REGO PAYMENT ARCHITECTURES, INC. - Quarter Report: 2017 March (Form 10-Q)

Rego Payment Architectures, Inc. (the “Company,” “we”, or “us”) was incorporated in Delaware on February 11, 2008 under the name Chimera International Group, Inc.  On April 4, 2008, we amended our certificate of incorporation and changed our name to Moggle, Inc.  On August 22, 2011, we filed a Certificate of Ownership with the Secretary of State of Delaware, pursuant to which the Company’s newly-formed wholly-owned subsidiary, Virtual Piggy Incorporated was merged into and with the Company (the “Merger”). In connection with the Merger and in accordance with Section 253 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the name of the Company was changed from “Moggle, Inc.” to “Virtual Piggy, Inc.”  On February 28, 2017, we amended our certificate of incorporation and changed our name to Rego Payment Architectures, Inc. Our principal offices are located at 265 Sunrise Boulevard, Palm Beach, Florida  33480 and our telephone number is (561) 220-0408.

On December 3, 2015, the Company incorporated a newly-formed wholly-owned Subsidiary, Finity, Inc.  On December 11, 2015, the Company filed a Statement of Correction with the Pennsylvania Department of State, to change the name of Finity, Inc. to Finitii, Inc.  The purpose of Finitii, Inc. was to teach children financial responsibility as a not for profit organization.  On November 29, 2016, Finitii, Inc. was dissolved, without having any operations since inception.

 

As of the date of this report, we have not generated significant revenues.  Our initial business plan was to develop an online game platform to allow game companies to create, monetize and distribute massive multiplayer online games (MMOG). The Company’s technology was the monetization component of this overall platform (our “Platform”). During 2010, we analyzed the market potential for an expanded Company solution and decided to concentrate our efforts on the delivery of a full-featured Company solution that was not restricted to online gaming. The expanded Company solution is designed to provide a complete online solution for families and parents to teach their children about financial management and spending on gaming, retail, music and entertainment. In late 2013, we rebranded our Company product under the name “Oink®”.

In the second half of 2015, the Company changed its management team.  The new team is focused on building and improving the existing platform that will act as the foundation for the strategic alignment with the Financial Technology (“FinTech”) industry.  The FinTech industry is composed primarily of startup companies that use software to provide financial services more efficiently and less costly than traditional financial service companies.  In April 2016, our former Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) resigned and we hired a new CEO who is concentrating on the FinTech industry as well.  In March 2016, we discontinued our prior Oink product offering.

Strategic Outlook

 

We believe that the virtual goods market and the FinTech industry will continue to grow over the long term.  Within the market and industry, we intend to provide services to allow transactions with children in compliance with COPPA and similar international privacy laws.  We believe that this particular opportunity is relatively untapped and intend to be a leading provider of online transactions for children.

 

Sustained spending on technology, our ability to raise additional financing, the continued growth of the FinTech industry, and compliance with regulatory and reporting requirements are all external conditions that may affect our ability to execute our business plan.  In addition, the FinTech industry is intensely competitive, and most participants have longer operating histories, significantly greater financial, technical, marketing, customer service and other resources, and greater name recognition.  In addition, certain potential customers, particularly large organizations, may view our small size and limited financial resources as a negative even if they prefer our offering to those of our competitors.

 

Our primary strategic objectives over the next 12-18 months are to increase our user base and the engagement level of that base. We plan to achieve that by implementing our partner-first go to market model in which established payments market leaders and vertical market participants can incorporate and integrate our platform into co-branded payments solutions targeting youth and family.  Management believes this approach will enable the Company to reduce expenses while broadening its reach.

 

 

Within this partner-first model, the Company is incorporating licensing fees and customization services.  This should enable the Company to begin creating shareholder value above and beyond consumer transaction fees. As our service grows, we intend to hire additional information technology staff to maintain our product offerings and develop new products to increase our market share.

 

We believe that our near-term success will depend particularly on our ability to develop customer awareness and confidence in our service.  Since we have limited capital resources, we will need to closely manage our expenses and conserve our cash by continually monitoring any increase in expenses and reducing or eliminating unnecessary expenditures. Our prospects must be considered in light of the risks, expenses and difficulties encountered by companies at an early stage of development, particularly given that we operate in new and rapidly evolving markets, that we have limited financial resources, and face an uncertain economic environment. We may not be successful in addressing such risks and difficulties.

 

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An investment in our common stock involves a high degree of risk.  You should carefully consider the following risk factors in addition to other information in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q before purchasing our common stock. The risks and uncertainties described below are those that we currently deem to be material and that we believe are specific to our company and our industry.  In addition to these risks, our business may be subject to risks currently unknown to us.  If any of these or other risks actually occurs, our business may be adversely affected, the trading price of our common stock may decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment.

