MOBIX LABS INC
For the period ended Sep 30, 2024. Filed Dec 26, 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.
FY2024 · Filed Dec 26, 2024
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Item 1A. Risk Factors
The risk factors described below are not necessarily exhaustive and you are encouraged to perform your own investigation with respect to the businesses of Mobix Labs.
Summary Risk Factors
Our business is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including those highlighted in the section titled “Risk Factors,” that represent challenges that we face in connection with the successful implementation of our strategy and the growth of our business. In particular, the following risks, among others, may offset our competitive strengths or have a negative effect on our business strategy, which could cause a decline in the price of the Class A Common Stock or Public Warrants and result in a loss of all or a portion of your investment:
Risks Related to Our Business and Industry
| ● | We are an early stage company, and it remains difficult to evaluate our future prospects and the risks and challenges we may encounter. |
| ● | We cannot predict whether we will maintain revenue growth. |
| ● | We have incurred losses in the operation of our business and anticipate that our expenses will increase, potentially leading to continued losses from operations in the near future. |
| ● | We cannot assure you that we will achieve or maintain profitability and there is substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. |
| ● | We will need to raise additional capital in the future to execute our business plan. |
| ● | We may fail to successfully acquire or integrate new businesses, products, and technology. |
| ● | If our customers are unable to achieve widespread market acceptance of their products which incorporate our products, we may not be able to generate the revenue necessary to support our business. |
| ● | Our customers generally require our products to undergo a lengthy qualification process. |
| ● | Markets for our 5G semiconductor products are still developing and may not develop as expected. |
| ● | If we are unable to execute our growth strategies effectively, our business may be adversely affected. |
| ● | The markets for our semiconductor products and solutions are highly competitive. |
| ● | Our products and solutions are subject to intense competition. |
| ● | Our future success will depend on our ability to successfully introduce new products and solutions for our markets that meet the needs of our customers. |
| ● | The consolidation or vertical integration of our customers may adversely affect our financial results. |
| ● | We generate a substantial portion of our revenues from one customer and expect that we will generate revenue from a limited number of customers in the near future. |
| ● | We generally do not obtain long-term purchase commitments. |
| ● | Defects in our products or poor design and engineering solutions could adversely affect our business. |
| ● | We depend on third-party offshore manufacturers for producing several of our products. |
| ● | Inflation and unfavorable global economic conditions could adversely affect our business. |
| ● | If we are unable to manage the growth of our operations, our performance may suffer. |
| ● | Our failure to comply with the laws and regulations to which we are subject could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations. |
| ● | Changes to trade policy, tariffs and import/export regulations may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. |
| ● | Our future success depends on our ability to retain key employees and to attract qualified personnel. |
| ● | We identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting. If we are unable to remediate these material weaknesses or otherwise fail to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting, we may not be able to accurately or timely report our financial condition. |
| ● | Our business could suffer in the event of a security breach involving our information technology (“IT”) systems or our intellectual property or other confidential or proprietary information. |
| ● | Instituting and defending against intellectual property or other types of litigation and administrative proceedings could cause us to spend substantial resources. |
| ● | We are subject to, and must remain in compliance with, laws and governmental regulations across various jurisdictions concerning the development and sale of our products. |
| ● | We are dependent upon our officers and directors, and their loss could adversely affect us. |
| ● | Some of our potential customers may require us to comply with additional regulatory requirements. |
| ● | We could be adversely affected by violations of applicable anti-corruption laws or violations of our internal policies designed to ensure ethical business practices. |
| ● | Our intellectual property applications may not be issued or granted or may take longer than expected, which may have a material adverse effect on our ability to enforce our intellectual property rights. |
| ● | We depend on our intellectual property, and our failure to protect that intellectual property could adversely affect our business. |
| ● | We are subject to state, federal and international privacy and data protection laws and regulations. |
Risks Related to Ownership of Our Securities
| ● | The market price of our securities may be volatile. |
| ● | If equity research analysts do not publish research or reports, or if they publish unfavorable research or reports about our company, our stock price and its trading volume could decline. |
| ● | We are subject to changing laws and regulations regarding regulatory matters, corporate governance and public disclosure that have increased both our costs and the risk of non-compliance. |
| ● | The dual class structure of our Common Stock has the effect of concentrating voting control with the holders of our Class B Common Stock, most of whom are our directors or management. |
| ● | Our management has limited experience in operating a public company. |
| ● | We may become subject to securities or class action litigation. |
| ● | We anticipate that our stockholders will experience dilution in the future. |
| ● | We are an “emerging growth company” and a “smaller reporting company.” |
| ● | We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our Class A Common Stock in the foreseeable future. As a result, capital appreciation, if any, of the Class A Common Stock will be your sole source of gain for the foreseeable future, if any, and you may never receive a return on your investment. |
| ● | Future sales of our Class A Common Stock may cause the market price to drop significantly. |
Risks Related to Our Business and Industry
We are an early-stage company, and it remains difficult to evaluate our future prospects and the risks and challenges we may encounter.
We have been focused on developing semiconductor products since our inception in 2020. Our recent acquisitions of RaGE Systems and EMI Solutions have expanded our operations to aerospace, military, defense, medical and other markets. However, it remains difficult to evaluate our future prospects and the risks and challenges we may encounter. Risks and challenges we have faced or expect to face include, but are not limited to, our ability to:
| ● | continue to develop and commercialize our products; |
| ● | continue sales growth from our connectivity, aerospace, military, defense, medical and other products; |
| ● | forecast our revenue and budget for and manage our expenses; |
| ● | execute our growth strategies including through mergers and acquisitions; |
| ● | raise additional capital on acceptable terms to execute our business plan; |
| ● | continue as a going concern; |
| ● | attract new customers, retain existing customers and expand existing commercial relationships; |
| ● | compete successfully in the highly competitive industries in which we operate; |
| ● | plan for and manage capital expenditures for our current and future products, and manage our supply chain and supplier relationships related to our current and future products; |
| ● | comply with existing and new or modified laws and regulations applicable to our business in and outside the United States, including compliance requirements of U.S. customs and export regulations; |
| ● | anticipate and respond to macroeconomic changes and changes in the markets in which we operate; |
| ● | maintain and enhance the value of our reputation and brand; |
| ● | effectively manage our growth and business operations; |
| ● | develop and protect intellectual property; |
| ● | maintain and enhance the security of our IT system; |
| ● | hire, integrate and retain talented people at all levels of our organization; |
| ● | successfully defend our company in any legal proceeding that may arise and enforce our rights in any legal proceedings we may initiate; and |
| ● | manage and mitigate the adverse effects on our business of any public health emergencies, natural disasters, widespread travel disruptions, security risks including IT security, data privacy, cyber risks, international conflicts, geopolitical tension and other events beyond our control. |
If we fail to address the risks and difficulties that we face, including those associated with the challenges listed above as well as those described elsewhere in this “Risks Related to Our Business and Industry” section, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be adversely affected. Moreover, as we have limited historical financial data and operate in a rapidly evolving and highly competitive market, any predictions about our future revenue and expenses may not be as accurate as they would be if we had a longer operating history or operated in a more predictable market.
We cannot predict whether we will succeed in maintaining revenue growth, or when we will be able to generate income from operations.
We cannot predict whether we will succeed in maintaining revenue growth or when we will be able to generate income from operations. Our revenue has been, and may continue to be, adversely impacted if we are unable to obtain sufficient finished goods to fill customer orders and to maintain or increase our profit margins due to manufacturing limitations, replacement costs, and our capital constraints.
We have incurred losses in the operation of our business and anticipate that our expenses will increase, potentially leading to continued losses from operations in the near future. Moreover, we may not be able to achieve or generate sufficient income from operations to sustain ourselves.
