increase expenditures for the development and marketing of the symbolic tagging of physical objects and self-learning algorithms. The time required for us to become profitable is uncertain, and there can be no assurance that we will achieve profitability on a sustained basis, if at all. As a result of our limited operating history, we have neither internal nor industry-based historical financial data for any significant period of time upon which to project revenues or base planned operating expenses. We expect that our results of operations may also fluctuate significantly in the future as a result of a variety of factors, including creation of symbolic tagging product that is competitive in the market, our ability to launch symbolic tagging into multiple marketplaces, the success of our self-learning algorithms in the crypto marketplace, our ability to attract, retain and motivate qualified personnel and general economic conditions, and other factors.

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 7

Added

The two areas of research the Company is engaged in are both pre-revenue

The Company's proposed business is in two areas of research activity which are both in their very early stages, with a very limited team. While the Company hopes to be able to invest in and scale this research with the goal of producing products that generate revenue, the Company' currently has no products and while research activities will continue, there is no guarantee that these particular areas of existing research will lead directly to products that will generate revenue.

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 8

Added

Our business is difficult to evaluate because we have no operating history.

As we recently began pursuing new business lines, this business has no operating history or revenue and there cannot be any assurance that our new business will generate revenue. The Company has had no recent operating history nor any revenues or earnings from operations since inception. Other than cash on hand of approximately $39.4 million, we have no significant assets or financial resources. We will, in all likelihood, sustain operating expenses without corresponding revenues, until our new business can generate revenue.

Debt & Financing2 | 5.7%

Debt & Financing - Risk 1

Added

We may be required to expend substantial sums in order to bring the companies we acquire into compliance with the various reporting requirements applicable to public companies and/or to prepare required financial statements, and such efforts may harm our operating results or be unsuccessful altogether.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires our management to assess the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting for the companies we acquire. In order to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, we will need to implement or enhance internal control over financial reporting at any company we acquire and evaluate the company's internal controls. We do not conduct a formal evaluation of companies' internal control over financial reporting prior to an acquisition. We may be required to hire or engage additional resources and incur substantial costs to implement the necessary new internal controls should we acquire any companies. Any failure to implement required internal controls, or difficulties encountered in their implementation, could harm our operating results or increase the risk of material weaknesses in internal controls, which could, if not remediated, adversely affect our ability to report our financial condition and results of operations in a timely and accurate manner.

Debt & Financing - Risk 2

Added

We may issue notes or other debt securities, or otherwise incur substantial debt, to complete a business combination or acquire assets, which may adversely affect our leverage and financial condition, and thus negatively impact the value of our stockholders' investment in us.

Although we have no commitments as of the date of this report to issue any notes or other debt securities, or to otherwise incur indebtedness, we may choose to incur substantial debt to finance our growth plans. The incurrence of debt could have a variety of negative effects, including: - default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after an initial business combination or asset acquisition are insufficient to repay our debt obligations;- acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness, even if we make all principal and interest payments when due, if we breach covenants that require the maintenance of financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of the covenants;- our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt security is payable on demand;- our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt security contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt security is outstanding;- our inability to pay any declared dividends on our common stock;- using a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt, which will reduce the funds available for dividends on our common stock, if declared, expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, and other general corporate purposes;- limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industries in which we operate or intend to operate;- increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry, and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and - limitations on our ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of our strategy, and other purposes, and other disadvantages compared to our competitors who have less debt.

Corporate Activity and Growth6 | 17.1%

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1

Added

We may have a limited ability to assess the management of a prospective target business and, as a result, may effect a business combination with a target business whose management may not have the skills, qualifications, or abilities to manage the target business.

When evaluating a prospective target business, even with diligent efforts, we may not be able to assess the performance of the target business's management fully, due to necessary restraints on time, resources, and information. Moreover, when assessing private companies, it may be difficult to assess how well a target company's management will be able to adjust to operating within the confines of a public company structure. Our assessment of the capabilities of the target's management, therefore, may prove to be incorrect, and such management may lack the skills, qualifications, or abilities we expected. Should the target's management not possess the skills, qualifications, or abilities necessary to manage such business or operate within the confines of a public company, the operations and profitability of the post-combination business may be negatively impacted.

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 2

Added

We may attempt to complete business combinations with private companies about which limited information is available, which may result in a business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we expected, if at all.

In pursuing our business acquisition strategy, we may seek to effect business combinations with privately held companies. By definition, very little public information exists about private companies, and we could be required to make our decision on whether to pursue a potential initial business combination based on limited information, which may result in a business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we expect, if at all.

