Expion360 Inc. - Quarter Report: 2022 September (Form 10-Q)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2022

or

For the transition period from ______ to ______.

Commission File Number 001-41347

EXPION360 INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

2025 SW Deerhound Ave Redmond OR 97756

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (541) 797-6714

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports) and (2) has been subject to filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the Registrant’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Expion360 Inc.

Balance Sheets (Unaudited)

(continued on next page)

Expion360 Inc.

Balance Sheets (Unaudited) – Continued

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements

Expion360 Inc.

Statements of Operations (Unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements

Expion360 Inc.

Statements of Stockholders’ Equity (Deficit) for Nine Months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021 (Unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements

Expion360 Inc.
Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)

 Expion360 Inc.

Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) - Continued

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements

1.    Organization and Nature of Operations

Expion360 Inc. (formerly Yozamp Products Company, LLC dba Expion360) (“the Company”) was incorporated in the state of Nevada in November 2021. Effective November 1, 2021, the Company converted to a C corporation. Prior to conversion, the Company was a limited liability company (LLC) with an indefinite life organized in the State of Oregon in June 2016. The LLC elected to be treated as a Subchapter S corporation effective January 1, 2017. Net profits and losses of the LLC and all distributions were allocated among the members in proportion to the ownership units held. The Original LLC Agreement was amended and restated on January 1, 2021 to add additional members and a non-voting class of member units. Upon conversion to a C corporation, all existing LLC members at the time of conversion were issued shares of common stock and became shareholders of the Company. (See Note 11 – Conversion to a C Corporation).

The Company designs, assembles, and distributes premium lithium batteries for RV, Marine, Golf, Industrial, Residential, and Off-The-Grid needs. The Company uses lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries. LiFePO4 batteries are considered a top choice for high energy density, dependability, longevity, and safety, providing the ability to power anything, anywhere.

Beginning in March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures imposed to contain this pandemic have disrupted and may continue to impact the Company’s business. The magnitude of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s productivity, results of operations, and financial position, and its disruption to the Company’s business and battery development and timeline, will depend in part on the length and severity of these restrictions and on the Company’s ability to conduct business in the ordinary course.

2.    Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited financial statements have been prepared by the Company in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) for interim financial information, and pursuant to the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statement presentation. However, the Company believes that the disclosures are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting primarily of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included.

Operating results for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2022 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2022. The unaudited interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s financial statements and related notes as of and for the year ended December 31, 2021, as disclosed in the Company’s prospectus, dated March 31, 2022, filed with the SEC in accordance with Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act on April 4, 2022 (the “Prospectus”) in connection with the Company’s initial public offering.

Unless otherwise noted, all references to shares and shareholders in the accompanying financial statements have been restated retrospectively, to reflect the equity structure of the C corporation as of the beginning of the first period presented.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

The Company has sustained recurring losses and has negative cash flows from operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2022. Historically, the Company’s growth has been funded through a combination of sales of equity interests, third party debt, and working capital loans. The Company’s sales for the nine months ended September 2022 increased 79% over sales for the nine months ended September 30, 2021, as product demand continued to rise. On April 1, 2022, the Company completed an initial public offering and listing of its shares on the Nasdaq Stock Market (IPO). Proceeds from the IPO, net of costs, totaled $14,772,487, of which approximately $2,464,000 was used to pay down principal and accrued interest on high interest-bearing debt, which will help to improve monthly cash flows going forward. The remaining proceeds will be used, in part, to stock inventory to keep up with demand and to build in-house assembly lines to improve the cash-flow cycle, side-stepping the four-month turnaround that the Company currently experiences from suppliers in China. In the first half of 2022, a distribution warehouse was set up in Indiana to better service customers throughout the U.S. and an assembly facility was leased in Redmond, Oregon for future expansion of the in-house assembly lines. Additionally, management has secured a secondary source for lithium iron phosphate cells used in its batteries that is based in Denmark, should supply disruption issues with China arise. Management believes that these factors will contribute to achieving operating efficiency and profitability. However, there can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in achieving its objectives, including achieving operating efficiency and profitability.

The Company believes that as a result of the IPO, it currently has sufficient cash to meet its funding requirements for at least twelve months after the date of the issuance of these financial statements. However, the Company has experienced and continues to experience negative operating margins. The Company expects that it may need to raise additional capital in the future to expand its presence in the marketplace and achieve operating efficiencies, and to accomplish its long-term business plan over the next several years. There can be no assurance as to the availability or terms upon which such financing and capital might be available.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could vary materially from the estimates that were used. The Company’s significant accounting estimates include the carrying value of accounts receivable and inventory, the depreciable lives of fixed assets, and stock-based compensation.

Future events, including the extent and the duration of the COVID-19-related economic impacts and their effects, cannot be predicted with certainty and, accordingly, the Company’s accounting estimates require the exercise of judgment.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all cash amounts which are not subject to withdrawal restrictions or penalties and all highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less from the date of purchase to be cash equivalents. The Company maintains its cash balances with high-quality financial institutions located in the United States. Accounts are secured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) up to $250,000 per institution. At times, balances may exceed federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts and management believes that the Company is not exposed to any significant credit risk with respect to its cash and cash equivalents. As of September 30, 2022, cash balances exceeded FDIC limits by $1,064,880.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable are recorded at the invoiced amount, are due within a year or less, and generally do not bear any interest. The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers and generally requires no collateral. An allowance for uncollectible accounts is recorded to reduce accounts receivable to the estimated amount that will be collected. The allowance is based upon management’s review of the accounts receivable aging and specific identification of potentially uncollectible balances. Recoveries of accounts previously written off and adjustments to the allowance for uncollectible accounts are recorded as adjustments to bad debt expense. The allowance for doubtful accounts totaled $19,604 as of September 30, 2022. There was no allowance for doubtful accounts as of December 31, 2021, as management believed all outstanding amounts to be fully collectible.

Customer Deposits

As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company had customer deposits totaling $161,791 and $436,648, respectively.

Inventory

Inventory is stated at the lower of cost (first in, first out) or net realizable value and consists of batteries and accessories, resale items, components, and related landing costs. The Company began in-house assembly in 2021 and as of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, inventory consisted of finished assemblies totaling $2,436,475 and $985,537, respectively, and raw materials (inventory components, parts, and packaging) totaling $2,599,582 and $1,066,343, respectively. The valuation of inventory includes fixed production overhead costs based on normal capacity of the assembly warehouse.  

The Company periodically reviews its inventory for evidence of slow-moving or obsolete inventory and provides for an allowance when considered necessary. The Company determined that no such reserve was necessary as of September 30, 2022 or December 31, 2021. The Company prepays for inventory purchases from foreign suppliers. Prepaid inventory totaled $268,663 and $1,081,225 at September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively, and included inventory in transit where title had passed to the Company but had not yet been physically received.

