AURI INC - Quarter Report: 2009 June (Form 10-Q)
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM
10-Q
[X] QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE
ACT OF 1934
For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2009
[ ] TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR
15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Commission File Number 0-28161
WELLSTONE FILTERS, INC.
(Exact
name of small business issuer as specified in its
charter)
Delaware
33-0619264
(State or other jurisdiction
(IRS Employer
of incorporation or
Identification No.)
organization)
300 Market Street, Suite 130-13, Chapel Hill, North
Carolina 27516
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip
Code)
(919) 370-4408
(Issuer's telephone number)
Check whether the issuer (1) filed all reports required
to be filed by Section 13, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the past 12
months (of for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such
reports)and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90
days.
Yes [X] No [ ]
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a
shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Yes [ ] No
[X]
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of large accelerated filer, accelerated filer and smaller reporting company in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
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Large accelerated filer o |
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Accelerated filer o |
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Non-accelerated filer o |
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Smaller reporting company þ |
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company) |
The number of shares outstanding of the issuer's classes of Common Stock, as of June 30, 2009 was 93,445,596.
Wellstone Filters, Inc. | ||
(A Company in the Development Stage) | ||
Consolidated Balance Sheets | ||
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Unaudited |
Audited |
ASSETS |
June 30, 2009 |
December 31, 2008 |
Current Assets |
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Cash and cash equivalents |
$ - |
$ - |
Total Current Assets |
- |
- |
Furniture and equipment, net |
- |
- |
Total Property and Equipment |
- |
- |
Total Assets |
$ - |
$ - |
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LIABILITIES AND CAPITAL |
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Current Liabilities |
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Current portion of long term debt |
$ 1,500,000 |
$ 2,250,000 |
Accounts Payable |
558,444 |
557,944 |
Related party accounts payable |
- |
116,728 |
Accrued expenses |
648,671 |
1,356,224 |
Note Payable to Affiliate |
- |
59,200 |
Total Current Liabilities |
2,707,115 |
4,340,096 |
Total Liabilities |
2,707,115 |
4,340,096 |
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT) |
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Preferred stock, $0.001 par value, 1,000,000 |
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shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding |
$ - |
$ - |
Common stock, $0.001 par value, 300,000,000 shares |
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authorized; 93,445,596 and 105,989 outstanding respectively |
93,552 |
106 |
Paid in Capital |
29,867,306 |
28,264,340 |
Accumulated deficit |
(32,667,973) |
(32,604,542) |
Total stockholders' deficit |
(2,707,115) |
(4,340,096) |
Total liabilities & equity |
$ - |
$ - |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
2
WELLSTONE FILTERS, INC.
(A COMPANY IN
THE DEVELOPMENT STAGE)
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Unaudited)
CUMULATIVE
FROM INCEPTION
FOR THE THREE FOR THE SIX (FEBRUARY 1998)
MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, TO JUNE 30,
2009 2008 2009 2008 2009
Revenues
$
--
$
--
$
--
$
--
$
258,193
COST OF GOODS SOLD
--
--
--
--
273,075
GROSS PROFIT
--
--
--
--
(14,882)
EXPENSES
General and Administrative Exp.
250
2,000
500
5,294
31,225,287
Research and Development Exp.
--
--
--
--
237,269
(LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS
(250)
(2,000)
(500)
(5,294)
(31,477,439)
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Interest Expense
(31,465)
(31,466)
(62,930)
(62,931)
(1,537,608)
NET (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAXES
(31,465)
(33,466)
(63,430)
(68,225)
(33,015,047)
FORGI GAIN FROM FORGIVENESS OF DEBT
--
--
--
--
347,074
--
--
--
--
--
INCOME TAX BENEFIT
NET (LOSS)
(31,715)
(33,466)
(63,430)
(68,225)
(32,667,973)
NET (LOSS) PER SHARE
$
(.03)
$
(.32)
$
(.10)
$
(.68)
BASIC AND DILUTED
WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER
OF SHARES OUTSTANDING
1,120,549
105,989
618,844
105,989
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
3
WELLSTONE FILTERS, INC.