We have a history of losses, have yet to begin generating significant revenue, will require additional capital, and our auditors have raised substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.

 

We have experienced net losses in each fiscal quarter since our inception and as of December 31, 2016, have an accumulated deficit of approximately $66.7 million.  We incurred net losses to common shareholders of approximately $5.9 million during the year ended December 31, 2016 and approximately $8.7 million during the year ended December 31, 2015.  At May 15, 2017 we had a cash position of $23,000.  Depending on the speed at which we begin to generate revenue, and to the degree we continue to accelerate spending to take advantage of our market opportunity, we will need additional capital to execute our business plan.  As a result of these conditions, the report of our independent accountants issued in connection with the audit of our financial statements as of and for our fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 contained a qualification raising a substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.

In order to execute our business plan and pay expenses in connection with unforeseen events, we will need to raise additional capital, which may not be available on terms acceptable to us, if at all.

In order to execute our current business plan, we will need to raise additional capital.  The amount of funding required will be determined by many factors, some of which are beyond our control, and we may require such funds sooner than currently anticipated or to cover unforeseen expenses.   We expect that any such funding would be raised through sales of our debt or equity securities. When raising additional funding, general market conditions or the then-current market price of our common stock may not support capital raising transactions. We have not made arrangements to obtain additional financing and we can provide no assurance that additional financing will be available in an amount or on terms acceptable to us, if at all. If we cannot raise funds when they are needed or if such funds cannot be obtained on acceptable terms, we may not be able to (a) pay our costs and expenses as they are incurred, (b) execute our business plan, (c) take advantage of future opportunities, or (d) respond to competitive pressures or unanticipated requirements or in the extreme case, liquidate the Company. This may seriously harm our business, financial condition and results of operations. 

 

 

We are essentially a start-up company with an unproven business model which makes it difficult to evaluate our current business and future prospects.

We are essentially a start-up company introducing new services and technologies.  We are completing the development part of our enhanced Platform, however, we have not generated significant revenue.  We expect to generate all of our future revenues from the development and marketing of our COPPA compliant payment solution Platform to financial institutions and merchants.  However, we have only a very limited operating history and have not generated significant revenue upon which to base an evaluation of our current business and future prospects.  Although our management team has substantial experience in developing and managing businesses, they have never developed or offered such a technology and there can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully develop and market such a technology.  If we are unable to fully develop and commercialize our Platform, or manage other challenges facing development stage companies, such as raising additional capital, managing existing and expanding operations, and hiring qualified personnel, we may continue to be unprofitable or, in the extreme case, be forced to cease operations. Before purchasing our common stock, you should consider an investment in our common stock in light of the risks, uncertainties and difficulties frequently encountered by early stage companies in new and evolving markets such as ours, including those described herein. We may not be able to successfully address any or all of these risks.  Failure to adequately address such risks would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operation and could cause our business to fail.

 

Our management has limited experience in our relatively new industry, which may make it difficult for you to evaluate our business prospects.

 

Our senior management does not have direct experience in the online payment or retailing industries.  There can be no assurance that our management team will be successful in working together to develop and market our Platform.  In addition, the online payment industry is a relatively new industry.  Although there a number of online payment solutions, relatively few are directed specifically to the “Under 18” market segment.   You must consider our business prospects in light of the risks and difficulties we will encounter in the future in a new and rapidly evolving industry. We may not be able to successfully address these risks and difficulties, which could materially harm our business prospects, financial condition and results of operations.

We are developing a unique service platform which is new to the market and there is substantial uncertainty regarding the level of consumer and industry acceptance, if any, of our platform.

 

Our Platform is intended to provide a unique solution to certain financial institutions, website operators and online merchants.  As we do not believe any provider is currently offering such a solution, it is very difficult for us to predict the level of demand and market acceptance of our Platform by consumers or online retailers.  As regulations, consumer and industry preferences and trends evolve, there is a high degree of uncertainty about whether users will value some or all of the key features which we intend to incorporate into the Platform. The failure of the marketplace to deem our features desirable may discourage use of our Platform and limit our ability to generate any meaningful revenues or profits which would have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, and financial condition.

Fluctuations in demand for our Platform may have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition.

 

We are subject to fluctuations in demand for our Platform due to a variety of factors, including general economic conditions, including the possibility of a prolonged period of limited economic growth or possible economic decline in the U.S., competition; disruptions to the credit and financial markets in Europe, the U.S., and elsewhere; contractions or limited growth in consumer spending or consumer credit; and adverse economic conditions that may be specific to the Internet, ecommerce and payments industries.