Vendor and Foreign Concentrations of Inventory Suppliers

During the three months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, approximately 91% and 92%, respectively, of inventory purchases were made from foreign suppliers in China and Hong Kong. During the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, approximately 92% and 93%, respectively, of inventory purchases were made from foreign suppliers in China and Hong Kong. Any adverse change in either the economic or political conditions abroad could negatively impact the Company’s supply chain. The inability to obtain product to meet sales demand could adversely affect results of operations. However, the Company has secured a secondary source for lithium iron phosphate cells used in its batteries from a supplier in Denmark, enabling the Company to source materials outside of China in the event it becomes necessary to do so.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost less depreciation calculated on the straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the related assets as follows:

Schedule of estimated useful lives

Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the lease term or their estimated useful lives.

Betterments, renewals, and extraordinary repairs that extend the lives of the assets are capitalized; other repairs and maintenance charges are expensed as incurred. The cost and related accumulated depreciation and amortization applicable to assets retired are removed from the accounts, and the gain or loss on disposition is recognized in the Statements of Operations.

Leases

The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception. Operating lease right-of-use (“ROU”) assets represent the Company’s right to use an underlying asset during the lease term, and operating lease liabilities represent

the Company’s obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating leases are included in ROU assets, current operating lease liabilities, and long-term operating lease liabilities on the Company’s Balance Sheets. The Company does not have any finance leases.

Lease ROU assets and lease liabilities are initially recognized based on the present value of the future minimum lease payments over the lease term at commencement date calculated using the Company’s incremental borrowing rate applicable to the lease asset, unless the implicit rate is readily determinable. ROU assets also include any lease payments made at or before lease commencement and exclude any lease incentives received. The Company’s lease terms may include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise that option. Leases with a term of 12 months or less are not recognized on the Company’s Balance Sheet. The Company’s leases do not contain any residual value guarantees. Lease expense for minimum lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. 

The Company accounts for lease and non-lease components as a single lease component for all its leases.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

Long-lived assets consist primarily of property and equipment. When events or circumstances indicate the carrying value of a long-lived asset may be impaired, the Company estimates the future undiscounted cash flows to be derived from the use and eventual disposition of the asset to assess whether or not a potential impairment exists. If the carrying value exceeds the estimate of future undiscounted cash flows, the impairment is calculated as the excess of the carrying value of the asset over the estimate of its fair value. Fair value is determined primarily using the estimated cash flows discounted at a rate commensurate with the risk involved. No long-lived asset impairment was recognized during the three months or nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021.

Product Warranties

The Company sells the majority of its products to customers along with conditional repair or replacement warranties. The Company’s branded DC mobile chargers are warrantied for two years from the date of sale and its branded VPR 4EVER Classic and Platinum batteries are warrantied at gradually lesser levels over a twelve-year period from date of sale. The Company determines its estimated liability for warranty claims based on the Company’s experience of the amount of claims actually made. Management estimates no liability as of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 because, historically, there have been very few claims and costs for repairs or replacement parts have been nominal. It is possible that the Company’s estimate of a liability for product liability claims will change in the near term.

Liability for Refunds

The Company does not have a formal return policy but does accept returns under its warranty policies. Returns have historically been minimal. However, during 2020 the Company sold discontinued products and recorded a liability for refunds. As of December 31, 2020, the liability totaled $58,000. During the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2021, the Company issued credits totaling $8,628 and $58,000, respectively, which were included in the refund liability as of December 31, 2020. As of December 31, 2021, all allowable discontinued products had been returned and the Company had no further refund liability. Revenue is recorded net of this amount. Any returns of discontinued product are not added back to inventory and therefore related costs are nominal and not recorded as an asset.

Revenue Recognition

The Company’s revenue is generated from the sale of products consisting primarily of batteries and accessories. The Company recognizes revenue when control of goods or services is transferred to its customers in an amount that reflects the consideration it is expected to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. To determine revenue recognition, the Company performs the following five steps: (i) identify the contract(s) with a customer; (ii) identify the performance obligation(s) in the contract; (iii) determine the transaction price; (iv) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligation(s) in the contract; and (v) recognize revenue when (or as) the performance obligation(s) are satisfied. Revenue is recognized upon shipment or delivery to the customer, as that is when the customer obtains control of the promised goods and the Company’s performance obligation is considered satisfied. As such, accounts receivable is recorded at the time of shipment or will call, when the Company’s right to the consideration becomes unconditional and the Company determines there are no uncertainties regarding payment terms or transfer of control.

Concentration of Major Customers

A customer is considered a major customer when net revenue attributable to the customer exceeds 10% of total revenue for the period or outstanding receivable balances exceed 10% of total receivables.

During the three months ended September 30, 2022, sales to two customers totaled $220,300 and $174,636, respectively, comprising approximately 16% and 13% of total sales, respectively. There were no accounts receivable for these customers as of September 30, 2022. During the nine months ended September 30, 2022, sales to two customers totaled $1,264,344 and $552,477, respectively, comprising approximately 22% and 10%, respectively, of total sales. Accounts receivables for these customers totaled $7,486 and $0, respectively, representing approximately 3% of total accounts receivable as of September 30, 2022. Accounts receivable from two additional customers totaled $47,758 and $43,031, representing approximately 17% and 15%, respectively, of total accounts receivables as of September 30, 2022.

During the three months ended September 30, 2021, sales to one customer totaled $132,870, comprising approximately 10% of total sales. Accounts receivable for this customer totaled $104,562, representing approximately 14% of total accounts receivable as of September 30, 2021. During the nine months ended September 30, 2021, sales to two customers totaled $440,036 and $370,134, respectively, comprising approximately 14% and 12%, respectively, of total sales. Accounts receivable from these customers totaled $97,127 and $104,562, respectively, representing approximately 13% and 14%, respectively, of total accounts receivable as of September 30, 2021. Accounts receivable from one additional customer totaled $104,405, representing approximately 14% of total accounts receivable as of September 30, 2021.

Shipping and Handling Costs

Shipping and handling fees billed to customers are classified on the Statement of Operations as “Sales, net” and totaled $6,133 and $5,839 during the three months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively and $17,514 and $20,812 during the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Shipping and handling costs for shipping product to customers totaled $54,840 and $23,664 during the three months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively, and $137,497 and $73,393 during the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively, and are classified in selling, general and administrative expense in the accompanying Statements of Operations.

Advertising and Marketing Costs

The Company expenses advertising and marketing costs as incurred. Advertising and marketing expense totaled $93,364 and $11,025 for the three months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively and $164,118 and $46,550 for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively, and is included in selling, general and administrative expense in the accompanying Statements of Operations.  

Research and Development

Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. Research and development costs charged to expense amounted to $39,180 and $3,205 for the three months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively and $145,401 and $14,917 for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively, and are included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the accompanying Statements of Operations.

