Aqua Metals, Inc.
For the period ended Mar 31, 2026. Filed May 14, 2026.
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A company's report for each of its first three quarters. The financial statements are not audited. It shows how the business has moved since the last annual report, and what management says changed.
Mar 31, 2026 · Filed May 14, 2026
AQMS$1.26+7.3%Stored close · as of Nov 6, 2026
What changed in Management’s Discussion and Analysis?
Read the current filingPrevious report: 10-Q
Period ended 2025-09-30; filed 2025-11-12.
0001437749-25-034439
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of OperationsCurrent report: 10-Q
Period ended 2026-03-31; filed 2026-05-14.
0001437749-26-017038
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of OperationsThe baseline is this issuer’s latest earlier reporting period of the same form that was filed before the current report. A previous 10-Q is a different quarter, not a year-over-year comparison. Amendments are excluded.
Compared 50 previous paragraphs and 44 current paragraphs.
15 unchanged; 19 reworded; 10 added; 15 removed; 1 previous and 0 current paragraphs rearranged.
Tables are not compared: 3 previous and 3 current tables excluded. Dates, whitespace, punctuation and numbering changes are ignored; changes to financial figures remain significant.
A changed paragraph is not evidence that risk increased or decreased. An unchanged paragraph does not establish that risk stayed the same.
Added paragraphs (10)
Current report
Aqua Metals is engaged in the development and commercialization of clean, water-based recycling technologies designed to provide cost-efficient solutions for the recycling of both lead and lithium-ion (“Li”) batteries. The Company’s core technology, AquaRefining, is a patented hydrometallurgical and electrochemical process that uses electricity to recover high-purity metals from spent batteries. This process is designed to reduce emissions, eliminate the need for high-temperature furnaces, and minimize waste compared to conventional recycling methods. AquaRefining was initially applied to the lead-acid battery (“LAB”) recycling industry.
Current report
The Company is applying its AquaRefining technology to lithium-ion battery recycling, with a focus on developing a cost-efficient process to recover critical minerals such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, and copper. The Company believes its process has the potential to produce higher quality materials with lower environmental impact compared to conventional recycling methods.
Current report
In 2021, the Company expanded its focus to lithium-ion battery recycling, including the establishment of its Innovation Center located at the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center (“TRIC”), which supports research, development, and pilot-scale operations. In 2022, the Company demonstrated the ability to recover key battery materials from lithium-ion battery black mass at bench scale and subsequently constructed a fully integrated pilot system at its Innovation Center. In late 2022, the Company began operating its initial lithium-ion battery recycling system, and in early 2023, it recovered its first recycled metals using its Li AquaRefining process. The Company is evaluating alternative, lower-cost locations for future development and is exploring potential co-location opportunities with strategic partners to reduce capital expenditures and operating costs.
Current report
In February 2025, the Company refined its development strategy to focus on increasing lithium carbonate production by deferring the plating of nickel and cobalt into metal form. This approach is intended to simplify the initial product mix to lithium carbonate and mixed hydroxide precipitate (“MHP”), reduce capital requirements, improve scalability, and enhance projected operating margins and return on investment. The Company continues to seek financing to construct its first commercial lithium-ion battery recycling facility.
Current report
The Company's current focus is site selection, construction, and operation of an initial lithium-ion battery recycling facility utilizing electricity-based processes in place of conventional high-temperature or chemical-based methods. The Company is also pursuing potential partnerships, joint ventures, and licensing arrangements as its Li AquaRefining technology continues to develop. The Company believes its technology may provide an environmentally and economically competitive approach to critical minerals recovery and may support opportunities for strategic collaborations and potential government funding.
Current report
For the three months ended March 31, 2025, the Company recognized a non-cash impairment expense of $5,247,000 related to construction-in-progress for the facility located at TRIC. The impairment was the result of a strategic shift and revised capital allocation priorities, which led management to discontinue development of the facility for its originally intended use. As a result, the carrying amount of the facility was reduced to reflect its fair value.
Current report
For the three months ended March 31, 2026, the Company recognized a non-cash provision for credit losses of $437,000 related to the Lion Energy participation interest and related note receivable. The provision reflects management’s estimate of expected credit losses under ASC 326 based on a probability-weighted analysis of potential recovery scenarios, including expected collateral recoveries, estimated costs to realize collateral, and the senior lender’s priority claim.