We are also subject to product obsolescence, technological change, shifts in buying patterns, financial difficulties and budget constraints of current and potential customers, levels of demand for virtual goods, awareness of security threats to IT systems, and other factors. While such factors may, in some periods increase revenues, fluctuations in demand can also negatively impact our revenues.

Weak consumer spending may adversely affect our business prospects, financial condition and results of operations.

Our ability to attract new users, and encourage users to purchase items through our website, and use our payment services in times where consumer spending is weak could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

      

Undetected programming errors or flaws in our Platform could harm our reputation or prevent market acceptance of the Platform which would materially and adversely affect our business prospects, reputation, financial condition and results of operations.

 

The Platform may contain programming errors or flaws, which may become apparent only after sustained use in the market.   In addition, the Platform was developed using programs and engines developed by and/or licensed from third party vendors, which may include programming errors or flaws over which we have no control.  If our users or partners have a negative experience with the Platform, related to or caused by undetected programming errors or flaws, they may be less inclined to continue or resume use of the Platform or recommend the Platform to other potential users. Undetected programming errors in the Platform can also cause our users or partners to cease using the Platform or delay market acceptance of the Platform, either of which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our future growth is largely dependent upon our ability to develop technologies that achieve market acceptance with acceptable margins.

 

The markets for our products and services are characterized by constant technological changes, frequent introductions of new products and services and evolving industry standards. Our ability to execute our business depends upon a number of factors, including our ability to identify emerging technological and market trends in our target end-markets, develop and maintain competitive products, create our Platform that differentiates our services from those of our competitors, and develop and bring services to market quickly and cost-effectively. In addition, we will need to effectively manage risks associated with new products and production ramp issues as well as risks that new products may have quality or other defects in early stages of introduction. The process of developing new high technology products, services and solutions and enhancing our existing products is complex, costly and uncertain. Our ability to continually refine and successfully commercialize the Platform will require substantial technological innovation and requires the investment of significant resources. These development efforts may not lead to the ongoing evolution of the Platform on a timely basis or meet the needs of our customers as fully as competitive offerings.  Any failure by us to anticipate customers’ changing needs and emerging technology trends accurately could significantly harm our market share and results of operations. In addition, the markets for our services may not develop or grow as we anticipate. The failure of our products to gain market acceptance or their obsolescence due to more attractive offerings by competitors could significantly impact our revenues and adversely affect our business, operations and financial results.

 

Security breaches and other disruptions could compromise our information and expose us to liability, which would cause our business and reputation to suffer.

In the ordinary course of our business, we collect and store sensitive data, including intellectual property, our proprietary business information and that of our customers and business partners, and personally identifiable information of our customers and employees, in our data centers and on our networks. The secure processing, maintenance and transmission of this information is critical to our operations and business strategy. Despite our security measures, our information technology and infrastructure may be vulnerable to attacks by hackers or breached due to employee error, malfeasance or other disruptions. Any such breach could compromise our networks and the information stored there could be accessed, publicly disclosed, lost or stolen. Any such access, disclosure or other loss of information could result in legal claims or proceedings, liability under laws that protect the privacy of personal information, and regulatory penalties, disrupt our operations and the services we provide to customers, and damage our reputation, and cause a loss of confidence in our products and services, which could adversely affect our business/operating margins, revenues and competitive position.

 

     

Our plans are dependent upon key individuals and the ability to attract qualified personnel, as well as our relationship with outside developers.

In order to execute our business plan, we will be dependent upon John Coyne, our Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, as well as other key development personnel.  The loss of any of the foregoing individuals could have a material adverse effect upon our business prospects. Moreover our success continues to depend to a significant extent on our ability to identify, attract, hire, train and retain qualified professional, creative, technical and managerial personnel. Competition for such personnel is intense, and there can be no assurance that we will be successful in identifying, attracting, hiring, training and retaining such personnel in the future. The competition for software developers, and technical directors is especially intense because the software market has significantly expanded over the past several years.  If we are unable to hire, assimilate and retain such qualified personnel in the future, our business, operating results, and financial condition could be materially adversely effected.  We may also depend on third party contractors and other partners, to develop our Platform as well as any future enhancements thereto. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in either attracting and retaining qualified personnel, or creating arrangements with such third parties. The failure to succeed in these endeavors would have a material adverse effect on our ability to consummate our business plans.

 

Our lack of patent and/or copyright protection and any unauthorized use of the Platform by third parties, may adversely affect our business.

