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.

Innerscope Hearing Technologies disclosed 48 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Innerscope Hearing Technologies reported the most risks in the “Finance & Corporate” category.

Risk Overview Q4, 2018

Risk Distribution

58% Finance & Corporate

15% Legal & Regulatory

15% Ability to Sell

6% Production

4% Tech & Innovation

2% 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

Innerscope Hearing Technologies 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, 2018

Main Risk Category

Finance & Corporate

With 28 Risks

Finance & Corporate

With 28 Risks

Number of Disclosed Risks

-1

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 31

-1

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 31

Recent Changes

2Risks added

3Risks removed

3Risks changed

Since Dec 2018

2Risks added

3Risks removed

3Risks changed

Since Dec 2018

Number of Risk Changed

-1

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 3

-1

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 3

See the risk highlights of Innerscope Hearing Technologies 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 48

Finance & Corporate

Total Risks: 28/48 (58%)Above Sector Average

Share Price & Shareholder Rights13 | 27.1%

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1

Added

Our Directors and Officers hold 900,000 Shares of our Series B Preferred Shares which gives them voting control of the Company and therefore effective control of the Company.

As the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock, our current officers and directors ( the Moores) will have 1,000 votes per each share of the 900,000 shares of Series B Preferred that they own, constituting 900,000,000 votes, on any matter submitted to the holders of the common stock of the Company, effectively giving the holders voting control of the Company, as there are only 151,737,305 shares of the Company's common stock currently issued and outstanding. In addition to the voting power held via the Series B Preferred, our officers and directors are also the holder of 57,060,000 shares of the Company's common stock representing 37.6% of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company's common stock. As a result of the issuance of the preferred, the holders total voting percentage, including their common stock, is now 91%. This leaves our shareholders with no control over our business and operations, and any investors in our Company should be aware of this risk.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2

Changed

We could issue additional "blank check" preferred stock without stockholder approval with the effect of diluting then current stockholder interests and impairing their voting rights, and provisions in our charter documents and under Nevada law could discourage a takeover that stockholders may consider favorable.

Our certificate of incorporation, as amended, provides that we may authorize and issue up to 25,000,000 shares of "blank check" preferred stock with designations, rights, and preferences as may be determined from time to time by our Board. Our Board has issued 900,000 of Series B Preferred, and is empowered, without stockholder approval, to issue one or more series of preferred stock with dividend, liquidation, conversion, voting, or other rights, which could dilute the interest of or impair the voting power of our holders of Common Stock. The issuance of a series of preferred stock could be used as a method of discouraging, delaying, or preventing a change in control. For example, it would be possible for our Board to issue preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences that could impede the success of any attempt to change control of our Company.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3

Our independent auditors have expressed substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.

We incurred a net loss of $4,585,117 and $1,913,332 for the years ending December 31, 2018, and 2017, respectively. Because of the operating losses, negative cash flows from operations and working capital deficit, in their report on our financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018, our independent auditors included an explanatory paragraph regarding their substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. We are dependent therefore in raising additional capital in order to fund our operations. We may continue to experience net operating losses in the foreseeable future. Our ability to continue as a going concern is subject to our ability to generate a profit and/or obtain necessary funding from outside sources, including obtaining additional funding from the sale of our securities, increasing sales or obtaining loan from various financial institutions where possible. Our continued net operating losses increase the difficulty in meeting such goals and there can be no assurances that such methods will prove successful.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4

Because we are quoted on the OTCQB instead of an exchange or national quotation system, our investors may have a tougher time selling their stock or experience negative volatility on the market price of our common stock.

Our common stock is quoted on the OTCQB. The OTCQB is often highly illiquid, in part because it does not have a national quotation system by which potential investors can follow the market price of shares except through information received and generated by a limited number of broker-dealers that make markets in particular stocks. There is a greater chance of volatility for securities that are quoted on the OTCQB as compared to a national exchange or quotation system. This volatility may be caused by a variety of factors, including the lack of readily available price quotations, the absence of consistent administrative supervision of bid and ask quotations, lower trading volume, and market conditions. Investors in our common stock may experience high fluctuations in the market price and volume of the trading market for our securities. These fluctuations, when they occur, have a negative effect on the market price for our securities. Accordingly, our stockholders may not be able to realize a fair price from their shares when they determine to sell them or may have to hold them for a substantial period of time until the market for our common stock improves.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5

Our stock is listed on the OTCQB, if we fail to remain current on our reporting requirements, we could be removed from the OTCQB which would limit the ability of broker-dealers to sell our securities in the secondary market.

Companies trading on the OTCQB, must be reporting issuers under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and must be current in their reports under Section 13, in order to maintain price quotation privileges on the OTCQB. As a result, the market liquidity for our securities could be severely adversely affected by limiting the ability of broker-dealers to sell our securities and the ability of stockholders to sell their securities in the secondary market. In addition, we may be unable to get relisted on the OTCQB, which may have an adverse material effect on the Company.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 6

The Possible Sale of Shares of Common Stock by Our Selling Security Holders May Have a Significant Adverse Effect on the Market Price of Our Common Stock.