Since inception, we have incurred operating losses and negative cash flows, primarily due to our ongoing investment in product development. For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, we incurred losses from operations of $46.4 million and $35.5 million, respectively. As of September 30, 2024, we had an accumulated deficit of $104.5 million. Since then, we have continued to incur losses from operations, and we expect this trend to persist, along with negative cash flows from operations, for the foreseeable future.
In addition, we may not achieve or generate sufficient income from operations to sustain ourselves. We may incur substantial losses for reasons, including changes in demand for our products, increasing competition, challenging macroeconomic conditions, regulatory changes and other risks discussed herein.
We cannot assure you that we will achieve or maintain profitability or that we will be able to continue as a going concern.
We believe that there is substantial doubt concerning our ability to continue as a going concern as we currently do not have adequate liquidity to meet our operating needs and satisfy our obligations beyond the next approximately ninety days. We will need to raise additional working capital to continue our normal and planned operations. We will need to generate and sustain significant revenue levels in future periods in order to become profitable, and, even if we do, we may not be able to maintain or increase our level of profitability. In addition, as a public company, we will continue to incur increased accounting, legal, and other expenses which make it necessary for us to continue to raise additional working capital. Our efforts to grow our business may be costlier than expected, and we may not be able to generate sufficient revenue to offset our increased operating expenses. We may incur significant losses in the future for a number of reasons, including unforeseen expenses, difficulties, complications, delays, and other unknown events. Accordingly, substantial doubt exists about our ability to continue as a going concern, and we cannot assure you that we will achieve sustainable operating profits as we continue to expand our business and otherwise implement our growth initiatives and strategies.
The financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K have been prepared on a going concern basis. We may not be able to generate profitable operations in the future and/or obtain the necessary financing to meet our obligations and pay liabilities arising from normal business operations when they come due. The outcome of these matters cannot be predicted with any certainty at this time. These factors raise substantial doubt that we will be able to continue as a going concern. We plan to continue to provide for our capital needs through sales of our securities, issuance of debt, and/or related party advances. Our financial statements do not include any adjustments to the amounts and classification of assets and liabilities that may be necessary should we be unable to continue as a going concern.
We will need to raise additional capital in the future to fund our operations and execute our business plan, which may not be available on terms acceptable to us, or at all. Any fundraising involving the sale and issuance of equity securities can substantially dilute existing stockholders.
In the future, we will require additional capital to respond to technological advancements, competitive dynamics, customer demands, business opportunities, challenges, acquisitions, or unforeseen circumstances. We may determine to engage in equity or debt financings or enter into credit facilities for other reasons. In order to further business relationships with current or potential customers or partners, we may also issue equity or equity-linked securities to current or potential customers or partners. We may not be able to timely secure additional debt or equity financing on favorable terms, or at all. If we raise additional funds through the issuance of equity or convertible debt or other equity-linked securities, our existing stockholders could experience significant dilution. If we are unable to obtain adequate financing or financing on terms satisfactory to us, when we require it, our ability to continue to grow or support our business and to respond to business challenges could be significantly limited.
We may fail to successfully acquire or integrate new businesses, products, and technology, and we may not realize expected benefits, resulting in harm to the business.
We intend to continue growing our businesses, including through the acquisition of complementary businesses, products, or technologies rather than through internal development.
Identifying suitable acquisition candidates can be difficult, time-consuming, and costly, and we may not be able to identify suitable candidates or successfully complete identified acquisitions. In addition, completing an acquisition could divert our management and key personnel from our business operations, which could harm the business and affect financial results. Even if we complete an acquisition, we may not be able to successfully integrate newly acquired organizations, products, technologies, or employees into our operations or may not fully realize some of the expected synergies. An acquired company may have deficiencies in product quality, regulatory marketing authorizations or certifications, or intellectual property protections, which are not detected during due diligence activities or which are unasserted at the time of acquisition. It may be difficult, expensive, and time-consuming for us to re-establish market access, regulatory compliance, or cure such deficiencies in product quality or intellectual property protection in such cases, which may have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, or results of operations.
If our customers are unable to achieve widespread market acceptance of their products which incorporate our products, we may not be able to generate the revenue necessary to support our business.
The following factors, among others, may affect the level of market acceptance of our products:
| ● | the price of our customers’ products; |
| ● | industry or user perceptions of the convenience, safety, efficiency and benefits of our products; |
| ● | the effectiveness of sales and marketing efforts of our independent sales representative organizations and distributors; |
| ● | the support and rate of acceptance of our products and solutions; and |
| ● | regulatory developments. |
If we are unable to achieve or maintain market acceptance of its products, and if our products do not win widespread market acceptance, our business may be significantly harmed.
Our customers generally require our products to undergo a lengthy qualification process, which does not assure product sales. If we are unsuccessful or delayed in qualifying these products with a customer, our business and operating results may suffer.
Prior to purchasing our products, our customers generally require that our products and solutions undergo extensive qualification processes, which involve testing of the products and solutions. This qualification process can take several months, and qualification of a product by a customer does not assure any sales of the product to that customer. If we are unsuccessful or delayed in qualifying these products with a customer, our business and operating results may suffer.
Markets for our 5G semiconductor products are still developing and may not develop at the speed and scale as expected.
The markets for our products designed for the 5G network are relatively new and still developing, which makes our business and future prospects difficult to evaluate, and thus the estimates and forecasts of total addressable market and serviceable addressable market are subject to significant uncertainty. We and our customers are pursuing opportunities in markets that are undergoing rapid changes, including technological and regulatory changes, and it is difficult to predict the timing and size of the opportunities. Many of the wireless and wired applications we and our customers are working towards commercializing require complex technology and are subject to uncertainties with respect to, among other things, the heavy capital investment required to commercialize those applications, the competitive landscape, the rate of consumer acceptance and the impact of current or future regulations. Regulatory, safety or reliability developments, many of which are outside of our and our customers’ control, could also cause delays or otherwise impair commercial adoption of new technologies and solutions, which may adversely affect our growth.
As we develop our 5G semiconductor products, we face the risk that potential customers may not value or be willing to bear the cost of incorporating our products into their product offerings, particularly if they believe their customers are satisfied with prior offerings. If we are unable to sell our 5G semiconductor products and new generations of such products, the growth prospects of our 5G semiconductor products may be negatively affected.
If we are unable to execute our growth strategies effectively, our business may be materially and adversely affected.
We may not be able to scale our business quickly enough to meet customer and market demand, which could result in lower profitability or cause us to fail to execute on our business strategies. In order to grow our business, we will need to continue to evolve and scale our business and operations to meet customer and market demand. Evolving and scaling our business and operations places increased demands on our management as well as our financial and operational resources to:
| ● | attract new customers and grow our customer base; |
| ● | sell additional products and services to our existing customers; |
| ● | invest in our technology and product offerings; |
| ● | effectively manage organizational change; |
| ● | accelerate and/or refocus research and development activities; |
| ● | increase sales and marketing efforts; |
| ● | broaden customer support and services capabilities; |
| ● | maintain or increase operational efficiencies; |
| ● | implement appropriate operational and financial systems; and |
| ● | maintain effective financial disclosure, controls and procedures. |
The markets for our semiconductor products and solutions are highly competitive, and some market participants have substantially greater resources. We compete against both established competitors and new market entrants with respect to, among other things, cost, technology, and engineering resources.
The markets for semiconductor products and solutions are highly competitive. Our future success in commercializing our semiconductor products and solutions will depend on whether we can deliver the technology, products, and solutions solving our target customers’ engineering challenges and continue to develop semiconductor products and solutions in a timely manner. Additionally, it will depend on whether we can stay ahead of existing and new competitors. Some of our existing competitors and potential new competitors have longer operating histories, greater name recognition, more established customer bases, and significantly greater financial, technical, research and development, marketing, and other resources than we do. In some cases, our competitors may be better positioned to initiate or withstand substantial price competition. If we are not able to maintain favorable pricing for our products and solutions, our profit margin and profitability could suffer. Certain competitors may be better positioned to acquire competitive solutions and take advantage of acquisition or other similar expansion opportunities. Increased competition may result in pricing pressure and reduced margins, impeding our ability to increase the sales of our products or causing us to lose market share. Any of these outcomes will adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
Our non-wireless connectivity products and solutions are also subject to intense competition. If customer preferences change to demand more lower-priced products, our competitive advantage will be reduced.
