ACCESS Newswire Inc.

Previous wording

With respect to our historical Communications revenue stream, we have experienced an annual revenue growth rate ranging from 13% to 55% between 2016 and 2023, however in 2024 it decreased 7%. Throughout these years, most of the growth has been due to the success of our ACCESSWIRE newswire brand. In 2023 and 2022, we also had additional growth from our acquisition of Newswire. In 2020, much of the growth came from demand for our events products that were upgraded to handle virtual needs in the industry as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, acquisitions of VWP in January 2019 and FSCwire in July 2018 have contributed to the growth. Our historical revenue growth rate of the Communications revenue stream is not indicative of future growth, and we may not achieve similar revenue growth rates in future periods. You should not rely on our revenue or revenue growth for any prior quarterly or annual periods as an indication of our future revenue or revenue growth. If we are unable to maintain consistent revenue or revenue growth, it may be difficult to achieve and maintain profitability and our stock price may be negatively impacted.

Current wording

With respect to our historical Communications revenue stream, we have experienced an annual revenue growth rate ranging from 13% to 55% between 2016 and 2023, however in 2024 and 2025 it decreased 7% and 2%, respectively. Historically, the majority of our growth has been attributable to the success of our ACCESSWIRE newswire brand. In 2023 and 2022, we also had additional growth from our acquisition of Newswire. In 2020, much of the growth came from demand for our events products that were upgraded to handle virtual needs in the industry as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, acquisitions of VWP in January 2019 and FSCwire in July 2018 have contributed to the growth. Our historical revenue growth rate of the Communications revenue stream is not indicative of future growth, and we may not achieve similar revenue growth rates in future periods. You should not rely on our revenue or revenue growth for any prior quarterly or annual periods as an indication of our future revenue or revenue growth. If we are unable to maintain consistent revenue or revenue growth, it may be difficult to achieve and maintain profitability and our stock price may be negatively impacted.

Previous wording

A substantial portion of our business is derived from our press release distribution business, which is dependent on technology and key partners.

Current wording

A substantial portion of our business is derived from our press release distribution business, which is dependent on our technology and key partners.

Previous wording

As noted, our ACCESSWIRE brand has been vital to the increase in revenue associated with our Communications business. It is expected that our recent acquisition of Newswire will also add significant revenue to our Communications business in the future. These two brands, combined into our new brand of ACCESS Newswire, is dependent upon several key partners for news distribution, some of which are also partners that we rely on for other shareholder communications services. During the second quarter of 2019, one of our key partners made an industry-wide decision to no longer accept investor commentary content. A significant portion of our historical ACCESSWIRE revenue was generated from this type of content, which significantly affected revenue going forward. Further disruption in any of these partnerships could have a material adverse impact on our business and financial results and the inability to procure new key partners could impact the growth of the ACCESS Newswire brand, particularly with respect to public company news distribution. Additionally, ACCESS Newswire is highly dependent on technology and any performance issues with this technology could have a material impact on our ability to serve our customers and thus our ability to generate revenue.

Current wording

As noted, our ACCESS Newswire brand has been a major contributor to the increase in revenue associated with our business. For the year ended December 31, 2025, our press release distribution business contributed over 80% of overall revenue. We also operate two leading-brand sister platforms, Newswire.com and PressRelease.com. These brands, combined into our new brand of ACCESS Newswire, are dependent upon several key partners for news distribution, some of which are also partners that we rely on for other shareholder communications services. From time-to-time distribution changes can impact the industry, by some partners opting not to accept certain content, which can cause significant fluctuations in revenue and volumes, for not only ACCESS Newswire, but the industry as a whole. Additionally, ACCESS Newswire is highly dependent on technology and any performance issues with this technology could have a material impact on our ability to serve our customers and thus our ability to generate revenue.