We have registered 906,000 shares of common stock with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission. The security holders may sell some or all of their shares at anytime. In the event that the security holders sell some or all of their shares, the price of our common stock could decrease significantly. Our ability to raise additional capital through the sale of our stock in a private placement may be harmed by these competing re-sales of our common stock by the selling security holders. Potential investors may not be interested in purchasing shares of our common stock if the selling security holders are selling their shares of common stock. The selling of stock by the security holders could be interpreted by potential investors as a lack of confidence in us and our ability to develop a stable market for our stock. The price of our common stock could fall if the selling security holders sell substantial amounts of our common stock. These sales may make it more difficult for us to sell equity or equity-related securities in the future at a time and price that we deem appropriate because the selling security holders may offer to sell their shares of common stock to potential investors for less than we do.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 7

We are an ‘Emerging Growth Company" and we intend to take advantage of reduced disclosure and governance requirements applicable to Emerging Growth Companies, which could result in our stock being less attractive to investors.

We are an "emerging growth company," as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, which we refer to as the JOBS Act, and we intend to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive because we will rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our stock price may be more volatile. We expect to take advantage of these reporting exemptions until we are no longer an emerging growth company, which in certain circumstances could be for up to five years.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 8

The Penny Stock Rules Could Restrict the Ability of Broker-Dealers to Sell Our Shares.

The SEC has adopted penny stock regulations which apply to securities traded over-the-counter. These regulations generally define penny stock to be any equity security that has a market price of less than $5.00 per share or an equity security of an issuer with net tangible assets of less than $5,000,000 as indicated in audited financial statements, if the corporation has been in continuous operations for less than three years. Subject to certain limited exceptions, the rules for any transaction involving a penny stock require the delivery, prior to the transaction, of a risk disclosure document prepared by the SEC that contains certain information describing the nature and level of risk associated with investments in the penny stock market. The broker-dealer also must disclose the commissions payable to both the broker-dealer and the registered representative and current quotations for the securities. Monthly account statements must be sent by the broker-dealer disclosing the estimated market value of each penny stock held in the account or indicating that the estimated market value cannot be determined because of the unavailability of firm quotes. In addition, the rules impose additional sales practice requirements on broker-dealers who sell such securities to persons other than established customers and institutional accredited investors (generally institutions with assets in excess of $5,000,000). These practices require that, prior to the purchase, the broker-dealer determined that transactions in penny stocks were suitable for the purchaser and obtained the purchaser's written consent to the transaction. If a market for our common stock does develop and our shares trade below $5.00 per share, it will be a penny stock. Consequently, the penny stock rules will likely restrict the ability of broker-dealers to sell our shares and will likely affect the ability of purchasers in the offering to sell our shares in the secondary market. Trading in our common stock will be subject to the "penny stock" rules. Due to the thinly traded market of these shares investors are at a much higher risk to lose all or part of their investment. Not only are these shares thinly traded but they are subject to higher fluctuations in price due to the instability of earnings of these smaller companies. As a result of the lack of a highly traded market in our shares investors are at risk of a lack of brokers who may be willing to trade in these shares.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 9

The market price of our common stock may be volatile and may decline in value.

The market price of our common stock has been and will likely continue to be highly volatile, as is the stock market in general, and the market for OTC Marketplace quoted stocks, in particular. Some of the factors that may materially affect the market price of our common stock are beyond our control, such as changes in financial estimates by industry and securities analysts, conditions or trends in the industry in which we operate or sales of our common stock. These factors may materially adversely affect the market price of our common stock, regardless of our performance. In addition, the public stock markets have experienced extreme price and trading volume volatility. This volatility has significantly affected the market prices of securities of many companies for reasons frequently unrelated to the operating performance of the specific companies. These broad market fluctuations may adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 10

Our stockholders may experience significant dilution if future equity offerings are used to fund operations or acquire complementary businesses.

If our future operations or acquisitions are financed through the issuance of equity securities, our stockholders could experience significant dilution. In addition, securities issued in connection with future financing activities or potential acquisitions may have rights and preferences senior to the rights and preferences of our common stock.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 11

Our current management can exert significant influence over us and make decisions that are not in the best interests of all stockholders.

Our executive officers and directors (the Moores) beneficially own as a group approximately 91% of our outstanding voting shares, including our Series B Preferred Stock. As a result, these stockholders will be able to assert significant influence over all matters requiring stockholder approval, including the election and removal of directors and any change in control. In particular, this concentration of ownership of our outstanding shares of common stock could have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control, or otherwise discouraging or preventing a potential acquirer from attempting to obtain control. This, in turn, could have a negative effect on the market price of our common stock. It could also prevent our stockholders from realizing a premium over the market prices for their shares of common stock. Moreover, the interests of the owners of this concentration of ownership may not always coincide with our interests or the interests of other stockholders and, accordingly, could cause us to enter into transactions or agreements that we would not otherwise consider.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 12

Investors who purchase shares of our common stock should be aware of the possibility of a total loss of their investment.