Income Taxes

From January 1, 2017 to October 31, 2021, the Company was not subject to federal or state income taxes since it was a limited liability company taxed as an S corporation. The Company’s taxable income or losses were allocated to its members in accordance with their respective ownership percentages. Therefore, no provision or liability for federal income taxes was included in the accompanying financial statements for the relevant periods in 2021. Certain states impose minimum franchise taxes on entities taxed as an S corporation. Accordingly, the accompanying financial statements include provisions for state franchise tax fees.

Effective November 1, 2021, the Company converted from an LLC to a C corporation and, as a result, became subject to corporate federal and state income taxes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of exiting assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis. Deferred tax assets, including tax loss and credit carryforwards, and liabilities are measured using the enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that included the enactment date. Deferred income tax expense represents the change during the period in the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.

On March 27, 2020, the United States enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). The Cares Act is an emergency economic stimulus package that includes spending and tax breaks to strengthen the United States economy and fund a nationwide effort to curtail the effect of COVID-19. The CARES Act provides sweeping tax changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the more significant provisions are removal of certain limitations on utilization of net operating losses, increasing the loss carryback period for certain losses to five years, and increasing the ability to deduct interest expense, as well as amending certain provisions of the previously enacted Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company has not recorded any income tax provision/(benefit) resulting from the CARES Act, mainly due to the Company’s history of net operating losses.

On December 27, 2020, the United States enacted the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (“CAA”). The CAA includes provisions extending certain CARES Act provisions and adds coronavirus relief, tax and health extenders. The Company will continue to evaluate the impact of the CAA and its impact on its financial statements in 2022 and beyond.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company accounts for its financial assets and liabilities in accordance with ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement. ASC Topic 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value, as follows:

Level 1: Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that are accessible at the measurement date. The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to Level 1 inputs.

Level 2: Observable prices that are based on inputs not quoted on active markets but corroborated by market data. These inputs include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted market prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

Level 3: Unobservable inputs are used when little or no market data is available. The fair value hierarchy gives the lowest priority to Level 3 inputs. In determining fair value, we utilize valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs to the extent possible, as well as consider counterparty credit risk in the assessment of fair value.

The Company’s financial instruments consist principally of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable, short-term revolving loans, shareholder promissory notes, and long-term debt. The fair value of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and short-term revolving loans approximates their respective carrying values because of the short-term nature of those instruments. The fair value of the shareholder promissory notes, convertible notes, and long-term debt approximates their respective carrying values because the interest rate approximates market rates available to the Company for similar obligations with the same maturities.

Segment Reporting

The Company currently operates in one reportable segment. An operating segment is defined as a component of an enterprise for which discrete financial information is available and is reviewed regularly by the Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”) to evaluate performance and make operating decisions. The Company has identified its CODM as the Chief Executive Officer.

Basic and Diluted Net Loss Per Share

The basic net loss per share is calculated by dividing the net loss by the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings or loss per share adjusts the basic earnings or loss per share for the potentially dilutive impact of securities (e.g., options and warrants).

We calculate basic and diluted net loss per share using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the periods presented. In periods of a net loss position, basic and diluted weighted average common shares are the same. For the diluted earnings per share calculation, we adjust the weighted average number of common shares outstanding to include dilutive stock options, warrants, unvested restricted stock units and shares associated with the conversion of any convertible notes or preferred stock, when applicable. We use the if-converted method for calculating any potential dilutive effect of convertible notes and convertible preferred stock on diluted net loss per share.

The following shows the amounts used in computing net loss per share:

 Schedule of net loss per share

As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company has outstanding warrants and options convertible into 1,717,936 and 740,431 shares of common stock, respectively. The following table sets forth the number of shares excluded from the computation of diluted loss per share, as their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive.

 Schedule of anti-dilutive shares

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company accounts for stock-based compensation in accordance with ASC 718, “Compensation—Stock Compensation”, which requires compensation costs to be recognized at grant date fair value over the requisite service period of each of the awards. The Company recognizes forfeitures of awards as they occur.

The fair value of stock options is determined using the Black-Scholes-Merton option pricing model. In order to calculate the fair value of the options, certain assumptions are made regarding the components of the model, including risk-free interest rate, volatility, expected dividend yield and expected life. Changes to assumptions could cause significant adjustments to the valuation.

New Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-04, “Earnings Per Share (Topic 260), Debt—Modifications and Extinguishments (Subtopic 470-50), Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718), and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Issuer’s Accounting for Certain Modifications or Exchanges of Freestanding Equity-Classified Written Call Options (a consensus of the Emerging Issues Task Force).” ASU 2021-04 requires issuers to account for modifications or exchanges of freestanding equity-classified written call options that remain equity classified after the modification or exchange based on the economic substance of the modification or exchange. Under the guidance, an issuer determines the accounting for the modification or exchange based on whether the transaction was done to issue equity, to issue or modify debt, or for other reasons. ASU 2021-04 is applied prospectively and is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company adopted this standard in the first quarter of fiscal 2022, which did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements or disclosures.

In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity. Under ASU 2020-06, the embedded conversion features are no longer separated from the host contract for convertible instruments with conversion features that are not required to be accounted for as derivatives under Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, or that do not result in substantial premiums accounted for as paid-in capital. Consequently, a convertible debt instrument will be accounted for as a single liability measured at its amortized cost, as long as no other features require bifurcation and recognition as derivatives. Similarly, equity-classified convertible preferred stock instruments will be accounted for as single units of account in equity unless the conversion feature needs to be bifurcated under Topic 815. The new guidance also made amendments to the earnings per share guidance in Topic 260, Earnings Per Share, for convertible instruments, the most significant impact of which is requiring the use of the if-converted method for diluted earnings per share calculation. Further, ASU 2020-06 made revisions to Subtopic 815-40, which provides guidance on how an entity must determine whether a contract qualifies for a scope exception from derivative accounting. ASU 2020-06 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, with early adoption permitted. Adoption of the standard requires using either a modified retrospective or a full retrospective approach. Effective January 1, 2021, the Company early adopted ASU 2020-06 using the modified retrospective approach. Adoption of the new standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements or disclosures.

In January 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-01, Investments—Equity Securities (Topic 321), Investments—Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323), and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Clarifying the Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815. The new guidance clarifies the interaction of accounting for the transition into and out of the equity method and the accounting for measuring certain purchased options and forward contracts to acquire investments. ASU 2020-01 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Effective January 1, 2021, the Company adopted ASU 2020-01. The adoption of this guidance did not have an impact on the Company’s financial statements or disclosures.

Accounting Guidance Issued but Not Yet Adopted

In September 2022, the FASB issued ASU 2022-04, “Liabilities—Supplier Finance Programs (Subtopic 405-50): Disclosure of Supplier Finance Program Obligations,” which is intended to enhance the transparency surrounding the use of supplier finance programs in connection with the purchase of goods and services. Supplier finance programs may also be referred to as reverse factoring, payables finance, or structured payables arrangements. The amendments in ASU 2022-04 require a buyer that uses supplier finance programs to disclose sufficient qualitative and quantitative information about the program to allow a user of financial statements to understand the program’s nature, activity during the period, changes from period to period, and potential magnitude. ASU 2022-04 is effective for all entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022 on a retrospective basis, including interim periods with those fiscal years, except for the requirement to disclose roll forward information, which is effective prospectively for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this standard on our financial statements.

