SONIM TECHNOLOGIES INC
For the period ended Mar 31, 2025. Filed May 12, 2025.
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A company's report for each of its first three quarters. The financial statements are not audited. It shows how the business has moved since the last annual report, and what management says changed.
Mar 31, 2025 · Filed May 12, 2025
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Item 1A. Risk Factors
There are no material changes to the risk factors set forth in Part I, Item 1A,Risk Factors in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, except as set forth below.
The risk factor titled “We may become a ‘controlled company’ within the meaning of the applicable rules of Nasdaq and, as a result, may qualify for exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements. If we rely on these exemptions, our stockholders will not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to such requirements” is deleted in its entirety.
The risk factor titled “Changes in U.S. trade policy, including the imposition of tariffs and restrictions and the resulting consequences, may have a material adverse impact on our business, operating results, and financial condition” is amended and restated as follows:
Changes in U.S. trade policy, including the imposition of tariffs and restrictions and the resulting consequences, may have a material adverse impact on our business, operating results, and financial condition.
We cannot predict what changes to trade policy will be made, or the economic impact that changes to trade policy will have, including significant increases in tariffs on goods imported into the United States, particularly tariffs on products manufactured abroad, including China and other countries, and the length of time such tariffs may remain in place, or whether the entry into new bilateral or multilateral trade agreements will occur. As of the filing date of this prospectus, the U.S. has imposed tariffs on foreign imports into the United States, including, most relevant to us, an additional 145% tariff on all imports from China, provided, that an exemption was granted to smartphones and certain other items. These tariffs may further increase the cost of our products and could negatively impact our results of operations. At this time, it remains unclear what additional actions, if any, will be taken by the U.S. or other governments with respect to international trade agreements, the imposition of additional tariffs on goods imported into the U.S., tax policy related to international commerce, increased export control, sanctions and investment restrictions, or other trade matters. Although the ultimate scope and timing of any such actions is currently indeterminable, if implemented, they could have a material impact on our financial condition and results of operations. If further tariffs are imposed on a broader range of imports, further retaliatory trade measures are taken by various countries in response to tariffs, or efforts are made to withdraw from or substantially modify such agreements, then we may be required to raise our prices or incur additional expenses.
In addition, the FCC rules prohibit communications equipment deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to national security from obtaining the equipment authorization that allows the products to be imported, marketed, or sold in the U.S. If any of our product components were to be classified under these restrictions, we could face regulatory hurdles, supply chain disruptions, and lost revenue opportunities, which could have a material impact on our operations and financial results. Additionally, evolving national security policies and heightened scrutiny of foreign-manufactured telecommunications equipment may further increase compliance costs and restrict our market access.
The adoption or expansion of trade restrictions, the escalation of a trade war, or other governmental actions related to tariffs, trade agreements, or prohibition of components of communication equipment, could negatively impact demand for our products, increase costs, disrupt our supply chain, and adversely affect our customers and suppliers. Any of these developments could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, and financial condition.
The risk factor titled “Our business and operations could be negatively affected if we become subject to stockholder activism or hostile bids, which could cause us to incur significant expense, hinder execution of our business strategy and impact our stock price” is amended and restated as follows:
Our business and operations could be negatively affected if we become subject to stockholder activism or hostile bids, which could cause us to incur significant expense, hinder execution of our business strategy and impact our stock price.
Stockholder activism—ranging from proxy contests and hostile bids to public campaigns and litigation—has become increasingly prevalent. Declines in our stock price may heighten our vulnerability to unsolicited approaches, potentially disrupting our business strategy and operations.
In January 2025, Orbic North America, LLC (“Orbic”), an affiliate of a competitor currently engaged in intellectual property litigation against us, announced an “agreement in principle” with AJP Holding Company, LLC (“AJP”), our largest stockholder, to acquire a portion of AJP’s shares. AJP is controlled by our director Jeffrey Wang, who beneficially owns approximately 21.5% of our outstanding common stock. Following this announcement, our board formed a Special Committee to evaluate strategic alternatives. Thereafter, AJP, Orbic, and their affiliates formed a group pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act (the “Orbic Group”), and Orbic entered into an irrevocable proxy agreement granting it control over all of AJP’s voting power. The Orbic Group submitted a purported acquisition proposal and a purported notice to nominate an alternative slate of director candidates for election at our 2025 annual meeting (the “Notice”). Our board rejected the Notice as deficient, and AJP and Orbic subsequently initiated litigation against the Company and all of our directors except for Mr. Wang, as described in “Note 8 — Commitments and Contingencies” to our Condensed Consolidated Unaudited Financial Statements.