An investment in our common stock involves a substantial degree of risk. Before making an investment decision, you should give careful consideration to the risk factors described in this section in addition to the other information contained herein. The risk factors described herein, however, may not reflect all of the risks associated with our business or an investment in our common stock. You should invest in our Company only if you can afford to lose your entire investment.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 13

A significant amount of our issued and outstanding shares of common stock are restricted securities and may not be freely resold to the public. When the restriction on any or all of these shares is lifted, and the shares are sold in the open market, the price of our common stock could be adversely affected.

A significant amount of our issued and outstanding shares of common stock are "restricted securities" as defined under Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may only be sold pursuant to an effective registration statement or an exemption from registration, if available. Although Rule 144 may not be immediately available to permit resale of such shares, once available, and given the number of shares that would no longer be restricted, sales of shares by our shareholders, whether pursuant to Rule 144 or otherwise, could have an immediate negative effect upon the price of our common stock.

Accounting & Financial Operations6 | 12.5%

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1

As long as the Company qualifies as an Emerging Growth Company, the Company's independent registered public accounting firm will not be required to attest to the effectiveness of the company's internal control over financial reporting.

Because the Company has elected to take advantage of the extended time periods for compliance with new or revised accounting standards provided for under Section 102(b) of the JOBS Act, among other things, this means that the Company's independent registered public accounting firm will not be required to provide an attestation report on the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting so long as it qualifies as an emerging growth company, which may increase the risk that weaknesses or deficiencies in the internal control over financial reporting go undetected. Likewise, so long as it qualifies as an emerging growth company, the Company may elect not to provide certain information, including certain financial information and certain information regarding compensation of executive officers that would otherwise have been required to provide in filings with the SEC, which may make it more difficult for investors and securities analysts to evaluate the Company. As a result, investor confidence in the Company and the market price of its common stock may be adversely affected.

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 2

We do not expect to pay dividends in the future; any return on investment may be limited to the value of our common stock.

We do not currently anticipate paying cash dividends in the foreseeable future. The payment of dividends on our common stock will depend on earnings, financial condition and other business and economic factors affecting it at such time as the board of directors may consider relevant. Our current intention is to apply net earnings, if any, in the foreseeable future to increasing our capital base and development and marketing efforts. There can be no assurance that the Company will ever have sufficient earnings to declare and pay dividends to the holders of our common stock, and in any event, a decision to declare and pay dividends is at the sole discretion of our board of directors. If we do not pay dividends, our common stock may be less valuable because a return on your investment will only occur if its stock price appreciates.

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 3

The Company's election to take advantage of the jobs act's extended accounting transition period may not make its financial statements easily comparable to other companies.

Pursuant to the JOBS Act of 2012, as an emerging growth company the Company can elect to take advantage of the extended transition period for any new or revised accounting standards that may be issued by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board ("PCAOB") or the Securities & Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Company has elected take advantage of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the standard on the private company timeframe. This may make comparison of the Company's financial statements with any other public company which is not either an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible as possible different or revised standards may be used.

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 4

If we experience significant fluctuations in our rate of anticipated growth and fail to balance our expenses with our revenue forecasts, our results could be harmed.

Due to our evolving business model, the unpredictability of new markets that we intend to enter, and the unpredictability of future general economic and financial market conditions, we may not be able to accurately forecast our rate of growth. We plan our expense levels and investment on estimates of future revenue and future anticipated rate of growth. As a result, we expect that our revenues, operating results and cash flows may fluctuate significantly on a quarterly basis

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 5

Investors may lose their entire investment if we fail to reach profitability.

We commenced business in 2006. We have no demonstrable operations record from which you can evaluate the business and its prospects. Our prospects must be considered in light of the risks, uncertainties, expenses and difficulties frequently encountered by companies in their early stages of development. We cannot guarantee that we will be successful in accomplishing our objectives. To date, we have incurred losses and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Investors should therefore be aware that they may lose their entire investment in the securities.

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 6

Changed

We are be subject to the periodic reporting requirements of Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that requires us to incur audit fees and legal fees in connection with the preparation of such reports. These additional costs could reduce or eliminate our ability to earn a profit.