Previous wording

Since 2013, we have experienced overall growth in our business, customer base, employee headcount and operations, and we expect to continue to grow our business over the next several years. This growth places a significant strain on our executive management team and employees and on our operating and financial systems. To manage our future growth, we must continue to scale our business functions, improve our financial and management controls and our reporting systems and procedures and expand and train our work force. In particular, we grew from 24 employees and contractors as of December 31, 2012 to 113 (including 32 independent contractors) as of December 31, 2024. We anticipate that additional investments in sales personnel, infrastructure and research and development spending will be required to:

Current wording

Since 2013, we have experienced overall growth in our business, customer base, employee headcount and operations, and we expect to continue to grow our business over the next several years. This growth places a significant strain on our executive management team and employees and on our operating and financial systems. To manage our future growth, we must continue to scale our business functions, improve our financial and management controls and our reporting systems and procedures and expand and train our work force. In particular, we grew from 24 employees and contractors as of December 31, 2012 to 91 (including 33 independent contractors) as of December 31, 2025. We anticipate that additional investments in sales and marketing personnel, infrastructure and research and development spending will be required to:

Previous wording

We cannot assure you that our controls, systems and procedures will be adequate to support our future operations or that we will be able to manage our growth effectively. We also cannot assure you that we will be able to continue to expand our market presence in the United States and other current markets or successfully establish our presence in other markets. Failure to effectively manage growth could result in difficulty or delays in deploying customers, declines in quality or customer satisfaction, increases in costs, difficulties in introducing new features or other operational difficulties, and any of these difficulties could adversely impact our business performance and results of operations.

Current wording

We cannot assure you that our controls, systems and procedures will be adequate to support our future operations or that we will be able to manage our growth effectively. We also cannot assure you that we will be able to continue to expand our market presence in the United States and other current markets or successfully establish our presence in other markets. Failure to effectively manage growth could result in difficulties or delays in deploying customers, declines in quality or customer satisfaction, increases in costs, difficulties in introducing new features or other operational difficulties, and any of these difficulties could adversely impact our business performance and results of operations.

Previous wording

Our Compliance business has historically provided strong revenue and cash flow at high gross margins. While we believe our Communications business, which has been our primary focus for approximately the last 10 years, will be a strong stand-alone business, there can be no guaranty that it will be able to replace the revenue and cash flow of the Compliance business, which would result in a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Current wording

Our Compliance business has historically provided strong revenue, cash flow and gross margins. While we believe our Communications business, which has been our primary focus for approximately the last 10 years, will be a strong stand-alone business, there can be no guaranty that it will be able to replace the revenue and cash flow of the Compliance business, which would result in a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Previous wording

We have also agreed to indemnify the Buyer against certain losses suffered as a result of certain breaches of our representations, warranties, covenants and agreements in the Purchase Agreement and related documents. Any event that results in a right for the Buyer to seek indemnity from us could result in substantial liability to us and could adversely affect our financial position and results of operations. Although the Buyer agreed to assume certain liabilities associated with the Compliance business, it did not assume all such liabilities, which could lead to a dispute.

Current wording

Additionally, the sale of our Compliance business required us to separate and allocate specific assets to the business, including some shared assets. We could face disputes with the Buyer regarding whether or not certain assets were included in the sale. We also agreed to indemnify the Buyer against certain losses suffered as a result of the certain breaches of our representations, warranties, covenants and agreements in the Purchase Agreement and related documents. Any event that results in a right for the buyer to seek indemnity from us could results in substantial liability to us and could adversely affect our financial position and results of operations. Although the Buyer agreed to assume certain liabilities associated with the Compliance business, it did not assume all such liabilities, which could lead to a dispute.