Current report
General and administrative expense increased $544,000, or approximately 22.9%, for the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2025. The increase was primarily due to an increase of approximately $625,000 in professional fees related to due diligence for our proposed acquisition of Lion Energy, partially offset by reductions in payroll and related costs of approximately $51,000 and other overhead expense of approximately $30,000.
Current report
Allowance for Credit Losses on Lion Energy Exposure
Current report
The Company’s estimate of expected credit losses on its $4,100,000 exposure to Lion Energy requires significant management judgment due to the borrower-specific nature of the exposure, the Company’s subordinated position relative to the senior secured lender, and the uncertainty regarding future recovery outcomes. Management identified changes in facts and circumstances during the three months ended March 31, 2026, because the equity transaction originally contemplated is no longer expected to proceed as originally structured. As a result, the Company’s recovery may be dependent on collateral realization, inventory monetization, accounts receivable collections, available credit support, and ongoing discussions regarding alternative transaction structures. Management estimated the allowance using a probability-weighted scenario analysis that considered multiple recovery outcomes, expected collateral recoveries, the senior lender’s priority claim, estimated costs to realize collateral, and available credit support. The most sensitive assumptions in the analysis are the probability assigned to each recovery scenario and the related estimated collateral recoveries. Based on information available as of March 31, 2026, management recorded an allowance for credit losses of approximately $437,000. However, the estimate remains highly judgmental and subject to change as facts and circumstances evolve. Although management believes its estimate reflects the best information currently available, actual recoveries and realized credit losses could differ materially from the recorded allowance if collateral recoveries are lower than expected, costs to realize collateral increase, market conditions deteriorate, or available credit support becomes unavailable or unenforceable.
Removed paragraphs (15)
Previous report
Reverse Stock Split
Previous report
Aqua Metals is engaged in the business of applying its commercialized clean, water-based, recycling technology principles to develop cost-efficient recycling solutions for lithium-ion (“Li”) batteries. Our recycling process is a hydro and electrometallurgical technology that is an innovative, proprietary and patented process we developed and named AquaRefining. AquaRefining is a low-emissions, closed-loop recycling technology that has the potential to replace polluting furnaces and hazardous chemicals with electricity-powered chemical regeneration and electroplating to recover valuable metals and materials from spent batteries with higher purity, lower emissions, and with minimal waste. The modular “Aqualyzers” cleanly generate ultra-pure metal one atom at a time, closing the sustainability loop for the rapidly growing energy storage economy.
Previous report
This breakthrough technology was initially applied in the lead acid battery (LAB) recycling industry, building the first integrated recycling system for breaking LAB and recovering pure metal. In 2019, we operated our demonstration AquaRefinery at commercial quantity production levels and produced over 35,000 AquaRefined’ ingots operating twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week for sustained periods of time.
Previous report
Since 2021, the Company has focused on applying our commercialized clean, water-based recycling technology principles with the goal of developing the cleanest and most cost-efficient recycling solution for lithium-ion batteries. We believe our process has the potential to produce higher quality products at a lower operating cost without the damaging effects of furnaces and traditional hydro processes and greenhouse emissions.
Previous report
In February 2021, we announced our entry into the lithium-ion battery (LiB) recycling market through a key provisional patent we filed that applies the same innovative AquaRefining approach. In August 2021, we announced we had established our Innovation Center in TRIC focused on applying our proven technology to LiB recycling research and development and prototyping. Our strategic decision to apply our proven clean, closed-loop hydrometallurgical and electrochemical recycling experience to lithium-ion battery recycling is designed to meet the growing demand for critical metals driven by the global transition to electric vehicles; growth in internet data centers; and alternative energy applications including solar, wind, and grid-scale storage.
Previous report
During the first half of 2022, we announced our ability to recover copper, lithium hydroxide, nickel, and cobalt from lithium-ion battery ‘black mass’ at bench scale at the Company’s Innovation Center. During 2022, we built our fully-integrated pilot system, located within the Company’s Innovation Center, which is designed to allow Aqua Metals to be the first company in North America to recycle battery minerals from black mass, sell them in the U.S. and position the Company as the first LiB recycler in North America to align with the U.S. government’s goal of retaining strategic battery minerals within the domestic supply chain.