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 3

Added

We are in the development stage of our new business and are not generating any revenue.

The Company is in the development stage and faces all of the risks and uncertainties associated with a new and unproven business. Our future is based on an unproven business plan with no historical facts to support projections and assumptions. We are currently a research and development organization focusing on symbolic tagging of physical objects and self-learning algorithms. The Company's operations are subject to all of the risks inherent in the establishment of a new business enterprise. The likelihood of our success must be considered in light of the problems, expenses, difficulties, complications and delays frequently encountered in connection with the formation of a pre-revenue business. Our lack of a significant and relevant operating history makes it difficult to manage operations and predict future operating results.

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 4

Added

We may engage in acquisitions or strategic alliances that could disrupt our business, result in increased expenses, reduce our financial resources and cause dilution to our shareholders. We cannot assure you that such acquisitions or strategic alliances may be successfully implemented.

We may look for potential acquisitions or strategic alliances to expand our business. However, we may not be able to find suitable acquisition candidates, complete acquisitions on favorable terms, if at all, or integrate any acquired business, products or technologies into our operations. If we do complete acquisitions, they may be viewed negatively by customers or investors and they may not enable us to strengthen our competitive position or achieve our goals. In addition, any acquisitions that we make could lead to difficulties in integrating personnel, technologies and operations from the acquired businesses and in retaining and motivating key personnel from these businesses. Moreover, acquisitions may disrupt our ongoing operations, divert management from day-to-day responsibilities and increase our expenses. Future acquisitions may reduce our cash available for operations and other uses and could result in increases in amortization expenses related to identifiable intangible assets acquired, potentially dilutive issuances of equity securities or the incurrence of debt. We cannot predict the number, timing or size of future acquisitions, or the effect that any such acquisitions might have on our operating results.

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 5

Added

We may consider potential business or asset acquisitions in different industries, and stockholders may have no basis at this time to ascertain the merits or risks of any business or asset that we may ultimately operate or acquire.

Our business strategy contemplates the potential acquisition of one or more additional operating businesses or other assets that we believe will provide returns on equity at least equal to or better than our previous businesses and/or enhance the returns achieved from our former operating segments. Accordingly, there is no current basis for stockholders to evaluate the possible merits or risks of a target business or asset with which we may ultimately effect a business combination, acquisition, or other investment. Although we will seek to evaluate the risks inherent in any particular business or acquisition opportunity, we cannot assure stockholders that all of the significant risks present in that opportunity will be properly assessed. Even if we properly assess those risks, some of them may be outside of our control or ability to assess. We may pursue business combinations, asset acquisitions, or investments that do not require stockholder approval and, in those instances, stockholders will most likely not be provided with an opportunity to evaluate the specific merits or risks of any such transaction before we become committed to the transaction(s).

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 6

Added

Resources will be expended in researching potential acquisitions and investments that might not be consummated.

The investigation of target businesses and assets and the negotiation, drafting, and execution of relevant agreements, disclosure documents, and other instruments has required and will continue to require substantial management time and attention, in addition to costs for accountants, attorneys, and others engaged from time to time to assist management. If a decision is made not to complete a specific business combination, asset acquisition, or other investment, the costs incurred up to that point relating to the proposed transaction likely would not be recoverable and would be borne by us. Furthermore, even if an agreement is reached relating to a specific opportunity, we may fail to consummate the transaction for any number of reasons, including those beyond our control.

Tech & Innovation

Total Risks: 3/35 (9%)Below Sector Average

Innovation / R&D1 | 2.9%

Innovation / R&D - Risk 1

Added

If we fail to succeed in the AI market or other new application markets we seek to penetrate into, our revenues, growth prospects and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected.

Until December 2021, we provided real-time digital engagement solutions and services. As of January 2022, we are developing a set of proprietary algorithms that model and predict behavior of dynamic systems and also developing a set of tools and technologies for applying (sticking) symbolic content to physical objects to catalog and in doing so gaining the ability to track real-world objects in a novel way. Our future revenue growth will depend largely on our ability to successfully expand our business in the artificial intelligence market and penetrate into new application markets. We cannot predict how or to what extent the demand for our products in the artificial intelligence market will develop going forward. If the artificial intelligence market does not develop as we currently anticipate and we are unable to penetrate into new application markets, our future revenue and profits could be materially and adversely affected.

Cyber Security2 | 5.7%

Cyber Security - Risk 1

Changed

Cyberattacks and security vulnerabilities could lead to reduced future revenues, increased costs, liability claims, or harm to our competitive position.