 

We have made patent applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office related to our Platform, which we rely on for protection to our technology.  We also rely on a combination of protections provided by contracts, including confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements, and common law rights, such as trade secrets, to protect our intellectual property.  However, we cannot assure you that we will be able to adequately protect our technology or other intellectual property from misappropriation in the U.S. and abroad.  This risk may be increased due to the lack of complete patent and/or copyright protection.  Any patent issued to us could be challenged, invalidated or circumvented or rights granted thereunder may not provide a competitive advantage to us. Furthermore, patent applications that we file may not result in issuance of a patent or, if a patent is issued, the patent may not be issued in a form that is advantageous to us. Despite our efforts to protect our intellectual property rights, others may independently develop similar products, duplicate our products or design around our patents and other rights. In addition, it is difficult to monitor compliance with, and enforce, our intellectual property rights on a worldwide basis in a cost-effective manner. In jurisdictions where foreign laws provide less intellectual property protection than afforded in the U.S. and abroad, our technology or other intellectual property may be compromised, and our business would be materially adversely affected. If any of our proprietary rights are misappropriated or we are forced to defend our intellectual property rights, we will have to incur substantial costs.  Such litigation could result in substantial costs and diversion of our resources, including diverting the time and effort of our senior management, and could disrupt our business, as well as have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.  We can provide no assurance that we will have the financial resources to oppose any actual or threatened infringement by any third party.  Furthermore, any patent or copyrights that we may be granted may be held by a court to infringe on the intellectual property rights of others and subject us to the payment of damage awards.

  

We may be subject to claims with respect to the infringement of intellectual property rights of others, which could result in substantial costs and diversion of our financial and management resources.

 

Third parties may claim that we are infringing on their intellectual property rights. We may violate the rights of others without our knowledge. We may expose ourselves to additional liability if we agree to indemnify our clients against third party infringement claims.  While we know of no basis for any claims of this type, the existence of and ownership of intellectual property can be difficult to verify and we have not made an exhaustive search of all patent filings. Additionally, most patent applications are kept confidential for twelve to eighteen months, or longer, and we would not be aware of potentially conflicting claims that they make. We may become subject to legal proceedings and claims from time to time relating to the intellectual property of others in the ordinary course of our business. If we are found to have violated the intellectual property rights of others, we may be enjoined from using such intellectual property, and we may incur licensing fees or be forced to develop alternative technology or obtain other licenses. In addition, we may incur substantial expenses in defending against these third party infringement claims and be diverted from devoting time to our business and operational issues, regardless of the merits of any such claim. In addition, in the event that we recruit employees from other technology companies, including certain potential competitors, and these employees are used in the development of portions of the Platform which are similar to the development in which they were involved at their former employers, we may become subject to claims that such employees have improperly used or disclosed trade secrets or other proprietary information.  If any such claims were to arise in the future, litigation or other dispute resolution procedures might be necessary to retain our ability to offer our current and future services, which could result in substantial costs and diversion of our financial and management resources. Successful infringement or licensing claims against us may result in substantial monetary damages, which may materially disrupt the conduct of our business and have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations. Even if intellectual property claims brought against us are without merit, they could result in costly and time consuming litigation, and may divert our management and key personnel from operating our business.

 

       

If we are unable to effectively protect our intellectual property rights on a worldwide basis, we may not be successful in the planned international expansion of our Platform.

Access to worldwide markets depends in part on the strength of our intellectual property portfolio. There can be no assurance that, as our business expands into new areas, we will be able to independently develop the technology, software or know-how necessary to conduct our business or that we can do so without infringing the intellectual property rights of others. To the extent that we have to rely on licensed technology from others, there can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain licenses at all or on terms we consider reasonable. The lack of a necessary license could expose us to claims for damages and/or injunction from third parties, as well as claims for indemnification by our customers in instances where we have a contractual or other legal obligation to indemnify them against damages resulting from infringement claims. With regard to our own intellectual property, we intend to actively enforce and protect our rights. However, there can be no assurance that our efforts will be adequate to prevent the misappropriation or improper use of our protected technology in international markets.

If we are unable successfully to manage growth, our operations could be adversely affected.

 

Our progress is expected to require the full utilization of our management, financial and other resources, which to date has occurred with limited working capital. Our ability to manage growth effectively will depend on our ability to improve and expand operations, including our financial and management information systems, and to recruit, train and manage sales personnel.  There can be no assurance that we will be able to manage growth effectively.  If we do not properly manage the growth of our business, we may experience significant strains on our management and operations and disruptions in our business. Various risks arise when companies and industries grow quickly. If our business or industry grows too quickly, our ability to meet customer demand in a timely and efficient manner could be challenged. We may also experience development delays as we seek to meet increased demand for our products.  Our failure to properly manage the growth that we or our industry might experience could negatively impact our ability to execute on our operating plan and, accordingly, could have an adverse impact on our business, our cash flow and results of operations, and our reputation with our current or potential customers.