In June 2022, the FASB issued ASU 2022-03, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Fair Value Measurement of Equity Securities Subject to Contractual Sale Restrictions,” which amends the guidance in Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement, to clarify that a contractual restriction on the sale of an equity security is not considered part of the unit of account of the equity security and, therefore, is not considered in measuring fair value. The amendments also clarify that an entity cannot, as a separate unit of account, recognize and measure a contractual sale restriction. In addition, the ASU introduces new disclosure requirements for equity securities subject to contractual sale restrictions that are measured at fair value. ASU 2022-03 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, including interim periods within those fiscal years for public business entities. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this standard on our financial statements.

In March 2022, the FASB issued ASU 2022-02, “Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Troubled Debt Restructurings and Vintage Disclosures,” which addresses and amends areas identified by the FASB as part of its post-implementation review of the accounting standard that introduced the current expected credit losses (“CECL”) model. The amendments eliminate the accounting guidance for troubled debt restructurings by creditors that have adopted the CECL model and enhance the disclosure requirements for loan refinancings and restructurings made with borrowers experiencing financial difficulty. In addition, the amendments require disclosure of current-period gross write-offs for financing receivables and net investment in leases by year of origination in the vintage disclosures. For entities, such as Expion360 Inc., that have not yet adopted the CECL accounting model in ASU 2016-13, the effective date for the amendments in ASU 2022-02 is the same as the effective date in ASU 2016-13 (i.e., fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods within those fiscal years). The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this standard on our financial statements.

In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-08, “Business Combinations (Topic 805): Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers.” ASU 2021-08 requires contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination to be recognized and measured in accordance with Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, on the acquisition date as if the acquirer had entered into the original contract at the same date and on the same terms as the acquiree. ASU 2021-08 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods within those fiscal years for public business entities. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this standard on our financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. This ASU replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology in current U.S. GAAP with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information for credit loss estimates on certain types of financial instruments, including trade receivables. In addition, new disclosures are required. The ASU, as subsequently amended, is effective for the Company for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this guidance.

3.    Property and Equipment, Net

Property and equipment consist of the following:

 Schedule of property and equipment

Depreciation expense was $48,364 and $16,422 for the three months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Depreciation expense was $115,670 and $38,176 for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

4.    Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities consist of the following:

 Schedule of accrued expenses and other current liabilities

5.    Liabilities for Sale of Future Revenues

On December 8, 2020 and January 26, 2021, Reliant Funding, under two separate ACH Total Receipts Purchase Agreements (“Purchase Agreements”), purchased a 50% interest in the Company’s future revenues for a total aggregate purchase price of $250,000. Pursuant to the terms of the Purchase Agreements, the purchased percentage continued to be owned by Reliant Funding, until the Company paid the full purchased amount of $349,750. Repayment of the purchased amount was achieved through 252 daily bank account withdrawals of $1,388 through December 15, 2021 and $694 thereafter through January 26, 2022. During the three months ended September 30, 2021, the Company repaid a total of $88,826, including $21,299 of interest. There were no payments made in the three months ended September 30, 2022. During the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, the Company repaid a total of $11,797 and $250,516, respectively, including $295 and $87,219, respectively, of interest. Interest was recognized at an effective annual interest rate of approximately 71%. As of December 31, 2021, the Company had a total remaining liability related to the Purchase Agreements of $11,502 and total remaining payments of $11,797 (including interest). The Purchase Agreements were secured by substantially all of the assets of the Company. As of September 30, 2022 the Company had no remaining liability related to the Purchase Agreements.

6.    Short-Term Revolving Loans

From January 2020 to October 2020, the Company received funds totaling $900,000 under four unsecured Working Capital Loan Agreements (“WC Loans”) from two different third-party lenders. As of December 31, 2021, a balance of $550,000 remained outstanding under the WC Loan Agreements and in accordance with the modified terms, the Company was subject to monthly extended maturity interest of one percent on the ending outstanding monthly balance which increased one percent for each month beyond the extended maturity date. The WC Loans were repaid in full in April 2022.

The terms of each WC Loan are summarized below:

Effective January 1, 2021, as noted above, three of the working capital loan agreements, all from the same investor, were modified. The modification was to extend the maturity date on two of the notes from January 28, 2021 and March 22, 2021 to December 31, 2021, and to establish a maturity date of December 31, 2021 for the WC Loan that left the maturity date open to negotiations in the original agreement.

As of December 31, 2021, a balance of $550,000 remained outstanding under the WC Loan Agreements and in accordance with the modified terms, the Company was subject to monthly extended maturity interest of one percent on the ending outstanding monthly balance which increased one percent for each month beyond the extended maturity date. The Company remained in compliance with all interest payments and paid the WC Loans in full in April 2022.

All fees incurred in connection with obtaining and modifying these agreements were nominal and, given the short-term maturity of one year, were expensed as incurred. There was no accounting impact to the financial statements related to the modifications.

7.     Long-Term Debt

Long-term debt consisted of the following at September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021: 

Schedule of long-term debt

Future maturities of long-term debt are as follows:

 Schedule of long term debt payment

8.     Shareholder Promissory Notes 

As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company had an outstanding principal balance of $825,000 due to shareholders under unsecured Promissory Notes Agreements (“Notes”). The Notes require monthly interest-only payments at 10% per annum. The Notes mature at various dates from August 2023 to December 2024 as follows: August 2023 - $500,000; January 2024 - $125,000; and December 2024 - $200,000.

On May 15, 2021, the Company modified another shareholder Note in the amount of $250,000 to be a convertible note for the same amount. The shareholder also invested additional proceeds of $24,000 for a total convertible note of $274,000. The convertible note included detachable warrants to purchase 548,000 shares of the Company’s common stock. The convertible note bore interest at a rate of 10% per annum, had an initial maturity of two years from date of issue, and was convertible at $0.50 per share. The modification resulted in a new effective annual interest rate of 9.15%. There was no accounting impact to the financial statements related to these modifications. On October 29, 2021, concurrent with the anticipated conversion from an LLC to a C corporation, the convertible note and warrants were modified under a Convertible Debenture Exercise and Waiver and Release Agreement and the shareholder agreed to convert the note and accrued interest into 236,498 shares of common stock resulting in a conversion price of $1.21 per share (see Note 9 –Convertible Notes).

Interest paid to the shareholders under the Notes totaled $20,627 and $48,444 during the three months ended September 30, 2022 and September 30, 2021, respectively. Interest paid to the shareholders totaled $61,881 and $101,281, respectively, during the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively. There was no accrued interest as of September 30, 2022 or December 31, 2021 related to these Notes.