(A COMPANY IN
THE DEVELOPMENT STAGE)
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Unaudited)
CUMULATIVE
FROM INCEPTION
FOR THE SIX
FOR THE SIX
(FEBRUARY 1998)
MONTHS ENDED
MONTHS ENDED
TO
June 30, 2009
June 30, 2008
June 30, 2009
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net Income (Loss)
$
(63,430)
$
(66,225)
$
(32,667,973)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to
net cash used in operating activities
Issuances of common stock for services
--
--
10,860,000
Issuance of stock options for services
--
--
654,946
Issuance of stock options to employees
As compensation
--
--
15,475,000
Amortization of debt discount
--
--
1,020,000
Depreciation
--
1,294
25,594
Rental expense forgiven by officer and board member
--
--
29,400
Loss on disposal of furniture
--
--
1,795
Increase in bank overdraft
--
--
45
Increase in accounts payable
500
2,000
558,444
Increase in related party accounts payable
--
--
111,436
Increase in accrued expense
62,930
62,931
1,413,234
Net cash flows from operating activities
$
--
$
--
$
(2,518,078)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Purchase of fixed assets
--
--
(16,222)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Proceeds from sale of common stock
--
--
199,000
Proceeds from exercise of stock options
--
--
26,000
Proceeds from long term debt
--
--
2,250,000
Member contribution of equity
--
--
100
Proceeds from related party notes payable
--
--
59,200
Net cash flows from financing activities
--
--
2,534,300
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH
$
--
$
--
$
--
CASH BALANCE AT BEGINNING
OF PERIOD
$
--
$
--
$
--
CASH BALANCE AT END OF PERIOD
$
--
$
--
$
--
Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information:
Cash paid during the period for interest
$
0
$
0
$
0
Cash paid during the period for income taxes
$
0
$
0
$
0
Stock issued on conversion of debt
$
1,696,411
$
0
$
1,696,411
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
4
WELLSTONE FILTERS, INC.
(A DEVELOPMENT
STAGE COMPANY)
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS
(UNAUDITED)
1. GENERAL
The interim consolidated financial statements of the Company are unaudited and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments necessary (which are normal and recurring) to state fairly the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows as of June 30, 2009 and for all periods presented.. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The consolidated results of operations for interim periods should not be regarded as necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the entire year.
Wellstone Filters, LLC (Wellstone) was organized as a Delaware limited liability company on February 17, 1998 (date of inception). On May 25, 2001, Wellstone Filters, Inc. (formerly Farallon Corporation) (the "Registrant") acquired Wellstone pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (the Agreement), dated as of May 25, 2001. The Registrant acquired all of the outstanding membership interest of Wellstone, in exchange for 84,000 shares of the Registrant's Common Stock. This transaction was accounted for as a reverse acquisition. All share amounts are after giving effect to a 5-for-1 forward stock split effected in July 2003, a .40 for one stock dividend effected in October 2003 and a 3-for-1 forward stock split effected in September 2004, a 1-for-25 reverse split effective June 2006 and a 1-for-100 reverse stock split effective June of 2007.
The Company is engaged in the development and marketing of a proprietary cigarette filter technology and the Wellstone brand of cigarettes utilizing its patented reduced risk filter. On January 5, 2006, Wellstone announced that it had launched its brand in the United States with shipments to Phoenix, Arizona. The Company subsequently announced that it had shipped the Wellstone brand to Chapel Hill, NC and Richmond, Virginia and has partnered with a major supplier of convenience stores in the Southeastern United States to carry the Wellstone brand family. The Company is not currently generating any revenues from planned principal operations and is considered a development stage company as defined in Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 7.
These Consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated in consolidation.
2 - GOING CONCERN
The Company incurred a net loss of $63,430 and $66,225 for the six months ended June 30, 2009 and 2008. The Company's liabilities exceed its assets by $2,707,115 as of June 30, 2009. The Company has not received revenues for more than two years. These factors create substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern. The Company's management plans to continue as a going concern revolves around its ability to raise funds to resume sales, as well as raise necessary capital to pay ongoing general and administrative expenses of the Company.
The ability of the Company to continue as a going concern is dependent on securing additional sources of capital and the success of the Company's plan. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might be necessary if the Company is unable to continue as a going concern.
5
WELLSTONE FILTERS, INC.