The markets for our non-wireless and connectivity products and solutions are competitive and fragmented and are subject to changing technology and shifting customer needs. A number of vendors produce and market products and services that compete to varying extents with our offerings, and we expect this competition to intensify. Moreover, the rapid rate of technological change affecting the connectivity market could increase the chances that we will face competition from new products or services designed by companies with whom we do not currently compete.
Our future success will greatly depend on our ability to successfully introduce new products and solutions for our markets that meet the needs of our customers.
Our future success will depend on our ability to introduce new products and improve and enhance our existing products. In furtherance of these efforts, we expect to invest significantly in ongoing research and development. If we do not adequately fund our research and development efforts, or if our investments in research and development do not translate into material enhancements to our products, we may not be able to compete effectively, and our business, results of operations, and financial condition may be harmed.
Furthermore, given the rapidly evolving nature of the markets in which we compete, our products and technology could be rendered obsolete by alternative or competing technologies. The markets in which we operate are characterized by changing technology and evolving industry standards. We may not be successful in identifying, developing, and marketing products or systems that respond to rapid technological change, evolving technical standards, and systems developed by others. If we do not continue to develop, manufacture, and market innovative technologies or applications that meet customers’ requirements, sales may suffer, and our growth prospects may be harmed.
The consolidation or vertical integration of our customers may adversely affect our financial results.
Our industry is characterized by the high costs associated with developing marketable semiconductor products and solutions as well as high levels of investment in production capabilities. As a result, the semiconductor industry has experienced, and may continue to experience, significant consolidation among companies and vertical integration among customers. Larger competitors resulting from consolidations may have certain advantages over us, including, but not limited to, substantially greater financial and other resources with which to withstand adverse economic or market conditions and pursue development, engineering, manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of their products; longer operating histories; presence in key markets; patent protection; and greater name recognition. In addition, we may be at a competitive disadvantage to our peers if we fail to identify attractive opportunities to acquire companies to expand our business. Consolidation among our competitors and integration among our customers could erode our market share, negatively impact our capacity to compete and require us to restructure our operations, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We generate a substantial portion of our revenues from one customer and expect that we will generate revenue from a limited number of customers in the near future; and the loss of any key customer could have a material adverse effect on its business.
From the commencement of our operations and through the year ended September 30, 2023, we generated substantially all of our revenues from the sale of our active optical cables products. During the year ended September 30, 2024, our acquisitions of EMI Solutions and RaGE Systems significantly diversified our products and our customer base. For the year ended September 30, 2024, sales to Leidos Holdings, Inc. accounted for approximately 40% of our net revenues and no other customer accounted for 10% or more of our net revenues. The loss of this customer would have a material adverse impact on our results of operations and financial condition.
Our primary customers are organizations that sell product solutions for aerospace, military, defense, healthcare, and professional audio video applications. We have also engaged with several OEMs and ODMs in an effort to secure them as customers for our mmWave 5G ICs when the products are available for sale. If they do purchase our mmWave 5G ICs, we expect them to purchase these products on a purchase order basis when we complete development and commence sales, which is customary in the semiconductor industry.
We generally do not obtain long-term purchase commitments, and although most of our customer orders are non-cancellable, some customers may choose to unilaterally cancel their purchase order which may adversely impact our revenue and operating results.
With limited exceptions, we generally do not obtain long-term commitments with our customers. While a majority of our customers are not permitted to cancel their product orders, in some cases, customers may unilaterally cancel their orders, which may adversely impact our revenue and operating results.
Defects in our products or poor design and engineering solutions could result in lost sales and subject us to substantial liability.
If our products perform poorly, whether due to design, engineering, or other reasons, we could lose sales. In certain cases, if our products are found to be the component that leads to failure or a failure to meet the performance specifications of our customer, we could be required to pay monetary damages to our customer. A defect in any of our products could give rise to significant costs, including expenses relating to recalling the products, replacing defective items and writing down defective inventory as well as lead to the loss of potential sales. In addition, the occurrence of such defects may give rise to product liability claims, including liability for damages caused by such defects if our semiconductors or the consumer products based on them malfunction and result in personal injury or death. Such claims could result in significant costs and expenses relating to damages and attorneys’ fees. Moreover, since the cost of replacing defective semiconductor devices is often much higher than the value of the devices themselves, we may at times face damage claims from customers that are in excess of the amounts paid to us for products, including consequential damages. We may even be named in product liability claims where there is no evidence that our products caused the damage in question. We maintain insurance to protect against certain types of claims associated with the use of our products, but our insurance coverage may not adequately cover any such claims. In addition, even claims that ultimately are unsuccessful could result in expenditures of funds in connection with litigation and divert management’s time and other resources. We also may incur costs and expenses relating to a recall of one or more of our products. In addition, our products could be subject to recalls directly or indirectly through the recall of products of our customers in which our products may be embedded. The process of identifying recalled products that have been widely distributed may be lengthy and require significant resources, and we may incur significant replacement costs, contract damage claims from our customers, and significant harm to our reputation. The occurrence of these problems could result in the delay or loss of market acceptance of our products and could adversely affect our business, operating results, and financial condition.
We depend on third-party offshore manufacturers for producing several of our products, and in the event of a disruption in our supply chain, any efforts to develop alternative supply sources may take longer to take effect than anticipated.
We currently rely on offshore manufacturers to produce several of our products. We cannot be sure that these manufacturers will remain in business, or that they will not be purchased by one of our competitors. Our reliance on offshore manufacturers subjects us to a number of risks that include, among other things:
| ● | interruptions, shortages, delivery delays and potential discontinuation of supply as a result of any recurrence of pandemics such as COVID-19, or other reasons outside of our control; |
| ● | political, legal and economic changes, crises or instability and civil unrest in the jurisdictions where our manufacturers’ plants are located, such as changes in China-Taiwan relations that may adversely affect our manufacturers’ operations in Taiwan; |
| ● | currency conversion risks and exchange rate fluctuations; and |
| ● | compliance requirements of U.S. customs and international trade regulations. |
Although our products could be produced by other manufacturers, any attempt to transition our supply arrangement to one or more other manufacturers could entail expense and could lead to delays in production. If we are unable to arrange for sufficient production capacity among our contract manufacturers or if our contract manufacturers encounter production, quality, financial, or other difficulties, we may encounter difficulty in meeting customer demands as we seek alternative sources of supply. If any of the risks discussed above materialize, costs could significantly increase, and our ability to meet demand for our products could be impacted.
Inflation and unfavorable global economic conditions could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Our results of operations could be adversely affected by general conditions in the global economy and in the global financial markets, including conditions that are outside of our control, such as the impact of health and safety concerns, recent and ongoing price inflation in the United States, foreign and domestic government sanctions, and other disruptions to global supply chains. A severe or prolonged economic downturn, whether due to inflationary pressures or otherwise, could result in a variety of risks to our business, including weakened demand for our products, or the inability to raise additional capital when needed on acceptable terms, or at all. A weak or declining economy could strain our suppliers, possibly resulting in supply disruption, or cause delays in payments for our products by our customers. Any of the foregoing could harm our business and we cannot anticipate all the ways in which the current economic climate and financial market conditions could adversely impact us. If inflation increases, we may not be able to adjust prices sufficiently to offset the effect without negatively impacting our gross margin.