We are subject to the periodic reporting requirements of Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that requires us to incur audit fees and legal fees in connection with the preparation of such reports. These additional accounting, audit, legal, printing, public relations and other costs could reduce or eliminate our ability to earn a profit. We are required to file periodic reports with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. In order to comply with these requirements, our independent registered public accounting firm will have to review our financial statements on a quarterly basis and audit our financial statements on an annual basis. Moreover, our legal counsel will have to review and assist in the preparation of such reports. The incurrence of such costs constitutes an expense to our operations and thus have a negative effect on our ability to meet our overhead requirements and earn a profit. We are also continually exposed to potential risks resulting from any new requirements under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. If we cannot provide reliable financial reports or prevent fraud, our business and operating results could be harmed, investors could lose confidence in our reported financial information, and the trading price of our common stock, could drop significantly

Debt & Financing3 | 6.3%

Debt & Financing - Risk 1

Changed

We are dependent on raising additional capital. If we are unable to raise additional capital, we may not be able to achieve our business plan and you could lose your investment.

We are dependent on raising outside capital to fill our operational and expansion needs. We currently raise this debt through private debt or equity financings, as well as obtain credit from vendors to be able to fully execute our business plan. Any additional capital raised through the sale of equity may dilute your ownership interest. We may not be able to raise additional funds on favorable terms, or at all. If we are unable to obtain additional funds or credit from our vendors, we will be unable to execute our business plan and you could lose your investment. Management estimates we will need approximately $2,500,000 to fully implement, execute, market and launch our plans of multiple revenue streams in 2019. During 2019 we raised approximately $1,073,000 by the issuance of $1,296,000 of convertible notes.

Debt & Financing - Risk 2

Our financial condition could be adversely affected if our available liquidity is insufficient.

If our business is significantly adversely affected by further deterioration in the economic environment or otherwise, it could lead us to seek new or additional sources of liquidity to fund our needs. Currently, for a non-investment-grade company such as ours, the capital markets are challenging, with limited available financing and at higher costs than in recent years. There can be no guarantee that we would be able to access any new sources of liquidity on commercially reasonable terms or at all.

Debt & Financing - Risk 3

We have raised capital through the use of convertible debt instruments that causes substantial dilution to our stockholders.

Because of the size of our Company and its status as a "penny stock" as well as the current economy and difficulties of companies our size experience in finding adequate sources of funding, we have been forced to raise capital through the issuance of convertible notes and other debt instruments. These debt instruments carry favorable conversion terms to their holders of up to 35% discounts to the market price of our common stock on conversion and in some cases provide for the immediate sale of our securities into the open market, which will cause dilution to our stockholders. As of December 31, 2018, we had approximately $1,277,108 in convertible debt and potential convertible debt outstanding, with weighted average interest of approximately 8% and annual debt service of approximately $103,000. The convertible debt is convertible into approximately 120,800,000 shares of common stock at December 31, 2018. This convertible debt balance as well as additional convertible debt we incur in the future will cause substantial dilution to our stockholders.

Corporate Activity and Growth6 | 12.5%

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1

The Company may lose its status as an Emerging Growth Company.

Under Section 2(a)(19) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 3(a)(80) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), an Emerging Growth Company ("EGC") will lose its EGC status upon the earliest of: the last day of the first fiscal year in which the company's annual gross revenues exceed $1 billion; the date on which the company is deemed to be a large accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act); the date on which the company has, during the previous three-year period, issued more than $1 billion in non-convertible debt; and the last day of the fiscal year in which the fifth anniversary of the company's first sale of equity securities pursuant to an effective registration statement occurs.

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 2

We currently have only a small management team and staff, which could limit our ability to effectively seize market opportunities and grow our business.

Our operations are subject to all of the risks inherent in a growing business enterprise, including the likelihood of operating losses. As a smaller company with a limited operating history, our success will depend, among other factors, upon how we manage the problems, expenses, difficulties, complications and delays frequently encountered in connection with the growth of a new business, products and channels of distribution, and current and future development. In addition, as a company with a limited operating history and only a small management team and staff to grow the business and manage the risks inherent in a growing business enterprise, these factors could limit our ability to effectively seize market opportunities and grow.

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 3

We are an early-stage company with an unproven business model and our business may not become profitable.

We are an early-stage company with a limited operating history upon which you can evaluate our business. We have very limited historical financial data. As a result of these factors, the revenue and income potential of our business is unproven, and we have only a limited operating history upon which to base an evaluation of our current business and future prospects. Because of our limited operating history and because the health care industry is rapidly evolving, we have limited insight into trends that may emerge and affect our business. We may make errors in predicting and reacting to relevant business trends, which could harm our business. Early-stage companies in new and rapidly evolving markets such as ours frequently encounter risks, uncertainties and difficulties, including those described in this section. We may not be able to successfully address any or all of these risks. Failure to adequately address such risks could cause our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects to suffer.

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 4

Our management team has limited experience managing a public company, and regulatory compliance may divert its attention from the day-to-day management of our business.

Our management team has limited experience managing a public company, and regulatory compliance may divert its attention from the day-to-day management of our business. Some of the individuals who now constitute our management team have limited experience managing a publicly traded company and limited experience complying with the increasingly complex laws pertaining to public companies. Our management team may not successfully or efficiently manage our continued transition to a public company that will be subject to significant regulatory oversight and reporting obligations under the federal securities laws. In particular, these new obligations will require substantial attention from our senior management and could divert their attention away from the day-to-day management of our business, which could materially and adversely impact our business operations.