9.    Convertible Notes

2020 Convertible Notes – Converted January 1, 2021

Effective January 1, 2021, convertible debt holders were offered the opportunity for early conversion of their convertible notes into Class B LLC member units. Three of the four convertible note holders converted notes with a principal balance of $170,000 and accrued interest of $3,157 into 2,338 Class B member units (the equivalent of 59,515 shares of common stock) at per unit conversion prices ranging from $67 - $76 (per share prices ranging from $2.66 - $3.00). In accordance with FASB ASC 470-20, Debt with Conversion and Other Options, the fair value of the additional units issued under the induced conversion over the value of the number of units issuable under the original terms of the convertible note agreements is recognized as debt conversion expense. Accordingly, upon early conversion on January 1, 2021, the Company recognized $112,133 of debt conversion expense with a corresponding entry to equity of $285,290 consisting of the $173,157 of principal and accrued interest converted and the excess fair value of $112,133.

The fourth convertible note holder opted out of the early conversion and instead, the original note with a principal balance of $100,000 was modified into a term loan effective January 1, 2021 (see Note 7 – Long Term Debt). The modification included the elimination of the conversion feature, an increase in the interest rate from the original 6% per annum to 10% per annum, to be paid monthly instead of accrued, and an earlier maturity date of December 31, 2021. The modification resulted in a new effective annual interest rate of 9.58%, and a revised one-year maturity on December 31, 2021 (see Note 6 –Short-Term Revolving Loans). There was no accounting impact to the financial statements related to this modification. The note was paid in full in April 2022.

2021 Convertible Notes/Extinguishment Loss on Debt Settlement

From May to September 2021, the Company received gross proceeds of $2,929,000 from the issuance of unsecured convertible notes (the “Notes”), of which $44,000 was received from existing shareholders. Of the total proceeds, $1,820,000 was received during the three months ended September 30, 2021. Additionally, in May 2021, a shareholder converted a promissory note to a convertible note identical in terms discussed below (see Note 8 – Shareholder Promissory Notes).

At the option of the Note holders and after the completion of a merger with a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (“SPAC”) or an Initial Public Offering (“IPO”), the holder could convert all or a part of the outstanding principal and accrued interest into shares of common stock of the merged or public company. The Notes included detachable warrants (“Warrants”) to purchase 3,862,000 shares of the merged or public company. The Notes bore interest at a rate of 10% per annum, had an initial maturity of two years from date of issue, and were convertible at per-share prices ranging from $0.50 to $2.50. Effective January 1, 2021, the Company early adopted ASU 2020-06, and accordingly, no beneficial conversion features were recognized. The Notes were accounted for in accordance with ASC 470-20, Debt with Conversion and Other Options (“ASC 470-20”) and ASC 815-40, Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (“ASC 815-40”). Under ASC 815-40, to qualify for equity classification (or nonbifurcation, if embedded) the instrument (or embedded feature) must be both (1) indexed to the issuer’s stock and (2) meet the requirements of the equity classification guidance. Based upon the Company’s analysis, it was determined the Notes do contain embedded features indexed to its own stock, but do not meet the requirements for bifurcation and recognition as derivatives, and therefore do not need to be separately recognized. Accordingly, the proceeds received from the issuance of the Notes were recorded as a single liability measured at amortized cost on the consolidated Balance Sheet. The Company incurred $148,000 of debt issuance costs relating to the issuance of the Notes, which were recorded as a reduction to the Notes on the Balance Sheet. Of this amount, $56,000 was incurred during the three months ended September 30, 2021. The debt issuance costs were being amortized and recognized as additional interest expense over the term of the Notes using the straight-line method because it is not substantially different from the effective interest rate. Amortization of debt discount totaled $16,383 and $21,104 during the three and six months ended September 30, 2021, respectively. Since the Warrants were not exercisable until a merger with a SPAC or an IPO, there was no impact on the financial statements at date of grant.

On October 29, 2021, in anticipation of conversion from LLC to a C corporation, the Notes and Warrants were modified under Convertible Debenture Exercise and Waiver and Release Agreements with the individual creditors. The Note holders agreed to settle the debt for an aggregate of 1,527,647 shares of common stock with a fair value of $5,545,359 ($3.63 per share). Since this transaction involved contemporaneous issuance of shares of common stock by the Company to the Note holders, the Company evaluated the transaction for modification and extinguishment accounting and determined that the debt was extinguished as a result of the issuance of shares that do not represent the exercise of a conversion right contained in the original terms of the Notes at issuance.

The settlement of the debt resulted in a recognized loss of $2,262,658 recorded as extinguishment loss on debt settlement in November 2021, calculated as the excess of the fair value of shares issued over the carrying amount of the debt. In addition, the fair value of warrants of $407,700 issued in exchange for services related to the extinguished debt (see Note 12 – Stockholders’ Equity) and the unamortized portion of debt discount remaining at date of settlement of $120,729 were also recorded as extinguishment loss on debt settlement for an aggregate loss of $2,791,087.

10.    Commitments and Contingencies

Operating Leases

The Company leases its warehouses and office space under long-term lease arrangements. None of its leases include characteristics specified in ASC 842, Leases, that require classification as financing leases, and accordingly, these leases are accounted for as operating leases. The Company does not recognize a right-of-use asset and lease liability for short term leases, which have terms of 12 months or less. For longer-term lease arrangements that are recognized on the Company’s Balance Sheet, the right-of-use asset and lease liability are initially measured at the commencement date based upon the present values of the lease payments due under the leases.

The implicit interest rates of the Company’s lease arrangements are generally not readily determinable and as such, the Company applies an incremental borrowing rate, which is established based upon the information available at the lease commencement date, to determine the present value of lease payments due under the arrangement. Under ASC 842, the incremental borrowing rate (IBR) for leases must be (1) a rate of interest over a similar term, and (2) for an amount that is equal to the lease payments. The Company uses both the Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) U.S. corporate debt effective yield and the U.S. Treasury rates adjusted for credit spread as the primary data points for purposes of determining the IBR.

In the first quarter of 2022, the Company entered into two new long-term, non-cancelable operating lease agreements for office and warehouse space resulting in the Company recognizing an additional lease liability totaling of $2,348,509, representing the present value of the lease payments discounted using an effective interest rate of 8.07% and 8.86%, and corresponding right-of-use assets of $2,348,509. The leases expire in December 2026 and December 2028. The second lease contains one three-year option to renew. The lease is guaranteed by the current CEO.

In the first quarter of 2021, the Company entered into a long-term, non-cancelable operating lease agreement for office and warehouse space resulting in the Company recognizing an additional lease liability totaling of $1,268,089, representing the present value of the lease payments discounted using an effective interest rate of 7.47% and a corresponding right-of-use asset of $1,268,089. The lease expires in January 2028 and contains one three-year option to renew. The lease is guaranteed by the current CEO.

The Company has two other leases that expire in January 2023 and February 2025. The leases generally provide for annual increases based on a fixed amount and generally require the Company to pay real estate taxes, insurance, and repairs. Both leases are guaranteed by the current CEO.