Furthermore, sustained uncertainty about, or worsening of, geopolitical tensions, including further escalation of the war between Russia and Ukraine, further escalation of the conflict between the State of Israel and Hamas, as well as further escalation of tensions between the State of Israel and various countries in the Middle East and North Africa, could result in a global economic slowdown and long-term changes to global trade. Any or all of these factors could negatively affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and growth.
If we are unable to manage expected growth in the scale and complexity of our operations, our performance may suffer.
If we are successful in executing our business strategy, we will need to expand our managerial, operational, financial, and other systems and resources to manage our operations, continue our research and development activities, and, in the longer term, build a commercial infrastructure to support the commercialization of any of our products. Future growth would impose significant added responsibilities on members of our management. It is likely that our management, finance, development personnel, systems, and facilities currently in place may not be adequate to support this future growth. We need to effectively manage our operations, growth, and controls, and we continue to develop more robust business processes and improve our systems and procedures in each of these areas and to attract and retain enough numbers of talented employees. We may be unable to successfully implement these tasks on a larger scale, and, accordingly, may not achieve our growth goals.
Our failure to comply with the laws and regulations to which we are subject could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.
Our technology and products are subject to export control and import laws and regulations. The failure to comply with any applicable regulations or requirements could subject us to investigations, sanctions, enforcement actions, fines, damages, civil or criminal penalties, or injunctions. Complying with import/export control and sanctions regulations may limit where, and with whom, we may do business. In addition, responding to any action will likely result in a significant diversion of management’s attention and financial resources.
Changes in global political, regulatory, and economic conditions or in laws and policies governing foreign trade, manufacturing, development, and investment in the territories or countries where we may purchase, manufacture, or sell our products or conduct our business could adversely affect our business. In recent years, the United States has instituted or proposed changes in trade policies that include export control restrictions, the negotiation or termination of trade agreements, the imposition of higher tariffs on imports into the United States, increased economic sanctions on individuals, corporations, or countries, and other government regulations affecting trade between the United States and other countries where we conduct our business or plan to conduct business, including China, where we source materials for our connectivity products and package and test our semiconductor products. A number of other nations have proposed or instituted similar measures directed at trade with the United States in response. As a result of these developments, there may be greater restrictions and economic disincentives on international trade that could adversely affect our business. It may be time-consuming and expensive for us to alter our business operations to adapt to or comply with any such changes, and any failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Our future success depends on our ability to retain key employees, and to attract, retain and motivate qualified personnel.
Our future depends, in part, on our ability to attract and retain key personnel, including engineers, technicians, machinists, and management personnel. For example, our research and development efforts rely on hiring and retaining qualified engineers. Competition for highly skilled engineers is extremely intense, and we may face difficulty in identifying and hiring qualified engineers in many areas of our business. Additionally, our future hinges on the continued contributions of our executive officers and other key management and technical personnel, each of whom would be challenging to replace. We do not maintain a key person life insurance policy on our chairman of the board, our chief executive officer, or our president and chief financial officer. The loss of the services of one or more of our senior executive officers or key personnel, or the inability to continue to attract qualified personnel, could potentially delay product development cycles or otherwise materially harm our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
We identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting. If we are unable to remediate these material weaknesses, or if we identify additional material weaknesses in the future or otherwise continue to fail to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting, we may not be able to accurately or timely report our financial condition or results of operations, which may adversely affect our business and share price.
A material weakness is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. The material weaknesses are as follows:
| ● | We did not design and maintain an effective control environment commensurate with our financial reporting requirements. Specifically, we lacked a sufficient complement of personnel with an appropriate level of accounting knowledge, training and experience to appropriately analyze, record and disclose accounting matters timely and accurately. Additionally, the insufficient complement of personnel resulted in an inability to consistently establish appropriate authorities and responsibilities in pursuit of financial reporting objectives, as demonstrated by, among other things, insufficient segregation of duties in its finance and accounting functions. |
| ● | We did not design and maintain an effective risk assessment process at a precise enough level to identify new and evolving risks of material misstatement in the financial statements. Specifically, changes to existing controls or the implementation of new controls have not been sufficient to respond to changes to the risks of material misstatement to financial reporting. |
| ● | We did not design and maintain formal accounting policies, procedures and controls to achieve complete, accurate and timely financial accounting, reporting and disclosures, including controls over (i) the preparation and review of account reconciliations and journal entries, (ii) maintaining appropriate segregation of duties, (iii) determining the appropriate grant date for stock options and evaluating the assumptions used within the Black-Scholes model to determine the fair value of option grants, and (iv) the review of the completeness and accuracy of the income tax provision and related disclosures. Additionally, we did not design and maintain controls over the classification and presentation of accounts and disclosures in the financial statements and to ensure revenue transactions are recorded in the correct period. |
| ● | We did not design and maintain effective controls to identify and account for certain non-routine, unusual or complex transactions, including the proper application of U.S. GAAP of such transactions. Specifically, we did not design and maintain effective controls to (i) timely identify, account for and value business combinations and asset acquisitions, including the associated tax implications and (ii) timely identify, account for and value financing arrangements. |
| ● | We did not design and maintain effective controls to verify transactions are properly authorized, executed, and accounted for, including transactions related to incentive compensation arrangements. |
These material weaknesses resulted in adjustments to revenue, accrued expenses, general and administrative expenses, inventory, costs of products sold, the accounting for and classification of redeemable convertible preferred stock, founders preferred and common stock, stock-based compensation expense, other current assets, income tax expense and deferred tax liabilities, as well as the purchase price allocation for the business combination, as of and for the years ended September 30, 2022 and 2021; and, adjustments to stock-based compensation expense, accrued expenses, other current liabilities and the PIPE make-whole liability, as well as the purchase price allocations for our business combinations as of and for the interim periods ended December 31, 2023 and June 30, 2024, and as of and for the year ended September 30, 2024.
| ● | We did not design and maintain effective IT general controls for information systems that are relevant to the preparation of the financial statements. Specifically, we did not design and maintain (i) program change management controls to ensure that program and data changes are identified, tested, authorized and implemented appropriately, (ii) user access controls to ensure appropriate segregation of duties and to adequately restrict user and privileged access to appropriate personnel, (iii) computer operations controls to ensure that processing and transfer of data, and data backups and recovery are monitored, and (iv) program development controls to ensure that new software development is tested, authorized and implemented appropriately. These deficiencies did not result in a misstatement to the financial statements. |
Additionally, these material weaknesses could result in a misstatement of substantially all of our accounts or disclosures that would result in a material misstatement to the annual or interim financial statements that would not be prevented or detected.
We have begun implementation of a plan to remediate these material weaknesses, which we expect will result in significant future costs for us.
We are working to remediate the material weaknesses as efficiently and effectively as possible. At this time, we cannot provide an estimate of costs expected to be incurred in connection with implementing this remediation plan; however, these remediation measures will be time consuming, will result in us incurring significant costs and will place significant demands on our financial and operational resources.
While we are designing and implementing measures to remediate our existing material weaknesses, we cannot predict the success of such measures or the outcome of our assessment of these measures at this time. We can give no assurance that these measures will remediate any of the deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting, or that we will not identify additional material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting in the future. Our current controls and any new controls that we develop may become inadequate because of changes in conditions in our business, personnel, IT systems and applications, or other factors. Any failure to design or maintain effective internal control over financial reporting or any difficulties encountered in their implementation or improvement could increase compliance costs, negatively impact share trading prices, or otherwise harm our operating results or cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations. The effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting is subject to various inherent limitations, including cost limitations, judgments used in decision making, assumptions about the likelihood of future events, the possibility of human error and the risk of fraud. If we are unable to remediate the material weaknesses, our ability to record, process, summarize and report information within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC could be adversely affected, which, in turn, may adversely affect our reputation and business and the market price of our Class A Common Stock. In addition, any such failures could result in litigation or regulatory actions by the SEC or other regulatory authorities, loss of investor confidence, delisting of our securities and harm to our reputation and financial condition, or diversion of financial and management resources from the operation of our business.