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 5

Our business model is subject to change

We may elect from time to time to make pricing, service, hiring and marketing decisions that could increase our expenses, affect our revenues and impact our financial results. Moreover, because our expense levels in any given quarter are based, in part, on management's expectations regarding future revenues, if revenues are below expectations, the effect on our operating results may be magnified by our inability to adjust spending in a timely manner to compensate for a shortfall in revenues. The extent to which expenses are not subsequently followed by increased revenues would harm our operating results and could seriously impair our business.

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 6

If we do not effectively manage changes in our business, these changes could place a significant strain on our management and operations.

To manage our growth successfully, we must continue to improve and expand our systems and infrastructure in a timely and efficient manner. Our controls, systems, procedures and resources may not be adequate to support a changing and growing company. If our management fails to respond effectively to changes and growth in our business, including acquisitions, this could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition, results of operations and future prospects.

Legal & Regulatory

Total Risks: 7/48 (15%)Below Sector Average

Regulation5 | 10.4%

Regulation - Risk 1

U.S. federal legislation entitled Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003 imposes certain obligations on the senders of commercial emails, which could minimize the effectiveness of our email marketing solution, and establishes financial penalties for non-compliance, which could increase the costs of our business.

Part of our marketing plan includes email advertising. U.S. federal legislation entitled Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003 imposes certain obligations on the senders of commercial emails, which could minimize the effectiveness of our email marketing solution, and establishes financial penalties for non-compliance, which could increase the costs of our business. In December 2003, Congress enacted Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003, or the CAN-SPAM Act, which establishes certain requirements for commercial email messages and specifies penalties for the transmission of commercial email messages that are intended to deceive the recipient as to source or content. The CAN-SPAM Act, among other things, obligates the sender of commercial emails to provide recipients with the ability to opt out of receiving future emails from the sender. In addition, some states have passed laws regulating commercial email practices that are significantly more punitive and difficult to comply with than the CAN-SPAM Act, particularly Utah and Michigan, which have enacted do-not-email registries listing minors who do not wish to receive unsolicited commercial email that markets certain covered content, such as adult or other harmful products. Some portions of these state laws may not be preempted by the CAN-SPAM Act. The ability of our customers' constituents to opt out of receiving commercial emails may minimize the effectiveness of our email marketing solution. Moreover, non-compliance with the CAN-SPAM Act carries significant financial penalties. If we were found to be in violation of the CAN-SPAM Act, applicable state laws not preempted by the CAN-SPAM Act, or foreign laws regulating the distribution of commercial email, whether as a result of violations by our customers or if we were deemed to be directly subject to and in violation of these requirements, we could be required to pay penalties, which would adversely affect our financial performance and significantly harm our business. We also may be required to change one or more aspects of the way we operate our business, which could impair our ability to attract and retain customers or increase our operating costs.

Regulation - Risk 2

Government regulation of the Internet, e-commerce and m-commerce is evolving, and unfavorable changes or failure by us to comply with these laws and regulations could substantially harm our business and results of operations. We are subject to general business regulations and laws as well as regulations and laws specifically governing the Internet, e-commerce and m-commerce in a number of jurisdictions around the world. Existing and future regulations and laws could impede the growth of the Internet, e-commerce, m-commerce or other online services. These regulations and laws may involve taxation, tariffs, privacy and data security, anti-spam, data protection, content, copyrights, distribution, electronic contracts, electronic communications and consumer protection. It is not clear how existing laws and regulations governing issues such as property ownership, sales and other taxes, libel and personal privacy apply to the Internet as the vast majority of these laws and regulations were adopted prior to the advent of the Internet and do not contemplate or address the unique issues raised by the Internet, e-commerce or m-commerce. It is possible that general business regulations and laws, or those specifically governing the Internet, e-commerce or m-commerce may be interpreted and applied in a manner that is inconsistent from one jurisdiction to another and may conflict with other rules or our practices. We cannot assure you that our practices have complied, comply or will comply fully with all such laws and regulations. Any failure, or perceived failure, by us to comply with any of these laws or regulations could result in damage to our reputation, a loss in business, and proceedings or actions against us by governmental entities or others. Any such proceeding or action could hurt our reputation, force us to spend significant resources in defense of these proceedings, distract our management, increase our costs of doing business, and cause consumers and retailers to decrease their use of our marketplace, and may result in the imposition of monetary liability. We may also be contractually liable to indemnify and hold harmless third parties from the costs or consequences of noncompliance with any such laws or regulations. In addition, it is possible that governments of one or more countries may seek to censor content available on our websites and mobile applications or may even attempt to completely block access to our marketplace. Adverse legal or regulatory developments could substantially harm our business. In particular, in the event that we are restricted, in whole or in part, from operating in one or more countries, our ability to retain or increase our customer base may be adversely affected and we may not be able to maintain or grow our net revenues as anticipated