(A DEVELOPMENT
STAGE COMPANY)
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS
(UNAUDITED)
(continued)
3- NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
Recently Enacted Accounting Standards In February 2007, the FASB issued Statement No. 159, The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities, including an amendment of FASB Statement No. 115 (FAS 159). FAS 159 permits companies to choose to measure many financial instruments and certain other items at fair value that are not currently required to be measured at fair value and establishes presentation and disclosure requirements designed to facilitate comparison between companies that choose different measurement attributes for similar types of assets and liabilities. The provisions of FAS 159 become effective as of the beginning of our 2009 fiscal year. We are currently evaluating the impact that FAS 159 will have on our financial statements.
In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS 160, Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements, an amendment of ARB No. 51 which applies to all entities that prepare consolidated financial statements, except not-for-profit organizations, but will affect only those entities that have an outstanding noncontrolling interest in one or more subsidiaries or that deconsolidate a subsidiary. The statement is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2008.
In March 2008, the FASB issued SFAS No. 161, Disclosures about Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities an amendment of FASB Statement No. 133, (SFAS 161) as amended and interpreted, which requires enhanced disclosures about an entitys derivative and hedging activities and thereby improves the transparency of financial reporting. Disclosing the fair values of derivative instruments and their gains and losses in a tabular format provides a more complete picture of the location in an entitys financial statements of both the derivative positions existing at period end and the effect of using derivatives during the reporting period. Entities are required to provide enhanced disclosures about (a) how and why an entity uses derivative instruments, (b) how derivative instruments and related hedged items are accounted for under Statement 133 and its related interpretations, and (c) how derivative instruments and related hedged items affect an entitys financial position, financial performance, and cash flows. SFAS No. 161 is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after November 15, 2008. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact that FAS 161 will have on our financial statements.
In May 2008, the FASB issued SFAS No. 163, Accounting for Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts an interpretation of FASB Statement No. 60. SFAS 163 requires that an insurance enterprise recognize a claim liability prior to an event of default (insured event) when there is evidence that credit deterioration has occurred in an insured financial obligation. This Statement also clarifies how Statement 60 applies to financial guarantee insurance contracts, including the recognition and measurement to be used to account for premium revenue and claim liabilities. Those clarifications will increase comparability in financial reporting of financial guarantee insurance contracts by insurance enterprises. This Statement requires expanded disclosures about financial guarantee insurance contracts. The accounting and disclosure requirements of the Statement will improve the quality of information provided to users of financial statements. SFAS 163 will be effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2008. The Company does not expect the adoption of SFAS 163 will have a material impact on its financial condition or results of operation.
4 -. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
The notes payable - related party consist of loans from officers of the Company. The amounts are unsecured, bearing interest rates between 5% to 8% and are due on demand. Accrued interest on the notes was $37,109 as of December 31, 2008. The notes totaling $81,700 and interest accrued of $40,049 as of June 30, 2009 were converted into shares of common stock at a price of $.01 per share as of June 30, 2009.
Accounts payable related party include amounts due to an officer of the Company and the brother of an officer of the Company. These amounts ($94,228 as of June 30, 2009) were converted into common stock of the Company at the rate of $.01 per share. In addition, the officer converted $528,000 in accrued compensation (included as accrued expenses) into shares of common stock at $.01 per share, but these latter shares vest in three years; the death or disability of the officer, or the Company attaining earnings of $.10 per share.
5. SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION
No amounts were paid for interest or income taxes during the period from February 17, 1998 (date of inception) to June 30, 2009. Effective June 30, 2009, the Company converted $953,444 in debt owed to third parties into 19,048,891 shares of common stock, and converted $743,967 in debt owed to affiliates into 74,396,700 shares. See note 7.
6. LIQUIDITY
The Company launched its Wellstone brand of cigarettes in the United States during the first quarter of 2006 and has shipped all brand styles to Arizona, Louisiana, North Carolina, Virginia and California. Additionally, the Company had partnered with several suppliers of convenience stores in the Southeastern and the West Coast to carry the Wellstone brand family. Faced with inadequate cash resources to fund the market introduction of its products; management determined to suspend further marketing activity in 2006 and to concentrate on selling filters to other manufacturers. The Company is funding its cash needs from funds lent by its officer and director.