Previous report
During 2022, we conducted environmental comparisons based on Argonne National Lab’s modeling of lithium battery supply chains – called EverBatt. The initial results indicate that AquaRefining is a cleaner approach to LiB recycling, producing far less CO2 waste streams than smelting or chemical-driven hydrometallurgical processes currently on the market. In December 2022, we completed equipment installation and began to operate our first-of-a-kind LiB recycling facility, utilizing electricity as the catalyst to recycle instead of intensive chemical processes, fossil fuels, or high-temperature furnaces. In January 2023, Aqua Metals recovered its first metals from recycling lithium batteries using the patent-pending Li AquaRefining process.
Previous report
In February 2023, we acquired a five-acre parcel of land with an existing building to begin development of our Li AquaRefining recycling campus at TRIC. During the second quarter of 2025, we sold the Sierra ARC property. The action retired all debt, added cash to the balance sheet and reduced holding costs. The company will now evaluate more cost-efficient locations for future development. We are working closely with prospective strategic materials and financial partners to explore co-location opportunities near feedstock and offtake sources, which could lower capital expenditures and future operating expenses.
Previous report
In February 2025, the Company announced its expanded vision to more than double the output of lithium carbonate by deferring the plating of nickel and cobalt to metal form until the next phase. This allows for several improvements to the early years of scaling – reduced capital expenditures by simplifying the product set to lithium carbonate and MHP (Mixed Hydroxide Precipitates), more volume of product due to the simplification, further de-risk with the simplified product set, more revenue and overall operating margins with a much improved payback on remaining capital to be financed. The Company continues to seek the funding to build it's first commercial plant.
Previous report
Effective November 5, 2024, we effected a one-for-20 reverse stock split of our issued and outstanding common shares. Subsequently, on August 4, 2025, we effected a one-for-10 reverse stock split of our issued and outstanding common shares. All share and share price information set forth in this report has been adjusted retrospectively to reflect these reverse stock splits.
Previous report
Plan of Operations
Previous report
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025, we recognized a non-cash impairment and loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment of $25,000 and $9,037,000, respectively, in connection with the sale of the facility located at TRIC and related equipment. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, we recognized a loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment of $448,000.
Previous report
General and administrative expense decreased $612,000, or approximately 22.3%, for the three months ended September 30, 2025 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2024 and $2,463,000, or approximately 26.9%, for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2024. The decrease for the three months ended September 30, 2025 was primarily due to a reduction in payroll and related costs of approximately $366,000 due to workforce reductions and restructuring and $277,000 decrease in professional fees offset by an increase of approximately $31,000 in other overhead expenses. The decrease for the nine month ended September 30, 2025, was primarily attributable to a reduction in payroll and related expenses of approximately $1,960,000 due to workforce reductions, a $47,000 decrease in director fees, a $459,000 decrease in professional fees offset by an increase of $3,000 in other overhead expenses.
Previous report
On May 5, 2025, the Company repaid its $1,500,000 bridge loan prior to the December 31, 2025 maturity. As part of the agreement, the Company was required to pay a guaranteed interest amount of $300,000 regardless of early repayment. For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, the Company recognized $435,000 in interest expense (including amortization of issuance costs), and recorded a $825,000 loss on extinguishment of debt related to the write-off of unamortized financing costs and the remaining unaccrued portion of the guaranteed interest.
Previous report
No material changes from what was reported in the 2024 Annual Report.
Reworded paragraphs (19)
Previous wording
During the third quarter of 2025, the Company expanded its feedstock diversification strategy by extending its proprietary AquaRefining™ technology to evaluate polymetallic deep-sea nodules as an additional potential source of critical minerals. In September 2025, the Company announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with Impossible Metals Inc. to collaborate on the development of a domestic, environmentally responsible supply chain for essential minerals— including nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese, and rare earth elements—recovered from deep-sea nodules and refined through the AquaRefining™ process.
Current wording
During the third quarter of 2025, the Company expanded its feedstock diversification strategy by evaluating the application of its AquaRefining technology to polymetallic deep-sea nodules as a potential additional source of critical minerals. In September 2025, the Company entered into a memorandum of understanding (“MOU”) with Impossible Metals Inc. to collaborate on the development of a domestic supply chain for essential minerals, including nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese, and rare earth elements, recovered from deep-sea nodules and refined through the AquaRefining process.
