DUOS TECHNOLOGIES GROUP INC

This Form 10-K and other reports filed by the Company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) contain or may contain forward-looking statements and information that are based upon beliefs of, and information currently available to, the Company’s management as well as estimates and assumptions made by Company’s management. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. When used in the filings, the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “future,” “intend,” “plan,” or the negative of these terms and similar expressions as they relate to the Company or the Company’s management identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the current view of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors, including the risks contained in the “Risk Factors” section of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, relating to the Company’s industry, the Company’s operations and results of operations, and any businesses that the Company may acquire. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should the underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may differ significantly from those anticipated, believed, estimated, expected, intended, or planned.

Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements. Except as required by applicable law, the Company does not intend to update any of the forward-looking statements.

Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”). These accounting principles require us to make certain estimates, judgments and assumptions. We believe that the estimates, judgments and assumptions upon which we rely are reasonable based upon information available to us at the time that these estimates, judgments and assumptions are made. These estimates, judgments and assumptions can affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the consolidated financial statements as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the periods presented. Our consolidated financial statements would be affected to the extent there are material differences between these estimates and actual results. In many cases, the accounting treatment of a particular transaction is specifically dictated by GAAP and does not require management’s judgment in its application. There are also areas in which management’s judgment in selecting any available alternative would not produce a materially different result. The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and notes thereto appearing elsewhere in this report.

Overview

We intend for this discussion to provide information that will assist in understanding our financial statements, the changes in certain key items in those financial statements, and the primary factors that accounted for those changes, as well as how certain accounting principles affect our financial statements.

Plan of Operation

The Company’s growth strategy includes expansion of its technology base through organic development efforts, strategic partnerships, and strategic acquisitions where appropriate. The Company provides its broad range of technology solutions with an emphasis on the Vision Technology market sector and, more specifically, the Machine Vision subsector. Machine Vision companies provide imaging-based automatic inspection and analysis for process control for industry with potential expansion into other markets. Duos is currently developing industry solutions for its target markets which will address rail, trucking, aviation and other vehicle-based processes. Duos’ initial offering, the Railcar Inspection Portal (RIP), provides both freight and transit railroad customers and select government agencies the ability to conduct fully automated railcar inspections of trains while they are moving at full speed.

Specifically, based upon the current and anticipated business growth, the Company is investing in resources to focus on execution within its target markets. We continue to evaluate key requirements within those markets, our go-to-market strategy and add development resources to allow us to compete for additional projects to drive additional revenue growth.

Prospects and Outlook

The Company’s focus is to improve operational and technical execution which, we believe, will in turn enable the commercial side of the business to expand RIP and ALIS delivery into existing customers and to expand and diversify our current customer base. The Company’s primary customers have indicated readiness to order more equipment and services should the Company execute as expected on key deliverables. With the Company working toward a subscription platform approach and its expansion of its artificial intelligence offering, this will also open up additional commercial avenues to the Company. Historically, the Company has been focused on large, one-time sales with the subscription opportunities representing an expanded addressable market with emphasis on recurring revenues.

Additionally, the Company is making engineering and software upgrades to the RIP to meet anticipated Federal Railroad Association (FRA) and Association of American Railroad (AAR) standards. These upgrades will continue to be released throughout 2024 and are expected to drive revenue growth this year and beyond.

The Company is expanding its focus in the rail industry to encompass passenger transportation and was awarded a large, multi-year contract with a national rail carrier. The Company anticipates that it will install a two-RIP solution for the carrier in 2024, with a long-term services agreement commencing upon delivery of the system.

Although the Company’s prospects for future revenue growth are anticipated to be favorable, investing in our securities involves risk and careful consideration should be made before deciding to purchase our securities. There are many risks that affect our business and results of operations, some of which are beyond our control and unexpected macro events can have a severe impact on the business. Please see the risk factors identified in “Item 1A – Risk Factors” elsewhere in this Annual Report.

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements included in this report.