7 - NOTES PAYABLE - RESTRUCTURING
6
The Company obtained financing for its operations from the issuance of promissory notes, as follows: $250,000 in notes on May 17, 2006; $500,000 in notes on January 25, 2006; and $1,500,000 in notes in October 2004. All the notes were due December 31, 2007 and bore interest at 8%; however, the $250,000 and $500,000 notes were entitled to additional interest equal to the lesser of (a) $25,000 or (b) 3% of the net profits after taxes as of September 30, 2007, to be payable simultaneously with the principal and interest due on December 31, 2007. If a portion of the principal or interest is paid prior to December 31, 2007, the calculation of the additional amount was to be adjusted pro-rata. The maximum additional amount that the Company shall pay is $25,000, and such mount is due on the maturity of such notes. The Company was unable to repay the above notes. As of June 30, 2009, there was $275,000 in accrued interest on the $1.5 million note and $202,444 in accrued interest on the other two notes. Effective June 30, 2009, the noteholders of the $250,000 and $500,000 notes agreed to convert their notes and the $202,444 into 19,048,891 shares of commons stock.
The Company is in negotiation with the holders of the $1.5 million in notes and intends to review its other debt, and believes that substantially all of such debt will be converted into common stock or negotiated down in the next few months. With the debt restructured, management believes it can attract more equity financing during the remainder of 2009.
Item 2. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION.
When used in this Form 10-Q the words "expects," "anticipates," "estimates" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including those set forth under the "Risks and Uncertainties" set forth below that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Wellstone expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based. This discussion should be read together with the financial statements and other financial information included in this Form 10-QSB. Readers should carefully review the risk factors described in other documents that the Company files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Quarterly Reports on Form 10- QSB and Annual Reports on Form 10-KSB that the Company will file subsequent to this Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB and any Current Reports on Form 8-K filed by the Company.
MARKETING
The Company has determined to focus on the marketing of its filter technology because of the regulatory opportunity provided by the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. The Company does not forecast any sales for the future until it is able to obtain financing. All employees and officers have been dismissed or have resigned except for the Company Chief Executive Officer.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The Company has had minimal expenses other than accrued interest on its debts. There remains $5,000 per month in interest expense which was not eliminated in the June 2009 restructuring. We expect that as we attempt to re-enter the market in 2009 we will have expenses of about $10,000 per month.
PATENT LICENSE AGREEMENT
On January 17, 2007, Wellstone entered into a Patent License Agreement with Glycanex, BV, the supplier of the patented filter compound used in Wellstone cigarettes. Under the Patent License Agreement, Wellstone granted to Glycanex an exclusive right to the patent rights for all countries excepting the United States of America and its territories and possessions. Glycanex agreed to pay Wellstone a 3% royalty on net sales which exceed the minimum threshold of Euro 500,000. The consideration for the granting of the license to Glycanex was the cancellation of $120,000 owed to Glycanex for purchases of the filter compound. As of June 30, 2009, no royalties have been paid to Wellstone, and to the knowledge of Wellstone at this time no royalties are due.
7
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
The Company obtained financing for its operations from the issuance of promissory notes, as follows: $250,000 in notes on May 17, 2006; $500,000 in notes on January 25, 2006; and $1,500,000 in notes in October 2004. All the notes were due December 31, 2007 and bore interest at 8%; however, the $250,000 and $500,000 notes were entitled to additional interest equal to the lesser of (a) $25,000 or (b) 3% of the net profits after taxes as of September 30, 2007, to be payable simultaneously with the principal and interest due on December 31, 2007. If a portion of the principal or interest is paid prior to December 31, 2007, the calculation of the additional amount was to be adjusted pro-rata. The maximum additional amount that the Company shall pay is $25,000, and such mount is due on the maturity of such notes. The Company was unable to repay the above notes. As of June 30, 2009, there was $275,000 in accrued interest on the $1.5 million note and $202,444 in accrued interest on the other two notes. Effective June 30, 2009, the noteholders of the $250,000 and $500,000 notes agreed to convert their notes and the $202,444 into 19,048,891 shares of commons stock.