Responding to such actions by activist stockholders can be costly and time-consuming, disrupt our operations, and divert the attention of management and our board of directors. If AJP and Orbic are successful in the litigation and proxy contest, they could gain control of our board of directors, potentially pursuing actions advanced by our competitor that conflict with our long-term strategic objectives. Actions of AJP and Orbic may also discourage or deter a potential acquirer of Sonim from considering Sonim as a desirable acquisition target. The presence of an activist stockholder or the perception of a potential hostile takeover may create uncertainty regarding our future direction, strain relationships with business partners, and impact our ability to attract and retain key personnel. In fact, Sonim has already had to dispel market rumors regarding potential hostile actions by Orbic, which has required management’s time and effort.
The risk factor titled “We are required to meet the Nasdaq continued listing requirements and other Nasdaq rules, or we may risk delisting. Delisting could negatively affect the price of our common stock, which could make it more difficult for us to sell securities in a future financing or for you to sell our common stock.” is amended and restated as follows:
We are required to meet the Nasdaq continued listing requirements and other Nasdaq rules, or we may risk delisting. Delisting could negatively affect the price of our common stock, which could make it more difficult for us to sell securities in a future financing or for you to sell our common stock.
We are required to meet the continued listing requirements of the Nasdaq and other Nasdaq rules, including those regarding director independence and independent committee requirements, minimum stockholders’ equity, minimum share price and certain other corporate governance requirements. In particular, we are required to maintain a minimum bid price for our listed common stock of $1.00 per share (which we previously failed to meet resulting in two reverse stock splits in a five-year period in order to regain compliance) and either a minimum stockholders’ equity of $2,500,000, or a minimum market value of our common stock of at least $35,000,000. If we do not meet these continued listing requirements, our common stock could be delisted. We have a history of receiving deficiency letters from Nasdaq.
If Nasdaq delists our common stock from trading on its exchange and we are not able to list our common stock on another national securities exchange, we expect our common stock could be quoted on an over-the-counter market. If this were to occur, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:
| ● | a limited availability of market quotations for our common stock; |
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| ● | reduced liquidity for our common stock; |
| ● | a determination that our common stock is a “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in our 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; |
| ● | negative publicity; |
| ● | a limited amount of news and analyst coverage; |
| ● | loss of eligibility to register the sale or resale of our securities on Form S-3; and |
| ● | a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future. |
The risk factor titled “Some provisions of Delaware law and our certificate of incorporation and bylaws may delay or prevent a change in control and may discourage bids for our common stock at a premium over its market price” is amended and restated as follows:
Some provisions of Delaware law and our certificate of incorporation and bylaws and the adoption of the rights plan may delay or prevent a change in control and may discourage bids for our common stock at a premium over its market price.
| ● | the authorization of undesignated preferred stock, the terms of which may be established and shares of which may be issued without stockholder approval; |
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| ● | advance notice requirements for stockholder proposals; and |
| ● | certain limitations on convening special stockholder meetings. |
These anti-takeover defenses could discourage, delay or prevent a transaction involving a change in control of our company or changes in our management, including transactions in which our stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their common stock over then current market prices. These provisions could also discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult for you and other stockholders to elect directors of your choosing and to cause us to take other corporate actions than you desire.
Additionally, we are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (“DGCL”), which prohibit a publicly-held Delaware corporation from engaging in a business combination with an interested stockholder, generally a person which together with its affiliates owns, or within the last three years has owned, 15% of our voting stock, for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner. These provisions of DGCL may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control, and may discourage bids for our common stock at a premium over its market price.
Additionally, in April of 2025, we entered into the Rights Agreement, which was previously approved by our board. In connection with the Rights Agreement, a dividend was declared of one preferred stock purchase right for each share of the Common Stock of the Company outstanding at the Record Date (individually, a “Right” and collectively, the “Rights”). In general terms, the Rights Agreement imposes a significant penalty upon any person or group that acquires beneficial ownership of 15.5% (or, in the case of passive institutional investors, an amount of “less than 20%”) or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock without the approval of the Board. The Rights will expire on April 21, 2026
The Rights Agreement could have the effect of discouraging, delaying or preventing a change in management or control over us. While there is no plan to do so at this time, our board may choose to extend the current Rights Agreement or adopt a new rights agreement in the future.
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