The following is a summary of total lease costs during the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021:

 Schedule of lease cost

The weighted-average remaining lease term was 5.71 years and 5.64 years as of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively. The weighted average discount rate was 8.50% and 8.02%, as of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively. Operating cash flows from the operating leases totaled $115,442 and $48,602 for the three months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively and $322,112 and $127,980 for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

The total lease liability as of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 was $3,338,046 and $1,311,649, respectively.

The following is a maturity analysis of the annual undiscounted cash flows of the operating lease liabilities as of September 30, 2022, for years ending September 30:

 Schedule of future minimum lease payment

Subleases

The Company subleases office and warehouse space under three of its existing operating leases with similar terms as the Company’s lease agreements. Because the Company is not relieved of its primary obligations under the original lease, the Company accounts for the subleases as a lessor. Sublease rental income is recorded based on the contractual rental payments which are not substantially different from recognition on a straight-line basis over the

lease term and totaled $25,022 and $30,360 during the three months ended September, 2022 and 2021, respectively, and $98,364 and $54,677 during the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively. As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, deferred income and a sublease deposit totaled $14,168 and $13,690, respectively, and is included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities on the accompanying Balance Sheets.

The following are the total future minimum sublease payments as of September 30, 2022:

Schedule of future minimum sublease payments

Litigation

The Company may be involved from time to time in litigation or claims arising in the ordinary course of its business. While the ultimate liability, if any, arising from these claims cannot be determined with certainty, the Company believes that the resolution of any such matters will not likely have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial statements.

11.    Conversion to a C Corporation

Effective November 1, 2021, the Company converted from an LLC to a C corporation under the State of Nevada statutes in anticipation of an upcoming initial public offering, and changed its name to Expion360 Inc. The membership units of the existing LLC members and all existing convertible note holders (see Note 9 - Convertible Notes) converted into an aggregate of 4,181,111 shares of common stock. Additionally, investors purchased 88,889 shares of common stock for total proceeds of $316,400, and 30,000 shares of common stock were issued in exchange for legal services. The 30,000 shares issued in exchange for legal services were valued at $108,900 at date of grant based on the per share price of $3.63 paid for shares issued at the time of the conversion to a C corporation. The Company’s issued and outstanding shares of common stock totaled 4,300,000 upon conversion to a C corporation.

12.    Stockholders’ Equity

The Company is authorized to issue an aggregate of 220,000,000 shares of capital stock, par value $0.001 per share, consisting of 200,000,000 shares of common stock and 20,000,000 shares of preferred stock. As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, 6,802,464 and 4,300,000 shares, respectively, of common stock were issued and outstanding. No shares of preferred stock have been issued.

A holder of common stock is entitled to one vote for each share of common stock. The holders of common stock have no conversion, redemption or preemptive rights and shall be entitled to receive dividends when, as, and if declared by the board of directors. Upon dissolution, liquidation, or winding up of the Company, after payment or provision for payment of debts and other liabilities of the Company, subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any class or series stock having a preference over the right to participate with common stock with respect to the distribution of assets of the Company upon such dissolution, liquidation, or winding up of the Company, the holders of common stock shall be entitled to receive the remaining assets of the Company available for distribution to its stockholders ratably in proportion to the number of shares of common stock held.

Since no shares of preferred stock have been issued, no rights and privileges of preferred stockholders have been defined.

Initial Public Offering

On April 1, 2022, the Company completed an initial public offering (“IPO”). A total of 2,466,750 shares of common stock were sold at $7.00 per share in the IPO, for total gross proceeds of $17,267,250. The Company incurred IPO costs of $2,494,763 resulting in net proceeds of $14,772,487. Additionally, during the nine months ended September 30, 2022, the Company issued 35,714 shares of common stock at $7.00 per share to an outside third party in exchange for IPO services. The fair value of the shares of $249,998 were recorded as an increase to common stock of $36 (35,714 shares at $.001 par value) and additional paid in capital of $249,962 and a corresponding reduction to additional paid in capital of $249,998, resulting in a net decrease in additional paid in capital of $36.

Issuance of Shares

Prior to conversion from an LLC to a C corporation, the following membership units were issued and included in the membership units that were converted into 4,181,111 shares of common stock upon the Company’s conversion to a C corporation (see Note 11 – Conversion to a C corporation).

Warrants/Options

On April 1, 2022, the Company issued warrants to IPO underwriters to purchase 148,005 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $9.10 per share. The warrants are exercisable 180 days after grant (September 27, 2022) and expire 5 years from date of grant (March 31, 2027). The fair value of the warrants was determined at date of issuance using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model and the following assumptions: per share price of common stock on date of grant of $7, expected dividend yield of 0%, expected volatility of 110.03%, risk-free interest rate of 2.55% and expected life based on contractual life of 5 years. The fair value of $916,238 was recorded as an increase in additional-paid-in capital and a reduction to additional paid-in capital since the warrants were issued as IPO fees to underwriters, resulting in a zero impact to additional paid-in capital.

In November 2021, the Company issued 482,268 detachable warrants with secured promissory notes (see Note 7 – Long-Term Debt) for the purchase of common stock. The relative fair value of the warrants of $809,806 at the time of issuance was recorded as additional paid-in capital with a corresponding debt discount reducing the carrying value of the notes. Additionally, the Company issued 77,163 warrants to purchase shares of common stock to underwriters in connection with obtaining the notes. The fair value of the warrants of $262,354 was recorded as additional paid-in capital and reduced the carrying value of the notes. The warrants are exercisable at $3.32 per share for a period of 10 years from date of grant. The fair value of the warrants was determined at date of issuance using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model and the following assumptions: per share price of common stock on date of grant of $3.63, expected dividend yield of 0%, expected volatility of 110.8%, risk-free interest rate of 1.63% and expected life based on contractual life of 10 years.

Also in November 2021, the Company issued warrants to purchase 151,000 shares of common stock in in exchange for prior services related to extinguished 2021 convertible notes and 30,000 options for the purchase of common stock in exchange for legal services. The warrants are exercisable at $2.90 per share for a period of three years from the date of grant. The options are exercisable at $3.32 per share for a period of three years from the date of grant. The options issued were not issued under the Company’s stock option plans. The fair value of the warrants of $407,700 was recorded as additional paid-in-capital and expensed to extinguishment loss on debt settlement (see Note 9 – Convertible Notes.) The fair value of the options of $79,200 was recorded as additional paid-in capital with a corresponding charge to legal expense. The fair value of the warrants and options was determined at date of issuance using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model and the following assumptions: per share price of common stock on date of grant of $3.63, expected dividend yield of 0%, expected volatility of 122.7%, risk-free interest rate of 0.71% and expected life based on contractual life of three years.