As a public company, we are required to incur substantial expenses.

 

We are subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, which requires, among other things, review, audit, and public reporting of our financial results, business activities, and other matters. SEC regulations, including regulations enacted as a result of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, have also substantially increased the accounting, legal, and other costs related to compliance with SEC reporting obligations. If we do not have current information about our Company available to market makers, they will not be able to trade our stock. The public company costs of preparing and filing annual and quarterly reports, and other information with the SEC will cause our expenses to be higher than they would be if we were privately-held.  These increased costs may be material and may include the hiring of additional employees and/or the retention of additional advisors and professionals. Our failure to comply with the federal securities laws could result in private or governmental legal action against us and/or our officers and directors, which could have a detrimental effect on our business and finances, the value of our stock, and the ability of stockholders to resell their stock.

The impact of laws regulating financial institutions may adversely impact our business.

The impact of laws regulating financial institutions, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act may adversely impact our business as a result of our reliance on merchants to provide services for our Platform.

 

       

We operate in a highly competitive industry and compete against many large companies.

Many companies worldwide are dedicated to providing online payment solutions including mobile payments, electronic funds transfer networks, cross-border access to networks, prepaid cards, bill pay networks and other online and offline payment methods.  The market in which we operate is characterized by numerous and larger competitors, including PayPal, credit card companies, and credit card processors that offer services to online retailers, rapid technological changes, and intense competition.  We expect more companies to enter the online payment business, particularly the segment aimed at serving the “Under 18” demographic.  Most if not all of these competitors have longer operating histories, significantly greater financial, technical, marketing, customer service and other resources, and greater name recognition than us.  As a result, they may respond to new or emerging technologies and changes in customer requirements faster and more effectively than we can.  If any current online payment solution develops a COPPA compliant service, it would be substantially more difficult for us to introduce and distribute our Platform to the market, and our business, financial condition and results of operations would be materially and adversely affected.

 

Changes to payment card networks or bank fees, rules, or practices could harm our business and, if we do not comply with the rules, could result in a termination of our ability to accept credit cards. If we are unable to accept credit cards, our competitive position would be seriously damaged.

We belong to or directly access payment card networks, such as Visa, MasterCard and the National Automated Clearing House Association (“NACHA”), in order to accept or facilitate the processing of credit cards and debit cards (including some types of prepaid cards) for merchants.  We also expect to rely on banks or other payment processors to process transactions, and must pay fees for this service.  From time to time, payment card networks have increased, and may increase in the future, the interchange fees and assessments that they charge for each transaction using one of their cards. Generally, payment card processors have the right to pass any increases in interchange fees and assessments on to payment systems like ours as well as increase their own fees for processing. Changes in interchange fees and assessments could increase our operating costs and reduce profit margins, if any.  In addition, in some markets, governments have required Visa and MasterCard to reduce interchange fees, or have opened investigations as to whether Visa or MasterCard's interchange fees and practices violate antitrust law.  The financial reform law enacted in 2010 authorizes the Federal Reserve Board to regulate debit card interchange rates and debit card network exclusivity provisions, and the Federal Reserve Board has proposed rules that include caps on debit card interchange fees at significantly lower rates than Visa or MasterCard currently charge.  We expect to be required by our processors to comply with payment card network operating rules, which generally include the obligation to reimburse processors for any fines they are assessed by payment card networks as a result of any rule violations by users of Oink.  The payment card networks set and interpret the card rules which could be more difficult or expensive to comply with.  We also expect to be required to comply with payment card networks' special operating rules for Internet payment services. Some of these rules may be difficult or even impossible for us to comply with. If we are unable to comply with these rules, we may be subject to fines for any failure to comply with such rules or we may lose our ability to gain access to the credit card associations or NACHA.

Any capacity constraints or system disruptions, including natural disasters, could have a material adverse effect on our business

 

Our business will rely significantly on Internet technologies and infrastructure. Therefore, the performance and reliability of our Internet sites and network infrastructure will be critical to our ability to attract and retain users, merchants and strategic partners.  Any system error, outage or failure, or a sudden and significant increase in traffic, may result in the unavailability of sites and significantly delay response times.  Individual, sustained or repeated occurrences could result in a loss of potential or existing users.  Our systems and operations will be vulnerable to interruption or malfunction due to certain events beyond our control, including natural disasters, telecommunications failures and computer hacking.  We will also rely on Web browsers and online service providers to provide Internet access to our sites. There can be no assurance that we will be able to expand our network infrastructure, either alone or through use of third-party hosting systems or service providers, on a timely basis sufficient to meet demand.  Our operations and services depend on the extent to which our computer equipment and the computer equipment of our third-party network providers is protected against damage from fire, earthquakes, terrorist acts, natural disasters, computer viruses, unauthorized entry, power loss, telecommunications failures, and similar events.  Despite precautions taken by us and our third-party network providers, over which we have no control, a natural disaster or other unanticipated problems at our headquarters or a third-party provider could cause interruptions in the services that we provide. If disruptions occur, we may have no means of replacing these network elements on a timely basis or at all.  Any accident, incident, system failure, or discontinuance of operations involving our network or a third-party network that causes interruptions in our operations could have a material adverse effect on our ability to provide services to our customers and, in turn, on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.   