For the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to December 31, 2022

The following table sets forth a summary of our Consolidated Statements of Operations that is used in the following discussions of our results of operations:

Revenues

For the full year 2023, there was a 50% decrease in overall revenues compared to 2022. This decrease was primarily driven by the substantial completion of two freight RIP projects, alongside ongoing procurement and manufacturing for our transit-focused RIPs in 2022. However, in 2023, despite progress into the advanced stages of procurement and manufacturing for the transit-focused RIPs, customer-driven delays beyond the Company’s control arose during the ongoing production of the two high-speed transit-focused RIPs and thus resulted in timing delays of the overall project delivery timeline shifting anticipated revenues into 2024. For the full year 2023, there was a small increase in services and consulting revenues as there were one-time services performed in 2022, related to major site maintenance and repairs for a single customer which did not occur in 2023. Underlying recurring revenues climbed by approximately 23% on a year-over-year basis. This growth is fueled by the expansion of service contracts following the completion of new portals in early 2023, coupled with the deployment of AI services deployed with several customers. The Company is focusing on increasing its business from services and the increase is the result of new contracts for existing and new systems which the Company anticipates will continue growing throughout 2024 and beyond. The Company continues to navigate delays outside of the Company's control related to the ongoing production and installation of our two high-speed transit-focused Railcar Inspection Portals. Management cautions that because of the delays in anticipated start dates, certain installations may produce revenues towards the end of 2024. These deferrals resulted in a slightly lower revenue growth performance than originally anticipated. However, the bulk of these deferred revenues are expected to be reported in 2024.

While customer-driven delays in the installation of our high-speed transit-focused Railcar Inspection Portals have impacted revenue growth timing year-over-year, the Company's capital structure remains resilient, allowing us to pursue large projects despite unexpected delays. It should be noted that the Company recently increased its working capital to account for an increase in pre-contract procurement activities to avoid a slowdown in revenues caused by delays in receiving certain components as had been the case in previous years. The Company undertook a major review of operations during 2021 and made significant changes in staffing including additional engineering staff and revamping its software development and Artificial Intelligence staffing. These efforts have yielded benefits throughout 2022, 2023 and beyond.

Overall, in 2023, the Company achieved notable success in advancing procurement and manufacturing for its transit-focused RIPs, expanding service contracts, and securing new AI contracts and growing its AI portfolio, including the announcement of its inaugural subscription customer. Recurring revenue from services and consulting continues to grow and is expected to contribute significantly to future revenue streams, bolstered by new long-term contracts with existing customers expected to commence in the coming months.

Cost of Revenues

Cost of revenues largely comprises equipment, certain fixed labor and overhead necessary to support the implementation of new systems and support and maintenance of existing systems. Cost of revenues on technology systems decreased during the period compared to the equivalent period in 2022 in-line with the decline in project revenues. The decline in costs generally follows the same trend as project revenues year-over-year as a result of an overall timing difference of major project work related to the substantial completion of two freight Railcar Inspection Portals and subsequent progression of procurement and manufacturing for the transit-focused RIPs compared to the equivalent period in 2023 where the Company continued to progress into the advanced stages of procurement and manufacturing of the transit-focused RIPs, which it anticipates completing during 2024.

These internal costs are being recognized against project and support revenues with a similar reduction in costs previously recognized for research and development, engineering and internal support. The project costs reflect subsequent allocations of fixed costs related to the staff and departmental costs associated with procurement, manufacturing and installation of RIP installations. As such, in 2023, this fixed component contributed to a negative margin on the Technology systems revenues. In concert with this, there is a continued focus on construction costs and savings through efficiency, but the Company has elected to retain its key employees in anticipation of expected sales growth in technology systems and services in 2024 and beyond.

Cost of revenues decreased on services and consulting year-over-year. The decrease in costs was a result ofone-time services performed in 2022, related to major site maintenance and repairs for a single customer slightly offset by additional services costs related to the completion of two new freight portals in early 2023. The Company continues to put into service additional artificial intelligence algorithms and maintenance and support services which are high margin and represent only marginal increases in the requisite costs to deliver these services.