Previous wording

Any disputes with the Buyer related to the sale of our Compliance business could divert the attention of our management or otherwise have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Current wording

On February 26, 2026, the Buyer submitted an indemnification notice to us alleging indemnity claims under the Purchase Agreement in the aggregate amount of $549,000. While we dispute this amount and are in the process of discussing and negotiating the matter with the Buyer, there is no guaranty that we will receive all or a substantial portion of the $500,000 holdback from the Buyer. Moreover, this dispute and any other future disputes with the Buyer related to the sale of our Compliance business could divert the attention of our management or otherwise have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Previous wording

Our ability to grow and our future success will depend to a significant extent on the continued contributions of our key executives, managers and employees. In addition, many of our individual technical and sales personnel have extensive experience in our business operations and/or have valuable customer relationships that would be difficult to replace. Their departure, if unexpected and unplanned, could cause a disruption to our business. Our competition for these individuals is intense in certain areas of our business. We may not succeed in identifying and retaining the appropriate personnel in key positions. Further, competitors and other entities have in the past recruited and may in the future attempt to recruit our employees, particularly our sales personnel. The loss of the services of our key personnel, the inability to identify, attract and retain qualified personnel in the future or delays in hiring qualified personnel, particularly technical and sales personnel, could make it difficult for us to manage our business and meet key objectives, such as the timely introduction of new technology-based products and services, which could harm our business, financial condition and operating results.

Current wording

Our ability to grow and our future success will depend to a significant extent on the continued contributions of our key executives, managers and employees. In addition, many of our individual technical and sales personnel have extensive experience in our business operations and/or have valuable customer relationships that would be difficult to replace. Their departure, if unexpected and unplanned, could cause disruption to our business. Our competition for these individuals is intense in certain areas of our business. We may not succeed in identifying and retaining the appropriate personnel in key positions. Further, competitors and other entities have in the past recruited and may in the future attempt to recruit our employees, particularly our sales personnel. The loss of the services of our key personnel, the inability to identify, attract and retain qualified personnel in the future or delays in hiring qualified personnel, particularly technical and sales personnel, could make it difficult for us to manage our business and meet key objectives, such as the timely introduction of new technology-based products and services, which could harm our business, financial condition and operating results.

Previous wording

The market and demand for our products and services, to a varying extent, have been characterized by:

Current wording

The market and demand for our products and services, to a varied extent, have been characterized by:

Previous wording

Our obligations under the Credit Agreement, as amended, with Pinnacle Bank are secured by a first priority security interest in substantially all of our assets. Additionally, all of our subsidiaries agreed to guarantee our obligations under the Credit Agreement. As such, our creditor may enforce its security interests over our assets and/or our subsidiaries which secure the repayment of such obligations, take control of our assets and operations, force us to seek bankruptcy protection, or force us to curtail or abandon our current business plans and operations. If that were to happen, any investment in the Company could become worthless.

Current wording

Our obligations under the Credit Agreement, as amended, with Pinnacle Bank are secured by a first priority security interest in substantially all of our assets. Additionally, all of our subsidiaries agreed to guarantee our obligations under the Credit Agreement. As of December 31, 2025, the outstanding balance under our credit agreement amounted to $2,608,000. As such, our creditor may enforce its security interests over our assets and/or our subsidiaries which secure the repayment of such obligations and potentially take control of certain of our assets and operations or force us to use a substantial portion of our current cash-on-hand to repay the amounts due under the Credit Agreement. If that were to happen we may be forced to curtail our current business plans and operations, which could decrease the value of any investment in our Company.

Previous wording

In connection with the Credit Agreement, we agreed to comply with certain affirmative and negative covenants and agreed to meet certain financial covenants. The Credit Agreement contains customary indemnification requirements, representations and warranties and customary affirmative and negative covenants applicable to the Loan Parties and their subsidiaries, including, among other things, restrictions on indebtedness, liens, investments, mergers, dispositions, prepayment of other indebtedness, transactions with affiliates, and dividends and other distributions. In addition, the Credit Agreement contains financial covenants, tested quarterly, that require a Fixed Charge Ratio (as defined in the Credit Agreement) and a Leverage Ratio (as defined in the Credit Agreement) to be maintained at certain levels.