Regulation - Risk 3

The Jobs Act will also allow the Company to postpone the date by which it must comply with certain laws and regulations intended to protect investors and reduce the amount of information provided in reports filed with the

The JOBS Act is intended to reduce the regulatory burden on "emerging growth companies. The Company meets the definition of an emerging growth company and so long as it qualifies as an "emerging growth company," it will, among other things: be exempt from the provisions of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requiring that its independent registered public accounting firm provide an attestation report on the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting. be exempt from the "say on pay" provisions (requiring a non-binding shareholder vote to approve compensation of certain executive officers) and the "say on golden parachute" provisions (requiring a non-binding shareholder vote to approve golden parachute arrangements for certain executive officers in connection with mergers and certain other business combinations) of the Dodd-Frank Act and certain disclosure requirements of the Dodd-Frank Act relating to compensation of its chief executive officer; be permitted to omit the detailed compensation discussion and analysis from proxy statements and reports filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and instead provide a reduced level of disclosure concerning executive compensation; and be exempt from any rules that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board requiring mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor's report on the financial statements The Company currently intends to take advantage of some or all of the reduced regulatory and reporting requirements that will be available to it so long as it qualifies as an "emerging growth company".

Regulation - Risk 4

We are subject to regulations and other governmental scrutiny that could restrict our activities or negatively impact our revenues.

Our marketing sector is subject to government regulation and other governmental action, both domestic and foreign. There has been an increasing tendency on the part of advertisers and consumer groups to challenge advertising through legislation, regulation, the courts or otherwise. For example, challenges have been made in the courts on the grounds that the advertising is false and deceptive or injurious to public welfare. Through the years, there has been a continuing expansion of specific rules, prohibitions, media restrictions, labeling disclosures and warning requirements with respect to the advertising for certain products. Representatives within government bodies, both domestic and foreign, continue to initiate proposals to ban the advertising of specific products and to impose taxes on or deny deductions for advertising, which, if successful, may have an adverse effect on advertising expenditures and consequently our revenues.

Regulation - Risk 5

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA, sales practice requirements may also limit a stockholder's ability to buy and sell our stock.

In addition to the Penny Stock Rules described above, FINRA has adopted rules that require that in recommending an investment to a customer, a broker-dealer must have reasonable grounds for believing that the investment is suitable for that customer. Prior to recommending speculative low-priced securities to their non-institutional customers, broker-dealers must make reasonable efforts to obtain information about the customer's financial status, tax status, investment objectives and other information. Under interpretations of these rules, FINRA believes that there is a high probability that speculative low priced securities will not be suitable for at least some customers. FINRA requirements make it more difficult for broker-dealers to recommend that their customers buy our common stock, which may limit your ability to buy and sell our stock and have an adverse effect on the market for our shares.

Litigation & Legal Liabilities1 | 2.1%

Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 1

Litigation or legal proceedings could expose us to significant liabilities and damage our reputation.

Litigation or legal proceedings could expose us to significant liabilities and damage our reputation. We may become party to litigation claims and legal proceedings. Litigation involves significant risks, uncertainties and costs, including distracting of management's attention away from our current business operations. We evaluate litigation claims and legal proceedings to assess the likelihood of unfavorable outcomes and to estimate, if possible, the amount of potential losses. Based on these assessments and estimates, we establish reserves and/or disclose the relevant litigation claims or legal proceedings, as appropriate. These assessments and estimates are based on the information available to management at the time and involve a significant amount of management judgment. We caution you that actual outcomes or losses may differ materially from those envisioned by our current assessments and estimates. Our policies and procedures require strict compliance by our employees and agents with all United States and local laws and regulations applicable to our business operations, including those prohibiting improper payments to government officials. Nonetheless, there can be no assurance that our policies and procedures will always ensure full compliance by our employees and agents with all applicable legal requirements. Improper conduct by our employees or agents could damage our reputation in the United States and internationally or lead to litigation or legal proceedings that could result in civil or criminal penalties, including substantial monetary fines, as well as disgorgement of profits.