Gross Margin

Gross margin showed a decrease for the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to the same period in 2022. As noted above, the decline in margin was a direct result of an increased level of business activity the Company recognized in 2022 related to the delivery of two freight portals and the progression of the transit-focused RIPs compared to the activity in 2023 as well as project delays that were experienced in the latter half of 2023. The business activity in 2023 consisted primarily of continued progression into the advanced stages of procurement and manufacturing for the transit-focused RIPs. The Company began to recognize revenue and profit on those activities in accordance with its revenue recognition policy. The recognition of the revenue and subsequent profit from these projects, as well as underlying services and maintenance revenues from existing and recently completed projects, coupled with the previously mentioned fixed departmental costs resulted in a gross margin of approximately 18%. By comparison for the full-year 2022, the Company had increased business activity from a handful of projects primarily related to the substantial completion of two freight RIPs along with significant progress made on the procurement and manufacturing of our two transit-focused RIPs. The recognition of the revenue and subsequent profit from these major projects, as well as underlying services and maintenance revenues from existing projects, resulted in a 32% gross margin in 2022.

Operating Expenses

Overall operating expenses were higher by 10% in 2023 as compared to the full-year 2022. There was a 12% increase in sales and marketing related to increased investment into the capability of the commercial team, including the addition of professionals with extensive experience and leadership in the rail industry. Research and development costs saw a 10% uptick during the year, driven by the increased personnel costs related to the departments allocated to R&D. Additionally, a 10% increase in general and administration costs was influenced by several factors, including non-cash amortization charges associated with roughly 400,000 share options that were issued during 2023 as well as an increase in incentive programs tied to certain 2022 performance targets. These efforts reflect a focus on employee retention and to drive higher performance and attract and retain better quality resources in a tight labor market. The Company still faces some pressure on existing staff compensation as a result of inflation in prior years but remains focused to manage and stabilize administrative costs without interruption to customer service. Other factors driving the increase in general and administration costs include an increase in depreciation charges linked to capitalized AI development cost for third party support to expand Duos’ AI catalog to over 40 algorithms by the end of 2023. Lastly the Company saw increased general and administration costs related to a financing deal which was ultimately not consummated with a bank as well as additional legal and consulting fees related to intellectual property and patents documentation and support. These changes in expenses reflect the Company's ongoing efforts to invest in talent, expand capabilities, and drive growth in line with its operating plan.

Loss From Operations

The losses from operations for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 were $11,446,566 and $6,865,149, respectively. The increase in losses from operations during the year was the result of declining system revenues stemming from a decrease in business activity as well as project delays experienced in the latter half of 2023 that were beyond the Company’s control. The Company has continued to face inflation and supply chain pressures during 2023 and, as normal course of business, has worked to balance these impacts through management of customer contracts and cost control efforts.

Interest Expense

Interest expense for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 was $7,159 and $9,191, respectively. The reduction in interest expense was primarily attributed to the extinguishment of equipment financing payables in 2023 that were present during 2022.

Other Income

Other income for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 was $212,007 and $9,557, respectively. The increase is mainly attributable to the Company's sale of its iCAS assets to a purchaser in the second quarter of 2023 for $165,000 through a convertible note.

Net Loss

The net loss for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 was $11,241,718 and $6,864,783, respectively. The increase in net loss is primarily attributable to the decrease in project activity in 2023 compared to 2022, offset slightly with an increase in the Company’s recurring services and consulting. Net loss per common share was $1.56 and $1.11 for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

As of December 31, 2023, the Company has a cash balance of $2,441,842 and an Accounts Receivable balance of $1,462,463.

Cash Flows

The following table sets forth the major components of our statements of cash flows data for the periods presented:

Net cash used in operating activities for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 was $8,746,564 and $7,873,307, respectively. The increase in net cash used in operations for the year ended December 31, 2023 was the result of expenditures related to current projects as previously discussed as well as expenditures related to projects which the Company anticipates will be completed in 2024. In addition, there are several changes in assets and liabilities that increased the use of cash in operations including decreases in accounts payable, accrued expenses and the operating lease obligation.