Management has converted $743,967 in debt including $528,000 in accrued salary into common stock. The Company is in negotiation with the holders of the $1.5 million in notes and intends to review its other debt, and believes that substantially all of such debt will be converted into common stock or negotiated down in the next few months. As of June 30, 2009, as a result of the restructuring, our liabilities were $2,707,115, which represents a 38% reduction from the debt of $4,340,096 as of December 31, 2008. With the debt restructured, management believes it can attract more equity financing during the remainder of 2009.
We do not believe that conventional financing, such as bank loans, is available to us due to these factors. The Company will be required to engage in debt or equity transactions to satisfy cash needs. Management believes that following the restructuring, the Company will be able to raise the required funds for operations, and so it has suspended operations.
Wellstone is currently not marketing its products due to lack of financial resources and will not be able to resume marketing until it can obtain financing. Pending receipt of financing, the officer and director has been advancing cash to the Company.
RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES
We may be sued and may not be covered by insurance.
There are currently several pending legal actions affecting the tobacco industry, including proceedings and claims arising out of the sale, distribution, manufacture, development, advertising, marketing and claimed health effects of cigarettes. We may be named as a defendant in the future as there has been a noteworthy increase in the number of these cases pending. Punitive damages, often in amounts ranging into the hundreds of millions, or even billions of dollars, are specifically pleaded in a number of these cases in addition to compensatory and other damages. We do not yet have any product liability insurance, and if such insurance can be obtained it probably would be very limited in scope of coverage to any claims that tobacco products manufactured by or for us. Such insurance probably would not cover health-related claims such as those that have been made against the major manufacturers of tobacco products. We do not believe that such insurance currently can be obtained. Accordingly, our inclusion in any of these actions or any future actions would have a material and adverse effect on our financial condition.
We are still in the Research and Development Stage and have not received any significant revenues.
To date, Wellstone's activities have been limited to research and development, product testing and initial marketing. We have not received any significant revenues or income since inception and, even though sales and marketing of the Wellstone brand began in January 2006, Wellstone might not be able to find a market for its products, achieve a significant level of sales or attain profitability. As a result of the significant operating expenses related to start up operations, operating results will be adversely affected if significant sales do not materialize, whether due to competition or otherwise. Wellstone might not be able to grow in the future or attain profitability. Wellstone might not be able to implement its business plan in accordance with its internal forecasts or to a level that meets the expectations of investors.
8
The report of our independent registered public accounting firm included in the audited financials in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K as of December 31, 2008 contains an explanatory paragraph expressing substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.
As a result of our losses to date and our current lack of revenue, our independent registered public accounting firm has concluded that there is substantial doubt as to our ability to continue as a going concern, and accordingly, our independent registered public accounting firm has included in their report on our December 31, 2008 consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K an explanatory paragraph describing the events that have given rise to this uncertainty. The Company will seek additional sources of capital through the issuance of debt or equity financing, but there can be no assurance the Company will be successful in accomplishing its objectives. The ability of the Company to continue as a going concern is dependent on additional sources of capital.
We are dependent on the domestic tobacco business, which is contracting.
Substantially all of our revenues are expected to be derived from sales in the United States. The U.S. cigarette market is a mature market and on average, domestic consumption has decreased approximately 2% per year over the past decade. Numerous factors have contributed to this decline, including health considerations, diminishing social acceptance of smoking, legislative limitations on smoking in public places and rapidly accelerating costs in the from of increased state tax on cigarettes and settlement cost. If the U.S. cigarette market continues to contract, it could adversely affect our potential future sales, operating income and cash flows.
Weaknesses in the Company's internal controls and procedures could have a material adverse effect on the Company.
Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. Our internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP. A material weakness is a control deficiency, or combination of control deficiencies that results in a more than remote likelihood a material misstatement of the annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected.
If we are unable to maintain our internal controls, our ability to report our financial results on a timely and accurate basis could be adversely affected, which could have a material adverse effect on our ability to operate our business.
We do not have any production facilities unless we acquire them or contract out production.
Problems in purchasing equipment, establishing manufacturing facilities and meeting demand can be expected. Problems in contracting out production can also be expected. If we cannot produce filter material or outsource production we may not be able to meet market demands of our own brand nor can the filter be used in existing brands unless we license the filer to such existing brands.