As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, a total of 858,436 and 710,431 warrants were issued and outstanding, respectively. As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, a total of 30,000 options, which were not issued under a specified plan, were outstanding. As of September 30, 2022, below is a summary of the various warrants/options issued and outstanding:

 Schedule of various warrants/options issued and outstanding

Stock Option Plans

As of September 30, 2022, the Company had adopted two stock-based compensation plans, the 2021 Incentive Award Plan and the 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, both of which are described below and became effective upon the initial public offering. On May 2, 2022, the Company granted 829,500 options under the 2021 Incentive Award Plan. No shares have been issued to date under the 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan. The compensation cost that has been charged against operations was $2,114,529 for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2022.

2021 Incentive Award Plan

The purpose of the Company’s 2021 Incentive Award Plan is to enhance the Company’s ability to attract, retain and motivate persons who make (or are expected to make) important contributions to the Company by providing these individuals with equity ownership opportunities. Various stock-based awards may be granted under the plan to eligible employees, consultants, and non-employee directors. The number of shares issued under the plan is subject to limits and is adjusted annually. No more than 1,000,000 shares may be issued pursuant to the exercise of incentive stock options. The aggregate share limit will be subject to an annual increase on the first day of each calendar year ending on and including January 1, 2031, by a number of shares equal to the lesser of (i) a number equal to 5% of the aggregate number of shares of the Company's common stock outstanding on the final day of the immediately preceding calendar year and (ii) such smaller number of shares as is determined by the Company's board or committee. As of September 30, 2022, the aggregate number of shares that can be issued under the Plan is 859,500 of which 829,500 have been granted. The number of shares granted, the exercise price, and the terms will be determined at date of grant, however, the exercise price shall not be less than 100% of the fair value on the grant date (110% for options granted to greater than 10% shareholders) and the term shall not exceed ten years.

2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

The purpose of the Company’s 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan is to assist eligible employees of the Company in acquiring a stock ownership in the Company and to help such employees provide for their future security and to encourage them to remain in the employment of the Company. The plan consists of a Section 423 Component and Non-Section 423 Component. The Section 423 Component is intended to qualify as an employee stock purchase plan and also authorizes the grant of options. Options granted under the Non-Section 423 Component shall be granted pursuant to separate offerings containing sub-plans. The Company may make one or more offerings under the plan. The duration and timing of each offering period may be established or changed by the board, but in no event may an offering period exceed 27 months and in no event may the purchase period for the option exceed the duration of the offering period under which it is established. On each exercise date for an offering period, each participant shall automatically be deemed to have exercised the option to purchase the largest number of whole shares which can be purchased under the offering. Option awards are generally granted with an exercise price equal to 85% of the lesser of the fair market value of a share on (a) the applicable grant date and (b) the applicable exercise date, or such other price as designated by the administrator, provided that in no event shall the option price be less that the per share par value price. The maximum number of shares granted under the plan shall not exceed 2,500,000 shares.

The fair value of each option is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The option-pricing model requires a number of assumptions, of which the most significant are the expected stock price volatility and the expected option term. Expected volatility was calculated based upon similar traded companies’ historical share price movements as adequate historical experience is not available to provide a reasonable estimate. Expected term is calculated based on the simplified method as adequate historical experience is not available to provide a reasonable estimate. The simplified method will continue to apply until enough historical experience is available to provide a reasonable estimate of the expected term. The risk-free interest rate is calculated based on the yield from U.S. Treasury zero-coupon bonds with an equivalent term. The Company has historically not paid dividends and have no foreseeable plans to pay dividends.

The Company has computed the fair value of all options granted during the nine months ended September 30, 2022 using the following assumptions:

 Schedule of assumptions used

The following table summarizes the Company’s stock option activity under the 2021 Incentive Plan:

 Schedule of stock option activity

The weighted-average grant-date fair value of the options granted during the nine months ended September 30, 2022 to employees and non-employees was $1,847,193 and $267,336, respectively. All options were immediately vested and there was no unrecognized compensation expense as of September 30, 2022.

Common Stock Reserved for Future Issuance

The following is a summary of common stock shares reserved for future issuance as of September 30, 2022:

Schedule of common stock shares reserved for future issuance 

13.    Income Taxes

In anticipation of an initial public offering, the Company converted from a limited liability company to a C corporation, a taxable entity, effective November 1, 2021.

Through October 31, 2021, the Company was treated as an S corporation for federal and state income tax purposes, such that the Company’s taxable income is reported by members in their respective tax returns and the Company was only subject to state franchise taxes and fees. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 the Company incurred a provision for state franchise fees of $0 and $300, respectively. There was no provision recorded for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021.

Since converting to a C corporation, the Company has incurred losses and consequently recorded no provision for state or federal income taxes for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022. The Company maintains a full valuation allowance on all deferred tax assets, as it has concluded that it is more likely than not that these assets will not be realized. As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, there were no material unrecognized tax benefits included in the accompanying balance sheets that would, if recognized, affect the effective tax rate.

14.    401(k) Plan

The Company adopted a 401(k) Plan (“Plan”) for the benefit of its employees. Employees may contribute to the Plan within defined limits as defined by the Internal Revenue Service. Substantially all employees are eligible to participate. The Company has the option to make profit sharing contributions at its discretion. No profit-sharing contributions have been made.

15.    Related Party Transactions

As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, related party transactions consisted of Shareholder Promissory Notes (see Note 8 – Shareholder Promissory Notes).

16.    Subsequent Events

The date to which events occurring after September 30, 2022, the date of the most recent Balance Sheets, have been evaluated for possible adjustment to the financial statements or disclosures is November 3, 2022, which is the date the financial statements were issued.

On October 26,2022, the Company filed an S-8 related to its Employee Benefit Plan Security Offering.

ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related condensed notes thereto, which are included in Part I of this report and the consolidated financial statements of the Company and notes thereto for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2021, included in the Company’s prospectus, dated March 31, 2022, filed with the SEC in accordance with Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act on April 4, 2022 (the “Prospectus”) in connection with the Company’s initial public offering. Our future financial condition and results of operations, as well as any forward-looking statements, are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may adversely impact our operations and financial results. These risks and uncertainties are discussed in the Prospectus.

OVERVIEW

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes thereto, which are included in Part I of this report.

We focus on the design, assembly, manufacturing, and sales of lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries and supporting accessories for recreational vehicles (“RVs”) and marine applications with plans to expand into home energy storage products and industrial applications. We design, manufacture, and distribute high-powered, lithium battery solutions using ground-breaking concepts with a creative sales and marketing approach. Our product offerings include some of the most dense and minimal-footprint batteries in the RV & Marine industry. We are developing the e360 Home Energy Storage: a system that we expect to significantly change the industry in barrier price, flexibility, and integration. We are deploying multiple IP strategies with cutting-edge research, manufacturing processes, and unique products to sustain and scale the business. We currently have customers consisting of dealers, wholesalers, and original equipment manufacturers who are driving revenue and brand awareness nationally.

Our corporate headquarters are based in Redmond, Oregon, with assembly in the United States and suppliers based in Asia. We are currently in the process of building out manufacturing capacity at our corporate headquarters. Our long-term target is to onshore the manufacturing of most of our components and assemblies, including cell manufacturing, to the United States.