As a public company, we are required to furnish a report by management on, among other things, the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. Our independent registered public accounting firm is not required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting until after we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act, or a “smaller reporting company,” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. We may not be able to conclude on an ongoing basis that we have effective internal control over financial reporting, in which case our independent registered public accounting firm could not issue an unqualified opinion related to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. If we continue to conclude that we have ineffective internal control over financial reporting and our independent registered public accounting firm is unable to issue an unqualified opinion related to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, investors could lose confidence in our reported financial information, which could have a material adverse effect on the trading price of our Class A Common Stock.
Our business could suffer in the event of a security breach involving our IT systems, intellectual property or other proprietary or confidential information.
We rely on the efficient and uninterrupted operation of complex information technology applications, systems, and networks to conduct our business. The reliability and security of our information technology infrastructure and software, as well as our ability to expand and continually update technologies in response to changing needs, are critical to our operations. Any significant interruption in these applications, systems, or networks — such as new system implementations, computer viruses, cyberattacks, security breaches, facility issues, or energy blackouts — could result in misappropriation of our intellectual property or other proprietary or confidential information and could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Our business also depends on various outsourced IT services. We rely on third-party vendors to provide critical services and to adequately address cybersecurity threats to their own systems. Any failure of third-party systems and services to operate effectively could disrupt our operations and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Instituting and defending against intellectual property or other types of litigation and administrative proceedings could cause us to spend substantial resources, distract our personnel from their normal responsibilities, and have uncertain outcomes.
We have in the past been, are currently, and may in the future be involved in actual and threatened litigation, regulatory proceedings, and commercial or contractual disputes that may be significant. These matters may include, without limitation, disputes with suppliers and customers, competitors, intellectual property disputes, government investigations, and stockholder litigation. In such matters, government agencies or private parties may seek to recover very large, indeterminate amounts of monetary damages or penalties from us, including, in some cases, treble or punitive damages. These types of litigation and proceedings could require significant management time and attention or could involve substantial legal liability. They could have a material adverse impact on our operating results and financial position, and our established reserves or our available insurance may not sufficiently mitigate this impact.
Our operations are dependent upon a relatively small group of individuals and, in particular, our officers and directors. We believe that our success depends on the continued service of our officers and directors. None of our directors are required to commit any specified amount of time to our affairs and, accordingly, will have conflicts of interest in allocating their time among various business activities. The unexpected loss of the services of one or more of our directors or officers could have a detrimental effect on the business.
Some of our potential customers, including those in the military and aerospace industries, may require us to comply with additional regulatory requirements, which will increase our compliance costs.
Some of our potential customers, including those in the military and aerospace industries, may require us to comply with additional regulatory requirements. These additional regulations may impose added costs on our business and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We could be adversely affected by violations of applicable anti-corruption laws or violations of our internal policies designed to ensure ethical business practices.
We are subject to the risk that we, our U.S. employees or employees located in other jurisdictions or any third parties that we engage to do work on our behalf in foreign countries may take action determined to be in violation of anti-corruption laws in any jurisdiction in which we conduct business, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (the “FCPA”). Any violation of the FCPA or any similar anti-corruption law or regulation could result in substantial fines, sanctions, civil and/or criminal penalties and curtailment of operations in certain jurisdictions and might adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition. In addition, we have internal ethics policies that we require our employees to comply with in order to ensure that our business is conducted in a manner that our management deems appropriate. If these anti-corruption laws or internal policies were to be violated, our reputation and operations could also be substantially harmed.
Our intellectual property applications, including patent and trademark applications, may not be issued or granted or may take longer than expected to result in an issuance or grant, which may have a material adverse effect on our ability to enforce our intellectual property rights.
We have a number of patents and pending patent applications for our business. In addition, we have had both registered trademarks and pending trademark applications. We cannot be certain that our applications for patent and trademark protection will be successful, and even if issued or granted, we cannot guarantee that such patents or trademarks will provide meaningful protection of our intellectual property. In addition, we may not be able to file and/or prosecute all necessary or desirable applications for intellectual property registrations at a reasonable cost or in a timely manner or pursue or obtain protection in all relevant markets, which could adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.
We depend on our intellectual property, and our failure to protect that intellectual property could adversely affect our business.
Our failure to protect our existing intellectual property rights may result in the loss of exclusivity or the right to use our technologies. If we do not adequately ensure our freedom to use certain technology, we may have to pay others for rights to use their intellectual property, pay damages for infringement or misappropriation, and/or be enjoined from using such intellectual property.
We cannot be certain that our technology and products do not or will not infringe upon the intellectual property rights of third parties. If infringement were to occur, our development, manufacturing, sales and distribution of such technology or products may be disrupted.
We rely on patent, trade secret, trademark and copyright law to protect our intellectual property. Our patent position is subject to complex factual and legal issues that may give rise to uncertainty as to the validity, scope and enforceability of a particular patent. Accordingly, we cannot assure that any of the patents we have filed or other patents that third parties license to us will not be invalidated, circumvented, challenged, rendered unenforceable, or licensed to others or that any of our pending or future patent applications will be issued with the breadth of claim coverage we seek, if issued at all.
Effective patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret protection may be unavailable, limited or not applied for in certain foreign countries. For instance, it may be difficult for us to enforce certain of our intellectual property rights against third parties who may have inappropriately acquired interests in our intellectual property rights by filing unauthorized trademark applications in foreign countries to register our marks because of their familiarity with our business in the United States.
Some of our proprietary intellectual property is not protected by any patent or patent application, and, despite our precautions, it may be possible for third parties to obtain and use such intellectual property without authorization. We have generally sought to protect such proprietary intellectual property in part by confidentiality agreements and, if applicable, inventors’ rights agreements with strategic partners and employees, although such agreements have not been put in place in every instance. We cannot guarantee that these agreements adequately protect our trade secrets and other intellectual property or proprietary rights. In addition, we cannot ensure that these agreements will not be breached, that we will have adequate remedies for any breach or that such persons or institutions will not assert rights to intellectual property arising out of these relationships. Furthermore, the steps we have taken and may take in the future may not prevent misappropriation of our solutions or technologies, particularly in respect of officers and employees who are no longer employed by us or in foreign countries where laws or law enforcement practices may not protect our proprietary rights as fully as in the United States.
We are subject to state, federal and international privacy and data protection laws and regulations. Our failure to comply with these laws and regulations could have an adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.
We are subject to state, federal and international privacy and data protection-related laws and regulations that impose obligations on us in connection with the collection, storage, use, processing, disclosure, protection, transmission, retention and disposal of personal, sensitive, regulated and confidential data. We also may be bound by contractual obligations relating to our collection, use and disclosure of personal, confidential and other data. While we strive to comply with all applicable privacy, data protection and information security laws and regulations, as well as our contractual obligations and applicable industry standards, such laws, regulations, obligations and standards continue to evolve and are becoming increasingly complex, which makes compliance challenging and expensive. Any failure or perceived failure by us to comply with laws, regulations, industry standards or contractual or other legal obligations relating to privacy, data protection or information security could have an adverse effect on our reputation, business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.
We are subject to, and must remain in compliance with, numerous laws and governmental regulations across various jurisdictions concerning the development and sale of our products, including engagement of employees and contractors.
We develop and sell products that contain electronic components, and such components may contain materials that are subject to government regulation in both the locations where the products are manufactured and assembled, as well as the locations where the products are sold. Since we sell products internationally and intend to significantly increase our sales as we commercialize our semiconductor products, this will be a complex process that will require continuous monitoring of regulations and an ongoing compliance process to ensure that we, and our suppliers and manufacturers, are in compliance with all existing regulations. If there is an unanticipated new regulation that significantly impacts our use of various components or requires more expensive components, that regulation could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Risks Related to Ownership of Our Securities
In the event that we are unable to remain in compliance with Nasdaq’s continued listing standards, Nasdaq may delist our securities from trading on its exchange, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions.