Previous wording
In November 2025, the Company further broadened its collaboration framework by entering into an MOU with MOBY Robotics Inc. to explore the use of robotic harvesting and precision sorting of nodules and to conduct bench-scale testing of AquaRefining™ for these materials. These initiatives remain exploratory and are intended to assess the technical and economic feasibility of applying the Company’s clean, water-based recycling process to nodule-derived feedstocks.
Current wording
In November 2025, the Company entered into an additional MOU with MOBY Robotics Inc. to explore robotic harvesting and precision sorting of nodules and to conduct bench-scale testing of AquaRefining for these materials. These initiatives remain exploratory and are intended to assess the technical and economic feasibility of applying the Company’s process to nodule-derived feedstocks.
Previous wording
During the nine months ended September 30, 2025, we issued 833,219 shares of common stock pursuant to an at the market, or ATM, sales agreement for net proceeds of $5,921,000, and 177,283 shares of common stock pursuant to the equity-line-of-credit purchase agreement, or ELOC for the net proceeds of $903,000. On October 16, 2025, we closed a registered direct offering of 205,213 shares of common stock at an offering price of $11.34 per share and 928,581 pre-funded warrants at an offering price of $11.339 per pre-funded warrant, In a concurrent private placement, we also sold 1,133,794 common stock purchase warrants at an offering price of $0.125 per warrant, with each warrant exercisable over a five year period for one share of common stock at an exercise price of $11.34 per share. After the deduction of the placement and legal fees payable by us, the aggregate net proceeds from the registered direct offering and warrant placement were approximately $12,000,000.
Current wording
During the three months ended March 31, 2026, we issued 198,780 shares of common stock pursuant to an at the market, or ATM, sales agreement for net proceeds of $1,295,000 and 131,569 shares of common stock pursuant to the 2026 employee stock purchase plan for the net proceeds of $621,000.
Previous wording
During the year ended December 31, 2024, we issued 119,503 shares of common stock pursuant to the ATM facility for net proceeds of $5,014,000. In May 2024, we completed a public offering of 100,625 shares of our common stock, at the public offering price of $78 per share. In connection with the sale of common stock, we issued warrants to purchase shares of common stock at the rate of one warrant for every share of purchased common stock, at the price of $2 per share. After the deduction of the underwriter’s discount and expenses payable by us, we received net proceeds of $7,306,000.
Current wording
During the three months ended March 31, 2025, we issued 59,648 shares of common stock pursuant to the ATM facility for net proceeds of $1,214,000.
Previous wording
We are in the process of demonstrating that Li AquaRefining, which is fundamentally non-polluting, can create the highest quality and highest yields of recovered minerals from lithium-ion batteries with lower waste streams and lower costs than existing alternatives. Throughout 2023 and 2024, we have demonstrated at our pilot facility our ability to recover key valuable minerals in lithium-ion batteries, such as lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate, copper, nickel, cobalt, and other compounds. These demonstrations ran for 24 hours x 5 days a week for many weeks in 2024 and an extended 24 hours x 7 days a week endurance run in November-December of 2024 that produced the results the Company believes makes the process commercial scale ready. Our next goal for lithium AquaRefining is to process commercial quantities of nickel, cobalt, and copper in a pure metal form that can be sold to the general metals and superalloy markets and can be made into battery precursor compound materials with known processes already used in the mining industry. The location for the pilot demonstration facility is in our Innovation Center in Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center. Our next phase is constructing our first commercial ARC and we are actively working with multiple potential supply, off-take, and funding partners to determine the optimal timing and location. The construction of the first commercial facility is subject to our receipt of additional financing.
Current wording
We are continuing to validate and optimize Li AquaRefining, which is fundamentally non-polluting, can create the highest quality and highest yields of recovered minerals from lithium-ion batteries with lower waste streams and lower costs than existing alternatives. Throughout 2023 and 2024, we have demonstrated at our pilot facility our ability to recover key valuable minerals in lithium-ion batteries, such as lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate, copper, nickel, cobalt, and other compounds. These demonstrations ran for 24 hours x 5 days a week for many weeks in 2024 and an extended 24 hours x 7 days a week endurance run in November-December of 2024 that produced the results the Company believes makes the process commercial scale ready. Our next goal for lithium AquaRefining is to process commercial quantities of nickel, cobalt, and copper in a pure metal form that can be sold to the general metals and superalloy markets and can be made into battery precursor compound materials with known processes already used in the mining industry. The location for the pilot demonstration facility is in our Innovation Center in Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center. Our next phase is constructing our first commercial ARC and we are actively working with multiple potential supply, off-take, and funding partners to determine the optimal timing and location. The construction of the first commercial facility is subject to our receipt of additional financing.