Net cash used in investing activities for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 was $1,093,909 and $644,888, respectively. The Company continued to invest in computing, lab equipment, internal use software and artificial intelligence detections development as reflected in the year-over-year increase in 2023.

Net cash provided in financing activities for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 was $11,161,223 and $8,745,567, respectively. Cash flows provided by financing activities during 2023 were primarily attributable to gross proceeds from the issuance of preferred stock to shareholders in the amount of $11,500,000, offset by $25,797 in issuance costs. 2023 marked an increase from 2022 financing activities of $8,745,567.

During 2023, we funded our operations through the sale of our equity (or equity linked) securities, and through revenues generated and cash received from ongoing project execution, services and associated maintenance revenues. As of March 27, 2024, we have cash on hand of approximately $3,329,753 after an equity capital raise in March 2024 which provided net proceeds of $2,745,000. We have approximately $165,500 in monthly lease and other mandatory payments, not including payroll and ordinary expenses which are due monthly.

On a long-term basis, our liquidity is dependent on the continuation and expansion of operations and receipt of revenues. Our current capital and access to further capital and revenues are sufficient to fund such expansion we are now less dependent on timely payments by our customers for projects and work in process, however we expect such timely payments to continue. Material cash requirements will be satisfied within the normal course of business including substantial upfront payments from our customers prior to starting projects. In some cases, the Company may elect to purchase materials and supplies in advance of contract award but where there is a high probability of that award. Most, if not all, high value items that are pre-purchased, can be re-purposed if necessary. The maximum amount of material cash requirements not currently supported by up-front customer deposits is expected to be less than $1 million.

Demand for the products and services will be dependent on, among other things, market acceptance of our products and services, the technology market in general, and general economic conditions, which are cyclical in nature. In as much as a major portion of our activities is the receipt of revenues from the sales of our products and services, our business operations may be adversely affected by our competitors and prolonged recession periods although these are not considered to be a factor at present.

In the event of expansion into owning and operating its own Railcar Inspection Portals, the Company’s cash requirements and timing may shift. Specifically, the Company would endeavor to buy all materials ahead of time and invest in the RIP with follow-on contracts for long-term services and licensing. While this would shift the Company’s cash requirements, it anticipates a 12 – 18-month cash break-even point for each site and an opportunity for improved cash flows over time with high-margin agreements with the investment bolstered by access to further funding via common stock and private placement offerings.

Liquidity

Under Accounting Codification ASC 205, Presentation of Financial Statements—Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40) (“ASC 205-40”), the Company has the responsibility to evaluate whether conditions and/or events raise substantial doubt about its ability to meet its future financial obligations as they become due within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued. As required by ASC 205-40, this evaluation shall initially not take into consideration the potential mitigating effects of plans that have not been fully implemented as of the date the financial statements are issued. Management has assessed the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern in accordance with the requirement of ASC 205-40.

As reflected in the accompanying consolidated financial statements, the Company had a net loss of $11,241,718 for the year ended December 31, 2023. During the same period, cash used in operating activities was $8,746,564. The working capital surplus and accumulated deficit as of December 31, 2023, were $3,009,842 and $63,603,552, respectively. In previous financial reports, the Company had raised substantial doubt about continuing as a going concern. This was principally due to a lack of working capital prior to an underwritten offerings and private placements which were completed during the first, third and fourth quarters of 2022, the first, third and fourth quarters of 2023, as well as the first quarter of 2024.

As previously noted, the Company was successful during 2023 in raising gross proceeds of over $11,500,000 from the sale of Series E and F Preferred Stock. Additionally, late in the first quarter of 2024, the Company raised gross proceeds of $2,745,000 from the issuance of a combination of Series D and E Preferred Stock (See Note 17). As part of its strategy, the Company will endeavor to utilize the Preferred Series E and the remainder of the Series D as additional funding mechanisms. Additionally, during the second quarter of 2024, the Company will again have access to its S-3 “shelf registration” statement allowing the Company to sell additional common shares. At the time of this document, the Company estimates that it has available capacity on its shelf registration which it can utilize to bolster working capital and growth of the business in the event it did not have an uptake in the preferred classes of shares previously noted. Although additional investment is not assured, the Company is comfortable that it would be able to raise sufficient capital to support expanded operations based on an anticipated increase in business activity. In the long run, the continuation of the Company as a going concern is dependent upon the ability of the Company to continue executing its business plan, generate enough revenue, and attain consistently profitable operations. Although the lingering effects of the global pandemic related to the coronavirus (Covid-19) previously affected our operations, particularly in our supply chain, we now believe that the supply chain lags have largely been abated. We have analyzed our cash flow under “stress test” conditions and have determined that we have sufficient liquid assets on hand or available via the capital markets to maintain operations for at least twelve months from the issuance date of this report.