Currently, our Class A Common Stock and the Public Warrants are traded on Nasdaq. However, we cannot assure you that our securities will continue to be listed on Nasdaq in the future. In order to continue listing our securities on Nasdaq, we are required to maintain certain financial, distribution, and stock price levels. We are required to maintain a minimum market capitalization (generally $50 million) and a minimum number of holders of our listed securities (generally 400 public holders). On August 9, 2024, we received a delinquency notification letter (the “MVLS Notice”) from Nasdaq’s Listing Qualifications Staff (the “Staff”) due to the non-compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(b)(2) as a result of our failure to maintain a minimum Market Value of Listed Securities of $50 million. In addition, on November 18, 2024, we received a delinquency notification letter (the “Bid Prices Notice”, together with the MVLS Notice, the “Notices”) from the Staff due to the non-compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(a)(1), which requires listed securities to maintain a minimum bid price of $1.00 per share (the “Minimum Bid Price Requirement”). The Notices have no immediate effect on the listing of our shares of Class A Common Stock on Nasdaq and we have a period of 180 calendar days from receipt of each of the Notices to regain compliance. However, if we fail to timely regain compliance with the rules, our shares will be subject to delisting from Nasdaq. As of the date of this Annual Report, we had satisfied the conditions to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement.
| ● | a limited availability of market quotations for our securities; |
| ● | reduced liquidity for our securities; |
| ● | a determination that our Class A Common Stock is a “penny stock,” which will require brokers trading in our Class A Common Stock to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our securities; |
| ● | a limited amount of news and analyst coverage; and |
| ● | a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future. |
The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, which is a federal statute, prevents or preempts the states from regulating the sale of certain securities, which are referred to as “covered securities.” Since our Class A Common Stock and our Public Warrants are listed on Nasdaq, they are covered securities. If we are no longer listed on Nasdaq, our securities would not be covered securities and we would be subject to regulation in each state in which we offer our securities.
Fluctuations in the price of our securities could contribute to the loss of all or part of your investment. Prior to the Closing, there was no public market for the stock of Legacy Mobix or our Class A Common Stock. Although we have listed the Class A Common Stock on Nasdaq, an active trading market may not be sustained. If an active market for the Class A Common Stock is not sustained, it may be difficult for you to sell shares at an attractive price or at all.
The trading price of our securities is volatile and subject to wide fluctuations in response to various factors, some of which are beyond our control. Price volatility may be greater if the public float and/or trading volume of the Class A Common Stock is low.
Any of the factors listed below could have a material adverse effect on your investment in our securities and our securities may trade at prices significantly below the price you paid for them. In such circumstances, the trading price of our securities may not recover and may experience a further decline. Factors affecting the trading price of our securities may include:
| ● | actual or anticipated fluctuations in our quarterly financial results or the quarterly financial results of companies perceived to be similar to us; |
| ● | changes in the market’s expectations about our operating results; |
| ● | success of competitors; |
| ● | lack of adjacent competitors; |
| ● | our operating results failing to meet the expectation of securities analysts or investors in a particular period; |
| ● | changes in financial estimates and recommendations by securities analysts concerning us or the industries in which we operate in general; |
| ● | operating and stock price performance of other companies that investors deem comparable to us; |
| ● | announcements by us or our competitors of significant contracts, acquisitions, joint ventures, other strategic relationships or capital commitments; |
| ● | changes in laws and regulations affecting our business; |
| ● | commencement of, or involvement in, litigation involving us; |
| ● | changes in our capital structure, such as future issuances of securities or the incurrence of additional debt; |
| ● | the volume of shares of Class A Common Stock available for public sale; |
| ● | any significant change in our board of directors (the “Board”) or management; |
| ● | sales of substantial amounts of Class A Common Stock by our directors, executive officers or significant stockholders or the perception that such sales could occur; |
| ● | general economic and political conditions such as recessions, interest rates, fuel prices, international currency fluctuations and acts of war or terrorism; and |
| ● | changes in accounting standards, policies, guidelines, interpretations or principles. |
Broad market and industry factors may materially harm the market price of our securities irrespective of our operating performance. The stock market in general and Nasdaq have experienced price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of the particular companies affected.
If equity research analysts do not publish research or reports, or if they publish unfavorable research or reports about our company, our stock price and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for Class A Common Stock may be influenced by the research and reports that equity research analysts publish about us and our business. In the event we do have equity research analyst coverage, the information and opinions about our Class A Common Stock that is available to investors may be limited, which could reduce demand for our stock. The price of our stock could decline if one or more equity research analysts downgrade the stock or issue other unfavorable commentary or research. If one or more equity research analysts ceases coverage of us or fails to publish reports regularly, demand for our stock could decrease, which, in turn, could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline.
We are subject to changing laws and regulations regarding corporate governance and public disclosure that have increased both our costs and the risk of non-compliance and may adversely affect our business, and our results of operations.
We are subject to laws and regulations enacted by national, regional and local governments. In particular, we are required to comply with certain SEC and other legal requirements. Our efforts to comply with new and changing laws and regulations have resulted in and are likely to continue to result in, increased general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management time and attention from revenue-generating activities to compliance activities. Those laws and regulations and their interpretation and application may also change from time to time, and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, investments and results of operations. This evolution may result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and additional costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to our disclosure and governance practices. If we fail to address and comply with these regulations and any subsequent changes, we may be subject to penalty and our business may be harmed. In addition, a failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations, as interpreted and applied, could have a material adverse effect on our business, and our results of operations.
The dual class structure of our Common Stock has the effect of concentrating voting control with the holders of our Class B Common Stock, most of whom are our directors or management; this will limit or preclude your ability to influence corporate matters.
Our Class B Common Stock has ten votes per share and Class A Common Stock has one vote per share. Stockholders who hold shares of Class B Common Stock, including certain of our executive officers and directors and their affiliates, together hold a substantial majority of the voting power of our outstanding capital stock. Because of the ten-to-one voting ratio between the Class B Common Stock and the Class A Common Stock, the holders of Class B Common Stock collectively control a majority of the combined voting power of the Common Stock and therefore are able to control all matters submitted to our stockholders for approval. This concentrated control will limit or preclude your ability to influence corporate matters for the foreseeable future.
Transfers by holders of Class B Common Stock will generally result in those shares automatically converting to Class A Common Stock, subject to limited exceptions, such as certain transfers effected for estate planning or charitable purposes. The conversion of Class B Common Stock to Class A Common Stock will have the effect, over time, of increasing the relative voting power of those holders of Class B Common Stock who retain their shares of Class B Common Stock until the automatic conversion of the outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock into shares of Class A Common Stock after the seventh anniversary of December 21, 2023.
Our management may experience difficulties with operating a public company.
Our executive officers have limited experience in the management of a publicly traded company. Our management team may experience difficulties with effectively managing and operating a public company that is subject to significant regulatory oversight and reporting obligations under federal securities laws. Their limited experience in dealing with the increasingly complex laws pertaining to public companies could be a disadvantage in that it is likely that an increasing amount of their time may be devoted to these activities, which will result in less time being devoted to the management our operations and growth. We believe that we will need to continue to seek additional personnel with the appropriate level of knowledge, experience, and training in the accounting policies, practices or internal controls over financial reporting required of public companies in the United States. The development and implementation of the standards and controls necessary for us to achieve the level of accounting standards required of a public company in the United States will require significant costs, and these may be greater than expected. We believe that we will be required to expand our employee base and hire additional employees to support our operations as a public company, which will increase our operating costs in future periods.
We may become subject to securities or class action litigation, which is expensive and could divert management’s attention.