Competition could prevent us from meeting our objectives.
The cigarette industry is highly competitive. Our competitors include developers of low-carcinogen tobacco and developers of other filter technology. Such competition may have substantially greater financial, manufacturing, marketing and other resources. Another company could develop filter technology similar to ours. Competition will affect our ability to market our product and obtain financing. Wellstone brands will be subject to increased competition and this has resulted in additional pressure due to price discounting.
Our cigarettes and the cigarettes using our filter may not be accepted by smokers.
Our filter and the Wellstone brand utilizing it may not be accepted by smokers. Smokers may decide not to purchase our brand or any tobacco product made with our filters due to taste or other preferences, and sales of filters with our technology would be adversely affected.
The cigarette industry is subject to substantial and increasing regulation and taxation and this can only have a negative impact on us.
Various federal, state and local laws limit the advertising, sale and use of cigarettes, and these laws have proliferated in recent years. If, as expected, this trend continues, it may have material and adverse effects on potential sales, operating income and cash flows. In addition, cigarettes are subject to substantial and increasing excise taxes. Increased excise taxes may result in declines in overall sales volume. This result could adversely affect the market for our product.
9
The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act was enacted in June 2009. This legislation places tobacco products under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA"), which is empowered to promulgate regulations governing the sale and advertising of tobacco products. This Act is designed primarily to discourage the sale to, and consumption by, adolescents and children. The Act also provides for FDA regulation of modified risk tobacco products. Wellstone believes that its patented technology is uniquely suited as a modified risk tobacco product; however, the FDA has not yet promulgated regulations implementing this Act.
If we are successful, we might not be able to hire employees and manage a bigger enterprise.
If we are successful in obtaining market acceptance for our products, we will be required to manage increasing, possibly substantial, volume from the resulting customers. To accommodate any such growth and compete effectively, we will be required to attract, integrate, motivate and retain additional highly skilled sales, technical and other employees. We face competition for these people. Our ability to successfully manage such volume also will be dependent on our ability to find a suitable manufacturer for our brand and filters. We or any person contracted with to produce our products in commercial quantities might not be able to overcome the challenge of setting up any production operations, and our personnel, systems, procedures and controls might prove inadequate to support our future operations. Any failure to implement and improve our operational, financial and management systems or to attract, integrate, motivate and retain additional employees required by future growth, if any, could have a material and adverse effect on our business and prospects, financial condition and results of operations.
We may not be able to protect our patents against infringement.
Our success in commercially exploiting our proprietary technology depends in large part on our ability to defend the patents that were licensed to us, to obtain further patent protection for the technology in the United States and other jurisdictions and to operate without infringing upon the patents and proprietary rights of others. Additionally, we must be able to obtain appropriate licenses to patents or proprietary rights held by third parties if infringement would otherwise occur, either in the United States or in foreign countries. The primary patents licensed to us were only issued in the United States and not in foreign jurisdictions. If international patents are not issued, it would adversely affect our competitive advantage, with respect to sales outside the United States.
Patent positions, including our patent positions (owned or licensed) are uncertain and involve complex legal and factual questions for which important legal principles are unresolved. Any conflicts resulting from third party patent applications and patents could significantly reduce the coverage of our patents and limit our ability to obtain meaningful patent protection. If patents are issued to other companies that contain competitive or conflicting claims, we may be required to obtain licenses to these patents or to develop or obtain alternative technology. Such licensing agreements, if required, may be unavailable on acceptable terms or at all. If such licenses are not obtained, we could be delayed in or prevented from pursuing the development or commercialization of our products. It is possible that there exists an issued or pending patent which conflict with or potentially infringe on our patent.
Litigation which could result in substantial cost may also be necessary to enforce any patents to which we have rights, or to determine the scope, validity and unenforceability of other parties' proprietary rights which may affect our rights. U.S. patents carry a presumption of validity and generally can be invalidated only through clear and convincing evidence. We may also have to participate in interference proceedings declared by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to determine the priority of an invention, which could result in substantial cost. Our licensed patents might not be held valid by a court or administrative body or that an alleged infringer would be found to be infringing. The mere uncertainty resulting from the institution and continuation of any technology-related litigation or interference proceeding could have a material and adverse effect on our business and prospects.