Environmental / Social1 | 2.1%

Environmental / Social - Risk 1

Our business practices with respect to data and consumer protection could give rise to liabilities or reputational harm as a result of governmental regulation, legal requirements or industry standards relating to consumer privacy, data protection and consumer protection. Federal, state and international laws and regulations govern the collection, use, retention, sharing and security of data that we collect. We strive to comply with all applicable laws, regulations, self-regulatory requirements and legal obligations relating to privacy, data protection and consumer protection, including those relating to the use of data for marketing purposes. It is possible, however, that these requirements may be interpreted and applied in a manner that is inconsistent from one jurisdiction to another and may conflict with other rules or our practices. We cannot assure you that our practices have complied, comply, or will comply fully with all such laws, regulations, requirements and obligations. Any failure, or perceived failure, by us to comply with federal, state or international laws or regulations, including laws and regulations regulating privacy, data security, marketing communications or consumer protection, or other policies, self-regulatory requirements or legal obligations could result in harm to our reputation, a loss in business, and proceedings or actions against us by governmental entities, consumers, retailers or others. We may also be contractually liable to indemnify and hold harmless performance marketing networks or other third parties from the costs or consequences of noncompliance with any laws, regulations, self-regulatory requirements or other legal obligations relating to privacy, data protection and consumer protection or any inadvertent or unauthorized use or disclosure of data that we store or handle as part of operating our business. Any such proceeding or action, and any related indemnification obligation, could hurt our reputation, force us to incur significant expenses in defense of these proceedings, distract our management, increase our costs of doing business and cause consumers and retailers to decrease their use of our marketplace, and may result in the imposition of monetary liability.

Ability to Sell

Total Risks: 7/48 (15%)Above Sector Average

Competition1 | 2.1%

Competition - Risk 1

We operate in and plan to expand into extremely competitive environments, which will make it difficult for us to achieve market recognition and revenues.

We operate in an extremely competitive environment and the markets for our products and services are characterized by rapidly changing technologies, frequent new product introductions, short product life cycles and evolving industry standards. Our success depends, in substantial part, on the timely and successful introduction of our new products and services and thereafter upgrades of our products and services to comply with emerging industry standards and to address competing technological and product developments by our competitors. We may focus our resources on technologies that do not become widely accepted, are not timely released or are not commercially viable. In addition, our products may contain defects or errors that are detected only after deployment. If our products are not competitive or do not work properly, our business could suffer and our financial performance could be negatively impacted. You have no assurance that our new products and services, which we intend to be a significant part or our business, will be accepted in the marketplace. If our products and services do not achieve market acceptance, our revenues will be significantly below the level we anticipate.

Sales & Marketing5 | 10.4%

Sales & Marketing - Risk 1

Added

Sales concentrations for the year ended December 31, 2018 and 2017.

For the year ended December 31, 2108, one customer accounted for 25.2% of our business and is a related party. For the year ended December 31, 2017, four customers accounted for approximately 75% of our business, of which one (18.3%), was a related party. In August 2016, we entered into a 30- month Consulting Agreement with an unaffiliated party, as well as a Store Expansion Agreement and Marketing Agreement. The Store Expansion Agreement and Marketing Agreement were subsequently cancelled. The unaffiliated party represented approximately 27.6% of our revenues for the year ended December 31, 2017.

Sales & Marketing - Risk 2

A significant part of our business plan depends on marketing of our products and services, which may not be accepted in the marketplace.

Our industry is extremely competitive and we have yet to attain any significant market share. In order to achieve successful operations, we will depend on effective marketing to gain a significantly larger market share. We do not engage independent sales representatives. We do not employ a marketing agency. Employing a greater number of marketing personnel or a marketing agency would require greater financial resources than we currently possess. Furthermore, our ability to attract independent sales representatives may be limited without greater name recognition, an advertising campaign and market penetration. Unless we are able to address these limitations in our marketing capabilities, you may expect our revenues to be limited and we may have difficulty staying in business. And under such circumstances, our stock would not gain in value.

Sales & Marketing - Risk 3

Our business could be adversely affected if our customers are not satisfied with their purchase through us or the implementation and customization services provided by third party Service Providers.

Our business will depend on our ability to satisfy our potential customers. If a customer is not satisfied with the quality of the product or service, the customer's dissatisfaction could damage our ability to obtain additional or future orders from that customer. In addition, potential negative publicity related to our customer relationships, regardless of its accuracy, may further damage our business by affecting our ability to compete for new business with prospective customers.

Sales & Marketing - Risk 4

Our future growth may be dependent, in part, on our distribution arrangements directly with retailers and regional retail accounts. If we are unable to establish and maintain these arrangements, our results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected.

Our future growth may be dependent in part on our distribution arrangements directly with retailers and regional retail accounts. If we are unable to establish and maintain these arrangements, our results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected. We currently have distribution arrangements with a few regional retail accounts to distribute our products directly through their venues; however, there are several risks associated with this distribution strategy. First, we do not have long-term agreements in place with any of these accounts and thus, the arrangements are terminable at any time by these retailers or us. Accordingly, we may not be able to maintain continuing relationships with any of these national accounts. A decision by any of these retailers, or any other large retail accounts we may obtain, to decrease the amount purchased from us or to cease carrying our products could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, financial condition or results of operations. In addition, we may not be able to establish additional distribution arrangements with other national retailers. In addition, our dependence on large regional retail chains may result in pressure on us to reduce our pricing to them or seek significant product discounts. In general, our margins are lower on our sales to these customers because of these pressures. Any increase in our costs for these retailers to carry our product, reduction in price, or demand for product discounts could have a material adverse effect on our profit margin.