Previous wording
We did not engage in commercial operations in 2025 or 2024. Our operations have been devoted to developing our Li AquaRefining battery recycling technology. During the nine months ended September 30, 2025, we focused on the continued operation of the pilot facility and advancing the underlying processes that support our recycling capabilities. We did not earn any revenue during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024. The following table summarizes our results of operations with respect to the items set forth below for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024 together with the dollar and percentage changes in those items (in thousands).
Current wording
We did not engage in commercial operations in 2026 or 2025. Our operations have been devoted to developing our Li AquaRefining battery recycling technology. During the three months ended March 31, 2026, we focused on the continued operation of the pilot facility and advancing the underlying processes that support our recycling capabilities. We did not earn any revenue during the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025. The following table summarizes our results of operations with respect to the items set forth below for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025 together with the dollar and percentage changes in those items (in thousands).
Previous wording
Plant operations include materials, supplies related costs, salaries and benefits, consulting, outside services costs, inventory adjustments, depreciation, amortization, insurance, travel and overhead costs. Plant operations decreased approximately $1,041,000, or 64.4%, and $4,122,000, or 66.5%, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 as compared to the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024. The decrease in plant operations for the three months ended September 30, 2025 was primarily driven by a reduction in payroll and related costs of approximately $634,000, resulting from workforce reductions implemented in August 2024 and continued reductions during the first quarter of 2025. Additionally, professional fees decreased by approximately $153,000 and supplies, materials, inventory adjustments and other overhead expenses decreased by $254,000. The decrease in plant operations for the nine month ended September 30, 2025 was primarily due to a decrease in payroll and payroll related fees of approximately $2,570,000 resulting from workforce reductions, professional fees decreased by approximately $697,000 and a decrease of $855,000 in other overhead expenses, including supplies, materials and inventory adjustments. Management does not expect the reduction in force to materially impact its current pilot operations or continuing research and development. However, until additional funding is secured, employee-related and overhead expenses are expected to remain at the reduced levels throughout the remainder of 2025.
Current wording
Plant operations include materials, supplies related costs, salaries and benefits, consulting, outside services costs, inventory adjustments, depreciation, amortization, insurance, travel and overhead costs. Plant operations decreased approximately $223,000, or 30.8%, for the three months ended March 31, 2026 as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2025. The decrease in plant operations for the three months ended March 31, 2026 was primarily driven by a reduction in payroll and related costs of approximately $166,000, resulting from continued workforce reductions implemented during the first quarter of 2025. Additionally, supplies, materials, inventory adjustments and other overhead expenses decreased by $188,000 offset by professional fees increased by approximately $131,000.
Previous wording
Research and development cost includes expenditures related to the continued enhancement of the AquaRefining technology and the development of our lithium-ion battery recycling process. During the three months ended September 30, 2025, research and development expenses decreased $70,000, or approximately 17.6%, compared to the three months ended September 30, 2024, and $389,000, or approximately 28.8%, for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2024. This decrease over the nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was primarily due to lower payroll and related costs of approximately $297,000, as well as a reduction in supplies, materials, and other overhead expenses of approximately $116,000 offset by an increase in professional fees of approximately $24,000.
Current wording
Research and development cost includes expenditures related to the continued enhancement of the AquaRefining technology and the development of our lithium-ion battery recycling process. During the three months ended March 31, 2026, research and development expenses decreased $54,000, or approximately 16.1%, compared to the three months ended March 31, 2025. This decrease was primarily due to lower payroll and related costs of approximately $56,000, offset by an increase in supplies, materials, and other overhead expenses of approximately $2,000.
Previous wording
The following table summarizes our other income and interest expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024 together with the dollar and percentage changes in those items (in thousands).
Current wording
The following table summarizes our other income and interest expense for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025 together with the dollar and percentage changes in those items (in thousands).