We may also rely on unpatented trade secrets and know-how to maintain our competitive position, which we seek to protect, in part, by confidentiality agreements with employees, consultants, suppliers and others. These agreements might be breached or terminated, or we might not have adequate remedies for any breach, and our trade secrets might otherwise become known or be independently discovered by competitors.
If we lose our management it would damage our business.
No cash dividends have been paid and we do not anticipate that we will pay any dividends in the future.
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Wellstone has not paid any cash dividends on its capital stock. Wellstone anticipates that its future earnings, if any, will be retained for use in the business, or for other corporate purposes, and it is not anticipated that any cash dividends on its common stock will be paid in the foreseeable future. Investors should not expect to receive any dividends or other periodic income on their investment.
Penny Stock rules could make it hard to resell your shares.
The Penny Stock rules apply to the trading of our stock. Wellstone's common stock does not meet the listing requirements for any trading market other than the Pink Sheets LLC or the OTC Bulletin Board. Consequently, the liquidity of Wellstone's securities could be impaired, not only in the number of securities which could be bought and sold, but also through delays in the timing of transactions, reduction in security analysts' and the news media's coverage of Wellstone, and lower prices for Wellstone's securities than might otherwise be attained.
In addition, the "penny stock" rules limit trading of securities not traded on NASDAQ or a recognized stock exchange, or securities which do not trade at a price of $5.00 or higher, in that brokers making trades in those securities must make a special suitability determination for purchasers of the security, and obtain the purchaser's consent prior to sale. The application of these rules may make it difficult for shareholders to resell their shares.
As the holders of a significant amount of common stock of Wellstone, management and its affiliates have, and will have, substantial influence over Wellstone, and such affiliates may have interests which differ from other holders.
Members of management, and their affiliates, own 75,383 shares of common stock, on a fully diluted basis, or 65.7% of the common stock. As such, such individuals have substantial influence and control over matters voted upon by stockholders (such as the election of the directors to the Board of Directors of Wellstone, mergers and sale of assets involving Wellstone and other matters upon which stockholders of Wellstone vote). This power, in turn, gives them substantial control over the business and operations of Wellstone.
We could change the strategy we outline in this report.
Although we have no current plan to do so, we may change our strategy for the development and marketing of our technology in the future. Our business plan might not be implemented as set forth herein.
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Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.
As a smaller reporting company as defined by Item 10 of Regulation S-K, the Company is not required to provide information required by this Item.
Item 4T. Controls and Procedures.
Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures. The Companys principal executive officer and its principal financial officer, based on their evaluation of the Companys disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14(c) and 15d -14 (c) as of June 30, 2009. Based on this evaluation, our principal executive officer and principal financial officer concluded as of the Evaluation Date that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective such that the information relating to the Company, including our consolidated subsidiaries, required to be disclosed in our SEC reports (i) is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in SEC rules and forms and (ii) is accumulated and communicated to management, including our principal executive officer/principal financial officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Our management, including our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, does not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures or our internal controls will prevent all error and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Further, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Due to the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within the Company have been detected.
Changes in internal controls. There were no significant changes in the Companys internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect the Companys internal controls subsequent to the date of their evaluation.
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PART II. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1.
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS - Wellstone Filters, Inc. and its subsidiary Wellstone Tobacco have been served on a collection lawsuit by a former counsel in North Carolina. The amount of the liability (approximately $28,000) is already included in our financial statements. The plaintiff has agreed to dismiss all parties except for Wellstone Tobacco provided that Wellstone Tobacco confesses to judgment on this amount plus interest from 2006. We do not expect any material effect of this lawsuit on our financial statements.
Item 6.EXHIBITS
Exhibits
31.
Certifications
31.1 Certification of Learned J. Hand as Chief Executive and
Financial Officer
32.
Certifications
32.1 Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 of
Learned J. Hand as Chief Executive and Financial Officer
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
WELLSTONE FILTERS, INC.
Date: July 6, 2009
By /s/ Learned J. Hand
Learned
J. Hand
Chief Executive Officer and
Acting
Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Executive and
Financial Officer) and Duly Authorized Officer
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