 

 

Our business will be dependent upon broadband carriers.

We will rely on broadband providers to provide high speed data communications capacity to our customers. We may experience disruptions or capacity constraints in these broadband services.  If disruptions or capacity constraints occur, we may have no means of replacing these services, on a timely basis or at all.  In addition, broadband access may be limited or unavailable in certain areas, thereby reducing our potential market.

We may be subject to credit card transaction fraud

Our business model depends upon the processing of credit cards and may include the sale of gift cards.  In cases where we are the merchant of record on a gift card sale, we could be held financially responsible for the value of gift cards which are purchased using a fraudulent or stolen credit card. While we use software and safeguards to ensure that credit cards we accept are valid, there can be no assurance that credit card fraud will not occur.  In addition, in the case of transactions where our merchant is in the United States and is the merchant of record, we are not generally responsible for credit card fraud.  However, given that our business is dependent on the successful processing of credit cards and payment solutions, fraudulent processing could have an adverse effect on our merchant relationships and could result in liability.  Additionally, other countries have varying rules on who the responsible party would be in certain variations of credit card or other payment fraud.  While we are researching such international policies and rules and are implementing safeguards to minimize risk, there can be no assurance that we will not incur liability relating to credit card or other payment fraud.

  

 

Our strategic alternatives process may not result in a successful corporate transaction or liquidity event.

Our Board of Directors is exploring our strategic alternatives.  Any process of exploring strategic alternatives includes market risk and other uncertainties.  There can be no assurance that the aforementioned exploration of strategic alternatives will result in the successful consummation of a liquidity event, capital raise or other corporate transaction, on a basis that will provide any specific level of value to our common stockholders or other security holders, or at all.  We do not currently have an investment bank engaged with respect to the strategic alternatives process, however, we are in discussions with investment banking firms with respect to such an engagement. We remain committed to the exploration and assessment of our strategic alternatives.

 

Trading in our common stock has been limited, there is no significant trading market for our common stock, and purchasers of our common stock may be unable to sell their shares.

 

Our common stock is currently eligible for quotation on the OTC QB, however trading to date has been limited.  If activity in the market for shares of our common stock does not increase, purchasers of our shares may find it difficult to sell their shares.  We currently do not meet the initial listing criteria for any registered securities exchange, including the Nasdaq Stock Market.  The OTC Bulletin Board is a less recognized market than the foregoing exchanges and is often characterized by low trading volume and significant price fluctuations.  These and other factors may further impair our stockholders’ ability to sell their shares when they want to and/or could depress our stock price. As a result, stockholders may find it difficult to dispose of, or obtain accurate quotations of the price of our securities because smaller quantities of shares could be bought and sold, transactions could be delayed and security analyst and news coverage of our Company may be limited.  These factors could result in lower prices and larger spreads in the bid and ask prices for our shares of common stock.

We may not be able to qualify to have our common stock listed on a national stock exchange

 

The Company’s common stock currently trades on the Over the Counter Market (“OTC QB”) in the United States.  Listing requirements for exchanges such as NASDAQ include financial and trading requirements that, as of December 31, 2016 the Company does not meet.  The listing process can be lengthy, is discretionary and ultimately must include meeting financial and trading requirements.  There can be no assurance that the Company will ever be listed on a national stock exchange.  Currently, the Company does not qualify for listing based on its stock price, among other things. Therefore, certain institutional investors may not be able to purchase the Company’s common stock as a result of their own ownership guidelines and liquidity in the Company’s common stock would remain more limited.  Further, the Company’s ability to raise money through subsequent offerings of its common stock will be more limited if the Company is not able to list on a national exchange.

 

 

Applicable SEC rules governing the trading of “penny stocks” may limit the trading and liquidity of our common stock which may affect the trading price of our common stock.