Our share price may be volatile and, in the past, companies that have experienced volatility in the market price of their stock have been subject to securities litigation, including class action litigation. We may be the target of this type of litigation in the future. Litigation of this type could result in substantial costs and diversion of management’s attention and resources, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Any adverse determination in litigation or any amounts paid to settle any such actual or threatened litigation could require that we make significant payments and/or could also subject us to significant liabilities.
We anticipate that our stockholders will experience dilution in the future.
The percentage of shares of Class A Common Stock owned by current stockholders will likely be diluted because of equity issuances for acquisitions, capital market transactions, or otherwise, including, without limitation, equity awards that we may grant to our directors, officers, and employees, exercise of warrants or meeting the conditions triggering the issuance of the Earnout Shares and conversion of Class B Common Stock. These issuances will have a dilutive effect on our earnings per share, which could adversely affect the market price of Class A Common Stock.
We are an “emerging growth company” and a “smaller reporting company,” and if we take advantage of certain exemptions from disclosure requirements available to emerging growth companies or smaller reporting companies, our securities could be less attractive to investors.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act, and we may take advantage of certain exemptions and relief from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies.” In particular, while we are an “emerging growth company,” we will not be required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, we will be exempt from any rules that could be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board requiring mandatory audit firm rotations or requiring a supplement to the auditor’s report on financial statements, we will be subject to reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and we will not be required to hold non-binding advisory votes on executive compensation or stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.
In addition, the JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards. This allows an emerging growth company to delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have elected not to “opt out” 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, we, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of our financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.
We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (i) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the initial public offering of Chavant, which occurred on July 19, 2021, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.235 billion or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our common equity that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter, and (ii) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period.
The exact implications of the JOBS Act are subject to interpretation and guidance by the SEC and other regulatory agencies, and we cannot assure you that we will be able to take advantage of all of the benefits of the JOBS Act. In addition, investors may find the Class A Common Stock less attractive to the extent we rely on the exemptions and relief granted by the JOBS Act. If some investors find the Class A Common Stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for the Class A Common Stock and our stock price may decline or become more volatile.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (i) the market value of our common equity held by non-affiliates exceeds $250 million as of the last business day of the most recently completed second fiscal quarter or (ii) the market value of our common equity held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the last business day of the most recently completed second fiscal quarter and our annual revenue in the most recent fiscal year completed before the last business day of such second fiscal quarter exceeded $100 million. To the extent we take advantage of such reduced disclosure obligations, it may make comparison of our financial statements with other public companies difficult or impossible.
Because we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our Class A Common Stock in the foreseeable future, capital appreciation, if any, will be your sole source of gains and you may never receive a return on your investment.
You should not rely on an investment in the Class A Common Stock to provide dividend income. We currently intend to retain our future earnings, if any, to fund the development and growth of our business. In addition, the terms of any future debt agreements we may elect to utilize are likely to preclude us from paying dividends. As a result, capital appreciation, if any, of the Class A Common Stock will be your sole source of gain for the foreseeable future. Investors seeking cash dividends should not purchase our Class A Common Stock.
Future sales of our Class A Common Stock may cause the market price of our Class A Common Stock to drop significantly, even if our business is doing well.
Sales of a substantial number of shares of our Class A Common Stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales could occur, could adversely affect the market price of our Class A Common Stock and may make it more difficult for investors to sell their shares of our Class A Common Stock at a time and price that investors deem appropriate.
On April 15, 2024, we filed a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act with the SEC to register shares of our Class A Common Stock that may be issued under our equity incentive plans from time to time, as well as any shares of our Class A Common Stock underlying outstanding options and restricted stock units (“RSUs”) that have been granted or promised to our directors, executive officers and other employees, all of which are subject to time-based vesting conditions. Shares registered under these registration statements will be available for sale in the public market upon issuance subject to vesting arrangements and exercise of options, as well as Rule 144 in the case of our affiliates.
Furthermore, we have filed registration statements (the “Resale Registration Statements”) registering the resale of up to 38,240,486 shares of Class A Common Stock, which also includes shares issuable under outstanding convertible securities including outstanding warrants, options and shares of our Class B Common Stock, by certain of our stockholders. Sales of our Class A Common Stock as restrictions end or pursuant to registration rights may make it more difficult for us to sell equity securities in the future at a time and at a price that we deem appropriate. These sales also could cause the trading price of our Class A Common Stock to fall and make it more difficult for you to sell shares of Class A Common Stock at a time and price that you deem appropriate.
Moreover, continuous sales of a substantial number of our shares of Class A Common Stock in the public market pursuant to the Resale Registration Statements, or the perception that these sales might occur, could depress the market price of our securities. The frequency of such sales could cause the market price of our securities to decline or increase the volatility in the market price of our securities.
We are unable to predict the effect that these sales, particularly sales by our directors, executive officers and significant stockholders, may have on the prevailing market price of our Class A Common Stock. If holders of these shares sell, or indicate an intent to sell, substantial amounts of our Class A Common Stock in the public market, the trading price of our Class A Common Stock could decline significantly and make it difficult for us to raise funds through securities offerings in the future.
The outstanding warrants are exercisable for Class A Common Stock, and, if exercised, would increase the number of shares eligible for future resale in the public market and would result in dilution to our stockholders.
As of September 30, 2024, we have warrants outstanding, which are exercisable to purchase an aggregate of 18,675,800 shares of our Class A Common Stock for prices ranging from $0.01 to $5.79 per share (subject to adjustments as set forth in the applicable warrants). To the extent such warrants are exercised, additional shares of Class A Common Stock will be issued, which will result in dilution to the holders of Class A Common Stock and will increase the number of shares eligible for resale in the public market. Sales of substantial numbers of such shares in the public market or the fact that such warrants may be exercised could adversely affect the market price of Class A Common Stock.
Our Charter and Bylaws provide for an exclusive forum in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware for certain disputes between us and our stockholders, and that the federal district courts of the United States will be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action under the Securities Act.
Our Charter and Bylaws provide, that: (i) unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction thereof, another state or federal court located within the State of Delaware) will, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of us, (b) any action asserting a claim of breach of fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or employee of us to us or the stockholders, (c) any civil action to interpret, apply or enforce any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, (d) any civil action to interpret, apply, enforce or determine the validity of the provisions of the Charter or the Bylaws or (e) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in all cases, subject to the court having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants, provided, however, that the foregoing would not apply to any causes of action arising under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act; (ii) unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States will, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, provided, however, that the foregoing will not apply to any action asserting claims under the Exchange Act; (iii) any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of capital stock of us will be deemed to have notice of and consented to these provisions; and (iv) failure to enforce the foregoing provisions would cause us irreparable harm, and it would be entitled to equitable relief, including injunctive relief and specific performance, to enforce the foregoing provisions. Nothing in our Charter or Bylaws precludes stockholders that assert claims under the Exchange Act from bringing such claims in federal court to the extent that the Exchange Act confers exclusive federal jurisdiction over such claims, subject to applicable law.
We believe these provisions may benefit us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware law and federal securities laws by chancellors and judges, as applicable, particularly experienced in resolving corporate disputes, efficient administration of cases on a more expedited schedule relative to other forums and protection against the burdens of multi-forum litigation. If a court were to find the choice of forum provision that is contained in our Charter and Bylaws to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. For example, Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. Accordingly, there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce such a forum selection provision as written in connection with claims arising under the Securities Act.
The choice of forum provisions may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or any of our current or former director, officer, other employee, agent, or stockholder to us, which may discourage such claims against us or any of our current or former director, officer, other employee, agent, or stockholder to Mobix Labs, which may discourage such claims against Mobix Labs or any of its current or former director, officer, other employee, agent, or stockholder to Mobix Labs and result in increased costs for investors to bring a claim.