The security of our products and services is important in our customers' decisions to purchase or use our products or services. Increased sophistication and activities of perpetrators of cyberattacks have resulted in an increase in information security risks in recent years. Hackers develop and deploy viruses, worms, and other malicious software programs that attack products and services and gain access to networks and data centers. If we were to experience difficulties maintaining existing systems or implementing new systems, we could incur significant losses due to disruptions in our operations. Additionally, these systems contain valuable proprietary and confidential information and may contain personal data of our customers' subscribers. A security breach could result in disruptions of our internal systems and business applications, impairment of our ability to provide services to our customers, product development delays, harm to our competitive position from the compromise of confidential business information, or subject us to liability under laws that protect personal data. Although we believe that we have robust information security procedures and other safeguards in place, many of our services do not have fully redundant systems or a formal business continuity or disaster recovery plan, and we may not have adequate business interruption insurance to compensate us for losses that occur from a system outage. As cyber threats continue to evolve, we may be required to expend additional resources to continue to enhance our information security measures and/or to investigate and remediate any information security vulnerabilities. Any of these consequences would adversely affect our revenue and margins.

Cyber Security - Risk 2

System security risks, data protection breaches, cyberattacks and systems integration issues could disrupt our internal operations or IT services provided to customers, and any such disruption could reduce our revenue, increase our expenses, damage our reputation and adversely affect our stock price.

As a technology services business, we are exposed to attacks from criminals, nation state actors and activist hackers (collectively, "malicious parties") who may be able to circumvent or bypass our cyber security measures and misappropriate, maliciously alter or destroy our confidential information or that of third parties, create system disruptions or cause shutdowns. Malicious parties also may be able to develop and deploy viruses, worms, ransomware and other malicious software programs that attack our products or otherwise exploit any security vulnerabilities of our products. Threats to our own IT infrastructure can also affect our customers. Customers using our cloud-based services rely on the security of our infrastructure, including hardware and other elements provided by third parties, to ensure the reliability of our services and the protection of their data. Sophisticated hardware and operating system software and applications that we procure from third parties may contain defects in design or manufacture, including flaws that could unexpectedly interfere with the operation of the system. The costs to us to eliminate or alleviate cyber or other security problems, including bugs, viruses, worms, malicious software programs and other security vulnerabilities, could be significant and could reduce our operating margins. Our efforts to address these problems may not be successful and could result in interruptions, delays, cessation of service and loss of existing or potential customers that may impede our sales, manufacturing, distribution or other critical functions. Portions of our IT infrastructure also may experience interruptions, delays or cessations of service or produce errors in connection with systems integration or migration work that takes place from time to time. We may not be successful in implementing new systems and transitioning data, which could cause business disruptions and be more expensive, time-consuming, disruptive and resource intensive. Such disruptions could adversely impact our ability to fulfill orders and respond to customer requests and interrupt other processes. Delayed sales, lower margins or lost customers resulting from these disruptions could reduce our revenue, increase our expenses, damage our reputation and adversely affect our stock price.

Legal & Regulatory

Total Risks: 3/35 (9%)Below Sector Average

Regulation1 | 2.9%

Regulation - Risk 1

As a result of operating as a smaller public company, our management is required to devote a substantial amount of time to comply with regulatory matters; our relatively small staff can make compliance challenging.

Because our common stock is publicly traded, we are subject to certain rules and regulations of federal, state and financial market exchange entities charged with the protection of investors and the oversight of companies whose securities are publicly traded. These entities, including the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the SEC and NASDAQ, have issued requirements and regulations and continue to adopt additional regulations and requirements in response to laws enacted by Congress. Establishment of effective internal controls is further complicated because we are a relatively small company with global operations, and multiple locations and IT systems. Our management and other personnel have and will continue to devote a substantial amount of time to these compliance initiatives.

Taxation & Government Incentives1 | 2.9%

Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 1

Changes in, or interpretations of, accounting principles or tax rules and regulations, could adversely affect our results of operations.

We prepare our consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("US GAAP"). It is possible that future requirements could change our current application of US GAAP, resulting in a material adverse impact on our financial positions or results of operations. In addition, our future effective tax rates could be unfavorably affected by changes in tax laws or the interpretation of tax laws or by changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities. We regularly assess our implementation of applicable accounting principles and the adequacy of our provision for income taxes, but we are a relatively small company and our business is complex; the final determination of any tax authority, upon examination of our income tax returns, could have an adverse effect on our operating results and financial position.