Sales & Marketing - Risk 5

As we attempt to expand our customer base through our marketing efforts, our new customers may use our products differently than our existing customers and, accordingly, our business model may not be as efficient at attracting and retaining new customers.

As we attempt to expand our customer base, our new customers may use our products differently than our existing customers. For example, a greater percentage of new customers may take advantage of the free trial period we offer but ultimately choose to use another form of marketing to reach their constituents. If our new customers are not as loyal as our existing customers, our attrition rate will increase and our customer referrals will decrease, which would have an adverse effect on our results of operations. In addition, as we seek to expand our customer base, we expect to increase our spending on sales and marketing activities in order to attract new customers, which will increase our operating costs. There can be no assurance that these sales and marketing efforts will be successful

Brand / Reputation1 | 2.1%

Brand / Reputation - Risk 1

Our ability to grow our business may depend on developing a positive brand reputation and member loyalty.

Establishing and maintaining a positive brand reputation and nurturing member loyalty is critical to attracting new customers. We expect to expend reasonable but limited resources to develop, maintain and enhance our brand in the near future. In addition, nurturing customer loyalty will depend on our ability to provide a high-quality, user experience. If we are unable to maintain and enhance our brand reputation and customer satisfaction, our ability to attract new customers will be harmed.

Production

Total Risks: 3/48 (6%)Below Sector Average

Employment / Personnel2 | 4.2%

Employment / Personnel - Risk 1

We are dependent on our CEO and outsourced consultants, and the loss of one or more of these individuals could harm our business and prevent us from implementing our business plan in a timely manner.

Our success depends substantially upon the continued services of our executive officers and other key members of management, particularly our CEO, Matthew Moore. We do not maintain key person life insurance policies on our CEO. The loss of the services of our CEO could seriously harm our business. Our CEO is also an Officer or a managing member of Moore Family Hearing Company, Moore Holdings, LLC and Value Hearing, LLC, and we have entered into transactions with these entities.

Employment / Personnel - Risk 2

We may lose or fail to attract and retain key employees and management personnel.

Our employees, including creative, research, media and account specialists, and their skills and relationships with clients, are among our most important assets. An important aspect of our competitiveness is our ability to attract and retain key employees and management personnel. Our ability to do so is influenced by a variety of factors, including the compensation we award, and could be adversely affected by our financial or market performance.

Supply Chain1 | 2.1%

Supply Chain - Risk 1

We rely on third-party computer hardware and software that may be difficult to replace or which could cause errors or failures of our service.

We will rely on computer hardware purchased or leased and software licensed from third parties in order to offer our proposed service, including database software from Oracle Corporation and an open source content management system. This hardware and software may not continue to be available at reasonable prices or on commercially reasonable terms, or at all. Any loss of the right to use any of this hardware or software could significantly increase our expenses and otherwise result in delays in the provisioning of our service until equivalent technology is either developed by us, or, if available, is identified, obtained and integrated, which could harm our business. Any errors or defects in third-party hardware or software could result in errors or a failure of our service which could harm our business.

Tech & Innovation

Total Risks: 2/48 (4%)Below Sector Average

Trade Secrets2 | 4.2%

Trade Secrets - Risk 1

We have limited protection of our intellectual property.

Our business prospects do not rely upon company-owned patented technologies. Our business prospects will depend largely on our ability to service and support customers and deliver services and solutions. There can be no assurance that we will be able to adequately protect our trade secrets. In the event competitors independently develop or otherwise obtain access to our know-how, concepts or trade secrets, we may be adversely affected.

Trade Secrets - Risk 2

We may in the future be sued by third parties for alleged infringement of their proprietary rights.

The software and Internet industries are characterized by the existence of a large number of patents, trademarks and copyrights and by frequent litigation based on allegations of infringement or other violations of intellectual property rights. We may receive in the future communications from third parties claiming that we have infringed the intellectual property rights of others. We may in the future be sued by third parties for alleged infringement of their proprietary rights. Our technologies may not be able to withstand any third-party claims against their use. The outcome of any litigation is inherently uncertain. Any intellectual property claims, whether with or without merit, could be time-consuming and expensive to resolve, could divert management attention from executing our business plan and could require us to change our technology, change our business practices and/or pay monetary damages or enter into short- or long-term royalty or licensing agreements which may not be available in the future at the same terms or at all.

Macro & Political

Total Risks: 1/48 (2%)Below Sector Average

Economy & Political Environment1 | 2.1%

Economy & Political Environment - Risk 1

Our revenues are highly susceptible to declines as a result of unfavorable economic conditions.

Economic downturns could affect the hearing aid industry more severely than other industries, and the recovery of the hearing aid industry could lag behind that of the economy generally. In the past, some clients have responded to weakening economic conditions by reducing their purchases of hearing aids in general and marketing budgets specifically, which include discretionary components that are easier to reduce in the short term than other operating expenses. This pattern may recur in the future. A decrease in our revenue could pose a challenge to our cash generation from operations.

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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