Under the Amendment to the Warrant Agreement, claims that may be brought against us must be resolved by final and binding arbitration, which follows a set of procedures and may be more restrictive than litigation.
The amendment to the warrant agreement entered into by Chavant and Continental Stock Transfer, dated December 21, 2023 (the “Amendment to the Warrant Agreement”), provides that any dispute, controversy, or claim, whether in contract or tort, arising or relating to the Amendment to the Warrant Agreement or the enforcement, breach, termination, or validity thereof, shall be submitted to final and binding arbitration in Orange County, California, before one neutral and impartial arbitrator, in accordance with the laws of the state of New York. As a result, warrant holders will not be able to pursue litigation in federal or state court against us, and instead, will be required to pursue such claims through a final and binding arbitration proceeding.
The Amendment to the Warrant Agreement provides that such arbitration proceedings would generally be administered by JAMS and conducted in accordance with the rules and policies set forth in the JAMS Comprehensive Arbitration Rules and Procedures. These rules and policies may provide significantly more limited rights than litigation in a federal or state court. The mandatory arbitration provisions of the Amendment to the Warrant Agreement may discourage warrant holders from bringing, and attorneys from agreeing to represent such parties in, claims against us. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in the warrants shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the mandatory arbitration provisions.
The mandatory arbitration provisions in the Amendment to the Warrant Agreement do not relieve us of our duties to comply with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. We believe the provisions of the Amendment to the Warrant Agreement are enforceable under both federal and state law, including with respect to federal securities law claims; however, there is uncertainty as to their enforceability, and it is possible that they may ultimately be determined to be unenforceable.
Delaware law and provisions in the Charter and the Bylaws could make a takeover proposal more difficult.
Certain provisions of the Charter, the Bylaws, and laws of the State of Delaware could discourage, delay, defer, or prevent a merger, tender offer, proxy contest, or other change of control transaction that a stockholder may consider favorable, including those attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for our Class A Common Stock. Among other things, the Charter and Bylaws include provisions that:
| ● | provide for a dual class common stock structure, which provides the holders of Class B Common Stock, most of whom are our management, with the ability to control the outcome of matters requiring stockholder approval, even if they collectively own significantly less than a majority of the shares of Mobix Labs’ outstanding Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock; |
| ● | provide for a classified board of directors with staggered, three-year terms, which could delay the ability of stockholders to change the membership of a majority of the Board; |
| ● | provide that so long as any shares of Class B Common Stock remain outstanding, the holders of a majority of the voting power of the shares of Class B Common Stock then outstanding will be entitled to elect three members of the board of directors (“Class B Directors”) and for so long as there are three Class B Directors, each class will contain no more than one Class B Director; |
| ● | prohibit cumulative voting in the election of directors, which limits the ability of minority stockholders to elect director candidates; |
| ● | provide for the exclusive right of the Board to elect a director to fill a vacancy created by the expansion of the Board or the resignation, death or removal of a director not elected by the holders of a class or series of capital stock of Mobix Labs or pursuant to the Charter, which prevents stockholders from being able to fill vacancies on the Board; |
| ● | permit the Board to issue shares of common stock and preferred stock, including “blank check” preferred stock, and to determine the price and other terms of those shares, including preferences and voting rights of the preferred stock, without stockholder approval, which could be used to significantly dilute the ownership of a hostile acquirer; |
| ● | prohibit stockholder action by written consent, which forces stockholder action to be taken at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, provided that any action to be taken at any meeting of the holders of Class B Common Stock may be taken without a meeting and by written consent; |
| ● | require that special meetings of stockholders be called (a) solely by the Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, or the President of Mobix Labs or by the Mobix Labs Board, and (b) by the Board upon the written request (made in accordance with the Charter and Bylaws) of the holders of not less than ten percent of the voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of Mobix Labs, which may delay the ability of stockholders to force consideration of a proposal or to take action, including the removal of directors; |
| ● | provide advance notice requirements for nominations for election to the Board (other than directors elected by the holders of any class or series of capital stock of Mobix Labs pursuant to the Charter, initially being the Class B Directors) or for proposing matters that can be acted upon by stockholders at annual meetings of stockholders (other than matters on which the holders of any class or series of capital stock of Mobix Labs are entitled to vote on as a single class pursuant to the Charter), which could preclude stockholders from bringing matters before annual meetings of stockholders and delay changes in the Board and also may discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of the company; |
| ● | require a supermajority vote of stockholders to amend certain provisions of the Charter or the Bylaws; and |
| ● | provide the right of the Board to make, alter or repeal the Bylaws, which may allow the Board to take additional actions to prevent an unsolicited takeover and inhibit the ability of an acquirer to amend the Bylaws to facilitate an unsolicited takeover attempt. |
These provisions, alone or together, could delay hostile takeovers and changes in control of our company or changes in the Board and our management.
As a Delaware corporation, we are also subject to provisions of Delaware law, including Section 203 of the DGCL, which prevents some stockholders holding more than 15% of outstanding Class A Common Stock from engaging in certain business combinations without approval of the holders of substantially all of the Class A Common Stock. Any provision of our Charter or Bylaws or Delaware law that has the effect of delaying or deterring a change in control could limit the opportunity for stockholders to receive a premium for their shares of Class A Common Stock and could also affect the price that some investors are willing to pay for Class A Common Stock.
We may redeem your unexpired Public Warrants prior to their exercise at a time that is disadvantageous to you, thereby rendering your warrants worthless.
We have the ability to redeem outstanding Public Warrants at any time after they become exercisable and prior to their expiration, at a price of $0.01 per Public Warrant, provided that the closing price of our Class A Common Stock equals or exceeds $9.06 per share (as adjusted for share subdivisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations, and the like, and for certain issuances of Class A Common Stock and equity-linked securities for capital-raising purposes) for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading-day period commencing once the Public Warrants become exercisable and ending on the third trading day prior to proper notice of such redemption and provided that certain other conditions are met on the date we give notice of redemption. We will not redeem the Public Warrants unless an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the Class A Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants is effective and a current prospectus relating to those shares of Class A Common Stock is available throughout the 30-day redemption period, except if the Public Warrants may be exercised on a cashless basis and such cashless exercise is exempt from warrant registration under the Securities Act. If and when the Public Warrants become redeemable by us, we may exercise our redemption right even if we are unable to register or qualify the underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws.
Redemption of the outstanding Public Warrants could force you to (i) exercise your Public Warrants and pay the exercise price therefor at a time when it may be disadvantageous for you to do so, (ii) sell your Public Warrants at the then-current market price when you might otherwise wish to hold your Public Warrants, or (iii) accept the nominal redemption price, which, at the time the outstanding Public Warrants are called for redemption, is likely to be substantially less than the market value of your Public Warrants. None of the Public Warrants will be redeemable by us so long as they are held by their initial purchasers or their permitted transferees.
We may amend the terms of the Public Warrants in a manner that may be adverse to warrant holders. As a result, the exercise price of your Public Warrants could be increased, the Public Warrants could be converted into cash or stock (at a ratio different than initially provided), the exercise period could be shortened, and the number of shares of Class A Common Stock purchasable upon exercise of a Public Warrant could be decreased, all without the approval of a warrant holder.
The Warrant Agreement provides that the terms of the Public Warrants may be amended without the consent of any holder to cure any ambiguity or correct any defective provision but requires the approval by the holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding Public Warrants to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders of Public Warrants. Accordingly, we may amend the terms of the Public Warrants in a manner adverse to a holder of Public Warrants if holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding Public Warrants approve of such amendment. Although our ability to amend the terms of the Public Warrants with the consent of at least a majority of the then outstanding Public Warrants is unlimited, examples of such amendments could be amendments to, among other things, increase the exercise price of the Public Warrants, convert the Public Warrants into cash or shares, shorten the exercise period, or decrease the number of Class A Common Stock purchasable upon exercise of a Public Warrant.
The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.