Environmental / Social1 | 2.9%

Environmental / Social - Risk 1

Unauthorized disclosure of data, unauthorized access to our service and misuse of our service could adversely affect our business.

Any security breaches, unauthorized access, unauthorized usage, virus or similar breach or disruption could result in loss of confidential information, personal data and customer content, damage to our reputation, litigation, regulatory investigations, increased costs or other liabilities. If our security measures, or those of our partners or service providers, are breached as a result of third-party action, employee error, malfeasance or otherwise and, as a result, someone obtains unauthorized access to confidential information, personal data or customer content, our reputation will be damaged, our business may suffer or we could incur significant liability. If the measures we have put in place to limit or restrict access to and use of functionality, usage entitlements and support for customers or prospective customers are breached, circumvented or ineffective as a result of third-party action, employee error, malfeasance or otherwise and, as a result, someone obtains unauthorized access to and use of functionality, usage entitlements and support, our business may suffer or we could incur significant liability and/or costs. Techniques used to obtain unauthorized access or use or to sabotage systems change frequently and generally are not recognized until launched against a target. As a result, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or to implement adequate preventative measures. If an actual or perceived security breach occurs, the market perception of our security measures could be harmed and we could lose sales and customers. Any significant violations of data privacy or unauthorized disclosure of information could result in the loss of business, litigation and regulatory investigations and penalties that could damage our reputation and adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition. Moreover, if a security breach occurs with respect to another software as a service, or SaaS, provider, our potential customers may lose trust in the security of the SaaS business model generally, which could adversely impact our ability to retain existing customers or attract new ones.

Production

Total Risks: 3/35 (9%)Below Sector Average

Employment / Personnel3 | 8.6%

Employment / Personnel - Risk 1

Added

Future success is highly dependent on the ability of management.

The nature of our operations is highly speculative and there is a consequent risk of loss of your investment. The success of our plan of operation will depend to a great extent on the operations, financial condition and management of the identified new business opportunities.

Employment / Personnel - Risk 2

We are highly dependent on the services of our key personnel.

We are highly dependent on the services of our key personnel, Matthew Stecker, who serves as our Chief Executive Officer and Mark Szynkowski, Vice President of Finance and Principal Accounting Officer. Although we have entered into agreements with them regarding their employment, they are not for a specific term and each of them may terminate their employment with us at any time, though we are not aware of any present intention of any of these individuals to leave us.

Employment / Personnel - Risk 3

Our business depends largely on our ability to attract and retain talented employees.

Attracting and retaining talented employees is key to our success. The market for skilled workers in our industry is very competitive. We may not be able to retain personnel or to hire additional personnel on a timely basis, if at all. Because of the complexity of our software solutions, a significant time lag exists between the hiring date of technical and sales personnel and the time when they become fully productive. We have at times experienced high employee turnover and difficulty in recruiting and retaining technical personnel. Our failure to retain personnel or to hire qualified personnel on a timely basis could adversely affect our business by impacting our ability to develop new products.

Ability to Sell

Total Risks: 2/35 (6%)Below Sector Average

Demand1 | 2.9%

Demand - Risk 1

Added

The industries in which we intend to operate are characterized by constant changes. If we fail to continuously innovate our business and results of operations may be adversely affected.

The industries in which we intend to operate are characterized by constant changes, including rapid technological evolution, continual shifts in customer demands, frequent introductions of new products and solutions and constant emergence of new industry standards and practices. Thus, our success will depend, in part, on our ability to respond to these changes in a cost-effective and timely manner. We need to anticipate the emergence of new technologies and assess their market acceptance. We also need to invest significant resources in research and development in order to become competitive in the market.

Sales & Marketing1 | 2.9%

Sales & Marketing - Risk 1

Added

We have no approved products on the market and have generated no product revenues to date.

After the sale of our assets, we have entered into a new business and to date, we have no approved products on the market and have generated no product revenues. Therefore, for the foreseeable future, we will have to fund all of our operations and capital expenditures from the net proceeds of the offering, cash on hand, and additional financings, to the extent such financings can be obtained.

Macro & Political

Total Risks: 1/35 (3%)Below Sector Average

Natural and Human Disruptions1 | 2.9%

Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 1

A pandemic, epidemic, or outbreak of infectious disease such as the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic could have an adverse effect on our business, operating results or financial condition.