 

Our common stock is a “penny stock” as defined under Rule 3a51-1 of the Exchange Act, and is accordingly subject to SEC rules and regulations that impose limitations upon the manner in which our common stock can be publicly traded.   Penny stocks generally are equity securities with a per share price of less than $5.00 (other than securities registered on some national securities exchanges or quoted on NASDAQ). The penny stock rules require a broker-dealer, prior to a transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from the rules, to deliver a standardized risk disclosure document that provides information about penny stocks and the nature and level of risks in the penny stock market. The broker-dealer also must provide the customer with current bid and offer quotations for the penny stock, the compensation of the broker-dealer and its salesperson in the transaction, and, if the broker-dealer is the sole market maker, the broker-dealer must disclose this fact and the broker-dealer’s presumed control over the market, and monthly account statements showing the market value of each penny stock held in the customer’s account.  In addition, broker-dealers who sell these securities to persons other than established customers and “accredited investors” must make a special written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for the purchaser and receive the purchaser’s written agreement to the transaction.  Consequently, these requirements may have the effect of reducing the level of trading activity, if any, of our common stock and reducing the liquidity of an investment in our common stock. 

 

We have outstanding shares of preferred stock with rights and preferences superior to those of our common stock.

The issued and outstanding shares of Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock and Series B Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, and the authorized but unissued shares of Series C Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, grant the holders of such preferred stock anti-dilution, voting, dividend and liquidation rights (including liquidation multiples) that are superior to those held by the holders of our common stock.  In addition, upon the issuance or deemed issuance of additional shares of common stock in the future for a price below the applicable preferred stock conversion price (currently $0.90 per share), the conversion price of the Series A and Series B Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock will be lowered based on a weighted average formula, and the conversion price of the Series C Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock will be lowered based on a full-ratchet formula for twelve months from the original authorization date and pursuant to a weighted average formula thereafter, all of which will have the effect of immediately diluting the holders of our common stock.

Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market originally issued through the conversion of preferred stock, exercise of options or warrants, or additional financing transactions could adversely affect the market price of our common stock and would have a dilutive effect upon our shareholders.

Historically, our common stock has been thinly traded. This low trading volume may have had a significant effect on the market price of our common stock, which may not be indicative of the market price in a more liquid market. As of March 31, 2017, options and warrants for the purchase of 23,900,342 shares of our common stock were outstanding and 13,697,800 shares of common stock were issuable upon conversion of our outstanding Series A and B Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock and promissory notes convertible into Series B and Series C Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock.  Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market originally issued through the conversion of convertible notes, preferred stock, exercise of options or warrants, or additional financing transactions could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

 

       

We intend to raise additional funds in the future through issuances of securities and such additional funding may be dilutive to shareholders or impose operational restrictions.

We intend to raise additional capital in the future to help fund our operations through sales of shares of our common stock or securities convertible into shares of our common stock, as well as issuances of debt.  Such additional financing may be dilutive to our shareholders, and debt financing, if available, may involve the pledge of security interests in our assets, and restrictive covenants, which may limit our operating flexibility.  If additional capital is raised through the issuances of shares of our common stock or securities convertible into shares of our common stock, the percentage ownership of existing shareholders will be reduced. These shareholders may experience additional dilution in net book value per share and any additional equity securities may have rights, preferences and privileges senior to those of the holders of our common stock.  

Because we do not expect to pay dividends for the foreseeable future, investors seeking cash dividends should not purchase shares of common stock.

 

We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our common stock. We currently intend to retain future earnings, if any, to finance the expansion of our business. As a result, we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Our payment of any future dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors after taking into account various factors, including but not limited to our financial condition, operating results, cash needs, growth plans and the terms of any credit agreements that we may be a party to at the time.  Accordingly, investors must rely on sales of their shares, after price appreciation, which may never occur, as the only way to realize any return on their investment.  Investors seeking cash dividends should not purchase our shares.

 

We are not subject to certain corporate governance provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and without voluntary compliance with such provisions, our shareholders will not receive the benefits and protections they were enacted to provide.

 

Since our common stock is not listed for trading on a national securities exchange, we are not subject to certain of the corporate governance requirements established by the national securities exchanges pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. These include rules relating to independent directors, and independent director nomination, audit and compensation committees.  Unless we voluntarily elect to comply with those obligations, investors in our shares will not have the protections offered by those corporate governance provisions.

 

We will be required to remain current in our filings with the SEC or our securities will not be eligible for continued quotation on the OTC QB.

 

We are required to remain current in our filings with the SEC in order for our shares of common stock to continue to be eligible for quotation on the OTC QB. In the event that we become delinquent in our required filings with the SEC, quotation of shares of our common stock will be terminated following a 30 day grace period if we do not make our required filing during that time.  In such event purchasers of our common stock may find it difficult to sell their common stock. 

 

If we issue shares of preferred stock with superior rights to the shares of common stock, it could result in a decrease in the value of our common stock and delay or prevent a change in control of us.