Previous wording
The decrease in interest expense for the three months ended September 30, 2025, is due to the decrease in the notes payable outstanding balance. The increase in interest expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, is due to the increase in the notes payable outstanding balance and an increase in the amortization of the related debt discount.
Current wording
The decrease in interest expense for the three months ended March 31, 2026, is due to the decrease in the notes payable outstanding balance.
Previous wording
We recognized approximately $28,000 and $805,000 in interest and other income during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025, a decrease of $56,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2025 and an increase of $476,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2025. The increase was primarily driven by the approval of a payroll tax employee retention credit during the first six months of the 2025.
Current wording
We recognized approximately $149,000 in interest and other income during the three months ended March 31, 2026, a decrease of $131,000 or 46.8%, compared to the three months ended March 31, 2025. The decrease was primarily due to the recognition of a payroll tax employee retention credit in the first quarter of 2025.
Previous wording
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025, the Company recognized a change in fair value of warrant liability of $72,000 and $1,255,000, which was primarily due to the remeasurement of the warrants issued in December 2024.
Current wording
For the three months ended March 31, 2026, the Company recognized a $47,000 change in the fair value of its warrant liability, primarily due to the remeasurement of warrants issued in December 2024.
Previous wording
As of September 30, 2025, we had cash and cash equivalents of approximately $3,586,000, current liabilities of $3,459,000 and a working capital of approximately $508,000. However, on October 16, 2025, we closed a registered direct offering of 205,213 shares of common stock at an offering price of $11.34 per share and 928,581 pre-funded warrants at an offering price of $11.339 per pre-funded warrant, In a concurrent private placement, we also sold 1,133,794 common stock purchase warrants at an offering price of $0.125 per warrant, with each warrant exercisable over a five year period for one share of common stock at an exercise price of $11.34 per share. After the deduction of the placement and legal fees payable by us, the aggregate net proceeds from the registered direct offering and warrant placement were approximately $12,000,000. The Company has not generated revenues from commercial operations and expects to continue incurring losses for the foreseeable future. In order to satisfy our capital requirements, the Company will need to improve its liquidity position through equity or debt financings and/or reductions in operating costs, in order to satisfy its liquidity needs. Management is devoting significant efforts to increasing liquidity, raising capital and developing its business.
Current wording
As of March 31, 2026, we had cash and cash equivalents of approximately $6,816,000, current liabilities of $3,617,000 and working capital of approximately $7,479,000. The Company has not generated revenues from commercial operations and expects to continue incurring losses for the foreseeable future. In order to satisfy our capital requirements, the Company will need to improve its liquidity position through equity or debt financings and/or reductions in operating costs, in order to satisfy its liquidity needs. Management is devoting significant efforts to increasing liquidity, raising capital and developing its business.
Previous wording
Even after giving effect to the October 2025 registered direct offering and concurrent warrant placement, management believes that the Company's capital resources remain insufficient to sustain operations through at least the next twelve months from the date of this filing. Additionally, in view of the Company’s expectation to incur significant losses for the foreseeable future, and its current working capital level, it will be required to raise additional capital resources in order to fund its operations, although the availability of, and the Company’s access to such resources, is not assured. Accordingly, management believes that there is substantial doubt regarding the Company’s ability to continue operating as a going concern through the next twelve months from the date of this filing.
Current wording
Management believes that the Company's capital resources remain insufficient to sustain operations through at least the next twelve months from the date of this filing. Additionally, in view of the Company’s expectation to incur significant losses and continue utilizing cash in operations for the foreseeable future, the Company will be required to raise additional capital resources in order to fund its operations, although the availability of, and the Company’s access to such resources, is not assured. Accordingly, management believes that there is substantial doubt regarding the Company’s ability to continue operating as a going concern through the next twelve months from the date of this filing.
Previous wording
Looking ahead, Aqua Metals plans to continue pilot operations, advance site selection and permitting for its first commercial AquaRefining facility and pursue additional strategic partnerships and grant opportunities to accelerate commercialization. Management believes the Company’s validated technology, new capital resources, and expanding partner ecosystem position Aqua Metals to play a key role in building a resilient, low-carbon domestic supply chain for critical minerals.