Our business could be adversely impacted by the effects of a pandemic, epidemic, or outbreak of an infectious disease, such as the recent and ongoing COVID-19 outbreak in various parts of the world in which we operate, which has been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. This outbreak could adversely impact our operations, the operations of our potential customers and the global economy. Disruptions to our business include restrictions on our ability to travel and distribute our products, suspension or government-mandated shutdown of operations by us or our customers. Given the uncertainty around the extent and timing of the potential future spread or mitigation of the COVID-19 Pandemic and around the imposition or relaxation of protective measures, we cannot reasonably estimate the impact on our future results of operations, cash flows or financial condition.

See a full breakdown of risk according to category and subcategory. The list starts with the category with the most risk. Click on subcategories to read relevant extracts from the most recent report.

FAQ

What are “Risk Factors”?

Risk factors are any situations or occurrences that could make investing in a company risky.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires that publicly traded companies disclose their most significant risk factors. This is so that potential investors can consider any risks before they make an investment.

They also offer companies protection, as a company can use risk factors as liability protection. This could happen if a company underperforms and investors take legal action as a result.

It is worth noting that smaller companies, that is those with a public float of under $75 million on the last business day, do not have to include risk factors in their 10-K and 10-Q forms, although some may choose to do so.

How do companies disclose their risk factors?

Publicly traded companies initially disclose their risk factors to the SEC through their S-1 filings as part of the IPO process.

Additionally, companies must provide a complete list of risk factors in their Annual Reports (Form 10-K) or (Form 20-F) for “foreign private issuers”.

Quarterly Reports also include a section on risk factors (Form 10-Q) where companies are only required to update any changes since the previous report.

According to the SEC, risk factors should be reported concisely, logically and in “plain English” so investors can understand them.

How can I use TipRanks risk factors in my stock research?

Use the Risk Factors tab to get data about the risk factors of any company in which you are considering investing.

You can easily see the most significant risks a company is facing. Additionally, you can find out which risk factors a company has added, removed or adjusted since its previous disclosure. You can also see how a company’s risk factors compare to others in its sector.

Without reading company reports or participating in conference calls, you would most likely not have access to this sort of information, which is usually not included in press releases or other public announcements.

A simplified analysis of risk factors is unique to TipRanks.

What are all the risk factor categories?

TipRanks has identified 6 major categories of risk factors and a number of subcategories for each. You can see how these categories are broken down in the list below.

1. Financial & Corporate

Accounting & Financial Operations - risks related to accounting loss, value of intangible assets, financial statements, value of intangible assets, financial reporting, estimates, guidance, company profitability, dividends, fluctuating results.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights – risks related to things that impact share prices and the rights of shareholders, including analyst ratings, major shareholder activity, trade volatility, liquidity of shares, anti-takeover provisions, international listing, dual listing.
Debt & Financing – risks related to debt, funding, financing and interest rates, financial investments.
Corporate Activity and Growth – risks related to restructuring, M&As, joint ventures, execution of corporate strategy, strategic alliances.

2. Legal & Regulatory

Litigation and Legal Liabilities – risks related to litigation/ lawsuits against the company.
Regulation – risks related to compliance, GDPR, and new legislation.
Environmental / Social – risks related to environmental regulation and to data privacy.
Taxation & Government Incentives – risks related to taxation and changes in government incentives.

3. Production

Costs – risks related to costs of production including commodity prices, future contracts, inventory.
Supply Chain – risks related to the company’s suppliers.
Manufacturing – risks related to the company’s manufacturing process including product quality and product recalls.
Human Capital – risks related to recruitment, training and retention of key employees, employee relationships & unions labor disputes, pension, and post retirement benefits, medical, health and welfare benefits, employee misconduct, employee litigation.

4. Technology & Innovation

Innovation / R&D – risks related to innovation and new product development.
Technology – risks related to the company’s reliance on technology.
Cyber Security – risks related to securing the company’s digital assets and from cyber attacks.
Trade Secrets & Patents – risks related to the company’s ability to protect its intellectual property and to infringement claims against the company as well as piracy and unlicensed copying.

5. Ability to Sell

Demand – risks related to the demand of the company’s goods and services including seasonality, reliance on key customers.
Competition – risks related to the company’s competition including substitutes.
Sales & Marketing – risks related to sales, marketing, and distribution channels, pricing, and market penetration.
Brand & Reputation – risks related to the company’s brand and reputation.

6. Macro & Political

Economy & Political Environment – risks related to changes in economic and political conditions.
Natural and Human Disruptions – risks related to catastrophes, floods, storms, terror, earthquakes, coronavirus pandemic/COVID-19.
International Operations – risks related to the global nature of the company.
Capital Markets – risks related to exchange rates and trade, cryptocurrency.

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