 

Our board of directors is authorized to issue up to 2,000,000 shares of preferred stock with such rights, designation, and preferences as determined by our board of directors.  As of the date of this report, we have issued 136,978 shares of preferred stock (consisting of 108,600 shares of Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock and 28,378 shares of Series B Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock), authorized the issuance of up to 150,000 shares of Series C Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, and 1,863,022 preferred shares remain unissued. Our board of directors has the power to establish the dividend rates, liquidation preferences, voting rights, redemption and conversion terms and privileges with respect to any series of preferred stock without shareholder approval. Depending upon our future financial needs, our board may, in the exercise of its business discretion, determine to issue additional shares of preferred stock having rights superior to those of our common stock which may result in a decrease in the value or market price of such shares.  Holders of such preferred stock may have the right to receive dividends, certain preferences in liquidation and conversion rights. The issuance of preferred stock could, under certain circumstances, have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of us without further vote or action by the stockholders and may adversely affect the voting and other rights of the holders of the shares of our common stock.

 

 

Provisions of our certificate of incorporation, bylaws and Delaware law may make a contested takeover of our Company more difficult.

 

Certain provisions of our certificate of incorporation, bylaws and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware ("DGCL") could deter a change in our management or render more difficult an attempt to obtain control of us, even if such a proposal is favored by a majority of our stockholders. For example, we are subject to the provisions of the DGCL that prohibit a public Delaware corporation from engaging in a broad range of business combinations with a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns 15% or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting shares (an "interested stockholder") for three years after the person became an interested stockholder, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner.  Our certificate of incorporation also includes undesignated preferred stock, which may enable our board of directors to discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a tender offer, proxy contest, merger or otherwise. Finally, our bylaws include an advance notice procedure for stockholders to nominate directors or submit proposals at a stockholders meeting. Delaware law and our charter may therefore inhibit a takeover.

 

The influx of additional shares of our common stock onto the market pursuant to SEC Rule 144 may create downward pressure on the trading price of our common stock.

A material percentage of the currently outstanding shares of our common stock are “restricted securities” within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.  As restricted securities, these shares may be resold only pursuant to an effective registration statement, under the requirements of Rule 144, or other applicable exemptions from registration under the Act and applicable state securities laws.  Generally, Rule 144 provides that a person who has held restricted securities for a prescribed period may, under certain conditions, publicly resell such shares. Under Rule 144, a non-affiliate (i.e., a stockholder who has not been an officer, director or control person for at least 90 consecutive days) may freely resell restricted securities issued by a reporting company so long as such securities have been held by the owner for a period of at least one year, or under certain circumstances six months.  The availability of a large number of shares for sale to the public under Rule 144 and the sale of such shares in public markets could have an adverse effect on the market price of our common stock.

We may require shareholders to authorize additional shares for us to properly finance our business

Upon the Company’s formation, and through a subsequent approval, our shareholders authorized and approved 230,000,000 shares of common stock.  Currently, only 57.4 million of such shares remain available for issuance. To finance and continue to grow our business, we will require additional capital and have historically relied upon the issuance of common stock, or securities convertible into common stock, for such financing.  Should our shareholders be unwilling to approve a sufficient increase in the number of our authorized shares of common stock, we would be required to finance our business with debt or other instruments, which may be difficult or impossible to secure on terms acceptable to us.  If that were to occur, we may not be able to (a) pay our costs and expenses as they are incurred, (b) execute our business plan, (c) take advantage of future opportunities, or (d) respond to competitive pressures or unanticipated requirements or in the extreme case, liquidate the Company.

 

       

Management’s judgment could impact the amount of non-cash compensation expense

 

To estimate the fair value of our stock option awards we currently use the Black-Scholes options pricing model. The determination of the fair value of equity-based awards on the date of grant using an options pricing model is affected by our then current stock price as well as assumptions regarding a number of complex and subjective variables. Management is required to make certain judgments for these variables which include the expected stock price volatility over the term of the awards, the expected term of options based on employee exercise behaviors, and the risk-free interest rate. One of the factors used in determining such value is stock volatility.  Because of the limited trading activity of our common stock, prior to January 1, 2014, we used the stock volatility of four peer companies.  To the extent that we used different peer companies to measure volatility, a different stock volatility factor may have resulted which would have caused a different stock valuation and a related increase or decrease in non-cash compensation expense. If actual results are not consistent with our assumptions and judgments used in estimating key assumptions, in future periods, the stock option expense that we record for future grants may differ significantly from what we have recorded in the current period.

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In April 2017, the Company issued $600,000 principal amount of its New Secured Notes to certain accredited investors.

 

ITEM 3. DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES.

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