In addition, management has taken and continues to take actions including, but not limited to, elimination of certain costs that do not contribute to short term revenue, and re-aligning both management and staffing with a focus on improving certain skill sets necessary to build growth and profitability and focusing product strategy on opportunities that are likely to bear results in the relatively short term. The Company believes that, with the combination of commercial sales success, Series E Preferred Stock offering coupled with an S-3 shelf registration availability starting in the second quarter of 2024, it will have sufficient working capital to meet its obligations over the following twelve months. In the last twelve months the Company has seen growth in its contracted backlog as well as significant, positive signs from new commercial projects that indicate improvements in future revenues.

Management believes that, at this time, the conditions in our market space with ongoing contract delays and the additional time needed to execute on new contracts previously reported have put a strain on our cash reserves. However, recent private placements as well as the availability to raise capital via its shelf registration indicate there is no substantial doubt for the Company to continue as a going concern for a period of twelve months. We continue executing the plan to grow our business and achieve profitability. The Company may selectively look at opportunities for fund raising in the future. Management has extensively evaluated our requirements for the next 12 months and has determined that the Company currently has sufficient cash and access to capital to operate for at least that period.

While no assurance can be provided, management believes that these actions provide the opportunity for the Company to continue as a going concern and to grow its business and achieve profitability with access to additional capital funding. Ultimately the continuation of the Company as a going concern is dependent upon the ability of the Company to continue executing the plan described above which was put in place in late 2022 and will continue in 2024 and beyond. As a result, we expect to generate sufficient revenue and to attain profitable operations with minimal cash use in the next 12-18 months. These consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments related to the recoverability and classification of recorded asset amounts and classification of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern.

Critical Accounting Estimates

Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes revenue over time using a cost-based input methodology in which significant judgment is required to estimate costs to complete projects. These estimated costs are then used to determine the progress towards contract completion and the corresponding amount of revenue to recognize. The Company follows the principles in ASC 606 which include the following: a contract with a customer creates distinct contract assets and performance obligations, satisfaction of a performance obligation creates revenue, and a performance obligation is satisfied upon transfer of control to a good or service to a customer.

Revenue is recognized by evaluating the Company revenue contracts with customers based on the five-step model under ASC 606:

The Company generates revenue from four sources:

Stock Based Compensation** **

The Company accounts for employee and non-employee stock-based compensation in accordance with ASC 718-10, “Share-Based Payment,” which requires the measurement and recognition of compensation expense for all share-based payment awards made to employees and directors including stock options, restricted stock units, and employee stock purchases based on estimated fair values. The stock-based compensation carries a graded vesting feature subject to the condition of time of employment service with awarded stock-based compensation tranches vesting evenly upon the anniversary date of the award.

The Company estimates the fair value of stock options granted using the Black-Scholes option-pricing formula. In accordance with ASC 718-10-35-8, the Company elected to recognize the fair value of the stock award using the graded vesting method as time of employment service is the criteria for vesting. The Company amortizes the fair value of the stock award over the requisite service periods of the awards, which is generally the vesting period. The Company’s determination of fair value using an option-pricing model is affected by the stock price as well as assumptions regarding a number of highly subjective variables.

The Company estimates volatility based upon the historical stock price of the Company and estimates the expected term for stock options using the simplified method for employees and directors and the contractual term for non-employees. The risk-free rate is determined based upon the prevailing rate of United States Treasury securities with similar maturities.