CISO Global Inc
For the period ended Dec 31, 2023. Filed Apr 16, 2024.
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A company's yearly report to the SEC, with audited financial statements. It is the fullest account a company gives of its business, its finances and the risks it sees.
FY2023 · Filed Apr 16, 2024
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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
(Mark One)
☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year endedDecember 31,2023
or
☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from _______________ to ________________
Commission file number001-41227
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 83-4210278 |
|---|---|
| State or Other Jurisdiction of | (I.R.S. Employer |
| Incorporation or Organization | Identification No.) |
6900 E. Camelback Road, Suite 900, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:(480) 389-3444
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered |
|---|---|---|
| Common Stock, $0.00001 par value | CISO | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: Common Stock, par value $0.00001
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐No ☒
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐No ☒
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| Large accelerated filer | ☐ | Accelerated filer | ☐ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-accelerated filer | ☒ | Smaller reporting company | ☒ |
| Emerging growth company | ☒ | ||
If an emerging growth company, indicate by checkmark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.☐
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.☐
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements.☐
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☐ No☒
The aggregate market value of the common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter (June 30, 2023) was $15,458,228.
The registrant had 12,232,379 shares of common stock outstanding as of April 5, 2024.
2023 FORM 10-K ANNUAL REPORT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Page | |
|---|---|
| PART I | 4 |
| ITEM 1. BUSINESS | 4 |
| ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS | 11 |
| ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS | 26 |
| ITEM 1C. CYBERSECURITY | 26 |
| ITEM 2. PROPERTIES | 27 |
| ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS | 27 |
| ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES | 27 |
| PART II | 28 |
| ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES | 28 |
| ITEM 6. [RESERVED] | 28 |
| ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS | 28 |
| ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK | 35 |
| ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA | 35 |
| ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE | 35 |
| ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES | 35 |
| ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION | 36 |
| ITEM 9C. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS | 36 |
| PART III | 37 |
| ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE | 37 |
| ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION | 41 |
| ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS | 44 |
| ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE | 45 |
| ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES | 46 |
| PART IV | 47 |
| ITEM 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES | 47 |
| SIGNATURES | 48 |
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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The information contained in this report should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes contained elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Certain statements made in this report are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). These statements are based upon beliefs of, and information currently available to, us as of the date hereof, as well as estimates and assumptions made by us. 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 herein, the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “future,” “intend,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “potential,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “continue” or the negative of these terms and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect our current view with respect to future events and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors, including the risks relating to our business, industry, and our operations and results of operations. 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 we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements. Except as required by applicable law, including the securities laws of the United States, we do not intend to update any of the forward-looking statements to conform these statements to actual results.
Forward-looking statements made in this Annual Report on Form 10-K include statements about:
| ● | our ability to achieve and sustain profitability of our existing lines of business and through our wholly owned subsidiaries; |
|---|---|
| ● | our ability to raise sufficient capital to continue to acquire cybersecurity companies; |
| ● | our ability to attract and retain qualified cybersecurity talent; |
| ● | our ability to identify potential acquisition targets within predetermined parameters; |
| ● | our ability to successfully execute acquisitions, integrate the acquired businesses, and create synergies as a global cybersecurity consolidator; |
| ● | our ability to attract and retain qualified key technology or management personnel and to expand our management team; |
| ● | the accuracy of estimates regarding expenses, future revenue, capital requirements, profitability, and needs for additional financing; |
| ● | our dependence on establishing and maintaining a strong brand; |
| ● | the occurrence of service interruptions and security or privacy breaches and related remediation efforts and fines; |
| ● | system failures or capacity constraints; |
| ● | our ability to efficiently acquire customers and maintain high client retention rates; |
| ● | the impact of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates on our business and our ability to effectively manage the exposure to such fluctuations; |
| ● | our ability to maintain our relationships with our partners; |
| ● | adverse consequences of our substantial level of indebtedness and our ability to repay our debt; |
| ● | our ability to maintain, protect and enhance our intellectual property; |
| ● | our ability to maintain or improve our market shares; |
| ● | business interruptions resulting from geo-political actions, including war, terrorism, and disease outbreaks (such as COVID-19, the war in Ukraine, tensions and conflict affecting the Middle East, and geopolitical tensions involving China); |
| ● | sufficiency of cash and cash equivalents to meet our needs for at least the next 12 months; |
| ● | our ability to grow internationally; |
| ● | beliefs and objectives for future operations; |
| ● | our ability to stay in compliance with laws and regulations currently applicable to, or which may become applicable to our business both in the United States and internationally; |
| ● | economic and industry trends or trend analysis; |
| ● | anticipated income tax rates, tax estimates and tax standards; |
| ● | expectations regarding the impact of inflation, action taken by central banks to counter inflation, rising interest rates, and changes in foreign exchange rates on our business and financial results; |
| ● | the future trading price of our common stock; |
| ● | our ability to maintain an effective system of internal controls and accurately report our financial results and remediate material weaknesses; |
| ● | our expectation regarding the outcome of any regulator investigation or litigation; |
| ● | the potential impact of shareholder activism on our business and operations; |
| ● | our ability to navigate through the increasingly complex cybersecurity regulatory environment; and any other statements regarding our future operations, financial condition, growth prospects and business strategies. |
These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including the risks in the section entitled “Risk Factors” set forth in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, any of which may cause our or our industry’s actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks may cause our or our industry’s actual results, levels of activity, or performance to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, or performance expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.
Our financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. 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 financial statements as well as the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the periods presented. Our financial statements would be affected to the extent there are material differences between these estimates and actual results. The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our financial statements and notes thereto appearing elsewhere in this report.
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