Our main target markets are the RV & Marine industry. We believe that we are currently well positioned to capitalize on the rapid market conversion from lead-acid to lithium batteries as the primary method of power sourcing in these industries. Additional focus markets include home energy storage, where we aim to provide a cost-effective, low barrier of entry, and a do-it-yourself (“DIY”) flexible system for those looking to power their homes via solar energy, wind, or grid back-up. Along with RV/Marine and home energy storage markets, we aim to provide additional capacities to the ever-expanding electric forklift and industrial material handling markets.

Expion360’s VPR 4EVER product line, which is manufactured for the RV/Marine industry, was launched in December 2020. The VPR 4EVER product line, through its rapid sales growth, has shown to be a preferred conversion solution for lead-acid batteries. We believe that our e360 Home Energy Storage system has strong revenue potential with recurring income opportunities for us and our associated sales partners.

Our products provide numerous advantages for various industries that are looking to migrate to lithium-based energy storage. They incorporate, detailed-oriented design, engineering, and manufacturing, and strong case materials and internal and structural layouts, and are backed by responsive customer service.

COMPETITIVE STRENGTHS

We believe the following strengths differentiate Expion360 and create long-term sustainable competitive advantages.

Superior Capacity to Lead Acid Competitors

Lead-acid batteries have always been the standard in RV and marine transportation vehicles. Our lithium-ion batteries offer superior capacity to our lead-acid competitors. Our batteries utilize lithium iron phosphate, and therefore, are expected to have a lifespan of approximately 12 years — three to four times that of certain lead-acid batteries and with ten times the number of charging cycles. Furthermore, our typical battery provides three times the power of the typical, lead-acid battery despite being half the weight (comparing, for example, a typical lead-acid battery like Renogy Deep Cycle AGM, which is rated at 100Ah, to our own LFP 100Ah battery and assuming slow discharge at a .1C rate).

Battery Pack Flexibility

Our battery packs are also highly flexible, designed to be moved and used in various applications seamlessly. We plan to onshore our semi-automated pack assembly in Redmond, Oregon beginning in the fourth quarter of 2022. This should allow us to use a more flexible approach to forming and creating new battery packs. By onshoring, we expect to be able to react to market demands at a much quicker pace and increase profit levels over our competition.

Strong National Retail Customers

We have a national presence with several large retail customers, such as Camping World.

Long-time RV and Marine Industry Experience and Relationship

John Yozamp, Founder of Expion360, pioneered multiple new recreational concepts in the RV industry. As the founder and previous owner of Zamp Solar, he has extensive relationships in the RV OEM industry.

Strong Insider Ownership

        Expion360 is managed by a team with a strong track record in the RV and clean energy spaces. In addition, our company insiders own significant equity in the company, signaling a strong commitment and personal investment.

Expansion into New Markets

While RV and marine applications currently drive revenue, Expion360 has plans to expand into the home energy market in the coming years. Our e360 Home Energy Storage system is planned to target entry level customers with its modular design that will allow for DIY expansion. We see the vision of stored energy as a portable, moving concept, where stored energy can be transported from the home to other devices outside of it. Furthermore, Expion360 plans to file for IP protection for Expion360’s “Smart Talk” upon completion of development. “Smart Talk” is designed to allow multiple batteries in a bank to communicate as one and be linked to a network.

Strong Distribution Channels

Expion360 has sales relationships with many major RV and marine retailers and plans to use what we believe is a strong reputation in the lithium battery space to create an even stronger distribution channel. John Yozamp has used his decades of experience in the energy and RV industries to cultivate relationships with numerous retailers in the space. Expion360 has already established a sales relationship with Camping World, the largest RV retailer with sales representing around 25% of all new RVs sold nationwide, as well as Electric World, and NTP-STAG, a leading distributor of aftermarket RV parts.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AND TRENDS

In addition to the recent developments identified in in the Company’s prospectus, dated March 31, 2022, filed with the SEC in accordance with Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act on April 4, 2022 (the “Prospectus”) in connection with the Company’s initial public offering, our business in 2022 has been impacted, and we believe will continue to be impacted by the following recent events and trends:

On April 1, 2022, the Company completed an initial public offering. A total of 2,466,750 shares of common stock were sold at $7.00 per share in the IPO, for total gross proceeds of $17,267,250, or net proceeds of $14,772,487 after issuance costs of $2,494,763, which has substantially improved our working capital position. The Company also issued 35,714 shares and 148,005 warrants to outside third parties and underwriters in connection with the IPO. The total estimated fair value of the shares and warrants was $249,998 and $916,238, respectively. IPO-related costs incurred reduced additional paid-in capital and therefore, the issuance of these shares and warrants resulted in no impact to the financial statements.

From the IPO proceeds, in April 2022 the Company paid off working capital loans totaling $550,000 (see Note 6 – Line of Credit and Short-Term Revolving Loans) and notes payable of $1.7 million, plus related interest totaling $213,895.

We experienced overall improvements in sales trends in the nine-month period ended September 30, 2022 as compared to the corresponding period in the prior year.

Our new leased distribution center in Elkhart, Indiana became operational in the first quarter of 2022 and our new leased facility in Redmond, Oregon is under development with roughly $950,000 of proceeds from the IPO earmarked for the construction of a new assembly line and associated equipment for quality testing and material handling. Total capital expenditures related to the new assembly line and associated equipment for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 was approximately $85,000 and $460,000, respectively.

The Company’s 2021 Incentive Award Plan and 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan both became effective upon the initial public offering. The stock option plans are described in detail in Note 12 – Stockholders’ Equity of the financial statements. In May 2022, 829,500 shares were granted under the 2021 Incentive Award Plan which resulted in a fair value stock-based compensation expense of $2,114,529, which is included in selling, general, and administrative expenses on the accompanying financial statements.

KEY LINE ITEMS

Revenue Recognition

The Company’s revenue is generated from the sale of products consisting primarily of batteries and accessories. The Company recognizes revenue when control of goods or services is transferred to its customers in an amount that reflects the consideration it is expected to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. Materially, all of our sales are within the United States.

Cost of Sales

Our primary cost of sales is related to our direct product and landing costs. Direct labor costs consist of payroll costs (including taxes and benefits) of employees directly engaged in assembly activities. Overhead consists primarily of warehouse rent and utilities. The costs can increase or decrease based on costs of product and assembly parts, purchased at market pricing, customer supply requirements, and the amount of labor required to assemble a product, along with the allocation of fixed overhead.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general and administrative expenses consist primarily of salaries, benefits, and sales and marketing costs. Other costs include facility and related costs, professional fees and other legal expenses, consulting, tax and accounting services, sales and marketing expenses.

Interest and Other Income, net

Interest expense consists of interest costs on loans with interest rates ranging from 3.75% to 11.21% and amortization of debt issuance costs. As of September 30, 2022, all debt issuance costs have been fully amortized.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We have no material off-balance sheet arrangements.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following table sets forth certain operational data as a percentage of sales.