Current wording

In connection with the Credit Agreement, we agreed to comply with certain affirmative and negative covenants and agreed to meet certain financial covenants. The Credit Agreement contains customary indemnification requirements, representations and warranties and customary affirmative and negative covenants applicable to the Loan Parties and their subsidiaries, including, among other things, restrictions on indebtedness, liens, investments, mergers, dispositions, prepayment of other indebtedness, transactions with affiliates, and dividends and other distributions. In addition, the Credit Agreement contains financial covenants, tested quarterly, that require a Fixed Charge Ratio (as defined in the Credit Agreement) to be maintained at certain levels and certain unrestricted liquidity requirements.

Previous wording

A breach of any of the covenants of the Credit Agreement or any future agreements, if uncured or unwaived, could lead to an event of default under any such document, which in some circumstances could give our creditors the right to demand that we accelerate repayment of amounts due and/or enforce their security interests over substantially all of our assets. This would likely in turn trigger cross-acceleration or cross-default rights in other documents governing our indebtedness. Therefore, in the event of any such breach, we may need to seek covenant waivers or amendments from our creditors or seek alternative or additional sources of financing, and we may not be able to obtain any such waivers or amendments or alternative or additional financing on acceptable terms, if at all. In addition, any covenant breach or event of default could harm our credit rating and our ability to obtain additional financing on acceptable terms. The occurrence of any of these events could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and liquidity and/or cause our lenders to enforce their security interests which could ultimately result in the foreclosure of our assets, which would have a material adverse effect on our operations and the value of our securities.

Current wording

A breach of any of the covenants of the Credit Agreement, if uncured or unwaived, could lead to an event of default under any such document, which in some circumstances could give our creditors the right to demand that we accelerate repayment of amounts due and/or enforce their security interests over certain of our assets. This would likely in turn trigger cross-acceleration or cross-default rights in other documents governing our indebtedness. Therefore, in the event of any such breach, we may need to seek covenant waivers or amendments from our creditors and we may not be able to obtain any such waivers or amendments. In addition, any covenant breach or event of default could harm our credit rating and our ability to obtain additional financing on acceptable terms. The occurrence of any of these events could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and liquidity, which could have a material adverse effect on our operations and the value of our securities.

Previous wording

We paid dividends in 2012, part of 2013 and from the fourth quarter of 2015 through the third quarter of 2018. In the fourth quarter of 2018, we announced that we would no longer be declaring quarterly dividends for the foreseeable future in order to invest such money in our business. The declaration and payment of dividends in the future will be determined by our Board of Directors in light of conditions then existing, including our earnings, financial condition, capital requirements and other factors. There can be no assurances that dividends will be paid in the future in the form of either cash or stock.

Current wording

We have not paid dividends since 2018, when we announced that we would no longer be declaring quarterly dividends for the foreseeable future in order to invest such money in our business. The declaration and payment of dividends in the future will be determined by our Board of Directors in light of conditions then existing, including our earnings, financial condition, capital requirements and other factors. There can be no assurances that dividends will be paid in the future in the form of either cash or stock.

Previous wording

As a public company, we incur significant legal, accounting, and other expenses that would not be incurred as a private company. For example, we are subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (Exchange Act), and are required to comply with the applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the Dodd-Frank Act, as well as rules and regulations subsequently implemented by the SEC and the New York Stock Exchange, including the establishment and maintenance of effective disclosure and financial controls and changes in corporate governance practices. Compliance with these requirements has increased our legal and financial compliance costs and made some activities more time consuming and costly. Many of these costs recur annually. As a result, management’s attention may be diverted from other business concerns, which could adversely affect our business and operating results.

Current wording

As a public company, we incur significant legal, accounting, and other expenses that would not be incurred as a private company. We estimate these costs to be approximately $625,000 per year and are included in General & Administrative expenses in our Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss). For example, we are subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (Exchange Act), and are required to comply with the applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the Dodd-Frank Act, as well as rules and regulations subsequently implemented by the SEC and the New York Stock Exchange, including the establishment and maintenance of effective disclosure and financial controls and changes in corporate governance practices. Compliance with these requirements has increased our legal and financial compliance costs and made some activities more time consuming and costly. Many of these costs recur annually. As a result, management’s attention may be diverted from other business concerns, which could adversely affect our business and operating results.