Current wording
Looking ahead, Aqua Metals plans to continue pilot operations, advance site selection and permitting for its first commercial AquaRefining facility and pursue additional strategic partnerships to support commercialization.
Previous wording
Net cash used in operating activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 and nine months ended September 30, 2024 was $7,648,000 and $11,637,000, respectively. Net cash used in operating activities during each of these periods consisted primarily of our net loss adjusted for non-cash items such as depreciation, amortization, amortization of deferred financing costs, loss on extinguishment of debt, stock-based compensation, impairment and loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment, as well as net changes in working capital. During the nine months ended September 30, 2025, we recognized approximately $9,037,000 expense for impairment and loss on disposal of property, plant, and equipment related to the sale of the facility located at TRIC.
Current wording
Net cash used in operating activities for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and three months ended March 31, 2025 was $3,844,000 and $2,753,000, respectively. Net cash used in operating activities during each of these periods consisted primarily of our net loss adjusted for non-cash items such as depreciation, amortization, amortization of deferred financing costs, provision for credit loses, stock-based compensation, impairment and loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment, as well as net changes in working capital. During the three months ended March 31, 2025, we recognized approximately $5,247,000 non-cash impairment expense related to the construction-in-progress for the facility located at TRIC.
Previous wording
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
Current wording
Net cash used in investing activities
Previous wording
Net cash provided by investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 was $4,971,000 and consisted mainly of $4,382,000 cash received from the sale of the building and equipment, $1,141,000 from equipment deposits, the payment of our $100,000 related to our note receivable, offset by cash utilized towards equipment deposits of $231,000 and purchases of fixed assets of $421,000. Net cash used in investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was $11,062,000 and consisted mainly of cash utilized towards equipment deposits of $3,975,000 and purchases of fixed assets related to the build out of our commercial facility of $7,452,000, offset by $350,000 of cash received related to our note receivable.
Current wording
Net cash used in investing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2026 was $2,000,000 and consisted mainly of cash advanced to acquire a subordinated participation interest in Lion Energy’s senior secured credit facility. Net cash used in investing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2025 was $375,000 and consisted mainly of cash utilized towards equipment deposits of $186,000 and purchases of fixed assets related to the build out of our commercial facility of $289,000, offset by $100,000 of cash received related to our note receivable.
Previous wording
Net cash provided by financing activities was $2,184,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, consisting of $5,921,000 in net proceeds from the sale of Aqua Metals shares pursuant to the at-the-market offering, or ATM, and $903,000 of net proceeds from the sale of Aqua Metals shares pursuant to the equity-line-of-credit purchase agreement, or ELOC, with Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC offset by $108,000 related to tax withholdings to cover RSU vesting and $4,500,000 principal payments on notes payable. Net cash provided by financing activities of $9,127,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 consisted of $2,820,000 in net proceeds from the sale of Aqua Metals shares pursuant to the at-the-market offering, or ATM, and $7,306,000 in net proceeds from our May 2024 public offering, offset by $552,000 related to tax withholdings to cover RSU vesting and $424,000 related to debt issuance costs.
Current wording
Net cash provided by financing activities was $1,850,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2026, consisting of $1,295,000 in net proceeds from the sale of Aqua Metals shares pursuant to the at-the-market offering, or ATM, and $621,000 of net proceeds from the sale of Aqua Metals shares pursuant to the 2026 employee stock purchase plan agreement, or ESPP, offset by $56,000 related to tax withholdings to cover RSU vesting and $10,000 principal payments on finance leases. Net cash provided by financing activities of $638,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2025 consisted of $1,214,000 in net proceeds from the sale of Aqua Metals shares pursuant to the at-the-market offering, or ATM, offset by $66,000 related to tax withholdings to cover RSU vesting and $500,000 principal payments on notes payable.
Rearranged previous paragraphs (1)
Previous report — wording carried elsewhere
Our current focus is building and operating our first-of-a-kind lithium battery recycling facility, utilizing electricity to recycle instead of intensive chemical processes, fossil fuels, or high-temperature furnaces. We are also pursuing potential partnership and/or joint ventures agreements and licensing agreements, particularly as our Li AquaRefining continues to develop and improve. We believe that Aqua Metals is in a position to become one of the few critical minerals recovery players for which our environmental and economic value proposition should generate both great commercial wins and potentially government grants to accelerate our credibility and progress.